The Cincinnati Bengals vs Buffalo Bills matchup on Sunday take the field for a battle between superstar quarterbacks vying for the final spot in the AFC Championship Game. Coming out on top of today’s Bengals vs Bills game might also make the victor favored to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LVII.
While the Kansas City Chiefs are a daunting opponent in an AFC title game, Saturday’s Divisional Round game changed things. Patrick Mahomes will be playing on a high-ankle sprain, significantly impacting his play-making ability with the ball in his hands. Meanwhile, Kansas City’s defense proved to be exploitable and even more so for a quarterback like Josh Allen or Joe Burrow.
Related: NFL playoff predictions
Of course, getting there still requires a victory today. Now, weeks after the Bengals vs Bills game was stopped following one of the scariest moments in NFL history, both teams take the field for a must-see matchup.
Cincinnati Bengals vs Buffalo Bills score and highlights
Bookmark this page for the latest Bengals vs Bills score, with highlights capturing every touchdown and game-defining play.
| 1ST QTR | 2ND QTR | 3RD QTR | 4th Qtr | FINAL | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 14 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 27 |
| Buffalo Bills | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
Related: NFL scores
Here you’ll find all the Bengals vs Bills highlights, along with analysis of specific plays and moments in the game.
Bills’ late comeback attempt fails
With Buffalo trailing by three scores, they have no choice but to stay aggressive, trying to shrink the deficit. The Bills dialed up 10 consecutive passing plays as they looked to march down the field. Despite a few chunk plays, including Dawson Knox’s 32-yard grab, the Bills weren’t able to convert their 4th-and-6 attempt, leading to their first turnover on downs of the day.
Chances are, Buffalo’s comeback attempt is done, with just over seven minutes left to play in a 27-10 game.
Bengals’ rushing attack comes alive
Cincinnati’s ground game disappeared before the Divisional Round. In its last three games, it averaged just 2.8 yards per carry and 60.3 rushing yards per game. Even with a majority of its backups on the offensive line, the Bengals are dominating in the trenches and it has opened up all the room Joe Mixon needs.
After his late touchdown in the third quarter, pushing Cincinnati out to a 24-10 lead, Mixon is averaging 6.1 yards per carry (80 yards) and the Bengals have 126 yards on the ground. Cincinnati is in complete control of this one.
Josh Allen makes it a one-score game
After a disappointing first half, Allen came out of the locker room in the third quarter and immediately led Buffalo on a scoring drive. While the Bills stalled at the Bengals’ 7-yard line, Allen looks far more comfortable than he did in the first quarter. Thanks to a 25-yard field goal by Tyles Bass, we have a one-score game again. The only question, can the Bills defense stop Burrow?.
Bengals vs Bills first half stats
- Cincinnati Bengals – 275 total yards, 6.7 yards per play, 60% third-down conversion rate
- Joe Burrow – 18-of-27, 186 yards, 2 TDs
- Joe Mixon – 55 rushing yards
- Ja’Marr Chase – 42 receiving yards, 1 TD
- Buffalo Bills – 135 total yards, 4.8 yards per play, 33% third-down conversion rate
- Josh Allen – 10-of-17, 111 yards, 78.3 QB rating, 1 rush TD
- James Cook – 15 rushing yards
- Gabe Davis – 34 receiving yards
- Stefon Diggs – 27 receiving yards
Tight ends, running backs exploiting Bills’ defense
Buffalo’s defense has already allowed 21 points and over 200 total yards in the first half. While Burrow is executing everything, the Bills are particularly struggling to stop Cincinnati’s tight ends and running backs. Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine have combined for 79 scrimmage yards, while tight ends Hayden Hurst and Mitchell Wilcox have totaled 59 receiving yards and one touchdown across four drives.
Unfortunately for Cincinnati, Chase couldn’t hang onto his second touchdown snag, with Matt Milano making a great play, to create a four-point swing.
Buffalo breaks ground on paydirt
After not recording a first down in the opening quarter, the Bills’ offense finally started moving the ball on its third possession. Behind the running game and quick passing by Allen, Buffalo moved inside the Bengals’ territory. After a 15-play, 75-yard drive Allen pushed his way into the end zone for the 1-yard touchdown.
Clock ticking on Josh Allen
After a phenomenal performance in the NFL playoffs a year ago, Allen is off to a sluggish start this time around. Following a three-turnover game in the Wild Card victory over the Miami Dolphins, Allen is now struggling with Cincinnati flooding the zones and getting significant penetration in the Bills’ backfield. It’s a very different story on the other side.
Bengals carving up Bills’ defense
Buffalo isn’t getting pressure on a quarterback starting three backup offensive lineman and Burrow is picking the secondary apart. After getting the Bills to jump, creating a free first down, Burrow immediately took advantage of the new life. Hayden Hurst was left open near the corner of the end zone, an easy pitch-and-catch for Cincinanti as it takes a 14-0 lead.
