Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Super Bowl XLIX . . .

To me it's easily the '94 AFCC-loss to Chargers. Still stings! As mentioned already, Dallas wasn't exactly an underdog in SBXXX and did own the 'Burgh all decade long. After completing the 'hat trick' vs Cleveland a week prior, 29-9 ("okay, now they know how to win a playoff game"), Steelers punch it in opening drive to go up 7-0 in the 'formality' vs SD only for it to actually end as it did.

Yes, '01 just as disappointing. Had no reason at all to think Pats actually win (was worried, however, about Denver before '97 AFCC) but being that it was now the third time they - under Cowher - lose a home-AFCC, it didn't sting as bad once dust settled (especially with passing time considering Belichick/Brady didn't quite end there).

Back to '94, unless you were a Dallas or Charger-fan (or Steelers/Niners-hater), it had to disappoint all other fans as well. Not getting to see a 4-0 vs 4-0 Super Bowl "of the Ages"! That Niner offensive juggernaut having to face Lloyd & Greene off the edges, Kirkland & Brown in the middle, Woodson-on-Rice, 'Bananas' keeping Niners-D off the field more than SD did, Yancey running cross-patterns vs Deion (for a late-2nd Q TD?). Either way, a much better game SBXXIX would have been and we all missed out!

Super Bowl XLV-loss to Packers? Despite Rodgers/McCarthy's lack of SB-experience, I actually was worried before the game. The way the Pack tore through the playoffs - especially in Atlanta - and Steelers avoiding the Pats only to still almost blow it in the 2nd half to Sanchez. It was still a very disappointing loss being that Steelers did rally. However it simply comes back to the injuries GB had along with their many dropped passes yet still win it, not allowing even a semblance of another Big Ben game-winning-two-minute-drill; stopping it cold. By the time the playoffs began GB was the best in the league and simply, truly deserved it.

Cleveland Browns: 55 to 7 loss to Green Bay in 1967 was probably the most humiliating. Browns considered themselves about equal to the mighty Packers until then.

The worst for the franchise, IMO, was the 1958 Pat Summerall field goal game won by the Giants 13 to 10. Cleveland wins or ties that game and they get the home field for the NFL championship game against the Colts. The next year the Browns beat Baltimore in the Colts own ballpark, 38 to 31. There was a big controversial call that went the Giants way in the Summerall game.

Dishonorable Mention: 1953 Championship game. For younger Browns fans: Red Right 88 game against Oakland, The Fumble game against Denver, and as BD said, the Drive, also against Denver.

Packers:

1. 2014 NFC Championship at Seattle: the meltdown to end all meltdowns.
2. Super Bowl 32: 12-point favorites are completely out-coached, out-hit and out-hustled.
3. 2003 division round at Philadelphia, aka 4th and 26.
4. 2011 division round vs. New York: from 15-1 to *poof* in one afternoon.
5. 2007 NFC Championship vs. Giants: Suddenly, Green Bay is too cold for the Packers.
6. 1998 wildcard round at San Francisco, aka The Catch II.
7. 2009 wildcard round at Arizona: insane offensive shootout ends with a fluky walk-off fumble return.
8. 1938 NFL Championship at New York: Trailing by 6 and with Don Hutson hurt, the powerful Green Bay offense is held scoreless in the 4th quarter.
9. 1960 NFL Championship at Philadelphia: Lombardi's only playoff loss.
10. 1980 at Chicago: 61-7 loss is one of many low points in the post-Lombardi/pre-Favre doldrums.

The one Buccaneer game I can never watch again is the 1999 NFC Championship loss to the Rams. I don't blame the referees (anymore!!!!!!), because there is no guarantee the Bucs score even if Bert Emanuel's catch is ruled a catch. It's just the pain of how close the Bucs came to completely shutting down "The Greatest Show on Turf" on their homefield and winning behind a third string quarterback and the most vanilla offense since 1919.

