The first one was a freak show, the second a thrill-a-minute ride.
But if anyone wondered if Patrick Mahomes’ degree in playoff escapology was genuine, this performance in the biggest game of his life offered conclusive proof.
No strong box, chains and padlocks designed to hold Houdini could possibly restrain the 24-year-old hottest property in football.
Mahomes, whose comeback heroics against Houston and Tennessee last month had brought KC this far for the first time in half a century, overcame a 10-point deficit and uncharacteristic mistakes to secure the Lombardi Trophy for the Chiefs kingdom on a dramatic night in Hard Rock Stadium.
The early exchanges were nervy, with a 38-yard Robbie Gould field goal all to show for San Francisco.
After their opening drive limp-out, KC dominated the 49ers’ defensive front, getting the ball to the safe hands and fast feet of Tyreek Hill.
But the drive stalled when Mahomes had a first and goal only for a vicious hit to jar the ball out of his hands and backwards out of bounds, bringing up a fourth and one.
The Chiefs went for it and got the first down and two plays later Mahomes himself went round right end for a one-yard touchdown and a 7-3 lead.
In the first minute of the second quarter, Jimmy Garoppolo was intercepted by Bashaud Breeland and on the following play, Mahomes took a huge hit but got a deep ball completed to Sammy Watkins as KC started knocking on the door again.
Once more, Andy Reid showed his adventurous side when he passed up a chip-shot 36-yard field goal to convert a fourth and one but the drive resulted in a field goal from Harrison Butker four plays later to put the Chiefs 10-3 in front.
Just as it seemed that the Chiefs were becoming the dominant force, San Francisco produced a drive of beauty. Starting at their own 20-yard line, they established their reliable running game but kept alive the threat of the pass, including Garoppolo finding Kyle Juszczyk over the middle.
The powerful fullback set his sights on the end zone and was not to be denied. Gould added the extra point to tie the game at 10-10 with 5:05 left in the first half.
San Francisco took the kick off in the second half and worked on a methodical drive designed to set the tone and to keep Mahomes off the field for as long as possible.
It was a good-looking drive that had Kansas City on the backfoot but eventually produced only a field goal at a time when the 49ers really needed to put their foot on the gas and take control.
That sort of weakness is often all that Mahomes needs to exploit an opponent.
On the first play after he took over, Mahomes appeared lost but as so often in his short pro career, he produced some magic for a first down to Watkins to get Kansas City moving again. Another cool conversion on third and six felt like a pivotal moment during a drive that was going to be key for both sides.
And then the unthinkable happened. On second down, Nick Bosa stripped the ball from Mahomes, with KC somehow or other getting on the loose ball.
That brought up third and 12, and with San Francisco’s defensive front containing Mahomes’ movement, he made another critical error when he failed to see Fred Warner step in front of Hill to snare an easy interception and give San Francisco possession near midfield.
Instead, it was Garoppolo who showed the poise needed in a Super Bowl, brilliantly converting on third and eight before another pass to Juszczyk who was hauled down at the one, before Raheem Mostert blasted over for the touchdown on the next play.
And just like that, the 10-10 tie was now a 10-point lead with less than 18 minutes to play.
But the deficit in points and time available only served to free Mahomes to do what he does best and the 24-year-old drove his team to within scoring range before disaster struck again.
An errant pass thrown behind Hill was tipped and picked off by Moore, handing the ball back to San Francisco at their own 20 but, more importantly, killing a scoring chance and deflating the Chiefs in the process.
Kansas City’s defence held and forced the punt, putting Mahomes back on the field needing two scores with 8:53 to play to complete a full set of playoff comeback victories. The stage was set.
And as if to play to the gallery, Mahomes waited until he was in a desperate third and 15 situation before completing a 44-yard pass to Hill to keep the game alive.
Four plays later, he hit Kelce for a one-yard touchdown, narrowing San Fran’s advantage to 20-17 and still six minutes to play. Game on.
Once more, San Francisco were forced to punt and Mahomes took over at his own 35 with 5:10 left. He drove the Chiefs to the five-yard line when he hit Damien Williams, who scored in the right corner just before going out of bounds.
The Chiefs had an anxious wait before replay confirmed the score with just 2:44 on the clock.
Could Jimmy G take San Francisco to a winning touchdown as Joe Montana had done in this stadium 31 years earlier?
No. The night belonged to the new NFL kid on the block.
Williams added a late touchdown but the name on everyone’s lips was Mahomes.
These playoffs were his all along and as the Tom Brady era perhaps comes to an end, the crown sits comfortably on the new king’s head.
