This weekend featured two games that had two teams dominating in the first half, and then almost blowing the lead. Both favorites won, both teams have been around for a long time and match up really well. This could be a really exciting Super Bowl with some story lines that write themselves.
So make the jump to find out what happened on Sunday and who advances to play for the Lombardi in Dallas.
Packers 21 @ Bears 14
Quick Summary: This game opened with a drive pulled out of last week's Falcons vs. Packers game. Aaron Rodgers led his team down the field in little time at all to come away with seven points. After a few change of possessions, Green Bay got the ball back and proceeded to drive down the field again for another seven points off of a James Starks' 4-yard touchdown.
The Bears couldn't muster any offense in the first half. After the two minute warning, Rodgers threw an interception, giving the Bears another chance. Unfortunately for the them, Cutler proceeded to give the ball right back to the Packers with an interception of his own. Rodgers would kneel to end the half.
After halftime, Rodgers drove his team down the field again. In a 3rd and goal situation from the 6-yard line, he threw another costly interception. Luckily for his team, he summoned his inner Drew Brees and tackled Brian Urlacher before he got too far (He also summoned his inner Drew Brees with the interception itself, but I digress).
Cutler left the game and was replaced by Todd Collins, who performed like a backup. That is to say: not good. After a couple of possessions with Collins, the Bears pulled him and replaced him with 3rd-string quarterback, Caleb Hanie. Hanie proceeded to do better than his predecessors. After the 3rd quarter, Hanie led the team downfield for the Bears first points of the to make the score 14-7. Another few possessions later (this game was boring to watch until the end), Hanie would throw the ball...right to NT B.J. Raji, who not only intercepted the ball but ran it back for six. Packers up 21-7.
Young Hanie was not distraught by this however. In four short plays, he led his team back into the endzone just under a minute and a half later. The Packers got the ball back and tried to run out the clock but the Bears would get the ball back with 2:53 left in the game. Hanie tried his very best to lead his team for the win but gave the Packers a familiar sight as he threw an interception in the waning seconds of the game.
Packers advance to the Super Bowl as the NFC representative.
Jets 19 @ Steelers 24
Quick Summary: This game opened with a 9:06 drive by the Steelers, who proceeded to punch the ball into the endzone for any early 7-0 lead. The Jets then...proceeded to screw up every offensive drive in the first half besides their last. The Steelers would dominate this half 24-0 until the Jets finally kicked a field goal with :14 seconds left in the half to end it 24-3.
There was a controversial play after the two-minute warning: Sanchez was throwing a pass and his arm was hit during the delivery. Instead of a pass however, the ball went backwards. William Gay picked up the ball and ran it in for the score, but was the arm going forward? Check out the link to find out and give your opinion.
The Jets got the ball to start the second half and, as it turns out, they figured out that offense thing. The team that did not score for the first 29:46 came out and drove 90 yards in 5 plays. The score was now 24-10. The rest of the 3rd quarter was just both teams trying to get something going offensively and getting nothing. The Jets finally found some rhythm in the 4th quarter. Facing a first and goal from the 2-yard line, they used all fourth downs and came away with nothing however. These four plays featured some questionable play calling and showed some trouble on the sideline between the coaches and players. The Steelers took over at the half yard line but fumbled a snap and were lucky that it was recovered by Ben Roethlisberger for a safety and not a Jets touchdown. The Jets got the ball back and were able to score again but took a good 4:32 off the clock to do so. The Steelers were able to run out the clock to win the game 24-19 on their final possession.
Steelers advance to the Super Bowl as the AFC representative.
Now that you guys and gals only have two choices left, who are you rooting for to win it all?