KANSAS CITY, Missouri – Cincinnati Bengals players and coaches offered defensive end Joseph Osai words of comfort and comfort after a field goal for the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.
But after Sunday’s 23-20 loss, Ossai said he found it very difficult to process his emotions. Osai, red-eyed and soft-spoken in the final seconds of putting Kansas in his 45-yard field goal position on Harrison’s Buttcar on his second-to-last play from scrimmage, was a soft-spoken man. lamented the penalty of
“I have to learn from experience,” said Osai, echoing advice he received from Cincinnati defenseman Sam Hubbard. You just have to know to stay away from that quarterback when he’s approaching that sideline.I have to do better.”
On third and fourth at Cincinnati’s 47-yard line, Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes scrambled right to score a first down. As Mahomes went out of bounds, Ossai pushed Mahomes from behind. The two tumbled to the ground at Cincinnati’s sideline and Ossai was whistled for needless vandalism.
“I was in total chase mode,” Ossai said. “I was trying to push him in. Maybe I knew he was going to the sideline, so I was trying to back him off. I was trying to back him up. I tried to run the clock.” I haven’t seen it yet. I don’t know. How far we were over the edge.”
A 15-yard penalty put Kansas City in position for the kick with :03 remaining. After 10 straight wins, the Bengals, who recorded his third straight win against Kansas City, were eliminated from the playoffs in a rematch of his AFC championship game last year.
Ossai said he injured his left knee in the incident with Mahomes. He will get an MRI of him to determine what damage, if any, has occurred.
He also said Bengals coach Zach Taylor was among those who offered encouragement after the game.
“He told me to keep my head up,” Ossai said. , we must keep moving forward.”
Cincinnati’s attempt to return to the Super Bowl as AFC champions once again ran into some problems.
As a team, the Bengals committed nine penalties for 71 yards. Quarterback Joe Burrow was sacked five times. Kansas City’s wide receiver, Skymoor, drewed a Chrisman punt that he returned 29 yards and with 30 seconds left, home his team he gave the ball 47 yards at his line.
Bengals defensive tackle BJ Hill sided with Ossay as he answered questions from reporters in the locker room after the game and said he had no qualms about the penalty.
“Do not have [any] I knew what his intentions were, so I had a really hard time with that play.I just have to play hard.
Hill praised Ossai’s efforts in his first NFL season. The 22-year-old from the University of Texas was a third-round pick in the 2021 draft, but missed that entire campaign after suffering a meniscus injury during the preseason. The use of Osai increased when Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson experienced wrist problems towards the end of this regular season.
Against Kansas City and Mahomes, Osai registered a team-high two quarterback hits.
“It’s just taking a young guy up and making him understand that in this league he’s going to be down to inches,” said Cincinnati’s defensive tackle DJ leader. “And he will be there to play a lot.
“That play will find him again. Those roles will find him again as a player. And be ready for it.”
The leader said there was no doubt about it.
“This pain will propel him to greatness,” said Reeder. “He will get there.”
