The Sports Report: Patrick Mahomes leads Chiefs to a miraculous comeback

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

NFL

Millions of football fans saw it but couldn’t believe it.

Doug Williams believed it, even though he didn’t see it.

The Kansas City Chiefs pulled off a comeback for the ages on a see-your-breath Sunday, toppling the Houston Texans 51-31 despite falling behind by 24 points in the second quarter at Arrowhead Stadium.

Patrick Mahomes threw four touchdown passes in the second quarter to give the Chiefs a lead they would never relinquish. It was the largest comeback in franchise history.

So where does Williams come in? He was Washington’s quarterback in early 1988 and threw four touchdown passes in the second quarter of Super Bowl XXII, leading the Redskins to a come-from-behind victory over the Denver Broncos.

Mahomes and Williams now share that NFL postseason record of four touchdown passes in a quarter.

“The biggest thing I was preaching was, ‘Let’s go do something special. Everybody is counting us out. Let’s go out there and play by play put it out there,’” Mahomes said. “And play by play, we did what we were supposed to do.”

Even though Williams was watching only highlights on his phone — he was at home in Ashburn, Va., cheering on his two young daughters in basketball games — he was in Arrowhead Stadium in spirit.

“There’s something about that second quarter, huh?” Williams said by phone. “It’s weird that it happened, and you know what makes it even more weird? You’ve got two African American quarterbacks who did it.

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Aaron Rodgers connected with Davante Adams eight times for 160 yards and two touchdowns, Green Bay’s spruced-up defense fended off a spirited Seattle rally, and the Packers held on for a 28-23 victory Sunday night to reach the NFC championship game for the third time in six years.

Aaron Jones rushed for 62 yards and two first-half scores for the Packers, who will travel next weekend to take on top-seeded San Francisco.

Russell Wilson carried the Seahawks on yet another comeback, this time from a 21-3 halftime deficit, but the Packers forced a punt just before the two-minute warning on the second sack of the game by Preston Smith, Green Bay’s fifth of the game.

NFL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

All times Pacific

Divisional Round

Saturday

at San Francisco 27, Minnesota 10

Tennessee 28, at Baltimore 12

Sunday

at Kansas City 51, Houston 31

at Green Bay 28, Seattle 23

Conference Championship

Sunday, Jan. 19

Tennessee at Kansas City, Noon, CBS

Green Bay at San Francisco, 3:30 p.m., FOX

Super Bowl

Sunday Feb. 2

TBD vs. TBD, 3:30 p.m., FOX

CLIPPERS

Paul George didn’t travel to Colorado for the Clippers’ one-game road trip, but the inconsistency that has dogged his team for much of this month was present again Sunday.

A strong start behind a seldom-used lineup unraveled quickly at Pepsi Center and a second quarter in which the Clippers were outscored by 15 points ultimately doomed them in a 114-104 loss to a Nuggets team that had lost in the same building only 24 hours earlier.

Down by as many as 20 points in the second half, the Clippers did not go meekly, and cut their deficit to eight points with 3 minutes 56 seconds remaining with a 12-2 run that ended with a long three-pointer by Kawhi Leonard. Denver didn’t score for the next 90 seconds, but the Clippers’ offense stalled, as well, and a chance to gain a possession was lost when a replay review with 2 minutes 41 seconds left to play upheld an offensive foul call on Montrezl Harrell.

Frustration boiled over with just over one minute to play. After guard Patrick Beverley fouled out on a call he contested with officials before being led to the bench by teammate JaMychal Green, coach Doc Rivers was whistled for two technical fouls and ejected with 1 minute 11 seconds to play.

UCLA BASKETBALL

Michaela Onyenwere’s homecoming was almost perfect.

“It’s really nice to come back here — except for the altitude,” Onyenwere said after leading No. 8 UCLA to a 65-62 squeaker over Colorado on Sunday.

The Aurora, Colo., native is no longer accustomed to the thin air, but the junior forward was fired up to overcome her burning lungs on her way to 19 points and eight rebounds.

UCLA (16-0, 5-0 Pac-12) stayed unbeaten and started conference play with five consecutive wins for the first time since the 2002-03 season.

“Means a lot to have a good game and see how far I’ve come is really humbling,” said Onyenwere, who scored 15 points in the first half.

DODGERS

The Dodgers and left-handed pitcher Alex Wood agreed to a one-year contract, a person with knowledge of the situation said Sunday. The deal is worth $4 million guaranteed and includes incentives that could boost Wood’s salary to $10 million.

Wood returns to Los Angeles after the Dodgers traded him to the Cincinnati Reds last offseason as part of a salary-dumping package that included Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp.

Wood, who turned 29 on Sunday, dealt with back trouble the entire season with the Reds, beginning in spring training. He started the season on the injured list. He was activated in late July, but made only seven starts before his season ended in September. He had a 5.80 earned-run average and gave up 11 home runs over 35 2/3 innings.

He returns with a chance to crack the Dodgers rotation after being a steady presence in the group for parts of four seasons. Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, Kenta Maeda and Julio Urías are projected as locks for the rotation. Ross Stripling, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Wood and Jimmy Nelson, signed last week, are other options.

Read more Dodgers:

LZ Granderson: The group has anti-LGBTQ views. Dodgers’ Dave Roberts has a message of inclusiveness

GALAXY

The Galaxy are closing in on a deal that would bring Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, Mexico’s all-time leading scorer, to MLS on a franchise-record transfer.

Galaxy general manager Dennis te Kloese confirmed the team was in talks with Hernandez, 31, who moved from England’s West Ham United to Sevilla for a transfer fee of approximately $8.7 million in September. But the forward has fallen out of favor in Spain, appearing in just two league games since Nov. 2.

The Spanish newspaper Marca reported over the weekend that Sevilla has agreed to let Hernandez go on a $10-million transfer and that Hernandez’s representatives were scheduled to meet with the Galaxy this week to work out a new contract.

A Galaxy spokesman called that report optimistic and said nothing has been agreed upon. But he did confirm the two sides are in advanced negotiations.

TODAY’S LOCAL MAJOR SPORTS SCHEDULE

All times Pacific

Cleveland at Lakers, Spectrum Sportsnet, 710 ESPN, 7:30 p.m.

Ducks at St. Louis, 5 p.m., PRIME

BORN ON THIS DATE

1950: Baseball player Bob Forsch

1953: Horse trainer Bob Baffert

1957: Golfer Mark O’Meara

1961: Former King Kelly Hrudey

1962: Baseball player Kevin Mitchell

1972: Football player Bam Morris

1973: Hockey player Nikolai Khabibulin

1983: Former Laker Ronny Turiaf

1997: Hockey player Connor McDavid

DIED ON THIS DATE

1978: Baseball manager Joe McCarthy, 96

2006: Hockey player Marc Potvin, 39

2008: Former Dodger Johnny Podres, 76

2018: Baseball umpire Doug Harvey, 87

2019: Baseball player Mel Stottlemyre, 77

AND FINALLY

Kevin Mitchell makes a bare-handed catch in left field. Watch it here.

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