Minnesota, Jacksonville join New England, Philadelphia in NFL final four

NEW Orleans’ Super Bowl dreams went up in smoke on a disastrous final play that has divided America.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Riggs makes a catch over New Orleans Saints free safety Marcus Williams. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

MINNESOTA kept its Super Bowl dream alive with a final play touchdown in a 29-24 stunner against New Orleans.

Trailing by one point with 10 seconds on the clock, quarterback Case Keenum heaved the ball downfield where Stefon Diggs caught the ball just inside the sideline.

Saints safety Marcus Williams was badly caught out of position as he missed the tackle — and Diggs took it all the way to the house for a 61-yard game-winning touchdown.

New Orlenas coach Sean Payton defended Williams, who had intercepted Keenum earlier in the game. “He’s played well for us all year. It was a timing decision obviously. You’d like to have that one back, but he’s played well for us all year,” Payton said.

Others were less forgiving of Williams, who appeared to be attempting to keep Diggs in bound so the clock would expire and prevent the Vikings from attempting the game-winning field goal. He gift-wrapped the home team a touchdown instead.

Ok. I understand the coach protecting his player. But Marcus Williams just had the biggest whiff in NFL history. It’s so basic. All you have to do is let him catch it and hold him up in bounds and it’s over. https://t.co/djUbhE6vQv

— David Hammer (@davidhammerWWL) January 15, 2018

Rather than keeping his head up and properly analyzing the play in a sportsmanlike manner, New Orleans Saints DB Marcus Williams blindly led with his helmet, a tactic designed to physically punish the opponent. Cost his team the game. #NOvsMIN #Karma

— Paul Hampel (@phampel) January 15, 2018

Smart thinking, bad execution by Marcus Williams: he was trying to make Diggs stay in bounds, which would have prevented a potential GW FG. #Saints #Vikings

— Andy Benoit (@Andy_Benoit) January 15, 2018

Marcus Williams had a spectacular rookie season, and could have a stellar career. He was trying to make the right decision and not interfere. As a competitor, I'm sure he's crushed. I invite Nola to be encouraging and supportive as well as we move on.
-SG

— Steve Gleason (@TeamGleason) January 15, 2018

Drew Brees appeared to have secured the game for the Saints when he put the team in position for the go-ahead field goal with only 29 seconds remaining.

New Orleans had fought back from a 17-0 first half deficit but the Vikings — and Keenum and Diggs — had one more drive in them.

“They count us out all the time. Nobody thinks we could do it,” Diggs said. “Everybody thought it was over. I don’t stop playing until there are all zeroes on the clock.”

Moments after the astounding touchdown play, Keenum could only marvel at the miracle. “I can’t even explain it,” Keenum said. “We were definitely in a desperation moment. (Diggs) made a heck of a play. That was one of the most special moments of my life. I don’t even know what just happened. It’s crazy. I have no words.”

Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen also struggled to find a way to describe how he was feeling in a brilliant post-match interview.

When the girl you’ve been talking to all night leaves the bar but then texts you to come through 20 minutes later pic.twitter.com/0VQPCuanY4

— Barstool Sports (@barstooltweetss) January 15, 2018

Minnesota jumped ahead 17-0 on Jerick McKinnon’s 14-yard touchdown run, Kai Forbath’s 20-yard field goal and a 1-yard Latavius Murray touchdown run.

Drew Brees answered with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Michael Thomas and a 3-yard touchdown toss to Thomas to pull the Saints within 17-14.

Forbath added a 49-yard field goal to give the Vikings a 20-14 edge with 10:17 to play but the Saints’ George Johnson blocked a later Minnesota punt and four plays later, Brees threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Alvin Kamara, Wil Lutz’s conversion kick giving New Orleans a 21-20 lead with 3:01 remaining.

Forbath connected on a 53-yard field goal to put the Vikings back in front but a 43-yard Lutz field goal with 25 seconds remaining put the Saints back in front until the final heartbreaking play.

The Vikings, who boast the NFL’s top-rated defensive unit, reached the conference final for the first time since the 2009 season, when they lost to New Orleans. They haven’t played in a Super Bowl since 1977, when the Vikings lost to Oakland.

