Cincinnati Bengals storm back, rally past Kansas City Chiefs in overtime to seal Super Bowl berth

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Break out the victory cigars. The Cincinnati Bengals are headed to the Super Bowl.

For the first time in decades, the Bengals are AFC champions. Cincinnati defeated the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in overtime, 27-24, to win its first conference championship since 1989. The Bengals will face either the Los Angeles Rams or the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl.

Cincinnati rookie kicker Evan McPherson hit a 31-yard field goal in overtime to cap a furious Bengals rally. The game-winning drive was set up after Cincinnati safety Jessie Bates deflected a deep pass from Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes that was intercepted by Bengals safety Vonn Bell.

The turnover set Cincinnati, and second-year quarterback Joe Burrow, up with its first possession and plenty of momentum for the Bengals' skilled set of receivers and running backs to build off.

Needing only to score a field goal to win — after Kansas City won the overtime toss, took possession and was stopped — the Bengals mixed the pass with the run, churning out first downs in front of a stunned Kansas City crowd, eventually giving way to McPherson 5:24 into the overtime. The winning kick was his fourth field goal of the game.

«Usually when you lose a coin flip to those guys, you're going home,» Burrow said on the field during his postgame CBS interview. «But our defense really stepped up and made plays in the second half. And on offense, we made plays when we had to.»

Burrow became the first No. 1 overall draft pick to lead a team to the Super Bowl in just his second year. He finished 23-of-38 passing for 250 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also had some pivotal scrambles for first downs in a second-half performance to remember.

Cin