1982–83 NFL playoffs

The National Football League playoffs for the 1982 season began on January 8, 1983. The postseason tournament concluded with the Washington Redskins defeating the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XVII, 27–17, on January 30, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

A players' strike reduced the regular season to nine games. Thus, the league used a special 16-team playoff format (dubbed the "Super Bowl Tournament"), just for this year. Division standings were ignored (although each division did send at least one team to the playoffs). Eight teams from each conference were seeded 1–8 based on their regular-season records.

Because of the eight-game first round, this was the first time that NFL playoff games were regionally televised across the United States instead of nationwide. The NFL could have televised all eight games nationwide had it scheduled one game in each conference in the four broadcast windows; instead, AFC games were held late Saturday and early Sunday, with NFC games played early Saturday and late Sunday. (Since the 2022-23 NFL season, one first round playoff game is regionally televised in the primary markets only of the two playing teams, with the game available via streaming nationwide.) This year was also the only season in which the conference championship games were played on separate days, although the NFL has announced in case both conference championship games are held in the same city, with the two teams that share a stadium (in East Rutherford, New Jersey or Inglewood, California), one conference championship game would be played on Saturday and the other played on a Sunday.

With the altered format and expanded playoff field, this season saw the first playoff berths given to teams with losing records (win percentage < .500), as both Cleveland and Detroit finished with 4–5 records (.444). Both teams lost in the first round of the playoffs. Since then, the 2010 Seattle Seahawks, 2014 Carolina Panthers, 2020 Washington Football Team, 2022 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and 2025 Panthers have won their division with losing records, with the 2010 Seahawks becoming the first sub-.500 team to make the playoffs in a full-length season and becoming the first sub-.500 team to win a playoff game.

The expanded playoff format made it possible for a team to host three games in the postseason, which Washington and Miami both did. Under the typical playoff format at the time, this was not possible as all wild-card round winners would always play away games in the divisional round. With the expansion to fourteen playoff teams starting in 2020–21, it is once again possible for a team to host three playoff games in the same season. This was first exemplified in the 2021 Kansas City Chiefs.

Participants

Bracket

Schedule

In the United States, CBS televised the NFC playoff games, while NBC broadcast the AFC games and Super Bowl XVII.

The players' strike and the reduced regular season caused the playoffs and Super Bowl to be delayed by one week than what they were originally scheduled for (the playoffs in the 1980s usually began at or near the last weekend of December). Because of the eight-game first round, this was the first time that NFL playoff games were regionally televised across the United States instead of nationwide. The league still used the two traditional weekend 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. EST time slots, and did not hold prime time postseason games until the 2001–02 playoffs. Furthermore, scheduling conflicts with college basketball on CBS that had been previously set before the NFL playoffs were rescheduled following the resumption of play forced the conference championship games to be played on separate days.

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:92%; text-align:center;"

! Away team !! Score !! Home team !! Date !! Kickoff (ET / UTC–5) !! TV

! colspan="6"|Wild-card playoffs

| Detroit Lions || 7–31 || Washington Redskins || rowspan="2" | January 8, 1983 || rowspan="2" | 12:30 p.m. || rowspan="2" | CBS

| St. Louis Cardinals || 16–41 || Green Bay Packers

| New England Patriots || 13–28 || Miami Dolphins || rowspan="2" | January 8, 1983 || rowspan="2" | 4:00 p.m. || rowspan="2" | NBC

| Cleveland Browns || 10–27 || Los Angeles Raiders

| New York Jets || 44–17 || Cincinnati Bengals || rowspan="2" | January 9, 1983 || rowspan="2" | 12:30 p.m. || rowspan="2" | NBC

| San Diego Chargers || 31–28 || Pittsburgh Steelers

| Tampa Bay Buccaneers || 17–30 || Dallas Cowboys || rowspan="2" | January 9, 1983 || rowspan="2" | 4:00 p.m. || rowspan="2" | CBS

| Atlanta Falcons || 24–30 || Minnesota Vikings

! colspan="6"|Divisional playoffs

| Minnesota Vikings || 7–21 || Washington Redskins || rowspan="2" | January 15, 1983 || 12:30 p.m. || CBS

| New York Jets || 17–14 || Los Angeles Raiders || 4:00 p.m. || NBC

| San Diego Chargers || 13–34 || Miami Dolphins || rowspan="2" | January 16, 1983 || 12:30 p.m. || NBC

| Green Bay Packers || 26–37 || Dallas Cowboys || 4:00 p.m. || CBS

! colspan="6"|Conference Championships

| Dallas Cowboys || 17–31 || Washington Redskins || January 22, 1983 || 12:30 p.m. || CBS

| New York Jets || 0–14 || Miami Dolphins || January 23, 1983 || 12:30 p.m. || NBC

! colspan="6"|Super Bowl XVII Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California

| Miami Dolphins || 17–27 || Washington Redskins || January 30, 1983 || 6:00 p.m. || NBC

First-round playoffs

Saturday, January 8, 1983

NFC: Washington Redskins 31, Detroit Lions 7

The Redskins jumped to a 24–0 lead en route to an easy 31–7 victory over the Lions, who were in their first postseason game since 1970. Washington receiver Alvin Garrett, who caught only one pass during the regular season, recorded six receptions for 110 yards and three touchdowns. Fullback John Riggins led the team on the ground with 119 rushing yards. Quarterback Joe Theismann compiled 210 passing yards and three touchdowns. While the Redskins only outgained the Lions by two yards (366 to 364), they intercepted two passes and recovered three fumbles, while losing no turnovers themselves.

