Alternate NFL Playoff History

[kenyan_cheena]

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[Hurkman]

Sorry about the delay. Most of my work is seasonal, and this is my busy season. I've been working six days a week, almost 10 hours a day, since the start of April. It's starting to get slower now, so I should be able to update soon. It's been on my mind, but I just haven't been able to get to it lately.

[Hurkman]

AFC Wild Card Playoffs

Denver Broncos (12-4) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5)
Mile High Stadium, Denver, CO

The defending Super Bowl champion Broncos would have a longer road to travel down if they wanted to repeat as champions in 1997. Despite their 12-4 record, the Broncos finished second in the AFC West to the Chiefs, but looked like a better team than the year before. John Elway threw for 27 touchdowns, and Terrell Davis rushed for 1,750 yards as the Broncos scored 472 points on the season. The Jacksonville Jaguars were looking to improve on last season's quick postseason trip, and with Mark Brunell's 18 touchdowns and Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell each recording 1,000 yard seasons through the air, the Jaguars had the firepower to beat anyone. The only question was if their 15th ranked defense could withstand the might of John Elway and Terrell Davis.

Things started out well for the Jaguars. John Elway moved the Broncos into Jacksonville territory, but Dave Thomas' interception put an end to the Denver drive and started a 12 play, 87 yard drive for the Jaguars. With Denver stopping Natrone Means and James Stewart from getting rushing yards, Mark Brunell picked apart the Bronco defense, capping the drive with a five yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Smith. The defenses of both teams controlled most of the rest of the first half, until Elway managed to hit Rod Smith and Shannon Sharpe with back to back 25 yard passes. Three plays later, Ed McCaffrey brought down a seven yard Elway pass that tied the game. Jacksonville executed a perfect two minute offense on their next drive, and Mark Brunell gave the Jaguars the lead back with a five yard touchdown pass to Natrone Means with just 28 seconds to play in the half.

The Broncos wasted little time leveling the score in the second half, as they moved 86 yards in just four plays on their opening drive. Terrell Davis' 56 yard run was the big blow, but it was Howard Griffith's five yard run that tied the game again. Davis would strike again on the next Denver drive, as runs of 16 and 24 yards put the Broncos inside the Jacksonville five yard line. Davis finished the drive with a two yard touchdown run, giving the Broncos the lead for the first time all day. Jacksonville struck right back, as Natrone Means broke a 29 yard run to start their next drive, which ended in a three yard touchdown pass from Mark Brunell to Jimmy Smith. After a Denver punt, the Jaguars looked like they would have a chance to win the game, but little used fullback Daimon Shelton fumbled the ball at the Denver 35 yard line with just two minutes to play. With new life, the Broncos moved downfiled and into field goal range for Jason Elam. However, his 51 yard attempt sailed to the left, and the Jaguars had one final shot. A quick pitch to Natrone Means, followed by a 21 yard completion to Keenan McCardell put Jacksonville in range, and as time expired, Mike Hollis nailed a 39 yard field goal to stun the defending champs and give the Jaguars their first ever playoff win.

Final Score: Jacksonville-24 Denver-21

Real Life Score: Denver-42 Jacksonville-17

New England Patriots (10-6) vs. Miami Dolphins (9-7)
Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, MA

After missing the playoffs in his first season in Miami, Jimmy Johnson had the Dolphins ready to go in year two. Dan Marino was back in form, passing for 3,780 yards and 16 touchdowns and the running game was looking better, with Karim Abdul-Jabbar picking up 892 yards and 15 touchdowns. Even with Bill Parcells moving on, the New England Patriots managed to keep their hold on the AFC East crown with new head coach Pete Carroll. Drew Bledsoe threw 27 touchdowns and third year back Curtis Martin rushed for over 1,100 yards and four touchdowns.

The Patriots wasted little time in showing why they were one of the best offenses in the NFL in 1997. Curtis Martin got things started with a ten yard run, which then led to Drew Bledsoe picking apart the Miami defense until he hit Shawn Jefferson with a six yard touchdown pass. After a Karim Abdul-Jabbar fumble on the second Miami possession, the Patriots stuck again. Keith Byars' 17 yard catch and run put New England at the two yard line, and Bledsoe hit David Meggett for a touchdown on the next play. The Patriots weren't finished yet, as their first drive of the second quarter also resulted in points. Bledsoe found Curtis Martin for a 72 yard catch, then hit tight end Ben Coates on back to back passes, the second of which resulted in a two yard touchdown. Miami finally responded with an eight play, 59 yard drive that ended with a Dan Marino touchdown pass to Jerris McPhail. However, the Patriots countered right back with Bledsoe's fourth touchdown pass of the half, this one to Terry Glenn. The Dolphins answered with an Olindo Mare field goal that finally put an end to the first half.

Miami knew that the best way to keep New England from scoring would be to keep their offense off the field, and they did that for most of the third quarter. Their second drive of the quarter lasted for 14 plays and almost eight minutes, and resulted in a second Olindo Mare field goal. Their next drive resulted in more points, as Dan Marino found O.J. McDuffie for a 64 yard touchdown that put the Dolphins withing eight points. With New England's offense stuck in neutral, the Dolphins had one final chance to tie the game late in the fourth quarter. A Marino pass to Brett Perriman put the Dolphins near midfield, but Irving Spikes fumbled the football with just under two minutes to play. The Patriots were able to run out the clock and advance to the Divisional Playoffs for the second straight season.

Final Score: New England-28 Miami-20

Real Life Score: New England-17 Miami-3

AFC Divisional Playoffs

Kansas City Chiefs (13-3) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5)
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO

Two years removed from a trip to the Super Bowl, the Kansas City Chiefs once again found themselves atop the AFC as the number one seed in the playoffs. Elvis Grbac led a solid offense, but the main story was the Kansas City defense, which had once again risen to the top of the NFL. The Chiefs were hoping to avenge a 24-10 loss to Jacksonville during the regular season, while the Jaguars were hoping that they could make their first trip to the AFC Championship.

For most of the first half, neither team could get anything going on offense. The Jaguars struck first on a Mike Hollis field goal on their second drive of the game, but their next drive ended with a Natrone Means fumble. Elvis Grbac gave the ball right back, thanks to an interception by Mike Logan, but Hollis missed a 46 yard field goal try. Jacksonville's next drive resulted in more points, as the 12 play, 64 yard drive ended with a 40 yard field goal by Hollis. The Kansas City offense couldn't get out of the starting blocks, and went to the half still down 6-0.

The Jaguars wasted little time getting back on the scoreboard, as they stripped Kimble Anders of the football on the third play of the second half. Five plays later, Mike Hollis added his third field goal of the game. This time, the Chiefs were able to respond. Elvis Grbac finally got the Kansas City offense going, and led them on a 13 play, 68 yard drive that ended with a one yard touchdown pass to Ted Popson. The Chiefs had another scoring chance slip through their fingers on their next drive, as a failed fourth down conversion ended a promising drive. However, the Kansas City defense stopped Jacksonville's drive and forced a punt. With just five minutes to play, Grbac found second year receiver Joe Horn for an 80 yard bomb down to the Jacksonville two yard line. Kimble Anders gave the Chiefs the lead for the first time with a touchdown run. Just like against the Broncos the week before, the Jaguars refused to go away. Mark Brunell began marching Jacksonville downfield for one last drive, converting one fourth down and two third downs along the way. With just 46 seconds to play, it looked as if the Chiefs had stopped the Jaguars on fourth down, but a defensive holding call gave Jacksonville new life. Two plays later, Brunell found James Stewart for a five yard touchdown pass. The two point conversion gave the Jaguars a three point lead with just 30 seconds to play. Grbac's desperation passes weren't enough, and the Jags had shocked another AFC West opponent on their way to the AFC Championship.

Final Score: Jacksonville-17 Kansas City-14

Real Life Score: Denver-14 Kansas City-10

Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5) vs. New England Patriots (10-6)
Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA

For the second straight year, the Pittsburgh Steelers would face off against the New England Patriots for the right to go to the AFC Championship. Kordell Stewart replaced Mike Tomczak at quarterback and passed for over 3,000 yards and 21 touchdowns while also running for almost 500 yards with another 11 touchdowns. Jerome Bettis was the workhorse on offense, picking up 1,665 yards on the ground, while Yancey Thigpen brought in 79 catches for almost 1,400 yards, giving the Steelers a powerful offensive combination.

For most of the first quarter, the two teams were locked in a defensive struggle, with neither team being able to move the ball well at all on offense. Finally, the Steelers broke through as Kordell Stewart hit Charles Johnson with a 51 yard touchdown pass that opened up the scoring. Just as they had the week before against the Dolphins, the Patriots were able to answer back with a six play, 57 yard drive that ended with an Adam Vinatieri field goal. After those two drives, the defenses again took over until late in the second quarter, when the Patriots added another field goal from Vinatieri to cut the lead to one. On the next Pittsburgh play, Stewart was intercepted by Jimmy Hitchcock, and four plays later, Drew Bledsoe found Ben Coates for a five yard touchdown pass that put the Patriots on top going into the half.

The Steelers came out in the second half and quickly answered the Patriots late scoring surge. Their first drive of the third quarter lasted for seven plays and ended with a Norm Johnson 48 yard field goal. After New England got into field goal range, but had Adam Vinatieri miss a 43 yard attempt, the Steelers struck again. This time, Kordell Stewart found Mark Bruener on a tight end screen pass that worked to perfection. Bruener ran 48 yards for the go ahead touchdown, and the Steelers were on top 17-13. From there, the vaunted Pittsburgh defense took over, forcing three straight punts by the Patriots which were followed by two failed fourth down conversions late in the fourth quarter. Pittsburgh didn't score again, but with their defense locking down the Patriots, they didn't have to. For the fifth time in six years, the Steelers were headed to the AFC Championship.

Final Score: Pittsburgh-17 New England-13

Real Life Score: Pittsburgh-7 New England-6

AFC Championship Game

Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA

Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5)

On paper, the Steelers and Jaguars looked evenly matched. Both boasted offenses that could score points, and both had defenses that could shut down opposing teams when needed. Where the teams were different was in experience. The Steelers had been to four AFC Championship games in the past five years, and this was their fifth in six years. The Jaguars, on the other hand, had never been to an AFC Championship game before, and had never won a playoff game before 1997. The Steelers were hoping that the Jaguars would allow them to make it to their third Super Bowl since 1993.

The first half started for Pittsburgh much like it did the week before against the Patriots. Neither team could get any points on the board, as both Norm Johnson and Mike Hollis missed field goals in the first quarter. As the second quarter began, the Steelers were able to break through, thanks to Jerome Bettis. A 50 yard rumble through the heart of the Jacksonville defense put Pittsburgh on top with the first points of the game. The Jaguars would answer later in the quarter with a quick scoring drive that ended with a Mike Hollis field goal. On their next drive, Jacksonville would again execute a perfect two minute drill as Mark Brunell picked apart the Pittsburgh defense until he hit James Stewart for a 13 yard touchdown and the lead at the half.

The Steelers knew that they would have to answer the challenge set out by the Jaguars, but it took until late in the third quarter for them to do so. Earl Holmes sacked Mark Brunell, knocking the football loose at the Jacksonville 44 yard line. From there, the Steelers moved into field goal range, and Norm Johnson's 27 yard kick tied the score as the third quarter came to an end. The tie would not last long, as the Steelers made a costly mistake on their next drive. Kordell Stewart was intercepted by Deon Figures, and eight plays later, Mike Hollis kicked his second field goal of the game to put the Jaguars back on top. However, the Steelers would not go away. Stewart recovered with a 48 yard pass to Yancey Thigpen, and Norm Johnson tied the game again with a 41 yard kick. With just under five minutes to play, Mark Brunell again moved the Jacksonville offense downfield and into field goal range. With under two minutes to play, the Jaguars were sitting at the Pittsburgh 33 yard line and facing a third down. Brunell's pass to Jimmy Smith was incomplete, but the Jaguars were called for holding. In an act of arrogence, the Steelers declined the penalty, keeping Jacksonville on the fringe of field goal range. Staring a 50 yard field goal in the face, Mike Hollis managed to slip the football right inside the left upright, putting the Jaguars on top again. The Steelers would get inside Jacksonville territory, but George Jones fumbled and the Jaguars recovered. Brunell ran out the clock, and the Jaguars were headed to their first ever Super Bowl.

Final Score: Jacksonville-16 Pittsburgh-13

Real Life Score: Denver-24 Pittsburgh-21

[Hurkman]

NFC Wild Card Playoffs

New York Giants (10-5-1) vs. Minnesota Vikings (9-7)
Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

For the first time in four years, the New York Giants had made it into the NFC playoffs. While Danny Kanell and the offense struggled through parts of the season, the defense was one of the best in the NFL, allowing just 265 points on the year. Michael Strahan and Robert Harris each had double digit sack totals, while three Giants had at least five interceptions. While the Giants were feeling good about their playoff chances, the Minnesota Vikings were lucky to have just made it. An 8-2 start had turned into a 1-6 finish, and with starting quarterback Brad Johnson knocked out due to injury, former Super Bowl MVP Randall Cunningham was put back in the starting lineup for the first time in three years. While he meshed quickly with Chris Carter and Jake Reed, Robert Smith kept the running game strong, gaining 1,266 yards on the ground to go along with six touchdowns.

The Giants wanted to take control early, and they did just that. Thanks to a poor Minnesota punt, New York started their second drive inside Viking territory. It took just five plays for Charles Way to break through for a 19 yard touchdown run and an early New York lead. The vaunted New York defense would allow the Giants to take a bigger lead early in the second quarter, as Robert Smith fumbled at the Minnesota 26 yard line. Erric Pegram's seven yard touchdown reception put the Giants up 14-0, but New York wasn't done yet. Two Minnesota drives later, the Giants forced another fumble, this one by Leroy Hoard. Seven plays later, Tiki Barber found the end zone on a four yard run, and the Vikings were in a state of shock. New York would get one last scoring chance in the first half, as Danny Kanell completed three straight 17 yard passes to get Brad Daluiso into field goal range. His 34 yard kick sailed through the uprights as the first half came to a close with the Giants in a very dominant position.

Minnesota had their backs against the wall coming into the second half, but they weren't about to go down without a fight. It took just three plays into the third quarter for them to break the shutout, thanks to a 49 yard Robert Smith touchdown run. After a New York punt on their next drive, it looked as if momentum had turned towards the Vikings, but the Giant defense was too strong. Minnesota was forced to punt after just three plays, and the Giants added a second Brad Daluiso field goal on their next drive. From there, the Vikings couldn't get anything going on offense, and when the Giants got the ball, they ate up large portions of time with their three headed running attack. Charles Way, Tiki Barber and Tyrone Wheatley eached touched the ball at least ten times, and New York controlled the clock for over 40 minutes during the game. By the time the final whistle sounded, there was no question on who the better team was.

Final Score: New York-27 Minnesota-7

Real Life Score: Minnesota-23 New York-22

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-6) vs. Detroit Lions (9-7)
Houlihan's Stadium, Tampa, FL

For the first time in 15 years, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had made it to the postseason. Second year head coach Tony Dungy had built the Buccaneers with a defensive mindset, and the Bucs had finished the year ranked third in the NFL in total defense. Hardy Nickerson, John Lynch, Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks anchored the solid defense, while Trent Dilfer, Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott gave the team balance on offense. Meanwhile, the always dangerous Detroit Lions had managed to slip into the playoffs once again. Scott Mitchell passed for 19 touchdowns, but the real story was Barry Sanders, who became the third player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards. He finished the year with 2,053 yards and 11 touchdowns and was named Co-MVP of the NFL. The Detroit defense was also in the top half of the NFL, allowing 309 points on the season.

Tampa Bay was hosting their first playoff game since the 1979 season, and they wasted little time getting their offense going. A good mix of run and pass moved the Bucs into Detroit territory, where Trent Dilfer hit Mike Alstott for a 21 touchdown pass and an early lead. Detroit would answer back, as Barry Sanders was able to pick through the Tampa Bay defense, setting up a Jason Hanson field goal that cut the lead to 7-3. From there, both defenses shut down the opposing running game, and neither team could get anything going on offense for the rest of the first half. Tampa Bay had one final shot, but Robert Porcher sacked Dilfer and forced a fumble, ending a late threat by the Bucs.

