EVERY NFL TEAM BEST GAME EVER PLAYED

Every one of the NFL’s 32 teams has its signature moment. Hence, a look at the greatest performance by each franchise for one game.

An NFL team’s best game ever played. It sounds like a pretty broad subject. Which means the reasoning for each of the 32 choices here are different, to say the least. And don’t assume best means most important.

The factors that went into the selections were various and included such as the quality of the opponent, overall performance and efficiency. Keep in mind that football has gone through its share of eras and rule changes. For instance, turnovers were much more common than they are in today’s game.

Regardless, it’s another trip down memory lane for each of the NFL’s fan bases. And feel free to disagree, which is the real fun when it comes to these exercises.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS: 1976 AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

STEELERS 40, COLTS 14

Five games into the 1976 season, the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers owned a 1-4 record and would be hard-pressed to return to the playoffs, much less be in the running to win a third straight Lombardi Trophy. Add in the fact that quarterback Terry Bradshaw was out of action and Chuck Noll’s club appeared to be in dire straits.

And that’s when the Steelers’ defense stepped to the forefront in stunning fashion. The club won its final nine games to finish 10-4 and win the AFC Central. “Mean” Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham and a talented unit pitched five shutouts, allowed a total of 28 points and surrendered only two touchdowns during the run.

So when Bradshaw and the “Steel Curtain” took the field at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium in the AFC Divisional Playoffs to face the 11-3 Colts, the AFC East champions had no idea what was about to happen to them. On the fourth play of the game, the strong-armed performer found wide receiver Frank Lewis deep for a 76-yard score. Roy Gerela missed the PAT but that would be a minor setback. By halftime, the defending champs owned a 26-7 lead and by game’s end, the Steelers would outgain a potent Colts’ team, 526-170, in total yards.

The game is also known for the fact that a small plane wound up crashing into the upper decks of the stadium and fortunately, long after the issue had been decided. But anyone who witnessed Noll’s team that day would have to search their mind to recall such domination by one team over a quality opponent.

ARIZONA CARDINALS: WEEK 12, 1975

CARDINALS 31, COWBOYS 17

It’s a franchise that was born way back in 1920 and has made its home in Chicago, St. Louis and currently the desert. The Arizona Cardinals have won a total of two NFL championships during their long stay in the league. The last came way back in 1947 when the team made the Windy City its home. Hence, this franchise owns the NFL’s longest current league title drought.

In 2008, the Cards reached their 1st and only Super Bowl, only to fall short to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Seven years later, the team set a franchise record with 13 wins but was eventually demolished in the NFC title game at Carolina.

But let’s go back to 1975, when the then-St. Louis Cardinals were under the command of head coach Don Coryell (a name you will hear later again in this piece) and feature such offensive standouts such as quarterback Jim Hart, running back Terry Metcalf and wide receiver Mel Gray. The offensive line was anchored by Pro Football Hall of Fame tackle Dan Dierdorf.

That year, the Cards would win the NFC East (their home until 2002) with an 11-3 mark. And one of those victories was a convincing 31-17 conquest of the Super Bowl X-bound Dallas Cowboys. Coryell’s club rolled out to a 28-3 lead at intermission thanks to a pair of Hart-to-Gray TD passes, as well as a 30-yard scoring reception by Metcalf. St. Louis would fall in the playoffs to the Los Angeles Rams. But Big Red looked pretty superior on a Sunday afternoon against the eventual conference champions.

ATLANTA FALCONS: 1998 NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

FALCONS 30, VIKINGS 27 (OT)

Two years ago, the Atlanta Falcons appeared well on their way to hoisting the Lombardi trophy for the first time in the team’s history. But it wasn’t meant to be as Tom Brady and the New England Patriots came up with a miraculous rally, overcoming a 25-point deficit and knocking off Dan Quinn’s squad, 34-28, in Super Bowl LI.

But you could argue the point that that version of the Falcons was not the best in the franchise’s history. Go back a mere 20 years ago to 1998, when head coach Dan Reeves and his roster won its final nine regular-season games to finish 14-2 and enter the postseason on a very high note. The club disposed of quarterback Steve Young and the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Playoffs. But the club would have to travel to Minneapolis to face the 15-1 Minnesota Vikings for the rights to go to Super Bowl XXXIII.

Dennis Green’s Purple Gang had just set a new NFL record for points scored in a season (556). It featured quarterback Randall Cunningham and a pair of future of Hall of Fame wide receivers in Randy Moss and Cris Carter. But Reeves’ team was just as balanced as these Vikings and went toe-to-toe in this clash.

Down 27-20 in the closing moments, quarterback Chris Chandler drove his team to a touchdown to force overtime. Hall of Fame kicker Morten Andersen connected from 38 yards out in the extra session for an improbable 30-27 triumph. There would be a Super Bowl loss to the Denver Broncos two weeks later. But the improbable win at the Metrodome was arguably the Falcons’ finest three-plus hours.

BALTIMORE RAVENS: 2012 AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

RAVENS 28, PATRIOTS 13

Six years ago, head coach John Harbaugh and quarterback Joe Flacco were in their fifth season together with the Baltimore Ravens. Just like the previous four editions, the team reached the playoffs and won at least one postseason game. The Ravens played for the AFC title in both 2008 and ‘11, coming up short against the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots, respectively.

Things would be different in 2012. Baltimore won the AFC North with a 10-6 record. The playoff run began with a victory with over the visiting Indianapolis Colts. They would be followed by wins at Denver and at Foxborough. Harbaugh and company would hoist the Lombardi Trophy courtesy of a wild 34-31 win over his brother Jim’s San Francisco 49ers at the Superdome in Super Bowl XLVII.

But back to the aforementioned game with the Patriots. It was the second consecutive year that the teams squared off in the conference title game, when the Ravens made some costly mistakes in the fourth in a 23-20 loss. This time around, New England owned a 13-7 halftime lead but that stingy and physical Baltimore defense pitched a shutout in the second half.

