title: Black Bolt

text: Kelsey McConnell of "ComicsVerse" gave "Black Bolt" #1 a score of 82%, asserting, "As someone who’s not overly familiar with the ins and outs of the Inhumans, I was at first skeptical about embarking on the journey that is "Black Bolt" #1. However, the titular character’s first solo issue provides easy access for less informed readers. More than that, it offers a storyline that’s both emotionally compelling and rife with mystery. [...] Overall, "Black Bolt" #1 is an exciting read. It’s a story that reaches out and digs its claws into the heart — an endless cycle of powerlessness and loss. While the story and the stacked complications had me madly flipping pages, I was a little wanting for more characterization. Sure, I cared why all these horrible things were happening, but I want a reason to care why they happened to Black Bolt specifically. I want a hero who is more than his powers, especially when he loses them." Mark Peters of "Paste" gave "Black Bolt" #1 a grade of 8 out of 10, writing, "Pairing a great writer from outside comics with one of the best talents inside comics is a great move. Based on a promising first issue, this could end up being one of Marvel’s stronger titles, alongside recent gems "Moon Knight" and "The Mighty Thor". [...] This is a promising start to a series that could go anywhere. Black Bolt has always been a tragic figure thanks to his preposterously destructive voice, but he’s never gotten a true spotlight. Ahmed and Ward have talent to spare and look like they’ve found a story worth telling."


title: Black Bolt

text: Dustin Holland of "CBR.com" called "Darkhold: Black Bolt" #1 an "entertaining sci-fi mystery," writing, ""Darkhold: Black Bolt" #1 stands out among the "Darkhold" books as the most visually and structurally distinct. Its ending calls all of the audience's assumptions about Black Bolt's role in the series into question, leaving fans anxious for the next installment of "Darkhold." Mark Russell's writing is entertaining and nuanced enough to reward multiple readings, but Cutler and Poggi's art steals the show in this issue as they present the hero in a landscape that feels at once classic and brand new." Chase Magnett of "Comicbook.com" gave "Darkhold: Black Bolt" #1 a grade of 4 out of 5, saying, "Black Bolt's tale of a twisted reality in which his mainstream dreams are transformed into nightmares emerges as a blend of gothic romance and Silver Age-style aesthetics in a plot centered upon its unreliable narrator. The essential twist at its center is hinted at early in the pages and, while it's nothing superhero fans haven't seen before, is delivered in a very satisfying fashion. What sets this classic retelling apart beyond its confident slow revelations of the truth are David Cutler's depictions of Black Bolt's current state and his past in Attilan. Kirby-inspired tech fills the city and its fashions in splash panels filled with impossible machines and royal attendants. These bright visions lit with the same charm as prime-era Fantastic Four ideas highlight just how grim Black Bolt's own predicament truly is as well as an artist who is developing a polished and promising style perfectly suited to the genre. The "Darkhold: Black Bolt" emphasizes its own tale of horror and executes on its premise quite well, regardless of how this may factor into the larger event design."


title: Academic grading in the Philippines

text: In the Philippines, some universities follow a 4-Point Scale, which resembles or is equivalent to the U.S. grading system. This system uses a grade between 0.00 to 4.00 wherein 4.00 is the highest and 0.00 being a failing mark.


title: Academic grading in the Philippines

text: Other universities, such as the Ateneo de Manila University and its sister schools, use the letter grade system with varied grade equivalence range.


title: Academic grading in the Philippines

text: The Grading System of San Beda University is zero-based in nature which implies no transmutations are to be made.


title: Academic grading in the Philippines

text: The description mentioned in the table was based on Tarlac State University (TSU) Student Handbook. In addition, the grade of "INC" is given if a student whose class standing for the semester is passing, fails to take the final examination or fails to complete other course requirements for valid reason (Chap. 8, Sec. 1, TSU Student Handbook).


title: Academic grading in the Philippines

text: While most courses at De La Salle University-Manila maintain the above table for a passing grade of 60%, there are some courses where the passing grade can also be 50%, 55%, 65%, or 70%, in which the grade point equivalences would vary.


title: Academic grading in the Philippines

text: Most academic departments in the university follow a grading system with the 70% passing grade. Some departments, such as the Department of Finance and Accounting and departments from the Ateneo School of Science and Engineering follow a 50% or 60% passing grade.


title: Academic grading in the Philippines

text: Some Philippine universities and colleges give Latin honors in conveying the level of distinction that an academic degree has been earned.


title: Academic grading in the Philippines

text: Prerequisite for UST's Latin Honors or Dean's Lister distinction are the following: QPI should be at least 86%, no grade below 80% for any subject in the given semester, and the student should obtain a good moral character.


title: Ray Allen

text: Walter Ray Allen Jr. (born July 20, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player. He played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in September 2018. Allen is widely considered to be one of the greatest three-point shooters of all-time, and he held the record for most three-pointers made in a career until 2021, when he was surpassed by Stephen Curry.


title: Ray Allen

text: Allen played college basketball for the Connecticut Huskies for three seasons, gaining a reputation as an efficient long-range shooter. He entered the NBA in 1996 as the fifth overall selection. In the NBA, he developed into a prolific scorer for the Milwaukee Bucks, featuring alongside Glenn Robinson and Sam Cassell as the team achieved playoff success. However, the trio were unable to capture a championship, and Allen was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics. In Seattle, Allen's reputation as a scorer was solidified; he would break several league records for three-point and free throw shooting. Despite this, a title still eluded Allen, and he was traded to the Boston Celtics in 2007.


title: Ray Allen

text: In Boston, Allen and new teammates Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce formed a "Big Three" and had immediate success, winning an NBA championship in 2008. He remained with the franchise for five seasons, before departing in free agency to join the Miami Heat for two seasons. In Miami, Allen accepted a reserve role, emphasizing spot-up and clutch shooting, which allowed him to capture another championship in 2013. His clutch three-pointer to tie Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals with 5.2 seconds remaining is regarded as one of the most memorable plays in NBA history.


title: Ray Allen

text: Allen's list of individual accolades are extensive; he gained ten NBA All-Star designations, he won an Olympic gold medal as a member of the 2000 United States men's basketball team, he held the NBA record in career three-point field goals made in the regular season from 2011 to 2021, and has additionally scored the third most three-pointers in the postseason. During his NBA career, Allen acted in some films, such as his role as basketball prodigy Jesus Shuttlesworth in Spike Lee's basketball drama "He Got Game" (1998). Allen's performance as Shuttlesworth was greatly praised by critics, and the name was borrowed as Allen's basketball nickname.


title: Ray Allen

text: The third of five children, Allen was born at Castle Air Force Base near Merced, California, the son of Walter Sr. and Flora Allen. A military child, he spent time growing up in Saxmundham, Suffolk, England, in Altus, Oklahoma, at Edwards Air Force Base in California, and in Germany. After years of traveling and continual moving, his family settled in Dalzell, South Carolina for the next four years, where he would attend high school. When he first arrived, the young Allen was often made the odd-man-out, whom kids often picked on, due to the accent acquired during his formative years in Britain. Although never completely fitting in with the other kids, Allen's natural athletic gifts, and his obsession with hard work, allowed him to excel in every sport he played. When a growth spurt left him with a natural advantage in basketball, he decided to dedicate his free time to becoming the best basketball player he possibly could.


title: Ray Allen

text: Fueled by his desire to become the top player on the military base where he lived, Allen practiced at length daily, so long as it did not interfere with his studies. By the age of fifteen, he was playing for Hillcrest High School's varsity team, and would eventually lead them to their first state championship game. In that game, Allen showed his NBA potential by posting an impressive 25 points, to go along with 12 rebounds, in a blowout victory for Hillcrest Wildcats. At Hillcrest, he was teammates with future Major League Baseball player Terrell Wade. Amid the resulting attention from colleges, especially from the University of Kentucky, Allen ultimately accepted an offer from the University of Connecticut.


title: Ray Allen

text: Allen attended the University of Connecticut from 1993 to 1996 after being recruited by assistant coach Karl Hobbs. While at UConn, he was named USA Basketball's Male Athlete of the Year in 1995. In 1995–96, his final college season, Allen was a first-team All-American and won the Big East Player of the Year award. Allen finished his UConn career third on the Huskies' career scoring list with 1,922 points and set a single-season school record by connecting on 115 three-pointers in 1995–96.


title: Ray Allen

text: In 2001, Allen was named honorary captain of the 25-member UConn All-Century Basketball Team. On February 5, 2007, his name and number were honored at Connecticut's Gampel Pavilion during the "Huskies of Honor" ceremony at halftime of the men's basketball game against the Syracuse Orange. On December 7, 2018, the University of Connecticut announced that Allen (along with women's player Rebecca Lobo) would be the first player to have his number retired by the school. The retirement ceremony took place in March 2019.


title: Ray Allen

text: Allen was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the fifth pick of the 1996 NBA draft. Immediately after his selection, Allen and Andrew Lang were traded to the Milwaukee Bucks for the rights to fourth pick Stephon Marbury. On July 24, 1996, Allen signed a 3-year, $6.2 million contract with the Bucks. Allen made his NBA debut on November 1, 1996, where he started and played 28 minutes and scored 13 points in a win against fellow rookie Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers. On January 12, 1997, Allen put in one of his strongest efforts of the season in a win against the Golden State Warriors, contributing 22 points, 6 assists, 3 steals and a new career high of 9 rebounds. In February 1997, Allen competed in the Slam Dunk Contest during All-Star Weekend, where he finished fourth. Continuing his strong rookie season, on March 25, 1997, Allen scored a new career high of 32 points in a loss to the Phoenix Suns. Allen was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.


title: Ray Allen

text: In the 1997–98 season, Allen played and started all 82 games for the Bucks. In the season opener, he put up 29 points, including 6 three-pointers in a win against the 76ers. On December 20, 1997, Allen set a new career high of 35 points against the New York Knicks. On the brink of missing the playoffs for the second straight year, on April 18, 1998, the last game of the regular season, Allen tallied a 40-point double-double with 10 rebounds.


title: Ray Allen

text: On February 10, 1999, following the 1998–99 NBA lockout, Allen signed a six-year, $70.9 million extension with the Bucks, making him the highest paid player in franchise history at that point. The 1998–99 season saw Allen make his first playoff appearance, with the Bucks earning the seventh seed. There they were swept by the Indiana Pacers in the first round despite Allen averaging 22.3 points per game. The following season, on January 20, 2000, Allen recorded a career-high 13 assists in a loss to the Seattle SuperSonics. On February 3, 2000, Allen scored 36 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in a 102–99 win against the Utah Jazz. A month later, Allen played in his first All-Star Game, where he had 14 points in 17 minutes. During the 1999–2000 season, Allen led the Bucks in scoring during the regular and post-season.