It would only take one play in the third quarter for the Lions to take control of the game. After Glyn Milburn returned the opening kickoff of the second half to the Tampa Bay 14 yard line, Barry Sanders made his way into the end zone on the very first play of the half, putting the Lions up for the first time in the game. The Bucs would answer later in the third quarter on a Michael Husted field goal that tied the game, but the Lions would come right back on their first drive of the fourth quarter. With Tampa Bay focusing on Barry Sanders, Scott Mitchell saw his receivers in single coverage, and picked apart the Buccaneer defense. Johnnie Morton brought in a five yard touchdown pass to cap an eight play, 75 yard drive that put the Lions on top once again. The next Detroit drive would need only one play, but it was a backbreaker. Barry Sanders broke free from the Tampa Bay defense and ran 74 yards for a touchdown. Even though Jason Hanson missed the extra point, the Buccaneers were finished. Hanson would add a late field goal to finish the scoring as the Lions headed to the second round of the NFC playoffs.

Final Score: Detroit-26 Tampa Bay-10

Real Life Score: Tampa Bay-20 Detroit-10

NFC Divisional Playoffs

Green Bay Packers (13-3) vs. New York Giants (10-5-1)
Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI

After four straight years of playoff frustration, the Green Bay Packers were convinced that this was their year to finally make it to the Super Bowl. Brett Favre shared MVP honors with Barry Sanders for his 3,867 yard, 35 touchdown performance, and Dorsey Levens rushed for almost 1,500 yards while picking up seven touchdowns. The defense was strong as well, with Reggie White leading the team in sacks with 11. The Packers were tired of being a punchline, and Favre knew he had to get to a Super Bowl to cement his legacy, but first he would have to get past a tough New York Giants team that prided itself on strong defense.

Both defenses started the game strong, as neither team could get moving on offense in the first quarter. Brett Favre finally got the Packers moving early in the second quarter, but Ryan Longwell missed a 49 yard field goal try. New York responded with a long drive of their own, but Brad Daluiso missed a 48 yard field goal attempt of his own. On the next Green Bay possession, Favre used his running game to perfection, using short runs to break down the Giants before hitting Robert Brooks with a 35 yard pass deep in New York territory. Dorsey Levens finished the drive with a five yard touchdown run, putting the Packers on top. The Giants would get one more scoring chance near the end of the second quarter, but Daluiso missed his second field goal of the game, this one from 48 yards out as well, and New York went into the half still down 7-0.

The second half started out much like the first half did, with both defenses dominating the opposing offense. The Giants finally caught a break when Brett Favre was intercepted by Tito Wooten inside Green Bay territory. Though the Giants couldn't get into the end zone, Brad Daluiso was finally able to make a field goal, and New York was on the scoreboard. That would be the last time the Giants would threaten the Packers on this day, though. Green Bay kept New York from crossing midfield for the rest of the game, and their offense used up most of the clock on long drives. Ryan Longwell added a late field goal that finished the scoring as the Packers were headed to their second straight NFC Championship.

Final Score: Green Bay-10 New York-3

Real Life Score: Green Bay-21 Tampa Bay-7

San Francisco 49ers (13-3) vs. Detroit Lions (9-7)
3Com Park, San Francisco, CA

Though the San Francisco 49ers were again the top team in the NFC, there were some that could argue that this was the toughest road to the top that the 49ers had to face. All Pro receiver Jerry Rice was lost for the season in the opening game, but Steve Young and young second year receiver Terrell Owens managed to survive the loss of Rice, with Owens leading the team in receptions and receiving yards. Garrison Hearst rushed for just over 1,000 yards, and the defense was one of the best in the NFL as Dana Stubblefield, Kevin Greene and Chris Doleman dominated the defensive front. Those three would have to be on their games as they faced Barry Sanders and the Detroit Lions.

Both teams came out looking nervous in the first quarter. The Lions drove down towards midfield, but David Sloan fumbled the ball to San Francisco, only for Steve Young to throw an interception on his first pass attempt of the game. After a Detroit punt on their next possession, the 49ers got their offense going with Young picking apart the Detroit defense and Garrison Hearst rumbling on the ground. Gary Anderson kicked a 40 yard field goal to end the six play drive for the first points of the game. The Lions would answer with a ten play drive that got all the way to the San Francisco one yard line before Jason Hanson had to kick a 23 yard field goal. From there, the first half belonged to the 49ers. Terrell Owens brought in two passes for 45 yards on the next San Francisco drive, and JJ Stokes finished things off with a nine yard touchdown catch. After a Jason Hanson field goal, the 49ers were forced to punt, but Cory Schlesinger fumbled the ball right back to the 49ers, and this time Stokes finished the drive with a 24 yard touchdown catch to end the first half scoring.

The Lions knew that they had to start scoring faster to keep up with the 49ers, and their first drive of the second half did just that. Detroit moved 41 yards in four plays, setting up Jason Hanson for his third field goal of the game and cutting the San Francisco lead to eight points. However, the 49ers were up to the challenge, and their running game pounded the Lions on their next drive. Terry Kirby, William Floyd and Garrison Hearst all picked up ten yards or more on the drive, which ended with a Gary Anderson 32 yard field goal. As the fourth quarter began, the Lions were driving deep in San Francisco territory before Scott Mitchell was intercepted by Darnell Walker. Walker returned the interception to the Detroit four yard line, and William Floyd pounded into the end zone on the next play. After Detroit punted on their next possession, the 49ers went on a back breaking 11 play drive that took almost six minutes off the clock. When Terry Kirby scored on a three yard run, the 49ers knew they were headed to another NFC Championship. Even without Jerry Rice, the 49ers had proven that they were one of the best teams in the NFL.

Final Score: San Francisco-34 Detroit-9

Real Life Score: San Francisco-38 Minnesota-22

NFC Championship Game

3Com Park, San Francisco, CA

San Francisco 49ers (13-3) vs. Green Bay Packers (13-3)

For the second straight year, the Green Bay Packers had made it to the NFC Championship game. After falling short last year, NFL Co-MVP Brett Favre was confident that he could get the Packers to their second Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers had made it to their third NFC Championship in the last four years. Even without Jerry Rice, the 49ers had one of the best offenses in the NFL, while both teams boasted powerful defensive units as well. The fans coming into 3Com park knew they were in for a great game of football, as the two best teams in the NFC competed for the right to go to Super Bowl XXXII.

The 49ers wasted little time showing the Packers why they were one of the best teams in all of football in 1997, moving down inside the Green Bay ten yard line on their opening drive. However, the Packer defense held strong and forced the 49ers to settle for a Gary Anderson 28 yard field goal and an early 3-0 lead. While Green Bay's defense had done its job, the Green Bay offense was having trouble moving the ball against a very tough San Francisco front seven. The running game of the Packers was being shut down, and Brett Favre was under pressure for most of the first half from the imposing San Francisco defensive line. William Henderson fumbled the ball over to the 49ers early in the second quarter, and San Francisco took advantage of the turnover, moving 53 yards in eight plays before Gary Anderson kicked his second field goal of the half. From there, the defense kept Favre and the Packers frustrated, and San Francisco went into the half up 6-0.

The San Francisco defense that had done so well in the first half came out asleep early in the third quarter as the Packers were finally able to move downfield on a sustained drive. Dorsey Levens finally found running room, and that opened up the passing game for Brett Favre, who threaded his passes through the 49ers' secondary before hitting Levens with a seven yard touchdown pass that put the Packers up for the first time in the game. From there, both defenses again took over until early in the fourth quarter, when the Packers were forced to punt. A poor punt by Craig Hentrich gave the 49ers the ball inside Green Bay territory, and they would not waste the chance. An eight pay, 33 yard drive resulted in Gary Anderson's third field goal of the game, and the 49ers were back on top. With just under two minutes to play, Brett Favre would have one last chance to get the Packers to the Super Bowl. He gave it his best effort, but the 49ers were too strong on defense, and after a failed fourth down conversion, Steve Young was able to take three knees and run out the clock. Green Bay fell just short of their goal for the second straight season, and the San Francisco 49ers were headed to their third Super Bowl in the last four years.

Final Score: San Francisco-9 Green Bay-7

Real Life Score: Green Bay-23 San Francisco-10

[Hurkman]

Super Bowl XXXII

Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA

Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5)


Head Coach: Tom Coughlin
394 Points Scored
318 Points Allowed

Starting Quarterback: Mark Brunell


Road to the Super Bowl:
Defeated Denver, 24-21: AFC Wild Card Playoffs
Defeated Kansas City, 17-14: AFC Divisional Playoffs
Defeated Pittsburgh, 16-13: AFC Championship



San Francisco 49ers (13-3)


Head Coach: Steve Mariucci
375 Points Scored
265 Points Allowed

Starting Quarterback: Steve Young


Road to the Super Bowl:
Defeated Detroit, 34-9: NFC Divisional Playoffs
Defeated Green Bay, 9-7: NFC Championship



The Game

In just their third year of existence, the Jacksonville Jaguars had made it to football's grandest stage. With a young, hungry team and a solid coaching staff, the Jaguars had won three AFC playoff games on the road, all by three points, to get to Super Bowl XXXII. Mark Brunell and his receiving tandem of Keenan McCardell and Jimmy Smith had led the way on offense, while the defense had stepped up its play during their run. Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers had made it to their third Super Bowl in four years, thanks to the same things that had gotten them to their last two: a powerful offense and a dominant defense. The 49ers had allowed just 16 points in their two playoff games, and Terrell Owens had filled in well for Jerry Rice. While many people were rooting for the upset, most still believed that the experience and skill of San Francisco would carry them to their third championship in four seasons and their sixth overall.

At the start of the game, it was the Jaguars that came out looking like the better team. After forcing San Francisco to punt on their opening possession, the Jaguars moved downfield on the strength of Mark Brunell's arm. Passes to Natrone Means and Keenan McCardell put Jacksonville in field goal range, and Mike Hollis gave the Jaguars their first Super Bowl points with a 29 yard field goal. On their next possession, Jacksonville showed their youth, as James Stewart fumbled the ball deep in their own territory. San Francisco recovered, and though Steve Young got the 49ers down to the Jacksonville five yard line, they would have to settle for a Gary Anderson field goal that tied the game. From there, both defenses locked down the other offense, with each team crossing midfield for the rest of the half just once, and the Super Bowl went to the half tied at three.

After punts by each team started the third quarter, the dormant San Francisco offense finally woke up. Steve Young began picking apart the Jacksonville pass defense as Terrell Owens and Brent Jones picked up big yards on back to back plays. A touchdown pass to Owens was called back because of a holding penalty, but three plays later, Garrison Hearst rumbled into the end zone from five yards out for the first touchdown of Super Bowl XXXII. With the lead for the first time, the 49ers could feel momentum swinging their way, but the Jaguars weren't about to go away. On their next drive, Jacksonville held onto the ball for right minutes and drove 52 yards on 13 plays. Eventually, a San Francisco goal line stand forced the Jaguars to settle for a Mike Hollis field goal, but they had cut the lead to four points. The two teams traded punts on their next two possessions, then with just over two minutes to play, the 49ers punted again. The ball rolled into the end zone, putting Jacksonville at their own 20 yard line.

Just like he had in all three other playoff games that year, Mark Brunell started moving the Jaguars downfield. A 22 yard pass to Keenan McCardell started the drive, which was extended by a 38 yard completion to McCardell on fourth down and eight just three plays later. With the ball inside the San Francisco 20 yard line, Brunell found Jimmy Smith for 11 more yards, putting the ball at the 49ers' six yard line. Two plays later, James Stewart attoned for his earlier fumble by breaking through the San Francisco defense for a touchdown run that put Jacksonville back on top. The 49ers weren't dead yet, as a good kick return put them at their own 35 yard line. Needing just a field goal to force overtime, Steve Young moved quickly, hitting Terrell Owens for eight yards, then Brent Jones for 13 more. With the 49ers getting close to field goal range, Young dropped back to pass and fired a ball towards Owens...only to have it intercepted by Deon Figures. The Jacksonville sideline exploded as Mark Brunell took a final knee, giving the Jaguars in improbable championship in one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history.

Final Score: Jacksonville-13 San Francisco-10

MVP: Keenan McCardell: 6 catches, 108 yards

[Hurkman]

AFC Wild Card Playoffs

Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5) vs. New England Patriots (9-7)
ALLTel Stadium, Jacksonville, FL

For the first time in their history, the defending Super Bowl champion Jacksonville Jaguars were able to host a playoff game. The Jaguars had started the season red hot, going 5-0 before beginning to cool down, but their offense was solid throughout the season. Mark Brunell passed for 20 touchdowns and only nine interceptions, and rookie running back Fred Taylor had an excellent season, finishing with 1,223 yards and 12 touchdowns. The New England Patriots had made it back into the playoffs as well, but were there without their top offensive weapon. Quarterback Drew Bledsoe's broken index finger became too large of a problem for the Patriots to ignore, and they shelved their starter for the playoffs. Backup Scott Zolak split his two starts at the end of the year, but had help on offense from rookie Robert Edwards, as well as a defense that forced almost two turnovers a game.

The Jaguars didn't waste any time reminding the Patriots that they were the defending Super Bowl champions, moving down the field on the opening drive of the game. Mark Brunell hit Jimmy Smith, Fred Taylor and Pete Mitchell for long passes before giving way to Mike Hollis, who nailed a 46 yard field goal for the first points of the game. New England would respond midway through the first quarter, as Robert Edwards' 46 yard run set up Scott Zolak's sven yard touchdown pass to Shawn Jefferson. The next New England drive went just as well, as Zolak hit Troy Brown for a 44 yard touchdown that shocked the Jacksonville defense. Both teams would miss field goals on long drives in the second quarter before Mike Hollis managed to hit a 41 yard attempt as the first half came to a close, putting the Patriots up 14-6 at the half.

In the second half, the Patriots came out on offense and attacked the Jacksonville defense. Their first two drives ended up deep in Jaguar territory, but short of the goal line, and Adam Vinatieri added field goals to extend New England's lead. The New England defense did their part as well, intercepting Mark Brunell at midfield to end a potential Jacksonville scoring drive late in the third quarter. After a Tom Tupa punt pinned the Jaguars at their own five yard line, the Patriots held firm on defense once again, and got the ball back at the Jacksonville 40 yard line. Sedrick Shaw's 20 yard touchdown run sealed the game for the Patriots, and Lawyer Milloy's 35 yard interception return for a touchdown on the next Jaguar drive was the final nail in the coffin. Adam Vinatieri added a late field goal as the Patriots shocked the defending Super Bowl champions, and did so without their starting quarterback.

Final Score: New England-37 Jacksonville-6

Real Life Score: Jacksonville-25 New England-10

Miami Dolphins (10-6) vs. Buffalo Bills (10-6)
Pro Player Stadium, Miami, FL

The 1998 Buffalo Bills looked completely different from the team that had made the playoffs just two years before. Jim Kelly had retired and had been replaced by former NFL castoff Doug Flutie. At age 36, Flutie was back in the NFL for the first time in nine years had reached a level of achivement that no one thought he could get to before he went to the CFL. The diminutive quarterback was named to the Pro Bowl after passing for 2,711 yards and 20 touchdowns. He was also backed up by second year running back Antowain Smith and a defense that ranked sixth in the league in yards allowed. Meanwhile, Dan Marino was still under center in Miami, but the Dolphins had revamped their defense under Jimmy Johnson. Miami's defense finished third in the NFL in yards allowed and yielded just under 17 points per game, which led the league. Sam Madison and Terrell Buckley each finished with eight interceptions, while Jason Taylor, Trace Armstong and Zach Thomas were the leaders in the front seven.

Defense was certainly the topic of the day as the game began. Neither team could move the ball for most of the first quarter, as both Doug Flutie and Dan Marino found it hard to get their teams going. Finally, it was Flutie who broke through with a 27 yard pass to Eric Moulds. Three plays later, Thurman Thomas broke through the Miami defense for a 16 yard touchdown that put the Bills on top. With the Miami defensive riddle solved, the Bills would score again late in the second quarter, thanks to another long pass from Flutie to Moulds. This time, Steve Christie nailed a 42 yard field goal to make the score 10-0. After a quick Miami possession, Flutie struck again, this time hitting Antowain Smith for a 45 yard completion before giving way to Christie once again. His 37 yard field goal capped the scoring in the first half and gave the Bills a 13-0 lead heading into the half.

The Dolphins finally got their offense going early in the third quarter, thanks to a poor Buffalo punt. Starting at the Buffalo 38 yard line, Dan Marino was only able to move the Dolphins 11 yards, but it was enough for Olindo Mare to kick a 44 yard field goal that put Miami on the board. The next Miami drive had potential as well, but ended in disappointment after Bruce Smith sacked Marino on third down and 12. The Miami defense continued to keep Buffalo in check, and the Dolphins would get another chance late in the fourth quarter. Marino managed to hit Lamar Thomas for a 69 yard touchdown with just over three minutes to play in the game. Following another Buffalo punt, Miami took over deep in their own territory. Marino guided the Dolphins to midfield, but four straight incompletions spelled the end for Miami as the Bills moved on to the second round of the AFC playoffs.

