Akers' field goal bounces Giants
PHILADELPHIA — Some players watched the snap. Others focused on the hold. Few saw the kick.
The reaction of the fans let them know everything went smoothly on this one.
David Akers hit a 38-yard field goal as time expired to give the Philadelphia Eagles a 23-20 victory over the New York Giants in a wild-card playoff game Sunday.
Once the ball cleared the uprights, holder Koy Detmer hoisted Akers in the air and snapper Jon Dorenbos leapt into the stands to celebrate executing a seemingly routine play that has cost teams important games in recent weeks.
"I turned around and prayed and listened for the crowd," Eagles cornerback Sheldon Brown said.
On the other side, Tiki Barber walked off the field for the last time while Tom Coughlin was left to ponder his future.
Though Akers is one of the best at his position, no kick is an automatic given recent events around the NFL.
One night earlier, Dallas lost to Seattle when quarterback Tony Romo fumbled the hold on what could have been a go-ahead field goal.
Akers got some encouragement from punter and former holder Dirk Johnson before he went out to attempt the kick on a sloppy field in a steady rain.
"Dirk said, 'Those posts look big, don't they?"' Akers said. "I said, 'Don't worry. We're going to be celebrating in a minute."'
Counted out after a knee injury ended Donovan McNabb's season in Week 11, the Eagles (11-6) have won six straight games. They'll play at New Orleans (10-6) next Saturday night.
Brian Westbrook, playing through stomach cramps that often sent him to the sidelines, made sure Philly advanced on a day when its offense was inconsistent. He had 141 yards rushing, including a spectacular, slashing 49-yard TD run in the second quarter. Westbrook's 65-yard punt return for an apparent score in the third quarter was nullified by a penalty on rookie Torrance Daniels.
In his last game, Barber ran for 137 yards. A three-time Pro Bowl running back, Barber plans to retire after 10 seasons in the NFL.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Bill Belichick had one more lesson for Eric Mangini: As long as he still has Tom Brady, the New England Patriots are a dangerous team in the playoffs."When we need key plays, he makes them," wide receiver Reche Caldwell said. "Whatever it takes to get us into position to win the ballgame, that's what, when he's out there, he's going to do."The Patriots quarterback was at his playoff best again Sunday in a 37-16 victory over the New York Jets.Brady capped long scoring drives with short touchdown passes to Daniel Graham and Kevin Faulk, and Asante Samuel sealed it with a 36-yard interception return for a score with 4:54 left.
SEATTLE — All Tony Romo had to do was put the ball down and let Martin Gramatica make an easy kick — just 19 yards, even closer than an extra point.That's where it all slipped away from the Dallas Cowboys. The Pro Bowl quarterback who saved their season ended it, too.Romo's bobble on the field-goal try with 1:19 left led to a scramble that ended 2 yards shy of the end zone and a yard short of a first down, preserving a 21-20 victory for the Seattle Seahawks in the wildest of wild-card games Saturday night."You coach long enough, you end up seeing just about everything," Seattle's Mike Holmgren said. "One more thing for the journal."And one moment Dallas coach Bill Parcells would rather forget after coming oh-so-close to his first playoff win since 1998 and the Cowboys' first postseason victory since 1996."It was just one of those things," Parcells said. "It looked like a good snap. I can't tell you what happened after that. We're an extra point from being down to the eight teams left. That's what's the hardest thing."After Romo's last-second heave fell incomplete, he walked off the field briskly, head down, and was choked up during a postgame interview. In the locker room, he sat on a chair facing his locker, his shoulders hunched."I know how hard everyone in that locker room worked to get themselves in position to win that game today and for it to end like that, and for me to be the cause is very tough to swallow right now," Romo said. "I take responsibility for messing up at the end there."
INDIANAPOLIS — Peyton Manning and the Colts beat the inept Kansas City Chiefs 23-8 Saturday, and while the star quarterback's numbers were good — 30-of-38 for 268 yards — his performance was mediocre. At least it was for the most prolific passer of his generation.He threw three interceptions, didn't complete a deep pass and, ultimately, was bailed out by his defense.
