Bears' neccesity
CHICAGO — Rex Grossman spent two weeks channel-surfing. Every time he'd see a clip or story about himself on TV, he'd click and move on to another program. He didn't need the abuse.
The criticism, the scrutiny and the analysis of the Chicago Bears' quarterback was overwhelming at times. So much so that he finally found a place where he could shut it all out and, at the same time, take the Bears where they hadn't been in 18 years.
Grossman's play at the newly sodded surface at Soldier Field wasn't perfect, but it was good enough — especially a solid pass he made in overtime — to lead the Bears to a 27-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks and a berth in the NFC title game.
"The most important thing is we won. I don't care how we do it, I really don't," Grossman said Sunday after his 30-yard pass on third down to Rashied Davis set up Robbie Gould's game-winning 49-yard field goal in overtime.
"This is an unbelievable situation we are in now," Grossman said. "We're in the NFC Championship and we win one game, we're in the Super Bowl, Two wins away from having a ring on my finger for the rest of my life."
Chicago will host the Saints next Sunday in the NFC championship game; New Orleans never has been this far.
The Bears haven't reached the Super Bowl since beating the Patriots in the 1985 season.
Gould, working construction 16 months ago, hit his second field goal of the game. He'd just barely made a 41-yarder late in the fourth to tie the game.
Grossman completed 21-of-38 for 282 yards with an interception, a fumble and a 68-yard TD pass to Bernard Berrian. It was quite an upgrade from his final performance of the regular season, when he had a quarterback rating of 0.0 in a 26-7 loss to Green Bay.
Seattle got the ball first in overtime, but Chicago's Israel Idonije forced an 18-yard punt by Ryan Plackemeier with a strong rush. Grossman hit Davis, a former Arena League player, for a third-down pass of 30 yards to the Seattle 36. Four plays later, Gould connected.
SAN DIEGO — Tom Brady and Tedy Bruschi walked off the field together after stunning the San Diego Chargers, very much alive in their quest to get the New England Patriots to the Super Bowl for the fourth time in six seasons."I said to Tedy, 'Man, that was not easy,' " Brady said. "He says to me, 'They never are buddy, they never are.' "If not easy, then maybe expected from the Patriots. Despite a big game from league MVP LaDainian Tomlinson, the top-seeded Chargers made too many mistakes and the Patriots capitalized for a 24-21 win on Sunday to advance to the AFC championship game.Brady was as cool as ever, delivering every time the mistake-prone Chargers handed him another chance. He overcame three interceptions, his career playoff high, to finish 27-of-51 for 280 yards and two touchdowns.Already a three-time Super Bowl winner, Brady led the Patriots to 11 points in 3:26 late in the game. He and coach Bill Belichick now have a 12-1 postseason record together, and need to win at Indianapolis next Sunday to make their fourth Super Bowl trip in six seasons.It was a gut-wrenching loss for San Diego and its coach, Marty Schottenheimer, whose job could be in jeopardy after his career postseason record tumbled to 5-13.Tomlinson shattered several league records in helping the Chargers go an NFL-best 14-2, including 8-0 at home in the regular season.Once it was over, Tomlinson, like Brady one of the most laid-back superstars in any sport, lost his cool. He went after an unidentified Patriots player and had to be restrained by a teammate and former Charger Reche Caldwell, who had a huge game for the Patriots.Tomlinson yelled and pointed at the Patriots player, upset that some Patriots were dancing on the Chargers logo at midfield after they had silenced the record crowd of 68,810 at Qualcomm Stadium."I would never react in that way. I was very upset," Tomlinson said. "When you go to the middle of our field and start doing the dance Shawne Merriman is known for, that is disrespectful. They showed no class and maybe that comes from the head coach."
NEW ORLEANS — Who needs Mardi Gras when you're one game from the Super Bowl?Deuce McAllister and rookie sensation Reggie Bush gave this battered city a reason to throw itself a party, carrying the New Orleans Saints where they've never been before — one game from the Super Bowl.To constant chants of "DEUCE!" or "REG-GIE! REG-GIE!" the Saints used an assortment of spectacular plays to beat the Philadelphia Eagles 27-24.The Saints are the first team in NFL history to make a conference championship after losing 13 or more games the previous season."I think it means a tremendous amount," quarterback Drew Brees said. "You could see it and feel it after the game, people still standing and yelling and screaming."It was the veteran McAllister with his two touchdowns and team playoff mark of 143 yards rushing, and the rookie Bush with his collection of magnificent moves, that made the difference in the raucous Superdome.Even after Brees' high pitchout got away from Bush with 3:18 remaining and Philadelphia recovering, the Saints would not be denied. Their defense held Brian Westbrook, who was brilliant for the Eagles (11-7), near midfield.McAllister became the first Saints player to rush for more than 100 yards in the playoffs."Deuce was fantastic tonight and they weren't going to stop him," Saints coach Sean Payton said. "He ran his heart out."