All three of the Ravens’ scores after intermission came via touchdown passes from Joe Flacco, who found Dennis Pitta (5 yards) and Anquan Boldin (3 and 11 yards) in the final two quarters. Bernard Pollard and company came away with three takeaways in the second half. And Baltimore was Super Bowl bound.

BUFFALO BILLS: WEEK 2, 1975

BILLS 30, STEELERS 21

The recent history of the Buffalo Bills has been nothing to get too excited about. A year ago, the club snapped at what was at the time the longest active postseason drought in the league. But that means the team has still only reached the playoffs once since 1999. There’s been no AFC East title or postseason win since 1995. And Sean McDermott’s club won’t be playing any extra games in 2018.

But let’s jump into the time machine and travel back to 1974. Lou Saban’s Bills were led by quarterback Joe Ferguson and future Pro Football Hall of Fame running back O.J. Simpson. The team finished 9-5 and earned wild card berth but the postseason ended quickly in Pittsburgh as the Steelers rolled to a 32-14 win in the AFC Divisional Playoffs.

Less than one calendar year later, Buffalo returned to Three Rivers Stadium to take on the defending Super Bowl champions in a Week 2 encounter. And Saban’s club dominated the Black and Gold, opening up a 30-7 fourth-quarter lead on a team that was destined to win a second straight Lombardi Trophy.

The star was Simpson, who shredded the fabled “Steel Curtain” for 227 yards rushing on 28 carries. A big chunk of that came on an 88-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Buffalo came up with five takeaways and Saban’s team rolled up 434 total yards in a convincing victory over a team that featured a head coach and a number of performers destined to be enshrined in Canton, Ohio.

CAROLINA PANTHERS: 2015 NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

PANTHERS 49, CARDINALS 15

As has been well documented, the Carolina Panthers have been in the NFL since 1995. And despite a pair of Super Bowl appearances, it’s a franchise that still hasn’t been able to put together back-to-back winning campaigns. And that will be the case again as Ron Rivera’s club will finish with a losing record in 2017, one year after the team reached the playoffs with an 11-5 record.

In ’15, quarterback Cam Newton was the league’s Most Valuable Player and after a slow start put together an amazing season in which he threw for 35 scores (10 interceptions) and ran for 10 scores. The Panthers won their first 14 games, finished 15-1 and would lead the NFL in scoring with 500 points.

In the playoffs, Rivera’s team would dethrone the reigning NFC champion Seattle Seahawks. Carolina jumped on Pete Carroll’s club early and held on for a 31-24 triumph.

Next up was the conference championship game against the visiting Arizona Cardinals and Rivera’s squad wasted little time showing their dominance. Carolina owned a 17-0 lead after one quarter and spent the day harassing veteran quarterback Carson Palmer. He was sacked three times, lost both of his fumbles and was picked off four times. That included an interception returned 22 yards for a score by linebacker Luke Kuechly. Newton threw for 335 yards and two touchdowns (1 INT) and ran 10 times for 47 yards and a pair of scores. The Panthers amassed 476 total yards and appeared effortless in doing so.

Yes, Newton and his team would be shackled by an excellent Denver Broncos’ defense in Super Bowl 50 two weeks later at Levi’s Stadium. But the Panthers were arguably never better in the NFC title game destruction of the Cards.

CHICAGO BEARS: 1940 NFL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

BEARS 73, REDSKINS 0

Only the Green Bay Packers (13) have won more NFL championships than the Chicago Bears and their nine titles. Yes, during the Super Bowl Era, these “Monsters of the Midway” have captured just one Lombardi Trophy. And those 1985 Bears put together one of the most dominant campaigns of the Super Bowl Era.

But a lot of the franchise’s dominance when it comes to titles were in the early days of the league and spread throughout the first five decades of NFL annals. Still, Mike Ditka’s ’85 Bears lost only one game and shut out both the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams on the way to routing the New England Patriots, 46-10, in Super Bowl XX at New Orleans.

Still, it’s hard to ignore that this franchise is the owner of the most lopsided victory in the 99-year history of the league. In 1940, the Bears battled the Washington Redskins for the league championship. And what ensued was unprecedented as George Halas’ squad rolled over their opponent by an unimaginable 73-0 score.

Chicago totaled 11 touchdowns in the blowout win. The Bears ran for 381 yards on 53 attempts and rushed for seven scores. Halas’ defense limited the Redskins to 231 total yards and totaled eight interceptions, retuning three of those thefts for scores. Earlier that season, the ‘Skins had defeated the visiting Bears, 7-3, in mid-November. It’s safe to say that Halas and company learned from that setback.

CINCINNATI BENGALS: WEEK 15, 1989

BENGALS 61, OILERS 7

The last time we saw the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl was 30 years ago. Sam Wyche’s team owned a 16-13 lead over the San Francisco 49ers in South Florida with only a few minutes remaining in the game. Of course, the rest is history as Joe Montana and company moved their way down the field and the combination of the Hall of fame quarterback and wide receiver John Taylor broke the Bengals’ hearts with 34 seconds to play.

A year later, this was still a very good football team. And one very capable up getting back to contend for a championship. But it was also a bit erratic and when it was all said and done a season-ending loss at Minnesota on a Monday night paved the way for the Pittsburgh Steelers to make the playoffs that year. The Bengals were the only team in the AFC Central in 1989 to miss the playoffs that season.

Still, down the stretch and a week before that holiday setback at the Metrodome, Wyche’s club sent a resounding message to Jerry Glanville’s playoff-bound Oilers. It was 21-0 after one quarter and 31-0 at intermission. Bengals’ quarterback Boomer Esiason threw for 326 yards and four touchdowns. Cincinnati outgained Houston, 584-186, and forced the Oilers into five turnovers. It was an indication of just how talented and how dominant these Bengals could be and on this day, everything went the Bengals’ way.

