Article:DREAM BOWL- THE ULTIMATE NFL FOOTBALL PLAYOFF

As the Jets beat writer, I have had a great deal of time on my hands lately, not much to write about. That coupled with the fact that my wife goes to bed really early, I came up with an idea. Why not have the ultimate NFL playoff? All of the Super Bowl Champions, plus the 2007 Patriots, playing in the ultimate football tournament. So, I have used www.whatifsports.com to make it happen.

The list includes 42 teams, ranked by their regular season records, with ties broken by random drawing. For example, the 2007 Patriots and 1972 Dolphins were the first 2 seeds, the next group had one regular season loss, ..etc. The first 22 teams had automatic tournament bids, and the final 20 had a Wild Card Play-In Game to eliminate 10 and make a 32 team tournament. Here were the seedings:


 * 1. 2007 Patriots
 * 2. 1972 Dolphins
 * 3. 1976 Raiders
 * 4. 1984 49ers
 * 5. 1982 Redskins
 * 6. 1985 Bears
 * 7. 1978 Steelers
 * 8. 1998 Broncos
 * 9. 1973 Dolphins
 * 10. 1977 Cowboys
 * 11. 1986 Giants
 * 12. 1966 Packers
 * 13. 1989 49ers
 * 14. 1991 Redskins
 * 15. 1975 Steelers
 * 16. 2004 Patriots
 * 17. 2003 Patriots
 * 18. 1970 Colts
 * 19. 1969 Chiefs
 * 20. 1992 Cowboys
 * 21. 1981 49ers
 * 22. 1968 Jets
 * 23. 1996 Packers
 * 24. 1999 Rams
 * 25. 1994 49ers
 * 26. 1990 Giants
 * 27. 1971 Cowboys
 * 28. 1974 Steelers
 * 29. 2002 Bucs
 * 30. 1987 Redskins
 * 31. 1993 Cowboys
 * 32. 1997 Broncos
 * 33. 1995 Cowboys
 * 34. 1983 Raiders
 * 35. 2000 Ravens
 * 36. 1979 Steelers
 * 37. 2006 Colts
 * 38. 1967 Packers
 * 39. 2001 Patriots
 * 40. 2005 Steelers
 * 41. 1980 Raiders
 * 42. 1988 49ers

From here we followed NFL playoff rules, highest seeds always play the lowest seeds left, and the higher seed is home, except for the Championship game, which will be played in the Superdome, a neutral site.

= Wild Card Play-In Round =

(home team in CAPS)


 * 88 49ers beat the 96 PACKERS 28-14
 * 99 RAMS beat the 80 Raiders 30-10
 * 05 Steelers beat the 94 49ERS 23-3
 * 90 GIANTS over the 01 Pats 27-0
 * 67 Packers over the 71 COWBOYS 21-17
 * 74 STEELERS over the 06 Colts 27-22
 * 02 BUCS over the 79 Steelers 12-7
 * 00 Ravens over the 87 SKINS 23-17
 * 93 COWBOYS over the 83 Raiders 20-13
 * 95 Cowboys over the 97 BRONCOS 36-22

= Round 1=


 * 07 PATRIOTS over the 88 49ers 34-13
 * 05 Steelers over the 72 DOLPHINS 20-10
 * 76 RAIDERS over the 67 Packers 29-27
 * 00 Ravens beat the 84 49ERS 23-21
 * 95 Cowboys over the 82 REDSKINS 26-19
 * 85 BEARS over the 93 Cowboys 31-20
 * 02 Bucs over the 78 STEELERS 26-13
 * 98 BRONCOS over the 74 Steelers 19-16 in OT
 * 73 DOLPHINS over the 90 Giants 29-11
 * 77 COWBOYS over the 99 Rams 27-13
 * 68 Jets beat the 86 GIANTS 24-13
 * 66 PACKERS beat the 81 49ers 21-3
 * 92 Cowboys over the 89 49ERS 13-7
 * 69 Chiefs beat the 91 REDSKINS 20-7
 * 70 Colts beat the 75 STELLERS 10-3
 * 03 Patriots beat the 04 PATRIOTS 23-20 IN OT

= 2nd Round =


 * 07 PATRIOTS beat the 05 Steelers 38-12
 * 00 Ravens beat the 76 RAIDERS 20-9
 * 85 BEARS beat the 95 Cowboys 23-6
 * 02 Bucs beat the 98 BRONCOS 17-10
 * 68 Jets beat the 73 DOLPHINS 31-14
 * 92 Cowboys beat the 77 COWBOYS 27-14
 * 69 Chiefs beat the 66 PACKERS 20-10
 * 03 PATRIOTS beat the 70 Colts 26-13

= Quarterfinals =


 * 00 Ravens upset the 07 PATRIOTS 13-6
 * 85 BEARS beat the 02 Bucs on a late Willie Gault TD 10-3
 * 03 PATS over the 68 Jets 9-7
 * 92 Cowboys over the 69 CHIEFS 24-13

= Semifinals= beat the 03 Patriots 10-
 * 00 Ravens score 21 points in the 2nd half to upset the 85 Bears 21-3
 * After being down 9-0 at haltime the 92 Cowboys score 10 unanswered in the 2nd half to

= Dream Bowl Cowboys and Ravens= (Super Bowl like fanfare added by me for color)

The triple threat of Aikman, Smith and Irvin and the 92 Cowboys take on Ray Lewis and the rest of the 00 Ravens, from the Superdome in New Orleans Louisiana. After a rousing National Anthem performed by a Bourbon Street Jazz Band, the Cowboys won the coin toss. They were driving on their opening drive, when little used running back Curvin Richards fumbled and the Ravens recovered to their own 45. The Ravens drove right down the field, ending with Trent Dilfer hitting Quadry Ismail for a 6 yard TD pass, putting the Ravens up 7-0.

The rest of the first half went with exchanging a handful of punts before it ended with the Ravens leading 7-0.

After a wonderful halftime show tribute to the people of New Orleans, led by a commanding performance by Harry Connick, Jr, the Ravens took the ball to start the second half. After one first down by Jamal Lewis, they punted back to the Cowboys. Aikman then led the team down the field on a 7 play 55 yard drive, which ended in a TD pass from Troy Aikman to TE Jay Novacek, tying the game at 7-7. The Ravens go 3 and out on the ensuing drive, and the Cowboys take over after a punt from their own 46. They drive 5 plays, 47 yards, sparked by a 29 yard scamper by Emmit Smith, and ending with a 24 yard field goal by Lin Elliot, giving the Cowboys a 10-7 lead which is how the quarter ended. After one more 3 and out in the quarter, Trent Dilfer was taken out of the game in favor of Tony Banks.

In the fourth quarter, the Cowboys have a drive that stalls, in which they punt it away and Baltimore takes over from their own 5. On the first play of the drive, Tony Banks throws an errant pass that Kevin Smith picks off at the 11 and takes to the house to put the game away 17-7. After yet another 3 and out by the Ravens, the Cowboys control the ball for the final 6:40 to end the game.

The stats (because I can’t figure out how to copy the box score into here):

Troy Aikman was named MVP, going 20-26 for 207 yards and a TD. Emmitt Smith led all rushers, carrying the ball 25 times for 87 yards. Kelvin Martin caught 4 passes for 51 yards. For the Ravens, Dilfer went 7-20 for 64 yards and a TD before being replaced late. Jamal Lewis carried 14 times for 61 yards, Shannon Sharpe caught 3 passes for 32 yards.

So there you have it, the 1992 Cowboys are the Dream Bowl Champions. Interesting? No doubt.