1983–84 NFL playoffs

The National Football League playoffs for the 1983 season began on December 24, 1983. The postseason tournament concluded with the Los Angeles Raiders defeating the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII, 38–9, on January 22, 1984, at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
This marked the first season since 1968 that legendary referee Jim Tunney did not receive an on-field playoff assignment. He was the alternate referee for the Super Bowl.

Participants

Bracket

Schedule

Due to Christmas falling on a Sunday, the two wild card playoff games were played in a span of three days, with one on Saturday, December 24, and the other on Monday, December 26.
In the United States, NBC broadcast the AFC playoff games, while CBS televised the NFC games and Super Bowl XVIII.

Wild Card playoffs

Saturday, December 24, 1983

AFC: Seattle Seahawks 31, Denver Broncos 7

Both teams came into the game with remarkably similar seasons. Each had a 9–7 record, and both had gone through multiple starting quarterbacks. The Seahawks were starting Dave Krieg, who had replaced Jim Zorn in the ninth game of the season. Steve DeBerg started for the Broncos, returning to the lineup for the first time in seven weeks after suffering a separated shoulder.
The Seahawks won their first playoff game in team history with Krieg completing 12 of 13 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns. They also got a big performance out of rookie running back Curt Warner, who rushed for 99 yards and caught three passes for 22 yards.
Seattle scored on the opening drive of the game, with Warner carrying the ball on six of eight plays and Krieg hitting wide receiver Steve Largent for a 17-yard touchdown pass. After a few punts, the Broncos tied the game with Jesse Myles' 13-yard touchdown reception from DeBerg. After forcing Seattle to punt, DeBerg drove the Broncos to the Seahawks 29-yard line. However, Kerry Justin intercepted DeBerg's underthrown pass and returned the ball 45 yards to set up Norm Johnson's 37-yard field goal, giving the team a 10–7 lead. The Broncos responded with a drive to the Seattle 5-yard line, but once again they failed to score as running back Gerald Willhite lost the ball while being tackled by linebacker Shelton Robinson and safety Paul Moyer recovered it with less than two minutes left in the half.
On Seattle's first drive of the second half, Krieg completed a 28-yard pass to tight end Charle Young and a 34-yarder to Largent on the next play. Following two carries by Warner for six yards, Krieg finished the possession with a 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Pete Metzelaars, making the score 17–7. The Seahawks went on to score two more touchdowns, an 18-yard pass from Krieg to Paul Johns on the first play of the fourth quarter, and a 2-yard run by the reserve fullback David Hughes with 9:34 remaining in the game. Meanwhile, Broncos rookie quarterback John Elway made his playoff debut, replacing DeBerg in the fourth quarter. He completed 10 of 15 passes for 123 yards and rushed for 16, but also threw an interception to Seahawks defensive back Gregg Johnson.
This was the first postseason meeting between the Broncos and Seahawks, and would not meet again in the playoffs until Super Bowl XLVIII.

Monday, December 26, 1983

NFC: Los Angeles Rams 24, Dallas Cowboys 17

The Rams converted three turnovers in the second half into 17 points to upset the heavily favored Cowboys in Dallas. Los Angeles opened the scoring in the first quarter on quarterback Vince Ferragamo's 18-yard touchdown pass to Drew Hill after an 85-yard drive. The Cowboys then tied the game with 23 seconds left in the half after quarterback Danny White capped a 70-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tony Hill.
Dallas took the lead in the third quarter with Rafael Septién's 41-yard field goal. But then the Rams took advantage of the Cowboys' turnovers. Los Angeles' Mike Wilcher recovered a muffed punt from Gary Allen at the Dallas 16-yard line, setting up wide receiver Preston Dennard's 16-yard touchdown reception. Then linebacker Jim Collins' interception set up Ferragamo's 8-yard pass to wide receiver George Farmer. Finally, LeRoy Irvin's 94-yard interception return to the Dallas 3-yard line set up Mike Lansford's 20-yard field goal. White was intercepted for the third time on Dallas' next drive, this time by linebacker Mel Owens. By the time White threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Doug Cosbie, only 1:03 remained on the game clock.
Rams rookie running back Eric Dickerson rushed for 99 yards and caught two passes for 11 yards. Tony Hill set a franchise playoff record with nine receptions for 115 yards. Ferragamo completed 15 of 30 passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns. White completed 32 of 53 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns, with three costly interceptions.
This was the seventh postseason meeting between the Rams and Cowboys. Dallas had won four of the previous six meetings.

