1.
AFC Championship Game
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The AFC Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff games of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the American Football Conference, the winner then advances to face the winner of the National Football Conference Championship Game in the Super Bowl. The game was established as part of the 1970 merger between the NFL and the American Football League, with the merged league realigning into two conferences. Since 1984, each winner of the AFC Championship Game has also received the Lamar Hunt Trophy, named after the founder of the AFL and longtime leader of the Kansas City Chiefs, Lamar Hunt. The first AFC Championship Game was played following the 1970 regular season after the merger between the NFL and the American Football League. The game is considered the successor to the former AFL Championship, every AFC team except the Houston Texans has played in an AFC Championship Game at least once. The Pittsburgh Steelers have the most appearances in the AFC Championship Game at 16, with 11 of those games being in Pittsburgh, at the end of each regular season, a series of playoff games involving the top six teams in the AFC are conducted. In the current NFL playoff structure, this consists of the four division champions, the two teams remaining following the Wild Card round and the divisional round play in the AFC Championship game. Initially, the site of the game was determined on a rotating basis, since the 1975–76 season, the site of the AFC Championship has been based on playoff seeding based on the regular season won-loss record, with the highest surviving seed hosting the game. A wild card team can only host the game if both participants are wild cards, in case the fifth seed would host the sixth seed. Such an instance has never occurred in the NFL, beginning with 1984–85 season, the winner of the AFC Championship Game has received the Lamar Hunt Trophy, named after the founder of the AFL. The original design consisted of a base with a sculpted AFC logo in the front. Numbers in parentheses in the table are AFC Championships, bold indicates team won Super Bowl that year. ^ b, The Seahawks were members of the NFC in 1976 and then members of the AFC from 1977 to 2001, including their appearances in the NFC Championship Game, they hold a combined 3–1 record between both Conference Championship Games. ^ c, The Buccaneers were members of the AFC in 1976 before moving to the NFC in 1977, ^ e, Includes appearances as the Baltimore Colts, where they went 1–1 in AFC Championship Games. Since moving to Indianapolis in 1984, the Colts are 2–3 in AFC Championship Games ^ f, Includes appearances as the Houston Oilers, since moving to Tennessee in 1997, they are 1–1 in AFC Championship Games. Los Angeles Raiders Largest margin of victory –48 points**, January 20,1991 – Buffalo Bills vs
2.
New England Patriots
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The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston region. The Patriots compete in the National Football League as a club of the leagues American Football Conference East division. The Patriots are also headquartered at Gillette Stadium, an original member of the American Football League, the Patriots joined the NFL in the 1970 merger of the two leagues. The team changed its name from the original Boston Patriots after relocating to Foxborough in 1971, the Patriots played their home games at Foxboro Stadium from 1971 to 2001, then moved to Gillette Stadium at the start of the 2002 season. The Patriots rivalry with the New York Jets is considered one of the most bitter rivalries in the NFL. The Patriots have appeared in the Super Bowl nine times in franchise history, the Patriots have since become one of the most successful teams in NFL history, winning 14 AFC East titles in 16 seasons since 2001, without a losing season in that period. The team owns the record for most Super Bowls reached and won by a head coach–quarterback tandem, the Patriots are tied with the 49ers and Cowboys for the second most Super Bowl wins with five. The Steelers are in front with six, however, the Patriots are the only team to win five Super Bowls with the same coach and quarterback. On November 16,1959, Boston business executive Billy Sullivan was awarded the eighth, the following winter, locals were allowed to submit ideas for the Boston football teams official name. The most popular choice – and the one that Sullivan selected – was the Boston Patriots, immediately thereafter, artist Phil Bissell of The Boston Globe developed the Pat Patriot logo. The Patriots struggled for most of their years in the AFL, nickerson Field, Harvard Stadium, Fenway Park, and Alumni Stadium all served as home fields during their time in the American Football League. They played in only one AFL championship game, following the 1963 season and they did not appear again in an AFL or NFL post-season game for another 13 years. When the NFL and AFL merged in 1970, the Patriots were placed in the American Football Conference East division, the following year, the Patriots moved to a new stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, which would serve as their home for the next 30 years. As a result of the move, they announced they would change their name from the Boston Patriots to the Bay State Patriots, the name was rejected by the NFL and on March 22,1971, the team officially announced they would change its geographic name to New England. During the 1970s, the Patriots had some success, earning a berth to the playoffs in 1976—as a wild card team—and in 1978—as AFC East champions and they lost in the first round both times. In 1985, they returned to the playoffs, and made it all the way to Super Bowl XX, following their Super Bowl loss, they returned to the playoffs in 1986, but lost in the first round. The team would not make the playoffs again for eight more years, during the 1990 season, the Patriots went 1–15. They changed ownership three times in the ensuing 14 years, being purchased from the Sullivan family first by Victor Kiam in 1988, who sold the team to James Orthwein in 1992
3.
