CINCINNATI AT TENNESSEE FOOTBALL

His game-winning field goal was a time for Cincinnati Bengals’ rookie Evan McPherson to celebrate, maybe even doing a few dance steps, but here at  Nissen Stadium in Nashville, it wasn’t the music the Tennessee Titans wanted to hear.

For the American Football Conference’s North champions, it was another drought wiped out, and this time they soared into next weekend’s conference final against the Sunday Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs winner.

It was a tight tussle with a stirring finish when McPherson kicked the field goal 52 yards and straight through the uprights at the final whistle to earn the 19-16 triumph.

His Bengals’ teammates rushed the field, the Titans, a 3-point favorite, were done for the season after getting a first bye as the No. 1-seed in his conference.

And while Tennessee departs with a 12-6 overall record, Cincinnati now goes for its first playoff triumph in 31 years at this stage of the National Football League’s postseason. That’s right, the Bengals are now 11-7 despite as usual, their starting quarterback Joe Burrow being sacked four times.

But the former Heisman Trophy winner out of Louisiana State and number one draft pick, kept his cool, organistrated the offense, and chose to discuss the big victory, not the sacks.

“Heck,” he said, “I do move around out there, and get chased a lot, but I’d say we’ve done pretty well moving the ball out there. I know I’ve been sacked more than 50 times (57), but it won’t keep me from looking to hoist the conference title trophy next week, so write that.”

It was 6-0 Bengals after one quarter on a pair of field goals following interceptions off Titans’ quarterback Ryan Tannehill, the first of three picked off at 3:07 after the opening kickoff before an announced capacity crowd. They added another field goal in the second quarter to put McPherson at 3-for-3 and up the advantage to 9-0.

But Tennessee reached the scoreboard at 5:07 of the second quarter when former Heisman Trophy winner and back-to-back season rushing leader Derrick Henry took the field after being sidelined for half of the season with a severe leg injury, and he responded after a big ovation to scamper three yards off left tackle on the wildcat play, and into the end zone, but the try for the 2-point conversion failed and it stayed at 9-6 for the visitors.

But the lead became 16-9 when Cincinnati’s Ja ‘Mar Chase reeled in a Burrow sideline pass and sped 51 yards with it into the end zone. McPherson followed with the point-after.

Tannehill and wide received A.J. Brown combined to tie the score at 16-all. It was a 33-yard passing play as Brown was covered by two defenders where the end zone began, but he reached for the neat pass and brought it in with his right hand. Henry ran for the two-pointer again, but it failed again.

Then the final seconds ticked away as the Bengals eyed the winning field goal. It began at the Tennessee 37 with 30 seconds left, went four plays, and kept Cincinnati in the hunt instead of creating another drought.

Yes, it was music, music, music for the visitors and a disappointing ending for the Nashville crowd.