The NFL’s Divisional playoff round began on Saturday, and with that came a pair of ‘upsets’ as the #1 seeds from both the AFC and the NFC fell at the hands of visiting foes. The nightcap was between the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau, and it didn’t disappoint as the ferocious cold of January yielded another all-time classic moment as Robbie Gould landed the game-winning field goal as time expired in a 13-10 victory that was decided by a pair of field goals. The other field goal in question was at the end of the second quarter when the Niners blocked the Packers’ attempt, allowing them to eventually take the slightly surprising win.
The other massive play of the game came for the 49ers in the fourth quarter when Talanoa Hufanga blocked a punt and returned it to the end zone, sending San Fran to the NFC title game once again. In the other game of the day, the AFC’s top seed, the Tennessee Titans, also fell. They did so at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals, and it ended in nearly identical fashion as the aforementioned nightcap: with a field goal as time expired. This one was kicked by Evan McPherson, handing the Bengals a second playoff win consecutively following a 30+ year wait after the Titans had mounted a third-quarter comeback only to be denied at the death. The Bengals will now travel to face the winner of the Chiefs/Bills match-up while the Niners will head to either Tampa or Los Angeles for the NFC title affair.
