NFL playoffs, 1993-94
Encyclopedia
The NFL playoffs
following the 1993 NFL season
led up to Super Bowl XXVIII
. Since the 1993 regular season was conducted over 18 weeks (two byes per team), the traditional bye week between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl was removed.
made the winning 32-yard field goal after 11:03 of overtime. The Steelers scored first on tight end Adrian Cooper's 10-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Neil O'Donnell
. Kansas City then tied the game after backup quarterback Dave Krieg
, who temporarily replaced injured starter Joe Montana
, threw a 23-yard touchdown to wide receiver J.J. Birden. However, Pittsburgh scored 10 unanswered points in the second quarter: kicker Gary Anderson's 30-yard field goal and O'Donnell's 26-yard touchdown completion to wide receiver Ernie Mills. After Lowery made a 23-yard field goal in the third quarter, the Chiefs eventually tied the game in the fourth period with running back Marcus Allen
's 2-yard touchdown. However, the Steelers marched 74-yards to take the lead on O'Donnell's third touchdown pass of the game, a 22-yard score to tight end Eric Green. In the final minutes of regulation, Keith Cash
blocked a Pittsburgh punt and Fred Jones returned it to the Steelers 9-yard line. On fourth down, wide receiver Tim Barnett
scored on a 7-yard touchdown reception from Montana to tie the game. Then after forcing Pittsburgh to punt, Kansas City drove 47 yards to set up Lowery's 43-yard field-goal attempt in the closing seconds, but the kick was wide right and thus the game went into overtime. Montana finished the game with 276 passing yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions.
and winning despite playing without their best offensive star, running back Barry Sanders
. The win gave them homefield advantage for this game. But even though Sanders recovered from his injury in time for the playoffs, this time the Packers won by overcoming a 17-7 third quarter deficit and pulling ahead on Favre's 40-yard game-winning touchdown pass to wide receiver Sterling Sharpe
with 55 seconds left.
Detroit held the ball for over 10 minutes in the first quarter, but could only score 3 points. Early in the game, a 25-yard run by Sanders with an additional 15 yards added on by a facemask penalty on LeRoy Butler
sparked a drive deep into Green Bay terrority, but it ended with no points when Packers defensive back Terrell Buckley
intercepted a pass from Erik Kramer
in the end zone. After forcing a punt, the Lions drove back, mostly on receptions by Brett Perriman
, and scored on Jason Hanson
's 47-yard field goal on the last play of the first quarter.
Green Bay responded to the field goal with Favre's 12-yard touchdow pass to Sharpe. Then Green Bay caught a break when their kickoff hit the ground near the sideline, bounced into returner Mel Gray and then bounced out of bounds at the Lions 5-yard line. But it didn't stop Detroit as they still drove 95 yards, featuring a 44-yard run by Sanders and a 13-yard 3rd down conversion reception by Perriman after the ball bounced off Sanders' hands, and scored on Perriman's one handed 1-yard touchdown reception to take a 10-7 lead at the end of the half.
Midway through the third period, Jim Arnold's punt pinned Green Bay at their own 5-yard line. Two plays later, Detroit defensive back Melvin Jenkins
intercepted a pass from Favre and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown to extend the Lions' lead, 17-7. But the Packers countered with a 28-yard touchdown pass from Favre to Sharpe. Then with Detroit deep inside Green Bay territory, Packers safety George Teague
intercepted Kramer's pass in the end zone and returned it a playoff record 101 yards to give the Packers a 21-17 lead. But on their very next drive Lions would regain the lead on running back Derrick Moore's 5-yard touchdown with 8:27 left in the fourth quarter.
Corey Harris
' 45-yard kickoff return gave the Packers good field position, but they were unable to take advantage and had to punt after demoralizing third down play in which Favre overthrew wide open receiver Mark Clayton near the end zone. After forcing a punt, Robert Brooks
' 21-yard return gave Green Bay the ball on their own 29-yard line with 2:24 left in regulation. Favre started off the drive with an 11-yard completion to Edgar Bennett
. His next pass to tight end Ed West
moved the ball to midfield, and he followed it up with a completion to Sharpe on the Lions 40-yard line. On the next play, he took the snap and ran left. Defensive back Kevin Scott, who was covering Sharpe one on one along the right sideline, slowed down a bit when he saw Favre running, just enough for Sharpe to pull ahead of him and Favre launched a 40-yard pass to Sharpe in the end zone for the game winning score.
Sanders had the best postseason performance of his career, finishing the game with 167 rushing yards. Perriman caught 10 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown. Sharpe, who had not practiced in the last 8 weeks due to turf toe
(though he was still able to play in games) and had set the NFL single season record for receptions in their week 17 meeting against Detroit, caught five passes for 101 yards and tied a playoff record with 3 touchdown receptions. This was Scott's last game in the NFL.
