Reigning Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs moved a step closer to defending their NFL title with a 26-7 beating of the Miami Dolphins in sub-zero temperatures at Arrowhead Stadium.
In what was the fourth-coldest NFL match in history at -20 degrees Celsius, Patrick Mahomes threw for an 11-yard Rashee Rice touchdown in the opening quarter before a quarter of Harrison Butker field goals put the Chiefs out of sight.
Isiah Pacheco put the cherry on the icing on the cake in the fourth for the Chiefs, who overcame the Dolphins in a playoff encounter for the first time in four attempts after three previous post-season defeats.
Prior to the Chiefs' opening playoff success, AFC South champions Houston Texans made incredibly light work of the Cleveland Browns, advancing to the divisional round thanks to a 45-14 success.
The triumph was a momentous evening for 22-year-old C. J. Stroud, who became the youngest quarterback to win a playoff match as he threw for 274 yards and three touchdowns, finding Nico Collins, Brevin Jordan and Dalton Schultz.
While Kareem Hunt registered twice for the Browns, it was a fruitless endeavour against DeMeco Ryans's crop, who are now just one match away from a potential first-ever AFC Championship game.
Ben Knapton
