The Most Important Successful Field Goal in Franchise History? (1 Viewer)

[Horrorshow]

As an NYG booster I'll plump for Pat Summerall's truly miraculous game winning 49 yard field goal in the final regular season game of the 1958 season against the Cleveland Browns - just over Matt Bahr's game winner in the 1990 NFC Championship game against the three-peat seeking Niners at Candlestick.

Summerall's unlikely kick, made in the most appalling of winter conditions earned the Giants a share of first place in the NFL East with the Browns - neccessitating a playoff game between the two rivals to determine the Conference Champion.

New York were victorious in that subsequent encounter and went on to face Unitas' Baltimore Colts for the NFL Championship in what has been called " The Greastest Game Ever Played ", the first ever sudden death overtime playoff game in NFL history.

Without old Pat's sublime, against-all-the-odds kick none of it would've happened...

 

[Bankerguy]

Not my team.....but the Vinateri kick in the snow was probably one of the most clutch kicks I've ever seen.

 

[TheDirtyWord]

Morten Andersen; 1999 NFC Conference Championship Game

Falcons to the SuperBowl...

 

[T Man]

Not my team.....but the Vinateri kick in the snow was probably one of the most clutch kicks I've ever seen.

Of course the clutch kick that won the Super Bowl might mean more to the franchise.

 

[T Man]

FOr the Bills, it would be the opposite -- obviously Norwood's missed field goal.

If he made that kick, who knows what type of Bills teams would have shown up for the next three super bowls.

 

[David Yudkin]

Not my team.....but the Vinateri kick in the snow was probably one of the most clutch kicks I've ever seen.

Of course the clutch kick that won the Super Bowl might mean more to the franchise.

Nope. If he missed the 45-yard GAME TYING field goal in the snow he'd never have had the chance to kick a TIE BREAKING field goal in the Super Bowl. If he missed the one in the SB, the game would have kept going. If he missed the one in the snow their season would be over essentially right there (only 20 seconds left in regulation).

 

[Bankerguy]

Not my team.....but the Vinateri kick in the snow was probably one of the most clutch kicks I've ever seen.

Of course the clutch kick that won the Super Bowl might mean more to the franchise.

Nope. If he missed the 45-yard GAME TYING field goal in the snow he'd never have had the chance to kick a TIE BREAKING field goal in the Super Bowl. If he missed the one in the SB, the game would have kept going. If he missed the one in the snow their season would be over essentially right there (only 20 seconds left in regulation).

I remember saying to my buddy that there was no way he would make that kick.Afterwards...I was like.....

 

[Christo]

Uwe Von Schamann's 41-yard game winning kick for OU against the Buckeyes at the Horseshoe in 1977.

 

[Jous]

Oddly, for my Steelers it's mostly been crucial missed kicks that have helped us lately. Doug Brien in 04... Vanderjagt and Josh Brown in 05 playoffs... Shayne Graham vs Bengals in 06... etc

 

[The_Man]

Redskins haven't really had any huge kicks to decide enormous games.

Biggest kick I can think of is the one Mark Mosely made as time ran out in a 1982 late-season 15-14 win over the Giants. That kick set the record for most consecutive FGs, basically clinched homefield advantage for the Skins (which was huge, because it meant the NFC Championship game would be played at RFK, not Dallas), and marked Washington as a legit Super Bowl contender.

Theismann threw 3 INTS in the first half of that game, and the Redskins had no business even being in it. When they won the game to clinch the playoffs, they really did have that "Team of Destiny" feeling.

 

[mcjc4]

1999 NFC championship game. If my teams Anderson makes his kick, Morts never happens. 15-1 Vikings roll over Denver that year in the Superbowl. Oh well, what could have been...

