The Kansas City Chiefs punched their ticket to the AFC Championship Game for the fifth consecutive season, as Andy Reid’s team defeated Doug Pederson and the Jacksonville Jaguars, 27-20. Patrick Mahomes suffered a knee injury late in the first quarter after taking a hit. He missed one drive, but shook off the pain and came back in the second half to lead Kansas City to the win.
The Chiefs jumped out to a 17-10 halftime lead thanks to two touchdowns by tight end Travis Kelce. His 10 catches in the first half tied the record for most receptions in the first half of a playoff game since 1991. The best tight end in the NFL finished with 14 catches on 98 carries and double figures.
Travis Etienne hit a four-yarder in the fourth quarter to pull the Jaguars within three points, but a resilient Mahomes led a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in response, hitting Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a six-yard score. push forward to 10 points. The Jaguars then turned the ball over on consecutive possessions, which opened the door for the Chiefs to punt.
Mahomes will become the first quarterback in NFL history to start five conference championship games before turning 30, while the Chiefs will become the third team to make five consecutive conference championship games, matching the Oakland Raiders from the 1970s, and the 2011. -18 New England Patriots.
Check back soon, as this story will be updated into a follow-up episode that dives deeper into what happened in Kansas City on Saturday afternoon.
