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1990–91 NFL playoffs

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The NFL playoffs following the 1990 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXV.

The league expanded its playoff system from a 10-team to a 12-team tournament. With these changes, two wild card teams (those non-division champions with the conference's best won-lost-tied percentages) were added:

  • The three division champions from each conference are seeded 1 through 3 based on their regular season won-lost-tied record.
  • Three wild card qualifiers are seeded 4, 5 and 6 within the conference.

The 3 and the 6 seeded teams, and the 4 and 5 seeds, face each other during the first round of the playoffs, dubbed the "Wild Card Round." The 1 and the 2 seeds from each conference do not participate in this round, earning an automatic berth in the following week's "Divisional Playoff" games, where they face the Wild Card survivors. The 1 seeded team plays against the lowest remaining seed while the 2 seed plays the other remaining team. In a given game, whoever has the higher seed gets the home field advantage.

These changes forced the division winner with the worst record in each conference to play during the first round. Also, the restrictions on intra-divisional games during the Divisional Playoffs were removed.

This system was later modified before the 2002-2003 playoffs after the league realigned the teams into eight divisions (four per conference). Within each conference, the three division winners and the three non-division winners with the best overall regular season records qualified for the playoffs. The three division winners were seeded 1–3 based on the overall won-lost-tied record, and the three wild card teams were seeded 4–6. The NFL did not use a fixed bracket playoff system, and there were no restrictions regarding teams from the same division matching up in any round. In the first round, dubbed the wild-card playoffs or wild-card weekend, the third-seeded division winner hosted the sixth seed wild card, and the fourth seed hosted the fifth. The 1 and 2 seeds from each conference received a first-round bye. In the second round, the divisional playoffs, the number 1 seed hosted the worst-remaining seed from the first round (seed 4, 5, or 6), while the number 2 seed played the other team (seed 3, 4, or 5). The two winning teams from each conference's divisional playoff games then meet in the respective AFC and NFC Conference Championship games, hosted by the higher seed. Although the Super Bowl, the championship round of the playoffs, was played at a neutral site, the designated home team was based on an annual rotation by conference.

Playoff seeds
Seed AFC NFC
1 [[Buffalo Bills]] (East winner) [[San Francisco 49ers]] (West winner)
2 [[Los Angeles Raiders]] (West winner) [[New York Giants]] (East winner)
3 [[Cincinnati Bengals]] (Central winner) [[Chicago Bears]] (Central winner)
4 [[Miami Dolphins]] (wild card) [[Philadelphia Eagles]] (wild card)
5 [[Kansas City Chiefs]] (wild card) [[Washington Redskins]] (wild card)
6 [[Houston Oilers]] (wild card) [[New Orleans Saints]] (wild card)


Wild Card playoffs

January 5, 1991

NFC: Washington Redskins 20, Philadelphia Eagles 6

1 2 3 4 Total
Redskins 0 10 10 0 20
Eagles 3 3 0 0 6

at Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia

The Redskins overcame losing two turnovers and a 6-0 deficit to score 20 unanswered points. The Eagles had a chance to capitalize early with Washington's mistakes, but could only score two field goals from kicker Roger Ruzek. However, the Redskins dominated from that point on. Washington quarterback Mark Rypien threw two touchdown passes: a 16-yarder to wide receiver Art Monk and a 3-yard completion to Gary Clark. Redskins kicker Chip Lohmiller also made two field goals.

  • Scoring
    • PHI - FG Ruzek 37
    • PHI - FG Ruzek 28
    • WAS - Monk 16 pass from Rypien (Lohmiller kick)
    • WAS - FG Lohmiller 20
    • WAS - FG Lohmiller 19
    • WAS - Clark 3 pass from Rypien (Lohmiller kick)

