Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Byron wrote:Tampa Bay's Super Bowl win may also fall into this category; I cannot think of a single play from that entire season that could be considered a "signature play" for them.

Barber's int return in the NFC Championship.

Bob Gill wrote:And for the Dolphins, it's the victory over the Redskins in the Super Bowl to cap the undefeated season. But there's no one play in that game -- the most famous play is Yepremian's ridiculous attempt to pass, and it CAN'T be that.

Might as well make Moore's helicopter the signature play for the Dolphins . . .

Really, '72 undefeated season is the signature moment, somewhat related though is the '85 Dolphins-Bears game and I always think of Clayton's TD. So maybe, for me, that might be a play.

For the Bears, this play:

Marshall's fumble return in the NFCCG

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpxjT1oZT9g

Oilers/Titans has to be the Music City Miracle.

For Tampa Bay, maybe the signature moment is the Q&A with the reporter - "I'm in favour of it."

Jeremy Crowhurst » Tue Feb 24, 2015 5:34 pm
"...For Tampa Bay, maybe the signature moment is the Q&A with the reporter - 'I'm in favour of it.'"

Favour? Maybe in Hudson Bay but not in Tampa.

Oilers/Titans has to be the Music City Miracle.

Or Earl Campbell in that famous MNF game vs. Miami.

Evan wrote:For the Bears, for all their storied history of incredible players who transcended football, my first thoughts go to two non-all-time greats:

George Wilson, throwing his double-wipeout block to key the first TD of 73-0.
The Fridge scoring his first TD, turning the '85 Bears into a social phenomenon with endless bravado that they could back up.

I still think that was the best block I have ever seen in the history of pro football.

I was thinking of a different moment - the clip of Butkus grabbing the guy in midair and the guys legs were still kicking, like a bug that has just been squashed and the legs were still moving in a final nervous spasm. It happens at about eight seconds into the clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJzEgMhU9_Q

Another signature play might be the bomb from McMahon (who had been hospitalized the previous week for a lacerated kidney) to Willie Gault for 70 yards on his first play off the bench against the Vikings in week 3 of the 1985 season. It really set the tone for the Bears 1985 season and proved to the team that McMahon was the man who would lead them to the Super Bowl:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvcfAW42ClQ

Chargers - Kellen Winslow's blocked FG in the 1981 playoffs Vs. Miami

Cowboys - Leon Lett's fumble. (just kidding)

oldecapecod 11 wrote:New England Patriots - two events: one oh so sad; the other quite funny
1978 - Jack Tatum hit on Darryl Stingley
1982 - Mark Henderson game-winning field maintenance

evan wrote:
"...Maybe Bednarik's hit on Gifford..."

The hit by Bednarik certainly was memorable - for millions...

For the Pats, I think it has to be Vinatieri's FG late in regulation in the Tuck Rule game to send the game to OT. I would take it over either of the FG's to win Super Bowls 36 and 38, as missing those FG's would have sent the game to OT, but in the case of the Tuck Rule game if he would have missed the Raiders would have won the game. I still think the 45-yard FG in a raging blizzard was one of the two most difficult FG's in pro football history, with the other being the Pat Summerall FG in similar conditions to win the regular season finale against the Browns in 1958 and force a tiebreaker game to see who would face the Colts for the NFL Title.

ChrisBabcock wrote:Or Earl Campbell in that famous MNF game vs. Miami.

Some famed championship Blanda to Cannon plays, too. I like the 88-yarder in '60.

Seahawks: Beast Quake, Smith int (off Sherman deflection which is the 'signature' part), Wilson to Kearse from that same game and Wilson to Kearse in this past NFC Championship - which interestingly a third Wilson to Kearse play possibly would have ended up as the signature play had this past SB ended differently. I'd say it's between the Lynch run and the Sherman/Smith play (Sherman Smith, Seahawks great himself) ...