title: Ray Allen

text: On February 7, 2001, Allen recorded his first career triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists against the Boston Celtics. A few days later, he participated and won his first 3-point shootout during All-Star Weekend. Allen, alongside Sam Cassell and Glenn Robinson, helped lead the Bucks to the Eastern Conference Finals. Allen recorded a new playoff career high with 41 points in a Game 6 victory over the 76ers, but the Bucks ultimately lost in seven games. Allen earned All-NBA Third Team honors in 2001.


title: Ray Allen

text: Allen remained with the Bucks midway through the 2002–03 season, when he was dealt to the Seattle SuperSonics, along with Ronald Murray, former UConn teammate Kevin Ollie, and a conditional first round draft pick, in exchange for Gary Payton and Desmond Mason. It was speculated that Allen's contentious relationship with coach George Karl played a role in the Bucks' willingness to part with Allen.


title: Ray Allen

text: After an injury-riddled 2003–04 season, Allen was named to the All-NBA Second Team in the 2004–05 season and, alongside teammate Rashard Lewis, led the Sonics to the 2005 Conference Semifinals.


title: Ray Allen

text: On March 12, 2006, Allen became the 97th player in NBA history to score 15,000 points. On April 7, 2006, Allen moved into second place on the NBA's list of all-time 3-point field goals made, trailing only Reggie Miller. On April 19, 2006, Allen broke Dennis Scott's ten-year-old NBA record for 3-point field goals made in a season in a game against the Denver Nuggets. The record was broken by Stephen Curry.


title: Ray Allen

text: In the 2006–07 regular season, Allen averaged a career-high 26.4 points per game while adding 4.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. On January 12, 2007, he scored a career-high 54 points against the Utah Jazz in a 122–114 overtime win, the second most in Sonics history. Shortly after, he had ankle surgery on both ankles and missed the remainder of the 2006–07 season.


title: Ray Allen

text: On June 28, 2007, the Sonics traded Allen and Glen Davis, the 35th overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft, to the Celtics in exchange for Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, and the fifth overall pick, Jeff Green. Shortly after acquiring Allen, the Celtics acquired Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett to play alongside Allen and Paul Pierce. Upon joining the Celtics, Allen changed his jersey to number 20 because Paul Pierce already had number 34 in Boston.


title: Ray Allen

text: On November 4, 2007, Allen passed 17,000 points for his career with his first of two 3-pointers in overtime in a 98–95 victory against the Toronto Raptors, in which he sank the game winning 3-pointer with three seconds remaining in overtime.


title: Ray Allen

text: On February 13, 2008, Allen was named as the replacement for injured East All-Star Caron Butler of the Washington Wizards, who was out with a left hip flexor strain, for the 2008 NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans. While LeBron James was given the All-Star MVP Award, many analysts, including the TNT commentators of the game, felt it should have gone to Allen, who scored 14 points in a stretch of 2 minutes and 30 seconds in the fourth quarter to seal the win for the East team.


title: Ray Allen

text: On March 28, 2008, Allen was honored as the 3rd best of the 20 greatest players in franchise history during Milwaukee's "40th Anniversary Team Celebration", but could not attend the festivities because of the Celtics' game against the New Orleans Hornets. The Boston Celtics finished 66–16, and were the #1 seed in the 2008 NBA Playoffs. The Celtics struggled in the first two rounds of the playoffs, losing every single away game, but maintaining an undefeated playoff record at home. The Celtics had defeated the #8 seeded Atlanta Hawks 4–3 and then defeated the #4 seeded Cleveland Cavaliers 4–3 as well. They advanced to the 2008 NBA Finals after a 4–2 Conference Finals series win over the Detroit Pistons.


title: Ray Allen

text: On June 12, 2008, Allen would play all 48 minutes and contribute greatly with 19 points and 9 rebounds in what would become the largest comeback in NBA Finals history, with the Celtics coming back from a 24-point deficit at one point in the second quarter and a deficit as large as 20 in the third. In that game, Allen would make the game clinching layup with 16.4 seconds remaining to give the Celtics a 5-point lead and put the game away.


title: Ray Allen

text: On June 17, 2008, in the series-ending Game 6 of the NBA Finals, Allen tied an NBA Finals record with seven three-pointers in the Celtics' 131–92 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. With the victory, Allen secured his first NBA championship.


title: Ray Allen

text: On February 5, 2009, Allen was named as the All-Star replacement for Orlando Magic point guard Jameer Nelson. This marked Allen's ninth time on the All-Star team and the second straight year he had made it alongside teammates Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce.


title: Ray Allen

text: On February 22, 2009, with his streak ending at 72, Allen broke the Celtics franchise record in consecutive free throws made previously set by Larry Bird (71).


title: Ray Allen

text: In the first round of the 2009 playoffs against the Chicago Bulls, game one proved to be tough for Allen. He ended up shooting 1–11 from the field, and the Celtics lost by two. In game 2 however, Allen nailed the game winning three-pointer at the end of regulation with two seconds left to cap off an impressive 30 point night. In Game 6, despite a Boston loss, Allen managed to score 51 points. Boston ended up winning the series in 7 Games. He reunited with former teammate and co-captain of the Seattle SuperSonics, Rashard Lewis in the Conference Semifinals, that time as opponents, however. After 4 games and a 2–2 series tie, his highest scoring game was a 22-point performance in a Game 2 victory. The Celtics went on to lose in seven games as they failed to defend their title.


title: Ray Allen

text: On June 6, 2010, in Game 2 of the 2010 NBA Finals in a 103–94 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers, Allen set a then record for most three-pointers made in an NBA Finals game on 8–11 shooting to tie the series 1–1. He broke Michael Jordan's record of six three-pointers in one half by hitting seven in the first half and had tied Scottie Pippen and Kenny Smith's record for most three-pointers in one game in the NBA Finals by half time. Allen also became the first player in NBA history to have two separate games of scoring at least seven three-pointers in the NBA Finals. The Celtics would win two of three games in Boston, before losing the last two games and the series in Los Angeles.


title: Ray Allen

text: After becoming a free agent on July 1, 2010, Allen re-signed a two year-deal with the Boston Celtics on July 7 worth $20 million.


title: Ray Allen

text: During a game against the Los Angeles Lakers on February 10, 2011, Allen became the all-time NBA leader in total three-pointers made (2,562), surpassing Reggie Miller's record of 2,560. The 35-year-old shooting guard finished the game with 20 points but the Celtics eventually lost 92–86. In the 2010–11 NBA season Allen was named to his tenth All-Star game alongside teammates Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Also during All-Star Weekend, Allen competed in the Three-Point Shootout, but lost to James Jones of the Miami Heat.


title: Ray Allen

text: During the 2011–12 NBA season, Allen was privately frustrated with trade rumors in February, issues with teammate Rajon Rondo, and an ankle injury that ultimately required surgery in June 2012 to remove bone spurs. The Celtics lost in seven games to the Miami Heat in the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals.


title: Ray Allen

text: Allen's initial plan in the summer of 2012 was to stay with the Boston Celtics. He was reportedly seeking a three-year, $24 million contract whereas the Celtics were offering a two-year, $12 million deal. Further internal discord with a bench role and a Rondo-focused approach led to Allen rejecting the Celtics and instead choosing to sign a two-year, $6 million deal with the Miami Heat. The Heat were limited to their mid-level exception amount of slightly more than $3 million per season.


title: Ray Allen

text: During Allen's first season with the Miami Heat, he averaged 10.9 points per game and made 88.6% of his free throws while playing an average of 25.8 minutes per game. On April 25, 2013, while playing Milwaukee in Game 3 of the first round of the playoffs, Allen made his 322nd career three-pointer in the playoffs, which broke Reggie Miller's record for most three-pointers made in NBA playoff history. Allen returned to his favorite #34 jersey upon joining the Heat.


title: Ray Allen

text: In Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, as the Heat trailed by three points, Allen made a game-tying 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left in the fourth quarter to force overtime. Having rallied from a 10-point deficit at the end of the third quarter, the Heat won in overtime 103–100 over the San Antonio Spurs and forced a seventh game in the series. With the Heat leading 101–100, Allen stole the ball from Manu Ginóbili under the Spurs' basket and drew a foul with 1.9 seconds remaining in the overtime period. Allen made both ensuing free throws to put Miami up 103–100. Allen played 41 minutes in Game 6 off the bench and scored 9 points on 3-for-8 field goal shooting; his game-tying three-pointer was the only three-pointer he made in three attempts. Allen also had one defensive rebound and two assists. In Game 7, which the Heat won 95–88 to win its second consecutive championship, Allen played 20 minutes off the bench. Although he made none of 4 field goal attempts and had 3 turnovers, Allen recorded 4 defensive rebounds and 4 assists.


title: Ray Allen

text: On June 29, 2013, Allen picked up his $3.23 million player option to stay with the Heat through the 2013–14 NBA season. During the regular season, Allen played in 73 games, starting 9 of them, averaging 9.6 points and shooting 37 percent from three-point range. In the playoffs, Allen scored 19 points on 4–7 three-point shooting in game 4 of the conference semifinals against the Brooklyn Nets. Then in Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers in an Eastern Conference Finals rematch, Allen hit four 3-point shots in the fourth quarter and put them up 2–1 in the series. The Heat won the series in six games to advance to the NBA Finals for the fourth straight year and Allen's second. The Heat faced the Spurs again in the 2014 NBA Finals, but they lost the series in five games.


title: Ray Allen

text: Allen became a free agent in the 2014 off-season, and after much anticipation of a return at some point during the 2014–15 season, he announced his decision to sit out the season and focus on 2015–16. However, he did not end up joining a team. In July 2016, Allen began mulling a comeback, and admitted he was "intrigued" by the possibility of competing for another championship. The following month, Allen had talks with the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks regarding a possible return, but ultimately decided to officially retire from the game on November 1, 2016. In September 2018, Allen was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In February 2019, Allen played in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game. In October 2021, Allen was honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.


title: Ray Allen

text: In 1998, Allen co-starred alongside Denzel Washington in the Spike Lee film "He Got Game" as high school basketball phenomenon Jesus Shuttlesworth. Roger Ebert praised his performance and said Allen "is that rarity: an athlete who can act," while "New York" magazine described him as "graceful and fast in the basketball scenes" while giving "a somberly effective minimalist performance." His role as Jesus Shuttlesworth earned him that name as a nickname from teammates and fans. Allen also appeared as Marcus Blake in the 2001 film "Harvard Man". In 2015, Allen co-starred alongside Kyrie Irving, Baron Davis and J. B. Smoove as Walt in the fourth episode of "Uncle Drew", a series of Pepsi Max advertisements written and directed by Irving.


title: Ray Allen

text: Allen married singer/actress Shannon Walker Williams on August 16, 2008, after having dated since 2004. They have four children together.


title: Ray Allen

text: Allen says that he has a borderline case of obsessive–compulsive disorder, to which he attributes his consummate shooting style.


title: Ray Allen

text: Allen served as NBA Spokesperson for the Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA program and was selected as NBA Spokesman for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. He also started the "Ray of Hope" Foundation to assist charities in several communities.


title: Ray Allen

text: Former President Obama appointed Allen to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. Allen is a longtime supporter of the Holocaust Memorial Museum and has brought teammates and friends to the museum on frequent visits. In August 2017, be penned a first-person article for "The Players' Tribune", entitled "Why I Went to Auschwitz".


title: Ray Allen

text: On November 21, 2017, Allen said in a court filing that he was the victim of "catfishing" by a man who posed online as several different women. In an emergency motion, Allen was responding to a claim made by the man, Bryant Coleman, that he was being stalked by Allen.


title: Ray Allen

text: On July 18, 2021, Allen suffered injuries in a serious bicycle crash, and he credited his bicycle helmet with effectively saving his life.


title: Ray Allen

text: On August 20, 2021, Allen accepted a position as director of boys' and girls' basketball at Gulliver Preparatory School where he will also serve as the boys' varsity basketball head coach.


title: Oak

text: An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably "Lithocarpus" (stone oaks), as well as in those of unrelated species such as "Grevillea robusta" (silky oaks) and the Casuarinaceae (she-oaks). The genus "Quercus" is native to the Northern Hemisphere, and includes deciduous and evergreen species extending from cool temperate to tropical latitudes in the Americas, Asia, Europe, and North Africa. North America has the largest number of oak species, with approximately 160 species in Mexico of which 109 are endemic and about 90 in the United States. The second greatest area of oak diversity is China, with approximately 100 species.


title: Oak

text: Oaks have spirally arranged leaves, with lobate margins in many species; some have serrated leaves or entire leaves with smooth margins. Many deciduous species are marcescent, not dropping dead leaves until spring. In spring, a single oak tree produces both male flowers (in the form of catkins) and small female flowers, meaning that the trees are monoecious. The fruit is a nut called an acorn or oak nut borne in a cup-like structure known as a cupule; each acorn contains one seed (rarely two or three) and takes 6–18 months to mature, depending on their species. The acorns and leaves contain tannic acid, which helps to guard from fungi and insects. The live oaks are distinguished for being evergreen, but are not actually a distinct group and instead are dispersed across the genus.


title: Oak

text: Linnaeus described only five species of oak from eastern North America, based on general leaf form. These were white oak ("Quercus alba"), chestnut oak ("Q. montana"), red oak ("Q. rubra"), willow oak ("Q. phellos"), and water oak ("Q. nigra"). Because he was dealing with confusing leaf forms, the "Q. montana" and "Q. rubra" specimens actually included mixed foliage of more than one species.


title: Oak

text: The most recent classification of "Quercus" divides the genus into two subgenera and eight sections. These divisions support the evolutionary diversification of oaks among two distinct clades: the "Old World" clade, including oaks that diversified mainly in Eurasia; and the "New World" clade, for oaks that diversified mainly in the Americas.


title: Oak

text: Potential records of "Quercus" have been reported from Late Cretaceous deposits in North America and East Asia, however these are not considered definitive. In a survey of the fossil record of "Quercus" it was concluded that "pre-Paleogene, and perhaps pre-Eocene occurrences of "Quercus" macroremains are generally represented by poorly preserved fossils that lack critical features needed for certain identification and need to be treated with caution." Amongst the oldest unequivocal records of "Quercus" are pollen from Austria, dating to the Paleocene-Eocene boundary, around 55 million years ago. The oldest records of "Quercus" in North America are from Oregon, dating to the Middle Eocene, around 44 million years ago, with the oldest records in Asia being from the Middle of Eocene of Japan; both forms have affinites to the "Cyclobalanopsis" group.


title: Oak

text: The advent of molecular techniques for phylogenetic analysis transformed understanding of oak relationships, initially by uncovering molecular support for the diphyletic division of "Quercus" into Old World and New World clades. These techniques have proved highly useful in resolving fine-scale relationships among 2–5 oak species, particularly groups known to hybridize, but until recently the larger emphasis on this narrow approach prevented systematists from making large-scale determinations about oak history. As the capacity for sampling across wider swaths of oak species rose, so has resolution at the section and species level across the "Quercus" genus.


title: Oak

text: Further advances in oak systematics are expected to arise from next-generation sequencing techniques, including a recent project to sequence the entire genome of "Quercus robur" (the pedunculate oak). The recent completion of that genome has uncovered an array of mutations that may underlie the evolution of longevity and disease resistance in oaks. In addition, the generation of RAD-seq loci for hundreds of oak species has allowed for the construction of the most highly detailed oak phylogeny to date, although the high signal of introgression (by hybridization) across the tree poses difficulties for deriving an unambiguous, unitary history of oaks. The phylogeny from Hipp et al 2019 is:


title: Oak

text: Oaks are keystone species in a wide range of habitats from Mediterranean semi-desert to subtropical rainforest. For example, oak trees are important components of hardwood forests, and certain species are particularly known to grow in associations with members of the Ericaceae in oak–heath forests. A number of kinds of truffles, including the two well known varieties, the black Périgord truffle and the white Piedmont truffle, have symbiotic relationships with oak trees. Similarly many other mushrooms such as "Ramaria flavosaponaria" also associate with oaks. The European pied flycatcher is an example of an animal species that often depends upon oak trees.


title: Oak

text: Many species of oaks are under threat of extinction in the wild, largely due to land use changes, livestock grazing and unsustainable harvesting. For example, over the past 200 years, large areas of oak forest in the highlands of Mexico, Central America and the northern Andes have been cleared for coffee plantations and cattle ranching. There is a continuing threat to these forests from exploitation for timber, fuelwood and charcoal. In the US, entire oak ecosystems have declined due to a combination of factors still imperfectly known, but thought to include fire suppression, increased consumption of acorns by growing mammal populations, herbivory of seedlings, and introduced pests. However, it has also been suggested that oaks as generally light-demanding trees with a relatively high tolerance for mechanic disturbances might depend on grazers like bison and the clearances they create in order to regenerate successfully, thus missing them since they were extirpated in most regions following the European colonization.


title: Oak

text: The mature trees shed varying numbers of acorns annually. Scientists suggest that shedding excess numbers allows the oaks to satiate nut gathering species which improves the chances of germination. Every four to ten years, certain oak populations will synchronize to produce almost no acorns at all, only to rain them down excessively the following year, known as a mast year. The year preceding the mast year is thought to starve off the mammal populations feeding on the supply, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the overproduction in the mast year that follows. This is necessary to the survival of any given oak species, as only one in 10,000 acorns results in an eventual tree.


title: Oak

text: Interspecific hybridization is quite common among oaks, but usually between species within the same section only, and most common in the white oak group. White oaks are unable to discriminate against pollination by other species in the same section. Because they are wind pollinated and they have weak internal barriers to hybridization, hybridization produces functional seeds and fertile hybrid offspring. Ecological stresses, especially near habitat margins, can also cause a breakdown of mate recognition as well as a reduction of male function (pollen quantity and quality) in one parent species.


title: Oak

text: Frequent hybridization among oaks has consequences for oak populations around the world; most notably, hybridization has produced large populations of hybrids with copious amounts of introgression, and the evolution of new species. Frequent hybridization and high levels of introgression have caused different species in the same populations to share up to 50% of their genetic information. Having high rates of hybridization and introgression produces genetic data that often does not differentiate between two clearly morphologically distinct species, but instead differentiates populations. Research suggests that the maintenance of particular loci for adaptation to ecological niches might explain the retention of species identity despite significant gene flow.


title: Oak

text: The Fagaceae, or beech family, to which the oaks belong, is a very slow evolving clade compared to other angiosperms, and the patterns of hybridization and introgression in "Quercus" pose a great challenge to the concept of a species since a species is often defined as a group of "actually or potentially interbreeding populations which are reproductively isolated from other such groups." By this definition, many species of "Quercus" would be lumped together according to their geographic and ecological habitat, despite clear distinctions in morphology and, to a large extent, genetic data.


title: Oak

text: Sudden oak death ("Phytophthora ramorum") is a water mould that can kill oaks within just a few weeks. Oak wilt, caused by the fungus "Bretziella fagacearum" is also a lethal disease of some oaks, particularly the red oaks (the white oaks can be infected but generally live longer). Other dangers include wood-boring beetles, as well as root rot in older trees which may not be apparent on the outside, often being discovered only when the trees come down in a strong gale. Oak apples are galls on oaks made by the gall wasp. The female kermes scale causes galls to grow on kermes oak. Oaks are used as food plants by the larvae of Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species such as the gypsy moth, "Lymantria dispar", which can defoliate oak and other broadleaved tree species in North America.


title: Oak

text: A considerable number of galls are found on oak leaves, buds, flowers, roots, etc. Examples are oak artichoke gall, oak marble gall, oak apple gall, knopper gall, and spangle gall.


title: Oak

text: A number of species of fungus cause powdery mildew on oak species. In Europe the species "Erysiphe alphitoides" is the most common cause.


title: Oak

text: A new and yet little understood disease of mature oaks, acute oak decline, has been reported in parts of the UK since 2009.


title: Oak

text: The oak processionary moth ("Thaumetopoea processionea") has become a serious threat in the UK since 2006. The caterpillars of this species defoliate the trees, and are hazardous to human health; their bodies are covered with poisonous hairs which can cause rashes and respiratory problems.


title: Oak

text: The eastern grey squirrel ("Sciurus carolinensis") is native in North America and an invasive species across Europe where they are known to strip bark off of a variety of large trees, including oaks. Bark stripping can result in the death of the leading shoot and decreased crown size.


title: Oak

text: The leaves and acorns of the oak tree are poisonous in large amounts to livestock including cattle, horses, sheep, and goats due to the toxin tannic acid, causing kidney damage and gastroenteritis. Symptoms of poisoning include lack of appetite, depression, constipation, diarrhea (which may contain blood), blood in urine, and colic. The exception is the domestic pig, which may be fed entirely on acorns in the right conditions, and has traditionally been pastured in oak woodlands (such as the Spanish "dehesa" and the English system of pannage).


