Missed Opportunities That Could Have Altered NFL History

[7DnBrnc53]

This can mean a play, FO gaffe (trade, drafts), or business (franchise ownership change that didn't happen, expansion, etc) transaction that could have altered the outcome of NFL history.

To start, I want to bring up the Giant@Cowboy SNF game in Week 14 of the 2011 season.

With 2:25 left in the game, the Cowboys were up 34-29, and had the ball at their 25. Miles Austin was breaking open (but he should have went to the middle of the field a little more), and Romo overthrew him.

Then, after a bad punt by McBriar (only 33 yards), Eli takes the Giants from their own 42 to the end zone on an eight play drive. Dallas did have a 47-yard FG attempt at the end to tie (the Giants got the 2-point conversion), but JPP blocked it, keeping the Giants' season alive.

If Romo hits Austin, either he scores to put the game out of reach, or the Cowboys run the clock out, upping their record to 8-5. The next week, they wrap up the division in Tampa against a bad Bucs team that finished 4-12. Then, after losing in Philly, they beat the Giants (who now have nothing to play for) to finish 10-6 and get the 4-seed in the NFC.

I see the Cowboys beating Atlanta in the Wild Card round before falling in GB the next week. I see the Packers making the SB after beating the 49ers at home, and they win back to back against the Pats in SB 46.

As for the Giants, not getting that second ring (or even making the playoffs after blowing an opportunity to make it two years in a row) would have had major consequences. After they miss the playoffs in 2012 (after another 6-2 start), Coughlin and Eli are gone, and they get Andy Reid & Alex Smith.

Also, the Jets beat the Giants in Week 16 in this world, upping their record to 9-6. Then, in Week 17, the Jets ride the momentum into Miami and pull out a close one to finish 10-6 and get the last seed in the AFC.

In the AFC playoffs, the experienced Jets beat the Schaub-less Texans (Denver still beats the Steelers) in the WC round, but their season ends in NE. The Pats want revenge from the year before, and they beat them as bad or worse than they beat Denver (speaking of Tebow Time, it ends in Baltimore, 17-6).

With their third straight playoff, though, that does buy Rex and Sanchez more time, and Tebow doesn't go there because the Giants don't win SB 46 (the Jets traded for Tebow to generate buzz after the Giant SB win. Tebow goes to Jacksonville instead).

[ChrisBabcock]

Living in western New York I've often thought of two "what ifs" in Buffalo pro football history. What if the NFL would have absorbed the AAFC Bills in 1950 instead of the Colts? (Of even in addition to). Also, what if Ralph Wilson had moved the Bills to Seattle in the early 70s if the plans to build Rich Stadium didn't come to pass? I've heard this plan was very much on the table.

[7DnBrnc53]

Living in western New York I've often thought of two "what ifs" in Buffalo pro football history. What if the NFL would have absorbed the AAFC Bills in 1950 instead of the Colts? (Of even in addition to). Also, what if Ralph Wilson had moved the Bills to Seattle in the early 70s if the plans to build Rich Stadium didn't come to pass? I've heard this plan was very much on the table.

OfficialJaguarGator did a video about the Bills possibly moving to Seattle on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPfcHyqhjTU

That is around the time that they were thinking about building a dome stadium, but that fell through.

[Brian wolf]

During the 1968 AFL Championship game, the Raiders missed a golden opportunity to put an easy TD on the board when QB Lamonica missed a wide open Warren Wells in the back of the endzone against the New York Jets late in the third quarter.
This play was actually anticipated-predicted by NBC color announcer Al DeRegotis during the radio broadcast and pointed out on the NFL Films production of the game highlights. Instead, Lamonica believed his fullback, Hewritt Dixon would be open but the Jets defense read the play perfectly -leaving Wells alone-and double covered Dixon, as the pass was knocked down. Had the Raiders scored the TD and not settled for the FG in a close game, it may have opened their offense which had only scored a single TD during the first three quarters and could only get into the endzone the rest of the ballgame due to a Namath interception that was returned to their five yard line ... With TDs at a premium for the Raiders on this day, that missed chance with Wells may have kept the Raiders from winning and going to SB III ...

Some people believe the Raiders with their speed would have beaten the Colts in that SB but I dont believe the Raiders offensive line would have handled the Colt blitzes and protected Lamonica like the Jet offensive line did for Namath. Shula might have won this SB and never left the Colts and Rosenbloom may have never sold/traded this team to a man named Irsay ... (sigh)

[Brian wolf]

DeRogatis ... sorry

[RichardBak]

DeRogatis ... sorry

Al DeRogatis----man, there's someone I've haven't thought of for many a moon. He and Curt Gowdy were the voice of the AFL, much like Ray Scott (Packers) and Van Patrick (Lions). Great voices, great memories of the '60s.

[Brian wolf]

Though I discovered DeRogatis late due to being too young in his prime, I have enjoyed his games on NBC radio and tv broadcasts that I have collected over the years. He, George Allen and John Madden are my favorite color analysts-commentators ...

[Jay Z]

Do the Cowboys win Super Bowl V if Lance Rentzel doesn't have his troubles?

[RichardBak]

Do the Cowboys win Super Bowl V if Lance Rentzel doesn't have his troubles?

As your average horny teenager in 1970, I wish I had the trouble of being married to Joey Heatherton in her prime. But Rentzel definitely had psychiatric problems (and Joey was a little bit off her rocker, too, to judge by her latter problems).

The Cowboys won 5 straight after Rentzel was suspended, with rookie Reggie Rucker (who was recovering from a broken wrist) filling in competently. The streak only ended with that narrow SB loss, so whatever Dallas was doing w/o Rentzel, it seemed to work up until the final minutes of the season.

[JohnR]

During the 1968 AFL Championship game, the Raiders missed a golden opportunity to put an easy TD on the board when QB Lamonica missed a wide open Warren Wells in the back of the endzone against the New York Jets late in the third quarter.
This play was actually anticipated-predicted by NBC color announcer Al DeRegotis during the radio broadcast and pointed out on the NFL Films production of the game highlights. Instead, Lamonica believed his fullback, Hewritt Dixon would be open but the Jets defense read the play perfectly -leaving Wells alone-and double covered Dixon, as the pass was knocked down. Had the Raiders scored the TD and not settled for the FG in a close game, it may have opened their offense which had only scored a single TD during the first three quarters and could only get into the endzone the rest of the ballgame due to a Namath interception that was returned to their five yard line ... With TDs at a premium for the Raiders on this day, that missed chance with Wells may have kept the Raiders from winning and going to SB III ...

Some people believe the Raiders with their speed would have beaten the Colts in that SB but I dont believe the Raiders offensive line would have handled the Colt blitzes and protected Lamonica like the Jet offensive line did for Namath. Shula might have won this SB and never left the Colts and Rosenbloom may have never sold/traded this team to a man named Irsay ... (sigh)

One "what if" I've fixated on a bit over the years is the tremendous 4th qtr catch Maynard makes to move the Jets into the red zone, critical to retaking the lead. Atkinson strips the ball from Maynard and luckily for the Jets it rolls out. What if that ball rolls the other direction, or doesn't roll at all? Another Raider (Grayson?) was there and had the best shot at picking it up.