Playoff Records, Facts, Figures and Milestones

NFL Football 2011

Fresh Faces & Consistent Winners Highlight Playoff Field

The 2011 NFL playoff field has six teams that won at least 12 games -- Green Bay (15-1), New England (13-3), New Orleans (13-3), San Francisco (13-3), Baltimore (12-4) and Pittsburgh (12-4). That is tied for the most 12+ win teams in a playoff field in NFL history (2003).

For the 16th consecutive season, at least five teams qualified for the playoffs that were not in the postseason the year before. Six clubs -- Cincinnati, Denver, Detroit, Houston, the New York Giants and San Francisco -- did not make the playoffs in 2010 but have done so this season.

NFL teams since 1996 to make the playoffs the season after failing to qualify:

 

In the 10 seasons since realignment in 2002, 31 of the 32 NFL teams have qualified for the playoffs at least once, including newcomers Detroit and Houston. In that time, 27 different teams have won division titles, including the Texans, who claimed the AFC South for the first time in franchise history.

How the 2011 playoff teams have fared in the 10 seasons since realignment in 2002:

 

Seven of the NFL's eight divisions featured new division champions from last season, the most in a season since realignment in 2002. Only New England (AFC East) was a repeat division champion.

 

Denver rebounded to win the AFC West after a last-place finish in 2010 and Houston claimed its first AFC South title after finishing tied for last in the division last year. This marked the NFL-record ninth consecutive season that a team went from "worst-to-first" in its division.

NFL teams to go from "worst-to-first" in their divisions since 2003:

 

The 2011 field also showcases teams that have enjoyed recent postseason success. Since realignment in 2002, the New England Patriots have been to the playoffs eight times, the second most by any club. The Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers, who faced one another in Super Bowl XLV, are tied for the third-most postseason appearances in that span with seven.

NFL teams with the most playoff appearances since 2002 (includes 2011):

 

Six of this season's 12 playoff teams have won at least one Super Bowl since 2000, capturing nine of the past 11 Vince Lombardi Trophies. Those teams are Baltimore (XXXV), Green Bay (XLV), New England (XXXVI, XXXVIII and XXXIX), New Orleans (XLIV), the New York Giants (XLII) and Pittsburgh (XL and XLIII).

 

ALL-TIME PLAYOFFS

The New York Giants will participate in the playoffs for the 31st time, the most postseason appearances in NFL history.

NFL teams with the most seasons in the playoffs:

 

Playoff teams and their postseason records:

ALL-TIME PLAYOFF RECORDS

 

WILD CARD RECORDS

 

DIVISIONAL RECORDS

 

Winning Feeling

The defending champion Green Bay Packers have won 13 NFL championships, the most in league history. Of the 12 playoff teams this season, nine have won at least one championship.

NFL championships won by the 2011 playoff teams:

 

Repeat After Me

The Green Bay Packers seek to become the ninth defending champion to win the Super Bowl the following year. The Super Bowl winners who repeated as champions the next season:

 

Six Rings

The Pittsburgh Steelers have won an NFL-record six Super Bowl titles. The franchise captured its sixth championship in the Steelers 27-23 victory over Arizona in Super Bowl XLIII. The clubs with the most Super Bowl titles in NFL history:

 

NFL Playoff Success

The Pittsburgh Steelers have won 33 postseason games, the most among 2011 playoff teams and tied for the most in NFL history. The Green Bay Packers have 29 postseason victories, the second-most among 2011 playoff clubs and the third-most all-time.

NFL teams with the most playoff victories in NFL history:

 

Postseason victories for the 2011 playoff teams:

 

Home Sweet Home ... Maybe

While home-field advantage throughout the playoffs is a coveted prize, it has been no guarantee of a trip to the Super Bowl. And like so much about the NFL, an unpredictable result is seemingly the only predictable outcome.

Since the NFL adopted the 12-team playoff format in 1990, only 20 of the 42 (47.6 percent) No. 1 seeds have advanced to the Super Bowl, with nine No. 1 seeds being crowned champions (21.4 percent). How the No. 1 seeds have fared since 1990:

 

Division Dominance

Since 2000, the New England Patriots have won nine division titles, the most in the NFL during that span. The Green Bay Packers are tied for second in the NFC with five division titles since 2000.

