Article:2007 AFC Wild Card Round: Madden 08 Version

Here is how the 2007 AFC Wild Card round played out according to Madden 2008 (for PS2).

NOTE: 5 minutes per quarter, and let the CPU play both teams.

AFC

5 Jacksonville Jaguars at 4 Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh won the toss and elected to kick the ball off. Kick returner, Maurice Jones-Drew returned the opening kick 97 yards for a TD, Josh Scobee's XP is good, 7-0 Jacksonville. Ben Roethlisberger threw an INT to the Jags CB Rashean Mathis (intended for Hines Ward), the INT led to a Scobee FG from 38 yards, which made it a 10-0 game. But, Pittsburgh marched down the field in 7 plays to set up a Jeff Reed 36-yard FG which split the uprights for a FG, 10-3 Jacksonville at the end of the QTR.Two minutes into the 2nd QTR, the Jags capped a 9 play drive when Fred Taylor ran the ball for a 12-yard TD run. The Jags had a 17-3 lead after the XP went through. For some reason, Big Ben and the Steelers didn't look like they wanted to get into the end zone, and after giving the ball to Najeh Davenport a few times, they punted the ball away after gaining just 12 yards on 6 plays. After Sepulveda's touchback, David Garrard, and the Jags started at their own 20, and with 2:02 to go in the half, Jacksonville came out passing, which was a bad decision, because LB Clark Haggans picked off one of Garrard's passes intended for Matt Jones, and ran it back 32 yards for the TD. 17-10 now Jaguars. After the kickoff was returned to the 34-yard line of the Jags, they kept going through the air, and on 4 pass plays, and two short run plays by Taylor, Jacksonville was in FG range. Scobee took advantage of the oppurtinity, and booted a 32-yard FG, for a Jacksonville 20-10 lead at the half.

The 3rd quarter was alot closer, as Pittsburgh's return man, Allen Rossum, started off the 3rd quarter by returning the kickoff to the PIT 27, where Big Ben, and the Steelers started their drive. But, after 7 plays, Pittsburgh was forced to punt, and Jacksonville got the ball at their own 36-yard line. Garrard couldn't lead Jacksonville to another scoring drive, and after gaining 18 yards on 4 plays, they were forced to punt. Pittsburgh thought they had something going, after two Big Ben runs (11-yarder, 13-yarder) for first downs, and a pass complete to Hines ward for a 15-yard pickup, they Steelers had to punt due to a run for no gain by Davenport, an incomplete pass intended for Heath Miller, and a John Henderson sack on Roethlisberger. Jacksonville got the ball with good field position, and Fred Taylor helped the Jags out by converting a 3rd & inches with an 8-yard gain. The 3rd quarter ended with a 3-yard run for Taylor on 2nd & 8.

Taylor started the 4th quarter off with a bang, converting another 3rd down (3rd and 5) with a 11-yard pickup. Two plays later they faced a 3rd & 8, but Taylor couldn't convert it this time, picking up 7, and Jacksonville's nice drive ended with a punt, which went into the end zone for a touchback, but a holding penatly on Pittsburgh backed them up to their own 10-yard line. The Steelers faced 3rd & 8, and converted with a 18-yard pass to Cedrick Wilson. Dan Krieder got into the action with a 9-yard catch, getting out of bounds to stop the clock at 3:14. Davenport got the first down with an 11-yard run to the JAX 40-yard line. Pittsburgh could not convert the 3rd & 10, and threw another incomplete pass on 4th & 10, to turn the ball over to the Jags. After the 2 minute warning, Fred Taylor picked up the first down on 3rd & 2 to seel the deal, and advance the Jacksonville Jaguars to the next round.

Stats:  Roethlisberger was 14 for 26 for 108 yards, and an INT while Davenport managed just 60 yards on the ground. Garrard was 10 for 15 for 117 yards, and an INT, and Fred Taylor ran for 80 yards on the ground plus a TD.

Jaguars 20 Steelers 10

6 Tennessee Titans at 3 San Diego Chargers

San Diego won the toss and elected to receive, and SD return man Darren Sproles returned Rob Bironas' kick to the SD 15, where Phillip Rivers, Ladainian Tomlinson, and co. got to work. But, on the second play of the game, LT fumbled the ball, and DE Kyle Vanden Bosch recovered the fumble at the SD 11, GREAT field position for Tennessee. On 3rd & 4, Vince Young tried to run it up the middle, and failed (gained just 1-yard), so Rob Bironas kicked the 21-yard FG to take a 3-0 lead instead. Sproles got another bad return to the SD 17, on the kickoff, and Rivers was sacked by Vanden Bosch for a loss of 5. Next play LT ran for 4 yards, and then another gain of 8 on 3rd & 11, to bring up a 4th and 3 play. Mike Scifres punted the ball 52 yards, and SD downed the ball at the TEN 23, where VY came out for another drive. VY threw a short pass to Ben Troupe on 2nd & 5 for a Tennessee first down, and with under 2 minutes left in the quarter Chris Brown broke out for another first down with a 13-yard run. But, Tennessee's drive was crushed when VY's pass was tipped, and picked off by Antonio Cromartie, and returned to the SD 43. After an 8-yard pass play to Gates, LT ran the ball up the middle for 2, and a first down. Gates caught another pass that went for about 15 yards, and a first down. And, with 19 seconds left in the QTR, LT broke out for a 32-yard TD run, and Kaeding's XP attempts was good. 7-3 SD. The last play of the quarter was a 9-yard run by VY.

