Great, wasted late-season meaningless matchups

[Todd Pence]

Broncos-Steelers final week of 1978. Both teams had clinched their divisions and were already locked into a rematch in two weeks in the divisional playoff. Steelers took the first match 21-17, and won far more decisively in the one that mattered, 33-10.

[Rupert Patrick]

1974 Cowboys and Raiders.

Saturday night game, national TV, last "Monday Night" game of the year. Raiders already clinched the playoffs, Cowboys already eliminated. The last year where they rotated the playoff matchups instead of going by record, so there was nothing to play for there either.

And Marvin Gaye sung the National Anthem, it doesn't get much better than that.