Highlighted Year: Bob Hayes, 1965

Split End, Dallas Cowboys

Age: 23 (Dec. 20)

1^st season in pro football

College: Florida A & M

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 190

Prelude:

A world class sprinter, Hayes first achieved fame for setting a world record of 9.1 seconds in the 100-yard dash. He also set an Olympic record in winning the 100-meter dash in the 1964 Tokyo Games. He also won gold by anchoring the successful US effort in the 4X 100-meter relay. The recipient of a football scholarship to attend Florida A & M was chosen as a future pick by the Cowboys in the seventh round of the 1964 NFL draft  (the Denver Broncos picked him in the 14^th round of the corresponding AFL draft). While he was a raw talent who needed to develop technique to complement his great speed, “Bullet Bob” moved into the starting lineup as a rookie.

1965 Season Summary

Appeared in 13 of 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 46 [13]          

Most receptions, game – 8 (for 177 yds.) vs. Philadelphia 10/10

Yards – 1003 [4]

Most yards, game – 177 (on 8 catches) vs. Philadelphia 10/10

Average gain – 21.8 [3]

TDs – 12 [1, tied with Dave Parks]

100-yard receiving games – 4

Rushing

Attempts – 4

Yards – -8

Average gain – -2.0

TDs – 1

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 17

Yards – 450 [16]

Most yards, game – 128 (on 4 ret.) vs. San Francisco 11/7

Average per return – 26.5 [6]

TDs – 0

Longest return – 66 yards

Punt Returns

Returns – 12 [15]

Yards – 153 [8]

Most yards, game – 47 (on 1 ret.) vs. Philadelphia 10/10

Average per return – 12.8

TDs – 0

Longest return – 47 yards

All-purpose yards – 1598 [4]

Scoring

TDs – 13 [3]

Points – 78 [11]

Awards & Honors:

2^nd team All-NFL: UPI

1^st team All-Eastern Conference: Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Cowboys went 7-7 second in the NFL Eastern Conference (tied with the New York Giants.  

Aftermath:

Hayes followed up by catching 64 passes for 1232 yards (19.3 avg.) and a league-leading 13 TDs in 1966 and was again selected to the Pro Bowl as well as receiving first-team All-NFL recognition from the Pro FootballWriters, NEA and the Associated Press. He went on to spend ten seasons eith the Cowboys. In addition to being a productive receiver that opposing defenses had to account for, “Bullet Bob was also a fine kick returner who led the league with a 20.8 punt return average in 1968.Overall with Dallas Hayes had 365 pass receptions for 7295 yards (20.0 avg.) and 71 touchdowns. In addition he returned 104 punts for an 11.1-yard average and three TDs and 23 kickoffs with a 25.3-yard average.He caught another 31 passes for 492 yards (15.9 avg.) in 15 playoff games that included two touchdowns. Hayes was traded to San Francisco in 1975 but was released after catching just six passes for119 yards,thus ending his career. He received first or second team All-NFL honors after four seasons and was selected to three Pro Bowls. Hayes was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2009.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

Highlighted Year: Fred Cox, 1965

Placekicker, Minnesota Vikings

Age: 27 (Dec. 11)

3^rd season in pro football & with Vikings

College: Pittsburgh

Height: 5’10” Weight: 200

Prelude:

Cox was a running back in college who gained 1298 yards from scrimmage in three varsity seasons and scored five touchdowns. He was a future draft choice of both the Cleveland Browns of the NFL (eighth round) and New York Titans of the AFL (28^th round) in 1961. Signing with the Browns in ’62, he suffered a back injury during his first training camp and concentrated on placekicking, learning technique from veteran PK Lou Groza. The Browns traded him to Minnesota during the preseason, but he was waived in favor of Mike Mercer, who could both punt and placekick. Cox sat out the year but was invited back in 1963 and made 12 of 24 field goals and all 39 extra point attempts as a placekicker and also handled the punting, averaging 38.7 yards. He was relieved of the punting in ’64 and had a better year placekicking, hitting on 21 of 33 of his field goal tries and 40 of 42 PATs.

1965 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Kicking

Field goals – 23 [1]

Most field goals, game – 4 at Green Bay 12/5

Field goal attempts – 35 [1]

Most field goal attempts, game – 5 at Green Bay 12/5

Field goal percentage – 65.7 [2]

PATs – 44 [5]

PAT attempts – 44 [5]

Longest field goal – 53 yards at Green Bay 12/5

Scoring

Field Goals – 23

PATs – 44

Points – 113 [3]

Vikings went 7-7 to finish fifth in the NFL Western Conference.

Aftermath:

Cox continued on for a total of 15 seasons, all with the Vikings. After two lesser years in 1966 and ’67, his field goal percentage improved to 65.5 in 1968. He topped the NFL in field goals (26), field goal percentage (70.3), and scoring (121 points) in 1969, when he also received All-NFL honors from the Associated Press and Sporting News, and again in field goals (30) and scoring (125 points) in ’70, when he received consensus All-NFC recognition. His field goal totals dropped with the moving of the goal posts to the back of the end zone in 1974, although he succeeded on 13 of 17 attempts in ’75 for a career-high 76.5 percentage, and he became less reliable on extra points in his last few seasons. Overall, Cox was successful on 282 of 455 field goal tries (62 %) and added 519 extra points out of 539 attempts for a total of 1365 points, all franchise best totals. In 18 postseason games, he was successful on 11 of 18 field goal attempts and 38 of 40 PATs for another 71 points. Cox was a first-team All-NFL selection once and was named to one Pro Bowl. He also gained some notoriety as the inventor of the Nerf football.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1965: Cowboys Rally in Fourth Quarter to Defeat Steelers

On November 14, 1965 the struggling Dallas Cowboys hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers, who had beaten them two weeks previously. In their sixth season under Head Coach Tom Landry, the Cowboys had started the season with two big wins before dropping five consecutive games, finally breaking the streak with a win over the 49ers the previous week to be at 3-5. At the center of the storm was QB Don Meredith (pictured above), who had a bad elbow and delivered uneven performances, and was challenged by backups Jerry Rhome and Craig Morton. The running game lacked outside speed but rookie split end Bob Hayes provided plenty of that for the passing game and was one of several promising young players on the roster.

