NFL playoffs, 1992–93

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The NFL playoffs following the 1992 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXVII.

Playoff seeds
Seed AFC NFC
1 Pittsburgh Steelers (Central winner) San Francisco 49ers (West winner)
2 Miami Dolphins (East winner) Dallas Cowboys (East winner)
3 San Diego Chargers (West winner) Minnesota Vikings (Central winner)
4 Buffalo Bills New Orleans Saints
5 Houston Oilers Philadelphia Eagles
6 Kansas City Chiefs Washington Redskins

Contents

[edit] Wild Card playoffs

[edit] January 2, 1993

[edit] NFC: Washington Redskins 24, Minnesota Vikings 7

1 2 3 4 Total
Redskins 3 14 7 0 24
Vikings 7 0 0 0 7

at Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Running back Brian Mitchell led the Redskins to the 24-7 victory with 109 rushing yards and 100 total yards on receptions and punt returns. The Vikings scored first on running back Terry Allen's 1-yard touchdown that capped a 74-yard drive, but Washington controlled the game from that point on. Redskins kicker Chip Lohmiller scored a 44-yard field goal and running back Earnest Byner recorded a 3-yard touchdown to give Washington a 10-7 lead. Then on fourth down at the Minnesota 44-yard line late in the second quarter, Mitchell rushed 36 yards on a fake punt. He would then score on an 8-yard touchdown run. Quarterback Mark Rypien's 24-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Gary Clark in the third period closed out the scoring.

  • Scoring
    • MIN - Allen 1 run (Reveiz kick) MIN 7-0
    • WAS - field goal Lohmiller 44 MIN 7-3
    • WAS - Byner 3 run (Lohmiller kick) WAS 10-7
    • WAS - Mitchell 8 run (Lohmiller kick) WAS 17-7
    • WAS - Clark 24 pass from Rypien (Lohmiller kick) WAS 24-7

[edit] AFC: San Diego Chargers 17, Kansas City Chiefs 0

1 2 3 4 Total
Chiefs 0 0 0 0 0
Chargers 0 0 10 7 17

at Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego

The Chargers shut out the Chiefs as San Diego scored two touchdowns in the second half. The game remained scoreless until midway through the third period when Chargers running back Marion Butts scored on a 54-yard rushing touchdown. Then, San Diego defensive lineman Leslie O'Neal intercepted a pass on Kansas City's next drive to set up kicker John Carney's 34-yard field goal. In the final period, Chargers linebacker Steve Hendrickson, who lined up as a running back, scored on a 5-yard touchdown run.

  • Scoring
    • SD - Butts 54 run (Carney kick) SD 7-0
    • SD - field goal Carney 34 SD 10-0
    • SD - Hendrickson 5 run (Carney kick) SD 17-0

[edit] January 3, 1993

[edit] AFC: Buffalo Bills 41, Houston Oilers 38 (OT)

1 2 3 4 OT Total
Oilers 7 21 7 3 0 38
Bills 3 0 28 7 3 41

at Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

For more details on this topic, see The Comeback (American football).

Known as The Comeback, the Bills mounted the greatest comeback in NFL history, overcoming a 35-3 deficit against the Oilers. The Bills were without future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly (who was injured in the last game of the season, a loss to the Oilers), All-Pro linebacker Cornelius Bennett and lost starting running back Thurman Thomas to a hip injury, and the Oilers jumped to a 28-3 lead by halftime. Houston quarterback Warren Moon recorded 220 passing yards and 4 touchdowns in the first half. Then 1:41 into the third quarter, Oilers defensive back Bubba McDowell returned an interception 58 yards for a touchdown, increasing their lead to 32 points. But quarterback Frank Reich led Buffalo to 5 unanswered touchdowns, including running back Kenneth Davis' 1-yard rushing score, Don Beebe's 38-yard touchdown reception, and wide receiver Andre Reed's 3 touchdown catches. However, Oilers kicker Al Del Greco scored the tying 26-yard field goal with 12 seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime. Early in the extra period, Bills defensive back Nate Odomes' interception set up Steve Christie's 32-yard game field goal to give the Bills a 41-38 win.

