Season 15 Wildcard Games

[Bob Davis]

The two Wildcard games were played this week. Interceptions thrown by veteran Quarterbacks were the deciding factor in both games.

Cincinnati Bengals at Philadelphia Eagles

This was a rematch of last year's Wildcard game that the Eagles won. The Bengals get the ball first. After a modest kick return, the Bengals come out throwing. QB Art Schlichter finds rookie WR Steve Krieder on a deep seam route producing 43 yards. After a 12 yard scramble, Schlichter again finds Krieder on a deep flag pattern. Krieder takes it into the endzone for the first score of the game. Bahr knuckleballs the extra point through the uprights and it's 7-0 Bengals. RB Louie Giamona returns the kickoff to the Eagle 39 yard line. Giamona follows up with runs of 15 yards and 5 yards. RB Wilbert Montgomery gains only 1 yard on 2nd down. QB Ron Jaworski then throws an incomplete pass bringing up 4th down. The Eagle offense stays on the field on 4th and 4. QB Ron Jaworski is sacked for a 9 yard loss giving the Bengals a golden opportunity to go up by two scores. Schlichter completes to RB Archie Griffin for 11 yards . Schlichter throws two incomplete passes and is then sacked for a 15 yard loss on 3rd down. K Chris Bahr boots a 56 yard field goal to give the Bengals a 10-0 lead with 3 plays left in the first half. WR Wally Henry fumbles the ensuing kickoff. The ball eventually rolls out of bounds at the Eagle's 11 yard line. After an incompletion, Jaworski completes to Giamona over the middle for 36 yards. He follows that up with a completion to RB Wilbert Montgomery for 13 yards. K Nick Mike-Meyer boots a 49 yard field goal as the first half comes to a close. Bengals 10, Eagles 3.

The Eagles open up the second half with Giamona gaining 9 yards on 2 plays. On 3rd and 1, Jaworski fades back to pass. He throws a pass intended for Henry, who tips it toward S Dick Jauron who tips it again. The pass is eventually picked off by CB Louis Breeden who returns it 43 yards to the Eagle's 18 yard line. 4 plays later, RB Boobie Clark takes the ball 6 yards for the touchdown. Bahr adds the extra point giving the Bengals a 17-3 lead. The Eagles start their next drive at their own 38 yard line. With time running low, Jaworski fades back to pass. His pass intended for Montgomery is intercepted again by Breeden. This time Breeden returns the ball all the way to the 8 yard line of Philadelphia. 4 plays later, Boobie Clark plunges into the endzone once again. Bahr's extra point make the score 24-3 with only 2 plays left in the game. The Eagles give the ball to Montgomery two straight times and the game comes to an end. The Bengals will travel to Baltimore next week to face the mighty Colts in the divisional round. 

Bengals 24 Eagles 3

 

New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings

WR Guido Merkins returns the kickoff to the 31 yard line. QB Bobby Scott starts the drive with a completion to Merkins yielding 25 yards. Scott is then sacked for a 16 yard loss, but completes a pass to RB Tony Galbreath for 24 yards on 2^nd down. The drive stalls and K Steve Mike-Meyer boots a 49 yard field goal to open the scoring. RB Bob Miller returns the ensuing kickoff 62 yards setting up the Vikings offense. RB Chuck Foreman opens up with a 16 yard burst up the middle to start the drive. He follows it up with an 8 yard scamper over the right side. From there, the Saints defense stiffens and K Jan Stenerud knocks home a 25 yard field goal to tie the game.

The Saints next drive begins with a Vikings sack of Bobby Scott for a loss of 14 yards. From there Scott was flawless completing passes to Merkins for 37 yards, RB Chuck Muncie for 13 yards and back to Merkins for another 12 yards. With the first half coming to a close, Meyer boots another 49 yard field goal, and the Saints go into halftime with a 6-3 lead.

Miller returns the opening kickoff of the second half 50 yards setting up the Vikings offense. QB Fran Tarkenton is sacked for a 16 yard loss on 1^st down and is harassed into incompletions on 2^nd and 3^rd down. The Saints start their opening drive of the second half after the Vikings punt with runs by Muncie of 5 yards and 39 yards. The drive stalls, and Meyer boots a 42 yard field goal increasing the Saints lead to 9-3. The Vikings start what might be the final drive of the game as time is running down. After an incompletion, Tarkenton completes to WR Sammy White for 16 yards. But then, under heavy pressure, Tarkenton’s next pass is intercepted by S Tom Meyers who returns it 50 yards for a pick 6. Muncie splashes into the endzone for the 2 point conversion and the game is all but over with the Saints leading 17-3. Tarkenton completes a pass to open up the next drive, but then is intercepted to end the game. The Saints move on to Oakland to face the top seeded Raiders. This will be the third straight year these two teams have met in the playoffs. The Saints beat the Raiders last year in the divisional round, and the Raiders beat the Saints two seasons ago in the Championship game.