NFL Game of the Week

This special preseason edition introduces the ""Sounds of the Game"" concept, later reproduced in November. No narration is provided in this, the Broncos' second preseason game, which they lost to Buffalo, 16-6.

""Day One"" of the 2004 NFL season (for all but six teams) was September 12. The New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals entered with a reasonable shot at a season to be proud of. Both had young quarterbacks making their first opening-day start (Chad Pennington for the Jets, Carson Palmer for Cincinnati). It set the stage for some offensive firepower.

Both the Steelers and Raiders had had horrendous 2003 campaigns. Now, on Opening Day 2004, they sought the same goal: ""Old Tradition, New Edition.""

This clash of the 2003 co-MVPs saw Peyton Manning make that first true assault on the NFL single-season TD record. And there was little a depleted Titans team could do as the Colts defense outplayed Tennessee QB Steve McNair.

This Monday Night Football match-up of Sept. 20 put a defense known for protecting its red-zone turf (Philadelphia) against a team that, in 2003, had trouble scoring within the red zone (Minnesota). The result was ""Winged Victory.""

Two former division rivals had yet to find themselves after 1-1 starts. When they met September 26, 2004 in the Edward Jones Dome, offense had to carry the day. It was a game of ""Saints and Sinners."" With penalties piling up on St. Louis, a Saints' backup RB caught attention in New Orleans's 28-25 overtime win, ending the Rams' 15-game regular-season home winning streak.

""Full Throttle"" was the way to describe Peyton Manning's Week 3 performance at the RCA Dome. What had been billed as the showcase game by Fox Sports and others, really lived up to its billing. On September 26, 2004, the Colts racked up 35 points in the first half, then had to face a stiff challenge from the resilient Brett Favre.

The Jaguars opened 2004 by winning their first three games by a combined margin of seven points. Division rival Indianapolis was every bit the champions of the AFC South. Now they met in the searing heat of Alltel Stadium Oct. 3 to see who was full of hot air and who could really fly.

October 3, 2004 was a ""Welcome Home"" for safety John Lynch. After being released by the Buccaneers, Lynch signed with Denver and now faced his old team at Raymond James Stadium. Of even greater significance was that Denver could take sole possession of first place in the AFC West.

Invesco Field at Mile High, the Broncos' four-year old gridiron, began evoking the spirit of Mile High Stadium October 10, 2004. All the breaks seemed to go Denver's way, much to the chagrin of the defending NFC Champion Panthers.

The Rams had been billed as ""Fast and Furious,"" but it certainly didn't look that way for much of their October 10 game with the Seahawks at Qwest Field. Down 27-10 late in the fourth quarter, however, St. Louis showed their resolve. The ""greatest show on turf"" was re-established, tying the game with eight seconds left, and then launching an overtime TD to win, 33-27.

The sloppy Seahawks met the dominant Patriots October 17, 2004 in a game that symbolized both teams' seasons. New England sought its 20th straight win, but it would not come easy.

The 62nd Battle of Ohio was a must-win for both teams, but more so to Browns quarterback Jeff Garcia. He had critics to answer, and he responded October 17, 2004 with the longest touchdown pass in Cleveland Browns history.

The Lions and Giants went through the first six weeks of 2004 on a new attitude as winners. Steve Mariucci took Detroit to East Rutherford, New Jersey October 24 to face Big Blue and new coach Tom Coughlin. Though the Lions would prevail 28-13, it would be the exception to a season that would give Detroit and New York losing records.

The greatness of the RCA Dome would usually be reserved for Peyton Manning and Company. But the Jacksonville Jaguars, under coach Jack Del Rio, were strong challengers in 2004. Three weeks earlier, they had hosted the Colts and lost. Now, on October 24, the Jags went back to their custom of winning the tight ones, 27-24.

Halloween was a true ""Red October"" in Kansas City. Fans at Arrowhead Stadium expected another shootout between the Colts and Chiefs on October 31. This time, K.C. would avenge their AFC Divisional Playoff loss to the high-rising Colts.

There are those who like a winning streak to keep going and going. Others love to see the winning streak end. That latter category packed Heinz Field on Halloween claiming ""21 And Done"" and, as dusk fell, never stopped gloating as the Steelers walked all over an injured New England team. It was the Patriots' first loss in 13 months.

Already the Steelers had knocked off the unbeaten Patriots. Now, on November 7, 2004, they sought the only other undefeated team: the Eagles. For the second straight week, the outcome was never in doubt, especially for all those in Heinz Field.

Viewers tuned into Monday Night Football November 8, 2004 expecting an offensive clinic between the Colts and Vikings. They were not disappointed. With brilliant track records in the enclosed stadiums, both Indy and Minnesota were ready for some ""Dome Cookin'."" The upper hand would belong to the Colts, 31-28.

The Packers, after a slow start, were intent on continuing their ""March to First"" on November 14 against faltering Minnesota.

The sound bytes get more intense as two tightly-wound teams clashed in star-crossed New Jersey on November 14, 2004.

Many people didn't give San Diego much of a chance before the 2004 training camp. A 1-2 start seemed to confirm their suspicions. But the Chargers did have some life in them. It became crystallized in this Dec. 5 showdown for first place in the AFC West. Denver became victim of its inconsistencies, falling short of a fourth-quarter comeback. San Diego, 20-17 victors, achieved their first winning season since 1995.

Pittsburgh dreamed of playing in Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville. To get there, it appeared the Steelers had to climb a mountain called the Jaguars on Sunday night, December 5. Ex-rival Jacksonville spent 60 minutes doing everything they could to disrupt the Steelers' rhythm, but to no avail.

The NFC West became the weakest division in 2004. It was assumed the winner of that division would finish with a .500 record. Certainly Seattle fit the picture, as they battled Minnesota December 12. Both teams were tied for first in their respective divisions. But in a close battle, Seattle hung on, and finished the day alone on top the NFC West.

Just one year earlier, the Chargers were the NFL's worst team. Now they led the AFC West, with a near-perfect home record. The third consecutive Charger game featured on NFL Game of the Week, put the energetic Chargers against a Bucs team staggering to grasp for a wild card berth.

The Panthers, after a disastrous start, sought to pull off an incredible comeback story that would land them in the playoffs. But on Dec. 18, the new NFC South champion Falcons dealt a comeback of their own, rubbing out the Panthers' lead.

An ever-tightening race in the NFC North got tighter when the Jaguars marched into Lambeau Field December 19. Jacksonville, looking for a playoff bid themselves, ignored the history and dealt the Packers a 28-25 setback. Thus Green Bay fell back into a tie with Minnesota for the top of the NFC North.

It was once said that the Black and Blue Division carried four laws, among them ""There are no sure things"" and ""Expect the unexpected."" All those laws were carried out December 24, 2004, as the Packers and Vikings met in ""The Fight Before Christmas."" A win over Minnesota would guarantee Green Bay the championship of their division again.

Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning needed two TD passes on December 26 to break Dan Marino's record for most touchdowns thrown in a season. More important than the record, though, is that both the Colts and Chargers were champions of their respective divisions. This overtime game would help decide who would be third seed and fourth seed in the AFC playoffs.

Perhaps the Saints and the Panthers had ""Nine Lives"" when they entered Bank of America Stadium on January 2, 2005. Both teams had seemed out of it at midseason, but both had stormed through the second half. Now, both teams put it on the line, for the winner could make the playoffs. In the end, with the Saints 21-18 winners, neither team reached the postseason because other teams didn't win their games.

The Jets and Rams arrived at the Edward Jones Dome January 2, 2005 from opposite directions. New York could make the playoffs in one of two ways, but for St. Louis, it was win or go home. In this portrayal of ""Two Roads, Same Destination,"" a couple of questionable Jet moves would aid the Rams to scratch out a 32-29 overtime victory.

