Who I rooted for when this game originally took place: I thought it was the Jaguars, but apparently not (see below)
Who I now wish had won: Jacksonville
What happened: Pittsburgh was trailing 28-10 at the start of the fourth quarter but scored three touchdowns and came back to take a 29-28 lead. Jacksonville kicked a field goal with thirty-seven seconds left towinthe game.
Notable players who appeared in this game for Jacksonville: David Garrard (see photo directly above), Maurice Jones-Drew (see photo at very top) , Fred Taylor, Vince Manuwai
Notable players who appeared in this game for Pittsburgh: Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward, Heath Miller, Santonio Holmes, James Farrior, James Harrison, Troy Polamalu
Controversial aspects of this game: None really-- the officiating could have been a bit better
Connection between this game and Todd Marinovich: None
Turnovers in this game: Three interceptions by Ben Roethlisberger (two by Rashean Mathis-- one of which was returned for a touchdown-- and one by Derek Landri, a defensive lineman); two interceptions in the second half by David Garrard; one fumble by Ben Roethlisberger on the second-to-last play of the game.
Important plays in this game: The Steelers scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter to make it 28-23. They successfully completed the two-point conversion, but it was called back on a possibly non-existent holding penalty. They tried again from the twelve yard line but failed.
Other important plays in this game: When Pittsburgh scored another touchdown to make it 29-28, they once again failed to make the two-point conversion. This time no penalties were involved.
The most famous and important play in this game: With under two minutes left and trailing 29-28, Jacksonville faced fourth down and two at the Steelers 43 yard line. The Jaguars called a quarterback draw and David Garrard ran the ball all the way down to the 11 yard line. (See video below)
Things I remembered incorrectly about this game: I clearly remember watching this game at a pizza place. The Jaguars were wearing their home blue jerseys (not true) and their quarterback was Byron Leftwich (not true-- Leftwich has been cut by Jacksonville before the start of the season). I also clearly remember having secretly rooted for the Jaguars because certain people I was eating with were Steelers fans. A check of my journal entry from the next day, however, reveals the following sentence-- "All four NFL wildcard round playoff games went against me." Other than the eating pizza part, I am not sure what is true anymore.
Below: Byron Leftwich pictured on the Jaguars 2007 schedule
What happened next: Jacksonville lost in the next round of the playoffs to the New England Patriots. The following season, the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl.
Back in January 1982, my family and the Comfort family were busy driving one Saturday night from Colorado back to Missouri after a ski vacation in Breckenridge, Colorado. As we drove through Kansas that evening, we listened on the radio to what was surely the greatest NFL football game of all time and perhaps the greatest football game of any kind ever played. While I did get to see various highlights of the game, I never was able to see the whole thing, until recently when I purchased a DVD on-line of the entire game. I can now safely say that it was, without a doubt, the greatest ever. Here's just a few reasons why: 1. There were almost too many lead changes or ties in the game to count (I have it at seven), including Miami coming back from being down 24-0 in the first quarter. 2. The hook and lateral play (aka hook and ladder) play at the end of the first half pulled off by Miami's Don Strock, Duriel Harris, and Tony Nathan. If you haven't see this play, you're either fourteen years old, or you've been living in a cave on the far side of a mountain with your eyes closed and your fingers in your ears for the last 26+ years.
Warning: The above video is long and the play doesn't come until about the fourth minute, so be patient. For another take on the play, see below:
3. Between them, QBs Dan Fouts and Don Strock threw the ball for something like 85 times and over 750 yards.
4. San Diego tight end Kellen Winslow set an AFC playoff record for receptions in a single game- 13 caught for 166 yards. He also blocked a potential game-winning kick at the end of regulation, all while suffering from an injured shoulder and serious exhaustion. At the end of the game, he had to be carried off by his teammates.
5. The game featured three missed game-winning field goals, two by Miami's Uwe von Schamann and one by San Diego's Rolf Benirschke.
6. In the first quarter, San Diego's Wes Chandler returned a punt 56 yards for a touchdown. On the ensuing kickoff, Miami failed to field the ball and San Diego recovered the live ball.
7. The announcers were Don Crique and John Brodie, the beer commercials were by Schlitz, Budweiser, Stroh's, Miller, and Colt 45. 7-11's advertising slogan was, "Freedom's Waiting For You," (Freedom from Hassle and Delay, to be specific). The RCA SelectaVision Video Disc player was offered for "less than $500" and America's Driving Machinewas the 1982 Dodge Aries K Wagon, because, "On a night like this, you don't need a car, you need a driving machine."
8. The game also included Don Coryell, Don Shula, Jimmy Cefalo, the Orange Bowl, a wire that was hanging down from the stands that had to be cut down, thus delaying the game at a crucial point, and, one of my childhood favorites, Chuck Muncie.
On the evening before the presidential election, Monday Night Football viewers were given one last chance to hear from the candidates. Chris Berman asked each candidate a number of questions, but the most important one was what one thing each would change about sports in the United States. John McCain boldly spoke out against steroid use by athletes; Barack Obama chose to take on a different issue:
"Hockey ought to be sternly forbidden, as it is not only annoying but dangerous." Halifax Morning Sun, quoted in Michael McKinley's Hockey - A People's History
