American Football: Robbie Gould kicked the Chicago Bears into the NFC championship game for the first time in 18 years last night.
He booted a 49-yard field goal 4:58 into overtime to lead the top-seeded Bears to a 27-24 victory over the fourth-seeded Seattle Seahawks in the divisional playoffs.
Gould had tied the game with a 41-yard field goal that snuck just inside the left upright with 4:24 left in regulation.
The Bears (14-3), who had lost their previous three playoff games at Soldier Field, will host the second-seeded New Orleans Saints (11-6) in the NFC championship game next Sunday.
Chicago last reached the conference title game in January 1989, losing to San Francisco, 28-3.
Gould's kick capped a thrilling play-off encounter in which both teams had chances to win.
The Bears took the lead in the first quarter when Thomas Jones ran in from nine yards to cap an 80-yard drive.
Seattle replied early in the second quarter when Nate Burleson wriggled over the line after hauling in Matt Hasselbeck's 16 yard throw, but the Bears re-took the lead almost immediately.
Grossman threw a 68-yard pass into the arms of Bernard Berrian who ran in for the score.
Shaun Alexander tied the game once again before Jones' second TD run, this time from seven yards, gave the Bears a half-time lead.
The third quarter belonged to the Seahawks as Josh Brown kicked a 40-yard field goal and they took the lead on Alexander's 13-yard TD run.
In the overtime, Grossman - who three for 282 yards - completed a 30-yard pass to Rashied Davis on a 3rd-and-10 play to set up Gould's winning kick.
Shaun Alexander rushed for 108 yards for the Seahawks (10-8), who reached the Super Bowl last season and lost to Pittsburgh.