by Kyle Standerfer
Here's to a great 2015 to all of you. Thanks to all for allowing me the opportunity to contribute to this blog.
In my first post, I want to take the 126 games that have been played during Wild Card Weekend since 1978 and rank them by the uniforms worn. I include in this the 8 games played in the first round of the 1982 "Super Bowl Tournament" played in January of 1983. Just like Tim, there's no science to this, just based on things that I like, or dislike, then my subjective feelings about how they look to me. This will be lengthy, but think of it as one of those games that has to have a 2nd OT period.
First the games I call "sour cream". If you wonder why, sour cream is the one food that puts my gag reflex on overdrive, or as if it had a shot of steroids. There are so far 41 such Wild Card games that fit that bill.
December 24, 1978; Oilers-Dolphins - AFC Wild Card Game: Miami went white at home (WAH), and it doesn't involve the Cowboys, so it fails in my book. Shula's Dolphins sometimes wore WAH in a 4pm EST kickoff playoff game, while at other times they went with aqua.
December 23, 1979; Broncos-Oilers - AFC Wild Card Game: I just cannot get into the orange pants that Denver wore in '78 and '79.
December 28, 1980; Oilers-Raiders - AFC Wild Card Game: Bum Phillips' Houston teams were 0 for 3 uniform-wise during this round of the playoffs. In 1980, Houston decided for some reason to ditch the Columbia blue pants. Thus, away from the Astrodome, they didn't look like the Oilers.
January 8, 1983; Lions-Redskins - NFC 1st Round Playoff Game:Washington's unis from 1979-2009 made them dead to me in that realm. That, plus them wearing WAH - double fail.
January 8, 1983; Patriots-Dolphins - AFC 1st Round Playoff Game: see Oilers-Dolphins - 1978.
December 28, 1985; Patriots-Jets - AFC Wild Card Game: for some reason the J-E-T-S decided to go exclusively WAH during the entire 2nd half of the 1980s. Thus the first ever playoff game in the state of New Jersey was a sour cream game.
December 28, 1986; Chiefs-Jets - AFC Wild Card Game; exactly one year later, the Jets made the same mistake in the only KC playoff game between Hank Stram and Marty Schottenheimer.
December 28, 1986; Rams-Redskins - NFC Wild Card Game: for the first time, no playoff games in one round in one season are eligible for ranking. See Lions-Redskins above for why.
December 24, 1988; Oilers-Browns - AFC Wild Card Game: I know at the time it was traditional for the Brownies to go WAH. But I don't care. Unlike the Cowboys, the Browns and their opponents didn't add any uniform gamesmansuip to it. When Cleveland went on the road, teams didn't make them wear Brown jerseys to mess with their heads as far as I know.
December 31, 1989; Rams-Eagles - NFC Wild Card Game: for some reason, Philly went almost exclusively WAH during the late 80s. Even late in the season. Thus I was denied the chance to see them in Kelly green unless they were in Irving, TX or Washington, DC.
January 5, 1991; Redskins-Eagles - NFC Wild Card Game: this year the Eagles wore their green jerseys, but it had to be the Skins in town. Thus it was ruined.
January 5, 1991; Chiefs-Dolphins - AFC Wild Card Game: here Miami went with aqua, but I was never a fan of KC in white on white.
January 2, 1993; Redskins-Vikings - NFC Wild Card Game: it's Washington again.
January 2, 1993; Chiefs-Chargers - AFC Wild Card Game: once again, KC in all white. No es bueno.
December 31, 1994; Chiefs-Dolphins - AFC Wild Card Game: rinse and repeat.
December 30, 1995; Lions-Eagles - NFC Wild Card Game: Philly in 1995 reverted back to their bad late 80s habit of going WAH every game.
December 29, 1996; Eagles-49ers - NFC Wild Card Game: it felt like someone stole SF's identity in '96 and '97. Them in white pants - they don't look like the 49ers.
January 2, 1999; Bills-Dolphins - AFC Wild Card Game - Dolphins hosting a 1pm kickoff thus they go WAH. Made me sad.
January 8, 2000; Lions-Redskins - NFC Wild Card Game: after a lengthy absence, those awful Washington burgundy pants reappeared.
December 30, 2000; Colts-Dolphins - AFC Wild Card Game: once again, Miami goes WAH.
