Chiefs close in on Super Bowl ‘three-peat’ but Lions dumped out

The Kansas City Chiefs moved one step closer to an unprecedented ‘three-peat’ while Washington upset the Detroit Lions in a thriller in the NFL play-offs.

As the number one seed in each Conference, Kansas City and Detroit earned a bye to week two of the post-season, the Divisional Round.

The Chiefs returned to action with a 23-14 win at home to the Houston Texans on Saturday but a historic season for the Lions came to a surprise end as they were stunned 45-31 at home to the Commanders, the NFC’s sixth seed.

After a 4-13 record last season, rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels has led Washington to the NFC Championship game for the first time since 1992, when the Redskins – as they were previously known – claimed their third Super Bowl win.

Kansas City kept alive their hopes of becoming the first team to win three straight Super Bowls.

Led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs have reached the NFL’s championship game four times in the past five years, winning it three times.

Last season, they became the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since Tom Brady’s New England Patriots in 2004 and 2005, and they are back within one win of the big game.

The Chiefs will play in their seventh straight AFC Championship game next week against either the Baltimore Ravens or the Buffalo Bills, while the Commanders will visit the Philadelphia Eagles or the Los Angeles Rams.

The final Divisional Round games are played on Sunday.

Commanders prevail after second-quarter shootout

Detroit were the NFL’s highest scorers this season, setting a host of franchise records including a 15-2 record.

Washington were the fifth highest scorers, and after a Jahmyr Gibbs touchdown in the first quarter for Detroit, the two teams produced a thrilling second quarter.

Brian Robinson Jr’s score for Washington sparked a run of six touchdowns and 42 points in just over nine minutes – making it the highest-scoring quarter in play-off history.

Lions tight end Sam LaPorta made a one-handed catch at the back of the end zone, before Terry McLaurin took a Daniels screen pass and burst through a gap to run in a 58-yard score.

Two plays later, Quan Martin returned an interception for a 40-yard touchdown to give Washington a lead they would not relinquish.

Detroit quarterback Jared Goff had to be assessed after being clattered with a block on that play, and although back-up Teddy Bridgewater stepped in during the next drive, the Lions dialled up a thrilling run play, which saw Jameson Williams get round the outside before following blockers to jog in a 61-yard score.

A Zach Ertz touchdown gave Washington a 31-21 lead at half-time, with the Lions having turned the ball over three times.

Gibbs’ second touchdown in the third quarter cut the gap, but Robinson and Jeremy McNichols both got in from a yard in the fourth quarter to seal victory.

Detroit ultimately had five turnovers, including three interceptions, while Washington did not have any. Daniels was not sacked once and passed for two touchdowns and 299 yards.