Teams with the most NFL division titles since 2000:

 

Super Encore

The Pittsburgh Steelers registered a 12-4 record this season and became the 12th Super Bowl runner-up since 1990 to qualify for the playoffs the following year.

Since 1990, the Super Bowl runner-ups to advance to the postseason:

 

Point Production

The Green Bay Packers scored an NFL-high 560 points this year, the second-most in a single season in NFL history. The New Orleans Saints scored 547 points, the fourth-most in a season all-time.

The highest-scoring teams in NFL history and how they fared in the postseason:

 

Undefeated at Home

The Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints all finished the 2011 regular season undefeated at home. Since 2000, only 19 teams have posted a perfect regular-season record at home. Of the previous 16 teams, five have gone to the Super Bowl (31.3 percent). The teams (since 2000) to finish with 8-0 records at home and their final season result:

 

Stingy Against The Run

The Pittsburgh Steelers have not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 17 consecutive postseason games, tied for the longest current streak. The Baltimore Ravens rank third with 15 consecutive playoff games without allowing a 100-yard rusher. The longest current postseason streaks of not allowing a 100-yard rusher:

 

A Resilient Bunch

The Denver Broncos captured their first AFC West title since 2005 after starting the 2011 season with a 2-5 record. The Broncos became the fifth team in NFL history to reach the postseason after starting 2-5 or worse after seven games.

The teams to reach the postseason after starting a season 2-5 or worse in NFL history:

 

OT & Playoffs: Winning Combination

Overtime games and the NFL playoffs have gone hand-in-hand for several years, with thrilling football the certain conclusion. The playoffs have featured at least one overtime game in nine of the past 11 postseasons.

Last season, the NFL adopted a modified sudden-death system for the playoffs. The system guarantees each team a possession or the opportunity to possess, unless the team that receives the opening kickoff scores a touchdown on its initial possession. Play continues in sudden death until a winner is determined, and the game automatically ends upon any score.

NFL overtime playoff games since 2000:

 

Overtime history of the 2011 playoff participants:

 

The Players

Mister Rodgers' Neighborhood

Green Bay Pro Bowl quarterback AARON RODGERS led the Packers to a victory in Super Bowl XLV and was named the MVP of the title game. In six career playoff games, Rodgers ranks as one of the top postseason quarterbacks in NFL history.

His 112.6 passer rating is the highest mark in NFL postseason history (minimum 150 attempts). New Orleans Pro Bowl quarterback DREW BREES ranks fourth with a 102 passer rating.

NFL quarterbacks with the highest postseason passer rating (min. 150 attempts):

 

Rodgers has completed 118 of 174 attempts in his postseason career for a 67.8 completion percentage, the highest in NFL playoff history (minimum 150 attempts). Brees ranks third with a 66.3 completion percentage (189 of 285).

The quarterbacks with the highest postseason completion percentage (min. 150 attempts):

 

Rodgers is averaging 8.72 yards per pass attempt in the postseason, the highest mark in NFL history (minimum 150 attempts).

NFL quarterbacks with the highest postseason average gain per pass attempt (min. 150 attempts):

 

Drew Brees

New Orleans Pro Bowl quarterback DREW BREES has thrown only two interceptions in 285 playoff attempts (0.70). That mark is the lowest percentage of passes intercepted in NFL postseason history (minimum 150 attempts). Green Bay Pro Bowl quarterback AARON RODGERS ranks third all-time with a 1.72 mark (three interceptions in 174 attempts).

NFL quarterbacks with the lowest postseason interception percentage (min. 150 attempts):

 

Passing By

Pro Bowl quarterbacks DREW BREES of New Orleans and AARON RODGERS of Green Bay have each had a 400-yard passing game in the postseason. Brees accomplished the feat in last year's Wild Card round (404 yards vs. Seattle) and Rodgers passed for 423 yards against Arizona in the 2009 playoffs (1/10/10, Wild Card).

PEYTON MANNING and Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO are the only quarterbacks in NFL history to throw for at least 400 yards in two playoff games.

