McPherson FG as time expires lifts Bengals past Titans 19-16

WE’RE GONNA FIND A WAY TO WIN AND AND JUST YOU CAN’T REPLACE THE CONFIDENCE THAT THESE GUYS VEHA EARNED AND THEMSELVES AND HOPEFULLY THAT CARRIES US THROUGH FOR ANOTR HECOUPLE GAMES. YEAH.. YEAH, I MEAN THAT’S NOT SOMETHING WE WANT TO DO. OBVIOUSLY THEY CAME I AN LOT OF DIFFERTEN WAYS SOME ZERO BLITZ IS THERE WAS A LOT OF REASONS FOR HIM, YOU KNOW, AND WE’RE ALL GOING TO TAKE BLAME IN THAT WE DON’T WANT TO HAVE THAT BUT OUR DEFENSE JUST ALLOWED USO T CONTINUE TO PLAY THE WAY WE WANTED TO PLAY, YOU KNOW, WE CALL SOME RUNS CALL SOME COMPLETION PLAYS THAT’S ONE OF THE BEST DEAL LINES IN FOOTBALL TO BE QUITE HONEST WITH YOU. WE’VE GOT A TON OF RESPECT FOR THREI TEAM AND THEIR DEFENSE AND THEY CANET G AFTER THE PASSER AND THEY DID A GREAT JOB IN COVERAGE TO MIX UP SOME OF THE COVERAGE LOOKS AND SO YOU GOT TO VEGI CREDIT TO THEM. BUT BUT WE FOUND A WAY TO WIN AND THAT’S ALL THAT MATTERS. YEAH.HAT’S ALL THAT MATTERS. I MEAN, HE’S GOT HE’S GOT ICE IN HIS VEINS. THERE’S NOT MUCTOH BE SAID, YOU KNOW, HE’S HE’S AS COOL AS IT GETS YOU’VE GOT CONFIDENCE THAT HE’S GONNA NAIL IT EVERY SINGLE TIME. HE STEPS UP THERE. YOU KNOW. HE DEFINITELY COULD HAVE GONE FROM LONGER OUT TNHA WHAT WE KICKED IT FROM WE FELT CONFIDENCE,OU Y KNOW TO REALLY AROUND THE ON THE 40 YARD LINE THERE. SO HE JUST STEPS UP THE MOMENTS NEVER TOO BIG FOR HIM. WE’RE HAPPY TO HAVEIM NO, NO, NO. YOU KNOW. WINNING IS HARD WINNGNI IS HARD. I WANT THESE GUYS TO BE HAPPY AND ENJOY I BTECAUSE WE’VE BEEN THROUGH SOME TIMES WHEN WE DIDN’T G AET CHANCE TO JOY ANYTHING AND YOU’RE MISERABLE PRETTY MUCH YEAR AROUND AND SO, YOU KW,NO THERE’S A WHOLE ACT LIKE YOU’VE BEEN THERE BEFORE BUT OUR GUYS HAVE EARNED THIS THEY’VE EARNED THE RIGHT TO BE EXCITED. AND AND WE’LL PUT IT TO BED EARLY TOMORROW MORNING OBVIOUSLY, BUT THESE GUYS THE EM OTION THAT THEY FEEL WANTING TO GAME LIKE THAT ON THE ROAD IN THE PLAYOFFS. SOME OF THESE GUYS HAVE PLAYED THIS LEAGUE A LONG TIME AND WAITEDOR F MOMENTS LIKE THESE AND THAT’S GONNA BE NOTHING TO TAKE AWAY FROM OUR PREPARATION FOR NEXT WEEK, BUT I’M HAPPY FOR THESE GUYS. THEY SHOULD ENJOY IT PLAYERS AND COACHES. THEY PUT A LOT OF HARD WORK. I WANT TO SEE THEM CELEBRATE. FOR WHAT JOE BURROWS GOOD AT. WHAT HE? DOES THEN I I DON’T KNOW I’D SELL THAT A BOTTLE UP AND SELL IT BUT HE’S JUST SPECIAL THAT ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE TO CALL THINGS THE WAYE W CALL BECAUSE EVEN AFTER A SACK OR NEGATIVE PLAY. ARE YOU STILL FEEL LIKE WE’RE ALWAYS GOING TOET G IT BACK WITH THE WEAPONS THAT WE GOT JOE’S ABILITY TO PUT IT PUT IT BEHIND HI AMND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PLAY AND FIND ONE OF HIS HIS FREAK SHOWS. HE LIKES T COALM, YOU KNOW MAKES OUR JOB A A LOT EASIER TO PLAY CALLERS. THOUGHT OR HOW DID THAT WELL, I MEAN REALLY THAT WAS AN ADJUSTMENT. WE HAD TO MAKE BECAUSE OF THE PROTECTION, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE DOING A GOOD JOB. THEY HIT US WITH THE COVERAGE ZEROHE TRE THAT KNOCKED US OUT OF FIELD GOAL RANGEN