SATELLITE NEWS SERVICE - WEEK 18 - WILDCARD WEEKEND
1. CHIEFS@COLTS 8:10
2. SAINTS@EAGLES 6:20
3. CHARGERS@BENGALS 5:53
4. 49ERS@PACKERS 6:25
TRT: 37:34 WITH BARS
1:10:12;11 - KANSAS CITY CHIEFS @ INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
THIS IS HOW THINGS WENT DOWN IN INDIANAPOLIS. IT WAS ANDREW LUCK AND THE COLT AT HOME FEELING GOOD. THE CHIEFS HAVE LOST 7 STRAIGHT SINCE THE CONF. CHAMP. GAME IN 1994. JAMAAL CHARLES. IT WAS THE GUY THAT THE COLTS KNEW THEY NEEDED TO STOP. WHAT A YEAR IT HAS BEEN FOR HIM. HE LED THE TEAM IN RECEIVING YARDS AND RUSHING YARDS THIS SEASON. JAMAAL CHARLES GOING RIGHT FOR A 7 YD. GAIN BUT HE'S HURT ON THE PLAY. TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT HOW HARD HE GOES TO THE GROUND HERE. HE WASN'T NECESSARILY HIT. IT WAS HIM HITTING THE GROUND. YEA. PEOPLE KEEP FORGETTING ABOUT HOW HARD THE GROUND IS. AND, CLEARLY, YOU SEE RIGHT HERE THE DOCTOR IS CHECKING HIM OUT RECOGNIZING HE'S NOT THERE. UNFORTUNATELY, YOU WATCH... THEY'RE NOT HAPPY ABOUT LEAVING THE GAME. ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS WEAPONS IN FOOTBALL KNOCKED OUT OF THE GAME WITH A CONCUSSION. DIDN'T STOP THEM FROM SCORING ON THE DRIVE. ALEX SMITH TO DWAYNE BOWE FOR THE TD. SO THE CHIEFS UP 7-0 EARLY. NEXT DRIVE OF THE GAME WE'RE TIED AT 7. IT'S 2ND & 7, ALEX SMITH TO DWAYNE BOWE. DID DWAYNE BOWE HAVE A GAME TODAY? WILLIE YOU SAID EARLIER IN THE WEEK THIS GUY NEEDED TO STEP UP AND STEP UP HE DID. THIS IS GOOD FOR 63 YDS. YEA, HE GOT MY DISAPPEARING ACT AWARD OF THE YEAR BUT IN THE PLAYOFF GAME IS WHEN YOU NEED TO STEP UP, ESPECIALLY SOME OF YOUR BEST PLAYERS; AND HE CAME IN. HE MADE SOME PLAYS TO HELP THIS TEAM WIN THIS GAME. AND, REMEMBER THEY SCORED A F.G. ON THAT DRIVE AND NOT THE TD. WELL HERE'S SMITH GOING DEEP TO DONNY AVERY. WE DON'T SEE HIM GO DEEP VERY OFTEN BUT THIS TIME... THAT'S YOU’RE VERTICAL THREAT RIGHT THERE. ...79 YD. TD. AND THE CHIEFS UP 17-7. WHAT HAPPENS HERE GUYS BECAUSE THIS LOOKED WAY EASIER THAN IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IF YOU'RE AN INDY COLTS FAN. WELL THE SAFETY BIT ON IT. WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE IS YOU'RE GONNA SEE RIGHT HERE. AVERY, THE SAFETY.. YOU SEE HIM RIGHT THERE? THERE'S NO REASON TO BITE ON THAT DROP. HE'S LOOKING IN THE BACKFIELD WHILE HIS PLAYERS STILL RUNNING. THE ONE THING YOU CAN'T DO IS LOSE SIGHT ON THE GUY YOU'RE COVERING. HIS EYES ARE IN THE BACKFIELD. HIS RECEIVER RUNS RIGHT BY HIM. IT WAS A SIMPLE POST-ROUTE. YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE YOU CAN'T DO? YOU CAN'T TRY TO SWITCH HANDS IN TRAFFIC IF YOU'RE TRENT RICHARDSON. HIS FIRST CAREER PLAY IN THE ...OR CARRY IN THE PLAYOFFS AND HE FUMBLES IT THERE. AND HIS LAST. I THINK IT WAS HIS LAST. WELL THIS IS JUST...THIS IS HUGE. AS A R.B. YOU CAN'T SWITCH BALLS. OH, NO QUESTION ABOUT IT. YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE ON THE FIELD AND, AGAIN, UNDERSTAND, THIS IS THE PLAYOFFS. ALRIGHT, SO HERE COME ALEX SMITH AND THE CHIEFS. A LITTLE SHOVEL PASS TO ANTHONY SHERMAN. UNCONVENTIONAL BUT WORKS FOR THE 5 YD. TD. CATCH. THE CHIEFS UP 24-7. THAT WAS NIFTY. AND, DAN, THAT WAS ONE OF THOSE PLAYS WE TALKED ABOUT. ALEX SMITH IN THE FIRST HALF MAKING THINGS HAPPEN. WELL HERE COMES SMITH AGAIN AND WE KNOW HE CAN GET IT DONE WITH HIS FEET AS WELL. THEY'RE UP 24-10. THAT WAS A 3RD DOWN CONVERSION. 6 PLAYS LATER, SMITH TO DEXTER MCCLUSTER FOR A PICKUP OF 19. I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM USE HIM MORE. AND THAT'S THE WHOLE THING. I WAS SURPRISED HE ACTUALLY DIDN'T END UP GOING AND DOING SOME R.B. DUTY WHEN ALL THE RB'S STARTED TO GO DOWN FOR THE CHIEFS. WELL HERE'S SMITH AGAIN. NOTHING GOING SO HE WAITS AND CUTS UP THE MIDDLE. THAT WAS A NICE MOVE. PICKS UP THE 1ST DOWN ON 3RD & 7. 