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

Chester Marcol may best be known for his game winning touchdown against the Chicago Bears in 1980. In the first week of the 1980 NFL season the Packers were tied with the Bears 6-6 in overtime. A 32-yard pass from Lynn Dickey to James Lofton helped set up a 34-yard attempt to win the game for the Packers. Marcol's kick was blocked and came straight back to his facemask. He caught the ball and ran around the startled Bears in what appeared to be sheer fright. Marcol was able to run 25 yards into the end-zone to give the Packers a 12-6 victory.[2]

Sure, with the Packers one might want to take a playoff game winner, maybe something by Jerry Kramer, Don Chandler, Jan Stenerud, Chris Jacke, Al Del Greco, or the most recent turncoat, I forget his name. One might also want to quibble as to what a successful field goal is, and whether a miss qualifies. Not me. This play made Bears fans crazy for nearly a generation, and in my mind that is success, and it was big.

 

[TheWick]

1999 NFC championship game. If my teams Anderson makes his kick, Morts never happens. 15-1 Vikings roll over Denver that year in the Superbowl. Oh well, what could have been...

The year was Jan 1999...but that was the 1998 season correct?Most upsetting FG was Vinatieri's agains the Rams in 2001...you remember the Super Bowl the refs and Mike Martz gave to the Patriots. All this was after the "tuck" rule which made no sense got them to the super bowl.I'm almost over it

 

[cobalt_27]

The answer is Vinatieri's FG in the snow. All these other more obscure references are nice and show off a healthy respect for history. But, the only answer to this question is Vinatieri against the Raiders.

:endofthread:

 

[Ron_Mexico]

the Vinateri kick in the snow was probably one of the most clutch kicks I've ever seen.

concur.

 

[JohnnyU]

Jim O'Brien's 32 yd FG as time ran out in Super Bowl V to beat Dallas 16-13.

 

[Chase Stuart]

John Hall's 53 yard FG against the Raiders. It was the longest FG in the history of Network Associates Coliseum, and it came with less than a minute to go in week 17, 2001. The Jets were down by 1, and would clinch the playoffs with a win, but be mathematically eliminated with a loss. A true do or die kick, and he boots a 53 yarder.

(Had Hall missed that kick, the Raiders would have been the #2 seed, had a bye, and would never have had to travel to Foxboro.)

 

[waylander]

My team is the Titans, and since we don't have any Super Bowl wins, the one that comes to mind is the Ravens Vs Titans most recent playoff match.

Ravens had home-field advantage and history of beating the Titans in meaningful games on their side. However with time running out, Gary Anderson (who was retired and fishing in Canada when the Titans asked him to play for them) kicked the game winner that cleared the cross bar by maybe a yard. The yard that Eddie George, with a hurt shoulder, got by stiff arming Ray Lewis into the ground and then getting up in his face.

That Rob Bironas 60 yarder this past season to upset the Colts was sweet too!

 

[BigRed]

Jim O'Brien's 32 yd FG as time ran out in Super Bowl V to beat Dallas 16-13.

GB Lassie.

 

[TheAristocrat]

Morten Andersen; 1999 NFC Conference Championship GameFalcons to the SuperBowl...

I second that, but as the most important successful field goal in Vikings history as well.

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

Have to go with this guy.

 

[The Kansas Comet]

Can't think of a FG for the Bears bigger than Gould's game-winner against Seattle in last season's playoffs

 

[Kevin Ashcraft]

KC has had two famous crucial kicks that were misses.....sadly I don't think there have been any clutch kicks made.....

If some other KC fan wants to refresh my memory they can, because the history is brutal and sad.

Exhibit #1. Jan Stenerud 1971 AFC Div. Playoff - Misses a kick @ the end of regulation that would have sent KC to AFC Title game.....MIA wins in longest game ever played.

Exhibit 2 - This second name makes me want to throw up.....Lin Elliott 1/7/96 @ Arrowhead in DIV playoff vs. IND. KC loses 10-7 as Mr. Choke misses THREE FGs.

 

[Pat Patriot]

Not my team.....but the Vinateri kick in the snow was probably one of the most clutch kicks I've ever seen.