NFC Championship Game
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The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff games of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the National Football Conference, the winner then advances to face the winner of the American Football Conference Championship Game in the Super Bowl. The game was established as part of the 1970 merger between the NFL and the American Football League, with the merged league realigning into two conferences. Since 1984, each winner of the NFC Championship Game has also received the George Halas Trophy, named after the founder and longtime owner of the NFLs Chicago Bears, George Halas. The first NFC Championship Game was played following the 1970 regular season after the merger between the NFL and the American Football League. The game is considered the successor to the original NFL Championship, every NFC team has played in an NFC Championship at least once. The Seattle Seahawks, who have members in both the AFC and the NFC, hold the distinction of appearing in both conference title games. Only the Detroit Lions have yet to win an NFC Championship Game, at the end of each regular season, a series of playoff games involving the top six teams in the NFC are conducted. In the current NFL playoff structure, this consists of the four division champions, the two teams remaining following the Wild Card round and the divisional round play in the NFC Championship game. Initially, the site of the game was determined on a rotating basis, since the 1975–76 season, the site of the NFC Championship has been based on playoff seeding based on the regular season won-loss record, with the highest surviving seed hosting the game. A wild card team can only host the game if both participants are wild cards, in case the fifth seed would host the sixth seed. Such an instance has never occurred in the NFL, the original design consisted of a wooden base with a sculpted NFC logo in the front and a sculpture of various football players in the back. The trophies are now a new, silver design with the outline of a hollow football positioned on a base to more closely resemble the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Numbers in parentheses in the winning team column are NFC Championships won by that team, bold indicates team won Super Bowl that year. Numbers in parentheses in the city and stadium column is the amount of times that area and stadium has hosted a NFC Championship. ^ a, Overtime ^ b, The Seahawks were members of the NFC in 1976 and then members of the AFC from 1977–2001, including their only appearance in the AFC Championship Game, they hold a combined 3–1 record between both Conference Championship Games
4.
Chicago Bears
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The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears compete in the National Football League as a club of the leagues National Football Conference North division. The Bears have won nine NFL Championships and one Super Bowl and hold the NFL record for the most enshrinees in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Bears have also recorded more victories than any other NFL franchise. The franchise was founded in Decatur, Illinois, in 1919 and it is one of only two remaining franchises from the NFLs founding. The team played games at Wrigley Field on Chicagos North Side through the 1970 season, they now play at Soldier Field on the Near South Side. The Bears have a rivalry with the Green Bay Packers. The team headquarters, Halas Hall, is in the Chicago suburb of Lake Forest, the Bears practice at adjoining facilities there during the season. They hold their training camp from late July to mid-August at Ward Field on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois. Originally named the Decatur Staleys, the club was established by the A. E. Staley food starch company of Decatur and this was the typical start for several early professional football franchises. The company hired George Halas and Edward Dutch Sternaman in 1920 to run the team, the 1920 Decatur Staleys season was their inaugural regular season completed in the newly formed American Professional Football Association. Full control of the team was turned over to Halas and Sternaman in 1921, official team and league records cite Halas as the founder as he took over the team in 1920 when it became a charter member of the NFL. The team relocated to Chicago in 1921, where the club was renamed the Chicago Staleys, under an agreement reached by Halas and Sternaman with Staley, Halas purchased the rights to the club from Staley for US$100. In 1922, Halas changed the name from the Staleys to the Bears. The team moved into Wrigley Field, which was home to the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise, as with several early NFL franchises, the Bears derived their nickname from their citys baseball team. Halas liked the bright colors of his alma mater, the University of Illinois. The Staleys/Bears dominated the league in the early years and their rivalry with the Chicago Cardinals, the oldest in the NFL, was key in four out of the first six league titles. During that span, the Bears posted 34 shutouts, the Bears rivalry with the Green Bay Packers is one of the oldest and most storied in American professional sports, dating back to 1921. The franchise was a success under Halas, capturing the NFL Championship in 1921
5.
Super Bowl XX
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The Bears defeated the Patriots by the score of 46–10, capturing their first NFL championship since 1963, three years prior to the birth of the Super Bowl. Super Bowl XX was played on January 26,1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans and this was the first of nine Super Bowl appearances for New England. To date, it is the fourth, and most recent, presently, this would only occur again if the Detroit Lions faced either the Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, or the Houston Texans. The Bears entered the game becoming the second team in NFL history to win 15 regular season games. With their then-revolutionary 46 defense, Chicago led the league in defensive categories, outscored their opponents with a staggering margin of 456–198. The Patriots were considered a Cinderella team during the 1985 season, and posted an 11–5 regular season record, but defying the odds, New England posted three road playoff wins to advance to Super Bowl XX. In their victory over the Patriots, the Bears set or tied Super Bowl records for sacks, fewest rushing yards allowed, and margin of victory. At the time, New England broke the record for the quickest lead in Super Bowl history, Bears defensive end Richard Dent, who had 1.5 quarterback sacks, forced two fumbles, and blocked a pass, was named the games Most Valuable Player. The telecast of the game on NBC was watched by an estimated 92.57 million viewers, to commemorate the 20th Super Bowl, all previous Super Bowl MVPs were honored during the pregame ceremonies. NFL owners awarded the hosting of Super Bowl XX to New Orleans, Louisiana on December 14,1982 and this was the sixth time that New Orleans hosted the Super Bowl. Tulane Stadium was the site of Super Bowls IV, VI, as of 2016, Super Bowl XX remains the last Super Bowl to feature two teams both making their first appearance in the game. It was the fourth overall following Super Bowl I, Super Bowl III, any future Super Bowl that would have such a combination would have to have the Detroit Lions playing either the Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, or Jacksonville Jaguars in the game. All 16 NFC teams have played in an NFL championship game, the nations recognition of the Bears accomplishment was overshadowed by STS 51-L two days later, an event which caused the cancellation of the Bears post-Super Bowl White House visit. Twenty-five years after the championship, surviving members of the team would be invited to the White House in 2011 by President Barack Obama. The Bears defense, the 46 defense, allowed the fewest points, fewest total yards and they also led the league in interceptions and ranked third in sacks. Pro Bowl quarterback Jim McMahon provided the team with a passing attack, throwing for 2,392 yards and 15 touchdowns, while also rushing for 252 yards. Running back Walter Payton, who was then the NFLs all-time leading rusher with 14,860 yards and he also caught 49 passes for 483 yards, and scored 11 touchdowns. Linebacker Mike Singletary won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award by recording three sacks, three fumble recoveries, and one interception, but one of the most distinguishable players on defense was a large rookie lineman named William The Refrigerator Perry
6.
