American football: Green Bay trump rivals in wild card showdown
This wild card game between these two rivals was decided by Al Harris’ 52 yard interception return with 10.35 on the clock in the first period of overtime.
The two sides were level at 27 points each at the end of regular time at Lambeau Field in Green Bay and Seattle were in possession of the ball and making ground when Seahawks quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck threw a loose ball wide and Harris picked it off and returned it for the touchdown which secure’s Green Bay’s place in the championship semi-finals next weekend.
On Saturday, Gary Anderson drilled a 46-yard field goal with 29 seconds left to lift Tennessee to a 20-17 victory over Baltimore in the opening round of the National Football League playoffs.
The Carolina Panthers, in contrast, needed no late-game heroics in a 29-10 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair struggled for the much of the contest against the Ravens' vaunted defence, but McNair was at his best when he had to be to set up the 44-year-old Anderson.
Taking over at his own 44-yard line with 2:44 remaining, McNair went 3-of-3 for 22 yards on the winning drive. His 13-yard completion to Derrick Mason moved the Titans to the Ravens’ 33.
Four plays later, Anderson split the uprights with his longest kick of the season to give the Titans the win in the AFC wild card game.
“There was a certain amount of pressure, but I have been in these situations before,” Anderson said. “The leg doesn’t have the Tiger Woods five-iron anymore, but I still have confidence in myself.”
McNair threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to Justin McCareins in the third quarter for the Titans, who stopped a five-game losing streak against their former division rivals. One of the losses came in the divisional round of the 2000 playoffs, when the Titans were the top seed.
“It was great to just get this burden off us,” Titans cornerback Samari Rolle said.
“Nobody in here doubted we could win.
“We were getting tired of hearing ‘They don’t want to play Baltimore’ and ‘Five straight losses.’ It’s not even the same team.”
Tennessee will meet New England or Kansas City next weekend in the second round.
In Charlotte, Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme made his postseason debut a memorable one, passing for 273 yards and a touchdown against a Cowboys defence that led the league in the regular season.
Delhomme set the tone early, completing a 70-yard pass to Steve Smith on his first attempt.
Delhomme was comfortable throughout and went 18-of-29, including a 32-yard touchdown pass to Smith in the third quarter that gave Carolina a 23-3 lead.
Stephen Davis complemented Delhomme by rushing for 104 yards and a touchdown. The Panthers’ defence also was effective, holding the Cowboys to a field goal and 140 total yards through three quarters.
Smith and Muhsin Muhammad each went over 100 yards receiving for the Panthers, who will play at St Louis on January 10 in the next round.
John Kasay tied a postseason record with five field goals for the Panthers, who beat Dallas for the second time in as many playoff meetings.
The Panthers defeated the Cowboys in the divisional round in 1996 for their only other postseason win.
It was a disappointing return to the playoffs for Bill Parcells, who is in his first year as Cowboys’ coach.
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