NFL Playoffs 2011: The 25 Best Conference Championship Games of All Time
The Catch. The Fumble. The Drive.
The Ice Bowl. The Mud Bowl. The Freezer Bowl.
These games and moments conjure agony and ecstasy in diehard football fans, and they all took place during conference championship weekend, which is said to be the last "true" weekend of football until kickoff weekend the following September. Some moments and games that occur during championship weekend will be remembered for a generation and documented repeatedly for a lifetime.
As a follow-up to my article on the 50 best NFL Divisional Round playoff games of all time, here are the 25 best conference championship games in NFL history. We'll keep the same format, with summaries, did-you-know facts, box scores and video evidence. This time, I'm ranking them from No. 25 down to No. 1.
For the record, even though conferences have been in existence since 1970 when the NFL and AFL officially merged, I considered NFL and AFL championship games between 1966-1969 for the list since they acted as conference championship games for all intents and purposes prior to Super Bowls I through IV.
Also, would this list have any credibility without the Ice Bowl? Of course not.
Honorable Mention, No. 27: 2010 NFC Championship Game: Packers 21, Bears 14
1 of 27
Summary
This game gets an honorable mention simply because Caleb Hanie almost authored one of the greatest stories in American sports history Sunday.
Yes, American sports history. When was the last time a third-string quarterback with little experience not only engineered a double-digit comeback, but took a team to the championship? The answer is 1999, and the player was Willie Beamon of the Miami Sharks.
Except that was in a movie, Any Given Sunday. So you can see why this would have been epic.
*Shakes fist at Mike Martz for stupid 3rd-and-3 call.
Anyway, for the archives' sake, here's the recap.
Green Bay jumped out to a 14-0 lead before knocking out Bears quarterbacks Jay Cutler (injury) and Todd Collins (ineptitude). Enter Caleb Hanie, who led the Bears on a fourth-quarter touchdown drive capped by a one-yard run from Chester Taylor. However, Hanie would throw a pick-six to Packers DT B.J. Raji, spotting Green Bay a 21-7 lead.
Undeterred, Hanie responded with another quick TD drive, ending with a 35-yard touchdown pass to Earl Bennett. After a Packers punt, Chicago drove all the way to the Green Bay 27-yard line before a terrible end-around call to Bennett (following a timeout, no less) lost two yards. Hanie then threw a fourth-down interception to effectively end the game.
Don't you hate it when potentially classic games have anti-climactic endings? Unfortunately, the later game yesterday, No. 22 on this list, followed the same storyline.
Did You Know?
Prior to this game, Caleb Hanie was 8-of-14 for 66 yards and one interception in his two-year career.
Matt Forte: 10 catches for 90 yards; 17 carries for 74 yards. Imagine if he played behind a competent offensive line.
Video
Click here for the NFL Network highlights or click the box score link for the ESPN recap.
Honorable Mention, No. 26: 1972 AFC Championship Game: Dolphins 21, Steelers 17
2 of 27Summary
The Dolphins won this game with spit and glue. This game is most memorable for Dolphins punter Larry Seiple's 37-yard run off a fake punt that kept a touchdown drive going, tying the game at seven following a Larry Csonka score. Later, Bob Griese replaced an ineffective Earl Morrall and led the Dolphins on two touchdown drives that ended with Jim Kiick runs, giving Miami a 21-10 lead.
On the other sideline, Terry Bradshaw was knocked out for most of the game when he was hit trying to run for a TD. He fumbled and the ball was picked up by Steelers offensive lineman Gerry Mullins for the touchdown to give Pittsburgh a short-lived 7-0 lead. Bradshaw would eventually return to throw a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, but it was too late.
Did You Know?
The Dolphins finished this season undefeated. Duh.
Between 1970-1974, the championship game sites were not based on seeding, so the 14-0 Dolphins actually went to Pittsburgh to play the 11-3 Steelers.
In essence, from 1970-1974, when only three division champions and one Wild Card winner made the playoffs in each conference, it was pre-determined which division would play the Wild Card winner before the season. However, the winner of the "Wild Card" game would not be allowed to host the conference championship.
