1974: Vikings Thwart Dallas Rally with Last-Second Field Goal

Two perennial contenders, the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys, faced off on October 6, 1974, but the teams were in very different places as they headed into the fourth week of the NFL season. The Vikings, coached by Bud Grant for the eighth year, were the defending NFC Champions and off to a 3-0 start. Dallas had been to the playoffs in each of the previous eight years under Head Coach Tom Landry, but was 1-2 and had scored only 16 points combined in the previous two games.

There were 57,847 fans in attendance at Texas Stadium, and the Cowboys struck first four minutes into the contest with a big play when QB Roger Staubach threw to WR Golden Richards for a 58-yard touchdown. Efren Herrera added the extra point for the early 7-0 lead. Before the opening period was over, the Vikings narrowed the margin to 7-3 with a 48-yard Fred Cox field goal.

Early in the second quarter, the Cowboys reached the Minnesota 38 but a Staubach pass was intercepted by LB Amos Martin. Three plays later, QB Fran Tarkenton (pictured at top) threw down the middle to FB Chuck Foreman, who was isolated on LB D.D. Lewis, and it was complete for a 66-yard TD. Cox added the point after and the visitors were in front by 10-7.

Minnesota continued to thwart the Cowboys, and Staubach, whose slump had contributed to the club’s offensive woes, was the principal victim. He was picked off a second time, by CB Nate Wright at the Dallas 21, but while the Vikings got more points, they were forced to settle for a 30-yard Cox field goal and took a 13-7 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, Wright intercepted Staubach again, on this occasion grabbing the ball away from WR Drew Pearson at the Minnesota 36. The Vikings advanced 64 yards in eight plays, the last a toss to Foreman (pictured at left), who made a leaping grab over Lewis in the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown. Cox’s point after gave Minnesota an extended lead of 20-7.

A fourth interception of a Staubach pass, this time by DB Terry Brown at the Dallas 31, had the restless home crowd booing. However, the defense pushed the Vikings back and the tide began to turn in the fourth quarter. The Cowboys put together a 39-yard drive featuring a Staubach completion to HB Calvin Hill for 22 yards and two runs by Hill for six yards apiece. The series culminated in Staubach throwing to FB Walt Garrison for a five yard touchdown and Herrera’s kick narrowed the score to 20-14.

With 8:26 left in regulation, a poor punt by Minnesota’s Mike Eischeid traveled only 11 yards and gave the Cowboys the ball at their 40. Dallas took advantage, driving 60 yards in eight plays. At one point, Hill fumbled on a third-and-three play at the Minnesota 22 but the Cowboys still ended up with five yards and a first down when WR Bob Hayes recovered. Three plays later, Hill ran for an eight-year touchdown and, with Herrera adding the extra point, the Cowboys were ahead by 21-20 with 2:26 remaining to play.

In response, the Vikings advanced 68 yards, with Tarkenton connecting with RB Ed Marinaro for a key first down. The breaks now began to go Minnesota’s way again. First, Tarkenton appeared to fumble when hit by CB Benny Barnes on a blitz, but the officials ruled that the play was dead before the quarterback lost the ball.  Then, passing in a third-and-12 situation, Foreman gained 17 yards but fumbled, still managing to recover amid a crowd of defenders.  Tarkenton followed up with another throw to Marinaro for 20 yards and that set up a 27-yard Fred Cox field goal attempt with one second left on the clock. While the officials were slow to signal as the kick passed near the right upright, it was successful. The Cowboys disputed the call but Minnesota was the winner by a final score of 23-21.

The Vikings led in total yards (376 to 273) and first downs (18 to 16). Dallas outrushed Minnesota (144 to 111) but the Vikings had far more net passing yards (265 to 129) and the Cowboys turned the ball over four times, all on interceptions, to none by Minnesota.

Fran Tarkenton completed 17 of 27 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Chuck Foreman accumulated 203 yards from scrimmage, gaining 72 yards on 23 rushing attempts and 121 on five pass receptions that included two TDs.

