However, the season came to an end as the Indians went on to lose six of their last seven games, five of them by one run, missing the playoffs by only two games.

However, the roots of the curse likely date back earlier to the end of the 1968 season when the blue-shirted Cowboys were upset badly by the Cleveland Browns in the divisional playoffs.

However, the Vikings lost to the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs, 17 – 14, on a controversial touchdown pass from the Cowboys ' quarterback Roger Staubach to wide receiver Drew Pearson that became known as the Hail Mary.

However, the Arizona Cardinals completed a game winning touchdown on 4th and 28 with 0: 00 left knocking the Vikings out of the playoffs.

However, the team would come up short in the playoffs again, blowing a fourth quarter lead at home in a 24 – 21 loss to the New England Patriots.

However, the Chargers were beaten, 38-10, by the Detroit Lions to drop their record to 7-8 and eliminate the possibility of being in the playoffs.

However, he recovered and led the Raiders to victory in 9 of their last 11 games in the season, qualifying for the playoffs as a wild card team.

However, after a narrow 21-20 win against the Giants, the Cowboys regained their dominating form, trouncing the Arizona Cardinals ( who were playing their home games at Sun Devil Stadium ) 37-13 on Christmas night at Arizona as part of Monday Night Football, and then cruising through the playoffs with convincing wins against the Eagles and the Packers.

However, he performed very well in the playoffs, notably when he scored a hat trick in game seven of the Campbell Conference Finals against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

However, they lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Chicago Bears, 23 – 19.

However, under current president and general manager Lou Lamoriello, the Devils have made the playoffs all but three times between 1988 and 2012, including thirteen berths in a row from 1997 to 2010.

However, playing in a division where the same three teams — the Flyers, Capitals and Islanders — made the playoffs every year for six years running meant that the Devils found themselves in a losing battle with the Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins for the division's last playoff spot.

However, 1987 marked the first season that the opening round of the playoffs was a best-of-7 series instead of a best-of-5 series.

However, the management committee was not nearly as patient as Boe and Pickett had been, and forced Torrey to resign after the Islanders missed the playoffs again that season.

However, after the Islanders finished 12 points short of the playoffs in 1997-98, Milstein and Gluckstern decided to run the team on an austere budget in an attempt to make a profit.

However, the Penguins went 27 – 34 – 13, missing the playoffs and ending with the third worst record in the league.

However, the team spent four more years out of the playoffs after his arrival.

However, they were eliminated from the playoffs on April 18, being swept by the New York Rangers in four straight games in the Conference Quarterfinals, in what would be their first and only playoff appearance.

However, Mourning was suspended for Game 5 due to elbowing Scottie Pippen in the head ; the Bulls would defeat the Miami Heat in the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

However, the Magic were defeated 3 – 1 in the first round of the playoffs by the Charlotte Hornets led by Baron Davis.

However, the Sixers couldn't find the form that pushed them to the playoffs last year.

However, Charlotte was bounced from the playoffs in the first round, falling to the Chicago Bulls in four games.

However, they were again swept by the Celtics in the playoffs.

However, a late-season 12 – 2 surge allowed them to finish 41 – 41 and qualify for the 2006 playoffs as the seventh seed.

However, the team initially took a step backward, losing in the first round of the 1986 playoffs to the more athletic Atlanta Hawks.

However the San Antonio Spurs would emerge as their main rivals, defeating them in the playoffs each time.

However, chemistry would be an issue, as the Nuggets finished the season with the 6 seed, giving them a first round matchup against the San Antonio Spurs.

However, in an eerie repeat of the 2005 playoffs, the Spurs bounced back to sweep the next four, as the Nuggets were eliminated in the first round in five games for the fourth straight year.

However, before they even played a game the name was changed to Spurs.

" However, in the playoffs the Spurs would fall to the Indiana Pacers in 6 games.

However, in the playoffs the Spurs would be stunned in 6 games by the Washington Bullets despite an outstanding series from Gervin who averaged 33. 2 ppg.

However, it would be hardly a bump in the road for the charging Spurs, who won 8 of the 9 and began to climb their way to first place.

However, the Spurs would turn it around, as they ended December on 13-game winning streak and quickly climbed back to the top of the NBA standings.

However, as the series shifted to Los Angeles, the Spurs would suddenly have trouble finding the basket, as they lost both games as the Lakers evened the series.

However, with a chance to close things out at home, the Spurs saw the Suns hang on for a 111 – 106 win in Game 4.

However, as the series shifted to Detroit, the Spurs were the ones who were blown-out, losing Games 3 and 4 by big margins as the Pistons evened the series.

However with a chance to close things out back at home in Game 6, the Spurs would lose 95 – 86, setting up the first NBA Finals Game 7 in 11 years.

However, in Game 2, the Spurs were rocked at home, losing by 22 points.

However, the Spurs would not go down without a fight as they rebounded to win a physical war in Game 5 by a score of 98 – 97, as former Maverick Michael Finley got hit with a low blow from Jason Terry in the final seconds.

However, the Spurs franchise-record 12-game road winning streak came to a halt with a 111 – 102 loss at Golden State on November 27.

However, with the NBA's top ranked defense and a 58 – 24 record, the Spurs entered the postseason in good shape.

However, the Thunder still managed to come back, resulting in the Spurs losing the series 4-2 and thus ending their playoff run.

However, as the 1997 – 98 season approached, the Spurs were considered a notable threat in the NBA.

However, the Spurs lost in the second round to the eventual Western Conference Champions Utah Jazz.

However, the Spurs had a disappointing post-season.

However, arch-rivals Los Angeles Lakers defeated San Antonio in five games in the Conference Finals, and the Spurs once again failed to capture back-to-back NBA championships.

However, Spurs ' plans were cancelled due to their failure to obtain the Olympic Stadium, and now the path is clear for Palace to pursue the site.

However, on certain weekends and when popular opponents came to town, the Spurs expanded the Alamodome's capacity to 35, 000 by opening three portions of the upper level.

However, Woodgate played just three times in Spurs highly successful 2009 – 10 campaign, after succumbing to a long term groin injury.