Red-Gold Kingdom
AFC Championship Game — Kansas City Chiefs x Cincinatti Bengals
Under cloudy skies on the last Sunday night of January, the red-gold team took the field to defend their Kingdom. In a League that rarely gives such a chance, Andy Reid’s troops went in search of redemption.
If the tigers of Cincinatti — and the mayor — thought they had conquered a new stadium to call their own, the over 70,000 chiefs made sure that did not happen, heating up the field with their voices without allowing a second of rest for the quarterback with ice in his veins, and silencing just enough for the counter offense.
Facing a history of battles decided on detail and by only three points, the Kansas City Chiefs had to play through pain and injury. Without being fully recovered, at times Patrick Mahomes returned to mortal heights and even when sacked three times, saved the best for last. While the connection with Kelce failed, the Bengals tried to dictate the pace and dominate the main asset of the confrontation: TIME!
The clock that was often dominated by the Bengals in the last duels, converting third downs and imposing the ground attack, this time was blown up by Frank Clark and Chris Jones. Speaking of time, referee Ron Torbert received the spotlight due to the controversial call that gave the Chiefs a play. The Bengals were definitely not “time masters.”
What would a magical night at Arrowhead be without the magic of Mahomes? Short of 0:17 seconds with no timeout and in the middle field, Patrick Mahomes scrambles right end for 5 yards and the 5-yard gain becomes a 20-yard gain, after Joseph Ossai (Unnecessary Roughness) penalty.
In the crowd, cell phones appear. Flashes in the fog. No cold will stop them from recording this moment. To secure the Kingdom and achieve redemption, Harrison Butker delivers the final blow from the 45-yard line. Whether it is script or not, another three-point decision. 23–20 Kansas City Chiefs.
