The Anderson Brewmeisters upended the Abstract Machines in a Monday Night thriller to become just the third No. 1 seed in eight seasons to reach the Super Bowl. With the game tied after Sunday, the Machines' Tom Brady self-destructed under the bright lights, tossing a career-worst 4 interceptions while Anderson's Patriots defense stripped the visitors of 14 points.

The Machines opened the game with a grinding ground attack, wearing down the Brewmeister line with Curtis Martin and Jerome Bettis, who combined for three touchdowns and 23 points. Donald Driver led the receiving corps with 8 points, while Marvin Harrison followed closely behind with 7. Darrell Jackson, however, fell back to earth following a pair of double-digit outings and was held to a team-low 2 points.

The Brewmeisters were able to run the ball pretty well themselves. LaDainian Tomlinson had his second-best outing of the season with 12 points, and rookie Kevin Jones scored a respectable 7 points. Derrick mason found success among the Machine secondary, scoring 9 points, but teammates Eric Moulds and Torry Holt were held to a combined 5. Placekicker Phil Dawson is quickly becoming a liability for the Brew, and he missed his only attempt, costing the team a point.

The Brewmeisters found themselves down 8 heading into Sunday night, when all-star quarterback Peyton Manning was to take his shots against the Abstracts' Ravens defense. In a hard-fought episode, Manning was held to a season-low but very effective 8 points. More importantly, he played mistake free football, not allowing the Ravens defense – which had recorded 27 points a week earlier – to take a single point away from the Brewmeisters. That 8-0 turn on Sunday Night set the stage for Monday's Patriot showdown, when this year's first-overall pick New England defense bested the fourth-overall pick Tom Brady 14-4.

The win is Anderson's first in a playoff game since their 1999 Super Bowl victory over the Machines and advances the Brewmeisters to the league's Championship game for the third time in franchise history. The Machines finish their season a game short of the Super Bowl but go home with a franchise-best record of 9-6.

back to scoreboard

The Irwin Hellions held off the persistent Naughty Figs 44-37 in the West Championship Game to earn the franchise it's record-setting fourth Super Bowl berth. The visiting Figs fell behind early but stormed back with the week's best overall offensive performance before finally bowing to the Hellions.

Irwin launched out of the gate on Saturday with an 18-point effort from it's Falcons defense, putting the Figs in a big hole early on. But on Sunday, Hellion quarterback Donovan McNabb was tied up and held to a season-low 2 points, while Figs QB Chad Pennington rebounded from a minus-1 effort a week ago with a season-best 14 points. Receivers Jerry Porter and Roy Williams ripped through the Hellion secondary for 16 and 11 points, respectively, while Joe Horn chipped in six as the third passing option. The Figs were suddenly back in the game, despite having practically no success running the ball. Willis McGahee went out with knee injury after scoring only a point and Clinton Portis was held to 5.

By contrast, he Hellions found plenty of room to run, as Domanick Davis (9) and Edgerrin James (7) produced 16 points. With McNabb struggling, Chad and Andre Johnson were held to a combined 3 points, but veteran Jimmy Smith managed to post a team-high 10 points to help keep the Figs at bay. The kicking game was essentially a wash, as Irwin's Nate Kaedling clipped the Figs' Josh Brown 3-2. The visitor's Seahawk defense, however, should shoulder the blame for the franchise's sixth straight loss to the Hellions; in the biggest game of the season, the Seabirds handed Irwin 6 points by allowing 482 yards and recording no sacks or turnovers. The minus-6 was 9 points lower than the Seahawks' previous season-low and could be a league record for defense futility.

The 24-point difference on defense helps the Irwin Hellions win their fifth consecutive game and puts them back in the Super Bowl for the first time since 2001, when they won their second of back-to-back championships. The Figs go home, having failed to find an answer for the Hellions in six career tries.

back to scoreboard