Most devastating losses in history for all 32 teams

[Popeyejones]

^^^^ I said this in a PM to another poster, but I guess it's probably worth repeating here too just for more context.

Another reason that the loss to the Hawks didn't sting as much as the losses to the Ravens or Giants (although it obviously still really stung) was that the Hawks were a damn good football team. Going into that game disconcerting fans of both teams knew it was going to be a total dogfight, and either team might win.

The Ravens and Giants were instead both above average teams that got hot at the right times and backdoored into the playoffs. The 9ers SHOULD have won both of those games, which was what made throwing and fumbling them away to end the fourth quarter that much more painful.

 

[Maulbert]

^^^^ I said this in a PM to another poster, but I guess it's probably worth repeating here too just for more context.

Another reason that the loss to the Hawks didn't sting as much as the losses to the Ravens or Giants (although it obviously still really stung) was that the Hawks were a damn good football team. Going into that game disconcerting fans of both teams knew it was going to be a total dogfight, and either team might win.

The Ravens and Giants were instead both above average teams that got hot at the right times and backdoored into the playoffs. The 9ers SHOULD have won both of those games, which was what made throwing and fumbling them away to end the fourth quarter that much more painful.

Honestly, I think there's too much recency bias in the article, anyway. I would assume most long time Niner fans probably found the 1990-91 NFC Championship Game most painful. End of the Montana era, it stopped the threepeat, etc.

 

[Popeyejones]

^^^ Yep. 14-2 and on their way to winning their third Super Bowl in as many years.

They had a first down with about three minutes left on the Giants 40 yard line and were up by 1 and Roger Craig fumbled the ball. UGHHHH.

Lott and Craig were both gone after that year, and Montana was effectively gone too. That next year was the first time they didn't make the playoffs in a decade.

It doesn't get talked about that much because it ended up being a blip before another Super Bowl win and seven straight more playoff appearances, but that was a really big one too.

Really, in a weird way I think the two NFC championship games against the Giants (basically 20 years apart) were in some ways even worse than the Ravens Super Bowl because in both cases the team was winning in the end of the 4th quarter and literally fumbled the game away. With the way the Ravens game went down, even though they lost, by the end of the 4th quarter I was even happy for the team to still be in it.

 

[Lords of Scythia]

They mention the most devastating loss for the 49ers was the SB loss to Ravens but I think their loss to the Seahawks in the NFCCG the following season was more devastating to them. It started the unfolding of 49ers to the state they are in now.

Yeah, that's how it started. For both coach and qb. It screwed Harbaugh trying to get his new deal paid the same as a SB-winning coach, too, somewhat.

 

[NINEster]

They mention the most devastating loss for the 49ers was the SB loss to Ravens but I think their loss to the Seahawks in the NFCCG the following season was more devastating to them. It started the unfolding of 49ers to the state they are in now.

Niners beat the Ravens, and Kap is untouchable.

Believe that.

That's the difference a few yards makes in this league, brutal.

You can believe the 2013 NFCC was devastating too....and it was.

But 2013 will most likely play out differently if the 49ers win the SB.

 

[NINEster]

^^^^ I said this in a PM to another poster, but I guess it's probably worth repeating here too just for more context.

Another reason that the loss to the Hawks didn't sting as much as the losses to the Ravens or Giants (although it obviously still really stung) was that the Hawks were a damn good football team. Going into that game disconcerting fans of both teams knew it was going to be a total dogfight, and either team might win.

The Ravens and Giants were instead both above average teams that got hot at the right times and backdoored into the playoffs. The 9ers SHOULD have won both of those games, which was what made throwing and fumbling them away to end the fourth quarter that much more painful.

Honestly, I think there's too much recency bias in the article, anyway. I would assume most long time Niner fans probably found the 1990-91 NFC Championship Game most painful. End of the Montana era, it stopped the threepeat, etc.

Yes, this was the most painful.

Also for a number of us, we were pretty young back then. I was only 11.

Still the most shocking loss ever.

Looking back at it objectively, the Niners were up against a huge challenge.....just on hunger and drive alone, the pressure of the 3 peat, and the fact that they had no running game going up against a legendary Giants defense.....you could argue they should have been underdogs. The 7-3 Monday Night game several weeks prior was an indication that points and yards would come at a heavy price for both teams.