December 30, 2000; Rams-Saints - NFC Wild Card Game: later that day, it was the Saints turn to ruin a game uni-wise. Maybe it was because that year they went 7-1 on the road and 3-5 at home, and because just six days earlier the Rams went down to NOLA and beat the Saints. Whatever it was, the result was a shame.
January 12, 2002; Ravens-Dolphins - AFC Wild Card Game: Dolphins rinse and repeat.
January 8, 2005; Jets-Chargers - AFC Wild Card Game; Gang Green in green pants - excuse me while I head off to porcelain church.
January 7, 2006; Redskins-Buccaneers - NFC Wild Card Game: Washington once again. If there was one thing worse than them in burgundy pants, it was them in white on white.
January 8, 2006; Steelers-Bengals - AFC Wild Card Game: Cincy's first playoff game in 15 years wasn't just disappointing for people in the Queen City. It disappointed me for them going black on black.
January 6, 2007; Chiefs-Colts - AFC Wild Card Game: I know Lamar Hunt had recently passed on, and that white on white was his favorite uniform. It still is displeasing to my uni watching eyes.
January 7, 2007; Jets-Patriots - AFC Wild Card Game: green pants again - smh.
January 5, 2008; Redskins-Seahawks - NFC Wild Card Game: last time we see them in that uni in the playoffs ever, thankfully.
January 6, 2008; Giants-Buccaneers - NFC Wild Card Game: Bucs in white jerseys at home in a playoff game - not involving Dallas? That, to me, was the ultimate uniform example of going to a drive through, asking for a Coke, taking a drink, and tasting unsweetened iced tea. Why, Tampa Bay, why?
January 3, 2009; Colts-Chargers - AFC Wild Card Game: I'm the ultimate NFL uni enthusiast heretic in that I am not enamored by the Bolts' powder blues.
January 4, 2009; Ravens-Dolphins - AFC Wild Card Game: rinse and repeat of seven years earlier.
January 4, 2009; Eagles-Vikings - Philly in green pants? No, just, no.
January 10, 2010; Ravens-Patriots - AFC Wild Card Game: the bad thing about the John Harbaugh era is the Baltimore Birdies going with those black speedos way too much.
January 8, 2011; Saints-Seahawks - NFC Wild Card Game: the "Beast Quake" game was a uniform fail as an unfortunate staple of the Sean Payton era - NO in black speedos, happened once again.
January 9, 2011; Ravens-Chiefs - AFC Wild Card Game: BAL goes wrong again.
January 7, 2012; Lions-Saints - NFC Wild Card Game: NO blows it again. This time at home.
January 5, 2013; Bengals-Texans - AFC Wild Card Game: both teams in dark pants? I think I'm gonna be sick.
January 6. 2013; Colts-Ravens - AFC Wild Card Game: Ray Lewis' last home game is Ravens uniform fail.
January 6, 2013; Seahawks-Redskins - NFC Wild Card Game: Washington finally went back to gold pants, but Seattle ruined it with white on white. I just want them to wear gray pants with white tops.
January 4, 2014: Chiefs-Colts - AFC Wild Card Game: repeat of seven years earlier.
January 4, 2014; Saints-Eagles - NFC Wild Card Game: NOLA once again goes wrong.
That's 41 "sour cream" games, leaving 85 eligible for ranking. Here are those 85 games.
85. December 28, 1991; Falcons-Saints - NFC Wild Card Game: even though it's eligible for ranking, it's the uniform version of eating gruel. Very underwhelming.
84. December 22, 1984; Raiders-Seahawks - AFC Wild Card Game: pretty lifeless when it came to uniforms.
83. January 1, 1995; Bears-Vikings - NFC Wild Card Game: CHI-MIN was much better when the Vikes were at the Met. The colors together just never had a splash. Especially those Vikings unis when worn at the HHH Metrodome.
82. January 7, 2006; Jaguars-Patriots - AFC Wild Card Game: that game just didn't do much for me.
81. December 31, 1995; Colts-Chargers - AFC Wild Card Game: not horrible, but lacks the "wow" factor.
80. January 6, 2007; Cowboys-Seahawks - NFC Wild Card Game - the colors displayed in this game - meh!
79. December 24, 1983; Broncos-Seahawks - AFC Wild Card Game: Denver going to the Pacific Northwest never did much for me uniform wise.
