For the first time in the history of the National Football League, a two-time defending champion will head to the Super Bowl with a chance to three-peat as the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills in the AFC title game, prevailing as they seemingly always do with a 32-29 victory.
The Chiefs got started quickly, marching 90 yards on nine plays on their opening drive, which ended with a Kareem Hunt touchdown run. Patrick Mahomes went 4 of 4 for 61 yards on that initial possession, connecting repeatedly over the middle with his receivers on run-pass option plays. It was a foreshadowing of things to come, as Mahomes would ultimately finish the evening 18 of 26 for 245 yards and a touchdown (to rookie wideout Xavier Worthy), connecting with eight different pass-catchers and hitting seven of them for gains of at least 10 yards. Mahomes added 43 yards on 11 rushing attempts, crossing the pylon twice on the ground.
The Bills, of course, did not go quietly. They turned this game into the classic battle of the titans that it nearly always is, as Josh Allen went shot-for-shot with Mahomes for the umpteenth time. Allen went 22 of 34 for 237 yards and two touchdowns, and also ran 11 times for 39 yards. He was repeatedly called on to convert in short yardage, and came through on all but one occasion. (More on that below.) He battled back from multiple deficits (7-0, 21-10 and 29-22) to either give the Bills a lead or tie the game, only to see Mahomes come right back and do the same.
As it seemingly always does when these two go up against each other, the game came right down to the very end. After Allen engineered a nine-play, 70-yard touchdown drive to tie the game at 29 with just over six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Mahomes went to work. He quickly got the Chiefs into the red zone, and it looked like we might be getting a finish that resembled the famous 13 Seconds Game, with the two MVP-caliber quarterbacks trading late haymakers until one of them simply had no time left to do so.
But then the defenses stepped up.
Buffalo’s stopped Kansas City’s go-ahead drive in its tracks, knocking the Chiefs backward and forcing a field goal rather than ceding yet another touchdown. Harrison Butker connected from 35 yards out to make it 32-29 with 3:33 remaining; but finally, the Bills had a chance to hold the pen last in a game against the Chiefs, at Arrowhead Stadium, in the playoffs.
On their ensuing possession, though, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo dialed up one of his classic diabolical blitzes, this time on fourth-and-5. Allen had to scramble away from immediate pressure, then blindly lofted the ball into the air and down the field in the hopes that someone could catch it. Amazingly, his throw nearly hit tight end Dalton Kincaid in the chest. But Kincaid had to dive for the ball as he came back toward the line of scrimmage, and he wasn’t able to haul it in. Kansas City was then left to run out the clock.
In victory, Andy Reid became the second head coach ever to reach six Super Bowls, Patrick Mahomes became the third starting quarterback to reach five and the pair became the second duo to reach five together. Mahomes also captured his 17th playoff victory, surpassing Joe Montana for second most all time. They sit now behind only Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, respectively.
The win was the Chiefs’ ninth straight in the postseason, putting them one away from tying the all-time record. It was their 17th consecutive victory in a one-score game, breaking the record they already held. It achieved their third conference title in three years, and their fifth in the last six. The latter of those accomplishments had also never been done before.
And now they are one step away from true football immortality: a three-peat, with only the Philadelphia Eagles standing in their way.
Why the Chiefs won
Once again, they made one more play when it mattered most.
Kansas City ran fewer plays than Buffalo. It gained fewer yards than Buffalo. It held the ball for less time than Buffalo. And yet … the Chiefs emerged victorious. They went 5 of 9 on third down and 1 of 1 on fourth. They converted four of their five red-zone opportunities into touchdowns. (A sixth ended with Mahomes taking a knee to end the game.) Their defense came up with two huge fourth-down stops, including one after the offense punted on its only two possessions of the third quarter and left the team in danger of falling down by two scores. Every time one side of the ball or the other needed to make a play, they stepped up.
Oh, and Patrick Mahomes conjured a little more of his magic, throwing for 9.4 yards per attempt — his highest total since the first game of the season. He had the highest dropback success rate of his entire career. Mahomes also rushed a career-high 11 times, and ran for multiple scores for the first time ever.
Why the Bills lost
Once again, they were simply one play short. Buffalo played a fantastic all-around game. The Bills scored on five of their nine possessions. They punted only twice. They didn’t turn the ball over the traditional way, giving the ball away only by failing on a pair of fourth-down attempts. They went for it an incredible six times on fourth down, though, repeatedly converting to keep drives — and the game — alive, including with a pair of touchdowns.
Josh Allen was marvelous. James Cook was explosive. Mack Hollins stepped up. Khalil Shakir did his thing. Amari Cooper emerged from the darkness to make a few plays. The Bills did so many things well. And they still lost. Because that’s just what the Chiefs do.
Turning point
Holding a 22-21 lead early in the fourth quarter, the Bills faced a fourth-and-1 at the Kansas City 41-yard line. They lined up for the same play just about everyone runs in that situation these days: The Tush Push. They got behind Josh Allen and tried to push him across the line. But he was ruled short. At least, by one of the line judges. The other marked him as having a first down. At least at first. He then moved backward, and Allen was ruled short of the line to gain.
After reviewing the play, the officials upheld the ruling that Allen did not make the first down. A mere five snaps later, the Chiefs were in the end zone, taking their first lead since the third quarter.
Highlight play
There are so many to choose from here. We had James Cook’s outrageous effort to get into the end zone on fourth-and-goal. We had Mack Hollins’ sick touchdown grab over the top of tight coverage from Trent McDuffie. We even had not one, but two rushing touchdowns from Patrick Mahomes.
But we have to go with this play right here, from the rookie Xavier Worthy.
This play almost didn’t count, as it initially looked like the pass might have been intercepted. But it was ruled simultaneous possession, giving Worthy the catch. But the Bills challenged the play, stating that they felt it was incomplete. But the officials upheld the call. (Not that it would have mattered all that much, because Buffalo was also called for holding on the play.) Still, sick grab.
What’s next
The Chiefs will advance to the Super Bowl, where they will meet the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles down at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Feb. 9. As previously mentioned, they have a chance to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls.
The Bills’ season is over. They will have the 30th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. They need some help in the pass-catching department, as well as in the secondary. They won’t have to look for a new offensive coordinator, though, as Joe Brady decided to return rather than remain a candidate for the New Orleans Saints job.
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