With four incredible games spanning two days, the 2022 divisional round of the National Football League (NFL) season may just be the best weekend in NFL history.
The first game was the Cincinnati Bengals against the Tennessee Titans. The Titans were the No. 1 AFC (American Football Conference) team going into the postseason. The Bengals were the worst team heading into the postseason. The Titans should be a shoe-in for the win.
However, what should’ve been an easy win for the Titans turned interesting as the underdog Bengals scored the first six points in the first quarter. The Titans didn’t tie the score until the second quarter ended, but that lead wouldn’t last. Before the halftime break, the Bengals would score another field goal, making the score nine to six.
The Bengals weren’t done yet. The team scored its last touchdown in the third quarter, making it 16 to six. This came at a high price, since the Titans tied before the third quarter ended. However, Titans fans panicked again during the fourth quarter. The Bengals kept the ball for several plays, whereas the Titans only had the ball twice.
The Bengals took their final timeout with four seconds left on the clock. Instead of quarterback Joe Burrow playing for a touchdown, kicker Evan McPherson ran onto the field. One kick made the difference between the Bengals remaining the worst team and dethroning the best team. McPherson kicked a decisive field goal, sending the Bengals to the championship round.
After the Bengals overcame the Titans, the Green Bay Packers played the San Francisco 49ers. The result of this game would determine the first team in the National Football Conference (NFC) championship round.
Despite the Packers being expected to win, the 49ers wouldn’t give up easily. The Packers made headlines towards the end of the regular season because of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who lied about being vaccinated for COVID-19 and faced almost no consequences. However, Rodgers scored a seven-point touchdown, which would be the only points earned in the first half.
The 49ers started the second half with a three-point field goal, and the Packers responded with three points of their own. A fourth quarter touchdown by the 49ers tied the game at 10 points.
Again, with four seconds left, an incredible play broke the tie. The 49ers got the ball, took it to the 27-yard line and called for their last timeout. Out came Robbie Gould, who kicked a 45-yard field goal giving the underdog 49ers a three point victory.
Saturday’s games were back-to-back underdog wins, with both decided by three point plays in the last four seconds. If you think that’s crazy, Sunday would be even more interesting.
Sunday’s first game pitted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, reigning Super Bowl champions, against the Los Angeles Rams. Just like Saturday, there was a clear winner heading into the game since the Buccaneers had Tom Brady, one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks. Even though some people don’t like him, he still has talent.
The Rams unexpectedly took a 17-point lead before halftime, then scored another touchdown for a 24-point lead. Within a quarter and a half, the Buccaneers scored enough to tie at 27 points. Losing such a big lead during a playoff game was devastating for the Rams, but luckily for them, they retrieved the ball with 27 seconds left. Rams quarterback Matthew Stanford connected with wide receiver Cooper Krupp, advancing 44 yards.
With six seconds left, the Rams spiked the ball to stop the clock, and Matt Gay kicked a game-winning 30-yard field goal. This marked the third consecutive game in which the underdogs won with a last-second field goal.
At this point, the final four was stacked with underdogs: the Bengals, 49ers and Rams. The last slot would either go to the Buffalo Bills or the Kansas City Chiefs, and this town wasn’t big enough for the both of them. This would easily be the game of the year, as two of the top 10 NFL quarterbacks faced off for the final spot.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes III started off hot with both teams getting a touchdown, and they tied again at 14 points before halftime. The second half went back and forth until the final minute and 54 seconds. An NFL record was set for the most points scored in the final two minutes of a game, with 25 points scored.
Josh Allen connected for a touchdown with 13 seconds left. All hope was lost for the Chiefs until Mahomes connected, putting the team within three points. Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker kicked a 49-yard field goal, tying the game and heading to overtime.
Overtime is based on a coin toss, which the Chiefs won. In the weekend’s final play, Mahomes won the game for the Chiefs by throwing a direct shot to Travis Kelce. This will be the fourth straight year that the Chiefs will host the championship round in Kansas City.
This was a historic weekend in several ways. The Chiefs were the only home team to win during the weekend, with the rest being underdog wins. Three of the four games ended with field goals, and the fourth ended with an overtime finish. The Chiefs and Bills broke an NFL record, and Aaron Rodgers could’ve played his last game in Green Bay because he is a free agent after the season ends.
After this incredible weekend, the Bengals played the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, and the 49ers played the Rams in Los Angeles. The results of these games suggest that the Super Bowl will be historic as well.
In two of the postseason’s most upsetting games, the Chiefs lost in overtime to the Bengals, and the 49ers blew their early lead against the Rams in the second half. That means the Bengals will play the Rams in Los Angeles. This is the second consecutive Super Bowl with a home team; last year, the Buccaneers won in Tampa Bay against the Chiefs.
The uncommon occurrence here is that the Bengals technically are the “home team.” The NFL switches between leagues for who has “home field” in the Super Bowl. Last year, it was the Buccaneers, who currently are in the NFC. This year the Bengals are the AFC team, making them the “home team.” In a way, both teams are considered the home team: one for gameplay and one for location.
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