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Packers, Cowboys, and Undefeated Home/Road teams

The Packers went 8-0 at home this year. Green Bay scored 318 points in home games in 2014, the 3rd most by a team in NFL history. Aaron Rodgers threw 25 touchdowns and 0 interceptions in those games, and his 133.2 passer rating at home is the highest in a single season in NFL history.

A couple of minor notes for the anti-Green Bay crowd: the 2011 Packers scored 321 points en route to an 8-0 home record, while Rodgers’ 128.5 home passer rating is now the second highest ever. And the Packers lost their first playoff game, at home, to the NFC East champion that season.

This year, the NFC East champion Cowboys scored 275 points in road games, the 4th most ever. Dallas also went 8-0 on on the road, making this weekend’s matchup just the 3rd time in NFL history that an undefeated road team traveled to the site of an undefeated home team for a playoff game.

Van Burn dominated one of the NFL's first classic games

Van Burn dominated one of the NFL’s first classic games

The first one took place in 1948. That year, the Philadelphia Eagles finished 9-2-1, but 6-0 at Shibe Park. The Chicago Cardinals — who beat the Eagles in Chicago in the season opener — went 11-1, and 6-0 on the road. The game was played in a blizzard, and was scoreless through three quarters. The star of the game was Eagles running back Steve Van Buren, who rushed 26 times for 98 yards and the game’s sole touchdown in the 4th quarter.

You know that in 1972, the Dolphins went undefeated. That year, the Pittsburgh Steelers — not yet fully formed into the PITTSBURGH STEELERS — went 7-0 at home, and then defeated the Raiders in a uneventful game in the first round of the playoffs.

The AFC Championship Game was played at Three Rivers, as the league rotated the site of the conference title game in the early ’70s. The game was tied 7-7 at the half, but Don Shula brought in Bob Griese to replace Earl Morrall in the second half. Griese wasn’t much better, but the Dolphins running attack took over: Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris combined for 144 yards on 40 carries, while Jim Kiick scored two short touchdowns. Miami escaped with a 21-17 victory.

So there you have it. DeMarco Murray has rushed for 963 yards in road games, the 8th highest total in NFL history. Dez Bryant has 11 touchdowns in road games, tied for the second most ever. And Tony Romo’s 121.8 passer rating on the road is the 4th best ever. So far, the two games pitting undefeated home/road teams have been split. What do you predict for Sunday?

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