A.F.C. Championship: Kansas City Beats Cincinnati, 23-20, With Late Field Goal

The groups met once more on Sunday in a rematch that will decide who would face the Philadelphia Eagles within the Super Bowl on Feb. 12 in Glendale, Ariz. And the Bengals appeared on the verge of upsetting the Chiefs but once more, simply as that they had performed the earlier 3 times.

But Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes took over with 30 seconds remaining within the fourth quarter. On a hobbled proper ankle, he scrambled 5 yards for a primary down on the Cincinnati 42-yard line and was shoved after he was out of bounds. The ensuing 15-yard penalty was the distinction maker for kicker Harrison Butker, whose 45-yard game-winning area aim simply handed the cross bar with three seconds remaining, giving the Chiefs a 23-20 victory.

“At some point in games, you have to put it all on the line,” Mahomes mentioned about his late scramble.

Kansas City will now head to the Super Bowl for the third time in 4 seasons. The recreation will function the highest seeds from each conferences for the 14th time in Super Bowl historical past. Kansas City Coach Andy Reid will face his previous staff, the Eagles, and Kansas City tight finish Travis Kelce will play in opposition to his older brother Jason, the middle on Philadelphia.

The Chiefs had been solely slight favorites heading into the sport; Mahomes was recovering from a excessive ankle sprain he sustained per week in the past in opposition to Jacksonville within the divisional spherical, and Travis Kelce had again spasms. Mahomes didn’t scramble for a lot of yards, however he was in a position to run out of the pocket to purchase time to seek out receivers.

“I didn’t have that burst I usually have,” Mahomes mentioned. “But I was able to do enough to get out of bounds.”

Though he wasn’t comfy planting his proper foot at occasions, Mahomes completed the sport 29 for 43 passing for 326 yards and two touchdowns.

He led Kansas City on three scoring drives within the first half, together with a 14-yard landing strike to Kelce on fourth-and-1. Kansas City’s protection sacked Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow 4 occasions within the first half after notching none when the groups met in December.

“It was pure grit for him and Kelce,” Reid mentioned of Mahomes and his tight finish.

But the Bengals didn’t panic. They had trailed by 7, 14 and 18 factors of their final three video games in opposition to Kansas City, they usually received every time by 3 factors. After gaining no yards on offense within the first quarter, the Bengals got here alive within the second quarter, notching two area targets and heading into halftime behind by only one rating, 13-6.

Burrow, who in his third season has emerged as one of many league’s high passers, went 26 for 41 for 270 yards, one landing and two interceptions. He additionally had a team-high 30 yards speeding.

On the Bengals’ first drive of the second half, Burrow picked up the place he left off, main the Bengals on a 62-yard drive that ended with receiver Tee Higgins leaping over a defender to seize a 27-yard cross close to the pylon in the long run zone to tie the rating at 13.

Like in final yr’s A.F.C. title recreation, the 2 rivals traded blows for a lot of the second half and appeared destined for time beyond regulation once more.

Mahomes, who had been visibly limping as he ran to his left on the earlier possession, led Kansas City on a powerful 11-play drive. It ended with Mahomes, beneath stress within the pocket, throwing a 19-yard cross to receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling on the aim line.

On their subsequent drive, the Chiefs tried to construct a cushion that the Bengals wouldn’t be capable to overcome. But Mahomes, out of the shotgun, misplaced management of an tried cross that was dominated a fumble and recovered by Cincinnati defensive finish Sam Hubbard on the Kansas City 45-yard line.

The Bengals cashed in on the chance. On a fourth-and-6, Burrow threw a 35-yard cross to receiver Ja’Marr Chase in double protection. Two performs later, working again Samaje Perine crossed the aim line to tie the sport once more at 20.

The Bengals’ protection appeared to close down Mahomes twice on the following drive, however one play was known as again as a result of the referee stopped the clock earlier than the snap. On the do-over play, the Bengals had been known as for defensive holding, which gave Kansas City an automated first down.

The Kansas City drive fizzled. But Burrow tried to do an excessive amount of on the following drive. He threw to receiver Tee Higgins in double protection, and the cross was tipped by security Bryan Cook and intercepted by cornerback Joshua Williams.

With just below seven minutes remaining, Kansas City appeared poised to seize the lead after Mahomes linked with working again Isiah Pacheco, who broke free from a sort out and scrambled 16 yards down the sideline. But once more, the Bengals shut down the drive. Reid selected to punt and that compelled the Bengals to begin their final drive deep in their very own finish of the sphere.

With two and a half minutes remaining, the Bengals got down to steal one other recreation from Kansas City. But penalties undid their drive, and Kansas City, after a 29-yard punt return, took over with 30 seconds and two timeouts.

That was on a regular basis Mahomes and the Chiefs wanted to rewrite the script in opposition to the Bengals, and earn one other journey again to the Super Bowl.

“I’m riding a wave right now,” Reid mentioned of the chance to face his previous staff.