B2 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012 THE ADVOCATE-MESSENGER SPORTS/SCORECARD WWW.AMNEWS.COM AFC-NFC Championships 1. Patriots (15-3) F eel they are team of destiny; riding a 10-game win streak into Super Bowl. Sunday, Jan. 22 New England 23 Baltimore 20 2. Giants (12-7) E li Manning headed to his big brother Peyton’s adopted hometown of Indy. N.Y. Giants 20 San Francisco (ot) 17 3. Ravens (13-5) Ray Lewis says AFC title game loss was “absolutely not” his last game. Divisional Round 4. 49ers (14-4) Kyle Williams’ botched punts hurt but San Fran was 1-of-13 on 3rd down. Saturday, Jan. 14 5. Packers (15-2) Jim Irwin, radio voice of the Packers for 30 seasons, passes away at 77. San Francisco 36 New Orleans 32 New England 45 Denver 10 6. Saints (14-4) Sean Payton, Mickey Loomis confident free agent Drew Brees will re-sign. Sunday, Jan. 15 7. Texans (11-7) Center Chris Myers, DE Antonio Smith added to Pro Bowl roster as alternates. Baltimore 20 Houston 13 8. Broncos (9-9) Tim Tebow sings, performs on stage with country music star Brad Paisley. N.Y. Giants 37 Green Bay 20 9. Steelers (12-5) Interview former Chiefs coach Todd Haley for offensive coordinator vacancy. Wild Card Round Saturday, Jan. 7 10. Lions (10-7) Cam Newton, not Matt Stafford, named Eli Manning’s Pro Bowl replacement. Houston 31 Cincinnati 10 11. Falcons (10-7) Hire Mike Nolan as defensive coordinator; fire DB coach Alvin Reynolds. New Orleans 45 Detroit 28 12. Bengals (9-8) Rookie Andy Dalton named as Tom Brady’s replacement on Pro Bowl roster. Sunday, Jan. 8 13. Titans (9-7) Mike Munchak says Penn State’s Joe Paterno was like a “dad to all of us.” N.Y. Giants 24 Atlanta 2 Denver 29 Pittsburgh 23 14. Eagles (8-8) Michael Vick set to marry longtime fiance Kijafa Frank on June 20, 2012. 15. Cowboys (8-8) Jerry Jones praises Eli Manning, says Giants QB was “the huge difference.” 16. Chargers (8-8) Philip Rivers one of three finalists for Walter Payton Man of the Year award. 17. Cardinals (8-8) Assistant head coach Russ Grimm, four assistants sign contract extensions. SUPER BOWL XLVI 18. Raiders (8-8) Hire Broncos defensive coordinator Dennis Allen as franchise’s 18th coach. SUNDAY, FEB. 5, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 19. Dolphins (6-10) Hire Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin as franchise’s 10th coach. Lucas Oil Stadium hosts Super Bowl XLVI in a 20. Jets (8-8) Giants-Patriots Super Bowl matchup could not be worse for Rex Ryan. rematch between the New England Patriots 21. Seahawks (7-9) Brandon Browner completes improbable journey from CFL to Pro Bowl. and New York Giants. Tom Brady and Eli Man- 22. Panthers (6-10) Cam Newton keeps winning, headed to Honolulu to play in first Pro Bowl. ning won’t be the only stars in Indy, however. 23. Chiefs (7-9) Will Shields one of two first-year modern-era finalists for Hall of Fame. Kelly Clarkson will sing the “Star Spangled 24. Bears (8-8) Brian Urlacher tells Chicago Tribune he hides concussions, uses Toradol. Banner,” Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton 25. Jaguars (5-11) Future of Blaine Gabbert murky after bad season, hiring of Mike Mularkey. will perform a duet of “America the Beautiful,” 26. Redskins (5-11) Add former Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris as defensive backs coach. and Lenny Kravitz and The Fray will rock out 27. Bills (6-10) GM Buddy Nix says contract talks with Stevie Johnson have re-opened. the pregame festivities. At halftime, Madonna 28. Browns (4-12) President Mike Holmgren to be inducted into Packers Hall of Fame in July. will be joined by special guests Nicki Minaj and 29. Buccaneers (4-12) Chip Kelly tempted by Bucs offer but has “unfinished business” at Oregon. M.I.A. in a highly anticipated mini-concert. And, 30. Vikings (3-13) Gov. Mark Dayton says stadium must be built at current Metrodome site. as always, the commercials — which report- 31. Rams (2-14) Jeff Fisher brings in Gregg Williams as DC, Brian Schottenheimer as OC. edly cost $3.5 million for a 30-second spot — 32. Colts (2-14) Lucas Oil Stadium set to host Super Bowl XLVI, Madonna halftime show. will be just as talked about as the game itself. Ray Lewis Athlon Sports VINCE WILFORK, DT, PATRIOTS The 325-plus-pound monster in the middle dominated the line of scrimmage during a 23–20 win over Baltimore in the AFC title game. Game, Set, Rematch Wilfork recorded one sack and six total tackles — including a key fourth-quarter third-down Patriots, Giants meet again “We’ve had five straight single- tackle for a