Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Lilly's 29 yard SB sack

BD Sullivan wrote:

jeckle_and_heckle wrote:

JohnH19 wrote:No team, in my lifetime, will ever give up less than 10 points per game over a three season stretch like the 1969-71 Vikings.

It's amazing they didn't win a championship playing defense like that.

A competent quarterback during the last two years would likely have done the trick.

Trading Tarkenton to the Giants from 1967-71 cost the Vikings at least one and quite possibly two Super Bowl victories. I think with Tarkenton they might have beaten the Chiefs in Super Bowl IV or at least made it closer than 23-7, I'll say 23-17 Chiefs. There is no way Minnesota would have lost the 1970 playoffs had they had a healthy Fran Tarkenton, he would have won Super Bowl V as there was no truly dominating team and the Vikings already had one of the great defenses of all time which would have made them THE team. 1971 is also possible but not as likely as Dallas was dominating coming down the stretch, however it must be noted that the Cowboys beat the Vikings 20-12 in Minnesota with Gary Cuozzo at QB so I think Tark might have been able to pull that game out. If the Vikings had gotten past Dallas in the Divisional game with Tarkenton I think they would have beat the 49ers for the NFC title and then the Dolphins in the Super Bowl.

jeckle_and_heckle wrote: Your hypothetical bit of fantasy would NOT be a "run from scrimmage."

Because.... ?
(The rule book says on page XYZ... would be a good start)

The JuggernautJ post (top of page 4) reminded me of a record that will be for the ages - never to be broken,
record-holder: Buddy Young

Does anyone know what it is?

Evan wrote:Just wondering if Tony Dorsett's 99-yard rush could be broken on a technicality, based on this hypothetical:

The Vikings have the ball on their own 1-yard-line. Matt Asiata takes a handoff, and plows forward to the 2-yard-line, but as he is being tackled, he recklessly but ingeniously laterals the ball backward to Cordarrelle Patterson, standing two yards deep in the end zone. Patterson makes the most of lots of players standing around thinking the play was over, and proceeds to run 102 yards with the lateral for a Vikings TD.

I believe Asiata would get credited with one rush for one yard, but would Patterson get credited with:

A. 99 yards rushing (from the original line of scrimmage)
B. 98 yards rushing (from the point where Asiata advanced the ball, but not where Patterson received it)
C. 102 rushing yards (from the point where Patterson received the lateral)

-- all without an actual statistical rushing attempt.

I asked Bills statistician Mike Haim, and here is his response.

"Pretty sure it's B. Patterson can only get yardage beyond what Asiata got. If Patterson fumbled or was tackled in the end zone for a safety, Asiata would have the rush for -2 yds."

Mike has been in his position for over 30 years, so I feel pretty comfortable asking him.

One record of longevity who hasn't been broken is more seasons by an on-field official. The answer is Dan Tehan, a head linesman who officiated for 35 seasons (from 1930-1964). Since then the only officials who have worked at least for 30 seasons are referees Ben Dreith and Jim Tunney (both 31 seasons from 1960-1990), umpire Lou Palazzi (30 seasons from 1952-1981), back judge Stan Javie (30 seasons from 1951-1980) and head linesman Jerry Bergman, Sr. (30 seasons from 1966-1995).

Another record who is unbrokable and I was part of was to being in the largest attendence ever for a NFL game: 112,376 spectators in the 1994 preseason game between the Cowboys and Oilers and Azteca Stadium.

Other impressive record (outside the lines) is Pat McInally perfect score in the Wonderlic Test. Over 40 years later, thousands of players cannot tie it.

I thought that Tiger Woods was going to break Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major championship wins, but that apparently is not to be. Anyway, this is a pro football forum, so here is a couple:

Most points in one game - 113 in a 1966 game between Washington and the New York Giants (72 to 41).

Most points scored by one team in a regular season game - 72 by Washington in the same game.

The 1966 Giants had the 14 game record of giving up the most points in one season (501), but that has been broken since the NFL went to a 16 game season.