NFC Championship, Year-By-Year

1933

Chicago Bears 23, New York 21

Jack Manders of the Chicago kicked three field goals and both extra points in the first title game before 26,000 at Wrigley Field. The Bears’ winning touchdown came on a 36-yard play that started with a short pass from Bronko Nagurski to Bill Hewitt. The end lateraled to Bill Kerr, who went all the way.

*

1934

New York 30, Chicago Bears 13

The famous “Sneakers Game” in which the Giants opened the second half wearing basketball shoes and scored 27 points in the final period to overcome a 13-3 Chicago lead. The temperature was nine degrees and the Polo Grounds field was a sheet of ice. Giants’ Ken Strong scored 17 points before 35,059.

*

1935

Detroit 26, New York 7

Buddy Parker set up the final Lions’ touchdown with a 23-yard return of a pass interception and later scored from the 9. Attendance was 15,000 at Detroit University Stadium.

*

1936

Green Bay 21, Boston Redskins 6

Though New York was not represented, the game was played in the Polo Grounds because the Redskins’ franchise was being shifted to Washington. A turnout of 29,545 saw Don Hutson take a 43-yard touchdown pass from Arnie Herber in the first three minutes and the Packers were never headed.

*

1937

Washington 28, Chicago Bears 21

Rookie Sammy Baugh threw three second-half touchdown passes of 55, 78 and 33 yards to overcome a 14-7 Chicago lead. Wrigley Field crowd of 15,870 saw Jack Manders of Chicago account for 15 points on the icy field.

*

1938

New York 23, Green Bay 17

Giants blocked two Green Bay punts early in the game, turned one into a field goal, the other into a touchdown and led 9-0. Ed Danowski’s 23-yard touchdown pass to Hank Soar clinched the victory for the Giants, who had fallen behind 17-16. Crowd of 48,120 was a record.

*

1939

Green Bay 27, New York 0

First shutout registered in championship game. Despite bitter, 35 m.p.h. wind both Arnie Herber and Cecil Isbell passed for touchdowns at Milwaukee State Fair Grounds, before 32,279 fans.

*

1940

Chicago Bears 73, Washington 0

On the second play from scrimmage Bill Osmanski of the Bears went 68 yards for a touchdown and before the most one-sided game in title history was over, ten different Bears scored 11 touchdowns before 36,004 at Washington.

*

1941

Chicago Bears 37, New York 9

George McAfee scored one of four Chicago touchdowns as the Bears broke out of a 9-9 tie in the third period. The attendance at Wrigley Field was 13,341 because the game was played two weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

*

1942

Washington 14, Chicago Bears 6

Washington’s Sammy Baugh and Chicago’s Sid Luckman, the premier passers of the time, met in a head-to-head duel. Baugh threw one touchdown pass, Luckman none. Missing from the Bears’ coaching staff was owner George Halas, who was in the service.

*

1943

Chicago Bears 41, Washington 21

Bear quarterback Sid Luckman threw five touchdown passes, and the Redskins’ Sammy Baugh, still a single wing tailback, threw two before suffering a concussion late in the game. Bronko Nagurski, back from pre-war retirement, thrilled the Wrigley Field crowd of 34,320 by scoring Chicago’s second touchdown on a 3-yard plunge.

*

1944

Green Bay 14, New York 7

Ted Fritsch of the Packers scored on a 2-yard plunge and a 26-yard pass from Irv Comp. The Giants failed to score until the final period when Ward Cuff went over from the 1. Crowd was 46,016 in the Polo Grounds.

*

1945

Cleveland Rams 15, Washington 14

The Rams, who were to move to California for the next season, played this one on a bitter cold, extremely windy day in Municipal Stadium. The deciding play turned out to be a first-period automatic safety scored when the Redskins’ Sammy Baugh passed from his own end zone and the wind carried the ball into the goal post before 32,178.

*

1946

Chicago Bears 24, New York 14

Ken Kavanaugh scored the Bears’ first touchdown on a 21-yard pass from Sid Luckman. Luckman went 19 yards on a bootleg play for a fourth-period score that broke a 14-14 tie. Polo Grounds crowd of 58,346 was a record.

*

1947

Chicago Cardinals 28, Philadelphia 21

Elmer Angsman twice went 70 yards to score and Charlie Trippi ran 44 from scrimmage and 75 with a punt return for the Cardinals on a frozen, but fast Comiskey Park field before 30,759.