4 PLAYS LATER IT'S 1ST & GOAL. NILE DAVIS, WHO WAS FILLING IN FOR JAMAAL CHARLES, SCORES THE TD FROM 4 YDS. OUT; AND THE CHIEFS ON TOP 31-10. OH MY GOODNESS. ANDREW LUCK WONDERING WHAT'S GOING ON. BUT HERE COME THE COLTS, OR SO THEY THOUGHT. ILL-ADVISED PASS FROM ANDREW LUCK. PICKED OFF BY BRANDON FLOWERS. THE CHIEFS UP 31-10 AT HALFTIME. INDY TURNED THE BALL OVER TWICE IN THE 1ST HALF. ANDREW LUCK KNEW THAT HE JUST WAS NOT PLAYING HIS BEST GAME OF THE SEASON. SO 3RD QUARTER. COLTS STILL DOWN 31-10. ANDREW LUCK LOOKING FOR DONALD BROWN. HUSSAIN ABDUL STEPS IN FRONT OF IT AND THE CHIEFS TAKE IT OVER AT THE COLTS 18, AND THIS IS THE POINT WHERE WE THOUGHT THIS IS OVER, ISN'T IT? OH YEA, IT'S A WRAP; AND THAT'S THE THING ABOUT IT. WITH THE TURNOVERS AND THE MISTAKES THAT WERE BEING MADE, DID YOU PUT 7 ON THE BOARD? SOMETIMES THEY DID. SOMETIMES THEY DIDN'T. LUCK'S 2ND INTERCEPTION OF THE DAY. SO HERE COME THE CHIEFS AGAIN. SMITH AVOIDS THE PRESSURE. FINDS A WIDE OPEN NILE DAVIS. HIS 2ND TD. OF THE GAME. IT'S A 28 PT. LEAD NOW FOR THE CHIEFS WILLIE. ONE OF THE THINGS WE SAW ALL GAME LONG WAS D.B.'S LOSING COVERAGE BECAUSE THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT THE QB TAKING OFF RUNNING. WELL THERE'S ROBERT MATHIS. THIS MIGHT'VE BEEN THE TURNING POINT. THAT WAS THE PLAY. IT ABSOLUTELY WAS. ALMOST 28..21 PTS., UNANSWERED PTS. SCORED AFTER THAT PLAY. WELL, STRIP SACK AND ANDREW LUCK HITS DONALD BROWN. BROWN SQUIRTS INTO THE END ZONE. I LIKE BROWN. SO IT'S 38-24. HE'S PLAYED SOME GREAT FOOTBALL SINCE THEY ACQUIRED TRENT RICHARDSON. ANOTHER PLAYER GOING DOWN. YOU SEE RIGHT THERE FLOWERS. HE ENDS UP GOING OUT OF THE GAME. BRANDON FLOWERS IS ONE OF THE SEVERAL CHIEFS WHO LEFT THE GAME WITH INJURIES. ANOTHER INTERCEPTION FROM ANDREW LUCK. IT'S ABDULLAH AGAIN JUST KIND OF STEALS THE BALL RIGHT THERE FROM T.Y. HILTON. IT WAS A BAD THROW BY LUCK. HE THREW IT BEHIND ... BUT HE REMINDS ME OF A CORNERBACK THOUGH. A CORNERBACK GIVES UP THE TD. FORGETS ABOUT IT AND CONTINUED TO MAKE PLAYS WITH HIS LEGS. THAT PLAY YOU SEE RIGHT THERE. KEEPING PLAYS ALIVE, ALLOWING HIS GUYS TO GET OPEN. SEVERAL TIMES THROUGHOUT THIS GAME ANDREW LUCK BUYING THAT TIME ALA AARON RODGERS AND YOU SAW WHAT HAPPENED. YEA. THAT WAS LEVON BRAZIL AND THIS IS KOBE FLEENER HAD A DROP OR 2 EARLIER IN THE GAME. DOESN'T DROP THIS ONE. SO THE COLTS MAKING IT A 10 PT. GAME. IT'S 41-31. IN THE 4TH QUARTER, CHIEFS HAVE THE BALL. ALEX SMITH LOOKING DEEP FOR CYRUS GREG. THAT WAS THE PLAY. YOU SAID IT. YOU SAID IT. I TOLD YOU ABOUT IT WHEN IT HAPPENED. THAT'S THE PLAY THAT COMES BACK TO BITE HIM AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. THEY DIDN'T HAVE MANY PUNTS IN THIS GAME BUT THEY WOULD HAVE TO PUNT ON THAT DRIVE. SO HERE IT COMES. ANDREW LUCK AND THE COLTS TO T.Y. HILTON FOR 16. BUYING HIMSELF TIME. IT'S SO TOUGH TO GAUGE A QB LIKE HIM BECAUSE HE RUNS AROUND. HE CAN TAKE OFF AND BEAT YOU FOR 15 YDS. LIKE THIS RIGHT HERE WHAT WE'RE SEEING; OR, IF YOU BITE UP ON HIM, THE RECEIVER UNCOVERS. AND HE HITS THE RECEIVER BECAUSE HE'S GOOD ENOUGH TO THROW IT ON THE RUN. I DON'T CARE HOW GOOD YOU ARE, YOU CAN’T PLAN FOR THIS. NO WELL YOU CAN. IT'S WHAT? PURE LUCK. IT'S PURE LUCK DAN. YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT? I BELIEVE THERE ARE PLAYERS WHO HAVE MAGIC. I BELIEVE THIS YOUNG MAN HAS MAGIC. I'M NOT SAYING A MAGICIAN BUT I'M SAYING THERE ARE JUST THINGS THAT GOOD CONTINUE TO HAPPEN TO PLAYERS LIKE THIS. GOOD FOOTBALL INSTINCTS. HE'S ALWAYS AWARE. HE'S ALWAYS PAYING ATTENTION. GO BACK TO AARON RODGERS LAST WEEK IN THE PLAYOFF. THAT BALL...HE TOLD BOYKIN TO GO IN FOR A TD. RIGHT. THEY JUST HAVE IT. WELL IT'S A 3 PT. BALL GAME AT THIS JUNCTURE, AND HERE'S SMITH TO A.J. JENKINS WHO PICKS UP 27 YDS. THE CHIEFS SETTLE ON A 43 YD. RYAN SUCCOP F.G. SO THAT MAKES IT 38-44. ON THE ENSUING DRIVE JUSTIN HOUSTON INJURED ON THE SIDELINE. THAT'S NOT GOOD. LUCK HERE TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT SITUATION. DEEP TO T.Y. HILTON FOR 64 YDS. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN? HOW DO YOU BE ON THE DEFENSE HERE? I DON'T UNDERSTAND. YOU'RE FAST, NUMBER 1. BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND. THIS IS THE #1 THREAT IN THE GAME. YOU DO NOT LET T.Y. HILTON GET BEHIND YOU. I DON'T CARE WHO ELSE GETS BEHIND YOU. IT'S NOT T.Y. HILTON. YEA IT GETS RIGHT PAST...IT TURNS HIM AROUND. MAYBE EXPECTED SOME HELP THERE. WOW. I'M GONNA RIDE HIM ALL THE WAY INTO THE COVERAGE UNTIL I SEE MY HELP COME ACROSS. FIRST OF ALL THE SAFETY STILL SHOULDN’T HAVE BEEN THERE. SO THE COLTS UP BY 1 AT THIS POINT. ALEX SMITH IS PRESSURED. HE THROWS THE BALL AWAY. DON'T CELEBRATE TOO EARLY. THAT'S WHAT WE WERE SAYING. THERE'S STILL SOME TIME. 2 PLAYS LATER, JUST AFTER THE 2 MIN. WARNING. SMITH DEEP TO DWAYNE BOWE, AND THIS WAS A GREAT PASS. THAT WAS A NICE PASS. IT'S TOUGH FOR DWAYNE BOWE TO COME INBOUNDS. BUT THE THING ABOUT IT, YOU HAVE TO STAY INBOUNDS. RIGHT. YOU JUST HAVE TO. I MEAN YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE IN THE MOMENT. THIS IS THE LAST PLAY OF THE GAME. I GET IT BUT LET'S GIVE THE QB SOME CREDIT. THEY'RE TAUGHT TO RIDE. GET ON YOUR HIP AND PRESS YOU TOWARDS THAT SIDELINE. 45-44, THE FINAL. THE COLTS BEAT THE K.C. CHIEFS. WOW. THEY WERE DOWN 28 POINTS IN THIS GAME AND RALLY DESPITE 3 INTERCEPTIONS FROM ANDREW LUCK. THE GUY WAS LIKE A GOLFER, UNCONSCIOUS IN THIS WIN.
1:18:33;25 - NEW ORLEANS SAINTS @ PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
NICK FOLES, WEST LAKE H.S., BY THE WAY, IN AUSTIN TEXAS. 10 YRS. AFTER THAT GUY WENT TO WEST LAKE H.S. IN AUSTIN TEXAS. AS WE TOLD YOU, THE SAINTS LOOKING FOR THEIR 1ST POST-SEASON ROAD WIN. OPENING POSSESSION, 4TH & 2 AT THE EAGLES 37. WHAT ARE THEY DOING? THEY'RE GONNA GO FOR IT....AND WE GOT DRAMA. WE GOT FLAGS. WE GOT PEOPLE MOVING AND BOUNCING AND WE'RE CALLING IT ON YOUR OLD TEAMMATE, L.T. DREW BREES. WHAT DID HE DO? DID HE DO THE OLD HEAD BOB? YEA, PROBABLY SO. DREW IS KNOWN FOR DOING TOO MUCH SOMETIMES WITH THE HEAD BOB. SHOULDN'T DO THAT. THE SAINTS FORCED TO PUNT. 2 POSSESSIONS LATER 1ST & 10 AT MIDFIELD. BREES LOOKING FOR THE ROOKIE KENNY STILLS BUT IT'S BRADLEY FLETCHER WITH THE INT. THAT'S JUST A POOR THROW PRIME. HORRIBLE THROW. A GREAT PLAY BY THE DEF. BACK TO MAKE THE PLAY AND GET SOME NICE RETURN YDS. AT THAT. RETURN OF 24 OUT TO THE EAGLES 27 BUT THE EAGLES WOULD MISS A F.G. ON THAT POSSESSION. NEXT SAINTS POSSESSION, IT'S 3RD & 7 AND BREES LOOKING FOR HIS ALL-WORLD T.E. JIMMY GRAHAM WHO WAS HELD TO JUST 3 CATCHES. HERE HE'S GOT IT. HE'S LOOKING FOR THE FIRST DOWN BUT HE LOSES THE ROCK!! THE EAGLES HAVE RECOVERED. AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT THE REFS SAY BUT, OF COURSE, EVERY TURNOVER IS REVIEWED; AND UPON FURTHER REVIEW LOOK AT THAT KNEE. GOT THE KNEE DOWN. KNEE IS DOWN. SO THE SAINTS RETAIN POSSESSION. GREAT OFFICIATING. WAY TO GET THE CALL RIGHT. THE CALL IS ACTUALLY REVERSED, SO THEN THEY GET IT RIGHT. RIGHT. THEN ON THE NEXT PLAY THEY'RE 4TH & SHORT. THEY'RE GONNA GO FOR IT BUT BENJAMIN WATSON MOVED. SO THE SAINTS HAD TO SETTLE FOR A SHANE GRAHAM F.G. AND A 3-0 LEAD. WASN'T HE IN THE HUDDLE WHEN THEY CALLED THE PLAY? AND THAT'S A VET TOO. NEXT SAINTS POSSESSION. 