Baltimore Ravens, 38 Denver Broncos, 35
This epic double-OT classic got off to a fast start. Broncos KR Trindon Holliday started the game with his first of two returns (one punt and one kick) and Ravens WR Torrey Smith torched another future hall of famer in CB Champ Bailey for a 59-yard deep post. The game was already 7-7 as the two headliners (sure-fire first ballot Hall Of Famers Ravens LB Ray Lewis and Broncos QB Peyton Manning) took the field for the first time.
In the mountain cold, single digit temperatures, the Ravens and Broncos put up 10 touchdowns in 75 minutes before the sole field goal, the game winner, with 13:29 left in the 2nd OT from Ravens K Justin Tucker. It was the 4th longest game in NFL history, and the stakes were as high as they could be.
The game hinged on an wonderful January assortment of big plays through the air from both Manning and Flacco. None more exciting (or gut-wrenching from Denver's view) as WR Jacoby Jones' over-the-top TD to tie the game with 0:41 remaining in the 4th quarter. Only minutes before, Denver was within a first down to run the clock and win the game but did not attempt a pass despite having Peyton Manning under center.
Despite the score, the game was hardly an offensive shootout. Three touchdowns came from defense and special team. This was true an all-around masterpiece of a game. Going into OT at 35-35, Mile High was then made witness to multiple hard hitting defensive stands from both teams in the 0-0 first overtime period.
MVP: QB Joe Flacco proved himself worthy of widespread national praise. Despite inconsistency on offense all year, and living in the shadow (at least from media perspective) of a legendary D, he has been solid. Now, he's a star and maybe that newly accepted designation means nothing, but its certainly worth noting when a player takes that step up.
KEY PLAY: The dreams of a Manning/Brady AFC Championship disappeared on a hail mary touchdown to Jacoby Jones. The game appeared to be wrapped up at the time, and the Broncos did have other chances to win afterwards, but the deflation was too much. Honorable mention goes to Peyton Manning’s awful, downright Favre-ian, late-game-across-the-body-into-traffic-season-ending interception in double OT. Brett Favre would be made proud.
San Francisco 49ers, 45 Green Bay Packers, 31
The Green Bay Packers defense has been torched again. This was not an anomaly or especially surprising for a defense ranked 32nd only one year ago. Still, this beatdown sent some shock-waves through the NFL for the way in which it was done. It announced the read-option as a legitimate playoff threat, at least this season, and served as the superstar announcement party of 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick.
It didn't start too bad for Green Bay. Kaepernick’s first pass was an interception. and the Packers went into the locker room at halftime with a confidant 21-21 tie. But the 49ers offense continued to roll without impediment. They would end with almost 600 total yards. Truly, Kaepernick looked like he was a build-you-own Madden character with a Madden statline; 263 yards passing, 181 yards rushing. It was the perfect brew of surprise and athleticism. The Green Bay sideline was visibly in shock.
Even the Packers' perennial MVP-candidate Aaron Rodgers was unable to keep pace with this explosion. Credit was credit is due, the 49ers defense is no cake-walk. They boast six All Pro defenders (DE Aldon Smith, LB Patrick Willis, LB DaVorro Bowman, S Dashon Goldson on 1st team and DE Justin Smith and LB Ahmad Brooks on 2nd) and Green Bay was made predictable and one-dimensional by their own defense hemorrhaging points. Rodgers still managed almost 300 yards and 31 points. The fact that was not nearly enough to keep the game from being a blowout tells you all you need to know.
MVP: QB Colin Kaepernick set the record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in the postseason. Historically, running quarterbacks have not had much postseason success but the league is evolving before our eyes. Kaepernick made himself an NFL household name tonight. 400 total yards and 4 touchdowns will do that.
KEY PLAY: In the end, Green Bay was the unfortunate recipient of the explosive read option gameplan Coach Jim Harbaugh had obviously withheld for this moment. Kaepernick’s unreal (Maddenesque) 56-yard TD run in the mid-3rd quarter left no doubt.
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