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Bills-Chiefs, As It Happened: Chiefs End Instant Classic With Kelce's OT TD

Patrick Mahomes conducted a miraculous game-tying drive in regulation, then marched the Chiefs down the field in overtime for the walk-off touchdown.

Bill Enright

Bills-Chiefs, As It Happened: Chiefs End Instant Classic With Kelce's OT TD
Bills-Chiefs, As It Happened: Chiefs End Instant Classic With Kelce's OT TD /

10:01 p.m. — Chiefs Walk It Off

What was an absolutely epic battle between two great teams ends with a Mahomes to Travis Kelce walk-off touchdown in overtime. The Bills played incredibly well and held a lead with 13 seconds left in regulation. That was enough time for the Chiefs to kick a field goal and force overtime. A coin toss helped seal the Bills' fate as Kansas City won the toss, took the ball, marched down the field 75 yards in eight plays and scored the game-winning touchdown. The Bills never even got a rebuttal.

Final score: Chiefs 42, Bills 36

A victim of the NFL’s overtime rules, Josh Allen and the Bills are eliminated by the Chiefs from the playoffs for the second consecutive season. It’s a rule the Chiefs fell victim to as well, four seasons ago in their first AFC championship game in the Patrick Mahomes era. New England won the coin toss, Tom Brady marched the offense down the field, scored a touchdown and went on to play in the Super Bowl. Now the Chiefs are set to host their fourth consecutive AFC championship, something no team has ever done. Can Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs outscore Joe Burrow and the Bengals? We’ll find out next week.

Betting updates:

Chiefs cover 2.5

Over 54.5 (teams combined for 78 points)

Mahomes passing prop (281.5, -125): Over (370)

Allen passing prop (282.5, -120): Over (329)

Travis Kelce Anytime TD (-105)

Travis Kelce receiving yards (69.5,-125): Over (96)

Travis Kelce receptions (5.5, -137): Over (8)

Tyreek Hill Anytime TD (-105)

Tyreek Hill receiving yards (69.5, -125): Over (11)

Tyreek Hill receptions (5.5, -133): Over (11)

SI Sportsbook Game Parlay: Chiefs to win, Total points over 54.5, Chiefs to score 20 points first: +350

9:50 p.m. — MORE Football?

When a game has so much pre-game hype, it’s hard to live up to expectations. This game is NOT one of those times. Twenty-five points scored in the final two minutes and thanks to a Harrison Butker 49-yard field goal while time expired, we’re now headed to overtime. Allen and Mahomes. Bills and Chiefs. Though it’s not for the Lombardi Trophy or even the AFC Championship, this game will go down as an instant NFL playoff classic.

9:42 p.m. — Bills Back on Top

Gabriel Davis just did something no other receiver has accomplished in NFL playoff history—catch four touchdowns in the same game! Incredible. Keep in mind Davis had six scores all year. Davis’s fourth score was the third touchdown in the final two minutes of this game. Absolutely amazing. Bills now have a 36-33 lead with 17 seconds left in the game.

9:35 p.m. — Tyreek Says Deuces

When you see Tyreek Hill throw up the peace sign, you know the cheetah is about to hit paydirt. The Chiefs take back the lead in just 52 seconds thanks to an incredible 64-yard catch and run by the speedster. Chiefs now lead 33-29. Hill just cashed in on his longest catch (22.5), total receiving yards (69.5) and anytime touchdown (-105). That 64-yard completion also helped Mahomes hit the over on his longest pass (36.5).

9:27 p.m. — Another Fourth-Down Touchdown!

The Bills' No. 3 receiver had six touchdowns all season … Gabriel Davis has three today! Talk about coming up BIG in a BIG game! Buffalo showed some gumption by going for it on 4th and 13 with two minutes left in the game. That was the Bills' second touchdown on fourth down and they are now 4-for-4 on 4th down conversions. Buffalo leads 29-26 with 1:54 left in the game, their first lead since the first quarter. Josh Allen got it done. Now we’ll turn our attention to Patrick Mahomes.