For the Cowboys, Roger Staubach had a rough performance as he succeeded on just 9 of 20 throws for 144 yards and two TDs, giving up four interceptions. Calvin Hill (pictured at right) ran for 95 yards and a TD on 21 carries and was one of three Dallas players with a team-leading two pass receptions. Golden Richards, with his one long scoring catch at the beginning of the game, led the club with 58 receiving yards.

“Tarkenton is a gifted quarterback,” said Coach Tom Landry in defeat. “He’s been playing this game for 15 years and he has picked up a lot of knowledge.”

Minnesota reached 5-0 before losing two straight, but breezed to the NFC Central title with a 10-4 record. The Vikings again won the conference championship but lost to Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl. The Cowboys dropped to 1-4 the following week before reeling off four straight wins and seven in their last nine games, and they managed to lead the NFL in total yards (4983). The poor start doomed them, however, as they finished at 8-6 and third in the NFC East, missing the postseason for the first time since 1965.

Fran Tarkenton, in his 14^th year, passed for an NFC-leading 2598 yards and was chosen to the Pro Bowl as well as being a second-team All-NFC selection by UPI. Chuck Foreman continued to be productive both running and catching the ball, with 777 yards on 199 rushing attempts, 586 yards on 53 pass receptions, and a total of 15 touchdowns. He was also a consensus second-team All-NFL and first-team All-NFC selection and was named to the Pro Bowl for the second year.

Things ultimately got better for Roger Staubach, but as it was he still had his poorest season as a starting quarterback. His completion percentage (52.8), yards per attempt (7.1), and passer rating (68.4) were all career lows and he threw more interceptions (15) than touchdown passes (11).  But it proved to be an aberration in his Hall of Fame career; he would never again miss selection to the Pro Bowl in his five remaining years with the Cowboys.

Highlighted Year: Ray Brown, 1974

Safety, Atlanta Falcons

Age: 25

4^th season in pro football & with Falcons

College: West Texas A & M

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 202

Prelude:

Brown was chosen by the Falcons in the sixth round of the 1971 NFL draft and started nine games at free safety as a rookie, intercepting three passes. He became part of a secondary that led the NFC in pass defense twice in three years (1971 and ’73) and finished a close second in ’72, the year Brown moved over to strong safety. In 1973 he picked off six passes and also returned 40 punts for a 9.0-yard average.

1974 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 8 [3, tied with Thom Darden & Jake Scott, 1^st in NFC]

Most interceptions, game – 2 vs. Chicago 10/13

Int. return yards – 164 [4]

Most int. return yards, game – 59 (on 1 int.) at NY Giants 10/6

Int. TDs – 1 [4, tied with many others]

Fumble recoveries – 0

Punt Returns

Returns – 9

Yards – 96

Average per return – 10.7

TDs – 0

Longest return – 23 yards

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points – 6

Awards & Honors:

2^nd team All-NFC:  UPI

Falcons went 3-11 to finish fourth in the NFC West while leading the conference in fewest passing yards allowed (1572) – but also giving up the most rushing yards in the NFL (2564).

Aftermath:

Brown was shifted to free safety in 1975 and had another fine season while he intercepted four passes and returned one for a touchdown. He moved back to strong safety for the next two years and was dealt to New Orleans in 1978, where he continued to be a solid performer. Brown spent three years with the Saints before retiring in 1980. Overall, he appeared in 137 games over ten seasons and intercepted 38 passes, 31 of them with the Falcons, two of which were returned for TDs.

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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: Cliff Branch, 1974

Wide Receiver, Oakland Raiders

Age: 26

3^rd season in pro football & with Raiders

College: Colorado

Height: 5’11” Weight: 170

Prelude:

A track as well as football star in college, Branch caught 36 passes for 665 yards (18.5 avg.), rushed for 354 yards, and scored eight touchdowns on kickoff returns, which was a NCAA Division 1-A record. He was chosen by the Raiders in the fourth round of the 1972 NFL draft and, while Branch impressed with his speed, he was also still a raw talent and caught just 22 passes in his first two seasons as backup to WR Mike Siani. He beat out Siani for the starting job in 1974 and became the deep threat across from dependable possession WR Fred Biletnikoff.

