The Buffalo Bills’ couldn’t stop the Kansas City Chiefs’ run to a repeat, losing a two-possession lead in the AFC Championship Game.
The underhand TD pass! @patrickmahomes @tkelce#RunItBack #NFLPlayoffs
?: #BUFvsKC on CBS
?: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/RTcXvhOR4u pic.twitter.com/OnA878lOSS— NFL (@NFL) January 25, 2021
The Buffalo Bills’ magic seasons came to an end on Sunday evening in Kansas City, as they fell in the AFC Championship Game to the Kansas City Chiefs by a 38-24 final. Josh Allen put up 375 total yards in his first visit to the conference title game, with Dawson Knox (6 receptions, 42 yards, 1 touchdown), Stefon Diggs (6 receptions, 77 yards), and Cole Beasley (7 receptions, 88 yards) serving as his top receivers.
Kansas City will advance to the Super Bowl for the second straight season, as they’ll take on the NFC champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the game’s 55th edition in two weeks (6:30 p.m. ET, CBS). The Chiefs are the defending champions are their triumph over San Francisco last year, but will face a Buccaneers team not only headlined by Tom Brady’s 10th appearance in the game but will also be serving as the first “home” Super Bowl squad with Raymond James Stadium hosting.
The Bills jumped out to a 9-0 lead after the first quarter, opening things up with a 10-play, 42-yard drive that was capped off by a Tyler Bass field goal. His 51-yarder made history, as it was the longest in the playoff history of Arrowhead Stadium. More special teams magic awaited the Bills after Kansas City got the ball back, as Taiwan Jones recovered a punt muffed by Mecole Hardman three yards away from the end zone. It took Allen and company a single play to capitalize, as he found Knox for a three-yard tally. Bass missed the extra point, but the Bills still owned a two-possession lead at 9-0.
But the Chiefs, mirroring their propensity for erasing large deficits during their last Super Bowl run, went on to score on each of their six full possessions, interrupted only by the end of the first half. It began with a tale of redemption for Hardman, who not only got the Chiefs on the board with a three-yard score but also set up Darrel Williams’ touchdown on the next drive with a big gain on the ground. Tyreek Hill proved unstoppable for the Bills, as he put up 172 yards on nine receptions, while Travis Kelce had two scores and 118 yards.
TYREEK HILL IS UNREAL.
(via @NFLBrasil)pic.twitter.com/8okAATzrYh
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 25, 2021
The Chiefs are running it up in the AFC title game ?
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/6hE17RPQvZ
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 25, 2021
While the game remained close, Buffalo did manage to make their way into Kansas City territory, but questionable went for field goals in the Kansas City red zone in short-yardage situations. To his credit, Bass converted all four of his triple attempts, but they did little to chip away at the Chiefs’ growing lead. After a 27-yard field goal made 24-15 midway through the third, the Chiefs unofficially put the game away when Hill cut loose for a 71-yard gain before Kelce earned a one-yard score to make it 31-15. Chippiness ensued from there one out, with the two teams exchanging unnecessary roughness penalties for the remainder of the contest. Allen managed to find Isaiah McKenzie for a six-yard score before time let out, scoring the Bills’ final touchdown of the year.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags