Jan 19, 2020; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) reacts after a touchdown pass during the second half in the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
NFLBy Phillip Bupp on

For the first time since the trophy was named after him, the Kansas City Chiefs have won the trophy that bares its founder’s name. The Chiefs, under star QB Patrick Mahomes, avenged last year’s AFC Championship loss by defeating the six seed Tennessee Titans 35-24 and will head to Miami for Super Bowl LIV. This will be Chiefs’ first Super Bowl appearance since 1970 when they won Super Bowl IV.

The Titans broke out of the blocks the better team. Ryan Tannehill was slinging the ball while Derrick Henry was his usual unstoppable force running the ball. One crucial play early on was the Titans going for it on fourth down and Tannehill converting with an Adam Humphries reception. That led to a Henry touchdown as he took the snap himself for the four yard run.

The Chiefs literally answered with a 4th and 2 conversion of their own en route to a touchdown. For the Chiefs, it was a shovel type pass/handoff to Tyreek Hill who turned the corner and quickly rushed in for the score to make it 10-7 Titans at the end of the first quarter.

The Titans came right back with the biggest of big man touchdowns. After a crucial pass interference call on 3rd and 22 resulted in a Titans first down, lineman Dennis Kelly became the heaviest player to score a touchdown in playoff history as his one yard catch put the Titans back up by 10.

The Chiefs came back and culminated a stretch where the two teams scored touchdowns on four consecutive drives. In one of the most amazing runs of the year, which that alone is saying something, Patrick Mahomes juked his way for 27 yards for the touchdown.

Starting the third quarter, with the Chiefs up 21-17, the Titans may have stopped scoring regularly but the Chiefs were just getting started. While the Titans held the ball for long drives in the first half, the Chiefs did that very same thing in the second half. At the start of the fourth quarter, Damien Williams capped off a 13 play, seven-plus minute drive and suddenly the Chiefs were up by 11.

The Titans held strong throughout the entire postseason but eventually all good things must come to an end. That happened midway through the fourth quarter as Mahomes unleashed a 60 yard TD strike to Sammy Watkins and that sealed things up for Kansas City.

The Chiefs will await the winner of the Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers game in Super Bowl LIV. You could win big money on the Chiefs with 888 NFL betting!  A Packers win will be a fitting rematch of Super Bowl I in the NFL’s 100th season. A 49ers win will mark a matchup between two of the best young quarterbacks in the game with the 49ers having a chance to tie the Patriots and Steelers with six championships. Either way, it should be a great matchup.

About Phillip Bupp

Producer/editor of the Awful Announcing Podcast and Short and to the Point. News editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. Highlight consultant for Major League Soccer as well as a freelance writer for hire. Opinions are my own but feel free to agree with them.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @phillipbupp

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