1998: Flutie & Bills Dominate Second Half to Defeat Colts

The Buffalo Bills were off to a slow 1-3 start as they faced the Indianapolis Colts on October 11, 1998. The Bills were in transition as key players in conference-topping seasons such as QB Jim Kelly, RB Thurman Thomas, and WR Andre Reed were either gone or in the twilight of great careers. Marv Levy had retired as head coach and was replaced by Wade Phillips, and the team invested heavily in QB Rob Johnson, who was obtained from Jacksonville and viewed as a young passer with great potential. The Bills also picked up 35-year-old QB Doug Flutie (pictured at right), the diminutive former Heisman Trophy winner who came from the CFL following eight outstanding seasons after faltering in the NFL. Johnson had the starting job and initially struggled, but performed well in an upset of the 49ers the previous week.

The Colts were at 1-4 and also won for the first time the week before. Head Coach Jim Mora’s team had a young quarterback of its own in Peyton Manning, the first overall pick in the NFL draft. He had been put directly into the starting lineup and, as to be expected, was struggling in the early going. RB Marshall Faulk was highly productive as a runner and receiver out of the backfield, but Indianapolis was a young team and very much a work in progress.

There were 52,938 fans in attendance at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. Following a short series by the Bills that ended with a punt, and with Rob Johnson having to exit due to bruised ribs suffered when he was sacked on third down, the Colts started with good field position at their 48. Marshall Faulk took off around left end for a 40-yard gain to the Buffalo 12, and after three more Faulk carries picked up seven yards, Mike Vanderjagt kicked a 22-yard field goal to give the home team an early 3-0 lead.

Doug Flutie was at quarterback for the Bills in place of Johnson on the next series and he completed four passes, the longest to WR Eric Moulds for 16 yards. The drive stalled at the Indianapolis 35 and the visitors came up empty when Steve Christie missed on a 53-yard field goal attempt.

The Colts went 42 yards in seven plays on their next possession. Peyton Manning completed a pass to TE Ken Dilger for 21 yards on first down to move the ball back into Buffalo territory and a pass interference penalty on a third down play advanced the ball to the Buffalo 18. Once again the Colts couldn’t reach the end zone but Vanderjagt added another field goal, from 33 yards, to put them ahead by 6-0.

Following a punt by the Bills early in the second quarter, the Colts put together a nine-play, 54-yard drive that was helped along by a roughing-the-passer penalty on DE Bruce Smith. Manning converted a third-and-nine situation with a completion to WR Marvin Harrison and Vanderjagt kicked a 43-yard field goal, his third, to put Indianapolis up by 9-0.

Taking possession with 8:17 remaining in the first half, the Bills advanced 71 yards in nine plays. Five of them were pass completions by Flutie, with three to WR Andre Reed. The third was for 24 yards to reach the Indianapolis six and, two plays later, a scrambling Flutie connected with TE Jay Riemersma for a seven-yard TD. Christie added the extra point to make it a two-point contest. The Colts responded with a scoring drive that included Manning passes to Faulk that covered 26, 11, and five yards and once again ended with a field goal by Vanderjagt, this time covering 41 yards. Indianapolis took a 12-7 lead into halftime, but after dominating play in the first half, the Colts led by only five points.

In their second possession of the third quarter, the Bills moved 59 yards in 11 plays. Flutie converted three third downs along the way, with a 20-yard completion to FB Sam Gash while facing third-and-three, a four-yard toss to WR Kevin Williams when again in a third-and-three situation, and the last was again to Williams on third-and-goal for a six-yard TD. Christie added the point after and Buffalo was in front for the first time by 14-12.

A three-and-out possession by the Colts gave the Bills the ball at their 43 and resulted in a seven-play, 57-yard drive that stretched into the fourth quarter. The big plays along the way were passes to Reed for 20 and 15 yards, and Flutie had a 12-yard run as well. RB Antowain Smith gained the last four yards for a touchdown and Christie converted.

It quickly got worse for the Colts when, on their second play of the ensuing series, Manning was intercepted by NT Ted Washington, who batted the ball into the air at the line and gathered it in to give Buffalo the ball at the Indianapolis 25. Four plays later, it was Smith scoring another touchdown from a yard out and, with Christie’s kick, the Bills had a commanding 28-12 lead with eleven minutes to play.

The Colts were unable to get out of their end of the field on the next series, resulting in a punt, and with Smith running the ball five straight times, the big one for a gain of 30 yards, Buffalo was able to add a 39-yard Christie field goal.

In a deep 31-12 hole, the Colts fought back as Manning filled the air with passes. A 14-play drive covered 83 yards and resulted in a touchdown pass to WR Torrance Small from three yards out. The try for a two-point conversion failed and Indianapolis remained behind by 31-18. The home team got their next shot with 55 seconds left on the clock and Manning tossed to Harrison for a 25-yard TD. Again the try for a two-point conversion failed, but the outcome was already decided. Buffalo won by a final score of 31-24.

