AFC Championship Recap: Mahomes Finally Defeats Burrow To Advance To His Third Superbowl

By Alex Benjamin

Image via: The Chiefs

The AFC Championship was a highly anticipated game, with the Kansas City Chiefs facing off against the Cincinnati Bengals. With both teams having high-scoring offenses, the game promised to be an exciting one. The final score was 23-20, with the Chiefs coming out on top and securing their spot in the Super Bowl. Just as I predicted.

The game was full of twists and turns, and it was a true test of who wanted it more. In the end, it was the Chiefs who rose to the occasion, with Patrick Mahomes putting in an all-time performance despite a badly sprained right ankle.

Mahomes had to rely on his resilience and determination rather than his arm in this game, and it was his mad dash near midfield in the closing moments of the game that put the Chiefs in the lead. Skyy Moore, who they expected more out of this year, is back there on the biggest punt return of the game and he makes an incredible return to give the Chiefs a chance to win. A struggling Kansas City offense moved the ball enough in the second half for the game-winning kick. With a crucial third-down play, Mahomes ran to reach the first down he needed and was headed out of bounds when he felt the hands of Joseph Ossai send him spiraling into the bench. The 15-yard penalty for a late hit was just what the Chiefs needed, and Harrison Butker confidently walked onto the field and sent a 45-yard kick through the cold over the crossbar with just three seconds to go.

Mahomes threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns in the game, and despite missing three of his wide receivers to injuries, he was still able to lead the Chiefs to victory. Marquez Valdes-Scantling had a standout performance, with 116 yards and a touchdown, while tight end Travis Kelce, who was dealing with a bad back, had seven catches for 78 yards and a touchdown.

For the Bengals, quarterback Joe Burrow had 270 yards passing, a touchdown, and two interceptions, while Tee Higgins had six catches for 83 yards and a touchdown. Despite their loss, Bengals coach Zac Taylor praised his team, saying: "The character of this football team, that’s never going to change. We’ve got the right people in the locker room, the right men leading this team and this organization."

The AFC Championship was a thrilling game that showcased the resilience and determination of both teams. The Chiefs' victory was a true testament to their strength and ability, and they now move on to the Super Bowl with a chance to bring home another championship.

Here are my thoughts:

Let’s start with the officiating. Gene Steratore talked more than Romo in the fourth quarter. Bengals fans screamed that the NFL is rigged. It isn't. Missed calls? Without a doubt. On both ends. However, it was a late hit on Mahomes and there's a video of the ref racing in from the back to call the play dead on the third down that got replayed. It wasn't great but every team has 100+ opportunities to win a football game. Yet every fan blames the 2-3 calls by referees on their loss. With the score 20-20 in the fourth quarter, the Bengals had two chances to grab the lead, but the Chiefs' defense responded to the occasion and continuously pressed Joe Burrow. It wasn't the refs that determined that. It was one drive, two drives, then a trip to Cabo to start their offseason.

It is funny, however, that the game is being played at State Farm Stadium with a big State Farm spokesperson, Patrick Mahomes. A little fishy.

At the end of the day, the Chiefs just wanted it more. Big play after big play for the Chiefs. People stepped up whenever there was an injury. They didn’t have those usual playmakers that we’re accustomed to watching the Chiefs play with but players like MVS and Pacheco made the plays they needed to, and now Patrick Mahomes is back in the Super Bowl for the third time in four years.

Patrick Mahomes was remarkable. The Chiefs won with only 6 yards being their longest rush of the game. Mahomes' passing and running accounted for 91% of the Chiefs' offense. The flashy and unexplainable plays are great but the game just looked like it moved so slowly for Mahomes. It was amazing to watch how aware he was of the space in the field and his feel for the game. He just had to get completions to move his team down the field. Cincinnati played a ton of zone and brought barely any blitzes. Mahomes played smart football and found the open man every time.

All of that said, no Chiefs player deserves more credit for Sunday's win than defensive tackle Chris Jones, who entered the game with no playoff sacks and left with two on Joe Burrow. Jones' presence has the most impact on the entire defense. He was doubled on 31 of 38 snaps yet still played this kind of game. The Chiefs sacked the Bengals three times in the opening eight offensive plays, finishing with 5.0 sacks and 12 quarterback hits. Jones alone hit Joe Burrow five times in a game where defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo, knew he had to find a way to make him uncomfortable.

The Chiefs silenced all the doubters. This game felt personal for the Chiefs. When the Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill this summer, the assumption was that Kansas City would take a step back. That story can now be put to rest. And here's one that should replace it: with Andy Reid and Mahomes, they can win it every year.

The Bengals came into Sunday bragging about "Burrowhead," with their quarterback saying the team's Super Bowl window was his entire career. They were doing all the talking. The Chiefs then did what they should have done. Talk back. After a win, you earn the right to smack talk. “Burrowhead my ass,” said Travis Kelce in his post-game interview. They reclaimed the narrative on Sunday, with the opportunity to turn it into a dynasty in two weeks.

It's a heartbreaking finale to the season for the Bengals, who walk into the offseason knowing they had a shot to win. I was super impressed with the Bengals. They fought til the very end. The Chiefs now move on to the Super Bowl, where they will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles.

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