Hobbling alongside on an injured ankle, Patrick Mahomes threw for 195 yards and two touchdowns on Saturday night time, main the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs to a 27-20 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars and a spot of their fifth straight AFC title recreation.
Mahomes missed a lot of the second quarter after his ankle was landed on by a Jacksonville defender. However the All-Professional quarterback returned within the second half and, counting on guts and guile, led the Chiefs on a 75-yard TD drive within the fourth quarter that helped to make sure a date with the Bengals or Payments for a spot within the Tremendous Bowl.
If Cincinnati win on Sunday, the AFC title recreation will probably be performed at Arrowhead Stadium. If Buffalo win, it is going to be in Atlanta.
“I imply, it’s a credit score to the fellows round me,” Mahomes mentioned. “The offensive line stored me clear within the pocket, realizing that I couldn’t transfer, and guys made performs round me. That’s what an amazing workforce does, is when any individual will get a bit of banged up, all people round them steps up.”
Mahomes mentioned he will probably be match for the Chiefs’ subsequent recreation. “Yeah, X-rays have been unfavourable they usually haven’t identified something but,” he mentioned, “however I’ll be good to go.”
Travis Kelce had a career-high 14 catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns for Kansas Metropolis. Isiah Pacheco ran for 95 yards, whereas Marquez Valdes-Scantling hauled within the eventual clinching landing with about seven minutes left.
The Jaguars, who rallied from a 27-0 deficit to beat the Chargers within the wildcard spherical, squandered two possibilities to mount one other late rally. The primary ended when Jamal Agnew had the ball pop unfastened contained in the Chiefs 5 with just below six minutes to go, and the second when Jaylen Watson made a leaping, one-handed interception to take the ball away once more. The Jaguars’ last-gasp likelihood ended when Kansas Metropolis recovered an onside kick with 24 seconds to go.
Lawrence completed with 217 yards passing with a landing toss to Christian Kirk, who was briefly harm halfway by the fourth quarter however returned to complete the sport. Travis Etienne added 62 yards dashing and a landing.
Lengthy earlier than Mahomes hobbled to the sideline in ache, he was at his inventive greatest, driving the Chiefs downfield on their opening possession. There was a shortstop-style sidearm sling to JuJu Smith-Schuster, a key third down move to Kelce as he was being dragged to the turf, and the flip move to his tight finish that gave Kansas Metropolis a 7-0 lead.
The Jaguars got here proper again, benefiting from an enormous kickoff return and a brief discipline. Lawrence, whose 4 landing throws helped to stun the Chargers final week, proceeded to hit Kirk for the matching landing.
Then, the complexion of the sport modified.
Mahomes was transferring up within the pocket when Key introduced the complete weight of his physique down on the quarterback’s proper ankle. Mahomes hobbled to the huddle and managed to get by three extra performs to finish the primary quarter, then was on the sphere two extra performs earlier than Harrison Butker kicked a 50-yard discipline aim.
Through the Jaguars’ ensuing possession, Mahomes – who had gotten his ankle taped – obtained right into a heated argument with Chiefs coach Andy Reid and the coaching employees. He then threw down his coat and headed to the locker room, forcing Chad Henne to take over halfway by the second quarter, a lot as he did two years in the past in a playoff win over Cleveland.
The 37-year-old journeyman, who as soon as began for the Jaguars, led Kansas Metropolis on a 12-play, 98-yard landing drive.
“Yeah, I didn’t need to go they usually type of gave me the ultimatum that I wasn’t going again in except I went in there,” mentioned Mahomes, who cheered his workforce on from the sideline, sporting a winter coat on a chilly, sleeting night time.
“They’re attempting to maintain me. We’ve obtained loads of nice individuals over right here, but it surely’s going to take so much to maintain me out of a soccer recreation.”
Then the followers out of the blue have been cheering for him once more.
That acquainted purple No 15 jersey trotted onto the sphere to begin the second half, his proper ankle closely taped. Mahomes was nonetheless struggling to maneuver round, however merely his presence appeared to calm the Chiefs – and their angst-filled fanbase.
Butker added a second 50-yard discipline aim late within the third quarter to increase their result in 20-10.
However the Jaguars proved within the wildcard spherical that they will cope with deficits. And moderately than wilt amid the gang noise, they rose to the event, placing collectively a 75-yard landing drive that stored them within the recreation.
Their comeback ended, although, with two late turnovers and a failed onside kick.
