NFL Football

The teams are divided into the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). Each conference has four divisions of four teams and they are designated East, West, North and South.

Teams by division in the AFC are: East – Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets; North – Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers; South – Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans; West – Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers.

Making up the NFC are: East – Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins; North – Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings; South – Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; West – Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks.

During the regular season, which covers a 17-week period, each team plays 16 games usually from September through December. Teams in each division play the other three teams in their division twice on a home and away basis to account for six of the 16 games.

At the end of the regular season, six teams from each conference compete in the NFL playoffs. Teams reaching the playoffs include the four division champions from each conference and two wild card qualifiers from each conference. The 12-team single elimination tournament concludes with the Super Bowl, which determines the NFL champion.

The Indianapolis Colts (AFL) defeated the Chicago Bears (NFL) to win the 2006 Super Bowl. Other recent Super Bowl champions include: Pittsburgh Steelers, 2005; New England Patriots, 2004, 2003 and 2001; Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2002; Baltimore Ravens, 2000; St. Louis Rams, 1999; Denver Broncos, 1998 and 1997; and Green Bay Packers, 1996.

The Green Bay Packers have won the most NFL championships, 12, while the Chicago Bears have nine and the New York Giants six.