Through the first four weeks of the tournament we still have nine teams without a loss to their name. On the other end of the spectrum, seven teams are still searching for their first victory. That leaves 36 other teams also around, still battling for the right to be one of the final 24 standing to determine our Champion of Champions.
So as has happened the first four weeks, I am going to take actual weather from the weekend into account. You can view standings and scores from the tournament here. All simulations are provided by WhatIfSports.com. Let's get to it!
Group A
@ '13 SEA 18, '02 TB 14
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| Photo by Bettina Hansen (The Seattle Times) |
@ '99 STL 20, '84 SF 6
San Francisco got the early jump in this one, forcing a St. Louis punt to open the game and seeing Joe Montana march his offense 36 yards and into range for a Ray Wersching 49 yard field goal. Wersching would hit midway through the second from 46 yards out for a 6-0 edge, at which point the Rams woke up. Kurt Warner led a 10 play, 52 yard drive that saw Jeff Wilkins hit a 36 yard field goal, and after the defense forced another punt, Wilkins hit again from 42 at the gun to tie the game. St. Louis grabbed its first lead early in the third when Billy Jenkins picked off Joe Montana and four plays later Warner found Az-Zahir Hakim from 11 yards out for a touchdown. After forcing a punt, the Rams nearly marched their way to another score, but Amp Lee fumbled and the Niners recovered, but went three and out. Getting the ball back at midfield, Warner picked apart the 49er secondary to set up a six yard touchdown for Justin Watson to all but end it. The Niners would recover another Ram fumble later in the frame, but turned it right back over, and failed to score in the red zone with time running out.
@ '16 NE 16, '72 MIA 14
New England got off to a great start in this one after trading three and outs with the Dolphins, following that up with a 12 play, 75 yard drive capped by a five yard strike from Tom Brady to Michael Floyd. Brady would throw a pick in the second deep in his own territory, and three plays later Earl Morrall found Paul Warfield from 20 yards out to tie the game. Midway through the frame Garo Yepremian missed a 49 yard field goal that would have given Miami the lead, but the Pats couldn't capitalize as Dion Lewis fumbled a catch in the red zone. The Dolphins grabbed a lead early in the third with a seven play, 93 yard drive with a 59 yard Mercury Morris scamper setting up a four yard touchdown from Bob Griese to Jim Klick. The Patriots would answer late in the frame when Patrick Chung picked off Morrall deep in Miami territory, and one play later Brady hit Julian Edelman from 12 yards out, though Stephen Gostkowski would miss the extra point to keep the Dolphins up one. Morrall would throw another pick early in the fourth, and Gostkowski made up for his earlier miss with a 32 yard field goal with 6:12 to play. The Dolphins had a chance late, getting out of bounds at the New England 39 with 12 seconds left. Rather than try to get a hair closer, Yepremian came on, but clanged his kick off the upright, allowing the Patriots to escape with the win.
'95 DAL 33, @ '87 WAS 13
In the driving rain the Cowboys were able to grab the early lead with a 39 yard Chris Boniol field goal, though Obed Ariri answered for the Redskins on the ensuing drive. Dallas got a 53 yard Emmitt Smith run, but were stuffed by Washington on the goal line. Unfortunately for them, Jay Schroeder threw a pick early in the second and Smith immediately punched it in from 24 yards out for a 10-3 Cowboy lead. The Redskins answered with a seven play drive where George Rogers scored from a yard out to tie it again. Sherman Williams then all but singlehandedly gave Dallas the lead back by hauling in a 48 yard catch and run, then punching it in from 14 yards out. Boniol would add a field goal with a minute to go in the half for a 20-10 Cowboy edge. Boniol would nail a 35 yarder midway through quarter three, then effectively finished it off when Smith ran one in from six yards out.
