THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS

The 2025 NFL schedule has been released.

https://www.nfl.com/schedules/2025/REG1/

Here are the TOP 25 GAMES OF NFL 2025

1.) Week 1: Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers
2.) Week 1: Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers
3.) Week 1: Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills
4.) Week 2: Philadelphia Eagles at Kansas City Chiefs
5.) Week 4: Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs
6.) Week 6: Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs
7.) Week 7: Philadelphia Eagles at Minnesota Vikings
8.) Week 7: Washington Commanders at Dallas Cowboys
9.) Week 8: Washington Commanders at Kansas City Chiefs
10.) Week 9: Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills
11.) Week 10: Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers
12.) Week 10: Detroit Lions at Washington Commanders
13.) Week 11: Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos
14.) Week 11: Detroit Lions at Philadelphia Eagles
15.) Week 12: Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans
16.) Week 12: Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys
17.) Week 14: Washington Commanders at Minnesota Vikings
18.) Week 14: Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills
19.) Week 15: Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals
20.) Week 15: Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Rams
21.) Week 16: Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks
22.) Week 16: Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Commanders
23.) Week 17: Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings
24.) Week 18: Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders
25.) Week 18: Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers

eric

2025 NFL Draft Recap

https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft/rounds

eric

Combatting Campus Antisemitism Requires Drastic Actions

The most recent Jewish heartbreak is the news that innocent baby Kfir Bibas was murdered. Bibas and his four-year-old brother Ariel were kidnapped by Hamas on October 7^th. Rather than let innocent babies live, Hamas terrorists strangled them to death. In normal times, horrors like this would have the entire civilized world empathizing with Jews. The virtue-signaling “I stand with” crowd would stand with Jews.

These are not normal times, and Jewish enemies are far from civilized. Columbia University offshoot Barnard College has exploded in anti-Jewish rage. Students and other agitators demanded an Intifada and explicitly chanted “We want war.”

War is what they deserve. It is long past time to crack down hard on campus riots. The way to stop a mob is to stop it. The first step is to declare the rioters domestic terrorists. The civil liberties crowd will explode, but people wrong about virtually everything can be ignored.

Federal prosecutors have the power to use RICO laws and the Patriot Act to break the terrorists. Under the 2002 Bush Doctrine, anyone who finances, shelters, harbors or aids terrorists in any way is as guilty of terrorism as the terrorists themselves.

Arresting and prosecuting students is insufficient. Even placing the worst actors in Guantanamo Bay is not dayenu. These agitators are plankton. New plankton can replace them until those entrenched at the top are dealt with. This means handling university boards and trustees who are at best too timid to stop the terrorists and at worst ideologically supporting them financially and emotionally.

These boards and trustees have become far too comfortable. Expelling students will not affect them. Conditions will change only when some rich white leftists are made to feel uncomfortable. This means using terrorism laws to seize and confiscate college endowments. This is routine when dealing with illegal drug profits and other organized crime monies. If the universities can show that zero percent of their endowments are used to finance campus terrorism, they can attempt to claw the money back. Until then, put the campuses on defense. Impound their endowments now.

Any trustees or board members caught funding campus terrorists must immediately be arrested. The level of involvement will determine if they get civilian trials under the U.S. Constitution or are sent to Gitmo for military trials. Some of the agitators are Jewish themselves, at least by birth. That must not be a valid defense.

Leftists will argue that white collar education elitists are hardly al Qaeda or ISIS. Let us have that debate. Terrorism is terrorism.

When rich white leftists start going to prison, the bad behavior will stop. Until every Jew on every campus is free and safe, not one anti-Jewish radical deserves freedom or safety.

While seizing university endowments might stop the mobs, more drastic action may be necessary. The nuclear option is to shut down campuses permanently. When any institution violates its own purpose and engages in terror, that institution loses its protected status. International law permits bombing mosques, schools and hospitals that hide terrorists. If universities aid and comfort terrorists, all options and sanctions are on the table.

Reducing universities to rubble like Gaza is not on the table, but declaring them illegal enterprises is an option. The federal government has broad latitude when dealing with property used in crimes. The Constitution’s Fourth Amendment only applies to illegal seizures. Federal prosecutors must make the case why seizures of university endowments and buildings are lawful.

Seize the endowments. Arrest all complicit board members and trustees. Subject them to civilian trials or military tribunals. Deport any of them who are non-citizens.

This is war. The rioters demanded war. This is one demand the federal government should honor. According to the rules of war, it is necessary to break the campuses until they surrender or are permanently crushed.

Kfir Bibas deserves nothing less. Jews everywhere deserve no less.

Super Bowl LIX (59) Recap

Super Bowl LIX (59) finally arrived. The regular season, playoffs and Pro Bowl are in the books. The new Pro Football Hall of Fame class was just announced. They will be enshrined in August. Now it was time for the Super Bowl. The AFC’s Kansas City Chiefs are took on the NFC’s Philadelphia Eagles in a rematch from 2 years ago. In that game the Chiefs won 38-35 in the final seconds. 

The Chiefs just came from playing their 7th straight AFC Championship game, with 6 of those games being played at their home field Arrowhead. The 2024 Chiefs won their AFC Wast Division for the 9th straight year. After easily dispatching Houston in the Divisional round, the Chiefs won a thrilling AFC Title Game over Buffalo that involved several controversial calls going in the Chiefs favor. The Chiefs for the third straight year won the Lamar Hunt Trophy named after their late founder and owner.

The Eagles won the NFC Title Game for the second time in three years. The Eagles defense shut down Green Bay in the Wildcard round and barely survived the Rams in a snowstorm in the Divisional Round. In the Conference Title Game, the Eagles carpet-bombed Washington and put 55 points on the board. Despite reaching multiple NFC Title Games and holding up the George Halas Trophy four times, the Eagles have only won one Super Bowl.

The Chiefs entered looking to make pro football history. They were one game away from football immortality. They sought to become the only NFL team to ever win three straight Super Bowls. Green Bay won three straight championships from 1929-1931 and from 1965-1967, but most of those wins were before the Super Bowl era that began with the 1966 season. 

The game also featured emotional subplots that went beyond football. Two recent plane crashes occurred with planes that began in Kansas and Missouri, with one of those planes crashing in Philadelphia. The host city New Orleans was a victim of a brutal terrorist attack only 5 weeks earlier on New Year’s Eve. Yet the heavy hearts gave way to why people were in attendance. It was time to play football. 

The Chiefs won the coin toss and deferred. The Eagles after a touchback moved to a 4th and 2 at midfield. Nick Sirianni gambled big and bold early on. Jalen Hurts went deep to AJ Brown for a 32 yard gain. Yet offensive pass interference on Brown nullified the gain and killed the drive. The Chiefs took over at their own 12. Patrick Mahomes immediately hit Juju Smith-Schuster for an 11 yard gain. Yet this would be the furthest thing from an 88 yard drive. The story of this game was the Philadelphia defense. Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio for the first time all season did not blitz one single time. With the eagles rushing only 4, they simply overwhelmed the Kansas City offensive line. Mahomes frequently had nobody to throw to all game. Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is known as a genius on that side of the ball. On this day, Fangio was as well. 

The Eagles got the ball back at their own 31. Hurts went to Dallas Goedert for 20. On 3rd and 5 from the Kansas City 32, Hurts threw incomplete but defensive unnecessary roughness added 15 yards. Hurts then went deep to Dotson for a 27 yard gain down to the one yard line. The entire football world knew it was tush push time, but it didn’t matter. Hurts took the quarterback sneak and got a violent offensive line to ram him forward into the end zone. The touchdown made it 7-0 Eagles. The Eagles got it back at their own 20 and moved to a 3rd and 10 at the Kansas City 30 early in the third quarter. Under heavy pressure, Hurts went deep and threw a bad pass that was intercepted. Yet the Chiefs were pinned at their own 2 and ended up punting the ball back. The Eagles took over at their own 43 and moved to a 4th and 3 at the Kansas City 25. This time Nick Sirianni played it safe. After a false start, Jake Elliott hit a 48 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Eagles. 

After a touchback, consecutive sacks of Mahomes had the Chiefs facing 3rd and 16 at their own 24. Football fans are so used to the Chiefs string at will that it was just assumed that the Chiefs would turn on the switch and come back. Instead, Mahomes fired over the middle and was intercepted by Cooper DeJean. DeJean was celebrating his 22nd birthday, and he criss-crossed and weaved in traffic, getting help from some spectacularly timed and delivered blocks. DeJean became the first player in NFL history to have a defensive touchdown in the Super Bowl on his birthday. The 38 yard interception touchdown return had the Eagles up 17-0.

With 1:49 left in the half, the Chiefs were pinned at their own 6 yard line. Mahomes went back to pass and threw the ball just as he was getting tripped up by his own offensive lineman. The ball was thrown way off the mark and Zack Baun made a diving interception. The Eagles took over at the Kansas City 14. Hurts went to Brown in the flat, and Brown tiptoed past the pylon for another touchdown. The Eagles were dominating 24-0. A few years ago the Chiefs trailed 24-0 in a home playoff game. They scored 28 points before the half to take the lead en route to a 51-31 win. Yet this Eagles team was prepared.

Former New England quarterback Tom Brady was announcing the game. Brady threw an interception for a touchdown in the Super Bowl that had his team trailing Atlanta 28-3 in the third quarter and 28-9 in the fourth quarter. Brady led New England to a miraculous 34-28 overtime Super Bowl win. He led a 25 point comeback. The Chiefs were only down 24. Yet they had only 23 yards of total offense at halftime, with half of that coming on the first play from scrimmage. The Eagles held the ball for 20 minutes in the first half compared to only 10 minutes for the Chiefs. 

As for the halftime show, there was one. The halftime show has nothing to do with football, and therefore deserves no further elaboration. The President of the United States was at the Super Bowl for the very first time. A pop star who is dating one of the players was also in attendance. The President was cheers and the pop star was booed. Since politics and pop culture have nothing to do with football, further elaboration of them is also not required. 

The first drive of the second half was key for the Chiefs. After a touchback, they quickly picked up one first down just like they did on their first drive of the game. Yet just like in the first half, this drive also bogged down. Consecutive sacks had the Chiefs punting again. The Eagles moved from their own 20 to a 1st and goal at the 4. The defense stiffened. Elliott hit a 29 yard field goal to have the Eagles up 27-0. The Eagles after a touchback soon faced 4th and 4 at their own 47. Walrus Andy Reid went for it. Yet on a day when nothing went right for the Chiefs, Mahomes’s pass was knocked away at the last moment incomplete. Rather than run the ball, Nick Sirianni went for the kill shot. One play and 10 seconds was enough for Hurts to throw a perfect bomb to Devonta Smith for the touchdown. 

The Eagles now led 34-0 late in the third quarter. The greatest comeback in an NFL game came during the 1992 season in the playoffs. Backup Frank Reich overcame a 32 point third quarter deficit. Buffalo was down 35-3, but Reich led them to a 41-38 overtime win. Yet while the Chiefs entered the game seeking football immortality with a 3-peat, now it was the Eagles seeking football immortality in a different way. No NFL team ever pitched a Super Bowl shutout. In 1971, Dallas held Miami to only 3 points. In 2018, New England also held the Rams to only a field goal. The 2000 Baltimore defense shut out the Giants, but the Giants managed to avoid the shutout with a special teams touchdown on a kickoff return. 

There would be no football immortality. The Chiefs took over at their own 10 and Mahomes quickly went bombs away to Xavier Worthy for a 50 yard gain. That one play more than doubled their entire offensive output after almost three quarters. On 3rd and 7 from the Philadelphia 37, Mahomes went to Travis Kelce for 13. Shockingly, it was Kelce’s first catch of the game. Mahomes then went deep to Worthy again for a 24 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed, but the Chiefs were now down 34-6. There would be no comeback. Elliott hit fourth quarter field goals of 48 and 50, the latter one set up by a sack of Mahomes that forced a fumble.

The Eagles were now winning a laugher up 40-6. The entire fourth quarter was garbage time. Mahomes threw a pair of touchdowns in the final 4 minutes, the latter coming on a 50 yard bomb to Worthy after the 2 minute warning. Yet all that did was shrink a 34 point deficit to an 18 point deficit. The onside kick failed. Hurts was on the sideline laughing as backup Kenny Pickett took 3 knees to end the blowout.

There would be no 3-peat. Instead, the Eagles won their second Super Bowl in franchise history. Mahomes was sacked 6 times and had 3 turnovers that led to 17 Eagles points. Hurts only threw 22 passes, completing 17 of them for 221 yards, 2 touchdowns, and the one early interception. Yet Hurts also added 72 yards on 11 carries, many of them designed runs. This was a ground and pound attack. The Eagles ran the ball 45 times for 135 yards. While it was only 3 yards per carry, it was the Eagles defense that made this a blowout. Phenom running back Barkley only had 57 yards on 25 carries, a paltry 2.3 yards per carry. Yet it didn’t matter. The Eagles took time off the clock and dominated the time of possession. The Eagles also had 221 receiving yards on only 17 catches. 

The blowout loss made Andy Reid a most unhappy Walrus indeed. He used to be Walrus Lite, the guy who could not win the big one. Then he drafted Mahomes, won a Super Bowl, and upgraded to full Walrus status along with his former boss Mike Holmgren. Yet winning 3 straight would have gotten Reid to the status of Eternal Walrus. On this day it was not to be. As for the Eagles, they are a ruthless fan base that fired Reid. Theygot rid of Doug Pederson after he with a backup quarterback won the very first Eagles Super Bowl championship. Last year, only one year removed from a Super Bowl appearance, the fans were already calling for Nick Sirianni’s scalp. Yet Sirianni is now the only coach in Eagles history to lead his team to more than one Super Bowl appearance. Two years after losing to Reid, Sirianni finally got to taste the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

The Eagles won 18 games including playoff games this season, a franchise record. Questions abound over whether Philadelphia defensive standout Brandon Graham and Kansas City wide receiver Kelce would retire. Walrus Andy Reid is 66, and rumors of his retirement have been floated for a couple of years now. Tears flowed for the winning and losing players, which is fitting given that the late beloved Dick Vermeil used to coach both of these teams. 

The 2024 NFL season and Super Bowl LIX are now in the history books. It is only 3 months until the 2025 NFL Draft, 6 months until the Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony, and 7 months until the 2025 NFL regular season kicks off. For now, it was time for those in Kelly green to party in New Orleans and Philadelphia. 40-22 Eagles

Super Bowl LIX (59) Prequel

Super Bowl LIX (59) is here. The regular season, playoffs and Pro Bowl are in the books. The new Pro Football Hall of Fame class has been announced. They will be enshrined in August. Now comes the Super Bowl. The AFC’s Kansas City Chiefs are taking on the NFC’s Philadelphia Eagles in a rematch from 2 years ago. In that game the Chiefs won 38-35 in the final seconds. Despite being underdogs the last two years in the Super Bowl, this time the Chiefs are 1 1/2 point favorites. 

This game is being played on Sunday, February 10, 2025 at 6:30pm Eastern time on FOX. 

As for the halftime show, there will be one. It has nothing to do with football, and therefore deserves no further elaboration. The President of the United States will at the Super Bowl for the very first time. A pop star who is dating one of the players will also be in attendance. Since politics and pop culture have nothing to do with football, further elaboration of them is also not required. 

Now back to football.

The Chiefs just came from playing their 7th straight AFC Championship game, with 6 of those games being played at their home field Arrowhead. The 2024 Chiefs won their AFC Wast Division for the 9th straight year. After easily dispatching Houston in the Divisional round, the Chiefs won a thrilling AFC Title Game over Buffalo that involved several controversial calls going in the Chiefs favor. The Chiefs for the third straight year won the Lamar Hunt Trophy named after their late founder and owner.

The Eagles won the NFC Title Game for the second time in three years. The Eagles defense shut down Green Bay in the Wildcard round and barely survived the Rams in a snowstorm in the Divisional Round. In the Conference Title Game, the Eagles carpet-bombed Washington and put 55 points on the board. Despite reaching multiple NFC Title Games and holding up the George Halas Trophy four times, the Eagles have only won one Super Bowl.

The Chiefs are looking to make football history. They are one game away from football immortality. They are seeking to become the only NFL team to ever win three straight Super Bowls. Green Bay won three straight championships from 1929-1931 and from 1965-1967, but most of those wins were before the Super Bowl era that began with the 1966 season. 

The Chiefs have an offensive wizard in Walrus Andy Reid at head coach and a Buck Rodgers 25th century freak of nature in quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Yet the Chiefs now have a defense to match their offense. Their top ranked defense is led by defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. 

The Eagles have a coach in Nick Sirianni who is beloved by the platers. Quarterback Jalen Hurts is tough and mobile. Yet the key newest addition to the Eagles that they did not have two years ago is running back Saquon Barkley. In his first season with the Eagles this year, Barkley rushed for over 2,000 yards. He had a legitimate shot at Eric Dickerson’s all time single season NFL rushing record, but  he sat out the regular season finale. 

Both teams have great players. It is why they are in the big game to begin with. Yet the key matchup in this game is Barkley against the Kansas City defense. If the Chiefs defense contains Barkley, they win. If the Chiefs grab a lead and force the Eagles to abandon the run, the Chiefs win. 

Again, the Chiefs are playing for football immortality. They seem to get every single favorable officiating call, but let us put the conspiracies aside. The Eagles are great, but the cliche about defense winning championships is true. The 1985 Bears, 2000 Ravens, 2002 Buccaneers, and 2013 Seahawks with their Legion of Boom all decapitated seemingly high octane offenses.

Prediction: The Eagles will fall short again. The Chiefs will reach football immortality because of their defense. The Chiefs will win the game and cover the point spread to hold up the Vince Lombardi Trophy again. 

eric 

The Pro Bowl is now a flag football game and skills competition rather than a real football game.

The NFC led by Eli Manning defeated the AFC led by Peyton Manning 76-63.

No further elaboration is required.

eric

NFL 2024-2025 Conference Title Games Recap

The Divisional Playoffs are in the history books.

The Conference Championship Games are set.

NFC Title Game: Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles was the Sunday afternoon game. These teams split the season series. The Commanders are back in the NFC Title Game for the first time in 33 years when they were known s the Redskins. The Eagles were looking to go to their second Super Bowl in 3 years. The Commanders were feeling confident after going on the road and shocking top seeded Detroit last week. Jayden Daniels is a rookie and Dan Quinn in in his first year as Commanders coach. The Commanders after a touchback went on a mind numbing 18 play drive that went 54 yards and took 7 minutes off the clock. On 4th and 3 from the Philadelphia 16, Quinn played it safe. Zane Gonzalez hit the 34 yard field goal for the 3-0 

Commanders lead. Gonzalez hit the ensuing kickoff out of bounds to set up the Eagles at their own 40. One play and 18 seconds later, the Eagles had the lead. Saquon Barkley raced for a 60 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Eagles. The Commanders took over at their own 27. For their own 39, a short completion was fumbled. The Eagles took over at their Washington 48. Jalen Hurts hit Dallas Goedert for 10 and Devonta Smith for 20. Hurts hit AK Brown for 11. Barkley ran for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 14-3. Eagles.

The Commanders moved from their own 27 to the Philadelphia 28 as the first quarter ended/ The second quarter began with a failed run and a pair of Daniels incompletions. Gonzalez hit from 46 to have the Commanders within 14-6. The Eagles moved from their own 29 to a 3rd and 6 at the Washington 27. Hurts was sacked for a 9 yard loss. Nick Sirianni went for a 54 yard field goal try but Jake Elliott’s kick was no good. The Commanders took over at their own 44. On 3rd and 3 from the Washington 36, Daniels went to Terry McLaurin, who worked his way all the way for the touchdown. Dan Quinn went for 2 unsuccessfully but the Commanders were within 14-12. 

The Eagles soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 37. Hurts did the tush push and got the yard. Barkley ran for 10. With 2:14 left in the half on 4th and 5 from the Washington 45, Nick Sirianni gambled. Hurts went deep to AJ Brown for a 31 yard gain. On 3rd and 13 from the Washington 17, Hurts threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 16 yards and 1st and goal at the one. Again it was a Hurt tush push fo the touchdown. Sirianni went for 2 unsuccessfully but the Eagles led 20-12 with 1:44 left. A close game was broken open when the Commanders fumbled the ensuing kickoff. he eagles recovered at the Washington 24. On 3rd and 10 a completion only gained 4 yards but defensive unnecessary roughness added 10 more. Hurts went to Brown for a 4 yard touchdown to have the Eagles up 27-12 with 39 ticks left.

The Commanders managed a third field goal before the half but in the third quarter the Eagles kept coming. A field position game had the Eagles taking over at their own 42. Hurts went to Brown for 16, to Goedert for 7, and to Goedert again for 26. Hurts ran for a 9 yard touchdown to have the Eagles up 34-15. After a touchback Daniels hit Brown for 12 and Zac Ertz for 21. On 3rd and 1 from the Philadelphia 10, Daniels ran it in. Dan Quinn again went for 2 and Jones hit Zaccheaus successfully. The Commanders only trailed 34-23 after three quarters. The Commanders got the ball back at their own 20 and moved to a 1st and 10 just shy of midfield. On the last play of the third quarter, the Commanders fumbled and the Eagles recovered just shy of the mid stripe. In the fourth quarter the Eagles carpet-bombed the Commanders into oblivion. 

Hurts went to Brown for 19. Goedert ran for 9 and Barkley added 22 down to the one. Trying to prevent the tush push touchdown, the Commanders kept diving over the pile offsides trying to guess the snap count. After 3 straight penalties, exhausted officials offered to penalize the Commanders in a way that may not even be legal according to the rules. The officials warned that the next time the Commanders jumped offsides from the one inch line, the Eagles would simply be given the touchdown. This is unprecedented and again may not even be allowable within the rules. The issue became moot when Hurts did tush push his way into the end zone for a 41-23 Eagles lead with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation. 

After a touchback and forced to go for it on 4th and 11 from their own 40, Daniels was sacked. The Eagles took over at the Washington 31. On 3rd and 4, Hurts threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 17 yard gain. Barkley ran for a 4 yard touchdown to have the Eagles up 48-23. The Commanders moved from their own 35 to a 3rd and 10 at the Philadelphia 29. Daniels went deep and was intercepted in the end zone for a touchback. With 5 minutes left in regulation, Nick Sirianni pulled his starters. From his own 20, Shipley did the rest as Barkley watched in excitement. Shipley ran for 16 and then ripped off a 57 yard gain. Shipley ran for a 2 yard touchdown with 3 minutes left to complete the scoring. 

The Eagles win the George Halas Trophy for the second time in 3 years. The Eagles ran for 229 yards on 36 carries, led by Barkley’s 118 yards on 15 carries. One week after winning the turnover battle 5-0, the Commanders lost the turnover battle 4-0. The Commanders had a great season, but the Eagle experience won out on this day. They lost in the Super Bowl to Kansas City 2 years ago on a last second field goal. Now they get a rematch. It took the Eagles 13 years to exact revenge on New England. They can avenge their Kansas City loss in just 24 months. 55-23 Eagles  

AFC Title Game: Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs was the Sunday night game. In the 2020 AFC Title Game in Kansas City, the Chiefs overcame a 9-0 deficit and won 38-24. In the 2021 AFC Divisional Playoff Game, the Bills took the lead 36-33 with only 13 seconds remaining. That was enough time for the Chiefs to tie the game in regulation, and score the winning touchdown in overtime. The Bills never saw the ball in overtime, prompting a change to the overtime rules. In the 2023 Divisional Playoffs, the Bills had home field advantage. Yet the Chiefs won 27-24 when Buffalo’s tying field goal attempt was no good. The bottom line is simple. In this so-called rivalry, Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs win while Sean McDermott, Josh Allen and the Bills lose. The Bills routinely beat the Chiefs in the regular season, which means nothing. The Chiefs routine win very close games in controversial fashion. 

