Few NFL moments are more exciting than watching a team come from behind to win a conference championship game. Sometimes, those victories are so impressive that they stick in our minds for years. And the San Francisco 49ers come back from the dead victory against the Detroit Lions in this year’s NFC Championship game will certainly live long in the memory.
49ers Come Back From the Dead
At half-time, the NoCal hosts trailed by 24 points at Levi’s Stadium thanks to a blistering performance from visiting quarterback Jared Goff. However, Lions head coach Dan Campbell has garnered quite a reputation for risk-taking, and he did exactly that in the third quarter. He opted to go for broke on a fourth down instead of taking another three points and keeping the scoreboard ticking over.
The result was a turnover and the 49ers managed to power their way back into the contest in the third quarter, scoring 17 unanswered points to tie things up. They then pulled away even further with a field goal and a touchdown from Christian McCaffrey early in the fourth, sealing a miraculous comeback victory, just their third in their last seven conference championship games. If you’re going to be betting on the Super Bowl, you can back the newly minted NFC champs as the short-priced favorites.
The reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs are surprisingly the underdogs despite back-to-back road victories against the Bills and the Ravens.
In honor of Brock Purdy and Co.’s resurrection, we have decided to take a look at the three best conference championship comebacks in recent memory.
2006/07 AFC Championship – Colts vs. Patriots
The Indianapolis Colts were trailing the New England Patriots by 21 points at half-time in the 2006 AFC Championship Game. The visitors had dominated the first half, scoring repeatedly and shutting down the hosts’ offense. However, the second half saw an entirely different story unfold.
The Crossroads of America outfit scored three touchdowns on their first three drives, with quarterback Peyton Manning throwing a touchdown pass each time. The five-time MVP winner led the Colts to an incredible comeback victory, winning the game 38-34, with a resounding 17-6 mauling in the final quarter making all the difference.
2002/03 NFC Championship – 49ers vs. Giants
The San Francisco 49ers trailed the New York Giants by 24 points midway through the third quarter of this game. But then, legendary quarterback Jeff Garcia led an incredible rally, throwing three touchdown passes and running for another to help the 49ers win in overtime. The game featured several big plays and huge moments, including Garcia’s 13-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and kicker Jose Cortez’s game-winning field goal.
1992/93 AFC Championship – Bills vs. Dolphins
The 1993 AFC Championship Game between the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins saw one of the biggest comebacks in NFL history. The Bills were trailing by 32 points in the third quarter, and things looked bleak for them. But, quarterback Frank Reich led a remarkable comeback, throwing four touchdown passes and rushing for another.
The Bills scored 35 points in the second half, while the Dolphins scored none. They eventually won the game in overtime, 41-38. It was a game that defined the “never give up” mentality of the Bills.