78. January 3, 1988; Seahawks-Oilers - AFC Wild Card Game: Seattle road unis couldn't bring out the best in Houston's home unis. In fact, they kind of buried their greatness.
77. January 5, 2008; Jaguars-Steelers - AFC Wild Card Game: Jacksonville's road unis back then were just dull. Pittsburgh's home unis didn't do enough to save it.
76. January 9, 1983; Chargers-Steelers - AFC 1st Round Playoff Game: the gold on SD's pants back then looked dingy. Thus even their blue helmets and numbers contrasted with Pittsburgh's black helmets and jerseys didn't do anything to elevate this uniform matchup.
75. January 9, 1994; Vikings-Giants - NFC Wild Card Game: just didn't do much for me.
74. December 29, 1991; Cowboys-Bears - NFC Wild Card Game: not the worst, but DAL-CHI was never a matchup I gave eager anticipation when it came to uniforms.
73. December 26, 1988; Rams-Vikings - NFC Wild Card Game: Rams-Vikings at the Met in the 70s in daylight was a thing of beauty. In the 80s in the dark Metrodome - meh!
72. January 8, 2006; Panthers-Giants - NFC Wild Card Game: not the absolute worst, but these two getting together in New Jersey has never wowed me.
71. January 5, 2014; 49ers-Packers - NFC Wild Card Game: somehow the weather hovering over Lambeau ruined the look of the two unis that day last year.
70. January 9, 2000; Cowboys-Vikings - NFC Wild Card Game: the Vikings purple jerseys they started wearing in the late 90s were an improvement over their previous gear in the Metrodome.
69. December 30, 1995; Dolphins-Bills - AFC Wild Card Game: Don Shula's last game was uninspiring overall compared to other MIA-BUF uniform games.
68. December 27, 1997; Vikings-Giants - NFC Wild Card Game: this game actually looked better under gray skies to me than it would have on a sunny day. By 1997 Minnesota added more gold to their road unis.
67. January 5, 2014; Chargers-Bengals - AFC Wild Card Game: I feel like I'm underrating this game, since they both wore what I wanted and there's enough contrast. But honestly this was an afterthought for me.
66. January 4, 2004; Broncos-Colts - AFC Wild Card Game: the shades of blue are different, and there were hints of orange. I just liked their matchup the next year better.
65. January 9, 1994; Broncos-Raiders - AFC Wild Card Game: the colors contrasted, but Broncos @ Raiders has never been very inspiring to me uniform wise.
64. December 31, 1995; Falcons-Packers - NFC Wild Card Game: the Falcons road unis back then looked dingy and dull, but looked better that day against GB.
63. January 3, 2009; Falcons-Cardinals - NFC Wild Card Game; both teams in red and white, but Atlanta's black helmets made the matchup decent enough.
62. December 26, 1983; Rams-Cowboys - NFC Wild Card Game: these same two teams are in a top 10 game from 3 years earlier. But by '83, Dallas thinned out the blue numerals and letters on the name plate. And the Rams face mask was now blue. The 1980 game was much more visually pleasing to me.
61. January 9, 1983; Falcons-Vikings - NFC 1st Round Playoff Game: the colors contrasted well. Just that the Metrodome dulled out Minnesota's purple jerseys.
60. January 6, 1991; Saints-Bears - NFC Wild Card Game: not a bad matchup, but I liked it better when NO updated the gold pants to make them look shinier.
59. January 8, 1983; Cardinals-:Packers - NFC 1st Round Playoff Game: these weren't my favorite unis for either team, especialy GB's pants where it looked like they painted yellow over the white stripe. But together the colors had some dance to it.
58. December 28, 1996; Jaguars-Bills - Jacksonville's first ever playoff game and Buffalo's only playoff loss at Rich Stadium (now "the Ralph"). The colors contrasted well. Thankfully, the next year JAX rounded their number font.
57. January 8, 1994; Packers-Lions - NFC Wild Card Game: I like these two teams better in Wisconsin. But they aren't bad in Michigan.
56. January 9, 2000; Dolphins-Seahawks - AFC Wild Card Game: the last game ever in the Kingdome - Seattle's unis back then were underwhelming. But Miami's white and aqua with hints of coral enhanced that matchup overall.
