PAGE B2 ■ JANUARY 9, 2012 ■ THE STATE JOURNAL ■ FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY BRONCOS | Tebow’s 80-yard TD pass wins it in overtime for Denver CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1 like a finger, on the ball and win in six years. knocked it out. After that, In 11 seconds — the short- you’re trying to throw a 70- est overtime in NFL history yard Hail Mary and that’s — Tebow showed he could hard.” be a conventional QB. It was Thomas also had recep- also the longest overtime tions of 51 and 58 yards to set in playoff his- up second-quarter touch- tory. downs after Tebow lost his “Case closed,” McGahee top target, Eric Decker, to a said. “They say he couldn’t seriously injured left knee, throw. They said we wouldn’t in the first half, as the Bron- be able to run the ball on cos built a 20-6 halftime lead them. We did that. I won- on the heavily favored but der what they’re going to say banged-up Steelers. next week.” “They were the No. 1 de- The Broncos (9-8) will fense and we are the No. 1 face the top-seeded New offense running the ball,” England Patriots (13-3) on Thomas said. “So, I feel like Saturday night. they wanted to make a state- Tom Brady and the Pa- ment and stop the run. I triots walloped the Broncos don’t know if they forgot 41-23 last month, sending about the passing game. The Tebow into a funk that in- last couple of games that we cluded seven turnovers and had, we were not passing the a 40 percent completion clip ball that great.” — and prompting Broncos Tebow’s passer rating boss John Elway to implore of 125.6 was the highest in him to “pull the trigger” in Broncos postseason history. AP/JULIO CORTEZ the playoffs. He completed 10 of 21 passes wide receiver Mario Manningham pulls in a 27-yard touchdown pass against strong safety Did he ever. and Thomas hauled in four of them for 204 yards — after James Sanders and Dunta Robinson (23) during the second half Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J. Tebow threw for a sea- son-high 316 yards and two no receiver had a 100-yard and ran for 50 game on the Steelers all sea- yards and another score son. GIANTS | Looking to upset Green Bay next while slicing up the league’s “It’s amazing because top defense — which was I haven’t played explosive CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1 in sending Matt Ryan and “Cold, I remember that. I yard run, and Manning hit missing its top tackler, Ryan like I did in college in a long time,” Thomas said. the Falcons to their third remember coach Coughlin’s Nicks on a post pattern to Clark, held out because of a (10-7) was the Giants’ best These two teams had straight playoff loss under face. I remember (tackle) put the Giants up 7-2. blood condition that’s exac- game of the season in terms played the first ever regu- coach Mike Smith. sweating and it “I don’t think anyone erbated at altitude. of a total team effort. New lar-season overtime game Manning ignited a list- froze on his hair and he had is game-planning for me As Thomas sped down York gained 442 yards, held Denver’s sideline, sever- on Sept. 22, 1974, in Denver. less offense with a 14-yard icicles on his hair,” defensive to run the ball,” Manning Atlanta to 247 and con- al teammates and coach- Now, they played the first second-quarter scramble, end said. “And I said, “but obviously there trolled the clock for more es were tagging along and non-sudden death playoff a drive that he capped with remember us winning. than 34 minutes. The only were a couple of situations would mob him in the end game in history. The new a 4-yard touchdown pass “Hopefully, we can go mistake was giving up a sec- where you have to do it. I zone. Elway thrust his hands rules called for both teams to . The two back there and do it again.” ond-quarter safety when the am not scared of running into the air like he used to to get the ball in the extra pe- also hooked up on a game- The tempo in the first to get a few yards.” line protection broke down when he was the one engi- riod providing there wasn’t a breaking 72-yard catch and playoff game at MetLife Sta- The Giants never really and Manning was called for neering all these Broncos touchdown by either the of- run in the third quarter. The dium was set by New York’s had to look back as the Fal- intentional grounding in the comebacks. fense or defense. 31-year-old quarterback put defense, which never al- cons were embarrassed in end zone. Tebow, too, chased down Tebow took care of that in away the inept Falcons with lowed Atlanta to get going, the postseason for the sec- a hurry. Two-time Pro Bowl guard Thomas and knelt on one a 27-yard TD throw to Mario and by the league’s lowest- ond straight year. Making his first appear- is excited about knee — Tebowing as it’s Manningham in the fourth ranked rushing game, which As the conference’s top known — in the end zone. ance in the playoffs after the way the Giants are play- quarter. ran for a season-high 172 seed last season, they were Then he pounded a fist in tri- going 7-4 as Denver’s start- ing. Now it’s back to Green yards, 92 by stunned by Green Bay 48- umph and took a victory lap er, Tebow outplayed Roeth- “We’re playing very good Bay. New York went there and 63 by . 