Pittsburgh’s season had gotten off to a bad start two weeks before it started when Head Coach Buddy Parker abruptly quit. Mike Nixon took his place and the team lost its first five games. Veteran FB John Henry Johnson went down with a knee injury, 37-year-old QB Ed Brown was ineffectual, and his young replacement, QB Bill Nelsen, was hampered by a bad knee. While the Steelers won two straight games, they were coming off of a loss the previous week and had a 2-6 record coming into Dallas.

A big crowd of 57,923 was in attendance at the Cotton Bowl on a warm afternoon. The fans booed Don Meredith during pregame introductions and he was a target of disaffection for much of the contest. The Steelers got the first break when safety Willie Daniel intercepted a Meredith pass and returned it nine yards to the Dallas 44. In a drive that took seven plays, HB Dick Hoak carried for the last three, gaining eight and five yards before scoring on a three-yard touchdown. Mike Clark added the extra point.

Bob Hayes returned the ensuing kickoff 37 yards to the Dallas 43 and the Cowboys took eight plays to advance the remaining distance. Meredith rolled out and threw to split end Frank Clarke in the left corner of the end zone for a one-yard TD and Danny Villanueva’s kick tied the game at 7-7.

In the second quarter, a promising Dallas series ended with an interception by DB Bob Sherman. The Steelers had to punt, with Frank Lambert’s kick sailing into the end zone for a touchback, and this time the Cowboys didn’t turn the ball over. Meredith completed passes to Hayes, FB Don Perkins, and rookie HB Dan Reeves to reach the Pittsburgh 13, but the advance stalled there and the home team settled for a 33-yard field goal by Villanueva to move ahead by 10-7.

The teams settled into a stalemate until late in the period. Bill Nelsen threw deep to split end Roy Jefferson for a gain of 45 yards and he nearly went farther before being tripped up by safety Obert Logan at the Dallas 21. Nelsen followed up with another completion, this time to flanker Gary Ballman at the two. Rolling to his left on the next play, the quarterback overthrew FB Mike Lind, who was open in the end zone, but the Cowboys were called for an offside penalty and the ball was placed at the one. Nelsen twice tried to sneak across the goal line but was stopped, and on fourth down Hoak was held to no gain.

Dallas was forced to punt on the ensuing series and safety Clendon Thomas, calling for a fair catch, muffed the kick and DB Don Bishop recovered for the Cowboys at the Pittsburgh 41. But the score remained unchanged at halftime when Villanueva’s 46-yard field goal attempt sailed to the right.

Pittsburgh had the first possession in the third quarter and drove to a 32-yard field goal by Clark that tied the score at 10-10. Late in the period, the Steelers’ punt return unit made a big play when Hayes fumbled a kick by Lambert and TE Lee Folkins, an ex-Cowboy, grabbed the bouncing ball and ran 18 yards for a touchdown. Clark added the PAT and the Steelers were ahead by 17-10.

In the fourth quarter, a Nelsen pass was picked off by CB Cornell Green at the Dallas 49. The Cowboys advanced 51 yards in five plays, the biggest a Meredith pass to Reeves that gained 47 yards. Reeves ran the last two yards for a TD and Villanueva knotted the score once again at 17-17.

Another interception of a Nelsen pass, this time by safety Mel Renfro, gave the Cowboys the ball once more near midfield, but Meredith fumbled when hit from behind and Pittsburgh LB John Campbell picked up the loose ball and ran to the Dallas 28. Helped by a penalty on the defense, the Steelers moved to the 17 with Ed Brown now in the game at quarterback. But Brown, throwing toward Jefferson near the goal line, gave up an interception to Logan instead.

The Steelers got another shot with less than three minutes remaining to play, and the result was yet another interception, this time by LB Dave Edwards. After HB Perry Lee Dunn ran for four yards to the Pittsburgh 28 just prior to the two-minute warning, Meredith connected with Hayes, who caught the ball at the 12 and broke away from CB Brady Keys for a 28-yard touchdown. Villanueva converted and the Cowboys won by a final score of 24-17.

Dallas had the lead in total yards (341 to 197) and first downs (15 to 12). The Steelers, who gained just 50 yards on the ground, hurt themselves with six turnovers, five of which were interceptions, although the Cowboys turned the ball over five times. Both teams recorded four sacks apiece.

Don Meredith completed 14 of 31 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns while being intercepted twice. Bob Hayes (pictured below) accounted for 5 catches for 95 yards and the game-winning TD. Perry Lee Dunn led the club with 47 rushing yards on 13 carries and added another 26 on two pass receptions. Dan Reeves ran for just 10 yards on 6 carries but gained 73 yards on three catches.

For the Steelers, Bill Nelsen was successful on 11 of 25 throws for 172 yards with no TDs and two were picked off. Ed Brown had no completions in four attempts, three of which were intercepted. Roy Jefferson had a big performance by catching four passes for 108 yards. Mike Lind led the rushers with 26 yards on 9 attempts and had four pass receptions for 25 yards.

The win put the Cowboys in a tie for third in the Eastern Conference at 4-5 and, while they lost their next two games, they finished strong with three victories to tie for second with the Giants in the Eastern Conference at 7-7, their first non-losing record. It set the stage for a first place showing in ’66. As for the Steelers, they failed to win again the rest of the way, typically being blown out as they ended up in the conference’s basement after compiling a 2-12 tally.

Don Meredith completed only 46.2 percent of his passes due to his slow start, but ended up throwing for 2415 yards and 22 touchdowns as adjustments to the offense allowed him to utilize his mobility to better effect. Bob Hayes had 46 catches for 1003 yards (21.8 avg.) and scored 12 touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl.

1965: Cowboys Deal Tommy McDonald to Rams for Danny Villanueva

On May 14, 1965 the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams swung a trade in which Dallas sent flanker Tommy McDonald to the Rams for kicker Danny Villanueva.

