The Kansas City Chiefs secured their fifth Super Bowl appearance in six years on Sunday, defeating the Buffalo Bills 39-32 in the AFC Championship game.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs on an eight-play, 51-yard drive late in the fourth quarter to set up the go-ahead field goal. Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen threw incomplete on fourth-and-5 on the Bills’ next drive, and Buffalo never got the ball back, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.“I’m excited to get to New Orleans and try to make history,” Mahomes said on the podium after the game.
The fourth postseason matchup between Mahomes and Allen, Sunday’s matchup lived up to the hype. The game was within one point headed into the fourth quarter and featured six lead changes.
Mahomes finished with 245 yards passing and 43 yards rushing, combining for three touchdowns. He helped give Kansas City a 21-16 lead at halftime, then spearheaded two scoring drives in the fourth quarter to complete a comeback.
Allen fell to 0-4 against Mahomes despite throwing for 237 yards and two scores. He also ran for 39 yards.
The Bills started the game 3-of-3 on fourth-down attempts but converted only one of their last three. On one of the failed conversions, there was controversy over whether or not Allen actually picked up the first down on a quarterback sneak. On the other failed attempt, tight end Dalton Kincaid dropped a diving catch on a broken play.
The Chiefs now have a chance to win their third Super Bowl in a row, and they’ll have to do so against a familiar opponent: the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles advanced to the Super Bowl with a 55-23 drubbing of the Washington Commanders in the NFC championship game. Philadelphia and Kansas City played each other in the Super Bowl two years ago.
The Eagles thoroughly dominated on the ground, running 36 times for 229 yards and a conference championship-record seven touchdowns. Saquon Barkley rushed for 118 yards on only 15 carries, including a 60-yard touchdown run on the Eagles’ first play from scrimmage.
The Commanders turned the ball over four times and committed nine costly penalties. Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels was 29-of-48 passing for 255 yards with one score and one interception.
Super Bowl 59 will be played Feb. 9.
