Feature
Isn't It Nice To Have A Proper Super Bowl Again?
by Keith Bowden
26/1/2008
 
Why do we still have an AFC v NFC Super Bowl?
 
I understand the origins - the new upstart AFL versus the old guard NFL. But when you consider that the Steelers and Colts were NFL teams until the merger (along with the Browns) many Super Bowls have not followed the proper AFC v NFC pattern. And do not get me started on XL's runners-up, the nomadic Seattle Seahawks.
 
It seems another case of the NFL have selective historical memory.
 
Why can't we have the teams seeded across the conferences once the playoffs start? You could still have the four division winners, plus the next best two from each conference (the way the schedule works make this make sense) - but then you could seed. The schedule is not really that skewed anymore anyway - outside of the six division games, each teams plays six in conference games and four outside.
 
This way we may have seen a Patriots-Colts Super Bowl last year. Woof.
 
We might get to see the best two teams in the Super Bowl - or at least the best two playoff teams in the Super Bowl.
 
But it won't happen, will it.
 

SB	Champions	Officially	History		Runners-Up	Officially	History
I	Green Bay Packers	NFL	Joined NFL in 1921		Kansas City Chiefs	AFL	1960 AFL Charter team (the Dallas Texans until 1962, moving to Kansas and becoming the Chiefs in 1963).
II	Green Bay Packers	NFL	Joined NFL in 1921		Oakland Raiders	AFL	1960 AFL charter team
III	New York Jets	AFL	1960 AFL charter team (as the Titans, became the Jets in 1963)		Baltimore Colts	NFL	Joined NFL in 1953
IV	Kansas City Chiefs	AFC	1960 AFL charter team		Minnesota Vikings	NFL	Joined the NFL in 1961
V	Baltimore Colts	AFC	Joined NFL in 1953, transferred to AFC with 1970 merger		Dallas Cowboys	NFC	Joined NFL in 1960
VI	Dallas Cowboys	NFC	Joined NFL in 1960		Miami Dolphins	AFC	Joined AFL in 1966
VII	Miami Dolphins	AFC	Joined AFL in 1966		Washington Redskins	NFC	Joined NFL in 1932 (Boston Braves in 1932, Boston Redskins 1933-1936, moved to Washington for 1937)
VIII	Miami Dolphins	AFC	Joined AFL in 1966		Minnesota Vikings	NFC	Joined the NFL in 1961
IX	Pittsburgh Steelers	AFC	Joined NFL in 1933, transferred to AFC with 1970 merger		Minnesota Vikings	NFC	Joined the NFL in 1961
X	Pittsburgh Steelers	AFC	Joined NFL in 1933, transferred to AFC with 1970 merger		Dallas Cowboys	NFC	Joined NFL in 1960
XI	Oakland Raiders	AFC	1960 AFL charter team		Minnesota Vikings	NFC	Joined the NFL in 1961
XII	Dallas Cowboys	NFC	Joined NFL in 1960		Denver Broncos	AFC	1960 AFL charter team
XIII	Pittsburgh Steelers	AFC	Joined NFL in 1933, transferred to AFC with 1970 merger		Dallas Cowboys	NFC	Joined NFL in 1960
XIV	Pittsburgh Steelers	AFC	Joined NFL in 1933, transferred to AFC with 1970 merger		Los Angeles Rams	NFC	Joined the NFL in 1937 (Cleveland Rams until 1945, then moved to LA until 1994)
XV	Oakland Raiders	AFC	1960 AFL charter team		Philadelphia Eagles	NFC	Joined NFL in 1933
XVI	San Francisco 49ers	NFC	1946 AAFC charter team, joined NFL in 1950		Cincinnati Bengals	AFC	Joined AFL in 1968
