Alternate NFL Playoff History

[kenyan_cheena]

Damn, those last ten seasons have been crazy. Nine different champions, with only the Bucs winning twice.

[Hurkman]

AFC Wild Card Playoffs

New England Patriots (10-6) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4)
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA

One season after finishing as one of the top teams in the AFC, the New England Patriots fell back to Earth in 2005. While Tom Brady had a solid season, passing for 4,100 yards and 26 touchdowns, the running game came undone, with Corey Dillon only picking up 733 yards on the ground in 12 starts. Not only that, but the vaunted New England defense had suffered from a poor regular season as well, dropping from second in the NFL in points allowed in 2004 to 17th in 2005. The Patriots were ranked 26th in the league in total yards allowed, and their passing defense was one of the worst in the NFL. Despite all of that, they were still able to win the AFC East and secure a home playoff game with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars had finished just out of the playoff hunt in 2004, but had come back with a solid 2005 season thanks to one of the top defenses in the league. On offense, Byron Leftwich had a solid season, throwing for 15 touchdowns and only five interceptions in 11 starts, but it was the defense, led by Marcus Stroud, John Henderson and Mike Peterson, that made the Jaguars a feared team heading into the playoffs.

In the first half, it was the Jacksonville offense that made an impact more than their defense. On the opening drive of the game, Fred Taylor broke free for a 33 yard run that set up a 21 yard touchdown pass from Byron Leftwich to Ernest Wilford to put the Jaguars on top early. The Patriots answered back with their much maligned running game, as Kevin Faulk and Corey Dillon ran through the tough Jacksonville defense to set up a 41 yard field goal by Adam Vinatieri. However, the Jaguars came back again with another scoring drive, this time using the arm of Leftwich to pick apart the poor New England pass defense. Leftwich completed all four of his passes for 57 yards on the seven play, 67 yard drive. Fred Taylor finished the drive with a four yard touchdown run, which extended Jacksonville's lead to 14-3. From there, the defenses took over for much of the second quarter, with each team only able to manage a field goal a piece until the late stages of the first half. With the Patriots driving into Jacksonville territory, and with just 21 seconds to play, Tom Brady was intercepted by Mike Peterson, who returned the ball to midfield. After a quick nine yard pass from Leftwich to Jimmy Smith put Jacksonville in New England territory, Leftwich hurled a Hail Mary into the end zone that was answered when Ernest Wilford came down with the 47 yard bomb. It was a fitting end to a first half that saw everything go right for the Jaguars, as they took a 24-6 lead into the locker rooms.

As the second half began, the Patriots knew that they needed a quick score to get back into the game and take the momentum away from the Jaguars. What they got instead on their opening drive was a three and out. However, the New England defense was able to stop Jacksonville on their opening drive, and the Patriots answered back with long drive of their own. Tom Brady moved New England deep into Jacksonville territory, and Kevin Faulk and Corey Dillon cut their way through Jacksonville's defense. Unfortunately for the Patriots, the Jaguars were able to hold their ground at their own 11 yard line, and Adam Vinatieri had to kick his third field goal of the game, cutting the Jacksonville lead to 24-9. While New England's defense was keeping Jacksonville from scoring again, the Patriots couldn't muster anything on offense, either. Their next deep drive came midway through the fourth quarter, but ended on an incomplete pass on fourth down by Brady. Though the Patriots would finally reach the end zone on a ten yard touchdown catch by David Givens on their next drive, there wasn't enough time left to mount a comeback. Jacksonville was able to run out the clock, and the Patriots were sent home from the playoffs with a bitter taste in their mouths once again.

Final Score: Jacksonville-24 New England-16

Real Life Score: New England-28 Jacksonville-3

Cincinnati Bengals (11-5) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5)
Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, OH

It had been 15 seasons since the Cincinnati Bengals had reached the playoffs. In those 15 years, the Bengals hadn't had a winning season once. In 2005, the Bengals had finally put those ghosts to rest with one of the best offenses in the NFL. Carson Palmer had become a franchise quarterback in just his second year as a starter, leading the NFL with 32 touchdown passes compared to only 12 interceptions. Running back Rudi Johnson had his second straight 1,400 rushing yard, 12 touchdown season, while wide receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh provided the Bengals with one of the best 1-2 wide receiver punches in the NFL. On defense, Deltha O'Neal led the way with an NFL best 10 interceptions, but the real talk on defense was about the Pittsburgh Steelers. After a 15-1 season resulted in no Super Bowl in 2004, the Steelers took a step back in 2005, but were still able to make the playoffs. Ben Roethlisberger battled injuries for parts of the season, but still threw 17 touchdown passes and 2,385 yards in 12 starts. Second year running back Willie Parker stepped into the shoes left by an aging Jerome Bettis and Duce Staley and ran off, rushing for 1,202 yards. Once again though, the story in Pittsburgh is the fourth ranked defense in the NFL. James Farrior, Joey Porter and third year safety Troy Polamalu led the way for the Steelers, who were hoping to win the season series with the Bengals and put the memories of their 15-1 failure from last season to bed.

Pittsburgh certainly got out of the gate on the right foot, scoring on their second drive of the game. A good punt return by Antwaan Randle El put the Steelers inside Cincinnati territory, and Ben Roethlisberger did the rest. Roethlisberger's 16 yard pass to Hines Ward put the Steelers at the Bengals' seven yard line, and three plays later, Roethlisberger found Ward again for a seven yard touchdown and the early lead. It took just three plays for the Bengals to respond, though. Rudi Johnson broke free for a 31 yard gain on the first Cincinnati play following the touchdown, and two plays later, Carson Palmer hit T.J. Houshmandzadeh for a 42 yard touchdown that tied the game. Pittsburgh looked like they would answer on their next drive, making it all the way down to the Cincinnati 14 yard line, but Roethlisberger was intercepted by Tory James at the six yard line, and the Bengals took over. Cincinnati would hold onto the ball for the next eight and a half minutes, with Carson Palmer and Rudi Johnson leading the Bengals downfield on a 13 play, 90 yard drive. Unfortunately for the Bengals, the Steelers were able to put a stop to the drive before Cincinnati could find the end zone, so the Bengals had to settle for a 31 yard field goal by Shayne Graham that ended the scoring in the first half.

The second half started out the way the first half ended: with the Bengals driving into Pittsburgh territory. A 29 yard run by Rudi Johnson set up Shayne Graham again. His 40 yard field goal gave the Bengals a 13-7 lead, and the Cincinnati defense did their job as well, intercepting Ben Roethlisberger on the first Pittsburgh possession of the half. However, Carson Palmer was picked off on the ensuing Cincinnati drive, and neither team would make much noise again until the start of the fourth quarter. With the Steelers at midfield, Willie Parker finally found a seam in the Cincinnati defense and broke loose for a 53 yard touchdown run. Jeff Reed's extra point gave the Steelers their first lead of the game, and Pittsburgh looked to extend that lead midway through the quarter. With the Bengals at their own 15 yard line, Carson Palmer was intercepted by Deshea Townsend, who returned the pick to the Cincinnati three. The Bengals held their ground on defense for three plays, but on fourth down, Willie Parker snuck in from two yards out, giving the Steelers a 21-13 lead with just under eight minutes to play. However, the Bengals weren't about to exit the playoffs that quickly. With their backs against the wall, Cincinnati embarked on an 11 play, 75 yard drive, and when Chad Johnson scored on an nine yard reverse with just over two minutes to play, the Bengals were within two points. Coach Marvin Lewis made the call to go for two, but Rudi Johnson was stopped at the one yard line, keeping the Steelers in the lead.

The Bengals made the choice to kick the ball off to the Steelers, rather than attempt the onside kick, and the gamble paid off quickly. After a one yard run by Jerome Bettis moved the clock to the two minute warning, the Steelers attempted back to back passing plays. Both passes fell incomplete, stopping the clock and giving the Bengals more time to work. Cincinnati got the ball back with just 1:40 to play at their own 30 yard line, and Carson Palmer went right back to work. On third down and two from his own 38, Palmer hit T.J. Houshmandzadeh for 20 yards, then found Chad Johnson for another 27, putting the ball at the Pittsburgh 15 yard line. A pass interference penalty on the Steelers put the ball at the ten yard line with just 23 seconds to play, and the Bengals shocked Pittsburgh by calling a draw on first and goal. Rudi Johnson made his way into the end zone untouched, and the Bengals were back on top. The stunned Steelers couldn't even muster a single yard on their last three plays, and the Bengals had advanced in the AFC playoffs for the first time in 15 years.

Final Score: Cincinnati-26 Pittsburgh-21

Real Life Score: Pittsburgh-31 Cincinnati-17

AFC Divisional Playoffs

Indianapolis Colts (14-2) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4)
The RCA Dome, Indianapolis, IN

Very rarely did a team come along to challenge the perfect season of the 1972 Miami Dolphins. In 2005, the Indianapolis Colts became the first real team to challenge for a perfect season since the 1985 Chicago Bears. Peyton Manning led the number three rated offense in the NFL to another great season, as he passed for 3,747 yards and 28 touchdowns. Edgerrin James had another Pro Bowl season, rushing for over 1,500 yards and 13 touchdowns, while Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne provided Manning with someone to throw to on just about every play. Not only that, but the Indianapolis defense was much improved as well, as youngsters Bob Sanders, Cato June, Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney had managed to turn the 29th ranked defense in the NFL in 2004 into the 11th ranked defense in 2005. The Colts started the year 13-0, but back to back losses to the Chargers and Seahawks had ended their chances at perfection. Now, all the Colts wanted was another shot at the Super Bowl, and to get there, they would have to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars for the third time in the 2005 season.

For a team that had played so well during the regular season, the Colts looked rusty in the first quarter against the Jaguars. Indianapolis allowed Jacksonville to quickly move downfield on their first drive of the game, with Jacksonville only missing out on points thanks to a missed field goal by Josh Scobee. The next time the Jaguars had the ball, the Colts wouldn't be so lucky. Jacksonville cut through the Indianapolis defense, with Greg Jones and Fred Taylor picking up large amounts of yardage on the ground. Jacksonville would make it to the ten yard line of the Colts before having to settle for a Scobee field goal and the lead early in the second quarter. After another punt by the Colts, the Jaguars embarked on another long drive, keeping Peyton Manning on the sideline and wearing down the Indianapolis defense. This drive lasted for over seven and a half minutes and travelled 61 yards in 13 plays. Byron Leftwich did the majority of the work through the air, picking apart the Indianapolis pass defense before giving way to Scobee, who kicked a 25 yard field goal to extend Jacksonville's lead. After sitting and watching most of the first half, Peyton Manning finally moved the Colts downfield, using his arm to drive Indianapolis deep into Jacksonville territory. The Jaguars would hold on defense, and Mike Vanderjagt's 44 yard field goal gave the Colts their first points of the game right before the end of the first half.

Jacksonville's plan on offense in the first half was to keep Peyton Manning on the sideline for as long as possible. Despite only picking up six points in the first half, the Jaguars had worked their plan to perfection, but Manning got to start with the ball in the second half, and quickly picked up right where he left off at the end of the first half. Passes to Reggie Wayne and Brandon Stokely put the Colts inside Jacksonville territory, but the Jaguars held on defense once again, and this time, Mike Vanderjagt missed a 49 yard field goal attempt, keeping the Jaguars on top. Following punts by both teams, Jacksonville went back to their clock control strategy, holding onto the ball for five and a half minutes while going just 58 yards in eight plays. Greg Jones and Fred Taylor once again did most of the work on the ground, and, for the third time, Josh Scobee kicked a field goal from inside the Indianapolis 25 yard line, giving the Jaguars a six point lead early in the fourth quarter.

All of the Jacksonville drives that were stopped just short of the end zone had kept the Colts within striking distance, and on their next drive, Peyton Manning finally got Indianapolis moving towards the end zone. Edgerrin James, who had been quiet for the entire game up until this drive, broke free for a 14 yard gain that moved the Colts to midfield. Two plays later, Manning hit Brandon Stokley for another 13 yards, putting the Colts inside Jacksonville territory. After James picked up another first down and a Jacksonville face mask penalty gave the Colts the ball at the 13 yard line, the Indianapolis running back struck again. Edgerrin James' 13 yard scoring run gave the Colts the lead for the first time all day, and with eight and a half minutes to play, Indianapolis was looking towards the AFC Championship. They should have kept their eyes on the field. Jacksonville had worn down the Colts' defense all day long, and the two headed rushing attack of Greg Jones and Fred Taylor struck again on the next Jacksonville drive. The Jaguars held the ball for the next seven and a half minutes, with Byron Leftwich throwing just three passes. The last of his three passes, however, was the most important of the season, as he hit Ernest Wilford for an 18 yard touchdown that silenced the RCA Dome crowd. Manning would move the Colts to midfield in his last gasp effort, but his final pass was intercepted in the end zone by Daryl Smith, giving the Jaguars a huge upset win, and knocking the Colts out of the playoffs after a 14-2 regular season.

Final Score: Jacksonville-17 Indianapolis-10

Real Life Score: Pittsburgh-21 Indianapolis-18

Denver Broncos (13-3) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (11-5)
Invesco Field, Denver, CO

While the Denver Broncos had made the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, neither team had come close to being a threat to making the Super Bowl. That changed in the 2005 season, as the Broncos had become one of the top teams in the AFC. Jake Plummer had his best season as a Bronco, passing for 3,366 yards and 18 touchdowns while only throwing seven interceptions. Mike Anderson and Tatum Bell gave Denver a pair of 900 yard rushers, and Rod Smith showed that, even at age 35, he could still produce, making the Pro Bowl with an 1,100 yard, six touchdown season. On defense, the Broncos had become experts at the "bend, but don't break," mentallity, allowing the 15th most yards in the NFL, but the third fewest points. Cornerbacks Champ Bailey and Darrent Williams were one of the best pairs of corners in the league, and veteran safety John Lynch brought leadership to the Broncos, as well as two Super Bowl rings. He was looking to add a third to his collection, and with a win over the Bengals, he would be one step closer.

Unfortunately for the Broncos, the Bengals were going to put their defense to the test early, and often. Cincinnati took the opening kickoff and quickly moved downfield. A 29 yard pass from Carson Palmer to Chris Perry moved the Bengals into Denver territory, and the Bengals would get all the way to the Denver six yard line before settling for a Shayne Graham field goal. After a Jake Plummer interception on Denver's first drive, the Bengals wasted little time in striking again. This time, it took only three plays for Rudi Johnson to break free for a 39 yard touchdown run and a 10-0 Bengals lead. The Broncos would answer back quickly with a scoring drive of their own, as Plummer found Rod Smith for catches of 12 and 21 yards before Mike Anderson broke a 41 yard touchdown run. The Bengals came back with a response of their own, with Carson Palmer hitting T.J. Houshmandzadeh for a 47 yard touchdown late in the first quarter, giving the Bengals 17 points on their first three possessions. From there, though, the Denver defense would take over the first half, keeping the Bengals from driving again and allowing Jake Plummer to move the offense down the field. Plummer's best drive of the first half came on a 14 play, 97 yard drive midway through the second quarter. The Broncos used a mix of run and pass to attack Cincinnati's defense, and Tatum Bell finally finished the drive with a one yard touchdown run. Following a quick Cincinnati punt, the Bronocs drove downfield again, with Rod Smith catching a 23 yard pass from Plummer to set up a 35 yard Jason Elam field goal as the first half came to a close.

The first drive of the third quarter ended the same way the last drive of the second quarter did, as Jason Elam gave the Broncos their first lead of the game with a 37 yard field goal that capped a five play, 34 yard drive. Denver's defense continued to stop the Bengals on offense until Deltha O'Neal intercepted Jake Plummer at midfield, giving the Bengals their best field position since the first quarter. Cincinnati responded by running the ball right through the heart of the Denver defense, going 27 yards in eight plays before giving way to Shayne Graham, who tied up the game with a 44 yard field goal. The Broncos struck right back, with Plummer hitting Rod Smith for a 68 yard touchdown bomb early in the fourth quarter. After a poor Denver punt on their next possession, the Bengals struck back, with a 31 yard pass from Carson Palmer to Chris Henry on third down setting up a nine yard touchdown run from Chris Perry. After another Denver punt, the Bengals wasted little time in taking the lead. Rudi Johnson broke free for a 30 yard run, and Palmer then hit Perry for a 34 yard touchdown pass that put Cinicnnati in front once again. With just under four minutes to play, Plummer demonstrated the same late game ability that had made him a favorite in Arizona and Denver. He moved the Broncos 66 yards in eight plays, capping the drive with a three yard touchdown pass to Charlie Adams with just a minute and a half to play.

With the game now tied at 34-34, the Bengals had one last drive to attempt to win the game before going to overtime. They started with the ball at their own 25 yard line, and Carson Palmer began moving his team down the field one more time. On third and ten with 49 seconds to play, Palmer found Chris Henry for a 20 yard gain that put Cincinnati inside Denver territory. Three plays later, Palmer hit Kevin Walter for a 26 yard gain with just 15 seconds to play. The Bengals let the clock run down to three seconds before calling a timeout, and Shayne Graham stepped onto the field to attempt a 27 yard field goal. His attempt sailed through the uprights, and the Cincinnati Bengals were on their way to the AFC Championship.

Final Score: Cincinnati-37 Denver-34

Real Life Score: Denver-27 New England-13

AFC Championship Game

Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, OH

Cincinnati Bengals (11-5) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4)

The Cincinnati Bengals were making the most of their first playoff trip in 15 years, making it all the way to the AFC Championship Game. In the playoffs, the Bengals had shown the heart that the team had been lacking since it's last playoff appearance, coming back against both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos, and now they were one win away from their first trip to the Super Bowl in 32 years. Meanwhile, the Jacksonville Jaguars were trying to make it to their third Super Bowl in nine seasons behind the strength of a solid ball control offense and a defense that had stopped both Tom Brady and Peyton Manning in the playoffs so far. With a win standing between both of these teams and a place in Super Bowl XL, the only thing that people knew was that no one knew how this game would turn out.

Jacksonville started with the ball, and quickly began using the same ball control tactics that had worked so well the week before against Peyton Manning and the Colts. The only problem was that this time, they couldn't get into field goal range on their opening drive, and were forced to punt. The Bengals wasted little time in attacking Jacksonville's defense, with Carson Palmer hitting Chad Johnson for a 42 yard strike on Cincinnati's second offensive play of the game. The Bengals would make it all the way to the Jacksonville 19 yard line before giving way to Shayne Graham, who nailed a 36 yard field goal for an early 3-0 Cincinnati lead. After another Jacksonville punt, the Bengals quickly moved downfield again, and this time, they found the end zone. Once again, a 42 yard pass from Carson Palmer set up the score, only this time, it was to T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Rudi Johnson would finish the drive with a five yard touchdown run, and the Bengals were up 10-0 early in the second quarter. Neither team would move the ball for much of the second quarter until the Jaguars finally got going on offense. Byron Leftwich moved Jacksonville downfield in the final two minutes of the half, hitting Jimmy Smith and Matt Jones for passes that put the Jaguars in field goal range. Josh Scobee nailed a 26 yard field goal that cut the Cincinnati lead to seven points as the first half came to a close.

The Bengals came out in the third quarter and took the momentum right back from the Jaguars. Carson Palmer used all of his weapons on offense on an 11 play, 47 yard drive that took up half of the third quarter and ended with a 33 yard Shayne Graham field goal. After a Jacksonville punt, the Bengals moved downfield again on the strength of Palmer's arm. Palmer completed all four of his passes on the drive, including a 10 yard touchdown pass to Chad Johnson that put Cincinnati up 20-3 heading into the fourth quarter. With a 17 point lead, the Bengals could taste their first Super Bowl trip in over three decades. What they didn't count on was the Jaguars coming back to life. Derrick Wimbush returned the ensuing kickoff back to midfield, and it took just five plays and two minutes for Byron Leftwich to hit Ernest Wilford for a 34 yard touchdown. After a three and out by the Bengals, the Jaguars struck again. This time, it was the running game of the Jaguars that struck the Cincinnati defense, with Fred Taylor and Greg Jones pounding the Bengals. Taylor broke free for a 30 yard touchdown run with 6:30 to play in the game, and suddenly, the Bengals were only up by a field goal. The Jacksonville defense forced another punt by the Bengals with three and a half minutes to play, and Leftwich used his arm to quickly move the Jaguars into Cincinnati territory. Passes to Jimmy Smith and Fred Taylor put the ball at the Cincinnati 43 yard line, and a 37 yard strike to Smith gave Jacksonville the ball inside the Bengals' ten yard line with two minutes to play. With a heartbreaking defeat staring them in the face, the Cincinnati defense dug deep and stopped the Jaguars at the two yard line, forcing Josh Scobee to kick a 19 yard field goal that forced overtime.

Jacksonville won the coin toss to start overtime, and kept the momentum that they had gained in the fourth quarter. A 20 yard pass from Byron Leftwich to Reggie Williams put the Jaguars in Cincinnati territory once again, and then Greg Jones and Fred Taylor took over. The two running backs punished the Cincinnati defense, picking up five to six yards per carry for the next five plays. By the time the Bengals had figured out the running game of the Jaguars, Leftwich ran a play action fake, hitting Matt Jones for 17 yards and putting the ball at the Cincinnati 18 yard line. After a holding penalty on the Jaguars, Jones and Taylor ran the ball three straight times, moving it to the 23 yard line. Josh Scobee came onto the field, and his 40 yard field goal attempt sailed right down the middle of the uprights, crushing the Bengals and giving the Jaguars their third trip to the Super Bowl. For the Bengals, they could only watch and wonder what might have happened had their defense had just one more stop in them.

Final Score: Jacksonville-23 Cincinnati-20/OT

Real Life Score: Pittsburgh-34 Denver-17 (In Denver)

[kenyan_cheena]

[Hurkman]

NFC Wild Card Playoffs

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

Few teams in the NFC had the story coming into the playoffs that the Washington Redskins had. After being out of football for 12 years, Washington managed to lure Joe Gibbs out of retirement with the hope that he could bring the team their second Super Bowl title. In his second season back, it looked like the Redskins were on the right track, turning a 5-6 record into a 10-6 mark, including three straight wins over NFC East opponents to close out the season. Mark Brunell had proven that his age wasn't a factor, passing for 23 touchdowns and only ten interceptions at age 35, while 24 year old Clinton Portis continued his amazing career, rushing for 1,516 yards and 11 touchdowns. Wideout Santana Moss and tight end Chris Cooley brought balance to the offense, while the much improved defense was anchored by Marcus Washington, Phillip Daniels and young safety Sean Taylor. In Tampa Bay, defense was the name of the game once again for the Buccaneers, who boasted the top ranked defense in the NFL. Ronde Barber and Derrick Brooks were named All-Pros, while Simeon Rice finished the season with 14.5 sacks. On offense, young Chris Simms stepped into the starting role and had an average season, passing for just over 2,000 yards with 10 touchdowns, but the real story on offense was rookie Carnell "Cadillac" Williams. Williams run away with the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, finishing with 1,178 yards on the ground and six touchdowns in 14 games. While the Buccaneers had a one sided offense, they believed that their running game and defense could defeat the surging Redskins.

Most people involved expected a defensive struggle, and the teams did not disappoint early. Neither team could get anywhere on their opening drive of the game, and when the Buccaneers did get moving on their second possession, Matt Bryant missed a 50 yard field goal attempt, giving the Redskins good field position that they would not waste. Clinton Portis broke free for a 34 yard run which set up a 40 yard field goal by John Hall that put Washington on top. The next Redskin possession went even better, with Portis again breaking loose for a 31 yard run, and Mark Brunell hitting Santana Moss for 18 yards on the next play. On third down and one from the Tampa Bay nine yard line, Ladell Betts reached the three, only to fumble the football into the end zone. Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, wide receiver James Thrash recovered the fumble for Washington, giving the Redskins a 10-0 lead. Following a Tampa Bay punt, the Redskins went on the move again, with Brunell picking apart the usually tough Tampa defense. Brunell's arm guided Washington into field goal range again, and John Hall added to the lead with a 34 yard kick. The Buccaneers would finally get moving again on offense, thanks to a good kick return by Torrie Cox, but they could only reach the Washington 20 yard line, where Matt Bryant had to kick a 37 yard field goal that ended the scoring in the first half.

Both defenses again came out strong to start out the third quarter, forcing punts on the first three possessions of the half. Chris Simms once again got Tampa Bay's offense going midway through the third quarter, hitting Joey Galloway for 17 yards before Mike Alstott and Cadillac Williams burst through the Washington defense for runs of 12 and 39 yards, respectively. Once again, however, the offense stalled inside the 20, and Matt Bryant had to kick a 24 yard field goal that cut the Washington lead to just a touchdown. The Redskins answered back on their next drive, as Mark Brunell guided Washington on a 12 play, seven minute possession that spanned into the fourth quarter. Brunell converted a third down and 11 with a 21 yard pass to Santana Moss, then ended the drive one play later with a ten yard touchdown pass to David Patten. Tampa Bay would mount one last scoring drive, finally reaching the end zone on a Chris Simms 12 yard touchdown pass to Michael Clayton, but the Buccaneers would never see the ball on offense again. Washington would run out the clock, and Joe Gibbs had gotten the Redskins their first playoff win in six seasons.

Final Score: Washington-20 Tampa Bay-13

Real Life Score: Washington-17 Tampa Bay-10

New York Giants (11-5) vs. Carolina Panthers (11-5)
Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

After back to back poor seasons, the New York Giants were back with a vengeance in the NFC. Young Eli Manning looked like his older brother during his first full season as a starter, throwing for 3,762 yards and 24 touchdowns. He was helped out by Tiki Barber, who had his best season to date, rushing for over 1,800 yards and nine touchdowns, while also bringing in 54 catches for 530 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Plaxico Burress and Jeremy Shockey had become Manning's favorite targets down the field, with Burress leading the Giants in catches, yards and receiving touchdowns. On defense, the Giants boasted a fierce pass rush, led by Michael Strahan and young Osi Umenyiora. The New York pass defense was slightly suspect, and that was what Jake Delhomme and the Carolina Panthers were hoping to exploit. After a 7-9 record in 2004, the Panthers bounced back, with Delhomme leading the way, passing for 24 touchdowns and 3,421 yards. DeShaun Foster and Stephen Davis provided the Panthers with a good backfield, while Steve Smith had emerged as a true number one receiver, leading the NFL in receptions, yards and touchdowns. Julius Peppers remained on defense, and second year corner Chris Gamble had picked off seven passes for the third ranked defense in the NFL.

The Panthers quickly brought the questionable New York passing defense into the spotlight on their opening drive. Jake Delhomme moved the Panthers to midfield, then struck with a screen pass to DeShaun Foster, who ran untouched for a 52 yard touchdown and an early lead for Carolina. The Giants would answer right back on their first drive of the game. Willie Ponder returned the kickoff to the New York 40, and Eli Manning took over from there, completing all five of his pass attempts on the drive, including a game tying 13 yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Shockey. From there, both defenses took control for much of the first and second quarter, with only Carolina being able to muster up any type of offense. Late in the second quarter, Steve Smith returned a Jeff Feagles punt to midfield, and the Panthers were able to turn the good field position into a 29 yard field goal by John Kasay. After another New York punt, the Panthers worked the two minute drill to perfection, with Jake Delhomme leaving just enough time on the clock for Kasay to hit a 38 yard field goal that gave Carolina a 13-7 lead heading into the half.

The Panthers started the third quarter with mometum on their side, but it only took a few minutes for the Giants to take it all back. Tiki Barber, who was held in check for the entire first half, began to find running room, as did Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward. The three running backs gashed Carolina on New York's opening drive, and Eli Manning ended it with a 26 yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Shockey, his second of the day. Three plays later, Brent Alexander intercepted Jake Delhomme and returned the turnover to the Carolina 31 yard line. Tiki Barber did all the work on the drive, scoring on a 29 yard run just two plays after the turnover. New York's defense wasn't done yet, as they forced and recovered a Stephen Davis fumble on the next Carolina possession. The Giants turned that fumble into another three points, thanks to a 50 yard field goal by Jay Feely. Carolina finally made a defensive stand on the next New York possession, focing a Tiki Barber fumble, but Delhomme was intercepted for the second time just three plays later, and this time, Carlos Emmons returned the ball 23 yards for a New York touchdown. The Giants would finish burying Carolina with touchdowns by Jeremy Shockey and Tiki Barber on their next two drives, outscoring the Panthers 38-0 in the second half before Carolina was finally able to get on the board again late in the fourth quarter. By then, the Giants had already begun to celebrate, as they were headed to Chicago for a date with the Bears.

Final Score: New York-45 Carolina-20

Real Life Score: Carolina-23 New York-0

NFC Divisional Playoffs

Seattle Seahawks (13-3) vs. Washington Redskins (10-6)
Qwest Field, Seattle, WA

If you were looking for offense in the NFC in 2005, look no further than the Seattle Seahawks. For the first time in their history, the Seahawks had clinched homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, and they had done so on the strength of the highest scoring offense in the NFL. Matt Hasselbeck passed for over 3,400 yards with 24 touchdowns, but the biggest story was that of Shaun Alexander, who entered into the pantheon of great NFL running backs with an 1,880, NFL record tying 27 rushing touchdown season, which was more than enough to earn him MVP honors for the season. While no Seahawk had more than 780 yards receiving, the group of D.J. Hackett, Bobby Engram, Darrell Jackson and Joe Jurevicius was more than good enough for Seattle. The Seahawks had some questions on defense, but Grant Wistrom, Bryce Fisher and Lofa Tatupu had helped bring the unit together by the end of the regular season, and Seattle was more than ready to prove to the NFC that they belonged at the top of the conference.

The powerful Seattle offense made itself known on the opening drive of the game, as Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander punished the Washington defense before the Redskins were able to fight back on defense and force a 28 yard field goal by Josh Brown. Washington would answer back late in the first quarter, thanks to a 27 yard pass from Mark Brunell to Santana Moss and an 23 yard run by Ladell Betts. Three plays later, John Hall tied the game up with a 37 yard field goal, and from there, the Redskins took over the first half. Alexander could find nothing on the ground, and Matt Hasselbeck was pressured by a fierce Washington pass rush. The Redskins, on the other hand, were able to take advantage of good field position midway through the second quarter. Clinton Portis snapped off a 32 yard run which set up a 28 yard field goal by John Hall that gave the Redskins their first lead. They would increase that lead late in the second quarter, when Santana Moss returned a Seattle punt into field goal range, and got out of bounds with just three seconds on the clock. That smart play allowed Hall to kick a 47 yard field goal as the first half ended, stunning the Seattle faithful and giving the Redskins a 9-3 lead.

The Redskins had stopped Shaun Alexander in his tracks for the entire first half, but it took just one carry in the third quarter to show why he was the 2005 NFL MVP. On Seattle's first drive of the third quarter, Alexander broke free to the outside for a 55 yard touchdown run that put the Seahawks back on top. Washington's next two drives ended in punts, and then Alexander took over again, breaking off runs of 12 and 13 yards on an 11 play, 74 yard drive early in the fourth quarter. Though Seattle couldn't find the end zone, they did take six and a half minutes off the clock and added three more points to their lead, thanks to a 23 yard field goal by Josh Brown. The Redskins would punt again on their next drive, and once again, it was time for Shaun Alexander to show what he could do. The MVP rushed for 71 yards on two carries on the next Seattle drive, which took another three minutes off the clock and ended with Josh Brown's third field goal of the day, this one from 31 yards away. With just a minute and a half to play, the Redskins needed one last drive to force overtime, but they couldn't get it. Mark Brunell threw three straight incomplete passes, and the Seahawks were off to their first NFC Championship Game in franchise history.

Final Score: Seattle-16 Washington-9

Real Life Score: Seattle-20 Washington-10

Chicago Bears (11-5) vs. New York Giants (11-5)
Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

As was usually the case in Chicago, the Bears were built around one thing: defense, defense and more defense. The Bears had allowed an NFL best 202 points during the regular season, and had held opponents to ten or fewer points in a game nine times. Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs were both named All-Pros, while Nathan Vasher, Mike Brown and Charles Tillman intercepted a combined 16 passes in the secondary and Adewale Ogunleye recorded a team best ten sacks. On offense, running back Thomas Jones was the main weapon, rushing for 1,335 yards and nine touchdowns. Chicago's quarterback situation was an odd one, as rookie Kyle Orton had started 15 games during the regular season, only to be replaced by Rex Grossman during halftime of the Week 16 game against Green Bay when Grossman was deemed ready to return from a preseason injury. For Grossman, the game against the Giants would be just his second start of the year, and he was anxious to prove to the Chicago fans that he was the right choice at quarterback for the Bears.

Rex would get his chance very early, as Charles Tillman intercepted Eli Manning on New York's first possession, giving the Bears the ball at their own 45 yard line. The Chicago quarterback didn't do much, handing the ball off instead to Thomas Jones, who broke free for a 17 yard run. The run by Jones put the Bears in field goal range, and Robbie Gould nailed a 45 yard field goal for an early Chicago lead. After a three and out by the Giants, Bobby Wade returned the New York punt to the Chicago 41 yard line, and this time, Grossman moved the Bears deep in Giant territory. A 28 yard pass to Desmond Clark set up a 12 yard pass to Justin Gage, and though the Bears were stopped at the New York six yard line, Gould was able to add his second field goal of the game to put Chicago up 6-0. The Giants were able to strike back midway through the second quarter, as Chad Morton returned a punt to midfield. From there, New York pounded the Chicago defense with runs by Tiki Barber, Derrick Ward and Jim Finn. Barber finished the 11 play, 54 yard drive with a three yard touchdown run that put the Giants ahead for the first time in the game. The New York lead lasted all of five minutes, as Thomas Jones and Rex Grossman moved the Bears back downfield again. Jones broke loose for a 28 yard run on the first play of the Chicago drive, and Grossman completed a key third down pass to Mushin Muhammad, which would set up a one yard touchdown run by Bernard Berrian with just a minute to play in the second quarter, giving the Bears the lead and the edge heading into the second half.

After both teams traded punts to start out the third quarter, the Bears went on the move again. This time, the scoring drive fell squarely on the shoulders of Rex Grossman, who completed big passes of 23, 12 and 22 yards before giving way to Robbie Gould. Gould's third field goal of the game, a 31 yarder, capped a 12 play, eight minute drive and put Chicago firmly in control of the game. With both defenses playing well, the pressure switched completely over to the Giants, and this time, Eli Manning wasn't able to cope. The New York quarterback could only get the Giants to midfield one last time in the fourth quarter, and the drive ended with an interception by Lance Briggs. From there, the Bears turned to Thomas Jones and Adrian Peterson, who broke through the New York defense and took away much of the remaining clock. Robbie Gould would add one more late field goal, and for the second time in four years, the Chicago Bears were headed to the NFC Championship.

Final Score: Chicago-19 New York-7

Real Life Score: Carolina-29 Chicago-21

NFC Championship Game

Qwest Field, Seattle, WA

Seattle Seahawks (13-3) vs. Chicago Bears (11-5)

Two teams that had taken very different paths to their success were set to face off in the NFC Championship. The Seattle Seahawks had dominated their opponents with the highest scoring offense in the NFL, backed by MVP Shaun Alexander and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. While their defense was solid, it couldn't compare to that of the Chicago Bears, who had allowed just over 200 points during the regular season. The Bears had issues on offense, however, as Rex Grossman returned from injury just in time for the playoff run, and while he didn't perform poorly against the New York Giants, most people wanted to see him handing off more to Thomas Jones than trying to win the game by himself. Regardless, the NFC Championship had the potential to be a classic offense vs. defense showdown, and for the winner, there was a spot in Super Bowl XL.

Rex Grossman and the Bears wasted very little time in attacking the Seattle defense, driving 81 yards on their first possession. It was Grossman that did most of the work, completing four passes for 75 yards, including a 21 yard touchdown on a screen pass to Thomas Jones that gave Chicago an early lead. Neither team could move the ball much against the opposing defense after that until late in the first quarter, when the Seahawks were able to get an offensive drive together. Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander drove Seattle into Chicago territory for the first time, but the Bears stopped Seattle inside the 20 yard line, and Josh Brown was forced to come on and kick a 31 yard field goal that cut into the Chicago lead. The Seahawks would get a chance late in the second quarter, but this time, Brown would miss a 50 yard field goal attempt, and the Bears would make Seattle pay. On the very next play, Jason McKie took a delayed handoff and broke through a hole in the Seattle defense for a 60 yard touchdown run that put Chicago up 14-3 going into the half.

In the third quarter, the Seahawks had no one to blame for their missed chances but themselves. Their opening drive of the second half moved them quickly down the field, as Shaun Alexander was able to find seams in the Chicago defense for the first time all day. However, Matt Hasselbeck was intercepted by Charles Tillman at the Chicago five yard line, ending Seattle's first real chance at scoring a touchdown, and giving the Bears defense even more momentum. After the Seahawks forced Chicago to punt on the ensuing possession, Seattle took over with the ball at midfield. Despite moving the ball to the Chicago 32 yard line, Josh Brown missed a 49 yard field goal attempt, erasing another chance that Seattle had to put points up against one of the best defenses in the NFL. The Bears would make the Seahawks pay for their mistakes this time, as Adrian Peterson got away from the Seattle defense for a 37 yard run that set up a 44 yard field goal by Robbie Gould early in the fourth quarter. After another Seattle punt, the Bears gave the ball to Thomas Jones and rookie Cedric Benson, who attacked the front seven of the Seahawks before Rex Grossman executed a perfect play action fake to Justin Gage. The 11 yard touchdown pass put the Bears up 24-3 and all but spelled the end for Seattle. Matt Hasselbeck would guide the Seahawks inside the Chicago 35 yard line on Seattle's next two drives, but the Bears would prove to be too much on defense, stopping the potent Seahawk offense on fourth down both times. Grossman would run out the clock, and the Bears were headed to their third Super Bowl in team history.

Final Score: Chicago-24 Seattle-3

Real Life Score: Seattle-34 Carolina-14

[Hurkman]

Super Bowl XL

Ford Field, Detroit, MI

Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4)


Head Coach-Jack Del Rio
361 Points Scored
269 Points Allowed

Starting Quarterback-Byron Leftwich


Road to the Super Bowl:
Defeated New England, 24-16: AFC Wild Card Playoffs
Defeated Indianapolis, 17-10: AFC Divisional Playoffs
Defeated Cincinnati, 23-20: AFC Championship



Chicago Bears (11-5)


Head Coach: Lovie Smith
260 Points Scored
202 Points Allowed

Starting Quarterback: Rex Grossman


Road to the Super Bowl:
Defeated New York, 19-7: NFC Divisional Playoffs
Defeated Seattle, 24-3: NFC Championship



The Game

Two teams with similar styles of play had managed to make their way to Super Bowl XL and a chance at their second championship each. The Jacksonville Jaguars had come to Detroit having won three playoff games on the road, including comebacks in their last two games. Byron Leftwich had played well, and the defense had shut down Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Carson Palmer. However, the Chicago Bears had still cornered the market on defense, taking out two of the top three scoring teams in the NFL and holding them to a combined ten points on their way to their second Super Bowl in four seasons. While Rex Grossman hadn't played a game until Week 16 of the regular season, the Chicago quarterback had managed to manage the offense with the help of Thomas Jones, and now, the young man from the University of Florida was one win away from becoming a champion. All that stood in his way was a Jacksonville defense eager to prove that the Jaguars were one of the best teams of the last decade.

Despite the claims that the Bears had the best defense in the NFL in 2005, the Jaguars came out on their opening possession and challenged them. Fred Taylor broke free for a 13 yard carry on his second rush of the game, and Byron Leftwich completed a 28 yard pass to Ernest Wilford on a third down and 21, keeping the Jacksonville drive alive. Chicago would eventually stand their ground, and Josh Scobee had to come on and kick a 37 yard field goal for the first points of the game. After a three and out by the Bears, the Jaguars went right back on the attack, thanks to a punt return by Alvin Pearman that put the ball at midfield. Leftwich completed passes to Kyle Brady and Matt Jones that set up a 44 yard field goal by Scobee to put the Jaguars ahead 6-0. Neither team would move the ball much after that in the first half until Chicago finally got their offense going late in the second quarter. Rex Grossman completed a 20 yard pass to Mushin Muhammad, and Thomas Jones got free for a 12 yard run before Grossman hit Mark Bradley for an 18 yard touchdown that gave the Bears their first lead of the game. Jacksonville could do nothing with the ball on their next possession, and the Bears took a 7-6 lead into the half.

Both defenses had dominated for most of the first half, and that trend carried over into the third quarter, with neither team able to do much with the ball on their first two possessions. On Chicago's third drive of the quarter, the Bears moved downfield thanks to Rex Grossman's arm, but the Jaguars stopped them inside the five yard line on back to back plays, setting up a fourth down and one from the four yard line. Lovie Smith made the call to go for the first down or a touchdown, and Grossman overthrew Mushin Muhammad, giving Jacksonville the ball and killing any momentum the Bears had. The Jaguars couldn't take advantage of the goal line stand, but early in the fourth quarter, Terry Cousin intercepted Grossman and returned the ball to the Chicago 32 yard line. Four plays later, Fred Taylor scored on an eight yard run, and Jimmy Smith caught a two point conversion to put the Jaguars up by a 14-7 score. The Bears looked as if they would answer right back, as Grossman hit Justin Gage for a 21 yard gain, but Thomas Jones fumbled a handoff from Grossman and Jacksonville recovered. The Jaguars wouldn't score following the turnover, but the Chris Hanson punt pinned the Bears back at their own six yard line, and the Jacksonville defense would strike again. Bernard Berrian was stripped of the ball, and the Jaguars recovered at the Chicago eight yard line. After a loss on first down, Byron Leftwich hit Ernest Wilford for a nine yard touchdown, and with just 1:45 to play, the game was all but over. Jacksonville put the icing on their Super Bowl cake five plays later, as Deon Grant returned an interception 70 yards for a final touchdown, and the Jaguars were able to celebrate their second championship in eight years.

Final Score: Jacksonville-28 Chicago-7

MVP: Fred Taylor: Fred Taylor: 19 carries, 70 yards, TD

[Hurkman]

AFC Wild Card Playoffs

Indianapolis Colts (12-4) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (9-7)
The RCA Dome, Indianapolis, IN

One year after having one of the best teams in the NFL, the Indianapolis Colts looked like they had taken a step backwards. Despite having a 12-4 record and winning the AFC South again, the Colts had reverted back to their previous poor defensive play that had plagued them throughout Peyton Manning's time with the team. However, the offense was still one of the best in the NFL. Manning had thrown for 31 touchdowns and only nine interceptions, while Joseph Addai stepped into Edgerrin James' shoes just fine, rushing for 1,081 yards and seven touchdowns. Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne also provided Manning with the best one-two wideout punch in the NFL. The defense was another story, as a poor rushing defense moved the Colts back down into the bottom third of the league. The Kansas City Chiefs were licking their lips at the chance to play against that defense, as they boasted one of the best young running backs in the NFL. Larry Johnson had waited for his time to start behind Priest Holmes, and after scoring 20 touchdowns in 2005, came out with a 1,789, 17 touchdown season in 2006. His running helped offset a poor passing attack that saw both Trent Green and Damon Huard split time at quarterback. The Kansas City defense was also average, but veteran Ty Law and rookie Tamba Hali had improved it from the prior season.

Surprisingly, it was both defenses that came out playing well in the first quarter, as both the Chiefs and Colts could do very little with the ball on their first two possessions. Finally, on Indianapolis' third possession, Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes found room in the middle of the Kansas City defense, and Adam Vinatieri capped the seven play, 58 yard drive with a 31 yard field goal to put the Colts on top. The Chiefs would waste little time in answering back, as Trent Green found Tony Gonzalez for 19 yards, and Larry Johnson broke loose for a 31 yard run, setting up a 45 yard field goal by Lawrence Tynes. The Colts looked like they would respond, as Peyton Manning hit Marvin Harrison for a 36 yard gain to put the Colts inside Kansas City's 20 yard line, but Addai fumbled on the next play. The Chiefs drove deep into Indianapolis territory, but Tynes missed a 37 yard field goal, and the Colts moved back down the field again, only to have their drive end on a blocked Adam Vinatieri kick. Following the blocked field goal, the Chiefs ran a solid two minute drill, as Trent Green moved his offense down the field. With just 14 seconds to play, Tynes nailed a 42 yard kick, giving Kansas City a 6-3 lead heading into the half.

After a poor showing in the first half, the Colts came out with their guns blazing in the third quarter. Peyton Manning moved the offense down into Kansas City territory very quckly, but the drive stalled, and with the Colts on the edge of field goal range, coach Tony Dungy decided to go for the first down. Manning's pass to Marvin Harrison was just out of reach, and the Colts had missed another chance to score. However, the Chiefs were unable to do anything on their first drive of the second half, and Indianapolis got the ball right back, only to be forced to punt on the edge of field goal range. This time, Kansas City would waste little time in attacking the Colts, as Larry Johnson got free for a 48 yard run on the first play of the drive. Three plays later, Johnson finished the drive with a 16 yard touchdown run, extending the Kansas City lead to 13-3. The Chiefs drove to midfield on their next possession, only to have Eddie Kennison fumble the ball away at the Indianapolis 47 yard line. Four plays later, Joseph Addai scored on a 23 yard run to cut the lead to 13-10.

The Chiefs answered right back, as Dante Hall returned the kickoff back to midfield. Trent Green picked apart the Indianapolis passing defense with strikes to Sammie Parker and Larry Johnson before finding Ronnie Cruz for a 16 yard touchdown. The Colts would have just two more drives during the fourth quarter, and after Ty Law intercepted Peyton Manning to end the first of those drives, the Chiefs put the final nail in Indianapolis' coffin with an eight play drive that went just 20 yards, but took four minutes off the clock. Lawrence Tynes finished the drive with a field goal, and the Chiefs, behind a solid defensive showing, and 201 yards from Larry Johnson, were on their way to the AFC Divisional round.

Final Score: Kansas City-23 Indianapolis-10

Real Life Score: Indianapolis-23 Kansas City-8

New England Patriots (12-4) vs. New York Jets (10-6)
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA

In 2005, the New York Jets had finished with a 4-12 record. Chad Pennington had missed most of the season with injuries, and the team looked lost. All of that changed in 2006, thanks to new head coach and Bill Belichick disciple Eric Mangini. Though they didn't quite look like the Super Bowl team from two years ago, the Jets were much improved. Pennington returned from injury and passed for 3,300 yards and 17 touchdowns, while Leon Washington, Kevan Barlow and Cedric Houston made for a three headed monster in the running game. The New York defense was much improved as well, allowing the sixth fewest points in the league and helping the Jets win their final three games to earn a playoff birth. In New England, the Patriots had gotten tired of being the team that came up just short, and were poised to finally make a run at a Super Bowl title. Tom Brady passed for over 3,500 yards with 24 touchdowns, and while Corey Dillon had a down season, the emergence of rookie Laurence Maroney helped offset Dillon's mediocre showing. New England's defense was excellent, allowing just 237 points during the regular season, with Asante Samuel intercepting ten passes, and Ty Warren, Rosevelt Colvin and Richard Seymour rushing the quarterback.

The Patriots took little time in showing the Jets how they were going to play. After forcing New York to go three and out on their first drive, New England drove 61 yards in just seven plays, with Corey Dillon finishing the drive on an eight yard touchdown run. The Jets responded with a scoring drive of their own, but it's result was a 34 yard field goal by Mike Nugent. After the teams exchanged punts, the Patriots struck again, as Laurence Maroney and Corey Dillon ran through the New York defense for big gains. When the Jets began looking for the run, Tom Brady took over, hitting Troy Brown for 20 yards, and Kevin Faulk for another ten. Brady then finished the drive with a two yard touchdown pass to Faulk, putting the Patriots up 14-3. After a poor New York punt put the Patriots at their own 40 yard line, New England struck again. Brady once again moved the Patriots downfield before Dillon broke a 20 yard run down to the New York four yard line. The Jets held on defense, forcing a 22 yard field goal from Stephen Gostkowski. The Jets couldn't answer on their next drive, giving the Patriots a 17-3 lead at the half.

With their backs against the wall, the Jets came out in the second half and looked like a different team. First, they forced the Patriots to punt after three plays, then they took the ball and marched down the field, with Leon Washington and Cedric Houston doing the lion's share of the work. Chad Pennington hit Jerricho Cotchery for 24 yards on third down and eight, but the New England defense held firm once the Jets got into field goal range, and New York had to settle for a 31 yard field goal from Mike Nugent. New England would have to punt on their next two drives, and the Jets took over following the second punt with just 7:45 to play in the fourth quarter. Pennington moved New York down the field and deep into New England territory for the first time in the entire game. Laveranues Coles caught a 22 yard touchdown pass with four minutes to play to make the scoe 17-12. New York attempted the two point conversion, but Houston was stopped at the goal line. The Jets elected to kick the ball off, rather than onside kick, and the Patriots made New York pay for that choice. The Jets wouldn't see the ball again during the game, as New England ran the clock out, ending New York's season and sending the Patriots to Baltimore for a matchup with the Ravens.

