KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Cincinnati Bengals players and coaches offered words of comfort and consolation to Joseph Osain following a penalty that resulted in the Kansas City Chiefs’ game-winning field goal in the AFC Championship Game.
But in the moments after Sunday’s 23-20 loss, Osai said it was difficult to process his emotions. Red-eyed and soft-spoken, Osai lamented Kansas City’s 45-yard field goal penalty in the closing seconds.
“I’ve got to learn from the experience,” Osay said of the advice he received from Cincinnati defensive end Sam Hubbard. “If it’s going to be a penalty in a tight situation like that, I’ve got to know I’m not that close to that quarterback. I’ve got to do better.”
On third-and-4 at the Cincinnati 47-yard line, Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes scrambled to the right for a first down. As Mahomes stepped out of bounds, Osai pushed Mahomes from behind. The two had fallen to the ground on the Cincinnati side, and Osai was whistled with unnecessary roughness.
“I was just in full pursuit,” Osay said. “I was trying to push him, maybe get him to go back because I knew he was going to go sideways, trying to get him to go back, let that clock run. I haven’t seen him yet. I don’t know. How far from the border we were.”
A 15-yard penalty put Kansas City on the clock with :03 left. After a 10-game winning streak — and a three-game losing streak against Kansas City — the Bengals were eliminated from playoff contention again in last year’s AFC Championship Game.
Osai said he injured his left knee in the incident with Mahomes. He will get an MRI to find out what kind of damage has been done.
He also said that Bengals coach Zach Taylor was among those who offered encouragement after the game.
“He told me to keep my head up,” Osay said. “He told me there were different plays we had to make, that he didn’t get there, and we had to push forward.”
There were many issues that plagued Cincinnati in its attempt to become the AFC champion and return to the Super Bowl.
As a team, the Bengals committed nine penalties for 71 yards. Quarterback Joe Burrow was sacked five times. With just 30 seconds left in the contest, Kansas City wide receiver Skye Moore returned Drew Chrisman’s punt 29 yards.
While answering questions from reporters in the locker room after the game, Bengals linebacker BJ Hill, who stood by Osai’s side, said he had no problem with Osai’s punishment.
“i haven’t [any] I know the intensity of that game and I know what his goals are, so just play hard,” Hill said.
Hill praised Osain for his efforts in his first NFL season. The 22-year-old University of Texas commit was drafted in the third round in 2021 but missed that entire campaign after suffering a meniscus injury in the preseason. When Bengals quarterback Trey Hendrickson suffered a wrist injury late in the regular season, Osai’s usage increased.
Against Kansas City and Mahomes, Osai recorded a team-high two quarterbacks.
“Just build that young guy up and make him understand that he’s going to come down to inches in this league,” Cincinnati defensive end DJ Reeder said. “And he’ll be there to make a lot of theatrics.
“That game is going to find him again. These roles are going to find him again as a player, and be ready for it.”
A reader says he has no doubts about this.
“This pain leads to greatness,” said Reader. “It will get there.”
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