Wild Card playoffs 1996–97 NFL playoffs

1 wild card playoffs

1.1 december 28, 1996

1.1.1 afc: jacksonville jaguars 30, buffalo bills 27
1.1.2 nfc: dallas cowboys 40, minnesota vikings 15


1.2 december 29, 1996

1.2.1 afc: pittsburgh steelers 42, indianapolis colts 14
1.2.2 nfc: san francisco 49ers 14, philadelphia eagles 0


1.3 byes

wild card playoffs
december 28, 1996
afc: jacksonville jaguars 30, buffalo bills 27

at rich stadium, orchard park, new york

game time: 12:30 p.m. est
game weather: 48 °f (9 °c), cloudy
game attendance: 70,213
referee: gary lane
tv announcers (abc): mike patrick (play-by-play) , joe theismann (color commentator)

the second year jaguars forced 4 turnovers, racked 3 sacks, , outgained buffalo in total yards 409–308 earn first playoff win. after trading points , forth day, drive drive, jaguars safety chris hudson make decisive hit on bills quarterback jim kelly, knocking him out of game , forcing fumble team convert game winning score.

jacksonville forced punt on opening drive, , russell copeland returned ball 16 yards jags 43-yard line, setting kelly s 7-yard touchdown pass running thurman thomas. later in quarter, jacksonville defensive end clyde simmons intercepted shovel pass intended thomas , returned 20 yards touchdown tie game. buffalo stormed right 10-play, 68-yard drive ended thomas 2-yard touchdown run, making score 14–7. however, jacksonville running natrone means 62-yard carry on next drive moved ball bills 5-yard line. drive stalled there, mike hollis kicked 27-yard field goal make score 14–10 @ end of first quarter.

the bills drove jags 2-yard line on first drive of second quarter, came empty when kelly stuffed no gain jeff lageman while trying convert fourth , 1 on quarterback sneak. jacksonville stormed first lead of day quarterback mark brunell completing 47-yard pass tight end pete mitchell before means took off 30-yard touchdown burst, giving them 17–14 advantage. however, eric moulds returned ensuing kickoff 57 yards jags 42-yard line, setting 33-yard steve christie field goal tie game @ 17. jacksonville responded drive buffalo 36, on last play of half, brunell intercepted defensive thomas smith.

moulds returned second half kickoff 26 yards bills 38-yard line, bills went on retake lead christie s 47-yard field goal. after few punts, jacksonville managed tie again 11-play, 62-yard drive included 27-yard catch receiver keenan mccardell , ended 24-yard field goal hollis.

on second play of fourth quarter, bills defensive jeff burris picked off brunell s pass , returned 38 yards touchdown give team 27–20 lead. jacksonville countered right back, moving ball 65 yards in 10 plays. mccardell caught 2 passes 39 yards on drive, while means kept going 2-yard run on fourth , 1. brunell finished drive 2-yard toss jimmy smith tied game @ 27. on buffalo s next drive, hudson made devastating hit on kelly, knocking him out of game , forcing fumble recovered cornerback aaron beasley on jags 42-yard line. brunell completed pair of passes smith , mccardell gains of 14 , 11 yards set hollis 45-yard field goal, putting them in front @ 30–27. bills offense, led todd collins, unable move ball on of remaining drives, , during game s final seconds, tony brackens forced fumble while sacking collins linebacker eddie robinson recovered seal win.

means finished game 175 rushing yards. simmons finished 2 sacks , interception returned touchdown. bills receiver quinn caught 9 passes 122 yards. moulds returned 5 kickoffs 142 yards. final game of kelly s hall of fame career, , final playoff game bills hall of fame coach marv levy well.

nfc: dallas cowboys 40, minnesota vikings 15

at texas stadium, irving, texas

game time: 4:00 p.m. est/3:00 p.m. cst
game weather: 69 °f (21 °c), clear
game attendance: 64,682
referee: gerald austin
tv announcers (abc): al michaels (play-by-play), frank gifford, , dan dierdorf (color commentators)

dallas outgained vikings in total yards 438-268, plays 78-44, , time of possession 42:03-17:57. forced 6 turnovers , scored on 5 first half possessions win game.

dallas scored first on 14-play, 88-yard drive in troy aikman completed 4 passes michael irvin 65 yards , finished drive 2-yard touchdown run. perhaps key point of game occurred on next series when minnesota running amp lee caught short pass quarterback brad johnson , appeared on way 43-yard touchdown. cowboys safety george teague caught lee @ 1-yard line , poked ball out of hands, knocking out of end zone touchback. dallas drove 70 yards, including 22-yard carry herschel walker, go 10-0 on chris boniol s 28-yard field goal. 5 plays after ensuing kickoff, teague stripped ball vikings running leroy hoard. defensive deion sanders recovered fumble , lateraled shante carver, tackled on minnesota 37, , emmitt smith took off 37-yard touchdown run on next play. during minnesota s next possession, teague intercepted pass johnson , returned 29 yards touchdown, giving cowboys 24-0 lead 8:36 left in second quarter.

the dallas dominance continue sanders returned interception 22 yards vikings 29 set 31-yard boniol field goal. orlando thomas interception of aikman pass ended going against vikings thomas lost ball while being tackled walker , tight end eric bjornson got cowboys. led boniol s 22-yard field goal, giving dallas 30-0 lead @ end of half.

in second half, minnesota drove 47 yards , scored on 30-yard pass johnson cris carter. answered dallas, subsequently moved ball 80 yards in 16 plays go 37-7 on smith s 1-yard touchdown run. in fourth quarter, dallas linebacker broderick thomas forced turnover sacking johnson on fourth down, giving dallas ball on vikings 39, led boniol field goal. on ensuing drive, johnson s 50-yard completion qadry ismail set final score of game on johnson s 2-yard touchdown run.