9:10 p.m. — Chiefs' Changeup Backfires

On 3rd and 1 from the Bills' 7-yard line and up two points, the Chiefs motion Patrick Mahomes out of shotgun and put tight end Blake Bell under center, then run an option to Jerick McKinnon, who loses three yards and forces Kansas City to settle for three points. Kansas City 26, Buffalo 21.

The drive started on the Bills' 16-yard line after a beautiful 45-yard punt return by Tyreek Hill. If the option with Blake Bell wasn’t questionable enough, how about the Chiefs' decision not to throw a single pass on that drive. The opportunity was there to extend their lead into a two-score game and Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy take the ball out of Mahomes’s hands? Puzzling…

9:01 p.m. — Arrowhead Crowd Getting Loud

Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium is one of the loudest in the NFL, and Kansas City’s crowd came alive during that Bills possession. The crowd noise helped cause Buffalo to commit a false start and amplified the decibel level even more after Josh Allen was sacked, forcing Buffalo to punt. Speaking of penalties, there’s been just four called all game, which I’m pretty sure all fans can appreciate.

8:46 p.m. — Bills Respond on Play of the Game

Josh Allen has a cannon and Gabriel Davis is developing into quite the playmaker for Buffalo. After the Chiefs went up 23-14, the Bills answered back very quickly—in 10 seconds, to be exact. 

Allen uncorked a 75-yard touchdown—traveling a career-high 57.1 yards in the air—to Davis to bring the Bills back within two points. A few player props cashed on that pass. For starters, Allen hit the Over on his touchdown passes (1.5) and also Frank Taddeo’s parlay of the day (Stafford/Allen both Over 1.5) which paid +143. Allen also hit the over on his longest completion (37.5 at -125). As for Davis, he scored his second TD of the game which already paid +240. Chiefs are up 23-21 which is a total of 44 points—10 points shy of the Over/Under.

8:40 p.m. — Chiefs Running All Over Buffalo

The Chiefs are without their regular season leading rusher (Darrel Williams is inactive) but that hasn’t slowed down their rushing attack—it’s just come from multiple players. Wide receiver Mecole Hardman flashed his blazing speed on a jet sweep that he turned into a 25-yard touchdown, putting Chiefs up 23-14 after a missed extra point. Patrick Mahomes still leads the team in rushing yards with 63. Clyde Edwards-Helaire has chipped in as well, rushing for 49 yards on four carries. In total, Kansas City has rushed for 160 yards and two touchdowns. This is coming against a Bills defense that was 10th in rushing yards allowed per game (108.6).

8:35 p.m. — Safe and Sorry?

After picking up seven yards on first down thanks to a Josh Allen pass to Reggie Gilliam, Buffalo ran back-to-back run plays that mustered up two yards. CBS commentator Tony Romo criticized Buffalo’s play calling that resulted in a three-and-out. Romo’s gripe was that running the football is not Buffalo’s strength—but with just two yards to gain, Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll has to believe his team can pick up a first down in that situation.

8:26 p.m. — KC Settles for Three

A holding penalty wiped away the Chiefs' chances of a fresh set of downs in the red zone. Instead, Kansas City settles for a Harrison Butker 39-yard field goal which puts them up 17-14. Bills get the ball back with a little more than seven minutes left in the third quarter.

8:20 p.m. — Unstoppable Force > Immovable Object

Kansas City is winning the third down battle. They’ve converted on six of eight attempts and both of their touchdowns came on third down. As previously noted, the Chiefs had the best offensive third-down conversion rate in the NFL—but it’s worth mentioning the Bills had the best defensive third-down conversion rate! Kansas City converted a league best 53% of their 3rd downs while Buffalo’s defense allowed a league low 32%. Love the unstoppable force vs. immovable object battles, which for now, the Chiefs are winning.

8:04 p.m. — Tied at the Half

After the Bills tied the game at 14, the Chiefs took over with 37 seconds left in the second quarter. That was enough time for Kansas City to pick up enough yards to put Harrison Butker in range for a 50-yard field goal attempt…which he MISSED!

