Throughout the course of NFL history, plenty of players have put their teams on their backs and led them to glory. From Joe Montana to Joe Flacco, we've seen heroic performances throughout history. We've also seen the opposite, performances that have cost teams games, playoff spots and even Super Bowls. These mistakes have made these players scapegoats, and alter the history of the sport. These athletes will never be seen as champions or the best players to play the sport, instead they will be forever known as goats. We're counting down the top 10 players who became scapegoats for their teams.
Honorable Mention: Marion Barber, Chicago Bears
As someone from the Chicagoland area, this one is very clear in my memory. On December 11, 2011, the Bears, under the lack-of-leadership of Caleb Hanie, who is also a goat for this season, went to Denver to play the Broncos. The team was 7-3 and on a when Jay Cutler got injured, and immediately dropped two games against very bad teams in the Raiders and Chiefs. Against Tim Tebow and the Broncos, however, the team was in a spot to win, which would keep them very much afloat in the playoff race at 8-5. But late in the game, Barber took a hand-off and went out of bounds, stopping the clock. This gave the ball back to Tebow, who picked apart the Bears' prevent defense to set up a game-tying field goal by Matt Prater. Were that all, he wouldn't be on this list. But in the overtime period, Barber fumbled, giving the Broncos the ball and the win. Thanks to this game, the Broncos made the playoffs and defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in a wild, overtime game, and the Bears finished 8-8, and missed out on a playoff berth.
Honorable Mention: Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks
In 2003, the Seahawks visited the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card round. The Seahawks won the coin toss in overtime. Hasselbeck, a team captain, told the referee, "We want the ball, and we're gonna score." Unfortunately for the team, Hasselbeck threw a comeback route to the sideline near midfield, which was intercepted by Al Harris and returned for a touchdown. He wouldn't be on the list if he didn't make the bold statement, but I give him a pass since he made a Super Bowl just a few years later with the organization.
10. Leon Lett, Dallas Cowboys
Leon Lett gets a really bad wrap. It is all well-deserved. Lett is known for two major mishaps, but only one of them cost his team a game. While his Super Bowl mistake was awful, his Thanksgiving Day error cost his team the game. Lett didn't know that a ball blocked on a field goal attempt can not be advanced by the kicking team. Lett slid right in the middle of a giant group of Miami Dolphin players, touching the ball and giving the Dolphins another chance at an even easier field goal, which was made, giving the Dolphins the gifted win.
9. Matt Dodge, New York Giants
To blame Dodge for the epic collapse of the Giants is unfair, but the fact is that his huge mistake at the end of the game dubbed "Miracle at the New Meadowlands" was the straw that broke the Giants' back. Dodge got a clean snap from LS Zach DeOssie, and shanked the ball low off of his foot into the middle of the field. After DeSean Jackson bobbled it, he cut through the Giants' defense, including Dodge who overpursued, and scored the touchdown that capped off a frantic 21-point comeback. It helped the Eagles make the playoffs and ruined the Giants' playoff chances.
8. Earl Morrall, Baltimore Colts/Miami Dolphins
Earl Morrall was the ultimate backup quarterback. Morrall sat behind Johnny Unitas in Baltimore and Bob Griese in Miami. In both cities, Morrall had great success, but also failed. Morrall took over for an injured Unitas in 1968, and went 13-1 and won two playoff games to get his team to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately for Morrall, the Super Bowl was Super Bowl III, and his bad play in that game led to Joe Namath and the New York Jets winning 16-7, and forever changing the game. In Miami, Morrall quarterbacked the team to 11 straight wins, en route to their perfect season. Unfortunately for Morrall, he played so bad in the AFL Championship game that he was benched for the returning Griese, who won the Super Bowl, pushing Morrall to the shadows.
