Most successful wild card teams in the history of the NFL playoffs

The Colts were the AFC wild card in 1971-72 after going 10-4 during the regular season. Led by Johnny Unitas, Baltimore was able to beat Cleveland 20-3 in the divisional round before losing to the undefeated Dolphins 21-0 in the AFC conference championship.

Coach Tom Landry's Cowboys went 10-4 during the regular season to win the NFC wild card. They were able to defeat San Francisco 30-28 on the road before getting blown out by Washington 26-3 in the NFC conference championship.

Dallas was the first wild-card team to advance to the Super Bowl, losing 21-17 to Pittsburgh in Super Bowl X. The team went 10-4 during the regular season and had a big 17-14 road win in the divisional round at Minnesota, along with a 30-point win over the Rams in the NFC championship.

Head coach John Madden led the Raiders to an 11-3 regular-season record, but that was only good enough for second place in the AFC West behind the Broncos. Oakland beat Baltimore 37-31 in the divisional round in double overtime before losing to the division-rival Broncos 20-17 in the AFC conference championship.

Led by a huge season from running back Earl Campbell, the Oilers garnered the second AFC wild card with a 10-6 regular-season record. They were able to defeat Miami and New England on the road before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Steelers 34-5 in the AFC championship.

After a run as a wild card to the AFC championship the previous season, Houston was able to do it again in 1979-80. After going 11-5 thanks in part to another outstanding year from Earl Campbell, Houston beat Denver and San Diego before losing once again to Pittsburgh, this time 27-13.

The 1980 Raiders were the first wild-card team to win the Super Bowl, beating Dick Vermeil's Eagles in Super Bowl XV 27-10. After going 11-5 during the regular season, Oakland beat Houston, Cleveland and San Diego on the road in the playoff trek en route to the Super Bowl.

Oakland was the wild-card headliner in 1980, but Dallas also had a successful run. The Cowboys beat the Rams at Texas Stadium in the wild-card game and upset the No. 1-seeded Falcons the following week before losing to Philly.

The playoffs were expanded to 16 teams in the strike-shortened 1982 season, with the Jets owning the No. 6 seed in the AFC. After going 6-3 during the regular season, New York beat Cincinnati and the Raiders before getting shut out by Miami in the AFC championship.

The Seahawks were just 9-7 during the regular season but got hot at the right time. They beat Denver and Miami in the playoffs before losing to the eventual champion Raiders 30-14 in the AFC championship.

The 1985 Patriots are on plenty of highlight films for the wrong reasons, losing to the legendary 1985 Bears 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. New England did go on a nice run in the playoffs after going 11-5 during the regular season, beating the Jets, Raiders and Dolphins by at least one touchdown.

Head coach Joe Gibbs's team was just a wild card despite going 12-4 during the regular season. Washington was able to defeat the Rams and Chicago easily in the playoffs before getting shut out 17-0 in the NFC championship by the division-rival and eventual Super Bowl-winning Giants.

Minnesota backed into the playoffs at 8-7 before getting hot. The Vikings easily defeated New Orleans and San Francisco on the road before losing 17-10 to the eventual Super Bowl XXII champion Redskins.

Head coach John Robinson's team was 11-5 during the regular season, winning the second NFC wild card. The Rams beat Philadelphia and the Giants on the road before losing to Joe Montana's Super Bowl-winning 49ers 30-3 in the NFC championship.

Buffalo's 1992 squad marked the third of four straight Super Bowl losses. The team had an unbelievable 41-38 comeback win over Houston in the wild-card round, led by backup quarterback Frank Reich, and then easily beat Pittsburgh and Miami to advance to Super Bowl XXVII. The Bills were blown out by a loaded Cowboys squad, 52-17, in the Super Bowl.

Led by Jim Harbaugh and Marshall Faulk, the Colts went 9-7 during the regular season. After an easy wild-card win over San Diego, Indy beat Kansas City in a shocking 10-7 upset before losing to Pittsburgh 20-16 in the AFC championship.

Incredibly, the Jaguars made serious noise in only their second year of existence, advancing to the AFC championship as a wild card. They improved from 4-12 in their inaugural season to 9-7 in their second year and upset Buffalo and Denver in close playoff games before losing to the Patriots in the AFC championship.

John Elway led the Broncos to a 12-4 regular-season record, but the team still trailed Kansas City in the AFC West. They were able to easily beat the Jaguars in the wild-card round before defeating K.C. and Pittsburgh on the road to advance to Super Bowl XXXII. The Broncos pulled off a 31-24 upset over Green Bay to win their first Super Bowl in franchise history.

Even a 13-3 regular-season record wasn't enough for the Titans to win the AFC Central, but they made up for it in the playoffs. Tennessee beat Buffalo 22-16 with the Music City Miracle in the wild-card game and then advanced to beat Indianapolis and Jacksonville. The Titans lost to the St. Louis Rams 23-16 in Super Bowl XXXIV, as Kevin Dyson was stopped short of the goal line at the end of the game.

Baltimore went 12-4 during the regular season, allowing only 10.3 points per game, but finished in second place in the AFC Central. The Ravens defense, led by Ray Lewis, held all playoff opponents to 10 points or less and easily won Super Bowl XXXV, 34-7, over the Giants.

Pittsburgh won a wild-card spot at 11-5, entering the playoffs as the sixth seed in the AFC. The Steelers beat Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Denver on the road to advance to Super Bowl XL vs. Seattle. Jerome Bettis was able to ride off into the sunset in his hometown of Detroit with a 21-10 Super Bowl win.

Carolina won a wild-card spot by going 11-5 during the regular season and was able to get two road wins in the playoffs, beating the Giants and Chicago. However, the Panthers lost to the Seahawks in the NFC championship.

The 2007 Giants will be fondly remembered forever for upsetting the previously undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. Leaning on their defense and Eli Manning, the Giants beat Tampa Bay, Dallas and Green Bay en route to their miraculous 17-14 win over the Pats in the big game, highlighted by the infamous David Tyree helmet catch.

The Ravens entered the playoffs as the second AFC wild card after going 11-5 during the regular season. Their stellar defense helped them defeat the Dolphins and Titans in the playoffs before falling to division-rival Pittsburgh 23-14 in the AFC championship. The Steelers went on to beat Arizona in a classic Super Bowl.

Coach Andy Reid's team went 9-6-1 during the regular season but nearly pulled off a great playoff feat. They were able to easily beat the Vikings and Giants on the road in the playoffs before losing to Arizona, 32-25, in the NFC championship.

The Jets went 9-7 during the regular season, trailing the Patriots in the AFC East, but were able to win two games during the playoffs with strong defensive play. Their 17-14 road win over San Diego in the AFC divisional round was a huge upset, but the Jets lost to Peyton Manning's Colts in the AFC championship.

It's almost hard to believe that Aaron Rodgers' only Super Bowl win came as a sixth seed in the playoffs.The Packers went 10-6 during the regular season but had road wins at Philadelphia, Atlanta and Chicago before beating the Steelers, 31-25, in Super Bowl XLV.

After making a run to the AFC championship as a wild card in 2009, the Jets did it again the following season. Coach Rex Ryan's squad went 11-5 during the regular season and was able to beat the Colts in the wild-card round and pull off a shocking victory over New England in the divisional round before losing to Pittsburgh.

Just one year after losing the Super Bowl, the 49ers entered the playoffs as a five seed despite a 12-4 regular season. Their playoff experience was helpful, beating the Packers and Panthers on the road before falling to the divisional-rival and eventual Super Bowl champion Seahawks, 23-17, in a great NFC championship.