KEY POINTS:
The New York Giants beat the Dallas Cowboys 21-17 today to advance to the NFC championship game against the Green Bay Packers.
The Giants turned away a last, desperate drive by Dallas when defensive back R.W. McQuarters intercepted Cowboy quarterback Tony Romo's fourth-down pass intended for Terry Glenn in the endzone with nine seconds left on the clock.
New York, who had lost twice in the regular season to NFC East rival Cowboys and were tied 14-14 at halftime, fell behind 17-14 in the third quarter but took the lead on Brandon Jacobs' one-yard plunge early in the fourth.
The Giants now travel to Green Bay to play the Packers, who advanced with a 42-20 win over the Seattle Seahawks.
Earlier, the San Diego Chargers shocked the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts 28-24, advancing to the AFC title game and a meeting with the unbeaten New England Patriots.
The Chargers will travel to Foxborough next Sunday to face Tom Brady and the Patriots, who secured their place in the championship game with a 31-20 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday.
After a stumbling 1-3 start to the season the Chargers had appeared headed for a long disappointing campaign but have now strung together eight consecutive victories, including back-to-back playoff wins, to move to the brink of their first Super Bowl appearance since 1995.
Quarterback Philip Rivers completed 14-of-19 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns to bring the Colts' Super Bowl defence to a stunning end.
Next week's winners will meet in the Super Bowl in Arizona on February 3.
- REUTERS
