AFC championship game: Tennessee Titans v Kansas City Chiefs – live!

Titans 17-28 Chiefs, 9:02, 4th quarter

Mahomes throws to Watkins for a 11-yard gain. They’re on their own 24 and have yet another first down. Williams goes off, gets five yards. 2^nd 7 5, Mahomes finds Watkins who has to spin around to connect with the pass but does so with almost balletic ease. That’s yet another Kansas City first down.

Titans 17-28 Chiefs, 11:13, 4th quarter

I misspelled “bunt” as “punt” that last entry, my apologies. The baseball cheating scandal is still on my mind probably. Back in the football game, Williams picks up a yard and Titans head coach Mike Vrabel uses one of his timeouts.

Titans 17-28 Chiefs, 12:05, 4th quarter

The Titans have to punt and they do nail the Chiefs to their own 12 yard line. That’s a start, now they need to make sure that the Chiefs don’t go on another long, productive drive.

Titans 17-28 Chiefs, 12:48, 4th quarter

The Titans need points here, they don’t need to go for the touchdown immediately. They just need… oh and now the announcers have copied what I was going to say here. They just need to get a little bit closer.

It’s a touchback. On 1^st down, Tannehill finds Davis who gets them to their own 40. Not a bad start, but on the next carry Tannehill passes to Henry who takes a two yard loss. Tannehill finds Brown for 5 yards. It’s 3^rd and 7 and the pressure pushes Tannehill down to the 45. Huge, huge stop by the KC defense.

Titans 17-28 Chiefs, 14:50, 4th quarter

Mahomes first pass is to Sherman, who can’t quite catch it. No worries, he just hands it to Williams again and he’s into the end zone. Touchdown Chiefs! The extra point is good. It’s a two possession game for Kansas City.

Titans 17-21 Chiefs, end of the 3^rd quarter

1^st & 10, Williams gets four yards and only then does Mahomes go back to the passing game, finding Hill for 15 yards. It’s 1^st and goal at the Tennessee 3 at the end of the third. It feels like the dam is about to break for the Titans.

Titans 17-21 Chiefs, 1:13, 3^rd quarter

Darwin Thompson goes off for seven yards. Since it’s working out for him quite well, Mahomes decides to run again and it’s another outstanding effort. He gets 11 yards to the Titans 22 and it feels like all the pressure is on the Titans.

Titans 17-21 Chiefs, 3:18, 3^rd quarter

Williams gets the ball one more time, this time just a mere yard, before Mahomes finally throws, this one’s to Watkins who gets to the Titans 47 but not a first down. It doesn’t matter, Mahomes takes care of the ball on his own, taking off and getting that fresh set of downs.

Hill runs for seven yards here, the Chiefs are at the Tennessee 40.

Titans 17-21 Chiefs, 5:11, 3^rd quarter

Williams gets six yards on his first carry of the drive. Williams again gets the ball and he gets three yards here. 3^rd & 1, which is quite manageable for the Chiefs, who go to Williams for the third straight time. That’s a first down that will take them to their own 41.

Titans 17-21 Chiefs, 7:01, 3^rd quarter

Hardman returns the Titans punt to the 27 yard line, so that’s where the Chiefs will begin. As uptempo as this game has been, it’s weird to see two straight possessions without scoring.

Titans 17-21 Chiefs, 7:01, 3^rd quarter

Chiefs have too many men on the field, which is a five yard penalty that will make this 1^st & 5 situation for the Titans, who give it to Henry who’s good for four yards. Henry can’t quite get the first down on his next carry here, so it’s first and extraordinarily short here. The Kansas City defense gets their stop but there is a flag on the play.

It’s a holding call on the offense. It’s 3^rd and 11. Tannehill has to scramble here on the next play, but unlike with Mahomes in the first half, there’s nothing going and he’s tackled well before the first down. It’s 4^th and 4 and the Titans elect to punt.

Titans 17-21 Chiefs, 9:47, 3^rd quarter

The Titans will start their first drive at their own 21. Henry gets three yards on first down. 2^nd & 7, Tannehill throws a ground-bouncer. 3^rd & 7 here while Arrowhead gets loud. This time around, Tannehill is able to throw a super low throw that Humphries is able to cradle and keep from hitting the ground. That’s a first down.