loss on running back Ray Rice, elimination games,” said Coughlin. which moved the Ravens out of field goal range, in Super Bowl XLVI “Somehow, some way, we’ve found a forced them to go for it on fourth down and ul- way to scratch our way to a win.” timately led to a turnover on downs. Easily the By NATHAN RUSH most disruptive defensive player in this year’s Athlon Sports Editor During that five-game winning playoffs, the eight-year veteran is now looking streak, Manning has been arguably the best quarterback in football — passing to add a second Super Bowl ring, after winning The greatest battles in sports often it all in Super Bowl XXXIX but falling short in for 1,494 yards, 12 TDs and two INTs produce the greatest rematches. Super Bowl XLII. in wins over the Jets, Cowboys, Fal- Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. The DEVIN THOMAS, WR, GIANTS cons, Packers and 49ers. Meanwhile, Los Angeles Lakers and Boston The good hands man who was at the right place the Big Blue Wrecking Crew defense Celtics. Roger Federer and Rafael at the right time — twice — during New York’s has been running on all cylinders, al- Nadal. All are classic rivalries with 20–17 overtime win at San Francisco in the lowing an average of 13.4 points per NFC Championship Game. Thomas’ two fumble multiple spellbinding chapters. game, notching 20 sacks and forcing recoveries led to 10 points, including the game- And now, the New England Patriots winning 31-yard field goal by Lawrence Tynes. and New York Giants — the last two 11 turnovers along the way. 49ers backup return man Kyle Williams — the teams left standing, as champions of In Super Bowl XLII, Brady was son of Chicago White Sox general manager Ken the AFC and NFC, respectively — dogged by the Giants’ defensive line, Williams — replaced the injured Ted Ginn Jr., look to join those historic ranks. taking five sacks and losing a fumble. who sat out with a sore knee. Williams had a In this year’s postseason, Brady has day to forget, muffing a punt off of his knee in The Patriots defeated the Baltimore Ravens, 23–20, in a game that ended posted day and night performances, the second quarter and fumbling the ball in with 363 yards and a record six TDs overtime. Thomas cashed in both times, scoop- with Baltimore kicker Billy Cundiff in a blowout of the Broncos before ing up the loose balls and sparking a Giants win. missing a 32-yard chip shot field goal that would have sent the contest into tossing two INTs and failing to throw VERNON DAVIS, TE, 49ERS a TD for the first time in 36 games in The Niners tight end was solid gold during the overtime. playoffs. After posting seven catches for 180 “It’s a kick I’ve kicked a thousand a nailbiter against the Ravens. yards (25.7 ypc) and two TDs in San Francisco’s times in my career,” Cundiff said, in “I sucked pretty bad,” Brady said Divisional Round win over the Saints, Davis fol- after the AFC Championship Game. disbelief with watery eyes following Athlon Sports lowed that effort with three catches for 112 the game. “You know that Ray Lewis “I’m gonna go out and try to do a bet- yards (37.3 ypc) and two trips to the end zone Tom Brady is 3–1 all-time in the Super Bowl — with his only loss coming vs. the Giants has poured his heart out, and you don’t — and was named MVP of the big game after Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII. ter job in (the Super Bowl).” — a highlight-reel 73-yard sprint down the know how many years he has left. To The three-time Super Bowl champ sideline and a 28-yard score. Davis joined the and two-time Super Bowl MVP even “G.O.A.T.” Jerry Rice as the only 49ers with two let him down is pretty tough.” Although there are many new faces, “You can’t write a better script,” went so far as to make a promise to TD catches in back-to-back playoff games, fin- On the other side, the Giants eaked both head coaches (New England’s said Manning, after winning his first out a 20–17 overtime win on the road Patriots owner Robert Kraft. ishing the postseason with 10 receptions for Bill Belichick and New York’s Tom Super Bowl in dramatic fashion. 292 yards (29.2 ypc) and four TDs. and in the rain against the San Fran- “He said to me, ‘I promise you I’m Coughlin) and high-profile quarter- “There were so many big plays on that cisco 49ers, following a fumbled punt going to play a lot better,’” said Kraft, backs (Tom Brady and Eli Manning) drive.” by Kyle Williams, who was subbing whose wife Myra passed away this are back for another showdown on This will also be a rematch of the for an injured Ted Ginn Jr.