The 2021 Buffalo Bills–Kansas City Chiefs Divisional Round playoff game was a
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(NFL) game held on January 23, 2022, as part of the
2021–22 NFL playoffs
The National Football League playoffs for the 2021 season was the first time that the league featured a 17-game regular season schedule, and consequently the start of the playoffs was pushed a week later to January 15, 2022. The postseason conc ...
. The
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
Established in 1959 ...
defeated the visiting
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...
42–36 to advance to the
AFC Championship Game
The AFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the American Football Conference (AFC) and one of the two semifinal NFL playoffs, playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional American football lea ...
. Noted for the quarterback play of Buffalo's
Josh Allen
Joshua Patrick Allen (born May 21, 1996) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wyoming Cowboys football, Wyoming Cow ...
and Kansas City's
Patrick Mahomes
Patrick Lavon Mahomes II ( ; born September 17, 1995) is an American professional football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). Mahomes has led the Chiefs to seven consecutive AFC Championship Game app ...
, it was the first NFL game in which both quarterbacks threw for at least 300 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions and rushed for at least 50 yards.
The game had four lead changes and 25 points scored in the
final two minutes of regulation, the second-most among all games in the
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual History of the NFL championship, league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966 NFL season, 1966 (with the excep ...
era. After scoring on their opening drive, the Bills did not regain the lead until the fourth quarter when Allen threw a go-ahead touchdown pass with under two minutes remaining. Mahomes responded with a 64-yard touchdown pass to regain the lead with less than a minute remaining, but Buffalo's next possession ended in another touchdown pass from Allen. With 13 seconds left, Mahomes led the Chiefs on a 44-yard drive, which set up a game-tying field goal to force overtime. The Chiefs received the overtime kickoff after winning the coin toss and scored a touchdown to secure the victory.
[ Despite the loss, Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis set the NFL playoff game record for receiving touchdowns at four.
The performances of both teams, particularly Allen and Mahomes, drew praise from commentators, who considered the game to be one of the greatest in the modern NFL playoffs. It is colloquially known as 13 Seconds after the Chiefs' game-tying drive and considered an example of the Buffalo sports curse. The game also renewed scrutiny of the NFL's overtime rules, which were changed beginning with the 2022 postseason and the 2025 regular season to assure both teams of one possession in overtime.]
Background
The Chiefs finished the regular season with a 12–5 record to clinch their sixth straight AFC West
The American Football Conference – Western Division or AFC West is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division comprises the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, ...
title and the #2 seed of the American Football Conference
The American Football Conference (AFC) is one of the two conferences of the National Football League (NFL), the highest level of professional American football in the United States. The AFC and its counterpart, the National Football Conference ...
(AFC). The Bills compiled an 11–6 record to win their second consecutive AFC East
The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). There are currently four teams that reside in th ...
title and the AFC's #3 seed. At the end of the regular season, the Bills had the highest point differential and margin of victory, but lost every game that was within one possession.
With the emergence of quarterback Patrick Mahomes
Patrick Lavon Mahomes II ( ; born September 17, 1995) is an American professional football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). Mahomes has led the Chiefs to seven consecutive AFC Championship Game app ...
in 2018, the Chiefs became one of the top teams in the league. They hosted the AFC Championship Game
The AFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the American Football Conference (AFC) and one of the two semifinal NFL playoffs, playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional American football lea ...
over the past three seasons, appeared in the Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual History of the NFL championship, league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966 NFL season, 1966 (with the excep ...
over the past two, and won Super Bowl LIV
Super Bowl LIV was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2019 NFL season, 2019 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion 2019 Kansas City Chiefs season, Kansas City ...
. The Bills had been on the rise since the breakout season of quarterback Josh Allen
Joshua Patrick Allen (born May 21, 1996) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wyoming Cowboys football, Wyoming Cow ...
in 2020 and won consecutive AFC East division titles. The two teams met in the previous season's AFC Championship, which the Chiefs won 38–24. A regular season rematch followed on ''NBC Sunday Night Football
''NBC Sunday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''SNF'') is an American weekly television broadcast of National Football League (NFL) games on NBC and Peacock (streaming service), Peacock in the United States. It began airing on August 6, 2006, w ...
