On this day in Bills history, the closest Super Bowl ever was played

[chongli]

Well, today was the 33rd anniversary of the infamous "Wide Right". I realize it's a sore subject for many, and I hesitate to bring it up, but I just came across some videos from the game, and I watched in awe. Especially how people have aged (I put a screenshot of the young Belichick below) and the styles back then. Jim Kelly in a mullet, Lawrence Taylor with one dangling earring, etc. The 80's and early 90's were a weird, but fun time for those who lived through it.

 

The video clips brought back a ton of memories. I remember how Buffalo had destroyed everyone that year. Jim, Thurman, and Bruce were dominant. The opening of the ABC telecast with Hank Williams, Jr. also brought back chills.

 

A few things I learned today:

 

1. The 47-yarder was Norwood's longest attempt ever on grass.

 

2. For the SB, the Giants constructed an entirely-new defense, playing two versions of dime. Belichick had just two down lineman and they let Thomas do whatever he wanted to do. They knew there was no way to stop him. This was weird for them, since they had never allowed a running back to do that. BB said the strategy was to put as much speed on the D, take the crossing and inside routes away, knock the balls loose, and be as physical as they possibly could be with the WR's.

 

3. On offense, they had a backup QB playing, and no one had ever won a SB with a backup. So they wanted to slow the game down as much as possible and shorten the game.

 

4. Still, their plan almost failed due to the talent disparity. The Bills lost it by just three feet. Norwood had the leg strength, but just not the accuracy this time.

 

9. Someone said in the comments to one of the tweets, that 9 out of 10 times, the Giants' strategy would have failed. They got lucky that one time.

 

 

BB, Parcells, LT, Pepper Johnson, and some unknown old Giants executive or coach (Earhardt???) outlined the strategy:

 

 

Screenshots from the clips, which showed the 90's:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Full game:

 

 

Edited January 28 by chongli

[JJGauna]

This fanbase simply wouldn’t be the same without that miss, and the four falls of Buffalo. If we won those Super Bowls we would be like Cowboy fans today lol. Josh will get us there and finally win, and it will be the sweetest victory.

[gomper]

1 for 8 on 3rd downs with the only conversion coming on the last drive. Giants were 9 of 16. Defense lost that game.  The ultimate heartbreaker of them all.

[HOUSE]

Thanks 

 

 

[BillsMontreal]

That year, if we meet the Giants 10 times, we would beat them 7 or 8 times.  We lost.

 

The year after, the Redskins just totally destroyed us in the trenches. They could beat us 7 or 8 times on 10. We still lost.

We lead the Cowboys at the halftime on the last SB. At this point, we could win that kind of game with a lead at the halftime 7 or 8 times on 10. We still lost.

 

Recently, we just beat the Chiefs. When you scored a TD with 13 seconds left, you win that game 99 tiimes on 100.  We still lost.

 

I hope, one day, the Gods of football will stop playing with us! 

[machine gun kelly]

6 hours ago, chongli said:

Well, today was the 33rd anniversary of the infamous "Wide Right". I realize it's a sore subject for many, and I hesitate to bring it up, but I just came across some videos from the game, and I watched in awe. Especially how people have aged (I put a screenshot of the young Belichick below) and the styles back then. Jim Kelly in a mullet, Lawrence Taylor with one dangling earring, etc. The 80's and early 90's were a weird, but fun time for those who lived through it.

 

The video clips brought back a ton of memories. I remember how Buffalo had destroyed everyone that year. Jim, Thurman, and Bruce were dominant. The opening of the ABC telecast with Hank Williams, Jr. also brought back chills.

 

A few things I learned today:

 

1. The 47-yarder was Norwood's longest attempt ever on grass.

 

2. For the SB, the Giants constructed an entirely-new defense, playing two versions of dime. Belichick had just two down lineman and they let Thomas do whatever he wanted to do. They knew there was no way to stop him. This was weird for them, since they had never allowed a running back to do that. BB said the strategy was to put as much speed on the D, take the crossing and inside routes away, knock the balls loose, and be as physical as they possibly could be with the WR's.

 

3. On offense, they had a backup QB playing, and no one had ever won a SB with a backup. So they wanted to slow the game down as much as possible and shorten the game.