2ND & 7. BREES FOR LANCE.. .BUT IT'S PICKED OFF BY DAMICO RYANS. BREES' 2ND PICK OF THE GAME AND THE EAGLES ARE ACROSS MIDFIELD. DREW JUST WASN'T HIMSELF FOR THE FIRST HALF. YEA, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT PHILLY DEFENSE MIXED UP COVERAGES VERY WELL AGAINST DREW BREES. CONFUSED HIM AT TIMES. GREAT PLAY THERE BY DAMICO RYANS. SO HERE COMES PHILLY WHICH WAS REALLY OUT OF SYNC FOR MCUH OF THE 1ST QUARTER AND A HALF AS WELL. NICK FOLES IN THE POCKET TO RILEY COOPER. 8 OF HIS 9 TD. GRABS WHEN FOLES WAS THROWING IT. LOOK HOW MUCH TIME HE HAS. A LOT OF TIME. IT'S HARD TO COVER A GUY THAT LONG. EAGLES WOULD TAKE A 7-6 HALFTIME LEAD. 3RD QUARTER SAME SCORE. 1ST POSSESSION OF HALF #2. FOLES ...POCKET'S COLLAPSING AND IT'S A HICKS/JORDAN SANDWICH. 3 AND OUT FOR PHILLY. IF YOU COULD GET THAT TYPE OF PRESSURE WITH 4 GUYS, YOU'RE DOING PRETTY GOOD. HERE COME THE SAINTS ON THEIR POSSESSION. DREW BREES ROLLING OUT HITTING LANCE MOORE. AND HE'S INTO THE END ZONE FROM 24 YDS. OUT, AND THE SAINTS HAVE A 13-7 LEAD. OH, OH, OH. OH, OH. NEXT PHILLY POSSESSION 3RD & 4. FOLES TO RILEY COOPER. HE'S GOT ...THAT WAS BIG MAN. HE HAD NOTHING BUT YARD...NOTHING BUT GRASS IN FRONT OF HIM. THAT WAS A BIG DROP. YES. I MENA THERE ARE CERTAIN PLAYERS THAT PLAYERS ARE GONNA GO TO SLEEP TONIGHT THINKING ABOUT. THAT'S THE ONE FOR RILEY COOPER. SO HERE COME THE SAINTS ON THE ENSUING POSSESSION. BREES TO STILLS. BOY, THE ROOKIE BECOMING A BIGGER PART OF THE GAME PLAN, L.T. YES HE IS. ROOKIE OUT OF OKLAHOMA WHO REALLY HAS COME ON STRONG LATELY. NEXT PLAY, BREES TO MR. FALSE START, BENJAMIN WATSON FOR HIS ONLY CATCH OF THE DAY. SAINTS STARTING TO SHOW A LITTLE BIT OF BALANCE. IN FACT, 3 PLAYS LATER 1ST & GOAL AND IT'S THE ALMOST FORGOTTEN R.B. OF THE GROUP WITH PIERRE THOMAS OUT INJURED, MARK INGRAM. THIS IS WHERE HE'S BEST. HE PUTS HIS FOOT IN THE GROUND. GOES DOWNHILL INTO THE END ZONE. GREAT RUN BY MARK INGRAM. HE CAN'T DO SHADY'S DANCE. YOU KNOW YOU TALK ABOUT THAT MUCH IMPROVED SAINTS DEFENSE. KEENAN LEWIS WAS A GUY WHO WAS JUST LOCKING PEOPLE DOWN, PRIME. I MEAN THIS GUY'S DONE A GREAT JOB ALL SEASON. I THINK HE'S REALLY PLAYED GOOD. REALLY WITH THE INJURIES, WITH THAT SECONDARY FOR THE SAINTS, THESE GUYS CAME ON WELL. NOW HE SUFFERED A CONCUSSION THIS GAME. HAD TO LEAVE FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE GAME. AND THAT'S WHEN THE EAGLES STARTING PICKING ON HIS REPLACEMENT OUT THERE AND IT JUST GOT A LITTLE BIT UGLY BECAUSE FOLES LOOKING DEEP DOWNFIELD FOR DESEAN JACKSON. HE'S GOT HIS FIRST CATCH WITH UNDER 3 MINS. TO GO IN THE 3RD QUARTER. IT'S HORRIBLE. 4 PLAYS LATER, 4TH & GOAL AT THE 1. FOLES TO SHADY AND HE POUNDS IT IN, AND THE EAGLES ARE WITHIN 6. NOW THAT'S THE WAY YOU DO THAT DANCE. HE'S TRYING TO GET BACK IN THE GAME. THEY'RE NOT GONNA LET HIM BACK IN THE GAME. LATER ON IN THE 4TH BREES LOOKING DEEP DOWNFIELD AS WELL FINDING ROBERT MEECHUM FOR HIS ONLY CATCH OF THE EVENING. 40 YDS. ON THAT AS HE HITS PATRICK CHUNG. SAINTS SETTLE FOR A GRAHAM F.G., AND A 6 PT. CUSHION ONCE AGAIN. BUT HERE COME THE EAGLES. IT'S FOLES TO DESEAN JACKSON COVERED BY CORY WHITE. BUT THAT'S NOT COVERAGE. THAT'S P.I. GET YOUR HAND DOWN FAN. GET YOUR HAND DOWN. THANK YOU. THAT'S P.I. THAT'S THE WAY TO ATTACK THE 1-ON-1. SO 2 PLAYS LATER AS ROB RYAN'S SITTING THERE SHAKING HIS HEAD, FOLES TO THE BACKUP T.E. ZACK ERTZ, THE ROOKIE OUT OF STANFORD. HE'S INTO THE END ZONE. THE P.A.T. GIVES THE EAGLES THE 1 PT. LEAD; BUT ON THE ENSUING KICKOFF, UT OH. DARREN SPROLES. SO DANGEROUS. SO EXPLOSIVE. AND THEN TACK ON 15 WITH THE HORSE COLLAR BY KERRY