The Top 10 greatest NFL games I have ever watched

The other day I was thinking about some of the greatest NFL games that I have ever seen. Not ones that I've heard about or seen highlights from, but ones I actually remember watching. I didn't want to look up any existing lists of games that others had written about. I just wanted it to be from me, so I started listing games that I remembered watching off the top of my head just to see what I came up with. What I came up with were mostly older games and of course a few Cowboys games made my list. I find it amazing that my memory is so much clearer when it comes to older games and that is why I didn't want any help from lists that others put together.

The ten games I came up with were great in their own way, but there has always been one game that stood out as the greatest of all time. And all these years later that has not changed and I doubt it ever will. To me "greatest" comes from two teams slugging it out like a heavy weight fight. Punch after punch and never going down no matter how beat up and tired they are. But in the end someone has to be declared the winner and both teams shake hands knowing that they had just played in a game that will go down in history.

#10 - 1981 NFC Championship, Cowboys at 49ers. For those Cowboys fans that actually remember watching this game, also remember how heart breaking it was. Dwight Clark's fingertip catch and Danny White's fumble all in the final minute of the game. The Cowboys defense knocked Joe Montana down time after time, only to see him get up and keep coming at them. There were seven lead changes throughout the course of the game and even though the Cowboys came up short 28-27, it was still one of the greatest games of all time.

#9 - 1992 NFC Championship, Cowboys at 49ers. Eleven seasons after losing to the 49ers 28-27 the Cowboys were back in Candlestick Park. The faces were different and so were the results as the Cowboys won 30-20. This was not the type of game that both teams exchanged scores throughout the game, but it was equally exciting. The Cowboys were in control most of the game and when the 49ers did back them into a corner late in the fourth quarter, they responded with a 71 yard pass from Troy Aikman to Alvin Harper to seal the game and get back to the Super Bowl after 14 long seasons.

#8 - 1982, Super Bowl XVII, Dolphins vs. Redskins. In one of the most under rated Super Bowls of all time the Dolphins and Redskins battled as the Dolphins held the lead 17-13 going into the fourth quarter. The Redskins took their first lead of the game in the fourth quarter when John Riggins scored on a 43 yard touchdown run on a 4th and 1 play. The Redskins went on to win the game 27-17.

#7 - 1986, Week 3, Dolphins at Jets. In a game that featured 96 points, 1,066 yards, 10 touchdown passes, four 100 yard receivers and nine lead changes; it also went into overtime where the Jets finally ended it and won 51-45 on a 43 yard touchdown pass from Ken O'Brien to Wesley Walker.

#6 - 1981 Wildcard Playoff, Bills at Jets. It was a cold day at Shea Stadium and it wasn't the cleanest game with a total of nine turnovers. The Bills jumped out to a 24-0 lead and then 31-13, but the Jets fought back to 31-27. With only two seconds left and the Jets sitting at the Bills eleven yard line, Jets quarterback Richard Todd tried to complete the comeback, but was intercepted at the two yard line to end the game.

#5 - 1992 Wildcard Playoff, Oilers at Bills. The Oilers Run and Shoot offense with quarterback Warren Moon jumped out to a 28-3 halftime lead and then increased their lead to 35-3 early in the third quarter with an interception return. From that point on the Bills and backup quarterback Frank Reich, who was playing for the injured Jim Kelly mounted an incredible comeback. They scored the next five touchdowns and took a 38-35 lead. The Oilers were able to tie the game to force overtime, but early in overtime the Bills intercepted Warren Moon and kicked the winning field goal to win 41-38.

#4 - 2012 Divisional Playoff, Ravens at Broncos. This playoff game was a classic from beginning to end. The game featured a punt return, kickoff return and interception return for touchdowns. Every time Peyton Manning got the lead the Ravens would answer back and it was no different with 41 seconds left in the game and the Broncos leading 35-28. Joe Flacco threw a Hail Mary pass that Jacoby Jones came down with and scored from 70 yards to force overtime. The game would go into double overtime before the Ravens kicked with winning field goal and won 38-35.

#3 - 1997, Super Bowl XXXII, Broncos vs. Packers. In what I consider the greatest Super Bowl I have ever watched, John Elway finally came through after losing three Super Bowls in the 1980s. It wasn't a game filled with exciting plays, but it was a game that was beautifully played and was close from beginning to end. The game featured two of the greatest quarterbacks of all time in John Elway and Brett Favre. The Broncos sealed the game with just 32 seconds remaining and won 31-24.

#2 - 1980 Divisional Playoff, Cowboys at Falcons. This game was played at the old outside Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. It was only Danny White's second career playoff game since taking over for Roger Staubach. The Falcons had a high powered offense and showed it early and often against the Cowboys. The Falcons took a 24-10 lead into the fourth quarter, but the Cowboys battled back as Danny White threw two late touchdown passes to Drew Pearson and the Cowboys pulled out the victory 30-27.

#1 - 1981 Divisional Playoff, Chargers at Dolphins. This game without a doubt was the greatest game that I have ever watched. It was a game filled with excitement throughout regulation and into overtime. Both the Chargers and Dolphins went toe to toe and battled for almost five quarters. The players were beaten up, exhausted and at times could barely get to their feet. It was that classic heavy weight fight that you hated to see end. And even when you thought it would end something would happen to make the game continue on. The Chargers jumped out to a 24-0 first quarter lead. Then Dolphins Coach Don Shula removed starting quarterback David Woodley and replaced him with veteran backup Don Strock. From that point on Strock brought the Dolphins back and tied the game 24-24 in the third quarter. Then on the first play of the fourth quarter the Dolphins took their first lead of the game 38-31. The Chargers tied the game late in the fourth quarter and the game went into overtime. Even the overtime was filled with excitement as both teams had multiple chances to win the game, but in the end it was the Chargers winning this classic game 41-38 with a field goal late in overtime. It's difficult to put into words just how great this game was. It was nonstop, end to end action that in this fans opinion turned out to be the greatest NFL game ever played.

I actually found the the entire broadcast of the game here.