User:STP43FAN/Super Bowl Rivalries In The National Football League

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Super Bowl Rivalries In The National Football League[edit]

From the beginning of the combined AFL-NFL World Championship Game in January 1967, the Super Bowl has created a unique series of rivalries in pro football, where the championship game often is but one chapter in a series of games between certain teams whose bitterness in large part stems from the outcome of said game. Presented is a look at such rivalries.

Green Bay Packers vs. Kansas City Chiefs[edit]

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The highest scoring game in the rivalry came on October 12, 2003 at Lambeau Field. The Chiefs entered at 5-0 and fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter, then fell behind 31-14 in the third. In the fourth the Chiefs outscored the Packers 20-3 on two touchdowns (one a Jerome Woods 79-yard pick six off Brett Favre). Dante Hall, averaging 52 punt return yards per game, gained 62 on two returns against a Packers return coverage unit that had only allowed 31 total return yards coming in; the second set up the first touchdown of the second-half comeback. Tied 34-34, in overtime the Chiefs called nine straight Priest Holmes rushes, but Cletidus Hunt blocked a Morten Anderson field goal kick. On the next play Ahman Green fumbled (caused by Woods) at the Chiefs 49. Trent Green finished it off from there on a 51-yard touchdown to Eddie Kennison and a 40-34 Chiefs win.[1]
  • The Chiefs on December 18, 2011 ended the Packers' quest for an unbeaten season, 19-14 at Arrowhead Stadium. Jackie Battle's touchdown with four minutes to go put the Chiefs up 19-7, enough to absorb a late Aaron Rodgers touchdown run. It was the only time in the regular season the Packers trailed by more than one score.
  • The Packers defeated the Chiefs for only the fourth time in their history on September 28, 2015 on Monday Night Football, winning 38-28. Aaron Rodgers threw five touchdowns but the Packers could not hold a 38-14 lead as the Chiefs scored twice in the fourth quarter. Rodgers then led the Packers to a 31-24 win on October 27, 2019, the Packers' first career winning streak against the Chiefs.
  • The Chiefs hosted the Packers November 7, 2021, winning 13-7. Aaron Rodgers was ruled out in controversial circumstances for testing positive for covid despite no actual illness.

Green Bay Packers vs. Oakland Raiders[edit]

  • Met in Super Bowl II
  • Packers lead overall series 8-6 and Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2027

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The Raiders had not beaten the Packers since September 13, 1987 at Lambeau. Randy Wright threw three interceptions and the Raiders won 20-0. The Raiders ended that streak October 9, 2023 in a 17-13 win.
  • In Week One of the 1999 season the Raiders and Packers squared off in a 28-24 Packers win in the first trip to Lambeau for former Packers assistant Jon Gruden. The Raiders rushed for 153 yards and three touchdowns, but Brett Favre overcame three interceptions and a broken thumb on his throwing hand (incurred after striking the helmet of Russell Maryland) to throw the winning touchdown to Jeff Thomason; the injury was enough to make Favre break off his postgame press conference.
  • One of the most celebrated games in Favre's career came on Monday Night Football on December 22, 2003. Playing a day after the passing of his father Irv, Favre threw four touchdowns in the first half in a 41-7 rout of the Raiders, who used three different quarterbacks and managed two interceptions and just 223 passing yards.

New York Jets vs. Baltimore-Indianapolis Colts[edit]

  • Met in Super Bowl III
  • Colts lead overall series 43-31; Jets lead playoff/Super Bowl series 3-1
  • Next scheduled meeting TBD

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The Colts and Jets became AFC East rivals following the 1970 NFL/AFL merger, and stayed division rivals until the formation of the AFC South in 2002.
  • One of the most celebrated games in the rivalry happened at War Memorial Stadium in Baltimore on September 24, 1972. Joe Namath and John Unitas faced each other for a full game for the first time in their history; Namath threw for 496 yards and six touchdowns in a 44-34 Jets win. Unitas threw for 376 yards and two touchdowns.
  • The highest scoring game in the rivalry came two years later on December 15, 1974, again in Baltimore. Namath this time faced rising youngster Bert Jones and Broadway Joe threw for 281 yards and two touchdowns; the Jets got additional touchdowns from John Riggins and Mike Adamle. Jones threw four touchdowns and ran in a fifth, but was picked off four times (one a Burgess Owens pick six) in the 45-38 Jets win.
  • Rookie Peyton Manning was buried 44-6 in his third career game, coming on September 20, 1998 at New York. Peyton was intercepted twice while the Jets rushed for 303 yards with 203 passing yards and four touchdowns from Vinny Testaverde, who was replacing Glenn Foley after a 24-10 loss to the Ravens the previous week. One of Manning's first wins then came in the rematch at Indianapolis on November 15, as Peyton erased a 23-10 Jets lead with touchdowns in the final sixteen minutes to Marvin Harrison and Marcus Pollard; Testaverde fumbled with 11 seconds to go, ending the Jets' four-game winning streak.
  • The 2002 realignment of the Colts into the new AFC South ironically wound up intensifying the rivalry; the two clubs have met three times in playoff matches beginning in 2002 when the Colts behind Peyton Manning were shut out 41-0 at The Meadowlands. The game led to a public dispute involving kicker Mike Vanderjagt who criticized Manning on Canadian television; it led to an ugly public retort by Manning about Vanderjagt's drinking habits. The Colts then won the 2009 AFC Championship Game 30-17 before falling to the Jets 17-16 in the 2010 wildcard playoffs; it turned out to be Manning’s final game with Indianapolis as he sat out 2011 following neck surgery and was released to sign with the Broncos.
  • Andrew Luck, winless in two previous matches against the Jets and winless against the AFC East since his rookie season, raced Indianapolis to a 41-10 victory on Monday Night Football December 5, 2016. While Luck threw four touchdowns, Ryan Fitzpatrick completed just five passes and an interception while rookie Bryce Petty was picked off twice. The victory was the first for the Colts over the Jets since the 2009 AFC Championship Game.
  • Luck suffered another loss to the Jets on October 14, 2018, 42-34, despite four touchdown throws; Luck was picked off three times and Jets rookie Sam Darnold threw two scores despite being sacked twice.
  • The Jets suffered a 45-30 loss at Lucas Oil Stadium November 4, 2021. The Jets started fourth-year backup Mike White and he completed seven of eleven passes and a first quarter touchdown, but was knocked out with a hand injury in the second quarter. Josh Johnson finished the game and threw three touchdowns while Colts quarterback Carson Wentz threw three touchdowns. The two teams combined for 1,018 yards of offense.

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Minnesota Vikings[edit]

  • Met in Super Bowl IV
  • Chiefs lead overall series 8-4 and Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2023 season

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The highest scoring game in the rivalry came on Saturday, December 20, 2003 at the Metrodome as the high-flying Chiefs were buried 45-20. Onterrio Smith rushed for 146 yards and three touchdowns while Randy Moss caught seven passes for 111 yards and two scores. Trent Green was picked off twice and the loss ruined Kansas City's bid for the number one playoff seed.

