Image courtesy dewo via creative commons license
It’s overtime in a NFL football game. Your opponent is pinned all the way down to their one-yard line. Your defense goes in and sacks the quarterback! Safety! Two points! Your team wins!
How many times has this happened in NFL history? A safety in overtime. If you are able to answer this question please leave your answer in the comments, and I will give you a high-five. (If you answer, please give your source. Otherwise, I will welcome guesses, but please state that you are guessing).
According to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_(football_score)#Records “Only two NFL games have ever ended in overtime with a safety: In 1989 when the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Los Angeles Rams 23-21 when Mike Merriweather blocked a punt into the end zone, and in 2004 when the Chicago Bears defeated the Tennessee Titans 19-17 when Billy Volek fumbled in his own end zone and a teammate recovered it but was unable to get out of the end zone. A 1989 pre-season game also ended in an overtime safety.”
Carto! *HIGH-FIVE* Thank you! I should have known to look this up in wikipedia. I look EVERYTHING up there. So it’s happened twice in the regular season. I should have remembered the 2004 Bears doing that.
When I lived with 3 other guys we’d all sit around and watch NFL games [believe it”> and my mantra was “WE WANT A SAFETY!” Safeties aren’t THAT uncommon, but a game ending in a safety, even before I read Carto’s response I knew it had to be minimal.