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The blowout factor
After rout of Vikings, Giants enter tricky territory
Posted: Friday January 19, 2001 12:59 AM
Updated: Friday January 19, 2001 1:25 AM
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Ron Dixon and the Giants are hoping for a repeat showing in Super Bowl XXXV. Doug Pensinger/Allsport |
By Jacob Luft and Ryan Hunt, CNNSI.com
The New York Giants made quite a statement with their 41-0 thrashing of the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship Game. But what exactly did it say? For one thing, there is something to be said about a post-rout postseason letdown. Some examples:
Teams that won conference championship games by 20 or more points are only 6-6 in the Super Bowl (see chart below). However, five of the past six have won a championship, including three by the San Francisco 49ers (1984, '88 and '89).
Since 1990, 23 teams have won playoff games by 20 or more. In the ensuing game, those teams are only 10-13 (.435), including 1-1 in the Super Bowl (see chart below). That Super Bowl loss was against the Giants -- a 20-19 Super Bowl XXV New York win against Buffalo. The Bills routed the L.A. Raiders 51-3 in the AFC Championship Game.
Baltimore, the Giants' opponent in the Super Bowl, handled Oakland quite easily in the AFC Championship Game, one week after the Raiders' 27-0 whipping of the Miami Dolphins.
Yet there may be a good omen for the Giants.
Of the five teams that have won a postseason game (not including Super Bowls) by 40 or more points since the 1970 merger, only one has went on to win the Super Bowl -- the 1986 Giants, who hammered San Francisco 49-3 in the divisional round before beating Denver 39-20 in Super Bowl XXI.
However, three of the five lost the following game -- the '99 Jaguars (beat Miami 62-7, lost to Tennessee 33-14 in AFC Championship), the '93 49ers (beat the Giants 44-3, lost to Dallas 38-21 in NFC Championship) and the '90 Bills (beat the Raiders 51-3, lost to the Giants 20-19 in Super Bowl XXV.)
| The Week After: The Post-rout Super Bowl teams |
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Joe Montana and the 49ers never experienced a Super Bowl letdown.
Otto Greule/Allsport |
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| Year |
Team |
Champ Gm |
Super Bowl |
| 1991 |
Redskins |
W Lions 41-10 |
W Bills 37-24 |
| 1990 |
Bills |
W Raiders 51-3 |
L Giants 20-19 |
| 1989 |
49ers |
W Rams 30-3 |
W Broncos 55-10 |
| 1988 |
49ers |
W Bears 28-3 |
W Bengals 20-16 |
| 1985 |
Bears |
W Rams 24-0 |
W Patriots 46-10 |
| 1984 |
49ers |
W Bears 23-0 |
W Dolphins 38-16 |
| 1981 |
Bengals |
W Chargers 27-7 |
L 49ers 26-21 |
| 1978 |
Steelers |
W Oilers 34-5 |
W Cowboys 35-31 |
| 1978 |
Cowboys |
W Rams 28-0 |
L Steelers 35-31 |
| 1975 |
Cowboys |
W Rams 37-7 |
L Steelers 21-17 |
| 1972 |
Redskins |
W Cowboys 26-3 |
L Dolphins 14-7 |
| 1971 |
Dolphins |
W Colts 21-0 |
L Cowboys 24-3 |
| |
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|
| 20-point blowouts since '90 |
|---|
| Year |
Team |
Before |
After |
Round |
| 2000 |
Giants |
W Vikings 41-0 |
vs. Ravens |
Super Bowl |
| 2000 |
Raiders |
W Dolphins 27-0 |
L Ravens 16-3 |
AFC Champ |
| 1999 |
Jaguars |
W Dolphins 62-7 |
L Titans 33-14 |
NFC Champ |
| 1998 |
Broncos |
W Dolphins 38-3 |
W Jets 23-10 |
AFC Champ |
| 1998 |
Vikings |
W Cardinals 41-21 |
L Falcons 30-27 |
NFC Champ |
| 1997 |
Broncos |
W Jaguars 42-17 |
W Chiefs 14-10 |
Divisional |
| 1996 |
Patriots |
W Steelers 28-3 |
W Jaguars 20-6 |
AFC Champ |
| 1996 |
Steelers |
W Colts 42-14 |
L Patriots 28-3 |
Divisional |
| 1996 |
Packers |
W 49ers 35-14 |
W Panthers 30-13 |
NFC Champ |
| 1996 |
Cowboys |
W Vikings 40-15 |
L Panthers 26-17 |
Divisional |
| 1995 |
Eagles |
W Lions 58-37 |
L Cowboys 30-11 |
Divisional |
| 1994 |
Steelers |
W Browns 29-9 |
L Chargers 17-13 |
AFC Champ |
| 1994 |
49ers |
W Bears 44-15 |
W Cowboys 38-28 |
NFC Champ |
| 1994 |
Cowboys |
W Packers 35-9 |
L 49ers 38-28 |
NFC Champ |
| 1993 |
49ers |
W Giants 44-3 |
L Cowboys 38-21 |
NFC Champ |
| 1992 |
Bills |
W Steelers 24-3 |
W Dolphins 29-10 |
AFC Champ |
| 1992 |
Dolphins |
W Chargers 31-0 |
L Bills 29-10 |
AFC Champ |
| 1992 |
Cowboys |
W Eagles 34-10 |
W 49ers 30-20 |
NFC Champ |
| 1991 |
Redskins |
W Lions 41-10 |
W Bills 37-24 |
Super Bowl |
| 1991 |
Bills |
W Chiefs 37-14 |
W Broncos 10-7 |
AFC Champ |
| 1991 |
Lions |
W Cowboys 38-6 |
L Redskins 41-10 |
NFC Champ |
| 1990 |
Bills |
W Raiders 51-3 |
L Giants 20-19 |
Super Bowl |
| 1990 |
Bengals |
W Oilers 41-14 |
L Raiders 20-10 |
AFC Champ |
| 1990 |
Giants |
W Bears 31-3 |
W 49ers 15-13 |
NFC Champ |
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