An inside look at Sunday’s Bills-Bengals AFC divisional round matchup in Buffalo:

Bills secondary vs. Bengals receivers

The Bills secondary is young and dealing with injuries. That will be a potential issue with Bengals QB Joe Burrow slinging it to WRs Ja’Marr Chase, who caught 87 passes for 1,046 yards and nine TDs despite missing four games this season, and Tee Higgins (74-1,029, seven TDs).

The Bills’ top CB, Tre’Davious White, has been eased back into action after missing a year because of a knee injury and has appeared in just seven games. CB Dane Jackson’s status is uncertain after he hurt his knee last week, leaving the possibility of rookie Kaiir Elam taking over. Starting safety Jordan Poyer has been playing through a series of injuries. And, the Bills are down to their third safety opposite Poyer, with Micah Hyde (neck) not ready to return and Damar Hamlin on IR.

This will be another emotionally charged atmosphere with the potential of Damar Hamlin being at a game for the Bills for the first time since his cardiac arrest three weeks ago at Cincinnati. Allen will curb his turnover issue and be just a little bit more dangerous than Burrow.

Bills 33, Bengals 30

Turnover trouble: As great a talent as he is, Bills QB Josh Allen has turned over the ball too often and can get a bit too loose with it, which could prove to be a massive liability Sunday. In the win over the Dolphins last week, Allen was sloppy, throwing three touchdown passes, two interceptions and giving up a fumble returned for a touchdown. Allen has 38 TD passes and 16 INTs this season, six of them inside the opponents’ 20. He, too, has lost six fumbles in 17 starts this season.

Streaking: The Bengals have won a franchise-record nine consecutive games and haven’t lost since Halloween, a 32-13 defeat at Cleveland. Cincinnati’s first three losses were decided by a combined eight points. The Bills have won eight in a row, one short of matching their franchise record. Buffalo’s three losses have been decided by a combined eight points. This will be the sixth playoff matchup since 1950 between opposing quarterbacks who come in with at least an eight-game winning streak that includes playoffs. The most recent was in the 2020 AFC title game with Allen (8) and the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes (11).

Hold the line: The Bengals will be without at least two of their top offensive linemen. LT Jonah Williams (knee) and RG Alex Cappa (ankle) have been ruled out, leaving Cincinnati with three total reserves on the offensive line. RT La’el Collins has been out since Week 16 with a torn ACL in his left knee.

RG Max Scharping and LT Jackson Carman have been working at those respective positions with Williams and Cappa out. Protecting quarterback Joe Burrow is paramount because of Cincinnati’s pass-heavy offense. Burrow, who was sacked 41 times this season, was sacked four times last week, the most since he went down five times against the Browns in the Bengals’ last loss, on Halloween.

Quarterback comparison: The No. 1 subplot to this game is the matchup of the two quarterbacks, Allen and Burrow. Since 2021, Allen ranks second in the NFL with 72 TD passes, followed by Burrow (69).

Both finished tied for second in the league this season with 35 each. Allen has been intercepted 16 times while Burrow has 12 INTs. Burrow finished fifth in the NFL with 4,475 yards passing, while Allen ranked seventh (4,283). Allen rushed for 762 yards and seven TDs and Burrow 257 yards and five TDs.