NFL: Niners upset Packers on walk-off field goal, Bengals topple Titans

LOS ANGELES -- Robbie Gould kicked a 45-yard field goal as time expired and the San Francisco 49ers rallied for a stunning 13-10 victory over the top-seeded Green Bay Packers on Saturday to punch their ticket to the NFC Championship game.

The underdog 49ers avenged a similar loss to the Packers earlier in the season when Green Bay beat them 30-28 on a walk-off 51-yard field goal. 

This one took place on a frosty Lambeau Field in Green Bay with snow falling steadily as temperatures dipped to -12 degrees Celsius (10 degrees Fahrenheit).

"Dangerous man. When a team gets hot it is dangerous. We got to keep this thing going," said quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo of San Francisco, who advance to their fifth NFC championship game in the last 11 years.

In the early NFL game, the Cincinnati Bengals busted another playoff drought as rookie Evan McPherson kicked a 52-yard field goal as time expired for a 19-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans.

The 49ers will play either the Los Angeles Rams or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a spot in the Super Bowl.

Garoppolo completed 11 of 19 passes for 131 yards and one interception but it was the 49ers' defense that made the clutch plays on Saturday.

With under five minutes to go in the fourth quarter, Talanoa Hufanga recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown as San Francisco tied the game 10-10.

Gould is now a perfect 20-of-20 lifetime on kicks in the playoffs.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who threw 20-of-29 passes for 225 yards, was trying to reach the NFC title game for the sixth time in his tenure with the Packers. 

Rodgers has won just one Super Bowl during his famed run in Green Bay and his future with the franchise remains uncertain. 

He was unable to take advantage of this chance with the Packers coming off a bye and possessing home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

"I'm gonna take some time and have conversations with the folks around here, and then take some time away and make a decision -- obviously before free agency," Rodgers said Saturday.

"Certainly we want him back here. I think we'd be crazy not to want him back here," said Packers coach Matt LaFleur.

The 49ers continue to be a stumbling block for the Packers when it comes to playoff elimination games. San Francisco crushed Green Bay 37-20 in the 2019 NFC title game when Raheem Mostert rushed for 220 yards. 

Elsewhere, the Bengals triumph over the top-seeded Titans in Nashville put the Bengals into their first AFC championship game in 33 years -- and gave Cincinnati a first postseason road victory after seven defeats.

"Very intense," Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow said of the game in which Cincinnati intercepted Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill three times.

With 20 seconds remaining and the score tied at 16-16, Luke Wilson picked off Tannehill at the Cincinnati 47 yard line. Burrow connected with rookie receiver Ja'Marr Chase with a 19-yard pass and the Bengals ran the ball twice to set the stage for McPherson's game-winner.

"Ice in his veins," Burrow said of the rookie kicker, who had two field goals of more than 50 yards.

Although they led most of the way, the Bengals didn't have it easy. Burrow was sacked a playoff record-equalling nine times.

Cincinnati scored their first touchdown in their opening drive of the third quarter, taking a 16-6 lead on Joe Mixon's 16-yard run to the end zone.

Tennessee then threatened, moving to the Cincinnati nine-yard line before cornerback Mike Hilton picked off Tannehill.

"We found a way," said Burrow, who threw for 348 yards. 

"Man it was a crazy, crazy game. That's a really, really good team, unbelievable defensive line."

Burrow said the Bengals -- whose first-round win was their first playoff victory in 31 years -- would take a night to savor the victory, then start preparing for their next opponent.

They'll face the winner of Sunday's AFC Divisional Round game between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs.

Agence France-Presse

Brady outplays Rodgers, Titans and Steelers remain unbeaten

Tom Brady won the battle of the Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks on Sunday, outduelling Aaron Rodgers as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers routed the previously unbeaten Green Bay Packers 38-10.

Brady completed 17 of 27 passes for 166 yards and two scores, and Ronald Jones rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns as the Buccaneers handed the Packers their first loss of the season.

Brady’s sidekick Rob Gronkowski also got into the act as the dynamic duo connected for their 91st career touchdown pass, as the Bucs improved to 4-2 on the NFL season.

The 12-yard score with 62 seconds left in the second quarter capped a 28-point second quarter that set the tone for the rest of the contest at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

“He played great today. We got to try and keep getting him and the tight ends the ball,” said Brady of Gronkowski.

Six-time-Super Bowl champion Brady joined the Buccaneers this season after spending two decades with the New England Patriots.

