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For the second time in four years, the Rams are headed to the Super Bowl.
Led by Matthew Stafford under center and a run-stopping defense, the Rams closed the NFC Championship Game with 13 unanswered points to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 20-17.
Up next are the AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI on February 13.
Stafford, who threw for 337 yards, took over with 6:49 to play in a 17-17 ballgame. He calmly marched the ball down the length of the field, hitting all five of his pass attempts on the drive and setting up kicker Matt Gay for the eventual game-winning field goal from 30 yards out.
The Rams, who had trailed by 10 points at one point in the 4th quarter, cemented the victory by forcing 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo into a game-clinching interception. Facing pressure from elite pass rusher Aaron Donald, Garoppolo was forced out of the pocket and slung an ill-advised pass attempt toward running back JaMycal Hasty. Hasty was unable to corral the wild toss and it ultimately bounced into the waiting arms of Rams linebacker Travin Howard, ending San Francisco’s attack and crowning the Rams NFC champs.
Los Angeles got another monster game from star wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who caught 11 balls for 142 yards and hauled in both of Stafford’s TD tosses. Receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was also fantastic in the Rams’ passing game, finishing with nine catches and 142 yards. LA’s defense, meanwhile, limited San Francisco to just 50 yards rushing.
Throughout much of the game, the Rams seemed to be controlling the action, despite trailing on the scoreboard at halftime (10-7) and following the third quarter (17-7). They dominated time of possession (35:39 to 24:21), outgained the 49ers 396 yards to 282, and secured more first downs (25 to 16).
The win snaps what had been six straight head-to-head victories by San Francisco against Los Angels, and sends head coach Sean McVay and the Rams back to the Super Bowl. In 2019, LA fell 13-3 to Tom Brady and the Patriots in what remains the lowest-scoring Super Bowl in history.
This year’s game, which kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET on February 13, will mark the second time in as many years that the Super Bowl will be played on the home field of one of the participants. A year ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium.
Under pressure on the 3rd and 13 from his 22-yard line, 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo threw one up for grabs that ended up in the hands of the Rams’ Travin Howard.
The interception sealed the victory for Los Angeles, 20-17.
The Rams will face the Cincinnati Bengals in two weeks in Super Bowl LVI on February 13.
The Rams are now in front, 20-17, with 1:46 left to play after kicker Matt Gay connected from 30 yards to take the lead.
On a critical 3rd down with three yards to go from the 49ers’ 37-yard line, quarterback Matthew Stafford found his favorite target, wide receiver Cooper Kupp, on a short pass over the middle.
Kupp cut through the San Francisco secondary to pick up 25 yards before being downed at the 12-yard line. A Stafford sack pushed the Rams back to the 20-yard line and forced 3rd and 18. Stafford found Kupp again but he couldn’t pick up the yardage, forcing the field goal attempt.
Kupp leads all Rams receivers with 11 receptions for 142 yards.
We’re all tied up with just 6:49 left on the clock after a Matt Gay 40-yard field goal knotted the NFC Championship Game at 17.
Earlier in the possession, Niners safety Jaquiski Tartt let an easy interception slip through his hands. Then, on the next play, Rams QB Matthew Stafford connected with Odell Beckham for a 29-yard pass. The refs tacked on another 15 yards because of a Jimmie Ward unnecessary roughness penalty for helmet-to-helmet contact.
Rams coach Sean McVay challenged the ruling on the field that 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk was down before he lost the ball on a 3rd down run.
The ruling on the field was upheld, and because McVay’s challenge failed, the Rams lost a timeout. They’re now left with no timeouts with 10 minutes still left on the game clock in the 4th.
It’s shaping up to be yet another 2022 NFL postseason nail-biter.
Rams QB Matthew Stafford found receiver Cooper Kupp for the second time tonight, this one from 11 yards out, for a touchdown to narrow the score to 17-14 49ers.
One thing to watch: The Rams are down to their final timeout, but the 49ers have all three of theirs.
The Rams had 2nd and 1 to go for the first down in 49ers’ territory. But the Niners’ D came up with three big stops — including on a Matthew Stafford quarterback sneak on 4th down with less than a yard to go — to force a turnover on downs.
That allowed San Francisco to take over near midfield on their own 43-yard line, and soon after, Jimmy Garoppolo found George Kittle in the end zone from 16 yards out to make it a two-possession game.