Baltimore-Indianapolis Colts vs. Dallas Cowboys[edit]

  • First met in 1960
  • Met in Super Bowl V
  • Cowboys lead overall series 11-6, Colts lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2026 at Indianapolis

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The Cowboys and Colts met three times in the 1960s before the 1970 merger aligned the Colts into the AFC. The Colts won meetings in 1960 and 1967 (by a combined score of 78-24) before the Cowboys won 27-10 in 1969.
  • The 1996 Cowboys were without Michael Irvin, out due to a league-imposed suspension, in Week Three when they hosted a hanged-up Colts team headed by Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh managed two touchdowns, but leading 25-24 the Colts needed to hold off a late Dallas rally. Chris Boniol attempted a 57-yard field goal, but the ball bounced off the crossbar and the Colts were winners; asked what his range was afterward Boniol jokingly said, "Fifty six and a half."
  • The highest-scoring game in the rivalry came on December 5, 2010 at Texas Stadium. Peyton Manning overcame three interceptions (one a Sean Lee pick six) to rally the Colts from down 27-14 against a Cowboys squad led by journeyman Jon Kitna. Kitna, Tashard Choice, and Felix Jones combined for 211 rushing yards, but Manning led a last-minute drive and Javarris James' touchdown with 29 seconds to go tied the game 35-35. In overtime Manning was intercepted by Lee again and the Cowboys won on a 38-yard field goal. Manning's performance came during a stretch where the Colts lost to the Eagles, the Patriots, and the Chargers on Manning interceptions, and following the game Colts play-by-play announcer Bob Lamey was heard criticizing Manning, saying NFL defenses had "figured him out," and that his replacement needed to be drafted in 2011; the date proved prematurely prophetic as Manning sat out 2011 due to offseason neck surgery and his replacement was drafted for 2012 in Andrew Luck.
  • The Colts ended a three-game losing streak in 2018 by shutting out of the Cowboys 23-0. Marlon Mack scored twice and had 139 yards on the ground. Andrew Luck threw for 192 yards while Dak Prescott threw for 206 yards but was picked off once and sacked three times.
  • The Colts were buried 54-19 on December 4, 2022 at AT&T Stadium. The Colts has closed to within 21-19 after three quarters then Matt Ryan threw two picks and the Colts gave up two fumbles; the Cowboys thus scored on all their fourth quarter possessions.

Dallas Cowboys vs. Miami Dolphins[edit]

  • Met in Super Bowl VI
  • Cowboys lead overall series 8-7 and Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2023

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The Cowboys have hosted the Dolphins five times on Thanksgiving. The most famous Thanksgiving meeting came at Texas Stadium in 1993 amid freezing rain that made the playing surface a sheet of snowy ice. The Cowboys led 14-13 late when a Dolphins field goal attempt in the final seconds was blocked; Leon Lett foolishly tried to grab the loose ball and booted it forward, making it live; the Dolphins pounced on it for a first down, then booted the ensuing field goal for the 16-14 win, leaving Lett utterly humiliated. On Thanksgiving 1999 the Dolphins were shut out 20-0, then won 40-21 on Thanksgiving 2003. The Cowboys edged the Dolphins 20-19 on Thanksgiving 2011.
  • The most anticipated meeting came on October 27, 1996 as the Cowboys traveled to Miami Gardens to face their former coach Jimmy Johnson . Johnson had left the Cowboys after two straight championships angered over interference in football operations by team owner Jerry Jones and in two seasons as a studio analyst was critical of how the Cowboys were run under Barry Switzer, but with the Dolphins Johnson could only watch the Cowboys claw to a 29-10 win.

Miami Dolphins vs. Washington Redskins[edit]

Notable Moments[edit]

  • On December 2, 1990 Marino's Dolphins were outclassed 42-20 by Mark Rypien and the Skins. Rypien threw for 245 yards and three touchdowns as Marino compiled just thirteen first downs to 29 for the Skins.
  • The Dolphins won on September 13, 2015, their first road win over the Redskins. The game was tied 10-10 when Jarvis Landry, replacing LaMichael James as primary punt returner, scored on a 69-yard return in the final five minutes.

Miami Dolphins vs. Minnesota Vikings[edit]

Notable Moments[edit]

  • On December 11, 1976 the Vikings avenged their Super Bowl VIII loss to the Dolphins by winning 29-7 at the Orange Bowl. The Vikings put up 407 yards and three touchdowns by Fran Tarkenton despite three fumbles. The Dolphins managed only 188 total yards and Bob Griese was benched after completing just three passes. The loss secured the first losing season for the Dolphins since 1969 and the first under Don Shula.
  • Dan Marino nearly pulled off one of the largest comebacks in NFL history when he erased a 28-0 Vikings lead at the Metrodome on September 25, 1994. Three first-half touchdowns by ex-Oiler Warren Moon plus a Terry Allen score were answered by three Marino scores and a Bernie Parmalee touchdown by the fourth quarter. A Scottie Graham rushing score and a field goal by ex-Dolphin Fuad Reveiz were enough to withstand a late Keith Byars score and a 38-35 Vikings win.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Minnesota Vikings[edit]

  • First met in 1962
  • Met in Super Bowl IX
  • Vikings lead regular season series 10-9; Steelers lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2025 season.

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The very first meeting between the two teams, on November 4, 1962 at Forbes Field, remains one of the highest scoring games in the rivalry. Second-year quarterback Fran Tarkenton threw for 273 yards and four touchdowns while Bobby Layne threw for 254 yards but was intercepted once. Layne and four Steelers backs rushed for 212 yards and four touchdowns as the Vikings erased 14-0 and 26-14 gaps and the game lead tied or changed five times, but the Steelers took the win 39-31 in the fourth quarter.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys[edit]

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The very first meeting, on September 24, 1960 at the Cotton Bowl, was a 35-28 Steelers win. The Cowboys raced to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and a 21-7 lead in the second, but Bobby Layne threw for 288 yards and four touchdowns. Eddie LeBaron of the Cowboys answered with 345 yards and three touchdowns but was intercepted three times.
  • The Cowboys have been the only team in the rivalry to break 40 points scored, doing so on October 21, 1962 (42-27 win at Forbes Field) and October 30, 1966 at the Cotton Bowl (52-21 win).
  • The Cowboys and rookie sensations Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott led a wild 35-30 Cowboys victory on November 13, 2016 in which the game lead changed seven times, four times in the fourth quarter and three times in the final two minutes. Antonio Brown caught the go-ahead touchdown with 42 seconds to go but a two-point try failed; the Steelers never once used Chris Boswell for a PAT in four tries even with two successful field goals in three tries. Prescott then completed three passes for 28 yards and a facemask penalty on Sean Davis put the ball at the Steelers 32; from there Elliott exploded to the winning touchdown with nine seconds to go.
  • Thr Steelers remained undefeated in their 2020 season in a 24-19 win at Dallas on November 8, 2020. Forced to start rookie Garrett Gilbert at quarterback, the Cowboys clawed to a 19-9 lead after three quarters. But Ben Roethlisberger led the Steelers to fifteen unanswered points in the fourth.

Oakland Raiders vs. Minnesota Vikings[edit]

  • First met in 1973
  • Met in Super Bowl XI
  • Raiders lead series 10-6 and Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2023

Notable Moments[edit]

  • On November 18, 2007 at the Metrodome former Viking Daunte Culpepper threw for 344 yards and a touchdown for the Raiders while Chester Taylor rushed for 164 yards and three touchdowns for the Vikings as the Vikings edged the Raiders 29-22. Sidney Rice threw two passes for 94 yards.
  • The Vikings trounced the Raiders 30-14 on November 15, 2015 as Adrian Peterson erupted to 200 rushing yards, 80 of them coming on a touchdown run following a 93-yard Cordarelle Patterson kick-return touchdown. Derek Carr of the Raiders had two touchdowns.