This was featured on NFL's Greatest Games
as Favre to Sharpe
in the third quarter, to pull ahead for good. New York had the wind advantage in the first quarter, but could only score on kicker David Treadwell
's 26-yard field goal. But after the teams switched sides at the start of second period, the Vikings scored 10 unanswered points: a 40-yard touchdown completion from quarterback Jim McMahon
to wide receiver Cris Carter
, and kicker Fuad Reveiz
's 52-yard field goal. The Giants had the wind again in the third quarter, and on their first drive of the second half, Hampton scored on a 51-yard rushing touchdown. Then after a short punt gave New York the ball at the Minnesota 26-yard line, Hampton rushed for a 2-yard touchdown. Although the Vikings held the wind advantage again during the final period, the Giants defense managed to shut them down to preserve the victory.
Hampton finished the game with 33 carries for 161 yards and 2 touchdowns, along with 6 receptions for 24 yards.
scored three rushing touchdowns in the second half to lead his team to the victory. In the first half, both Raiders quarterback Jeff Hostetler
and Broncos quarterback John Elway
each threw 3 touchdowns. However, in the third quarter, a short punt enabled Los Angeles to take over the ball at the Denver 35-yard line, and to set up McCallum's 26-yard touchdown. Another short punt by the Broncos allowed the Raiders to take over at the Denver 48-yard line, and Hostetler's 33-yard pass to tight end Ethan Horton enabled McCallum to record a 2-yard touchdown. After Broncos kicker Jason Elam
made a 23-yard field goal
to cut the lead, 35-24, in the fourth quarter, the Raiders marched 76 yards to score on McCallum's 1-yard touchdown to clinch the victory.
Hostetler had one of the best performances of his career, completing 13 of 19 passes for 294 yards and 3 touchdowns. Elway completed 29 of 47 passes for 302 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 1 interception, while also rushing for 23 yards. Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe
tied a playoff record with 13 receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown.
To date, this was the most recent NFL playoff game played in the city of Los Angeles.
's 30-yard field goal. Buffalo countered with running back Kenneth Davis' 1-yard touchdown but the extra point attempt failed. The Raiders then jumped to a 17-6 lead with two touchdowns by running back Napoleon McCallum
. But aided by a 37-yard pass interference penalty, Bills running back Thurman Thomas scored on an 8-yard touchdown with 50 seconds left in the first half to cut the lead, 17-13.
Buffalo then scored three times a span of 6:18 of the final two periods to put the game away. Quarterback Jim Kelly
first threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Bill Brooks. Then after Bills defensive back Henry Jones recovered a fumble by McCallum, kicker Steve Christie
made a 29-yard field goal. On the Raiders' next possession, wide receiver Tim Brown scored on an 86-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Jeff Hostetler
. But Buffalo then drove 71 yards to score on Brook's 22-yard game-clinching touchdown reception from Kelly.
Brown had the best postseason performance of his career, catching 5 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown. Kelly completed 27 of 37 passes for 287 yards and 2 touchdowns. Brooks caught 6 passes for 92 yards and 2 touchdowns.
rushed for 118 yards, caught 5 passes for 46 yards, and scored an NFL playoff record 5 touchdowns as San Francisco crushed the Giants, 44-3. San Francisco kicker Mike Cofer added a 29-yard field goal while running back Marc Logan recorded a 2-yard touchdown. Meanwhile the 49ers defense held the Giants to 41 rushing yards and intercepted quarterback Phil Simms
twice. New York's lone score was a 25-yard field goal from kicker David Treadwell in the second quarter. The game was also notable in that it would end up being the final game in the storied career of New York linebacker Lawrence Taylor
, and as it turned out, it would be the final game for Simms as well.
's 30-yard field goal gave them a 3-0 lead. But on the next drive, Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman
completed a 25-yard touchdown to wide receiver Alvin Harper
. With 23 seconds left in the first half, Cowboys kicker Eddie Murray made a 41-yard field goal. On the ensuing kickoff, Dallas' Joe Fishback recovered Green Bay returner Corey Harris' fumble, and Aikman threw a 6-yard touchdown to tight end Jay Novacek
to give the Cowboys a 17-3 lead before halftime. In the third quarter, Dallas wide receiver Michael Irvin
caught a 19-yard touchdown reception. Packers quarterback Brett Favre completed two touchdowns in the second half, a 13-yarder to wide receiver Robert Brooks
and a 29-yarder to Sterling Sharpe, but it was not enough.
Favre finished the game with 331 passing yards, just 1 yard short of a Packers playoff record. His top target was Sharpe, who caught 6 passes for 128 yards. Aikman completed 28 of 37 passes for 302 yards, while Irvin recorded 9 receptions for 126 yards.
's 49-yard field goal and running back Gary Brown's 2-yard touchdown. Then after a scoreless second period, Montana threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Keith Cash
in the third quarter. In the fourth period, Del Greco kicked a 43-yard field goal to give Houston a 13-7 lead. But aided by a 38-yard pass interference penalty, the Chiefs advanced 71 yards to score on wide receiver J.J. Birden's 11-yard touchdown reception form Montana. On the Oilers' next possession, Kansas City defensive lineman Dan Saleaumua
recovered a fumble by Houston quarterback Warren Moon
, setting up Montana's 18-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Willie Davis. The Oilers then drove 80 yards to score on wide receiver Ernest Givins
' 7-yard touchdown catch, but the Chiefs responded with running back Marcus Allen's game-clinching 21-yard touchdown that capped off a 79-yard drive. To date, this is the most recent NFL Playoff game played in the city of Houston.
