NFL: Ranking 2018 vs. greatest conference championship weekends

1987

NFC championship:  Washington Redskins def. Minnesota Vikings 17-10

Normally when a game features two unlikely success stories, it tends to have a lot of drama. Nobody expected the Vikings to be in that game, but their incredible upset of heavily favored San Francisco the week before made it so. Washington too was a mild surprise due in large part to their fluid quarterback situation between Doug Williams and Jay Schroeder. With this backdrop, the two teams battled.

After an even first half, the  Redskins led 10-7 going into the 4th quarter. It was there that their defense delivered the biggest sequence in franchise history. Minnesota had the ball at their 3-yard line on first down with a chance to take the lead. Three-straight runs failed to punch it in, forcing the Vikings to settle for a field goal. Washington scored the go-ahead touchdown.

Minnesota again got the ball down 17-10 and drove to the Redskins 6-yard line. Facing 4th down with 56 second left, they dropped back for one more pass. It fell incomplete after the receiver dropped it thanks to a hit from Hall of Fame corner Darrell Green.

AFC championship:  Denver Broncos def. Cleveland Browns 38-33

People thought there was no way these two teams could top the all-time classic they put on the year before in 1986, a game forever immortalized as “The Drive” thanks to the iconic moment delivered by Broncos quarterback John Elway. Fans were in for a surprise. Not at first though. This game belonged to Denver for much of the first three quarters as they built a commanding 21-3 lead in the first half.

Elway and his offense were unstoppable most of the way, capitalizing on every Browns miscue. Still, the Browns refused to die. Their quarterback Bernie Kosar, aided by running back Ernest Byner, led a furious comeback with 28 points in the second half. Before Denver could even realize what was happening, it was 31-31.

Backed into a corner, Elway responded as he had the year before. By driving down to strike for a decisive touchdown. This time though, the Browns were left with enough time to answer back. It looked all but inevitable as they drove inside the 10-yard line. Kosar handed it to Byner, who had killed the Broncos all afternoon. He cut outside and appeared to have a clear lane to the end zone. Then at the last second, he was hit from the side, forcing him to fumble the ball.

Denver recovered, ending Cleveland’s hopes. “The Fumble” as it became known remains arguably the most gut-wrenching moment in NFL history.