Is "The Catch" the Greatest SB Play Ever?

[User Manuel]

Simple, which play is the greatest?

[Mr. Miyagi]

The Beebe strip was inconsequential to the outcome of the game.

I voted for the awesome Mike Jones open field tackle, saved the season.

[imbondz]

my opinion is either The Tackle, or John Taylor TD for 49ers based on that list

I would think the greatest SB play would have to be one that won the game for someone, not just keep the drive alive.

It is one of the greatest plays though, but I don't think greatest

[gr8slayer]

It's the best in my lifetime.

[Mr. Pink]

The screen pass by Joe Theismann intended for Joe Washington, that was intercepted by Jack Squirek for a TD. Washington was backed up in its own endzone and the Skins called a play that worked for big yards earlier in the year vs the Raiders.

The Raiders anticipated the play, Squirek intercepted the ball at the 5 and walked in untouched to make the game 21-3 at the half, en route to a 38-9 blowout.

That play basically swung the entire game and momentum to the Raiders favor.

Then again, that was SB XVIII and the youngsters on this board probably have no recollection of the game.

[Static]

There all great.

[Jan Reimers]

I'm a Syracuse guy. So I think Tyree's game saving catch, along with his earlier touchdown reception and his stellar special teams play, should get him more love from the media and the rest of us.

[Historian]

Jim O'Brien 's kick against Dallas in SB V

[Oldbillsfan]

The escape and catch play had more at stake than just winning or losing the SB.

[ajsdx]

that was one amazing stop-em-dead open field tackle against the titans which represented the last real play of the game.

[yordad]

IMO, if you count the escape part, I think the newest play on you list easily takes the award. "The tackle" was very close though.

[YardRat]

Marcus Allen had a pretty decent run in that Redskin Super Bowl, and Lynn Swann's catch was pretty sweet.

Manning to Tyree certainly ranks up there with the best, especially considering the circumstances at the time.

[sqad5]

Is there any videos's of these plays?

[gr8slayer]

Is there any videos's of these plays?
I'm sure you can watch them on Youtube.

[bflojohn]

The choices don't include the greatest play I ever saw in a Super Bowl. Lynn Swann caught a Bradshaw pass down the sidelines against the Cowboys, and I still maintain that that catch was physically impossible! His feet SOMEHOW landed "in bounds" and I am in awe of that catch for the rest of my life!! AMAZING!

[bflojohn]

The choices don't include the greatest play I ever saw in a Super Bowl. Lynn Swann caught a Bradshaw pass down the sidelines against the Cowboys, and I still maintain that that catch was physically impossible! His feet SOMEHOW landed "in bounds" and I am in awe of that catch for the rest of my life!! AMAZING!

[ParanoidAndroid]

I'm a Syracuse guy. So I think Tyree's game saving catch, along with his earlier touchdown reception and his stellar special teams play, should get him more love from the media and the rest of us.

He was my immediate choice for MVP, but I knew they would give it to Eli.

[RingofFire]

What about the missed FG by our Scott Norwood? Stings like a ***** but that has to be up there

[THE END OF ALL DAYS]

Bebe's catch of lett was the most symbolic

[FatalShot]

I'm a Syracuse guy. So I think Tyree's game saving catch, along with his earlier touchdown reception and his stellar special teams play, should get him more love from the media and the rest of us.Woot for Syracuse! I still live here.

[Ingtar33]

please.

it wasn't even a good football game. no where near a classic. had that game been played in the reg season everyone would be complaining about what a snooze fest it was.

And i was dancing in my living room when the giants won.

Elway's chopter-spin run vs the Pack, in hands down the most exciting superbowl i've seen in the last 20 years...

[Philagape]

It wasn't just the greatest SB play ever, it was one of the greatest plays ever, period.

Tthe other choices are normal football plays that are expected to be made, but they're memorable because they happened in key moments in the SB.

But The Catch not only was Super Bowl clutch, it was amazing, both the catch itself, and what Eli had to do escape the rush.

[Philagape]

please.

it wasn't even a good football game. no where near a classic. had that game been played in the reg season everyone would be complaining about what a snooze fest it was.

And i was dancing in my living room when the giants won.

Elway's chopter-spin run vs the Pack, in hands down the most exciting superbowl i've seen in the last 20 years...

The fourth quarter was riveting.