CLEVELAND BROWNS: WEEK 1, 1950

BROWNS 35, EAGLES 10

From 1946-49, there was another professional football league refer to as the All-American Football Conference aka the AAFC. It was the original home of the Cleveland Browns, as well as some other clubs that joined the NFL in 1950. In the case of the Browns, they were the only team to win the championship during the four years the other league existed.

They dominated the competition to the tune of a combined 47-4-3 record. But when the Browns joined the NFL in 1950, there were certainly skepticism regarding their caliber of play and the competition they faced in the AAFC.

As it turned out, football is football. And this franchise would appear in the NFL title game in each of its first six seasons in its new home. The Browns won titles in 1950, 1954 and ’55. But on their way to an eventual 30-28 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the ‘50 title game, the Browns would open that season at Philadelphia against the two-time league champion Eagles. Apparently it was the time for most to find out just how legitimate Paul Brown’s team was. The answer was a resounding yes.

Led by quarterback Otto Graham, Cleveland humbled the team from the City of Brotherly Love. The Hall of Fame signal-caller threw for 346 yards and three scores (2 interceptions). He also ran one yard for a touchdown. Brown’s squad amassed 487 total yards against the reigning champions in an eye-opening victory.

DALLAS COWBOYS: SUPER BOWL XXVII

COWBOYS 52, BILLS 17

Some may say that the 1992 Dallas Cowboys were one year ahead of schedule. Head coach Jimmy Johnson had taken over the team in 1989 and slowly but surely built a very talented roster. In 1991, the club would reach the playoffs and knock off the Chicago Bears at the wild card round. But Johnson’s team was humbled a week later at the Silverdome by the upstart Detroit Lions, who came away with an impressive 38-6 win.

A year later, the team would finish 13-3 and win the NFC East. The ‘Boys would roll the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Divisional Playoffs but were not expected to win one week later at San Francisco. But the club surprised many with a 30-20 conquest of the 49ers in the NFC title game. And the club was on the verge of their first of three Super Bowl titles in four years.

Two weeks later, the Cowboys would do a number on a Buffalo Bills’ team that was making its third consecutive Super Bowl appearance. Dallas came up with Super Bowl record nine takeaways. Game MVP Troy Aikman threw for 273 yards and four touchdowns. Running back Emmitt Smith ran for 108 yards and one score. Wide receiver Michael Irvin grabbed six passes for 114 yards and a pair of touchdown late in the first half.

Meanwhile, defensive tackle Jimmie Jones and linebacker Ken Norton Jr. returned takeaways for touchdowns. And if not for a little absentmindedness by defensive tackle Leon Lett (stripped of the football by Bills’ wide receiver Don Beebe as Lett was getting ready to cross the goal line), Johnson’s club would set a new Super Bowl record for points scored in a game.

DENVER BRONCOS: 1998 AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

BRONCOS 38, DOLPHINS 3

The Men from Mile High spent their early existence known as a laughing stock in the original American Football League. When the Denver Broncos finally came to prominence and became a power in the AFC, they would soon become a Super Bowl punchline.

The original “Orange Crush” fell to the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XII. Less than a decade later, the club would make the first of three Super Bowl appearances in four years. But Dan Reeves’ Broncos came up short and things got worse as time wore on. A 39-20 setback to the New York Giants in 1986 (XXI) was followed a year later by a 42-10 loss to the Washington Redskins. Two seasons later, it was a 55-10 defeat at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers.

But head coach Mike Shanahan and his Broncos turned things around in 1997 when the club upset the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXII. One year later, the club attacked the rest of the league and won its first 13 games. Led by league MVP Terrell Davis and with quarterback John Elway in what would be his final season, 14-2 Denver hosted the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Divisional Playoffs.

The issue was never in doubt. Davis ran for a pair of first-quarter touchdowns and by intermission, Shanahan’s club owned a 21-3 lead. The Broncos pitched a shutout in the second half and by game’s end, rolled up 424 yards – including 250 yards on the ground. There were three takeaways and defensive end Neil Smith scooped up a fumble and returned it 79 yards for the game’s final touchdown. And Elway and the Broncos would repeat as Super Bowl champions three weeks later at South Florida.

DETROIT LIONS: 1991 NFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

LIONS 38, COWBOYS 6

It’s safe to say that the City of Detroit has had problems re-establishing itself as the home of one of the NFL’s best franchises. Back in the 1950s, the Lions won 3 league championships – the last coming in 1957. These days, this is the only team in the NFC that has yet to make an appearance in a Super Bowl.

The organization has gone through its share of head coaches and Matt Patricia just wrapped up his first year at the helm. But the fact remains that the Lions haven’t won a division title since 1993 and have not come up with a playoff victory since 1991.

But speaking of that postseason win, it was indeed memorable for those who watched Wayne Fontes’ club destroy the visiting Dallas Cowboys at the Silverdome. Earlier that season, the Lions sent a message by handling Jimmy Johnson’s club, 34-10. Led by quarterback Erik Kramer, Detroit made easy work of a club that appeared braced to stop Barry Sanders. But the Lions’ signal-caller hit on 29-of-38 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns. The future Hall of Fame running back would have his say with a 47-yard touchdown run. But this game belonged to a Lions’ offense that rolled up 421 total yards.

However, it’s been nothing but playoff futility for this franchise ever since. The club currently owns a nine-game postseason losing streak, the longest in league history. But for one afternoon against the Cowboys, the Lions were arguably never better.

GREEN BAY PACKERS: 1961 NFL CHAMPIONSHIP

PACKERS 37, GIANTS 0

The 1961 National Football League Championship Game was the 29th title game. It was played at "New" City Stadium, later known as Lambeau Field, in Green Bay, Wisconsin on December 31, with an attendance of 39,029.

