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Utes in the Pros: Conference Championship Preview, Divisional Recap

Jan 27, 2022

SALT LAKE CITY – Both the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers survived the divisional weekend on the road and will now face each other on Sunday for the Conference Championship. A total of four former Utes will see the field including two defensive backs in Terrell Burgess, Eric Weddle and two special team players in kicker Matt Gay and punter Mitch Wishnowsky.

The game is slated to start at 4:30 pm MT and will air nationally on FOX.

How to watch your Utes in Conference Championship Weekend (Active Players)

Date Game Time(MT) TV Utes to Watch
Sun, Jan. 30 San Francisco at LA Rams 4:30 p.m. FOX #26 Terrell Burgess (LA Rams)
#8 Matt Gay (LA Rams) 
#20 Eric Weddle (LA Rams) 
#18 Mitch Wishnowsky (San Francisco)

NFL Divisional Weekend Recap
Four former Utes were all on the road for their divisional playoff matchups last weekend, going up against quarterbacks that are viewed as two of the greatest of all-time.

Mitch Wishnowsky and the San Francisco 49ers traveled to Green Bay and played in the notorious cold-weather matchup many teams fear when going into Green Bay during the playoffs. In a tough battle against the opponents and the weather, which during the last two-minutes of the game felt like zero degrees, the 49ers we able to upset the top-seeded Packers 13-10. The 49er special teams squad came up with the biggest play of the game with under five minutes to go blocking a punt on their own two-yard line and recovering it for a touchdown. This tied the game at 10 and ultimately helped set up Jimmy Garoppolo march the offense down the field and allow Robbie Gould to kick the game winning field goal. Wishnowsky got his fair share of action punting the ball five times, totaling 234 yards and dropping two inside the 20.

Three Utes suited up for the Los Angeles Rams as they took on the defending Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, including Eric Weddle who came out of retirement to help an injury depleted Rams defense. In his second game back, Weddle looked like his old self garnering four tackles in the game. Terrell Burgess started his second-career playoff game and had two tackles while Matt Gay came in during the last seconds of the game to kick the game winning field goal against the team that drafted and waived him after just one season with the franchise.

Star Lotulelei and the Buffalo Bills suffered a gut wrenching lost in overtime against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night. In a rematch of last year's conference championship game, the Bills held the lead with 13 seconds to go in the fourth but left Patrick Mahomes enough time to drive down the field and set up kicker Harrison Butker with the game tying field goal. In overtime, the Chiefs won the coin flip and went on to score on their first drive to end the game. 

NFL Divisional Stats

Player, Team Game Result Stats
Terrell Burgess, LA Rams at Tampa Bay W, 30-27 Started at FS; 2 tackles
Matt Gay, LA Rams at Tampa Bay     W, 30-27 3-4 FG, LNG 40, 3-3 XP
Star Lotulelei, Buffalo at Kansas City   L, 42-36(OT) 3 tackles
Eric Weddle, LA Rams at Tampa Bay  W, 30-27 4 tackles
Mitch Wishnowsky, San Francisco at Green Bay  W, 13-10 5 punts, 234 yds (46.8 avg), 2 in 20, LNG 52 yds