1999: Falcons Edge 49ers in Divisional Playoff Game

The NFC Divisional Playoff game in Atlanta on January 9, 1999 featured two NFC West teams. The upstart Atlanta Falcons had topped the division with a 14-2 record while the San Francisco 49ers finished second at 12-4 and were the top Wild Card entry.

The rise of the Falcons had been stunning in that they were coming off of two losing seasons, and five of the previous six had resulted in records under .500. Head Coach Dan Reeves, previously with the Broncos and Giants, was in his second year with the club but underwent heart surgery in December and was just returning to the sideline a month later to coach in the playoffs. The offense was ball control-oriented, keyed by RB Jamal Anderson (pictured above), who rushed for 1846 yards on a record-setting 410 carries. QB Chris Chandler was unspectacular but efficient and a good leader. The defense featured a solid line plus Pro Bowlers in MLB Jessie Tuggle, CB Ray Buchanan, and FS Eugene Robinson.

San Francisco, coached by Steve Mariucci for the second year, was used to contending, having reached the playoffs for the seventh consecutive year in 1998 and 15^th time in 16 seasons, with a Super Bowl victory as recently as 1994. The team was aging but still strong with 37-year-old QB Steve Young and 36-year-old WR Jerry Rice leaders of an offense that benefited from the presence of RB Garrison Hearst (1570 rushing yards) and third-year WR Terrell Owens. The defensive line was missing injured DT Bryant Young, but DE Charles Haley came out of retirement to lend his pass-rushing expertise.

The teams split their regular season meetings and the 49ers defeated Green Bay in the Wild Card round the previous week to advance to the Divisional game.   

There were 70,262 fans in attendance at the Georgia Dome. Things went badly for the 49ers on their first play from scrimmage when Garrison Hearst suffered a broken leg, which significantly affected their ability to run the ball for the rest of the game. The teams exchanged punts until, following a 36-yard return by WR Tim Dwight, the Falcons took possession at the San Francisco 38 and scored in six plays. Jamal Anderson ran for 14 yards on first down and Chris Chandler threw to WR Terance Mathis for 19 yards on a third down play to the three yard line. Two plays later, Anderson ran for a two-yard touchdown, Morten Andersen added the extra point, and Atlanta held a 7-0 lead.

The clubs returned to trading punts as the game headed into the second quarter. Starting from their 18 with 7:35 remaining in the first half, the Falcons advanced 82 yards in seven plays. Jamal Anderson rushed for 16 yards on his first two carries, Chandler (pictured below) again connected with Mathis for 19 yards, and then it was Anderson breaking away for a 34-yard TD. Morten Andersen again added the point after and the home team was up by 14-0.

The 49ers responded with an 80-yard possession of their own. A pass interference call was good for 16 yards and Steve Young completed passes to WR J.J. Stokes for 12 yards, but the advance was nearly derailed when RB Terry Kirby mishandled a lateral and, after DE Chuck Smith appeared to recover and ran for an apparent touchdown, it was ruled that Kirby had gained possession and was down by contact before the ball got away from him again. Making the most of the reprieve, Young then threw to RB Chuck Levy for 34 yards and TE Greg Clark for nine before hitting Jerry Rice for a 17-yard touchdown. Wade Richey narrowed the score to 14-7 with the successful conversion.

There was still 1:06 left before halftime as the Falcons regained possession, but after Chandler passed to WR Ronnie Harris for 22 yards, his next throw was deflected by Charles Haley and picked off by DT Junior Bryant. San Francisco now had the ball at the Atlanta 36 and Young threw to Stokes for 16 yards and ran once himself for seven to set up a 36-yard Richey field goal. Atlanta’s lead was 14-10 at the intermission and the Niners appeared to have the momentum.

The Falcons had the ball first and drove to the San Francisco 42, but attempting to convert a fourth-and-one situation, Anderson was stopped for no gain. Now it was the 49ers moving effectively as Young threw to Terrell Owens for 20 yards and to Rice for eight. But following a short gain on another completion to Owens, Young’s next pass was picked off at the Atlanta three by Eugene Robinson, who returned it 77 yards to the San Francisco 20. While the turnover didn’t lead to a touchdown, it did lead to a Morten Andersen field goal from 29 yards and, instead of the Niners potentially taking the lead, the Falcons were ahead by seven points at 17-10.

San Francisco had the ball heading into the fourth quarter and Young threw to Rice for a 38-yard gain to the Atlanta 44, but once again the Falcons came up with an interception. This time it was SS William White picking off Young’s pass intended for Clark and returning it 14 yards to the San Francisco 36. Chandler converted a third-and-eight situation with a toss to WR Tony Martin that picked up 16 yards and, while the drive bogged down inside the 20, Atlanta again came up with points on a 32-yard Andersen field goal.

With Young completing seven passes, the 49ers advanced 87 yards in 13 plays in response. Two were to Owens, one of which gained seven yards in a third-and-five situation, and two more were caught by Stokes, the longest for a 33-yard gain to the Atlanta 12. Young kept the ball himself on an eight-yard scramble for a touchdown carry and the Niners added an improvised two-point conversion when the holder for the placekick, QB Ty Detmer, had to leap for a high snap, rolled out, and connected with Clark. It was now a two-point contest with 3:57 to play.

The try for an onside kick failed and, with Anderson running on every play, the Falcons managed to hold onto the ball until punting with 49 seconds left on the clock. The 49ers had to start from their own four and, while Young was able to connect with Levy for a gain of 24 yards, the game ended with White intercepting one last Young pass to seal the 20-18 win for Atlanta.

The 49ers had more total yards (334 to 289), but without Garrison Hearst gained just 46 yards on the ground, to 136 for the Falcons, who had the edge in first downs (16 to 15). San Francisco also turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by Atlanta, and the 49ers were penalized eight times, to six flags thrown on the Falcons.

Chris Chandler didn’t go to the air often, completing 13 of 19 passes for 169 yards and giving up an interception. Jamal Anderson rushed for 113 yards on 29 carries that included two touchdowns. Terance Mathis (pictured at right) topped the Atlanta receivers with 5 catches for 71 yards and Tony Martin was right behind with his 63 yards on four receptions.

For the 49ers, Steve Young was successful on 23 of 37 throws for 289 yards and a TD, but also gave up three interceptions. He also led the team with 28 yards on six rushes that included a score. Terrell Owens caught 8 passes for 73 yards and J.J. Stokes contributed 76 yards on his five receptions. Jerry Rice had three receptions for 63 yards and a TD and set a NFL record by catching a pass in 23 straight playoff games. 

“It’s unbelievable. The whole year has been incredible,” exclaimed Atlanta’s Coach Reeves. “To get to this point is beyond our wildest dreams.”

The Falcons moved a level higher as they upset the Minnesota Vikings in overtime to win the NFC Championship. However, they lost decisively to Denver in the Super Bowl and returned to earth with a 5-11 record in 1999. The loss for the 49ers marked the end of a long and successful era as they dropped to 4-12 in ‘99. They next returned to the postseason in 2001.

2007: Patriots Defeat Cowboys in Battle of Unbeaten Teams

Both the New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys sported unblemished 5-0 records as they faced off at Texas Stadium on October 14, 2007. The Patriots had yet to score fewer than 34 points in any of their games, or give up more than 17, while Dallas had been only a bit less dominant.