Final Score: Buffalo-13 Miami-10

Real Life Score: Miami-24 Buffalo-17

AFC Divisional Playoffs

Denver Broncos (14-2) vs. New England Patriots (9-7)
Mile High Stadium, Denver, CO

After being upset by the Jacksonville Jaguars last year, the Denver Broncos came out in 1998 and established themselves as one of the best teams in the NFL. Denver started the year 13-0 before dropping back to back games, but they were widely regarded as at least the best team in the AFC. Despite rumors of retirement, John Elway had another solid season, passing for 22 touchdowns compared to 10 interceptions. However, the story this year on offense was Terrell Davis, who finished the season with 2,008 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. With the best running game in the NFL, the Broncos scored 501 points on the season, while their defense allowed just 309. Meanwhile, the Patriots were coming into the game as heavy underdogs, especially since they were still without quarterback Drew Bledsoe.

Just like the Jaguars did last week, the Broncos came out and scored early, as Jason Elam booted a 30 yard field goal on Denver's opening drive. Unlike the Jaguars, the Broncos scored again on their next drive, as Ed McCaffrey finished the 12 play, 71 yard drive with an eight yard touchdown catch to put the Broncos up 10-0. The Patriots answered early in the second quarter with an eight play, 49 yard drive that was capped with an Adam Vinatieri 31 yard field goal, but those would be the only points New England would score in the first half. However, the New England defense would keep the Broncos from adding to their lead, as they settled down and began to stop the powerful Denver offense. A Ty Law interception ended the last threat that the Broncos posed in the first half, and the game went to the locker rooms with Denver only ahead by seven points.

Midway through the third quarter, the Broncos finally broke through again, as John Elway used a mix of Terrell Davis and Ed McCaffrey to move downfield against the New England defense. It was Davis that finished things off with a two yard touchdown run, and the Broncos would add to that on their next drive, thanks to a 24 yard field goal from Jason Elam. However, the Patriots weren't ready to go home quite yet. Robert Edwards, who had been held in check by the Denver defense all game long, finally broke through midway through the fourth quarter. His 45 yard run finally put the Patriots deep in Denver territory, and he finished the drive himself with a four yard touchdown run. This time though, there would be no stunning upset. After the New England touchdown, the Broncos went on a ten play, 65 yard drive that ended with a Terrell Davis 31 yard touchdown run that finished the Patriots and sent Denver into the AFC Championship.

Final Score: Denver-27 New England-10

Real Life Score: Denver-38 Miami-3

New York Jets (12-4) vs. Buffalo Bills (10-6)
Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

In just his second year as head coach, Bill Parcells had the New York Jets in the playoffs for the first time since 1991. Quarterback Vinnie Testaverde joined the team and had his best season ever, passing for over 3,200 yards and 29 touchdowns compared to just seven interceptions. Curtis Martin had left the Patriots and come south, and his 1,287 yards and eight touchdowns brought balance to the offense. Wideouts Keyshawn Johnson and Wayne Chrebet each finished with over 1,000 yards, while the defense ranked second in the league in points allowed and seventh in total yards. A regular season sweep of Doug Flutie and the Buffalo Bills made the Jets even more confident headed into their playoff matchup with them.

That confidence quickly melted away on the first drive of the game, as Vinnie Testaverde was intercepted by Sam Cowart on just his second pass attempt of the game. The turnover put the mindset of the first half on the two strong defenses of Buffalo and New York, and it stayed there until midway through the second quarter. Following missed field goals by both teams, the Bills moved downfield again, with Doug Flutie finding holes in the usually solid New York passing defense. Steve Christie's 38 yard field goal put the Bills on the board first, but the Jets had a quick answer. Testaverde ran a solid two minute offense, using both Keyshawn Johnson and Wayne Chrebet, as well as Curtis Martin, to move the ball deep into Buffalo territory. John Hall's 31 yard field goal with 16 seconds to go in the first half tied the score and eased the nerves of many Jets fans headed into the half.

The Bills had been able to keep the game close in the first half with smart play and solid defense, but they lost their way early in the third quarter. Their opening drive had potential, but Steve Christie missed his second field goal of the game. After a New York punt, Doug Flutie made his first mistake, as he was intercepted by Victor Green deep in his own territory. Four plays later, Keyshawn Johnson was on the receiving end of a two yard touchdown pass from Vinnie Testaverde, and the Jets had the lead. A second straight Buffalo drive ended with an interception, this one coming at the New York seven yard line as the Bills were looking to tie the score. The Buffalo defense responded by recoving a New York fumble, but Christie missed his third field goal attempt of the game, and John Hall added a second field goal to cap a ten play, 65 yard drive for the Jets following the miss. A Sam Gash fumble on the next Buffalo drive resulted in a back breaking 23 yard touchdown run from Curtis Martin, and after John Hall added another field goal on the next New York drive, the Jets were celebrating their first trip to the AFC Championship since 1982.

Final Score: New York-23 Buffalo-3

Real Life Score: New York-34 Jacksonville-24

AFC Championship Game

Mile High Stadium, Denver, CO

Denver Broncos (14-2) vs. New York Jets (12-4)

In many ways, the Denver Broncos and New York Jets were similar teams. Both had veteran quarterbacks that had great receiving groups. Both boasted strong defenses that valued turnovers and hard hitting. Both also had good running games, but the Broncos and Terrell Davis certainly had the edge in that department. Both teams also knew what was at stake in their matchup in the AFC Championship. For the Broncos, it was a chance to get to their second Super Bowl in three years, while the Jets were looking to get to their first Super Bowl.

With such a high stake matchip at hand, both teams came out looking nervous on their opening drives. After an exchange of punts, John Elway shook off the nerves and moved 91 yards in just four plays. A 37 yard pass to Ed McCaffrey set up a 39 yard touchdown pass to Rod Smith, and the Broncos had a 7-0 lead. The Jets attempted to respond, but Vinnie Testaverde was intercepted by Bill Romanowski at midfield early in the second quarter, ending the first threat that New York had all day. The Broncos took advantage of the turnover, moving 38 yards in seven plays before giving way to Jason Elam. His 47 yard field goal put the Broncos up by ten points midway through the second quarter. With just over three minutes to go, John Elway stepped back onto the field and did what he was known for throughout his career, moving the Broncos downfield with little time left on the clock. Elway moved Denver 88 yards in 12 plays in just under three minutes, ending the drive with a ten yard touchdown pass to Shannon Sharpe. However, the Jets weren't ready to head to the half just yet, and Testaverde caught the Denver defense napping with a 44 yard Hail Mary touchdown to Dedric Ward as the half ended, giving New York some much needed momentum.

That momentum did not last long in the second half. Following two New York punts, John Elway got Denver moving on offense again and set Jason Elam up for his second field goal of the game. His 39 yard kick put the Broncos up by 13, and after another New York punt, the Broncos turned the game over to Terrell Davis. The fourth 2,000 yard rusher in NFL history did most of the work in the fourth quarter, eating up most of the clock as the New York offense stood helpless on the sidelines. Just as he did the week before against the Patriots, Davis finished the scoring with a long touchdown run. His 19 yard trip to the end zone spelled the end for the Jets and capped a day in which the NFL MVP would finish with 159 yards. The New York Jets had come close to their first Super Bowl trip, but the Denver Broncos were too good and were headed to their third Super Bowl of the 90s.

Final Score: Denver-27 New York-7

Real Life Score: Denver-23 New York-10

[jbergey22]

Denver vs Minnesota coming up I hope!

[Hurkman]

NFC Wild Card Playoffs

Dallas Cowboys (10-6) vs. Arizona Cardinals (9-7)
Texas Stadium, Irving, TX

Twenty three years had passed since the last time the Arizona Cardinals had made the playoffs in a non-strike season. In that time, the Cardinals had changed their name twice, moved from St. Louis to Arizona and gone through seven different head coaches. Head coach number eight, Vince Tobin, looked like he was headed out the door before a three game winning streak put the Cardinals in the playoffs. Second year quarterback Jake Plummer had thrown more interceptions than touchdowns during the regular season, but managed games well and had a solid running game, thanks to Adrian Murrell's 1,000 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys were starting to show signs of age, but believed they had enough in them for one last run. Troy Aikman had been slowed by injuries during the regular season, but Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin still produced, and the Dallas defense was one of the best in the league. Their bend, but don't break style of defense only gave up 275 points for the season. With two wins already against the Cardinals during the regular season, Dallas was confident that they could send the Cardinals home in relatively easy fashion.

The Cowboys certainly looked like the better team as the game began. Their opening drive lasted for over six minutes and travelled 60 yards in ten plays. Emmitt Smith and Chris Warren pounded the Arizona defense on the ground until Troy Aikman hit tight end Eric Bjornson for a 19 yard touchdown. After an Arizona punt, the Cowboys went right back to work on offense, as Aikman picked apart the Cardinal secondary before having to settle for a Richie Cunningham field goal and a 10-0 lead. Jake Plummer finally got the Cardinals moving after a missed field goal by Cunningham on the next Dallas drive. With good field position, Plummer moved the Cardinals down inside the Dallas ten yard line. However, the Cowboys held their ground on defense, and refused to let the Cardinals into the end zone. Arizona would settle for a Joe Nedney field goal for their first points of the game. Dallas would add the last points of the half with a quick scoring drive right before halftime. Richie Cunningham's 43 yard field goal as time expired gave the Cowboys a 13-3 lead and restored their confidence heading into the half.

After an exchange of punts started the second half, the Cardinals attempted to get their momentum back. Jake Plummer led Arizona on a nine play, 69 yard drive that included a fourth down and 26 conversion from inside Dallas territory. On the next play after the conversion, Adrian Murrell crashed into the end zone from four yards out, and the Cardinals were only down by three points. From there however, it was all Cowboys. Arizona was forced to punt on their next possession, and Deion Sanders returned the ball inside Arizona territory. Nine plays later, Sherman Williams scored on a one yard touchdown run. Plummer's ability to brinng the Cardinals back from the dead did not work, as he was intercepted on the next Arizona drive. The turnover led to another Dallas touchdown, this one a 20 yard catch by Emmitt Smith, that essentially finished the game. Plummer would be intercepted again later in the fourth quarter, but by then, the end result was not in doubt. Once again, the Cowboys were moving on in the playoffs, while the Cardinals were hoping it wouldn't be another 23 years before they would make it to the postseason.

Final Score: Dallas-27 Arizona-10

Real Life Score: Arizona-20 Dallas-7

San Francisco 49ers (12-4) vs. Green Bay Packers (11-5)
3Com Park, San Francisco, CA

A rematch of last season's NFC Championship was on tap for the first round of the NFC playoffs in 1998. After falling just short of reaching the Super Bowl in the past two seasons, Brett Favre was more determined than ever to make it to the top of the NFL mountain. His 4,212 passing yards and 31 touchdowns were some of the best numbers in the NFL in 1998, but the Packers had suffered thanks to a lack of a running game. Dorsey Levens had battled injuries all season, though he would be able to play in the playoffs. Fortunately for Favre, the Green Bay defense had been solid all season, thanks in large part to Reggie White and his 16 sacks. The San Francisco 49ers appeared to have a better team than the one that went to the Super Bowl the year before. Steve Young had found a fountain of youth, and finished the year with 4,170 passing yards and 36 touchdowns. Garrison Hearst had been great at running back, picking up over 1,500 yards, while Jerry Rice had returned from injury and made a great tandem with Terrell Owens, as each of them finished with over 1,000 yards receiving. The defense had struggled at times, but the 49ers knew they had what it took to go to yet another Super Bowl.

This year, the Packers wasted little time in attacking San Francisco's defense. Their opening drive consisted of just one passing play, but the running game of the Packers surprised the 49ers and helped Green Bay get on the board with a Ryan Longwell field goal. Meanwhile, the Green Bay defense was holding the number one offense in the NFL in check. The 49ers could get nothing going, either on the ground or through the air as Steve Young was being pressured constantly. Late in the first quarter, the Packers began to move again, this time through the air. Brett Favre completed three of four passes on the drive, including a 48 yard touchdown to Darick Holmes that put the Packers up 10-0. After a San Francisco punt was returned to the 22 yard line of the 49ers, Green Bay added a second Ryan Longwell field goal that increased their lead. San Francisco still couldn't get started on offense, and a confused 49ers team went into the locker room down, but not out.

A good return on the opening kickoff of the second half energized the 49ers, and their dormant offense finally kicked back into gear. Steve Young moved San Francisco downfield with his passing, and Garrison Hearst began to bash the Green Bay defense with punishing runs. The ten play, 58 yard drive ended with a one yard touchdown pass from Young to Marc Edwards, and San Francisco had regained some of their swagger. After a Green Bay punt, the 49ers moved back into Packer territory again, but this time, their offense stalled, and Wade Richey missed a 48 yard field goal attempt. After the miss, Brett Favre used his arms and legs to move the Green Bay offense for the first time in the second half. The ten play, 57 yard drive stretched into the fourth quarter and ended with Ryan Longwell's third field goal of the game. With the lead now stretch to two possessions again, the Green Bay defense was able to lock in on Garrison Hearst and Steve Young and take them completely out of the game. After two straight San Francisco punts, the Packers embarked on a back breaking, 11 play drive that took almost five and half minutes off of a shrinking clock. Dorsey Levens and Travis Jervey pounded the San Francisco defense, making it to the 49ers' one yard line before Ryan Longwell added his fourth field goal of the game with just 25 seconds to play. Steve Young was held to just six completions for 92 yards as the Packers shut down the best offense in football and moved on to the second round.

Final Score: Green Bay-19 San Francisco-7

Real Life Score:San Francisco-30 Green Bay-27 (The Catch II)

NFC Divisional Playoffs

Atlanta Falcons (14-2) vs. Dallas Cowboys (10-6)
The Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA

While people expected the Atlanta Falcons would continue to improve on their 7-9 record from 1997, no one expected them to go 14-2 and finish with the second best record in the NFC. Chris Chandler was on his sixth team, but the veteran quarterback had his best year ever, passing for 3,100 yards and 25 touchdowns. Running back Jamal Anderson broke out for 1,846 yards and 14 touchdowns while Tony Martin and Terrence Mathis had over 1,100 yards receiving. The Atlanta defense was also one of the best in the league, forcing 44 turnovers and allowing just 289 points on the season. None of this mattered to the Dallas Cowboys, of course. Their veterans had encountered all types of teams in the playoffs, and to them, the Falcons had to be beaten if the Cowboys were going to get another shot at the Super Bowl.

Just as they had the week before against the Cardinals, the Cowboys came out with their offense moving. On their second drive of the game, Dallas moved 87 yards in just nine plays. Troy Aikman threaded passes through the Atlanta secondary before hitting Michael Irvin for a 14 yard touchdown and an early lead. After a missed field goal by Morten Andersen, the Cowboys would extend that lead. Once again, Aikman moved Dallas into Atlanta territory, only this time he had to give way to Richie Cunningham, who hit a 42 yard field goal to put Dallas up by double digits. The Falcons didn't waste much time in responding, as Jamal Anderson began to make his way through the Dallas defense. With the Cowboys thinking run, Chris Chandler dialed up a perfect play action fake and hit Tony Martin for a 13 yard touchdown that put Atlanta right back in the game. After a Dallas punt, Chandler again brought the Falcons into Dallas territory. This time, Morten Andersen nailed a 42 yard field goal attempt with just 20 seconds remaining in the half, tying the score and giving the Falcons the edge going into the second half.

With both teams looking for that something that would take them to the NFC Championship, it appeared as if the Falcons had found it late in the third quarter. After both defenses dominated much of the quarter, the Falcons stripped Emmitt Smith at the Dallas 37 yard line. With good field position, Atlanta didn't have to move the ball far for Morten Andersen, and his 49 yard field goal early in the fourth quarter put the Falcons ahead for the first time all day. With the lead, it looked like the Falcons had all the momentum they would need, but Troy Aikman and the Cowboys had other plans. The Dallas defense forced a punt by Atlanta on their next drive, and Deion Sanders returned it to the Dallas 41 yard line. From there, Aikman guided the Cowboys downfield with beautiful passes to Michael Irvin, Ernie Mills and Patrick Jeffers that put Dallas inside the Atlanta 20 yard line. Facing a third down and 13, Aikman threw a swing pass out to Jeffers, who managed to break two tackles before getting into the end zone and giving the Cowboys the lead once again. Two desperate Atlanta drives were stopped on fourth down by the Dallas defense, and the Cowboys were headed back to the NFC Championship after upsetting the Falcons.

