Philadelphia Eagles 26, Minnesota Vikings 14
What you need to know
Philadelphia Eagles - While the Eagles struggled to finish off drives with touchdowns in the first half, they played well enough to get into field goal range, where K David Akers came through on three attempts. DB Asante Samuel came up with the first big play of the game for Philadelphia when he picked off a Tarvaris Jackson pass and took it 44 yards for a touchdown, and gave the Eagles a 16-14 lead at half.The Philadelphia defense came up big in the second half, where they shut out Minnesota, and the offense finally came through with a game changing play when Brian Westbrook took a Donovan McNabb screen pass 71 yards for a fourth quarter touchdown that gave the Eagles the cushion they needed to pin the ears back on defense and go after the Vikings. A late Akers field goal ended the scoring for the game at 26-14.
Minnesota Vikings - The Vikings just did not have enough offense to keep up with the Eagles. While their defense played well throughout the whole game, the Minnesota offense was able to put up just 14 points, all of which came in the first half on the shoulders of RB Adrian Peterson, who took in runs of 40 and three yards for scores. However, they were completely shut out in the second half, and watched the Eagles run away with the wildcard win.QB Tarvaris Jackson had a game he'd soon like to forget, as he completed just 15 of 35 passes for 164 yards. The Vikings had slim chances late in the game, but went three and out on one crucial possession and lost a fumble on a bad snap exchange on the next possession.
What you ought to know
QB Donovan McNabb, Pass: 23 - 34 - 300 - 1 TD / 1 INT - Donovan McNabb and the Eagles offense struggled to finish drives in the first half, where they capped off three drives that ended in David Akers field goals. However, in the second half, McNabb and the Eagles started to make plays and did just enough to put away the Vikings and end their season. McNabb's numbers were helped by a 71 yard screen pass that Brian Westbrook caught in the flat and took for McNabb's only passing score of the game, but McNabb did have an efficient game, as he completed passes to eight different receivers. On the negative side, McNabb did throw an interception, lost a fumble and was sacked three times. Also, the Eagles were just five of 14 on third downs.RB Brian Westbrook, Rush: 20 - 38 - 0, Rec: 3 - 83 - 1 (5 targets) - Brian Westbrook was held in check for most of the game, especially on the ground, where he ran the ball 20 times for just 38 yards and zero scores. However, Westbrook proved you can only hold him down for short periods of time when he took a fourth quarter screen pass from Donovan McNabb 71 yards for a touchdown and virtually ended any comeback hopes the Minnesota Vikings may have had. He finished with a total of 83 yards on three receptions in the passing game, where he was targeted five times.
RB Correll Buckhalter, Rush: 2 - 27 - 0 - Buckhalter was used sparingly in the running game, where he carried two times for 27 yards, and had a long run of 27. He was not targeted in the passing game.
WR Jason Avant, Rec: 5 - 47 - 0 (6 targets) - Avant was targeted six times, and responded with five receptions for 47 yards. Three of his targets came on third downs, and four of his receptions resulted in first downs.
WR Kevin Curtis, Rec: 4 - 49 - 0 (7 targets) - Curtis was targeted a team high seven times and finished with four receptions for 49 yards. Three of his targets came on third downs, and one third down pass thrown his way was picked off by Minnesota. Three of his receptions netted Philadelphia first downs.
WR DeSean Jackson, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0, Rec: 1 - 34 - 0 (3 targets) - Jackson received three targets in the passing game, but finished with just one reception for 34 yards. He was used on an end around, but carried the ball for just two yards on the play.
TE Brent Celek, Rec: 6 - 56 - 0 (6 targets) - Celek put up respectable numbers as he filled in for L.J. Smith as he caught all six balls thrown his way for 56 yards. Three of his receptions resulted in first downs.
PK David Akers 4 - 4 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 14 points - Akers came through for the Eagles as he connected on all four field goal attempts from distances of 43, 51, 31 and 45 yards and added two extra points to finish with 14 points in the game.
PHI Rush Defense - The Eagles allowed 148 yards on 34 carries on the ground, for a 4.4 ypc average, and allowed two rushing scores, one of which came on a 40 yard run.
DL Trent Cole finished with seven solos and six assists and Quintin Mikell added seven solos and one assist for Philadelphia.
PHI Pass Defense - Philadelphia allowed just 153 net passing yards and forced Minnesota QB Tarvaris Jackson into completing just 15 of 35 passes and a 45.4 QB rating. They did not give up a score through the air, had one sack, and took their only interception of the game back for a touchdown.DB Brian Dawkins finished with five solos, one assist, a sack and a forced fumble and DB Asante Samuel took an interception back for a touchdown.
QB Tarvaris Jackson, Pass: 15 - 35 - 164 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - 17 - 0 - Tarvaris Jackson had the type of game you would expect from a QB in his first playoff start against an experienced, well coached, blitzing defense. He finished 15 of 35 for 164 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception and just could not make any plays downfield against the Eagles. He had a long pass of just 27 yards and just nine passing first downs. Jackson did run the ball twice for 17 yards, but really did not look to run after being flushed out of the pocket throughout the game. He was sacked just one time, but the Eagles pressure forced a lot of poorly thrown balls.RB Adrian Peterson, Rush: 20 - 83 - 2 (1 targets) - Adrian Peterson put up good, but not great numbers against Philadelphia, as he ran the ball 20 times for 83 yards, and a 4.2 ypc average. Fortunately for the Vikings, Peterson was able to make two big plays as he ran for touchdown runs of 40 and 3 yards that accounted for all of Minnesota's scoring in the game. Peterson did have his bell rung in the game, but bounced back up and returned quickly. He was targeted one time in the passing game, but did not record a reception.
RB Chester Taylor, Rush: 12 - 48 - 0, Rec: 5 - 36 - 0 (6 targets) - Taylor contributed 12 rushes for 48 yards on the ground and added another 36 yards receiving on five receptions in the passing game, where he received six targets.
WR Bobby Wade, Rec: 3 - 24 - 0 (7 targets) - Wade finished with just three receptions for 24 yards but was targeted seven times.
WR Bernard Berrian, Rec: 2 - 36 - 0 (8 targets) - Bernard Berrian led Minnesota in targets, with eight, but finished with just two receptions for 36 yards. Berrian, like the rest of the Viking receiving corps, struggled to put up big numbers with such shaky QB play.
