McPherson FG as time expires lifts Bengals past Titans 19-16
The Cincinnati Bengals just keep ending postseason droughts, and their latest victory has them in their first AFC championship game in 33 years.
Rookie Evan McPherson kicked a 52-yard field goal as time expired, lifting the fourth-seeded Cincinnati Bengals past the top-seeded Tennessee Titans 19-16 on Saturday to end the NFL’s longest active road playoff skid.
A week after snapping a 31-year playoff victory drought, the Bengals (12-7) finally won their first road game in the postseason after losing their first seven. They reached the 1981 and 1988 Super Bowls by winning on their home field.
Cincinnati will play in the AFC championship game Sunday in Kansas City.
The Bengals intercepted Ryan Tannehill three times, setting up two of McPherson’s four field goals. Logan Wilson picked off Tannehill with 20 seconds left at the Cincinnati 47. Joe Burrow hit Pro Bowl rookie receiver Ja’Marr Chase with a 19-yard pass, then the Bengals ran twice to set up McPherson for the win.
Burrow shook off being sacked nine times as Tennessee tied an NFL mark held by four other teams for the most in the postseason. The Bengals’ second-year quarterback threw for 348 yards, and Chase finished with 109 yards receiving.
The Titans (12-6) wrapped up their 25th season in Tennessee with their third straight loss on their own field as the AFC’s No. 1 seed. They haven’t won at home since January 2003 in the postseason.
Gould’s FG On Final Play Gives 49ers 13-10 Upset of Packers
Robbie Gould made a 45-yard field goal as time expired that knocked off the top-seeded Packers 13-10 and possibly ended Aaron Rodgers’ tenure in Green Bay.
Gould has made all 20 of his career playoff field-goal attempts. His latest helped the San Francisco 49ers complete an improbable comeback by scoring 10 unanswered points in the last five minutes.
The 49ers (12-7) advanced to an NFC championship game matchup Jan. 30 against the Los Angeles Rams (14-5).
This marks the 17th conference championship appearance for the 49ers, the most by any team since conferences were formed in the 1970 merger. The 49ers had been tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
** San Francisco’s win, coupled with the Cincinnati Bengals’ 19-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans earlier in the day, marked the first time both No. 1 seeds lost in the divisional round in the same season since 2010. Green Bay won at Atlanta and the New York Jets won at New England that season.
Rodgers went 20 of 29 for 225 yards and dropped to 0-4 in career playoff starts against the 49ers. He’s the first quarterback in NFL history to lose four playoff starts to a single opponent.
He now enters an uncertain offseason. After skipping the Packers’ mandatory minicamp in a standoff with management, Rodgers said he was uncertain whether this would be his last year in Green Bay. Rodgers said last month he was keeping all options open.
Rodgers didn’t want to speculate on his future Saturday night, though he said he didn’t want to be part of a rebuild if he keeps playing.
The Packers (13-5) earned the NFC’s top seed for a second straight season and were the league’s only unbeaten team at home, but again failed to reach the big game. They haven’t made it to the Super Bowl since their 2010 championship season.
Gay’s 30-Yard FG Lifts Rams Over Brady, Buccaneers 30-27
Matthew Stafford outplayed Tom Brady in the final minute, moving the Rams into position for a last-second field goal that gave Los Angeles a 30-27 victory over the Buccaneers after the seven-time Super Bowl champion led Tampa Bay on a late tying drive.
Stafford threw for 366 yards and two touchdowns, and Matt Gay’s 30-yard field goal as time expired sent the Rams (14-5) into next Sunday’s NFC championship game at home against the San Francisco 49ers.
Brady rallied the Bucs from a 27-3 second-half deficit with help from three Los Angeles turnovers, tying the game on Leonard Fournette’s 9-yard run on fourth-and-inches with 42 seconds remaining. The NFL’s all-time passer leader didn’t get an opportunity to finish the job.
And it’s uncertain if that was the final game for Brady, who’s undecided on retirement.
Stafford completed 28 of 38 passes without an interception. The 13-year veteran also scored on a 1-yard run as the Rams (14-5) advanced to next Sunday’s NFC championship game at home against the San Francisco 49ers.
Brady completed 30 of 54 passes for 329 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He was sacked three times and lost a fumble.
The Bucs (14-5) were trying to become the first team to repeat as Super Bowl champions since the Brady-led New England Patriots during the 2004 season.
Chiefs Rally Past Buffalo 42-36 in OT in Wild Playoff Game
Patrick Mahomes found Travis Kelce in the corner of the end zone from 8 yards early in overtime, and the Kansas City Chiefs rallied to beat the Buffalo Bills 42-36.
The lead changed hands three times in the final two minutes of regulation before Harrison Butker, who earlier missed a field goal and extra point, drilled a 49-yarder for Kansas City as time expired to force overtime.
The Chiefs won the coin toss, marched downfield against the NFL’s top-ranked but exhausted defense, and right into their fourth straight AFC title game. They’ll play the Bengals next Sunday night for a spot in the Super Bowl.
Mahomes finished with 378 yards passing and three touchdowns, including a 64-yarder to Tyreek Hill during the thrilling final minutes of regulation and the clutch throw to Kelce that sent players streaming off the bench.
Josh Allen was pretty good, too. He threw a go-ahead touchdown pass to Gabriel Davis with 1:54 left in the regulation, then another to Davis — his playoff-record fourth TD catch — with 13 seconds remaining in regulation.
Allen finished with 329 yards passing, and Davis with eight catches for 201 yards, as the Bills — who had beaten the Chiefs in October — lost their ninth straight road playoff game dating to their last victory in the 1992 season’s AFC championship.
** The Chiefs get a visit from Cincinnati next Sunday, becoming the first franchise in NFL history to host four consecutive conference championship games. The 49ers play the Rams for the NFC title in the nightcap.