1974 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 60 [4] 

Most receptions, game – 7 (for 124 yds.) at San Diego 10/13, (for 96 yds.) vs. Cincinnati 10/20, (for 125 yds.) vs. San Diego 11/17

Yards – 1092 [1]

Most yards, game – 138 (on 6 catches) vs. New England 12/1

Average gain – 18.2 [10]

TDs – 13 [1]

100-yard receiving games – 5

Scoring

TDs – 13 [2, 1^st in AFC]

Points – 78 [8]

Postseason: 2 G

Pass receptions – 12

Most pass receptions, game – 9 vs. Pittsburgh, AFC Championship

Pass receiving yards – 270

Most pass receiving yards, game – 186 vs. Pittsburgh, AFC Championship

Average yards per reception – 22.5

Pass Receiving TDs – 2

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, NEA, Pro Football Weekly

1^st team All-AFC: AP, UPI, Pro Football Weekly, Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Raiders went 12-2 to finish first in the AFC West while leading the NFL in touchdowns (46) and scoring (355 points) and the AFC in total yards (4983). Won AFC Divisional playoff over Miami Dolphins (28-26). Lost AFC Championship to Pittsburgh Steelers (24-13).

Aftermath:

Branch’s breakout 1974 season was the first of three straight in which he was a consensus first-team All-NFL choice and four that resulted in selection to the Pro Bowl. He had career highs with 1111 yards and averaging 24.2 yards per catch on 46 receptions in 1976, when he again topped the league with 12 touchdowns. While the honors ceased coming after 1977, he had a long and productive career with the Raiders, playing until 1985 and catching 501 passes for 8685 yards (17.3 avg.) and 67 touchdowns. Branch added another 73 receptions for 1289 yards (17.7 avg.) and five TDs in 22 playoff games and was a member of three NFL Championship squads. Following his departure from the Raiders in 1985, he played for the Los Angeles Cobras of the Arena Football League in ‘88 and caught 25 passes for 250 yards and three TDs.

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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: Tom Blanchard, 1974

Punter, New Orleans Saints

Age: 26

4^th season in pro football, 1^st with Saints

College: Oregon

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 190

Prelude:

A quarterback in college, Blanchard had problems with an injured knee as a senior and split time with sophomore Dan Fouts, who would go on to a Hall of Fame career as a pro. He was chosen by the New York Giants in the 12^th round of the 1971 NFL draft and caught on as the punter. In three years with the Giants, Jennings punted 169 times for a 41.6-yard average, with a high of 42.7 in 1972. He was beaten out by Dave Jennings in the 1974 preseason, but when the Saints cut P Donnie Gibbs following the first game, Blanchard took his place.

1974 Season Summary

Appeared in 13 of 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Punting

Punts – 88 [4]

Most punts, game – 10 at Atlanta 10/20

Yards – 3704 [2]

Average – 42.1 [2, 1^st in NFC]

Best average, game – 47.5 (on 6 punts) vs. LA Rams 11/17

Punts blocked – 0

Longest punt – 71 yards

Saints went 5-9 to finish third in the NFC West.

Aftermath:

Blanchard spent another four seasons with the Saints and averaged 41.3 yards on 447 punts. He again led the NFC with a 42.4-yard average in 1977 and proved adept at dropping punts inside the 20. The arrival of kicker Russell Erxleben, a first-round draft choice in 1979, caused the Saints to trade Blanchard to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he remained for the last three years of his career. An injury finished his ’81 season in the third week and he was released afterward. Overall, he averaged 41.3 yards on 819 punts for his career. Blanchard returned to his hometown of Grants Pass, Oregon and coached high school football for 18 years, as well as softball.

