2005–06 NFL playoffs
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National Football League playoffs The National Football League (NFL) playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held after the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Currently, seven teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs. A tie-breaki ...
for the 2005 season began on January 7, 2006. The postseason tournament concluded with the
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
defeating the
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
in
Super Bowl XL Super Bowl XL was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Seattle Seahawks and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion f ...
, 21–10, on February 5, at
Ford Field Ford Field is a domed American football stadium located in Downtown Detroit. It primarily serves as the home of the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL), as well as the annual Quick Lane Bowl college football bowl game, state champ ...
in
Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...
. After scrutiny in the Wild Card and Divisional rounds, the league reversed a two-year policy, and returned to "all star" officiating crews for the Conference Championship games. Since the
2003–04 NFL playoffs The National Football League playoffs for the 2003 season began on January 3, 2004. The postseason tournament concluded with the New England Patriots defeating the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII, 32–29, on February 1, at Reliant Stadium ...
, postseason officiating had been done by entire crews from the regular season.


Participants


Bracket


Schedule

These playoffs marked the final season that
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
televised the first two Wild Card playoff games.
Super Bowl XL Super Bowl XL was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Seattle Seahawks and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion f ...
was also ABC's final Super Bowl telecast. In addition to taking over '' Sunday Night Football'' during the following season, NBC was awarded the first two Wild Card playoff games, as well as ABC's place in the annual Super Bowl broadcasting rotation. ABC would not broadcast a playoff game again until the 2015–16 playoffs when it started to simulcast the
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
-produced Wild Card Game.
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
continued to televise the rest of the AFC playoff games and
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
the rest of the
NFC NFC may refer to: Psychology * Need for cognition, in psychology * Need for closure, social psychological term Sports * NFC Championship Game, the National Football Conference Championship Game * NCAA Football Championship (Philippines) * Nati ...
games.


Wild Card playoffs


Saturday, January 7, 2006


NFC: Washington Redskins 17, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10

Although the Redskins gained only 120 yards on offense, the lowest total in NFL playoff history for a winning team, they converted two turnovers into touchdowns. Midway through the first quarter, Washington linebacker
LaVar Arrington LaVar RaShad Arrington (born June 30, 1978) is a former American football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football at Penn State and was drafted second overall by the Washington Re ...
's 21-yard interception return set up running back
Clinton Portis Clinton Earl Portis (born September 1, 1981) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes. He was drafted b ...
' six-yard touchdown run. Then, Redskins linebacker
Marcus Washington Marcus Cornelius Washington (born October 17, 1977) is a former American football linebacker. After completing his college career with Auburn he was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He was later sign ...
recovered Tampa Bay running back
Cadillac Williams Carnell Lamar "Cadillac" Williams (born April 21, 1982) is an American football coach and former running back in the National Football League. Williams was the interim head coach of the Auburn Tigers, the first African American to hold the posit ...
' fumble and returned it seven yards before losing it himself – into the arms of safety
Sean Taylor Sean Michael Maurice Taylor (April 1, 1983 – November 27, 2007) was an American football safety for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected fifth overall in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Redskins, where h ...
, who then ran 51 yards for the Redskins' second touchdown. Early in the second quarter, Tampa Bay drove 38 yards to the Redskins' 24-yard line where
Matt Bryant Steven Matt Bryant (born May 29, 1975), nicknamed "Money Matt", is a former American football placekicker. He played college football for the Baylor Bears, and was signed as an unrestricted free agent by the AFL's Iowa Barnstormers in 2000. A ...
kicked a 43-yard field goal to cut their deficit to 14–3. The Redskins responded with a 10-play, 40-yard drive and scored with a 40-yard field goal from
John Hall John Hall may refer to: Academics * John Hall (NYU President) (fl. c. 1890), American academic * John A. Hall (born 1949), sociology professor at McGill University, Montreal * John F. Hall (born 1951), professor of classics at Brigham Young Unive ...
. In the third quarter, Mark Jones gave the Buccaneers the ball at their own 49-yard line on a 24-yard punt return. Tampa Bay's offense then went on a 7-play, 51-yard drive that ended with quarterback
Chris Simms Christopher David Simms (born August 29, 1980) is an American sports analyst and former American football, football player. He was a quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in t ...
' two-yard touchdown run. In the fourth quarter, Tampa Bay drove to the Redskins 19-yard line, but linebacker Lemar Marshall tackled fullback
Mike Alstott Michael Joseph Alstott (born December 21, 1973), is a former American football fullback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Nicknamed "A-Train", he played college football at Purdue an ...
for no gain on third down and 1, and then Simms threw an incomplete pass on fourth down. Buccaneers cornerback Brian Kelly intercepted a pass from
Mark Brunell Mark Allen Brunell (born September 17, 1970) is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the quarterbacks coach for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played in the NFL for nineteen seasons and is best k ...
on the Redskins' next drive and returned it to the Redskins 35-yard line. With three minutes left in the game, Tampa Bay wide receiver Edell Shepherd caught what appeared to be a 35-yard touchdown reception, but he lost control of the ball as he was coming down in the end zone for an incomplete pass. The Buccaneers got one last chance to tie the game when they received a punt at their own 46-yard line with 1:05 left in regulation, but Simms threw a pass that was tipped at the line of scrimmage and went into the arms of Marcus Washington for a game-ending interception. The game was widely regarded by commentators as an "ugly" performance by both teams' offenses, rendering it a largely defensive game. As of the conclusion of the 2021 NFL season, this was the Redskins' last playoff victory. This was the second postseason meeting between the Redskins and Buccaneers. Tampa Bay won the only prior meeting.


AFC: New England Patriots 28, Jacksonville Jaguars 3

The three-time Super Bowl champion Patriots, who for the first time in their previous three playoff trips would have to win three games to advance to the Super Bowl, defeated the Jaguars 28–3. Linebacker
Willie McGinest William Lee McGinest Jr. (born December 11, 1971) is a former American football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the New England Patriots. He played college football at USC and was select ...
set NFL playoff records for sacks in a game (4.5, one ahead of the old record held by
Richard Dent Richard Lamar Dent (born December 13, 1960) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL), primarily for the Chicago Bears. He was the MVP of Super Bowl XX. He was elected to t ...
and Rich Milot) and career postseason sacks (16, two ahead of the old record held by
Bruce Smith Bruce Bernard Smith (born June 18, 1963) is an American former football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 19 seasons, primarily with the Buffalo Bills. He played college football at Virginia Tech, where he was ...
), while quarterback
Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
threw for 201 yards and three touchdown passes. In the first half, the Jaguars recorded four sacks and held New England to 126 yards, while the Patriots defense recorded two sacks, gave up only 115 yards, and did not allow a first down until 9:40 remained in the second quarter. Neither team could score in the first quarter, but early in the second, New England receiver
Tim Dwight Timothy John Dwight Jr. (born July 13, 1975) is a former professional American football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He played college football for the University ...
returned Chris Hanson's 46-yard punt 27 yards to the Jaguars 37-yard line. Two 4-yard runs by
Corey Dillon Corey James Dillon (born October 24, 1974) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals and New England Patriots. Dillon played college football at Washing ...
and an 18-yard burst from
Kevin Faulk Kevin () is the anglicized form of the Irish masculine given name (; mga, Caoimhghín ; sga, Cóemgein ; Latinized as ). It is composed of "dear; noble"; Old Irish and ("birth"; Old Irish ). The variant '' Kevan'' is anglicized from , a ...
then moved the ball to the 11-yard line, and Brady capped off the drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to
Troy Brown Troy Fitzgerald Brown (born July 2, 1971) is an American football coach and former player who is the wide receivers and kick returners coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played as a wide receiver and ki ...
. On Jacksonville's ensuing possession, Jimmy Smith's 19-yard reception gave his team a first down for the first time in the game and moved the ball to the Patriots 44-yard line. But on the next play, a tackle from safety Eugene Wilson caused Alvin Pearman to fumble the ball, and defensive end
Richard Seymour Richard Vershaun Seymour (born October 6, 1979) is an American professional poker player and former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) . He played college football for the Georgia ...
recovered it. However, the Patriots could not take advantage of the turnover; Jacksonville managed to force a punt and then drove into scoring range for the first time in the game. Quarterback
Byron Leftwich Byron Antron Leftwich (born January 14, 1980) is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played in the NFL for ten seas ...
completed five passes for 59 yards on the drive, and
Josh Scobee Joshua Taylor Scobee (born June 23, 1982) is a former American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL draft. He also played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at L ...
finished it with a 36-yard field goal, cutting their deficit to 7–3. After the kickoff, Faulk's 21-yard reception moved the ball to midfield and gave the Patriots a chance to increase their lead before halftime, but receiver
Deion Branch Anthony Deion Branch Jr. (born July 18, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver of the National Football League (NFL), who currently serves as director of player development and alumni relations at the University of Louisville. He was ...
dropped a pass from Brady at the Jaguars 10-yard line with 19 seconds left. After forcing Jacksonville to punt on the opening drive of the second half, Brady led the Patriots 81-yards in 12 plays. On the 11th play, they nearly turned the ball over when tight end
Benjamin Watson Benjamin Seth Watson (born December 18, 1980) is a former American football tight end. He was drafted by the New England Patriots 32nd overall in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft and won Super Bowl XXXIX with the Patriots over the Philadel ...
fumbled the ball on the Jaguars 5-yard line, but receiver
André Davis André N. Davis (born June 12, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver and kick returner. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia Tech. Davis also pl ...
recovered the ball, and Brady threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to
David Givens David Lamar Givens (born August 16, 1980) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Not ...
on the next play. Then after forcing a punt, Brady threw a short pass to Watson who broke several tackles en route to a 63-yard score, increasing New England's lead to 21–3. After the kickoff, Leftwich led his team to the Patriots 32-yard line, but on the first play of the fourth quarter, cornerback
Asante Samuel Asante T. Samuel Sr. (born January 6, 1981) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He was born in Accra, Ghana and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He played college fo ...
intercepted Leftwich's pass and took off for a 73-yard touchdown return, making the score 28–3. After that, Jacksonville mounted two more drives, but could not come away with any points. First they drove to the Patriots 8-yard line. But on third down and 2, McGinest sacked Leftwich for a 15-yard loss and Scobee missed a 41-yard field goal attempt on the next play. Then after forcing a punt, they drove to the Patriots 6-yard line, but ended up turning the ball over downs with five minutes left in the game. This game also marked three career playoff records: Brady and Patriots head coach
Bill Belichick William Stephen Belichick (; born April 16, 1952) is an American professional football coach who is the head coach of the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). Additionally, he exercises extensive authority over the Patri ...
set records with 10 straight postseason victories, eclipsing
Vince Lombardi Vincent Thomas Lombardi (June 11, 1913 – September 3, 1970) was an American football coach and executive in the National Football League (NFL). Lombardi is considered by many to be the greatest coach in football history, and he is recognized a ...
's run with the
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
in the 1960s. This was the third postseason meeting between the Jaguars and Patriots. Both teams split the prior two meetings.