title: Oak

text: Oak wood has a density of about creating great strength and hardness. The wood is very resistant to insect and fungal attack because of its high tannin content. It also has very appealing grain markings, particularly when quartersawn.


title: Oak

text: Oak planking was common on high status Viking longships in the 9th and 10th centuries. The wood was hewn from green logs, by axe and wedge, to produce radial planks, similar to quarter-sawn timber. Wide, quarter-sawn boards of oak have been prized since the Middle Ages for use in interior panelling of prestigious buildings such as the debating chamber of the House of Commons in London and in the construction of fine furniture. Oak wood, from "Quercus robur" and "Quercus petraea", was used in Europe for the construction of ships, especially naval men of war, until the 19th century, and was the principal timber used in the construction of European timber-framed buildings. Today oak wood is still commonly used for furniture making and flooring, timber-frame buildings, and veneer production.


title: Oak

text: Japanese oak is used for professional drums made by Yamaha Drums. The higher density of oak gives the drum a brighter and louder tone compared to traditional materials such as maple and birch.


title: Oak

text: In hill states of India, besides fuelwood and timber, the locals use oak wood for agricultural implements. The leaves are used as fodder for livestock during lean periods.


title: Oak

text: Of the North American red oaks, the northern red oak is one of the most prized for lumber, and is marketed as red oak regardless of species. This wood has open capillaries, and air blown through an end grain piece 10 inches long can send bubbles out the other end into a glass of water. The openings give fungus easy access when the finish deteriorates, and natural red oak rots easily outdoors. However, if the wood is treated with a preservative compound, the capillaries absorb it deeply, and treated red oak will resist rot better than cured white oak heartwood, which has a closed cell structure. Shumard oak, a member of the red oak subgenus, provides timber described as "mechanically superior" to northern red oak. Cherrybark oak is another type of red oak that provides excellent timber.


title: Oak

text: The standard lumber tree of the white oak group – all marketed as white oak – is "Quercus alba". White oak is often used to make wine barrels. The wood of the deciduous pedunculate oak and sessile oak accounts for most European oak production, but evergreen species such as Holm oak and cork oak also produce valuable timber.


title: Oak

text: Oak galls were used for centuries as a main ingredient in iron gall ink for manuscripts, harvested at a specific time of year. In Korea, oak bark is used to make shingles for traditional roof construction.


title: Oak

text: Barrels for aging wines, sherry, and spirits such as brandy, Irish whiskey, Scotch whisky and Bourbon whiskey, are made from European and American oak, with single barrel whiskey fetching a premium. The use of oak in wine can add gustatory dimensions depending on the type of oak. Oak barrels, which may be charred before use, contribute to the colour, taste, and aroma of their potable contents, imparting a desirable oaky vanillin flavour. A dilemma for wine producers is to choose between French and American oakwoods. French oaks ("Quercus robur", "Q. petraea") give greater refinement, and are chosen for the best, most expensive wines; while American oak contributes greater texture and resistance to ageing, but produces a more powerful bouquet.


title: Oak

text: The bark of the cork oak is used to produce wine stoppers (corks). This species grows around the Mediterranean Sea, with Portugal, Spain, Algeria, and Morocco producing most of the world's supply.


title: Oak

text: The bark of the white oak is dried and used in medical preparations. Acorns are used for making flour or roasted for acorn coffee.


title: Oak

text: According to a comprehensive report by The Morton Arboretum and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) an estimated 31% of the world's estimated 430 oak species are threatened with extinction, while the study found an estimated 41% of oak species to be of conservation concern.


title: Oak

text: The countries with the highest numbers of threatened oak species according to the report are China with 36 species, Mexico with 32 species, Vietnam with 20 species and the USA with 16 species. While the cause of decline is still partly unknown for some species, the main causes the scientists determined were climate change and invasive pests in the US, and deforestation and urbanization in Asia.


title: Oak

text: In the Himalayan region of India, oak forests are being invaded by pine forests due to the increase in temperature. The associated species of pine forest may cross frontiers and become new elements of the oak forests.


title: Oak

text: In eastern North America, rare species of oak trees include scarlet oak ("Quercus coccinea"), chinquapin oak ("Quercus muehlenbergii"), and post oak ("Quercus stellata").


title: Oak

text: The oak is a common symbol of strength and endurance and has been chosen as the national tree of many countries. In England, oaks have been a national symbol since at least the sixteenth century, often used by Shakespeare to convey heritage and power. In England today they remain a symbol of the nation's history, traditions, and the beauty of its countryside. Already an ancient Germanic symbol (in the form of the Donar Oak, for instance), certainly since the early nineteenth century, it stands for the nation of Germany and oak branches are thus displayed on some German coins, both of the former Deutsche Mark and the current euro currency. In 2004 the Arbor Day Foundation held a vote for the official National Tree of the United States of America. In November 2004, the United States Congress passed legislation designating the oak as America's National Tree.


title: Oak

text: Other countries have also designated the oak as their national tree including Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus (golden oak), Estonia, France, Germany, Moldova, Jordan, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia, and Wales.


title: Oak

text: The oak is the emblem of County Londonderry in Northern Ireland, as a vast amount of the county was covered in forests of the tree until relatively recently. The name of the county comes from the city of Derry, which originally in Irish was known as "Doire" meaning "oak".


title: Oak

text: The Irish County Kildare derives its name from the town of Kildare which originally in Irish was "Cill Dara" meaning the Church of the Oak or Oak Church.


title: Oak

text: In the United States, Iowa designated the oak as its official state tree in 1961; and the white oak is the state tree of Connecticut, Illinois and Maryland. The northern red oak is the provincial tree of Prince Edward Island, as well as the state tree of New Jersey. The live oak is the state tree of the US state of Georgia.


title: Oak

text: In Colombia, the oak tree is an insignia of the Department of Boyacá. In 2008, the Flag of Boyacá Department was amended to include five oak leaves.


title: Oak

text: The oak is a symbol of the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area; the coat-of-arms and flag of Oakland, California feature the oak and the logo of the East Bay Regional Park District is an oak leaf.


title: Oak

text: The Nazi party used the traditional German eagle, standing atop of a swastika inside a wreath of oak leaves. It is also known as the Iron Eagle.


title: Oak

text: During the Third Reich of Nazi Germany, oak leaves were used for military valor decoration on the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross.


title: Oak

text: They also symbolize rank in the United States Armed Forces. A gold oak leaf indicates an O-4 (major or lieutenant commander), whereas a silver oak leaf indicates an O-5 (lieutenant colonel or commander). Arrangements of oak leaves, acorns and sprigs indicate different branches of the United States Navy staff corps officers. Oak leaves are embroidered onto the covers (hats) worn by field grade officers and flag officers in the United States armed services.


title: Oak

text: If a member of the United States Army or Air Force earns multiple awards of the same medal, then instead of wearing a ribbon or medal for each award, he or she wears one metal representation of an "oak leaf cluster" attached to the appropriate ribbon for each subsequent award.


title: Oak

text: The oak tree is used as a symbol by a number of political parties. It is the symbol of Toryism (on account of the Royal Oak) and the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom, and formerly of the Progressive Democrats in Ireland and the Democrats of the Left in Italy. In the cultural arena, the oakleaf is the symbol of the National Trust (UK), The Woodland Trust, and The Royal Oak Foundation.


title: Oak

text: The prehistoric Indo-European tribes worshiped the oak and connected it with a thunder or lightning god, and this tradition descended to many classical cultures.


title: Oak

text: In Greek mythology, the oak is the tree sacred to Zeus, king of the gods. In Zeus's oracle in Dodona, Epirus, the sacred oak was the centerpiece of the precinct, and the priests would divine the pronouncements of the god by interpreting the rustling of the oak's leaves. Mortals who destroyed such trees were said to be punished by the gods since the ancient Greeks believed beings called hamadryads inhabit them.


title: Oak

text: In Celtic polytheism, the name of the oak tree was part of the Proto-Celtic word for 'druid': "*derwo-weyd-" > "*-"; however, Proto-Celtic "*derwo-" (and "*dru-") can also be adjectives for 'strong' and 'firm', so Ranko Matasovic interprets that "*-" may mean 'strong knowledge'. As in other Indo-European faiths, Taranis, being a thunder god, was associated with the oak tree. "Tree" and "drus" may also be cognate with "Druid," the Celtic priest to whom the oak was sacred. There has even been a study that shows that oaks are more likely to be struck by lightning than any other tree of the same height.


title: Oak

text: In Norse mythology, the oak was sacred to the thunder god, Thor. Thor's Oak was a sacred tree of the Germanic Chatti tribe.


title: Oak

text: In Baltic and Slavic mythology, the oak was the sacred tree of Latvian god Pērkons, Lithuanian Perkūnas, Prussian Perkūns and Slavic Perun, the god of thunder and one of the most important deities.


title: Oak

text: The oak also appears in the Hebrew tradition. In the Bible, the oak tree at Shechem is the site where Jacob buries the foreign gods of his people (Gen. 35:4). Also, Joshua erects a stone under an oak tree as the first covenant of Yahweh, the god of Israel (Josh. 24.25–7). In Isaiah 61, the prophet refers to the Israelites as "Oaks of Righteousness". Absalom's long hair (2 Samuel 18:9) gets caught in an oak tree, and allows Joab to kill him.


title: Oak

text: Veneration of the oak survives in Serbian Orthodox Church tradition. Christmas celebrations include the "badnjak", a branch taken from a young and straight oak ceremonially felled early on Christmas Eve morning, similar to a yule log. In recent times, only the branches are collected, brought home, and ceremoniously thrown into a stove or church bonfire. In another tradition, a z"apis" (lit. "inscription") is an old, isolated oak on a hilltop or promontory, often inscribed with a cross by a parish priest. Reverence for "" probably originated in pre-Christian times, and they long remained places of public gathering and even of Christian worship where churches were not available. For example, in 1815, at a "zapis" assembly in Takovo, "knez" Miloš Obrenović declared the start of the Second Serbian Uprising. Even in modern times, cutting down "zapis" oaks can result in public outcry, even for projects like road building.


title: Oak

text: Several oak trees, such as the Royal Oak in Britain, the Charter Oak in the United States, and the Guernica oak in the Basque Country are of great historical or cultural importance.


title: Oak

text: "The Proscribed Royalist, 1651", a famous painting by John Everett Millais, depicted a Royalist fleeing from Cromwell's forces and hidden in an oak. Millais painted the picture in Hayes, Kent, from a local oak tree that became known as the Millais Oak.


title: Oak

text: Approximately 50 km west of Toronto, Canada is the town of Oakville, Ontario, famous for its history as a shipbuilding port on Lake Ontario.


title: Oak

text: The Jurupa Oak tree – a clonal colony of "Quercus palmeri" or Palmer's oak found in Riverside County, California – is an estimated 13,000 years old.


title: Oak

text: Large groups of very old oak trees are rare. One venerable group found in Poland, is about 480 years old, as assessed by dendrochronology.


title: Oak

text: In the Roman Republic, a crown of oak leaves was given to those who had saved the life of a citizen in battle; it was called the "civic oak crown".