[LifetimeBillsFan]

Let me add a play that wasn't on the list, but I think deserves consideration (although I don't think it should end up winning): John Mackey's disputed catch in SB V that allowed the Colts to win it. For those who don't remember, in those days, a catch was not legal if a pass was touched by an offensive player prior to being caught by an offensive player unless a defender touched it in-between. Cowboy fans who saw it will swear to this day that Mackey's catch, which changed the game, was touched first by a Colt WR (Jefferson, I believe) and never touched by a Cowboy defender before Mackey grabbed it.

Having said that, what this thread shows is that there have been a number of great, clutch plays in the Super Bowl over the years and it's tough to say which was the "greatest".

My criteria for trying to sort out the candidates were: that it not only had to be a positive play (that eliminated the J.Smith drop and Norwood's missed FG) that significantly changed the outcome of the game, but that it had to also involve an exceptional effort on the part of the player making the play.

The K.King play was a big play, but I agree with FunTimes that the Squirek INT was the real momentum changer in that game. So, I eliminated that one from my list right off the top.

The Beebe strip, as Mr.Miyagi pointed out, didn't impact the outcome of the game and actually came at the tail end of a mistake by the Bills. So, I also eliminated that one immediately as well.

The Lynn Swann play was certainly the prettiest. Only the Tyree play comes close in terms of being a display of sheer athleticism, determination and concentration. But, the Swann play didn't come late in the game. Nor, in my mind, did it significantly alter the outcome of the game. At the time, in my mind, the Steelers were going to win that game whether or not Swann made that catch or not. If Swann didn't make the catch, the ball wouldn't have been intercepted and there really wouldn't have been that big of a change in momentum in the game against the Steelers. So, I eliminated that play next.

Then, it came down to the "nitty-gritty". How to narrow down four last minute plays that all directly impacted the final score of the game? So, I added a couple of additional criteria: was the play an improvisation, something that went beyond simple Xs and Os, that went against the momentum in the game at the time?

In that regard, the John Taylor catch was nothing spectacular--the drive was, but not that specific play. Yes, it won the game for the 49ers, but so did P.Burress' TD catch for the Giants. Moreover, after driving down the field as they had, watching the game, you had the feeling that the favored 49ers were going to score and win that game: the Cincy defense was gassed and the 49ers had built up momentum by that point. And, it was a play straight out of the play-book--perfectly executed, albeit, but didn't go beyond that. So, I eliminated that one.

The Elway score was spectacular and the game was great. But, Denver had the momentum and, if you were watching the game, you had the feeling that their offense was going to score and win the game when they were that close. It took a spectacular play to do it, but it almost seemed inevitable that Elway would get into the end zone. So, I eliminated that play.

Then, I was down to the Jones tackle versus the Tyree catch.

The Jones tackle met all of my criteria: it was a great individual effort that decided the outcome of the game at the penultimate second, stopping the team with the momentum in the game from snatching victory from the jaws of defeat on the last play of the game. What more could you ask for? Not much.

The Tyree play, in and of itself, did not win the game for the Giants nor did it have the finality of the Jones tackle, but it was a play that involved incredible efforts and improvisation by two players--E.Manning as well as Tyree--against a team that, having just scored, had momentum and the lead by a team that was a big underdog: it not only changed field position and momentum, it almost certainly changed the outcome of the game. While speculating what might have been is always a risky thing to do, if E.Manning had not gotten away and had been sacked on the play or thrown the ball away, it would have been 4th down and long with the Giants needing to get a first down and still drive the long field to get into scoring position.

Under tremendous pressure, having had his jersey tugged twice and three defenders get their hands on him, E.Manning was able to get away from the defense, keep his composure (not scramble, but back up and look to throw the ball), regain his concentration downfield and pick out Tyree, who had broken off his route and settled into an open area downfield. The throw was by no means the greatest throw in the world, but Manning did get the ball to where his receiver could catch it. That, in and of itself, was no mean feat...but, if his receiver didn't get up and catch the ball--or at least significantly deflect it--Manning's pass would have been intercepted by the trailing DB who was directly behind Tyree and Harrison when they went up for the ball and was in perfect position to catch the ball if it had gotten beyond Tyree--which would have ended the game with the Giants losing.

