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NFL Playoffs: Top 10 Wild Card games in NFL history

By Russell S. Baxter

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JANUARY 04: Quarterback Andrew Luck #12 of the Indianapolis Colts celebrates a fourth quarter touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during a Wild Card Playoff game at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 4, 2014 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JANUARY 04: Quarterback Andrew Luck #12 of the Indianapolis Colts celebrates a fourth quarter touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during a Wild Card Playoff game at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 4, 2014 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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49ers wide receiver Terrell Owens as he cries after catching the game-winning touchdown pass. The 49ers defeated the Packers 30-27. (Photo credit MONICA DAVEY/AFP via Getty Images)
49ers wide receiver Terrell Owens as he cries after catching the game-winning touchdown pass. The 49ers defeated the Packers 30-27. (Photo credit MONICA DAVEY/AFP via Getty Images) /

2. 49ers 30, Packers 27 (NFC: 1998)

Green Bay and San Francisco were meeting in the postseason for the fourth straight year. The Packers had gotten the best of the 49ers in both the 1995 and 1996 NFC Divisional Playoffs as well as the 1997 NFC title game. The ’96 postseason clash took place at Lambeau Field and the other two contests were in San Francisco.

Mike Holmgren’s team had dethroned the then-Super Bowl champion Niners in ’95 and went on to hoist a Lombardi Trophy a year later. Hence, the Packers were looking to reach the Super Bowl for the third consecutive season. The Packers followed their Super Bowl XXXI title with a loss to the wild card Denver Broncos a year later (XXXII).

Hence, Green Bay was a wild card team in the NFC Central behind the 15-1 Minnesota Vikings. Likewise the 49ers, who finished behind the 14-2 Atlanta Falcons in the NFC West.

For much of the afternoon, 49ers’ wide receiver Terrell Owens struggled. But the future Hall of Famer would save his best for when it counted most. With the Packers down 23-20 in the fourth quarter. Brett Favre led a march that concluded with a 15-yard TD pass to WR Antonio Freeman with only 1:56 to play, giving Green Bay a 27-23 advantage.

Steve Young retaliated with a 76-yard march and found Owens in a crowd down the middle with a 25-yard strike in the end zone with just three seconds to play.

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