NFL Playoff pain

[Pyperkub]

What's the most painful NFL playoff loss to you?

For me, it's probably the 1991 NFC Championship game ('90 season) (though the home playoff losses to the packers got more painful as they kept coming until The Catch 2). Curiously enough, the Super Bowl loss to the Ravens under Harbaugh isn't in the top 5.

15-1 49ers vs 14-2 Giants. Rematch of the classic 7-3 Monday night game won by the Niners earlier in the year. Niners score the only TD of the game and open up the second half in a no-huddle which appears to catch the Giants off guard, but gets doomed by penalties. Parcells, also learns from the Monday night game and calls a brilliant fake punt which gets them in FG range in the 4th Quarter. Later, with the Niners clinging to a 13-12 lead and running out the clock, hand the ball off to the usually reliable Roger Craig, who fumbles and the Giants go on to kick their 5th FG and win the game. Later it is discovered Montana was injured and would have been unable to play in the Super Bowl, and Young would have started.

Thus ended the Niners try for the three-peat.

What are your greatest moments of NFL Playoff/Super Bowl pain? I think we know RM'9's, but...

[Exodor]

I no longer watch football or this year would probably be up there for but me...

Chiefs 7, Colts 10

After going 13-3 they lose when LIn Elliot can't hit a 42 yarder (or two other FGs).

[Skinypupy]

The goddamn Tuck Rule.

[Jaymann]

When the Chargers intercepted Brady and could have just downed the ball and ran out the clock. But the idiot defender ran with the ball, fumbled it back to NE, and they scored the winning touchdown.

[Kurth]

OMG. As a lifelong Eagles fan, how can I pick just one? Here's my top 3:

3) 2002 NFC Championship Game: Tampa Bay Bucs defeat Eagles, 27-10 Last game at the Vet. Eagles were favored and had owned the Bucs recently. We opened the game with a 70 yard kickoff return and Duce took it the rest of the way on the next play. Then McNabb had three turnovers, and we collapsed.

2) 1988 NFC Divisional Playoffs: Chicago Bears defeat Eagles, 20-12 Eagles lose 20-12 to the Bears in the Fog Bowl. We had Randall in his prime. We had Keith Jackson and Mike Quick. We had Reggie White and Seth Joyner. But the Bears had the fog.

1) Super Bowl XXXIX: Patriots defeat Eagles, 24-21 Of course. TO comes back from his broken ankle and plays an amazing game (9 for 122). Eagles score first and give me a glimmer of hope. McNabb throws for 3 TDs and over 300 yard but pairs that with 3 INTs, a fumble and some of the worst clock management ever witnessed on a comeback drive attempt late in the 4th quarter. Plus the puke. Or not. Who cares. The Pats win their 3rd Super Bowl in 4 years. Now that still makes me want to puke.

[coopasonic]

What are your greatest moments of NFL Playoff/Super Bowl pain? I think we know RM'9's, but...

Scott frikkin Norwood...

[Kelric]

18-1.

[RunningMn9]

I’m torn between Wide Right and the Music City Miracle. Wide Right seems like a no-brainer because it was for the Super Bowl win, but the whipsaw of emotion in the MCM was brutal.

“Where’s My Helmet?” was another tragic moment because of the immediate impact that could have changed the course of that entire Super Bowl (XXVI). The first play of the game and Thurman Thomas isn’t there because he’s looking for his helmet. The Bills had seen something on tape and had a play ready for Thurman that they were convinced would score a TD. Backup Kenny Davis had no idea what he was doing and ran the wrong way leaving Kelly standing there like an asshole. On the replay you can see a *massive* hole and nothing but open field the rest of the way. The rest of the game was an utter disaster after that.


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[Baroquen]

Seems like there are lots of painful losses for the Ravens in the playoffs. Top two from memory:

2012 AFC Championship Game - Patriots 23 / Ravens 20.
Done in by Lee Evans and Billy Cundiff. Ugh.

2010 Division Game - Steelers 31 / Ravens 24
Late game collapse by Flacco and the defense. Ugh.

The two super bowls sooth the pain somewhat. (Though the future looks bleak.)