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: The National Football League playoffs for the 2021 season. This was the first time that the league featured a 17-game regular season schedule, and consequently the start of the playoffs was pushed a week later to January 15, 2022. The postseason concluded with Super Bowl LVI on February 13 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California with the NFC's fourth seed, the Los Angeles Rams, defeating the AFC's fourth seed, the Cincinnati Bengals.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: This was the first postseason since 2010–11 where neither of the first-seeded teams made it to their respective championships, and was also the first postseason since 2009–10 in which neither Aaron Rodgers nor Tom Brady reached a conference championship game. This was also the first postseason since 2012–13 to have a Super Bowl to not feature Brady, Peyton Manning, or Patrick Mahomes. For the first time in history, both teams competing in the Super Bowl finished below the second seed.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Of the 13 games played in the playoffs, nine were decided by seven or fewer points. For the final seven postseason games, six were decided by three points. Five of those six were decided with game-winning field goals. The only game that was not decided by three points was the divisional round game between the Chiefs and Bills, which was decided with a game-winning touchdown in overtime.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: This postseason marked the first time that the Wild Card playoffs spanned three days. Two games were played on Saturday, three on Sunday, and one on Monday night. The last time that a playoff game was played on a Monday was in , when a Wild Card game was played Monday, December 26, to avoid playing on Christmas.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt's interception on his own 2-yard line in the game's closing seconds gave Cincinnati its first playoff win since the 1990 season, ending the longest active playoff victory drought in the NFL (8 losses over 31 years).


