Region 2 (what is this? thats found in the region 1 post)
Region 3
1. 1991 Washington Redskins 17-2 Super Bowl Champions
2. 2010 Green Bay Packers 14-6 Super Bowl Champions
3. 1997 Denver Broncos 16-4 Super Bowl Champions
4. 2014 Seattle Seahawks 14-5 NFC Champs
5. 1967 Los Angeles Rams 11-2-2 NFC Coastal Champs
6. 2017 New England Patriots 15-4 AFC Champs
7. 2012 San Francisco 49ers 13-5-1 NFC Champs
8. 2004 Pittsburgh Steelers 16-2 AFC North Champs
9. 2020 New Orleans Saints 13-5 NFC South Champs
10. 1964 Buffalo Bills 13-2 AFL Champions
11. 1986 Chicago Bears 14-3 NFC Central Champs
12. 1982 Miami Dolphins 10-3 AFC Champs
13. 1953 Philadelphia Eagles 7-4-1 2nd NFL East
14. 2018 Kansas City Chiefs 13-5 AFC West Champs
15. 1981 Dallas Cowboys 13-5 NFC East Champs
16. 1946 Cleveland Browns 13-2 AAFC Champions
16. 1946 BROWNS 13 1. 1991 REDSKINS 7
-WOW. The region's top seed, the third overall seed in the tournament, the '91 Skins are knocked off by a Browns team from the mid 40s. 3 Mark Rypien interceptions cost Washington here, 2 from Tom Colella and one from Otto Graham, who was also responsible for the game's only TD, a 9 yard 3rd qtr pass to Dante Lavelli. The Browns also sacked Rypien 4 times, Washington just unable to get much going offensively.
8. 2004 STEELERS 16 9. 2020 SAINTS 13
-With 3 minutes left in a 13-13 game the Steelers gook over at their own 13. The Steelers drove down to the Saint 30, the two big plays 22 year old rookie Ben Roethlisberger to 28 year old Hines Ward third down conversions. At the gun, Jeff Reed hit his 3rd FG of the game to send the Steelers into a round 2 matchup with those '46 Browns. A sack and a pick for Joey Porter.
5. 1967 RAMS 21 12. 1982 DOLPHINS 16
-Miami had a 9-0 lead late in the first half on 3 Uwe Von Schamann FGs, and when Andra Franklin scored on a short run with 11 minutes left, they were up 16-7. 27 year old Roman Gabriel then led LA on a 17 play, 75 yard TD drive that ended with a 13 yard scoring toss to Bernie Casey. That cut the deficit to 16-14. LA forced a 3 and out and got the ball back around midfield with just over 2 minutes to play. With 30 seconds left, Gabriel connected with Billy Truax in the endzone for the game winning score.
4. 2014 SEAHAWKS 34 13. 1953 EAGLES 6
-Seattle led 21-0 at the half on the strength of two TDs by 28 year old Marshawn Lynch and they round out the top half of the region 3 second round field. Lynch finished 3 with scores - the Eagles only managed 5 first downs on the day. 4 sacks and 2 picks for the Seahawk defense.
11. 1986 BEARS 17 6. 2017 PATRIOTS 16
-The '85 Bears did not make it through Region 2, but in Region 3, the '86 Bears are moving onto the second round. 129 yards rushing for 33 year old Walter Payton. 2 Sacks for Dave Duerson, the Bear defense holding Tom Brady to a 12-22, 163 yard day.
3. 1997 BRONCOS 45 14. 2018 CHIEFS 27
-A thumping by the Super Bowl Champion '97 Broncos, they score 3 second quarter TDs, take a 31-9 halftime lead and cruise home. 220 yards from scrimmage and 4 scores for 25 year old Terrell Davis, thats the tournament's best performance to this point. 37 year old John Elway bests Patrick Mahomes, going 20-25, 240 yards and 2 scores.
7. 2012 49ERS 23 10. 1964 BILLS 10
-Easy one for San Francisco, 25 year old Colin Kaepernick threw first half TD passes to Michael Crabtree and Bruce Miller and the Niners held a 20-3 lead through 3 quarters. Only a dozen 49er first downs, their defense dominated this one; 24 year old NaVorro Bowman had a sack and 13 tackles. They also intercepted Jack Kemp three times.
2. 2010 PACKERS 24 15. 1981 COWBOYS
-We nearly lost the second seed in the region; Dallas broke a 17-17 tie at the two minute warning with a short Rafael Septien FG, and 30 seconds later 27 year old Aaron Rodgers hit a streaking Greg Jennings for a 70 yard score. The Packers win this despite losing the time of possession battle by 10 minutes. 180 yards receiving and 2 scores for Jennings. Tony Dorsett rushed for 120 with 2 scores. Clay Matthews had 3 sacks.
