The top teams during the regular season don’t play this weekend, but that doesn’t mean you won’t see a Super Bowl-bound club on the field playing a wild-card game. In fact, in recent years, playing on wild-card weekend is just as likely a path to Super Bowl Sunday as being a No. 1 seed.

In the last six seasons, five No. 1 seeds have played in the big game; five teams that played on wild-card weekend have done so, as well. Four of those five teams to play the opening round of the postseason and advance to the Super Bowl have won the league championship. In three of those Super Bowl victories, the wild-card weekend participants have defeated top seeds.

Teams Reaching SB after Playing Wild-Card Game, 2005-2010
(with Super Bowl result & opponent’s seed)

Wild-Card Weekend Teams. . . .SB Opponent. . . . . . .Score
2005 Steelers (W). . . . . . . . . . . Seahawks (1). . . . . . .21-10
2006 Colts (W). . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bears (1). . . . . . . . . 29-17
2007 Giants (W). . . . . . . . . . . . .Patriots (1) . . . . . . . 17-14
2008 Cardinals (L). . . . . . . . . . .Steelers (2) . . . . . . . 23-27
2010 Packers (W). . . . . . . . . . . Steelers (2). . . . . . . .31-25

This trend stretches back into the last century, Since 1997, a team that has played on the opening playoff weekend has taken the field on Super Bowl Sunday nine times in the last 14 seasons.

The streak started with the 1997 Denver Broncos, who won four postseason games en route to their first Lombardi Trophy. During this stretch, five wild-card teams have celebrated a Super Bowl victory, compared to four No. 1 seeds.