Top 15 Most Memorable Wild Card Games In NFL History
The NFL Wild Card Round has provided some of the most memorable games in NFL history. In fact, you could make an argument that the Wild Card Round is the most exciting round of the NFL playoffs every single year.
The Wild Card Round has seen the greatest comeback in NFL history. It has seen a Miracle in the Music City.
Will one of the four games this weekend join the ranks of all-time classic Wild Card Weekend games?
We will find out the answer to that question very, very soon.
There are so many great Wild Card games in the history of the NFL that it was very difficult to narrow the list down. We were able to get the list down to 15 games.
These are the 15 greatest games in NFL Wild Card history.
What is the greatest game?
Keep reading to find out what we ranked as the No. 1 Wild Card game in NFL history.
15. 2004: San Diego Chargers-New York Jets
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The closest that we have come to seeing a double-overtime game in the current playoff format, the Jets-Chargers went 14:55 into the overtime period before the Jets got a win with a Doug Brien field goal.
The Jets were leading 17-7 after three quarters thanks to a Santana Moss touchdown catch and a Doug Brien field goal.
Drew Brees and LaDainian Tomlinson led the Chargers comeback in the fourth quarter. After a roughing-the-passer penalty was called on the Jets, Brees found Antonio Gates in the end zone to tie the game at 17.
After the Chargers Nate Kaeding missed a field goal late in overtime, the Jets got the ball back and drove 48 yards to set up the game-winning 28-yard field goal by Brien with almost no time left in overtime.
New York wins 20-17.
14. 2000: Miami Dolphins-Indianapolis Colts
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The year after Dan Marino retired, the Dolphins were able to win the AFC East and stun the Colts in the Wild Card Round in 2001.
The Dolphins struggled in the first half and were down 14-0 going into the third quarter.
They outscored the Colts 17-3 in the second half to force the game into overtime. In the extra period, Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt missed a 49-yard field goal giving the Dolphins life. They drove the ball 61 yards and Lamar Smith ran the ball in from 17-yards out, giving the Dolphins the win.
Miami wins 23-17.
13. 1994: Kansas City Chiefs-Pittsburgh Steelers
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Chiefs quarterback Joe Montana brings his legend from San Francisco to Kansas City.
The Steelers took a 24-17 lead in the fourth quarter on Neil O’Donnell’s touchdown pass to Eric Green. Late in the fourth quarter, the Steelers had to punt the ball away. The Chiefs defenders broke through the line and blocked the punt.
On a fourth-down play from the Steelers 7-yard line, Montana found Tim Barnett in the end zone to tie the game.
The game went into overtime and after a lengthy battle between the two teams, the Chiefs were able to drive the ball down field into field goal range and Nick Lowery made a short kick to give the Chiefs a 27-24 victory.
Kansas City wins 27-24.
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12. 1997: Minnesota Vikings-New York Giants
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In one of the least talked about comebacks of all-time, the Vikings shocked the Giants in New York.
The Vikings were down 22-13 with about a minute-and-a-half left to play. Randall Cunningham orchestrated the comeback with a long touchdown pass to Jake Reed to cut the lead to 22-20.
The Vikings got the ball back and they got a field goal at the gun to win the game 23-22. They scored 10 points in the last 90 seconds of the game to win.
Minnesota wins 23-22.
11. 1990: Miami Dolphins-Kansas City Chiefs
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In this game, the Chiefs were dominating the Dolphins and led the game 16-3 going into the fourth quarter.
Dan Marino would not be denied on this day.
He started by connecting on a 1-yard score to Tony Paige, cutting the lead to 16-10. A few drives later Marino connected with Mark Clayton on a 12-yard touchdown pass to take a 17-16 lead with under a minute to go.
The Chiefs did drive down the field and had a chance to win with a long field goal attempt from kicker Nick Lowery. His kick fell short and the Dolphins held on to win the game.
Miami wins 17-16.
10. 2007: Seattle Seahawks-Dallas Cowboys
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This is the Tony Romo botched hold on a chip-shot field goal.
The Seahawks and Cowboys battled back-and-forth, matching each other score for score.
The Seahawks took a 21-20 lead late in the fourth quarter on a Matt Hasselbeck touchdown pass to Jerramy Stevens.
The Cowboys got the ball and drove down the field on the Seahawks defense. The Cowboys had to settle for a field goal opportunity after an initial first down ruling was overturned, setting up a fourth-and-1 from the Seattle 2-yard line.
Tony Romo, the Cowboys starting quarterback and holder, took the clean snap from the center but he couldn’t set the ball up and it slipped out of his hand. He picked it up and tried to run it in but he was stopped short of the goal line.
Seattle wins 21-20.
9. 1994: Green Bay Packers-Detroit Lions
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The legend of Brett Favre begins to grow in his first playoff game.
Detroit running back Barry Sanders led the Lions attack with 167 yards on the ground, but it wasn’t enough as the Packers would win 28-24.
The Lions were up 17-7 in the third quarter after a Favre interception was returned for a touchdown.
The Packers would battle back to take a 21-17 lead in the fourth quarter. Detroit would take the lead 24-21 late in the fourth quarter on a 5-yard touchdown run by Derrick Moore.
On their final drive of the game, Brett Favre found Shannon Sharpe for his third touchdown catch of the game. It was a 40-yard catch that gave the Packers a 28-24 lead with less then a minute to go. They would hold on to win the game by that score.
Green Bay wins 28-24.