Final Score: New England-17 New York-12

Real Life Score: New England-37 New York-16

AFC Divisional Playoffs

San Diego Chargers (14-2) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (9-7)
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA

Despite a 9-7 record in 2005, the San Diego Chargers had missed out on the playoffs. In 2006, they made sure that they wouldn't miss out on anything, finishing 14-2 and ending up with the best record in all of football. In his first season as a starter, Philip Rivers was excellent, passing for 3,388 yards and 22 touchdowns. LaDanian Tomlinson continued his quest towards the Hall of Fame, rushing for 1,815 yards and an NFL record 28 rushing touchdowns, while also catching 56 passes for 508 yards and three touchdowns. Antonio Gates still remained the best passing option for Rivers, catching 71 balls for 924 yards and nine touchdowns. On defense, San Diego boasted second year linebacker Shawne Merriman, who recorded 17 sacks in just 12 games due to a four game suspension for a failed drug test. Even with Merriman, the Chargers had only managed to split the regular season series with the Kansas City Chiefs, who were hoping that their playoff magic would continue to the AFC Championship.

It only took one drive for the Chargers to show that they weren't taking the Chiefs lightly. Philip Rivers hit Keenan McCardell for a 31 yard pass on the first play of the game, and San Diego would finish their opening drive with a 42 yard field goal by Nate Kaeding. After a punt by the Chiefs, the Chargers would strike again, this time on the ground. LaDanian Tomlinson drove San Diego downfield on the strength of his legs, and Kaeding added a second field goal, this one from 32 yards out, to give the Chargers a 6-0 lead. The Chiefs would answer with a nine play drive that put them in San Diego territory for the first time, and Lawrence Tynes would kick a 29 yard field goal to cap the drive off. San Diego would waste little time in answering back. Rivers and Tomlinson would once again move the Chargers into Kansas City territory, and for the third straight drive, Kaeding would kick a field goal, this one from 44 yards out, to increase San Diego's lead. On their next drive, the Chargers would finally find the end zone. Vincent Jackson and Michael Turner helped Rivers and Tomlinson move San Diego into Kansas City territory again, and Rivers finished the drive with a five yard touchdown pass to Eric Parker. With just 41 seconds to play in the first half, the Chiefs broke out the same two minute offense that they ran against the Colts the week before, and it worked just as well. Trent Green moved Kansas City downfield, and Lawrence Tynes nailed a 38 yard field goal as time expired in the first half, giving the Chiefs a small bit of momentum, despite allowing San Diego to score on every one of their drives in the first half.

Kansas City started with the ball in the third quarter, but it only took one play for disaster to strike. Trent Green was intercepted by Drayton Florence on the first play of the quarter, giving the Chargers the ball deep in Kansas City territory. Nine plays later, LaDanian Tomlinson found the end zone from two yards out, extending the San Diego lead to 23-6. The San Diego defense kept the Chiefs from doing anything with the ball on their next drive, and the Chargers went to work again on offense. This time, Philip Rivers moved his offense down the field on a 12 play, 69 yard drive that took over seven and a half minutes off the clock. San Diego ended their sixth straight scoring drive of the game with a 42 yard field goal from Nate Kaeding early in the fourth quarter. Kansas City finally stopped San Diego on their next drive, but it was too little, too late. Andrew Pinnock would score on the next Charger possession on a three yard run, and San Diego would finish the Chiefs off with a Shawne Merriman sack late in the fourth quarter. The Chargers had dominated one of only two teams that had defeated them during the regular season, and had reached their first AFC Championship in 14 years.

Final Score: San Diego-33 Kansas City-6

Real Life Score: New England-24 San Diego-21

Baltimore Ravens (13-3) vs. New England Patriots (12-4)
M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD

After missing the playoffs in back to back seasons, the Baltimore Ravens were back with a vengeance in 2006. Steve McNair had come over from the Tennesse Titans in free agency and made a very quick impact, passing for 3,050 yards and 16 touchdowns. Jamal Lewis had taken a step back from his 2,000 yard season, but still rushed for 1,132 yards and nine touchdowns. The main weapon though, was once again, the defense. Baltimore boasted six Pro Bowlers and two All-Pros on the top ranked defense in the NFL. Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Chris McAlister and Terrell Suggs led the defense into battle against the Patriots, who were confident that their offense could still take care of the Ravens on defense, despite their number one ranking.

As expected, the game started as a defensive struggle, with neither team able to move the ball much on the other. It was the Ravens that were able to get their offense going first, thanks to their passing game. Steve McNair hit Jamal Lewis for 23 yards, and Mark Clayton for 27 more before Musa Smith found the end zone from eight yards out to give the Ravens a 7-0 lead. After the scoring drive, neither offense could move once again until late in the second quarter. Laurence Maroney and Corey Dillon helped move the Patriots into Baltimore territory for the first time in the first half, but the Ravens held strong on defense, and Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 38 yard field goal for the first New England points of the game. Baltimore took exactly one play to answer back, when McNair hit Clayton for a 69 yard touchdown strike. The Patriots were forced to punt on their next possession, and the Ravens took advantage, going 29 yards in six plays and setting up Matt Stover for a 36 yard field goal as the first half came to a close.

The third quarter didn't start much better for the Patriots. Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney moved New England into Baltimore territory, only for Stephen Gostkowski to miss a 36 yard field goal. Baltimore quickly took advantage, with Jamal Lewis punishing the New England defense on the Ravens' opening drive of the third quarter. As the Patriots looked towards Lewis, Steve McNair found Clarence Moore on a seven yard touchdown pass, putting the Ravens up 24-3. After another missed Gostkowski field goal, Baltimore was able to run down the clock in the fourth quarter and add a 28 yard field goal by Matt Stover. Stover would add another late field goal as the Patriots were unable to do anything on offense against the Baltimore defense. For the fourth straight season, the Patriots had to watch as another team celebrated a victory over them in the AFC playoffs.

Final Score: Baltimore-30 New England-3

Real Life Score: Indianapolis-15 Baltimore-6

AFC Championship Game

Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA

San Diego Chargers (14-2) vs. Baltimore Ravens (13-3)

The top two seeds in the AFC were set to face off with a a birth in Super Bowl XLI waiting for the winner. The San Diego Chargers had the best offense in the NFL, as Philip Rivers and LaDanian Tomlinson had proven to almost every team during the regular season. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens boasted Steve McNair and Jamal Lewis, but they also had the best defense in the NFL. Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and company had defeated the Chargers during the regular season by the score of 16-13, and they were confident that they could knock off San Diego for the second time and earn their place in the Super Bowl.

It took just one drive for the Ravens to take advantage of their defense. B.J. Sams returned a Mike Scifres punt to the San Diego 38 yard line, and Steve McNair wasted little time. After a three yard pass to Todd Heap, Jamal Lewis got free for runs of 17 and eight yards, before Mike Anderson scored from ten yards out. From there, the first quarter was a defensive struggle, with neither team able to move the ball very far on offense. The Ravens struck again with a 13 play, 88 yard drive early in the second quarter. Jamal Lewis and Steve McNair moved Baltimore into scoring position, and Todd Heap scored on a three yard touchdown pass from McNair, giving Baltimore a 14-0 lead. The Chargers would answer back with a 25 yard field goal from Nate Kaeding, but they took a 14-3 deficit into the locker room with them.

The defensive struggle that had started in the first half carried over to the second half rather easily. Neither team could move the ball against the opposing defense, as both offenses stalled throughout the entire third quarter. San Diego made a last ditch attempt at a comeback late in the fourth quarter, as Vincent Jackson was hit on a 52 yard pass from Philip Rivers. The Chargers finished the drive with a Nate Kaeding field goal, but the Ravens responded. Rivers was sacked on fourth down on the next San Diego possession, and Baltimore wasted little time in putting the final nail in San Diego's coffin. Musa Smith scored on a ten yard run, and when Rivers was intercepted on the final Charger drive, the game was all but over. For the second time in seven years, defense had won the day, and Baltimore was headed to the Super Bowl.

Final Score: Baltimore-21 San Diego-6

Real Life Score: Indianapolis-38 New England-34 (In Indianapolis)

[Hurkman]

NFC Wild Card Playoffs

Seattle Seahawks (9-7) vs. Dallas Cowboys (9-7)
Qwest Field, Seattle, WA

The Dallas Cowboys had gone through one of their most interesting seasons in 2006. In the offseason, wide receiver Terrell Owens was brought in after being released by the Philadelphia Eagles, only to break his finger and overdose on medication just two weeks into the season. Quarterback Drew Bledsoe was benched at halftime of a game against the New York Giants, and undrafted Tony Romo took the reigns for the Cowboys, going 6-4 in his ten starts with 19 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Julius Jones and Marion Barber made for an excellent running back duo, rushing for over 1,700 yards with 18 touchdowns, while Jason Witten, Terry Glenn and Terrell Owens provided Romo with enough talent from the receiving side of the offense. The Dallas defense had struggled at times, but DeMarcus Ware had emerged as a young star, making his first Pro Bowl. For the Seattle Seahawks, their great season last year had turned into a hangover in 2006. Both Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander suffered injuries during the regular season, and the offense and defense struggled as a result. Even with those injuries, the Seahawks managed to win the NFC West once again, and were confident that their late season struggles would not hamper them in the playoffs.

Unfortunately for Seattle, their offense stumbled right out of the gate. Matt Hasselbeck was intercepted on the fourth play of the game, and the Cowboys needed just eight plays to attack the Seahawk defense. Tony Romo hit Terry Glenn for a three yard touchdown and an early lead. The Seahawks looked like they would respond, as Shaun Alexander broke a 31 yard run to midfield on the first play of Seattle's next drive, but he fumbled on his next carry, giving the ball back to Dallas. The Cowboys would turn the ball right back over on an interception by Julian Peterson, but Hasselbeck was picked off at the Dallas 20 yard line by DeMarcus Ware, ending the threat. Dallas would strike again early in the second quarter, as Romo moved the Cowboys deep into Seattle territory before capping the drive with a three yard touchdown pass to Terrell Owens. From there, both defenses would take over, with neither team able to do much on offense. Late in the second quarter, Mike Holmgren decided to call a pass play, rather than run out the clock to end the first half. The choice would come back to haunt him, as Hasselbeck was intercepted for the third time in the half. Akin Ayodele returned the pick 36 yards for a touchdown with just 16 seconds left to play. A stunned Seattle crowd booed their team off the field as the first half came to a close.

Things did not get much better for the Seahawks in the third quarter. Dallas started with the football, and on the fifth play of their opening drive, Marion Barber pounded through the Seattle defense for a 53 yard touchdown run, putting the Cowboys up 28-0. The Seahawks would finally answer back late in the third quarter. After forcing Julius Jones to fumble, Matt Hasselbeck moved Seattle 33 yards in four plays, finishing the drive with a nine yard touchdown pass to Shaun Alexander. For the Seahawks though, it was too little, too late. After the Seattle scoring drive, the Dallas defense put the clamps on the Seahawks' offense. The Cowboys would add two Martin Gramatica field goals in the fourth quarter to complete the rout, and Tony Romo was able to celebrate his first playoff victory with a 16/19, two touchdown showing.

Final Score: Dallas-34 Seattle-7

Real Life Score: Seattle-21 Dallas-20 (Best known for this.)

Philadephia Eagles (10-6) vs. New York Giants (8-8)
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA

Very few teams had the roller coaster season that the Philadelphia Eagles had. After starting the year 4-1, the Eagles then lost five of their next six games, and quarterback Donovan McNabb was lost for the year with a torn ACL. Backup Jeff Garcia stepped in, and somehow, guided Philadelphia to five straight wins, including three straight on the road against their NFC East opponents, to clinch their division. Garcia finished his shortened time as the start with ten touchdowns, compared to only two interceptions. Brian Westbrook had rushed for over 1,200 yards with seven touchdowns, and the duo of Reggie Brown and Donte Stallworth gave Garcia options at wideout. On defense, Lito Sheppard and Brian Dawkins led the way in the secondary, while Trent Cole recorded eight sacks in his first season as a starter. In New York, Eli Manning's second season as a starter looked a lot like his first year, at least on paper. Manning threw for 24 touchdowns and 18 interceptions, but the bigger story was that of Tiki Barber, who had announced his retirement, effective at the end of the season. Seemingly burdened by the news, the Giants took a 6-2 start and finished 2-6, just making it into the playoffs with an 8-8 record. Even with his retirement looming, Barber managed to run for 1,662 yards and five touchdowns, with bruising Brandon Jacobs becoming a great short yardage back. The last thing that the Giants wanted was for Philadelphia to end Barber's career, and they were determined not to let that happen.

The Eagles started out of the gates very quickly, as Brian Westbrook took his first carry for 18 yards, and Jeff Garcia hit Donte Stallworth for 20 more yards on the very next play. Garcia then found Reggie Brown for a 20 yard touchdown, but the play was called back due to a holding penalty, and David Akers would eventually miss a 44 yard field goal attempt, giving the Eagles a wasted chance to put up early points. Luckily for them, their defense was up to the task of stopping the New York offense, and later in the first quarter, the Eagles would strike again on offense. This time, Garcia hit tight end L.J. Smith for 57 yards, then found Westbrook for a six yard touchdown that gave Philadelphia the lead. The Giants would answer back midway through the second quarter, as Tiki Barber and Brandon Jacobs pounded through the Philadelphia defense, which finally gave way for a 26 yard touchdown run by Jacobs. Late in the second quarter, the Eagles would go on another scoring drive, as Garcia moved his offense deep into New York territory. Correll Buckhalter would finish the drive with a four yard touchdown run, giving Philadelphia a 14-7 lead that they would take with them into the half.

The Giants knew that they would have to strike quickly to get back into the game, and they were able to do that on their second drive of the third quarter. Eli Manning guided New York down the field with the help of his running game, and the Giants made it down to the Philadelphia four yard line. However, the Eagles held on defense, and Jay Feely had to kick a 21 yard field goal. The Eagles would come right back down the field with a scoring drive of their own, thanks to the running of Brian Westbrook and Ryan Moats. Jeff Garcia threw just one pass on the 11 play, 59 yard drive that ended with a touchdown on a one yard run by Moats, putting the Eagles up by a 21-10 score early in the fourth quarter. The Giants responded quickly with their backs against the wall, as Manning used Barber and Jacobs once again before fullback Jim Finn managed to get free on a draw for a 19 yard touchdown run with 6:30 left to play. The Giants went for two, and Tim Carter caught the conversion, bringing New York to within three points. The Eagles attempted to run off the clock, running Westbrook and Correll Buckhalter three straight times, but the Giants held their ground, and Philadelphia had to punt. Dirk Johnson's kick went just 25 yards, giving New York the ball at their own 44 yard line.

On the first play of their drive, the Giants lined Chad Morton up as a wideout, then brought him into the backfield on a reverse. The play worked to perfection, as Morton was able to find a hole in the Philadelphia defense and ran, untouched up the sidelines for a 56 yard touchdown that put the Giants on top for the first time in the game. Now, it was Jeff Garcia's turn to attempt to lead a comeback. The Eagles started with the ball at their own 29 yard line, and quickly moved towards midfield, thanks to an unnecessary roughness penalty on New York. Garcia then converted a third down and 15 with a 21 yard pass to Donte Stallworth, giving the Eagles the ball at the New York 36 yard line. A 13 yard run by Brian Westbrook moved Philadelphia to a 23 as the two minute warning hit. Thomas Tapeh dropped a Garcia pass on first down, which was followed up by a five yard run by Correll Buckhalter. New York caught Garcia for a one yard loss on third down, giving the Eagles one final chance. Garcia hit Stallworth two yards short of the first down marker, but Sam Madison was able to stop him there, giving the ball, and the win, to New York.

Final Score: New York-25 Philadelphia-21

Real Life Score: Philadelphia-23 New York-20/OT

NFC Divisional Playoffs

New Orleans Saints (10-6) vs. Dallas Cowboys (9-7)
Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA

There had been feel-good stories in the NFL in the past, but then there were the 2006 New Orleans Saints. Just one year before, the Saints had been forced to play their season entirely on the road after Hurricane Katrina severly damaged the Superdome and almost destroyed New Orleans. In the offseason, the Saints added Drew Brees at quarterback, drafted Reggie Bush with the second overall pick, and hired Sean Payton as their head coach, but hopes were still low. What the city of New Orleans got instead was a team that came out on fire, won their first three games back at the Superdome, and won the NFC South with a 10-6 record. Brees put all the doubters to rest with a 4,400 yard, 26 touchdown season, while Bush was the leading receiver for the Saints, bringing in 88 passes for 742 yards while rushing for 565 yards and six touchdowns. Seventh round pick Marques Colston was a Rookie of the Year candidate, catching 70 passes for 1,038 yards and eight touchdowns. The New Orleans defense was much improved as well, with Will Smith recording ten and a half sacks to lead the way for the Saints. Their 42-17 road win over the Dallas Cowboys gave them confidence heading into their first home playoff game in six years, but the Cowboys were riding high after their dismantling of the Seahawks in Seattle the week before.

Coming into a very hostile environment, the Cowboys came out and threw the first punch, with Marion Barber pounding a 48 yard run on the first play of the game. Five plays later, Tony Romo found Jason Witten for a two yard touchdown, and Dallas had jumped out to a very quick lead. The Saints didn't give their defense much of a break, as Drew Brees was intercepted by DeMarcus Ware on New Orleans' opening drive, and the Cowboys responded with a six play, 35 yard drive. Martin Gramatica kicked a 36 yard field goal to put Dallas up 10-0 midway through the first quarter. The Saints answered early in the second quarter, as Brees gave way to the running of Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush. The two running backs gashed the Dallas defense before McAllister scored on a two yard run to give the Saints their first points of the game. The Cowboys countered with their running duo of Julius Jones and Marion Barber, as Barber broke a 38 yard run, which was followed by Jones running deep into New Orleans territory and Barber finishing the drive on a nine yard touchdown run. Jones did most of the work on the next Dallas drive, cutting through the New Orleans defense before Tony Romo found Jason Witten for the second time in the first half, this time on an eight yard touchdown pass, to put the Cowboys up 24-7, and the Dallas defense would make that lead stand as the first half ended.

With their amazing season just 30 minutes away from ending, the Saints came out in the third quarter and moved their offense down the field against the Cowboys. Drew Brees hit Devery Henderson for a 40 yard pass, which set up a 34 yard field goal by John Carney. However, Dallas had an answer once again, and thanks to the running of Julius Jones, quickly set New Orleans back. Jones finished the seven play, 65 yard drive with a 17 yard touchdown run, giving him 42 yards on the drive. The Saints would answer back with another field goal by Carney, and on their next drive, New Orleans would find the end zone again, going 64 yards in nine plays and ending the drive with a four yard touchdown run by Deuce McAllister, putting them within two scores. Following a Dallas punt, the Saints went right back to work, with Brees hitting Henderson for a second 40 yard pass before Joe Horn scored on a 29 yard strike. However, the Saints attempted a two point conversion, and Aaron Stecker was stopped short of the goal line, keeping New Orleans from making it a one possession game. The New Orleans defense forced a Dallas punt, but Mat McBriar pinned the Saints back at their own 14 yard line. Five plays later, Drew Brees was sacked on fourth down, and the Cowboys finished the game with a five yard touchdown run by Julius Jones. Both Jones and Marion Barber rushed for over 140 yards as Dallas ended the dream season of the Saints and headed back to the NFC Championship.

Final Score: Dallas-38 New Orleans-26

Real Life Score: New Orleans-27 Philadelphia-24

Chicago Bears (13-3) vs. New York Giants (8-8)
Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

Fresh of their loss in Super Bowl XL, the Chicago Bears came back with one of their best seasons ever. Rex Grossman finished his first full season as a starter with 3,193 yards and 23 touchdowns, while the rushing tandem of Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson compiled over 1,800 yards and 12 touchdowns to bring balance to the second highest scoring team in the NFL. Bernard Berrian and Mushin Muhammad provided Grossman with targets in the receiving game, while the defense was still one of the best in the NFL. Lance Briggs, Brian Urlacher, Tommie Harris and Brendon Ayanbadejo all made the Pro Bowl, while rookie Devin Hester gave new meaning to the term "special teams." The second round pick returned five kick and punt returns for touchdowns and led the league in punt return yardage. With a dangerous hidden weapon and a defense that was still as good as it had ever been, the Bears were ready for their third Super Bowl trip in six years, while the Giants were hoping that they could supply another miracle for the second week in a row.

Despite the great season by the Bears, it was the Giants that came out looking like the better team. On New York's first possession, Tiki Barber gashed Chicago's vaunted defense, taking his second carry of the game for 41 yards and a touchdown. Following a punt by the Bears, Barber struck again, breaking loose for a 50 yard run that set up a 15 yard touchdown reception by Plaxico Burress that gave the Giants a 14-0 lead late in the first quarter. While the first quarter had belonged to the Giants, the second quarter swung in favor of the Bears. On their first drive of the quarter, Chicago struck back, with Rex Grossman leading the way. The Chicago quarterback completed three of his five passes on the eight play drive, which set up a 40 yard field goal by Robbie Gould. The Bears would strike again on their next drive, as Grossman once again moved Chicago downfield. This time, Thomas Jones was able to finish the drive with a one yard touchdown run, cutting the New York lead to just four points. Neither team could move the ball on offense following the Chicago drive, and the Bears went into the half down by four points.

With the Bears running the risk of losing to an 8-8 team in their first playoff game, they came out swinging in the third quarter. After forcing New York to punt on their first possession, the Chicago offense went back to work. Rex Grossman hit Mushin Muhammad for 20 yards, then found Desmond Clark for a short pass that Clark turned into a 61 yard gain. On the next play, Thomas Jones scored on a five yard run, giving the Bears their first lead of the game. New York attempted an answer on their next drive, with Eli Manning moving the Giants deep inside Chicago territory, but Lance Briggs sacked Manning on third down, and Jay Feely missed the longer field goal, keeping the Bears in control. Chicago would respond in the fourth quarter with a ten play, 41 yard drive that took over five minutes off the clock, as Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson pounded the New York defense. Robbie Gould kicked a 36 yard field goal to end the drive, extending the Chicago lead. Following another New York punt, the Bears struck again. This time, Mark Bradley caught a 35 yard pass, which set up a 49 yard field goal by Gould. The Giants would respond with their first scoring drive since the first quarter, as Eli Manning picked apart the Chicago defense with crisp passes before hitting Plaxico Burress for a 22 yard touchdown pass that cut the Chicago lead to just two points. Unfortunately for the Giants, the Bears would not give the ball up for the rest of the game. Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson managed to run out the clock, and the Bears were on their way to their second straight NFC Championship.

Final Score: Chicago-23 New York-21

Real Life Score: Chicago-27 Seattle-24/OT

NFC Championship Game

Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

Chicago Bears (13-3) vs. Dallas Cowboys (9-7)

Two of the last five NFC teams to reach the Super Bowl were set to face off with the rights to Super Bowl XLI on the line. The Chicago Bears had been to two of the last five Super Bowls, while the Cowboys had won Super Bowl XXXVIII against the Indianapolis Colts. While the teams had each changed since the last time they had made it to football's biggest stage, one thing remained the same: both teams wanted to prove that they belonged. Dallas had a chance to prove that Tony Romo wasn't just a fluke and he could lead a team, while Chicago had Rex Grossman attempting to lead his team to a second straight Super Bowl. No one knew what was going to happen, but it was going to be fun regardless.

Neither team could move the ball on their opening drive, but the Cowboys took advantage of a poor punt by Brad Maynard on their second drive. Tony Romo hit Terry Glenn for 22 yards to move Dallas into Chicago territory for the first time, then found Terrell Owens for 13 yards to put the Cowboys into field goal range. Martin Gramatica hit a 33 yard field goal to put Dallas up early. The Bears answered with an 11 play, 92 yard drive that was led by Rex Grossman. The Chicago quarterback moved the Bears down the field before giving way to Thomas Jones, who scored from two yards out and gave Chicago the lead for the first time early in the second quarter. After a Dallas punt, the Bears struck again, as the running game did the job. Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson helped move the Bears 41 yards in seven plays, and set up a 38 yard field goal by Robbie Gould. Following two more Dallas punts, the Chicago offense went back to work, thanks to a 70 yard pass from Rex Grossman to Rashied Davis that set up an eight yard touchdown pass from Grossman to Mushin Muhammad. The Bears made the lead hold up, and took a 17-3 lead into the locker room.

Chicago had all the momentum going into the half, and their luck continued in the third quarter, as Cedric Benson and Rex Grossman moved the Bears into Dallas territory once again. However, Robbie Gould missed a 46 yard field goal, giving the Cowboys life early in the third quarter. However, the Chicago defense kept the Cowboys from striking back, and the Bears were able to able to advance once again on offense in the fourth quarter. Desmond Clark and Mushin Muhammad's receptions were able to set up a 26 yard field goal by Gould, and Benson and Thomas Jones broke apart the Dallas defense for another field goal by Gould. Nathan Vasher would intercept Tony Romo on the last Dallas drive, and for the second year in a row, and the third time in six years, the Chicago Bears were headed to the Super Bowl. This time, they had a healthy quarterback and a solid running game to back them up.

Final Score: Chicago-23 Dallas-3

Real Life Score: Chicago-39 New Orleans-14

[Jestor]

At least McNabb got a ring in this universe, so -something- went right.

