The 2017 NFL playoffs were something that movies are made of. Several teams broke long playoff droughts, and the Super Bowl winner brought home the trophy for the first time in 57 years. What happened in the 2017 NFL playoffs, what were the results of the games, and who won it all? We answer that and more.
What Teams Made the NFL Playoffs in 2017?
The 2017 NFL playoffs were notable for a number of reasons — the Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tennessee Titans each qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 1999, 2004, 2007, and 2008, respectively. Additionally, the New England Patriots reached the AFC Championship game for the seventh consecutive season, breaking their own NFL record.
In the AFC, the New England Patriots claimed the first seed, while the Pittsburgh Steelers claimed the second. Both teams were given first-round byes. The Jacksonville Jaguars (3 seed) and Kansas City Chiefs (4 seed) earned divisional crowns and at least one home playoff game. The AFC Wild Cards included the Tennessee Titans (5 seed) and Buffalo Bills (6 seed).
In the NFC, the Philadelphia Eagles took the top seed, while the Minnesota Vikings got the second. Both teams got an extra week of rest. The Los Angeles Rams (3 seed) and New Orleans Saints (4 seed) won divisional crowns, while the Carolina Panthers (5 seed) and Atlanta Falcons (6 seed) all qualified for Wild Cards.
2017 NFL Playoff Bracket and Scores
Wild Card Round
- No. 4 NFC seed Saints 31, No. 5 NFC seed Panthers 26
No. 6 NFC seed Falcons 26, No. 3 NFC seed Rams 13 - No. 3 AFC seed Jaguars 10, No. 6 AFC seed Bills 3
No. 5 AFC seed Titans 22, No. 4 AFC seed Chiefs 21
Divisional Round
- No. 2 NFC seed Vikings 29, No. 4 NFC seed Saints 24
No. 1 NFC seed Eagles 15, No. 6 NFC seed Falcons 10 - No. 3 AFC seed Jaguars 45, No. 2 AFC seed Steelers 42
No. 1 AFC seed Patriots 35, No. 5 AFC seed Titans 14
Who Won the 2017 AFC and NFC Championship Games?
The 2017 AFC Championship Game featured Blake Bortles and the Jacksonville Jaguars as they took on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. The Jaguars had one of the more surprising offenses in the playoffs that year, having put up 45 points on a strong Steelers defense the week prior. Unfortunately, their Cinderella story ended when they went against the Tom Brady/Bill Belichick tandem in Gillette Stadium.
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The NFC Championship Game showcased the Philadelphia Eagles, led by Nick Foles, going up against Case Keenum and the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings fell 38-7 against an elite Eagles offense.
Who Won the Super Bowl in 2017?
For the first time in 57 years, the Philadelphia Eagles brought the Lombardi Trophy to the City of Brotherly love when they defeated the New England Patriots 41-33. What made this feat all the more impressive was that it was done behind the play of Foles, the backup quarterback. Foles had previously replaced Carson Wentz in the starting lineup due to an injury. And heading into the game, many discredited Foles and his ability to lead the Eagles to a victory.
However, he played the game of his career in a matchup that saw a number of Super Bowl records broken. There were 1,151 combined yards in the game, the fewest punts in Super Bowl history (one), and the most points scored by a losing team (33). Foles was named the Super Bowl MVP thanks to his stat line of 28 of 43 for 373 yards and three touchdowns.
Additionally, Foles caught a touchdown pass thanks to what has now become known as the Philly Special. It is a play that has since joined NFL lore as one of the more creative of our time.