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Highlighted Years features players who were 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: Ken Anderson, 1974

Quarterback, Cincinnati Bengals

Age: 25

4^th season in pro football & with Bengals

College: Augustana (IL)

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 211

Prelude:

Anderson, who was well-regarded despite coming from a small college, was chosen by the Bengals in the third round of the 1971 NFL draft, and took over as starting quarterback in his second season. Mobile, intelligent, and with a good arm, he also adapted well to QB coach Bill Walsh’s early version of the West Coast passing attack with short timing passes. He broke out in 1973, throwing for 2428 yards and 18 touchdowns with a passer rating of 81.2 while the Bengals went 10-4 and won the AFC Central title.

1974 Season Summary

Appeared and started in 13 of 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 328 [7]

Most attempts, game – 44 vs. Houston 10/27

Completions – 213 [1]

Most completions, game – 30 vs. Houston 10/27

Yards – 2667 [1]

Most yards, game – 352 vs. Houston 10/27

Completion percentage – 64.9 [1]

Yards per attempt – 8.1 [1]

TD passes – 18 [5]

Most TD passes, game – 4 vs. Kansas City 11/24

Interceptions – 10 [20, tied with Dan Pastorini, Mike Livingston & Jerry Tagge]

Most interceptions, game – 2 at San Francisco 9/29, at Oakland 10/20, at Houston 11/17

Passer rating – 95.7 [1]

300-yard passing games – 1

200-yard passing games – 6

Rushing

Attempts – 43

Most attempts, game – 7 (for 70 yds.) vs. Washington 10/6

Yards – 314

Most yards, game – 70 yards (on 7 carries) vs. Washington 10/6

Average gain – 7.3

TDs – 2

Scoring

TDs – 2

Points – 12

Awards & Honors:

2^nd team All-NFL: NEA

2^nd team All-AFC: UPI

Bengals went 7-7 to finish third in the AFC Central while leading the conference in passing yards (2511).

Aftermath:

Anderson again led the NFL in passing (93.9 rating), passing yards (3169), and yards per attempt (8.4) in 1975 and was selected to the Pro Bowl in ‘75 and ’76. The team regularly contended during that period, but through coaching changes and attrition, the Bengals slumped later in the decade and Anderson, who also battled injuries, even briefly lost his starting job during the 1980 season. He came back with a MVP performance in 1981 in which he led the NFL with a career-high 98.4 passer rating and Cincinnati won the AFC Championship. Anderson again led the NFL in passing during the strike-shortened 1982 season (95.3) and completed a then-record 70.6 % of his passes. He led the league once more in completion percentage in ’83 (66.7) but after one last year as the starting quarterback, he backed up Boomer Esiason in 1985 and ’86, his last two seasons, all spent with the Bengals. Overall, he passed for 32,838 yards and 197 TDs, averaging 7.3 yards per attempt. He also rushed for 2220 yards and 20 touchdowns. Anderson was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection once, received second-team honors twice more, and was chosen to the Pro Bowl four times.

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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: Otis Armstrong, 1974

Halfback, Denver Broncos

Age: 24 (Nov. 15)

2^nd season in pro football & with Broncos

College: Purdue

Height: 5’10” Weight: 196

Prelude:

Armstrong rushed for 3315 yards in college and, as a senior in 1972, was a consensus first-team All-American and placed eighth in Heisman Trophy voting. The Broncos chose him in the first round (ninth overall) of the ’73 NFL draft and he saw limited action as the backup to star HB Floyd Little. Tried at fullback in 1974, he took over at halfback when Little was injured.

1974 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 263 [3]

Most attempts, game – 31 (for 183 yds.) vs. Houston 12/8

Yards – 1407 [1]

Most yards, game – 183 yards (on 31 carries) vs. Houston 12/8

Average gain – 5.3 [1]

TDs – 9 [3, tied with Sam Cunningham, Chuck Foreman & Larry Csonka]

100-yard rushing games – 7

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 38      

Most receptions, game – 6 (for 96 yds.) vs. Kansas City 11/18

Yards – 405

Most yards, game – 96 (on 6 catches) vs. Kansas City 11/18

Average gain – 10.7

TDs – 3

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 16

Yards – 386

Most yards, game – 72 (on 3 ret.) vs. Pittsburgh 9/22

Average per return – 24.1 [19]

TDs – 0

Longest return – 41 yards

All-Purpose yards – 2198 [2]

Scoring

TDs – 12 [3, tied with Mack Herron & Tom Sullivan]

Points – 72 [11, tied with Mack Herron & Tom Sullivan]

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Pro Football Weekly

2^nd team All-NFL: NEA

1^st team All-AFC: AP, UPI, Pro Football Weekly, Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Broncos went 7-6-1 to finish second in the AFC West.