Under Head Coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots had been molded into perennial contenders, reaching the playoffs in five of the previous six seasons that included three NFL Championships. They were guided on offense by QB Tom Brady (pictured above), who was at the height of his abilities at age 30. There were no stars among the running backs, but WR Randy Moss had been added to the receiving mix with outstanding results thus far, WR Wes Welker was a reliable possession receiver, and there was good depth behind them. The defensive line was excellent and the linebackers an experienced and savvy group.

Dallas, coached by Wade Phillips, also had a talented quarterback in Tony Romo, who had come out of nowhere the previous year to take over the starting job, and excellent receivers in WR Terrell Owens and TE Jason Witten. The running duties were shared by Julius Jones and Marion Barber, with good results. On defense, the corps of linebackers, led by DeMarcus Ware, was effective, but the backs were vulnerable to being spread out – as the Patriots would show.

The Cowboys had first possession and punted. New England went 74 yards in 14 plays in response. After misfiring on his first two passes, Tom Brady connected with Wes Welker for 16 yards on third-and-ten and was successful on his next four throws, three of them to WR Donte’ Stallworth that totaled 25 yards. Facing third-and-seven at the Dallas 26, Brady again completed a pass to Welker for 20 yards and, three plays later, hit Randy Moss for a six-yard touchdown. Stephen Gostkowski added the extra point.

The teams traded punts until the Patriots again put together another scoring drive, this time advancing 69 yards in six plays. Once again Brady made big plays on third down, throwing deep to TE Ben Watson for 28 yards in a third-and-seven situation to reach the Dallas 38 and then, on third-and-seven, to Welker for a 35-yard TD. Gostkowski again successfully converted and New England took a 14-0 lead into the second quarter.

The Cowboys moved into New England territory on their next series and Nick Folk got them on the board with a 38-yard field goal. They scored again a short time later when Brady fumbled while being sacked by LB Greg Ellis and DE Jason Hatcher recovered and it returned it 29 yards for a touchdown. Folk’s PAT narrowed the visitors’ lead to 14-10.

The Patriots responded with another long series. Falling quickly into a second-and-20 hole, Brady passed to Stallworth for 17 yards and an offside call on the Cowboys gave New England a first down. Another completion to Stallworth gained 15 yards and, in a third-and-ten situation at the Dallas 42, Brady’s short toss to RB Kevin Faulk picked up 18 yards. The series ended with Brady once again throwing to Welker for a touchdown, this time from 12 yards out. Gostkowski’s extra point extended New England’s lead to 21-10.

Dallas regained possession with 3:28 remaining in the first half. Tony Romo immediately connected with TE Anthony Fasano for 26 yards, the first of seven completions that included three to Jason Witten for 11, 25, and 11 yards. A pass to Terrell Owens that was ruled complete but overturned on review was followed by a 12-yard TD pass to Owens and, with Folk’s extra point, the score stood at 21-17 at halftime.

New England’s first possession of the third quarter ended with a punt and the Cowboys put together a seven-play, 74-yard drive. Julius Jones (pictured above) had back-to-back runs of 25 and 18 yards along the way and Romo was successful on all four of his passes, the last to WR Patrick Crayton for an eight-yard touchdown. Folk added the point after and Dallas was in the lead by 24-21.

The Patriots responded with a scoring drive of their own, covering 77 yards in ten plays. Brady completed six passes, a pair each to Moss and Welker, and when Moss was interfered with by safety Pat Watkins, New England was at the one yard line. Brady tossed to TE Kyle Brady from there for a TD, Gostkowski added the PAT, and the visitors were back in front by 28-24.

The Cowboys were unable to move beyond their 12 yard line on the next possession and Mat McBriar’s punt, which was returned 18 yards by Welker, gave the Patriots good field position at the Dallas 43. An apparent touchdown pass was overturned by review, but a roughing-the-passer penalty advanced New England 15 yards and, while the drive stalled at that point, Gostkowski added a 45 yard field goal to make it a seven-point game.

 As the period came to a close, Dallas had fourth-and-one at its own 47, but an attempt to convert was nullified by a holding penalty and the Cowboys had to punt. Four plays later, Brady went long for Stallworth and the result was a 69-yard touchdown. Gostkowski’s extra point put New England ahead by 38-24.

RB Tyson Thompson returned the ensuing kickoff 72 yards to the New England 23, but after Romo threw to Owens for 13 yards, the Cowboys were unable to reach the end zone and had to settle for a 23-yard Folk field goal.

Ahead by 11 points, the Patriots put together a long drive that burned six minutes off the clock. Brady completed four passes, Faulk ran the ball six times, and Gostkowski kicked a 22-yard field goal to extend New England’s lead to 41-27 with just over four minutes remaining on the clock.

On the first play of the next Dallas series, LB Junior Seau intercepted Romo’s pass to effectively extinguish any hopes for the Cowboys. The Patriots added one last touchdown on a one-yard carry by FB Kyle Eckel and came away with a decisive 48-27 win.

New England was statistically dominant, leading in total yards (448 to 285) and first downs (28 to 13). Each team turned the ball over once. The Cowboys recorded three sacks, to two by the Patriots. They also were penalized 12 times, at a cost of 100 yards, compared to five flags thrown on New England.

Tom Brady completed 31 of 46 passes for 388 yards and five touchdowns while giving up no interceptions. Wes Welker (pictured below) had 11 catches for 124 yards and two TDs and Donte’ Stallworth gained 136 yards on 7 receptions that included a score. They benefited from Dallas’ coverage of Randy Moss, who still caught 6 passes for 59 yards and a touchdown. Kevin Faulk was New England’s leading rusher with 47 yards on 12 attempts.

For the Cowboys, Tony Romo was successful on 18 of 29 throws for 199 yards and two TDs with one interception. Terrell Owens topped the receivers with 6 catches for 66 yards and a touchdown and Julius Jones ran for 51 yards on six carries, followed closely by RB Marion Barber who had 49 yards on 9 runs. Mat McBriar averaged 53.8 yards on his five punts.

“The reality is we got a win on the road and we’re 6-0. That’s what is important,” summed up Tom Brady. “Any time you win you’re doing just fine. It’s another step in the process. We have to continue to make improvements.

The Patriots improved all the way to a 16-0 record in the regular season, but came short of ultimate perfection with an upset loss to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. Dallas recovered to win its next seven straight games on the way to a NFC-best 13-3 tally. However, they lost in the Divisional playoff round to the Super Bowl-bound Giants.

Tom Brady led the NFL in passing yards (4806), completion percentage (68.9), yards per attempt (8.3), and overall rating (117.2) as well as a then-record 50 touchdown passes and received consensus MVP honors as well as All-NFL and Pro Bowl recognition. Randy Moss caught a record 23 TD passes among his 98 receptions for 1493 yards and Wes Welker tied for the league lead with 112 catches, good for 1175 yards and eight scores.

Tony Romo passed for 4211 yards and a NFC-high 36 touchdowns, although his 19 interceptions ranked among the league leaders as well. 