Sunday, January 8, 2006


NFC: Carolina Panthers 23, New York Giants 0

The Panthers forced five turnovers, limited the Giants to only 109 yards of total offense, and became the first club to shut out a home playoff team since the
Los Angeles Rams The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The Rams play ...
shut out the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...
in the 1979 NFC Championship Game. Although the Giants entered the game with
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players. The format has changed thro ...
er
Tiki Barber Atiim Kiambu "Tiki" Barber (; born April 7, 1975) is an American former football running back who played for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He played college football for the University of Virginia ...
starting at running back, the Panthers running game, featuring
DeShaun Foster DeShaun Xavier Foster (born January 10, 1980) is a former American football running back, who currently serves as the running backs coach at UCLA. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played coll ...
and
Nick Goings Nicholas Aaron Goings (born January 26, 1978) is a former American football running back. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2001. He played his college football at the Ohio State University and the University o ...
, outgained the Giants 223 yards to 41 on the ground. Carolina wide receiver
Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to: Academics * Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager * Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...
caught 10 passes for 84 yards and scored two touchdowns, a 22-yard reception and a 12-yard run, while kicker
John Kasay John David Kasay (born October 27, 1969) is a former American football kicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 21 seasons, primarily with the Carolina Panthers. He played college football at Georgia and was selected by the Se ...
added three field goals and Foster rushed for 151 yards. Meanwhile, quarterback
Eli Manning Elisha Nelson Manning (born January 3, 1981) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons with the New York Giants. A member of the Manning football dynasty, he is the youngest son o ...
threw three
interception In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team b ...
s in his first playoff start. After the first five possessions of the game ended with punts, Carolina drove 77 yards in 12 plays and scored with
Jake Delhomme Jake Christopher Delhomme (; born January 10, 1975) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL). Delhomme played college football at Louisiana, then known as the University of Southwestern Louisian ...
's 22-yard touchdown pass to Smith. On Carolina's next possession, they were forced to punt, but New York safety
Gibril Wilson Gibril Donald Wilson (born November 12, 1981) is a former American football safety in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tennessee. W ...
muffed the kick and Panthers cornerback
Dante Wesley Dante Julius Wesley (born April 5, 1979) is a former American football cornerback. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Wesley w ...
recovered the ball at the Giants 15-yard line, setting up a 31-yard Kasay field goal to increase the lead to 10–0. Carolina dominated the second half, intercepting Manning three times. Midway through the third quarter, Ken Lucas intercepted a pass from Manning and returned it 14 yards to the Giants 12-yard line, setting up Smith's 12-yard touchdown run on the next play. On New York's next drive, a 17-yard pass interference penalty on Lucas nullified his second interception and gave the Giants a first down at the Panthers 43-yard line. But two plays later, Manning's pass was intercepted by
Marlon McCree Marlon Tarron McCree (born March 17, 1977) is a former American football safety. He was drafted by the Jaguars in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Kentucky. McCree also played for the Houston Texans, Caro ...
at the 18. On the Panthers ensuing drive, Foster rushed three times for 44 yards, and Delhomme completed a 25-yard pass to
Keary Colbert Patrick Keary Jerel Colbert (born May 21, 1982) is an American football coach and former player who is currently the wide receivers coach at the University of Florida. Colbert played as a wide receiver and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers ...
, moving the ball to the Giants 27-yard line where Kasay's 45-yard field goal made the score 20–0. Then five plays after the kickoff, McCree recorded his second interception on the Panthers 44-yard line. Carolina subsequently closed out the scoring with a 14-play, 55-yard drive that ended with Kasay's third field goal with 2:40 left in the game. This was the first postseason meeting between the Panthers and Giants.


AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 31, Cincinnati Bengals 17

The Bengals' first playoff appearance in 15 years began when Pro Bowl quarterback
Carson Palmer Carson Hilton Palmer (born December 27, 1979) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals. He played college football at ...
was knocked out of the game on their opening drive. They still managed to build an early 10-point lead, but gave up 24 unanswered points later in the game while turning the ball over three times. On the Bengals second offensive play of the game, Palmer suffered a season-ending knee injury after being hit by Pittsburgh's
Kimo von Oelhoffen Kimo K. von Oelhoffen (; born January 30, 1971) is a former American football defensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the 1994 NFL Draft. He played colle ...
, but his 66-yard pass to wide receiver Chris Henry (who was also injured on the play) set up kicker
Shayne Graham Michael Shayne Graham (born December 9, 1977) is an American football coach and former placekicker. Graham played 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Virginia Tech. He made his professional debut in Ma ...
's 23-yard field goal. Then after forcing a punt, backup quarterback
Jon Kitna Jon Kelly Kitna (born September 21, 1972) is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Seattle Seahawks, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Central Washington ...
completed three consecutive passes for 40 yards and rushed for 11, while running back
Rudi Johnson Burudi Ali Johnson (born October 1, 1979) is a former American football running back who played eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. Johnson was ...
finished the drive with a 20-yard touchdown run, increasing their lead to 10–0. Steelers cornerback
Ike Taylor Ivan "Ike" Taylor (born May 5, 1980) is a former American football cornerback. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft, and spent his entire 12-year career in Pi ...
returned the ensuing kickoff 36 yards to the 40-yard line. Aided by a 15-yard penalty on cornerback Tory James, the Steelers subsequently drove 60 yards in eight plays and scored with
Ben Roethlisberger Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger Sr. (; born March 2, 1982), nicknamed "Big Ben", is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college footba ...
's 19-yard touchdown pass to
Willie Parker William Everett Parker Jr. (born November 11, 1980) is an American former football running back who played for six seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for North Carolina, he ...
. The ensuing kickoff was returned by
Tab Perry Tab Wilson Perry (born January 20, 1982) is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at UCLA. Perry has also been a member of the Mi ...
for 32 yards to his own 43-yard line, and then the Bengals drove 57 yards in 14 plays. Kitna completed the drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to
T. J. Houshmandzadeh Touraj Houshmandzadeh Jr. ( ; born September 26, 1977) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh ...
, retaking their 10-point lead, 17–7. But on the Steelers ensuing drive, Roethlisberger's 54-yard completion to Cedrick Wilson set up his 5-yard touchdown pass to
Hines Ward Hines Edward Ward Jr. (born March 8, 1976) is an American football coach and former wide receiver of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Georgia and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the ...
, cutting the score to 17–14 at halftime. Cincinnati took the second half kickoff and advanced the ball 62 yards to the Steelers 15-yard line. Graham attempted a 34-yard field goal but center Brad St. Louis' high snap sent the ball over holder
Kyle Larson Kyle Miyata Larson (born July 31, 1992) is an American professional auto racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports. Larson is the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champi ...
's head. Graham recovered the fumble, but the Steelers took over on the 34-yard line. On the seventh play of the drive, safety
Kevin Kaesviharn Kevin Robert Kaesviharn (born August 29, 1976) is a former American football safety. He was signed by the Iowa Barnstormers as a street free agent in 1998. He played college football at Augustana. Kaesviharn was also a member of the San Franci ...
committed a 40-yard pass interference penalty on the Bengals 5-yard line, and
Jerome Bettis Jerome Abram Bettis Sr. (born February 16, 1972) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nicknamed "the Bus" for his large size and runn ...
ran the ball into the end zone on the next play. After Cincinnati was forced to punt, Pittsburgh receiver
Antwaan Randle El Antwaan Randle El (; born August 17, 1979) is an American football coach and former player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He is currently the wide receivers coach for the Detroit Lions of the Nati ...
took a direct snap, ran to his right, and threw the ball back to Roethlisberger — who then connected with Wilson for a 43-yard touchdown reception that increased their lead to 28–17. Then on the Bengals next drive, inside linebacker
James Farrior James Alfred Farrior (born January 6, 1975) is a former American football linebacker who played fifteen seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Virginia. He played with the New York Jets ...
intercepted a pass from Kitna and returned it 22 yards to the Bengals 40-yard line, setting up a 23-yard field goal by Jeff Reed. Later in the fourth quarter, the Bengals managed to drive to the Steelers 43-yard line, but safety
Troy Polamalu Troy Aumua Polamalu (; born Troy Benjamin Aumua; April 19, 1981) is an American former football strong safety who played his entire 12-year career for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football ...
ended the drive with an interception and the Steelers offense ran out the rest of the clock. This was the first postseason meeting between the Steelers and Bengals.


