Your nomination for Worst Play Ever?

[Rupert Patrick]

I think the pass play at the end of Super Bowl XLVIII has to be near the top. The Seahawks had Marshawn Lynch, a great RB, and were one yard from the end zone, second down, and a time out left, with 26 seconds to go which means they should, should, SHOULD have taken a taken a crack at the end zone using Lynch on a running play and then called time, which would have given them more than enough time for a pass into the end zone on third down and possibly a sneak on fourth down to win the game or another pass. And it goes without saying that any pass play should be a back corner of the end zone pass or toward the sidelines in the end zone so if the pass is not caught the ball goes out of bounds, not into the middle of the field. It was an awful play call in the most crucial play of the entire season and it cost the Seahawks the Super Bowl.

[Gary Najman]

One play that reminds me of Garo Yepremian is a Tampa Bay-Minnesota game in 1978 when the Vikings blocked Neil O'Donoghue field goal attempt and O'Donoghue tried to kick it again when the ball came to him, but he slipped and Fred McNeill picked the ball for a long return. The play was regularly shown on NFL Films Follies.

Speaking of O'Donoghue, his three field goals missed in overtime in a Giants-Cardinals MNF game in 1983 (including the shortest FG missed I ever seen, when the Cardinals could have scored easily on a rushing TD with Ottis Anderson or Stump Mitchell) should also be included in this list.

But I concur that the Joe Pisarcik-Larry Csonka play is the worst called by the coaches that I have seen.

[MatthewToy]

In regards to the Joe Pisarcik play, were kneel downs a thing yet when that happened?

[SixtiesFan]

Have you all seen the Bay Area Sports Collection site? Regarding Rams coaches, there's a clip with an interview of Bill Walsh being asked about the Rams head coaching job in 1978. Check it out: https://diva.sfsu.edu/collections/sfbatv/10509

Interesting that Bill Walsh called the Rams "the finest organization in the National Football League." A lot of people at the time agreed and felt a little fine tuning would make them a Super Bowl winner.

Rosenbloom hired George Allen, couldn't work with him and fired Allen after two preseason games. Ray Malavasi, Knox's defensive coordinator, became head coach.

What could Bill Walsh have done with the 1978 LA Rams? Did Paul Brown talk against Walsh when teams asked his opinion as has been said?

[BD Sullivan]

In regards to the Joe Pisarcik play, were kneel downs a thing yet when that happened?

It might have been occasional, unofficial strategy, but after Pisarcik, it basically became an official. The Giants' OC was fired the next day and HC John McVay was canned at the end of the season.

Another contender: in the 1971 MNF game between the Steelers and Chiefs, Pittsburgh WR Dave Smith was enroute to a TD, but when he crossed the five-yard line, he pumped his arm carrying the ball and lost control of it, resulting in a touchback.

*The Sam Wyche play calling near the end of the game against the 49ers in 1987.

*Jim Brown had a habit of trying to get rid of the ball when he got swarmed in the backfield, which sometimes resulted in disaster.

[SixtiesFan]

In regards to the Joe Pisarcik play, were kneel downs a thing yet when that happened?

It might have been occasional, unofficial strategy, but after Pisarcik, it basically became an official. The Giants' OC was fired the next day and HC John McVay was canned at the end of the season.

Another contender: in the 1971 MNF game between the Steelers and Chiefs, Pittsburgh WR Dave Smith was enroute to a TD, but when he crossed the five-yard line, he pumped his arm carrying the ball and lost control of it, resulting in a touchback.

*The Sam Wyche play calling near the end of the game against the 49ers in 1987.

*Jim Brown had a habit of trying to get rid of the ball when he got swarmed in the backfield, which sometimes resulted in disaster.

In the second game of the 1962 season against the Redskins, as Jim Brown said in the March 1963 Sport Magazine, "In the first quarter I threw a stupid lateral and they raced it back for a touchdown. In the final minutes of the game, when we were ahead 16-10, I fumbled in a crucial spot, just when we were eating out the clock. They recovered it and set up Bobby Mitchell's touchdown that beat us. I lost that game. I'll take full responsibility."

In his first book (discussing the above game), Jim Brown said he had a tendency to lateral because "I believe in daring, improvised football."

[Gary Najman]

In regards to the Joe Pisarcik play, were kneel downs a thing yet when that happened?

Another contender: in the 1971 MNF game between the Steelers and Chiefs, Pittsburgh WR Dave Smith was enroute to a TD, but when he crossed the five-yard line, he pumped his arm carrying the ball and lost control of it, resulting in a touchback.

*The Sam Wyche play calling near the end of the game against the 49ers in 1987.

Another play similar in a 1984 MNF game between Chicago and San Diego, Chargers WR Bobby Duckworth was also going to score a long TD, but he lost the ball also over his head.

