2005: Steelers Beat Jets in Divisional Playoff with FG in Overtime

The AFC Divisional Playoff game at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field on January 15, 2005 appeared to be a mismatch. The Pittsburgh Steelers were perennial contenders under Head Coach Bill Cowher and had gone 15-1 during the 2004 regular season. Rookie QB Ben Roethlisberger took over as the starting quarterback three games into the schedule when veteran Tommy Maddox was injured and was nothing short of sensational – the team won all 13 of his starts and he set rookie records by completing 66.4 % of his passes and compiling a 98.1 passer rating. He was helped by an outstanding ground game that featured the aging Jerome Bettis (pictured above) and newcomer Duce Staley, signed away from the Eagles. Pro Bowl WR Hines Ward was the most productive passing target. Most of all, the defense was the league’s best and contained Pro Bowlers in DE Aaron Smith, ILB James Farrior, OLB Joey Porter, and SS Troy Polamalu.

The visiting New York Jets placed second in the AFC East with a 10-6 record and had just gotten past the Chargers in overtime in the Wild Card Playoff round to advance to the Divisional level. Under Head Coach Herman Edwards, the backfield contained the NFL’s leading rusher in RB Curtis Martin (1697 yards) and the Jets utilized a West Coast passing offense that was directed by QB Chad Pennington, who made up for a weak arm with accuracy and toughness (he was battling a sore shoulder that would require rotator cuff surgery in the offseason). The defense was not on a par with Pittsburgh’s but was aggressive and tough against the run. However, the Jets had scored just six points in each of their prior two games against the Steelers, including a few weeks earlier during the regular season, and were clear underdogs.

Neither offense was able to get out of its own side of the field until midway through the first quarter when the Steelers drove 36 yards in seven plays. Jerome Bettis gained 17 yards in three carries and Ben Roethlisberger completed a pass to Hines Ward for 14 yards. Jeff Reed kicked a 49-yard field goal to give Pittsburgh the early 3-0 advantage.

On the second play of New York’s next series, Chad Pennington was intercepted by Troy Polamalu, who returned it 15 yards to give the Steelers excellent field position at the Jets’ 25. Five plays later, Bettis ran three yards up the middle for a touchdown and, with the successful extra point, it was a 10-0 game.

The Jets responded with a drive that extended into the second quarter and went 39 yards in 11 plays. Doug Brien’s 42-yard field goal attempt was successful and narrowed the score to 10-3. The Steelers went three-and-out in their next possession but, following a penalty on the punt return, New York started its next series at its own ten yard line. Pennington threw to WR Justin McCareins for a 30-yard gain but the promising drive finally stalled at the Pittsburgh 34 and the Jets punted. The Steelers also punted following a drive that netted 15 yards and WR Santana Moss (pictured below) returned it 75 yards for a touchdown that, combined with the successful PAT, tied the score at 10-10. That was still the tally at halftime.

The teams traded punts to start the third quarter but the Steelers drove into New York territory in their second possession. Roethlisberger completed passes to Ward for 12 yards, WR Plaxico Burress for 17, and WR Lee Mays for eight yards in a third-and-three situation. But after reaching the New York 34, a pass by Roethlisberger was picked off by SS Reggie Tongue, who returned it 86 yards for a TD. Thanks to the big plays on the punt and interception returns, the Jets were ahead by 17-10 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Steelers again advanced into New York territory but another turnover blunted a promising drive as Bettis uncharacteristically fumbled and FS Erik Coleman recovered at the 23. The Jets failed to get a first down and kicked the ball back to the Steelers, who started off from their 34 with 12:41 left in regulation. Pittsburgh put together another good drive, going 66 yards in 12 plays, and this time there were no turnovers. Roethlisberger took off for a 20-yard run to start the series which, with the exception of three short passes, stayed on the ground. Bettis and Duce Staley both carried the ball and the third of the passes was to Ward for a four-yard TD. Reed’s extra point tied the score at 17-17.

The Jets now moved the ball effectively as Pennington connected with McCareins for a 22-yard gain and Curtis Martin for 17. However, after reaching the Pittsburgh 28 the resulting 47-yard field goal try by Brien struck the goal post and was unsuccessful. But the Jets got the ball back right away when a Roethlisberger pass was intercepted by CB David Barrett and returned 25 yards to the Pittsburgh 36. It seemed as though the Jets had the game in hand as they chipped away to the 24 and, with time running out in regulation, lined up for another field goal attempt by Brien. The 43-yard kick, sailing far off the mark, was no good and the contest proceeded into overtime.

The Jets had the first possession in overtime and had to punt from their 41. Following WR Antwaan Randle El’s eight-yard return, the Steelers started off from their 13 yard line and went 72 yards in 14 plays. Along the way, Roethlisberger threw to Ward for a 17-yard gain on a third-and-six play and Pittsburgh converted a third-and-five situation thanks to a nine-yard run by RB Verron Haynes. Staley followed up with three carries for 17 yards to get the ball to the New York 24 and, after advancing further to the 15, Reed booted a 33-yard field goal – his 19^th straight successful three-pointer – to give the Steelers a 20-17 win.

Pittsburgh accumulated more total yards (364 to 275) and first downs (23 to 17). 193 of those yards came on the ground. However, the Steelers also turned the ball over three times, to one by the Jets, which nearly proved fatal.

Ben Roethlisberger (pictured above) completed 17 of 30 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown but with two interceptions. Jerome Bettis led the running game with 101 yards and a TD on 27 carries while Duce Staley added 54 yards on 11 attempts. Hines Ward caught 10 passes for 105 yards and a score.

