AFC Championship Game: Difference between revisions
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The '''American Football Conference Championship Game''', otherwise known as '''AFC Championship Game''', is one of the two [[semi-final]] playoff matches of the [[National Football League]], the largest professional [[American football]] league in the [[United States]]. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the [[American Football Conference]]. The winner receives the Lamar Hunt Trophy and advances to face the winner of the [[NFC Championship Game]] in the [[Super Bowl]]. |
The '''American Football Conference Championship Game''', otherwise known as '''AFC Championship Game''', is one of the two [[semi-final]] playoff matches of the [[National Football League]], the largest professional [[American football]] league in the [[United States]]. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the [[American Football Conference]]. The winner receives the Lamar Hunt Trophy and advances to face the winner of the [[NFC Championship Game]] in the [[Super Bowl]]. |
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The first AFC Championship Game was played in 1970 after the [[AFL-NFL Merger|merger]] between the NFL and the [[American Football League]]. The game ultimately represents the former AFL Champtionship game which took place prior to the merger and for the first four years of the merged league. The AFC basically represented the former AFL as it was formed by joining the 10 former AFL teams with 3 NFL teams: the then-[[Indianapolis Colts|Baltimore Colts]], the [[Cleveland Browns]], and the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]. This was done due to the original NFL having more teams than the AFL and the desire to have the NFC and AFC be even in number of teams. |
The first AFC Championship Game was played in 1970 after the [[AFL-NFL Merger|merger]] between the NFL and the [[American Football League]]. The game ultimately represents the former AFL Champtionship game which took place prior to the merger and for the first four years of the merged league. The AFC basically represented the former AFL as it was formed by joining the 10 former AFL teams with 3 NFL teams: the then-[[Indianapolis Colts|Baltimore Colts]], the [[Cleveland Browns]], and the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]. This was done due to the original NFL having more teams than the AFL and the desire to have the NFC and AFC be even in number of teams. |
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Revision as of 03:15, 19 January 2009
| File:Afc-championship2005.png AFC Championship logo | |
| First played | 1970 |
|---|---|
| Trophy | Lamar Hunt |
The American Football Conference Championship Game, otherwise known as AFC Championship Game, is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the American Football Conference. The winner receives the Lamar Hunt Trophy and advances to face the winner of the NFC Championship Game in the Super Bowl.
The first AFC Championship Game was played in 1970 after the merger between the NFL and the American Football League. The game ultimately represents the former AFL Champtionship game which took place prior to the merger and for the first four years of the merged league. The AFC basically represented the former AFL as it was formed by joining the 10 former AFL teams with 3 NFL teams: the then-Baltimore Colts, the Cleveland Browns, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. This was done due to the original NFL having more teams than the AFL and the desire to have the NFC and AFC be even in number of teams.
Playoff structure
At the end of each football season, a series of playoff games involving the top six teams in the AFC are conducted, consisting of the four division champions and two wild card teams. The two teams remaining play in the AFC Championship game.
Since the 1975-76 season, the site of the AFC Championship has been based on playoff seeding. The surviving club with the highest initial seeding in the playoffs hosts the game. A wild card team can not host the game unless both participants are wild cards. Before 1975-76, the site of the game was determined on a rotating basis.
Game history
AFC Championship Game Records and facts
- Most Victories – 7; Pittsburgh Steelers (1974-75, 1978-79, 1995, 2005, 2008)
- Most Losses – 7*; (tie) Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders (1970, 1973-75, 1977, 1990 & 2000); Pittsburgh Steelers, (1972, 1976, 1984, 1994, 1997, 2001 & 2004)
- Most Appearances – 14**; Pittsburgh Steelers (1972, 1974-75, 1976, 1978-79, 1984, 1994-95, 1997, 2001, 2004-05, 2008)
- Most Consecutive Appearances – 5**; Oakland Raiders (1973-77)[1]
- Most Games Hosted – 10**; Pittsburgh Steelers (1972, 1975, 1978-79, 1994-95, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2008)
- Most Consecutive Victories – 4**; Buffalo Bills (1990-93)
- Most Consecutive Losses – 3*; Oakland Raiders (1973-75)
- Most Numerous Matchup – 3 (tie); Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Oakland Raiders 1974-1976, Cleveland Browns vs. Denver Broncos 1986-1987, 1989
- Highest attendance – 91,445; Raiders vs. Seahawks in Los Angeles on January 8, 1984 (1983 season).
