Pyle of List

Over the next two weeks Philguard will be counting down the top 10 moments in the past 42 years in the big game. Today…

Wide Right

The most impressive Super Bowl losing streak all began with a field goal attempt.

When: Super Bowl XXV – January 27, 1991

Where: Tampa Stadium

In 1990 the New York Giants were coming off a 12-4 campaign that had netted them a #2 seed behind the 49ers but lost the Divisional round game to the Rams in overtime.  The Giants and Head Coach Bill Parcells would rip off 10 wins to start the season matching the Super Bowl Champion 49ers.  New York would drop three of the next four and lose Quarterback Phil Simms for the rest of the season in a 17-13 loss to the Buffalo Bills.  Simms backup, Jeff Hostetler, performed well enough to win the final 2 games and carry the Giants (13-3) into the #2 seed behind the 49ers, yet again.  The Giants hosted the Bears in the Divisional Round only allowing a field goal en route to a 31-3 win.  The NFC Championship game would have the Giants travel to San Francisco for a showdown with the 49ers.  Giants kicker Matt Behr would kick 5 field goals to give the Giants a 15-13 win and sending them to Tampa.

The Buffalo Bills behind Head Coach Marv Levy and Quarterback Jim Kelley also finished the season with a 13-3 record but unlike the Giants, who were regarded as a “power football” team, the Bills played a high powered, no huddle offense.  The Bills would also be able to grab the #1 seed in the AFC with their record and host the Dolphins in the divisional round, winning 44-34.  The Los Angeles Raiders would come to Rich Stadium for the AFC Championship game and get blown out 51-3 by the Bills.

The Bills were heavily favored after such a convincing win in their conference championship game coupled with the fact that the Giants had not been able to score a touchdown in their own championship game.  In order to limit the Bills scoring opportunities, Parcells attempted to win the time of possession battle by utilizing Running Back OJ Anderson along with some short passes to keep the Bills offense on the sideline.  However, at halftime the Bills led 12-10.  The Giants took the opening possession 75 yards eating up over 9 minutes and scoring a touchdown on a one yard Andersen run to take a 17-12 lead.  The Bills would answer with a Thurman Thomas touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter to retake the lead 19-17.  The Giants would engineer another drive that would take over 7 and a half minutes off the clock and lead to a field goal.  After trading punts the Bills took the field down by one with 2:16 on their 10 yard line.  Kelley drove the Bills offense down to the Giants 29 yard line to set up a 47 yard field goal attempt for kicker Scott Norwood with three seconds left on the clock.  The kick would sail wide right and the Giants ran out the clock to win 20-19.  The Bills would go to the next three Super Bowls but the one point loss in 1991 would be the closest they would get to hoisting the Lombardi trophy.