'77 DAL 17, @ '81 SF 0
The Cowboys get their first win of the tournament on a dominating defensive performance. Both teams had decent drives cut short by punts to open the game, but the Cowboys bridged the first and second quarters, surviving a fumble in the process, and got on the board with an Efren Herrera 29 yard field goal early in the second. Ray Wersching missed from 50 for the Niners, and the Cowboys responded with a 10 play, 70 yard drive helped by a late hit out of bounds and capped by a 12 yard Robert Newhouse touchdown run for a 10-0 Dallas halftime lead as Wersching missed a 53 yarder at the buzzer. In the second half, Joe Montana got something going with a long pass to Ricky Patton, but he fumbled and the Cowboys recovered. Two plays later Tony Dorsett rumbled 48 yards for a touchdown and a 17-0 advantage. The closest the 49ers would come to scoring in this one was midway through the fourth when they got to the 35 of Dallas, but on third and two Montana was picked off by Cliff Harris.
@ '03 NE 23, '80 OAK 3
Adam Vinatieri got the Pats on the board first with a 29 yard field goal midway through the opening quarter, sandwiched by a pair of defensive stops. New England added to its lead early in the second when Kevin Faulk ran one in from four yards out. Matt Bahr tried to get the Raiders on the board late in the frame but missed a 32 yard field goal to waste a 12 play drive, and New England responded with a field goal of its own, going into the break up 13-0 despite a late Brady interception. Bahr would hit a field goal on the Raiders' first possession of the second half from 28 yards out, but that was all. Kenny King would fumble on Oakland's next drive, and two plays later Antowain Smith ran one in from 28 yards out to effectively end the game. Vinatieri would tack on one more field goal before all was said and done.
Group B
@ '96 GB 28, '92 DAL 14
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| Photo from the Packer Hall of Fame (Photographer uncredited) |
@ '97 DEN 23, '08 PIT 6
After punting near midfield, the Broncos' defense showed up to play as Tyrone Braxton picked off Ben Roethlisberger, and two plays later Terrell Davis took a draw 47 yards for a touchdown and an early 7-0 lead. The teams then played the field position game, a battle the Broncos eventually won by getting an outstanding punt return to the Pittsburgh 20, and six plays later Scott Bentley hit a 31 yard field goal to make it 10-0. The Steelers responded with a seven play, 43 yard drive that culminated in a 50 yard Jeff Reed kick. Roethlisberger would be picked again with a little over two minutes left in the half, and Bentley hit a 29 yard field goal to make it 13-3 at the break. Roethlisberger would be picked off yet again early in the third, and Vaughn Hebron took advantage with a five yard touchdown run. The Broncos would add yet another field goal for a 20 point lead late in the quarter, though the Steelers would get those points back early in the fourth. However, that was all for Pittsburgh, as Roethlisberger took a fourth down sack with 6:42 to play and the Steelers never touched the ball again.
'09 NO 40, @ '17 PHI 23
Philly played probably its best game of the tournament so far, but it still wasn't enough. They took an early lead on a 22 yard Jake Elliott field goal, but couldn't hold it, allowing Reggie Bush to scamper 55 yards downfield, though they were able to keep it a tie game and force John Carney to hit a 25 yard field goal. On the ensuing drive though, Darren Sharper picked off Nick Foles near the goal line, and two plays later Drew Brees found Marques Colston wide open short, and Colston ran it for a 79 yard touchdown and a 10-3 lead. Philly came back with a nine play, 75 yard drive helped by an unnecessary roughness, and Foles found Nelson Agholor from nine yards out to tie it again. After forcing a three and out, Foles went back to Agholor, who took the pass 65 yards for a go-ahead touchdown. John Carney would hit a 24 yard field goal near the end of the half for the Saints, and New Orleans would take advantage of opening the second half with the ball as Pierre Thomas rumbled 57 yards downfield, and Brees found Colston in the end zone from three yards out to retake the lead. Elliott and the Eagles would tie it, capping an eight play, 65 yard drive with a 36 yard kick. Brees then went right back to work, taking seven and a half minutes of clock away and seeing Devery Henderson score on a reverse from three yards out to give the Saints the lead back. Elliott hit another field goal to make it 27-23 New Orleans, and the Saints put it away with a massive kick return and six yard touchdown to Colston, with Carney hitting two more field goals for the final margin.
@ '74 PIT 37, '86 NYG 18
The Giants got out to the early lead in this one with a Maurice Carthon 22 yard run and Phil Simms 15 yard scramble on first and 20 helping set up a 25 yard Raul Allegre field goal. But the Steelers had an answer, marching 73 yards in seven plays and seeing Preston Pearson haul in a 15 yard touchdown pass to give Pittsburgh the advantage. Simms was picked off in his own territory on the ensuing drive, and Franco Harris finished the drive off with a one yard plunge for a 14-3 lead. Roy Gerala would hit a 46 yard field goal midway through the second, and later ran a perfect two minute drive, marching 59 yards in seven plays in just under two minutes with Rocky Bleier running it in from five yards out for a 24-3 lead, though the Giants had a big answer as Simms hit Bobby Lee Johnson from 53 yards out to make it a two score game at halftime. Gerala hit another field goal to open the second half, then after Simms was picked again, Bradshaw needed just one play to tack on, finding Frank Lewis for a five yard touchdown on a screen. The Giants would get a garbage time touchdown early in the fourth when Joe Morris had a 45 yard touchdown run, and the Steelers would add one more field goal before it was all said and done.
'11 NYG 34, @ '06 IND 31 (OT)
Eli got the better of Peyton in the Manning Bowl classic. New York got off to a great start, with Eli finding Hakeem Nicks from seven yards out five minutes in to open the scoring. A Dominic Rhodes 29 yards run got the Colts in business, but they had to settle for a 44 yard Adam Viantieri field goal. The Giants got those points right back, bridging the first two quarters with a drive capped by a 29 yard Lawrence Tynes kick. The Colts got their offense back in gear, with Peyton finding Reggie Wayne for 29 yards to set up a seven yard touchdown to Ben Utecht. The Colts forced a three and out, and seven plays later Peyton found Rhodes in the end zone from two yards out for a 17-10 lead. The Giants answered though, moving 63 yards in just 75 seconds with Dan DePalma finding the end zone from four yards out. The defenses made good halftime adjustments, but neither team got an advantage until Cato June picked off Eli late in the third, though Deon Grant picked Peyton off early int he fourth, and four plays later Eli hit Victor Cruz from seven yards out. Peyton had an answer though, marching his team 72 yards in just over five minutes and finding Wayne from a yard out to tie it. The Giants scored again on the ensuing drive, going 73 yards in less than four minutes as Ahmad Bradshaw scored on a seven yard draw. But the Giants gave up a massive kick return by Indy, and on the first play Peyton found Marvin Harrison from 16 yards out to retie the game. The Giants got a chance at the end of regulation, but Tynes missed a 45 yarder and the game went to overtime. Both teams went three and out to open the extra session, and on their second drive the Giants moved, with Eli finding Mario Manningham for a 27 yard gain, and D.J. Ware picked up 22 yards on the ground to set Tynes up for the 33 yard winner.
Group C
@ '75 PIT 38, '66 GB 21
Pittsburgh got off to a lightning fast start, stripping Jim Taylor on the first play from scrimmage, recovering it, and giving the ball to Rocky Bleier on their first offensive play, seeing him score from 32 yards out. Don Chandler would miss a field goal on the Packers' ensuing drive, and the Steelers went right back to work, marching 64 yards in seven plays, capped by a six yard strike from Terry Bradshaw to Lynn Swann. Green Bay was able to get back into the game, taking over eight minutes to go 78 yards and scoring when Paul Hornung scored from two yards out to cut the Steeler lead in half. That lead held firm until Bleier picked up 34 yards on a draw, and Roy Gerala hit a 22 yard field goal to make it 17-7, then after forcing a punt inside of two minutes, Franco Harris rumbled 39 yards for a touchdown and a 17 point halftime edge. The Steelers put it away late in the third when Bradshaw found John Stallworth from 27 yards out. The Packers would get a touchdown from Taylor from 17 yards out early in the fourth plus a two point conversion, though Bleier would score again from 35 yards out to negate it. Taylor got one more garbage time touchdown with four minutes to go for the Packers.
