VIEW FROM THE TOP: Since the NFL moved to a 12-team playoff format in 1990, No. 1 seeds in the NFC are 18-3 (.857) in the Divisional Playoffs. In the AFC, the No. 1 seed has compiled a 12-9 (.571) record.
Both No. 1 seeds are in action this weekend when the top-seeded Green Bay Packers host the New York Giants in the NFC and the No. 1-seed New England Patriots face the Denver Broncos in the AFC.
The No. 1 seeds in Divisional-round play since 1990:
YEAR
AFC NO. 1 SEED
DIVISIONAL RESULT
NFC NO. 1 SEED
DIVISIONAL RESULT
1990
Buffalo
Defeated Miami 44-34
San Francisco
Defeated Washington 28-10
1991
Buffalo
Defeated Kansas City 37-14
Washington
Defeated Atlanta 24-7
1992
Pittsburgh
Lost to Buffalo 24-3
San Francisco
Defeated Washington 20-13
1993
Buffalo
Defeated L.A. Raiders 29-23
Dallas
Defeated Green Bay 27-17
1994
Pittsburgh
Defeated Cleveland 29-9
San Francisco
Defeated Chicago 44-15
1995
Kansas City
Lost to Indianapolis 10-7
Dallas
Defeated Philadelphia 30-11
1996
Denver
Lost to Jacksonville 30-27
Green Bay
Defeated San Francisco 35-14
1997
Kansas City
Lost to Denver 14-10
San Francisco
Defeated Minnesota 38-22
1998
Denver
Defeated Miami 38-3
Minnesota
Defeated Arizona 41-21
1999
Jacksonville
Defeated Miami 62-7
St. Louis
Defeated Minnesota 49-37
2000
Tennessee
Lost to Baltimore 24-10
N.Y. Giants
Defeated Philadelphia 20-10
2001
Pittsburgh
Defeated Baltimore 27-10
St. Louis
Defeated Green Bay 45-17
2002
Oakland
Defeated N.Y. Jets 30-10
Philadelphia
Defeated Atlanta 20-6
2003
New England
Defeated Tennessee 17-14
Philadelphia
Defeated Green Bay 20-17 (OT)
2004
Pittsburgh
Defeated N.Y. Jets 20-17 (OT)
Philadelphia
Defeated Minnesota 27-14
2005
Indianapolis
Lost to Pittsburgh 21-18
Seattle
Defeated Washington 20-10
2006
San Diego
Lost to New England 24-21
Chicago
Defeated Seattle 27-24 (OT)
2007
New England
Defeated Jacksonville 31-20
Dallas
Lost to N.Y. Giants 21-17
2008
Tennessee
Lost to Baltimore 13-10
N.Y. Giants
Lost to Philadelphia 23-11
2009
Indianapolis
Defeated Baltimore 20-3
New Orleans
Defeated Arizona 45-14
2010
New England
Lost to N.Y. Jets 28-21
Atlanta
Lost to Green Bay 48-21
2011
New England
???
Green Bay
???
-- NFL --
POSTSEASON SUCCESS: Green Bay has won 13 NFL championships, the most all-time, and the club's .644 postseason winning percentage (29-16) is the best in NFL history.
The Packers currently have 29 playoff wins. With a win Sunday against the New York Giants, they can become the third team to record 30 postseason victories in NFL annals, joining the Pittsburgh Steelers (33) and Dallas Cowboys (33).
The teams with the most playoff victories in NFL history:
TEAM
PLAYOFF WINS
Dallas Cowboys
33
Pittsburgh Steelers*
33
*Green Bay Packers
29
Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
25
San Francisco 49ers*
25
*2011 postseason participant
-- NFL --
CHAMPIONSHIP GOAL:With a victory against New Orleans on Saturday, San Francisco would advance to its 13th NFC Championship Game. That total would be the third-most appearances in a Conference Championship Game since 1970.
The teams with the most appearances in a Conference Championship Game since 1970:
TEAM
MOST APPEARANCES IN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
Pittsburgh Steelers
15
Dallas Cowboys
14
*San Francisco 49ers
12
L.A./Oakland Raiders
11
L.A./St. Louis Rams
9
*Host New Orleans Saturday
-- NFL --
400 CLUB: New Orleans quarterback DREW BREES passed for 466 yards in last weekend's 45-28 Wild Card victory over Detroit. Brees, who passed for 404 yards in a 2010 Wild Card loss to Seattle, became the third player in NFL annals to pass for at least 400 yards in multiple postseason games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (two) and PEYTON MANNING (two). Brees is the first to do so in consecutive games.
With 400 passing yards this weekend when New Orleans visits San Francisco, Brees would become the first player in NFL history to pass for 400 yards in three postseason games.
Currently, Brees possesses an NFL-record streak of 215 consecutive postseason passes without an interception, and can add to that total Saturday.
