1998: Hearst’s 96-Yard Run in OT Propels 49ers Over Jets

The season-opening NFL game in San Francisco on September 6, 1998 featured the 49ers, a perennial contender, hosting the New York Jets, a team that was on the rise.

The 49ers were a savvy veteran club that was used to winning, having been to the postseason in each of the previous six seasons and 16 of the past 18 years. Steve Mariucci had taken over as head coach in 1997 and the result was a conference-best 13-3 record and an appearance in the NFC Championship game. 36-year-old QB Steve Young routinely won passing titles, and while there were concerns that he could no longer deliver the long ball, the return of star WR Jerry Rice, who was lost for the year in the first week of ‘97, was expected to help, even coming off of two knee surgeries.

New York was just two years removed from a dreadful 1-15 campaign in 1996 but had perked up considerably to 9-7 in the first year under Head Coach Bill Parcells. QB Glenn Foley, taking over for the departed Neil O’Donnell, brought a gunslinger attitude to the offense but was also inexperienced, and underachieving veteran QB Vinny Testaverde was signed during the offseason. RB Curtis Martin was obtained from New England, where he had previously played with distinction under Parcells, and there was a young pass receiving corps led by brash WR Keyshawn Johnson. The team was in rebuilding mode but appeared poised to move up.

There were 64,419 fans in attendance on an unseasonably warm day at 3Com Park. The 49ers had the game’s first possession but turned the ball over when a pass by Steve Young was intercepted by FS Kevin Williams, who returned it 34 yards to the San Francisco 27. Glenn Foley (pictured at right) completed two passes to Keyshawn Johnson and John Hall kicked a 24-yard field goal to give the Jets the early lead.

The teams exchanged punts before San Francisco put together an 84-yard drive in eight plays. Young completed four passes along the way, with the longest to WR Terrell Owens for 23 yards, and RB Garrison Hearst (pictured at top) capped the series with a five-yard touchdown run up the middle. Wade Richey kicked the extra point and the home team was ahead by 7-3.

The Jets had the ball for the remainder of the opening period, but on the first play of the second quarter CB Antonio Langham picked off a Foley pass to give the 49ers possession at the New York 48. Hearst burst up the middle for 19 yards on first down, but three consecutive incomplete passes forced a long field goal try by Richey, and his 47-yard attempt missed the mark. Seven plays later, Foley connected with Johnson for a 41-yard TD and, with Hall’s point after, the visitors were back on top by 10-7.

The teams again traded punts before the 49ers put together a seven-play, 63-yard scoring drive. Young threw to WR J.J. Stokes for 25 yards and followed up with a completion to FB Marc Edwards for 16 yards to reach the New York 17. The drive bogged down but a defensive holding penalty on a third-and-six play gave the Niners a first down at the eight and, two plays later, it was Young to Stokes for a six-yard touchdown. Richey’s conversion had San Francisco ahead by 14-10.

There were still two minutes remaining in the first half following RB Leon Johnson’s 33-yard kickoff return, and Foley fired passes to WR Dedric Ward for 19 yards and Keyshawn Johnson for nine to reach the San Francisco 32. The Jets got a break when an interception was nullified by a penalty on the 49ers and, three plays later, Foley tossed a pass to WR Wayne Chrebet for a six-yard TD with 37 seconds left on the clock. Hall booted the extra point and, in see-saw fashion, the Jets took a 17-14 lead into halftime.

Following a possession by the Jets that concluded with a punt to start the third quarter, the 49ers tied the score with a 38-yard drive in seven plays that ended with a Richey field goal from 22 yards. However, New York came right back when, on the first play of the next series, Foley threw to Chrebet for a 48-yard gain to the San Francisco 30. Three plays later, with a roughing-the-passer penalty mixed in to move the Jets closer, Foley connected with Keyshawn Johnson for a 21-yard touchdown and, with Hall providing the extra point, the visitors were up by 24-17.

The 49ers responded with a 68-yard series in seven plays that featured Young completing consecutive passes to Owens for 19 yards and WR Jerry Rice for 21. Facing fourth-and-one at the New York 14, it was Young to Rice for a TD but the extra point attempt was blocked by DT Jason Ferguson and New York remained in the lead by a point.

The Jets had the ball in a possession that extended into the fourth quarter. Foley threw to Curtis Martin for 18 yards and to Chrebet twice, once for eight yards in a third-and-seven situation and then for 22 to get the ball to the San Francisco 29. But New York came up empty when the drive stalled and Hall missed a 45-yard field goal attempt.

The teams exchanged punts before the Jets advanced to another score. Foley completed passes to Martin for 22 yards, Keyshawn Johnson for 14, and Chrebet for 22 and, after Martin ran twice to get to the San Francisco 14, Hall booted a 32-yard field goal to make the score 27-23.

After the ensuing kickoff, the 49ers took possession with 3:38 remaining in regulation. On first down, Young passed to Hearst for a 35-yard gain to the New York 41. Four plays later, it was Young to Stokes (pictured at left), who out-jumped Kevin Williams and dove into the end zone for a 31-yard touchdown and, with Richey making the extra point, the Niners were in the lead by three points at 30-27 with the clock down to 1:32.

There was still time for the Jets, and they drove 60 yards in 12 plays. Foley converted a third-and-ten play with a throw to Chrebet for 19 yards and a fourth-and-ten situation with a toss to Ward for 22 to the San Francisco 32. Another pass to Ward on third down picked up 19 yards and, as time expired, Hall booted a 31-yard field goal to make it 30-30 and send the contest into overtime.

The Jets had the ball first in the extra period but went three-and-out. CB R.W. McQuarters returned Nick Gallery’s punt 16 yards to give San Francisco good field position at the New York 43, but the 49ers were unable to move and punted in return.

The visitors, helped by a face mask penalty, drove to their 47 before having to punt again, and Gallery’s 49-yard kick had the 49ers taking possession at their four yard line. But on the next play, Hearst broke away off right tackle, stiff-armed Williams at the 20, and was off to the races for a 96-yard touchdown run, reaching the end zone just ahead of LB Mo Lewis’ desperation tackle. In stunning fashion, San Francisco came away the winner by a final score of 36-30.

The teams combined for 1003 yards, with the 49ers having the edge (557 to 465) as well as in first downs (26 to 25). New York, whose yardage total was its most in eight years, led in time of possession (34:43 to 29:25). Each club turned the ball over once.

Steve Young completed 26 of 46 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns while giving up one interception. Boosted by the game-winning run that was the longest in franchise history, Garrison Hearst accumulated 187 yards on 20 carries that included two TDs. J.J. Stokes had 7 catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns and Jerry Rice pulled in 6 passes for 86 yards and a score.

For the Jets, Glenn Foley had a career day as he succeeded on 30 of 58 throws for 415 yards and three TDs with one interception. There were two receivers with over a hundred yards led by Keyshawn Johnson, who caught 9 passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns, along with Wayne Chrebet (pictured at right) with 6 receptions for 125 yards and a TD. Dedric Ward was four yards short of the century mark as he gained 96 yards on five catches. Curtis Martin had a fairly quiet rushing day, gaining 58 yards on 22 attempts, but also had four pass receptions for 41 yards. 

“It’s disappointing to fight that hard and lose,” said a drained Coach Parcells. “You just put players in a position to make plays and you’ve got to make them. Hearst was right there. We missed some tackles there.”

San Francisco went on to a 12-4 record that placed second in the NFC West and qualified for a Wild Card playoff spot. The 49ers defeated Green Bay in the first round before falling to Atlanta at the Divisional level. The Jets were a bigger surprise in also going 12-4 and topping the AFC East. They reached the AFC Championship game before finally succumbing to the Denver Broncos.

Steve Young had another stellar year, passing for a career-high 4170 yards and a league-leading 36 touchdowns. He was chosen to a seventh straight Pro Bowl, his last. Garrison Hearst went on to gain 1570 yards on 310 carries with seven TDs and was also a Pro Bowl selection for the first time. J.J. Stokes achieved career bests with 63 pass receptions for 770 yards and eight touchdowns and Jerry Rice returned to Pro Bowl form as he caught 82 passes for 1157 yards and nine TDs.

For Glenn Foley, the big opening performance against the 49ers proved to be the highlight of his season. Two lackluster starts while also being sidelined with a rib injury in between caused him to be relegated to the bench in favor of Vinny Testaverde, who put together a Pro Bowl year in quarterbacking the Jets to the postseason.

