The Kansas City Chiefs advanced to the AFC Championship game after defeating the Houston Texans 23-14. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce showcased their prowess, leading the Chiefs' dominant performance.
Patrick Mahomes has witnessed firsthand the two distinct personas of Travis Kelce . There's the regular-season Kelce , a player worthy of enshrinement in the Hall of Fame, and then there's postseason Kelce , who has ascended to near-mythical status while instrumental in the Chiefs ' pursuit of a fourth Super Bowl .
Despite a season that fell short of his usual standards, the 35-year-old Kelce reemerged in the divisional round against the Texans, amassing seven catches for 117 yards and a touchdown in a 23-14 victory. This accounted for nearly 60% of Mahomes' passing yards for the game and more than half of their 212 total offensive yards. 'Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games. It's that simple,' said Mahomes, who delivered that crucial touchdown pass to Kelce while being dragged to the ground by a Houston defensive tackle. 'He just goes out and executes at a high level, just like he does in the regular season, but with even greater intensity in the playoffs.' The Chiefs mirror Kelce's transformation. They dominated the regular season with a 15-2 record, securing the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye. However, their path to victory was paved with last-second triumphs—clinched by field goals, blocked field goals, and fourth-down stops. They never quite appeared as the unstoppable force on their way to another championship. Yet, against the Texans, it was clear they were on their game. While their offense opted for controlled ball possession and avoided risky mistakes, resulting in a modest yardage output, their defense more than compensated with eight sacks of C.J. Stroud. Their special teams were also highly effective, nearly returning a kickoff for a touchdown and successfully converting all their field-goal and PAT attempts. This propelled them to their seventh consecutive AFC Championship game. The Chiefs' opponent in this championship bout is once again the Buffalo Bills, who defeated the Baltimore Ravens 27-25 on Sunday. Since January 2021, the Chiefs have emerged victorious against the Bills three times in the playoffs, including a 38-24 victory that secured their place in the Super Bowl. 'Every feeling and every journey is different,' said Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, 'because of what you have to go through within the journey. You think about the battles we faced to get here—we lost to the Patriots (in 2019), and we had to overcome that and finally get a (Super Bowl) win. I think this is a different kind of journey. We've been here a couple of times, and we are even hungrier to get there now because of what is at stake: a three-peat.'What's working: The Chiefs made life incredibly difficult for Stroud on Saturday. George Karlaftis led the charge with three of their eight sacks, including one on fourth down late in the game to help seal the victory. The most impressive aspect of their defensive performance was their ability to generate pressure without heavily relying on blitzes, a strategy they often employ.What needs help: The Chiefs managed to win despite receiving no catches from their wide receivers: DeAndre Hopkins, Marquise Brown, or JuJu Smith-Schuster. This strategy might have worked against the Texans in the divisional round, especially with Kelce's dominant performance. However, it's unlikely to be successful against a formidable opponent like the Bills in the AFC title game.Stock up: Xavier Worthy's impressive late-season surge continued into the playoffs. The first-round pick showcased his talent with five catches for 45 yards. A highlight of his performance was a leaping, one-handed grab along the sideline early in the game.Stock down: Isiah Pacheco hasn't been the same player since breaking his fibula in Week 2. He managed only five carries for 18 yards against Houston, averaging 3.6 yards per carry. Most of these yards came from a single 10-yard run. In comparison, Kareem Hunt averaged 5.5 yards on his eight carries and even scored a touchdown. It's clear who currently holds the RB1 position.Injuries: Bryan Cook and fellow safety Justin Reid both sustained minor injuries against Houston but were able to return to the game. Defensive back Jaylen Watson also made a successful return after recovering from a broken ankle sustained in a game against San Francisco on Oct. 20
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