1. 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers 15-2 Super Bowl Champions
2. 2010 New England Patriots 14-3 AFC East Champs
3. 1971 Dallas Cowboys 14-3 Super Bowl Champions
4. 1953 Cleveland Browns 11-2 NFL East Champs
5. 2024 Philadelphia Eagles 18-3 Super Bowl Champions
6. 1958 Baltimore Colts 10-3 NFL Champions
7. 1998 Atlanta Falcons 16-3 NFC Champs
8. 1965 Chicago Bears 9-5 3rd NFL West
9. 2008 Baltimore Ravens 13-6 2nd AFC North
10. 1985 San Francisco 49ers 10-7 2nd NFC West
11. 1974 Washington Redskins 10-5 2nd NFC East
12. 1970 Los Angeles Rams 9-4-1 2nd NFC West
13. 2014 Green Bay Packers 13-5 NFC North Champs
14. 1965 Buffalo Bills 11-3-1 AFL Champions
15. 2009 New York Jets 11-8 2nd AFC East
16. 1951 New York Giants 9-2-1 2nd NFL American
Round 1
1. '75 STEELERS 13 16. '51 GIANTS 3
-The Steel Curtain just broke Charlie Conerly in half, he went 3-22, 39 yards and 2 picks (Mel Blount, Donnie Shell) he was sacked five times (Jack Ham, Steve Furness, Ernie Holmes and 2 for Dwight White). The only TD a 64 yard Terry Bradshaw to Frank Lewis hookup.
9. '08 RAVENS 20 8. '65 BEARS 7
-Chicago scored on the first drive of the game and Baltimore responded with 20 unanswered; the Ravens defense was the story here, 26 year old Terrell Suggs had a dozen tackles and two sacks, 33 year old Ray Lewis had a dozen tackles, a sack and forced a fumble.
5. '24 EAGLES 27 12. '70 RAMS 6
-Easy win for the most recent Super Bowl Champs, it was 27-3 at halftime; 3 TDs from 27 year old Saquon Barkley, he had 254 yards from scrimmage. 11 tackles and a sack for Zack Baun.
4. '53 BROWNS 33 13. '14 PACKERS 27
-Fun one in Cleveland, the 4th seeds moving through. The Pack had a 14-3 first quarter lead on TD runs by Eddie Lacy and James Starks; 32 year old Otto Graham hit 30 year old Dante Lavelli
for a second qtr Cleveland score, the Browns cut the deficit to 17-13. Graham hit Lavelli again late in the third to give Cleveland its first lead 23-20. 31 year old Aaron Rodgers led the Pack on a 5 minute TD drive to open the 4th, ending in an 8 yard scoring toss to Randall Cobb. 4 minutes later 33 year old Marion Motley pounded into the end zone, the Browns regained the lead and wouldn't give it back. 4 FGs for Lou Groza
6. '58 COLTS 20 11. '74 REDSKINS 13
-The favorites continue to move forward in Region 5, nearly the opposite result from Region 4. This one ended with a game winning drive from 25 year old Johnny Unitas. Baltimore took possession at their own 47 with under 6 minutes to play in a tie game. 4 minutes later, Unitas hits 25 year old Lenny Moore for a 15 yard score to make it 20-13. Washington was unable to move the ball and the Colts advance. 135 yards from scrimmage and 2 TDs for Moore.
3. '71 COWBOYS 16 14. '65 BILLS 3
-The Cowboys shut Buffalo down pretty thoroughly, Jack Kemp going 11-27 with 3 picks, 2 from 32 year old Herb Adderley. 27 year old Jethro Pugh had 2 sacks. The only TD a 21 yard by 24 year old Duane Thomas.
10. '85 49ERS 20 7. '98 FALCONS 6
-The San Francisco defense stifles the Falcons here, holding them to 9 first downs. 26 year old Ronnie Lott had an interception and forced a fumble, 27 year old Keena Turner had 2 sacks. 22-31 and a score for 29 year old Joe Montana
2. '10 PATRIOTS 19 15. '09 JETS 10
-Danny Woodhead alert, he's playing for both teams. The '10 Patriots had the top offense in football, went 14-2 and then lost in the first round to the Jets, they get some redemption here. Woodhead played a significant role, his 3rd quarter TD run for New England tied the score at 10 - 3 Shayne Graham 4th Qtr FGs gave us the final.
Round 2
1975 Steelers v. 2008 Ravens
1953 Browns v. 2024 Eagles
1971 Cowboys v. 1958 Colts
2010 Patriots v. 1985 49ers
'08 RAVENS 13 '75 STEELERS 6
-The top seed in the region is gone; the only TDs were both scored in the first qtr (23 year old Joe Flacco to 34 year old Derrick Mason from 12 and a 51 yard score from Terry Bradshaw to Lynn Swann). Baltimore led 7-6 at the half after a scoreless second quarter and then hit FGs in both the third and fourth quarters for the final score. Just 8 first downs for the Steelers. Bradshaw was brutal, 8-25 with 3 picks (Ray Lewis, Chris McAllister, Ed Reed).
