Seattle upsets defending champs

Published 11:24 pm Saturday, January 8, 2011

SEATTLE (AP) — Matt Hasselbeck threw four touchdown passes and Marshawn Lynch scored on an electrifying 67-yard touchdown run in the final minutes to lead the Seattle Seahawks to an improbable 41-36 victory over the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints in the opening round of the playoffs.

The Seahawks (8-9) came into Saturday’s game as the first division winner with a losing record, yet pulled off one of the biggest upsets in NFL playoff history — with authority.

The Seahawks held a 34-20 early in the fourth quarter before Drew Brees looked ready to lead the Saints (11-6) on one of their patented comebacks. But Lynch broke about a half-dozen tackles for his TD with 3:22 left as Seattle finished off the Saints.

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Jets 17, Colts 16.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Nick Folk kicked a 32-yard field goal as time expired Saturday night, giving the New York Jets a 17-16 first-round playoff victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

New York (12-5) now heads to New England for a third meeting next Sunday.

The Colts (11-6), AFC champions last year over the Jets, thought they had won it when Adam Vinatieri made a 50-yard field goal with 53 seconds left, his longest kick since 2008.

But the Jets got a 47-yard kickoff return from Antonio Cromartie and Mark Sanchez set up the field goal with an 18-yard pass to Braylon Edwards at the Colts 14. New York called timeout with 3 seconds to go, and Folk hit the winner.

New York’s LaDainian Tomlinson rushed 16 times for 82 yards and scored two TDs, both on 1-yard runs.

Peyton Manning was 18 of 26 for 225 yards and one TD.