The game was a match-up of the Eastern Conference champion New York Giants (10–3–1) and the Western Conference champion Green Bay Packers (11–3). The home team Packers were a 3⅓-point favorite.

Packers Ray Nitschke, Boyd Dowler, and Paul Hornung, were on leave from the U.S. Army. Hornung scored 19 points (a touchdown, three field goals, and four extra points) for the Packers and was named the MVP of the game, and awarded a 1962 Chevrolet Corvette from Sport magazine.

The victory was the first of five NFL titles won in a seven-season span by the Packers and their head coach, Vince Lombardi. It was the Packers' seventh league title and their first in 17 years.

This was the first NFL championship game held in Green Bay. The Packers' only other championship home game until then was 22 years earlier in 1939, played at the State Fair Park in West Allis outside Milwaukee. Both teams were eager to shed the "runner-up" label. The Giants were in their third championship game in four years, falling in 1958 and 1959 to the Baltimore Colts, and the Packers had lost the title game in 1960 to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Giants' last league title was in 1956 and the Packers in 1944.

Temperature at game time hovered at 20 °F (−7 °C) and for several days the field had been covered with a tarp, topped by a foot (30 cm) of hay. The covering was particularly significant as just two days before, the temperature dipped to −15 °F (−26 °C). Field conditions were of paramount concern if the teams were to make effective use of the running game. All the Packers players used cleats and about half of the Giants players, led by head coach Allie Sherman, chose sneakers, believing they would grip better on a frozen field. At 6 a.m. on game day, workers began the arduous process of snow and hay removal by hand using baskets, as heavy equipment could have potentially damaged the field.

Green Bay had defeated the Giants 20–17 four weeks earlier at County Stadium in Milwaukee to clinch the Western title before a record crowd of 47,012.

HOUSTON TEXANS: WEEK 4, 2017

TEXANS 57, TITANS 14

A year ago, the Houston Texans were looking to make it three straight AFC South titles. They would have a new quarterback in Tom Savage, who had made his a few starts for the club in the past but was now at the helm. But he would be sacked six times in the first half alone in a 29-7 home loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

After intermission, head coach Bill O’Brien inserted rookie Deshaun Watson into the lineup. Things didn’t get much better and the talented performer was dropped four times in that game. Four days later, Watson was the starter at Cincinnati and the Texans managed a 10-6 victory over the Bengals. Eventually, it would prove to be a very rough year for O’Brien’s club. But in a Week 4 home clash vs. the Tennessee Titans, Houston had no problems with their AFC South rival.

Watson would connect on 25-of-34 throws for 283 yards and four touchdowns (1 interception). He also ran four times for 24 yards and another score. The Texans ran for 173 yards and won the total yardage battle in convincing fashion, 445-195. O’Brien’s club rolled up 33 first downs to Tennessee’s nine.

Titans’ quarterbacks Marcus Mariota (2) and Matt Cassel (3) combined for all five of their team’s turnovers. Ironically, Tennessee would rebound and finish with a 9-7 record and reached the playoffs.  Houston finished 4-12 and in last place in the AFC South. But for one afternoon, the Texans were a cut above.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: 2006 AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

COLTS 38, PATRIOTS 34

Given the name of this piece and knowing NFL history, if there was any obvious answer when it came to picking out the best contest for the Colts, it would be the fabled “Greatest Game Ever Played.”

But some will tell you the 1958 NFL title clash between the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants, which featured the first-ever overtime contest in league annals, wasn’t quite as great as some would think. It had a huge impact on the league’s history because it was televised and brought the NFL to the forefront. But that’s a subject for another time.

The choice here is one of the great comebacks in NFL postseason history and the biggest ever in the championship round. And the 2006 Indianapolis Colts would wind up winning Super Bowl XLI over the Chicago Bears in soggy South Florida. But before Tony Dungy’s club could meet the “Monsters of the Midway,” it had to get past the always-dangerous New England Patriots.

But quarterback Peyton Manning and his team would make it hard on themselves as the Colts dug themselves a 21-3 second-quarter hole. One of those Patriots’ scores was a pick-six by cornerback Asante Samuel. Slowly but sure, Dungy’s club would crawl its way back into the game and with 4:00 to play in the third quarter, it was all even.

The teams exchanged scores the rest of the way. But when running back Joseph Addai scored from three yards out with exactly one minute to play, Indianapolis had the lead for the only time in the contest. And when Marlin Jackson picked off Tom Brady in those closing seconds, it was a done deal for Dungy’s team.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: 1999 AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

JAGUARS 62, DOLPHINS 7

The 1999 Jacksonville Jaguars are one of the NFL’s most unique stories, but not for the right reasons. Led by head coach Tom Coughlin, the club finished with a league-best 14-2 record. The team would edge out the 13-3 Tennessee Titans for the AFC Central by one game. But both of those losses came to Jeff Fisher’s club.

Still, the powerhouse Jaguars would begin their ’99 postseason journey by hosting the Miami Dolphins. And Coughlin’s club wasted very little time making a statement as it jumped out to a 24-0 first-quarter lead and owned a 41-7 advantage at halftime. The ‘Fins lone score of the game came on a Dan Marino TD pass with one second remaining in the second quarter. Jaguars’ quarterback Mark Brunell threw touchdown passes to Jimmy Smith and Fred Taylor. And the latter also ran 90 yards in the first quarter for a score.

Even Jacksonville backup quarterback Jay Fielder got in the act in the third quarter. He threw touchdown passes to Smith and Alvis Whitted. When it was all said and done, the Jaguars outgained Miami, 520-131, and forced seven turnovers.

