Patrick Mahomes spotted Travis Kelce in the back of the end zone early in overtime and the Kansas City Chiefs came from behind to beat the Buffalo Bills 42-36 on Sunday night to wrap up the tumultuous second round of the playoffs.
The two clubs exchanged the lead three times in the last two minutes of regulation time. Harrison Butker, who missed a field goal and a one-point conversion earlier in the game, forced overtime with a field goal from 49 yards as the final seconds ticked away.
The Chiefs won the toss and then easily marched down the field against the NFL’s best, but mostly exhausted, defense to secure their ticket to a fourth successive AFC Finals.
The Chiefs will cross swords with the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday night, with the challenge of a place in the Super Bowl.
Mahomes finished with 378 passing yards and three majors, including a 64-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill in the final minute of regulation. The Chiefs ended the Bills’ season at Arrowhead Stadium for a second straight year.
Josh Allen did everything in his power to prevent this scenario. He threw a touchdown pass to Gabriel Davis to give the Bills the lead with 1:54 left in the fourth quarter. The Bills quarterback then threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game — a personal best in the playoffs — with just 13 seconds remaining in the game.
It was, however, enough time for the Chiefs to position themselves for Butker’s tying goal.
Allen finished with 329 yards gained through the air. Davis caught eight passes and rushed for 201 yards in an even more heartbreaking loss than last year’s AFC Finals loss to the Chiefs.
To see in video