NFL Divisional Playoffs: What to Look For

AFI | American Football | 01/14/2017

WHAT TO LOOK FOR – DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

VIEW FROM THE TOP: Since the NFL moved to a 12-team playoff format in 1990, No. 1 seeds in the NFC are 22-4 (.846) in the Divisional Playoffs. In the AFC, the No. 1 seed has compiled a 16-10 (.615) record.

Both No. 1 seeds are in action this weekend when the top-seeded DALLAS COWBOYS host the GREEN BAY PACKERS in the NFC and the No. 1-seed NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS face the HOUSTON TEXANS in the AFC.

The No. 1 seeds in Divisional-round play since 1990:

YEAR	AFC NO. 1 SEED	DIVISIONAL RESULT	NFC NO. 1 SEED	DIVISIONAL RESULT
1990	Buffalo	Defeated Miami 44-34	San Francisco	Defeated Washington 28-10
1991	Buffalo	Defeated Kansas City 37-14	Washington	Defeated Atlanta 24-7
1992	Pittsburgh	Lost to Buffalo 24-3	San Francisco	Defeated Washington 20-13
1993	Buffalo	Defeated L.A. Raiders 29-23	Dallas	Defeated Green Bay 27-17
1994	Pittsburgh	Defeated Cleveland 29-9	San Francisco	Defeated Chicago 44-15
1995	Kansas City	Lost to Indianapolis 10-7	Dallas	Defeated Philadelphia 30-11
1996	Denver	Lost to Jacksonville 30-27	Green Bay	Defeated San Francisco 35-14
1997	Kansas City	Lost to Denver 14-10	San Francisco	Defeated Minnesota 38-22
1998	Denver	Defeated Miami 38-3	Minnesota	Defeated Arizona 41-21
1999	Jacksonville	Defeated Miami 62-7	St. Louis	Defeated Minnesota 49-37
2000	Tennessee	Lost to Baltimore 24-10	N.Y. Giants	Defeated Philadelphia 20-10
2001	Pittsburgh	Defeated Baltimore 27-10	St. Louis	Defeated Green Bay 45-17
2002	Oakland	Defeated N.Y. Jets 30-10	Philadelphia	Defeated Atlanta 20-6
2003	New England	Defeated Tennessee 17-14	Philadelphia	Defeated Green Bay 20-17 (OT)
2004	Pittsburgh	Defeated N.Y. Jets 20-17 (OT)	Philadelphia	Defeated Minnesota 27-14
2005	Indianapolis	Lost to Pittsburgh 21-18	Seattle	Defeated Washington 20-10
2006	San Diego	Lost to New England 24-21	Chicago	Defeated Seattle 27-24 (OT)
2007	New England	Defeated Jacksonville 31-20	Dallas	Lost to N.Y. Giants 21-17
2008	Tennessee	Lost to Baltimore 13-10	N.Y. Giants	Lost to Philadelphia 23-11
2009	Indianapolis	Defeated Baltimore 20-3	New Orleans	Defeated Arizona 45-14
2010	New England	Lost to N.Y. Jets 28-21	Atlanta	Lost to Green Bay 48-21
2011	New England	Defeated Denver 45-10	Green Bay	Lost to N.Y. Giants 37-20
2012	Denver	Lost to Baltimore 38-35 (2OT)	Atlanta	Defeated Seattle 30-28
2013	Denver	Defeated San Diego 24-17	Seattle	Defeated New Orleans 23-15
2014	New England	Defeated Baltimore 35-31	Seattle	Defeated Carolina 31-17
2015	Denver	Defeated Pittsburgh 23-16	Carolina	Defeated Seattle 31-24
*2016*	*New England*	*???*	*Dallas*	*???*

— NFL —

WINNING WAYS: Four of the five winningest franchises in postseason history – the PITTSBURGH STEELERS, DALLAS COWBOYS, GREEN BAY PACKERS and NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS – are in action in the Divisional Playoffs.

The AFC’s No. 1 overall seed New England hosts Houston (8:15 PM ET, CBS) on Saturday night. On Sunday, Pittsburgh travels to Kansas City (1:05 PM ET, NBC) while Green Bay visits Dallas (4:40 PM ET, FOX).

The Steelers, who defeated Miami 30-12 in the Wild Card round, have 35 postseason wins, the most in NFL history. The Cowboys (34), Packers (33) and Patriots (29) rank second, third and fifth, respectively, in all-time postseason victories.