1994: Marino Passes for 473 Yards & 5 TDs as Dolphins Defeat Patriots

The Miami Dolphins had QB Dan Marino (pictured above) back behind center as they hosted the New England Patriots in a season-opening game on September 4, 1994. After ten years of highly-productive, and often record-setting, passing while remaining injury free, Marino had been lost to a ruptured Achilles tendon five games into the ’93 season.

Head Coach Don Shula’s team had initially weathered the loss of Marino well and was at 9-2 before losing five straight games to close out the season and miss the playoffs at 9-7. The receiving corps, led by WR Irving Fryar, was capable while the running attack was mediocre, with RB Terry Kirby more productive as a receiver out of the backfield. However, it was key injuries on the defensive side that ultimately sank the Dolphins, and improvement was anticipated.

New England was coming off of a 5-11 record in its first year under Head Coach Bill Parcells, but after five straight losing seasons there was reason for optimism. QB Drew Bledsoe had a year of action under his belt, TE Ben Coates emerged as an outstanding receiver, and the defense, led by MLB Vincent Brown, was much better. 

There were 69,613 fans in attendance at Joe Robbie Stadium and there was a heavy downpour an hour before kickoff that turned the baseball infield portion of the field into a muddy mess. The game started off quietly enough as the Patriots went three-and-out on their first possession and Dan Marino misfired on his first two passes before Miami moved to the New England 39. However, in attempting to convert a fourth-and-one play, Terry Kirby fumbled and FS Myron Guyton recovered for the Patriots.

New England drove 59 yards in 11 plays. Drew Bledsoe started off with a completion to RB Leroy Thompson for 20 yards and, after the loss of a yard on a running play, connected with WR Michael Timpson for 12 yards. It was RB Marion Butts carrying most of the load from there as the Patriots kept the ball on the ground and FB Kevin Turner gained the last yard for a touchdown. Matt Bahr added the extra point and the home team was ahead by 7-0.

The Dolphins responded with a long series that stretched into the second quarter. Marino completed six passes along the way, four of them to Kirby, but after reaching the New England six his throw intended for FB Keith Byars was intercepted by LB Dwayne Sabb.

The teams exchanged punts before the Patriots advanced into Miami territory, fueled by a 28-yard Bledsoe-to-Timpson pass play. Bledsoe had two more completions before being picked off in the end zone by CB Troy Vincent. Three plays later, Marino fired a pass to WR Mark Ingram for a 64-yard touchdown. Pete Stoyanovich booted the point after and the score was tied.

The Patriots responded with a scoring drive of eight plays that covered 68 yards. Bledsoe had four pass completions, the two biggest to TE Ben Coates for 26 yards and Turner for 19, to reach the Miami two and from there he tossed a TD pass to Coates. Bahr again converted to put the visitors up by seven with 2:15 left in the first half.

There was still time for Marino to pass the Dolphins into scoring position and, on the final play of the half, Stoyanovich kicked a 42-yard field goal and the New England lead was 14-10 at halftime.

A short Miami series to start the third quarter ended with a punt but, on their second play, the Patriots came through with a big one as Bledsoe (pictured at left) threw to Coates for a 62-yard touchdown. Bahr’s conversion stretched the New England lead to 21-10.

The teams again traded punts before the Dolphins, striking quickly, got back on the board. Taking over from their 39, Marino went long to WR Irving Fryar for 40 yards to the New England 21. A run for five yards that was followed by a holding penalty and then an incomplete pass had the home team facing third-and-15. Marino then connected with TE Keith Jackson for a TD from 26 yards out. Kirby dove into the end zone for a two-point conversion (the first in team history) and the New England lead was cut to 21-18.

FS Gene Atkins intercepted a Bledsoe pass on the next series to give the ball back to the Dolphins, but a fumble by Marino on the next play gave the ball back to the Patriots at the Miami 24. Five plays later, Bledsoe connected with Timpson for a five-yard touchdown and, with Bahr’s extra point, the visitors were ahead by ten at 28-18. Helped along by a pass interference penalty, the Dolphins responded with another long Marino TD pass, this time to Fryar for 54 yards. Stoyanovich’s kick made it a three-point game at 28-25.

The Patriots had the ball for the remainder of the period and punted to start the fourth quarter. Two plays later, Kirby took a handoff and then tossed the ball back to Marino on a flea-flicker that resulted in another scoring pass to a wide-open Fryar, this time covering 50 yards. Stoyanovich converted and the Dolphins had their first lead of the day at 32-28.

New England was far from finished and advanced 67 yards in seven plays. Bledsoe completed a pass to WR Vincent Brisby for six yards to convert a third-and-six situation at midfield and WR Ray Crittenden put the Patriots back in front with a leaping catch in the corner of the end zone of a Bledsoe pass for a 23-yard touchdown. Bahr’s successful conversion made the score 35-32 with 10:12 left to play.

Following an exchange of punts, the Dolphins took over on their 20 with 8:50 remaining on the clock. Marino passed to Kirby for 21 yards on a third-and-12 play and, shortly thereafter facing third-and-seven, he connected with WR Scott Miller for 18 yards. Four plays later, and facing fourth-and-five, Marino correctly surmised that the Patriots were in single coverage and threw to Fryar for a 35-yard touchdown. Stoyanovich’s PAT put Miami ahead by four points.

Bledsoe came out throwing following the ensuing kickoff and hit Thompson for eight yards and Brisby for 19 to reach the New England 47. The next two passes fell incomplete before Coates caught a pass for a 23-yard gain, but the tight end fumbled when hit by Atkins at the end and SS Michael Stewart recovered for the Dolphins at the Miami 26 to nail down the 39-35 win.

Both teams piled up yards, with the Dolphins compiling the most (525 to 472), although New England led in first downs (25 to 21) and time of possession (32:42 to 27:18). Each club turned the ball over three times.

Dan Marino showed that he was back in good form as he completed 23 of 42 passes for 473 yards and five touchdowns while giving up one interception. Irving Fryar (pictured above) had a huge performance with 211 yards on his five catches that included three touchdowns. Mark Ingram contributed 87 yards and a TD on his three receptions and Terry Kirby, who rushed for 56 yards on 19 carries, also caught 7 passes for 61 yards.

For the Patriots, Drew Bledsoe was successful on 32 of 51 throws for 421 yards and four TDs while being intercepted twice. Ben Coates topped the receivers by catching 8 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns. Marion Butts led the miniscule running attack with 25 yards on 15 attempts, closely followed by Leroy Thompson’s six carries for 22 yards.

“Dan is back,” said Miami’s Coach Shula. “All week I’ve never seen him more intense than he’s been this week. This game probably meant as much as any he has played in for a while.”

The Dolphins won four of their first five games on the way to a 10-6 record and first place in the AFC East. They defeated Kansas City in the Wild Card playoff round before losing a close contest to the Chargers at the Divisional level. New England also went 10-6, losing both of its games to Miami to thus finish second in the division, and qualified for the postseason as a Wild Card entry. The Patriots lost to Cleveland in the Wild Card round.

As the opening game foreshadowed, both quarterbacks had productive passing seasons. Dan Marino finished second in the NFL in pass attempts (615), completions (385), and yards (4453) and third in touchdown passes (30) and passer rating (89.2, best in the AFC). It was the emergent Drew Bledsoe placing first in attempts (691), completions (400), and yards (4555), although also interceptions (27), which were two more than his touchdown passing total (25). Both were chosen to the Pro Bowl (the eighth such honor for Marino, the first for Bledsoe).

Likewise, the game’s top receivers remained productive all year. Irving Fryar, whose 211 yards against the Patriots were his career high, caught 73 passes for 1270 yards, both totals exceeding any of the previous ten years of his career, and seven TDs. Ben Coates topped the AFC with 86 pass receptions, for 1174 yards and seven scores. Like Marino and Bledsoe, both were Pro Bowl selections.

1998: Jets Defeat Bills to Clinch AFC East

The New York Jets had a 10-4 record and were looking to wrap up the AFC East title as they faced the Buffalo Bills on December 19, 1998. In their second season under Head Coach Bill Parcells, the Jets were a far cry from the 1-15 club of two years earlier. Newcomers to the offense, most notably QB Vinny Testaverde (pictured at right) and RB Curtis Martin, were having a major impact, as were wide receivers Keyshawn Johnson, a flashy third-year player, and Wayne Chrebet, a classic overachiever in his fourth season. The defense was strongest at linebacker, where Mo Lewis was joined by Bryan Cox, let go by the Bears but revitalized with the Jets.