AFC: Miami Dolphins 17, Kansas City Chiefs 16

1 2 3 4 Total
Chiefs 3 7 6 0 16
Dolphins 0 3 0 14 17

at Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami, Florida

With 2:28 left in the game, the Dolphins capped an 85-yard drive with quarterback Dan Marino's winning 12-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mark Clayton. However, the Chiefs dominated most of the game, and took an early first quarter lead with kicker Nick Lowery's 27-yard field goal. In the second half, kicker Pete Stoyanovich made an NFL playoff record 58-yard field goal to tie the game. But Kansas City quarterback Steve DeBerg completed a 26-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Stephone Paige (who finished the game with 8 catches for 142 yards), and Lowery added two more field goals to give the Chiefs a 16-3 lead going into the fourth quarter. In the final period, Marino led the Dolphins to the comeback by throwing two touchdown passes: a 1-yarder to running back Tony Paige and Clayton's winning score. The Chiefs had a chance to win the game on Lowery's 52-yard field goal attempt with 49 seconds left, but his kick was short.

  • Scoring
    • KC - FG Lowery 27
    • MIA - FG Stoyanovich 58
    • KC - Paige 26 pass from DeBerg (Lowery kick)
    • KC - FG Lowery 25
    • KC - FG Lowery 38
    • MIA - Paige 1 pass from Marino (Stoyanovich kick)
    • MIA - Clayton 12 pass from Marino (Stoyanovich kick)

January 6, 1991

AFC: Cincinnati Bengals 41, Houston Oilers 14

1 2 3 4 Total
Oilers 0 0 7 7 14
Bengals 10 10 14 7 41

at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

The Bengals crushed the Oilers by jumping 34-0 lead in the third quarter and holding the ball for 39:45. Running back Ickey Woods recorded a 1-yard rushing touchdown, while running back Eric Ball scored on 3-yard one. Kicker Jim Breech made two field goals: a 27-yarder and a 30-yarder. Quarterback Boomer Esiason completed 14 of 20 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns: a 2-yarder to running back Harold Green and a 9-yarder to tight end Eric Kattus. Esiason also rushed for 57 yards and another touchdown on a 10-yard run. Houston wide receiver Ernest Givins caught two touchdown passes from backup quarterback Cody Carlson to prevent a shutout.

Cincinnati's most lopsided playoff win in franchise history was the result of a team effort. The Bengals racked up 187 yards on the ground even though no player rushed for more than 57 yards, and added another 162 yards through the air, though no one caught more than 2 passes. Overall, the Bengals gained 349 yards while holding Houston to 227, with just 69 rushing yards. Ironically, Houston had helped get Cincinnati into the playoffs by defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in their final game of the season, causing the Bengals to win the AFC central division based on tiebreaker rules.

  • Scoring
    • CIN - Woods 1 run (Breech kick)
    • CIN - FG Breech 27
    • CIN - Green 2 pass from Esiason (Breech kick)
    • CIN - FG Breech 30
    • CIN - Ball 3 run (Breech kick)
    • CIN - Esiason 10 run (Breech kick)
    • HOU - Givins 16 pass from Carlson (Garcia kick)
    • CIN - Kattus 9 pass from Esiason (Breech kick)
    • HOU - Givins 5 pass from Carlson (Garcia kick)

NFC: Chicago Bears 16, New Orleans Saints 6

1 2 3 4 Total
Saints 0 3 0 3 6
Bears 3 7 3 3 16

at Soldier Field, Chicago

The Bears defense held the Saints to 65 rushing yards, 6 first downs, and two field goals. Chicago also recorded 365 yards of total offense. Bears running back Neal Anderson compiled 166 rushing yards, 42 receiving yards, and threw a 22-yard halfback option pass. Chicago kicker Kevin Butler made 3 field goals, and quarterback Mike Tomczak completed an 18-yard touchdown pass to tight end James Thornton. New Orleans' only scores were two field goals by kicker Morten Andersen.

