By DAVE SKRETTA
KANSAS CITY — Patrick Mahomes threw for 177 yards and a landing, most of it going to greatest buddy Travis Kelce, and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs beat the Houston Texans 23-14 on Saturday to advance to the AFC championship sport for the seventh consecutive season.
With girlfriend Taylor Swift watching alongside WNBA star Caitlin Clark from a set, Kelce had seven catches for 117 yards and a rating, serving to the Chiefs (16-2) hold alive their dream of successful an unprecedented third consecutive Tremendous Bowl title.
The Chiefs are the fourth group in NFL historical past to comply with back-to-back Lombardi Trophies by advancing to the convention title sport, and the three earlier misplaced. They are going to attempt to change that development at Arrowhead Stadium subsequent weekend in opposition to the Payments or Ravens, who play on Sunday in Buffalo for a shot at dethroning the defending champs.
Mahomes improved 16-3 within the playoffs, tying Joe Montana for the second-most wins in NFL historical past behind Tom Brady, and he’s 7-0 within the divisional spherical. Mahomes additionally helped Andy Reid develop into the fourth NFL coach with 300 profession wins.
In the meantime, the Texans (11-8) nonetheless have by no means gained in six divisional video games. Twice they’ve misplaced to Kansas Metropolis.
Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud threw for 245 yards however was sacked eight occasions. Joe Mixon, who had been questionable to play with an ankle harm, caught a few passes whereas working for 88 yards and a landing.
Texans kicker Kai’imi Fairbairn missed a 55-yard subject objective try, an extra-point attempt to had one other subject objective try blocked with 1:46 left, which might have saved Houston’s comeback hopes alive by making it a one-possession sport.
Patrick Mahomes threw for 177 yards and a landing, most of it going to greatest buddy Travis Kelce, and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs beat the Houston Texans 23-14 on Saturday to advance to the AFC championship sport for the seventh consecutive season.
With girlfriend Taylor Swift watching alongside WNBA star Caitlin Clark from a set, Kelce had seven catches for 117 yards and a rating, serving to the Chiefs (16-2) hold alive their dream of successful an unprecedented third consecutive Tremendous Bowl title.
The Chiefs are the fourth group in NFL historical past to comply with back-to-back Lombardi Trophies by advancing to the convention title sport, and the three earlier misplaced. They are going to attempt to change that narrative at Arrowhead Stadium subsequent weekend in opposition to the Payments or Ravens, who play on Sunday in Buffalo for a shot at dethroning the defending champs.
Mahomes improved 16-3 within the playoffs, tying Joe Montana for the second-most wins in NFL historical past behind Tom Brady, and he’s 7-0 within the divisional spherical. Mahomes additionally helped Andy Reid develop into the fourth NFL coach with 300 profession wins.
In the meantime, the Texans (11-8) nonetheless have by no means gained in six divisional video games. Twice they’ve misplaced to Kansas Metropolis.
Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud threw for 245 yards however was sacked eight occasions. Joe Mixon, who had been questionable to play with an ankle harm, caught a few passes whereas working for 88 yards and a landing.
Texans kicker Kai’imi Fairbairn missed a 55-yard subject objective try, a PAT attempt to had one other field-goal try blocked with 1:46 left, which might have saved their comeback hopes alive by making it a one-possession sport.
In reality, the Texans’ particular groups have been a multitude proper from the beginning. The Chiefs almost opened the sport with a kickoff return for a landing, a weird sequence throughout which heated Houston cornerback Kris Boyd almost shoved his personal coach to the bottom.
The Texans held Kansas Metropolis to a few subject objectives early, however their protection was unable to cease them late within the first half, when the bruising Kareem Hunt barreled into the tip zone to present the AFC West champions a 13-3 lead.
Houston managed a 48-yard subject objective via chilly, swirling winds to make it a one-possession sport on the break, and that late kick appeared to have revived the AFC South champions after they returned to the sector for the second half.
Stroud deftly led them on a 15-play, 82-yard drive that soaked up many of the third quarter, selecting up all 4 of their third-down conversions, together with one during which the QB scrambled to the sideline and absorbed a depraved hit. Mixon completed the drive with a 13-yard run, however Fairbairn’s further level that may have tied the sport was blown extensive proper.
That miss simply might need swung the momentum the opposite method.
Simply as they’ve so usually in successful their final eight playoff video games, the Chiefs responded with a time-consuming drive of their very own. Mahomes related with Kelce 4 occasions on the 81-yard march, together with the 11-yard landing go to his trusty tight finish because the two-time NFL MVP was getting dragged to the turf by Houston’s Mario Edwards Jr.
The Texans had two alternatives to drive for a tying landing. However the first drive ended when Stroud was sacked by George Karlaftis on fourth down close to midfield with about 10 minutes left. The second was stopped when Stroud misfired on back-to-back passes and Houston was pressured to punt the ball away with simply over seven minutes to go.
Kansas Metropolis proceeded to drive contained in the Texans 10 and Harrison Butker’s subject objective with 4:32 left put the sport away.
INJURIES
Texans: LB Azeez Al-Shaair harm his knee within the first half. He had been questionable to play this week with a knee harm.
Chiefs: SS Bryan Prepare dinner missed many of the first half whereas being evaluated for a concussion however returned to the sport. … FS Justin Reid took a tough blow to the top breaking apart a go within the fourth quarter, however stayed in.
UP NEXT
The Chiefs host the AFC title sport per week from Sunday for the sixth time in seven years. They are going to play both the Payments, certainly one of two groups to beat them within the common season, or the Ravens, who misplaced in Kansas Metropolis in Week 1.
