Jump to content

2021 AFC Divisional playoff game (Buffalo–Kansas City)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by SamRBLX8372 (talk | contribs) at 00:20, 17 October 2022 (Aftermath and reactions). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

2021 Buffalo Bills–Kansas City Chiefs playoff game
DateJanuary 23, 2022
StadiumArrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
FavoriteChiefs by 1.5
RefereeJohn Hussey
Attendance73,242
TV in the United States
NetworkCBS
Announcers
Nielsen ratings55.3 (Kansas City)[1]
53.6 (Buffalo)[2]
U.S. TV viewership: 42.74 million[3]

The 2021 Buffalo Bills–Kansas City Chiefs Divisional Round playoff game was a National Football League (NFL) game held on January 23, 2022, as part of the 2021–22 NFL playoffs.[4][5] The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the visiting Buffalo Bills 42–36 to advance to the AFC Championship Game. Noted for the quarterback play of Buffalo's Josh Allen and Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes, it was the first NFL game in which both quarterbacks threw for at least 300 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions and rushed for at least 50 yards.[6]

The game had four lead changes and 25 points scored in the final two minutes of regulation, the second-most among games in the Super Bowl era.[8][9][6][10] After scoring on their opening drive, the Bills did not regain the lead until the fourth quarter when Allen threw a go-ahead touchdown pass with under two minutes remaining. Mahomes responded with a 64-yard touchdown pass to regain the lead with less than a minute remaining, but Buffalo's next possession ended in another touchdown pass from Allen. With 13 seconds left, Mahomes led the Chiefs on a 44-yard drive, which set up a game-tying field goal to force overtime. The Chiefs received the overtime kickoff after winning the coin toss and scored a touchdown to secure the victory.[11][12] Despite the loss, Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis set the NFL playoff game record for receiving touchdowns at four.[13]

The performances of both teams, particularly Allen and Mahomes, drew praise from commentators, who considered the game to be one of the greatest in the modern NFL playoffs.[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] It is colloquially known as 13 Seconds after the Chiefs' game-tying drive and considered an example of the Buffalo Sports Curse.[22][23][24][25][26] The game also renewed scrutiny of the NFL's overtime rules,[6][27][28] which would be changed for the following postseason to ensure both teams receive possession of the ball in overtime.[29]

Background

The Chiefs finished the regular season with a 12–5 record to clinch the #2 seed of the American Football Conference (AFC). The Bills obtained a 11–6 record and were the AFC's #3 seed. At the end of the regular season, the Bills had the highest point differential and margin of victory, but lost every game that was within one possession.[30]

With the emergence of quarterback Patrick Mahomes in 2018, the Chiefs became one of the top teams in the league. They hosted the AFC Championship Game over the past three seasons, appeared in the Super Bowl over the past two, and won Super Bowl LIV. The Bills had been on the rise since the breakout season of quarterback Josh Allen in 2020 and won consecutive AFC East division titles. The two teams met in the previous season's AFC Championship, which the Chiefs won 38–24.[31] A regular season rematch followed, in which the Bills defeated the Chiefs 38–20.

The day before the game, the top-seeded Tennessee Titans were defeated in the Divisional Round by the fourth-seeded Cincinnati Bengals, guaranteeing the winner of the Buffalo–Kansas City matchup would host the AFC Championship. A Chiefs victory would make them the first NFL team to host four consecutive conference championships, while the Bills would host the AFC Championship for the first time since 1993 if they won.

Game summary

First quarter

Buffalo started off the game with a 15-play, 71-yard drive in which they converted two fourth downs, the second with a 1-yard touchdown run by Devin Singletary to go up 7–0. Kansas City responded with a 13-play, 74-yard drive in which quarterback Patrick Mahomes rushed three times for 48 yards, the last carry being an 8-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7.