For the Jets, Chad Pennington was successful on 21 of 33 throws for 182 yards with none for TDs and one intercepted. Curtis Martin rushed for 77 yards on 19 carries and caught four passes for 29 more yards. Justin McCareins led the club with 5 pass receptions for 82 yards. Thanks to the long return for a score, Santana Moss had 83 yards on punt returns to go along with his four catches for 31 yards.

Doug Brien (pictured at right) achieved the dubious distinction of being the first placekicker in NFL history to miss two field goal attempts in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter of a playoff game; just the week before he had booted a field goal in overtime to beat the Chargers.

“I had confidence in him,” said Herman Edwards of the kicker. “He made the one last week and I thought he could make it…He’s been a good kicker for us. It was just a tough day.”

Brien was let go by the Jets during the offseason, after they drafted PK Mike Nugent in the second round out of Ohio State. He was signed by the Bears but appeared in just three games before being dropped to thus end his 12-year NFL career.

The Steelers advanced to the AFC Championship game, which they lost to the New England Patriots. They came back in 2005 with a lesser record, finishing the regular season as a Wild Card team, but went all the way to win the Super Bowl. The Jets dropped to 4-12 in an injury-plagued year before bouncing back to the postseason in ’06.

1974: Miami Dominates on Ground to Defeat Vikings in Super Bowl VIII

Coming off an undefeated season that culminated in a Super Bowl victory certainly was a hard act to follow for the Miami Dolphins in 1973, but while the record was not unblemished, it was still a more-than-satisfactory 12-2. Head Coach Don Shula’s team still featured a strong running game on offense led by the power of FB Larry Csonka (pictured above) and the speed of HB Eugene “Mercury” Morris. QB Bob Griese was efficient and, when he had to throw, he had an outstanding deep threat available in WR Paul Warfield. The offensive line was exemplary and the “No Name Defense” was solid and tough. They again finished atop the AFC East and blew past the Bengals and Raiders to win a third straight AFC title and return to the Super Bowl.

On January 13, 1974 the Dolphins defended their NFL title against the Minnesota Vikings, who had also gone 12-2 in winning the NFC Central. Coached by Bud Grant for the seventh year, the Vikings had long been known for defensive excellence, and that was still the case in ’73. The line of ends Carl Eller and Jim Marshall and tackles Alan Page and Gary Larsen was highly experienced and formidable while the linebacking corps was led by MLB Jeff Siemon and ball-hawking FS Paul Krause was in the backfield. The offense was directed by 33-year-old QB Fran Tarkenton and benefited from the presence of two newcomers, WR John Gilliam, obtained from the Cardinals, and rookie RB Chuck Foreman.

There were 68,142 fans in attendance – not to mention the mammoth television audience – on an overcast day at Houston’s Rice Stadium. The Dolphins had the ball in the opening possession and methodically drove 62 yards in 10 plays. It was all Csonka and Morris running the ball while Griese passed just twice, to TE Jim Mandich (pictured below) for 13 yards in a third-and-four situation, and to WR Marlin Briscoe for six yards to the Minnesota 21. Csonka ran for the last five yards and a touchdown and, with Garo Yepremian’s extra point, the defending champs were ahead by 7-0.

The Vikings responded with a three-and-out series and, after receiving Mike Eischeid’s punt, Miami again advanced almost effortlessly down the field. Once again Griese needed to go to the air just twice, and a 13-yard completion to Briscoe on a third-and-one play gave the Dolphins a first-and-goal at the Minnesota one yard line. Two plays later HB Jim Kiick scored a TD to cap the 10-play, 56-yard drive and it was 14-0 after a quarter of action. It would be all Miami needed.

The Vikings had two more possessions in which they failed to generate a single first down while, in between, the Dolphins , largely thanks to a sack of Griese by DT Alan Page for a ten yard loss, had to punt. But on Miami’s next series, they went 44 yards in seven plays to score again. It was much the same story as before – five runs by Csonka, a ten-yard gain by Morris, and a Griese completion to Paul Warfield for six yards. While the Vikings were actually able to stop Csonka twice for no gain on second and third down in a short-yardage situation, the Dolphins added a 28-yard field goal by Yepremian.

With just over six minutes remaining in the half, the Vikings finally put together a long drive. Tarkenton connected with TE Stu Voigt for 17 yards on a third-and-eight play, again hit Voigt in a third-and-nine situation for 14 yards, and right after the two minute warning threw to John Gilliam for 30 yards to the Miami 15. But on a fourth-and-one play from the Miami six, RB Oscar Reed fumbled and FS Jake Scott recovered. Minnesota came up empty and the Dolphins took the 17-0 lead into halftime.

A 65-yard kickoff return by Gilliam to start the second half was called back due to a clipping penalty and, from that point, the third quarter looked like a reprise of the opening period. The Vikings punted after going nowhere in three plays and Miami put together a 43-yard scoring drive in eight plays. On a third-and-five play, Griese made another of his rare but effective passes, connecting with Warfield for a 27-yard gain to the Minnesota 11. Csonka finished the series off with a two-yard touchdown carry and, at 24-0, the Dolphins had an insurmountable lead.

The Vikings finally put points on the board in the fourth quarter. Tarkenton completed five passes in a 10-play possession that covered 57 yards. The biggest play was a 15-yard throw to Voigt in a third-and-eight situation to start the final period. The nimble quarterback kept the ball himself in running around right end for a four-yard TD and Fred Cox added the extra point.

