Missed Opportunities That Could Have Altered NFL History

[7DnBrnc53]

In the 88/89 SB, the Bengals led 13-6 going into the fourth quarter with Montana driving the team down the field to try to tie the score. Montana threw a bad pass into the endzone that went right into the hands of DB Lewis Billups, who dropped the ball ... Montana hit Rice on the very next play for a 14 yrd TD that tied the score. Had Billups intercepted, the Bengals probably would have tried to continue to pound the ball with Woods and Brooks, though RB Stanley Wilson, who could have contributed, missed the game after binging on cocaine the night before. With Esiason having a bad elbow, the team had to find a way to force turnovers but missed out on another opportunity later in the game when John Taylor fumbed on a punt return but the ball was recovered by another 49er.

According to a fan on Reddit (take this for what it's worth), the Bengal game plan was originally built around Stanley Wilson. They were going to run him a lot before fate intervened.

[Brian wolf]

Maybe 7D but I doubt it. Woods had the hot hand in the playoffs, though Wilson helped in the Seattle game. I thought Brooks should have ran more but the Niners did a good job on him ...

Yes, Boomer had a bad arm and game but his receivers couldnt make any plays which disappointed me at the time in a close game. I thought Eddie Brown would have a good game against McKyer or Griffin ...

[Brian wolf]

Speaking of blown opportunities, the Bears in a 79/80 wild card game against the Eagles in Veterans Stadium, kept shooting themselves in the foot with QB Phipps throwing a perfect TD bomb to WR Watts that was dropped in the first half. In the second half with the Bears threatening to increase their lead to 21-10, an illegal motion penalty wiped out an 85 yard TD run from Walter Payton. The Eagles finally settled down to tie the game. With another chance to take the lead, QB Phipps had another TD pass dropped by his TE Latta in the endzone. Two plays later, the Eagles ended the drive with an interception. Late in the 4th Quarter, the Bears defense recovered an Eagle fumble at the Philly 28 yrd line but another interception ended the threat with the Eagles hanging on to win 27-17.

Had the Bears won, they would have faced Dallas with the Rams visiting TB. A Cowboys-Rams NFC Championship, might have been a totally different game.

[SixtiesFan]

Speaking of blown opportunities, the Bears in a 79/80 wild card game against the Eagles in Veterans Stadium, kept shooting themselves in the foot with QB Phipps throwing a perfect TD bomb to WR Watts that was dropped in the first half. In the second half with the Bears threatening to increase their lead to 21-10, an illegal motion penalty wiped out an 85 yard TD run from Walter Payton. The Eagles finally settled down to tie the game. With another chance to take the lead, QB Phipps had another TD pass dropped by his TE Latta in the endzone. Two plays later, the Eagles ended the drive with an interception. Late in the 4th Quarter, the Bears defense recovered an Eagle fumble at the Philly 28 yrd line but another interception ended the threat with the Eagles hanging on to win 27-17.

Had the Bears won, they would have faced Dallas with the Rams visiting TB. A Cowboys-Rams NFC Championship, might have been a totally different game.

The Walter Payton highlight segments sometimes show that 85 yard TD run wiped out by a penalty. I think you can see the flag being dropped when Walter broke down the sideline.