Hardman’s adventures (good and bad) pave way for Chiefs’ 21-12 halftime lead over Bills
The best and worst of Mecole Hardman was on full display in the first half as the Chiefs led the Buffalo Bills 21-12 at halftime in the AFC Championship Game.
Hardman’s 3-yard touchdown reception on a quick toss from Patrick Mahomes capped a 14-play, 80-yard drive that included a fourth-and-1 conversion on a Mahomes-to-Darrel Williams completion.
Hardman, the second-year pro, had his first playoff touchdown.
He wasn’t finished with his offensive fireworks. On the Chiefs’ next possession, Hardman took a pitch, got outstanding blocking — especially from Travis Kelce — and sprinted 50 yards. That set up the Chiefs’ next touchdown, a 6-yard run by Williams.
The distance covered by Hardman was the longest in Chiefs postseason history.
Earlier in the half, Hardman had his oh-no moment, a blunder that led to an easy Bills touchdown.
Hardman fielded a punt around the 10. He wasn’t hit, but the ball flew from his grasp. Buffalo recovered at the 3 and the Bills were in the end zone one play later for a 9-0 lead in the first quarter after the extra point was missed.
Once a strength, special teams have been an adventure all season for KC. The Chiefs missed a field goal and extra point against the Browns last week. In their regular-season finale against the Chargers, Hardman made a bad decision fielding a punt on a bounce and fumbled it away. That one also led to a short-field touchdown.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who hadn’t played since suffering an injury in the Week 15 game at the Saints, darted into the end zone behind a Nick Allegretti block from the 1 to give the Chiefs a 21-9 lead with 4:12 left in the half.
Edwards-Helaire’s TD gave the Chiefs 239 total yards since the Bills opened with a 9-0 lead.
The Chiefs get the ball to open the second half.
So much for the offensive woes
After going three and out on the first possession, the Chiefs rolled up big plays on three straight touchdown drives. The long run by Hardman and a 33-yard completion to Tyreek Hill were the biggest. Taking advantage of open space in the Bills’ zone defense, Kelce caught nine passes for 92 yards.
Defense dials it up
Bringing the heat worked wonders for the Chiefs.
A 15-yard sack by cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, a blitz by safety Tyrann Mathieu that resulted in an intentional grounding penalty, another blitz that caused a Josh Allen third-down incompletion — all were examples of coordinator’s Steve Spagnuolo’s aggressiveness that paid off.
Safety Juan Thornhill nearly ended the Bills’ first possession with an interception. He worked inside Cole Beasley along the sideline and was in a better position for the catch. But Beasley managed to knock the ball from Thrornhill’s grasp, and on the next snap, Tyler Bass knocked through a 51-yard field goal to end the game’s first drive.
It was longest field goal in postseason history at Arrowhead Stadium. A week ago against the Browns, Harrison Butker booted a 50-yard field goal for the Chiefs.
Charvarius Ward also let an interception fly through his hands in the second quarter.
But the coverage in the secondary was excellent overall in the first half.