The Craziest Intentional Safety in NFL History | Steelers @ Ravens (1997)

[@MarkyBillsonIV]

This may be my favorite video that you've ever done. I watched this game and for 27 years was of the opinion Cowher taking the safety was the stupidest coaching decision ever. I suppose you can blame him for not somehow getting the message to Josh Miller to kick it but can also see where his attention would have been focused on trying to get the officials to set the clock properly. As I said, for 27 years I couldn't fathom why Bill Cowher would have taken the safety in this situation. You have finally, at long last, explained why and in my mind have justified his place in Canton.

[@OfficialJaguarGator9]

Thanks! Can’t believe someone remembers this play and this decision all these years later, but it was entirely an officiating error. Cowher is vindicated

[@EdBurke37]

Yinzers have surprisingly good memories. ​@@OfficialJaguarGator9

[@scotts8926]

Same. I always held this up as the worst coaching decision in history. Never heard about the clock issue.

[@RetroJR3379]

Im enjoying your Segway on the 60000 subscribers lol

[@Fireyninjadog]

This was the game where kordell stewart became a true dual threat. 5 touchdowns, 3 passing, 2 rushing, overcoming a 21-0 deficit

[@678rwhp]

"Threat" is a pretty strong word for Kordell Stewart.

[@Fireyninjadog]

​@678rwhp 32 total tds in 1997 was a lot. The man once ran for an 89-yard td, and he made it look easy. He also had a cannon for an arm

[@678rwhp]

@Fireyninjadog yeah a cannon for sure. Because just like a cannon he couldn't hit anything.

[@Fireyninjadog]

​@678rwhp you'd be surprised. Besides, he was better than kenny Pickett, bubby brister, and Mark Malone. One of the steelers better qbs from 1984-2003

[@aaronholcomb237]

I remember when Syracuse upset Nebraska in the Carrier Dome in 1984 and they took an intentional safety with the exact same margin that the Steelers had in this game. I don't remember how much time was left in the game but the Orange still held on to pull this upset.

[@AdamJ617]

There was a time when Al Michaels Suggested that Washington take an intentional safety in a week six game on Thursday night Football on Amazon Prime.

[@njdxnjdx]

And?

[@mgb4692]

I think he was still remembering that Belichick safety from 2003 as some sort of all-timer. It's not a bad strategy, but there's several other things that go into it. The first clip here is Jon Ryan taking one in 2012, in that game Seattle was up six, so a FG can't tie. With the free kick they gained about 20-25 yards of field position, so the Panthers are down four but starting at the their own 31 instead of being down six but possibly starting in plus territory. The mistake Al made was that it was 12-7, so the Bears would have only needed a FG to tie, plus Wentz only needs to move the pile once and not lose a yard (Bears had no timeouts and couldn't stop the clock), if he's shown nothing else in his career of late he can at least do that.

[@AdamJ617]

@@njdxnjdx And, the Jaguar Gator himself did a video on it the next day.

[@steelcurtain187]

I love the strategy of football where things like an intentional safety can actually benefit you. Thanks for covering this as I definitely didn’t remember this one from the Steelers lol

[@walkoffstudios]

0:22 In baseball when a player gets intentionally walked with the bases loaded. The worst part about this whole thing is that 42-32 would have been scorigami at the time. Luckily we eventually saw that score in 2004 and 2012.

[@campaaronapollo]

The Diamondbacks won a game in their first year of existence in MLB by intentionally walking Barry Bonds with the bases loaded, cutting a two-run lead for the D-Backs to one on purpose; the D-Backs got the next out to win the game. Intentional walks with the bases loaded in MLB are extremely rare, being slightly more common than the one-point safety in college football.

[@CTubeMan]

This unofficial Official Jaguar Gator 9 historian will remind everyone you made a video about a time a Baltimore team didn’t take a Safety in 1977.

[@AutismSingsHD]

And of course, 1997: the season of the longest tiebreaker ever, won by the Steelers over the Jaguars. Head-to-head, divisional record, common opponents record, conference record, and net division points. That's one of my favorite videos you have ever done.

[@rocketmanVA703]

I was at that game. It was a warm day, and the upper deck was at least half Steeler fans. It started so beautifully... and I'll be honest... I don't even remember this. I would pop in my VCR tape of the game to see this... but I permanently gave it to my Steeler fan friend.

[@fatfingergaming5246]

Back in 1997 the clock stopped on a QB sack to allow the QB to get his bearing and then call the play. In this case tomzack dropped back like a QB would if he was passing, and then was sacked. Clock stops, 25 seconds on the play clock. Officials called it right... by the rule book. A sack was recorded in the stats, and therefore clock stopped and 25 second clock.

