A winter classic
Chiefs’ snowy win eases their playoff frustration as Mahomes leads way
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs' defense had heard the chorus of critics all season long, the ones that claimed their sievelike line and shaky backfield would undermine young superstar Patrick Mahomes and cost them a chance to chase their first Super Bowl appearance in decades.
Well, that defense is a big reason the Chiefs are one step away.
With persistent snow turning Arrowhead Stadium into a winter wonderland, the Chiefs successfully shut down Andrew Luck and the potent Colts on Saturday.
Mahomes and their own highpowered offense took care of the rest, rolling to a 31-13 divisional round victory to end 25 years of playoff frustration.
“We're such a different team,” said Mahomes, who threw for 278 yards and ran for a score. “We have such young players. We have such confidence we're going to win every single game.”
Damien Williams plowed through snow and muck for 129 yards and another score, and Tyreek Hill had 72 yards receiving and a touchdown run as the Chiefs beat the Colts for the first time in five playoff meetings to earn their first AFC title game appearance since January 1994.
Meanwhile, Luck was held to 203 yards passing for the Colts, while Marlon Mack was a nonfactor on the ground. He had 46 yards rushing before leaving late in the fourth quarter with a hip injury. The AFC West champions will play the winner of Sunday's game between the Chargers and Patriots next weekend for a spot in the Super Bowl in Atlanta.
“We wanted to light up the city,” Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones said. “We didn't want to take the road down memory lane.”
The Chiefs set out to change history from the opening minutes, when they forced a three-and-out and then waltzed right over a Colts defense that nearly shut out the Texans a week ago. Mahomes and Co. scored on their first three possessions, then again just before halftime to take a 24-7 lead.
Rams top Cowboys
The high-flying Los Angeles Rams kept the ball firmly on the ground, and they ran straight past the Dallas Cowboys for a breakthrough playoff victory on Saturday night.
C.J. Anderson rushed for 123 yards and two TDs, and Todd Gurley ran for 115 more yards and another TD in the Rams' first postseason win in 14 years, 30-22.
From the opening drive until the final first down, Gurley and Anderson methodically punished the Cowboys' normally sturdy run defense and sent the secondseeded Rams (14-3) to the NFC championship game for the first time in 17 years.
Los Angeles racked up a franchise playoff-record 273 yards rushing. That's also the most ever allowed in the postseason by the Cowboys, who were playing in their NFL-record 63rd postseason game.
“Feels great, just running the ball the way we did,” quarterback Jared Goff said after his first career playoff victory. “Two 100yard rushers, that's rare, and it starts with those five guys up front.”