Rodgers finished 16 of 35 for 160 yards with two interceptions.

“I think we needed kind of a kick in the ass,” said Rodgers. “We needed a little bit of a wake-up call at some point this season because things have been so good.”

Elsewhere, Derrick Henry’s 5-yard overtime touchdown run kept the Tennessee Titans unbeaten, while the Pittsburgh Steelers routed Cleveland to join them at 5-0.

Ryan Tannehill threw for 364 yards and four touchdowns, and Henry ran 22 times for 212 yards and two touchdowns to lead Tennessee over Houston 42-36, while the Steelers ripped Cleveland 38-7.

The Titans improved to 5-0, matching their 2008 start for the best in club history, while the Texans sunk to 1-5.

‘It was wild’

Houston’s Deshaun Watson completed 28 of 37 passes for 335 yards and four touchdowns, including a one-yarder to Brandin Cooks that gave the Texans a 36-29 edge with 1:50 to play.

Tannehill marched the Titans 76 yards and hit A.J. Brown with a 7-yard touchdown pass with four seconds remaining in regulation to lift Tennessee level.

“It was wild,” Tannehill said. “Started out strong, had a lull in the third and fourth quarters. We just kept believing, kept fighting, and had the confidence to get it done.”

Tannehill drove the Titans 82 yards in six plays in overtime to set up Henry’s winning run.

“He’s unbelievable,” Tannehill said of Henry. “Every week he does the same thing. He’s out here grinding for us. He was great.”

Ben Roethlisberger completed 14 of 22 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown, and James Conner ran 20 times for 101 yards and a touchdown to lead the Steelers, who are 5-0 for the first time since 1978.

Pittsburgh jumped ahead 24-0 thanks to a 33-yard Minkah Fitzpatrick interception return touchdown, Roethlisberger’s 28-yard touchdown pass to James Washington, Conner’s three-yard touchdown run and a 35-yard Chris Boswell field goal.

Cleveland’s Baker Mayfield threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Rashard Higgins in the second quarter, but Chase Claypool scored on a three-yard run in the third and Benny Snell added a one-yard touchdown run in the fourth for the Steelers to seal the victory.

The NFL’s two other undefeated teams, Seattle (5-0) has a bye week.

No new positive Covid-19 tests were reported Sunday, allowing all games to be played as scheduled after a week that saw disrupted practices for multiple teams with at least one positive test.

Denver’s Brandon McManus kicked five field goals to lift the Broncos over host New England 18-12, the Patriots falling to 2-3, their worst five-game start since 2002.

Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson threw for 186 yards and a touchdown and ran for 108 yards and another score as the Ravens won 30-28 at Philadelphia.

Eagles star Carson Wentz threw for two touchdowns and ran one yard for another with 1:55 remaining but was stopped on a 2-point conversion attempt, and the Ravens (5-1) ran out the clock.

Ryan powers Falcons win

Matt Ryan threw for 371 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Atlanta Falcons to their first victory, 40-23 at Minnesota, while Philip Rivers threw for 371 yards and three touchdowns to power Indianapolis over visiting Cincinnati 31-27.

Nick Foles threw for one touchdown and ran for another to lead Chicago over host Carolina 23-16, while Detroit’s D’Andre Swift ran for 116 yards and two touchdowns to power the Lions over Jacksonville 34-16.

The host New York Giants won their first game of the year 20-19 over Washington after the visitors went for a two-point conversion instead of a tying kick and misfired on a throw.

Giants receiver C.J. Board was immobilized and carted off the field with a neck injury after being hit by Washington’s Deshazor Everett in the third quarter.

Agence France-Presse

Packers committed to Jermichael Finley as bigger receiving option

The Green Bay Packers saw wide receiver Greg Jennings sign with the rival Minnesota Vikings, but have no plans to part ways with tight end Jermichael Finley.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports the Packers are fine with keeping Finley, even at his current salary of $4.45 million for the year.

Finley would earn that plus a $3 million roster bonus that is due to him on March 27. The team was to consider making him a take a pay cut to stay, but he now has more value to Green Bay. The Packers need Finley to deliver as a bigger part of their passing game now that Jennings and tight end Tom Crabtree (Buccaneers) have left.

The athletic receiver will be 26 on March 26 and coming off his two strongest seasons. If Finley can show that he can shake off his problems with drops and be more efficient with his production, he would be in line to cash in even more when becomes a free agent again next offseason.

source: aol.sportingnews.com