[@OfficialJaguarGator9]

That's odd, then, because the NFL issued an apology to the Steelers after the game saying that they got the call wrong

[@fatfingergaming5246]

I just looked it up. A QB sack vs a QB TFL is described as "a QB drops back with intent on throwing the ball". So yah the officials did mess it up because he obviously had zero intent on hrowing the ball, and therefore should not have been ruled a sack,... which is why I assume the NFL apologized. Rule is written horribly though if you need a ref to decifer what a QBs intent is.🤦‍♂️

[@professorwiggins3290]

This looks like home cooking timekeeping.

[@Fireyninjadog]

The rematch was maybe the most lopsided game in this series. The steelers won 37-0, forcing 7 raven turnovers

[@EdBurke37]

[In Pittsburgh Accent] Even jaggoff refs can't stand up to Cawher Pawher.

[@GameShowMike]

😂 And Bill Cowher took that Cowher Power to Canton.

[@marcus813]

What a brainfart by that officiating crew! If the Ravens miraculously sent the game to OT, that game would've been one of the most controversial ones in NFL history.

[@afbocc]

At 15:13 mark of video; the game clock (on bottom right of screen) also stops at 43 seconds for about 4 seconds.

[@afbocc]

More like 5 or 6 seconds.

[@RetroJR3379]

Pittsburgh was probably being cocky thinking that the Ravens had no chance of sending the game to OT

[@CTubeMan]

In “The Game Behind The Game” Terry O’Neil talked about a 1984 game between the Rams and Cardinals in which the Cardinals attempted a fake punt while leading. He was hoping the CBS announcer calling the game, Dick Stockton, would have pointed out how the Cardinals stopped their momentum with the call. But the officials were confused about what to rule considering the Cardinals had many linemen downfield illegally. O’Neil said Stockton spent the whole time following the officials’ confusion and no time questioning the Cardinals decision.

[@Jason_Maier]

1. Those early Ravens teams sucked on defense 2. Even as a Ravens fan, I totally respect Bill Cowher. He's not someone you want to piss off!

[@randytracy1742]

Oh, boy! The officials were morons for not understanding the NFL rules! 😮😮😮😮😮

[@lsmftymf]

Remember watching this game on Chicago's WMAQ-TV 5. Felt terrible after Ravens loss, then ecstatic when Orioles eliminated Mariners in ALDS Game 4 later that afternoon. Then figuratively felt like the world ended 1.5 weeks later when O's lost ALCS in six games to Cleveland.

[@marcusmcgraw3519]

That Orioles team is one of the best that didn’t win it all. Imagine a game where Mussina throws 15 strikeouts and you lose. It doesn’t get much harder to top it all off than this

[@lsmftymf]

@@marcusmcgraw3519 1996 & 1997 two of the most disappointing seasons in Orioles history. Most of the players overpaid & underachieved. Peter G. Angelos' attempt at buying championships an unqualified failure of monstrous proportions.

[@jackmessick2869]

I remember being so upset the first time i saw the intentional safety because it stopped my team from winning. I was 14. Rams-Cowboys in the 1976 playoffs.

[@Fender178]

And In the Divisional round of the SB XL playoffs the officials blew another call after an int by Troy Polamalu said he didn't catch the ball but he did. The NFL issued an apology to the Steelers. As a Steelers fan this decision made no sense however I don't blame Cowher here because the Officials are the morons here not him.

[@TheLumpyOne]

No worries at all for Pittsburgh. The NFL absolutely made up for all of that with lopsided officiating in Super Bowl XL. Steelers greatly benefitted.

[@Fender178]

@@TheLumpyOne Not to mention that Steelers ended up winning against the Colts.

[@bioLarzen]

OK - as a Ravens fan I don't applaud aything steelers - but this Cowher's putting a photo of the blown call into the ref's pocket is actually hillarious :D

[@GameShowMike]

Cowher did have a point, but he abused the rule that you never lay a finger on a referee and it cost him $7500.

[@bioLarzen]

@@GameShowMike That's OK, I still find it hillarious. Not condoning it, but still ;)

[@davidharmon4820]

I remember this game and ya it is pretty strange how apparently no one knew the rule about it

[@danshobbies13]

I still think it’s time for officials in all sports to have a press conference after games, and answer questions. We need transparency in sports.

[@psymar]

Another sport where you give points to the opponent to increase your chances of winning? Two players in MLB history have been intentionally walked with the bases loaded, giving the other team a run, out of fear they'd hit a grand slam and score 4 runs. Barry Bonds and Josh Hamilton.

[@lonewolfjedi493osswfan]

I remember watching this game and people were all over Bill Cowher for his decision, I’ve been giving him the benefit of the doubt for years cuz I know he’s not this stupid, he had to have a reason for doing that and now, you made it make sense, thanks, JG9, you vindicated one of the best nfl coaches

[@timothyriley6880]

You talk about sports giving points to the opposition. I would argue in basketball sending an opponent to the freethrow line to stop the clock is just as much in the same class.

[@KyleCaughlin]

After all that, they would have just been better off going for it on 4th down. Even if the Steelers fail, with how much time was left, highly unlikely the Ravens could have scored a Touchdown (or if they really wanted to kick the field goal and cut the deficit to 7), get the onside kick and score again.

