GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -New York’s Lawrence Tynes missed two field-goal attempts in the fourth quarter, including a 36-yarder as time expired in regulation, as the Giants and Green Bay Packers went into overtime tied 20-20 in their frigid NFC championship game Sunday night.
It was the first overtime in a championship game since the Atlanta Falcons rallied for a 30-27 overtime victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Jan. 17, 1999.
In addition to the 36-yarder, Tynes missed from 43 yards with 6:49 to go.
Long snapper Jay Alford sent a high snap to Jeff Feagles, who got the ball down but Tynes hit it awkward, knuckling the ball wide left to send the game to overtime after the Giants overcame a holding penalty that nullified a touchdown by Ahmad Bradshaw.
Rookie Mason Crosby’s second field goal of the game came after Brett Favre got lucky despite one of his head-scratching interceptions early in the fourth quarter.
The three-time MVP threw a deep ball he shouldn’t have attempted. R.W. McQuarters picked off the pass but fumbled on Ryan Grant’s hit and the ball bounced straight to right tackle Mark Tauscher at the Giants 19.
With new life, the Packers didn’t move the ball, but managed to tie it on Crosby’s second field goal with 11:46 left.
New York responded by moving into field-goal range, but Tynes, who made two field goals earlier, missed a 43-yard attempt to the left with 6:49 to go.
Then the two teams bogged down, trading punts back and forth in the closing minutes. McQuarters fumbled on a punt return, but the Giants got it back when Green Bay’s Jarrett Bush tried to pick it up and lost it to Domenik Hixon.
Bradshaw ran in from 48 yards on the ensuing possession, but right guard Chris Snee was called for holding. Bradshaw kept churning, converting a third-and-1 with an 8-yard effort. Eli Manning then found Steve Smith for an 11-yard gain and Bradshaw added a run of 2, setting up Tynes’ 36-yard attempt.
New York had established its run in the second half, getting scores from Brandon Jacobs and Bradshaw in the third quarter to take a 20-17 lead. Bradshaw scored from the 4 with right tackle Kareem McKenzie pulling him.
That score came after Favre’s second TD pass, a 12-yard flick in the corner of the end zone to tight end Donald Lee gave the Packers a 17-13 lead. Moments earlier, the Packers got a new set of downs after cornerback Sam Madison and running back Vernand Morency got tangled up on third down and the officials flagged Madison for unnecessary roughness.
New York used up a large portion of the third quarter on its first drive, which lasted 7:04 and included four defensive penalties before Jacobs found the end zone.
The miscues came at the worst times for the Packers. Twice Green Bay was flagged for penalties on third down, once after cornerback Al Harris intercepted a pass but threw Plaxico Burress to the ground and again when safety Nick Collins took a roughing-the-passer penalty.
Those extra chances gave Manning a chance to find Burress for an 18-yard catch, one of a career-best 11 receptions, to move to the Packers 11. Jacobs fumbled at the 1, but tight end Kevin Boss recovered to set up first-and-goal.
The Packers were then flagged twice for offsides before Jacobs scored easily and mocked the crowd by moving toward them for a Lambeau Leap he didn’t attempt.
Green Bay built a 10-6 halftime lead off a 90-yard touchdown pass from Favre to Donald Driver and a 36-yard field goal by Crosby.
On the touchdown toss, Favre made a quick fake on both a short pass and a draw before spotting Driver open behind Giants cornerback Corey Webster, who missed jamming Driver.
It was the longest passing play in Green Bay playoff history and Driver’s first TD catch since Week 3. Crosby added his first field goal with 1:30 left in the half.
New York got two first-half field goals by Tynes, from 29 yards and 37 yards, as the Giants built an early lead.
With the gametime temperature at 1 below zero with a wind chill of 23-below and dropping, the Giants could have had a much bigger lead early but twice squandered red zone opportunities despite big catches from Burress, who had his way with the Packers cornerbacks and jawed with their teammates on the sideline nearly every chance he got.
With the cold, heaters were used under the Lambeau Field tarp up until two hours before kickoff, but the harsh conditions seemed to affect both teams and most players sprinted to the locker rooms at halftime and huddled around large portable heaters at each end of the benches.
The winner goes to the Super Bowl in Glendale, Ariz. on Feb. 3, against the New England Patriots, who beat San Diego 21-12 earlier Sunday.
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