Of course the clutch kick that won the Super Bowl might mean more to the franchise.

The Super Bowl kick was 48 yards indoors. It cant compare to the Snow Bowl kick. For as clutch as people want to say Vinatieri was, the Snow Bowl kick was the only one with any degree of difficulty.

 

[Pat Patriot]

1999 NFC championship game. If my teams Anderson makes his kick, Morts never happens. 15-1 Vikings roll over Denver that year in the Superbowl. Oh well, what could have been...

The year was Jan 1999...but that was the 1998 season correct?Most upsetting FG was Vinatieri's agains the Rams in 2001...you remember the Super Bowl the refs and Mike Martz gave to the Patriots. All this was after the "tuck" rule which made no sense got them to the super bowl.I'm almost over it

I'll hate myself but I'm going to bite anyway. How did the Refs influence SB 36? I agree that Martz coached a TERRIBLE game but what did the refs have to do with it? The only "controversial" all was a reverse of a defensive TD by the Patriots, and it was the right call.

 

[TheWick]

1999 NFC championship game. If my teams Anderson makes his kick, Morts never happens. 15-1 Vikings roll over Denver that year in the Superbowl. Oh well, what could have been...

The year was Jan 1999...but that was the 1998 season correct?Most upsetting FG was Vinatieri's agains the Rams in 2001...you remember the Super Bowl the refs and Mike Martz gave to the Patriots. All this was after the "tuck" rule which made no sense got them to the super bowl.I'm almost over it

I'll hate myself but I'm going to bite anyway. How did the Refs influence SB 36? I agree that Martz coached a TERRIBLE game but what did the refs have to do with it? The only "controversial" all was a reverse of a defensive TD by the Patriots, and it was the right call.

The clock stopping when players weren't out of bounds on the final drive and muggings on routes...you know usual Patriot stuff. There was a video floating around that chronicled each offense...but I can't find it for the life of me. I'm sure you can find examples of it in every NFL game, but that doesn't make me hate the patriots any less. Its all just sour grapes...enjoy your dynasty.

 

[DropKick]

Not my team.....but the Vinateri kick in the snow was probably one of the most clutch kicks I've ever seen.

Of course the clutch kick that won the Super Bowl might mean more to the franchise.

Nope. If he missed the 45-yard GAME TYING field goal in the snow he'd never have had the chance to kick a TIE BREAKING field goal in the Super Bowl. If he missed the one in the SB, the game would have kept going. If he missed the one in the snow their season would be over essentially right there (only 20 seconds left in regulation).

I remember saying to my buddy that there was no way he would make that kick.Afterwards...I was like.....

I said the exact same thing to my brother...And we were sitting at that end of the field. That was a great game to be at. No one ever sat down. I think I'll always remember the classic images from that night; playoffs; night game; tailgating in the snow; looking at the collective breath of the fans was like watching the Ice Bowl on TV; controversy; and ultimately snow angels.It was also the last game played in that stadium. Ended a long, memorable era.A play-off game on-the line 45 yard FG in the snow gets my vote. But I'm biased.

 

[QUEZILLA]

As a Tampa guy I would have to go with last season Matt Bryants game winner. It made it even sweeter that it was against philly.

 

[JaxBill]

The biggest kick in Jags franchise history probably was one that was missed by the other team.

In 1996, the Jags got into the playoffs because Morten Andersen missed a 30-yard FG at the end of their final regular season game. The Jags ended up winning at Buffalo, upsetting Denver in Mile High and making the AFC Title game.

 

[Mr. Mojo]

Garo Yepremian's blocked kick and interception/fumble that gave my Redskins new life in Super Bowl VII.

It's also one of the funniest plays ever.

Ooops - I guess it wasn't really a successful field goal.

 

[-OZ-]

Detroit Lions need not apply.

 

[Despyzer]

The kick that won the game that many have called the "greatest ever" - Rolf Benirschke's 29 yarder against the Dolphins in the 13th minute of overtime on January 2, 1982 in the Orange Bowl.