[@CTubeMan]

This would be the last time the Ravens would benefit from a timing mistake by the officials.

[@Stemtea1]

The Jonathan Taylor fumble out of the end zone play made me think about all things end zone related a Fade pass that goes out of bounds could also be a touch back, what is the difference? If the ball goes out of bounds any other way no hay problemo senior but has a Kick returner, ever fumbled out of his own end zone and does that give The Other Team the ball? 80 yd away makes no sense. None of if makes any sense.

[@marcusmcgraw3519]

Lost in this video was that this was the beginning of the end for the Ravens in 1997. Despite the 3-1 start, they were the same team as the year before that gave up leads and lost plenty of close games. This one was inexcusable since they blew a 21-0 lead

[@Cityofstroud]

Jg9 guess what today is

[@marcusmcgraw3519]

Opposite day?

[@Cityofstroud]

@@marcusmcgraw3519 something to do with me

[@RetroJR3379]

And I thought the Steelers were just being cocky

[@mgb4692]

Two months later, Rohn Stark (the last active Baltimore Colt) went back as a Hawk. Jermaine Lewis took a pair to the house in a game the Ravens won 31-24, so yeah it was a big deal and further reinforces that Cowher wouldn't have done this unless there was like five seconds left. Another reminder that, yes, officiating was shit even in the sainted Tagliabue era (also see Bottlegate)

[@nickgoesvestmode]

2:50 is that Nick Saban in the background?

[@AutismSingsHD]

No, that's a doppelganger. Saban was with Michigan State in 1997.

[@AutismSingsHD]

Maybe the craziest intentional safety in NCAA history came when Iowa beat Penn State 6-4. In that case, Kirk Ferentz had so good a defense in that game, he had his team take a deliberate penalty in the end zone to yield a safety. It worked, as after the ensuing free kick, the Hawkeyes intercepted the Nittany Lions on the first Penn State offensive play thereafter.

[@Rockhound6165]

I still think it's wild that in my lifetime(born 1965) the Steelers have had only 5 head coaches, 3 since 1969(Knoll, Cowher, Tomlin). My Cardinals have had 8 in the 2000's alone.

[@martincaidin4166]

Vinny can throw it 75 yards, huh? And why did he take that last snap under center?

[@CTubeMan]

You’ve mentioned the Safety the Raiders took in 1971. Have you ever thought of doing a shorter video about that, say ~5 minutes?

[@OfficialJaguarGator9]

Potentially at some point! Gotta see if there’s any quotes or in depth things from that since that’s the only footage of the game we’ve got

[@Michael-sb8jf]

I guess you could give up an own goal in soccer or hocky because they use points systems and a tie could be more advantageous to seeding? Secret Base did a video on it

[@psymar]

The secret base video was about a dumb rule where overtime goals count double that's never been used before or since. A better example is issuing an intentional walk with the bases loaded.

[@Michael-sb8jf]

@psymar Oh, and don't forget badminton in the Olympics 2012? Where two teams tried to lose agaist each other for seeding purposes Granted, they were dq'd for it

[@Stemtea1]

Why not fumble the ball out of the end zone instead for a touchback? Give the other team the ball 80 yards away

[@CazMas7777]

I thing theres a huge bit of context missing.... Bill Cowher was so shell shocked by consistently terrible special teams play, especially at the most inopportune times, throughout his whole tenure, that he'd rather give an opponent possession on the 5 while up 5 with 1 minute left, than rely on special teams while up 10 with 1 minute left..... and I didnt blame him.

[@psymar]

Even if the punt gets blocked and returned for a touchdown, then the other team recovers the onside kick, you are then in a better position than allowing the safety as more time will have come off the clock

[@robinhood2524]

Why are Steelera writers and fans so whiny about everything? All this crying over a win sheesh.

[@ReveiwKing999]

It's because the team is a literal soap opera. *(Days of Our Steelers theme intensifies)*

[@tompiper1480]

That was a really dumb decision

[@GameShowMike]

It was not a dumb decision by Cowher. It wasn’t even Cowher’s fault. The refs nearly blew it for the Steelers, so your argument is irrelevant because it did not affect the outcome of the game.

[@UghDroppingLoads]

Cowher is the most overrated coach ever. Besides Gruden.

[@mrbob8618]

Are you an nfl coach

[@UghDroppingLoads]

No but i do have eyeballs to form an opinion about something i see.

[@CTubeMan]

In “The Game Behind The Game” Terry O’Neil talked about a 1984 game between the Rams and Cardinals in which the Cardinals attempted a fake punt while leading. He was hoping the CBS announcer calling the game, Dick Stockton, would have pointed out how the Cardinals stopped their momentum with the call. But the officials were confused about what to rule considering the Cardinals had many linemen downfield illegally. O’Neil said Stockton spent the whole time following the officials’ confusion and no time questioning the Cardinals decision.