Dallas leads 4–2 in all-time playoff games

Divisional playoffs

Saturday, December 31, 1983

AFC: Seattle Seahawks 27, Miami Dolphins 20

Despite their dominant win in the wild card round, the 9–7 Seahawks hardly seemed a significant obstacle for the defending AFC champion Dolphins However, the Seahawks converted three turnovers in the second half into thirteen points, while running back Curt Warner rushed for 113 yards, caught five passes for 38 yards, and scored two touchdowns. By the end of the game, Miami turned the football over five times, including consecutive fumbled kickoffs in the closing
After a scoreless first quarter in the Orange Bowl, the Dolphins scored first on rookie quarterback Dan Marino's 19-yard pass to tight end Dan Johnson, but Uwe von Schamann's extra point attempt was blocked. Seattle running back Zachary Dixon returned the ensuing kickoff 59 yards to set up Dave Krieg's 6-yard touchdown pass to fullback Cullen Bryant and the Seahawks led 7–6. Near the end of the first half, Miami retook the lead with Marino's 32-yard touchdown pass to Mark Duper.
In the third quarter, Seattle defensive back John Harris recovered a fumble that led to Warner's 1-yard touchdown run and Seattle led 14–13. In the fourth quarter, Seahawks cornerback Kerry Justin's interception of a Marino pass was converted into a 27-yard field goal by Norm Johnson, increasing the lead to four
With time running out, Seattle made their only blunder of the day when Krieg threw an interception to Miami defensive back Gerald Small, who returned the ball 18 yards to set up Woody Bennett's 3-yard touchdown run, giving Miami a 20–17 lead with 3:43 remaining. Seattle receiver Steve Largent, who had no receptions up to this point, caught a pair of passes from Krieg for gains of 16 and 40 yards as they drove to retake the lead 24–20 on Warner's 2-yard touchdown run with under two minutes left. On the ensuing kickoff, Miami returner Fulton Walker fumbled and rookie reserve linebacker Sam Merriman recovered, setting up Johnson's 37-yard field goal to extend the lead to seven at 27–20. Amazingly, Walker fumbled on the next kickoff as well; Seattle running back Dan Doornink recovered and the offense ran out
This was Seattle's only road victory in the postseason until 2012, when they won in Washington 24–14. Harris finished the game with an interception, a fumble recovery, and four tackles. Other key defensive players for Seattle included Dave Brown, who had 10 tackles, and Keith Butler, who had nine. Duper caught nine passes for 117 yards and a touchdown.
This was the first postseason meeting between the Seahawks and Dolphins.

NFC: San Francisco 49ers 24, Detroit Lions 23

Lions kicker Eddie Murray made three field goals, including a postseason record 54-yard kick, but missed two attempts in the fourth quarter, the second a potential game-winning 43-yard kick with five seconds left.
Both teams came into this game missing key starters. The 49ers were without injured starting receiver Dwight Clark, while the Lions had to start quarterback Gary Danielson in place of injured starter Eric Hipple. Detroit scored first on Murray's 37-yard field goal less than five minutes into the game. They were poised to score again on their next drive, but Ronnie Lott intercepted a pass from Danielson on the San Francisco 15-yard line. The 49ers offense then drove 85 yards in 10 plays and took a 7–3 lead on a 1-yard touchdown run from Roger Craig. On the first play of Detroit's next drive, rookie linebacker Riki Ellison intercepted Danielson and returned the ball four yards to the Lions 24-yard line. Four plays later, Wendell Tyler's 2-yard touchdown run increased their lead to 14–3 early in the second quarter.
Things kept getting worse for Detroit as Danielson threw two more interceptions on each of their next two possessions, first to safety Dwight Hicks and then to linebacker Keena Turner. However, their defense managed to prevent the 49ers from converting either one of them into points. On their next drive, running back Billy Sims took off for a 56-yard carry to the San Francisco 1-yard line before being tackled by Eric Wright. Despite a first and goal on the 1, Detroit could not get into the end zone and settled for Murray's second field goal, cutting the score to 14–6. Following a 49ers punt, Detroit moved the ball to San Francisco's 37-yard line in the closing seconds of the half, where Murray made a playoff record 54-yard field goal that made the score 14–9 going into halftime.
In the third quarter, Danielson threw his fifth interception of the day and his second to Ellison, who returned it four yards to the Lions 45. Joe Montana's 27-yard completion to tight end Russ Francis and Tyler's 11-yard run gave the team a first and goal from the 7, but the Lions made a key goal line stand to force Ray Wersching's 19-yard field goal, putting San Francisco up 17–9. Danielson then rallied the Lions back with six completions on a 10-play, 73-yard drive that ended with Sims' 11-yard touchdown run, cutting the deficit to 17–16 with 13:36 left in the fourth quarter.
Their defense subsequently gave them a great chance to take the lead when they recovered a fumble from Craig on the 49ers 37-yard line. But penalties stalled the drive and Murray missed a 43-yard field goal attempt. Still, the Lions defense came up with another huge opportunity as Bobby Watkins intercepted a pass from Montana and returned it 24 yards to the San Francisco 27. This time the Lions offense managed to convert the turnover with a 2-yard touchdown run by Sims, giving them their first lead of the game, 23–17 with 4:44 remaining.
Up to this point, Montana had been rather ineffective, completing just 12 of 25 passes for 151 yards with an interception and no touchdowns. But with the game on the line, Montana rallied his team with a scoring drive to put them back into the lead. Starting from their own 30-yard line, the 49ers advanced to the Lions 27 by the two-minute warning, with Montana completing four passes for 24 yards. Montana hooked up with Francis for a 13-yard gain on the next play, and then threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Freddie Solomon, giving the 49ers a 24–23 lead with 1:23 left. Detroit then drove 49 yards to set up a game-winning 43-yard field goal attempt for Murray in the closing seconds, but his kick was wide right by a narrow margin, enabling San Francisco to win the game.
Montana finished the game completing 18 of 31 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown, with one interception, while also rushing for 16 yards. Danielson finished his only career playoff game completing 24 of 38 passes for 236 yards, but was intercepted five times. Sims was the top rusher of the game with 20 carries for 116 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught four passes for 26 yards.
This was the second postseason meeting between the Lions and 49ers. Detroit won the previous meeting.

Detroit leads 1–0 in all-time playoff games