Buffalo was coached by Wade Phillips and came into the contest at 9-5. Diminutive 36-year-old QB Doug Flutie had turned the club around in his return to the NFL from the CFL, taking over for QB Rob Johnson after a slow start. Retooling from the squad that had started the decade with four straight AFC Championships, the offense now also featured RB Antowain Smith and WR Eric Moulds while RB Thurman Thomas and WR Andre Reed had reduced roles. The tough defense was still anchored by DE Bruce Smith, who was beginning to slow down at age 36, as well as NT Ted Washington.

There were 79,056 fans in attendance at Rich Stadium on a windy Saturday. The Bills had the first possession and advanced into New York territory thanks to a pass from Doug Flutie to Eric Moulds that picked up 28 yards. Another throw to WR Quinn Early gained eight more yards to the 23, but on the next play the usually sure-handed Antowain Smith fumbled and LB Pepper Johnson recovered for the Jets.

New York drove 79 yards in eight plays. Vinny Testaverde threw to Keyshawn Johnson (pictured below) for 16 yards on first down and, after the series appeared to be stymied at the Jets’ 37, Testaverde ran for 14 yards on a third-and-10 play. Two plays later, RB Dave Meggett, who had only recently joined the team, gained 18 yards on a carry up the middle, Johnson picked up another 25 yards on an end-around, and it was Testaverde to Wayne Chrebet for a seven-yard touchdown. John Hall added the extra point and the visitors had the early 7-0 lead.

On the next possession, the Bills converted a third-and-nine situation with a Flutie pass to Moulds for 27 yards, but a 15-yard taunting penalty on the receiver at the end of the play erased most of the gain and Buffalo was ultimately forced to punt. Chris Mohr’s kick traveled 47 yards and pinned the Jets back at their one yard line, and a short series resulted in a punt in return. A 30-yard kick by John Kidd went just 30 yards and gave the Bills good starting field position at the New York 40. But after a short Flutie pass to Smith gained five yards, two more throws were incomplete and, facing fourth-and-five, another pass intended for Moulds also was unsuccessful.

The teams continued to exchange punts as the game entered the second quarter. Finally, Buffalo put together an 11-play drive that covered 79 yards. Flutie completed passes to FB Sam Gash for nine yards and WR Kevin Williams for 22 yards in a third-and-six situation. Smith ran effectively and Flutie himself had a nine-yard run. Flutie connected with Thurman Thomas for a 25-yard TD to complete the series and Steve Christie added the point after to tie the score.

Following a punt by the Jets, the Bills drove from their one to the New York 10 as Flutie completed three passes, the longest to Moulds (pictured below) for 35 yards, but they ultimately came up empty when Christie was wide to the left on a 28-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds of the half. The score remained unchanged at 7-7 although Buffalo had already accumulated 266 yards.

The Jets started off the third quarter by advancing into Buffalo territory. Testaverde completed consecutive passes to Keyshawn Johnson for 16 and six yards and Curtis Martin had a nine-yard run. Hall kicked a 48-yard field goal to put the visitors back in the lead by 10-7.

Buffalo responded with a long scoring drive. Smith carried most of the load, picking up 35 yards on eight attempts and Flutie converted two third downs, one on a pass to Williams for seven yards and another on a three-yard run. The advance finally faltered at the New York 26 and Christie tied the score once more with a 44-yard field goal into the wind. But two plays after the ensuing kickoff, Testaverde threw to WR Dedric Ward, who beat CB Donovan Greer, an injury replacement, for a 71-yard touchdown. Hall’s kick gave the visitors a seven-point lead.

The Bills had to punt following the next series and the Jets moved into Buffalo territory, helped by a defensive holding penalty in a third-and-nine situation. But they were again forced to try for a field goal and Hall’s attempt from 46 yards was no good.

Following another exchange of punts, the Bills had good starting field position at the New York 49. Keeping the ball on the ground, they reached the 21, but a Flutie pass was bobbled by Williams and barely picked off by diving CB Victor Green (television replays were inconclusive as to whether he maintained possession) with just under four minutes remaining in regulation.

The Jets went three-and-out, with Kidd’s punt sailing 57 yards. Starting from their 20, the Bills had one last chance and Flutie immediately threw to Moulds for 17 yards. But following a short run by Thomas, the next three passes fell incomplete to turn the ball over to New York on downs. There was still 1:32 left on the clock, but a Testaverde throw to Johnson for seven yards on a third-and-six play nailed down the 17-10 win for the Jets.

Buffalo had the edge in total yards (366 to 269), although the Bills gained only 100 yards in the second half. They also had more first downs (21 to 14) and ran far more plays (74 to 51). However, the home team also turned the ball over twice, to none suffered by the Jets.

Vinny Testaverde completed 14 of 23 passes for 184 yards and a touchdown while giving up no interceptions. Keyshawn Johnson had 7 catches for 66 yards while Dedric Ward gained a team-leading 71 yards on his one long scoring reception. Curtis Martin was held to 38 rushing yards on 20 attempts.

For the Bills, Doug Flutie had a rough outing, completing just 14 of 38 throws for 220 yards and a TD as well as an interception. While he was only sacked once, he faced heavy pressure and was knocked down often. Antowain Smith (pictured below) gained 82 yards while running the ball 20 times. Eric Moulds topped the receivers with four catches for 107 yards.

The Jets won the season finale to finish at 12-4 with their first division title since they were an AFL team in 1969. They reached the AFC Championship game before losing to Denver. Buffalo ended up in third place in the AFC East with a 10-6 record and qualified for the playoffs as a Wild Card. The Bills lost to Miami, the club that finished second in the division, in the first round.

Vinny Testaverde ended up with an AFC-leading 101.6 passer rating, throwing for 3256 yards and 29 TDs with just seven interceptions. He was selected to the Pro Bowl along with Keyshawn Johnson, who caught 83 passes for 1131 yards and 10 touchdowns, and Curtis Martin, who had many more productive games on his way to 1287 rushing yards.

Doug Flutie also was chosen for the Pro Bowl as he started ten games, seven of them wins, and threw for 2711 yards and 20 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. Eric Moulds led the AFC with 1368 pass receiving yards on his 67 catches with 9 TDs and was another Pro Bowl selection. Antowain Smith, in his second season, rushed for 1124 yards while averaging 3.7 yards per attempt and scored eight TDs. 

1989: Cunningham’s 91-Yard Punt Highlights Win by Eagles Over Giants

The New York Giants had a 9-3 record as they hosted the Philadelphia Eagles, who were just a game behind in the NFC East at 8-4, on December 3, 1989. The Eagles, coached by the brash and defense-minded Buddy Ryan, were the defending division champions and had won the last three meetings between the clubs, including earlier in the season at Philadelphia. QB Randall Cunningham was the key to the offense, and while having a rather ordinary year by his standards, was still formidable both throwing and running with the ball. The loss of star WR Mike Quick left the team lacking a deep threat although TE Keith Jackson was an outstanding receiver. The tough defense, anchored by DE Reggie White, was adept at both rushing opposing passers and forcing turnovers. The loss of punter John Teltschik to a knee injury caused the team to sign Max Runager, whose leg was no longer as strong as when he had been with the club at the beginning of his pro career, but Cunningham, who averaged 45.2 yards as a punter in college, could boot the ball a long way in a pinch, although he lacked proper technique.

New York, under the guidance of Head Coach Bill Parcells for the seventh year, also fielded a tough defense led by LB Lawrence Taylor, who was playing with a bad ankle (and only made it through the first half against the Eagles). The conservative offense was directed by gritty QB Phil Simms while 32-year-old RB Ottis Anderson, once a star with the Cardinals, had resurrected his career.

There were 74,809 fans in attendance at Giants Stadium on a bitterly cold day in the New Jersey Meadowlands with temperatures in the teens and a wind chill factor that was below zero due to the 35 mph gusts. Anticipating a defensive struggle on a windy day, the Eagles won the toss and chose to kick. On New York’s third offensive play, Phil Simms fumbled when hit by Reggie White and CB William Frizzell recovered, returned it 12 yards, and, about to be tackled by RB Dave Meggett, lateraled to SS Andre Waters, who covered the remaining three yards for a touchdown. Roger Ruzek added the extra point and Philadelphia had the early 7-0 lead.

