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Friday, January 4, 2013

Wild Card Weekend Primer





FROM WILD CARD TO SUPER BOWLWinners in the Wild Card round have won the Super Bowl eight times, including each of the past two seasons. At least one Super Bowl participant in six of the past seven years played a Wild Card game

 

The New York Giants won four playoff games last year to win Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis. Two seasons ago, the Green Bay Packers claimed four playoff victories to become the second No. 6 seed to win the Super Bowl. In 2008, the NFC No. 4 seed Arizona Cardinals won three postseason games for a berth in Super Bowl XLIII. 

 

Five years ago, the NFC No. 5 seed New York Giants won three road playoff games en route to a Super Bowl XLII victory. In 2006, AFC No. 3 seed Indianapolis won Super Bowl XLI. Seven years ago, Pittsburgh became the first No. 6 seed to win a Super Bowl, defeating the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL.

 

The Wild Card participants to win the Super Bowl:


SEASON
TEAM
SUPER BOWL RESULT
1980
Oakland
Defeated Philadelphia in Super Bowl XV, 27-10
1997
Denver
Defeated Green Bay in Super Bowl XXXII, 31-24
2000
Baltimore
Defeated New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV, 34-7
2005
Pittsburgh
Defeated Seattle in Super Bowl XL, 21-10
2006
Indianapolis
Defeated Chicago in Super Bowl XLI, 29-17
2007
New York Giants
Defeated New England in Super Bowl XLII, 17-14
2010
Green Bay
Defeated Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLV, 31-25
2011
New York Giants
Defeated New England in Super Bowl XLVI, 21-17

-- WILD CARD WEEKEND --

ROOKIE-QB RECORDThree rookie quarterbacks projected to start this weekend – Indianapolis’ ANDREW LUCK (11), Seattle’s RUSSELL WILSON (11) and Washington’s ROBERT GRIFFIN III (nine) – led their team to the playoffs with a combined 31 wins as starters, compiling eight more victories than the league-wide rookie record entering the season (23 in 2011). Starting rookie QBs won 46 games in 2012.

Wild Card Weekend in 2012 will feature the most rookie quarterbacks starting a postseason game since 1966 (two in 2011; two in 2008). All three starters could become the sixth rookie quarterback to win his first playoff game, and at least one is guaranteed to join the ranks.

On Sunday, the AFC No. 5 seed Colts (11-5) visit the No. 4 seed Ravens (10-6), while the NFC No. 4 seed Redskins (10-6) host the No. 5 seed Seahawks (11-5). The Seattle-Washington contest will be the second playoff game in NFL history and in as many seasons with two rookie quarterbacks starting against each. Last year, T.J. YATES led the Texans to a 31-10 victory over ANDY DALTON and the Bengals in the Wild Card round.

With Luck (No. 1 overall) and Griffin (No. 2 overall) qualifying, the 2012 postseason is the first to feature the top-two picks from the most recent draft since 1983 when Pro Football Hall of Famers JOHN ELWAY(with Denver, No. 1 overall by the Baltimore Colts) and ERIC DICKERSON (No. 2 overall by the Los Angeles Rams) reached the playoffs. It will also be only the second time since the advent of the common draft in 1967 that the first two teams to select quarterbacks in that year’s draft reached the postseason (2008: MATT RYAN, No. 3 overall by Atlanta; JOE FLACCO, No. 18 overall by Baltimore). 

The 11 rookie quarterbacks to start a playoff game (since 1966):

QUARTERBACK
SEASON
TEAM
FIRST START RESULT
PLAYOFF RESULT
Dan Marino                 
1983
Miami
Lost 27-20 vs. Seattle
Advanced to Divisional
Bernie Kosar              
1985
Cleveland
Lost 24-21 at Miami
Advanced to Divisional
Jim Everett                 
1986
L.A. Rams
Lost 19-7 at Washington
Advanced to Wild Card
Todd Marinovich          
1991
L.A. Raiders
Lost 10-6 at Kansas City
Advanced to Wild Card
Shaun King                
1999
Tampa Bay
Won 14-13 vs. Washington
Advanced to NFC Championship
Ben Roethlisberger      
2004
Pittsburgh
Won 20-17 vs. NY Jets (OT)
Advanced to AFC Championship
Joe Flacco
2008
Baltimore
Won 27-9 at Miami
Advanced to AFC Championship
Matt Ryan
2008
Atlanta
Lost 30-24 at Arizona
Advanced to Wild Card
Mark Sanchez
2009
N.Y. Jets
Won 24-14 at Cincinnati
Advanced to AFC Championship
Andy Dalton
2011
Cincinnati
Lost 31-10 at Houston
Advanced to Wild Card
T.J. Yates
2011
Houston
Won 31-10 vs. Cincinnati
Advanced to Divisional
Robert Griffin III
2012
Washington
???
???
Andrew Luck
2012
Indianapolis
???
???
Russell Wilson
2012
Seattle
???
???