Yea, I know, it's stupid. That's why the NFL changed it. In 1972 the Dolphins hosted the Wild Card-winning Cleveland Browns since it was the East's turn to host, so they then had to travel to Pittsburgh.
And I think we have a new winner for the most unbreakable sports record, which I might stick in my B/R profile. Bob Griese threw for 70 passing yards but still led his team to a championship game win. No QB who led his team in passing numbers has led his team to victory by throwing for fewer than 70 yards.
Video Notes
I could not find any footage of the game, let alone the fake punt. Here is a Super Bowl VII highlight reel.
25. 1975 AFC Championship Game: Steelers 16, Raiders 10
3 of 27Summary
The Steelers led 3-0 going into the fourth quarter and eventually took a 16-7 lead after Terry Bradshaw found John Stallworth for a 20-yard touchdown.
On the next drive, the Raiders made a decision that more teams should make today: Down by two possessions (nine points in this case), they opted to kick a makeable field goal to cut the deficit to one possession (six points) with time remaining in hopes they could recover an onside kick and drive for a touchdown with enough time left.
George Blanda, the 48-year-old Raiders kicker, made a 41-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 16-10, and his onside kick was recovered by teammate Marv Hubbard. On the next play, Ken Stabler found Cliff Branch for 37 yards down the sideline, but he was unable to get out of bounds after being stopped by Mel Blount. With the Raiders out of timeouts, they lost the game.
Did You Know?
The Steelers and Raiders faced each other 13 times between 1972 and 1983 and combined to win seven Super Bowls during that span.
Twelve turnovers occurred in this game, seven of which came from Pittsburgh.
Video Notes
This video shows the last play of the game. By my count, if Cliff Branch gets out of bounds, there would have been one second remaining. However, Mel Blount made a great play to keep Branch in bounds.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
24. 1977 AFC Championship Game: Broncos 20, Raiders 17
4 of 27Summary
As Packers and Bears fans can attest to, there is nothing like a great rivalry game during championship weekend. Such was the case here, as the Broncos and Raiders faced off to go to Super Bowl XIII.
Denver held leads of 14-3 and 20-10, but Raiders TE Dave Casper caught a 17-yard touchdown with 3:16 left. The Broncos were able to run out the clock and win the game.
Did You Know?
Maybe Al Davis is right in thinking that the NFL has a vendetta against Oakland, because one of the worst calls in league history occurred with the Broncos up 7-3 with a 1st-and-goal from the Raiders' two-yard line. Broncos running back Rob Lytle went up the gut but was speared by Jack Tatum, who immediately knocked the ball loose. The Raiders recovered the football, but only after the play was blown dead! In fact, the Raiders got an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for arguing.
The Broncos ended up scoring a touchdown to take a 14-3 lead off a one-yard Jon Keyworth rush.
Funny enough, the Raiders only committed one other penalty during the game, while the Broncos had eight.
Video Notes
The Rob Lytle fumble that wasn't comes at the 8:20 mark of the complete-game highlights.
23. 1999 NFC Championship Game: Rams 11, Buccaneers 6
5 of 27Summary
This was ugly, but give Tampa Bay immense credit for holding the Greatest Show on Turf to just nine points offensively. The Rams were down 6-5 when Ricky Proehl caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Kurt Warner with just under five minutes left. Tampa Bay would have faced a 3rd-and-11 from the 24-yard line with under a minute to play, but a Bert Emanuel catch was ruled incomplete in controversial fashion because the ball hit the ground even though he maintained possession.
Today, the ball can hit the ground as long as the receiver maintains possession. It's called the Bert Emanuel Rule.
Instead, Tampa faced a 3rd-and-23 from the 36 and could not fight out of that hole.
Did You Know?
This was the only game in which the 1999 Rams scored fewer than 21 points. Furthermore, their three regular-season losses came only by a combined 13 points.
Your offensive MVP in a game that featured Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn?
Ricky Proehl, with six catches for 100 yards and a touchdown, his only one of the entire 1999 season.
Video Notes
This is a clip from the 1999 Rams' America's Game episode, featuring Warner's touchdown pass to Proehl.
