of
KANSAS CITY, Mo.– The Kansas City Chiefs are back in the AFC national championship. Exactly how they went back to the verge of their first Super Bowl look in half a century differed anything anyone can have thought of.
After digging a 24-0 opening against Houston early in the 2nd quarter Sunday, Patrick Mahomes and the remainder of the high-flying Chiefs embarked on the largest resurgence in franchise history. Their young super star proceeded to toss for 321 backyards and also 5 goals, Travis Kelce as well as Damien Williams got to the end area three times each, as well as Kansas City rattled 41 consecutive points in a 51-31 success over the Texans in the local round of the playoffs.
The Chiefs (13-4), that shed to the Patriots in overtime in 2015’s conference title game, will play at house against Tennessee next Sunday for a spot in the Super Dish in Miami. The Titans stunned Lamar Jackson and the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night.
Kelce ended up with 10 catches for 134 yards, Williams competed 2 ratings while catching a TD pass, assisting the Chiefs win their 7th successive video game and also reach back-to-back AFC title video games for the very first time.
Watson, meanwhile, threw for 388 lawns and also 2 goals while competing an additional, however not also his heroics could bail out the Texans (11-7) after they were outscored 28-0 in the second quarter. They remained to allow Kansas City to retreat during a dismal 3rd, their impressive collapse leaving the born-again Houston franchise 0-4 in the divisional round.
The Chiefs absolutely provided them the perfect possibility to finally break that streak in the very first quarter.
On protection, Kansas City blew overage on Kenny Stills on the opening belongings, enabling him to stroll right into the end zone from 54 yards. On violation, they lost timeouts, went down a collection of easy passes as well as took care of just 46 yards. As well as on special teams, the Chiefs had a punting obstructed for a rating and screwed up a return that established up another touchdown.
Undoubtedly, the Texans were bustling right along after finishing on a 22-3 run to beat Buffalo last week, while the hill of slips made by the Chiefs made them only the 4th home playoff group to route 21-0 after the initial quarter.
After that it was the Texans’ look to struggle.
They had extended the bring about 24-0 before the Chiefs, whose biggest deficiency overcome had actually been 21 factors, created a resurgence for the ages. Mahomes struck Williams with a fast goal throw to start it, then Houston curiously forged a punt at its own 31-yard line and also was stuffed, giving the Chiefs a brief area and another easy touchdown.
On the taking place kickoff, Texans return guy DeAndre Carter had the sphere pop loose as well as into the arms of Darwin Thompson, whose return set up a 2nd Mahomes-to-Kelce touchdown immediately. And a third came after the Chiefs required a punt– a successful one, for a modification– and also they drove 90 backyards to take a sensational 28-24 halftime lead.
The resurgence ended up being a clobbering by the time the 3rd quarter ended.
The Chiefs’ breezed downfield to begin the 2nd half, and Williams finished the drive with his initial TD run. Their revamped defense under coordinator Steve Spagnuolo sacked Watson on fourth down to obtain the ball right back, as well as Mahomes and Co. needed just six even more plays to place Williams for one more TD run as well as a 41-24 lead.
It was one of the most unanswered points in a championship game considering that the Jets had 41 against the Colts in the 2002 wild-card round.
Also when the Texans finally broke the scoreboard, when Watson rushed to his left and dived over the pylon, the Chiefs provided the goal moot. In four plays they went 72 lawns to set up the 5th TD go by Mahomes, the strike to little-used limited end Blake Bell providing instructor Andy Reid’s team a postseason-record 7 straight TD drives.
It also gave a cheery crowd that transformed out early in cold weather as well as a minor drizzle an opportunity to celebrate early.
INJURIES
Houston played without S Jahleel Addae (hindering) and also TE Jordan Akins (hamstring muscle). They also lost RT Chris Clark to a knee injury early in the game, and also back-up Roderick Johnson had a hard time against the Chiefs pass thrill the remainder of the video game.
Kansas City rested defensive take on Chris Jones, who stressed his calf bone muscle late in the week and also couldn’t make it with pregame warm-ups. WR Tyreek Hillside left briefly after a hard hit however eventually went back to the game.
UP NEXT
The Texans will certainly invest the offseason questioning how they allow a 24-0 lead escape, and also the Chiefs will certainly begin planning for the Titans in the AFC title video game. Kansas City lost shed 35-32 at Tennessee in Week 10, when Derrick Henry ran for 188 backyards and also 2 goals versus them. It was the most recent time the Chiefs shed a video game.
Five TD masquerades @PatrickMahomes!.?.!! @Chiefs lead 48-31. #ChiefsKingdom #NFLPlayoffs
: #HOUvsKC on CBS
:
NFL application// Yahoo Sports application See complimentary on mobile: https://t.co/ytW9g3rQZM pic.twitter.com/ppGTtxnJY1– NFL( @NFL) January 12, 2020 2nd quarter. 4 TDs. 28 unanswered points. Still enjoying that first-half return by the< a href=" https://twitter.com/Chiefs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” > @Chiefs. #ChiefsKingdom #NFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/uOpIyo7hiq — NFL( @NFL) January 12 , 2020