  

The Bills led in total yards (381 to 341), first downs (24 to 21), and time of possession (36:41 to 23:19). However, during Buffalo’s 24-point surge in the second half, the visitors outgained Indianapolis by 150 yards to 28. The Colts also turned the ball over twice, to none by the Bills. Buffalo led in penalties with 9 at a cost of 77 yards to four for 18 yards on the Colts.

Doug Flutie was highly efficient, especially in the second half, as he completed 23 of 28 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns with none intercepted. Antowain Smith rushed for 130 yards on 31 carries that included two TDs. Thurman Thomas gained 23 yards on six rushing attempts and 5 catches for 32 yards while Sam Gash contributed 45 yards on his 5 receptions. Andre Reed also pulled in 5 passes and led the Bills with 76 yards.

For the Colts, Peyton Manning was successful on 20 of 41 throws for 235 yards and two TDs while being intercepted twice. Marshall Faulk gained 93 rushing yards on 18 carries and also led the club with 6 pass receptions for 80 yards. Mike Vanderjagt was a perfect four-for-four on field goal attempts.

“We had opportunities to score touchdowns and weren’t able to do that, and that hurt us,” summed up Coach Jim Mora in defeat. “We were playing well and had good field position and couldn’t get it in the end zone. In the second half, they took over offensively and defensively, and we couldn’t get anything going.”

The win for Buffalo marked the second of five straight on the way to a 10-6 record and third place finish in the AFC East. That was enough to secure a Wild Card playoff spot, but the Bills lost to the club that came in second, Miami, in the first round. The Colts were at 1-8 before they won again and ended up at 3-13 for the second consecutive year. However, the groundwork was laid for significant improvement.

Doug Flutie ended up having a Pro Bowl year as he passed for 2711 yards and 20 touchdowns, and provided a spark to the offense, although the competition with Rob Johnson proved to be rancorous. Antowain Smith also continued to perform well, rushing for 1124 yards on 300 carries (3.7 avg.) with eight TDs.

Peyton Manning played every down at quarterback for the Colts and while he led the NFL by tossing 28 interceptions, he also threw 26 TD passes and accumulated 3739 passing yards, foreshadowing much bigger seasons to come.

1998: Hearst’s 96-Yard Run in OT Propels 49ers Over Jets

The season-opening NFL game in San Francisco on September 6, 1998 featured the 49ers, a perennial contender, hosting the New York Jets, a team that was on the rise.

The 49ers were a savvy veteran club that was used to winning, having been to the postseason in each of the previous six seasons and 16 of the past 18 years. Steve Mariucci had taken over as head coach in 1997 and the result was a conference-best 13-3 record and an appearance in the NFC Championship game. 36-year-old QB Steve Young routinely won passing titles, and while there were concerns that he could no longer deliver the long ball, the return of star WR Jerry Rice, who was lost for the year in the first week of ‘97, was expected to help, even coming off of two knee surgeries.

New York was just two years removed from a dreadful 1-15 campaign in 1996 but had perked up considerably to 9-7 in the first year under Head Coach Bill Parcells. QB Glenn Foley, taking over for the departed Neil O’Donnell, brought a gunslinger attitude to the offense but was also inexperienced, and underachieving veteran QB Vinny Testaverde was signed during the offseason. RB Curtis Martin was obtained from New England, where he had previously played with distinction under Parcells, and there was a young pass receiving corps led by brash WR Keyshawn Johnson. The team was in rebuilding mode but appeared poised to move up.

There were 64,419 fans in attendance on an unseasonably warm day at 3Com Park. The 49ers had the game’s first possession but turned the ball over when a pass by Steve Young was intercepted by FS Kevin Williams, who returned it 34 yards to the San Francisco 27. Glenn Foley (pictured at right) completed two passes to Keyshawn Johnson and John Hall kicked a 24-yard field goal to give the Jets the early lead.

The teams exchanged punts before San Francisco put together an 84-yard drive in eight plays. Young completed four passes along the way, with the longest to WR Terrell Owens for 23 yards, and RB Garrison Hearst (pictured at top) capped the series with a five-yard touchdown run up the middle. Wade Richey kicked the extra point and the home team was ahead by 7-3.

The Jets had the ball for the remainder of the opening period, but on the first play of the second quarter CB Antonio Langham picked off a Foley pass to give the 49ers possession at the New York 48. Hearst burst up the middle for 19 yards on first down, but three consecutive incomplete passes forced a long field goal try by Richey, and his 47-yard attempt missed the mark. Seven plays later, Foley connected with Johnson for a 41-yard TD and, with Hall’s point after, the visitors were back on top by 10-7.

The teams again traded punts before the 49ers put together a seven-play, 63-yard scoring drive. Young threw to WR J.J. Stokes for 25 yards and followed up with a completion to FB Marc Edwards for 16 yards to reach the New York 17. The drive bogged down but a defensive holding penalty on a third-and-six play gave the Niners a first down at the eight and, two plays later, it was Young to Stokes for a six-yard touchdown. Richey’s conversion had San Francisco ahead by 14-10.