Still almost won the game. Without a fake punt, and Craig's fumble, Hostetler making some nifty plays on that final drive, and Matt Bahr's good kick (admittedly concussed and having the presence of mind to alter his FG from being blocked), the Giants lose that game. It took everything they had mentally, physically, and lucky breaks to win that game. At times you just have to give it up to the other team and say it wasn't your day.

Only regret I have over that game wasn't the loss but losing Montana. That part really sucked.

Not so sure the Bills were an automatic W for the Niners either.....that part gets looked over often. Bills should have beat the Giants, and you never know how the rest of those SBs play out.



People want to talk about those 18-0 Patriots, but what those Niners did was more impressive.

 

[HOLLYWOOD]

I cried after XL. Felt jaded. Pissed at the NFL hardcore for a long, long time. Still am to a degree.

The Pats loss hurt but we were clearly the better team. I took solace in that.

 

[sutz]

Don't really care about the 49ers. As for our team, XLIX was maybe top 3 for me, but not the worst, as in hardest to forget. For that, XL* and the Raiders in the AFCCG back in the day are probably top 2, and pretty close. But if pressed in a 'gun to my head' kind of way, I'd go with XL*.

 

[Sports Hernia]

They mention the most devastating loss for the 49ers was the SB loss to Ravens but I think their loss to the Seahawks in the NFCCG the following season was more devastating to them. It started the unfolding of 49ers to the state they are in now.

You'll get very few niners fans to admit that though. One of the reasons why Sherman is universally hated by that group is the rant after the game...... But it wasn't the most devastating... Right....

Y'all seriously can't be narcissistic enough to actually believe this.

It's like saying the Seahawks' loss to the Falcons in the divisional round was more heartbreaking than the end-of-game Super Bowl loss.

The "Quest for Six" thing was really real. That the 9ers had already won five Super Bowls without ever having lost one was also a huge point of pride for 9ers fans, which also disappeared with that end-of-game Super Bowl loss.

TBH, 9ers fans still talk about Kyle Williams fumbling away the NFC Champtionship game at the end of the 4th quarter the year before they lost the Super Bowl as much or more than they talk about the Championship game against the Seahawks the year after they lost the Super Bowl. That game was a big deal because the 9ers had sucked for a decade before that season. They were finally back, and Kyle Williams literally gave a Super Bowl appearance away when all he had to do was fair catch a punt.

I've been called many things in life some of them true some of them not true, but being called a narcissist is a first, LOL.
But then again, considering the source, it's holds no value. :2thumbs:

 

[fenderbender123]

I think our Superbowl vs the Steelers was the most devastating loss. The loss against the Pats for me wasnt as big a deal since we just won the year before.

It took me almost a decade to get over XL. I got over XLIX in a week.

This

 

[Maulbert]

I think our Superbowl vs the Steelers was the most devastating loss. The loss against the Pats for me wasnt as big a deal since we just won the year before.

It took me almost a decade to get over XL. I got over XLIX in a week.

This

Yeah. Once you win at least one, it honestly makes it easier to deal with losing. That doesn't mean Ten Licks meant nothing to me, but I went into sports media blackout until the draft after Pissburgh.

 

[NINEster]

They mention the most devastating loss for the 49ers was the SB loss to Ravens but I think their loss to the Seahawks in the NFCCG the following season was more devastating to them. It started the unfolding of 49ers to the state they are in now.

You'll get very few niners fans to admit that though. One of the reasons why Sherman is universally hated by that group is the rant after the game...... But it wasn't the most devastating... Right....

Y'all seriously can't be narcissistic enough to actually believe this.

It's like saying the Seahawks' loss to the Falcons in the divisional round was more heartbreaking than the end-of-game Super Bowl loss.

The "Quest for Six" thing was really real. That the 9ers had already won five Super Bowls without ever having lost one was also a huge point of pride for 9ers fans, which also disappeared with that end-of-game Super Bowl loss.

TBH, 9ers fans still talk about Kyle Williams fumbling away the NFC Champtionship game at the end of the 4th quarter the year before they lost the Super Bowl as much or more than they talk about the Championship game against the Seahawks the year after they lost the Super Bowl. That game was a big deal because the 9ers had sucked for a decade before that season. They were finally back, and Kyle Williams literally gave a Super Bowl appearance away when all he had to do was fair catch a punt.