SECOND ROUND
2004 Steelers v. 1946 Browns
2014 Seahawks v. 1967 Rams
1997 Broncos v. 1986 Bears
2010 Packers v. 2012 49ers
1946 BROWNS 14 2004 STEELERS 10
-Dont mess with the'46 Browns. the 16th seeds in the region are headed to the region 3 semi finals. All the TDs were scored on first half runs (Bettis for the Steelers, SD Jones and Don Greenwood for Cleveland) the Browns 14-7 halftime lead held until a Steeler FG in the middle of the 4th. Lou Groza missed a late FG giving the Steelers the ball with just under 2 minutes to play at their own 37 - they got down to the Browns 31, first down with 21 seconds left and no timeouts - two end zone shots fell incomplete and improbably, the Browns won again. 2 sacks for Bill Willis, 2 interceptions for Tom Colella, the Browns defense once again too tough for a more modern squad.
2014 SEAHAWKS 21 1967 RAMS 7
-Next up for the '46 Browns will be the '14 Seahawks; the game was tight through 3 quarters, 13-10 Seattle, 26 year old Russell Wilson led the Seahawks on an 83 yard TD drive that cut the heart out of the 4th qtr, culminated by his scoring on a 2 yard run and then a successful 2 point conversion led to the final score. 113 yards rushing for 28 year old Marshawn Lynch.
1986 BEARS 20 1997 BRONCOS 17
-The 11th seeded '86 Bears bounce the Super Bowl Champion Broncos. 24 year old Mike Tomczak got the start here, replacing Jim McMahon who started in round 1; Tomczak threw for scores in both the first (4 yards to Willie Gault) and third quarters (5 yards to Emery Moorehead) and with 10 minutes left in the game the Bears led 20-3. 37 year old John Elway had been bottled up all day, but now, he drove the Broncos 60 yards in 4 minutes and hit Shannon Sharpe with a 12 yard TD pass to make it 20-10. 2 minutes later, Denver had the ball back at their own 12; it took just 2 minutes to travel the 88 yards, Terrell Davis with a short TD run at the 2 minute warning to make it 20-17. Denver never got the ball back. 146 yards rushing for 33 year old Walter Payton, 2 Richard Dent sacks.
2012 49ERS 20 2010 PACKERS 10
-None of the Super Bowl Champions make the Region 3 Semis as the '10 Packers are gone. San Francisco sprinted out to a fast 17-0 lead, 29 year old Frank Gore with a 20 yard first qtr TD run and 25 year old Michael Crabtree took an early second quarter reverse 65 yards to the house. Green Bay never threatened and the 49ers head to the region 3 semi. Only 8 completions for Colin Kaepernick, this Niner team relying on its defense, intercepting Aaron Rodgers twice.
REGION 3 SEMI FINAL
2014 Seahawks v. 1946 Browns
2012 49ers v. 1986 Bears
'14 SEAHAWKS 20 '46 BROWNS 0
-The glass slipper falls off; terrible day for Lou Groza, missing 4 FGs, 100 yards rushing for Marshawn Lynch; Kam Chancellor has 9 tackles and an interception and Seattle heads to the Region 3 Final.
'86 BEARS 19 '12 49ERS 10
-The 49ers took a 10-3 lead into the 4th quarter, a 56 yard strike from Colin Kaepernick to Delanie Walker to end the first quarter providing the game's TD. Chicago scored 16 unanswered in the 4th to head to the Region 3 final and a short TD run from Thomas Sanders and a 4 yard TD pass from Jim McMahon, in relief of Mike Tomczak, to Emery Moorehead. Just 9 first downs for San Francisco, 145 yards rushing for Walter Payton.
REGIONAL FINAL
4. 2014 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS v. 11. 1986 CHICAGO BEARS
-Two teams who won Super Bowls the year before. Pete Carroll leads the Seahawks, 3 members of the defense (Bobby Wagner, Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor) named first team All Pros. 26 year old Russell Wilson and 28 year old Marshawn Lynch carry the offensive burden. Seattle went 12-4, winning the NFC West; they defeated the Packers to win the NFC Title and suffered a devastating late game Super Bowl loss to New England, 28-24. In the tournament they defeated the '53 Eagles, '67 Rams and '46 Browns.
-The '85 Bears are one of the great teams of all time, this is the year after that - Buddy Ryan is gone, Mike Ditka remains the head coach; 3 first team All Pros, Jimbo Covert, Mike Singletary and Wilber Marshall - Walter Payton is now 33, still the leader of the offense, the QB spot is in flux, Jim McMahon got hurt midway through the season and Mike Tomczak finished up - neither was the QB in the Bears first round ouster in the playoffs, that was Doug Flutie. Payton, Covert, Singletary Dan Hampton, Steve McMichael, Richard Dent are all in the Hall of Fame.
Lets head to Seattle for the Region 3 Final.
'14 SEAHAWKS 16 '86 BEARS 7
-Seattle wins Region 3, they move to the Sweet 16 to face the winner of Region 14. Its the Seattle defense that stepped up here, McMahon held to 99 yards passing. Earl Thomas had both a sack and a pick; Marshawn Lynch ran for over a hundred yards and 3 Stephen Hauschka FGs were all the scoring Seattle needed. Seattle shut out the Bears in the second half.