2005: Eagles Rally to Beat Chiefs

The Philadelphia Eagles, defending NFC Champions, were 2-1 as they faced the Kansas City Chiefs on October 2, 2005. Under Head Coach Andy Reid, the pass-heavy Eagles featured QB Donovan McNabb (pictured at right), who had put together back-to-back 300-yard passing games the previous two weeks, and had other formidable offensive weapons in WR Terrell Owens and RB Brian Westbrook. However, McNabb was suffering from a sports hernia, among other ailments, and the Eagles were also without dependable PK David Akers due to a groin pull and would be going with untested Todd France in his place.

Kansas City was coached by Dick Vermeil, a former NFC-winning coach with Philadelphia, and was also coming into the game at 2-1. 35-year-old QB Trent Green directed the attack and WR Eddie Kennison was the best of the wide receivers while TE Tony Gonzalez was a premier tight end. RB Priest Holmes still led the ground game, although Larry Johnson, in his third year, was waiting in the wings. The defense was vulnerable against the pass.

The Chiefs took the opening kickoff and drove 63 yards in nine plays. Trent Green completed three passes, two of them to Eddie Kennison for 15 and seven yards, and Priest Holmes rushed six times for 31 yards, the last three for a touchdown. Lawrence Tynes added the extra point.

The Eagles drove just past midfield before having to punt and Kansas City again put points on the board thanks to a series highlighted by Green throwing to Kennison (pictured below) for a 49-yard gain. Tynes kicked a 38-yard field goal and the Chiefs were ahead by 10-0.

Kansas City got the ball right back on the ensuing kickoff when CB Roderick Hood fumbled and LB Kris Griffin recovered for the Chiefs at the Philadelphia 27. Three plays into the second quarter, Green once again connected with Kennison, this time for an eight yard TD. Tynes converted to stretch the home team’s margin to 17-0.

The teams traded punts before the Eagles, starting at their 24, put together an effective drive. Donovan McNabb completed four straight passes, two of them to Terrell Owens, to reach the KC 23 before the advance stalled and the 40-yard field goal attempt by Todd France, his first in the NFL, was blocked by DE Eric Hicks. On the ensuing series, the Eagles got a break on defense when CB Sheldon Brown intercepted a pass by Green that was intended for Kennison and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown. The try for a two-point conversion failed, and the Chiefs quickly turned the tables when WR Dante Hall returned the kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown. Tynes added the extra point and the Kansas City lead was 24-6.

The Eagles punted following their next series but took advantage of another KC turnover when RB Larry Johnson fumbled and DT Sam Rayburn recovered at midfield. The visitors went 50 yards in five plays, the last two of which were McNabb completions to Owens for 28 yards and then a seven-yard touchdown. France added the extra point to narrow Kansas City’s lead to 24-13, and that was the score at the half.

Philadelphia had first possession in the third quarter and drove into Kansas City territory, with McNabb completing three passes, but the series stalled at the 26 and France kicked a 44-yard field goal. Neither team threatened again until, with fewer than four minutes remaining in the period, McNabb connected with Owens for a 30-yard gain to the KC 30 and, two plays later after a sack, followed up with another pass to Owens for 28 yards to the three. From there, TE Mike Bartrum had a catch for a three-yard touchdown and the Eagles added a two-point conversion when McNabb completed a throw to Westbrook, tying the score at 24-24.

The Chiefs had a short series and punted, and as the game headed into the fourth quarter, Philadelphia drove to another score. McNabb had four completions, including one for an 18-yard gain to RB Lamar Gordon and another to WR Greg Lewis for 34 yards to the Kansas City 25. The Eagles again had to go for a field goal, and France was successful from 37 yards to put the visitors in front by 27-24.

It quickly got worse for the Chiefs when Hall fumbled the kickoff return and RB Reno Mahe recovered for Philadelphia at the KC 25. McNabb threw to Owens for 14 yards and to TE L.J. Smith, who made an outstanding catch for seven, and two plays later he hit Smith again for a one-yard TD. France added the extra point that put the Eagles ahead by ten.

The next possession by the Chiefs ended with Green being picked off by Brown once again, who returned it 20 yards to the KC 41. McNabb picked away at the Chiefs once more, completing four consecutive passes, and while the drive stalled at the eight, the Eagles again came away with points on a 26-yard field goal by France with 3:31 to play.

In the waning minutes, Green passed the Chiefs down the field and they came away with a 15-yard completion to Hall for a touchdown. Tynes added the extra point to make it a six-point game, but the onside kick was recovered by Mahe to seal the 37-31 win for the Eagles.

Philadelphia had the edge in total yards (396 to 353) and first downs (25 to 19). The Eagles managed only 28 rushing yards but gained 368 net passing yards. McNabb was sacked once while Philadelphia recorded three sacks. The Chiefs also turned the ball over four times, to two suffered by the Eagles.

Donovan McNabb completed 33 of 48 passes for 369 yards and three touchdowns, giving up one interception. Terrell Owens (pictured below) had 11 catches for 171 yards and a TD and L.J. Smith contributed 9 receptions for 67 yards and a score. Brian Westbrook ran for only 15 yards on 9 attempts but had 6 catches for 33 yards. On defense, Sheldon Brown accounted for two interceptions that he returned for 60 yards and a touchdown. The fill-in placekicker Todd France was successful on three of four field goal attempts and both of his extra points.

For the Chiefs, Trent Green was successful on 19 of 30 throws for 221 yards and two TDs, but with two interceptions. Eddie Kennison caught 7 of those passes for 109 yards and a touchdown and also had a 23-yard run. Priest Holmes ran for 84 yards on 18 carries that included a score and had five receptions for 24 yards. Dante Hall contributed four catches for 45 yards and a TD (which tied the then-NFL career record of six) and averaged 29.3 yards on eight kickoff returns that included a touchdown.

“He’s unbelieveable, man,” said Kansas City CB Patrick Surtain of McNabb. “The second half, they got on a roll and it was like they were doing anything they wanted.”

Things did not go so well for McNabb and the Eagles the rest of the way. Feuding broke out between the quarterback and Terrell Owens, who was ultimately suspended from the team. McNabb finally succumbed to the sports hernia, which required surgery, and missed the last five games. Philadelphia plummeted to a 6-10 record and last-place finish in the NFC East after having won the division four straight times. The Chiefs rebounded to win their next two games on the way to a 10-6 record and second place ranking in the AFC West, although they failed to qualify for the playoffs in Dick Vermeil’s last season.

Donovan McNabb, who became the first quarterback in franchise history to pass for over 300 yards in three successive games with his performance in Kansas City, ended up throwing for 2507 yards and 16 touchdowns in his injury-shortened season. Terrell Owens caught 47 passes for 763 yards (16.2 avg.) and six TDs before he was banished. L.J. Smith had a career-high 61 catches for 682 yards (11.2 avg.) and three scores.

Todd France lasted three games with the Eagles and was successful on six of seven field goals as well as all five of his extra point attempts. He later played for Tampa Bay in what was his only NFL season. Already having seen action with NFL Europe, he went on to kick in the Arena Football League.

2002: Gannon Leads AFC from Early Deficit to Beat NFC in Pro Bowl

On Saturday, February 9, 2002 the NFL’s top players came together in the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl. The coaches were Pittsburgh’s Bill Cowher for the AFC and Andy Reid of the Eagles for the NFC, whose teams had lost at the conference championship level in the playoffs.