kicked two field goals. In the second quarter, Thomas scored on a 3-yard touchdown and Bills kicker Steve Christie
made two field goals to extend the lead 20-6. With 21 seconds left in the first half, the Chiefs reached the Buffalo 5-yard line, but quarterback Joe Montana
's pass was intercepted by Bills defensive back Henry Jones. Montana later suffered a concussion
during the third play of the third quarter and left the game. Kansas City backup quarterback Dave Krieg
then led his team on a 90-yard drive to score on running back Marcus Allen
's 1-yard touchdown. However, Buffalo scored 10 unanswered points in the final period, an 18-yard field goal by Christie and a 3-yard touchdown by Thomas, to preserve the victory.
For the Bills, this was the third straight year they defeated a future Hall of Fame quarterback to advance to the Super Bowl. They beat John Elway and his Denver Broncos in the 1991 AFC Championship game and Dan Marino
and his Miami Dolphins
in 1992. For Montana, this was his seventh start in a conference championship game, the most of any quarterback, breaking his tie with Terry Bradshaw
and Roger Staubach
. He also joined the select group to start in the conference championship for two different franchises, joining Craig Morton
(Cowboys and Broncos), Doug Williams (Buccaneers and Redskins) and Jay Schroeder
(Redskins and Raiders). This was also Jim Kelly's fifth Conference Championship game which is tied for fifth most with Ken Stabler
, John Elway
, Tom Brady
, and Brett Favre
.
famously guaranteed that his team would win the game, and his team did not disappoint. The Cowboys jumped to a 28-7 halftime lead by scoring four touchdowns in their first five possessions. Dallas took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards to score on running back Emmitt Smith
's 5-yard touchdown. Early in the second quarter, the 49ers tied the game on quarterback Steve Young
's 7-yard touchdown pass to running back Tom Rathman
. But then the Cowboys scored 3 unanswered touchdowns before halftime: Running back Daryl Johnston
's 4-yard run, Smith's 11-yard reception from quarterback Troy Aikman, and Aikman's 19-yard score to tight end Jay Novacek
. In the third quarter, Aikman was knocked out of the game with a concussion, and San Francisco running back Ricky Watters
ran for a 4-yard touchdown to cut the lead, 28-14. However, Dallas backup quarterback Bernie Kosar
connected with wide receiver Alvin Harper
for a 42-yard touchdown. Cowboys kicker Eddie Murray later added a 50-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to clinch the victory.
Mostly due to Johnson's famous guarantee, ESPN
named the game one of the ten most memorable in the history of Texas Stadium
in 2008. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=luksa_frank&page=hotread1/luksa
This would be CBS' final NFL telecast (due to them losing the NFC package to Fox
in December 1993) before resuming coverage in 1998
.
NFL playoffs
The National Football League playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held at the end of the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Six teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records, and a tie-breaking procedure exists in the...
following the 1993 NFL season
1993 NFL season
The 1993 NFL season was the 74th regular season of the National Football League. For the first time in league history, all NFL teams played their 16-game schedule over a span of 18 weeks. After the success of expanding the regular season to a period of 17 weeks in 1990, the league hoped this new...
led up to Super Bowl XXVIII
Super Bowl XXVIII
Super Bowl XXVIII was an American football game played on January 30, 1994, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1993 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Dallas Cowboys defeated the American Football...
. Since the 1993 regular season was conducted over 18 weeks (two byes per team), the traditional bye week between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl was removed.
Bracket
AFC: Kansas City Chiefs 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 24 (OT)
Chiefs kicker Nick LoweryNick Lowery
Dominic Gerald Lowery , nicknamed Nick the Kick, is a former American football placekicker for the New England Patriots , the Kansas City Chiefs , and New York Jets . Lowery was selected to the Pro Bowl three times and when he retired was ranked first in field goal percentage and also had the most...
made the winning 32-yard field goal after 11:03 of overtime. The Steelers scored first on tight end Adrian Cooper's 10-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Neil O'Donnell
Neil O'Donnell
Neil Kennedy O'Donnell is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for 14 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, and Tennessee Titans...
. Kansas City then tied the game after backup quarterback Dave Krieg
Dave Krieg
David Michael Krieg is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He attended Milton College and made the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent...
, who temporarily replaced injured starter Joe Montana
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr. , nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback for the next 14 seasons...
, threw a 23-yard touchdown to wide receiver J.J. Birden. However, Pittsburgh scored 10 unanswered points in the second quarter: kicker Gary Anderson's 30-yard field goal and O'Donnell's 26-yard touchdown completion to wide receiver Ernie Mills. After Lowery made a 23-yard field goal in the third quarter, the Chiefs eventually tied the game in the fourth period with running back Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen
Marcus LeMarr Allen is a former American football player and, until recently, was affiliated with CBS as a game analyst. As a professional, Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,412 yards during his career for both the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1982 to 1997...