22. 2010 AFC Championship Game: Steelers 24, Jets 19
6 of 27
Summary
The epic comeback that fell short. The Jets scored 19 consecutive points capped by a Jerricho Cotchery touchdown catch with 3:06 remaining, but Ben Roethlisberger found Antonio Brown on a 3rd-and-6 from the Jets' 40-yard line for 14 yards to get a much-needed first down, enabling Pittsburgh to run out the clock.
Did You Know?
We all know it now, and it will be the flavor of the week in the New York media, but the lack of communication between the Jets coaches and Mark Sanchez near the end of the 17-play, 80-yard drive that amounted to nothing may have sealed New York's fate. Down 24-10, New York came up empty even though it had a 1st-and-goal on Pittsburgh's two-yard line with over eight minutes left.
Although Ben Roethlisberger fumbled in the end zone for a safety, leading to another Jets touchdown, you have to wonder what might have been otherwise if New York pulls within seven there.
A couple incredible stats from this game:
Ben Roethlisberger was 10-of-19 for 133 yards and two interceptions. Heath Miller led all Steelers with two catches and 38 yards.
Despite being badly outplayed in the first half, the Jets actually outgained Pittsburgh, 289-287.
Video Notes
Follow this link for the NFL Network recap, or click the box score link for the ESPN recap.
21. 1997 AFC Championship Game: Broncos 24, Steelers 21
7 of 27Summary
The Broncos scored 17 consecutive points in the second quarter off two John Elway touchdown passes and a Jason Elam field goal to give themselves a 24-14 halftime lead and held on for the 24-21 win. Pittsburgh scored a late touchdown with 2:46 left, but Denver ran out the clock and scored the road win, leading to John Elway's first Super Bowl title.
Did You Know?
For all those in the camp of people that want Wild Card teams with better win-loss records than division winners to host games (such as myself), this game stands as another example for our case. Why should the 12-4 Denver Broncos go on the road to play the 11-5 Pittsburgh Steelers? C'mon man!
(OK, that's a little weak for a "did you know," but I was struggling here.)
Kordell Stewart committed four turnovers, three of which were interceptions.
The Broncos and Steelers each had 23 first downs.
Video Notes
No footage of the game is on YouTube, so here's the John Elway helicopter flip from Super Bowl XXXII.
20. 1980 AFC Championship Game: Raiders 34, Chargers 27
8 of 27Summary
The Raiders held on for a 34-27 win after holding the ball for the last 6:43 of the game.
The Raiders were up 28-7 before the Chargers could blink as Jim Plunkett threw for two touchdowns, ran for one and handed it off to Mark van Eeghen for a fourth score.
The Chargers responded with 17 straight points, but would come no closer than four points for the rest of the game.
Did You Know?
The previous week, the Raiders played in the infamous Red Right 88 game at Cleveland, in which Browns QB Brian Sipe threw an interception in the end zone with his team down 14-12 with under a minute left and the ball on the Raiders' 13-yard line.
It was a tale of two different styles, as the Chargers threw 46 times while the Raiders rushed 42 times.
Video Notes
This is part one of the three-part NFL Films Game of the Week episode breaking down the game from 1981. Part two and part three are here.
19. 2001 NFC Championship Game: Rams 29, Eagles 24
9 of 27Summary
The "Greatest Show in Turf" Rams win another five-point game in the NFC Championship by the skin of their teeth thanks to a late defensive stop. St. Louis scored 16 consecutive second-half points on a Jeff Wilkins 41-yard field goal and two Marshall Faulk one-yard touchdown runs to turn a 17-13 deficit into a 29-17 lead.
Donovan McNabb responded with a three-yard touchdown run, and his defense gave him the ball back on his own 45-yard line with 2:20 remaining. However, McNabb threw an interception to safety Aeneas Williams on 4th-and-7 after gaining just three yards, and the Rams ran out the clock.
Did You Know?
Rams kick returner Yo Murphy (actual name) fumbled the opening kickoff of the second half, but St. Louis recovered the ball. You never know, it could have turned into a 24-13 deficit.