Minnesota, in desperation, tried an onside kick that was initially successful but was nullified by an offside penalty. The Dolphins got the ball and punted following a short series, and the Vikings, taking over at their three yard line, drove into Miami territory. The highlight of the drive was a swing pass to RB Ed Marinaro that gained 27 yards, but the series stalled at the Miami 32 and Tarkenton’s long third down pass intended for WR Jim Lash was intercepted at the goal line by CB Curtis Johnson.

That was it for the Vikings. Miami controlled the ball for the remaining 6:24 and the Dolphins were once again champions by a score of 24-7.

The Dolphins had more total yards (259 to 238), with 196 of that total coming on the ground, and accumulated more first downs (21 to 14). The Vikings turned the ball over twice, as opposed to none suffered by Miami, and were also penalized seven times at a cost of 65 yards while the Dolphins were flagged just once.

Larry Csonka was the game’s MVP as he rushed for 145 yards on 33 carries and scored two touchdowns. Bob Griese (pictured below) went to the air only 7 times but completed 6 of those passes for 73 yards. Paul Warfield, Jim Mandich, and Marlin Briscoe all caught two passes apiece, for 33, 21, and 19 yards, respectively.

For the Vikings, Fran Tarkenton was successful on 18 of 28 throws for 182 yards with no TDs and one interception – he also ran the ball four times for 17 yards and a touchdown. Oscar Reed led the club in rushing with 32 yards on 11 carries while Chuck Foreman was held to 18 yards on 7 attempts, although he caught 5 passes for 27 yards. Stu Voigt gained a team-leading 46 yards on his three catches and John Gilliam was right behind with 44 yards on four receptions.

“Csonka’s the strongest fullback I’ve ever seen,” said Tarkenton in summation. “We gave them our best shot and weren’t good enough. They played as nearly perfect a game as a team can play.”

Several weeks following the Super Bowl win it was announced that Csonka, Warfield, and Kiick would be jumping to the World Football League’s Toronto Northmen (later Memphis Southmen) for 1975. While a distraction, the Dolphins still topped the AFC East with an 11-3 record in ’74, although the quest for a third straight NFL title ended in a memorable Divisional Playoff loss to the Raiders. Minnesota went 10-4 in winning the NFC Central and advanced once more to the Super Bowl, but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. While the Vikings won a pre-merger NFL Championship and three NFC titles during the Bud Grant coaching era, they fell short in all four Super Bowl appearances.

1997: Late Turnovers Help Patriots Defeat Jaguars for AFC Title

Both of the teams meeting for the AFC Championship on January 12, 1997 had overcome slow starts during the ’96 regular season to get there. The New England Patriots, in their fourth season under Head Coach Bill Parcells, were 3-3 after a close loss to the Redskins but then went 8-2 the rest of the way to top the AFC East at 11-5. Second-year RB Curtis Martin rushed for 1152 yards and 14 touchdowns and WR Terry Glenn set a rookie record with 90 catches. QB Drew Bledsoe (pictured at right) had his flaws but was also highly productive as he threw for 4086 yards and 27 TDs and earned selection to the Pro Bowl. The defense had started off as slowly as the early record indicated but came together during the second half of the season and allowed just one offensive touchdown in the preceding three games, which included a win over the Steelers in the Divisional round of the playoffs.

Even more surprising to see vying for the AFC title were the Jacksonville Jaguars. In just their second year of existence, Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s team had overcome a 4-7 start to win five straight contests and finish the regular season at 9-7 for second place in the AFC Central and a Wild Card spot. From there they won two more games, in the Wild Card round over the Buffalo Bills and at the Divisional level against the Denver Broncos. QB Mark Brunell, a mobile lefthander, led the NFL in passing yards (4367) while throwing primarily to talented wide receivers Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell. RB Natrone Means gained 315 yards rushing in the two postseason wins. Defensive ends Clyde Simmons and Tony Brackens and LB Kevin Hardy gave the Jaguars a potent pass rush.

There were 60,190 fans in attendance on a cold late afternoon at Foxboro Stadium. Things started off badly for the Jaguars when, punting from their own 20 following the opening series of the game, Bryan Barker tried to run after fielding a high snap and the Patriots got the ball at the Jacksonville four yard line. Two plays later, Curtis Martin ran for a one-yard touchdown.

The teams traded punts until the Patriots put together a drive into Jacksonville territory thanks to a 23-yard pass play from Drew Bledsoe to WR Shawn Jefferson. But a Bledsoe pass that was picked off by CB Aaron Beasley at the eight snuffed out the threat and the score remained 7-0 after a quarter of play.

The first quarter ended with the Jaguars in possession and they went 62 yards in 13 plays. They converted two third downs along the way and Mike Hollis finished the series off with a 32-yard field goal. A short New England series ended with a punt by Tom Tupa, but the Patriots got a break when safety Chris Hudson fumbled when hit by LB Marty Moore and TE Mike Bartrum recovered at the Jacksonville 19. They couldn’t reach the end zone, but, following an eleven-minute delay caused by a power outage, Adam Vinatieri kicked a 29-yard field goal to make it a 10-3 score.

Neither offense was able to move the ball effectively for the remainder of the half until, taking possession with 1:29 remaining, the Patriots went 68 yards in nine plays. Bledsoe had three key completions, to Jefferson (pictured below) for 19 yards to start the drive, to TE Ben Coates for five yards in a fourth-and-three situation, and then again to Jefferson for a 38-yard gain to the Jacksonville three. The half ended with Vinatieri booting another field goal, from 20 yards out, and the Patriots led by 13-3 at the intermission.

New England went three-and-out to start the third quarter and, following the punt, the Jaguars advanced from their 36 to the Patriots’ 31. Along the way, Mark Brunell completed a pass to Keenan McCardell for 13 yards on a third-and-ten play. But in a fourth-and-one situation, Brunell kept the ball himself and was stopped for no gain.

