Besides the wide right play, what 1 play would you like to change from

[The Dean]

The play that looms larger (or should) in Bills history is the one from Superbowl XXV that permanently took the (as Hank Bullough would say) "sail out of the winds" for the Bills.

 

No doubt that if that Superbowl XXV play, 3rd and forever, where Mark Ingram breaks approximately 13 near and missed tackles to gain a first down, thereby keeping a scoring drive alive, Norwood never would have been forced into a position of having to kick a field goal.

 

 

If there were no injuries or deaths....had Everett never been paralyzed...

 

That's the play I would have cited. I can take a missed FG. This is a play I have a hard time accepting.

[goynahan]

the 1998 season, it was a game against the patriots and we were winning and they called pass interference on us in the endzone on a hail mary, giving them the ball at the one and they scored with a second or two left

[The Dean]

the 1998 season, it was a game against the patriots and we were winning and they called pass interference on us in the endzone on a hail mary, giving them the ball at the one and they scored with a second or two left

 

 

A play or two before that play, was the famous "just give it to him" play. Horrendous.

[/dev/null]

Music City Miracle....We would have probably gone to the Super bowl instead of the Titans.

 

I wouldn't change that play --- I would change the bad call by the ref

 

It was a forward pass

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

A play or two before that play, was the famous "just give it to him" play. Horrendous.

 

I believe the referee in question on that play was Walt Coleman, the same guy who presided over the famous "tuck rule" play in 2001. On the patsie's* payroll?

[buffaloaggie]

The play that looms larger (or should) in Bills history is the one from Superbowl XXV that permanently took the (as Hank Bullough would say) "sail out of the winds" for the Bills.

 

No doubt that if that Superbowl XXV play, 3rd and forever, where Mark Ingram breaks approximately 13 near and missed tackles to gain a first down, thereby keeping a scoring drive alive, Norwood never would have been forced into a position of having to kick a field goal. Normally dependable tacklerss, Talley and Kelso, as well as a few others, looked like they were out of gas on that play. It kept the drive alive, and led to an eventual TD by the Giants, putting them in position to need only a field goal to take the lead once and forever.

 

Assuming everything else had gone approximately the same way in that game, the Bills might have been able to run out the clock at the end, instead of pinning their hopes on a 47 yard kick. The score might have been 19-16, with Thurman Thomas named as MVP of superbowl XXV, and Jim Kelly and Ralph holding the Lombardi Trophy.

 

I still believe that the Bills, with just slightly better clock management during that final drive, could have gotten one more play off, possibly getting a little closer to the goalposts. I don't remember (too painful), but didn't Kelly spike the ball to stop the clock? Maybe they (coaches) were afraid of an interception or losing yards on a sack, but I would have liked to see a quick, high percentage sideline pass, that if successful, gets them closer, if not, stops the clock.

 

But that is the play, more than any other that has kept the Bills from having a "W" in the superbowl column.

Quite a few plays in SB XXV, but one that sticks with me was an Andre Reed dropped pass on 3 and 1 near mid-field and the Bills up by a TD in the 2nd quarter. If the drive had continued the Bills could have been up by at least 13-3, maybe 17-3 and the Giants would have been reeling. Instead, the Bills had to punt because of the drop.

 

The inability to tackle Ingram was even bigger.

[TC in St. Louis]

Same game. I was there. The f^%$ delay of game penalty that took away the 1st down!!!

 

That delay of game play was one of the worst calls in history. The delay was after a t.v. timeout, and the flag hit Piccone in the back as he was running out of bounds with the first down.

 

I've never seen a delay of game called after the play was over.

 

It took away a first down, and ended the game. And why would you call delay of game after a t.v. timeout?

[The Dean]

Ronnie Harmon dropped pass in end zone vs the Browns in the end zone at the Dog Pound during the playoffs

 

 

And then blamed Kelly for throwing the perfect pass "too late". WTF?

[SouthernMan]

I wouldn't change that play --- I would change the bad call by the ref

 

It was a forward pass

 

 

You're seeing it through Bills colored glasses.

Yeah, it sure looked that way from the first live viewing and subsequent replays.

 

But in reality, there've been numerous computer-generated models that prove that the ball didn't go forward.

Remember, it didn't have to go backward. By rule, it just couldn't go forward.

 

The angle of the original broadcast was deceiving. The ball went right down the yardmarker line, perpendicular to the sidelines.

 

What's the difference? Ralph overrode Wade Phillip's authority and named Rob Johnson the starter. It's not as if RJ was going to lead the Bills to superbowl glory.

[Not the real Gale Gilbert]

I would choose many of the plays mentioned above, but since they've been discussed here's another one.

 

1998 playoff game vs. the Karim Abdul Jabbar - led Miami Dolphins.

 

The Bills kicked a field goal to get within 7 points with something like 1:30 in the game(because of the unsportsmanlike penalty against Reed), recover the onside kick, and drive down to the goal line.

 

Flutie, instead of throwing the ball away, holds onto the ball to long, gets sacked and fumbles at the 5 yard line with 17 seconds left.

