There has been at least one memorable performance for each NFL franchise.
This past season, the National Football League celebrated its 100th season. Fans of the game were reminded throughout the season how the game and the league had grown. It was a steady walk down memory lane. With the NFL’s 101st season on the horizon, it’s time to look at each franchise’s greatest moment – be it a game, season or even a single play.
Arizona Cardinals: 1947 NFL Championship Game
The Cardinals own the NFL’s longest current title drought and their last league championship came way back in 1947 while the franchise was based in the Windy City. Pro Football Hall of Famer Charley Trippi ran 44 yards for one touchdown and returned a punt 75 yards for another score as the team defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 28-21
Atlanta Falcons: 1998 NFC Championship Game
Dan Reeves’ squad wasn’t given much of a chance at Minnesota, who set a new NFL record for points scored in a season. But the “Dirty Birds” overcame a seven-point deficit late in the fourth quarter to send the game into overtime. Pro Football Hall of Fame kicker Morten Andersen’s field goal sent the Falcons to their first Super Bowl.
Baltimore Ravens: Super Bowl XXXV
Brian Billick’s squad was a wild card team in 2000 and after a somewhat-sluggish start, turned their season around when quarterback Trent Dilfer brought some need consistency to the position. The Ravens won their final 11 outings, routing the Giants in Tampa, 34-7. In 20 overall games that season, Baltimore allowed a mere 188 points.
Buffalo Bills: 1992 AFC Wild Card Playoffs
It was the start of third straight trip to the Super Bowl, although the Bills have never hoisted a Lombardi Trophy. Down 35-3 to the Houston Oilers in the third quarter, backup quarterback Frank Reich (starting for Jim Kelly) rallied Marv Levy’s team to a 41-38 overtime victory. It remains the biggest comeback (32 points) in league history.
Carolina Panthers: 2003 NFC Divisional Playoffs
The franchise was in its ninth season of existence and would eventually make its way to Super Bowl XXXVIII. There a was a showdown with the Rams in St. Louis and tied at 23-all, electrifying wide receiver Steve Smith took a pass from Jake Delhomme and scores from 69 yards out to give Carolina a thrilling 29-23 double overtime triumph.
Chicago Bears: Super Bowl XX
It was the crowning achievement of a 15-1 season that saw Mike Ditka’s club win its first 12 games that year. The Bears shut out both the Giants (21-0) and Rams (24-0) on the way to a date with the Patriots in the Superdome. Chicago spotted the Pats an early 3-0 lead, prevailed 46-10 and held New England to a mere seven yards rushing.
Cincinnati Bengals: 1981 AFC Championship Game
Quarterback Ken Anderson was the league’s MVP in 1981. And the franchise has made two Super Bowl appearances, both resulting in narrow losses to the San Francisco 49ers. But before meeting Bill Walsh’s team at the Pontiac Superdome (XVI), they decked the then-San Diego Chargers in frigid temperatures at Cincinnati.
Cleveland Browns: 1950 NFL Championship Game
The Browns dominated the All-America Football Conference in all four years of that league’s existence. They joined the National Football League in 1950 and if there were any doubts about the validity of this club, Paul Brown’s talent-laden roster would eventually edge the Los Angeles Rams, 30-28, in what would be the first of three titles.
Dallas Cowboys: Super Bowl XXVII
The franchise captured a pair of Super Bowl titles in the 1970s but now the Cowboys were under the guidance of owner Jerry Jones and head coach Jimmy Johnson. There was steady growth after a 1-15 finish in 1989 and just three years later, the team won the first of three Super Bowls in four years by humiliating the Buffalo Bills, 52-17.
Denver Broncos: Super Bowl XXXII
Super Sunday had not been kind to the Broncos in four previous tries. And the AFC had dropped 13 straight Super Bowls. Mike Shanahan’s wild card team clashed with the defending Super Bowl champion Packers. But running back Terrell Davis (157 yards and 3 touchdowns) was too much for Green Bay as Denver pulled the upset, 31-24.
Detroit Lions: 1957 Western Conference Playoff
The Men from the Motor City last won a league title in 1957. But before pummeling the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Championship Game, quarterback Tobin Rote and his team had to overcome a 20-point third-quarter deficit against the San Francisco 49ers on the road (via the Pro Football Hall of Fame). The Lions rallied for a 31-27 win.
Green Bay Packers: 1967 NFL Championship Game
A win in Super Bowl II gave the franchise five NFL titles in a seven-year span. But Vince Lombardi’s team almost didn’t get there as they had to rally against the Dallas Cowboys in frigid conditions at Lambeau Field. Quarterback Bart Starr scored from the one-yard-line with 13 seconds to play and the Packer prevailed in the “Ice Bowl”, 21-17
Houston Texans: 2002, Week 1 vs. Dallas Cowboys
The team born in 2002 has actually won six division titles the past nine seasons. But the Texans have yet to reach the AFC Championship Game, much less the Super Bowl. The franchise’s regular-season debut would take place on a Sunday night against the intrastate rival Cowboys and the expansion franchise pulled off a 19-10 mini-surprise.
Indianapolis Colts: 1958 NFL Championship Game
The franchise’s first of four league titles came in 1958 in an epic showdown with the New York Giants at Yankee Stadium. It would take on a mythic quality as the clubs played four quarters and nothing was solved. Alan Ameche scored the game-winning TD in overtime and the Baltimore Colts won the “The Greatest Game Ever Played.”
Jacksonville Jaguars: 1999 AFC Divisional Playoffs
In only their fifth year of existence, Tom Coughlin’s Jaguars owned the NFL’s best record at 14-2 and hosted the Miami Dolphins in the divisional round. It was over early and Jacksonville rolled to an astounding 62-7 win, highlighted by running back Fred Taylor’s 90-yard touchdown jaunt – the longest postseason run in league history.
Kansas City Chiefs: Super Bowl IV
The reigning Super Bowl champions rallied to beat the 49ers, 31-20, six months ago. Back in 1969, Hank Stram’s Chiefs faced the Minnesota Vikings in New Orleans. Quarterback Len Dawson was the game’s MVP and a Kansas City defense led by six future Pro Football Hall of Famers pummeled Vikings’ quarterback Joe Kapp in a 23-7 win.
Las Vegas Raiders: Super Bowl XVIII
The Silver and Black now resides in Sin City. Back in 1983, they were wrapping up their second year in Los Angeles and doing it in style. They faced a Washington Redskins – the defending Super Bowl champion who set a new NFL record for points scored in a season. But the Raiders dominated every facet of the game in a 38-9 triumph.
Los Angeles Chargers: 1981 AFC Divisional Playoffs
It’s a franchise that won an AFL title in 1963 and made a Super Bowl appearance in 1994. Don Coryell’s Chargers owned a 24-0 lead at Miami but the Dolphins came roaring back to take the lead. The Bolts would eventually prevail in overtime, 41-38 – highlighted by an epic performance by Hall of Fame tight end Kellen Winslow.
Los Angeles Rams: Super Bowl XXXIV
They remain the only NFL franchise to win titles for three different cities. It was Cleveland in 1945 and Los Angeles in 1951. And for the St. Louis Rams in ’99, grocery clerk extraordinaire and future Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner led Dick Vermeil’s squad to a 23-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans in a game decided on the final play.
Miami Dolphins: 1972 season
To single out one performance from the only perfect season in NFL history would be somewhat pointless. Don Shula’s 1972 Dolphins were far from overpowering and won all three of their postseason games by seven points or less. But 17-0 is one of the magical numbers in league annals and Miami’s “No Name Defense” was exceptional.
Minnesota Vikings: 2017 NFC Divisional Playoffs
There have been plenty of memorable moments for this franchise. The most recent came a few years ago when Mike Zimmer’s team trailed New Orleans at home. Case Keenum found Stefon Diggs, Saints’ safety Marcus Williams misplayed the ball and the Vikings’ wideout scored on the final play of the game for a 29-24 victory.
