NFL Playoff Highlights American Football

Welcome to the first of our highlights shows from this year's

NFL play-offs. Over the next hour, we will be bringing you the breast

of the action from the Wild Card Weekend, reducing 12 contenders

These are the top seeds in the AFC and the NFC respectively. The San

Francisco 49ers will be London- bound in 2013. Tonight, we will see

the Cincinnati Bengals visit the Houston Texans. The Vikings will

also be playing in London later this year. Tonight, we will see

them up against the Packers. The Seattle Seahawks are in the capital,

to take on the Redskins. These matches will determine the match

ups in the divisional round, from whence they will face off to see

who goes on to compete for the Super Bowl in just under a month's

time. You can watch that live on the BBC, all the way from New

Orleans. We are ready for our annual catch up. It has been a

record-breaking season for the NFL. It is great to be back, and there

are so many story lines, no matter what goes on on the field, and they

have all been brought to a head this weekend, the Wild Card Weekend.

Yes, there was a lot of hype living up to this weekend. Let's see if

the game has lived up to that hike, kicking off with a rookie

quarterback showdown to savour in When I quarterback is the second

overall pick in the draft, expectations are always high. But

Robert Griffin has had a fantastic season. Alfred Morris was equally

impressive, as they finished the season unbeaten in their last seven

games. The Redskins are on a roll. Stopping fancied teams is a

favourite pastime of the Seahawks, and their physical difference. They

put 40 points on the 49ers, in a seriously hot second half of the

season. Russell Wilson, their own rookie quarterback, has shown

extraordinary development. So, over we go to the stadium, where the

home crowd gave a typically hostile reaction to the Seahawks. RG3's

right knee was still heavily strapped, following an injury late

Back to Morris... Some good goods by Alfred Morris to start his day.

Second down and one. Griffin keeps it, gets around the block. He picks

up a first down. There was a nice lane inside that block by Logan

Paulsen. When healthy, he would have taken that. To the sideline!

And that's a first down inside the 25. Tossed to the rookie running

right! Morris comes back, down First time he has carried it to the

Griffin, back across! Incomplete with Morgan making the catch, but

out of the back of the end zone. Good call. He gets his left foot

down before he gets knocked out. It opened up nicely, just unable to

get it to him soon enough so that he could get both feet in. End

zone! For the touchdown! Evan He sees the linebacker run out, and

he just looks up. The extra point was good, Seattle did nothing with

their first possession, so we joined the their back inside

Clearly, Robert Griffin does not have the... He hands it off this

time, and Morris gets four. Brought down on that occasion by Bobby

Wagner. Second and six. Morris Third down and one. Griffin keeps

it, and he finds Logan Paulsen! He has got a first down! Inside the

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Touchdown, Logan Paulsen! And a flag at the end of it for a hit on

Griffin. At the end of this play, you can see they hit there.

Logan Paulsen, lined up at the tight end position, he comes off

the ball, and Kam Chancellor just turns him loose. The Seahawks

finally responded with a field goal in the second quarter. We've rejoin

it with eight minutes left in the first half. Marshawn Lynch is going

to be out of bounds just outside the 35, and what a break. Marshawn

Lynch, they were faking it to him here, and as he tries to pull it

out, the ball comes loose. But Marshawn Lynch, even going through

the line of scrimmage, he is able to keep the play alive. First down

Wilson finds his man, and the catch was made by Robinson, the full-back.

A nice play on second down and nine. A 19 yard catch and run. Wilson

keeps it! Gets a block and sets up Off the edge, the play was made.

Wilson, Robinson, wide open for the touchline! -- for the touchdown.

They'd turn Michael Robinson Luce. Nobody comes off and covers

So, the Seahawks beginning to close the gap, and on the Redskins' very

next drive, RG3 was intercepted. It's set up another field goal.

Into the second half, it is a one Start of a second half, and it

starts with a run by Marshawn Lynch. He comes back to the right, and he

has got Russell Wilson in front of Wilson keeps it. To the sideline,

dangerous throw, editor is a first down, just inside the 17. The catch

was made by Golden Tate. Some trouble with the snap there, but no

trouble with the hand off. Marshawn Marshawn Lynch, right side, cuts up

field. Down to one. Second and goal. Ball comes out! Washington has it!

That's what this Redskins team has been about all season long.

great work from the defence of Washington, but there, RG3 and the

Redskins' offence were firing blanks, so we are into the fourth

quarter, and Seattle have it on Marshawn Lynch had a huge hole to

go through, and he gets to 45. Less than 10 to go. Wilson keeps it,

nowhere to go. That was a loss of The Seahawks pick it up. The catch

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is made by Miller. Zach Miller has Marshawn Lynch is in for the

touchdown! A great run by Marshawn Lynch as well. Once he moves

through the line of scrimmage, right there. He gets to the outside.

