(Orchard Park) Travis Kelce caught two touchdown passes from quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs reached the AFC finals for the sixth straight time by beating the Buffalo Bills 27-24 on Sunday night .
Isiah Pacheco scored the winning touchdown on a four-yard run 40 seconds into the fourth quarter.
The two teams exchanged leads five times in the game, before seeing the Chiefs confirm their victory by running out the clock on Tyler Bass’ missed 44-yard field goal attempt with 1:43 left in regulation. .
PHOTO JEFFREY T. BARNES, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Isiah Pacheco (10)
“I wish he wasn’t in this situation,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said. You win as a team and you lose as a team. One play does not define the match. »
The Chiefs will now travel to Baltimore to face Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, leaders of the American. The Ravens defeated the Houston Texans 34-10 on Saturday.
The Chiefs are 0-1 against the Ravens in the playoffs following a 30-7 loss in 2010. In their most recent matchup, during the second week of activities of the 2021 season, the Ravens l won 36-35.
“There’s no weakness,” Mahomes said of the Ravens. It’s going to take our best effort. Their defense, their offense, their special teams, they do it all. It’s always a good challenge and the stadium is going to be electrifying. We are excited for this challenge. »
The Chiefs have never lost a divisional playoff game since Mahomes became the team’s starting quarterback in 2018. The Chiefs have also won five straight playoff games, dating back to a 27-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, in 2021.
For Mahomes, a two-time Super Bowl MVP, it was his first road victory in the playoffs, excluding the final game. Mahomes is 13-3 in the playoffs.
Mahomes finished with 215 passing yards, completing 17 of 23 passes and his two touchdown passes to Kelce.
Allen completed 26 of 39 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown pass. He also ran for two additional majors. The Bills quarterback finished the matchup with a team-high 72 rushing yards, bringing his career playoff total to 563 yards. He ranks second in NFL history in this regard at his position, behind Steve Young (594).
The Bills scored on four of their first five offensive drives. Allen’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Khalil Shakir gave the Bills a 24-20 lead with 3:23 remaining in the third quarter.
The Chiefs also produced, scoring on five of their first six drives on offense.
The Bills saw their season end for the third straight time in the second round, after losses to the Cincinnati Bengals last year and to the same Chiefs in 2021.
In 2020, in the American final, the Chiefs also eliminated the Bills.