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.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:92%; text-align:center;"
! Away team !! Score !! Home team !! Date !! Kickoff<br />(ET / UTC–5) !! TV
|-
! colspan="6"|Wild Card playoffs
|-
| Denver Broncos || 7–31 || Seattle Seahawks || December 24, 1983 || 4:00 p.m. || NBC
|-
| Los Angeles Rams || 24–17 || Dallas Cowboys || December 26, 1983 || 2:30 p.m. || CBS
|-
! colspan="6"|Divisional playoffs
|-
| Seattle Seahawks || 27–20 || Miami Dolphins || December 31, 1983 || 12:30 p.m. || NBC
|-
| Detroit Lions || 23–24 || San Francisco 49ers || December 31, 1983 || 4:00 p.m. || CBS
|-
| Los Angeles Rams || 7–51 || Washington Redskins || January 1, 1984 || 12:30 p.m. || CBS
|-
| Pittsburgh Steelers || 10–38 || Los Angeles Raiders || January 1, 1984 || 4:00 p.m. || NBC
|-
! colspan="6"|Conference Championships
|-
| San Francisco 49ers || 21–24 || Washington Redskins || January 8, 1984 || 12:30 p.m. || CBS
|-
| Seattle Seahawks || 14–30 || Los Angeles Raiders || January 8, 1984 || 4:00 p.m. || NBC
|-
! colspan="6"|Super Bowl XVIII<br /><small>Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida</small>
|-
| Washington Redskins || 9–38 || Los Angeles Raiders || January 22, 1984 || 4:30 p.m. || CBS
|}
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.
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.
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.