The Salina Journal from Salina, Kansas • Page 19

SALINA JOURNAL Pro football SUNDAY. JANUARY 9, 2005 C5 NFL PLAYOFFS AFC Postseason schedule NFC Saturday's Score Jets 20, San Diego 17 (ot) Today's Game Denver a1 Indianapolis, noon (CBS) Saturday, Jan. 15 Jets or Denver at Pittsburgti, 3:30 p.m. (CBS) Sunday, Jan. 16 Indianapoiis or Jets at New England, 3:30 p.m.

(CBS) Sunday, Jan. 23 AFC Championship Game, 5:30 p.m. (CBS) Saturday's Score St. Louis 27, Seattle 20 Today's Game Minnesota at Green Bay, 3:30 p.m. (Fox) Saturday, Jan.

15 Green Bay or St. Louis at Atlanta, 7 p.m. (Fox) Sunday, Jan. 16 St. Louis or iVIinnesota at Philadelphia, noon (Fox) Sunday, Jan.

23 NFC Championship Game, 2 p.m. (Fox) Super Bowl XXXIX Sunday, Feb. 6, Jacksonville, Fla. AFC champion vs. NFC champion, 5:21 p.m.

(Fox) A look at today's wild-card games BRONCOS at COLTS noon, CBS 10 6 PPG. 23.8 GPP. 19.0 Home 6-2 Away 4-4 TOUR 12 4 0 32.6 21.9 7-1 5-3 ANNOUNCERS: Jim Nanlz, Phil Simms and Bonnie Bernstein OPENING LINE Colts by 10. SERIES RECORD Broncos lead 11-5 overall; Colts lead 1-0 in playoffs. LAST MEETING Broncos beat Colts 33-14 on Jan.

2 at Denver. LAST POSTSEASON MEETING Colts beat Broncos 41-10 on Jan. 4, 2004, at Indianapolis In AFC game. LAST WEEK Broncos beat Colts 33-14. KEY MATCHUP Broncos DE Reggie Hayward vs.

Colts QB Peyton Manning. Manning had one of the most dominant seasons In NFL history, setting records with 49 TD passes and 121.1 passer rating. He played only one series last week, throwing two passes, and as a result finished third in league with 4,557 yards passing. He was sacked only 13 times all season, and team allowed 14 all year, tied for fewest in league. Hayward leads Broncos with sacks, tied for third most in AFC.

Broncos' defense had 38 sacks. To win. Broncos must pressure Manning, something few teams have done this season. STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES Game marks 13th time in NFL history teams have met in playoffs next week after they ended regular season against each other. Winner of last regular-season game has won playoff game five Against common opponents Colts were 7-2, Broncos were Colts DE Dwight Freeney led NFL with 16 sacks and has 40 in last three Colts led NFL with plus-19 turnover differential.

Broncoswere Colts WR Marvin Harrison was second in NFL with 15 TD Broncos QB Jake Plummer passed for club-record 4,089 yards this Only Chiefs allowed more gross yards passing per game than Colts (264.5 per game) did in regular season. INJURY REPORT Denver Broncos: QUESTIONABLE: RB Kyle Johnson (ankle); Dan Neil PROBABLE: CB Roc Alexander (ankle); Jason Baker (groin); WR Triandos Luke (concussion); 8 John Lynch (thumb); DE Anton Palepoi (shoulder); DE Trevor Pryce (back). Indianapolis Colts: OUT: LB Gilbert Gardner (shoulder). QUESTIONABLE: CB Jason David (foot); TE Ben Hartsock (back); IE Marcus Pollard (ankle); WR Troy Walters (head). PROBABLE: 8 Idrees Bashir (hamstring); LB Gary Brackett TE Dallas Clark (head); Rick DeMulling (ribs); CB Nick Harper (back); DE Robert Mathis (groin); LB Rob Morris (head); WR Brandon Stokley (foot); LB David Thornton (groin).