Divisional playoffs


Saturday, January 14, 2006


NFC: Seattle Seahawks 20, Washington Redskins 10

The Seahawks overcame an early
concussion A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include loss of consciousness (LOC); memory loss; headaches; difficulty with thinking, concentration, ...
suffered by
NFL MVP The National Football League Most Valuable Player Award (NFL MVP) is an award given by various entities to the American football player who is considered the most valuable in the National Football League (NFL) during the regular season. Organizati ...
and rushing champion
Shaun Alexander Shaun Edward Alexander (born August 30, 1977) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the ...
, and three turnovers, to end their 21-year playoff victory drought. Seattle quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth ro ...
led the offense, completing 16 out of 26 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 21 yards and another score. Despite the loss of Alexander, Seattle outgained the Redskins in rushing yards 119 to 59 and held
Clinton Portis Clinton Earl Portis (born September 1, 1981) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes. He was drafted b ...
, who rushed for over 1,500 yards during the season, to just 41 yards on 17 carries. The Seahawks took the opening kickoff and drove to the Redskins 11-yard line, but then Alexander lost a fumble without being touched, and linebacker Lemar Marshall recovered it. After that, the two teams were forced to punt on all their possessions in the first quarter, and with 5:28 remaining, Alexander was knocked out of the game. Washington scored first in the second quarter after a muffed punt set up
John Hall John Hall may refer to: Academics * John Hall (NYU President) (fl. c. 1890), American academic * John A. Hall (born 1949), sociology professor at McGill University, Montreal * John F. Hall (born 1951), professor of classics at Brigham Young Unive ...
's 26-yard field goal. Seattle responded by driving 74 yards in 12 plays and scoring with Hasselbeck's 29-yard touchdown pass to
Darrell Jackson Darrell Lamont Jackson (born December 6, 1978) is an American former college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons during the 2000s. Jackson played college football for ...
. After forcing the Redskins to punt on the opening drive of the third quarter, Hasselbeck led the Seahawks on an 81-yard scoring drive, completing four passes for 54 yards and finishing it with a 9-yard touchdown run to give his team a 14–3 lead. Washington responded with a drive to the Seahawks 33-yard line, but on a fourth down conversion attempt, quarterback
Mark Brunell Mark Allen Brunell (born September 17, 1970) is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the quarterbacks coach for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played in the NFL for nineteen seasons and is best k ...
lost a fumble while being sacked by Bryce Fisher, and defensive end
Grant Wistrom Grant Alden Wistrom (born July 3, 1976) is a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. Wistrom played college football for the University of Nebras ...
recovered it. One play later, Hasselbeck's 37-yard completion to Jackson set up a 33-yard field goal by Josh Brown on the second play of the fourth quarter, making the score 17–3. After the ensuing kickoff, Brunell's 52-yard completion to
Chris Cooley Christopher Ken Cooley (born July 11, 1982) is a former American football tight end who played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Utah State University, and was drafted by the Redski ...
moved the ball to Seattle's 24-yard line. Three plays later, he threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to
Santana Moss Santana Terrell Moss (born June 1, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons. He played college football for the University of Miami, where he earned All-American hon ...
, a throw that bounced off the shoulder of Seattle cornerback
Andre Dyson Andre Dyson (born May 25, 1979) is a former American football cornerback. He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Utah. Early years Andre Dyson was born on May 25, 1979, in ...
into Moss' arms. Washington got the ball back when Hall recovered a fumble from
Josh Scobey Joshua Payne Scobey (born December 11, 1979) is a former American football running back and kick returner who played seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Kansas State and was drafted by the Arizona ...
at the Seahawks 40-yard line on the ensuing kickoff. But the Redskins drive stalled at the 18-yard line and ended with no points when Hall missed a 36-yard field goal attempt. Seattle then drove to the game-clinching field goal, led by fullback
Mack Strong Mack Carlington Strong (born September 11, 1971) is a former American football player who was a fullback for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. After playing college football for the University of Georgia, ...
's career-long 32-yard run. The Seahawks' win was their first since a 1984 AFC Wild Card playoff win over the then-
Los Angeles Raiders The Los Angeles Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Los Angeles from 1982 to 1994 before relocating back to Oakland, California, where the team played from its inaugural 1960 season to the 1981 season and then agai ...
. This was the first postseason meeting between the Redskins and Seahawks.


