Patrick Mahomes Propels Chiefs into Super Bowl LV

After a valiantly fought battle on Sunday night, the Kansas City Chiefs would win their second consecutive AFC Championship over the Buffalo Bills catapulting themselves into Super Bowl LV!

Arrowhead Stadium hosted chill temps of 30s and high spirits as Sunday night’s matchup was the most defining game all season. For the Chiefs, they were fighting to enter the greatest stage of the NFL, the Super Bowl, for the second year in a row.

The Bills were simply hoping to continue their inspiring run as they had not even played in an AFC Championship game since 1994, a game in perfect irony was also against the Chiefs.

Despite being the favorite in the matchup, the Chiefs had no easy path ahead. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes had only been released from the league’s concussion protocol a day prior after suffering a head injury in the division round game against the Cleveland Browns. In addition, Mahomes was suffering from ‘turf toe’ going into Sunday night’s meeting against the Bills.

Mahomes, who is the driving force behind the Chiefs recent franchise success, would take it all in stride, having his eyes set on one goal and one goal only. As Mahomes is the only QB in NFL history to start three championship games before the age of 26 if anyone could do it was him.

Seventeen thousand loud and rowdy voices would usher kickoff, and the show would begin!

The Bills would have first possession as a 51-yard Tyler Bass field goal would put a period to their opening drive by a lead of 3.

Neither team would create much action for another two punts. The second of the two, however, would serve as a bit of self-inflicted punishment for the Chiefs. Bills Corey Bojorquez would punt the ball to the Kansas City 11, and Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman was set to receive it. Hardman would muff the catch, and the ball would be recovered by an enthusiastic Taiwan Jones.

Allen would get a surprise welcome on the sideline as he received word that it was time to clock back in. With an outstanding field position, quarterback Josh Allen would capitalize on the Bills newfound momentum. Allen would connect to recent Buffalo standout Dawson Knox for the easy handoff touchdown.

Bills would only come up with six, though, as the field goal was no good. Nevertheless, a lead was a lead. A lead Buffalo probably did not soak up enough as it would be their last.

As the first quarter winded down, Mahomes would put his team on his back and would keep them there until the game clock read 0:00. He’d go over to his team on the sidelines to remind them that their time had only just begun.

Mahomes would use just under seven minutes to reinstate their position in the game. He’d enlist Kansas City dynamic duo wide receiver Travis Kelce and running back Tyreke Hill. Releasing a target to Kelce here and handing off to Hill there before reaching Buffalo 23 on 4th& 1.

Kansas City would take the timeout. To no surprise at all, Mahomes would get the critical one yard and then some, moving his team to the 6. At this point, it was only a matter of time. In true faith-filled Chiefs fashion Mahomes would make a target out of Hardman in a gesture of moving forward.

Hardman would answer Mahomes call with a catch in the end zone, giving Chiefs their first seven and marking Mahomes 30th straight game with a touchdown pass, only the 12thQB in NFL history to ever do it!

The Chiefs were feeling hot! On their next possession, Hardman with clear restored confidence, would put on a showstopper, jetting downfield for not a 30, not a 40, but a dynamic 50-yard return, taking his team all the way to the Buffalo 32!

It wasn’t if but when KC would put up their second TD. Running back Darrell Williams would have the answer. Williams would run in a sexy six to put his team up 14-9. Fellow former LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire would follow in his mentor’s footsteps adding his own touchdown to the scoreboard, leaving his opponents only four minutes on the clock to figure out where their help would come from.

After about a twenty-minute drought of no scoring, Buffalo would finally get a few droplets, but definitely not the rain they were hoping for to close out the half. A four-minute, 12 play drive would result in nothing more than a field goal. Bass would be good from 20.

A 9-point deficit is, of course, better than 12, but scoping where the Chiefs were clearly headed, the Bills were well aware that they had their work cut out for them.

Kansas City would begin the second half with possession. As the game had been riddled with record moments, Travis Kelce must have wanted in. Kelce would join Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe’s club of one with the most catches in a playoff game.

This would, however, prove to be the drive’s most favorable moment as KC was ultimately forced to settle for an extra 3. Harrison Butker would be good from 45, and Chiefs would extend their lead 24-12 to initiate the second half.

The help Buffalo was looking for had still seemed absent after intermission. A five-minute once hopeful drive would end with a sting of disappointment as Allen was simply not able to complete crucial passes forcing Buffalo to settle with their own 3. Unfortunately for the Bills, there would be more disappointment to come.

In just four plays, Kansas City would again find themselves in the end zone. How in just four plays, you ask? Short answer. Tyreek Hill. Hill would use his feet to cover an expansive 71 yards in only a minute and 30 seconds despite having to dart back and forth between defenders! We were truly watching the ‘Cheetah’ at work.

Mahomes would seal the deal with an effortless underhand toss to Kelce in the end zone, much like the effortless releases seen often from Steph Curry to the basket. It’s almost as if it doesn’t even require the same level of effort for the two to hit their targets.

With the Chiefs now holding a 16-point lead and still picking up speed, the Bills needed something… anything really to still be in the race. However, they would receive nothing but an interception after a hard-fought five-minute drive.

Cornerback Rashad Fenton, who had only recently checked in to replace safety L’Jarius Sneed after Sneed took a hard head hit to the turf, would come up with the dynamic pick. All in one scoop, his first career playoff interception would mutually silence the Bills and put possession back into the hands of his colleagues, who were no doubt feeling exceptionally grateful.

Mahomes would again enroll his duo of Kelce and Hill, along with Williams, to offer one final blow to the Bills. Mahomes would duck and dive, growing pressure from the Bills defense completing the needed passes and handoffs to his targets. The best ball of them all would come in the red zone on 3rd& goal. Mahomes would find and connect a perfect strike to a wide-open Travis Kelce for the end zone touchdown!

Mahomes knowing the game was all but over, began pulling his arms together with his head lifted up, screaming out of pure delight as a 2ndSuper Bowl was in sight for the young QB!

A Buffalo touchdown, field goal, and a lot of tense stop and start scrobbles would follow, but it would have no other effect than that as the Chiefs had come out with the dub! Red and yellow confetti filled the air, and the Chiefs AFC Trophy Presentation was underway.

Chiefs had won the battle, but the war was still ahead as the Mahomes lead Chiefs would be facing the 4x Super Bowl champ, Tom Brady, for the first time, as he had recently joined the NFC with Tampa Buccaneers. The defending Super Bowl Champs seem to have high hopes, however, as their goal is to ‘Run It Back!’

No one knows what February 7 holds, but at least for Kansas City and the Patrick Mahomes Chiefs, they can rest knowing the Lamar Hunt Trophy resides at home and that they’ve been granted a first-class ticket to the National Football League’s biggest stage, Super Bowl LV.

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