Sorry! But who would have thought that the Cowboys said the Hail Mary when they played ball? BC was a much better bet! Anyone have a game of Sports Trivia? Check that out!
OTHER HAIL MARYS
Although Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach coined the phrase, he certainly isn't the only quarterback to complete the Hail Mary pass. Here are some other well-known Hail Marys.
Atlanta 28, San Francisco 24 Nov. 20, 1983
Although the Atlanta Falcons have been more lightweight than heavyweight in their 34-year history, they have produced several memorable Hail Mary finishes - and none better than the play Billy "White Shoes" Johnson made at home against the 49ers.
The play was called "Big Ben" and quarterback Steve Bartkowski heaved the ball down the left sideline on the game's final play. Somehow, Johnson not only made the catch at the 5-yard-line, but he managed to dance his way past many would-be tacklers to lunge into the end zone to complete the 42-yard play and give Atlanta the victory.
Five years earlier, Bartkowski had hooked up with Alfred Jackson for a 57-yard Hail Mary pass with 19 seconds left to beat New Orleans, 20-17. And in 1991, Billy Joe Tolliver found Michael Haynes for 41 yards with one second left to beat the 49ers, 17-14, in a key NFC West battle.
Boston College 47, Miami 45 Nov. 23, 1984
Nine years after Staubach's completion, little Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie put the Hail Mary back onto the national stage.
With his Eagles trailing the defending national champions, 45-40, at the Orange Bowl, the 5-9 Flutie stepped into the huddle and called for "Flood Tip," with all the B.C. receivers going deep.
Flutie then scrambled around and heaved the pass into a group of players. The ball sailed over a couple of falling Miami defenders into the arms of Flutie's roommate, Gerard Phelan, to complete the 48-yard pass on the last play of the game and give Boston College the upset.
Colorado 27, Michigan 26 Sept. 24, 1994
Quarterback Kordell Stewart has been hit-and-miss during his pro career with Pittsburgh, but in college, he had the golden touch. Just ask the Michigan Wolverines.
Stewart's pass with no time on the clock bounced off Michigan safety Chuck Winters and Colorado receiver Blake Anders before the Buffs' Michael Westbrook found the handle in the end zone. The play officially went for 64 yards, although Stewart's pass traveled more than 70 yards in the air.
"Only a guy like Kordell could throw it that far and stay alive until we could get down there," said then-Buffs coach Bill McCartney.
Cleveland 21, New Orleans 16 Oct. 31, 1999
As an expansion team, the Cleveland Browns needed every bit of devine help they could get. And against the Saints, it was enough to get the new Browns' first victory.
Top draft pick Tim Couch, in a play called "258 Flood Tip," completed a 56-yard pass to fellow rookie Kevin Johnson with no time left for the win.
"I couldn't have thrown it another yard," Couch would say later. "I put everything I could into it and threw it as high as I could. It's a neat way to get your first one." |
