“Threes” in the NFL

Three is the operative number concerning some history in two of this week’s more meaningful games. Also concerning three, the AFC North can still end in a three way tie. If that happens, the Pittsburgh Steelers would win the division. It also means that no matter the result of the earlier Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers game, the Baltimore Ravens will not have clinched the division when they play the New York Giants in a late Sunday afternoon game in Baltimore. However, the Ravens have clinched a playoff spot while the Giants, unlikely but far from impossible division winners, control their destiny for a wild card spot.

That game is one of the “three/history” games as three times a team from the city of Baltimore has beaten the New York Giants for the NFL Championship. Twice the Baltimore Colts topped the Giants in the NFL Title Game, doing so in consecutive years 1958 and 1959. The Baltimore Ravens handed the Giants their only Super Bowl loss, winning the 2000 season Super Bowl. The Giants were just (3-11) in NFL Title tilts but are (4-1) in Supes. One other note, there was a fourth time that the cities of Baltimore and New York met for the NFL title. That was when the New York Jets upset the heavily favored Colts in the third Super Bowl.

Three times the Denver Broncos beat the old Cleveland Browns to win the AFC Championship. All three times, the Broncos lost in the Super Bowl which followed. The years were 1986, 1987 and 1989.Those Browns became the Baltimore Ravens, whom the Broncos beat last week. Now this week Denver hosts the Cleveland Browns, the new Browns if you will, having joined the NFL in 1999. I think Denver will struggle a bit this week and I also predict we will see the Ravens hosting the Indianapolis, nee Baltimore Colts in a wild card round game. My “Supe” matchup prediction is still Atlanta Falcons vs the Denver Broncos. Oh and rumors of Cris Collinsworth finally ceasing talking, were greatly exaggerated.