*

1948

Philadelphia 7, Chicago Cardinals 0

Snow was everywhere; on the yardline markers, on the field, in the air and in the stands where 36,309 sat in Shibe Park. In the fourth period Eagle lineman Bucko Kilroy recovered a Cardinal fumble on the 17-yard line. Philadelphia took it in, with Steve Van Buren smashing the final five.

*

1949

Philadelphia 14, Rams 0

Rain soaked 27,980 Coliseum fans and hurt the Rams as Bob Waterfield had difficulty passing. The Eagles scored an unprecedented and unmatched second straight NFL championship shutout. Steve Van Buren rushed a record 196 yards.

*

1950

Cleveland 30, Rams 28

Quarterback Otto Graham of the Browns threw four touchdown passes, despite icy footing in Municipal Stadium, and Lou Groza kicked a field goal from the 16-yard line. The boot came with only 28 seconds left and gave the Browns the NFL championship their first year in the League. Attendance was 29,751.

*

1951

Rams 24, Cleveland 17

A 73-yard touchdown pass from Norm Van Brocklin to Tom Fears broke a 17-17 tie in the fourth period. Coliseum crowd of 59,475 was a pro football record.

*

1952

Detroit 17, Cleveland 7

Detroit quarterback Bobby Layne scored from two yards out in the second period. Doak Walker raced 67 for a third-period touchdown, and the Lions never trailed before 50,934 in Cleveland Stadium.

*

1953

Detroit 17, Cleveland 16

Lou Groza kicked 10 points, but it was Doak Walker’s extra point, following a 33-yard scoring pass, that made the difference and pleased 54,577 fans in Briggs Stadium. For the second straight year Harry Jagade scored the Browns’ only touchdown.

*

1954

Cleveland 56, Detroit 10

The Lions couldn’t handle the Browns, although Doak Walker kicked a 36-yard field goal for an early Detroit lead. Before it was over Otto Graham scored three touchdowns and passed for three. 43,827 watched in Cleveland Stadium.

*

1955

Cleveland 38, Rams 14

Championship record crowd of 85,693 in Coliseum saw Browns intercept six passes, one of which was returned 65 yards for a touchdown by Don Paul. Otto Graham of the Browns passed for two touchdowns and scored two.

*

1956

New York 47, Chicago Bears 7

Ben Agajanian kicked two field goals and five conversions as the Giants dominated the Bears before 56,836 in Yankee Stadium. Alex Webster scored two of the Giants’ six touchdowns.

*

1957

Detroit 59, Cleveland 14

Quarterback Bobby Layne was out with a broken leg and Tobin Rote guided the Lions before 55,263 in Briggs Stadium. He passed for four touchdowns and scored another.

*

1958

Baltimore 23, New York 17

Quarterback Johnny Unitas took the Colts 80 yards in 13 plays, the last a one-yard carry by Alan Ameche at 8 minutes, 15 seconds of sudden death overtime. The regulation game ended 17-17 when Baltimore’s Steve Myhra kicked a 20-yard field goal 20 seconds from the gun, before 64,185 at Yankee Stadium.

*

1959

Baltimore 31, New York 16

The Giants led 9-7 after three periods by virtue of three field goals by Pat Summerall, but in the final period Baltimore’s defensive backfield made three interceptions that resulted in scores. Johnny Unitas scored one touchdown and passed for two before 57,545 in Municipal Stadium.

*

1960

Philadelphia 17, Green Bay 13

The Eagles came from behind twice, after trailing 6-0 in the second period and 13-10 in the last, before 67,325 in Franklin Field. Philadelphia touchdowns were scored by Tommy McDonald on a 35-yard pass from Norm Van Brocklin and by Ted Dean on a 5-yard run.

*

1961

Green Bay 37, New York 0

Paul Hornung, on leave from the Army, scored an individual record 19 points in the first title game ever played in Green Bay. A record Packer home crowd of 39,029 watched its favorites explode for 24 points in the second period. Green Bay quarterback Bart Starr threw three touchdown passes.

*

1962

Green Bay 16, New York 7

In swirling 30-mile winds and 15-degree cold, the Packers won their second straight championship before 64,892 at Yankee Stadium. Packer guard Jerry Kramer kicked three field goals and Jim Taylor scored the only Green Bay touchdown.

