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NFC Championship
Minnesota Vikings vs. New York GiantsThe New York Giants exploded out of the box against Minnesota Sunday, and then proceeded to dismantle a stunned and off-balance Vikings' team, 41-0, with an effective vertical passing game and a very solid defensive performance. The Giants uncharacteristically put the ball in the air to attack the Vikings' weak secondary, as their defense held a normally powerful offense in check.
Quarterback Kerry Collins put the Giants on the board early when he hit Ike Hilliard with a 46-yard bomb on New York's first possession. Minnesota fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and Collins quickly hit Greg Comella for 18 yards and another Giant touchdown. They were barely two minutes into the game when the Vikings suddenly found themselves trailing 14-0.
The Vikings were shell-shocked, and never recovered. In fact, things got worse as the day went on.
The Giants were in quarterback Daunte Culpepper's face all day long, not allowing him the time to get the ball to their explosive wide receivers. The receiver tandem of Randy Moss and Cris Carter was thought to be unstoppable before Sunday, but neither Pro Bowler was a factor in the contest.
Moss caught just two passes last week, but they were for 121 yards and two touchdowns. Sunday against the Giants he caught two passes again, but this time he gained just 18 yards and at times he seemed to not be into the game. Carter, the future hall of famer didn't fare much better, hauling in just three passes for 24 yards.
Culpepper finished the day 13-of-28 for 78 yards with no touchdowns and three costly interceptions, and the Giants smothering defense held the Vikes to just 114 total yards.
On the other side of the ball, Kerry Collins pulled off the Giants' game plan with spectacular results. Collins had a career-day, throwing five touchdown passes for an offense that is known much more for its running game than its ability to get the ball down the field through the air. On the day Collins was 28-of-39 for 381 yards.
Ike Hilliard was Collins' favorite receiver, pulling in ten catches for 155 yards and two touchdowns.
AFC Championship
Baltimore Ravens vs. Oakland RaidersThe Ravens offense provided a rare big play, a 96-yard touchdown from Trent Dilfer to Shannon Sharpe, to give the Baltimore defense all the scoring they would need to knock off the Oakland Raiders in the AFC Championship game, 16-3.
The Ravens' defense held the Raiders' number-one rushing offense to just 24 yards on 17 carries, and held them to just 191 total yards. By shutting down the running game, the Ravens forced Oakland to go to the passing game, but Ravens' defensive lineman Tony Siragusa severely damaged the Raiders' ability to get the ball down field when he fell on quarterback Rich Gannon in the first half, injuring his left shoulder.
Gannon was replaced in the second quarter by an ineffective Bobby Hoying who quickly threw an interception to kill a Raiders' drive. Hoying, who was 8-of-16 for 107 yards and two interceptions, finished the first half while Gannon was being checked out in the locker room.
Gannon attempted to come back in the second half, but pulled himself out of the game when it was clear that his health was hurting the team. In all fairness to Hoying, Gannon was ineffective against the Ravens' tenacious defense, even before he was injured. He completed 11-of-21 passes for just 80 yards in limited action.
The Ravens and Giants will each advance to Super Bowl XXXV, January 28th in Tampa Bay, for a game that promises to be an exciting defensive struggle!