55. January 7, 2012: Bengals-Texans - AFC Wild Card: both teams in white pants made this good. Orange, black and white against navy, white and red. Just many others are better.
54. January 9, 2011; Packers-Eagles - NFC Wild Card Game: the gold on GB saves this one. It's overall a good look, but so many are better.
53. January 4 2003; Colts-Jets - AFC Wild Card Game: the only time the Jets were the home team in the playoffs against the Cols. That would have looked better in daylight, but it didn't look bad.
52. January 3, 1988; Vikings-Saints - NFC Wild Card Game: the two unis separately were underwhelming. Contrasted against each other they looked better.
51. December 23, 1979; Bears-Eagles - NFC Wild Card Game: if there was one drawback with those Eagles green jerseys back then, it was that sometimes they looked identical to the color of the Veterans Stadium turf. Especially in daylight hours. The Bears darker helmet and white jerseys and pants with navy blue and orange trim made it salvageable.
50. January 3, 2004; Titans-Ravens - AFC Wild Card Game: they looked good going against each other. Just some I liked better.
49. December 23, 1984; Giants-Rams - NFC Wild Card Game: first of only two playoff games in Orange County, CA. Back then the blue numbers on the Giants white jerseys was lighter than their blue helmets. That made this matchup against the Rams passable.
48. December 27, 1997; Jaguars-Broncos - AFC Wild Card Game: I was at that game. Loved the result. But many more games had better uni matchups.
47. Saturday, January 8, 2005; Rams-Seahawks - NFC Wild Card Game: those two teams looked good going against each other when St. Louis wore gold pants.
46. December 28, 1996; Vikings-Cowboys - NFC Wild Card Game: these two teams met three years later in Minnesota, with the same unis. But for me they looked better in Texas Stadium.
45. January 9, 2005: Broncos-Colts - AFC Wild Card Game: the only difference between this and the game the year before was Indy's face mask.
44. January 2, 1999; Cardinals-Cowboys - NFC Wild Card Game: those two have always looked good going against each other in North Texas.
43. December 27, 1981; Giants-Eagles - NFC Wild Card Game: those Eagles unis looked better in 4pm or later kickoffs.
42. December 31, 2000; Buccaneers-Eagles - NFC Wild Card: Bucs in pewter and white with hints of of red vs Philly in midnight green and white. Not bad.
41. December 24, 1978: Eagles-Falcons - NFC Wild Card Game: - the first ever game in this round of the playoffs wasn't bad. It was Philly in their Kelly green, silver and white against Atlanta in thier red with silver and touches of white and black.
40. January 9, 2005; Vikings-Packers - NFC Wild Card Game: Randy Moss fake mooned the Lambeau faithful in a road uni that contrasted well with the green and gold.
39. December 29, 1991; Jets-Oilers - AFC Wild Card Game: I actually didn't mind the Jets in green pants on the road in those uniforms. It contrasted well with Houston's duds that day.
38. December 31, 2000; Broncos-Ravens - AFC Wild Card Game: the Broncos road uni by itself isn't very inspiring, but in the sunshine against Baltimore in their purple in white, its stock went up several notches.
37. December 28, 1997; Dolphins-Patriots - AFC Wild Card Game: Miami is the one team that I tolerate wearing either white or colored pants with white jerseys. That game in Foxboro was nice uni wise.
36. January 3, 1999; Packers-49ers - NFC Wild Card Game: I prefer the Niners going back to their traditional look, but this game looked good on TV and in NFL Films clips.
35. January 8, 2011; Jets-Colts - AFC Wild Card Game: both teams in white pants, and only a grand total of 3 colors between them, but under the Lucas Oil Stadium lights, they shone through together beautifully.
34. January 8, 2012; Steelers-Broncos - AFC Wild Card Game: I much prefer the Broncos in orange at home. But their navy blue jerseys with white pants, always looked good against Pittsburgh in their road whites.
33. January 4, 2003; Falcons-Packers - NFC Wild Card Game: Atlanta improved their road unis by going with red numerals. Made them contrast better with their opponents, in this case GB.
32. January 12, 2002: Buccaneers-Eagles - NFC Wild Card Game: these same two teams met in the same round, in the same stadium, with the exact same uniforms as the previous year. I just liked this one better.