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Las Vegas took the opening kickoff and drove 51 yards in 10 plays, featuring a 17-yard completion from Derek Carr to Zay Jones on 3rd-and-2. Daniel Carlson finished the drive with a 47-yard field goal to put the Raiders up 3–0. Cincinnati stormed right back, with Joe Burrow completing three passes to Ja'Marr Chase for 37 yards and a screen pass to Joe Mixon for 21. On 3rd-and-goal from the 7, he finished the drive with a touchdown pass to tight end C. J. Uzomah to put the Bengals ahead 7–3. On the Raiders' next drive, Carr lost a fumble while being sacked by Trey Hendrickson. Defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi recovered the ball and returned it 11 yards to the Las Vegas 15-yard line, setting up Evan McPherson's 31-yard field goal to give the Bengals a 10–3 lead with 1:18 left in the first quarter.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: On the ensuing kickoff, Raiders returner Peyton Barber fielded the ball too close to the sidelines and stepped out of bounds at his own 2-yard line. Two plays later, Sam Hubbard sacked Carr on the 1 and Trent Taylor's 14-yard punt return gave the Bengals excellent field position on the Raiders 45-yard line. Chase then rushed for 7 yards and caught a pass for 28 as the team drove to the 6 before Quinton Jefferson's third-down sack forced Cincinnati to settle for McPherson's 30-yard field goal, increasing their lead to 13–3. Tyron Johnson returned the ensuing kickoff 35 yards to the 39-yard line. Then Josh Jacobs carried the ball three times for 51 yards on the way to Carlson's 28-yard field goal that cut their deficit to 13–6. Taking the ball back with 7:55 left in the second quarter, Cincinnati drove 82 yards in 12 plays, featuring a 29-yard reception by Uzomah and a 15-yard run by Chase on an end around play on 4th-and-1. On 3rd-and-4 from the Raiders 10-yard line, Burrow ran to the right side of the field and threw the ball to Tyler Boyd for a touchdown just as his foot was about to go out of bounds. The play was controversial, as one of the officials blew his whistle slightly before Boyd made the catch, while the ball was still in the air, which, according to NFL rules should have resulted in the down having to be replayed, but the touchdown stood and it gave the Bengals a 20–6 lead with 1:51 left on the clock. Carr then completed 5 passes for 56 yards and rushed for 20 as he led his team 75 yards in 12 plays to score on his 14-yard touchdown pass to Jones with 14 seconds left in the half, making the score 20–13 going into halftime.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Bengals running back Chris Evans returned the second half kickoff 27 yards to the 35-yard line, where the team proceeded to drive 45 yards in 9 plays to score on McPherson's 43-yard field goal, giving them a 23–13 lead. On the Raiders' next drive, Hunter Renfrow caught a long pass from Carr on the Bengals 36 on third down and then lost the ball out of bounds when Jessie Bates knocked it out of his hands. The play was initially ruled a completion and fumble out of bounds, but Bengals coach Zac Taylor's replay challenge overturned the call and it was ruled an incompletion, forcing Las Vegas to punt. Cincinnati also ended up punting on their next possession, due to a third-down sack by Maxx Crosby. Then Las Vegas drove 76 yards in 12 plays, with Jacobs rushing 4 times for 25 yards and catching a pass for 7. The team made it all the way to Bengals 9-yard line, but then a holding penalty by guard John Simpson eliminated Jacobs' 8-yard run and pushed them back to the 19. The team was unable to get back to the end zone and ended up settling for Carlson's 34-yard field goal, cutting their deficit to 23–16 on the last play of the third quarter.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Cincinnati took the ball back and drove 65 yards in 13 plays, taking 7:31 off the clock. Burrow completed 6/7 passes for 56 yards, including a 19-yard completion to Chase of 3rd-and-7. On 3rd-and-1 from the Raiders' 10-yard line, Mixon was tackled inches short of the first down marker, forcing Cincinnati to settle for McPherson's 28-yard field goal to give them a 26–16 lead with 6:46 left in the game. The Raiders responded by advancing 67 yards in 12 plays, featuring Carr's 26-yard completion to DeSean Jackson on 4th-and-5. The Bengals defense halted the drive on their own 10 when Hubbard deflected Carr's pass on 3rd-and-3, but Carlson's fourth field goal made it a one-score game at 26–19 with 3:37 remaining on the clock. Then the Raiders forced a three-and-out, getting the ball back on their own 35-yard line with 1:51 left and no timeouts. On their first play, a roughing the passer penalty on Khalid Kareem turned Jacobs 15-yard reception into a 30-yard gain. An incompletion and a sack by B. J. Hill brought up 3rd-and-17, but then Carr completed a 23-yard pass to tight end Darren Waller on the Bengals 19. After two incompletions, Carr threw a 10-yard pass to Jones at the 9. Then he spiked the ball to stop the clock, giving the Raiders three chances to score with 29 seconds remaining. Two incompletions brought up 4th-and-goal. Then with 17 seconds left, Pratt intercepted Carr's pass and enabled Cincinnati to escape with a win.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Burrow completed 24 of 34 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns. Chase caught 9 passes for 116 yards and rushed three times for 23. In addition to his interception, Pratt added 9 tackles (6 solo). Evans returned 5 kickoffs for 103 yards and rushed for 9. Carr finished the game 29/54 for 310 yards and a touchdown, with 1 interception, while also rushing for 20 yards. Jacobs rushed for 83 yards and caught 4 passes for 44.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: In their first postseason meeting since 1963, Buffalo beat the Patriots with 483 yards of offense and touchdowns on every drive except their last one, when they intentionally ran out the clock. It marked the first game in NFL history where a team played an entire game without punting, kicking a field goal, facing a fourth down, or turning the ball over (on downs nor by fumble or interception), as well as the first time a team scored seven touchdowns on seven consecutive drives.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: In the first half alone, Buffalo ran 33 plays and gained over 300 yards. They started off the game with a 9-play, 70-yard drive in which Josh Allen rushed twice for 41 yards and completed 4/5 passes for 24, the last an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dawson Knox. New England responded with a drive to the Bills 34, but Micah Hyde ended the drive by intercepting Mac Jones' pass in the end zone. Then Allen rushed for 6 yards and completed 5/7 passes for 62 yards, finishing the possession with an 11-yard scoring pass to Knox that gave Buffalo a 14–0 lead on the last play of the first quarter.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: New England was quickly forced to punt and the Bills drove back for more points, this time moving the ball 81 yards in 10 plays. Allen had a 22-yard completion to Gabe Davis and an 8-yard run, while Devin Singletary carried the ball 6 times for 28 yards and finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run, making the score 20–0 after Deatrich Wise Jr. blocked the extra point. After another Patriots punt, Allen completed a 19-yard pass to wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie and a 45-yard bomb to Stefon Diggs before rushing the ball 9 yards. Then Singletary scored on a 16-yard touchdown run, giving the Bills a 27–0 lead with 1:51 left in the half. This time New England managed to respond, with Jones completed 6/6 passes for 51 yards, including a 19-yard throw to Jakobi Meyers on 4th-and-5. Nick Folk finished the drive with a 44-yard field goal that made the score 27–3 going into halftime.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: The Bills dominance continued into the second half. On the fourth play of the third quarter, Levi Wallace intercepted a pass from Jones, giving Buffalo a first down on their 42-yard line. Allen then completed five consecutive passes for 58 yards, the last a 34-yard score to Emmanuel Sanders, putting the Bills up 33–3 after the extra point was blocked by Lawrence Guy. New England struck back with an 11-play, 75-yard drive, featuring a 43-yard completion from Jones to Kendrick Bourne. Jones completed the possession with a 3-yard touchdown pass the Bourne, cutting the score to 33–10. But the Bills countered again with a 9-play, 77-yard drive, which included two 19 yards completions from Allen. The first was to Cole Beasley and the second was to Davis for a touchdown, giving the Bills a 40–10 lead two plays into the fourth quarter.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: New England had to punt on their next drive and Hyde returned it 52 yards to the Patriots' 39-yard line. Allen then completed a 38-yard pass to Knox before throwing a 1-yard score to offensive tackle Tommy Doyle on a tackle-eligible play, increasing the Bills lead to 47–10. New England responded with a 15-play, 77-yard drive to score on Jones' 4-yard touchdown pass to Bourne, but by then only 1:44 remained on the clock, which Bills backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky kneeled out to finish the game.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Allen completed 21 of 25 passes for 308 yards and 5 touchdowns, giving him a near-perfect passer rating of 157.6, while also rushing six times for 66 yards. Knox was the top receiver of the game with 5 receptions for 89 yards and two touchdowns. Singletary rushed for 81 yards and two touchdowns, and caught three passes for 13 yards. Jones finished the game 24 of 38 for 232 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Bourne was his top target with 7 receptions for 77 yards and two scores.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Tampa Bay ran up 31 unanswered points on the way to their fifth consecutive postseason win over the last two seasons. For 44-year-old Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, it was his 35th career playoff win.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: The Buccaneers started out the game with a 12-play, 75-yard drive to go up 7–0 on Giovani Bernard's 2-yard touchdown run. After the next three possessions ended in punts, Brady completed 5 of 6 passes for 62 yards on a 70-yard drive that ended with Ke'Shawn Vaughn's 1-yard score, putting the Buccaneers ahead 14–0 with 25 seconds left in the first quarter. The Eagles had to punt again and Tampa Bay drove back for more points, this time moving the ball 53 yards in 11 plays to take a 17–0 lead with Ryan Succop's 34-yard field goal.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Philadelphia responded with their most promising drive of the day, moving the ball to the Buccaneers 37-yard line, only to lose the ball with incomplete pass on 4th-and-5. Then after a punt, they drove to the Tampa Bay's 27. But once again they failed to score as Mike Edwards intercepted Jalen Hurts' pass in the end zone.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Both teams punted on their first possession of the second half, but on the Buccaneers punt, Jalen Reagor muffed the kick and Ross Cockrell recovered the ball for Tampa Bay on the Eagles 48-yard line. Brady started off the next drive with a screen pass to Bernard that picked up 21 yards and eventually finished it with a 2-yard touchdown toss to tight end Rob Gronkowski, increasing the lead to 24–0. Then linebacker Shaq Barrett intercepted a pass from Hurts and returned it 17 yards to the Eagles 36-yard line, where Brady gave the Buccaneers a 31–0 lead with a touchdown pass to Mike Evans on the next play.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Philadelphia finally managed to get on the board early in the fourth quarter after Reagor returned a punt 31 yards to the Eagles 35-yard line. Hurts completed a 31-yard pass to DeVonta Smith on the next play and then Boston Scott scored on a 34-yard touchdown run. Then after a punt, Hurts completed 7 of 9 passes for 81 yards and rushed for 6 on a 93-yard drive that ended with his 16-yard touchdown pass to running back Kenneth Gainwell. Hurts then completed a pass to Smith for a two-point conversion to make the score 31–15, but any chance of a comeback was snuffed out when the Buccaneers recovered Philadelphia's onside kick attempt.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Brady completed 29 of 37 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns. Evans caught 9 passes for 117 yards and a score. Bernard rushed for 44 yards and a touchdown, while also catching 5 passes for 39 yards. Hurts finished the game 23/43 for 258 yards and a touchdown, with 2 interceptions, along with 8 carries for 39 yards. Tight end Dallas Goedert was his top target with 6 catches for 92 yards.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: San Francisco gained 341 yards, built a 23–7 lead and held off a frantic Dallas comeback in the fourth quarter.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: The 49ers started off the game with a 7-play, 75-yard drive in which Jimmy Garoppolo completed 3/3 passes for 43 yards before Elijah Mitchell scored on a 4-yard touchdown run. Then Travis Benjamin returned a Dallas punt 11 yards to the San Francisco 42-yard line, where the 49ers proceeded to drive 23 yards in 9 plays to take a 10–0 lead with Robbie Gould's 53-yard field goal. The next time San Francisco got the ball, they drove 56 yards in 12 plays, the longest a 19-yard completion from Garoppolo to Deebo Samuel. Gould finished the drive with a 40-yard field goal, giving the 49ers a 13–0 lead with 9:40 left in the second quarter.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: This time Dallas managed to respond, starting with Tony Pollard's 32-yard kickoff return to their 33-yard line. After that, they drove 67 yards, with Dak Prescott completing an 18-yard pass to Cedrick Wilson before finding Amari Cooper in the end zone for a 20-yard score, cutting their deficit to 13–7. San Francisco struck back with Garoppolo's 37-yard completion to Brandon Aiyuk setting up a 52-yard field goal from Gould, putting them ahead 16–7 going into halftime.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: After the first three drives of the second half ended in punts, K'Waun Williams intercepted a pass from Prescott on the Cowboys 26-yard line. On the next play, Samuel's 26-yard touchdown run increased the team's lead to 23–7. Following a pair of punts, Prescott's completions to CeeDee Lamb and Wilson for gains of 18 and 24 yards moved the ball to the Cowboys 48-yard line. When faced with 4th-and-5, Dallas picked up a first down on a fake punt, with Bryan Anger throwing the ball to C. J. Goodwin for a 16-yard gain. Three plays later, Greg Zuerlein finished the drive with a 51-yard field goal, bringing the score to 23–10 with 11:53 left in the game.