The NFL Playoffs – Chargers Surprise Bengals

The second day of the wild card round of the NFL playoffs was just as good as the first as surprising San Diego took advantage of three second-half Cincinnati turnovers to beat the Bengals 27-10 and San Francisco got a 33-yard Phil Dawson field goal to beat Green Bay on the frozen tundra.

Trailing 10-7 at the half, the Chargers received a fumble and two interceptions courtesy of Bengals QB Andy Dalton to score 20 second-half points. San Diego QB Philip Rivers didn’t have to do much (12-of-16 passing for 128 yards) as great field position gave the Chargers several easy scoring opportunities. the nfl playoffs

It was Rivers’ 4-yard TD pass to LaDarius Green that put San Diego ahead in the third quarter, 14-10. Running back Ronnie Brown (8 carries for 77 yards) iced the game with a 58-yard TD run with just 2:17 to play.

Cincinnati holds on to the sixth-longest streak of seasons without a playoff win. The Bengals have not won in the postseason since 1990, a stretch of 23 seasons. Cincy has now lost three straight playoff openers, a league record. the nfl playoffs

In Green Bay, the Packers hung around but, in the end, the defending NFC champion 49ers had just enough to pull out a win. Once again, it was the legs of San Francisco QB Colin Kaepernick that would do in the Packers.

It was Kaepernick’s 28-yard TD pass to TE Vernon Davis that put the 49ers ahead 20-17 with 10:31 to play. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers (17-of-26, 177 yards, 1 TD) then took Green Bay deep into 49ers’ territory but the Packers had to settle for a Mason Crosby 24-yard field goal, which tied the game at 20-20. the nfl playoffs

Kaepernick answered with a huge scramble on a 3rd-and-8 to keep the game-winning drive alive. San Francisco will travel to Carolina next Sunday. The Chargers will play at Denver, a team they upset 27-20 on Dec. 12. the NFL playoffs.