31. December 29, 1996; Colts-Steelers - AFC Wild Card Game: the Steelers' last home game wearing the old block numerals against Indy in blue and white, and in the sunshine - looked pretty good.
30. January 6, 1991; Oilers-Bengals - AFC Wild Card Game: Cincy's last playoff victory was a visual delight with Houston in their white with Columbia blue and hints of red and the Bengals with their orange and black stripes in 3 places, with black jerseys and white pants.
29. December 31, 1994; Lions-Packers - NFC Wild Card: I've always loved DET-GB games in Wisconsin. This playoff tilt is no exception.
28. January 9, 1983; Jets-Bengals - AFC Wild Card Game: NY white on white with green numbers and trim and green helmets against Cincy in their orange and black tiger stripes. Looked good that day.
27. January 4, 2004; Seahawks-Packers - NFC Wild Card Game: Pacific blue and white against green and gold looked great that fateful day in Lambeau.
26. January 13, 2002; 49ers-Packers - NFC Wild Card Game: these two met at other times, but this was in the bright sunshine at Lambeau - where this kind of color contrast looked the best.
25. January 9, 1983; Buccaneers-Cowboys - NFC 1st Round Playoff Game: TB in creamsicles against Dallas in their traditional home garb looked very good in the stadium under a sun roof
24. January 5, 2003; Browns-Steelers - AFC Wild Card Game: a classic game on the field was also a colorful delight. Both teams in their traditional, no-nonsense colors, that contrast very well.
23. January 1, 1995; Patriots-Browns - AFC Wild Card Game: Bill Belichick with his first NFL team against the one with which he would years later become an icon. Plus a colorful, visual delight. This was the year before the Pats went with italicized numbers.
22 January 5, 2013; Vikings-Packers - NFC Wild Card Game: the last time we saw the Vikings in that rendition of their road unis. Purple and white with yellow trim against the green and gold. Very nice.
21. December 28, 1991; Raiders-Chiefs - AFC Wild Card Game: the one time these two met in the postseason in western Missouri was a visually pleasing affair. Derrick Thomas bringing down Todd Marinovich brought out very good color contrasts.
20. January 12, 2002, Jets-Raiders - AFC Wild Card Game: the green and white against silver and black looked quite right under the Network Associates Coliseum lights.
19. January 3, 1993; Eagles-Saints - NFC Wild Card Game: the unis both teams had in and of themselves weren't my favorites. But put them together in the Superdome that day in NOLA and the green/white/silver scheme contrasts nicely with "old gold", black and hints of white.
18. January 3, 2004, Cowboys-Panthers - NFC Wild Card Game: Both teams had silver helmets and it was navy on Dallas with black and white on Carolina, but the Panthers also had the light blue in the right spots. I liked that the Panthers went along with the traditional uniform gamesmanship the Cowboys and their opponents engaged in from time to time. And it looked even better under the lights.
17. January 8, 2000, Bills-Titans - AFC Wild Card Game: the "Music City Miracle" also was a game I liked uniform-wise. Watching Kevin Dyson race down the sideline with the Bills kick return coverage unit chasing him in vain looked better with the color schemes they had. So did seeing Rob Johnson in that red helmet and white jersey get crushed by a rookie Jevon Kearse.
16. January 8, 1983, Browns-Raiders - AFC 1st Round Game: at least one of those games in the oversized "Super Bowl Tournament" had to make it. I preferred when CLE was in white jerseys in the Sam Rutigliano era. That uni looked good going against the silver and black.
15. January 6, 2008, Titans-Chargers - AFC Wild Card Game: I loved it when TEN went with the light blue pants to go with their white jerseys. I wish they'd go back to that. I liked how it looked against SD in their navy blue jerseys, white helmets and pants, plus hints of gold. That was a good game for me to watch.
14. January 8, 2012, Falcons-Giants - NFC Wild Card Game: I like the Giants road uni better than their home uni, but put that against Atlanta's road uni, and it looked really good.
13. January 7, 1994, Steelers-Chiefs - AFC Wild Card Game: the only time these two met in the playoffs had a nice color combo and contrast, with the Steelers in black, gold and white, and KC in their red and white with gold trim.
12. January 9, 2010, Eagles-Cowboys - NFC Wild Card Game: the first (and until this coming Sunday only) playoff game in "Jerryworld" was a visual delight. I'm sure you can visualize it in your minds.
