Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

I remember some time ago our local radio sports pundit here (Mike Francesa, who was close to Parcells) say that Parcells told him the 1989 Divisional Playoff OT loss to the Rams, known here as The Flipper Anderson Game, was the worst job he's ever done in an important game.

For some of the all time great coaches, what important games would you say were their absolute worst performances. And they all don't have to be losses. Sometimes the best get bailed out.

I would say Joe Gibbs in Super Bowl XVIII would have to make the list. He just seemed outmatched the whole way. I was going to college in LA at the time and was a big Redskins fan and felt I was the only person in town who was upset with the way the Super Bowl turned out.

Dick Vermeil in Super Bowl XV is perhaps the textbook example of being too wound up and keeping his players too wound up before the game. It's New Orleans, you're supposed to let them out to blow off some steam.

Andy Reid and his poor time management late in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XXXIX would also make the list. I remember somebody making the less-than-flattering comment after the game that Reid must have thought he was on Mormon Standard Time in the fourth quarter. (Reid is of the Mormon faith.)

I have never understood why Don Shula didn't bring in Lou Michaels to attempt a late FG to pull the Colts withing six points of the Jets in SB 3. Instead, he went for it on 4th down and the damaged John Unitas fluttered a pass into the turf.

Shula had quite a few disastrous playoff games in his career.

I believe Tom Landry could have won Super Bowl XIII if he had utilized Tony Dorsett more in the first three quarters. The same for "The Catch" NFC Championship Game, but to be fair, Dallas defense (with Everson Walls two interceptions and one recovered fumble, for example) was who really stopped Joe Montana until the final drive.

Shula in SB 17. I think you have to bring in Strock in the 3rd Qtr the way Woodley was playing.

The first of Shula's disasters was the 1964 championship game.

Others:

Lombardi: 1965 playoff game vs. Baltimore

Landry: 1968 playoff game vs. Browns or 1976 playoff vs. Rams

Madden: 1969 AFL Championship

Grant: Super Bowl IV

Allen: 1983 USFL playoff game.

Stram: 1968 playoff game vs. Raiders. 12-2 regular season and they get destroyed in Oakland, 41-6.

Gillman: Either the 1955 championship game loss to the Browns or the '65 AFL title game shutout defeat to the Bills

Coryell: 1979 playoff loss to the Oilers.

Bill Belichick’s coaching in the Super Bowl loss to the Eagles struck me as not to his usual standard. In particular, I remember thinking his clock management nearly rivaled Andy Reid’s back when the Eagles lost to the Patriots.

JohnH19 wrote:I have never understood why Don Shula didn't bring in Lou Michaels to attempt a late FG to pull the Colts withing six points of the Jets in SB 3. Instead, he went for it on 4th down and the damaged John Unitas fluttered a pass into the turf.

Shula had quite a few disastrous playoff games in his career.

Shula was criticized for that at the time. The idea was if a FG made it a 16-10 game with an onside kick coming up, the Colts would have stayed "up." As it was, they were dead with the failed fourth down pass.

Until Super Bowl VII, Shula was known for not "winning the big one." In the week before Super Bowl VII, Carroll Rosenbloom, Shula's boss when Colt owner and by this time Ram owner, said "I've seen Shula freeze up on the sidelines in big games."

Carroll Rosenbloom never got over losing Super Bowl III.

SixtiesFan wrote: Carroll Rosenbloom never got over losing Super Bowl III.

Neither has Mike Curtis and I'm sure every other Colt involved with that game. Heck, I still feel bad about that game because Baltimore was a much better team than the Jets.

BD Sullivan wrote:The first of Shula's disasters was the 1964 championship game.

Others:

Lombardi: 1965 playoff game vs. Baltimore

Landry: 1968 playoff game vs. Browns or 1976 playoff vs. Rams

Madden: 1969 AFL Championship

Grant: Super Bowl IV

Allen: 1983 USFL playoff game.

Stram: 1968 playoff game vs. Raiders. 12-2 regular season and they get destroyed in Oakland, 41-6.

Gillman: Either the 1955 championship game loss to the Browns or the '65 AFL title game shutout defeat to the Bills

Coryell: 1979 playoff loss to the Oilers.

Parcells admitted he did a poor job in the game against the Rams but how do we know that the HC did a poor job in the games you listed? They're all routs or upsets but who is to blame for those results? For example; Fouts threw five picks against the Oilers. How much blame does Coryell deserve?

Curious to know why you mentioned Lombardi in the playoff win over the Colts. The Packers dominated most of the game but couldn't finish their drives. Zeke Bratkowski played essentially the whole game in place of Bart Starr and he played fairly well going 22-39 for 248 IIRC. Tom Matte didn't have a productive game at QB for the Colts as their only TD came on a Don Shinnick fumble return on the play that Bart was injured. I think Lombardi's poorest big game was the loss to the Eagles in the 1960 championship game.