Live Blogging the Playoffs

Not going anywhere for a while, so a few observations:

The overhead shot of Candlestick was a sea of red. Had it been an ink bottle, it could almost supply the Obama administration. Huey Lewis and the News acquitted themselves well on the National Anthem.

Saints get the ball first...fumble in the Red Zone, after a decent drive (and a couple penalties) 49er's take over on the one two. Another decent drive that ends with a punt.
First position of each team results in no score.

Brees sacked on his own ten. Punt fielded by SF on the 30 - fifteen yard return.

49 yard pass - Niners score first blood. Seven -Zip, Niners.

Pressure on Brees - long pass intercepted by Niners mid field, returned inside the ten to the four yd. line.

Touchdown. Crabtree on a pass from Smith. Fourteen -Zip.

NO fumbles ball on the kick. 49er's recover on about the twelve. Unbe-freaking-lievable!

Saints held scoreless in the first quarter. Niners score two touchdowns and are in the Red Zone once again.
*************************

Second quarter starts with Niner's ball on the Saint's 12 yd. line. 45 seconds into the 2nd. Qtr., SF kicks a field goal. 17-0 Niners.

Saints wisely decide to down this kick in the end zone.

In the Saint's defense, the amount of noise in the huddle is bodacious. Home field advantage.

Another fumblerooskie from the Saints. Niners ball. -ruling being challenged...

Never mind! NO keeps possession. Take it into the end zone! Niners 17- Saints 7

Niners get the ball on the 20. Nothing doing. Saints have the ball again. Touchdown Saints!

Niners 17 - Saints 14

SF punting after a gang blitz by NO. NO has about three min. left in the half.

Brees intercepted again. Fourth turnover for NO. Niners ball.

Less than two minutes in the half. Niners kill a little time, now have to punt.

NO gets the ball with a minute left. Punt. Niners get the ball back with half a minute.

Fumblerooskie, the Niners' first. NO recovers with 17 seconds on the clock.

The half is over: Niners 17 Saints 14
*********************

(Maybe I should put in a You Tube video for a halftime show???) Nah.

Second half starts with SF on the 20, burn a little clock and punt.

Fumblerooskie by the Saints (turnover #5) SF recovers. Starts from the NO 26.

Field goal by SF: 20 -14

Brees calls time out with zero second on the play clock, gets his time out and then sacked the next play. NO punts.

Niners get the ball with eight minutes left in 3rd. Qtr. Three and out. SF punt takes the ball to the NO 14.

NO punt takes the ball to SF 15. 3:21 left in third. SF punts to NO 34

Niners 20 - Saints 14
**********************

Fourth qtr. Still NO's ball.

Saints kick field goal: Niners 20 - Saints 17

Niners have the ball, on the move...inside the NO Red Zone.

SF Field goal attempt...good! Niners 23 - Saints 17

7:36 left in the game. NO gets the ball, take it to the 21.

Touchdown Saints! Niners 23 - Saints 24 First lead of the day for NO. Four minutes left in the game.

Niners get the ball on the 20. Smith unloads 37 yd. pass. Ball at the NO 30.

2:18 left. NO calls time out. Has one less time out plus the 2 min warning.

Niners penalized for 12 men on field. Niners take time out.

Unbe-freaking-lievable! Smith runs for TD! 29 -24 Niners looking for 2 pt. conversion. TD under review.

Review confirms call on field. TD SF! Two point conversion fails.

Niners 29 - Saints 24

2:11 then two min. warning Both teams with one time out remaining.

NO receives kick, taken down at the 12.

Two minute warning. NO on their own 22.

NO Touchdown! 1:37 left on the clock. Saint go for 2 pt. conversion, have 3 pt. lead.

Niners 29 - Saints 32

One minute. Niners on their own 33. Need a field goal to tie.

:31 remains Niners in field goal range

Niners spike the ball with :14 on the clock.

Touchdown Niners!!!!!!!

Extra pt. is good!

Niners 36 - Saints 32

Nine seconds to go. NO will have time for one maybe two plays if they can get it out of bounds.

A little pooch kick to keep the ball out of the end zone. NO has four seconds for a Hail Mary. SF calls time out and the game is over!

SF is going to the NFC Championship game! (Phew!)