Six NFL Semis Rematches Today

Six NFL “semis”/Conference title tilts, encompassing 8 previous such games are to be played today, which is the exact 56 year anniversary of the so called “Heidi” game, when the Raiders, after NBC switched to “Heidi,” not only rallied to win, but also I believe the second of their “post switch to “Heidi” TD’s covered “el” spread, vs the Jets.

However, the Jets, who as cited here yesterday face the Colts in one of three Supe rematches today, avenged the “Heidi” loss to the Raiders in the penultimate AFL title game, before (plus 18 ing) the Colts to win the crown.

Once in a scheduled semi/NFC title game and one time in the unscheduled Western Conference playoff of 1941, the Bears and Packers, who meet today in “Chi,” played NFL “semi” games.

A scant one week after events in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the Bears won at home in an unscheduled ‘offs tilt vs the “Pack” before beating the Giants to repeat as NFL champions.

In 2010 “G.B.” “semi’d” Chi, also at “Chi,” en route to the Supe crown.

Elsewhere today, think cold as this time, “at the Chargers” and now that means L.A. not San Diego, it is an ’81 AFC title tilt redux, the Cincy Bengals having scored a win in that game.

In ’08, at Pittsburgh where today’s tilt will play out, the home team Steelers beat the Ravens in that year’s AFC title game.

In ’66 with a bid to the first Supe, then called the NFL/AFL Championship Game on the line and at Buffalo 54 years later, amidst a pandemic, with the game at K.C.–the Chiefs of K.C. won both times.

The Chiefs have 4 Super Bowl crowns, the Bills are (0-4) in Supes.

A great, great Miami Dolphins team, better than the previous year’s lone undefeated NFL championship team, I opine, defeated the then Oakland Raiders in the ’73 AFC title game.

The “six pack” of games (9 of the 12 tilts today are either “semis” or Supe rematches) list ends with a redux of the 2013 season NFC title game rematch with the Seattle Seahawks, home victors then and near TD “dogs” today, visiting the S.F. 49ers. That ’13 season tilt was also in “Sea” (oh do I recall either Jan or Marcia’s friend’s different pronunciation of Seattle on a “Brady Bunch” episode).

The great and so under rated, a la Bart Starr, who was even greater, Bob Griese is pictured above.

Griese in methodical fashion guided the ’73 ‘Phins down the field for opening drive TD’s in all 3 playoffs tilts.