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Adam Teicher, ESPN editor
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs once again saw change in Travis Kelce as they began the playoffs and Kelce became what Mahomes called “Playoff Trav.”
“That’s what he lives for, playing in those moments, having the chance to make big plays,” Mahomes said after Kelce provided nearly half of the Chiefs’ receptions and more than half of their receiving yards in a 23-14 game. defeat the Houston Texans in the divisional round of the playoffs.
“He goes out there and does that, and it seems like he does it every game in the playoffs.
“He doesn’t let the moment be bigger than what it is. He just goes out there and executes at a high level, just like he does in a regular season game. He just does it with a slightly higher intensity.”
Kelce caught seven passes for 117 yards and an 11-yard touchdown from Mahomes in the fourth quarter. It was his first 100-yard game of the season and the ninth of his career in the postseason, the latter setting an NFL record.
Kelce has exceeded his regular season yards per game average in the playoffs every year since 2020. Against the Texans on Saturday, Kelce more than doubled his season average of 56 receiving yards per game.
Kelce said he had no explanation.
“I wish it was some kind of switch or something like that that I turned on during the playoffs,” Kelce said.
Kelce was one of several Chiefs players who, until Saturday, had not played since the team’s Christmas Day victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, which clinched the first playoff berth in the ‘AFC. Kelce, 35, said he felt much more rested after a more than three-week break before the playoffs, and Mahomes agreed.
“It helped Travis a lot just because he’s an older guy and he plays a very, very tough body position,” Mahomes said. “It’s not like he’s just sitting on the couch. He’s training and just knocking out those reps, so for him it’s just about getting ready to go. We’ve been training, we’ve been working in practice and then we go out there and he plays fast and takes his game to a new level.
Kelce’s biggest play was a 49-yard catch that set up the Chiefs’ first touchdown. He had 36 yards after the catch. Most of those yards came after getting around a defender who shot at Kelce right after the catch.
“It felt good to finally have a guy miss this year,” Kelce said.
Kelce was eventually brought down at the Houston 6. Wide receiver Xavier Worthy said that early in Kelce’s career, the tight end would have scored a touchdown on the play. Kelce said Worthy was right.
As for making defenders miss, Mahomes said, “Those tackles that attack him in the regular season don’t attack him in the playoffs.”
Mahomes’ touchdown pass to Kelce gave the Chiefs a 20-12 lead. It was the 20th career playoff touchdown for both, but few, if any, were as spectacular. Mahomes found Kelce as the quarterback fell to the ground after being hit and seemingly about to be sacked.
Defensive tackle Chris Jones was with the Chiefs for all 20 touchdown passes from Mahomes to Kelce and wasn’t surprised by this one.
“Just when you think you have them, you don’t,” Jones said.