Three plays later Jacksonville got a break when Bledsoe fumbled when hit by Kevin Hardy and the Jaguars recovered at the New England 37. Almost exclusively keeping the ball on the ground, with Natrone Means carrying five times, they drove to the ten yard line from where Hollis booted a 28-yard field goal.

It was 13-6 as the Patriots took possession and advanced to the Jacksonville 43 early in the fourth quarter. Tupa’s punt pinned the Jaguars back at their 14 and they had to punt in turn. Bledsoe completed five straight passes in the ensuing series that reached the Jacksonville 23. But he was sacked for a six-yard loss and, while his resulting fumble was recovered by the Patriots, Vinatieri was unsuccessful with a field goal try from 46 yards that sailed wide to the left.

Now it was Brunell with the hot passing hand and the Jaguars drove into New England territory. But on a second down play at the five yard line, a pass into the end zone was intercepted by FS Willie Clay to end the threat. Another short series by the Patriots resulted in a punt and, with 2:36 to play the Jaguars still had a chance. But on the first play from scrimmage RB James Stewart fumbled and CB Otis Smith picked up the ball and ran 47 yards for a touchdown. For all intents the Jaguars were finished, and Brunell tossed an interception on the next series (the third Jacksonville turnover in a four-minute span) to make certain of it. New England won the AFC title by a score of 20-6.

The Jaguars led in total yards (289 to 234) and first downs (18 to 13), but they also turned the ball over four times to two by New England.

Drew Bledsoe completed 20 of 33 passes for 178 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Terry Glenn caught 5 passes for 33 yards while Shawn Jefferson gained 91 yards on his four receptions. Curtis Martin was held to 59 yards on 19 carries that included a TD.

For the Jaguars, Mark Brunell was under heavy pressure throughout the game (most notably from DE Willie McGinest)  and thus was successful on just 20 of 38 throws for 190 yards with no scores and two interceptions. TE Pete Mitchell (pictured at right) caught 7 of those passes for 63 yards and Keenan McCardell contributed 62 yards on 6 pass receptions. Natrone Means gained just 43 yards on 19 rushing attempts while James Stewart had 40 yards on 7 carries, although also a key fumble.

“We were unable to run the ball and unable to get that good balance we’ve had the past few weeks that had allowed us to have the success,” said Mark Brunell.  “Overall, the Patriots had a great defensive effort. They outplayed us.”

The Patriots went on to lose to the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl – the Packers had beaten the other 1995 expansion team, the Carolina Panthers, in the NFC title game to eliminate the possibility of either of the new clubs vying for top honors in the NFL. It was the last game for Bill Parcells as the team’s head coach. Citing differences with owner Robert Kraft, he left the club and resurfaced with the Jets (with the help of a deal brokered by Commissioner Paul Tagliabue to satisfy Kraft). Under successor Pete Carroll, New England went 10-6 to again top the AFC East but lost in the Divisional round of the playoffs. The Jaguars, meanwhile, proved that the strong showing in ’96 was no fluke as they came back strong at 11-5, again placing second in the AFC Central and gaining a Wild Card slot. They lost convincingly to Denver in the first round of the postseason.

1982: Bengals Dominate Chargers in Extreme Cold to Win AFC Title

It was a bone-chilling cold in Cincinnati for the AFC Championship game on January 10, 1982 – so much so that NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle considered postponing it. However, after consulting a medical specialist in cold weather conditions, he allowed the contest to be played. The scheduled halftime show by the Zanesville High School marching band was a casualty of the frigid conditions, however. The temperature was nine degrees below zero at game time with a wind chill of minus 59 (give or take a few degrees). Winds which gusted up to 30 mph played havoc on the passing game.

The host team, the Cincinnati Bengals, was coming off three straight losing records before making a stunning run through the 1981 schedule and topping the AFC Central at 12-4. Newly garbed in tiger-striped uniforms, Head Coach Forrest Gregg’s club packed plenty of scoring punch. QB Ken Anderson had a MVP season and benefited from the presence of rookie WR Cris Collinsworth, who teamed up well with veteran WR Isaac Curtis and TE Dan Ross. Big (6’0”, 249) FB Pete Johnson rushed for 1077 yards, caught 46 passes for 320 more, and scored 16 touchdowns. The defense lacked big names but was solid.  The Bengals defeated the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional round to advance to the conference title game.

The visiting San Diego Chargers, under Head Coach Don Coryell, won their third straight AFC West title with a 10-6 record. Despite losing key players in WR John Jefferson and DE Fred Dean in trades forced by salary disputes, the Chargers were still a formidable team. To be sure, the defense missed Dean’s pass rushing skill, but the offense still maintained an outstanding aerial attack directed by QB Dan Fouts. Jefferson was ably replaced by WR Wes Chandler, who was obtained from the Saints and joined WR Charlie Joiner and TE Kellen Winslow. RB Chuck Muncie rushed for 1144 yards and rookie all-purpose RB James Brooks was productive as well. San Diego won a thrilling overtime game in Miami in the Divisional round which featured plenty of offense.

There were 46,302 hardy fans in attendance at frigid Riverfront Stadium. The Bengals stuck to their short, precision passing game to good effect. Cincinnati started off the scoring with a 10-play, 51-yard drive that followed a punt by the Chargers. Ken Anderson threw to Dan Ross for a first down at the San Diego 33 along the way and Pete Johnson then ran for 11 yards. The series stalled at the 13 yard line and Jim Breech kicked a 31-yard field goal.

