The Green Bay Packers clinched their 27th straight victory with a 217 win over Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Lambeau Field last night in the NFL play-offs. The defending champions now face the San Francisco 49ers next week in the NFC Championship game in San Francisco for the right to play in the Super Bowl.
Dorsey Levens rushed for a Packers play-off record 112 yards, and Brett Favre completed four of five passes in their key opening scoring drive to lead Mike Holmgren's squad and end the Bucs' fairytale season.
Tampa self-destructed in the first half when failing to score from three field goal attempts.
The San Francisco 49ers overwhelmed the Minnesota Vikings 38-22 on Saturday to set up the clash with Green Bay. Terrell Owens and JJ Stokes again filled in admirably for Jerry Rice, while Terry Kirby had the best game of his career in place of Garrison Hearst.
The Denver Broncos survived a dramatic, last-minute attack by the Kansas City Chiefs to win 14-10 last night and advance to the AFC Championship game at Pittsburgh next week.
Denver, who trailed 10-7 after three quarters, reclaimed the lead with 12 minutes remaining when Terrel Davis scored his second touchdown of the game.
Davis, who rushed for 101 yards, scored and Jason Elam's extra point gave the Broncos a 14-10 advantage. Denver then had to rely on their defence, with Kansas City mounting a serious late challenge. Elvis Grbac drove the Chiefs to the Denver 20 yard line, but the visitors' defence held and stopped Kansas City on down to clinch the victory. Denver quarterback John Elway, who is 37, is attempting to make it to his fourth Super Bowl.
Kordell Stewart scored on a 40-yard run in the first quarter as the Pittsburgh Steelers beat New England Patriots 7-6 in New York on Saturday night to advance to set up the match with the Broncos.
But the victory was much harder than expected for the favoured Steelers, who took a 7-0 lead on Stewart's bootleg run on their first possession after Drew Bledsoe was intercepted.