The patriotically-themed opening ceremony featured a bald eagle flying through the stadium and a squadron of F-15s soaring over it. The previous day had been marked by heavy rain that forced both teams to cancel practice, but it was 74 degrees and sunny for the opening kickoff with a sellout crowd of 50,301 at Aloha Stadium. It was the 23^rd consecutive year in which the contest was held in Honolulu.

The NFC scored in record time, after Oakland QB Rich Gannon (pictured above) fumbled on the first play from scrimmage as he attempted to pitch the ball to RB Curtis Martin of the Jets. Philadelphia DE Hugh Douglas recovered to give the NFC the ball at the two yard line. From there, RB Ahman Green of the Packers went in for a touchdown with just 27 seconds expired. David Akers of the Eagles added the extra point.

Following a three-and-out series by the AFC, the NFC was ahead by 10-0 after Akers kicked a 29-yard field goal that was set up by St. Louis QB Kurt Warner’s completion to Arizona WR David Boston that covered 23 yards.

However, Gannon and the AFC caught fire at that point. Two plays later, Gannon threw to WR Marvin Harrison of the Colts for a 55-yard touchdown, beating Tampa Bay CB Ronde Barber. Denver’s Jason Elam added the PAT to narrow the score to 10-7.

The AFC took the lead after CB Deltha O’Neal of the Broncos intercepted a pass that he returned 24 yards to the NFC six, which set up a four-yard touchdown carry by RB Curtis Martin of the Jets. Elam’s extra point made the tally 14-10.

The NFC had a short series and punted, and the AFC needed just five plays to score again. Gannon threw a flea-flicker pass to WR Troy Brown of the Patriots that was wobbly and badly underthrown, but Brown made the catch for a 30-yard gain. Kansas City RB Priest Holmes finished off the possession by running 39 yards for a TD and Elam again booted the extra point.

The NFC put together a 10-play series that ended with Akers kicking a field goal from 41 yards on the last play of the eventful opening period. The teams had combined for a Pro Bowl-record 34 points in the first quarter, with the AFC leading by 21-13.

The ensuing kickoff was returned 54 yards by WR Jermaine Lewis of the Ravens, and that set up another scoring series. Gannon threw his second touchdown pass, this one to Indianapolis TE Ken Dilger from 19 yards out over a leaping LB LaVar Arrington of the Redskins. Gannon called it a day with the AFC up by 28-13.

That was it for the first half scoring until Akers booted his third field goal with six seconds remaining in the half to make the score 28-16 at the intermission.

Early in the fourth quarter, the NFC drove into AFC territory, but Philadelphia QB Donovan McNabb was picked off by San Diego LB Junior Seau. However, CB Champ Bailey of the Redskins returned the favor, intercepting a pass by New England’s Tom Brady that allowed the NFC to narrow the margin to 28-23 in the third quarter when McNabb threw to WR Terrell Owens of the 49ers for an eight-yard TD and Akers added the extra point.

The AFC came back with a drive that featured runs by Cincinnati RB Corey Dillon of 29 and 16 yards and was capped by Elam kicking a 38-yard field goal. Two plays later, with 2:49 left on the clock, CB Ty Law of the champion Patriots intercepted a McNabb throw and ran it 31 yards before tossing a lateral to Ravens LB Ray Lewis (pictured below), who went the last 13 yards for a touchdown, dragging three NFC players into the end zone.

The NFC scored once more in the last two minutes as McNabb connected with San Francisco RB Garrison Hearst for a 15-yard touchdown. The NFC attempted an onside kick, but safety Rod Woodson of the Ravens recovered for the AFC to end the threat. The AFC won by a final score of 38-30.

The AFC had more total yards (398 to 346) although the NFC had the edge in first downs (23 to 19). The AFC gained 201 yards on the ground, to 197 through the air, while the NFC, playing from behind for most of the contest, ran the ball only 12 times for 36 yards and had 310 passing yards. The AFC recorded two sacks and consistently maintained pressure on the three NFC quarterbacks. The NFC also turned the ball over four times, to two turnovers by the AFC.

After a rocky start, Rich Gannon completed 8 of 10 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, and was named MVP for the second straight year. Pittsburgh’s Kordell Stewart was 6 of 12 for 45 yards and Tom Brady, who entered the game in the fourth quarter, was successful on two of five throws for 22 yards with one interception. Priest Holmes was the leading rusher with 77 yards on 7 carries that included a TD and Corey Dillon contributed 58 yards on six attempts. Marvin Harrison was the AFC’s top receiver with four catches for 80 yards and the one long touchdown. Shane Lechler of the Raiders had punts of 70 and 73 yards, the two longest in Pro Bowl history.

For the NFC, Donovan McNabb completed 12 of 25 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown but also was intercepted twice. McNabb also tied for the team rushing lead with one 12-yard carry while RB Marshall Faulk of the Rams also gained 12 yards, on five rushing attempts. QB Jeff Garcia of the 49ers was successful on 11 of 19 throws for 111 yards and Kurt Warner, who started the game, went 6 of 14 for 63 yards with one interception. Terrell Owens topped the receivers with 8 catches for 122 yards. David Akers kicked three field goals, but his try from 62 yards in the fourth quarter fell short.

“You look around and you’ve got the best receivers, the best tight end, and the best line,” said the 36-year-old Rich Gannon, who became the first player to win back-to-back Pro Bowl MVP awards since the format had changed to the AFC vs. NFC following the 1970 season. “It’s like a dream come true for a quarterback. If I could have this every week, we’d be in business.”

Gannon was playing in his third straight Pro Bowl, a streak that would reach four following the 2002 season.

It was the fifth win in the last six games for the AFC, tying the series since the contest had moved to the AFC/NFC format at 16 wins apiece.

2003: 49ers Overcome 24-Point Deficit to Beat Giants in Dispute-Marred Playoff Game

The Wild Card Playoff game in San Francisco on January 5, 2003 featured the San Francisco 49ers, winners of the NFC West with a 10-6 record, against the New York Giants, who finished second in the NFC East with an identical tally.

Coached by Steve Mariucci for the sixth year, the 49ers had a capable quarterback in Jeff Garcia (pictured at right), who was mobile and an accurate passer if not possessed of a strong arm. WR Terrell Owens was highly talented but could also be a temperamental distraction. Mariucci preferred ball control to big plays, and running backs Garrison Hearst and Kevan Barlow paced the ground attack. Injuries were an issue on defense, and the team tended to be vulnerable against the pass.

New York, under Head Coach Jim Fassel, had bounced back from a disappointing 7-9 year in 2001 after winning the NFC Championship in 2000, coming on strong with four wins to close out the regular season after being 6-6 at the beginning of December. The offense had done especially well during the late surge, led by QB Kerry Collins and RB Tiki Barber. WR Amani Toomer paced the injury-depleted receiving corps and benefited from the presence of brash-but-talented rookie TE Jeremy Shockey. The defense, anchored by DE Michael Strahan, was good but showing signs of wear. The special teams had been a cause of concern throughout the season, and 41-year-old long snapper Trey Junkin was signed out of retirement five days before the game when long snapper Dan O’Leary was injured – a seemingly minor personnel change that would have a significant impact on the game’s outcome.