'', in which the Bills defeated the Chiefs 38–20.
The day before the game, the top-seeded Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...
were defeated in the divisional round by the fourth-seeded Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
, guaranteeing the winner of the Buffalo–Kansas City matchup would host the AFC Championship. A Chiefs victory would make them the first NFL team to host four consecutive conference championships, while the Bills would host the AFC Championship for the first time since 1993 if they won.
Game summary
First quarter
Buffalo started off the game with a 15-play, 71-yard drive in which they converted two fourth downs, the second with a 1-yard touchdown run by Devin Singletary to go up 7–0. Kansas City responded with a 13-play, 74-yard drive in which quarterback Patrick Mahomes
Patrick Lavon Mahomes II ( ; born September 17, 1995) is an American professional football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). Mahomes has led the Chiefs to seven consecutive AFC Championship Game app ...
rushed three times for 48 yards, the last carry being an 8-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7.
Second quarter
In the second quarter, Mahomes completed a 21-yard pass to Travis Kelce
Travis Michael Kelce ( ; born October 5, 1989) is an American professional American football, football tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2013 NF ...
and Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for a 22-yard gain on an 81-yard drive to score on Mahomes' 2-yard touchdown pass to Byron Pringle, giving the Chiefs a 14–7 lead. The Bills countered with a drive in which Josh Allen
Joshua Patrick Allen (born May 21, 1996) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wyoming Cowboys football, Wyoming Cow ...
rushed twice for 20 yards and completed 5/5 passes for 55, the last an 18-yard touchdown completion to Gabe Davis, tying the score at 14–14 with 42 seconds left in the half. Kansas City then advanced to the Bills 32, but Butker missed a 50-yard field goal attempt as the second quarter clock ran out.
Third quarter
The Chiefs started the second half with a 64-yard, 15-play drive, featuring a 20-yard catch by running back Jerick McKinnon. Butker finished it with a 39-yard field goal to give the team a 17–14 lead. Then after a punt, Edwards-Helaire rushed for a 20-yard gain and then receiver Mecole Hardman ran an end around play 25 yards for a touchdown, giving the Chiefs a 23–14 lead after Butker missed the extra point. Kansas City seemed to be pulling way from the Bills, but on the first play of Buffalo's next drive, Allen threw a 75-yard touchdown completion to Davis, making the score 23–21 with 2:06 left in the third quarter.
Fourth quarter
In the final period, Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill
Tyreek Hill (born March 1, 1994) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Garden City Broncbusters, Oklahoma State Cowboys, and West ...
returned a punt 45 yards to the Bills 16-yard line before being tackled by punter Matt Haack. Three plays later, Butker kicked a 28-yard field goal to put Kansas City up 26–21. Buffalo then covered 75 yards in 19 plays on a drive where they once again converted two fourth downs. On 4th and 4 from the Chiefs 24, Allen scrambled 6 yards for a first down. Three plays later, Singletary was then tackled for a 6-yard loss on 3rd and 7 as the clock ticked down to the two-minute warning. When faced with 4th and 13, Allen threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Davis, and followed it up with a pass to Stefon Diggs
Stefon Marsean Diggs (born November 29, 1993) is an American professional American football, football wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins footbal ...
