NFL Tournament of Champions: Second Round, Groups One and Two

My 100th post is today!!! With it, we have the start of the second round of the Tournament of Champions, groups one and two.


1988 San Francisco 49ers 27, 1989 San Francisco 49ers 20
At Candlestick Park
Player of the Game: RB Roger Craig '88SF: 22 carries 128 yards one touchdown, two catches 30 yards one touchdown

In a rather confusing game between two nearly identical teams, the '88 49ers jumped out early and kept an '89 49er comeback at bay to win. The '88 team scored 21 points in the first quarter and got two Roger Craig touchdowns. Both Montanas threw two touchdown passes, but the '89 Montana failed on fourth down late in the fourth quarter in a last ditch attempt to tie the game.


1993 Dallas Cowboys 14, 1987 Washington Redskins 6
At Texas Stadium
Player of the Game: RB Emmitt Smith DAL: 20 carries 114 yards, one catch 15 yards

In a hard nosed ball control battle in Texas, the Cowboys defense stepped up and shut down the Redskins en route to a trip to the Sweet Sixteen. Troy Aikman threw touchdown passes to Alvin Harper and Jay Novachek for both of Dallas' scores. Washington managed just two field goals and 246 yards of offense on the afternoon.


1986 New York Giants 29, 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers 12
At Giants Stadium
Player of the Game: RB Joe Morris NYG: 21 carries 154 yards two touchdowns, one catch 15 yards

Joe Morris scored two rushing touchdowns and for the second straight week, the '86 Giants beat a modern day Steelers team. Pittsburgh coul muster just four Jeff Reed field goals in the game as they failed to put the ball in the end zone. Phil Simms found Mark Bavaro for the Giants third touchdown in the game as New York cruised into the Sweet Sixteen.


1999 St. Louis Rams 15, 1977 Dallas Cowboys 10
At Texas Stadium
Player of the Game: RB Tony Dorsett DAL: 13 carries 66 yards one touchdowns, two catches 31 yards

In an uncharacteristic low scoring game, it was the Rams defense rather than offense that helped them to a win over the '77 Cowboys. Five Jeff Wilkins field goals accounted for all of the Rams scoring in the game as the offense ha no turnovers. Tony Dorsett scored the game's lone touchdown in the second for Dallas to give them a 10-6 lead, but the Cowboys would fail to score again.


1948 Philadelphia Eagles 30, 1964 Clevelan Browns 10
At Cleveland Muncipal Stadium
Player of the Game: RB Steve Van Buren PHI: 24 carries 149 yards two touchdowns, two catches 13 yards.

The tournament's oldest remaining team, the '48 Eagles cruised in Cleveland, shutting down the '64 Browns juggernaut. Steve Van Buren ran for two touchdowns and Tommy Thompson found Neil Armstrong for a touchdown pass early for the Eagles. Cleveland's lone touchdown was an Ernie Green two yard dive a week after the Browns put up 52 in the first round.


1961 Green Bay Packers 27, 2001 New England Patriots 6
At Foxboro Stadium
Player of the Game: RB Jim Taylor GB: 20 carries 109 yards two touchdowns, three catches 67 yards

It was no contest at a cold and breezy Foxboro as the '61 Packers easily knocked off the 2001 Patriots. Jim Taylor has 174 total yards and two rushing touchdowns to lead the Pack, while the defense held New England to two field goals and picked off Tom Brady three times. Green Bay's third touchdown was a Bart Starr to Ron Kramer pass.


2009 New Orleans Saints 20, 1990 New York Giants 10
At Louisiana Superdome
Player of the Game: QB Drew Brees NO: 21 for 34 291 yards two touchdowns

At the Superdome, the Saints defense held tough as the offense put up enough points to knock off the 1990 Giants. Drew Brees found Jeremy Shockey and Reggie Bush for touchown passes that accounted for both New Orleans TDs. The Giants lone touchdown came on a Phil Simms to Mark Ingram second quarter pass that gave them a 7-3 lead that would not hold.


1954 Cleveland Browns 14, 1966 Green Bay Packers 3
At Cleveland Muncipal Stadium
Player of the Game: RB Ray Renfro CLE: eight carries 82 yards one touchdown

At a rainy and sloppy Municipal Stadium, the '54 Browns used the ground game to defeat the '66 Packers. Ray Renfro and Dub Jones touchdowns runs gave Cleveland all the scoring they needed as the Packers got just 205 yards of offense. All of the scoring came in the second quarter as there were more punts (20) then first downs (19) in the entire game.


Sweet Sixteen Matchup Previews

1993 Dallas Cowboys at 1988 San Francisco 49ers
Two dynasties seperated by just five years will duel at Candlestick to see which is the best of the end of the 20th century.

1999 St. Louis Rams at 1986 New York Giants
The Greatest Show on Turf heads to the Meadowlands as they meet a ferocious Giants defense led by Lawerence Taylor.

1961 Green Bay Packers at 1948 Philaelphia Eagles
It's old school football at Shibe Park as Steve Van Buren and the 1948 Eagles try to continue their recent success against the tough '61 Packers.

2009 New Orleans Saints at 1954 Cleveland Browns
The reiging Super Bowl champions take their act to Cleveland, where they will meet a dangerous ground game, Otto Grahem, and the '54 Browns.