The Cincinnati Bengals hope defensive back Tre Flowers can help shutter Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce on Sunday, much as he did over two games last season.
Flowers doesn’t see a ton of reps often, but he’s one of the matchup guys defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo goes to when confronted with an elite tight end.
And Kelce is a generational talent — just ask Flowers himself.
“The thing he does best?” Flowers said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “Get open. He’s a Hall-of-Famer in my opinion. Mahomes is going to find him. He can make any throw and Kelce can make any catch.”
Flowers and the Bengals held Kelce to 120 yards over two contests last year, which sounds like a lot until one looks up the star tight end’s production on a weekly basis.
One of the biggest corners in the league (6’3″), Flowers earned a 66.3 PFF grade in Week 17 against the Chiefs last year while allowing two catches for seven yards. He allowed just one catch for 11 yards in the AFC title game.
Flowers was one of six Bengals who covered Kelce last year as the unit dropped eight in coverage and forced the offense to beat them. But that could change on Sunday, which would ask even more from Flowers.
Like breakouts from Trenton Irwin and other unexpected names lately, Flowers excelling and giving the team a chance to win would just be another example of the team’s superb depth.