AFC: Denver Broncos 27, New England Patriots 13

The Broncos converted four out of five turnovers into 24 points as they eliminated the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Patriots, 27–13, and won their first playoff game since defeating the
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...
in
Super Bowl XXXIII Super Bowl XXXIII was an American football game played between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos (who were also defending their Super Bowl XXXII championship) and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Atla ...
. This game also ended New England's league-record ten-game postseason winning streak and gave quarterback
Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
his first ever postseason loss. Early in the second quarter, the Broncos drove to the Patriots 3-yard line, only to turn the ball over on downs after failing to convert a fourth down and 1. Then after forcing a punt, Broncos quarterback
Jake Plummer Jason Steven "Jake" Plummer (born December 19, 1974) is a former professional American football player, a quarterback for ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 1997 ...
threw a pass that was intercepted by
Asante Samuel Asante T. Samuel Sr. (born January 6, 1981) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He was born in Accra, Ghana and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He played college fo ...
. On the next play, Patriots quarterback
Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
threw a 51-yard completion to
André Davis André N. Davis (born June 12, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver and kick returner. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia Tech. Davis also pl ...
setting up
Adam Vinatieri Adam Matthew Vinatieri (born December 28, 1972) is an American former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 24 seasons with the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. Considered one of the greatest kick ...
's 40-yard field goal to give New England a 3–0 lead. With New England leading 3–0 with less than two minutes left in the first half, Broncos linebacker
Ian Gold Ian Maurice Gold (born August 23, 1978) is a former American football player. Gold played eight seasons of professional football as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Denver Broncos from 2000 to 2003 and 2004 to 2007 an ...
recovered a fumble from
Kevin Faulk Kevin () is the anglicized form of the Irish masculine given name (; mga, Caoimhghín ; sga, Cóemgein ; Latinized as ). It is composed of "dear; noble"; Old Irish and ("birth"; Old Irish ). The variant '' Kevan'' is anglicized from , a ...
on the Patriots 40-yard line. After that, a pass interference penalty on Samuel moved the ball to the 1-yard line, and then Mike Anderson scored a 1-yard touchdown run on the next play. On the ensuing kickoff,
Ellis Hobbs Ellis Hue Hobbs III (born May 16, 1983) is a former American football cornerback who played for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Iowa State. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the third ...
fumbled and kicker
Todd Sauerbrun Todd Scott Sauerbrun (; born January 4, 1973) is a former American college and professional American football, football player who was a punter (American football), punter in the National Football League (NFL) for thirteen seasons. He played col ...
recovered the ball on the Patriots 39-yard line, setting up kicker
Jason Elam Jason Elam (born March 8, 1970) is a former American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft and played 15 seasons with the Broncos and two with the Atlanta Falcons. A three-time Pro B ...
's 50-yard field goal to give Denver a 10–3 halftime lead. Early in the third quarter, the Patriots drove 58 yards in 11 plays and scored with a 32-yard field goal from Vinatieri, cutting their deficit to 10–6. With less than a minute to go in the third quarter, New England reached the Denver 5-yard line. However, Brady was intercepted for the first time in the playoffs since
Super Bowl XXXVIII Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Carolina Panthers and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) c ...
. The interception was returned by
Champ Bailey Roland "Champ" Bailey Jr. (born June 22, 1978) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, where he earned consensus All-A ...
for 101 yards before New England tight end
Benjamin Watson Benjamin Seth Watson (born December 18, 1980) is a former American football tight end. He was drafted by the New England Patriots 32nd overall in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft and won Super Bowl XXXIX with the Patriots over the Philadel ...
knocked the ball out of bounds at the New England 1-yard line. The Patriots challenged whether the ball was actually knocked through and out of the end zone (which would have been a
touchback In American football, a touchback is a ruling which is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead on or behind a team's own goal line (i.e., in their end zone) and the opposing team gave the ball the momentum, or impetus, to trav ...
and given the Patriots the ball at their own 20-yard line), but the original call stood. Anderson then ran for another one-yard touchdown on the next play to make it 17–6. Then on New England's next drive, the usually accurate Vinatieri missed a 42-yard field goal, his first in 21 field goal attempts in the playoffs. Later in the fourth quarter,
Troy Brown Troy Fitzgerald Brown (born July 2, 1971) is an American football coach and former player who is the wide receivers and kick returners coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played as a wide receiver and ki ...
muffed a Denver punt and the Broncos recovered it on New England's 15-yard line, setting up Rod Smith's four-yard touchdown pass from Plummer. With 8:33 left in the game, Brady completed a 73-yard pass to
Deion Branch Anthony Deion Branch Jr. (born July 18, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver of the National Football League (NFL), who currently serves as director of player development and alumni relations at the University of Louisville. He was ...
and then followed it up with a 4-yard touchdown pass to
David Givens David Lamar Givens (born August 16, 1980) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Not ...
, cutting the score to 24–13. But on the Broncos ensuing possession, Plummer's 42-yard completion to Smith set up another Elam field goal. Denver then all but clinched the game when safety John Lynch intercepted a Brady pass with less than three minutes left. This was the second postseason meeting between the Patriots and Broncos, with Denver winning the only prior meeting.


