Most unexpected great game

[Evan]

The Sept. 18, 1983 game between Chicago and New Orleans might be the most unexpected great game I’ve ever seen. New Orleans wins 34-31 in overtime, in a contest that just had intense, creative, gutsy, athletic, entertaining play throughout the entire afternoon. Some memories from recently viewing this:

1. George Rogers, the NFL’s rushing leader after two weeks, was out for this game. Both teams came in 1-1, and there were no indications this game would have any particularly memorable aspect.

2. There was great defense in this game, even though 65 points were scored. The two defenses combined for 14 sacks and 11 turnovers (including a pick-6).

3. Stabler is sacked six times and throws three picks, but still makes some of the most amazing “thread the needle” throws you’ll ever see, while throwing to the likes of Jeff Groth, Kenny Duckett, and Eugene Goodlow. Stabler completes 25 passes, only two to RBs.

4. Hoby Brenner makes an incredible TD catch reaching over the back of Mike Singletary as Singletary is plowing into him (defensive interference was called and of course declined). Makes me wonder who has the most catches on plays where defensive interference was called. It’s probably Jerry Rice, like every other record he owns, but wondering if any Forum members have any anecdotal thoughts on that.

5. Just look at Walter Payton’s stat line for this one. He earned every bit of it. His second TD pass had a dramatic reversal of a “out of bounds” call that drove the Bears crazy, then they erupted as it was reversed. Also Payton’s first TD pass traveled about 55 yards in the air, maybe the longest in-air pass ever thrown by a RB? Payton was running to his left on the play, making it even harder for him to launch it as a righty.

6. Russell Erxleben made maybe the best pass of the day off a fake punt, a 24-yard sideline pass to Groth that landed perfectly between two defenders.

7. Morten Andersen’s game-winning FG in overtime set off one of the great post-game celebrations, as he first ran away from the mob of teammates, then was swarmed by them.

8. During the broadcast, Tim Ryan said “This is the most fun I’ve had watching a football game in a long time.”

9. Johnny Morris also had a great line during the Saints’ game-winning OT drive, which started on their own two-yard-line after an amazing Bob Parsons punt. “They came out from the shadows of their own goal posts, except of course there are no shadows in here.”

What other games do you remember that really had no buildup or reason to anticipate such a great game, but that you consider some of the best games you’ve ever watched?

[RRMarshall]

12/12/77-Dallas at San Francisco-Week #13 Monday Night Football-
Sure, the game was meaningless as the Cowboys were cruising to the playoffs but instead of a go-through-the motions affair the 2 clubs combined for almost 800 yards of total offense and took turns going up and down the field all night long. Staubach three for three scores and Tony Dorsett scored 2 TDs and ran for 92 yards. The 49ers QB Jim Plunkett showed signs of what he would achieve three seasons later in Oakland by throwing for 263 yards and 4 TDs on only 15 completions and WR Gene Washington caught 5 passes for 130 yards in his last great game. Throw in the usual antics of Cosell, Meredith, and Gifford and it makes for a thoroughly entertaining viewing some 40 years later.

[Rupert Patrick]

1/1/12 Detroit at Green Bay:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 010gnb.htm

11/22/09 Browns at Lions:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 220det.htm

11/28/04 Browns at Bengals:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 280cin.htm

10/23/00 Miami at NY Jets:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 230nyj.htm

9/17/89 New Orleans at Green Bay:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 170gnb.htm

11/2/86 Minnesota at Washington:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 020was.htm

10/20/85 Tampa Bay at Miami:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 200mia.htm

12/7/80 New Orleans at San Francisco:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 070sfo.htm

9/21/69 Minnesota at NY Giants:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 210nyg.htm

12/12/65 San Francisco at Chicago:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 120chi.htm

11/27/60 Buffalo at Denver:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 270den.htm

11/27/52 Chicago Bears at Texans:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 270dtx.htm

[BD Sullivan]

The 1962 NFL Thanksgiving game was memorable because it was a dominant performance by the Lions' pass rush and marked the only loss for the Packers that season. However, the other game in the AFL was between the 7-4 Broncos and the 4-6 Titans (Jets). In the game, the Titans led 24-7 before the Broncos scored 35 of the next 43 points. Then, the Titans scored a pair of touchdowns to win 46-45;

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 220den.htm

[Rupert Patrick]

The 1962 NFL Thanksgiving game was memorable because it was a dominant performance by the Lions' pass rush and marked the only loss for the Packers that season. However, the other game in the AFL between the 7-4 Broncos and the 4-6 Titans (Jets). In the game, the Titans led 24-7 before the Broncos scored 35 of the next 43 points. Then, the Titans scored a pair of touchdowns to win 46-45;

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 220den.htm

And until the Packers beat the Redskins 48-47 in 1983 (another unexpected great game), it held the record for the highest number of points a team scored in a game that lost by a single point.

[Todd Pence]

1966 Broncos vs. Oilers - two of the worst teams in the league. The first game between the two had been a 45-6 snoozer won by Houston in which the Broncs didn't even register a single first down. But the rematch a month later was a gem of a game won by a last second field goal for the Broncos, 40-38. George Blanda threw 5 TDs in defeat and the lead changed hands four times in the second half.

[slats7]

Last year's Bears-Giants game (backup QB vs a cruddy NY team) was surprisingly good.

[Todd Pence]

Thanksgiving Day 1986 - Green Bay 44, Detroit 40

[Gary Najman]

1984 Cardinals at Colts (34-33).

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 160clt.htm

[BD Sullivan]

The November 23, 1969 game between the 2-6-1 49ers and 2-7 Saints that saw SF jump out to a 21-0 lead, followed by four unanswered touchdowns from the Saints. From there, five more lead changes and six fourth quarter scores allow the Saints to win 43-38. The final score came on a 3-yard NO run with 26 seconds left:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 230nor.htm