Cincinnati Bengals has reached the Super Bowl for the first time since 1988.
Cincinnati Bengals reached the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1988 season after Evan McPherson kicked a 31-yard game-winning field goal in overtime.
Vonn Bell intercepted Patrick Mahomes on the third play in overtime to kickstart the decisive drive that would ice the largest comeback in Conference Championship game history.
The Bengals had trailed 21-3 in the first half after a lightning Chiefs start, and did not lead in the game until 6.04 remaining when McPherson split the posts from 52 yards to put the visitors up 24-21.
Harrison Butker then sent the game beyond regulation with a 44-yard field goal as time expired, only for the Chiefs to be denied a third straight trip to the Super Bowl.
Mahomes had been near-perfect during a first half in which he went 18 of 21 passing for 220 yards and three touchdowns to Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and Mecole Hardman as the Chiefs appeared well on course to advance to a Super Bowl showdown at SoFi Stadium.
Samaje Perine ignited an unlikely comeback inside the final two minutes of the second quarter, though, when he slalomed through Chiefs bodies behind a big block from rookie offensive tackle Jackson Carman for a 41-yard touchdown to make it 21-10.
The Bengals defense followed up with a critical stop to deny Hill at the one-yard line on second-and-goal on the final play of the half.
McPherson’s 31-yard field goal cut the lead to eight points after the break, before BJ Hill’s interception off Mahomes on the ensuing drive set up Burrow’s two-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Marr Chase and two-point conversion to Trent Taylor to make it 21-21.
Momentum looked like it might swing back in the Chiefs’ favour when Burrow was intercepted by L’Jarius Sneed inside the first minute of the fourth quarter, but Kansas City could only manage a swift three-and-out.
Burrow twice scrambled to convert crucial third-and-longs, the first of which saw him miraculously escape a Chris Jones sack on two occasions, to tee up McPherson’s go-ahead field goal.
The former LSU national champion became the first No.1 overall pick quarterback to reach the Super Bowl in his second season in the NFL, finishing the game 23 of 38 for 250 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
Source: Skysports