A fumble by James Brooks on the ensuing kickoff was recovered by TE Don Bass to set up Cincinnati’s next score. It took just two plays as Anderson (pictured at right) connected with TE M.L. Harris for an eight-yard touchdown. The Chargers put together a scoring drive in the second quarter, advancing 55 yards in six plays. Fouts threw to Kellen Winslow for a 33-yard TD and the Cincinnati margin was narrowed to 10-7.

The Bengals came right back, however. WR David Verser returned the kickoff 40 yards and Cincinnati proceeded to go 55 yards in seven plays. Anderson passed to Isaac Curtis for a 15-yard gain that gave Cincinnati a first down at the San Diego one yard line and Johnson ran from there for a touchdown.

Two drives by the Chargers into scoring territory in the second quarter were blunted by the Bengals defense. First, a Fouts pass was intercepted by CB Louis Breeden at the Cincinnati six yard line, and later a throw into the end zone was picked off by safety Bobby Kemp.

In the third quarter, another turnover by the Chargers was turned into points by the Bengals. DE Ross Browner recovered a fumble by Chuck Muncie and Cincinnati took nine plays to drive 39 yards. Anderson completed a pass to Ross for 19 yards and also had a 13-yard run for a first down. Breech kicked a 38-yard field goal to extend the lead to 20-7.

Following a missed field goal attempt by the Chargers in the fourth quarter, the Bengals finished them off with a 14-play, 68-yard series that featured the ground game. Along the way, they converted a fourth down in San Diego territory with an eight-yard run by Johnson. Don Bass completed the drive by catching a pass from Anderson for a three-yard touchdown. The Bengals ended up winning handily by a score of 27-7.

Statistically, Cincinnati’s domination was less apparent as they edged the Chargers both in total yards (318 to 301) and first downs (19 to 18). However, San Diego turned the ball over four times, to one by the Bengals, and was very much off its typical level of performance. In a rarity for the Chargers, they ran the ball more often than they passed and their 301 total yards were the fewest generated in any game during the season. The Bengals also benefited from Jim Breech’s two field goals in as many attempts while San Diego’s Rolf Benirschke missed both of his tries.

Ken Anderson completed 14 of 22 passes for 161 yards with two touchdowns and none intercepted. Pete Johnson rushed for 80 yards and a TD on 21 carries. Dan Ross led the receivers with 5 catches for 69 yards.

For the Chargers, Dan Fouts (pictured below) was successful on just 15 of 28 throws for 185 yards and a touchdown with two costly interceptions. Chuck Muncie gained 94 yards on 23 rushing attempts. Wes Chandler had 6 pass receptions for 79 yards.

“This was the finest game I’ve ever seen a team play under such unbelievable conditions,” said Forrest Gregg, who as a player for Green Bay was part of some very big games in extreme winter conditions.

“The weather was no excuse,” said Don Coryell. “Football is played in all conditions, always has been and always will be. We were soundly beaten by a very fine team. We just didn’t do our job.”

The Bengals lost to another upstart team, the San Francisco 49ers, in the Super Bowl. They went 7-2 during the strike-shortened 1982 season to again make the playoffs but lost in the first round. San Diego was 6-3 and made it to the second round of the revamped postseason before falling. 

2000: Titans Stun Bills with “Music City Miracle”

The 1999 NFL season was a year of transformation for the Tennessee Titans. First, the name was new, as the club had played the previous two seasons as the Tennessee Oilers after moving from Houston. Second, the team had a permanent home at the new Adelphia Coliseum in Nashville – prior to that, the franchise had played at different venues, including the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, and often before small crowds. During the period of transition, including the final season in Houston, the team had put together three straight 8-8 records. In ’99, Head Coach Jeff Fisher’s team broke out to a 13-3 record, which still wasn’t enough to win the AFC Central (Jacksonville finished at 14-2) but more than enough to grab a Wild Card spot in the playoffs. On January 8, 2000 the Titans faced the Buffalo Bills in their first postseason game at their new home.

The Bills, coached for the second year by Wade Phillips, were in the playoffs for the tenth time in twelve seasons as they finished second in the AFC East with an 11-5 record. While several of the players who had been key performers during that stretch, such as DE Bruce Smith, WR Andre Reed, and RB Thurman Thomas, were reaching the end of the trail, younger performers like RB Antowain Smith, WR Eric Moulds, LB Sam Cowart, and CB Antoine Winfield made significant contributions. 37-year-old QB Doug Flutie, undersized but popular and typically productive, had held off the challenge of 26-year-old Rob Johnson, but in a controversial move, Coach Phillips chose to bench Flutie in favor of Johnson for the playoff game at Tennessee.

With 66,672 fans in attendance at the Adelphia Coliseum, the defenses took control early and the first quarter was scoreless. It was a defensive play in the second quarter that put the first points on the board when Tennessee’s star rookie DE Jevon Kearse (pictured below) sacked Johnson in the end zone for a safety.

The ensuing free kick was returned 42 yards by WR Derrick Mason to give the Titans excellent field position at the Buffalo 28. They made the most of it as, five plays later, QB Steve McNair ran around end for a one-yard touchdown. With the successful extra point, the home team was ahead by 9-0.

After the Bills punted, the Titans again advanced into scoring territory. It looked like they would come up dry when, with time running out in the first half, Al Del Greco missed a 45-yard field goal attempt. However, a holding penalty on the Bills gave Del Greco another shot from five yards closer and this time he was successful. Tennessee went into halftime with a 12-0 lead. The Bills gained just 64 total yards and managed only three first downs in the first half as Johnson had struggled.

