This day in football · September 16, 1923: Ironwood Legion visited the Duluth Kelleys at Duluth Athletic Park. Duluth Kelleys 7, Ironwood Legion 0. W1923 NFL season↗

From the vault · December 26, 1964 · 1964 AFL Championship Game: The Buffalo Bills beat the San Diego Chargers 20–7 at War Memorial Stadium to win the 1964 AFL championship. Box score

1997 seasonW1997 NFL season↗

30 teams in NFL · 241 regular-season games, 1997-08-31 to 1997-12-22 · attendance 14,018,428

◀ 1996 1998 ▶

<a href="/superbowl/1997">Super Bowl XXXII</a>

Denver Broncos
31–24 over Green Bay Packers
MVP Terrell Davis

MVP

Brett Favre Barry Sanders

Offensive Player

Barry Sanders Detroit Lions

Defensive Player

Dana Stubblefield

Offensive Rookie

Warrick Dunn Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Defensive Rookie

Peter Boulware Baltimore Ravens

Coach of the Year

Jim Fassel New York Giants

Hall of Fame class of 1997

Don Shula, Mike Haynes, Mike Webster, Wellington Mara

Playoffs

Round	Date	Result	Stadium
Wild Card	1997-12-27	Denver Broncos 42–17 Jacksonville Jaguars	Mile High Stadium
Wild Card	1997-12-27	Minnesota Vikings 23–22 New York Giants	Giants Stadium
Wild Card	1997-12-28	New England Patriots 17–3 Miami Dolphins	Foxboro Stadium
Wild Card	1997-12-28	Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20–10 Detroit Lions	Houlihan's Stadium
Divisional	1998-01-03	Pittsburgh Steelers 7–6 New England Patriots	Three Rivers Stadium
Division	1998-01-03	San Francisco 49ers 38–22 Minnesota Vikings	3Com Park
Divisional	1998-01-04	Denver Broncos 14–10 Kansas City Chiefs	Arrowhead Stadium
NFC Divisional Playoff	1998-01-04	Green Bay Packers 21–7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Lambeau Field
AFC Championship	1998-01-11	Denver Broncos 24–21 Pittsburgh Steelers	Three Rivers Stadium
NFC Championship Game	1998-01-11	Green Bay Packers 23–10 San Francisco 49ers	Candlestick Park
Super Bowl XXXII	1998-01-25	Denver Broncos 31–24 Green Bay Packers	Qualcomm Stadium

Standings

NFL AFC Central

#	Team	W	L	T	Pct	PF	PA	Coach	Playoffs
1	Pittsburgh Steelers	11	5	0	.688	372	307	Bill Cowher	Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Patriots) 7–6 Lost AFC Championship (vs.
2	Jacksonville Jaguars	11	5	0	.688	394	318	Tom Coughlin	Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Broncos) 17–42
3	Tennessee Oilers	8	8	0	.500	333	310	Jeff Fisher	Did not qualify
4	Cincinnati Bengals	7	9	0	.438	355	405	Bruce Coslet	Did not qualify
5	Baltimore Ravens	6	9	1	.406	326	345	Ted Marchibroda	Did not qualify

NFL AFC East

#	Team	W	L	Pct	PF	PA	Coach	Playoffs
1	New England Patriots	10	6	.625	369	289	Pete Carroll	Won Wild Card Playoffs (vs. Dolphins) 17–3 Lost Divisional Playoffs (a
2	Miami Dolphins	9	7	.562	339	327	Jimmy Johnson	Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Patriots) 3–17
3	New York Jets	9	7	.562	348	287	Bill Parcells	Did not qualify
4	Buffalo Bills	6	10	.375	255	367	Marv Levy	Did not qualify
5	Indianapolis Colts	3	13	.188	313	401	Lindy Infante	Did not qualify

NFL AFC West

#	Team	W	L	Pct	PF	PA	Coach	Playoffs
1	Kansas City Chiefs	13	3	.812	375	232	Marty Schottenheimer	Lost Divisional Playoffs (vs. Broncos) 10–14
2	Denver Broncos	12	4	.750	472	287	Mike Shanahan	Won Wild Card Playoffs (vs. Jaguars) 42–17 Won Divisional Playoffs (at Champion
3	Seattle Seahawks	8	8	.500	365	362	Dennis Erickson	Did not qualify
4	Oakland Raiders	4	12	.250	324	419	Joe Bugel	Did not qualify
5	San Diego Chargers	4	12	.250	266	425	Kevin Gilbride	Did not qualify

NFL NFC Central

#	Team	W	L	Pct	PF	PA	Coach	Playoffs
1	Green Bay Packers	13	3	.812	422	282	Mike Holmgren	Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Buccaneers) 21–7 Won NFC Championship (at
2	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	10	6	.625	299	263	Tony Dungy	Won Wild Card Playoffs (vs. Lions) 20–10 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at
3	Detroit Lions	9	7	.562	379	306	Bobby Ross	Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Buccaneers) 10–20
4	Minnesota Vikings	9	7	.562	354	359	Dennis Green	Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Giants) 23–22 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at
5	Chicago Bears	4	12	.250	263	421	Dave Wannstedt	Did not qualify

NFL NFC East

#	Team	W	L	T	Pct	PF	PA	Coach	Playoffs
1	New York Giants	10	5	1	.656	307	265	Jim Fassel	Lost Wild Card Playoffs (vs. Vikings) 22–23
2	Washington Redskins	8	7	1	.531	327	289	Norv Turner	Did not qualify
3	Philadelphia Eagles	6	9	1	.406	317	372	Ray Rhodes	Did not qualify
4	Dallas Cowboys	6	10	0	.375	304	314	Barry Switzer	Did not qualify
5	Arizona Cardinals	4	12	0	.250	283	379	Vince Tobin	Did not qualify

NFL NFC West

#	Team	W	L	Pct	PF	PA	Coach	Playoffs
1	San Francisco 49ers	13	3	.812	375	265	Steve Mariucci	Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Vikings) 38–22 Lost NFC Championship (vs.
2	Carolina Panthers	7	9	.438	265	314	Dom Capers	Did not qualify
3	Atlanta Falcons	7	9	.438	320	361	Dan Reeves	Did not qualify
4	New Orleans Saints	6	10	.375	237	327	Mike Ditka	Did not qualify
5	St. Louis Rams	5	11	.312	299	359	Dick Vermeil	Did not qualify

League leaders

passing yards

3,917Jeff George Oakland Raiders

passing tds

35Brett Favre Green Bay Packers

rushing yards

2,053Barry Sanders Detroit Lions

rushing tds

15Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar Miami Dolphins

rushing tds

15Terrell Davis Denver Broncos

receiving yards

1,584Rob Moore Arizona Cardinals

receiving tds

13Cris Carter Minnesota Vikings

receptions

104Herman Moore Detroit Lions