 

[Jous]

1999 NFC championship game. If my teams Anderson makes his kick, Morts never happens. 15-1 Vikings roll over Denver that year in the Superbowl. Oh well, what could have been...

The year was Jan 1999...but that was the 1998 season correct?Most upsetting FG was Vinatieri's agains the Rams in 2001...you remember the Super Bowl the refs and Mike Martz gave to the Patriots. :X All this was after the "tuck" rule which made no sense got them to the super bowl.

I'm almost over it

I'll hate myself but I'm going to bite anyway. How did the Refs influence SB 36? I agree that Martz coached a TERRIBLE game but what did the refs have to do with it? The only "controversial" all was a reverse of a defensive TD by the Patriots, and it was the right call.

The clock stopping when players weren't out of bounds on the final drive and muggings on routes...you know usual Patriot stuff. There was a video floating around that chronicled each offense...but I can't find it for the life of me. I'm sure you can find examples of it in every NFL game, but that doesn't make me hate the patriots any less. Its all just sour grapes...enjoy your dynasty.

I remember that site... it's http://stlouisrams.net/xxxvi/ if you want it. Interesting stuff on there.

 

[Neil Beaufort Zod]

In the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, a tip of the cap to Neil O'Donoghue, whose field-goal in a rainstorm provided a 3-0 win for the Buccaneers over the Chiefs in the last week of the 1979 season.

It gave Tampa Bay a playoff berth for the first time in their miserable four year history, and it signalled a true end to the 0-26 era Yuccaneers. That year, the Bucs won a playoff game, which would stand as their only playoff win until 1997. They also reached the NFC Championship game before losing to the Rams team that would get dominated by Pittsburgh in the 1980 SB. But for a little while, the Bucs were for real.

All because of that kick.

 

[The Kansas Comet]

In the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, a tip of the cap to Neil O'Donoghue, whose field-goal in a rainstorm provided a 3-0 win for the Buccaneers over the Chiefs in the last week of the 1979 season.

It gave Tampa Bay a playoff berth for the first time in their miserable four year history, and it signalled a true end to the 0-26 era Yuccaneers. That year, the Bucs won a playoff game, which would stand as their only playoff win until 1997. They also reached the NFC Championship game before losing to the Rams team that would get dominated by Pittsburgh in the 1980 SB. But for a little while, the Bucs were for real.

All because of that kick.

Rams took the lead into the 4th quarter of that game - I wouldn't call that dominated.

 

[TheWick]

1999 NFC championship game. If my teams Anderson makes his kick, Morts never happens. 15-1 Vikings roll over Denver that year in the Superbowl. Oh well, what could have been...

The year was Jan 1999...but that was the 1998 season correct?Most upsetting FG was Vinatieri's agains the Rams in 2001...you remember the Super Bowl the refs and Mike Martz gave to the Patriots. All this was after the "tuck" rule which made no sense got them to the super bowl.

I'm almost over it

I'll hate myself but I'm going to bite anyway. How did the Refs influence SB 36? I agree that Martz coached a TERRIBLE game but what did the refs have to do with it? The only "controversial" all was a reverse of a defensive TD by the Patriots, and it was the right call.

The clock stopping when players weren't out of bounds on the final drive and muggings on routes...you know usual Patriot stuff. There was a video floating around that chronicled each offense...but I can't find it for the life of me. I'm sure you can find examples of it in every NFL game, but that doesn't make me hate the patriots any less. Its all just sour grapes...enjoy your dynasty.

I remember that site... it's http://stlouisrams.net/xxxvi/ if you want it. Interesting stuff on there.

Thanks...I rest my case

 

[Pat Patriot]

1999 NFC championship game. If my teams Anderson makes his kick, Morts never happens. 15-1 Vikings roll over Denver that year in the Superbowl. Oh well, what could have been...