It’s now 17-7 49ers late in the 3rd quarter.
Early in the third quarter of the NFC Championship Game, the 49ers are clinging to a thin three-point lead, 10-7.
However, on every place other than the scoreboard, the Rams are clearly in control.
Here are some key stats midway through the 3rd quarter:
49ers kicker Robbie Gould kicked a 38-yard field goal to give his team the lead heading into halftime.
The kick capped an eight-play, 36-yard drive after the Niners took over with good field position late in the second quarter.
It’s 10-7 San Francisco. The 49ers will get the ball back after the break.
Rams kicker Matt Gay missed a 54-yard field goal late in the first half, a key opportunity to retake the lead following a 49ers touchdown.
Gay’s kick sailed wide right, the final play on a drive that took 12 plays and ate up 4:20 of clock, but yielded zero points.
It’s 7-7 as the 2nd quarter winds down.
As the AFC title game’s overtime period was about to kick off, the star quarterback for the eliminated Buffalo Bills took to Twitter and simply wrote, “pain.”
Some context: The Bills were eliminated last week in a dramatic back-and-forth battle by Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Buffalo had the lead with just 13 seconds on the clock before the Chiefs tied it up at the end of regulation.
Having won the coin toss at the beginning of overtime, Mahomes connected with Travis Kelce for a walk-off touchdown on the first possession of extra time.
Kansas City Chiefs 42, Buffalo Bills 36 — an instant classic that’ll be remembered for years to come. However, for some, the game’s ending left something of a sour taste.
Such are the rules of overtime in the NFL. Allen and his red-hot offense never got the chance to reply, annoying many neutral spectators.
Some called it the “worst rule in sports,” while others jokingly called for President Joe Biden to step in and fix the rule.
And while Allen, shortly after suffering the crushing defeat, was magnanimous about the current overtime rules, it has raised the question about whether both teams should be given the opportunity to score in overtime.
Read more about NFL overtime here.
Electric 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel put together a jaw-dropping touchdown to get San Francisco on the board and tie the game at 7-7.
Samuel was second in the NFL this season with 779 yards after the catch — only his opponent in tonight’s game, Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp, had more with 846 —and that skill was clearly on display during his second-quarter score. Samuel took a short toss from 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and galloped 44 yards through traffic and into the end zone.
It’s 7-7 as we approach the 2:00 warning in Los Angeles.
The home team gets on the board first.
Rams QB Matthew Stafford found his star wide receiver Cooper Kupp in the end zone for the first touchdown of the game. The score capped off an 18-play, 97-yard drive.
LA took almost 10 minutes off the clock with the possession. Rams lead the Niners 7-0 in the second quarter.
The NFC Championship Game is scoreless here in the 2nd quarter.
Cornerback Jimmie Ward is off to a fast start for San Francisco, registering three early tackles and an end-zone interception of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Despite having nothing to show for it, Los Angeles dominated time of possession in the opening stanza, controlling the football for 9:45. The Rams also have six first downs as compared to the 49ers’ two, while Los Angeles also more than doubled San Francisco’s total yardage in the first quarter, 95-40.
Tonight’s NFC Championship Game marks the second meeting this month between these two California-based rivals, as the 49ers knocked off the Rams 27-24 in Week 18 to close out the regular season.
49ers free safety Jimmie Ward grabbed a deflected pass in the end zone for the first turnover of the game.
Rams QB Matthew Stafford drove his team 64 yards down the field before the interception. Niners take over with under 7:00 left in the first quarter. Still scoreless at SoFi.
Earlier this season, Ward picked off Stafford twice in the 1st quarter when the teams met in Week 10.
We’ve barely had time to catch our breath from Cincinnati’s stunning overtime win in the first game of the day! But here we go, kicking off in a few minutes: the Los Angeles Rams host the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC title game at 6:30 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
The winner will meet the Bengals in Super Bowl LVI, which is also being played at SoFi Stadium on February 13.
The Cincinnati Bengals’ unlikely playoff run will include a chance to capture the franchise’s first-ever Super Bowl title.
A heroic effort by the Bengals’ defense in the second half, a steady performance by quarterback Joe Burrow and more postseason magic from kicker Evan McPherson led Cincinnati to upset Patrick Mahomes and the reigning AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in overtime on Sunday.
