Patrick Mahomes scrambled for a primary down on his badly sprained proper ankle, then was once shoved past due out of bounds via Joseph Ossai, giving Harrison Butker an opportunity to kick a 45-yard box objective with only some seconds closing and giving the Kansas City Chiefs a 23–20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals within the AFC name recreation on Sunday evening.
The Chiefs in the end beat the Bengals after 3 directly losses, together with a three-point extra time defeat in final 12 months’s name recreation, and can play the Philadelphia Eagles – trainer Andy Reid’s previous group – of their 3rd Super Bowl in 4 years.
Mahomes, who harm his ankle towards Jacksonville within the divisional spherical, threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns, even if he was once lacking 3 of his large receivers to accidents via the top. Marquez Valdes-Scantling led the way in which with 116 yards and a landing, whilst Travis Kelce — dangerous again and all — had seven catches for 78 yards and a rating.
Yet it was once Mahomes on his injured proper ankle, quite than along with his robust proper arm, who rescued the Chiefs.
The Chiefs were given a a very powerful sack from Chris Jones to drive a punt with 39 seconds left, and go back guy Skyy Moore broke unfastened for 29 yards at the go back. On Third-and-4 on the Bengals 47, Mahomes eluded drive and scrambled towards the Bengals sideline, slightly choosing up the primary down sooner than Ossai gave him a shove from in the back of.
The penalty flags flew, the ball moved 15 yards nearer and Butker’s kick was once excellent.
Joe Burrow, who was once sacked 5 instances and wobbly via the top, completed with 270 yards passing to move in conjunction with a landing and two interceptions for the Bengals. Tee Higgins had six catches for 83 yards and the rating.
The Chiefs had been ready to do early what the Buffalo Bills may just no longer in final week’s divisional spherical: They ran roughshod over an unwell Bengals offensive line lacking two starters to harm with every other troubled via a sore knee.
Burrow was once sacked thrice within the first quarter by myself and the Bengals offense didn’t achieve a unmarried backyard.
Mahomes, whose ankle were the topic of hypothesis all week, led Kansas City to a box objective on their opening ownership. And when the Chiefs were given the ball again, Mahomes did it once more, however simplest after Kadarius Toney failed to tug in a nifty throw for a would-be landing — the incompletion was once upheld upon assessment.
Cincinnati in the end moved the ball in the second one quarter, however additionally they needed to accept Evan McPherson’s chip-shot box objective.
So a lot for 2 of the league’s highest-scoring offenses, however this one was once nonetheless a mystery.