Mahomes Pushes Chiefs Back to AFC Championship Game

LUBBOCK, Texas – The term "historic performance" has been used frequently in Patrick Mahomes' short NFL career as the Texas Tech alumnus has torched opposing defenses in his two years as the Kansas City Chiefs starting quarterback.

On Sunday, the phrase was spot on.

Facing a 24-0 point deficit early in the second quarter, Mahomes rallied the Chiefs to the tune of 41-unanswered points, pushing Kansas City back to the AFC Championship Game after a 51-31 victory over the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium.

The victory lines up a meeting with the Tennessee Titans next Sunday where the Chiefs will look to clinch their first Super Bowl appearance since 1970. The late E.J. Holub, a member of the prestigious Texas Tech Ring of Honor, was in his final professional season of his illustrious career that year as the Chiefs went on to top the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV.

Mahomes completed 23-of-35 passes for 321 yards and five touchdowns, while also rushing for a team-leading 53 yards on seven carries en route to become the first player in NFL history with 300-plus passing yards, five passing touchdowns and 50-plus rushing yards in a playoff game.

That wasn't the only historical achievement for Mahomes. The Chiefs became the first team to win a playoff game by at least 20 points after trailing by 20 or more. As part of its comeback, Kansas City scored a touchdown on seven-consecutive possessions, an NFL postseason record.

The 24-point deficit marked the largest comeback in franchise history for the Chiefs, who also recorded the fourth-largest comeback in NFL postseason history.

The Chiefs needed just over three minutes to cut the Texans' 24-point lead to only three midway through the second quarter as Mahomes had three touchdown passes during that stretch, one to Damien Williams down the left side and two scrambles where he found Travis Kelce near the goal line.

Kelce was on the receiving end of three of Mahomes' touchdown passes as the tight end also hauled in a five-yard reception in the end zone to give Kansas City a 28-24 lead right before the half. Mahomes' final touchdown pass came on an eight-yard strike to Blake Bell early in the fourth quarter to push the Chiefs' lead to 48-31.

Can't keep him down. ??

??#WreckEm?? pic.twitter.com/QWlCcxkrHe
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) January 12, 2020

Mahomes will now set his eyes on a Titans team that has defeated three divisional champions in as many weeks to advance to the AFC Championship Game. Like the Texans, the Titans also defeated the Chiefs during the regular season in what was Mahomes' return from a midseason injury.

A victory for the Chiefs would mark the 11th-consecutive season a Red Raider has played in the Super Bowl, the longest such streak in school history. Two other Red Raiders saw their respective seasons end Sunday as Keke Coutee was a member of the Texans active roster, while Branden Jackson and the Seattle Seahawks fell at Green Bay in the nightcap.

Jackson, who had a tackle from his spot on the defensive line, nearly was part of his own comeback story as the Seahawks trailed 21-3 before the Packers eventually held on for a 28-3 victory.

Kickoff between Kansas City and the Titans is slated for 2:05 p.m. CT next Sunday with television coverage provided on CBS.

AFC Title Game bound. ??

??#WreckEm?? pic.twitter.com/ssScClpwKF
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) January 12, 2020

Texas Tech University Athletics

Mahomes Pushes Chiefs Back to AFC Championship Game

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