'85 CHI 17, @ '79 PIT 12
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| Photo from Getty Images (Photographer uncredited) |
@ '14 NE 31, '10 GB 24
The Patriots ran roughshod over Green Bay's defense on the opening drive, with LeGarrette Blount punching one in from 26 yards out. Green Bay's second drive ended with a Brandon Jackson fumble in Packer territory, and nine plays later Stephen Gostkowski hit a 20 yard field goal for a 10-0 lead. Blount would get his second touchdown of the game midway through the second quarter from 10 yards out to cap an 11 play, 87 yard drive, though Green Bay would answer when John Kuhn went bonkers with a 37 yard run to start the drive and capped it from a yard out to get Green Bay on the board. But again, New England had an answer, recovering their own fumble and seeing Blount strike again from a yard out for a 24-7 halftime lead. The Packers fought back in the second half, going 74 yards in ten plays, including recovering a fumble, and seeing Aaron Rodgers cap it with a 14 yard strike to Jordy Nelson. But the Patrtios had an answer, with Blount destroying Green Bay's run defense with a 53 yard scamper that eventually set up a four yard touchdown run by Jonas Gray. The Packers had to settle for a field goal early in the fourth to make it 31-17, but Derrick Martin picked off Tom Brady on the very next play, and six plays later Rodgers found Jmaes Jones from 11 yards out to make it a one score game. After taking nearly five minutes of clock away, the Patriots got their dagger when Kyle Arrington picked off Rodgers with 2:25 to play. The Packers would later turn it over on downs at their own 41 to end it.
'76 OAK 16, @ '90 NYG 3
Oakland's Mark Van Eeghen fumbled on the opening play of the game and the Giants recovered, but Raul Allegre missed a 44 yard field goal on the ensuing drive, and the Raiders made the Giants pay for the missed opportunity as Ken Stabler marched the team 66 yards in nine plays, capping it with a seven yard strike to Dave Casper. After forcing a three and out, Oakland bridged the first two quarters with a field goal drive and held New York inside its own 40 for the remainder of the half, taking that 10-0 lead into the break. The Giants got back in the game fairly quickly in the third quarter as Phil Simms led an eight play drive that ended with an Allegre 48 yard field goal, but Oakland responded by going 73 yards in 14 plays and taking half the quarter off the clock while also getting a 25 yard field goal from Fred Steinfort to make it 13-3. The Raiders would add one more field goal with about two minutes to go to ice the contest.
'93 DAL 33, @ '70 BAL 10
The game was pretty even to start, though the Cowboys got off to the fast start with Kevin Smith picking off Johnny Unitas and five plays later Troy Aikman found Michael Irvin for a three yard touchdown. The Colts responded by taking nine minutes off the clock in marching 73 yards, but Jim O'Brien had to kick a 23 yard field goal to get Baltimore on the board. Eddie Murray answered for the Cowboys with a 47 yarder of his own, and had a chance to tack on more when Smith picked Unitas off again, but missed from 58, and the Colts tied it when Unitas found Ray Perkins from 36 yards out late in the half. Rick Volk picked off Aikman late in the half to keep the game tied, but the Colts puttered out in the second half. Aikman and Emmitt Smith went to work midway through the third quarter, with the former finding the latter twice on one drive for 58 yards, including an 18 yard touchdown. Murray added a field goal after a Baltimore three and out, then another five minutes into the fourth, and after the Colts failed a fourth and four, Murray added yet another to all but put it away. A Bill Bates pick of Unitas on the ensuing drive set up Lincoln Coleman for the dagger with an 18 yard touchdown run.