Sunday, January 15, 2006


AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Indianapolis Colts 18

The Steelers became the first #6 playoff seed (since the league expanded to a 12-team playoff format in 1990) to defeat a #1 seed, and also the first #6 seed to reach a conference championship game. Colts quarterback
Peyton Manning Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
threw for 290 passing yards and a touchdown, but it wasn't enough to win. The Steelers stunned the Colts home crowd at the
RCA Dome The RCA Dome (originally Hoosier Dome) was a domed stadium in Indianapolis. It was the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons (1984– 2007). It was completed at a cost of $77.5 million, as part of the Indiana Convention Ce ...
by driving 84 yards and scoring on their opening possession. Pittsburgh quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger Sr. (; born March 2, 1982), nicknamed "Big Ben", is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college footba ...
completed six consecutive passes for 76 yards, including a 36-yard completion to tight end
Heath Miller Earl Heath Miller Jr. (born October 22, 1982) is a former American football tight end who played professionally for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons from 2005 to 2015. Miller played college football fo ...
and a 6-yard touchdown pass to
Antwaan Randle El Antwaan Randle El (; born August 17, 1979) is an American football coach and former player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He is currently the wide receivers coach for the Detroit Lions of the Nati ...
. Later in the first quarter, Roethlisberger's 45-yard completion to
Hines Ward Hines Edward Ward Jr. (born March 8, 1976) is an American football coach and former wide receiver of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Georgia and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the ...
moved the ball to the Colts 8-yard line, and they scored another touchdown with his 7-yard pass to Miller, increasing the Steelers' lead to 14–0. Five minutes into the second quarter, Indianapolis managed to get a good drive going, advancing the ball 96 yards to the Steelers 2-yard line and taking 9:39 off the clock, but were forced to settle for a field goal from
Mike Vanderjagt Michael John Vanderjagt ( ; born March 24, 1970) is a Canadian former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, primarily with the Indianapolis Colts. He served as the Colts' placekicker from 1998 to ...
, cutting their deficit to 14–3. Late in the third quarter, Steelers linebacker
James Farrior James Alfred Farrior (born January 6, 1975) is a former American football linebacker who played fifteen seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Virginia. He played with the New York Jets ...
(who finished the game with eight tackles and 2.5 sacks) sacked Manning at the Colts 1-yard line on third down, and Randle El returned
Hunter Smith Hunter Dwight Smith (born August 9, 1977) is a former American football punter. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame. Smith earned a Super Bowl ring ...
's ensuing punt 20 yards to the Indianapolis 30. Five plays later,
Jerome Bettis Jerome Abram Bettis Sr. (born February 16, 1972) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nicknamed "the Bus" for his large size and runn ...
scored a 1-yard touchdown run, making the score 21–3. But this time, Indianapolis struck back, driving 72 yards in six plays and scoring with Manning's 50-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Dallas Clark Dallas Dean Clark (born June 12, 1979) is a former American football tight end who played 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Iowa, earned unanimous All-American honors, and was reco ...
. The Steelers were forced to punt on their ensuing drive, but only after taking over seven minutes off the clock, leaving just 6:03 left in the game by the time Indianapolis got the ball back. One play after the punt, an interception by Pittsburgh safety
Troy Polamalu Troy Aumua Polamalu (; born Troy Benjamin Aumua; April 19, 1981) is an American former football strong safety who played his entire 12-year career for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football ...
was overturned by
instant replay Instant replay or action replay is a video reproduction of something that recently occurred which was both shot and broadcast live. The video, having already been shown live, is replayed in order for viewers to see again and analyze what had j ...
(a reversal that the league would later admit was a mistake). Taking advantage of his second chance, Manning completed a 9-yard pass to Clark, a 20-yard pass to
Marvin Harrison Marvin Darnell Harrison Sr. (born August 25, 1972) is an American Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver who played 13 seasons for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL), much of it with Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton ...
, and a 24-yard pass to
Reggie Wayne Reginald Wayne (born November 17, 1978) is a former American football wide receiver who played 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Miami, and was drafted ...
, moving the ball to the Steelers 3-yard line. Running back
Edgerrin James Edgerrin Tyree James (; born August 1, 1978) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. He played college football at the University of Miami for the Miami Hurr ...
finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run, and then Manning threw a pass to Wayne for a successful 2-point conversion, cutting the Colts deficit to 21–18. The Steelers were forced to punt on their ensuing drive. But with 1:20 left in the game, Manning was sacked on fourth and 16 at the Colts' 2-yard line, and the ball was turned over to the Steelers on downs. At this point, the game appeared to be over. However, the Steelers were forced to advance the ball towards another score instead of taking a
quarterback kneel In American football and Canadian football, a quarterback kneel, also called taking a knee, genuflect offense, kneel-down offense, or victory formation, occurs when the quarterback immediately kneels to the ground, ending the play on contact, ...
because the Colts still had three timeouts remaining. But on Pittsburgh's first play, in which Bettis tried to punch it in for an insurance touchdown, he fumbled for the first time all season when linebacker
Gary Brackett Gary Lawrence Brackett (born May 23, 1980) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Rutgers, and signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2003. Brackett ...
popped it from Bettis' hands with his helmet.
Nick Harper Nick Harper (born 22 June 1965) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is the son of English folk musician Roy Harper. Early life Harper was born in London, England, to the folk singer-songwriter Roy Harper. Nick tells of how he ...
recovered the ball and appeared to be on his way for an Indy touchdown that would have given the Colts the lead when Roethlisberger barely made a season saving tackle at the Colts' 42-yard line, recovering from getting spun around to grab Harper's ankle, which brought him down. Eventually, the Colts then advanced to the Pittsburgh 28-yard line, but Vanderjagt, who had been perfect at home in the playoffs, missed a 46-yard game-tying field goal attempt wide right with 17 seconds left, and the Steelers ran out the clock. This game marked the beginning of the end for Vanderjagt, who entered the game as the NFL's all-time leader in field goal percentage. The following year, the Colts decided to let his contract expire. He spent the next season with the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
, where he made just 72% of his field goals before leaving the NFL for good. This was the fifth postseason meeting between the Steelers and Colts, with Pittsburgh having won all four prior meetings.