New England Patriots: Super Bowl LI
The franchise has been to a record 11 Super Bowls – nine of those under the guidance of head coach Bill Belichick and now Buccaneers’ quarterback Tom Brady. The club’s fifth NFL title didn’t come easy as the Patriots spotted Atlanta a 28-3 third-quarter lead, then responded with 31 unanswered points for a 34-28 overtime victory.
New Orleans Saints: Super Bowl XLIV
Much of the talk entering this showdown between the Saints and Indianapolis Colts surrounded Peyton Manning’s legacy should he win another NFL title. But Sean Payton’s team was undaunted after falling behind 10-0. New Orleans opened the second half with a surprise onside kick and flipped the momentum for a 31-17 win.
New York Giants: Super Bowl XLII
It’s a franchise that has come away with eight NFL titles, half prior to the Super Bowl Era and half capturing Lombardi Trophies. Tom Coughlin’s club had already lost to the 18-0 New England Patriots earlier in the season. But New York’s pass rush and the trio of Eli Manning, David Tyree and Plaxico Burress stunned the Pats, 17-14.
New York Jets: Super Bowl III
The American Football League had taken it on the chin in the first two Super Bowls as the Green Bay Packers had their way with the Chiefs and Raiders, respectively. The Baltimore Colts were supposed to do the same to the Jets. But Joe Namath’s guarantee overshadowed a great outing by the New York defense in a huge 16-7 upset.
Philadelphia Eagles: 1960 NFL Championship Game
The Birds are only a few years removed from the Super Bowl LII victory over the New England Patriots. It was the franchise’s fourth NFL title but you could make a case that the Eagles’ third championship was the most charming. A 17-13 victory over the Packers would prove to be the only postseason loss for Green Bay’s Vince Lombardi.
Pittsburgh Steelers: 1972 AFC Divisional Playoffs
From 1933-71, the Pittsburgh Pirates/turned Steelers played in one postseason game and it resulted in a 21-0 loss to the Eagles in 1947. The team returned to the playoffs in ‘72 and began a run that featured four Super Bowl wins in six years. And it started with Franco Harris’ “Immaculate Reception” in a miraculous 13-7 win over the Raiders.
San Francisco 49ers: 1981 NFC Championship Game
The Niners’ first of five Super Bowl titles from 1981-94 would not have happened if it weren’t for the late heroics of quarterback Joe Montana, wide receiver Dwight Clark and head coach Bill Walsh. The latter continually crossed up the Dallas’ defense in a fourth-quarter drive, culminating with “The Catch” by Clark and a thrilling 28-27 victory.
Seattle Seahawks: Super Bowl XLVIII
Pete Carroll’s club would be facing a Denver Broncos’ team featuring league MVP Peyton Manning, who guided his club to an NFL record 606 points. But the Seahawks dropped the “Legion of Boom” on the AFC champions and Seattle scored on offense, defense and special teams in a surprising 43-8 victory at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Super Bowl XXXVII
It took this franchise 27 tries to get its first victory. And the Buccaneers’ first and only Super Bowl title to date came in the club’s 27th season of existence. Jon Gruden got the best of his former team and quarterback Rich Gannon. The Bucs picked off the 2002 NFL MVP five times and returned three for scores in a huge 48-21 triumph.
Tennessee Titans: 1979 AFC Divisional Playoffs
The franchise was based in Houston and known as the Oilers. Wade Phillips’ club – down Earl Campbell, Ken Burrough and Dan Pastorini – headed to San Diego to face the powerful Chargers. Oilers’ safety Vernon Perry stole four Dan Fouts’ passes and blocked a field goal (via Frank Schwab of Yahoo! Sports) in a shocking 17-14 win.
Washington Football Team: Super Bowl XXVI
Joe Gibbs’ third Super Bowl championship team feature league MVP Mark Rypien, great offensive balance and a solid defense. Washington scored more than twice as many points (485) as it allowed (224) and then dominated the Falcons and Lions on the way to a convincing 37-24 victory over the Buffalo at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.
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