In freezing conditions at Arrowhead Stadium, Patrick Mahomes led the Kansas City Chiefs to a 26-9 victory over the Miami Dolphins in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
Despite the bone-chilling weather, Mahomes threw for 262 yards and connected with Rashee Rice for 130 yards and a touchdown. The Chiefs’ defense, ranked second in the NFL, pressured Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa relentlessly, holding the Dolphins to 264 total yards.
The injury-depleted Dolphins, who had led the league in yards during the regular season, struggled to replicate their dynamic offense. Tyreek Hill managed a 53-yard TD catch but was otherwise contained in his return to Kansas City. The Chiefs’ victory marked their 15th consecutive home playoff win, and they now await the outcome of the Bills vs. Steelers game to determine their next opponent.
The frigid conditions, with a record-setting minus-4 degrees Fahrenheit at kickoff and wind gusts creating a bone-chilling minus-27 degrees wind chill, made it one of the coldest games in NFL history. The extreme cold even affected Mahomes, causing his helmet to shatter on a hit in the third quarter, leading to the need for a backup helmet.
Despite the challenging weather, the Chiefs’ offense managed to score on four of their six first-half drives. Mahomes connected with Rice for a touchdown, and kicker Harrison Butker contributed with three field goals. The Dolphins, on the other hand, struggled on offense, converting only 1 of 12 third-down attempts.
Tyreek Hill, playing against his former team for the first time since being traded to Miami two years ago, found success with a long touchdown reception. However, the Dolphins couldn’t sustain drives, and the Chiefs’ defense, led by All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, remained effective in containing them.
In the fourth quarter, the Dolphins appeared to force the Chiefs into another field goal attempt, but a late roughing the passer penalty on Christian Wilkins gave Kansas City a fresh set of downs. Isiah Pacheco capitalized on the opportunity, scoring a touchdown to extend the Chiefs’ lead to 26-7.
The Dolphins, facing a two-possession deficit, couldn’t mount a comeback, resulting in their 11th straight loss in games with temperatures of 40 degrees or less.
The Chiefs’ victory sets the stage for their next playoff game, either against the Buffalo Bills or the Houston Texans, depending on the outcome of the Bills vs. Steelers matchup.
In terms of injuries, the Dolphins were without safety Jevon Holland and cornerback Xavien Howard, while cornerback DeShon Elliott left the game in the fourth quarter with a calf injury.
For the Chiefs, wide receiver Kadarius Toney was inactive, and defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi left the game in the second quarter due to an elbow injury.
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