Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR 550/WBEN) - It's official: The Buffalo Bills will host the Cincinnati Bengals next weekend in the AFC Divisional Round at Highmark Stadium.
Thanks to Buffalo's 34-31 win on Sunday in the AFC Wild Card Round over the Miami Dolphins, coupled with a 24-17 win for the Bengals on Sunday night over the Baltimore Ravens, the two teams will meet for a 3 p.m. EST kickoff on Sunday, Jan. 22 in Orchard Park.
Cincinnati was able to get their victory on Sunday night thanks to a late defensive touchdown in the fourth quarter.
With 11:39 remaining in the game, Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley attempted to extend the football across the goal line from two yards out over a pile of bodies. However, before the ball could cross the plane of the goal line, Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson forced the ball out of Huntley's hands and defensive end Sam Hubbard returned the ball 98 yards for a touchdown.
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While the Ravens did get one more shot at the end zone to win the game, a Huntley lob for the end zone ended up falling incomplete and just out of the reach of wide receiver James Proche II.
This will be the second time both the Bills and Bengals match up this season, with the first game in Week 17 resulting in a "no contest" following the medical emergency with Bills safety Damar Hamlin.
Sunday's matchup will be the third playoff showdown between both teams, and the first since the 1988 AFC Championship Game in Cincinnati. The Bengals won both playoff games against the Bills, with the first coming in the 1981 AFC Divisional Round.
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As for the other AFC Divisional Round matchup, it will feature the Jacksonville Jaguars traveling to Kansas City to face the 1-seed Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. EST.
With a Kansas City win and a Buffalo win, that means the AFC Championship Game would be played at a neutral site, which has been designated as Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. With a Jacksonville win and a Bills victory, that would allow the Bills to host the AFC Championship Game in Orchard Park.
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