KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Many years from now, when Arrowhead Stadium is no longer the home venue of the Chiefs, when coach Andy Reid is no longer on the sideline looking at his laminated play sheet, when defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has stopped blitzing, when the trio of Hall of Fame players — quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and pass rusher Chris Jones — already have their gold jackets, the people who call this city home will still reminisce about this era of January games, including Saturday’s.
The Chiefs’ divisional-round game — this one against the Houston Texans — ended the way it always has since 2018 when Mahomes became a starter. In the final minute, Mahomes waved his arms up and down as he watched the fans celebrate. Arrowhead’s two jumbotrons then displayed two words: Chiefs win!
The Chiefs, 23-14 winners, clinched a spot in their seventh consecutive AFC Championship Game.
“It’s been a special run, just with everybody here in Kansas City, from the organization to the community,” Mahomes said. “I just try to cherish that. I still remember moments from the (2001) World Series my dad played when I was 5 years old. It’s cool that I’m able to play in these big games.”
GO DEEPER
Texans can’t take next step, beat themselves in divisional round loss to Chiefs
Saturday’s win also ensured that the conference title game will once again be played at Arrowhead. After only a year-long hiatus, the Arrowhead Invitational — a rebranding of the title game, coined by Nick Wright, the co-host of Fox Sports 1’s “First Things First” — is back on for its sixth edition.
“It’s not normal in this league to have this much sustained success,” right guard Trey Smith said. “You understand how special this is. In the offseason, training with players from various organizations, they don’t have the same experience. Honestly, the only word that comes to mind is gratitude.”
KEEP BRINGING IT, #CHIEFSKINGDOM pic.twitter.com/BUbIteA82a
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 19, 2025
Before facing the Texans, Mahomes’ performances in the previous six games in the divisional round were unassailable. He generated 16 total touchdowns without committing a turnover, and his passer rating was 115.8, the best in league history. Despite a shaky start Saturday, the byproduct of wildly windy conditions and 23 days of rest, Mahomes did plenty to outwit the Texans for his 16th playoff victory, tying Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana for the second most in league history. Mahomes finished with just 177 passing yards and a touchdown, but he didn’t commit a turnover and he made several highlights to make sure the Texans never had the lead.
“I always tell our coaches, ‘Don’t get used to that,’” Reid said of Mahomes, the only quarterback to ever win a playoff game every year as a starter. “This is unreal. I’d tell the fans the same thing: We’re very lucky to have him here. The stuff he’s doing just doesn’t happen. That’s why he is the greatest at doing what he’s done in a relatively young career.”
GO DEEPER
Texans’ Ryans on controversial flags: ‘It was us vs. everybody’
While Mahomes is perhaps at the peak of his prime, his best pass catcher against the Texans was still Kelce, the Chiefs’ oldest skill-position player at age 35.
Before Saturday, many analysts understandably wondered if Kelce could elevate his production in the Chiefs’ most important game of the season, especially as the team aims for an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl victory. The Chiefs’ 23 days of rest, after they clinched the AFC’s No. 1 seed on Christmas Day, appeared to be a great help to Kelce, who produced a vintage performance — seven receptions on eight targets for 117 yards and a touchdown.
“Man, there’s nothing better than playoff football, especially here at Arrowhead,” Kelce said. “The crowd is always electric. The feeling that you get from playing these games with the guys you work all year with, it’s the most gratifying feeling when you come out on top. I’m going to cherish every single one of these (victories).”
Travis Kelce rumbles for 49 yards!
📺: #HOUvsKC on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/dKYyXKnOZ5— NFL (@NFL) January 18, 2025
In the regular season, Kelce tried to perfect the football version of a savvy veteran boxer, similar to former great Floyd Mayweather Jr. — throw quality punches and never take a haymaker to preserve your body for the bigger fight, the grand battle with a much greater prize. Kelce’s most productive game this season before Saturday was 14 receptions for 100 yards in an overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9.
When the Texans played zone coverage, Mahomes was able to find Kelce, often in the middle of the field. Kelce’s ninth career playoff game with at least 100 receiving yards broke a tie with Hall of Famer Jerry Rice for the most in NFL history.
Mahomes said it helps when you have receivers like Xavier Worthy, Marquise Brown and DeAndre Hopkins out there.