Final Score: Dallas-17 Atlanta-13

Real Life Score: Atlanta-20 San Francisco-18

Minnesota Vikings (15-1) vs. Green Bay Packers (11-5)
The Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN

While the Atlanta Falcons had come out of nowhere to reach the playoffs in 1998, the Minnesota Vikings may have had an even more improbable story. After being out of football for almost two years, former Super Bowl MVP Randall Cunningham took over the starting job for Brad Johnson when Johnson broke his leg in Week 2 and never looked back. With the receiving duo of Chris Carter and Rookie of the Year Randy Moss bringing in passes left and right, Cunningham threw for over 3,700 yards and 34 touchdowns. Running back Robert Smith rushed for 1,187 yards and six touchdowns, while Carter and Moss each had over 1,000 yards. The Vikings scored an NFL record 556 points, and only allowed 296. Not only that, but they had defeated the Packers twice during the regular season, including one game where Brett Favre was benched near the end of the first half. Most people didn't expect the Packers to put up much of a fight against the dominant Vikings.

However, the Vikings got off to a very poor start. A holding penalty on the opening kickoff pushed Minnesota back to their own seven yard line, and Randall Cunningham was intercepted by Tyrone Williams on his second pass attempt of the game, putting the Packers in scoring position. It only took three plays for Green Bay to take advantage, as Dorsey Levens scored on a five yard run to give the Packers a very early lead. The Minnesota offense came to life on their next drive, as Cunningham found both Chris Carter and Randy Moss for good gains into Green Bay territory. The Packers defense was ready though, and forced Gary Anderson to kick a 47 yard field goal for Minnesota's first points of the game. The Vikings would add another field goal early in the second quarter, but the Green Bay defense was playing just as well as they did the week before against San Francisco, and the offense had woken up again, too. Following the Minnesota field goal, Brett Favre moved the Packers downfield on the strength of his arm, and Ryan Longwell extended the Packers' lead with a 33 yard field goal midway through the second quarter. Longwell would add a second field goal on the next Green Bay drive, and the Packers woud hold Minnesota scoreless for the rest of the first half.

As the third quarter began, the Vikings were looking for an answer to the Packers, but what they got instead was more trouble. The Green Bay running game had found new life in the playoffs, and Dorsey Levens and Darick Holmes bashed the Minnesota defense on Green Bay's first drive of the second half. Though it ended with another Ryan Longwell field goal, the Packers had all the momentum. After another Minnesota punt, Brett Favre helped the Packers add to their lead with another long drive. Once again, Ryan Longwell was called on at the end of the drive, and once again he hit another field goal, putting Green Bay up 19-6. Faced with a two touchdown deficit and staring at a defense that had been dominant all day, the Vikings attempted to get back into the game. Randall Cunningham moved the Vikings into Green Bay territory on their next two drives, but the Green Bay defense kept Minnesota even out of field goal range. By the time Cunningham hit Chris Carter for a 37 yard touchdown, there were only 11 seconds to play in the fourth quarter. Once the Packers recovered the onside kick, the Vikings were left with a familiar taste of disappointment, and Green Bay was headed to their third straight NFC Championship.

Final Score: Green Bay-19 Minnesota-13

Real Life Score: Minnesota-41 Arizona-21

NFC Championship Game

Texas Stadium, Irving, TX

Dallas Cowboys (10-6) vs. Green Bay Packers (11-5)

For the second time in three seasons, the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers would be facing off to see who would represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. While it was expected in 1996, neither team was seen as a championship contender as the 1998 playoffs began. Both the Cowboys and Packers had to upset two of the best regular teams of the decade to reach the NFC Championship, and both had displayed dominant defenses in doing so. For Brett Favre and the Packers, this was their third straight trip to the NFC Championship, and neither Favre, nor the Green Bay fans, could imagine what it would be like to lose three in a row.

Unlike in the past two NFC Championships, the Packers went right to work this year. Dorsey Levens was back at full strength, and he began the game with a ten yard run. The Green Bay running game attacked the Cowboys' defense until Travis Jervey broke through for a 12 yard touchdown and an early lead. It took exactly three plays for the Cowboys to answer back, thanks to a 54 yard touchdown run by Emmitt Smith, but the Packers were far from finished on this day. On the very next play from scrimmage, Brett Favre hit a wide open Mark Chmura, who ran 72 yards for a Green Bay touchdown. Chris Warren fumbled on the next Dallas play, and the Packers took over deep in Cowboy territory. Seven plays later, Favre hit Robert Brooks for a one yard touchdown, and the Packers had taken a 21-7 lead in the first quarter. It didn't get any better for the Cowboys in the second quarter. Following a Dallas punt, Favre led the Packers on another scoring drive, this one lasting over eight minutes and going 82 yards. Dallas couldn't stop the Green Bay run or the pass, and the drive ended with Favre's third touchdown pass of the half, this one a ten yarder to William Henderson. The Cowboys finally stopped the Packers from scoring on their next drive, but they couldn't get anything going on offense and went to the half in a state of shock.

The second half didn't start out much better for the Cowboys. After a Dallas punt, the Green Bay offense picked up right where they had left off in the first half. Brett Favre continued to pick apart the Dallas defense with long and short passes, and Dorsey Levens and Travis Jervey kept the Cowboys on their heels with powerful runs. The Packers needed just seven plays to move 72 yards, and Favre ended the drive with his fourth touchdown pass of the game, this one a 21 yard strike to Bill Schroeder, and Green Bay led by four touchdowns. Dallas was finally able to answer with a touchdown drive of their own on their next possession as Troy Aikman hit Billy Davis for a 32 yard touchdown pass, but it was too late on this day. The Packers answered the Cowboys with a drive that lasted almost ten minutes, and though it ended with a missed field goal by Ryan Longwell, there was not enough time left for the Cowboys to come back. Troy Aikman didn't help matters when he was intercepted by Tyrone Williams on the next Dallas drive. Five plays later, Green Bay finished the scoring with an 11 yard touchdown run by Travis Jervey. It had taken three tries, but Brett Favre had finally come through in the NFC Championship and his 22/25, four touchdown effort was more than enough to get the Packers to the Super Bowl.

Final Score: Green Bay-42 Dallas-14

Real Life Score: Atlanta-30 Minnesota-27/OT (In Minnesota)

[jbergey22]

Oh well we can still always dream.

No chance that 98 Vikings would have been held to 13 points at the dome.

[Hurkman]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Oh well we can still always dream.

No chance that 98 Vikings would have been held to 13 points at the dome.

I know, and believe me I wanted the Vikings to win. I loved Cunningham when he was in Philly. Like I said at the start, I only sim each game once, and that's what happened. Is it realistic? I doubt it...but the sim said that's what happened, so there it went.

[Hurkman]

Super Bowl XXXIII

Pro Player Stadium, Miami, FL

Denver Broncos (14-2)


Head Coach: Mike Shanahan
501 Points Scored
309 Points Allowed

Starting Quarterback: John Elway


Road to the Super Bowl:
Defeated New England, 27-10: AFC Divisional Playoffs
Defeated New York, 27-7: AFC Championship



Green Bay Packers (11-5)


Head Coach: Mike Holmgren
408 Points Scored
319 Points Allowed

Starting Quarterback: Brett Favre


Road to the Super Bowl:
Defeated San Francisco, 19-7: NFC Wild Card Playoffs
Defeated Minnesota, 19-13: NFC Divisional Playoffs
Defeated Dallas, 42-14: NFC Championship



The Game

It had taken three straight trips to the NFC Championship, but the Green Bay Packers had finally made it to their second Super Bowl. Quarterback Brett Favre had finally gotten the Packers where he had always hoped to get them, and now he just had one final hurdle to get over. The Green Bay defense had shut down the powerful offenses of San Francisco and Minnesota on their way to Super Bowl XXXIII, but now they had to deal with 2,000 yard rusher Terrell Davis and the Denver Broncos. Even with John Elway on his last legs, the Broncos believed that they could overpower any team with their offense, and with Rod Smith, Shannon Sharpe and Ed McCaffrey not letting defenses focus completely on Terrell Davis, it certainly was going to be a very tough challenge for the Packers.

What the Broncos weren't counting on was their defense letting them down early in the game. On their opening drive, the Packers moved right through the usually tough Denver defense, with Brett Favre showing no signs of being nervous at all. He hit Mark Chmura for 11 yards on the first play of the game, then found Antonio Freeman for a 34 yard gain deep into Denver territory. He finished the drive with a six yard touchdown pass to Derrick Mayes, and the Packers had scored the first points of Super Bowl XXXIII. The Broncos were quick to respond, as John Elway completed all six of his pass attempts on Denver's first drive, which ended with a 19 yard touchdown run by Terrell Davis. The Packers took the momentum right back, as Roell Preston returned Denver's kickoff all the way to the 12 yard line of the Broncos. It took just one play for Dorsey Levens to pick up the remaining 12 yards and give the Packers the lead once again. The Broncos showed what kind of a team they were by hitting Green Bay right back. Once again, Terrell Davis cut through the Green Bay defense, picking up 41 yards on three carries and moving the Broncos back into Packer territory. This time, John Elway hit Shannon Sharpe for a three yard touchdown as the first quarter came to a close, tying the score and setting the stage for the highest scoring Super Bowl in NFL history.

As the second quarter began, the Packers did something that had not been done yet in the game: punt. With their defense seemingly back on track, the Broncos felt confident, but that quickly disappeared when John Elway was intercepted by Tyrone Williams deep in Denver territory. Brett Favre and the Packers took advantage of the mistake, and five plays later Favre hit Robert Brooks for a nine yard touchdown that put the Packers on top again. After the Green Bay drive, both teams seemed to settle in on defense, as the shell shocked defensive players on both the Packers and Broncos finally began to make plays. Both teams exchanged turnovers later in the second quarter, and when Denver punted with just half a minute to play in the first half, it looked like the Packers would take a touchdown lead into the locker room. Brett Favre wasn't done yet, however. After Roell Preston returned the ball to the Denver 42 yard line, and an encroachment penalty on Denver moved the ball five yards further up field, Favre launched a rainbow pass to Robert Brooks, who brought it in with just 12 seconds to play in the half. The last second touchdown shocked the Broncos, who looked deflated heading into the locker room.

The momentum that the Packers had carried over into the second half. After stopping Denver on their first drive of the third quarter, Brett Favre stepped back onto the field and moved the Packers into Denver territory once again. A mix of short passes and runs by Dorsey Levens, Travis Jervey and Darick Holmes kept the Broncos off balance and helped drive the Packers deep enough for a Ryan Longwell field goal that increased their lead. Favre finally made a mistake on the next Green Bay drive, as he was intercepted by Glenn Cadrez, who returned the ball to the Packers' 18 yard line. Denver needed one play to score, with John Elway hitting Ed McCaffrey for the touchdown. With their lead cut to 10 points, the Packers wasted little time moving the ball yet again. Favre found Bill Schroeder for 19 yards, then hit Travis Jervey for another ten before Jervey broke through the Denver defense on a 39 yard touchdown run on the last play of the third quarter. With their backs against the wall, the Broncos came out swinging, with Terrell Davis continuing to punish the Packers. However, the Denver drive could only net three points, thanks to a Jason Elam field goal, and when the Packers got the ball back they made sure the game would be over. On their last sustained drive of the game, Brett Favre only passed the ball one time, but the trio of Levens, Jervey and Holmes pounded a tired Denver defense. Green Bay used 13 plays and over eight minutes to move just 45 yards, but when Ryan Longwell hit a 44 yard field goal, there was no doubt left on who would win Super Bowl XXXIII. The Broncos went out quietly, and Brett Favre and the Packers had their first Super Bowl title.

Final Score: Green Bay-41 Denver-24

MVP: Brett Favre: 15/21, 200 yards, 3 TDs

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Hurkman

I know, and believe me I wanted the Vikings to win. I loved Cunningham when he was in Philly. Like I said at the start, I only sim each game once, and that's what happened. Is it realistic? I doubt it...but the sim said that's what happened, so there it went.

I know Hurk. Its the only way you can do it otherwise all your favorite teams would end up winning It is interesting and your writeups are great.

[Hurkman]

AFC Wild Card Playoffs

Tennessee Titans (13-3) vs. Buffalo Bills (11-5)
Adelphia Coliseum, Nashville, TN

It had been six years since the Houston Oilers had made the AFC playoffs. In that time, they had moved to Tennessee and become the Titans and there was very little to remind their new fans about the Oilers. Steve McNair had been drafted in 1995 as the heir to Warren Moon, and though he had battled injuries, he finally broke through in 1999 to become the face of the Titans, passing for almost 2,200 yards and 12 touchdowns. Eddie George was drafted the year after McNair and had quickly become one of the better running backs in the NFL. In 1999, he pushed the Titans to their best record since the move from Houston with 1,304 yards and nine touchdowns. The Tennessee defense had also begun to step into its own, with Defensive Rookie of the Year Jevon Kearse leading the way with 14.5 sacks. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills had stepped up from last season's performance with one of the best defenses in the NFL. Despite a constant quarterback battle between Doug Flutie and Rob Johnson and an inconsistant running game, the Bills allowed the fewest yards and second fewest points in the NFL. Even at age 36, Bruce Smith had emerged as one of the best players for the Bills, recording seven sacks and providing a veteran leader on an up and coming defense.

Of course, that defense needed to continue to play well for the Bills to have success, and it didn't start out well for Buffalo. Tennessee took the opening kickoff back to their own 42 yard line and only had to move 25 yards for Al Del Greco to nail a 50 yard field goal for the first points of the game. The Bills were able to answer quickly, as Wade Phillips' decision to start Rob Johnson over Doug Flutie paid off on Buffalo's first drive. Johnson completed three passes for 57 yards, and then Jonathan Linton finished the drive with a 13 yard touchdown run that put the Bills on top. Later in the first quarter, the Bills struck again, with Johnson and Linton doing most of the damage. A 25 yard pass to Eric Moulds put the Bills in striking distance, and Linton moved Buffalo close enough for an easy 23 yard field goal from Steve Christie. The Bills had a chance to extend their lead on the following drive, but Christie missed a 44 yard field goal that kept the Titans within a field goal. Late in the first half, Tennessee struck back as Steve McNair found Yancey Thigpen for a huge 62 yard touchdown with just 12 seconds remaining in the half. Suddenly, the momentum had switched to the Titans as the teams went to the half.

Unfortunately for the Titans, their momentum did not last long in the third quarter. After their defense forced a punt, the Bills returned the ball to their own 45 yard line, and a 26 yard completion from Rob Johnson to Andre Reed put them in striking range. Three plays later, Steve Christie's 39 yard field goal put Buffalo back on top. After that, both defenes took over, as neither team could move the ball much at all. The Bills would block a Tennessee punt late in the third quarter, but the Titans would force a Thurman Thomas fumble and get the ball back just five plays later. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Titans would finally get moving again, as Steve McNair managed to pass Tennessee into field goal range. With just four and a half minutes to play, Al Del Greco's 37 yard field goal tied the game and put the pressure on Buffalo. The Bills would not respond well, as a three and out gave the Titans a chance to score once again. They would not disappoint, thanks once again to the arm of McNair. A 28 yard pass to Yancey Thigpen put the Titans into Buffalo territory, and passes to Frank Wycheck and Andre Dyson moved Tennessee into field goal range. Del Greco nailed a 39 yard field goal with just 42 seconds to play, and it looked like the Titans would have their first playoff win since 1991, but the Bills had other plans.

After Buffalo returned the kickoff to their own 35 yard line, Rob Johnson completed two screen passes to Thurman Thomas and Jonathan Linton that put the Bills inside Tennessee territory. A draw play to Antowain Smith surprised the Titans, picked up 14 yards and put Buffalo into field goal range with just three seconds to play. As time expired, Steve Christie's 52 yard field goal attempt just cleared the upright, sending the game into overtime. The Titans would win the coin toss, but the Buffalo defense stopped them cold. After Kevin Williams returned the punt to the Tennessee 44 yard line, things look bleak for the Titans. Once Eric Moulds ran 35 yards on two catches, the game was just about over. Christie's 31 yard field goal sealed the win for the Bills, who had snatched victory out of the jaws of defeat.

