Burrow, Bengals falter but should stay among AFC contenders

That had been the specialty of a talented team with a generational quarterback who could find creative ways to win games.

The Bengals were supremely confident after winning 10 in a row heading into the AFC championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs, a team they had beaten three times in the past 13 months, including in the AFC title game last year.

But too many mistakes doomed the Bengals in Sunday night’s 23-20 loss.

“In football — it’s either winning or misery,” center Ted Karras said. “We’re on the misery end tonight.”

Cincinnati’s patchwork offensive line had trouble protecting Burrow, who was sacked five times. The defense couldn’t do enough to contain Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, even though he was playing on a sprained right ankle.

Mahomes led the Chiefs into position for the winning field goal in the final seconds.

The decisive drive began with a poor punt by Cincinnati’s Drue Chrisman. Skyy Moore took Chrisman’s low line drive down the middle of the field and returned it 29 yards to the Kansas City 47.

Three plays later, on third-and-4, Mahomes scrambled for a first down and Bengals defensive lineman Joseph Ossai hit the Chiefs’ QB out of bounds, drawing a 15-yard penalty. That gave the Chiefs the ball on the Cincinnati 27 with 8 seconds left.

Harrison Butker converted the game-winning 45-yard field goal.

A season filled with quarterback injuries finally caught up to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC title game.

The Niners made it within one step of a return trip to the Super Bowl despite losing starting quarterback Trey Lance to a season-ending injury in Week 2 and backup Jimmy Garoppolo to a broken foot in Week 13.

But the season ended with no quarterback capable of even throwing the ball past the line of scrimmage in a 31-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

For the Niners, the question now is, who will be the QB next season?

San Francisco invested heavily in Lance when they traded three first-round picks to draft him third overall in 2021, but still don’t know if he’s the long-term answer.

Lance started only four games his first two seasons and has yet to show that he can fulfill the potential San Francisco saw in him coming out of North Dakota State.

The offense was very productive under Purdy before he got hurt Sunday, but he does have physical limitations that led to him being the last pick in the draft and now has to deal with an injury that could sideline him for part of the offseason.

Purdy also tore his ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow, putting his status for the start of next season in question.

Whether the Niners anoint one a starter, have a true competition or bring in a veteran such as Tom Brady remains an open question.

The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with Kellen Moore to become offensive coordinator.

Moore spent the past eight seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, including the past four as the offensive coordinator, but it was announced on Sunday night he would not return.

Moore replaces Joe Lombardi, who was the Bolts’ coordinator for two seasons under head coach Brandon Staley.