1997–98 NFL playoffs

The NFL playoffs following the 1997 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXXII.

Playoff seeds
Seed	AFC	NFC
1	Kansas City Chiefs (West winner)	San Francisco 49ers (West winner)
2	Pittsburgh Steelers (Central winner)	Green Bay Packers (Central winner)
3	New England Patriots (East winner)	New York Giants (East winner)
4	Denver Broncos	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
5	Jacksonville Jaguars	Detroit Lions
6	Miami Dolphins	Minnesota Vikings

Bracket

	Wild Card Playoffs					Divisional Playoffs					Conference Championships					Super Bowl XXXII
	5	Detroit	10
	4	Tampa Bay	20
						4	Tampa Bay	7
						2	Green Bay	21
											2	Green Bay	23
	NFC
										1	San Francisco	10
	6	Minnesota	23
	3	N.Y. Giants	22
						6	Minnesota	22
						1	San Francisco	38
																N2	Green Bay	24
																A4	Denver	31
	5	Jacksonville	17
	4	Denver	42
						4	Denver	14
						1	Kansas City	10
											4	Denver	24
	AFC
										2	Pittsburgh	21
	6	Miami	3
	3	New England	17
						3	New England	6
						2	Pittsburgh	7

Wild Card playoffs

December 27, 1997

NFC: Minnesota Vikings 23, New York Giants 22

Game summary 1 2 3 4 Total Vikings 0 3 7 13 23 Giants 6 13 0 3 22 at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST Game weather: 46 °F (8 °C), rain and snow Game attendance: 77,710 Referee: Ed Hochuli TV announcers (ABC): Mike Patrick and Joe Theismann Game information Scoring NYG - field goal Daluiso 43 NYG 3-0 NYG - field goal Daluiso 22 NYG 6-0 NYG - Pierce 2 pass from Kanell (Daluiso kick) NYG 13-0 NYG - field goal Daluiso 41 NYG 16-0 MIN - field goal Murray 26 NYG 16-3 NYG - field goal Daluiso 41 NYG 19-3 MIN - Hoard 4 run (Murray kick) NYG 19-10 MIN - field goal Murray 26 NYG 19-13 NYG - field goal Daluiso 22 NYG 22-13 MIN - Reed 30 pass from Cunningham (Murray kick) NYG 22-20 MIN - field goal Murray 24 MIN 23-22

The Vikings scored 10 points (a Jake Reed 30-yard touchdown pass from Randall Cunningham and a field goal) in the final 90 seconds of the game to stun the Giants.

AFC: Denver Broncos 42, Jacksonville Jaguars 17

Game summary 1 2 3 4 Total Jaguars 0 7 10 0 17 Broncos 14 7 0 21 42 at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST/2:00 p.m. MST Game weather: 42 °F (6 °C), clear Game attendance: 74,481 Referee: Bernie Kukar TV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels, Frank Gifford, and Dan Dierdorf Game information Scoring DEN - Davis 2 Run (Elam kick) DEN 7-0 DEN - Smith 43 pass from Elway (Elam kick) DEN 14-0 DEN - Davis 5 Run (Elam kick) DEN 21-0 JAC - Means 2 run (Hollis kick) DEN 21-7 JAC - field goal Hollis 38 DEN 21-10 JAC - Davis 29 blocked punt return (Hollis kick) DEN 21-17 DEN - Loville 25 run (Elam kick) DEN 28-17 DEN - Loville 8 run (Elam kick) DEN 35-17 DEN - Hebron 6 run (Elam kick) DEN 42-17

Denver ran over the Jaguars with 310 rushing yards and 511 total yards of offense. Denver running back Terrell Davis rushed for 184 yards and 2 touchdowns, while running back Derek Loville racked up 103 yards and 2 scores on just 11 carries. Broncos quarterback John Elway completed 16 of 24 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown.

December 28, 1997

AFC: New England Patriots 17, Miami Dolphins 3

Game summary 1 2 3 4 Total Dolphins 0 0 0 3 3 Patriots 0 7 10 0 17 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, Phil Simms, and Paul Maguire Game information Scoring NE - Brown 24 pass from Bledsoe (Vinatieri kick) NE 7-0 NE - Collins 40 interception return (Vinatieri kick) NE 14-0 NE - field goal Vinatieri 22 NE 17-0 MIA - field goal Mare 38 NE 17-3

The Patriot defense held Miami to 162 total yards of offense, 42 rushing yards and forced three Dolphins turnovers. Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino was held to just 17 of 43 completions for 141 yards and was intercepted twice.

NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20, Detroit Lions 10

Game summary 1 2 3 4 Total Lions 0 0 3 7 10 Buccaneers 3 10 7 0 20 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 and John Madden Game information Scoring TB - field goal Husted 22 TB 3-0 TB - Copeland 9 pass from Dilfer (Husted kick) TB 10-0 TB - field goal Husted 42 TB 13-0 TB - Alstott 31 run (Husted kick) TB 20-0 DET - field goal Hanson 33 TB 20-3 DET - Vardell 1 run (Hanson kick) TB 20-10

Tampa Bay won their first playoff game since 1979 with quarterback Trent Dilfer's 9-yard touchdown pass to receiver Horace Copeland, running back Mike Alstott's 31-yard touchdown run, and two field goals. Their defense limited Lions quarterback Scott Mitchell to just 10 of 25 completions for 78 yards.