WILLIAMS. THAT'S A BIG PENALTY. HUGE. SO NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST NEEDING A FEW 1ST DOWNS. YOU'RE IN F.G. RANGE HERE ON 3RD & 1. BREES KEEPING IT HIMSELF AND JED COLLINS, THE FULLBACK, WITH A LITTLE PUSHING HELP AS WELL. 5 PLAYS LATER THE SAINTS RUN THE CLOCK ALL THE WAY DOWN. FOR SHANE GRAHAM WHO WAS SIGNED IN MID-DECEMBER, HE A VETERAN OF 9 DIFFERENT TEAMS, SENDS THE SAINTS ON TO THEIR NEXT STOP WHICH WILL BE A REMATCH WITH SEATTLE. THE SAINTS PICKUP THEIR FIRST EVER ROAD PLAYOFF WIN, 26-24. EVEN THOUGH THEY DON'T GET A HUGE EVENING FROM DREW BREES. UNDER 300 FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS LAST 4 PLAYOFF GAMES.
1:24:59;23 - SAN DIEGO CHARGERS @ CINCINNATI BENGALS
ALRIGHT, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT HOW THINGS WENT DOWN IN CINCY. MARVIN LEWIS AND THE BENGALS HAVE LOST THEIR LAST 5 PLAYOFF GAMES. AND THERE'S PHILIP RIVERS. WHAT A YEAR IT'S BEEN FOR HIM AFTER A COUPLE OF DOWN YEARS. HE HAS COME BACK WITH A VENGEANCE. 1ST QUARTER, PHILIP RIVERS. LOOK AT HIM. ...HOW ABOUT THAT? A LITTLE SHOT-PUT PASS THERE TO DANNY WOODHEAD FOR AN 11 YD. GAIN. TAKE ANOTHER LOOK HERE. PHILIP RIVERS CAN MOVE. THAT'S THE BEST THROW OF THE GAME. THE BEST THROW. THE LOLLYPOP RIGHT THERE. I JUST LOVE THE IMPROVISING IMPACT OF PHILIP RIVERS. THAT'S WHAT HE DOES. THAT'S WHAT HE DOES. YOU KNOW WHAT PHILIP LOVES? HE LOVES DANNY WOODHEAD. HE CAN THROW IT TO AND HE CAN RUN. LITTLE MIGHTY-MIGHT. THAT GUY JUST DOESN'T GO AWAY, MAN. LOOK, YOU CAN'T UNDERESTIMATE, UNDERSELL THE FOOTBALL I.Q. THAT HE HAS. YES, ABSOLUTELY. THAT MAKES IT 7-0 IN THE 2ND QUARTER. ANDY DALTON TO GEO BERNARD, ANOTHER MIGHTY-MIGHT WHO PICKS UP 11 HERE. GEO BERNARD HAS BEEN BIG FOR THIS OFFENSE. 4 PLAYS LATER 2ND & GOAL. DALTON RIGHT BEFORE HE GETS HIT TO JERMAINE GRESHAM. SO IT'S A 7-7 BALL GAME AND ANDY DALTON'S FIRST POST-SEASON TOUCHDOWN. HE HAD 80 PREVIOUS PASS ATTEMPTS. SO THE BENGALS SAID, "O.K., WE CAN DO THIS." PAC MAN LOST TO HIM ALL SEASON LONG. NEXT DRIVE, DALTON DEEP TO MARVIN LEWIS. NICE. THIS IS A LOT TOUGHER CATCH THAN IT LOOKS. I'M TELLING YOU, I MEAN JUST IN STRIDE. I DON'T KNOW IF THE BALL, LIKE THE PLACEMENT BUT, YEA, YOU TALK ABOUT THE WAY MARVIN GRABBED THAT BALL OVER THAT OUTSIDE LEFT SHOULDER. A THING OF BEAUTY. AND THIS IS WHERE THE GAME CHANGED. YES. THIS IS WHERE IT ALL STARTED TO GO DOWNHILL. WE JUST TALKED ABOUT GIOVANNI BERNARD. GREAT ROOKIE YEAR. GOOD PASS BY DALTON. GOOD CATCH. YOU GOTTA TUCK IT AWAY IN THE RED ZONE. POINTS OFF THE BOARD. YOU LOOK AT BUTLER HERE. I MEAN THIS IS THE WAY IT'S COACHED. THIS UNDER DEFENSE, AND HE GETS HIS HAND RIGHT THERE. LISTEN, JAIME YOU SAID IT. GAME-CHANGED RIGHT HERE. AND YOU HAVE YOUNG PLAYERS WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION THAT'S AT PLAY THERE. TERRIBLE PLAY. DONALD BUTLER CATCHES IT. RICHARD MARSHALL RECOVERS. DALTON HERE TO A.J. GREEN. JUST A.J. GREEN DOING WHAT HE DOES. AND PAGANO AGAIN DIALING UP BLITZ ALL GAME LONG. LINEBACKERS, SAFETIES. DIDN'T LET DALTON GET COMFORTABLE. 3 PLAYS LATER DALTON TO GRESHAM FOR A PICKUP OF 13 YDS. THE REPLAY ASST. WOULD CHALLENGE IF IT WAS A COMPLETE PASS. TAKE ANOTHER LOOK. IT SEEMS TO BE GOOD TO ME, AND THE PLAY WAS UPHELD. GRESHAM HAD POSSESSION OF THE BALL AND HIS FORWARD PROGRESS IS STOPPED. THE BENGALS WOULD SETTLE FOR A F.G. THERE AND THEY TAKE A 10-7 LEAD. IN THE 3RD QUARTER THE CHARGERS FIRST POSSESSION OF THE HALF. RIVERS LOOKING FOR THE ROOK, KEENAN ALLEN WHO HAS BEEN SO GOOD THIS YEAR. 3RD &1. IMRAN HE WAITED FOR THAT LATE CROSS. SO KEENAN CAME ACROSS. JUST GOOD PLAY. GOOD PATIENCE BY PHILIP. 4 PLAYS LATER TO ANOTHER GUY WHO'S HAD A PRETTY GOOD YEAR, EDDIE ROYAL. 