It quickly became a different story in the second half when, on the opening play from scrimmage of the third quarter, Antowain Smith ran for 44 yards. It set up his four-yard touchdown carry that capped a 62-yard drive and got the Bills back in the game.

Later in the third quarter, safety Kurt Schulz deflected a McNair pass that was intercepted by Antoine Winfield. The Bills got another big play when Johnson threw to Eric Moulds, who got ahead of CB Denard Walker down the left sideline, for a 37-yard gain. Kearse was penalized for a roughing the passer penalty to help move the series along and Smith scored another TD, this time from a yard out. The try for a two-point conversion failed but Buffalo was in front by 13-12 with just over eleven minutes remaining in the game.

That was it for the offensive output until, with 6:15 remaining, WR Isaac Byrd returned a punt 16 yards to give the Titans possession at the Buffalo 45. Tennessee moved methodically down the field with Eddie George carrying the ball five straight times and Del Greco kicking a 36-yard field goal. The Titans were ahead by 15-13 with 1:48 to go.

However, Buffalo got a 33-yard kickoff return from WR Kevin Williams and proceeded to drive 38 yards in six plays. With the clock now down to 16 seconds, Christie was successful on a 41-yard field goal try that put the Bills back on top at 16-15.

The Bills kicked off, with Christie booting it short but high to try and hinder a return. The Titans were anticipating a squib kick and had lined up for a desperation return play called Home Run Throwback.  RB Lorenzo Neal caught the ball and handed off to TE Frank Wycheck, who then threw a lateral down the 25 yard line to WR Kevin Dyson. The plan was to gain enough yards to get into field goal range, but Dyson made the catch of the low-thrown ball and, led by a convoy of blockers, he proceeded to run 75 yards for a touchdown (pictured at top). It was the first time the Titans had ever run the play and Dyson, who was filling in for the injured Mason, had never practiced it.

The Bills furiously argued that the throw from Wycheck (pictured at right) to Dyson was an illegal forward pass, but the play was reviewed by referee Phil Luckett and the call stood – much to the delight of the ecstatic home crowd and the consternation of the shocked Bills players and coaches. Thanks to the touchdown on what came to be referred to as "the Music City Miracle", Tennessee advanced by a final score of 22-16.

“The line judge’s initial ruling was that it was not a forward pass,” explained Luckett. “Taking from where the pass left the passer’s right hand on that (the 25) yard line, the receiver catches it right there on that yard line. It did not appear to be a forward pass, therefore there is not a foul.”

“I think it was a forward lateral,” said Buffalo’s owner Ralph Wilson, who spoke for many (but by no means all) who observed the play. “I also think there was no way the guy was going to overturn it.”

The Bills led in total yards (219 to 194) although Tennessee had more first downs (16 to 13). Neither team gained much through the air, with Buffalo leading in net passing yards (96 to 55). But the Titans sacked Johnson six times (two by Jevon Kearse) as opposed to Buffalo getting to McNair three times (2.5 by Bruce Smith). The Bills also were penalized ten times, while the home team was flagged twice. Each team turned the ball over on two occasions.

Steve McNair completed 13 of 24 passes for just 76 yards with one intercepted, although he ran six times for 19 yards and a TD. Eddie George rushed for 106 yards on 26 carries. Frank Wycheck and TE Jackie Harris each caught four passes, with Wycheck gaining 29 yards to 20 for Harris.

For the Bills, Rob Johnson, who had difficulty against the strong Tennessee pass rush but came on in the fourth quarter, was successful on 10 of 22 throws for 131 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Antowain Smith paced the ground attack with 79 yards on 14 carries that included two for scores. WR Peerless Price had 5 pass receptions for 62 yards and Eric Moulds also gained 62 yards on his three catches.

The Titans went on to win the AFC title and lost a close contest to the St. Louis Rams in the Super Bowl. They went 13-3 again in 2000, although did not advance as far in the postseason. As for the Bills, the loss to Tennessee signaled the beginning of a long playoff drought. They dropped to 8-8 in 2000 and were over .500 just once in the course of the next 13 years (and counting).

2007: Seahawks Edge Cowboys Thanks to Botched FG Attempt

The Dallas Cowboys had lost four straight playoff games – their last win coming a decade earlier in 1996 - as they faced the Seattle Seahawks in a Wild Card Playoff game on January 6, 2007. In their fourth season under Head Coach Bill Parcells, the Cowboys were off to a 3-3 start when they replaced veteran QB Drew Bledsoe with unheralded backup Tony Romo. They went 6-4 the rest of the way to finish second in the NFC East at 9-7 and claim a Wild Card spot. Romo tailed off late in the season but still earned selection to the Pro Bowl. Both wide receivers Terrell Owens, in his first year with the Cowboys, and Terry Glenn gained over a thousand yards, Pro Bowl TE Jason Witten was solid, and the running back tandem of Julius Jones and Marion Barber was productive.

The Seahawks, coached by Mike Holmgren, had won the NFC title in 2005 and, while they struggled at times in ’06, they also went 9-7 to top the NFC West for the third consecutive year. Injuries were an issue as QB Matt Hasselbeck missed four games and RB Shaun Alexander, who set a record for touchdowns scored in ’05, also missed time with a foot injury. Both had subpar years. The defensive secondary was prone to giving up big plays and the pass rush tailed off as the season progressed.

There was a crowd of 68,058 at Seattle’s Qwest Field. The Seahawks had the game’s first possession and drove 55 yards in nine plays. Hasselbeck completed four passes, including one to WR Bobby Engram that gained 36 yards. Josh Brown kicked a 23-yard field goal to give the home team the early lead.

