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Brees#1
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It started with the Steelers in 06, when they knocked off the Colts. That same offseason, Carolina got to the NFCCG as a wild card. I remember seeing that Steelers team at times in 05 and they looked like a super bowl team to me. Polamalu was especially making explosive plays. The Steelers beat the Broncos in the AFCCG to get to the SB. Broncos couldn't get out of the wild card round the prior two years. The Panthers beat the Bears, a team who benefitted from a terrible division that year and already held Carolina to 3 points.
Then, while no wild card team won in 06, The Colts and Patriots were 3 and 4 seeds and knocked off the Ravens and Chargers who were the top seeds coming from nowhere that year. Experience mattered a lot. Manning and Brady had more of that.
Next, it was the Giants, as a wild card who went all the way. They knocked off rival Dallas, the top seed who swept them in the regular season and then went into Green Bay to steal the NFC. We know what happened next.
While no wild cards went to the SB, two played in the 09 title games. The Eagles knocked off the defending SB champs Giants before losing to 4th seeded Cardinals, who shocked the 2 seeded Panthers. The Ravens knocked off the top-seeded and highly overrated Titans before losing a third straight to the Steelers for the AFC. This was with a rookie QB and new HC btw.
2009 was more calmed down from previous years. Both top seeds went to the SB. But the Jets, as a wild card, knocked off the Chargers before losing to the Colts in the AFCCG.
Another wild card team going all the way. The Packers knocked off Atlanta, who had the top seed, before taking out the division rival and winner Chicago to get to the SB and defeat the Steelers. Rex Ryan's Jets, for the second straight postseason, wild-carded their way to another AFCCG. en route to losing to the Steelers, they had beaten the other two AFC cream of the crops Colts and Patriots.
The Giants were not a wild card but won as a 4 seed knocking off the 15-1 Packers and 13-3 49ers en route to their second SB defeat of the Patriots.
The Ravens did the same thing the next year as the same seed. They knocked off Denver and Peyton Manning before destroying NE and Brady in the AFCCG before winning their second SB, but first under this coaching regime.
SF was a team pretty lauded for dominating away from home. Their playing in Seattle for the NFCCG was expected because SF was the third-best team record-wise, but ultimately the second-best team in the NFC.
That was the last time a wild card played in the title game. There was just something about that time. What will it take to get that back? Since then it's been all division winners and the 1 seed has played in all but one title game. The 1 seed has played in all but 1 SB. The 1 seed has won their conference all but three times.
Then, while no wild card team won in 06, The Colts and Patriots were 3 and 4 seeds and knocked off the Ravens and Chargers who were the top seeds coming from nowhere that year. Experience mattered a lot. Manning and Brady had more of that.
Next, it was the Giants, as a wild card who went all the way. They knocked off rival Dallas, the top seed who swept them in the regular season and then went into Green Bay to steal the NFC. We know what happened next.
While no wild cards went to the SB, two played in the 09 title games. The Eagles knocked off the defending SB champs Giants before losing to 4th seeded Cardinals, who shocked the 2 seeded Panthers. The Ravens knocked off the top-seeded and highly overrated Titans before losing a third straight to the Steelers for the AFC. This was with a rookie QB and new HC btw.
2009 was more calmed down from previous years. Both top seeds went to the SB. But the Jets, as a wild card, knocked off the Chargers before losing to the Colts in the AFCCG.
Another wild card team going all the way. The Packers knocked off Atlanta, who had the top seed, before taking out the division rival and winner Chicago to get to the SB and defeat the Steelers. Rex Ryan's Jets, for the second straight postseason, wild-carded their way to another AFCCG. en route to losing to the Steelers, they had beaten the other two AFC cream of the crops Colts and Patriots.
The Giants were not a wild card but won as a 4 seed knocking off the 15-1 Packers and 13-3 49ers en route to their second SB defeat of the Patriots.
The Ravens did the same thing the next year as the same seed. They knocked off Denver and Peyton Manning before destroying NE and Brady in the AFCCG before winning their second SB, but first under this coaching regime.
SF was a team pretty lauded for dominating away from home. Their playing in Seattle for the NFCCG was expected because SF was the third-best team record-wise, but ultimately the second-best team in the NFC.
That was the last time a wild card played in the title game. There was just something about that time. What will it take to get that back? Since then it's been all division winners and the 1 seed has played in all but one title game. The 1 seed has played in all but 1 SB. The 1 seed has won their conference all but three times.