Yes, this lopsided affair is best remembered for being the final game for Marino and two-time Super Bowl champion head coach Jimmy Johnson. But buried is the fact that the 62 points are second-most ever by a team in an NFL postseason game. A week later, Jacksonville fell at home the following week to those pesky Titans, 33-14. And the franchise is still looking for that elusive first Super Bowl appearance.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: 1969 AFL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

CHIEFS 17, RAIDERS 7

The explosive 2018 version of the Kansas City Chiefs, led by prolific signal-caller Patrick Mahomes, is hoping to end the franchise’s long drought when it comes to an NFL championship. Back in 1969 in what was the final season of the American Football League; Hall of Fame head coach Hank Stram led a Hall of Fame-laden club to a title. The Chiefs used “69 Toss Power Trap” and a smothering defense to manhandle quarterback Joe Kapp and the Minnesota Vikings, 23-7, in Super Bowl IV at New Orleans’ Tulane Stadium.

During the 10-year run of the AFL, no team won more games than the franchise that began as the Dallas Texans in 1960. Eventually Lamar Hunt would move the franchise to Kansas City. The Chiefs came up short in Super Bowl I, a 35-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Three years later, they were in position to return to that game but the rival Oakland Raiders stood in the way.

The Silver and Black best the Chiefs twice during the regular season. The Raiders defeated the Chiefs, 27-24, at Kansas City. And they also conquered Stram’s team at Oakland, 10-6. First-year head coach John Madden’s club was coming off a 56-7 playoff win over the Houston Oilers and looked for the three-game sweep of their bitter rivals. Kansas City spotted the Raiders a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. And in a hard-hitting clash, the Chiefs lost four of their five fumbles.

But that star-studded Kansas City defense picked off Oakland quarterbacks four times, three of those at the expense of Raiders’ quarterback Daryle Lamonica. A club that gained only 207 total yards stifled Madden’s club when it counted most and pitched a shutout over the final three quarters. It was ugly but it was physical football at its best.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS: WEEK 12, 1979

CHARGERS 35, STEELERS 7

The current edition of the Bolts are headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2013. The franchise has won at least 10 games for the first time since 2009 and Anthony Lynn’s club is hoping to make the organization’s second-ever trip to the Super Bowl. The first came back in 1994 and those San Diego Chargers were pushed around by Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young and the San Francisco 49ers, 49-26.

But 15 years earlier, then-head coach Don Coryell was in command of an amazing talent squad that would finish 12-4 and win the AFC West. The roster included eventual Hall of Famers such as quarterback Dan Fouts, wide receiver Charlie Joiner, tight end Kellen Winslow and defensive end Fred Dean. It was a team that caught fire late in 1978 and carried that momentum in to the following season.

In Week 12 of ‘79, the Pittsburgh Steelers came a calling. The reigning dynasty in the league at that moment was in the middle of a 12-win season of their own. Chuck Noll’s team was in the midst of a four-game winning streak which saw them outscore their opponents by a 124-20 count.

But before you could say “San Diego Super Chargers,” Coryell’s club looked the part. They intercepted Steelers’ quarterback Terry Bradshaw five times, one of those returned 77 yards for a score by linebacker Woodrow Lowe. The Bolts would force a total of eight turnovers in the 28-point victory. They looked like a better and faster team than the Steelers that day and one capable of winning it all.

Of course, it wasn’t meant to be. The Chargers would fall in the AFC Divisional Playoffs at home to the inspired Houston Oilers. But for one glorious afternoon, Coryell and company put on a defensive clinic against a team on the way to a fourth Super Bowl title in six years.

LOS ANGELES RAMS: WEEK 13, 1976

RAMS 59, FALCONS 0

Until the New England Patriots started doing this dynasty thing this century, there was a team that once held the NFL record for consecutive division titles. Those were the Los Angeles Rams, who captured the NFC West seven straight years from 1973-79. The final season during that stretch resulted in a 9-7 finish and eventually an appearance in Super Bowl XIV, which resulted in a 31-19 setback to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Those teams led by head coaches Chuck Knox and Ray Malavasi. Those clubs had their share of star players and Hall of Famers. In 1976, the team came within one win of Super Bowl XI but that ended at frigid Metropolitan Stadium with a 24-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC title game that year.

But a few weeks earlier, Knox’s Rams were incredibly dominant in a Saturday afternoon rout of the Atlanta Falcons at the L.A. Coliseum.

Talk about some mind-boggling numbers? Los Angeles outgained the visiting Falcons, 569-81. That’s not a typo. The Rams ran for 210 yard and totaled 359 passing yards in the contest. Running back Lawrence McCutcheon rushed for 121 yards and three of the team’s eight touchdowns. Three quarterbacks, Pat Haden, James Harris and Ron Jaworski, saw action that day.

The only blemish? Kicker Tom Dempsey missed his first three PATs, although he did connect on five others and a pair of field goals. A thorough and completely dominant victory.

MIAMI DOLPHINS: SUPER BOWL VIII

DOLPHINS 24, VIKINGS 7

It’s hard to top perfection and the 1972 Miami Dolphins remain the only team to date in the league’s 99 year history to win all of its games, regardless of the length of the season. The 2007 New England Patriots came awfully close, but their 18-1 showing included a 17-14 loss to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII.

But numerous football historians will often point out that the 1973 edition of the Dolphins may have been the better football team than their perfect predecessors of a year earlier. Don Shula’s talented club finished 12-2 and rolled over the Cincinnati Bengals, Oakland Raiders and Minnesota Vikings, respectively on their way to repeating as NFL champions.

That last victory was a 24-7 triumph in Super Bowl VIII over Bud Grant’s Vikings at Houston’s Rice Stadium. The Dolphins jumped out to a 17-0 halftime lead and were basically flawless in doing so. The team’s offensive line, featuring the likes of Pro Football Hall of Famers such as guard Larry Little and center Jim Langer, along with starting tackles Wayne Moore and Norm Evans, as well as standout left guard Bob Kuechenberg.

