Matthew Stafford's Rams start strong, hold off Saints 30-22 to surge forward in NFC playoff race
Matthew Stafford passed for 328 yards and two touchdowns, and the Los Angeles Rams surged forward in the NFC playoff race with a 30-22 victory over the New Orleans Saints.
Tagovailoa, Dolphins rally from 21 down to beat Ravens 42-38
Tua Tagovailoa threw for 469 yards and six touchdowns, four of which came during a spectacular fourth quarter as the Miami Dolphins rallied from a 21-point deficit to beat the Baltimore Ravens 42-38.
Bengals rally past Chiefs 34-31, clinch AFC North title
Evan McPherson kicked a 20-yard field goal as time ran out, and the Cincinnati Bengals earned their first AFC North title and postseason appearance in six years with a wild 34-31 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Chiefs add Tyreek Hill, others to growing COVID-19 list
The Kansas City Chiefs added wide receiver Tyreek Hill, cornerback Rashad Fenton and tight end Blake Bell to their growing COVID-19 list Tuesday that already included tight end Travis Kelce and kicker Harrison Butker.
![Mahomes, Chiefs bounce back to beat Washington 31-13](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/5xuyuVOS8CCgEsHLJd_b4-6z2Ek=/800x533/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/U5WVWJWUGFAAROKXRMCCGE5HIY.jpg)
Mahomes, Chiefs bounce back to beat Washington 31-13
Patrick Mahomes threw for 397 yards and engineered three second-half touchdown drives to compensate for a pair of interceptions, leading the Kansas City Chiefs to a 31-13 comeback victory at Washington that got them back to.
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Chiefs head into offseason with core intact, plenty of holes
Now, the Chiefs will have to take a much different tact if they want to make their third consecutive Super Bowl. While their core group is signed for the next several years, the Chiefs have a raft of important contributors that are due to hit free agency. AdโLike all teams, we'll get busy here going down the road,โ Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday. โEvery year is different because of your cap situation and what you have and what you need,โ Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said. WELCOME BACKThe Chiefs should get some help from guys that were injured or opted out of this past season.
![Chiefs, Bucs relatively healthy heading into Super Bowl](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/icv3iEPeKJoHXo5WiogOGkruo_0=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/A6PJJDDWNBFV3OILFQVR55Q2OM.jpg)
Chiefs, Bucs relatively healthy heading into Super Bowl
Kansas City Chiefs Wide Receiver Sammy Watkins (14) catches a pass during NFL football practice Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl 55. (Steve Sanders/Kansas City Chiefs via AP)TAMPA, Fla. โ The Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will head into the Super Bowl on Sunday relatively healthy. Tampa Bay did not list anybody as out on the final injury report. AdThe Buccaneers listed wide receiver Antonio Brown and tight end Cameron Brate as questionable.
![Super Bowl could be farewell for several pending free agents](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/mBkGh8qkM1pD6XPRQiN_zS01D-w=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/A734BMQOXVAORANGDXPTUTMRXQ.jpg)
Super Bowl could be farewell for several pending free agents
Kansas City and Tampa Bay have several starters, including some notable pass catchers, scheduled to become free agents next month. So the Super Bowl between the Chiefs and Buccaneers will serve as a farewell for several players with their current team. Brown signed a one-year, $1.6 million contract with Tampa in late October and has been a model citizen since. He has 45 receptions for 623 yards and seven touchdowns after signing a one-year, $9 million deal. He turned 34 last month and might be willing to sign another one-year deal to stay in Tampa.
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Chiefsโ Robinson, Kilgore on COVID-19 list as close contacts
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Demarcus Robinson (11) catches a pass ahead of Cleveland Browns cornerback Terrance Mitchell, left, during the second half of an NFL divisional round football game, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, in Kansas City. โ The Kansas City Chiefs placed a pair of backups, wide receiver Demarcus Robinson and center Daniel Kilgore, on the COVID-19 list as close contacts Monday as they begin final preparations for the Super Bowl against Tampa Bay. Neither of the players actually tested positive for COVID-19, which means Robinson โ a regular contributor โ and Kilgore could still play in the Super Bowl. "I could only imagine, and I donโt even want to imagine, what it would be to have to miss the Super Bowl because of COVID. He would provide depth behind Kelce and Nick Keizer while allowing Kansas City to use three-tight end sets.
![Big offenses, overlooked defenses in AFC title game](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/6GJhFusjNp-2YfUUAF9GCfwdgkA=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/ANIA4ATRQZGU5GCJOHHFMH5K5U.jpg)
Big offenses, overlooked defenses in AFC title game
The Kansas City Chiefs won their first NFL title since 1970 when they beat San Francisco in last year's Super Bowl. What we get Sunday is a matchup of dynamic offenses and overlooked defenses, the top two teams in the conference. Kansas City (15-2) has the confidence of a reigning champion and a charisma few NFL teams can match. That could provide an edge over Bills rookie Tyler Bass โ except that Bass has been very reliable all season. Buffalo punter Corey Bojorquez and Kansas City rookie Johnny Townsend were two of the most dependable in the AFC.
