From 10 yards outside the end zone, Mahomes faked a handoff to running back Kareem Hunt and watched Buffalo's defense sell out to stop the run. Kansas City had run an identical play earlier in the game when Mahomes actually gave the ball to Hunt, who got through for a 12-yard touchdown run.
"Pat knew they were going to go for the ball," offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said.
He was right. Only this time, Mahomes was the one running with the ball. Moments later, he was celebrating a touchdown of his own.
When the Chiefs beat the Bills 32-29 on Sunday night in another playoff classic between these two teams, Mahomes produced a series of clutch plays to condemn Buffalo to more postseason heartbreak and keep Kansas City on course for a third consecutive title. But the guy who has become the greatest quarterback of his generation through a repertoire of remarkable throws didn't make his most significant plays with his arm.
He did it with his legs.
Mahomes accounted for three of the Chiefs' four touchdowns against Buffalo, and two of them were on the ground. That might seem surprising considering that he's hardly one of the league's most prolific scramblers. At this time of year, though, Mahomes suddenly turns into a runner who can deliver a series of killer blows to opposing defenses.
His two rushing touchdowns Sunday matched his entire total from the regular season.
This story is from the January 28, 2025 edition of The Wall Street Journal.
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This story is from the January 28, 2025 edition of The Wall Street Journal.
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