1994-95 NFL Playoffs

Wild Card Round

, • [[]] • • • {{{Away Rank (AP)}}} [[ ]] {{{Home Rank (AP)}}} [[ ]] ' Team 1 2 3 4 Totals '

, • [[]] • • • {{{Away Rank (AP)}}} [[ ]] {{{Home Rank (AP)}}} [[ ]] ' Team 1 2 3 4 Totals '

, • [[]] • • • {{{Away Rank (AP)}}} [[ ]] {{{Home Rank (AP)}}} [[ ]] ' Team 1 2 3 4 Totals '

, • [[]] • • • {{{Away Rank (AP)}}} [[ ]] {{{Home Rank (AP)}}} [[ ]] ' Team 1 2 3 4 Totals '

Divisional Round

January 7, 1995 • Three Rivers Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA • NBC • {{{Away Rank (AP)}}} Cleveland Browns {{{Home Rank (AP)}}} Pittsburgh Steelers 9 Team 1 2 3 4 Totals Browns 0 3 0 6 9 Steelers 3 21 3 2 29 29

• Scoring
  • PIT - field goal Anderson 39 PIT 3-0
  • PIT - E. Green 2 pass from O'Donnell (Anderson kick) PIT 10-0
  • PIT - J.L. Williams 26 run (Anderson kick) PIT 17-0
  • CLE - field goal Stover 22 PIT 17-3
  • PIT - Thigpen 9 pass from O'Donnell (Anderson kick) PIT 24-3
  • PIT - field goal Anderson 40 PIT 27-3
  • CLE - McCardell 20 pass from Testaverde (pass failed) PIT 27-9
  • PIT - Lake sacked Testaverde in end zone PIT 29-9

Aided by running back Barry Foster's 133 rushing yards, the Steelers controlled the game by scoring on their first three possessions and holding the ball for 42:27. Pittsburgh jumped to a 17-0 lead by the second quarter with a 39-field goal by kicker Gary Anderson, quarterback Neil O'Donnell's 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Eric Green, and running back John L. Williams' 26-yard touchdown run. Browns kicker Matt Stover made a 22-yard field goal to cut the lead, 17-3, but in the closing seconds of the quarter, Steelers defensive back Tim McKyer intercepted a pass from Cleveland quarterback Vinny Testaverde and returned it to the Browns 6-yard line. O'Donnell then completed a 9-yard touchdown to wide receiver Yancey Thigpen with 16 seconds left in the first half. In the final quarter, Testaverde completed a 20-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Keenan McCardell, but the Cleveland quarterback was then sacked in the end zone by Pittsburgh defensive back Carnell Lake for a safety.

January 8, 1995 • Qualcomm Stadium • San Diego, CA • NBC • {{{Away Rank (AP)}}} Miami Dolphins {{{Home Rank (AP)}}} San Diego Chargers 21 Team 1 2 3 4 Totals Dolphins 7 14 0 0 21 Chargers 0 6 9 7 22 22

• Scoring
  • MIA - K. Jackson 8 pass from Marino (Stoyanovich kick) MIA 7-0
  • SD - field goal Carney 20 MIA 7-3
  • MIA - K. Jackson 9 pass from Marino (Stoyanovich kick) MIA 14-3
  • SD - field goal Carney 21 MIA 14-6
  • MIA - M. Williams 16 pass from Marino (Stoyanovich kick) MIA 21-6
  • SD - Safety, R. Davis tackled Parmalee in end zone MIA 21-8
  • SD - Means 24 run (Carney kick) MIA 21-15
  • SD - Seay 8 pass from Humphries (Carney kick) SD 22-21

The Chargers overcame a 21-6 halftime deficit by limiting the Dolphins offense to only 16 plays in the second half. Miami quarterback Dan Marino threw three touchdowns in the first half: two to tight end Keith Jackson for 8 and 9 yards, and a 16-yarder to wide receiver Mike Williams. San Diego could only counter with two field goals by kicker John Carney. But in the third quarter, Chargers defensive lineman Reuben Davis tackled Dolphins running back Bernie Parmalee in the end zone for a safety. San Diego then took the ensuing free kick and marched 54 yards to score on running back Natrone Means' 24-yard touchdown. The Chargers later took the lead, 22–21, with 35 seconds left with quarterback Stan Humphries's 8-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mark Seay. Miami kicker Pete Stoyanovich then attempted a game-winning 48-yard field goal on the final play of the game, but his kick was wide right.

