UNDATED (AP) — The No. 1 seeds in the AFC and NFC have both been knocked out of the playoffs on the same day, the same way: by game-ending field goals.
The Green Bay Packers and Tennessee Titans played 17 games to claim home-field advantage in the NFL playoffs. And both teams were kicked out of the postseason after 60 minutes.
Robbie Gould drilled a 45-yard field goal as time expired to give the San Francisco 49ers a 13-10 upset of Green Bay. Gould continued his playoff perfection and moved the Niners one step away from their second Super Bowl appearance in three seasons. He’s 20-for-20 in playoff field goal attempts.
The Packers led 10-3 until Jordan Willis blocked a punt and Talanoa Hufanga ran six yards for the tying touchdown with 4:31 remaining. The Packers then went three-and-out, giving the 49ers time for a winning drive. A.J. Dillon’s 6-yard touchdown run capped a 69-yard drive on the game’s opening possession that put the Packers ahead 7-0. Green Bay’s offense didn’t do much of anything after that.
In Nashville, rookie Evan McPherson kicked a 52-yard field goal as time expired to lift the fourth-seeded Bengals past the Titans, 19-16. The kick sent the Bengals to the AFC title game for the first time in 33 years and came after Cincinnati squandered a 16-6 lead in the second half.
Luke Wilson picked off Ryan Tannehill with 20 seconds left at the Cincinnati 47. Joe Burrow hit Pro Bowl rookie receiver Ja’Marr Chase with a 19-yard pass and the Bengals ran twice to set up McPherson for the win.
Burrow shook off being sacked nine times as Tennessee tied an NFL mark for the most in the postseason. The Bengals’ second-year quarterback threw for 348 yards, and Chase finished with 109 yards receiving.
Tannehill was picked off three times and the Titans remained winless in home playoff games since 2003. Tennessee had Derrick Henry on the field after he missed nine games with a broken foot. The 2020 Offensive Player of the Year ran for a touchdown and finished with 66 yards.
Fournette set to play
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay running back Leonard Fournette has been activated from injured reserve and will play in Sunday’s NFC divisional playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Fournette appeared in 14 games before a hamstring injury landed him on IR on Dec. 23. His missed the final three weeks of the regular season and last week’s 31-15 wild-card playoff win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