11. December 29, 1985, 49ers-Giants - NFC Wild Card Game: the Giants first home playoff game in 23 years pitted them against the West Coast Niners. Only two of the eight postseason clashes between these two was in "Joisee". The color contrast was really good.
10. December 27, 1981, Bills-Jets - AFC Wild Card Game: I much prefer the Jets in their classic and current uniform to the green helmet scheme they had from 1978 through 1997. This game is a forgotten classic in more ways than one. And one of those was Buffalo in white jerseys with blue numerals with some red trim, blue pants with red and white trim, and those white helmets. Then there was the Jets in the Kelly green helmets and jerseys, with white pants and white in other places, on that Shea Stadium field, and it was pure awesomeness.
9. January 5, 2003, Giants-49ers - NFC Wild Card Game: a game that was wild in so many ways was also a treat for my eyes when it came to the colors. I like the Giants current thinner red numbers on their white jerseys better than what they had from 2000 through 2004, when it was thicker red numbers with blue trim, but those were fine by me. Contrast that uni with the 49ers in their metallic gold helmets and pants with red jerseys, and it was just great.
8. December 31, 1989, Steelers-Oilers - AFC Wild Card Game: the last NFL game of the 1980s was the one time the two teams met at the Astrodome in the playoffs. PIT-HOU games in Houston were great to watch uniform-wise, when the Oilers wore the Columbia blue jerseys. This was also the last game the sleeve striping was that way on those jerseys. The next year, they "compressed" the red and white onto the edge of the sleeves. Contrast that with the Steelers black helmets, gold pants with the black stripe, and white jerseys with black numbers and yellow letters, looked awesome.
7. January 3, 1999, Patriots-Jaguars - AFC Wild Card Game: I really liked the road uniforms the Pats had in the late 1990s, with the italicized red numerals. Contrast that with the Jags in their black helmets, teal jerseys, and white pants, with gold and black trim in other spots, and it was quite nice.
6. December 28, 1980, Rams-Cowboys - NFC Wild Card Game: the same two teams met again in the same round at Texas Stadium a few years later wearing more or less the same colors - with a few changes at the margins. But the 1980 game was a visual delight in ways the 1983 game just wasn't. Vince Ferragano just looked like he belonged in that blue and gold Rams jersey. It looked even better going against Doomsday II (even in it's last days) in white with two shades of blue, plus silver helmets.
5. January 10, 2010, Packers-Cardinals - NFC Wild Card Game: the highest scoring postseason game in NFL history was also a color flavor fest as GB and ARI showed us green, gold and white contrasted with white and red. Looked clean and sharp together.
4. January 9, 2010, Jets-Bengals - AFC Wild Card Game: the J-E-T-S in their white and green against Cincy in their orange, black and white. Plus both teams wore white pants as I like. Very pleasing to my eyes.
3. January 7, 2007, Giants-Eagles - NFC Wild Card Game: these two teams have had this uni matchup often in the regular season. But this is the only time they did in a win-or-go-home scenario. And it looked even better in a game after sundown. NY in the blue helmet, white jerseys with bright red letters and numbers, with gray pants (splashed with blue and red trim. Then Philly in their midnight green helmets and jerseys, with white pants and numbers. God I loved watching that.
2. December 28, 1997, Lions-Buccaneers - NFC Wild Card Game: the last NFL game ever played at the "Big Sombrero" was the Bucs first postseason game in 15 years. It was also their first ever playoff game in the red and pewter. Contrast that with the Lions in their silver helmets and pants, white jerseys with Honolulu blue numbers, letters, and trim, all after the sun went down, and it was a thing of beauty.
1. January 3, 1993, Oilers-Bills- AFC Wild Card Game: one of the best things about this game being the biggest comeback in NFL history is that I get to see clips of it over and over again. Thus I get to be reminded of how pleasing to the eyes the two teams were when going against each other. Houston had those white helmets with the Columbia blue derek logo, white jerseys with the Columbia blue numerals and letters on the name plate, with red trim in places. Then the Columbia blue pants - a piece of the uni that made them look distinct when away from the Astrodome. On the other side, it was Marv Levy's men in those classic red helmets with the blue jerseys with white numerals and white pants with blue and red stripes. It looked great on live TV, and it did just the same in NFL Films clips. Perfect uniform comfort food.