The Giants moved effectively on their next series. Ottis Anderson carried six straight times for 32 yards that included a long gain of 17 yards, but the drive stalled at the Philadelphia 30 and Bjorn Nittmo was short on a 47-yard field goal attempt.

The Eagles had to punt following a short possession and the defense again came up with a big play when DE Clyde Simmons intercepted a short Simms pass and returned it 60 yards for a TD. Ruzek again converted and the visitors were ahead by 14-0 thanks to the two turnovers.

Now in a two-touchdown hole, the Giants came back with a 70-yard drive in six plays. Simms threw to WR Lionel Manuel (pictured below) for a 24-yard gain in a third-and-seven situation and another completion to WR Mark Ingram resulted in a 41-yard touchdown. Nittmo added the point after and the Philadelphia lead was cut to 14-7.

With time running down in the first quarter, the Eagles advanced into New York territory. Randall Cunningham threw passes to Keith Jackson for 29 yards and WR Ron Johnson for 31 to reach the Giants’ 29. However, two penalties backed them up and, on the first play of the second quarter, Max Runager’s punt pinned the Giants back at their seven yard line.

New York had to punt in turn and Sean Landeta’s 53-yard boot went out of bounds at the Philadelphia 37. The Eagles again advanced into enemy territory, with a Cunningham throw to Jackson picking up 23 yards, but Cunningham’s next pass was picked off by LB Pepper Johnson. However, the Giants were penalized for holding on their first offensive play, negating a 23-yard pass completion, and two plays later CB Eric Allen intercepted a Simms throw and returned it to the New York 30. The Eagles kept the ball on the ground and Ruzek kicked a 35-yard field goal that made the score 17-7.

The Giants reached the Philadelphia 42 but had to turn the ball over on downs after failing to convert a fourth-and-11 play. They got the ball back shortly thereafter when Jackson fumbled after catching a short pass that Pepper Johnson recovered at the New York 29. It looked promising for the home team when, five plays later, Simms connected with Manuel for a 49-yard gain that had yardage added on due to an illegal head slap on the defense to put the ball on the Philadelphia 16. But on the next play, Dave Meggett fumbled and LB Byron Evans recovered for the Eagles. The clock was down to 1:47 remaining in the first half and the visitors ran it out to go into halftime maintaining a ten-point lead.

The Giants had the ball first in the third quarter and drove 37 yards in six plays, helped along by two penalties on the Eagles, one of which negated an interception. Simms again threw to Manuel for a big gain, picking up 39 yards to the Philadelphia 23. Facing third-and-five at the 13, Simms was sacked by FS Wes Hopkins for a loss of seven yards, but New York added three more points on a 38-yard Nittmo field goal to narrow the score to 17-10.

The Eagles moved effectively in response with FB Anthony Toney and RB Keith Byars handling the running load and Cunningham completing passes to Jackson for 33 yards and Byars for 10. After an 11-yard carry by Toney gave Philadelphia first-and-goal at the New York six, Byars ran for five yards up the middle, but three consecutive carries by Toney were stopped short of the end zone and the visitors turned the ball over on downs. The Giants could get no further than a yard on offense, but were helped out by an offsides penalty on the Eagles and Landeta boomed a 71-yard punt.

Philadelphia managed only a short series before punting, and Runager’s kick traveled only 21 yards to give the Giants possession at the Eagles’ 49. Simms immediately threw to TE Zeke Mowatt for 29 yards and, after two more passes fell incomplete, he connected with Ingram for 14 yards on a third-and-10 play to the Philadelphia six. A pass interference call moved the ball to the one and Anderson scored a touchdown from there. Nittmo kicked the extra point and the score was tied at 17-17.

The Eagles punted from deep in their own territory following the next possession and Runager’s 37-yard kick was returned 10 yards by Meggett to the Philadelphia 39. Simms threw to Meggett for seven yards to finish off the period but a tripping penalty moved the Giants back ten yards and DT Mike Pitts sacked Simms for a nine-yard loss. A third down pass was incomplete and New York was forced to punt, with Landeta’s 26-yard boot downed at the Philadelphia 25.

After an incompletion on first down, a holding penalty moved the Eagles back ten yards, a toss to Byars lost another three, and Cunningham was sacked on third down by NT Erik Howard. It looked good for the Giants as Philadelphia was forced to punt from its own end zone. But this time it was Cunningham back to punt, rather than Runager (pictured at top). His wind-aided kick went 70 yards in the air and bounced past Meggett, who finally chased it down after it had traveled 91 yards in all. Meggett returned it nine yards, but instead of having favorable field position in Philadelphia territory, the Giants were back at their 16 and facing the wind. New York was penalized for an illegal formation on first down and on the next play Simms fumbled when sacked by DT Mike Golic and Pitts recovered at the New York seven. Three plays later, Byars ran for a two-yard touchdown and, with Ruzek adding the point after, the Eagles were back in front by seven points.

There were still nearly 11 minutes left to play and the Giants drove into Philadelphia territory. Simms converted a third-and-four play with a completion to Meggett for 11 yards and a pass interference penalty on Waters gained 21 yards. But the advance was halted at the Philadelphia 30 and a fourth-and-seven pass by Simms intended for Ingram was incomplete.

The Eagles were able to run significant time off the clock as Byars ran six straight times, including a 15-yard gain on a draw play when facing third-and-eight. By the time they had to punt, there was only a little over a minute remaining in regulation. However, a bad snap over Runager’s head had the punter recovering at the Philadelphia 46, from where the Giants had possession with 1:04 left. Simms threw to Manuel for 14 yards, but his next four throws fell incomplete and the Eagles came away with a hard-fought 24-17 win.   

New York had the edge in total yards (294 to 279) and first downs (17 to 13). However, the Giants also turned the ball over five times and all of Philadelphia’s points came off of New York turnovers. The Eagles turned the ball over twice but were penalized 16 times at a cost of 111 yards, to six flags thrown on the Giants. Philadelphia recorded five sacks, to one by New York.

Randall Cunningham completed 9 of 16 passes for 140 yards with no touchdowns and one interception, ran the ball five times for 10 yards, and of course booted the 91-yard punt. Keith Jackson topped the Philadelphia receivers with 5 catches for 97 yards. Anthony Toney (pictured at left) rushed for 68 yards on 22 carries and Keith Byars contributed 66 yards and a TD on his 14 attempts plus three pass receptions for 12 yards.

For the Giants, Phil Simms was successful on just 11 of 37 throws for 265 yards and a TD with two intercepted. Lionel Manuel had a big day with four receptions for 126 yards while Mark Ingram gained 83 yards on his three catches that included a touchdown. Ottis Anderson ran for 46 yards on 16 carries and scored a TD.

“I’m disappointed in the way we played,” said Coach Parcells of the Giants. “We turned the ball over far too much. Even though we did that, we had enough chances to win, but we didn’t.”

The Eagles drew even with the Giants at 9-4 while holding the tiebreaker due to having now swept the season series. However, they lost one of their three remaining games while New York won all of theirs and thus the Giants topped the AFC East with a 12-4 record and Philadelphia settled for second place and a wild card slot at 11-5. Both teams lost to the Los Angeles Rams in the postseason, the Eagles in the Wild Card playoff and the Giants in the Divisional round.

Randall Cunningham punted 20 times over the course of his 16-year NFL career, averaging 44.7 yards. 12 of those punts, for a 51.7-yard average, came with the Eagles, with the 91-yard kick against the Giants the longest and most memorable. It remains a franchise record, by a full eight yards.

1999: Jets Beat Error-Prone Jaguars in Divisional Playoff Game

The New York Jets were in the postseason for the first time in seven years as they hosted the Jacksonville Jaguars in an AFC Divisional Playoff game on January 10, 1999. Head Coach Bill Parcells, formerly of the Giants and Patriots, had guided the Jets to a remarkable turnaround, just two seasons removed from a dreadful 1-15 record. Newcomers had made a difference in ’98, with QB Vinny Testaverde (pictured above), a career underachiever, putting together a Pro Bowl season and RB Curtis Martin, formerly with Parcells in New England, rushing for 1287 yards and also gaining a Pro Bowl spot. Another Pro Bowler was WR Keyshawn Johnson, stepping up his game in his third season in New York (83 catches, 1131 yards, 10 TDs). The defense was especially strong at linebacker, where yet another newcomer, Bryan Cox, performed well in a unit that already included All-Pro OLB Mo Lewis. The Jets won their last six regular season games on the way to a 12-4 record that topped the NFC East.

