What makes a game great? | Syracusefan.com

What makes a game great?

SWC75

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Everyone agree that the Cardinals-Packers game was a great football game. It brings up the question of what makes a game great.

- Every game I'v ever heard suggested as a candidate for the greatest ever game has been a post-season game. Many regular season games have been exceptional but they don't tend be as well remembered as games where championships and the continuation of seasons are on the line.

- Games are often memorable for the way they end but that doesn't make them great. I remember seeing one "top ten" some years ago that named the Immaculate Reception game the "greatest game of all time". I watched that game and it was the dulled game of all time until the final play. Two Steeler field goals. A Raiders score in the final minute. Then the amazing play. One play does not make a game great, just memorable.

- Games don't have to be well played to be great but it helps. The 1958 NFL title game that is often referred to as the greatest game featured 7 turnovers, including 6 lost fumbles and a crazy play where the Giants recovered their own fumble and got an 86 yard play out of it. When Frank Gifford was asked years later if that was the greatest game he replied "That was a b------t game!" Of course, his team lost. Super V was another Colts championship, ended by a field goal on the last play. But people didn't react to it as if they'd seen a great game. There were 11 turnovers, 7 by the winners, who benefited by a crazy play where John Mackey caught.a ball that had bounced off a Colt and then a Cowboy and went 75 yards for a score. But it was championship game decided on the last play. But the quality of play caused people to say that neither team looked like a champion. So sometimes the quality of play matters and sometimes it doesn't.

- Comebacks are great stuff, (unless you were rooting for the team that blew the big lead, (as Carolina almost did today). But single comebacks are not as impressive as multiple comebacks. If both teams had their backs to the wall, staring defeat and possibly humiliation in the face and came back to take the lead or at least make a game of it, then the game becomes truly great. That's one factor in favor of the 1958 game. The Colts, after a Giant field goal, took a 14-3 lead. The Giants came back to that a 17-14 lead of their own. Then the Colts put on two great drives: one to tie it up at the end of regulation and then to win it in overtime. Nobody had ever seen an overtime game and, despite the sloppiness of the game. I would never waste my time arguing with a Bills fan that their record comeback from a 3-35 deficit to beat the Oilers back in '92 wasn't the greatest game ever but that was a single comeback game.

- Great individual performances can help. Aaron Rodgers and Larry Fitzgerald were beyond great in that game Saturday. So was DeShaun Watson and that Alabama tight end in the college title game.

- Adverse conditions are sometimes sited. I've seen the Ice Bowl game listed as the greatest game. The problem I have with this or blizzard bowl, mud bowl or fog bowl games as the greatest game is that these conditions prevent players from performing at their peak. the 1966 NFL championship game between the Packers and Cowboys was a much better game than the Ice Bowl. It was played in the Cotton Bowl and the score was 34-27, not 21-17. the teams marched up and down the field and it ended with a Don Meredith pass being intercepted in the end zone. Somehow, nobody remembers that game because it wasn't 13 degrees below zero. But a thermometer can't make a game great. Only the players can do that.

It's been many years but the greatest game I've ever seen started with the visiting team taking a 24-0 lead. The home team came back to make it 24-17 at the half on a hook-and-lateral play that hadn't been seen in decades. They then ted it on the first possession of the second half. The visitors then retook the lead at 31-24. The home team tied it up again and then took a 38-31 lead. They got the ball back and went on a long drive to put the game away but fumbled deep in the visitor's territory. the visitors then drove the length of the field to tie it at 38. The home team then drove into the visitor's territory to set up the winning field goal on the last play of regulation. But it was blocked. The visitors then drove deep into the home team's territory on the opening possession of regulation but missed a chip-shot field goal, giving the home team, (for whom I was rooting at the time), new life. They again drove into the visitor's territory and again tried the game winning field goal- and again had it blocked. Then the visitors drove back into the home team's territory and finally kicked the field goal that won it. Both quarterbacks threw for over 400 yards but the hero of the game was the visitor's tight end who caught 13 passes for 166 yards and, despite injuries that caused him to be helped off the field by his teammates a couple of time, blocked the two fields goals. I was disappointed that my team had lost but still felt that I'd not only seen the greatest game ever played but the greatest game I would ever see. I've never changed my mind since.

Which game was that? I'll let you investigate that. it will be more fun.
 
Last edited:
Everyone agree that the Cardinals-Packers game was a great football game. It brings up the question of what makes a game great.

- Every game I'v ever heard suggested as a candidate for the greatest ever game has been a post-season game. Many regular season games have been exceptional but they don't tend be as well remembered as games where championships and the continuation of seasons are on the line.