The Bengals will play either the Los Angeles Rams or San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl. The NFC championship game is currently underway.
Early on, it seemed as though the Chiefs were simply too strong for the visiting Bengals, scoring touchdowns on the team’s first three offensive possessions and opening up a commanding 21-3 lead.
However, despite trailing 21-10 at halftime, Cincinnati emerged from the locker room with renewed spirit, holding Kansas City scoreless for 29:57 minutes, in the process scoring 21 unanswered points to open a 24-21 lead.
On the final possession of regulation, Mahomes and the Chiefs got the ball on their own 35, and then proceeded to march the length of the field, getting as close as the Cincinnati 4-yard line. The drive stalled, however, as Mahomes was sacked on third down, precariously fumbling in the process.
Kansas City recovered the fumble, setting up Harrison Butker for the game-tying, 44-yard field as time expired. The Chiefs won the coin toss to begin overtime with possession, but a timely interception by Bengals safety Vonn Bell set up the winning drive for Cincinnati, which was completed when McPherson nailed a 31-yard field goal to end it.
Second-year Cincinnati signal-caller Burrow was in command in the extra session, calmly directing the Bengals on the eventual game-winning drive. On the afternoon, Burrow was 23-38 for 250 yards, tossing a pair of second-half TDs against one interception.
Mahomes, meanwhile, was magical in the first half before sputtering after the break. Seeking a third straight Super Bowl appearance, Mahomes finished 26-39 for 275 yards, with a trio of first-half touchdown passes and a pair of second-half interceptions, including the costly one in overtime.
The Cincinnati Bengals will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.
Bengals safety Vonn Bell made a clutch interception on a deep pass from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in overtime. Cincinnati took over at their own 45-yard line and drove deep into Kansas City territory to the Chiefs’ 13-yard line before bringing out kicker Evan McPherson to seal the deal.
McPherson, who has been perfect on field goals in the postseason, nailed the 31-yard attempt to win the game 27-24 and send his team to the Super Bowl.
After Cincinnati took its first lead of the game, Patrick Mahomes marched the Chiefs 84 yards right back down the field to tie the game as time ran out in regulation.
On 3rd and 2 deep in Cincy’s red zone, the Chiefs picked up a massive first down. But three plays later, Mahomes lost the ball on a fumble and was lucky one of his teammates jumped on it. The Chiefs lost 15 yards on the play, forcing kicker Harrison Butker to nail a 44-yard field goal attempt to tie the game at 24 as time expired in the 4th quarter.
Those were the first points KC put on the board in the second half, and they won the coin flip to start overtime with possession.
Cincinnati is now leading at Arrowhead after scoring 21 unanswered points.
On 3rd and 6 deep in his own territory, Bengals QB Joe Burrow somehow evaded the Chiefs’ D-line as they closed in for the sack and scrambled to pick up the first down. Just three plays later, facing 3rd and 7, Burrow again used his legs to pick up the first.
The Cincinnati signal-caller has run the ball himself on 3rd down four times so far today. He’s picked up the first down every time.
The drive stalled out at the Chiefs’ 35-yard line, though. Bengals’ kicker Evan McPherson hit his third field goal of the game from 52 yards to give the visitors the lead. McPherson is now 11 for 11 kicking in the playoffs this year.
After allowing touchdowns on the Chiefs’ first three offensive possessions of the game, the Bengals’ defense has kept Cincy’s Super Bowl dreams alive.
Cincinnati stopped Kansas City in the red zone to end the first half. Since then, Patrick Mahomes and the vaunted Chiefs offense have been kept off the scoreboard, turning the ball over once and being forced to punt four times.
The defensive effort has allowed quarterback Joe Burrows and the Bengals to rally from 18 points down, tying the game at 21-21 with less than eight minutes to play in the 4th quarter.
Kansas City cornerback L’Jarius Sneed came up with huge interception to blunt the Bengals’ offensive momentum after Cincinnati had rattled off 18 straight points to tie the game.
But Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs failed to capitalize, going three-and-out on the ensuing possession.
21-21 game here in the 4th quarter.
The first turnover of the game — an interception of quarterback Patrick Mahomes by Bengals defensive lineman B.J. Hill — led to a Cincinnati touchdown and 2-point conversion to tie the AFC Championship Game at 21-21.
