The Latest on the NFL playoffs on divisional weekend (all times EST):
7:20 p.m.
The Vikings expanded their lead in their divisional round game at Minnesota.
Kai Forbath’s second field goal, a 49-yarder in the early in the fourth quarter gave the Vikings a 20-14 lead over the Saints.
The winner advances to the NFC championship game at Philadelphia.
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7:15 p.m.
Drew Brees and the Saints are getting closer in their divisional round game at Minnesota.
Brees connected with wide receiver Michael Thomas for the second time in the game. The second score was a 3-yarder early in the fourth quarter to make it 17-14.
The winner advances to the NFC championship game at Philadelphia.
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7 p.m.
The New Orleans Saints are climbing back into their divisional round game at Minnesota.
Drew Brees found Michael Thomas for a 14-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter to finally get on the scoreboard and cut the Vikings’ lead to 17-7. Then on the next play, Case Keenum was intercepted by Marcus Williams to give the Saints the ball again deep in Vikings territory.
The winner advances to the NFC championship game.
- Dave Campbell, reporting from Minneapolis
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6:25 p.m.
The Minnesota Vikings have blanked Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints for the first half of their NFC divisional round game, taking a 17-0 lead into the locker room.
The Vikings forced punts on the first three possessions for the Saints. Then they intercepted Brees on consecutive drives before Will Lutz pulled a 58-yard field-goal try wide left. The Saints are 0 for 4 on third down conversions against the league’s top-ranked defense.
The winner advances to the NFC championship game in Philadelphia next weekend to play the Eagles.
- Dave Campbell, reporting from Minneapolis
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5:40 p.m.
The Minnesota Vikings have taken a commanding 17-0 lead on the New Orleans Saints, early in the second quarter of their divisional round.
Latavius Murray powered the ball in from the 1-yard line, after a pass interference call on Saints safety Marcus Williams against wide receiver Stefon Diggs gave the Vikings first-and-goal.
Andrew Sendejo’s diving interception of a long pass by Drew Brees gave the Vikings the ball back near midfield before the end of the first quarter to set up their second touchdown drive. Brees and the Saints are also 0 for 3 on third down conversions against the NFL’s top-ranked defense.
- Dave Campbell, reporting from Minneapolis
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5:30 p.m.
The Minnesota Vikings have a 10-0 lead on the New Orleans Saints at the end of the first quarter of their divisional round game.
Andrew Sendejo’s diving interception of a long pass by Drew Brees gave the Vikings the ball back near midfield. Brees and the Saints are also 0 for 3 on third down conversions against the NFL’s top-ranked defense.
The Vikings have outgained the Saints 106-33 in total yards.
- Dave Campbell, reporting from Minneapolis
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5:05 p.m.
The Minnesota Vikings have taken an early 10-0 lead on the New Orleans Saints in the divisional round game at deafening U.S. Bank Stadium.
Jerick McKinnon took a pitch from Case Keenum around left end for a 14-yard touchdown run that capped an eight-play, 55-yard drive for the Vikings.
On the other side, the Vikings have forced punts on the Saints’ first two possessions.
The Vikings made it 10-0 when Kai Forbath made a 20-yard field goal to finish off a seven-play, 79-yard drive.
The winner advances to the NFC championship game next weekend at Philadelphia.
- Dave Campbell, reporting from Minneapolis
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4:35 p.m.
Rookie running back Leonard Fournette ran for 109 yards and three touchdowns, Blake Bortles added 214 yards passing and a vital fourth-quarter score and the relentless Jacksonville Jaguars stunned the Pittsburgh Steelers 45-42.
The third-seeded Jaguars (12-6) will face top-seeded New England next week in Foxborough, Massachusetts, after jumping on Pittsburgh early, then holding on late. Jacksonville raced to a 21-point lead, fended off a Steelers rally and responded every time Pittsburgh (13-4) challenged.
Ben Roethlisberger threw for 469 yards and set a franchise record with five touchdown passes, but was also intercepted once and had a fumble returned for a score.
