Final score: Chiefs win unlikely thriller over Falcons 17-14

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs offense took the field late in the fourth quarter down by four points. If that does not sound familiar, then this will: two and a half minutes later, Kansas City had the lead for good.

Mahomes fired the ball deep down the field, hitting wide receiver Demarcus Robinson for a 25-yard touchdown. Then Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo missed a 39-yard field goal with less than 10 seconds in the game, giving the Chiefs a 17-14 win.

The win improved the club to 14-1 and clinched the No. 1 seed (and lone bye week) in the AFC playoffs. The Falcons dropped to 4-11 in the loss.

Mahomes finished 24 of 44 for 278 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in the victory. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was 27 of 35 for 300 yards and two touchdowns.

A matchup between two high-powered offenses began with five straight possessions ending in punts. With the game tied at 0 midway through the second quarter, the Chiefs faced fourth-and-1 at the Atlanta 26. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid called a trick play, with Sammy Watkins as the passer and Mahomes as the receiver.

Falcons safety Keanu Neal was not fooled and tracked Mahomes to the goal line, where he picked off Watkins. Ryan took over at his own 2, and the Falcons running backs pushed Atlanta out to their 35, where Ryan found wide receiver Calvin Ridley for a 54-yard strike. Two plays later, Ryan shoveled a 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Hayden Hurst.

Trailing by 7-0 with a few minutes remaining in the second quarter, Mahomes and Reid used the four-minute offense to quickly get down the field. With 30 seconds left in the half, Mahomes tied the game at 7 when he hit Travis Kelce for a 4-yard touchdown.

The Chiefs threatened to go ahead early in the third quarter at the Atlanta 7-yard line, but Mahomes threw an interception into the hands of linebacker Foyesade Oluokun. Oluokun nearly had a lane to run it back for a pick-six, but Tyreek Hill chased him down. Back-to-back sacks of Ryan by Frank Clark and Chris Jones put a scoring opportunity out of reach.

Kicker Harrison Butker kicked a 53-yard field goal to put the Chiefs up 10-7 early in the fourth quarter, but the Falcons took back the lead when Ryan connected with wide receiver Laquon Treadwell on a 5-yard touchdown pass.

Injuries

• After a one-game absence, offensive lineman Mike Remmers started the game at right tackle. Andrew Wylie moved back to the right guard position along the line.
• Linebacker Ben Niemann left the game in the second quarter due to a hamstring injury.
• Wide receiver Sammy Watkins left the game in the fourth quarter due to a calf injury.
• Daniel Kilgore replaced Austin Reiter in the fourth quarter when Reiter appeared shaken up.

Special teams

• Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend pinned the Falcons inside the 20-yard line on three of his four punts.

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