FAMILIAR FOES: Last week, Pittsburgh (Wild Card) traveled to play Denver* *(AFC West Champions) as part of Wild Card Weekend. It marked the seventh postseason meeting between these teams, tying for the third most all-time (Bears vs. Giants, 8; Cowboys vs. Rams, 8). It was the first meeting between the Steelers and Broncos on Wild Card Weekend.
With a 29-23 overtime victory, the Broncos now lead the playoff series against the Steelers, 4-3. Of the six prior meetings, the winning team reached the Super Bowl five times. Three of those five teams won the Super Bowl the same year.
The playoff games between Denver and Pittsburgh in NFL history:
DATE
ROUND
WINNING TEAM
SCORE
RESULT
1/22/06
AFC Championship
Pittsburgh
34-17
Won Super Bowl XL
1/11/98
AFC Championship
Denver
24-21
Won Super Bowl XXXII
1/7/90
Divisional
Denver
24-23
Lost Super Bowl XXIV
12/30/84
Divisional
Pittsburgh
24-17
Advanced to AFC Championship
12/30/78
Divisional
Pittsburgh
33-10
Won Super Bowl XIII
12/24/77
Divisional
Denver
34-21
Lost Super Bowl XII
1/8/12
Wild Card
Denver
29-23 (OT)
???
-- WILD CARD WEEKEND --
A RESILIENT BUNCH: The Denver Broncos won the AFC West title after starting the 2011 season with a 2-5 record. The Broncos became the fifth team in NFL history to reach the postseason after starting 2-5 or worse after seven games.
With their 29-23 overtime win over Pittsburgh, the Broncos will advance to the Divisional round of the playoffs to face the AFC East champion New England Patriots (13-3).
The teams to reach the postseason after starting a season 2-5 or worse in NFL history:
TEAM
YEAR
SEASON START
FINAL RECORD
RESULT
Cincinnati Bengals
1970
1-6
8-6
Advanced to Divisional
New Orleans Saints
1990
2-5
8-8
Advanced to Wild Card
Detroit Lions
1995
2-5
10-6
Advanced to Wild Card
New York Jets
2002
2-5
9-7
Advanced to Divisional
Denver Broncos
2011
2-5
8-8
???
-- WILD CARD WEEKEND --
PASSING FRENZY: This past Saturday, New Orleans' DREW BREES and Detroit's MATTHEW STAFFORD faced each other on Wild Card Weekend. Their combined passing yards in 2011 (10,514) were the most ever between two opposing starting quarterbacks in a postseason game. Brees (466) and Stafford (380) combined to throw for 846 yards on Saturday, the most combined passing yards by opposing starting quarterbacks in a postseason game.
The most combined passing yards between starting quarterbacks in a postseason game:
DATE
PLAYER, TEAM
PASSING YARDS
PLAYER, TEAM
PASSING YARDS
COMBINED YARDS
1/7/12
Drew Brees, NO
* 466*
Matthew Stafford, Det.
380
846
1/16/00
Jeff George, Min.
423
Kurt Warner, Arz.
391
814
1/10/10
Aaron Rodgers, GB
423
Kurt Warner, Arz.
379
802
1/5/03
Kelly Holcomb, Cle.
429
Tommy Maddox, Pit.
367
796
1/9/05
Peyton Manning, Ind.
458
Jake Plummer, Den.
284
742
The most combined passing yards between opposing starting quarterbacks in a postseason game (regular-season totals):
DATE
PLAYER, TEAM
PASSING YARDS
(PLAYOFF GAME)
PLAYER, TEAM
PASSING YARDS
(PLAYOFF GAME)
COMBINED YARDS
(PLAYOFF GAME)
1/7/12
Drew Brees, NO
* 5,476* (466)*
Matthew Stafford, Det.
5,038 (380)
10,514 (846)
1/8/12
Eli Manning, NYG
4,933 (277)
Matt Ryan, Atl.
4,177 (199)
9,110 (476)
2/7/10
Peyton Manning, Ind.
4,500 (333)
Drew Brees, NO
4,388 (288)
8,888 (621)
1/9/05
Daunte Culpepper, Min.
4,717 (284)
Brett Favre, GB
4,088 (216)
8,805 (500)
12/29/84
Dan Marino, Mia.
5,084 (262)
Dave Krieg, Sea.
3,671 (234)
8,755 (496)
1/20/02
Kurt Warner, StL.
4,830 (216)
Brett Favre, GB
3,921 (281)
8,751 (497)
1/20/85
Dan Marino, Mia.
5,084 (318)
Joe Montana, SF
3,630 (331)
8,714 (649)
*NFL Record
-- WILD CARD WEEKEND --
ROOKIE-QB RECORD:Last weekend's Wild Card matchup between the Bengals and the Texans featured two rookie quarterbacks – Cincinnati's ANDY DALTON and Houston's T.J. YATES. It marked the first time in NFL history that two rookie quarterbacks started against each other in a playoff game.
Yates (Round 5, No. 152) became the first rookie quarterback drafted in the fifth round or later to start a playoff game in the era of the common draft. The Texans defeated the Bengals 31-10 and will play the AFC North champion Baltimore Ravens (12-4) in the Divisional round of the playoffs. Yates is the fifth rookie to win his first playoff game.
The 11 rookie quarterbacks to start a playoff game (since 1966):
QUARTERBACK
SEASON
TEAM
GAME RESULT
PLAYOFF RESULT
Dan Marino
1983
Miami Dolphins
Lost 27-20 vs. Seattle
Advanced to Divisional
Bernie Kosar
1985
Cleveland Browns
Lost 24-21 at Miami
Advanced to Divisional
Jim Everett
1986
L.A. Rams
Lost 19-7 at Washington
Advanced to Wild Card
Todd Marinovich
1991
L.A. Raiders
Lost 10-6 at Kansas City
Advanced to Wild Card
Shaun King
1999
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Won 14-13 vs. Washington
Advanced to NFC Championship
Ben Roethlisberger
2004
Pittsburgh Steelers
Won 20-17 vs. NY Jets (OT)
Advanced to AFC Championship
Joe Flacco
2008
Baltimore Ravens
Won 27-9 at Miami
Advanced to AFC Championship
Matt Ryan
2008
Atlanta Falcons
Lost 30-24 at Arizona
Advanced to Wild Card
Mark Sanchez
2009
New York Jets
Won 24-14 at Cincinnati
Advanced to AFC Championship
Andy Dalton
2011
Cincinnati Bengals
Lost 31-10 at Houston
Advanced to Wild Card
T.J. Yates
2011
Houston Texans
Won 31-10 vs. Cincinnati
???
