NFL Retrospective - Greatest Play Ever

[ethurst2]

You've probably seen this time and time again.

To me, the greatest play in Dolphin history isn't the fake spike play. It's the Hook and Lateral from the 1982 AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Chargers in the OB.

When you take a look at this video, notice how rabid the fans are. The Dolphins were down 24-0 ad stormed back behind the passing of Don Strock who took over for David Woodley.

The video gives the younger people who weren't born then, a taste for what it was like to see that game in person or on T.V. It also shows you why most people didn't want the OB torn down. The fans were close to the field which made it hard for opposing teams.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFQLKdBKWnM

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Too bad the Dolphins came out on the losing end.  From the way they came storming back they deserved to win.

[doctord56]

I was in the stands that day with my dad in the Orange Bowl. The greatest game in NFL history.

[run_to_win]

(link)

You've done it again ethurst!  Thanks for posting that!  Don't stop!

Don Criqui summed it up pretty well, "What a play!  What a play!  Hall of Fame!  Hall of Fame!  That play goes to Canton!"

[Defense54]

 

It also shows you why most people didn't want the OB torn down. The fans were close to the field which made it hard for opposing teams.

Huge reason why we haven't done squat since Joe Robbie Stadium was built. Its designed to make money and hold Baseball games, not win Football. The stadium along with the fact most Die heart dolphins fans either moved north or became Bucs and Jag Fans is a big reason why the last time we saw a bowl was in 1985. (The stadium was built in 87). Maybe the new owner will redesign the field once we get rid of the Marlins for good...........

[ethurst2]

Huge reason why we haven't done squat since Joe Robbie Stadium was built. Its designed to make money and hold Baseball games, not win Football. The stadium along with the fact most Die heart dolphins fans either moved north or became Bucs and Jag Fans is a big reason why the last time we saw a bowl was in 1985. (The stadium was built in 87). Maybe the new owner will redesign the field once we get rid of the Marlins for good...........

I concur. When the Dolphins moved out of the Orange Bowl, the magic died. I remember Joe Robbie being in a tiff with the City Of Miami at that time. He was going to pay for improvements out of his pocket but the City Of Miami wanted a slice of the pie which meant that tax payers would have footed the bill for upgrades to the OB. They wanted a tax so they could get their share and Robbie declined.

Joe Robbie didn't want the people the pay for the upgrades.

The site where the stadium formerly know as JRS sits now was famous for people riding their sand dune bikes. We would go over there all the time and ride dune buggys and bikes.

Robbie anticipated that Pro Soccer would take off in Miami so that's why the seats are so far away from the sidelines at JRS. He built the stadium with Pro Soccer in mind.

At the OB, you were right on top of the action and it was loud. I never got to go to this game because of being lazy so I stayed at home and watched it on T.V. When that play happened, the speakers on the T.V. almost exploded. It was the perfect play for that situation. The throwing lane was perfect, the catch and lateral by Duriel Harris was perfect and Tony Nathan running into the end zone was perfect.

Even in defeat, that game was better than the Super Bowl that year. It was voted as Game of the Decade for the 1980's.

Don Shula teams, regardless of any situation NEVER quit! With the past few regimes, it's seems like there is a wedge between management and the fans. Even with Parcells at the helm, I don't feel like the Dolphins are family anymore. It's "business as usual" these days and I guess it's like that for fans of every team.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Can anyone find the play where Dan Marino hit Mark Duper in stride in the Dolphins Jets game back in 1985?

[Dave Gray]

I watched this play, and I must admit, it's phenomenal.  However, as sucky as this sounds, I think it's meaning is somewhat diminished by the simple fact that we still lost the game.  Fair?

[ethurst2]

I watched this play, and I must admit, it's phenomenal.  However, as sucky as this sounds, I think it's meaning is somewhat diminished by the simple fact that we still lost the game.  Fair?

You're right Dave, it is bad that we lost the game. I think that the most heartbreaking play that I've ever seen was Stabler falling down and shot-putting the ball to Clarence Davis who had three Dolphins around him in the Sea Of Hands game that cost them a spot in the 74 AFC Championship Game.

I think that it was the way that this game was played and how Miami was  left for dead. There was no indication that Miami would come back at all. Sports Illustrated coined this "the Game No One Should Have Lost".

Even though Miami lost, you knew that they were not going to "roll over" to anyone. When you played Miami back then, you were in for a fight and you had to bring your best.

[Marley09]

That was an awesome play! i haven't seen a play that comes close to that one! Do you have any more highlights of the Miami Dolphins around this time?

[jtex316]

This needs to be in "Dolphins Discussion"...there are several other plays that I would consider the "Greatest Play Ever". Because, that is a matter of opinion (right?).

When I think of the "Greatest Play Ever", i'd like to throw some Giants in the mix:

1. Mark Bavaro dragging Ronnie Lott for 20 yards (We won that game)
2. Mark Ingram on 3rd and 13 in the Super Bowl, breaking 87 tackles and stretching out to get that 13th yard (we won that game, too)
3. How about "THE" play in Super Bowl 42 with David Tyree's catch?

Non-Giants:

1. The "Catch" - Joe Montana to dwight clark in the NFC Title Game in 1981
2. The "Catch" 2 - Steve Young to Terrel Owens to beat the packers in the divisional playoff game in like 98 or 99.
3. The "Immaculate Reception" - Pittsburgh vs. Oakland in the 1974 (or so) playoffs
4. "Running into the night" - Marcus Allen's 80 yard TD run in the Super Bowl vs. Washington in 1983
5. "The Drive" - Joe Montana drives 92 yards, and finds John taylor for a 10-yard TD pass to win Super Bowl 23 vs. Cincinnati
6. "The Tackle" - Rams stop the Titans on the last second on the one-yard line to win Super Bowl 34
7. Music City Miracle - A backwards toss in the last second on a kickoff return by the Titans, vs. the Bills, in the playoffs in 1999 i believe it was

Notice, most of the "greatest plays' either involve the super bowl, or a huge game, where the team won. None of this "hook-and ladder but we still lost" shit.