Reich finished the game with 21 of 34 pass completions for 289 yards and 4 touchdowns, with 1 interception. Reed had 8 catches for 136 yards and 3 touchdowns. Davis rushed for 68 yards and a touchdown, while also catching 2 passes for 25 yards. Moon recorded 36 of 50 completions for 371 yards and 4 touchdowns, with 2 interceptions. Receiver Curtis Duncan caught 9 passes for 117 yards. Jeffires recorded 8 catches for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns.

  • Scoring
    • HOU - Jeffires 3 pass from Moon (Del Greco kick) HOU 7-0
    • BUF - field goal Christie 36 HOU 7-3
    • HOU - Slaughter 7 pass from Moon (Del Greco kick) HOU 14-3
    • HOU - Duncan 26 pass from Moon (Del Greco kick) HOU 21-3
    • HOU - Jeffires 27 pass from Moon (Del Greco kick) HOU 28-3
    • HOU - McDowell 58 interception return (Del Greco kick) HOU 35-3
    • BUF - K. Davis 1 run (Christie kick) HOU 35-10
    • BUF - Beebe 38 pass from Reich (Christie kick) HOU 35-17
    • BUF - Reed 26 pass from Reich (Christie kick) HOU 35-24
    • BUF - Reed 18 pass from Reich (Christie kick) HOU 35-31
    • BUF - Reed 17 pass from Reich (Christie kick) BUF 38-35
    • HOU - field goal Del Greco 26 Tie 38-38
    • BUF - field goal Christie 32 BUF 41-38

[edit] NFC: Philadelphia Eagles 36, New Orleans Saints 20

1 2 3 4 Total
Eagles 7 0 3 26 36
Saints 7 10 3 0 20

at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

The Eagles overcame a 20-7 Saints lead late in the third quarter by scoring 26 points in the final period. New Orleans scored first on running back Craig Heyward's 1-yard touchdown run, but it was countered with Philadelphia quarterback Randall Cunningham's 57-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Fred Barnett. The Saints then went ahead 17-7 before halftime with kicker Morten Andersen's 35-yard field goal and wide receiver Quinn Early's 7-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Bobby Hebert. The two teams exchanged field goals in the third quarter, and the score was 20-10, New Orleans, going into the final period.

With less than 11 minutes left in the game, Cunningham connected with wide receiver Fred Barnett for a 35-yard touchdown completion. Then on the first play of the Saints' next possession, Eagles linebacker Seth Joyner intercepted a pass to set up running back Heath Sherman's 6-yard touchdown, giving Philadelphia the lead, 24-20. After New Orleans got the ball back, Eagles defensive lineman Reggie White sacked Hebert in the end zone for a safety. Philadelphia kicker Roger Ruzek then added a 39-yard field goal, and 19 seconds later, defensive back Eric Allen intercepted Hebert and returned it 18 yards for a touchdown.

  • Scoring
    • NO - Heyward 1 run (Andersen kick) NO 7-0
    • PHI - Barnett 57 pass from Cunningham (Ruzek kick) Tie 7-7
    • NO - field goal Andersen 35 NO 10-7
    • NO - Early 7 pass from Hebert (Andersen kick) NO 17-7
    • NO - field goal Andersen 42 NO 20-7
    • PHI - field goal Ruzek 40 NO 20-10
    • PHI - Barnett 35 pass from Cunningham (Ruzek kick) NO 20-17
    • PHI - Sherman 6 run (Ruzek kick) PHI 24-20
    • PHI - Safety, White sacked Hebert in end zone PHI 26-20
    • PHI - field goal Ruzek 39 PHI 29-20
    • PHI - Allen 18 interception return (Ruzek kick) PHI 36-20

[edit] Byes

[edit] Divisional playoffs

[edit] January 9, 1993

[edit] AFC: Buffalo Bills 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 3

1 2 3 4 Total
Bills 0 7 7 10 24
Steelers 3 0 0 0 3

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The Bills forced 4 turnovers and 7 sacks as they held the Steelers to just a field goal. Buffalo quarterback Frank Reich threw for 160 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions; while running back Kenneth Davis rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown. Steelers running back Barry Foster rushed for 104 yards and caught a pass for 7.