The year was Jan 1999...but that was the 1998 season correct?Most upsetting FG was Vinatieri's agains the Rams in 2001...you remember the Super Bowl the refs and Mike Martz gave to the Patriots. All this was after the "tuck" rule which made no sense got them to the super bowl.

I'm almost over it

I'll hate myself but I'm going to bite anyway. How did the Refs influence SB 36? I agree that Martz coached a TERRIBLE game but what did the refs have to do with it? The only "controversial" all was a reverse of a defensive TD by the Patriots, and it was the right call.

The clock stopping when players weren't out of bounds on the final drive and muggings on routes...you know usual Patriot stuff. There was a video floating around that chronicled each offense...but I can't find it for the life of me. I'm sure you can find examples of it in every NFL game, but that doesn't make me hate the patriots any less. Its all just sour grapes...enjoy your dynasty.

I remember that site... it's http://stlouisrams.net/xxxvi/ if you want it. Interesting stuff on there.

Pretty funny stuff.

 

[Jous]

There were a couple that I thought were stretching it, but a lot of those film clips were amazing... That one facemask that wasn't called was the worst and most obvious facemask tackle I've ever seen in my life.

 

[Kevin Ashcraft]

The biggest kick in Jags franchise history probably was one that was missed by the other team.In 1996, the Jags got into the playoffs because Morten Andersen missed a 30-yard FG at the end of their final regular season game. The Jags ended up winning at Buffalo, upsetting Denver in Mile High and making the AFC Title game.

If Anderson makes that FG, KC goes instead of the Jags.Granted, KC lost @ BUFF earlier in the day, but getting in would have been nice.There were actually KC fans who wer pissed when Anderson signed here in 2002.....becuase he cost us a spot in 1996.

 

[MarshallRob]

In the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, a tip of the cap to Neil O'Donoghue, whose field-goal in a rainstorm provided a 3-0 win for the Buccaneers over the Chiefs in the last week of the 1979 season.

It gave Tampa Bay a playoff berth for the first time in their miserable four year history, and it signalled a true end to the 0-26 era Yuccaneers. That year, the Bucs won a playoff game, which would stand as their only playoff win until 1997. They also reached the NFC Championship game before losing to the Rams team that would get dominated by Pittsburgh in the 1980 SB. But for a little while, the Bucs were for real.

All because of that kick.

Rams took the lead into the 4th quarter of that game - I wouldn't call that dominated.

Yeah, that was a great Super Bowl but it's been completely forgotten. There were 6 lead changes, the Rams entered the 4th quarter with the lead, and trailing by 5 they had driven to the Steelers' 32 with less than 6 minutes left when Ferragamo threw an INT. Bradshaw subsequently threw a 45-yeard bomb to Stallworth on 3rd-and-7 to set up the clinching TD with just over 3 minutes left. The game was far more evenly played than the final score indicates.For the Dolphins, the biggest FG in franchise history would have to be the 1971 Yepremian FG that beat the Chiefs in the longest game ever played.

 

[redman]

Redskins haven't really had any huge kicks to decide enormous games.Biggest kick I can think of is the one Mark Mosely made as time ran out in a 1982 late-season 15-14 win over the Giants. That kick set the record for most consecutive FGs, basically clinched homefield advantage for the Skins (which was huge, because it meant the NFC Championship game would be played at RFK, not Dallas), and marked Washington as a legit Super Bowl contender.Theismann threw 3 INTS in the first half of that game, and the Redskins had no business even being in it. When they won the game to clinch the playoffs, they really did have that "Team of Destiny" feeling.

I was trying to think of some big FG's and couldn't come up with any either. It's odd because they've had their share of big games or rivalry games but they've never seemed to be decided by a FG. It's also ironic because they had the only kicker who ever won the league MVP award, Mosely during that 1982 season. Probably their most emblematic play as a franchise was Riggins' 40-yard TD run on 4th-and-one in Super Bowl XVII to give them the lead in their first Super Bowl win.

 

[beermutts]

Jim O'Brien's 32 yd FG as time ran out in Super Bowl V to beat Dallas 16-13.