All-Pro Antonio Brown caught seven passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns in his return from a left calf injury. Le’Veon Bell had 155 yards of total offense and two scores.
But Pittsburgh’s vaunted “Killer Bs” couldn’t keep pace with Jacksonville.
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4:15 p.m.
Josh Lambo’s 45-yard field goal with 1:45 left may have finally booted Jacksonville past Pittsburgh and into the AFC title game.
Lambo’s clutch kick - the first field goal of the game after 11 TDs - put the Jaguars ahead 45-35. Jacksonville got to work with a short field after the Steelers failed to execute an onside kick.
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4:10 p.m.
The Steelers aren’t going down easily.
Le’Veon Bell took Ben Roethlisberger’s lateral and ran 8 yards for a TD as Pittsburgh cut Jacksonville’s lead to 42-35 with 2:18 left.
Big Ben scrambled from the pocket and ran for 1 yard before swinging the ball to Bell, who beat one Jaguars defender for the game’s 11th TD.
Pittsburgh then tried an onside kick that was recovered by the Jaguars.
- Tom Withers reporting from Pittsburgh.
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3:55 p.m.
The Jaguars answered back.
Blake Bortles threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to fullback Tommy Bohanon with 4:19 left to give Jacksonville a 42-28 lead over the Steelers.
After Pittsburgh closed within seven for the second time in the half, Bortles drove the Jags 75 yards for the crucial score. Bohanon got behind Pittsburgh’s linebackers and Bortles completed the scoring toss with ease.
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3:45 p.m.
Here come the Steelers again.
Antonio Brown caught a 43-yard TD pass from Ben Roethlisberger with 9:05 left to bring Pittsburgh within 35-28 of Jacksonville.
It was Brown’s second TD and it revived the Steelers, who fell behind by 14 moments earlier.
The Steelers have come back after trailing 21-0 and 28-7.
- Tom Withers reporting from Pittsburgh.
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3:40 p.m.
The Jaguars are 10 minutes away from a spot in the AFC championship game.
Leonard Fournette’s 3-yard touchdown run with 10:34 remaining gave Jacksonville a 35-21 lead over the Steelers.
After Jacksonville’s defense stopped Pittsburgh on fourth down, Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles completed a 45-yard pass to Keelan Cole to set up Fournette’s third TD. The rookie running back was sidelined for part of the first half with an ankle injury.
Jacksonville was trying to hang on after seeing a 28-7 lead trimmed to seven.
- Tom Withers reporting from Pittsburgh.
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3:20 p.m.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are trying to hold on against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The upstart Jaguars hold a 28-21 lead going into the fourth quarter at chilly Heinz Field. Jacksonville led by 21 points in the second quarter after a 48-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Telvin Smith but Pittsburgh has responded behind quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Roethlisberger has thrown for 258 yards and three scores through three quarters. Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell has 116 yards and a score for the Steelers.
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3 p.m.
Ben Roethlisberger is heating up and the Pittsburgh Steelers are back in it against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Roethlisberger hit a diving Le’Veon Bell for a 19-yard touchdown pass early in the third quarter to pull the Steelers within 28-21 of the Jaguars in their divisional round showdown.
The touchdown was Roethlisberger’s third of the game. He’s also thrown an interception that led to a Jacksonville score and had a fumble returned for a touchdown.
The Steelers trailed by 21 points late in the first half. The biggest playoff comeback in franchise history came 15 years ago when they rallied from 17 down to beat Cleveland in the wild-card round.
Jacksonville running back Leonard Fournette returned in the second half after leaving in the second quarter with an ankle injury.
- Will Graves reporting from Pittsburgh
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2:35 p.m.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are 30 minutes from a trip to New England for the AFC championship game.
Leonard Fournette ran for a pair of touchdowns and the upstart Jaguars have a 28-14 lead over the Pittsburgh Steelers at halftime of their divisional round showdown before leaving with an ankle injury.
T.J. Yeldon also has a touchdown run for the Jaguars and linebacker Telvin Smith scooped up Ben Roethlisberger’s fumble and returned it for a score.
Roethlisberger has touchdown passes to Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant but has also committed two turnovers.
