Sacks became an officially-compiled NFL statistic in
1982, with the single-game record to date for an individual being seven by
Derrick Thomas of the Chiefs in 1990. Prior to ’82, and beginning in the 1960s,
team sacks were compiled (the term sack did not come into use until the ‘60s as
well), and earlier, yards lost while passing were subtracted from a team’s
passing yards in order to come up with a net passing yardage total, but individual
records were typically a matter of conjecture (although it should be noted that
some researchers are doing good work in piecing together the historical record).
On October 26, 1952, DE Norm “Wild Man” Willey of the
Philadelphia Eagles (pictured above) may have set the real individual sack record, although
that is by no means certain. What is known about the game on that date between
the Eagles and Giants is that it was highlighted by a dominating performance by
Willey and the Philadelphia defense.
The Eagles, with a 2-2 record, were 15-point underdogs coming
into the contest, having lost to the Giants in Philadelphia three weeks earlier
by a decisive 31-7 score. First-year Head Coach Jim Trimble had made changes
heading into the season, most notably moving star offensive end Pete Pihos to
defense and replacing him with Bud Grant. They lost Hall of Fame HB Steve Van
Buren to a career-ending knee injury during the preseason, but had added QB
Bobby Thomason, who came from Green Bay.
New York, under Head Coach Steve Owen for the 22nd
year, was at 3-1 and coming off the team’s first loss the previous week. QB
Charlie Conerly directed a ball control running attack led by FB Eddie Price
and HB Kyle Rote, plus rookie all-purpose HB Frank Gifford, who played on defense
as well. Safety Emlen Tunnell starred both on defense and as a kick returner.
There were 21,458 fans at the Polo Grounds for the
rematch of the two division rivals. The Giants got the first break on the
opening kickoff when it rolled free and they recovered at the Philadelphia 15.
Ray Poole kicked a 30-yard field goal to start the scoring.
Late in the period, the Giants drove to the Philadelphia
one yard line but the Eagles stopped them with a rugged goal line stand. The
tally remained at 3-0 until, in a five-minute segment in the latter part of the
second quarter, the Eagles scored twice.
First, safety Ed “Bibbles” Bawel took a Tom Landry punt
and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown, regaining his footing after being hit
at the New York 30. Then, getting the ball back in the closing minutes of the
first half, the Eagles mounted a 72-yard scoring drive. With seven seconds left
on the clock, end Bobby Walston made an impressive leaping catch in the corner
of the end zone of a pass from Bobby Thomason for a 19-yard touchdown, pulling
it away from defenders Harmon Rowe and Frank Gifford. Walston successfully
added the extra point after each TD and the Eagles took a 14-3 lead into halftime.
The Giants started off the second half in good fashion
when Gifford returned the kickoff 60 yards to the Philadelphia 32. QB Fred
Benners, who took over for a battered Charlie Conerly, completed a pass to end
Bob McChesney for 24 yards and a run by Kyle Rote put the ball at the two yard
line. However, the Eagles defense once again pulled off a successful goal line
stand and the Giants turned the ball over on downs.
The only other score of the game came a little later in
the third quarter when New York LB Jon Baker blocked a punt by Adrian Burk and DE
Bud Sherrod recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. Poole added the extra
point to make it a four-point contest, but that was it.
The Eagles physically punished the Giants, especially on
defense, with a half dozen New York players sidelined by injuries. Those injured
included Charlie Conerly, Eddie Price, and Frank Gifford. While the Eagles
weren’t able to mount any further offense themselves, they held on to win by a
final score of 14-10.
Game accounts indicated that Willey was a one-manning
wrecking crew, and sportswriter Hugh Brown of the Philadelphia Bulletin
credited him with an incredible 17 sacks during the course of the contest (or
“dumping Charlie Conerly…while he was attempting to pass”, although Fred
Benners was clearly a victim as well), including 11 in sequence. In addition to
Willey, MG Bucko Kilroy and Pete Pihos had big days. Whatever the truth of the
number of sacks – Willey himself years later thought it was 15, Kilroy
suggested 12, and veteran pro football writer Paul Zimmerman, who was charting
the game that day, gave the Eagles credit for 14 overall and Willey a total of
8 – it is clear that the Eagles had a great day defensively.
Philadelphia outgained the Giants by 225 yards to 109,
with New York managing only 54 rushing yards on 34 attempts and a net of 55
passing yards thanks to 127 yards lost due to quarterbacks Conerly and Benners
being tackled while attempting to throw. Interestingly, the Eagles suffered the
only turnover of the game, on a fumble. Kyle Rote carried 7 times for 12 yards
and Eddie Price was held to just 7 yards on 11 rushing attempts.
“I almost felt sorry for Charlie (Conerly),” said Jim
Trimble later. “I remember vividly Charlie having a heck of a time just getting
up. He was just mauled by Norm (Willey).”
The Eagles lost the following week at Green Bay but then
reeled off three straight wins while the Giants won their next two contests but
lost three of their last five games. The clubs ended up with identical 7-5
records, tying them for second place in the American Conference, a game behind
the Browns.
Norm Willey’s performance against the Giants, which has
taken on something of a legendary
status, was the highlight of an eight-season NFL career, all spent with the
Eagles. The 6’2”, 224-pound Willey was a 13th round draft pick out
of Marshall in 1950, and with his speed off the defensive line, he regularly
harassed opposing quarterbacks. He was twice named to the Pro Bowl and received
at least some first-team All-NFL recognition in 1953, ‘54 and ’55.