The 30-year-old McDonald (he turned 31 prior to the ’65 season) ranked fourth among active NFL receivers with 333 catches and first in touchdown receptions with 68. A halfback at Oklahoma on Head Coach Bud Wilkinson’s national championship teams in 1955 and ‘56, he was chosen by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 1957 NFL draft and spent his first seven seasons with them. Converted to flanker, he was selected to five straight Pro Bowls and led the league with 1144 pass receiving yards in 1961. He reached double figures in receiving TDs four straight times, set a franchise record with 237 yards in a game against the Giants in ’61, and was a key performer on the 1960 NFL Championship club. Generally considered to be the smallest player in the league at 5’9” and 172 pounds, McDonald, who typically disdained wearing a facemask, played with great enthusiasm as well as skill and was a fan favorite with his acrobatic catches. It thus came as a shock when he was dealt to Dallas for the 1964 season as part of new Head Coach/GM Joe Kuharich’s housecleaning in Philadelphia.

McDonald was moved to split end and had a lesser year with the Cowboys, catching 46 passes for 612 yards, for an uncharacteristically low 13.3-yard average, and scored only two touchdowns. He had wanted a trade and there were concerns as to his commitment to playing.

The Cowboys had sorely missed Sam Baker, the combination placekicker/punter who was traded to Philadelphia in the McDonald deal. Dick Van Raaphorst was successful on just 14 of 29 field goal attempts and punter Billy Lothridge injured his knee in training camp and was inconsistent.

Danny Villanueva was 27 and had come to the Rams as an undrafted free agent out of New Mexico State. He kicked the longest field goal in team history up to that time (51 yards) and also held the club record with a 45.5 punting average in 1962. In five years in LA, Villanueva kicked 44 field goals in 83 attempts (53.0 percent) and was successful on 111 of 113 tries for extra point while averaging 44.3 yards on 296 punts. The development of Bruce Gossett as a placekicker caused him to be used exclusively as a punter in ‘64.

Los Angeles was in need of help at wide receiver, having traded split end Jim Phillips to the Vikings and flanker Carroll Dale to Green Bay, and McDonald resolved any concerns about decline or desire to play by moving into the lineup at flanker and catching a career-high 67 passes for 1036 yards (15.5 avg.) and nine touchdowns. In tandem with rookie split end Jack Snow, he worked well with young quarterbacks Roman Gabriel and Bill Munson and had four hundred-yard receiving games, including one of 200 yards on six catches that included three TDs in a late-season contest against Cleveland. McDonald received Pro Bowl honors, although the team finished in last place in the Western Conference with a 4-10 record.

McDonald played one more season for the Rams, adding 55 catches for 714 yards to his career totals, before being dealt to Atlanta just prior to the 1967 season, his next-to-last. He proved to be a productive addition to the Los Angeles offense in his two years with the team, pulling in 122 passes for 1750 yards (14.3 avg.) and 11 touchdowns, on the way to a career total of 495 receptions for 8410 yards (17.0 avg.) and 84 TDs, all totals that ranked high on the NFL’s career lists at the time. McDonald was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998.

Villanueva (pictured at left) was effective for the 7-7 Cowboys in 1965, connecting on 16 of 27 field goal attempts, 37 of 38 tries for extra point, and averaging 41.8 yards on 60 punts. He lasted another two seasons in his dual kicking role, leading the NFL by hitting on all 56 of his extra point attempts in 1966, on his way to a club-record 100 straight. His field goal percentage dropped off, and he was good on only 8 of 19 attempts in ’67, but he remained an overall well-regarded kicker while Dallas reached the NFL Championship game in each of his last two years. Villanueva retired following the 1967 season and became a broadcaster, and later was part-owner of the Spanish language television network now known as Univision. For his NFL career, he kicked 85 field goals out of 160 attempts (41 of 77 with Dallas), was successful on 236 of 241 extra points, and had a 42.8-yard average on 488 punts.

MVP Profile: Jim Brown, 1965

Fullback, Cleveland Browns

Age: 29

9^th season in pro football & with Browns

College: Syracuse

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 228

Prelude:

Following an outstanding career at Syracuse, in which he distinguished himself as an all-around athlete (lacrosse, basketball, track & field) as well as in football, Brown was chosen in the first round of the 1957 NFL draft by the Browns. With his blend of speed, power, and agility, he moved quickly into the starting lineup as a rookie, leading the league in rushing with 942 yards that included a single-game record at the time of 237 yards. He received MVP as well as Rookie of the Year honors, was a consensus first-team All-Pro and was selected to the Pro Bowl. In 1958, Brown set a new single-season rushing record with 1527 yards, again receiving MVP honors, and continued to lead the NFL in rushing in 1959, ’60, and ’61. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection as well as Pro Bowl selection following all of those seasons. Following a relatively down year in 1962, Brown broke his own single-season rushing record with 1863 yards, had a career-high 2131 yards from scrimmage, and again received MVP recognition. In 1964, he topped the league with 1446 rushing yards and ran for another 114 yards in the NFL Championship game, won by the Browns. 

1965 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 289 [1]

Most attempts, game - 29 (for 168 yds.) vs. Pittsburgh 10/9

Yards – 1544 [1]

Most yards, game – 177 yards (on 24 carries) at NY Giants 10/24

Average gain – 5.3 [2]

TDs – 17 [1]

100-yard rushing games – 8

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 34      

Most receptions, game – 5 (for 53 yds.) vs. Dallas 10/17, (for 60 yds.) vs. Philadelphia 11/7

Yards – 328

Most yards, game - 60 (on 5 catches) vs. Philadelphia 11/7

Average gain – 9.6

TDs – 4

Passing

Attempts – 2

Completions – 1

Yards – 39

TDs – 1

INT – 0

All-purpose yards – 1872 [2]

Scoring

TDs – 21 [2]

Points – 126 [2]

Postseason: 1 G (NFL Championship at Green Bay)

Rushing attempts – 12

Rushing yards – 50

Average gain rushing – 4.2

Rushing TDs – 0

Pass receptions – 3

Yards – 44

Average gain – 14.7

TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: AP, UPI, NEA, Sporting News

1^st team All-NFL: AP, NEA, UPI, NY Daily News

1^st team All-Eastern Conference: Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Browns went 11-3 to finish first in the NFL Eastern Conference while leading the league in rushing yards (2331). Lost NFL Championship to Green Bay Packers (23-12).