-- WILD CARD WEEKEND --

FIRST-TIMERS:  Five quarterbacks – Washington’s ROBERT GRIFFIN III, Indianapolis’ ANDREW LUCK, Minnesota’s CHRISTIAN PONDER, Houston’s MATT SCHAUB and Seattle’s RUSSELL WILSON – will make their first career postseason starts during Wild Card Weekend.

The players with the most passing yards in their first career postseason start:

PLAYER
TEAM
DATE
ROUND
PASSING YARDS
Kelly Holcomb
Cleveland
1/5/2003
Wild Card
429
Aaron Rodgers
Green Bay
1/10/2010
Wild Card
423
Randall Cunningham
Philadelphia
12/31/1988
Divisional
407
Kurt Warner
St. Louis
1/16/2000
Divisional
391
Neil Lomax
St. Louis
1/8/1983
Wild Card
385

-- WILD CARD WEEKEND --

NFC NORTHERN EXPOSURE: This Saturday, the GREEN BAY PACKERS (11-5) host the NFC North rival MINNESOTA VIKINGS (10-6) in the third game between the clubs this year. During the regular season, the home team won both contests, with the Vikings kicking a field goal as time expired to earn a 37-34 victory in Week 17 and a Wild Card berth.

While the division foes meet in the playoffs for only the second time (2004 Wild Card), both have frequented the NFL’s second season as the Packers (46) and Vikings (45) rank fourth and fifth, respectively, for most postseason games all-time.

With a 29-17 record, Green Bay also owns the league’s top postseason winning percentage (.630) and can become the third team in league annals (DALLAS, 33; PITTSBURGH 33) with 30 playoff victories

The Packers are led by quarterback AARON RODGERS, who finished the season with the league’s top passer rating (108.0) and possesses the highest passer rating (105.5) in NFL postseason history. Rodgers has passed for more yards (2,840) and touchdowns (24) against Minnesota than any other opponent.

Vikings running back ADRIAN PETERSON, who rushed for 199 yards and two touchdowns last week and tied Pro Football Hall of Famer EARL CAMPBELL (1980) for the most 150-yard games (seven) in a season in league history, registered 2,097 rushing yards in 2012, the second-most in a season in NFL history (Pro Football Hall of Famer ERIC DICKERSON, 2,105 in 1984). In 12 career games against Green Bay, Peterson has 1,442 rushing yards (120.2 per game), his most against any opponent.

The NFL’s all-time top playoff teams by wins, games played and winning percentage:

MOST PLAYOFF WINS

MOST PLAYOFF GAMES

BEST PLAYOFF WINNING PERCENTAGES
Dallas
33

Dallas
58

Green Bay*
29
17
.630
Pittsburgh
33

Pittsburgh
54

Pittsburgh
33
21
.611
Green Bay*
29

NY Giants
48

Carolina
6
4
.600
San Francisco
26

Green Bay*
46

San Francisco
26
18
.591
Oakland
25

Minnesota*
45

New England
23
16
.590
*2012 Wild Card participant

*2012 Wild Card participant

*2012 Wild Card participant

-- WILD CARD WEEKEND --

WINTER WAYNEColts wide receiver REGGIE WAYNE posted 106 receptions in 2012 and his fourth career 100-catch season, tied for the second-most in league history.

With at least six catches at Baltimore, Wayne (83 receptions) can move into second on the all-time postseason receptions list, surpassing ANDRE REED (85), Pro Football Hall of Famer MICHAEL IRVIN (87) andHINES WARD (88). Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE holds the record with 151 receptions.

The players with the most receptions in the postseason all-time:

PLAYER
TEAM(S)
RECEPTIONS
Jerry Rice
San Francisco, Oakland, Seattle
151
Hines Ward
Pittsburgh
88
Michael Irvin
Dallas
87
Andre Reed
Buffalo
85
Reggie Wayne*
Indianapolis
83
*Active



-- WILD CARD WEEKEND --

RELIABLE RAVENS: Sunday afternoon, Baltimore quarterback JOE FLACCO will become the first quarterback to start a postseason game in each of his first five seasons during the Super Bowl era. Flacco (5-4) won at least one playoff game in each of his first four years. 

With one interception on Wild Card Weekend, safety ED REED (eight) would tie Pro Football Hall of Famer RONNIE LOTT (nine), BILL SIMPSON (nine) and CHARLIE WATERS (nine) for the most postseason interceptions in league annals  

The players with the most interceptions in the postseason all-time:

PLAYER
TEAM(S)
INTs
Ronnie Lott
San Francisco, L.A. Raiders
9
Bill Simpson
L.A. Rams, Buffalo
9
Charlie Waters
Dallas
9
Lester Hayes
Oakland/L.A. Raiders
8
Ed Reed*
Baltimore
8
*Active


 (From NFL Media)

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