NFL Game of the Week

The Falcons had been a preseason Super Bowl favorite, but the team was plagued by the fear of failure. It showed on this rainy afternoon at Fulton County Stadium. Favored to beat the Giants, Atlaanta instead fell to Big Blue's special teams. New York's 27-24 overtime win was to be Phil Simms's last victory of 1981.

After a disastrous 0-5 start, Joe Gibbs's Redskins got into a rhythm that would stay with them for a long time. It showed in this game of Nov. 8 against Detroit, a team that has never won in Washington.

Back in the bad old days, the Patriots were the most talented losers in the NFL. It was never more apparent in 1981, when they had the league's worst record. This game on November 22 was typical of both the Pats and Bills. Buffalo's 20-17 win came in the last 12 seconds.

Atlanta's hopes for the postseason were barely flickering when they came to Tampa Stadium December 6. There they battled a Bucs team trying to fight off its own inconsistency.

For the first time, both New York NFL teams make the playoffs on the same day. The Giants edge out Dallas in overtime of a 13-10 defensive struggle on Dec. 19, promising the first winning season for any Giants Stadium team. Then on Dec. 20, the Jets stomp Green Bay 28-3 in Shea Stadium. That Jet game ended more than a decade of truly terrible football in the Big Apple. Both the Jets and Giants launched into the NFL playoffs as wild cards.

This is the game many have considered the greatest football game ever. San Diego was a harbinger of the salary cap days. Their paltry defense gave as much as their ""Air Coryell"" offense got. Now, on January 2, 1982, on a humid night in Miami, the Chargers would have to call on all their strengths if they were to beat the Dolphins. Both teams were up to any challenge the other gave, culminating in Rolf Benirschke's field goal late in overtime. The Chargers' 41-38 win was a microcosm of their 1981 season.

Most remember this championship game for ""The Catch,"" but there was much more that built up to San Francisco's 28-27 win. The 49ers and Cowboys battled through six leadf changes and nine turnovers. Ultimately, according to some, this game ended one dynasty and created another.

From humid Miami the week before, the Chargers traveled to Cincinnati for the coldest NFL game ever played, even colder than the Ice Bowl. Forrest Gregg was on that '67 Packer offensive line, and his fiery command as coach, lifted the Bengals to this moment. Cincinnati's defense easily manhandled San Diego's ""Air Coryell"" to the tune of 27-7, making the Bengals AFC Champions.