Mercedes-Benz Superdome
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The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, often referred to simply as the Superdome, is a domed sports and exhibition venue located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It primarily serves as the venue for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. Plans were drawn up in 1967 by the New Orleans modernist architectural firm of Curtis and Davis and the building opened as the Louisiana Superdome in 1975. Its steel frame covers a 13-acre expanse and the 273-foot dome is made of a lamellar multi-ringed frame and has a diameter of 680 feet and it is adjacent to the Smoothie King Center. The Superdome gained international attention of a different type in 2005 when it housed thousands of people seeking shelter from Hurricane Katrina, the building suffered extensive damage as a result of the storm, and was closed for many months afterward. It was eventually decided the building would be refurbished and reopened in time for the Saints 2006 home opener on September 25. On October 3,2011, it was announced that German automaker Mercedes-Benz purchased naming rights to the stadium, the new name took effect on October 23,2011. Atlantas Mercedes-Benz Stadium, set to open in 2017, will become the fifth stadium to bear the name of the German automaker, the Superdome is located on 70 acres of land, including the former Girod Street Cemetery. The dome has a space of 125,000,000 cubic feet, a height of 253 feet, a dome diameter of 680 feet. The Superdome has a listed seating capacity of 76,468 or 73,208. However, published figures from events such as the Sugar Bowl football game have exceeded 79,000. The basketball capacity does not reflect the NCAAs new policy on arranging the basketball court on the 50-yard line on the football field, in 2011,3,500 seats were added, increasing the Superdomes capacity to 76,468. The Superdomes capacity was 75,167 for WWE WrestleMania XXX, the actual capacity is 73,208 people. The team regularly draws capacity crowds, the NFL has hosted seven Super Bowls at the Superdome, most recently Super Bowl XLVII in 2013. The 1976 Pro Bowl was held at the Superdome on Monday and it was the NFLs 26th annual all-star game. Tulane University played their games at the stadium from 1975 to 2013 before moving to on-campus Yulman Stadium. The BCS National Championship Game was played at the Superdome four times, the College Football Playoff semifinal game is played every three years in the stadium. Two other bowl games are played there annually, the Sugar Bowl
7.
New Orleans
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New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The population of the city was 343,829 as of the 2010 U. S. Census, the New Orleans metropolitan area had a population of 1,167,764 in 2010 and was the 46th largest in the United States. The New Orleans–Metairie–Bogalusa Combined Statistical Area, a trading area, had a 2010 population of 1,452,502. The city is named after the Duke of Orleans, who reigned as Regent for Louis XV from 1715 to 1723, as it was established by French colonists and it is well known for its distinct French and Spanish Creole architecture, as well as its cross-cultural and multilingual heritage. New Orleans is also famous for its cuisine, music, and its celebrations and festivals, most notably Mardi Gras. The city is referred to as the most unique in the United States. New Orleans is located in southeastern Louisiana, straddling the Mississippi River, the city and Orleans Parish are coterminous. The city and parish are bounded by the parishes of St. Tammany to the north, St. Bernard to the east, Plaquemines to the south, and Jefferson to the south and west. Lake Pontchartrain, part of which is included in the city limits, lies to the north, before Hurricane Katrina, Orleans Parish was the most populous parish in Louisiana. As of 2015, it ranks third in population, trailing neighboring Jefferson Parish, La Nouvelle-Orléans was founded May 7,1718, by the French Mississippi Company, under the direction of Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, on land inhabited by the Chitimacha. It was named for Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, who was Regent of the Kingdom of France at the time and his title came from the French city of Orléans. The French colony was ceded to the Spanish Empire in the Treaty of Paris, during the American Revolutionary War, New Orleans was an important port for smuggling aid to the rebels, transporting military equipment and supplies up the Mississippi River. Bernardo de Gálvez y Madrid, Count of Gálvez successfully launched a campaign against the British from the city in 1779. New Orleans remained under Spanish control until 1803, when it reverted briefly to French oversight, nearly all of the surviving 18th-century architecture of the Vieux Carré dates from the Spanish period, the most notable exception being the Old Ursuline Convent. Napoleon sold Louisiana to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, thereafter, the city grew rapidly with influxes of Americans, French, Creoles, and Africans. Later immigrants were Irish, Germans, and Italians, Major commodity crops of sugar and cotton were cultivated with slave labor on large plantations outside the city. The Haitian Revolution ended in 1804 and established the republic in the Western Hemisphere. It had occurred several years in what was then the French colony of Saint-Domingue
8.