WR Sidney Rice, Rec: 2 - 27 - 0 (7 targets) - Rice was targeted seven times, but came down with just two receptions for 27 yards.
TE Jim Kleinsasser, Rec: 2 - 34 - 0 (4 targets) - Kleinsasser was targeted four times and finished with two receptions for 34 yards, both of which resulted in Minnesota first downs.
PK Ryan Longwell 0 - 0 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 2 points - Longwell did not attempt a field goal and made his two extra point attempts to finish with two points.
MIN Rush Defense - The Vikings defense played well against the run, as they have all year long. For the game, they held the Eagles to just 67 yards on 23 carries, and were able to contain RB Brian Westbrook, who accounted for 38 yards on 20 attempts. Minnesota also allowed just two rushing first downs.
LB Chad Greenway led the defense with eight solo tackles and one assist and DB Antoine Winfield added five solos and three assists.
MIN Pass Defense - Minnesota did allow a 300 yard passing game, but played well defending the pass for most of the game. They held the Eagles to five of 14 on third downs, intercepted a pass, caused and recovered a fumble and totaled three sacks. Unfortunately, they gave up a big play at the wrong time in the third quarter, when RB Brian Westbrook took a screen pass 71 yards for a score to put the game out of reach.DL Jared Allen had two sacks, three tackles and a forced fumble for the Vikings and DB Cedric Griffin finished with five solo tackles, one assist and an interception.
Indianapolis Colts 17, San Diego Chargers 23
What you need to know
Indianapolis Colts - QB Peyton Manning had a big yardage total, but it took him 42 passes to get there. His only touchdown was unusual on a headsup play where he caught the Chargers defense off guard. He was nearly intercepted on several occasions and he also took a very untimely sack towards the end of the game on a pass play that was a very questionable play call from the coaches.RBs Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes did little to take any pressure off of Peyton Manning. The two combined for just 56 yards on 20 carries, with a long run of just 11.
WR Anthony Gonzalez dominated in the first half, with six receptions for 97 yards. Unfortunately for him, those were his only catches in the game as he was shut out in the second half.
The numbers for WR Reggie Wayne look very good, but he padded those greatly with a 72 yard touchdown bomb on a play when nobody was covering him. The stats still count, of course, but it was far from a typical play. Without it, he had just three receptions for 57 yards.
San Diego Chargers - RB Darren Sproles was the catalyst for the offense, scoring twice on a career high 23 carries. He had 150 yards from scrimmage and 328 all-purpose yards (the third-highest postseason total ever). With starting RB LaDainian Tomlinson hobbled, Sproles, a free agent after the season, really picked up the slack and carried the team to victory. Tomlinson, nursing a groin injury suffered last Sunday, started the game and even scored a touchdown on one of his five carries, but he was forced from the action early in the second quarter.QB Philip Rivers didn't put up gaudy numbers and had a costly turnover on a deep ball in the end zone. But he didn't let the pick get to him and he settled down to lead the Chargers on both the game tying score late in the fourth quarter and the game winning score in overtime.
TE Antonio Gates was questionable to play with a sprained ankle. Not only did he play, but he had a game high eight receptions and totaled 87 yards (including a couple of key receptions on the game tying field goal drive).
Not typically a space reserved for punters, P Mike Scifres deserves a mention as he had a game for the ages. His six punts averaged 52.7 yards with a net average of 51.7. Even more impressively, his six punts went to the Indianapolis 10, 15, 3, 5, 9, and 1 yard lines. His ability to set the Colts up with poor field position was as big a reason as any that the Chargers prevailed.
What you ought to know
QB Peyton Manning, Pass: 25 - 42 - 310 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0 - Despite his offensive line giving him loads of time to throw for most of the first half, Manning was unable to take advantage of what had previously been a very porous San Diego defense. He didn't look very sharp at times, overthrowing a wide open Reggie Wayne early in the first quarter and nearly getting intercepted on three different occasions later on. He threw two balls that not only should have been intercepted, but also run back for touchdowns (one by Eric Weddle and one by Steve Gregory). In the second half, the Chargers did a better job of making Manning move his feet. On a fourth down pass, DE Luis Castillo flushed Manning from the pocket and forced an incomplete pass. Later, both Gregory and Antonio Cromartie had their hands on near-interceptions. At other times, Manning put the ball into incredibly tight spots with pinpoint accuracy. Even Manning's lone touchdown pass was a product of a busted play defensively. Manning made a headsup up play as he caught the Chargers during a substitution and rushed the Colts up to the line for a no huddle formation. They didn't catch them on the substitution, but even better than that they caught CB Antonio Cromartie not paying attention. WR Reggie Wayne ran right by him and Manning lofted a perfect lob for the 72 yard touchdown pass. By far, the costliest play turned in by Manning came on a third and two pass play late in regulation. All the Colts needed to do was pick up those two yards and the game would be over, needing just a handful of kneeldowns by Manning to make it official. For some reason, the Colts opted to throw the ball but left no one in the backfield to pick up the blitz. LB Tim Dobbins came flying in off the corner, and Manning (in a very un-Manning-like way) never saw the blitzer coming. He double-pumped his pass, and by then Dobbins was all over him for the sack. The Colts punted on the next play, and the Chargers tied the game with a field goal on that same possession.RB Joseph Addai, Rush: 16 - 44 - 1, Rec: 4 - 28 - 0 (5 targets) - Addai got 16 carries in the game, but only two of any significance. He had an 11 yard run on a third down and long play, and he took one up the middle for a yard on a draw at the goal line. Aside from those two rushes, his other 14 carries totaled just 33 yards. Even with those two carries, he still averaged less than 2.8 yards per carry. And on his touchdown run, he didn't have to do much as the blocking was perfect. He had a chance to essentially end the game late in the fourth quarter, but came up short. The Colts needed just one first down to run out the clock, and a six yard rush by Addai on first down gave the Colts a second and four. But Addai was hit after just a two yard gain on second down, Peyton Manning was sacked on third down, and the Colts never threatened seriously again.
RB Dominic Rhodes, Rush: 4 - 12 - 0 - Rhodes was sort of the forgotten man in the offense. He had just four offensive touches, and the Colts really got away from the running game very early on. They more or less used the short passing game as a sort of running game because the Chargers did a very good job of shutting down any sort of rushing attack. The only time Indianapolis got near the end zone, it was Joseph Addai who took the handoff and not Rhodes. Rhodes' key contribution was converting a short yardage run of third and two in the fourth quarter, but it was his only significant work of the day.