[gameoverman]

When I first got interested in football, the Rams were our home team, so I was a Rams fan. It seemed that back then, in the '70s, the Cowboys and the Vikings took turns booting the Rams out of the playoffs every year. I remember people talking about how it was because the Rams, a warm weather team, always had to go to Minnesota to play and it was a frozen wasteland up there in the winter. "One day we'll host a game and things will be different" they said. They were right.

It was 1977 and Minnesota was on the downswing. The Rams got to host that game. Haha, it's going to be in 80 degree temps, in the 70s at worst. Well, it rained cats and dogs that week, unlike what you'd expect in LA. It turned the field, the pristine natural grass grown in the sun field, into a mud bowl. It was like the football gods smited the Rams before the game started. It was not like Minnesota, not especially cold or snowy, but it wasn't like LA either. The Rams lost 14-7. Yup, couldn't even score more than a touchdown they were so psychologically broken. That was the most disappointing to me.

The loss to the Steelers in the Super Bowl wasn't that bad because they weren't supposed to even be competitive in that game.

[El Guapo]

18-1.

Pretty much. People always focus on the Helmet Catch from that game, but the moment that really sticks in my craw was a couple plays before, when Asante Samuel dropped an easy interception (pretty much hit him in the chest, albeit while he was jumping), that would have come close to sealing the win.

That said, five championships means that pain is really very, very mild.

[Kurth]

18-1.

Pretty much. People always focus on the Helmet Catch from that game, but the moment that really sticks in my craw was a couple plays before, when Asante Samuel dropped an easy interception (pretty much hit him in the chest, albeit while he was jumping), that would have come close to sealing the win.

That said, five championships means that pain is really very, very mild.

Yes. So mild, in fact, that you should STFU.

I loved Boston, but as an Eagles fan, living there for 15 years (2000-2015) during the Pats dynasty (may it soon be a thing of the past) scarred me for life. Cannot wait for them to return to mediocrity so all my Boston friends will become just a little less smug, entitled and annoying.

[msteelers]

There are a lot of painful moments. The Super Bowl loss to the Packers a few years ago was literally painful. My heart was pounding so hard during that game that I contemplated going to the doctor. My chest hurt for a few hours after the game. Then there's the Tebow Debacle, the fresh Jaguar Disaster, and all of the AFC Championship losses to the Patriots.

But the most painful to me personally would have been the 1997 AFC Championship loss to the Denver Broncos. I was in the 8th grade, and my math teacher's son was a rookie on the Broncos (Trevor Pryce). Being a huge Steelers fan (and also kind of a dick), I plastered her room with Terrible Towels and other Steelers gear on the Friday before the game.

The following Monday was not fun.

[Remus West]

I'm a Lions fan. What is Playoff pain?

[Jaddison]

The Browns......the Browns before they fled Cleveland. The Drive, The Fumble.

[EvilHomer3k]

When the Chargers intercepted Brady and could have just downed the ball and ran out the clock. But the idiot defender ran with the ball, fumbled it back to NE, and they scored the winning touchdown.

This one for me too. Fantastic season. Then, to make it worse, they pushed Marty out.

Second is the 2009 Vikings loss to Saints. Not that it would have mattered. Favre was so beat up after that game that he probably wouldn't have been able to walk for a month. At least none of the Saints got their bounty for taking him out.

[Isgrimnur]

The Browns......the Browns before they fled Cleveland. The Drive, The Fumble.

I grew up watching Elway knock them out every year. It was always satisfying.

[ImLawBoy]

Bears loss in the 1986 NFC Championship game to the Redskins. Doug freakin' Flutie, man.

[El Guapo]

18-1.

Pretty much. People always focus on the Helmet Catch from that game, but the moment that really sticks in my craw was a couple plays before, when Asante Samuel dropped an easy interception (pretty much hit him in the chest, albeit while he was jumping), that would have come close to sealing the win.

That said, five championships means that pain is really very, very mild.

Yes. So mild, in fact, that you should STFU.

I loved Boston, but as an Eagles fan, living there for 15 years (2000-2015) during the Pats dynasty (may it soon be a thing of the past) scarred me for life. Cannot wait for them to return to mediocrity so all my Boston friends will become just a little less smug, entitled and annoying.

I mean, the question was the most painful playoff football loss, and that's the answer.

It's funny because growing up the Patriots were the laughing stock of the Boston sports scene. Then overnight they went from being the Browns to being the Yankees of football.

