Just as they did last year, the Houston Texans, seeded third in the AFC, will open the NFL postseason by hosting the sixth-seeded Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday afternoon.
It's the 16th time under the current playoff format (since 1990) that teams have squared off in consecutive postseasons. This includes three instances in which teams played in three straight postseasons and one of four straight years.
The Texans/Bengals matchup is only the second that has come in the same round with the teams seeded exactly the same. The Broncos visited the Colts in the 3/6 AFC Wild Card game in 2003 and 2004, getting blown out in both games. In 1992, 1993 and 1994, the Cowboys and 49ers met as the NFC's top two teams in the conference title game. However, San Francisco was the top seed in the first and third meetings, with Dallas at home in the second.
Houston and Cincy are halfway to the Packers and Niners, who faced each other in the playoffs in 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998. Prior to 1990, the Steelers and Raiders met in five straight postseasons from 1972-76.
I've listed below each time that teams have met in consecutive postseasons. With five of this January's six AFC entrants having returned to the playoffs, we might have a few more rematches in the coming weeks. Patriots/Ravens could be a divisional round meeting or AFC title game pairing. The Patriots and Broncos are on an AFC championship collision course, but with some big upsets, Ravens/Texans could be the game.
Update: This list is current as of January 13, 2015
Patriots/Colts 2013-14
2013 Divisional IND (4) at NE (2) 43-22 Patriots
2014 AFC Champ IND (4) at NE (1)
49ers/Packers 2012-13
2012 Divisional GB (3) at SF (2) 45-31 49ers
2013 Wild Card SF (5) at GB (4) 23-20 49ers
Patriots/Ravens 2011-12
2011 AFC Champ BAL (2) at NE (1) 23-20 Patriots
2012 AFC Champ BAL (4) at NE (2) 28-13 Ravens
Texans/Bengals 2011-12
2011 Wild Card CIN (6) at HOU (3) 31-10 Texans
2012 Wild Card CIN (6) at HOU (3) 19-13 Texans
Colts/Jets 2009-10
2009 AFC Champ NYJ (5) at IND (1) 30-17 Colts
2010 Wild Card NYJ (6) at IND (3) 17-16 Jets
Chargers/Colts 2007-08
2007 Divisional SD (3) at IND (2) 28-24 Chargers
2008 Wild Card IND (5) at SD (4) 23-17 Chargers
Patriots/Chargers 2006-07
2006 Divisional NE (4) at SD (1) 24-21 Patriots
2007 AFC Champ SD (3) at NE (1) 21-12 Patriots
Patriots/Colts 2003-04
2003 AFC Champ IND (3) at NE (1) 24-14 Patriots
2004 Divisional IND (3) at NE (2) 20-3 Patriots
Colts/Broncos 2003-04
2003 Wild Card DEN (6) at IND (3) 41-10 Colts
2004 Wild Card DEN (6) at IND (3) 49-24 Colts
Raiders/Jets 2001-02
2001 Wild Card NYJ (6) at OAK (3) 38-24 Raiders
2002 Divisional NYJ (4) at OAK (1) 30-10 Raiders
Eagles/Bucs 2000-02
2000 Wild Card TB (5) at PHI (4) 21-3 Eagles
2001 Wild Card TB (6) at PHI (3) 31-9 Eagles
2002 NFC Champ TB (2) at PHI (1) 27-10 Bucs
Packers/49ers 1995-98
1995 Divisional GB (3) at SF (2) 27-17 Packers
1996 Divisional SF (4) at GB (1) 35-14 Packers
1997 NFC Champ GB (2) at SF (1) 23-10 Packers
1998 Wild Card GB (5) at SF (4) 30-27 49ers
Patriots/Steelers 1996-97
1996 Divisional PIT (3) at NE (2) 28-3 Patriots
1997 Divisional NE (3) at PIT (2) 7-6 Steelers
Broncos/Jaguars 1996-97
1996 Divisional JAX (6) at DEN (1) 30-27 Jaguars
1997 Wild Card JAX (5) at DEN (4) 42-17 Broncos
Steelers/Colts 1995-96
1995 AFC Champ IND (5) at PIT (2) 20-16 Steelers
1996 Wild Card IND (6) at PIT (3) 42-14 Steelers
Cowboys/Packers 1993-95
1993 Divisional GB (6) at DAL (1) 27-17 Cowboys
1994 Divisional GB (4) at DAL (2) 35-9 Cowboys
1995 NFC Champ GB (3) at DAL (1) 38-27 Cowboys
Cowboys/49ers 1992-94
1992 NFC Champ DAL (2) at SF (1) 30-20 Cowboys
1993 NFC Champ SF (2) at DAL (1) 38-21 Cowboys
1994 NFC Champ DAL (2) at SF (1) 38-28 49ers
Packers/Lions 1993-94
1993 Wild Card GB (6) at DET (3) 28-24 Packers
1994 Wild Card DET (5) at GB (4) 16-12 Packers
