Locals in the NFL Playoffs: Andy Reid further cements status with Chiefs' divisional win

AROUND THE SHIELD — If there was any doubt before, let it be assuaged now: Andy Reid ranks among the top coaches in NFL history.

The former BYU offensive lineman and graduate assistant lifted the Kansas City Chiefs to a 27-20 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday, leading the Chiefs to the AFC championship game for the fifth-straight season and earning his 20th career playoff win.

With the win, Reid became just the third coach in NFL history with at least 20 postseason victories. The 64 year old from the coaching tree of BYU legend LaVell Edwards tied Dallas Cowboys legend Tom Landry for the second-most playoff victories all time. Only New England's Bill Belichick has more (31).

"It feels really good to have Andy Reid as my coach calling plays for me," deadpanned Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, when asked about his record-breaking game of 14 receptions for 98 yards and two touchdowns, the most catches by a tight end in a playoff game (a record previously held by … Kelce himself).

Caesars Sportsbook ranks the Chiefs as the betting favorite to win their second Super Bowl in four years, a mountain away from where the franchise sat before drafting Patrick Mahomes with the No. 10 overall pick out of Texas Tech in 2017.

But then again, since the Hunt family hired Reid on Jan. 4, 2013, things have been changing dramatically in Kansas City.

"It's amazing to see what the Chiefs have become," four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Derrick Johnson told ESPN. "From where we were when Andy came in to where they are now, you wouldn't believe it if you didn't see it for yourself."

Reid's 20 wins are divided evenly among his time with the Philadelphia Eagles and Chiefs, but Saturday's was no less impressive.

Using two quarterbacks when Patrick Mahomes was rushed to the locker room with an apparent ankle injury, backup quarterback Chad Henne entered the game in the first half and led a 12-play, 98-yard touchdown drive capped by a 1-yard scoring strike to Kelce.

Mahomes eventually returned to the game, completing 22-of-30 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns. No matter who was in the game, the offense hummed.

Give credit to "Big Red," even if Red will give all credit to his players.

"We basically kept everything the same," Reid told reporters after the game. "We just kept it going, what we were doing before."

The Chiefs don't have any local players on the active roster (former BYU and Stansbury High defensive back Zayne Anderson, former BYU tight end Matt Bushman and former Layton High receiver Marcus Kemp are all on the practice squad), but plenty of Utahns will be cheering for Kansas City in the playoffs.

That's a testament to the likability of Reid, either for his two Super Bowl titles and schemes or his penchant for victory cheeseburgers.

Kansas City advanced to host third-seeded Cincinnati in next week's AFC championship after the Bengals upended the Bills 27-10 on the road.

In the NFC, Jalen Hurts threw for 154 yards and two touchdowns, and Philadelphia rolled up 268 yards on the ground in a 38-7 rout of the New York Giants. The Eagles advanced to host San Francisco, which got a team-high seven tackles and an interception from former BYU linebacker Fred Warner in a 19-12 win over Dallas to advance to the NFC championship for the third time in four seasons.

Here's a look at how the 15 former Utah high school and college football standouts performed in the NFL divisional round.

Sunday, Jan. 22

NFC: San Francisco 19, Dallas 12

49ers (15-4)

• Fred Warner, LB, BYU: Starting linebacker totaled nine tackles, a tackle for loss and an interception on defense
• Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah: Punted four times for 164 yards (41.0 average) with a touchback and two punts downed inside the 20 on special teams

Cowboys (13-6)

• Dalton Schultz, TE, Bingham: Starting tight end caught five passes for 27 yards and a touchdown on offense

AFC: Cincinnati 27, Buffalo 10

Bengals (14-4)

• Jalen Davis, CB, Utah State: Reserve cornerback made one tackle on special teams
• Jay Tufele, DT, Bingham: Inactive for divisional round

Bills (14-4)

• Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State: Starting nickel totaled six tackles and a pass defended on defense

Saturday, Jan. 21

AFC: Kansas City 27, Jacksonville 20

Chiefs (15-3)

• No locals on the active roster, but coached by former BYU offensive lineman and graduate assistant Andy Reid

Jaguars (10-9)

• Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah: Starting linebacker posted eight tackles and two quarterback hits in 56 defensive snaps, six more on special teams

NFC: Philadelphia 38, New York 7

Eagles (15-3)

• Britain Covey, WR/RS, Utah/Timpview: Reserve wide receiver had four fair catches on punt return in five snaps on special teams

Giants (10-8-1)

• No locals on the active roster

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