  • Scoring
    • CHI - FG Butler 19
    • CHI - Thornton 18 pass from Tomczak (Butler kick)
    • NO - FG Andersen 47
    • CHI - FG Butler 22
    • NO - FG Andersen 38
    • CHI - FG Butler 21

Byes

Divisional playoffs

January 12, 1991

AFC: Buffalo Bills 44, Miami Dolphins 34

1 2 3 4 Total
Dolphins 3 14 3 14 34
Bills 13 14 3 14 44

at Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

In a shootout, the Bills jumped to a 13-3 lead in the first quarter, and kept pace with the Dolphins as the two teams matched each other score for score for the rest of the game. The Bills scored first with wide receiver Andre Reed's 40-yard touchdown reception. Then after Buffalo jumped to a 20-3 lead in the second quarter with running back Thurman Thomas' 5-yard touchdown, Miami quarterback Dan Marino tied the game with a 64-yard touchdown completion to wide receiver Mark Duper. Before halftime, Bills quarterback Jim Kelly threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver James Lofton, and Marino scored on a 2-yard touchdown run. The teams exchanged field goals again the in third period. During the final quarter, Roy Foster, an offensive lineman who played in an eligible receiver position, caught a 2-yard touchdown pass to cut the Dolphins deficit to 30-27. But the Bills countered with Thomas' 5-yard touchdown run. Miami then fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Kelly capitalized with a 26-yard touchdown pass to Reed to clinch the game. Marino's 8-yard touchdown to wide receiver Tony Martin closed out the scoring.

Kelly, who returned to start for the Bills after missing the last 4 games of the season with a knee injury, passed for 339 yards and 3 touchdowns, while also rushing for 37 yards. Reed was also a big factor, recording 123 receiving yards and a pair of touchdown catches. Lofton caught 7 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown. Thomas led the Bills ground attack with 32 carries for 117 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns, while also catching 3 passes for 38 yards. Marino threw for 323 yards and 3 touchdowns, but was intercepted twice. Duper caught 3 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. Running back Sammie Smith rushed for 99 yards and caught a 9 yard reception.

  • Scoring
    • BUF - Reed 40 pass from Kelly (Norwood kick)
    • MIA - FG Stoyanovich 49
    • BUF - FG Norwood 40
    • BUF - FG Norwood 22
    • BUF - Thomas 5 run (Norwood kick)
    • MIA - Duper 64 pass from Marino (Stoyanovich kick)
    • BUF - Lofton 13 pass from Kelly (Norwood kick)
    • MIA - Marino 2 run (Stoyanovich kick)
    • MIA - FG Stoyanovich 22
    • BUF - FG Norwood 28
    • MIA - Foster 2 pass from Marino (Stoyanovich kick)
    • BUF - Thomas 5 run (Norwood kick)
    • BUF - Reed 26 pass from Kelly (Norwood kick)
    • MIA - Martin 8 pass from Marino (Stoyanovich kick)

NFC: San Francisco 49ers 28, Washington Redskins 10

1 2 3 4 Total
Redskins 10 0 0 0 10
49ers 7 14 0 7 28

at Candlestick Park, San Francisco

Quarterback Joe Montana passed for 200 yards and 2 touchdowns in the first half to lead the 49ers to a 21-10 score by halftime. Redskins receiver Art Monk had a superb performance, recording 10 receptions for 163 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown catch from Mark Rypien to give his team a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. San Francisco tied the game with running back Tom Rathman's 1-yard rushing touchdown, but Washington took the lead again with kicker Chip Lohmiller's 44-yard field goal. In the second quarter, Montana then took control of the game by throwing two touchdowns: a 10-yarder to wide receiver Jerry Rice and an 8-yarder to wide receiver Mike Sherrard. San Francisco dominated Washington's offense for the rest of the game, intercepting Rypien 3 times with linebacker Michael Carter returning one of them 61-yards for a touchdown

  • Scoring
    • WAS - Monk 31 pass from Rypien (Lohmiller kick)
    • SF - Rathman 1 run (Cofer kick)
    • WAS - FG Lohmiller 44
    • SF - Rice 10 pass from Montana (Cofer kick)
    • SF - Sherrard 8 pass from Montana (Cofer kick)
    • SF - Carter 61 interception return (Cofer kick)

January 13, 1991

NFC: New York Giants 31, Chicago Bears 3

1 2 3 4 Total
Bears 0 3 0 0 3
Giants 10 7 7 7 31

at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

The Giants defense dominated the game by allowing only 27 rushing yards and 3 points. New York quarterback Jeff Hostetler, playing because starter Phil Simms suffered a season-ending injury, completed 10 out of 17 passes for 122 yards. He also threw 2 touchdown passes: a 21-yard completion to wide receiver Stephen Baker and a 3-yarder to tight end Howard Cross. Hostetler also ran for 43 yards, including a 3-yard rushing touchdown. Giants kicker Matt Bahr made a 46-yard field goal and running back Maurice Carthon scored a 1-yard touchdown.