43 YD. PICKUP. 1ST & GOAL FOR THE CHARGERS TO MOVE IT RIGHT ON DOWN THE FIELD. RIVERS THREW THE BALL MORE ON THIS DRIVE THAN HE DID ALL OF THE FIRST HALF. THIS TIME TO LADARIUS GREEN. PLACEMENT. PLACEMENT. PLACEMENT. I MEAN THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT A GUY LIKE PHILIP RIVERS DOES THAT HE DOESN'T GET A LOT OF CREDIT FOR. AND THEN YOU GOT KEENAN ALLEN, LADARIUS. THESE GUYS JUST COMING AROUND WHEN NEED BE. LADARIUS GREEN THEY SAY MIGHT BE THE FASTEST GUY ON THE TEAM. THAT'S SCARY FOR A MAN OF THAT SIZE. HERE'S ANDY DALTON. HE TRIED TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN HERE BUT HE GOES TO THE GROUND AND FUMBLES. WHAT DID DUKESY JUST SAY ABOUT THE DETAILS OF THE GAME? DALTON'S NOT A YOUNG PLAYER ANYMORE. HE'S A QB. GOOD IDEA. I LOVE THE PLAYMAKING ABILITY. GET OUT, SCRAMBLE. PICKUP THE 7 OR 8 YDS. BUT TAKE CARE OF THE FOOTBALL ANDY. JALEAL ADIA RECOVERS AT THE BENGALS 46. BENGALS NEXT DRIVE UP 17-10. HE'S PICKED OFF HERE. ANOTHER BLITZ. AND A GREAT JOB BY PAGANO DIALING UP A BLITZ. PUT PRESSURE ON HIM. HAD HIM MOVING AROUND. HE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. THERE'S PAGANO THERE. THEY TEACH YOU TO THROW INTO THE BLITZ BUT THEY TEACH YOU TO THROW INTO THE BLITZ ABOUT 80% OF THE TIME. GREAT JOB BY JOHN AND HIS DEFENSE BEING IN THE RIGHT PLACE. YEA, SHARICE WRIGHT, THE MAN WHO IS JOHNNY ON THE SPOT; AND HERE COMES THE CHARGERS AGAIN. RONNIE BROWN GOES RIGHT BY RAY MALALIGA IS THERE. THE CHARGERS HAVE TO SETTLE FOR A F.G. ON THE ENSUING DRIVE, DALTON AGAIN. THIS TIME A TERRIBLE THROW. PICKED OFF BY MELVIN INGRAM. WELL, AND THIS IS JUST AN ATROCIOUS READ. I MEAN THERE WAS A SLIGHT LITTLE SHIFT IN THE DEFENSIVE FORMATION BUT IT WAS PRE-SNAP. ANDY SHOULD'VE SEEN IT. WIDE EYES. YOU SEE THE WHOLE FIELD. NEVER SAW IT. BAD BALL. BAD PLACEMENT. BAD LOCATION. BAD, BAD, BAD. YEA, IT LOOKED LIKE INGRAM WAS THERE THE ENTIRE TIME. SO ON THE CHARGERS ENSUING DRIVE, RON MCCLAIN UP THE MIDDLE FOR NO GAIN. KEN WHISENHUNT LOOKING ON. THE CHARGERS FORCED TO PUNT ON THIS DRIVE. SO CINCY HAS THE BALL AGAIN. DALTON LOOKING DEEP FOR A.J. GREEN BUT A.J. JUST CAN'T HOLD ONTO THE BALL. WELL THE BALL WAS LATE, FIRST OF ALL. HE SHOULD’VE CAUGHT THE BALL. WHEN YOU'RE THAT KIND OF RECEIVER, YOU'RE THE TOP 3 RECEIVER IN THE GAME, YOU GOTTA CATCH THAT BALL. BUT HE SHOULD'VE HAD THE BALL EARLIER AND RUN IT INTO THE END ZONE. THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE IT'S JUST TIMING. BUT YOU'RE THAT KIND OF PLAYER. CATCH THE BALL. THOSE ARE THE KIND OF PLAYS THAT NEED TO BE MADE IN THE PLAYOFFS. 6 PLAYS LATER, DALTON LOOKING FOR MARVIN JONES BUT THAT’S OVERTHROWN BY ABOUT 5 YDS. SO THE BENGALS TURN IT OVER ON DOWNS. CHARGERS HAVE THE BALL NOW. Its 2ND & 8. RONNIE BROWN FROM AUBURN. LOOK AT THAT SPEED. LOOK AT THAT SPEED. HEY, LISTEN. THAT WAS A 230 LB. BACK AT 4.4 COMING OUT ABOUT 8 YRS. AGO. WELL NOW HE'S A 245 LB. BACK. HE'S NOT 245! LOOK HOW HIGH HE'S WEARING HIS PANTS NOW. IT'S THE BLUE PANTS. IT'S THE DARK PANTS. WHY'S HE WEARING HIS PANTS SO HIGH? R.B.'S DON'T NORMALLY DO THAT. YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S THE HIP PADS AND THE BUTT PADS YOU GOTTA WORRY ABOUT. LOOK AT PHILLIP RIVERS. ELATED. A HUGE PLAYOFF WIN FOR THE CHARGERS. THEY WIN 4 IN A ROW TO END THE SEASON. THEY SQUEAK IN 27-10 TO WIN THE FINAL. LET'S GIVE CINCY'S DEFENSE SOME CREDIT. THIS GAME WAS A LOT CLOSER THAN THE SCORE INDICATES. THEY DID A TREMENDOUS JOB ALL GAME LONG. YOU THINK ABOUT IT, YOU'RE HOLDING PHILIP RIVERS TO 128 YDS. PASSING. THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD GAME FOR THEM. 27-10 THE FINAL.