Second quarter

Gabe Davis' four touchdown receptions in the game set a new single-game NFL playoff record

In the second quarter, Mahomes completed a 21-yard pass to Travis Kelce and Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for a 22-yard gain on an 81-yard drive to score on Mahomes' 2-yard touchdown pass to Byron Pringle, giving the Chiefs a 14–7 lead. The Bills countered with a drive in which Josh Allen rushed twice for 20 yards and completed 5/5 passes for 55, the last an 18-yard touchdown completion to Gabe Davis, tying the score at 14–14 with 42 seconds left in the half. Kansas City then advanced to the Bills 32, but Butker missed a 50-yard field goal attempt as the second quarter clock ran out.

Third quarter

The Chiefs started the second half with a 64-yard, 15-play drive, featuring a 20-yard catch by running back Jerick McKinnon. Butker finished it with a 39-yard field goal to give the team a 17–14 lead. Then after a punt, Edwards-Helaire rushed for a 20-yard gain and then receiver Mecole Hardman ran an end around play 25 yards for a touchdown, giving the Chiefs a 23–14 lead after Butker missed the extra point. Kansas City seemed to be pulling way from the Bills, but on the first play of Buffalo's next drive, Allen threw a 75-yard touchdown completion to Davis, making the score 23–21 with 2:06 left in the third quarter.

Fourth quarter

In the final period, Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill returned a punt 45 yards to the Bills 16-yard line before being tackled by punter Matt Haack. Three plays later, Butker kicked a 28-yard field goal to put Kansas City up 26–21. Buffalo then covered 75 yards in 19 plays on a drive where they once again converted two fourth downs. On 4th and 4 from the Chiefs 24, Allen scrambled 6 yards for a first down. Then when faced with 4th and 13, he threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Davis, and followed it up with a pass to Stefon Diggs for a 2-point conversion that gave the Bills a 29–26 lead with 1:54 left on the clock. Kansas City stormed back, moving 75 yards in 7 plays and taking a 33–29 lead on Mahomes' 64-yard touchdown pass to Hill. Taking the ball back with 57 seconds remaining, Allen completed passes to Davis for gains of 28 and 12 yards before hitting Emmanuel Sanders with a 16-yard completion on the Kansas City 19-yard line. Then with just 13 seconds left on the clock, he threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Davis to give Buffalo a 36–33 lead. On the subsequent kickoff, the Bills controversially elected to kick-off long rather than taking a squib kick to try and run off some of the clock; the kick-off went dead in the end-zone, and resulted in a touchback. Mahomes completed a 19-yard pass to Hill that ran just 5 seconds off the clock, then he threw a 25-yard pass to Kelce, giving Kansas City a first down on the Bills 31-yard line after running down another 5 seconds. On the next play, Butker's 49-yard field goal sent the game into overtime. Kelce was wearing an NFL Films microphone for the game, and audio footage from the two offensive plays of the 13-second drive revealed that Kelce instructed Hill to run the route which led to the success of the first completion, and revealed him suggesting to Mahomes that he might improvise his own route on the second offensive play if the Bills' defensive scheme didn't change. Prior to the snap, Mahomes realised Kelce's suggested improvised route would work and shouted "Do it, Kelce!", before finding his tight-end for a completion of 25 yards.[32]

Overtime

Kansas City won the coin toss to begin the overtime period and elected to receive the ball. Getting the ball first in overtime, Mahomes rushed for 4 yards and completed 5/5 passes for 50 yards, including a 16-yard pass to McKinnon and a 26-yard throw to Hardman. On the next play, his 8-yard touchdown pass to Kelce won the game for Kansas City.

Statistics

2021–22 AFC Divisional Round: Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Quarter 1 2 34OTTotal
Bills 7 7 715036
Chiefs 7 7 913642

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Game information

Aftermath and reactions

When it's grim, be the grim reaper and go get it.