The Jaguars, only a fourth-year franchise coached by Tom Coughlin, were nevertheless in the playoffs for the third consecutive season, having topped the AFC Central at 11-5. The offense was potent, led by QB Mark Brunell, who missed three weeks late in the season with an ankle injury. Wide receivers Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell made for a productive tandem and rookie RB Fred Taylor rushed for 1223 yards and 14 touchdowns. The defense was far less impressive, however, ranking a mediocre 25^th in the league and particularly lacking a pass rush. Jacksonville defeated the Patriots, who were without their starting quarterback, in the Wild Card playoff round to advance to the Divisional game against the Jets.

There were 78,817 fans in attendance at Giants Stadium in the New Jersey Meadowlands. The Jets had the first possession and drove 70 yards in seven plays. Curtis Martin started it off with a 17-yard gain on a pass play and rushed for 11 yards while Vinny Testaverde had three more completions, the last two to RB Dave Meggett for 14 yards and Keyshawn Johnson (pictured below) for a 21-yard touchdown. John Hall added the extra point.

The teams exchanged punts, with the Jaguars advancing to the New York 42 on their second possession. Mark Brunell completed three passes, two of them to Keenan McCardell, but his last two fell incomplete, forcing another punt. The Jets took over at their seven and, in a series that extended into the second quarter, drove into Jacksonville territory. Testaverde was successful on four of his throws, one of which had 15 yards tacked on for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and after the drive stalled at the 34, Hall kicked a 52-yard field goal to open up a 10-0 lead for New York.

The Jaguars no sooner got the ball back following the kickoff when Brunell threw a pass that was intercepted by CB Otis Smith at the New York 40. A long possession with an odd play in the midst of it ensued. With the Jets at the Jacksonville 18, Martin fumbled and FS Chris Hudson recovered and raced 47 yards down the sideline. However, an attempt to lateral to CB Dave Thomas failed and Keyshawn Johnson recovered the loose ball. Given a reprieve, the Jets drove 65 yards back into Jacksonville territory and, on an end-around, Johnson ran around left end for a ten-yard TD. With Hall’s point after, the New York lead was up to 17-0 with 40 seconds remaining in the first half.

It was enough time for the Jaguars, following a 28-yard kickoff return by WR Reggie Barlow. Three plays later, Brunell threw long to Jimmy Smith (pictured at left), who took advantage of a lapse in coverage for a 52-yard touchdown. Mike Hollis converted and the score stood at 17-7 at halftime.

Jacksonville appeared to maintain the momentum heading into the first series of the third quarter, but facing a third-and-inches situation at their 49, Brunell threw a long pass that was picked off by FS Corwin Brown, who returned it 40 yards to the Jacksonville 40. Testaverde completed passes to Martin for 16 yards and Johnson for 23 to reach the one yard line, and three plays later Martin scored a TD that, followed by Hall’s PAT, again gave the Jets a 17-point lead at 24-7.

The Jaguars weren’t finished yet, and Barlow returned the ensuing kickoff 88 yards to the New York four. The Jets held for three downs, but on fourth-and-three, Brunell completed a pass to McCardell for a touchdown. Hollis added the extra point to reduce the New York lead to 24-14.

The Jets responded with a series in which Testaverde completed all five of his passes. WR Wayne Chrebet hauled in the first for 16 yards, Martin had catches for nine and ten yards, and in between WR Dedric Ward had an 18-yard reception. TE Kyle Brady’s catch for 17 yards put the ball at the Jacksonville four, and two carries by Martin yielded a one-yard TD. Hall kicked the point after and the home team took a 31-14 lead into the fourth quarter.

Following a punt by the Jets early in the final period, Fred Taylor took off on a 29-yard run that launched a 64-yard drive. Brunell threw to Jimmy Smith for a 19-yard TD and Hollis converted to make the score 31-21.

On the third play of their next possession, the Jets turned the ball over when Chrebet fumbled when hit by LB Kevin Hardy and Dave Thomas recovered for the Jaguars at the New York 41. It appeared that the break would come to nothing when the visitors couldn’t move the ball and a fourth-and-nine pass fell incomplete, but the Jets were called for pass interference. Jacksonville still couldn’t get a first down, reaching the New York 19, but Hall kicked a 37-yard field goal to make it a seven-point game with 6:38 to play in regulation.

The Jets fought back, converting a third-and 14 situation at their own 30 with Testaverde connecting with Johnson for a 20-yard gain. Martin ran effectively, but after advancing to the Jacksonville 14, Testaverde’s pass was intercepted by SS Donovin Darius. Darius, who slid down in the end zone after making the catch, was slow to get to his feet and, rather than taking a touchback, tried to run and barely made it out of the end zone before being tackled. The Jaguars thus were forced to start from their one yard line. Brunell had a seven-yard run on second down, but his three passes fell incomplete, including the last on fourth-and-three at his eight at the two minute mark. Hall kicked a 30-yard field goal to effectively seal the 34-24 win for New York, with the home crowd erupting loudly at the end.

The win was New York’s first in 12 years in the postseason. The Jets significantly led in total yards (429 to 251) and first downs (29 to 14). Jacksonville turned the ball over four times, to three suffered by New York, but the Jaguars had the game’s only two sacks.

Vinny Testaverde completed 24 of 36 passes for 284 yards and a touchdown while giving up one interception. Curtis Martin (pictured below) rushed for 124 yards on 36 carries that included two TDs and also caught 6 passes for another 58 yards. Keyshawn Johnson had 9 catches for 121 yards and a touchdown, ran the ball twice for 28 yards and another score, and also recovered a fumble and, inserted as an extra defender, intercepted a desperation pass at the end of the game. The overall performance made him the second player in NFL postseason history to score on both a catch and a run, recover a fumble, and intercept a pass in the same playoff game (Jack Manders of the Bears did the same thing in the 1937 NFL Championship game).

For the Jaguars, Mark Brunell was successful on 12 of 31 throws for 156 yards and three TDs, but also was intercepted three times. Fred Taylor gained 86 yards on 20 rushing attempts. Jimmy Smith caught 5 passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns and Keenan McCardell contributed four receptions for 32 yards and a TD. On defense, Kevin Hardy had a noteworthy performance, compiling 19 tackles, 14 of them solo.

 “It wasn’t an aesthetic performance in a lot of ways, but this is a good win for this franchise,” said Coach Parcells of the Jets.

“We made foolish, foolish plays, foolish throws, foolish decisions,” summed up Mark Brunell of his team’s performance.

The Jets moved on to the AFC Championship game at Denver and lost convincingly to the powerful Broncos. Jacksonville came back in 1999 with a NFL-best 14-2 record and reached the AFC title game before losing to Tennessee.

1995: Browns Defeat Patriots in AFC Wild Card Playoff Game

Two teams that had not recently been to the postseason, the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots, met in an AFC Wild Card game on January 1, 1995. The Browns had endured four straight losing seasons since last making it to the playoffs in 1989, and New England had also gone through some rough times after their last appearance in 1986.

Cleveland was in its fourth year under Head Coach Bill Belichick and placed second in the AFC Central with an 11-5 record, qualifying for the playoffs as a Wild Card. Eighth-year QB Vinny Testaverde (pictured above) was proving more successful in Cleveland than he had been in six seasons with Tampa Bay, but was still prone to throw too many interceptions, and FB Leroy Hoard was coming off a Pro Bowl season. But it was the defense, which gave up the fewest points in the NFL in ’94 (204), that was the key to the team’s success. The line contained Pro Bowlers in DE Rob Burnett and DT Michael Dean Perry while two ex-Giants, Pepper Johnson and Carl Banks, performed ably at linebacker and FS Eric Turner was a consensus first-team All-Pro.  

The Patriots were in their second year under Head Coach Bill Parcells, who had previously guided the Giants to two NFL titles. Second-year QB Drew Bledsoe was named to the Pro Bowl after passing for 4555 yards and 25 TDs, although he also tossed 27 interceptions. He had an outstanding target in All-Pro TE Ben Coates. The running game was problematic, where RB Marion Butts averaged only 2.9 yards per carry and was being benched against the Browns in favor of Corey Croom, a faster back but one who did not have any carries during the regular season. The defense steadily improved over the course of the season and led the league in takeaways (40). New England had won its last seven games to finish out the regular season after getting off to a 3-6 start and that resulted in a final tally of 10-6 and a second place finish in the AFC East.