O THE DRIVE BEFORE SO REALLY THEY JUST GOT A FREEUY G THAT WE CAN’T PROTECT AND AND KNOCKED US OUT. SO WE WANTED MTOAKE SURE THAT WERE WELL PROTECTED. WE JUST GAVE OUR GUYS A CHANCE OUTSIDE TO WIN SOME ONE-ON-ONES. THEY WERE STARTING TO PLAY SOME TWO MEN. IT LOOKED LIKE THEY GOT TWO MAN OVER THERE TO CHASE ON THAT ONE. SOOE J HIT HIM ON A BENCH OR OUT OF PLAY THAT WE’VE HIT A MILLION TIMES TO OR SO IT’S REALLY FITTING THAT THAT’S THE PLAY THAT PUT US IN THAT POSITION. JUST JUST ONE-ON-ONE JOE TO JAMAR. THERE’S TWO MAIN LOOK USUALLY RKWOS. IT REALLY SET THE TONE FOR TWO DIFFERENT REASONS BECAUSE JESSE ALLOWED US TO GO GET SOME POINTS RIGHT OUT THE GATE AND TAKE THAT EARLY LEAGUE AND KIND OF YOU KNOW IN A GAME LIKE THAT. WE’RE ON THE ROAD AND THE CROWDS INTO IT KIND OF TAKES THE CROWD OUT OF IT FOR A MOMENT AT LSTEA AND THEN MIKE JUST STEALING POINTS OFF THE BOARD. I KNOW WE DIDN’T GET A CHANCE TO DO ANYTHGIN WITH IT NECESSARILY, BUT THAT WAS BIG BECAUSE THEY WERE CERTAINLY IN SCORING POSITION. MIKE MADE A TREMENDOUS PLAY AND AND REALLY HAPPY THAT THOSE GUYS STEPPED UP. YEAH. ENORMOUS ANDHA TT’S THAT’S ON OUR GUYS. THEY’VE BEEN WORKING SINCE TRAINING CAMP. THAT’ NSOT JUST SOMETHING THAT MAGICALLY HAPPENS. THAT’S AN EMPHASIS THAT LOU AND THE STAFF HAVEUT P ON THOSE GUYS THAT THE VETERAN LEADERS HAVE REALLY STEPPED UP. YOU KNOW, WE HAD WE HAD CORE GUYS HERE WHO HAVE ALWAYS BOUGHT INTO THAT. YOU ADDED THE MIC HILTON’S THE VON BELLS THE TROY HENDRICKSON’S AL L THOSE CHEETO THOSE GUYS HAVE JUMPED RIGHT ONTO THAT MENTALITY AND IT’S REALLY SERVICE. THIS WILL OBVIOUSLY HERE IN THE BACK STRETCH OF THE SEASON. WHEN WAS A LOT ABOUT THE CITY? HOW DIFFERENT DOES THIS ONE FEEL SOMETHING THIS? EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW THIS WINS FOR EVERYBODY’S INVOLVED INHI TS I WOULD IMAGINE THERE’S SOME PRETTY GOOD CELEBRATIONS GOING BACK HOME THE ORANGE AND THE CROWD TODAY WAS TREMENDOUS. I MEAN, IT JUST FELT LEIK DRIVING INTO THE GAME. IT WAS SO COOL TO SEE SO MANY BENGAL FANS THAT CAME DOWN. LET’S FIND A WAY TO GET THEM TO EITHER KANSAS CYIT OR BUFFALO WILL FIND THAT OUT TOMORROW, BUT WE JUST GOT SUCH A TREMENDOUS FAN BASE THAT SUPPORTS THIS TEAM THROUGH THICK ANDHI TN HAPPY WEREN’T ABLE TO DELIVER SOME WINS FOR HIM. KEVIN MCPHERSON TODAY. YEAH, WE JUST GET THAT ONE SINGULAR TODAY. IT’S A HE STEPPED UP BIG AND AND GOT US WREHE WE NEED TO GO. YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'’ SPECIAL FOR THE FRANCHISE. THIS IS SPECIAL FOR THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SUPPORTED THIS PLACE A LONG TE. IMFOR US IT’S WHAT WE EXPECTED T DO,OU Y KNOW, AND SO JUST WINNING IN THE PLAYOFFS IS HDAR HOME AROUND THE ROAD. JUST HAPPY TO GET THE ONE. YOU KNOW, IT’S TST MRUE THAT THAT’S THE THING LIKE A SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT TURNS INTO AN ERROR. THERE’S SO MANY PLAYS LIKE THAT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS THAT THAT MAYBE GO UNNOTICED HIS HIS STANDS OUT MORE THAN OTHERS, BUT THERE’S PLENTY THINGS I DID. THERE’S PLENTY THINGS TON