*

1963

Chicago 14, New York 10

The Bears, who won the Western Conference title by allowing only 10 points per game, played up to form before 45,801 at Wrigley Field. The temperature was 10 degrees, but the Bear defenders picked off five Giant passes, two of which set up the Chicago scores.

*

1964

Cleveland 27, Baltimore 0

The Browns broke a scoreless first half with 17 points in the third period to defeat the Colts before 79,544 at Cleveland Stadium. The temperature was 30 and the wind was 15 m.p.h.

*

1965

Green Bay 23, Cleveland 12

A field softened by four-inch snow made Green Bay backs only run harder as a Lambeau Field crowd of 50,777 celebrated third championship in five years. Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung gained 201 yards in rally that overcame the Browns’ 9-7 lead.

*

1966

Green Bay 34, Dallas 27

Bart Starr passed for four touchdowns as the Packers won second straight title and fourth in six years. Cotton Bowl crowd of 74,152 watched a last-minute Cowboy bid for a tie end when Tom Brown made an end zone interception of Don Meredith’s fourth-down pass from the Green Bay 2.

*

1967

Green Bay 21, Dallas 17

In 13-below temperature, before 50,861 at Lambeau Field, Bart Starr scored the winning touchdown from the 1-yard line with 13 seconds remaining as the Packers won a record third straight championship and fifth NFL title in seven years. Starr’s touchdown, on third down with no timeouts remaining, climaxed a 68-yard drive in 12 plays.

*

1968

Baltimore 34, Cleveland 0

Tom Matte scored a record-tying three touchdowns as 80,628 Cleveland Stadium fans saw the Colts register their fourth shutout of the season and hold the Browns scoreless for only the second time in their history.

*

1969

Minnesota 27, Cleveland 7

On a snow-rimmed field, in 8-degree temperature, before a sellout crowd of 46,503, Minnesota quarterback Joe Kapp scored on a 7-yard run and on the following series, passed 75 yards to Gene Washington for a touchdown, as the Vikings became the first expansion team to win the championship.

*

1970

Dallas 17, San Francisco 10

Rookie Duane Thomas broke a 3-3 tie in the third period, rushing for a 13-yard touchdown. Mel Renfro’s interception led to Dallas’ clinching touchdown, a 5-yard pass from Craig Morton to Walt Garrison. Thomas rushed 27 times for 143 yards before 59,364.

*

1971

Dallas 14, San Francisco 3

Calvin Hill scored from the 1 following George Andrie’s interception and Duane Thomas’ 2-yard score climaxed an 80-yard drive in the final period as the Cowboys won their second straight title. Dallas had three interceptions and the defense held the 49ers to 61 yards rushing before 63,409 in new Texas Stadium.

*

1972

Washington 26, Dallas 3

Washington used the passing combination of Bill Kilmer and Charley Taylor and the kicking of Curt Knight to register its first championship in 30 years. On a cloudy, mild New Year’s Eve day in the nation’s capital, Knight produced a 3-0 lead with the first of his four field goals. Washington scored the decisive touchdown on a Kilmer-to-Taylor pass. Kilmer completed 14 of 18 passes for 194 yards. Taylor caught seven passes for 146 yards.

*

1973

Minnesota 27, Dallas 10

A 54-yard Fran Tarkenton to John Gilliam touchdown pass and Bobby Bryant’s 63-yard interception return for another score provided the impetus as Minnesota defeated Dallas 27-10 in Texas Stadium. Minnesota led 10-0 before Golden Richards, in the third quarter, returned a punt 63 yards for a touchdown.

*

1974

Minnesota 14, Rams 10

The Vikings won their second straight NFC title before 48,444 fans at Minnesota’s Metropolitan Stadium. They led 7-3 in the third period when Rams’ James Harris passed to Harold Jackson for a 73-yard gain to the Vikings’ 2-yard line. Harris’ next pass was intercepted by Wally Hilgenberg. The Vikings then marched 80 yards, Dave Osborn scoring on a 1-yard plunge to make the score 14-3.

*

1975

Dallas 37, Rams 7

Roger Staubach, Preston Pearson and the Cowboys’ defense starred as Dallas exploded for a surprise victory in Memorial Stadium, the first wild card team ever to gain the Super Bowl. Staubach threw four touchdown passes and Pearson caught three of them to tie a post-season game record. The Cowboys’ defense limited the Rams to 118 total yards (22 rushing).