'00 BAL 27, @ '07 NYG 16
The Ravens' defense lived up to the hype in this one, forcing a three and out to open the game, then the offense took over with Priest Holmes rumbling for 46 yards to set up a seven yard Jamal Lewis touchdown run. New York's Derrick Ward lost a fumble later in the quarter, but even with that neither team really threatened until midway through the second when the Giants got as far as the Baltimore 20 before settling for a field goal. Then the Ravens' special teams took over, forcing a three and out around the two minute warning and seeing Jermaine Lewis return the punt 54 yards for a touchdown and a 14-3 halftime lead despite Tony Banks throwing an interception late. New York got back into it in the third, using a 40 yard pass from Eli Manning to Plaxico Burress to eventually set up a 20 yard touchdown pass to Amani Toomer. Holmes fumbled on Baltimore's ensuing drive, and the Giants got a red zone field goal to pull within one. But late in the frame the Ravens got the momentum back as Lewis broke free for a 41 yard touchdown run and a 21-13 lead. Lawrence Tynes hit a chip shot field goal for the Giants early in the fourth to pull within five, but the Ravens' offense did enough to get a couple more field goals late and put the game away.
Group D
'68 NYJ 31, @ '04 NE 13
The Jets continue their dominance of Group D after stopping the Patriots on fourth and nine from the Jet 35 midway through the first, then got on the board early int he second on a 20 yard pass from Joe Namath to Don Maynard. The Patriots had a quick answer, with a 59 yard pass from Tom Brady to David Patten setting up an eight yard strike from Brady to David Givens. New York matched the Patriots' earlier turnover on downs on the ensuing drive, but forced a Patriot punt and six plays later Namath found Bake Turner for a 47 yard touchdown and a 14-7 lead. The Pats would make it 14-10 after Tedy Bruschi picked off Namath late in the quarter. In the second half, Ralph Baker picked off Brady in the red zone, and ten plays later Namath found Maynard again from 19 yards out for a 21-10 advantage. The Patriots got a little closer with about five minutes to go when Adam Vinatieri hit a 34 yard field goal, but the Jets answered with a 27 yarder after a turnover on downs, and the Jets added an extra touchdown in the final minute when Emerson Boozer plunged in from five yards out.
@ '91 WAS 16, '94 SF 13 (OT)
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| Photo by George Rose (Getty Images) |
'73 MIA 24, @ '15 DEN 10
Miami got off to a quick start in this one, marching 76 yards in eight plays with Bob Griese finding Marlin Briscoe for a 23 yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead less than five minutes in. Denver got into Miami territory but was pushed back and had to punt, and the Dolphins took advantage, using a 32 yard pass to Rob Sellers to set up a 41 yard Garo Yepremian field goal and a 10-0 lead. Brandon McManus answered with a 29 yarder for the Broncos thanks in part to a 27 yard pass from Peyton Manning to Emmanuel Sanders, but that was all the Broncos could muster in the first half. Manning helped lead a tying drive to open the second half, marching 92 yards in just seven plays as Ronnie Hillman punched it in from seven yards out. The Dolphins had a number of chances to take the lead, picking off Manning and missing a field goal, then seeing Griese throw four straight incompletions from the two yard line, but it pinned the Broncos deep, and with field position advantage, Larry Csonka ran for 25 yards to set up a Mercury Morris five yard touchdown run, and Csonka himself would add an insurance touchdown with a minute and a half to go.
'98 DEN 26, @ '05 PIT 3
On the second play of the game, Ray Crockett picked off Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh territory, and five plays later Terrell Davis ran it in from a yard out for an early 7-0 lead. Jeff Reed would miss a 40 yard field goal on the ensuing drive, and the Broncos went 52 yards in the next seven plays to allow Jason Elam to hit from 45 for a 10-0 edge. Pittsburgh went 43 yards in 11 plays on the ensuing drive, and this time Reed hit from 30 to make it a 10-3 game, but the Broncos got it back with an 11 play, 49 yard drive to set up a 34 yard Elam kick. Elam would hit from 50 at the halftime gun for a 16-3 advantage. John Elway threw a pick early in the third, but Tommy Maddox threw one as well in relief of Roethlisberger. Elway would throw another in the fourth, but the Steelers turned it over on downs and Elam was able to hit another field goal. Terrell Davis provided the dagger with a 26 yard touchdown run just inside the two minute warning.