Dallas Cowboys vs. Denver Broncos[edit]

  • First met in 1973
  • Met in Super Bowl XII
  • Broncos lead overall series 9-4, Cowboys lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2025

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The Broncos have won all three meetings in which one team scored at least 40 points. The highest scoring meeting was on October 6, 2013 at AT&T Stadium. Peyton Manning erased a 14-0 gap in the first quarter and the Broncos led 28-17 (Manning ran in a touchdown to reach this score; it was his first rushing score since 2008) and 35-20, but Tony Romo erupted; the two quarterbacks combined for 884 passing yards and nine touchdowns. Romo's touchdown to Cole Beasley put the Cowboys up 48-41 in the final seven minutes, but Manning led a drive ending in a Knowshon Moreno score with 2:39 to go. Romo then threw an interception at his own 24-yard line; the Broncos ate up the clock and Matt Prater's 28-yard field goal won the game 51-48 for the Broncos. It was the fifth straight win for the Broncos and first win for Manning over the Cowboys after a bitter 2010 loss.
  • The two teams are periodic preseason rivals. On August 26, 1989 the Broncos hosted the Cowboys and first-year head coach Jimmy Johnson, who was facing former Cowboys player Dan Reeves. John Elway played the entire game with 26 completions of 50 passes; a late touchdown forced overtime and the Broncos ultimately won 24-21.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland/Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams[edit]

  • First met in 1938 as Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Rams
  • Met in Super Bowl XIV
  • Rams lead overall series 15-10-2, Steelers lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2023 season

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The last tie between the two came on November 13, 1949 at 7-7.
  • Only three shutouts have been recorded. The first was a 24-0 Steelers win on November 29, 1981. The other two were both by 27-0 scores - a Rams win in Los Angeles on September 12, 1993 and a Steelers win on Christmas Eve 2011.
  • The Rams' lone win as a St. Louis team came on October 26, 2003 at Heinz Field. Marc Bulger threw for 375 yards while reserve back Arlen Harris rushed for three touchdowns. Tommy Maddox was intercepted three times in the 33-21 Rams win.

Oakland Raiders vs. Philadelphia Eagles[edit]

  • First met in 1971
  • Met in Super Bowl XV
  • Series ties 7-7, Raiders lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2025

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The highest scoring meeting came at O.co Coliseum on November 3, 2013. Nick Foles exploded to 406 passing yards and seven touchdowns in throwing just 28 passes with 22 completions. Terrell Pryor managed 288 yards but was benched for Matt McGloin as the Eagles won 49-20.
  • The Eagles secured the top seed in the NFC playoffs for 2017 on Christmas Day with a 19-10 win at Lincoln Financial Field, despite over six turnovers combined between the two clubs. A Derek Carr interception in the final minute set up the winning field goal, then a Raiders fumble was run back for the final score.
  • The Raiders won 33-22 at Las Vegas in the second straight win for interim coach Rich Bisaccia.

San Francisco 49ers vs. Cincinnati Bengals[edit]

Notable Moments[edit]

  • Steve Young authored one of his biggest comeback wins on October 20, 1996 after the Bengals raced to a 21-0 lead on three Jeff Blake touchdowns. Young was intercepted three times and Elvis Grbac had to come in in the second quarter; despite a pick himself he threw a 17-yard touchdown to Ted Popson. Young came back in in the third quarter, where Popson caught a 39-yard score, then rookie Terrell Owens caught a 45-yard touchdown, and Young ran in the winning score himself, a 28-21 Niners win.
  • Before the Bengals' 24-14 win in 2015, Cincinnati's last win in the series had come in a 41-38 shootout on December 14, 2003 at Paul Brown Stadium. Rudi Johnson led a Bengals ground game that consumed 225 yards and two touchdowns from Johnson, while Jon Kitna threw for 189 yards and two scores. The Niners fumbled three times and Kevan Barlow scored for the Bengals on one.
  • The Niners won in overtime December 12, 2021 at Cincinnati 26-23 despite two Joe Burrow touchdowns in the fourth that forced overtime. The Bengals kicked a field goal after driving 52 yards; the Niners then drove 75 yards and Brandon Aiyuk caught Jimmy Garoppolo’s game winning touchdown just past overtime’s two minute warning.

Oakland Raiders vs. Washington Redskins[edit]

  • First met in 1970
  • Met in Super Bowl XVIII
  • Raiders lead series 8-6, lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2021 NFL Season

Notable Moments[edit]

  • Both clubs established themselves as high-scoring machines for the 1983 season on October 2 at RFK Stadium. Jim Plunkett and Joe Theismann combined for 789 passing yards and seven touchdowns despite four Plunkett INTs. A Greg Pruitt punt-return touchdown put the Raiders up 35-20, but from there Theismann exploded the Skins to two touchdowns and a Mark Moseley field goal, and a 37-35 Redskins win.

San Francisco 49ers vs. Miami Dolphins[edit]

Notable Moments[edit]

  • Miami's run of consecutive wins that began at the start of 1972 reached eighteen with a 21-13 win over the 49ers at the Orange Bowl on September 16, 1973. The Dolphins won despite two fumbles and two Bob Griese interceptions.
  • The Super Bowl was San Francisco's first ever win over the Dolphins. The Niners' first regular-season win came on September 29, 1986 as Jeff Kemp and four Niners backs combined for 146 rushing yards with 168 passing yards by Kemp in a 31-16 win. Dan Marino had one touchdown (a 14-yarder to Mark Gregory Clayton) but was intercepted four times, including a 66-yard pick-six by Tom Holmoe; Marino was benched and Don Strock got Miami's only other touchdown, a nine-yarder to Nat Moore.
  • The Dolphins in 2016 overcame a 1-4 start to win five games entering their November 27 matchup with the 1-9 49ers at Hard Rock Stadium. Colin Kaepernick of the Niners threw three touchdowns with an interception and 296 yards while accounting for 113 of San Francisco's 193 rushing yards. Ryan Tannehill matched Kaepernick's three scores as the Dolphins led 31-14 in the fourth, but after two scoring drives put the Niners within 31-24 San Francisco got the ball back; Kaepernick completed a 17-yard pass on 4th and 11 to get to Miami territory and the Niners reached Miami's 6-yard line with five seconds to go; a Kaepernick run was stopped at the one-yard line and Miami had the 31-24 win.

Chicago Bears vs. New England Patriots[edit]

Notable Moments[edit]

  • On November 10, 2002 Tom Brady authored New England's biggest comeback since Drew Bledsoe erased a 21-point gap to Peyton Manning's Colts in 1999. Playing at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, IL due to lengthy renovations at Soldier Field, the Bears raced to a 27-6 lead in the fourth quarter. Kevin Faulk caught two touchdowns around two Adam Vinatieri kicks, then with 1:21 to go Bryan Robinson intercepted Brady, bobbled the ball, and Brady swatted it out of his hands; the play was initially ruled a fumble recovered by the Bears, but after the replay assistant challenged the call, it went to review and Bob McElwee overturned the call. The Patriots then scored on a 26-yard catch by David Patten; the play went to review when it appeared Patten stepped out of bounds, but replay showed he dragged his foot inbounds before falling out of the endzone, and the score (and 33-30 win) stood.
  • The Patriots edged the Bears 17-13 on November 26, 2006 at Gillette Stadium in the first game since the stadium surface was replaced with Field Turf. The two teams combined for nine turnovers and 676 yards of offense as Asante Samuel intercepted three Rex Grossman passes, the first Patriot with three picks since Roland James against the Bills in 1983. The most notable play was a first-down run in the fourth quarter by Brady in which he faked out Brian Urlacher. Another bizarre sequence occurred in the second half on an exchange of three turnovers, the first a double fumble by Troy Brown and Reche Caldwell, followed by a Grossman interception by Samuel, then a Brady pass tipped and intercepted. The game was decided after the two minute warning; Corey Dillon fumbled at the Bears 25, but Grossman’s ensuing pass was intercepted by Samuel.
  • In 2018 the Patriots traveled to Soldier Field following a 43-40 triumph over Kansas City, where they faced the Chiefs' former offensive coordinator Matt Nagy in his first year as Bears head coach. Nagy's Bears made the game competitive, storming to a 17-7 lead in the second before the Patriots outscored them 31-14 the rest of the way; Cordarelle Patterson scored on a kick return while Kyle Van Noy scored on a blocked punt. Mitchell Trubisky rushed for 81 yards and a touchdown while throwing for 333 yards and two scores with two interceptions. Tom Brady threw for 277 yards, 100 of them to recently-acquired ex-Brown Josh Gordon, with scores to James White and Julian Edelman.
  • The two clubs have met in the preseason three times, most recently August 18, 2016 at Gillette Stadium; the game was won by the Patriots 23-22. The stories of the week, though, centered on inter-team scrimmages between the Patriots and Bears; several fights erupted between Patriot and Bear players, notably Malcolm Butler, Alshon Jeffrey, Bryan Stork, and Akiem Hicks. Tom Brady was slated to play in the game but cut his thumb two hours before and was scratched.