I've been called many things in life some of them true some of them not true, but being called a narcissist is a first, LOL.
But then again, considering the source, it's holds no value. :2thumbs:

Hawk fans trying to dictate that their defeat of the 49ers was most heartbreaking? LOL, ok.

I don't take too much offense....Giants' fans feel the same way about 1990 and 2011. I guess Cowboy fans talk up their NFCC wins over us in '92 and '93 and playoff wins in '71 and '72. Green Bay bears a lot of responsibility for keeping the 49ers from six in the '90s.

I'll put the 2013 NFCC as #3 behind SB 47, and 2011 NFCC.....games the 49ers should have won for sure. Plus, hate to say it guys but losing to the NY Giants in the playoffs historically is worse than losing to Seattle (just one game).

I was confident but the 49ers could win the 2013 NFCC, but they had lost 2 straight at Century Link in embarrassing fashion. What kind of hubris could a logical 49er fan have to expect a guaranteed win there? I was very surprised to see how strong they came out and held a lead for a very long time.

If anything, imagine the alternate universe of Michael Crabtree coming down with that throw....LOL.

A Hawks team that toyed with the 49ers two seasons straight at home, loses a real tight one after making a strong comeback.

The CURSE that Hawk fans have endured since the beginning of time.....CONTINUES....

Yeah, it didn't happen.......of course.............but 80% of .NET admits to being nervous watching that replay even knowing the outcome. I wonder why?

No debate which team would have been more broken losing that game.

It would have been the 1981 49ers if Eric Wright doesn't make that horse collar tackle on Drew Pearson, nullifying THE CATCH. That would have put the 49ers in eternal Cleveland territory.

 

[Laloosh]

I'd imagine that the 2013 NFCC is only the worst for those Niner fans that put extra emphasis due to Sherm's role in how it ended.

My buddy in San Diego had nothing but praise for that 2013 team and he's been a Niner fan for 25 years.

For me, XL was worse than XLIX easily. I thought XLIX was one of the best football games I'd ever seen, win or lose.

 

[Maulbert]

Hawk fans trying to dictate that their defeat of the 49ers was most heartbreaking? LOL, ok.

I don't take too much offense....Giants' fans feel the same way about 1990 and 2011. I guess Cowboy fans talk up their NFCC wins over us in '92 and '93 and playoff wins in '71 and '72. Green Bay bears a lot of responsibility for keeping the 49ers from six in the '90s.

I'll put the 2013 NFCC as #3 behind SB 47, and 2011 NFCC.....games the 49ers should have won for sure. Plus, hate to say it guys but losing to the NY Giants in the playoffs historically is worse than losing to Seattle (just one game).

I was confident but the 49ers could win the 2013 NFCC, but they had lost 2 straight at Century Link in embarrassing fashion. What kind of hubris could a logical 49er fan have to expect a guaranteed win there? I was very surprised to see how strong they came out and held a lead for a very long time.

If anything, imagine the alternate universe of Michael Crabtree coming down with that throw....LOL.

A Hawks team that toyed with the 49ers two seasons straight at home, loses a real tight one after making a strong comeback.

The CURSE that Hawk fans have endured since the beginning of time.....CONTINUES....

Yeah, it didn't happen.......of course.............but 80% of .NET admits to being nervous watching that replay even knowing the outcome. I wonder why?

No debate which team would have been more broken losing that game.

It would have been the 1981 49ers if Eric Wright doesn't make that horse collar tackle on Drew Pearson, nullifying THE CATCH. That would have put the 49ers in eternal Cleveland territory.

:179417:

 

[RichNhansom]

I'd imagine that the 2013 NFCC is only the worst for those Niner fans that put extra emphasis due to Sherm's role in how it ended.

And the fans that are younger than their youngest trophy. Which if you based it on the webzone would probably be about 80% of the fans that still post there.

I agree with NINEster though. They didn't really expect to come into century link and walk away with an easy win so no matter how it went down at the end of the day they knewa loss was a real possibility. Except 80% of the webzone of course.