Then Russell Wilson once again. This guy is not just a spectator,

even with Marshawn Lynch that far down the field. Now going for two.

This will be their first two-point Got it! Miller! At some point don't

you have to think about Kirk It belongs to Seattle. Robert

Griffin III is down on the ground As he is trying to get it here -

see that knee go? Oh! MATT SMITH: That was all she wrote

for RG III. He was done for the day. Fans keeping their fingers crossed

about his long-term health and this goal made it a ten-point game.

Griffin's replacement Kirk Cousin took to the field. So Seattle and

Russell Wilson keep their Super Both teams fought hard. It was a

tremendous game. We are fortunate to come out with a win. We kept

playing one point at a time. It was a huge win. We are excited about

the opportunities. He is a special player, Russell

Wilson. No official news on the extent of RG III's injury. Should

he have been on the pitch? He had the clearance to go out. He wanted

to play. And for the first quarter, he looked like he was not 100%. But

good enough to get the job done. As the game went on, he took more and

more falls, and it became obvious he was not himself. I would think

that they would leave him in, see what happened at half-time, how he

comes out in the third quarter. I made a note in the third quarter,

he is not throwing, he can't throw with any velocity. He is not

running. There was a play in the third where he limped out-of-bounds.

That was the time to pull him. By the time they pulled him off, the

game was out of reach. When they were trying to come back with Kirk

Cousins, he was meat for the Seahawks. Let's hope that decision

doesn't cost the Redskins too dearly. How good is this guy?

has a huge array of skills. A great leader as well. Obviously, long-

term, you have to hope he can come back from his injury. But the thing

that makes him so dangerous is that their game planning for him

involves him getting hit five or six times. Not good when you are

running with an injury. I guess as he faded, Russell Wilson grew into

it. Again, another very impressive rookie quarterback? Exactly. Very

mature. Same kind of thing. Team leader. Can run. Can pass. He can

block. Wasn't much of a block, but it is like a dog reciting the

Declaration of Independence. He had a couple of lucky breaks. He had a

play where he underthrew Zach Miller. Russell Wilson is the real

deal. They are a dangerous team in the play-offs. OK. Next up a

rematch from the final week of the regular season, - the Green Bay

Packers and the Minnesota Vikings. If the Minnesota Vikings beat the

Green Bay Packers today they make the play-offs.

They did just that! Thanks to the extraordinary skills of Adrian

Peterson. The Scriebgs were -- the Vikings were carried by Peterson

all season. The Green Bay Packers may not have arrived with the pomp

of 2012, but any team with Aaron Rodgers has a chance. So we join

and no passes on the opening drive. This time they are able to stuff

them in the back field. Third down and seven from the 15-yard line.

Webb looking to throw for the first time and does. It is incomplete. It

is fourth down and Minnesota Vikings will have to settle for a

field goal attempt. Not a bad first drive for Joe Webb. He could do a

few things offensively and at least get a field goal attempt. Blair

Walsh has had a phenomenal year and line. Harris gets free. He goes to

the 24-yard line for another first 25-yard line, turns a loss of two

into a loss of one. Second down and He cuts it back. Harris will take

the ball to the - almost to the goal-line. No touchdown signal yet.

This is challengable and he is saying that the ball had reached

the goal-line in possession of Grant before the ball starts to

come out. He recovers it, or the Packers do. The runner did break

kick the extra point which Crosby does and Green Bay Packers has the

lead. MATT SMITH: After this fourth and

five conversion, Crosby added a field goal. We re-join the action

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with Green Bay Packers back in touchdown.

line. Second and four after the timout at the 14-yard line. --

after the time-out at the 14-yard line. Rodgers fools everybody. It

much-talked-about rookie out of Notre Dame. Here's Scott Green. It

is fourth and four. Five-yard is in again - touchdown! That was

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something else for a full-back. and down by 21 points, you have got

to go for it here. Fourth and Taken away by Matthews. And he was

able to get the fumble recovery as well. Things did not improve for

the stand-in quarterback. On their next drive, this pass was

intercepted by Sam Shields. Into the fourth quarter, the Vikings

were in need of some inspiration. The Green Bay Packers, with a 21

point lead, so they can work on the clock. 6.5 minutes to go. They take

it up to the 50-yard line. Second down and three. That's a five-yard

creates a situation where enough pressure gets through to put watch

us down. -- to put Aaron Rodgers yard line. That pass was incomplete.