New York Giants vs. Denver Broncos[edit]

  • First met in 1972
  • Met in Super Bowl XXI
  • Series tied 6-6, NY Giants lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2021 NFL Season

Notable Moments[edit]

  • John Elway's only career win over the Giants was a 27-13 win that came on Sunday Night Football, November 15, 1992 at Mile High Stadium. Elway threw only nine passes with a touchdown and a pick and was replaced by young Tommy Maddox, who threw thirteen passes. Gaston Green led a Broncos rushing attack that grabbed 149 yards while the Giants rushed for 120 with just 71 yards in the air.
  • On September 15, 2013 Peyton Manning faced off against his brother Eli for the third and final career time, finishing 3-0 in the sibling rivalry with a 41-23 triumph. Peyton led a Broncos attack that gained 414 yards while Eli was intercepted four times.

Washington Redskins vs. Denver Broncos[edit]

  • First met in 1970
  • Met in Super Bowl XXII
  • Series tied 7-7, Redskins lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2021

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The Broncos edged the Skins on a rare Saturday NFL game, on December 13, 1986 at Mile High Stadium, 31-30. Jay Schroeder threw two touchdowns and also two interceptions as the Broncos behind John Elway's 282 passing yards and two touchdowns (one on the ground) outscored the Skins 31-17 after Washington took a 13-0 lead.

San Francisco 49ers vs. Denver Broncos[edit]

  • First met in 1970
  • Met in Super Bowl XXIV
  • Overall series tied 7-7, 49ers lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2022 season

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The closest game between the two was a 36-34 Niners win on September 23, 1973 at Mile High Stadium. Charley Johnson overcame five interceptions to lead the Broncos to a 34-33 lead late in the fourth quarter, before Bruce Gossett booted the winning 39-yard field goal. John Brodie led five Niners players who rushed for 135 yards and three touchdowns while throwing for 164 yards and a pick.
  • The Niners hosted the Broncos on September 15, 2002 but fell 24-14 as Mike Anderson led five Broncos backs rushing for 201 yards. Jeff Garcia tossed an eight-yard score to Terrell Owens, who faked out two defenders to reach the endzone, and rushed in a one-yard score late in the fourth, but could not overcome a costly interception.
  • On December 31, 2006 the Broncos at 9-6 hosted the 6-9 49ers needing a win to make the playoffs. Rookie Jay Cutler overcame two INTs to tie the game 23-23 in the final 1:30, but could not move the ball in overtime and the Niners won on a late Joe Nedney kick, 26-23.
  • In 2018 the 49ers struggled following season-ending injury to Jimmy Garoppolo; their third win of the year came against the Broncos on December 9 with Nick Mullens, who'd been signed, cut, then re-signed by the Niners over two seasons. In this game Mullens threw for 332 yards and two touchdowns in a 20-14 win. Broncos quarterback Case Keenum managed a late touchdown to DaeSean Hamilton.

New York Giants vs. Buffalo Bills[edit]

  • First met in 1970
  • Met in Super Bowl XXV
  • Giants lead overall series 7-6, lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2019 NFL season

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The highest-scoring matchup took place on November 26, 1978 at Rich Stadium one week after the Miracle At The Meadowlands. Terry Miller and Roland Hooks combined for 323 rushing yards and three touchdowns as the Bills erased a 17-7 gap in the third with five unanswered touchdowns and a 41-17 Buffalo win. Joe Pisarcik threw for 230 yards and two scores while Joe Ferguson threw just fifteen passes with nine completions and 106 yards.
  • The most recent Buffalo win in the series came on November 30, 2003 as Drew Bledsoe threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns while Travis Henry rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown.

Washington Redskins vs. Buffalo Bills[edit]

  • First met in 1972
  • Met in Super Bowl XXVI
  • Bills lead overall series 9-5, Redskins lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting September 26, 2021 at Orchard Park, NY

Notable Moments[edit]

  • Since losing the Superbowl to the Redskins the Bills won seven of the next eight meetings, six of them straight. On Halloween Eve 2011 the Bills shut out the Skins 23-0 at Ralph Wilson Stadium. John Beck threw for 208 yards but was picked off twice. The Bills behind Fred Jackson rushed for 138 yards while Ryan Fitzpatrick had 262 yards in the air and two scores.
  • Kirk Cousins erupted to four touchdowns as the Redskins defeated the Bills 35-25 on December 20, 2015. The Skins raced to a 21-0 halftime lead and never looked back despite 25 second-half points from Buffalo. The Bills had more rushing yards (240) than Tyrod Taylor had passing yards (235) - 79 of Buffalo's yards on the ground came from Taylor, who was also sacked five times.

Dallas Cowboys vs. Buffalo Bills[edit]

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The highest scoring meeting remains the very first meeting, September 19, 1971's 49-37 Cowboys win at War Memorial Stadium in Buffalo. Craig Morton threw just fourteen passes while Dan Reeves, Calvin Hill, and Walt Garrison combined for 169 rushing yards and five touchdowns, four of them by Hill. Dennis Shaw of the Bills had 353 passing yards and four touchdowns but was picked off three times.
  • Buffalo authored a grinder of a win on September 22, 1996. Todd Collins had to start for injured Jim Kelly but was knocked out of the game as Troy Aikman was intercepted three times and suffered a late ankle injury in the 10-7 Bills win.
  • Buffalo rushed for 236 yards and touchdowns from Karlos Williams and Mike Gillislee for a 16-6 win over the Cowboys on December 27, 2015. Kellen Moore was the latest in a string of Cowboys starting quarterbacks for that season but failed to reach 200 passing yards and was picked once.
  • The Bills beat the Cowboys yet again on Thanksgiving 2019, 26-15. The loss accelerated controversy over unpopular Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, who was fired following the season.

San Francisco 49ers vs. San Diego Chargers[edit]

  • First met in 1972.
  • Met in Super Bowl XXIX
  • Chargers lead overall series 9-7, Niners lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2022 NFL season

Notable Moments[edit]

  • Dan Fouts won all three career meetings with the Niners. In the strike-shortened 1982 season Fouts led the Chargers to a 41-37 win on December 11 at Candlestick Park. The lame duck champion Niners put up 465 yards of offense but two Joe Montana interceptions aided the Chargers as Fouts put up 444 yards and five touchdowns, three of them to Wes Chandler.
  • One of the wildest games of the rivalry occurred on December 20, 2014 at the new Levi Stadium in Santa Clara. The Niners, their season in freefall after three straight losses, raced to a 28-7 lead at halftime, but the Chargers, themselves struggling after two straight losses, began storming back, first with an Antonio Gates touchdown catch followed by a strip-sack of Colin Kaepernick recovered for a Chargers touchdown by Corey Liuget. Kaepernick regained momentum on the next Niners series as he exploded through the Chargers defense on a 90-yard touchdown run. That, though, was the last the Niners would see of the lead as Philip Rivers touchdowns tied the game, and in overtime Eric Weddle forced a Quinton Patton fumble and Nick Novak booted the winning field goal, a 38-35 Chargers win that ended any playoff hopes for the now-7-8 Niners.
  • The Chargers, in their second year in Los Angeles after 56 years in San Diego, edged the 49ers 29-27 at StubHub Center on September 30, 2018. The Niners jumped to a 14-0 lead and the game lead had changed four times after Caleb Sturgis booted a short field goal in the final eight minutes. C. J. Beathard threw for 298 yards but was intercepted in the final three minutes, ending San Francisco chances. Philip Rivers threw for 250 yards and three touchdowns, one to ageless Antonio Gates.

