Atlanta, GA – Seattle, WA (SportsNetwork.com) - Russell Wilson tossed a game-winning 35-yard TD pass to Jermaine Kearse 3:19 into overtime and the Seattle Seahawks rallied past the Green Bay Packers 28-22 on Sunday to become the first defending champion to reach the Super Bowl in 10 years. The Seahawks miraculously overcame five turnovers, four of them Wilson interceptions, and a 12-point hole in the waning minutes of regulation in the NFC Championship Game. The stunning turn of events kept their dream of becoming the first team to win consecutive Super Bowls since the 2004 New England Patriots alive. Seattle will play the Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX on Feb. 1 in Glendale, Arizona. Seattle scored 15 points in a 44-second span late in the fourth to take the lead, only to see Mason Crosby hit a 48-yard field goal to force OT. Wilson finished 14-of-29 after going just 2-of-9 in the first half and totaled 209 yards for the Seahawks, who have won nine consecutive postseason home games. Aaron Rodgers was 19-of-34 for 178 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for Green Bay, which scored the first 16 points of the game.
Final Score: New England 45, Indianapolis 7
Foxboro, MA (SportsNetwork.com) - Tom Brady threw three touchdown passes and LeGarrette Blount rushed 30 times for 148 yards and three scores, as the New England Patriots dominated the Indianapolis Colts, 45-7, in the AFC Championship Game at a rainy Gillette Stadium. The Patriots will next try to derail the defending champion Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks advanced to Super Bowl XLIX by rallying from a 16-point deficit for a thrilling 28-22 overtime win over Green Bay earlier Sunday. The matchup will be an intriguing one, especially for the head coaches. Current Seahawks coach Pete Carroll guided the Pats from 1997-99 before being replaced by Bill Belichick, who has engineered New England to six Super Bowl appearances and three titles (2001, 2003, 2004), all with Brady under center. Sunday's victory was Belichick's 21st in the postseason, moving him past Pro Football Hall of Famer Tom Landry for the most all-time. Additionally, New England's eight Super Bowl appearances are tied with Pittsburgh and Dallas for the most in NFL history. New England, playing in the AFC title game for a fourth straight season, pulled away by outscoring the Colts, 28-0, in the second half. Brady finished 23-of-35 passing for 226 yards and was picked off once. Julian Edelman had nine catches for 98 yards for New England, which lost the previous two AFC title games, to Denver and Baltimore, respectively. Andrew Luck was stymied all night, as he connected on just 12-of-33 passes for 126 yards and a pair of interceptions for the Colts, who won at Denver last week.
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