's 2-yard touchdown. However, the Steelers marched 74-yards to take the lead on O'Donnell's third touchdown pass of the game, a 22-yard score to tight end Eric Green. In the final minutes of regulation, Keith Cash
Keith Cash
Keith Lovell Cash is a former professional American football tight end in the National Football League . He played six seasons in the NFL, one for the Pittsburgh Steelers and five for the Kansas City Chiefs. As a collegian, Keith played wide receiver at the University of Texas...
blocked a Pittsburgh punt and Fred Jones returned it to the Steelers 9-yard line. On fourth down, wide receiver Tim Barnett
Tim Barnett (American football)
This article is about the American Footballer for other Tim Barnetts see Tim BarnettTim Andre Barnett is a former professional American football wide receiver who played three seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs in the National Football League...
scored on a 7-yard touchdown reception from Montana to tie the game. Then after forcing Pittsburgh to punt, Kansas City drove 47 yards to set up Lowery's 43-yard field-goal attempt in the closing seconds, but the kick was wide right and thus the game went into overtime. Montana finished the game with 276 passing yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions.
NFC: Green Bay Packers 28, Detroit Lions 24
In week 17, the Lions defeated Green Bay 30-20, intercepting four passes from quarterback Brett FavreBrett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
and winning despite playing without their best offensive star, running back Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders is a former American football running back who spent all of his professional career with the Detroit Lions in the NFL. Sanders left the game just short of the all-time rushing record...
. The win gave them homefield advantage for this game. But even though Sanders recovered from his injury in time for the playoffs, this time the Packers won by overcoming a 17-7 third quarter deficit and pulling ahead on Favre's 40-yard game-winning touchdown pass to wide receiver Sterling Sharpe
Sterling Sharpe
Sterling Sharpe is a former American football wide receiver and an analyst for the NFL Network. He attended the University of South Carolina, and played from 1988 to 1994 with the Green Bay Packers.-Early life:...
with 55 seconds left.
Detroit held the ball for over 10 minutes in the first quarter, but could only score 3 points. Early in the game, a 25-yard run by Sanders with an additional 15 yards added on by a facemask penalty on LeRoy Butler
LeRoy Butler
LeRoy Butler, III is a former American football strong safety who played his entire career with the Green Bay Packers . He spent his childhood in Jacksonville, Florida, challenged by physical problems that forced him to wear leg braces and use a wheelchair at times while undergoing therapy...
sparked a drive deep into Green Bay terrority, but it ended with no points when Packers defensive back Terrell Buckley
Terrell Buckley
Douglas Terrell Buckley is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League....
intercepted a pass from Erik Kramer
Erik Kramer
William Erik Kramer , is a former American football quarterback. He attended John Burroughs High School in Burbank, CA. After attending Los Angeles Pierce College and playing as their quarterback, Kramer transferred to North Carolina State University where he finished a successful college football...
in the end zone. After forcing a punt, the Lions drove back, mostly on receptions by Brett Perriman
Brett Perriman
Brett Perriman is a former American football wide receiver in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints , the Detroit Lions , the Kansas City Chiefs , and the Miami Dolphins...
, and scored on Jason Hanson
Jason Hanson
Jason Douglas Hanson is an American football placekicker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League, where he has spent his entire 20 year career. He was drafted by the Lions in the second round of the 1992 NFL Draft...
's 47-yard field goal on the last play of the first quarter.
Green Bay responded to the field goal with Favre's 12-yard touchdow pass to Sharpe. Then Green Bay caught a break when their kickoff hit the ground near the sideline, bounced into returner Mel Gray and then bounced out of bounds at the Lions 5-yard line. But it didn't stop Detroit as they still drove 95 yards, featuring a 44-yard run by Sanders and a 13-yard 3rd down conversion reception by Perriman after the ball bounced off Sanders' hands, and scored on Perriman's one handed 1-yard touchdown reception to take a 10-7 lead at the end of the half.
Midway through the third period, Jim Arnold's punt pinned Green Bay at their own 5-yard line. Two plays later, Detroit defensive back Melvin Jenkins
Melvin Jenkins
Melvin Jenkins is a former professional American football player who played cornerback for seven seasons for the Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, and Atlanta Falcons....
intercepted a pass from Favre and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown to extend the Lions' lead, 17-7. But the Packers countered with a 28-yard touchdown pass from Favre to Sharpe. Then with Detroit deep inside Green Bay territory, Packers safety George Teague
George Teague
George Theo Teague is a former American football player who played free safety in the National Football League with the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, and Miami Dolphins.-College:...
intercepted Kramer's pass in the end zone and returned it a playoff record 101 yards to give the Packers a 21-17 lead. But on their very next drive Lions would regain the lead on running back Derrick Moore's 5-yard touchdown with 8:27 left in the fourth quarter.
Corey Harris
Corey Harris
Corey Harris is an American blues and reggae musician, currently residing in Virginia. Along with Keb' Mo' and Alvin Youngblood Hart, he raised the flag of acoustic guitar blues in the mid 1990s...
' 45-yard kickoff return gave the Packers good field position, but they were unable to take advantage and had to punt after demoralizing third down play in which Favre overthrew wide open receiver Mark Clayton near the end zone. After forcing a punt, Robert Brooks
Robert Brooks
Robert Darren Brooks is a former American football wide receiver who attended University of South Carolina and played for the Green Bay Packers and the Denver Broncos.-Early life:...