WR Anthony Gonzalez, Rec: 6 - 97 - 0 (8 targets) - It was a tale of two halves for Gonzalez, who registered all six of his receptions and 97 yards prior to halftime. On one play in particular, he made a terrific fingertip grab along the sideline and on more than one occasion he seemed able to easily shake loose of his defender to find the open space. But in the second half, the Chargers clamped down on him. Not only did he fail to catch a pass, but he was only thrown to once -- and he dropped the ball. He had earlier dropped a pass in the second quarter, so he dropped each of his last two passing targets.
WR Reggie Wayne, Rec: 4 - 129 - 1 (10 targets) - Wayne's stats suggest that he had a very good game. Stat wise, he did have a good game. But realistically, he had one big play that was unusual. And the rest of his performance was lacking. Near the end of the third quarter, Peyton Manning set up a no-huddle offense to try and catch the Charger defenders napping. CB Antonio Cromartie, in particular, was definitely napping as Manning snapped the ball. Wayne ran right by Cromartie, who wasn't even looking at the play, and Manning lofted a deep ball to the wideout for a 72 yard touchdown reception. It was one of the easiest touchdowns Wayne will ever have, though it was a bit of a fluke that it worked so well.
Aside from that one big catch, Wayne didn't do much (three receptions, 57 yards). He disappeared for long stretches (just one passing target the entire fourth quarter, for example). He did have an opportunity to better his totals, but Manning overthrew him on a deep ball early in the first quarter when Wayne was wide open. Wayne also juggled a pass along the sideline that eventually was ruled an incompletion, though it was challenged and the replays looked close.WR Marvin Harrison, Rec: 3 - 20 - 0 (5 targets) - Harrison drew a long pass interference penalty early in the first quarter, but after that he was nearly invisible. He caught just three passes for 20 yards with a long of just nine.
TE Dallas Clark, Rush: 1 - 9 - 0, Rec: 7 - 33 - 0 (10 targets) - Interestingly, despite so many tight ends having huge games against the Chargers this season, Clark has played two games against them and hasn't put up eye-popping statistics. He did catch a team high seven passes in this game, but they went for just 33 yards and his long gain was just nine. In fact, Clark's longest run of the game equaled the distance of his longest reception, as he took a reverse up the left side for a nine yard gain early in the second quarter.
PK Adam Vinatieri 1 - 1 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points - Vinatieri was perfect on his only field goal attempt of the game, a 43 yarder in the second quarter.
IND Rush Defense - A lot of people finally saw the reason why the Colts allowed a league record low six touchdown passes all season; it's because there's no reason to throw on them when it's so easy to run instead. Indianapolis allowed the Chargers 167 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, and they couldn't really stop anyone regardless of who was doing the running. Even slow-footed QB Philip Rivers got in on the act with a career best 12 yard run. LaDainian Tomlinson, nursing a possible groin tear, picked up 25 yards on his five carries including a touchdown, before giving way to Darren Sproles. All Sproles did was move in, around, and through would-be tacklers on his way to a 105 yard performance on 23 carries. Even the forgotten man Michael Bennett got in on the action with 24 yards on his four carries.
The only time the Colts rose up to make a big play was when they forced a Sproles fumble right at the doorstep of the end zone. It was a key play at the time, but there was nothing to bolster that play either before or after it at any point in the game.
The design and execution by San Diego on each of the touchdowns was top-notch, as Tomlinson waltzed in untouched and Sproles basically ran over S Antoine Bethea on his first score. And of course, the run defense had the ultimate indignity of being scored on in overtime for the loss. Sproles took a simple handoff, darted to the outside, turned the corner and headed upfield for the goal line. Bethea gave a halfhearted effort at best to make the tackle, and Sproles juked past him for the game winner.
IND Pass Defense - By the end of the game, it was obvious that the Indianapolis defense was tired in all aspects. They were having trouble stopping Darren Sproles on the ground, and they were having trouble containing Sproles and TE Antonio Gates through the air. The tackling was a bit shoddy, and they even allowed Michael Bennett to lunge ahead to pick up a first down on a screen pass late in the fourth quarter. They got a lot of pressure on Philip Rivers early in the first half, but couldn't maintain it throughout the game. They did get to him for a sack on a couple of occasions, but it wasn't a consistent pass rush and did little to disrupt San Diego's timing. In fact, Rivers found check-down options to move the chains both on the game tying and game winning drives. The fact that he was able to check it down suggests that he had enough time to do so, which suggests the Colts weren't posing much of a threat to get to him.S Antoine Bethea, who otherwise had a forgettable game, came up with a turnover in the fourth quarter when he intercepted a deep ball from Philip Rivers in the end zone. For a short time, it looked like that was going to be a key play in the game. But the Chargers marched downfield two possessions later for the game tying field goal and again in overtime for the game winning score.
CB Tim Jennings made one of the costliest plays of the entire game when he was whistled for a holding penalty on WR Chris Chambers on the game-winning overtime drive. The Chargers faced a third down and eight from the Indianapolis 40 yard line -- probably outside of field goal range. Rivers lofted a pass to Chambers, but Jennings held his jersey twice and may have even interfered with him on the play. It gave San Diego an automatic first down, and they went on to win the game two plays later.
