Bengals' Mixon: 'We the big dog of the AFC'

They might not own the best record in the conference, but the Cincinnati Bengals still are the team to beat in the AFC, according to running back Joe Mixon.

"At the end of the day, what people got to realize and understand, we the big dog of the AFC, and that's just what it is," Mixon said Saturday ahead of Monday's pivotal matchup against the Buffalo Bills, according to ESPN's Ben Baby. "For anything to happen, it goes through us."

Monday night's prime-time contest pits the 12-3 Bills, who own the first seed in the AFC, against the 11-4 Bengals, who are the reigning conference champions. Both clubs come into the game red-hot, with Buffalo owning a six-game winning streak while Cincinnati has won seven in a row.

Mixon added that he's eager for the challenge of an opponent like the Bills.

"The Bills, what better team would you be able to go up and put your best against?" Mixon noted. "It's a great opportunity for us, but at the same time, I know our guys, we (are) ready."

The Bengals enter Week 17 as the No. 3 seed in the AFC, trailing the Bills and Kansas City Chiefs in a fight for home-field advantage in the postseason.

"We know what our end goal is, and in order to get to that end goal, we got to get through Buffalo. We got to keep one week at a time, and everything else take(s) care of itself," Mixon added.

Mixon, along with the likes of Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins, and Ja'Marr Chase, has aided Cincinnati to an average of 26.1 points per game, fourth most in the NFL this season.