OF OTHER PEOPLE DID THAT CLDOU HAVE BEEN JUST AS YOU KNOW PUT HOLE AND AND WE JUST WE SUPPORT OUR GUYS AND GET THEIR BACKS AND FOUND A WAY TO WIN. JUST WEATHERING THE STORM, ESPECIALLY ON THE ROAD. YOU KNOW, IT’S I THOUGHT OUR DEFENSE REALLY DID A GOOD JOB, YOU KNOW, JUST I KNOW THEAN R FOR WHATEVER YARDS THEY RAN FROM BUT YOU JUST FELT LIKE THEY PLAYED THE STYLE OF DEFENSE. WE NEEDED TO DEPLOY TODAY. I CAME UP WITH THOSE THREE BIG TAKEAWAYS OUR TEAM NEVER PANICS. YOU’VE SEEN US DOWN BY BY A WHOLE WHOLE LOT. WE WERE WNDO TODAY, BUT WE’VE BEEN DOWN 22 POINTS 24 POINTS AND IT NEVER FESAC OUR GUYS AND SO TIE GAMES DOWN. THE STRETCH ISOS METHING OUR GUYS LIVFOE TWO-POINT CONVERSION. YEAH BIG TIME. YEAH, IT REALLY IS. YOU KNOW WHEN THEYET G INTO HEAVY PERSONNEL 23 PERSONNEL OR WHATEVER IT WAS AND AND GIVE THE BALL TO DERRICK HENRY AND OUR GUYS FOUND A WAY TO MAKE A STOP. THAT IS A BIG MOMENT THEAM G THAT MAYBE GOES UNNOTICED. YEAH. OH, WE NEEDED A LITTLE LESS THAN THAT. YOU KNO IW, DON’T REMEMBER WHAT YARD LINE. WE WERE ON WE SNAEDPP THE BALL, BUT BUT THE FOCUS WAS TO TRY TO GET THE BALL THE 41, YOU KNOW, THE WIN FACTORS INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT. SO DEPENDING ON THE STADIUM AND THE DIRECTION YOU’RE GOING BUT BUT WE FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO GET AROUND THE 40. WHAT IS HE MEANT TO YOUR DEF? YOU REAYLL JUST FELT LIKE SOMETHING LIKE THAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN TO BE QUITE HONEST WITH YOU. I JUST FELTIK LE THAT GAME WASN’T OVER. IT WASN’T GOING TO OVERMETI SOMETHING BIG WAS GONNA HAPPEN THERE AN IDN LOGAN JUST GOT A KNACK FOR FINDING THOSEAL BLS WHETHER HE’S THE ONE THAT JUST TAKES AWAY OR GETS THEM ON THE TIPS. HE’S BEEN DOING IT SINCEHE T PITTSBURGH GAME AND AND CHICAGO GA ME. I MEAN, HE’S DONE IT ALL YREA AND HE’S A HECK OF LINEBACKER. WEE WER TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR HAD WE GOTTEN THE BALL BACK IN TWO MINUTES. I MEAN, THOSE ARE THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE REALLY BEFORE DRIVE STARTS, AND THEN OKAY, YOU LOOK UP THERE’S 24 SECONDS OR WHATEVER IT IS. AND SO LET’S ONLY HAVE TIME FOR MAYBE TWO OR THREE OF THEM. WE HAD TWO TIMEOUTS. WE WEREN’T A GOOD POSITION THERE TO HIT ALL AREASF O THE FIELD WHICH WE COULD HAVE DEPENDING ON THE COVER STRUCTURE. BUT AGAIN, HE JUST GOT A MATCH UP WITH JARAM THAT HE LIKED AND HE TOOK IT. JUST RESILIENT GROUP, YOU KNOW, THEY DON’T PANIC THEY KNOW THAT WE’VE GOT A LOT OF TALENT SOMEONE CAN STEP UP TO MAKE A PLAY TO PUT US IN IT. AND THAT’S JUST WHAT THIS TEAM’S ALL ABOUT. TURNOVERS THE INTERCEPTIONS OBVIOUSLY, WHAT ABOUT THE FOURTH DOWN STOP? YEAH. IT’S IT’S A TURNOVER, YOU KNOW, AND WHAT YARD LINE WERE THEER ON THERE THE 35, YOU KNOW, SO THEY THEY HAD A CHANCE TO EITHER. I GUESS GOOR F IT, YOU KNOW AND SO SO THAT TAKES THREE POINTS OFF THE BOARD. THEY COULD HAVE KICKED THE FIELD GOAL. THEY COULD HAVE GOTTEN THE FIRST DOWN AND GOTN TETHREE OR SEVEN. YOU KNOW, THAT THAT’S A TURNOVER THAT TOOK POINTS OFF THE BOARD AND PROUD OF OUR DEFE

