Just for kicks: Chicago advances past Seattle with field goal in OT

CHICAGO — Two swings of the foot by Robbie Gould were all the Chicago Bears needed to offset any shortcomings in Rex Grossman's arm.

And the Chicago Bears got their first playoff win since 1995, moving them one step from the Super Bowl.

Gould, working construction 16 months ago, cleared a path for the Bears with his strong leg Sunday, kicking a 49-yard field goal in overtime for a 27-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. The game-winner came shortly after Grossman got them in position with a clutch pass to Rashied Davis.

"A year ago I'm pounding nails. Now I'm hitting game-winning kicks and going to the NFC championship game," Gould said. "I didn't even watch the end of it. I hit it right where I wanted it to go."

Where the Bears want to go is their first Super Bowl in 21 years. Chicago will host the Saints next Sunday in the NFC championship game; New Orleans never has been this far.

"We win one game and we're in the Super Bowl," Grossman said, "two wins away from having a ring on my finger for the rest of my life."

Grossman, one of the most scrutinized figures in the football-crazed city, set up the kick with his pass to Davis.

"In every game you're not going to play perfect. There were several situations where I wish I would've had a few plays back, but for the most part I'm pleased," he said.

Grossman completed 21-of-38 for 282 yards with an interception and a fumble. It was quite an upgrade from his final performance of the regular season, when he had a quarterback rating of 0.0 in a loss to Green Bay.

Seattle got the ball first in overtime, but Chicago's Israel Idonije forced an 18-yard punt by Ryan Plackemeier with a strong rush. Grossman hit Davis for a third-down pass of 30 yards to the Seattle 36.

"I've learned that he knows how to bounce back from tough situations," coach Lovie Smith said of Grossman. "He's been roasted the past couple weeks. He is our quarterback. There was a lot of pressure on him and our team, and I thought they handled it well."

The unheralded Davis is a former Arena League player.

"After I got up, I screamed. It was probably the biggest catch I made in my life," Davis said.

Gould, who entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent and is now headed to the Pro Bowl, made his first 24 field goals this season, and 32 of 36 overall. His 41-yarder with 4:24 left Sunday just cleared the crossbar and tied the game at 24.

The Bears had won a division title and earned a first-round bye in their previous two playoff appearances, only to lose their first game at home, so their elation was tinged with relief.

The Seahawks (10-8), ravaged by injuries throughout the season, got a strong performance from Shaun Alexander. Alexander, who missed the first meeting between the teams, a 37-6 Chicago win in October, gained 108 yards and gave the Bears' defense a tough time. He had a pair of touchdown runs.

"It's hard to say 'If we had this or that,"' Alexander said. "It was, 'Nah, we came up short."'