“When you have those weapons, it’s hard for defenses to account for everybody,” Mahomes said.
GO DEEPER
Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are in each other’s way, whether they downplay it or not
Before halftime, Kelce caught the ball in the middle of the field and refused to be tackled by the first defender. He gained 49 yards — his longest reception of the season and the first play on which he gained more than 20 yards after the catch, according to Next Gen Stats — to set up running back Kareem Hunt’s 1-yard touchdown run. Kelce was in top form, reminding everyone why he’s been such a special tight end: his ability to gain chunk yards after the catch. Kelce produced a game-high 57 yards after his receptions on Saturday.
“That’s what I always pride myself on, that once I get the ball in my hands I’m a different player than others,” Kelce said. “It just felt good to finally make a guy miss this year.”
Early in the fourth quarter, as the Chiefs mounted a lengthy drive in response to that of the Texans, Kelce didn’t need any yards after the catch when the offense faced a critical third-and-goal from the 11-yard line. But Mahomes didn’t have much time to throw. Trying to move up in the pocket, Mahomes was hit by defensive tackle Mario Edwards Jr., who grabbed his left foot. While falling toward the turf, Mahomes kept his eyes up, showed his strength and flexibility and threw an accurate pass to Kelce between two defenders.
Unbelievable.
📺: #HOUvsKC on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/rDsGcSKFAK— NFL (@NFL) January 18, 2025
“It was everything I’ve got. It’s Bobby Stroupe’s workouts,” Mahomes said, referencing his longtime trainer. “You just find a way (to succeed) in those big moments.”
Chiefs players struggled to describe their amazement at watching Mahomes and Kelce orchestrate yet another memorable postseason moment.
“That’s just classic Pat and Travis, man. They’re the ultimate playmakers,” Smith said, shaking his head.
“I thought it was going to be an interception,” Hunt said, laughing. “(Mahomes) is the man of magic, man. It’s crazy.”
Jones, who watched from the bench, just smiled while fans cheered. “Pat and Travis did it again, man,” he said. “Just when you think you’ve got them, you don’t.”
When Mahomes and Kelce were on the sideline, the Chiefs defense, led by Spagnuolo, accomplished its No. 1 objective, disrupting the connection between quarterback C.J. Stroud and receiver Nico Collins.
In the previous round, the Texans rallied to beat the Los Angeles Chargers in part because Stroud completed seven passes to Collins for 122 yards and a touchdown. On Saturday, Collins had five receptions for 81 yards. Cornerback Trent McDuffie was effective in man coverage on Collins. McDuffie lined up across from Collins on 22 of his 32 routes (68.8 percent), allowing just two receptions for 42 yards, according to Next Gen Stats. Spagnuolo’s pass-rushing plan led to Stroud being sacked eight times and hit 14 times.
DEFENSE WOKE UP HUNGRY TODAY 🍽️ pic.twitter.com/JGw5bKEAHF
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 18, 2025
In the second half, Spagnuolo’s blitzes gave Stroud little time to find his receivers. The Chiefs generated 12 pressures and three sacks on 17 blitzes (70.6 percent pressure rate), including eight of the pressures generated by an unblocked pass rusher, according to Next Gen Stats. Defensive end George Karlaftis led the Chiefs with three sacks.
“He’s had all this experience and he knows what to call in critical situations,” Karlaftis said of Spagnuolo. “But also, on top of that, we know (why) he’s calling (the blitz) because we’ve drilled it so much in practice. When it comes to game time, you’re just free and executing.”
In 2018, Jones said many of the Chiefs were thrilled to reach the AFC Championship Game, just the opportunity to be one victory away from playing in the Super Bowl. That experience helped the Chiefs win their first Vince Lombardi Trophy in 50 years the following year.
This season, though, is a different journey for the Chiefs, Jones said, because of the significance of next week’s game, one that will be against one of their top rivals, either the Buffalo Bills or the Baltimore Ravens.
“Now we’re even hungrier to even get to (the Super Bowl) because of what’s at stake — a three-peat, getting there and playing in front of our fans again,” Jones said. “We still want to bring that Lamar Hunt Trophy back home.”
(Photo: Aaron M. Sprecher / Getty Images)
Source link