1. 1975 PITTSBURGH STEELERS v. 16. Play in Game 1977 MIAMI DOLPHINS/1976 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
1. 1975 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Pythag: 12-2
Off: 5th
Def: 2nd
d. Colts Div Rnd 28-10
d. Raiders AFC Title 16-10
d. Cowboys Super Bowl 21-17
HC Chuck Noll, DC Bud Carson
1st Tm AP: RCB M.Blount (27) LLB J.Ham (27) LDE LC Greenwood (29)
16. 1977 MIAMI DOLPHINS
Pythag: 11-3
Off: 3rd
Def: 5th
Did not make playoffs
HC Don Shula, OC Howard Schnellenberger DC John Sandusky
1st TM AP: QB B.Griese (32) WR N.Moore (26)
16. 1976 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Pythag: 11-3
Off: 2nd
Def: 11th
Lost Div Rnd Raiders 24-21
HC: Chuck Fairbanks
1st Tm AP: None
The 7th overall seed is the '75 Steelers; top 5 in both offense and defense, they'll face a fellow 70s AFC squad, either the '77 Dolphins or '76 Pats.
8. 1968 NEW YORK JETS v. 9. 1965 CHICAGO BEARS
8. 1968 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION NEW YORK JETS
Pythag: 10-4
Off: 2nd
Def: 4th
d. Raiders AFL Title 27-23
d. Colts Super Bowl 16-7
HC: Weeb Ewbank OC: Clive Rush
1st TM AP: QB J.Namath (25) LE G.Sauer (25) LDE G.Philbin (27)
9. 1965 CHICAGO BEARS
Pythag: 10-4
Off: 2nd
Def: 2nd
HC: George Halas DC George Allen
1st TM AP RB G.Sayers (22) MLB D.Butkus (23) LLB J.Fortunato (35)
Namath's Jets are the second Super Bowl Champion right at the top of Region 7. They face a George Halas coached Bears squad.
5. 2018 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS v. 12. 1996 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
5. 2018 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Pythag: 11-5
Off: 3rd
Def: 14th
d. Eagles Div Rnd 20-14
lost NFC Title Rams 26-23
HC: Sean Payton OC: Pete Carmichael DC: Dennis Allen
1st TM AP: WR M.Thomas (25)
12. 1996 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 3rd
Def: 4th
d. Eagles WC 14-0
lost Packers Div Rnd 35-14
HC George Seifert OC Marc Trestman DC Pete Carroll
1st Tm AP WR J.Rice (34) LDT B.Young (24)
The '96 Niners were top 4 in both offense and defense; they head to New Orleans to meet another Drew Brees team in the field.
4. 1967 LOS ANGELES RAMS v. 13. 2008 TENNESSEE TITANS
4. 1967 LOS ANGELES RAMS
Pythag: 12-2
Off: 1st
Def: 1st
Lost Div Rnd Packers 28-7
HC George Allen
1st TM AP: LDE D.Jones (29) LDT M.Olson (27)
13. 2008 TENNESSEE TITANS
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 14th
Def: 2nd
Lost Div Rnd Ravens 13-10
HC Jeff Fisher OC Mike Heimerdinger DC Jim Schwartz
1st TM AP RCB C.Finnegan (24) RDT A.Haynesworth (27) C K.Mawae (37) LT M.Roos (26)
The '67 Rams were tops in football in both offense and defense; they meet the Titans with the second best defense in '08.
3. 1961 GREEN BAY PACKERS v. 14. 2021 DALLAS COWBOYS
3. 1961 NFL CHAMPION GREEN BAY PACKERS
Pythag: 11-3
Off: 1st
Def: 2nd
d. Giants NFL Title 37-0
HC Vince Lombardi DC Phil Bengsten
1st TM AP: RB P.Hornung (26) RLB B.Forester (29) RCB J.Whittendon (27) RDT H.Jordan (26)
14. 2021 DALLAS COWBOYS
Pythag: 12-5
Off: 1st
Def: 7th
lost WC 49ers 23-17
HC Mike McCarthy OC Kellen Moore DC Dan Quinn
Mike McCarthy won a SB with the Packers; he returns to GB with 2021's top offense to take on the third seed in Region 7, the '61 Packers who were first in offense, second in defense.
6. 2000 BALTIMORE RAVENS v. 11. 2005 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
6. 2000 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION BALTIMORE RAVENS
Pythag: 14-2
Off: 14th
Def: 1st
d. Broncos WC 21-3
d. Titans Div Rnd 24-10
d. Raiders AFC Title 16-3
d. Giants Super Bowl 34-7
HC Brian Billick OC Matt Cavanaugh DC Marvin Lewis
1st TM AP: K M.Stover (32) MLB R.Lewis (25) LT J.Ogden (26)
11. 2005 NFC CHAMPION SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 1st
Def: 7th
d. Redskins Div Rnd 20-10
d. Panthers NFC Title 34-14
lost Super Bowl Steelers 21-10
HC Mike Holmgren OC Gil Haskell DC Ray Rhodes
1st TM AP: RB S.Alexander (28) FB M.Strong (34) LT W.Jones (31)
The first Seahawk team in the field is the best offense from '05 - they head to Baltimore for the top defense in 2000, the third SB Champion in the Region.
7. 1979 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS v. 10. 1980 OAKLAND RAIDERS
7. 1979 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 2nd
Def: 2nd
lost Div Round Oilers 17-14
HC Don Coryell OC Joe Gibbs DC Jackie Simpson
1st TM AP: QB D.Fouts (28) WR J.Jefferson (23)
10. 1980 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION OAKLAND RAIDERS
Pythag: 10-6
Off: 7th
Def: 10th
d. Oilers WC 27-7
d. Browns Div Rnd 14-12
d. Chargers AFC Title 34-27
d. Eagles Super Bowl 27-10
HC Tom Flores DC Charlie Sumner
1st TM AP: LCB L.Hayes (25) LOLB T.Hendricks (33)
The 4th SB Champion in the Region is the '80 Raiders; they beat the Chargers in the AFC Title - back San Diego up a year and you have the '79 team that was second in both offense and defense and hosts this game.
2. 2010 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS v. 15. 1951 NEW YORK GIANTS
2. 2010 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 1st
Def: 8th
lost Jets Div Rnd 28-21
HC Bill Belichick
1st TM AP: QB T.Brady (33) LILB J.Mayo (24)
15. 1951 NEW YORK GIANTS
Pythag: 9-3
Off: 6th
Def: 2nd
Did not make playoffs
HC Steve Owen
1st TM AP: FB E.Price (26) LDH E.Tunnell (26) RS O.Schnellbacher (28) LDT A.Weinmeister (28)
The second seed in Region 7 is another Patriots team; this one from 2010 with the top offense in the NFL; they face a Giants squad from the 50s.
