Unbeaten Patriots capture AFC
FOXBOROUGH, Mass., Jan. 20 (UPI) -- Laurence Maroney picked up 122 yards rushing and one touchdown Sunday and the New England Patriots beat San Diego 21-12 in the AFC Championship Game.
New England won its fourth AFC title in seven years and became the first team in NFL history to go 18-0. The Patriots will get the chance to finish the season 19-0 in Super Bowl XLII, set for Feb. 3 in Glendale, Ariz.
Quarterback Tom Brady completed 22 of 33 passes for 209 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Wes Welker caught seven passes for 56 yards and a score, and Kevin Faulk had eight receptions for 82 yards for the Pats.
Philip Rivers finished 19 of 37 passing with 211 yards and two interceptions for the Chargers (13-6), who had three key playmakers injured for the playoff game -- including Rivers and top rusher LaDainian Tomlinson, who started but left the game after gaining just five yards on two carries early in the first quarter.
Nate Kaeding had four field goals for San Diego.
Giants win NFC in overtime
GREEN BAY, Wis., Jan. 20 (UPI) -- A 47-yard field goal by Lawrence Tynes in overtime Sunday gave the New York Giants a 23-20 victory over the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game.
Tynes redeemed himself with the game winner, after missing a 36-yard attempt as time expired in the fourth quarter of a game played in frigid temperatures at historic Lambeau Field. He also kicked two other field goals in the win.
Eli Manning completed 21 of 40 passes for 255 yards for New York (13-6), who will play the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII Feb. 3 in Glendale, Ariz.
Plaxico Burress had 11 receptions for 154 yards and Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw each rushed for a touchdown for the Giants.
Brett Favre went 19 of 35 passing for 236 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Packers (14-4), who were trying to win their first conference title in 11 years.
Donald Driver had five receptions for 141 yards and a score.
Bode Miller races to record 28th title
KITZBUEHEL, Austria, Jan. 20 (UPI) -- American Bode Miller skied to his 28th World Cup win Sunday in Austria, breaking Phil Mahre's record for victories by a U.S. skier.
"It's a nice record, something you dream about as a kid," Miller said after winning a combined competition at Kitzbuehel. "As a professional skier, you're more focused on winning each individual race."
Miller, of Bretton Woods, N.H., passed Mahre, a star in the 1970s and '80s who had long held the U.S. mark of 27 World Cup wins.
The new leader had tied Mahre a week ago, winning a downhill in Switzerland.
Miller has won six downhills, nine giant slalom races, five slaloms, five in super-G and three in combined.
He won the Kitzbuehel title with a 14th-place finish in the slalom Sunday combined with a runner-up run in the downhill Saturday.
D.J. Trahan rallies to win Hope Classic
PALM SPRINGS, Calif., Jan. 20 (UPI) -- D.J. Trahan came from four shots behind to win the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in California Sunday with a five-round total of 26-under-par 334.
Trahan shot a 7-under 65 to overtake Justin Leonard, who ended up in second place three strokes back.
The win, which earned Trahan $918,000, was his second on the PGA Tour.
"I knew I was going to have to go out and play some good golf," Trahan said. "A 65 was a good round. It was able to get the job done for me. I'm very happy."
Leonard, who led entering the final round, slipped to an even-par 72 and a total of 23-under 337.
Kenny Perry and Anthony Kim both shot 3-under 69 and tied for third at 22-under 338.
Trahan had previously won the Southern Farm Bureau Classic in 2006.
