Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Hey Guys,
I few weeks ago, I started a thread asking you to list your favorite team's greatest victory. Let's do a 180 and now list your favorite team's worst defeat. This will be a little tougher. Be sure to list your reason(s) for your choice. Mine is fairly recent. The 2014 NFC Championship Game. The Packers had five minutes to go to secure another trip to the Super Bowl. In those five minutes, virtually everything went wrong for them (especially an onsides kick that could not be covered), and Seattle went to the Super Bowl instead. During those five minutes, you could feel the momentum and the lead just drain out of your pores. It was awful. Now it's your turn. What was your team's worst defeat?

Joe Zagorski

As a Cowboys fan, The Catch would be no. 1.

As a Steeler fan I would have to go with Super Bowl XXX. I think Pittsburgh would have beaten Dallas if not for the two interceptions by O'Donnell. One could argue for the 1976 AFC Championship game, but there was no way the Steelers were going to win without Franco and Rocky. 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.

Hard to choose between the 2001 AFC Championship Game and Super Bowl 45 for the Steelers.

Like I've posted here before, I really thought 2001 was the Steelers year. Especially after they beat the defending champion Ravens in Baltimore on a Sunday night. Then they slapped them around again in the divisional round of the playoffs. I was expecting Oakland to come to Pittsburgh the next week. And I think the Steelers were as well. But it was the then Cinderella Patriots. 2 special teams blunders was too much for an OK but not too good under pressure Kordell Stewart to come back from. A curious statement by a young Hines Ward after the game suggested that New England knew what plays they were running. At the time it came off as frustration and excuse making. Or maybe the Steelers offense was too predictable. A few years later we learned what was really going on.

Super Bowl 45. A team that had won 2 of the previous 5 Super Bowls was going against a team that had little to no SB experience. The Steelers in much of the first half played like a team that had not practiced nor prepared for this game. Like they were going to Dallas for a coronation. They gained momentum in the second half until Rashard Mendenhall fumbled it away.

Hard to choose. Like asking if you want shot in the head or drink straight poison. I didn't put Super Bowl 30 in here because Dallas was just a more talented team with much more experience in the "Big Game".

As a Giants fan, the Fumble....

Bills: Super Bowl XXV (wide right)
49ers: Super Bowl 47 I thought they were going to pull off the miracle comeback but they ran out of time.

For the Los Angeles Rams, the 1976 NFC Championship game. The Rams had 4th and inches from the Viking goal line. Coach Chuck Knox called for a field goal. It was blocked and ran back for a touchdown, a potential 14 point swing. The Rams never got out of the hole and lost 24-13. Knox wanted to leave for Detroit. Most Ram fans said "Go ahead." Rams owner Carroll Rosenbloom wouldn't let Knox out of his contract.

After another playoff loss to the Vikings in 1977, Rosenbloom fired Knox, who had won five straight NFC West titles, but not once made the Super Bowl. Rosenbloom preferred a coach leave when he (Rosenbloom) said so.

The Drive.

Gary Anderson's wide left is an easy choice for me. The Hail Mary game, Super Bowl IV and the 2009 NFC Championship all hurt...a lot...but none compare to the disastrous end to the 1998 NFC Championship game.

For the Chiefs, Christmas Day, 1971.

For the Falcons, the 1980 playoff game against the Cowboys.

For the Bears, the 1942 championship game, which means Super Bowl 42 for the Patriots.

For the Raiders, the Immaculate Reception.

For the Bengals, Super Bowl 23.

For the Oilers/Titans, Super Bowl 34.