Aloha Stadium
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Aloha Stadium is a stadium located in Halawa, Hawaii, a western suburb of Honolulu. It is the largest stadium in the state of Hawaii, Aloha Stadium is home to the University of Hawaiʻi Rainbow Warriors football team. It hosts the NCAAs Hawaii Bowl, and has also been home to the National Football Leagues Pro Bowl since 1980 and it also hosts numerous high school football games during the season, and serves as a venue for large concerts and events. A swap meet in the parking lot every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday draws large crowds. Aloha Stadium once served as field for the AAA Hawaii Islanders of the Pacific Coast League from 1975 to 1987 before the team moved to Colorado Springs. Before 1975, Honolulus main outdoor stadium had been Honolulu Stadium, however, it had reached the end of its useful life by the 1960s, and was well below the standards for Triple-A baseball. The need for a new stadium was hastened by the Rainbows move to NCAA Division I, located west of downtown Honolulu and two miles north of Honolulu International Airport, Aloha Stadium was constructed in 1975 at a cost of $37 million. The first sporting event ever held at Aloha Stadium was a game played between the University of Hawaii and Texas A&I on September 13,1975. The stadium was somewhat problematic for its primary tenant, the Islanders. It was located in west-central Oahu, far from the Islanders fan base, additionally, while TheBus stopped right at the main gate of Honolulu Stadium, the Aloha Stadium stop was located some distance from the gate. As a result, attendance plummeted and never really recovered—a major factor in the ultimate move to the mainland. Additionally, stadium management initially refused to allow the use of metal spikes, when the Tacoma Twins complied with a parent-club directive to wear the spikes, stadium management turned off the center field lights. After 35 minutes, the umpires forfeited the game to the Twins, the Islanders protested, claiming they had no control over the lights. However, the PCL sided with the Twins, citing a rule that the home team is responsible for providing acceptable playing facilities. As originally built, Aloha Stadium could be reconfigured into various configurations for different sport venues and other purposes. Four movable 7, 000-seat sections, each 3.5 million pounds could move using air casters into a configuration for baseball. In January 2007, the stadium was locked into its football configuration due to cost. There have been numerous discussions with Hawaii lawmakers who are concerned with the condition of the stadium
9.
National Football League
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The National Football League is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams, divided equally between the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference. The NFL is one of the four professional sports leagues in North America. The NFLs 17-week regular season runs from the week after Labor Day to the week after Christmas, with each team playing 16 games, the NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season. The NFL agreed to merge with the American Football League in 1966, and the first Super Bowl was held at the end of that season, the merger was completed in 1970. Today, the NFL has the highest average attendance of any sports league in the world and is the most popular sports league in the United States. S. The NFLs executive officer is the commissioner, who has authority in governing the league. The team with the most NFL championships is the Green Bay Packers with thirteen, the current NFL champions are the New England Patriots, who defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34–28 in Super Bowl LI. Another meeting held on September 17,1920 resulted in the renaming of the league to the American Professional Football Association, the league hired Jim Thorpe as its first president, and consisted of 14 teams. Only two of these teams, the Decatur Staleys and the Chicago Cardinals, remain, the first event occurred on September 26,1920 when the Rock Island Independents defeated the non-league St. Paul Ideals 48–0 at Douglas Park. On October 3,1920, the first full week of league play occurred, the following season resulted in the Chicago Staleys controversially winning the title over the Buffalo All-Americans. In 1922, the APFA changed its name to the National Football League, in 1932, the season ended with the Chicago Bears and the Portsmouth Spartans tied for first in the league standings. This method had used since the leagues creation in 1920. The league quickly determined that a game between Chicago and Portsmouth was needed to decide the leagues champion. Playing with altered rules to accommodate the playing field, the Bears won the game 9–0. Fan interest in the de facto championship game led the NFL, beginning in 1933, the 1934 season also marked the first of 12 seasons in which African Americans were absent from the league. The de facto ban was rescinded in 1946, following public pressure, the NFL was always the foremost professional football league in the United States, it nevertheless faced a large number of rival professional leagues through the 1930s and 1940s. Rival leagues included at least three separate American Football Leagues and the All-America Football Conference, on top of regional leagues of varying caliber. Three NFL teams trace their histories to these leagues, including the Los Angeles Rams
10.
