NFL 2019-2020 Conference Title Games Recap
Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs was the AFC Title Game. One week ago the Chiefs trailed 24-0 yet had the lead by halftime and outscored their opponent 51-7 the rest of the way. Different week, same result. Tennessee won the toss. On the second play of the game on 2nd and 6 from their own 34, Ryan Tannehill and AJ Brown connected on a 37 yard gain. Despite 2nd and 6 from the Chiefs 12, Tannehill threw incomplete twice. Joseph hit the 30 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Chiefs. The Chiefs got it back at their own 42. Derrick Henry ran for 11 and 5. On 3rd and 5 from the Chiefs 42, the Chiefs jumped offsides on defense on 2 straight plays. On 4th and 2 from the Chiefs 29, Mike Vrabel decided to go for it. Tannehill hit Humphries for 3 yards. Tannehill then went to Smith for a 22 yard gain. On the next pay Henry took the direct snap and ran it in for the touchdown to make it 10-0 Titans.
The Chiefs got it back at their own 26. Patrick Mahomes hit Damien Williams for 9 and Tyreek Hill for 26. On 4th and 2 from the Titans 28, Andy Reid decided to go for it. Mahomes hit Kelce for 4 yards. On 1st and goal from the 8, Mahomes hit Hill for the touchdown to get the Chiefs within 10-7. The Titans came back with a 15 play, 75 yard, 9 minute drive. The second quarter began with the Titans facing 2nd and 6 at their own 29. Tannehill hit Davis for 18. Henry ran for 13. On 3rd and 22 from the Chiefs 25, a completion only gained 10 but defensive pass interference meant 11 yards and an automatic first down. On 3rd and 1 5, Henry gained 3. on 2nd and goal from the one, Tannehill hit Kelly on a tackle eligible for the the touchdown. The Titans led 17-7 with 6:43 left in the half. Then reality set in.
The Chiefs took over at their own 37. From their 43, Mahomes hit Robinson for 24, Sammy Watkins for 13, and Hill for the 20 yard touchdown. With 4 minutes left in the half the Chiefs were within 17-14. The Chiefs got it back at their own 14. Mahomes hit Williams for 17 and 8. On 3rd and 4 from their own 37, Mahomes hit Kelce for 18 and ran for 7. On 3rd and 3 from the Titans 38, Mahomes hit Watkins for 11. Mahomes then scrambled near the sideline, escaped, and barreled over tacklers for a 27 yard touchdown run. With 11 seconds left in the half, the Chiefs had the 21-17 lead. Midway through the third quarter, the Chiefs moved to put the game away. On 3rd and 1 from their own 36, Williams gained 5. On 3rd and 2 just shy of midfield, Mahomes ran for 4. Thompson ran for 7, Mahomes added 11 and Williams gained 4. Mahomes hit Hill for 15. The fourth quarter began with Williams running it in for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 28-17 Chiefs. The Chiefs got it back at their own 12 and delivered the kill shot. Mahomes hit Watkins for 11 and 7. On 3rd and 6 from their own 40, Mahomes went bombs away to Watkins for a 60 yard touchdown. Midway through the fourth quarter, 28 unanswered points had the Chiefs up 35-17. One Titans garbage touchdown did not change the outcome. The Chiefs won the Lamar Hunt Trophy named after their late owner and are header to the Super Bowl. Walrus Lite Andy Reid is going to the big game for the second time in his career. The Chiefs are going for the first time in 50 years. Walrus Lite Andy Reid is one more win from getting his upgrade to full walrus status. 35-24 Chiefs
Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers was the NFC Title Game. In the regular season, the 49ers blasted the Packers 37-8. For those looking for a thrilling rematch, this was not that game. The 49ers from their own 11. Jimmy Garoppolo hit Deebo Samuel for 16 yards and again for 30 more. On 3rd and 8 from the Green Bay 36, Raheem Mostert burst free on the ground for the touchdown and the 7-0 49ers lead. A 26 yard punt return had the 49ers getting it back just sh you midfield. A roughing the passer call had the 49ers deep on the move. On 3rd and 6 from the Green Bay 28, Garoppolo was sacked. Robbie Gould drilled a 54 yard field goal on the first play of the second quarter to make it 10-0 49ers. A shanked 23 yard punt gave the 49ers gift field position at the Green Bay 37. Mostert ran for 13 and 9 and capped the drive with a 9 yard touchdown run to make it 17-0 49ers. Rodgers then got belted and fumbled and the 49ers took over at the Green Bay 25. Gould hit from 27 to make it 20-0 49ers. 3 plays later Rodgers was intercepted as the 49ers again had excellent field position at the Packers 30. Moster ran for 11, one, and then the 18 yard touchdown. The 49ers took a 27-0 lead to the locker rooms as NFL regulations required that the second half not be canceled.
The second half was pointless. Rodgers threw a 9 yard touchdown pass to Aaron Jones to get the Packers within 27-7 in the third quarter. From their own 21, Mostert ran for 7 and 5. Samuel ran for 11. Moster added two. Samuel ran for 32 and Moster ran for the 22 yard touchdown. Garoppolo threw 0 passes on the drive. He only threw 6 passes in the first 52 minutes. Garoppolo had 0 passes in the third quarter as the 49ers led 34-7 after three quarters. The Packers got in the end zone on the first play of the fourth quarter to get within 34-13, but this was never a contest. Even a 65 yard bomb from Rodgers to Devontae Adams against Richard Sherman did not change the outcome. It did lead to an 8 yard touchdown from Rodgers to Jay Sternberger to get the Packers within 34-20 midway through the fourth quarter. The 49ers gashed the Green Bay defense for nearly 300 yards on the ground, including over 220 by Mostert. With 3 1/2 minutes left, Gould nailed a 42 yard field goal to officially lock up the win. With 1:48, another Rodgers bomb was intercepted by Sherman, ending any chance of a quiet postgame. 25 years after the 49ers won their last Super Bowl, they were back in it with Jerry Rice and Steve Young in attendance. The 49ers last won the George Halas Trophy seven years ago and will again be trying to win it all with running and defense against a pinball offense. 37-20 49ers
Super Bowl LIV (54) is set. The AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs will take on the NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers. The game is being played in Miami on Sunday, February 2, 2020, and kickoff is around 6:30 p.m. Eastern time.