[Lassr]

Back when I was really invested in the Cowboys, the Dwight Clark catch I remember well.

I am not as die hard a fan these days but the Dez no catch against the Packers really sucked. I hated it more for Romo because I really liked him, thought he was a great QB, and wanted to see him take the Cowboys to a super bowl.

[Pyperkub]

Back when I was really invested in the Cowboys, the Dwight Clark catch I remember well.

I am not as die hard a fan these days but the Dez no catch against the Packers really sucked. I hated it more for Romo because I really liked him, thought he was a great QB, and wanted to see him take the Cowboys to a super bowl.

I was at the Dwight Clark game.

[stessier]

When the Chargers intercepted Brady and could have just downed the ball and ran out the clock. But the idiot defender ran with the ball, fumbled it back to NE, and they scored the winning touchdown.

I didn't remember this game (although I remember the next one the Pats played quite well - Indy/Pats and Caldwell's huge eyes as he dropped the go ahead TD). I went and looked it up. That was Rivers' rookie season! And it's possible, but not likely imo, that they would have run out the clock after the INT. There was 6:25 left in the fourth. That's a lot of time to burn.

[stessier]

18-1.

Pretty much. People always focus on the Helmet Catch from that game, but the moment that really sticks in my craw was a couple plays before, when Asante Samuel dropped an easy interception (pretty much hit him in the chest, albeit while he was jumping), that would have come close to sealing the win.

Yep, this is the one. I thought I was the only one who remembered that dropped INT. It hit him right in the hands. I still don't know how he dropped it. And then all the holding that allowed Eli to get that ball in the air.

Yeah, that's the one.

That said, five championships means that pain is really very, very mild.

I think time has lessened it, but only a bit. It's still really bad as the stakes were so very high.

[El Guapo]

18-1.

Pretty much. People always focus on the Helmet Catch from that game, but the moment that really sticks in my craw was a couple plays before, when Asante Samuel dropped an easy interception (pretty much hit him in the chest, albeit while he was jumping), that would have come close to sealing the win.

Yep, this is the one. I thought I was the only one who remembered that dropped INT. It hit him right in the hands. I still don't know how he dropped it. And then all the holding that allowed Eli to get that ball in the air.

Yeah, that's the one.

That said, five championships means that pain is really very, very mild.

I think time has lessened it, but only a bit. It's still really bad as the stakes were so very high.

Yeah, but then I just watch stuff like this. Incidentally, one thing I forgot about the crazy Edelman catch is that the Atlanta defender really should have intercepted the pass - it deflected up into the air off of both of his hands. Not that it was an easy catch, since he was off-balance, but still.

[stessier]

18-1.

Pretty much. People always focus on the Helmet Catch from that game, but the moment that really sticks in my craw was a couple plays before, when Asante Samuel dropped an easy interception (pretty much hit him in the chest, albeit while he was jumping), that would have come close to sealing the win.

Yep, this is the one. I thought I was the only one who remembered that dropped INT. It hit him right in the hands. I still don't know how he dropped it. And then all the holding that allowed Eli to get that ball in the air.

Yeah, that's the one.

That said, five championships means that pain is really very, very mild.

I think time has lessened it, but only a bit. It's still really bad as the stakes were so very high.

Yeah, but then I just watch stuff like this. Incidentally, one thing I forgot about the crazy Edelman catch is that the Atlanta defender really should have intercepted the pass - it deflected up into the air off of both of his hands. Not that it was an easy catch, since he was off-balance, but still.

I don't forget - it's one of three images from that Super Bowl that act as my desktop background. I know the Pats have benefited as well and that there is no karma god..and yet. The Helmet Catch stopped a historic season. 19-0. Think of all the books that had to be scrapped! And how mad all those Dolphins old timers would have been!

[Jaddison]

The Browns......the Browns before they fled Cleveland. The Drive, The Fumble.

I grew up watching Elway knock them out every year. It was always satisfying.

My growing up years had Jim Brown, Leroy Kelly, Paul Warfield, Lou "The Toe" and many others...punctuated by the Cowboys getting good or Joe Kapp knocking out Jim Houston in the NFL Championship game it was always something.

[LawBeefaroni]

I'm a Lions fan. What is Playoff pain?

We experience it during the regular season. It's called "mathematical elimination."