Aftermath:

The 1965 season was Brown’s last as he announced his retirement the following summer. Brown won eight NFL rushing titles in nine years and set numerous records as well as a new standard for running backs to be measured against, retiring as the all-time leader in rushing (12,312 yards) and touchdowns (126). Brown averaged 5.2 yards per carry and 104.3 yards per game over the course of his career. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in all nine seasons, was a first-team All-Pro eight times, and received MVP recognition on four occasions. Brown’s #32 was retired by the Browns and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1971.

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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). 

Rookie of the Year: Gale Sayers, 1965

Halfback, Chicago Bears

Age: 22

College: Kansas

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 198

Prelude:

A consensus All-American in 1963 and ’64, the “Kansas Comet” rushed for 2675 yards and had 3917 all-purpose yards in college. He was chosen by the Bears in the first round (fourth overall) of the 1965 NFL draft (he was also a first-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFL draft). There were questions about his blocking ability, but not his speed and running instincts, and Sayers moved into the lineup.

1965 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 166 [7]

Most attempts, game - 17 (for 80 yds.) at Green Bay 10/3

Yards – 867 [2]

Most yards, game – 118 yards (on 16 carries) at Baltimore 12/5

Average gain – 5.2 [3]

TDs – 14 [2]

100-yard rushing games – 3

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 29      

Most receptions, game – 5 (for 104 yds.) at Green Bay 10/3

Yards – 507

Most yards, game - 104 (on 5 catches) at Green Bay 10/3

Average gain – 17.5

TDs – 6 [13, tied with Homer Jones & Bobby Mitchell]

100-yard receiving games – 1

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 21 [10, tied with Ernie Koy & Mel Renfro]

Yards – 660 [6]

Most yards, game – 170 (on 4 ret.) at Minnesota 10/17

Average per return – 31.4 [2]

TDs – 1

Longest return – 96 yards

Punt Returns

Returns – 16 [10, tied with Jim Stiger]

Yards – 238 [5]

Most yards, game – 134 (on 5 ret.) vs. San Francisco 12/12

Average per return – 14.9 [2]

TDs – 1

Longest return – 85 yards

All-Purpose yards – 2272 [1]

Passing

Attempts – 3

Completions – 2

Yards – 53

TDs – 1

INT – 1

Scoring

TDs – 22 [1]

Points – 132 [1]

The 22 touchdowns set a NFL record and included a record-tying 6 in a single game.

Awards & Honors:

NFL Rookie of the Year: UPI, NEA, Sporting News

1^st-team All-NFL: AP, NEA, UPI, NY Daily News

1^st-team All-Western Conference: Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Bears went 9-5 to finish third in the NFL Western Conference while leading the league in touchdowns (54).

Aftermath:

Sayers followed his sensational rookie season by leading the NFL with 1231 rushing yards and setting an all-purpose yardage record with 2440 in 1966. He led the league in total yards for the third straight year with 1689 in ’67. Sayers received consensus first-team All-NFL honors and gained selection to the Pro Bowl after both years. He was on his way to another great year in 1968 when he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the ninth game that required surgery. Still, he rushed for 856 yards, had 1463 all-purpose yards, and again received consensus first-team All-NFL honors. Sayers made a successful return with a woeful Bears team in 1969, leading the NFL in rushing for a second time with 1032 yards. But further injuries in 1970 and ’71 ended his career. Overall, Sayers rushed for 4956 yards on 991 carries (5.0 avg.), caught 112 passes for 1307 yards (11.7 avg.), averaged 14.5 yards on 27 punt returns and a NFL-record 30.6 yards on 91 kickoff returns, totaling 9435 total yards and scoring 56 touchdowns. His career may have been brief, but he made an impression, as he was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection five times and was selected to the Pro Bowl on four occasions. The Bears retired his #40 and Sayers was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1977.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL, AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year). 

1965: Stynchula Field Goals Propel Giants Past Eagles

The New York Giants were a team in transition – and an 11-point underdog – as they faced the Philadelphia Eagles on September 26, 1965. After winning the Eastern Conference for three straight years under Head Coach Allie Sherman, they crashed to 2-10-2 in 1964. Gone were many of the star players, such as QB Y.A. Tittle, flanker Frank Gifford, and MLB Sam Huff, who had played key roles in the team’s success. While some aging veterans remained, there were many new names on the roster. A group of running backs referred to as “The Baby Bulls” had begun to emerge in ’64 and were now joined by first draft choice FB Tucker Frederickson out of Auburn. A trade was swung with Detroit for veteran QB Earl Morrall (pictured above). But the Giants also had four rookies starting on defense and had been beaten badly by the Cowboys in their opening game the previous week.

Another cause of concern was placekicking. The reasonably dependable Don Chandler had been traded to the Packers in the offseason and no clear alternative had emerged to replace him. One of the candidates, FB Chuck Mercein, was unavailable due to a leg injury, leaving DE Andy Stynchula (pictured below), who had not kicked since high school, and rookie Bob Timberlake, also the team’s third-string quarterback. Stynchula had been a star lineman at Penn State and was drafted third by the Redskins in 1960, moving on to New York in ’64 as part of the deal that sent Sam Huff to Washington. The Giants were using him only for short field goals and extra points, with Timberlake handling longer field goal tries.

As for the Eagles, coached for the second year by Joe Kuharich, they were coming off a promising 6-8 season in 1964 and had beaten the Cardinals in Week 1. QB Norm Snead had ideal size and a strong arm, HB Timmy Brown was an outstanding runner and receiver out of the backfield, and TE Pete Retzlaff was one of the league’s best at his position.