Green Bay Packers vs. New England Patriots[edit]

  • First met in 1972
  • Met in Super Bowl XXXI
  • Patriots lead overall series 6-5, Packers lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2022 NFL season

Notable Moments[edit]

  • New England's first win in the series came in the first meeting, on November 18, 1973 at Schaefer Stadium. A Ken Ellis pick six off Jim Plunkett put the Packers up 24-9, but Plunkett responded with three touchdowns, one a one-yard rushing score, for a 33-24 Patriots win.
  • The series' only shutout was a 35-0 Patriots win at Lambeau on November 19, 2006. Tom Brady connected on four touchdowns, one a 54-yard score to Reche Caldwell, while Brett Favre was knocked out of the game with a hand injury; second-year quarterback Aaron Rodgers managed just 43 yards of offense with eight incompletions.

Denver Broncos vs. Green Bay Packers[edit]

  • First met in 1971
  • Met in Super Bowl XXXII
  • Overall series tied 7-7-1; Broncos lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2023 season

Notable Moments[edit]

  • On December 8, 1996 the 12-1 Broncos were crushed 41-6 at Lambeau Field by the Packers. Brett Favre threw four touchdowns while John Elway did not play; Bill Musgrave started in his stead and managed just 101 yards; the entire Broncos offense was shut down to the tune of 199 total yards and fumbled three times; Don Beebe scored on a goalline fumble for the Packers.
  • On October 17, 1999 at Mile High Stadium Brian Griese had three touchdowns, one of them on the ground, while Brett Favre threw three picks and managed just seven completions; the Packers were outgained 133 to 514 yards and were soundly beaten 31-10.
  • The Broncos ended a three-game losing streak to the Packers on Sunday Night Football on November 1, 2015 at Denver. Peyton Manning threw for 340 yards and Denver backs rushed for 160 yards and three touchdowns. Aaron Rodgers was limited to 77 passing yards and coughed up a safety to Malik Jackson in the fourth quarter. The Broncos stayed unbeaten to that point of the season, winning 29-10. The loss continued a career trend for Rodgers; on September 23, 2013 ESPN published data showing Rodgers had failed to win 24 games in 29 tries when he had to stage a fourth-quarter comeback, data furthering data published before the 2012 season by the Cold Hard Football Facts website showing consistent inability by Rodgers to lead any kind of comeback effort.

Denver Broncos vs. Atlanta Falcons[edit]

  • First met in 1970
  • Met in Super Bowl XXXIII
  • Broncos lead overall series 8-7, lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2024 season

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The Falcons lost all five meetings in the John Elway era. The only competitive meeting in that span was on November 20, 1994 as Jeff George threw four touchdowns and led the Falcons to a 28-17 lead, but John Elway led the Broncos back with two touchdowns, the second on the ground at the two-minute warning, and a two-point throw. George's comeback attempt went nowhere with four straight incompletions.
  • The Falcons defeated the Broncos 23-16 and ended Denver's early winning streak in the 2016 season. The game was the first start for rookie Paxton Lynch.

Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams vs. Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans[edit]

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The Rams won 10-6 over the Oilers on September 24, 1978 in a game that featured one of the signature plays of rookie running back Earl Campbell's career; he drilled head-first into Rams linebacker Isiah Robertson on a 15-yard run to the Rams 6-yard line at the start of the fourth quarter.
  • Former Titans coach Jeff Fisher met the Titans for the only time as Rams coach on November 3, 2013 and saw the Titans' Jake Locker return from injury and lead a 28-21 Titans win where the game lead tied or changed on every score. Locker, Chris Johnson, and Shonn Greene combined for 198 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Rams rookie Zac Stacy also sparkled with 188 combined yards of offense and two touchdowns. The game was decided in the final five minutes; a Locker interception was followed by a Kellen Clemens fumble and subsequent Johnson go-ahead touchdown.
  • Jeff Fisher was coach of the Houston Oilers when they moved to become the Tennessee Titans by way of a two-year period in temporary homes in Tennessee. In 2016 he coached the Rams and once again faced a franchise relocation, but was fired after thirteen games.
  • The Titans and Rams authored a trade of Tennessee's number one pick in the 2016 draft. The Rams used it to draft quarterback Jared Goff.
  • Goff threw for 301 yards but it was Todd Gurley who stole the show on Christmas Eve 2017 as he piled up 276 all-purpose yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns, one an 80-yard catch and run. The game lead tied or changed seven times as a late Marcus Mariota drive failed at the 50. The 27-23 Rams win gave them their first NFC West title since 2003 and first as a Los Angeles team since 1979, while the Titans fell to 8-7 after starting 8-4; a subsequent win over the Jaguars put the Titans in the playoffs.

Baltimore Ravens vs. New York Giants[edit]

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The closest meeting to date came on September 14, 1997. The Giants raced to a 23-14 lead but the Ravens scored on a Vinny Testaverde touchdown with 7:08 to go; the Giants missed a field goal attempt with three minutes to go and the Ravens drove down the field for Matt Stover's 37-yard game winner with 34 seconds to go, ending a 24-23 Ravens win; it was only the sixth win for the Ravens franchise since the club's controversial birth in 1996.
  • New York's first win in the rivalry came in 2008, 30-10; the Giants limited the Ravens to just 275 yards of offense and intercepted rookie Joe Flacco twice. The Giants shot down Flacco again on October 16, 2016. The Ravens took the lead 23-20 in the final three minutes but Eli Manning scored on a 66-yard strike to Odell Beckham Jr.; a roughing the passer penalty on the Giants didn't help Flacco as he failed to complete his last seven passes of the game.

New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams[edit]

  • First met in 1974 (as Patriots and Los Angeles Rams)
  • Met in Super Bowl XXXVI (St. Louis) and Super Bowl LIII (Los Angeles)
  • Patriots lead overall series 7-6, lead Superbowls 2-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2024 season

Notable Moments[edit]

  • On November 16, 1986 at Anaheim Stadium the Patriots rallied from down 28-16 with two fourth-quarter touchdowns, one a deflected 25-yard pass caught for the winning score by Irving Fryar; Tony Eason overcame two INTs for the two winning scores, part of 375 total yards on his part.
  • The Patriots won 40-22 at the Edward Jones Dome on November 7, 2004 in the two clubs' first meeting since the Superbowl and what turned out to be their final meeting in St. Louis. Receiver Troy Brown was pressed into emergency service as a defensive back and defended three passes; he also caught a touchdown on a fake field goal by Adam Vinatieri.
  • Tom Brady set the NFL record for all-time quarterback wins in New England's 26-10 win on December 4, 2016. It was the first game against the Rams as a Los Angeles team since 1992; head coach Jeff Fisher was fired the next week. Rookie quarterback Jared Goff was ineffective, completing just fourteen of 32 passes with two interceptions; the entire Rams offense managed only seven first downs.
  • Rookie Rams back Cam Akers rushed for 171 yards - fourth highest single-game total for a Rams rookie - in the team’s 24-3 defeat of the Patriots on December 10, 2020. Patriots quarterback Cam Newton, under fire for poor play most of the season, threw for 119 yards but was intercepted once.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Oakland Raiders[edit]

  • First met in 1976
  • Met in Super Bowl XXXVII
  • Raiders lead overall series 6-4, Buccaneers lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2024

Notable Moments[edit]

  • Tampa Bay's first win over the Raiders came on November 10, 1996 at Tampa Stadium. The Raiders clawed to a 17-10 lead before Trent Dilfer completed a two-yard score to Mike Alstott. With the game tied 17-17 Cole Ford missed a short field goal in the final seconds and the game went to overtime. After an exchange of punts the Bucs drove to the Raiders 5-yard line and Michael Husted booted the winning field goal, a 20-17 overtime final.
  • The Bucs' 2008 season collapsed from a 9-4 start and in Week 17 the Bucs fell to the Raiders 31-24. The Bucs jumped to a 24-14 lead before the Raiders erupted with 17 unanswered points. The Bucs' final drive ended when Jeff Garcia was sacked on consecutive plays and the clock ran out.
  • The Raiders pulled off one of the wildest wins of the 2016 season on October 30; overcoming 23 penalties (a league record) for 200 yards and the game lead tying or changing three times on three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, Derek Carr set a Raiders record at 513 passing yards. In overtime Sebastian Janikowski missed a 52-yard field goal attempt, but after three successive punts Carr drove the Raiders to the Bucs 41 and unloaded a deep touchdown pass to Seth Roberts; the 30-24 overtime win put the Raiders at 6-2 on their way to their first playoff season since losing to the Bucs in 2002's championship game.