 

For the next 3 years, we Bills fans complained of Johnson failing to get rid of the ball....

[stuckincincy]

4th & goal, late 4th quarter, Bills @ Cincy, Divisional Round playoff, January 1982. Fergies beautifully laid pass bounced off Cribbs' head in the endzone......

 

Dim memory here...didn't a BUF db commit a personal foul that kept CIN's go-ahead drive alive?

[buffaloaggie]

And then blamed Kelly for throwing the perfect pass "too late". WTF?

Just the norm in the days of the "Bickering Bills"

[The Dean]

You're seeing it through Bills colored glasses.

Yeah, it sure looked that way from the first live viewing and subsequent replays.

 

But in reality, there've been numerous computer-generated models that prove that the ball didn't go forward.

 

 

And a number that "prove" the opposite, I believe. No model can prove anything of course, as their has to be some initial "guessing" as to where everything is. I have seen well constructed analysis that show both outcomes.

 

Doesn't matter, IMO, because on the field it looked to be thrown forward. Any ref in the right position, and running would have/should have seen it that way, and thrown the flag. Then replay would have to overturn that call. It would have been upheld, IMO.

 

The following day, I read a report that suggested the refs were instructed to swallow the whistle on a close play (my paraphrase, don't remember the exact wording). Problem is, that's the wrong way to handle a situation when replay is available.

 

On the field, this was a blown call. If he got it right, he was lucky.

 

Of course, we all know that had Flutie been part of the coverage team, the Bills would have won the game.

[ans4e64]

And a number that "prove" the opposite, I believe. No model can prove anything of course, as their has to be some initial "guessing" as to where everything is. I have seen well constructed analysis that show both outcomes.

 

Doesn't matter, IMO, because on the field it looked to be thrown forward. Any ref in the right position, and running would have/should have seen it that way, and thrown the flag. Then replay would have to overturn that call. It would have been upheld, IMO.

 

The following day, I read a report that suggested the refs were instructed to swallow the whistle on a close play (my paraphrase, don't remember the exact wording). Problem is, that's the wrong way to handle a situation when replay is available.

 

On the field, this was a blown call. If he got it right, he was lucky.

 

Of course, we all know that had Flutie been part of the coverage team, the Bills would have won the game.

 

[K-9]

The play where Kevin Everett was paralyzed, or any play where a player was killed or seriously injured/

 

+2

 

The Dean of Perspective.

 

There's a lot to be said for a drunken haze.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[RJ (not THAT RJ)]

Dim memory here...didn't a BUF db commit a personal foul that kept CIN's go-ahead drive alive?

 

 

Actually, you are confusing the 1982 game with the AFC Championship in January 1989, where Burroughs committed the PF in the end zone to nullify a Conlan tackle for a loss.

 

Oh, and it was Roland Hooks, not Cribbs, who could not haul in the 4th down pass in January 1982 after the delay of game penalty.

 

If I wanted to pick an obscure but important play to change, it would be Charlie Romes dropping a sure INT one play before Fouts hits Ron Smith to beat the Bills in SD after the 1980 season. If Romes holds that, the next week is an AFC championship game at Rich Stadium against the Raiders a decade before 51-3. Who knows what would have happened next?

[Buffal0 Bill5]

The Harmon drop against Cleveland. For years if we were playing ball and somebody dropped one they should have had we referred to the dropper as Ronnie.

[Chandler#81]

Actually, you are confusing the 1982 game with the AFC Championship in January 1989, where Burroughs committed the PF in the end zone to nullify a Conlan tackle for a loss.

 

Oh, and it was Roland Hooks, not Cribbs, who could not haul in the 4th down pass in January 1982 after the delay of game penalty.

 

If I wanted to pick an obscure but important play to change, it would be Charlie Romes dropping a sure INT one play before Fouts hits Ron Smith to beat the Bills in SD after the 1980 season. If Romes holds that, the next week is an AFC championship game at Rich Stadium against the Raiders a decade before 51-3. Who knows what would have happened next?

 

Really?

 

Dim memory as well, I guess..

[mwclark23]

The Harmon drop against Cleveland. For years if we were playing ball and somebody dropped one they should have had we referred to the dropper as Ronnie.

 

Norwood hits the extra point on the previous TD Bills only down by 3 instead of 4, and Ronnie("he should of thrown it sooner") Harmons's drop never occurs.

[nucci]

Quite a few plays in SB XXV, but one that sticks with me was an Andre Reed dropped pass on 3 and 1 near mid-field and the Bills up by a TD in the 2nd quarter. If the drive had continued the Bills could have been up by at least 13-3, maybe 17-3 and the Giants would have been reeling. Instead, the Bills had to punt because of the drop.

 

The inability to tackle Ingram was even bigger.

Actually, that drive would not continued. REED WOULD HAVE SCORED!! I was in the upper deck at that game and Reed had an open field in front of him. Maybe he would not have scored but he would have been inside the 20 before anyone would have been close to him. Nice call on that play. Not too many recall that.