Game-Winning Drives That Weren't

You'd have to see Kyle Orton's two-minute drill to believe it. Atlanta's Jason Elam could have clinched victory with a 33-yard kick, but his four good FGs on this afternoon have rendered his prehistoric foot exhausted. Chicago ball.

In between plays, with defeat ticking ever closer, Orton looks like a lost camp counselor trying to get drunken hummingbirds to sit down in a semi-circle for storytime. His facial expression is something between panic and indigestion. But as the snap finally comes -- each play takes something like 25-30 seconds to get off -- Orton composes himself and zips inspirational balls all over the field, the coup de grace a pinpoint strike to Rashied Davis in the corner of the end zone with 11 seconds left. With an extra point, Chicago leads 20-19. Orton still looks panicked and lost, but hey, he's going to win this game.

...

Chicago squibs it. Atlanta ball at its own 45, six seconds left. Matt Ryan hits Michael Jenkins on the sideline at the Chicago 30 with one second on the clock. Elam steps in for a 48-yarder, and it's ... good. Falcons win. Orton cries tonight.

Same story, a little bit worse (given the stakes): down 16 -10 to the hapless St. Louis Rams, Washington marches through the swamp to take a 17-16 lead on a short Clinton Portis run with less than four minutes left. The Rams offense, insultingly bad this season, makes its way to the D.C. red zone. But a crushing unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by STL lineman Richie Incognito set the Rams back. Instead of a 34-yarder for the win, Josh Brown steps up for a 49-yard attempt. And it's good. The Daniel Synder Spirit-o-meter flatlines.

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