January 5.2C 1997 1996–97 NFL playoffs

at foxboro stadium, foxborough, massachusetts

game time: 12:30 p.m. est
game weather: 48 °f (9 °c), foggy
game attendance: 60,188
referee: bernie kukar
tv announcers (nbc): marv albert (play-by-play), randy cross, , sam wyche (color commentators)

in first home playoff game in 18 years, patriots blew out steelers 28–3 346 yards of total offense, while limiting steelers 213.

on first play scrimmage, steelers got taste of lay in store pats quarterback drew bledsoe completed 53-yard pass terry glenn set curtis martin s 2-yard touchdown run. pittsburgh forced punt, , new england took 4 plays score again, last 34-yard touchdown on screen pass bledsoe fullback keith byars, giving team 14-0 lead on 7 minutes first quarter. on first play of second quarter, martin burst through hole in right line, dodged tackle attempt carnell lake, , raced 78 yards touchdown, second longest scoring run in nfl postseason history. near end of half, steelers defensive willie williams intercepted pass bledsoe give team chance in game. pittsburgh turned ball on over downs on pats 24-yard line , score remained 21-0 going halftime.

the steelers lone score of game occurred 3:50 left in third quarter, when linebacker chad brown s interception of bledsoe pass led 29-yard field goal norm johnson. pittsburgh got ball on own 36 following patriots punt, hope of comeback dashed when safety lawyer milloy intercepted pass mike tomczak on new england 39-yard line. 6 plays later, martin s 23-yard touchdown run increased new england s lead 28-3. in fourth quarter, steelers managed drive patriots 15, lose ball again on interception linebacker willie clay.

martin fished day 166 rushing yards , 3 touchdowns, while running dave meggett returned 7 punts 72 yards , rushed 18. tomczak held 110 passing yards , intercepted twice in final postseason game of career. periodically replaced versatile quarterback kordell stewart, fared no better, finishing game 0/10 on pass attempts. steelers running jerome bettis, rushed 1,431 yards during season , 102 yards in previous playoff game, held 43 yards on ground , limited groin , ankle injuries. new england s first playoff win since 1985 super bowl season.

might longest run ever , martin (a pittsburgh native) said after game 78-yard score. college, pop warner, everything. me, steelers second-favorite team. kind of worry when go home, how infamous ll be.

nfc: carolina panthers 26, dallas cowboys 17

at ericsson stadium, charlotte, north carolina

game time: 4:00 p.m. est
game weather: 71 °f (22 °c), clear
game attendance: 72,808
referee: johnny grier
tv announcers (fox): pat summerall (play-by-play) , john madden (color commentator)

the second-year panthers held cowboys quarterback troy aikman 165 passing yards , forced 3 interceptions en route first playoff win in team history. on offense, running anthony johnson top performer 104 rushing yards , 9-yard reception.

dallas scored first when interception defensive darren woodson on own 47 , 22-yard catch michael irvin sparking drive panthers 1-yard line. however, irvin suffered separated shoulder on reception , had miss rest of game. meanwhile, dallas not end zone despite 2 chances 1. aikman threw incomplete pass on second down, , on third down, emmitt smith dropped three-yard loss, forcing team settle chris boniol s 22-yard field goal. on panthers ensuing drive, dallas cornerback kevin smith kept going pass interference penalty on third down, enabling carolina quarterback kerry collins complete 68-yard possession 1-yard touchdown pass tight end wesley walls. on next series, winslow oliver s 15-yard punt return set 42-yard drive ended collins 10-yard touchdown throw willie green, giving team 14-3 lead in second quarter.

the cowboys countered 73-yard drive score on aikman s 2-yard touchdown pass fullback daryl johnston, failed on two-point conversion attempt , panthers lead cut 14–9. later got 14-11 when bad snap on carolina punt attempt went out of end zone give cowboys safety. panthers safety chad cota intercepted pass aikman , returned 49 yards set kicker john kasay s 24-yard field goal 3 seconds in half, giving carolina 17–11 halftime lead.

early in second half, oliver fumbled punt return johnston recovered set boniol field goal, cutting deficit 17–14. close get, panthers kicked 3 more field goals on cowboys one. on ensuing drive, johnson rushed 6 times 44 yards set kasay s 40-yard field goal. after punt, carried ball 6 times 22 yards set score on kasay s 40-yard kick few plays fourth quarter.

dallas responded 78-yard drive, including 25-yard run smith , 16-yard run deion sanders, score on boniol s 21-yard field goal, cutting cowboys deficit 23-17. cowboys forced punt, getting ball on 11 minutes still remaining on clock, rohn stark s kick downed johnson on dallas 2-yard line. upon reaching 37, aikman threw pass intercepted pat terrell , returned 49 yards cowboys 19-yard line, setting kasay s fourth field goal make score 26-17. next time dallas got ball, aikman intercepted again, time sam mills, enabling carolina run out clock , win game.