Patrick Mahomes got the ball first in overtime in the divisional round against the Bills and delivered a walk-off touchdown pass to Travis Kelce. He got the ball first in overtime Sunday against the Bengals and threw an interception.
The Bengals used the pick to go 42 yards for a game-winning overtime field goal. The 27-24 come-from behind win sends the Bengals to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1988 season.
Cincinnati has never won a Super Bowl, losing to the 49ers 20-16 in Super Bowl XXIII and to the 49ers 26-21 in Super Bowl XVI.
The Bengals, who trailed 21-3 in the second quarter and 21-10 at halftime, got an Evan McPherson 31-yard field goal with 9:22 remaining in overtime for the win. McPherson kicked a 52-yarder on the final play of regulation to beat the Titans 19-16 in the divisional round.
It tied the 2006 Colts for the largest comeback victory in championship game history.
The Bengals had the worst record in the NFL in 2019, going 2-14 and earning the right to draft Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall choice. Burrow has led them to three victories this postseason.
He completed 23 of 38 passes for 250 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He also ran for 25 yards on five carries.
Mahomes didn’t look the same in the second half after the Chiefs failed to get points at the Cincinnati 1-yard line at the end of the second quarter. Tyreek Hill was tackled for no gain on the final play of the half.
Mahomes went 8-of-15 for 55 yards and an interception in the second half to get the Bengals back in the game. He couldn’t get the Chiefs in the end zone after they reached the 4 with 1:26 left, instead settling for a tying field goal on the final play of regulation.
Mahomes’ first pass of overtime was incomplete and his second should have been a pick-six, but Eli Apple dropped it. His third was picked by Vonn Bell, setting up Burrow at his own 45.
So for the first time in three years, the AFC has a new champion. The Chiefs were trying to become only the fourth team in NFL history with three consecutive Super Bowl appearances.
Instead, the Bengals will try to win their first in two weeks against the NFC winner.