This game was also the inspiration for the original airing of "Bill Swerski's Superfans" on Saturday Night Live.

  • Scoring
    • NYG - FG Bahr 46
    • NYG - Baker 21 pass from Hostetler (Bahr kick)
    • CHI - FG Butler 33
    • NYG - Cross 3 pass from Hostetler (Bahr kick)
    • NYG - Hostetler 3 run (Bahr kick)
    • NYG - Carthon 1 run (Bahr kick)

AFC: Los Angeles Raiders 20, Cincinnati Bengals 10

1 2 3 4 Total
Bengals 0 3 0 7 10
Raiders 0 7 3 10 20

at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles

The Raiders recorded 235 rushing yards (with 140 of them coming from running back Marcus Allen), while holding the Bengals to just 182 total yards and sacking Boomer Esiason four times (Three by lineman Greg Townsend), but still had to score 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to clinch the victory. The Bengals scored first during the second period with kicker Jim Breech's 27-yard field goal. But Los Angeles quarterback Jay Schroeder threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mervyn Fernandez to give the Raiders a 7-3 lead before helftime. Los Angeles kicker Jeff Jaeger made a 49-field goal in the third quarter, but Cincinnati tied the game early in the fourth period with running back Stanford Jennings' 8-yard touchdown reception from Esiason. However, a 41-yard touchdown pass from Schroeder to tight end Ethan Horton and Jaeger's 25-yard field goal clinched the victory.

This was Raiders running back Bo Jackson's final NFL game, having injured his left hip during the third quarter while being tackled from behind by Bengals linebacker Kevin Walker[1]. The injury was later revealed to have caused a degenerative bone condition in Jackson's hip called, avascular necrosis.

This game is also notable for being Marcus Allen's last 100-plus yard rushing performance with the Raiders, as well as the last postseason game the Bengals would play in until the 2005 season.

  • Scoring
    • CIN - FG Breech 27
    • RAI - Fernandez 13 pass from Schroeder (Jaeger kick)
    • RAI - FG Jaeger 49
    • CIN - Jennings 8 pass from Esiason (Breech kick)
    • RAI - Horton 41 pass from Schroeder (Jaeger kick)
    • RAI - FG Jaeger 25

Conference Championships

January 20, 1991

AFC: Buffalo Bills 51, Los Angeles Raiders 3

1 2 3 4 Total
Raiders 3 0 0 0 3
Bills 21 20 0 10 51

at Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

Raiders head coach Art Shell became the first African-American coach to take his team to a conference championship game, but the results were not in his favor.

The Bills shredded the Raiders, limiting quarterback Jay Schroeder to 13 of 31 completions for 150 yards and intercepting him 5 times, while also holding running back Marcus Allen to just 26 yards on 10 carries. On offense, the Bills amassed 502 total yards, including 202 yards on the ground. Running back Thurman Thomas rushed for 138 and a touchdown while also catching 5 passes for 61 yards, while Running back Kenneth Davis tied an AFC playoff record with 3 rushing touchdowns. Buffalo also set an NFL playoff record by scoring 41 points in the first half. Bills quarterback Jim Kelly threw for 300 yards and two touchdown passes to wide receiver James Lofton, who finished the game with 5 receptions for 113 yards. Thomas recorded a 12-yard touchdown run, while Davis scored from 1 yard, 3 yards, and 1 yard out. Linebacker Darryl Talley returned one of his two interceptions 27 yards for a touchdown.