Final Score: Buffalo-19 Tennessee-16/OT

Real Life Score: Tennessee-22 Buffalo-16 (Music City Miracle)

Seattle Seahawks (9-7) vs. Miami Dolphins (9-7)
The Kingdome, Seattle, WA

Both the Seattle Seahawks and the Miami Dolphins had started the 1999 season 8-2. However, problems with both teams had led to late slumps, and the two teams ended up lucky to make it into the playoffs, as both teams won tie breakers over the Kansas City Chiefs to earn their place in the postseason. For the Seahawks, it was the first time since 1988 that they had reached the playoffs. New head coach Mike Holmgren had come over from Green Bay after winning the Super Bowl and put a winning attitude in place. Quarterback Jon Kitna passed for over 3,300 yards and had 23 touchdowns, while Ricky Watters rushed for 1,210 yards and five touchdowns. In Miami, Dan Marino had finally started to show his age, passing for just 12 touchdowns while throwing 17 interceptions, but the Miami defense was one of the best in the NFL, and had given Marino one more chance to claim a Super Bowl ring.

What neither team had expected were turnovers following the opening kickoff. Jon Kitna was intercepted on the first play of the game, which was followed by Dan Marino being picked off two plays later. With another chance to score first, the Seahawks wasted little time, as Kitna hit Derrick Mayes for a 44 yard screen pass that set up Todd Peterson's 44 yard field goal. Later in the first quarter, Seattle would strike again, as Ricky Watters moved the Seahawks into the red zone with a 24 yard run to the Miami one yard line. Reggie Brown would finish the drive with a one yard touchdown run, and the Seahawks were up 10-0. The Dolphins would answer with a 13 play drive that took over eight minutes off the clock, but they would have to settle for a field goal by Olindo Mare that made the score 10-3. The Seahawks would answer with a long drive of their own, but Jon Kitna was intercepted by Terrell Buckley in the Miami end zone that would end the last scoring chance for either team in the first half.

The defensive struggle that had started midway through the second half continued in the third quarter, as neither team could find the end zone. Both Miami and Seattle would get into their opponent's territory, but neither one would score. Jon Kitna would be intercepted at the Miami 30 yard line, while the Seahawks would hold the Dolphins with a goal line stand at their own one yard line. Following the stand, Seattle would embark on a 13 play, 83 yard drive that took up half of the fourth quarter and ended with a Todd Peterson 33 yard field goal. The Dolphins would take little time to answer, as Dan Marino hit Tony Martin for a 41 yard touchdown just a minute later, but the Seahawks would never let Marino see the ball again. Seattle's final drive lasted for 14 plays and ate up the rest of the clock as Ricky Watters and the Seattle passing game ate up the last six and a half minutes. As Todd Peterson's 37 yard field goal sailed through the uprights, the Seahawks had won their first playoff game since 1987, while Dan Marino would have to be content to call it a career without a ring.

Final Score: Seattle-16 Miami-10

Real Life Score: Miami-20 Seattle-17

AFC Divisional Playoffs

Jacksonville Jaguars (14-2) vs. Buffalo Bills (11-5)
AllTell Stadium, Jacksonville, FL

After their disappointing loss to the Patriots last season, the Jacksonville Jaguars had recovered with one of the best seasons in NFL history. Mark Brunell had thrown for over 3,000 yards with 14 touchdowns, and James Stewart and Fred Taylor had rushed for over 1,650 yards and 19 touchdowns. Meanwhile the Jacksonville defense was also one of the best in the NFL, allowing just 217 points on the season. Tony Brackens and Kevin Hardy led the way for a very strong defensive unit, which would be going up against a questionable offense in Rob Johnson and the Bills.

This time, the Buffalo defense did their job the first time around, as Jacksonville was stopped on their opening drive and the Bills were able to put points on the board. Rob Johnson once again moved his way through the defense of the Jaguars, thanks in large part to a 40 yard run by Antowain Smith. Kevin Williams brought in the seven yard touchdown pass that gave the Bills the lead. After the first Buffalo drive, neither team could answer until late in the first half. After a series of punts, the Jaguars finally got into gear, as Mark Brunell moved them into scoring range, and James Stewart broke free for a 30 yard touchdown run with just 20 seconds to play in the first half.

As the third quarter began, the Bills knew that they had to strike in the third quarter, and they managed to do so thanks to an 11 play, 31 yard drive that lasted almost seven minutes. The Jacksonville defense stopped the Buffalo offense cold, but it wasn't soon enough, as Steve Christie nailed a 38 yard kick that put the Bills on top. The Buffalo defense continued to keep the Jags off balance, but an Aaron Beasley interception put Jacksonville in good field position. Three plays later, Mike Hollis nailed a 49 yard field goal to tie the game. After another Buffalo punt, the Jaguars moved just 18 yards in seven plays, but it was enough for Hollis to nail another field goal. Buffalo's last chance ended thanks to Rob Johnson's interception late in the fourth quarter, and the Jaguars were headed to their second AFC Championship in three years.

Final Score: Jacksonville-13 Buffalo-10

Real Life Score: Jacksonville-62 Miami-7 (Dan Marino's last game)

Indianapolis Colts (13-3) vs. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)
The RCA Dome, Indianapolis, IN

Over 20 years had passed between double digit win seasons for the Indianapolis Colts. The last time they had won ten or more games was in 1977 as the Baltimore Colts. Now, with second year quaterback Peyton Manning, Indianapolis looked like they would be a force for years to come. Manning led the fourth rated offense in the NFL with 4,135 yards and 26 touchdowns. Rookie running back Edgerrin James was a workhorse from the minute he stepped onto the field, rushing for 1,553 yards and 13 touchdowns which was enough to earn him Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Wideout Marvin Harrison exploded with a 1,663 yard, 12 touchdown season to finish up the young trio of stars for the Colts. Indianapolis did have some problems on defense, but they believed that Peyton Manning and their offense would be more than enough to take care of the Seattle Seahawks and get them to the AFC Championship.

It didn't take long for Peyton Manning and the Colts to make their mark on the Seattle defense. After the Seahawks punted on their opening drive, Manning moved Indianapolis downfield with a mix of short passes and runs by Edgerrin James and Keith Elias. It would be James that would finish the drive on a 12 yard touchdown run, putting the Colts up early. After the teams traded punts on their next drives, Seattle was able to take advantage of Indianapolis' weak defense. Jon Kitna picked apart the Colts until he found Christian Fauria for a five yard touchdown that tied the game. A good kickoff return by Terrence Wilkins gave the Colts the ball near midfield, and Manning and James struck again. Peyton's 18 yard pass to Marvin Harrison put the Colts in striking distance, and James' 21 yard touchdown run gave Indianapolis the lead once again. Seattle would drive down the field on their next drive, but they would have to settle for a Todd Peterson field goal, and the Colts countered that with Peyton Manning's first career playoff touchdown on a 57 yard bomb to Marvin Harrison. After a Jon Kitna interception on the next Seattle play, the Colts would need just three plays for Mike Vanderjagt to nail a 42 yard field goal. Neither team would score again in the half, and Indianapolis took a 24-10 lead into the half.

The Seahawks needed a momentum boost coming out of the half, and they got it early. After stopping the Colts on three plays to start the half, Jon Kitna moved Seattle all the way to the Indianapolis four yard line. However, the Colts defense held their ground, and forced Seattle to settle for a Todd Peterson field goal. Indianapolis answered on their next drive, as Edgerrin James cut through the Seattle defense and set up Mike Vanderjagt's second field goal of the game. Neither team would score again until early in the fourth quarter, when Peyton Manning unleashed another deep pass to Marvin Harrison. Harrison's second 57 yard touchdown catch of the day put the Colts up 34-13, and after Manning found Harrison for a 26 yard touchdown on the next Indianapolis drive, the game was all but over. Seattle would score on their next two drives, thanks to a Ricky Watters three yard run and a seven yard pass from Kitna to Christian Fauria, but there just wasn't enough time to complete the comeback. For the first time in over a decade, the Colts were headed to the AFC Championship.

Final Score: Indianapolis-41 Seattle-27

Real Life Score: Tennessee-19 Indianapolis-16

AFC Championship Game

AllTell Stadium, Jacksonville, FL

Jacksonville Jaguars (14-2) vs. Indianapolis Colts (13-3)

For the second time in three years, the young Jacksonville Jaguars had made it to the AFC Championship. Jacksonville's balanced offense and powerful defense was more than a match for any team, but Peyton Manning and the Colts wanted to see how well their offense could perform against the best defense in the NFL. For the Colts, it was a chance to get to their first Super Bowl in 28 years, while the Jaguars were looking to prove their upset against San Francisco two years ago was not a fluke.

Unfortunately for the Colts, they had forgotten that special teams were an important part of the game as well. After stopping Jacksonville on their opening drive, Indianapolis had little success against the Jaguars defense, and had to punt. Jacksonville's Reggie Barlow fielded the punt at the Jacksonville 29 yard line and raced, untouched, for a 72 yard touchdown that put the Jaguars in the lead. A holding penalty against the Colts on the ensuing kickoff pinned them back at their own three yard line, and they couldn't escape the shadow of their own goalposts. This time, Barlow returned the punt to the Indianapolis 37 yard line. With such a short field to work with, it didn't take long for the Jaguars to move deep into Indianapolis territory. However, the Colts stopped Jacksonville at the one yard line, but unlike Seattle, the Jaguars decided to take a chance. On fourth down, James Stewart found a small crack in the Indianapolis defensive line and broke through for the one yard touchdown. The Jacksonville defense continued to keep the Colts off balance on offense, and forced another punt. This time, Mark Brunell actually had to move the Jaguars downfield on offense, but he was able to do just that thanks to passes to Jimmy Smith and runs by Stewart and Fred Taylor. It looked as if the Jaguars would score again, but Taylor fumbled the ball at the Indianapolis four yard line, ending the drive. Another poor punt by the Colts put the Jaguars inside Indianapolis territory on their next drive, but Mike Hollis missed a 44 yard field goal. On the next Colts drive, they once again faced a fourth down, but coach Jim Mora called a draw play, rather than risk another punt. Paul Shields was stopped cold, and Jacksonville turned the poor call into three points, thanks to a Mike Hollis 25 yard kick. The Colts finally answered on their next drive, as Peyton Manning got moving and hit Terrence Wilkins with a four yard touchdown pass with just seconds to play in the half, giving the Colts some momentum heading into the third quarter.

The late momentum that the Colts had from their scoring drive seemed to carry over into the second half. On their opening drive of the third quarter, Peyton Manning once again moved Indianapolis into Jacksonville territory, but the Jaguars defense clamped down just out of field goal range. Once again, Jim Mora decided to go for a fourth down conversion, and once again, the Colts could not get it done against the Jacksonville defense. Though the Jaguars had to punt on their drive, the Colts ended up pinned back in their own territory and had to punt again. This time, the Jaguars would not let a chance pass them by, as Mark Brunell, James Stewart and Fred Taylor guided Jacksonville on an 11 play, 59 yard drive that ended with a Mike Hollis 25 yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. From there, Jacksonville's defense would pound the Colts, leaving Edgerrin James unable to find running room, and Peyton Manning confused and frustrated. Hollis would add another late field goal as the final nail in the coffin, and despite Manning's best efforts, the Jacksonville Jaguars would head to their second Super Bowl in three years.

Final Score: Jacksonville-23 Indianapolis-7

Real Life Score: Tennessee-33 Jacksonville-14

[kenyan_cheena]

Sad how some of the real-life events have been repeated here, with Marino and Moon both failing to win a Super Bowl. But it's good to see the Jaguars making it to two of them.

I've been contemplating starting another NFL whatifsports dynasty but am not 100% committed to the idea yet. Reading your write-ups might just be enough to make me do it.

[Hurkman]

NFC Wild Card Playoffs

Washington Redskins (10-6) vs. Detroit Lions (8-8)
FedEx Field, Landover, MD

After a 6-10 season the year before, no one expected the Washington Redskins to be much of a force in the NFC in 1999. However, after aquiring Brad Johnson from Minnesota and making Stephen Davis the starting running back, the Redskins exploded with one of the best offenses in football. Johnson passed for 4,005 yards and 24 touchdowns, while Davis rushed for over 1,400 yards and an NFL leading 17 touchdowns. Receivers Michael Westbrook and Albert Connell each finished with over 1,100 yards receiving, and Washington's offense averaged over 27 points per game, good for second in the league. Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions were able to rebound from a surprising loss of their own. After a 5-11 season in 1998, Barry Sanders announced his retirement, leaving Detroit without their best player. The Lions responded by starting the season 8-4, and had wins over both the St. Louis Rams and Redskins. Gus Frerotte and Charlie Batch split time at quarterback, but it didn't matter to receivers Germane Crowell and Johnnie Morton, who each finished with over 1,100 yards.

Both offenses came out of the gate and drove downfield without much resistance, though the kickers made life more difficult. Both Jason Hanson and Brett Conway missed field goals to finish their respective teams' opening drives, but Conway would bounce back on the next Washington drive. Brad Johnson picked apart the Detroit defense before the Lions managed to stop the Redskins inside the ten yard line. From there, Conway kicked a 22 yard field goal to put Washington on the board. A Gus Frerotte interception on the next Detroit drive gave the Redskins excellent field position, and three plays later, Johnson hit Albert Connell for a seven yard touchdown and a 10-0 Washington lead. Following a Darrell Green interception that ended the next Lions drive, Stephen Davis pounded through Detroit's defense. Brett Conway added his second field goal of the day, this one from 41 yards out to extend Washington's lead. Detroit was finally able to get their offense going again on their next two drives as Frerotte settled down and began hitting his receivers. However, all they could manage were two Jason Hanson field goals that closed the score to 13-6 as the first half came to a close.

The Washington offense picked up right where they left off in the third quarter. Following a Detroit punt on their opening possession of the second half, Stephen Davis and Brian Mitchell found holes in the front seven of the Lions, then Brad Johnson hit Michael Westbrook for 20 yards before finding Larry Centers on a swing pass for a four yard touchdown. Detroit countered with a scoring drive of their own, as their running game finally found footing. The 11 play, 78 yard drive ended with a four yard Ron Rivers touchdown and gave the Lions a little bit of momentum heading into the fourth quarter. Unfortunately for the Lions, it wouldn't take long for that momentum to vanish. Following the Detroit touchdown, Johnson and Davis moved the Redskins 43 yards in 14 plays. The nine and a half minute drive ended with a Brett Conway field goal and had completely exhausted the Lions on defense. After Detroit went three and out on their next possession, that defense had to go back onto the field and was promptly dismantled by Washington. A ten play, 70 yard drive ended with Stephen Davis scoring on a 20 yard run and put an end to Detroit's season. Brad Johnson had found redemption with the Redskins and had them moving on to the second round of the NFC playoffs.

Final Score: Washington-30 Detroit-13

Real Life Score: Washington-27 Detroit-13

Minnesota Vikings (10-6) vs. Dallas Cowboys (8-8)
The Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN

Most people expected the Vikings to take a step back after their 15-1 season in 1999, but very few expected the fallout that happened. After a 2-4 start, Randall Cunningham was benched in favor of another journeyman quarterback in Jeff George. George managed to guide the Vikings to an 8-2 record to close out the season, and he threw for 23 touchdowns compared to just 12 interceptions. Robert Smith had another good season at running back, finishing with 1,015 yards and two touchdowns, while Chris Carter and Randy Moss were the most dynamic receiving duo in the NFL, finishing with a combined 2,654 yards and 24 touchdowns. The Minnesota defense wasn't as good, finishing 27th in the NFL in yards allowed, but their powerful offense made up for it. In Dallas, the Cowboys had an up and down season, but did just enough to make it into the playoffs once again. Troy Aikman passed for 2,964 yards and 17 touchdowns and Emmitt Smith rushed for almost 1,400 yards and 11 touchdowns. After Michael Irvin's career was ended in Week 5, Rocket Ismail stepped in and finished with over 1,000 yards receiving and six touchdowns, giving Aikman at least a temporary replacement. The Dallas defense was as strong as ever, finishing in the top ten in points scored, yards allowed and turnovers.

It didn't take long for Dallas to expose Minnesota's poor defensive play. On their opening drive of the game, Troy Aikman moved the Cowboys deep into Minnesota territory, going 71 yards in 11 plays before giving way to Eddie Murray. His 29 yard field goal put Dallas in the lead, and after the Cowboys recovered a Jeff George fumble on Minnesota's first drive many Vikings fans were nervous already. However, neither team could move the ball very well on offense until midway through the second quarter, when the Cowboys started to drive once again. Rocket Ismail broke a 22 yard run after a screen pass, and Eddie Murray added a 45 yard field goal, his second of the game, to put Dallas up by six. The next Dallas drive would finally find the end zone in just four plays. Chris Warren started the drive with a 42 yard run, which was followed by an 11 yard run from Emmitt Smith. A 17 yard pass from Aikman to Ismail then gave way to a 12 yard touchdown pass to Jason Tucker. Just like that, Dallas had a 13-0 lead. The Vikings responded with a good two minute drill, but they could not find the end zone and had to settle for a Gary Anderson 32 yard field goal as the first half came to a close.