QB Philip Rivers, Pass: 20 - 36 - 217 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - 13 - 0 - Rivers didn't play exceptionally well or anything, but his final statistics are somewhat misleading. He completed just 20 of 36 passes, but at least eight of those passes were throwaways where the play wasn't developing properly -- at least six of them came on screens that failed to set up and Rivers simply threw the ball into the ground. That's not to say he was putting the ball wherever he want, mind you. The issues started early in the game when he missed a wide open Brandon Manumaleuna down the sideline on an overthrown ball. It continued well into halftime, and a lot of it had to do with the pressure on him from the Indianapolis defense. Every time he looked up to throw the ball downfield, he pulled it back either because a pass rusher was getting close or because the coverage was tight. In fact, he was having trouble getting the ball to anyone except TE Antonio Gates, who was the only Charger with a reception until about the five minute mark of the second quarter. The second half was more of the same, as Rivers overthrew WR Chris Chambers in the end zone for what should have been a touchdown. If the ball was more to the corner of the field, it likely would have been. As it was, it was an easy interception for S Antoine Bethea playing centerfield on the play. Later, he was nearly intercepted on the sideline by throwing an ill-advised pass to WR Vincent Jackson on a rollout. Yet despite all of the problems Rivers faced, he still made several key plays that had a positive impact on the outcome. He showed excellent strength on one play in particular late in the third quarter. Facing a constant pass rush, Rivers had his arm hit by a defensive lineman but he never flinched. Most quarterbacks likely would have fumbled in that situation. Later in the quarter, he used amazing precision to thread a bullet pass to WR Legedu Naanee on a slant. And in the fourth quarter, with the team facing a third down and 15, he scrambled and dove at the first down marker for a 14 yard gain. On fourth and one, he ran a sneak up the middle to pick up the first down. While that possession eventually led to the interception, he didn't let it rattle him. When the Chargers got the ball back down by three and a chance to tie, Rivers completed two passes to TE Antonio Gates to set up the game-tying field goal. And in the overtime session, he was 2-4 for 21 yards to help put the team into scoring range.RB Darren Sproles, Rush: 22 - 105 - 2, Rec: 5 - 45 - 0 (6 targets) - Starting RB LaDainian Tomlinson tried to give it a go in the game, and he lasted for five carries before his groin injury became too painful to continue running on. So Sproles took over the majority of the rushing duties and sure made the most of the opportunity. The diminutive runner was involved in most of the most crucial plays of the game, including the obvious one -- a game-winning 22 yard touchdown run in overtime that sent the Chargers to the second round of the playoffs. Sproles, who will be a free agent after the season, likely saw his stock rise considerably with this performance. He carried the ball 23 times, caught five passes, and returned all of the kicks and punts. When all was said and done, he had finished with the third-best total of all-purpose yards in NFL postseason history, with 328.
He picked up yards every way imaginable. He took a third and nine draw up the middle for a first down near the end of the first quarter. He fought his way into the end zone on an inside run late in the first half for his first touchdown. Sproles also made two huge plays late in the contest that didn't go for big yardage but were key to victory all the same. Facing a third down and ten, he took a draw up the middle and very nearly picked up the first down. He was a bit short, but he helped turn what would have been a 34 yard field goal attempt into a 26 yard chip shot. And in the overtime session, San Diego faced a third down and eleven situation from their own 24 yard line. QB Philip Rivers found Sproles for a dumpoff in the flat, and the back did the rest of the work, surging ahead for a 13 yard gain to extend the drive. That drive would eventually lead to the game-winning touchdown run by Sproles. He took a handoff to the left side, cut back against the defense, and raced to the end zone. The only thing between Sproles and a San Diego victory was DB Antoine Bethea, but Sproles made quick work of him with a lightning fast cutback at the five yard line. The only negative part of his evening was a fumble that he coughed up right at the doorstep of the goal line as San Diego was driving to take the lead late in the third quarter. But the overtime touchdown more than made up for that, and certainly helped make Sproles a very attractive commodity on this spring's upcoming free agent market.RB LaDainian Tomlinson, Rush: 5 - 25 - 1 - Tomlinson injured his groin in last Sunday's victory over Denver. He was questionable to play all week long and finally decided on Saturday afternoon that he was healthy enough to start. He played all of the first quarter, and his first rush of the day went for 13 yards. But Tomlinson was clearly tentative as he turned the corner, and when he tried to make a cut he immediately fell to the turf. He remained in the game long enough to score a touchdown from three yards out, but that was his final carry of the evening. He gave way to backups Darren Sproles and Michael Bennett, both of whom played a critical role in the outcome. And for those who keep track of such things, unlike last year, when Tomlinson was forced from the AFC Championship game against New England and sat on the sidelines the entire game, in this game he looked very upbeat in cheering on his teammates and kept his helmet off.
RB Michael Bennett, Rush: 4 - 24 - 0, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets) - Of all the players on the roster, not many people expected that Michael Bennett of all people would be involved in some of the most crucial action of the season. With starting halfback LaDainian Tomlinson hobbled, it was up to Darren Sproles and Bennett to pick up the slack. Sproles more than did his part with 150 yards from scrimmage and a pair of touchdowns. Bennett, too, did an admirable job with 24 rushing yards on four carries and another seven yards on his lone reception -- a play that came on third and seven and barely picked up the first down. Bennett fought through two tacklers and dove at the first down marker, picking up the first down by the absolute edge of the football.
RB Jacob Hester, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (2 targets) - Hester was thrown to twice, catching one of them for a six yard gain in the second quarter. But despite LaDainian Tomlinson's early exit from the game, it was Darren Sproles who saw the lion's share of the carries. And the scraps that remained went to Michael Bennett, not Hester. Hester's role in this game was primarily that of a blocker, a role he played exceptionally well -- particularly on the Tomlinson touchdown.
WR Chris Chambers, Rec: 4 - 57 - 0 (7 targets) - With fellow WR Vincent Jackson blanketed for most of the evening, it was on Chambers to try to make up the difference. He made a phenomenal diving grab along the sideline in the second quarter, a catch that may or may not have actually been a reception. Replays seemed to show that he never got his second foot down inbounds, but the Colts had just lost a challenge on the previous play and were reluctant to lose their second challenge to early in the game. Chambers had a decent chance to score in the fourth quarter when he beat his man on a deep ball, but QB Philip Rivers slightly overthrew the pass and it was intercepted in the end zone.
WR Vincent Jackson (1 targets) - Jackson saw just one pass head in his direction, and it was nearly intercepted by the Colts. He was open on a couple of occasions, but QB Philip Rivers often didn't have enough time to look for him downfield. As a result, Jackson finished without a reception.
TE Antonio Gates, Rec: 8 - 87 - 0 (9 targets) - Gates started off the game on fire, with five receptions prior to halftime (he was, in fact, the only San Diego player with a reception until the 6:04 mark of the second quarter). On one of his early receptions in the second quarter, he was headed for the end zone with nothing but room in front of him. But with defenders gaining ground, he turned to try and fight them off rather than continuing to run straight ahead. If he had kept on running, he may have scored. But turning around to stiff arm the defense slowed him down considerably, and he ended up being tackled at the three yard line. Then just as quickly as he showed up, he just about disappeared from the action. The Chargers suddenly took to the ground, utilizing undersized RB Darren Sproles in a number of ways. Gates didn't have another reception until the final drive of the fourth quarter, when he turned in back to back eleven yard receptions to help get San Diego into field goal range for the tying kick. In overtime, Gates caught a short pass and turned upfield to pick up eight hard-fought yards on a second and eight play. He actually fumbled the ball while trying to pick up extra yardage, but fortunately for him he landed right on it and pinned the ball to the turf with his back. He finished with a game high eight receptions.
