BALTIMORE — The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, who for many of this common season appeared extra weak than at any time since Patrick Mahomes turned their beginning quarterback in 2018, are going again to the Tremendous Bowl.
The Chiefs led by 10 factors at halftime of Sunday’s AFC Championship Recreation and held on to defeat the Baltimore Ravens 17-10. The Chiefs can be heading to the Tremendous Bowl for the fourth time up to now 5 seasons.
“They have been going to problem us, and the fellows stepped up and made performs,” Mahomes stated in his postgame, on-field interview on CBS. “We accepted the problem, and we’re higher for it.”
The Chiefs scored touchdowns on every of their first two possessions. Mahomes was 29-of-38 for 209 yards with a 19-yard landing move to Travis Kelce. Kelce had 11 catches for 116 yards and broke the NFL report for postseason receptions, ending the sport with 156. The report had been beforehand held by Jerry Rice (151).
With an 11-6 report coming into the playoffs, the Chiefs misplaced extra video games than they ever have in a season with Mahomes as their starter. They performed some sloppy video games, most notably a Week 16 dwelling loss to Las Vegas wherein the Raiders scored each of their touchdowns on protection off Chiefs turnovers on back-to-back performs from scrimmage.
“It has been a heck of a yr,” Mahomes stated. “We’re not accomplished but, however it is a approach to get there.”
Mahomes in some ways had the worst statistical season of his profession, posting a 63 QBR, 7.0 yards per try and a career-high 14 interceptions. He was affected by issues round him. The Chiefs dropped extra passes than any workforce within the league and have been second in offensive penalties. Among the many league’s highest-scoring groups in recent times, the Chiefs this yr completed fifteenth in scoring at 21.8 factors per recreation.
After beating the Miami Dolphins at Arrowhead Stadium within the wild-card spherical, the Chiefs needed to play on the street for the primary time in Mahomes’ postseason profession within the divisional spherical in opposition to the Buffalo Payments. The Chiefs have been underdogs however beat the Payments 27-24. They have been once more underdogs on the street in Sunday’s contest vs. the Ravens.
“We have been underdogs for the previous few video games, however we by no means really feel like underdogs,” Mahomes stated. “We’ve got a whole lot of guys on this workforce that know easy methods to win. And when the playoffs got here round, I knew we have been going to make it occur.”
The Chiefs have gained two of their three most up-to-date Tremendous Bowl appearances, together with Tremendous Bowl LVII in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles final season.
The Chiefs can be in search of to be the primary workforce to repeat as Tremendous Bowl champions for the reason that 2004 New England Patriots.
“Simply, you might fold,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid stated, when addressing the adversity Kansas Metropolis endured in the course of the common season. “The fellows by no means doubted.”