NFC: Carolina Panthers 29, Chicago Bears 21

The Panthers recorded 434 yards of total offense, and avenged a 13–3 regular season defeat by the Bears, to advance to their third NFC Championship Game in their eleven-year existence. Carolina receiver
Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to: Academics * Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager * Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...
caught 12 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns, the first coming 55 seconds into the contest, and rushed for 26 yards. Panthers kicker
John Kasay John David Kasay (born October 27, 1969) is a former American football kicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 21 seasons, primarily with the Carolina Panthers. He played college football at Georgia and was selected by the Se ...
contributed three second-quarter field goals, while quarterback
Jake Delhomme Jake Christopher Delhomme (; born January 10, 1975) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL). Delhomme played college football at Louisiana, then known as the University of Southwestern Louisian ...
threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns. Although the Panthers lost key running back
DeShaun Foster DeShaun Xavier Foster (born January 10, 1980) is a former American football running back, who currently serves as the running backs coach at UCLA. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played coll ...
to a broken ankle in the third quarter, they still held off the Bears. The Panthers got the ball first and scored quickly.
Jamal Robertson Jamal Robertson (born January 10, 1977) is a former American and Canadian football running back and kick returner. He played college football at Ohio Northern and played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football ...
returned the opening kickoff 34 yards to the 40-yard line, and one play later, Delhomme threw a 58-yard touchdown pass to Smith. Later on, Smith's 46-yard reception set up a 20-yard field goal on the first play of the second quarter, increasing their lead to 10–0. On their next drive, Carolina had a chance to increase their lead even more after Delhomme completed passes to
Drew Carter Christopher Drew Carter (born September 5, 1981) is a former American football wide receiver of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college footba ...
for gains of 14 and 29 yards, moving the ball to the Bears 23-yard line. But linebacker
Brian Urlacher Brian Urlacher (; born May 25, 1978) is an American former football linebacker who spent his entire 13-season career in the National Football League (NFL) with the Chicago Bears. He played college football for the New Mexico Lobos, where he bec ...
ended the drive by intercepting a pass from Delhomme at the 10. However, the Panthers forced another punt and scored with a second field goal from Kasay. Bears quarterback
Rex Grossman Rex Daniel Grossman III (born August 23, 1980) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, most notably with the Chicago Bears. He played college football at Florida, where he rece ...
completed five passes for 62 yards on a 67-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by
Adrian Peterson Adrian Lewis Peterson (born March 21, 1985) is an American football running back who is a free agent. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest running backs in football history. He played college football at Oklahoma, where he set the ...
cutting the score to 13–7. But Carolina stormed right back, driving 51 yards and scoring with Kasay's third field goal on the last play of the first half. After the second half kickoff, a 24-yard run by Bears running back Thomas Jones moved the ball to the Panthers 41-yard line. Then Grossman went to work, completing two passes to
Bernard Berrian Bernard Berrian (born December 27, 1980) is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Fresno State. Berrian also played for the Minnes ...
for 29 yards before finishing the drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Desmond Clark Desmond Darice Clark (born April 20, 1977) is a former American football tight end who played in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wake Fore ...
. But after an exchange of punts, Delhomme threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Smith, and the Panthers retook their 9-point lead. Early in the fourth quarter, Chicago's
Jason McKie Jason A. McKie (born May 22, 1980 in Gulf Breeze, Florida) is a former American football fullback in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens. He played college football at Te ...
scored a 3-yard touchdown run to cut their deficit to 23–21. But Delhomme led the Panthers right back, completing five passes for 45 yards and scoring with a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Kris Mangum Kris Thomas Mangum (born August 15, 1973) is a former American football player who played tight end for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League throughout his entire NFL career. He attended the University of Mississippi. His father ...
. After an exchange of punts, the Bears drove into Carolina territory, but cornerback Ken Lucas put the game away by intercepting a pass from Grossman on the Panthers 22-yard line. This was the first postseason meeting between the Panthers and Bears.


Conference Championships

This was the first time since the 1989–90 NFL playoffs that neither conference championship game took place in the
Eastern Eastern may refer to: Transportation *China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai *Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways *Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991 *Eastern Air Li ...
or
Central time zone The North American Central Time Zone (CT) is a time zone in parts of Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America, some Caribbean Islands, and part of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Central Standard Time (CST) is six hours behind Coordinate ...
. During that season, the Conference Championship Games were changed from the then-traditional starting times of 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST respectively. This was to accommodate the fact that the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
and
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
hosted the 1989–90 AFC and NFC Championship Games in the
Mountain Time Zone The Mountain Time Zone of North America keeps time by subtracting seven hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) when standard time ( UTC−07:00) is in effect, and by subtracting six hours during daylight saving time ( UTC−06:00). The clo ...
and
Pacific Time Zone The Pacific Time Zone (PT) is a time zone encompassing parts of western Canada, the western United States, and western Mexico. Places in this zone observe standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time ( UTC−08:00) ...
, respectively — thus avoiding a locally played game at 9:30 a.m. PST/10:30 a.m. MST, but also forcing the networks to change or move their prime time lineups in a moment's notice. When the league changed the traditional starting times for the 2002–03 NFL playoffs to 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. EST, it eliminated the future possibility of having to reschedule.