McPherson FG as time expires lifts Bengals past Titans 19-16

The Cincinnati Bengals just keep ending postseason droughts, and their latest victory has them in their first AFC championship game in 33 years.

Updated: 9:28 PM EST Jan 22, 2022

The Cincinnati Bengals just keep ending postseason droughts, and their latest victory has them in their first AFC championship game in 33 years. Rookie Evan McPherson kicked a 52-yard field goal as time expired, lifting the fourth-seeded Bengals past the top-seeded Tennessee Titans 19-16 on Saturday to end the NFL's longest active road playoff skid. A week after snapping a 31-year playoff victory drought, the Bengals (12-7) finally won their first road game in the postseason after losing their first seven. They reached the 1981 and 1988 Super Bowls by winning on their home field. The Bengals intercepted Ryan Tannehill three times, setting up two of McPherson's four field goals. Luke Wilson picked off Tannehill with 20 seconds left at the Cincinnati 47. Joe Burrow hit Pro Bowl rookie receiver Ja'Marr Chase with a 19-yard pass, then the Bengals ran twice to set up McPherson for the win. Burrow shook off being sacked nine times as Tennessee tied an NFL mark held by four other teams for the most in the postseason. The Bengals' second-year quarterback threw for 348 yards, and Chase finished with 109 yards receiving. The Titans (12-6) wrapped up their 25th season in Tennessee with their third straight loss on their own field coming in as the AFC's No. 1 seed. They haven't won at home since January 2003 in the postseason.Tennessee had Derrick Henry, the 2020 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year, on the field after he missed nine games with a broken foot. He ran for a touchdown and finished with 66 yards.

CINCINNATI —

The Cincinnati Bengals just keep ending postseason droughts, and their latest victory has them in their first AFC championship game in 33 years.

Rookie Evan McPherson kicked a 52-yard field goal as time expired, lifting the fourth-seeded Bengals past the top-seeded Tennessee Titans 19-16 on Saturday to end the NFL's longest active road playoff skid.

A week after snapping a 31-year playoff victory drought, the Bengals (12-7) finally won their first road game in the postseason after losing their first seven. They reached the 1981 and 1988 Super Bowls by winning on their home field.

The Bengals intercepted Ryan Tannehill three times, setting up two of McPherson's four field goals. Luke Wilson picked off Tannehill with 20 seconds left at the Cincinnati 47. Joe Burrow hit Pro Bowl rookie receiver Ja'Marr Chase with a 19-yard pass, then the Bengals ran twice to set up McPherson for the win.

Burrow shook off being sacked nine times as Tennessee tied an NFL mark held by four other teams for the most in the postseason. The Bengals' second-year quarterback threw for 348 yards, and Chase finished with 109 yards receiving.

The Titans (12-6) wrapped up their 25th season in Tennessee with their third straight loss on their own field coming in as the AFC's No. 1 seed. They haven't won at home since January 2003 in the postseason.

Tennessee had Derrick Henry, the 2020 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year, on the field after he missed nine games with a broken foot. He ran for a touchdown and finished with 66 yards.