He's also right in that had Sherman not tipped that pass, that game would probably rank #2 behind XL for us. The only caveat being that if we lost to the Pats the way we did and still didn't have a ring, it might actually bump XL to 2 and the NFCC game against the 9ers to 3. Although it is hard to believe I could hate a loss that we lost vs a loss that was stolen from us as worse. But you get the point.

 

[Sports Hernia]

They mention the most devastating loss for the 49ers was the SB loss to Ravens but I think their loss to the Seahawks in the NFCCG the following season was more devastating to them. It started the unfolding of 49ers to the state they are in now.
You'll get very few niners fans to admit that though. One of the reasons why Sherman is universally hated by that group is the rant after the game...... But it wasn't the most devastating... Right....

Y'all seriously can't be narcissistic enough to actually believe this.

It's like saying the Seahawks' loss to the Falcons in the divisional round was more heartbreaking than the end-of-game Super Bowl loss.

The "Quest for Six" thing was really real. That the 9ers had already won five Super Bowls without ever having lost one was also a huge point of pride for 9ers fans, which also disappeared with that end-of-game Super Bowl loss.

TBH, 9ers fans still talk about Kyle Williams fumbling away the NFC Champtionship game at the end of the 4th quarter the year before they lost the Super Bowl as much or more than they talk about the Championship game against the Seahawks the year after they lost the Super Bowl. That game was a big deal because the 9ers had sucked for a decade before that season. They were finally back, and Kyle Williams literally gave a Super Bowl appearance away when all he had to do was fair catch a punt.

I've been called many things in life some of them true some of them not true, but being called a narcissist is a first, LOL.
But then again, considering the source, it's holds no value. :2thumbs:

Hawk fans trying to dictate that their defeat of the 49ers was most heartbreaking? LOL, ok.

I don't take too much offense....Giants' fans feel the same way about 1990 and 2011. I guess Cowboy fans talk up their NFCC wins over us in '92 and '93 and playoff wins in '71 and '72. Green Bay bears a lot of responsibility for keeping the 49ers from six in the '90s.

I'll put the 2013 NFCC as #3 behind SB 47, and 2011 NFCC.....games the 49ers should have won for sure. Plus, hate to say it guys but losing to the NY Giants in the playoffs historically is worse than losing to Seattle (just one game).

I was confident but the 49ers could win the 2013 NFCC, but they had lost 2 straight at Century Link in embarrassing fashion. What kind of hubris could a logical 49er fan have to expect a guaranteed win there? I was very surprised to see how strong they came out and held a lead for a very long time.

If anything, imagine the alternate universe of Michael Crabtree coming down with that throw....LOL.

A Hawks team that toyed with the 49ers two seasons straight at home, loses a real tight one after making a strong comeback.

The CURSE that Hawk fans have endured since the beginning of time.....CONTINUES....

Yeah, it didn't happen.......of course.............but 80% of .NET admits to being nervous watching that replay even knowing the outcome. I wonder why?

No debate which team would have been more broken losing that game.

It would have been the 1981 49ers if Eric Wright doesn't make that horse collar tackle on Drew Pearson, nullifying THE CATCH. That would have put the 49ers in eternal Cleveland territory.

I'm real surprised you didn't call "the tip" a lucky play by Sherman who played it perfectly.
After reading your home board according to said troglydytes that frequently post there, The Hawks are the luckiest team to ever exist.

 

[Ramfan128]

The superbowl loss to the Patriots stung a lot back then, but it's 3rd on my list.

1st was the playoff loss to the Saints in 2000 - we beat the Saints in week 17 in New Orleans to earn a wildcard spot, and were playing them again the following week in the wildcard round. Our defense was one of the worst of all time that year, while our offense was arguably the best of all time that year. Naturally, I was very confident going into the game. We got down 31-7, but the ripped off 3 TDs in the 3rd/4th quarters to make it 31-28. Our horrific defense got a stop and the Saints were punting with two minutes left. They couldn't stop us and I just know we had won....

....until Az Hakim muffed the punt. Three kneel downs later, game over. This one stung because the teams we would have to face in the NFC playoffs were the Vikings and Giants, and we had beaten them both that year pretty easily. I still believe we would have been in that superbowl against the Ravens, and with our explosive offense against their historically great defense....that would have been something..

