This year’s NFL Divisional Round games gave us a lot to talk about with some shock results that nobody expected. The Cincinnati Bengals, The Kansas City Chiefs, The LA Rams and the San Francisco 49ers are the final four that remain in the hunt for Super Bowl LVI, but they are here through the route of some nerve shredding action that leaves a lot to be discussed.
Bengals eliminate Titans in back and forth game despite Burrow sack struggles
The Bengals became the first side to book their place in the AFC Championship slot by beating the AFC’s number one seed in the Tennessee Titans 19-16.
Two early field goals for the Bengals put them up at the end of first quarter, but midway through the second, the returning Derrick Henry powered through the Bengals defence to score a touchdown and level things up.
The Bengals converted another field goal then went further in front when Burrow handed the ball off to Joe Mixon for a 20 yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
With seconds remaining in the third, Ryan Tannehill unleashed a mammoth 40-yard throw to A.J. Brown to score and kicker Randy Bullock converted the extra point to level things up at 16-16.
But with thirty seconds left in the fourth quarter, Titans wide reciever Nick Westbrook couldn’t catch a throw by Tannehill, the ball flicking off his hands and landing in the grateful grasp of Logan Wilson, who was mobbed by his teammates for what proved to be the game winning interception.
The Bengals went short on the next play, leaving rookie kicker Evan Macpherson to win the game from 52 yards, which he duly did, sending his team mates into raptures.
Despite throwing for 348 yards, Burrow will no doubt be in shock that he came through that game the victor, being sacked nine times and thus making him the most sacked quarterback ever to win a playoff game.
Surprise result of the Divisional Round sees 49ers eliminate Packers
An injured Jimmy Garoppolo helped carry his San Francisco 49ers side to a superb victory over many people’s favourites to take the Super Bowl, the Green Bay Packers.
AJ Dillon rushed in from ten yards on the Packers’ opening drive after just six minutes as it looked like the Packers meant business.
Entertaining action was certainly on the thin side in this game and with five minutes to go in the game, Green Bay held a 10-3 lead over Kyle Shanahan’s team, it looking like the Packers had all but wrapped the game up.
But, in an attempt to turn possession over, Packers punter Corey Bojorquez’s attempted kick from inside his own endzone was blocked by Jordan Willlis, the ball going up in the air and with Packers playing scrambling about to locate it, it fell kindly for Talanoa Hufanga to run in and score a touchdown, with Robbie Gould converting for 10-10.
With 15 seconds to go, Kyle Juszczyk two-yard run on 2nd and 9 put Gould in position to kick the winning field goal, the second consecutive game of the Divisional Round to be won in such fashion, leaving the Bucs, Rams, Chiefs and Bills to fight it out for the final two places in the Conference Championships.
Rams beat Brady and the Bucs to end Tampa hopes for a second consecutive Super Bowl
The LA Rams shook the NFL world by dumping out The Tampa Bay Buccaneers in nail biting style as Matt Stafford and Cooper Kupp starred.
The Rams stormed into an unexpected 10-0 lead in the first quarter as Brady struggled to spearhead his side through a stout LA defence.
Early in the second, the Rams found themselves on 3rd and 20 on their own 30-yard line, so Stafford took matters into his own hand, throwing 50 yards towards Kupp, who took the ball in his stride and running 20 yards for the touchdown.
A couple of extra field goals later, the Rams extended their lead midway through the third quarter, when Stafford ran in to score from the one yard line to make it 27-3.
Two minutes left in the third quarter and a rare fumble from Kupp gifted the Bucs possession – the Bucs eventually found themselves on 4th and 9 and made it, when Brady found Scott Miller with a 25-yard throw.
From the one-yard line on 1st and Goal, Leonard Fournette ran in to score and give the Bucs hope with fifteen seconds left in the third quarter.
The Bucs continued to search for another score and they certainly didn’t do much for their fans nerves when they put themselves within seven points as Brady threw a 55-yard peach for Mike Evans who was afforded a lot of time to jog into the endzone.
Then madness struck, when on the Rams’ second play of the drive following the Bucs touchdown, Tampa defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh punched the ball out of a running Cam Akers’ arms to turn over possession on the Rams 30-yard line with two and a half minutes left to play.
The home side got the touchdown through Fournette and converted to level the score, the game looking like it would head to overtime. Cue Stafford and Kupp.
The Rams quarterback let a 44-yard throw fly to his reliable wide receiver, putting them at the 12-yard line.
It left kicker Matt Gay to win the game with a 30-yard attempt that went through the posts, putting the Rams through and dumping the Bucs out of the playoffs.
Chiefs battle to victory over Josh Allen and the Bills
The Kansas City Chiefs were rewarded for their all round offensive display with a crazy overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills.
The Bills took an early lead through a rushing touchdown from Devin Singletary but just before the end of the opening quarter, Mahomes produced one of his trademark runs to storm in and make contact with the pylon to level the score.
With two minutes left in the second quarter, Mahomes found himself retreating to the 15-yard line under pressure from the onrushing Matt Milano and Jerry Hughes, but he dinked a ball over them and the rest of the Bills defence, finding Bryon Pringle to make it 14-7 to the Chiefs.
The Bills came back though with the half drawing nearer, Josh Allen producing a 28-yard throw for Gabriel Davis to run into the endzone.
The Chiefs retook the lead towards the back end of the third quarter when Mecole Hardman jinked his way through the Bills defence with a 30-yard run to score.
A field goal put the Chiefs a bit further ahead, but again the Bills came straight back, when Allen threw from his own 15-yard line to find Davis yet again who sprinted away from safety Juan Thornhill for his second touchdown of the game.
With a minute left in the final quarter the Chiefs went in front yet again when Tyreek Hill ran in from 50 yards to score and put his side in front.
Davis scored again with seconds left but a late Chiefs field goal sent the game to overtime at 36-36, where the Chiefs eventually prevailed on 1st and Goal from the 15-yard line, Mahomes finding Kelce to end the game.
The Championship games will see AFC sides Bengals and Chiefs face off, while the Rams and the 49ers represent the final NFC teams left in the competition.
Both of these games will be played this Sunday, with the Super Bowl being played on February 13th at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