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: On San Francisco's next drive, cornerback Anthony Brown intercepted a pass from Garoppolo and returned it 23 yards to the 49ers 28-yard line. Four plays later, Prescott scored on a 5-yard touchdown run, cutting the Cowboys deficit to 23–17. The 49ers managed to run 6 minutes off the clock with their ensuing possession, but punted the ball back to Dallas with 2:42 left. Prescott started out the drive with a 38-yard completion to Dalton Schultz, but the team could go no further and turned the ball over on downs. The Cowboys managed to force another punt with 32 seconds left, giving them one last chance for a game-winning drive, but when Prescott scrambled 16 yards down the middle of the field to the 49ers 24-yard line with 7 seconds left and no timeouts, the clock ran out before the Cowboys could run another play.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Garoppolo completed 16 of 25 passes for 171 yards and an interception. Mitchell was the top rusher of the game with 96 yards and a touchdown. Samuel had 10 carries for 72 yards and a score, along with 3 receptions for 38 yards. Prescott completed 23/43 passes for 254 yards, a touchdown and an interception, and rushed four times for 27 yards and a score. Schultz was the game's leading receiver with 7 receptions for 89 yards.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Kansas City dominated the Steelers with six consecutive touchdown drives starting in the second quarter, and gained 487 total yards, while only allowing 257.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: The Chiefs got a scoring opportunity midway through the first quarter when Mecole Hardman returned a Steelers punt 48 yards to the Pittsburgh 22-yard line. But on the next play, Patrick Mahomes threw a pass that was deflected by T. J. Watt and intercepted by linebacker Devin Bush. The game remained scoreless until 10:51 remained in the second quarter, when Chiefs running back Darrel Williams lost a fumble when tackled by Cameron Heyward. Watt recovered the ball and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown to give the Steelers a 7–0 lead. Mahomes responded by completing 6/6 passes for 59 yards and rushing for 23 on a drive that ended with his 4-yard touchdown pass to running back Jerick McKinnon that tied the score 7–7. The next time Kansas City got the ball, Mahomes completed a 31-yard pass to Travis Kelce, while McKinnon rushed twice for 28 yards before the team went up 14–7 on Mahomes' 12-yard touchdown pass to Byron Pringle. Following another punt, Kansas City got the ball with 52 seconds left in the half. Mahomes completed a 15-yard pass to McKinnon and a 27-yard strike to Demarcus Robinson before throwing a 48-yard touchdown bomb to Kelce to give the team a 21–7 first half lead.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Kansas City took a 28–7 lead with their opening drive of the second half, as Mahomes completed five consecutive passes for 65 yards, the last a 1-yard touchdown toss to lineman Nick Allegretti on a tackle-eligible play. Then Steelers running back Najee Harris lost a fumble while being tackled by Willie Gay, and Frank Clark recovered it for KC on the Pittsburgh 29-yard line, setting up Mahomes' 31-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill that made the score 35–7. This time Pittsburgh was able to strike back, with Ben Roethlisberger completing 8 consecutive passes, the longest a 22-yard throw to James Washington. He finished the drive with a 13-yard touchdown completion to Diontae Johnson, making the score 35–14. Kansas City responded with another touchdown, moving the ball 75 yards in 9 plays, including a 41-yard catch by Hardman. On the last play, Kelce took a direct snap and threw the ball to Pringle for a 2-yard score to put the game away.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Pittsburgh made the final score 42–21 by driving 75 yards in 15 plays to score on Roethlisberger's 15-yard touchdown throw to Washington with 7:36 left in the game.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Mahomes completed 30/39 passes for 405 yards, five touchdowns and an interception, and rushed for 29 yards. Kelce caught five passes for 108 yards and a score. Hardman caught four passes for 43 yards and returned three punts for 70. McKinnon was the top rusher of the game with 61 yards, while also catching 6 passes for 81 yards and a score. Roethlisberger completed 29 of 44 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns in what would end up being his final game, as he retired nearly two weeks after the game concluded.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: This was the second postseason meeting between the Cardinals and the Rams, and the first since the Cardinals moved to Arizona in 1988. The Rams defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1975 Divisional playoffs. The teams split the regular season series, each winning the road game.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Los Angeles built up a 21–0 first half lead and went on to win easily, holding the Cardinals to just 187 total yards. The victory was especially satisfying for 33-year old Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who earned his first career playoff victory after 13 seasons as a starting NFL quarterback and three previous postseason losses with the Detroit Lions.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: At the end of the Rams first drive of the day, Johnny Hekker's 43-yard punt gave Arizona the ball at their 9-yard line. Arizona could not gain any yards over their next three plays, and Brandon Powell's 8-yard punt return set the Rams up on their own 48. Stafford completed a 17-yard pass to Odell Beckham Jr. on the next play and eventually finished the drive with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Beckham that gave Los Angeles a 7–0 lead. The next time the Rams got the ball, Cam Akers rushed 4 times for 21 yards and Stafford completed a 31-yard pass to Beckham before taking the ball into the end zone himself for a 1-yard score.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: In the second quarter, Hekker's 43-yard punt pinned the Cardinals back on their own 1-yard line. A couple plays later, Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray threw a desperation pass from his own end zone while trying to avoid being tackled for a safety. Rams cornerback David Long intercepted it near the line of scrimmage and returned it 3 yards for a touchdown to give the Rams a 21–0 lead. By this point, Arizona had five possessions without gaining a single first down. They managed to get three of them on their next drive, but it ended with another short pass near the line that was intercepted, this time by defensive tackle Marquise Copeland.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Los Angeles increased their lead to 28–0 with the first drive of the second half, moving 75 yards in 8 plays, including a trick play where Stafford lateralled the ball to Beckham, who then threw a 40-yard completion to running back Cam Akers. Stafford finished the possession with a 7-yard touchdown pass to receiver Cooper Kupp. Arizona then drove 75 yards in 12 plays, with Murray completing 5/5 passes for 37 yards and rushing for 7 before James Conner put the team on the board with a 2-yard touchdown run. Then Murray completed a 2-point conversion pass to Antoine Wesley. Stafford countered with a 41-yard completion to Van Jefferson to set up Matt Gay's 37-yard field goal, giving Los Angeles a 31–8 lead on the first play of the fourth quarter. For the rest of the game, both teams managed a single field goal each to make the final score 34–11, with Arizona's Matt Prater connecting from 55 yards and Gay kicking another from 46, set up by Kupp's receptions for gains of 29 and 16 yards.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Stafford finished the day 13/17 for 202 yards and 2 touchdowns, along with 6 carries for 22 yards and a rushing touchdown. Hekker locked the Cardinals inside their own 20-yard line on all five of his punts. Murray was held to 19/37 for 137 yards with 2 interceptions. Los Angeles' defense also contained him on the ground, limiting him to just 2 carries for 6 yards.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson's interception with 20 seconds left in the game set up Evan McPherson for a 52-yard game-winning field goal as time expired to give Cincinnati their first road playoff win in franchise history.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: On the first play of the game, Bengals safety Jessie Bates intercepted a pass from Ryan Tannehill, giving the Bengals a first down on the Tennessee 42-yard line. Joe Burrow's 21-yard completion to running back Joe Mixon on the next play set up a 38-yard field goal by McPherson to give the Bengals an early 3–0 lead. After the next three drives ended in punts, Burrow's 57-yard completion to Ja'Marr Chase led to a 45-yard field goal by McPherson, giving the team a 6–0 lead with just over 2 minutes left in the first quarter.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Following a punt from each team, Tannehill got the Titans offense rolling with a 41-yard completion to A. J. Brown. Seven plays later, running back Derrick Henry took a direct snap out of Wildcat Formation and scored on a 3-yard touchdown run. A 12-men on the field penalty against Cincinnati on the extra point try moved the ball to the 1-yard line, where Tennessee decided to attempt a 2-point conversion. But Bengals linebacker Clay Johnston tackled Henry inches short of the goal line, keeping the score tied at 6–6. Bengals receiver Tee Higgins then caught passes for gains of 15 and 22 yards as the team drove 43 yards in 12 plays before defensive end Jeffery Simmons sacked Burrow for a 12-yard loss on 3rd down, forcing the team to settle for McPherson's 54-yard field goal with 1:27 left in the half.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Bengals running back Chris Evans returned the second half kickoff 31 yards to the 35-yard line. Burrow then completed 3 passes for 30 yards and rushed for seven, while Mixon had four carries on the drive for 34 yards, the last a 16-yard touchdown run to put the Bengals up 16–6. Tennessee responded with a 66-yard drive, including a 45-yard run by D'Onta Foreman that gave the team a first-and-goal from the Bengals 9-yard line. But on the next play, cornerback Mike Hilton went after Tannehill on a blitz, deflecting his pass behind the line of scrimmage and then hauling it in for an interception. Following a punt, the Titans drove 56 yards in 7 plays, one of them a 40-yard reception by Brown, to cut the score to 16–9 with former Bengals kicker Randy Bullock's 34-yard field goal. Evans once again set the Bengals up nicely, returning the kickoff 32 yards to the 40-yard line. But on the next play, Burrow threw a pass that bounced off the hands of running back Samaje Perine and was intercepted by Amani Hooker who managed to get his hands on the ball just before it hit the ground and return it 15 yards to the Bengals 27. Two plays later, Tannehill tied the score 16–16 with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Brown with 22 seconds left in the third quarter.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Cincinnati responded with a drive to the Titans 32 before linebacker Bud Dupree's 16-yard sack pushed the Bengals out of field goal range and forced a punt. The Titans then drove to a 3rd and 1 on the Bengals 35. On the next play, Cameron Sample tackled Tannehill for no gain on a quarterback draw, and then Wilson and Markus Bailey stuffed Henry for a 2-yard loss on fourth down. Cincinnati took over and advanced to the Titans 48 before Burrow was sacked again by Simmons, forcing a punt. Kevin Huber's 42-yard kick gave the Titans the ball on their own 16 with 2:43 left in the game. Four plays ran two minutes off the clock and brought up a 3rd and 5 on the Titans 40-yard line. On the next play, Tannehill threw a pass that was tipped by Eli Apple and intercepted by Wilson on the Bengals 47-yard line with 20 seconds remaining.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Taking the ball back, Burrow completed a 15-yard pass to Chase, who stepped out of bounds. Two more running plays put the ball on the Titans 34, where McPherson kicked a 52-yard field goal as time expired to give Cincinnati the win.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Burrow completed 28/37 passes for 347 yards and an interception, while also rushing twice for 5 yards. He also tied the postseason game record for sacks taken (9) and became the most-sacked quarterback to win a playoff game. Chase was his top target with 5 receptions for 109 yards. Higgins added seven receptions for 96 yards. Mixon rushed for 54 yards and a touchdown, while also catching 6 passes for 51 yards. Along with his interception, Wilson had 8 tackles (6 solo). Tannehill finished the day 15/24 for 220 yards and a touchdown, along with three carries for 12 yards, but was intercepted three times. Playing in his first game back after suffering a broken foot in week 8 of the regular season, Henry, who had been the league's leading rusher at the time of his injury, was held to 20 carries for 66 yards and a touchdown. Brown was the top receiver of the game with five receptions for 124 yards and a score. Simmons had eight tackles (seven solo) and three of the Titans' franchise record nine sacks.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Despite gaining just 212 yards of offense and no offensive touchdowns, San Francisco still managed to stun the heavily favored Packers on the road, largely due to their defense — which sacked Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers five times — and their special teams, which blocked two kicks, returning one for a crucial fourth quarter touchdown. Ultimately the 49ers offense pulled through on the final drive of the game, advancing 44 yards in 9 plays to score on Robbie Gould's game-winning field goal as time expired.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Green Bay started off the game with 69-yard, 10-play drive in which Rodgers completed 4/4 passes for 54 yards before A. J. Dillon's 6-yard touchdown run gave them a 7–0 lead. The next time the Packers got the ball, they drove to the 49ers 42, but then Fred Warner forced a fumble from tight end Marcedes Lewis that was recovered by linebacker Dre Greenlaw. After the next six drives ended in punts, San Francisco advanced the ball to the Packers 9-yard line. But after a holding penalty pushed them back 10 yards, Jimmy Garoppolo threw a pass that was intercepted by Adrian Amos. Green Bay took over on their 4-yard line with 54 seconds left in the second quarter. Two plays later on 3rd and 3, Rodgers completed a 75-yard pass to running back Aaron Jones on the 49ers 14-yard line. But on the next play, Nick Bosa sacked him for an 8-yard loss and forced a fumble. The Packers recovered the ball, but had to settle for a 39-yard field goal attempt by Mason Crosby, which was blocked by 49ers safety Jimmie Ward.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: San Francisco receiver Deebo Samuel returned the second half kickoff 45 yards to midfield. Samuel then rushed for 4 yards and caught two passes for 30 as the team drove 39 yards in 10 plays to score on Gould's 39-yard field goal, making the score 7–3. Following a punt by each team, Rodgers completed 5/6 passes for 48 yards, the longest a 25-yard gain to Davante Adams, as he led the Packers to the 49ers 8-yard line. On 3rd and goal, Rodgers was sacked for a 7-yard loss by defensive tackle Arik Armstead, forcing Green Bay to settle on Crosby's 33-yard field goal to put them up 10–3 with 9:01 left in the game. San Francisco responded with a drive to the Packers 19-yard line. On 4th and 1, Elijah Mitchell was dropped for a 1-yard loss by linebackers Rashan Gary and De'Vondre Campbell.