Down x Down

This week

Explore

DOWN X DOWN › week 14 › Chiefs at Bengals
Updated Nov 2, 5:48 PM ET
2026
2026this season2025final

Week 14 · Sunday 4:25 PM ET · Paycor Stadium

KCvsCIN

Chiefs offensevsBengals defense

Season numbers through Week 8: 7 games for Chiefs, 7 for Bengals. Ranks are out of 32; #1 is the best offense or the stingiest defense.

KC offenseCIN offense
Keys to the game · where this matchup tilts, from the season numbers4 reads
01
Biggest edge

Tight ends feast

Bengals give up 89 yards a game to tight ends (31st), against a league average of 55. Chiefs' tight ends produce 85 (3rd).

02
Opportunity

Deep middle is open

Bengals are worst against deep middle throws, allowing +0.84 EPA per attempt. Chiefs send 5% of their throws there. That is a small part of their offense so far.

03
Watch out

Field goals, not touchdowns

Chiefs score a touchdown on 58% of red zone trips (18th). Bengals allow 42% (3rd).

04
Wash

EPA per play

Call this one even. Chiefs average +0.13 EPA per play (4th). Bengals allow -0.01 (14th). League average is +0.00.

Players to watch

KC Chiefs

15Patrick MahomesQB · 154/232 · 1795 yds · 12 TD · 4 INTEPA per dropback +0.14 · 14th9Kenneth Walker IIIRB · 141 car · 770 yds · 8 TD · 22 recEPA per touch +0.05 · 14th87Travis KelceTE · 29 rec · 410 yds · 2 TD · 42 tgtEPA per target +0.52 · 7th1Xavier WorthyWR · 27 rec · 230 yds · 1 TD · 41 tgtEPA per target -0.0656George KarlaftisLeft Defensive End · 24 tackles · 2 sacks · 1 INT · 8 PD2 sacks20Nohl WilliamsLeft Cornerback · 32 tackles · 1 sack · 1 INT · 7 PD1 INT

CIN Bengals

9Joe BurrowQB · 195/267 · 2115 yds · 20 TD · 6 INTEPA per dropback +0.24 · 7th30Chase BrownRB · 94 car · 340 yds · 1 TD · 36 recEPA per touch -0.211Ja'Marr ChaseWR · 43 rec · 492 yds · 6 TD · 61 tgtEPA per target +0.46 · 24th5Tee HigginsWR · 43 rec · 726 yds · 4 TD · 61 tgtEPA per target +0.85 · 3rd53Boye MafeLeft Defensive End · 18 tackles · 5.5 sacks · 1 PD5.5 sacks · T-9th in the NFL27Jordan BattleStrong Safety · 49 tackles · 3 INT · 6 PD3 INT · T-2nd in the NFL
The series · Chiefs and Bengals since 1999, and this season's records15 meetings

The Bengals lead the series 9–6 since 1999 (they first met in 2003). The Chiefs have won the last 3. Sep 15, 2024, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium: the Chiefs won 26–25. Patrick Mahomes started at quarterback for the Chiefs and Joe Burrow for the Bengals; Andy Reid and Zac Taylor coached.

Chiefs at home6–3the Chiefs' record
In Cincinnati0–6the Chiefs' record
Most pointsChiefs 45 · Bengals 362018 · 2015
Biggest winChiefs by 35 · Bengals by 222018 · 2012
Playoffs1–1the Chiefs' record

The last 5

2024 · Wk 2CIN 25 at KC 26
2023 · Wk 17CIN 17 at KC 25
2022 · Wk 21 · playoffsCIN 20 at KC 23
2022 · Wk 13KC 24 at CIN 27
2021 · Wk 21 · OT · playoffsCIN 27 at KC 24

2026 records

ChiefsBengals
Overall5–25–2
Division3–11–1
Conference5–14–2
Other conference0–11–0
Home3–02–1
Away2–23–1
Last 5WWWLLLLWWW
StreakLost 2Won 3
Points a game23.9 – 18.729.4 – 22.6

Every meeting since 1999, regular season and playoffs, from nflverse's game list, which starts in 1999; the all-time series goes back further. Franchises that moved count as one team (the Raiders, Chargers and Rams). Home and away are from the Chiefs' side. Records are this regular season.