XVII	Washington Redskins	NFC	Joined NFL in 1932		Miami Dolphins	AFC	Joined AFL in 1966
XVIII	Los Angeles Raiders	AFC	1960 AFL charter team (as Oakland 1960-1981; stayed in LA until 1994)		Washington Redskins	NFC	Joined NFL in 1932 (Boston Braves in 1932, Boston Redskins 1933-1936, moved to Washington for 1937)
XIX	San Francisco 49ers	NFC	1946 AAFC charter team, joined NFL in 1950		Miami Dolphins	AFC	Joined AFL in 1966
XX	Chicago Bears	NFC	1920 NFL charter team		New England Patriots	AFC	1960 AFL charter team (Boston Patriots until 1970)
XXI	New York Giants	NFC	Joined NFL in 1925		Denver Broncos	AFC	1960 AFL charter team
XXII	Washington Redskins	NFC	Joined NFL in 1932		Denver Broncos	AFC	1960 AFL charter team
XXIII	San Francisco 49ers	NFC	1946 AAFC charter team, joined NFL in 1950		Cincinnati Bengals	AFC	Joined AFL in 1968
XXIV	San Francisco 49ers	NFC	1946 AAFC charter team, joined NFL in 1950		Denver Broncos	AFC	1960 AFL charter team
XXV	New York Giants	NFC	Joined NFL in 1925		Buffalo Bills	AFC	1960 AFL charter team
XXVI	Washington Redskins	NFC	Joined NFL in 1932		Buffalo Bills	AFC	1960 AFL charter team
XXVII	Dallas Cowboys	NFC	Joined NFL in 1960		Buffalo Bills	AFC	1960 AFL charter team
XXVIII	Dallas Cowboys	NFC	Joined NFL in 1960		Buffalo Bills	AFC	1960 AFL charter team
XXIX	San Francisco 49ers	NFC	1946 AAFC charter team, joined NFL in 1950		San Diego Chargers	AFC	1960 AFL charter team (as LA Chargers in 1960, moved to SD in 1961)
XXX	Dallas Cowboys	NFC	Joined NFL in 1960		Pittsburgh Steelers	AFC	Joined NFL in 1933, transferred to AFC with 1970 merger
XXXI	Green Bay Packers	NFC	Joined NFL in 1921		New England Patriots	AFC	1960 AFL charter team (Boston Patriots until 1970)
XXXII	Denver Broncos	AFC	1960 AFL charter team		Green Bay Packers	NFC	Joined NFL in 1921
XXXIII	Denver Broncos	AFC	1960 AFL charter team		Atlanta Falcons	NFC	Joined NFL in 1966
XXXIV	St Louis Rams	NFC	Joined the NFL in 1937 (Cleveland Rams until 1945, then moved to LA until 1994, moved to St Louis in 1995)		Tennessee Titans	AFC	1960 AFL charter team (Houston Oilers 1960-1996, Tennessee Oilers 1997-1998).
XXXV	Baltimore Ravens	AFC	Joined NFL in 1996		New York Giants	NFC	Joined NFL in 1925
XXXVI	New England Patriots	AFC	1960 AFL charter team		St Louis Rams	NFC	Joined the NFL in 1937 (Cleveland Rams until 1945, then moved to LA until 1994, moved to St Louis in 1995)
XXXVII	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	NFC	Joined NFL in 1976, as an AFC for first year		Oakland Raiders	AFC	1960 AFL charter team (as Oakland 1960-1981; stayed in LA until 1994)
XXXVIII	New England Patriots	AFC	1960 AFL charter team		Carolina Panthers	NFC	Joined the NFC in 1995
XXXIX	New England Patriots	AFC	1960 AFL charter team		Philadelphia Eagles	NFC	Joined NFL in 1933
XL	Pittsburgh Steelers	AFC	Joined NFL in 1933, transferred to AFC with 1970 merger		Seattle Seahawks	NFC	Joined NFL in 1976, as an NFC for first year, then an AFC team until restructuring in 2002
XLI	Indianapolis Colts	AFC	Joined NFL in 1953, transferred to AFC with 1970 merger, moved to Indy in 1984		Chicago Bears	NFC	1920 NFL charter team