Pittsburgh scored first with kicker Gary Anderson's 38-yard field goal on their opening drive. However, Steelers quarterback Neil O'Donnell lost a fumble while being sacked by Bruce Smith, which Bills defensive lineman Phil Hansen recovered on the Bills 41-yard line. Buffalo then advanced 59 yards to score on Reich's 1-yard touchdown pass to Mitch Frerotte, an eligible lineman. On the opening drive of the second half, the Bills moved the ball 80 yards and scored with Reich's 17-yard touchdown pass to James Lofton. In the final period, a botched Steelers field goal attempt set up a 44-yard drive that ended with Bills kicker Steve Christie's 43-yard field goal. The next time Buffalo got the ball, they drove 86 yards and scored on a 1-yard run from fullback Carwell Gardner.

  • Scoring
    • PIT - field goal Anderson 38 PIT 3-0
    • BUF - Frerotte 1 pass from Reich (Christie kick) BUF 7-3
    • BUF - Lofton 17 pass from Reich (Christie kick) BUF 14-3
    • BUF - field goal Christie 43 BUF 17-3
    • BUF - Gardner 1 run (Christie kick) BUF 24-3

[edit] NFC: San Francisco 49ers 20, Washington Redskins 13

1 2 3 4 Total
Redskins 3 0 3 7 13
49ers 7 10 0 3 20

at Candlestick Park, San Francisco

Despite committing 4 turnovers, 49ers quarterback Steve Young passed for 227 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for 73 yards, to overcome the Redskins. Young threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver John Taylor to open the scoring. Then after the two teams traded field goals, Young connected with tight end Brent Jones on a 16-yard touchdown completion to give San Francisco a 17-3 lead before halftime. In the third quarter, Washington kicker Chip Lohmiller made a 32-yard field goal to cut the lead, 17-6. Later in the period, Young lost a fumble at the San Francisco 15-yard line, and Redskins quarterback Mark Rypien scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to make it 17-13. Washington then reached the San Francisco 23-yard line before Rypien fumbled the ball back to the 49ers. San Francisco then marched on a 14-play, 59-yard drive that took more than seven minutes off the clock to score on kicker Mike Cofer's game-clinching 33-yard field goal.

  • Scoring
    • SF - Taylor 5 pass from Young (Cofer kick) SF 7-0
    • WAS - field goal Lohmiller 19 SF 7-3
    • SF - field goal Cofer 23 SF 10-3
    • SF - Jones 16 pass from Young (Cofer kcik) SF 17-3
    • WAS - field goal Lohmiller 32 SF 17-6
    • WAS - Rypien 1 run (Lohmiller kick) SF 17-13
    • SF - field goal Cofer 33 SF 20-13

[edit] January 10, 1993

[edit] NFC: Dallas Cowboys 34, Philadelphia Eagles 10

1 2 3 4 Total
Eagles 3 0 0 7 10
Cowboys 7 10 10 7 34

at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas

The Cowboys defense had 5 sacks, and held the Eagles offense for 178 yards and 10 points. Philadelphia scored first on a 32-yard field goal by kicker Roger Ruzek, but Dallas then scored 34 consecutive points. Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman threw two touchdown passes: a 1-yard score to tight end Derek Tennell and a 6-yarder to tight end Jay Novacek. Running back Emmitt Smith scored a 23-yard touchdown, running back Derrick Gainer rushed for a 1-yard touchdown, and kicker Lin Elliott made two field goals. Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham's 18-yard touchdown to wide receiver Calvin Williams closed out the scoring.