Marshall Faulk proved why he is a first-ballot Hall of Famer with 31 carries for 159 yards and two touchdowns, carrying the team while Kurt Warner and his receivers had pedestrian games.
Video Notes
No highlights from the game, so enjoy this NFL Network clip about the Greatest Show on Turf era.
18. 1991 AFC Championship Game: Bills 10, Broncos 7
10 of 27Summary
How many NFL playoff games have been close, exciting contests, only to have anti-climactic endings? Some are lucky enough to have defining moments and are remembered in lore forever; others, not so much.
Count this game in the latter category.
The Bills were up 10-0 thanks to a Carlton Bailey interception return for a touchdown and a Scott Norwood 44-yard field goal. Broncos backup QB Gary Kubiak, filling in for John Elway after he suffered a thigh injury in the third quarter, capped an eight play, 85-yard drive with a three-run touchdown run with 1:43 remaining.
Denver then did the impossible and recovered the onside kick, but Broncos running back Steve Sewell fumbled at the Buffalo 43-yard line following an eight-yard pass. The Bills' Kirby Jackson recovered the fumble and sealed the win for the Bills.
Did You Know?
Scott Norwood received a small measure of field goal karma after Wide Right in Super Bowl XXV the previous season. While he made the game-winning field goal, his counterpart, David Treadwell, missed two field goals off the uprights and one field goal...wide right.
Gary Kubiak may have inspired Bills backup QB Frank Reich's brilliant performance in "The Comeback" game the following season. Kubiak went 11-of-12 for 136 yards and rushed three times for 22 yards and a touchdown in limited action. He never played another game.
Video Notes
Quick clips from the game, featuring the Bailey interception and Sewell fumble.
17. 2008 NFC Championship Game: Cardinals 32, Eagles 25
11 of 27Summary
The 9-7 Cardinals hosted a NFC Championship Game? Yes, it's true. Arizona was up 24-6 on the upstart Eagles but gave up 19 consecutive second-half points. Kurt Warner then led the Cards on a drive that culminated with a Tim Hightower touchdown catch and an ensuing two-point conversion with under three minutes left.
The Eagles drove into Cardinals territory but never mounted a serious threat afterwards.
Did You Know?
The Cardinals made their first return to the NFL title game since 1947, when they were in Chicago.
Larry Fitzgerald caught nine passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns. He is the best wide receiver in the NFL since Jerry Rice was in his prime. I'll debate that to death with anyone.
Do you want proof, aside from him catching 90 passes for 1,137 yards and six touchdowns with Derek Anderson, Max Hall and John Skelton throwing him the ball this season?
His numbers in four 2008 postseason games: 30 catches, 546 yards and seven touchdowns. For fun, if you want to extend that average out to a 16-game season, that would account for 120 catches, 2,184 yards and 28 touchdowns.
Video Games
This amateur video shows Hightower's touchdown and the subsequent reaction in University of Phoenix Stadium.
16. 1995 NFC Championship Game: Cowboys 38, Packers 27
12 of 27Summary
Brett Favre vs. Troy Aikman. Fifteen seasons later, Troy Aikman was color commentating Brett Favre's games. Weird.
Anyway, this was the last great season of the four-year Cowboys dynasty, and the Packers were a year away from becoming Super Bowl champions. A game that featured five lead changes culminated with two Emmitt Smith touchdown runs in the fourth quarter that turned a 27-24 deficit into a 38-27 win.
Did You Know?
The Cowboys eliminated the Packers from the playoffs for three straight seasons from 1993-1995.
Larry Brown, who made two interceptions in Super Bowl XXX en route to being named Super Bowl MVP and signing a massive free-agent deal with the Oakland Raiders, made a key pick in this game to set up Smith's 16-yard TD run to give Dallas a 38-27 lead.
With all the talk of Big Threes lately thanks to the Miami Heat, it's easy to forget other great big threes in history, such as Dallas' in the 1990s. Look at this:
Troy Aikman: 21-of-33 for 255 yards and two TDs.
Michael Irvin: seven catches for 100 yards and two TDs.
Emmitt Smith: 35 carries for 130 yards and three TDs.