There were 57,154 fans in attendance at Franklin Field. The teams traded punts to start the game. On Philadelphia’s second possession, Norm Snead finished off a 73-yard drive in the first quarter with a one-yard touchdown carry. The big plays along the way were passes by Snead in third-and-ten situations to FB Earl Gros for 27 yards and to Timmy Brown for 18.

The Eagles put together another promising drive in the second quarter that also included a long third down conversion on a Snead-to-Brown completion for 16 yards from deep in their own territory, but they were backed up by a holding penalty and had to punt. The Giants got good field position when safety Henry Carr, a rookie who was an Olympic 200-meter champ, returned the kick 17 yards to the Philadelphia 45. With HB Steve Thurlow and Tucker Frederickson (pictured below) running the ball effectively, the Giants scored in seven plays. Flanker Joe Morrison took a pitchout and went 11 yards around left end for a TD. Andy Stynchula added the extra point to tie the score at 7-7 with just over a minute remaining in the half.

The Eagles went to the air in the time remaining. Snead went long for flanker Ron Goodwin, but rookie CB Carl Lockhart leaped high and batted the ball away to prevent a sure score. Sam Baker tried for a 43-yard field goal on the last play before halftime but it was unsuccessful and the score remained tied.

Early in the third quarter, the Giants got a break when Timmy Brown fumbled and DT Mike Bundra recovered at the Philadelphia 25. The resulting possession ended with Stynchula’s first pro field goal, from 24 yards, and New York was in front by a 10-7 margin.

The Eagles responded by putting together a long drive that covered 67 yards in 12 plays. At one point they were forced to punt but King Hill was run into while kicking to draw a penalty and keep the series alive. Snead threw to Pete Retzlaff for 14 yards to the one to set up another quarterback keeper for a touchdown.

New York went 52 yards on its next possession that included back-to-back completions by Earl Morrall of 20 yards to TE Aaron Thomas and 16 yards to HB Smith Reed. The series finally stalled at the Philadelphia 8 and Stynchula booted a 20-yard field goal to make it a one-point game.

The teams traded punts before the Eagles moved into scoring territory. Brown caught two key passes for 27 yards and, on a third-and-one play, ran 18 yards to the New York 20. With 5:30 left to play, the Eagles attempted a field goal but Baker’s kick from 26 yards was blocked by Giants CB Dick Lynch and Carr returned it 19 yards to the New York 32.

A long pass completion was nullified by a penalty, but Morrall came right back with a throw to split end Del Shofner for 31 yards. Four plays later, and facing fourth-and-inches, Morrall sneaked two yards for a first down and then threw to Thomas for 16 yards. Frederickson ran the ball three times for 25 yards down to the four and from there, Stynchula kicked an 11-yard field goal to put the Giants ahead with 15 seconds left on the clock. They held on to win by a final score of 16-14.

The Eagles outgained New York (296 yards to 280) and also had the edge in first downs (18 to 14). Philadelphia suffered the game’s only turnover but the Giants hurt themselves with ten penalties, to three flags thrown on the Eagles. Ultimately, it came down to placekicking as the normally dependable Sam Baker missed both of his field goal attempts, including the crucial blocked kick in the fourth quarter, while Andy Stynchula was a perfect three-for-three.

Earl Morrall completed 12 of 18 passes for 154 yards with no touchdowns but also had none intercepted. Tucker Frederickson rushed for 76 yards on 17 carries. Aaron Thomas had three catches for 62 yards while Smith Reed also pulled in three for 30 yards along with his 13 rushing yards on three attempts and Joe Morrison, whose lone run was the 11-yard TD, gained 19 yards on his three receptions.

For the Eagles, Norm Snead was successful on 17 of 32 throws for 238 yards, also with no TDs or interceptions. Timmy Brown (pictured at right) gained 45 yards on 11 rushing attempts and added 8 catches for 106 yards. Pete Retzlaff contributed 68 yards on his four pass receptions.

“I always have practiced field goals, every day,” said Andy Stynchula, “and with Don Chandler gone this year I went to camp hoping I’d get the kicking job.”

The Giants broke even the rest of the way, finishing at 7-7 and tied with the Cowboys for second in the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia had a disappointing 5-9 record and placed fifth in the conference, along with the Cardinals.

Earl Morrall, in his tenth season, had a good year as he ranked fifth in the NFL in passing with 2446 yards, averaging a healthy 8.1 yards per attempt, with 22 touchdowns as opposed to 12 interceptions. Tucker Frederickson rushed for 659 yards and was named to the Pro Bowl.

As for Andy Stynchula, the three field goals against the Eagles ended up being his only ones of the season. He missed on all four of his remaining attempts while going 12-for-13 on extra point attempts. Bob Timberlake was far worse – he was successful on only one of 15 field goal attempts as the Giants ended up with only four for the entire year. It would spur them to sign pioneering soccer-style PK Pete Gogolak away from the AFL’s Buffalo Bills in the off-season, which dramatically improved their placekicking but also was a key occurrence in the battle between the two leagues.

1966: Packers Dethrone Browns for NFL Championship

It had been three years since the Green Bay Packers had last won a NFL title as they faced the defending-champion Cleveland Browns in the league Championship game on  January 2, 1966. Head Coach Vince Lombardi’s team was a blend of solid veterans who had been a part of title-winning teams in 1961 and ’62 and rising young players. They had battled the Colts to a tie atop the Western Conference with 10-3-1 records that necessitated a playoff that Green Bay won in overtime. However, a cause for concern was that many of the team’s veterans were hampered by injuries, including QB Bart Starr, HB Paul Hornung, and FB Jim Taylor (pictured at right).

The Browns, coached by Blanton Collier, had won a stunning shutout victory over Baltimore in the previous year’s title game and again topped the Eastern Conference at 11-3. They were without split end Paul Warfield, one of the stars of the ’64 team as a rookie, for most of the season due to injury but still had the incomparable FB Jim Brown, who won his eighth league rushing title with 1544 yards and scored 21 touchdowns. QB Frank Ryan and flanker Gary Collins were also keys to the offense.