The 15 400-yard passing performances in NFL postseason history:

 

SUPER BOWL MVPs

There are seven players in the 2011 postseason who have been named Super Bowl MVP: quarterback TOM BRADY of New England (XXXVI, XXXVIII), wide receiver DEION BRANCH of New England (XXXIX), quarterback DREW BREES of New Orleans (XLIV), linebacker RAY LEWIS of Baltimore (XXXV), quarterback ELI MANNING of the New York Giants (XLII), quarterback AARON RODGERS of Green Bay (XLV) and wide receiver HINES WARD of Pittsburgh (XL).

This is the first postseason in NFL history to feature four Super Bowl MVP quarterbacks: Brady, Brees, Eli Manning and Aaron Rodgers.

Brady is one of only four players in NFL history to be named Super Bowl MVP multiple times and aims to join Pro Football Hall of Famer JOE MONTANA as the only players to win the award three times.

The four players in NFL history to be named Super Bowl MVP multiple times:

 

POSTSEASON SUCCESS

New England quarterback TOM BRADY has a 14-5 (.737) postseason record, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer TERRY BRADSHAW for the best postseason record as a starting quarterback in NFL history (minimum 15 starts).

NFL quarterbacks with the best records in postseason starts (minimum 15 starts):

 

PROVEN WINNER

New England's TOM BRADY is one of four quarterbacks in NFL history to win at least three Super Bowls.

Only 10 QBs in NFL history have won multiple Super Bowls and two of them -- Brady and Pittsburgh's BEN ROETHLISBERGER -- are participating in the 2011 postseason. Of the 10, two are active and seven have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Starting NFL quarterbacks to win multiple Super Bowls:

 

First-Timers

Five starting quarterbacks -- ANDY DALTON of Cincinnati, ALEX SMITH of San Francisco, MATTHEW STAFFORD of Detroit, TIM TEBOW of Denver and T.J. YATES of Houston -- will make their playoff debuts this postseason.

NFL Quarterbacks with the most passing yards in their first career postseason start:

 

WELCOME RECEPTION

Detroit Pro Bowl wide receiver CALVIN JOHNSON led the NFL with 1,681 receiving yards and became the first player since Pro Football Hall of Famer DON MAYNARD in 1968 to record two games with at least 200 receiving yards in a season.

NFL players with the most receiving yards in a single postseason:

 

NFL players with the most receiving yards in a postseason game:

 

ALL-PURPOSE

New Orleans Saints running back DARREN SPROLES had 2,696 combined net yards, the most in a single season in NFL history. He also became the first player in league history with at least 1,300 scrimmage yards (1,313) and 1,300 combined kick-return yards (1,383) in a season. In a 2008 Wild Card game (1/3/09 with San Diego), Sproles had 328 combined net yards (106 kickoff, 105 rushing, 72 punt, 45 receiving), the third-highest single-game total in NFL postseason history.

The most combined net yards in a postseason game:

 

SPECIAL DELIVERY

There have been only 20 punt-return touchdowns in playoff history. The last player with a punt-return touchdown in the postseason was New Orleans' REGGIE BUSH in the 2009 Divisional round (83 yards, the third-longest in NFL playoff history). No player has ever recorded more than one in a career.

There have been 22 playoff kickoff-return touchdowns. The last player with a kickoff-return touchdown in the postseason was Atlanta's ERIC WEEMS in last year's Divisional round (102 yards, the longest in NFL playoff history). RON DIXON of the New York Giants (2000-02) is the only player with two career kickoff-return touchdowns in the playoffs.

Clutch Sacks

Pittsburgh linebacker LA MARR WOODLEY, who has totaled 11 sacks in seven playoff games, is tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer CHARLES HALEY (11) for the fourth-most postseason sacks since the statistic became official in 1982. Woodley is the first player in NFL history to record at least one sack in seven consecutive postseason games.

The players with the most postseason sacks since the statistic became official in 1982:

 

BEST NFL PLAYOFF PERFORMANCES (Single postseason)

Passing Yards

 

Rushing Yards

 

Receiving Yards

 

Receptions

 

Scrimmage Touchdowns

 

 

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NFL 2011 - Playoff Records, Facts, Figures and Milestones