10 Greatest Post-Season Pass Plays

I hope I haven't missed any, but here's my list of the Top 10 post-season passes in the Super Bowl era. I've evaluated these based on degree of difficulty, quality of opponent, pressure, guts, and "Wow" factor. Am I a homer in placing four Steeler plays on this list?

1. Bradshaw to Swann: 64-yd TD, in Super Bowl X. This, to me, is the greatest pass ever thrown in NFL history, taking the situation and opponent and guts of the play into consideration. Steelers are up by 5 with about 5:00 left in the game. It's 3rd and long. Dallas comes with a blitz. Bradshaw sidesteps one defender and hangs in the pocket just long enough to let the pass fly at the right moment, a split second before getting decked (and suffering a concussion). Bradshaw called the play himself. He didn't merely call for a pass route to get the first down and allow the offense to continue to milk the clock. No. He went for the knockout blow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9s-EFNz0i4

2. Montana to Clark: "The Catch" in the 1981 NFC Championship Game. Given the moment (49ers had never been to a SB before) and the opponent, this was a huge pass, despite it only being a 6-yarder on the stat sheet. It was a broken play, and Montana got rushed out of the pocket. Years later, he's admitted to just trying to throw the ball away. If so, he still managed to leave it in a perfect spot for Clark to catch it.

3. Elway to Johnson: TD pass to cap "The Drive." The degree of difficulty of the pass itself isn't as high as some of the others, nor was it a game-winner, only a TD that sent the game to OT. BUT...I have to give it mad props because of the opponent and the moment (in the freezing cold IN Cleveland).

4. Bradshaw to Stallworth: 73-yd TD in SB XIV. The degree of difficulty and the Wow factor are high. But the pass came only midway through the fourth quarer, and if not for a Lambert interception, might not have been the game-winner. Furthermore, it was against the Rams, whose pass defense that season was deficient.

5. Roethlisberger to Holmes: SB XLIII. How Roethlisberger got this pass to Holmes, throwugh three defenders, is nothing short of miraculous.

6. Montana to Taylor: SB XXIII. Same basic situation as Roethlisberger's game-winner. This one I rank lower if only because the pass wasn't quite as difficult.

7. Manning to Tyree: SB XLII. No points were scored on this one, so it gets knocked down a few notches. Plus, there was indeed a lot of luck involved.

8. Staubach to Pearson: 1975 NFC Divisional Playoff. "The Hail Mary." It took a heckuva pass and a heckuva catch (along with a push-off) to pull this one off.

9. Stabler to Casper: 1977 AFC Divisional Playoff. "The Ghost to the Post." One of the greatest games I ever saw.

10. Bradshaw to Swann: SB X. "The Tip." This pass and catch gets a little too much credit, because the offensive possession didn't lead to any points at all. But has to be on the list simply because of its Wow factor. It's an iconic NFL moment.

Honorable mention: Warner to Bruce (SB XXXIV); Humphries to Martin (1994 AFCCG); Staubach to Johnson (SB XII); Elway to Smith (SB XXXIII); Bradshaw to Swann (SB XIV and SB XIII); Delhomme to Smith (2004 NFC Div Playoff)

 

I think the Ben-Holmes play should be number 1. It was a game winning touchdown in the most important game of the whole season, and it was a difficult pass and catch to make.

 

#7 should be higher.

 

5 of the top 10 involve the Steelers? I don't have my own top 10 but I'd say that list may be just a little biased.

 

#7 should be much higher, If Tyree doesn't catch that the Patriots basically win that Superbowl.

 

Ben-Holmes #1
Manning-Tyree #2
Montana-Clark #3

there's my top 3

 

You said in the Super Bowl era, and post-season. Wouldn't the Miraculous Reception make the list someplace here?

And #5 and #7 should be ranked higher.

 

I would actually rank it in the top 3.

If he doesn't make that catch then the Pats go undefeated at 19-0 and are among the top arguements for best team ever. As it stands now their 18-1 record is just a footnote so to speak.

 

I can't put the immaculate reception on this list for the same reason the Manning-Tyree pass is far down it: luck.

 

personally, i'm a bit partial to the randle-el to hines pass that sent me to my knees in a state of absolute bliss and sent the sport rock cafe in the strip district into an absoulte frenzy and ended twenty-six years of frustration.