The game seemed to start well for Detroit, as they reached the Redskins 21-yard line on their opening drive. But halfback Billy Sims lost a fumble that was recovered by Washington linebacker Rich Milot. The next time the Lions had the ball, Jeris White intercepted a pass intended for Sims and returned it 77 yards for a touchdown, the second longest interception return in NFL playoff history. Then on their third possession, quarterback Eric Hipple was sacked by blitzing cornerback Vernon Dean causing a fumble that defensive tackle Darryl Grant recovered on the Redskins 19-yard line. This set up Mark Moseley's 26-yard field goal to make the score 10–0 with just over two minutes left in the first quarter.

Washington increased their lead to 17–0 early in the second quarter with Theismann's 21-yard touchdown pass to Garrett. Detroit responded with a drive to the Redskins 5-yard line, but came up empty again when Dave Butz forced a fumble from Sims that was recovered by defensive end Dexter Manley. Washington then drove 96 yards to score on Garrett's second 21-yard touchdown catch, giving the team a 24–0 first half lead.

In the third quarter, Washington essentially put the game away with a 5-play, 74-yard drive that ended with Garrett's third touchdown of the day, this one a 27-yard catch, making the lead 31–0. Meanwhile, all Detroit could do was avoid a shutout on Hipple's 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end David Hill, the Lions' first playoff score since the 1957 NFL Championship Game.

Lions receiver Leonard Thompson was the top performer for his team with seven receptions for 150 yards.

This was the first postseason meeting between the Lions and Redskins.

The same teams met in the same stadium nine years later for the NFC championship, with the Redskins routing the Lions 41–10 en route to the Super Bowl XXVI title.

The teams would meet a third time in 1999, with Washington winning again 27–13.

NFC: Green Bay Packers 41, St. Louis Cardinals 16

thumb|right|Packers' running back Ivery (40) rushing the ball through the Cardinals' defense in the NFC first-round playoff game.

In the first playoff game at Lambeau Field since the Ice Bowl in 1967, Green Bay quarterback Lynn Dickey threw for 260 yards and four touchdowns en route to a 41–16 win. The Packers scored four touchdowns on four consecutive possessions and finished the game with 453 yards. It was their first playoff victory since Super Bowl II in 1968, as well as the Packers only playoff win in the twenty-five seasons from 1968 to 1992.

Cardinals kicker Neil O'Donoghue gave the team a 3–0 lead with an 18-yard field goal on their opening drive, however this would be the extent of his success. By the end of the game, he missed attempts from 44 and 45 yards, while also having a 44-yard attempt and an extra point kick blocked, both by Packers tight end Gary Lewis. Meanwhile, Green Bay responded to his field goal with a 60-yard touchdown pass from Dickey to receiver John Jefferson.

There would be no more scoring until 5:45 remained in the half, when the Packers suddenly buried St. Louis with three consecutive touchdowns. First, Cardinals safety Benny Perrin slipped while covering James Lofton in the end zone, and Dickey threw him the ball for a 20-yard score. Then Packers linebacker George Cumby recovered Stump Mitchell's fumble on the Packers 39. Dickey's subsequently completed a 30-yard pass to Jefferson and Eddie Lee Ivery broke off an 18-yard run before finishing the drive with a 2-yard rushing score. Two plays later, safety Mark Murphy intercepted Neil Lomax's pass and returned it 22 yards to the Cardinals 12-yard line, setting up Dickey's 4-yard touchdown toss to Ivery that gave Green Bay a 28–3 lead. St. Louis managed to respond with Lomax's 5-yard touchdown pass to Pat Tilley with nine seconds left in the half, but Lewis blocked the extra point, and their 28–9 halftime deficit ended up being as close as the score would ever get.

Green Bay increased their lead to 31–9 with Jan Stenerud's 46-yard field goal on their opening drive of the second half. In the final minute of the third quarter, they went up 38–9 on Dickey's fourth touchdown pass of the day, a 7-yarder to Jefferson at the end of an 89-yard drive that included a 43-yard pass interference penalty against defensive back Carl Allen. In the fourth quarter, Stenerud kicked a 34-yard field goal, while Lomax closed out the scoring on an 18-yard touchdown pass to receiver Mike Shumann with 8:13 left in regulation.

