NFL Rematches And Notes

Last week, in the four title game rematches, (there were no Supe reduxes), the title tilt winners went (3-1).

(5-5) Carolina, this time at (8-2) Arizona and (4-5) S.F. (49ers), again at home vs the (7-3) Rams repeated respective 2015 and 1999 NFC Title Game victories. Each was a nice underdog. Meanwhile the (6-4) Chiefs won as slight “faves” again at the (5-4) Raiders (then in the ’69, last AFL Title game, located in Oakland and now in Las Vegas).

The (8-2) Packers, won an incredible ninth straight tilt vs the spread (8 of 9, straight up) covering as 3 plus point(s) favorites at home in a “Pooh” game (check the excellent G.B. record in such games when the “hedge fund man”/Nantz arrives at venerable Lambeau Field), reversing the outcome of a heartbreaking 2013 NFC Title tilt loss at Seattle (Seahawks).

This, the 11th week yields one Supe redux, (already played as the (7-4) Pats won their 5th straight game (25-0) vs the (4-6) Atlanta Falcons), one NFL Title Game rematch at least between the cities as the Detroit Lions face the Cleveland Browns, and two AFC title tilt rematches (Yes Naj Harris, Santa Claus? but there are ties in the NFL) (5-3 and ONE TIE Pittsburgh at the (5-4) Chargers and the (3-7) Miami Dolphins at the (2-7)New York Jets.

In the aforementioned Supe, the Pats were down by 25 points to the Falcons and won by 6 points, covering the spread that moved many millions of dollars on James White’s overtime touchdown. Last night N.E. won by 25 points at Atlanta.

The cited AFC title tilts were played in the other city than the one, the rematch will be played in on Sunday. Then San Diego, now L.A. the Chargers won the ’94 AFC title game at Pittsburgh before losing in a rout to a great 49ers team in the subsequent Supe.

Worse than soup, on a perhaps ordered muddy Miami field, the Dolphins won (14-0) vs the Jets in the strike affected 1982 season’s AFC title tilt. This week the not so attractive game is at the Jets.

Detroit (Lions) won three of the four NFL title games vs the Browns in the 1950’s. In the two “at Detroit,” such games, the Lions went (2-0). In 1953, Detroit won (17-16) as Bobby Layne hit Jim Doran with the tying touchdown, calling it tying as I cite it was the great Doak Walker, who booted the go ahead to stay extra point. It was Dick Enberg’s favorite game. I complained about Enberg and Olson as a broadcasting combo with some justification but they were great compared to today’s combinations. Also Enberg, other than when he said Philly and Boston had met in memorable NBA “FINALS,” (they were in the same division/conference thus never met or have met in an NBA final round) was a well prepared, good play by play broadcaster.

Detroit won in a home rout ending Cleveland great Jim Brown’s first season on a sour note, (59-14) in 1957 and also won (17-7) at Cleveland in 1952.

The Browns led by the great Otto Graham routed “Det” (56-10) in the ’54 title game, to win their second NFL crown in their first 5 NFL seasons, ending the two year Lions title “reign.”

Detroit’s title in ’57 was the franchise’s fourth but there has been nary a Lions game played since, in which they could have won a 5th crown.

Cleveland football got a third NFL title in Otto’s last game in ’55 and one more in ’64 led by Jim Brown, Frank Ryan, Jim Brown and the Jim Kanicki/Bernie Parrish led defense. However, in the many (52) seasons (’66-2020, no Cleveland pro pig from ’96-’98, G.B. “title gamed” the then still “my” Browns in Jim’s last Browns’ game/’65 NFL title game) since,  similar to the above stated Detroit situation, have the Browns either the glory original one who left to Baltimore after ’95 or this “phony” (yes I miss and need “Stone” but even that is denied me, as winter with its unbelievable emptiness and loneliness approaches–yet I feel strong to carry on) entity, has been in a game, with a chance to claim a title.