Cowboys/Bills 1992-93
1992 Super Bowl XXVIII DAL (2) vs. BUF (4) 52-17 Cowboys
1993 Super Bowl XXVIII DAL (1) vs. BUF (1) 30-13 Cowboys
Here are the pre-1990 playoff rematches:
49ers/Vikings 1987-89
1987 Divisional MIN at SF 36-24 Vikings
1988 Divisional MIN at SF 34-9 49ers
1989 Divisional MIN at SF 30-3 49ers
Bears/Washington 1986-87
1986 Divisional WAS at CHI 27-13 Washington
1987 Divisional WAS at CHI 21-17 Washington
Broncos/Browns 1986-87
1986 AFC Champ DEN at CLE 23-20 Broncos
1987 AFC Champ CLE at DEN 38-33 Broncos
Giants/49ers 1984-86
1984 Divisional NYG at SF 21-10 49ers
1985 Wild Card SF at NYG 17-3 Giants
1986 Divisional SF at NYG 49-3 Giants
Seahawks/Dolphins 1983-84
1983 Divisional SEA at MIA 27-20 Seahawks
1984 Divisional SEA at MIA 31-10 Dolphins
Seahawks/Raiders 1983-84
1983 AFC Champ SEA at RAI 30-14 Raiders
1984 Wild Card RAI at SEA 13-7 Seahawks
Dolphins/Chargers 1981-82
1981 Divisional SD at MIA 41-38 Chargers
1982 Divisional SD at MIA 34-13 Dolphins
Cowboys/Bucs 1981-82
1981 Divisional TB at DAL 38-0 Cowboys
1982 Wild Card TB at DAL 30-17 Cowboys
Cowboys/Rams 1978-80
1978 NFC Champ DAL at LAR 28-0 Cowboys
1979 Divisional LAR at DAL 21-19 Rams
1980 Wild Card LAR at DAL 34-13 Cowboys
Steelers/Oilers 1978-79
1978 AFC Champ HOU at PIT 34-5 Steelers
1979 AFC Champ HOU at PIT 27-13 Steelers
Steelers/Broncos 1977-78
1977 Divisional PIT at DEN 34-21 Broncos
1978 Divisional DEN at PIT 33-10 Steelers
Vikings/Rams 1976-78
1976 NFC Champ LAR at MIN 24-13 Vikings
1977 Divisional MIN at LAR 14-7 Vikings
1978 Divisional MIN at LAR 34-10 Rams
Cowboys/Rams 1975-76
1975 NFC Champ DAL at LAR 37-7 Cowboys
1976 Divisional LAR at DAL 14-12 Rams
Steelers/Colts 1975-76
1975 Divisional BAL at PIT 28-10 Steelers
1976 Divisional PIT at BAL 40-14 Steelers
Steelers/Raiders 1972-76
1972 Divisional OAK at PIT 13-7 Steelers
1973 Divisional PIT at OAK 33-14 Raiders
1974 AFC Champ PIT at OAK 24-13 Steelers
1975 AFC Champ OAK at PIT 16-10 Steelers
1976 AFC Champ PIT at OAK 24-7 Raiders
Dolphins/Raiders 1973-74
1973 AFC Champ OAK at MIA 27-10 Dolphins
1974 Divisional MIA at OAK 28-26 Raiders
Cowboys/49ers 1970-72
1970 NFC Champ DAL at SF 17-10 Cowboys
1971 NFC Champ SF at DAL 14-3 Cowboys
1972 Divisional DAL at SF 30-28 Cowboys
Cowboys/Browns 1967-69
1967 Divisional CLE at DAL 52-14 Cowboys
1968 Divisional DAL at CLE 31-20 Browns
1969 Divisional CLE at DAL 38-14 Browns
Chiefs/Raiders 1968-69
1968 Divisional KC at OAK 41-6 Raiders
1969 AFL Champ KC at OAK 17-7 Chiefs
Packers/Cowboys 1966-67
1966 NFL Champ GB at DAL 34-27 Packers
1967 NFL Champ DAL at GB 21-17 Packers
Bills/Chargers 1964-65
1964 AFL Champ SD at BUF 20-7 Bills
1965 AFL Champ BUF at SD 23-0 Bills
Packers/Giants 1961-62
1961 NFL Champ NYG at GB 37-0 Packers
1962 NFL Champ GB at NYG 16-7 Packers
Chargers/Oilers 1960-61
1960 AFL Champ LA at HOU 24-16 Chargers
1961 AFL Champ HOU at SD 10-3 Oilers
Colts/Giants 1958-59
1958 NFL Champ BAL at NYG 23-17 Colts
1959 NFL Champ NYG at BAL 31-16 Colts
Browns/Lions 1952-54
1952 NFL Champ DET at CLE 17-7 Lions
1953 NFL Champ CLE at DET 17-16 Lions
1954 NFL Champ DET at CLE 56-10 Browns
Browns/Rams 1950-51
1950 NFL Champ LAR at CLE 30-28 Browns
1951 NFL Champ CLE at LAR 24-17 Rams
Browns/Bills 1948-49
1948 AAFC Champ BUF at CLE 49-7 Browns
1949 AAFC Divisional BUF at CLE 31-21 Browns
Cardinals/Eagles 1947-48
1947 NFL Champ PHI at CHI 28-21 Cardinals
1948 NFL Champ CHI at PHI 7-0 Eagles
Browns/Yankees 1946-47
1946 AAFC Champ NYY at CLE 14-9 Browns
1947 AAFC Champ CLE at NYY 14-3 Browns
Washington/Bears 1942-43
1942 NFL Champ CHI at WAS 14-6 Washington
1943 NFL Champ WAS at CHI 41-21 Bears
Packers/Giants 1938-39
1938 NFL Champ GB at NYG 23-17 Giants
1939 NFL Champ NYG at GB 27-0 Packers
Giants/Bears 1933-34
1933 NFL Champ NYG at CHI 23-21 Bears
1934 NFL Champ CHI at NYG 30-13 Giants
No comments:
Post a Comment