NFC Div Rd: Giants outlast 49ers at Meadowlands

The Giants advance to the conference championship game with a 24-13victory over a tough 49ers squad. The score is completely misleading as NY scored a late TD on a Joe Morris (26-84) run after SF failed on a 4th down attempt deep in their own territory.
The Giants showed very little offense in this game after their opening possession. That was a 12 play, 74 yard TD drive which ate up over eight minutes on the clock. The 49ers slowly came back on two Wersching FGs in the 2nd quarter (30 and 34 yards). Unfortunately Wersching missed two others in the same quarter (39 and 43) as NY had three possessions totaling seven plays in the quarter. The first half ended 7-6.

The next big play was a 53 yard interception return of a Montana(14-30-121-2 picks) to Rice (2-32) aerial by Perry Williams. That occurred early in the 3rd quarter. The Giants were content to sit on the14-6 lead. That contentment took a hit when Don Griffin took a Landeta(8-41.9) punt 60 yards to the NY 4. Three plays later Montana hit Clark for the score. A scream could be heard across the entire state of Arkansas when the 49er coach realized there were no 2 point tries in1986 - 14-13 New York.

That was about it for any offense in this game. Allegre managed a 30yard FG after the Giants took over at midfield on a short punt and decent return. The big play in that drive was a 15 yard personal foul against the 49ers. In fact the 49ers were plagued by penalties all day7-65 yards to 4-25 for NY (and two of those were delay of game penalties to move the ball back before punting).

As already noted the last score came on after SF failed on a 4th and 6from their own 24 with 2:10 remaining. Two face mask penalties and a 13yard run by Morris clinched the win. Final yardage: 241 SF to 203 for New York. Simms was 8-15 for 101 yards and was sacked 3 times (1 pick).Neither team lost a fumble. Hats off to Bill who simply couldn't overcome some bad rolls (two missed FGs and numerous key penalties). -contributed by Wayne Poniewaz-

NFC Wild Card: Was Redskins 33, LA Rams 0

A cold and windy day in D.C. sees the pass happy Skins up against the potent running attack of the Rams. The Skins receive the opening kickoff and start the drive at their own 22. 5 minutes later and Zendejas boots a 45 yard FG as the Skins drive stalls at the Ram 28 yard line. The Rams begin their first drive from their own 31 as Steve Dils gets the starting nod at QB. The Skins defense is expecting a heavy dose of Dickerson but the Rams come out firing and quickly move 35 yards in 4 plays but the next 3 plays net 0 yards and the Skins stop the Rams on a 4th and 9 pass attempt from the Washington 34.


The next drive sees the Skins trying to stretch the field and the 5th play of the drive nets a big pass interference call that puts the ball at the LA 8 yard line. This drive ends on a 7 yard toss to George Rogers. Washington now up 10-0. The next possession for the Rams ends on a 4th and 8 incomplete pass at the Washington 26 yard line. It seems the coach of the Rams does not have faith in his kicker today and the Skins are relieved! The Skins go 5 and out and Steve Cox boots one into the end zone as the Rams start the pivotal drive of the game from their own 20. 8 yards later the Skins defense comes up large and stuffs Dickerson for a 1 yard loss.


The Skins can only add a field goal but these two possessions have set the tone for the rest of the game. Redskins 13 Rams 0. Another 5 and out and a poor punt leaves the Redskins with great field position at the Rams 44. The Skins drive close enough for another Zendejas field goal and now lead 16-0. This will remain the score heading into halftime.


The Rams will have the ball starting the second half and put together their biggest threat of the game with a drive that lasts over 6 minutes. With first and goal from the 4 it looks like the Rams will claw their way back into the game but Dickerson is stopped twice for -3 yards and Dils is sacked by Steve Hamilton on 4th down. The defense comes through again and keeps the Rams off the scoreboard. After trading possessions the Redskins take over at their own 46 and drive to the Rams 15 yard line. Schroeder's next pass is picked off by Mickey Sutton but the referees call pass interference and Washington gets new life at the Ram 7 yard line! His next pass attempt finds Gary Clark in the back of the end zone and the Redskins are now up 23-0. Rogers will tack on a 1 yard TD run and Zendejas will add another field goal as the Rams never enter Washington territory again until 1:14 left in the game and time expires on them. Washington 33 Rams 0."

AFC Wild Card: NY Jets 24, KC Chiefs 0

How fitting was it that the green team would play the red team on Christmas day ? The Jets, who virutally backed into the playoffs after losing 5 straight played host to the Chiefs who found a way to win on special team and intangibles. The Jets found themselves in the uneviable position of having to try and recapture the lightning they had going during the days when they were 10-1 and the top rated team in the league.

At game time it was a toss up if Ken "I'm on my back more than a Vegas Call Girl" O'Brien was going to start. O'B has been battered, bruised and blitz over the past 5 weeks. The popular thought was that the more mobile Pat Ryan might get the nod. In fact the two alternated snaps on the first 3 plays before O'Brien got the reign.

The game started out with KC mysteriously winning the toss, but chosing to kick to the Jets. Nick Lowery's opening kickoff was into the wind and only went to the Jet 22, where Kurt Sohn, the Fordham Flash, turned on the Jets and returned it to just about mid field. New York gained 45 yards on the next two plays as both Al Toon and Wesley Walker caught long one's. Three plays later Freeman McNeil ran it in from the eight to put the Jets up 7-0.

Marty Lyons sacked Chiefs QB Bill Kenney for 5 yards on a second and seven to put the Chiefs in the proverbial hole. 2 plays later Lewis Colbert was on the field to punt for the first time on the day. Colbert would see extensive action on this blustery day in the swamps of Jersey.

The Jets took over on their own 39 and started moving just like the did on their first drive. A fine defensive stand by the Chiefs and some penalties stopped the Jets cold on KC's 35. Convetional wisdom would have seen the Jets bring on Dave Jennings to go for the coffin corner, but with the wind to their back the Jets elected to bring on Pat Leahy, who kicked a 57 yarder dead center. With the first quarter not even halfway through the Jets were up 10-0.

The next 3 drives were both 3 and outs. Two by KC and one by the Jets. The Jets seemed to be content to play a game of field position until they got possession at mid field and it was time to go to work on offense again. O'Brien struck quickly hitting Mickey Shuler for 24 and Wesley Walker for 25 to make it 1st and goal from the 1. Fullback Tony Paige got stuffed for 3 yards, but Freeman McNeil blasted through for a 4 yard TD run and after a Pat Leahy XP the Jets were up 17-0 with the first quarter not even complete.

The second quarter saw the Jets chew over 6 minutes off the clock on a nice drive that started from their 39 and culminated with a Ken O'Brien QB sneak. The big play on this drive came on a Johnny Hector 4 yard run off of a draw play on 3rd and 4 from KC's 8. If KC stops Hector the Jets have to settle for a FG and it's still a 3 score game.

The Jets took the pedal off the metal and basically tried to play safe football the rest of the afternoon and let the scoreboard and blustery weather be their ally. KC tried their best to fight until the end, but inept offense and inopportune penalties were their undoing.

New York will head for their fateful match-up with the Browns in Cleveland and KC will head back home to the heartland.

The Wild Card Round

The 1986 Playoffs featured 5 teams from each conference. The "Wild Card" round featured the top 2 non-divisional winners in a head to head matchup. The winner of the Wild Card game moved on to play the #1 seed in the conference, unless they were both from the same division. In case that occurred they would play the #2 seed.

Chiefs at Jets - A classic matchup between two charter AFL members. Unfortunately for both franchises they hadn't had much post season success (or opportunities) since those days. The Jets started the season 10-1 and looked to be cruising to the divsion title and the number 1 seed, when the wheels fell of the proverbial bus. Paul McGuire, on NBC, predicted that they would NOT win a game the rest of the season. True the form the SOJ (same old Jets) complied and backed their way into the post season with 5 straight losses. The Chiefs hadn't been invited to the post season for 15 years, since that fateful 1971 double OT loss to Miami. KC couldn't run the ball and they barely could pass it. Their defensive secondary was stout, but their main claim to fame was their wild and whacky special teams and their coach Frank "Crash" Gansz. KC pushed it's way into the post season by blocking punts, FG's and returning balls. In real life the Jets were so desperate they had backup QB, Pat Ryan start this game at the Meadowlands.

Rams at Redskins - The Rams relied on the legs of Eric Dickerson. Their defense was strong, but their passing game was just starting to get some life with the drafting of Jim Everett. Washington mastermind Joe Gibbs had his 3rd starting QB in the last 5 years. Jay Schroeder was better know as a minor league baseball player until Gibbs resurected him into Washington's starter. Schroeder could throw the deep ball, but was not adept when it came to checking down. Washington's lack of a dominant runner also put the game firmly on Schroeders shoulders.