Byes

• AFC: Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers
• NFC: San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers

Divisional playoffs

January 3, 1998

AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 7, New England Patriots 6

Game summary 1 2 3 4 Total Patriots 0 3 0 3 6 Steelers 7 0 0 0 7 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST Game weather: 55 °F (13 °C), cloudy Game attendance: 61,228 Referee: Walt Coleman TV announcers (NBC): Tom Hammond and Randy Cross Game information Scoring PIT - Stewart 40 run (Johnson kick) PIT 7-0 NE - field goal Vinatieri 31 PIT 7-3 NE - field goal Vinatieri 46 PIT 7-6

Quarterback Kordell Stewart's 40-yard touchdown run made the difference in a defense-dominated game, and rookie lineman/linebacker Mike Vrabel's late sack and forced fumble on quarterback Drew Bledsoe sealed the victory for the Steelers. For the 3rd time in 4 years, Pittsburgh would play and host the AFC championship game

NFC: San Francisco 49ers 38, Minnesota Vikings 22

Game summary 1 2 3 4 Total Vikings 7 0 7 8 22 49ers 7 14 10 7 38 at 3Com Park, San Francisco, California Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST/1:00 p.m. PST Game weather: 57 °F (14 °C), partly cloudy Game attendance: 65,018 Referee: Bob McElwee TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton and Matt Millen Game information Scoring SF - Floyd 1 run (Anderson kick) SF 7-0 MIN - Carter 66 pass from Cunningham (Murray kick) Tie 7-7 SF - Kirby 1 run (Anderson kick) SF 14-7 SF - Norton 23 interception return (Anderson kick) SF 21-7 SF - field goal Anderson 34 SF 24-7 MIN - Carter 3 pass from Cunningham (Murray kick) SF 24-14 SF - Owens 15 pass from Young (Anderson kick) SF 31-14 SF - Kirby 1 run (Anderson kick) SF 38-14 MIN - Hatchette 13 pass from Cunningham (Walsh pass from Cunningham) SF 38-22

49ers running back Terry Kirby ran for a career-high 120 yards and two touchdowns and 49ers receiver J.J. Stokes caught a career-high nine passes for 101 yards. Steve Young threw for 220 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 37.

January 4, 1998

NFC: Green Bay Packers 21, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7

Game summary 1 2 3 4 Total Buccaneers 0 0 7 0 7 Packers 7 6 0 8 21 at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST/11:30 a.m. CST Game weather: 32 °F (0 °C), cloudy Game attendance: 60,327 Referee: Johnny Grier TV announcers (Fox): Pat Summerall and John Madden Game information Scoring GB - Chmura 3 pass from Favre (Longwell kick) GB 7-0 GB - field goal Longwell 21 GB 10-0 GB - field goal Longwell 32 GB 13-0 TB - Alstott 6 run (Husted kick) GB 13-7 GB - Levens 2 run (Favre run) GB 21-7

Packers running back Dorsey Levens rushed for a team playoff record of 112 yards and a touchdown while also catching 4 passes for 29 yards as the Green Bay defense held Tampa Bay to 90 rushing yards and intercepted 2 passes from Trent Dilfer, who finished the game with only 11 of 36 completions for 200 yards.

Early in the game, Tampa Bay had a chance to score first, but Packers defensive tackle Bob Kuberski blocked Michael Husted's 43-yard field goal attempt. Green Bay then drove for the first touchdown of the game with Brett Favre's 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mark Chmura. Early in the second quarter, Packers receiver Robert Brooks' 28-yard punt return and his 21-yard reception set up a field goal by Ryan Longwell. And later on, defensive back Tyrone Williams intercepted a pass from Dilfer and returned it 14 yards, setting up Longwell's second field goal with six seconds left in the half, making the score 13-0.

Green Bay receiver Antonio Freeman returned the second half kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown, but a holding penalty on Darren Sharper eliminated the score and moved the ball all the way back to their own 11-yard line. Green Bay still managed to drive into scoring range, but on the eighth play of the drive, Bucs defensive back Donnie Abraham intercepted a pass from Favre on the Tampa Bay 6-yard line. Dilfer subsequently led the Bucs offense 94 yards in 8 plays to score on fullback Mike Alstott's 6-yard touchdown run, cutting the score to 13-7. But two possessions later, the Packers drove 54 yards and scored with a 2-yard touchdown run by Levens. Then, Favre closed out the scoring by running in the 2-point conversion on a quarterback draw.

