The 2007 Patriots held serve, winning Region 1 and advancing to the Sweet 16. Here's Region 2. I explain what we're doing here in the Region 1 post.
1. 1985 Chicago Bears 18-1 Super Bowl Champions
2. 1970 Minnesota Vikings 12-3 NFC Central Champs
3. 2016 New England Patriots 17-2 Super Bowl Champions
4. 2023 Baltimore Ravens 14-5 AFC North Champs
5. 1984 Miami Dolphins 16-3 AFC Champs
6. 2005 Denver Broncos 14-4 AFC West Champs
7. 2006 Indianapolis Colts 16-4 Super Bowl Champions
8. 2015 Arizona Cardinals 14-4 NFC West Champs
9. 2021 Buffalo Bills 12-7 AFC East Champs
10. 1964 Green Bay Packers 8-5-1 2nd NFL West
11. 2022 San Francisco 49ers 15-5 NFC West Champs
12. 2002 Philadelphia Eagles 13-5 NFC East Champs
13. 1967 Kansas City Chiefs 9-5 2nd NFL West
14. 1953 Detroit Lions 11-2 NFL Champions
15. 1950 Los Angeles Rams 10-4 National Div Champs
16. 1948 Cleveland Browns 15-0 AAFC Champions
Region 2
1. 1985 CHICAGO BEARS 19 16. 1948 CLEVELAND BROWNS 10
-The number two overall seed in the tournament is safely through to the second round. 4 Kevin Butler FGs set the pace offensively. 25 year old Richard Dent had two sacks for Chicago.
8. 2015 ARIZONA CARDINALS 27 9. 2021 BUFFALO BILLS 24
-Down 24-19 with 2:28 left at their own 14, 36 year old Carson Palmer led the Cards on a game winning TD drive that included a 14 yard completion to John Brown on a 4th and 9. With seconds left, 30 year old Chris Johnson ran one in from the 4 and then added a successful run for a 2 pt conversion to provide the final total. Zack Moss scored twice for the Bills, Chandler Catanzaro had 4 field goals. Jerraud Powers took back a Josh Allen pass for a pick 6 in the second quarter. The Cards also had 4 sacks, including 2 by Calais Campbell who had 15 tackles on the day, currently the high total in the tournament.
12. 2002 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 31 5. 1984 MIAMI DOLPHINS 24
-First upset in the region as the 12th seeded Eagles overcome a 14-7 halftime deficit to advance. 32 year old Dorsey Levens ran for 2 scores, including a 75 yard TD run that tied the game in the third quarter. Mark Clayton caught 7 balls for 102 yards and a score for Miami.
4. 2023 BALTIMORE RAVENS 30 13. 1967 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 21
-Baltimore was never really threatened here; 17-0 at the half, 24-7 after 3. 26 year old Lamar Jackson only completed 9 passes in what was a run heavy Ravens approach. 23 year old Mike Garrett scored twice and rushed for over a hundred yards for the losing Chiefs. 3 FGs for Justin Tucker.
11. 2022 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 24 6. 2005 DENVER BRONCOS 7
-The bottom half of the region opens with an upset, the 11th seeded Niners knocking off the 6th seeded Broncos. San Francisco led 17-0 at the half, Ray Ray McCloud taking back a punt 72 yards for a second quarter score. Touchdown runs for both Christian McCaffrey and Eli Mitchell for the Niners.
3. 2016 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 27 14. 1953 DETROIT LIONS 13
-The second of 3 Super Bowl Champions in Region 2 wins their round one game, 30 year old LeGarrette Blount with 2 TDs and a buck thirty on the ground. New England had a 24-6 lead early in the 4th quarter and cruised on home.
10. 1964 GREEN BAY PACKERS 42 7. 2006 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 21
- The first look at one of Lombardi's Packers squads in the tournament and they absolutely blow the doors off the Super Bowl Champion Colts. 313 yards rushing for the Pack, 29 year old Jim Taylor had 141 yards rushing and 2 scores and 29 year old Paul Hornung had 130 yards, 2 scores and added a half dozen extra points. 30 year old Peyton Manning was effective, 20-29, 262 yards and 3 scores, but the Colts never got closer than that final 21 point margin at any point in the second half.
2. 1970 MINNESOTA VIKINGS 27 15. 1950 LOS ANGELES RAMS 7
-The bottom half of region 2 closes with a win for the second seeded Vikings; this one was tight through 3 quarters, Minnesota leading 10-7, but in the first five minutes of the 4th, Clint Jones scored on an 11 yard run, 25 year old Alan Page strip sacked Norm Van Brocklin, and then Gary Cuozzo hit Gene Washington with a 21 yard scoring pass and the Vikes were onto the second round.
Round 2
1985 Bears v. 2015 Cardinals
2023 Ravens v. 2002 Eagles
2016 Patriots v. 2022 49ers
1970 Vikings v. 1964 Packers
1985 BEARS 42 2015 CARDINALS 17
-Overwhelming win for the second overall seed in the field; 32 year old Walter Payton had first quarter TD runs of 51 and 29 yards, he'd add a third score in the 4th quarter and this one was a laugher. 156 yards on the ground for Payton with those 3 scores. Matt Suhey added two rushing TDs for the Bears. 2 more sacks for Richard Dent.
2023 RAVENS 23 2002 EAGLES 22
-Thrilling comeback for the region's 4th seed; the Ravens trailed 19-9 heading to the 4th quarter, 26 year old Donovan McNabb both ran for and threw a TD in the first half; after a TD run by their own 26 year old QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore trailed 22-16, getting the football at their own 48 with under 5 minutes to play; Jackson led the Ravens to a game winning drive that included a Zay Flowers reception on a 4th and 7. Justice Hill capped the drive with what turned out to be the final score, a long David Akers FG attempt at the gun fell short and the Eagles go home.
