Pivotal plays in NFL History

7DnBrnc53 · 07-11-2010, 12:55 AM

This thread is about plays that altered the course of a franchise.

For example, the Tom Brady injury in 2008(that altered not only New England's future, but possibly also Denver's and several other teams as well).

Also, I have another one: Vernon Perry's FG block and return against San Diego in the 1979 playoffs. The Chargers were about to go up 10-0 in the second quarter when Oiler Safety Vernon Perry changed the momentum of the entire game with a FG block and a 50+ yard return to around the SD 30. The Oilers were able to win the game 17-14, and go on to Pittsburgh for the AFC Title game.

If that FG is made, the Chargers probably would have gone on to win against a banged-up Oiler team that was missing Pastorini and Earl Campbell. The next week, they would have hosted Pittsburgh. Both teams had 12-4 records, but the Chargers beat the Steelers 35-7 at home that year. If they would have won, they would have played the Rams that year in the SB, who they defeated 40-16 that year in Week 8. A SB win for the Chargers in 79 may have been the start of a new dynasty. I think that they could have repeated the next year, and maybe that would have led to Fred Dean and JJ getting new deals before the 1981 season. If Dean doesn't go to SF, they may have had a harder time winning the SB, and maybe Cincy, Dallas, or the Chargers win that year. As a result, the Niner Dynasty might never have gotten off the ground, and the West Coast Offense wouldn't have been as widespread.

VUBlacknGold · 07-11-2010, 12:59 AM

Tuck Rule = Rudy Cool!!!!

yo123 · 07-11-2010, 01:08 AM

Gary Anderson. That's all I'm going to say.

yourfavestoner · 07-11-2010, 02:07 AM

Paranoidmoonduck · 07-11-2010, 02:29 AM

For me, the most obvious is the tuck rule. If that call doesn't screw Oakland and the team at least plays competitively against Pittsburgh (they would have), I'm betting Gruden doesn't get traded. Then, in 2002, maybe the playbook doesn't open up as much, but Oakland would have still fielded that amazing team. Whether they win the Superbowl or not, who knows, but they wouldn't have fallen on hard times with such a *thump*.

prock · 07-11-2010, 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yo123

Gary Anderson. That's all I'm going to say.

My balls, they are being smahed....

Xonraider · 07-11-2010, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paranoidmoonduck

For me, the most obvious is the tuck rule. If that call doesn't screw Oakland and the team at least plays competitively against Pittsburgh (they would have), I'm betting Gruden doesn't get traded. Then, in 2002, maybe the playbook doesn't open up as much, but Oakland would have still fielded that amazing team. Whether they win the Superbowl or not, who knows, but they wouldn't have fallen on hard times with such a *thump*.

Yeah not only that but without it maybe the Patriots would go on to become a different team in the future. You never really know.

King Carls 5 Year Plan · 07-11-2010, 10:17 AM

January 7th, 1996 - It's cold in Kansas City. Really cold. Air temp of 11* with a strong wind blowing to -9* wind chill. The Chiefs are playing in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs. They finished the 1995 season 13-3, best record in the NFL, and have locked up homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. The Chiefs are heavy favorites over the Colts. Lin Frickin Elliott (his name has become a curse word in KC. It's very close to how Ray Finklestien is treated in his hometown.) misses 3 FGs during the game. One from 35, one from 39 and one from 42 yds away. All 3 very makeable. All three very much missed!! Chiefs lose to the Colts 10-7. We had one of the best defenses in the NFL and who knows what could have been. Those 3 missed FGs stick out in my mind as the Chiefs biggest missed opportunity

That was the beginning of the end for Schottenhiemer in KC. Granted he lasted another couple seasons, but you could tell thingsd were different. It also brought back to light his inability to "win the big games". Just or not, it's his legacy.

7DnBrnc53 · 07-11-2010, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Carls 5 Year Plan

January 7th, 1996 - It's cold in Kansas City. Really cold. Air temp of 11* with a strong wind blowing to -9* wind chill. The Chiefs are playing in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs. They finished the 1995 season 13-3, best record in the NFL, and have locked up homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. The Chiefs are heavy favorites over the Colts. Lin Frickin Elliott (his name has become a curse word in KC. It's very close to how Ray Finklestien is treated in his hometown.) misses 3 FGs during the game. One from 35, one from 39 and one from 42 yds away. All 3 very makeable. All three very much missed!! Chiefs lose to the Colts 10-7. We had one of the best defenses in the NFL and who knows what could have been. Those 3 missed FGs stick out in my mind as the Chiefs biggest missed opportunity

That was the beginning of the end for Schottenhiemer in KC. Granted he lasted another couple seasons, but you could tell thingsd were different. It also brought back to light his inability to "win the big games". Just or not, it's his legacy.

I think that the Steelers would have beaten them the next week, anyway. They were the better team, and playing on the road in an AFC Title game would have made a difference. They tended to choke a little bit at home in the playoffs under Cowher. Also, I think that the 95 Chiefs were a paper tiger. That team had no business being 13-3.

Don Vito · 07-11-2010, 02:19 PM

The Tuck Rule call in the Snow Bowl game a very obvious one. Two teams that had lots of talent and promise that went in very different directions during the next decade.

Another huge one is Mo Lewis knocking out Drew Bledsoe setting the stage for Brady

David Tyree's catch in the Pats/NYG Super Bowl

Music City Miracle

Drew Brees' shoulder injury on that hit

MidwayMonster31 · 07-11-2010, 02:46 PM

Does preseason count? If so, Trent Green getting his ACL torn, opening the door for Kurt Warner.

