THE CINCINNATI BENGALS beat the Las Vegas Raiders 26-19 to clinch their first NFL play-off win since 1991.
Quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 244 yards, including touchdown passes to CJ Uzomah and Tyler Boyd for the Bengals, who had won the AFC North division for the first time in six years to reach the wildcard round.
Cincinnati’s second touchdown was controversial as the whistle had been blown for Burrow stepping out of bounds before Boyd held his pass and although that call was incorrect – Burrow had been in play – the down should have been replayed.
The Raiders had the chance to level the game with 12 seconds left in the fourth quarter, but Germaine Pratt intercepted Derek Carr’s pass in the end zone to secure the Bengals their first play-off triumph in 31 years.
In the second game of wildcard weekend, the Buffalo Bills thrashed the New England Patriots 47-17. Quarterback Josh Allen lead the rout as the temperature plummeted to minus-16 at the Highmark Stadium.
Allen threw for 308 yards and five touchdowns while also rushing for 66 yards as the Bills, who had retained their AFC East title this season, became the first team in the Super Bowl era to score a touchdown on each of their first seven possessions in a play-off game.
Dawson Knox and Devin Singletary scored first-half touchdowns, before Emmanuel Sanders, Gabriel Davis and Tommy Doyle made the end zone in a ruthless win.
Bills safety Micah Hyde denied the Patriots an almost certain touchdown in the first quarter with a stunning interception of rookie quarterback Mac Jones’ attempted pass to Nelson Agholor in the end zone.
