00:00Well, the key game this afternoon is being played in New Jersey.
00:08It is the Chicago Bears and the New York Giants, and what it means simply is this.
00:12If the Bears win it, they will be the wild card in the NFC.
00:15They will open up the playoffs on CBS a week from tomorrow in Dallas.
00:20It would be Chicago and Dallas, meaning the second game on that card would be Minnesota at Los Angeles.
00:25However, if the New York Giants beat the Bears and they are tied 3-3 just going into the third quarter,
00:32then of course Washington would qualify for the playoffs, and it would mean that Minnesota would open in Dallas
00:36and Washington would play game two out in Los Angeles.
00:40Let's take you around the league right now and get you up to date with all the scores.
00:43There they are, and they still have not kicked off to start the second half.
00:46Atlanta and New Orleans, the Saints trying to come back after that nightmare of a week ago.
00:51It is 14-7 Falcons. St. Louis and Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers may have a winning streak going.
00:58Philadelphia and the New York Jets, it took them an entire season,
01:01but the Eagles may have finally discovered a field goal specialist.
01:04Nick McAmire, two field goals in the first half, 20-0, they are burying the Jets.
01:09And in a game the Bengals must win, they are losing.
01:12Houston, though, missed an extra point, and maybe, as Jimmy the Greek said, they will go into overtime.
01:18Green Bay and San Francisco, the 49ers have just snapped back after trailing by a score of 7-3.
01:24We can check in now on some of the highlights, Chicago and the New York Giants,
01:29and the big story there, unfortunately, is that it is a miserable, miserable afternoon.
01:34No chance at all for Walter Payton to do his thing. This will give you an idea.
01:38Parsons punting for Chicago, Steinke to return for the Giants, watch the ball.
01:43Slips free. Rather recovered for Chicago, they could not score a touchdown.
01:51Bob Thomas, a 32-yard field goal, 3-0, Bears.
01:57Joe Dinello answered it with a 38-yarder, tied at 3.
02:02Walter Payton, dropped by Ray Rhodes, was held to minus 5 yards in the first half.
02:07As a matter of fact, the Giants outrushed Chicago 103-12.
02:11Nobody expected that, obviously, but the Giants do have a great defensive line,
02:15and they've done a great job all year against the rush.
02:17But down in Atlanta, other things are going on right now.
02:19The New Orleans Saints are trying to get untracked after that upset loss to Tampa Bay last week,
02:23and they trail the halftime 14-7 to the Atlanta Falcons,
02:26and Woody Thompson puts the Falcons on top right away with this touchdown run,
02:30and they lead 7-0 in the second quarter.
02:32Harkowski goes to the airwaves in this particular play, hits Farmer.
02:35Farmer takes the ball down to the 14-yard line, allowing Haskell Stanback to carry it from there,
02:40down to the 1, and Mr. Stanback answers the call again,
02:43only this time he goes in for the touchdown.
02:45Atlanta leads 14-0.
02:47Archie Manning, late in the second quarter, puts the Saints on the board
02:50with this particular pass to Henry Childs.
02:52He hits him in the end zone, and the Saints go out that way at halftime,
02:55Atlanta 14, New Orleans 7.
02:58Irv St. Louis and Tampa Bay.
03:00The Buccaneers, of course, return home after upsetting New Orleans
03:03and winning the first victory in the history of the franchise a week ago.
03:06Cardinals with the ball.
03:08Hart going over the middle, and Cotney will pick it off for the Buccaneers.
03:14Huff, their quarterback, looking for Novak.
03:19And the suddenly potent Buccaneers have got the ball on the Cardinals 20.
03:23Lewis Carter to score as the Buccaneers get six points in the first quarter
03:28for the first time in their history, and they weren't finished.
03:31Early in the second quarter, Huff, Morris, Owens make it six more,
03:36and the extra point made it 14 to nothing.
03:39The embarrassed Cardinals come back.
03:42Hart, Harris, at the 10.
03:46And it was Wayne Morris running it in for the touchdown.
03:4914-7, Tampa Bay leading.
03:52The San Francisco 49ers have come back against the Green Bay Packers.
03:55The game is being played in Milwaukee, and the field conditions there
03:58are vastly better than they are over in the Meadowlands in New Jersey.
04:02Here is Plunkett and Willie Buchanan of the Pack,
04:05picks it off.
04:08Green Bay could not get a touchdown.
04:10Marco kicked a 27-yard field goal.
04:12It was three to nothing.
04:15But the 49ers drove 75 yards, 16 plays.
04:18Plunkett to Washington for the touchdown.
04:20They lead it 7-3.
04:22So let us now leave New York and return you to the various stadiums.
