KANSAS Town, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 262 yards and a landing, experienced his helmet shattered when he took a hit in the second 50 %, and proceeded to lead the Kansas Town Chiefs to a 26-7 rout of the Miami Dolphins in the fourth-coldest recreation in NFL history Saturday night.
The reigning league MVP identified Rashee Rice eight times for 130 yards and a landing in the wild-card playoff sport, and Isiah Pacheco additional 89 yards hurrying and an additional rating, sending the Chiefs (12-6) previous the Dolphins for the to start with time in four postseason conferences.
Harrison Butker additional 4 area goals for the defending Super Bowl champs.
The injuries-depleted Dolphins (11-7) seemed almost nothing like the dynamic offense that led the league in yards all through the typical time. Tua Tagovailoa was pressured relentlessly by the NFL’s next-ranked protection, extensive receiver Tyreek Hill experienced a 53-yard TD catch but was if not shut down in his return to Kansas City, and the Dolphins completed with just 264 yards in all.
They have not received at Arrowhead Stadium because Nov. 6, 2011, nor gained a playoff sport considering that Dec. 30, 2000.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs won their 15th consecutive dwelling playoff match — not counting a trio of Tremendous Bowls. But they will head to Buffalo subsequent 7 days if the Costs defeat the Steelers on Monday in a recreation pushed back a day by a blizzard. Usually, the Chiefs will host Houston, which conquer the Browns earlier Saturday.
It was minus-4 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-20 Celsius) at kickoff, effortlessly setting a document for the coldest recreation at Arrowhead Stadium. But it was wind gusts, whipping by way of at extra than 25 mph and driving the wind chill to a bone-rattling minus-27 degrees, that manufactured the weather certainly miserable for just about anyone.
That bundled pop star Taylor Swift, who as soon as again turned up to see her boyfriend, Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce.
She at the very least received to check out from an enclosed suite. Most lovers huddled outside the house in parkas, ski goggles and snow pants, and gamers huddled all over heaters on the sidelines as if they ended up an oasis in the cold. The National Temperature Company issued a warning for what it called “dangerously cold” weather that experienced blanketed the Midwest.
In fact, the chilly might have made Mahomes’ helmet brittle plenty of that a strike in the third quarter knocked a chunk of the plastic shell from it. When officials saw the fist-sized hole, they made Mahomes get a backup helmet from the bench.
The climate did not seem to be to bother Hill, who was enjoying in Kansas Metropolis for the initial time considering the fact that his outdated group traded him to Miami two yrs in the past. The league’s top receiver warmed up in a quick-sleeved shirt, then proceeded to scorch the stout Chiefs protection and All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie for a his long landing reception halfway as a result of the initially fifty percent.
But the Dolphins’ offense if not struggled, just as it did in a 21-14 reduction to the Chiefs in their November match in Germany.
Kansas Town was significantly more economical, scoring on 4 of its six to start with-half drives. Mahomes capped the 1st with a TD toss to Rice, and whilst ensuing drives saved fizzling in the crimson zone, Butker included a trio of area plans as Kansas Metropolis took a 16-3 guide into the break.
The Chiefs additional another discipline intention in the third quarter, but it was nevertheless a two-possession sport early in the fourth when the Dolphins appeared to force another subject target. But a late flag on Christian Wilkins for roughing the passer on third down gave Kansas Town a refreshing established of downs, and Pacheco plowed into the conclude zone times later to give the Chiefs a 26-7 direct.
The Dolphins finally put collectively a sustained push afterward, but by that position it was substantially too late. And when they unsuccessful to convert on fourth down, they were headed to their 11th straight decline when the match-time temp is 40 degrees or fewer.
Significantly a lot less, in this circumstance.
Accidents
Miami: S Jevon Holland (knee) and CB Xavien Howard (foot) have been inactive. CB DeShon Elliott (calf) remaining in the fourth quarter.
Kansas Town: WR Kadarius Toney (hip) was inactive. DT Derrick Nnadi (elbow) left in the second quarter.
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