The players with multiple postseason games of at least 400 passing yards:
PLAYER
TEAM
POSTSEASON GAMES WITH 400 PASSING YARDS
Drew Brees*
New Orleans Saints
1/7/12 vs. Lions (466 yards)
1/8/11 at Seahawks (404 yards)
Peyton Manning
Indianapolis Colts
1/13/08 vs. Chargers (402 yards)
1/9/05 vs. Broncos (458 yards)
Dan Marino
Miami Dolphins
12/30/95 at Bills (422 yards)
1/6/85 vs. Steelers (421 yards)
*Plays at San Francisco Saturday
-- NFL --
BRADY BUNCH OF RECORDS: New England quarterback TOM BRADY has thrown for 4,407 yards in his postseason career. With 104 passing yards this weekend against Denver, he would surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (4,510) for the fifth-most postseason passing yards in NFL history.
PLAYER
CAREER
POSTSEASON PASSING YARDS
Brett Favre
1991-2010
5,855
Joe Montana
1979-1994
5,772
Peyton Manning
1998-present
5,389
John Elway
1983-1998
4,964
Dan Marino
1983-1999
4,510
Tom Brady
2000-present
*4,407
*Active this weekend
Brady has also thrown 30 postseason touchdown passes. With three touchdown passes this weekend, he would surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer TERRY BRADSHAW (30), KURT WARNER (31), and Marino (32) for third-most postseason touchdown passes in NFL history.
PLAYER
CAREER
POSTSEASON TD PASSES
Joe Montana
1979-1994
45
Brett Favre
1991-2010
44
Dan Marino
1983-1999
32
Kurt Warner
1998-2009
31
Tom Brady
2000-present
*30
Terry Bradshaw
* *1970-1983
30
*Active this weekend
Brady has thrown a touchdown pass in 17 consecutive postseason games. With a touchdown pass this Sunday against Denver, he can record his 18th consecutive postseason game with a touchdown pass, already the second-longest streak in NFL history (BRETT FAVRE, 20).
PLAYER
CAREER
CONSECUTIVE POSTSEASON GAMES W/ TD PASS
Brett Favre
1991-2010
20
Tom Brady
2000-present
*17
Dan Marino
1983-1999
13
Kurt Warner
1998-2009
12
3 tied
--
10
*Active this weekend
-- NFL --
FOSTER FOLLOW-UP: In his postseason debut last weekend, Houston running back ARIAN FOSTER rushed for 153 yards in the Texans' 31-10 Wild Card victory over Cincinnati.
This weekend against Baltimore, Foster could challenge for the most rushing yards in a player's first two postseason games in NFL history.
The players with the most rushing yards in their first two postseason games in NFL history:
PLAYER
TEAM
POSTSEASON(S)
RUSH YARDS IN FIRST TWO POSTSEASON GAMES
Duane Thomas
Dallas Cowboys
1970
278
Terrell Davis
Denver Broncos
1996, 1997
275
Eddie George
Tennessee Titans
1999
268
Shonn Greene
N.Y. Jets
2009
263
Fred Taylor
Jacksonville Jaguars
1999
248
Arian Foster
Houston Texans
2011
*153
*Will play second career postseason game Sunday
-- NFL --
HEAD OF THE CLASS: New England Patriots head coach BILL BELICHICK has compiled a 15-6 (.714) record in his postseason career. Belichick ranks fifth all-time with 15 playoff victories, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famers TOM LANDRY, DON SHULA, JOE GIBBS and CHUCK NOLL.
With a win against Denver on Saturday night, Belichick would tie Noll (16) for the fourth-most playoff wins all-time.
The head coaches with the most playoff wins in NFL history:
HEAD COACH
TEAM(S)
PLAYOFF WINS
Tom Landry
Dallas Cowboys
20
Don Shula
Baltimore Colts, Miami Dolphins
19
Joe Gibbs
Washington Redskins
17
Chuck Noll
Pittsburgh Steelers
16
Bill Belichick
Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots
*15
*Active
GOOD COMPANY: Some other notes to keep in mind for this weekend's Divisional Playoffs:
For the second time (2006) since realignment in 2002, all eight remaining teams in this weekend's Divisional round are division winners.
For the first time in NFL history, the Divisional round will feature four Super Bowl MVP quarterbacks. New England's TOM BRADY (XXXVI, XXXVIII) will face Denver; New Orleans' DREW BREES (XLIV) will travel to San Francisco; and the New York Giants' ELI MANNING (XLII) and Green Bay's AARON RODGERS (XLV) will square off in Green Bay.
San Francisco (13-3) will host New Orleans (13-3) Saturday. The teams enter the game with a combined 26-6 (.813) regular-season record, tied for the second-highest combined winning percentage between opposing teams in a divisional playoff game.