 

4. Still, their plan almost failed due to the talent disparity. The Bills lost it by just three feet. Norwood had the leg strength, but just not the accuracy this time.

 

9. Someone said in the comments to one of the tweets, that 9 out of 10 times, the Giants' strategy would have failed. They got lucky that one time.

 

 

BB, Parcells, LT, Pepper Johnson, and some unknown old Giants executive or coach (Earhardt???) outlined the strategy:

 

 

Screenshots from the clips, which showed the 90's:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Full game:

 

 

ThNks for reminding us of a painful memory as we should’ve won.  Marv and March were too stubborn or lacked creativity to adapt and run the heck out of Thurmon.  14 for 145 yards could’ve been 300 yards had we kept running.  Then it would’ve force BB to change and the. The Kelly offense could work.

[Steve Billieve]

48 minutes ago, gomper said:

1 for 8 on 3rd downs with the only conversion coming on the last drive. Giants were 9 of 16. Defense lost that game.  The ultimate heartbreaker of them all.

We put up 20 points, refused to run, and missed a very make-able in the final seconds . . .

[BillsPride12]

Can't believe it's been 33 years.  I remember when it was the 20th anniversary like it was yesterday.  

[freddyjj]

That same season the Bills beat the NYG 17-13 in the Meadowlands in a mid DEC game.  

 

Both Kelly and Phil Simms were knocked out of the game and Reich and Hostetler played half the game.  

 

Simms missed the playoffs as a result.  

[Let's Go Buffalo]

Remember it like it was yesterday.....Our family hosted the Super Bowl party, and I remember betting one of my friends a dollar on the game, (I was just a kid)....and when we lost, I went into the room where he was sitting, and I threw 4 quarters at him. Looking back, maybe that wasn't the nicest things to do!

[chongli]

Notice Cornelius Bennet and Ray Bentley were the backup P and K, respectively.

 

Edited January 28 by chongli

[Bill from NYC]

Thanks. I really mean this. What would a playoff Sunday be without an extra shot of depression?

[BBFL]

8 hours ago, gomper said:

1 for 8 on 3rd downs with the only conversion coming on the last drive. Giants were 9 of 16. Defense lost that game.  The ultimate heartbreaker of them all.

Sounds like the offense let the team down also man. Come on…

[chongli]

2 hours ago, Let's Go Buffalo said:

Remember it like it was yesterday.....Our family hosted the Super Bowl party, and I remember betting one of my friends a dollar on the game, (I was just a kid)....and when we lost, I went into the room where he was sitting, and I threw 4 quarters at him. Looking back, maybe that wasn't the nicest things to do!

 

Nice story! He deserved that for picking the Giants!

 

Heck a dollar was a lot back then. I remember an old lady in her 80's giving me a nickel tip every week in the 80's on my newspaper delivery route. I was grateful...sort of, lol. The biggest tippers gave me $0.50 each week. But a nickel was enough back then to buy two pretzel sticks from a jar at the local convenience store.

 

The only bet I ever heard of as a kid was when my friend bet my baseball coach $5 that the Islanders would beat the Oilers for the Stanley Cup in 1983. He was right, and my coach paid up.

Edited January 28 by chongli

[Bob Jones]

1 hour ago, Let's Go Buffalo said:

Remember it like it was yesterday.....Our family hosted the Super Bowl party, and I remember betting one of my friends a dollar on the game, (I was just a kid)....and when we lost, I went into the room where he was sitting, and I threw 4 quarters at him. Looking back, maybe that wasn't the nicest things to do!

We also had a SB party that year, in our basement in Rome, NY. I fully expected the Bills to roll to a victory. I felt that on the last drive, they let off the gas a little, and time management was not great….I feel they could have easily got closer for Norwoods kick.

 

That game affected me more than any other Bills game ever, and I’ve been a fan for 50+ years. But since those 4 SB losses, I don’t let the losses affect me at all….I always set my expectations low, plus, I’m a realist. LOL

[peterpan]

Belicheat is a cheater and he learned it from Parcells.  Anyone remember when Parcells was in Dallas, and his team “intercepted “ a surprised onsides kick? Parcells admired “they knew it was coming” somehow? They were likely spying on them in the visitors locker room.  Which is something The Belicheater pats we’re known to do.

 

makes me wonder if that game was fair