AFC: Denver Broncos 14, Kansas City Chiefs 10

Game summary 1 2 3 4 Total Broncos 0 7 0 7 14 Chiefs 0 0 10 0 10 at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST/3:00 p.m. CST Game weather: 32 °F (0 °C), light fog Game attendance: 76,965 Referee: Jerry Markbreit TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg, Phil Simms, and Paul Maguire Game information Scoring DEN - Davis 1 run (Elam kick) DEN 7-0 KC - field goal Stoyanovich 20 DEN 7-3 KC - Gonzalez 12 pass from Grbac (Stoyanovich kick) KC 10-7 DEN - Davis 1 run (Elam kick) DEN 14-10

For the third consecutive year the AFC's top seed fell in the divisional playoffs, as the Chiefs fell to the Broncos. Denver running back Terrell Davis ran for 101 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Broncos to victory. Chiefs quarterback Elvis Grbac threw for 260 yards, but his team could only score 10 points. Receiver Andre Rison caught 8 passes for 110 yards. The Chiefs had an opportunity to go ahead near the end of the game, but with the clock at 19 seconds and running down a confused Chiefs offense hurried an Elvis Grbac incompletion into the end zone intended for Lake Dawson on fourth down. For the second time in 3 years, Kansas City was eliminated as a #1 seed

Conference championships

January 11, 1998

AFC Championship: Denver Broncos 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 21

Game summary 1 2 3 4 Total Broncos 7 17 0 0 24 Steelers 7 7 0 7 21 at Three 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, Phil Simms, and Paul Maguire Game information Scoring DEN - Davis 8 run (Elam kick) DEN 7-0 PIT - Stewart 33 run (N. Johnson kick) Tie 7-7 PIT - Bettis 1 run (N. Johnson kick) PIT 14-7 DEN - field goal Elam 43 PIT 14-10 DEN - Griffith 15 pass from Elway (Elam kick) DEN 17-14 DEN - McCaffrey 1 pass from Elway (Elam kick) DEN 24-14 PIT - C. Johnson 14 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson kick) DEN 24-21

Denver forced three interceptions and a fumble from Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart. After Pittsburgh cut the lead to 24-21 with 2:46 left in the game, the Broncos were able to run out the clock after a key third-down conversion from John Elway to Shannon Sharpe. Sharpe said that Elway made up the converting play in the huddle, seconds before the snap. Terrell Davis rushed for 139 yards and a touchdown. Jerome Bettis rushed for 105 yards and a score.

NFC Championship: Green Bay Packers 23, San Francisco 49ers 10

Game summary 1 2 3 4 Total Packers 3 10 0 10 23 49ers 0 3 0 7 10 at 3Com Park, San Francisco 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 and John Madden Game information Scoring GB - field goal Longwell 19 GB 3-0 GB - Freeman 29 pass from Favre (Longwell kick) GB 10-0 SF - field goal Anderson 28 GB 10-3 GB - field goal Longwell 43 GB 13-3 GB - field goal Longwell 25 GB 16-3 GB - Levens 5 run (Longwell kick) GB 23-3 SF - Levy 95 kickoff return (Anderson kick) GB 23-10

Green Bay opened the game by driving to the 3-yard line before a pass was deflected falling short of a wide open fullback William Henderson, forcing the Packers to settle for a field goal. Later in the first half, Packers safety Eugene Robinson intercepted Steve Young's pass and returned it 58 yards in what turned out to be a crucial play. Quarterback Brett Favre would then find wide receiver Antonio Freeman slicing across the middle on a slant for a 29-yard touchdown to give the Packers a 10-0 lead. The Packers led 13-3 at the half and although the 49ers would manage a field goal in the second quarter, they would not manage a touchdown until the closing minutes of the game on a kickoff return by Chuck Levy. Favre finished the game with 16 of 27 pass completions for 222 yards, while the Green Bay defense held the 49ers to 33 rushing yards and forced two turnovers. Running back Dorsey Levens recorded a then-playoff team record of 116 rushing yards and a touchdown, while also catching 6 passes for 37 yards. And in addition to his touchdown reception, Freeman caught 4 passes for 107 yards. This was the third year in a row the Packers defeated the 49ers in the playoffs, twice in San Francisco.

Super Bowl

Further information: Super Bowl XXXII

Game summary 1 2 3 4 Total Packers (NFC) 7 7 3 7 24 Broncos (AFC) 7 10 7 7 31 at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California Date: January 25, 1998 Game attendance: 68,912 Referee: Ed Hochuli TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg, Phil Simms, and Paul Maguire

References

• Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (ISBN 0-06-270174-6)

1997 NFL seasonv · d · e
AFC	East	Central	West	East	Central	West	NFC
	Buffalo	Baltimore	Denver	Arizona	Chicago	Atlanta
	Indianapolis	Cincinnati	Kansas City	Dallas	Detroit	Carolina
	Miami	Jacksonville	Oakland	NY Giants	Green Bay	New Orleans
	New England	Pittsburgh	San Diego	Philadelphia	Minnesota	St. Louis
	NY Jets	Tennessee	Seattle	Washington	Tampa Bay	San Francisco
1997 NFL Draft • NFL Playoffs • Pro Bowl • Super Bowl XXXII