Quarterback Joe Burrow found star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase in the end zone for a two-yard scoring strike. The Bengals elected to go for two and the tie, and Burrow hit Trent Taylor for the equalizer, a conversion that capped 18 straight unanswered points for the visitors.
At one point, the game was 21-3 Chiefs.
The Bengals marched down the field and cut the KC lead to 8 points late in the 3rd quarter.
Cincinnati got down to the Kansas City 10-yard line. But they gave up a sack on 1st and goal, followed by two busted short pass plays.
Bengals kicker Evan McPherson hit the field goal from 31 yards, his second successful kick of the day, to make it a one-possession game.
21-13 Chiefs late in the 3rd quarter.
Whatever adjustments the Bengals’ defensive staff discussed during halftime seem to be working.
After allowing three touchdowns on the first three Kansas City possessions of the opening half, the Cincy D has rallied to start the third, forcing back-to-back punts.
The Bengals still trail 21-10, but at one point in the first half it seemed as though Kansas City was going to run away en route to a third straight Super Bowl appearance. Instead, the Bengals defense is keeping the game within reach.
Kansas City got the ball at the start of the second half and was forced to punt for the first time today.
Patrick Mahomes failed to convert on 3rd and 6 from his own 37-yard line. Before that, the Chiefs were a perfect 4/4 on 3rd down.
The halt follows the Bengals’ success in preventing the Chiefs from scoring on the last play of the first half, and it’s still 21-10 Kansas City as the Bengals take over.
Facing the daunting prospect of an 18-point halftime deficit, the Bengals made a key stop as time expired in the first half.
Cornerback Eli Apple wrapped up Tyreek Hill near the 1-yard line, keeping the Chiefs wide receiver out of the end zone and KC off the scoreboard.
The Chiefs, bidding for a third straight trip to the Super Bowl, had scored touchdowns on all three of their previous possessions.
Apple’s tackle kept the score at 21-10, and KC has the ball as the second half gets underway.
The Bengals were in desperate need of a score and Samaje Perine delivered.
The Cincinnati running back went 41 yards on a screen pass from quarterback Joe Burrow to find the end zone and cut into the Kansas City lead. Star wideout Ja’Marr Chase made a key block on the play to help escort his teammate to the end zone.
KC leads Cincy 21-10 as the second quarter nears its close.
The Chiefs are threatening to blow it open.
With two minutes to play in the first half, Kansas City has opened up a commanding 21-3 lead over the Bengals.
The Chiefs have scored touchdowns on all three of their possessions, including the most recent strike: a 3-yard toss to Mecole Hardman.
Mahomes has so far completed all but one of his 14 passes, already accumulating 154 yards through the air to pair nicely with an 11-yard scramble.
All three of his touchdowns have gone to a different receiver — Hardman, tight end Travis Kelce and wide receiver Tyreek Hill — as the Bengals struggle to slow down the Chiefs’ high-powered offense.
The Chiefs have found the end zone for the second time this afternoon.
A scrambling Patrick Mahomes connected with tight end Travis Kelce for a 5-yard touchdown on 3rd down to make it 14-3 Kansas City. It’s Kelce’s 6th consecutive game with a receiving touchdown.
The key play in the drive was when Mahomes hit wide receiver Mecole Hardman for 44 yards. The quarterback is up to 115 passing yards on the day.
Bengals tight end C.J. Uzomah is listed as “doubtful” to return in today’s AFC Championship Game.
The 29-year-old was visibly distraught leaving the field of play, as tears dotted his face following a first-quarter injury to his left knee.
A favorite target of quarterback Joe Burrow, Uzomah had caught 13 passes and found the end zone once in the playoffs prior to the injury. In the regular season, Uzomah caught 49 balls for 493 yards and five touchdowns.
The Bengals answered the Chiefs’ touchdown with a field goal on the very next drive.
Cincinnati converted three 3rd downs but couldn’t do it a fourth time as they were stalled at the KC 14-yard line. The Chiefs’ defense forced key incompletions to Cincinnati wide receivers Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase.
Bengals kicker Evan McPherson then connected from 32 yards to get the visitors on the board late in the 1st quarter.
7-3 Chiefs as the second quarter begins.
The Kansas City Chiefs have scored first in the AFC Championship Game.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes connected with his top target, wide receiver Tyreek Hill, on a beautiful throw and catch in the back corner of the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown.
The scoring play capped an 11-play, 84-yard drive which ate up 6:09 of game clock, and gives Kansas City the lead as the team seeks a third-straight trip to the Super Bowl.
For the first time this postseason, the Bengals fail to score on their opening possession of a half.
Entering today’s tilt in Kansas City, Cincinnati had found the scoreboard to open both halves versus the Raiders in the Wild Card round and a week ago in the divisional round against top-seeded Tennessee.
However, in the AFC Championship Game versus the Chiefs, the Bengals failed to pick up a first down, went three and out, and punted the ball away.
It’s still 0-0 in the first quarter.
The Cincinnati Bengals and San Francisco 49ers both claimed shock wins last Saturday thanks to field-goals as time expired despite both coming into their NFL divisional round clashes in the playoffs as underdogs.
Rookie kicker Evan McPherson drilled a 52-yard field-goal to give the Bengals a 19-16 win over the No. 1 seed Tennessee Titans and advance to their first AFC Championship game since the 1988 season.
Later on, in a snowy Lambeau Field, Robbie Gould kicked a 45-yard field-goal to claim a stunning comeback 13-10 win over the Green Bay Packers to advance them to the NFC Championship game.
The two teams are now one win away from Super Bowl LVI. The Bengals will visit the Kansas City Chiefs, while the 49ers will take on to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
For the Bengals, the 2021 season has been a time of growing on the biggest stage.
A franchise that has had such little success – last weekend’s win against the Las Vegas Raiders was their first playoff win for 31 years – this is a dream run.
Behind second-year quarterback Joe Burrow, rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and rookie kicker McPherson, Cincinnati have developed one of the most potent offenses in the league.
After the Titans win, the Bengals players were full of praise for their kicker’s nerves, with Burrow saying he had “ice in his veins.”
Burrow told reporters that before going out for the game-winning kick, McPherson said to him: “Well, looks like we’re going to the AFC Championship Game.”
Moments later, he was being swarmed by his teammates after fulfilling his promise.
With temperatures dropping to below freezing and the snow falling, traveling from California to Wisconsin to face Green Bay can be a daunting task.
And the Packers set the tone early at home, an impressive opening drive ending in an AJ Dillion touchdown to give them a lead.
While the 49ers offense struggled, so did the Packers after that, with a blocked field-goal their only other real chance to score in the first half.
San Francisco got their own field-goal shortly after, before the Packers replied with their own in the second half.
But it was a mistake on special teams which changed the momentum in the 49ers favor, a blocked punt allowing Talanoa Hufanga to pick up the loose ball and run in a touchdown with less than five minutes remaining.
After stopping Green Bay’s offense again, the 49ers were able to get in position to allow Gould to kick the game-winning kick and advance to their second NFC Championship game in three years.
While it was jubilation for the 49ers, the defeat begins an offseason of questions about the future of superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay.
The 37-year-old, the NFL’s reigning MVP, is tipped to win the award this season but said he was a “little numb” after the defeat.
Read more about the Bengals and Niners’ underdog wins here.
The Los Angeles Rams survived a Tom Brady-inspired Tampa Bay Buccaneers fightback to edge a pulsating 30-27 NFL playoff contest on Sunday.
Having seen his team steamrolled to a 27-3 deficit with just over three minutes of the third quarter remaining, Brady looked set to write another fabled chapter in his legendary career as the 44-year-old quarterback helped drag his team to level scoring.
Yet his dreams of completing a famous comeback in overtime – as well as a shot at an eighth Super Bowl ring – were dashed by Matt Gay’s 30-yard field goal as the clock expired following a frenetic final few minutes.
Incredibly, it meant that the first three divisional round games were all decided by last second field goals.
And after the Green Bay Packers’ defeat to the San Francisco 49ers, it also means this year will be the first time since 2009 that neither Aaron Rodgers or Brady will feature in a conference championship game, according ESPN Stats and Info.
Already history makers as the first venue to host a conference championship game and Super Bowl in the same season, a win for the Rams at the SoFi Stadium against the 49ers will see them become the second team in NFL history to play at home for the Super Bowl.
The only other team to have played at home for the NFL’s showpiece occasion was Brady’s Tampa Bay at last year’s Super Bowl 55, which swept aside the Kansas City Chiefs in Florida.
