Postseason results 1996 Carolina Panthers season

nfc divisional playoff

at ericsson stadium, charlotte, north carolina

date: sunday, january 5, 1997
game time: 4:00 p.m. est
game weather: 71 °f (22 °c), clear
game attendance: 72,808
referee: johnny grier
tv announcers (fox): pat summerall , john madden

the second-year panthers held cowboys quarterback troy aikman 165 passing yards , forced 3 interceptions en route first playoff win in team history. cowboys receiver michael irvin knocked out of game on second play on hard hit lamar lathon; hit broke irvin s collarbone. on offense, running anthony johnson top performer 104 rushing yards , 9-yard reception. dallas scored first on kicker chris boniol s 22-yard field goal, wide receiver michael irvin knocked out of game separated shoulder. carolina quarterback kerry collins threw 2 touchdown passes, 1-yarder tight end wesley walls , 10-yarder wide receiver willie green. cowboys countered 73-yard drive score on aikman s 2-yard touchdown pass daryl johnston, failed on point attempt , panthers lead cut 14–9. bad snap on carolina punt attempt went out of end zone give cowboys safety. panthers safety chad cota intercepted pass , returned 49 yards set kicker john kasay s 24-yard field goal 3 seconds in half, giving carolina 17–11 halftime lead. second half battle of field goals kasey kicking 3 on boniol s 2. in final minutes of fourth penalties on tyrone poole kept cowboys drive alive, until aikman intercepted pat terrell; subsequent kasay field goal ended hopes cowboys in 26–17 carolina win.

nfc championship

at lambeau field, green bay, wisconsin

date: sunday, january 12, 1997
game time: 12:30 p.m. est/11:30 a.m. cst
game weather: 8 °f (−13 °c), clear
game attendance: 60,216
referee: bob mcelwee
tv announcers (fox): pat summerall , john madden

the packers recorded 201 rushing yards , 476 total yards of offense. green bay running dorsey levens recorded 117 yards receiving , 88 yards rushing, including 29-yard touchdown catch. quarterback brett favre managed overcome 2 turnovers set 10 carolina points, completing 19 out of 29 passes 292 yards , 2 touchdowns. packers running edgar bennett, recorded 99 rushing yards, scored touchdown 4 yards out, , kicker chris jacke added 3 field goals.

early in first quarter, panthers linebacker sam mills intercepted pass favre , returned packers 3-yard line, setting kerry collins 3-yard touchdown pass fullback howard griffith. green bay struck favre s 29-yard touchdown pass levens, after forcing punt, carolina lineman lamar lathon recovered fumble favre on packers 45-yard line. few plays later, john kasay s 22-yard field goal put panthers in lead, 10–7.

but after that, packers dominated rest of game. favre responded leading green bay 71 yards in 15 plays , scoring 6-yard touchdown pass antonio freeman. on first play after ensuing kickoff, safety tyrone williams intercepted pass collins on packers 38-yard line. favre s completions andre rison , freeman gains of 23 , 25 yards moved ball field goal range, , jacke s 31-yard field goal finished drive, giving green bay 17–10 halftime lead.

on first drive of second half, green bay moved ball 73 yards in 11 plays , scored jacke field goal. panthers managed respond 11-play, 73-yard drive of own , score kasay s second field goal, cut deficit 7 points. green bay stormed right 74-yard touchdown drive, featuring 66-yard reception levens. on next play, bennett s 4-yard touchdown run gave packers 27–13 lead 2 minutes left in third quarter. in fourth quarter, jacke s third field goal put game out of reach.