Is the 2021 divisional playoffs the best playoff round ever?

[Ness]

This past season once the divisional round was over, everyone seemed to immediately label it as the best weekend in not only divisional round history, but maybe ever. Now personally I kind of rolled my eyes at a lot of the hype, and just chalked it up to people living in the moment. Like with many things people sometimes crown GOAT status due to wanting to let the universe know they were forever part of something exciting. But trying to at least think back off the top of my head, in just the divisional round itself, I do struggle to come up with another round where all the game came down to the wire. The only one that pops up in my head was 2003. We had the double OT between the Rams/Panthers, the shootout between the Chiefs/Colts, the frigid cold battle between the Patriots/Titans, and the 4th and forever play between the Eagles/Packers. All of those games ended in one score, and came down to the final couple of minutes to seal the deal, if not seconds. Personally I thought that weekend of ball was just as exciting as the 2021 divisional edition.

Are there any others that pop into your heads that live up to the hype of what we had 6 months ago?

[Brian wolf]

Great call Ness ... 2003/04 postseason was exciting but I feel the 1980/81 postseason was the best. Great divisional games plus the failed SD comeback against the Raiders in the AFC Championship game.

[Brian wolf]

The 1971 postseason had some great games to with Dallas beating the Vikings in the Met, the great Mia-KC game, a big win for the Niners against Wash and Unitas and the Colts, winning his final playoff game against Cleveland in Municipal Stadium.

[Ness]

Great call Ness ... 2003/04 postseason was exciting but I feel the 1980/81 postseason was the best. Great divisional games plus the failed SD comeback against the Raiders in the AFC Championship game.

I'd have to watch the 1980 Raiders at Browns game again, which I did a couple of years back. At that time it was my first viewing of the contest from start to finish, and from what I recall it was largely a lackluster game with both offenses looking putrid in the cold conditions. Brian Sipe definitely didn't play like an MVP, and I think the Browns kicker missed a few kicks. Everyone talks Red Right 88, but leading up to that final drive, it was pretty much a doozy of a game.

[Brian wolf]

Sipe threw a bad pass at the end but as I have said on other threads, he had three TD passes dropped by his receivers. They were tough to catch due to the weather but they were there. The Cardiac Kids didnt get it done this time ...

[74_75_78_79_]

Very nice point-out, Ness, the 2021 divisional round being the best-ever! Each of the four being solid games! And not just that, but the CCs, and also the SB, being very competitive as well! Yes, 2003 is also a worthy mention. Either that very divisional round is #2 all-time (that being the most-likely case to me), or both '03 & '21 be seen as top-two and leave it for debate from there.

Of course I like 1980 and 1981 better overall than both those seasons (serious understatement) - as well as liking the era so much more (again, serious understatement) - but if we're judging strictly by how overall competitive and suspenseful the quartet of divisional games collectively were, those two rather IMO esteemed seasons come up quite short. 1980 for the simple fact that, yeah, Vikings kept things close at the Vet for longer than most remember, but the Eagles ended up pulling away quite well in the 4th thus making it not a 'close' game like the three others. And then in '81...Dallas 38 TB 0 - enough said! And SF 38 NYG 24 nothing real special either.

Again, 2021 & 2003 are the top-two divisional rounds ever to me, but I guess '#3' would be...2006? Not a real pretty game, but Colts were up at Ravens, just 12-6, at the very end until Adam added those extra three. And then there's the ('#4'?) 2015 divisional round. Yes, Seattle needing to make a (failed) onside kick after scoring their 24th point (to 15-1 Carolina's 31) with just over a minute to go, made things interesting in the second half with those 24 unanswered along with the statistical dominance that half as well.

Can't really find any other real worthy ones. 1989...had Sarge Rock's (for a second year in a row) #1 Viking-D played like it, maybe they give San Fran a game as well thus making that quartet of divisional games just as worthy a mention if not, just maybe, Numero Uno even above 2021! Those three other affairs real, real good ones! Buf/Clev, Rams at Giants in OT, Pit/Den...yeah, that may have made it the best. In my opinion, I think Floyd Peters isn't in the HOVG because of those very two back-to-back very lopsided defeats to the Forty Niners. It may be the reason why Jerry Burns isn't in HOVG either. But that simply just exemplifies just how awesome (especially once the playoffs began) how amazing Joe Cool, Rice, and all the rest of that WCO was in '88 and '89!

[RRMarshall]

The 1972 Divisional playoffs deserve mention. Of course the Immaculate Reception game followed by the Roger Staubach-led comeback against the 49ners the same day. The following day Cleveland led the undefeated Dolphins 14-13 in the 4th quarter before Earl Morrall connected with Paul Warfield to set up the go ahead TD late. The Green Bay-Washington game was a beat down defensive battle that was a throwback to "old style" football.

[GameBeforeTheMoney]

That's a really great topic. Hadn't thought about it.

1981 was an awesome playoffs for sure and likely still my favorite -- a huge comeback in the wildcard round by Buffalo and the Eagles almost pulled one off vs the Giants. There was the Epic in Miami in the AFC Divisional Round and the Bengals Bills was decided in the 4th quarter. But as mentioned, the NFC side had a blowout though and while the Giants/SF was fun to watch, it wasn't necessarily in the balance for most of the game. The Giants made it somewhat interesting in the fourth, but nowhere as exciting as last season's full four. The Catch came in the NFC Championship amd the AFC Championship was the Freezer Bowl -- which wasn't that exciting of a game it was just cold. Overall a great playoffs, but I'm not sure that a single round of four games could compete. Although the Charger/Dolphin game might count for two games. Still likely the best game I've ever seen although Buffalo/Kansas City last year was pretty close to it.

1986 had three out of the four divisional games that were awesome -- Jets/Cleveland went into double overtime. NE/Den was a super game, and Washington had a good comeback and great second half against the defending champion Bears. But the fourth game was a blowout.

1977 -- 2 of the Divisional games were flat-out classics -- Ghost to the Post Raiders Colts and the Minn at LA Mud Bowl. The Broncos and Steelers were tied going into the fourth quarter and Denver somehow defeated the mighty Steelers with a great fourth quarter. I remember watching that game -- it was Christmas Eve night, or at least the late game. The fourth game however was a blowout.

As for 72 -- I'm not old enough to remember that but I remember John Facenda's remark about the Green Bay Washington game on NFL Films was something like "The game was an exercise in violence."

[Brian wolf]

The 1979 Divisional round was good as well with upsets by TB over Philly, Hou over SD without Campbell or Pastorini and LA over Dallas in Staubach's final game. Only the Pitts-Mia game was a blowout ...

I would rate them ...

1980
2003
2006
1972
1986
2021

Though I have to check thoroughly ...

[sheajets]

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