Having gone 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions without a playoff win, quarterback Matthew Stafford now has two in his first season with the Rams.
The 33-year-old went 28-for-38 for 366 passing yards without an interception, throwing for two touchdowns and rushing for one more as the Rams roared towards a seemingly inevitable victory across the first three quarters.
A stunning, 70-yard touchdown throw to Cooper Kupp in the closing stages of the second quarter – just moments after being sacked – proved the pick of the bunch on a landmark night for the Rams’ number nine.
Read more about the Rams’ triumph over the Bucs here.
Kansas City Chiefs 42, Buffalo Bills 36 — an instant classic that’ll be remembered for years to come.
Whether it be for the big-name players, the remarkable quarterback play or for the dramatic back-and-forth nature of it, their playoff encounter will live long in the memory.
However, for some, the game’s ending did leave somewhat of a sour taste.
Having won the coin toss at the beginning of overtime, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes connected with Travis Kelce for a walk-off touchdown on the first possession of extra time.
Such are the rules of overtime in the NFL, Josh Allen and his red-hot offense never got the chance to reply, annoying many neutral spectators.
Some called it the “worst rule in sports,” while others jokingly called for US President Biden step in and fix the rule.
And while Allen, shortly after suffering the crushing defeat, was magnanimous about the current overtime rules, it’s raised the question: should they be changed to allow both teams the opportunity to score?
Read more about NFL overtime here.
None of the headwinds facing legacy broadcast television are strong enough to stop the NFL right now.
Last weekend’s four divisional games averaged 37 million viewers at any given time. That’s 20% higher than the audience size for the equivalent games last year.
The totals now count some streaming and out-of-home viewing, but that alone can’t account for the huge year-over-year growth. All of the dour predictions about the future performance of the NFL are being challenged by this winter’s action.
Competitive and high-scoring games always help. So do compelling storylines. But even beyond that, football is in a league of its own in the US.
The most-watched of the four games was Sunday night’s Bills-Chiefs nailbiter on CBS. It averaged 43 million viewers for the four quarters and overtime and peaked with nearly 52 million viewers.
Overall, the game was the most-watched event on American TV since last year’s Super Bowl.
Read more about the NFL’s big TV ratings here.
Did we watch one of the best games in NFL history last week?
We definitely saw two great next-generation quarterbacks on display at Arrowhead Stadium as Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen put on an absolute clinic last Sunday night in an epic AFC divisional round clash in the NFL playoffs.
Mahomes threw a walk-off touchdown to Travis Kelce in overtime as the Chiefs finally beat the Bills 42-36 after an all-time encounter that saw twists and turns throughout.
The game culminated in a wild ending, which saw an extraordinary 25 points scored in the final 1:54 of regulation time.
With just 13 seconds left and the Chiefs trailing by three points, it seemed implausible that Kansas City could find a way back into the game.
But Chiefs head coach Andy Reid had some words of inspiration for Mahomes.
“When it’s grim, be the Grim Reaper and go get it,” Reid said he told Mahomes before the final drive of regulation. “So he did that. He made everybody around him better which he is great at and, you know, he just does it effortlessly. When it gets tough, he’s gonna be there battling and players appreciate that.”
And with the words ringing in his ears, the 26-year-old was able to get his team into position for a game-tying, 49-yard field goal from Harrison Butker.
In overtime, the coin toss became the deciding factor as the Bills and Allen never got back onto the field, the Chiefs driving all the way down the field before Kelce’s walk-off touchdown.
But the game will be remembered as one of the greatest in NFL history, and with two of the league’s best young quarterbacks at the helm, it could be a clash we see multiple times in the years to come.
“It was a heck of a game,” Mahomes told CBS’ Tracy Wolfson afterwards. “I mean, 17, Josh (Allen), played his a** off, pardon my language. I mean, it was a great game between two great football teams and, at the end of the day, guys like Tyreek (Hill) and Travis (Kelce) made the plays that won us the game.”
Read more about the Chiefs’ incredible win over the Bills here.
The kickoff between the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC championship is set for 3 p.m. ET today at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
Next up, the Los Angeles Rams host the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC title game at 6:30 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
The winners book their place in Super Bowl LVI, which is also being played at SoFi Stadium on Feb. 13.