There were 77,452 fans in attendance at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium in a light drizzle that turned to snow. Following a punt by the Patriots, the Browns drove 74 yards in 10 plays on their first possession. Vinny Testaverde completed a pass to WR Michael Jackson for 27 yards in a third-and-five situation and also had tosses to WR Derrick Alexander for 23 yards and Jackson again for 12. Matt Stover kicked a 30-yard field goal to give the home team the early 3-0 lead.

On New England’s second play following the kickoff, Drew Bledsoe’s pass was intercepted by safety Louis Riddick. With his 16-yard return, the Browns had the ball at the New England 33, but they were unable to advance from there and punted.

The teams exchanged punts into the second quarter until the Patriots put together a 60-yard drive in nine plays. Bledsoe  (pictured below) completed a pass to WR Vincent Brisby for 18 yards on a second-and-ten play and, facing third-and-ten at the Cleveland 31, he connected with TE Ben Coates, also for 18 yards. A completion to RB Leroy Thompson resulted in a 13-yard touchdown and, with Matt Bahr adding the extra point, New England was in front by 7-3.

The Browns responded with a scoring drive of their own that went 51 yards in seven plays, helped by a short kickoff that TE Brian Kinchen returned 24 yards. Testaverde carried twice for 14 yards and threw to Jackson for 18 yards and Jackson for 11 to set up a five-yard completion for a TD to WR Mark Carrier. Matt Stover’s conversion put Cleveland ahead by three points.

New England came back with a long 16-play, 71-yard series that was helped along when, dropping into punt formation on fourth-and-ten at the Cleveland 43, punter Pat O’Neill instead threw to safety Corwin Brown for a pickup of 21 yards. Bledsoe completed three passes in all and RB Corey Croom twice converted third downs with short runs. The possession finally stalled at the four yard line and Bahr kicked a 23-yard field goal with 34 seconds remaining in the first half. In the remaining time, Testaverde completed a pass to Jackson for 36 yards and the Browns reached the New England 32 before Stover attempted a 50-yard field goal that was blocked by DE Mike Pitts. The halftime score remained tied at 10-10.

Opening the third quarter, the Browns advanced to the New England 24 before RB Eric Metcalf fumbled and Pitts recovered for the Patriots. A short possession resulted in a punt and Cleveland, starting from its own 21, drove 79 yards in 10 plays. Testaverde completed four passes, the longest to RB Leroy Hoard for 25 yards, and Hoard ran for a 10-yard touchdown to cap the drive. Stover added the extra point and the Browns were ahead by 17-10.

As the game headed into the fourth quarter, the teams traded punts until Pepper Johnson picked off a Bledsoe pass to give Cleveland the ball at the New England 31. The Browns came up empty, however, as three plays gained nothing and Stover’s 49-yard field goal attempt was wide to the right.

The home team got the ball back two plays later when Bledsoe’s pass bounced off of FB Kevin Turner and was picked off by Eric Turner, who returned it 28 yards to the New England 36. Hoard and RB Earnest Byner chipped away on the ground and Testaverde completed a pass to TE Frank Hartley for 12 yards. This time the possession yielded results as Stover booted a 21-yard field goal to extend the lead to 20-10 with 3:36 remaining in regulation.

Bledsoe came out passing on the next series and connected on his first three throws to pick up 35 yards to the Cleveland 43. He completed two more and ran for three yards to convert a third down, and a throw to Brisby on a fourth-and-five play gained 12 yards. The drive stalled at the 15 and Bahr kicked a 33-yard field goal to make it a seven-point contest.

There was hope for the Patriots when the second try for an onside kick was successful (the first went out of bounds), but after completing two short passes to reach the New England 48, Bledsoe missed on his last four. The Browns held on to win by a final score of 20-13. 

Cleveland led in total yards (379 to 303) and first downs (22 to 20), controlling the ball for 21 of the last 30 minutes. 125 of the yards for the Browns came on the ground, to just 57 for New England, and the Patriots were hurt by three turnovers, to one suffered by Cleveland.

In his first postseason game, Vinny Testaverde completed 20 of 30 passes for 268 yards and a touchdown, and gave up no interceptions. Michael Jackson had 7 catches for 122 yards and Derrick Alexander contributed 5 receptions for 69 yards. Leroy Hoard (pictured at right) rushed for 66 yards on 17 carries that included a TD and also had a 25-yard pass reception.

For the Patriots, Drew Bledsoe, who was sacked only once but took many hits, was successful on just 21 of 50 throws for 235 yards and a TD while tossing three interceptions. Most significantly, he was 10-of-26 for 96 yards and gave up all of the interceptions in the second half. Vincent Brisby and Ben Coates each caught six passes, for 83 and 79 yards, respectively. Corey Croom gained 35 yards on 9 rushing attempts while Leroy Thompson, who rushed for 16 yards on four carries, had 33 yards on four pass receptions that included a score.

“This was the biggest game of my career, and next week will be even bigger,” said Vinny Testaverde. “I am satisfied with the way I played and with the way the team played.”

“The turnovers obviously killed us,” summed up Drew Bledsoe.

The Browns came back down to earth the next week as they were thrashed by the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers in the Divisional playoff round. With expectations high for 1995, Cleveland dropped to 5-11 in a season in which owner Art Modell announced that the franchise would move to Baltimore. Bill Belichick was dismissed but would become head coach of the Patriots in 2000, with far greater success. The franchise that became the Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl that same season, but Cleveland had broken all ties with that team and, in 1999, became host to a new Cleveland Browns club that inherited the history as well as the name. New England, meanwhile, dropped to 6-10 in 1995 but won the AFC Championship in ’96 in what was the last season with Bill Parcells at the helm.

2006: Eagles Clinch Playoff Berth with Win Over Cowboys

The Philadelphia Eagles were looking to secure a playoff berth as they took on the division-leading Dallas Cowboys in a Christmas encounter on December 25, 2006. The Eagles, coached for the eighth season by Andy Reid, were stumbling along at 5-6 and appeared to be in more trouble when star QB Donovan McNabb went down with a torn ACL. But with veteran backup QB Jeff Garcia (pictured above) behind center and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg taking over the play-calling duties, Philadelphia won three straight games and was at 8-6 coming into the contest against the Cowboys.

Dallas, which had beaten the Eagles earlier in the season in Philadelphia, also started slowly but was 9-5 and leading the NFC East with six wins in its last eight games following the replacement of veteran QB Drew Bledsoe by unheralded Tony Romo, a 26-year-old backup who had been undrafted as a rookie in 2003. The offense was productive with the two-back tandem of Julius Jones and Marion Barber and an explosive receiving corps with wide receivers Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn plus TE Jamie Witten.

There were 62,839 fans in attendance for the Monday holiday game at Texas Stadium. The Cowboys had the game’s first possession but, after reaching the Philadelphia 40, had to punt. The Eagles started off with the ball at their own 11 and proceeded to put together a 13-play, 89-yard drive. Philadelphia converted four third downs along the way. Jeff Garcia completed a pass to WR Greg Lewis for 13 yards in a third-and-11 situation and RB Brian Westbrook had three straight runs for a total of 25 yards, the last a 16-yard gain on third-and-one. Garcia connected with TE L.J. Smith for 12 yards to the Dallas 37 on third-and-seven. Finally, after RB Correll Buckhalter converted a third-and-one with a three-yard carry, Garcia fired deep to TE Matt Schobel (pictured below) for a 25-yard touchdown. David Akers added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

The Eagles immediately got the ball back on the ensuing kickoff when WR Miles Austin, making the return, fumbled and CB Roderick Hood recovered at the Dallas 40. But three plays later CB Anthony Henry intercepted a Garcia pass and ran it back 37 yards to the Philadelphia 32. Tony Romo threw to WR Patrick Crayton for a 17-yard gain on a fourth-and-two play at the end of the period to give the Cowboys first-and-goal at the seven and, on the first play of the second quarter, Romo connected with TE Anthony Fasano for six yards to the one. But two straight plunges into the line by Marion Barber were stopped for no gain, and when Barber took a pitchout and tried to get around end on fourth-and-one, he was stopped for a three-yard loss by safety Quentin Mikell.

The Eagles responded to the successful goal line stand by driving 89 yards in 12 plays. Garcia immediately passed to WR Donte Stallworth for 35 yards and, with Buckhalter and Westbrook running the ball while Garcia completed three more passes, they ended up with an Akers field goal from 25 yards.

