Bill Chiefs: Deal with it, America. Patrick Mahomes, KC defeats Buffalo to win AFC title and maintain shot at Super Bowl 3 turf

On By Littum

Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills had a situation they would have been happy with to start Sunday night’s AFC Championship Game.

They trailed the Kansas City Chiefs by three points, but with the ball and 3:33 to work with. It’s the type of situation that turns quarterbacks into legends and teams into champions.

However, there is a reason the Chiefs are a dynasty. At so many points over this era, they’ve been in a situation with the game on the line, and almost every time they come up with enough plays to win.

The Chiefs’ quest for a historic Super Bowl 3 turf is still alive. The defense got the one stop it needed inside the two-minute warning, and Kansas City held on for a memorable 32-29 victory.

A Kansas City blitz on fourth down forced Allen to rush a fourth down, it fell incomplete to tight end Dalton Kincaid and the Chiefs took over on downs.

The Chiefs face the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl Lix on Feb. 9 in New Orleans.

It was another classic playoff matchup between the Chiefs and Bills. There haven’t been many good games this postseason, but the AFC Championship game provided one. To the chagrin of everyone hoping for someone to end the Chiefs’ seemingly never-ending run of success, Kansas City did what it usually does and made just enough plays to get them over the finish line and back to the Super Bowl.

The Chiefs’ offense has Mahomes, but hasn’t been elite for a few seasons. Kansas City did not score more than 30 points in a game all season.

It wasn’t too difficult for the Chiefs in the first half though. They had 21 points before the break. They had a great drive to start the game, with Kareem Hunt scoring to give Kansas City an early 7-0 lead. The Bills hung back to take back the lead, but the Chiefs scored 14 straight points after that. A big play by Xavier Worthy, taking a ball away from a defender in the air, got the Chiefs to the 3-yard line and Mahomes ran it in on third and goal for a 21-10 Chiefs lead.

The Bills needed points before halftime and got them. Allen and Mack Hollins connected on a beautiful 34-yard touchdown drive, with Hollins hauling in the pass when he was scrambled on the play. The Bills went for the 2-point conversion after a penalty on the extra point got them closer to the goal line, but Allen’s quarterback sneak was stopped.

Still, a 21-16 halftime deficit seemed manageable. As with most Bills-Chiefs games the past few seasons, it set up a tense, great finish in the 2nd half between two great teams.

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (32) hits Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) during the second half of the AFC Championship NFL football game )Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (32) hits Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) during the second half of the AFC Championship NFL football game )

Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (32) hits Bills quarterback Josh Allen in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s AFC championship game. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

The third quarter turned into a defensive battle and the Bills took the lead on a great play. On fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line, James Cook was hit by the goal line, but he stayed off the ground and stretched the ball over the goal line for a touchdown. The Bills led 22-21. That drive included another fourth-down conversion on a fourth-down keeper by Allen. Bills head coach Sean McDermott hasn’t always been aggressive on fourth downs in big games, but his boldness paid off with a scoring lead entering the fourth quarter.

A fourth attempt in the fourth quarter was not so successful. The Bills had trouble converting quarterback sneaks, and Allen was stood up when he tried one on a fourth-and-inch. Allen was guided briefly, the scene was reviewed, and although it was very close, the call stood. Buffalo turned it over on downs.

The Chiefs often take advantage of such opportunities and did after Allen was called short. They drove Downfield and Mahomes had a 10-yard touchdown run. A 2-point conversion gave Kansas City a 29-22 lead.

Then it was Bills’ turn. Buffalo went for it on fourth-and-goal, and Allen found Curtis Samuel in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. The game was tied again with 6:15 left to go.

It’s not like Mahomes and the Chiefs are nervous in that or any other situation. They quickly drove into Bills Territory, aided by a flagrant face penalty on linebacker Matt Milano. Worthy made another big play to get the Chiefs to the 10-yard line. However, a huge sack on First Down set the Chiefs back. They had second and goal at the 17-yard line. Two incompletions later, and the Chiefs had to settle for a field goal. They led 32-29, but with 3:33 left, the door was open for Allen and the Bills to steal a win.

But the drive stalled near midfield, and instead the Chiefs celebrated another AFC title.

