AFC Championship Game: Cincinnati Bengals 20-23 Kansas City ...

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Bengals 20-23 Chiefs, Final

There is no miracle, this game is over! The Kansas City Chiefs are heading to the Super Bowl to face the Philadephia Eagles thanks to the performance of Patrick Mahomes’ young career.

FIELD GOAL! Bengals 20-23 Chiefs, 0:03 4th quarter

It’s good from 45 actually! KC are three seconds away from the Super Bowl. Joseph Ossai is going to have a long offseason unless there’s some magic with three seconds left.

Bengals 20-20 Chiefs, 0:08 4th quarter

Mahomes is running! He has a first down and he’s hit as he goes out of bounds! A flag is thrown on Ossai for a personal foul! That is crazy!

That moves the ball 15 yards to the 23 and it will be a 41-yard kick for the Super Bowl. Will Butker be the hero?

Bengals 20-20 Chiefs, 0:17 4th quarter

Mahomes is rushed as he throws, incomplete. It’s 3rd & 4.

Bengals 20-20 Chiefs, 0:21 4th quarter

Screen. Pacheco has the ball and is down after a six yard gain. KC need about 10 yards for a reasonable shot at a field goal.

Bengals 20-20 Chiefs, 0:31 4th quarter

Skyy Moore has room on the return – it’s a 27-yard runback. Great field position. KC have one timeout and start on their own 47.

Bengals 20-20 Chiefs, 0:41 4th quarter

Burrow has nowhere to go and Chris Jones has him! It’s a sack and it’s fourth down. Cincy must punt.

Bengals 20-20 Chiefs, 0:44 4th quarter

From the Bengals 33: Burrow is back to pass, throws left, incomplete. Third and eight.

Bengals 20-20 Chiefs, 0:47 4th quarter

Burrow in the shotgun, taking his time with the snap. OK, here they go – it’s a throw deep to Hurst, complete! It’s a first down on the near sideline! We’re under a minute to go with the ball on the 33.

Timeout Cincinnati. They have one left.

Bengals 20-20 Chiefs, 1:22 4th quarter

The football is on the 16 yard line. How will it end?

Burrow has time, steps up and runs ahead for about three.

Now Burrow gets rid of it as Chris Jones came into his neighborhood.

It’s 3rd & 7.

No it’s not – the refs call intentional grounding, which is the right call. That’s a terrible play by Burrow.

So it’s 3rd & 16…

Bengals 20-20 Chiefs, 2:00 4th quarter

It’s loud.

Burrow to Higgins over the middle: complete. First down. Ball at the 16.

Here’s the warning.

Buckle up.

Bengals 20-20 Chiefs, 2:30 4th quarter

Mahomes can’t find anyone, so this guy has to run, which is crazy. No gain.

Now it’s 3rd & 12 on the 45. Mahomes dishes to McKinnon for a short gain.

There’s a holding penalty on KC, which Cincy declines, making it 4th down and eight.

The Chiefs punt. It’s a good one – to the Bengals seven-yard line.

Here comes Joe Burrows.

Bengals 20-20 Chiefs, 3:53 4th quarter

It’s late. It’s the time fans of these teams are catching their hearts in their stomachs.

Hilton is called for pass interference on 2nd and two. First down KC.

That’s a bit ticky tack if you ask me.

But never mind – Pacheco takes a screen, bounces off a tackle and has daylight! Wow, KC are inside the Cincy 40!

That clock is really moving.

INTERCEPTION! Bengals 20-20 Chiefs, 6:50 4th quarter

Burrow throws to the flag on 2nd & three to Chase, but it’s incomplete.

Big down right here – crowd is loud.

Burrows is in the shotgun, there’s time, a deep ball towards Higgins, and it’s tipped by Cook - Williams has it! Interception!

Chiefs ball at their 14.

Bengals 20-20 Chiefs, 7:16 4th quarter

Burrow on his skates, and he runs for a first down! It’s a 13-yard gain at the Bengals 29.

Bengals 20-20 Chiefs, 9:18 4th quarter

Now it’s 3rd & nine again and this time Mahomes throws over the middle, incomplete. And this time it’s for real. That did happen.

So KC will punt, and after all that mess, which I do not understand, still, ball don’t lie, and Cincy will get the ball back.

Fair catch called at the Bengals 11-yard-line

Bengals 20-20 Chiefs, 9:54 4th quarter

OK, I am very confused. The refs are saying the play was “shut down” before the last play. So there’s a do over? What?

It looks like that’s the case, and the whistle blew before that last play, and so the play is dead and it never happened.