  • Scoring
    • PHI - field goal Ruzek 32 PHI 3-0
    • DAL - Tennell 1 pass from Aikman (Elliott kick) DAL 7-3
    • DAL - Novacek 6 pass from Aikman (Elliott kick) DAL 14-3
    • DAL - field goal Elliott 20 DAL 17-3
    • DAL - Smith 23 run (Elliott kick) DAL 24-3
    • DAL - field goal Elliott 43 DAL 27-3
    • DAL - Gainer 1 run (Elliott kick) DAL 34-3
    • PHI - Williams 18 pass from Cunningham (Ruzek kick) DAL 34-10

[edit] AFC: Miami Dolphins 31, San Diego Chargers 0

1 2 3 4 Total
Chargers 0 0 0 0 0
Dolphins 0 21 0 10 31

at Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami, Florida

As the Dolphins defense shut out the Chargers, holding San Diego quarterback Stan Humphries to just 18 of 44 completions for 140 yards and intercepting him four times. Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino threw 3 touchdown passes in the second quarter. All of Marino's touchdowns were set up by interceptions. Miami defensive back Troy Vincent's interception set up running back Tony Paige's 1-yard touchdown reception. Another interception by Vincent led to tight end Keith Jackson's 9-yard touchdown. Then linebacker Bryan Cox's interception set up Jackson's 30-yard touchdown. In the fourth period, Dolphins kicker Pete Stoyanovich added a 22-yard field goal and running back Aaron Craver recorded a 25-yard rushing touchdown.

  • Scoring
    • MIA - Paige 1 pass from Marino (Stoyanovich kick) MIA 7-0
    • MIA - Jackson 9 pass from Marino (Stoyanovich kick) MIA 14-0
    • MIA - Jackson 30 pass from Marino (Stoyanovich kick) MIA 21-0
    • MIA - field goal Stoyanovich 22 MIA 24-0
    • MIA - Craver 25 run (Stoyanovich kick) MIA 31-0

[edit] Conference Championships

[edit] January 17, 1993

[edit] AFC: Buffalo Bills 29, Miami Dolphins 10

1 2 3 4 Total
Bills 3 10 10 6 29
Dolphins 3 0 0 7 10

at Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami, Florida

The Bills intercepted Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino twice, recovered 3 fumbles, forced 4 sacks, and held Miami to just 33 rushing yards. Although the Buffalo offense had trouble getting into the end zone because it was both quarterback Jim Kelly and running back Thurman Thomas's first game after recovering from injuries, kicker Steve Christie made an NFL playoff record-tying 5 field goals. Thomas rushed for 96 yards and caught 5 passes for 70.

Midway through the first quarter, Bills lineman Bruce Smith forced a fumble from Marino while sacking him, and linebacker Darryl Talley recovered it, setting up a 21-yard field goal by Steve Christie. Miami struck back on their next drive with a 51-yard field goal from Pete Stoyanovich. After the ensuing kickoff, Kelly led the Bills 64 yards in 7 plays and finished the drive with a 17-yard touchdown to Thomas early in the second quarter. Later on, Buffalo defensive end Phil Hansen intercepted a pass from Marino and returned it to the Dolphins 24-yard line, setting up Christie's second field goal and giving the Bills a 13-3 lead by the end of the first half.

Then on the opening kickoff of the second half, Miami returner Mike Williams fumbled the ball while being tackled by Mark Pike, and Buffalo's Carwell Gardner recovered it at the Dolphins 25-yard line. Five plays later, running back Kenneth Davis scored on a 2-yard touchdown run, giving the Bills a 20-3 lead. Buffalo's defense took over the rest of the third quarter, holding the Dolphins offense to 2 offensive yards while Christie added two more field goals to increase their lead to 26-3. Marino completed a 15-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mark Duper in the final period. However, Christie kicked his 5th field goal of the game to clinch the victory.

  • Scoring
    • BUF - field goal Christie 21 BUF 3-0
    • MIA - field goal Stoyanovich 51 Tie 3-3
    • BUF - Thomas 17 pass from Kelly (Christie kick) BUF 10-3
    • BUF - field goal Christie 33 BUF 13-3
    • BUF - Davis 2 run (Christie kick) BUF 20-3
    • BUF - field goal Christie 21 BUF 23-3
    • BUF - field goal Christie 31 BUF 26-3
    • MIA - Duper 15 pass from Marino (Stoyanovich kick) BUF 26-10
    • BUF - field goal Christie 38 BUF 29-10