[Hurkman]

Super Bowl XLI

Dolphin Stadium, Miami, FL

Baltimore Ravens (13-3)


Head Coach: Brian Billick
353 Points Scored
201 Points Allowed

Starting Quarterback: Steve McNair


Road to the Super Bowl:
Defeated New England, 30-3: AFC Divisional Playoffs
Defeated San Diego, 21-6: AFC Championship



Chicago Bears (13-3)


Head Coach: Lovie Smith
427 Points Scored
255 Points Allowed

Starting Quarterback: Rex Grossman


Road to the Super Bowl:
Defeated New York, 23-21: NFC Divisional Playoffs
Defeated Dallas, 23-3: NFC Championship



The Game

For the second year in a row, and the third time in six years, the Chicago Bears had reached the Super Bowl. This time, the Bears were hoping that a good offense and a great defense would allow their team to reach the same level as the 1985 Bears as Super Bowl champions. Rex Grossman completed his first full season as a starting quarterback, and passed for over 3,100 yards and 23 touchdowns, while Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson provided a great 1-2 punch at running back. Devin Hester was a dominant force as a kick returner, forcing opponents to gameplan around him, while the defense was still one of the best in the league. Lance Briggs, Brian Urlacher and Tommie Harris led the way, but when people talk about defense in the NFL, the talk starts with the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore had made it to the Super Bowl for the second time in seven seasons, and their defense was still solid, holding opponents to ten or fewer points in seven games. The Ravens boasted six Pro Bowlers on defense to help pace the number one ranked unit in the NFL. The offense had also taken a step up in 2006, with Steve McNair coming over from the Titans. McNair passed for 16 touchdowns, and combined with Jamal Lewis, gave Baltimore a threat at both running back and quarterback for the first time in a long time. While both teams could put up points, most thought that the weather conditions, coupled with the defensive mindset of both teams, would lead to a low scoring affair in the 41st Super Bowl.

It took very little time for a defense to get involved in the game. On just the second play from scrimmage, Rex Grossman was intercepted by Gary Stills, who returned the ball back to the Chicago four yard line. Just three plays later, Jamal Lewis scored on a four yard run, giving the Ravens the lead just a minute and a half into the Super Bowl. Following punts by both teams, the Bears were able to answer back with a scoring drive. Rex Grossman bounced back from his early interception with crisp passes to Mushin Muhammad and Desmond Clark, the latter of which set up a 29 yard field goal by Robbie Gould. The Bears would strike again early in the second quarter, as Devin Hester was able to return a Sam Koch punt to midfield. Grossman found Muhammad for a 21 yard gain on the opening play of the drive, and, four plays later, Gould hit a 44 yard field goal that cut the Baltimore lead to a single point. The Ravens would respond later in the quarter. Musa Smith found a hole for a 17 gain, then Steve McNair ran a perfect play action fake to Jamal Lewis, which left Todd Heap wide open. The Baltimore tight end ran, untouched, for a 55 yard touchdown to put the Ravens ahead by a score of 14-6. Following another solid return by Hester to midfield, the Bears answered back with a 39 yard Robbie Gould field goal that would put an end to the scoring in the first half.

With both defenses having set a tone in the first half, it was no surprise that they both came out with the same fire in the second half. The Ravens drove into Chicago territory, but Steve McNair was intercepted by Brian Urlacher at the 40 yard line, giving the Bears the ball with excellent field position. However, Rex Grossman was intercepted just five plays later by Ronnie Prude, ending the Chicago drive and giving the Ravens the ball with good field position. The Ravens would take advantage, thanks to two 22 yard passes by McNair: the first finding Michael Clayton and the second hitting Todd Heap. Matt Stover would finish the eight play, 56 yard drive with a 32 yard field goal, putting the Ravens up by eight points. With their backs against the ropes, the Bears came out with a scoring drive of their own. Rex Grossman once again moved Chicago downfield, hitting Mushin Muhammad for a 20 yard gain, then finding Bernard Berrian for 18 more yards. The two passes set up a 40 yard field goal by Robbie Gould that cut the Baltimore lead to five points early in the fourth quarter. Both defenses would then dig in their heels for much of the final 15 minutes, until the Bears got the ball back with just three minutes to play.

Facing the prospect of losing their third Super Bowl in six years, Chicago began to move downfield against the tough Baltimore defense. Rex Grossman stayed strong against an oncoming blitz, and hit Mark Bradley for a 50 yard pass that put the Bears at the Baltimore 14 yard line with just under two minutes to play. A seven yard pass to Mushin Muhammad moved the Bears even closer, but then Baltimore dug in on defense. A pass to Desmond Clark was batted away by Ed Reed, and then Ray Lewis caught Thomas Jones in the backfield for a loss of a yard on a draw play, setting up fourth down and three from the seven yard line with 1:35 to play. The Ravens brought a blitz, and Grossman blinked in the face of the pressure. His pass to Mark Bradley was overthrown, and Baltimore took over at their own eight yard line. Even with the goal line stand, the Ravens were forced to punt one last time, and Sam Koch did his job by keeping the ball away from Devin Hester. Rex Grossman's last second Hail Mary was intercepted, and for the third time in the decade, the Bears had fallen one game short of a championship, while the Ravens were able to celebrate their second title.

Final Score: Baltimore-17 Chicago-12

MVP: Todd Heap: 4 catches, 85 yards, TD

[Hurkman]

AFC Wild Card Playoffs

San Diego Chargers (11-5) vs. Tennessee Titans (10-6)
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA

After three years out of the playoffs, the Tennessee Titans had made it back on the strength of a solid defense and one of the best running games in the NFL. Vince Young had won the Rookie of the Year award in 2006, but took a step back in 2007, throwing for only nine touchdowns with 17 interceptions. However, second year running back LenDale White and Chris Brown helped pick up the slack, rushing for a combined 1,572 yards with 12 touchdowns. The Tennessee defense was good as well, ranking fifth in the league in yards allowed. Kyle Vanden Bosch led the team with 12 sacks, and Albert Haynesworth established himself as a punishing force up the middle. In San Diego, the Chargers had taken a step back from their 14-2 season of a year ago, but they were still a team to be reckoned with. Philip Rivers passed for over 3,100 yards with 21 touchdowns, and LaDanian Tomlinson still led the league with 1,474 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. A midseason trade for Chris Chambers gave San Diego another receiving threat to help balance Antonio Gates, and youngsters Antonio Cromartie and Shawne Merriman paced a good Charger defensive unit.

It didn't take much time for the Chargers to make an impact, both on offense and defense. On the first play of the game, Philip Rivers hit Chris Chambers for a 20 yard gain, and two plays later, Rivers found LaDanian Tomlinson for a 33 yard touchdown. On Tennessee's second play on offense, Antonio Cromartie intercepted Vince Young, giving San Diego the ball inside Tennessee territory. This time, the Chargers attacked the Titans on the ground, with Tomlinson pounding away at the heart of the Tennessee defense. Michael Turner finished the drive with a three yard touchdown run, and the Chargers had a 14-0 lead just seven minutes into the game. San Diego's next drive went just as well, as Tomlinson was again able to move through the Titans defense, before Rivers began to pick them apart through the air. A 32 yard pass to Chambers on the last play of the first quarter helped set up a three yard touchdown pass from Rivers to Tomlinson early in the second quarter. Neither team would move the ball much after that until late in the quarter, when LenDale White finally got the Titans moving with a 40 yard run. A 16 yard run two plays later put Tennessee inside the San Diego ten yard line, and White finished things off with a touchdown run from four yards out. The Chargers would answer back with a 43 yard field goal by Nate Kaeding, but Vince Young ran the two minute offense to perfection, and White capped the late scoring frenzy with a 25 yard touchdown run, putting the Titans within ten points at the half.

Tennessee had the momentum coming out of the half, and they used it well on their second drive. After stopping the Chargers on defense, the Titans moved downfield on the arm of Vince Young before Rod Bironas kicked a 32 yard field goal to cut the lead to just seven points. However, the Chargers would answer back quickly. LaDanian Tomlinson broke free for a 59 yard run, which set up an eight yard touchdown pass from Philip Rivers to Vincent Jackson. The Titans were unable to answer on their next two drives, and the Chargers responded with an eight play drive that took almost five minutes off the clock in the fourth quarter. Nate Kaeding kicked a 30 yard field goal, and he would add a 22 yard kick on the next San Diego drive. The Titans would add a late touchdown on a Vince Young pass to Roydell Williams, but with only 22 seconds to play, there was not enough time to mount a comeback. For the second straight year, the Chargers were headed to the second round of the playoffs.

Final Score: San Diego-37 Tennessee-24

Real Life Score: San Diego-17 Tennessee-6

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5)
Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA

After 8-8 seasons by both teams in 2006, the Jaguars and Steelers had bounced back with good seasons in 2007. Ben Roethlisberger had his best season to date, throwing fo 32 touchdowns and 3,154 yards. Willie Parker balanced out the offense with 1,316 rushing yards, while the number one ranked defense in the NFL was led by James Farrior, James Harrison and Troy Polamalu. Meanwhile, the Jaguars had benefitted from the play of David Garrard, who had stepped into his role as a starting quarterback and ran with it, passing for 2,500 yards with 18 touchdowns and only three interceptions. The rushing tandem of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew rushed for almost 2,000 combined yards and 14 touchdowns, and Taylor was finally named to his first Pro Bowl. The Jacksonville defense had a bounce back year as well, with Rashean Mathis, John Henderson and rookie Reggie Nelson leading the way. The Jaguars also had the benefit of knowing that they could beat the Steelers, having defeated them just a month prior to the playoffs.

The Steelers had prided themselves on being able to take care of the football during the regular season, but it only took three plays for them to lose control of the ball in the playoffs. Willie Parker fumbled on his second carry of the game, and the Jaguars took over at midfield. With the short field position, David Garrard moved Jacksonville into scoring range, and Maurice Jones-Drew and LaBrandon Toefield moved the Jaguars even closer. However, Pittsburgh's defense held at the end, and Jacksonville had to settle for a 23 yard field goal by Josh Scobee. The Jaguars would get another chance, thanks to another fumble by Parker on the next Pittsburgh drive. This time, Garrard got Jacksonville as close as the Pittsburgh 25 yard line, before Scobee had to come in and kick a 42 yard field goal to give the Jaguars a 6-0 lead. The Steelers wouldn't turn the ball over on their next two drives, but they also couldn't solve the Jacksonville defense, which forced them to punt. After the second Pittsburgh punt, the Jaguars went to work on offense again. Fred Taylor broke free for a 34 yard gain, and after a 12 yard pass from Garrard to Ernest Wilford, Taylor finished the drive with a one yard touchdown run. The Steelers were forced to punt on the ensuing drive, and Jacksonville once again drove downfield against one of the best defenses in the NFL. Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew gashed the Pittsburgh defense, and David Garrard was able to find open receivers to move the Jaguars inside the Pittsburgh ten yard line. For the second time in the game, however, the Steelers stopped Jacksonville from finding the end zone, and Jash Scobee capped the first half scoring with a 22 yard field goal, giving the Jaguars a stunning 16-0 lead heading into the half.

With their backs against the wall, the Steelers knew that they had to come up with a big play, and they did just that on Jacksonville's second possession. James Harrison stripped Maurice Jones-Drew at the Jacksonville 19 yard line, and Pittsburgh recovered, giving the Steelers their best field position of the game. Three plays later, Ben Roethlisberger scrambled out of the pocket and into the end zone for a six yard touchdown to put Pittsburgh on the board. It would only take two and a half minutes for the Jaguars to respond. Jones-Drew came back with a 19 yard run, which was followed by a 14 yard run by Fred Taylor. On the next play, David Garrard faked a pitch to Taylor, which froze the Pittsburgh defense enough for him to find Marcedes Lewis for a 33 yard touchdown pass. The Steelers would answer back with a 13 play drive that took over eight minutes off the clock and ended with a ten yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes. Pittsburgh elected to attempt a two point conversion early in the fourth quarter, but Willie Parker was stopped short of the goal line, keeping the Steelers down by ten points. Midway through the fourth quarter, Pittsburgh would score again, but this time, it was thanks to a 33 yard field goal by Jeff Reed. Pittsburgh would force the Jaguars to punt on their next two possessions, but Roethlisberger couldn't get the Steelers past midfield either time. After the second turnover on downs, Jacksonville was able to run out the clock and hand the Steelers a bitter playoff defeat.

Final Score: Jacksonville-23 Pittsburgh-16

Real Life Score: Jacksonville-31 Pittsburgh-29

AFC Divisional Playoffs

Indianapolis Colts (13-3) vs. San Diego Chargers (11-5)
The RCA Dome, Indianapolis, IN

In what was quickly becoming a tradition, the Indianapolis Colts were once again on top of the AFC South division and a powerhouse heading into the playoffs. Peyton Manning once again passed for over 4,000 yards with 31 touchdowns, and, despite only having Marvin Harrison for five games, Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark picked up the slack, each scoring over ten touchdowns. Joseph Addai had a good sophomore season, rushing for 1,072 yards with 12 touchdowns, but the real difference for the Colts in 2007 was their defense. Bob Sanders, Gary Brackett and Antoine Bethea helped lead the Colts as a top five defense, and Indianapolis' 262 points allowed were the fewest in the NFL. While the Colts were one of the best teams in football, they had tasted defeat at the hands of the San Diego Chargers midway through the regular season. However, that game was in San Diego, and Peyton Manning was intercepted six times by the Chargers, something that was unlikely to happen again. The Colts knew that a win would more than likely send them to New England for a date with the Patriots, and that's exactly what they wanted.

The only problem was the Colts had to get through the Chargers first, and San Diego wasn't going to make it easy. Darren Sproles returned Indianapolis' first punt back to the 34 yard line of the Colts, but Philip Rivers was intercepted by Matt Giordano three plays later. However, Shaun Phillips intercepted Peyton Manning at midfield, and this time, Rivers wouldn't make the same mistake. He started the drive with a 24 yard pass to Vincent Jackson, then found LaDanian Tomlinson for 14 more yards. Tomlinson came back with a 14 yard run on the next play, and then Rivers finished the drive with a six yard touchdown pass to Chris Chambers. The Colts looked as if they would answer, as Manning led Indianapolis down to the San Diego 17 yard line, but Clinton Hart picked Manning off and returned the ball to midfield. Rivers moved the Chargers down to the Indianapolis 24 yard line, but then he was intercepted by Gary Brackett. It took Manning only one play to tie the game, as he found Reggie Wayne for a 76 yard touchdown. San Diego answered right back with a good mix of run and pass before Nate Kaeding finished the drive with a 50 yard field goal to give the Chargers the lead again. After an Indianapolis punt, Rivers moved the Chargers back downfield one last time before the half. Using the clock well, the Chargers got into field goal range, and Kaeding nailed a 39 yard field goal as the first half came to a close.

After being stunned in the first half, the Colts came out and looked like a different team in the third quarter. On their opening drive, Indianapolis used their running game to move downfield. However, Joseph Addai fumbled the ball at the San Diego 19 yard line, giving the ball back to the Chargers. After the Chargers were forced to punt, the Colts struck right back, as Manning used his arm to move Indianapolis back into San Diego territory. This time, Addai made up for his fumble by scoring on a five yard run, putting the Colts ahead for the first time in the game. Addai struck again on the next Indianapolis drive, starting things off with a 31 yard run, but the Colts were stopped by the San Diego defense, and on fourth and three, Tony Dungy elected to attempt the conversion at the San Diego 34 yard line. Kenton Keith picked up two yards, but the Chargers held their ground, and the Colts had wasted a chance to add to their lead. San Diego made Indianapolis pay for their mistake, as Philip Rivers hit Craig Davis for 24 yards, and then found Antonio Gates for another 23 yards. Michael Turner's 13 yard run put San Diego at the Indianapolis five yard line, and then Rivers finished the drive with a five yard touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson. The Chargers attempted a two point conversion, but Rivers' pass was incomplete, giving San Diego just a five point lead. With time running out, Peyton Manning began to guide the Colts down for one final scoring chance. The former MVP moved his offense down to the San Diego 20 yard line, but was unable to get any closer. His fourth down pass to Reggie Wayne sailed out of the end zone, and the Chargers took over. Two plays later, thanks to a 51 yard run by LaDanian Tomlinson, Michael Turner finished off the Colts with a 29 yard touchdown run. Manning did find the end zone on Indianapolis' last drive, but his 17 touchdown pass to Wayne came as time ran out. For the third year in a row, the Colts were unable to advance past their first playoff game.

Final Score: San Diego-26 Indianapolis-21

Real Life Score: San Diego-28 Indianapolis-24

New England Patriots (16-0) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5)
Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA

There was no team that had stirred up as much controversy in 2007 as the New England Patriots. After years of coming up just short of the Super Bowl, the Patriots went out and added wide receiver Randy Moss to their offense. It took exactly one game for Moss to make an impact, but then the Patriots were caught taping the New York Jets, leading to "Spygate," and costing them a draft pick. Meanwhile, the Patriots were busy running through every team that they faced, often winning by 20 or more points. Tom Brady finished the year with an astounding 50 touchdown passes and only nine interceptions, while Randy Moss set an NFL record with 23 touchdown receptions. Wes Welker was also brought in, and he led the NFL with 112 catches and 1,175 yards. The New England defense also helped the Patriots finish with the second undefeated regular season in the Super Bowl era, with Asante Samuel, Vince Wilfork, Adalius Thomas and Mike Vrabel leading the fourth ranked defense in the NFL. However, the Patriots had shown signs of being beatable, as the Eagles, Ravens and Giants had only lost by three points, and many people were saying that if there was a team in the AFC that could beat the Patriots, it was the Jacksonville Jaguars, who they happened to be playing in their first playoff game.

The reason that people thought Jacksonville could beat the Patriots was that the Jaguars had a physical defense that could attack the high powered New England offense. Sure enough, both defenses came out ready to play in the first quarter, with each forcing a punt on their opening drives. However, the Jaguars came out on their next drive and were able to move downfield against the Patriots, with Maurice Jones-Drew doing most of the work, both on the ground and through the air. It was Jones-Drew that finished the drive on a 25 yard pass from David Garrard that gave Jacksonville the early lead. After the Jaguars started the scoring, neither team would punt again for the rest of the half. The Patriots countered Jacksonville's touchdown with a 14 play drive that ended with a 37 yard field goal from Stephen Gostkowski, and then the Jaguars came back with a scoring drive of their own. Josh Scobee finished the drive with a 20 yard field goal, but the Patriots came right back using their running game. Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris and Kevin Faulk ran through the Jacksonville defense, and Morris finished the drive with a eight yard touchdown run that tied the score. Jacksonville came right back again, thanks to a 40 yard pass from Garrard to Reggie Williams. Four plays later, Josh Scobee kicked his second field goal of the half, but the Patriots would respond once again. A good kick return by Ellis Hobbs put New England at midfeld, and it only took 41 seconds for the Patriots to score again. Stephen Gostkowski ended the scoring, and the first half, with a 41 yard field goal that tied the game up at the half.

After being matched shot for shot in the first half, the Patriots knew that they had to flex their muscles in the second half, and they did just that. On their second drive of the third quarter, New England needed just six plays to strike. Tom Brady found his stroke, and ended the drive with a ten yard touchdown pass to Randy Moss that gave the Patriots the lead once again. The Jaguars answered back again, but for the third time in the game, they were unable to find the end zone, and Josh Scobee had to kick a 43 yard field goal. The Patriots came right back with a solid mix of passes by Tom Brady and runs by Laurence Maroney and Sammy Morris. Brady finished the drive with another touchdown pass, this one a 14 yarder to Benjamin Watson that put New England up by 11 points. After a Jacksonville punt, Brady moved the Patriots downfield again, this time doing the job with just his arm. Passes to Wes Welker, Randy Moss and Donte Stallworth put the Patriots inside the Jacksonville ten yard line. Welker finished the drive with a six yard touchdown catch, and the New England defense put a stop to the Jaguars on their next two drives. For just the second time in NFL history, a team had started a season 17-0, as the Patriots were headed to the AFC Championship.

Final Score: New England-34 Jacksonville-16

Real Life Score: New England-31 Jacksonville-20

AFC Championship Game

Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA

New England Patriots (16-0) vs. San Diego Chargers (11-5)

Just one win stood between the New England Patriots and NFL history. In the long history of the National Football League, no team had ever won their first 18 games to start a season, but the Patriots were 60 minutes away from doing just that. After dispatching the Jaguars with relative ease, New England was set to face the San Diego Chargers, who were in their second straight AFC Championship. After getting past the Titans and the favored Indianapolis Colts, Philip Rivers and the Chargers were still confident that they could be the team that would knock off the Patriots and prevent NFL history from being made.

Unfortunately for the Chargers, the game did not start out that well. San Diego was forced to punt on their opening possession, and the Patriots needed just five plays to take the lead. Kevin Faulk and Laurence Maroney started the drive with solid runs, and then Tom Brady took over, hitting Randy Moss for 19 yards, and then finding Benjamin Watson for a 27 yard touchdown pass. After another San Diego punt, the Patriots struck again. The running of Faulk, Maroney and Sammy Morris broke down the Chargers on defense, and then Brady took over. The NFL MVP connected with Randy Moss for another 22 yards, which set up a 29 yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski. The Chargers were able to stop New England on their next possession, and the San Diego offense finally got started on their next drive. Michael Turner broke free for a 38 yard run, and LaDanian Tomlinson finished the drive with an 11 yard run that cut the New England lead to just three points early in the second quarter. However, the Patriots were not going to let the Chargers back into the game that easily, and Brady moved New England downfield on a 14 play, eight minute drive. Kevin Faulk finished the drive with an eight yard touchdown catch, and the Patriots were back up by ten points. Asante Samuel picked off Philip Rivers on the next San Diego drive, and the Patriots finished the second quarter with one last scoring drive. Stephen Gostkowski ended the first half with a 28 yard field goal that put New England up by 13 points and 30 minutes away from their second ever Super Bowl.

After the scoring frenzy by the Patriots in the first half, the Chargers came out and looked much better on defense in the third quarter, forcing New England to punt on their first two possessions. The San Diego offense still couldn't get going against the Patriots' defense, though, as Nate Kaeding added the only points of the third quarter with a 33 yard field goal midway through the quarter. After the Kaeding field goal, the Patriots struck back again. Tom Brady once again led New England into San Diego territory, using his arm and the legs of Laurence Maroney and Kevin Faulk to eat up time and keep the San Diego offense on the sideline. Stephen Gostkowski finished the 12 play, seven minute drive with a 40 yard field goal. After the two teams traded punts, the Chargers came back with a quick drive midway through the fourth quarter. Philip Rivers picked his way through the New England defense before hitting LaDanian Tomlinson for a ten yard touchdown. However, Nate Kaeding missed the extra point, keeping San Diego down by a touchdown. The Chargers elected to not kick the ball onsides with just under four minutes to play, hoping that their defense could stop the Patriots with enough time left to get one last shot. On a third down and nine with just under two minutes left, Tom Brady hit Randy Moss for 15 yards, finishing off the Chargers and finally sending the Patriots, who had been one of the most dominant regular season teams of the decade, into the Super Bowl with a perfect record.

Final Score: New England-23 San Diego-16

Real Life Score: New England-21 San Diego-12

[MorseMoose]

c'mon Pats!

[Hurkman]

NFC Wild Card Playoffs

Seattle Seahawks (10-6) vs. Washington Redskins (9-7)
Qwest Field, Seattle, WA

There was no team in the NFL that had overcome as much as the Washington Redskins had in 2007. First, they managed to turn a 5-3 start into a 5-7 record, limiting their playoff chances. Then, 24 year old safety Sean Taylor was shot and killed at his Miami home, shocking not only the Redskins, but the entire NFL. With the rest of the season dedicated to Taylor's memory, Washington went on a four game winning streak to finish the season at 9-7 and make the playoffs. However, in the first of their four wins, starting quarterback Jason Campbell was knocked out of the year, and 36 year old veteran Todd Collins was called on to step in. Collins, who hadn't started a game since the 1997 season, won all three of his starts and passed for 888 yards and five touchdowns, with no interceptions. Clinton Portis gave the Redskins a solid running game, with 1,262 yards and 11 touchdowns, while the defense was led by Shawn Springs, London Fletcher and Andre Carter. In Seattle, the Seahawks had returned to form after their average showing in 2006. Matt Hasselbeck bounced back with a 3,900 yard, 28 touchdown showing, and while Shaun Alexander continued to show signs of age, Maurice Morris helped provide the running attack with a decent threat. On defense, Lofa Tatupu, Patrick Kerney, Marcus Trufant and Julian Peterson were the leaders of a much improved unit over last year, and Seattle was confident that they could bring an end to the storybook season of the Redskins.