PK Nate Kaeding 1 - 1 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points - Kaeding, who has a history of important missed field goals in the playoffs, connected from 26 yards out with :33 left in regulation to tie the game and send it to overtime. He wasn't needed in the overtime session, as RB Darren Sproles scored a touchdown to win it.
SD Rush Defense - The San Diego rush defense did a fantastic job of turning the Colts very one dimensional. Despite the fact that Indianapolis led for the majority of the contest, they ran the ball just 22 times versus 42 pass attempts. That imbalance was created in part because the Chargers were allowing the Colts almost nothing on the ground. The longest run by a Colt all game long was just 11 yards, with TE Dallas Clark chipping in with a nine yard run on a reverse early in the second quarter. Aside from those two runs and an Addai touchdown run on which he wasn't touched until he was two yards into the end zone, the Chargers gave up nothing. Facing a situation late in the fourth quarter where a first down would have ended the game, the San Diego run defense rose up and stopped Addai short on a second and four run. They allowed him two yards, but he was stopped short enough that the Colts opted to pass on third down. Peyton Manning was sacked on the play; the Chargers got the ball back and drove downfield to tie it, and then won it in overtime.
SD Pass Defense - Most people will want to give all the credit for this victory to RB Darren Sproles or even P Mike Scifres, but in truth it was the defense that rose up to make the single biggest play of the evening and save the Chargers from certain defeat. The Colts had the ball at their own nine yard line and faced a third down and two with 2:30 remaining in the game. The Chargers were out of timeouts, so if the Colts picked up another first down, the game would be essentially over and all the Colts would need to do is kneel out the clock. But LB Tim Dobbins came crashing into the picture from Peyton Manning's right side and sacked him for an eight yard loss. The Colts obviously then had to punt the ball away. The Chargers took the ensuing possession downfield and tied the game with a field goal, and then won it in overtime. In addition to the Dobbins play, the Chargers made a number of key plays in the game on defense. This defense under Ron Rivera is clearly not the one we saw earlier in the season under Ted Cotrell.While they still had trouble getting intense pressure on Manning early on, they at least flushed him from the pocket on a couple of occasions. Several defensive backs jumped routes on a number of passes to deflect the ball away, though curiously they all experienced stone hands at the same time and couldn't hang onto them for interceptions. Steve Gregory, Eric Weddle, and Antonio Cromartie were all guilty of this at one point or another. Cromartie is possibly the happiest person on the team that San Diego was able to win, because if they didn't he likely would have been remembered as the goat. Manning noticed that the Chargers were subbing new players in, so he opted to run a no-huddle play to try and catch San Diego off-guard. And did he ever catch them. WR Reggie Wayne streaked downfield and ran right by Cromartie, who was essentially asleep at the wheel as he looked towards the San Diego sideline. By the time he realized the ball had been snapped, Wayne was racing past him and Manning had already hoisted what would become a 72 yard touchdown bomb. Cromartie futilely tried running after him, but to no avail. If not for that one freak play, Manning would have had just 238 yards and zero touchdowns for the game, a testament to just how well San Diego defended him.
LB Shaun Phillips was being looked at on the sidelines near the end of the fourth quarter, but no update was given on his condition. LB Jyles Tucker was also injured late in the fourth quarter and walked slowly off the field after suffering an apparent head injury.
Baltimore Ravens 27, Miami Dolphins 9
What you need to know
Baltimore Ravens - The Ravens took advantage of five Miami turnovers, returning an interception for a touchdown and scoring a touchdown on the ensuing drive after forcing and recovering a fumble. Although they did not win the time of possession battle, Baltimore leaned on their running game with some success. LeRon McClain had the bulk of the carries, and averaged just under 4.0 yards per carry. McClain lost a fumble early that resulted in the Dolphins scoring a field goal for the game's first score, but was not discouraged. He ran with excellent power, running hard at Miami's defenders and constantly fighting for extra yardage, usually successfully. Although he did not break long runs, McClain gained four or more yards on 11 of his 19 carries, with most of the yards coming after contact. Willis McGahee relieved McClain and averaged just over 2.0 yards per carry until he broke free for a 48 yard run late in the game until he was tackled three yards from the end zone late in the game.Joe Flacco had an inconsistent game. Thirteen of his 23 passes were intermediate or deep, and six of them were thrown deep. While he connected on a couple of those passes, he missed receivers who broke open a few times, including Mark Clayton three times. Flacco did have good rapport with Derrick Mason, connecting with him on mostly intermediate routes and one deep pass. Flacco was under some pass rush pressure, but he was not sacked and typically had enough time to get his passes off. Clayton was targeted the most, with nine passes thrown his way, but only had two receptions as six of the passes thrown to him were too low, wide or high. Although he only completed nine passes, Flacco did contribute directly to the scoring by running in for the last touchdown on a play designed for him, showing good running ability in traffic from five yards out.
The Ravens attempted 13 plays on four possessions in the red zone, and two touchdowns and two field goals. They ran seven times, with McClain getting four of the carries, including one for a touchdown where he broke several tackles before barreling into the end zone. McGahee had two of the carries and Flacco ran one in for a touchdown. Of the six red zone passes, two were to Mason in the end zone, but one pass was wide and the other incomplete although Mason's arm was entangled with his defender, but no penalty flag was thrown. Another red zone pass was to Todd Heap at the goal line, but he was stripped of the ball before he could secure the pass. Flacco had another shot at a passing touchdown when he threw low to McClain who was just outside the goal line. Clayton was the recipient of Flacco's other two red zone passes.