8. 1999: San Francisco 49ers-Green Bay Packers
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Some point to this game as the birth of T.O.—the evil alter ego to Terrell Owens.
This was a game that San Francisco needed to win over Green Bay. The Packers had eliminated the 49ers from the playoffs the last three years.
It was a great back-and-forth game between two legendary quarterbacks, Brett Favre and Steve Young. Green Bay took a 27-23 lead with under two minutes left.
Steve Young led the 49ers on a drive that featured the only catch of the game by Jerry Rice, who clearly fumbled the ball, but replay wasn’t in effect at the time and he was called down, so the 49ers kept the ball.
With just over 10 seconds left, Young dropped back, nearly fell over and threw a dart down the middle of the field to Terrell Owens. The beauty of that play is that Owens had dropped at least four wide open passes earlier in the game and fumbled on another play. This time Owens had Packer defenders draped all over him and he was able to hang on for the win.
49ers win 30-27.
7. 2003: Pittsburgh Steelers-Cleveland Browns
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January 5, 2003 was a great day for football fans.
It started with this comeback by the Steelers and ended with the 49ers comeback against New York.
The Steelers were down 24-7 in the third quarter to their rival Cleveland Browns. Kelly Holcomb was having the game of his life against the Steelers defense.
The Browns had a chance to close out the game with a 33-28 lead late in the fourth quarter but Browns wide receiver Dennis Northcutt dropped a first down catch on third down and the Browns had to punt.
Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala scored the winning touchdown for the Steelers. They converted a two-point conversion to take a 36-33 lead.
The Browns had a chance to at least tie but time ran out on them after a completed pass got them down to the Steelers 29 yard-line.
Pittsburgh wins 36-33.
6. 2004: Green Bay Packers-Seattle Seahawks
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“We want the ball and we’re gonna score.”—Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck
In one of the most memorable playoff games in Lambeau Field history, Matt Hasselbeck provided one of the most memorable quotes in NFL history.
That was his decree when the Seahawks won the coin toss in overtime.
To be fair, he did throw the game-winning touchdown pass. The problem was he threw it to Packers cornerback Al Harris, who returned the interception 52 yards for the win.
Packers win 33-27.
5. 2002: San Francisco 49ers-New York Giants
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It wasn’t quite Buffalo’s comeback on Houston in 1993, but it was pretty good.
San Francisco trailed the Giants 38-14 late in the third quarter.
They scored 25 unanswered points in the third and fourth quarters to take a 39-38 lead.
However, there was still time for the Giants to make something happen. They had one minute left and they got a good kickoff return. Giants quarterback Kerry Collins got them set up for a 41-yard field goal.
The snap was botched and the Giants were called for an illegal man downfield penalty. Problem was, Rich Seubert (the guy the penalty was called on) had checked in as an eligible receiver. On the play, 49ers defensive lineman Chike Okeafor mauled Seubert and it should have been a pass interference penalty.
The refs missed it and San Francisco won the game, 39-38.
4. 2000: New Orleans Saints-St Louis Rams
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These two teams put on two great games in the regular season of 2000 and they followed up those games with a classic in the playoffs.
The score was 17-7 going into the fourth quarter, but these two teams exploded for 35 total points (21 by St Louis, 14 by New Orleans) in the final period.
The Saints scored the first 14 points in the fourth and took a 31-7 lead with just under 12 minutes to play.
Rams quarterback Kurt Warner led a comeback with two touchdown passes and a touchdown run to cut the deficit to 31-28. The Rams defense forced a punt on New Orleans' next drive. On the punt, Rams returner Az-Zahir Hakim muffed the punt and a Saints player fell on the ball to seal the victory for New Orleans.
It was the Saints first playoff win in franchise history.
New Orleans wins 31-28.
3. 2010: Arizona Cardinals-Green Bay Packers
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This game was a shootout if there ever was one.
The two teams combined for 96 points, 1,024 total yards and 13 touchdowns. Of course, the game was won on a defensive play.
Green Bay won the coin toss in overtime and figured to win because these two teams were not stopping each other.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was hit by an Arizona defender and the ball hit off his foot and into the air. Karlos Dansby caught it out of the air and ran into the end zone for the winning score.
Arizona wins 51-45.
2. 1999: Tennessee Titans-Buffalo Bills
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The game known as “The Music City Miracle.”
Tennessee was trailing Buffalo 16-15 with seconds remaining in the game. They had to make something big happen quickly.
Titans coach Jeff Fisher said the play is called “Home Run Throwback," and it couldn’t have worked better.
Lorenzo Neal picked up the kick and handed it to Frank Wycheck. He stopped and threw the ball back across the field to Kevin Dyson, who caught it just before it hit the ground and ran all the way to the end zone.
Titans win 22-16.
1. 1993: Buffalo Bills-Houston Oilers
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“The Comeback”
Buffalo quarterback Jim Kelly couldn’t play in this game. Ironically, he was injured a week earlier against Houston. So Frank Reich had to start the game in his place.
It was a disaster in the making.
Houston took a 35-3 lead early in the third quarter. Game over.
But the Bills wouldn’t go down without a fight. They put up 35 unanswered points in the third and fourth quarters to take a 38-35 lead.
Houston was able to drive down field and tie the game with a field goal to send the game into overtime tied at 38.
Houston quarterback Warren Moon threw an interception on the third play of overtime. Buffalo got the ball on the Houston 20-yard line after a facemask penalty.
Two plays later, Bills kicker Steve Christie nailed a 32-yard field goal to complete the greatest comeback in NFL history.
Bills win 41-38.
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