Chiefs lead 21-10 after Tyreek Hill stopped at…

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Patrick Mahomes already is playing his 11th postseason game. He already has 28 touchdown passes and only five interceptions.

He already has seven games with at least three touchdown passes, including Sunday. That ranks him fourth behind Tom Brady (13), Joe Montana (9) and Aaron Rodgers (8).

His 11 touchdowns this postseason have tied the NFL record for most touchdown passes in a single postseason.

Mahomes went 18-for-21 for 220 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, but a bad decision at the end of the first half cost the Chiefs points. They still lead 21-10 but could have buried the Bengals before the half.

The Chiefs, who had scored on seven consecutive possessions dating to last week, were at the Cincinnati 1-yard line when time expired. With five seconds remaining and no timeouts, Mahomes asked Andy Reid for one more shot at the touchdown.

But Mahomes threw a pass to Tyreek Hill short of the end zone, and Eli Apple tackled Hill before the goal line for no gain.

Otherwise, it was as close to perfect as an NFL offense can be in the first half.

The Chiefs have 292 yards and went 4-for-4 on third down. They scored touchdowns on their first three possessions.

The Bengals finally scored a touchdown with 1:05 remaining in the first half on a 41-yard catch-and-run by running back Samaje Perine. Perine got a nice block from Ja’Marr Chase on Juan Thornhill to spring him to the end zone. It completed a seven-play, 70-yard drive.

Joe Burrow is 10-of-18 for 101 yards and a touchdown as the Bengals gained 152 yards in the first half.

The Chiefs are on their way to becoming the fourth team to reach the Super Bowl in three consecutive years. The Dolphins (1971-73), Bills (1990-93) and Patriots (2016-18) previously have accomplished the feat.