New England Patriots vs. Carolina Panthers[edit]

  • First met in 1995
  • Met in Super Bowl XXXVIII
  • Panthers lead series 4-3, Patriots lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2021

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The first meeting, on October 29, 1995, ended in a 20-17 overtime win for the first-year Panthers. Carolina scored 17 points in the third quarter, twice on Kerry Collins touchdowns, but two Curtis Martin scores tied the game in the fourth; the second touchdown came with 52 seconds left. After John Kasay missed a 39-yard field goal attempt the game went into overtime; a short Pat O'Neill to the Patriots 32-yard line punt led to four straight Derrick Moore runs and the winning Kasay field goal.
  • New England's first win came in the final week of their 2001 season. Despite only 298 yards of offense the Patriots won 38-6 as Chris Weinke threw three picks (two of them were run back for touchdowns, one a 46-yard score by Ty Law, the other a 76-yard score for Otis Smith) and Troy Brown ran back a 68-yard punt-return score.
  • The two teams met on October 1, 2017 having posted back-to-back Superbowl trips - Carolina in Super Bowl 50 and New England in Super Bowl LI. The Panthers stormed to a 30-16 lead but Tom Brady led two touchdown drives for the tie. Cam Newton was sacked on third down but Stephon Gilmore was flagged for a personal foul and the first down led to the winning field goal; the 33-30 win left Newton 2-0 against the Patriots.
  • Gilmore was traded to the Panthers four years later and his Panthers were shot down by the Patriots 24-6 on November 7, 2021. Rookie Mac Jones had one touchdown but also an interception and just 139 yards passing; the Panthers had signed former NY Jet Sam Darnold for the season but he was intercepted three times.

New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles[edit]

  • First met in 1973
  • Met in Super Bowls XXXIX and LII
  • Eagles lead overall series 6-4, Superbowls tied 1-1
  • Next scheduled meeting 2027 season

Notalble Moments[edit]

  • Randall Cunningham and Tom Ramsey combined for five touchdowns on November 29, 1987 at Sullivan Stadium as the Eagles raced to a 31-10 lead in the fourth quarter; Ramsey overcame two INTs and two fumbles to throw for 402 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, then run in the tying score to force overtime. The Eagles drove down and booted the winning field goal, a 34-31 final, in the extra quarter.
  • The Patriots ended a five-game losing streak spanning a quarter-century (their last win over Philly coming in 1978) with a 31-10 win at Lincoln Financial Field. The win came in a 4 PM start after the Patriots heard ESPN's pregame show where Tom Jackson asserted "They hate their coach" but without effort at verification on his part. The comment angered Patriots officials.
  • Tim Tebow played in the preseason in separate seasons for both clubs. In 2013 he debuted with the Patriots in their game at the Eagles.
  • Maia Chaka debuted as one of the NFL's first female referees as part of John Parry's crew officiating 2014's preseason meeting at Gillette Stadium between the Patriots and Eagles; the Patriots held on to a 42-35 win in a game where over twenty penalties were called and the frequency of penalty flags came under media criticism.
  • The Eagles ended their losing streak to the Patriots on December 6, 2015, winning 35-28, scoring on a 100-yard interception return, off a blocked field goal kick, and on a punt return.
  • The Patriots ended their own two-game losing streak to the Eagles 17-10 at Lincoln Financial Field on November 17, 2019. The Patriots offense had been deteriorating in effectiveness the previous few weeks and Tom Brady managed just 216 yards while Julian Edelman managed New England's only touchdown, a fifteen-yard throw to Phillip Dorsett.
  • The two teams meet in the preseason on a regular basis. On August 19 the Patriots won 35-0 at Philadelphia. Cam Newton completed eight passes and a touchdown to Jakobi Meyers while Rhamondre Stevenson had two rushing scores. Rookie Mac Jones completed thirteen passes.[2]
  • Jones fared less well in Week One of the 2023 season as a late rally fell short in a 25-20 Eagles win. Jones produced only three of thirteen possessions that ended in points; three of his final four possessions were stopped on downs.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Seattle Seahawks[edit]

  • First met in 1977
  • Met in Super Bowl XL
  • Overall series tied 10-10, Steelers lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2025


Notable Moments[edit]

  • Seattle's first win over the Steelers came on November 8, 1981 at the Kingdome. The Steelers raced to a 21-3 lead in the second on touchdowns by Franco Harris and Sidney Thornton and a 90-yard Mark Malone catch, but from there the Seahawks scored on a 44-yard Jim Zorn touchdown throw and two Theotis Brown rushing scores. Terry Bradshaw was picked off twice and the Steelers were penalized ten times for 75 yards.
  • The Seahawks ended a three-game losing streak, two of them shutout losses, in the series with a 39-30 win on November 29, 2015. Russell Wilson threw for five touchdowns while Ben Roethlisberger threw for 456 yards but was intercepted twice. Landry Jones threw four passes in the game and was picked twice.
  • The Seahawks followed this up in 2019 with a 28-26 win at Heinz Field. Injury sidelined Roethlisberger after he completed just eight of fifteen passes, so Mason Rudolph took over as starter. Rudolph overcame a pick to throw two fourth-quarter scores but the Seahawks ate up the game's final 5:34 to win.

Indianapolis Colts vs. Chicago Bears[edit]

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The two teams swapped mammoth shutouts in a three-season span in the early 1960s. On November 25, 1962 at War Memorial Stadium in Baltimore the Bears sacked John Unitas four times and limited the Colts to just 118 yards of offense while exploding to a 57-0 win with eight touchdowns and 505 yards, 407 of them in the air as Bill Wade and Rudy Bukich combined for four touchdowns and Wade, Joe Marconi, Charlie Bivins, and Rick Casares added four scores on the ground. Two years later on September 27, 1964 the Colts erupted; Unitas had three touchdown throws and Gary Cuozzo added a fourth; five Colts backs rushed for over 200 yards and three more touchdowns as the Colts won 52-0.
  • The closest game between the two happened on November 5, 2000 at Soldier Field. The Bears raced to a 27-0 lead but Peyton Manning put 24 points on the board, sixteen of them in the fourth quarter; an onside kick by the Colts was recovered by Danny Kight but Manning was strip-sacked by Roosevelt Colvin, ending the game a 27-24 Bears win.
  • The Colts won 29-23 on October 9, 2016 despite 397 yards from Brian Hoyer; the Colts rallied from down 23-19 in the fourth quarter with ten unanswered points.

New York Giants vs. New England Patriots[edit]

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The Giants won 24-20 on November 6, 2011 in the first meeting between the two teams since Super Bowl XLII. The Giants led 10-0 in the third quarter before the two teams combined for 31 fourth-quarter points. A pass interference penalty on Sergio Brown with 35 seconds to go put the Giants at the Patriots 1-yard line for the winning score.
  • The Patriots ended a three-game losing streak to the Giants on November 15, 2015 27-26 on a 54-yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal with one second left. It was the fourth road win in five trips to New York by the Patriots and the highest scoring game in the series since the 2007 regular season finale.
  • The two teams are regular contestants in preseason and will face each other again to wrap up the 2019 preseason. One of the more notable preseason matches came in 2013 as Tim Tebow threw two touchdowns to Quentin Sims; they would be his final snaps with the Patriots as he was cut after preseason. In 2017 Jacoby Brissett erupted, erasing a 34-14 Giants lead. The game lead changed four times in the final quarter as a last-second Giants field goal won it 40-38. Brissett's performance led to his trade to the Indianapolis Colts following the game.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Chicago/St. Louis/Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals[edit]

  • First met in 1933 (as Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cardinals)
  • Met in Super Bowl XLIII
  • Steelers lead overall series 35-23-3, lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2023 season

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The last tie between the two teams came on November 10, 1968 at Busch Stadium. The Steelers raced to a 21-0 halftime lead before Jim Hart exploded to three touchdowns in the third quarter. Johnny Roland's 1-yard run ended scoring at 28-28.
  • The Steelers have won eight of eleven meetings since the 1970 merger.

