The Kansas City Chiefs are one step away from achieving the three-peat, securing their fifth trip in six years to the Super Bowl after getting past the Buffalo Bills 32-29 at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, Jan. 26. Harrison Butker’s 35-yard field goal with 3:33 remaining proved to be the difference, as the Chiefs became the first team to make it back to the Super Bowl after winning the previous two.
Kareem Hunt scored for the Chiefs on the opening drive from 12 yards out, his lone touchdown on the night as he led the ground game with 64 yards on 17 carries. Tyler Bass connected from 53 yards to put Buffalo on the board. The Bills then took advantage of a Patrick Mahomes fumble to take the lead, as James Cook ran it in from six yards to cap a 72-yard drive. The Chiefs retook the lead with Mahomes completing an 11-yard pass to Xavier Worthy. The lead would grow when after a three-and-out by Buffalo, the Chiefs’ Nico Remigio returned the punt 41 yards to set up the short field. Mahomes ran the first of his two touchdowns in just after the two-minute warning to make the score 21-10. Buffalo scored on their last drive of the half when Josh Allen connected with Mack Hollins for 34 yards. However, Buffalo would gamble after an offsides penalty and attempt a two-point conversion; the Chiefs would stop the attempt, making the score 21-16 of the half.
The Chiefs’ first drive of the second half stalled just past midfield, allowing the Bills to reclaim the lead on a 12-play, 86-yard drive capped by Cook’s second score of the night. The two-point conversion failed again, keeping Buffalo’s lead at just one. A crucial stop by the Chiefs defense on fourth-and-short at their 40 flipped the momentum, as Patrick Mahomes snatched the lead back for the Chiefs, then completed a pass to Justin Watson for the two-point conversion. Buffalo tied the game on the next drive when Allen completed a pass on fourth-and-goal to Curtis Samuel. Butker’s game winning field goal came on the following drive, and after another successful fourth-down stop, the Chiefs ran out the clock.
Mahomes completed 18-of-26 passes for 245 yards and one touchdown pass, while carrying the ball 11 times for 43 yards and two scores. He was charged with the lost fumble in the second quarter, the game’s only turnover. Xavier Worthy was Mahomes’ top target, hauling in six passes for 85 yards. Josh Allen went 22-for-34 with two touchdown passes to lead the Bills, while James Cook claimed 85 hards on 13 carries including two touchdowns.
The Chiefs not only make a repeat trip to the Super Bowl, they’ll face another familiar foe as the Philadelphia Eagles await them. The Eagles throttled division rivals Washington 55-23 to book their spot in New Orleans. Super Bowl LIX will take place February 9th at Caesars Superdome.