NFL RANKINGS BRONCOS 5th (395.8 ypg) 4th (145.8 ypg) 6th (249.9 ypg) 4th (278.7 ypg) 4th (94.5 ypg) 6th (184.2 ypg) Total offense Rushing offense Passing offense Total defense Rushing defense Passing defense COLTS 2nd (404.7 ypg.) 15th (115.8 ypg) 1st (288.9 ypg) 29th (370.6 ypg) 24th (127.3 ypg) 29th (243.3 ypg) VIKINGS at PACKERS 3:30 p.m., Fox PPG. GPP. Home Away 8 8 0 25.3 24.7 5-3 3-5 10 6 0 26.5 23.8 4-4 6-2 ANNOUNCERS: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Oris Colllnsworth, Pam Oliver. OPENING LINE Packers by SERIES RECORD Packers lead 44-42-1 overall. LAST MEETING Packers beat Vikings 34-31 on Dec.

24 at Minnesota. LAST POSTSEASON MEETING First meeting. LAST WEEK lost to Redskins 21-18. Packers beat Bears 31-14. KEY MATCHUP Vikings DT Kevin Williams vs.

Packers RB Ahman Green. In two meetings against Vikings this season. Green rushed for 209 yards and one TD. Green rushed for 1,163 yards, his fifth consecutive season, tying Jim Taylor for most in club history. Green ran for seven TDs this season.

Vikings allow 125.4 yards rushing per game. Williams made Pro Bowl in only his second season. STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES Packers won both games against Vikings this season by same score, 34-31. Both times. Packers Ryan Longwell hit winning FG with no time remaining.

Vikings QB Daunte Culpepper led NFL with 4,717 yards passing, and was second with 39 TDs and a 110.9 passer rating. Packers QB Brett Favre was second in NFC with 4,088 yards passing and third in conference with 30 Minnesota, as a team, had only eight TDs Packers WR Javon Walker was third in NFL with 1,382 yards receiving. Vikings' offense averages 6.4 yards per play, second most in Packers converted 47.3 percent of third downs in regular season, second best in Since 1990, Green Bay has won the third meeting each time it has played a club twice in a season and then in the playoffs (1993 and 1994 against Detroit; 1997 against Tampa Packers had minus-14 turnover differential in regular season. Vikings were Packers allowed only 14 sacks all season, tied for fewest in league. Vikings' defense had 39.

INJURY REPORT Minnesota Vikings: OUT: Corey Chavous (elbow). QUESTIONABLE: WR Kelly Campbell (shoulder). PROBABLE: CBTerrance Shaw (ribs). Green Bay Packers: QUESTIONABLE: WR Robert Ferguson PROBABLE: RB Najeh Davenport (shoulder); TE Bubba Franks (knee); Michael Hawthorne (hamstring); DT Grady Jackson (knee); RB Vonta Leach LB Paris Lenon (elbow). NFC WILD-CARD GAME NFL RANKINGS VIKINGS 4th (396.2 ypg) 18th (113.9 ypg) 2nd (282.3 ypg) 28th (368.4 ypg) 21st (125.4 ypg) 27th (243.0 ypg) Total offense Rushing offense Passing offense Total defense Rushing defense Passing defense PACKERS 3rd (396.8 ypg.) 10th (119.3 ypg) 3rd (277.6 ypg) 25th (346.3 ypg) 14th (17.4 ypg) 25tFi (228.9 ypg) Sweep victory: Rams advance St.

Louis holds on for third win in as many games vs. Seahawks By TIM KORTE AssuciiiMl Press Rams Seahawks 20 SEATTLE Matt Hasselbeck waited all season to i-e- deem himself for what happened in last season's playoffs at Green Bay. One year later, the outcome was painfully similar Marc Bulger threw for 313 yards and two touchdowns, the last a 17- yarder to Cam Cleeland with 2:11 to play Saturday, leading the Rams to a 2720 win over Seattle and making St. Louis the first team without a winning record to advance in the playoffs. "We know we're a good team," Bulger said.