The second quarter began with a failed 3rd down conversion for Tennessee. Craig Hentrich's punt was fair caught by Sproles at the SD 27-yard line. Rivers' first pass was nearly intercepted, instead, it fell incomplete, and after a 3-yard run by LT, SD found themselves in a 3rd and 7 situation and with a short pass to LT, was able to convert the 3rd and long. But, Rivers threw an INT to the Titans corner Nick Harper, who was tackled by Chris Chambers at the Tennessee 32. The first play for Tennessee was a 13-yard run to the left side for second-year back, LenDale White, after backup Chris Brown ran for no gain, VY took it himself for an 8-yard run to bring up 3rd & 2, and on a HB delay, Brown was stopped short for a 3-yard loss. Hentrich's punt went out of the end zone, and SD right off the bat threw an 80-yard TD pass from Rivers to rookie Craig Davis, and Kaeding's XP was good. With 2:20 left in the 2nd, SD extended their lead to 14-3 over the #6 seeded Titans. On the kickoff, Tennessee's return man, Michael Griffin dropped the ball, and was only able to get to the TEN 19-yard line by the time he was able to pick it up. Brown took VY's toss 3-yards, which took Tennessee to the 2 minute warning. So, with 2 minutes left in the half, VY came out throwing, and hit RB Chris Brown for a 21-yard pickup, and a first down for Tennessee. VY threw a pass complete to Eric Moulds for a 7-yard pickup, and on PA, threw an incompletion. Young made a poor decision the next play which cost Tennessee a SD TD, Quentin Jammer picked off Young's pass, and returned it for a TD. Kaeding's XP made it a 21-3 game at the half.

Tennessee received to start the 3rd quarter, and Griffin returned it to the TEN 24. VY ran 13-yards for a first on the 2nd play of the half, but threw 2 straight incomplete passes to bring up 3rd & 10. VY's arm showed a little strength when he complete a bullet to Bo Scaife for a 16-yard gain and a first down. A second down penalty knocked Tennessee back aways, and on 2nd & 18, Young threw an incomplete, which brought up a 3rd down and 18 play for VY, and the Titans rather weak offense. But, Young completed a 19-yard pass to TE Ben Troupe, and moved the chains, putting them in FG range, as well. Young completed another short pass, this time to Justin Gage, for 8-yards to the SD 26-yard line. On 2nd and 2, SD's Defense ate up Chris Brown for a loss of 1, and on 3rd and 3, picked up the first with a 10-yard run to the SD 18 as the clock continued to run, now down to just 1:18 left in the quarter. The final play of the QTR was a QB sneak up the middle, and Young ran for the first on 3rd and inches.

In the fourth, the Titans had the ball at the SD 6-yard line, as VY ran the ball in from 6 yards out, Tennessee elected to go for 2, to make the game a 10 point game, but Quentin Jammer tackled Brown for a loss on a toss play. 21-9 SD with 4:57 left in the game. The Titans drive lasted 5:03 (the entire 3rd quarter). That's a good way to stop SD from scoring, but they probably should have saved more time for them, still down 12 points. SD's Darren Sproles returned the kick to the SD 25-yard line. Right away, Rivers went through the air, hitting Antonio Gates for a 21-yard gain to the SD 46. On 3rd & 8, LT runs for a 52-yard TD, Kaeding's XP makes the game 28-9 SD. Tennessee really needs a score here, and Griffin's return to the Tennessee 27 won't help much. But, VY's 21-yard pass to Bo Scaife will help. Young takes it himself on first and 10, and manages just 3, which takes them into SD territory, on 3rd & 7 Young throws a 14-yard swing pass to Chris Brown for the first down, Tennessee hurries to the line, and only to watch VY throw an incomplete pass on first and 10. With 2:59 to go, Young throws another incomplete, intended for Gage, and AGAIN on 3rd and 10 VY throws yet another incomplete. Tennessee, who has to go for it here, manages just 3 yards on 4th and 10, and turns the ball over to SD's explosive run game with 2:46 left. Lorenzo Neal, and Ladainian Tomlinson finish off the clock to seal the 28-9 win, and a trip to New England next week.

Stats: Rivers was 5 for 9, for 133 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. LT ran for 101 yards on 13 carries, and 2 TD's. Vince Young went 10 for 21, 131 yards, 2 INT (36 rushing yards, 1 TD run), Chris Brown (in due to a Lendale White injury) ran for 99 yards on 25 carries.

Titans 9 Chargers 28

Next Week's Version: 5 Jacksonville Jaguars at 1 New England Patriots, and 3 San Diego Chargers at 2 Indianapolis Colts

Be sure to check out NFC's version of the Wild Card playoffs, which will probably be posted tomorrow.