The Tennessee Titans beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the first Wild Card Game of the 2018 NFL playoffs on Saturday, 22-21. The Chiefs had a huge lead in the first half but hit a wall in the fourth, with the Titans taking the lead with 6:10 to go in the game.
NFL playoffs 2018: Bracket and schedule update after Titans vs. Chiefs
A wild one in Kansas City ended with a Titans win and yet another crushing playoff loss for the Chiefs.
Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images
If the Jacksonville Jaguars win on Saturday, the Titans will go on to play the New England Patriots in the Divisional Round. If the Buffalo Bills beat the Jaguars, the Titans will play the Pittsburgh Steelers in the next round.
It was all Kansas City in the first half, as it marched down the field for a pair of touchdowns while the Titans had absolutely nothing to offer. Kansas City scored on back-to-back lengthy drives. The first went 81 yards in six plays and the second went 76 yards in five plays, giving the Chiefs a 14-0 lead.
The Titans didn’t answer until the final two minutes of the first half, when a third-down sack by Derrick Johnson of the Chiefs forced them to kick a field goal. The Chiefs then went 79 yards in nine plays for yet another Alex Smith-led touchdown drive, taking a halftime lead of 21-3.
But the Chiefs just couldn’t accept an easy win, and they started calling terrible plays on offense, slowly allowing the Titans to get back in the game. Marcus Mariota threw a touchdown pass to himself (really), and the Titans fought back to make it a one-score game in the fourth quarter. Then the Titans took the lead, and the Chiefs were playing from behind.
The Atlanta Falcons traveled to take on the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC later in the night and came away with a 26-13 victory on the road.
On Sunday, the Bills travel to face the Jaguars at 1:05 p.m. on CBS, and the Carolina Panthers are taking on the New Orleans Saints at 4:40 p.m. on FOX.
Below is an updated schedule for the remainder of the NFL playoffs.
All times Eastern
Wild Card Round
AFC byes: New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers
NFC byes: Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings
Saturday, Jan. 6
GAME 1: Tennessee Titans 22, Kansas City Chiefs 21
GAME 2: Atlanta Falcons 26, Los Angeles Rams 13
Sunday, Jan. 7
GAME 3: Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1:05 p.m., CBS
GAME 4: Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints, 4:40 p.m., FOX
Divisional Round
Saturday, Jan. 13
GAME 5: Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:35 p.m., NBC
GAME 6: Lowest AFC seed from Wild Card Round at New England Patriots, 8:15 p.m., CBS
Sunday, Jan. 14
GAME 7: Highest AFC seed from Wild Card Round at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1:05 p.m., CBS
GAME 8: Carolina Panthers/New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings, 4:40 p.m., FOX
Championship Round
Sunday, Jan. 21
AFC Championship: Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 3:05 p.m., CBS
NFC Championship: Game 5 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 6:40 p.m., FOX
Super Bowl 52
Sunday, Feb. 4
AFC Champion vs. NFC Champion, 6:30 p.m., NBC
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