There were 66,318 fans in attendance at 3Com Park. The Giants had the first possession and drove to the San Francisco 33, but a pass by Kerry Collins that was intended for RB Ron Dayne was intercepted by LB Julian Peterson, giving the 49ers the ball at their own 24. They immediately came through with a big play as Jeff Garcia threw to Terrell Owens (pictured below) for a 76-yard touchdown. Jeff Chandler added the extra point and San Francisco was ahead by 7-0 in stunning fashion.

The teams traded punts until late in the opening period when the Giants put together an 11-play, 65-yard scoring drive. A 15-yard facemask penalty moved New York to the San Francisco 48 and Tiki Barber ran for four yards in a third-and-two situation to keep the series going. Collins completed a pass to Amani Toomer for 18 yards and another throw to Toomer completed the drive with a 12-yard touchdown. Matt Bryant’s PAT tied the score at 7-7.

Early in the second quarter, New York had another scoring possession, this time advancing 61 yards in five plays. Barber had a 29-yard run to the San Francisco 32 and Collins completed a pass to Jeremy Shockey for 27 yards to the one. After Barber was stopped for a loss of a yard, a two-yard Collins throw to Shockey was good for a TD and Bryant added the extra point to make it a seven-point lead for the visitors.

The 49ers came back with a 69-yard drive in ten plays. Garcia threw to Owens for ten yards and ran for 11 yards to the New York 46. Another carry by the quarterback was good for ten yards on a third-and-six play and Owens threw an option pass to WR Tai Streets that picked up 25 yards to the seven yard line. Kevan Barlow scored a touchdown from a yard out and Chandler’s point after again tied the score at 14-14.

The Giants had to punt but got a huge break when WR Cedrick Wilson muffed the catch and safety Johnnie Harris recovered at the San Francisco eight. From there on the next play, Collins connected with Toomer for a touchdown. Before the half, New York drove to another score thanks to a turnover, this time an interception by CB Jason Sehorn that gave the Giants the ball at their own 44. They went 56 yards in five plays, the highlights being a Collins throw to Barber that picked up 30 yards in a third-and-eight situation and then a pass to Toomer for a 24-yard TD with ten seconds left on the clock. Bryant kicked his fourth extra point of the game and the visitors held a 28-14 halftime lead.

In the third quarter, after the 49ers failed to convert a fourth down at the New York 46, the Giants added to their lead. Barber had a 22-yard carry to the San Francisco 32 and Collins threw to Toomer for 17 yards. Barber ran for a six-yard touchdown and, with Bryant’s extra point, New York was ahead by 35-14.

The 49ers went three-and-out and had to punt, and the Giants followed up with a nine-play, 63-yard drive. Collins connected with Toomer, this time for 46 yards to the San Francisco three. New York was unable to score another touchdown from there, with Shockey dropping a pass in the end zone, and settled for a 21-yard Bryant field goal, but being ahead by a commanding 38-14, it seemed insignificant at that point.

The 49ers, with their backs very much to the wall, proceeded to advance 70 yards in seven plays. Garcia completed passes to TE Eric Johnson for 12 yards, Streets for 11, and then, following a short running play, to Owens for 12 yards to the New York 32. A throw to Owens for a 26-yard touchdown finished off the series and Garcia threw to Owens again for a two-point conversion that narrowed the tally to 38-22.

Following a short possession by the Giants, the 49ers got the ball back on a short punt of 29 yards by Matt Allen that had 15 yards assessed due to a personal foul called on LB Dhani Jones. Starting off at the New York 27, Garcia completed two passes, the second to WR J.J. Stokes for ten yards to finish off the period. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Garcia ran for 14 yards and a TD. Once again, he threw to Owens for a two-point conversion and the once-huge New York lead was down to 38-30 with nearly a full quarter to play.

The Giants were again quiet on offense, punting after three plays, and the 49ers put together a long scoring drive of 74 yards in 15 plays. Garcia completed a pass to Owens for 21 yards and to Cedrick Wilson for 18 yards to the New York 38. On a fourth-and-one play, Streets caught a pass for four yards to the 25 and, facing third-and-five, Garcia connected with Owens once more to the 11. The possession finally ended with Chandler kicking a 25-yard field goal, and it was a five-point game at 38-33.

The reeling Giants finally put something together offensively on their next series. Collins completed three passes, two to Shockey of seven and nine yards, and one to TE Dan Campbell for 10 yards. They reached the San Francisco 24, but with a chance to add vital points to their lead, a bad snap by Trey Junkin led to a poor hold and Bryant’s 42-yard kick was well off the mark.

Once again the 49ers put together a long series, this time of 68 yards in nine plays. Facing third-and-six at his own 36, Garcia threw to Owens for seven yards and passed to Johnson for 25 yards to the New York 25. Keeping the ball, Garcia ran for 12 yards and then passed to Streets for a 13-yard touchdown. The try for two points failed, with Owens and SS Shaun Williams drawing offsetting unnecessary roughness penalties, and while San Francisco had the lead, it was by just a point with a minute to play.

RB Delvin Joyce returned the ensuing kickoff 32 yards to give the Giants good starting field position at their 48. Collins passed to WR Ron Dixon for 10 yards and, following an incompletion, connected with Dixon again for 19 yards to the San Francisco 28. A run by Barber moved the ball to the 23 and the Giants took their last timeout. It seemed as though the visitors would prevail when they lined up for a field goal attempt of 41 yards with six seconds left on the clock.

But Junkin snapped the ball too low and holder Matt Allen couldn’t handle it. The desperate Allen rolled out and threw toward G Rich Seubert, who was in the act of being pulled down by San Francisco LB Chike Okeafor (pictured below). The ball fell to the ground with no time left, but the Giants were looking for a flag for pass interference. After the officials conferred, a flag was indeed thrown – against the Giants for having an ineligible receiver downfield.

San Francisco came away with an astonishing 39-38 win. Coming back from a 24-point deficit, it was the biggest comeback in NFC playoff history (and, at the time, the second-biggest in NFL history), and was punctuated in bizarre fashion.

The next day, the NFL acknowledged that the officials had blown the call on the game-ending broken field goal attempt. There should have been an offsetting pass interference penalty on the 49ers, which would have allowed the Giants another chance at kicking the field goal (while Seubert had reported in as an eligible receiver, another guard, Tam Hopkins, was illegally downfield on the play).

The statistics were as even as the score. Both teams gained 446 yards apiece, with the 49ers having the edge in net passing yards (356 to 327) and New York gaining more on the ground (119 to 90). The Giants had the edge in first downs (26 to 23). The 49ers registered the only two sacks of the game, but also turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by New York.

Jeff Garcia completed 27 of 44 passes for 331 yards and three touchdowns with one interception and also led the team in rushing with 60 yards on seven carries that included the game-winning TD. Terrell Owens had 9 catches for 177 yards and two touchdowns, plus the pair of two-point conversions and a pass completion of 25 yards (his only pass of the year). Eric Johnson added 8 pass receptions for 78 yards and Tai Streets contributed five catches for 58 yards and a score.