Video Notes
The NFL Primetime recap of the 1995 NFC Championship. Not the greatest quality but it's fun to hark back to before ESPN ruined the show.
15. 1992 NFC Championship Game: Cowboys 30, 49ers 20
13 of 27Summary
Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith vs. Steve Young, Jerry Rice and Ricky Watters.
(For those who don't know Ricky Watters, he scored 103 career touchdowns and gained over 15,000 all-purpose yards for three teams in his career. And he's not in the Hall of Fame. Go figure.)
With the scored tied at 10 at halftime, fullback Daryl Johnston scored on a three-yard touchdown run to give Dallas a lead it would never relinquish.
The 49ers cut Dallas' lead to 24-20 after a Jerry Rice TD, but Troy Aikman found Alvin Harper for a 70-yard catch that eventually led to Kelvin Martin's six-yard touchdown reception to give Dallas a 30-20 lead.
Did You Know?
This was the first of three consecutive conference championship games between the Cowboys and 49ers, and the fourth of six overall. No two teams have played more often for the conference championship. Funnily enough, none of the games between 1992-1994 were decided by 10 points or fewer.
Dallas outgained San Francisco by one yard, 416-415.
Your unsung hero of the day in a game filled with stars: Cowboys DT Tony Casillas, with three sacks.
Video Notes
There is video evidence of Alvin Harper's game-breaking catch on YouTube, but this video proves that TV broadcasts once had captivating introductions to games. I assume these are gone with the dodo bird because the juice wasn't worth the squeeze in terms of cost.
14. 1995 AFC Championship Game: Steelers 20, Colts 16
14 of 27Summary
It's incredible how one man's fate can change in one second. Most football fans probably don't know Aaron Bailey, a former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver, but if he hauls in Jim Harbaugh's 29-yard Hail Mary pass with no time left, he's a household name for life.
A touchdown catch would have given the Colts a 22-20 win and a date with the Cowboys in Super Bowl XXX.
Did You Know?
This would have only been the only game in NFL playoff history to end on a Hail Mary. Drew Pearson caught a late Hail Mary touchdown pass in 1975 against Minnesota, but there were still under 20 seconds left.
This game featured a near symmetrical box score. Both teams alternated field goals in the first and third quarters and touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Had the Colts scored a touchdown in the second quarter instead of a field goal, it would have been a perfectly symmetrical regulation box score.
That's all I could come up with. Leave me alone.
Video Notes
The entire video features Bam Morris' game-winning touchdown and the Colts' last drive.
13. 1987 NFC Championship Game: Redskins 17, Vikings 10
15 of 27Summary
After defeating the heavily-favored 13-2 49ers in the Divisional playoffs, the 8-7 Vikings almost pull off their second big upset in as many weeks, but come up short as RB Darrin Nelson drops a pass on the Redskins' 1-yard line that would have given Minnesota a first-and-goal.
The Redskins kneeled down and won their second Super Bowl one week later.
Did You Know?
The five penalties called were the fewest amount in the history of a conference championship game.
Video Notes
This is CBS' live footage of the Nelson drop.
12. 1994 AFC Championship Game: Chargers 17, Steelers 13
16 of 27Summary
Did the Dan Fouts-led, Air Coryell Chargers ever make a Super Bowl? Nope.
How about the Philip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson Chargers? Nope.
Somehow, Stan Humphries and Natrone Means led the Chargers to the Super Bowl. Granted, when a team has one of the best middle linebackers of all time (Junior Seau) and two defensive ends that combined for 23.5 sacks (Chris Mims, Leslie O'Neal), life is made a little easier.
Humphries threw two 43-yard touchdown passes in the second half, the latter occurring with 5:13 remaining, to give San Diego a 17-13 lead. Steelers QB Neil O'Donnell led Pittsburgh to the 3-yard line, but made a poor, low throw off his back foot to Barry Foster that was batted away by Dennis Gibson.
Did You Know?
After winning their two playoff games by a combined five points, the Chargers went on to become the biggest underdogs in Super Bowl history (18.5 points), against the 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX. They lost 49-26.