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: After a 2-yard run by Jones and a long incompletion, Armstead sacked Rodgers for a 12-yard loss, forcing Green Bay to punt from their own 12-yard line. Defensive end Jordan Willis blocked the kick, knocking the ball straight up in the air and then into the turf, where safety Talanoa Hufanga scooped it up and ran 6 yards into the end zone to tie the score at 10–10 with 4:41 left on the clock. The ensuing Green Bay offensive drive followed with a penalty for having an ineligible receiver downfield, a 4-yard reception from Adams and two straight incompletions by Rodgers. Corey Bojorquez's 57-yard punt then gave the ball to San Francisco on their own 29-yard line with 3:20 remaining.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Garoppolo started off the drive with a 14-yard completion to Samuel. Then after a 4-yard run by Mitchell ran the clock to the 2-minute warning, another pass to Samuel gained 14 yards to the Packers 41. Two Samuel runs brought up 3rd and 7, but then he picked up the first down with 9-yard carry to the Green Bay 29. Two more running plays moved the ball to the 27, where Gould kicked a 45-yard field goal as time expired to give San Francisco the win.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Samuel was the 49ers top star on offense with 142 all-purpose yards (10 carries for 39 yards, 3 receptions for 44 yards, 2 kick returns for 59 yards). Garoppolo completed 11 of 19 passes for 131 yards, with 1 interception. Armstead and defensive end Bosa both had 2 sacks, while Armstead also added 5 tackles (3 solo). Rodgers completed 20/29 passes for 225 yards. Jones rushed for 41 yards and caught 9 passes for 129. Adams had 9 catches for 90 yards.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: The Rams blew a 27–3 second-half lead and lost four fumbles, but still managed to win by driving 66 yards in five plays to score on a 30-yard, last-second field goal from former Buccaneers kicker Matt Gay, making this the third consecutive playoff game to be won by a field goal from the road team on the final play of the game.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: After the game started with a punt from Tampa Bay, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford completed passes to Cooper Kupp, Odell Beckham Jr. and Tyler Higbee for gains of 17, 20 and 29 yards as the team drove to a 3–0 lead on Gay's 26-yard field goal. The next time they got the ball, the Rams drove 71 yards in 9 plays to score on Stafford's 7-yard touchdown pass to Kendall Blanton that put them up 10–0. Tampa Bay took the ball back and advanced 48 yards in 8 plays, the key play on the drive was a 29-yard pass from Tom Brady to tight end Rob Gronkowski, to cut the score to 10–3 with Ryan Succop's 45-yard field goal with 37 seconds left in the first quarter.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Bradley Pinion's ensuing kickoff went out of bounds, giving Rams the ball on their own 40. An incompletion and a 10-yard sack by Vita Vea, brought up 3rd and 20, but Stafford threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to Kupp on the next play, giving the Rams a 17–3 lead. Tampa Bay then moved 65 yards in 12 plays (which included Brady being called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty) but came up empty when Succop missed a 48-yard field goal wide to the right. Los Angeles then drove 41 yards in 12 plays to take a 20–3 lead on Gay's 40-yard field goal with 2:23 left in the half. On the second play of the Buccaneers' next drive, Brady threw a pass that was intercepted by Nick Scott on the Tampa Bay 31-yard line. Los Angeles then moved to a 2nd and goal from 6. On the next play, Buccaneers defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. stripped the ball from Rams running back Cam Akers and recovered it on the 1-yard line as Akers was heading into the end zone, preventing the Rams from extending their 20–3 lead.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Early in the third quarter, Rams receiver Brandon Powell returned a punt 33 yards to the Buccaneers 28-yard line. Six plays later, Stafford scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to put Los Angeles ahead 27–3 with 7:07 left in the period. Tampa Bay responded by advancing 62 yards in 11 plays, featuring a 42-yard pass from Brady to Gronkowski. Succop's 31-yard field goal finished the drive and made the score 27–6. Then Jamel Dean forced a fumble from Kupp, which Sean Murphy-Bunting recovered for the Buccaneers and returned to the Los Angeles 30-yard line. From there, Tampa Bay gained 30 yards in 8 plays and scored on Leonard Fournette's 1-yard touchdown run, cutting their deficit to 27–13 in the closing seconds of the third quarter.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: The Rams had to punt on their next drive, but linebacker Von Miller forced and recovered a fumble on the Buccaneers 25 while sacking Brady on the next play. Los Angeles seemed to be in prime position to put the game away, but they gave the ball right back to the Buccaneers on their next play, as a fumbled snap out of shotgun formation was recovered by defensive lineman Jason Pierre-Paul on the Tampa Bay 45. Brady then led the team to a 3rd and 5 on the Rams 25-yard line, only to turn the ball over on downs due to a 9-yard sack by Leonard Floyd and an incompletion over the next two plays. Then the Rams drove to the Tampa Bay 29-yard line. With 6:33 left on the clock, Gay attempted a 47-yard field goal, but it fell a yard short of the crossbar. Tampa Bay made it to the Rams 28 on their ensuing possession, but once again turned the ball over on downs.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: A Rams punt gave the Buccaneers the ball back with 3:56 left in the game, where they went 77 yards in 3 plays in 36 seconds to score on Brady's 55-yard touchdown pass to Mike Evans, making the score 27–20. Then on the second play of the Rams next drive, Ndamukong Suh forced a fumble from Akers that Lavonte David recovered on the Rams 30-yard line with 2:23 remaining. Brady then led the Bucs 30 yards in 8 plays to score on Fournette's 9-yard touchdown run on 4th and 1, tying the score at 27 with 42 seconds left in the game. After a touchback on the kickoff, Stafford threw a 20-yard pass to Kupp on the second play of the Rams next possession. Then he completed a 44-yard pass to Kupp on the Bucs 12-yard line. Following a spike to stop the clock with 4 seconds left, Gay's 30-yard field goal sent the Rams to the NFC Championship game.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Stafford completed 28/38 passes for 366 yards and 2 touchdowns, while also rushing for 6 yards and a score. Kupp caught 9 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown. Brady finished the day 30/54 for 329 yards and a touchdown, with 1 interception. Evans caught 8 passes for 119 yards and a score. Fournette rushed for 51 yards and two touchdowns, while also catching 9 passes for 56 yards.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: At the end of a wild fourth quarter in which both teams combined for 25 points in the final two minutes, Kansas City drove 44 yards in just 10 seconds of regulation to tie the game with Harrison Butker's 49-yard field goal as time expired. After winning the coin toss, the Chiefs drove 75 yards in 9 plays of overtime for the game-winning touchdown.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Buffalo started off the game with a 15-play, 71-yard drive in which they converted two fourth downs, the second with a 1-yard touchdown run by Devin Singletary to go up 7–0. Kansas City responded with a 13-play, 74-yard drive in which quarterback Patrick Mahomes rushed three times for 48 yards, the last carry an 8-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: In the second quarter, Mahomes completed a 21-yard pass to Travis Kelce and Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for a 22-yard gain on an 81-yard drive to score on Mahomes' 2-yard touchdown pass to Byron Pringle, giving the Chiefs a 14–7 lead. The Bills countered with a drive in which Josh Allen rushed twice for 20 yards and completed 5/5 passes for 55, the last an 18-yard touchdown completion to Gabe Davis, tying the score 14–14 with 42 seconds left in the half. Kansas City then advanced to the Bills 32, but Butker missed a 50-yard field goal attempt as the second quarter clock ran out.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: The Chiefs started the second half with a 64-yard, 15-play drive, featuring a 20-yard catch by running back Jerick McKinnon. Butker finished it with a 39-yard field goal to give the team a 17–14 lead. Then after a punt, Edwards-Helaire rushed for a 20-yard gain and then receiver Mecole Hardman ran an end around play 25 yards for a touchdown, giving the Chiefs a 23–14 lead after Butker missed the extra point. Kansas City seemed to be pulling away from the Bills, but on the first play of Buffalo's next drive, Allen threw a 75-yard touchdown completion to Davis, making the score 23–21 with 2:06 left in the third quarter.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: In the final period, Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill returned a punt 45 yards to the Bills 16-yard line before being tackled by punter Matt Haack. Three plays later, Butker kicked a 28-yard field goal to put Kansas City up 26–21. Buffalo then covered 75 yards in 19 plays on a drive where they once again converted two fourth downs. On 4th and 4, Allen scrambled 6 yards for a first down. Then when faced with 4th and 13, he threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Davis and followed it up with a pass to Stefon Diggs in the back of the end zone for a 2-point conversion that gave the Bills a 29–26 lead with 1:54 left on the clock. Kansas City stormed back, moving 75 yards in 7 plays that lasted 52 seconds and taking a 33–29 lead on Mahomes' 64-yard touchdown pass to Hill. Taking the ball back with 57 seconds remaining, Allen completed passes to Davis for gains of 28 and 12 yards before hitting Emmanuel Sanders with a 16-yard completion on the Kansas City 19-yard line. Then with just 13 seconds left on the clock, he threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Davis to give Buffalo a 36–33 lead. Following a touchback on the kickoff, Mahomes completed a 19-yard pass to Hill that ran just 5 seconds off the clock, then he threw a 25-yard pass to Kelce, giving Kansas City a first down on the Bills 31-yard line after running down another 5 seconds. On the next play, Butker's 49-yard field goal sent the game into overtime.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Getting the ball first in overtime, Mahomes rushed for 4 yards and completed 5/5 passes for 50, including a 16-yard pass to McKinnon and a 26-yard throw to Hardman. On the next play, his 8-yard touchdown pass to Kelce sent Kansas City to their fourth consecutive AFC title game.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Mahomes completed 33/44 passes for 378 yards and 3 touchdowns, while also leading Kansas City in rushing with 7 carries for 69 yards and a score. Hill caught 11 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown, while also returning a punt for 45 yards. Kelce had 8 receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown. Allen had 27/37 completions for 329 yards and 4 touchdowns, all of them to Davis, who set an NFL postseason record with 4 touchdown receptions from his 8 catches for 201 yards. Allen was also Buffalo's top rusher with 11 carries for 68 yards.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: After the game, sports commentators and analysts noted that this was one of the best playoff games in modern NFL history.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: The Cincinnati Bengals overcame a 21–3 first half deficit for a 27–24 overtime road win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Evan McPherson's 31-yard game-winning field goal to advance to their first Super Bowl since 1988. Their 18-point comeback was tied with the 2006 Indianapolis Colts for the largest in an NFL conference championship game and the largest for an away team in a conference championship.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: After the Bengals started off with a three and out, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 5/5 passes for 48 yards and rushed for 11 as the team drove 82 yards in 11 plays to score on his 10-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill. The Bengals responded with a 14-play, 61-yard drive to score on McPherson's 32-yard field goal with 36 seconds left in the first quarter, cutting the score to 7–3. But on the last play of the first quarter, Mahomes connected with Mecole Hardman on a 44-yard pass to the Bengals 31-yard line. Six plays later, including two third-down conversions, KC scored another touchdown on Mahomes' 5-yard pass to Travis Kelce, making the score 14–3.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: On the Chiefs next drive, Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed four times for 28 yards, while Kelce caught passes for gains of 19 and 12 yards as the team drove to a 21–3 lead with Mahomes' 3-yard touchdown toss to Hardman. The Bengals responded by moving to a 2nd and 12 from the Chiefs 41-yard line, aided by Tee Higgins's 18-yard reception. On the next play, Joe Burrow threw a screen pass to Samaje Perine, who took it all the way into the end zone to cut the Chiefs lead to eleven with 1:15 left in the second quarter. Due to a pair of catches from Tyreek Hill for 14 and 33 yards, the Chiefs were able to drive into Cincinnati's red zone, where a pass interference penalty on Eli Apple in the end zone gave them first and goal from the 1. With five seconds left in the second quarter, Kansas City attempted to score with a pass to Hill behind the line of scrimmage, but Apple tackled him short of the end zone as time expired in the half.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: Cincinnati's goal-line stand at the end of the second quarter seemed to fire up their defense, which held the Chiefs to just a single field goal for the rest of the game. Mahomes, who completed 18 of 21 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, was held to just 8 of 18 second half completions for 55 yards, while being sacked four times and throwing 2 interceptions.


title: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

text: To begin the third quarter, the Cincinnati defense managed to stop the Chiefs' offense on their first two possessions of the second half. On their second drive of the half, the Bengals drove 52 yards in 11 plays, with Burrow completing a 22-yard pass to Ja'Marr Chase and an 18-yard throw to running back Joe Mixon, to score on McPherson's 31-yard field goal, cutting the deficit to 21–13. Then Mahomes threw a pass that was deflected behind the line and intercepted by B. J. Hill, who returned the ball three yards to the Chiefs 27. Burrow led the Bengals 27 yards in five plays, one of them a 17-yard catch by Chase. On 3rd and goal from the 2, Burrow hit Chase in the end zone for a touchdown, and then scored a 2-point conversion with a pass to Trent Taylor, tying the game at 21 apiece and erasing the early 18-point deficit with 14 seconds left in the third quarter.