Chiefs Rally Past Buffalo 42-36 in OT in Wild Playoff Game
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes found Travis Kelce in the corner of the end zone early in overtime, and the Kansas City Chiefs rallied to beat the Buffalo Bills 42-36 on Sunday night in a dramatic finish to a wild divisional-round weekend. The lead changed hands three times in the final two minutes of regulation before Harrison Butker, who earlier had missed a field goal and extra point, drilled a 49-yarder for Kansas City as time expired to force overtime. The Chiefs won the coin toss, marched swiftly downfield against the NFL's top-ranked defense, and right into their fourth straight AFC title game. They'll play the Bengals next Sunday night for a spot in the Super Bowl. (More coverage below.)
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Police: Man Shot to Death in Kansas City, Kansas, Sunday Night
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police are investigating the late-night shooting death of a man in Kansas City, Kansas, near the Missouri border. Police say the shooting happened after 11 pm Sunday near State Line Road, when emergency dispatchers received calls about a person having been shot inside a vehicle. Arriving officers discovered a man who had already died from gunshot wounds. Police have not released the man's name, and no other information about the shooting has been given. No arrests or suspect information has been reported in the case, and investigators have asked for the public's help to get more information on the shooting.
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Police: Man Shot and Killed in Kansas City, Kansas, Saturday Night
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police are investigating a fatal shooting in Kansas City, Kansas this weekend. Kansas City, Kansas, police spokesman Officer T.J. Tomasic said officers were called to a home in the 1100 block of South 47th Terrace shortly after 11 pm Saturday because a man was lying in the driveway. Officers determined that the man had been shot and was dead. His name and age were not immediately released. The shooting is being investigated by the police department's Major Case Unit. Police did not immediately release any additional details about the shooting, and no arrests were reported Sunday.
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Kansas Man's Death Investigated as a Homicide
LACROSSE, Kan. (AP) — Authorities are investigating the death of a Kansas man as a homicide. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation said in a news release that a relative found 61-year-old Leslie Randa, of LaCrosse, dead on Friday afternoon and called 911. The Rush County Sheriff's Office then asked the KBI for assistance with the investigation. The release said that Randa's vehicle is missing. Authorities are asking for help locating the 2006 GMC Envoy with Kansas plates.
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Ex-Coach Admits Posing as Girl to Get Explicit Photos from Teen Boys
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A former assistant boys high school basketball coach in Topeka has admitted to posing as a teenage girl on social media to get explicit photos from other teens. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that 41-year-old Jeffrey Pierce pleaded guilty Friday to one count of producing child pornography in exchange for the dismissal of 11 other federal charges he faced. Pierce taught ninth-grade social studies and was an assistant basketball coach at Seaman. He was fired after he was arrested in September 2020. He admitted through his plea that he asked nine 14-to 16-year-old boys for sexually explicit photos and videos of themselves while pretending to be a teenage girl on Snapchat, Instagram and other social media platforms.
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Kidnapping Suspect Dies in Custody at Wichita Hospital
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita man charged with trying to kidnap a 10-year-old boy in 2020 has died in custody while awaiting trial. The Wichita Eagle reports that the Sedgwick County Sheriff's office said 64-year-old Webb Wray Ketcherside died Thursday at a Wichita hospital where he was being treated for an undisclosed "serious chronic illness." Ketcherside had been in custody since his arrest in July 2020. Prosecutors had said Ketcherside approached the boy, made sexually explicit comments and grabbed his arm, but the boy was able to break free and run to a QuikTrip for help. Ketcherside, who had a 1998 sex crime conviction out of Smith County, was arrested at his apartment later.
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Death Sentences Upheld in Case Dubbed "The Wichita Massacre"
MISSION, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court has upheld the death sentences of two brothers who were sentenced in 2002 for four killings known as "the Wichita massacre." Jonathan and Reginald Carr argued that a ruling declaring that the state constitution protects access to abortion opened the door to a new legal attack on the death penalty. But the majority disagreed in upholding the death sentences for the brothers in separate opinions. The brothers were sentenced to die over a home invasion in December 2000 that included robbery, rape, torture and the execution-style shootings of four victims. Other crimes over six days left a fifth person dead.
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Video Shows Struggle that Preceded Restrained Teen's Death
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Surveillance video shows a Black 17-year-old struggling with staff at a Wichita juvenile center last fall before he died after he was restrained facedown for more than 30 minutes. Sedgwick County released 18 video clips late Friday afternoon of what happened before Cedric Lofton was rushed to a hospital on September 24. He died two days later. The release of the clips followed Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett's announcement Tuesday that the state's "stand-your-ground" law prevented him from pressing charges because staff members were protecting themselves. He also said he struggled with whether an involuntary manslaughter charge was justified, but concluded it was not.