The lineups · Chiefs offense against the Bengals defenseDepth charts
Bengals defense · 4-3 DChiefs offense · 3WR 1TE70Benson66Caliendo52Humphrey65Smith77Moore87Kelce15Mahomes9Walker4Rice13Allen1Worthy99Murphy93Allen97Lawrence53Mafe44Knight49Carter42Burks0Turner20Davis23Hill27Battle6Cook

Chiefs offense · 3WR 1TE

  • QBPatrick Mahomes#15 · 154/232 · 1795 yds · 12 TD · 4 INT
  • RBKenneth Walker III#9 · 141 car · 770 yds · 8 TD · 22 rec
  • WRRashee Rice#4 · 20 rec · 243 yds · 2 TD · 25 tgt
  • WRXavier Worthy#1 · 27 rec · 230 yds · 1 TD · 41 tgt
  • WRCyrus Allen#13 · 5 rec · 65 yds · 0 TD · 9 tgt
  • TETravis Kelce#87 · 29 rec · 410 yds · 2 TD · 42 tgt
  • LTKahlil Benson#70
  • LGMike Caliendo#66
  • CCreed Humphrey#52
  • RGTrey Smith#65
  • RTJaylon Moore#77

Bengals defense · Base 4-3 D

  • RDEMyles Murphy#99 · 14 tackles · 1.5 sacks
  • RDTJonathan Allen#93 · 17 tackles · 3 sacks · 1 PD
  • LDTDexter Lawrence II#97 · 23 tackles · 5 sacks · 1 PD
  • LDEBoye Mafe#53 · 18 tackles · 5.5 sacks · 1 PD
  • WLBDemetrius Knight Jr.#44 · 54 tackles · 1 INT · 1 PD
  • MLBBarrett Carter#49 · 57 tackles · 1.5 sacks · 3 PD
  • SLBOren Burks#42 · 13 tackles
  • RCBDJ Turner II#0 · 17 tackles · 5 PD
  • LCBTacario Davis#20 · 13 tackles · 1 PD
  • NBDax Hill#23 · 35 tackles · 5 PD
  • SSJordan Battle#27 · 49 tackles · 3 INT · 6 PD
  • FSBryan Cook#6 · 31 tackles · 0.5 sacks

Starters from each team's current depth chart (nflverse, from ESPN), drawn in the offense's base three-receiver set against the defense's base front. The nickel back, the extra defensive back most teams use against three receivers, is drawn lighter. Left and right are as the offense sees the field. The toggle at the top flips which offense is drawn.

Head to head · KC offense against CIN defense
StatKC KC offFavors KC · Favors CINCIN CIN def allowsNFL avg
Overall
EPA per play
+0.13#4
-0.01#14+0.00
Success rate
48%#6
44%#1744%
Yards per play
6.4#3
5.8#255.4
Explosive play rate
10%#9
11%#299%
Passing
Pass EPA per dropback
+0.14#9
-0.01#11+0.03
Sack rate
4%#4
9%#37%
Running
Run EPA per carry
+0.09#2
-0.08#18-0.08
Yards per carry
5.3#1
4.4#234.1
Money downs
3rd down conversion
40%#13
48%#2941%
Red zone TD rate
58%#18
42%#361%
Targets by position
WR yards per game
118#28
142#15147
TE yards per game
85#3
89#3155
TE targets per game
8.7#6
9.6#307.6
RB receiving yards per game
53#1
30#1232
Where the ball goes · EPA per throwDeep is 15+ air yds

Chiefs: EPA per throw

Left
Middle
Right
Deep
+0.893% of throws
-0.295% of throws
+0.566% of throws
Short
+0.3026% of throws
+0.3419% of throws
+0.0741% of throws

Bengals: EPA allowed per throw

Left
Middle
Right
Deep
-0.0114 throws
+0.8411 throws
-0.3018 throws
Short
+0.3262 throws
+0.2951 throws
+0.1582 throws

Green gains more than expected, red loses value. Cells with fewer than 5 throws are grayed out.