In the end, it was a great game

 Ever since the Kansas City Chiefs eliminated the Buffalo Bills in the AFC divisional playoffs three years ago, the NFL changed its overtime rules for the post-season. Those rules were tested tonight, in Las Vegas, as the Chiefs sought to become the first team since the New England Patriots won back-to-back Lombardi Trophies 20 years ago.

It was a rematch from 2020. Kansas City vs. San Francisco. The team of the now vs. the franchise that was the team of the 80's. The stars came to Las Vegas. Hall of Famer Joe Montana, the quarterback who led the 49ers to 4 Super Bowls in the 80's, was in a skybox. Lakers star LeBron James was in the house. Of course, Taylor Swift made it in from Tokyo after a stopover in Los Angeles on Saturday.

The game started the same way it did four years ago. San Francisco took a 10-3 lead into halftime. The lone touchdown was on a gadget play, with receiver Jauan Jennings throwing a touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey, whose father, Ed, won titles with the Niners and the Giants.

Jennings would also catch a TD pass from Brock Purdy, duplicating the feat of Nick Foles, who caught and threw TDs for Philadelphia 6 years ago vs. New England.

But, predictably, Patrick Mahomes brought his team back. All the frustration on both sides of the ball subsided in the 2nd half. Niners fans had to be cringing, knowing history could repeat itself. Harrison Butker's 4th field goal of the game sent it into overtime.

San Francisco won the toss for the extra session, and elected to receive. They marched down the field, only to be stalled at the Chiefs' 5 yard line, leading to a chip shot field goal for rookie Jake Moody.

Back came the Chiefs again. If Mahomes wasn't throwing to Rashee Rice or Travis Kelce, he was running it himself. With time running down in the first overtime quarter, Mahomes hit Mecole Hardman, who came back to Kansas City earlier in the season after the Jets traded him back, with the game winner. Pandemonium in the Chiefs' skybox and everywhere else.

Mahomes and the Chiefs have been in four Super Bowls in the last five years, the lone exception being when Cincinnati upset them in the AFC title game two years ago, only to lose to Los Angeles.

For all the right wing conspiracy theories being bandied about the last two weeks regarding Swift and a possible endorsement of President Biden, that never happened. Still, Florida Misrepresentative Matt Gaetz raised a fuss over "Lift Every Voice & Sing", which is considered a National Anthem for the African American community, but it was just noise in the wilderness.

Moody & Butker rewrote the history books with record setting field goals in the 1st half, but a missed extra point by Moody almost was the difference in the game, if it wasn't for overtime.