Kansas City — Patrick Mahomes' helmet broke on a collision in the cold. Andy Reid's sideline mustache froze. Fans and players crowded for warmth to endure the fourth-coldest NFL game ever. Kansas City Chiefs handled the challenge admirably. Also handled the Dolphins admirably.
Mahomes passed for 262 yards, hit Rashee Rice eight times for 130 yards and a touchdown, and made several daring first-down runs. Isiah Pacheco ran 89 yards and scored on frozen turf. A potent Miami offense was shut down by the Chiefs in a 26-9 wild-card round win Saturday night.
Harrison Butker added four field goals for the Super Bowl champions, who look ready for another run.
“Guys came with that attitude, that mentality — we knew it was cold,” Mahomes added. “All week we preached, ‘Let's come in there with that fire and just get after it and see what happens.’”
While the injury-ravaged Dolphins (11-7) looked little like the league-leading offense in yards. The NFL's second-ranked defense pressed Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill had a 53-yard TD reception but was shut down in his return to Kansas City, and the Dolphins finished with 264 yards.
Since Nov. 6, 2011, they haven't won at Arrowhead Stadium or in the playoffs since Dec. 30, 2000. Reid stated, “All the weather is a little bit different than down in Miami.”
The Chiefs won their 15th straight home playoff game, excluding three Super Bowls and two Lombardi Trophies. If the Bills beat the Steelers on Monday in a blizzard-postponed game, they will go to Buffalo next week. If not, the Chiefs will host Houston, which defeated the Browns Saturday.
At kickoff, it was minus-4 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-20 Celsius), setting an Arrowhead Stadium record for coldest game. But wind gusts above 25 mph that lowered the wind chill to minus-27 degrees made the weather uncomfortable for almost everyone. Taylor Swift returned to meet her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.