NFL playoffs, 1995-96

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The NFL playoffs following the 1995 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXX.

Seed	AFC	NFC
Playoff seeds
1	Kansas City Chiefs (West winner)	Dallas Cowboys (East winner)
2	Pittsburgh Steelers (Central winner)	San Francisco 49ers (West winner)
3	Buffalo Bills (East winner)	Green Bay Packers (Central winner)
4	San Diego Chargers	Philadelphia Eagles
5	Indianapolis Colts	Detroit Lions
6	Miami Dolphins	Atlanta Falcons

[edit] Wild Card playoffs

[edit] December 30, 1995

[edit] AFC: Buffalo Bills 37, Miami Dolphins 22

	1	2	3	4	Total
Dolphins	0	0	0	22	22
Bills	10	14	3	10	37

at Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST
Game weather: 30 °F (cloudy)
TV announcers (ABC): Brent Musburger and Dick Vermeil
Referee: Red Cashion
Game Attendance: 73,103

Starting Quarterbacks:

Miami Dolphins - Dan Marino 13
Buffalo Bills - Jim Kelly 12

Although Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino completed 33 out of 64 passes for 422 yards, the Bills jumped to a 27-0 lead going into the fourth quarter, and rushed for an NFL playoff record 341 yards. Buffalo running back Thurman Thomas, who rushed for 158 yards and caught 3 passes for 42 yards, opened up the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run. Bills kicker Steve Christie kicked two field goals, running back Darick Holmes recorded a 21-yard touchdown, and quarterback Jim Kelly threw a 37-yard touchdown to wide receiver Steve Tasker, who finished the game with 5 receptions for 108 yards. Marino eventually completed two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter: a 5-yarder to wide receiver O.J. McDuffie and a 45-yarder to wide receiver Randal Hill. However, Buffalo also scored 10 points during that period to seal the victory: running back Tim Tindale's 44-yard touchdown and a 42-yard field goal by Christie. Dolphins running back Terry Kirby's 1-yard touchdown and McDuffie's subsequent two-point conversion reception closed out the scoring.

Scoring
- BUF - Thomas 1 run (Christie kick)
- BUF - FG Christie 48
- BUF - Holmes 21 run (Christie kick)
- BUF - Tasker 37 pass from Kelly (Christie kick)
- BUF - FG Christie 23
- MIA - McDuffie 5 pass from Marino (Stoyanovich kick)
- BUF - Tindale 44 run (Christie kick)
- MIA - Hill 45 pass from Marino (Stoyanovich kick)
- BUF - FG Christie 42
- MIA - Kirby 1 run (McDuffie pass from Marino)

[edit] NFC: Philadelphia Eagles 58, Detroit Lions 37

	1	2	3	4	Total
Lions	7	0	14	16	37
Eagles	7	31	13	7	58

at Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia

Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST
Game weather: 38 °F (clear)
TV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels, Frank Gifford, and Dan Dierdorf
Referee: Ron Blum
Game Attendance: 66,099

Starting Quarterbacks:

Detroit Lions - Scott Mitchell 19
Philadelphia Eagles- Rodney Peete 9

The Eagles scored 31 points in the second quarter, recorded 6 interceptions, and held future hall of fame running back Barry Sanders to just 40 rushing yards en route to a 58-37 victory in the highest scoring game in NFL postseason history. Philadelphia scored first with running back Charlie Garner's 15-yard touchdown, but was countered with Detroit quarterback Scott Mitchell's 32-yard touchdown pass to tight end David Sloan. Then Philadelphia exploded in the second quarter with Eagles kicker Gary Anderson's 21-yard field goal, quarterback Rodney Peete's 22-yard touchdown to wide receiver Fred Barnett, defensive back Barry Wilburn's 24-yard interception return for a touchdown, running back Ricky Watters's 1-yard touchdown, and wide receiver Rob Carpenter's 43-yard touchdown reception on a Hail Mary pass at the end of the first half. In the second half, a 45-yard touchdown reception by Watters and two more field goals by Anderson increased the Eagles lead, 51-7, still with slightly more than nine minutes remaining in the third quarter. From there, backup quarterback Don Majkowski replaced Mitchell and threw 3 touchdowns, and Ron Rivers added a 1-yard touchdown run, but by then the game was well out of reach.

