December 28.2C 1997 1997–98 NFL playoffs

at foxboro stadium, foxborough, massachusetts

game time: 12:30 p.m. est
game weather: 32 °f (0 °c), clear
game attendance: 60,041
referee: gerald austin
tv announcers (nbc): dick enberg (play-by-play), phil simms, , paul maguire (color commentators)

new england had narrowly defeated dolphins 14-12 in tough defensive struggle during last monday night game of regular season, , playoff game have similar results. patriots defense held miami 162 total yards of offense, 42 rushing yards , forced 3 dolphins turnovers. dolphins quarterback dan marino completed 17 of 43 passes 141 yards , intercepted twice. fumbled ball twice, losing turnover on 1 of them. first time in marino s 15-year career (including 14 postseason games) did not throw touchdown pass in playoff game. without star running curtis martin, new england generate 228 offensive yards, ball security turned out key avoided losing turnovers entire game.

the first quarter scoreless. near end of it, miami threatened score drive patriots 39, lost ball when karim abdul-jabbar tackled todd collins , lawyer milloy no gain on fourth , 1. new england drove dolphins 31-yard line, failed score when adam vinatieri missed 48-yard field goal attempt.

a few plays later, marino threw first interception, returned 22 yards dolphins 29-yard line new england linebacker chris slade off pass deflected safety larry whigham, setting quarterback drew bledsoe s 24-yard touchdown pass receiver troy brown. new england go halftime 7-0 lead, other scoring opportunity of half pats drive miami 30 ended missed field goal attempt vinatieri.

on second play of third quarter, collins returned marino s other interception 40 yards touchdown, making him first patriot ever score on postseason interception return. after punt, new england mounted first long sustained scoring drive of game, moving ball 67 yards in 15 plays. running derrick cullors carried ball 7 times 42 yards on drive, while bledsoe added 20-yard completion terry glenn , vinatieri finished off 22-yard field goal 1:58 left in third quarter.

aided 40-yard kickoff return corey harris , 10-yard late hit penalty against vinatieri @ end of it, miami managed score on following drive, moving ball 23 yards patriots 20-yard line olindo mare made 38-yard field goal on second play of fourth quarter. after mare s field goal, miami recovered onside kick, cornerback chris canty forced fumble while sacking marino, , slade recovered ball. miami s final 3 drives of game result in punt , 2 turnovers on downs.

cullors, rushed 102 yards during season, sole offensive star of game, 86 yards on 22 carries , kick return 17 yards.

nfc: tampa bay buccaneers 20, detroit lions 10

at houlihan s stadium, tampa, florida

game time: 4:00 p.m. est
game weather: 57 °f (14 °c), partly cloudy
game attendance: 73,361
referee: mike carey
tv announcers (fox): pat summerall (play-by-play) , john madden (color commentator)

the buccaneers won first playoff game since 1979, in turned out final game @ houlihan s stadium. tampa bay built 20–0 lead midway through third quarter. lions quarterback scott mitchell completed 10 of 25 passes 78 yards, , running barry sanders, rushed on 2,000 yards during season, had 18 carries 65 yards.

bucs quarterback trent dilfer s 23-yard completion karl williams on third down , 1 set first score of game, michael husted s 22-yard field goal 5:25 left in first quarter. lions received huge scoring opportunity when williams fumbled punt @ end of next drive. lions linebacker matt russell got ball first, instead of falling on ball, tried pick , run it. instead of grabbing ball, accidentally batted out of bounds, allowing bucs keep possession on lions 11-yard line. taking full advantage of second chance, tampa bay subsequently drove 89 yards in 17 plays, taking 8:50 off clock , converting 3 third downs, 1 12-men on field penalty against detroit. dilfer finished drive 9-yard touchdown pass horace copeland put team 10-0. later on, buccaneers cornerback anthony parker intercepted pass mitchell , returned 19 yards lions 20-yard line, setting husted s 43-yard field goal gave team 13-0 lead @ end of half. tampa bay had chance increase lead more before halftime drive lions 43, ron rice intercepted pass dilfer on last play of second quarter.

detroit had punt on opening drive of third quarter, , john jett s 31-yard kick gave tampa bay great field position on own 47-yard line. 5 plays later, bucs fullback mike alstott scored on 31-yard touchdown run (the longest run in franchise playoff history) make score 20-0. detroit responded best drive of day, moving ball 73 yards tampa bay 8-yard line. ended no points when mitchell threw incomplete pass on fourth down , 3.

detroit managed put points on board next time got ball, driving 46 yards in 9 plays. key play 17-yard run ron rivers on fourth , 4 lions 45. after reaching buccaneers 17, mitchell suffered concussion on 2-yard run , replaced frank reich. on next play after injury, jason hanson kicked 33-yard field goal, cutting score 20-3. after bucs punt, reich completed 5 of pass attempts 71 yards (3 of them johnnie morton 45) on way tommy vardell s 1-yard touchdown run, , lead trimmed 20-10. lions seemed primed make serious comeback attempt when forced tampa bay third , 5 situation on own 10-yard line, dilfer s 50-yard completion robb thomas moved ball lions 36. bucs unable score, sean landeta s punt pinned lions @ own 4-yard line 3:20 left in game. after completing 14-yard pass on third , 15 during final drive, reich accidentally spiked ball on fourth down, giving ball tampa bay.

in defensive struggle, both teams combined 623 yards (316 tampa bay, 307 detroit). bucs running warrick dunn leading rusher of game 72 yards, while alstott had 68 yards , touchdown, along reception 12 yards. morton lions leading receiver of game 7 receptions 69 yards.