1:31:00;18 - SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS @ GREEN BAY PACKERS
HERE'S HOW IT ALL WENT DOWN IN G.B. THE FINAL GAME OF WILD CARD WEEKEND JUST 4 DEGREES. IT FEELS LIKE NEGATIVE 14. FEELS LIKE I WANT TO STAY HOME. KAEPERNICK AND AARON RODGERS. AND AARON RODGERS...COLIN KAEPERNICK, A WISCONSIN NATIVE WHO GREW UP A PACKER FAN, PLAYING ON THE FIELD THAT HE DREAMED OF PLAYING IN HIS WHOLE LE AND GOING UP TOP! MICHAEL CRABTREE. TARGETING HIM EARLY ON. EARLY ON, THEY WENT AFTER CRABTREE. BUT THEY FOUND OUT WHEN THEY WERE GOING AFTER CRABTREE THAT THE REFS WERE LETTING THEM PLAY. 4TH CATCH OF THE DRIVE FOR 7 YDS. RIGHT THERE. CASE IN POINT. THIS WAS A ..A HARVENGER, AS MY OLD ENGLISH TEACHER WOULD SAY. THEY DID LET THEM PLAY. THE NINERS HAD TO SETTLE FOR A F.G. IN THE RED ZONE. LATER ON IN THE 1ST QUARTER, ANOTHER MOMENT WHERE CRABTREE'S LOOKING FOR A FLAG. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? IT WENT BOTH WAYS. THEY DIDN'T JUST CALL IT FOR G.B. THEY CALLED IT FOR S.F. TOO WHEN G.B.'S OFFENSE WAS OUT THERE. SO THE REFS WERE CONSISTENT. DEVON HOUSE...LAST TIME WE SAW A HOUSE DROP LIKE THAT IT WAS AUNTIE EM. NO FLAG RIGHT THERE THOUGH SO THEY HAD TO SETTLE FOR A F.G. IT'S 6-0 AND KAEPERNICK FLIPS ONE UP. TRUMANE WILLIAMS GAINS MORE YDS. ON THIS RETURN THAN THE PACKERS OFFENSE HAD IN THE GAME TO THIS POINT. THIS WAS A BIG MOMENTUM SWING. THAT WAS A WONDERFUL JOB BY TRUMANE READING THAT PLAY. HE'S PEEKING IN THE BACKFIELD. IT GOT THEIR OFFENSE STARTED. YEP. OFFENSE HAD ONLY 1 TOTAL YARD TO THAT POINT. TRUMAN WILLIAMS ON A 17 YD. RETURN SPARKED A DRIVE THAT WENT 14 PLAYS. RODGERS TO JORDY NELSON TO WRAP IT UP. LOOK AT THAT. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A GAME OF INCHES, I MEAN THAT'S HALF AN INCH RIGHT THERE. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT PLAY. NEXT PACKERS POSSESSION. THAT TURNED INTO A 7-6 LEAD AND NEXT NINERS POSSESSION. KAEPERNICK DOING WHAT KAEPERNICK DOES. OFF THE GUT AND OUT THE GATE. 42 YDS. SHADES OF LAST YEAR'S DIVISIONAL BATTLE BETWEEN THESE 2 TEAMS IN MUCH WARMER S.F. 2 PLAYS LATER ON THE PACKERS 10, 2ND & 7. IT'S THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH RIGHT UP THE GUT. I LOVE THIS GUY AND HOW HE RUNS THE FOOTBALL. THE FACT THAT THEY LIKE TO DO ALL THE FANCY STUFF. WHEN THEY WANT TO GET THE DIRTY WORK DONE THEY GO TO FRANK GORE. 13-10 AT THE HALF. LET'S GO TO THE 4TH QUARTER BECAUSE MIKE MCCARTHY'S CALLING A PLAY ON 4TH DOWN AGAIN. IT'S STILL 13-10. AARON RODGERS A LA ELI MANNING OF THE S.B. IN '07. GETS OUT AND FINDS WHO ELSE IS THE GUY ON 4TH DOWN THE CAN GO TO? RANDALL COBB! BIG TIME PLAY FOR THE INCEPTION...THE FACT THAT THE BACK OF THE POCKET RAY MCDONALD WAS MUGGED. NO FLAG. THAT'S HOLDING IN THE WORST WAY. YEP. HEY, THIS RANDALL COBB HAS A KNACK FOR FINDING THE OPEN SPOT WHEN HE FEELS AARON RODGERS IS IN TROUBLE. A WHOLE LOT OF HOLDING GOING ON. NO FLAG. THAT'S THE WAY TO LET THEM PLAY. 2 PLAYS LATER JOHN KUHN. WAIT. LET'S CHECK ON THE LAMBEAU LEAP. JOHN KUHN'S GOING ...IT'S FROZEN. YEA, IT'S BEEN FROZEN. HEY. IF HE HAD HIS HEAD DOWN IT WOULD'VE BEEN GUS FREROTTE ALL OVER AGAIN. GOOD THING HE HAD DEICER ON HIS ... GOOD THING HE WAS LOOKING AT WHAT HE COULD HIT. KEEP YOUR HEAD UP WHEN YOU'RE LAMBEAU LEAPING KIDS IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. 