Pass interference
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In American and Canadian gridiron football, pass interference is a foul that occurs when a player interferes with an eligible receivers ability to make a fair attempt to catch a forward pass. Pass interference may include tripping, pushing, pulling, or cutting in front of the receiver, covering the receivers face and it does not include catching or batting the ball before it reaches the receiver. Once a forward pass is in the air it is a loose ball, when a defensive player catches a forward pass it is an interception and his team gains possession of the ball. Some actions that are defined as pass interference may be overlooked if the defender is attempting to catch or bat the ball rather than focusing on the receiver, the intended receiver may find himself a defender if a defensive player has a better chance to catch a forward pass. If an offensive player commits pass interference against a player attempting to intercept a forward pass it is offensive pass interference. In the NFL, the rule is that there can be no pass interference at or behind the line of scrimmage. In Canadian football, pass rules are applied throughout the field of play. In the same situation in Canadian football, the defender can be called for pass interference if his contact is deemed illegal, offensive pass interference cannot be called behind the line of scrimmage in American football. In Canadian football, although the pass interference rule applies, offensive players are allowed to interfere with a defender attempting to intercept a screen pass. If the pass is deemed to be uncatchable, pass interference rules do not apply in American college football or the NFL and this rule does not apply in American high school football. In the NFL, the defender may make contact with receiver within the first five yards of the line of scrimmage. Anything after that is penalized as illegal contact, accidental, glancing contact is not penalized. In high school and college, the defender may make contact with the receiver as long as the receiver is in front of the defender and these provisions end when the pass is in the air. If the incident occurred on a special teams play, the rule does not apply under NFL rules. In the NFL and the Canadian Football League the penalty for pass interference is an automatic first down at the spot of the foul. If the foul occurs in the end zone, the ball will be placed at the one-yard line. In U. S. college football and amateur Canadian football, the penalty is to the spot of the foul, up to a maximum of 15 yards from the spot. In U. S. high school rules the penalty is 15 yards from the spot with the down replayed for both offensive and defensive pass interference
11.
AFC East
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The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is a division of the National Football League s American Football Conference. There are currently four teams that reside in the division, the Buffalo Bills, the Miami Dolphins, the New England Patriots, and the New York Jets. Since the divisions enfranchisement in 1960, with the creation of the American Football League, the most recent appearance and championship in the Super Bowl won by an AFC East team was the Patriots in Super Bowl LI. Entering 2017 the Patriots had the most wins in the history, with a record of 476-383-9. The Dolphins were second at 439-341-4 with a record of 20-21. The Bills were at 400-460-8 with a record of 14-15. The Jets held a record of 392-468-8, with a record of 12-13 including victory in Super Bowl III. The Bills have won ten titles, and the Jets have won four. The American Football League Eastern Division was formed during the season of the American Football League in 1960. The divisional alignment consisted of the Buffalo Bills, Boston Patriots, New York Titans, the Miami Dolphins entered the AFL in 1966 as part of its Eastern division. The division was absorbed nearly intact with the AFL–NFL Merger in 1970, none of the AFC East teams currently plays within the central city of their metropolitan area, The Bills play in Orchard Park, New York. They played in the city of Buffalo from 1960–72, the Jets play in East Rutherford, New Jersey The Dolphins play in Miami Gardens, Florida, a suburb of Miami The Patriots play in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The Jets are now coached by Todd Bowles and the Bills were coached by Rex Ryan for 31 games, parcells himself coached the Patriots and the Jets and was Vice President of Football Operations for the Dolphins until the summer of 2010. ESPNs Chris Berman often calls this division the AFC Adams due to its similarity to the old Adams Division of the NHL. Along with the AFC West, the AFC East is the oldest NFL division in terms of creation date, place cursor over year for division champ or Super Bowl team. A Boston Patriots renamed to New England Patriots, B Houston Oilers move to newly created AFC Central division and later are renamed the Tennessee Oilers, then Tennessee Titans. Moved to AFC South in 2002, moved to AFC South in 2002. + – A players strike in 1982 reduced the season to nine games
12.
1985 Miami Dolphins season
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The 1985 Miami Dolphins season was the 20th season in franchise history. The club won their fourth consecutive AFC East championship and appeared in the AFC Championship Game. Due to Dan Marinos offseason holdout, and an injury to receiver Mark Duper, the Dolphins were only 5–4 through Week Nine, and in third place in the AFC East, behind the 7–2 Jets and 6–3 Patriots. Their 220 points scored through Week Nine were fifth in the league, the Dolphins righted the ship, however, and won their final seven games, including a stunning upset of the then-undefeated Chicago Bears in a Week Thirteen Monday Night contest. Miami won the division and defeated the AFC Central Champion Cleveland Browns 24–21 in their first playoff game and their season would end, however, with a 31–14 home loss to division rival New England in the AFC Championship Game. Quarterback Dan Marino, coming off a record-shattering 1984 season, held out through training camp and this and an injury to wide receiver Mark Duper got the Dolphins out to a slow start. Several members of the 1972 Dolphins were in attendance at the game, after rallying from a 21–3 third quarter deficit in the divisional playoffs to beat the Cleveland Browns 24–21, many people were looking forward to a rematch with Chicago in Super Bowl XX. The Cinderella New England Patriots, the Dolphins opponents in the AFC Championship, had different plans, New England forced six turnovers on the way to a 31–14 win – the Patriots first in Miami since 1966. The Patriots had lost 18 games in a row at the Orange Bowl, in 1969, the Boston Patriots had beaten the Dolphins at Tampa Stadium. In an upset, the Patriots converted 6 Dolphins turnovers into 24 points, Dan Marino,1985 1st Team All-Pro and AFC Pro Bowl Selection Mark Duper, Franchise Record, Most Receiving Yards in One Game,217 yards on November 10. Miami Dolphins on Pro Football Reference Miami Dolphins on jt-sw. com
13.