for a 2-point conversion that gave the Bills a 29–26 lead with 1:54 left on the clock. Kansas City stormed back, moving 75 yards in 7 plays and taking a 33–29 lead on Mahomes' 64-yard touchdown pass to Hill. Taking the ball back with 57 seconds remaining, Allen completed passes to Davis for gains of 28 and 12 yards before hitting Emmanuel Sanders with a 16-yard completion on the Kansas City 19-yard line. Then with just 13 seconds left on the clock, he threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Davis to give Buffalo a 36–33 lead. On the subsequent kickoff, the Bills controversially elected to kick long rather than taking a squib kick to try and run off some of the clock; the ball went dead in the end zone, resulting in a touchback. Mahomes completed a 19-yard pass to Hill that ran just 5 seconds off the clock, then he threw a 25-yard pass to Kelce, giving Kansas City a first down on the Bills 31-yard line after running down another 5 seconds. On the next play, Butker's 49-yard field goal sent the game into overtime. Kelce was wearing an NFL Films
NFL Productions, LLC, doing business as NFL Films, is the film and television production company of the National Football League. It produces advertisement film, commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentary film, documentaries ...
microphone for the game, and audio footage from the two offensive plays of the 13-second drive revealed that Kelce instructed Hill to run the route which led to the success of the first completion, and revealed him suggesting to Mahomes that he might improvise his own route on the second offensive play if the Bills' defensive scheme didn't change. Prior to the snap, Mahomes realized Kelce's suggested improvised route would work and shouted "Do it, Kelce!", before finding his tight-end for a completion of 25 yards.
Overtime
Kansas City won the coin toss to begin the overtime period and elected to receive the ball. Getting the ball first in overtime, Mahomes rushed for 4 yards and completed 5/5 passes for 50 yards, including a 16-yard pass to McKinnon and a 26-yard throw to Hardman. On the next play, his 8-yard touchdown pass to Kelce won the game for Kansas City.
Statistics
Aftermath and reactions
The game was hailed as one of the greatest modern NFL playoff games, with some commentators initially proclaiming it not only as the best playoff game in history, but one of the greatest games ever played. It was the finale to a divisional round where every game came down to its final play; the other three games played that weekend were decided by game-winning field goals.
Early figures showed CBS averaging 34.5 million viewers for the game, but parent company ViacomCBS
Paramount Global (Trade name, d/b/a Paramount) is an American multinational mass media and entertainment Conglomerate (company), conglomerate controlled by National Amusements and Headquarters, headquartered at One Astor Plaza in Times Square, ...
later said it was closer to 43 million, with a peak of 51.6 million at its frenetic conclusion. It was the highest-rated divisional game on any network since the 2017 playoffs. In the Chiefs' home market of Kansas City, 90 percent of households tuned in at the game's climax. On Twitter
Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
, Dan Rather
Daniel Irvin Rather Jr. (; born October 31, 1931) is an American journalist, commentator, and former national evening news anchor. He began his career in Texas, becoming a national name after his reporting saved thousands of lives during Hurrica ...
, Stephen A. Smith, Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker (born April 19, 1986), nicknamed "Ace", is an American former professional basketball player. Widely regarded as one of the greatest WNBA players of all time, she was selected as the first overall pick in the 2008 WNBA dr ...
, and Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. Often regarded as the greatest point guard of all time, Johnson List of NBA players who have spent their entire career w ...
were among those reacting to the game's ending.
Immediately after the game-winning touchdown pass, Mahomes ran across the field to locate Allen, where the two quarterbacks embraced and exchanged words of respect. Even before the game took place[ commentators drew comparisons between the competitive rivalry between Mahomes and Allen, who combined for over 700 passing yards and 7 touchdowns in the game, and that of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Upton Bell compared the matchup favorably to ]The Greatest Game Ever Played
''The Greatest Game Ever Played'' is a 2005 American biographical sports film based on the early life of amateur golf champion Francis Ouimet and his surprise winning of the 1913 U.S. Open. The film was directed by Bill Paxton, and was his las ...
; he said, "I've been watching football for 75 years, and nothing compares to this Buffalo–Kansas City game. I have never seen two quarterbacks in a playoff game play at a higher level than Allen and Mahomes. I was at the 1958 Colts–Giants championship, and that doesn't compare to this game."
The Bills were criticized for not using a squib kick on the final kickoff in regulation,[ where they instead kicked through the endzone for a ]touchback
In American football, a touchback is a ruling that is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead on or behind a team's own goal line (i.e., in their end zone) and the opposing team gave the ball the momentum, or impetus, to travel ...
