Ranking the greatest NFL conference cham

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Ranking the greatest NFL conference cham

Given what we witne sed during the first 20 weeks of the 2022 NFL season, fans could be in for an extremely memorable championship weekend.The four survivors from last weekend's divisional round -- the 49ers, , Bengals and Chiefs -- will play this weekend for the right to represent their respective conferences in LVII. Among the big storylines entering championship weekend include the Bengals' quest at a second consecutive Super Bowl appearance, Patrick Mahomes' injury status following Saturday's win over the , and the continued -- and unexpected -- succe s of 49ers rookie quarterback .There's a very good chance that one or both of this weekend's games will one day crack the following list of the greatest conference championship games in history. Several all-time cla sics made the list, including the 2021 overtime thriller between Cincinnati and Kansas City. While obviously not a barn burner, the Rams-Buccaneers NFC title game showdown was a masterpiece for fans of defense. Led by future Hall of Famers Warren Sapp, John Lynch and Derrick Brooks, the Buccaneers shut down the Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf" offense for Paul George Jersey most of the game. With the Rams' defense also playing lights out, the Buccaneers' defense would need to shutout one of the greatest offenses of all-time in order to reach the Super Bowl. Unfortunately for them, the Buccaneers were victims of a perfectly-thrown pa s from Kurt Warner that fell into the waiting arms of Ricky Proehl, whose 44-yard touchdown catch propelled the Rams to the Super Bowl.The two most recent Super Bowl champions, Washington and San Francisco battled for the right to face the Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII. Down 21-0, the 49ers staged an epic rally behind Joe Montana's three fourth quarter touchdown pa ses. A controversial holding call against 49ers safety Ronnie Lott, however, allowed Washington to kick the game-winning field goal. It was one of three questionable penalties that went against the 49ers, who were then forced to watch as Washington was pummeled two weeks later by the Raiders.The 49ers used the experience to fuel their 1984 Super Bowl run. San Francisco lost just one game that season while winning the franchise's second of four Super Bowls during the decade. The 49ers' enjoyed an epic season by Joe Montana, who won Super Bowl MVP honors after scoring four touchdowns and ama sing 400 total yards. After losing the previous two NFC title games to the Cowboys, the 49ers stormed out to a 21-0 lead le s than five minutes into the game. San Francisco took a 31-14 halftime lead following Steve Young's 28-yard touchdown pa s to Jerry Rice. Rice's touchdown proved to be the winning score.Trying to become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls, Landry Shamet Jersey the Cowboys battled but ultimately could not overcome their early deficit. The Cowboys received an epic performance in a losing effort by Michael Irvin, who caught 12 pa ses for 192 yards and two touchdowns. No. 90: 1994 NFC Championship - Cowboys vs. 49ers (Jan. 15, 1995) : NFL 100 Greatest Games on NFL (@NFL) This wasn't nece sarily a great game, but how well the Bengals played -- specifically quarterback Ken Anderson -- in sub-freezing temperatures is what made this AFC title game memorable. In a game that was tabbed as "The Freezer Bowl," Anderson threw two touchdowns while leading the Bengals to their first Super Bowl. Anderson's pa ser rating was more than twice the amount of his counterpart, Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts, who a week earlier helped lead the Chargers to an epic double-overtime win over the in balmy Miami. "Kenny's advantage was that he threw tight spirals," said Fouts, who said that throwing that day was like "throwing a shoebox in Blake Griffin Jersey the wind.""I didn't always throw spirals," . "In my mind, that was the biggest part of us losing the game." No. 67: 1981 AFC Championship Game - Chargers vs. Bengals "The Freezer Bowl" (Jan. 10, 1982) : NFL 100 Greatest Games on NFL (@NFL) 16. 1975 AFC Championship: Steelers 16, Raiders 10Like the "Immaculate Reception" three years earlier, controversy also clouds this Steelers-Raiders playoff showdown. Then-Raiders owner Al Davis was convinced that the Steelers grounds crew intentionally left the sidelines exposed on the eve of the AFC title game. The sidelines, which were e sentially ice rinks by kickoff, prevented the Raiders' from unleashing their deep pa sing attack that featured future Hall of Fame wideouts Fred Biletnikoff and Cliff Branch. The sidelines were bad, but the rest of the Three Rivers Stadium turf wasn't much better. The hard, slick surface led to the teams committing a combined 12 turnovers. The Steelers were able to get just enough points, however, with John Stallworth playing a key role in both of Pittsburgh's touchdown. His key block help spring Franco Harris free for a 25-yard score. His 20-yard touchdown catch in the second half proved to be the game-winning score. Stallworth throws a great block enabling Harris to score.1975 AFC Championship Old Time Football Kawhi Leonard Jersey (@Ol_TimeFootball) Pittsburgh advanced to its second straight Super Bowl after Mel Blount tackled Branch short of the end zone on the game's final play.Peyton Manning came out firing, while Denver's formidable pa s rush hounded for most of the game. Down 20-12 late in the game, Brady kept the Patriots' season alive with a 40-yard completion to Rob Gronkowski on fourth-and-10 with 54 seconds left. Four plays later, Brady and Gronkowski connected on fourth-and-goal to bring New England to within two points of the Broncos with 12 seconds left, as it appeared that Brady was about to add to his legend of epic comebacks. But on the Patriots two-point attempt, Brady's pa s intended for Gronkowski was tipped and intercepted by , sealing the Broncos' second Super Bowl berth in three years. Denver would defeat Carolina in Super Bowl 50 in Manning's final NFL game.The Steelers were coming off of a heartbreaking lo s to the Chargers in the '94 AFC title game. Against the Colts, they found themselves trailing 16-13 after Jim Harbaugh hit Floyd Turner for a 47-yard Rodney McGruder Jersey touchdown. Facing a fourth-and-three late in the game, the Steelers kept their season alive when Neil O'Donnell hit Andre Hastings for a nine-yard gain. On the next play, O'Donnell threw deep to Ernie Mills, who tiptoed the sideline for a 37-yard gain. The catch set up Bam Morris' go-ahead touchdown.With 1:34 left, Harbaugh drove the Colts from their own 16 to the Steelers' 29-yard-line. Only five seconds were left on the clock when Harbaugh heaved a Hail Mary into the Steelers' end zone. The ball was deflected several times before falling into the chest of Colts receiver . Bailey, who was falling on the ground as the ball hit his chest, was unable to close his arms around the ball before it hit the turf. The incomplete pa s gave the Steelers their first trip to the Super Bowl since 1979. A Hail Mary to go to the
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