AFC Championship, 2021: Cincinnati 27 Kansas City 24

Game information
The Cincinnati Bengals overcame a 21–3 first half deficit for a 27–24 overtime road win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Evan McPherson's 31-yard game-winning field goal to advance to their first Super Bowl since 1988. Their 18-point comeback was tied with the 2006 Indianapolis Colts for the largest in an NFL conference championship game and the largest for an away team in a conference championship.

After the Bengals started off with a three and out, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 5/5 passes for 48 yards and rushed for 11 as the team drove 82 yards in 11 plays to score on his 10-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill. The Bengals responded with a 14-play, 61-yard drive to score on McPherson's 32-yard field goal with 36 seconds left in the first quarter, cutting the score to 7–3. But on the last play of the first quarter, Mahomes connected with Mecole Hardman on a 44-yard pass to the Bengals 31-yard line. Six plays later, including two third-down conversions, KC scored another touchdown on Mahomes' 5-yard pass to Travis Kelce, making the score 14–3.

On the Chiefs next drive, Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed four times for 28 yards, while Kelce caught passes for gains of 19 and 12 yards as the team drove to a 21–3 lead with Mahomes' 3-yard touchdown toss to Hardman. The Bengals responded by moving to a 2nd-and-12 from the Chiefs 41-yard line, aided by Tee Higgins's 18-yard reception. On the next play, Joe Burrow threw a screen pass to Samaje Perine, who took it all the way into the end zone to cut the Chiefs lead to eleven with 1:15 left in the second quarter. Due to a pair of catches from Tyreek Hill for 14 and 33 yards, the Chiefs were able to drive into Cincinnati's red zone, where a pass interference penalty on Eli Apple in the end zone gave them first and goal from the 1. With five seconds left in the second quarter, Kansas City attempted to score with a pass to Hill behind the line of scrimmage, but Apple tackled him short of the end zone as time expired in the half.

Cincinnati's goal-line stand at the end of the second quarter seemed to fire up their defense, which held the Chiefs to just a single field goal for the rest of the game. Mahomes, who completed 18 of 21 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, was held to just 8 of 18 second half completions for 55 yards, while being sacked four times and throwing 2 interceptions.

To begin the third quarter, the Cincinnati defense managed to stop the Chiefs' offense on their first two possessions of the second half. On their second drive of the half, the Bengals drove 52 yards in 11 plays, with Burrow completing a 22-yard pass to Ja'Marr Chase and an 18-yard throw to running back Joe Mixon, to score on McPherson's 31-yard field goal, cutting the deficit to 21–13. Then Mahomes threw a pass that was deflected behind the line and intercepted by B. J. Hill, who returned the ball three yards to the Chiefs 27. Burrow led the Bengals 27 yards in five plays, one of them a 17-yard catch by Chase. On 3rd-and-goal from the 2, Burrow hit Chase in the end zone for a touchdown, and then scored a 2-point conversion with a pass to Trent Taylor, tying the game at 21 apiece and erasing the early 18-point deficit with 14 seconds left in the third quarter.

During the 4th quarter, Kansas City cornerback L'Jarius Sneed intercepted a pass from Burrow on the Chiefs 47-yard line. The team then moved into Cincinnati territory, but Trey Hendrickson sacked Mahomes on 3rd down to force a punt. Taking the ball back with 12:27 left, The Bengals advanced 46 yards in 11 plays, with Burrow completing a 16-yard pass to Higgins and personally converting two third downs. On 3rd-and-6 from his own 24, Burrow rushed for a 7-yard gain, and on 3rd-and-7 from the 34, he scrambled for 11 yards. KC's defense managed to halt the drive on their 34, where McPherson's 52-yard field goal gave the Bengals their first lead of the game, 24–21, with 6:04 left on the clock. Mahomes then completed 5/5 passes for 38 yards and rushed twice for 8 more as he led the team to a 1st-and-goal from the Bengals 5-yard line. Following a 1-yard run by Jerick McKinnon, Mahomes was sacked on consecutive plays by Sam Hubbard, fumbling the ball on the second one. Guard Joe Thuney recovered the fumble for the Chiefs, but the sacks pushed them all the way back to the 26-yard line with 3 seconds left. Harrison Butker then kicked a 44-yard field goal to send the game into overtime.

The Chiefs won the coin toss, taking the first possession of overtime. On 2nd-and-10, Kansas City barely avoided disaster when Mahomes threw a pass right into the arms of Apple, who dropped the ball instead of hauling in a potential interception. But on the next play, Mahomes heaved a long pass to Tyreek Hill, where the ball was deflected by Jessie Bates and intercepted by Vonn Bell, who returned it 5 yards to the Cincinnati 45-yard line. Cincinnati started off their drive with a 9-yard completion from Burrow to Higgins. Following two Mixon runs for 6 yards, Higgins made a crucial 8-yard catch on 2nd-and-8 from the Chiefs 40. Two more runs by Mixon gained 20 yards and then Burrow downed the ball on the Chiefs 13-yard line. On the next play, McPherson kicked a 31-yard field goal to win the game and send the Bengals to the Super Bowl. This was the third consecutive week McPherson was a perfect 4-for-4 on field goal attempts.

Burrow completed 23 out of 38 passes for 250 yards, 2 touchdowns, and an interception, while also rushing five times for 25 yards. Higgins was his top target with six receptions for 103 yards. Mixon rushed for 88 yards and caught 3 passes for 27. Hubbard had 8 tackles (4 solo), 2 sacks, and a forced fumble. Mahomes combined for 275 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and two interceptions, his first two picks in Conference Championship games in his career, while also rushing for 19 yards. Kelce caught 10 passes for 95 yards and a score. The loss prevented the Chiefs from reaching the Super Bowl and the victory enabled the Bengals to reach the big game for the first time since Super Bowl XXIII.

This game was played in the wake of the death of Howard Hesseman, an actor known for portraying Dr. Johnny Fever on WKRP in Cincinnati. Many fans attributed the Bengals win to Howard’s passing.

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