7. Jim Kelly, Buffalo Bills
For all of Jim Kelly's success, and his heartwarming story of fighting cancer, his play in one specific Super Bowl left a lot to be desired. In Super Bowl XXVI against the Redskins, Kelly was just plain bad, throwing four interceptions and losing a fumble. His mistakes put the Bills into a 24-0 hole that they could not comeback from, despite scoring 24 second half points. Kelly can not be blamed for some Super Bowl failures, but a five turnover performance will leave a lot of people upset.
6. Brett Favre, Green Bay Packers/Minnesota Vikings
Brett Favre turned his back on the Green Bay Packers by joining the Vikings. Surprisingly, Favre turned back the clock in 2009, dominating the NFC and getting the Vikings to the NFC Championship Game. He kept his team neck-and-neck with the explosive New Orleans Saints, and had them driving to win very late in the game. Favre broke one of the cardinal rules of quarterbacking and threw across his body into the middle of the field. The pass was intercepted by Tracy Porter, who would also intercept Peyton Manning in the Super Bowl two weeks later, and Favre never got another chance at the ball. But when he was with the Packers, he made nearly the same mistake. In overtime of the 2007 NFC Championship Game, Favre threw an errant pass on the second play of overtime to the Giants' Corey Webster, which led to Lawrence Tynes' game-winning field goal. Favre is a champion, broke many records, and led these two franchises farther than most would have imagined, so I cut him some slack here. But he could easily be up closer to #1.
5. Hank Baskett, Indianapolis Colts
The Saints really made a lot of players look bad on their way to winning Super Bowl XLIV. After Favre's interception, the Saints played the Indianapolis Colts in the big game. The first play of the second half will live in infamy, as the Saints opted for a surprise onside kick. The kick was successful, and the Saints took the ball and dominated the entire second half on their way to the championship. But one man had a chance at stopping all of that from happening. Hank Baskett. Baskett got both hands on the ball, but couldn't hang on and allowed a scrum to form, which ended with the Saints on top of it. Were Baskett to corral the ball, the Colts could attempt to add to their halftime lead, and could have gained momentum, which could have stopped the Saints.
4. Wes Welker, New England Patriots
With the Patriots winning Super Bowl XLVI, Tom Brady lofted a pass to Welker, who was wide-open. The throw was just a touch high, but hit Welker right in the hands. And he dropped it. Welker was immediately put to blame for the play, despite the throw not being perfect. The Giants would force a punt, rely on Mario Manningham to get them down the field, and Ahmad Bradshaw scored the game-winning touchdown, to give the Giants another Super Bowl. Without Welker's drop, the Patriots would have won.
3. Jackie Smith, Dallas Cowboys
Super Bowl XIII pitted the Cowboys and Steelers in an epic game. In the third quarter, Roger Staubach threw a low pass to Smith, who was wide open. Smith saw the ball bounce off his chest and incomplete, leading to a Cowboy field goal. That four point difference ended up being the difference in the game, as the Steelers scored 35 points behind Terry Bradshaw, and won 35-31.
2. Kyle Williams, San Francisco 49ers
In the 2012 NFC Championship Game, two weeks before Welker's drop against the Giants, the 49ers had a great chance to win the NFC. On a fourth quarter punt, second-year wide receiver Kyle Williams accidentally touched a punt that the Giants recovered. On the ensuing drive, they scored the go-ahead touchdown. Luckily for Williams, his team picked him up and tied the game. The defense forced a punt in overtime, and Williams cleaned this kick cleanly. Unfortunately for Williams, he had the ball knocked out of his hands, leading to Tynes making history and winning a second Conference Championship game with a field goal in overtime, the first at the expense of Favre, the second on Williams.
1. Scott Norwood, Buffalo Bills
Norwood will always be remembered for his missed field goal in Super Bowl XXV. Norwood missed the 47-yard field goal wide right, despite coach Marv Levy knowing of Norwood's inability to kick field goals on grass. Norwood was 1-of-5 on 40+ yard field goals on grass in his career. Norwood got the distance, but sent it wide and gave the Super Bowl to the Giants, who must be considered the luckiest team in the league based on the list.
