What We Learned From Week 17 in the N.F.L.
The New York Times
Burrow-to-Chase can do damage in the playoffs, and Tom Brady and the Buccaneers aren’t exactly where they want to be at this point in the season.
The Cincinnati Bengals have a young, unproven offense, and a fan base that had pored over All-22 film breakdowns long enough to demand the team draft an offensive lineman last April to shore up its future. Riding high off a Week 16 win over the Baltimore Ravens, the Bengals figured that facing Patrick Mahomes and a savvy Kansas City Chiefs team on Sunday would remind them how much growing they would need to reach the A.F.C.’s golden standard.
In a 34-31 upset, the Bengals (10-6) proved that choosing wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase in the 2021 N.F.L. draft was the gap closer the team needed.
The Bengals locked up their first A.F.C. North title since 2015, and made one fact very clear:
