Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs reach AFC Championship Game 7 with win over Texans

Patrick Mahomes has been the Chiefs’ starting quarterback for seven seasons. And Mahomes led the Chiefs to seven AFC championship games.

Kansas City will host the AFC title game again next Sunday following today’s 23-14 victory over Houston in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Chiefs took an intentional safety in the final seconds to cut their 11-point lead to a nine-point victory, which meant nothing for the outcome of the game but meant a lot to the bettors, as the Chiefs were 9-point favorites, 5 points. in some sports books.

It was a hard-fought game and the Texans were a matchup opponent, but in the end, the Chiefs simply had too much: They had a big advantage on special teams. They had a defense that relentlessly pressured Texans quarterback CJ Stroud. And they had Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

Kelce didn’t have a good regular season, but he was excellent today, cementing his reputation as one of the best big-game players in NFL history. Kelce had seven catches for 117 yards and a touchdown today, and he is first in NFL history in playoff catches and second to Jerry Rice in playoff receiving yards and playoff touchdowns playoffs.

And Mahomes’ playoff resume is spectacular: It was Mahomes’ 16th playoff victory as a starting quarterback, and he has now tied Joe Montana for the second-most playoff wins in the league. history of the NFL. Only Tom Brady has more.

The Chiefs will now watch tomorrow’s Ravens-Bills game to find out who they will face in the AFC Championship Game. Either the Ravens or Bills are capable of going to Kansas City and winning, but it would be hard to bet against this Chiefs team, which plays its best playoff football, year after year.