Chiefs remain on track for first Super Bowl appearance since 1969 and will host the winners of Patriots-Chargers who face off in Foxboro on Sunday
Sunday 13 January 2019 07:37, UK
The Kansas City Chiefs will host the AFC Championship game for the first time after a dominant 31-13 win over the Indianapolis Colts in the divisional round on Saturday.
Patrick Mahomes threw for 278 yards and added a touchdown on the ground, Tyreek Hill totalled over 100 yards and Damien Williams ran for 129 and a score as the Chiefs eased into next Sunday's AFC showpiece.
After a tremendous outing last week, the Colts were limited to just 263 total yards, with Andrew Luck going 19/36 for 203 yards and Marlon Mack only managing 46 yards on the ground.
Kansas City came out of the blocks early, scoring touchdowns on their first two drives and a field goal on their third, while the Colts were not able to pick up a first down until deep into the second quarter.
Mahomes' first pass of the day went to Hill for a first down, and the Chiefs raced down the field with a five-play, 90-yard drive capped by a 10-yard Williams touchdown.
When they got the ball back, Mahomes again moved the offense quickly, but it was Hill who gave Kansas City a 14-0 lead. Lined up to the right, he ran around the back of the formation, picked up the ball on a toss, and zig-zagged his way through Indy's defense for a 36-yard score.
After Harrison Butker had extended the lead to 17 points, the Colts thought they had changed the game with a huge, momentum-swinging play. After they had forced Kansas City to punt, Najee Goode broke free and blocked the kick. Zach Pascal recovered the ball in the end zone, and Indianapolis were right back in at 17-7.
However, the two drives before the half killed any momentum. First, Mahomes responded to the special teams score by driving 75 yards in 10 plays, finding Travis Kelce, Sammy Watkins and Hill again before diving to the right-hand pylon on a four-yard scramble at the goal line.
The usually-reliable Adam Vinatieri summed up the Colts night when he missed a 23-yard field goal attempt after Luck had driven the Colts down the field with seconds remaining before the break.
In the second half, Kansas City controlled the games while the Colts continued to cost themselves chances with a mixture of penalties and bad mistakes. Luck coughed up the ball just two plays after linebacker Darius Leonard had forced and recovered his own fumble and Denico Autry was flagged for an excessive celebration - meaning Indianapolis had too much to do, with time running out.
Despite stringing together a 10-play, 87-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter ending in a T.Y. Hilton 29-yard catch, Vinatieri's missed extra point left the Colts down 11 with five minutes remaining.
Kansas City's impressive offensive line subsequently paved the way for Damien and Darrel Williams on a nine-play, 61-yard drive, with the latter powering in from six yards out to secure the win.
The Chiefs ended with 433 yards, had close to 40 minutes of possession (39:49) and stopped the Colts from converting a single third down on nine attempts.
The No-1-seeded Chiefs will now host the AFC Championship game next Sunday, hosting the winners of tomorrow's Chargers-Patriots matchup.
FIRST QUARTER
Colts 0-7 Chiefs: Damien Williams 10-yard run (extra point good)
Colts 0-14 Chiefs: Tyreek Hill 36-yard run (extra point good)
SECOND QUARTER
Colts 0-17 Chiefs: Harrison Butker 39-yard field goal
Colts 7-17 Chiefs: Zach Pascal blocked punt recovery in end zone (extra point good)
Colts 7-24 Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes 4-yard run (extra point good)
THIRD QUARTER
FOURTH QUARTER
Colts 13-24 Chiefs: Andrew Luck 26-yard pass to T.Y. Hilton (extra point no good)
Colts 13-31 Chiefs: Darrel Williams 6-yard run (extra point good)
