Kansas City is making its third-straight AFC Championship appearance following a 22-17 victory over the Cleveland Browns in the divisional round of the postseason. The Chiefs will welcome the Buffalo Bills next Sunday, on January 24, at 5:40 p.m. central standard time.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes tossed 21 completions out of 30 throwing attempts for 255 yards and a TD before exiting the game due to a concussion he suffered in the third quarter.
Mahomes sustained the injury on the read-option when Cleveland linebacker Mack Wilson wrapped him around the head and neck area to bring him down. Mahomes was slow to get up and was taken straight to the locker room and did not return. Back-up quarterback Chad Henne played under center for the rest of the game.
Henne completed 6 of 8 passes for 66 yards and an interception. Henne sealed the victory by completing a pass to Tyreek Hill to convert on fourth and one.
Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce were both the top receiving targets once again as Hill made 8 catches for 110 yards, and Kelce finished with 8 receptions for 109 yards and a score.
On the other side, Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield was leading a red-hot offense that came off of two consecutive victories over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including the franchise’s first postseason victory since 1994, last week.
Mayfield completed 23 of 37 throws for 204 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
In the first quarter, Kansas City jumped out to a 13-3 lead. On the opening drive, Mahomes led the Chiefs offense 70 yards down the field, in 10 plays, before calling his own number to score a one-yard touchdown.
The score tied Mahomes with Steve Young for the most postseason rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in NFL history.
Cleveland was forced to try for a field goal on their opening drive after Mayfield guided his offense 47 yards in 12 plays. Kicker Cody Parkey nailed a 46 yarder to put the Browns within three points from the lead.
Late in the first quarter, Mahomes threw a bomb for Mecole Hardman that was caught for a 42 yards completions. Six plays later, Mahomes spotted Travis Kelce in the middle of the field. Kelce made the catch and charged his way up the field before diving in the end zone to put the Chiefs up 13-3, going into the second quarter.
In the second quarter, Kansas City settled for two field goals while Cleveland was held out of the end zone.
After forcing the Browns to punt, Kansas City took over at their own 15-yard line. In 13 plays, Mahomes guided the Chiefs offense 68 yards down the field before sputtering at Cleveland’s 32-yard line and sending kicker Harrison Butker to kick a 50-yard field goal to pull the Chiefs ahead 16-3.
On their next possession, Cleveland took over at their own 25-yard yard. In 6 plays, Baker Mayfield and the Browns offense traveled 70 yards, deep into Chiefs territory.
After a 23-yard completion to receiver Rashard Higgins place the Browns at the KC 26-yard line, Mayfield threw a deep pass intended for Higgins again. Higgins made the catch and dove for the goal line. However, safety Daniel Sorensen lowered his helmet to force Higgins out of bounds, which forced the football to pop free into the end zone for the touchback.
With the ball back, Kansas City drove back down the field, 70 yards in 9 plays, to set up Harrison Butker to kick a 28-yard field goal to extend the Chiefs’ lead going into halftime.
Midway in the third quarter, down 19-3, Cleveland’s offense took possession after Harrison Butker missed a 33-yard field goal attempt. From his own 23-yard line, Baker Mayfield led his offense down the field, 77 yards in 8 plays, to find receiver Jarvis Landry for the four-yard touchdown to make the score 19-10.
However, Kansas City would chime back as the Chiefs roared 60 yards down the field before sending out Butker to drive home a 33-yard field goal. During the drive, Kansas City lost Mahomes for the remainder of the game due to a concussion.
Down 22-10, Mayfield fired right-back as he took the Browns on another scoring drive that was finished off with running back Kareem Hunt powering his way into the end zone for a three-yard score to bring Cleveland back to within a possession.
Up 22-17 at the start of the fourth, Kansas City’s offense got off to a good start with Chad Henne in place for Patrick Mahomes. After traveling 57 yards in five plays, things went south from there.
From the Cleveland 38-yard line, Henne threw a deep bomb intended for receiver Demarcus Robinson. However, the pass had too much air under it, which for an easy interception for defensive back Karl Joseph.
Despite having plenty of time to get downfield to take the lead, the Browns offense struggled to get anything going and were forced to punt after gaining 12 yards in seven plays.
With the ball back, Chad Henne made two huge plays that sealed the victory for Kansas City. First scrambling 13 yards on a 3rd and 14, to force a fourth and one situation. Then on the next play, winding the play clock down before completing a pass to Tyreek Hill on an out route to win the game.