The Chiefs took over at their own 10. Mahomes went to Malcolm Hollywood Brown for 11 and 9 and to Xavier Worthy or 10. Mahomes hit Juju Smith-Schuster for 31. Kareem Hunt for a 12 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Chiefs. after a touchback the Bills moved to a 4th and 5 at the Kansas City 35. Tyler Bass hit the 53 yard field goal to have the Bills within 7-3. The Chiefs moved from their own 32 to a 2nd and 2 at the Buffalo 23. Mahomes out of the shotgun fumbled the snap and the Bills recovered at their own 28. James Cook ran for 9 and 3 as the first quarter ended. The second quarter began with Allen hitting Cook for 17 with defensive holding adding 5 more. On 3rd and 9 from the Kansas City 37, Allen went to Amari Cooper for 10, to Mack Hollins for 7, and to Shakir for 24. Cook ran for a 6 yard touchdown to make it 10-7 Bills. 

The Chiefs after a touchback soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 39. Kareem Hunt got stopped for no gain. Walrus Andy Reid took a major gamble knowing that a stop could have the Chiefs down by 2 scores. Mahomes ran for 6. Mahomes went to Worthy for 10 and to Deandre Hopkins for 11. On 3rd and 4 from the Buffalo 27, Mahomes went to Worthy for 5 with a defensive facemark adding 11 more yards. Mahomes went to Worthy for an 11 yard touchdown. Rather than possibly trail 17-10, the Chiefs led 14-10 Chiefs with 4 minutes left in the half. The Bills went 3 and out and took barely more than 30 seconds off the clock. A 41 yard punt return had the Chiefs set up at the Buffalo 34. On 3rd and 5, Mahomes went to worthy for 26. On 3rd and goal at the one, Mahomes got in. The Chiefs were about to put the game away up 21-10 with 1:55 left in the half. 

The Bills took over at their own 27. Runs and short passes had the Bills at the Kansas City 46 with 43 seconds left. Allen went to Coleman for 12. Allen then went to Hollins for a leaping 34 yard touchdown with 23 seconds left. The extra point was good and for a moment the Bills were within 21-17. Yet the Chiefs committed a defensive penalty on the extra point. Sean McDermott took the extra point off the board and tried a 2 point conversion from the one. This was a major mistake that would affect the entire game. Samuel got the carry and got stopped cold for no gain. The Bills trailed 21-16 at the half. In the third quarter the Bills took over at their own 20 and played smash mouth. Cook ran for 5, 33, and 5 more. On 4th and 1 from the Kansas City 33, McDermott gambled. Allen gained 3. Johnson gained 8 and Allen added 13. On 3rd and goal at the one, Allen got stopped. McDermott gambled again. On 4th and goal at the one, Cook got around the right end for the touchdown. The Bills led 22-21, but because of the earlier failed 2 point conversion, McDermott decided to double down and chase points with another 2 point try. Again it failed. 

The Bills got it back at their own 30 and moved to a 4th and 1 at their own 48 to start the fourth quarter. Sean McDermott kept gambling. Allen gained 2, fumbled, and somehow fell on top of the ball to retain possession. With 13 minutes left in regulation, the Bills faced 4th and 1 at the Kansas City 41. The Bills had all the momentum. They were pounding the Chiefs into submission on the ground. McDermott gambled and controversy ensued. Allen ran into the pile and after a great second and third effort appeared to just barely get the first down. Officials ruled Allen was short. McDermott challenged the spot and lost. The Bills howled in protest. Those who believe the games are rigged in favor of the Chiefs had more ammunition. This was a terrible call and of course it greatly affected the game. 

Mahomes ran for 7 and then went deep to Smith-Schuster for 29. Hunt ran for 7 and 6. Mahomes ran for a 10 yard touchdown. Walrus Andy Reid went for 2. Mahoems went to Watson for the conversion. Just like that, the Chiefs led 29-22 with 10 minutes left in regulation. After a touchback Cook ran for 9. Allen went to Cook for 23. On 3rd and 8 from the Kansas City 36, Allen went deep to Hollins for 32. On 4th and goal at the 4 with 6:15 left in the game, mcDermott of course went for it. Allen went to Samuel for the touchdown. This thriller was tied 29-29. 

The Chiefs took over at their own 32 and moved to a 1st and goal at the 10. Mahomes was then sacked and threw incomplete twice. Harrison Butker hit the 35 yard field goal. The Chiefs led by 3, the same margin they won by against Buffalo last year. Yet they did not bleed the clock. A full 3 1/2 minutes remained. Now it was time for Sean McDermott and Josh Allen to silence their critics and for Allen to finally be the hero. They moved after a touchback to a 4th and 5 at their own 47 at the 2 minute warning. Allen under heavy pressure from a Steve Spagnuolo blitz threw a deep ball prayer that could have been caught. Kincaid dropped it. 

The Bills were not dead yet. They had all 3 timeouts on defense. They needed a stop. Mahomes went to Isaiah Pacheco for a 10 yard gain. Everything came down to 3rd and 9 at the Buffalo 35 with 1:35 left and the Bills out of timeouts. Mahomes went to Perine for 17 yards and then took a couple of knees. For the third time in four years, the Chiefs led by Walrus Andy Reid and Mahomes won while the Bills led by Sean McDermott and Allen lost. Yes, the officiating was miserable on that early fourth quarter 4th down call. Allen absolutely had the first down. Yet McDermott made the same mistakes that John Fox made in the 2003 Super Bowl regarding failed unnecessary 2 point conversions. Instead of trailing 32-29, the game should have been tied 31-31. That is on McDermott, not the officials. 

The Chiefs won the Lamar Hunt Trophy for the third straight season. They hav a rematch in the Super Bowl with Philadelphia, who they beat 2 years ago. The Chiefs are the 2 time defending champions. No team has ever won 3 straight super Bowls. Walrus Andy Reid and Mahomes are going for more than a Super Bowl win. They are one win from football immortality. This makes andy Reid a most happy Walrus indeed. 32-29 Chiefs 

Super Bowl XLIX (59) is set. AFC Kansas City Chiefs vs NFC Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, February 9th.

eric 

Top 10 NFC Title Games in NFL History

The NFC Title Game Trophy is named after Papa Bear George Halas. 

Halas was the Founder, owner and coach of the Chicago Bears, originally named the Decatur Staleys. The team has stayed in the family. Halas’s 102-year-old daughter Virginia Halas McCaskey owned the team since her father’s death in 1983.  

The San Francisco 49ers take on the Los Angeles Rams in the 2021 NFC Title Game. 

While the Super Bowl is for the ultimate championship, it is often anti-climactic. The focus is frequently on the entertainment spectacle aspect of it rather than the football game itself. People who do not watch football the entire season attend Super Bowl parties. They obsess over the halftime show and even the commercials. They talk during the game and demand silence during things that have nothing to do with football. The Super Bowl is usually played in a warm weather city or indoor stadium so the celebrities and other wealthy plutocrats who can afford the tickets can be comfortable.

The Conference Title Games are real football. The winner goes to the Super Bowl and the loser suffers the pain of being agonizingly close but yet so far. The game is often played in brutally cold weather that tests the mettle of the coaches, players and fans. The Super Bowl is for casual fans. The Conference Title Games are for Leatherheads. 

For those who love football, here are the Top 10 greatest NFC Title Games.

10.) 2011 — Giants 20, 49ers 17, OT — The Giants were only 9-7, and the 11-4-1 49ers seemed far superior. The 49ers actually outplayed the Giants the entire game, but two fumbled punts killed San Francisco. This would rank higher except the Giants were a very confident bunch from having won it all in 2007. They would go on to win it all again in 2011. Plus, the 49ers pretty much gave the game away. 

9.) 2007 — Giants 23, Packers 20, OT — The Giants were only 10-6. While they did go on the road and beat Tampa Bay and then top-seeded Dallas, Green Bay won their playoff game by 22 points. At home, on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field, Brett Favre was expected to get the Packers back to the big game. The Giants out-played the Packers, and a key interception by Favre in overtime turned out to be his final pass in green and gold. That led to the winning field goal. In bitter cold, Lawrence Tynes atoned for two earlier misses by nailing a 47 yarder for the win. The Giants would then shock the world by defeating 18-0 New England in the Super Bowl after Eli Manning threw a miracle pass that David Tyree caught off of his helmet. Coach Tom Coughlin and Manning would lead the Giants four years later to another Super win over the heavily favored Patriots.  

