Chiefs hold off Bills in AFC Championship Game thriller

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs‘ drive for an NFL three-peat is alive.

They survived a classic AFC Championship Game on Sunday in opposition to the Buffalo Bills, scoring the successful factors on Harrison Butker‘s 35-yard area aim with 3:33 remaining for a closing tally of 32-29.

The Chiefs led 21-10 late within the first half solely to fall behind 22-21 by the tip of the third quarter. They scored 11 factors within the fourth to assert the victory. Kansas Metropolis stopped the Payments on fourth down close to midfield following Butker’s kick. The win was the Chiefs’ seventeenth straight in video games determined by one rating, an NFL document.

The Chiefs will proceed their bid to change into the primary workforce to win three consecutive championships through the Tremendous Bowl period in Tremendous Bowl LIV in two weeks in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans.

Listed below are the keys to know from the AFC Championship Sport:

Describe the sport in two phrases: Late rally. The Chiefs trailed heading into the fourth quarter however stopped the Payments on fourth down at midfield and went on to attain a landing that gave them a 29-22 lead. The Payments subsequently tied the sport earlier than Butker’s area aim lifted Kansas Metropolis to the victory.

QB breakdown: Patrick Mahomes had certainly one of his higher video games of the marketing campaign. He largely threw fast passes and was a lot sharper with them than within the divisional spherical victory over the Houston Texans. Mahomes additionally was productive as a runner, registering 43 yards and two touchdowns. The Payments had been efficient in eliminating Mahomes as a runner when the groups met in in Week 11, holding him with out a carry. However Mahomes’ speeding was a giant issue on this contest. He not solely scored twice, however he transformed on fourth-down carry within the second quarter that stored alive a drive that culminated within the Kansas Metropolis’s second landing of the sport.

Most stunning efficiency: Every week after his massive divisional recreation in opposition to the Texans, tight finish Travis Kelce had simply two catches for 19 yards. However the Chiefs bought important contributions from their vast receivers, additionally not like final week. Xavier Worthy scored a landing, Justin Watson had a catch on a 2-point conversion and Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster mixed for 5 catches and 95 yards. — Teicher

Subsequent recreation: Tremendous Bowl LIX, Feb. 9 vs. Eagles, New Orleans, 6:30 p.m. ET (Fox)

But once more, the Buffalo Payments’ Tremendous Bowl desires had been minimize quick by the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes.

A season of surpassed expectations and new heights in the end had the identical acquainted ending as a sloppy first half arrange a good closing two quarters, and it simply wasn’t fairly sufficient. The error-riddled recreation continued into the ultimate drive when the Payments offense had a chance to place collectively a game-winning drive.

The Payments appeared unprepared for a blitz on fourth-and-5 with two minutes remaining within the recreation. Tight finish Dalton Kincaid didn’t come down with a late heave of a throw by Josh Allen.

The Payments have now misplaced all 4 postseason conferences in opposition to the Mahomes-led Chiefs workforce since 2020 and have misplaced eight straight street playoff video games. Allen-led Payments groups are 0-2 within the AFC Championship.

The Payments labored for a fourth-quarter lead and tied the sport at 29-29, however in the end the protection was unable to get off the sphere or restrict Mahomes when it wanted to. An injured secondary, with beginning cornerback Christian Benford leaving the sport within the first quarter with a concussion, and security Taylor Rapp not enjoying within the recreation (hip/again), didn’t assist.

Allen completed one of the best season of his profession with a blended efficiency, finishing 22 of 34 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns. He additionally had 11 rushes for 39 yards. The search to get previous Mahomes and Chiefs coach Andy Reid continues for an additional yr for the Payments.

Describe the sport in two phrases: Postseason kryptonite. The Payments’ postseason woes in opposition to the Chiefs crept up once more, and the workforce will now go into the offseason with new questions on what this workforce must do to get previous Kansas Metropolis within the postseason.

Greatest gap in recreation plan: Not establishing the run with James Cook early. The Payments’ speeding assault was key to getting them to the AFC Championship, however it was not an integral a part of the offense within the first half. That did not assist hold the ball away from Mahomes and restricted the offense. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady solely had 11 designed rushes within the first half (4 by Cook dinner), the identical quantity the Payments had within the first drive of the second half. Cook dinner had success as soon as he bought going, speeding for 85 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries.

Troubling pattern: Sloppy efficiency. The unit had six performs that would have been turnovers with a fumble by operating again Ray Davis recovered by himself, three fumbles by Allen, which he recovered, and two near-interceptions. The sometimes reliable Allen tush-push play (changing 27-of-30 performs for a primary down coming into the sport) was inconsistent. The Payments particular groups additionally allowed a 41-yard punt return establishing an eventual Chiefs landing, whereas the protection struggled to get off the sphere, not forcing a punt till the second half. — Getzenberg