The second half didn't go much better for the Vikings. Their first drive of the third quarter ended with a Jake Reed fumble, and though the defense was able to stop Dallas from scoring on that drive, they couldn't on the next Cowboys possession. Troy Aikman moved Dallas 59 yards in ten plays and finished the drive with a ten yard touchdown pass to Ernie Mills late in the third quarter. From there, it was just a matter of Dallas' defense keeping the Vikings off the scoreboard, and aside from a Gary Anderson 36 yard field goal on the next Minnesota possession, the Cowboys did just that. The Vikings would not threaten on offense for the rest of the game, and for the second straight year, Minnesota was knocked out of the playoffs, at home, by a less superior team.

Final Score: Dallas-20 Minnesota-6

Real Life Score: Minnesota-27 Dallas-10

NFC Divisional Playoffs

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5) vs. Washington Redskins (10-6)
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

Despite having one of the best defenses in the NFL, very little was expected out of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 1999 season. Their 270 points scored ranked near the bottom of the NFL, and after Trent Dilfer broke his collarbone against Seattle in week 12, most assumed that rookie Shaun King would fold under the pressure. That isn't what happened, though. King played solid football and relied on his defense and running back duo of Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn to guide the Bucs into the playoffs for the second time in two years. The real strength of Tampa Bay was their defense, which featured four Pro Bowlers and three All Pros. Derrick Brooks, John Lynch and Warren Sapp were the leaders on one of the best defenses in the NFL, while Hardy Nickerson, Ronde Barber and Donnie Abraham helped provide even more defensive support. With an offense that seemed to be the exact opposite of what was winning games in the NFL, the Buccaneers would have a big challenge against a talented Washington Redskins teams.

Sure enough, it was Tampa Bay's defense that kept the Buccaneers in the game early on. Even with a dependence on the running game, Shaun King looked nervous in the first quarter and the Bucs couldn't get moving on offense. The Redskins were able to take advantage with a long drive. A mix of runs by Stephen Davis and passes by Brad Johnson kept Tampa Bay's defense on their heels just enough for Washington to get into field goal range. Brett Conway's 38 yard field goal put the Redskins on top late in the first quarter and put even more pressure on King. He responded by leading Tampa Bay on a five play, 59 yard drive, which was highlighted by a 51 yard catch and run by Warrick Dunn. Martin Gramatica nailed a 23 yard field goal and the Buccaneers had tied the score. Late in the second quarter, King would find Dave Moore for a 21 yard touchdown pass, and Tampa Bay had their first lead. The Redskins attempted to counter with a quick two minute drill, but Conway's 44 yard field goal missed just to the left, and Washington went into the half down by a touchdown and facing a much more confident quarterback in Shaun King.

Defense was again the name of the game in the third quarter. Tampa Bay started things off by forcing an Irving Fryar fumble on Washington's first possession. The Redskins countered by intercepting Shaun King deep in Washington territory, but they would eventually be forced to punt. King would bounce back with a swing pass to Mike Alstott that turned into a 64 yard rumble down the sideline. Though the Redskins would hold the Buccaneers out of the end zone, Martin Gramatica added his second field goal of the game to extend the Tampa Bay lead. The Buccaneers would get the ball right back, thanks to a fumble by Skip Hicks, and Gramatica would add another field goal just three plays later. The Redskins would answer back with a five play, 76 yard drive that featured five running plays. Stephen Davis broke free for a 58 yard gain, and Brad Johnson finished the drive with a one yard touchdown run, putting Washington down by just six points. A good kickoff return put Tampa Bay at midfield, and King's 29 yard pass to Dave Moore set them up for Gramatica's third field goal of the quarter. Now down by nine points, the Redskins were forced to go for a conversion on fourth down at their own 34 yard line. Davis was stopped, and Gramatica added his fifth field goal of the game to finish the scoring. For the first time in 20 years, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had won a playoff game.

Final Score: Tampa Bay-22 Washington-10

Real Life Score: Tampa Bay-14 Washington-13

St. Louis Rams (13-3) vs. Dallas Cowboys (8-8)
The TransWorld Dome, St. Louis, MO

While almost no one saw the Tampa Bay Buccaneers being a force in the NFC in 1999, no one had the St. Louis Rams as anything but a footnote, especially after Trent Green was lost for the season during the preseason. Out of the shadows came Kurt Warner, a former NFL Europe and Arena League star, who became the starting quarterback and turned the Rams around. St. Louis started the season 6-0, then had another seven game winning streak before the last week of the season. By the time the dust had settled, Warner was the NFL MVP and had thrown for 4,353 yards and 41 touchdowns. Marshall Faulk had come over from Indianapolis and rushed for 1,381 yards and seven touchdowns and Issac Bruce flourished, finishing with 12 touchdowns and 1,165 yards. Not only that, but the St. Louis defense was one of the best in the league, allowing just 242 points on the season. Kevin Carter led the league with 17 sacks and the Rams forced 36 turnovers, good for sixth in the league. The Cowboys would have to shock the world if they were to somehow advance to the NFC Championship.

Though the Cowboys would make it downfield on their opening possession, Eddie Murray missed a 38 yard field goal. That set the tone for the entire first half, as the St. Louis Rams came out and quickly moved downfield following the missed field goal. Kurt Warner ended the six play, 82 yard drive with a 23 yard touchdown pass to Az-Zahir Hakim and the Rams had the lead. The Dallas defense managed to contain St. Louis throughout the first quarter after that, but the Rams started to move again early in the second quarter. This time, the St. Louis running game did much of the damage as Marshall Faulk, Robert Holcombe and Justin Watson pounded their way through the Dallas front seven. Watson would finish the drive with a one yard touchdown run, putting the Rams up by two touchdowns. Warner would strike again on the next St. Louis drive, and he ended the 12 play, 82 yard drive with a 13 yard touchdown pass to Rickey Proehl, ending the first half onslaught and giving the Rams a 21-0 lead heading into the half.

Things didn't start out much better for the Cowboys in the second half. The Rams started with the ball and advanced downfield again. This time, the Dallas defense kept St. Louis out of the end zone, but Jeff Wilkins nailed a 50 yard field goal to extend the lead. The Cowboys finally were able to move again on offense late in the third quarter, as Emmitt Smith moved through a couple of small holes in the St. Louis defense. Smith finished the drive with a 30 yard touchdown run that put the Cowboys on the board. Dallas began to shift the momentum on their next drive. Troy Aikman only had to complete one pass on the entire nine play drive, but it was a 14 yard touchdown to Rocket Ismail, and all of a sudden, the Cowboys were only down by ten points. It didn't take long for the Rams to answer back, as their offense got back into high gear. Two quick passes from Kurt Warner to Az-Zahir Hakim and Issac Bruce moved St. Louis into Dallas territory, and Marshall Faulk then broke loose for a 43 yard touchdown that sent the Rams fans into a frenzy. Dallas did their best to stay in the game, and scored again on their next drive, thanks to a nine yard run by Emmitt Smith, but there just wasn't enough time left on the clock. The Cowboys had put up a good fight, but the Rams were just too strong, and were headed to their first NFC Championship game since 1989.

Final Score: St. Louis-31 Dallas-21

Real Life Score: St. Louis-49 Minnesota-37

NFC Championship Game

The TransWorld Dome, St. Louis, MO

St. Louis Rams (13-3) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5)

Though the St. Louis Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers boasted two very different styles of play, their stories during the 1999 season were quite similar. Both teams had their starting quarterbacks go down due to injury, and both had to start unproven men under center that ended up adapting very well. While the Rams boasted the best offense in the NFL, the Buccaneers had one of the strongest defenses, and could shut down any team on any day. St. Louis wasn't lacking in the defensive department, either, and both teams were hoping for their first trip back to the Super Bowl since the late 1970s.

The Rams came out looking like they did the week before against Dallas on their opening drive of the game. Marshall Faulk moved through the Tampa Bay defense, and Kurt Warner zipped passes to Az-Zahir Hakim and Torry Holt to move St. Louis into Tampa Bay territory. From there though, the Buccaneers took over on defense. Warner was sacked by Warren Sapp, and Faulk fumbled the ball over to the Buccaneers, ending the drive. Tampa Bay then took their best shot against the St. Louis defense, as Shaun King guided the Buccaneers downfield with a mix of short passes and runs by Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn. A 27 yard pass from King to Jacquez Green set the Buccaneers up in St. Louis territory, and Alstott and Dunn did the rest. Dunn finished the drive with a one yard touchdown run and Tampa Bay had an early lead. The momentum would continue for the Buccaneers on their next drive. After a Mike Horan punt pinned the Bucs back at their own six yard line, Alstott rumbled forward for 11 yards on two carries, then King hit Dave Moore for seven yards, followed by an 11 yard pass to Alstott. With room to work, Tampa Bay began pounding at St. Louis' defense again. A 36 yard run by Dunn put the Buccaneers inside the St. Louis five, and King finished the 94 yard, 13 play drive with a three yard touchdown pass to Rabih Abdullah. Down by two touchdowns, the Rams finally woke up and flew past the Tamp Bay defense. Warner's 14 yard touchdown pass to Hakim put St. Louis on the board, and the score would remain 14-7 until halftime.

Tampa Bay's first half strategy of long drives designed to keep the high powered St. Louis offense on the sidelines had worked to perfection, and the Buccaneers came out in the third quarter determined to do the same thing. Their opening drive of the half was a work of art. Shaun King completed five of six passes, and while the Buccaneers only moved the ball 45 yards, they took 13 plays and eight minutes off the clock before Martin Gramatica hit a 37 yard field goal. After the Rams went three and out on offense, Tampa Bay wasted little time on their next drive. A 42 yard run by Mike Alstott on the first play of the drive moved the Buccaneers inside the St. Louis ten yard line, and King hit Dave Moore with a six yard touchdown pass on the next play to put the Buccaneers up 24-7. The Rams were in a state of shock, and their offense still could get very little going against the very tough Tampa Bay defense. St. Louis would finally score again midway through the fourth quarter, as Kurt Warner found Az-Zahir Hakim for the second time on a 50 yard touchdown strike, but the Buccaneers were ready with a counter. Thirteen out of the next 15 plays were runs by Tampa Bay, and the Buccaneers finished the eight minute, 15 play, 52 yard drive with a 26 yard field goal by Martin Gramatica. With just one minute left in the fourth quarter, the Rams had been beaten. Tampa Bay held the ball for almost 40 minutes, and proved that a great defense can always beat a great offense as they headed to their second Super Bowl in team history.

Final Score: Tampa Bay-27 St. Louis-14

Real Life Score: St. Louis-11 Tampa Bay-6

[Hurkman]

Super Bowl XXXIV

The Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA

Jacksonville Jaguars (14-2)


Head Coach: Tom Coughlin
396 Points Scored
217 Points Allowed

Starting Quarterback: Mark Brunell


Road to the Super Bowl:
Defeated Buffalo, 13-10: AFC Divisional Playoffs
Defeated Indianapolis, 23-7: AFC Championship



Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5)


Head Coach: Tony Dungy
270 Points Scored
235 Points Allowed

Starting Quarterback: Shaun King


Road to the Super Bowl:
Defeated Washington, 22-10: NFC Divisional Playoffs
Defeated St. Louis, 27-14: NFC Championship



The Game

For the first time in Super Bowl history, both participants were from the same home state. The Jackonsville Jaguars had emerged from their expansion to become one of the top teams in the NFL, and they were looking for their second Super Bowl championship in three years. Mark Brunell led a strong offense based around the running of Fred Taylor and James Stewart and a good receiving corps, while the Jacksonville defense led the league in fewest points allowed and was fourth in total yards. Tampa Bay had made the trip to the Super Bowl for just the second time in team history, and they were hoping that this time they would leave with the title. Rookie Shaun King had replaced Trent Dilfer during the season, but had the support of an excellent running attack and one of the best defenses in the NFL to help him get by. That running attack had shocked the St. Louis Rams in the NFC Championship, and while the Jaguars and most fans thought that King's miracle run would come to an end in the Georgia Dome, the Buccaneers were confident that they had one last Cinderella performance up their sleaves.

Sure enough, the Buccaneers came out and hit the Jacksonville defense right in the mouth. With the Jaguars thinking Tampa Bay would come out running the ball, Shaun King threw three straight passes to open the game. The third pass was to Warrick Dunn, who took off down the field for 53 yards. Jacksonville's defense would hold from there, but Martin Gramatica's 29 yard field goal gave the Buccaneers an early 3-0 lead. After a quick three and out by the Jacksonville offnse, King and the Buccaneers went at it again. Using the same gameplan that they had used against the Rams, King moved Tampa Bay into Jacksonville territory again with a mix of runs by Mike Alstott and Dunn, and short passes to his receivers. Once again, the Buccaneers got into field goal range, and Gramatica was able to hit a 43 yard field goal to extend the lead. Tampa Bay's next drive ended with a punt, and Jacksonville was able to take advantage. Reggie Barlow returned the punt to the Tampa Bay 38 yard line, and the Jaguars only had to move 19 yards for Mike Hollis to kick a 36 yard field goal that put Jacksonville on the board. The Jaguars would strike next on defense, stripping Mike Alstott of the football on the next Buccaneer drive. Two plays later, Fred Taylor finally found a way through the Tampa Bay defense, breaking free for a 31 yard touchdown that put the Jaguars on top. Jacksonville's momentum was slowed on their next drive, as the Buccaneers settled down on defense and forced a punt. From there, King was able to move Tampa Bay in another solid two minute drill, as passes to Jacquez Green and Reidel Anthony moved the Buccaneers into field goal range again. Gramatica's third field goal of the half, this one from 26 yards out, cut the Jacksonville lead to a single point as Super Bowl XXXIV went to the half.

Jacksonville knew that they would have to find a way to get through the Tampa Bay defense again if they wanted to claim their second title, and their first drive of the third quarter did just just. Mark Brunell hit Fred Taylor for a 46 yard gain on the second play of the quarter, and Mike Hollis kicked a 38 yard field goal to put the Jaguars up by four points. After forcing a Tampa Bay punt on their opening possession of the third quarter Jacksonville took a page out of the Buccaneers' book and went on a 12 play, 58 yard drive that took almost eight minutes off the clock. Brunell threw just two passes on the drive, and relied on Fred Taylor and James Stewart to punish the Tampa Bay defense with pounding runs. Even though Mike Hollis had to end the drive with another field goal, the Buccaneers looked like they had run out of gas, and a punt on their next drive seemed to confirm that idea. However, the Tampa Bay defense found another gear, and forced Jacksonville to punt on their next drive. Jacquez Green returned the punt to the Tampa Bay 40 yard line, and the Buccaneers went back to work. Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott each broke off 18 yard runs, and Martin Gramatica was called on once again to finish the drive. His 24 yard field goal put Tampa Bay within four points, but the Jaguars would answer once again. Just as they had in the third quarter, the Jaguars embarked on a long drive that began to eat up precious fourth quarter time. Brunell threw four times on the drive as Stewart and Taylor again did much of the leg work. Finally, Mike Hollis' 37 yard field goal ended the ten play, 60 yard drive with just two and a half minutes to play, leaving Tampa Bay with one shot at tying the game.

The kickoff following the field goal was returned to the Tampa Bay 31 yard line, and Shaun King brought his offense back onto the field for one last chance. Two quick plays resulted in just three yards, but King fought back, hitting Jacquez Green for 21 yards on third down. A Warrick Dunn 20 yard run looked to put the Buccaneers in great position, but a holding penalty pushed them back instead. Two plays later, King again got out of a long third down situation as he found Darnell McDonald for 21 more yards. Dunn then broke free for a 24 yard run, putting the ball at the Jacksonville six yard line with just a minute to play. The Jaguars were back on their heels, and Mike Alstott knocked them back even further, breaking through the goal line defense for a six yard touchdown run. With just 45 seconds to play, the Buccaneers had tied the game. The Jaguars could muster nothing on offense, and for the first time in Super Bowl history, there would be overtime.