FuzzyGopher · 07-11-2010, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Vito

Drew Brees' shoulder injury on that hit

I'm just curious on this one. As I remember he was as good as gone anyway as it was the last year of his contract and the Chargers wanted Rivers to be the starter.

RealityCheck · 07-11-2010, 03:16 PM

David Tyree's out of nowhere catch in February 2008, which ruined the most perfect season in sports history.

Don Vito · 07-11-2010, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FuzzyGopher

I'm just curious on this one. As I remember he was as good as gone anyway as it was the last year of his contract and the Chargers wanted Rivers to be the starter.

I thought the injury was before Rivers was drafted but I guess I was wrong good call

NY+Giants=NYG · 07-11-2010, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RealityCheck

David Tyree's out of nowhere catch in February 2008, which ruined the most perfect season in sports history.

I won't go that far. As a Giants fan, it was a great and memorable play, but let's keep it in perspective. That play only got us a first down. From 3-5 to 1st and 10 on the Pats side of the field. After that, they still had a 3rd and long on us, and chances to stop us. We still had to score. It's not like Tyree caught it in the endzone, to win it. We still had to score, and they still had chances to stop us. It was a great play and memorable, perhaps even epic. But at the end of the day, it only gave us a first down.

hockey619 · 07-11-2010, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Vito

I thought the injury was before Rivers was drafted but I guess I was wrong good call

Good chance hes a Dolphin now instead of a Saint if his shoulder isnt hurt. They took Culpepper because they feared the shoulder injury would ruin Brees.

Don Vito · 07-11-2010, 05:36 PM

Jesus that was a lot longer ago than I remembered, the Culpepper signing was a very big deal at the time for Miami

Bengalsrocket · 07-12-2010, 03:15 AM

A lot of the good ones getting mentioned. An obscure one I've been thinking about is when Flutie got benched back in 1999 by Wade Phillips. I'm not saying Flutie was an amazing QB or anything, but he was doing some good things for them that season and he shouldn't have been pulled for Rob Johnson in my opinion.

A recent game that changed the Bengals would be that dreadful play off game in the 2005-2006 season when Palmer went down.

Ness · 07-12-2010, 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7DnBrnc53

This thread is about plays that altered the course of a franchise.

For example, the Tom Brady injury in 2008(that altered not only New England's future, but possibly also Denver's and several other teams as well).

I don't see how this is a pivotal play in NFL history...seeing as how New England went on to have a great record that season and this past season made the playoffs like they always do. Brady is still playing at a high level and the Patriots are practically a lock to win the division practically every single season. And they'll most likely do it again. I wouldn't be surprised if they won the Super Bowl yet again. New England really hasn't changed ever since Tom Brady's injury, and it didn't really open the door for anyone else wide open, especially in their division, or end the Patriots reign as a good team in the NFL.

Seamus2602 · 07-12-2010, 03:41 AM

If your talking about the Patriots you would have to think that Mo Lewis' hit on Drew Bledsoe changed NFL history more than the hit on Brady 2 years ago.

fenikz · 07-12-2010, 04:25 AM

Steelers not hiring Ken Whisenhunt as their HC

Seamus2602 · 07-12-2010, 05:17 AM

From a Colts point of view the 2006 AFC Divisional game. With 80 seconds to go the Steelers, leading by 3, got the ball on the 2 yard line. Brackett popped the ball lose, Nick Harper recovered and instead of doing the sensible thing of getting a blocker he decided to run straight at Ben Rothlesberger. In the end it came down to a Mike Vanderjagdt Field Goal - the "He Missed It" Field Goal. If either of those plays had gone to Colts way then the Colts would probably have won the Superbowl that year, playing a poor Denver team in the AFC Championship game and then a poor Seahawks team in the Superbowl.

SuperMcGee · 07-12-2010, 08:55 AM

^ That sig makes me happy, sadly.

But yeah, it's been mentioned. The most crucial single play to define a team's fortunes and legacy. Ouch.

7DnBrnc53 · 07-12-2010, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ness

I don't see how this is a pivotal play in NFL history...seeing as how New England went on to have a great record that season and this past season made the playoffs like they always do. Brady is still playing at a high level and the Patriots are practically a lock to win the division practically every single season. And they'll most likely do it again. I wouldn't be surprised if they won the Super Bowl yet again. New England really hasn't changed ever since Tom Brady's injury, and it didn't really open the door for anyone else wide open, especially in their division, or end the Patriots reign as a good team in the NFL.

Well, if Brady doesn't get hurt, Cassel doesn't play. And that probably would mean that Cutler is still in Denver, and Tebow is with another team.

zachsaints52 · 07-12-2010, 12:34 PM

The Saints were on their own 25-yard line looking at second down and 10. Quarterback Aaron Brooks passed the ball to the right side of the field to receiver Donté Stallworth, who caught the pass at midfield. Stallworth then bounced off a tackle and turned inside and broke two more tackles. The clock had already reached zero, and Stallworth pitched the ball to the 34-yard line to Michael Lewis who ran the ball to the 25-yard line of Jacksonville. He then turned and pitched the ball to Deuce McAllister, who ran to the Jaguars' 20-yard line. McAllister then pitched the ball to the right side of the field to Jerome Pathon, who caught the ball at the 24-yard line of Jacksonville. Brooks, who had hustled all the way upfield, then laid a block on the last Jaguars defender and Pathon dove into the end-zone.

There was a lengthy delay while the officials determined that all of the ball transfers were indeed legal laterals. All the Saints needed was a John Carney extra point to send the game into overtime.

Guess what happened? Cost us a chance at playoffs that year. First ever missed PAT by Carney.