CHICAGO STEALS CROWN JEWELS!MIA 22; CHI 25 (OT)
Miami, playing at “home” against Chicago in Tampa Bay (Paid Attendance: 61,287/93%), took to the field ready to receive what many East Coast pundits believed would be their “Crowning” moment and a NFL 2037 Championship.
With determination, Miami (
Legendruthless) opened up the scoring with a 8 minute, 16 play, 87 yard march to the endzone. In a lone moment of confusion for either team, Chicago HC Dan Hadley had to quickly recall the FG unit and put in a 4/3 2 linebacker blitz package to try to stop Miami’s 2 point conversion. They failed. Miami 8, Chicago 0. Every person watching knew at that moment that the Sunshine State brought the entire toolbox and not just the hammer.
(DRIVE:
https://vikings.myfootballnow.com/watch/6327#1091935)
“Not sure what that was all about, honestly” stated HC Dan Hadley in the post game press conference. “Having spoken with DC Jorge Everhart before the game, we discussed this. We discussed not putting a point after unit on the field until we saw if they were kicking or converting.”
Chicago (
brxnivy) was clearly having a difficult time getting rid of the post travel fog and proceeded to take their next possession 6 plays for 16 yards and a punt. Miami
QB Shaun Horton took to the field and promptly recorded the first interception of the game (
https://vikings.myfootballnow.com/watch/6327#1091964). Unable to take advantage, Chicago was only able to follow up with a field goal.
MIA 8 CHI 3.
With 12:39 remaining in the second quarter, Miami again began a relentless drive towards the end zone. Chicago, overly dedicated to the OLB Flat Zone (used 7 of 8 plays) continued to remain suspect to zero and 1 TE formations and finally gave up the second TD of the Crown Showdown after an 8/75 yd drive bringing the score to 14-3. Once again Miami lined up for 2. This time Chicago’s man blitz 2 package was able to stop the conversion.
(DRIVE:
https://vikings.myfootballnow.com/watch/6327#1091969)
Chicago continued to putter their way through the 1st half, with offensive drives of 16/16/4/2/0/14, the two teams headed into the halftime locker room 14-6 with CHI having only scored 2 FGs, each the benefit of interceptions thrown by Miami. It seemed pretty clear that barring a seismic shift of willpower, Chicago was in serious danger of losing, and losing badly.
As Mike + the Mechanics warbled their way through an over-stressed and under amplified PA system about still needing a miracle 37 years later, Chicago was busy planning the next one and re-took the field with a renewed vigor.
Reflecting upon the moment post-game, Chicago
QB Kenneth Hansen clamored; “Look it wasn’t nothing special. Coach did his thing, we refreshed ourselves with a shared tub o’ Icy Hot and a chest fridge full of Polar Vortex Rehydration Supplementations (So bold, so cold), yelled at the right time and the right things to make coach feel like a part of what we do. Deep down inside though, all I knew - and I can’t speak for the others - but all I knew was I needed to load up on the cold stuff and get my *** in gear.”
Both teams quickly came out and played punt ball to open the second half. So nice, Chicago did it twice before Miami put up the third touchdown of the game on a 43 yard run under the guards and around the zone-based defense for 6. After yet another successful 2-pt conversion, the second of the day of three attempts for Miami, the score was 22-6 in favor of MIA. Things looked dire for Chicago and the sideline was beginning to show it. The Chicago defense looked pissed. That frustration spilled over during a forced TV time out, as 13 year NFL veteran
DE Roger Blount stormed his way up to OC. In a recording captured by on field cameras, Blount could be heard shouting “Y’all need to get on board, yo. We ain’t out here busting our (expletive) for y’all to go out there and play short ball. Get out there and start moving that pig. Call a (expletive) play that’s longer than 3 yards and give us time to continue the job we’ve been doing. Now, get some (expletive)
cajones and move the (expletive) ball!”
Everhart merely nodded, stared at his playbook, grinned as he grabbed CHI WR Cecil Wright for a moment’s whisper and sent the offense out on the field. Beginning at their own 15 with 2:17 remaining in the third quarter, as though a new dawn had given them a fresh breath, Chicago’s offense quickly went for the gut, a 9 yard pass play, a short run and a deep throw to
WR Wright for 74 yards and Chicago’s first TD of the Crown Showdown. Knowing full well everything was on the line, Chicago put out its offensive goalline formation and lined up for 2. They got it.
CHI 14. MIA 22
(DRIVE:
https://vikings.myfootballnow.com/watch/6327#1092050)
With 1 score separating the two teams and a full reversal of attitude on the field, it became clear that either team could grab the Crown.