8.) 2012 — 49ers 28, Falcons 24 — The 2010 Falcons had home field advantage throughout the playoffs only to get blasted in the NFC Divisional round by Green Bay. The 2011 49ers on their home field fumbled away the NFC Title Game against the Giants. In 2012, the Falcons went 13-3 for the second time in three years to again have home field advantage. In the 2012 NFC Title Game, the Falcons led 17-0 at halftime. They took their foot off the gas, a problem that would plague Matt Ryan in the playoffs. Down 28-24, Ryan led the Falcons to a 1st and goal at the 9 yard line in the waning moments. Unfortunately for the Falcons, the man nicknamed Matty Ice and his entire team went ice cold. The 2012 49ers and their coach Jim Harbaugh faced off in the Super Bowl against Baltimore, coached by his older brother John Harbaugh. The 49ers fell behind 28-6 seconds into the third quarter, closed to within 34-29, and had a 1st and goal of their own late with a chance to win. This time it was the 49es who were unable to capitalize on four tries from inside the 10 yard line. The Falcons would reach the Super Bowl in 2016 but blow a 28-3 lead and lose to New England 34-28 in overtime. Ryan is still with the Falcons but his team has been a shell of itself since that Super Bowl collapse.  

7.) 2018 — Rams 26, Saints 23, OT  — The 2017 Saints overcame a 17-0 deficit in the Divisional round at the Minnesota Vikings to lead 24-23 with 10 seconds left. From their own 39, the Vikings were hoping to complete on long pass and attempt the winning field goal. Case Keenum then threw what became the “Minneapolis Miracle.” Stefan Diggs caught the ball near the sideline, but the defender missed the tackle. Diggs raced for the touchdown and the 29-24 Vikings victory. So the 2018 Saints were in Super Bowl or bust mode from the beginning of the season. They hosted the NFC Title Game and jumped out to a 13-0 lead over the Los Angeles Rams. This time the roles were reversed as the Saints gave up the big lead. 

With under two minutes left, the game was tied 20-20 but the Saints were deep in Rams territory. Drew Brees threw a pass close to the goal line that fell incomplete due to a blatant defensive pass interference penalty that was not called. Had the penalty been called, the Saints could have either gone for the touchdown from much closer or take the entire clock down and kick the winning field goal. The non-call meant the Saints kicked the field goal with 1:41 left on the clock. Although the Saints had the 23-20 lead, the Rams would have a chance. Jared Goff led the Rams into field goal position and forced overtime. The Saints got the ball first in overtime but was intercepted. Rams coach Sean McVay took a major gamble in overtime by trying a 57 yard field goal. A miss would give the Saints excellent field position. Greg “The Leg” delivered to send the Rams to the Super Bowl. The Rams lost a 13-3 slugfest to New England in the lowest scoring Super Bowl ever. Saint fans refer to the 2018 NFC Title Game as the “NOLA No-call.”

The 2019 Saints went 13-3 for the second consecutive year but became the first 13-3 team in NFL history to not have a first round bye. Green Bay and San Francisco were also 13-3, and they owned the tie-breakers over the Saints. For the second time in three years, the Saints were shocked in the playoffs against the Minnesota Vikings. This time the game was in New Orleans rather than Minnesota but the result was the same. The Vikings won in overtime 26-20, marking the second straight year the Saints lost at home in overtime and the third straight year they lost a playoff game on the final play. 

The 2020 Saints went 12-4 and won the NFC South for the fourth straight season. In the regular season, they defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers twice, including humiliating Tom Brady on his home field 38-3. Yet in the 2020 Divisional playoff game in New Orleans, the Saints blew a 20-13 lead under a hail of turnovers and lost 30-20. After four straight playoff losses including three in a row at home, the window closed. Drew Brees and Sean Payton arrived together in 2006 and reached the NFC Title Game that year. They won it all in 2009 but never returned to the Super Bowl. After the 2020 season loss to Tampa, Brees retired. One year later after the 2021 season, Payton retired from the Saints. The 2021 Rams returned to the NFC Title Game for the second time in four years and won it all.   

6.) 2014  — Seahawks 28, Packers 22, OT — The defending champion Seahawks were favored to return to the Super Bowl again but played like garbage for 55 minutes. Russell Wilson threw his fourth interception with five minutes left and the Packers still led 19-7 with three minutes left. The Packers then went conservative on offense and soft on defense. When the Seahawks cut the gap to 19-14, the game still seemed over. Then the Seahawks recovered the onside kick and everything changed. Wilson threw another touchdown pass to put the Seahawks up 22-19 with barely more than 30 seconds to play. That was enough time for Aaron Rodgers to work his own miracle and move the Packers into range for the tying field goal. The Seahawks won the overtime coin toss and never looked back. After 57 awful minutes, Wilson threw his third touchdown pass in the final three minutes and overtime for the stunning comeback.

An emotional Wilson cried after the game, knowing that he needed plenty of luck to avoid being the scapegoat for a home loss. In the 2014 Super Bowl, Wilson’s luck ran out. The Seahawks led the New England Patriots 24-14 after three quarters. In the fourth quarter, Tom Brady torched Richard Sherman and the vaunted Legion of Boom defense for two touchdown drives. Wilson led the Seahawks to the New England one yard line with less than 30 seconds to play. Rather than hand the ball to Beast Mode running back Marshawn Lynch, Wilson threw a risky pass over the middle into traffic that was intercepted. The Seahawks lost 28-24 in shocking fashion. 

As for their NFC Title Game foe, a solemn Rodgers said that his Packers teammates would take the loss to their graves. Rodgers would also lead the Packers to the NFC Title Game in 2016, 2019, 2020 and 2021. The Packers lost all four of those games, including the last two on their home field. Wilson and Rodgers are still playing but still only have one Super Bowl win apiece.   

5.) 2013 — Seahawks 23, 49ers 17  — These teams developed a bitter rivalry fomented by 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh and Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. Both teams had nasty defenses. The 49ers were in the NFC Title Game for the third straight year and were the defending NFC champions. The home team usually won this game, and the Seahawks tended to win easily in front of their 12th man home fans. Yet the 49ers jumped out to a 10-0 lead in this game. The Seahawks took a 20-17 lead early in the fourth quarter but missed a chance to put the game away when they fumbled the ball at the San Francisco one yard line. Trailing 23-17 late, the 49ers moved into the red zone with less than 30 seconds left on the clock. 

In the 2012 Super Bowl, Colin Kaepernick had four chances to win the game. Despite 1st and goal from inside the Baltimore 10 yard line, Kaepernick threw four incompletions and the 49ers lost 34-31. He tested vaunted Baltimore defenders Ray Lewis and Ed Reed and they won. In the 2013 NFC Title Game, Kaepernick again had a chance to be the hero. From the Seattle 18 yard line, Kaepernick made the terrible decision to test Richard Sherman, at the time the best cornerback in the game. Kaepernick had avoided Sherman all game, but with everything on the line went at him. Kaepernick threw to receiver Michael Crabtree, but Sherman made an acrobatic deflection of the pass. Seattle defensive back Malcolm Smith intercepted the ball in the end zone. Again, Kaepernick came up short. After the emotional win, Sherman blasted Crabtree in an epic rant that left the reporter interviewing Sherman confused. Seattle’s Legion of Boom defense crushed the Denver Broncos 43-8 for the first Seahawks Super Bowl win. 

The Seahawks got to the Super Bowl the following year but lost in shocking fashion. The 2014 49ers missed the playoffs due to a hail of injuries to their defense. Their window had closed, and Harbaugh left the team after the 2014 season to coach at his college alma mater Michigan. Without Harbaugh, the 49ers fell apart. Kaepernick suffered multiple injuries in 2015 and 2016 and his play declined. After being benched, Kaepernick antagonized the team and the league by engaging in controversial political activism. Yet his real mistake was opting out of his guaranteed contract after the 2016 season in hopes of getting double the pay. He found no takers, as owners did not want to take on a controversial player with declining skills. He has not played since. Without him but with new coach Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers quickly rebuilt and reached the  reached the NFC Title Game in 2019, 2021 and 2023. They reached the Super bowl in 2019 and 2023, losing both. The Seahawks have not been back to the NFC Title Game since the 2014 season.      