Miami Dolphins - The Dolphins turned the ball over five times, after only having 13 turnovers during the regular season. They were able to move the ball thanks to Chad Pennington moving the ball fairly efficiently by using short passes, but turnovers did them in, with two of them coming 6 minutes and 26 seconds apart in the first half. Miami's only score in the first half was a field goal that came after they recovered a fumble by McClain. The Dolphins had to rely on the short passing game, as they could not get their running game on track against the stout Baltimore defense. Five of Ronnie Brown's 12 rushing attempts were stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage. Brown played very hard and appeared on the verge of breaking tackles at times, but Baltimore did a very good job of swarming him with multiple defenders, which limited his ability to gain significant yardage. He did however, score on a pass play in the fourth quarter by making an excellent diving catch where he stopped the ball with one hand and pulled it toward the other hand to secure it for the touchdown. Ricky Williams relieved Brown, but only had four rushing attempts.Chad Pennington did not play well. Although he moved the ball by throwing quick, short passes, his four interceptions undid him and his team. All of his interceptions came when he attempted intermediate or long passes. Pennington was under pressure throughout the game by a relentless pass rush, which contributed to several of his incompletions, including the interceptions. Most of Pennington's passing yards came in the fourth quarter when the team went to a no huddle offense in an effort to close a 20 to 9 deficit. The passes he completed were of the short variety, and at times his receivers were able to gain some yards after the catch, which helped their and Pennington's numbers. Pennington threw eight of his 11 first half passes to running backs, and looked to his wide receivers more in the second half, targeting them 17 times, mostly on short passes, with Ted Ginn being targeted eight times in that half.
The Dolphins ran seven plays on three red zone possessions, and came away with one field goal, a touchdown where the extra point was blocked, and an interception. Pennington threw six times, all but one to his running backs, with Brown catching one for a score. Brown had the only red zone rushing attempt, but did not gain any yards.
What you ought to know
QB Joe Flacco, Pass: 9 - 23 - 135 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 5 - 8 - 1 - Flacco did not lose his poise even after missing receivers on deep pass plays. He continued to go for big pass plays, and got the ball out deep easily, but tended to overthrow his receivers even when they broke open. Eleven of his passes were difficult to catch as a result of being thrown a little too high or wide. Although he did not miss by much, he nevertheless was not very accurate. Flacco and Mason connected early, but Flacco only threw one pass his way in the second half. The coaches displayed confidence in Flacco's running ability by calling for him to run up the middle from the five yard line, which he did for a touchdown.QB Troy Smith, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0 - Smith came in for one series on a third down play, but came up short on a designed running play.
RB LeRon McClain, Rush: 19 - 75 - 1 (1 targets) - McClain ran with great power, not trying to be elusive, and usually gaining extra yards after initial contact. He kept his legs driving and was rarely pushed backwards. His touchdown run came through several Dolphins defenders from eight yards out, and he was the target on a goal line pass, however the pass was thrown out of his reach. McClain was instrumental in helping the Ravens turn in a solid effort running the ball.
RB Willis McGahee, Rush: 7 - 62 - 0, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (1 targets) - McGahee was utilized up the middle, and had limited success until he broke free after a very effective stiff arm, and ran for 48 yards until he was tackled at Miami's three yard line.
RB Lorenzo Neal, Rush: 1 - 4 - 0, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets) - Neal was utilized mostly for his fine blocking, but gained first downs the two times he touched the ball, showing good power in running through two defenders on his pass reception and run.
WR Derrick Mason, Rec: 4 - 71 - 0 (7 targets) - Mason showed very good quickness in running his routes and excellent hands when the ball was thrown within his reach. Apart from one deep pattern, he was utilized mostly on intermediate routes, and may have had bigger numbers had he not been overthrown twice after getting open.
WR Mark Clayton, Rec: 2 - 16 - 0 (9 targets) - Clayton was targeted the most, but Flacco missed him several times, including two deep passes that were just out of Clayton's reach. Clayton ran six intermediate or deep routes when he was targeted, getting open on most of them, but none of the passes were within his reach.
TE Todd Heap, Rec: 1 - 31 - 0 (4 targets) - Heap showed excellent running ability by taking a short pass for a 31 yard gain to the Dophins' four yard line. He had another opportunity to score, as he was targeted at the goal line, but the ball was stripped from him before he could secure it. Heap was not targeted in the second half.
PK Matt Stover 2 - 2 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 9 points - Stover made all three of his point after attempts and made both of the field goals he attempted, which were from 23 and 31 yards.
BAL Rush Defense - Baltimore's rush defense was dominant. They stopped Miami's running backs at or behind the line of scrimmage on almost 30 percent of their carries by gaining penetration routinely. The linemen and linebackers prevented Brown and Williams from getting into the secondary by swarming to the ball and gang tacking them. They also forced and recovered a fumble that led to a touchdown in the third quarter. The Ravens were so dominant the Dolphins all but abandoned their running game even when the game was still close.
BAL Pass Defense - The Ravens were aggressive and blitzed Pennington throughout the game. They sacked him three times, but applied pressure constantly, which contributed to them intercepting him four times, and taking one of them all the way for a touchdown. Baltimore blitzed linebackers and secondary players, and Miami's line could not account for them. Although they gave up some passing yards, most of them came in the fourth quarter when Pennington threw a lot of short passes that his receivers turned into longer gains. The Ravens pass defense dominated the Dolphins. QB Chad Pennington, Pass: 25 - 38 - 252 - 1 TD / 4 INT, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 - Pennington was under duress throughout the game. Although he was fairly efficient when making quick, short throws, he got into trouble when he attempted longer passes, which accounted for all four of his interceptions. While the pass rush and excellent play by the defensive backs was largely responsible for causing the interceptions, Pennington was somewhat culpable on a couple of them, as he threw into double coverage deep without getting much on the ball due to the pass rush. He was most effective when he went to a no huddle offense and relied on short passes, but overall he had a forgettable game.RB Ronnie Brown, Rush: 12 - 19 - 0, Rec: 6 - 43 - 1 (6 targets) - Brown played hard but despite his effort, could not get going on the ground against Baltimore's outstanding defense. When Miami went to the short passing game in the second half, Brown was targeted six times, and gained most of his yards after the catch with some hard running, showing good power to gain some yards after initial contact. His great effort was exemplified on his touchdown catch where he made a great catch on a pass that was lobbed over his defender, forcing him to dive for the ball and concentrate at the same time to reel the ball in.
RB Ricky Williams, Rush: 4 - 17 - 0, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (3 targets) - Williams had limited opportunities, but did show good acceleration at times, only to be stopped by the Ravens' defense before he could get going. Williams came close to scoring when he took a short pass and ran through traffic before being tackled one yard from the end zone.
RB Patrick Cobbs, Rush: 1 - 1 - 0, Rec: 4 - 55 - 0 (4 targets) - Cobbs contributed most in the passing game, by turning some short passes into good gains after catching the ball. However he had a costly fumble that was recovered by the Ravens that led to a Baltimore touchdown.
