The Kansas City Chiefs will meet the Philadelphia Eagles within the Super Bowl after the 2 high seeds gained their Conference Championships in contrasting model on Sunday.
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While the Eagles had it straightforward towards injury-hit San Francisco 49ers, successful 31-7, the Chiefs wanted a field goal three seconds from the top to beat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20.
The wins set up what must be an enthralling contest between two of probably the most thrilling and entertaining quarterbacks within the NFL with the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes up towards Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts.
The Sunday, 12 February clash in Arizona may also pit Chiefs coach Andy Reid towards the group the place he spent 14 seasons as head coach.
“I had a great time there, 14 years there, a pretty long time. I am happy for them, happy for the city, they are passionate and love football and I can’t wait until Kansas City and Philly clash, it is going to be awesome, what a great Super Bowl it is going to be,” he mentioned.
Eagles had an emphatic win at house
The Eagles sealed the franchise’s fourth Super Bowl look – and second in 5 years – with an emphatic victory within the NFC Championship recreation at Lincoln Financial Field.
The 49ers’ hopes of victory have been upended after a disastrous first half that noticed beginning quarterback Brock Purdy – himself the group’s third selection signal-caller – injured on the group’s opening drive.
Back-up Josh Johnson – the fourth selection Niners quarterback – additionally departed injured within the third quarter.
All of Philadelphia’s touchdowns got here by way of their floor recreation, with working again Miles Sanders scoring twice, Boston Scott including a 3rd earlier than quarterback Jalen Hurts burrowed over within the third quarter.
The Eagles piled up 148 dashing yards all through from 44 carries.
“I’ve dreamed about this, and all the guys on this team have dreamt about this their entire lives,” Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni mentioned afterwards.
“To be able to do this together with a bunch of men that love each other, that are connected to each other and would do anything for each other – it’s pretty sweet.”
Bengals threaten one other comeback
Harrison Butker transformed the 45-yard recreation winner for the Chiefs, after a expensive penalty towards the Bengals, to seize the victory after Cincinnati – who had gained their final 10 video games – had threatened one other comeback win.
Chiefs quarterback Mahomes got here into the sport nonetheless nursing an ankle damage picked up in final week’s divisional spherical win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, whereas his favored goal, tight-end Travis Kelce, had been coping with a again damage picked up at apply on Friday.
While the quarterback was much less cell than traditional and ended the sport limping at instances, he was in a position to ship the important thing performs down the stretch.
Indeed, any critical considerations the Chiefs had about their two key gamers eased within the second quarter when Mahomes rolled proper and located Kelce with a 14-yard landing cross to make it 13-3 for Kansas City.
The Cincinnati offence sprung into life after the interval and tied up the rating at 13-13 when Burrow went deep with a 27-yard landing cross to Tee Higgins.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling then stored a Chiefs drive alive with a wise reach-out for a primary down and the receiver completed off the 11-play, 77-yard drive, accumulating a 19 yard cross down the center from Mahomes.
But the Bengals once more confirmed their resilience and after a Mahomes fumble led to a turnover, Burrow led the Bengals down the sphere on a drive that featured an excellent 35-yard cross to Ja’marr Chase and Samaje Perine rushed up the center for a two-yard landing to make it 20-20.
The Chiefs received the ball for the ultimate time with 30 seconds left and with the stress on, at third and 4, Mahomes used his legs to make first down however after he ran out of bounds he was barged to the bottom by Joseph Ossai.
The ensuing 15-yard penalty for pointless roughness took the Chiefs inside discipline aim distance and Butker stored his cool to set off the celebration at an ice-cold Arrowhead Stadium.
The Chiefs will hope Mahomes can use the 2 weeks earlier than the Super Bowl to get himself absolutely wholesome, however the quarterback mentioned he had no selection however to push himself by ache on the finish.
“At some points in games, you’ve got to just put it all on the line,” he mentioned.
“I knew I was going to get there somehow.”
By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse
