January 4.2C 1997 1996–97 NFL playoffs

at lambeau field, green bay, wisconsin

game time: 12:30 p.m. est/11:30 a.m. cst
game weather: 35 °f (2 °c), mix of rain , snow
game attendance: 60,787
referee: dick hantak
tv announcers (fox): dick stockton (play-by-play) , matt millen (color commentator)

the packers defense forced 5 turnovers en route victory, while desmond howard s key punt returns enabled packers jump 14–0 lead after 3 offensive plays. on first punt return, howard ran 71 yards touchdown. @ end of next series, returned punt 46 yards 49ers 7-yard line set quarterback brett favre s 4-yard touchdown wide receiver andre rison.

early in second quarter, defensive craig newsome s interception set packers third touchdown of day. newsome fumbled ball while being hit during interception return, teammate sean jones recovered ball on 49ers 15-yard line. 3 plays later, edgar bennett s touchdown run increased packers lead 21–0.

two green bay turnovers enabled san francisco mount comeback attempt. first, 49ers punt bounced packers safety chris hayes , recovered san francisco s curtis buckley @ green bay 26-yard line. 6 plays later, backup quarterback elvis grbac (who had replaced injured starter steve young) threw 6-yard touchdown pass running terry kirby 24 seconds left in half. packers receiver don beebe fumbled second half kickoff, , iheanyi uwaezuoke recovered ball san francisco on green bay 4-yard line. on next play, grbac s 4-yard touchdown run cut score 21–14.

however, packers marched 72 yards touchdown, in fumble bennett recovered in end zone wide receiver antonio freeman. later on, 5:31 left in game, kirby lost fumble while being tackled green bay defensive mike prior, , hayes recovered ball on 49ers 32-yard line. 6 plays later, bennett scored second touchdown of game on 11-yard run close out scoring.

because weather dipped in , out of freezing causing both rain , snow, field got extremely muddy game went on causing green bay press-gazette call mud bowl. neither team had success moving ball on offense due field conditions. packers, averaged on 345 yards per game during season, gained 210 yards, while 49ers managed 196. longest completion of day 18-yard reception freeman. bennett 1 of top players of day 80 rushing yards , 2 touchdowns, along 2 receptions 14 yards.

afc: jacksonville jaguars 30, denver broncos 27

at mile high stadium, denver, colorado

game time: 4:00 p.m. est/2:00 p.m. mst
game weather: 43 °f (6 °c), clear
game attendance: 75,678
referee: red cashion
tv announcers (nbc): dick enberg (play-by-play), phil simms, , paul maguire (color commentators)

the wild card jaguars, had barely made playoffs 9–7 record winning last 5 games of season (including final 1 when atlanta falcons kicker morten andersen missed last second potential game winning 30-yard field goal), overcame 12-point deficit racking 443 yards (including 202 on ground) , scoring on 6 consecutive possessions upset broncos, had finished season nfl best 13–3 record (and had rested of starters on last 3 games after clinching #1 afc seed @ 12-1) , favored win on 14 points. loss meant second consecutive year afc s top seed eliminated in divisional round.

denver dominated first quarter, scoring 2 touchdowns while preventing jaguars gaining single first down. on broncos second drive of game, 47-yard run terrell davis gave them first down on jacksonville 2-yard line. jaguars kept denver out of end zone next 3 plays, vaughn hebron scored 1-yard touchdown run on fourth down, giving denver 6–0 lead after defensive lineman clyde simmons blocked point. after forcing punt, denver scored touchdown when elway connected tight end shannon sharpe 18-yard touchdown pass. elway s 2-point conversion pass sharpe incomplete, keeping score @ 12–0.

in second quarter, jacksonville stormed back. first 18-yard run natrone means set 46-yard field goal mike hollis. next time jags got ball, cut score 12-10 11-play, 80-yard scoring drive. after controversial pass interference penalty wiped out tory james interception denver, means gained 29 yards on reception @ broncos 42, , later took ball across goal line on 8-yard run. following denver punt, jacksonville got ball 57 seconds left. mark brunell completed 43-yard pass receiver jimmy smith set hollis 42-yard field goal, giving team 13-12 halftime lead.

in third quarter, denver limited 14 plays 37 yards. meanwhile, brunell connected on 31-yard touchdown pass wide receiver keenan mccardell. hollis later kicked 22-yard field goal @ end of 88-yard, 12-play drive included james stewart s 25-yard reception , 12-men on field penalty against broncos gave jacksonville first down getting ready punt. score, fifth consecutive scoring possession against fourth ranked defense in nfl, gave jags 23–12 lead less 11 minutes left in game. on denver s next series, hebron s 38-yard kickoff return fired 57-yard drive ended on davis 2-yard touchdown run, , successful two-point conversion run shrunk lead 23–20. jacksonville responded touchdown drive, featuring 29-yard run brunell denver 21-yard line in covered both sidelines, broke 1 tackle , eluded 3 other defenders. shortly later, finished drive 16-yard touchdown pass smith 3:39 remaining, making score 30–20. broncos drove 80 yards in 6 plays , scored on elway s 15-yard touchdown wide receiver ed mccaffrey 1:50 left, had no timeouts left , jason elam s onside kick attempt recovered jaguars secure win.

brunell had best postseason performance of career, throwing 245 yards , 2 touchdowns without interception, , rushing 44 yards. means rushed 140 yards , touchdown, while catching 4 passes 46 yards. davis rushed 91 yards , touchdown, while catching 7 passes 24 yards. playoff game of career in didn t rush 100 yards.

brunell did @ end of game incredible , jacksonville coach tom coughlin said. our football team hung in it, , touchdown jimmy smith in situation huge. told players @ beginning of week believed win. didn t know how come down. didn t give them script.

m going go home, sit on couch , cry , said sharpe after game.

the game featured 1 of nfl s greatest games ambush @ mile high. game original mile high miracle , more commonly used describe 2012 divisional playoff game between denver broncos , baltimore ravens.