Titans 17-21 Chiefs, 12:40, 3^rd quarter

Mahomes scrambled for the first down. The Chiefs are keeping this alive for another set of downs. They’re at their own 47 where Mahomes throws one to Thompson but the two aren’t on the same page. That’s incomplete and that’s 2^nd & 10. The Kansas City defense gets to Mahomes and it’s a 3^rd and 10 and the Titans have a shot here at shutting the Chiefs down.

3^rd & 10, Mahomes tries to find Hill but it bounces just out of his hands. Chiefs have to punt here and the Titans get a crucial stop here.

Titans 17-21 Chiefs, 12:40, 3^rd quarter

Well, they did call it a catch, so that’s a first down. Williams picks up eight yards on the next play. Good challenge by Reid there.

Titans 17-21 Chiefs, 12:58, 3^rd quarter

Mahomes scrambles for a bit, but this time he doesn’t get away with anything and he simply throws it away. 2^nd & 10. Next play, Robinson gets to the seven before going out of bounds. 3^rd & 3. Mahomes has plenty of time and does find Watkins, but gets called out-of-bounds. Replay makes it look like he was in bounds, but it might not be enough to overturn it. Andy Reid has challenged it regardless.

Titans 17-21 Chiefs, 14:20, 3^rd quarter

Williams picks up seven yards in his first run of the second half. On 2^nd & 3, Williams gets the first down.

Titans 17-21 Chiefs, 15:00, 3^rd quarter

After a penalty, the Chiefs will start at their own 10.

This feels like the perfectly correct analysis here. The Titans might be playing at close to their best football here and that just might not be enough if Kansas City doesn’t slip.

It’s the eternal question: great play or defensive breakdown. Gotta say, there were elements of both here.

For most of the first half, the Titans looked right in this but the Chiefs, as they tend to operate, are definitely back in control. How their first drive of the third quarter goes might tell us a lot about whether this continue to be a close game or if this is set up for a blowout.

Titans 17-21 Chiefs, end of the first half

Tannehill will just take a knee to end the first half. The Chiefs are ahead and they will have the ball to start the second half.

Titans 17-21 Chiefs, :11, 2^nd quarter

Mahomes throws it incomplete on the next down.

On his next play, it looks like he’s trying to find a receiver but can’t quite find a spare second to stop and throw. It looks like he’s doomed but he finds an exit somehow, like an escape artist working on the fly after his Plans A and B have all failed. He not only runs for the first down, which would be astounding enough on its own, but the end zone itself.

That’s a touchdown! The extra point is good! That was ridiculous!

Titans 17-14 Chiefs, :54, 2^nd quarter

The Chiefs are at the Titans 45, where Mahomes scrambles to pick up 7 yards. Mahomes’s next throw goes incomplete. On 3^rd and 3, he finds Watkins and they’re at the 27 yard line.

Titans 17-14 Chiefs, 1:09, 2^nd quarter

Mahomes finds Williams again, this one’s a gain for 8 yards. That means it’s 2^nd and 2, He gets the pass to Hill who weaves back and forth for what ends up being a loss of about three yards. 3^rd & 4 and a good chance here for the Titans defense.

Except not, Mahomes finds Kelce for a first down instead.

Titans 17-14 Chiefs, 1:42, 2^nd quarter

Oh hey we’re getting a punt here. I almost forgot those were a thing. Jordan Lucas gets the ball at the 23 but there’s a holding penalty on the play that will push them back to the 14. Mahomes doesn’t mind too much, he connects with Williams for 17 yards.

Titans 17-14 Chiefs, 2:00, 2^nd quarter

Raymond gets 20 yards on the kickoff. Henry gets the ball and Henry actually gets stuffed for a mere one yard gain. Credit Chris Jones on defense for that. The next time around, it’s no gain. It’s 3^rd & 9 and we might not actually see scoring this drive.

Tannehill finds Dion Lewis, who doesn’t make it to the first down. That’s Tennessee’s first three-and-out. Kansas City will get the ball back at the two minute warning plus they will get the ball at the start of the third quarter.

Titans 17-14 Chiefs, 4:03, 2^nd quarter

Mahomes throws it away on 1^st down. 2^nd and 10, Mahomes finds Hill who waltzes into the endzone. How’s THAT for a quick answer. The extra point is good and, you know what, this is looking like it’s going to be fun.