"We have talent, but we've made a lot of mistakes this year. Seattle played us good but fortunately we've been making plays the last three weeks when we've had to and that wasn't the case all year" Hasselbeck led a final charge but came up short again. Last year, his throw for Alex Bannister was picked off by Green Bay's Al Harris and returned 52 yards for an overtime TD. 'This time, Seattle faced fourth-and-4 at the Rams' 5 with 27 seconds remaining. Hasselbeck stepped into the pocket, briefly considered running and then sidearmed a pass that zipped through Bobby Engram's hands in the end zone.

"The ball was coming in hot. It was a little tight in there. I think I surprised him a little bit," Hasselbeck said. "I've got to find a way to make that play," Engram said. Hasselbeck dropped to his AFC Rams 27, Seahawks 20 SIL Sea First downs 22 24 Total Net Yards 306 413 Ruslios-yards 27-102 20-81 Passing 294 332 Pirnl nelurns 3-1 1-9 Kickoll Rolurns 5-101 6-109 Interceptions 1-0 1-0 Comp-Att-Int 18-32-1 27-43-1 Sackcd-Ynrcis Lost 5-19 3-9 Pllnls 3-29 Fumbles-Lost 0-0 2-0 Penalties-Yards 4-30 9-61 Time of Possossron 28:54 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS The Associated Press Seahawks quarterback IVIatt Hasselbeck reacts after his fourth-down pass intended for Bobby Engram fell incomplete in the end zone in the closing seconds of Saturday's playoff game against the St.

Louis Rams. knees and pounded a fist on the turf. He stood and slapped both hands on his helmet. Then he let out a scream of frustration, appearing ready to break into tears as he headed to the sideline. "I wish I had it back," he said.

"That's one play that could have done it for us. I'm sure there are a handful of others earlier in the game that could have done it for us. I'm not going to dwell on that too much." The Seahawks, who won the NFC West at 9-7 despite losing twice to St. Louis, haven't won a playoff game since Dec. 22, 1984, the NFL's longest drought.

And this one stings a little more because the NFC West rival Rams became the first 8-8 team in KlFL history to win in the playofp. "One of these years, we're going to win a playoff game and take that next step," said coach Mike Holmgren, who is 0-3 in the playoffs in six seasons with Seattle and has loss six playoff games going back to that last win. happen if we keep the team together" The Rams, who.will travel to Philadelphia or Atlanta For next week's divisional round, beat Seattle in all thi-ee meetings this season, twice in Seattle. Their only othei' road win this year was at San Francisco, which finished 2-14, the NFL 's worst recoi'd. But they're heating up at the right time.

They won their final two games to s'each the playoffs, with Bulger throwing for a season-high 450 yai'ds and three TDs in last weekend's 32-29 overtime defeat of the New York Jets. "Maybe it's just knowing our butts are on the line. You've got to play well or you're going home," guard Adam Timmerman said. "It's unfortunate it took that urgency for us to get things done, but we're playing our best ball right now. Jeff Wilkins tied it at 20 on a 27-yard field goal with 8:07 to play The defense forced a punt, then Bulger got busy.

He led a seven-play, 76-yard drive, throwing twice on the decisive drive to recefWs who hadn't caught a pass all day. Jets bounce Chargers in OT By BERNIE WILSON Tlw Associated Press Jets (ot) Chargers 17 SAN DIEGO Chad Pennington's shoulder held up well enough to throw Marty Schotten- heimer and the San Diego Chargers right out of the playoffs. Pennington, bothered for the last five games by a strained rotator cuff, moved New York into range for Doug Brien's 28-yard field goal with 5 seconds left in overtime and the Jets shocked the Chargers 20-17 in a wild-card game Saturday night. The winning drive started on the Jets 30 after Chargers rookie Nate Kaeding was wide right on a 40-yard field goal try with 4:19 left in overtime. It included an 18-yard pass from Pennington to Moss that was tjpheld on review.

