Chiefs top Bengals on last-second kick for win

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Patrick Mahomes scrambled for a first down on his badly sprained right ankle, then was shoved late out of bounds by Joseph Ossai, giving Harrison Butker a chance to kick a 45-yard field goal with 3 seconds remaining and give the Kansas City Chiefs a 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC title game Sunday night.

The Chiefs finally beat the Bengals after three straight losses, including a three-point overtime defeat in last year's title game, and will play the Philadelphia Eagles — coach Andy Reid's old team — in their third Super Bowl in four years.

"I've watched them all year long, great quarterback, great entire team," Mahomes said of the Eagles. "It's going to be a great challenge for us, but I'm going to celebrate this one first.

"I don't think we have any cigars, but we'll be ready to go in the Super Bowl."

Mahomes, who hurt his ankle against Jacksonville in the divisional round, threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns, even though he was missing three of his wide receivers to injuries by the end. Marquez Valdes-Scantling led the way with 116 yards and a touchdown, while Travis Kelce — bad back and all — had seven catches for 78 yards and a score.

Yet it was Mahomes on his balky right ankle, rather than with his strong right arm, that rescued the Chiefs.

"At some points in games, you've gotta just put it all on the line," Mahomes said. "The defense gave us a couple chances to get in field goal range, we didn't get there. The defense got another stop for us and I knew I was going to get there somehow.

"So I just put it all on the line and we got in field goal range, and we're at Arrowhead now and we're in."

The Chiefs got a crucial sack from Chris Jones to force a punt with 39 seconds left, and shaky return man Skyy Moore broke free for 29 yards on the return. On third-and-4 at the Bengals 47, Mahomes eluded pressure and scrambled toward the Bengals sideline, barely picking up the first down before Ossai gave him a shove from behind.

The penalty flags flew, the ball moved 15 yards closer and Butker's kick barely had enough to get over the crossbar.

Joe Burrow, who was sacked five times and wobbly by the end, finished with 270 yards passing to go with a touchdown and two interceptions for the Bengals. Tee Higgins had six catches for 83 yards and the score.

Agencies Via Xinhua