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Best super bowl Blunders
1. Kyle Shanahan, Super Bowl LI
1. Kyle Shannahan, Super Bowl LI
Offensive Coordinator, Atlanta Falcons
Shanahan's offense had a 25 point lead with 8:31 left in the 3rd quarter. Then they passed the ball 11 of 16 times the rest of the game & 8 of 10 plays with 5:56 left in the game. They held the ball for only 6:55 of the final 21 1/2 minutes while the Pats scored 19 straight points. Quinn defended it saying "That's how we won all year". He seemed to have forgot they were playing one of the best teams of all-time.
2. Bill Callahan, Super Bowl XXXVII
2. Bill Callahan, Super Bowl XXXVII
Coach, Oakland Raiders
The Raiders were a 3-point favorite over first time Super Bowl participant and defensive minded Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden noticed the Raiders were using the same play call signals they had scouted them using and Gruden was familiar with the offensive system and MVP QB Rich Gannon. The Bucs picked off Gannon 5 times and returned 3 of them for TD's in a 48-21 pounding behind their top ranked defense which didn't need this type of help by having the script.
3. Asante Samuel, Super Bowl XLII
3. Asante Samuel, Super Bowl XLII
Cornerback, New England Patriots
Samuel was perhaps the best cover corner in the NFL in 2007 and the anchor of the Patriots secondary. But with less than one minute remaining on 2nd and 5 he missed an interception thrown right into his hands by Eli Manning. David Tyree made his famous helmet catch on the next play and Plaxico Burris the winning score moments later dooming the Pats 19-0 aspirations.
4. Wes Welker, Super Bowl XLVI
4. Wes Welker, Super Bowl XLVII
Wide Receiver, New England Patriots
On 3rd down from the Giants 41 yards line the Pats were leading the Giants 17-15 with less than 3 minutes remaining. Tom Brady threw a 20 yard, potential first down pass to Welker which promised to put New England in at least field goal range and a chance to drain the clock. But the promise was broken when Welker dropped the pass, a catch he later said "I'd make 90% of the time". The Giants won 21-17.
5. John Kasay, Super Bowl XXXVIII
5. John Kasay, Super Bowl XXXVIII
Kicker, Carolina Panthers
With 1 minute, 4 seconds remaining the Panthers tied the score at 29-29 versus the Patriots. But reliable veteran kicker Kasay shanked the ensuing kickoff out of bounds as the ball barely reached the 20 yard line. From the 40-yard line the Patriots took advantage of the mistake and drove the ball a short distance for a last second Adam Vinatieri 41-yard field goal with seconds left for the 32-29 win.
6. Jackie Smith, Super Bowl XIII
6. Jackie Smith, Super Bowl XIII
Tight End, Dallas Cowboys
Dallas trailed the Steelers by 7 points late in the third quarter when sure-handed, future Hall of Famer Smith dropped the game tying touchdown in the end zone on third down. He was wide open on the play. Dallas settled for a field goal to draw within 4. Pittsburgh ultimately won by the 4 points Smith left off the board, 35-31. Smith is 143rd in all-time receptions with 480 averaging 17 yards per catch.
7. Donovan McNabb, Super Bowl XXXIX
7. Donovan McNabb, Super Bowl XXXIX
Quarterback, Philadelphia Eagles
A New England field goal with 8:40 remaining in the game left the Eagles trailing 24-14. On the next 2 drives Eagles QB McNabb lethargically squandered the remaining clock time, mismanaged timeouts and ran no hurry up offense in a complete lack of urgency. The Eagles lost 24-21. That's why Montana, Bradshaw, Brady and Eli Manning are Super Bowl greats.
8. Hank Baskett, Super Bowl XLIV
8. Hank Baskett, Super Bowl XLIV
Wide Receiver, Indianapolis Colts
With the Colts leading the Saints 10-6 at halftime Saints Coach Sean Payton decided to make the gutsiest call in Super Bowl history by trying an onside kick. It was a good kick with a good bounce but it bounced right into the gut of Colts receiver Hank Baskett who could not control the ball. The Saints recovered, scored a touchdown on the next drive and ran the momentum to a 31-17 victory. It was the turning point in the game.
9. E. Robinson, Falcons
9. Eugene Robinson, Barrett Jackson, Stanley Wilson
Super Bowls XXIII, XXXIII & XXXVII
3 players marred Super Bowl history by being "Missing in Action". Bengals starting FB Stanley Wilson spent the night before the game on drugs and was not active for Super Bowl XXIII. The Bengals lost 20-16. The day before Super Bowl XXXIII the Falcons Eugene Robinson received the NFL's Bart Starr Award for "Morale Character". That night he was arrested for soliciting prostitution. He played very poorly in the game and the Falcons lost 34-19. During Super Bowl XXXVII Barett Robbins was inexplicably simply "missing". Warren Sapp's Bucs "D" took advantage of the absence of the starting center. The Raiders lost 48-21.
9. E. Robinson, Falcons
10. Pete Carroll, Super Bowl XLIX
Coach, Seattle Seahawks
With 20 seconds left in the game the Seahawks were at the Patriots 1-yard line, down by 5 points. With 2 time outs left the world looked for RB Mashawn Lynch to carry the next play to victory. Instead, Russell Wilson threw an interception and New England prevailed. With 2 timeouts left the Seahawks would have had to pass on one of three plays or this would have ranked higher.
9. E. Robinson, Falcons
11. Thurman Thomas, Super Bowl XXVI
Running Back, Buffalo Bills
As the Bills prepared to play their 2nd straight Super Bowl they seemed confident, a state which would not last long. As the game started their star RB Thomas lost his helmet and missed the first play from scrimmage as a result. Then Thomas proceeded to lose his head. He remained distracted, in a daze, and finished with 10 yards on 13 carries. Washington won 37-24.
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