The teams with the most postseason wins in NFL history:

TEAM	WINS	LOSSES	WIN PCT	SUPER BOWL WINS
Pittsburgh Steelers*	35	23	*.603*	6
Dallas Cowboys*	34	26	*.567*	5
Green Bay Packers*	33	21	*.611*	4
San Francisco 49ers	30	20	.600	5
New England Patriots*	29	19	*.604*	4
*Play this weekend

— NFL —

PATRIOT PRESENCE: The NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS have made five consecutive appearances in the AFC Championship game, tying the 1973-77 Oakland Raiders for the longest streak of Conference Championship game appearances since the 1970 merger.

With a win against Houston on Saturday, the Patriots would become the first team since 1970 to advance to six consecutive Conference Championship games.

The teams with the most consecutive Conference Championship game appearances since 1970:

TEAM	SEASONS	CONSECUTIVE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME APPEARANCES
*New England Patriots*	*2011-15*	5*
Oakland Raiders	1973-77	5
Philadelphia Eagles	2001-04	4
Dallas Cowboys	1992-95	4
Buffalo Bills	1990-93	4
Dallas Cowboys	1970-73	4
*Active streak

— NFL —

BOOMING BROWN: Pittsburgh wide receiver ANTONIO BROWN had five receptions for 124 yards, including touchdown catches of 50 and 62 yards in the first quarter of the Steelers’ 30-12 win over Miami in the Wild Card round. Brown became the first player in postseason history with two touchdown receptions of at least 50 yards in the first quarter of a game.

With 100 receiving yards on Sunday at Kansas City, Brown, who has at least 100 receiving yards in each of his past three playoff games, will join LARRY FITZGERALD (four) as the only players in postseason history to record four consecutive games with at least 100 receiving yards.

The most consecutive postseason games with at least 100 receiving yards:

PLAYER	SEASON(S)	TEAM	CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH 100+ RECEIVING YARDS
Larry Fitzgerald	2008	Arizona Cardinals	4
*Antonio Brown*	*2014-16*	Pittsburgh Steelers	3*
T.Y. Hilton	2013-14	Indianapolis Colts	3
Randy Moss	1999-00	Minnesota Vikings	3
Jerry Rice^	1988-89	San Francisco 49ers	3
Tom Fears^	1950-51	Los Angeles Rams	3
*Active streak ^Pro Football Hall of Famer

— NFL —

REMARKABLE RUSHERS: Pittsburgh running back LE’VEON BELL had a franchise postseason-record 167 rushing yardswith two touchdowns in the Steelers’ 30-12 win against Miami in the Wild Card round, while Seattle running back THOMAS RAWLS rushed for 161 yards – the highest single-game rushing total in team postseason history – and one touchdown in the Seahawks’ 26-6 win over Detroit last week.

Only five different running backs in playoff history have recorded 300 rushing yards over a two-game span in a single postseason.

The players with at least 300 rushing yards over a two-game span in a single postseason:

PLAYER	SEASON	TEAM	RUSHING YARDS OVER 2-GAME SPAN
Terrell Davis	1998	Denver Broncos	366
Marcus Allen^	1983	Los Angeles Raiders	345
John Riggins^	1982	Washington Redskins	325
Natrone Means	1996	Jacksonville Jaguars	315
John Riggins^	1982	Washington Redskins	306
John Riggins^	1982	Washington Redskins	304
Freeman McNeil	1982	New York Jets	303

*Le’Veon Bell*	*2016*	*Pittsburgh Steelers*	167*
*Thomas Rawls*	*2016*	*Seattle Seahawks*	161*
*Through Wild Card round
^Pro Football Hall of Famer

— NFL —

HAVE MERCILUS: Houston linebacker WHITNEY MERCILUS recorded two sacks in the Texans’ 27-14 Wild Card win over Oakland.

With two sacks against New England on Saturday, Mercilus, who has five sacks in his past two postseason games, would have the most sacks over any three-game span in postseason history.

The players with the most sacks over any three-game span in postseason history:

PLAYER	SEASON(S)	TEAM	SACKS OVER 3-GAME SPAN
Richard Dent^	1984-85	Chicago Bears	6.5
LaMarr Woodley	2008	Pittsburgh Steelers	6.0
LaMarr Woodley	2007-08	Pittsburgh Steelers	6.0
Kevin Greene^	1988-89	Los Angeles Rams	6.0
Richard Dent^	1985	Chicago Bears	6.0

*Whitney Mercilus*	*2015-16*	*Houston Texans*	5.0*
*In past two postseason games
^Pro Football Hall of Famer

— NFL —

THREE FOR THREE: Atlanta quarterback MATT RYAN ranked second in the NFL with 38 passing touchdowns during the 2016 season, including seven games with at least three touchdown passes.

With three touchdown passes against Seattle on Saturday, Ryan, who has thrown for three touchdowns in each of his past two playoff games, would become the sixth quarterback in postseason history with at least three touchdown passes in three consecutive games.

The most consecutive postseason games with at least three touchdown passes: