UNITED STATES—Look, I will admit I am NOT a fan of the New England Patriots. I have never been and I don’t think I will ever be. The one thing I will admit is the Patriots are one helluva a football team; Tom Brady and company know how to deliver when they have to. This is why they are playing in their eighth, yes, you heard me, eighth consecutive AFC Championship Game.
The Kansas City Chiefs, who hasn’t been to the Super Bowl in nearly 50 years, has an opportunity to make something magical happen, but they’d have to defeat the Patriots. The Patriots were not playing on their home turf, they were playing in Kansas City and the temperature was quite cold to say the least. However, that didn’t hurt the Patriots who was first to put points on the board with a touchdown in the first quarter. However, that momentum came to a halt with the Chiefs defense keeping the Patriots at bay for a vast majority of the first half of the game.
Seeing Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs make a drive towards the final minutes of the second quarter was a thrill-a-minute. However, the Chiefs could not make anything of it. Ugh, this first half of the game was dreadful to watch, especially if you’re a Chiefs fan. I mean New England went into halftime up 14-0; Kansas City has to completely retool their playbook if they want to have a chance in this game. Well, whatever transpired in the locker room helped the Chiefs because they came out swinging during the second half with a touchdown, one that cut the Patriots lead down to 7.
The Patriots would respond with a drive of their own, but they were held to a field goal versus an actual touchdown bringing the score to 17-7. The Chiefs responded with another drive to place another touchdown on the board. Now, this is what I call a football game with Kansas City cutting the Patriots lead down to 3 with the fourth quarter underway. What’s up with Brady?
The guy threw another interception, giving the Chiefs the opportunity to take the lead of the game for the first time. These throws might be very costly for Brady and Co. because it gave the Chiefs the momentum with another touchdown and the lead, 21-17. This fourth quarter was the best of the game; it seemed like the Chiefs defense was ready for war, while the Patriots offense was ready for war, with Sonny Michel scoring a touchdown putting up the Patriots 24-21. With just about 3 minutes in the game, the Chiefs still had the ability to make something happen.
Mahomes, with ball in hand started to make some moves with a great pass that placed KC in the ballpark to score a touchdown, and oh, it happened. Kansas City took the lead 28-24 with just 2 minutes left in the game. We know that Tom Brady can make something happen in just 2 minutes, and this is why I love football America. There have been more reviews in this game than I can count, and a big one came with less than a minute in the game with Brady throwing a pass to Hogan that based on the review did not appear to be a completed pass, and New England was not lucky this time around. Brady had to make something happen, and a throw by Brady tipped giving KC a chance, but a call on the field gave the Patriots another shot, and he made something happen with Rob Gronkowski, and like that, New England scores a touchdown giving them a 3-point lead.
The Chiefs have only 39 seconds to either score a field goal to tie the game to force overtime or score a touchdown to punch their ticket to the Super Bowl. Mahomes made magic again, and I did NOT think this KC Chiefs and NE Patriots came would become this exciting. Sixteen seconds left, and the Chiefs have the opportunity for a field goal to tie the game or to score a touchdown. Chief’s kicker Harrison Butker made a 39-yard field goal attempt to tie the game 31-31 and we’re heading to overtime again America. How often does that happen? Both the NFC and AFC Championship games would be determined in overtime people; I love it. New England won the coin toss giving them the first opportunity to close this game out, and Brady did what he did best and took his team into the end zone.
So for the THIRD consecutive year, the New England Patriots are headed to the Super Bowl. Like I said I’m not a Patriots fan, but I respect great gameplay when I see it and the Patriots played with ferocity during the fourth quarter. Super Bowl LIII is now set: The Los Angeles Rams vs. The New England Patriots. Do you even have to guess who I am rooting for? I’m hoping while many suspect the Rams to be underdogs, I want to see them come out on top because it would be amazing to see if happen. Place your bets Super Bowl LIII airs on Sunday, February 3.
