Familiar foe: 15 NFL wild-card playoff games that were season finale rematches
1988 — Cleveland Browns vs. Houston Oilers
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The Browns managed to defend their home turf against Houston with a 28-23 win in the season finale. However, the Oilers edged the Browns 24-23 in the wild-card, and that is how the Marty Ball era ended in Cleveland.
1991 — Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Raiders
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Marty Schottenheimer would complete the sweep three seasons later with the Chiefs. Kansas City beat the Raiders in Week 17, 27-21, and then followed it up with a 10-6 victory over Los Angeles at Arrowhead Stadium.
1992 — Houston Oilers vs. Buffalo Bills
(AP Photo/John Hickey, File)
What some don't remember is that the greatest comeback in NFL history was part two of a battle that had been waged on ESPN Sunday Night Football at the Astrodome in Week 17. The Oilers crushed the Bills 27-3. At Rich Stadium the next week, Houston jumped out to a 35-3 lead in the third quarter. So, actually, by points, the Oilers were dominating Buffalo 62-6. Frank Reich led the Bills to a win in the game that mattered, 41-38 in overtime.
1993 — Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions
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The Lions picked up the win, 30-20, at the Pontiac Silverdome. However, when the Packers returned the next week, Green Bay took home the win 28-24.
1993 — Denver Broncos vs. Los Angeles Raiders
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The Raiders edged the Broncos 33-30 in overtime in the season finale. When Denver returned to Los Angeles for the wild-card, the Raiders crushed the Broncos 42-24.
1997 — New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins
(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
The Dolphins couldn't beat the Patriots either at home in Week 17 or on the road in the wild-card. The first loss was 14-12 and the second was 17-3.
2000 — St. Louis Rams vs. New Orleans Saints
(AP Photo/Andrew J. Cohoon)
New Orleans lost Week 17 at the Superdome to the Rams, 26-21. In the wild-card, also in New Orleans, the Saints were blessed when Rams receiver Az-Zahir Hakim muffed a punt deep in St. Louis territory with 1:43 to go. The Saints preserved the 31-28 victory.
2001 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Philadelphia Eagles
(AP Photo/George Widman)
The Eagles were a stumbling block for the Bucs' playoff hopes the year prior, and it looked they could be again with a 17-13 win in Tampa Bay. The next week's wild-card at Veterans Stadium had Philadelphia crush the Buccaneers like a boulder, 31-9, and that is how the Tony Dungy era ended in Tampa Bay.
2001 — New York Jets vs. Oakland Raiders
(AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
The Raiders flubbed the season finale 24-22 to the Jets at the Coliseum. However, Oakland won when it counted 38-24. This playoff victory remains the last of Jon Gruden's tenure with the Raiders.
2004 — Denver Broncos vs. Indianapolis Colts
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There were two times Colts fans could count on seeing backup quarterback Jim Sorgi: preseason and meaningless Week 17 games. Indianapolis had the AFC South wrapped up; the Broncos prevailed 33-14. The Colts defended the RCA Dome in the wild-card with a 49-24 win.
2009 — New York Jets vs. Cincinnati Bengals
(AP Photo/Al Behrman)
The Jets' farewell to Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, was a 37-0 win in a meaningless game for the Bengals. New York even won the game that counted the next week in Cincinnati, 24-14.
2009 — Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys
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Dallas wrested control of the NFC East with a 24-0 shutout of the Eagles at Cowboys Stadium, and then followed it up with a 34-14 beatdown of Philadelphia in the wild-card, also at Jerry World. What a way to end the Donovan McNabb era and get Tony Romo his first career playoff win.
2009 — Green Bay Packers vs. Arizona Cardinals
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Green Bay had its way with the Cardinals 33-7 in Week 17. When it mattered, Aaron Rodgers fumbled away the Packers' chances, and Arizona prevailed 51-45 in overtime.
2012 — Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers
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Joe Webb got to start in a playoff game because Christian Ponder injured himself leading Minnesota to a 37-34 win in Week 17 against the Packers to qualify for the playoffs. The results didn't go so well as Green Bay defended Lambeau Field, 24-10.
2020 — Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
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The Browns held out with a 24-22 win over the Steelers playing backups in Week 17 at FirstEnergy Stadium. With a COVID outbreak and more, Cleveland will be lucky to get a win in Pittsburgh in the wild-card game.