January 7, 1995 • Candlestick Park • San Francisco, CA • Fox • {{{Away Rank (AP)}}} Chicago Bears {{{Home Rank (AP)}}} San Francisco 49ers 15 Team 1 2 3 4 Totals Bears 3 0 0 12 15 49ers 7 23 7 7 44 44

• Scoring
  • CHI - field goal Butler 39 CHI 3-0
  • SF - Floyd 2 run (Brian kick) SF 7-3
  • SF - Jones 8 pass from Young (kick failed) SF 13-3
  • SF - Floyd 4 run (Brian kick) SF 20-3
  • SF - field goal Brian 36 SF 23-3
  • SF - Young 6 run (Brien kick) SF 30-3
  • SF - Floyd 1 run (Brien kick) SF 37-3
  • CHI - Flanigan 2 pass from Walsh (pass failed) SF 37-9
  • SF - Walker 1 run (Brien kick) SF 44-9
  • CHI - Tillman 1 run (pass failed) SF 44-15

The 49ers scored on six consecutive possessions to crush the Bears, 44–15. Chicago scored first after a fumble by San Francisco tight end Brent Jones set up kicker Kevin Butler's 39-yard field goal. However, the 49ers then scored 37 unanswered points, including 23 in the second quarter. They led 30–3 at halftime. San Francisco rookie running back William Floyd scored three touchdowns from 2, 4, and 1 yard out. 49ers quarterback Steve Young threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Jones, and ran for a 6-yard score. San Francisco kicker Doug Brien also added a 36-yard field goal. The Bears eventually scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, but the game was already out of reach and the 49ers had already replaced their starters with their backups.

January 8, 1995 • Texas Stadium • Irving, TX • Fox • {{{Away Rank (AP)}}} Green Bay Packers {{{Home Rank (AP)}}} Dallas Cowboys 9 Team 1 2 3 4 Totals Packers 3 6 0 0 9 Cowboys 14 14 0 7 35 35

• Scoring
  • DAL - Smith 5 run (Boniol kick) DAL 7-0
  • GB - field goal Jacke 50 DAL 7-3
  • DAL - Harper 94 pass from Aikman (Boniol kick) DAL 14-3
  • DAL - Thomas 1 run (Boniol kick) DAL 21-3
  • GB - Bennett 1 run (pass failed) DAL 21-9
  • DAL - Galbraith 1 pass from Aikman (Boniol kick) DAL 28-9
  • DAL - Thomas 2 run (Boniol kick) DAL 35-9

Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman led his team to victory by completing 23 out of 30 passes for 337 yards and 2 touchdowns. Wide receiver Alvin Harper caught 2 passes for 108 yards, including a 94-yard touchdown reception that broke the NFL playoff record for the longest play from scrimmage. Wide receiver Michael Irvin recorded 6 receptions for 111 yards. Tight end Scott Galbraith scored on a 1-yard catch and tight end Jay Novacek added 11 catches for 104 yards. Dallas running back Emmitt Smith recorded a 5-yard touchdown before leaving the game with a hamstring injury, while backup running back Blair Thomas rushed for 70 yards and scored from 1 yard and 2 yards out. For the Packers, kicker Chris Jacke made a 50-yard field goal while running back Edgar Bennett scored on a 1-yard touchdown. Receiver Robert Brooks caught 8 passes for 138 yards.

Conference Championships

January 15, 1995 • Three Rivers Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA • NBC • {{{Away Rank (AP)}}} San Diego Chargers {{{Home Rank (AP)}}} Pittsburgh Steelers 17 Team 1 2 3 4 Totals Chargers 0 3 7 7 17 Steelers 7 3 3 0 13 13

• Scoring
  • PIT - J.L. Williams 16 pass from O'Donnell (Anderson kick) PIT 7-0
  • SD - field goal Carney 20 PIT 7-3
  • PIT - field goal Anderson 39 PIT 10-3
  • PIT - field goal Anderson 23 PIT 13-3
  • SD - Pupunu 43 pass from Humphries (Carney kick) PIT 13-10
  • SD - T. Martin 43 pass from Humphries (Carney kick) SD 17-13

The Chargers scored 14 unanswered points in the second half to upset the heavily favored Steelers. Although Pittsburgh held advantages in total plays (80–47), total offensive yards (415–226), and time of possession (37:13–22:47), it was San Diego who made the big plays. The Steelers scored first on quarterback Neil O'Donnell's 16-yard touchdown pass to fullback John Williams. Then after the two teams exchanged field goals in the second quarter, Pittsburgh kicker Gary Anderson made a 23-yard field goal to give his team a 13-3 advantage.

