Throughout the next month, the ultimate watercooler discussion comes to fruition as fans will decide the greatest play in NFL history in the second annual NFL.com "Bracketology."
The historical pilgrimage of NFL.com's field of 64 plays starts with Chicago Bears running back Bill Osmanski's 68-yard touchdown run in the 1940 NFL Championship Game and concludes with Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones' 56-yard touchdown reception in Super Bowl XLVII. In between, from the San Francisco 49ers' "The Catch" to Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch's "Beast Mode" 2010 playoff rush, each of the plays in the field is an iconic moment in NFL history.
The 64-NFL play bracket is comprised of 41 offensive plays, 13 defensive plays, seven special team plays, and three plays where an offensive player performs a defensive act. Eleven Super Bowl plays are among the field selected.
The 64 plays were determined by an NFL.com/NFL Network editorial panel, but now it is up to fans to determine which play is the greatest in NFL history.
NFL.com's "Bracketology" will have six different rounds of voting in a typical bracket style. The play with the most votes within its matchup at the end of each round will advance to the next round.
Fans can start voting on in the round of 64 on Monday, March 18 on NFL.com. The Championship round will conclude on Monday, April 8 when the greatest play in NFL history will be crowned. NFL.com offers up-to-the minute results of the voting.
Following is a round-by-round voting schedule on NFL.com. Voting ends at 5 p.m. ET on the final day of each round:
Round 1: March 18-22
Round 2: March 22-26
Sweet 16: March 27-29
Elite 8: March 30- April 2
Semifinals: April 3-5
Championship: April 6-8
The 64 plays that fans will be voting for are listed below:
» Lynn Swann's juggling catch at midfield in Super Bowl X - Jan. 18, 1976
» Marcus Allen's touchdown in Super Bowl XVIII - Jan. 22, 1984
» Leonard Marshall forces Joe Montana fumble in NFC title game - Jan. 20, 1991
» Don Beebe strips Leon Lett in Super Bowl XXVII - Jan. 31, 1993
» Mike Jones tackles Kevin Dyson at end of Super Bowl XXXIV - Jan. 30, 2000
» Antwaan Randle El to Hines Ward in Super Bowl XL - Feb. 5, 2006
» David Tyree's "helmet catch" in Super Bowl XLII - Feb. 3, 2008
» James Harrison's pick six in Super Bowl XLIII - Feb. 1, 2009
» Santonio Holmes' touchdown in Super Bowl XLIII - Feb. 1, 2009
» Tracy Porter's pick six in Super Bowl XLIV - Feb. 7, 2010
» The Immaculate Reception - Dec. 23, 1972
» Chuck Bednarik knocks out Frank Gifford - Nov. 20, 1960
» Roger Staubach to Drew Pearson Hail Mary vs. the Vikings - Dec. 28, 1975
» Jason Sehorn's pick six vs. the Eagles - Jan. 7, 2001
» Don Strock-to-Duriel Harris-to-Tony Nathan hook-and-ladder play vs. Chargers - Jan. 2, 1982
» Emmitt Smith breaks several tackles vs. the Falcons - Dec. 21, 1992
» Bo Jackson's 90-yd touchdown vs. the Seahawks - Nov. 30, 1987
» The Holy Roller - Sept. 10, 1978
» The Music City Miracle - Jan. 8, 2000
» Tommy Kramer to Ahmad Rashad Hail Mary in 1980 vs. the Browns to clinch playoff - Dec. 14, 1980
» The Catch - Jan. 10, 1982
» The Catch II - Jan. 3, 1999
» Karlos Dansby's OT touchdown vs. the Packers in playoffs - Jan. 10, 2010
» Antonio Freeman's OT touchdown vs. the Vikings on "Monday Night Football" - Nov. 6, 2000
» Tony Dorsett's 99-yard touchdown vs. the Vikings - Jan. 3, 1983
» The Sea of Hands - Dec. 21, 1974
» Wilber Marshall picks up Dieter Brock fumble, runs for touchdown in NFC title game - Jan. 12, 1986
» Gale Sayers' punt return touchdown vs. the 49ers - Dec. 12, 1965
» Barry Sanders turns Patriots defensive back inside out on a run - Sept. 25, 1994
» DeSean Jackson's punt return vs. the Giants - Dec. 19, 2010
» Michael Vick's OT touchdown run vs. the Vikings - Dec. 1, 2002
» Garrison Hearst's OT touchdown run vs. the Jets - Sept. 6, 1998
» Steve Bartkowski to Billy "White Shoes" Johnson Hail Mary - Nov. 20, 1983
» Bill Osmanski's 68-yard touchdown run on second play of 1940 NFL Championship - Dec. 8, 1940
» Darrell Green chases Tony Dorsett down from behind - Sept. 5, 1983
» Barry Sanders' incredible touchdown run vs. the Cowboys - Jan. 5, 1992
» Eric Allen's 94-yard return vs. Jets - Oct. 3, 1993
» Jacoby Jones' touchdown reception in Super Bowl XLVII - Feb. 3, 2013
» Steve Young's winding touchdown run vs. the Vikings - Oct. 30, 1988
» Jim Burt tackles Joe Montana, Lawrence Taylor picks ball off for touchdown - Jan. 4, 1987
» Antonio Cromartie returns missed field goal 109 yards for a touchdown vs. the Vikings - Nov. 4, 2007
» Ball bounces off Mel Renfro, lands in John Mackey's hands for Colts' only touchdown in Super Bowl V - Jan. 17, 1971
» Earl Campbell jersey gets ripped off during a tackle - Sept. 24, 1978
» Len Dawson's throw to Otis Taylor in 1969 AFL Championship Game vs. the Raiders - Jan. 4, 1970
» Walter Payton breaks six tackles on run vs. the Chiefs - Nov. 13, 1977
» Larry Allen runs down Darion Conner on "Monday Night Football" - Dec. 19, 1994
» Randall Cunningham apparently sacked by Carl Banks, bounces up to throw touchdown pass to Jimmy Giles - Oct. 10, 1988
» Eli Manning to Mario Manningham play in Super Bowl XLVI - Feb. 5, 2012
» Marshawn Lynch goes "Beast Mode" vs. the Saints in 2010 playoffs - Jan. 8, 2011
» Danny Amendola's one-handed catch vs. the Seahawks - Oct. 3, 2010
» Randy Moss-to-Moe Williams hook-and-ladder play - Oct. 19, 2003
» Champ Bailey's 100-yard interception return caught from behind by Ben Watson - Jan. 14, 2006
» Fred Biletnikoff's touchdown vs. the Dolphins - Dec. 21, 1974
» Troy Polamalu's diving goal-line tackle - Sept. 19, 2010
» Saints lateral vs. the Jaguars - Dec. 21, 2003
» Jaguars' Hail Mary vs. the Texans 2010 - Nov. 14, 2010
» Donovan McNabb's 14-second scramble - Nov. 15, 2004
» Brandon Stokley's touchdown vs. the Bengals - Sept. 13, 2009
» Brett Favre's touchdown pass to Greg Lewis - Sept. 27, 2009
» Troy Polamalu's INT vs. the Chargers - Nov. 16, 2008
» Dante Hall's 97-yard kick return touchdown vs. the Broncos - Dec. 19, 2004
» Steve Gleason's blocked punt vs. the Falcons - Sept. 25, 2006
» Deion Sanders' punt return touchdown vs. the Rams - Sept. 10, 1989
» Dan Marino's fake spike - Nov. 27, 1994
