Sports Then and Now

We have spent the last week counting down the top 50 moments in NFL Playoff History  (since the beginning of the Super Bowl era in 1966), but it is now time to look at the “Best of the Best.”

So, here is the top 10 of the 50 Most Memorable NFL Playoff Moments.

10. 1999 AFC Wild Card Game-Bills vs. Titans “The Music City Miracle”
The Buffalo Bills appeared on their way to a victory over the Tennessee Titans when Steve Christie made a 41-yard field goal to give Buffalo a 16-15 lead with 16 seconds to go.

All the Bills had to do was kickoff to the Titans and not allow a big return and they would advance to the next round.

On the kickoff, Christie hit a pooch kick that was caught by Titans fullback Lorenzo Neal at the Titans’ 25-yard line.  Neal handed the ball off to tight end Frank Wycheck who turned toward the left sideline and threw it back to wide receiver Kevin Dyson.

Dyson caught it and then ran 75 yards for a shocking touchdown with three seconds left.

The play was reviewed to see if Wycheck’s pass was a backwards lateral or a forward pass.  If it were forward, it would negate the touchdown and give the game to the Bills.

Replays seemed to show the pass was parallel, not going forward or backwards, thus making it a lateral in referee Phil Luckett’s mind who upheld the decision.

The Music City Miracle gave Tennessee a 22-16 win and propelled them to their first Super Bowl. Read the rest of this entry →

As we dig further into our countdown of the top 50 moments in NFL Playoff history (since the start of the Super Bowl era in 1966), we explore some games that have become an important part of football lore for propelling great players and teams toward Super Bowl glory.

30. 1972 NFC Divisional Playoff-Cowboys vs. 49ers
The legend of “Captain Comeback” begins with in this game as Roger Staubach replaces starting quarterback Craig Morton late in the third quarter and leads the Cowboys to 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter for a 30-28 comeback win over the San Francisco 49ers.

The winning score comes with 52 seconds left when Staubach finds Ron Sellers for a 10-yard touchdown.

29. 1977 AFC Championship Game-Raiders vs. Broncos
Late in the third quarter and trailing 7-3, the Raiders force a fumble when safety Jack Tatum hits Broncos running back Rob Lytle at the 2-yard line, knocking the ball loose.

The ball is picked up by Raiders nose tackle Mike McCoy who begins running down the field for an apparent touchdown that would give the Raiders the lead, when whistles are blown to stop the play.

The referees ruled that Lytle was down before the fumble even though he was clearly still in the air when he fumbled.

The reversal of fortune gave the Broncos the ball at the 1-yard line where Jon Keyworth ran in for a 1-yard touchdown to extend the Broncos’ lead to 14-3.

The Broncos would eventually win the game 20-17 to advance to their first Super Bowl. Read the rest of this entry →

Continuing our look at the 50 greatest moments in NFL Playoff History (since the beginning of the Super Bowl era in 1966), today we look at moments 31-40. These moments include some great comebacks and some exciting final plays by some of the greatest players of all-time.

40. 1966 NFL Championship-Packers vs. Cowboys
One year before their famous battle in the “Ice Bowl”, the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys played in another epic NFL Championship Game.

This game comes down to a goal-line stand as the Cowboys cannot get a touchdown after four plays from inside the 2 to tie the game and send into overtime.

The Cowboys’ fate is sealed when quarterback Don Meredith is intercepted in the end zone by Tom Brown on 4th-and-2 with 28 seconds to go.

The Packers come away with a 34-27 victory for their fourth NFL championship in seven years, and advance to the very first Super Bowl where they would trounce the AFL Champion Kansas City Chiefs. Read the rest of this entry →