[edit] NFC: Dallas Cowboys 30, San Francisco 49ers 20

1 2 3 4 Total
Cowboys 3 7 7 13 30
49ers 7 3 3 7 20

at Candlestick Park, San Francisco

Even though the Cowboys had only 1 more yard of total offense than the 49ers (416 to 415), Dallas forced 4 critical turnovers that led to 10 points. On San Francisco's first drive of the game, a holding penalty on offensive lineman Guy McIntyre nullified a 63-yard touchdown completion from quarterback Steve Young to wide receiver Jerry Rice. The two teams would slug it out through most of the first half, and the game was eventually tied at halftime, 10-10. However, all of the Cowboys' points were the result of turnovers by the 49ers. Their first touchdown came gift-wrapped courtesy of a muffed punt by San Francisco punt returner Alan Grant.

After receiving the second half kickoff, the Cowboys marched 78 yards to score on running back Daryl Johnston's 3-yard touchdown run to take a 17-10 lead. The 49ers responded with kicker Mike Cofer's 42-yard field goal. However, Dallas put together a 79-yard drive that took nine minutes off the clock. This second long drive was capped by quarterback Troy Aikman's 16-yard touchdown pass to running back Emmitt Smith, giving the Cowboys a 24-13 advantage.

Midway through the final period, Cowboys linebacker Ken Norton Jr intercepted a pass from Young and returned it to the 49ers 45-yard line, and Dallas subsequently marched to the 7. Rather than attempt a field goal on 4th down and 1, Smith attempted to run for the first down, but was stopped for no gain. The 49ers then drove 93 yards to score on Rice's 5-yard touchdown reception, cutting the lead to 24-20 with 4:22 left in the game. But on the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Aikman threw a 14-yard pass to wide receiver Alvin Harper, who ended up running for a 70-yard gain to the San Francisco 9-yard line. Three plays later, wide receiver Kelvin Martin scored on a 6-yard touchdown reception, making it 30-20 (the extra point was blocked) with 3:43 to play. The 49ers attempted one last drive to come back, but Young was intercepted once again, this time by cornerback James Washington.

Aikman threw for 322 yards and 2 touchdowns with no interceptions. Smith rushed for 114 yards, caught 2 passes for 59 yards, and scored 2 touchdowns. Harper caught 3 passes for 117 yards. Defensive tackle Tony Casillas recorded 3 sacks. Meanwhile, Young recorded 313 passing yards and one touchdown, but threw two interceptions in the fourth quarter. Rice caught 8 passes for 123 yards and a score. Following the game, Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson closed his postgame speech to his team by screaming, "How 'bout them Cowboys!" This line has become synonymous with him ever since.

  • Scoring
    • DAL - field goal Elliott 20 DAL 3-0
    • SF - Young 1 run (Cofer kick) SF 7-3
    • DAL - E. Smith 4 run (Elliott kick) DAL 10-7
    • SF - field goal Cofer 28 Tie 10-10
    • DAL - Johnston 3 run (Elliott kick) DAL 17-10
    • SF - field goal Cofer 42 DAL 17-13
    • DAL - E. Smith 16 pass from Aikman (Elliott kick) DAL 24-13
    • SF - Rice 5 pass from Young (Cofer kick) DAL 24-20
    • DAL - Martin 6 pass from Aikman (kick blocked) DAL 30-20

[edit] Super Bowl

Further information: Super Bowl XXVII

Dallas Cowboys (NFC) 52, Buffalo Bills (AFC) 17, at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California

[edit] Bracket

  Wild Card Playoffs Divisional Playoffs Conference Championships Super Bowl XXVII
                                     
5  Houston 38  
4  Buffalo 41  
  4  Buffalo 24  
    1  Pittsburgh 3  
      
        
  4  Buffalo 29  
AFC
  2  Miami 10  
6  Kansas City 0  
3  San Diego 17  
  3  San Diego 0
    2  Miami 31  
      
        
  A4  Buffalo 17
  N2  Dallas 52
5  Philadelphia 36  
4  New Orleans 20  
  5  Philadelphia 10
    2  Dallas 34  
      
        
  2  Dallas 30
NFC
  1  San Francisco 20  
6  Washington 24  
3  Minnesota 7  
  6  Washington 13
    1  San Francisco 20  
      

[edit] References

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