Patrick Mahomes threw for 262 yards and a landing, had his helmet shattered when he took a success within the second half, and proceeded to guide the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs to a 26-7 rout of the Miami Dolphins within the fourth-coldest recreation in NFL historical past Saturday night time.
Patrick Mahomes’ helmet cracks open after intense hit in recreation
The reigning league MVP discovered Rashee Rice eight occasions for 130 yards and a landing within the wild-card playoff recreation, and Isiah Pacheco added 89 yards dashing and one other rating, sending the Chiefs (12-6) previous the Dolphins for the primary time in 4 postseason conferences.
Harrison Butker added 4 area objectives for the defending Tremendous Bowl champs.
The injury-depleted Dolphins (11-7) appeared nothing just like the dynamic offense that led the league in yards through the common season. Tua Tagovailoa was pressured relentlessly by the NFL’s second-ranked protection, huge receiver Tyreek Hill had a 53-yard TD catch however was in any other case shut down in his return to Kansas Metropolis, and the Dolphins completed with simply 264 yards in all.
They haven’t received at Arrowhead Stadium since Nov. 6, 2011, nor received a playoff recreation since Dec. 30, 2000.
In the meantime, the Chiefs received their fifteenth consecutive residence playoff recreation – not counting a trio of Tremendous Bowls. However they are going to head to Buffalo subsequent week if the Payments beat the Steelers on Monday in a recreation pushed again a day by a blizzard. In any other case, the Chiefs will host Houston, which beat the Browns earlier Saturday.
The wind chill hit a bone-rattling minus-27 levels
It was minus-4 levels Fahrenheit (minus-20 Celsius) at kickoff, simply setting a report for the coldest recreation at Arrowhead Stadium. But it surely was wind gusts, whipping by means of at greater than 25 mph and driving the wind chill to a bone-rattling minus-27 levels, that made the climate actually depressing for almost everybody.
That included pop star Taylor Swift, who as soon as once more turned as much as see her boyfriend, Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce.
She at the very least obtained to look at from an enclosed suite. Most followers huddled exterior in parkas, ski goggles and snow pants, and gamers huddled round heaters on the sidelines as in the event that they have been an oasis within the chilly. The Nationwide Climate Service issued a warning for what it known as “dangerously chilly” climate that had blanketed the Midwest.
The truth is, the chilly might have made Mahomes’ helmet brittle sufficient {that a} hit within the third quarter knocked a piece of the plastic shell from it. As soon as officers noticed the fist-sized gap, they made Mahomes get a backup helmet from the bench.
The climate did not appear to hassle Hill, who was taking part in in Kansas Metropolis for the primary time since his outdated staff traded him to Miami two years in the past. The league’s main receiver warmed up in a short-sleeved shirt, then proceeded to scorch the stout Chiefs protection and All-Professional cornerback Trent McDuffie for a his lengthy landing reception halfway by means of the primary half.
However the Dolphins’ offense in any other case struggled, simply because it did in a 21-14 loss to the Chiefs of their November recreation in Germany.
Kansas Metropolis was way more environment friendly, scoring on 4 of its six first-half drives. Mahomes capped the primary with a TD toss to Rice, and whereas ensuing drives saved fizzling within the crimson zone, Butker added a trio of area objectives as Kansas Metropolis took a 16-3 lead into the break.
The Chiefs added one other area purpose within the third quarter, nevertheless it was nonetheless a two-possession recreation early within the fourth when the Dolphins appeared to pressure one other area purpose. However a late flag on Christian Wilkins for roughing the passer on third down gave Kansas Metropolis a recent set of downs, and Pacheco plowed into the tip zone moments later to provide the Chiefs a 26-7 lead.
The Dolphins lastly put collectively a sustained drive afterward, however by that time it was a lot too late. And once they did not convert on fourth down, they have been headed to their eleventh straight loss when the game-time temp is 40 levels or much less.
Far much less, on this case.
INJURIES
Miami: S Jevon Holland (knee) and CB Xavien Howard (foot) have been inactive. CB DeShon Elliott (calf) left within the fourth quarter.
Kansas Metropolis: WR Kadarius Toney (hip) was inactive. DT Derrick Nnadi (elbow) left within the second quarter.