Peete completed 17 of 25 passes for 270 yards and 3 touchdowns, while also rushing for 17 yards. Barnett caught 8 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. Watters rushed for 49 yards, caught 3 passes for 64 yards, and scored 2 touchdowns. Lions receiver Herman Moore caught 7 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown.

Scoring
- PHI - Garner 15 run (Anderson kick)
- DET - Sloan 32 pass from Mitchell (Hanson kick)
- PHI - FG Anderson 21
- PHI - Barnett 22 pass from Peete (Anderson kick)
- PHI - Wiburn 24 interception return (Anderson kick)
- PHI - Watters 1 run (Anderson kick)
- PHI - Carpenter 43 pass from Peete (Anderson kick)
- PHI - Watters 45 pass from Peete (Anderson kick)
- PHI - FG Anderson 31
- PHI - FG Anderson 39
- DET - Moore 68 pass from Majkowski (Hanson kick)
- DET - Morton 7 pass from Majkowski (Hanson kick)
- PHI - Thomas 30 interception return (Anderson kick)
- DET - Sloan 2 pass from Majkowski (Rivers run)
- DET - Rivers 1 run (Moore pass from Majkowski)

[edit] December 31, 1995

[edit] NFC: Green Bay Packers 37, Atlanta Falcons 20

	1	2	3	4	Total
Falcons	7	3	0	10	20
Packers	14	13	0	10	37

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST/11:30 a.m. CST
Game weather: 33 °F (foggy)
TV announcers (FOX): Pat Summerall and John Madden
Referee: Dick Hantak
Game Attendance: 60,453

Starting Quarterbacks:

Atlanta Falcons - Jeff George 1
Green Bay Packers - Brett Favre 4

The Packers scored 13 unanswered points in the second quarter en route to a 37-20 victory over the Falcons. Atlanta scored first on quarterback Jeff George's 65-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Eric Metcalf. But Green Bay countered with running back Edgar Bennett's 8-yard touchdown, and later took the lead with wide receiver Robert Brooks's 14-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Brett Favre. In the second quarter, the Falcons cut the lead with kicker Morten Andersen's 31-yard field goal. However, Packers wide receiver Antonio Freeman returned a punt 76 yards for a touchdown, and Green Bay extended their lead to 20-10 (after the two-point conversion attempt failed). In the closing minutes of the first half, the Packers marched 85-yards to score on Favre's 2-yard touchdown to tight end Mark Chmura to reach a 27-10 halftime lead. After a scoreless third quarter, the two teams exchanged touchdowns and field goals during the final period.

Bennett turned in the best postseason performace of his career, finishing the game with 108 rushing yards, 3 receptions for 11 yards, and a touchdown. Favre threw for 199 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Scoring
- ATL - Metcalf 65 pass from George (Andersen kick)
- GB - Bennett 8 run (Jacke kick)
- GB - Brooks 14 pass from Favre (Jacke kick)
- ATL - FG Andersen 31
- GB - Freeman 76 punt return (bad snap)
- GB - Chmura 2 pass from Favre (Jacke kick)
- ATL - Birden 27 pass from George (Andersen kick)
- GB - Levens 18 pass from Favre (Jacke kick)
- ATL - FG Andersen 22
- GB - FG Jacke 25

[edit] AFC: Indianapolis Colts 35, San Diego Chargers 20

	1	2	3	4	Total
Colts	0	14	7	14	35
Chargers	3	7	7	3	20

at Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego

Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST/1:00 p.m. PST
Game weather: 66 °F (cloudy)
TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg, Phil Simms, and Paul Maguire
Referee: Gary Lane
Game Attendance: 61,182

Starting Quarterbacks:

Indianapolis Colts - Jim Harbaugh 4
San Diego Chargers - Stan Humphries 12

Rookie running back Zack Crockett, who had only 1 rushing attempt during the regular season, rushed for 147 yards and scored 2 touchdowns to help the Colts win their first playoff game in 24 years. The Chargers jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first quarter with kicker John Carney's 54-yard field goal. In the second quarter, the two teams exchanged touchdowns: Indianapolis quarterback Jim Harbaugh threw a 2-yard touchdown to tight end Ken Dilger, and San Diego quarterback Stan Humphries completed a 6-yard score to tight end Alfred Pupunu. However, Crockett later scored on 33-yard touchdown run to give the Colts a 14-10 halftime lead. The two teams exchanged touchdowns in the third quarter with Humphries throwing an 11-yarder to wide receiver Shawn Jefferson, and Harbaugh completing a 42-yarder to wide receiver Sean Dawkins. In the fourth quarter, Carney kicked a 30-yard field goal to cut Indianapolis' lead, 21-20. But on the Colts' next drive, Crockett ran for a 66-yard touchdown. Indianapolis defensive back Jason Belser's 33-yard interception return later set up Harbaugh's game-clinching 3-yard touchdown run.

Scoring
- SD - FG Carney 54
- IND - Dilger 2 pass from Harbaugh (Blanchard kick)
- SD - Pupunu 6 pass from Humphries (Carney kick)
- IND - Crockett 33 run (Blanchard kick)
- SD - Jefferson 11 pass from Humphries (Carney kick)
- IND - Dawkins 42 pass from Harbaugh (Blanchard kick)
- SD - FG Carney 30
- IND - Crockett 66 run (Blanchard kick)
- IND - Harbaugh 3 run (Blanchard kick)

[edit] Byes

AFC: Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers
NFC: Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers

[edit] Divisional playoffs

[edit] January 6, 1996

[edit] AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 40, Buffalo Bills 21

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bills	0	7	7	7	21
Steelers	7	16	3	14	40

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST
Game weather: 21 °F (clear)
TV announcers (NBC): Marv Albert and Cris Collinsworth
Referee: Larry Nemmers
Game Attendance: 59,072

Starting Quarterbacks:

Buffalo Bills - Jim Kelly 12
Pittsburgh Steelers - Neil O'Donnell 14

Running back Bam Morris scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter as the Steelers stopped the Bills from coming back. Pittsburgh jumped to a 20-0 lead by the second quarter with running back John L. Williams's 1-yard touchdown, quarterback Neil O'Donnell's 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ernie Mills, and two field goals by Norm Johnson. However, Buffalo running back Thurman Thomas scored a 1-yard touchdown run with 45 seconds left in the first half. But Johnson made a 34-yard field goal with eight seconds left to give the Steelers a 23-7 halftime lead. In the third quarter, Johnson added a 39-yard field goal before Bills tight end Tony Cline caught a 2-yard touchdown reception. With 11:23 left in the game, Thomas scored on a 9-yard touchdown reception to cut the lead, 26-21. But Pittsburgh then marched 76 yards to score on Morris' 13-yard touchdown run. Linebacker Levon Kirkland then intercepted a pass to set up Morris' 2-yard score with 1:58 remaining to clinch the victory.

Scoring
- PIT - J.L. Williams 1 run (Johnson kick)
- PIT - Mills 10 pass from O'Donnell (Johnson kick)
- PIT - FG Johnson 45
- PIT - FG Johnson 38
- BUF - Thomas 1 run (Christie kick)
- PIT - FG Johnson 34
- PIT - FG Johnson 39
- BUF - Cline 2 pass from Van Pelt (Christie kick)
- BUF - Thomas 9 pass from Kelly (Christie kick)
- PIT - Morris 13 run (Johnson kick)
- PIT - Morris 2 run (Johnson kick)

[edit] NFC: Green Bay Packers 27, San Francisco 49ers 17

	1	2	3	4	Total
Packers	14	7	3	3	27
49ers	0	3	7	7	17

at 3Com Park, San Francisco

Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST/1:00 p.m. PST
Game weather: 60 °F (clear)
TV announcers (FOX): Dick Stockton and Matt Millen
Referee: Bob McElwee
Game Attendance: 69,311

Starting Quarterbacks:

Green Bay Packers - Brett Favre 4
San Francisco 49ers - Steve Young 8

The Packers jumped to a 21-0 lead en route to a 27-17 victory. Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre threw for 222 yards in the first half, and ended up with completing 21 out of 28 passes for 299 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Packers took the opening kickoff and held onto the ball for 7:11 before kicker Chris Jacke's 44-yard field goal attempt was blocked by 49ers defensive back Tim McDonald. But on San Francisco's first play, running back Adam Walker fumbled after being hit by linebacker Wayne Simmons, and defensive back Craig Newsome picked it up and returned it 31 yards for the touchdown. Then after forcing the 49ers to punt, the Packers advanced 62 yards to score on Favre's 3-yard touchdown to tight end Keith Jackson.

Green Bay would later score on tight end Mark Chmura's 13-yard touchdown reception before San Francisco kicker Jeff Wilkins made a field goal to cut the lead to 21-3 before halftime. In the second half, Jacke kicked two field goals while the 49ers could only manage two touchdowns: a 1-yard run by quarterback Steve Young and a 2-yarder by running back Derek Loville.

