The 10 Best Game-Winning Plays in NFL History

It is always exhilarating when your team is down with a couple seconds left on the clock and they have possession. The feeling when they pull off a win with a crazy play is just indescribable. 

There have been plays like this almost every week since the league originated back in the 1920s, and even though we tend to remember the more recent ones, they still deserve recognition after time passes. 

This video slideshow consists of 10 game-winning plays that will leave you jaw dropped.

As I mentioned before, there are numerous plays that deserve recognition, so if I miss some that you feel are 'better' than the ones I have included, don't worry, this isn't a full list of every play.

Without further ado, here are the 10 Best Game-Winning Plays in NFL History. 

10. Steve Young to Terrell Owens- 1998 Wild Card Game

This is one of the best games I have ever seen. 

The San Francisco 49ers faced the Green Bay Packers in the 1998 wild-card game. Young vs. Favre, a great matchup.

Terrell Owens was held without a catch the entire game, due to his continuous drops. So with 8 seconds left, how does Young boost TO's career? With this very play.

The 49ers would win the game, upsetting Favre and Green Bay. 

9. Saints vs the Jags- Dec. 21, 2003

This one really shouldn't be on the list because after this amazing play by the Saints, they would miss the extra point. Yeah, that must've really hurt.

But the reason I included it is because they were down with only 0.7 seconds left on the clock and pulled off the 'potential' game winning play. 

Even though they would lose, this play certainly deserves an honorable mention. 

8. Packers vs Broncos- Oct. 29, 2007

Favre has seen a lot of glory in his days, and he is responsible for tons of plays like this. This one is amongst the greatest of his career.

With the first play in overtime, Favre took a shot down field to Greg Jennings for an 82-yard game-winning touchdown.

This is a rare thing. How many plays do you see occur like this with the first play of overtime? Not many. 

7. Eagles vs the Bucs- Oct. 22, 2006

As an Eagle fan myself, this play got to me. 

The Bucs and Eagles were both a struggling team that year, but the Eagles were starting to get things together for themselves.

After McNabb having a rough game, this realy didn't make any Eagles fan smile. But of course, it made every person in Tampa scream their head off.

Matt Bryant nailed a game-winning 62 yard field goal to come away with the win. There are obvious game-winning field goals all the time, but not to many in this fashion.  

6. Steelers vs Cardinals- Superbowl XLIII

Everyone has seen this play numerous times. 

Although it is not a time-expiring play like some of the others, it is still classified as a game winner. It has every right to be too due to the circumstances and the play itself is just amazing. 

With 0.43 seconds left in the Super Bowl, Ben Roethlisberger took a shot to the corner of the end-zone to Antonio Holmes who made the amazing catch over three Cardinal defenders. 

This play defined Super Bowl XLIII.

5. Broncos vs the Bengals- Sept. 13, 2009

Gus Johnson narrated this perfectly. 

With the Broncos trailing to the Bengals 6-7, Kyle Orton had only 0.28 seconds lead his team on a 87-yard drive to victory. Instead, one play was all it took.

As Orton threw the pass in which Leon Hall tipped, Broncos' Brandon Stokely was in the right place at the right time.

87-yard game-winning touchdown. That's the way to start off the season. 

4. Packers vs the Seahawks- Jan. 4, 2004

This is one of my favorite plays of all time. 

You heard him, "We want the ball and we're gunna score" said Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck to the ref after the overtime coin toss.

Sure Matt, whatever you say.

So with the first pass in overtime, Hasselbeck scores all right, but assisting the Packers. Al Harris picks off the short pass and returns the interception for the game-winner.

Priceless. 

3. Jaguars vs Texans- Nov. 14, 2010

This is just straight up bad luck for the Texans and good luck for the Jaguars.

With only 0.3 seconds left in regulation, the Jaguars decided to give the ole Hail Marry a try and see what happens. What do they have to lose right?

Well, absolutely nothing. In fact, they won it! But not if it wasn't for the help of Texans' Glover Quinn who knocked the ball directly into the hands of Mike Thomas.

50-yard hail marry is the way any team would love to end a game. 

2. Vikings vs 49ers- Sept. 27, 2009

Favre does it once again. Except this time, it's in a Vikings jersey.

Down 20-24 with only 0.12 seconds left, Favre threw up the desperation pass in hopes of a last second touchdown catch, and that's exactly what happened.

Now looking at this play, it's just simply amazing. 

Not only did Favre avoid getting sacked and took a huge hit as he threw the ball, but look at the perfectly thrown pass to a covered Greg Lewis who was in by the nails of his toes on that back end-zone line.

Amazing stuff. Greg Lewis was never known to be a reliable receiver by any means, so the fact he pulls of a spectacular catch with a man directly in front of him- just amazing. 

1. Eagles vs the Giants- Dec. 19, 2010

Most of you knew this was coming.

As the play itself may not leave you stunned, it's the entire story in itself. The Eagles trailed the rivaled Giants the entire game and was trailing 10-31 with only seven minutes left in the 4th quarter.

Vick led the team all the way back miraculously tied the game at 31-31 with only 0.14 seconds left where the Eagles had a final chance to win the game. 

What were the options for Giants Punter Matt Dodge? Kick it out of bounds, like his coach told him, or kick it to the dangerous Jackson? He kicked it to Jackson.

You've seen the play numerous times, and I can probably watch this every day and still never get bored with it. 

First, Jackson botches the punt. Then he has five Giants sprinting towards him and the ball when he runs like lightening past them and past the remaining three into the end-zone for the game-winner. 

Every fan in New York hated life, and ever Philly fan across the world cried tears of joy. 

This is one of the best game-winning touchdowns in NFL history.