The Redskins weren't ready to head home just yet, however. On their opening drive, Clinton Portis found his way through the Seattle defense, and Todd Collins was able to then pass his away towards the Seattle end zone. Collins ended the 12 play drive with a ten yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss that gave Washington an early lead. After a Seattle punt, the Redskins went right back to work, with Collins once again picking his way through the Seattle defense. The Seahawks were able to put a stop to the drive, thanks to a Julian Peterson sack, but Shaun Suisham nailed a 35 yard field goal that extended the Redskins' lead. The Seahawks would answer back on their next possession with a scoring drive of their own, as Matt Hasselbeck found Bobby Engram for a 40 yard gain that set up a four yard touchdown pass to Engram just four plays later. On the next Seattle drive, the running duo of Shaun Alexander and Maurice Morris broke through the Washington defense, and Josh Brown capped the 12 play, seven and a half minute drive with a 29 yard field goal that tied the score late in the first half. The two teams would trade punts until the first half came to a close with the game tied.

Washington had played a solid game in the first half, and their defense played even better early in the third quarter. The Redskins forced a Seattle punt in just three plays, and Antwaan Randle-El returned the ball to the Washington 40 yard line. Once again, Todd Collins was able to move his team down the field before giving way to Shaun Suisham, who kicked a 40 yard field goal to put the Redskins back on top. The Seahawks looked to respond on their next drive, but Josh Brown missed a 47 yard field goal attempt, keeping Washington ahead by three points. Following a Seattle punt early in the fourth quarter, the Redskins struck again on the strength of their running game. Clinton Portis and Mike Sellers cut paths through the Seahawks defense before Suisham came in once again for his third field goal of the game, this one from 35 yards out. Seattle would control the ball for much of the remaining time in the final quarter, but Matt Hasselbeck could get the Seahawks no closer than their own 35 yard line. After a failed fourth down conversion, the Redskins added a final Suisham field goal that finished the scoring and ended Seattle's season at home, against an NFC East foe, for the second straight year.

Final Score: Washington-19 Seattle-10

Real Life Score: Seattle-35 Washington-14

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) vs. New York Giants (10-6)
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

After losing Tiki Barber to retirement, very few people expect the Giants to be able to compete in the NFC in 2007. Instead, the Giants fought back, with Eli Manning passing for 3,300 yards and 23 touchdowns, and Brandon Jacobs stepping into the starting running back role. Jacobs rushed for 1,009 yards and four touchdowns in just 11 games, while Plaxico Burress had his best season with New York, catching 70 passes for 1,025 yards and 12 touchdowns. The New York defense was solid as well, as Osi Umenyiora recorded six sacks in a single game and finished the year with 13, while Justin Tuck and Michael Strahan had ten and nine sacks, respectively. Meanwhile, Jeff Garcia had found a home in Tampa after being cast aside by the Philadelphia Eagles, and he led the Buccaneers to the NFC South title, passing for almost 2,500 yards and 13 touchdowns. Earnest Graham brought a rushing attack to the Buccaneers, rushing for just about 900 yards with ten touchdowns, but as the case almost always has been in Tampa, the Buccaneers defense was one of the best in the NFL. Though they boasted no Pro Bowl players, Tampa's defense ranked second in the NFL in yards allowed, with Ronde Barber, Derrick Brooks and youngster Barrett Ruud helping to pace the defense.

That defense would be put to the test early against the Giants. After the two teams traded punts on their opening possessions, New York began to move downfield against Tampa Bay. Eli Manning was able to pass his way through the Buccaneer secondary before Tampa forced three straight incomplete passes, making Lawrence Tynes come in for a 32 yard field goal. The Buccaneers only needed two plays to answer back, as Jeff Garcia found Alex Smith for a 60 yard gain, and then hit Joey Galloway for a 13 yard touchdown to put the Buccaneers on top. The Tampa defense would make themselves known on the next New York drive, as Manning was intercepted by Jermaine Phillips at the New York 39 yard line. The Buccaneers took nine plays to drive down the remainder of the field, and Garcia finished the drive with a ten yard touchdown pass to Galloway. New York came back with a six play, 64 yard drive that was highlighted by a 49 yard run by Brandon Jacobs, but the Giants had to settle for a 29 yard field goal from Lawrence Tynes. Tampa Bay would then take over the rest of the half, finishing their next two drives with Matt Bryant field goals, and intercepting Eli Manning on the last play of the first half to go to the locker room up 20-6.

It wouldn't get any easier for the Giants in the second half. After forcing the Buccaneers to punt on their opening possession, New York drove to the Tampa Bay 25 yard line, only to have Lawrence Tynes miss a 42 yard field goal attempt. After the miss, the Buccaneers used their ground game to pound through the New York defense, going 68 yards in eight plays, with six of them coming on the ground. Earnest Graham finished the drive with a six yard touchdown run that all but sealed the game late in the third quarter. New York was unable to get past midfield for the rest of the game, and the Buccaneers would add one more Matt Bryant field goal in the fourth quarter to put a close to one of their most dominant playoff wins ever.

Final Score: Tampa Bay-30 New York-6

Real Life Score: New York-24 Tampa Bay-14

NFC Divisional Playoffs

Dallas Cowboys (13-3) vs. Washington Redskins (9-7)
Texas Stadium, Irving, TX

In his first year as a full time starter, Tony Romo managed to take a team that had made it to the NFC Championship the year before and make them even better. The Dallas Cowboys finished the 2007 season as the top team in the NFC, and Romo had a lot to do with that, passing for 4,200 yards and 36 touchdowns. Terrell Owens and Jason Witten were eached named to the Pro Bowl for their outstanding seasons, and Julius Jones and Marion Barber continued their two headed rushing attack. The Dallas defense was solid as well, boasting five Pro Bowlers of their own, and DeMarcus Ware and Greg Ellis each finished with double digit sacks for the ninth ranked defense in the NFL. Of course, one of the Cowboys three losses came against the Washington Redskins in Week 17, a win that allowed the Redskins to make the playoffs. The first time the two teams played, Washington was able to keep the game close, losing by just five points in Dallas on a day when Terrell Owens caught four touchdown passes. Times had changed for the Redskins since then, and they were confident that their amazing season could continue to the NFC Championship.

Unfortunately for the Redskins, things did not start out as well as they did against Seattle. On the first play of the game, Ladell Betts fumbled the ball and the Cowboys recovered. Four plays later, Tony Romo hit Sam Hurd for an 11 yard touchdown, and Dallas had the lead just 2:30 into the game. Washington would answer back on their next drive, though, as Todd Collins once again stepped into the spotlight. The career backup completed back to back 16 yard passes to get the Redskins into field goal range, and Shaun Suisham kicked a 49 yard field goal to put Washington on the board. After Antwaan Randle El returned a Dallas punt to midfield, the Redskins struck again, driving 33 yards in five plays before Suisham kicked a 37 yard field goal to pull Washington to within a single point. The Cowboys would punt again on their first drive of the second quarter, and the Redskins would drive right through the Dallas defense for the third straight time. This time, it was a mix of runs by Clinton Portis and passes from Collins that got the job done, and Portis finished the drive with a touchdown run from two yards out. London Fletcher intercepted Tony Romo on the next Dallas drive, and the Redskins responded on offense with a third Suisham field goal to extend their lead. The Cowboys got their offense back on track on their next drive, as Romo began to move Dallas downfield, ending the drive with a seven yard touchdown pass to Terrell Owens that put an end to the scoring in the first half.

The same turnover problem that the Redskins had on their first drive of the first half came back to strike the Cowboys on their first drive of the second half, as Shawn Springs intercepted Tony Romo on his second pass of the half. The only difference was that Springs returned the interception 30 yards for a Washington touchdown, extending the Redskin lead to 23-14. After back to back Dallas punts, the Redskins took over on offense once again with Todd Collins moving them downfield. A 14 yard pass to Clinton Portis set up a 31 yard pass to Santana Moss, which in turn allowed Shaun Suisham to kick his fourth field goal of the game that put the Redskins up by 12 points late in the third quarter. The Cowboys would punt again on their next drive, and Collins and Portis once again drove Washington downfield. Collins moved the Redskins into Dallas territory, and Portis ate time off the clock before Ladell Betts made up for his first quarter fumble with a nine yard touchdown run to cap the nine play, five and a half minute drive. With their backs against the wall, the Cowboys came out swinging, but after a failed fourth down conversion at midfield, time was against them. Terrell Owens would catch his second touchdown pass of the game, this one from 14 yards out, on the next Dallas drive, but Washington would never give the ball back. Somehow, the Redskins, who had gotten into the playoffs thanks to a win in their last game of the regular season, had made their way to the NFC Championship.

Final Score: Washington-33 Dallas-21

Real Life Score: New York-21 Dallas-17

Green Bay Packers (13-3) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI

After two straight poor seasons and the drafting of Aaron Rodgers, rumors of Brett Favre's retirement had begun to form in Green Bay. After almost retiring following the 2006 season, Favre came back for one more year, and he made it one to remember. The former MVP passes for almost 4,200 yards and 28 touchdowns while leading the Packers to a 13-3 record, their best since the 1997 season. Former undrafted free agent Ryan Grant provided the Packers with a much needed running game, while Donald Driver and Greg Jennings gave Favre all the weapons he needed on offense. On the defensive side of the ball, the Packers had second year linebacker A.J. Hawk, Atari Bigby, Aaron Kampman, Al Harris and Charles Woodson, giving them one of the best defensive units in the NFC. Add to that the fact that the Packers would be playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a snowstorm, and most people had to believe that Green Bay would at least make it to the NFC Championship.

The only problem was that no one remembered to tell the Buccaneers that they weren't supposed to play well in the snow. Jeff Garcia and Earnest Graham got Tampa Bay started on offense, and Garcia finished the Buccaneers' opening drive with a 14 yard touchdown pass to Ike Hilliard, giving Tampa Bay an early lead. The Packers looked to answer right back, but they ran into a tough Buccaneer defense that stopped Green Bay on a fourth down attempt at the Tampa 35 yard line. Following a Buccaneer punt on their next possession, Brett Favre was intercepted by Jermaine Phillips at the Green Bay 15 yard line. Though the Buccaneers couldn't gain a single yard on three plays, they were in range for Matt Bryant, and his 32 yard field goal gave Tampa Bay a 10-0 lead. In the second quarter, the Tampa Bay defense continued their solid play, keeping the Packers from crossing midfield and intercepting Brett Favre for the second time in the half. The only problem was that the Buccaneers could do nothing on offense, and the score remained 10-0 in favor of Tampa Bay as the first half ended.

Following punts by both teams to start the third quarter, the Packers finally got themselves moving on offense. Ryan Grant broke loose for a 36 yard gain, which set up a 33 yard field goal by Mason Crosby that put Green Bay on the scoreboard for the first time. After the two teams traded punts at the end of the third quarter, the Packers began to move once again. Ryan Grant broke free for another 29 yard gain, and after a 20 yard catch by Donald Driver, Brandon Jackson made his way through the Tampa Bay defense for a 28 yard score that tied the game. It only took one drive for the Buccaneers to respond, as Jeff Garcia moved Tampa Bay into scoring position for the first time in the second half. Garcia completed five of six passes on the 11 play drive, and Earnest Graham and Michael Pittman did the rest of the work, setting up Matt Bryant for a go ahead field goal with just under two minutes left to play in the game. The only problem with that was that the Buccaneers had left too much time on the clock for Brett Favre. Favre moved the Packers downfield with the clock moving, and it seemed as if he had turned the clock back about ten years. With just 35 seconds left in the game, he completed a six yard pass to Donald Lee, which allowed Mason Crosby to attempt a 44 yard field goal. His kick just cleared the upright as time expired, sending the game to overtime.

In the overtime, the Packers won the toss and never looked back. Favre continued his run from the end of regulation, hitting Greg Jennings, Donald Lee and Donald Driver on three straight passes. After the 25 yard completion to Driver, the Packers were sitting at the Tampa Bay 11 yard line, and Ryan Grant finished the game off with an 11 yard touchdown run that sent the Packers to their first NFC Championship since the 2003-2004 season. After all the talk of retirement, Brett Favre once again found himself one game away from the Super Bowl.

Final Score: Green Bay-19 Tampa Bay-13/OT

Real Life Score: Green Bay-42 Seattle-20

NFC Championship Game

Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI

Green Bay Packers (13-3) vs. Washington Redskins (9-7)

After two storybook seasons for the Packers and Redskins, only one team would see their dream go on to the Super Bowl. For the Packers, a win in the NFC Championship was their first chance to get back to the Super Bowl in four seasons. Brett Favre had pushed the idea of retiring away for one last Pro Bowl season, and the Packers had established themselves as one of the best defenses in the NFL to back up Favre's offense. Meanwhile, the Washington Redskins hadn't been to the Super Bowl since the 1992-93 season, and after the Sean Taylor tragedy, the team had come together and managed to win two straight playoff games on the road. Now, with one win between them and their fourth Super Bowl appearance, the Redskins were ready to take on the blinding cold that Green Bay had to offer them in the NFC Championship. Just as they had against Dallas early in the season, the Redskins had managed a tight loss to Green Bay, losing by just three points in Lambeau Field earlier in the season. The only thing with that game was that it was during the regular season, and no one wanted to bet against Brett Favre, in the cold, in maybe his last game in Green Bay.

The Packers came out playing like their season was on the line, driving down to the Washington four yard line on their opening drive of the game. However, the Washington defense stopped Favre and the Packers on three straight plays from the four yard line, forcing Green Bay to settle for a Mason Crosby field goal and a 3-0 lead. After the teams traded punts back and forth for most of the first quarter, the Packers got started on offense again, thanks to a good punt return by Charles Woodson. Ryan Grant and Brett Favre moved the Packers inside the Washington 20 yard line for the second time, and this time the Packers wouldn't be denied, as Favre hit Donald Driver for a 13 yard touchdown to put Green Bay up 10-0. The Redskins would answer right back, thanks to Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts, who broke through the Green Bay defense for the first time all game. With the running game working, Washington was able to score on a 39 yard field goal by Shaun Suisham. Later in the second quarter, the Redskins would strike again, as Todd Collins was able to pick apart the usually solid Green Bay passing defense to allow Suisham to kick a 30 yard field goal that ended the scoring in the first half.

After a tightly played first half, almost everyone expected more of the same in the third and fourth quarter, but the Redskins quickly blew the lid off of that idea. Todd Collins once again picked apart the Green Bay defense on Washington's first drive of the third quarter, and then Clinton Portis got in on the act, rushing for 51 yards on the 76 yard drive, including a nine yard touchdown run that put Washington ahead for the first time. The Packers attempted to answer, but Brandon Jackson fumbled away a Brett Favre pass, and the Redskins struck again. After a 26 yard pass from Collins to Todd Yoder, Mike Sellers scored on a 13 yard touchdown, extending the Washington lead to ten points. Green Bay was forced to punt on their next drive, and with the Redskins pinned back at their own nine yard line, the Packers were right back in the game, but Washington had another idea. Sellers and Portis ran though the Green Bay defense as Todd Collins passed when necessary, and Portis finished the 91 yard drive with a huge 28 yard touchdown run. Suddenly, the Redskins found themselves up by three scores late in the third quarter, and things were not looking good for the Packers.

Green Bay attempted to come back in the game, but after a punt early in the fourth quarter, the Redskins struck again. This time, Todd Collins and Clinton Portis led Washington on an 11 play drive that took almost seven minutes and ended with a four yard touchdown run by Portis, putting the game all but out of reach. Favre was intercepted by Fred Smoot on the next Green Bay drive, and the Redskins converted the turnover into more points, as Collins found Antwaan Randle El for a final touchdown that was the nail in the coffin for the Green Bay season. Favre moved the Packers downfield one final time, but his apparent final pass as a member of Green Bay sailed out of the back of the end zone, ending Green Bay's season and allowing Washington's miracle run to continue all the way to the Super Bowl.

Final Score: Washington-41 Green Bay-10

Real Life Score: New York-23 Green Bay-20/OT

[Hurkman]

Super Bowl XLII

University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AR

New England Patriots (16-0)


Head Coach: Bill Belichick
589 Points Scored
274 Points Allowed

Starting Quarterback: Tom Brady


Road to the Super Bowl:
Defeated Jacksonville, 34-16: AFC Divisional Playoffs
Defeated San Diego, 23-16: AFC Championship



Washington Redskins (9-7)


Head Coach: Joe Gibbs
334 Points Scored
310 Points Allowed

Starting Quarterback: Todd Collins


Road to the Super Bowl:
Defeated Seattle, 19-10: NFC Wild Card Playoffs
Defeated Dallas, 33-21: NFC Divisional Playoffs
Defeated Green Bay, 41-10: NFC Championship



The Game

The two biggest stories of the NFL season were set to meet up in possibly the biggest Super Bowl mismatch ever. The New England Patriots had finally made it to the top of the AFC mountain with Tom Brady, and despite the allegations of cheating by videotaping signals, the Patriots had gone 16-0, making them the second team to ever make the Super Bowl with a perfect record. Brady had thrown a record 50 touchdown passes, with Randy Moss catching an NFL record 23 of them. While the Patriots were easily the best team in the NFL during the 2007 season, the Washington Redskins may have been the most inspiring. After the tragic death of Sean Taylor, the Redskins rallied to make the playoffs, with a 36 year old backup quarterback leading the way, and then proceeded to win three straight road playoff games just to make it to the Super Bowl. Todd Collins had played well in his first three playoff starts, and Clinton Portis and Washington's defense had helped the Redskins make it to their fourth Super Bowl. With just 60 minutes standing between each team and their final victory, both knew that they would have to go all out for their side to win.

After being crushed by 45 points against the Patriots during the regular season, the Redskins knew that a fast start was going to be vital, and that's exactly what they got. The Washington defense forced New England to punt on their opening drive, and Todd Collins turned around and led the Redskins on an eight play scoring drive. Collins completed his first four passes, getting Washington to the New England 30 before Shaun Suisham kicked a 47 yard field goal for an early 3-0 lead. The Patriots would have to punt on their next drive as well, but the punt was downed at the Washington eight yard line, and the New England defense would take advantage of the poor field position of the Redskins. Just two plays into the possession, Jarvis Green brought Collins down in the end zone for a safety, putting New England on the board. After the Patriots returned the safety kick to the Washington 46 yard line, it took just two plays for New England to find the end zone for the first time. Tom Brady hit Laurence Maroney for a 41 yard gain, which was followed by a five yard touchdown run by Sammy Morris, giving the Patriots their first lead. The Redskins would counter by forcing Benjamin Watson to fumble on the next New England drive, and Todd Collins would hit Santana Moss for an 18 yard touchdown. The Patriots came right back with another two play drive, and this one ended with a 59 yard touchdown pass from Brady to Randy Moss. From there, both defenses finally began to settle down, with neither team able to do much in the second quarter except punt. With just two minutes to play in the first half, the Patriots went back to work, and Brady struck again on another quick drive, ending the four play, 50 yard drive with a nine yard touchdown pass to Wes Welker that ended the scoring in the first half of Super Bowl XLII.

With only 30 minutes between themselves and perfection, the Patriots wasted little time in getting even closer to their goal. After forcing the Redskins to punt on their opening drive, Tom Brady once again moved New England downfield before having to give way for Stephen Gostkowski, who kicked a 40 yard field goal that put the Patriots up 26-10. The Redskins would get a chance to score again late in the third quarter, when London Fletcher intercepted Tom Brady, but Todd Collins was sacked on second and third down, forcing Washington to punt. The Patriots would make the Redskins pay for their mistake, as the New England running game broke loose against the Washington defense. Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris and Kevin Faulk each pounded the now tired Redskin front seven before Brady was able to find Randy Moss for a two yard touchdown that all but sealed the Super Bowl. The Patriots would embark on one last seven and a half minute scoring drive that completely finished off the Redskins and ended with a three yard touchdown run from Sammy Morris. Tom Brady was able to take three final knees at the end of the game, and the New England Patriots had made history with their first Super Bowl win. For just the second time in NFL history, a team had won the Super Bowl with a perfect record, and the 1972 Dolphins had company.

Final Score: New England-40 Washington-10

MVP: Randy Moss: 7 catches, 112 yards, 2 TDs

[Hurkman]

AFC Wild Card Playoffs

Miami Dolphins (11-5) vs. Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
Dolphin Stadium, Miami, FL

Just a year ago, the Miami Dolphins finished their season with a 1-15 record, the worst in professional sports. Several changes were made, including bringing in a new head coach in Tony Sparano, a new quarterback in Chad Pennington and installing a different style of offense known as the Wildcat. With both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams taking snaps, the Dolphins confused opposing defenses and were able to win 11 games, their highest total in five years. Brown was named to the Pro Bowl, and Pennington turned his career around with a 19 touchdown, seven interception performance. The Miami defense was very solid, forcing turnovers almost at will and getting pressure on the quarterback with Joey Porter. The Baltimore Ravens had struggled in 2007 as well, but turned their team around with the drafting of Joe Flacco in the first round. The rookie quarterback from Delaware managed games well, and he was backed up by the running of Le'Ron McClain and Willis McGahee. Of course, the Baltimore defense was still one of the best in the NFL. Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs and Ed Reed all were named to the Pro Bowl, and the defense as a unit was ranked in the top five in the NFL. Back in 2007, the Dolphins got their only win of the season against the Baltimore Ravens, and now, it was time for Baltimore to get some revenge.

The Ravens went right to work in taking apart the fragile Miami offense. On Miami's second possession, Chad Pennington completed a quick pass to Ted Ginn, who was brought down by Ed Reed. The football came loose and the Ravens recovered at midfield. One play later, Willis McGahee broke free for a 52 yard touchdown, giving Baltimore an early lead. Miami's next possession didn't end any better, as Pennington was intercepted by Justin Bannan on his first pass attempt of the drive. Baltimore couldn't move the ball on offense, but Matt Stover kicked a 30 yard field goal to give the Ravens a 10-0 lead. Both offenses began to struggle following the Baltimore field goal, but the Ravens would strike again on defense midway through the second quarter. Ricky Williams fumbled a snap and Ray Lewis recovered for the Ravens, giving them the ball at the Miami 17 yard line. Just three plays later, Joe Flacco found Derrick Mason for a 17 yard touchdown pass to put the Ravens up by three scores. Neither team would move the ball deep into their opponent's territory following the touchdown pass, and the Ravens took their dominating 17-0 lead into the locker room.

The second half didn't start out any better for the Dolphins, as Chad Pennington was intercepted by Terrell Suggs on his second pass of the half. Though the Ravens couldn't capitalize on the turnover, the Sam Koch punt pinned Miami back at their own six yard line. The Dolphins ended up losing three yards on the possession, and Brandon Fields' punt only made it to the Miami 40 yard line, giving Baltimore great field position. They would not let it go to waste, as Le'Ron McClain and Willis McGahee went to work, punishing the Miami defense with short, powerful runs. The Ravens made it down to the Miami six yard line, but the Dolphins wouldn't allow Baltimore into the end zone. Instead, the Ravens had to settle for a second Matt Stover field goal and a 20-0 lead midway through the third quarter. The Dolphins finally got on the scoreboard early in the fourth quarter, when Ronnie Brown capped an eight play, 86 yard drive with a seven yard touchdown run, but Baltimore answered right back. Joe Flacco used his management skills to lead the Ravens down the field, and Stover kicked his third field goal of the game to cap an 11 play drive that took over five minutes off the clock. The Dolphins would turn the ball over twice on turnovers, and would run out of time, ending their incredible season while the Ravens were able to continue their run.

Final Score: Baltimore-23 Miami-7

Real Life Score: Baltimore-27 Miami-9

San Diego Chargers (8-8) vs. Indianapolis Colts (12-4)
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA

With four weeks to play in the regular season, the San Diego Chargers were sitting at 4-8, their first losing record in years in sight. Meanwhile, the Denver Broncos were sitting at 7-5, needed just one more win and a loss by the Chargers to clinch the AFC West. Rather than roll over and die, the Chargers fought back, winning their final four games of the season, including a come from behind win over the Kansas City Chiefs and a 52-21 blowout in the last game of the season over the Broncos, giving San Diego another AFC West crown. San Diego's offense had been good all season, but in the last four weeks of the year, it was even better. Philip Rivers passed for over 4,000 yards and 34 touchdowns, and LaDanian Tomlinson had another solid season, rushing for 1,110 yards with ten touchdowns. The defense had struggled at times, but was still able to keep the Chargers in the game, which was all their offense needed. Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Colts found themselves in second place in the AFC South for the first time ever. Thanks to the 13-3 Tennessee Titans, the Colts were unable to secure their division, meaning that they would have to play on the road, against an 8-8 team, while they finished the year with a 12-4 record. Peyton Manning had another great season, throwing 27 touchdowns and passing for over 4,000 yards, but the Indianapolis running game was nonexistent, and the defense, while solid, seemed to struggle in key moments.