The Jaguars are looking for their third trip to the AFC title game in franchise history.
- Will Graves reporting from Pittsburgh.
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2:15 p.m.
Jacksonville running back Leonard Fournette has gone to the locker room with an ankle injury.
Fournette appeared to tweak his ankle on a spin move after catching a 10-yard pass from Blake Bortles in the second quarter. Fournette, who earlier scored on a 1-yard dive, was checked on the sideline before he limped to the locker room for treatment and evaluation.
The Jaguars said Fournette’s return is questionable.
Jacksonville led 21-7 when Fournette got hurt.
- Tom Withers reporting from Pittsburgh.
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2 p.m.
The Steelers are down on the scoreboard and a starting right tackle.
Marcus Gilbert is being evaluated for a concussion after he was injured when Pittsburgh was stuffed on a fourth down running play late in the first quarter by Jacksonville’s swarming defense. Gilbert walked to the sideline without assistance, but the team said his return is questionable.
He was replaced on Pittsburgh’s next possession by Chris Hubbard.
The Jaguars took a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter on T.J. Yeldon’s 4-yard run.
Also, Steelers linebacker Vince Williams is being evaluated for a concussion.
- Tom Withers reporting from Pittsburgh.
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2 p.m.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are taking it to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Jacksonville running back T.J. Yeldon bulled in from 4 yards to give the Jaguars a stunning 21-0 lead over Pittsburgh early in the second quarter. The Jaguars stuffed Pittsburgh on fourth-and-inches at the Jacksonville 21 then rolled 79 yards behind rookie running back Leonard Fournette.
Fournette already has 80 yards rushing against Pittsburgh.
The Steelers have never come back from a 21-point deficit to win in the playoffs. Their biggest comeback came from down 17 against Cleveland in the 2002 wild-card round.
- Will Graves reporting from Pittsburgh
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1:35 p.m.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are rolling in Pittsburgh.
Leonard Fournette sprinted 18 yards to the end zone for his second touchdown of the first quarter as the Jaguars took a quick 14-0 lead over the Steelers. Fournette’s second score came one play after Jacksonville linebacker Myles Jack made an acrobatic interception on a third down pass by Ben Roethlisberger.
The pick was Jacksonville’s sixth against Roethlisberger in just five quarters this season. Jacksonville is looking for its first road playoff win since Jan. 5, 2008, when the Jaguars beat the Steelers in the wild-card round.
- Will Graves reporting from Pittsburgh.
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1:15 p.m.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are up to their old tricks in Pittsburgh.
Leonard Fournette’s fourth down leap into the end zone from 1 yard gave the Jaguars a 7-0 lead over the Steelers in the first quarter.
Jacksonville quarterback Blake Bortles completed 3 of 4 passes for 53 yards on the drive. Bortles had all of 87 yards passing in last week’s wild-card round victory over Buffalo.
Fournette scored on a similar play in a 30-9 victory over the Steelers at Heinz Field in October.
- Will Graves reporting from Pittsburgh
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12:05 p.m.
The NFL divisional playoffs wrap up with a doubleheader Sunday starting in Pittsburgh where the AFC North champion Steelers (13-3) host the upstart Jacksonville Jaguars.
The winner earns a trip to New England to face the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots in next week’s AFC title game.
The third-seeded Jaguars (11-6) drilled the Steelers 30-9 back in October. Jacksonville picked off Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger five times in the victory.
Pittsburgh wide receiver Antonio Brown is active after missing the final two games of the regular season with a left calf injury.
In the NFC, second-seeded Minnesota (13-3) welcomes fourth-seeded New Orleans (12-5) for the second time this season. The Vikings dominated the Saints 29-19 in the season opener. The winner will play in Philadelphia against the top-seeded Eagles in next week’s NFC championship game.
The weather could be a factor in Pittsburgh. The temperature is expected to hover in the teens throughout the day. The Jaguars are 1-8 all time in games played when the temperature at kickoff is 25 degrees or colder.
It’s even chillier in Minneapolis, but the Vikings will have the roof closed when they host the Saints.
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