NFL Conference Championships LIVE: Chiefs v Bengals & Rams v 49ers score & updates

Summary

Final: San Francisco 49ers 17-20 Los Angeles Rams - Rams meet Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl on 13 February
Final: Cincinnati Bengals 27-24 Kansas City Chiefs
Bengals score 21 unanswered points to take lead in final quarter before Chiefs force overtime with late field goal
Evan McPherson kicks winning field goal in overtime as Bengals reach third Super Bowl, after previously appearing in 1981 and 1988
Get involved via #bbcnfl

Live Reporting

Michael Beardmore and Thomas Woods

Postpublished at 20:20 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2022
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It's a bit early. But this is not the start the Bengals wanted. Can they respond?
Touchdown - Kansas Citypublished at 20:17 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2022
Kansas City Chiefs 7-0 Cincinnati Bengals
Patrick Mahomes to Tyreek Hill.
This is the combination Bengals fans must have feared.
Mahomes scrambles to his right, his wide receiver Hill runs virtually one side of the endzone to the other and hauls in a high pass in the corner to put KC ahead.
Image source, Reuters
Postpublished at 20:15 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2022
Kansas City Chiefs 0-0 Cincinnati Bengals
The officials acknowledge their error and it's a first down for Kansas City.
A Jerick McKinnon run and a Patrick Mahomes pass to star tight end Travis Kelce equals another Chiefs first down.
Then Mahomes scrambles out of bounds for 13 yards and Kansas City have yet another first down inside the Bengals' 25-yard line.
Postpublished at 20:11 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2022
Kansas City Chiefs 0-0 Cincinnati Bengals
The on-field officials ruled that full-back Michael Burton was short of the yard needed but TV replays suggest they are incorrect.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is challenging the decision. I'd be surprised if the challenge isn't upheld.
Postpublished at 20:08 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2022
Kansas City Chiefs 0-0 Cincinnati Bengals
By contrast, a very confident start from Kansas City.
Jerick McKinnon picks up a few yards on a first-down run, then collects a Patrick Mahomes pass.
Now, though, a third down and one around halfway...
Three and out for Bengalspublished at 20:05 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2022
Kansas City Chiefs 0-0 Cincinnati Bengals
Tough start for Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, for whom this sort of game is a whole new experience.
On third down and five, he tries to connect with tight end CJ Uzomah but the pass is batted away and Cincinnati must punt.
Postpublished at 20:03 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2022
Kansas City Chiefs 0-0 Cincinnati Bengals
And we're under way.
The Chiefs kick off and it's right out of the end zone so Cincinnati start from their 25-yard line.
Chiefs don't forgetpublished at 20:01 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2022
Kansas City Chiefs v Cincinnati Bengals (20:00 GMT)
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Get Involvedpublished at 19:59 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2022
#bbcnfl
It's going to be another night of thrills and spills in the NFL - but surely it can't be as dramatic as the divisional round.... can it?
Three games decided by last-second field goals, the fourth going to overtime. Crazy.
Famous last words, though - the Championship games are renowned for serving up twists and turns aplenty too.
And we want to hear from you as things unfold: Who's going to win the big one? Who should be the NFL MVP? Let us know your thoughts via #bbcnfl.
Route to the AFC Championship gamepublished at 19:57 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2022
Kansas City Chiefs v Cincinnati Bengals (20:00 GMT)
Image source, Getty Images
All four teams that remain in the Super Bowl hunt have had to come through two post-season games already - with #1 NFC seeds Green Bay Packers and #1 AFC seeds Tennessee Titans falling by the wayside.
Kansas City - AFC champions in both of the past two seasons - recovered from a dodgy regular-season start to finish atop the AFC West with a 12-5 record and they brushed aside the Pittsburgh Steelers 42-21 in the wildcard round before pinching an absolute thriller 42-36 in overtime against the Buffalo Bills.
The Cincinnati Bengals had not won a play-off game in more than 30 years but after winning the AFC North with a 10-7 record, they beat the Las Vegas Raiders 26-19 and knocked off the number one seed Tennessee 19-16 with a last-second field goal.
Image source, Getty Images
Postpublished at 19:55 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2022
Kansas City Chiefs v Cincinnati Bengals (20:00 GMT)
Big boost for the Chiefs with one of their top defensive players available.
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Relive the stunning Chiefs-Bills finalepublished at 19:53 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2022
Media caption,
Patrick Mahomes helps the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Buffalo Bills in all-time classic
Sorcerer and the apprenticepublished at 19:51 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2022
Kansas City Chiefs v Cincinnati Bengals (20:00 GMT)
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Familiar territory? Yes... and nopublished at 19:48 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2022
Kansas City Chiefs v Cincinnati Bengals (20:00 GMT)
Image source, Getty Images
When it comes to recent experience in AFC Championship games, the pendulum swings firmly in the favour of the Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday night's opening game.
The Chiefs have reached the AFC showpiece in each of the past three years - that's all three seasons Patrick Mahomes has been their starting quarterback. Amazing really.
They lost to New England Patriots in Mahomes' rookie year but lifted the AFC crown in 2020 and 2021 with victories over the Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills.
By contrast, it has been 33 years since the Cincinnati Bengals enjoyed the most recent of their two AFC Championship appearances, beating perennial bridesmaids Buffalo before losing to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIII.
Postpublished at 19:47 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2022
Four teams. Two games.
But it's the AFC Championship affair first up, in little over 10 minutes...
Vying for Brady's crownpublished at 19:44 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2022
Image source, Getty Images
It's not completely official. Yet.
But the understanding within the NFL world is that legendary quarterback Tom Brady is hanging up his cleats.
The seven-time Super Bowl winner was denied an eighth title when his current team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, lost a thriller to the Los Angeles Rams last Sunday night.
One of the four teams in action tonight will succeed Brady's Buccaneers as Super Bowl champions in a fortnight's time - but in the meantime, read about the GOAT's impending retirement here.
Profiles and ones to watchpublished at 19:40 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2022
Want the lowdown on the four remaining teams? Of course you do.
Paul Higham has all you need to know right here.
Image source, Getty Images
Tonight's fixturespublished at 19:36 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2022
Only four teams remain.
Two will be crowned Conference champions, one will lift the Super Bowl trophy.
And two will go home tonight.
AFC Championship:
Kansas City Chiefs v Cincinnati Bengals (20:00 GMT)
NFC Championship:
Los Angeles Rams v San Francisco 49ers (23:40 GMT)
Good evening and welcomepublished at 19:33 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2022
And then there were four.
And what a four.
The historical dynasty. The star-studded Hollywood wannabes. The dominant new boys on the block. And the fairytale story underdogs.
The 49ers. The Rams. The Chiefs. The Bengals. Who is going to the Super Bowl? Find out over the next few hours right here.
Image source, Getty Images