Aftermath:

Armstrong was sidelined by a rib injury that cost him ten games in 1975, and he carried only 31 times for 155 yards and caught one pass. He bounced back in’76 to rush for 1008 yards on 247 attempts (4.1 avg.) and catch 39 passes for 457 more yards, and was named to the Pro Bowl. An ankle injury limited Armstrong to 489 rushing yards in the 1977 AFC Championship season and his production remained similarly low for the remainder of his career, which ended with the 1980 season. Overall, in eight years with the Broncos, Armstrong rushed for 4453 yards on 1023 carries (4.4 avg.) and caught 131 passes for 1302 yards, scoring a total of 32 touchdowns.

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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

MVP Profile: Joe Greene, 1974

Defensive Tackle, Pittsburgh Steelers

Age: 28 (Sept. 24)

6^th season in pro football & with Steelers

College: North Texas State

Height: 6’4”   Weight: 275

Prelude:

An All-American and considered the best college defensive line prospect available, even if comparatively unknown to most fans, “Mean Joe” was taken by the Steelers in the first round of the 1969 NFL draft (fourth overall). With his speed as well as strength, he quickly established himself as an outstanding pass rusher from the interior of the line and was the Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year. Greene followed up with Pro Bowl years in each of the next four years from 1970 to ’73, including a selection as NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press in 1972. Fast, strong, and agile, he had the ability to dominate games and provided outstanding emotional leadership.

1974 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Sacks – N/A

Interceptions – 1

Int. return yards – 26

Int. TDs – 0

Fumble recoveries – 4

Postseason: 3 G

Sacks – 1 (unofficial)

Interceptions – 1

Int. return yards – 10

Fumble recoveries – 1

TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Defensive Player of the Year: AP

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, NEA, Pro Football Weekly

1^st team All-AFC: AP, UPI, Pro Football Weekly, Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Steelers went 10-3-1 to finish first in the AFC Central while leading the NFL in fewest total yards allowed (3074), fewest passing yards allowed (1466), and most sacks (52) and the AFC in fewest points allowed (189). Won AFC Divisional playoff over Buffalo Bills (32-14), AFC Championship over Oakland Raiders (24-13), and Super Bowl over Minnesota Vikings (16-6).

Aftermath:

Greene became the cornerstone of an outstanding defense that was one of the highest-ranked in the NFL over the remainder of the decade and the Steelers won four NFL titles. While injuries became more of a factor after his 91-game playing streak came to an end in 1975, his string of Pro Bowl selections reached eight straight. “Mean Joe” played a total of 13 years, all with Pittsburgh, and was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection five times, received at least some All-NFL or All-AFC recognition in four other seasons, and was named to the Pro Bowl on a total of 10 occasions. Greene was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1987.

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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). Also includes Associated Press NFL Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.

MVP Profile: Chuck Foreman, 1974

Fullback, Minnesota Vikings

Age: 24 (Oct. 26)

2^nd season in pro football & with Vikings

College: Miami (FL)

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 207

Prelude:

Seeking an upgrade at running back, the Vikings took Foreman in the first round of the 1973 NFL draft (12^th overall). In college, he had played in the defensive backfield and at wide receiver as well as running back and excelled, setting school records for total yards, scoring, touchdowns, and kickoff return yards. As a rookie in ’73, he rushed for 801 yards on 182 carries, caught 37 passes for 362 more yards, and received Rookie of the Year as well as Pro Bowl honors.

1974 Season Summary

Appeared in 13 of 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 199 [10]

Most attempts, game – 23 (for 72 yds.) at Dallas 10/6

Yards – 777 [11]

Most yards, game – 83 yards (on 13 carries) at Detroit 9/22

Average gain – 3.9

TDs – 9 [3, tied with Sam Cunningham, Larry Csonka & Otis Armstrong]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 53 [8] 

Most receptions, game – 9 (for 88 yds.) at LA Rams 11/24

Yards – 586 [18]

Most yards, game – 131 (on 5 catches) at Dallas 10/6

Average gain – 11.1

TDs – 6 [6, tied with five others]

100-yard receiving games – 1

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 1

Yards – 30

Average – 30.0

TDs – 0

All-Purpose yards – 1393 [9]

Scoring

TDs – 15 [1]

Points – 90 [4, tied with John Smith]

Postseason: 3 G

Rushing attempts – 57

Most rushing attempts, game - 23 vs. St. Louis, NFC Divisional playoff

Rushing yards – 212

Most rushing yards, game - 114 vs. St. Louis, NFC Divisional playoff

Average gain rushing – 3.7

Rushing TDs – 1

Pass receptions – 10

Most pass receptions, game - 5 vs. St. Louis, NFC Divisional playoff; vs. Pittsburgh, Super Bowl

Pass receiving yards - 104

Most pass receiving yards, game – 54 vs. St. Louis, NFC Divisional playoff

Average yards per reception – 10.4

Pass Receiving TDs - 0

Awards & Honors:

NFC Player of the Year: Sporting News

2^nd team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, NEA

1^st team All-NFC: AP, UPI, Pro Football Weekly, Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Vikings went 10-4 to finish first in the NFC Central. Won NFC Divisional playoff over St. Louis Cardinals (30-14) and NFC Championship over Los Angeles Rams (14-10). Lost Super Bowl to Pittsburgh Steelers (16-6).

Aftermath:

Foreman was selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first five seasons and received first- or second-team All-NFL honors every year from 1974 to ’77. Outstanding as a receiver out of the backfield as well as a ball carrier, Foreman totaled over a thousand yards from scrimmage in each of his first six years and had over a thousand yards in rushing alone for three straight seasons (1975-77). He led the NFL in pass receptions (73) and NFC in touchdowns (22) in 1975, and was league leader in TDs again in ‘76. His productivity dropped significantly after 1977 and he finished his career with the New England Patriots in 1980. Overall, Foreman rushed for 5950 yards on 1556 carries (3.8 avg.), caught 350 passes for 3156 more yards, and scored a total of 76 TDs. 

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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). Also includes Associated Press NFL Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.

Rookie of the Year: Don Woods, 1974

Halfback, San Diego Chargers

Age:  23

College: New Mexico

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 210

Prelude:

A quarterback in college, Woods was chosen by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 1974 NFL draft. The Packers converted him into a running back, and while he showed promise, Woods was cut at the end of the preseason. He was claimed by the Chargers and saw his first action in the third week of the season, with stunning results.

1974 Season Summary

Appeared in 12 of 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 227 [7]

Most attempts, game - 27 (for 117 yds.) at Oakland 11/17

Yards – 1162 [2]

Most yards, game – 157 yards (on 18 carries) vs. Miami 9/29

Average gain – 5.1 [2]

TDs – 7 [8, tied with Mack Herron & Calvin Hill]

100-yard rushing games – 7

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 26      

Most receptions, game – 5 (for 66 yds.) vs. Chicago 12/8

Yards – 349

Most yards, game - 119 (on 3 catches) vs. Cleveland 11/3

Average gain – 13.4

TDs – 3

100-yard receiving games – 1

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 3

Yards – 61

Average per return – 20.3

TDs – 0

All-Purpose yards – 1572 [6]

Passing

Attempts – 3

Completions – 1

Yards – 28

TDs – 1

INT – 1

Scoring

TDs – 10 [7, tied with Isaac Curtis & Jon Keyworth]

Points – 60

Awards & Honors:

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA

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

Chargers went 5-9 to finish fourth in the AFC West.