Even in defeat that might be the most impressive performance of that era's Buccaneer defense. Warren Sapp and the d-line harassed Warner all day, Derrick Brooks made it is his mission to devastate Faulk every time he carried the ball and the secondary bottled up the trio of Rams receivers. I'd even argue that Brian Kelly had perfect coverage against Ricky Proehl....it's just Kurt Warner made the perfect throw. The only thing that dulled the pain was the 2002 Super Bowl title and even that won't get me to watch this game again.

The Jets worst defeat would be the 1982 AFC Championship Game. It was terrible to lose such a huge game to a division rival.

The regular season loss that bugged me the worst was the Week 2 loss at Buffalo in 1999. The game featured numerous 3rd down conversions by Buffalo and nothingness from the Jets offense. It was the worst type of game to watch if your team is on the wrong end. As thrilling as the Week 2 win at Buffalo in 2016 was, the Week 2 game in 1999 was basically the complete opposite. I was so upset that I walked my dog down an unlit street and punched street signs after midnight. I am not a TV remote control thrower or bottle breaker or wall puncher. That game was the only NFL game that ever made me take out my frustrations in that type of way. The Jets were supposed to contend for a Super Bowl championship that season. Instead, the team was then 0-2 with Rick Mirer at quarterback.

For the Bears; losing at home to the Packers in the 2010 NFC CG has to be up there. Really disappointing

Saban wrote:Cleveland Browns: 55 to 7 loss to Green Bay in 1967 was probably the most humiliating. Browns considered themselves about equal to the mighty Packers until then.

The worst for the franchise, IMO, was the 1958 Pat Summerall field goal game won by the Giants 13 to 10...There was a big controversial call that went the Giants way in the Summerall game.

As far as humiliating losses. I'd go two years after that, when they lost 51-3 in Minnesota. The Vikings scored the first NINE times they had the ball and only punted once:

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/b ... 090min.htm

Regarding the 1958 regular season game against the Giants, the controversial call was the non-fumble call on Gifford.

Hail Casares wrote:For the Bears; losing at home to the Packers in the 2010 NFC CG has to be up there. Really disappointing

How about '88 NFCC? At Soldier with the bitter cold on their side. 10-6 Niners just came off that pounding of the 11-5 Vikings (getting revenge from last year), but going into that game it was still not yet apparent that they were already the '89 version. Didn't Singletary pretty much intimidate an endzone celebration to a halt? It wasn't even a cocky celebration. I think it was the Montana-to-Frank TD to go up, 21-3. If memory serves me well, a teammate simply went over to him, both shared excitement, then Mike came up to them and said something then both showed immediate respect/remorse (I think apologizing) and then walked off. Wanting Bears to win, I liked that.


Changing the subject, as for Washington...I'd say it's an obvious take-your-pick between 73-0 and SBXVIII.

Another candidate for worst defeat would be the 1989 Divisional game against Denver, when a bad call by the refs cost the Steelers an upset at Mile High.

Denver was very lucky to win that one. They were close to being down 17-6 at the half. They had a tipped extra point that barely sneaked over the crossbar, and Treadwell banked a FG off the post right before the half to make it 17-10.

As for the bad call, I am assuming you mean the Worley fumble in the third quarter. I looked at that, and I think his elbow was down before he fumbled. That was a pivotal play, because the Broncos tied it up with an Elway to Johnson TD pass on the next play.

That may have been the game that led to Noll's retirement two years later. If they win that game, I think they have a good shot to beat Cleveland and go to the SB. Then, maybe Tom Moore isn't fired, and Joe Walton isn't hired as OC (I also wonder if Walton was responsible for the drafting of O'Donnell to a certain extent).

With Moore, I think they make the playoffs in 1990. Then, you have to think that 1991 would be different as well with Brister getting more comfortable in the same scheme, and they may have made the playoffs again (they only finished a game behind the 8-8 Jets that year). That may have delayed Noll's retirement for a few years, and the Cowher era is probably butterflied away (maybe they hire Dungy to replace him instead at that point).