New Orleans Saints vs. Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts[edit]

  • First met in 1967
  • Met in Super Bowl XLIV
  • Saints lead overall series 9-5, lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2023 season

Notable Moments[edit]

Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers[edit]

  • First met in 1933 (as Pittsburgh Pirates)
  • Met in Super Bowl XLV
  • Packers lead overall series 19-16, lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2025

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The Packers won sixteen times over the Steelers through the 1970 season. The closest meetings in that span were a 35-33 Packers win in 1951 and a 38-34 win in 1969.
  • The Steelers sandwiched two shootout wins over the Packers around the clubs' Super Bowl meeting. On December 20, 2009 at Heinz Field the game lead changed four times in the fourth quarter as the Packers scored 22 fourth-quarter points for a 36-30 lead, but Ben Roethlisberger rallied the Steelers in the final two minutes and his 19-yard score on the final play won the game 37-36 for Pittsburgh. Four years later on December 22, 2013 at Lambeau Field the Steelers outscored the Packers 28-17 in the second half; Matt Flynn rallied the Packers from down 31-21 to tie the game, but fumbled inside his own red zone at the two-minute warning and the Steelers scored the winning touchdown with 1:25 to go (38-31 win for Pittsburgh).
  • The Steelers hosted the Packers on November 26, 2017 and the game turned into yet another shootout. This time Aaron Rodgers could not participate, out with injury, so Brett Hundley took over under center and threw for three touchdowns despite being sacked four times. The game lead tied or changed six times before Chris Boswell booted a 53-yard field goal on the final play and a 31-28 Steelers win.

Baltimore Ravens vs. San Francisco 49ers[edit]

  • First met in 1996
  • Met in Super Bowl XLVII
  • Ravens lead overall series 3-2, lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2023 season

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The first meeting between the two teams came on November 17, 1996, a week after the 49ers were upset by the Cowboys in a game where Elvis Grbac, coming in after Steve Young was benched with a concussion, was viciously criticized for a late interception. Against the 3-7 Ravens, who'd only beaten teams in the Western divisions of both NFL conferences to that point, Grbac struggled with two INTs but rallied to lead two touchdown drives, one ending in his one-yard rushing score, to go with a Chris Doleman goalline fumble recovery and a 38-20 Niners win.
  • Thanksgiving night 2011 was "The Harbaugh Bowl" as Ravens coach John Harbaugh faced twin brother Jim Harbaugh in Jim's first year as Niners coach. The Niners were a surprising 9-1 entering the game with the Ravens 7-3. The game saw five field goals and a Dennis Pitta touchdown catch as the Ravens won 16-6. The two teams combined for just 423 yards of offense.
  • On December 1, 2019 the 9-2 Ravens, surging under second-year running quarterback Lamar Jackson, hosted the 10-1 Niners in the first full season of Jimmy Garoppolo. The two quarterbacks combined for just 270 net passing yards in steady rain but the Ravens won 20-17 on Justin Tucker’s 49-yard field goal in the final three seconds.

Denver Broncos vs. Seattle Seahawks[edit]

  • First met in 1977
  • Met in Super Bowl XLVIII
  • Broncos lead overall series 35-21, Seahawks lead playoff/Superbowl series 2-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2026 NFL season

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The two teams were AFC West rivals for 25 seasons starting in 1977 until divisional realignment put the Seahawks into the NFC West, where they had played their inaugural season.
  • The tightest game in the rivalry's history came on September 23, 1979 at Mile High Stadium. The Seahawks, looking for their first win in the rivalry, exploded to 153 rushing yards, three rushing scores, and a 34-10 lead in the third quarter, but the Broncos benched Norris Weese (who threw two picks) and from there Craig Morton stormed back with three touchdowns and a drive ending in a Rob Lytle rushing score and botched PAT and it ended in a 37-34 Broncos win.
  • The first playoff game in Seahawks history was a 31-7 rout of the Broncos at the Kingdome in 1983. The two teams combined for 270 rushing yards but Dave Krieg's 200 passing yards, three touchdowns, and just one incompletion in thirteen throws outclassed Steve DeBerg and rookie John Elway, who combined for 254 yards and two interceptions with just one touchdown.
  • On December 15, 1984 John Elway overcame four interceptions and just nine completions on 21 throws to beat the Seahawks 31-14 at the Kingdome. Dave Krieg threw for 334 yards but was picked twice, one a Steve Foley pick six. The win gave the Broncos the AFC West title and left the Seahawks as a 12-4 wildcard team.
  • On December 10, 1995 at Mile High the Broncos rushed for 240 yards and stormed to a 20-0 lead in the second quarter but from there, with much-hyped 1993 draft pick Rick Mirer increasingly ineffective, John Friesz took over, throwing for two touchdowns and 157 yards as Chris Warren rushed for 101 yards and the Seahawks stunned the Broncos 31-27.
  • On December 19, 1999 the defending champion Broncos, out of playoff contention at 4-9, hosted the Seahawks who at 8-5 were seeing playoff possibilities slipping away off three straight losses and a Chiefs victory over the Steelers the day before. The Broncos clawed out a 30-20 lead in the final two minutes but the Seahawks scored on a leaping Derrick Mayes touchdown from Jon Kitna then Kerry Joseph recovered the onside kick. A dropped Bill Romanowski interception led to the tying field goal. But in overtime Kitna was strip sacked and Glenn Cadrez scored. The 36-30 overtime loss left Seattle potentially out of playoff contention.
  • On September 21, 2014 the Broncos traveled to CenturyLink Field for the first time since the Superbowl loss. Peyton Manning overcame a 17-3 Seahawks lead and rallied the Broncos with two touchdowns; a Seahawks field goal with 59 seconds to go put the score 20-12 but Manning whipped the Broncos down field and found Jacob Tamme for the touchdown and Demaryius Thomas on the two-point conversion; the conversion was upheld on replay. In overtime though Russell Wilson rushed four times for 21 yards and Marshawn Lynch finished off the game from the Broncos six-yard line and a 26-20 overtime Seattle win.
  • The Broncos ended a two-game losing streak in the opening game of 2018, winning at home 27-24. Case Keenum off a spectacular 2017 season at Minnesota overcame three interceptions to throw three touchdowns, while Russell Wilson had 298 yards but was picked off twice - the second from his own 14 in the final minute - and sacked six times. The game lead tied or changed seven times.
  • The Seahawks won 17-16 in the debut game of former Seattle starter Russell Wilson. The Seahawks missed a field goal in the final minute and Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett was attacked in media over management of the clock.

