CINCINNATI (AP) — Joe Burrow threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score, Samaje Perine rushed for a season-high 106 yards and the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 on Sunday in their first meeting since the Bengals prevailed in last season’s AFC championship game.
Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs lost their chance to avenge two losses to Burrow and Cincinnati last season. The Bengals beat the Chiefs last Jan. 2 to clinch the AFC North title, then won four weeks later in overtime — also by a 27-24 score — to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in 33 years.
In this matchup of elite quarterbacks, a defensive play in the fourth quarter proved to be the turning point.
With the Chiefs leading 24-20, Cincinnati linebacker Germaine Pratt stripped Trave Kelce after a catch and recovered the fumble.
Burrow, working from his own 47, then completed six of seven passes for 53 yards, finishing the drive with an 8-yard TD pass to backup running back Chris Evans that gave the Bengals the lead with 8:54 remaining.
The subsequent Chiefs drive was snuffed out when Joseph Ossai sacked Mahomes, and Harrison Butker missed a 55-yard field-goal attempt wide right.
Burrow converted two third downs on passes to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to allow the Bengals to run out the clock.
Mahomes was 16 for 27 for 223 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score.
Cincinnati led for the entire the first half and took a 14-10 lead into the locker room. Kansas City then scored two third-quarter touchdowns — an 8-yard-run by Isiah Pacheco and a 3-yard scramble by Mahomes — while the Bengals had to settle for a pair of field goals. That gave the Chiefs a 24-20 lead that held until the turnover and Cincinnati TD.
Burrow finished 25 for 31 for 286 yards. Chase, in his return after missing four games with a hip injury, had seven receptions for 97 yards.
INJURIES
Bengals TE Hayden Hurst suffered a right calf injury in the first half and was ruled out.
UP NEXT
Chiefs: At Denver next Sunday.
Bengals: Host Cleveland next Sunday.