I also agree about the Sam Wyche call in 1987. Recently I watch the end of that game (I remember back then that the only highlights of that game I only saw were the James Brooks run and the Jerry RIce TD) and it was amazing how the Bengals couldn't run out the clock.

[7DnBrnc53]

Have you all seen the Bay Area Sports Collection site? Regarding Rams coaches, there's a clip with an interview of Bill Walsh being asked about the Rams head coaching job in 1978. Check it out: https://diva.sfsu.edu/collections/sfbatv/10509

Interesting that Bill Walsh called the Rams "the finest organization in the National Football League." A lot of people at the time agreed and felt a little fine tuning would make them a Super Bowl winner.

Rosenbloom hired George Allen, couldn't work with him and fired Allen after two preseason games. Ray Malavasi, Knox's defensive coordinator, became head coach.

What could Bill Walsh have done with the 1978 LA Rams? Did Paul Brown talk against Walsh when teams asked his opinion as has been said?

Thanks for sharing that, Evan. Lots of interesting stuff. I especially liked that College All-Star video from late 1972. Ron Wolf (working for Oakland at the time) was asked who the best two prospects were for the 73 draft, and he said Bert Jones and Dave Butz (no mention of the Tooz, who ended up going #1).

As for Walsh, it wouldn't surprise me if Brown talked him down. I don't know what his problem was. Paul was a great coach in his day, but it seemed to me that he wanted automatons under his command, not human beings. Walsh had to do what was best for his career. It's sad that Brown didn't understand that.

I heard that he was turned down by Rosenbloom because he wanted to "win now". That didn't make any sense. The Rams were 5-time defending division champs, and Allen wasn't doing any better than Knox did (except he made a SB).

Speaking of Allen, I found out something interesting: During a 1979 game broadcast (49ers at Chargers), they were talking about Bills QB Joe Ferguson. Allen said that he tried to trade for him, but he didn't say when (If I had to guess, I would say in either 1976 or 77, when Buffalo wasn't good). What if he got him? Does he stay in the Nation's Capital longer?

[SixtiesFan]

Have you all seen the Bay Area Sports Collection site? Regarding Rams coaches, there's a clip with an interview of Bill Walsh being asked about the Rams head coaching job in 1978. Check it out: https://diva.sfsu.edu/collections/sfbatv/10509

Interesting that Bill Walsh called the Rams "the finest organization in the National Football League." A lot of people at the time agreed and felt a little fine tuning would make them a Super Bowl winner.

Rosenbloom hired George Allen, couldn't work with him and fired Allen after two preseason games. Ray Malavasi, Knox's defensive coordinator, became head coach.

What could Bill Walsh have done with the 1978 LA Rams? Did Paul Brown talk against Walsh when teams asked his opinion as has been said?

Thanks for sharing that, Evan. Lots of interesting stuff. I especially liked that College All-Star video from late 1972. Ron Wolf (working for Oakland at the time) was asked who the best two prospects were for the 73 draft, and he said Bert Jones and Dave Butz (no mention of the Tooz, who ended up going #1).

As for Walsh, it wouldn't surprise me if Brown talked him down. I don't know what his problem was. Paul was a great coach in his day, but it seemed to me that he wanted automatons under his command, not human beings. Walsh had to do what was best for his career. It's sad that Brown didn't understand that.

I heard that he was turned down by Rosenbloom because he wanted to "win now". That didn't make any sense. The Rams were 5-time defending division champs, and Allen wasn't doing any better than Knox did (except he made a SB).

Speaking of Allen, I found out something interesting: During a 1979 game broadcast (49ers at Chargers), they were talking about Bills QB Joe Ferguson. Allen said that he tried to trade for him, but he didn't say when (If I had to guess, I would say in either 1976 or 77, when Buffalo wasn't good). What if he got him? Does he stay in the Nation's Capital longer?

I recall a Sport Magazine article by-lined by George Allen rating the NFL quarterbacks in 1981. Allen indeed said he once tried to trade for Joe Ferguson, praising his toughness. Allen said the Bills did the right thing hanging on to him as Ferguson had taken them to a division title in 1980 and led them after O.J. Simpson left.

Years ago, I read a quote from an anonymous NFL personnel man who said it was very unusual for a team to trade their starting QB to you.

[Rupert Patrick]

Years ago, I read a quote from an anonymous NFL personnel man who said it was very unusual for a team to trade their starting QB to you.

There have been two straight up starting QB for starting QB trades in my lifetime, the Stabler for Pastorini deal and the Orton for Cutler deal. Starting QB's are like the heart and soul of a team and are rarely traded unless they've become too expensive or new ownership or management does not get along with them and has deemed them expendable.