NFL Redux And Current Notes

The more recent or only winner of a title game/NFL “semis” clash won 4 of the six such situation games last week.

In games that mattered, the (9-3-1) Packers, who held off the (9-4) Bears and covered in doing so, repeated their 2010 title tilt win at “Chi” and as illustrated above, lead the NFC North by a fraction of a game. (As noted last week, the Bears prevailed in an unscheduled NFL Western ‘off, played one week shy of 84 years earlier, on their way to the 1941 crown. “G.B.” also “titled” after that 2010 “semis” victory.

Elsewhere, the underdog (7-6) Pittsburgh Steelers held off the (6-7) Baltimore Ravens, repeating a 2008 AFC title game/NFL “semi” win on their way to the title and again as illustrated lead “Balti” by 1 game, however who/whom would have ‘el’ tiebreaker?

Denver (Broncos) tied the idle New England Patriots for the NFL and more important AFC top mark (10-2) with a repeat of their 1977 AFC title game win vs the then Oakland Raiders. Dallas denied Denver’s ’77 “out of nowhere” (in 17 combined AFL and NFL seasons, in fairness far less available ‘offs spots then but essentially save in ’73 they never came close) title bid, winning (27-10) in a Pat Summerall broadcast Super Bowl.

For a second time, in a game “piped” into the N.Y. market, a Buffalo win (this a no cover vs now seemingly out of it (5-8) Cincy (Bengals) was the day’s highest scoring game and the Bills go into New England with a chance to win a 5th straight “div” crown, however that would still be a bit unlikely. A N.E. win would clinch, what at the season’s beginning was deemed a so unlikely “div” crown.

Back to rematch repeats, this was one of the two, in which the “semis” losing team (Cincy title gamed “Buff” in ’88) won last week’s redux, the other being Minne (Vikings) in a meaningless tilt vs “Wash.”

In a game that might eventually matter, last week (6-7) Miami (Dolphins) won their 5th straight, repeating a strike season/1982 AFC title game win vs the New York Jets.

Golden Richards, pictured above, gathered in a Robert Newhouse running back option pass for a touchdown in the above cited Dallas ’77 season Super Bowl win vs the Denver Broncos.