The NFC Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the National Football Conference. The winner receives the George Halas Trophy and advances to face the winner of the AFC Championship Game in the Super Bowl. The Arizona Cardinals are the current NFC Champions. The first NFC Championship Game was played in 1970 after the merger between the NFL and the American Football League. The game ultimately replaced the NFL Championship game which had taken place prior to the merger and for the first four years of the merged league. The NFC ultimately represented the original NFL as it contained all of the NFL teams with the exception of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Colts, and Cleveland Browns, who were moved to the AFC following the merger to make the number of teams in each conference even. The NFC was formed with the remaining teams that played in the NFL before the merger. [edit] Playoff structure At the end of each football season, a series of playoff games involving the top six teams in the NFC are conducted, consisting of the four division champions and two wild card teams. The two teams remaining play in the NFC Championship game. [edit] List of Championship Games | Season | Winning team | Score | Losing team | Score | Location | Stadium | | 1970–71 | Dallas Cowboys (1) | 17 | San Francisco 49ers | 10 | San Francisco, California | Kezar Stadium | | 1971–72 | Dallas Cowboys (2) | 14 | San Francisco 49ers | 3 | Irving, Texas | Texas Stadium | | 1972–73 | Washington Redskins (1) | 26 | Dallas Cowboys | 3 | Washington DC | RFK Stadium | | 1973–74 | Minnesota Vikings (1) | 27 | Dallas Cowboys | 10 | Irving, Texas | Texas Stadium | | 1974–75 | Minnesota Vikings (2) | 14 | Los Angeles Rams | 10 | Bloomington, Minnesota | Metropolitan Stadium | | 1975–76 | Dallas Cowboys (3) | 37 | Los Angeles Rams | 7 | Los Angeles, California | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | | 1976–77 | Minnesota Vikings (3) | 24 | Los Angeles Rams | 13 | Bloomington, Minnesota | Metropolitan Stadium | | 1977–78 | Dallas Cowboys (4) | 23 | Minnesota Vikings | 6 | Irving, Texas | Texas Stadium | | 1978–79 | Dallas Cowboys (5) | 28 | Los Angeles Rams | 0 | Los Angeles, California | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | | 1979–80 | Los Angeles Rams (1) | 9 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0 | Tampa, Florida | Tampa Stadium | | 1980–81 | Philadelphia Eagles (1) | 20 | Dallas Cowboys | 7 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Veterans Stadium | | 1981–82 | San Francisco 49ers (1) | 28 | Dallas Cowboys | 27 | San Francisco, California | Candlestick Park | | 1982–83 | Washington Redskins (2) | 31 | Dallas Cowboys | 17 | Washington DC | RFK Stadium | | 1983–84 | Washington Redskins (3) | 24 | San Francisco 49ers | 21 | Washington DC | RFK Stadium | | 1984–85 | San Francisco 49ers (2) | 23 | Chicago Bears | 0 | San Francisco, California | Candlestick Park | | 1985–86 | Chicago Bears (1) | 24 | Los Angeles Rams | 0 | Chicago, Illinois | Soldier Field | | 1986–87 | New York Giants (1) | 17 | Washington Redskins | 0 | East Rutherford, New Jersey | Giants Stadium | | 1987–88 | Washington Redskins (4) | 17 | Minnesota Vikings | 10 | Washington DC | RFK Stadium | | 1988–89 | San Francisco 49ers (3) | 28 | Chicago Bears | 3 | Chicago, Illinois | Soldier Field | | 1989–90 | San Francisco 49ers (4) | 30 | Los Angeles Rams | 3 | San Francisco, California | Candlestick Park | | 1990–91 | New York Giants (2) | 15 | San Francisco 49ers | 13 | San Francisco, California | Candlestick Park | | 1991–92 | Washington Redskins (5) | 41 | Detroit Lions | 10 | Washington DC | RFK Stadium | | 1992–93 | Dallas Cowboys (6) | 30 | San Francisco 49ers | 20 | San Francisco, California | Candlestick Park | | 1993–94 | Dallas Cowboys (7) | 38 | San Francisco 49ers | 21 | Irving, Texas | Texas Stadium | | 1994–95 | San Francisco 49ers (5) | 38 | Dallas Cowboys | 28 | San Francisco, California | Candlestick Park | | 1995–96 | Dallas Cowboys (8) | 38 | Green Bay Packers | 27 | Irving, Texas | Texas Stadium | | 1996–97 | Green Bay Packers (1) | 30 | Carolina Panthers | 13 | Green Bay, Wisconsin | Lambeau