Mark Humphrey/Associated Press
Both the Cincinnati Bengals and San Francisco 49ers sealed their spot in the next round of the NFL playoffs as two games remain in the Divisional Round.
Saturday, though, was a time to celebrate kickers.
Cincinnati and San Francisco each won on field goals as time expired, setting up a couple of unexpected clashes in the AFC and NFC Championships.
Sunday’s action includes the Los Angeles Rams visiting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills traveling to the Kansas City Chiefs. The winners will advance to face San Francisco and Cincinnati, respectively.
Divisional Round Schedule
AFC: Cincinnati Bengals 19, Tennessee Titans 16
NFC: San Francisco 49ers 13, Green Bay Packers 10
NFC: Los Angeles Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Sunday, 3 p.m. ET (NBC)
AFC: Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs; Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET (CBS)
Bengals Clip Titans on Last-Second Kick
If you were supporting Tennessee in this matchup, the first offensive snap of the game might’ve been terrifying.
Properly so, it appears.
Ryan Tannehill tossed three interceptions in a devastating loss for the top-seeded Titans. Derrick Henry returned from a foot injury that sidelined him for two months, but the Bengals rendered him mostly ineffective. Henry managed just 62 yards on 20 carries.
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Cincinnati, meanwhile, made enough plays to earn a 19-16 victory on the road. Evan McPherson drilled four field goals, including a game-winning 52-yard field goal as time expired.
Tannehill’s last interception set up the decisive kick. He tried to fit a tight-window pass to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, but the ball bounced into the hands of Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson.
Cincinnati knows it will be traveling next weekend, pending the winner of Sunday’s clash between Buffalo and Kansas City.
49ers Do the Same in Green Bay
Based on the opening stretch of the game, conversely, it seemed the Packers might run away.
Green Bay cruised down the field on a 10-play, 69-yard touchdown drive. And the 49ers, quite literally, didn’t have positive yards on offense until the second quarter. Jimmy Garoppolo even threw a red-zone interception shortly before halftime.
But the fourth quarter belonged to the Niners.
Talanoa Hufanga picked up a loose punt for a game-tying touchdown with 4:41 to play. After the defense forced a three-and-out, the offense leaned on Deebo Samuel to set up Robbie Gould’s winning 45-yard field goal, again, as time expired.
San Francisco, like Cincinnati, will be on the road next Sunday. The winner of the showdown between Los Angeles and Tampa Bay will host the matchup.
Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
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