Chiefs win toss, but OT rules don't benefit KC this time

Published Jan. 30, 2022 6:53 p.m. ET

Associated Press

The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in overtime in Sunday's AFC Championship game to advance to the Super Bowl.

The Chiefs won the coin toss, but Cincinnati's Vonn Bell intercepted Patrick Mahomes on Kansas City's opening possession. The Bengals drove deep into Kansas City territory, and Evan McPherson made a 31-yard field goal to end the game.

A week earlier in the divisional playoff round, Kansas City also won the coin toss against Buffalo, and Mahomes hit Travis Kelce for a touchdown on the Chiefs' first possession to deny the Bills a chance to possess the ball and win 42-36.

Here are the NFL overtime rules for the postseason:

— Play 15-minute periods until a winner.

— A touchdown or safety on the first possession wins the game.

— If the team possessing the ball first does not score, the next score wins the game.

— If the score is tied after each team’s first possession, either because neither scored or each kicked a field goal, the next score wins the game.

— There are no coach’s challenges with all reviews being initiated by the replay official.

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