— Chiefs coach Andy Reid to his quarterback Patrick Mahomes leading into the game-tying drive at the end of regulation, [25][33]

The game was hailed as one of the greatest modern NFL playoff games, with some commentators initially proclaiming it not only as the best playoff game in history, but one of the greatest games ever played.[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] It was the finale to a divisional round where every game came down to its final play; the other three games played that weekend were decided by game-winning field goals.[10][34]

Buffalo fans were quick to refer to the game as "13 Seconds".[23][24][26][35] Erik Brady of The Buffalo News equated the loss to the phenomenon of triskaidekaphobia, the fear or avoidance of the number 13, especially the coincidence that the 13th tarot card depicts The Grim Reaper, the subject of Andy Reid's motivational talk to Patrick Mahomes in the final seconds of regulation.[25]

Early figures showed CBS averaging 34.5 million viewers for the game, but parent company ViacomCBS later said it was closer to 43 million, with a peak of 51.6 million at its frenetic conclusion. It was the highest-rated divisional game on any network since the 2017 playoffs.[36][37] In the Chiefs' home market of Kansas City, 90 percent of households tuned in at the game's climax.[38] On Twitter, Dan Rather, Stephen A. Smith, Candace Parker, and Magic Johnson were among those reacting to the game's wild ending.[39]

Immediately after the game-winning touchdown pass, Mahomes ran across the field to locate Allen, where the two quarterbacks embraced and exchanged words of respect.[40] Even before the game took place[41][42][43] commentators drew comparisons between the competitive rivalry between Mahomes and Allen, who combined for over 700 passing yards and 7 touchdowns in the game, and that of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.[40][43][44][45][41][42] Upton Bell compared the matchup favorably to The Greatest Game Ever Played; he said, "I've been watching football for 75 years, and nothing compares to this Buffalo–Kansas City game. I have never seen two quarterbacks in a playoff game play at a higher level than Allen and Mahomes. I was at the 1958 Colts–Giants championship, and that doesn't compare to this game."[46]

The Bills were also criticized for not using a squib kick on the final kickoff in regulation,[26] where they instead kicked through the endzone for a touchback, leaving 13 seconds for the Chiefs, who had all three timeouts remaining, to quickly drive into field goal range for the game-tying kick. Had Buffalo kicked in-bounds and forced the Chiefs to return the ball, more time would have elapsed in the game and the Chiefs likely would not have been able to drive downfield to get into field goal range, though they might have had better field position. Bills head coach Sean McDermott simply stated, "That starts with me" when asked about why the team did not opt to squib kick.[47]

As an homage to Bills fans' practice of crowdfunding charities as an act of gratitude, Chiefs fans sent a series of $13 donations to Allen's foundation, which supports Oishei Children's Hospital in Buffalo.[48] In the following days after the game, Oishei Children's Hospital announced that Chiefs fans had raised $312,800 to donate to the hospital.[49] In return, Bills fans encouraged their own cause to donate to Hope House in Kansas City, a shelter that helps victims of domestic violence.[35]

Andy Reid became the first NFL coach to lead two different franchises to four consecutive conference championship games.

The victory allowed Kansas City to advance to its fourth consecutive AFC Championship Game, becoming the first NFL team to host a conference championship game in four consecutive years. With the victory, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid became the first NFL coach to lead two different teams to four straight conferences championships. Reid previously led the Philadelphia Eagles to the NFC Championship Game from 2001 to 2004.[50][51]

In the AFC Championship Game between the Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals, Butker also converted a game-tying field goal at the end of regulation and the Chiefs won the overtime coin toss to receive the ball first. Allen jokingly responded on his Twitter account to Kansas City winning a second consecutive coin toss by tweeting "Pain.".[52] However, Mahomes was intercepted 13 seconds into the Chiefs' drive, which led to the Bengals winning 27–24 off a field goal from Evan McPherson.[53] The official Bengals Twitter responded to Reid's comment by tweeting "DON'T FEAR THE REAPER!" after Blue Öyster Cult's song of the same name.[54][55]

The following July, this AFC Divisional game won the 2022 ESPY Award for Best Game.