Down 10-0 with just over five minutes to play in the first half, the Cowboys put together a long scoring drive of their own that covered 81 yards in 10 plays. Romo completed five passes and scrambled for 16 yards along the way. The last completion was to Terrell Owens for a 14-yard TD. Martin Gramatica’s extra point made it a 10-7 contest with 36 seconds remaining on the clock.

The Eagles weren’t done, however, and following a 25-yard kickoff return by RB Reno Mahe, Westbrook ran for nine yards and Garcia gained an additional nine to the Dallas 47. A Garcia completion to Lewis for 16 yards set up a 45-yard Akers field goal on the last play before halftime and extended Philadelphia’s lead to 13-7.

The Eagles had the first possession in the third quarter and added to their lead, going 77 yards in seven plays. The highlight was a third-and-seven pass from Garcia to L.J. Smith down the middle that gained 65 yards to the Dallas 12. The Cowboys were able to keep the visitors out of the end zone, but Akers kicked another field goal, this time from 21 yards out, to make it 16-7.

The teams traded punts for the remainder of the period. Early in the fourth quarter, FS Brian Dawkins intercepted a long Romo pass in the end zone to snuff out a potential Dallas threat. The Eagles responded by driving 80 yards in 12 plays. Garcia completed short passes and scrambled twice for 23 yards and Westbrook and Buckhalter ran the ball effectively.  Buckhalter gained the last yard for a touchdown and Akers added the PAT. The Eagles were ahead by 16 points with under seven minutes remaining to play.

The game was effectively over. Romo immediately threw an interception on the Cowboys’ next play from scrimmage, and a last possession ended with Hood sacking Romo on a fourth-and-nine play in Dallas territory. Philadelphia won by a final score of 23-7 to nail down a spot in the postseason and take the lead in the NFC East.

The Eagles easily outdistanced Dallas in total yards (426 to 201) and had the edge in first downs (20 to 16). Philadelphia’s offensive production was well balanced, with 204 yards on the ground and 222 through the air. The Cowboys turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by the Eagles. The offensive output, both in terms of points and yardage, was the lowest of the season for Dallas.

Jeff Garcia completed 15 of 23 passes for 238 yards and a touchdown with one interception, and also ran for 43 yards on seven carries. Brian Westbrook (pictured at right) gained 122 yards on 26 rushing attempts while Correll Buckhalter added 38 yards and a TD on his 8 carries. Donte Stallworth and WR Reggie Brown each had three catches, for 51 and 27 yards, respectively, while L.J. Smith, with the one long gain, had 77 yards on his two receptions.

For the Cowboys, Tony Romo had a rough outing and was successful on 14 of 29 throws for 142 yards and a TD while tossing two interceptions and was the team’s leading rusher with 43 yards on three carries. TE Jason Witten caught 6 passes for 50 yards and RB Julius Jones ran for 38 yards on 10 attempts.

“There’s nothing good to say,” summed up Coach Parcells afterward. “We just didn’t make any plays at all, either side of the ball. Just awful.”

Despite the bad feelings engendered by the loss, followed by a defeat against Detroit in the season finale, the Cowboys still reached the postseason as a Wild Card by placing second in the NFC East with a 9-7 record. They lost to Seattle in the opening round. Philadelphia topped the division at 10-6 and defeated the Giants in the first round, but lost at New Orleans in a close Divisional contest.

Versatile Brian Westbrook gained a total of 1916 yards from scrimmage and scored 11 touchdowns. He rushed for 1217 yards on 240 carries (5.1 avg.) with seven TDs and caught a team-leading 77 passes, for 699 yards and four more scores.

Jeff Garcia completed 61.7 percent of his passes for 1309 yards and 10 touchdowns while tossing just two interceptions. His record as the starting quarterback was 5-1 to finish out the regular season, and he was 1-1 in the playoffs. Garcia moved on to Tampa Bay in the offseason.

Tony Romo showed great promise and earned selection to the Pro Bowl, although, as was evident in the game against the Eagles, his inexperience also was apparent as he had difficulties down the stretch. He completed 65.3 percent of his passes for 2903 yards with 19 TDs against 13 interceptions – eight of which came in the last five contests.

1996: Cowboys Shut Down Patriots & Clinch NFC East

The Dallas Cowboys, defending NFL Champions, were seeking to clinch a fifth straight NFC East title as they hosted the New England Patriots on December 15, 1996. Head Coach Barry Switzer’s Cowboys were still a strong team with an offense based around the troika of QB Troy Aikman, RB Emmitt Smith, and WR Michael Irvin and a defense that was top-ranked against the pass. But Smith was playing hurt much of the year and Irvin missed time due to a drug suspension, one of many off-field distractions that dogged the club. DE Leon Lett would be missing the contest against the Patriots, also due to a drug suspension. But despite the problems, Dallas was 9-5 and, at the very least, still the best team in its division.

The Patriots, coached by Bill Parcells, had a 10-4 record and were already assured of a playoff berth. QB Drew Bledsoe directed a pass-oriented offense and had WR Terry Glenn, who quickly established himself as an impact player in his rookie season despite playing with a nagging hamstring injury, as his main target. Second-year RB Curtis Martin was outstanding running the ball. The defense had been unimpressive earlier in the season but appeared to be coming together as the postseason approached.

There were 64,578 fans in attendance Texas Stadium. The Cowboys had the first possession and punted. New England responded by driving 61 yards in 10 plays. Curtis Martin started things off with a 21-yard carry and Drew Bledsoe threw to Terry Glenn for 19 yards to the Dallas 25. A 10-yard run by RB Dave Meggett converted a third-and-10 situation but, after getting first-and-goal from the four yard line, Bledsoe threw three incomplete passes in the end zone and the Patriots settled for a 21-yard field goal by Adam Vinatieri.

The Cowboys no sooner got the ball again when CB Ty Law intercepted an Aikman pass to give New England possession at the Dallas 30. Bledsoe completed three short passes and the Patriots again ended up with a Vinatieri field goal, this time from 30 yards. The Patriots were up by 6-0, but that would prove to be the high point of the game for them.

Dallas responded quickly when RB Herschel Walker returned the ensuing kickoff 70 yards to the New England 19. While the Cowboys had difficulty moving the ball from there on offense, Chris Boniol booted a 23-yard field goal.

The Patriots came back on a series that extended into the second quarter. Bledsoe threw a screen pass to FB Keith Byars for a 19-yard gain and, two plays later, hit Byars again for 16 yards. But after reaching the Dallas 16, Martin fumbled on a third down carry and DT Chad Hennings recovered for the Cowboys.

The teams traded punts before Dallas put together a nine-play, 51-yard scoring drive. Aikman threw to Emmitt Smith on a third-and-two play to gain 21 yards as he broke two tackles along the way and the star running back followed up with three consecutive eight-yard carries before being shaken up and having to leave the game. Boniol kicked a 36-yard field goal to tie the score at 6-6.

New England drove to just past midfield as the game moved into the last two minutes of the first half, but a pass was intercepted by safety Roger Harper to end the threat. The score remained tied at halftime.

Following a punt by the Patriots after their first series of the third quarter, the Cowboys advanced 69 yards in 13 plays. Aikman had completions to Michael Irvin for 15 yards and WR Kevin Williams for 19 yards along the way, Smith had six carries for 26 yards, and a defensive holding penalty converted a second-and-10 situation before the drive ended at the New England 17 and Boniol kicked his third field goal, from 35 yards.

On New England’s third play after receiving the ensuing kickoff, SS Darren Woodson (pictured at top) intercepted a Bledsoe pass and returned it 21 yards to the New England four. The Patriots held on defense, actually backing the Cowboys up seven yards, and Boniol booted a 29-yard field goal.

The visitors reached the Dallas 48 on their last series of the period, but Bledsoe threw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-one to give the ball back to the home team. Aikman threw to Irvin for 20 yards and the Cowboys reached the New England seven, but on the second play of the fourth quarter Aikman threw into the end zone and Law intercepted for the second time.

The teams exchanged punts before the Patriots again threatened, advancing to the Dallas 23. The big play was a Bledsoe pass to Glenn for 29 yards, but once again New England came up empty when trying to convert a fourth down.

After the Cowboys managed to burn over three minutes off the clock before punting, the Patriots took over at their 18 with 2:33 remaining. Bledsoe threw to WR Troy Brown for nine yards but then was picked off by Woodson. It turned out to be their last chance – Williams gained nine yards on a third-and-seven end-around to clinch the surprisingly low-scoring 12-6 win for Dallas.

