Teams that almost collapsed but didn’t

[CSKreager]

We're familiar with the all time NFL chokes, whether for a game (28-3) or a season (1993 Dolphins going from 9-2 to missing the playoffs)

But sometimes we see teams avoid disaster at the end and not complete the collapse.

What are some examples of the almost-choke you recall, whether in a game or over the course of a season?

Here are two examples:

1997 Vikings: started 8-2 (including wins over the Patriots and Buccaneers), then lost their next 5 games (2x to Lions, Favre’s first Metrodome W, missed 2PC at Jets), and were on the verge of duplicating the 1995 Raiders going from 8-2 to no playoffs. But the Vikes won theirseason finale against Colts (The last game they played without Peyton Manning for 14 years), barely got in, upset the Giants with a ridiculous late comeback

1989 Rams vs. Packers- L.A. nearly blew a 38-7 halftime lead in September 1989. It took an endzone Packer fumble on what would have been the tying touchdown to avoid what would have been at the time the biggest regular-season comeback in NFL history

[Bob Gill]

I'm doing this from memory, so the details might not be quite right, but in 2006 I believe the Colts started 9-0 -- not so unusual for them in those days -- and then lost 4 of their last 7 games, as their defense suddenly couldn't seem to stop the run and other teams took advantage of that. They limped into the playoffs and played a team with a strong ground attack (the Chiefs, I think) in the first round; many people picked them as a likely one-and-done team. And then all of a sudden their defense stiffened, and they ran the table. This despite the fact that Manning really didn't play that well, at least by his standards; the second half of the AFC championship game against the Patriots was his only vintage performance.

[JuggernautJ]

1994 49ers: The Niners looked awful (and I mean awful) in week 5 against the Eagles. The loss dropped them to 3-2 as they were trying to keep pace with Dallas for the all-important home field advantage; but more important was the discord that seemed to permeate the organization in that loss.

Steve Young was pulled in the 3rd Quarter and was steaming hot about it. He later said he "was ready to fight George Seifert right then and there." Having watched the game on TV I can verify that... the usually calm and collected Young was raging on the sideline and had to be moved away from Seifert to avoid a greater confrontation.
The Niners looked frustrated, inept and broken.

But San Francisco fed off the emotions of that loss to reel off the next ten and finish 10-3. Of course, they won the Super Bowl that season but on that October 2nd they looked like anything but Champions.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 020sfo.htm

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... o/1994.htm

[74_75_78_79_]

'79 Buccaneers, absolutely!!

And - thanks to Bradshaw's final stand at Shea - the '83 Steelers!

[7DnBrnc53]

1997 Vikings: started 8-2 (including wins over the Patriots and Buccaneers), then lost their next 5 games (2x to Lions, Favre’s first Metrodome W, missed 2PC at Jets), and were on the verge of duplicating the 1995 Raiders going from 8-2 to no playoffs. But the Vikes won their season finale against Colts (The last game they played without Peyton Manning for 14 years), barely got in, upset the Giants with a ridiculous late comeback.

They lose that season finale against the Colts, and Dennis Green may have been fired. Also, Peyton is (probably) a San Diego Charger, and Randy Moss may not have ended up with the Vikes if Green isn't there (maybe he drops all the way to the Broncos at 32. Scary!).

[Gary Najman]

1986 New York Jets: started the season 10-1 (there was talk of a NY Super Bowl that season), then lost their final 5 games, but grasp the home Wildcard playoff, where they destroyed the Chiefs, and then barely lost in the 2 overtime classic at Cleveland the next week.

[Brian wolf]

With the Cowboys starting their 2011 season with a 7-4 record, the Giants had to find a way to stay with them or miss the playoffs. Manning steps to the plate and beats them twice, the second time to win the division at 9-7 before the Giants sweep the table. Had the Cowboys won that final game, Aaron Rodgers might have faced off against Brady in the SB with a chance to go back-to-back.

[Crazy Packers Fan]

With the Cowboys starting their 2011 season with a 7-4 record, the Giants had to find a way to stay with them or miss the playoffs. Manning steps to the plate and beats them twice, the second time to win the division at 9-7 before the Giants sweep the table. Had the Cowboys won that final game, Aaron Rodgers might have faced off against Brady in the SB with a chance to go back-to-back.

Ugh, this one hurts the most. I knew the Giants were trouble before they got in (trouble, trouble, trouble). I was all-out cheering for the Cowboys in that Week 17 game.

Packers fans felt this way about the 1996 team. The knock on them was that they couldn't win on the road. So when the NFL scheduled three straight road games in November, it was a nightmare. They lost the first two and were down 9-0 in the third, before rallying to win that game and then never losing again. It seems weird to say it about a 13-3 team, but it did feel like an all-out collapse was about to happen.

[7DnBrnc53]

With the Cowboys starting their 2011 season with a 7-4 record, the Giants had to find a way to stay with them or miss the playoffs. Manning steps to the plate and beats them twice, the second time to win the division at 9-7 before the Giants sweep the table. Had the Cowboys won that final game, Aaron Rodgers might have faced off against Brady in the SB with a chance to go back-to-back.

Or, if Romo didn't miss a wide open Miles Austin in their Week 14 SNF Game. In that game, the Cowboys were up 39-34, and they were around their own 35 when Miles Austin broke wide open. However, Romo missed the pass, the Giants got the ball back, and went on to win. If the Cowboys win that game, they win the division the next week in Tampa, and the Giants probably spiral out of control and lose most of the rest of their games.

This also affects the Jets. Maybe they beat the Giants at the Meadowlands instead of losing, and they beat the Dolphins in Week 17, wrapping up a playoff spot. Then, after beating the Schaub-less Texans, they get pounded in NE, who still beats Baltimore before losing to the Packers.

Also, since the Giants don't win the SB, the Jets don't trade for Tebow. He goes to Jacksonville. And, after another collapse after starting 6-2 in 2012, Eli and Coughlin are gone, and maybe Andy Reid (just fired from Philly) replaces Tom.

[rhickok1109]

With the Cowboys starting their 2011 season with a 7-4 record, the Giants had to find a way to stay with them or miss the playoffs. Manning steps to the plate and beats them twice, the second time to win the division at 9-7 before the Giants sweep the table. Had the Cowboys won that final game, Aaron Rodgers might have faced off against Brady in the SB with a chance to go back-to-back.

Ugh, this one hurts the most. I knew the Giants were trouble before they got in (trouble, trouble, trouble). I was all-out cheering for the Cowboys in that Week 17 game.

Packers fans felt this way about the 1996 team. The knock on them was that they couldn't win on the road. So when the NFL scheduled three straight road games in November, it was a nightmare. They lost the first two and were down 9-0 in the third, before rallying to win that game and then never losing again. It seems weird to say it about a 13-3 team, but it did feel like an all-out collapse was about to happen.

As a fellow Packer fan, I'm puzzled by your post. What do you mean, they couldn't win on the road? They opened with a 34-3 win at Tampa Bay. They did lose their next road game, 30-21 at Minnesota, but they won the next two, 31-10 over Seattle and 37-6 over the Bears. So, going into that stretch of three straight road games, they were 3-1 on the road and had outscored their opponents 102-19 in those three games.