Following a Dallas punt, Hasselbeck was intercepted by CB Anthony Henry to give the Cowboys good field position at the Seattle 43. They made the most of the opportunity as Martin Gramatica booted a 50-yard field goal to tie the score five plays later.

That was the tally heading into the second quarter until the Seahawks put together a 13-play series that covered 54 yards. With Hasselbeck completing short passes and Shaun Alexander running the ball, Seattle reached the Dallas 12 from where Brown kicked his second field goal, from 30 yards.

Both teams had three-and-out possessions before the Cowboys went 76 yards in ten plays. A third-and-six pass by Tony Romo to WR Patrick Crayton for 18 yards kept the drive alive, as did a throw to Jason Witten for 32 yards to the Seattle three in a fourth-and-two situation. An offensive holding penalty moved the ball back ten yards, but Romo connected with Crayton from there for a touchdown and Dallas took a 10-6 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, and following a short Dallas possession that ended with a punt, the Seahawks briefly regained the lead with a 12-play, 62-yard drive. Five runs by Alexander gained 32 yards, including one for three yards that converted a fourth-and-one situation, and Hasselbeck completed three passes, the last to TE Jerramy Stevens for a 15-yard touchdown. With the successful extra point, it was 13-10 in favor of Seattle – but the lead didn’t last long. The ensuing kickoff was returned 93 yards for a TD by WR Miles Austin and the Cowboys were back in front at 17-13. It was the first touchdown on a kickoff return in Dallas postseason history.

That was the score early in the fourth quarter when Hasselbeck went long for WR D.J. Hackett but was picked off by SS Roy Williams after the ball was tipped by CB Terence Newman. Taking over at their own 43, the Cowboys made the most of the turnover by advancing 46 yards in eight plays. Along the way, Romo completed a pass to Terry Glenn for 16 yards and Julius Jones (pictured at right) had an 18-yard run. Gramatica kicked a 29-yard field goal and Dallas extended its lead to 20-13.

In the ensuing possession, the Seahawks drove from their 27 yard line to the Dallas two, but an incomplete pass on fourth down forced them to give the ball up. However, on the next play Glenn fumbled after catching a short pass from Romo and, initially, the play was ruled a touchdown on a recovery in the end zone by SS Michael Boulware. Upon review, the call was reversed and ruled a safety with the ball having rolled out of bounds in the end zone.

Now down by five points, the Seahawks started off following the free kick with good field position at midfield. Four plays later, Hasselbeck connected with Stevens for a 37-yard touchdown. The try for a two-point conversion failed, but Seattle was now in front by a point.

There were still over four minutes remaining on the clock, however – plenty of time for the Cowboys to respond. After Romo completed two passes, with a short run in between, Jones took off for a 35-yard gain to the Seattle 11. They got it down to the two (narrowly missing another first down) and lined up for a potentially game-winning field goal attempt by Gramatica. However, Romo, who had been the holder for placekicks far longer than he had been the starting quarterback, fumbled the snap (pictured at top) and had to pick up the loose ball and run with it. He came up short of either a score or a first down as he was tackled by CB Jordan Babineaux at the line of scrimmage.  With the stunning reprieve, the Seahawks held on for a 21-20 win.

Seattle led in total yards (332 to 284) and first downs (19 to 14). The Seahawks also turned the ball over twice, to one by Dallas. The Cowboys hurt themselves with 8 penalties, at a cost of 74 yards, while Seattle was flagged just three times.

Matt Hasselbeck completed 18 of 36 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns with two intercepted. Shaun Alexander ran for 69 yards on 24 carries. Jerramy Stevens caught 5 passes for 77 yards and two TDs while Bobby Engram (pictured below) gained 88 yards on his four receptions.

For the Cowboys, Tony Romo was successful on 17 of 29 throws for 189 yards and a touchdown without giving up an interception. Julius Jones had a fine performance running the ball as he gained 112 yards on 22 attempts. Terry Glenn paced the receivers with four pass receptions for 41 yards while Jason Witten contributed 57 yards on three catches.

Of the failed field goal attempt by the Cowboys, Mike Holmgren said, “You coach long enough, you end up seeing just about everything. One more thing for the journal.”

“It’s just one of those things,” said Bill Parcells. “It looked like a good snap. I can’t tell you what happened after that.”

The Seahawks lost another close game, this time in overtime, to the Bears at the Divisional Playoff level. They again topped the NFC West in 2007 while the Cowboys finished first in the NFC East, but both clubs fell in the Divisional round of the postseason.

Bill Parcells was not at the helm for Dallas in ’07 – he stepped down as head coach and the loss to Seattle thus marked his finale. His four-year record with the Cowboys was 34-30 with two playoff losses as well. It was the final stop in a head coaching career with four teams that yielded a 172-130-1 regular season record and 11-8 playoff tally that included three conference titles and two Super Bowl victories.

1991: Dolphins Rally to Defeat Chiefs in Wild Card Playoff Game

The Miami Dolphins were in the playoffs for the first time in five years as they hosted the Kansas City Chiefs at Joe Robbie Stadium on January 5, 1991. In their 21^st season under Head Coach Don Shula, the Dolphins placed second in the AFC East with a 12-4 record, good enough to grab a Wild Card spot. RB Sammie Smith brought a much-needed ground-gaining element to the offense, which had been too dependent on the outstanding passing of QB Dan Marino (pictured above). The defense, which contained an established star in LB John Offerdahl, was also tougher and benefited from the added presence of veteran CB Tim McKyer.