Scoring
- GB - Newsome 31 fumble return (Jacke kick)
- GB - Jackson 3 pass from Favre (Jacke kick)
- GB - Chmura 13 pass from Favre (Jacke kick)
- SF - FG Wilkins 21
- SF - Young 1 run (Wilkins kick)
- GB - FG Jacke 27
- GB - FG Jacke 26
- SF - Loville 2 run (Wilkins kick)

[edit] January 7, 1996

[edit] NFC: Dallas Cowboys 30, Philadelphia Eagles 11

	1	2	3	4	Total
Eagles	0	3	0	8	11
Cowboys	3	14	6	7	30

at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas

Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST/11:30 a.m. CST
Game weather: 32 °F (clear)
TV announcers (FOX): Pat Summerall and John Madden
Referee: Gerald Austin
Game Attendance: 64,371

Starting Quarterbacks:

Philadelphia Eagles - Rodney Peete 9
Dallas Cowboys - Troy Aikman 8

With Eagles starting quarterback Rodney Peete injured, the Cowboys held Philadelphia to only 11 points, while scoring 27 unanswered points. The two teams exchanged field goals before Dallas capped off a 70-yard drive with Deion Sanders's 21-yard touchdown on an end-around. The Cowboys then marched 79 yards to score on running back Emmitt Smith's 1-yard touchdown. In the third quarter, Dallas kicker Chris Boniol added two field goals from 18 and 51 yards out. Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman then threw a 9-yard touchdown to wide receiver Michael Irvin. Philadelphia quarterback Randall Cunningham, who was the backup for most of the season, scored his team's only touchdown during the final period.

Scoring
- DAL - FG Boniol 24
- PHI - FG Anderson 26
- DAL - Sanders 21 run (Boniol kick)
- DAL - Smith 1 run (Boniol kick)
- DAL - FG Boniol 18
- DAL - FG Boniol 51
- DAL - Irvin 9 pass from Aikman (Boniol kick)
- PHI - Cunningham 4 run (R. Johnson pass from Cunningham)

[edit] AFC: Indianapolis Colts 10, Kansas City Chiefs 7

	1	2	3	4	Total
Colts	0	7	3	0	10
Chiefs	7	0	0	0	7

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST/3:00 p.m. CST
Game weather: 14 °F (clear)
TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg, Phil Simms, and Paul Maguire
Referee: Jerry Markbreit
Game Attendance: 77,594

Starting Quarterbacks:

Indianapolis Colts - Jim Harbaugh 4
Kansas City Chiefs - Steve Bono 13

The Chiefs, who held the league's best record during the regular season, lost four turnovers and kicker Lin Elliot missed three field goals en route to a 10-7 Colts upset. Kansas City scored first on quarterback Steve Bono's 20-yard touchdown to wide receiver Lake Dawson. In the second quarter, Elliot missed a 35-yard field goal attempt while Colts quarterback Jim Harbaugh completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Floyd Turner to tie the game. In the third period, Indianapolis kicker Cary Blanchard made a 30-yard field goal to give his team the lead. Bono was replaced by backup quarterback Rich Gannon in the final period, but Elliot missed two more field goals that could have tied the game, including a 42-yard attempt with 37 seconds left.

Scoring
- KC - Dawson 20 pass from Bono (Elliott kick)
- IND - Turner 5 pass from Harbaugh (Blanchard kick)
- IND - FG Blanchard 30

[edit] Conference Championships

[edit] January 14, 1996

[edit] AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 20, Indianapolis Colts 16

	1	2	3	4	Total
Colts	3	3	3	7	16
Steelers	3	7	3	7	20

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST
Game weather: 50 °F (clear)
TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg, Phil Simms, and Paul Maguire
Referee: Bernie Kukar
Game Attendance: 61,062

(The Colts become the first No. 5 seed to advance to a conference championship game since the 1990 playoff expansion.)

Starting Quarterbacks:

Indianapolis Colts - Jim Harbaugh 4
Pittsburgh Steelers - Neil O'Donnell 14

Running back Bam Morris scored the game-winning 1-yard touchdown run with 1:34 left in the game to pull Pittsburgh ahead for good. For the first three quarters, the game was basically a battle of field goals, with the Steelers' Norm Johnson making two and the Colts' Cary Blanchard hitting 3. Pittsburgh however scored a controversial touchdown on quarterback Neil O'Donnell's 5-yard touchdown to Kordell Stewart. Although television replays clearly showed that Stewart stepped out of bounds before catching the pass, it was difficult to determine if he had stepped out on his own, and thus a penalty, or if he was pushed out by a Colts player, and making the score legal. But the touchdown stood and the Steelers took the lead, 13-9.

