Ned Flanders Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 On ESPN Classic, debuting February 2nd, Super Bowl week. This is actually a pretty good series on Classic, one of the last reasons to watch ESPN. ESPN Classic link Anyways, FWIW, here's my top five reasons you can't blame Scott Norwood for losing Super Bowl XXV: 5. The Bills abandoned the running game. Thurman was running wild, should have been the MVP, and should have been featured earlier in the game. 4. Lost chances. Due to Giant hits, Andre Reed suddenly afraid of going over the middle. Bruce does not swat the ball out of Hostetler’s paw in the end zone, resulting in a safety not a TD. 3. Mark Ingram’s (sp?) catch on third and forever. Kept a Giant TD drive alive as Ingram broke several tackles (most notably Shane Conlon). 2. Marv Levy. Marv never had control of his troops when they invaded a Super Bowl city. Bills players have recently boasted of the partying in Tampa during the short Super Bowl week. 1. It was a loooooong FG attempt. On grass. 47 yards. Never known for a strong leg, the chances of Norwood making the kick were no more than 30 percent before the ball was even snapped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckeye Eric Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 I recall vividly that with time running down in the game during the final drive the ball was placed on the line by a ref. One of the Giants kicked it. Some would say accidently, but I would say purposefully. Not only did 10 seconds run off the clock while the ball was recovered and replaced, but a delay of game penalty should have been called. The Bills should have had more time to run another play and had a shorter FG attempt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerstm Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 wow, that seems so long ago... I was actually excited to be a Bills fan... good ol' days.. Man, I wish Scotty had made that kick! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plenzmd1 Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 I recall vividly that with time running down in the game during the final drive the ball was placed on the line by a ref. One of the Giants kicked it. Some would say accidently, but I would say purposefully. Not only did 10 seconds run off the clock while the ball was recovered and replaced, but a delay of game penalty should have been called. The Bills should have had more time to run another play and had a shorter FG attempt. 539360[/snapback] I do not recall that at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDG Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 I recall vividly that with time running down in the game during the final drive the ball was placed on the line by a ref. One of the Giants kicked it. Some would say accidently, but I would say purposefully. Not only did 10 seconds run off the clock while the ball was recovered and replaced, but a delay of game penalty should have been called. The Bills should have had more time to run another play and had a shorter FG attempt. 539360[/snapback] Bill Parcells refused to deny publicly that he had Giants players fake injuries in order to slow down the no-huddle. JDG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 I recall vividly that with time running down in the game during the final drive the ball was placed on the line by a ref. One of the Giants kicked it. Some would say accidently, but I would say purposefully. Not only did 10 seconds run off the clock while the ball was recovered and replaced, but a delay of game penalty should have been called. The Bills should have had more time to run another play and had a shorter FG attempt. 539360[/snapback] Bellichick admits in the recent book "Education of a Coach" that he instructed his players to kick the ball to slow down the no-huddle. So I'm not surprised that it was done on that drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 I recall vividly that with time running down in the game during the final drive the ball was placed on the line by a ref. One of the Giants kicked it. Some would say accidently, but I would say purposefully. Not only did 10 seconds run off the clock while the ball was recovered and replaced, but a delay of game penalty should have been called. The Bills should have had more time to run another play and had a shorter FG attempt. 539360[/snapback] No such thing happened. But Kelly hit McKeller with a pass that the refs had to review on replay. If they didn't review, Bills would have gotten up to the line an ran a play or spiked, with 30 secs to go. Instead following the review and restarting of the clock, while Bills were still in the huddle, they lost 10 seconds. I vote for the above, but also if Al Edwards gets a better block on Mark Collins, Thurman walks in for a winning TD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
34-78-83 Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 To me, it was all about #5... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 The torture will never end, will it? Every time I see the kick I lean left, sadly the ball always slides right. Last two cities I've lived in have had Norwood Blvd. Driving down the freeway you see a huge sign: Norwood Next Right. I am mocked at every turn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerstm Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 The torture will never end, will it? Every time I see the kick I lean left, sadly the ball always slides right. Last two cities I've lived in have had Norwood Blvd. Driving down the freeway you see a huge sign: Norwood Next Right. I am mocked at every turn. 539400[/snapback] LOL.. great post.. I'm so sorry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDS Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 To me, it was all about #5... 539398[/snapback] Who was responsible for that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2003Contenders Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 It really was a classic game -- in my opinion STILL the best Super Bowl ever -- despite our coming out on the losing end. Think back to how well both teams played that day. No turnovers. Few penalties... and a great cat and mouse game by both coaching staffs. I have always said also that it was unfair to blame Norwood for missing that kick and resting the win or loss on his shoulders. I would say that the biggest reason for losing the game was #3 -- but magnify to say that we lost because our defense could not get off the field. That coupled with the lack of success that the offense had early on, didn't allow the defenders to catch their breath in the humidity of Florida. I also think that if the defense had done a better job on that final drive before the end of the half, we may have taken the G-Men out of playing their brand of football in the second half. One question -- as time has dimmed my memory... That final drive I believe started out on the 10-yard line. Was there a penalty -- or just a horrible run back? I'd have to say that starting out on the 25 -- or even the 20 may have meant a difference in the outcome of that drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fla Bills Fan Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 Norwood makes the kick the Bills win Period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ofiba Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 One question -- as time has dimmed my memory... That final drive I believe started out on the 10-yard line. Was there a penalty -- or just a horrible run back? I'd have to say that starting out on the 25 -- or even the 20 may have meant a difference in the outcome of that drive. 539502[/snapback] I've always wondered that myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plenzmd1 Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 I've always wondered that myself. 539539[/snapback] I think, and I repeat i think, it was a punt that was fair caught at the ten, just like they always say your spoda do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 Kelly deserves more blame than Norwood. He partied too much...He was arrogant when the Giants challenged him...He wanted to be MVP so he didn't give the ball to Thurman enough. He may be Mr. Bill, but that loss was 90% on him. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astrobot Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 It was my fault. I recorded the game over a tape containing a Bills' loss. I've used the same tape the last several weeks. Should I buy a new tape, or tape over the Heisman show? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 Norwood makes the kick the Bills win Period. 539535[/snapback] FYI: when he lined up for that kick, Norwood had never made a FG that long on a grass field in his entire NFL career. I repeat: NEVER. As to the drive-start question: Al Edwards fair-caught a Landeta punt at the 10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TC in St. Louis Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 The kick was missed because Frank Reich failed to turn the laces forward. Any right footed kicker's ball will hook left several feet during the flight toward the posts, but since the laces were sideways, they affected the trajectory and it did not hook left at all. When the ball left his foot, I was sure it was going dead center. I had wondered why the ball didn't hook, and read an article quoting Morton Andersen saying it was Reich's fault. Next time I saw the replay, I thought, Damn! He's right. Andersen praised Norwood for not pointing the finger at his holder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDS Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 Kelly deserves more blame than Norwood. ... He wanted to be MVP so he didn't give the ball to Thurman enough. PTR 539573[/snapback] So, you think the buck stopped at Jim Kelly? Were there any spectators on the sidelines that could have possibly had a say in this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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