For the Giants, Kerry Collins was successful on 29 of 43 throws for 342 yards and four TDs while tossing one interception. Amani Toomer (pictured at right) was the primary beneficiary, with 8 receptions for 136 yards and three touchdowns. Jeremy Shockey contributed 7 catches for 68 yards and a TD, but his drop in the end zone ultimately proved costly. Tiki Barber ran for 115 yards on 26 carries that included a score, and added 62 yards on five pass receptions.

“As long as you live, you might never see a game better than that,” said Steve Mariucci. “It’s kind of hard to remember everything right now, but I remember how it ended.”

“I tried to make the perfect snap instead of a good snap,” said a disconsolate Trey Junkin. “You can’t do that…If you can’t count on me at the end of the game, that’s it, I’m done.” It was a sad end to a 19-season NFL career that had begun with Buffalo in 1983.

The 49ers played Tampa Bay in the Divisional round the next week and lost badly, after which Steve Mariucci was dismissed as head coach. San Francisco went into a long period of decline, not reaching the playoffs, or even posting a winning record, until 2011. New York also fell off in 2003, going 4-12, but would return to the postseason in ’05, after Jim Fassel had been replaced by Tom Coughlin.

2005: Patriots Defeat Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX for Third Title in Four Years

The New England Patriots were coming off of a championship in 2003, and two in a three-year period, as they entered the 2004 NFL season. It was more of the same as Head Coach Bill Belichick’s team again went 14-2 and defeated the Colts and Steelers to advance to the Super Bowl. Ever-improving QB Tom Brady was joined in the backfield by eighth-year veteran RB Corey Dillon, who rushed for 1635 yards. WR Deion Branch (pictured at right) missed several games due to injury but was back healthy in the playoffs. The tough and savvy defense was anchored by DE Richard Seymour, linebackers Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi, and SS Rodney Harrison.

Their opponents in the Super Bowl on February 6, 2005 were the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles, in their sixth year under Head Coach Andy Reid, had finally broken through after losing three straight NFC title games. A fundamentally sound club on both sides of the ball, the Eagles had made major free agent signings in bringing in WR Terrell Owens and DE Jevon Kearse. QB Donovan McNabb had his best year as he passed for 3875 yards and 31 touchdowns. Owens contributed 77 catches for 1200 yards and 14 TDs before going down with a major ankle injury – he was back in action for the Super Bowl after a seven-week layoff with a metal plate and two screws in his right ankle. RB Brian Westbrook was an outstanding all-purpose back. Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson employed an attacking, blitz-heavy scheme that benefited from the addition of Kearse and included Pro Bowlers in MLB Jeremiah Trotter, CB Lito Sheppard, SS Michael Lewis, and FS Brian Dawkins. The Eagles went 13-3 in topping the NFC East and had gotten by the Vikings in the Divisional round of the playoffs and Falcons for the conference title. They came into the Super Bowl as seven-point underdogs against the defending champs.

There were 78,125 fans in attendance at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, plus a huge television viewing audience. The teams traded punts until midway through the first quarter when the Eagles finally put a solid drive together. In a third-and-seven situation at the New England 47, McNabb threw to Owens on a crossing pattern that picked up 30 yards and a roughing penalty added an additional nine yards. However, a sack of McNabb by Mike Vrabel cost Philadelphia 16 yards. McNabb’s poorly-thrown pass into the end zone was then intercepted by CB Asante Samuel, but the Eagles got a break when LB Roman Phifer was penalized for illegal contact. But McNabb followed up with another bad pass that was picked off by Rodney Harrison, and this time the play stood.

The Patriots were unable to move on offense and punted with the Eagles getting the ball back in good field position at the New England 45. Once again they turned the ball over when, three plays later, TE L.J. Smith fumbled after being hit by CB Randall Gay and Samuel recovered for the Patriots.

Again the Philadelphia defense held and, with the scoreless game now early in the second quarter, the Eagles got the ball back at their 19. This time they went 81 yards in nine plays highlighted by McNabb completions to WR Todd Pinkston (pictured at left) that covered 17 and 40 yards. On a third-and-six play, McNabb threw to Smith for a touchdown.

The Patriots came alive on offense, spurred by Brady passes to Corey Dillon for 13 and 16 yards to start off the next series. They advanced deep into Philadelphia territory, but Brady fumbled and DT Darwin Walker recovered at the 13.

The Eagles had to punt after the resulting short possession, with Dirk Johnson getting off a 29-yard kick that allowed New England to start the next series at the Philadelphia 37. The Patriots took seven plays in driving to the tying score, with Brady completing all five of his passes. The last was to WR David Givens in the right corner of the end zone for a four-yard TD. The score was 7-7 at the half.

In the third quarter, the Patriots advanced 69 yards in nine plays despite facing a heavy blitz. Deion Branch caught four passes along the way, the last for a 21-yard gain to the Philadelphia two. From there, Vrabel, used as a short-yardage pass receiver on offense, caught a touchdown pass to put New England back in front at 14-7.

The teams again traded punts until the Eagles responded with a 74-yard drive in 10 plays - eight of them passes - that ended with McNabb firing a throw down the middle to Brian Westbrook for a 10-yard TD.

As the period wound down and the contest entered the fourth quarter, the Patriots were methodically driving down the field against a tiring Eagles defense. RB Kevin Faulk had two catches on screen passes, the second for 14 yards to set up a two-yard Dillon scoring run that put the Patriots back in the lead.

The Eagles had to punt following their next series and the Patriots again drove to a score. On second down, Brady (pictured below) threw to Branch for a 19-yard gain and a roughing the passer penalty on DT Corey Simon moved the ball to the Philadelphia 16. Two runs by Dillon advanced the ball to the four and, while the defense held, Adam Vinatieri kicked a 22-yard field goal to put New England up by ten points.

On the next Eagles possession, McNabb was intercepted by Tedy Bruschi, but the resulting New England series was a short one and Philadelphia got the ball back with 5:40 left to play. The Eagles showed a surprising lack of urgency on the next drive as they moved methodically down the field, huddling after each play and using up a great deal of time. McNabb completed eight passes during the 13-play series that covered 79 yards. He tossed a 30-yard touchdown pass to WR Greg Lewis, but there was just 1:48 remaining in the game.

An onside kick was recovered by New England. Using all of their timeouts as the Patriots ran the ball three times and punted, the Eagles got the ball back at their four yard line with 46 seconds left. It was too much to overcome - Rodney Harrison’s second interception with nine seconds remaining on the clock clinched the 24-21 win for the Patriots.

The Eagles gained the most yards (369 to 331) and had more first downs (24 to 21). However, the vast majority of those yards came through the air as they were only able to run for 45 yards on 17 carries against the New England defense. Philadelphia also turned the ball over four times, to one suffered by the Patriots, and McNabb was sacked on four occasions while the Eagles got to Brady twice.

Deion Branch tied the Super Bowl record for pass receptions as he had 11 catches for 133 yards and was the game’s MVP. Tom Brady completed 23 of 33 passes for 236 yards with two touchdowns and none intercepted. Corey Dillon ran for 75 yards on 18 carries that included a TD.

For the Eagles, Donovan McNabb was successful on 30 of 51 throws for 357 yards and three TDs but also tossed three interceptions. Terrell Owens (pictured below) caught 9 of those passes for 122 yards. Brian Westbrook had just 44 rushing yards on 15 attempts but also had 7 pass receptions for 60 yards and a TD. Todd Pinkston contributed four receptions for 82 yards.