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  • The Eagles and Chiefs will meet again in the Super Bowl

    Just two years ago, Kansas City and Philadelphia met in Super Bowl 57, with the Chiefs coming out on top 38-35. Patrick Mahomes was the MVP of the game, throwing for 182 yards and 3 touchdowns. Jalen Hurts was brilliant, throwing for 304 yards and a score to go along with 70 yards on the ground and 3 rushing touchdowns. Outside of Hurts, the Eagles rushed for 45 yards on 17 carries (2.7 yards per carry) with their running backs of Kenneth Gainwell, Miles Sanders and Boston Scott. The Philadelphia running game just looks a little different going into this one.

    Per BetMGM, the Chiefs have also opened as a -1.5 favorite for Super Bowl Lix, set for 6:30 PM ET on Sunday, February 9.

  • The Kansas City Chiefs are headed to New Orleans with a chance to win a third straight Super Bowl title

    Kansas City is the first team in the Super Bowl era to return to the Super Bowl after winning it the previous two seasons.

  • Samaje Perine on the catch and the Chiefs will have the chance to run it out.

    The 17-yard catch is the only time Samaje Perine touched the ball tonight.

  • Mahomes to Pacheco for the first down, and Kansas City is right on the cusp

    Pacheco was flagged offside on this play, which is a big help for the Bills, but with 1:45 on the clock and two timeouts, Buffalo is in a spot where they might need a foul from a KC team that has won 16 -Straight one-score games.

  • Allen’s heave begs the 4th down, Chiefs take over

    The Bills still have three timeouts … but a first down and the game is all but over.

  • Two minute warning and Buffalo faces the biggest game of the season

    It’s 4th and 5 for the Bills at their own 47-yard line and they have three timeouts. The Bills are 4-of-5 on 4th down attempts tonight, and on a pair of 4th and goal plays, they’ve scored touchdowns. This is the game of the year for the Bills offense and Chiefs defense.

  • Josh Allen Springs free for a first down

    Sticky coverage led to this one by Allen. Collection of 13.

  • Mahomes has to throw it away on 3rd down and now it’s 4th and goal from the 17

    Big spot for Harrison Butker who nails the 35-yard attempt with 3:33 to go and the Chiefs take a 32-29 lead. The ball goes back to the Bills now. Buffalo has three timeouts and the two-minute warning, and a touchdown would give the Bills the lead.

  • Jordan Phillips with a massive sack on 1st down

  • Xavier worthy for 23 yards

    Mesh concept against coverage of man-to-man and dignified became free in the wash. KC now down to the 10 yard line for a 1st and goal.

  • Travis Kelce Seems in the 4th quarter

    He picks up the 12 and the Chiefs are near field goal range. Kelce has been quiet with 2 catches for 19 yards.

  • Huge penalty on the first play with Matt Milano flagged for a facemask

    Kareem Hunt caught a pass to get close to a first down, but tack on 15 more and KC is in Buffalo territory.

  • Allen to Curtis Samuel for the tie!

    We’re entering classic territory again in this epic Chiefs-Bills rivalry. It was Allen’s third or fourth reading. He did a good job of staying patient in the pocket and the Bills Offensive Line was huge on this play. The Bills have now scored twice on 4th and goal plays.

    It’s 29-29 in KC with about six minutes left.

  • Bills to go for it on the 4th and goal from the 4th

    Biggest play of the game for both sides with 6:20 left.

  • Allen to Hollins on the 3rd and 8th

    32 yards on 3rd and 8 pick up and the Bills have a 1st and goal at the 4 yard line.

  • Patrick Mahomes with another rushing touchdown

    This is his first career post season game with two TD runs and this one was a designed QB keeper. He’s up to 45 rushing yards for the game, and then he hits Justin Watson to convert the 2-point attempt. Chiefs go up 29-22 with 10:14 left in regulation. This is the kind of game we all expected.

  • Juju breaks free for 29 on the catch and run

    Mahomes is one of the best ever against the blitz and this is an arrow to Juju to move the chains.

  • Allen comes up short and Chiefs take over at their own 40

    One of the biggest plays of the game, with just under 13 minutes to play, the Chiefs’ defense came up huge in a potential spot to save the season.

  • Allen sneaking in another 4th down comes very close

    Allen was stuffed on another 4th down attempt on a QB sneak, but the officials can review it without a challenge because it involves a change of possession should he be short.

  • Josh Allen dives over the top on 4th down and converts

    Allen fumbled the ball but was able to make the recovery. Huge plays to keep the Bills running alive.