. This decision left 13 seconds for the Chiefs, who had all three timeouts remaining, to quickly drive into field goal range for the game-tying kick. Had Buffalo kicked in-bounds and forced the Chiefs to return the ball, more time would have elapsed in the game and the Chiefs likely would not have been able to drive downfield to get into field goal range, though they might have had better field position. Bills head coach Sean McDermott
Sean Michael McDermott (born March 21, 1974) is an American professional football coach who is the head coach for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He began his NFL coaching career as an assistant for the Philadelphia E ...
simply stated, "That starts with me" when asked about why the team did not opt to squib kick. Buffalo fans soon referred to the game as "13 Seconds". Erik Brady of ''The Buffalo News
''The Buffalo News'' is the daily newspaper of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area, located in downtown Buffalo, New York.
It was for decades the only paper fully owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway. On January 29, 2020, th ...
'' equated the loss to the phenomenon of triskaidekaphobia
Triskaidekaphobia ( , ; ) is fear or avoidance of the number . It is also a reason for the fear of Friday the 13th, called ''paraskevidekatriaphobia'' () or ''friggatriskaidekaphobia'' ( and ).
The term was used as early as in 1910 by Isador ...
, the fear or avoidance of the number 13, especially the coincidence that the 13th tarot
Tarot (, first known as ''trionfi (cards), trionfi'' and later as ''tarocchi'' or ''tarocks'') is a set of playing cards used in tarot games and in fortune-telling or divination. From at least the mid-15th century, the tarot was used to play t ...
card depicts The Grim Reaper, the subject of Andy Reid's motivational talk to Patrick Mahomes in the final seconds of regulation.
As an homage to Bills fans' practice of crowdfunding charities as an act of gratitude, Chiefs fans sent a series of $13 donations to Allen's foundation, which supports Oishei Children's Hospital in Buffalo. In the following days after the game, Oishei Children's Hospital announced that Chiefs fans had raised $312,800 to donate to the hospital. In return, Bills fans encouraged their own cause to donate to Hope House in Kansas City, a shelter that helps victims of domestic violence.[
The victory allowed Kansas City to advance to its fourth consecutive AFC Championship Game, becoming the first NFL team to host a conference championship game in four consecutive years. With the victory, Chiefs head coach ]Andy Reid
Andrew Walter Reid (born March 19, 1958) is an American professional American football, football coach who is the head coach for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). Reid was previously the head coach of the Philadelphi ...
became the first NFL coach to lead two different teams to four straight conferences championships. Reid previously led the Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
to the NFC Championship Game
The NFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the National Football Conference (NFC) and one of the two semifinal National Football League playoffs, playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional Ame ...
from 2001
The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...
to 2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
.
In the AFC Championship Game
The AFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the American Football Conference (AFC) and one of the two semifinal NFL playoffs, playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional American football lea ...
between the Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
, Butker also converted a game-tying field goal at the end of regulation and the Chiefs won the overtime coin toss to receive the ball first. Allen jokingly responded on his Twitter
Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
account to Kansas City winning a second consecutive coin toss by tweeting "Pain." However, Mahomes was intercepted 13 seconds into the Chiefs' drive, which led to the Bengals winning 27–24 off a field goal from Evan McPherson
Evan McPherson ; (born July 21, 1999) is an American professional football placekicker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida Gators before being drafted by the Bengals in th ...
. The official Bengals Twitter responded to Reid's comment by tweeting "DON'T FEAR THE REAPER!" after Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult ( ; sometimes abbreviated BÖC or BOC) is an American rock band formed on Long Island, New York, in the hamlet of Stony Brook, in 1967.
They have sold 25 million records worldwide, including 7 million in the United States. ...
's song of the same name.
The following July, this AFC Divisional game won the 2022 ESPY Award for Best Game.