“I was proud of the effort and they battled, but we came up just short – too many turnovers,” said Andy Reid in defeat. “And against such a tough football team you can’t do that.”

With three championships in four years, the Patriots received many accolades and the word dynasty was liberally employed. “We’ve never really self-proclaimed ourselves anything,” said Tom Brady. “If you guys say we’re great, we’ll accept the compliment.”

New England still topped the AFC East in 2005, although with a lesser 10-6 record as they endured the offseason loss of both offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel, and had to deal with a spate of injuries during the regular season. The effort to win a third straight NFL title ended with a loss to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional playoff round. They would next return to the Super Bowl following the 2007 season.

For Philadelphia, the Super Bowl defeat led to a difficult offseason in which several players became embroiled in contract squabbles – most notably Terrell Owens, who publicly questioned Donovan McNabb’s performance during the slow-moving fourth quarter drive. Owens returned to the club but was eventually suspended during the season, McNabb (pictured below) was lost in the 10th game, and the Eagles dropped to the bottom of the NFC East with a 6-10 record. They bounced back to win the division in ’06 – with Owens gone to Dallas and Jeff Garcia spelling an injured McNabb. 

2007: Cowboys Beat Packers in Battle of 10-1 Teams to Secure Playoff Berth

The matchup on November 29, 2007 at Texas Stadium featured two 10-1 teams, the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers, battling for the upper hand in the NFC. Both clubs featured outstanding offenses. The Cowboys, under first-year Head Coach Wade Phillips, had a solid core with QB Tony Romo (pictured at right), brash WR Terrell Owens, TE Jason Witten, and RB Marion Barber. Green Bay, coached by Mike McCarthy, had QB Brett Favre, in his sixteenth year behind center, throwing to wide receivers Donald Driver and Greg Jennings and handing off to RB Ryan Grant, who had become the team’s top runner down the stretch. There were injury concerns where the Packers were concerned, but they were a fundamentally sound team heading into the showdown in Irving, Texas.

There were 64,167 in attendance for the Thursday night contest and the Cowboys were wearing throwback uniforms harkening back to the ‘60s. The Packers received the opening kickoff and drove 40 yards in eight plays, capped by Mason Crosby’s 47-yard field goal for the early 3-0 lead. Following a 35-yard kickoff return by WR Miles Austin, Dallas responded in kind with a seven-play, 47-yard drive that ended with a game-tying 26-yard field goal by Nick Folk.

After a three-and-out Green Bay possession, the Cowboys followed up with another Folk field goal, this time from 51 yards, capping a drive highlighted by Marion Barber’s 16-yard run up the middle. The Packers gave the ball back on the first play following the ensuing kickoff as Favre’s poorly-thrown pass was intercepted by safety Ken Hamlin and Dallas capitalized when Romo immediately threw to Owens for a 34-yard gain to the Green Bay seven yard line and, two snaps later, connected with WR Patrick Crayton for a three-yard touchdown.

There was still just over a minute remaining in the first quarter as the Packers got the ball again. On a third-and-one play at the Green Bay 38, Grant took a handoff and broke away for a 62-yard TD. Dallas had a 13-10 lead after a period of play.

The Cowboys were quick to respond. On the first play of the second quarter, Romo completed a pass to Owens for a 48-yard gain to the Green Bay 28. Two plays later, he hit TE Anthony Fasano for a 26-yard touchdown and, with the successful extra point, Dallas was ahead by 20-10.

The Packers drove from their 16 to the 43 yard line on their next possession, but on a second-and-12 play Favre was again intercepted, this time by CB Terence Newman, giving the Cowboys the ball in good field position at the Green Bay 45. More significantly, the 38-year-old quarterback suffered a shoulder separation when hit by CB Nate Jones and was done for the day.

Dallas didn’t take long to score as a long Romo pass intended for Austin drew a pass interference penalty that moved the ball to the five yard line and, while a false start moved the ball back five yards, Owens caught a ten-yard pass for a touchdown. It was now a 27-10 game and the Cowboys seemed to be very much in command.


When the Packers went back on offense, it was third-year backup QB Aaron Rodgers behind center (pictured at left). While Favre had not been having a good day prior to his injury, completing just 5 of 14 passes for 56 yards with two of them intercepted, Rodgers was still a largely untested talent.

Rodgers’ first series was uneventful and the teams traded punts before Green Bay got the ball back again with 5:23 remaining in the first half. Following a loss on a busted play, Rodgers threw to Greg Jennings for a 43-yard gain into Dallas territory at the 32. Tossing short passes, Rodgers chipped away at the Cowboys defense and, in the final seconds of the half, hit Jennings again for an 11-yard touchdown. It was a ten-point game at 27-17 at halftime.

Austin returned the second half kickoff 38 yards to the Dallas 44 and the Cowboys quickly drove into Green Bay territory. But on a fourth-and-two play at the 30 yard line, RB Julius Jones was held to a yard and the Packers took over on downs. Rodgers was sacked for an eight-yard loss on the first play, but had back-to-back completions of seven yards to WR James Jones and 17 yards to Donald Driver. Rodgers completed four more passes during the drive, including one to TE Donald Lee that gained 22 yards, and showed off his mobility with a nine-yard run for a first down in a second-and-eight situation. Grant finished off the 12-play series with a one-yard touchdown carry and, with the PAT, the big Dallas lead was down to three points at 27-24.

The Cowboys came back with a long possession of their own, highlighted by a 35-yard completion by Romo to Crayton on a third-and-19 play from the Dallas 11. However, after getting to the Green Bay six yard line, Romo was intercepted in the end zone by CB Al Harris on a pass that was juggled by Owens.

The Packers were forced to punt, and the Cowboys moved the ball with Romo completing four passes to Jason Witten along the way. The seven-play, 75-yard drive ended with Romo tossing a four-yard touchdown pass to Crayton. The Cowboys were once again ahead by ten points with just under eight minutes left to play.

Rodgers completed two passes to Driver that covered 17 yards and, in between, ran for a 13-yard gain out of the shotgun formation. The Green Bay drive stalled at the Dallas 35 and Crosby booted a 52-yard field goal to make it a seven-point game. However, the Cowboys sealed the win by responding with a nine-play possession that ran four minutes off the clock and ended up with Folk kicking a 25-yard field goal. Along the way, Barber carried the ball seven times for 26 yards.

Getting the ball back with 1:03 on the clock, there just wasn’t enough time for Rodgers and the Packers. They ran out of both time and downs at their own 44. Dallas came away with a 37-27 win.

The Cowboys outgained Green Bay with 414 yards to 357 and also had the edge in first downs, 23 to 20. In addition, they recorded three sacks while surrendering none and had the one turnover, to two suffered by the Packers.

Tony Romo completed 19 of 30 passes for 309 yards with four touchdowns and the one interception. Terrell Owens (pictured below) caught 7 passes for 156 yards and a TD while Jason Whitten added 6 receptions for 67 yards. Marion Barber paced the running attack, carrying the ball 17 times for 81 yards.