Snow arrived in the morning, but it had changed to freezing drizzle by game time. There were 50,852 fans present at wet and muddy Lambeau Field. The Packers took the opening kickoff and drove 77 yards in seven plays that culminated in Starr passing to flanker Carroll Dale for a 47-yard touchdown.

The Browns came right back by going 66 yards in just three plays. Ryan threw to Jim Brown for a 30-yard gain, connected with Paul Warfield for 19, and then passed to flanker Gary Collins for a 17-yard touchdown. However, the extra point attempt failed due to a bad snap from center that had PK Lou Groza trying to pass to his holder rather than kick and the Packers maintained a one-point lead.

Late in the first quarter, and following a Green Bay punt from its own end zone, Lou Groza kicked a 24-yard field goal to put the Browns in front by 9-7. The Packers responded by driving to a score. Paul Hornung ran for a 34-yard gain to the Cleveland 39. Following a Starr pass to split end Boyd Dowler for 11 yards, the combination of Taylor and Hornung advanced the ball to the three. The Browns held but Don Chandler kicked a 15-yard field goal early in the second quarter and Green Bay was back in front.

Chandler’s second field goal was set up by an interception by FS Willie Wood, who returned it 15 yards to the Cleveland 10. However, a motion penalty set the Packers back and Starr threw three incomplete passes. Chandler was again successful with a three-point try from 23 yards out that made it 13-9.

With less than three minutes remaining in the first half, the Browns punted and the 50-yard kick by Collins went out at the Green Bay four. Advancing to the 11, a third down pass by Starr was picked off by CB Walter Beach at the 30. Ryan immediately tried to go for the touchdown, throwing a pass into the end zone that was intended for Collins but it was broken up by SS Tom Brown and CB Bob Jeter. The series ended with Groza kicking a 28-yard field goal with 48 seconds remaining on the clock. The Packers carried a slender lead of 13-12 into halftime.

A light snow was falling as the game moved into the third quarter. The Packers put together an 11-play, 90-yard drive in the third quarter that was highlighted by Hornung gaining 20 yards on one run and scoring on a power sweep from 13 yards out. The series consumed nearly seven minutes.

WR Walter Roberts returned the ensuing kickoff 33 yards. Ryan scrambled for eight yards and a facemask penalty added another 15 to advance the ball into Green Bay territory. The drive finally stalled at the 28. Cleveland came up short when Groza’s 37-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter was partially blocked by DT Henry Jordan and was unsuccessful.

The Packers put together another long drive, going from their 20 to the Cleveland 21 with only two passes along the way as Taylor and Hornung again ran effectively. Chandler kicked a 29-yard field goal with 9:28 remaining in the game.

Cleveland again was forced to punt but it was another good one by Collins and pinned the Packers down at their seven. Starr was nearly tackled for a safety by DE Bill Glass but managed to get out to the two before being brought down. Following a five-yard carry by Taylor, Chandler punted from his end zone but any advantage for the Browns was nullified when TE Ralph Smith barreled into the kicker and drew a roughing penalty.

The Packers didn’t score again but also didn’t relinquish the ball until there were only about two minutes remaining. The Browns only reached Green Bay territory one more time during the second half, and after making it to the 47 Ryan was sacked by DE Willie Davis to push them back to their 48. A last-gasp long pass intended for Collins was intercepted by CB Herb Adderley, who made a leaping grab to extinguish the threat and nail down the 23-12 win for Green Bay.

The Packers significantly outgained Cleveland (332 yards to 161), ran 69 plays to Cleveland’s 39, and also dominated in first downs (21 to 8). They had a huge edge in rushing yardage (204 to 64) and also turned the ball over only once, to two by the Browns. Green Bay’s defense took control and completely shut the defending champs down in the second half.

Paul Hornung (pictured at left) gained 105 yards on 18 carries that included a touchdown and workhorse Jim Taylor added 96 yards on 27 attempts and added 20 more yards on two pass receptions. Bart Starr completed 10 of 18 passes for 147 yards with a TD and an interception. Boyd Dowler caught 5 passes for 59 yards and, with the long early scoring reception, Carroll Dale gained 60 yards on his two catches.

For the Browns, Jim Brown was held to 50 yards on 12 carries and led the club with 44 yards on three receptions out of the backfield. Frank Ryan was successful on just 8 of 18 throws for 115 yards and a TD with two picked off. Gary Collins, like Brown, caught three passes, for 41 yards and a score.

“The snow and mud were our allies,” said Vince Lombardi. “When you have conditions like these, it’s best to be basic, not fancy. And we’re the most basic offensive team there is.”

“We’re a fine team – better than we showed today – and I’m proud of them,” said Blanton Collier on behalf of the Browns. “But we just made too many mistakes.”

While the win over the Browns was the first of three straight NFL titles for Green Bay, it also was something of a last hurrah for the backfield combination of Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung, who had played such a major role in the team’s rise but were showing signs of wear by 1965. Both were back in ‘66, but at reduced effectiveness. Taylor rushed for 705 yards while averaging 3.5 yards per carry. Hornung ran the ball only 76 times for 200 yards in an injury-plagued year. They were gone by the time the team won its third title in ’67.

While no one knew it at the time, the 1965 title game was also the end of the line for Jim Brown (pictured below) in a Cleveland uniform (he played once more in the Pro Bowl). The great fullback announced his retirement during the summer of ’66 while on movie location in London. He left as the all-time leading rusher in NFL history with 12,312 yards, a record that lasted until 1984, while leading the league eight times in nine seasons and averaging 104.3 yards per game and 5.2 per carry. His record of 126 touchdowns scored lasted until 1994. 

1965: Packers Obtain Carroll Dale from Rams

On April 13, 1965 the Green Bay Packers, looking to improve an aging corps of receivers, traded LB Dan Currie to the Los Angeles Rams for WR Carroll Dale.

Green Bay, under Head Coach/GM Vince Lombardi, won back-to-back NFL Championships in 1961 and ’62 but failed to win the Western Conference in 1963 and ’64. The club was still fundamentally strong but was in need of some retooling, and the receiving corps was one of the areas of concern.

