KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Thirteen seconds.
That’s all it took for Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to calmly lead his team into field goal range against the Buffalo Bills in the waning moments of regulation to send the game into overtime, which kicker Harrison Butker did with a 49-yard kick.
The Chiefs won the toss and Mahomes took care of the rest in the extra period, connecting with tight end Travis Kelce for an 8-yard touchdown to secure a 42-36 win and send the Chiefs to the AFC Championship Game.
Their fourth straight AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium, the first time a team will play host to a conference title game.
The Bills drew first blood Sunday night, the Chiefs responded in kind, and then the two teams traded blows in the one the wildest two-minute span of NFL action in regulation.
The two teams exchanged leads three times in the final two minutes.
Buffalo appeared to overcome the odds when quarterback Josh Allen found Gabriel Davis for a 19-yard touchdown, the fourth of the game, with 13 seconds remaining in the game and a 36-33 lead before Mahomes’ heroics.
Earlier, Mahomes and wide receiver Tyreek Hill made sure the home team would keep the hopes alive to advance in the playoffs.
Facing a three-point deficit with less than two minutes remaining in the game, Mahomes threw a short pass to Hill over the middle and the speedster did the rest, blowing through the Bills secondary for a 64-yard touchdown and short-lived 33-29 lead.
A slip and a fall almost doomed the Chiefs, and it seemed to occur in the worst possible moment in the fourth quarter with the Bills driving on a potential game-winning score.
Facing a fourth-and-13 play at the Chiefs’ 27-yard line at the 2-minute warning, Allen took advantage of cornerback Mike Hughes falling down near the left sideline. With Hughes, who appeared to slip coming out of a break, out of the picture, Davis was all alone in the end zone and Allen found him for a 27-yard touchdown to give Buffalo a 29-26 lead.
Sunday night’s game between two of the AFC’s top teams provided everything as advertised.
The Chiefs and Bills exchanged heavy blows in the first half and we virtually even in multiple categories, including first downs (Chiefs 14, Bills 12), total yards (Chiefs 199, Bills 176) and total plays (Buffalo 32, Chiefs 31).
One of the team, however, had to emerge and it was the Chiefs to do it.
Buffalo also converted two fourth downs on their opening drive, which running back Devin Singletary capped off with a 1-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-goal play. Earlier, Allen kept the drive alive with a 10-yard run after the Bills faced a fourth-and-2 situation.
Mahomes had the answer on the Chiefs’ subsequent possession, with 49 of the quarterback’s rushing yards accounting for the team’s 74 yards of offense. Mahomes finished the drive with an 8-yard touchdown run.
The Chiefs then grabbed the lead when Mahomes found wide receiver Byron Pringle for a 2-yard touchdown, finishing a 12-play, 81-yard drive.
Buffalo quickly answered with a scoring drive of their own, with Allen finding wide Davis for an 18-yard strike. On the play, cornerback L’Jarius Sneed appeared to get tied up with Hughes, who was knocked down. Davis went into the end zone untouched.
The Chiefs opened a nine-point lead in the third quarter, but it took Buffalo one play to make it a two-point affair after Allen connected with Davis for a 75-yard play after the wide receiver got by safety Juan Thornhill.
Mahomes finished the game completing 34 of 44 passes for 378 yards and three touchdowns. His favorite target in the game was Hill, who totaled 11 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown.
The Chiefs quarterback also rushed for 69 yards on seven carries, which established a new franchise single-game postseason record for most rushing yards by a Chiefs signal-caller in the playoffs.
With the win, the Chiefs become the first team in NFL history to host four consecutive conference championship games.
HONEY BADGER LEAVES
Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu was ruled out in the first quarter after leaving the game to be evaluated for a concussion. Mathieu was hurt when defensive tackle Jarran Reed inadvertently kneed Mathieu in the head while in pursuit of Allen.
The Chiefs adjusted without Mathieu by inserting safeties Daniel Sorensen and Armani Watts in personnel packages alongside Juan Thornhill.
Mathieu’s presence on the backend of coverage and leadership making sure teammates were where they were supposed to be was missed on Allen’s 75-yard strike to Davis in the third quarter, which pulled the Bills closer to a 23-21 deficit.
Mathieu’s status throughout the week will be monitored closely.
NECESSARY SPARK
The Chiefs periodically use wide receiver Tyreek Hill as a returner if they feel they need it, and Sunday night provided the opportunity.
With the Chiefs holding a 23-21 lead and the Bills punting, it was Hill entering the game to field the kick, not Hardman.
The first attempt resulted in off-setting penalties on a relatively quiet Hill return, so the Bills were forced to punt again.
Bills punter Matt Haack got off a 46-yard punt, but Hill fielded it, broke a few tackles, then sprinted up the field for a 45-yard gain to set up the Chiefs deep in Bills’ territory at the 15-yard line. Kansas City couldn’t take advantage, however, and settled for a field goal and a 26-21 lead.
The Chiefs won’t hesitate to call on Hill, who made his first Pro Bowl in his rookie season as a returner, if they need a spark.
SCORING MACHINE
Wide receiver Byron Pringle has been a two-game scoring binge, hauling in three touchdowns in that span.
He hauled in a 2-yard pass in the end zone, finishing the game with five catches for 29 yards.
The production comes a week after Pringle opened the playoffs with five catches for 37 yards and two touchdowns on seven targets.
Through the past two games, Pringle is averaging a touchdown for every 3.3 catch.
INJURIES
Mathieu suffered a concussion and did not return.
INACTIVES
Running back Darrel Williams (toe), cornerback Rashad Fenton (back), wide receiver Josh Gordon, tackle Prince Tega Wanogho, rookie defensive end Joshua Kaindoh and quarterback Shane Buechele were not dressed.
UP NEXT
The Chiefs host the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, Jan. 30, in the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium.
