NFL “Semis”/Conference Title Games Notes

The NFL’s 14th week, which began with the (8-5) Detroit Lions’ (44-30) home triumph vs the (6-6-1) Dallas Cowboys, has a same #,14 (ode to Y.A. Tittle) games on its slate, just one interconference and no Super Bowl rematches.

However, only 2 of the 14 games match teams that never faced each other in playoffs competition and there are six conference title tilt/NFL semi-final round rematches.

(9-3) “Chi” (Bears) the current NFC top seed ventures to Green bay to face the (8-3-1) Packers in the annual first of two tilts between the teams that have faced each other more often (210 times) than any other 2 teams, in NFL annals.

This includes 2 NFL semi-final games, first an unscheduled ” ‘off” for the 1941 NFL Western crown and the NFC title game in 2010.

Chicago won the ’41 ‘off at home (Wrigley Field), a week after the events of 12/7/1941, while the Packers prevailed at Chi’s venerable Soldier Field in the 2010 NFC title tilt. Both teams went on to win games for the NFL title.

Elsewhere in another battle (war starting ought to be remembered this Sunday, on the exact 84 year “ann” of events that manifested in F.D. Roosevelt’s “yesterday December 7th 1941”) for a “div” lead, two (6-6) teams, the host Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers clash. It is a redux of the 2008 AFC Title Game won by the Steelers, in route to their 6th and to this point, last Supe or NFL crown.

42 year old Aaron Rodgers, a talented, but with just one Supe win, quarterback, won that Supe vs his current team, the Steelers, in the above referenced 2010 season Super Bowl.

The other four NFL semis redux games were all in scheduled conference title games and none of them this Sunday, involve both opponents with even a break even record. Denver/Raiders, Bills/Bengals, Dolphins/Jets and Vikings/Wash are those tilts, noting Denver is (10-2), Buffalo (8-4) and the other 6 teams are under .500.

Denver, Cincinnati and the Miami Dolphins (Todd Wishnev, denied access on his prowess, bucked the other 3 and won with “Det” last night and often sings the Miami Dolphins song. His criticism of the latest Lane Kiffin hypocrisy, with a couple too many expletives, is justified) won those title tilts (’77,’88 and ’82 respectively) but lost in the subsequent Super Bowl.

“Wash” which was the team that “Suped” the ‘Phins in ’82, 10 years after the reverse result vs the undefeated Dolphins, won the ’87 season Super Bowl vs Denver, the second of 4 losses in each of Denver’s first Supes. (They are (3-1) in such games since.

“Chi” won in 3 straight, “must win,” in Chicago (2 at Wrigley, one at Comiskey the then Chicago Cardinals home) games, something the ’58 Giants could not quite match, to win the ’41 NFL crown.

The toughest test, by far was vs the “spoiler” Cardinals who took (14-0) and (24-21) leads.

However, a great player, George McAfee, pictured above scored 2 4th quarter TD’s, the second on a 70 yard run on that fateful December 7, 1941, now so many, (to be 84), “yesterdays” ago.