“Everybody knows that, bro,” Ja’Marr Chase boldly declared this week. “We are the team to beat in the AFC.” Bold words from a Bengals star who’s about to stare down the barrel of Patrick Mahomes‘ cannon arm. But in this Chiefs-Bengals saga, where every game feels like a championship bout, words are just kindling the fire.

The latest spark? Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt took a swipe at Chiefs’ rookie speedster Xavier Worthy. “Speed, that’s about it,” Taylor-Britt scoffed as he talked to pressors. “He can run straight — run jet sweeps and just run straight. He can’t do too much else.” Oh, honey! You’ve just poked a hornet’s nest wearing red and gold.

Former NFL safety Donte Whitner didn’t sugarcoat his take on the Up & Adams Show today. “You have to know that Patrick Mahomes is going to take that personally, and they’re going to make sure that they make him eat those words,” Whitner warned. It’s like watching a nature documentary where the gazelle trash-talks the lion. Spoiler alert: it rarely ends well for the gazelle.

Let’s rewind the tape. Worthy’s NFL debut? A 35-yard touchdown catch and a 21-yard rushing score. Not too shabby for a guy who supposedly can only “run straight.” Mahomes, the maestro of mayhem, sees bigger things ahead. “It shows what he can do,” he grinned to pressors last week. “We want him to keep building.” Translation: Taylor-Britt might want to start stretching now.

This Chiefs-Bengals rivalry? It’s hotter than a Kansas City barbecue in July. They’ve faced off 34 times, with Cincinnati holding a slim 18-16 edge. But recent history? Pure fireworks. Remember the 2022 AFC Championship? The Bengals clawed back from a 21-10 halftime deficit to shock the Chiefs 27-24 in overtime. Vonn Bell picked off Mahomes, setting up the game-winner. Chiefs fans still wake up in cold sweats over that one.

Bengals’ roar meets Chiefs’ revenge tour

Chase isn’t alone in his bravado. The Bengals, despite their 0-1 start, are strutting into Arrowhead like they own the joint. And why not? They’ve won three of their last four against KC. But here’s the rub – they’re facing a Chiefs team with a chip on their shoulder the size of Missouri.

Steve Spagnuolo, the Chiefs’ defensive mastermind, has been burning the midnight oil. Chase, begrudgingly, tipped his hat: “They always do a good job of coming with good schemes against us. I feel like they were one of the best teams to scheme against us and know what we’re doing.” Sure, L’Jarius Sneed isn’t patrolling the Chiefs’ secondary anymore.

But as Whitner pointed out, “The Kansas City Chiefs do an awesome job of revamping, revitalizing, retooling, coaching up the players that they bring in through free agency and the draft.” It’s like they’ve got a secret lab where they build shutdown corners. Whitner dropped another truth bomb: “Everybody that understands the game of football, the team that does the most talking, they’re the least confident.” Ouch. That’s gotta sting, Cincy.

As we gear up for Sunday’s showdown, one thing’s crystal clear – this isn’t just another game. It’s personal. It’s pride. It’s a chance for Mahomes to remind everyone why he’s the baddest man in the NFL. And for Taylor-Britt? Well, he might want to start practicing his “I was just kidding” face. Because when the dust settles, we’ll see who’s really running straight – and who’s running circles around whom.