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    ‘One of the Few, True Game Wreckers’ – Bengals Preparing for Walking Nightmare Chris Jones

    Chris Jones wrecked the AFC Championship Game last year, but the Bengals feel much better about the matchup this year with a healthy O-line.

    After beating the Kansas City Chiefs three consecutive times, the Cincinnati Bengals saw their quest for a fourth win in a row and second straight Super Bowl demolished by an all-time performance from an All-Pro.

    But his name wasn’t Patrick Mahomes.

    Anyone who watched last year’s AFC Championship Game knows that defensive tackle Chris Jones was the single biggest problem, as he recorded two sacks, three tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, and 10 pressures.

    Bengals Trying To Keep Chris Jones From Ending Their Season Again

    Jones provided what proved to be the defensive walk-off, sacking Joe Burrow on 3rd-and-8 with 39 seconds to go and the Bengals attempting to drive for the game-winning score. Jones ran off the field waving goodbye, and a few minutes later Harrison Butker sent the Chiefs to Super Bowl LVII with a 45-yard field goal.

    If the Chiefs win Sunday, Jones can wave goodbye again because Cincinnati’s playoff chances will be all but snuffed.

    “He’s arguably the top player as an interior defensive lineman. Him and Aaron Donald probably are the two most disruptive guys that we’ve faced,” Bengals offensive line coach Brian Callahan said ahead of Sunday’s trip to Kansas City for the fifth Bengals-Chiefs game since January 2022.

    “And he moves all over the place,” Callahan continued. “He lines up left, he lines up right, he lines up on the edge. He’s a force. He’s hard to block one-on-one, and when he gets those opportunities, he tends to win most of them.”

    That’s what happened on that final third down in the AFC Championship Game.

    Jones lined up on the left edge and easily beat Hakeem Adeniji, who was playing for the injured La’el Collins, to smother Burrow and the Bengals’ hopes.

    It was the second year in a row Cincinnati’s final offensive play ended with Burrow unable to deliver a game-winning, or at least a game-extending pass. Donald did it on the final play of Super Bowl LVI, followed by Jones.

    “He’s an incredibly disruptive player,” Callahan said. “He’s one of the few, true game wreckers.”

    But that’s not all.

    “I’ve seen him wreck practices, too,” said Bengals left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., who was Jones’ teammate in Kanas City in 2021 and 2022.

    “He’s a special player. He’ll be a Hall of Famer one day,” Brown added. “He’s amazing at what he does. He’s a guy that we’ll basically have to have all five sets of eyes on.”

    Jones is tied for third among interior defensive linemen with 60 pressures this season, trailing Donald (78) and Baltimore’s Justin Madubuike (61), who just saw his streak of 11 consecutive games with at least a half sack come to an end Monday night.

    The 8.5 sacks Jones has recorded are a little more than half of the career-high tying 15.5 he had in 2022, but this is the sixth year in a row he’s had at least 7.5. That’s the longest active streak in the league, and it’s two shy of the NFL record of eight seasons in a row set by Hall of Famer John Randle and Donald.

    “He’s a special player, and he’s been at the top of the league since he got in the league,” Bengals center Ted Karras said. “They have a solid defense with a lot of great players, but obviously he’s the focal point. We’re planning for him all week. But really what it’s going to come down to is our individual performances on Sunday afternoon.”

    In addition to Jones, the Chiefs feature edge rushers George Karlaftis, who leads Kansas City with nine sacks, and Mike Danna (6.5 sacks) and run stuffer Derrick Nnadi.

    MORE: From the Birth of His Son to a Return to KC, Bengals LT Orlando Brown Jr. Is Enjoying His Spoils

    Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has talent at all three levels of his defense, but the front four is the key to the Chiefs ranking second in the NFL in fewest points allowed (17.7) and third in fewest passing yards allowed (173.8).

    But as much as the memory of Jones wrecking the team’s chance of going to back-to-back Super Bowls last year may sting, there were a few notable differences in that game from the first time the two teams met in Week 14.

    Three, in fact.

    The Bengals started three backup offensive linemen in that championship game after starting the same five guys for each of the first 15 games. When they played Kansas City in Week 14 with their entire line intact, Jones had two pressures and no sacks.

    Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium, the Bengals should line up the same five offensive linemen for a 16th consecutive game with Jonah Williams, Cordell Volson, Alex Cappa, Karras, and Brown.

    That’s something that has happened only once before in franchise history, which was in 1985 when Anthony Munoz, Max Montoya, Dave Rimington, Brian Blados, and Mike Wilson did it.

    “I think we’re a better group up front than we were in (last year’s championship game),” Callahan said. “But it’s going to be a test. They will test us. But I do feel good about that matchup. If we win the game, it’s going to be because we’ve handled that part well enough.”

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