NFL Rematch Notes

This 14th week of NFL pig brings 2 Supe and 4 entity (3 NFL Conference and of the last AFL title tilt) rematches.

Tonight in a redux of the 9th Super Bowl, telecast by NBC with Curt Gowdy and won (16-6) by Pittsburgh, I predict the (5-7) Minnesota Vikings will cover the spread as 3 point favorites vs the (6-5-1) Pittsburgh Steelers.

The other Supe rematch is one of teams that clashed in both the ’81 and ’88 seasons. In each, the S.F. 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, no covering the second and winning it on a Joe Montana to John Taylor touchdown pass, very late, I believe in the last minute of the fourth quarter.

The (6-6) 49ers are visiting the (7-5) Bengals with the “Cincy” minus 1 line pretty much the same one as in an “at Cincy” 1987 game in which, inexplicably a decision by the recently deceased Sam Wyche, gave Joe Montana a chance to throw a game winning last play touchdown to Jerry Rice.

(8-4) Kansas City (Chiefs) hosts the (6-6) Las Vegas Raiders in a redux of the last AFL Title Game, in which underdog K.C. won by 10 points, (17-7) at Oakland, the predominant home of the Raiders in their 62 season existence. Kansas City, once the Dallas Texans, are 10 point favorites this time.

In the lone AFC title tilt redux, the (8-4) Tennessee Titans, who won in Jacksonville as underdogs to gain entry into the “Alfalfa” Michaels 1999 Supe, won on the # by the favored then St. Louis, Rams, meet the (2-10) Jacksonville Jaguars.

Twice each the Chicago Bears and Green BayPackers, as well as the Dallas Cowboys and “Wash” football team met in semis.

The Bears and Packers splitting the two tilts (Chi won an unscheduled Westen Conference title ‘off in route to the ’41 crown while GB in Rodgers’ lone title to date won the NFC title tilt at Chicago in ’10).

Wash won both home title tilts vs Dallas, 10 years apart in ’72 and ’82 before winning the subsequent Supe vs Miami (Dolphins) in the latter and losing to the (17-0) Dolphins in the former.