1985 New York Jets season
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The 1985 New York Jets season was the 26th season for the team and the 16th in the National Football League. It began with the team trying to improve upon its 7–9 record from 1984 under head coach Joe Walton, among quarterbacks, Ken OBrien had the lowest rate of interceptions. He had 8 interceptions in 488 passing attempts, the Jets finished the season with a record of 11–5, qualifying for the top Wild Card spot in the playoffs. On October 14, during a Monday Night Halftime ceremony, the Jets retired Joe Namaths Number 12, in the playoffs, they fell at home to the division rival, and eventual AFC champion New England Patriots in the Wild Card round. Week 15 game against the Chicago Bears was broadcast nationally on CBS with commentators Pat Summerall, freeman McNeil, Pro Bowl selection Ken OBrien, AFC Pro Bowl selection Ken OBrien, NFL passing leader 1985 statistics
14.
1985 New England Patriots season
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The 1985 New England Patriots season was the 16th season for the team in the National Football League and 26th season overall. The Patriots had a record of wins and five losses. The Patriots win in Miami was their first victory in that stadium since 1969, the win over the Dolphins in the game has gone down as one of the greatest upsets in NFL history, as the Dolphins were heavily favored. We couldnt protect the quarterback, and that was my fault, I couldnt come up with a system to handle the Bears pass rush, head coach Raymond Berry acknowledged
15.
1985 Buffalo Bills season
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The 1985 Buffalo Bills season was the 26th season for the club and its 16th in the National Football League. It was Buffalos second-consecutive 2–14 season, head coach Kay Stephenson was fired after an 0–4 start. Defensive coordinator Hank Bullough took over, going 2–10 for the remainder of the season, the Bills offense was anemic, its 200 points scored is the lowest total in the 1980s, and the lowest total in team history for a 16-game schedule. Bills quarterbacks Vince Ferragamo and Bruce Mathison only produced 9 passing touchdowns all season, Buffalo scored fewer than 10 points in seven of its 16 games. The teams point-differential of negative-181 points is the third-worst in franchise history, in 1985, the Bills used the first overall pick in the draft to select All-American defensive end Bruce Smith. Smith would dominated the late 1980s and early 1990s, Smith was an 11-time All-Pro selection, two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and logged an NFL-record 200 sacks by the end of his career. Fourth-round pick Andre Reed, a receiver out of Kutztown State. When he retired after the 2000 season, Reeds 951 career receptions were third in NFL history behind Jerry Rice and it is the largest deficit overcome to win a game in NFL history. Reed played more games with the Bills,221, than any other player, Smith was second with 217 games
16.
1985 Dallas Cowboys season
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However, the team was up and down the rest of the way, finishing out the season 5–5 and allowing both the Giants and Redskins to catch up with them at 10–6. Two wins each over both the Giants and Redskins allowed the Cowboys to win the division based on the tie-breaking rules, during the inconsistent stretch toward the end of the season, the Cowboys suffered two of the most embarrassing defeats in team history. Three weeks later the team traveled to Cincinnati, where the Bengals handed them a 50–24 loss, piling up 570 yards in the process, with the previous seasons quarterback controversy behind him, Danny White led the Cowboys passing game to number three overall in the league. Wide receiver Tony Hill posted career highs in receptions and receiving yards, tight end Doug Cosbie had another pro bowl season. Turnovers proved to be a problem though, as White and backup quarterback Gary Hogeboom combined to throw 24 interceptions. Running back Tony Dorsett was the only reliable ball carrier on the roster, rushing for 1,307 yards on the season, the big plays covered up a pass defense that ranked 27th in the league, and a defense that ranked 23rd overall. The Cowboys sent four players to the pro bowl following the 1985 season, randy White was named to the associated press All-NFL first team, while Everson Walls was named to the second team
17.