RB Lousaka Polite, Rush: 3 - 15 - 0 - Polite took advantage of his three rushing attempts by gaining first downs on all three.
WR Ted Ginn, Rec: 5 - 38 - 0 (10 targets) - Ginn was targeted twice in the first half, and both passes were intercepted. He was Pennington's featured receiver in the second half and was asked to run short routes and try to gain yards after the catch. He caught most of those passes but was unable to break away from Baltimore's defenders for any big gains.
WR Brandon London, Rec: 4 - 38 - 0 (5 targets) - London was not targeted until the second half when the Dolphins tried to catch up by throwing short passes. He ran short routes and caught most of the passes thrown to him, but did not break free for any big gains.
WR Davone Bess, Rec: 2 - 54 - 0 (5 targets) - Bess showed good quickness on several plays, and was able to get open several times. He was involved in a variety of ways, being targeted on a pass that was intercepted, getting hurt while making a tackle after a different interception, returning to the game in the second half and turning a short pass into a long run where he showed good speed and change of direction quickness before being tackled at the four yard line. He did drop a pass that was well within his grasp.
TE David Martin, Rec: 3 - 16 - 0 (4 targets) - Martin was utilized on short routes, and all of his targets came in the second half.
TE Anthony Fasano - Fasano played a lot but was used as a blocker.
PK Dan Carpenter 1 - 1 FG, 0 - 1 XP, 3 points - Carpenter missed his only point after attempt, and made his only field goal attempt, which was from 19 yards.
MIA Rush Defense - Miami's rush defense was solid at first, forcing and recovering a fumble that led to their first score of the game. However they seemed to wear down as the game went on, and the physical Ravens' running attack got to them. They allowed a second half touchdown run from the eight yard line when McClain ran through several of their defenders, and gave up a 48 yard run to McGahee late in the game.
MIA Pass Defense - The Dolphins' pass defense was aggressive, and although they did not sack Flacco, caused him to rush some of his passes. However, their secondary was beaten several times, and they would have given up more passing yards had Flacco not missed his receivers at times. They did not record a sack or interception, instead coming close to making big plays and at other times coming close to allowing big plays in the passing game.Atlanta Falcons 24, Arizona Cardinals 30
What you need to know
Atlanta Falcons - The Falcons played well in the first half, controlling the ball for over 21 minutes and jumping out to a 17--14 lead, but then began to struggle. In the second half Atlanta quickly fell behind 28--17, couldn't get their offense on track, and was unable to pick up a first down until there was 6:28 left in the game. They were unable to control the line of scrimmage and the second best rushing attack in the NFL was held to a season low 60 yards.Offensive rookie of the year Matt Ryan attempted 40 passes and completed 26 for 199 yards and two touchdowns, but threw two bad interceptions and was caught in the end zone for a safety. Roddy White caught his season best 11 passes but his longest gain only covered 12 yards. Michael Turner was held to 42 yards on 18 carries but still scored a touchdown in the second quarter.
The Atlanta pass rush was unable to get to Kurt Warner and their run defense couldn't stop Edgerrin James.
Arizona Cardinals - The pass happy Cardinals had the worst rushing attack in the NFL this year, but an energized Edgerrin James kept the Falcons on their heels by averaging 4.6 yards on each of his 16 carries. Rookie Tim Hightower pitched in with 23 yards on six carries and scored a rare Cardinals' rushing touchdown.Kurt Warner spread the ball around to nine different Arizona receivers as he hit 19 of 32 for 271 yards and two touchdowns. He was at his best late in the third quarter when he engineered a 14 play drive that ate up nearly eight minutes of clock. Warner converted four times on third down and also scrambled four yards to avoid a sack. Larry Fitzergald led all receivers with six receptions for 101 yards and one touchdown, while fellow pro bowler Anquan Boldin caught a short pass near the sidelines, turned up field, and scored the Cardinals other passing TD 71 yards later.
The swarming Arizona defense held the Falcons ground game in check, returned a forced fumble for a touchdown, recorded three sacks including a safety, and intercepted two passes.
What you ought to know
QB Matt Ryan, Pass: 26 - 40 - 199 - 2 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 4 - 6 - 0 - Ryan started off slowly. His first pass of the game was intercepted and he completed just one of his first four attempts for 11 yards. After Arizona jumped out 14--3, Ryan hit 17 of 24 for 130 yards, one TD, and a 17--14 first half lead. While he showed flashes of poise and promise he still made too many rookie mistakes. After Arizona scored on a long, clock killing drive in the third quarter he immediately threw an interception which put the tired Falcon defense back on the field. He rallied his team late and threw a short touchdown pass to Roddy White with about 4:00 minutes left in the game. In the last four regular season games Ryan threw five interceptions after just six in his first 12 games. This was his third straight game of throwing for less than 200 yards after a streak of nine straight games of at least 207.RB Michael Turner, Rush: 18 - 42 - 1, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets) - Turner faced a Cardinals defense stacked to stop him. Because the defensive linemen kept their gaps and the linebackers stayed at home, the cutback lanes usually weren't there. Also, S Adrian Wilson played like a fourth linebacker much of the game. Turner had to battle to gain 42 yards on 18 carries, although he did score a touchdown in the second quarter on a four yard run.
RB Jerious Norwood, Rush: 2 - 12 - 0, Rec: 1 - 28 - 0 (2 targets) - With Turner unable to get the running game going Norwood never had a chance to change the pace. He carried twice for 12 yards and caught one key pass in the fourth quarter, converting a fourth down play into a first down which led to Atlanta's final touchdown. He also averaged 27 yards on two kickoff returns.
RB Jason Snelling (2 targets) - The Falcons' special teams standout was the hot read on two blitzes but the passes were less about completions and more about avoiding the sack.
WR Roddy White, Rec: 11 - 84 - 1 (17 targets) - White was Ryan's favorite target and caught his season high 11 passes, but two attempts were intercepted. While the Falcons tried to get him the ball deep down the field his longest gain only covered 12 yards. In the second quarter he flat out dropped a perfect 36 yard pass and later was overthrown in the end zone. In the third quarter he got behind the defender on a fly pattern but the pass was under thrown. He caught a five yard TD pass with 3:36 left in the game to pad the stats.
WR Michael Jenkins, Rec: 5 - 51 - 0 (10 targets) - Even though the Cardinals were rolling coverage to White's side of the field Jenkins had difficulty getting open and made some tough catches because he could not gain separation. He caught five for 51 and had one long gain of 21 yards.
