KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Patrick Mahomes begged Chiefs coach Andy Reid to let him play on Saturday.
He begged trainers, assistant coaches, and anyone else within hearing distance on the Kansas City sideline to let him play despite an injured right ankle.
“Unless they take me out,” Mahomes would later say, “I’m not coming out of a playoff game.”
The Chiefs, on the other hand, forced him to have X-rays late in the first half of their divisional game against Jacksonville.
However, when the results were negative, and Mahomes demonstrated his ability to protect himself in the halftime locker room, Reid decided to put his All-Pro quarterback back on the field, leading them to victory.
Mahomes Promises To Be Ready For Winter
two touchdowns, the second capping a 75-yard drive late in the fourth quarter, to lead the Chiefs to a 27-20 victory over the Jaguars and a spot in the AFC championship game for the fifth time in a row.
Mahomes also promised to be ready for the winner of Sunday’s game between Cincinnati and Buffalo the following week. If the Bengals win, they’ll return to Arrowhead Stadium, while the Bills will travel to Atlanta.
While Mahomes was out, Chad Henne led a 98-yard touchdown drive. Travis Kelce set a career-high with 14 catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns. With about 7 minutes remaining in the game, Marquez Valdes-Scantling hauled in the game-winning touchdown pass.
“It’s a credit to the team I’m with, the coaches I’m with, and the organization in general,” Mahomes said. “We try to do everything we can to get to the AFC championship game and find a way to the Super Bowl.”
The Jaguars, who came back from a 27-0 deficit to defeat the Chargers in the wild-card round, blew two late chances to mount another comeback. With about 5 1/2 minutes remaining, Jamal Agnew had the ball pop loose inside the Chiefs 5, and Jaylen Watson made a leaping, one-handed interception near midfield.
The Jaguars’ Last-Ditch Effort
The Jaguars’ last-ditch effort was thwarted when Kansas City recovered an onside kick with 24 seconds remaining.
Trevor Lawrence threw for 217 yards and a touchdown to Christian Kirk, who was injured briefly midway through the fourth quarter but returned to finish the game. Travis Etienne rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown.
“When you get this far, you don’t want to stop,” Jaguars’ Foyesade Oluokun said. “You want to continue.”
“I don’t have the words right now,” Lawrence added. “The Chiefs did more than we did today.”
Mahomes was at his creative best long before he hobbled to the sideline in pain, driving the Chiefs downfield on their first possession.
Mahomes Game Was Shifted
A shortstop-style sidearm sling to JuJu Smith-Schuster, a critical third-down pass to Kelce as he was being dragged to the turf, and the flip pass to his tight end gave Kansas City a 7-0 lead.
The Jaguars responded quickly, capitalizing on a big kickoff return and a short field.
Lawrence, whose four touchdown passes helped to stun the Chargers last week, then hit Kirk for the corresponding touchdown.
Then the game’s complexion shifted.
Arden Key brought the full weight of his body down on Mahomes’ ankle as he moved up in the pocket. Mahomes hobbled to the huddle and completed three more plays to end the first quarter, then returned to the field for two more plays before Harrison Butker kicked a 50-yard field goal.
During the Jaguars’ next possession, Mahomes became enraged with Reid and the training staff.
However, as the second half began, that familiar red No. 15 jersey trotted back onto the field.
Mahomes Struggled To Move
“It was a short leash,” Reid admitted. “If I thought he couldn’t handle it, he would have left.”
Mahomes struggled to move around with his right ankle heavily taped, but his presence seemed to calm the Chiefs — and their agitated fan base. Butker added a second 50-yard field goal late in the third quarter to make the score 20-10, and when the AFC South champions responded with a touchdown of their own, the Chiefs responded as well.
Mahomes drove them downfield for one final score, which proved to be the winning margin.
“We know that if it’s up to Pat, he’ll be there. “I’m sure he told everyone on the sideline that he wanted to get in there as soon as possible,” Kelce said.
“It’s just a different feeling when one-five is in there. He can accomplish anything, even if he only has one ankle.”
STATS AND RECORDS
In the divisional round of the playoffs, Mahomes improved to 5-0. He has 28 touchdown passes and three interceptions in ten home playoff games. Henne completed 5 of 7 passes for 23 yards and a touchdown. Jacksonville tied for the most underdog wins in Super Bowl history this season with eight.
WHAT COMES NEXT
The Chiefs are awaiting word on whether they will face the Bengals at Arrowhead Stadium or the Bills in Atlanta in their third Super Bowl in four years. The Jaguars’ focus now shifts to free agency and the NFL draft.
SOURCE – (AP)
