Fansided

Every NFL team’s most devastating loss of all time

By Jarrett Bailey

ARLINGTON, TX - JANUARY 04: Quarterback Tony Romo #9 of the Dallas Cowboys reacts after taking a sack in the third quarter against the Detroit Lions during the NFC Wildcard Playoff Game at AT&T Stadium on January 4, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - JANUARY 04: Quarterback Tony Romo #9 of the Dallas Cowboys reacts after taking a sack in the third quarter against the Detroit Lions during the NFC Wildcard Playoff Game at AT&T Stadium on January 4, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Joe Montana #16, Quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers calls the play on the line of scrimmage during the National Football League Super Bowl XVIII game against the Cincinnati Bengals on 22 January 1989 at the Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami, Florida, United States. The 49ers won the game 20 – 16. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Allsport/Getty Images)
Joe Montana #16, Quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers calls the play on the line of scrimmage during the National Football League Super Bowl XVIII game against the Cincinnati Bengals on 22 January 1989 at the Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami, Florida, United States. The 49ers won the game 20 – 16. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Allsport/Getty Images) /

Cincinnati Bengals: Super Bowl XXIII vs San Francisco 49ers

The Bengals were so close to winning their first Super Bowl, and Joe Montana just had to go and ruin it.

The game itself was slow through the first half. Both teams went into the locker room with just a field goal on the board. In the third quarter though, the Bengals took control of the game. After exchanging field goals once again, Stanford Jennings returned a kickoff 93 yards for a Cincinnati touchdown.

The Niners struck back quickly with a four play drive and a Jerry Rice touchdown reception. The game was once again tied before the Bengals would go on their best drive of the game. Boomer Esiason led an 11 play drive that resulted in three points for the Bengals, making it 16-13 with 3:20 left on the clock.

Montana then led one of the greatest drives in NFL history, taking the 49ers 92 yards in just under three minutes. The final play of the drive was a John Taylor touchdown reception that sealed the win for the 49ers. The Bengals were just 34 seconds away from winning the Super Bowl, but fell victim to Joe Cool for the second time that decade.

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