Playoff Results: 1980s

General Published on : 1/1/2005

The 1980s belonged to the San Francisco 49ers. Starting with their stirring 28-27 victory over Dallas in the 1981 NFC Championship Game, the Niners went on an amazing run that netted four Super Bowl titles in the decade -- a string of dominance that went well into the '90s. The Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders won a pair of crowns in the 10-year span, the only championships for the American Football Conference in the decade.

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1989

AFC

NFC

Wild-Card: Pittsburgh 26, HOUSTON 23 (OT)
Divisional: CLEVELAND 34, Buffalo 30; DENVER 24, Pittsburgh 23
Championship: DENVER 37, Cleveland 21
Wild-Card: L.A. Rams 21, PHILADELPHIA 7
Divisional: L.A. Rams 19, N.Y. GIANTS 13 (OT); SAN FRANCISCO 41, Minnesota 13
Championship: SAN FRANCISCO 30, L.A. Rams 3

Super Bowl XXIV: San Francisco 55, Denver 10
(at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans)

 

1988

AFC

NFC

Wild-Card: Houston 24, CLEVELAND 23
Divisional: CINCINNATI 21, Seattle 13; BUFFALO 17, Houston 10
Championship: CINCINNATI 21, Buffalo 10
Wild-Card: MINNESOTA 28, L.A. Rams 17
Divisional: CHICAGO 20, Philadelphia 12; SAN FRANCISCO 34, Minnesota 9
Championship: San Francisco 28, CHICAGO 3

Super Bowl XXIII: San Francisco 20, Cincinnati 16
(at Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami)

 

1987

AFC

NFC

Wild-Card: HOUSTON 23, Seattle 20 (OT)
Divisional: CLEVELAND 38, Indianapolis 21; DENVER 34, Houston 10
Championship: DENVER 38, Cleveland 33
Wild-Card: Minnesota 44, NEW ORLEANS 10
Divisional: Minnesota 36, SAN FRANCISCO 24; Washington 21, CHICAGO 17
Championship: WASHINGTON 17, Minnesota 10

Super Bowl XXII: Washington 42, Denver 10
(at Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego)

 

1986

AFC

NFC

Wild-Card: N.Y. JETS 35, Kansas City 15
Divisional: CLEVELAND 23, N.Y. Jets 20 (OT); DENVER 22, New England 17
Championship: Denver 23, CLEVELAND 20 (OT)
Wild-Card: WASHINGTON 19, L.A. Rams 7
Divisional: Washington 27, CHICAGO 13; N.Y. GIANTS 49, San Francisco 3
Championship: N.Y. GIANTS 17, Washington 0

Super Bowl XXI: N.Y. Giants 39, Denver 20
(at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calif.)

 

1985

AFC

NFC

Wild-Card: New England 26, N.Y. JETS 14
Divisional: MIAMI 24, Cleveland 21; New England 27, L.A. RAIDERS 20
Championship: New England 31, MIAMI 14
Wild-Card: N.Y. GIANTS 17, San Francisco 3
Divisional: L.A. RAMS 20, Dallas 0; CHICAGO 21, N.Y. Giants 0
Championship: CHICAGO 24, L.A. Rams 0

Super Bowl XX: Chicago 46, New England 10
(at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans)

 

1984

AFC

NFC

Wild-Card: SEATTLE 13, L.A. Raiders 7
Divisional: MIAMI 31, Seattle 10; Pittsburgh 24, DENVER 17
Championship: MIAMI 45, Pittsburgh 28
Wild-Card: N.Y. Giants 16, L.A. RAMS 13
Divisional: SAN FRANCISCO 21, N.Y. Giants 10; Chicago 23, WASHINGTON 19
Championship: SAN FRANCISCO 23, Chicago 0

Super Bowl XIX: San Francisco 38, Miami 16
(at Stanford Stadium, Stanford, Calif.)

 

1983

AFC

NFC

Wild-Card: SEATTLE 31, Denver 7
Divisional: Seattle 27, MIAMI 20; L.A. RAIDERS 38, Pittsburgh 10
Championship: L.A. RAIDERS 30, Seattle 14
Wild-Card: L.A. Rams 24, DALLAS 17
Divisional: SAN FRANCISCO 24, Detroit 23; WASHINGTON 51, L.A. Rams 7
Championship: WASHINGTON 24, San Francisco 21

Super Bowl XVIII: L.A. Raiders 38, Washington 9
(at Tampa Stadium, Tampa)

 

1982*

AFC

NFC

First Round: MIAMI 28, New England 13; L.A. RAIDERS 27, Cleveland 10; N.Y. Jets 44, CINCINNATI 17; San Diego 31, PITTSBURGH 28
Second Round: N.Y. Jets 17, L.A. RAIDERS 14; MIAMI 34, San Diego 13
Championship: MIAMI 14, N.Y. Jets 0
First Round: WASHINGTON 31, Detroit 7; GREEN BAY 41, ST. LOUIS 16; Minnesota 30, Atlanta 24; DALLAS 30, Tampa Bay 17
Second Round: WASHINGTON 21, Minnesota 7; DALLAS 37, Green Bay 26
Championship: WASHINGTON 31, Dallas 17

Super Bowl XVII: Washington 27, Miami 17
(at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calif.)

*As a result of the 57-day players strike, the '82 season was reduced from 16 to nine games. At the conclusion, the NFL conducted a 16-team Super Bowl tournament with eight teams from each conference, seeded 1-8 based on record.

1981

AFC

NFC

Wild-Card: Buffalo 31, N.Y. JETS 27
Divisional: San Diego 41, MIAMI 38 (OT); CINCINNATI 28, Buffalo 21
Championship: CINCINNATI 27, San Diego 7
Wild-Card: N.Y. Giants 27, PHILADELPHIA 21
Divisional: DALLAS 38, Tampa Bay 0; SAN FRANCISCO 38, N.Y. Giants 24
Championship: SAN FRANCISCO 28, Dallas 27

Super Bowl XVI: San Francisco 26, Cincinnati 21
(at Silverdome, Pontiac, Mich.)

 

1980

AFC

NFC

Wild-Card: OAKLAND 27, Houston 7
Divisional: SAN DIEGO 20, Buffalo 14; Oakland 14, CLEVELAND 12
Championship: Oakland 34, SAN DIEGO 27
Wild-Card: DALLAS 34, Los Angeles 13
Divisional: PHILADELPHIA 31, Minnesota 16; Dallas 30, ATLANTA 27
Championship: PHILADELPHIA 20, Dallas 7

Super Bowl XV: Oakland 27, Philadelphia 10
(at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans)