The throw, more a heave from the 2003 co-MVP, hung in the biting-cold air like a short punt ... before the ball fell into the cocked, er, frozen hands of Drew Bennett ...
... it didn't stay there.
Under heavy pressure, Steve McNair valiantly put plenty of air under his fourth-and-12 attempt, enough to give his wide receiver a chance on that January night in 2004, enough to potentially set up a game-tying field goal by Gary Anderson. It was not to be. Bennett clamped his hands around the frigid football a millisecond too soon, causing it -- and the Titans' chances of advancing to the AFC Championship Game -- to squirt away.
Still, considering the wind chill was *minus-10* at kickoff, every player in that Divisional Round bout showed unfathomable resolve in competing as hard they did for 60 minutes.
"It was so cold some of the fans who had tickets to the game ended up going to the parking lot to listen in their car with the heat on," Patriots linebacker Willie McGinest, who had three sacks in the game, told me Wednesday. "Asante Samuel got frostbite."
Yes, New England's 17-14 triumph over Tennessee in that contest was one of the grittiest, most riveting postseason games of this millennium, even if it has been buried in an avalanche of memorable moments from the Belichick Patriots dynasty. We can only hope this Saturday night's Titans-Pats engagement comes close to matching the captivation of that Saturday evening 14 years ago.
As you can see below, though, my guess is this year's Divisional Round will be defined by the late game on Sunday. Saints at Vikings is the centerpiece this weekend. Your thoughts? Please send them along: @HarrisonNFL is the place.
Now, let's get to it!
Elliot Harrison went 2-2 on his predictions for Wild Card Weekend, giving him a record of 168-92 thus far this season. How will he fare in the Divisional Round? His picks are below:
Saturday's games
Follow Elliot Harrison on Twitter @HarrisonNFL.
