The Cincinnati Bengals fell short of the Super Bowl in heartbreaking fashion. A late hit penalty from Joseph Ossai on Patrick Mahomes gave the Kansas City Chiefs enough field position to kick the game-winning field goal.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor spoke to the media following the loss. While the late hit penalty will be scrutinized for a long time, Taylor isn't blaming this loss on one play.
“We're not going to make it about one play.” Taylor said of Ossai's penalty. “He loves ball. He loves being part of this team.”
Ossai also spoke to the media after the game and was visibly emotional. He said his teammates were doing what they could to lift him up.
“It means the world to me,” he said. “These guys mean a lot to me. We come every day, and we work hard for each other. To know that they have my back … is giving me peace right now.”
For the Bengals, it's a brutal way to end their season after an impressive 10-game winning streak to get them here in the first place. It's a loss that will sting for some time after the night is over.
“Oh, it aches, trust me, to be this close to … Our goal is to win the Super Bowl, so to be seconds away from getting back there and watching them celebrate, it's horrible,” Taylor said.
The Bengals made the Super Bowl last season, but fell to the Los Angeles Rams. Sunday marked their second straight AFC Championship matchup against the Chiefs in a row.
Now, Ossai and the Bengals will have an offseason to put this behind them. Taylor's team has a lot to work through in order to return to the NFL's biggest stages next season.
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