The Steelers outgained the Chargers, 415-226, and held the ball for 14-plus more minutes, but also committed eight penalties for 111 yards compared to the Chargers' three penalties for 15 yards.
Video Notes
This video shows the Steelers' last set of offensive downs, starting from the Chargers' 9-yard line on 1st-and-goal with two minutes left.
11. 1983 NFC Championship Game: Redskins 24, 49ers 21
17 of 27Summary
Mark Moseley missed four field goals but made one when it mattered, kicking a 25-yarder with 40 seconds remaining to give the Redskins a 24-21 lead after they had given up 21 consecutive fourth-quarter points.
Montana's last-ditch Hail Mary was intercepted at the Redskins 15, ending the game.
Did You Know?
Until the 2006 AFC Championship Game, the 21-point deficit was the largest deficit that had been erased in conference championship game history.
A pass interference call helped the Redskins move from the 49ers' 45-yard line to the 18-yard line after Eric Wright was called for pass interference on Art Monk. While Wright definitely pushed Monk with his left arm, it can be argued that the ball was uncatchable, which would have negated any pass interference call.
Joe Montana went 27-of-48 for 347 yards and three touchdowns without Dwight Clark (injured) and Jerry Rice (first season was 1985). Who can name another 49er wideout in 1983?
Video Notes
This is live CBS coverage of the NFC Championship Game, featuring most of the last Redskins drive (starting with the Eric Wright penalty) until the end of the game. Did Wright commit a penalty? You make the call.
10. 2009 NFC Championship Game: Saints 31, Vikings 28 (OT)
18 of 27Summary
Garrett Hartley kicks a 40-yard game-winning field goal in overtime to give the Saints a 31-28 win. This game is most infamous for Brett Favre's crossfield, back-foot interception to Tracy Porter with time winding down in the fourth quarter, preventing a 50-yard plus field goal attempt had he just taken the open lane along the sideline and rushed for a few yards before going out of bounds.
Did You Know?
This game engendered three more bad results for casual NFL fans: Brett Favre's return, the horrific "Personality" Drew Brees commercial and the playoff-only rules for overtime.
Box Score
Adrian Peterson lost three fumbles and Brett Favre threw two picks for a total of five Vikings turnovers.
Video Notes
This is an entire highlight package of the game.
9. 1986 AFC Championship Game: Broncos 23, Browns 20 (OT)
19 of 27Summary
The Drive. If you haven't seen this NFL Films recap three million times on ESPN's family of networks, you aren't a football fan.
In an effort to not waste anyone's time, let's be concise. John Elway led the Broncos on a 98-yard touchdown drive, converting a 3rd-and-18 from the Browns' 48-yard line in the process, and capped it with a five-yard touchdown pass to Mark Jackson.
Rich Karlis kicked the game-winning field goal in overtime, though some Browns fans will tell you that his field goal was slightly wide left (it went over the left upright).
Did You Know?
Rich Karlis, the last bare-footed kicker in NFL history, holds the records for the longest field goal make (48 yards) and shortest field goal miss (23 yards) in Super Bowl history. They were both set against the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXI, which took place after "The Drive."
Both Browns RB Kevin Mack and Broncos RB Sammy Winder had 26 carries.
Video Notes
This is the NFL Films' packaging of highlights that specifically focuses on "The Drive." Also, check this video and judge whether the Rich Karlis kick was good or not.
8. 2007 NFC Championship Game: Giants 23, Packers 20 (OT)
20 of 27Summary
Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes avenges two missed field goals, including a 36-yarder at the end of regulation, by making a 47-yarder in overtime that followed a Corey Webster interception of Brett Favre. It was one degree below zero Fahrenheit and 23 degrees below zero wind chill at kickoff.
Did You Know?
The unsung hero of the game was Domenik Hixon, who recovered teammate R.W. McQuarters' fumble at the Green Bay 48-yard line following his 10-yard punt return with 2:15 remaining in the fourth quarter. McQuarters had fumbled away the football at the Giants' 19-yard line following his interception early in the fourth quarter. This led to a Packers field goal that tied the game at 20.