' 21-yard return gave Green Bay the ball on their own 29-yard line with 2:24 left in regulation. Favre started off the drive with an 11-yard completion to Edgar Bennett
Edgar Bennett
Edgar Bennett III is a former National Football League running back who played for the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears , and is currently a coach for the Green Bay Packers.-High school years:...
. His next pass to tight end Ed West
Ed West
Edward "Ed" Lee West, III , nickname 'the Toolbox'. , is a former professional American football player. A 6'1", 243-lb. tight end from Auburn University, West was never drafted by an NFL team but did play in over 200 NFL games in 14 seasons from 1984 to 1997 for the Green Bay Packers,...
moved the ball to midfield, and he followed it up with a completion to Sharpe on the Lions 40-yard line. On the next play, he took the snap and ran left. Defensive back Kevin Scott, who was covering Sharpe one on one along the right sideline, slowed down a bit when he saw Favre running, just enough for Sharpe to pull ahead of him and Favre launched a 40-yard pass to Sharpe in the end zone for the game winning score.
Sanders had the best postseason performance of his career, finishing the game with 167 rushing yards. Perriman caught 10 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown. Sharpe, who had not practiced in the last 8 weeks due to turf toe
Turf toe
A metatarsalphalangeal joint sprain is an injury to the joint and connective tissue between the foot and one of the toes. When the big toe is involved, it is known as "turf toe".-Causes:...
(though he was still able to play in games) and had set the NFL single season record for receptions in their week 17 meeting against Detroit, caught five passes for 101 yards and tied a playoff record with 3 touchdown receptions. This was Scott's last game in the NFL.
This was featured on NFL's Greatest Games
NFL's Greatest Games
NFL's Greatest Games is a series of 90-minute television programs that air on NFL Network, ESPN and related networks. They are condensed versions of some of the most famous games in the history of the National Football League, using footage and sound captured by NFL Films, as well as original...
as Favre to Sharpe
NFC: New York Giants 17, Minnesota Vikings 10
A howling, gusting wind dominated the game as both teams could only score with the wind. However, the Giants managed to score two touchdowns, both by running back Rodney HamptonRodney Hampton
Rodney Craig Hampton born April 3, 1969 in Houston, Texas, is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round of the 1990 NFL Draft. A 5'11", 215 lbs. running back from the University of Georgia by way of Kashmere High School in...
in the third quarter, to pull ahead for good. New York had the wind advantage in the first quarter, but could only score on kicker David Treadwell
David Treadwell
David Mark Treadwell is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Denver Broncos and the New York Giants . He played college football for the Clemson Tigers from 1984 to 1987, where he graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering...
's 26-yard field goal. But after the teams switched sides at the start of second period, the Vikings scored 10 unanswered points: a 40-yard touchdown completion from quarterback Jim McMahon
Jim McMahon
James Robert "Jim" McMahon, Jr. is a former American football player. He played college football at Brigham Young University, where he was a two-time All-American and later in the professional ranks with the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona...
to wide receiver Cris Carter
Cris Carter
Cristopher D. Carter is a former American football player in the National Football League. He played wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles , the Minnesota Vikings and the Miami Dolphins ....
, and kicker Fuad Reveiz
Fuad Reveiz
Fuad Reveiz is a former placekicker for the Miami Dolphins, the San Diego Chargers, and the Minnesota Vikings. He played for Miami Sunset Senior High and was voted one of the top high school football players from Miami of all time by the Miami Herald...
's 52-yard field goal. The Giants had the wind again in the third quarter, and on their first drive of the second half, Hampton scored on a 51-yard rushing touchdown. Then after a short punt gave New York the ball at the Minnesota 26-yard line, Hampton rushed for a 2-yard touchdown. Although the Vikings held the wind advantage again during the final period, the Giants defense managed to shut them down to preserve the victory.
Hampton finished the game with 33 carries for 161 yards and 2 touchdowns, along with 6 receptions for 24 yards.
AFC: Los Angeles Raiders 42, Denver Broncos 24
After a 21-21 tie at halftime, Raiders running back Napoleon McCallumNapoleon McCallum
Napoleon Ardel McCallum is a former professional American football running back who played for the Los Angeles Raiders in 1986 and from 1990 to 1994. McCallum went to Milford High School near Cincinnati, Ohio and played college football for the U.S. Naval Academy.-U.S. Naval Academy:McCallum...
scored three rushing touchdowns in the second half to lead his team to the victory. In the first half, both Raiders quarterback Jeff Hostetler
Jeff Hostetler
William Jeffrey Hostetler is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the New York Giants, Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins. His nickname is "Hoss".-Penn State:...
and Broncos quarterback John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
each threw 3 touchdowns. However, in the third quarter, a short punt enabled Los Angeles to take over the ball at the Denver 35-yard line, and to set up McCallum's 26-yard touchdown. Another short punt by the Broncos allowed the Raiders to take over at the Denver 48-yard line, and Hostetler's 33-yard pass to tight end Ethan Horton enabled McCallum to record a 2-yard touchdown. After Broncos kicker Jason Elam
Jason Elam
Jason Elam is a retired American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii....
made a 23-yard field goal
to cut the lead, 35-24, in the fourth quarter, the Raiders marched 76 yards to score on McCallum's 1-yard touchdown to clinch the victory.
