After defeating the Buffalo Bills 32-39 in the AFC championship game on Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs moved to their fifth Super Bowl in six years.
Late in the fourth quarter, quarterback Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs on an eight-play, 51-yard drive that resulted in the game-winning field goal. On the Bills’ subsequent drive, Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen threw incomplete on fourth-and-five, and Buffalo was never able to recover the ball.
After the game, Mahomes remarked on the platform, “I can’t wait to get to New Orleans and try to make history.”
Sunday’s battle between Mahomes and Allen, their fourth postseason encounter, lived up to the anticipation. Six lead changes occurred during the game, which was within one point going into the fourth quarter.
Mahomes finished with three touchdowns and 245 yards of throwing and 43 yards of rushing. He led two scoring drives in the fourth quarter to finish the comeback after helping Kansas City take a 21–16 lead at the half.
Despite throwing for 237 yards and two touchdowns against Mahomes, Allen’s record dropped to 0–4. He ran 39 yards as well.
The Bills only converted one of their final three fourth-down attempts after going 3-of-3 on their first three. There was debate on whether Allen truly got the first down on a quarterback sneak on one of the unsuccessful conversions. Tight end Dalton Kincaid missed a diving catch on a broken play on the other unsuccessful try.
The Chiefs will now have the opportunity to defeat a familiar foe, the Philadelphia Eagles, in order to win their third consecutive Super Bowl.
In the NFC championship game, the Eagles defeated the Washington Commanders 55-23 to advance to the Super Bowl. Two years ago, Philadelphia and Kansas City faced off in the Super Bowl.
With 36 runs for 229 yards and a conference championship-high seven touchdowns, the Eagles dominated the ground game. On the Eagles’ first play from scrimmage, Saquon Barkley ran for 118 yards on just 15 carries, including a 60-yard touchdown run.
The Commanders committed nine expensive penalties and turned the ball over four times. Jayden Daniels, the quarterback for Washington, completed 29 of 48 passes for 255 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
On February 9, Super Bowl 59 will take place.