Midway through the third quarter, Chargers quarterback Stan Humphries faked a handoff, fooling the Steelers defensive backs long enough to find tight end Alfred Pupunu wide open to complete a 43-yard touchdown. With 5:13 left in the game, Humphries threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tony Martin, who out-jumped defensive back Tim McKyer to make the catch and give the Chargers a 17–13 lead. Pittsburgh then marched from their own 17-yard line to the San Diego 3 to put themselves in position for a potential winning touchdown. However on fourth down, Chargers linebacker Dennis Gibson sealed the victory by tipping away O'Donnell's pass intended for running back Barry Foster. The Steelers lost for the first time during the season in which they held a lead at halftime. (In 1994, the Steelers were 9–0 when leading at halftime prior to this game.)

NFC

January 15, 1995 • Candlestick Park • San Francisco, CA • Fox • {{{Away Rank (AP)}}} Dallas Cowboys {{{Home Rank (AP)}}} San Francisco 49ers 28 Team 1 2 3 4 Totals Cowboys 7 7 7 7 28 49ers 21 10 7 0 38 38

• Scoring
  • SF - Davis 44 interception return (Brien kick) SF 7-0
  • SF - Watters 29 pass from Young (Brien kick) SF 14-0
  • SF - Floyd 1 run (Brien kick) SF 21-0
  • DAL - Irvin 44 pass from Aikman (Boniol kick) SF 21-7
  • SF - field goal Brien 34 SF 24-7
  • DAL - Smith 4 run (Boniol kick) SF 24-14
  • SF - Rice 28 pass from Young (Brien kick) SF 31-14
  • DAL - Smith 1 run (Boniol kick) SF 31-21
  • SF - Young 3 run (Brien kick) SF 38-21
  • DAL - Irvin 10 pass from Aikman (Boniol kick) SF 38-28

This was the third consecutive season that the Cowboys and the 49ers met in the NFC Championship Game, with Dallas winning the first two conference title games. San Francisco quarterback Steve Young still faced the pressure of "never being able to win the big ones", while Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman entered the game with a 7–0 win-loss record as a starter in the playoffs.

Although the Cowboys eventually held a 451–294 advantage in total offensive yards, the 49ers converted three turnovers into three touchdowns in the first quarter en route to the 38–28 victory. On the third play of the game, San Francisco cornerback Eric Davis intercepted Aikman's pass and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown. Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin lost a fumble on the next Dallas possession, setting up a 29-yard touchdown pass from Young to running back Ricky Watters, who eluded several Cowboys defenders high-stepping his way down the sideline en route to the goal line in spectacular showboating fashion. Dallas returner Kevin Williams then fumbled the ensuing kickoff, San Francisco kicker Doug Brien recovered the ball at the Cowboys 35-yard line, and running back William Floyd scored on a 1-yard touchdown to give his team a 21–0 lead with 7:33 left in the first quarter.

A 44-yard touchdown pass from Aikman to Irvin cut the lead 21-7 going into the second quarter. Brien then kicked a 34-yard field goal, but Dallas countered with a 4-yard rushing touchdown by running back Emmitt Smith. In the closing minutes of the first half, Aikman threw three straight incompletions, and a short punt by the Cowboys set up Young's 28-yard touchdown completion to All-Pro wide receiver Jerry Rice (which during the halftime show, Terry Bradshaw said was one of the best passes he had ever seen), who made a diving catch in the back-left corner of the end zone with 8 seconds remaining in the first half.

In the third quarter, Smith scored on a 1-yard touchdown, but was countered with Young's 3-yard rushing touchdown. In the final quarter, Smith, who compiled 74 yards and two touchdowns, departed with an injured hamstring, which he had already injured before this game, it got enough wear and tear to the point he couldn't play anymore. Aikman then completed a 10-yard touchdown to Irvin in the final quarter, but Dallas could not score again. The Cowboys came very close to scoring with 6:14 left in the game when Troy Aikman lofted a pass to Michael Irvin. Cornerback Deion Sanders and Irvin made contact, but it was ruled incidental and the pass fell incomplete. The refs threw a flag but it was on Dallas Head Coach Barry Switzer for being on the field and engaging in unsportsmanlike conduct. Although Aikman broke an NFC Championship Game record with 380 yards passing, and Irvin also broke an NFC Championship Game record with 192 receiving yards, ultimately the first-quarter turnovers were too much to overcome.

Super Bowl XXIX

January 29, 1995 • Dolphin Stadium • Miami, Florida • ABC • {{{Away Rank (AP)}}} San Diego Chargers {{{Home Rank (AP)}}} San Francisco 49ers 26 Team 1 2 3 4 Totals Chargers 7 3 8 8 26 49ers 14 14 14 7 49 49