Houston Texans 28 - 41 New England Patriots
Brady sets wins mark as Patriots dominate Texans
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Tom Brady became the winningest quarterback in postseason play, throwing for three touchdowns Sunday to beat the Houston Texans 41-28 and lift the New England Patriots into the AFC Championship Game.
Brady got his 17th victory, surpassing his childhood hero, Joe Montana, by throwing for 344 yards. Seldom-used running back Shane Vereen scored three times, twice on receptions.
If Brady can lead the Patriots past theBaltimore Ravens in next Sunday's conference title game, then win the Super Bowl, he'll equal the Hall of Famer's four NFL championships.
The Patriots and Ravens are meeting for the AFC title for the second consecutive year. Baltimore, which stunned top-seeded Denver in double overtime Saturday, lost 23-20 at Gillette Stadium last January.
The Texans performed far better than in a 42-14 loss here last month. But they couldn't slow down Brady.
Baltimore Ravens 38 - 35 Denver Broncos
Ravens rally past Broncos in double-overtime thriller
DENVER -- Justin Tucker kicked a 47-yard field goal 1:42 into the second overtime Saturday to lift the Baltimore Ravens to a 38-35 victory over the Denver Broncos in an AFC Divisional Playoff Game.
The Ravens forced overtime on a 70-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Flacco to wide receiver Jacoby Jones with 31 seconds left in regulation, after Jones slipped behind twoBroncos defenders along the sideline.
Late in the first overtime, Broncos quarterbackPeyton Manning threw across his body on second down, and cornerback Corey Grahampicked off the pass to give the Ravens the ball on the Denver 45. Two plays later, the first overtime ended, and the teams switched directions, and after three Ray Rice runs up the middle, Tucker sailed his game-winner through the uprights with room to spare.
The Ravens will visit the New England Patriots for the AFC title game next Sunday, as Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis' career extends at least one more game.
Seattle Seahawks 28 - 30 Atlanta Falcons
Falcons avert collapse, edge Seahawks with late FG
ATLANTA -- Matt Bryant kicked a 49-yard field goal with 8 seconds left and the Atlanta Falconsbounced back after blowing a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter, defeating Russell Wilson and the gutty Seattle Seahawks 30-28 in an NFC divisional playoff game Sunday.
The Falcons (14-3) appeared ready to allow the biggest fourth-quarter comeback in NFL playoff history when Marshawn Lynch scored on a 2-yard run with 31 seconds left.
But Matt Ryan completed two long passes after the kickoff, setting up Bryant's winning kick and sending the Falcons to the NFC championship game for only the third time in franchise history. They will host the San Francisco 49ers next Sunday.
Wilson passed for two touchdowns and ran for another, but it wasn't enough for the Seahawks(12-6).
Green Bay Packers 31 - 45 San Francisco 49ers
Kaepernick delivers as 49ers take care of Packers
SAN FRANCISCO -- Colin Kaepernick ran for a quarterback playoff-record 181 yards and two touchdowns and threw two scoring passes to wide receiver Michael Crabtree in leading the San Francisco 49ers back to the NFC Championship Game with a 45-31 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night.
The 49ers will play on the road against the top-seeded Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship Game at 3 p.m. ET next Sunday. The Falcons defeated the Seattle Seahawks30-28 on Sunday.
Playoff first-timer Kaepernick outshined reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, who never got in sync for the Packers in finishing 26-of-39 passing for 257 yards and two touchdowns.
Kaepernick ran for scores of 20 and 56 yards on the way to topping the rushing mark of 119 yards held by Michael Vick. Crabtree caught TD passes of 12 and 20 yards in the second quarter and wound up with nine receptions and 119 yards for the 49ers in the NFC divisional-round matchup.
San Francisco had 579 total yards, 323 on the ground.
