Jump to content

No Punt Game - Reality vs. Myth


Recommended Posts

I also watched the game again recently. I was probably 8 years old or so when it originally happened. 

 

The OP is right. The game was tremendously sloppy for two teams who didn’t punt. There were a lot of turnovers. I also felt as though from an athletic standpoint that the Bills defense wasn’t very good in the secondary during their SB years. 

 

I also watched the AFC title game in Miami before they lost to the Cowboys and despite winning, Kelly played horribly, the Bills left them in the game, and easily could have won that game by 30. Pretty easy to see the carry over in why they got steamrolled by the Cowboys

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

The no punt game was before my time but I thought Rams - Chiefs was overhyped.

 

One of the reasons the no-punt game was so great is because it was between two of the established premiere teams of the era.  Think of how many HOFers played in that game between the two teams?  It really is a classic.

 

 

Edited by eball
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Getting in my wayback machine, but wasn't it played at Candlestick when there was still a baseball field cut in the turf?  Maybe they played their entire seasons with it that way.  I think defenses had problems playing on that field as the footing could be real dicey for reactive coverage or pass rush moves.  Almost like playing on a slippery, winter weather field where the offense has the advantage.  As the OP rewatched the entire game, did it seem to play that way?

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, JESSEFEFFER said:

Getting in my wayback machine, but wasn't it played at Candlestick when there was still a baseball field cut in the turf?  Maybe they played their entire seasons with it that way.  I think defenses had problems playing on that field as the footing could be real dicey for reactive coverage or pass rush moves.  Almost like playing on a slippery, winter weather field where the offense has the advantage.  As the OP rewatched the entire game, did it seem to play that way?

 

I also believe it was in played in SF and on a baseball field 

 

 

Quarterbacks Steve Young and Jim Kelly are the prime reasons for the no-punt game. SF's Young passes for 449 yards and three touchdowns, while the Bills' Kelly passes for 403 yards and three TDs as the teams account for 1,086 yards of offense.

 

There is plenty of offensive action in Buffalo's 34-31 victory over San Francisco, but the 49ers' Klaus Wilmsmeyer and Bills' Chris Mohr are bored. That's because neither player gets a chance to do his thing. They are punters, and for the only time in NFL history, a game is played without either team punting.

 

https://www.espn.com/classic/s/moment010913-no-punt-game.html

 

Buffalo Bills at San Francisco 49ers - September 13th, 1992

 

 

Edited by ShadyBillsFan
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What myth? It was a game where neither team punted. I don’t recall it being that big of a deal even during that season. Just a fun, early season match up between two good teams. (It was the Super Bowl match up Chris Berman predicted for years...I’ll give you that.)

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, eball said:

 

One of the reasons the no-punt game was so great is because it was between two of the established premiere teams of the era.  Think of how many HOFers played in that game between the two teams?  It really is a classic.

 

 

I watched the game at an old Bills bar, Grevey's in Falls Church, VA and by the 4th quarter, the cooks came out of the kitchen to watch...it was that kind of game.

  • Thank you (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

What myth? It was a game where neither team punted. I don’t recall it being that big of a deal even during that season. Just a fun, early season match up between two good teams. (It was the Super Bowl match up Chris Berman predicted for years...I’ll give you that.)

 

Agreed.  I watched the No Punt game so there is nothing mythological about it to me.  Just one simple fact: it was the first game in the modern era with no punts. 

 

It was a really fun game to watch with the lead going back and forth.  Next to The Comeback, this might be the game I enjoyed most in my many years of Bills fandom.  

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

 

Agreed.  I watched the No Punt game so there is nothing mythological about it to me.  Just one simple fact: it was the first game in the modern era with no punts. 

 

It was a really fun game to watch with the lead going back and forth.  Next to The Comeback, this might be the game I enjoyed most in my many years of Bills fandom.  

it was definitely one of the top 5 Bills games that I can recall.  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, JESSEFEFFER said:

Getting in my wayback machine, but wasn't it played at Candlestick when there was still a baseball field cut in the turf?  Maybe they played their entire seasons with it that way.  I think defenses had problems playing on that field as the footing could be real dicey for reactive coverage or pass rush moves.  Almost like playing on a slippery, winter weather field where the offense has the advantage.  As the OP rewatched the entire game, did it seem to play that way?