Second down and 10. The pass is complete, that's Michael Jenkins,

long-term Atlanta Falcon, to the 50-yard line. And wide-open that

time is Jenkins, and Jenkins will take it to the end zone! Some this

communication there, but AJ Hawk was the closest guy to him, and

that's 50 yards for the touchdown. But unfortunately for the Vikings,

there was no miraculous comeback. That made it 24-10-the Packers,

with the extra point. Late consolation for the Vikings, but

the big rematch was a big mismatch the big rematch was a big mismatch

in the end, and it was a real shame. It shows you how important it is

just to have a quarterback who can do the simple things. Christian

Ponder was injured, and Joe Webb they thought might have added the

running dimension, but especially in the first half, he seemed

overwhelmed by the idea of passing the ball, under the pressure that

the Packers were putting on him. He could not make a play with his feet.

And he was not going to make one with his arm. You cannot win in the

NFL, even with Adrian Peterson, if you cannot pass the ball. We are

showing some of the things he did badly, but he had not throw the

ball for the whole season. thing is, that's what Joe Webb is,

and nobody ever thought he was going to be a great passing

quarterback, so they kept him for that purpose. You would have

thought they had game planning better suited to him. It was a late

change, the injury to Christian Ponder is becoming apparent only on

Saturday.. By contrast, on the other side was a true great, Aaron

Rodgers, potentially most valuable player this season? I think he

carried the Packers as much as Adrian Peterson carried the Vikings,

perhaps more. In this game, Darren Rodgers had a pretty good game. He

spreads the ball round brilliantly. And he has got all of his wide

receivers back for the first time this season. But they did not have

a great defensive game, they took that victory thanks to their

defence. Last week, Adrian Peterson got 199 yards against them, but

this week, it was only 99 yards, meaning that Minister owner had a

hard time if it. It is a great theory of sport, make somebody else

beat you. If they have one great weapon, stop him. As I mentioned at

the top of the show, the Vikings come in to town, to London, in

September. They will be playing the Steelers, and then in October, we

have got the San Francisco 49ers coming back to play the Jaguars.

And Adrian Peterson is probably worth the price of the admission

just on his own. He had anterior cruciate ligament surgery, and he

is better now than he was before the surgery. And he is still in the

first year of recovery. By next year, he will be Superman!. It is

definitely box office, and tickets are on sale later this week. More

information about that online. Time now for probably the most inspiring

story from the NFL this year. The Indianapolis Colts were rocked in

September by the news that head coach Chuck Pagano would be taking

an enforced leave of absence to battle with leukaemia. Remarkably,

he would return before the end of the regular-season, with his cancer

in remission. He came back to find the team transformed from the worst

team in the NFL last year to a genuine play-off contender. Andrew

Luck has lived up to his billing at quarterback. And they have clinched

Brit meet AFC wild-card spot. inspiration came week in, week out,

but just watching you fight. Meanwhile, the Ravens can look to

legendry Line bacca Ray Lewis foreign spy moment -- for

inspiration. He wants one more win before retirement. So, the

Indianapolis Colts travelling to Baltimore, with Chuck Pagano

happily back on the sidelines. We join our commentators in the second

the two! Great move, and Joe Flacco forces it in, and Ray Rice does the

rest. First and goal from the two. always run behind him. They changed

it up, give the football to him, and all over it was Pat Angerer.

But there was no question that he broke the line Henson. And they add

the extra point. Getting comfortable here late in the first

half, for the second straight play. Ed Reed was trying to defend that

player on the quarterback there, and he managed to throw it away.

did not get past the line of puts them in field goal range. He

had the presence of mind to turn it around and put them in play for a

Vinatieri with his longest post- season kick of his career. The

Ravens began the second half up, and they improved their passing

game, but could not quite take advantage of this 50-yard pass. We

join them on their own 39. Joe Flacco and the Ravens... What a

catch over the shoulder! Again, he was able to beat the defender. So

few quarterbacks in the NFL can throw it far and extremely high.

That time, Joe Flacco did it. 46 yards to the receiver. That catch

quarterback is in the NFL, if you let him escape the pocket and move

forward that extra time, the Defence breaks down. Wide receivers

come open. That was a lovely move. The extra point is good. Adam

Vinatieri added a field goal for the Indianapolis Colts, and we move

into the fourth court. The Ravens facing a second and nine here.

That's a first down across the 40. That ball was out, and Indianapolis

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have recovered! It was knocked out nine. Incomplete! Donnie Avery took

his eye off it. Well, he saw Bernard Pollard coming, and he is

nicknamed the and force a for a to stretch out for the first,

probably just a shade short. Second to the 18-yard line. 43 Jaan run by

Touchdown! Down the field, very little separation. Darius Butler,

you think most of the time this will be broken up, but with those

strong hands, he gets it into his MATT ROBERTS: Luck ran out for the

Colts with this interception ending Colts with this interception ending

any hope. Now I'm here and I started here and I'm ending here.

There is no greater reward than to take this last victory lap. We have

a vision. We are not trying to end here. This is my last game ever. It

is the most awesome thing you could ever ask for.

