Conference championships 1997–98 NFL playoffs

1 conference championships

1.1 january 11, 1998

1.1.1 afc championship: denver broncos 24, pittsburgh steelers 21
1.1.2 nfc championship: green bay packers 23, san francisco 49ers 10

conference championships
january 11, 1998
afc championship: denver broncos 24, pittsburgh steelers 21

at 3 rivers stadium, pittsburgh, pennsylvania

game time: 12:30 p.m. est
game weather: 39 °f (4 °c), clear
game attendance: 61,382
referee: ron blum
tv announcers (nbc): dick enberg (play-by-play), phil simms, , paul maguire (color commentators)

for second week in row, denver eliminated team on road had beat them in regular season. in week 15, pittsburgh had defeated broncos 35–24, quarterback kordell stewart throwing 303 yards , 3 touchdowns, while running 2 more. time, denver intercepted 3 of passes , recovered fumble, while sacking him 3 times.

most of scoring came in first half. pittsburgh got scoring opportunity when levon kirkland intercepted pass denver quarterback john elway on broncos 43-yard line. steelers moved ball 20, have norm johnson miss 38-yard field goal attempt. on next play denver running terrell davis took off 43-yard run steelers 29-yard line, , team went on score on davis 8-yard touchdown run. blackwell returned ensuing kickoff 18 yards 35-yard line, pittsburgh went on move ball 65 yards tie game. on final 2 plays, stewart completed 20-yard pass yancey thigpen , ran ball final 33 yards end zone. steelers defensive darren perry ended denver s next drive forcing , recovering fumble davis on pittsburgh 32-yard line. pittsburgh drove 68 yards in 11 plays go 14-7 on jerome bettis 1-yard touchdown run few minutes second quarter.

the broncos took ball , went on 10-play, 45-yard drive score on kicker jason elam s 43-yard field goal. both teams had punt on next drives, , blackwell s 19-yard return gave steelers first down on broncos 43-yard line. 2 plays later, stewart forced throw double coverage , safety ray crockett intercepted pass in end zone. after turnover, elway led broncos 80 yards score on 15-yard touchdown pass fullback howard griffith, giving broncos lead, 17-14. steelers had punt on next drive, , darrien gordon returned ball 19 yards broncos 46, setting 54-yard drive ended on elway s 1-yard touchdown pass ed mccaffrey gave denver 24-14 lead 13 seconds left in half. 34 of 54 yards came pass interference penalty on steelers defensive carnell lake on first play of drive.

both defenses controlled of second half. steelers took opening drive of second half , moved ball methodically down field , had great scoring chance @ broncos 5-yard line. linebacker allen aldridge ended possession interception in end zone. next time steelers got ball, moved broncos 32, lose again when neil smith forced fumble while sacking stewart , denver s mike lodish made recovery.

late in fourth quarter, stewart completed 7 of 8 passes 68 yards , rushed twice 11 yards on 79-yard drive ended 14-yard touchdown pass charles johnson, cutting score 24-21 2:46 left in regulation. @ two-minute warning, facing third down , 5 on own 15-yard line on ensuing drive, elway connected on 18-yard completion shannon sharpe first down. on next play, completed 10-yard pass mccaffrey first down, enabling team run out rest of clock. sharpe later said elway made converting play in huddle, seconds before snap.

davis rushed 139 yards , touchdown. bettis rushed 105 yards , touchdown. turn out final playoff game @ 3 rivers stadium.

nfc championship: green bay packers 23, san francisco 49ers 10

at 3com park, san francisco, california

game time: 4:00 p.m. est/1:00 p.m. pst
game weather: 57 °f (14 °c), rain
game attendance: 68,987
referee: dick hantak
tv announcers (fox): pat summerall (play-by-play) , john madden (color commentator)

for third year in row, green bay trounced 49ers in playoffs, holding them 257 total yards while forcing 4 fumbles , 5 sacks. 49ers gained 33 rushing yards , running garrison hearst, rushed on 1,000 yards during season, had 12 yards on 8 carries. average starting field position 49ers own 17-yard line.

green bay took opening kickoff , moved ball 76 yards in 10 plays, brett favre completing 18-yard pass robert brooks on game s first play. on next play, 49ers defensive rod woodson called 24-yard pass interference penalty, moving ball 49ers 35. green bay reached 2-yard line before pass deflected falling short of wide open fullback william henderson, forcing packers settle field goal ryan longwell.

in second quarter, san francisco drove 60 yards own 12 green bay 28, faced third down , 8. on next play, steve young s pass intercepted packers safety eugene robinson , returned 58 yards 49ers 28 in turned out crucial play. favre found wide receiver antonio freeman slicing across middle on slant 27-yard touchdown pass give packers 10–0 lead.

later on, green bay managed drive deep san francisco territory, favre committed 15-yard intentional grounding penalty on third , 14, , longwell missed 47-yard field goal attempt on next play. on 49ers ensuing drive, drove 52 yards in 9 plays, including young s 48-yard completion terrell owens on third down , 26, reach packers 10-yard line. young completed touchdown pass j. j. stokes, stokes landed 1 foot out of bounds in end zone , 49ers settled gary anderson field goal, cutting score 10-3 less minute left in half. 51 seconds remained after green bay got ball back, favre got team scoring range 40-yard completion freeman, , longwell capitalized 43-yard field goal time expired, giving packers 13-3 halftime lead.

on first play of second half, favre threw pass henderson, held briefly before dropping it. 49ers defense believed drop fumble , returned touchdown, officials ruled incomplete pass, replays seemed contradict. both offenses shut down rest of game, neither team able mount sustained drive. late in fourth quarter, young threw incomplete pass intended tight end brent jones on third , 18 own 7-yard line. jones argued vehemently after play held leroy butler. no flag thrown, however, , tommy thompson s ensuing punt went 28 yards 49ers 35. green bay drove 28 yards , increased lead 16-3 longwell s 25-yard field goal 5:02 left in game.

now in desperate situation, san francisco tried convert fourth down own 22 on next drive, linebacker keith mckenzie sacked young 11-yard loss on play, setting dorsey levens 5-yard touchdown run made score 23-3. chuck levy returned ensuing kickoff 95 yards touchdown, 49ers nothing else final 2:52 remaining on clock.

favre finished game completing 16 of 27 attempts 222 yards , touchdown. levens recorded then-playoff team record 116 rushing yards , touchdown, while catching 6 passes 37 yards. freeman caught 4 passes 107 yards , touchdown. owens sole offensive star team, catching 6 passes 100 yards. levy returned 3 kickoffs 127 yards , touchdown. third year in row packers defeated 49ers in playoffs, twice in san francisco.