Bengals' Joe Mixon throws veiled shot at Bills linebackers

Ahead of Monday night's showdown with the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon may have given the AFC East-leading juggernauts a little bulletin-board material. 

When The Athletic's Jay Morrison asked Saturday about Buffalo's impressive linebacking corps, Mixon responded with a veiled shot. 

"They're a solid linebacker group, but they're not the Ravens," Mixon said. "I mean, they're good. They get paid, too. I'm not saying they're not good. But they're not the Ravens." 

Mixon, seemingly feeling a bit feisty, then when after the rest of the AFC. 

"At the end of the day, what people got to realize and understand is we're the big dog of the AFC," Mixon said. "And that's just what it is, and for anything to happen, it goes through us." 

Perhaps Mixon feels disrespected. After all, despite being defending AFC champs and winners of seven in a row, the Bengals have only the fifth-best odds to win the Super Bowl, per Oddschecker. 

Whatever Mixon's motives, his opinions aren't shared by the rest of the organization, as Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan was kinder to the Bills. Speaking with reporters this week, Callahan called the Bills defense "similar to ours," adding that Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano were both "premier linebackers." 

The AFC North title could be on the line for Cincinnati on Monday night. Entering with an 11-4 record, the Bengals will clinch the division title with a win Monday night if the Baltimore Ravens lose or tie to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night.