Source: BBC News – The Kansas City Chiefs kicked a game-winning field goal at the death to ensure they will face the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 57.
The Chiefs met the Cincinnati Bengals in a repeat of last season’s AFC Championship Game when the Bengals claimed a shock overtime win.
But Kansas City avenged that loss with a nail-biting 23-20 win to reach their third Super Bowl in four years.
The Eagles beat an injury-hit San Francisco 49ers 31-7 for the NFC title.
That means the top seeds in each conference, who both finished the regular season with a 14-3 record, will meet for the NFL championship in Arizona on 12 February.
Cincinnati twice levelled in the second half at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium as two of the NFL’s best quarterbacks traded blows.
The visitors’ Joe Burrow hoped to reach a second straight Super Bowl in just his third season, while the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes aimed for a third Super Bowl in five seasons as a starter.
The Bengals had won their past three meetings, including last year’s AFC title game, and the rematch looked set for overtime again as the teams were tied 20-20 for most of the fourth quarter.
But, despite carrying an ankle injury, Mahomes scrambled for a first down with 17 seconds left and a penalty for a late hit on him gave Harrison Butker the chance to make the game-winning kick from 45 yards.
Cincinnati struggled during the early stages as Burrow was sacked four times while the Chiefs kicked two field goals, although the Bengals then replied with a field goal of their own.
Mahomes showed no ill effects from the ankle sprain he suffered during last week’s divisional round win over the Jacksonville Jaguars as he capped a 75-yard drive by rolling out of the pocket and firing a 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Travis Kelce.
Burrow was intercepted with less than three minutes left in the half, yet the Bengals managed to force a quick three-and-out and get within field-goal range to cut the deficit to 13-6 at half-time.
And Cincy drew level after their first possession of the third quarter, Burrow floating a 27-yard pass for Tee Higgins to score in the corner of the end zone.
Although Mahomes began hobbling after making a pass on the run, he then produced a 19-yard dart to Marquez Valdes-Scantling to put the Chiefs back in front.
But a Mahomes fumble on the Chiefs’ next drive was recovered by the Bengals, who levelled again after Burrow’s 35-yard pass to Ja’Marr Chase allowed Samaje Perine to punch it in.
Defences then took charge in a tense finale, with Chris Jones’ sack on Burrow forcing the Bengals to punt inside the final minute.
A 29-yard return by Skyy Moore gave the hosts hope of clinching a win in regulation time, and Joseph Ossai’s tackle on Mahomes after he stepped out of bounds gave Butker a much more favourable kick to seal the win.
