NFL Playoffs: Top 10 Championship games in NFL history

Wide receiver Dwight Clark of the San Francisco 49ers leaves a Dallas defender in his dust after making 'The Catch' to defeat the Dallas Cowboys 28-27 in the 1981 NFC Championship Game on January 10, 1982 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Arthur Anderson/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /

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Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts hands the ball off to Joseph Addai during the 2006 AFC Championship Game vs. the New England Patriots (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

NFL Playoffs: Top 10 Championship games in NFL history

6. Colts 38, Patriots 34 (AFC: 2006)

For the third time in four seasons, Bill Belichick’s squad and Tony Dungy’s team would meet in the postseason. In both 2003 and ’04, the Patriots knocked off the Colts in the playoffs on the way to winning Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX.

This postseason, both Indianapolis and New England had already won a pair of playoff games entering this tilt. In this AFC title game, the Pats were looking to make quick work of the Colts after taking a 21-3 second-quarter lead. The Patriots’ first touchdown came courtesy of guard Logan Mankins’ fumble recovery in the end zone. The third TD came when Asante Samuel picked off Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning and returned the prize 39 yards.

When it was all said and done, however, Dungy’s team would put together 32 second-half points in this see-saw affair. Indianapolis would outgain New England, 455-319, in total yards. Manning overcame that early pick and finished the game with 349 yards through the air, including a one-yard TD toss to defensive lineman Dan Klecko.

The resilient Colts took their first lead of the game with just 1:00 to play on RB Joseph Addai’s three-yard TD run, and secured the victory when cornerback Marlin Jackson intercepted Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady moments later.

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