'53 BROWNS 28 '24 EAGLES 21
-It'll be the old Browns against the former Browns in the top half of the Regional Semis for Region 5, Cleveland sprinted out to a 17-0 lead, two first qtr TD passes from 32 year old Otto Graham to 23 year old Pete Brewster. It was 20-10 Browns after a 50 yard Lou Groza FG with 11 minutes to play. And thats when Saquon Barkley took over - 3 plays into the Eagles next drive, Barkley broke a 50 yard TD run to cut the deficit to 20-14. The Eagles force a punt - and with 6 minutes left in the game, Philly takes over at their own 21. 26 yard Jalen Hurts drives the Eagles down to the Browns 14 yard line in 13 plays - on play 14, he finds Barkley - Barkley finds the end zone and after the extra point the Eagles led 21-20 with 71 seconds left. Cleveland took over at their own 20, with 14 seconds left, Graham hits 24 year old Ray Renfro for the game winning TD, pandemonium in Cleveland and Browns fans will get what they want - a date with the team that the Browns would become, the Baltimore Ravens.
'71 COWBOYS 23 '58 COLTS 20
-A game winner with the clock showing :00. 13-13 headed to the 4th qtr the Colts had a second qtr Alan Ameche TD run, the Cowboys a 3rd qtr Calvin Hill TD run. With 4 and a half minutes left, 29 year old Roger Staubach hit 29 year old Bullet Bob Hayes with a 31 yard strike to make it 20-13. Johnny Unitas then drove the Colts down the field, leading to another Ameche TD run, tying the game with under a minute left. A draw play by Walt Garrison on second down of the Cowboy drive turned into a 30 yard hitter - and at the gun, Mike Clark hits a 37 yard FG to win the game.
'10 PATRIOTS 23 '85 49ERS 14
-Danny Woodhead scored two second quarter TDs and the Patriots move to the Region 5 semifinal. 190 yards from scrimmage for Wendell Tyler in the loss for San Francisco. Devin McCourty intercepts Joe Montana 3 times.
Regional Semi
1953 Browns v. 2008 Ravens
2010 Patriots v. 1971 Cowboys
'08 RAVENS 13 '53 BROWNS 6
-The 2008 Ravens reach the Region 5 Finals. The only TD is the longest scoring play of the tournament so far, a 93 yard Joe Flacco to Mark Clayton score. Just 16 complete passes from both teams combined in this defensive struggle. 2 sack game for Ray Lewis.
'10 PATRIOTS 27 '71 COWBOYS 20
-Once again, the regional champion will come from the 21st century as the second seeded Patriots advance to the final. Tight one here; 33 year old Tom Brady got it going early with a 71 yard first quarter bomb to Wes Welker, Dallas scored 2 second qtr TDs to take a 14-13 halftime lead, a 50 yard Roger Staubach to Mike Ditka strike and a short Walt Garrison run. The teams exchanged tds in the third qtr, Brady to Welker again, this time from 40 yards and Staubach 14 yards to Bob Hayes. It was 20-20 until deep into the 4th qtr, when, with just a minute and a half to play, Brady finds Fred Taylor out of the backfield for a short TD pass - the Cowboys reached the Patriots 33 in the final moments of the game - but Patrick Chung intercepted Staubach and the Patriots advance.
REGION 5 FINAL
2. 2010 PATRIOTS v. 9. 2008 RAVENS
-the Patriots look to become the first organization with 2 entrants into the Sweet 16, the '07 team won Region 1. New England had the number one offense, number 8 defense in 2010, going 14-2 and getting upset in the divisional round by the Jets. Bill Belichick is the head coach - Brady/Logan Mankins and Jerod Mayo are the All Pros. This is Joe Flacco's rookie year with the Ravens, its also John Harbaugh's first year as HC. The Ravens are 11th in offense, 3rd in defense, Ray Lewis/Ed Reed and Le'Ron McCain are the All pros, Baltimore finished second in the AFC North and lost to the Steelers in the AFC Title game.
We're going back to Foxborough - time for the Region 5 Final.
'08 RAVENS 16 '10 PATRIOTS 3
-The 9th Seeds won region 4 and it happens again in region 5 - the '08 Ravens riding their defense all the way to the Sweet 16 where they will meet the eventual region 12 winner. Just one TD in the game, a short Flacco pass to Ray Rice. Baltimore holds New England to 9 first downs, they had a whopping 15 minute time of possession advantage. 119 yards rushing for Le'Ron McClain, Joe Flacco wins this despite only 8 completed passes. 2 sacks for Terrell Suggs.