3RD & 4. KAEPERNICK'S OUT THE GATE AGAIN. THIS IS A GREAT PLAY CALL. ..BADLY EXECUTED BY THE G.B. PACKERS. 87 RUSH YDS. FOR #7 AT THAT POINT IN TIME. NEXT PLAY, FRESH SET OF DOWNS AT THE 28, VERNON DAVIS HELD IN CHECK NO MORE. TOUCHDOWN! GOOD JOB BY KAEPERNICK. THAT WAS A GOOD THROW BY KAP. YEA, REALLY LOOKED LIKE THEY CAME BACK TO VERNON DAVIS, AND IT WAS AN ANTICIPATORY THROW. LET'S GO EARLY ENOUGH RIGHT THERE. WHEN IT' THE A.J. HAWK/MORGAN BURNETT NEEDLE. JIM HARBAUGH'S GIVING YOU THE MAN POINT. IT'S 4 DEGREES AND HE'S STILL WEARING KHAKI'S. HERE COMES AARON RODGERS NEXT DRIVE. 3RD & 5. IT'S THE 80TH CHAIN MOVING SIDEARM FLIP OF WILDCARD WEEKEND IT SEEMS. THIS WAS A PHYSICAL FOOTBALL GAME. 8 YD. PLAY TO KUHN, 1ST DOWN. RODGERS BUYING TIME. 2ND & 2. ALL SORTS OF TIME. IT'S RANDALL COBB AGAIN. HE KNOWS HOW TO UNCOVER. WHY DON'T D.B.'S UNDERSTAND YOU NEED TO BREAKDOWN IN TODAY'S GAME. YOU CAN'T JUST HIT THE QB LIKE THAT. 25 YD. GAIN BUT EDDIE LACEY CHILLING ON THE SIDELINE INSIDE THE 10. IT'S 3RD & GOAL NOW. RODGERS TRYING TO BUY TIME AND TIME RUNS OUT. THAT PLAY RIGHT THERE IS HUGE.. IS WHAT WON THIS DEFENSE THE GAME. IF YOU UNDERSTAND, THEY HOLD THEM UNTIL A F.G. THERE WAS A HOLD CALLED ON THAT PLAY BUT IT WAS DECLINED. THEY SETTLE FOR A F.G. TIE GAME. 5 AND CHANGE TO GO AND THAT IS WHEN KAEPERNICK STARTED WINGING IT AROUND ALMOST TO THE DETRIMENT TO HIS TEAM AS __ ALMOST PICKS THIS THING OFF. OPPORTUNITY. OPPORTUNITY KNOCKING. OHH. THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOOD AND GREAT. INSTEAD, CRABTREE GETTING NEW LIFE. MOVE THE CHAINS AND THEN FRANK GORE OVER THE MIDDLE. FIRST DOWN. TICK TOCK. TICK TOCK. ONLY 2 TIMEOUTS LEFT FOR G.B. AARON RODGERS BEGINNING TO FEEL COLDER. PHIL DAWSON TRYING TO WARM-UP HIS LEG. 3RD & 8. A BUCK 12 TO GO. KAEPERNICK BREAKS AGAIN! AGAIN, GREAT DEF. COVERAGE...BADLY EXECUTED BY THE G.B. PACKERS. THEY LOVE TO PLAY IN PRESS COVERAGE. THAT GUY CAN RUN. 3RD & 3. FRANK GORE PICKING IT UP. THIS IS POWER. 1ST DOWN, 50 TICKS TO GO. G.B. OUT OF TIMEOUTS. IT MEANT THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO KICK IT RIGHT THEN AND THERE. THEY COULD JUST ICE IT, AND THAT'S WHAT THE 49ERS DID. THEY LET IT RUN ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 3 SECS. JIM HARBAUGH STILL, AGAIN, WEARING KHAKIS AS PHIL DAWSON BOOTS THE 49ERS THROUGH TO THE DIVISIONAL ROUND AND TO CAROLINA NEXT WEEKEND BOUNCING THE G.B. PACKERS WHO HAD QUITE AN EVENTFUL SEASON. THEY DID WIN THE NFC NORTH DESPITE MISSING AARON RODGERS IN WEEK'S 10 THROUGH 16. BUT, DESPITE EDDIE LACEY AND AARON RODGERS' BEST EFFORT WITH JORDY NELSON AND RANDALL COBB ON THIS DAY, COLIN KAEPERNICK WITH 227 YDS. PASSING AN ALMOST 100 YDS. RUSHING, MICHAEL CRABTREE COMING UP LARGE AND IN CHARGE FOR THE 49ERS WHO MOVE ON THE 6 SEED. THE 5 SEED ADVANCES TO CAROLINA.
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