Speaking of the Hall, defensive tackle Alan Page and defensive end Carl Eller and the rest of the fabled “Purple People Eaters” were pushed around to the tune of 196 yards on the ground. The vast majority of that came from game MVP Larry Csonka (145), who scored twice. Limited passing by Bob Griese. Zero turnovers. It was power football at its best.

Some may even call it “perfection.”

MINNESOTA VIKINGS: 1987 NFC WILD CARD PLAYOFFS

VIKINGS 44, SAINTS 10

It’s a football franchise that is in some ways is more well known for what it hasn’t done then what it has accomplished. The Minnesota Vikings, born in 1961, are one of the NFL’s premier organizations and part of the league’s glorious history. The club’s best moments came in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, when the club would reach four Super Bowls in an eight-year span from 1969-76. But all of those would result in defeat as the Purple Gang had the misfortune of squaring off against some of the greatest teams in NFL history on Super Bowl Sunday.

Unfortunately, getting back to the “Big Game” has been a struggle for this franchise. A year ago, Mike Zimmer’s squad was blown out in the NFC title game at Philadelphia, 38-7. It was the latest near-miss for a club that hasn’t played on Super Sunday in more than four decades. One of those close calls came in 1987, when Jerry Burns’ Vikings finished with an 8-7 record and earned a wild card berth during the league’s strike-interrupted and replacement player campaign. But Minnesota would eventually get to the conference title game only to lose at Washington, 17-10.

The team’s initial outing that postseason was a clash with the Saints at New Orleans. The franchise was making their first-ever playoff appearance and owned an impressive 12-3 mark. But Jim Mora’s team was no match for these Vikings, who nearly tripled their hosts in total yards (417-149), forced six turnovers and got a big game from wide receiver/punt returner Anthony Carter.

It’s hard to believe that the Saints actually owned an early 7-0 lead in this contest.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: 2004 AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

PATRIOTS 41, STEELERS 27

It’s a franchise that is headed to the playoffs for the 10th consecutive year, a first in NFL history. The New England Patriots’ current run of success is unparalleled when you combine victories and championships. Sure, the Dallas Cowboys enjoyed 20 consecutive winning seasons from 1966-85. But Tom Landry’s team reached the Super Bowl five times over that span and came away with “only” two titles.

What head coach Bill Belichick and the organization have done this century has been amazing. There have now been 18 straight winning campaigns dating back to 2001. There have been eight Super Bowl appearances over that span and the club has held up the Lombardi Trophy five times. This postseason, the Pats are looking to become only the third team in league annals to reach three consecutive Super Bowls and the first team to win it all one year after losing on Super Sunday since the 1972 Miami Dolphins.

Some would contend that the 2004 edition of the Patriots was their best-ever campaign. The team finished 14-2 and would edge the Philadelphia Eagles, 24-21, in Super Bowl XXXIX.

But in getting to the “Big Game,” Tom Brady and company would have to get past a Steelers’ team at Pittsburgh that had beaten them handily, 34-20, earlier in the season. And Belichick’s club made it look easy despite the deceptive final score. New England owned a 24-3 advantage intermission thanks to a pair of Brady TD strikes and Rodney Harrison’s 87-yard scoring return of a Ben Roethlisberger interception. Wide receiver Deion Branch touched the ball six times, gained 153 yards from scrimmage and scored twice. And the efficient Patriots humbled a 15-1 Steelers’ squad.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: 2009 NFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

SAINTS 45, CARDINALS 14

They entered the 2018 postseason as the NFC’s number one seed and tied for the best record in the NFL with 13-3 mark. The New Orleans Saints appear to have all the pieces when it comes to making a Super Bowl LIII run.

Of course, the franchise has reaches the “Big Game” just once in its proud history. That was a club that also finished with 13 victories. It also relied on aggressive play and a penchant for takeaways. The 2009 Saints forced 39 turnovers during the regular season and eight more in their three-game playoff run. Tracy Porter’s 74-yard interception return of a Peyton Manning in the fourth quarter was the key moment in a rousing 31-17 Super Bowl XLIV victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

But two games earlier, Sean Payton’s club put a hurting on the defending NFC champion Arizona at the Superdome in a very complete performance. But on the first play from scrimmage, Cardinals’ running back Tim Hightower ran 70 yards for a touchdown to give the visitors an early lead. But the Saints responded with three consecutive scores of their own, which included the first of Drew Brees’ three touchdown passes on the afternoon. Rookie running back Reggie Bush had a great outing, running for a 46-yard TD in the first quarter and returning a punt 83 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter to round up the scoring.

One week later, the Saints would get an overtime win over the Vikings in the NFC title game. That was followed by the Super victory over the Colts. But the 31-point triumph over the Cards showed just how well rounded the ’09 champions were that season.

NEW YORK GIANTS: 1986 NFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

GIANTS 49, 49ERS 3

In 1984, the San Francisco 49ers lost only one game all season and eventually rolled to a 38-16 win over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX. One year later, the Chicago Bears won their first 12 games in 1985, finished 15-1 and then rolled three straight opponents on its way to winning Super Bowl XX. In both instances, those clubs knocked off Bill Parcells’ New York Giants in the NFC Divisional Playoffs.

In ’86, general manager George Young and Parcells were quite the powerhouse. The Giants lost the first Monday night game of the year to the Dallas Cowboys. In Week 7, there was a setback at Seattle. But that was it in terms of losses. The team orchestrated some impressive come-from-behind wins that year and really hit its stride in the playoffs.

On the way to an eventual 39-20 victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXI at the Rose Bowl, the Giants vanquished both the 49ers and the Washington Redskins in the NFC playoffs. But it was the lopsided win over the Niners at the Meadowlands that was memorable in so many ways. Earlier in the season, New York rallied from a 17-0 deficit to defeat the 49ers on a Monday night at San Francisco, 21-17.

