The Cincinnati Bengals upset the Buffalo Bills 27-10 to set up a repeat of last season’s AFC Championship Game.

Snow fell throughout at Highmark Stadium yet the visiting Bengals dominated the divisional round game.

Last season’s Super Bowl runners-up will visit the Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday for a place in Super Bowl 57.

It is the first time the Bengals have reached the AFC Championship Game in successive years and the first time in 36 years that there is a repeat of the two teams contesting it.

Cincinnati charged into a 14-0 lead with Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow passing for two touchdowns in the first quarter.

Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen got into the end zone from a yard as the Bills cut the deficit to 17-7 at the half.

But a Joe Mixon touchdown kept Cincinnati clear as the hosts never threatened a fightback.

Emotional Hamlin return fails to inspire Bills

Not only were Buffalo the pre-season Super Bowl favourites but they were carried into the play-offs by an emotional wave of support for Damar Hamlin.

The Bills safety was resuscitated on the field after suffering a cardiac arrest during the penultimate game of the regular season on 2 January – at the same venue and against the same team.

The 24-year-old was discharged from hospital after nine days and has continued his recovery, visiting his team-mates for the first time since his collapse the day before Buffalo held on for a 34-31 win over the Miami Dolphins during week one of the play-offs.

Bills coach Sean McDermott said he had visited the team facility “almost daily” this week, leading to speculation Hamlin would be at Sunday’s game.

And shortly before kick-off, television pictures showed Hamlin riding in a utility vehicle and being driven to the door of the Bills’ locker room.

However, Hamlin’s presence failed to inspire his team-mates once they took to a snowy field in New York State, right on the border with Canada.

When snow is forecast in Buffalo, few NFL teams relish heading up north, and the Bills had a 13-1 record at home in the play-offs.

In fairness, cold conditions are not completely alien to the Bengals in Ohio, and they dominated from the outset, scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions.

Burrow fired a 28-yard dart to Ja’Marr Chase before finding a wide-open Hayden Hurst in the corner of the end zone for a 15-yard score.

Buffalo opened the second quarter with a 15-play drive lasting nearly eight minutes, which resulted in Allen barging over.

But after another lengthy drive at the start of the third quarter, the Bills had to settle for a field goal to make it 17-10.

And that was the closest they got as the Bengals hit straight back with a touchdown, Mixon capping off a 75-yard drive at the end of the third quarter.

The running back finished with a combined 123 yards, while the Bengals made 172 rushing yards and Burrow completed 23 of 36 attempts for 242 passing yards.

Conference Championships

Sunday, 29 January

Dallas Cowboys or San Francisco 49ers v Philadelphia Eagles (20:05 GMT)

Cincinnati Bengals v Kansas City Chiefs (23:30)