In relief of Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers showed off his potential as he was successful on 18 of 26 throws for 201 yards and a touchdown with none intercepted. Donald Driver caught 7 passes for 66 yards and Greg Jennings accumulated 87 yards on his 5 receptions that included a TD. Ryan Grant, aided by the long touchdown run, gained 94 yards on 14 rushing attempts that included two scores.

The win assured the Cowboys of a playoff spot and put them in prime position for the top seed in the NFC. They lost two meaningless games to end up atop the NFC East with a 13-3 record. Green Bay went on to win the NFC North, also with a 13-3 tally. However, the postseason proved to be anticlimactic for both clubs as they were upset by the fifth-seeded New York Giants. The Cowboys lost to New York in the Divisional round and the Packers, after whipping Seattle in that round, lost the NFC Championship game to the Giants in overtime.

Tony Romo placed second in the league in TD passes (36), yards per attempt (8.1), and yards per completion (12.6). His 4211 passing yards ranked third and his 97.4 passer rating fifth, although he also tied for fourth (with Cleveland’s Derek Anderson) by tossing 19 interceptions. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl.

Terrell Owens was a consensus first-team All-Pro as well as Pro Bowl selection as he caught 81 passes for 1355 yards (16.7 avg.) and 15 touchdowns. Jason Whitten also was selected to the Pro Bowl, for the fourth straight year, as well as gaining consensus first-team All-Pro honors for the first time (it was the fifth such occasion for Owens) after pulling in 96 receptions for 1145 yards (both career highs) and seven TDs.

The injury to Brett Favre appeared to put his record string of 249 consecutive starts at quarterback in jeopardy, but he was back the next week and finished out the season (his last with the Packers). He finished right behind Romo in fourth place with 4155 passing yards while tossing 28 touchdown passes against 15 interceptions.

Aaron Rodgers played in just one other game in 2007, and after three seasons had a career total of 59 pass attempts and the one TD pass. Things would change dramatically in ’08 as he stepped out from behind Favre’s shadow. The fine relief performance against the Cowboys served as something of a preview of coming attractions.

2002: 49ers Defeat Giants in Thursday Night Opening Game

The NFL chose to open the 2002 regular season with a Thursday night game prior to the weekend contests. The New York Giants hosted the San Francisco 49ers at Giants Stadium in the New Jersey Meadowlands on September 5. There was a celebrity-filled concert at Times Square prior to the kickoff, much of it in tribute to the recovery efforts in New York City following the previous year’s terrorist attack.

The Giants, coached by Jim Fassel and NFC champions in 2000, had slipped to 7-9 in ’01 and there had been dissension sown along the way. Even a bright spot like DE Michael Strahan breaking the single-season record for sacks with 22.5 was clouded by controversy when it appeared that Green Bay QB Brett Favre had set himself up for the record-setting sack in the season finale. In the ensuing offseason, defensive coordinator John Fox left the club to become head coach of the Carolina Panthers and a mainstay at linebacker, Jessie Armstead, moved on to Washington as a free agent.

San Francisco had finished second in the NFC West under Head Coach Steve Mariucci in ’01 with a 12-4 mark and lost to Green Bay in the Wild Card round of the postseason. It was a step in the right direction after the club had run into salary cap trouble and fell below .500 in both 1999 and 2000. The passing combination of QB Jeff Garcia to WR Terrell Owens had been highly productive, although the temperamental Owens (pictured above) clashed with both coach and teammates.

For all of the pregame hoopla, the contest itself seemed anticlimactic as both teams started slowly. The 49ers got the first break on the game’s third play when safety Tony Parrish intercepted a pass by New York QB Kerry Collins. After a 16-yard run by Garcia, the Niners had a first and goal situation at the Giants seven yard line, but couldn’t get into the end zone and the resulting 25-yard field goal attempt by Jose Cortez was blocked.

New York proceeded to drive 69 yards on 11 plays with Matt Bryant, who had been cut the week before but re-signed when PK Owen Pochman had to be placed on injured reserve, booting a 29-yard field goal to give the Giants the early lead.

Cortez, the top placekicker in the XFL in 2001 with the Los Angeles Xtreme, made good on his second field goal attempt from 23 yards to tie the game at 3-3 at the end of the first quarter. That was it for the scoring until the last play of the half when Bryant narrowly made a 33-yard field goal that allowed the Giants to take a 6-3 lead into halftime.

San Francisco went ahead 10-6 in the third quarter as Garcia connected with RB Garrison Hearst on a swing pass that produced a nine-yard touchdown. The Niners seemed in control in the fourth quarter when Cortez kicked a 33-yard field goal following the third interception of a Collins pass.

However, the Giants fought back, driving 77 yards on 14 plays highlighted by Collins passes of 23 yards to WR Amani Toomer in a third-and-16 situation and 20 yards to rookie TE Jeremy Shockey. RB Tiki Barber capped the possession by diving into the end zone from a yard out, and with the successful PAT the score was tied at 13-13 with 1:49 remaining in regulation.

San Francisco’s offense took over on its 30 yard line following the kickoff, and Garcia immediately threw to Owens, who had streaked past Giants CB Jason Sehorn to make the catch on his way to a 33-yard gain. From the New York 37, Garcia passed again, this time to WR J.J. Stokes for 12 yards. After a seven-yard run by Hearst, Cortez was successful on the game-winning field goal from 36 yards. The 49ers went home with a hard-earned 16-13 victory.

Said 49ers Coach Mariucci afterward “It took us the whole game to get going, but we won. Can you call this game ugly? I guess you could say that.”

Indeed, sloppy play and penalties had marred the contest. There were 15 penalties, including 10 by the Giants. New York outgained the 49ers, 361 yards to 279, but had been undone by untimely interceptions (neither team fumbled) and penalty flags.

Terrell Owens was held to just eight yards receiving prior to the clutch catch that helped set up the winning field goal; he ended up with four receptions for 41 yards. TE Eric Johnson had the most receiving yards for the Niners with 44 on three catches. Jeff Garcia completed 16 of 26 passes for 166 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Garrison Hearst was the leading rusher with 40 yards on 12 carries.

Kerry Collins went to the air 45 times and completed 28 of those passes for 342 yards; however, he had the three interceptions as opposed to no TDs. Amani Toomer had an outstanding performance, catching 9 passes for 134 yards, but also had a 44-yard catch to inside the San Francisco 10 yard line wiped out by a holding penalty. The Giants gained just 43 yards on the ground, on 22 carries, with Tiki Barber leading the club with 29 yards on 15 attempts and the one score.


Both teams went on to finish the season with 10-6 records; in the case of the 49ers, it was good enough to win the NFC West while the Giants finished second in the NFC East and qualified for the postseason as a wild card team. They met in the Wild Card round, with San Francisco again coming out on top, 39-38, in a far-more exciting and high-scoring game that came down to a botched field goal attempt and missed pass interference call by the officials.

Terrell Owens caught a career-high 100 passes for 1300 yards and led the league with 13 touchdown receptions. The journeyman placekicker Jose Cortez (pictured above left) failed to last through the year with the 49ers and ended the 2002 season with Washington; he went on to see action with four more teams (as well as a brief second stint with the 49ers in 2005).

The Thursday night opening game was deemed a success and became an annual event, although since 2004 the host team has been the defending Super Bowl champion.