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| Stefon Diggs scored the game winner for Vikings as time expired. |
Vikings quarterback Case Keenum hit wide receiver Stefon Diggs on a 61-yard touchdown pass as time expired to send the Vikings to the NFC Championship Game next week in Philadelphia.
The Saints had taken a 24-23 lead with 25 seconds left when kicker Will Lutz made a 43-yard field goal. That followed Vikes' kicker Kai Forbath's 53-yard field goal with just over a minute to go in regulation that gave Minnesota a 23-21 lead.
Minnesota took a 17-0 lead into halftime as Jerick McKinnon (14 yards) and Latavius Murray (one yard) had scoring runs to go with a Forbath field goal.
The Saints stormed back in the second half (17 points in 4th quarter) as QB Drew Brees threw for two scores to WR Michael Thomas and another to running back Alvin Kamara to take a 21-20 lead in the final quarter.
Earlier on Sunday afternoon, the Jacksonville Jaguars bolted to a 21-0 lead in Pittsburgh en route to a 45-42 victory that sends them to the AFC Championship Game next week in New England.
Jags running back Leonard Fournette (109 rushing yards) scored three touchdowns, T.J. Yeldon added another scoring run and QB Blake Bortles had a scoring pass while the defense scored on a 50-yard fumble recovery by Telvin Smith as well to pace the win. Jags kicker Josh Lambo made a 45-yard field goal to give the Jags a ten-point cushion with just over two minutes left to play to help provide the final outcome.
Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger (469 passing yards) threw five TD passes in the loss (two to WR Antonio Brown) but also had the fumble that Jacksonville scored on as well as an interception inside his own 20-yard line that led to Jacksonville getting the 21-0 lead.
On Saturday night, the New England Patriots throttled the visiting Tennessee Titans, 35-14 as QB Tom Brady (pictured left) had three touchdown passes to go with 337 passing yards to lead the way. In addition, the New England defense sacked Titans QB Marcus Mariota eight times as they gained only 267 yards in offense.The Titans had a brief 7-0 lead when Mariota connected with WR Corey Davis on a 15-yard scoring pass. From there, Brady and company scored three touchdowns in the second quarter to make it 21-7 at the half. Brady threw a five-yard scoring pass to RB James White (who also scored on a six-yard run) and also had a four-yard strike to Chris Hogan.
Neither team turned the ball over as the Patriots will be making their seventh consecutive appearance in the AFC Championship Game at home against Jacksonville next Sunday.
The Philadelphia Eagles held off the Atlanta Falcons to earn a 15-10 home win as their defense made a goal line stand in the final minute of the fourth quarter to send the Eagles to the NFC Championship Game at home next Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.
Eagles kicker Jake Elliott made three field goals (53 yards, 37, 21) and RB LeGarrette Blount scored on a one-yard run on fourth down to give Philly a 6-3 lead. Prior to that, Atlanta kicker Matt Bryant made a 33-yard field goal to give the Falcons a 3-0 lead.
Falcons QB Matt Ryan threw a six-yard scoring pass to Devonta Freeman to give his team a 10-6 lead. Elliott made the 53-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to cut the Atlanta lead to 10-9. From there, Elliott drilled two field goals to account for all the scoring in the second half and provide the final score.
DIVISIONAL ROUND FINAL SCORES
Philadelphia 15, Atlanta 10
New England 35, Tennessee 14
Jacksonville 45, Pittsburgh 42
Minnesota 29, New Orleans 24
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