Follow the playoff game between the Bengals and the Bills starting at 3 p.m. with Blitz’s pre-game show on RDS and on the RDS.ca.
We all remember that. When the Bills visited the Bengals in the 17th week of NFL activity, everything was in place for a great game between two of the best teams in the NFL. Suddenly football took a back seat in a split second. the marauder Damar Hamlin plaque Tee Higgins. A casual game. We see this game thousands of times in a season. But Hamlin gets up, staggers and then falls to the ground. Nothing seems important anymore except Hamlin’s health. Thanks to the heroic intervention of first responders, Hamlin is now on the road to recovery and both teams can find themselves with football in mind.
The supporters of Bengals are certainly not happy to see this game taking place in Buffalo, but the reality is that the NFL made a decision in exceptional circumstances. Eight straight wins for the Bills, nine for the Bengals. A duel that seemed written in the sky with everything that has happened since January 2.
However, both the Bills and the Bengals had to make every small change to earn their place in the second round of playoffs. The Bengals needed an unexpected defensive play from Sam Hubbard while the Bills have too often opened the door to Dolphins to win by a measly three points. Either way, both teams are set to have an explosive date between two of the league’s best offenses led by two faces of the NFL’s future.
These are the two faces of Josh Allen et Joe Burrow who will be the center of attention on Sunday. In this duel which will be played on inches, the protection of the ball will be important. In this regard, Joe Burrow has done better than Josh Allen this season, and especially in the first round of playoffs. Excluding the first game of the season, Burrow threw just eight interceptions to Allen’s 16 including the first round of playoffs. Allen has a cannon arm, monster legs, but this annoying tendency to want to play hero. If Burrow protects the ball well and Allen tries to do too much, the scales could well tip in Cincinnati’s direction.
It’s not all cooked in the beak of course for Joe Cool who will have to achieve his exploits against the second best defense in the league for points allowed (17.9) and sixth for yards allowed per game (319.1). It can’t be called a feast for Allen, either, who will face the fifth defense in points per game (20.1) and 17th in yards allowed (335.7).
Two teams that look alike, interesting duels all over the field. Tre’Davious White against Ja’Marr Chase. Kair Elam against Tee Higgins. That is, Apple against Stefon Diggs. Joe Brrr and his immaculate record of 7-0 in games below 40 degrees fahrenheit (4.44 Celcius, no offense to the Americans) against the noisy Buffalo crowd. If we took the time to analyze position by position, we would still be there for the kickoff!
Prediction: Bills win, 31-30.