Titans 17-7 Chiefs, 5:03, 2^nd quarter

On the next play, there’s illegal contact called on the Titans defense for an automatic first down. They’ll be on their own 42. Mahomes finds Demarcus Robinson who gives them 24 yards. Mahomes then finds Watkins for 13 yard gain and this is what Kansas City’s offense does: eats up yards very quickly. They’re now at the Titans 20.

Titans 17-7 Chiefs, 6:32, 2^nd quarter

Hardman goes off on a 35 yard run right up to the Chiefs 37, where they will start their next drive. Williams gets the ball and picks up a mere yard.

I normally try to avoid writing run-on sentences but it was hard not to on that particular sequence for the Titans. It was really a series of interconnected “and then” plays. Just a seamless flow of play calls. Rather impressive, taking over nine minutes of play time.

Titans 17-7 Chiefs, 6:39, 2^nd quarter

Henry picks up four yards and then they bring in Marcus Mariota for a play here, he picks up five yards to get the Chiefs 2. On 3^rd & 1, Tannehill is back in the game and Henry never left. He gets to the Kansas City 2 and it’s 2^nd and goal. With all the attention on Henry, Tannehill finds Dennis Kelly instead for the touch down and the Chiefs are up 10 after the extra point is good.

Titans 10-7 Chiefs, 9:05, 2^nd quarter

So, now that’s 1^st and 20 and ouch Tyrann Matthieu hits Davis for a two yard loss. That’s 2^nd and 22 and this drive is going backwards. Tannehill’s next pass is incomplete. 3^rd & 22, there’s a completion short of first down BUT there’s a flag. Let’s see what this is

Oh man, pass interference on the offense. Automatic first down and the Titans drive stays alive.

Titans 10-7 Chiefs, 10:39, 2^nd quarter

Henry picks up fie yards. Tannehill finds Brown again to get them the first down at the Chiefs 13. They look to be in control, but there’s a flag on the next play. That’s holding on the offense and that’s a 10 yard penalty.

Titans 10-7 Chiefs, 12:30, 2^nd quarter

Tannehill goes deep but just a bit too deep. It’s an incomplete pass. He gives it to henry who gets 3 yards. It’s 3^rd & 7… and there’s a neutral zone infraction on Kansas City. Yet another avoidable Kansas City penalty and it makes it 3^rd & 2 and Tannehill finds Humphries for a first down.

Titans 10-7 Chiefs, 13:46, 2^nd quarter

The five yard penalty doesn’t hurt them, as Tannehill finds Corey Davis for an 18 yard gain and then gets it to Henry who barrels through for a 13 yard gain and just like that, the Titans are right at the Kansas City 40.

Titans 10-7 Chiefs, end of the first quarter

The Chiefs kick off and it’s a touchback. The Titans start at their own 25 as a result, Tannehill finds MyCole Pruitt for a nine yard gain. It’s 2^nd & 1 and, right before the first quarter is set to come to an end, the Titans get a false start penalty for 5 yards. Not… not a pristine way to end the first fifteen minutes here.

Titans 10-7 Chiefs, 1:46, first quarter

Mahomes makes a spectacular throw to Kelce almost in the end zone, but it’s out of bounds. There is a call on the Titans’ defense. That’s a five yard penalty and an automatic first down. On his next pass, Mahomes gets it to Hill and he gets it in for the first Kansas City touchdown.

Now that’s how you respond. The extra point is good.

Titans 10-0 Chiefs, 1:35, first quarter

Hardman picks up 8 yards. And they’re at the 16 now. On 2^nd and 2, Williams gets to the 13 for another first down. This is more like the Chiefs we’ve seen. Tennessee’s Rashaan Evans is injured on the play.

Titans 10-0 Chiefs, 2:54, first quarter

The Chiefs are keeping the offense on the field. Probably the right move given the situation and it absolutely works out as Mahomes finds Kelce for a first down to put them on the Titans 24.

Titans 10-0 Chiefs, 2:58, first quarter

Mahomes just throws the ball away on first down. His next pas s is to Sammy Watkins, who can’t finagle it. It’s 3^rd and 10 here, Mahomes scrambles and finds Travis Kelce, it’s 4^th and 2 on the Titans 28. The Chiefs take a timeout to decide what they’re doing here.

Titans 10-0 Chiefs, 4:28, first quarter

And THERE is Mahomes, who throws a deep pass to Tyreek Hill who just barely gets the catch, that’s a 26 yard game and in an instant they’re on the Tennessee 36.