The Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles will meet in the NFL Finals. The Chiefs won their semifinal dramatically, the Eagles got through easier.
The Kansas City Chiefs advanced dramatically to the NFL finals early Sunday morning. The events of the last moments played a decisive role when the Cincinnati Bengals Joseph Ossai pushed the superstar who crossed the sideline Patrick Mahomes.
The ball was moved forward 15 yards, so Harrison Butker got to try a kick goal. Butker succeeded in a 45-yard field goal and took the Chiefs to the final with a score of 23–20.
Quarterback Mahomes threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns in the game, despite spraining his ankle more than a week ago. Mahomes was able to play in the game, but his ankle was taped.
Kansas City general manager Brett Veach told ESPN that people don’t realize how hurt Mahomes was in the game.
– We all saw that injury. Sometimes a player can be sidelined for two or three weeks due to such an injury. Still, he ran the field and thanks to his performance we got within kicking distance, Veach rejoiced.
The game started off great for Mahomes and the Chiefs, as the first three possessions resulted in a touchdown. 29 of Mahomes’ 43 throws ended up in the hands of his own players.
– I tried to do everything I could to win. There were moments in the game when you could see that the injury didn’t allow me to do what I wanted, Mahomes said.
Mahomes said he didn’t really feel good and said the worst moment was when he fumbled with the ball. However, the quarterback emphasized that the ankle had no significant effect.
– However, I was able to execute well enough in the last attack, Mahomes stated.
Made a mistake Joseph Ossai burst into tears. He was comforted by the Cincinnati players and coaches.
– I have to learn from this experience. I have to know not to get too close to the quarterback when he’s near the sideline, if there’s something that could possibly lead to a penalty in that situation, Ossai told ESPN (You’re moving to another service).
The Chiefs have been regular visitors to the Super Bowl in recent years, making their third appearance in four years. Once of these, the Chiefs celebrated a victory, in 2020.
If there was drama in the finals of the AFC conference until the end, the finals of the NFC were decided with clear results. The San Fransisco 49ers bowed for the second time in a row in the conference finals, when the Philadelphia Eagles reached the Super Bowl with a score of 31–7 (14–7).
San Fransisco’s dreams of a Super Bowl took a hit early in the game when the quarterback Brock Purdy got an elbow injury. He was already the third San Francisco quarterback injured this season.
Purdy, who was the last player selected for the entire league in the previous draft, took over the quarterback duties after the middle of the season, and San Fransisco went all the way to the conference finals without a loss.
However, the wonderful story had a harsh end. After Purdy’s injury, San Fransisco couldn’t get their offense going and Philadelphia easily cruised to victory.
– We really didn’t get to see the 49er football that we wanted to see. But sometimes life just smacks you in the face, inner winger George Kittle said.
San Fransisco had previously lost a quarterback Trey Lance’s already in the second week of the season. Jimmy Garoppolo on the other hand, was sidelined in week 13.