The Indianapolis offense would get it's first test early against San Diego's questionable defense. After forcing the Chargers to punt on their opening drive, the Colts found themselves pinned back at their own two yard line. A false start penalty on second down moved them back to the one, but that was just more room for Peyton Manning to make up. Manning completed back to back passes to get the Colts some breathing room, and then Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes pounded through the San Diego defense. Eventually, the Colts would have to settle for a 48 yard Adam Vinatieri field goal, but a message had been sent. After being pinned back inside their own ten yard line on the next San Diego punch, Manning and company sent an even stronger message. Using a mix of runs and passes, Manning moved the Colts toward midfield, and then the NFL MVP did the rest, hitting Dominic Rhodes on a short pass that Rhodes turned into a 41 yard touchdown. From there, the first half turned into a comedy of errors, as neither team could do anything right. Manning was intercepted on three straight drives, but the Chargers turned the ball over on two of those possessions and could only manage a Nate Kaeding field goal following the third interception, cutting Indianapolis' lead to 10-3 at the half.

Stung by his problems in the second quarter, Peyton Manning looked like a different quarterback on the Colts' opening drive in the second half. He moved the Colts 70 yards on 14 plays before Joseph Addai capped the drive with a six yard touchdown run. The Chargers, with their backs against the wall following their miracle run into the playoffs, weren't done yet. Philip Rivers and LaDanian Tomlinson pushed San Diego downfield on a long scoring drive of their own. When Tomlinson brought in a nine yard touchdown pass from Rivers, the Chargers had countered Indianapolis' long scoring drive with a 13 play, 79 yard drive that took up the rest of the third quarter and left San Diego down by a touchdown. From there, however, the game belonged to the Colts. The Indianapolis defense buckled down and kept the Chargers from even reaching midfield on four drives in the fourth quarter, and once Adam Vinatieri kicked a 33 yard field goal with just under two minutes to play, San Diego's fate was sealed. After coming so close to reaching the Super Bowl the year before, the Chargers had been knocked out of the playoffs in the first round.

Final Score: Indianapolis-20 San Diego-10

Real Life Score: San Diego-23 Indianapolis-17/OT

AFC Divisional Playoffs

Tennessee Titans (13-3) vs. Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
LP Field, Nashville, TN

Though the Tennessee Titans were making their second straight playoff appearance, it certainly wasn't an easy road at the beginning. Vince Young struggled in his only start of the year against the Jacksonville Jaguars before getting injured, leaving veteran Kerry Collins to pick up the pieces. Under Collins, the Titans won their first ten games of the season, before going 3-3 down the stretch to finish with the best record in the NFL. Collins passed for 2,676 yards and 12 touchdowns, but the real strength of Tennessee's offense was their running game. Chris Johnson and LenDale White rushed for a combined 2,001 yards and 24 touchdowns, giving the Titans one of the best running attacks in the NFL. Their defense was great as well. Albert Haynesworth helped anchor the defensive line, and Cortland Finnegan and Michael Griffin created turnovers in the secondary. The Titans had also defeated the Baltimore Ravens early in the regular season, giving them a mental edge going into their playoff game. However, the Ravens had improved greatly since that game, and were ready to prove that they could be considered one of the best teams in the AFC.

As was expected, the Ravens and Titans both came out and looked very strong on defense, with neither team able to pass midfield in the first quarter. Both Joe Flacco and Kerry Collins struggled, as did the running games of both teams. The Titans drew first blood early in the second quarter, as they forced a Willis McGahee fumble at the Baltimore 38 yard line. From there, Collins found Justin Gage for 24 yards, then gave way to the Tennessee running game. Chris Johnson and LenDale White picked up the last 14 yards needed, with White scoring from five yards out, to give the Titans the lead. Baltimore would strike back later in the second quarter, as Joe Flacco and Willis McGahee combined to move the Ravens into Tennessee territory for the first time. The Ravens would finally score on a 31 yard field goal by Matt Stover, and the Titans would take their 7-3 lead with them to the half.

The Ravens had taken some of Tennessee's momentum late in the second quarter with their first scoring drive of the game, and they came out in the third quarter determined to do even more. This time, it was the running of Le'Ron McClain and Willis McGahee that got the job done, as they got the Ravens into Tennessee territory again. Matt Stover kicked a 48 yard field goal to cut the Tennessee lead to a single point. Following a punt by the Titans, Baltimore went back to work, as their running game continued to attack the Tennessee defense. Joe Flacco also helped move the Ravens downfield as Stover kicked a 34 yard field goal to give Baltimore their first lead of the game. The Ravens would strike again early in the fourth quarter, following a Justin Gage fumble and Ed Reed recovery. Flacco moved the Ravens inside the Tennessee 25 yard line, but Baltimore still couldn't find the end zone, and had to settle for a fourth Stover field goal and a five point lead. Now up against the ropes, the Titans got a break when Chris Carr returned the ensuing kickoff out to the Tennessee 41 yard line, giving the Titans good field position. Chris Johnson and LenDale White went to work again, making holes in the Baltimore defense to set up a 42 yard field goal by Rob Bironas with just 5:30 left to play. After stopping the Ravens on three straight plays, the Titans got the ball back with just three minutes left on the clock. The Titans slowly began to move downfield again, as the Ravens threw everything that they had at Kerry Collins. On a fourth down and nine, Baltimore blitzed, but Collins hit Justin McCareins for 18 yards, moving the Titans to the Baltimore 34 yard line. A false start penalty moved them back five yards, and, with 45 seconds to play, the Titans were facing another fourth down.

Rather than attempt a conversion that would take more time off the clock, coach Jeff Fisher elected to send Rob Bironas out to attempt a 56 yard field goal. Bironas had made his only 50+ field goal attempt on the season, but this was to keep Tennessee's entire season alive. The snap was good, Bironas nailed the kick and watched...as it sailed just over the crossbar, giving the Titans the lead back with just 38 seconds on the clock. The Ravens would move out to midfield, but there wasn't enough time left for one more comeback. Thanks to an incredible kick, the Titans were headed to their first AFC Championship in almost ten years.

Final Score: Tennessee-13 Baltimore-12

Real Life Score: Baltimore-13 Tennessee-10

Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) vs. Indianapolis Colts (12-4)
Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA

After coming up short in the playoffs last season, the Pittsburgh Steelers were back with the same mindset that had made them the best team in football during the 1970s. The Pittsburgh defense was the best in the NFL, allowing just 223 points and forcing 29 turnovers. James Harrison, James Farrior, LaMarr Woodley and Troy Polamalu were the leaders on defense, and Harrison was named Defensive Player of the Year in the NFL. The offense, on the other hand, was a bit of a different story. Ben Roethlisberger took a few steps back, passing for just 17 touchdowns and 15 interceptions while being sacked 46 times. Willie Parker led the team in running with just 791 yards, but the duo of Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes helped keep the Steelers balanced on offense. The Indianapolis Colts had a decent defense, but an offense that was based completely around Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne. For the Colts to beat the Steelers, they would have to beat Pittsburgh's defense, and that was going to be tough.

Sure enough, the first quarter was a defensive struggle, with both teams making mistakes. Peyton Manning was intercepted on the second Colts' drive of the game, but the Steelers couldn't take advantage, as Jeff Reed missed a 40 yard field goal attempt. The Colts would respond on their first drive of the second quarter thanks to their running game. Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes surprised the Steelers on defense, and their running set up Adam Vinatieri's 31 yard field goal that gave Indianapolis the lead. The Steelers looked as if they would answer back on their next drive, but Ben Roethlisberger was intercepted by Melvin Bullitt in the end zone, killing Pittsburgh's drive. However, the Steelers stopped the Colts cold on defense, forcing a punt that set up an eight play, 69 yard drive. Willie Parker capped the drive with a ten yard touchdown run, but the Steelers weren't done yet. On their next drive, Roethlisberger ran a perfect two minute offense and capped the first half with a 42 yard field goal by Reed, giving Pittsburgh a 10-3 lead at the half.

Pittsburgh would drive for almost seven minutes to start the third quarter, but Jeff Reed missed his second field goal of the day, this one from 50 yards out, and the Colts were able to take advantage and get back into the game. Peyton Manning only moved Indianapolis 25 yards in nine plays, but it was close enough for Adam Vinatieri to kick a 46 yard field goal, cutting the Pittsburgh lead to just four points. The Steelers would counter back with a drive of their own, using trademark Steeler tactics. Willie Parker and Mewelde Moore pounded the Indianapolis defense on the ground, which tired out the Colts and took up time on the clock. Finally, the Steelers ended the 12 play, eight minute drive with a 25 yard field goal by Reed. The Pittsburgh defense would take over from there, keeping Peyton Manning under pressure and stopping the Colts on the ground. The Steelers would add another field goal by Reed late in the fourth quarter, and when time expired, Pittsburgh had held the Colts to under 200 yards of offense in a dominating showing by the defense.

Final Score: Pittsburgh-16 Indianapolis-6

Real Life Score: Pittsburgh-35 San Diego-24

AFC Championship Game

LP Field, Nashville, TN

Tennessee Titans (13-3) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)

The top two teams, and defenses in the AFC were set to face off, with the winner going to Super Bowl XLIII. In their history as the Tennessee Titans and Houston Oilers, the Titans had never made it to the Super Bowl, while the Steelers were one of the most decorated teams in NFL history, with five Super Bowl rings in their trophy case. Both teams featured outstanding defenses, but the Titans figured to have the edge on offense, where both Chris Johnson and LenDale White provided a speed and power aspect to the running game. These two teams faced off in the second to last game of the regular season, and the Titans were able to dominate the Steelers in that matchup. For this game to be different, Pittsburgh would need a great showing from their defense and a very good performance from Ben Roethlisberger.

They got neither of those in the first quarter. On their first drive of the game, Ben Roethlisberger was intercepted by Cortland Finnegan at midfield. From there, the Titans were able to move downfield, thanks to the arm of Kerry Collins. His 39 yard pass to Justin Gage set up a 34 yard field goal by Rob Bironas that gave the Titans the early lead. Pittsburgh would strike back on their last drive of the quarter, as Roethlisberger was finally able to find time and hit open receivers. A 25 yard pass to Santonio Holmes on third down kept the Pittsburgh drive alive, and would eventually set up a 27 yard field goal by Jeff Reed. The Steelers would keep up the pressure, forcing the Titans to go three and out deep inside their own territory, and Holmes struck again, this time returning the Craig Hentrich punt 47 yard for a touchdown. The Titans refused to be shellshocked and struck back with a scoring drive of their own, which ended in a 43 yard field goal by Bironas, but Roethlisberger capped the scoring in the first half with an eight play, 53 yard drive that ended with a 39 yard field goal by Jeff Reed which gave the Steelers a 13-6 lead and put them 30 minutes away from the Super Bowl.

After the offensive showing by both teams in the second quarter, both defenses came to play again in the third, with neither offense getting much to work with when they stepped out onto the field. Ben Roethlisberger and Kerry Collins were under constant pressure, and the running games of both teams were kept under wraps. Finally, the Steelers began to move again, but Jeff Reed missed a 50 yard field goal, giving the Titans life. Rob Bironas finished the short Tennessee drive with a 32 yard field goal, but the Steelers struck right back. A 34 yard run by Willie Parker set up a 38 yard field goal by Reed with just under seven minutes to play. Tennessee's next drive ended with a failed fourth down conversion, but the Titans stopped Pittsburgh's next drive, giving them life with just 2:54 to play. However, the Steelers had pinned the Titans back at their own nine yard line, meaning Kerry Collins would have to go 91 yards for a shot at overtime.

He then set about doing just that. Collins started the drive with a 27 yard pass to Justin Gage, then used LenDale White an Chris Johnson to keep the Steelers on their toes. White's 16 yard run with just over a minute to play put the Titans in Pittsburgh territory, and a 12 yard pass from Collins to Johnson moved the Titans down to the Pittsburgh 22 yard line. Three plays later, Collins would hit Bo Scaife for a nine yard gain to the Pittsburgh 11, but there were just 21 seconds to play. Tennessee called for a swing pass to Chris Johnson, but the Steelers had it read perfectly and kept Johnson in bounds. With no timeouts, Collins had to spike the ball with four seconds to play, giving the Titans one last chance at overtime. The veteran stepped back in the pocket, looked for Scaife and released a pass that sailed over his tight end's head as time expired. After coming so close, the Titans were left with a bitter taste in their mouths as the Pittsburgh Steelers earned the right to go to the Super Bowl.

Final Score: Pittsburgh-16 Tennessee-9

Real Life Score: Pittsburgh-23 Baltimore-14 (In Pittsburgh)

[Hurkman]

Ok, so work and life in general has been keeping me from finishing this whole thing up, and considering I'm this close, I'm going to be working a bit of a shorter recap style for the last season and a half of this. The Super Bowl recaps will be the same, but I really, really want to finish this. I'm so close, and I'm not going to not finish.

NFC Wild Card Playoffs

Minnesota Vikings (10-6) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (9-6-1)
The Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN

A week after blowing out the Dallas Cowboys to just make it into the playoffs, the Philadelphia Eagles looked like a potential team of destiny against the Minnesota Vikings. The Eagles let Minnesota on the board first, as Ryan Longwell kicked a 41 yard field goal on their opening drive, but from there, it was all Philadelphia. The most damage was done in the second quarter, when the Eagles scored three different times. First, Donovan McNabb, who was benched during the second half of a blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens, found Kevin Curtis for a 39 yard touchdown. David Akers missed the extra point, but it wouldn't matter in the long run. Then, following a Sheldon Brown interception of Tarvaris Jackson, Akers redeemed himself with a 35 yard field goal. Minnesota would punt on their next drive, and McNabb would find Curtis again, this time from three yards out with under 30 seconds to play in the half. Just like that, the Eagles had a 16-3 lead at the half.

It didn't get any better for the Vikings in the third quarter. Adrian Peterson, who led the NFL in rushing during the regular season, was unable to find any holes in the Philadelphia defense, while Tarvaris Jackson looked lost against Philadelphia's blitzing defense. Neither team would score in the third, but that played into the hands of the Eagles, who now only needed to stop Peterson for another 15 minutes. They were up to the challenge, keeping the All-Pro under wraps and holding him to just 56 yards on the day. Donovan McNabb would finish the scoring late in the fourth quarter with a third touchdown pass to Kevin Curtis, and the late season run that the Eagles had started on was going to continue for at least one more week.

Final Score: Philadelphia-23 Minnesota-3

Real Life Score: Philadelphia-26 Minnesota-14

Arizona Cardinals (9-7) vs. Atlanta Falcons (11-5)
University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ

In the battle of surprise NFC playoff teams, it would be the Arizona Cardinals who would collect their first playoff win since the 1974 season. It didn't look like they would at the start of the game, though. Rookie of the Year Matt Ryan and NFL rushing leader Michael Turner broke through the Arizona defense on their first drive, with Turner scoring on a four yard run. The Cardinals would answer right back, thanks to their usually suspect running game. Edgerrin James and Tim Hightower set up Kurt Warner's 13 yard touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald, but Atlanta answered with another scoring drive as Jason Elam nailed a 39 yard field goal late in the first quarter. The second quarter belonged to the Cardinals, however. Warner moved Arizona downfield before James scored on a six yard run to give the Cardinals their first lead. After Karlos Dansby intercepted Matt Ryan, Warner found Tim Hightower for a three yard touchdown pass, and the Cardinals would hold on to their 21-10 lead until the end of the second quarter.

While the first half was entertaining, the second half took this game to a whole different level. The Falcons came out swinging, with Matt Ryan finding Roddy White for a 20 yard touchdown on the opening drive of the third quarter. However, Arizona answered right back with another scoring drive. Edgerrin James found the end zone again, this time on a ten yard run that capped a ten play drive, giving the Cardinals another two possession lead. When Tim Castille scored on a five yard run for Arizona early in the fourth quarter, things looked bleak for the Falcons, but Ryan wasn't done yet. The rookie used Michael Turner to soften up Arizona's defense, then ran a play action fake to perfection, hitting a wide open Roddy White for a 27 yard touchdown. Two plays later, Michael Boley intercepted Kurt Warner, and Ryan went back to work. Atlanta only needed five yards, and they got them on a Ryan touchdown pass to Michael Jenkins. Roddy White caught the two point conversion attempt, and in just two and a half minutes, the Falcons had scored 15 points and cut Arizona's lead to three. With seven minutes to play, all Atlanta had to do was get the ball back, and it looked like victory would be theirs.

The only problem was that they couldn't get the ball back. Kurt Warner and the Arizona offense would not give the ball up for the rest of the game. Arizona converted three third down attempts, including a third and 12 with two minutes to play. The Cardinals held onto the ball for the last seven minutes of the game, and finished things with a 31 yard field goal by Neil Rackers. It had taken 34 years, but the Arizona Cardinals had finally won another playoff game.

Final Score: Arizona-38 Atlanta-32

Real Life Score: Arizona-30 Atlanta-24

NFC Divisional Playoffs

New York Giants (12-4) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (9-6-1)
The Meadowlands, East Rutherford, NJ

On paper, not much seperated the Giants and Eagles, aside from their regular season records. Both teams finished in the top ten in the league in offense and defense, with the Giants leading the NFL in rushing, thanks to having two 1,000 yard rushers in Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward. The two teams split their regular season series, and the rubber match played out like a heavyweight championship fight. The Eagles took the Giants by storm in the first quarter, as Donovan McNabb hit Brian Westbrook for a ten yard touchdown pass on the opening drive of the game. Philadelphia would then strike on defense, forcing a Brandon Jacobs fumble at the New York 40 yard line. Five plays later, David Akers kicked a 42 yard field goal to give the Eagles a quick 10-0 lead. From that point on, though, the first half belonged to the Giants. New York got back into the game at the start of the second quarter, thanks to a 31 yard touchdown pass from Eli Manning to Domenik Hixon. Later in the quarter, the Giants tied the game on a ten play, 53 yard drive that ended with a 20 yard field goal from the ageless John Carney, and that score held up through the end of the second quarter.

With both teams trading punches on defense, it was no surprise that the third quarter was one of the most physical 15 minutes of football played all season. Neither team could get much going on offense, save for one New York drive that ended on a missed 49 yard field goal by John Carney. However, on the next Giant drive, New York set out to make up for their missed field goal. Eli Manning led the Giants downfield and into Philadelphia territory for the second time in the second half. This time, Carney would hit a 44 yard field goal to give New York their first lead of the game, and the defense would make it stick. The Eagles would only get two more possessions on offense, and got as close as the New York 35 yard line, but a Bryan Kehl sack of Donovan McNabb on third down from the 35 forced Philadelphia out of field goal range. When McNabb's pass to DeSean Jackson fell to the ground, the Giants had vanquished their divisional foe, and earned the right to host the NFC Championship.

Final Score: New York-13 Philadelphia-10

Real Life Score: Philadelphia-23 New York-11

Carolina Panthers (12-4) vs. Arizona Cardinals (9-7)
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

After a poor 2007 season, Jake Delhomme and the Carolina Panthers had returned to form in 2008. In comparison to some of his past seasons, Delhomme had an average year, but was supported by one of the best one-two punches at running back in the NFL. Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams gave the Panthers an edge over most of their opponents, and as they went into their game with the Arizona Cardinals, they knew they would have to have an impact. For most of the game, though, it was the passing game and the defense of Carolina that made a bigger impact. Both teams traded field goals in the first quarter before Carolina's running game finally got going late in the second quarter. Stewart and Williams moved through the tough Arizona defense and Williams finished the drive with a one yard touchdown run that gave the Panthers their first lead. Kurt Warner moved the Cardinals deep into Carolina territory on the next Arizona drive, but he ran out of time before the Cardinals could attempt a field goal or a last second pass into the end zone.

The defensive struggle that had started in the first half carried over into the third quarter. Neither team could get past midfield for the first 15 minutes of the second half, until Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie picked off Jake Delhomme early in the fourth quarter. The interception set up a 50 yard touchdown run by Tim Hightower that tied the game. Carolina answered back with their running game once again, and John Kasay gave the Panthers the lead with a 34 yard field goal that ended a 12 play, eight minute drive. After Hightower fumbled the ball back to the Panthers on the next Cardinal possession, it looked like Carolina would put Arizona away, but Delhomme was intercepted for a second time by Rodgers-Cromartie, and this time, the rookie took the ball 52 yards for a go-ahead touchdown. Now with their backs against the wall, the Panthers refused to quit. Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams moved the ball downfield on the ground, and Delhomme continued to find Steve Smith through the air. On third down and five with just under two minutes to play, Delhomme hit Smith on a quick wide receiver screen that Smith turned into a 30 yard touchdown to give Carolina the lead once again. Arizona would have one last chance, but Kurt Warner couldn't complete a single pass, giving the Panthers the win and sending them on to the NFC Championship.

Final Score: Carolina-20 Arizona-17

Real Life Score: Arizona-33 Carolina-13

NFC Championship Game

The Meadowlands, East Rutherford, NJ

New York Giants (12-4) vs. Carolina Panthers (12-4)

For only the second time in team history, the New York Giants had made it to the NFC Championship. This year's Giants were considered one of the best teams in New York's long history, with Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward each picking up 1,000 yards on the ground, and Eli Manning taking care of business through the air. The New York defense was also one of the best in the NFL, with Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka manning the defensive end positions and recording 20 sacks between them. The Carolina Panthers were nothing to sneeze at on defense, either. Jon Beason was becoming one of the best middle linebackers in football, and Julius Peppers recorded 14.5 sacks during the regular season. Plus, the Panthers boasted a great running back tandem of their own in Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams. With Steve Smith and Mushin Muhammad doing most of the work at the receiver position, it was going to be a tight game to see who would represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

As was expected with these two teams, the first half was a defensive struggle. Both teams traded punts on their opening possessions, but then Jake Delhomme was intercepted by Kenny Phillips, which set up a ten play scoring drive by the Giants. Eli Manning finished the drive with a ten yard touchdown pass to his Steve Smith, which gave New York an early lead. From there, defense was again the name of the game, with each team attacking the other right at the line of scrimmage. Midway through the second quarter, Chris Harris picked off an Eli Manning pass at the New York 17 yard line, giving the Panthers their best chance of the first half. Though Carolina couldn't get into the end zone, they at least were able to score on a 38 yard field goal by John Kasay. Both defenses put the stop to any other scoring chances during the first half, and New York went into the second half just 30 minutes away from their first trip to the Super Bowl.

The Giants came out of the locker room at the half a confident team, and it showed on their opening possession, when they moved 41 yards in five plays before John Carney kicked a 39 yard field goal to increase their lead. The Panthers weren't about to let their chance at a Super Bowl fade away, though, and found their groove on offense as well. Jake Delhomme hit Steve Smith with a 24 yard pass, and Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams moved the ball into New York territory before John Kasay kicked a 37 yard field goal that cut the New York lead to four points. The Giants answered right back with a five play, 64 yard drive that ended with an 11 yard touchdown run by Derrick Ward. The Panthers landed a counter-punch just two minutes later, as Delhomme found Smith for a 50 yard touchdown to make the score 17-13. New York answered right back when Ahmad Bradshaw returned the ensuing kickoff to the Carolina 17 yard line. The Panthers held their ground on defense, though, and the Giants had to settle for a John Carney field goal. DeAngelo Williams broke free on the next Carolina offensive play for a 64 yard run, and two plays later, Williams finished the drive with a 12 yard touchdown that tied the game.

After a defensive first half, both offenses had come out firing in the second half, and it looked like the first team to make a mistake would lose the game. That dubious honor would fall on the New York Giants and Kevin Boss, who fumbled the ball over to the Panthers at midfield. Jake Delhomme got Carolina into field goal range, and John Kasay kicked a 48 yard field goal to give the Panthers the lead midway through the fourth quarter. The Panthers would not score again, but their defense kept the Giants out of the end zone as well. New York punted on their next two possessions, and got as close as midfield with 20 seconds to play, but the Panthers wouldn't let them get any closer. Eli Manning's last desperation Hail Mary went unanswered, and the Carolina Panthers were headed to their first Super Bowl.

