It shouldn't have been possible. Honestly. You’ve seen late-game heroics before, but what happened on January 23, 2022, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium felt like a glitch in the simulation. 13 seconds. That’s all the time Patrick Mahomes had to save the Kansas City Chiefs' season. Most people think a football game is over when the opposing team scores a go-ahead touchdown with less than a quarter-minute on the clock.
Buffalo Bills fans certainly did.
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When Josh Allen hit Gabriel Davis for a 19-yard touchdown—Davis’s fourth of the night—to put the Bills up 36–33, the win probability for Kansas City plummeted. It was basically zero. Then, the kickoff happened. Or rather, the kickoff that didn't happen the way it should have. Instead of a squib kick to bleed the clock, Tyler Bass boomed it into the end zone for a touchback.
Mahomes walked onto the field. He didn't look panicked. He looked like a guy who knew something we didn't.
The Drive: Patrick Mahomes 13 Seconds of Perfection
"When it’s grim, be the Grim Reaper." That’s what Andy Reid told Mahomes right before he stepped out for those final three plays of regulation. It sounds like something out of a movie, but it’s 100% real. The Chiefs had three timeouts. That’s the detail everyone forgets. Time was tight, but they weren't desperate for the sidelines.
They just needed chunks.
On the first play from the 25-yard line, Mahomes found Tyreek Hill. It was a simple slant, but with Hill’s speed, simple is deadly. He burst for 19 yards. Clock stopped with 8 seconds left.
Then came the play that broke Buffalo.
The Kelce Connection
The Bills were playing a soft prevent defense. They were so terrified of Tyreek Hill burning them deep again—remember, he’d already scored a 64-yarder earlier in the quarter—that they backed off. Way off. Travis Kelce noticed. In the huddle, Kelce basically told Mahomes he was going to improvise.
Mahomes saw the same thing. Right before the snap, he shouted, "Do it, Kelce!"
Kelce ran straight into the heart of the "seam," catching a dart for 25 yards. Another timeout. Suddenly, the Chiefs were at the Buffalo 31-yard line. Harrison Butker, who had already missed an extra point and a field goal earlier in the game, stepped up and nailed a 49-yarder as time expired.
The game was tied 36–36. The air in the stadium felt different. Everyone knew it was over before overtime even started.
What Buffalo Got Wrong
If you ask a Bills fan about patrick mahomes 13 seconds, they’ll probably mention the "prevent defense." It’s a dirty word in Western New York. Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier opted for a deep shell. They wanted to keep everything in front of them.
The problem? They kept it too far in front.
- The Kickoff: By kicking into the end zone, they gave the Chiefs the ball at the 25 with 13 seconds left and zero time run off the clock. A squib kick likely burns 4 or 5 seconds.
- The Corners: Buffalo’s defensive backs were playing nearly 20 yards off the line of scrimmage. They gave Mahomes the intermediate throws for free.
- The Pass Rush: They only rushed four. Mahomes had a clean pocket to survey the field. Against a guy like him, a clean pocket is a death sentence.
A Statistical Freak Show
This wasn't just a lucky drive; it was the capstone on arguably the greatest quarterback duel in NFL history. Look at these numbers from that night:
- Patrick Mahomes: 33/44, 378 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions. Oh, and he led the team in rushing with 69 yards and a touchdown.
- Josh Allen: 27/37, 329 passing yards, 4 touchdowns, 0 interceptions. He also rushed for 68 yards.
It was the first time in playoff history that both quarterbacks threw for 300+ yards, 3+ touchdowns, had 0 picks, and rushed for 50+ yards. It was a masterclass. The final two minutes of regulation alone featured three go-ahead touchdowns. It was exhausting just to watch.
Why 13 Seconds Still Matters in 2026
You might think, "Hey, it's been a few years, let it go." But the NFL actually changed its rules because of this game. The "Mahomes Rule" (officially the overtime post-season rule change) now ensures that both teams get a possession in overtime, regardless of whether the first team scores a touchdown.
People felt cheated. Josh Allen never got to touch the ball in overtime. Mahomes won the toss, marched 75 yards in 8 plays, and hit Kelce for the game-winner. 36–42. Game over.
It also cemented the Chiefs as the new "Final Boss" of the league. It showed that no lead is safe. Not even with 13 seconds left.
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The Mental Edge
There’s a nuance here that gets overlooked: the psychological impact. Since that game, the Bills have struggled to get past the Chiefs in the postseason. That 13-second collapse wasn't just a loss; it was a scar. It changed how Buffalo plays late-game situations, often leading to more conservative (or sometimes over-aggressive) decision-making.
Mahomes, on the other hand, gained a sort of "invincibility" aura. When you've won a game in 13 seconds, why would you ever panic on a 3rd-and-10 in the second quarter? You wouldn't.
Actionable Insights for the "13 Seconds" Era
If you’re a coach, a player, or just a die-hard fan, there are real takeaways from the patrick mahomes 13 seconds saga that apply to the game today:
- Squib the ball. If there are less than 15 seconds left, do not give the opposing team a free 25 yards without taking time off the clock. Force a return.
- Jam the tight end. Letting Travis Kelce have a free release in a "must-have" yardage situation is coaching malpractice. You have to disrupt the timing of the route.
- Don't play "Prevent." Prevent defense usually just prevents you from winning. Staying aggressive and keeping defenders at the sticks (the first down line) is almost always more effective than dropping everyone 20 yards deep.
- Trust the "Grim Reaper" mentality. Preparation meets opportunity. Mahomes and Kelce had practiced those "scramble drill" and "seam read" scenarios thousands of times. That’s why they could execute them in a heartbeat.
The next time you see a team celebrate a "game-winning" touchdown with time still on the clock, remember Mahomes. It only takes a sliver of daylight for the elite ones to turn a certain loss into a legendary win.