Comeback Chiefs
Mahomes directs KC past Titans
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – This time, Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and the Chiefs took care of business.
A year after falling short with an overtime home loss to the Patriots in the AFC championship game, the Chiefs treated the Arrowhead Stadium faithful to a 35-24 victory over the Titans on Sunday. In so doing, Kansas City punched its ticket to the Super Bowl for the first time in the last 50 years.
“It’s amazing. It really is,” Mahomes said. “To be there with my teammates. My coaches, everyone who’s a part of this organization and, most importantly, Chiefs fans. We got to do it at home. We brought the Lamar Hunt Trophy home.”
The trophy that goes to the AFC champ is named for the Chiefs’ founder and the man credited with coining the term “Super Bowl,” the late Lamar Hunt. Chiefs Hall of Fame linebacker Bobby Bell made the presentation to Clark Hunt, one of Lamar’s children and the Chiefs’ CEO.
The Chiefs, who lost to Green Bay in the first Super Bowl and then beat Minnesota in the fourth, had not received the Hunt Trophy before Sunday. It has been given to the winner of the AFC championship game only since 1985.
“It’s awesome,” coach Andy Reid said of receiving the Hunt Trophy. “What a great city. I can’t say enough. I don’t have words for it. These fans are unbelievable. The Hunt family is incredible. … We love every minute of this. We appreciate every minute of this. But it’s not done. It’s not done.”
The Chiefs needed to climb out of an early hole to secure the victory. For the second time in two weeks, they spotted
their opponent a double-digit first-half lead before coming to life. Tennessee’s 17-7 advantage midway through the second quarter – powered by Derrick Henry’s eight carries for 32 yards and a touchdown – wasn’t as dramatic, however, as the 24-0 deficit Kansas City faced in the divisional round against Houston.
Mahomes and Tyreek Hill connected twice in the first half on a pair of touchdown passes: an 8-yard score on a jet sweep and then a 20-yard strike. Then Mahomes ripped off a highlight-reel, 27yard touchdown run down the left sideline with 11 seconds left in the second quarter to give the Chiefs a 21-17 advantage, their first lead of the day.
Kansas City never trailed again. Despite a quiet first half, Damien Williams rushed for 45 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown on 17 carries. And the Chiefs’ defense limited Henry, who averaged 188.5 yards the previous two weeks, to 69 yards for the day on 19 carries – his fewest yards since Week 9.
Mahomes ended the day with a stat line of 23-for-35 passing for 294 yards and three touchdowns, as well as six carries for 56 yards and that touchdown.
The Chiefs head to Miami, where they will play the winner of Sunday’s late game between Green Bay and San Francisco. Super Bowl LIV is Feb. 2 on Fox.