Final Score: Carolina-23 New York-20

Real Life Score: Arizona-32 Philadelphia-25 (In Arizona)

[Hurkman]

Super Bowl XLIII

Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL

Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)


Head Coach-Mike Tomlin
347 Points Scored
223 Points Allowed

Starting Quarterback-Ben Roethlisberger


Road to the Super Bowl:
Defeated Indianapolis, 16-6: AFC Divisional Playoffs
Defeated Tennessee, 16-9: AFC Championship



Carolina Panthers (12-4)


Head Coach: John Fox
414 Points Scored
329 Points Allowed

Starting Quarterback: Jake Delhomme


Road to the Super Bowl:
Defeated Arizona, 20-17: NFC Divisional Playoffs
Defeated New York, 23-20: NFC Championship



The Game

One of the most historic franchises in the NFL was set to do battle with one of newest in Super Bowl 43. The Pittsburgh Steelers had been to the top of the Super Bowl mountain five times before, and after coming up short in their attempt for a sixth championship, they were back for the first time in 14 years. Ben Roethlisberger had managed to get an average offense with one of the worst running games in the NFL past two of the strongest teams in the AFC, but he had done it with help. Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes provided him with two solid wide receiver targets, and the Pittsburgh defense was one of, if not the best in the NFL. The Steelers had allowed the fewest points and yards allowed in the NFL during the regular season, and had two players named to the All-Pro team, as well as two players with double digit sacks. James Harrison and Troy Polamalu were the leaders on defense, with Harrison being named Defensive Player of the Year. Meanwhile, the Carolina Panthers were in just their first Super Bowl, but they weren't a team to sleep on. Jake Delhomme provided Carolina with almost the same type of role as Roethlisberger did in Pittsburgh, but Delhomme had a running game to bail him out of tough situations. Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams were one of the top running back tandems in the NFL, and Steve Smith had over 1,400 receiving yards as well. The Carolina defense wasn't bad either, as Julius Peppers and Jon Beason gave the Panthers two of the top defenders in the NFL. Regardless of who was going to win Super Bowl XLIII, one thing was certain: it was going to be hard hitting football.

True to form for both teams, it was the defense that made the first impact in the game. After two running plays by the Panthers were stopped, Lawrence Timmons stepped in front of a Jake Delhomme pass and intercepted it at the Carolina 41 yard line. The Steelers would make it down to the 24 yard line, but Jeff Reed pulled the 41 yard field goal attempt to the left, and the Panthers took advantage of the miss. DeAngelo Williams helped set up Jake Delhomme, who moved Carolina into Pittsburgh territory before giving way to John Kasay, who kicked a 48 yard field goal to give the Panthers their first Super Bowl lead. Following a Carolina punt early in the second quarter, the Steelers began to move on offense. Willie Parker and Mewelde Moore moved Pittsburgh back into Carolina territory before Jeff Reed nailed a 50 yard field goal that tied the score. The Panthers attempted to answer back on their next drive, as the duo of Williams and Jonathan Stewart moved downfield, but Kasay missed a 44 yard field goal to give to ball back to Pittsburgh. With only three minutes to play in the first half, Ben Roethlisberger stared down a ferocious Carolina pass rush and moved Pittsburgh downfield. A 25 yard pass to Santonio Holmes set up a 10 yard pass to Heath Miller with a minute to play, and Willie Parker finished the drive off with a three yard touchdown run that gave the Steelers a 10-3 lead with a minute to play in the half, and they would take that lead with them into the locker room.

The Carolina Panthers knew that they were outplayed in the first half, and they showed a spark in the third quarter that they didn't have before. Ben Roethlisberger's third pass of the quarter was intercepted by Ken Lucas, and then the Panthers went to work. Eight plays later, John Kasay finished the punishing drive with a 44 yard field goal that cut Pittsburgh's lead to only four points. For the rest of the third quarter, the defenses were in control of the game, with Julius Peppers picking up two key sacks on Pittsburgh drives. Neither offense could do anything against the opposing defense, and it looked like this would be one of the lowest scoring Super Bowls ever. Carolina and Pittsburgh traded punts back and forth until the last four minutes of the fourth quarter, when the Panthers received a punt at their own ten yard line.

With time not on their side, the Panthers still stuck to what got them to the Super Bowl: their running game. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart had been kept in check for most of the game, but they managed to find a few holes in the Pittsburgh defense on this drive that moved the Panthers to midfield. With Pittsburgh looking for the run, Jake Delhomme struck, hitting Mushin Muhammad for 21 yards down to the Steelers 16 yard line with one minute to play in the game. The Steelers then switched over to looking for the pass, and the Panthers struck. Jonathan Stewart found a hole on the left side while Pittsburgh was playing the pass, and he pounded his way in from 16 yards out for the go ahead touchdown. The extra point was good, and suddenly, the Panthers found themselves up by three points with just a minute to play. Pittsburgh did what they could, but the Steelers could only get to midfield before Julius Peppers brought down Ben Roethlisberger for his third sack of the game to finish Pittsburgh's final drive. The Steelers tasted Super Bowl defeat for the second time in a row, while Carolina joined the elusive list of Super Bowl champions.

Final Score: Carolina-13 Pittsburgh-10

MVP: Julius Peppers: 5 tackles, 3 sacks

[bwburke94]

One more to go. WIS is a pretty good site for this.

[Hurkman]

AFC Wild Card Playoffs

Cincinnati Bengals (10-6) vs. New York Jets (9-7)
Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, OH

The 2009 New York Jets had a starting rookie quarterback who threw 20 interceptions, no receiver with over 60 catches and a head coach that said he didn't think his team could make the playoffs after a late season loss. How did the Jets end up making it into the playoffs? With a solid running game, great defense and a little help from the Cincinnati Bengals. Thomas Jones finished his season with 1,402 yards and 14 touchdowns and the New York defense had emerged under first year head coach Rex Ryan as one of the best in the NFL, leading the league in points and yards allowed. All of that helped to balance out Mark Sanchez's rookie season. Sanchez started the year slowly, but began to turn things around, especially after a midseason trade for Cleveland wideout Braylon Edwards. In just 12 games with the Jets, Edwards caught 35 passes for 541 yards and a team leading four touchdowns. In the last game of the regular season, the Jets needed a win against the Bengals to even make the playoffs, and the Bengals were happy to oblige. Cincinnati had already clinched the AFC North, and rested their starters in the 37-0 blowout, giving the Jets a second straight date in Paul Brown Stadium.

This time, the Bengals weren't going to go down so easily. Carson Palmer had led the Bengals to their first winning season since 2005, and the team had overcome two tragedies to win the AFC North. First, Mike Zimmer, the Cincinnati defensive coordinator had his wife dies suddenly. Then, Chris Henry, the oft-maligned wide receiver was killed after falling off of the back of a pickup truck near his home. The Bengals came together as a team, boasting a top ten defense and an offense that was better than expected. Palmer threw for 21 touchdowns and over 3,000 yards, while Cedric Benson continued his career revival with a 1,251 yard, six touchdown season. Chad Ochocino showed he still had the good as well, catching 72 passes for over 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns. One week after giving the Jets a free pass, the Bengals wanted to make sure that New York's trip to the playoffs would be a short one.

In the early going, Cincinnati was able to control New York on the defensive side of the ball. The Bengals contained Thomas Jones and rookie Shonn Greene, putting pressure on Mark Sanchez to complete his passes. On the first two New York drives, the Jets were forced to punt, and the Bengals took advantage on their first drive of the game. Starting at midfield, Carson Palmer hit Chad Ochocino for a 25 yard completion that moved the ball inside the New York ten yard line. From there, the Jets stood tall and forced the Bengals backwards until Shayne Graham kicked a 34 yard field goal to give Cincinnati the first points of the game. As the second quarter began, the New York running game began to show itself. Thomas Jones managed to get free for a 52 yard run, which was promptly followed up by a 17 yard touchdown run by Shonn Greene that put the Jets on top. Following a Cincinnati punt, the Jets went to work again. Jones and Greene did most of the heavy lifting, but Sanchez moved the ball through the air as well. His 17 yard pass to Dustin Keller set the Jets up inside the Bengals' ten yard line, and Sanchez followed it up with a five yard touchdown pass to Keller for his first career playoff touchdown. The Bengals would answer back with a late field goal, but the Jets took a 14-6 lead into the half.

Cincinnati came out swinging in the second half, knowing full well that they needed to score quickly against the New York defense. Cedric Benson finally found some running room, getting inside the New York 40 yard line, but the Jets held their ground from there and forced a punt. Luckily, Johnathan Joseph intercepted Mark Sanchez on his second pass attempt of the third quarter to set up a 32 yard field goal from Shayne Graham. The Jets would answer right back, and this time, it was almost entirely through the air. Sanchez completed three of five passes for 44 of the 64 yards on New York's eight play drive, including a 19 yard touchdown pass to Jericho Cotchery that increased New York's lead. The Bengals responded with a long drive of their own late in the third quarter, but Graham missed a 44 yard field goal attempt, ending the threat. Cincinnati added a fourth Graham field goal early in the fourth quarter, but from there, the Jets were just too much. A Darrelle Revis interception set up a field goal by Jay Feely, and New York would add another late field goal to finish up the scoring. Three weeks after being declared dead, the Jets had advanced to the second round of the playoffs.

Final Score: New York-27 Cincinnati-12

Real Life Score: New York-24 Cincinnati-14

New England Patriots (10-6) vs. Baltimore Ravens (9-7)
Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA

Two years removed from their 19-0 Super Bowl winning season, the New England Patriots had begun to show signs of age. Tom Brady had returned after missing almost all of the 2008 season with a torn ACL and did very well, passing for almost 4,400 yards with 28 touchdowns. Randy Moss caught 13 touchdowns, and Wes Welker led the NFL in receptions for the second time in three seasons. However, Welker was lost late in the season with a knee injury, and the New England running game was pieced together with an unconfident Laurence Maroney and a few players well past their primes. The New England defense had started strong, but it too had started to show signs of age, allowing 30 or more points in three of New England's last eight games.

After reaching the second round of the playoffs last season, the Baltimore Ravens were looking for even more success this year. Joe Flacco avoided the sophomore slump with a very good season, passing for 3,600 yards and 21 touchdowns. Ray Rice also emerged as one of the best running backs in the NFL, rushing for over 1,350 yards and seven touchdowns while catching 78 passes for 702 yards and another touchdown. Willis McGahee was the power back, scoring 12 touchdowns and Derrick Mason came back once again to catch 73 passes for over 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns. The Ravens were just as solid on defense, finishing in the top five in the NFL in both yards and points allowed. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed continued to lead the show as Baltimore looked to avenge an early season loss to the Patriots in New England.

With all of the issues that New England had with their running game, not many people expected them to come out running the football. It's probably why they did just that. BenJarvus Green-Ellis started the game for the Patriots and picked up 49 yards on his first carry, and ten more on his second. With the Ravens on their heels early, Tom Brady hit Kevin Faulk on a screen pass that turned into a 31 yard touchdown and gave New England a 7-0 lead less than two minutes into the game. Baltimore would answer back with a long scoring drive, as Billy Cundiff finished things off with a 37 yard field goal that cut into the Patriot lead. After a New England punt, the Ravens would show off their quick strike ability. Ray Rice broke loose for a 36 yard run, which was followed by a nine yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco to Mark Clayton that gave Baltimore their first lead of the game. Baltimore's next drive would end in a punt, and the Patriots would slowly begin to march their way downfield. Brady used short passes and the threat of a running game to take the advantage over the Baltimore defense. The 14 play drive came to an end when Brady hit Julian Edelman for a 16 yard touchdown that put the Patriots back on top. With just a minute and a half left to play in the first half, Flacco led the Ravens on a two minute drill, picking apart the New England defense with quick passes to the sideline. The game plan eventually led to a 32 yard field goal by Cundiff as the first half expired, giving the Patriots just a one point lead at the break.

That New England lead wouldn't last long in the third quarter. On Baltimore's first possession, Joe Flacco went to work again. The Baltimore quarterback hit Kelley Washington for 17 yards before Ray Rice found a hole for a 14 yard gain. Eventually, the Ravens would settle for a 46 yard Billy Cundiff field goal that gave them the lead once again. This time, the Patriots came back with a quick answer. Tom Brady used his short passing game to move downfield, and Sammy Morris snapped off a 20 yard run that put Stephen Gostkoski into field goal range. Gostkowski's 43 yard field goal put New England back on top again, and the Patriots weren't done yet. Brandon Merriweather intercepted Flacco on the next Baltimore drive, and two plays later, Brady found Julian Edelman for a 39 yard touchdown. In just two and a half minutes, the Patriots had scored ten points and had an eight point lead heading into the fourth quarter. On their first fourth quarter possession, the Ravens showed the heart that had pushed them into the playoffs for the second straight year. Ray Rice and Willis McGahee pounded the football at the Patriot defense, with McGahee doing the most damage thanks to a 40 yard run down to the New England four yard line. Three plays later, Rice finished the job with a one yard touchdown run, and McGahee caught the two point conversion attempt to tie the game. However, the Patriots weren't done yet. Brady showed flashes of prior playoff experience by leading New England on a seven play, 49 yard drive. With two minutes to play, Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 35 yard field goal to put the Patriots on top. The Ravens got the ball back at their own 30 yard line, and Joe Flacco went to work. He completed his first three passes, including a 23 yard pass to L.J. Smith that put the Ravens right on the edge of field goal range. As the clock ticked down to the end of the fourth quarter, Billy Cundiff stepped onto the field again and drilled a 40 yard field goal, sending the game into overtime.

The Patriots won the toss, but a false start penalty on the first play of overtime doomed their drive and Baltimore forced a quick three and out. Chris Hanson punted the ball off the side of his foot, and the Ravens started with the football at their own 41 yard line, needing only about 35 yards to get into field goal range. They would get their rather quickly. Ray Rice picked up 20 yards on his first two carries of overtime, and Joe Flacco hit Mark Clayton for 14 yards to move the ball to the New England 25 yard line. Two plays later, they wouldn't even need to worry about a field goal. Willis McGahee burst into the open field and finished the game with a 21 yard touchdown run. For the second straight season, the Baltimore Ravens had beaten an opponent on the road in the playoffs and were on their way to the second round.

Final Score: Baltimore-33 New England-27/OT

Real Life Score: Baltimore-33 New England-14

AFC Divisional Playoffs

San Diego Chargers (13-3) vs. New York Jets (9-7)
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA

While the New York Jets needed a bit of help to get into the playoffs, the San Diego Chargers may have been one of the hottest teams going into the playoffs. After starting the season 2-3, the Chargers finished the season by winning 11 games in a row and looking like the best team in the NFL. Philip Rivers had one of his best seasons yet, passing for 4,200 yards and 28 touchdowns with only nine interceptions. Tight end Antonio Gates and wideout Vincent Jackson each finished with over 1,100 yards, giving the Chargers one of the best passing attacks in the NFL. However, San Diego's running game left something to be desired. LaDanian Tomlinson looked nothing like the MVP from a few years ago, failing to reach 1,000 yards for the first time in his career. The defense also had it's question marks, as the Chargers had gotten into a few shootouts during their 11 game winning streak. The New York Jets were ready to see if they could be the ones to end San Diego's winning streak and keep their improbable, never say die season alive with their running game and great defense.

It was the New York defense that made the first statement of the game. Following a punt by the Jets on their first possession, the Chargers moved the ball to midfield before Philip Rivers was intercepted by Vernon Gholston. With San Diego's first drive halted, the Jets went to work, running the ball on five straight plays. Thomas Jones had the biggest run with a 36 yard blast through the middle, and he finished the drive with a three yard touchdown run. The Jets went right back to work on their next drive, as Jones managed to find another hole for a 41 yard gain that followed an 18 yard pass from Mark Sanchez to Braylon Edwards. Four plays later, Tony Richardson scored on a six yard run, and New York had a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter. Both defenses would stand their ground for most of the remainder of the second quarter, until the Jets forced the Chargers into another mistake. Rivers hit Antonio Gates with a short pass. The San Diego tight end had room to run in front of him. However, Gates fumbled the football, and the Jets recovered, ending another threat by San Diego. New York would take advantage, needing only 13 yards to get into field goal range. Jay Feely's 32 yard field goal gave the Jets a 17-0 lead that they would hold heading into the half.

As was the case for most of the second quarter, the third quarter was dominated by defense. Neither team could move very far with the ball on offense, and while the Chargers were making progress, they still were unable to put any points on the board. Finally, late in the third quarter, San Diego forced a bad pass from Mark Sanchez, and Antonio Cromartie picked it off, killing New York's first drive of the second half. The Chargers turned around and began blasting the Jets with their running game. Both LaDanian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles were finally able to get room to run, and the Jets looked a little tired for the first time all day. The Chargers capped their 17 play, ten minute drive with a four yard touchdown run by Mike Tolbert early in the fourth quarter to finally put them on the board. However, the Jets had a quick answer for San Diego's score. Thomas Jones broke free again, this time for a 35 yard gain, and after Sanchez found Dustin Keller and Braylon Edwards, Jay Feely kicked his second field goal of the game to move the Jets ahead by 13 points with only five mnutes to play.

That was just enough time for Philip Rivers and the Chargers to try to make a comeback. Rivers was finally able to get room in the passing game, and he completed ten yard passes to LaDanian Tomlinson, Darren Sproles and Vincent Jackson to put San Diego inside New York territory. A 23 yard pass to Mike Tolbert moved the Chargers down inside the New York ten yard line, and Rivers then found Jackson for a five yard touchdown with just under three minutes to play. The entire 65 yard drive had taken just over two minutes and left the Chargers with enough time for one last drive, if they could stop the Jets. New York came out at their own 21 yard line and ran three straight plays into the teeth of the San Diego defense. With the two minute warning stopping the clock, the Chargers forced a punt, and had one final shot at the Jets. Sproles returned the punt to the San Diego 41 yard line, leaving the Chargers 59 yards away from an amazing comeback. Rivers missed on his first three passes before finding Malcolm Floyd on fourth down for 24 yards, and then he hit Antonio Gates for 18 more, putting the ball at the New York 16 yard line. With no timeouts left, the Chargers needed to take shots into the end zone, and they did that. Three times in a row, Rivers was unable to find a receiver, leaving him with fourth down and just eight seconds left on the clock. With the season on the line, Rivers dropped back, and threw a pass to LaDanian Tomlinson, who had managed a little bit of space from his man. The pass sailed just past Tomlinson's hands, ending the game and the season for the Chargers, and giving the Jets a chance to play in the Super Bowl if they could win one more game.

Final Score: New York-20 San Diego-14

Real Life Score: New York-17 San Diego-14

Indianapolis Colts (14-2) vs. Baltimore Ravens (9-7)
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN

For Peyton Manning and the Colts, it was business as usual in the regular season. The Colts won their first 14 games of the regular season, bringing up talk of a third perfect season in NFL history, before dropping their last two games while resting their starters. The choice drew a lot of criticism, but Peyton Manning knew that he could make it all go away if he could finally win a Super Bowl. Manning finished the regular season with 4,500 yards and 33 touchdowns. The receiving team of Dallas Clark, Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon gave the Colts one of the best running attacks in the NFL, and while their running game left something to be desired, it didn't matter if Manning could pass the ball to one of those four targets. Joseph Addai had held on to the starting running back job, and responded with an average season, rushing for 828 yards and ten touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Indianapolis defense had its moments during the regular season, but could also show signs of trouble. The Colts finished eighth in the league in points allowed, but were 18th in yards allowed, giving a bit of new meaning to the term "bend, but don't break." The Baltimore Ravens were anxious to test that theory out against the Indianapolis defense, and they were hoping to head to their first AFC Championship since they won the Super Bowl three years ago.

The Ravens knew that the best way to beat Peyton Manning was to keep him on the sidelines, and they started with that game plan from their very first drive. After receiving the opening kickoff, Joe Flacco led the Ravens on a 15 play drive that took almost the first ten minutes of the game. Both Ray Rice and Willis McGahee helped soften up the Indianapolis defense so that Flacco could have time to throw his passes. Flacco went 4-6 on the drive, including a 19 yard pass to Mark Clayton on a third down and 14, but it was Rice that finished the drive with a one yard touchdown run. From there, the Baltimore defense did their job for most of the first half, keeping Peyton Manning off balance and the Colts from being able to do anything on offense. Midway through the second quarter, the Ravens struck again with a mix of run and pass. Le'Ron McClain broke free for a 19 yard run, and Joe Flacco completed three straight passes for first downs, moving Baltimore into Indianapolis territory. Billy Cundiff capped the drive with a 29 yard field goal to increase Baltimore's lead, but this time the Colts had an answer. Peyton Manning was finally able to hit his receivers without the threat of being hit himself, and he moved the Colts downfield. Eventually, the Ravens were able to hold on defense, and Indianapolis had to settle for a 38 yard field goal from Matt Stover as the first half came to an end.

The Ravens were able to strike again midway through the third quarter. After Chris Carr returned an Indianapolis punt to midfield, Baltimore only needed four plays to find the end zone. Joe Flacco found Derrick Mason for an 11 yard touchdown two plays after Mason got the Ravens into the red zone with a 37 yard catch and run. Just like that, Baltimore had a two touchdown lead, but Peyton Manning wasn't going to let it last for long. Manning only needed three plays and three completed passes to get the Colts back into the game. A 26 yard pass to Dallas Clark was followed by a 14 yard completion to Pierre Garcon and then Reggie Wayne caught a 26 yard touchdown pass to finish the quick scoring drive. After a Baltimore three and out, the Colts went right back to work. Manning found Austin Collie for 13 yards, and then Joseph Addai broke loose for a 37 yard run, putting the Colts in Baltimore territory once again and setting up Matt Stover for a 45 yard field goal that sailed through the uprights. Following another Baltimore punt, the Colts surprised the Ravens with a draw play to seldom used back Chad Simpson. Simpson got into the Baltimore secondary, and by the time he was brought down, the Colts were sitting at the Ravens' three yard line. The 74 yard run set up a two yard touchdown pass from Peyton Manning to Dallas Clark that gave Indianapolis the lead for the first time all day.

Baltimore still had some fight left in them, though. Just like they had done in the first quarter, the Ravens embarked on a long scoring drive, only this time it was Joe Flacco doing most of the leg work. Flacco hit four of five passes on the drive, not including the biggest play of the game, when he hit Todd Heap in the end zone, only for the play to be called back due to a holding penalty. Instead of a go ahead touchdown, the Ravens had to settle for a game tying field goal from Billy Cundiff with just under a minute to play. That wasn't going to stop the Colts from trying to win the game in regulation, however. Chad Simpson struck again, returning the ensuing kickoff back to the Indianapolis 48 yard line. With only 20 yards to reach field goal range, and three timeouts, the Colts went for the win. Peyton Manning found Reggie Wayne for 12 yards, and then hit Austin Collie for six more yards before running the ball up the middle two straight times to eat up the remaining clock. With just three seconds left in the game, Matt Stover lined up from 48 yards out, and somehow, the 41 year old kicker had enough left in his leg to put the ball right over the upright and push the Colts into the AFC Championship.

Final Score: Indianapolis-23 Baltimore-20

Real Life Score: Indianapolis-20 Baltimore-3

AFC Championship Game

Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis Colts (14-2) vs. New York Jets (9-7)

On paper, the matchup between the Indianapolis Colts and the New York Jets looked like a total mismatch. Even with their strong defense, the youg Jets couldn't handle a veteran like Peyton Manning, and Mark Sanchez couldn't possibly get his passing game together enough to make it to the Super Bowl. With that in mind, the Jets were the team that put a stop to Indianapolis' perfect season, even if it did come with the Colts resting their starters for most of the game. Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene each had big days, and both would have to do so again if they wanted the Jets to reach their second Super Bowl. For Peyton Manning, it was a chance to reach his second Super Bowl as well, and he was hopeful that this experience, if he could make it, would be better than the last time he was there.

Of course, for Peyton Manning to get back to the Super Bowl, the Colts would have to get past the Jets, and New York wasn't going to make that an easy task. After stopping the Colts on their first drive, the Jets started with the ball at their own six yard line and proceeded to march downfield. Mark Sanchez found Jericho Cotchery for 26 yards on a third down and eight, then hit Braylon Edwards for 15 more on another third and eight. Then, the running game took over. With the ball just inside Indianapolis territory, Shonn Greene got loose for an 11 yard run. Two plays later, Thomas Jones found a hole and ran, untouched, for a 29 yard touchdown that capped the 11 play, 94 yard drive and silenced the Lucas Oil Stadium crowd. The Colts responded early in the second quarter, finishing a seven play, 50 yard drive with a 37 yard field goal from Matt Stover. Three plays later, the Colts recovered a fumble by Greene, and Stover would strike again, this time from 48 yards away. Indianapolis looked to have the Jets back on the ropes, but late in the second quarter, Peyton Manning was intercepted by Eric Smith, and New York took advantage. With just seconds to play in the quarter, Jay Feely kicked a 47 yard field goal that increased New York's lead to four points and put the Jets two quarters away from the Super Bowl.

New York came out in the third quarter looking like a Super Bowl team. Mark Sanchez used his arm and thelegs of Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene to get inside Indianapolis territory, but the drive stalled just outside of Jay Feely's range, and the Jets were forced to punt. This time, it was Indianapolis's turn to use their running game. After Peyton Manning found Reggie Wayne for a 22 yard gain to start the drive for the Colts, Joseph Addai broke loose for a big 25 yard gain that moved the Colts into field goal range. For the third time in the game, Matt Stover came out, and this time, he nailed a 37 yard field goal that cut the lead to a single point, but the Jets were quick to respond. Thomas Jones ran for 51 yards down to the Indianapolis seven yard line, and on the next play, Sanchez flipped a shovel pass to Dustin Keller, who found the end zone and gave New York their biggest lead of the game. The Colts drove to midfield on their next drive, but were forced to punt, and their defense stepped up on New York's next offensive drive. With the Jets going three and out early in the fourth quarter, Manning still had a chance to work his magic, and he would do just that. It took just five plays for Manning to move the Colts into the end zone, with the last three plays being completed passes to Reggie Wayne, and Pierre Garcon, who scored on a 22 yard pass. With just under eight minutes to play, the Colts elected to go for two, but Manning's pass was off target, and New York held onto a two point lead.