*

1976

Minnesota 24, Rams 13

Minnesota won its fourth NFC title, utilizing blocked kicks, a maneuver they accomplished 13 times during the regular season. After the Vikings built up an early lead, Los Angeles had a drive stalled at the Minnesota 1-yard line. Nate Allen blocked Tom Dempsey’s field goal attempt and Bobby Bryant returned the ball 90 yards for a touchdown. A blocked punt set up Fred Cox’s 25-yard field goal. Minnesota made it 17-0 in the third period.

*

1977

Dallas 23, Minnesota 6

The Cowboys’ defense stifled Minnesota (66 yards rushing, three fumbles lost). Dallas opened the scoring with a 32-yard touchdown pass, Roger Staubach to Golden Richards, and Robert Newhouse plunged five yards early in the second quarter, after Danny White’s 14-yard run on a fake punt situation. Fred Cox’s field goals (32, 37 yards) came in the second quarter. Efren Herrera kicked a 21-yard field goal to make the score 16-6 at the half. Tony Dorsett closed out the scoring with an 11-yard run.

*

1978

Dallas 28, Rams 0

After a scoreless first half Dallas took control of the game when free safety Charlie Waters intercepted two passes. His first one set up a Tony Dorsett 5-yard run for a touchdown and his second one led to a Roger Staubach-to-Scott Laidlaw 4-yard touchdown pass.

*

1979

Rams 9, Tampa Bay 0

The became the first NFC Western Division representative in the Super Bowl by shutting out Tampa Bay 9-0. Frank Corral’s field goals of 19, 21 and 23 yards accounted for the Rams’ scoring in the first game in the history of the NFL championship series in which no touchdowns were scored.

*

1980

Philadelphia 20, Dallas 7

Led by Wilbert Montgomery’s 194-yard rushing effort the Eagles defeated wild card entry Dallas. Philadelphia scored early on Montgomery’s 42-yard run but Dallas tied the score on a Tony Dorsett touchdown run of three yards. In the second half Philadelphia scored on two Tony Franklin field goals and a 9-yard run by Leroy Harris.

*

1981

San Francisco 28, Dallas 27

Joe Montana’s third touchdown pass of the game, a 6-yarder to Dwight Clark, with 51 seconds remaining in the game, lifted the 49ers to victory. Dallas led at half-time on Rafael Septien’s 44-yard field goal, Tony Hill’s 26-yard reception and Tony Dorsett’s 5-yard run. The 49ers took a 21-17 edge in the third quarter on Johnny Davis’s 2-yard run. The Cowboys pulled to within one point on Septien’s 22-yard field goal, and then went up 27-21, with 10:41 to go, on a Danny White-to-Doug Cosbie 21-yard pass, before the 49ers’ heroics.

*

1982

Washington 31, Dallas 17

The Redskins defeated the Cowboys for the second time in a title game to advance to the Super Bowl. The Skins built a 14-3 halftime lead on Charlie Brown’s 19-yard touchdown reception and John Riggins’ 1-yard run. Gary Hogeboom, Dallas’s sub quarterback for injured Danny White, accounted for both Cowboy touchdowns with passes to Drew Pearson and Butch Johnson. Mike Nelms’ NFC Championship game record 76-yard kickoff return set up Riggins’ second score of the game. The Redskins scored the last ten points of the game with Mark Moseley’s 29-yard field goal and Darryl Grant’s 10-yard return of an interception.

*

1983

Washington 24, San Francisco 21

John Riggins (123 yards rushing, his sixth straight 100-yard playoff game) scored the Redskins’ first two touchdowns on runs of four and one yards. Joe Theismann completed a 70-yard scoring pass to Charlie Brown before San Francisco tied the game with three fourth-quarter touchdowns on Joe Montana passes (to Mike Wilson, five yards, Freddie Solomon, 76 yards, and Wilson again, 12 yards). The Redskins won the game with 40 seconds remaining when Mark Moseley kicked a 25-yard field goal.