smith rushed 117 yards , 2 touchdowns, while catching 4 passes 26 yards. irvin caught 8 passes 103 yards. teague had 5 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, , interception return touchdown. last time cowboys won playoff game until january 9, 2010, when beat philadelphia eagles in 2009–10 wild card playoff 34–14 , last playoff win @ texas stadium. meanwhile, vikings fell 0-4 in playoffs under coach dennis green.

december 29, 1996
afc: pittsburgh steelers 42, indianapolis colts 14

at 3 rivers stadium, pittsburgh, pennsylvania

game time: 12:30 p.m. est
game weather: 60 °f (16 °c), partly cloudy
game attendance: 58,078
referee: ed hochuli
tv announcers (nbc): dick enberg (play-by-play), phil simms, , paul maguire (color commentators)

the steelers blew 13-point lead in first half scored 29 unanswered points in second half. meanwhile, pittsburgh held colts 146 total yards of offense, while gaining 407 yards (236 on ground).

pittsburgh drove 51 yards in 8 plays, including 30-yard reception receiver charles johnson, score on norm johnson s 29-yard field goal on first drive. after colts next drive, steelers receiver jahine arnold returned punt 36 yards colts 31-yard line. 1 play later, mike tomczak completed 20-yard pass charles johnson @ 8. backup quarterback kordell stewart, routinely used team in short-yardage situations, finished drive 1-yard touchdown run, giving steelers 10-0 lead 4:55 left in first quarter. following colts punt, pittsburgh increased lead 13-0 norm johnson s 50-yard field goal 10 seconds second quarter.

pittsburgh seemed taking control of game, 4:35 left in half, tomczak threw short pass intended ernie mills far behind receiver. defensive eugene daniel intercepted ball , returned 59 yards touchdown. on steelers next possession, tomczak threw interception safety ray mcelroy on colts 40-yard line. on next play, jim harbaugh completed 48-yard pass marvin harrison @ steelers 12, , converted third , 7 situation 9-yard touchdown pass receiver aaron bailey, giving team 14-13 lead 31 seconds left before halftime.

however, steelers dominated rest of game. started out second half 16-play, 91-yard possession ate 9:30 off clock. tomczak completed 5/5 passes 37 yards on drive, while jerome bettis caught 1 of them , rushed 42 yards on 8 carries, last 1-yard touchdown run. stewart completed 2-point conversion pass tight end john farquhar, giving team 21-14 lead. harbaugh intercepted levon kirkland on next drive, , after steelers punt, running marshall faulk fumbled pitch him safety carnell lake recovered on indy 18-yard line. 5 plays later, bettis scored 1-yard touchdown run give steelers 28-14 lead less minute fourth quarter.

stewart ended starting steelers rest of game. finished 1 pass attempt, 24-yard run on quarterback draw set running jon witman s 31-yard touchdown play. stewart added 3-yard touchdown run 3:10 left in game, making final score 42-14. second straight year steelers eliminated colts playoffs.

bettis rushed 102 yards , 2 touchdowns (his 11th 100-yard game of year), while catching pass 4 yards. johnson caught 5 passes 109 yards. neither starting quarterback had big day. tomczak completed 13 of 21 passes 176 yards, 2 interceptions , no touchdowns. harbaugh completed 12 of 32 passes 134 yards , touchdown 1 pick. sacked 4 times, 3 lineman chad brown.

nfc: san francisco 49ers 14, philadelphia eagles 0

at 3com park @ candlestick point, san francisco, california

game time: 4:00 p.m. est/1:00 p.m. pst
game weather: 61 °f (16 °c), rain
game attendance: 56,460
referee: walt coleman
tv announcers (fox): pat summerall (play-by-play) , john madden (color commentator)

although gained more yards 49ers, eagles shut out in rain-soaked, muddy game 62 miles per hour winds. san francisco won 14-0 in coach george seifert called swampy tundra of candlestick. (a reference john facenda s famous description of lambeau field frozen tundra ) despite poor weather, san francisco finished game without losing turnovers.

kicker gary anderson missed 40-yard field goal attempt on philadelphia s first possession. in second quarter, san francisco quarterback steve young completed 6/7 passes 60 yards on 74-yard drive , finished off 9-yard touchdown run. eagles reached san francisco 8-yard line, quarterback ty detmer threw interception defensive marquez pope. 49ers forced punt on next drive, , philadelphia advanced san francisco 5-yard line. however, 49ers defensive end roy barker intercepted detmer 43 seconds left in half, , eagles never threaten again.

detmer knocked out of game in third quarter hamstring injury, , replacement mark rypien completed 5 of 12 passes 77 yards, including interception tim mcdonald on last play of game. meanwhile, 1 handed 36-yard reception 49ers receiver jerry rice set final score of game 3-yard touchdown catch young, finishing off 61-yard drive in third quarter. lowest scoring wildcard playoff game in nfl history.

young finished game 14/21 161 yards , touchdown, while rushing 65 yards , score. 49ers defensive lineman bryant young had 2 sacks.

byes

afc: denver broncos, new england patriots
nfc: green bay packers, carolina panthers




^ 1996: jaguars defeat bills franchise’s first postseason win
^ http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199612280buf.htm
^ http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1996-12-29/sports/1996364139_1_dallas-cowboys-michael-irvin-aikman
^ https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/5009275/
^ http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1996-12-30/sports/1996365003_1_steelers-colts-bettis
^ https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/nfl/playoffs/steel30.htm
^ http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1996-12-30/sports/9612300049_1_eagles-quarterback-ty-detmer-eagles-coach-ray-rhodes-philadelphia-eagles
^ http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1996/49ers-14-eagles-0/id-b2612a27f2e7b7f80c5be6578aac6d7d