Tyree's effort in catching the ball was just as spectacular as Swann's effort had been--or very nearly so. Pinning the ball to his helmet with R.Harrison pulling down on it with his entire weight until he could get his second hand on the ball has to be recognized as an incredible physical feat--greater than Elway holding onto the ball as he was helicoptering across the goal line. If Tyree, who isn't huge, doesn't get up to get his hands on the ball or manage to keep it in his grasp, the odds are great that the ball is intercepted. But, after getting his hands on the ball and pinning it to his helmet, he somehow manages to keep it from slipping off the smooth, curved surface of his helmet as he is going down with Harrison draped all over him and has the concentration to grasp the ball with his other hand even as he is hitting the ground and starts rolling over Harrison. If he drops the ball at that point, its 4th down and the Giants are backed up in their own territory desperately needing a first down. But, instead, the Giants are in scoring position with plenty of time and have the momentum in the game.

It would still take S.Smith's 3rd down conversion and P.Burress' TD grab for the Giants to win the game, so I won't really argue with those who would pick Jones' tackle or even Elway's helicopter TD as the greatest Super Bowl play over the Tyree catch. But, I think that, if you take everything into consideration, the Tyree catch has to be one of the top 2 or 3 greatest plays. Because the play involved so much improvisation by two players and a spectacular physical effort and terrific concentration by a 5th string WR (S.Smith being 3rd string, Moss ostensibly being 4th string when he isn't hurt), I give it a slight edge over the Jones tackle--which really involved a great play by one player--but it was a VERY close call for me. Extremely close.

[LtFinFan66]

:goodpost:

[Night Train]

What about the Raiders Marcus Allen 74 yard TD run against the Redskins ? Spectacular.

[Dujek]

It was a great catch, and what made the play more spectacular is that it involved enormous effort from two players, and while it wasn't the play that won the game, if either Manning had been sacked or Tyree had dropped the ball the Patriots would now be Champions.

Still not sure if it's the best SB play of all time or not though.

[User Manuel]

The screen pass by Joe Theismann intended for Joe Washington, that was intercepted by Jack Squirek for a TD. Washington was backed up in its own endzone and the Skins called a play that worked for big yards earlier in the year vs the Raiders.

The Raiders anticipated the play, Squirek intercepted the ball at the 5 and walked in untouched to make the game 21-3 at the half, en route to a 38-9 blowout.

That play basically swung the entire game and momentum to the Raiders favor.

Then again, that was SB XVIII and the youngsters on this board probably have no recollection of the game.

Damn, I forgot about that. That was a great play.

[Philagape]

Here's what it comes down to for me: You will never see the Tyree play again.
Amazing escape and even more amazing catch on the same play.
And it kept alive the game-winning drive in the greatest upset in SB history, on third down with 1:15 left.
If it happened in a movie, we'd laugh at its ridiculousness. It was a miracle.

[Discotrish]

please.

it wasn't even a good football game. no where near a classic. had that game been played in the reg season everyone would be complaining about what a snooze fest it was.

And i was dancing in my living room when the giants won.

Elway's chopter-spin run vs the Pack, in hands down the most exciting superbowl i've seen in the last 20 years...

For people who love football it was a GREAT game. What are you, a touchdown per quarter fanboy?

Patti

[imbondz]

how can we be sure the greatest play in the Super Bowl has even happened yet?

[imbondz]

calling it a miracle is a little too melodramatic to me. a miracle would be if Appalachian State beat the Patriots.

[TedMock]

With all due respect, we already had a great Superbowl moment dubbed "The Catch." Montana, Clark and the boys may take offense to giving the same title out to another play.

[yordad]

With all due respect, we already had a great Superbowl moment dubbed "The Catch." Montana, Clark and the boys may take offense to giving the same title out to another play.That was the NFC championship game. Either way.....What do you want to call it, "The better catch"?

[imbondz]

how about 'A Catch' since The Catch is taken already. just really emphasize the 'A'

[don137]

Those are all great plays and hard to put one over the other. I think Tyree's great catch happened on 3rd down..The biggest play still has to be the Norwood miss. That decided the outcome of the game. I know there were other kicks like Vinateri against the Panthers that won the game but the game was tied so the Patriots still would of had a chance had he missed. The same goes for Mike Jones. The Rams were up by seven points so even if he did not make the tackle the Rams still could of won it in overtime.

[Philagape]

Dwight Clark's catch is nothing next to Tyree's

[TedMock]

That was the NFC championship game. Either way.....What do you want to call it, "The better catch"?

That's right. It was against the Cowboys. I forgot. Your idea of "The Better Catch" is certainly appropriate, isn't it?

Clark's catch was sweet, but the DB was behind him and he made a nice leaping grab, but he was essentially untouched. Tyree had one of the toughest safties in the league draped all over him.