Greatest NFL Game Ever? [with comment by Paul]

Now that was some kind of football game, so long as you think defense is nearly an afterthought in the NFL these days. I tweeted in the 4th quarter that we ought to just call tonight’s Rams-Chiefs game the Super Bowl and skip the postseason this year.

But for my money, the greatest game I ever saw remains the 1981 overtime playoff between the Miami Dolphins and the San Diego Chargers. There are numerous videos of varying length about the game (and the whole game itself) on YouTube, but here’s one two-minute highlight reel.

PAUL ADDS: I agree with Steve. The 1981 overtime playoff between Miami and San Diego is the greatest game I ever saw. Along with the legendary Colts-Giants championship game in 1958.

I’m one of those who prefers contests with defensive stops, so that would rule out yesterday’s shootout

But what I want to add is that this game was ESPN’s most-watched Monday night game in four years. The last game to top it was the Redskins-Cowboys game in which Colt McCoy led the Skins to victory. Washington fans are hoping for a repeat on Thanksgiving Day. McCoy is back at the helm of the Redskins’ offense due to a gruesome injury to starting QB, Alex Smith.

NFL ratings have bounced back nicely this year. As ProFootballTalk says:

NFL ratings declined in 2016 and 2017 but have rebounded in 2018. For ESPN to get its highest rating since 2014 is another strong indication that the league has put its TV ratings woes behind it.

It looks like the NFL has withstood any backlash over kneeling players and its anthem policy.

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