Hostetler had one of the best performances of his career, completing 13 of 19 passes for 294 yards and 3 touchdowns. Elway completed 29 of 47 passes for 302 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 1 interception, while also rushing for 23 yards. Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe
Shannon Sharpe
Shannon Sharpe is a former American Football tight end who played for the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. Sharpe is known for his creative commentary and trash talking. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and inducted on August 6, 2011...
tied a playoff record with 13 receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown.
To date, this was the most recent NFL playoff game played in the city of Los Angeles.
Byes
- AFC: Buffalo BillsBuffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Houston Oilers - NFC: Dallas CowboysDallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
AFC: Buffalo Bills 29, Los Angeles Raiders 23
In one of the coldest games in NFL history, the Bills overcame a 17-6 Raiders lead by scoring three times in a span of 6:18 in the second half. After a scoreless first quarter, Los Angeles took a 3-0 lead with kicker Jeff JaegerJeff Jaeger
Jeff Todd Jaeger , is a former American football placekicker who played in 12 National Football League seasons and was an All-American kicker at the University of Washington. In the NFL Jaeger played for the Cleveland Browns, the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, and the Chicago Bears...
's 30-yard field goal. Buffalo countered with running back Kenneth Davis' 1-yard touchdown but the extra point attempt failed. The Raiders then jumped to a 17-6 lead with two touchdowns by running back Napoleon McCallum
Napoleon McCallum
Napoleon Ardel McCallum is a former professional American football running back who played for the Los Angeles Raiders in 1986 and from 1990 to 1994. McCallum went to Milford High School near Cincinnati, Ohio and played college football for the U.S. Naval Academy.-U.S. Naval Academy:McCallum...
. But aided by a 37-yard pass interference penalty, Bills running back Thurman Thomas scored on an 8-yard touchdown with 50 seconds left in the first half to cut the lead, 17-13.
Buffalo then scored three times a span of 6:18 of the final two periods to put the game away. Quarterback Jim Kelly
Jim Kelly
James Edward Kelly is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and the USFL's Houston Gamblers....
first threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Bill Brooks. Then after Bills defensive back Henry Jones recovered a fumble by McCallum, kicker Steve Christie
Steve Christie
Geoffrey Stephen Christie is a former Canadian American football placekicker in the National Football League, who, as a member of the Buffalo Bills, became known for his ability to kick clutch field goals, even in poor weather.-Early career:Christie, who grew up in nearby Oakville, Ontario,...
made a 29-yard field goal. On the Raiders' next possession, wide receiver Tim Brown scored on an 86-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Jeff Hostetler
Jeff Hostetler
William Jeffrey Hostetler is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the New York Giants, Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins. His nickname is "Hoss".-Penn State:...
. But Buffalo then drove 71 yards to score on Brook's 22-yard game-clinching touchdown reception from Kelly.
Brown had the best postseason performance of his career, catching 5 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown. Kelly completed 27 of 37 passes for 287 yards and 2 touchdowns. Brooks caught 6 passes for 92 yards and 2 touchdowns.
NFC: San Francisco 49ers 44, New York Giants 3
49ers running back Ricky WattersRicky Watters
Richard "Ricky" James Watters is a former American football running back who played for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. Watters played college football at the University of Notre Dame where he played wide receiver on the...
rushed for 118 yards, caught 5 passes for 46 yards, and scored an NFL playoff record 5 touchdowns as San Francisco crushed the Giants, 44-3. San Francisco kicker Mike Cofer added a 29-yard field goal while running back Marc Logan recorded a 2-yard touchdown. Meanwhile the 49ers defense held the Giants to 41 rushing yards and intercepted quarterback Phil Simms
Phil Simms
Phillip Martin "Phil" Simms is a former American football quarterback, and currently a television sportscaster for the CBS network. After a standout career at Morehead State University, Simms was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants of the National Football League with the number...
twice. New York's lone score was a 25-yard field goal from kicker David Treadwell in the second quarter. The game was also notable in that it would end up being the final game in the storied career of New York linebacker Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Julius Taylor , nicknamed "L.T.", is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League...
, and as it turned out, it would be the final game for Simms as well.
NFC: Dallas Cowboys 27, Green Bay Packers 17
The Cowboys broke the game open by scoring 10 points in the final 23 seconds of the first half. After the Packers stopped Dallas on a fake punt attempt, Chris JackeChris Jacke
Christopher Lee Jacke is a former professional American football placekicker best known for playing for the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League....
's 30-yard field goal gave them a 3-0 lead. But on the next drive, Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman
Troy Kenneth Aikman is a former American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. The number one overall draft pick in 1989, Aikman played twelve consecutive seasons as quarterback with the Cowboys...
completed a 25-yard touchdown to wide receiver Alvin Harper
Alvin Harper
Alvin Craig Harper is a former American football player in the National Football League. After going 1-15 in 1989 and 7-9 in 1990, the Dallas Cowboys were poised to capitalize on some key draft opportunities...