Both teams would meet again in Week 6 of the 2022 Season with both teams at a 4-1 record. The first half of that game ended in a similar fashion. After a Gabe Davis touchdown reception, with the chiefs down 10-7 the chiefs had 12 seconds to make a drive, Patrick Mahomes led a drive to the Bills' 43-yard line which ran the clock down to 1 second, on the next play Harrison Butker kicked a successful 62-yard field goal, to tie the game at 10. Despite this, the Bills would come back and retake the lead with 1:04 left in the game & would seal the game following a Taron Johnson Interception. The final score that game was 24-20 in favor of the Bills.

Renewed discussion of NFL overtime rules and postseason rule change

The NFL's overtime rules received renewed criticism following the game.[6] Several commentators argued that Allen should have been given the opportunity to play in overtime and felt the Chiefs' victory was mostly attributable to winning the coin toss.[28] The outcome was compared to Kansas City's loss in the 2018 AFC Championship Game, where Mahomes was unable to play in overtime after the New England Patriots won the coin toss and scored a touchdown on their opening drive. This prompted the Chiefs to unsuccessfully lobby for changes to the overtime rules, which would later benefit them against the Bills.[27][56]

Following the game, Reid stated he was still open to a rule change that would allow both teams the opportunity to receive the ball in overtime.[57] Bills tackle Dion Dawkins was among the players critical of the overtime rules, remarking that the league "should never let a football game be determined from a coin".[6] Conversely, Allen said he had no issue with the overtime rules and Buffalo did not do enough to win the game.[28] Mahomes, acknowledging the rules' impact on the 2018 AFC Championship, remarked, "All you can do is play the way the rules are explained and that's what we did today."[6]

The Bengals winning the AFC Championship against the Chiefs, despite losing the overtime coin toss, prompted defense of the rules. Discussing football's team-based nature, commentators noted that the Bengals defense made a key stop in overtime, which the Bills defense could not do in the Divisional game.[58][59][60]

At the owners' meetings in March 2022, the league voted to change the postseason overtime rules. Beginning with the 2022–23 NFL playoffs, both teams are assured of one possession in overtime, even if the first team with possession scores a touchdown.[29]

Officials

  • Referee: John Hussey (35)
  • Line judge: Carl Johnson (101)
  • Down judge: Mark Hittner (28)
  • Side judge: Allen Baynes (56)
  • Umpire: Alan Eck (76)
  • Field judge: Rick Patterson (15)
  • Back judge: Dino Paganelli (105)
  • Replay official: James Nicholson (0)