In this latest postseason clash between the clubs, it was more than just tight end Mark Bavaro dragging Niners’ defenders all over the field. And when Giants’ nose tackle Jim Burt lowered the boom on 49ers’ quarterback Joe Montana in the second quarter and caused him to throw a ball right into the hands of Lawrence Taylor (who took it back 34 yards for a score), Parcells’ team opened up a 28-3 halftime lead and the issues was basically decided.

Big Blue outgained the Niners on the ground, 216-29, Phil Simms threw four touchdown passes and Parcells and company sent quite the message.

NEW YORK JETS: SUPER BOWL III

JETS 16, COLTS 7

It’s now been 50 years since future Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath made that famous poolside guarantee when asked if his New York Jets could upend the heavily-favored Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. Led by head coach Weeb Ewbank, this was a team that could defeat you in many ways as it proved in the AFL playoffs that year. And against Don Shula’s Colts at the fabled Orange Bowl, the Green and White proved it was far more than just a one-man team.

Namath would wind up being named the game’s Most Valuable Player and did orchestrate an effective offense that took the wind out of the Colts’ sails that day. Led by running back Matt Snell, the club ran for 142 yards on 43 tries, with Snell totaling 30 attempts for 121 yards and his team’s only touchdown. And Namath did complete 17-of-28 throws for 206 yards.

But it was a physical and ball-hawking Jets’ team that made the difference in the 16-7 stunner. Ewbank’s defense stole four passes from Colts’ quarterbacks Earl Morrall (3) and Johnny Unitas (1). All told, New York finished the game with five takeaways. Thanks to those Baltimore miscues and combined with the team’s offensive line play and persistency when it came to testing the Colts’ defense, the Jets owned the football for 36:10 in this contest.

Yes, the Jets have played and prevailed in some exciting games throughout their history. But when you make history and defeat a powerhouse the likes of the 1968 Colts, this is a hard win to top.

OAKLAND RAIDERS: SUPER BOWL XVIII

RAIDERS 38, REDSKINS 9

The last time the Silver and Black won a Super Bowl was 1983. The artist currently known as the Oakland Raiders and a franchise that will soon relocated to Las Vegas made its home in Los Angeles from 1982-95. And in their second season in the City of Angels, they would be NFL champions for the third time in eight years. And their 38-9 rout of the then-defending Super Bowl champion Washington Redskins was one of the most impressive overall victories in any game in league annals.

Earlier in the season, these two teams squared off in D.C. and the ‘Skins rallied for a wild 37-35 triumph. But the Raiders would play that game without second-year running back Marcus Allen. He would be around for Super Bowl XVIII at Tampa Stadium. And the Hall of Famer performer put on quite the show.

But it was the Silver and Black’s special teams that got on the board first on Super Sunday. The Raiders blocked a punt and Derrick Jensen recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown in the first quarter. Later, Jim Plunkett would find Cliff Branch for a 12-yard score. And with time running out in the second quarter, linebacker Jack Squirek stepped in front of a Joe Theismann screen pass attempt and his five-yard TD jaunt would lead to a 21-3 halftime advantage.

Then Allen took over and the results were 20 carries for 191 yards and two touchdowns. His 74-yard scoring run on the final play of the third quarter can’t be aptly described. There were also six sacks of Theismann as Tom Flores’ club left no doubt who the better team was on this day.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: 2017 NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

EAGLES 38, VIKINGS 7

Roughly a year ago, the City of Brotherly Love celebrated an NFL championship for the first time since 1960, hoisting the Lombardi Trophy for the first time.

But before Doug Pederson’s Philadelphia Eagles could surprise the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots on Super Sunday at Minneapolis, the Birds had to get past a very talented Minnesota Vikings’ team that had won 13 games during the regular season and was coming off a miraculous 29-24 win over the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Divisional Playoffs.

And while Philadelphia’s eventual 41-33 victory over the Pats in Super Bowl LII was simply scintillating, the Eagles’ overall play vs. Mike Zimmer’s team two weeks earlier was incredibly impressive.

To think that the Vikings actually jumped out to a 7-0 lead in this contest.  But was all Philadelphia after that as Eagles’ cornerback Patrick Robinson picked off a Case Keenum pass and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown that would begin a run of 38 consecutive points by the eventual Super Bowl champions.

Quarterback Nick Foles threw for 352 yards and three scores – two to wide receiver Alshon Jeffery. Tight end Zach Ertz caught all eight passes thrown his way, good for 93 yards. The Birds rolled up 476 total yards against the NFL’s number-one defense in ’17. Jim Schwartz’s defense harassed Keenum into two more turnovers.

It was a complete performance by Pederson’s squad, which did not turn over the football in the lopsided victory.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: SUPER BOWL XXIV

49ERS 55, BRONCOS 10

There have 52 Super Bowl champions to date, each of different styles and strengths. And it’s always fun to rank which of these championship campaigns was the best. Many have pointed to the 1989 San Francisco 49ers as being the top club of this championship era. Led by first- time head coach George Seifert, the club finish 14-2. And once the Niners got to the playoffs, they were amazingly dominant.

Seifert’s team completely overwhelmed the Minnesota Vikings (41-13), Los Angeles Rams (30-3) and Denver Broncos (55-10), almost disrespectfully, to the combined tune of 126-26. That final win came in Super Bowl XXIV in the New Orleans at the Superdome. And it remains the most lopsided victory in the history of this storied title series.

The 49ers set Super Bowl records points scored (55) and touchdown scored (8). It was an utter domination of Broncos’ quarterback John Elway and a Denver team that was making its third appearance in the “Big Game” in four years. San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana hit on 22-of-29 passes for 297 yards and five scores without an interception. Jerry Rice hauled in three of those strikes from 20, 38 and 28 yards. Seifert’s team played turnover-free football, controlled the clock for 39:31 and outgained the Broncos by nearly 300 yards (461-167).

