Last-gasp Falcons survive fightback from Seattle
The Seahawks were unable to withstand the early dominance of the home team, who flew into a 27-0 lead with a busy running game and some nice control from quarterback Matt Ryan.
All week, the fear around the city was that Atlanta’s fragility in the post-season would come back to haunt them, and when Russell Wilson inspired the visitors to a 28-27 lead with 31 seconds to go, it seemed as though their worst nightmares had come to pass.
But Falcons came back out and set up Matt Bryant for a 49-yard field goal which sent them back to the championship game for the first time since 2004.
“That was a wild game, it really was,” said Ryan after the game. “Russell Wilson was unbelievable but we made some plays on the last drive, it was just huge.
“Everyone has hardened, everyone’s got a thicker skin. We proved it today. We got into an early lead, they battled back but we just kept fighting.”
Their opponents next Sunday afternoon, the San Francisco 49ers, rolled past the Green Bay Packers late Sunday night thanks to a dominant display by quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Kaepernick passed for 263 yards and rushed for a quarterback-record 181 yards as the home side recorded a 45-31 victory that shunted them into the Super Bowl reckoning.
“It feels good. We’re one step closer to where we want to be,” Kaepernick said. “I feel like I had a lot to prove. A lot of people doubted my ability to lead this team.”
Meanwhile, in Saturday’s AFC game, the Baltimore Ravens shocked the Denver Broncos in Colorado, ending Peyton Manning’s hopes of a second Super Bowl title but extending the retirement season of Ravens veteran Ray Lewis.
In what was the longest game since the Cleveland Browns beat the New York Jets in 1987, Justin Tucker’s 47-yard field goal in double overtime secured the surprise win for the Ravens and sent them through to the AFC Championship decider.
Tucker converted from 47 yards after Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning was intercepted by Corey Graham to give the Ravens the ball on the Denver 45.
