1997–98 NFL playoffs

The NFL playoffs following the 1997 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXXII.

NFC: Minnesota Vikings 23, New York Giants 22
The Vikings scored 10 points (a Jake Reed 30-yard touchdown pass from Randall Cunningham and a field goal) in the final 90 seconds of the game to stun the Giants.

AFC: Denver Broncos 42, Jacksonville Jaguars 17
Denver ran over the Jaguars with 310 rushing yards and 511 total yards of offense. Denver running back Terrell Davis rushed for 184 yards and 2 touchdowns, while running back Derek Loville racked up 103 yards and 2 scores on just 11 carries. Broncos quarterback John Elway completed 16 of 24 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown as the Broncos avenged their playoff loss to the Jaguars the year before.

AFC: New England Patriots 17, Miami Dolphins 3
The Patriot defense held Miami to 162 total yards of offense, 42 rushing yards and forced three Dolphins turnovers. Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino was held to just 17 of 43 completions for 141 yards and was intercepted twice.

NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20, Detroit Lions 10
Tampa Bay won their first playoff game since 1979 with quarterback Trent Dilfer's 9-yard touchdown pass to receiver Horace Copeland, running back Mike Alstott's 31-yard touchdown run, and two field goals. Their defense limited Lions quarterback Scott Mitchell to just 10 of 25 completions for 78 yards.

Byes

 * AFC: Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers
 * NFC: San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers

AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 7, New England Patriots 6
Quarterback Kordell Stewart's 40-yard touchdown run made the difference in a defense-dominated game, and rookie lineman/linebacker Mike Vrabel's late sack and forced fumble on quarterback Drew Bledsoe sealed the victory for the Steelers. For the 3rd time in 4 years, Pittsburgh would play and host the AFC championship game

NFC: San Francisco 49ers 38, Minnesota Vikings 22
49ers running back Terry Kirby ran for a career-high 120 yards and two touchdowns and 49ers receiver J.J. Stokes caught a career-high nine passes for 101 yards. Steve Young threw for 220 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 37.

NFC: Green Bay Packers 21, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7
Packers running back Dorsey Levens rushed for a team playoff record of 112 yards and a touchdown while also catching 4 passes for 29 yards as the Green Bay defense held Tampa Bay to 90 rushing yards and intercepted 2 passes from Trent Dilfer, who finished the game with only 11 of 36 completions for 200 yards.

Early in the game, Tampa Bay had a chance to score first, but Packers defensive tackle Bob Kuberski blocked Michael Husted's 43-yard field goal attempt. Green Bay then drove for the first touchdown of the game with Brett Favre's 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mark Chmura. Early in the second quarter, Packers receiver Robert Brooks' 28-yard punt return and his 21-yard reception set up a field goal by Ryan Longwell. And later on, defensive back Tyrone Williams intercepted a pass from Dilfer and returned it 14 yards, setting up Longwell's second field goal with six seconds left in the half, making the score 13-0.

Green Bay receiver Antonio Freeman returned the second half kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown, but a holding penalty on Darren Sharper eliminated the score and moved the ball all the way back to their own 11-yard line. Green Bay still managed to drive into scoring range, but on the eighth play of the drive, Bucs defensive back Donnie Abraham intercepted a pass from Favre on the Tampa Bay 6-yard line. Dilfer subsequently led the Bucs offense 94 yards in 8 plays to score on fullback Mike Alstott's 6-yard touchdown run, cutting the score to 13-7. But two possessions later, the Packers drove 54 yards and scored with a 2-yard touchdown run by Levens. Then, Favre closed out the scoring by running in the 2-point conversion on a quarterback draw.

AFC: Denver Broncos 14, Kansas City Chiefs 10
For the third consecutive year the AFC's top seed fell in the divisional playoffs, as the Chiefs fell to the Broncos. Denver running back Terrell Davis ran for 101 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Broncos to victory. Chiefs quarterback Elvis Grbac threw for 260 yards, but his team could only score 10 points. Receiver Andre Rison caught 8 passes for 110 yards. The Chiefs had an opportunity to go ahead near the end of the game, but with the clock at 19 seconds and running down a confused Chiefs offense hurried an Elvis Grbac incompletion into the end zone intended for Lake Dawson on fourth down. For the second time in 3 years, Kansas City was eliminated as a #1 seed

AFC Championship: Denver Broncos 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 21
Denver forced three interceptions and a fumble from Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart. After Pittsburgh cut the lead to 24-21 with 2:46 left in the game, the Broncos were able to run out the clock after a key third-down conversion from John Elway to Shannon Sharpe. Sharpe said that Elway made up the converting play in the huddle, seconds before the snap. Terrell Davis rushed for 139 yards and a touchdown. Jerome Bettis rushed for 105 yards and a score.

NFC Championship: Green Bay Packers 23, San Francisco 49ers 10
Green Bay opened the game by driving to the 3-yard line before a pass was deflected falling short of a wide open fullback William Henderson, forcing the Packers to settle for a field goal. Later in the first half, Packers safety Eugene Robinson intercepted Steve Young's pass and returned it 58 yards in what turned out to be a crucial play. Quarterback Brett Favre would then find wide receiver Antonio Freeman slicing across the middle on a slant for a 29-yard touchdown to give the Packers a 10-0 lead. The Packers led 13-3 at the half and although the 49ers would manage a field goal in the second quarter, they would not manage a touchdown until the closing minutes of the game on a kickoff return by Chuck Levy. Favre finished the game with 16 of 27 pass completions for 222 yards, while the Green Bay defense held the 49ers to 33 rushing yards and forced two turnovers. Running back Dorsey Levens recorded a then-playoff team record of 116 rushing yards and a touchdown, while also catching 6 passes for 37 yards. And in addition to his touchdown reception, Freeman caught 4 passes for 107 yards. This was the third year in a row the Packers defeated the 49ers in the playoffs, twice in San Francisco.