. With 23 seconds left in the first half, Cowboys kicker Eddie Murray made a 41-yard field goal. On the ensuing kickoff, Dallas' Joe Fishback recovered Green Bay returner Corey Harris' fumble, and Aikman threw a 6-yard touchdown to tight end Jay Novacek
Jay Novacek
Jay McKinley Novacek is a former American football tight end in the National Football League who played for the St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals and the Dallas Cowboys . Novacek was a five-time Pro Bowler, who was selected to play each year from 1991 through 1995...
to give the Cowboys a 17-3 lead before halftime. In the third quarter, Dallas wide receiver Michael Irvin
Michael Irvin
Michael Jerome Irvin is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys, and actor. He is also a former broadcaster for ESPN's NFL Countdown and currently an analyst for NFL Network. Irvin was self-nicknamed "The Playmaker" due to his penchant for making big plays in big games during his...
caught a 19-yard touchdown reception. Packers quarterback Brett Favre completed two touchdowns in the second half, a 13-yarder to wide receiver Robert Brooks
Robert Brooks
Robert Darren Brooks is a former American football wide receiver who attended University of South Carolina and played for the Green Bay Packers and the Denver Broncos.-Early life:...
and a 29-yarder to Sterling Sharpe, but it was not enough.
Favre finished the game with 331 passing yards, just 1 yard short of a Packers playoff record. His top target was Sharpe, who caught 6 passes for 128 yards. Aikman completed 28 of 37 passes for 302 yards, while Irvin recorded 9 receptions for 126 yards.
AFC: Kansas City Chiefs 28, Houston Oilers 20
Chiefs quarterback Joe Montana threw three touchdown passes in the second half to give his team a 28-20 win. The Oilers jumped to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter with kicker Al Del GrecoAl Del Greco
Albert Louis Del Greco is a former American football placekicker and a current sports radio personality and high school coach in Birmingham, Alabama.-Biography:...
's 49-yard field goal and running back Gary Brown's 2-yard touchdown. Then after a scoreless second period, Montana threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Keith Cash
Keith Cash
Keith Lovell Cash is a former professional American football tight end in the National Football League . He played six seasons in the NFL, one for the Pittsburgh Steelers and five for the Kansas City Chiefs. As a collegian, Keith played wide receiver at the University of Texas...
in the third quarter. In the fourth period, Del Greco kicked a 43-yard field goal to give Houston a 13-7 lead. But aided by a 38-yard pass interference penalty, the Chiefs advanced 71 yards to score on wide receiver J.J. Birden's 11-yard touchdown reception form Montana. On the Oilers' next possession, Kansas City defensive lineman Dan Saleaumua
Dan Saleaumua
Raymond Daniel Saleaumua is a Samoan American former American football player.He attended high school at Sweetwater High and attended college at Arizona State. He played Nose tackle, defensive tackle, and defensive end throughout his college and pro career...
recovered a fumble by Houston quarterback Warren Moon
Warren Moon
Harold Warren Moon is a former American professional gridiron football quarterback who played for the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos and the National Football League's Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs...
, setting up Montana's 18-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Willie Davis. The Oilers then drove 80 yards to score on wide receiver Ernest Givins
Ernest Givins
Ernest Pastell Givins, Jr. , was a former professional American football player who was selected by the Houston Oilers in the 2nd round of the 1986 NFL Draft. A 5'9", 175 lbs. wide receiver from the University of Louisville, Givins played in 10 NFL seasons from 1986-1995...
' 7-yard touchdown catch, but the Chiefs responded with running back Marcus Allen's game-clinching 21-yard touchdown that capped off a 79-yard drive. To date, this is the most recent NFL Playoff game played in the city of Houston.
AFC Championship: Buffalo Bills 30, Kansas City Chiefs 13
Running back Thurman Thomas led the Bills to the 30-13 victory by recording 186 rushing yards, 3 receptions for 22 yards, and three touchdowns. Buffalo scored first on Thomas' 12-yard touchdown run before Chiefs kicker Nick LoweryNick Lowery
Dominic Gerald Lowery , nicknamed Nick the Kick, is a former American football placekicker for the New England Patriots , the Kansas City Chiefs , and New York Jets . Lowery was selected to the Pro Bowl three times and when he retired was ranked first in field goal percentage and also had the most...
kicked two field goals. In the second quarter, Thomas scored on a 3-yard touchdown and Bills kicker Steve Christie
Steve Christie
Geoffrey Stephen Christie is a former Canadian American football placekicker in the National Football League, who, as a member of the Buffalo Bills, became known for his ability to kick clutch field goals, even in poor weather.-Early career:Christie, who grew up in nearby Oakville, Ontario,...
made two field goals to extend the lead 20-6. With 21 seconds left in the first half, the Chiefs reached the Buffalo 5-yard line, but quarterback Joe Montana
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr. , nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback for the next 14 seasons...