Plaxico Burress (11 catches, 154 yards) and Donald Driver (five catches, 141 yards, one TD) each had big games but contributed in different ways. Burress moved the sticks all night and torched Al Harris, but Driver's 90-yard touchdown catch gave the Packers a 10-6 lead.
Video Notes
This is live FOX coverage of the Lawrence Tynes field goal make in overtime.
7. 1987 AFC Championship Game: Broncos 38, Browns 33
21 of 27Summary
The Fumble. With the Browns down 38-31, RB Earnest Byner gets stripped of the ball at the 2-yard line by Broncos DB Jeremiah Castille. The Broncos recovered the fumble, took an intentional safety, punted the ball back and swatted down a last-ditch Hail Mary from Bernie Kosar that did not reach the end zone.
The Browns, down 28-10, had fought back to tie the game at 31 thanks in part to Bernie Kosar's maestro performance (26-of-41, 356 yards, three TD), but Elway immediately led the Broncos on a touchdown drive for the eventual winning score.
Did You Know?
Browns coach Marty Schottenheimer actually called out Browns WR Webster Slaughter for not blocking Castille in the NFL Films recap of the game, saying that, "[Slaughter] is supposed to take 10 steps then block [Castille] to the outside. Instead, he wanted to watch the play."
Byner had a great game with 22 touches for 187 yards and two touchdowns. He also won a Super Bowl with the Redskins four years later.
Video Notes
Live NBC coverage of Cleveland's last drive that led to Byner's fumble.
6. 1966 NFL Championship Game: Packers 34, Cowboys 27
22 of 27Summary
A game that lives in anonymity because of the Ice Bowl the next year, but one can argue that this was actually a more exciting game. Green Bay took 14-0 and 34-20 leads thanks to Bart Starr's four touchdown passes, but with time winding down, Dallas was down 34-27 with a first down at the Green Bay 2-yard line.
Dallas gained a net of zero yards on three plays before Dandy Don Meredith threw an interception to Tom Brown with 28 seconds remaining, sealing the Packers win.
Did You Know?
Although this was technically the NFL Championship Game, the AFL and NFL had actually begun merging in 1966 (the merger process officially took four years and completed in 1970), so the AFL-NFL title game became the de-facto championship game. We now know this as the Super Bowl.
Bart Starr: 19-of-28, 304 yards, four touchdowns, 143.5 passer rating. Is it possible to be underrated and a five-time NFL champion as well? I think so.
Video Notes
No footage of the 1966 NFL Championship on YouTube, so here's a speech from Vince Lombardi.
5. 2006 AFC Championship Game: Colts 38, Patriots 34
23 of 27Summary
The biggest comeback in championship game history, and the game where Peyton Manning finally got the monkey off his back.
The Colts overcame a 21-3 deficit to tie the game at 21, but didn't take the lead until Joseph Addai scored on a three-yard touchdown run to give Indy a 38-34 lead.
Tom Brady and the Patriots drove to the 45-yard line before Marlin Jackson intercepted a Brady pass to seal the game.
Did You Know?
The Patriots had a chance to run out the clock up 34-31, but could not get it done.
The Colts went 70 yards in 19 seconds on their game-winning drive.
This is the only playoff game in NFL history that featured two offensive linemen scoring touchdowns, both on fumble recoveries in the end zone. Patriots guard Logan Mankins recovered a Laurence Maroney fumble to give New England an early 7-0 lead, while Colts center Jeff Saturday recovered Dominic Rhodes' fumble to tie the game at 28 early in the fourth quarter.
Video Notes
This is live fan footage of Joseph Addai's game-winning touchdown.
4. 1998 NFC Championship Game: Falcons 30, Vikings 27 (OT)
24 of 27Summary
Morten Anderson and the Dirty Birds shock the Minnesota Vikings after a 38-yard field goal in overtime gave Atlanta the 30-27 win.
Vikings kicker Gary "Mr. Perfect" Anderson missed a 38-yard field goal that would have given Minnesota a 30-20 lead with just over two minutes remaining. Instead, Falcons QB Chris Chandler capped a furious touchdown drive by finding Terrence Mathis in the end zone for the tie.
