The first half of the A.F.C. Championship game went as close to flawlessly for Kansas City’s offense as the team would have wanted.
An 11-play opening drive ended in a 10-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes to Tyreek Hill. The next drive began with a 44-yard pass from Mahomes to Mecole Hardman and ended with Mahomes dancing around the field on a nearly 8-second scramble, before he rifled a touchdown pass to tight end Travis Kelce.
On Kansas City’s next drive, Mahomes hit Hardman again for a 3-yard score to give Kansas City a 21-3 lead.
Just when it looked like the game was slipping out of the Bengals’ grasp, quarterback Joe Burrow, showing the poise that many have lauded him for, led Cincinnati on its first touchdown drive of the game.