 

k, I'll agree with you that it was more luck than a planned pass play, so you don't have to include it. But that play put me on the road to 40 years and counting of Steeler fandom, so it still ranks number one in my book.

 

Ben to Holmes - #1.
Manning to Tyree - #2.

Both plays won the SB for their team. Once that Tyree catch was made, it was a certainty that the Giants were going to win. Like Strahan said, there's no way something so magical could happen just for them to lose anyway. After that catch, it was almost as if the Patriots gave up. Their will to win was broken and they looked defeated. Was it luck? Sure, luck was involved, as it is in many spectacular plays, but Manning meant to throw it to Tyree and Tyree meant to catch it, which is exactly what happened. Also, the wow factor on that play is perhaps #1 all time when it comes to receptions.

 

While not actually a pass play, the lateral on the kick-off with Wychek to beat Buffalo on the last play was somethig else.

 

what about the warner to harrison pass? that was pretty sweet

 

I think Lynn Swann's catch on the sidelines in Super Bowl x is really one of the most logic defying and seemingly physically impossible plays that I've ever seen or will see. Also the catch he made in Super Bowl 13 for a td that was a little behind him was pretty awesome too. Lynn's catches have to be among the best because he's in the Hall of Fame and only averaged like 2yds a catch for his career. But for degree of difficulty he will live in infamy. Also I think Montana to Taylor is a sweeter play than Montana to Clark. Really though this list should be called "greatest pass plays NOT involving Steelers" because obviously we are the absolute best.

 

lol Not so sure about the pass, but the catch and the run after was one of the greatest ever.

 

I think Harrison's play IS the greatest Super Bowl play of all time. Everybody screams about Tyree and all that crap but the fact is that he just put the Giants in position to score. Harrison DID score. From 99yards. With 11 men chasing him. And he's a defensive guy. And he broke tackles. And he stayed in bounds. Ok... help me out somebody... My fingers are hurting!

 

It shouldn't just be the catch that counts. The run after the catch counts. Consider a screen pass that goes for a 65-yard touchdown in overtime (of the Super Bowl). A screen pass is completely routine and unremarkable, yet that would be regarded as one of the greatest plays ever.

1. Holmes Holmes HOLMES!!!
2. Montana to Taylor
3. Manning to Tyree (gotta put SB-winning catches ahead of this, though Burress' catch was pretty mundane, save the circumstances)
4. Bradshaw to Swann (the juggling catch along the sidelines against Dallas)
5. Kurt Warner to Isaac Bruce

Yeah, four of them are on game-winning drives in the last two minutes of a Super Bowl.

I'd like to consider Harrison's pick of Kurt Warner, as that was certainly a pass play, but that's kind of a cheap technicality.

 

True. It very well might be the greatest play in SB history. The only reason more people don't pick it as the greatest is because people are more likely to pick a play that won the SB, such as Holmes catch. If I had to pick only one play, it probably would be Harrison's INT. It's especially great because he was supposed to rush the passer on that play but he picked up on something and decided to jump the route instead.

 

Also the way the rest of the defense blocked for him ALL the way. The great thing about that play was that in most cases it is usually a great play between qb and wr. But in this case it was literally the whole team in on the play. I still have the original broadcast on my dvr and have watched it a million times. With Ben and Santonio really the Oline broke down and Ben had to scramble so the whole team wasn't what made it happen. It was kinda more Ben's athleticism. With Harrison all the guys were knocking dudes out all the way.

 

Wait what about the bubble screen to ward

 

NFL Network recently ranked the greatest plays in SB history and the Manning to Tyree play is #1. Not surprising: It involved New York. That's a substantial reason why the media is so enamored with the play.

 

I know a lot of very knowledgable football fans who would also pick the Tyree play, and they are not from NY nor are they Giants fans. It was a ridiculous play and definitely one of the greatest ever.

 

But as many have said: it didn't score any points.

 

Neither did your number 10...

I would still have it on there, though. I would also put the Chargers-Dolphins hook and ladder in there, though I can see why it might not meet your criteria.

(Incidentally - and it is a very small incidentally, cos I don't want to derail the thread - but isn't what you celebrate Bradshaw for doing in no.1 similar to what we're crticial of BB for doing these days?)