1985 New York Giants season
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The 1985 New York Giants season was the 61st season for the club in the National Football League. They defeated the San Francisco 49ers 17–3 in that game, avenging their loss to the 49ers in the previous years divisional playoffs. However, it was as far as the Giants could get as they were defeated by the eventual Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears in the round at Soldier Field 21–0. At the time, the set a record for most rushing yards in one season by a Giants team. The injury was voted the NFLs Most Shocking Moment in History by viewers in an ESPN poll, at the time, the Redskins had been attempting to run a flea-flicker play. The Giants defense, however, was not fooled, and they tried to blitz Theismann, taylor sandwiched Theismann into Carson and inadvertently landed his hip on Theismanns lower right leg, fracturing both the tibia and the fibula. Even though the 49ers recorded 362 yards of offense, with receiver Dwight Clark catching 8 passes for 120 yards. Meanwhile, New York running back Joe Morris rushed for 141 yards, the Giants lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears. Phil Simms, Pro Bowl MVP1985 New York Giants at Pro-Football-Reference. com
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1985 Philadelphia Eagles season
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The 1985 Philadelphia Eagles season was their 53rd in the National Football League. The team improved upon their previous output of 6–9–1, winning seven games and this was the fourth consecutive season in which the team failed to qualify for the playoffs. Philadelphia was in position to earn a berth with a 6–5 record by late November. That losing streak also cost head coach Marion Campbell his job before the finale at Minnesota. Under interim coach Fred Bruney, the Eagles pulled off a 37–35 victory at the Metrodome to finish the season on an up note, in addition, second-round draft pick Randall Cunningham made his debut on September 22 at Washington and earned his first career victory at RFK Stadium. On November 10, at Veterans Stadium, Jaworski combined with wide receiver Mike Quick for a club-record 99-yard touchdown pass in overtime to beat the Atlanta Falcons, 23–17. Mike Quick,1985 Pro Bowl selection Mike Quick, Associated Press first-team All-Pro selection 19851985 Philadelphia Eagles at Pro-Football-Reference. com
19.
1985 Chicago Bears season
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The 1985 Chicago Bears season was their 66th regular season and 16th post-season completed in the National Football League. The Bears entered 1985 looking to improve on their 10–6 record from 1984 and advance further than the NFC Championship Game, not only did the Bears improve on that record, they put together one of the greatest seasons in NFL history. The Bears won fifteen games, as the 49ers had the year before, the Bears defense was ranked first in the league and only allowed 198 total points. The Bears won the NFC Central Division by seven games over the second place Green Bay Packers and earned the NFCs top seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs at Soldier Field. In their two games against the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams, the Bears outscored their opponents 45–0. Then, in Super Bowl XX in New Orleans against the New England Patriots, first, their 46 points broke the record that had been set by the Los Angeles Raiders in 1984 and tied by the 49ers the following year with 38. It was the Bears first NFL World Championship title since 1963, the 1985 Chicago Bears are one of the few teams to consistently challenge the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins for the unofficial title of the greatest NFL team of all time. Other sources rate the 1985 Chicago Bears as the greatest NFL team ever, in a trade with the San Diego Chargers, the Bears acquired linebacker Cliff Thrift and punter Maury Buford by trading away their 12th round draft picks from 1985 and 1986, respectively. During training camp, seven players, including Mike Singletary, Steve McMichael, Keith Van Horne, Perry, McMichael and Van Horne eventually reported to training camp. Perry held out until August 5, when he signed a four-year, however, after an unimpressive showing at training camp, defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan tabbed Perry as a wasted draft-pick. Before the teams opening game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, players Al Harris, Todd Bell. Dent and the Bears had been attempting to out a contract extension, as his contract ran through the 1985 season. Bell played for $77,000 the year before, and made the 1985 Pro Bowl roster, but asked for $950,000 annually, Bell and Harris would eventually hold out for the season. Leslie Frazier was also able to give the Bears defense their first highlight of the season by returning a Steve DeBerg interception 29 yards for a touchdown on the play of the third quarter. The Bears had allowed 212 yards in the first half, Walter Payton had rushed for 120 yards on 17 carries, and McMahon completed 23/34 passes for 274 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. In the Super Bowl XX preview, the Bears defense was able to find their groove by forcing 4 turnovers on New England, and allowing them to only score a touchdown in the fourth quarter. The following week against rival Minnesota, backup quarterback Steve Fuller was called up to take the place of Jim McMahon, with the Bears trailing the Vikings, an anxious McMahon was allowed to return to the game. Without any delay, McMahon spearheaded a Bears comeback and victory, week 4 saw Chicago trailing 10-0 early to the Joe Theismann-led Washington Redskins
20.
1985 Green Bay Packers season
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The 1985 Green Bay Packers season was their 66th season in the National Football League. The club posted an 8–8 record under coach Forrest Gregg, the record from the previous year. The Packers earned a second-place finish in the NFC Central division, the team finished with an 8–8 record for the third consecutive season. The club was 5–3 at home and 3–5 on the road and this divisional matchup with Tampa Bay would come to be known as the Snow Bowl in Packers history. By kickoff, twelves inches of snow had fallen and the roads were impossible to navigate preventing many fans from attending and this gave the game the dubious distinction of having over 36,000 no-shows, the most in Packers history. The game itself saw the Packers dominate the Buccaneers en route to a 21–0 victory, the Packers offense gained 512 total yards to the Buccaneers 65. During the game, Packers defensive end Alphonso Carreker sacked Buccaneers quarterback Steve Young a team four times. The Following were inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in February 1985, Phil Bengtson, 1959–70 Bob Jeter, CB, 1963–70 Earl Bud Svendsen, C-LB,1937,1939 Sportsencyclopedia. com Football database
21.