's pass was intercepted by Bills defensive back Henry Jones. Montana later suffered a concussion
Concussion of the brain
Concussion, from the Latin concutere or the Latin concussus , is the most common type of traumatic brain injury...
during the third play of the third quarter and left the game. Kansas City backup quarterback Dave Krieg
Dave Krieg
David Michael Krieg is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He attended Milton College and made the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent...
then led his team on a 90-yard drive to score on running back Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen
Marcus LeMarr Allen is a former American football player and, until recently, was affiliated with CBS as a game analyst. As a professional, Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,412 yards during his career for both the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1982 to 1997...
's 1-yard touchdown. However, Buffalo scored 10 unanswered points in the final period, an 18-yard field goal by Christie and a 3-yard touchdown by Thomas, to preserve the victory.
For the Bills, this was the third straight year they defeated a future Hall of Fame quarterback to advance to the Super Bowl. They beat John Elway and his Denver Broncos in the 1991 AFC Championship game and Dan Marino
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...
and his Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1992. For Montana, this was his seventh start in a conference championship game, the most of any quarterback, breaking his tie with Terry Bradshaw
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
and Roger Staubach
Roger Staubach
Roger Thomas Staubach is a businessman, Heisman Trophy winner and legendary Hall of Fame former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 until 1979. Staubach was instrumental in developing the Cowboys into becoming one of the best teams of the 1970s and led the team to nine of the Cowboys'...
. He also joined the select group to start in the conference championship for two different franchises, joining Craig Morton
Craig Morton
Larry Craig Morton is a former professional football player. He played quarterback in the National Football League for 18 seasons, 1965-82...
(Cowboys and Broncos), Doug Williams (Buccaneers and Redskins) and Jay Schroeder
Jay Schroeder
Jay Brian Schroeder is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins , Los Angeles Raiders , Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals .He attended Palisades High School and was a high school football teammate of actor...
(Redskins and Raiders). This was also Jim Kelly's fifth Conference Championship game which is tied for fifth most with Ken Stabler
Ken Stabler
Kenneth "Kenny" Michael Stabler , is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders , the Houston Oilers , and the New Orleans Saints...
, John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
, Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
, and Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
.
NFC Championship: Dallas Cowboys 38, San Francisco 49ers 21
Before the game, Dallas coach Jimmy JohnsonJimmy Johnson (American football coach)
James William "Jimmy" Johnson is an American former NCAA and National Football League head coach. As of 2010, he is currently an analyst for Fox NFL Sunday, the Fox network's NFL pregame show. He was the first football coach whose teams won both an NCAA Division 1A National Championship and a...
famously guaranteed that his team would win the game, and his team did not disappoint. The Cowboys jumped to a 28-7 halftime lead by scoring four touchdowns in their first five possessions. Dallas took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards to score on running back Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
's 5-yard touchdown. Early in the second quarter, the 49ers tied the game on quarterback Steve Young
Steve Young (athlete)
Jon Steven "Steve" Young is a former American football quarterback, best known for his time with the NFL's San Francisco 49ers. He also played for the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Los Angeles Express of the United States Football League...
's 7-yard touchdown pass to running back Tom Rathman
Tom Rathman
Thomas Dean Rathman is a former American football fullback who played for the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders . He is currently the running backs coach for the 49ers.-High school:...
. But then the Cowboys scored 3 unanswered touchdowns before halftime: Running back Daryl Johnston
Daryl Johnston
Daryl Peter "Moose" Johnston is a former National Football League fullback who played his entire career with the Dallas Cowboys from 1989 to 1999.-High school career:...
's 4-yard run, Smith's 11-yard reception from quarterback Troy Aikman, and Aikman's 19-yard score to tight end Jay Novacek
Jay Novacek
Jay McKinley Novacek is a former American football tight end in the National Football League who played for the St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals and the Dallas Cowboys . Novacek was a five-time Pro Bowler, who was selected to play each year from 1991 through 1995...
. In the third quarter, Aikman was knocked out of the game with a concussion, and San Francisco running back Ricky Watters
Ricky Watters
Richard "Ricky" James Watters is a former American football running back who played for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. Watters played college football at the University of Notre Dame where he played wide receiver on the...
ran for a 4-yard touchdown to cut the lead, 28-14. However, Dallas backup quarterback Bernie Kosar
Bernie Kosar
Bernard Joseph "Bernie" Kosar, Jr. is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. Kosar played for the Cleveland Browns from 1985 to 1993 and then finished his career with the Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins.-Early life and high school career:A Hungarian-American...
connected with wide receiver Alvin Harper
Alvin Harper
Alvin Craig Harper is a former American football player in the National Football League. After going 1-15 in 1989 and 7-9 in 1990, the Dallas Cowboys were poised to capitalize on some key draft opportunities...
for a 42-yard touchdown. Cowboys kicker Eddie Murray later added a 50-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to clinch the victory.
Mostly due to Johnson's famous guarantee, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
named the game one of the ten most memorable in the history of Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675...
in 2008. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=luksa_frank&page=hotread1/luksa
This would be CBS' final NFL telecast (due to them losing the NFC package to Fox
NFL on FOX
NFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports...
in December 1993) before resuming coverage in 1998
1998 NFL season
The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League.The Tennessee Oilers moved their home games from Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis to Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, still awaiting construction on a new stadium in Nashville.This was the first season that CBS...
.