The Jets had the ball and the lead, and things started out great on their next drive, as Mark Sanchez hit Jericho Cotchery for a first down, and Thomas Jones followed it up with a 29 yard run, putting the Jets in field goal range. Jones would pick up another five yards on a third down, moving the ball closer, but Jay Feely couldn't find the range, and pushed his 44 yard attempt to the left. New York had given Peyton Manning an opening, and he would make them pay. He completed back to back passes to Joseph Addai, the second of them for 30 yards that put the Colts deep inside New York territory. Three plays later, Matt Stover stepped onto the field and kicked his fourth field goal of the game, putting the Colts ahead for the first time in the game. With only two minutes to play, the Jets needed a miracle drive from Mark Sanchez, but they wouldn't get it. Jacob Lacey intercepted Sanchez on the second play of New York's drive, and when Mike Hart converted third down and nine at the New York 27 yard line, the game was over. Peyton Manning had led the Colts to a great comeback, and he was headed to his second Super Bowl. Thomas Jones had rushed for 150 yards and a touchdown for the Jets, but it was all for naught, as the Colts had earned the right to celebrate.

Final Score: Indianapolis-18 New York-17

Real Life Score: Indianapolis-30 New York-17

[kenyan_cheena]

Bogus Bengals!

[Hurkman]

NFC Wild Card Playoffs

Dallas Cowboys (11-5) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)
Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, TX

Few teams had expectations placed as high as the Dallas Cowboys did in the 2009 season. A year after finishing out of the playoffs with a 9-7 record, the Cowboys bounced back, winning their last three games of the season, including two shutouts in their final two games, to win the NFC East for the second time in three years. Tony Romo had his best season to date, passing for almost 4,500 yards and 26 touchdowns, thanks in large part to the emergence of wideout Miles Austin, who caught 81 passes for 1,320 yards and 11 touchdowns. Jason Witten was still Romo's favorite target, and Dallas also had the running back trio of Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice. The Cowboys were also strong on defense, having held their opponents to a touchdown or less five times during the regular season. DeMarcus Ware led the way with 11 sacks and was named an All Pro for the third straight season.

For the Philadelphia Eagles, offense wasn't a problem. Donovan McNabb had a return to form in 2009, even though he missed two games due to injury. McNabb still passed for over 3,500 yards with 22 touchdowns. He was helped in large part to the emergence of DeSean Jackson and rookie Jeremy Maclin at the wide receiver position. Jackson brought in 63 catches for 1,167 yards, while Maclin had come on at the end of the year and finished with 762 yards on 55 catches. Tight end Brent Celek also had 76 catches for almost 1,000 yards as well, giving the Eagles a potent passing attack. Their running game needed some work, as Brian Westbrook had been shelved for much of the year due to injuries, leaving the leg work up to rookie LeSean McCoy. The second round pick did well, rushing for 637 yards and four touchdowns. The Philadelphia defense, on the other hand, had several issues, especially in the linebacking corps. Trent Cole led the team with 12.5 sacks, and Asante Samuel had nine interceptions, but those were the only two standouts on an otherwise average group that finished in the lower half of the NFL in points allowed. The Eagles had lost the NFC East crown after being shutout by the Cowboys the week before, and now they were back in Dallas, looking for a bit of revenge.

For much of the first quarter, the game was dominated by both defenses. Neither offense could sustain a drive, though the Cowboys were making progress on each of their possessions. Dallas' second punt pinned the Eagles back inside their own ten yard line, and after a poor Sav Rocca punt, the Cowboys ended up with the ball at Philadelphia's 43 yard line. Tony Romo found Jason Witten for 15 yards, and then hit Patrick Crayton for a 29 yard touchdown that gave the Cowboys the lead late in the first quarter. The Eagles would move downfield for their first real drive on their next possession, as Donovan McNabb managed to use his arm to get Philadelphia deep inside Dallas territory. However, the Cowboys would strike on defense, and McNabb would throw a bad pass into the end zone that was intercepted by Mike Jenkins, ending the threat. The Eagles would end the next Cowboy drive in almost the same way, as Tashard Choice fumbled the ball away at the Philadelphia 11 yard line. From there, it was defensive football for almost the remainder of the second quarter, until the Philadelphia special teams unit reared it's ugly head again. Sav Rocca booted another poor punt, giving the Cowboys the ball at midfield. Just as he had done the last time he was given good field position, Tony Romo struck quickly. Romo completed three passes for 42 of the 50 yards on the drive, including an 11 yard touchdown pass to Crayton that put Dallas up 14-0. The Cowboys would make that lead stick going into the half.

After punts by both teams started out the third quarter, the Eagles were finally able to get the ball moving on offense again. This time, it was the running of fullback Leonard Weaver that got the job done, as he made his way into Dallas territory before giving way to David Akers. His 38 yard field goal put the Eagles on the board for the first time. After another Dallas punt, the Eagles once again drove to midfield, but were forced to punt themselves early in the fourth quarter. This time, they downed the ball at the Dallas five yard line, and after the Cowboys went three and out, Philadelphia started with the ball inside Dallas territory for the first time. A 30 yard pass from Donovan McNabb to LeSean McCoy set up a ten yard touchdown run by Weaver with just under six minutes to play. The Eagles elected to go for a two point conversion, but McNabb's pass was off the mark, and Philadelphia found themselves down by five points late in the fourth quarter. The Eagles needed a defensive stop if they wanted to have a chance to win, and they got it, forcing the Cowboys into another three and out situation. Once again, the Eagles ended up with the ball around midfield, with four minutes left in the game and three timeouts. McNabb started things with a 20 yard pass to DeSean Jackson, and then he found him again for nine more yards. Following back to back running plays, McNabb hit Weaver for a 12 yard gain that put Philadelphia at the Dallas six yard line. Following an incomplete pass to Jeremy Maclin, McNabb released a pass for Jackson, but it was intercepted by Mike Jenkins. Jenkins second interception of the game sealed the deal for Dallas and ended Philadelphia's season.

Final Score: Dallas-14 Philadelphia-9

Real Life Score: Dallas-34 Philadelphia-14

Arizona Cardinals (10-6) vs. Green Bay Packers (11-5)
University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ

After a poor 2008 season in which their defense had become a big liability, the Green Bay Packers had bounced back with a very strong showing in 2009. Aaron Rodgers still hadn't stepped out of the shadow of Brett Favre, but he was on his way, passing for 4,434 yards with 30 touchdowns. Running back Ryan Grant had his second straight 1,000 yard season, rushing for 1,253 yards and 11 touchdowns, while receivers Donald Driver and Greg Jennings brought balance to one of the top offenses in the NFL, with each going over 1,000 yards receiving on the season. The defense was also much improved over the previous season, with the Packers finishing second in the NFL in total yards allowed. Charles Woodson, Nick Collins and rookie Clay Matthews were all named to the Pro Bowl.

For the first time since the 1970s, the Arizona Cardinals had made it to the playoffs in back to back seasons. Kurt Warner continued to amaze, despite his age, passing for 3,753 yards and 26 touchdowns, while Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin each had 1,000 seasons at the wideout position. The running game was still a bit of a concern for the Cardinals, but rookie Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower brought a good balance to Arizona's offense. The Cardinals were still a bit shaky on defense, even with four players being named to the Pro Bowl, but they had started to look better as the season went along, the last game of the year aside. Of course, that last game of the regular season happened to be against the Green Bay Packers, who defeated them 33-7 in Arizona. Now, for the second week in a row, the Cardinals would host the Packers, and this time, they were hoping for a better outcome.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the game started out almost the same way that the one from the week before did. Ryan Grant moved his way through the Arizona defense, and Aaron Rodgers threw when he had to, setting up a field goal attempt by Mason Crosby. The 43 yard kick sailed through the uprights, giving Green Bay an early 3-0 lead. After that, both defenses would play tough throughout much of the first quarter, until the Packers were able to move again late in the first. The Green Bay running game once again cut through the Arizona defense, but Aaron Rodgers did the most damage, hitting Donald Driver for a 28 yard gain on third down and 11, and then finding Jermichael Finley for 24 yards on a third down and 14 that put the Packers inside the Arizona ten yard line. Two plays later, Ryan Grant found the end zone from five yards away, but Crosby would miss the extra point, making the Green Bay lead just nine points. The Cardinals would come right back with a scoring drive of their own. This time, Arizona's running game got the job done, moving far enough through the Packer defense to set up a 51 yard field goal by Neil Rackers. The Packers would counter with a long scoring drive of their own, once again relying on the run and some passing before Mason Crosby kicked his second field goal of the game from 33 yards out. However, the Cardinals would strike back with a surprise play. With just seconds remaining in the half and Arizona on the edge of field goal range, the Cardinals called a draw play to Beanie Wells in order to move Neil Rackers closer and end the first half. What they didn't expect was for Wells to break free for a 41 yard touchdown run. Instead of being down 12-6 at the half, the Cardinals went into the break down by just two points and carrying all the momentum.

That momentum would carry over into the third quarter. On Arizona's second drive of the half, Kurt Warner hit LaRod Stephens-Howling with a 20 yard pass, and then found Steve Breaston for 11 more yards. After a ten yard run by Beanie Wells, Neil Rackers came on and gave the Cardinals the lead for the first time with a 38 yard field goal. Arizona's defense managed to keep the Packers from mounting much of an attack during the third quarter and into the fourth as well, as the Cardinals had begun taking time off the clock on offense. Midway through the fourth quarter, Arizona struck again, this time through the air. Warner was able to hit Larry Fitzgerald for 20 yards, then found Steve Breaston for 12 more to put the Cardinals inside the Green Bay ten yard line for the first time all day. Warner wasted little time, hitting Early Doucet with a five yard touchdown pass that put the Cardinals up by eight points with just four and a half minutes to play. The Packers came right back, with Aaron Rodgers leading the way. The Packer running attack caught the Cardinals off guard, as Ryan Grant broke free for a 26 yard run that put the ball at the Arizona 23 yard line. On the next play, Rodgers hit Jermichael Finley for a 17 yard gain, but faced a fourth and goal from the seven yard line three plays later. Rodgers dropped back and found Brandon Jackson for the touchdown with just a minute and a half to play. However, Jackson was stopped on the two point conversion, and the Cardinals recovered the onside kick, leaving the Packers with little hope. Green Bay stopped Arizona on three straight running plays and used all of their timeouts before Neil Rackers stepped onto the field. His 50 yard field goal attempt fell just short, leaving the Packers with 40 seconds and one last chance.

Aaron Rodgers wasted little time, hitting Jermichael Finley for 13 yards to put the ball inside Arizona territory. After a spike to stop the clock, Rodgers hit Ryan Grant for another five yards. With just three seconds remaining, the Packers were at the Arizona 42 yard line, and elected to go for a field goal. Mason Crosby's season long was 52 yards, and his career long was 53, but now, he needed to make a 59 yard kick. The snap was spotted, Crosby kicked the ball as hard as he could...and watched as it just cleared the upright for a game winning, 59 yard field goal! The Cardinals could only watch in shock as the Packers were able to move on, with Aaron Rodgers and Mason Crosby as the heroes.

Final Score: Green Bay-21 Arizona-20

Real Life Score: Arizona-51 Green Bay-45/OT

NFC Divisional Playoffs

Minnesota Vikings (12-4) vs. Dallas Cowboys (11-5)
The Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN

After a year with the New York Jets, the Brett Favre saga had made it's way to Minnesota. After retiring briefly from the Packers following the 2007 season, Favre decided to come back, and was traded to the Jets. Following the 2008 season, Favre retired again, only to come back for a second straight season. This time, the Minnesota Vikings took a chance on Favre, signing him to a two year contract. The moved paid off right away, as Favre helped lead the Vikings to a 10-1 start. Minnesota slowed down for the rest of the regular season, going just 2-3, but Favre was still solid, passing for over 4,200 yards with 33 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. Running back Adrian Peterson was on another level as well, rushing for 1,383 yards and 18 touchdowns. Wideout Sidney Rice became a star with Favre as his quarterback, saving his career with an 83 catch, 1,312 yard season. Meanwhile, Minnesota still boasted one of the best defensive lines in all of football, with Jared Allen and the Williams Wall of Kevin and Pat Williams making life difficult for any offense. The Dallas Cowboys felt that they were up to the challenge, and Tony Romo was ready to show people why he should be considered the heir apparent to Brett Favre.

The Cowboys had defeated some of the best teams in the NFL during the regular season, and their gameplan against the Vikings was more of the same. They wanted to keep Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson on the sidelines, while they tired out the Minnesota defense with long drives. On their opening drive of the game, it worked to perfection. Marion Barber and Felix Jones punished the Minnesota defense, while Tony Romo passed the ball only when necessary. With the Viking defense already looking winded on the field, Barber finished the 11 play drive with a one yard touchdown run that gave the Cowboys an early lead. The Dallas defense could do little to contain Brett Favre when he did get on the field, however. Minnesota's first play of the game was a 45 yard pass from Favre to Sidney Rice, which was then followed by a 16 yard pass to rookie Percy Harvin. Adrian Peterson had little success, though, and Ryan Longwell was called on to kick a 29 yard field goal to put the Vikings on the board. Dallas got a bit of revenge on Minnesota's next possession, as Anthony Spencer intercepted Favre, but Shaun Suisham missed a 47 yard field goal early in the second quarter. The Vikings recovered nicely, with Adrian Peterson able to find running room in the Dallas defense. However, the Cowboys would once again hold their ground deep, and Longwell would kick his second field goal of the game. Dallas would answer back with a good mix of run and pass on their next drive, and Suisham would redeem himself with a 27 yard field goal that capped an 11 play, 54 yard drive. Minnesota wasn't finished yet, though. Peterson escaped for a 42 yard run to start the next Viking drive, and with 30 seconds to play in the half, Peterson scored from 11 yards out, giving Minnesota their first lead of the game.

The Vikings would try and build on their late scoring drive in the third quarter, as their first two drives of the second half made it into Dallas territory. Their first drive fell just short of field goal range, but their second drive started inside the Cowboy 40 yard line, and after Brett Favre found Sidney Rice for 15 yards, Ryan Longwell finished things off with a 37 yard field goal, his third of the game. The Cowboys would counter with a long scoring drive of their own. The Dallas running game, led by Tashard Choice, punished the Minnesota defense before Tony Romo hit Marion Barber with a screen pass that turned into a 36 yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter. With time now working against them, Brett Favre went back to work. After a fourth and one conversion at midfield, Favre hit Sidney Rice for a 19 yard gain, and then found Greg Lewis for 17 more yards. Adrian Peterson did the rest, scoring on a two yard touchdown run with seven and a half minutes to play. The Vikings elected to go for the two point conversion, and Chester Taylor was stopped, giving Minnesota just a five point lead. The Cowboys would come right back with another long drive spurred on by their running game. Tashard Choice, Marion Barber and Felix Jones all had a hand in the drive, and Tony Romo did his part as well, converting two key fourth downs for the Cowboys. The second fourth down conversion came on an 11 yard pass to Patrick Crayton that also happened to be for a touchdown, giving Dallas the lead with under two minutes to play. Like the Vikings, Dallas attempted a two point conversion, but they also failed, leaving Minnesota down by just a single point.

Brett Favre knew what he had to do, but he had some trouble getting started. His first three pass attempts were all incomplete, leaving the Vikings a single incomplete pass away from ending their season. Luckily for him, he found Bernard Berrian for 11 yards on fourth down and ten, and then hit Adrian Peterson for 18 yards on the very next play. Another 18 yard pass, this one to Percy Harvin, followed, and the Vikings had made their way into field goal range. Favre moved Minnesota even closer with a 13 yard pass to Visanthe Shiancoe, and Peterson straightened things out with a quick four yard run right up the middle. Ryan Longwell came onto the field and nailed the 23 yard kick as time expired, putting an end to Dallas' season and giving Brett Favre at least one more game to make his mark as a Viking.

Final Score: Minnesota-25 Dallas-23

Real Life Score: Minnesota-34 Dallas-3

New Orleans Saints (13-3) vs. Green Bay Packers (11-5)
New Orleans Superdome, New Orleans, LA

No team in the NFC had gotten as much attention throughout the season as the New Orleans Saints. Through the first 14 weeks of the regular season, the Saints were on a different level than the rest of the NFC, winning 13 games in a row and scoring 24 or more points in every single game. Then came the last three weeks of the season, when, following a loss at home to the Dallas Cowboys, the Saints dropped their last two games to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers and didn't score more than 17 points in any of the three losses. Even with those three losses, the Saints still led the NFL in scoring with 510 points, and Drew Brees had his best season to date, passing for 4,388 yards and 34 touchdowns. Brees had a number of targets in the passing game, including Marques Colston, Devery Henderson and former Giant Jeremy Shockey. The running game was a little more muddled, as Mike Bell, Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush all battled for carries to help balance out the New Orleans offense. Even more questionable was the New Orleans defense, which ranked close to the bottom in the NFL in almost every major category, save for passing touchdowns allowed and turnovers. However, the Saints were confident that they could undo the stigma of losing their last three regular season games and head to the NFC Championship for the first time in 18 years. All they had to do was get past Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, who many people thought were the hottest team left in the NFC.

The Packers certainly did their part to get the attention of the Saints early. On the first play of the game, Drew Brees was intercepted by Nick Collins, who returned the ball to the New Orleans 31 yard line. With excellent field position, the Packers needed just seven plays to go 31 yards, as Aaron Rodgers hit Donald Driver for a three yard touchdown to finish the drive. Brees would be intercepted a second time in the first quarter, with Johnny Jolly doing the honors this time. Jolly's interception came at midfield late in the first, and ended the best scoring chance that the Saints had up to that point. The Packers would once again take advantage, with Rodgers finding Jermichael Finley for a 24 yard gain that set up Mason Crosby's 47 yard field goal. The Saints would finally get going on offense on their next drive. Drew Brees was able to find open receivers and moved New Orleans into Green Bay territory before the drive stalled. John Carney came out and kicked a 37 yard field goal that gave the Saints their first points of the game, but the Packers answered right back. Rodgers found Greg Jennings for 30 yards on Green Bay's opening play of their next drive, and the running game took over from there. Ryan Grant punished the New Orleans defense, and ended the ten play, 79 yard drive with a one yard touchdown run. The Saints would respond with a quick six play drive at the end of the first half that ended with another John Carney field goal, but they were still down by two scores heading into the half.

The second half didn't start out much better for the Saints, as Aaron Rodgers found Greg Jennings for a 21 yard gain on the very first play of the third quarter. From there, the Packers moved into field goal range, but Mason Crosby missed a 52 yard kick, giving the Saints a chance to get back into the game. The Saints wasted little time, using their running game to move downfield against a Green Bay defense that was expecting passes. The seven play, 41 yard drive ended with a third John Carney field goal, but New Orleans had still moved closer to the Packers. However, the Saints were forced to punt on their next drive, and Green Bay came back with a huge possession. Aaron Rodgers moved the Packers downfield with his arm and the legs of Ryan Grant and Brandon Jackson. On the second play of the fourth quarter, it was Jackson that found the end zone on a four yard touchdown run to put Green Bay up 24-9. Following another punt by the Saints, the Packers embarked on a back breaking drive that took over nine minutes off the clock. Aaron Rodgers passed the ball when he needed to, but the Packers relied heavily on their running game, and Grant and Jackson got the job done. On the 15th play of the drive, Mason Crosby kicked a 31 yard field goal. With just two and a half minutes left to play, the Saints had their backs against the wall. They came out swining, needing only three plays to find the end zone for the first time. Drew Brees finished the drive with a 13 yard pass to Devery Henderson, but after the Packers recovered the onside kick, there wasn't enough time left for a comeback. Green Bay had gone on the road and won two weeks in a row, and now, they had a shot against their old quarterback, with one team headed to the Super Bowl.

Final Score: Green Bay-27 New Orleans-16

Real Life Score: New Orleans-45 Arizona-14

NFC Championship Game

The Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN

Minnesota Vikings (12-4) vs. Green Bay Packers (11-5)

If the New Orleans Saints weren't going to make a run for the Super Bowl, this was the matchup that people wanted to see. Just two years removed from bringing the Packers to the NFC Championship, Brett Favre was back as a member of the Minnesota Vikings, playing the team that he had built his entire career with. During the regular season, the Vikings and Packers had played twice, with Minnesota taking both games. While Green Bay's top rated rush defense had managed to keep Adrian Peterson from reaching 100 yards in either game, they had trouble containing Favre, and he was able to pick apart the Packers through the air. Now, with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, Aaron Rodgers had a chance to step away from the legend of Brett Favre and create his own legacy as the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers. For Brett Favre, it was one last chance at a second Super Bowl ring, which was the exact reason why he had come back each of the last two seasons.

Both defenses dominated the early going, with the Vikings forcing the Packers to punt on their opening drive, and Atari Bigby intercepting Brett Favre on Minnesota's first drive. The Vikings would bounce back quickly, forcing another Green Bay punt and then going on the attack. Just as they had in their two regular season wins against the Packers, Minnesota used their passing attack to get downfield. Favre completed six of seven passes on the ten play drive, including the nine yard touchdown pass to Visanthe Shiancoe. Ryan Longwell missed the extra point due to a bad snap, so the Vikings only led 6-0. The two teams would trade punts back and forth for most of the remainder of the first half, save for one Minnesota drive. This time, it was the Minnesota running game that got the job done. Chester Taylor and Adrian Peterson broke off runs of 13 and 12 yards, respectively, before Favre moved the Vikings into field goal position with a 12 yard pass to Sidney Rice. With under two minutes to play in the half, Ryan Longwell kicked a 27 yard field goal to give Minnesota a 9-0 lead that they would hold at the break.

The Vikings started with the ball in the third quarter, but could do nothing with it. On Green Bay's first possession of the third quarter, Aaron Rodgers finally got himself back in gear, hitting Donald Driver for 14 yards and Jermichael Finley for 15 more before giving way to the running game. Ryan Grant did the rest, picking up almost 20 yards on four carries. However, the Vikings would put a stop to the drive and force Mason Crosby to kick a 39 yard field goal for the first Green bay points of the game. Following another Minnesota punt, the Packers went right back to work. Rodgers hit Donald Driver for a big 23 yard gain, and Ryan Grant finished the nine play drive with a five yard touchdown run. In just seven minutes, the Packers had managed to take the lead away from the Vikings, and Green Bay's defense looked stronger than ever. On the next Packer drive, Rodgers once again moved his team down into Minnesota territory, and Grant looked like he had found the end zone for a second time. However, he fumbled just before crossing the goal line, and the Vikings recovered in the end zone for a touchback. Even though the Vikings had to punt on the ensuing drive, the fumble killed the Packers' momentum, and having the punt downed by the Vikings at their own four yard line didn't help, either. A quick three and out followed, and Minnesota got the ball back at the Green Bay 38 yard line. The Vikings only moved the ball 18 yards, but it was enough for Ryan Longwell, who hit a 37 yard field goal to put the Vikings back on top with 2:35 to play.

Now, it was Aaron Rodgers' turn to mount a comeback. He moved his offense back onto the field and rather than pass the ball on every play, used the run to surprise the Vikings. With the clock working against them, the Packers were able to pick up big pieces of land on the ground. The Vikings kept expecting a pass, but Ryan Grant, Brandon Jackson and even Ahman Green were able to gain yards and move into Minnesota territory. Finally, with only a minute and a half to play, the Vikings began anticipating the run...only to have Rodgers hit Greg Jennings for 12 yards, Donald Lee for five yards and Jennings once again for six more yards. The three passes moved the Packers down to the Minnesota eight yard line with 42 seconds to play. With no timeouts left and facing a third down and one, the Packers called a risky running play right up the middle. Ryan Grant got the yard they needed, but the clock was ticking. Rodgers missed Donald Driver in the end zone, and then Grant was tackled at the two yard line with 18 seconds to play. The Packers hurried to the line and called a draw play to Ahman Green. As the clock began to tick down, Green found a hole right in the middle of the Minnesota line and snuck into it. With eight seconds left to play, the 32 year old running back crossed the goal line and gave the Packers the lead. Brett Favre had one last chance, but his throw was knocked away. Green Bay had defeated the top two teams in the NFC, on the road, and had won two of their three games on last second miracle plays. Aaron Rodgers may not have stepped out of the shadow of Brett Favre yet, but he was getting close.

Final Score: Green Bay-17 Minnesota-12

Real Life Score: New Orleans-31 Minnesota-28/OT (In New Orleans)