1985 Minnesota Vikings season
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The 1985 Minnesota Vikings season was the franchises 25th season in the National Football League The Vikings finished with a record of seven wins and nine losses. The team was able to bring back Bud Grant, ^ As part of the initial trade between the Vikings and Oilers, the Vikings agreed to not draft DE Ray Childress or trade the pick to a team that would draft Childress. Houston drafted Childress with the 3rd overall pick and this selection was returned to Minnesota. ^ San Diego traded their 3rd round selection to Minnesota for CB John Turner, ^ The Rams traded their 4th round selection to Minnesota for QB Steve Dils. ^ The Raiders traded their 6th round selection and 1986 2nd round selection to Minnesota for LB Brad Van Pelt, ^ Minnesota traded their 7th round selection to Green Bay for PK Jan Stenerud
22.
1985 Detroit Lions season
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The 1985 Detroit Lions season was their 56th in the National Football League. In Darryl Rogers first year as coach, the team improved upon their previous seasons output of 4–11–1. The Lions beat four teams at home, Dallas, San Francisco, Miami. Jets, but lost to losing teams Tampa Bay and Indianapolis on the road, despite the improvement, the team missed the playoffs for the second straight year with a 7-9 record
23.
1985 Los Angeles Rams season
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The 1985 Los Angeles Rams season was the teams 48th year with the National Football League and the 40th season in Los Angeles. The Rams played in the NFC Championship Game but lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears, Eric Dickerson rushed for 1,234 yards in 1985 while missing the first two games while in a contract dispute. He missed the Pro Bowl for the first time in his short NFL career and he did, however, go on to rush for a playoff record 248 yards against the Dallas Cowboys in post-season play. The Los Angeles Rams got off to a successful start in 1985. However, the team struggled somewhat during the half of the season. This crucial victory helped the Rams redeem their season and the team went on to clinch their first NFC West division title in six years, the Rams clinched a playoff spot with the win. Running back Eric Dickerson led the Rams to a victory by scoring two touchdowns and recording a playoff record 248 rushing yards, after the first half ended with a 3–0 Los Angeles lead, Dickerson scored on a 55-yard touchdown run early in the third period. On the ensuing kickoff, Kenny Duckett fumbled, and the ball was recovered by Vince Newsome to set up kicker Mike Lansfords second field goal, in the fourth period, Tony Hunter recovered a fumbled punt to set up Dickersons 40-yard rushing touchdown. The Rams defense dominated the Cowboys offense all afternoon as the Cowboys never got inside the Rams 20-yard-line and this was the last home playoff game for the Rams in Los Angeles. Los Angeles only gained 130 yards of total offense, officials ability to review plays was not made available until the following season. Gary Jeter, NFL Comeback Player of Year, other Anaheim–based teams in 1985 California Angels 1985 California Angels season 1985 Los Angeles Rams at Pro-Football-Reference. com
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Angel Stadium
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Angel Stadium of Anaheim, originally known as Anaheim Stadium and later Edison International Field of Anaheim, is a modern-style ballpark located in Anaheim, California. The stadium is referred to by its unofficial nickname The Big A. It is the fourth-oldest active Major League Baseball stadium, behind Fenway Park, Wrigley Field and it hosted the 1967,1989, and 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Games. Located near the boundary of the parking lot is the landmark Big A sign and electronic marquee. The halo located near the top of the 230 tall, 210-ton sign is illuminated following games in which the Angels win, which gives rise to the fan expression, Light up the Halo. The station provides convenient access to the stadium, the nearby Honda Center, and Disneyland from various communities along the route, which links San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, and San Diego. The Anaheim Resort Transit stops at the center along with Orange County Transportation Authority buses. and 2 to 3 AMA Supercross Championship races a year, the stadium also houses the studios and offices of the Angels owned and operated flagship radio station, KLAA. Angel Stadium has been the home of the Angels since their move from Los Angeles, on August 31,1964, ground was broken for Anaheim Stadium and in 1966, the then-California Angels moved into their new home after having spent four seasons renting Dodger Stadium from the Dodgers. The stadium was built on a parcel of about 160 acres of land originally used for agricultural purposes by the Allec, Russell. Consistent with many sports stadiums built in the 1960s, it is located in a suburban area. The field dimensions were derived from a study conducted by the Angels. Based on the air density at normal times, the Angels tried to formulate dimensions that were fairly balanced between pitcher, hitter and average weather conditions. The Angels tinkered with those dimensions several times, expanding or contracting parts of the outfield by a few here and there. One of the no-hitters, on June 1,1975, was his fourth, the Coliseum seated almost 100,000 people, and the Rams had trouble filling it even in their best years. Rosenbloom brokered a deal by which the Rams would move from Los Angeles to an expanded Anaheim Stadium, to add more seats for football games, the mezzanine and upper decks were extended completely around the playing field, resulting in a roughly trapezoidal, completely enclosed stadium. An elevated bank of bleachers was built in right field, and temporary seats were placed underneath, another bank of bleachers was built in left field. As a result, the view of the mountains and State Highway 57 was lost. A black and white scoreboard/instant replay video board was installed above the newly constructed upper deck seats in left field, a triangular metal spire was added to the top of the Jumbotron to evoke the original emplacement of the Big A
