Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs moved within one win of NFL history as they beat Josh Allen’s Buffalo Bills 32-29 in the AFC Championship Game to reach Super Bowl LIX on Sunday.
No team has ever won three straight Super Bowls, with the Saquon Barkley-inspired Philadelphia Eagles now awaiting as their final obstacle in a rematch of Super Bowl 57 after beating the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship Game earlier in the day.
Trailing 32-29 with two minutes left, the Bills elected to go for it on fourth-and-five from their own 47 only for Allen to be swarmed by a trademark Steve Spagnuolo blitz with the game on the line. Buffalo’s back-peddling quarterback managed to heave a hopeful pass downfield, where tight end Dalton Kincaid was unable to make the catch while diving back towards the ball.
It had become another blockbuster instalment of the NFL’s great Tom Brady and Peyton Manning-esque modern quarterback rivalry as Mahomes and Allen went stride for stride yet again. Mahomes’ rushing touchdown handed Kansas City a 29-22 advantage in the fourth quarter, to which Allen replied with a fourth-down strike to Curtis Samuel to leave the pair tied at 29-29 until Harrison Butker kicked what would prove the winning points with three minutes to play.
The Chiefs have now won 17 consecutive one-score games – an NFL record – having also gone 12-0 in one-score games this season. Mahomes meanwhile improves to 4-0 against Allen in the postseason as he leads the Chiefs to a fifth Super Bowl in the last six seasons.
Stats leaders
Buffalo Bills
- Passing: Josh Allen, 22/34, 237 yards, 2 TDs
- Rushing: James Cook, 13 carries, 85 yards, 2 TDs
- Receiving: Mack Hollins, 3 catches, 73 yards, 1 TD
Kansas City Chiefs
- Passing: Patrick Mahomes, 18/26, 245 yards, 1 TD
- Rushing: Kareem Hunt, 17 carries, 64 yards, 1 TD
- Patrick Mahomes, 11 carries, 43 yards, 2 TDs
- Receiving: Xavier Worthy, 6 catches, 85 yards, 1 TD
There had been ominous signs in the opening exchanges as a nervy Allen swerved two near-interceptions in a swift three-and-out to start, before the Chiefs offense emerged looking as slick and as dangerous as it had done perhaps all season long.
Their fast start culminated in Kareem Hunt’s 12-yard touchdown run at the end of a nine-play 90-yard drive that had seen Mahomes connect with JuJu Smith-Schuster on a 31-yard catch-and-run over the middle of the field.
Patrick Mahomes was ‘lost for words’ after the Chiefs beat the Bills to reach their third straight Super Bowl.
Buffalo hit back through a 53-yard field goal from Tyler Bass before forcing the first Chiefs turnover since Week 11 of the regular season – when the Bills beat Kansas City – as Ed Oliver wrestled a botched handoff from Mahomes. The hosts had survived a fumble just moments earlier when the ball slipped out the hand of Mahomes during a sack by Daquan Jones, with AJ Epenesa recovering only for the play to come back due to an offside penalty against Oliver.
Cook was on hand to punish the turnover with a six-yard touchdown run to cap a 10-play 72-yard drive after Khalil Shakir’s 24-yard reception had moved the chains on third-and-13.
But back came the Chiefs through Xavier Worthy’s 11-yard touchdown catch after Mahomes had kept the drive rolling with a scramble to convert on fourth-and-one.
Worthy was then at the centre of controversy when he was adjudged to have come down with a contested catch against Cole Bishop, despite not appearing to have possession as the ball hit the ground. Nonetheless, it was ruled a 26-yard catch on third-and-five, teeing up Mahomes’ one-yard touchdown run for a 21-10 lead.
Buffalo then cut the deficit to 21-16 heading into the break thanks to Mack Hollins’ 34-yard grab in tight coverage from star Chiefs corner Trent McDuffie.
Jason Bell and Ndamukong Suh discuss whether the call leading to Patrick Mahomes’ touchdown was correct.
Having held the Chiefs to a punt to begin the third quarter, the Bills brought up the third lead change of the game when Cook produced an outstanding stretching effort to reach the ball over the goalline for a one-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal. It put Sean McDermott’s side on top 22-21 following the failed two-point attempt at the end of a 12-play, 80-yard drive knocking seven minutes off the clock.
McDermott’s decision to go for it on fourth-and-one was then rewarded by Allen’s two-yard sneak at the beginning of the fourth quarter. They elected to go for it again four plays later, Allen this time – and perhaps harshly – being ruled short in the middle of a vision-impairing pile of bodies to bring up a turnover on downs.
The two great quarterbacks continued to go toe-to-toe, Mahomes capitalising on the turnover with a 10-yard rushing touchdown and two-point attempt to Justin Watson before Allen located Samuel for a four-yard strike on fourth down with 6.15 remaining.
Mack Hollins takes an unbelievable catch from Josh Allen against the Chiefs.
Jordan Phillips came to the rescue for the Bills on the ensuing possession with a sack for a loss of seven to derail a drive that had reached the 10-yard line through Worthy’s 23-yard catch-and-run, with Kansas City eventually settling for Butker’s 35-yard field goal to take a 32-29 lead.
From there, it was time for Spags and time for the Chiefs defense to underline why they have become a defining component to Kansas City’s dynasty dominance. Spagnuolo dialled up his most exotic blitz of the game to send Allen into retreat, before the Arrowhead crowd watched in prayer as Kincaid fell short in his attempt to salvage a catch downfield.
Over to Andy Reid, who iced the game with a beautifully-designed catch-and-run play for Samaje Perine to convert on third-and-nine and cement Kansas City’s spot at the Super Bowl.
What was said?
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes: “I’m so proud of my teammates and how they responded. That was a great football team we played. It’s not about one guy or a couple of guys… it’s about the whole entire team. That’s why it’s so special.
“I’m lost for words and excited for New Orleans.”
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid: “Our hats go off to Buffalo. They’ve got a tremendous team and Coach McDermott is a phenomenal coach… I’m proud of him. They fell just a little bit short, but we’re glad at that. What a heck of a game it was for the fans and for the NFL.”
Sky Sports NFL’s Ndamukong Suh: “Any team going up against the Chiefs has to almost have a perfect game, especially in the tight situations and the key moments. In those key moments, the Bills just came up short on this particular day. That’s unfortunate and the Chiefs sealed the deal.”
Sky Sports NFL’s Jason Bell: “It’s why this game was so competitive, because of Josh Allen, because of his will. Number 17 played a great game but ultimately he just couldn’t seal the deal.”
What’s next?
The 2024 NFL season reaches its conclusion on Sunday February 9, when the Chiefs and Eagles face off at Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, live on Sky Sports NFL.
