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Each NFL team's greatest play of all-time and why

There are those plays that bring families together — the moments in the NFL where something amazing happens. It's hard to quantify, but every team has its own "greatest play," and for those who saw it live or in the stadium, it's something they'll tell friends, family, and acquaintances forever.

By Nick Villano

Divisional Round - New Orleans Saints v Minnesota Vikings
Divisional Round - New Orleans Saints v Minnesota Vikings / Hannah Foslien/GettyImages
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Detroit Lions - Barry Sanders vs. Cowboys in playoffs
January 5, 1992

Barry Sanders might be the most explosive player in the history of the NFL, and he was stuck on a Detroit Lions team that either couldn’t build around him or just refused to spend the money necessary to make him a winner. However, in 1991, Sanders finally got to showcase his skills in the playoffs. In the Divisional Round against the Cowboys, there was one game plan: stop Barry Sanders. 

They did everything they could, but in one play, Sanders showed that he could score at any given moment. Nothing was stopping him on this 47-yard play. This run had everything. He ran over a defender, made one move that caused three Cowboys to pile into each other, and he juked someone out of their shoes in the secondary. 

That would be Sanders one and only touchdown in the playoffs. He finished his career with just six playoff games, and this was his only playoff win. The rest of the NFL made sure Sanders couldn’t beat them in the playoffs, and the Lions couldn’t help him do anything else. That next postseason in 1994, Sanders had 169 yards against the Packers, but the defense gave up 28 points in a loss. 

The rest of his career had a lot of that, Sanders trying to lift the whole team. He did it with runs like this one against the Cowboys. At least this one came in a Lions win.

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