See also

References

  1. ^ Ourand, John. "SBJ Media: NFL Divisional games score huge local ratings". Sports Business Journal. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  2. ^ Pergament, Alan. "Alan Pergament: Putting Bills local and national viewership for Chiefs game in perspective". buffalonews.com. The Buffalo News. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  3. ^ Metcalf, Mitch. "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Sunday 1.23.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals UPDATED". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  4. ^ "Buffalo Bills Head To Head Records". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  5. ^ Renner, Michael (January 24, 2022). "NFL Divisional Round Game Recap: Kansas City Chiefs 42, Buffalo Bills 36". pff.com. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Teicher, Adam (January 25, 2022). "Twenty-five points in 2 minutes? Inside the Kansas City Chiefs' thrilling victory over the Buffalo Bills". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on August 6, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  7. ^ Hensley, Jamison (December 9, 2013). "Records set in Ravens-Vikings' wild finish". ESPN. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  8. ^ The most was five lead changes and 36 points scored during the Baltimore Ravens' 29–26 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in the 2013 regular season.[7]
  9. ^ Bushnell, Henry (January 24, 2022). "The Bills-Chiefs thriller might never be matched, but it christened a new era of NFL comebacks". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  10. ^ a b Thames, Alanis (January 24, 2022). "How Kansas City and Buffalo Set a Record for Playoff Thrills". New York Times. Archived from the original on July 30, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  11. ^ Nesbitt, Andy (23 January 2022). "The Bills and Chiefs just played arguably the best game in NFL history and fans loved it". USA Today. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  12. ^ Teicher, Adam (24 January 2022). "Mahomes, Chiefs take wild OT win over Bills". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on August 6, 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  13. ^ Goodbread, Chase. "Bills WR Gabriel Davis catches playoff-record four TDs in Divisional Round loss to Chiefs". NFL.com. Archived from the original on August 11, 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  14. ^ a b Patra, Kevin (January 23, 2022). "2021 NFL playoffs: What we learned from Chiefs' win over Bills in Divisional Round". NFL.com. Archived from the original on August 11, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  15. ^ a b Rogers, Martin (January 24, 2022). "Best NFL playoff game ever? Chiefs, Bills make case". FoxSports.com. Archived from the original on April 21, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  16. ^ a b Morse, Ben (January 24, 2022). "Patrick Mahomes goes 'Grim Reaper' as Kansas City Chiefs defeat the Buffalo Bills in epic back-and-forth overtime battle". CNN.com. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  17. ^ a b Barnwell, Bill (January 24, 2022). "Greatest NFL playoff round ever? 10 takeaways from Bills-Chiefs, struggles by Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, plus how the Rams, 49ers and Bengals won". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  18. ^ a b Levin, Josh (January 24, 2022). "How Chiefs-Bills Became One of the Greatest Games in NFL History". Slate.com. Archived from the original on July 29, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  19. ^ a b Dodd, Dennis (January 24, 2022). "Chiefs' epic victory over Bills leaves NFL fans longing for more, but it doesn't get any better than this". CBSSports.com. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  20. ^ a b Ley, Tom (January 24, 2022). "That Was A Football Game For All Time". Defector.com. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  21. ^ a b "Mahomes lifts Chiefs past Allen's Bills in seesawing overtime thriller". Yahoo UK. January 24, 2022. Archived from the original on January 31, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  22. ^ Owen, Chris. "The Chiefs Got "Buffalo Karma" In AFC Championship Loss". WBUF. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  23. ^ a b Wawrow, John (January 24, 2022). "Bills add '13 Seconds' to history of heartbreaking losses". Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  24. ^ a b Wetzel, Dan (January 24, 2022). "Add '13 freaking seconds' to the list of Buffalo Bills misery". sports.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  25. ^ a b c Brady, Erik (January 24, 2022). "Erik Brady: The Bills' luck ran out when the game clock struck 13". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on January 24, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  26. ^ a b c Maiorana, Sal (January 24, 2022). "Wide Right. Music City Miracle. Will there be nickname for this gut-wrenching Bills loss?". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  27. ^ a b Wojton, Nick (January 24, 2022). "In cruel twist, the Chiefs wanted NFL to change OT rules in 2019". Bills Wire. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  28. ^ a b c Busbee, Jay (January 24, 2022). "Why the ending of K.C.-Buffalo ought to change NFL's overtime". yahoo.com. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  29. ^ a b Seifert, Kevin (March 29, 2022). "Both teams assured of a possession in playoff overtime with rules change approved by NFL owners". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  30. ^ De Cristofaro, David (December 19, 2021). "Bills have NFL's worst record in one-possession games". USA Today. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  31. ^ Belson, Ken (January 24, 2021). "Kansas City Chiefs Will Face Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 30, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  32. ^ Smith, Michael David (26 January 2022). "Travis Kelce was mic'd up, told teammates which routes would be open on game-tying drive". NBCsports.com. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  33. ^ Shook, Nick (January 23, 2022). Chiefs' Andy Reid to Patrick Mahomes before game-tying drive: 'When it's grim, be the Grim Reaper'. NFL.com. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  34. ^ "Nothing Will Top The NFL's Greatest Playoff Weekend Ever". FiveThirtyEight. January 24, 2022. Archived from the original on July 29, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  35. ^ a b Kassahun, Pheben (January 25, 2022). "'Tears just started coming down from all of us really': Bills fans react to stunning overtime loss". Archived from the original on July 30, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  36. ^ Berman, Marc (January 24, 2022). "Sunday Ratings: Massive Showing for Kansas City Chiefs Victory Over the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Playoffs". Programming Insider. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  37. ^ Young, Jabari (25 January 2022). "42.7 million people watched the Kansas City Chiefs' thrilling win over the Buffalo Bills". CNBC. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  38. ^ Rigdon, Jay (January 24, 2022). "A whole lot of people in Kansas City watched Chiefs-Bills, as you'd expect". Awful Announcing. Archived from the original on July 29, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  39. ^ Ellis, Cam (January 23, 2022). "Twitter goes crazy over wild Chiefs-Bills game". A610 Sports. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  40. ^ a b Tsujimoto, Ben (January 23, 2022). "Bills' Josh Allen applauds Patrick Mahomes' classy postgame gesture after playoff loss". Buffalo News. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  41. ^ a b Clark, Kevin (January 21, 2022). "Be Grateful Every Time We Get Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen in the Playoffs". The Ringer. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  42. ^ a b Teicher, Adam; Getzenberg, Alaina (January 21, 2022). "Manning-Brady 2.0? Why Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen could be AFC's next great QB rivalry". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  43. ^ a b Gramling, Gary (January 23, 2022). "Mahomes-Allen could reach Brady-Manning rivalry levels". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on July 29, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  44. ^ Robinson, Charles (January 24, 2022). "Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen delivered one of greatest games in NFL history, setting stage for next era-defining rivalry". sports.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  45. ^ Jenkins, Chris (January 23, 2022). "Analysts offer these reactions to Bills at Chiefs overtime thriller in the divisional round Social Media recap". BuffaloBills.com. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  46. ^ King, Peter (January 24, 2022). "Peter King's Football Morning In America Column: NFL Playoffs Divisional Round - NBC Sports". ProFootballTalk. Archived from the original on July 29, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  47. ^ "Sean McDermott on Bills not squib-kicking with 13 seconds left against Chiefs: 'That starts with me'". CBSSports.com. January 24, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  48. ^ "Chiefs fans take a page from Bills Mafia playbook, begin donating to Oishei Children's Hospital". KSHB. January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  49. ^ Getzenberg, Alaina (January 26, 2022). "Kansas City Chiefs fans, in nod to Bills Mafia, donate to Buffalo children's hospital". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  50. ^ "Chiefs' Andy Reid becomes first head coach with 100 wins for two teams". NFL.com.
  51. ^ "Andy Reid adds another wrinkle to incredible coaching record with wild playoff win over Bills".
  52. ^ Dedaj, Paulina (January 31, 2022). "Bills' Josh Allen reacts to overtime coin toss during AFC Championship Game". Fox Sports. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  53. ^ Wilder, Charlotte (January 30, 2022). "Bengals beat Chiefs, odds, coin-toss jinx for Super Bowl berth". Fox Sports. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  54. ^ Sutelan, Edward (January 31, 2022). "Bengals, Eli Apple sound off on Twitter after AFC championship win vs. Chiefs". Sporting News. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  55. ^ "Chiefs vs. Bengals: Josh Allen, others react to overtime rules deciding the AFC Championship Game".
  56. ^ Buchmassetr, Bernd (2019-03-08). "Chiefs become latest team to cry "Rule change!" after losing to the Patriots in the playoffs". patspulpit. Archived from the original on January 24, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  57. ^ Kerr, Jeff (January 25, 2022). "Andy Reid isn't opposed to changing NFL's overtime rule: Here's what he would propose". CBS Sports. Archived from the original on July 29, 2022. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  58. ^ Manza Young, Shalise (January 30, 2022). "See? The NFL's overtime rules are fine. Just ask the Bengals who are headed to Super Bowl". Archived from the original on July 29, 2022.
  59. ^ Bruns, Eric (2 February 2022). "Bengals proved postseason overtime rules don't need to be changed". Archived from the original on July 30, 2022.
  60. ^ Iyer, Vinnie (January 31, 2022). "How Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs fell apart vs. Bengals: 8 plays that defined 2nd-half collapse in AFC championship game". Archived from the original on July 30, 2022.