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Hurkman · 01-24-2010, 05:38 PM

AFC Wild Card Playoffs

San Diego Chargers (12-4) vs. New York Jets (10-6)
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA

The San Diego Chargers not only were back in the playoffs for the first time since the 1995 season, but their 2004 campaign had also resulted in their first winning season since nine years ago. Fourth year players Drew Brees and LaDanian Tomlinson had guided the Chargers to the top of the AFC West with one of the best offenses in the NFL. Brees finished the year with 27 touchdown passes compared to only seven interceptions, while Tomlinson led the league with 17 rushing touchdowns and 1,335 yards. Second year tight end Antonio Gates had emerged as Brees' favorite target, catching 13 touchdown passes. The San Diego rushing defense was also one of the best in the league, finishing third in yards allowed, which presented a challenge to the New York Jets, who were back in the playoffs after a 6-10 record in 2003. Chad Pennington had battled injuries once again, but still managed to pass for 2,673 yards and 16 touchdowns in just 13 games. Curtis Martin was named an All Pro, finishing the year with 1,697 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, but the real story of the Jets was their defense. New York allowed just 261 points on the season, and finished the year ranked third in the NFL in yards allowed, as well. Jonathan Vilma, Shaun Ellis and John Abraham formed a young, solid core for a defense that had already stopped the Chargers once during the regular season, and they were ready to do it again.

That New York defense would be tested early by Drew Brees and the Chargers. Using a mix of run and pass, Brees moved San Diego deep into New York territory on their first drive of the game. The Chargers made it all the way to the two yard line before the Jets began to hold their ground on defense. Two straight incomplete passes by Brees set up a third down and goal, and the New York blitz forced Brees to scramble for no gain, setting up a fourth down from the two yard line. The Chargers decided to go for the touchdown, but the Jets stopped LaDanian Tomlinson at the line of scrimmage, ending the almost ten minute drive and giving all the momentum to New York. Unfortunately for the Jets, they couldn't take advantage of their own lengthy drive as the Chargers forced them to punt early in the second quarter. On San Diego's next drive, Drew Brees found Kassim Osgood for a 37 yard gain to move the Chargers into Jets' territory again. Two quick passes to LaDanian Tomlinson later, and San Diego was in field goal range. Nate Kaeding nailed a 41 yard field goal for the first points of the game. The Jets answered back with a ten play, 74 yard drive of their own. Chad Pennington hit Santana Moss for 34 yards on a third down and one, and Curtis Martin did the rest, picking up the final 21 yards on a catch and three carries, including a four yard touchdown run that put the Jets on top.

After the New York touchdown, the second quarter belonged to the Chargers. San Diego was forced to punt on their next drive, but a holding penalty on the Jets set them back at their own five yard line. On the first New York play, Shaun Phillips sacked Chad Pennington for a safety. Tim Dwight returned the safety kick to the New York 38 yard line, and after Drew Brees hit Reche Caldwell with a 28 yard strike, the Chargers were in business again. However, the Jets were able to stop San Diego inside the ten yard line for the second time, and Nate Kaeding was forced to kick a 28 yard field goal as the first half came to a close. Even with being stopped twice inside the ten, the Chargers still held an 8-7 lead at the half.

Both defenses had come up strong in the first half, and that trend continued as the third quarter began. Neither team could gain a foothold on offense, with both the Chargers and the Jets struggling to do anything other than punt. Eventually, even that didn't go well for San Diego, as late in the third quarter, Santana Moss returned a Mike Scifres punt to the San Diego 42 yard line. Chad Pennington responded to the excellent field position by hitting Wayne Chrebet for a 32 yard gain to the San Diego ten yard line. This time, it was the Chargers' turn to have a goal line stand, but the Jets weren't going to risk a fourth down conversion. After being stopped three times, Doug Brien kicked a 26 yard field goal that put New York back on top. San Diego continued to struggle on offense going into the fourth quarter, as neither Drew Brees, nor LaDanian Tomlinson, could get moving again. The New York defense had stopped the Chargers cold, and after Santana Moss returned another San Diego punt to midfield midway through the fourth quarter, most people could feel how the game was going to turn out. The Jets milked the clock on a ten play, 59 yard drive that ended with a seven yard touchdown pass from Chad Pennington to Jonathan Carter that would finish the scoring. San Diego would finally start moving on offense on their next drive, but there wasn't enough time left to score twice, and the Jets had gone across the country and picked up a big playoff win.

Final Score: Jets-17 Chargers-8

Real Life Score: Jets-20 Chargers-17/OT

Indianapolis Colts (12-4) vs. Denver Broncos (10-6)
The RCA Dome, Indianapolis, IN

For the second straight season, the Colts and Broncos were set to face off in the first round of the AFC playoffs. The Colts had taken their idea of offense to another level in 2004, leading the NFL with 522 points scored. Peyton Manning won his second straight NFL MVP by passing for 4,557 yards and a new NFL record 49 touchdowns. Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and Brandon Stokley all finished the season with over 1,000 receiving yards and ten or more touchdowns. Edgerrin James complimented the offense with 1,548 yards on the ground and nine touchdowns. The Indianapolis defense was still quite average, at best. The Colts ranked near the bottom of the league in yards allowed, but with their offense, the defense just had to play average to win. In his second season with the Broncos, Jake Plummer looked like he could be the successor to John Elway, passing for 27 touchdowns and 4,089 yards. His 20 interceptions led the league, but with Rod Smith and Ashley Lelie boasting 1,000 yard seasons of their own, most people didn't notice. Reuben Droughns was given the starting job at running back, and responded with 1,240 yards and six touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Denver defense was in the upper tier of the NFL. Champ Bailey came over in a trade with the Redskins and established himself as the shutdown corner in the AFC West, and his matchup with Marvin Harrison could possibly make the difference in what people thought would be a very close game.

Indianapolis started with the football in the first quarter and wasted little time in taking it right to the Broncos. The Colts started with six straight running plays before Peyton Manning found Reggie Wayne for 14 yards. Two plays later, Manning hit Brandon Stokley for a 30 yard touchdown and an early 7-0 lead. Jake Plummer's first pass of the game for the Broncos was intercepted by Jim Nelson, and though the Colts couldn't get into the end zone again, Mike Vanderjagt did kick a 45 yard field goal that increased Indianapolis' lead. Roc Alexander returned the ensuing kickoff to the Denver 42 yard line, and the Broncos took advantage. Reuben Droughns punished the Indianapolis defense, and then Jake Plummer found Droughns for a 32 yard pass down to the Colts' three yard line. From there, the Colts managed to keep the Broncos out of the end zone, and Denver had to settle for a 21 yard field goal by Jason Elam. The Colts responded with a 14 play, 79 yard drive that took up the rest of the first quarter and part of the second quarter. A two yard touchdown pass from Manning to Marvin Harrison finished the drive and put the Colts up by 14 points. Denver answered with a 14 play scoring drive of their own, and Reuben Droughns scored on a two yard run to make the score 17-10, and that carried over to the half.

Denver's momentum carried over into the third quarter, as their first drive of the half ended with points. Reuben Droughns and Quentin Griffin moved the ball well on the ground, which set up Jason Elam's 48 yard field goal that cut the Colt lead to just four points. Peyton Manning came out and picked apart the Denver defense on the next Indianapolis drive, hitting Brandon Stokley for 27 yards, Marvin Harrison for 17 yards and finally, Dallas Clark for a 24 yard touchdown to pad the Indianapolis lead once again. The Colts had a chance to put the game away on their next drive, when Quentin Griffin fumbled the ball away at the Denver 27 yard line. Four plays later, Dominic Rhodes fumbled the ball at the two yard line of the Broncos, and Denver would make the Colts pay for letting them stay in the game. Reuben Droughns broke free for a 54 yard gain, and two plays later, Jake Plummer found Darius Watts for a 13 yard touchdown pass. The Broncos failed to convert the two point conversion, keeping them down by five points. Following two straight Indianapolis punts, the Broncos had just four and a half minutes to play, but Jake Plummer still had one more drive left in him. Plummer completed three straight passes for 57 yards, and right before the two minute warning, Droughns broke loose for a six yard touchdown run that gave the Broncos their first lead of the game. Droughns would find the end zone again on the two point conversion, and the Denver lead was three.

The Broncos made one mistake: they left too much time for Peyton Manning. A 15 yard pass from Manning to Dallas Clark on the first Indianapolis play of the drive put the ball at the Colts' 40 yard line, but a false start penalty and three straight incomplete passes left the Colts with just one shot for a first down. Manning stepped back and found Edgerrin James, who made one man miss before making it to the first down marker, keeping the Colts' season alive. Manning found Reggie Wayne for a 19 yard gain, and, with 31 seconds to play, the NFL MVP struck again. Brandon Stokley found a seam in the middle of the field, and Manning hit him for a 29 yard touchdown that put the Colts on top once again. Jake Plummer had one more shot, but he couldn't complete any of his last three passes, and Indianapolis had taken one more step in defending their AFC Championship.

Final Score: Indianapolis-31 Denver-27

Real Life Score: Indianapolis-49 Denver-24

AFC Divisional Playoffs

Pittsburgh Steelers (15-1) vs. New York Jets (10-6)
Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA

The are good rookie seasons for quarterbacks, and then there's the one that Ben Roethlisberger had while leading the Pittsburgh Steelers. After Pittsburgh lost to Baltimore in Week 2, Roethlisberger took over the starting job from Tommy Maddox and proceeded not to lose a single game for the rest of the regular season. The Offensive Rookie of the Year passed for 2,621 yards and 17 touchdowns, and was backed by the 1-2 punch of Jerome Bettis and Duce Staley, who combined for over 1,700 yards and 14 touchdowns. The Pittsburgh defense continued in the tradition of the Steel Curtain, and was the best in the NFL during the regular season. The Steelers allowed just 251 points during the regular season, and allowed the fewest yards in the NFL. Even with all of those impressive figures, the Jets came into the game knowing that they could take down the best team in the NFL if everything could fall their way.

With two of the best defenses in the NFL facing off, most people expected points to be a struggle, and that's exactly how the first quarter was. Neither offense was able to get moving, with each team punting on each of their possessions. Finally, the Steelers started to move, with Jerome Bettis and rookie Willie Parker working their way through the New York defense. Eventually, the Jets were able to put a stop to the drive, and Jeff Reed was forced to come in and kick a 37 yard field goal for the first points of the game. After another New York punt, the Steelers had a chance to score again, but the Jets stopped Pittsburgh cold and then took advantage of the first mistake of the game. Chris Gardocki's punt was blocked by Erik Coleman, and Victor Hobson grabbed the loose ball and raced 15 yards for a touchdown and the lead. Special teams came into play on the next Pittsburgh drive, following a solid Pittsburgh drive. This time, Jeff Reed's 47 yard field goal try was blocked by Jason Ferguson, and the Jets recovered. Chad Pennington finally got New York's offense moving, guiding the Jets on a ten play drive in just one minute. Doug Brien's 23 yard field goal put the Jets up, 10-3, and New York's defense made that score hold until the half.

In the third quarter, New York's defense and special teams made an even bigger impact than they did in the first half. First, after stopping the Steelers on offense again, Santana Moss took a Chris Gardocki punt and returned it 83 yards for a touchdown, putting the Jets up by 14 points. Then, on the very next Pittsburgh play, Ben Roethlisberger was intercepted by Terrell Buckley at the Pittsburgh 34 yard line. A 19 yard run by Curtis Martin put the Jets well inside field goal range, and Doug Brien finished the short drive with a 26 yard field goal, his second of the day. The Steelers responded with a five play, 69 yard scoring drive of their own, but the score was a second Jeff Reed field goal rather than a touchdown. New York's first drive of the fourth quarter came to a quick end when James Farrior intercepted Chad Pennington at midfield, but Pittsburgh couldn't solve the Jets' defense and had to punt again. This time, the Jets would embark on a 15 play drive that took over eight and a half minutes off the clock. Pennington passed the ball just two times on the drive, with Curtis Martin and LaMont Jordan doing most of the work. Martin finished the drive with a one yard touchdown run, and with just two minutes to play, the game was all but over. For everything Ben Roethlisberger did in his rookie season, he couldn't win a single playoff game, and a 15-1 record from the Steelers went to waste.

Final Score: New York-27 Pittsburgh-6

Real Life Score: Pittsburgh-20 New York-17/OT

New England Patriots (14-2) vs. Indianapolis Colts (12-4)
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA

After falling just short of their second trip to the Super Bowl last season, the New England Patriots were back, and even better than before. Tom Brady had become one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, passing for 3,692 yards and 28 touchdowns, and newcomer Corey Dillon had come over from Cincinnati and made a drastic impact on the running game, rushing for 1,635 yards and 12 touchdowns. New England's balance on offense allowed them to have one of the best offenses in the NFL, but their defense was even better. The Patriots gave up just 260 points in the regular season, and their rushing defense was ranked right at the top of the league. To stop Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, though, they would need a great effort from their offense and defense. Without it, the Patriots would be sitting at home, watching the playoffs again.

The game did not start the way the Patriots wanted it to, as Peyton Manning, Edgerrin James and Dominic Rhodes moved the Colts downfield with relative ease. The Colts made it inside the New England ten yard line, but the Patriots' defense held their ground, forcing Indianapolis to settle for a Mike Vanderjagt field goal. Meanwhile, the Patriots were having a tough time against the Indianapolis defense. Tom Brady couldn't find his receivers, and Corey Dillon wasn't able to get anything going on the ground. When the Patriots finally did get moving on offense, Patrick Pass fumbled the ball at midfield, giving it back to the Colts. This time, Manning wasn't going to be denied from reaching the end zone. Manning completed four passes for 44 yards on the 48 yard drive, including an 11 yard touchdown pass to Brandon Stokley to cap the drive. After another punt by the Patriots, the Indianapolis running game took control on their next drive, moving the Colts downfield before Mike Vanderjagt came in and kicked a 37 yard field goal. Down by 13 points, Tom Brady finally got the Patriots moving on offense, hitting Kevin Faulk for back to back 15 yard passes to get New England inside the Indianapolis ten yard line for the first time. Faulk finished the drive with an eight yard touchdwon run, and, after an Indianapolis punt, the Patriots were able to drive again. This time, a 38 yard pass from Brady to David Patten allowed Adam Vinatieri to kick a 38 yard field goal as the first half came to a close, giving New England more momentum.

After the second quarter had turned into an offensive battle late, the third quarter continued the trend. The Colts struck first with a six play, 56 yard drive that ended with a 32 yard field goal by Mike Vanderjagt. New England answered with Corey Dillon running through the Indianapolis defense for 47 yards on four carries. His 28 yard touchdown run gave the Patriots their first lead of the game, but it wouldn't last for long. The Colts quickly moved downfield again, going 70 yards in just six plays. Dominic Rhodes picked up 35 yards on a run, but it was Peyton Manning that finished the drive, hitting Dallas Clark for a six yard touchdown that took the lead right back. New England drove downfield once again, but Tom Brady was intercepted by Cato June at the Indianapolis 13 yard line, ending the drive and setting the Colts up with a chance to go up by two scores. Peyton Manning and Edgerrin James moved Indianapolis down into New England territory once again, taking over seven and a half minutes off the clock before Mike Vanderjagt kicked his fourth field goal of the game to put the Colts up 26-17. New England managed to drive into Colts' territory quickly, and Patrick Pass made up for his earlier fumble with a one yard touchdown run with just under a minute to play. The Patriots needed to recover the onside kick, but Indianapolis put a stop to that as Brandon Stokley grabbed the last chance that New England had. For the second straight season, New England's season had come to an end at the hands of the Colts, and Indianapolis was headed to their second straight AFC Championship.

Final Score: Indianapolis-26 New England-24

Real Life Score: New England-20 Indianapolis-3

AFC Championship Game

The RCA Dome, Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis Colts (12-4) vs. New York Jets (10-6)

The Indianapolis Colts had managed to make it back to the AFC Championship Game for the second straight season behind the strength of their offense once again. Peyton Manning had led the Colts on back to back come from behind wins against the Broncos and Patriots, and now the Colts were a win away from going to their second straight Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the New York Jets were in their second AFC Championship for the second time in three seasons. The New York defense had shut down the powerful San Diego offense and taken out the 15-1 Pittsburgh Steelers and rookie phenom Ben Roethlisberger. Now, with their first trip to the Super Bowl in their sights, the Jets were focused on shutting down the best offense in the NFL.

Just as they had against the Broncos and Patriots, the Colts came out against the Jets and were able to put points on the board. Following a punt by New York, Edgerrin Hames broke loose for a 37 yard run that put the Colts inside New York territory. The Jets were able to hold on defense, though, and Mike Vanderjagt kicked a 39 yard field goal to give the Colts an early lead. After another New York punt, the Colts were set to make another scoring drive, but Peyton Manning was intercepted by Terrell Buckley, who returned the pick back to the Indianapolis 39 yard line. Four plays later, Chad Pennington hit Santana Moss for a 23 yard touchdown pass, putting the Jets on top. New York struck again later in the second quarter, needed just three plays to move 78 yards. Pennington found Chris Baker for 18 yards, then LaMont Jordan broke free on a swing pass and rushed 60 yards for a touchdown. Peyton Manning moved the Colts downfield on the next Indianapolis drive, but once again, the New York defense held, and Mike Vanderjagt had to kick a 29 yard field goal for the final points of the first half.

With an eight point lead at the half, the Jets were confident that they could defeat the Colts, and their first drive of the third quarter helped move them closer to that goal. Curtis Martin was quiet in the first half, but a 38 yard run on his first carry of the third quarter helped set up another New York scoring drive. Chad Pennington's third touchdown pass of the game, this one a six yarder to LaMont Jordan, capped the ten play drive and increased their lead. A holding penalty on the Colts on the ensuing kickoff pinned Indianapolis back at their own four yard line, and three plays later, Shaun Ellis came crashing through the line and brought Peyton Manning down for a safety. Santana Moss returned the safety kick back to the Indianapolis 27 yard line, and Doug Brien kicked a 39 yard field goal, giving the Jets 12 points in just three minutes of gameplay. Down by 20 points, the Colts needed something to get them going again, and Manning got his offense inside the New York ten yard line for the first time. However, the Colts still couldn't solve the Jets' defense, and Mike Vanderjagt kicked his third field goal of the game.

On the next New York drive, Curtis Martin struck again, picking up 54 yards on two carries. Then, Chad Pennington found Jonathan Carter for a 12 yard touchdown. With just ten minutes to play, the Jets held a 33-9 lead, and that lead would only increase. Following a goal line stand by the New York defense, Curtis Martin broke through the Indianapolis defense for a 52 yard run. Four plays later, BJ Askew rushed for a 2 yard touchdown, and the Jets could begin to celebrate. Despite a late touchdown by Edgerrin James, there was no stopping New York on this day. Chad Pennington threw for four touchdowns, Curtis Martin rushed for 215 yards, and the New York Jets had won their third straight road game, earning the right to play in their first Super Bowl.

Final Score: New York-40 Indianapolis-16

Real Life Score: New England-41 Pittsburgh-27 (In Pittsburgh)

01-24-2010, 05:38 PM	#214 (permalink)
Hurkman All Star Reserve Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 714 Thanks: 3 Thanked 7x in 7 posts	2004 AFC Playoffs: It's time for Ben Rothles...Ben Roethls...Big Ben! AFC Wild Card Playoffs San Diego Chargers (12-4) vs. New York Jets (10-6) Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA The San Diego Chargers not only were back in the playoffs for the first time since the 1995 season, but their 2004 campaign had also resulted in their first winning season since nine years ago. Fourth year players Drew Brees and LaDanian Tomlinson had guided the Chargers to the top of the AFC West with one of the best offenses in the NFL. Brees finished the year with 27 touchdown passes compared to only seven interceptions, while Tomlinson led the league with 17 rushing touchdowns and 1,335 yards. Second year tight end Antonio Gates had emerged as Brees' favorite target, catching 13 touchdown passes. The San Diego rushing defense was also one of the best in the league, finishing third in yards allowed, which presented a challenge to the New York Jets, who were back in the playoffs after a 6-10 record in 2003. Chad Pennington had battled injuries once again, but still managed to pass for 2,673 yards and 16 touchdowns in just 13 games. Curtis Martin was named an All Pro, finishing the year with 1,697 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, but the real story of the Jets was their defense. New York allowed just 261 points on the season, and finished the year ranked third in the NFL in yards allowed, as well. Jonathan Vilma, Shaun Ellis and John Abraham formed a young, solid core for a defense that had already stopped the Chargers once during the regular season, and they were ready to do it again. That New York defense would be tested early by Drew Brees and the Chargers. Using a mix of run and pass, Brees moved San Diego deep into New York territory on their first drive of the game. The Chargers made it all the way to the two yard line before the Jets began to hold their ground on defense. Two straight incomplete passes by Brees set up a third down and goal, and the New York blitz forced Brees to scramble for no gain, setting up a fourth down from the two yard line. The Chargers decided to go for the touchdown, but the Jets stopped LaDanian Tomlinson at the line of scrimmage, ending the almost ten minute drive and giving all the momentum to New York. Unfortunately for the Jets, they couldn't take advantage of their own lengthy drive as the Chargers forced them to punt early in the second quarter. On San Diego's next drive, Drew Brees found Kassim Osgood for a 37 yard gain to move the Chargers into Jets' territory again. Two quick passes to LaDanian Tomlinson later, and San Diego was in field goal range. Nate Kaeding nailed a 41 yard field goal for the first points of the game. The Jets answered back with a ten play, 74 yard drive of their own. Chad Pennington hit Santana Moss for 34 yards on a third down and one, and Curtis Martin did the rest, picking up the final 21 yards on a catch and three carries, including a four yard touchdown run that put the Jets on top. After the New York touchdown, the second quarter belonged to the Chargers. San Diego was forced to punt on their next drive, but a holding penalty on the Jets set them back at their own five yard line. On the first New York play, Shaun Phillips sacked Chad Pennington for a safety. Tim Dwight returned the safety kick to the New York 38 yard line, and after Drew Brees hit Reche Caldwell with a 28 yard strike, the Chargers were in business again. However, the Jets were able to stop San Diego inside the ten yard line for the second time, and Nate Kaeding was forced to kick a 28 yard field goal as the first half came to a close. Even with being stopped twice inside the ten, the Chargers still held an 8-7 lead at the half. Both defenses had come up strong in the first half, and that trend continued as the third quarter began. Neither team could gain a foothold on offense, with both the Chargers and the Jets struggling to do anything other than punt. Eventually, even that didn't go well for San Diego, as late in the third quarter, Santana Moss returned a Mike Scifres punt to the San Diego 42 yard line. Chad Pennington responded to the excellent field position by hitting Wayne Chrebet for a 32 yard gain to the San Diego ten yard line. This time, it was the Chargers' turn to have a goal line stand, but the Jets weren't going to risk a fourth down conversion. After being stopped three times, Doug Brien kicked a 26 yard field goal that put New York back on top. San Diego continued to struggle on offense going into the fourth quarter, as neither Drew Brees, nor LaDanian Tomlinson, could get moving again. The New York defense had stopped the Chargers cold, and after Santana Moss returned another San Diego punt to midfield midway through the fourth quarter, most people could feel how the game was going to turn out. The Jets milked the clock on a ten play, 59 yard drive that ended with a seven yard touchdown pass from Chad Pennington to Jonathan Carter that would finish the scoring. San Diego would finally start moving on offense on their next drive, but there wasn't enough time left to score twice, and the Jets had gone across the country and picked up a big playoff win. Final Score: Jets-17 Chargers-8 Real Life Score: Jets-20 Chargers-17/OT Indianapolis Colts (12-4) vs. Denver Broncos (10-6) The RCA Dome, Indianapolis, IN For the second straight season, the Colts and Broncos were set to face off in the first round of the AFC playoffs. The Colts had taken their idea of offense to another level in 2004, leading the NFL with 522 points scored. Peyton Manning won his second straight NFL MVP by passing for 4,557 yards and a new NFL record 49 touchdowns. Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and Brandon Stokley all finished the season with over 1,000 receiving yards and ten or more touchdowns. Edgerrin James complimented the offense with 1,548 yards on the ground and nine touchdowns. The Indianapolis defense was still quite average, at best. The Colts ranked near the bottom of the league in yards allowed, but with their offense, the defense just had to play average to win. In his second season with the Broncos, Jake Plummer looked like he could be the successor to John Elway, passing for 27 touchdowns and 4,089 yards. His 20 interceptions led the league, but with Rod Smith and Ashley Lelie boasting 1,000 yard seasons of their own, most people didn't notice. Reuben Droughns was given the starting job at running back, and responded with 1,240 yards and six touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Denver defense was in the upper tier of the NFL. Champ Bailey came over in a trade with the Redskins and established himself as the shutdown corner in the AFC West, and his matchup with Marvin Harrison could possibly make the difference in what people thought would be a very close game. Indianapolis started with the football in the first quarter and wasted little time in taking it right to the Broncos. The Colts started with six straight running plays before Peyton Manning found Reggie Wayne for 14 yards. Two plays later, Manning hit Brandon Stokley for a 30 yard touchdown and an early 7-0 lead. Jake Plummer's first pass of the game for the Broncos was intercepted by Jim Nelson, and though the Colts couldn't get into the end zone again, Mike Vanderjagt did kick a 45 yard field goal that increased Indianapolis' lead. Roc Alexander returned the ensuing kickoff to the Denver 42 yard line, and the Broncos took advantage. Reuben Droughns punished the Indianapolis defense, and then Jake Plummer found Droughns for a 32 yard pass down to the Colts' three yard line. From there, the Colts managed to keep the Broncos out of the end zone, and Denver had to settle for a 21 yard field goal by Jason Elam. The Colts responded with a 14 play, 79 yard drive that took up the rest of the first quarter and part of the second quarter. A two yard touchdown pass from Manning to Marvin Harrison finished the drive and put the Colts up by 14 points. Denver answered with a 14 play scoring drive of their own, and Reuben Droughns scored on a two yard run to make the score 17-10, and that carried over to the half. Denver's momentum carried over into the third quarter, as their first drive of the half ended with points. Reuben Droughns and Quentin Griffin moved the ball well on the ground, which set up Jason Elam's 48 yard field goal that cut the Colt lead to just four points. Peyton Manning came out and picked apart the Denver defense on the next Indianapolis drive, hitting Brandon Stokley for 27 yards, Marvin Harrison for 17 yards and finally, Dallas Clark for a 24 yard touchdown to pad the Indianapolis lead once again. The Colts had a chance to put the game away on their next drive, when Quentin Griffin fumbled the ball away at the Denver 27 yard line. Four plays later, Dominic Rhodes fumbled the ball at the two yard line of the Broncos, and Denver would make the Colts pay for letting them stay in the game. Reuben Droughns broke free for a 54 yard gain, and two plays later, Jake Plummer found Darius Watts for a 13 yard touchdown pass. The Broncos failed to convert the two point conversion, keeping them down by five points. Following two straight Indianapolis punts, the Broncos had just four and a half minutes to play, but Jake Plummer still had one more drive left in him. Plummer completed three straight passes for 57 yards, and right before the two minute warning, Droughns broke loose for a six yard touchdown run that gave the Broncos their first lead of the game. Droughns would find the end zone again on the two point conversion, and the Denver lead was three. The Broncos made one mistake: they left too much time for Peyton Manning. A 15 yard pass from Manning to Dallas Clark on the first Indianapolis play of the drive put the ball at the Colts' 40 yard line, but a false start penalty and three straight incomplete passes left the Colts with just one shot for a first down. Manning stepped back and found Edgerrin James, who made one man miss before making it to the first down marker, keeping the Colts' season alive. Manning found Reggie Wayne for a 19 yard gain, and, with 31 seconds to play, the NFL MVP struck again. Brandon Stokley found a seam in the middle of the field, and Manning hit him for a 29 yard touchdown that put the Colts on top once again. Jake Plummer had one more shot, but he couldn't complete any of his last three passes, and Indianapolis had taken one more step in defending their AFC Championship. Final Score: Indianapolis-31 Denver-27 Real Life Score: Indianapolis-49 Denver-24 AFC Divisional Playoffs Pittsburgh Steelers (15-1) vs. New York Jets (10-6) Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA The are good rookie seasons for quarterbacks, and then there's the one that Ben Roethlisberger had while leading the Pittsburgh Steelers. After Pittsburgh lost to Baltimore in Week 2, Roethlisberger took over the starting job from Tommy Maddox and proceeded not to lose a single game for the rest of the regular season. The Offensive Rookie of the Year passed for 2,621 yards and 17 touchdowns, and was backed by the 1-2 punch of Jerome Bettis and Duce Staley, who combined for over 1,700 yards and 14 touchdowns. The Pittsburgh defense continued in the tradition of the Steel Curtain, and was the best in the NFL during the regular season. The Steelers allowed just 251 points during the regular season, and allowed the fewest yards in the NFL. Even with all of those impressive figures, the Jets came into the game knowing that they could take down the best team in the NFL if everything could fall their way. With two of the best defenses in the NFL facing off, most people expected points to be a struggle, and that's exactly how the first quarter was. Neither offense was able to get moving, with each team punting on each of their possessions. Finally, the Steelers started to move, with Jerome Bettis and rookie Willie Parker working their way through the New York defense. Eventually, the Jets were able to put a stop to the drive, and Jeff Reed was forced to come in and kick a 37 yard field goal for the first points of the game. After another New York punt, the Steelers had a chance to score again, but the Jets stopped Pittsburgh cold and then took advantage of the first mistake of the game. Chris Gardocki's punt was blocked by Erik Coleman, and Victor Hobson grabbed the loose ball and raced 15 yards for a touchdown and the lead. Special teams came into play on the next Pittsburgh drive, following a solid Pittsburgh drive. This time, Jeff Reed's 47 yard field goal try was blocked by Jason Ferguson, and the Jets recovered. Chad Pennington finally got New York's offense moving, guiding the Jets on a ten play drive in just one minute. Doug Brien's 23 yard field goal put the Jets up, 10-3, and New York's defense made that score hold until the half. In the third quarter, New York's defense and special teams made an even bigger impact than they did in the first half. First, after stopping the Steelers on offense again, Santana Moss took a Chris Gardocki punt and returned it 83 yards for a touchdown, putting the Jets up by 14 points. Then, on the very next Pittsburgh play, Ben Roethlisberger was intercepted by Terrell Buckley at the Pittsburgh 34 yard line. A 19 yard run by Curtis Martin put the Jets well inside field goal range, and Doug Brien finished the short drive with a 26 yard field goal, his second of the day. The Steelers responded with a five play, 69 yard scoring drive of their own, but the score was a second Jeff Reed field goal rather than a touchdown. New York's first drive of the fourth quarter came to a quick end when James Farrior intercepted Chad Pennington at midfield, but Pittsburgh couldn't solve the Jets' defense and had to punt again. This time, the Jets would embark on a 15 play drive that took over eight and a half minutes off the clock. Pennington passed the ball just two times on the drive, with Curtis Martin and LaMont Jordan doing most of the work. Martin finished the drive with a one yard touchdown run, and with just two minutes to play, the game was all but over. For everything Ben Roethlisberger did in his rookie season, he couldn't win a single playoff game, and a 15-1 record from the Steelers went to waste. Final Score: New York-27 Pittsburgh-6 Real Life Score: Pittsburgh-20 New York-17/OT New England Patriots (14-2) vs. Indianapolis Colts (12-4) Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA After falling just short of their second trip to the Super Bowl last season, the New England Patriots were back, and even better than before. Tom Brady had become one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, passing for 3,692 yards and 28 touchdowns, and newcomer Corey Dillon had come over from Cincinnati and made a drastic impact on the running game, rushing for 1,635 yards and 12 touchdowns. New England's balance on offense allowed them to have one of the best offenses in the NFL, but their defense was even better. The Patriots gave up just 260 points in the regular season, and their rushing defense was ranked right at the top of the league. To stop Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, though, they would need a great effort from their offense and defense. Without it, the Patriots would be sitting at home, watching the playoffs again. The game did not start the way the Patriots wanted it to, as Peyton Manning, Edgerrin James and Dominic Rhodes moved the Colts downfield with relative ease. The Colts made it inside the New England ten yard line, but the Patriots' defense held their ground, forcing Indianapolis to settle for a Mike Vanderjagt field goal. Meanwhile, the Patriots were having a tough time against the Indianapolis defense. Tom Brady couldn't find his receivers, and Corey Dillon wasn't able to get anything going on the ground. When the Patriots finally did get moving on offense, Patrick Pass fumbled the ball at midfield, giving it back to the Colts. This time, Manning wasn't going to be denied from reaching the end zone. Manning completed four passes for 44 yards on the 48 yard drive, including an 11 yard touchdown pass to Brandon Stokley to cap the drive. After another punt by the Patriots, the Indianapolis running game took control on their next drive, moving the Colts downfield before Mike Vanderjagt came in and kicked a 37 yard field goal. Down by 13 points, Tom Brady finally got the Patriots moving on offense, hitting Kevin Faulk for back to back 15 yard passes to get New England inside the Indianapolis ten yard line for the first time. Faulk finished the drive with an eight yard touchdwon run, and, after an Indianapolis punt, the Patriots were able to drive again. This time, a 38 yard pass from Brady to David Patten allowed Adam Vinatieri to kick a 38 yard field goal as the first half came to a close, giving New England more momentum. After the second quarter had turned into an offensive battle late, the third quarter continued the trend. The Colts struck first with a six play, 56 yard drive that ended with a 32 yard field goal by Mike Vanderjagt. New England answered with Corey Dillon running through the Indianapolis defense for 47 yards on four carries. His 28 yard touchdown run gave the Patriots their first lead of the game, but it wouldn't last for long. The Colts quickly moved downfield again, going 70 yards in just six plays. Dominic Rhodes picked up 35 yards on a run, but it was Peyton Manning that finished the drive, hitting Dallas Clark for a six yard touchdown that took the lead right back. New England drove downfield once again, but Tom Brady was intercepted by Cato June at the Indianapolis 13 yard line, ending the drive and setting the Colts up with a chance to go up by two scores. Peyton Manning and Edgerrin James moved Indianapolis down into New England territory once again, taking over seven and a half minutes off the clock before Mike Vanderjagt kicked his fourth field goal of the game to put the Colts up 26-17. New England managed to drive into Colts' territory quickly, and Patrick Pass made up for his earlier fumble with a one yard touchdown run with just under a minute to play. The Patriots needed to recover the onside kick, but Indianapolis put a stop to that as Brandon Stokley grabbed the last chance that New England had. For the second straight season, New England's season had come to an end at the hands of the Colts, and Indianapolis was headed to their second straight AFC Championship. Final Score: Indianapolis-26 New England-24 Real Life Score: New England-20 Indianapolis-3 AFC Championship Game The RCA Dome, Indianapolis, IN Indianapolis Colts (12-4) vs. New York Jets (10-6) The Indianapolis Colts had managed to make it back to the AFC Championship Game for the second straight season behind the strength of their offense once again. Peyton Manning had led the Colts on back to back come from behind wins against the Broncos and Patriots, and now the Colts were a win away from going to their second straight Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the New York Jets were in their second AFC Championship for the second time in three seasons. The New York defense had shut down the powerful San Diego offense and taken out the 15-1 Pittsburgh Steelers and rookie phenom Ben Roethlisberger. Now, with their first trip to the Super Bowl in their sights, the Jets were focused on shutting down the best offense in the NFL. Just as they had against the Broncos and Patriots, the Colts came out against the Jets and were able to put points on the board. Following a punt by New York, Edgerrin Hames broke loose for a 37 yard run that put the Colts inside New York territory. The Jets were able to hold on defense, though, and Mike Vanderjagt kicked a 39 yard field goal to give the Colts an early lead. After another New York punt, the Colts were set to make another scoring drive, but Peyton Manning was intercepted by Terrell Buckley, who returned the pick back to the Indianapolis 39 yard line. Four plays later, Chad Pennington hit Santana Moss for a 23 yard touchdown pass, putting the Jets on top. New York struck again later in the second quarter, needed just three plays to move 78 yards. Pennington found Chris Baker for 18 yards, then LaMont Jordan broke free on a swing pass and rushed 60 yards for a touchdown. Peyton Manning moved the Colts downfield on the next Indianapolis drive, but once again, the New York defense held, and Mike Vanderjagt had to kick a 29 yard field goal for the final points of the first half. With an eight point lead at the half, the Jets were confident that they could defeat the Colts, and their first drive of the third quarter helped move them closer to that goal. Curtis Martin was quiet in the first half, but a 38 yard run on his first carry of the third quarter helped set up another New York scoring drive. Chad Pennington's third touchdown pass of the game, this one a six yarder to LaMont Jordan, capped the ten play drive and increased their lead. A holding penalty on the Colts on the ensuing kickoff pinned Indianapolis back at their own four yard line, and three plays later, Shaun Ellis came crashing through the line and brought Peyton Manning down for a safety. Santana Moss returned the safety kick back to the Indianapolis 27 yard line, and Doug Brien kicked a 39 yard field goal, giving the Jets 12 points in just three minutes of gameplay. Down by 20 points, the Colts needed something to get them going again, and Manning got his offense inside the New York ten yard line for the first time. However, the Colts still couldn't solve the Jets' defense, and Mike Vanderjagt kicked his third field goal of the game. On the next New York drive, Curtis Martin struck again, picking up 54 yards on two carries. Then, Chad Pennington found Jonathan Carter for a 12 yard touchdown. With just ten minutes to play, the Jets held a 33-9 lead, and that lead would only increase. Following a goal line stand by the New York defense, Curtis Martin broke through the Indianapolis defense for a 52 yard run. Four plays later, BJ Askew rushed for a 2 yard touchdown, and the Jets could begin to celebrate. Despite a late touchdown by Edgerrin James, there was no stopping New York on this day. Chad Pennington threw for four touchdowns, Curtis Martin rushed for 215 yards, and the New York Jets had won their third straight road game, earning the right to play in their first Super Bowl. Final Score: New York-40 Indianapolis-16 Real Life Score: New England-41 Pittsburgh-27 (In Pittsburgh)