So in honor of tomorrows game, here is the NFL Total Access count down the top 10 Championship games of all time....
10. 1992 NFC Championship
Cowboys vs. 49ers
Cowboys win 30-20
San Fran had a new talent at QB with Steve Young who had led his team to a 14-2 season ... but along came the Jimmy Johnson, Troy Aikman, Emmit Smith and a 13-3 record to dash their Super Bowl dreams. The Dallas defense had four takeaways, Aikman threw for 322 yards, and Smith rushed for 114 to take Dallas to the Super Bowl where they would defeat the Buffalo Bills.
9. 1983 NFC Championship
Redskins vs. 49ers
Redskins win 24-21
The 49ers came back from 21 points down to tie the game in the fourth quarter. But 49ers quarterback Joe Montana threw an interception on the final play of the game to cement the Washington victory.
8. 1994 NFC Championship
49ers vs. Cowboys
49ers win 38-28
This was the third consecutive year these teams faced off in the conference finals. San Fransisco lost the last two meetings so the pressure was on for Steve Young to deliver. The 49ers picked up free agent Deion Sanders whose attitude was a breath of fresh air to the offense and helped lead Steve Young and the San Fransisco 49ers to a Super Bowl victory over the San Diego Chargers.
7. 1998 NFC Championship
Falcons vs. Vikings
Falcons win 30-27 (OT)
The Vikings were a 15-1 team and the Falcons came in at 14-2 so you knew the game was going to be good with two records like these. With two minutes left in regulation, Minnesota had a chance to seal their victory when kicker Gary Anderson (who had made 44 straight field goals) missed the kick... This would mark the first time that a 15 win team would fail to make the Super Bowl.
6. 1990 NFC Championship Game
Giants vs. 49ers
Giants win 15-13
The 49ers were trying to become the first team ever to win three straight Super Bowls and they were 2:36 away from getting there when Roger Craig fumbled the ball which was then recovered by the Giants. The Giants moved down into field goal range and the rest was history.
5. 1987 AFC Championship Game
Broncos vs. Browns
Broncos win 38-33
With 1:07 left in the game Denver had the lead but Cleveland was closing in on the red zone after coming back from a 21-3 deficit. The Browns' Earnest Byner was headed for the goal line and the game winning touchdown when he was hit hard by Jeremiah Castille who stripped the ball... and the win, from Byner.
4. 2006 AFC Championship Game
Colts vs. Patriots
Colts win 38-34
Peyton Manning led his team back from an 18 point deficit to make for of the greatest games ever played. With the score at 38-34, Colts, the last person you want taking the field is Tom Brady. So Peyton Manning sat on the sidelines, head down unable to watch, when the Colts' Marlon Jackson picked of Tom Brady with 16 seconds left in the game... If you haven't seen this game, find it on the Internet and watch it, even though you know the outcome it is hard not to get excited and emotional while watching this game for the ages.
3. 1986 AFC Championship Game
Broncos vs. Browns
Broncos win 23-20 (OT)
John Elway and the Broncos went 98 yards to tie the game (with 37 seconds left) and cement themselves in sports lore with what is simply known as "The Drive". Denver won more than five minutes into over time with a 33 yard field goal.
2. 1981 NFC Championship Game
49ers vs. Cowboys
49ers win 28-27
With 51 seconds left in the game the 49ers trailed the Cowboys by six points, San Fran QB (and future hall of famer) Joe Montana took the snap from the Cowboys' six yard line. The Dallas defense was rushing Montana who took a step back to his right to buy himself some time. Montana launched the ball down field to the corner of the end zone, most people thought it was going to be a throw away pass. Then out of nowhere, 49ers wide receiver Dwight Clark popped up and made the catch to win the game... and thus the legend of "The Catch" was born.
1. 1967 NFL Championship
Packers vs. Cowboys
Packers win 21-17
Better known as "The Ice Bowl", this is widely considered the greatest NFL game ever due to the hostile conditions at Lambeau Field, the rivalry between the teams, the duel between the two future Hall of Fame head coaches, and the epic conclusion. It remains the coldest game in NFL history. The official game time temperature was a brisk -13 degrees (with the wind chill it was closer to -36). Lambeau had a turf heating system, but it was easily over powered by the frigid temperatures, making the field smooth as ice and hard as a rock. Officials were unable to use their whistles after the first play because the metal froze to the lips of the referee who tried to blow on it. After three grueling quarters of play, the game was sitting at 14-10 in the Packers favor, however in the first play of the fourth quarter Dallas took a 17-14 lead. With less than five minutes left in the game, Packers quarterback Bart Starr led his team down the field all the way to the one yard line. On third-and-goal, Starr used the Packers' final time out with 16 seconds remaining in the game. While conferring with Green Bay Coach Vince Lombardi (maybe you've heard of him, I think there is some kind of trophy named after him...), Starr recommended a quarterback sneak. Lombardi's response, "Well, run it and let's get the hell out of here." Dallas Head Coach Tom Landry expected a pass attempt because a completion would end the game and an in-completion would stop the clock and give the Pack one more try for the end zone or at least allow them to kick a field goal, tie the game and send it to overtime. The sneak worked and the Packers went on to win the greatest (and coldest) game ever played.
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