Aftermath:

The outstanding rookie season proved to be the best of Woods’ career. A knee injury that required surgery limited him to five games in 1975, in which he rushed for just 317 yards with a 3.6-yard average gain and caught 13 passes. While he lasted for another five years in the NFL, Woods never again gained more than 514 yards rushing in a season while twice catching 34 passes. He was dealt to the 49ers during the 1980 season, his last. Overall, Woods ended up with 3087 rushing yards on 763 carries, averaging 4.0 yards, caught 145 passes for 1358 yards, and scored a total of 21 touchdowns.

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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). 

1974: Raiders Stun Dolphins in AFC Divisional Playoff Game

The Miami Dolphins had won the Super Bowls following the 1972 and ’73 seasons and were looking to make it three straight as they faced the Oakland Raiders in the AFC Divisional playoff round on December 21, 1974. Coached by Don Shula for the fifth year, Miami featured a highly productive ground game on offense led by FB Larry Csonka. QB Bob Griese was an able field general who, on the occasions when he passed, was very effective and WR Paul Warfield was a deep threat who kept defenses honest. The fact that Csonka and Warfield, along with HB Jim Kiick, were lame ducks in Miami because of having signed with the World Football League’s Memphis Southmen for 1975 didn’t limit their performance in ‘74. Defensively, the team was strong with solid ends Bill Stanfill and Vern den Herder, aging MLB Nick Buoniconti anchoring a fine corps of linebackers, and the outstanding safety tandem of Jake Scott and Dick Anderson. The Dolphins topped the AFC East with an 11-3 record and appeared primed for another title run.

Oakland, coached by John Madden, was an annual title contender but had not been to the Super Bowl since representing the AFL after the 1967 season. QB Ken “The Snake” Stabler was an exciting performer who led the league with 26 TD passes during the regular season. The starting wide receivers were excellent, with Cliff Branch providing the speed and Fred Biletnikoff the reliability as a possession receiver.  The stable of running backs was a good one and the defense, while not the best, was rugged. The Raiders topped the AFC West at 12-2 and, in the eyes of many fans, the Raiders and Dolphins were the league’s two best teams and this Divisional playoff, as a result, was the “real” Super Bowl.

There were 52,317 fans in attendance on a gray Saturday at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The game got off to an exciting start when Miami WR Nat Moore ran the opening kickoff back 89 yards for a touchdown. Garo Yepremian added the extra point and the Dolphins were ahead by 7-0 after just 15 seconds of action.

The contest settled into a battle for field position as the teams traded punts until the Raiders put together a seven-play, 78-yard drive to get on the board in the second quarter. Ken Stabler completed two nine-yard passes, to Fred Biletnikoff and FB Marv Hubbard, and HB Clarence Davis had a 19-yard carry to the Miami 36. Three plays later, Stabler connected with HB Charlie Smith for a 31-yard TD and George Blanda’s extra point tied the score.

The Dolphins responded with a long scoring drive of 63 yards in 11 plays. The first six were running plays, with HB Benny Malone, Larry Csonka, and Jim Kiick carrying the load. Facing third-and-four at the Oakland 29, Bob Griese threw to Kiick for five yards and, after getting to the 16, Yepremian kicked a 33-yard field goal with just over a minute remaining in the half. The Dolphins held a 10-7 lead at halftime.

The teams again exchanged punts to start the third quarter. On their second series, the Raiders advanced 60 yards in nine plays. Stabler passed to Biletnikoff for 20 yards on the first play, taking the ball into Miami territory, and a pass to TE Bob Moore on third-and-seven was just enough for a first down. A run by HB Pete Banaszak picked up nine yards and Davis gained eight. Finally, Stabler connected with Biletnikoff for a 13-yard touchdown. Blanda added the PAT and Oakland was on top for the first time by 14-10.

The Dolphins came back with another score. Griese helped his cause with a nine-yard scramble and Malone and Csonka had good gains along the way. A pass interference penalty on the Raiders gave Miami a first down at the Oakland 16 and, from there, Griese threw to Paul Warfield for a touchdown. Yepremian’s extra point attempt was blocked by DE Bubba Smith, but the Dolphins remained ahead by two points at 16-14.