By the end of the game, the Packers had set numerous franchise post season records, including most touchdown passes in a game (4), most receiving yards (6 receptions for 148 yards by Jefferson), and longest field goal (46 yards by Stenerud).

Cardinals receiver Roy Green caught nine passes for 113 yards. Lomax completed 32 of 51 passes for 385 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted twice and sacked five times, twice by defensive end Mike Butler.

This was the Cardinals' last postseason game representing St. Louis. The franchise relocated to Arizona in 1988 and did not return to the playoffs until 1998. The city of St. Louis would not be represented again in the NFL postseason until the Rams, who moved to the city in 1995, won Super Bowl XXXIV following the 1999 season.

This was the first postseason meeting between the Cardinals and Packers.

This was the first postseason meeting between the Patriots and Dolphins.

McDonald completed 18 of 37 passes for 281 yards and a touchdown. His top target was Feacher, who caught four passes for 124 yards and a score. Cleveland fell to 0–2 in playoff games at the Los Angeles Coliseum, joining a setback to the Rams in the 1951 NFL Championship Game.

This was the second postseason meeting between the Browns and Raiders. The then-Oakland Raiders won the only previous meeting.

This marked Bradshaw's final appearance at Three Rivers Stadium. He sat out nearly all of the 1983 season with an elbow injury, appearing in just one half of a late-season game against the Jets in what turned out to be their final game at Shea Stadium. The game was also the final one of the career of Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Ham.

This was the first postseason meeting between the Chargers and Steelers.

Dallas countered with a touchdown on a 6-yard pass from White to Ron Springs, making the score 13–10 going into halftime. They upped their lead to 16–10 in the third quarter on a 19-yard Septién field goal. Tampa Bay responded with an 80-yard drive to retake the lead, 17–16, on Williams' short pass to Gordon Jones, who took it 49 yards to the end zone. But in the fourth quarter, Bucs guard Charley Hannah was penalized 10 yards for an illegal block and then drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for arguing the call with officials, pushing Tampa Bay back to their own 11-yard line. On the next play, rookie defensive back Monty Hunter intercepted Williams' pass and returned it 19 yards for a touchdown, putting Dallas back in front at 23–17. 10 minutes later, the Cowboys put the game away with White's 10-yard touchdown pass to Timmy Newsome.

This was Tampa Bay's last playoff game until 1997, by which time the Buccaneers replaced their orange uniforms. From 1983 to 1996, they suffered 14 consecutive losing seasons, 13 of which saw Tampa Bay lose 10 or more games.

This was the second postseason meeting between the Buccaneers and Cowboys. Dallas won the only previous meeting.

This was the first postseason meeting between the Falcons and Vikings.

In the closing moments of the game, fans at RFK Stadium began chanting "We Want Dallas" indicating their ideal choice of opponent for the NFC Championship Game. They would get their wish. Theismann completed 17 of 23 passes for 213 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Kramer completed 18 of 39 passes for 252 yards.

This was the third postseason meeting between the Vikings and Redskins. Minnesota won both previous meetings.

This was the final postseason game in the Hall of Fame careers of Chargers stars Dan Fouts, Charlie Joiner, and Kellen Winslow. Joiner's touchdown was his only reception of the game, while Winslow had one for 18. Receiver Wes Chandler, who led the NFL in receiving yards during the season, finished this game with two receptions for 38 yards. Muncie rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown, while also catching six passes for 53. Franklin was the Dolphins top rusher with 96 yards and a touchdown. Nathan rushed for 83 yards and caught eight passes for 55.

This was the second postseason meeting between the Chargers and Dolphins. San Diego won the only previous meeting one season ago.

In the second half, the Packers mounted a strong comeback attempt, racking up 363 yards and scoring 19 points. Midway through the fourth quarter, Green Bay defensive back Mark Lee's 22-yard interception return for a touchdown cut the Packers deficit to 30–26. But later on, Thurman's third interception set up a 74-yard scoring drive, including a trick play where receiver Drew Pearson took a lateral from Danny White and then threw a 49-yard completion to Tony Hill on the Green Bay 1-yard line. On the next play, Newhouse' second touchdown run put the game away.

Green Bay finished the game with a franchise playoff record 466 total yards. The Packers would not play another postseason game until 1993.

This would be the final playoff win in Cowboys' coach Tom Landry's career. It would be the Cowboys last playoff victory until 1991. Hill finished the game with 7 receptions for 142 yards.

This was the third postseason meeting between the Packers and Cowboys. Green Bay won both previous meetings.

After appearing in 10 of the previous 13 NFC Championship games, this would be Dallas' last appearance until 1992.

This was the second postseason meeting between the Cowboys and Redskins. Washington won the only prior meeting.

Both teams combined for nine turnovers, 19 punts, and just 437 total yards.

This would be the last time the Dolphins would shut out the Jets until week 5 of the 2020 season when the Dolphins shut out the Jets 24–0.

This was the first postseason meeting between the Jets and Dolphins.