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Factoid

Playoff rematches

Vikings fall just short of big turnaround; Packers next

Blair Walsh missed a 27-yard field goal, but the game between the Vikings and Seahawks served as a reminder that there are no gimme games in the playoffs. Seattle won 38-7 in the regular season, but Minnesota really should have won the game yesterday. Adjustments in game plans, injuries, luck, weather and teams showing up with a different level of intensity. Past performance does not guarantee future success.

In this century, 23 times teams have met in the playoffs, with one of the teams winning by 17-plus points in the previous meeting between those teams (in the same season). In over a third of those games (eight) the team that lost in the regular season was able to flip the result.

Another one of these games is coming up, with Green Bay playing at Arizona on Sunday. When these teams played a few weeks ago, the Cardinals buried them 38-8. But as the Vikings showed on Sunday, things can change.

The Packers and Cardinals, of course, have experienced this dynamic first hand.

When Arizona made it to its only Super Bowl, it beat a Philadelphia team in the NFC Championship that it earlier had lost to by 38 points. And the next year, the Cardinals were able to flip things against the Packers, losing 33-7 in Week 17, then coming back and winning 51-45 in overtime.

Green Bay last year lost by 20 points in the regular season at Seattle, then came back and had a Super Bowl berth in their hands, before blowing a big lead late, that included mishandling an onside kick late. And back in 2007, Green Bay lost at home in the NFC Championship game against a Giants team it had beaten by 22 in the regular season.

Things change.

BLOWOUT REMATCHES IN PLAYOFFS
YearMatchupReg. SeasonPlayoffs
2000NYG-Phil.Giants 24-7Giants 20-10
2002Oak.-Tenn.Raiders 52-25Raiders 41-24
2003G.B.-Sea.Packers 35-13Packers 33-27 (OT)
2004Ind.-Den.Broncos 33-14Colts 49-24
2004Atl.-St.L.Falcons 34-17Falcons 47-17
2005Pitt.-Ind.Colts 26-7Steelers 21-18
2006Chi.-Sea.Bears 37-6Bears 27-24 (OT)
2007NYG-G.B.Packers 35-13Giants 23-20 (OT)
2007N.E.-S.D.Patriots 38-14Patriots 21-12
2008Ariz.-Phil.Eagles 48-20Cardinals 32-25
2009Ariz.-G.B.Packers 33-7Cardinals 51-45 (OT)
2009Dall.-Phil.Cowboys 24-0Cowboys 34-14
2009NYJ-Cin.Jets 37-0Jets 24-14
2010NYJ-N.E.Patriots 45-3Jets 28-21
2011N.E.-Den.Patriots 41-23Patriots 45-10
2012Balt.-Den.Broncos 34-17Ravens 38-35 (OT)
2012N.E.-Hou.Patriots 42-14Patriots 41-28
2013Sea.-N.O.Seahawks 34-7Seahawks 23-15
2014Sea.-G.B.Seahawks 36-16Seahawks 28-22 (OT)
2014Balt.-Pitt.Steelers 43-23Ravens 30-17
2014Ind.-Cin.Colts 27-0Colts 26-10
2014N.E.-Ind.Patriots 42-20Patriots 45-7
2015Sea.-Minn.Seahawks 38-7Seahawks 10-9
2015Ariz.-G.B.Cardinals 38-8???

—Ian Allan

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