The Bills and Chiefs met again in Week 6 of the season in Kansas City, with both teams having identical 4–1 records. The first half of that game ended in a similar fashion to the finish of the 2021 iteration. After a second quarter Gabe Davis touchdown reception, the Chiefs trailed 10–7 with 12 seconds left in the half. However, Mahomes led the Chiefs down the field the Bills' 43-yard line, where Harrison Butker kicked a successful 62-yard field goal to tie the game at 10. The Bills went on to win the game 24–20 on a Dawson Knox touchdown reception with 1:04 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The Chiefs and Bills would play again in the playoffs two years later, in which Kansas City won the game, 27–24.
Overtime rules
The NFL's overtime rules received renewed criticism following the game. Several commentators argued Allen should have been given the opportunity to play in overtime and felt the Chiefs' victory was mostly attributable to winning the coin toss. The outcome was compared to Kansas City's loss in the 2018 AFC Championship Game, in which Mahomes was unable to play in overtime after the New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...
won the coin toss and scored a touchdown on their opening drive. This prompted the Chiefs to unsuccessfully lobby for changes to the overtime rules, which would later benefit them against the Bills.
Following the game, Reid stated he was still open to a rule change that would allow both teams the opportunity to receive the ball in overtime. Bills tackle Dion Dawkins
Dion Dawkins (born April 26, 1994) is an American professional American football, football offensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Temple Owls football, Temple Owls.
Early ...
was among the players critical of the overtime rules, remarking that the league "should never let a football game be determined from a coin". Conversely, Allen said he had no issue with the overtime rules and Buffalo did not do enough to win the game. Mahomes, acknowledging the rules' impact on the 2018 AFC Championship, remarked, "All you can do is play the way the rules are explained and that's what we did today."
The Bengals winning the AFC Championship against the Chiefs, despite losing the overtime coin toss, prompted defense of the rules. Discussing football's team-based nature, commentators noted that the Bengals defense made a key stop (an interception) in overtime, which the Bills defense could not do in the Divisional game.
At the owners' meetings in March 2022, the league voted to change the postseason overtime rules beginning with the 2022–23 NFL playoffs to ensure both teams have one possession, with the rule being extended into the regular season in April 2025. The first playoff game to go into overtime under the new rules was Super Bowl LVIII
Super Bowl LVIII was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2023 NFL season, 2023 season. A rematch of Super Bowl LIV four years prior, the American Football Conference (AFC) 20 ...
between the Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
the following postseason. However, the rule change did not impact the outcome of the game because the 49ers were only able to score a field goal after winning the coin toss and choosing to receive possession, which the Chiefs answered with a touchdown to win the championship. Following the game, several 49ers players admitted they were not aware of the rule change before they chose to receive the ball first.
Officials
*Referee: John Hussey (#35)
*Umpire: Alan Eck (#76)
*Down judge: Mark Hittner (#28)
*Line judge: Carl Johnson (#101)
*Field judge: Rick Patterson (#15)
*Side judge: Allen Baynes (#56)
*Back judge: Dino Paganelli (#105)
*Replay official: James Nicholson (#0)
See also
* Bills–Chiefs rivalry
*Triskaidekaphobia
Triskaidekaphobia ( , ; ) is fear or avoidance of the number . It is also a reason for the fear of Friday the 13th, called ''paraskevidekatriaphobia'' () or ''friggatriskaidekaphobia'' ( and ).
The term was used as early as in 1910 by Isador ...
*Two-minute drill
The hurry-up offense is an American football offensive style, which has two different but related forms in which the offensive team avoids delays between plays. The hurry-up, no-huddle offense (HUNH) refers to avoiding or shortening the huddle t ...
Notes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:2022 AFC Divisional playoff game (Buffalo-Kansas City)
AFC Divisional playoff game (Buffalo-Kansas City)
Buffalo Bills postseason
Kansas City Chiefs postseason
NFL playoff games
Nicknamed sporting events
AFC Divisional playoff game (Buffalo-Kansas City)
AFC Divisional playoff game (Buffalo-Kansas City)
Patrick Mahomes