Tie game at the half paid +950 on SI Sportsbook!

1st half stat updates:

Mahomes 13-19 for 114 yards, 1 TD

Allen: 15-18 for 113 yards, 1 TD

Both quarterbacks lead their team in rushing, Allen with 45 and Mahomes with 49.

Cole Beasley leads the Bills with 38 yards on three catches.

Tyreek Hill leads the Chiefs with 41 yards on four receptions.

Touchdown scorers: Devin Singletary, Patrick Mahomes, Byron Pringle, Gabriel Davis

7:55 p.m. — Seven Plays, 75 Seconds, 75 Yards

Josh Allen just marched the Bills down the field 75 yards in 75 seconds! Josh Allen needs one more touchdown pass to hit the Over on his 1.5 passing TD player prop. If Allen throws for one more score, Frank Taddeo’s best parlay of the weekend (Stafford/Allen both Over 1.5 TDs) will cash at +143. Bills tie the game at 14 with 37 seconds left in the first half.

7:45 p.m. — Chiefs Take Their First Lead

Starting from their own 14-yard line, the Chiefs stormed down the field in a frenzy, pulling off big play after big play (12 plays, 86 yards) and capped it off with a touchdown from Patrick Mahomes to Byron Pringle. That was the longest touchdown drive the Bills allowed all season. The Chiefs receiver caught five touchdowns during the regular season and already has three this postseason. Pringle’s anytime TD prop on SI Sportsbook was set at +240! Kansas City now leads 14-7 with just under two minutes left in the first half.

7:40 p.m. — Mahomes the Magician

Mahomes conjured some of his trademark magic on the Chiefs’ third drive as he threw a sidearm pass to Tyreek Hill that left Tony Romo in awe.

7:31 p.m. — Chiefs' D Settling In

After marching down the field for 74 yards on their opening drive, the Bills picked up just 30 yards on their next two drives, with the second drive yielding zero first downs. Chiefs take over from their own 14.

7:26 p.m. — Tyrann Mathieu Ruled Out

The Chiefs will be without their three-time All-Pro defensive back for the remainder of the game. Mathieu suffered a concussion on the Bills' first drive.

7:23 p.m. — Chiefs Can't Capitalize

Mahomes completed two passes on Kansas City's second drive but totaled just six yards resulting in a three and out. Punting from your own end zone has to be one of the most stressful situations for any NFL player but second-year punter Tommy Townsend booted a beauty to flip the field. Bills take over from their own 43. 

I’d very much like to avoid writing about punters for the rest of the game … More offense please!

7:18 p.m. — Bills Finally Punt!

Facing a 3rd and 10 from their own 39-yard line, Josh Allen stepped back and got dropped by Melvin Ingram for a 10-yard loss. Good to see some defense in this game as neither defensive unit showed any signs of life in the first quarter. Now Buffalo’s defense will have their chance to step up as the Chiefs are pinned on their own one-yard line after an incredible punt by Matt Haack.

7:12 p.m. — One Down, Three to Go

First quarter breakdown:

Both teams scored on their opening drives, which practically soaked up all of the first quarter. Josh Allen completed 8 of 10 passes while Mahomes was 3 for 5. But Mahomes helped the Chiefs march down the field thanks to his 49 yards on three carries, including a touchdown. Tie game at 7 at the end of the first.

7:05 p.m. — Kansas City Strikes Back

It’s almost expected that Patrick Mahomes will pull off something special anytime the Chiefs have the ball. He didn’t disappoint on the Chiefs' first drive. Kansas City tied the game at seven thanks to the quarterback's athleticism. Mahomes ran for 49 yards on the possession, including an eight-yard dash ending with a dive to the pylon. His rushing prop for the game cashed on the team’s first drive, as did his anytime touchdown which was set at +380! Kansas City converted three third downs including the Mahomes TD run on their 11-play drive. The Chiefs offense had the best third-down conversion in the NFL (and it's worth noting the Bills had the second-best).