*

1984

San Francisco 23, Chicago Bears 0

San Francisco took a 6-0 halftime lead on a pair of Ray Wersching field goals and pulled away on Wendell Tyler’s nine-yard touchdown run, Joe Montana’s 10-yard touchdown pass to Freddie Solomon and another Wersching field goal. Montana completed 18 of 33 passes for 233 yards.

*

1985

Chicago 24, Rams 0

Chicago became the first team to shut out two consecutive playoff opponents as it scored on its first possession and extended its record to 17 wins in 18 games. Jim McMahon scored on a 16-yard run and threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Willie Gault. Kevin Butler kicked a 34-yard field goal and Richard Dent, a defensive end, returned a fumble 52 yards for a touchdown.

*

1986

N.Y. Giants 17, Washington 0

The Giants took a 10-0 lead on their first two possessions, both following short, wind-blown punts by Steve Cox. Trailing 17-0 entering the second half, the Redskins threw on 34 of 35 second-half plays while New York relied on the ball-control rushing of Joe Morris (29 carries, 87 yards). Before 76,633 in the Meadowlands, the Giants held the Redskins to 190 total yards and did not allow Washington to convert any of 14 third-down or four fourth-down plays in the game.

*

1987

Washington 17, Minnesota 10

Doug Williams hit Gary Clark with an 7-yard touchdown pass with 5:10 to play as Washington qualified for its third Super Bowl in six years, beating the Minnesota Vikings 17-10. The Redskin defense led by Dexter Manley and Dave Butz, rose up to sack Wade Wilson eight times, set up a field goal with an interception and twice came up with fourth-quarter goal-line stands. The first goal-line stand forced Minnesota to settle for Chuck Nelson’s 18-yard field goal that tied the score 10-10 with 10:06 to play. The Redskins again stopped the Vikings from the 6-yard line with 52 seconds to play, averting a third straight overtime game between these two teams.

*

1988

San Francisco 28, Chicago 3

Joe Montana and Jerry Rice combined for two touchdowns and Montana threw a third to John Frank as the San Francisco 49ers beat the Chicago Bears 28-3 to set up a rematch of their 26-21 Super Bowl victory over Cincinnati in 1982. San Francisco’s defense allowed the Bears inside its’ 40-yard line only twice in the game. The victory was the first road playoff win for the 49ers since 1970 and the first by the visiting team in the NFC Championship game since 1979.

*

1989

San Francisco 30, Rams 3

Joe Montana was almost perfect completeting 26 of 30 passes for 262 yards and setting an NFL record by throwing his 30th and 31st post-season touchdown pass. Terry Bradshaw had thrown 30. The Rams took an early 3-0 lead and were held in check as the 49ers dominated the rest of the game. San Francisco had 29 first downs to Los Angeles’ nine; 442 yards to 156; and a time of possession 39:48 to 20:12. Roger Craig rushed for 93 yards on 23 carries.

*

1990

New York Giants 15, San Francisco 13

Matt Bahr kicked five field goals, including the game-winner as time expired, to give the Giants their second Super Bowl appearance and prevent the 49ers from their third straight. Lawrence Taylor recovered Roger Craig’s fumble with 2:36 to play to set up the winning field goal.

*

1991

Washington 41, Detroit 10

Washington reached their fifth Super Bowl and fourth under coach Joe Gibbs. The Redskins turned a pair of turnovers into 10 points less than five minutes into the game and took a 17-10 lead at halftime. Mark Rypien, who completed 12 of 17 passes for 228 yards, put the game out of reach with a 45-yard touchdown pass to Gary Clark and a 21-yard touchdown pass to Art Monk.

*

1992 Dallas 30, San Francisco 20

Troy Aikman passed for 322 yards and two touchdowns and Emmitt Smith rushed for 114 yards to lead the Cowboys to a record sixth Super Bowl. The game was tied at 10-10 at intermission. Aikman completed 13-of-16 passes in the second half and directed Dallas on three long touchdown drives. The 49ers closed the gap to 24-20 with 4:22 to go, but Alvin Harper turned a short Aikman pass into a 70-yard gain to set up the Cowboys final score.

*

1993

Dallas 38, San Francisco 21

Troy Aikman threw two touchdown passes and Emmitt Smith scored twice as the Cowboys scored on four of their first five possessions. Bernie Kosar replaced Aikman, who suffered a concussion, and put the game out of reach with a 42-yard touchdown pass to Alvin Harper with 2:24 remaining in the third quarter.