Yes and no. The 4th and 4 play was on dirt and Trumpy mentioned that. It may have been an advantage for Lofton on that play. As for the rest of the game I didn't see how it affected play. The Hanks interception of Kelly was on dirt too and he made a nice break on the ball.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yup, no punting, the rest is frankly irrelevant in that it’s entire reason for being brought up is that it was a, now what for it, ... a no punt game...

just sayin,

 

Go Bills!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

50 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

What myth? It was a game where neither team punted. I don’t recall it being that big of a deal even during that season. Just a fun, early season match up between two good teams. (It was the Super Bowl match up Chris Berman predicted for years...I’ll give you that.)

The myth is that there were no punts because the offenses couldn't be stopped. That isn't true. The defenses made plays. It was just so odd. Like I said the turnovers were mostly good plays by the defense on a day where both defenses were getting gashed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, gonzo1105 said:

I also watched the game again recently. I was probably 8 years old or so when it originally happened. 

 

The OP is right. The game was tremendously sloppy for two teams who didn’t punt. There were a lot of turnovers. I also felt as though from an athletic standpoint that the Bills defense wasn’t very good in the secondary during their SB years. 

 

I also watched the AFC title game in Miami before they lost to the Cowboys and despite winning, Kelly played horribly, the Bills left them in the game, and easily could have won that game by 30. Pretty easy to see the carry over in why they got steamrolled by the Cowboys

I watched that one too. Kelly was coming off injury and he played tough but sloppy. Marino played worse. Smith had an amazing sack on a 3 step drop early in the game where he split the LG and LT. Just an incredible play. 

Shula and Miami just choked at home. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

The no punt game was before my time but I thought Rams - Chiefs was overhyped.

 

I don't even remember the hype surrounding it. I just remember the enjoyment I got from watching it live.

It was really awesome to watch two prolific offenses battle it out. Was not disappointed.

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

53 minutes ago, Ethan in Portland said:

I watched that one too. Kelly was coming off injury and he played tough but sloppy. Marino played worse. Smith had an amazing sack on a 3 step drop early in the game where he split the LG and LT. Just an incredible play. 

Shula and Miami just choked at home. 

Correct. Kelly was coming back too early from a bad knee injury... so bad that they designed their entire passing game around screen and swing passes that day to keep the rush off of Kelly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, BigDingus said:

 

I don't even remember the hype surrounding it. I just remember the enjoyment I got from watching it live.

It was really awesome to watch two prolific offenses battle it out. Was not disappointed.

 

I wanted the suspense that someone might be stopped at some point. If I just wanted lots of scoring and lots of points I'd watch basketball. I don't. Because it sucks. 

 

EDIT: Again the above refers to Rams - Chiefs not the no punt game which was before my time and I have never watched. 

Edited by GunnerBill
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Ronin said:

 

I'll tell you what was crazy, we were at the game and afterwards on the radio they were raking Young across the coals talking about how he'd never amount to anything.  We're just laughing thinking what on earth these people were watching, dude had 450 passing yards, mostly to Mike Sherrard and John Taylor, another 50 rushing, half as much as their RBs, 3 TDs.  The rest of course is history but we were literally laughing our asses off.  

 

 

 

I was at this game too, and what you are describing does not surprise me.

49'er fans were furious when the team traded Joe Montana, and many of them would not give Steve Young any benefit of the doubt.

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

26 minutes ago, Mark Vader said:

I was at this game too, and what you are describing does not surprise me.

49'er fans were furious when the team traded Joe Montana, and many of them would not give Steve Young any benefit of the doubt.

 

Yup, that's exactly what it was.  And funnier yet because Montana was so obviously done by that point.  

 

GREAT game tho, outstanding time.  We hooked up with a group of Bills fans in the lots, some of the best tailgating next to Rich.  

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Ned Flanders said:

I watched the game at an old Bills bar, Grevey's in Falls Church, VA and by the 4th quarter, the cooks came out of the kitchen to watch...it was that kind of game.

Grevey's is closed now. It was my football bar from when I moved from Buffalo to Northern Virginia.  I did not even have a TV until Kelly's first winning season but that had more to with me getting married and my wife wanting a TV.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

30 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

Grevey's is closed now. It was my football bar from when I moved from Buffalo to Northern Virginia. 

Yup, a Five Guys now.  Kevin Grevey is sitting poolside some place nice now, sipping a cool drink, thanks to Bills fans.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...