One Kick Changes Everything
Football is filled with complicated plays and careful strategies, but the truth is that some seasons boil down to one player kicking a ball. When that final attempt drifts wide, stunned silence can replace an entire afternoon of excitement—and these five heartbreakers did exactly that.
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1. Scott Norwood Goes Wide Right
Buffalo trailed the New York Giants 20-19 when Scott Norwood attempted a 47-yard winner in the closing seconds of Super Bowl XXV. Well, it sailed wide right as time expired, beginning the Bills’ run of four consecutive Super Bowl losses. Fans still haven’t really recovered.
2. Gary Anderson Finally Misses
Gary Anderson hadn’t missed a field goal throughout the entire 1998 regular season, which is what makes this particular game so upsetting. His 38-yard kick went wide left with just over two minutes remaining, allowing Atlanta to tie and win in overtime.
3. Blair Walsh Misses a Short One
To be fair, Minnesota’s Blair Walsh lined up for a manageable 27-yard kick in freezing conditions, so maybe that defeat wasn’t as easy as we all thought. Either way, it would’ve defeated Seattle in the 2015 Wild Card round—had he pulled it off. He instead handed the Seahawks a 10-9 victory.
4. Billy Cundiff Can’t Force Overtime
Baltimore needed Billy Cundiff to convert a 32-yard field goal against New England in the 2011 AFC Championship Game. With a mere 11 seconds left, he rushed onto the field and pushed the attempt wide left, unable to end the Patriots’ 23-20 lead. Instead of heading to overtime, the Ravens had to go home.
5. Cody Parkey Hits Both Uprights
Cody Parkey’s potential 43-yard winner against Philadelphia in the 2018 Wild Card is still talked about. Probably because it struck the left upright before bouncing off the crossbar and falling out. The attempt was officially recorded as blocked, but that didn’t make Chicago’s 16-15 elimination any less agonizing.