In a game dominated by the defenses, the Patriots had the edge in total yards (279 to 251) while the clubs were even with 16 first downs apiece. New England turned the ball over four times, to two suffered by the Cowboys. Moreover, the Patriots had come into the game leading the league by scoring an average of 28 points-per-game, but were held to just six points and no touchdowns by the Dallas defense.

Troy Aikman completed 16 of 28 passes for 169 yards and gave up two interceptions. Emmitt Smith rushed for 85 yards on 27 carries and added another 55 yards on 5 pass receptions. Michael Irvin led the club with 6 catches for 76 yards. Darren Woodson had two big interceptions on defense and Chris Boniol (pictured at left) was successful on all four of his field goal attempts.

For the Patriots, Drew Bledsoe was successful on 20 of 40 throws for 178 yards and was picked off three times. Curtis Martin had 91 rushing yards on 20 attempts. Terry Glenn caught 8 passes for 83 yards and Keith Byars contributed 5 receptions for 46 yards. On defense, Ty Law accounted for both of the team’s interceptions.

“I told the team they ought to be damn proud of the fact they’re the first team to ever win five consecutive NFC East titles,” said Coach Switzer.

On a different note, Michael Irvin said, “We’ve had to fight and struggle all year. But our defense won it for us. If we play like this on offense we’ll be out of the playoffs as soon as they start. It was flat-out embarrassing the way we played. I just about cried.”

Irvin’s pessimism was not fully justified as the Cowboys, who finished with a 10-6 record, easily got past Minnesota in the Wild Card playoff round. However, they lost to the upstart Carolina Panthers in the Divisional round – the club’s earliest departure from the postseason since 1991. New England ended up winning the AFC East at 11-5 and advanced all the way to the Super Bowl before losing to Green Bay.

1997: Late Turnovers Help Patriots Defeat Jaguars for AFC Title

Both of the teams meeting for the AFC Championship on January 12, 1997 had overcome slow starts during the ’96 regular season to get there. The New England Patriots, in their fourth season under Head Coach Bill Parcells, were 3-3 after a close loss to the Redskins but then went 8-2 the rest of the way to top the AFC East at 11-5. Second-year RB Curtis Martin rushed for 1152 yards and 14 touchdowns and WR Terry Glenn set a rookie record with 90 catches. QB Drew Bledsoe (pictured at right) had his flaws but was also highly productive as he threw for 4086 yards and 27 TDs and earned selection to the Pro Bowl. The defense had started off as slowly as the early record indicated but came together during the second half of the season and allowed just one offensive touchdown in the preceding three games, which included a win over the Steelers in the Divisional round of the playoffs.

Even more surprising to see vying for the AFC title were the Jacksonville Jaguars. In just their second year of existence, Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s team had overcome a 4-7 start to win five straight contests and finish the regular season at 9-7 for second place in the AFC Central and a Wild Card spot. From there they won two more games, in the Wild Card round over the Buffalo Bills and at the Divisional level against the Denver Broncos. QB Mark Brunell, a mobile lefthander, led the NFL in passing yards (4367) while throwing primarily to talented wide receivers Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell. RB Natrone Means gained 315 yards rushing in the two postseason wins. Defensive ends Clyde Simmons and Tony Brackens and LB Kevin Hardy gave the Jaguars a potent pass rush.

There were 60,190 fans in attendance on a cold late afternoon at Foxboro Stadium. Things started off badly for the Jaguars when, punting from their own 20 following the opening series of the game, Bryan Barker tried to run after fielding a high snap and the Patriots got the ball at the Jacksonville four yard line. Two plays later, Curtis Martin ran for a one-yard touchdown.

The teams traded punts until the Patriots put together a drive into Jacksonville territory thanks to a 23-yard pass play from Drew Bledsoe to WR Shawn Jefferson. But a Bledsoe pass that was picked off by CB Aaron Beasley at the eight snuffed out the threat and the score remained 7-0 after a quarter of play.

The first quarter ended with the Jaguars in possession and they went 62 yards in 13 plays. They converted two third downs along the way and Mike Hollis finished the series off with a 32-yard field goal. A short New England series ended with a punt by Tom Tupa, but the Patriots got a break when safety Chris Hudson fumbled when hit by LB Marty Moore and TE Mike Bartrum recovered at the Jacksonville 19. They couldn’t reach the end zone, but, following an eleven-minute delay caused by a power outage, Adam Vinatieri kicked a 29-yard field goal to make it a 10-3 score.

Neither offense was able to move the ball effectively for the remainder of the half until, taking possession with 1:29 remaining, the Patriots went 68 yards in nine plays. Bledsoe had three key completions, to Jefferson (pictured below) for 19 yards to start the drive, to TE Ben Coates for five yards in a fourth-and-three situation, and then again to Jefferson for a 38-yard gain to the Jacksonville three. The half ended with Vinatieri booting another field goal, from 20 yards out, and the Patriots led by 13-3 at the intermission.

New England went three-and-out to start the third quarter and, following the punt, the Jaguars advanced from their 36 to the Patriots’ 31. Along the way, Mark Brunell completed a pass to Keenan McCardell for 13 yards on a third-and-ten play. But in a fourth-and-one situation, Brunell kept the ball himself and was stopped for no gain.

Three plays later Jacksonville got a break when Bledsoe fumbled when hit by Kevin Hardy and the Jaguars recovered at the New England 37. Almost exclusively keeping the ball on the ground, with Natrone Means carrying five times, they drove to the ten yard line from where Hollis booted a 28-yard field goal.

It was 13-6 as the Patriots took possession and advanced to the Jacksonville 43 early in the fourth quarter. Tupa’s punt pinned the Jaguars back at their 14 and they had to punt in turn. Bledsoe completed five straight passes in the ensuing series that reached the Jacksonville 23. But he was sacked for a six-yard loss and, while his resulting fumble was recovered by the Patriots, Vinatieri was unsuccessful with a field goal try from 46 yards that sailed wide to the left.

Now it was Brunell with the hot passing hand and the Jaguars drove into New England territory. But on a second down play at the five yard line, a pass into the end zone was intercepted by FS Willie Clay to end the threat. Another short series by the Patriots resulted in a punt and, with 2:36 to play the Jaguars still had a chance. But on the first play from scrimmage RB James Stewart fumbled and CB Otis Smith picked up the ball and ran 47 yards for a touchdown. For all intents the Jaguars were finished, and Brunell tossed an interception on the next series (the third Jacksonville turnover in a four-minute span) to make certain of it. New England won the AFC title by a score of 20-6.

The Jaguars led in total yards (289 to 234) and first downs (18 to 13), but they also turned the ball over four times to two by New England.

Drew Bledsoe completed 20 of 33 passes for 178 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Terry Glenn caught 5 passes for 33 yards while Shawn Jefferson gained 91 yards on his four receptions. Curtis Martin was held to 59 yards on 19 carries that included a TD.

For the Jaguars, Mark Brunell was under heavy pressure throughout the game (most notably from DE Willie McGinest)  and thus was successful on just 20 of 38 throws for 190 yards with no scores and two interceptions. TE Pete Mitchell (pictured at right) caught 7 of those passes for 63 yards and Keenan McCardell contributed 62 yards on 6 pass receptions. Natrone Means gained just 43 yards on 19 rushing attempts while James Stewart had 40 yards on 7 carries, although also a key fumble.

“We were unable to run the ball and unable to get that good balance we’ve had the past few weeks that had allowed us to have the success,” said Mark Brunell.  “Overall, the Patriots had a great defensive effort. They outplayed us.”

The Patriots went on to lose to the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl – the Packers had beaten the other 1995 expansion team, the Carolina Panthers, in the NFC title game to eliminate the possibility of either of the new clubs vying for top honors in the NFL. It was the last game for Bill Parcells as the team’s head coach. Citing differences with owner Robert Kraft, he left the club and resurfaced with the Jets (with the help of a deal brokered by Commissioner Paul Tagliabue to satisfy Kraft). Under successor Pete Carroll, New England went 10-6 to again top the AFC East but lost in the Divisional round of the playoffs. The Jaguars, meanwhile, proved that the strong showing in ’96 was no fluke as they came back strong at 11-5, again placing second in the AFC Central and gaining a Wild Card slot. They lost convincingly to Denver in the first round of the postseason.