4.) 1998 — Falcons 30, Vikings 27, OT — The Falcons did go 14-2, but the 15-1 Vikings were one of the greatest offenses in NFL history. Randall Cunningham was raining bombs to Chris Carter and Randy Moss with ease. In this game, the Vikings jumped to a 20-7 lead and led 27-20 with a chance to put the game away late. Gary Anderson had not missed a field goal in two years, but his 40-yard try with two minutes left was no good. While Anderson often gets the blame, this should not be the case. The Vikings still had the lead. The defense melted down with John Randall on the sideline injured. Atlanta tied it, and Dennis Green stunningly had the Vikings take a knee at their own 40 at the end of regulation rather than try a Hail Mary. Minnesota just missed connecting on a bomb in overtime. When Morton Anderson hit the winning field goal, Minnesota became one of the greatest teams to never win it all. Vikings fans still cannot believe they lost this game. 

The day before the 1998 Super Bowl, Falcons cornerback Eugene Robinson was caught with a prostitute. This came hours after he won an NFL man of the year award. The Falcons were easily defeated by the Denver Broncos in the 1998 Super Bowl. Losing coach Dan Reeves had also lost three Super Bowls when he coached the Broncos. John Elway defeated his former coach and retired on top. The Falcons were a one-year wonder, returning to also-ran status in 1999. The 2000 Vikings started 11-2 but lost their last three games to blow home field advantage. They reached the NFC Title Game for the second time in three years, this time on the road. They were still expected to beat the New York Giants but instead were destroyed 41-0. Neither the Falcons or Vikings have ever won the Super Bowl. The Falcons won the NFC Title Game in 2016 while the Vikings lost the NFC Title Game in 2017. 

3.) 2009 — Saints 31, Vikings 28, OT — After decades of losing football, the turnaround for the Saints began in 2006 with the arrivals of coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees. In their inaugural season they reached the NFC Title Game but lost at Chicago. In 2007, Brett Favre’s final season with the Green Bay Packers ended in the NFC Title Game. At home, Favre threw the interception that out them the game against the underdog Giants. When the Packers refused to guarantee him the starting job in 2008, Favre demanded a trade. He played one forgettable season with the New York Jets and in 2009 ended up with Green Bay’s archrival, the Minnesota Vikings. The 2009 Saints started 13-0, lost their last three games, and still retained home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The 2009 Vikings started 10-1, stumbled down the stretch, but still finished 12-4. 

In the 2009 NFC Title Game, the Vikings dominated statistically but turned the ball over six times. One Vikings drive ended at the Saints one yard line when a simple handoff from Favre to star running back Adrian Peterson was fumbled away. Despite all the mistakes, Favre led a late touchdown drive to tie the game 28-28. The Vikings got the ball back and had a chance to win in regulation. With seconds on the clock, a field goal try would have been 56 yards. The Vikings ran one more play and it cost them. Favre rolled out and could have run for about five yards, definitely within long field goal range. Instead Favre decided to throw back across his body in the middle of the field where only bad things happen. For the second time in three years, Favre’s last pass in an NFC Title Game was intercepted. The Saints won the overtime coin toss and put the game away. Brees moved the Saints into field goal range, and they won 31-28. The Saints then shocked the favored Colts in the Super Bowl 31-17 for their first and only Super Bowl victory. 

Favre never touched the ball in overtime. Although the NFL overtime sudden death rule had existed since 1974, Favre’s popularity led to a rule change. Starting in 2010, the first team to get the ball could only end the game with a touchdown. A field goal on the opening drive would give the other team a chance with the ball. In 2021, an overtime playoff game won with a touchdown led to a discussion of further possible tweaks to overtime. 

Despite high expectations, the Vikings collapsed in 2010. After a 3-7 start, head coach Brad Childress was fired. Late in the season Favre had his streak of 321 consecutive games played snapped. After the 2010 season, Favre ended his 20 year career. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016. The 2010 Saints went 12-4 but did not win their division. This forced them to play a road playoff game against a Seattle Seahawks team that only went 7-9. The Saints lost, leading fans to request the NFL change the rules for home field based on who has the better record. No change was made. A different Vikings team reached the 2017 NFC Title Game, but they lost. Payton and Brees led the Saints to the 2018 NFC Title Game. They also lost. Brees retired after the 2020 season and Payton retired after the 2021 season.       

2.) 1981 — 49ers 28, Cowboys 27 — The Cowboys had significant success in the 1970s, defeating the 49ers in the 1970 and 1971 NFC Title Games. The Cowboys won in all in 1971 and 1977, and reached the Super Bowl in 1975 and 1978 before falling to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 1980 Cowboys reached the NFC Title Game but lost to their hated division rival Philadelphia Eagles. For over a decade, the Cowboys had stepped on and over the lowly 49ers. In 1979, the 49ers began a new era with coach Bill Walsh, quarterback Joe Montana, and Walsh’s newly installed West Coast Offense. In the 1980 regular season in Dallas, the Cowboys obliterated the 49ers 59-14. Yet in the 1981 regular season, the 49ers at home blasted the Cowboys 45-14 to signal a possible changing of the guard.

The 1981 NFC Title Game is remembered for its glamorous ending, but it was actually a badly played game. The teams combined for 10 turnovers, six of them by the 49ers. Yet with five minutes left in the game and the Cowboys leading 27-21, Montana led the drive that would eventually make him a legend. With about one minute to play, the 49ers faced 3rd and 3 from the Dallas six yard line. Wlah, nicknamed “The Genius,” was well prepared for this very situation. The play was called “sprint option right.” Walsh even diagrammed how Montana would “hold it, hold it, hold it” until the very last possible moment and then find Dwight Clark in the end zone. With three defenders including Ed “Too Tall” Jones bearing down on him near the sideline, Montana fired high to the back of the end zone. 

Fans thought Montana was throwing the ball away. Out of nowhere, Clark made a leaping catch, came down with both feet down inbounds, and then spiked the ball high in the air. Jones told Montana that he just “beat America’s team.” Montana, now forever the new Joe Cool, replied that Jones and everyone else could “watch the Super Bowl at home with the rest of America.” Yet “the catch” would not even be remembered had the 49ers lost. The Cowboys trailed 28-27 but still had quarterback Danny White, who had led many comebacks after his legendary predecessor Roger Staubach retired two years earlier. One minute was plenty of time. White quickly led the Cowboys to midfield and was one more completion from long field goal range. Yet with 30 seconds left, White was strip-sacked and the 49ers recovered the fumble to lock up the win.

The 1981 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals for their first Super Bowl victory. The 1982 Cowboys reached the NFC Title Game for the third straight year, but lost all three on the road. Their 1982 loss was at the Washington Redskins. The 1983 49ers reached the NFC Title Game but also lost at Washington on a late field goal set up by a controversial defensive pass interference call. The Cowboys dynasty finally began to decline. Tom Landry was the only coach the Cowboys had ever known from 1960 through 1988, but after a 3-13 season he was fired when new owner Jerry Jones brought in Jimmy Johnson. 

The 49ers started a dynasty of their own, winning it all again in 1984 and 1988 with Walsh and Montana leading the way. Walsh retired after the 1988 season, but Montana under new coach George Seifert would win it all again in 1989. In Montana’s final season in San Francisco, he would lead the 49ers to the NFC Title Game but fall short. These teams would meet again in three straight NFC Title Games from 1992 through 1994, with the Cowboy winning it all in 1992 and 1993 and the 49ers winning their fifth Super Bowl in 1994. The 1995 Cowboys won it all for their fifth Super Bowl when the 49ers lost a home stunner in the Divisional round to Green Bay and some raw wild man quarterback named Brett Favre. Despite five Super Bowls apiece, neither team has won the big game in the last 26 years.  The Cowboys and 49ers played plenty of big games over several decades, but the 1981 NFC Title Game with the pass from Montana to Clark is what will last forever on NFL Films. 