Pressure prevents Buffalo Bills’ touchdown
Bengals’ defensive coordinator Lou Anaurmo, one of our favorite NFL coaching candidates, turned up the pressure at the perfect time. On third-and-4, pressure from Cincinnati’s edge rusher Joseph Ossai forced Josh Allen into overthrowing Stefon Diggs,, who was streaking down the sideline with open space in front of him.
Cincinnati Bengals strike first
With snow creating a beautiful background for this matchup, the Bengals’ offense made quick work to turn the heat on the Bills. Joe Burrow led a six-play, 79-yard drive that he capped off with a 28-yard touchdown strike to a wide-open Ja’Marr Chase for the game’s first touchdown.
Damar Hamlin attending Bengals vs Bills at Highmark Stadium
Less than a month after going into cardiac arrest in the Bengals vs Bills game, safety Damar Hamlin is back home at Highmark Stadium supporting his teammates. While Buffalo remains focused on supporting Hamlin’s medical needs, even if it means he can’t. stay for the entire game, he showed up to support his teammates in the locker room before kickoff.
Cincinnati Bengals vs Buffalo Bills preview
There is plenty on the line for both the Bills and Bengals in this AFC Divisional Round clash and neither team is playing at full health. Buffalo’s defense will take the field without edge rusher Von Miller and All-Pro safety Micah Hyde. As a result, its secondary becomes more susceptible to allowing big plays and it is at a disadvantage lined up against Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase and Tyler Boyd on Sunday.
Unfortunately for Cincinnati, its injury situation isn’t any better. Starting offensive linemen Alex Cappa, Jonah Williams and La’el Collins are all out, forcing the Bengals to put three backups in pass protection for Burrow. Defensively, No. 1 cornerback Chidobe Awuzie is on injured reserve and backup Tre Flowers is unavailable.
Buffalo would seemingly be in a great position to attack a Bengals’ secondary that was one of the worst defenses in the NFL during the regular season against No. 2 receivers. However, despite Gabriel Davis’ playoff success, he has been extremely inconsistent for Buffalo this year.
Both teams are equally capable of scoring 30-plus points on Sunday, led by quarterbacks who can make 60-yard throws dropped right over a receiver’s shoulder in stride. With that said, Bengals’ defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo could exploit Allen’s volatile play and gunslinger mentality with disguised coverages and blitzes that create turnovers.
As for the Bills’ defense, Ed Oliver, DaQuan Jones and Gregory Rousseau should have little trouble creating penetration into the Bengals’ backfield. Whether that results in sacks and forced incompletions or Burrow makes quick, accurate throws all depends on Tre’Davious White, Dane Jackson and Kaiir Elam holding their own in coverage.
Joe Burrow vs Josh Allen stats comparison
A clash between the Bengals vs Bills delivers two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. While this is the first playoff meeting between Allen and Burrow, it likely won’t be the last for the perennial MVP candidates.
| Player | QB Rating | PFF grade | TD-INT | YPA | Completion Rate |
| Joe Burrow | 100.8 | 90.7 | 35-12 | 7.4 | 68.3% |
| Josh Allen | 96.8 | 91.6 | 35-14 | 7.6 | 63.3% |
Related: NFL QB rankings
It’s important to keep in mind some context for both quarterbacks. Allen played at an All-Pro level early in the season, but he hasn’t met that threshold since suffering a UCL injury. Since Nov. 6, when Allen suffered the injury, his completion rate stands at 61.4% with an 88.5 QB rating, 6.9 yards per attempt and eight interceptions in nine contests.
Burrow is playing far better football as of late. From Weeks 9-18, the same stretch as Allen, Cincinnati’s star quarterback boasts an 18-6 TD-INT ratio with a 99.6 QB rating and a 67.4% completion rate in eight contests.
However, the Bengals’ offensive line will be without three starters on Sunday. While Burrow handles pressure extremely well, he will have limited time to throw and that could have consequences on Cincinnati’s explosive plays and Burrow’s effectiveness.
Cincinnati Bengals vs Buffalo Bills game info and history
Here’s everything you need to know for Sunday’s NFL Divisional Round clash between the Bengals vs Bills, with a trip to the AFC Championship Game at stake.
- Time: 3 PM ET
- TV: CBS
- Broadcasters: Tony Romo, Jim Nantz
- Line: -6, Buffalo Bills
- Last Meeting: Buffalo Bills 21, Cincinnati Bengals 17 (Sep. 22, 2019)
If the Bills win on Sunday, the AFC Championship Game between the Bills vs Chiefs will be played at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. It would be the first neutral-site AFC title game in NFL history. If the Bengals win, the Chiefs will host the Bengals at Arrowhead Stadium.
