Hundreds of free puzzles to play online and print.
This puzzle contains clues to one-half, or sixteen of the pro NFL football teams in the U.S. The other half is contained in puzzle number four. Please note that clues in this sports puzzle were updated October 2, 2010. NFL records were current at that time.
Back to Sports Puzzles Home
The Dallas Cowboys franchise joined the National Football League (NFL) in 1960 as an expansion team. The team was winless in its first year of play, during the era before the expansion draft. However, as soon as 1965, the Cowboys made the playoffs under the direction of head coach Tom Landry. The franchise then won back-to-back NFL Championship games in 1966 and 1967, losing both times to the Green Bay Packers.
Coach Landry compiled a 270-178-6 record during his years as Dallas, from 1960-1988.
The Cowboys have played in eight Super Bowl games, winning five. Their first, during Coach Landry tenure, was in Super Bowl V, which Dallas lost to the Baltimore Colts, 16-13. The following year, (1972), the Cowboys defeated the Miami Dolphins, 24-3 to win their first of five Super Bowls to date. Thus far, the franchise has a 5-3 Super Bowl record.
Cowboys Stadium will host Super Bowl XLV on February 6, 2011.
In the 2010 NFL Draft, the Cowboys chose wide receiver Dez Bryant of Oklahoma State in the first round; linebacker Sean Lee from Penn State in the second round; and defensive back Akwasi Owusu-Ansah of Indiana (PA) in the third round; among others.
The Denver Broncos football franchise was founded in 1960 and joined the NFL as part of the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. The Broncos have a huge fan following in the Denver area and hold the third spot in official NFL records for most consecutive wins at home with 24 (1996-1998).
The Broncos have made six trips to the Super Bowl, losing the first four times. The franchise won back-to-back titles in 1998 and 1999, defeating the Green Bay Packers 31-24 in Super Bowl XXXII and the Atlanta Falcons, 34-19 in Super Bowl XXXIII. Denver running back Terrell Davis was named MVP of Super Bowl XXXII and quarterback John Elway of Super Bowl XXXIII. This was Elway's final game and his fifth start in the Super Bowl.
In January 2009, Josh McDaniels offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots, was hired as the Broncos' head coach. In the 2010 NFL Draft, Denver's first round picks were Demaryius Thomas, wide receiver from Georgia Tech and quarterback Tim Tebow of Florida. In the second round the Broncos chose tackle Zane Beadles from Utah and in the third round, J. D. Walton, center from Baylor, and wide receiver Eric Decker from Minnesota.
The National Football League (NFL) franchise known as the Detroit Lions was originally formed in 1929. The beginnings of the team were the Portsmouth Spartans, based in Ohio. The Spartans became part of the NFL in 1930. George Richards, a radio station owner, purchased the team in 1934, renamed them the "Lions" and moved them to Detroit.
Earl "Dutch" Clark, a member of the inaugural group of inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, served as the Detroit Lions' quarterback, placekicker, and also put up impressive numbers in the running game. Clark led the Lions to the NFL championship in 1935 and remains tied with Cloyce Box and Barry Sanders for the team records of most touchdowns scored in a single game with four and most points scored in a single game with 24.
Detroit holds the NFL record for Fewest Penalties in a Season with 19 in 1937 for which they were penalized a total of 139 yards.
Barry Sanders is third in Most Career Yards Gained with 15,269; Emmitt Smith, Dallas (and Arizona) is first with 18,355; Walter Payton, Chicago is second with 16,726.
Detroit's 2010 draft picks include Javid Best, running back from California and Amari Spievey, defensive back from the University of Iowa.
The Green Bay Packers were founded in 1919 by George Calhoun and Early "Curly" Lambeau. In 1921 the team joined the American Professional Football Association, the predecessor of the NFL.
The Packers have a long history of winning, capturing the league title for three consecutive years 1929 through 1931, again in 1936, 1939, and 1944. In 1959 Vince Lombardi took over coaching duties and in 1961 and 1962 the team garnered two additional NFL championships.
The first Super Bowl, played January 15, 1967 was won by Green Bay, as was Super Bowl II the following year. Green Bay played again in Super XXXI in 1997 defeating the New England Patriots 35-21 and then lost to Denver in 1998 in Super Bowl XXXII.
The Packers home games are played on the famous Lambeau Field. The team is part of the National Football Conference North Division, along with the Chicago Bears, the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings.
Among the 2010 draft picks chosen by the Packers are Bryan Bulaga, tackle from the University of Iowa, and Mike Neal, defensive end, from Purdue.