SEASONS
| < 1995 | 1997 > |
Cleveland Browns franchise, history, records, and intellectual property remained in Cleveland (with the Browns officially deactivated), while its players and personnel transferred to Baltimore, technically to a new league franchise that was named the Baltimore Ravens.
| AFC East | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RK | TEAM | W | L | T | |
| 1 |  |
new england patriots | 11 | 5 | 0 |
| 2 |  |
Buffalo Bills | 10 | 6 | 0 |
| 3 |  |
Indianapolis Colts | 9 | 7 | 0 |
| 4 |  |
miami dolphins | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 5 |  |
new york jets | 1 | 15 | 0 |
| AFC Central | |||||
| RK | TEAM | W | L | T | |
| 1 |  |
Pittsburgh Steelers | 10 | 6 | 0 |
| 2 |  |
Jacksonville Jaguars | 9 | 7 | 0 |
| 3 |  |
Cincinnati Bengals | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 4 |  |
Houston Oilers | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 5 |  |
Baltimore Ravens | 4 | 12 | 0 |
| AFC West | |||||
| RK | TEAM | W | L | T | |
| 1 |  |
Denver Broncos | 13 | 3 | 0 |
| 2 |  |
Kansas City Chiefs | 9 | 7 | 0 |
| 3 |  |
San Diego Chargers | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 4 |  |
Oakland Raiders | 7 | 9 | 0 |
| 5 |  |
Seattle Seahawks | 7 | 9 | 0 |
| NFC East | |||||
| RK | TEAM | W | L | T | |
| 1 |  |
Dallas Cowboys | 10 | 6 | 0 |
| 2 |  |
Philadelphia Eagles | 10 | 6 | 0 |
| 3 |  |
Washington Redskins | 9 | 7 | 0 |
| 4 |  |
Arizona Cardinals | 7 | 9 | 0 |
| 5 |  |
New York Giants | 6 | 10 | 0 |
| NFC Central | |||||
| RK | TEAM | W | L | T | |
| 1 |  |
Green Bay Packers | 13 | 3 | 0 |
| 2 |  |
Minnesota Vikings | 9 | 7 | 0 |
| 3 |  |
Chicago Bears | 7 | 9 | 0 |
| 4 |  |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 6 | 10 | 0 |
| 5 |  |
Detroit Lions | 5 | 11 | 0 |
| NFC West | |||||
| RK | TEAM | W | L | T | |
| 1 |  |
Carolina Panthers | 12 | 4 | 0 |
| 2 |  |
San Francisco 49ers | 12 | 4 | 0 |
| 3 |  |
St.Louis Rams | 6 | 10 | 0 |
| 4 |  |
Atlanta Falcons | 3 | 13 | 0 |
| 5 |  |
New Orleans Saints | 3 | 13 | 0 |
| Seed | AFC | NFC |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denver Broncos (West winner) | Green Bay Packers (Central winner) |
| 2 | New England Patriots (East winner) | Carolina Panthers (West winner) |
| 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers (Central winner) | Dallas Cowboys (East winner) |
| 4 | Buffalo Bills (wild card) | San Francisco 49ers (wild card) |
| 5 | Jacksonville Jaguars (wild card) | Philadelphia Eagles (wild card) |
| 6 | Indianapolis Colts (wild card) | Minnesota Vikings (wild card) |
Wild Card playoffs |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEC 28 1996 |
JAX |
30 @ 27 | BUF |
|
MIN |
15 @ 40 | DAL |
||
| DEC 29 1996 |
IND |
14 @ 42 | PIT |
|
PHI |
0 @ 14 | SF |
||
Divisional playoffs |
||||
| JAN 4 1997 |
SF |
14 @ 35 | GB |
|
JAX |
30 @ 27 | DEN |
||
| JAN 5 1997 |
PIT |
3 @ 28 | NE |
|
DAL |
17 @ 26 | CAR |
||
Conference Championships | ||||
| JAN 12 1997 |
CAR |
13 @ 30 | GB |
|
JAX |
6 @ 20 | NE |
||
 SUPER BOWL XXXI |
||||
| Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans,LA | ||||
| JAN 26 1997 |
NE |
21 @ 35 | GB |
|