20. Ambush
Another Saints play, and another from Super Bowl XLIV. Down 10-6 to start the second half, New Orleans head coach Sean Payton gambled on a surprise onside kick — called “Ambush” — catching the Colts completely off guard. After that game, I spoke to the man who recovered it, Chris Reis.
19. Santonio Holmes’ Super Bowl-winning catch
Back to Super Bowl XLIII. Harrison made a huge play in the dying seconds of the first half, but Holmes made the play in the dying seconds of the fourth quarter. Perfect throw, impeccable catch.
18. Marcus Allen, running with the night
To put Super Bowl XVIII away, Marcus Allen turned a busted play into a 74-yard touchdown. As Allen himself said, ‘It was pure magic.”
17. The original Hail Mary
With just seconds remaining in a 1975 divisional playoff game, the Cowboys were trailing the Vikings by four with the ball at midfield. And then Roger Staubach hit Drew Pearson before introducing the term “Hail Mary” to the football lexicon.
16. Fail Mary
Of course, this play will forever be remembered as the straw that broke the camel’s back in the 2012 referee lockout. Sorry, Packers fans, but for several reasons, this was one of the most unique plays in NFL history.