21 in the NFC semifinal. after his fourth overtime win lisberger, a two-time Super and I’m just glad offensive- last season with a playoff The Giants averaged 5.5 “We can’t lose like this this season. Bowl winner playing on a ly we performed better in berth on the line and was yards a carry, 2 yards more in the playoffs,” defensive “When I saw him scor- bad ankle, who fell to 10-4 in the second half,” Snee said. blown out. than in the regular season. end John Abraham said. ing, first of all, I just thought, the playoffs. “We’re still searching for The Giants’ last postsea- For all of Jacobs’ and “We should have been able ‘Thank you, Lord,’” Tebow Roethlisberger was 22 for that full game. Maybe it’s too son trip to Lambeau Field Bradshaw’s success, it was to do something different. said. “Then, I was running 40 for 289 yards with one TD, one and five tough to achieve but we’re was a 23-20 overtime victory Manning’s escape and dash We played well in the be- pretty fast, chasing him — sacks. Tebow wasn’t picked going to strive for it.” for the NFC championship on third down in the second ginning, but it kind of got like I can catch up to D.T! Then I just jumped into the off or sacked by the league’s Manning and the defense, two weeks before they up- period that got the Giants away from us in the end.” stands, first time I’ve done top defense. which had two sacks, came set the Patriots in the Super rolling. The Falcons had chanc- that. That was fun.” The Broncos gained just close to achieving it Sunday Bowl. Jacobs soon broke a 34- es but they failed to con- Unlike Elway, who lost his 8 yards in the first quarter vert on two fourth-down first postseason start — to as Tebow looked like he did sneaks by Ryan inside the the Steelers at home in 1984 in ugly losses to the Patriots, Giants 25. — Tebow is 1-0 in the play- Bills and Chiefs to close the Michael Turner, sup- offs. season. posedly the most effective The Steelers (12-5) lost de- Then, he hit Thomas with runner on the field, also spite a gimpy Roethlisberg- his first big gain, setting up failed on a third-and-inch- er rallying injury-deplet- a 30-yard TD toss to Eddie es late in the third period. ed Pittsburgh from a two- Royal that put the Broncos “We just came up short,” touchdown halftime deficit ahead 7-6 and energized said Ryan, who completed with 10 points in the final 10 Denver, which took a 20-6 24 of 41 for 199 yards. “In minutes. lead into the locker room. a playoff game against a He also drove the Steelers The Broncos snapped a very good football team, into Broncos territory in the three-game losing streak you have to make those final minute, but three sacks that had many wondering if plays and we didn’t make and a kept them from Tebow’s time was up and if them.” getting in field goal range, Denver was even worthy of The Giants hope to and Roethlisberger never its first trip to the playoffs in make them next weekend got to touch the ball in over- six seasons. in Wisconsin. time. “One of the great things “We know they are a “We were moving it and about our team is we’re a we had a shot,” Roethlisberg- team that constantly be- good team,” said Manning, er said. “Someone got, it felt lieves,” Tebow said. who completed 23 of 32 for 277 yards. “We played them tough here, did some good things here, we scored some points. We know of- AP/MATT SLOCUM fensively we are going to Atlanta Falcons defensive end John Abraham, third from left, sits on the bench with his team- have to play strong, score mates during the second half Sunday. The Falcons lost the game 24-2. some points.” ������������ NFL PLAYOFFS CITY OF FRANKFORT INVITATION FOR BIDS Divisional Matchups BID #212001-81 The City of Frankfort will receive sealed bids for sports and recreation Saturday, Jan. 14 equipment, in the Office of the Parks and Recreation at 800 Louisville New Orleans at San Francisco, 4:30 p.m. Road, Frankfort, Kentucky until 10:00 a.m., February 2, 2012. All bids must be turned in to the Office of the Purchasing Division, Denver at New England, 8 p.m. City Hall 315 West Second St., Frankfort, KY, no later than 10:00 A.M. EST on date of bid opening. Bids cannot be accepted at Sunday, Jan. 15 any other location. Bids will be opened thereupon or about 10:00 a.m. EST, February 2, 2012, at a public bid opening at the Juniper Houston at Baltimore, 1 p.m. Hills Office of Parks and Recreation, 800 Louisville Road, Frankfort, N.Y. Giants at Green Bay, 4:30 p.m. Kentucky. Bids must be received by the designated date and time and none will be considered thereafter. The City of Frankfort, Kentucky reserves the right to reject any and all bids received, and to select that bid which it determines to be in its best interest. The award of this bid will be made on the basis of the lowest bid price as permitted in KRS 45A.365. Bidders are encouraged to submit their bid in a sealed envelope; the bidder is advised to clearly mark the sealed bid with the bid number and description listed above. The City of Frankfort, Kentucky is not responsible for the premature opening of, or the failure to open, a sealed bid not properly addressed or identified. Bidders are invited to be present for the opening of the bids AP/JOE MAHONEY submitted. FOR THE CITY OF FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas breaks away Angie Disponette Purchasing Agent from Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Ryan Mundy for the 01/09/12 game-winning touchdown in overtime Sunday. C M Y K C M Y K