Another important sequence occurred when Randy Moss dropped a sure touchdown pass with the Vikings up 17-7 late in the second quarter. The Vikings settled for a field goal and forced Atlanta to punt, but Randall Cunningham fumbled following a sack, leading to a Falcons touchdown right before the half. A possible 24-7 lead became 20-14 very quickly.
Did You Know?
Gary Anderson had made 106 field goals and point-after attempts combined during the season leading up to his missed kick. He is the first, and only, perfect kicker in regular season history.
The Vikings scored 556 points in 1998, then an NFL record.
Tony Martin caught five passes for 129 yards, leading all receivers.
Video Notes
NFL Films highlights of the game. Click here for the NFL Network link focusing on Gary Anderson's miss.
3. 1990 NFC Championship Game: Giants 15, 49ers 13
25 of 27Summary
"There will be no three-peat."
Down 13-12 with under three minutes and counting remaining, Giants DT Erik Howard forces a Roger Craig fumble that teammate Lawrence Taylor recovers. The Giants drove down the field, and Matt Bahr hit a 42-yard field goal as time expired.
Did You Know?
This game featured one of most devastating hits in NFL history, as Leonard Marshall blind sided Joe Montana with a bone-crushing hit that knocked him out of the game.
This was also a rematch of one of the most famous Monday Night Football games of all time, a 7-3 San Francisco 49ers win at Candlestick Park when both teams were 10-1.
No other conference championship game featured a make-it-and-win, miss-it-and-lose field goal.
Bahr scored all 15 Giants points, hitting five field goals.
Video Notes
Live CBS coverage of Matt Bahr's fifth field goal to win the game.
2. 1982 NFC Championship Game: 49ers 28, Cowboys 27
26 of 27Summary
The Catch. Down 27-21 and facing a 3rd-and-3 from the Dallas 6-yard line with under a minute left, 49ers QB Joe Montana evades three Cowboys defenders and throws off his back foot to Dwight Clark, who makes a fingertip catch in the back of the end zone.
Dallas drove down to the 49ers' 44-yard line on its next possession, but QB Danny White fumbled the ball away after a San Francisco sack, ending the game.
Did You Know?
This was the most-watched non-Super Bowl game in NFL playoff history, with over 68.6 million viewers.
Eric Wright helped save the beginning of the 49ers dynasty with a horse-collar tackle on Cowboys WR Drew Pearson, who caught a 31-yard pass from Danny White and was off to the races before Wright took him down.
For such an iconic game, this was actually a bit sloppy, with nine turnovers between the two teams.
Video Notes
This is CBS' live coverage of the 49ers' last drive (with jump cuts between plays), leading to Dwight Clark's touchdown catch.
Who else wishes Vin Scully still called football games?
1. 1967 NFL Championship Game: Packers 21, Cowboys 17 (Ice Bowl)
27 of 27Summary
The Ice Bowl. Negative 15 degrees. Frozen tundra, whistles and coffee. Trick play. The Block. You know this game, or else you wouldn't be reading this article.
Of particular note, though, this led to Green Bay's Super Bowl II win over the Oakland Raiders, 33-14.
Did You Know?
Eleven Hall of Famers played in this game, and Vince Lombardi and Tom Landry are also in the Hall as well.
Of those 11 Hall of Famers, five of them were Packers defenders: Willie Davis, Willie Wood, Herb Adderley, Henry Jordan and Ray Nitschke. No team since the 1960s Packers has started five Hall of Famers on defense; the 1970s Steelers started four with Mel Blount, Mean Joe Greene, Jack Lambert and Jack Ham.
Dandy Don Meredith threw for only 59 yards in this game, and he was almost matched by halfback Dan Reeves on his one throw, a 50-yard touchdown pass to Lance Rentzel to give Dallas a 17-14 lead.
Video Notes
This is a NFL Network clip from a show that highlighted the 10 best bad-weather games of all time. Guess what was No. 1?
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Post-June 1 Trade Candidates ☎️")
.JPG?w=600 "TO Talks Cowboys Relationship")
.jpg?w=600 "Taylor Heinicke Retiring")
.jpg?w=600 "49ers OC Hypes Mike Evans 🤩")