In their sixth meeting in the last three seasons, the (1-0) Kansas City Chiefs host the (0-1) Cincinnati Bengals for a Week 2 game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

Chiefs wide receiver Hollywood Brown – who was believed to be able to play again after a preseason injury – was placed on the team’s reserve/injured list on Friday. Cincinnati wideout Tee Higgnis – listed as doubtful in the last injury report on Friday – will also not play in the game.

A Kansas City win would not only even the recent series at 3-3, but would also secure a victory that could be an important step toward the league’s first Super Bowl. Triple victory.

First quarter

The Chiefs won the coin toss and elected to postpone. Harrison Butker’s opening kickoff landed in the end zone, with the Bengals starting at their own 30-yard line. Joe Burrow quickly moved near the halfway line with quick passes to tight end Drew Sample. The Chiefs held the Bengals to the Chiefs 43-yard line on a fourth-and-4 attempt. Burrow found tight end Mike Gesicki for a deep completion to the 6-yard line for a 37-yard gain. Kansas City’s defense stepped up after the mistake, however. Cornerback Trent McDuffie delivered a spectacular pass breakup from wideout Ja’Marr Chase in the end zone, and defensive end George Karlaftis nearly brought down Burrow on the third attempt before the quarterback fired an incomplete pass. Kicker Evan McPherson came back for a 22-yard field goal to score first at Bengals 3, Chiefs 0.

Mecole Hardman caught McPherson’s kickoff in the end zone and started the drive at the 30-yard line. Running back Isiah Pacheco managed just one yard on his first run before moving the chains with a 12-yard run one play later. The third-year pro caught a pass for five yards on his first attempt and wide receiver Rashee Rice caught a pass for nine yards and a first down on the next play. The drive went into the red zone with a nine-yard run by rookie Carson Steele followed by a six-yard run by Pacheco. The Chiefs eventually saw a first-and-goal from the two-yard line but could not convert the decisive yards. Harrison Butker came in for the shortest possible field goal to tie the score at 3-3.

A seemingly rare phenomenon occurred on the kickoff when running back Trayveon Willians received the ball at the four-yard line and carried it back 20 yards. The Bengals soon went first-and-15 after a false start by right tackle Trent Brown. The Bengals went three-and-out when Mike Danna brought down a charging Burrow on third down. Mecole Hardman received a punt from Chiefs’ offseason signee Ryan Rehkow at the Kansas City 27-yard line and advanced two yards to start the team’s second drive from their own 29-yard line.

The Chiefs’ second drive was even shorter than Cincinnati’s, as Mahomes threw an interception at the 31-yard line to linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither, putting the Bengals’ offense back on the field. The first quarter ended after a nine-yard pass from Burrow to rookie tight end Erick All set up a second-and-1 from the Chiefs’ 22-yard line after halftime.