(-Related-)
Kansas Teen's Death Puts Spotlight on "Stand Your Ground" Law
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Even some Republicans who have supported the "stand your ground law" in Kansas want to revisit it following the death of a Black teenager who was restrained at a juvenile intake center in Wichita last September. Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said this week that the law prevented him from charging the local juvenile center's employees in the death of 17-year-old Cedric Lofton, who'd been restrained on the ground on his stomach, shackled and handcuffed for more than 30 minutes. Legislators said they intended the law to apply to homeowners facing down burglars or people who are attacked on the streets. The Kansas House speaker said this week that he wants to review the law.
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Standoff After Gunfire at Wichita Hotel Ends Peacefully
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Sedgwick County authorities say a man who exchanged gunfire with officers was arrested after a seven-hour standoff at a west Wichita hotel. Sedgwick County Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick said the confrontation began early Monday when a driver fled after a deputy tried to stop him for a traffic violation. After a short pursuit, the suspect's vehicle became high-centered near a Regency Inn. Blick says the man got out of the vehicle and fired at two deputies, who returned fire. No one was injured. Blick says the suspect fled into a hotel room where five people loosely associated with him were staying. After several hours, those people left the room and the suspect was taken into custody.
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Ex Waste Management Worker Sues over Racial Discrimination
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Black former Waste Management employee said in a federal lawsuit that his supervisor and coworkers in Topeka discriminated against him because of his race. The Wichita Eagle reports that Robert Smith worked for the trash company for 13 years before he was fired last year. Smith's lawsuit describes a series of incidents including coworkers calling him obscenities and playing racist videos when he was around. He said he reported the incidents to supervisors who didn't investigate them. But Waste Management said in a response to the lawsuit that the company didn't discriminate against Smith and its lawyers defended the decision to fire him.
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Chiefs Rally Past Buffalo 42-36 in OT in Wild Playoff Game
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes found Travis Kelce in the corner of the end zone early in overtime, and the Kansas City Chiefs rallied to beat the Buffalo Bills 42-36 on Sunday night in a dramatic finish to a wild divisional-round weekend. The lead changed hands three times in the final two minutes of regulation before Harrison Butker, who earlier had missed a field goal and extra point, drilled a 49-yarder for Kansas City as time expired to force overtime. The Chiefs won the coin toss, marched swiftly downfield against the NFL's top-ranked defense, and right into their fourth straight AFC title game. They'll play the Bengals next Sunday night for a spot in the Super Bowl.
In a never-say-die showdown between two of the NFL's top teams, and two of its bright young quarterbacks, the Bills and Chiefs played a classic Sunday night decided by one of them calling tails and the other making him pay for it. Josh Allen's decision on the overtime coin toss was his only mistake for Buffalo all night.
Patrick Mahomes promptly followed it by marching Kansas City downfield against the NFL's top-ranked but exhausted defense, then finding Travis Kelce in the corner of the end zone from 8 yards, giving the Chiefs a memorable 42-36 victory — and never giving his burgeoning rival an opportunity with the ball.
"It worked out well for us this time," said Mahomes, who has his team playing in its fourth consecutive AFC title game. "When you have two teams going back and forth, it stinks when you don't get to see the other guy go. But all you can do is play the rules the way the rules are explained, and that's what we did."
Did it perfectly, too, setting up a showdown next Sunday against Cincinnati for another trip to the Super Bowl. "The guys didn't flinch," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said "You talk about an epic game, well, that's the way the players took it. They had tremendous respect for Buffalo and they knew it was going to be a battle and they kept going."
What was Reid's advice for Mahomes down the stretch?
"When it's grim, be the grim reaper, and go get it," Reid said. "He made everyone around him better."
The lead changed hands three times in the final two minutes of regulation, and there were 25 points scored over that stretch. Harrison Butker, who earlier had missed a field goal and extra point, drilled a 49-yarder as time expired to force the extra session, and when the Chiefs won the coin toss, Mahomes took care of the rest.
He finished with 378 yards passing and three touchdowns, including a 64-yarder to Tyreek Hill during the thrilling final minutes of regulation and the clutch throw to Kelce that sent players streaming off the bench. "We got tremendous leaders on both sides of the ball, whether it's offense, defense or special teams," Hill said. "Nobody panicked. Nobody was like, 'Oh, the game is over, there's 13 seconds left.' We just made plays."
Allen did everything he could to prevent another season-ending loss inside Arrowhead Stadium. He threw a go-ahead touchdown pass to Gabriel Davis with 1:54 left in the regulation, then another to Davis — his playoff-record fourth TD catch of the game — with 13 seconds remaining in regulation.
Allen's only mistake? His coin toss call.
He finished with 329 yards passing, and Davis with eight catches for 201 yards, as the Bills lost their ninth straight road playoff game — a streak that includes last year's loss to Kansas City in the AFC title game.
All told, Mahomes and Allen each threw for at least 300 yards and three touchdowns, completed at least 70% of their passes without an interception, and — get this — led their teams with at least 65 yards rushing.
No other quarterback in NFL history has accomplished those feats in a game, regular season or postseason.
