AFC Championship, 2018: New England 37 Kansas City 31

Game information
New England outgained the Chiefs in total yards 524–290, and managed to prevent their defense, which led the league in sacks during the season, from getting any sacks in this game. Still, it would take an overtime touchdown by Rex Burkhead to put Kansas City away after a wild, back and forth fourth quarter in which the teams combined to score 38 points as the lead changed four times.

The Patriots dominated the first half, holding Kansas City scoreless and limiting them to just 32 total yards. On the game's opening drive, New England running back Sony Michel rushed 6 times for 32 yards as the team drove 80 yards in 15 plays to score on his 1-yard touchdown run. After forcing a punt, the Patriots drove to a 1st-and-goal from the Chiefs' 5-yard line, but this time they failed to score. On 3rd down, linebacker Reggie Ragland intercepted Tom Brady's pass in the end zone for a touchback with 13:45 left in the half. After a few punts, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed a 42-yard pass to Tyreek Hill on the Patriots' 23-yard line. On 3rd-and-9, Mahomes was sacked by Trey Flowers for a 14-yard loss, pushing Kansas City back to the 36-yard line, where they decided to punt rather than risk a long field goal attempt. Dustin Colquitt's 26-yard punt pinned New England back on their own 10-yard line; they still managed to drive to a 14–0 lead, with Brady completing a 30-yard pass to running back James White before hooking up with Phillip Dorsett for a 29-yard scoring play with 27 seconds left in the half.

The Chiefs managed to rally back on the opening drive of the second half. When faced with 3rd-and-2 after two plays, Mahomes burned the Patriots' defense with a 54-yard completion to Sammy Watkins, and followed it up with a 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end Travis Kelce, making the score 14–7. Later in the quarter, New England receiver Julian Edelman returned a punt 13 yards to the Chiefs' 37-yard line, setting up Stephen Gostkowski's 47-yard field goal that increased the Patriots' lead to 17–7. Kansas City responded by driving 75 yards in 9 plays, featuring Mahomes' 33-yard completion to running back Damien Williams. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Williams finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown reception, cutting the score to 17–14.

New England took the ball back and advanced to a 4th-and-1 on the Chiefs' 25-yard line. They attempted to convert with a run by Burkhead, but safety Daniel Sorensen broke through the line and tackled him for no gain. However, Kansas City soon had to punt. Officials ruled that Edelman muffed the punt and the Chiefs recovered the ball, but the call was overturned via video review. Two plays later, Brady threw a pass that bounced off Edelman's fingertips and was intercepted by Sorensen, who returned it 14 yards to the Patriots' 23-yard line. Following an incompletion, Mahomes threw a short pass to Williams, who raced down the left sideline for a 23-yard touchdown completion, giving Kansas City their first lead at 21–17, with 7:45 left in regulation. New England then drove 75 yards in 10 plays to retake the lead at 24-21, the longest being a 14-yard run by Burkhead, capped off with Michel's 10-yard touchdown run from 4th-and-inches. The Patriots' touchdown drive was kept alive by a controversial roughing the passer call against Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones, so instead of third-and-long the Patriots got 15 yards and a first down. Following the Patriots' touchdown, Kansas City quickly took advantage of a lost fumble that was eliminated due to a holding penalty on Patriots defensive back J. C. Jackson, and a later pass interference penalty on Jackson that gained them 23 yards. Mahomes then threw a 38-yard completion to Watkins on the 2-yard line, and Williams ran the ball in for a touchdown on the next play; Kansas City led 28–24 with just over two minutes left in regulation.

Cordarrelle Patterson returned the ensuing kickoff 38 yards to the 35-yard line. Then Brady threw passes to Edelman and Chris Hogan for gains of 20 and 11 yards; Hogan's one-handed catch was upheld on review. After an incompletion, Chiefs defensive back Charvarius Ward appeared to put the game away with an interception, only to see it overturned by a penalty against linebacker Dee Ford, who had lined up in the neutral zone before the ball was snapped. On the next play, Brady threw a 25-yard pass to Rob Gronkowski on the Kansas City 4-yard line. Then Burkhead scored on a 4-yard touchdown run, giving New England a 31–28 lead with 39 seconds left. After Tremon Smith's 26-yard kickoff return gave the Chiefs the ball on their 31-yard line, Mahomes completed a 21-yard pass to running back Spencer Ware, and a 27-yard completion to Demarcus Robinson, to set up Harrison Butker's 39-yard field goal with six seconds left, sending the game into overtime, the first such instance in an AFC Championship game since 1986.

After winning the overtime coin toss, New England drove 75 yards in 13 plays for the game-winning touchdown. Edelman caught two third-down passes on the drive for gains of 20 and 15 yards, while Burkhead covered the final 15 yards to the end zone with a 10-yard run, a 3-yard run, and a 2-yard rushing touchdown.

Brady completed 30-of-46 passes for 348 yards, with a touchdown and two interceptions. Edelman caught seven passes for 98 yards and returned three punts for 38 yards. Patterson returned 3 kickoffs for 80 yards and caught 2 passes for 16 yards. Michel was the top rusher of the game with 29 carries for 113 yards and two touchdowns. This gave him five total rushing touchdowns for the postseason, a rookie record. Linebacker Kyle Van Noy had 10 tackles (2 solo), two sacks and a forced fumble. Mahomes finished the game 16-of-31 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 11 yards. Williams rushed for 30 yards, caught five passes for 66 yards, and scored three touchdowns. Watkins was the game's leading receiver with four receptions for 114 yards. Smith had four kickoff returns for 99 yards. Sorensen had 14 tackles (11 solo) and an interception. After the game, the Chiefs fired defensive coordinator Bob Sutton.

This was the Patriots' first postseason win on the road since 2006.

Wikipedia