[simeon]

Dude I think you misunderstand these post was about Miami's greatest plays ever.
Yes there are many other plays in NFL history that are better, but when it comes down to Miami the fake spike and the hook and lateral will live on as one of the greatest plays in Dolphins history. Honestly my favorite is when Miami played Dallas and a field goal attempt was blocked, and our good friend Leon Lett slid into the ball in the snow in Dallas on Thanksgiving day, Miami recovered the ball in the end zone giving Miami the Victory 16-14. Now that was a great play, or blunder.

[Dave Gray]

I guess it really depends on what you consider the greatest play...  Greatest due to luck, to design, to circumstances, to trickery?

If we're counting luck, I think that I've seen some crazy plays where the ball bounced in some ridiculous way.  The MNF Favre pass that bounced off the receivers back as he fell, rolled up his arm as he got up, and he still made the catch for the TD was pretty great.  Also, the great Manning to Tyree pass had a luck element of an ice-cream cone catch against the head.

As for design, I think that this Miami/SD lateral play was great, because it was drawn up that way and worked perfectly.

A lot of these big plays, like "the catch" weren't so great, except that they were clutch, because of the circumstances and the stakes.  Had those plays happened in week 1, it wouldn't have been a big deal.  A lot of the plays on JTex's list fit into this category.  I think that they are more "important" than "great."

And then, trickery.  There've been some great trick plays over time, including the fake spike, statue of liberty, etc.

I think that to pick the best play, first, you have to define "best".

[ethurst2]

This needs to be in "Dolphins Discussion"...there are several other plays that I would consider the "Greatest Play Ever". Because, that is a matter of opinion (right?).

When I think of the "Greatest Play Ever", i'd like to throw some Giants in the mix:

1. Mark Bavaro dragging Ronnie Lott for 20 yards (We won that game)
I don't know why people put Shockey into the Hall Of Fame but he's not better than Bavaro
2. Mark Ingram on 3rd and 13 in the Super Bowl, breaking 87 tackles and stretching out to get that 13th yard (we won that game, too)
Great individual effort but I've seen Earl Campbell literally tear up a whole defense to get the Oilers in a playoff game.
3. How about "THE" play in Super Bowl 42 with David Tyree's catch?
He deserves to be in the spotlight. Wonderful guy.

Non-Giants:

1. The "Catch" - Joe Montana to dwight clark in the NFC Title Game in 1981
Not drawn up. Total luck. Everson Walls lost track of Clark (Which is something that he always did because he was a gambler at cornerback). Even Montana said he was throwing it out of the end zone.
2. The "Catch" 2 - Steve Young to Terrel Owens to beat the packers in the divisional playoff game in like 98 or 99.
3. The "Immaculate Reception" - Pittsburgh vs. Oakland in the 1974 (or so) playoffs
Not drawn up. If Tatum would have went for the ball instead of the hit. Oakland instead of Pittsburgh plays Miami in the AFC Championship Game in Miami.
4. "Running into the night" - Marcus Allen's 80 yard TD run in the Super Bowl vs. Washington in 1983
Great improv run but Barry Sanders did stuff like this on a routine basis.
5. "The Drive" - Joe Montana drives 92 yards, and finds John taylor for a 10-yard TD pass to win Super Bowl 23 vs. Cincinnati
Cincinatti in a Prevent Defense with the decades greatest quarterback? No Chance. Stupidity on the part of the Bengals.
6. "The Tackle" - Rams stop the Titans on the last second on the one-yard line to win Super Bowl 34
Nothing special about this. What is surprising was that the Rams was supposed to beat the Titans by two touchdowns and didn't. How about the play before when McNair literally threw two defensive tackles off of him and made the throw to Derrick Mason?
7. Music City Miracle - A backwards toss in the last second on a kickoff return by the Titans, vs. the Bills, in the playoffs in 1999 i believe it was
This rivals the Hook and Lateral because it was drawn up and worked to perfection.

Notice, most of the "greatest plays' either involve the super bowl, or a huge game, where the team won. None of this "hook-and ladder but we still lost" shit.

The key is an unique play ,that is executed to perfection just like it was drawn up on the board in training camp in which all 11 men on that play did their job with great timing and precision.

Daves right. The play was drawn up just like it was supposed to work. No element of luck or fluke regardless of whether the Dolphins lost or not. A great play is a great play whether it's regular season, playoffs or the Super Bowl.

And what about the Giants last year? That game was the biggest game in Cable TV history. The HUGE game they lost (Patriots)actually propelled them to the Super Bowl. So that last regular season game which they lost to the Pats really meant nothing? It was like the light switch came on for Eli Manning during that game and it meant nothing because they lost?

A play that is DRAWN UP that works to perfection, especially in a situation where all seems lost is a great play regardless of who wins or loses.

[BigDaddyFin]

The hook and lateral was an awesome play one of the best ever in the history of the NFL. 

Also the fake spike is worthy of mention because the play not only won the game but sent the Jets into a funk for a good 5 years.

However the play that I liked the best was a Flea Flicker that went for a score from Marino to Duper in 1992. 

Also worthy of note was the "Field Goal that's not really a Field Goal" at Buffalo in 1993.  The kicking team came on the field on 4th down and then holder Scott Mitchell shifted the formation into a standard pro set.  I don't remember the play they ran but it got the first down, the drive continued and the Bills spent the rest of the game in shock, including the announcer's double take.