The physical style of play had left both teams drained, and neither could get anything moving in the early stages of overtime. The Buccaneers managed to break into Jacksonville territory on their second possession, but couldn't get into field goal range and were forced to punt. Mark Royals pinned the Jaguars inside their own 20 yard line, and after Jacksonville had to punt again, Tampa Bay got the ball with just over five minutes to play in the first overtime. A six yard run by Shaun King, coupled with a facemask penalty on the Jaguars moved the ball to the Tampa Bay 42 yard line, and Warrick Dunn broke through an exhausted Jaguars defense for 19 yards on the next play. The Buccaneers were on the edge of field goal range, and runs by Dunn and Mike Alstott and a six yard pass from King to Bert Emanuel moved them even closer. With just two minutes to play in the overtime, Martin Gramatica stepped onto the field for his fifth field goal attempt of the game. The 47 yard kick just curled around the right upright, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had shocked the football world. Shaun King became the first rookie to ever quarterback a Super Bowl champion and had sent a message that the NFL was entering a new decade that would be its best yet.

Final Score: Tampa Bay-22 Jacksonville-19/OT

MVP: Warrick Dunn: 19 carries, 114 yards, 4 catches, 79 yards

[Hurkman]

AFC Wild Card Playoffs

Miami Dolphins (11-5) vs. Indianapolis Colts (10-6)
Pro Player Stadium, Miami, FL

After Dan Marino's retirement at the end of the 1999 season, most people expected the Dolphins to get worse, not better in 2000. Instead, the Dolphins added new weapons on offense, and their defense turned itself around to become one of the best in the NFL. Jay Fiedler took over Marino's spot at quarterback, and while he put up average numbers, he did enough to keep Miami in just about every game. Running back Lamar Smith had come over from New Orleans and emerged as a star, rushing for over 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns. The Miami defense, which had struggled in 1999, was one of the best in the NFL in 2000. Jason Taylor and Trace Armstrong each recorded double digit sack totals and the defense ranked in the top ten in both yards and points allowed. Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Colts had a tremendous offense, but very little going for them on defense. Peyton Manning had his best season to date, passing for over 4,000 yards with 33 touchdowns, while Edgerrin James rushed for an NFL leading 1,709 yards and 13 touchdowns. Marvin Harrison finished the year with his second straight 100 catch season and 14 touchdowns. However, the defense was still lacking, finishing in the bottom half of the league in most statistical categories.

It was the Indianapolis defense that struck first, though. After two punts by the Colts on their first two drives, Mike Peterson intercepted Jay Fiedler at the Miami 20 yard line. Edgerrin James needed just one play to break through the Miami defense and score the first points of the game, putting the Colts on top. Indianapolis would strike again early in the second quarter, as the offense finally began to move against the Miami defense. Peyton Manning completed three passes of ten yards or more, and James continued to cut through the Miami defense. Manning finished the nine play, 84 yard drive with a five yard touchdown pass to Jerome Pathon and the Colts led 14-0. The Dolphins would answer on their next drive as they found their way through the questionable Indianapolis defense. Jay Fiedler completed four of five passes, but it was Lamar Smith that finished things off, breaking free for a nine yard touchdown run that cut the lead in half. After a Miami punt on their next drive, the Colts started back at their own five yard line, but it was no trouble for Manning and company. James, Manning and Marvin Harrison cut through the Miami defense like a hot knife through butter, going 95 yards in just under three minutes. James capped the drive with his second touchdown of the day, this one from three yards out, and the Colts had retaken their 14 point lead as the first half came to a close.

The Dolphins would try to answer the Colts as best they could in the second half, and looked as if they were going to strike very quickly. A 30 yard run by J.J. Johnson to open the second half put Miami inside Indianapolis territory, but a Chad Bratzke sack of Jay Fiedler pushed the Dolphins to the cusp of field goal range, and Olindo Mare missed a 44 yard attempt. However, the Miami defense was finally putting the clamps on the Indianapolis offense, and kept them off the scoreboard for both their third quarter drives. Veteran Thurman Thomas and Lamar Smith moved through the Colts defense on the first Miami drive of the fourth quarter, but the Dolphins had to settle for an Olindo Mare field goal. The Colts would waste little time in answering, as Peyton Manning picked apart the Miami secondary, going four for four for 68 yards on the eight play, 72 yard drive. His 17 yard pass to Edgerrin James with just over four minutes to play was the final nail in Miami's coffin. The Dolphins would get just one more drive, and after Jay Fiedler's fourth down pass sailed past Oronde Gadsden, the Colts had officially advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the second straight season.

Final Score: Indianapolis-28 Miami-10

Real Life Score: Miami-23 Indianapolis-17/OT

Baltimore Ravens (12-4) vs. Denver Broncos (11-5)
PSINet Stadium, Baltimore, MD

For the first time since they were the Cleveland Browns, the Baltimore Ravens had made it into the playoffs. Though their offense had struggled for most of the season, their defense was regarded as one of the best in the past decade. After a stretch of five straight games without scoring a touchdown, Tony Banks was replaced at quarterback by former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Trent Dilfer. Though Dilfer's stats were not great, he was an improvement over Banks, and the Baltimore running game, led by rookie Jamal Lewis, was well established. Lewis rushed for over 1,300 yards and had six touchdowns during his first season in the NFL, and tight end Shannon Sharpe had quickly become a favorite target of Dilfer, bringing in 67 catches for 810 yards. It was the Baltimore defense that had gotten them noticed, though. Ray Lewis led the defense on a tear that had not been seen in quite some time. Baltimore allowed just 165 points on the season and finished second in yards allowed while leading the league in forced turnovers and rushing yards allowed. They also allowed just 16 offensive touchdowns all season, making them arguably the best defense since the 1985 Chicago Bears. The Denver Broncos weren't intimidated though, as their offense was one of the best in the league. Running back Mike Anderson had filled Terrell Davis' shoes nicely, as his 1,487 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns were enough for him to be named Offensive Rookie of the Year. Brian Griese threw just four interceptions compared to 19 touchdowns and both Ed McCaffrey and Rod Smith finished with 100 or more catches. The only downside was that Griese would miss the game against Baltimore due to an injury, leaving Gus Frerotte to face the wrath of the Ravens defense.

The Ravens' struggles on offense spilled over early in the first quarter, as Trent Dilfer was intercepted by Jimmy Spencer on his second pass attempt of the game. With a shorter field to work with, Brian Griese and the Broncos were able to get within striking distance early, but the Baltimore defense held firm and stopped Denver at the one yard line, forcing them to settle for a Jason Elam field goal and an early lead. The Ravens would answer back on their first drive of the second quarter, as Dilfer used short passes to Shannon Sharpe and Qadry Ismail to set up runs by Jamal Lewis and Priest Holmes before giving way to Matt Stover. His 37 yard field goal tied the score, but the Broncos would answer back late in the second quarter. A 44 yard pass from Gus Frerotte to Ed McCaffrey put Denver inside the Baltimore ten yard line for the second time in the game. This time, the Broncos would make the most of their chance as Frerotte hit McCaffrey again for a nine yard touchdown that gave Denver the lead back with just under two minutes to play in the half. Dilfer would attempt to get the Ravens into scoring position again, but could only get to midfield as the first half ended.

Baltimore had made their living in the regular season with defense and special teams, and both of those things got them back on track in the third quarter. The Baltimore defense stopped the Denver offense cold on their first two possessions of the quarter, then the special teams stepped up. Jermaine Lewis returned the Denver punt inside Broncos territory, and the Ravens only had to go 19 yards in six plays for Matt Stover to hit his second field goal of the game. After another Denver punt, Lewis returned the ball to the Baltimore 40 yard line, giving the Ravens a shorter field once again. This time, it took just seven plays and 30 yards for Stover to get into range, and his third kick of the game put the Ravens within a single point. As the fourth quarter began, the Baltimore defense continued to put the clamps on the usually powerful Denver offense. A fourth straight Denver drive ended with a punt, and this time, the Ravens were ready to go for the kill. Jamal Lewis and Priest Holmes tired the Denver defense with punishing runs, which set up Trent Dilfer's 16 yard pass to Shannon Sharpe and a 20 yard pass to Holmes that put the Ravens at the Denver eight yard line. Three plays later, Dilfer found Brandon Stokley for a seven yard touchdown that put Baltimore ahead for the first time. The Ravens elected to go for a two point conversion, and the Broncos could not stop Jamal Lewis on a two yard conversion run that gave the Ravens a touchdown lead. The Denver offense had been stopped dead by the Batilmore defense, and the Ravens finished the Broncos with a 47 yard touchdown pass from Dilfer to Sharpe on their next drive. Denver finished with just 199 yards of total offense, with most of it coming in the first half as the Ravens won their first ever playoff game.

Final Score: Baltimore-24 Denver-10

Real Life Score: Baltimore-21 Denver-3

AFC Divisional Playoffs

Tennessee Titans (13-3) vs. Indianapolis Colts (11-5)
Adelphia Stadium, Nashville, TN

After a promising 1999 season, the Tennessee Titans had made it to the playoffs once again. Steve McNair was named to his first Pro Bowl with a 15 touchdown, 2,800 yard season at quarterback, while Eddie George was named an All Pro with over 1,500 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns. The main story in Tennessee was their defense. While the Ravens had gotten most of the coverage for their defense, the Titans had become one of the better defensive teams in the NFL in 2000. Second year end Jevon Kearse had become a leader at a very young age and recorded 11.5 sacks to lead the Titans. The Tennessee defense finished the year ranked second in points allowed, with 191, led the league in fewest yards allowed and recorded 55 sacks on the season. The Indianapolis Colts had a potent offense, but had to figure out how to score against the Titans while stopping the Titans from scoring themselves.

The Colts certainly got off to a good start in that regard, as Tyrone Poole intercepted Steve McNair on Tennessee's first possession. Poole returned the interception to the Tennessee ten yard line, and Edgerrin James managed to find a seam in the Titans' defense for a four yard touchdown run that put the Colts up early. The Titans looked as if they would answer quickly as they drove into Indianapolis territory on their next possession. However, the drive got bogged down just outside of field goal range, and Jeff Fisher elected to attempt a fourth down conversion. Eddie George was stopped short, and the Colts took over with good field position. This time, Indianapolis would only get to the Tennessee 20 yard line, but it was more than close enough for Mike Vanderjagt to nail a 37 yard field goal and put the Colts up 10-0 late in the first quarter. The Titans would wake up on defense after that, though. A catch by Jerome Pathon turned into a fumble and a Tennessee recovery at the Indianapolis 27 yard line on the next Colt drive and George finished the drive with a one yard touchdown run that put the Titans on the board. However, Peyton Manning and the Colts weren't finished yet in the first half, and came back with a late eight play, 87 yard drive that took just over a minute. Vanderjagt's second field goal of the half put Indianapolis up by six points heading into the half, and gave the Colts confidence that they could defeat the Titans on this day.

That confidence didn't disappear throughout the third quarter, as neither team could get their offense moving very well. Both the Colts and the Titans were playing strong on defense, with the only excitement coming on an exchange of fumbles midway through the quarter. With time slowly starting to tick down, Steve McNair began to move the Titans downfield late in the third quarter. Though they only got to midfield, their drive proved that they could move the ball on offense, and the Titans would take advantage on their next drive. Following a quick three and out by the Colts, Tennessee took over with the ball at their own 21 yard line. Eddie George began to pound the Indianapolis defense, which had started to tire after such a physical three quarters of football. His short runs began to turn into nine and ten yard gains, and that set up McNair in the passing game. A 16 yard pass to Derrick Mason put the Titans at midfield, and a 31 yard strike to Erron Kinney got Tennessee inside the red zone for the first time in the second half. On third and goal from the nine yard line, McNair found Frank Wycheck in the middle of the end zone, and the Titans had taken the lead for the first time. The ten play, 79 yard drive had taken the wind out of Indianapolis' sails, and though they got to midfield on their next drive, when Peyton Manning was sacked by Joe Salave'a on fourth down, the Colts knew the game was over. Tennessee held onto the ball for the final two minutes of the game, and the Titans were headed to their first AFC Championship since they were the Houston Oilers back in 1967.

Final Score: Tennessee-14 Indianapolis-13

Real Life Score: Baltimore-24 Tennessee-10
(Since the Colts were the #6 seed in the AFC, they played the #1 seed Titans, rather than the Ravens.)

Oakland Raiders (12-4) vs. Baltimore Ravens (12-4)
Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, CA

It had been seven years since the last time the Raiders had made it into the AFC playoffs. Now, back in Oakland, the Raiders looked like a team that could continue as a playoff power for many years. Rich Gannon had arrived the year before, was given a chance as a starting quarterback and did not disappoint in 2000, passing for 28 touchdowns compared to just 11 interceptions to go along with 3,480 yards. Tyrone Wheatley had come from the Giants in 1999 and recorded his first 1,000 yard season in 2000, finishing with 1,046 yards and 9 touchdowns. Wideout Tim Brown brought more balance to the third highest scoring team in the NFL, bringing in 76 catches for 1,128 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Oakland defense was also strong as cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Eric Allen made it almost impossible to pass the ball, while Grady Jackson, Tony Bryant and Darrell Russell looked like the foundation of a strong defensive line. Of course, none of this mattered to the Baltimore Ravens, who had already taken down a powerful offense in the Denver Broncos, and were looking to do the same to the Raiders.

Both defenses looked ready to play early on, as neither team could do anything on their opening drive other than punt. However, the Raiders were able to get something going on their next drive, as Zach Crockett broke a 24 yard run that put Oakland inside Baltimore territory. A 20 yard pass from Rich Gannon to Tim Brown moved the Raiders closer, but they would have to settle for a Sebastian Janikowski field goal and a 3-0 lead. Fortunately for Oakland, their defense had Trent Dilfer and the Baltimore offense stuck in first gear. The Ravens wouldn't cross midfield once in the first half, and the Raiders would take advantage of that later in the second quarter. A 34 yard run by Tyrone Wheatley started the drive and after three more runs and a 15 yard unnecessary roughness penalty on Baltimore, the Raiders had the ball at the Ravens 20 yard line. Rich Gannon foud Rickey Dudley for 14 yards, then hit Tim Brown three plays later for a six yard touchdown to finish the nine play, 69 yard drive. Neither team would get anywhere close to scoring after that in the first half and Oakland took a 10-0 lead and all the momentum into the locker room.

The defensive stranglehold that the Raiders had on the Ravens in the first half stayed hooked in for most of the third quarter. Baltimore finally crossed midfield on their opening possession of the second half, but the Raiders stopped them at the 45 yard line and then blocked Kyle Richardson's punt. Fortunately for the Ravens, their defense had not been too rattled by the first half, and Ray Lewis and company were keeping Rich Gannon and the Oakland offense well in check. It seemed like it would only take a handfull of plays to turn the game to either side, and when James Jett fumbled the ball on the first play of the fourth quarter, Baltimore finally had their chance. Starting from inside Oakland territory, the Ravens moved 25 yards in six plays. Matt Stover's 37 yard field goal gave Baltimore their first points of the game, but they weren't done yet. After a three and out by the Raiders, the Ravens started their first sustained drive of the game. Jamal Lewis rushed for 13 yards before Trent Dilfer completed three straight passes to move Baltimore inside the Oakland 20 yard line. A seven yard run by Priest Holmes set up a third down and three at the Oakland five yard line, and Dilfer managed to get away from the Raider pass rush and into the end zone for a touchdown run that tied the score. With just under three minutes to play, the Raiders were looking for overtime, but Baltimore had other ideas. For the second straight drive, Oakland went three and out. This time, Jermaine Lewis returned the punt to the Oakland 40 yard line, putting the Ravens close to field goal range. A ten yard pass from Dilfer to Shannon Sharpe got them into range, and the Ravens used Jamal Lewis to move them even closer. On Lewis' second carry, he broke through the Oakland defense and rushed 28 yards for the go ahead touchdown. The Raiders had just 29 seconds left to play, and the Ravens weren't about to give up their lead. Oakland got to their own 35 yard line, but would get no closer as the Ravens were headed to their first AFC Championship since the Cleveland Brown days.

Final Score: Baltimore-17 Oakland-10

Real Life Score: Oakland-27 Miami-0

AFC Championship Game

Adelphia Coliseum, Nashville, TN

Tennessee Titans (13-3) vs. Baltimore Ravens (12-4)

For the third time in the 2000 season, the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens would face off. This time, it would be to determine the AFC champion and who would go on to Super Bowl XXXV. The two teams had split their games during the regular season, though the Titans win came while Tony Banks was the starting quarterback for the Ravens. Both teams were remarkably similar, as both relied on excellent defense to carry their teams through each game. While the Ravens led the league in points allowed and had recorded four shutouts during the regular season, the Titans led the league in fewest yards allowed, and had back to back shutouts to close out the regular season. No matter which team won, their was one certainty: the AFC Championship was going to be a violent, physical affair.

