NFL: Chiefs back in Super Bowl after 50 years

In Kansas City, quarterback Patrick Mahomes became the man of the game: the 24-year-old threw 294 yards of space and three touchdown passes, two of them wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Shortly before the break, Mahomes turned the game in favor of the home side, who, like in the quarter-finals, lagged behind with a spectacular run. For the American Football Conference (AFC) team, it is the third participation in the final after 1967 and 1970.

The 49ers, who are in the grand finale for the seventh time, literally defected the Packers: Running back Raheem Mostert wrote play-off history with 220 yards and four touchdowns. For the best team at the National Football Conference (NFC), it is the first Super Bowl participation since 2013, the comeback of the Packers in California in the second half was clearly too late.

The 54th edition of the Super Bowl will take place on February 2nd at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. While the Chiefs are aiming for their second title there after 1970, the 49ers could match the record Super Bowl winners Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots, who each won the Vince Lombardi Trophy six times.

Chiefs are catching up again

At freezing temperatures at Arrowhead Stadium, the guests set the tone in Kansas City as in the quarter-final against the Houston Texans (51:31) last week. This time, the chiefs did not have to follow 0:24 behind, but were “only” behind with 0:10 or 7:17. After a field goal, star running back Derrick Henry, the outstanding Titans player in the surprising wins against New England and Baltimore Ravens in the first two rounds of play-off, extended the lead to 10: 0.

After quarterback Ryan Tannehill led his offensive up to four yards to the end zone, Henry took the ball himself and ran into the end zone. The Chiefs wrote the first touchdown pass from Mahomes to Hill (eight yards) before the Titans increased to 17-7 with a touchdown pass caught by offensive tackle Dennis Kelly. That should have been the last points on the guests’ side until shortly before the end of the game, especially since Henry could be kept in check and in the end only booked 69 yards.

Spectacular touchdowns from Mahomes

Led by the towering Mahomes, the Chiefs turned the game before the break. Hill first caught his second pass for six points (20 yards) four minutes before half-time, before Mahomes once again demonstrated his qualities. Last season’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) put in a spectacular 27 yard run 11 seconds before the end of the first half. “If you have weapons like this in your team, you get rooms. I am happy to play on this team. That makes it easier, ”said Mahomes after the game about the move in which he found his way to the end zone in the style of a slalom rider.

Kansas City controlled the game after the break with the 21:17 lead and the loud fans behind them. After a pointless quarter, running back Damien Williams increased to 28:17 for the home side in a 3-yard run before Mahomes again demonstrated his limb and served Sammy Watkins for 60 yards to 35:17.

Henry still had the defensive under control, with the Titans star only seven yards in the second half. Only after a fake punt did the guests score again: Tannehill found tight end Anthony Firkser at 24:35, but four minutes before the end of the game, this was just cosmetic results. The Chiefs celebrated their return to the NFL final in their “kingdom” after 50 long years. “It is outstanding that we have managed to do this here. The fans deserve it. But we are not finished yet, ”emphasized Mahomes, who failed with his team in the semi-final a year ago in the extension to the Patriots.

49ers overrun packers

The 49ers last appeared in the Super Bowl seven years ago when they were the only defeat in the final against the Baltimore Ravens. Now they are in the final for the seventh time. In the second championship game of the day, the 49ers gave the packers practically no chance, just like in the regular season. The duel in week twelve was even clearer for the 49ers with 37: 8.

At the break it was already 27-0 for the hosts. Running back Raheem Mostert was unstoppable for the Packers defense, he ran alone for 160 yards in the first 30 minutes and scored all three touchdowns before the break. In the first duel, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo had the opponent under control in combination with tight end George Kittle, this time head coach and offensive specialist Kyle Shanahan decided to decide the game on the ground – despite the early retirement of running back Tevin Coleman succeeded.

The offensive for Packers star quarterback Aaron Rodgers also had problems against the strong 49ers defensive, losing the ball twice in half one, once after a mistake by Rodgers. After the break, the Packers got three touchdowns, but Mostert’s fourth run in the end zone in between had given the 49ers more than just air. His 220 yards of space gained were the second most running back in a play-off game after Eric Dickerson’s 248 34 years ago. Four touchdowns and over 200 yards of rushing yards were a first.

A field goal to 37:20 ultimately brought the decision, the second interception by Rodgers, who came in 326 yards of space, finally sealed the 49ers victory. The 36-year-old star quarterback, who won the title with the Packers in 2011, missed his second participation in the big final. His opponent Garoppolo, once Tom Brady’s replacement at the Patriots, will be the starter for the first time. Thanks to Mostert, he only threw eight times in the NFC final and came in at 77 yards. “We can win in so many different ways. It was fun, ”said the 28-year-old.

National Football League

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