Bengals News (1/4): Cincinnati earning national respect

Quick Hits: Bengals Record Stat Lines May Be Set; Anarumo's Masterpiece; Bengals DBs Immense Vs. Chiefs Weapons; Hats Off To Boyd; Money Mac Eyes Club Scoring Record
It's a good thing Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase set their records Sunday in an old-fashioned 16th game that may very well have been their last game of the regular season. Because the first 17th game in Bengals history finds them with a division title and a Paul Brown Stadium Wild Card Game secured and a longshot at pulling off a bye for the playoffs that begin in two weeks.

Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase make Bengals history taking over the NFL
Duos always practice throwing against air instead of defenders. These guys throw on history and so it was that nearly two years after they won an undefeated national title in college, they conspired on Sunday to take down the AFC North and the two-time AFC champion Chiefs while they were at it.

Phillips, Tate Return To Reserve/Injured list From The Reserve/COVID-19 list
The Bengals returned both CB Darius Phillips and WR Auden Tate to the Reserve/Injured list from the Reserve/COVID-19 list. Phillips had been on Reserve/COVID-19 since Dec. 27, and Tate had been on since Dec. 28.

NFL Week 17 grades: Bengals get an 'A' for wild upset of Chiefs, Steelers get 'A-' in Big Ben's home farewell
In an AFC showdown that actually lived up to the hype, the Bengals topped the Chiefs 34-31 in a wild shootout where Joe Burrow was so impressive, he might have done enough to put himself firmly in the MVP conversation. One week after throwing for 525 yards, Burrow was just as good against Kansas City, throwing for 446 yards and four touchdowns.

NFL Week 17 takeaways - What we learned, big questions for every game and future team outlooks
Week 17 of the 2021 NFL season featured blowouts by the Bears and Patriots, a three-touchdown game by Bengals rookie Ja'Marr Chase that fueled an AFC North-clinching win over the Chiefs and a comeback by the Bucs during which Antonio Brown took off his uniform and left the field in the third quarter. Yes, you read that correctly.

Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase 'overwhelmed' after breaking Justin Jefferson's rookie receiving record
The Bengals got down big early before it turned into the Ja'Marr Chase show in Cincinnati as the home club stormed back to beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 34-31, to clinch their first AFC North title since 2015.

Watching the Cincinnati Bengals win on TV, a symbol of the Browns’ season
Final score was 34-31. Browns fans will complain (as K.C. coach Andy Reid did) that the officials certainly helped Cincinnati near the end of the game. No matter, the final score is final and the Bengals deserve the AFC North title.

Joe Burrow’s Bengals Are Built for Something Bigger
The gall. Late in Sunday’s game against the AFC-leading Chiefs, the Bengals faced a third-and-27 from Kansas City’s 41-yard line. The game was tied, and the prudent plan would have been for quarterback Joe Burrow to play it safe: Throw a short pass, gain about 10 yards, and get into field-goal range.

Five Takeaways From the Bengals' Win Over the Chiefs
It was an offensive explosion in this matchup from both the Chiefs and the Bengals with the game coming down to the final drive. It was everything that fans could have wanted and more. Let’s see what we can take away from the Bengals triumph.

Bengals: Here’s who Bengals would play if playoffs started today
The Cincinnati Bengals still have to take care of business against the Cleveland Browns in Week 18 and while doing so, could still jump to the second or even first seed in the AFC for the playoffs.

NFL Week 17 winners, losers: Bengals have arrived. Coach costs Cowboys
The NFL season will come to a close next Sunday and there are three playoff spots still open, two in the AFC and one in the NFC. Of course, seeding implications will also be on the line, though Week 17 already settled some of that.

Around the league

2021 NFL season, Week 17: What we learned from Steelers' win over Browns on Monday night
As Ben Roethlisberger took to Heinz Field for perhaps the final time, he went on to continue his mastery of the rival Cleveland Browns on his homefield. And against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield's struggles continued.

2022 NFL Draft order: Eagles set to be first playoff team to make three first-round picks since Vikings in 2013
CG: Linebacker play for the Bengals hasn't been great, and the way the team's offense is playing overall, tight end is less of a concern. As such, linebackers replace tight ends this week on Cincinnati's needs list.

Packers vulnerable at home? Cowboys fraudulent? Burrow for MVP? Nine overreactions I’m NOT buying
So, yeah, I love Burrow. I love his weapons. I can easily make a case for Burrow as the Comeback Player of the Year. And if, as an AP voter, I had to compile a list of MVP candidates -- like a top-five ballot -- Burrow would be on it.

Jason Kelce, Fletcher Cox, Dallas Goedert among 12 Eagles placed on COVID-19 list
Center Jason Kelce, defensive lineman Fletcher Cox and tight end Dallas Goedert are among a dozen Philadelphia Eagles players who tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo reported.