- Most points scored – 51**; January 20, 1991 (1990 season) – Buffalo Bills vs. Los Angeles Raiders
- Largest margin of victory – 48 points**; January 20, 1991 (1990 season) - Buffalo Bills (51) vs. Los Angeles Raiders (3)
- Fewest points scored, winning team – 10; January 12, 1992 (1991 season) - Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos
- Most points scored, losing team – 34**; January 21, 2007 (2006 season) - New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts
- Most aggregate points scored – 73**; January 6, 1985 (1984 season) - Miami Dolphins (45) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (28)
- Fewest aggregate points scored – 14; January 23, 1983 (1982 season) - Miami Dolphins (14) vs. New York Jets (0)
- Longest game – 65 minutes, 38 seconds; January 11, 1987 (1986 season) - Denver Broncos (23) @ Cleveland Browns (20), OT
- Current AFC teams which have never appeared in a Conference Championship Game – Houston Texans[2]
- Current AFC teams which have never won a Conference Championship – Cleveland Browns (0-3), Houston Texans (no record), Kansas City Chiefs (0-1), Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) and New York Jets (0-2).
- Longest drought without appearing in an AFC Championship Game – 20 years**; Cincinnati Bengals (last appearance - 1988)
- Longest drought without an AFC Championship – 39 years; New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs (have never won AFC Championship)
*Tied for Conference Championship Record
**Conference Championship record
List of Championship Games
^ a: Sudden-death overtime
TBD = To Be Determined
AFC Championship Game appearances 1970–present
| Num | Team | W | L | PCT | PF | PA | Last appearance | Last championship | HOME games | Home wins | Home losses | Home Win Pct. | ROAD games | Road wins | Road losses | Road Win Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 7 | 7 | .500 | 308 | 284 | 2008 | 2005 | 10 | 5 | 5 | .500 | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 |
| 11 | Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders | 4 | 7 | .364 | 202 | 253 | 2002 | 2002 | 5 | 3 | 2 | .600 | 6 | 1 | 5 | .167 |
| 8 | Denver Broncos | 6 | 2 | .750 | 189 | 166 | 2005 | 1998 | 5 | 4 | 1 | .800 | 3 | 2 | 1 | .667 |
| 7 | New England Patriots | 6 | 1 | .857 | 195 | 128 | 2007 | 2007 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1.000 | 4 | 3 | 1 | .750 |
| 7 | Miami Dolphins | 5 | 2 | .714 | 152 | 115 | 1992 | 1984 | 6 | 4 | 2 | .667 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 5 | Buffalo Bills | 4 | 1 | .800 | 130 | 54 | 1993 | 1993 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1.000 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .500 |
| 5 | Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts | 2 | 3 | .400 | 95 | 116 | 2006 | 2006 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 3 | 0 | 3 | .000 |
| 4 | Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans | 1 | 3 | .250 | 75 | 116 | 2002 | 1999 | 0 | 0 | 0 | --- | 4 | 1 | 3 | .250 |
| 4 | San Diego Chargers | 1 | 3 | .250 | 63 | 95 | 2007 | 1994 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 3 | 1 | 2 | .333 |
| 3 | Cleveland Browns | 0 | 3 | .000 | 74 | 98 | 1989 | N/A | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 |
| 2 | Cincinnati Bengals | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 48 | 17 | 1988 | 1988 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | --- |
| 2 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 0 | 2 | .000 | 20 | 53 | 1999 | N/A | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| 2 | New York Jets | 0 | 2 | .000 | 10 | 37 | 1998 | N/A* | 0 | 0 | 0 | --- | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 |
| 2 | Baltimore Ravens | 1 | 1 | .500 | 30 | 26 | 2008 | 2000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | --- | 1 | 1 | 1 | .500 |
| 1 | Kansas City Chiefs | 0 | 1 | .000 | 13 | 30 | 1993 | N/A** | 0 | 0 | 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| 1 | Seattle Seahawks[c] | 0 | 1 | .000 | 14 | 30 | 1983 | N/A | 0 | 0 | 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| 0 | Houston Texans | 0 | 0 | --- | --- | --- | N/A | N/A | 0 | 0 | 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0 | --- |
**last AFL title - 1969
^ c: The Seattle Seahawks were members of the AFC from 1977 until 2002, and hold a combined 1-1 record between both Conference Championship Games.
Broadcasting
See also
Footnotes
- ^ The Raiders won only one of those five, defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-7 in 1976 en route to victory in Super Bowl XI.
- ^ However it should be noted the franchise was founded in 2002.
- ^ Joe Robbie Stadium now Dolphin Stadium is located in Miami Gardens. However the city was not incorporated until 2003. Prior to that, the area was an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade County, and the stadium used a Miami address.