[Jeff V]

Bears loss in the 1986 NFC Championship game to the Redskins. Doug freakin' Flutie, man.

My choice too. The Bears should have had a dynasty after the way they abused the league in 1985. This game was the beginning of the end.

[Scuzz]

When I first got interested in football, the Rams were our home team, so I was a Rams fan. It seemed that back then, in the '70s, the Cowboys and the Vikings took turns booting the Rams out of the playoffs every year. I remember people talking about how it was because the Rams, a warm weather team, always had to go to Minnesota to play and it was a frozen wasteland up there in the winter. "One day we'll host a game and things will be different" they said. They were right.

It was 1977 and Minnesota was on the downswing. The Rams got to host that game. Haha, it's going to be in 80 degree temps, in the 70s at worst. Well, it rained cats and dogs that week, unlike what you'd expect in LA. It turned the field, the pristine natural grass grown in the sun field, into a mud bowl. It was like the football gods smited the Rams before the game started. It was not like Minnesota, not especially cold or snowy, but it wasn't like LA either. The Rams lost 14-7. Yup, couldn't even score more than a touchdown they were so psychologically broken. That was the most disappointing to me.

The loss to the Steelers in the Super Bowl wasn't that bad because they weren't supposed to even be competitive in that game.

Back in the day, when I was a Ram fan, those losses to the Vikings were the worst losses I could ever think of.

I left the Rams when they moved to St. Louis.

[Hrothgar]

Pain? You don't know pain.

I'm sure RunningMn9 was happy if he wasn't suffering under the regional TV black out. After the last Super Bowl, I'll give Falcon's fans the edge.

[Kelric]

When the Chargers intercepted Brady and could have just downed the ball and ran out the clock. But the idiot defender ran with the ball, fumbled it back to NE, and they scored the winning touchdown.

I didn't remember this game (although I remember the next one the Pats played quite well - Indy/Pats and Caldwell's huge eyes as he dropped the go ahead TD). I went and looked it up. That was Rivers' rookie season! And it's possible, but not likely imo, that they would have run out the clock after the INT. There was 6:25 left in the fourth. That's a lot of time to burn.

Good old Troy Brown.

[Pyperkub]

When the Chargers intercepted Brady and could have just downed the ball and ran out the clock. But the idiot defender ran with the ball, fumbled it back to NE, and they scored the winning touchdown.

I didn't remember this game (although I remember the next one the Pats played quite well - Indy/Pats and Caldwell's huge eyes as he dropped the go ahead TD). I went and looked it up. That was Rivers' rookie season! And it's possible, but not likely imo, that they would have run out the clock after the INT. There was 6:25 left in the fourth. That's a lot of time to burn.

Good old Troy Brown.

And his band of reknown!

[Apollo]

As a Falcons fan, I can top all of you: 28-3...

[El Guapo]

As a Falcons fan, I can top all of you: 28-3...

I mean, man, that must have been painful.

[RMC]

The Browns......the Browns before they fled Cleveland. The Drive, The Fumble.

Yeah, that's my childhood.

[RMC]

As a Falcons fan, I can top all of you: 28-3...

I mean, man, that must have been painful.

How about 1-31 record for two seasons, and you keep the coach....

[stessier]

As a Falcons fan, I can top all of you: 28-3...

I mean, man, that must have been painful.

How about 1-31 record for two seasons, and you keep the coach....

At the start of the season he promised to not go 1-15 again. It's on you for not asking follow-up questions. Can't fire a guy for keeping his word.

[RMC]

As a Falcons fan, I can top all of you: 28-3...

I mean, man, that must have been painful.

How about 1-31 record for two seasons, and you keep the coach....

At the start of the season he promised to not go 1-15 again. It's on you for not asking follow-up questions. Can't fire a guy for keeping his word.

He's supposed to jump in the lake at some point... I wish he would resign and go away.

[stessier]

At the start of the season he promised to not go 1-15 again. It's on you for not asking follow-up questions. Can't fire a guy for keeping his word.

He's supposed to jump in the lake at some point... I wish he would resign and go away.

Given the chemical make up of the lake, it could be argued he is trying to commit suicide.

[LordMortis]

As a Falcons fan, I can top all of you: 28-3...

I mean, man, that must have been painful.

How about 1-31 record for two seasons, and you keep the coach....

Draft picks. You should be cooking with gas right about now, right?