The Texas - Nebraska and Saints - Redskins games of this past weekend exemplify the Greek tragedy characteristics that often times plays out in football games.
Nebraska had the game won after kicking the field goal if they just kept playing like they had the entire game and not committed any stupid self-defeating mistakes.
What do they do? First the kicker kicks the ball out of bounds with less than a minute left giving them possession at the 40. Even I know better and drill not to kick it out of bounds in that situation on Madden. That's all a kicker has to be thinking in that situation - I have 53 yards of field from side to side. Just kick it down the middle. DO NOT KICK IT OUT OF BOUNDS! Boom, the Nebraska kicker kicks it out of bounds in what will likely be the most important kickoff of his career.
Next, a stupid horse collar tackle penalty gives Texas another free 15 yards. You cant tackle a player by grabbing the facemask or reaching into his shirt collar. They all know that but this guy decided that he was going to tackle the Texas player like that in front of everyone with only a few seconds left in the game anyways. Congratulations Nebraska, you just gave Texas 55% of the field position after scoring when they only need about 65% to win.
The last few seconds were surreal, I couldnt believe what I was seeing. The supposed best college player in the nation candidate nearly let the clock run out in what surely would have been the most boneheaded play in college sports since Chris Webber called time out in 1993. That was Texas doing it part to reciprocate a tragedy to Nebraska but it was not nearly enough to overcome the self-defeating blunders that Nebraska committed in the final minute of that game.
All that while a captive audience of Cincinnati, TCU and Boise St followers and their spirit was built up to a crescendo only to see it crushed with instant reply and 1 second on the clock. With that one second, Texas kicks a field and game over. They play Alabama for the national title and all the other more deserving undefeated teams who were dreaming about the chance to do the same will have to settle for dreaming of "what if" for the rest of their lives.
The Redskins - Saints game was along the same lines but not nearly as dramatic. All the Redskins had to do to ice the game and hand the probable Super Bowl champions its first loss of the season, was to kick a chip shot 23 yard field goal for a 10 point lead with less than two minutes left in the game. After suffering through a disappointing, horrible season, they outplayed the best team in the NFL for most of the game and had the chance to do what everyone thought was unimaginable - end the Saints prospects for an undefeated season.
What did they do after marching down field and setting up for a 23 yd field goal to ice the game with less than 2 mins left? They missed the fucking kick! Instead of a 10 point lead, it's still 7. The Saints take over on offense, Brees promptly finds Mecham wide open in the middle of the field and hits a 53 yard pass for a tying score with about a minute left to eventually send the game into overtime.
But wait, it's not over! The Skins actually win the coin toss in overtime and get the ball first. They can still march down the field against the porous Saints defense like they did in their previous drive and in most of the game and not allow the Saints offense to even see the ball if they can score in sudden death.
The Saints botch the kickoff (but not out of bounds). The Skins move the ball to midfield before a play where the ball appears to come out after the tackle and play are over. Officials rule it wasnt a fumble. Not having any replay challenges, the Saints coach calls time out to give the replay officials time to look at the replays and sure enough, instant replay shows that it's a fumble and Saints ball. Saints offense takes over, Brees methodically moves them to the 1 yard line and they kick a field goal. Game over. Saints still undefeated and the Redskins will likely fire their kicker and coaching staff within 30 days.
You can't write self inflicted tragedies like this any better.