1.) 1990 — Giants 15, 49ers 13 — Both teams started 10-0, lost their 11th game, and played one of the greatest games in Monday Night Football history, a tough 7-3 win by the 49ers in San Francisco. The rematch was even more brutal. The Giants were 13-3, but had backup quarterback Jeff Hostetler playing for the injured Phil Simms. The 14-2 49ers had won the last two Super Bowls and were expected to easily three-peat. Instead the Giants knocked Joe Montana out of the game and harassed backup Steve Young. Leonard Marshall blew up Montana with a blindside hit so brutal that Lawrence Taylor remarked, “I thought he killed him.” Giants coach Bill Parcells gambled successfully on a fake punt in the third quarter to keep the Giants within striking distance. This game changed NFL history since the injury to Montana effectively ended his career in San Francisco and led to his being traded to Kansas City. With time running out, the Giants’ defense blasted Roger Craig, forcing a key fumble. Matt Bahr kicked his fifth field goal on the final play to send the 1990 Giants to the Super Bowl, where again as heavy underdogs to Buffalo they won on the final play. These two victories cemented the legacy of Bill Parcells, who retired from the Giants after the Super Bowl only to coach several other teams over the next 20 years. 

The 49ers would win their fifth Super Bowl in 1994 but nothing since. Steve Young finally got the monkey off his back after losing NFC Title Games in 1990, 1992 and 1993. The 49ers lost in the big game in 2012, 2019 and 2023. The Giants fell apart after Parcells left. The Giants reached the Super Bowl again in 2000 but lost. They won it all in 2007 and 2011. Parcells took two teams to the Super Bowl, three teams to the Conference Title Game, and four different teams to the playoffs. He also led a fifth team to the playoffs as team president rather than coach. While the 1986 Giants dominated the league, the 1990 Giants won more than the most brutal Conference Title Game ever played. They also won the best one. 

Top 10 AFC Title Games in NFL History

Top 10 Best AFC Title Games in NFL History

The AFC Title Game is for the Lamar Hunt Trophy. 

Hunt was the Founder of the American Football League (AFL) and owner of the Kansas City Chiefs, originally named the Dallas Texans. He coined the term that forever changed the AFL-NFL Championship Game to the Super Bowl. The team has stayed in the family. Hunt’s 56-year-old son Clark Hunt has owned the team since his father’s death in 2006. 

The Buffalo Bills face the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2021 AFC Title Game. 

While the Super Bowl is for the ultimate championship, it is often anti-climactic. The focus is frequently on on the entertainment spectacle aspect of it rather than the football game itself. People who do not watch football the entire season attend Super Bowl parties. They obsess over the halftime show and even the commercials. They talk during the game and demand silence during things that have nothing to do with football. The Super Bowl is usually played in a warm weather city or indoor stadium so the celebrities and other wealthy plutocrats who can afford the tickets can be comfortable.

The Conference Title Games are real football. The winner goes to the Super Bowl and the loser suffers the pain of being agonizingly close but yet so far. The game is often played in brutally cold weather that tests the mettle of the coaches, players and fans. The Super Bowl is for casual fans. The Conference Title Games are for Leatherheads. 

For those who love football, here are the Top 10 greatest AFC Title Games.

10.) 1991 — Bills 10, Broncos 7 — This brutal game was scoreless at the half. The only Bills touchdown came off of a leaping third quarter deflection and interception for a touchdown. With two minutes left the Bills kicked a field goal to go up 10-0 and seemingly lock up the win. Yet the Broncos led by Gary Kubiak quickly scored a touchdown and then recovered an onside kick. They were approaching field goal range and even had a chance to win, but a late fumble sealed their fate. This game would rank higher on the list but Broncos quarterback John Elway missed the game due to the flu. The Bills barely survived his backup quarterback. Viewers never saw a playoff game between Elway and Jim Kelly.

9.) 1995 — Steelers 20, Colts 16 — The Steelers lost a 17-13 home shocker to the San Diego Chargers in the 1994 AFC Title Game. In the waning moments, the Chargers stopped the Steelers on fourth and goal from the three yard line. The 1995 Steelers were the preseason favorite. The Colts started 4-7 before rattling off five straight wins to sneak into the playoffs. They went on the road and dispatched the Chargers before stunning the 13-3 Chiefs 10-7. 

Despite being heavy favorites, the Steelers were trailing 16-13 in the fourth quarter when they luckily dodged a would-be interception. After taking a four point lead, the Steelers defense had to avoid a second straight AFC Title Game collapse at home. Colts quarterback Jim Harbaugh’s Hail Mary initially appeared to be caught for a miracle touchdown, but officials quickly and properly ruled that the ball hit the ground incomplete. Steelers coach Bill Cowher cried after the game from joy. 

8.) 1987 — Broncos 38, Browns 33 — This was the AFC Title Game rematch from one year earlier. This time, the game was in Denver. John Elway led the Broncos to a big lead, but Bernie Kosar led a furious comeback. Trailing 38-31 with time running out, Kosar led the Browns inside the Denver five yard line. Kosar handed the ball to Ernest Byner, who charged toward the end zone for what appeared to be the tying touchdown. Yet Byner had the ball poked out of his hands by cornerback Jeremiah Castille at the three yard line. Byner was not even hit. The tiny poke was recovered by the Broncos, who took an intentional safety to avoid a blocked punt. The game would forever be known as “The Fumble.” 

Two years later these teams would meet again in the 1989 AFC Title Game. After two dramatic finishes, the third match was an easy Broncos victory. While the Browns still have never reached the Super Bowl, Byner did get some redemption by winning it all with the 1991 Washington Redskins.  

7.) 2015 — Broncos 20, Patriots 18 — Although Peyton Manning and Tom Brady played epic games against each other for well over a decade, this one was their final face-off. The Broncos started the season 6-0 but stumbled mid-season. Manning missed six games due to an injured foot. The defending champion Patriots started 10-0 but lost four of their last six games due to a depleted offensive line. Both teams finished 12-4. The Broncos had home field due to defeating the Patriots in a regular season game with Brock Osweiler replacing the injured Manning. 

The key play in this game was actually a missed extra point by legendary kicker Adam Vinatieri. With the Broncos leading 20-12, Brady led a late rally. With seconds left on fourth and goal, Brady threw a touchdown pass. Yet because of the earlier missed extra point, the Patriots now needed a two point conversion try to tie the game. Brady’s pass was batted up in the air and intercepted. After the game, Manning told Patriots coach Bill Belichick that this was his “last rodeo.” After winning the Super Bowl two weeks later, Manning retired. Brady won several more Super Bowls and finally retired after the 2021 season.

6.) 2011 — Patriots 23, Ravens 20 — These teams played in several big games from 2007 through 2010. The stars of this 2011 game were Brady and Rob Gronkowski on the New England offense and Ray Lewis and Ed Reed on the Baltimore defense. John Harbaugh was one of the few coaches who schemed very well against Bill Belichick. The Ravens were driving late and appeared destined to pull off the road upset win. With seconds left, Joe Flacco went to the end zone and had Lee Evans for the winning touchdown. Yet at the last possible moment, unheralded cornerback Sterling Moore chopped the ball out of Evans’s hands incomplete. Despite the drop, the Ravens needed only a 32 yard field goal to tie the game and send it into overtime. Billy Cundiff missed it. He just choked. 

The following year the Ravens had a new kicker named Justin Tucker, who became one of the all time greats. His kick gave the Ravens a 31-30 win over the Patriots in the 2012 regular season. These teams met again in the 2012 AFC Title Game. The Patriots led 13-7 at the half, but the second half was dominated by Ray Lewis and the Baltimore defense for a 28-13 Ravens win. After winning the Super Bowl two weeks later, Lewis retired on top. Tucker in 2021 made an NFL record 66 yard field goal. Brady finally retired while Flacco is now a backup with the Indianapolis Colts.   

