Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers, two of the NFL’s top-rated quarterbacks, moved closer to a potential Super Bowl clash with home playoff victories on Sunday.
Mahomes threw for five touchdowns as the Chiefs overturned a 24-point deficit to defeat the Houston Texans 51-31 in a thrilling postseason duel.
Mahomes finished with 321 passing yards from 23 of 35 attempts at Arrowhead Stadium to send the Chiefs into a home AFC Championship showdown against the Tennessee Titans next weekend for a place in the Super Bowl.
“We didn’t start the way we wanted to,” Mahomes said. “All we were preaching was, ‘Let’s do something special.
“’Everyone is counting us out, let’s just keep fighting, one play at a time.’”
Rodgers completed 16-of-27 passes for 243 yards and Davante Adams made eight catches for a club playoff record 160 yards as the Packers pulled out a 28-23 triumph over the Seattle Seahawks.
The Packers will travel to California to battle the San Francisco 49ers next Sunday in the NFC Championship.
“I am going to enjoy a nice glass of Scotch tonight,” said Rodgers. “Then get onto the film of San Francisco and get ready for a tough opponent.”
The 49ers walloped the Packers 37-8 at home on Nov. 24.
Next Sunday’s winners will meet in next month’s Super Bowl 54 at Miami.
Texans coach Bill O’Brien said his team had not taken anything for granted after racing to an early 24-0 lead.
“24-0 was a really good lead, no doubt about it,” O’Brien said.
“But I don’t think any lead is safe versus these guys. We needed to score 50 points and we weren’t able to do that.”
Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, meanwhile, finished with 388 yards and two touchdowns in a losing effort.
The Chiefs were given an almighty scare after a disastrous start.
An error-strewn opening spell saw the Texans score unanswered touchdowns from Kenny Stills, Lonnie Johnson and Darren Fells to move into a 21-point lead.
But with the Chiefs reeling, the Texans gave the hosts respite from the onslaught early in the second quarter with Houston coach Bill O’Brien opting for a field goal on fourth down and 1 from 31 yards.
Ka’imi Fairbairn drilled the kick to put Houston into a 24-0 lead.
But momentum shifted on the ensuing kickoff when Mecole Hardman returned 58 yards to the Houston 42-yard line.