KANSAS CITY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Harrison Butker kicked a tiebreaking 35-yard field goal with 3:33 remaining as the Kansas City Chiefs recorded a wild 32-29 victory over the visiting Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday to reach the Super Bowl for the third straight season.
Patrick Mahomes accounted for three touchdowns (two rushing, one passing) as top-seeded Kansas City eliminated the Bills from the postseason for the fourth time in the past five seasons. Kareem Hunt rushed for a touchdown, and Xavier Worthy had six receptions for 85 yards and one score.
The Chiefs will face the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9 in New Orleans. Kansas City will be looking to become the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls.
Mahomes completed 18 of 26 passes for 245 yards and added 43 on 11 rushes as the Chiefs won their ninth consecutive postseason game.
Josh Allen was 22-of-34 passing for 237 yards and two touchdowns for the second-seeded Bills, who were trying to earn their first Super Bowl appearance in 31 years.
James Cook rushed for 85 yards and two touchdowns while Mack Hollins and Curtis Samuel had scoring receptions for Buffalo.
Kansas City drove 51 yards in eight plays to set up Butker’s go-ahead kick.
The Bills faced fourth-and-5 from their own 47-yard line on their next possession when the Chiefs heavily blitzed Allen, and his desperation throw for Dalton Kincaid fell incomplete with 1:54 left.
Two plays later, Kansas City’s Isiah Pacheco took a short pass 10 yards for a first down. The Bills then had a chance to force a punt on third-and-9, but Mahomes hit Samaje Perine out of the backfield for 17 yards to clinch the victory.
Buffalo took a 22-21 lead on Cook’s 1-yard TD run with 2:56 left in the third quarter to cap a 12-play, 80-yard drive. The ensuing two-point conversion try failed.
The Bills later had possession, but Allen was stopped for no gain on fourth-and-1 from the Kansas City 41-yard line, giving the Chiefs the ball with 12:55 remaining in the game.
Just five plays later, Mahomes ran to the end zone for a 10-yard score and followed with a two-point conversion pass to Justin Watson to give Kansas City a 29-22 lead with 10:14 left.
Buffalo answered and tied the score on Allen’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Samuel on fourth-and-goal with 6:15 to play.
Kansas City held a 21-16 halftime lead.
The Chiefs drove 90 yards in nine plays on their first possession, with Hunt scoring on a 12-yard run.
Buffalo scored the next 10 points on Tyler Bass’ 53-yard field goal in the opening quarter and Cook’s 6-yard TD run with 10:25 left in the first half.
Kansas City took a 14-10 lead on Mahomes’ 11-yard touchdown pass to Worthy with 4:13 left in the second quarter. Mahomes added a 1-yard scoring run with 1:55 to go to give the Chiefs a 21-10 advantage.
Buffalo responded with Allen’s 34-yard touchdown pass to Hollins with 23 seconds remaining in the frame. A two-point conversion attempt failed.
–Field Level Media