Kansas City, with Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer for the second year, finished second in the AFC West at 11-5 to secure a Wild Card spot and reach the playoffs for only the second time since 1971. 36-year-old journeyman QB Steve DeBerg had an outstanding season and running backs Christian Okoye and Barry Word paced the running attack. The defense, anchored by LB Derrick Thomas, was opportunistic and led the NFL with 60 sacks.

There were 67,276 fans on hand for the late Saturday afternoon Wild Card Playoff game. The Dolphins reached midfield on their first drive but, after Marino was sacked for a loss on third down, Reggie Roby’s punt was blocked by CB Charles Washington and the Chiefs gained possession at the Miami 37. Kansas City drove 28 yards in nine plays that resulted in Nick Lowery kicking a 27-yard field goal.

Miami responded by driving 40 yards, with Marino completing a pass to WR Mark Duper for 12 yards to convert a third-and-four situation, but the opening period ended with the series stalled at the KC 40. On the first play of the second quarter, Pete Stoyanovich (pictured at left) kicked a NFL playoff-record 58-yard field goal to tie the score at 3-3.

The Chiefs came out throwing on their next series as QB Steve DeBerg connected with WR Stephone Paige for 33 yards and WR Robb Thomas for another 15 yards to the Miami 37. But after advancing to the 30, a DeBerg pass was intercepted by SS Jarvis Williams to end the threat.  The teams traded punts before the Dolphins drove to the Kansas City 39 and Stoyanovich again attempted a long field goal, this time from 57 yards. This one fell short and the Chiefs went 61 yards in four plays. RB Christian Okoye gained 16 yards on the first play of the series and, after a short gain by Okoye, DeBerg threw to Paige, first for 16 yards, and then for a 26-yard touchdown.

The Dolphins again advanced into KC territory but Marino was stripped by DE Neil Smith and CB J.C. Pearson recovered for the Chiefs at his own 38. The score was 10-3 in favor of Kansas City at halftime.

Kansas City’s first series of the third quarter ended with a punt, but Bryan Barker’s 44-yard kick went out of bounds at the Miami six. Pinned deep in their own territory, the Dolphins had to punt it back, although Roby’s 64-yard kick carried to the KC 30. DeBerg threw to WR Emile Harry for 26 yards but, following a sack and incomplete pass, the Chiefs faced a third-and-15 situation. DeBerg threw a screen pass to RB Todd McNair for 13 yards and, on a fourth-and-two play from the Miami 36, Okoye ran for five yards and a first down. Two more pass completions got the ball to the one yard line, but the Chiefs were unable to penetrate the end zone. An intentional grounding call on DeBerg on a second down play moved the ball back ten yards and Kansas City ultimately had to settle for a 25-yard Lowery field goal.

On the first play of the ensuing series, Marino threw to WR Mark Duper for 16 yards, but the receiver fumbled when hit by FS Deron Cherry and LB Dino Hackett recovered at the Miami 29. Three handoffs to Okoye gained eight yards and Lowery kicked a 38-yard field goal to extend Kansas City’s lead to 16-3.

Desperately needing to score, the Dolphins converted a fourth down on a two-yard run by Sammie Smith (pictured at right) at the end of the third quarter on their way to going 66 yards in 10 plays. Marino threw to Clayton for 23 yards to reach the KC 11 and three plays later he connected with RB Tony Paige for a TD. With the successful extra point, Miami was down by just six points with over twelve minutes remaining to play.

DeBerg threw to Harry on first down, who broke away from Tim McKyer along the sideline and gained 33 yards. But the drive was stopped at the Miami 41 and the Chiefs punted. Starting from their 15, the Dolphins immediately moved into Chiefs territory when Marino passed to TE Ferrell Edmunds for a 37-yard gain to the KC 48. Miami methodically drove down the field from there, converting three third downs and with Marino capping the 11-play, 85-yard series with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Clayton. Stoyanovich added the all-important extra point to put the Dolphins in front by one.

With 3:28 left on the clock, the Chiefs still had a chance. Two DeBerg passes got the ball to the Kansas City 47 and Okoye then ran for 26 yards to the Miami 26. However, a holding penalty moved the ball back ten yards (and negated a 12-yard carry by Okoye) and the Chiefs were only able to get back to the 34 before having to try for the winning field goal. Lowery’s attempt from 52 yards was close but short – breaking a streak of 24 consecutive successes - and the Dolphins survived to win by a score of 17-16.

The Chiefs outgained Miami (367 yards to 311) although the Dolphins had the edge in first downs (23 to 16). Miami also turned the ball over twice, to one by Kansas City.

Dan Marino completed 19 of 30 passes, including ten straight during the fourth quarter comeback, for 221 yards with two touchdowns and none intercepted. Sammie Smith ran for 82 yards on 20 carries. Mark Clayton caught 5 passes for 66 yards and a TD while Tony Paige also caught 5, for 30 yards and a score.

For the Chiefs, Steve DeBerg was successful on 17 of 30 throws for 269 yards and a TD with one intercepted. Stephone Paige had 8 pass receptions for 142 yards and the touchdown. Christian Okoye (pictured below) keyed the running game with 83 yards on 13 attempts.

“We’re disappointed as hell, but we’re proud,” said Marty Schottenheimer. “We’re frustrated because we didn’t achieve the things we wanted to do, which was win a championship. We’re going to hold our heads up and build from here.”

Miami advanced to the Divisional playoff round and lost to division-rival Buffalo by a score of 44-34. The Dolphins regressed to 8-8 in 1991 but won the AFC East in ’92. The Chiefs made the postseason in each of the next five seasons under Schottenheimer but failed to gain an elusive championship, advancing to the AFC title game just once in that stretch.