7:00 p.m. — All Aboard the Mahomes Express

Cash That Prop: Mahomes OVER 25.5 rushing yards

With just one run, Patrick Mahomes has already covered his rushing prop for the entire game. On a 3rd and 6, the Chiefs quarterback ran for 34 yards, his longest run of the year. His rushing yard total was set at 25.5. It’s not always that easy to cash a prop, but when happens this early, it feels great.

6:50 p.m. — Bills Draw First Blood

Buffalo’s conviction to go for it on fourth down pays dividends as their opening drive results in a touchdown. Josh Allen and Co. marched 71 yards down field on a 13-play drive that took up nearly seven minutes. That’s their fourth consecutive game they’ve opened with a TD on their first drive. The Bills haven’t punted in three of their last four games and when faced with a 4th and 2 from the 50, they converted thanks to a designed quarterback run with Allen. They converted a second fourth down thanks to a touchdown run by Devin Singletary from the Kansas City one-yard line. 

Singletary has now scored in six straight games and was +775 on SI Sportsbook for the game’s first touchdown. 

6:35 p.m. — Best Yet to Come?

Now that NFL fans have caught their collective breath after an exciting, edge-of-your-seat finish between the Rams and Buccaneers, we now get what is hyped to be the best game of the weekend. The NFC Championship is set with the Rams hosting the 49ers. Who will meet the Bengals in the AFC Championship? We’ll find out in four quarters.

5:29 p.m. — Divisional Round Is Wrapping Up

Perhaps the most anticipated game of the NFL’s divisional playoffs, the Chiefs and the Bills will put a bow on the exciting weekend of playoff action. The game kicks off Sunday night at 6:30 p.m. ET from Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

With a victory, the Chiefs will make it back to the AFC Championship for the fourth consecutive season, something that is all too familiar for Buffalo fans. The Bills accomplished that feat in the early 1990s when quarterback Jim Kelly and company won four straight AFC titles but couldn't bring home a Super Bowl.  

A Bills victory in Kansas City would put them back in the conference championship, where the Chiefs beat them last year before ultimately falling to the Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV.

Though the victor of tonight’s matchup is still unknown, one thing we know for certain is whoever wins will host the Bengals. Cincinnati earned a trip to the AFC title game after pulling off a road upset over the AFC’s top-seeded Titans.

While the Chiefs-Bills rivalry is still somewhat new, it has the best potential to become the league’s closest thing to a Peyton Manning-Tom Brady-esque career battle. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs beat the Bills in last year’s AFC Championship 38-24, but Josh Allen and his Buffalo brethren evened the score this regular season with a 38-20 victory. Mahomes, 26, already has a Super Bowl ring, helped lead his team to back-to-back Super Bowls and won the league MVP. Meanwhile, Allen, 25, has helped turn the Bills franchise into a perennial playoff threat and Super Bowl contender.

Kansas City will be without their leading rusher as the team ruled Darrel Williams inactive. The good news for the Chiefs backfield is Clyde Edwards-Helaire is active and last week’s top performer Jerick McKinnon is also a go. Wide receiver Josh Gordon has also been ruled inactive.

The Bills declared a few of their playmakers inactive, including running back Matt Breida. Devin Singletary has run away (no pun intended) with Buffalo’s running back duties, scoring seven touchdowns in the last five games. 

With a game total of 54.5, SI Sportsbook projects this game will be the highest scoring of the divisional playoffs; no other game had a higher pre-game total of 48. The Bills are slight road underdogs, as the Chiefs are spotting Buffalo 1.5 points.

Follow along throughout the game for more real-time updates for what should be an epic battle between two of the NFL’s best teams.

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• The Packers’ Latest Postseason Loss Was a Total Debacle
• NFL Playoffs Takeaways: Deebo, Special Teams Meltdown Doom Packers

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Bill Enright
BILL ENRIGHT

Bill Enright is the Managing Editor of Sports Illustrated's Sports Betting and Fantasy division. He's an award winning fantasy football analyst and has a winning betting record on NFL Player Props since 2017. Follow Bill on Twitter: @BillEnright

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