ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL

Can you believe this?  I find it difficult.   The Bengals - - in the final four.  One step away from the Super Bowl.   What a turnaround for this team.  Anything is possible.  Any team Can win.  

Patrick Mahomes II, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and company await Cincinnati in Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium.  Kick-off time is set for 3:05 this Sunday.  The Chiefs are favored by 7-1/2 points.

The Bengals had a wide open game against this crew a few weeks ago and there's no reason to think it won't be that way again.  Watch out for this name:  Tyrann Mattieu, nicknamed the "Honey Badger".  The Chiefs have only a so-so defensive backfield; the Honey Badger is the best of them and he is in "concussion protocol."  If he is unable to play, it could be a boon for the Bengals.  

The NFL has assigned Bill Vinovich's crew to this game.  His crew calls fewer penalties than any other in the league.  

The Bengals will wear white jerseys, white pants with black stripes and black socks this Sunday.  This is the same that they wore last weekend.  Is anyone superstitious?  They are 3-1 in this combo this year.

Thought many might be interested in what it means to the players financially to be in the playoffs.  Here is the schedule.  Every player on the 53-man roster, including injured and inactives, receive the same thing.

Week #1 Wild card team's players playing in the wild card round get $37,500

Week #1 Division winner's players in the wild card round get $42,500

Week #2 Players with teams in Division playoff games get $42,500

Week #3 Players with teams in Conference Championship games get $65,000

Players with losing team in the Super Bowl get $75,000

Players with winning team in the Super Bowl get $150,000

So far, Bengal players have earned and will earn including this Sunday $150,000 each.  No, that's not chump change, but it's a lot less than some make every other week of the season.  Not to worry, with a Super Bowl win they could double that.  I, for one, hope they do.

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