@ '01 NE 26, '78 PIT 22
New England teams finish the week 4-1 with the original champs mounting a fourth quarter comeback. But early on it was almost all Patriots. The teams traded turnovers to open this one, with Franco Harris' fumble in New England territory setting up a 49 yard Antowain Smith run that allowed Adam Vinatieri to hit from 35 yards out for a 3-0 edge. The Steelers answered with a 10 play, 81 yard drive capped by a 14 yard strike from Terry Bradshaw to Lynn Swann. New England took the lead back early in the second quarter when Tom Brady found Terry Glenn for a 66 yard touchdown pass. They extended it with a 37 yard field goal to cap a nine and a half minute drive, and managed to add a 58 yard field goal at the gun for a 16-7 halftime lead. Vinatieri would hit again with about five and a half to play in the third, but the Steelers began to mount a comeback, with Bradshaw leading a 60 yard drive capped by a one yard Rocky Bleier touchdown. Pittsburgh forced a punt then grabbed the lead on the ensuing drive thanks to Harris running one in from 18 yards out, and Sidney Thornton made it a three point game when he converted the two point try. But it was too much time for the Patriots, as Tom Brady led an 11 play drive capped by a seven yard touchdown pass to Patten, though it left a little over four minutes on the clock. Pittsburgh would march all the way down to the Patriot 17, but Franco Harris was stuffed on fourth and 3, and Brady kneeled out the clock.
'83 LAR 24, @ '67 GB 0
Bart Starr threw a pick midway through the first quarter in Raider territory, and after a 42 yard Marcus Allen run, Los Angeles grabbed the early lead when Allen ran it in from nine yards out. The Packers went three and out, and after a 43 yard Frank Hawkins run, the Packers were able to limit the damage to a 26 yard Matt Bahr field goal. The Packers again went three and out, and two plays later Allen caught a Jim Plunkett pass and took it 46 yards to the house for a 17-0 lead. Don Chandler would later miss a field goal to keep it a three score game at the break, and late in the third Los Angeles tacked on another touchdown when Plunkett found Cliff Branch from seven yards out.
'82 WAS 37, @ '12 BAL 34 (OT)
This was a high scoring affair and saw a nice Washington comeback for the victory. The Ravens ran roughshod over the Redskins early, with Bernard Pierce picking up 45 yards on a draw to set up a five yard Ray Rice touchdown. The Redskins had an answer though, marching 63 yards in 11 plays with Joe Theismann finding Rick Walker in the end zone from two yards out. Both teams struggled a bit, with Baltimore seeing a penalty end a nice drive, but they finally got back on the board when Pierce rumbled 47 yards for a touchdown with about five minutes left in the second quarter. Washington answered with a 61 yard drive capped by a John Riggins three yard touchdown run, but Mark Moseley missed the extra point. Baltimore added a field goal before halftime for a 17-13 edge, then added to it quickly in the third quarter when Ed Reed picked off Theismann deep in Washington territory and Joe Flacco found Torrey Smith from 17 yards out for a touchdown. The Ravens forced a three and out, returned the punt to the red zone, and celebrated two plays later as Rice ran one in from two yards out. Washington did not panic down 18 as Theismann picked apart the Ravens to set up an 18 yard Riggins touchdown run. The Ravens made it a 14 point game with a 27 yard Justin Tucker field goal with about ten minutes to go. Theismann started the comeback in earnest from here, leading his team 72 yards in 13 plays with Riggins scoring a third time, this one from seven yards out, but Moseley missed another PAT to keep it an eight point game. The Ravens went three and out though, and Theismann went back to work, finding Charlie Brown from 19 yards out with 1:20 to go, and Joe Washington successfully ran it in for two more to tie the game. The Ravens were poised to moutn their own comeback, but Rice fumbled in the red zone and the Redskins recovered to force overtime. In the extra session, neither offense got going until late in the frame when the Ravens committed an encroachment penalty on fourth and 1 with the punt team on, and a facemask on a Theismann scramble set the Redskins up to win, and Moseley redeemed himself with a 45 yard field goal to win it.
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