The Kansas City Chiefs breezed into the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs, handily beating the Miami Dolphins 26-7 in freezing cold conditions at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday night.
In what was the fourth-coldest game in NFL history, the Dolphins never truly adjusted to the sub-zero temperatures, managing only 264 yards of offense as they barely laid a glove on their hosts.
One highlight was a 53-yard touchdown for Tyreek Hill on his return to Kansas City that pulled the Dolphins to within three points of their opponents early on in the second quarter but Miami otherwise repeatedly faltered in the frigid conditions.
The Chiefs, as has been the case for largely the entire season, were also far from their explosive best on offense, having to settle for field goals on four occasions when flirting with finding the end zone.
Harrison Butker’s kicking was clutch despite the testing conditions, and Patrick Mahomes ultimately did enough to earn his team the win, going 23-of-41 passing, for 262 yards and one TD, while running back Isiah Pacheco was also impressive, with 89 yards on 24 carries.
Pacheco found the end zone from three yards out in the final quarter to truly ice the contest – the final points of the game – while Mahomes found Rashee Rice for an 11-yard score on their only other trip to the end zone. The receiver would finish the game with an impressive stat line of eight grabs for 80 yards and that TD.
Rice’s touchdown capped a hugely impressive nine-play, 69-yard opening drive by the Chiefs that eased any fears that they’d struggle to find a way to consistently move the ball in the ice-cold conditions.
Tua Tagovailoa, who’d finish 20-of-39 for 199 yards, was picked off later in the first quarter, helping set up the first of Butker’s field goals. The Dolphins QB would make amends with the long scoring strike to Hill on their next possession but they’d manage only 33 total yards from their next five offensive series’, by which time Kansas City built themselves a 19-point advantage and had all but booked their place in next week’s Divisional Round.
Stats leaders:
Miami Dolphins
- Passing: Tua Tagovailoa, 20/39, 199 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
- Rushing: Raheem Mostert, 8 carries, 33 yards
- Receiving: Tyreek Hill, 5 catches, 62 yards, 1 TD
Kansas City Chiefs
- Passing: Patrick Mahomes, 23/41, 262 yards, 1 TD
- Rushing: Isiah Pacheco, 24 carries, 89 yards, 1 TD
- Receiving: Rashee Rice, 8 catches, 130 yards, 1 TD
Score summary
What’s next?
Kansas City will travel to the Buffalo Bills in next weekend’s Divisional Round, should they overcome the Pittsburgh Steelers in their postponed wild card clash on Monday.
Should the Steelers win that matchup, the Chiefs would instead host CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans next weekend, following their 45-14 thumping of the Cleveland Browns.
Watch the Dallas Cowboys host the Green Bay Packers live on Sky Sports NFL from 9.30pm Sunday, before Matthew Stafford’s Los Angeles Rams face the Detroit Lions; the Buffalo Bills meet the Pittsburgh Steelers at 9.30pm Monday night following the postponement of their game due to a storm.
Source : Sky Sports