So here we go again. 3rd & 9: Mahomes is in trouble and he’s sacked!

But there’s a flag! It’s holding on Eli Apple and that’s an automatic first down.

I don’t believe what I just saw! KC have been gifted a life here! If I am a Cincy fan I am freaking out.

Ball is on the KC 38.

Wild.

Bengals 20-20 Chiefs, 10:29 4th quarter

Mahomes is nearly sacked, throwing it incomplete just before hitting the dirt on the 34.

It’s 3rd and nine. Mahomes finds Kelce but he’s well short of the first down and now KC will have to punt.

It’s a big stop by Cincy and there’s some deep breaths from the frigid fans in Kansas City.

Bengals 20-20 Chiefs, 11:32 4th quarter

So the banged up offense is back on display for KC. Right away they face a 3rd & 1 on their 32.

Pacheco scrapes together a small gain – it’s enough. First down KC.

It was 4th & 6…

…and Burrow threw it into double coverage, and made it happen. On the road. In the AFC Championship. I still can’t believe that. Damn.

TOUCHDOWN! Bengals 20-20 Chiefs, 13:30

Perine pushes onto the line and into the endzone! The extra point is good and this game is tied.

So Cincy capitalizes in the muffed throw by Mahomes.

Now, with all the injuries piling up on the Chiefs offense, and Mahomes unsteady on his feet, will the Chiefs have enough answer?

Bengals 13-20 Chiefs, 13:44

On 4th & 6, Burrow is throwing into double coverage! Chase turns, leaps and makes the catch! Wow! Bolas enormes!

The ball is on the two!

Email

Will Wiles writes:

Ironically the biggest injury stories pregame for the Chiefs are still on the field but the Chiefs have lost two huge players either side of the ball. Willy Gay, Sneed, Hardman and Toney aren’t just outstanding players but in key positions. It’s making it a lot tougher!

Yes, and Schuster as well. And they’re still up!

Bengals 13-20 Chiefs, end of 3rd quarter

It just slipped out of Mahomes’ hand. Total fluke.

Meanwhile, it’s 3rd & 5 with seconds left in the third quarter. A screen to Perine and he’s wrapped up for a minimal gain! It’s fourth down.

One quarter to go! Who will join the Eagles in Arizona?

Stick with us to find out.

TURNOVER! Bengals 13-20 Chiefs, 0:55 3rd quarter

Mahomes lost the ball as he was throwing! The ball is loose! Hubbard has it! Bengals football!

Wow, that could be an extremely important play. What a break for Cincinnati.

Ball on the Chiefs 45.

Bengals 13-20 Chiefs, 1:10 3rd quarter

On 2nd & 10, Mahomes finds Kelce for a first down over the middle. The Chiefs move across midfield.

Bengals 13-20 Chiefs, 1:39 3rd quarter

KC are down to three healthy receivers says CBS TV in the US. Injuries are taking their toll on the Chiefs weapons. But they’re still ahead, amazingly.

And here’s more amazing – on third and long, Mahomes finds Scantling for 25 yards!

But there’s a flag. It’s a personal foul for taunting after the catch after the play. So it’s a first down and in the end it’s a 10 yards gain.

Andy Reid is not happy.

Ball at the KC 42.

Bengals 13-20 Chiefs, 2:53 3rd quarter

Burrow has time, runs to his right, throws close to the line of scrimmage towards Higgins, but McDuffie gets a hand on it and tips the football. Incomplete.

Cincy punts and a great return by Moore to the Bengals 34. But alas, there’s a flag.

It’s holding on KC, and that wipes out the return. It pushes them back 35 yards, and that is a huge call for the Bengals of course.

KC start at their 31.

Bengals 13-20 Chiefs, 3:27 3rd quarter

Burrow facing pressure on second down has to throw it away. It’s 3rd & 7.

Burrow in the shotgun: he has Chase who is all alone over the middle for a first down. Except there’s a flag! It’s a holding call and it wipes out a 19-yard gain!

That’s a huge call. Now it’s 3rd & 17!

Marvelous Mahomes

This is shaping up as an all-time performance for Mahomes if he manages to wizard a win here. Bengals start at the 25 after the touchback.

Let’s see how Burrow responds.

TOUCHDOWN! Bengals 13-20 Chiefs, 4:15 3rd quarter

Mahomes buys some times and fires over the middle to Scantling. Does he have it? Was it intercepted? I can’t tell. Now Scantling sticks the ball out – he’s got it! It’s a touchdown. WOW! How did he do that?

What a play by Mahomes, and on one leg!