Playoff Blowouts So Big Your Stomach Will Churn
Blowouts in sports are rare in the playoffs. With competitive blood boiling at its peak, teams give their all to be the last one standing. When a blowout happens, it can be deflating. Some teams have fallen apart under pressure. Others have used the embarrassment as a rallying cry to rebound around. As you're about to see, some teams are glad time has forgotten these blowouts, especially the 1940 Washington Redskins!
Seattle Seahawks Dismantle Peyton Manning In Super Bowl XLVIII
Peyton Manning threw for a record 55 touchdowns in 2013. No one predicted the Seattle Seahawks would hold him to eight points in the Super Bowl. Seattle came out swinging and scored a safety on the first play of the game. It was the fastest score ever recorded in Super Bowl history.
By halftime the Seahawks' "Legion of Boom" kept Manning out of the end zone. Seattle took a 36-0 lead before finally conceding a score to the Broncos. The game ended 43-8, but it felt much worse for anyone watching!
Anaheim Ducks Hunted In Opening Round Loss To The Sharks
The 2018 San Jose Sharks didn't reach the Stanley Cup Finals, but they left plenty of damage in their wake. In their first series game against the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose scored crushed them 8-1. The debilitating loss led to a series a sweep and a date for the Sharks in Las Vegas.
One of the big questions the Sharks had entering the playoffs was how trade deadline acquisition Evander Kane would fare in his first postseason. He came out hot and scored two goals. The Ducks will have to wait for next year to make it up their fans. As you'll find out later, the Sharks didn't fare much better in Las Vegas.
White Sox Dusted By Orioles In 1983 ALCS
The 1983 ALCS was supposed to be a slugfest. The Chicago White Sox finished the season with 800 runs scored. The Orioles nearly matched that total, crossing the plate 799 times. Unfortunately for fans, Chicago's mighty bats fell silent, and the Orioles outscored them 19-3.
Of course, the White Sox shouldn't feel too bad about themselves. Baltimore went on to win the World Series. They beat the Philadelphia Phillies in five games, outscoring them 18-9. Chicago waited ten years for another shot at the ALCS.
Hornets Swatted By Nuggets In Near 60-Point Defeat
In game four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals, the Denver Nuggets destroyed the New Orleans Hornets (now Pelicans) 121-63. The game was never close. By halftime, Denver built a 61-39 lead. Instead of fighting back to start the third quarter, the Hornets scored 11 points, clearly looking ahead to game five.
The blowout was the first of its size since the Minneapolis Lakers beat the St. Louis Hawks 133-75 in 1956. We'll get to that game later. Carmelo Anthony was the game's MVP, scoring 26 points before sitting out the entire fourth quarter. Chris Paul, the Hornets star player, only managed four points on the tragic night.
Vegas Knights Bet On Themselves Against The Sharks
The Las Vegas Golden Knights blew the lid off the NHL in their inaugural 2018 season. Cruising into the second round of the playoffs, the Knights met the Sharks, then beat them down 7-0. The crushing defeat saw the Sharks look old, tired, and slow.
The Knights can credit their deep 2018 run to goalie Marc-André Fleury. The goalie, once considered washed up, saved goals at a record pace against San Jose. Game three, for instance, fell in favor of Las Vegas despite being outshot 42 to 33! Our next blowout features the Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins in a 1940 matchup that was never close.
Bears Beat The Redskins 73-0 In The Best Revenge Game Of All Time
The Chicago Bears walloped the Washington Redskins in a 1940 playoff bout that might be the greatest revenge game of all time. According to legend, coming off the 7-3 loss to the Redksins three weeks earlier, Washington called out the Bears as crybabies and quitters.
The Bears proved Washington wrong, intercepting eight passes and gaining 501 yards of total offense. Near the end of the game, officials had to ask the Bears to stop kicking extra points because there was no netting left and they were down to one game ball!
Yankees Sweep The Padres Easily In 1998
The San Diego Padres failed to take advantage of a rare World Series appearance in 1998. The team that seems like it's always stuck in rebuild mode was torn down by the Yankees in a clean sweep. New York outscored San Diego 26-13 and shut them out in a decisive game four win.
