National Football League

Catching K.C.

Updated Jan. 25, 2021 6:54 p.m. ET

Kansas City defended its AFC crown in typical Chiefs fashion, as Patrick Mahomes outgunned Josh Allen en route to carrying the franchise to its second straight Super Bowl.

Down 9-0 early against the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City reeled off 21 consecutive points to lock up a 38-24 victory, and Mahomes finished the day with 325 passing yards and three touchdowns.

Tyreek Hill led K.C. with 172 receiving yards on nine receptions, and Mahomes hooked up with tight end Travis Kelce twice for scores as Kelce racked up 118 receiving yards.

After Sunday's offensive onslaught in Kansas City, the question Monday morning was essentially this: Are Mahomes and the Chiefs just too much to overcome?

Nick Wright – admittedly a lifelong Chiefs fan – says yes, as history has shown there is no deficit too large for the team to overcome with Mahomes at the helm.

Sunday marked just one of several blistering offensive avalanches led by Mahomes.

In the first quarter of the AFC Championship, K.C. found itself in a position reminiscent of last postseason, when the Chiefs climbed out of a hole in all three of their playoff games en route to their first Super Bowl title in 50 years.

The Chiefs have now come back from at least a nine-point deficit in four of their past five playoff games.

The largest deficit the Chiefs faced, a 24-0 hole against the Houston Texans, came in the 2019 divisional round.

But so far, no challenge has proved too great for Mahomes, as he outscored the Texans 28-0 in the second quarter of that game, reeling off 41 straight points as Kansas City cruised to a 51-31 victory over Houston.

Sunday's 9-0 hole wasn't as deep as last season's 24-0, but even so, Mahomes was once again brilliant, and he has posted 30 straight games with at least one touchdown pass while winning 25 of his past 26 starts.

He has also recorded four career playoff games with at least three passing touchdowns and zero interceptions, tied with Joe Montana for third all time.

On Monday, Colin Cowherd said he is in awe of the magic Mahomes has created – and is creating – with the Chiefs.

"Are all of us understanding how good they are? I think I've come to terms with it. ... 'Wow' is what I'm left with."

Next up, Mahomes returns to the biggest stage to battle Tom Brady and the Bucs at Tampa Bay's home stadium in Super Bowl LV.

Mahomes will be the first quarterback 25 years old or younger to start multiple Super Bowls, doing so against the quarterback with the most Super Bowl starts in league history.

As of Monday, according to FOX Bet, Kansas City is the favorite (-3.5), and Shannon Sharpe believes the key is to not let the Bucs' pass rush get to Mahomes.

"If they can protect Mahomes, they can go get 30 [points] because it's going to take 30 to beat them."

It looks like Sharpe is predicting a shootout, which presumably doesn't bode well for the Bucs.

Because if it comes to that, would anyone really bet against Mahomes?