The Jets celebrated wildly while Schotten- heimer walked across the field with a far-off look on his face. And just like that, Schottenheimer still can't win in the playoffs. Named the Coach of the Year earlier in the day, he suffered his fifth straight playoff loss dating to 1993 with the Kansas City Chiefs and fell to 5-12 in his career, which also in- Coach recognized for Chargers' 180 eluded a stop in Cleveland. Schottenheimer's teams have gone one-and-out eight times. Pennington threw two touchdowns for the Jets, who led 17-7 late in the third quarter and should have won in regulation.

But the Chargers forced overtime when All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from Pro Bowler Drew Brees to tie it at 17 with 11 seconds left in regulation. It came one play after Jets linebacker Eric Barton was whistled for a personal foul for hitting Brees on the helmet with his right forearm after Brees threw a desperation pass on fourth-and-goal that was batted down in the end zone. As Brien kicked the winning field goal, Bai'ton sighed in relief. Pennington, who's led the Jets to three straight wins in San Diego dating to 2002, was 23-of-33 for 279 yards. Brees was 31-ot-42 for 319 yards.

Pennington threw a go-ahead, 47-yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss early in the third quarter His second TD pass of the night, it went at least 55 yards in the air and Moss caught it 2 yards deep in the end zone after getting behind safety Jerry Wilson and cornerback Quentin Jammer, giving the Jets a 14-7 lead. Louis, Faulk 13-55. S.Jackson 10-36, Bulger 3-10, Bruco 1-1. Seallle. Aloxandor 15-40, Hasselbeck 2-26, Morris 2-9, Strong 1-6.

Louis, Bulger 18-32-1-313. Soal- lle, Hasselbeck 27-43-1-341. Louis, Holt 6-108, Curtis 4107, Bruce 3-40, Faulk 2-12, McDonald 1-31, Cloeland 1-17, S.Jackson -(-2). Seattle, D.Jack­ son 12-120, Mill 6-9B, Robinson 4-40, Engram 334, Alexander 1-25, Stevens 1-16. MISSED FIELD SCORING SUMMARY St.

Louis 7 7 3 Sentlle 3 7 3 First Quarter 15 pass from Bulger (Wilkins kick), 11:33. Brown 47, 2:05. Second Quarter 1 run (Wilkins kick), 13:32. 19 pass Irom Hasselbeck (Brown kick), 8:18. Third Quarter Brown 30, 8:52.

StL- -FG Wilkins 38, 2:35. Fourth Quarter 23 pass Irom Hasselbeck (Brown kick), 13:43. Wilkiris 27, 8:07. 17 pass Irom Bulger (Wilkins kick), 2:11. First came a 31-yard gain on third-and-2 on a swing pass to Shaun McDonald his first catch then Bulger found Kevin Curtis for another 13 yards.

Clceland's TD was his first catch of the day, too. "1 was waiting," Cleeland said. "1 had a couple plays where Marc got sacked and didn't have a chance to get it to nie. I was just waiting for my number to get called, and I made the play. It was a simple seam i-oute." Bulger completed 18-of-32 attempts with one interception, but it was his leadership and calm demeanor that meant just as much to the Rams.

"If you want someone in the foxhole when it counts, somebody to take that last shot at the buzzer, you want it to be Marc," coach Mike Martz said. Jets 20, Chargers 17 (ot) NY SD First downs 20 24 Total Net Yards 396 408 Rushes-yards 28-126 33-100 Passing 270 308 Punt Returns 0-0 2-11 Kickoll Returns 3-66 5-85 Interceptions Ret. 1-22 0-0 Comp-Att-lnl 23-33-0 31-42-1 Sacked-Yards Lost 2-9 2-11 Punls Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-0 Penalties-Yards 8-49 9-75 Time ot Possession 35:39 39:16 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Jets, Martin 18-66, Jordan 7-50, Pennington 3-10. San Diego, Tomlinson 26-80, Brees 6-17, Neal 1-3, Parker 1-0. Jets, Pennington 23-33-0-279.

