Kansas City Chiefs headed back to Super Bowl after finally taking down Burrow, Bengals

An untimely penalty and a game-winning 45-yard kick became the difference with less than a minute remaining in the AFC Championship Game.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai was flagged for a 15-yard personal foul after hitting already hobbled Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes out of bounds with 17 seconds remaining Sunday night at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

The infraction moved the Chiefs closer to the Bengals’ 27-yard line, where Harrison Butker took care of the rest by drilling a 45-yard field goal to give his team a 23-20 victory that sends the Chiefs to Super Bowl LVII.

“Being out there was unbelievable,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “There’s nothing like winning the championship at home. That’s just a special feeling.”

That Butker played a role in the win after an up and down season, which saw him miss three field goals, also provided a special moment.

“Butker, what a redemption story,” Reid said. “He comes back after a high-ankle sprain, has kind of moved his season a different direction than he wanted (for) a period there. He came back and just knocked it out.”

The Chiefs and Bengals traded jabs in the first half before exchanging heavy blows in the second. And Mahomes made sure it was his team that would advance.

He passed for 326 yards and two touchdowns, adding 8 yards rushing on three carries, and snapped the Bengals’ three-game winning streak over the Chiefs.

“They’re a great team, great leaders over there,” Mahomes said. “But we felt like we needed to get this win, we wanted to play this team and we got them at Arrowhead Stadium, and we were able to finished the job this time.”

Mahomes’ performance is even more impressive knowing his fast recovery from a high-ankle sprain suffered in the AFC Divisional Round.

“It was pure grit,” Reid said. “He and (Travis) Kelce. For Pat to do what he did and had that run in the end, I can’t say enough. He is the MVP in my eyes.”

Defense became an early theme in a game featuring two of the NFL’s top offenses. The Chiefs opened the second half with a three-and-out and the Bengals made Kansas City pay.

Joe Burrow led an eight-play, 62-yard drive that included a quarterback draw covering 11 yards. Bengal also tossed a well-placed 27-yard pass to wide receiver Tee Higgins, who got behind rookie cornerback Jaylen Watson in the end zone. That Bengals touchdown tied the game at 13-13.

The Chiefs answered on their next drive. Mahomes drove the offense 77 yards in 11 plays and finished the march with a 19-yard dart of a TD to wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Mahomes connected with Valdes-Scantling three times on the drive on gains of 6, 19 and 25 yards.

Valdes-Scantling finished the game with a team-high 116 yards receiving and the touchdown on six catches.

“MVS had a nice day,” Reid said.

Mahomes showed only faint signs of the high-ankle injury, but he fumbled late in the third quarter with the Chiefs leading 20-13. That turnover gave the Bengals possession at the Chiefs’ 45-yard line.

Burrow marched the Bengals to paydirt in six plays, including a 35-yard completion to receiver J’Marr Chase on fourth and 6. Running back Samaje Perine finished the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run and the game was tied again at 20-20.

The excitement level in the game ratcheted up in the second half after the two teams seemed to feel each other out on the first.

The Chiefs lost cornerback L’Jarius Sneed on the fourth play of the game to a concussion. Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark ended the Bengals’ opening possession with a sack of Burrow. The Bengals punted after a five-play, 9-yard drive.

On the Chiefs’ opening possession, Mahomes completed 3 of 4 passes for 35 yards and would’ve had a 25-yard touchdown pass if wide receiver Kadarius Toney was able to haul in the ball. Toney couldn’t maintain possession when he fell in the end zone, and the Chiefs settled for Butker’s 43-yard field goal.

The Chiefs’ defense took over on Cincinnati’s second possession. Clark and linebacker Willie Gay split a sack and then Jones got the first playoff sack of his career. He later got a second.

On the Chiefs’ ensuing possession, Mahomes drove the offense 61 yards in 12 plays with completions to tight end Travis Kelce, running back Isiah Pacheco and running back Jerick McKinnon. Pacheco broke free for an apparent 9-yard touchdown run, but a holding penalty on Andrew Wylie moved the Chiefs back. KC eventually settled for another field goal.