-
Tory BarronESPN Editor
Will the Kansas City Chiefs make it three straight trips to the Super Bowl, or will second-year quarterback Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals prevail in what promises to be a high-scoring showdown?
While Super Bowl LIV MVP Patrick Mahomes has experience on his side, Burrow is the fifth player in the past 30 seasons to enter a conference championship game while leading the NFL in both completion percentage and yards per attempt (including playoffs). So yeah, he’s pretty good at this football thing.
We’ve got you covered with all the action as Cincinnati tries to earn its first AFC title since 1988, and Mahomes & Co. look to keep the crown in Kansas City.
Q4
Evan McPherson‘s not your average rookie kicker — he’s the one who has completed the most postseason field goals by a rookie kicker in NFL history. With his FG in the first quarter, McPherson surpassed Stephen Gostkowski (8 in 2006) for the record.
His 52-yarder gives the Bengals the 24-21 lead in the fourth quarter.
MONEY MCPHERSON. 52 YARDS.
The @Bengals have the lead! #NFLPlayoffs
?: #CINvsKC on CBS
?: https://t.co/dKNUFkxkbU pic.twitter.com/t5Jlb0O8Ch— NFL (@NFL) January 30, 2022
Q3
Bengals defensive tackle B.J. Hill‘s big-guy interception was the catalyst for a familiar end zone connection: Burrow to Ja’Marr Chase. One 2-point conversion later and we suddenly have ourselves a tie game.
BURROW TO CHASE. TOUCHDOWN. #RuleTheJungle #NFLPlayoffs
?: #CINvsKC on CBS
?: https://t.co/dKNUFkxkbU pic.twitter.com/4oTvYaHBdM— NFL (@NFL) January 30, 2022
Chase now holds the record for the most receiving yards by a rookie in a playoff run in NFL history.
Huge play. The first turnover of the game — the second interception Mahomes has ever thrown at home in the playoffs — comes courtesy of Hill.
INTERCEPTION. CINCY BALL. #NFLPlayoffs #RuleTheJungle
?: #CINvsKC on CBS
?: https://t.co/dKNUFkxkbU pic.twitter.com/lb8k4PQ7xc— NFL (@NFL) January 30, 2022
Q2
Come for Bengals RB Samaje Perine‘s 41-yard TD run and stay for Ja’Marr Chase with the lead block. Cincinnati marches 70 yards down the field to make it a 21-10 game before the half.
SAMAJE PERINE. 41 YARDS. #RuleTheJungle #NFLPlayoffs
?: #CINvsKC on CBS
?: https://t.co/dKNUFkxkbU pic.twitter.com/81OqBLVARm— NFL (@NFL) January 30, 2022
Three touchdowns, three different receivers. Mahomes is, in fact, in his bag. The QB completes Kansas City’s third offensive drive (yep, he’s thrown a score on each of his team’s drives) with a toss to Mecole Hardman, who finds the end zone to make it a 21-3 game.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, Mahomes has never lost when taking a lead of 15 or more points (37-0 including playoffs).
While we’re on the subject of relevant stats, it also feels worth mentioning that per Elias Sports Bureau, the Chiefs are the first team to score touchdowns on their first three drives in either a conference championship game or a Super Bowl since the 1994 season (San Francisco 49ers, Super Bowl XXIX).
First Hill. Then Kelce. Now Hardman.
Three first half TDs for @PatrickMahomes! #NFLPlayoffs
?: #CINvsKC on CBS
?: https://t.co/dKNUFkxkbU pic.twitter.com/6ezrwdyHag— NFL (@NFL) January 30, 2022
Mahomes gonna Mahomes. It’s unclear what’s more predictable at this point: Mahomes displaying an unparalleled ability to scramble, or the QB finding Travis Kelce in the end zone. Either way, the Chiefs started the second quarter with another touchdown to make it a 14-3 game.
WHO ELSE BUT KELCE⁉️
?: #CINvsKC on CBS pic.twitter.com/MWwHaYcf9N
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 30, 2022
Q1
Mahomes wasted approximately no time in getting the Chiefs on the board. The 26-year-old found one of his favorite targets, Tyreek Hill, in the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown. The catch marks Cheetah’s fifth career postseason TD reception.
CAN’T KEEP UP WITH THAT CHEETAH SPEED ?
?: #CINvsKC on CBS pic.twitter.com/5dFkZMT05i
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 30, 2022
And this one won’t be a shutout. Cincinnati gets a field goal from the hero of the Bengals’ divisional round win, supremely confident kicker Evan McPherson, with under a minute remaining in the first quarter to make it a 7-3 game.