2nd was 3 years later...Division round playoff loss to the Panthers. We needed an onside kick and FG to take it to overtime, and we got it - although Martz inexplicably played for the FG in regulation by running the clock down and settling for the FG....anyway, game went to two Overtimes. In the first both teams missed FGs and I thought ours was going in - was already jumping up and down as it was dead on straight......but fell just short.

Then on 3rd and 14, the first play in the second overtime, Steve Smith takes a pass over the middle to the house. I'll never forget the empty feeling watching him run the distance, knowing the game was over and feeling like it would never end.


then after those I would say Superbowl 36. It's still I think the 2nd or 3rd biggest upset in superbowl history, so it should bother me more, but we were losing the entire game and came back to tie it late, which led to Brady's signature career making drive. I had accepted defeat early on in this game, so it just didn't stick with me for long. In hindsight it was the end of the Rams attempt at a dynasty, which sucks, but at the time I thought we would be right back in it. What came out after the game, but nobody really talks about because we're the Rams and St. Louis was too small a market, is that the Patriots held our WRs and Marshall out of the backfield all game long...the refs basically helped rob us of that superbowl as well, and of course there was something about the Patriots filming our walkthrough....but our team partied late the night before and took the Patriots for granted....got what we deserved for that.

 

[Lords of Scythia]

I tried to read this thread but could stop being hypnotized by the SF interception video. GO!HAWKS!!GO!HAWKSGO!HAWKS!!!!GO!HAWKS!!

 

[NINEster]

I'm real surprised you didn't call "the tip" a lucky play by Sherman who played it perfectly.
After reading your home board according to said troglydytes that frequently post there, The Hawks are the luckiest team to ever exist.

That was a great play by Sherman.

If I had to nitpick "luck" in that game, I'd look elsewhere.

 

[NINEster]

The superbowl loss to the Patriots stung a lot back then, but it's 3rd on my list.

1st was the playoff loss to the Saints in 2000 - we beat the Saints in week 17 in New Orleans to earn a wildcard spot, and were playing them again the following week in the wildcard round. Our defense was one of the worst of all time that year, while our offense was arguably the best of all time that year. Naturally, I was very confident going into the game. We got down 31-7, but the ripped off 3 TDs in the 3rd/4th quarters to make it 31-28. Our horrific defense got a stop and the Saints were punting with two minutes left. They couldn't stop us and I just know we had won....

....until Az Hakim muffed the punt. Three kneel downs later, game over. This one stung because the teams we would have to face in the NFC playoffs were the Vikings and Giants, and we had beaten them both that year pretty easily. I still believe we would have been in that superbowl against the Ravens, and with our explosive offense against their historically great defense....that would have been something..

2nd was 3 years later...Division round playoff loss to the Panthers. We needed an onside kick and FG to take it to overtime, and we got it - although Martz inexplicably played for the FG in regulation by running the clock down and settling for the FG....anyway, game went to two Overtimes. In the first both teams missed FGs and I thought ours was going in - was already jumping up and down as it was dead on straight......but fell just short.

Then on 3rd and 14, the first play in the second overtime, Steve Smith takes a pass over the middle to the house. I'll never forget the empty feeling watching him run the distance, knowing the game was over and feeling like it would never end.


then after those I would say Superbowl 36. It's still I think the 2nd or 3rd biggest upset in superbowl history, so it should bother me more, but we were losing the entire game and came back to tie it late, which led to Brady's signature career making drive. I had accepted defeat early on in this game, so it just didn't stick with me for long. In hindsight it was the end of the Rams attempt at a dynasty, which sucks, but at the time I thought we would be right back in it. What came out after the game, but nobody really talks about because we're the Rams and St. Louis was too small a market, is that the Patriots held our WRs and Marshall out of the backfield all game long...the refs basically helped rob us of that superbowl as well, and of course there was something about the Patriots filming our walkthrough....but our team partied late the night before and took the Patriots for granted....got what we deserved for that.

Nice little history lesson there, thanks Ramfan.

The Rams are an interesting team dating back to their LA days. They certainly competed hard in the NFC against the 49ers, Giants, etc. but never got it done in the '80s.

Just an FYI, NY Giants fans still are pissed about Flipper Anderson's walk off TD in the 1989 Divisional Playoff game.

To hear them talk about it, it's worse than 49ers over 2013 NFCC. #true story