5.) 2018 — Patriots 37, Chiefs 31, OT  — This was a battle between the aging star Brady and the newest NFL phenom Patrick Mahomes. Despite the game being in Kansas City, the Patriots jumped to a 24-9 halftime lead. Mahomes brought the Chiefs back into a 28-24 lead midway through the fourth quarter. Rex Burkhead then ran for a touchdown to give the Patriots the 31-28 lead with only 39 seconds left. That was enough time for Mahomes to move the Chiefs in position for Harrison Butker to tie the game with a 39 yard field goal. The Patriots won the overtime coin toss and never looked back. Burkhead scored again from two yards out to end the game. Mahomes never saw the ball in overtime. 

This was the Patriots eight straight trip to the AFC Title Game, an NFL record. They have not reached the AFC Title Game since. Meanwhile it was the first of seven straight AFC Title Games for the Chiefs. The Chiefs would play all five straight and six out of 7 games at home, also a new NFL record. Two weeks after this 2018 masterpiece, Brady would win his sixth Super Bowl. One year later, the 2019 Chiefs won the AFC Title Game and then their first Super Bowl in 50 years. In 2020, Brady and Mahomes met again but the stakes were even higher. After 20 years, Brady left New England for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mahomes’s Chiefs won the 2020 AFC Title Game and Brady’s Bucs won the NFC Title Game. The Super Bowl was a mismatch. Mahomes played injured while his top two offensive tackles were out from injuries suffered in the AFC Title Game. The Buccaneers won easily for Brady’s seventh Super Bowl. The following year Brady’s Buccaneers were knocked out in the Divisional round while Mahomes is one win away from his third straight Super Bowl appearance. His Chiefs are looking to be the first team ever to win 3 straight Super Bowls.  

4.) 1980 — Raiders 34, Chargers 27 — These old AFL rivals split the 1980 regular season series, with the road team winning both games. The Oakland Raiders went to five straight AFC Title Games from 1973-1977, winning their first Super Bowl in 1976. Yet John Madden retired after the 1978 season and was replaced with Tom Flores. The Raiders missed the playoffs in 1978 and 1979. After the 1979 season, a blockbuster trade between the Raiders and Houston Oilers saw the Raiders send away legend Ken Stabler in exchange for Dan Pastorini, who went to the AFC Title Game in 1978 and 1979 only to fall short. The Chargers were led by Dan Fouts, who ran the high-powered Don “Air” Coryell offense. In the fifth game of the 1980 season, Pastorini suffered a broken leg. Backup quarterback Jim Plunkett, thought by many to be a washed-up castoff, led the Raiders to six straight wins and a playoff birth. Both teams finished 11-5. The Chargers held the tie-breaker. 

In the 1980 AFC Title Game, sunny San Diego saw rain. The Raiders jumped out to a 28-7 second quarter lead. By the third quarter, the Chargers were right back in it down 28-24. Leading 34-27 with 6 1/2 minutes left, Plunkett led a time consuming drive. Fouts never got the ball back. Flores and Plunkett became the first Mexican-American head coach and quarterback to win a Super Bowl. One year later the Chargers reached the AFC Title Game again, but that 1981 game in Cincinnati was played in bitter cold. The Bengals defeated the Chargers easily. The Chargers have never won a Super Bowl. Before the 1982 season, Al Davis moved the Raiders from Oakland to Los Angeles. The 1983 Raiders led by Flores and Plunkett won it all again for the Raiders third Super Bowl victory in eight years. 

3.) 1986 — Broncos 23, Browns 20, OT — This was the AFC Title Game that haunts the Browns the most. A dominating defense had the Browns leading 20-13 late. A great punt had the Broncos pinned inside their own two yard line. With the Dawg Pound screaming at John Elway, he engineered what would forever be known as “The Drive.” Little by little, he dissected the Cleveland defense. With less than one minute remaining, Elway threw the tying touchdown with less than one minute to play. The Broncos won in overtime on a field goal. Three times the Browns lost to the Broncos in the AFC Title Game, but this one was at home. 

There is no sympathy in football. One week earlier, the Browns hosted a Divisional game against the New York Jets, who started 10-1 and then lost their last five games. The Jets led 20-10 with four minutes left but the Browns found a way to tie the game and win in overtime by the exact same 23-20 score they would lose to Denver. Despite beating the Browns all three times, the Broncos lost all three Super Bowls by wide margins. The Browns have never been to the Super Bowl.

2.) 1975 — Steelers 16, Raiders 10 — This was the fourth year of a bitter five year feud. In the 1972 Wildcard game in Pittsburgh, the Raiders took a 7-6 lead with 1:13 left in regulation only to lose 13-7 due to  the Immaculate Reception. In the 1973 Wildcard rematch in Oakland, the Raiders pounded the Steelers easily 33-14. Yet in 1974 the stakes were raised when the teams met in Oakland for the AFC Title Game. The Raiders led 10-3 after three quarters but the Steelers exploded in the fourth quarter for a 24-13 win. The Steelers went on to win their first Super Bowl. 

The 1975 AFC Title Game was in Pittsburgh, and it was played on a block of ice. Raiders owner Al Davis angrily accused the Steelers of purposely letting the field get brittle. NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle, a fierce rival of Davis, insisted that both teams had to play on the field. Davis retorted that the Steelers ran the ball up the middle while the Raiders relied on the deep passing game. The field therefore clearly favored the Steelers. After three quarters of brutal football, the Steelers only led 3-0. With seconds left, the Steelers led 16-10. Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler launched a bomb to Cliff Branch. Branch caught the ball at the five yard line but got no further as the cock ran out. The Steelers went on to win their second Super Bowl. 

These teams met a third straight year in the 1976 AFC Title Game, this time in Oakland and the Raiders got revenge 24-7 en route to their first Super Bowl victory. The Steelers won two more Super Bowls in 1978 and 1979 while the Raiders won two more Super Bowls in 1980 and 1983. The Steelers also won it all in 2005 and 2008. The Steelers and Raiders feud lasted over a decade, but the 1975 AFC Title Game may have been the height of the hatred.  

1.) 2006 — Colts 38, Patriots 34 — Tom Brady and Peyton Manning were by far the two greatest quarterbacks of their era. They were among two of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Most of the time, Brady got the better of Manning. Brady’s New England Patriots won the Super Bowl in 2001, 2003 and 2004. The Patriots knocked out the Colts in the 2003 AFC Title Game and the 2004 Divisional round on the way to winning it all.  Manning led the 2005 Indianapolis Colts to a 14-2 record only to see them shocked at home in the Divisional round by Pittsburgh. 

In 2006, the Colts and Patriots met in a game for the ages. This time the Colts had the home field advantage. Yet when Manning had an interception returned for a touchdown, the Patriots led 21-3 in the second quarter. Manning was used to the quick strike offense, but he began leading a pair of very long drives that kept Brady off the field. The first drive only resulted in a field goal before the half, but the Colts got the ball to start the third quarter. Their second straight long drive got them within 21-13. The Patriots defense was already exhausted. The game was 21-21, 28-28, and 31-31. When Brad gave the Patriots a 34-31 lead, the Colts appeared ready to tie the game again and send it to overtime. Yet the Colts noticed in the second half that the New England defense could not stop the run. Despite Manning being a passer for the ages, the Colts ran the ball down the Patriots throats. Joseph Addai ran it in with one minute left to give the Colts the lead. That was plenty of time for Brady to lead another comeback, but this time Brady was intercepted. The Colts finally vanquished their foe. Manning went on to win his first Super Bowl. 

The Patriots with Brady reached the 2007 Super Bowl after a perfect regular season but lost. The 2009 Colts with Manning reached the Super Bowl and lost. The Patriots reached the 2011 Super Bowl with Brady and lost. Manning joined the Denver Broncos. In 2013 Both Manning and Brady led their teams to the AFC Title Game in Denver. The Broncos won but lost the 2013 Super Bowl. Brady led the Patriots to the 2014 Super Bowl, and this time they won. Brady and Manning again led their teams to the 2015 AFC Title Game, again in Denver. Again the Broncos won. This time they won the 2015 Super Bowl and Manning retired on top. He is now in the Hall of Fame. Brady won two more Super Bowls in New England in 2016 and 2018 and a seventh Super Bowl in 2020 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady retired after the 2021 season. Yet this rivalry becomes a one-sided affair without the 2006 shootout, the greatest AFC Title Game in NFL history.