On Buffalo's opening drive, Kelly completed six consecutive passes, the last one a 13-yard touchdown throw to Lofton after he fumbled a snap in shotgun formation and picked up the ball. The Raiders responded with a 41-yard field goal from Jeff Jaeger, but Buffalo stormed back with another touchdown just four plays after the ensuing kickoff, set up by Kelly's 41-yard completion to Lofton. After a punt, Los Angeles defensive back Gary Lewis intercepted a pass from Kelly. But two plays later, Talley intercepted a pass from Schroeder and returned it for a touchdown. The Raiders were forced to punt on their next possession, and Buffalo stormed down the field again, scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run by Davis on fourth down and goal. An interception by Nate Odomes set up Davis' second touchdown less than a minute later, and before the half ended, Lofton caught his second touchdown pass to give the Bills a 41-3 first half lead.

Buffalo increased thier lead to 48-3 with Davis' third touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. Later on, Scott Norwood closed out the scoring with a 39-yard field goal.

Buffalo recorded a total of six interceptions, the third highest total ever in a single NFL game. Defensive back Mark Kelso recorded his fourth career postseason interception in the game, a Bills record.

  • Scoring
    • BUF - Lofton 13 pass from Kelly (Norwood kick)
    • RAI - FG Jaeger 41
    • BUF - Thomas 12 run (Norwood kick)
    • BUF - Talley 27 interception return (Norwood kick)
    • BUF - K. Davis 1 run (kick blocked)
    • BUF - K. Davis 3 run (Norwood kick)
    • BUF - Lofton 8 pass from Kelly (Norwood kick)
    • BUF - K. Davis 1 run (Norwood kick)
    • BUF - FG Norwood 39

NFC: New York Giants 15, San Francisco 49ers 13

1 2 3 4 Total
Giants 3 3 3 6 15
49ers 3 3 7 0 13

at Candlestick Park, San Francisco

In a mostly defensive battle, 49ers running back Roger Craig's fumble with 2:36 left in the game led to Giants kicker Matt Bahr's 42-yard game-winning field goal as time ran out. Bahr was New York's only scorer, as he made 5 out of 6 field goals. Although the Giants outrushed the 49ers, 152 yards to 49, the game was tied 6-6 at halftime. In the third quarter, a 61-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Montana to wide receiver John Taylor gave San Francisco the lead, 13-6. Bahr then made a 46-yard field goal that cut the lead, 13-9. In the fourth quarter, a sack by Giants' defensive end Leonard Marshall knocked Montana out of the game. Then, a 30-yard run from New York linebacker Gary Reasons on a fake punt set up Bahr's fourth field goal, cutting their deficit to 13-12. The 49ers, now led by backup quarterback Steve Young, tried to run out the clock on their ensuing possession. But Craig fumbled the ball, Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor recovered it, and Bahr kicked his winning field goal five plays later as time expired to give New York the win.

  • Scoring
    • SF - FG Cofer 47
    • NYG - FG Bahr 28
    • NYG - FG Bahr 42
    • SF - FG Cofer 35
    • SF - Taylor 61 yard pass from Montana (Cofer kick)
    • NYG - FG Bahr 46
    • NYG - FG Bahr 38
    • NYG - FG Bahr 42

Super Bowl

Further information: Super Bowl XXV

New York Giants (NFC) 20, Buffalo Bills (AFC) 19, at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida

Bracket

Wild Card Playoffs Divisional Playoffs Conference Championships Super Bowl XXV
            
6 Houston 14
3 Cincinnati 41
3 Cincinnati 10
AFC
2 L.A. Raiders 20
2 L.A. Raiders 3
1 Buffalo 51
5 Kansas City 16
4 Miami 17
4 Miami 34
1 Buffalo 44
A1 Buffalo 19
N2 N.Y. Giants 20
6 New Orleans 6
3 Chicago 16
3 Chicago 3
2 N.Y. Giants 31
2 N.Y. Giants 15
NFC
1 San Francisco 13
5 Washington 20
4 Philadelphia 6
5 Washington 10
1 San Francisco 28

Notes

  1. ^ http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=4995

References

  • Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (ISBN 0-06-270174-6)
  • The Sporting News Complete Super Bowl Book 1995 (ISBN 0-89204-523-X)
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