After being scored on early in each of their past two playoff games, it was the Ravens who struck first against the Titans. Chris McAllister intercepted Steve McNair on the second Tennessee possession, putting Baltimore at the Titans 31 yard line. The Ravens moved down inside the 20 yard line, but had to settle for a Matt Stover field goal and an early lead. Luckily for Baltimore, their defense was once again in top form, as they kept the Titans from getting inside the Baltimore 35 yard line for the entire first half. The closest Tennessee came was their first drive of the second quarter, which ended at the Baltimore 41 yard line with a punt. The Ravens took that punt and started their lone sustained scoring drive of the first half, using Jamal Lewis to do most of the work and Trent Dilfer to pass only when necessary. Dilfer's 18 yard pass to Priest Holmes put the Ravens at the Tennessee eight yard line, and Lewis' run one play later found the end zone for the first touchdown of the day. Both defenses clamped down after that, and neither team was able to get anything going for the rest of the half, though the Ravens were quite happy with a 10-0 lead.

Just as they had in the first half, the Baltimore defense continued to keep Steve McNair and the Titans under wraps on offense. Eddie George could not find any sort of openings to run through, and McNair was under pressure all day from the front seven of the Ravens. Tennessee's lone chance in the third quarter was a long pass from McNair to Derrick Mason that was called back because of a holding penalty. Other than that, the Tennessee offense was silent. Of course, the Baltimore offense wasn't doing much better, but they had the lead and a plan. Rather than risk Trent Dilfer turning the ball over, the Ravens trusted much of their work in the second half to Jamal Lewis and Priest Holmes. The two Baltimore running backs found little room to work, but they were eating up time that became especially important as the third quarter became the fourth. The Baltimore running game had begun to wear down the Tennessee defense, and after the Titans punted on their first fourth quarter drive, the Ravens used that to their complete advantage.

Starting back at their own six yard line, Baltimore embarked on a 14 play, 76 yard drive that took almost ten minutes off the clock. Trent Dilfer only attempted four passes on the entire drive, completing all four of them. Meanwhile, Jamal Lewis and Priest Holmes, with help from Sam Gash and Obafemi Ayanbadejo, began to muscle through the Titans on defense. By the time Tennessee had stopped the Ravens, there were just three minutes to play in the game, and Matt Stover was called in for his second field goal of the game. There was no hope left for the Titans, who had been held to just six first downs and 149 total yards of offense. The Ravens didn't let Tennessee get inside their 40 yard line the entire game, and Baltimore was headed to their first Super Bowl as the Ravens.

Final Score: Baltimore-13 Tennessee-0

Real Life Score: Baltimore-16 Oakland-3 (In Oakland)

[Hurkman]

NFC Wild Card Playoffs

New Orleans Saints (10-6) vs. St. Louis Rams (10-6)
Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA

The St. Louis Rams had made it back to the playoffs, though their team was drastically different from the team that almost made the Super Bowl the year before. While the offense was still as high powered as ever, the defense had fallen to new lows, ranking last in the league in points allowed. A 6-0 start managed to turn into a 4-6 finish as Kurt Waner battled injuries. Marshall Faulk was still superb, rushing for over 1,300 yards and 18 touchdowns, while both Issac Bruce and Torry Holt finished the year with over 1,400 receiving yards. However, the defense that had been so good in 1999 was horrible in 2000, with many games resulting in arcade like scores. Meanwhile, the New Orleans Saints had been turned around after a disasterous three seasons under Mike Ditka. New head coach Jim Haslett had come in, and the Saints had taken to his gameplan very well. Aaron Brooks had taken over for Jeff Blake at quarterback at the end of the season, and had passed for over 1,500 yards and nine touchdowns in five games. Ricky Williams had rushed for exactly 1,000 yards, but was injured on his last carry of the year and could not play in the postseason. The Saints boasted a young, up and coming defense, though. La'Roi Glover, Darren Howard and Joe Johnson finished with double digit sack totals, and the Saints ranked in the top ten in the league in both points and yards allowed.

While both teams had powerful offenses, it was the defenses of the Saints and Rams that struck in the first quarter. St. Louis blocked a New Orleans punt on the opening possession of the game, only to have the Saints intercept Kurt Warner on their first drive. The Rams countered with an interception of Aaron Brooks on the following drive, but New Orleans answered with a goal line stand and a stopped fourth down attempt when the Rams got inside the New Orleans five. The Saints got on the board on their next drive, which lasted 17 plays and took over ten minutes off the clock. The Rams managed to stop New Orleans inside their ten yard line, so the Saints had to settle for a Doug Brien field goal and a 3-0 lead. Two plays later, Kurt Warner was intercepted again, this time by Fred Weary, and the Saints wasted little time. Aaron Brooks hit Willie Jackson on the next play for a 33 yard touchdown, and New Orleans was up by ten. The Rams countered on their next drive when Warner hit Issac Bruce for a 46 yard touchdown, and St. Louis was back in the game. The two teams would exchange field goals as the first half came to a close, and the Saints were confident that they could stop the powerful St. Louis offense.

Unfortunately for the Saints, it only took two plays for the Rams to take the lead in the third quarter. Kurt Warner's 50 yard touchdown pass to Torry Holt on the second play of the third quarter gave St. Louis the lead, and following a New Orleans punt, the Rams made their lead grow. A six play, 80 yard drive ended with a 23 yard touchdown pass from Warner to Issac Bruce, and the Rams had quickly taken a 24-13 lead. The Saints were able to answer on their next drive, but their 13 play, 47 yard drive could only yield a Doug Brien field goal. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Rams would close the door on the Saints, thanks to a 42 yard touchdown run by Justin Watson, an interception by Dexter McCleon on the first New Orleans play after the touchdown, and a six yard touchdown run by Trung Canidate four plays later. The Saints would answer with a 13 yard touchdown run by Terry Allen and a two point conversion by Chad Morton, but it was too little, too late. Despite their horrid defense, the Rams were headed to the second round of the playoffs.

Final Score: St. Louis-38 New Orleans-24

Real Life Score: New Orleans-31 St. Louis-28

Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-6)
Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, PA

In the three seasons that the Philadelphia Eagles had missed the playoffs, they had been to the bottom of the NFL standings and back. Second year head coach Andy Reid had placed his trust in second year quarterback Donovan McNabb, and he had not disappointed, passing for over 3,300 yards and 21 touchdowns while rushing for over 600 yards. However, McNabb was also the leading rusher for the Eagles, who had found themselves without a running game for most of the season. Luckily for Philadelphia, their defense had been one of the best in the league, ranking in the top ten in both yards and points allowed. Meanwhile, the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers looked just as good as last season heading into the playoffs. Shaun King was given a chance to start for an entire season, and helped turn a 3-4 start into a 7-3 finish. Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott both had Pro Bowl seasons, and new addition Keyshawn Johnson had given the Bucs the receiving threat they needed, finishing with 874 yards and eight touchdowns. The defense had been just as solid in 2000 as it had been in 1999, giving Tampa Bay a chance to repeat as Super Bowl champions just on the strength of their defense.

It was the Tampa Bay defense that allowed the Buccaneers to strike first. Though the Eagles managed to cross midfield on their first two drives, the Buccaneers stopped Philadelphia on both drives. The second time, Shaun King moved Tampa Bay quickly downfield and into the end zone, thanks to a 25 yard run by Warrick Dunn. The Eagles answered thanks to a 32 yard field goal by David Akers, but a fumble by Donovan McNabb inside the ten yard line on the next Philadelphia drive set up a 26 yard field goal by Martin Gramatica. Tampa Bay would add another field goal later in the second quarter, thanks to a Ronde Barber interception, and would take a 13-3 lead into the half.

The Buccaneers would strike again early in the third quarter. A return by Karl Williams put Tampa Bay inside Philadelphia territory to start the half, and a 30 yard pass to Mike Alstott by Shaun King moved the Buccaneers inside the Philadelphia 20 yard line. Jacquez Green came down with King's next pass for a 19 yard touchdown, and Tampa Bay had a 20-3 lead. After a Philadelphia punt, the Buccaneers drove down the field again with a mix of run and pass, though they woud have to settle with a Martin Gramatica field goal and a 23-3 lead. The Eagles would finally answer on their next drive with an 11 play, 52 yard drive, but it would only end with another David Akers field goal. While the Buccaneers had not been dominant on offense, their defense had stopped the Eagles cold, and Donovan McNabb would have to wait at least another year for his first playoff win.

Final Score: Tampa Bay-23 Philadelphia-6

Real Life Score: Philadelphia-21 Tampa Bay-3 (This was the first playoff game I have vivid memories of. The Na Brown touchdown in the corner of the end zone is stuck in my head forever).

NFC Divisional Playoffs

New York Giants (12-4) vs. St. Louis Rams (10-6)
Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

Midway through the 2000 season, Jim Fassel guaranteed that the New York Giants would make the playoffs. Though New York had struggled to that point, they bonded together following his statement and finished with the best record in the NFC. Kerry Collins took every snap, and had finished with over 3,600 yards and 22 touchdowns, while running backs Tiki Barber and Ron Danye finished with a combined 1,776 yards and 13 touchdowns, giving the Giants a powerful running game. Amani Toomer and Ike Hilliard provided New York with options at wide receiver, while Michael Strahan and Jessie Armstead led the Giants on defense against the best offense in the NFL.

It would take just three plays for the Rams to score. After the Giants received the opening kickoff, Tiki Barber fumbled his first carry of the game, giving the Rams the ball at the New York ten yard line. Kurt Warner hit Torry Holt for the touchdown on the next play, putting St. Louis up 7-0 early in the first quarter. The Rams would build on their lead on their next drive, thanks to another New York mistake. Joe Jurevicius fumbled at the St. Louis 32 yard line, and the Rams recovered. Nine plays and 68 yards later, Warner hit Ricky Proehl for a 19 yard touchdown and 14-0 St. Louis lead. The Giants would finally answer on their next drive, thanks to a two yard touchdown by Tiki Barber, but the Rams would answer again. Amani Toomer fumbled the ball on the next New York drive, and St. Louis was ready to go on offense. Three plays into the drive, Torry Holt brought down a five yard pass from Kurt Warner, and the Rams had a 21-7 lead, despite the solid defense of the Giants.

New York would answer back on their next drive, thanks to an interception by Ryan Phillips and a 28 yard field goal by Brad Daluiso to start the third quarter, as their 11 play, 28 yard drive moved them closer to the Rams. St. Louis would answer on their next drive, going 75 yards in four plays, thanks to a 52 yard run by Marshall Faulk. Kurt Warner's 21 yard pass to Issac Bruce gave the Rams a 28-10 lead and put St. Louis in a completely dominant position. Once Ron Dayne fumbled the ball away to the Rams on the next New York possession, the Giants were done for. Kurt Warner would add another touchdown pass, this one a 31 yard strike to Torry Holt, as the Rams dismantled the Giants and moved on to their second NFC Championship in a row.

Final Score: St. Louis-35 New York-10

Real Life Score: New York-20 Philadelphia-10

Minnesota Vikings (11-5) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-6)

The Minnesota Vikings had managed to turn a below average offense and a good defense into a playoff team once again. Second year quarterback Daunte Culpepper passed for just under 4,000 yards and 33 touchdowns, while running back Robert Smith rushed for 1,521 yards and seven touchdowns. Chris Carter and Randy Moss each had over 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns, while the Minnesota defense was below average, but more than ready to take care of the Buccaneers once again.

The defenses of both teams dominated through the first possessions. Tampa Bay blocked Minnesota's second punt of the night, and the Buccaneers were in business. Short passes from Shaun King to his receivers set Tampa Bay up on offense, and a 16 yard run by Warrick Dunn put the Buccaneers on the board. The Vikings were able to answer with an eight play, 62 yard drive of their own that ended with a 12 yard touchdown run by Robert Smith. The Buccaneers were able to counter with a scoring drive of their own. Their six play, 88 yard drive ended with a 33 yard touchdown pass from Shaun King to Warrick Dunn, and Tampa Bay had the lead once again. The Vikings would counter with two Gary Anderson field goals on their next two drives, but the Buccaneers retained a 14-13 lead at the half.

While both teams had done well in the first half, defense would rule the day in the third quarter. Neither Tampa Bay nor Minnesota could move the ball on offense as both defenses shut down the opposing offense. Finally, the Buccaneers began to move the ball, thanks to a Damien Robinson interception. A 47 yard run by Warrick Dunn allowed Martin Gramatica to nail a 31 yard field goal and give the Buccaneers the lead. The Vikings would answer with scoring drives of their own. A seven play, 34 yard drive ended with a Gary Anderson field goal on the next Minnesota possession, and later in the fourth quarter, Anderson struck again with a 46 yard field goal with just 47 seconds to play. With both their offense and their connections failing them, the Buccaneers were unable to move to their second straight NFC Championship.

Final Score: Minnesota-19 Tampa Bay-17

Real Life Score: Minnesota-34 New Orleans-16

NFC Championship Game

The Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN

Minnesota Vikings (11-5) vs. St. Louis Rams (10-6)

For the second straight year, the St. Louis Rams had made it to the NFC Championship. Though they had lost the year before in the NFC Championship, the Rams were confident that they could get past the Vikings and into the Super Bowl. Meanwhile the Minnesota Vikings had made it to the NFC Championship on the strength of their defense and quarterback Daunte Culpepper. With their second year quarterback in place, the Vikings were confident that they could finally reach the Super Bowl for the first time in their history.

The Rams wasted little time in attacking Minnesota's defense. Marshall Faulk pounded the Vikings before Kurt Warner hit Issac Bruce for a 43 yard pass inside the Minnesota ten yard line. Three plays later, Faulk found the end zone on a two yard run to give the Rams an early lead. The St. Louis lead would expand, thanks to a Dexter McCleon interception on the first Minnesota drive of the game. The Rams would only gain a single yard, but it was enough for Jeff Wilkins to nail a 45 yard field goal to give St. Louis a 10-0 lead. The Vikings would answer on their next drive, as Daunte Culpepper moved Minnesota downfield. His six yard touchdown pass to Chris Carter cut the St. Louis lead to 10-7, but the Rams weren't finished in the first half just yet. It took just four plays for the Rams to strike back on a 56 yard touchdown pass from Warner to Bruce that gave St. Louis a 17-7 lead. Minnesota would strike back, thanks to a kick return by Troy Walters that put the Vikings inside the St. Louis 45 yard line. Minnesota would drive 42 yards in seven plays, and Daunte Culpepper's eight yard run put the Vikings down by just three points headed into the half.

Unfortunately for the Vikings, the Rams were able to attack Daunte Culpepper early in the third quarter. Dexter McCleon's second interception of the game stopped the Vikings inside the St. Louis five yard line. The Rams were able to move 95 yards in just six plays, and Kurt Warner's nine yard touchdown pass to Issac Bruce finished off a drive that was highlighted by a 58 yard Marshall Faulk run. The Vikings weren't done yet, though. Passes from Culpepper to Moss and Carter, along with scrambles by Culpepper, set the Vikings up in scoring position on their next drive. Robert Smith finished the drive with a one yard touchdown run, and the Vikings were down by just three points headed into the fourth quarter. Down by just three points, Minnesota would take the lead on their next drive, as a 45 yard run by Smith set up an eventual six yard run by Jim Kleinsasser for the first lead of the game for the Vikings. Unfortunately for Minnesota, the Rams would strike back once again. Kurt Warner's passes to Az Zahir-Hakim, James Hodgins and Issac Bruce moved St. Louis into the Minnesota 20 yard line, and two plays later, Marshall Faulk's seven yard touchdown put the Rams in the lead once again with just seven minutes to play. The Vikings would drive deep into St. Louis territory, but Daunte Culpepper would fumble at the two yard line of the Rams. St. Louis would hold onto the ball for the rest of the game, denying the Vikings a chance at their first Super Bowl while putting themselves in their first Super Bowl since 1978.

Final Score: St. Louis-31 Minnesota-28

Real Life Score: New York-41 Minnesota-0 (In Giants Stadium)

[MorseMoose]

Originally Posted by Hurkman

Final Score: St. Louis-31 Minnesota-28

Real Life Score: New York-41 Minnesota-0 (In Giants Stadium)

Hurkman, you will soon find yourself on my ignore list if the Vikings don't win a ****ing Super Bowl.

[Jestor]

Man, the Dolphins are having rotten luck in this replay.