New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks[edit]

  • First met in 1977
  • Met in Super Bowl XLIX
  • Series tied 9-9; Patriots lead Superbowl series 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2024 season

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The Seahawks defeated the Patriots 38-31 on September 21, 1986 at Sullivan Stadium. The Patriots put up 506 yards of offense (led by 414 passing yards from Tony Eason) to Seattle's 303 yards and led 31-21 in the fourth, but the Seahawks scored twice off blocked kicks, once in the first quarter and then on a goalline punt-block run in by Paul Moyer, and 24 points total in the fourth quarter.
  • Due to a scheduling quirk in the league's pre-2002 era of three divisions per conference alignments, the Patriots and Seahawks played each other twice in 1993. The rare season series pitted the top two picks in the 1993 NFL Draft against each other in Drew Bledsoe and Rick Mirer. Mirer's Seahawks won both games, by a combined score of 27-23. It also marked the final time the two teams would face each other with the Seahawks as an AFC team.
  • The two teams' most recent meeting before Super Bowl XLIX was October 14, 2012 at CenturyLink Field; it marked the first meeting between the Patriots and their former coach, Pete Carroll. Despite two INTs Tom Brady raced the Patriots to a 23-10 lead in the fourth quarter, but rookie Russell Wilson rallied the Seahawks with two touchdowns for the 24-23 win. The win put Seattle at 4-2 with the Patriots falling into a four-way AFC East tie at 3-3.
  • The Seahawks emerged with a 31-24 win on November 13, 2016 in the two teams' first meeting since Super Bowl XLIX, as a last-second Tom Brady throw to Rob Gronkowski fell short; Gronkowski suffered a lung injury in the game and missed the following week's game at San Francisco; a comeback attempt would falter and Gronkowski was placed on Injured Reserve.
  • New Patriots quarterback Cam Newton was stopped at the goal line at Seattle on September 20, 2020 in a 35-30 Seahawks win. The Seahawks behind five Russell Wilson touchdowns led 35-23 but needed the goal line stand for the win.

Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers[edit]

  • First met in 1997
  • Met in Super Bowl 50
  • Broncos lead all-time series 6-1 (1-0 in Superbowls)
  • Next scheduled meeting 2024 NFL season at Denver

Notable Moments[edit]

  • Carolina's only victory over the Broncos came on December 14, 2008 at Bank of America Stadium. Jay Cutler and Jake Delhomme traded touchdowns and the game was tied 10-10 before the Panthers scored 20 unanswered points. Jay Cutler was intercepted once and had only 172 yards passing to Delhomme's 253. The loss began a three-game slide that knocked the Broncos out of the playoffs.
  • Carolina nearly upset the defending Superbowl champions in Week One of 2016 as they clawed to a 17-7 lead at halftime. The Broncos were starting first-year starter Trevor Siemian who had a touchdown in the fourth quarter after two interceptions. The Broncos rallied to a 21-17 lead before a Graham Gano field goal made it 21-20. Cam Newton was hit repeatedly yet led a late drive; a Chris Harris penalty kept the drive alive after a 4th and 21 incompletion and reached Denver's 37-yard line on a 16-yard pass to Kelvin Benjamin, but Gano's 50-yarder missed, ending in the 21-20 Broncos win.

New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons[edit]

  • First met in 1972
  • Met in Super Bowl LI
  • Patriots lead all-time series 9-6, lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2025 NFL season at Foxboro

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The most competitive contest until Super Bowl LI came in Week 5 of 2005. Matt Schaub started in place of Michael Vick; the Falcons had kept word of Vick's absence quiet for fear of losing walk-up ticket sales to the Georgia Dome. The two teams combined for 883 yards of offense; Brady and Schaub combined for six touchdowns and 648 passing yards as the lead tied with 3:53 to go before Brady led the final drive ending in the winning Adam Vinatieri field goal with 20 seconds to go, a 31-28 final for the Patriots.
  • Brady and Matt Ryan had faced each other twice entering Super Bowl LI. On September 27, 2009 at Foxboro Brady threw for 277 yards and a touchdown to Chris Baker in a 26-10 Patriots win; a seeming touchdown catch in the endzone by Joey Galloway was erased when replay showed one foot out of bounds, and Galloway was cut after the game. Four years later on September 29, 2013 Ryan exploded to 421 yards and two touchdowns, but trailing 30-23 failed to connect with Roddy White in the endzone with 41 seconds to go.
  • Ryan's Falcons were manhandled 23-7 on October 22, 2017 at Foxboro then shut out 25-0 at Atlanta on November 18, 2021. Ryan entering 2023 has lost all five meetings with the Patriots

Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers[edit]

  • First met in 1971
  • Met in Super Bowl LIV and Super Bowl LVIII
  • Chiefs lead all time series 8-7, lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled regular season meeting 2026 NFL season


Notable Moments[edit]

  • By far the most famous meeting was September 11, 1994 as the Niners faced Joe Montana for the first and only time. Niners quarterback Steve Young had famously served as backup to Montana in the 1987-90 period in San Francisco then took over as starter when preseason injury made Montana unable to play in 1991. Following two seasons where he led the league in passer rating and led the Niners to the 1992 NFC Championship Game Young was named full-time starter for 1993 and Montana was traded to the Chiefs where he led them to the 1993 AFC Championship Game. In Week Two of the 1994 season the Niners traveled to Arrowhead Stadium for what became the most anticipated regular season game of the season. After Montana's touchdown to Joe Valerio opened the scoring Young answered with two touchdown drives. In the final four minutes of the second quarter the Niners got the ball back but Young was sacked by Derrick Thomas for a safety. The ensuing Chiefs drive ended in a punt, but on the subsequent Niners drive a 43-yard field goal attempt missed. From there the game got away from the Niners; Montana's touchdown to Keith Cash was followed by a successful two-point conversion. Young was then intercepted on back-to-back possessions. Following a Marcus Allen score for the Chiefs, Young could only muster another field goal as the Niners coughed up two more fumbles (the Niners gave up four turnovers to none by the Chiefs) and a 24-17 Chiefs win. Young's postgame interview discussing the passion San Francisco fans still held for Montana (ironically shown as patrons of Bay Area sports bars showing the game universally supported Montana’s Chiefs) is among the most replayed clips in retrospectives on Young's career.
  • The first meeting between Jimmy Garoppolo and Patrick Mahomes occurred on September 23, 2018 at Arrowhead Stadium. In his first season Mahomes was taking the NFL by storm and in this game raced the Chiefs to a 35-7 lead in the second quarter, tossing three touchdowns (to Chris Conley, Demetrius Harris, and Sammy Watkins). From there the Niners scored twenty more points on a second Garoppolo touchdown throw and an Alfred Morris three-yard rush going with two Robbie Gould field goals. The game proved disastrous for the Niners as in the final quarter Garoppolo suffered a season-ending knee injury and San Francisco would lose this game 38-27 and then limp through 2018 finishing 4-12.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Kansas City Chiefs[edit]

  • First met Halloween 1976
  • Met in Super Bowl LV
  • Buccaneers lead all-time series 7-6, lead Superbowls 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2024 NFL season.


Notable Moments[edit]

  • The highest scoring meeting was on November 7, 2004 at Raymond James Stadium. The game lead tied or changed nine times as Trent Green was intercepted then sacked on fourth down on the Chiefs final two possessions in a 34-31 Bucs win.

Cincinnati Bengals vs. St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams[edit]

  • First met in 1972
  • Met in Super Bowl LVI
  • Bengals lead series 9-6; Rams lead Super Bowl series 1-0
  • Next scheduled meeting 2027

Notable Moments[edit]

  • The Bengals clawed out a 19-16 win over the Rams on September 25, 2023. After exchanges of field goals put the Rams up 9-6 in the third quarter the Bengals scored thirteen straight points. It was Cincinnati’s first win of the season amid a pre-preseason calf injury to Joe Burrow.

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles[edit]

  • First met in 1972.
  • Met in Super Bowl LVII
  • Eagles lead series 6-4
  • Next scheduled meeting 2025 NFL season

Notable Moments[edit]

  • Dick Vermeil and Andy Reid both had successful careers as head coaches of both teams. Reid’s Eagles won both meetings with Vermeil’s Chiefs. On November 29, 2001 the Chiefs gave up three turnovers in a 23-10 loss at Arrowhead Stadium. Four years later at Arrowhead the Chiefs blew a 24-6 lead as Donovan McNabb threw three touchdowns in a 37-31 Eagles win.
  • Reid is 7-1 in the rivalry, winning all three games as Eagles coach and four straight as Chiefs coach, but fell 21-17 to the Eagles November 20, 2023 as his Chiefs failed to score in the second half after leading 17-7.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Chiefs at Packers October 12, 2003 from Pro Football Reference
  2. ^ August 19, 2021 Patriots at Eagles
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