Chiefs return to the Super Bowl after beating the Buffalo Bills. Next: Tom Brady’s Bucs
The Chiefs’ season-long mission to run it back took a giant leap forward Sunday.
With a convincing 38-24 win over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game, the Chiefs earned a return trip to the Super Bowl and a chance to defend last year’s title against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“What a great opportunity for Kansas City for the organization to have the opportunity of going back to Tampa to play the home team there, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in their stadium, which is the first time that’s ever happened with a team,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “Listen, we’re honored to be there and we’ve got work to get done before we have the opportunity to get down there.”
Sunday’s game was in doubt just briefly as the Bills jumped out to a 9-0 lead. All that did, however, was wake up the Chiefs, who scored three straight touchdowns after punting on their first possession of the game.
The Chiefs seized control of the game with scoring drives of 82, 80 and 77 yards to go up 21-9 and didn’t let up.
Against the Bills’ defense, the Chiefs averaged 7.1 yards per play and totaled 440 yards in the game.
The effort was also stellar from the Chiefs’ defense, which limited the Bills to convert 5 of 14 third-down attempts and 363 total yards. Kansas City recorded four sacks and 10 quarterback hits on Bills signal-caller Josh Allen, who never appeared to get in a consistent rhythm.
“I thought it was a good team win,” Reid said. “I thought all three coordinators had a nice plan and coaches did a nice job with it. And the players, most of all, believed in it and went out and executed and played their tail off.”
Here’s what stood out as the Chiefs advanced to another league championship game.
MAHOMES MAGIC
Whatever concerns there were about quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ health entering the game, the superstar signal-caller quickly alleviated all of them.
Mahomes showed no lingering effects from the a toe injury he suffered in the AFC Divisional Round or the past week he spent in the NFL concussion protocol. He appeared to move well in and out of the pocket and was on target with an overwhelming number of his throws.
The Chiefs quarterback’s knack of making head-turning throws was on display in the second quarter when he connected with tight end Travis Kelce down the field. Mahomes made the throw as Bills linebacker Matt Milano clung to him.
Mahomes finished the first half 17 of 23 for 173 yards and a touchdown, pacing the Chiefs to a 21-12 halftime lead. Mahomes didn’t slow down in the second half and finished 29 of 38 for 325 yards passing and three touchdowns for a 127.6 passer rating against a quality opponent.
“That team can play some football,” Kelce said of the Bills. “I think we just had the quarterback back there that can make all the right plays, all the right throws. Sure enough, today he was just flawless.”
Mahomes now has 17 career playoff touchdown passes, extending his own club record.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Kelce are considered two of the elite players at their respective position groups.
So much so that Bills head coach Sean McDermott mentioned in the days leading to the game that devising a plan to slow them down led to some restless nights.
Whatever the Bills had in mind to defend against Hill and Kelce clearly didn’t work.
Hill totaled nine catches for 172 yards, which included a 71-yard effort in the third quarter. Hill now holds the team record for most receiving yards in a postseason game. His 71-yard catch was the second-longest in franchise playoff history, behind only Donnie Avery’s 79-yard reception on Jan. 4, 2014.
Kelce tormented the Bills with 13 receptions for 118 yards and two touchdowns Sunday. He was virtually unstoppable through the first two quarters, totaling nine catches for 92 yards to set a club record for most first-half receptions in a playoff game.
HARDMAN’S ATONEMENT
Chiefs second-year wide receiver Mecole Hardman didn’t start off on the right foot Sunday.
His muffed punt in the first quarter set up the Bills inside the Chiefs’ 5-yard line, and they scored on the next play when quarterback Josh Allen found tight end Dawson Knox for a 3-yard touchdown that made it 9-0.
The Chiefs, however, stuck with Hardman, dialing up plays that helped his confidence. And he rewarded their faith.
Hardman made up for the muffed punt with a 3-yard touchdown early in the second quarter, then ripped off a 50-yard run, the longest rushing effort in Chiefs playoff history, down the left sideline. The play helped set up Darrel Williams’ 6-yard touchdown run to cap the drive.
“It was good that the coaches still had confidence in me and called some plays for me to make things happen in the game,” Hardman said. “The type of player I am, I’m going to try to take advantage of the opportunities I get.
“I’ve still got all the confidence in the world back there returning punts. They still kicked the ball out of bounds even after the muff.”
DEFENSIVE SECONDARY SHINES
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo appears to have the Bills’ number — especially their quarterback.
The Chiefs’ defense, which limited Allen to season lows in passing yards (122) and completion percentage (51.8) in Week 6, harassed Allen throughout the game with defensive back blitz packages and front-seven pressure.
Rookie cornerback L’Jarius Sneed notched a sack and quarterback hit, marking the fourth consecutive game Sneed has recorded a sack.
Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu also was busy in the Bills’ backfield with a quarterback hit. On the pass rush, Mathieu forced Allen into an intentional-grounding penalty.
Defensive end Frank Clark recorded two sacks and defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon had one, too.
The Chiefs’ secondary also put the clamps on All-Pro wide receiver Stefon Diggs for most of the game. Midway through the third quarter, Diggs, who totaled a league-high 1,535 yards receiving in the regular season, had just two catches for 12 yards on five targets.
INJURIES
Left tackle Eric Fisher went down with an Achilles injury early in the fourth quarter and did not return to the game.
“It doesn’t look too good with his Achilles,” Reid said.
Fisher’s absence prompted a shuffling of personnel along the front five: Mike Remmers moved from right tackle to Fisher’s spot, while Andrew Wylie moved from right guard to right tackle and Stefen Wisniewski took over at right guard.
Sneed left the game late in the third quarter to be evaluated for a concussion and was subsequently ruled out.
Safety Armani Watts left the game late in the fourth quarter to be evaluated for a concussion, too. He didn’t return to the game, either.
“I think those guys will be OK,” Reid said of Sneed and Watts.
UP NEXT
The Chiefs will play the Bucs in Super Bowl LV on Feb. 7.
This story was originally published January 24, 2021 at 5:27 PM.
