Who needs Travis Kelce? How Patrick Mahomes relied on all of the Chiefs’ playmakers in win vs. Bills

The Kansas City Chiefs are going back to the Super Bowl. In beating the Buffalo Bills to claim their third straight AFC championship, however, the Chiefs hardly called upon one of their biggest names Sunday, with star tight end Travis Kelce logging just two catches for 19 yards in the 32-29 victory.

How, exactly, did the Chiefs roll in such a big spot without their most accomplished pass weapon?

Simple: They spread the ball around. While Kelce received a total of four targets, and moved the chains late to contribute to the Chiefs’ latest crunch-time success, quarterback Patrick Mahomes involved basically every playmaker in coach Andy Reid’s lineup to eclipse 30 points for the first time since November.

Start with rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who made like his injured counterpart, 2023 standout Rashee Rice, to emerge as Mahomes’ most electric option in the passing game. His 85 receiving yards led all players Sunday, and he added another 16 as a gadget runner, warranting a potential uptick in touches for Super Bowl LIX. He was just one piece of a multifaceted aerial attack, however.

Journeyman JuJu Smith-Schuster, who was a prominent part of the Chiefs’ 2022 Super Bowl run, showed up with two catches for 60 yards as an over-the-middle option. Marquise “Hollywood” Brown had three catches of his own, showcasing his quick speed along the sidelines. And veteran trade acquisition DeAndre Hopkins made a cameo with one catch, ensuring he didn’t go emptyhanded in pursuit of his first career Super Bowl appearance. Running backs Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt and Samaje Perine all hauled in passes, too.

In total, eight different receivers collected Mahomes’ 18 completions, and then Mahomes used his own legs to even things out further, totaling 43 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

A flashy, big-play outing through the air, with plenty of action for the team’s most well-known pass catcher? Not really. But a well-balanced victorious outing? Yep. It’s the kind of approach that helped the Chiefs advance all the way to the Super Bowl in each of their last two seasons, even though Kelce has often reclaimed the spotlight on the big stage, and it’s what got them past perceived heavyweights like the Bills and Baltimore Ravens this time. Only the Philadelphia Eagles stand in their way yet.