Case Keenum tries to escape pressure from Cameron Jordan.

JAGS POUR ON PAIN IN PITTSBURGH

Earlier, Jacksonville rookie Leonard Fournette ran for 109 yards and three touchdowns to power the Jaguars over the Pittsburgh Steelers 45-42 and within another victory of their first Super Bowl.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger completed 37-of-58 passes for a post-season Pittsburgh record 469 yards and five touchdowns but it was not enough for the hosts to advance in the NFL playoffs.

“The guys played with confidence all day long,” Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles said. “We knew we had to hold onto the ball, make some plays and hold them off at the end and we did it. It was incredible.”

Jacksonville moved into the AFC championship next Monday at defending champion New England, where the winner will advance to next month’s Super Bowl.

It’s the third trip for the Jaguars so near the NFL championship spectacle, having lost to Tennessee in 2000 and at New England in 1997 in prior conference finals.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown catches a pass for a touchdown (AP Photo/Don Wright)

A blocked punt by Pittsburgh’s Robert Golden set up the Steelers for their first drive of the fourth quarter in Jaguars’ territory, but the hosts turned over the ball on downs and Jacksonville made them pay.

Bortles hit Keelan Cole with a 45-yard pass to set up Fournette’s third touchdown run, a 3-yard trot up the middle, that gave Jacksonville a 35-21 edge with 10:34 remaining.

“We put it all together,” Bortles said. “Guys played their tails off.”

The Steelers took an all-or-nothing gamble on fourth down and Roethlisberger responded with his fourth touchdown pass, connecting with Antonio Brown on a 43-yard scoring strike to pull Pittsburgh within 35-28.

Bortles answered with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Tommy Bohanon to complete a 75-yard march and give Jacksonville a 42-28 lead with 4:19 remaining.

Roethlisberger wasn’t credited with a scoring toss but his lateral to Le’Veon Bell allowed the rusher to run eight yards for a touchdown that pulled the Steelers within 42-35 with 2:18 remaining.

Pittsburgh decided to attempt an onside kick to keep possession of the ball, but the Jaguars recovered and Josh Lambo kicked a 45-yard field goal with 1:45 remaining.

The Steelers drove downfield again but used too much time, Roethlisberger’s four-yard touchdown toss to JuJu Smith-Schuster too little and too late.

PATS, EAGLES DEFEND HOME GROUND

First, the Patriots tuned out a week full of off-field drama. Then, they silenced the Titans to earn yet another trip to the AFC championship game in the NFL.

Tom Brady passed for three touchdowns and 337 yards and New England cruised past Tennessee 35-14 on Saturday night to advance to their seventh successive conference title game.

It was Brady’s 10th career post-season game with at least three TD tosses, moving him past Joe Montana for the most in NFL history. James White caught a touchdown pass and ran for another, and Danny Amendola had 11 catches for 112 yards.

New England’s victory came on the heels of a week filled with turmoil following reports of discord involving Brady, coach Bill Belichick and team owner Robert Kraft.

None of that showed on the field. “I’ve been around long enough,” Brady said. “So, 18 years, there’s so many nice things said about me. It just goes with the territory.”

Tight end Rob Gronkowski finished with six catches for 81 yards and a touchdown. It was his 10th career postseason TD. He’s tied with five others for third all-time. But it’s the most for a tight end.

Gronk also moved into second all-time for a tight end with 835 post-season receiving yards. He passed Keith Jackson, and only Dallas Clark is ahead of him.

In Sunday’s other NFL game, The Philadelphia Eagles defence staged a last-minute goal-line stand to beat the Atlanta Falcons 15-10 and progress to the NFC championship game.

Despite being underdogs as the No.1 seed, the Eagles showed plenty of character in the tightest spots of the fourth quarter and Jake Elliott atoned for a missed extra point with three field goals.

Philadelphia stopped sixth-seeded Atlanta after they got to the nine with a first down, and then on fourth down from two-yards when Matt Ryan’s pass slipped through the fingers of Julio Jones in the end zone.

It was the first playoff win for Philadelphia since the 2008 season and they will now host the Vikings.

— AP

Originally published as Minnesota, Jacksonville join New England, Philadelphia in NFL final four