- Games are often memorable for the way they end but that doesn't make them great. I remember seeing one "top ten" some years ago that named the Immaculate Reception game the "greatest game of all time". I watched that game and it was the dulled game of all time until the final play. Two Steeler field goals. A Raiders score in the final minute. They the amazing play. One play does not make a game great, just memorable.

- Games don't have to be well played to be great but it helps. The 1958 NFL title game that is often referred to as the greatest game featured 7 turnovers, including 6 lost fumbles and a crazy play where the Giants recovered their own fumble and got an 86 yard play out of it. When Frank Gifford was asked years later if that was the greatest game he replied "That was a b------t game!" Of course, his team lost. Super V was another Colts championship, ended by a field goal on the last play. But people didn't react to it as if they'd seen a great game. There were 11 turnovers, 7 by the winners, who benefited by a crazy play where John Mackey caught.a ball that had bounced off a Colt and then a Cowboy and went 75 yards for a score. But tyi was championship game decided on the last play. But the quality of play caused people to say that neither team looked like a champion. So sometimes the quality of play matters and sometimes it doesn't.

- Comebacks are great stuff, (unless you were rooting for the team that blew the big lead, (as Carolina almost did today). But single comebacks are not as impressive as multiple comebacks. If both teams had their backs to the wall, staring defeat and possibly humiliation in the face and came back to take the lead or at least make a game of it, then the game becomes truly great. That's one factor in favor of the 1958 game. The Colts, after a Giant field goal, took a 14-3 lead. The Giants came back to that a 17-14 lead of their own. Then the Colts put on two great drives: one to tie it up at the end of regulation and then to win it in overtime. Nobody had ever seen and overtime game and, despite the sloppiness of the game. I would never waste my time arguing with a Bills fan that their record comeback form a 3-35 deficit to beat the Oilers back in '92 wasn't the greatest game ever but that was a single comeback game.

- Great individual performances can help. Aaron Rodgers and Larry Fitzgerald were beyond great in that game Saturday. So did DeShaun Watson and that Alabama tight end in the college title game.

- Adverse conditions are sometimes sited. I've seen the Ice Bowl game listed as the greatest game. The problem I have with this or blizzard bowl, mud bowl or fog bowl games as the greatest game is that these conditions prevent players from performing at their peak. the 1966 NFL championship game between the Packers and Cowboys was a much better game than the Ice Bowl. It was played in the Cotton Bowl and the score was 34-27, not 21-17. the teams marched up and down the field and it ended with a Don Meredith pass being intercepted in the end zone. Somehow, nobody remembers that game because it was 13 degrees below zero. But a thermometer can't make a game great. Only the players can do that.

It's been many years but the greatest game I've ever seen started with the visiting team taking a 24-0 lead. The home team came back to make it 24-17 at the half on a hook-and-lateral play that hadn't been seen in decades. They then ted it on the first possession of the second half. The visitors then retook the lead at 31-24. The home tied it up again and then took a 38-31 lead. They got the ball back and went on a long drive to put the game away but fumbled deep in the visitor's territory. the visitors then drove the length of the field to tie it at 38. The home team then drove into the visitor's territory to set up the winning field goal on the last play of regulation. But it was blocked. The visitors then drove deep into the home team's territory on the opening possession of regulation but missed a chip-shot field goal, giving the home team, (for whom i was rooting at the time), new life. They again drove into the visitor's territory and again tried the game winning field goal- and again had it blocked. Then the visitors drove back into the home team's territory and finally kicked the field goal that won it. Both quarterbacks threw for over 400 yards but the hero of the game was the visitor's tight end who caught 13 passes for 166 yards and, despite injuries that caused him to be helped off the field by his teammates a couple of time, blocked the two fields goals. I was disappointed that my team had lost but still felt that I'd not only seen the greatest game ever played but the greatest game I would ever see. I've never changed my mind since.

Which game was that? I'll let you investigate that. it will be more fun.

High stakes game
Great players
Great play
Close game
Game is won at the end of the game

Doesn't hurt if Al Michaels is calling the game.
 
Kellen Winslow was amazing in that game and had to be carried off the field exhausted.
 
The Ram/Titan's Super Bowl was the best Pro Football game I've ever seen. The Rams got out to a lead. Tennessee came back and tied it. Bruce made a heck of a run after his long catch, and Mike Jones made the tackle to finish. I thought Warner and McNair were both awesome that day. I don't remember if there were any turnovers, but I think it was a clean game for the most part.
 

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