NFL Game of the Week turns back the clock on this 30-minute special chronicling the NFL Kickoff game from September 9, 2004. The Colts were eager to avenge their 2003 AFC Championship loss in New England. Though Peyton Manning got a jump start on his record-setting season, the game would be decided in the last seconds.

Nobody gave the St. Louis Rams much of a chance to beat the Seahawks in Seattle to start the playoffs. But this was a Rams team which had shown its greatest resilience in October, overcoming a huge deficit to overturn Seattle in overtime. The results of this playoff game on January 8, 2005, were not pretty. But ""The Greatest Show on Turf"" had been reinvigorated, besting the NFC West Champion Seahawks 27-20. The Rams were thus the first team in NFL history to win a post-season game after finishing the regular season at .500.

The San Diego Chargers had waited nine years for this moment: a post-season game. But the Jets were not intimidated this night of January 8, 2005. Talk of ""Jet lag"" would end, as New York seemed to control the game. A penalty would lead to the Chargers' game-tying touchdown that forced overtime, but Herman Edwards' team kept pushing, and ultimately won late in the 15th minute of overtime, 20-17.

""Afro-Zen Tundra""?? That spelling suggests the unorthodox ways of the second NFC Wild Card Game of 2004. When they returned to Lambeau Field January 9, 2005, the Vikings knew how to overcome consecutive last-second defeats to the Packers. Daunte Culpepper was the Zen master this day.

""Pressure"" is the operative word in any playoff game. Atlanta, hosting the NFC Divisional Playoff against the Rams January 15, 2005, had a pressure performer in Michael Vick. Just as pressure-tested for this playoff was the Falcons' defense, which shut down St. Louis in the second half. Jim Mora Jr. had, in just his first full season as a head coach, both a 47-17 victory in his first post-season game and a trip to the NFC Championship Game eight days later.

The Steelers' starting QB, rookie Ben Roethlisberger, had gone undefeated in 13 NFL starts. Now he faced a true test in the AFC Divisional Playoff January 15, 2005 against the Jets. New York was good enough to win at certain times, but in the fourth quarter, when it mattered, they fell short. Overtime saw Pittsburgh scratch a 20-17 overtime win.

For the Indianapolis Colts, this was a recurring nightmare: their failure to win in Foxboro. It didn't let up on January 16, 2005. New England's defense proved more than a match for league MVP Peyton Manning. Given a 20-3 victory, New England was eager for a rematch with the Steelers for the right to play in Super Bowl XXXIX.

Fans in Philadelphia had been hurt several times since 2001 when their sports heroes didn't win the one game that really mattered. On January 23, 2005, one day after a blizzard swept through town, the Eagles' fans believed it was ""Our Team, Our Town, Our Turn."" Only the Atlanta Falcons stood in their way, and their quick rise ended. The Philadelphia Eagles, 27-10 winners over Atlanta, were back in the Super Bowl for the first time in 24 years.

Both the Patriots and Steelers were ""A Cut Above"" the other NFL teams in 2004. With the two best records in the league, New England naturally would face Pittsburgh January 23, 2005. (Some assumed the winner of this game would automatically win the Super Bowl two weeks later.) Though Pittsburgh had the stingiest defense in the NFL, New England overwhelmed them on both sides of the ball. The end result: the visitors walked away winning 41-27, leaving Pittsburgh 1-4 in their last five AFC Championship games.

Some predicted the Patriots and Eagles to meet in Super Bowl XXXIX before the season began. One team was every bit a dynasty, the other a team working to conquer its past demons. For New England, this was a night for new and different heroes. Deion Branch was named MVP for his Super-Bowl-record-tying eleven receptions. Still, Philadelphia would not go down without a fight at the end. The fight produced a 24-21 Patriot triumph, their third championship in four years.