"Probably my worst playoff football I’ve played" - Patrick Mahomes shoulders blame for Chiefs 2022 playoff exit against Bengals

When the Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Cincinnati Bengals 27-24 in the AFC Championship game, it ended Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs' dream of winning another Super Bowl.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes blames the loss on himself playing the worst football he has ever played in the second half of the game.

Mahomes said:

“That second half I played, I didn’t play really good football at all. Probably my worst playoff football I’ve played was the second half of the game,” Mahomes said. “So I’m just trying to use that as a learning thing that whenever I’m struggling or a team’s struggling, just find a way to get positive plays, because when you have a lead like that, you don’t want to lose that lead. We played such a great first half, even if we weren’t getting what we wanted in the second half, I have to get better at taking what’s there to try to get some points on the board, come away and get to the Super Bowl.”

The Chiefs scored touchdowns on their first three offensive possessions of the game against the Bengals and had an early 21-3 lead.

The second half was all Cincinnati.

The Chiefs punted four times, Mahomes threw two interceptions, and the Chiefs could only score a single field goal as the Bengals rallied and forced the game into overtime.

In overtime, Vonn Bell picked off the quarterback, who set up the game-winning field-goal from Evan McPherson from 31 yards out.

The Chiefs could have avoided overtime but a costly decision may have cost them the game

AFC Divisional Playoffs - Buffalo Bills v Kansas City Chiefs

Before the conclusion of the first-half, the Chiefs were up 21-10 right at the goal-line.

The Chiefs were on the one-yard line with five seconds left in the half and could have extended their lead had they kicked a field goal. The leader of the offense told head coach Andy Reid to let him try one more time and that he's got it.

Reid trusted his quarterback, and the Chiefs decided to try another play going for it all. With five seconds left, and at the one-yard line, the Chiefs threw a screen-pass to wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who was tackled in-bounds, causing the clock to hit 0:00 and the Chiefs to head into the locker room with zero points before the half ended.

Kansas City would have gone 24-10 up heading into the second half.

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