Emotional night all round. The news on Bruce, he is out of hospital.

While Pagana was gone, he did the coaching.

Ray Lewis we heard from him. He is still contributing? On the field,

he becomes an emotional player. He doesn't have the speed. He still

has the instincts. He reads a play as well as any defensive player I

have ever seen. He knows where the play is going. He can tell from the

formation. He dropped an interception. He had a good game.

Time for him to retire? Oh yes. He is one of the all-time greats.

was one of the keys for the Baltimore Ravens. The other one,

Boldin. A couple of great catches. One of the keys was to get the ball

One of the keys was to get the ball to somebody down field. What they

have tried to do is open things up a bit. Boldin is not a downfield

receiver. This is the hardest catch you can make. Over the shoulder.

You can only track the ball once it comes over your head. And then to

make the catch. They isolated him brilliantly. They got him the ball.

Sometimes Flacco threw it up and he went and got it. That was the key.

So the Colts go out. They come out of this with a lot to look forward

to? Absolutely. The Colts came from nothing. No-one expected them to

get 11 wins. It is only uphill for them. Other young players as well?

A lot of rookies on that team. Baltimore Ravens, an older team.

They will have to rebuild. Yes. We round off tonight's action with

another repeat performance - this is the Cincinnati Bengals and the

Houston Texans. This year, it was the same venue. More importantly,

would it be the same outcome? Revenge was on the cards for the

Cincinnati Bengals after being knocked out at this stage last year.

After closing the regular season with seven wins from nine,

Cincinnati Bengals found form at the right time. With attention

elsewhere, they were fancied as a joker in the wildcard pack. We are

the best team in this league! Tonight, we will show the world

why! The Texans started the year as the team to beat. They seem to have

forgotten how to play in recent weeks. JJ Watt remains a defensive

baest, but they need to find their -- beast, but they need to find

their mojo and fast! Let's join our commentary team in the first

commentary team in the first quarter with Houston in possession.

They are backed up at their own not before a gain of 17. That was

This drive started at their own quarter. That ball is caught by

Foster. He tried to tightrope his way down the sidelines. They marked

him out at the 30. No doubt about juggled it but couldn't retain it.

It will be a field goal attempt here of 48 yards.

MATT ROBERTS: The Texans effectively shut down the Bengals

and we re-join with Houston in possession.

Foster gives the carry. Carlos Dunlop brought him down. -- Dunlap

brought him down. He swings it out is into the endzone for the

touchdown! That was a great play. That's phenomenal ball skills by

Hall. Look at that - beautiful! MATT ROBERTS: The Texans found

themselves behind. This drop meant they had to settle for a field goal

to end the half. Looking to make their time in possession count in

quarter. This is Foster. He is close to the 45.

On second and five, Foster spins and looks for the first down marker.

He is short of it by a yard-and-a- flag, I think, is Manny Lawson. I

don't think it had anything to do with where the ball was thrown.

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Houston! Finally. MATT ROBERTS: The Bengals needed to

find some offence of their own. We re-join them on their next

possession. Nothing going so far for the

Cincinnati Bengals. This one works. Pass complete, the first of the

game to AJ Green. Comes with 10:20 Deep down field and this one is

complete. Green has it. He's in the offensive play book again. Good

news for the Cincinnati Bengals and four. Trying to keep this alive

settle for a field goal to reduce the deficit. Both sides added a

field goal apiece before the Bengals regained possession in the

fourth quarter, trailing by six and Cincinnati Bengals. Here comes the

rush. Dalton goes deep down field. Just out of reach of Green. Fourth

Cincinnati Bengals will turn it over to Houston.

MATT ROBERTS: That would be the final chance for the Bengals. The

Houston Texans took the win by 19- Houston Texans took the win by 19-

Their final chance that one. What a chance that was? He didn't miss by

that much. They were off the whole game. The receivers didn't help him.

When they were there, Dalton was missing them. Green has the space.

If it goes over Manning's back, that would have been a different

game. The Texans didn't play well, but they are through?

Cincinnati Bengals helped them out! Their offence wasn't that

impressive apart from Arian Foster. The interesting thing is the three

teams, three of the four teams going through were led by running

backs. They will be joined by three teams with great quarterbacks and

one with a running back. I suppose the key is they will have to

improve offensively. The key for them is defence. Anyone who is

going to beat the Texan also have to get past JJ Watt? Yes. He

dominates, whether they have lined him up at the end, or whether they

have moved him inside. Can they go through next weekend? It will be

very hard for them. I don't think New England dominated them as much

as the score indicated the first It should be a fantastic weekend.

Thank you for tonight. It should be a great weekend next weekend. You

can join us for highlights of all those games at the same time