The teams again traded punts until, on the last play of the third quarter, Csonka ran for 15 yards to spark a drive that covered 60 yards in nine plays. With Malone and Csonka running effectively and Griese completing a pass to Warfield for 20 yards along the way, the visitors reached the Oakland 28. Yepremian kicked a 46-yard field goal to widen the Miami lead to 19-14.

After another exchange of punts, and with less than five minutes remaining in the game, the Raiders scored in spectacular fashion. Stabler threw to Cliff Branch, who made a diving catch at the Oakland 28. However, CB Henry Stuckey failed to touch him and the alert Branch leaped up and ran the distance for a 72-yard TD. Blanda’s extra point put the home team on top at 21-19 with 4:37 remaining to play.

In response, the Dolphins went 68 yards in just four plays. Griese threw to Nat Moore for 23 yards and then Miami ran at the Oakland defense, with Csonka picking up a total of 22 yards on two carries. Finally, Malone (pictured below) swept around end on a 23-yard touchdown run that put Miami back in the lead. Yepremian added the extra point and it was 26-21 with a little over two minutes on the clock.

Starting from the Oakland 32 after the ensuing kickoff, Stabler completed passes to Biletnikoff of 18 and 20 yards and two more throws, to Branch and WR Frank Pitts, got the ball to the Miami 14. Facing third-and-one, Coach Madden called for a running play and Davis gained six yards off tackle for first-and-goal at the eight. The time remaining was now down to 35 seconds and the Raiders used their final timeout. On the next play, with the primary receivers well covered Stabler seemed about to be sacked by Vern Den Herder but caught a glimpse of Davis in the end zone and threw while falling forward. Leaping amid a crowd of defenders, Davis pulled the ball away from LB Mike Kolen and fell to the ground for a touchdown (pictured at top). Blanda again converted and Oakland had a two-point lead.

That was enough. The Dolphins got the ball back, but Griese threw a pass that was intercepted by LB Phil Villapiano, and the Raiders won the classic encounter and advanced by a final score of 28-26.

Oakland had more total yards (411 to 294) and the edge in first downs (19 to 18). The Dolphins ran the ball well, totaling 213 yards on the ground (to 135 for the Raiders) while Oakland had 276 net passing yards to Miami’s 81. Each team recorded two sacks and turned the ball over one time apiece.

Ken Stabler  (pictured below) completed 20 of 30 passes for 293 yards and four touchdowns with one interception.  Fred Biletnikoff had 8 catches for 122 yards and a TD and, with the long scoring reception, Cliff Branch contributed 84 yards on three catches. Clarence Davis led the team’s running attack with 59 yards on 12 attempts while also accounting for two pass receptions for 16 yards and the game-winning score. Marv Hubbard was right behind with 55 yards on 14 carries.

For the Dolphins, Bob Griese was successful on 7 of 14 throws for 101 yards and a TD, while one pass was picked off. Larry Csonka rushed for 114 yards on 24 attempts and Benny Malone gained 83 yards on 14 carries that included a touchdown. Paul Warfield caught three passes for 47 yards and a TD.

“When you lose like that, you know it wasn’t meant to be,” said Don Shula. “Your dreams just go down the drain.”

The loss did indeed end Miami’s dream of a third consecutive NFL Championship, but, ironically enough considering the speculation that the winner of this game would be sure to advance to the Super Bowl, the Raiders did not make it that far as they lost to Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship game.

Oakland topped the AFC West again in 1975, and again reached the AFC title game before falling to the Steelers. The Raiders finally achieved the elusive NFL Championship in ’76. As for the Dolphins, the loss to the Raiders did mark the end of an outstanding run that was highlighted by the three straight AFC titles as well as the back-to-back Super Bowl victories. The loss of the veterans Csonka, Warfield, and Kiick in 1975 had an effect, with Csonka’s role at fullback proving difficult to replace. Miami just missed the playoffs with a 10-4 record and fell to 6-8 in 1976; the Dolphins would not return to the postseason until 1978.