Chiefs close in on Super Bowl ‘three-peat’ but Lions dumped out

NFL play-offs

Dates: 10-26 January 2025

The Kansas City Chiefs moved one step closer to an unprecedented ‘three-peat’ while the Washington Commanders upset the Detroit Lions in a thriller in the NFL play-offs.

Kansas City and Detroit were given a bye to week two of the Divisional Round as the conference’s top seeds.

The Chiefs defeated the Houston Texans on Saturday to win their first game, 23-14, but the Lions’ historic season was ended by a surprise defeat by the Commanders, the NFC’s sixth seed, 45-31.

Jayden Daniels, a rookie quarterback, led Washington to the NFC Championship game for the first time since 1992, when the Redskins, as they were known, won the game for the third time in a row.

Kansas City, meanwhile, kept alive their hopes of becoming the first team to win three straight Super Bowls.

The Chiefs have won the NFL’s championship game three times in a row under the direction of quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Last season, they became the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since Tom Brady’s New England Patriots in 2004 and 2005, and they are back within one win of the big game.

The Chiefs will travel to either the Philadelphia Eagles or the Los Angeles Rams for their seventh straight AFC Championship game next week.

Detroit were the NFL’s highest scorers this season, setting a host of franchise records including a 15-2 campaign.

The two teams had a thrilling second quarter after a Jahmyr Gibbs touchdown in Detroit’s first quarter.

In just over nine minutes, Brian Robinson Jr.’s touchdown run for Washington set off the play-off’s highest-scoring quarter ever.

After Sam LaPorta, the Lions tight end, made a one-handed catch in the back end zone before Terry McLaurin burst through the gap to score with 58 yards.

After two plays, Quan Martin returned an interception for a 40-yard touchdown to give Washington a lead they would never relinquish.

After a block on that play, Detroit quarterback Jared Goff had to be evaluated, and despite Teddy Bridgewater stepping in during the next drive, the Lions turned in a thrilling run play that resulted in Jameson Williams running outside before getting a 61-yard score from blockers.

Washington led by 31-21 going into halftime thanks to a three-time conversion by the Lions to Zach Ertz.

The gap was closed when Gibbs scored a second touchdown in the third quarter, but Robinson and Jeremy McNichols both scored from a yard to win.

Taylor Swift and WNBA legend Caitlin Clark, who has a lifelong Chiefs fan, were guests in Swift’s suite at a chilly Arrowhead Stadium.

Like Patrick Mahomes, Kelce has been pivotal to Kansas City’s dynasty. The 35-year-old tight end has a habit of putting his best foot forward for the playoffs, and he won the game with his 20th touchdown catch in the post-season, which is second only to Jerry Rice’s (22) all-time best.

After three field goals in the first quarter, the Chiefs led 3-1 with the kickoff returned with 63 yards from Nikko Remigio.

After Mahomes found Kelce, who ran for a 49-yard gain, giving Kansas City the opportunity to kick in from a yard and give the team a 13-6 lead at half-time.

Houston’s Joe Mixon ran it in from 13 yards to make it 13-12 in the third quarter, but the Chiefs stretched their lead on the next drive.

Mahomes lean forward at a 45-degree angle before touchdown-tying Kelce with an 11-yard touchdown pass while demonstrating his athleticism.

Kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn wasted two chances to give the Texans a lead, sending a field goal that was only 3-3 and an attempt to score 13-12 that was only slightly off target.