Locals in the NFL Playoffs: Did the Chargers 'choke'? Devin Lloyd, Jags rally for Wild Card win

AROUND THE SHIELD — Former Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd probably wasn't ever going to forget his first playoff game with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Neither will the rest of the league.

Lloyd's Jags trailed by as much as 27-0 in the first half before a wild comeback that ended with a 17-0 run and a walkoff game-winner on Riley Patterson's 36-yard field goal in a 31-30 win on Saturday night.

Lloyd finished with five tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass defended for the Jaguars, whose quarterback Trevor Lawrence completed just 4-of-13 passes with three of his four interceptions during a 17-0 first quarter, but rebounded to complete 28-of-47 passes for 288 yards and four touchdowns in the win.

The Chargers led 27-0 in the second quarter before Lawrence found Evan Engram on a 9-yard TD strike to pull one back before halftime. The Jags held Los Angeles to a single field goal the rest of the way as Lawrence went to work to avoid his first-ever loss on a Saturday in his football career — high school, college or pro.

"We choked," edge rusher Kyle Van Noy told The Athletic after making three tackles and a pass defended in the Chargers' biggest blown lead in franchise history, per Pro Football Reference.

Van Noy now approaches an offseason of uncertainty. The 31-year-old outside linebacker will be a free agent in March — all while plenty of questions swirl around his head coach, Brandon Staley.

Elsewhere in the playoffs, Fred Warner and the San Francisco 49ers won their 11th-straight game going away with a 31-23 win over division rival Seattle. The former BYU linebacker who earned NFL All-Pro honors totaled six tackles in the Niners' first postseason win over the Seahawks in franchise history.

So how did they do it?

Led by rookie quarterback Brock Purdy, San Francisco averaged 7.9 yards per play for 505 yards of offense. The Niners dominated the clock with 32:46 of possession, and punted just one time — sorry, former Utah punter Mitch Wishnowsky, who downed the 57-yard boot inside the 20-yard line — and forced two turnovers.

And then there were the things that few outside the 49ers' locker room see, Warner added.

"It's all about the little things that people don't notice," Warner told reporters after the game. "We have great players, but our best players are the ones who are most willing to play with the most effort. To play hard, play physical, offensively, being unselfish to block and do the dirty work. That's what makes a team great, in my opinion."

Former Utah quarterback Tyler Huntley earned his first career playoff start with Ravens starter Lamar Jackson nursing a knee injury.

Huntley threw for 73 yards, a touchdown and an interception in the first half, including a 2-yard pitch to JK Dobbins near the goal line to give the Ravens a 10-9 lead at the break.

The third-year pro found a wide-open Demarcus Robinson on a 41-yard route for the signal caller's second touchdown to tie the game at 17-all after three quarters.

But two plays after scurrying 35 yards to the 2-yard line, Huntley's attempt to dive over the line for a touchdown was rejected, the ball ripped to the turf, and Sam Hubbard recovered the 98-yard scoop-and-score for the longest fumble return touchdown in NFL playoff history.

Huntley finished with 226 passing yards, two touchdowns and an interception, and also ran for 54 yards. But his game-winning Hail Mary attempt fell inches off a pair of receivers' hands as the Bengals survived.

Here's how other former Utah high school and college football players performed on Super Wild Card weekend in the NFL.

Monday, Jan. 16

Dallas 31, Tampa Bay 14

Cowboys (13-5)

• Dalton Schultz, TE, Bingham: Starting tight end caught seven passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns on offense

Buccaneers (8-10)

• Deven Thompkins, WR/RS, Utah State: Starting return specialist returned three punts for 34 yards and three kickoffs for 48 yards on special teams

Sunday, Jan. 15

Cincinnati 24, Baltimore 17

Bengals (13-4)

• Jalen Davis, CB, Utah State: Inactive for Wild Card weekend
• Jay Tufele, DT, Bingham: Reserve defensive lineman made two tackles in five snaps on defense

Ravens (10-8)

• Tyler Huntley, QB, Utah: Starting quarterback completed 17-of-29 passes for 226 yards, two touchdowns and an interception; ran for 54 yards on nine carries in 69 snaps on offense
• Marcus Williams, S, Utah: Starting free safety made two tackles and a pass defended in 58 snaps on defense

Buffalo 34, Miami 31

Bills (14-3)

• Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State: Starting nickel totaled seven tackles, a tackle for loss, a quarterback hit and a pass defended in 71 snaps on defense, seven more on special teams

Dolphins (9-9)

• Eric Rowe, S, Utah: Starting safety made seven tackles, a 17-yard sack, and forced a fumble in 70 snaps on defense, one on special teams

New York 31, Minnesota 24

Giants (10-7-1)

• No locals on the active roster

Vikings (13-5)

• Khyiris Tonga, DT, BYU/Granger: Reserve interior lineman had one tackle 24 snaps on defense, five on special teams

Saturday, Jan. 14

San Francisco 41, Seattle 23

49ers (14-4)

• Fred Warner, LB, BYU: Starting linebacker had six tackles in 50 snaps on defense, four snaps on special teams
• Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah: Punted once for 57 yards, downed inside the 20-yard line in eight special-teams snaps

Seahawks (9-9)

• Cody Barton, LB, Utah/Brighton: Starting linebacker posted nine tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass defended in all 65 snaps on defense, 11 on special teams

Jacksonville 31, Los Angeles 30

Jaguars (9-9)

• Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah: Starting linebacker had five tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass defended in 49 snaps on defense, and eight snaps on special teams

Chargers (10-8)

• Michael Davis, CB, BYU: Starting cornerback totaled five tackles and two passes defended in 47 snaps on defense, three snaps on special teams before exiting with a pectoral injury
• Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU: Reserve linebacker had three tackles and a pass defended in 51 snaps on defense
• Alohi Gilman, S, Orem: Starting safety made four tackles and a pass defended in all 74 snaps on defense and six on special teams

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