![Chiefs bonding through pandemic in bid for Super Bowl repeat](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/P7n2JlEyI25LMqzXoByd95B8dYc=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/UYYZE63INNAAFGZWCHUF3WM3HU.jpg)
Chiefs bonding through pandemic in bid for Super Bowl repeat
A lot of different conversations take place at Tyrann's place.โThe Super Bowl champs had to find other ways to bond this season, though. With the specter of COVID-19 looming over them each week, the Chiefs were forced to eschew such get-togethers in order to keep the virus at bay. Most of those close relationships were forged last season, when Patrick Mahomes and Co. led the Chiefs to their first Super Bowl title in five decades. โI told Patrick, โThanks for letting me feel young for one more day,โโ Reid said with a droll grin. You end up talking to everybody on the team, not just one or two guys.โMaybe the pandemic has helped the Chiefs to form those bonds after all.
![Chiefs clinch No. 1 seed when Falcons' Koo misses late FG](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/WJRRRYf3NgCN8VZCOpdp9mKk-ws=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/EXDMI6C64BEPPCJPH54E3DZC7Y.jpg)
Chiefs clinch No. 1 seed when Falcons' Koo misses late FG
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is tackled by Atlanta Falcons Foyesade Oluokun during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in Kansas City. โ All season, the prolific Kansas City offense had been putting the Chiefs in position to capture the No. And when the Pro Bowl kicker faded it right with 9 seconds remaining, the Chiefs had escaped, 17-14. Not to mention the Chiefs got their club-record 10th straight win and and the AFC's lone first-round playoff bye. They took the lead when Matt Ryan hit Laquon Treadwell for a 5-yard touchdown with 4:33 to go, then answered Mahomes' touchdown pass to Robinson by marching right down field again.
![Mahomes' theatrics highlight Chiefs' 32-29 win over Saints](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/rjazk2GpYpBFoothr2iYiyI02ZY=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/COZUJWFWINCYZOLURQLUXW2HPE.jpg)
Mahomes' theatrics highlight Chiefs' 32-29 win over Saints
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) passes in the first half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020. The victory kept the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs (13-1) in pole position to capture the AFC's lone playoff bye as a No. Mahomes' second TD toss looked more like a basketball assist, a chest-pass to tight end Travis Kelce cutting behind blockers for a 1-yard score. With two timeouts remaining, the Saints kicked deep, but could not prevent Mahomes and Co. from running out the clock. Saints: Receiver Tre'Quan Smith and safety Marcus Williams each left with ankle injuries in the second half.
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Chiefs keep things fun with Mahomes' playground plays
Wait a minute โ those are the plays Patrick Mahomes has been drawing up. For the second time this season, the Chiefs used a play dreamed up by their quarterback in Sunday's win over Tampa Bay. Kelce had Mahomes open, but had his wobbly pass batted into the turf. โIt keeps the guys alive,โ Chiefs coach Andy Reid said this week. โWe're trying to be creative, have fun out there, enjoy it day-in and day-out,โ Mahomes said.
![Mahomes throws 5 TD passes as Chiefs romp past Jets, 35-9](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/5tIS9NSLEGtKGRk8l6IPZw3i-fU=/1600x1067/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/VMNTFPZ4PBBHHMGKU775Z7QCXY.jpg)
Mahomes throws 5 TD passes as Chiefs romp past Jets, 35-9
โ Patrick Mahomes did just about everything for the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. On the second, Mahomes claimed to see Hill โa little banged upโ and decided to carry him โ horse-and-jockey style โ back to the Kansas City sideline. While the Jets answered with the first of three first-half field goals, the Chiefs kept scoring touchdowns. Mahomes hit Robinson from 26 yards out for his fourth TD pass, giving Kansas City a 28-9 lead late in the third quarter. Mahomes capped his big day with his second touchdown throw to Hill early in the fourth.
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Chiefs begin title defense with 34-20 victory over Texans
That run includes a come-from-behind 51-31 victory over the Texans in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Texans' Deshaun Watson threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score, but he also was under relentless pressure and was intercepted once. The elusive Johnson finished it off by scampering 19 yards to the end zone for a 7-0 lead. Watson threw a touchdown pass and ran for a TD later in the quarter to make the final score a bit more respectable. The teams then stood together in a line that stretched from one end zone to the other for a moment of silence before the coin toss.
![Chiefs wide receivers showcase speed during indoor race](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/fE21E15bZ_f4t3Zcdc1tsqvStpw=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/BYWGD4AJM5HB3HQAAK37JITPQ4.jpg)
Chiefs wide receivers showcase speed during indoor race
The two Chiefs wide receivers have traded barbs about their speed ever since Hardman was chosen in the second round of last year's draft. I'm just lucky to have both of them, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said during a break from training camp meetings and workouts this week. I'd rather them just run down the sidelines scoring touchdowns during the game week.All of the Chiefs' wide receivers did plenty of that last year. And the ability of Hardman and Hill in particular to stop on a dime, change directions and immediately accelerate to full speed is uncanny. It's the way I got to the Kansas City Chiefs.It's a big reason why Hardman made it to the Chiefs.