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Midwest Sports Headlines: 1/20/2020

Sports

January 20th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

UNDATED (AP) — Andy Reid revitalized the Kansas City Chiefs the same way he did with the Philadelphia Eagles. He’s one win away from finishing the job. The only thing missing from Reid’s impressive resume is a Super Bowl title. He is seventh on the career wins list and every coach ahead of him has a championship. Reid won more games than any coach in Eagles history but lost his only Super Bowl appearance. Thanks to Patrick Mahomes, Reid gets another shot when the Chiefs play the San Francisco 49ers in Miami on Feb. 2.

UNDATED (AP) — In 2017, a pair of teams gambled on quarterbacks who had big-time potential. Both teams guessed right. The Kansas City Chiefs set up a date with the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl on February second in Miami. The Chiefs are led by third-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The quarterback for the Niners is Jimmy Garoppolo. The Chiefs took a chance in the 2017 draft and traded away a first-round pick to move up and nab Mahomes. The Niners traded for Garappolo and gave him a big contract after he’d made only seven NFL starts. Now, both are taking their team to the Super Bowl. The opening point spread for the game: pick ’em.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes tiptoed down the sideline for a game-turning touchdown, added three TD passes, and the Kansas City Chiefs made their first Super Bowl in a half-century by beating the Tennessee Titans 35-24 for the AFC championship. In two weeks in Miami, they will play San Francisco. Mahomes did his usual superb job passing, but it was his 27-yard tap dance down the left sideline late in the first half that gave the Chiefs their first lead. From there, they outran the run-oriented Titans and star back Derrick Henry.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Even the bookies are having a problem making a favorite in the Super Bowl. The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs are pick ’em at many sports books in Las Vegas, while the Chiefs are 1-point favorites at others. An attractive betting matchup plus legal betting in 13 other states means more money will likely be wagered legally on the game than ever before. There will be plenty of other bets offered on the game, including hundreds of props and an over/under total that was initially set at 52 points.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Raheem Mostert rushed for 220 yards and four touchdowns to make quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo mostly a spectator, Nick Bosa harassed Aaron Rodgers from the start and the San Francisco 49ers beat the Green Bay Packers 37-20 for the NFC championship. The 49ers advanced to their first Super Bowl in seven years and will play the Kansas City Chiefs in two weeks in Miami for the championship. Aaron Rodgers threw for 326 yards but the Packers lost the NFC title game for the third time since their last Super Bowl trip following the 2010 season.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — As the Hunt family stood on a makeshift stage with more than 73,000 fans deliriously cheering, the trophy for winning the AFC championship was presented. The Lamar Hunt Trophy. Hunt was a co-founder of the AFL and long-time owner of the franchise until his death in 2006. He is a Pro Football Hall of Famer who was among the most respected men in pro football. In 1970 his Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl, three years after losing in their first try. After a half-century they are headed back.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill dropped to his knees and pretended to urinate like a dog on the field when being introduced at the start of the AFC championship game against the Tennessee Titans. It was reminiscent of what Mississippi receiver Elijah Moore was flagged for in a college game against Mississippi State on Thanksgiving. Moore pretended to urinate in the end zone after scoring a potential tying touchdown in the final minute of the Egg Bowl. After a 15-yard penalty against Moore, Ole Miss kicker Luke Logan missed a longer-than-usual extra point in a 21-20 loss. The Chiefs fell behind 10-0 to the Titans before getting on the scoreboard with a touchdown by Hill.