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Green Bay, WI (Sports Network) - Al Harris returned an interception 52 yards for a touchdown in overtime, leading the Green Bay Packers to a 33-27 victory over Seattle in the Wild Card round of the playoffs at Lambeau Field.
It was the second consecutive thrilling Sunday for the NFC North-champion Packers (11-6), who squeaked into the playoffs when Arizona knocked out Minnesota last week with a miracle TD on the final play of that game.
Green Bay erased last season's playoff loss against Atlanta to improve to 14-1 all-time at home in the postseason, and will now travel to Philadelphia for a Divisional Round matchup with the NFC East-champion Eagles next Sunday.
Brett Favre continued his exceptional play with 319 yards passing and a touchdown, and Ahman Green rallied the Packers to a fourth-quarter lead with a pair of one-yard TD runs.
That was before Shawn Alexander's one-yard score with 51 seconds remaining in regulation tied the game at 27-27. The Packers then had a chance to win it in regulation, but Ryan Longwell's 47-yard field goal attempt as time ran out fell well short in less-than-ideal conditions.
Matt Hasselbeck was 25-of-45 for 305 yards for Seattle (10-7), which hasn't won a playoff game since 1984. Alexander rushed for 45 yards and a pair of scores on 20 carries.
It was the second time this season that the Packers beat their former coach Mike Holmgren, whose Seahawks were defeated in Green Bay in Week 5.
After Longwell's kick fell short at the end of regulation, the Seahawks won the overtime coin toss.
"We want the ball, and we're going to score," Hasselbeck said at midfield.
But the Seahawks didn't score, and they didn't pick up a first down on that initial series. Green Bay also went three-and-out, but it didn't matter.
Harris picked off a Hasselbeck attempt for Alex Bannister near midfield, and sprinted down the right sideline with his left hand in the air, scoring at 10:35 of the overtime. It was the game's only turnover.
The last man Harris beat before crossing the goal line was Hasselbeck, who had played well all day long, including leading his squad on a game-tying drive in the final minutes of regulation.
The Seahawks had less than three minutes to drive downfield at the end of regulation after Green's second TD gave the Packers a 27-20 lead with just 2:44 remaining. That was more than enough time for Hasselbeck, who was 3-of-5 for 59 yards on the drive.
Green Bay nearly forced Seattle into a fourth down on the six-yard line, but linebacker Nick Barnett was flagged with a pass interference penalty in the end zone, and Alexander carried it in from the one on the next play.
But the Packers still had 51 seconds, and a veteran quarterback, to drive for the win. Favre led his offense to the Seattle 29, but Longwell's 47-yard field goal missed, sending the contest into overtime.
Green Bay led 13-6 at halftime, but Seattle tied the game at 13-13 with a 74- yard TD drive on the second half's opening possession.
Hasselbeck and Darrell Jackson keyed the march with a 25-yard hookup on first down that moved the Seahawks across midfield. But it was a heads-up play by offensive lineman Steve Hutchinson later in the drive that led to Alexander's one-yard TD run.
With Seattle facing third down at the Green Bay six-yard line, Hasselbeck's pass was tipped an nearly intercepted. But Hutchinson reacted and secured the ball, stumbling to the one-yard line to set up Alexander's score on fourth down.
Alexander gave the Seahawks a 20-13 lead with another one-yard TD run with 1:57 remaining in the third quarter, but Green's one-yard score at the other end tied the game again less than five minutes into the fourth.
In the first quarter, Josh Brown's 30-yard field goal gave the Seahawks a 3-0 lead less than eight minutes into the game.
The Packers didn't get on the board with 9:13 left in the second quarter. A 29-yard reception by fullback William Henderson set up Longwell's 31-yard field goal, knotting the game at 3-3.
Seattle got a 35-yard field goal from Brown at the other end to make it 6-3 with 6:50 left in the second. But the Packers responded by driving 80 yards for the game's first touchdown.
The drive was keyed by Javon Walker's 44-yard reception on first down, which moved the Packers across midfield and to the Seattle 36. Favre then hooked up with Bubba Franks on a 23-yard touchdown pass four plays later, giving Green Bay a 10-6 lead with 4:37 to play before the break.
Favre set an NFL record on the play by throwing a touchdown in his 14th consecutive playoff game, breaking the mark set by former Miami Dolphins great Dan Marino, who passed for a TD in 13 consecutive playoff games from 1983-95.
The Packers extended their lead to 13-6 at halftime when Longwell converted a 27-yard field goal with 46 seconds to play in the second. Favre was 2-of-4 for 27 yards on the brief 30-yard drive and finished the first half 13-of-20 for 190 yards.
Game Notes
The Seahawks, who were making their first postseason appearance since the 1999 season, haven't won a playoff game since a Wild Card victory over the LA Raiders in December 1984...Green Bay coach Mike Sherman was a tight end coach under Holmgren from 1997-98 in Green Bay and an offensive coordinator for him in Seattle in 1999...Seahawks linebacker Chad Brown injured his left ankle on the first play of the second quarter. X-rays taken in the locker room were negative...Green spent the 1998-99 seasons with the Seahawks.
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