WR Brian Finneran, Rec: 2 - 11 - 0 (2 targets) - The popular veteran caught two short passes for 11 yards.
WR Harry Douglas, Rec: 1 - 0 - 0 (2 targets) - Douglas fielded three punts and averaged 10.3 yards per return and caught one pass for zero yards.
TE Justin Peelle, Rec: 3 - 11 - 1 (3 targets) - Although Peelle only gained 11 yards on three receptions, he caught the go ahead Atlanta touchdown just before the half. While he has limited fantasy value, Ryan seems to love him in short yardage situations.
TE Marcus Pollard, Rec: 2 - 7 - 0 (2 targets) - Pollard caught two passes in the second quarter but had one ball stripped. Atlanta retained possession and went on to score the go ahead touchdown.
PK Jason Elam 1 - 1 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 6 points - Elam hit a 30 yard field goal in the second quarter and converted all three extra points.
ATL Rush Defense - The Cardinals had been the worst rushing team in the league but Edgerrin James averaged 4.6 yards per carry. As a team, Arizona picked up five rushing first downs and scored a rushing touchdown.
ATL Pass Defense - Warner hit a predictable 19 of 32 for 271 yards. The Cardinals averaged 292 yards per game this season, second best in the league. Fitzgerald and Boldin each caught TD passes, but it wasn't the passing game that carried the day for Arizona. Atlanta had to respect the threat, however, which gave the running game all the room it needed. QB Kurt Warner, Pass: 19 - 32 - 271 - 2 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 4 - 0 - 0 - Warner turned in a solid game, hitting 19 of 32 for 241 yards and two touchdowns. More importantly, he did not take a sack and the receiver should have caught his one interception. He hit Fitzgerald on a 42 yard flea flicker for a touchdown, and also connected with Anquan Boldin on a short pass which he turned into a 71 yard TD. Warner took over this game in the third quarter when he directed the Cardinals on a 14 play drive. He converted four third downs and even scrambled four yards to keep the drive alive. Arizona scored a touchdown and took a two score lead into the fourth quarter. Warner completed 67.1 percent of his passes this season and threw for 4,583 yards. His 30 touchdowns set a team record, eclipsing the old mark of 28 by shared by legendary Cardinal QBs Neil Lomax and Charley Johnson.RB Edgerrin James, Rush: 16 - 73 - 0, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (1 targets) - He's ba-a-a-ack. It was vintage Edgerrin James, angry with the Cardinals for being benched earlier this year, who took out his frustration on the Atlanta defensive. He set up the first Arizona touchdown in the first quarter after three straight carries netted 21 yards. James took the next handoff into the line, then turned and pitched the ball back to Warner. Fitzgerald caught the 42 yard pass in the end zone for Arizona's first score. He seldom went down on first contact and seemed to go out of his way to punish would be tacklers. Even when James came out of the game for a breather he was smiling on the sidelines.
James has openly stated that he wants to sign on with a more run oriented team next year. If he can continue playing like this, and being so highly motivated and well rested there is no reason why he can't, Arizona could be the surprise team of the playoffs.RB Tim Hightower, Rush: 6 - 23 - 1 - The rookie was used to give James a breather. He picked up 23 yards on six carries and scored the Cardinals' only rushing touchdown. All of his carries came in the second half after Boldin left the game.
RB J.J. Arrington, Rush: 1 - -2 - 0, Rec: 1 - -3 - 0 (2 targets) - The third down back had a minimal affect on this contest. He returned three kickoffs for a 17 yard average, lost two yards on a first quarter carry, and lost three yards on a screen pass.
WR Larry Fitzgerald, Rec: 6 - 101 - 1 (9 targets) - Fitzgerald led all receivers with six catches for 101 yards and one touchdown. Arizona ran a flea flicker on the scoring play and Fitzgerald went high in the end zone to snag the pass above Lawyer Milloy and Chris Houston. It was the first touchdown of the game.
WR Steve Breaston, Rush: 1 - -8 - 0, Rec: 2 - 39 - 0 (3 targets) - While he played the entire game, all of his targets came in the second half after Boldin left the game. He also carried a poorly conceived reverse in the fourth quarter, with Arizona needing one more first down to ice the victory, and was promptly dropped for an eight yard loss by John Abraham.
WR Jerheme Urban, Rec: 2 - 7 - 0 (3 targets) - The first pass thrown to him bounced off either his hands or shoulder pads or both for and easy Atlanta interception. He then caught two second half passes for seven yards as the Cardinals divided up the passes that would normally go to Anquan Boldin.
WR Anquan Boldin, Rec: 2 - 72 - 1 (6 targets) - Boldin sat out the last two regular season games with a shoulder injury and was injured again in the second quarter but not his shoulder. After he caught a short pass in the flat he cut up the left sideline and outran S Lawyer Milloy to the end zone. At the end of the play Boldin was limping noticeably. Early reports suggested leg cramps, but at the start of the second half he was reported to have an undisclosed hamstring injury and did not return to the game.
TE Stephen Spach, Rec: 3 - 34 - 0 (2 targets) - A modest stat line belies the importance of one player's contribution. Clinging to a six point lead, facing third and 16 with 2:17 left in the game, Spach beat Lawyer Milloy on a seam route and caught a 23 yard pass for a first down. Atlanta was out of timeouts and Warner knelt on the next three plays to end the game.
TE Ben Patrick, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets) - Patrick caught a pass in the first quarter for eight yards.
PK Neil Rackers 0 - 1 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 4 points - Rackers missed from 51 yards out but converted all four PATs.
ARI Rush Defense - An outstanding effort by the Cardinals shut down Atlanta's lethal rushing attack which ranked second in the NFL. The Falcons gained a season low 60 yards and Michael Turner only averaged 2.3 yards per carry. The play of the game was turned in by defensive tackle Darnell Docket who beat G Harvey Dahl and hit Turner as Ryan attempted a hand off. The ball bounced up, blitzing S Antreal Rolle picked it off in mid air, and scampered untouched 27 yards for the go ahead touchdown.
ARI Pass Defense - Although Matt Ryan attempted 40 passes and completed 26 for two touchdowns, the Cardinals sacked him three times - including a safety - and intercepted him twice. The first pick, by former Cornhusker Ralph Brown, led to their Arizona's first touchdown. The defensive game plan called for an all out effort to stop the run and make Ryan beat them. He couldn't.