After their offense went 4 and out, the MIA defense held their ground against Chicago’s next drive - 9 plays for 26 yards. With Miami finally showing some variety on defense, CHI struggled to make any long gains as they adjusted to Miami’s now frequently changing defensive play calls. The Crown Showdown settled into what seemed to be an offensive letdown as the fourth quarter trudged onward. The mistake it would take to determine the Crown suddenly occurred as CHI QB Hanson tossed an easy interception to MIA
DB Frank Nauman. With 1:08 remaining in the fourth Chicago's hopes of wearing the Crown seemingly crushed, some fans began to work their way toward the exits. (
https://vikings.myfootballnow.com/watch/6327#1092089)
Clearly though, as they had proven throughout the game, Chicago’s defense was not done. With the game all but over, the ball in Miami’s hands, and only 1:05 left in the Crown Showdown, Chicago’s defense came out and crushed the Miami offense in what should have been a time consuming, victory formation drive to clinch the NFL title. 3 plays. -10 yards. Out.
65 SECONDS OF HOPEThe mezzanines began to fill with a standing room only crowd of Chicagoans looking for what would be a miracle. They would absolutely be needing one in order to take home the crown. Down by 8, CHI return specialist
WR Fred Lang cruised his way almost untouched behind brilliant blocking for a 34 yard return. Chicago ball on Miami’s 34. Every loan shark in Florida began to circle around the TV… Could this be it?
“The calls, they just started coming,” says Captain Beefheart (name chosen to protect anonymity), a Florida illegal sports betting agent. “I thought for sure I wouldn’t see any new action on the game - I mean, y’know… The folks I deal with, they don’t want any gains on the level, if you know what I mean. Gosh, with the internet and legal betting, who calls a bookie with 1 minute to go? So, I started taking all these bets for us (MIA) to win, like no way Chi-town is gonna wreck us with a minute to go, right? As much as I loved living in Miami Beach, turns out Tobago is awesome.”
Indeed. Chicago, against all imaginable odds, put together the most memorable play in modern NFL Crown Showdown history as Hanson hit
RB Robert Morgan on the under route against an all too predictable Miami 4/3 OLB Flat Zone. Both teams dove into this play far too often, both teams suffered giving up big plays to it, but MIA suffered last.
Touchdown. 2-point conversion. Tie Game. 22-22 0:00
(DRIVE:
https://vikings.myfootballnow.com/watch/6327#1092096)
Overtime"Everybody gets 15 minutes of fame." ~Andy Warhol
In 19 Crown Showdowns, no NFL title game has ever gone into overtime. After a surprising second half collapse by Miami, coupled with 2 late Chicago touchdowns and a whole lot of lady luck, suddenly the run for the jewels came down to which team scored last. New coin flip, new game.
Miami, looking weary from perhaps too many celebratory excesses during the first half’s successes, won that commemorative coin flip. Chicago’s defense, still on the hunt, prowled onto the field and settled into the 4/3 Man. After 2 quick inside runs and a failed Power I 3 back play action pass, the defense’s job was done. 3 and out, Chicago’s ball.
Taking the ball at their own 31, and knowing all they needed was a field goal to win, Chicago looked to work the clock. Moving 6 plays for 36 yards, whittling and winding their way through a myriad of Miami defensive sets over a glacial 3 minutes and 54 seconds, Belgium born
K Howard Wilson took to the field. It was Wilson's first opportunity to score in the biggest game of his career. The crowd drew silent as every person on the field froze into place, the ball about to be snapped, with history about to happen before the waiting world.
(DRIVE:
https://vikings.myfootballnow.com/watch/6327#1092096)
When asked about what it was to be staring into what could be the unforgivable abyss of missing the 51 yard Crown clincher, facing destiny obtained yet not achieved and the potential of losing out on a lifetime of free street cart hotdogs, Wilson explained post game: “I knew what I had to do. I wasn’t too worried about the length, I've gone as deep as 58 yards. I was worried about my nerves. Worried for my foot. Was the foot ready? Was it ready to do the greatest thing a foot could ever do? Could I trust it? Could it handle a failure? I knew it could not. I love my foot. I’m so lucky I’m attached to it and charged with caring for it. I even bought it its own personal portable hot tub. I also sometimes hate it, for sometimes my foot can really stink. But, that’s football, and today my foot did it. Today, my foot is the champion of football. I love my foot, I love it so much for all it has done for me.
…and now Chicago does, too.”
CHI 25. MIA 22. FINAL (OT)
BOX:
https://vikings.myfootballnow.com/box/6327LOG:
https://vikings.myfootballnow.com/log/6327FILM:
https://vikings.myfootballnow.com/watch/6327#1091920
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Last edited at 9/10/2022 8:22 pm
