You couldn’t script a better game to kick off the Monday Night Football season than the one the Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints delivered in the Big Easy Monday.
Dolphins at Jets, Oct. 23, 2000
The Dolphins had a 30-7 lead in the fourth quarter before Vinny Testaverde got hot. He led a comeback that included 3 TD passes and a John Hall field goal that tied the game with 3:55 left. The Dolphins bounced back on a Jay Fiedler TD pass. Testaverde had another trick left, connecting with Jumbo Elliott on a tackle eligible pass play with 42 seconds left to force overtime. Hall kicked a field goal to give the Jets a 40-37 victory.
Chiefs at Broncos, Oct. 17, 1994
What more can you ask for than Joe Montana vs. John Elway? The Hall of Famers were on their game this Monday night coming for 656 yards passing and 6 TDs. The last one was a 5-yard pass from Montana to Willie Davis with 8 seconds left to give the Chiefs a 31-28 victory.
Packers at Seahawks, Sept. 24, 2012
The play that ended a referees’ strike. Known as the “Fail Mary” it was ruled Golden Tate came down with the ball in the end zone to give Seattle a 14-12 victory over Green Bay. The two officials near the play conferred and then simultaneously made separate signals; side judge Lance Easley raised his arms to signal touchdown, while back judge Derrick Rhone-Dunn waved his arms to signal stoppage of the clock. Replay official Howard Slavin initiated a video review, as is required of all scoring plays. According to an NFL press release after the game, “The aspects of the play that were reviewable included if the ball hit the ground and who had possession of the ball. In the end zone, a ruling of a simultaneous catch is reviewable.” Referee Wayne Elliott determined that there was not adequate evidence to overturn the call, so the ruling stood as a touchdown.
Washington at Green Bay, Oct, 17, 1983
In one of the craziest games in MNF history, Green Bay outscored Washington, 48-47. Thirty-one points were scored in the final quarter. Washington took a 47-45 lead on a Joe Theismann TD pass. However, Jan Stenerud (pictured) kicked a 20-yard field goal to give the home team a one-point lead with 54 seconds left. The Redskins took the ensuing kickoff and moved 55 yards in six plays. Mark Moseley’s 39-yard field-goal attempt missed going inside the right upright with three seconds left.
Kansas City at Los Angeles Rams, Nov. 19, 2018
The highest-scoring game in Monday Night Football history had everything. The LA Coliseum, which was a secondary host to the game after the field conditions in Mexico failed, saw 105 points light up the scoreboard. Patrick Mahomes threw 6 TD passes while the Rams’ Jared Goff countered with 4. The final TD pass from Goff to Gerald Everett went 40 yards with 1:49 left and LA led 54-51. They survived as Mahomes threw 2 picks in the final 1:18 of the contest.
Houston at New Orleans, Sept. 9, 2019
The first MNF game of its 50th season was brilliant. Drew Brees and Deshaun Watson staged a brilliant duel. The Texans’ QB accounted for more than 300 yards and 4 TDs, 3 passing. Brees shook off a slow first half to throw for 370 yards and 2 TDs. There were 20 points scored in the final quarter of New Orleans’ 30-28 victory, which wasn’t settled until Will Lutz boomed a 58-yard field goal to win the game.
