TL;DR
- 5. 49ers vs. Giants in 2011 NFC Championship
- 4. I'm drinking till I forget the 1999 NFC Championship
- 3. Our last game together
- 2. Helmet Catch
- 1. A Preview To History
- Notable mention
My dad instilled in me a great love for American football 🏈. I truly believe that few sports can be so entertaining as American football. I'm no expert on many sports, but I consider myself pretty knowledgeable on football ⚽️, so I feel comfortable comparing these sports.
For me, the good, fun, competitive, and entertaining football games must be something around one every 5 or 6 games. Whereas on American football, I consider it to be one every 3 or 4 games.
Please don't take me wrong; I won't argue that the 2020 Bayern Munich, the 2004 A.C. Milan, or the 2010 Spain national team were not outstanding teams, but there are few games where they get real competition. And, for me, in the competitiveness of out-of-earth athletes lies the real magic of team sports.
I've seen plenty of fantastic games through the years, and I watched a lot of them with my dad. But, to make it into this list, the game must be accompanied by some remarkable mystic for me.
If you knew my father, maybe you knew him as a longtime Minnesota Vikings. Perhaps you saw his transformation to the NY Giants after several heartbreaking decisions by the Vikings.
Nevertheless, you would always see in him the great passion he felt for the sport, and through the years, we created some weekly or yearly rituals surrounding the game.
5. 49ers vs. Giants in 2011 NFC Championship
The 49ers and the Giants have a long tradition of epic games in playoffs, but this was the first, and the last time our favorite teams clashed on a playoff match. At least when both teams were our favorite teams.
A tough slugfest, where the defensive units were imposing their will, the game went into overtime. I remember thinking that it could go to a second overtime quarter because the offenses couldn't move the ball through the field.
Nevertheless, Kyle Williams had his second punt turnover leaving the game on a silver platter for the Giants to win and advance to the Super Bowl. Eli Manning would finish up winning his second MVP against the Tom Brady Patriots.
All Niners fans are still trying to recover from that devastating loss. Our only hope is that Jimmy G can remove the stigma from that infamous number 10.
4. I'm drinking till I forget the 1999 NFC Championship
I can't recall a more impressive offense than the 1998 Minnesota Vikings. With rookie Randy Moss, veteran Chris Carter, and a second-wind Randall Cunningham they won 15 games, only losing to the Buccaneers on week 9.
They got their way to the NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons. I still remember my father's excitement all the week telling my brother and me that we will be watching history on Sunday. No other team that finished the regular season 15-1 had missed the Super Bowl; however, no team that had lost to Tampa Bay on the season had reached the Super Bowl.
Unfortunately, fate was not on my father's side. Gary Anderson, who hasn't missed a field goal all year, shanks the field goal, sending the game to overtime. Eventually, the Falcons won the game only to be kicked in the butt by the Denver Broncos.
This game also made extra special the Little Minnesota episode of How I Met Your Mother, where the show inadvertently portrayed my father's heartbreak on this fantastic scene.
3. Our last game together
An inspired run by the 49ers on the 2019 season pushed them to a great battle against the Kansas City Chiefs of Patrick Mahomes. On a game where the Niners seemed to have the control, the potent KC offense broke the game with a 42-yard pass on a 3rd and 15. The Chiefs rallied to score 21 unanswered points to win the game 31-20.
It was not a fun finish for the season, but I'm grateful to have the opportunity to share with my dad that last game. It was on a petite committee, only with him and my brother. Without any doubt, a game that I will cherish for a long time.
2. Helmet Catch
A game that gets its nickname from a play recognized as the greatest play on Super Bowl History. A game regarded as one of the greatest games and one of the biggest upsets in professional sports history. A game where my dad saw for the first time his favorite team win the Super Bowl. What else can I say?
The Patriots packed with superstars, such as Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Vince Wilfork, Mike Vrabel, Asante Samuel, entered the game as a 12-point favorite after finishing undefeated. Additionally, they already had beaten the Giants on the last regular-season game.
The game was tight throughout, with both teams' defense dominating the competition until near the end of the game. This game is best remembered for the Giants' fourth-quarter game-winning drive. Down 14–10, New York got the ball on their 17-yard line with 2:39 left and marched 83 yards down the field.
In the drive's most memorable play, David Tyree made the Helmet Catch on 3rd down, a leaping one-handed catch pinning the football with his right hand to the crown of his helmet for a 32-yard first down conversion.
I remember years later talking to my dad after he watched a rerun of this Super Bowl. He mentioned that the Giants were so close to losing the game on so many different plays that it was just unbelievable that they outlasted the Patriots. I can't believe this is not the number one, 😹.
1. A Preview To History
Last game of the year. Both teams already had their spot in the playoffs, and the result of the game wouldn't change anything. But the honor was in battle here. The Patriots and the Giants tried to make history on this game.
The game was a high-scoring battle with different lead changes through the four quarters. Finishing on a close 38-35, the Giants realized that the Patriots were not invincible. Arguably, that motivated them to win their second encounter on the Super Bowl.
I watched this game in my father's bedroom with him on the last Saturday of 2007. With a vertiginous rhythm, both teams played a remarkable game. Almost error-free, the Giants went blow-by-blow to the twelfth round.
An evident better team, the Patriots, won the match, breaking several records on the night. I think that this kind of game can sparkle a massive love for the sport.
As a side note, I remember that my best friend traveled to New York and had the opportunity to witness this particular game. How happy I was that my best friend was there, enjoying a thundering show in the last days of December on a tragic year for him. Such an unforgettable night.
Notable mention
The Tampa Toe-Tap
The Cardinals rallied back of Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and Anquan Boldin to erase a 20-7 fourth-quarter deficit to lead the Steelers 23-20 with just over two minutes left in the game. An MVP-caliber game-winning drive by Ben Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes sealed the game with a toe-tap catch on a triple coverage on the end of the endzone.
Another unforgettable play was the 100-yard pick-six by James Harrison. An eternal 18 seconds long play, where Harrison intercepted Kurt Warner on the Steelers' goal line, then run all the field to barely cross the Cardinals' endzone while the last second of the quarter ran off.
I also remember Larry Fitzgerald catching two breath-taking touchdowns late in the fourth quarter to give the Cardinals a late lead. You can see all these plays repeatedly on all NFL seasons as they present the best plays in Super Bowl history.
It was such an astonishing game that feels like a Hollywood script. I think it could have popped into my list if only it didn't happen on the same day a small fire catch on my apartment.