Packers, Bills reach conference championship games
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. » Taron Johnson returned an interception a record-tying 101 yards for a touchdown to send the Buffalo Bills to their first AFC championship game appearance in 27 years with a 17-3 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night.
Johnson’s pick-6 of Lamar Jackson’s pass with 41 seconds remaining in the third quarter secured the win over the Ravens in a divisional-round playoff game.
The interception return matched the longest in NFL playoff history and punctuated a stellar defensive outing in which Buffalo (15-3) limited the NFL’s top running offense to 150 yards on 32 carries.
Jackson was sacked three times and did not return after being evaluated for a concussion following the final play of the third quarter, and two plays after Johnson scored.
Jackson’s injury left Tyler Huntley to finish the game for the Ravens (12-6) after being promoted off the practice squad.
The game was decided in the third quarter, when the Bills went up 10-3 on Allen’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs to cap an 11-play, 66-yard opening drive. PACKERS 32, RAMS 18 » Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdown passes and also ran for a score and topseeded Green Bay defeated Los Angeles in an NFC divisional playoff game.
Green Bay’s potent offense overpowered the Rams’ vaunted defense for much of the game. The Packers didn’t allow any sacks despite playing without injured All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari, while Green Bay sacked Jared Goff four times.
The Packers reached the NFC championship game for the fourth time in the past seven seasons as they chase their first Super Bowl berth in a decade. It will be their first at Lambeau Field since hosting for the 2007 season, when they fell to the New York Giants 23-20 in overtime.
The Packers (14-3) often seemed on the verge of putting the game away. But the Rams (11-7) continued to hang around. Green Bay finally sealed the victory with a 58yard touchdown from Rodgers to Allen Lazard with 6:52 left.
Rodgers went 23 of 36 for 296 yards, while Aaron Jones ran for 99 yards and a touchdown on just 14 carries.