Patrick Mahomes passed for 325 yards and three touchdowns as the Kansas City Chiefs repeated as AFC champions, beating the Buffalo Bills 38-24 to book back-to-back Super Bowl appearances.
Mahomes, cleared from concussion protocol to play after being knocked out of the divisional round win over the Cleveland Browns, had the Chiefs offense operating at its explosive best in seeing off the Bills, amassing 439 total yards.
- Chiefs passing: Patrick Mahomes, 29/38, 325 yards, 3 TDs
- Rushing leader: Darrel Williams, 13 carries, 52 yards, 1 TD
- Receiving leader: Tyreek Hill, nine catches, 172 yards
Tight end Travis Kelce had 13 catches for 118 yards, reeling in two of Mahomes' touchdown throws, while Tyreek Hill had a massive 172 yards on nine receptions - including one 71-yard gain in the third quarter to set up the first of Kelce's scores.
Buffalo's Josh Allen completed 28 of 48 passes for 287 yards and two TDs, while rushing for a further 88 yards. With his Bills trailing by two scores going into the fourth quarter, Allen tried to put the team on his back, but he'd throw a costly interception from down at the Kansas City 20-yard line that all but ended the game.
- Bills passing: Josh Allen, 28/48, 287 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
- Rushing leader: Josh Allen, seven carries, 88 yards
- Receiving leader: Cole Beasley, seven catches, 88 yards
It was all a far cry from the start of the game, which saw the Chiefs go three-and-out on their opening series of offense, while Buffalo broke out into a 9-0 after a 51-yard Tyler Bass field goal - the first of four successful attempts for the kicker - and a muffed punt return by Mecole Hardman set up a three-yard touchdown pass from Allen to Dawson Knox.
That merely stirred the defending Super Bowl champs from their slumber, however, as Kansas City quickly overturned that deficit with three-straight scoring drives of 82, 80 and 77 yards in the second quarter.
Hardman atoned for his earlier error by grabbing the first of Mahomes' scoring strikes, while he opened the Chiefs' next drive with a 50-yard run, helping set up a six-yard Darrel Williams rushing TD. Clyde Edwards-Helaire would go in from the goal-line on their next series for a 21-9 lead.
In fact, take away a one-play kneel down to end the first half and Kansas City actually scored on six-straight possessions in the game, going 5-for-5 on touchdowns in the redzone, with the Buffalo defense unable to find any answers.
In contrast, the Bills converted just 2 of 5 redzone opportunities into TDs, otherwise settling for field goals. Bass' second kick shortly before half-time and his third, following a Kansas City FG to open the scoring after the break, pulled Buffalo back to within nine of the Chiefs at 24-15.
But that's precisely when Kansas City began to streak clear, with Hill's massive 71-yard catch and run coming on their next possession and, in looking to answer Kelce's subsequent touchdown, Allen was picked off on Buffalo's next series.
The Bills did score a late touchdown - Allen to Isaiah McKenzie from six yards - and a final Bass field goal after a successful onside kick to add a bit of respectability to the scoreline, while the game itself descended into a rather farcical conclusion with various penalties for altercations between the players.
Kansas City now move on to Tampa Bay, where they will take on the home-town Buccaneers, looking to become the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the 2003-04 New England Patriots - who had the very same Tom Brady at quarterback.
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