In the fourth quarter, Indianapolis quarterback Jim Harbaugh threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Floyd Turner to take the lead, 16-13. Pittsburgh then took the ball with 3:03 left and marched 67 yards to score on Morris' winning touchdown. The drive was aided by O'Donnell's 9-yard completion to wide receiver Andre Hastings on fourth down and 3 from the 47-yard line. But on the game's final play, Harbaugh attempted a game-winning hail mary pass from the Pittsburgh 29-yard line with 5 seconds left. Wide receiver Aaron Bailey tried to catch it in the end zone before it was ruled incomplete.

Scoring
- IND - FG Blanchard 34
- PIT - FG Johnson 31
- IND - FG Blanchard 36
- PIT - Stewart 5 pass from O'Donnell (Johnson kick)
- IND - FG Blanchard 37
- PIT - FG Johnson 36
- IND - Turner 47 pass from Harbaugh (Blanchard kick)
- PIT - Morris 1 run (Johnson kick)

[edit] NFC: Dallas Cowboys 38, Green Bay Packers 27

	1	2	3	4	Total
Packers	10	7	10	0	27
Cowboys	14	10	0	14	38

at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas

Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST/3:00 p.m. CST
Game weather: 78 °F (clear)
TV announcers (FOX): Pat Summerall and John Madden
Referee: Ed Hochuli
Game Attendance: 65,135

Starting Quarterbacks:

Green Bay Packers - Brett Favre 4
Dallas Cowboys - Troy Aikman 8

Running back Emmitt Smith rushed for 150 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns as the Cowboys overcame a Packers 27-24 lead in the fourth quarter. Green Bay scored first on kicker Chris Jacke's 36-yard field goal, but Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman responded by throwing 2 touchdowns to wide receiver Michael Irvin. Packers quarterback Brett Favre countered with two touchdown passes of his own: a 73-yarder to Robert Brooks and a 24-yarder to tight end Keith Jackson. However, Cowboys kicker Chris Boniol made a 34-yard field goal to tie the game, 17-17. Dallas then took the lead with 24 seconds before halftime after marching 99 yards to score on running back Emmitt Smith's 1-yard touchdown. Green Bay then scored 10 unanswered points in the third quarter to take a 27-24 lead with Jacke's 37-yard field goal and 1-yard touchdown completion from Favre to Brooks. But Dallas regained the lead in the fourth quarter after Smith's 5-yard touchdown capped off a 90-yard possession. Then, Cowboys cornerback Larry Brown's 28-yard interception return set up Smith's 16-yard touchdown run to clinch the victory.

Scoring
- GB - FG Jacke 36
- DAL - Irvin 6 pass from Aikman (Boniol kick)
- DAL - Irvin 4 pass from Aikman (Boniol kick)
- GB - Brooks 73 pass from Favre (Jacke kick)
- GB - Jackson 24 pass from Favre (Jacke kick)
- DAL - FG Boniol 34
- DAL - Smith 1 run (Boniol kick)
- GB - FG Jacke 37
- GB - Brooks 1 pass from Favre (Jacke kick)
- DAL - Smith 5 run (Boniol kick)
- DAL - Smith 16 run (Boniol kick)

[edit] Super Bowl

Further information: Super Bowl XXX

Dallas Cowboys (NFC) 27, Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC) 17, at Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona

[edit] Bracket

Wild Card Playoffs			Divisional Playoffs			Conference Championships			Super Bowl XXX

6	Atlanta	20
3	Green Bay	37
			3	Green Bay	27

			2	San Francisco	17



						3	Green Bay	27
NFC
						1	Dallas	38
5	Detroit	37

4	Philadelphia	58
			4	Philadelphia	11

			1	Dallas	30



									N1	Dallas	27

									A2	Pittsburgh	17
5	Indianapolis	35

4	San Diego	20
			5	Indianapolis	10

			1	Kansas City	7



						5	Indianapolis	16
AFC
						2	Pittsburgh	20
6	Miami	22

3	Buffalo	37
			3	Buffalo	21

			2	Pittsburgh	40