The most highly anticipated NFL playoff game during this divisional round: The Cincinnati Bengals visit the Buffalo Bills in a rematch of their contest that was canceled earlier this month.
Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s recovery continues to trend positively since his cardiac arrest on the field when both teams met Jan. 2. And it’s unclear whether he will attend Sunday’s game at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y.
But the third-seeded Bengals and second-seeded Bills have a score to settle, and the stakes are high with the winner advancing to the AFC championship game.
The Bengals hope to reach the conference title game for the second consecutive season, while the Bills hope to return after making it in 2020 and 2021.
Here are three keys to watch in Sunday’s 3 p.m. ET game:
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How will Joe Burrow hold up behind Bengals’ offensive line?
Burrow was the most-sacked quarterback a season ago – getting taken down 70 times, including 19 during his Super Bowl run – so he’ll be ready for the challenge playing in Buffalo potentially down three offensive line starters in this game.
Left tackle Jonah Williams has a dislocated kneecap, while right guard Alex Cappa has an ankle injury. Coach Zac Taylor said earlier this week that both are considered week-to-week. Starting right tackle La’el Collins tore his ACL against the Patriots on Christmas Eve.
Burrow was sacked four times during the Bengals’ win over the Ravens last week and 41 times this season. He must find a way to avoid pressure when he can and maneuver the pocket so he can get the ball out quickly to his star receivers to keep Buffalo’s pass rush honest in this game.
Bengals weapons vs. Bills secondary
Speaking of those Bengals weapons, receivers Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd will be instrumental to Cincinnati advancing. They must take advantage of Bills defenders, who have proved themselves as recently as last week’s win over the Dolphins.
Star cornerback Tre’Davious White appears to be peaking on the road back from an ACL tear last year, while rookie Kaiir Elam played his best game. Both had several crucial pass breakups, while Elam secured a game-changing interception in his first playoff game.
Third-string Bills safety Dean Marlowe, who got an interception last week, is also getting a starting opportunity next to Jordan Poyer in place of Hamlin and Micah Hyde, who is out for the season due to a neck injury.
Still, Chase and Higgins are No. 1 receivers on the same team, while Boyd is one of the best pass catchers in the NFL.
Josh Allen’s turnovers could be a problem
Allen, the Bills star quarterback, was electric with three touchdowns but frustrating with three turnovers, including a fumble that was returned for a touchdown and created a deficit early in the second half last week against the Dolphins.
Allen has 16 interceptions and 16 fumbles this season — including two and three, respectively, from Buffalo’s playoff win last week. Those numbers must make the Bengals defense eager to see not if, but how many times they can turn Allen over, too.
Allen cannot be careless with the football – by throwing interceptions and running with one hand on the football – if he hopes to lead Buffalo to its third AFC title game in four years and first Super Bowl since the 1990s.
Bonus key: How will Bills’ home field affect Bengals?
Either way, keep an eye on how the Bills’ home-field advantage this week could affect this contest.
The canceled Bills-Bengals game from Jan. 2 could have decided home-field advantage for this game.
Instead, the Bengals feel like they got the short end of the stick when the NFL ruled an AFC title game between the Bills and Kansas City Chiefs would be a neutral site game. And even more when the NFL began to sell tickets for the game this week.
If the Bengals advance, they would still have to travel to Kansas City to play the Chiefs (if they win). If the Jacksonville Jaguars upset K.C., the winner of Sunday’s Bengals-Bengals game would host the AFC title game.