2022 49ERS 26 2016 PATRIOTS 24
-The region's 11th seed knocks off a Super Bowl Champion in a game that was certainly personal for a couple of 49ers; the backup QB for this Patriots team was 25 year old Jimmy Garoppolo; 6 years later he earns the start for the opposing Niners. Kyle Shanahan is the 49ers head coach, but rewind 6 years and he was the offensive coordinator for the Falcons team that allowed an unprecedent Super Bowl comeback by this Patriots team. In this one, Jeff Wilson scored TDs in both the 1st and 2nd quarters for San Francisco, but the Patriots had a 17-14 halftime lead when 39 year old Tom Brady hit Martellus Bennett with a late second quarter score. Two Robbie Gould FGs gave San Francisco a 20-17 mid 4th quarter lead. The Niners forced a Brady 3 and out and it was Garappolo who found the end zone with a 21 yard toss to 29 year old George Kittle, the Pats got an end of game score but without time to do anything else and San Francisco reaches the regional semi finals.
1964 PACKERS 17 1970 VIKINGS 10
-Round 2 ends with another double digit seed advancing. Defensive struggle most of the way, it was 3-0 Minnesota in the middle of the third quarter when 26 year old Elijah Pitts took a punt back 71 yards for the first TD of the game. Minnesota regained the lead early in the 4th qtr on a 10 yard scoring pass from Gary Cuozzo to Gene Washington. 30 year old Bart Starr then led the Packers on a six minute scoring drive that ended with a Jim Taylor 1 yard plunge and it was Packers 14-10 with 6 minutes to play. Lionel Aldridge would recover a Bill Brown fumble on the next Vikings drive to set up a late Paul Hornung FG. Green Bay wins despite having less than 150 yards total offense on the day.
Regional Semi Finals
'85 Bears v '23 Ravens
'64 Packers v. '22 49ers
'23 RAVENS 15 '85 BEARS 14
-A legitimate shocker, the top seed in the region, the second overall seed in the tournament - bounced here in the Region 2 semi. Baltimore only had 13 first downs on the day and didn't get in the end zone, all its scoring consisting of 5 Justin Tucker FGs. The Bears had a 14-9 lead after 3 quarters, its two TDs coming on Walter Payton runs. Baltimore opened the 4th with an 87 yard drive, the big play a 60 yard Keaton Mitchell run. Tucker's 4th FG ended that drive and cut the Bears lead to 14-12 with 10 minutes left. The teams exchanged punts, Baltimore getting the ball back at midfield after a nice Tylan Wallace punt return. Just under 4 minutes to play, down 2. A third down conversion on a Jackson pass to Justice Hill set the Ravens up at the Chicago 33, just ahead of the 2 minute warning. Jackson hit Rashod Bateman for a big play, a 21 yard gain to the 12. Baltimore attempted to set Tucker up for the game winner, but Otis Wilson met Jackson in the backfield during a handoff and it resulted in a 7 yard loss. 4th down at the Bear 19, seconds left on the clock - Tucker drilled his fifth FG of the day and the 2023 Ravens had eliminated the '85 Bears. Chicago had 7 sacks, held Jackson to under a hundred yards passing in the loss.
'22 49ers 20 '64 Packers 10
-Two ultramodern double digit seeds reach the Region 2 Finals. The Pack had a 10-6 lead through 3 quarters, the only TD a third quarter Bart Starr to Jim Taylor 6 yard pass. The Niners drove 66 yards in the first five minutes of the 4th to take the lead, Christian McCaffrey busting up the middle for a 26 yard score. The Pack was unable to move passed midfield, the Niners taking over at their own 13 midway through the 4th and Garoppolo led them on a 12 play drive that ate up most of the remainder of the clock and was capped by a short Elijah Mitchell TD run. Very efficient Garoppolo game, 17-21, 198 yards.
REGION 2 FINAL
4. 2023 RAVENS v 11. '22 49ERS
-The Region 1 Final pitted the two top seeds and the top seed won - thats not the case here. The 4th seeded Ravens hosting the 11th seeded Niners. These teams essentially played each other, in 2023 the Ravens beat the Niners 33-19. John Harbaugh coaching the Ravens, Kyle Shanahan the Niners - 26 year old Lamar Jackson was the MVP in 2023, one of 3 first team All Pros for the Ravens. Baltimore was 4th in offense, first in defense, they went 13-4, won the AFC North, lost the AFC Championship to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Chiefs. 31 year old Jimmy Garoppolo started the majority of the season for San Francisco, after his injury, rookie last pick in the draft Brock Purdy took over; either could take the snaps in this tournament, but the selection so far has been the veteran. Four first team All pros for the Niners, they went 13-4, won the NFC West, lost the NFC Title to the Eagles.
Time for the Region 2 Final, from M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
2022 49ERS 31 2023 RAVENS 23
-The 11th seeded 49ers are the Region 2 Champions and will head to the Sweet 16 to play the winner of Region 15. This was never really a close game, first half rushing TDs from Jeff Wilson and Jordan Mason helped give San Francisco a 17-6 halftime lead and two short TD passed from Garoppolo to Brandon Aiyuk cemented the game in the second half. The Ravens scored with 3 minutes to go on a Lamar Jackson TD to Zay Flowers to cut the deficit to 8 - and then forced a 49ers 3 and out to get a last shot at it - but it was too little, too late and the Niners are moving on. 159 yards from scrimmage for Christian McCaffrey,
