Chiefs, 49ers Win To Advance To Super Bowl

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs celebrate their fourth AFC title in the last five years.

For the second time in the last five seasons, it will be the Kansas City Chiefs playing the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl. 

The Chiefs defense did the job for a hard fought, 17-10 road victory against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game while the 49ers rallied back from a 24-7 halftime deficit and cashed in on some questionable decisions on fourth down (twice) by Detroit head coach Dan Campbell to win, 34-31 to get back to the Super Bowl after losing for two consecutive years in the NFC Championship game. 

 

 

 

KANSAS CITY 17, BALTIMORE 10 - After a fast start for both teams, the defense took over and the Chiefs won the game to advance to their fourth Super Bowl in the last five seasons with the road victory. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Travis Kelce (11 receptions for 116 yards) and Isiah Pacheco added a two-yard TD run in the second quarter for a 14-7 lead after Ravens QB Lamar Jackson completed a 30-yard TD strike to wide receiver Zay Flowers (five receptions for 115 yards). The Chiefs increased the lead to 17-7 at tha half when Harrison Butker made a 52-yard field goal with fours seconds to play. 

The only scoring in the second half was a 43-yard field goal by Ravens kicker Justin Tucker with 2:34 remaining in then fourth quarter. For the game, Kansas City gained 319 total yards in offense and had no turnovers while Baltimore gained 336 yards in offense, but had three turnovers (one interception, two fumbles), including a critical fumble by Flowers (pictured above left) at the Kansas City goal line following a reception that resulted in a touchback for the Chiefs.

 

SAN FRANCISCO 34, DETROIT 31 - In San Francisco, the Lions roared out to a 24-7 lead in the first half as running backs David Montgomery (one-yard run) and Jahmyr Gibbs (15-yard run) scored touchdowns and also WR Jameson Williams going 42 yards for a rushing touchdown to open the scoring. 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (20 carries for 90 yards, two TD) scored on a two-yard run with 13:49 left in the second quarter to trim the deficit to 14-7 prior to the Lions increasing it to 17 points at halftime.

In the second half, the tide turned when (with the Lions ahead 24-10) the San Francisco defense stopped Detroit on a fourth-and three as they opted to go for it rather than attempt a field goal to try and increase the lead back to 17 points. From there, 49ers QB Brock Purdy (267 passing yards, one TD, one INT) connected with WR Brandon Aiyuk (three receptions for 68 yards) for a six-yard scoring pass and then following a fumble recovery, the 49ers tied the game at 24-24 when McCaffrey banged it in from one yard out with 3:02 remaining in the third quarter. 

 

The 49ers celebrate a huge comeback win over the Lions.

The final quarter was more of the same as San Francisco went ahead 27-24 on a 33-yard field goal by Jake Moody with 9:52 left to play. The Lions once again eschewed a field goal attempt (from the 49ers 30-yard line) on fourth-and-two and failed to convert with an incomplete pass. The 'Niners struck again when RB Elijah Mitchell scored on a three-yard run with 3:02 remaining to make it 34-24.

 

 

 Lions QB Jared Goff (273 passing yards, one TD) hit Williams on a three-yard TD pass with 56 seconds remaining to complete the scoring. The 49ers recovered the ensuing onside kickoff and are moving on to face the Kansas City Chiefs, whom they lost to four years ago in the Super Bowl.