"The Chiefs are a good football team. We knew it was going to take a heck of an effort coming out here," Bills coach Sean McDermott said, "and I thought the guys gave us that effort, starting with Josh and all the way down the line. But those guys are hurt, we're disappointed — we're all disappointed, we're all sick to our stomach. You move on and you try and get yourself to learn from it, but it stings. It stings. I'm not going to sugarcoat it. It stings."
It was a playoff game for the history books, but the first 58 minutes few will remember. The final two minutes and overtime, few will forget.
The Chiefs were leading 26-21 when Allen, who had been nearly perfect all night, connected with Davis for the third time in the game — a fourth-and-13 dart finished off a 17-play, 75-yard drive and gave the Bills the lead.
Not to be outdone, the Chiefs answered when Mahomes found Hill over the middle. The fleet-footed wide receiver ran away from cornerback Levi Wallace for a 64-yard touchdown that gave Kansas City the right lead back.
Then it was the Bills' turn again: Allen threw a 28-yard pass to Davis, hit him again for 12 yards, then found Emmanuel Sanders along the sideline to give McDermott's team a chance with 17 seconds on the clock. Allen hit Davis right between the numbers, their 19-yard strike giving him the postseason-record — but not the victory.
That's because Mahomes wasn't done conjuring up playoff magic. He found Hill for 19 yards, then hit Kelce for 25 more on a schoolyard-style play, giving Butker a chance to try a 49-yarder into a slight, chilly breeze as time expired. Naturally, it split the uprights.
Overtime.
A fitting way to end a divisional-round weekend filled with last-second heroics. "Yeah, obviously not the way we wanted to end our season," Bills safety Jordan Poyer said. "Man, the offense did everything they had to do. Defense, we had to go out there and make a stop, weren't able to do it. It's just a tough feeling, man. Just a really tough feeling, hard to put in words. It sucks. It's something we've got to live with."
The Chiefs get a visit from Cincinnati next Sunday, becoming the first franchise in NFL history to host four consecutive conference championship games. The 49ers play the Rams for the NFC title in the nightcap.
(Additional reporting...)
KC Chiefs Play Epic Game; Buffalo Bills Fight Valiantly but Lose in Overtime
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Buffalo Bills Quarterback Josh Allen walked off the field inside Arrowhead Stadium a year ago juggling the disappointment of an AFC tile game loss to the Chiefs with a profound sense of optimism about the future of his up-and-coming Buffalo Bills. There was nothing but soul-crushing sorrow Sunday night. Allen and Chiefs counterpart Patrick Mahomes dueled all night in a playoff game sure to go down in history after they led their teams to a combined 25 points in the final 2 minutes of regulation. But it was Mahomes that delivered the coup de grace with a touchdown pass to Travis Kelce in overtime, lifting the Chiefs to a 42-36 victory.
The Chiefs are now headed to their fourth straight AFC title game, this time against the Bengals next Sunday. The Bills are headed back to Buffalo with a ninth straight playoff loss away from home. "Pat played amazing. I've got a lot of respect for him and the Chiefs as a whole. They made one more play than we did; that's what it came down to," Allen said. "But I'm proud of our guys, how we fought, how we battled, how we came through and persevered over some things throughout the course of this game and the course of the season. It obviously — it hurts," Allen said.
The way the game played out made it downright excruciating.
The Bills were trailing 23-14 in a heavyweight slugfest before finally mounting a second-half comeback, and Allen thought he'd finished it off when he found Gabriel Davis for the go-ahead score with just under 2 minutes left in regulation. Surely, the league's top-ranked defense would hold on from there.
It turned out to be just the start of a chaotic finish: Mahomes threw a 64-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill to regain the lead, Allen answered with a playoff-record fourth TD pass to Davis to give it back to Buffalo with 13 seconds to go, and the Chiefs somehow managed to give Harrison Butker a chance to kick a 49-yarder to send the game to overtime. What was going through Allen's mind with 13 ticks on the clock? "I'm thinking it's Pat Mahomes on the other side," Allen replied.
The way the game played out, it seemed as if whatever team won the coin flip for overtime would win the game. And when Allen called tails, and the stadium lights shined on heads, the game was out of his hands. Mahomes led his team swiftly down field, hit Kelce in the end zone and set off a wild celebration on the field.
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Even Winning Coach Andy Reid Questions NFL's Overtime Setup
UNDATED (AP) – Even the winning coach in last night's playoff matchup between the Bills and Chiefs...in this case, Andy Reid...is questioning the NFL’s overtime setup. One day after Reid’s Chiefs won the OT coin toss, then marched downfield for Travis Kelce’s 8-yard touchdown reception to end an epic divisional round game with Buffalo, Reid recognized how fortunate Kansas City was. He said he expects the league to look at the rules that end the game if the team with the first possession of OT scores a touchdown. Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins is hopeful some changes will be coming.
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These area headlines are curated by KPR news staffers, including J. Schafer, Laura Lorson, Kaye McIntyre, and Tom Parkinson. Our headlines are generally posted by 10 am weekdays, 11 am weekends. This news summary is made possible by KPR listener-members. Become one today!