3 regions to go. The 14th overall seed in the tournament -- the 1994 San Francisco 49ers
1. 1994 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS v. 16. Play in Winner: 2009 NEW YORK JETS/1987 WASHINGTON REDSKINS
1. 1994 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Pythag: 13-3
Off: 1st
Def: 6th
d. Bears Div Rnd 44-15
d. Cowboys NFC Title 38-28
d. Chargers Super Bowl 49-26
HC George Seifert OC Mike Shanahan DC Ray Rhodes
1st TM AP: QB S.Young (33) WR J.Rice (32) RCB D.Sanders (27)
16. 2009 NEW YORK JETS
Pythag: 11-5
Off: 17th
Def: 1st
d. Bengals WC 24-14
d. Chargers Div Rnd 17-14
Lost AFC Title Colts 30-17
HC Rex Ryan OC Brian Schottenheimer SC Mike Pettine
1st TM AP: LCB D.Revis (24)
16. 1987 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION WASHINGTON REDSKINS
Pythag: 10-5
Off: 4th
Def: 6th
d. Bears Div Rnd 21-17
d. Vikings NFC Title 17-10
d. Broncos Super Bowl 42-10
HC Joe Gibbs OC Joe Bugel DC Richie Petitbon
1st TM AP WR G.Clark (25) RCB B.Wilburn (24)
The 2007 Jags got bounced from this slot; my last replacement team was the '86 Seahawks, and they didn't make it. So - we need a team. There are 5 Super Bowl Champions who did not make the field; the first Colts team, the second Ravens team, the 2 Giants teams that beat New England -- but the best and solidly so is the '87 Redskins. If they beat the Jets, they'll face the '94 Niners in the first round one matchup of World Champions. With just four SB Champions out of the field, I may look for a way to squeeze them in.
8. 1974 PITTSBURGH STEELERS v. 9. 1980 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
8. 1974 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Pythag: 11-3
Off: 6th
Def: 2nd
d. Bills Div Rnd 32-14
d. Raiders AFC Title 24-13
d. Vikings Super Bowl 16-6
HC Chuck Noll DC Bud Carson
1st TM AP LDT J.Greene (28) LDE LC Greenwood (28) LLB J.Ham (26)
9. 1980 NFC CHAMPION PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Pythag: 13-3
Off: 6th
Def: 1st
d. Vikings Div Rnd 31-16
d. Cowboys NFC Title 20-7
Lost Super Bowl 27-10
HC Dick Vermeil DC Marion Campbell
1st TM AP: NT C.Johnson (28)
Third Super Bowl Champion of the region is the '74 Steelers; they'll host their intra-state rivals, the '80 Eagles who had the best defense in football.
5. 2011 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS v. 12. 1974 MIAMI DOLPHINS
5. 2011 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 2nd
Def: 13th
d. Lions WC 45-28
lost Niners Div Rnd 36-32
HC Sean Payton OC Pete Carmichael DC Gregg Williams
1st TM AP: None
12. 1974 MIAMI DOLPHINS
Pythag: 10-4
Off: 3rd
Def: 6th
lost Raiders Div Rnd 28-26
HC Don Shula OC Monte Clark DC Vince Costello
1st TM AP FS J.Scott (29)
The '74 Dolphins were the 3rd best offense in football - they go to New Orleans, where the 2nd best offense from 2011 belonged to the Saints.
4. 2007 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS v. 13. 2013 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
4. 2007 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Pythag: 13-3
Off: 3rd
Def: 1st
lost Chargers Div Rnd 28-24
HC Tony Dungy OC Tom Moore DC Ron Meeks
1st TM AP: SS B.Sanders (26)
13. 2013 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Pythag: 11-5
Off: 3rd
Def: 10th
d. Colts Div Rnd 43-22
lost AFC Title Broncos 26-16
HC Bill Belichick OC Josh McDaniels DC Matt Patricia
1st TM AP: None
Top half of the region ends in Indianapolis with a Manning/Brady battle- the '07 Colts were top 3 in offense and defense - the '13 Pats 3rd in offense.
3. 1987 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS v. 14. 2012 BALTIMORE RAVENS
3. 1987 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Pythag: 12-3
Off: 1st
Def: 3rd
lost WC Vikings 36-24
HC Bill Walsh DC George Seifert
1st TM AP: QB J.Montana (31) WR J.Rice (25) FS R.Lott (28) NT M.Carter (27)
14. 2012 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION BALTIMORE RAVENS
Pythag: 9-7
Off: 10th
Def: 12th
d. Colts WC 24-9
d. Broncos Div Rnd 38-35
d. Patriots AFC Title 28-13
d. Niners Super Bowl 34-31
HC John Harbaugh OC Cam Cameron DC Dean Pees
1st TM AP: FB V.Leach (31) KR J.Jones (28)
The '86 Redskins were here, but they didn't reach the floor, so one of the 4 remaining SB Champions out of the field - makes the field. The Ravens beat the Niners in the SB - and they head to San Francisco in round 1 to face an '87 Niners squad that was 1st in offense and 3rd in defense.
6. 2006 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS v. 11. 2000 OAKLAND RAIDERS
6. 2006 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 1st
Def: 7th
lost Div Rnd 24-21 Patriots
HC Marty Schottenheimer OC Cam Cameron DC Wade Phillips
1st TM AP: RB L.Tomlinson (27) FB L.Neal (36) TE A.Gates (26) LOLB S.Merriman (22) NT J.Williams (30)
11. 2000 OAKLAND RAIDERS
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 3rd
Def: 9th
d. Dolphins Div Rnd 27-0
lost AFC Title Ravens 16-3
HC Jon Gruden OC Bill Callahan DC Chuck Bresnahan
1st TM AP: QB R.Gannon (35) P S.Lechler (24)
The Raiders, with the third best offense from 2000 go to San Diego to face the top offense from 2006, the Chargers.
7. 1968 DALLAS COWBOYS v. 10. 2020 GREEN BAY PACKERS
7. 1968 DALLAS COWBOYS
Pythag: 12-2
Off: 1st
Def: 2nd
lost Div Rnd Browns 31-20
HC Tom Landry
1st TM AP: LE B.Hayes (26) RT R.Neely (25) RDT B.Lilly (29) LLB C.Howley (32)
10. 2020 GREEN BAY PACKERS
Pythag: 11-5
Off: 1st
Def: 13th
d. Rams Div Rnd 32-18
lost Bucs NFC Title 31-26
HC Matt LaFleur OC Nathaniel Hackett DC Mike Pettine
1st TM AP: QB A.Rodgers (37) WR D.Adams (28) LCB J.Alexander (23)
The '68 Cowboys were first in offense, second in defense - they host the 2020 Packers who had the best offense in football.
2. 1951 CLEVELAND BROWNS v. 15. 2001 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
2. 1951 CLEVELAND BROWNS
Pythag: 10-2
Off: 3rd
Def: 1st
Lost NFL Title Rams 24-17
HC Paul Brown
1st TM AP: QB O.Graham RB D.Jones (27) RDE L.Ford (25) MG B.Willis (30)
15. 2001 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Pythag: 11-5
Off: 6th
Def: 6th
d. Raiders Div Rnd 16-13
d. Steelers AFC Title 24-17
d. Rams Super Bowl 20-17
HC Bill Belichick OC Charlie Weis DC Romeo Crennel
1st TM AP: None
Region 14 closes in Cleveland; the '51 Browns were top 3 in offense and defense - they host the first Patriots SB Champion, the '01 squad.