Sunday, January 22, 2006


AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 34, Denver Broncos 17

For the first time since
1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeast A ...
, the Steelers played on the road in the AFC Championship Game, but it hardly mattered as they forced four turnovers and went into halftime with a 24–3 lead en route to advancing to their sixth Super Bowl appearance in team history. In doing so, Pittsburgh became the first #6 playoff seed (since the league expanded to a 12-team playoff format in 1990) to advance to the Super Bowl. Second-year quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger Sr. (; born March 2, 1982), nicknamed "Big Ben", is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college footba ...
, already in his fifth career playoff game, completed 21 of 29 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns (one each to Cedrick Wilson and
Hines Ward Hines Edward Ward Jr. (born March 8, 1976) is an American football coach and former wide receiver of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Georgia and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the ...
) and ran for a third. Steelers running back
Jerome Bettis Jerome Abram Bettis Sr. (born February 16, 1972) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nicknamed "the Bus" for his large size and runn ...
rushed for the other touchdown. Pittsburgh scored on their opening drive, moving the ball 62 yards in 12 plays and ending it with a Jeff Reed field goal. Three plays after the kickoff, Broncos quarterback
Jake Plummer Jason Steven "Jake" Plummer (born December 19, 1974) is a former professional American football player, a quarterback for ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 1997 ...
lost a fumble while being sacked by
Joey Porter Joseph Eugene Porter (born March 22, 1977) is an American former football outside linebacker who played 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), and is a former outside linebackers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. After playing coll ...
and Steelers nose tackle
Casey Hampton Casey Hampton Jr. (born September 3, 1977) is a former American football nose tackle who played twelve seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Texas, and receiv ...
recovered it at the Denver 39-yard line. Four plays later, Roethlisberger's 12-yard touchdown pass to Wilson increased the Steelers lead to 10–0 on the first play of the second quarter. The Broncos responded by driving 55 yards and scoring with a field goal from
Jason Elam Jason Elam (born March 8, 1970) is a former American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft and played 15 seasons with the Broncos and two with the Atlanta Falcons. A three-time Pro B ...
. But Pittsburgh stormed right back, marching 80 yards in 14 plays and scoring with Bettis' 3-yard touchdown run to take a 17–3 lead. Then on the first play after the ensuing kickoff,
Ike Taylor Ivan "Ike" Taylor (born May 5, 1980) is a former American football cornerback. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft, and spent his entire 12-year career in Pi ...
intercepted a pass from Plummer on the Broncos 39-yard line. Four plays later, a Bettis touchdown run was called back because of a penalty on Ward. But Ward made up for his mistake by catching a touchdown pass on the next play, giving the Steelers a 24–3 lead with seven seconds left in the half. In the third quarter, Plummer finally got the Broncos moving by completing four consecutive passes for 80 yards, the last one a 30-yard touchdown pass to
Ashley Lelie Ashley Jovon Lelie (; born February 16, 1980) is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos 19th overall in the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii. Lelie has also played for the Atlanta Fal ...
. But Wilson caught two passes for 45 yards on Pittsburgh's next possession, setting up Reed's second field goal to make the score 27–10. In the fourth quarter, a 38-yard reception by Lelie and a 22-yard pass interference penalty on Taylor set up a 3-yard touchdown run by Mike Anderson, cutting Denver's deficit to 27–17. But after a Steelers punt, defensive end
Brett Keisel Brett Keisel (born September 19, 1978) is a former American football defensive end who played 12 seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college footba ...
forced a fumble on fourth down from Plummer and his teammate
Travis Kirschke Travis Kirschke (born September 6, 1974) is a former American football defensive end. He was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 1997. He played college football at UCLA. He also played for the San Francisco 49ers ...
recovered it at the Broncos 17-yard line. Four plays later, Roethlisberger ended any chance of a Denver comeback with a 4-yard touchdown run. This would prove to be the Broncos' last playoff game with
Mike Shanahan Michael Edward Shanahan (born August 24, 1952) is a former American football coach, best known as the head coach of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL) from 1995 to 2008. During his fourteen seasons with the Broncos, he led ...
as their head coach, and last until 2011. It would also be Shanahan's last playoff game until 2012, with Washington. This was the sixth postseason meeting between the Steelers and Broncos. Denver won three of the prior five meetings.


NFC: Seattle Seahawks 34, Carolina Panthers 14

The Seahawks forced four turnovers, and allowed only 36 rushing yards and 14 points, as they advanced to their first Super Bowl in the team's 30-year history. Meanwhile, running back
Shaun Alexander Shaun Edward Alexander (born August 30, 1977) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the ...
, coming off his divisional round injury, rushed for a franchise playoff record 134 yards and two touchdowns. Midway through the first quarter, the Seahawks drove 57 yards in five plays, featuring a 28-yard reception by
Seneca Wallace Seneca Sinclair Wallace (born August 6, 1980) is a former American football quarterback and current assistant coach for John Paul II High School. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college ...
, and scored with quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth ro ...
's 17-yard touchdown pass to
Jerramy Stevens Jerramy Ryan Stevens (born November 13, 1979) is a former American football tight end. He played college football at Washington and was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft. Stevens played for the Seahawks an ...
. Then three plays after the ensuing kickoff, linebacker
Lofa Tatupu Mosiula Mea'alofa "Lofa" Tatupu (born November 15, 1982) is a former American football linebacker who played six seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was an assistant linebackers coach with the Seattle Seahawks. He played college ...
intercepted a pass from
Jake Delhomme Jake Christopher Delhomme (; born January 10, 1975) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL). Delhomme played college football at Louisiana, then known as the University of Southwestern Louisian ...
and returned it 22 yards to the Panthers 20-yard line, setting up a field goal from Josh Brown. The next time Carolina got the ball, Delhomme was intercepted again, this time by
Marquand Manuel Marquand Alexander Manuel (born July 11, 1979) is an American football coach and former safety who is the safeties coach for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the At ...
, who returned it 32 yards to the Panthers 17-yard line, setting up Alexander's 1-yard touchdown run that increased Seattle's lead to 17–0 on the first play of the second quarter. The Panthers eventually cut the score to 17–7 on
Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to: Academics * Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager * Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...
's 59-yard punt return for a touchdown with 9:56 left in the first half. The Seahawks scored another 17 unanswered points. On their first drive after the punt return touchdown, they moved the ball 57 yards and scored with a 39-yard field goal from Brown. Brown missed a field goal on the Seahawks next possession, but on the first drive of the second half, they scored with Hasselbeck's 20-yard touchdown pass to
Darrell Jackson Darrell Lamont Jackson (born December 6, 1978) is an American former college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons during the 2000s. Jackson played college football for ...
. Then in the fourth quarter, they put the game completely out of reach with a 53-yard drive that ended with Alexander's second touchdown. Carolina responded with a 47-yard touchdown pass from Delhomme to receiver
Drew Carter Christopher Drew Carter (born September 5, 1981) is a former American football wide receiver of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college footba ...
, cutting the score to 34–14, but by then there was only five minutes left in the game. This was the first postseason meeting between the Panthers and Seahawks.


Super Bowl XL: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Seattle Seahawks 10

This was the first Super Bowl meeting between the Seahawks and Steelers.


References


Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:2005-06 NFL Playoffs National Football League playoffs
Playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...