We have a Winner

 

[aardball44]

Detroit Lions need not apply.

Lions fan here. The biggest field goal I remember from a Lions game was this one. I was 11 years old and watching the game on TV with my one-legged grandfather as Dempsey hit the game-winner. A moment I'll never forget.

It’s Long Enough. . .It’s Good!!!!

Saints kicker made history in 1970

On November 8, 1970, the New Orleans Saints were a dismal 1-5-1. The team’s head coach Tom Fears had just been fired and the playoff-bound Detroit Lions were heading into town. But as the saying goes, “just when you least expect it, expect it.” And that is exactly what happened, as the Saints would go on the beat the Lions in record fashion.

The miraculous win came at the hands – or foot rather – of Saints’ kicker Tom Dempsey. With more than 66,000 Saints fans cheering him on, Dempsey shocked the pro football world by successfully kicking an NFL-record 63-yard field goal, giving New Orleans a 19-17 victory on the final play of the game.

The record-breaking kick was the exclamation point to a back-and-forth battle between the two teams. The Lions appeared to seal a victory after Errol Mann nailed an 18-yard field goal with 11 seconds left. But after the ensuing kickoff, Saints quarterback Billy Kilmer completed a quick 17-yard strike to receiver Al Dodd who ran out of bounds at the Saints 37-yard-line with two seconds left. The rest was history.

The moon shot kick, Dempsey’s fourth field goal of the game, shattered the 17-year-old record of 56 yards set by Baltimore Colts’ kicker Bert Rechichar. Making the feat even more astonishing was fact that Dempsey kicked with a half of foot, a condition he had since birth.

“I don’t think I could kick one that long in practice,” Dempsey later recounted. “There was no wind, but I knew I could kick it long enough. I just hoped I could kick it straight enough.”

Dempsey remained the sole record holder until Denver Broncos’ kicker Jason Elam tied the mark on October 25, 1998 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

 

[shredhead]

Jan 11, 1987 AFC Championship Game: Rich Karlis kicks a 33 yd field goal in overtime to send the Denver Broncos to Superbowl XXI.

I only mention this because if the Browns would have found a way to win that game in overtime, people probably wouldn't remember or talk about John Elway's infamous game tying drive known as "The Drive" as much.

 

[noonenguy]

Jan 11, 1987 AFC Championship Game: Rich Karlis kicks a 33 yd field goal in overtime to send the Denver Broncos to Superbowl XXI.

I only mention this because if the Browns would have found a way to win that game in overtime, people probably wouldn't remember or talk about John Elway's infamous game tying drive known as "The Drive" as much.

I was sitting in the upper deck directly behind that goal post.....I still say it was NO GOOD Yea I know ...let it go

As a Browns fan I'll have dig DEEP into the archives for a "Most important succesful field goal"

 

[shredhead]

Jan 11, 1987 AFC Championship Game: Rich Karlis kicks a 33 yd field goal in overtime to send the Denver Broncos to Superbowl XXI.

I only mention this because if the Browns would have found a way to win that game in overtime, people probably wouldn't remember or talk about John Elway's infamous game tying drive known as "The Drive" as much.

I was sitting in the upper deck directly behind that goal post.....I still say it was NO GOOD Yea I know ...let it go

As a Browns fan I'll have dig DEEP into the archives for a "Most important succesful field goal"

Really??? Sorry for your pain. I hafta admit that I was wearing my orange colored goggles at the time and don't remember the specifics of how close it was to being no good. I'd like to see a replay of it now 20 years later so I could have a more unbiased view of it.I also have to appologize for being an a $$ this year on Jan 11. I just happened to be on a business trip in Cleveland for the week and broke out my Bronco garb for the 20 year anniversery of that game. I was truly amazed at the dislike for Bernie Kosar from the people I ran into that night. I felt bad for wearing my Bronco garb when I realized that the 20 year old wound has yet to heal.