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Ravens win big, Packers top Eagles
Source: Agencies |
January 11, 2011, Tuesday
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THE Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers both won on the road in the NFL playoffs on Sunday, capping a surprising weekend in which only a single home team won, the one with a losing record.
The Ravens relied on their tough defense and playoff experience to rout the mistake-prone Kansas City Chiefs, while Green Bay stopped a late rally to beat the Philadelphia Eagles.
Led by veteran linebacker Ray Lewis, Baltimore's defense overwhelmed the young Chiefs 30-7, sacking quarterback Matt Cassel three times and forcing five turnovers on the way to victory.
Kansas City (10-7), which won the American Football Conference West division with a six-game improvement over last season, managed just 25 yards in the second half.
Baltimore (13-4) broke open a close game with a touchdown and two field goals off turnovers in the second half.
Joe Flacco threw two touchdown passes, Billy Cundiff kicked three field goals and Willis McGahee closed out the scoring with a 25-yard run in the fourth quarter.
The Ravens will head to Pittsburgh next Saturday, renewing one of the league's fiercest rivalries.
They split their season series with the Steelers, with each team winning on the other's home field.
Kansas City finishes the season saddled with an NFL-record seventh straight playoff loss, dating back 17 years.
"Our defense played phenomenal," Ravens running back Ray Rice said.
"They came out in the second half and gutted that offense. It was impressive. It's impressive to be a part of this."
On a raw, windy afternoon, with temperatures hovering in the low 20s, Flacco and Cundiff took advantage of three interceptions by Cassel and fumbles by Dexter McCluster and Jamal Charles to pull away.
The Ravens led 10-7 in the third quarter when Dawan Landry stopped Charles on a fourth-and-inches gamble and Kansas City collapsed, quickly.
On the next play, Tamba Hali drew a 15-yard penalty for a late hit on Flacco and the Ravens drove in for Cundiff's 29-yard field goal, making it 13-7 with 6:36 left in the third. A moment later, Lewis put a jarring hit on McCluster, knocking the ball loose.
Chris Carr recovered on the Kansas City 17, leading to another 29-yarder by Cundiff.
Then, a harried Cassel was intercepted by Landry, leading to a touchdown throw by Flacco to Anquan Boldin that gave Baltimore a 23-7 lead.
In an emotional postgame locker room, the Ravens gave the game ball to safety Ed Reed.
On Friday morning, his family said they believe a young man who jumped into the Mississippi River trying to elude police was probably his younger brother, Brian Reed. The search for a body at the scene in Louisiana has been called off.
In Philadelphia, Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdown passes and seldom-used rookie James Starks ran for 123 yards to lead the Packers 21-16 over the Philadelphia Eagles and their electrifying quarterback, Michael Vick.
Rodgers had to watch from the sideline while Vick nearly led the Eagles back. But Tramon Williams intercepted Vick's pass for Riley Cooper in the end zone with 33 seconds left to seal the win.
The sixth-seeded Packers (11-6) are heading to Atlanta (13-3) for a divisional playoff game next Saturday.
Rodgers patiently waited three years to become Green Bay's starter and took over after former quarterback Brett Favre's messy departure before the 2008 season.
He long ago made Packers fans forget about Favre, and now has punctuated his impressive resume with his first playoff win in two tries.
The Ravens relied on their tough defense and playoff experience to rout the mistake-prone Kansas City Chiefs, while Green Bay stopped a late rally to beat the Philadelphia Eagles.
Led by veteran linebacker Ray Lewis, Baltimore's defense overwhelmed the young Chiefs 30-7, sacking quarterback Matt Cassel three times and forcing five turnovers on the way to victory.
Kansas City (10-7), which won the American Football Conference West division with a six-game improvement over last season, managed just 25 yards in the second half.
Baltimore (13-4) broke open a close game with a touchdown and two field goals off turnovers in the second half.
Joe Flacco threw two touchdown passes, Billy Cundiff kicked three field goals and Willis McGahee closed out the scoring with a 25-yard run in the fourth quarter.
The Ravens will head to Pittsburgh next Saturday, renewing one of the league's fiercest rivalries.
They split their season series with the Steelers, with each team winning on the other's home field.
Kansas City finishes the season saddled with an NFL-record seventh straight playoff loss, dating back 17 years.
"Our defense played phenomenal," Ravens running back Ray Rice said.
"They came out in the second half and gutted that offense. It was impressive. It's impressive to be a part of this."
On a raw, windy afternoon, with temperatures hovering in the low 20s, Flacco and Cundiff took advantage of three interceptions by Cassel and fumbles by Dexter McCluster and Jamal Charles to pull away.
The Ravens led 10-7 in the third quarter when Dawan Landry stopped Charles on a fourth-and-inches gamble and Kansas City collapsed, quickly.
On the next play, Tamba Hali drew a 15-yard penalty for a late hit on Flacco and the Ravens drove in for Cundiff's 29-yard field goal, making it 13-7 with 6:36 left in the third. A moment later, Lewis put a jarring hit on McCluster, knocking the ball loose.
Chris Carr recovered on the Kansas City 17, leading to another 29-yarder by Cundiff.
Then, a harried Cassel was intercepted by Landry, leading to a touchdown throw by Flacco to Anquan Boldin that gave Baltimore a 23-7 lead.
In an emotional postgame locker room, the Ravens gave the game ball to safety Ed Reed.
On Friday morning, his family said they believe a young man who jumped into the Mississippi River trying to elude police was probably his younger brother, Brian Reed. The search for a body at the scene in Louisiana has been called off.
In Philadelphia, Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdown passes and seldom-used rookie James Starks ran for 123 yards to lead the Packers 21-16 over the Philadelphia Eagles and their electrifying quarterback, Michael Vick.
Rodgers had to watch from the sideline while Vick nearly led the Eagles back. But Tramon Williams intercepted Vick's pass for Riley Cooper in the end zone with 33 seconds left to seal the win.
The sixth-seeded Packers (11-6) are heading to Atlanta (13-3) for a divisional playoff game next Saturday.
Rodgers patiently waited three years to become Green Bay's starter and took over after former quarterback Brett Favre's messy departure before the 2008 season.
He long ago made Packers fans forget about Favre, and now has punctuated his impressive resume with his first playoff win in two tries.
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