It would have been hard for any team to beat the Yankees in 1998. Considered one of the greatest seasons in MLB history, they won 125 games (including playoffs) to set a single-season record. The Padres have been back to the playoffs twice since, getting eliminated in the first round both times.
Minneapolis Lakers Make Bird Feed Out Of The St. Louis Hawks
If you're confused about the team names above, rest assured they were both a part of the NBA in 1956. In game two of a three-game playoff series, the-then Minneapolis Lakers beat the St. Louis Hawks 133-75. The 58 point loss has never been topped, although the Nuggets tried in 2009.
Somehow the Hawks regrouped, beating the Lakers two days later 116-115 to win the three-game series. The Hawks wouldn't be so lucky in the next round, losing to Fort Wayne. It was a different time in the National Basketball Association! Coming up next is a blowout so bad it ended Dan Marino's career!
Dan Marino's Final Game Is Not Legendary
Dan Marino was the first true vertical passer in the NFL. You would think the first player to throw for 60,000 yards would have gone out in a blaze of glory. You would be wrong. Facing the Jacksonville Jaguars in a 1999 AFC Divisional Game, Marino and the Dolphins were thumped 62-7.
Marino finished his career going 11 of 25 for 95 yards and two interceptions. The Dolphins' ground game managed a much worse 21 yards on 18 carries. The Jaguars would go on to lose to the Titans in the Championship, having used up all their offense the week before.
Detroit Tigers Get Trained By The Giants In 2012
The 2012 World Series was supposed to be won by the Detroit Tigers. The San Francisco Giants scraped through the playoffs, facing elimination six times. In game one, it was the Giants who came out swinging, setting the table for one of the most shocking sweeps in World Series history.
The Giants' pitching stifled the powerful Tigers, who were shut out twice and at one point had a 20 inning scoreless streak. By the time the Tigers woke up in game four and forced extra innings it was too late. Detroit returned to the playoffs in 2013 and 2014 with similar results.
Avalanche Dismantle Panthers 8-1 In Stanley Cup
The Colorado Avalanche set the tone for their sweep of the Florida Panthers in an 8-1 game two victory during the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals. The scoring started early as Peter Forsberg knocked the puck in the net at the four-minute mark. Florida responded three minutes later, tying the game.
Seven minutes later the Avalanche scored two power-play goals, and the game was out of reach. By the end of the second period, Colorado had a 7-1 lead. They added their eighth goal in the third period for good measure.
Bucks Bulldozed 120-66 By Bulls In 2015
Facing elimination in game six of the first round of the NBA Playoffs, the Milwaukee Bucks folded to the Chicago Bulls, losing 120-66. The 54 point victory nearly matched the league record for a blowout. All five Bulls starters scored double digits. In comparison, no one on the Bucks scored more than eight.
The loss ended a promising season in Milwaukee. The year before, they were the worst team in the league. The Bulls went on to face the Cleveland Cavaliers, who beat them in game six. Chicago missed the playoffs the next season and are currently rebuilding the roster.
Jets Score 41 And Shut Out The Colts In 2003
The New York Jets made their presence known in the 2003 NFL Playoffs. Facing the Colts, New York cruised to 41-0 victory, letting the league know they had arrived. Winning seven of their last nine games to make the postseason, the Jets rode their momentum to 400 yards of total offense. Indianapolis could only muster 189.
New York got their just desserts in the next round, losing to the Oakland Raiders 30-10. The Raiders, as luck would have it, got blown out by the Buccaneers 48-21 in the Super Bowl. Our next blowout, one of the most lopsided MLB's postseason has had, kept the St. Louis Cardinals' World Series hopes alive!
The Cardinals Power Past The Brew Crew In Game Six Of The 1982 World Series
No game was more lopsided in the 1982 World Series then the 13-1 Cardinals win in game six. Facing elimination, St. Louis did more than stay alive. They embarrassed the Milwaukee Brewers, scoring 13 runs on 12 hits. Milwaukee didn't do much to fight back, scoring one run on four hits and committing four errors.
