Chiefs Hold Off Bills to Advance to AFC Championship
In the third playoff rendition of Mahomes vs. Allen, the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs put together another last-second back-and-forth affair that came down to the wire. Coming into the game, it was the first time in the Mahomes era that the Chiefs would be playing a road playoff game away from Arrowhead Stadium. Meanwhile, the Bills and Allen were looking to crack the code on their playoff rivals, as they had failed to defeat the Chiefs in the two previous playoff matchups. In the end, the Chiefs were able to continue their playoff dominance against the Bills and squeak out a 27-24 victory to advance to the AFC Championship Game next Sunday against the top-seed Baltimore Ravens. Let’s take a look at how the Chiefs clinched their sixth straight AFC Championship appearance.
The Bills and Chiefs both traded field goals on their first possessions of the game, as Tyler Bass knocked in a 27-yard field goal for the Bills and Harrison Butker converted a 47-yard field goal to tie the game up at 3-3. To begin the second quarter, Allen would scramble for a five-yard touchdown run to give Buffalo a 10-3 lead. The Chiefs would respond with a 29-yard field goal by Butker to cut the deficit to 10-6. Following a Bills’ punt, the Chiefs would take their first lead of the game at 13-10, as Mahomes would find tight end Travis Kelce for a 22-yard touchdown reception. Prior to halftime, the Bills would retake a 17-13 after Allen got his second rushing touchdown of the game heading into the locker rooms.
To open up the second half, the Chiefs would put their pedal to the metal, as Mahomes would connect with Kelce for a three-yard touchdown reception and regain a 20-17 lead. The Bills would subsequently retake a 24-20 lead on a 13-yard touchdown reception to wideout Khalil Shakir. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Chiefs would once again respond as running back Isiah Pacheco would score on a four-yard touchdown run to retake a 27-24 lead. On their next drive, the Bills would attempt to convert a fake punt on fourth down but would be stopped by the Chiefs’ defense. However, the Chiefs’ offense would fail to capitalize, as Mecole Hardman fumbled at the goal line which would result in a touchback.
With under two minutes left, the Bills would work themselves down the field into Chiefs’ territory with a chance to score a go-ahead touchdown. However, the Chiefs’ defense would hold strong and force a game-tying field goal opportunity. On a 44-yard attempt by Bass, the football would go wide right and send Mahomes and the Chiefs into celebration with their ticket punched to the AFC Championship Game. In the win, Mahomes would finish the game going 17 for 23, with 215 passing yards and two touchdowns. The Chiefs would rely on their running attack, led by Pacheco, who finished with 15 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown. In a disappointing gut-wrenching defeat, Allen would complete the game going 26 for 39, with 186 passing yards and one touchdown. Allen would also lead the Bills in rushing with 72 yards for two touchdowns on 12 carries.