The unheralded Niners’ defense totaled six sacks and the team came up with four takeaways. And the lone miscue of the afternoon in the Big Easy for the club was Mike Cofer’s missed PAT after San Francisco’s second touchdown.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: SUPER BOWL XLVIII

SEAHAWKS 43, BRONCOS 8

There have been several instances in Super Bowl history where a top-notch defense has clashed with a club that scored the most points in the league that season. In 2013, the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos would square off at MetLife Stadium at East Rutherford, New Jersey in Super Bowl XLVII. Led by league MVP Peyton Manning and his NFL record 55 touchdown passes, the Men from Mile High totaled an NFL-record 606 points that season.

Then there were the Seahawks. Pete Carroll’s club was led by second-year quarterback Russell Wilson and one of the most physical defenses of the modern era. Seattle’s “Legion of Boom” secondary set the tone for a club that ranked first in the league in fewest total yards allowed per game and fewest points surrendered while forcing a league-best 39 turnovers in ’13.

The ‘Hawks scored nearly every way possible and it began when Manning saw the first snap of the game go over his head, resulting in a safety. Seattle kicker Steven Hauschka added field goals of 31 and 33 yards, respectively. And then the points came from all directions. Marshawn Lynch had a one-yard TD run and with just over three minutes before halftime, game MVP Malcolm Smith took back a Manning interception 69 yards that helped give the team a 22-0 lead at intermission. Percy Harvin would return the second-half kickoff 87 yards to pay dirt, Wilson threw a pair of second-half TD passes and the stunning beat down would be complete.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: 2002 NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

BUCCANEERS 27, EAGLES 10

It’s one of those statistical anomalies that is always worth a mention. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were an expansion team that first took the field in 1976. John McKay’s club finished 0-14 during its debut campaign and that ineptitude would stretch into the following year. The club would take a 26-game losing streak into a Week 13, 1977 clash with the New Orleans Saints at the Superdome. And aroused defense would some three touchdowns in a 33-14 victory, meaning it took the franchise 27 tries to get its first win.

Fast forward to 2002, with the Bucs in their 27th year of existence. The club would reach Super Bowl XXXVII against the Oakland Raiders. Once again, the club came up with three defensive touchdowns and cruised to a 48-21 when under the guidance of head coach Jon Gruden.

But while the convincing win over the Silver and Black meant everything, you could argue that this team played its best game ever two weeks earlier at Philadelphia in securing the NFC title. It certainly didn’t start out that way. Brian Mitchell returned the opening kickoff 70 yards to set up the Birds and two plays later, Duce Staley ran 20 yards for a score and the Eagles took a 7-0 lead.

And then the Buccaneers took control by frustrating Andy Reid’s team and every turn. The Eagles would add only a field goal and were shut out in the second half. Buccaneers’ quarterback Brad Johnson threw for 259 yards and one score (1 interception) to wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson. But cornerback Ronde Barber had quite the game. He totaled three tackles, one sacks, forced a fumble, knocked down four passes and returned a Donovan McNabb interception 92 yards in the closing minutes to wrap up Tampa Bay’s impressive victory.

TENNESSEE TITANS: 1979 AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

OILERS 17, CHARGERS 14

It’s time to return to the earlier days of this franchise, which resided in a different city and went by a different name. In 1978, the then-Houston Oilers used the first overall pick in the NFL draft to select University of Texas running back Earl Campbell. To date, there have been few players in league history that have combined power and speed similar to the “Tyler Rose.” The Oilers would instantly become a Super Bowl contender with him in the backfield, reaching the playoffs in each of his first three seasons in the league.

As a rookie, he notched the first of his three consecutive NFL rushing titles to begin his career. And in first two seasons in the NFL, he and the rest of his teammates would face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game.

But getting to that second conference title game meant doing it without Campbell, quarterback Dan Pastorini and wide receiver Ken Burrough. All three were sidelines as the team took on 12-4 Chargers in the AFC Divisional Playoffs at San Diego. Bum Phillips’ shorthanded team was behind the eight ball. But this club show that it was far from a one-man or three-man show. It got great performances from backup quarterback Gifford Nielsen, wide receiver Mike Renfro and safety Vernon Perry. Nielsen would find Renfro for a 47-yard score late in the third quarter which proved to be the difference in the Oilers’ upset win.

But this was an amazing team effort that featured Perry at his ball-hawking best. He stole four of Chargers’ quarterback Dan Fouts’ passes and also blocked a field goal in the surprising victory. When it comes to gut-check efforts, this victory by Phillips’ short-handed squad is tough to top.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS: SUPER BOWL XXII

REDSKINS 42, BRONCOS 10

It may have been the most perfect quarter of offensive football ever been played on any level. And it seemed to come out of nowhere on a pleasant afternoon at San Diego. The Washington Redskins trailed the Denver Broncos, 10-0, in Super Bowl XXII after one quarter of play and looked to be in a lot of trouble.

But 15 minutes of game action late, Joe Gibbs’ club left no doubt who was the better football team as the ‘Skins simply unstoppable in every phase at the game.

Washington would score 35 points and roll up 356 yards of total offense in the second quarter alone. To out that in perspective, Dan Reeves’ squad gained 327 yards by game’s end. Gibbs’ club would finish with 602 yards against the Denver defense. Quarterback Doug Williams threw all four of his touchdown passes in the quarter and finished the game with 340 yards through the air, with one interception. Rookie running back Timmy Smith ran for a Super Bowl record 204 yards and two scores on 22 carries.

The ‘Skins rushed for 280 yards and totaled 322 yards passing. Wide receiver Ricky Sanders caught TD passes of 80 and 50 yards and finished the game with nine receptions for 193 yards. The Washington defense also wound up having quite the outing, sacking Broncos’ quarterback John Elway five times and stealing three of his passes. It was quite the overall performance, but that second quarter had to be seen to be appreciated.