The loss loomed too heavy over Milwaukee in game seven, who blew a 3-1 lead to lose 6-3. The Brewers have never made it back to the World Series. The Cardinals have made it back six times, winning it all again in 2006 and 2011.
Bucks Trounce Warriors 136-86 On Their Way To The NBA Title
On their way to their only NBA Title, the Milwaukee Bucks blew out the San Francisco Warriors 136-86. The game eliminated the Warriors and sent the Bucks to Los Angeles to face the Lakers. Jon McGlocklin scored 28 points to lead the team, followed by Kareem Abdul Jabar and his 23 points.
The Warriors' leading scorer was Ron Williams, who squeaked out 13 points. Milwaukee beat the Lakers in five, then swept the Baltimore Bullets to win the title. Two years later they returned to the Finals, losing to the Celtics in seven. The Warriors returned to the playoffs two years later, and faced another blowout you'll read about soon!
Pittsburgh Wins The 1991 Stanley Cup With An 8-0 Victory
The Pittsburgh Penguins faced the Minnesota North Stars in the 1991 Stanley Cup Finals, putting their stamp on the win with an 8-0 shutout. The scoring started early and often, with Pittsburgh taking advantage of a power play early. Spreading the love, seven of the team's eight goals were scored by different players.
On the defensive front, Pittsburgh was an immovable object. Goalie Tom Barrasso stopped all 39 shots that came his way. Not very nice to the North Stars, but sports aren't always just fun and games.
Super Bowl XXIV Ends With A Whimper
The San Francisco 49ers steamrolled the Denver Broncos 55-10 in Super Bowl XXIV. The crushing blow to John Elway's early resume saw the 49ers out gain Denver 461 yards to 167. San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana played on cruise control, completing 22 of 29 passes for 297 yards and five touchdowns.
John Elway would have to wait seven seasons to clear his name as a big game choker. Facing the highly-touted Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXII, Elway got the monkey off his back, winning his first ring. He followed up his performance with a second ring the next season.
Lakers Humiliate Warriors 126-70 in 1973 Playoffs
Two years after getting blown out by the Milwaukee Bucks, the Warriors repeated the feat, taking a 126-70 pummeling by the Los Angeles Lakers. Changing their name from San Francisco to Golden State couldn't stop history from repeating itself. The Lakers beat the Warriors in five games on their way to the NBA Finals.
Jim McMillian scored 28 points to lead the Lakers to the easy victory. Only Nate Thurmond of the Warriors scored double digits. The Lakers lost the NBA Finals, but the blowout was a sign of the future. Since 1973, Los Angeles has won ten NBA Titles. Not all blowouts are a sign of things to come, however. Up next is a Royal blowout that ended with a 30-year title drought!
Kansas City Makes Game Seven Look Easy In The 1985 World Series
The Kansas City Royals beat the St. Louis Cardinals 11-0 in game seven of the 1985 World Series. All-star pitcher Brett Saberhagen pitched a five-hitter and only needed one of those runs. The Royals scored early and often, setting the tone with a 5-0 lead after three innings.
In the fifth inning, Kansas City exploded for six more runs, putting the game, and the World Series, out of reach. Glory would be short lived for the Royals. They wouldn't get back to the World Series for 29 years, losing to the Giants. They finally repeated as champions in 2015, thirty years after their epic game seven blowout.
Edmonton Oilers Win The Stanley Cup With 8-3 Blowout Of Philadelphia Flyers
In 1985, the Edmonton Oilers faced off against the Philadelphia Flyers in the Stanley Cup Finals. Edmonton took a 3-1 series lead before slamming the door in an 8-3 game five victory. The Oilers scored four goals in the first period, taking advantage of the Flyers' backup goalie getting the starting nod.
The win notched the Oilers the Stanley Cup for the second straight season. Wayne Gretzky won the Stanley Cup Finals MVP Award. The Flyer returned to the finals in 1987. Facing the Oilers again, they forced the series to seven games before history repeated itself.
