Joe Namath walking off the field with his finger raised…Joe Montana leading the 49ers to a comeback…Tom Brady with the glitter falling.
We have memories of the Super Bowl, don’t we? It is so large, so hyped that we cannot get away from them.
In a way, however, the conference championships have been better.
Though the years, there have been more final snapshot moments in the NFC and AFC than there have been in the Super Bowls. In some ways, getting to the big game can be as special as the big game itself.
For instance.
1. The Catch: The 49ers dynasty began when Dwight Clark jumped to haul down a 6-yard touchdown pass from Joe Montana in 1982. The reception ended an 89-yard drive for the 49ers and cemented Clark’s place in history.
2. The Drive: John Elway marched his Broncos 98 yards downfield in the cold of Cleveland, throwing a 5-yard touchdown pass to Mark Jackson with 39 seconds left to play. Denver went on to win in overtime.
3. The Ice Bowl: A lot of people expected the 1967 Dallas Cowboys to finally get past Vince Lombardi’s Packers. But Bart Starr wedged into the end zone behind Jerry Kramer with 16 seconds to go, and the Packers won a game played in minus-20 degree temperatures.
4. The Pick: In some ways, the Bucs’ Ronde Barber is still running down the Philadelphia sidelines with his clinching interception in 2003. Barber went 92 yards, and the Bucs beat the Raiders the next week for the title.
5. The Vindication: Peyton Manning has had his struggles in the post-season, especially in games against Tom Brady. In 2006, however, Manning threw for 349 yards and the Colts overcame a 21-3 deficit against the Patriots, including a 69-yard drive with one minute to play.
6. The Tough Guy: In 1980, Jack Youngblood played on a broken leg as the Rams beat the Bucs.
7. The Fumble: One year after Elway led his Broncos to a comeback over the Browns, Cleveland looked as if it was going to even things up. But trailing 38-31, Earnest Byner fumbled on his way into the end zone when stripped by Jeremiah Castille.
8. The Call: You can still get a Bucs’ fan to argue about the non-catch of receiver Bert Emanuel in 2000 that cost Tampa Bay a last shot at the end zone.
9. The Choke: Back in 1998, the Vikings seemed invincible, and one of their greatest strengths was kicker Gary Anderson, who had hit all 39 of his field goals and all 67 of his extra points. But Anderson missed a 38-yard field goal that would have beaten the Atlanta Falcons, and the Vikings lost in overtime.
10. The Drop: On fourth down, Minnesota’s Darrin Nelson let the ball go through his hands on the Washington goal line. The Redskins won the ’87 title game because of it.