Field | | 1997–98 | Green Bay Packers (2) | 23 | San Francisco 49ers | 10 | San Francisco, California | Candlestick Park | | 1998–99 | Atlanta Falcons (1) | 30a[›] | Minnesota Vikings | 27 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | | 1999–00 | St. Louis Rams (2) | 11 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 6 | St. Louis, Missouri | Edward Jones Dome | | 2000–01 | New York Giants (3) | 41 | Minnesota Vikings | 0 | East Rutherford, New Jersey | Giants Stadium | | 2001–02 | St. Louis Rams (3) | 29 | Philadelphia Eagles | 24 | St. Louis, Missouri | Edward Jones Dome | | 2002–03 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1) | 27 | Philadelphia Eagles | 10 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Veterans Stadium | | 2003–04 | Carolina Panthers (1) | 14 | Philadelphia Eagles | 3 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Lincoln Financial Field | | 2004–05 | Philadelphia Eagles (2) | 27 | Atlanta Falcons | 10 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Lincoln Financial Field | | 2005–06 | Seattle Seahawks (1) | 34 | Carolina Panthers | 14 | Seattle, Washington | Qwest Field | | 2006–07 | Chicago Bears (2) | 39 | New Orleans Saints | 14 | Chicago, Illinois | Soldier Field | | 2007–08 | New York Giants (4) | 23a[›] | Green Bay Packers | 20 | Green Bay, Wisconsin | Lambeau Field | | 2008–09 | Arizona Cardinals (1) | 32 | Philadelphia Eagles | 25 | Glendale, Arizona | University of Phoenix Stadium | ^ a: Sudden-death overtime.
[edit] NFC Championship Game appearances 1970–present *last NFL title, 1957 ^ b: The Seattle Seahawks were members of the AFC from 1977 until 2002, and hold a combined 1–1 record between both Conference Championship Games.
[edit] NFC Championship Game records - Most Victories: 8 - Dallas Cowboys (1970-71, 1975, 1977-78, 1992-93, 1995)
- Most Losses: 7* - San Francisco 49ers (1970–71, 1983, 1990, 1992–93, 1997)
- Most Appearances: 14* - Dallas Cowboys (1970-73, 1975, 1977–78, 1980-82, 1992–95)
- Most Consecutive Appearances: 4
- Dallas Cowboys (1970–1973)
- Dallas Cowboys (1992–1995)
- Philadelphia Eagles (2001- 04)
- Most Consecutive Victories: 2 - (tie)
- Dallas Cowboys (1970–71)
- Minnesota Vikings (1973-74)
- Dallas Cowboys (1977–78)
- Washington Redskins (1982–83)
- San Francisco 49ers (1988-89)
- Dallas Cowboys (1992–93)
- Green Bay Packers (1996-97)
- Most Victories Without a Loss: 4** - New York Giants (1986, 1990, 2000, 2007)
- Most Consecutive Losses: 3* - (tie)
- Los Angeles Rams (1974-76)
- Dallas Cowboys (1980–82)
- Philadelphia Eagles (2001-03)
- Most Games Hosted: 8 - San Francisco 49ers (1970, 1981, 1984, 1989–90, 1992, 1994, 1997)
- Most numerous matchup: 6** - Dallas Cowboys vs. San Francisco 49ers (1970–1971, 1981, 1992–1994)
- Most points scored: 41 - Washington Redskins, January 12, 1992 (1991 season); New York Giants, January 14, 2001 (2000 season)
- Largest margin of victory: 41 points - January 14, 2001 (2000 season), New York Giants (41) vs. Minnesota Vikings (0)
- Fewest points scored, winning team: 9**[›]; January 6, 1980 (1979 season) - Los Angeles Rams vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Most points scored, losing team: 28; January 15, 1995 (1994 season) - Dallas Cowboys vs. San Francisco 49ers
- Most aggregate points scored: 66; January 15, 1995 (1994 season) - San Francisco 49ers (38) vs. Dallas Cowboys (28)
- Fewest aggregate points scored: 9**; January 6, 1980 (1979 season) - Los Angeles Rams (9) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0)
- Longest game: 71 minutes, 52 seconds**; January 17, 1999 (1998 season) - Atlanta Falcons (30) @ Minnesota Vikings (27), OT
- Current teams which have never won an NFC Championship
- Longest drought without appearing in an NFC Championship Game: 17 years
- Detroit Lions (last appearance - 1991)
- Washington Redskins (last appearance - 1991)
- Longest drought without an NFC Championship: 39 years*; Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints
*Tied for Conference Championship record ^ **: Conference Championship record
[edit] Media coverage [edit] See also  NFC Championship logo, 2001–2005 [edit] References [edit] External links |