The duo of flanker Boyd Dowler and split end Max McGee was a good one and had been together since 1959 when Dowler broke in with a Rookie of the Year season. While Dowler was still in his prime at age 27 and had led the team with 45 catches for 623 yards in ’64, the nine-year pro McGee, at 32, was effective but showing signs of wear. His reception totals had steadily dropped since a career-high 51 in 1961 and he ended up pulling in 31 passes for 592 yards, although for a healthy 19.1-yard average and team-leading six touchdowns. In addition, TE Ron Kramer, an outstanding blocker as well as receiver, had played out his option and was demanding a trade – he was accommodated by being shipped off to the rival Detroit Lions.

The Packers had first sought to address the issue by picking Baylor end Larry Elkins in the first round of the ’64 draft, but he signed with the AFL’s Houston Oilers instead (he lasted two injury-plagued seasons and caught a total of 24 passes).

 “We lost our first draft choice and, as a result, we needed a receiver with speed,” explained Lombardi.

The 6’1”, 197-pound Carroll Dale was just short of his 27^th birthday at the time of the trade and had been with the Rams for five years, who had drafted him in the eighth round out of Virginia Tech in 1960. He moved into the starting lineup at tight end as a rookie but was shifted to flanker in 1963 and, overall, caught 149 passes for 2663 yards (17.9 avg.) and 17 touchdowns.

As for the Rams, Head Coach Harland Svare was looking to upgrade the linebacker corps (Svare was himself a former NFL linebacker). While the defensive line was outstanding and contained ends Deacon Jones and Lamar Lundy and tackles Merlin Olsen and Rosey Grier, the rest of the platoon was spotty. The team had not posted a winning record since 1958 and was coming off of a 5-7-2 campaign in ’64.

Swinging the deal with Green Bay meant sacrificing the only veteran outside receiver left on the roster since LA had also recently traded split end Jim “Red” Phillips to Minnesota, along with DT Gary Larsen (the Rams received Minnesota’s top draft choice, WR Jack Snow, in return. Veteran flanker Tommy McDonald was obtained from the Cowboys later in the offseason).

Dan Currie, just short of 30 at the time of the deal, was taken by the Packers in the first round in 1958 after an outstanding college career at Michigan State. 6’3” and 240 pounds, he had starred in Green Bay for seven years and received All-Pro honors in 1962. However, he had been made expendable by the presence of younger linebackers Lee Roy Caffey and Dave Robinson, plus second-year backup Tommy Crutcher and rookie Bill Curry from Georgia Tech (who would be shifted to center).

“Of course, I have mixed emotions about leaving Green Bay,” said Currie. “It’s tough leaving a great group of guys. But these things happen in pro football. Going to the Rams means a new challenge to me.”

Things started slowly for Dale in Green Bay, as he gradually took on McGee’s role and caught 20 passes for 382 yards (19.2 avg.) and two touchdowns. Dowler was still the top receiver (44 catches, 610 yards) while young TE Marv Fleming struggled and was supplanted by veteran Bill Anderson. The Packers were back on top at the end, however, beating Cleveland for the NFL title. In the postseason, Dale caught three passes for 63 yards in the overtime Western Conference playoff win over the Colts and started off the scoring in the NFL Championship game with a 47-yard touchdown reception.

Dale had a better year in 1966, forcing McGee to the bench and making big plays as the team’s top deep receiver. He ended up with 37 receptions for 876 yards (23.7 avg.) and seven TDs. He again had a touchdown in the league title game and in the first Super Bowl, against the AFL Champion Kansas City Chiefs, he pulled in 4 passes for 59 yards (McGee came off the bench when Dowler went down with an injury early in the contest and had an outstanding performance).

In all, Dale played eight seasons in Green Bay, experiencing one more championship before Lombardi left and the club faded from contention. He remained an important part of the offense and was selected to the Pro Bowl three straight times, from 1968 to ’70. Dale had his most receiving yards (879) in 1969 and a career high in catches (49) in 1970 and ended up with 275 receptions for 5422 yards (19.7 avg.) and 35 touchdowns as a Packer. He finished up with the Vikings in 1973 and appeared in one last Super Bowl.

As for Dan Currie in Los Angeles, he started at right outside linebacker in 1965 but appeared to be in decline. Following another losing season (4-10), Svare was replaced as head coach by George Allen, who revamped the linebacker corps by obtaining more veteran talent. Currie lost his starting job to Pro Bowl OLB Maxie Baughan, obtained from the Eagles. It was his final season.

As a footnote, the rookie Jack Snow and veteran Tommy McDonald performed admirably for the Rams in ‘65. Snow caught 38 passes for 559 yards on his way to a productive 11-year career in LA. McDonald made the Pro Bowl with a career-high 67 catches for 1036 yards and nine TDs. 

1962: Wally Lemm Leaves Oilers for Cardinals

On February 22, 1962 Wally Lemm, who had guided the Houston Oilers to the AFL Championship in ’61, quit to become head coach of the St. Louis Cardinals of the NFL. The 42-year-old Lemm signed a one-year contract in succeeding Frank “Pop” Ivy, who resigned with two games left in the season.

Lemm had started out more inclined to write about football then coach it. He graduated from Carroll College, where he was a halfback on the football team, with a journalism degree. Following service in World War II in which he commanded a torpedo boat, he became an assistant coach under Hugh Devore at Notre Dame in 1945. It was a quick jump to head coach at Waukesha High School in ’46 and then back to the college level. Lemm was an assistant coach for three years at Lake Forest College, as well as head basketball coach, before becoming head coach in 1954. The team won the conference title in his first year and he left after compiling an 11-4-1 record. From there it was on to Montana State and again, in his first season, his team won a title, gaining the Rocky Mountain Conference championship with an 8-1 tally.

In 1956, Lemm moved to pro coaching for the first time, serving as a defensive assistant for the then-Chicago Cardinals. The team, under Head Coach Ray Richards, had its first winning season in seven years and the defense was a big part of it as the unit intercepted 33 passes and allowed only nine touchdowns. However, in keeping with a pattern in which he didn’t stay in one place for long, Lemm returned to Lake Forest College as head coach in ’57 and came away with another conference title.

