Buffalo Payments kicker Tyler Bass missed a game-tying kick late within the fourth quarter that led the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs to a 27-24 victory on the highway.
The Chiefs will head to the AFC Championship Recreation for the sixth straight season, this time to face the No. 1-seeded Baltimore Ravens subsequent week.
Josh Allen led the Payments down the sphere to the purpose the place it seemed like he might kill clock and rating a landing to take the outright lead. Nevertheless, the Chiefs’ protection got here up clutch on third-and-9, forcing an incompletion that led Bass out on the sphere to try a 44-yard discipline aim.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs celebrates after scoring a 22 yard landing towards the Buffalo Payments in the course of the second quarter within the AFC Divisional Playoff recreation at Highmark Stadium on January 21, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Al Bello/Getty Photographs)
When the kick went up, it was in step with the precise aim submit, however shortly made a right-hand flip for the miss. The house Payments followers couldn’t consider it, because the Chiefs ran the clock out to maneuver on.
The third chapter of the Allen-Patrick Mahomes postseason parlay noticed yet one more battle of sensible quarterback play, and dare we are saying, one other basic. However Allen didn’t need this to be a basic that ended with Mahomes on prime, however he’s now 0-3 within the playoffs towards him.
This recreation began with discipline aim drives for each squad, but it surely was Allen and James Cook dinner establishing the run recreation for Buffalo their subsequent trip. It got here all the way down to second-and-3 from Kansas Metropolis’s 5-yard line, the place Allen scampered into the top zone for the primary landing of the sport.
FROM OUTKICK: JOSH ALLEN MAKES INCREDIBLE – BUT PROBABLY ILLEGAL – PLAY IMMEDIATELY AGAINST CHIEFS, HELPS BILLS SCORE FIRST
The Chiefs responded with a discipline aim on the following drive, however after getting a Payments punt, Mahomes had the possibility to take the primary lead of the sport on the highway.
He wanted simply 5 performs to take action, and who higher than star tight finish Travis Kelce getting his first landing since Week 11 of the common season for a 22-yard rating the place he was huge open down the left sideline.
However each Allen and Kelce weren’t carried out making an influence for his or her groups on this recreation, as they’d get their second touchdowns the following time every workforce noticed the top zone.
First, it was Allen busting his approach by way of tackler from two yards out to attain earlier than the primary half ended, making it a 17-13 recreation.
Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Payments celebrates after scoring a landing towards the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs in the course of the second quarter within the AFC Divisional Playoff recreation at Highmark Stadium on January 21, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Al Bello/Getty Photographs)
Then, it was Kelce getting in as soon as once more to start out the second half, however this one wasn’t straightforward. He caught a display screen from Mahomes and used some blocking to run three yards and recover from the aim line.
There have been 5 whole touchdowns with a kneel-down to finish the primary half in between that noticed a number of lead adjustments in a recreation that had everybody watching within the stands and at house on the sting of their seats.
After Kelce obtained in for the second time, the Payments took 15 performs to go 75 yards, killing 8:25 of clock, to get their lead again because of a seed from Allen to Khalil Shakir. The speedy wideout, who has grow to be a type of safety blanket for Allen within the move recreation, made an incredible catch close to the entrance left pylon, whereas preserving his toes inbounds for the rating.
Now, 24-20, everybody had the sensation Mahomes was simply going to fireside again with a landing of his personal. He did simply that, orchestrating a drive that ended with Isiah Pacheco stepping into the top zone once more this postseason.
With each offenses enjoying so nicely, defenses knew that one cease may very well be the decisive issue within the recreation. The Chiefs obtained that when the Payments turned it over on downs after making an attempt a pretend punt with Damar Hamlin on fourth-and-five on their very own 30-yard line.
The Chiefs obtained proper into crimson zone territory with a Rashee Rice reception, however on the very subsequent play, momentum as soon as once more shifted again to the Payments.
Mecole Hardman took a run to the left aspect, and he tried extending the ball over the aim line to present the Chiefs a extra sizable lead. However Buffalo security Jordan Poyer, their trusty captain on protection, obtained the ball out of his palms earlier than he might do it.
Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs appears to be like to move towards the Buffalo Payments in the course of the first quarter within the AFC Divisional Playoff recreation at Highmark Stadium on January 21, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Al Bello/Getty Photographs)
The fumble ended up going out of bounds in the long run zone, which pressured a controversial rule to be known as: Touchback with change of possession.
Nothing got here of the drive, however the Payments had been capable of make the Chiefs punt as nicely, giving them an opportunity to at the least tie it within the fourth quarter.
In fact, the fingers are being pointed at Bass in the long run right here, however Allen would be the first to inform you he wants to increase that drive to recover from the aim line as soon as extra to safe a win for Buffalo.
As an alternative, Payments followers should take care of one other “huge proper” recreation – the 1991 Tremendous Bowl the place Scott Norwood’s 47-yard miss isn’t forgotten – because the Chiefs hit the highway once more.
Trying on the stat sheet, Allen had two speeding touchdowns and a team-high 72 yards on the bottom on 12 carries. Cook dinner had 61 yards on 18 carries as nicely.
Within the move recreation, Allen was simply 26-of-39 for 186 yards together with his landing to Shakir, who had 44 yards on seven receptions (team-high). Tight finish Dalton Kincaid was the Payments’ main receiver with 45 yards on 5 catches, whereas Stefon Diggs had one other lackluster recreation with three catches for 21 yards on eight targets.
Tyler Bass #2 of the Buffalo Payments watches his kick after making a 27 yard discipline aim towards the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs in the course of the first quarter within the AFC Divisional Playoff recreation at Highmark Stadium on January 21, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Al Bello/Getty Photographs)
There was a play on that last Payments drive the place Allen unloaded a deep ball to Diggs, who noticed it go proper by way of his arms. It could’ve set the Payments up fantastically in Chiefs territory.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Talking of the Chiefs, Mahomes went 17-of-23 for 215 yards together with his two touchdowns to Kelce, who completed with a game-high 75 yards on 5 catches. And Pacheco actually set the tone on the bottom, speeding for 97 yards on 15 carries together with his rating.
