Despite the fact that the hometown is seen as one of the biggest advantages in the NFL playoffs, hosting a wild card match does not guarantee qualification for the divisional round.
Since the 2002 postseason, there have been a total of 78 wild card round matches and 30 teams that played that round as victims were victorious (.384 ERA).
In addition, the possibility of beating the casinos is more common than expected when considering that in 2003, 2006, 2012 and 2016 there were no surprises in the wild card. Without those 16 commitments, the underdog’s ERA increases to .483.
These are the clubs that have beaten the odds in the wild card round.
The wild card underdogs
| Bell | AFC | NFC |
| 2002 | Falcons | |
| 2003 | ||
| 2004 | Jets | Rams, Vikings |
| 2005 |
Buccaneers, Panthers
|
|
| 2006 | ||
| 2007 | Giants | |
| 2008 | Chargers | |
| 2009 | Jets, Ravens | Cardinals |
| 2010 | Jets |
Packers, Seahawks
|
| 2011 | Broncos | |
| 2012 | ||
| 2013 | Chargers, Colts | Saints |
| 2014 | Ravens | |
| 2015. | Packers | |
| 2016 | ||
| 2017 | Titans | Rams |
| 2018 | Chargers, Colts | Eagles |
| 2019 | Titans |
Seahawks, Vikings
|
| 2020 | Browns | Rams |
Giants and Packers, the highlights
Among that select group of underdogs, two teams stand out: the 2007 Giants and the 2010 Packers. Those clubs are the only two that after overcoming the wild card in the role of victims, they won the Super Bowl.
In case of New York is paradigmatic when considering that avoided the second perfect campaign in history. For its part, Green Bay broke a 14-year drought at Lambeau Field after beating the Steelers.
Other teams that deserve recognition are the 2013 Colts, who got the second biggest comeback in the history of the playoffs (deficit of 28 points against the Chiefs). Finally, in 2019 the Titans they gave the season at Foxborough in which it represented Tom Brady’s last game with the Patriots.