San Diego, Brees 31-42-1-319. Jets, McCaroins 8-87. Moss 4100, Martin 4-47, Jordan 3-18, Baker 2-7, Becht 113, J.Carter 1-7. San Diego, Parker 9-93, Tomlinson 9-53, Gales 6-89, McCardell 4-50, Peelle 3-34, MISSED FIELD York, Brien 33 (WR). San Diego, Kaeding 40 (WR).

SCORING SUMMARY N.Y. Jets 0 7 10 0 San Diego 7 0 10 Second Quarter 26 pass Irom Brees (Kaeding kick), 9:26. 13 pass Irom Pennington (Brien kick), 2:54. Third Quarter Moss 47 pass Irom Pennington (Brien kick), 10:29. FG Brien 42, 1:23.

Fourth Quarter SD--FG Kaeding 35, 10:43. 1 pass Irom Brees (Kaeding kick), :11. Overtime Brien 28, :05. 67,536. San Diego reached playoffs, reversed last year's 4-8 mark By BARRVWILNER Tlie Associated Press NEW YORK Marty tenheimer's guidance of one of the great turnarounds in NFL history won him The Associated Press 2004 NFL Coach of the Year award.

Schottenheimer took the San Diego Chargers from tailender to division champion, from a 412 embarrassment to a 12-4 power, although the Chargers lost 20-17 Saturday night to the New York Jets in a wild-card playoff game. The 61-year-old, who also has worked in Cleveland, Kansas City and Washington, did his best work of an 18 Vz -season head coaching career during the regular season. "There is a great sense of satisfaction when you're able to get things going in the right direction," said Schottenheimer, who received 27 'A of the 48 votes from a national panel of writers and broadcasters who cover pro football. "I always pride myself on one thing I think I'm a teacher. It's fun to see your players listen and work together to apply the basic philosophies and concepts that are important to success." Many of Schottenheimer's team have done that.

He's coached division winners in Cleveland, where he was the head man from mid-1984 through 1988. And in Kansas City (1989-98). He even had an 88 record in his one season in Washington, and considering how other Redskins coaches have done for owner Daniel Snyder, that was impressive, too. But his third season in San Diego has been charmed. And perhaps a bit lucky, because Schottenheimer was looking for a different quarterback and hoped to go with first-round draft pick Phillip Rivers.

Wlien Rivers held out for half of training camp, heimer stuck wiHi Drew Brees. Brees wound up as Comeback Player of the Year and tenheimer Coach of the Year for the first time. His players say heimer's decision to form a players council and ease up in practices, as well as remodeling the locker a big difference, 'j. "I've seen it all year," said linebacker Donnie Edwards, who also played for heimer in Kansas City "The way he's changed his coaching to understand the players and let the players understand the coaches so it's a two-way 2004 NFL COACH OF THE YEAR Schonenheimer chargers off with top coaching award The San Diego Chargers' success led to IVlarty Schottenheimer being named The Associated Press' Coach of the Year. Voting by a nationwide panel of the media Schottenheimer, San Diego 27 Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh 14 Bill Belichick, New England 3 Jim Mora, Atlanta 2 John Fox, Carolina 1 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS Led the Chargers (12-4), to a 7-1 record at Qualcomm Stadium this year tying their best home mark in team history Known for great enthusiasm and energy, made coaching a "two-way" street for players street now.

"There are so many things that have changed. It's all been for the best. I'm really excited about him, because he came into the year with great enthusiasm and great energy and it transferred over right to us as players, and we've been able to translate that onto the field." San Diego won nine of its last 10 games the loss was in overtime at AFC South champion Indianapolisto run away with the AFC West. heimer got superb performances from unheralded tight end Antonio Gates and star running back LaDainian linson, who both made the All- Pro team. Edwards was one of the league's best defenders, as was tackle Jamal Williams.

That made the 2004 regular season even more fulfilling for Schottenheimer "At the end of the day, there is more than just the personal enjoyment that you've experienced," he said. "It's as much, if not more so, the fact that you can share it will all these people that have worked together with you to achieve it." Schottenheimer is the first San Diego coach to win the award. Pittsburgh's Bill Cowher was second..