After returning to the Cardinals as an assistant in 1959, he moved to the Oilers of the new AFL in ’60. Houston won the first AFL Championship under Head Coach Lou Rymkus, but Lemm resigned to go into the sporting goods business. When the Oilers got off to a 1-3-1 start in 1961 and it was apparent that Rymkus was losing control of the club, owner Bud Adams hired Lemm to take over.

His coaching methods were rather unconventional for the time and made him unpopular with some of his peers. Lemm was low-key and took a relaxed approach with the players and kept the offense, in particular, as simple as possible in order to eliminate the potential for errors. His attitude was summed up in his statement that “football is supposed to be fun and if you treat the players like adults they will usually respond like adults. The game is not really simple anymore because the defenses change so much, but we try to keep it as clear, straightforward and pleasurable as we can.”

The philosophy worked in Houston. The intense Rymkus had sown dissension among the players, but Lemm relaxed the atmosphere. He also returned veteran QB George Blanda to the starting lineup and installed Willard Dewveall at tight end. The defense was simplified and Fred Glick replaced Charlie Milstead at safety, where he had been badly overmatched in the team’s defeats. The results were spectacular – the Oilers went 10-0 the rest of the way and repeated as AFL champs.

Lemm had initially agreed to a contract extension but was frustrated with the front office alignment in Houston despite the team’s success, and with the excuse of being able to work closer to home (he lived in Libertyville, Illinois), he accepted the offer to coach the Cardinals.

While there were rumors that the Oilers were interested in Sammy Baugh or former Dallas Cowboys assistant Babe Dimancheff to replace Lemm, in the end they hired Ivy, making it a straight swap of coaches (he lasted two seasons).

The Cardinals, all-too-typically a losing team, went 6-5-1 in 1960, the first year in St. Louis, and were 7-7 in ’61. Injuries played a key role in the team’s failing to show greater improvement, in particular the loss of star HB John David Crow for virtually the entire year. Canadian Football League legend Sam Etcheverry had moved south of the border after an outstanding nine-year career to take over at quarterback, but his arm was worn out and he was no longer the player he had been in the CFL.

Lemm didn’t have the same initial success as he did in his college stops and with the Oilers. St. Louis dropped to 4-9-1 in 1962. However, the seeds were planted for future success. Etcheverry started the year at quarterback but was replaced by second-year QB Charley Johnson, who showed promise and had outstanding receivers in fleet split end Sonny Randle and dependable flanker Bobby Joe Conrad. Crow was back at halfback and there was a good stable of young backs developing. The defense gave up too many points, but there was young talent in the backfield with 22-year-old CB Pat Fischer and 24-year-old FS Larry Wilson.

In the draft for the 1963 season, the Cards had two first round draft choices and used them to shore up the defense, adding safety Jerry Stovall from LSU and Purdue DE Don Brumm. The team dramatically improved to 9-5. Johnson had an outstanding year at quarterback, setting club records with 3280 passing yards and 28 TDs. Despite again losing Crow to injury for virtually the entire season, Bill Triplett was shifted from defensive back to offensive halfback and was a good replacement, running for 652 yards while averaging 4.9 yards per carry and catching 31 passes for 396 more. Perennial backup Joe Childress became the starting fullback and led the team with 701 rushing yards and grabbed 25 passes. Conrad led the NFL with 73 pass receptions, for 967 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Randle gained 1014 yards on his 51 catches and scored 12 times. Rookie TE Jackie Smith contributed 28 receptions for 445 yards. The line, built around C Bob DeMarco and G Ken Gray, was also improved.

The defensive line was augmented by the addition of Brumm and Stovall proved to be an asset in the backfield, along with Jimmy Burson. The linebacker corps, anchored by MLB Dale Meinert, was a good one. Jim Bakken, who had originally joined the team as a reserve defensive back, proved to be a reliable placekicker (and would for the next 15 seasons in St. Louis).

The stage was set for the Cards to contend in 1964 and they battled the Browns to the wire, ending up second in the Eastern Conference at 9-3-2. Indeed, they went 1-0-1 against Cleveland and won three of their first four and all of their last four contests - only a midseason slump prevented them from finishing on top. The team was well balanced. Johnson passed for 3045 yards, although he threw more interceptions (24) than touchdowns (21). Conrad had another Pro Bowl year (61 catches, 780 yards) but Randle missed considerable time with a shoulder injury - backup WR Billy Gambrell performed admirably in his place. Jackie Smith continued his development at tight end with 47 receptions for 657 yards. Triplett was out for the year at halfback due to a bout with tuberculosis, but Crow was back and led the club with 554 yards rushing. On defense, the small (5’9”, 170) but aggressive Fischer intercepted 10 passes and the club ranked second in the league with 25 overall.

The success did not continue as anticipated in 1965, however. After getting off to a 4-1 start, they lost eight of their last nine games to sink to 5-9. The line and receivers were still outstanding, but Johnson, who started out well, was plagued by injuries and seemed to regress. Injuries also struck among the running backs, and they were lacking the clutch play of Crow, who had been dealt away to the 49ers. On defense, the linebacker corps was still a strength but the line failed to rush opposing passers effectively and Wilson and Stovall missed time in the backfield.

The failure to meet expectations meant the end of the line for Lemm in St. Louis. He left with an overall record of 27-26-3 and returned to the Oilers as head coach in 1966 (including Ivy, they had gone through three head coaches since ‘62). While the Cards had some good seasons under his successor, Charley Winner, they were never able to win a division title. Houston, with Lemm back at the helm, utilized a conservative offense and outstanding defense to win the Eastern Divison in ’67, but was decimated by Oakland in the AFL Championship game. It was Lemm’s last hurrah as a pro head coach, and he quit for good following the 1970 season, citing health issues. His overall pro record was 64-64-7 and he was 1-2 in the postseason, with the one AFL title to his credit.