There were still two minutes remaining in the first half following RB Leon Johnson’s 33-yard kickoff return, and Foley fired passes to WR Dedric Ward for 19 yards and Keyshawn Johnson for nine to reach the San Francisco 32. The Jets got a break when an interception was nullified by a penalty on the 49ers and, three plays later, Foley tossed a pass to WR Wayne Chrebet for a six-yard TD with 37 seconds left on the clock. Hall booted the extra point and, in see-saw fashion, the Jets took a 17-14 lead into halftime.

Following a possession by the Jets that concluded with a punt to start the third quarter, the 49ers tied the score with a 38-yard drive in seven plays that ended with a Richey field goal from 22 yards. However, New York came right back when, on the first play of the next series, Foley threw to Chrebet for a 48-yard gain to the San Francisco 30. Three plays later, with a roughing-the-passer penalty mixed in to move the Jets closer, Foley connected with Keyshawn Johnson for a 21-yard touchdown and, with Hall providing the extra point, the visitors were up by 24-17.

The 49ers responded with a 68-yard series in seven plays that featured Young completing consecutive passes to Owens for 19 yards and WR Jerry Rice for 21. Facing fourth-and-one at the New York 14, it was Young to Rice for a TD but the extra point attempt was blocked by DT Jason Ferguson and New York remained in the lead by a point.

The Jets had the ball in a possession that extended into the fourth quarter. Foley threw to Curtis Martin for 18 yards and to Chrebet twice, once for eight yards in a third-and-seven situation and then for 22 to get the ball to the San Francisco 29. But New York came up empty when the drive stalled and Hall missed a 45-yard field goal attempt.

The teams exchanged punts before the Jets advanced to another score. Foley completed passes to Martin for 22 yards, Keyshawn Johnson for 14, and Chrebet for 22 and, after Martin ran twice to get to the San Francisco 14, Hall booted a 32-yard field goal to make the score 27-23.

After the ensuing kickoff, the 49ers took possession with 3:38 remaining in regulation. On first down, Young passed to Hearst for a 35-yard gain to the New York 41. Four plays later, it was Young to Stokes (pictured at left), who out-jumped Kevin Williams and dove into the end zone for a 31-yard touchdown and, with Richey making the extra point, the Niners were in the lead by three points at 30-27 with the clock down to 1:32.

There was still time for the Jets, and they drove 60 yards in 12 plays. Foley converted a third-and-ten play with a throw to Chrebet for 19 yards and a fourth-and-ten situation with a toss to Ward for 22 to the San Francisco 32. Another pass to Ward on third down picked up 19 yards and, as time expired, Hall booted a 31-yard field goal to make it 30-30 and send the contest into overtime.

The Jets had the ball first in the extra period but went three-and-out. CB R.W. McQuarters returned Nick Gallery’s punt 16 yards to give San Francisco good field position at the New York 43, but the 49ers were unable to move and punted in return.

The visitors, helped by a face mask penalty, drove to their 47 before having to punt again, and Gallery’s 49-yard kick had the 49ers taking possession at their four yard line. But on the next play, Hearst broke away off right tackle, stiff-armed Williams at the 20, and was off to the races for a 96-yard touchdown run, reaching the end zone just ahead of LB Mo Lewis’ desperation tackle. In stunning fashion, San Francisco came away the winner by a final score of 36-30.

The teams combined for 1003 yards, with the 49ers having the edge (557 to 465) as well as in first downs (26 to 25). New York, whose yardage total was its most in eight years, led in time of possession (34:43 to 29:25). Each club turned the ball over once.

Steve Young completed 26 of 46 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns while giving up one interception. Boosted by the game-winning run that was the longest in franchise history, Garrison Hearst accumulated 187 yards on 20 carries that included two TDs. J.J. Stokes had 7 catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns and Jerry Rice pulled in 6 passes for 86 yards and a score.

For the Jets, Glenn Foley had a career day as he succeeded on 30 of 58 throws for 415 yards and three TDs with one interception. There were two receivers with over a hundred yards led by Keyshawn Johnson, who caught 9 passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns, along with Wayne Chrebet (pictured at right) with 6 receptions for 125 yards and a TD. Dedric Ward was four yards short of the century mark as he gained 96 yards on five catches. Curtis Martin had a fairly quiet rushing day, gaining 58 yards on 22 attempts, but also had four pass receptions for 41 yards. 

“It’s disappointing to fight that hard and lose,” said a drained Coach Parcells. “You just put players in a position to make plays and you’ve got to make them. Hearst was right there. We missed some tackles there.”

San Francisco went on to a 12-4 record that placed second in the NFC West and qualified for a Wild Card playoff spot. The 49ers defeated Green Bay in the first round before falling to Atlanta at the Divisional level. The Jets were a bigger surprise in also going 12-4 and topping the AFC East. They reached the AFC Championship game before finally succumbing to the Denver Broncos.

Steve Young had another stellar year, passing for a career-high 4170 yards and a league-leading 36 touchdowns. He was chosen to a seventh straight Pro Bowl, his last. Garrison Hearst went on to gain 1570 yards on 310 carries with seven TDs and was also a Pro Bowl selection for the first time. J.J. Stokes achieved career bests with 63 pass receptions for 770 yards and eight touchdowns and Jerry Rice returned to Pro Bowl form as he caught 82 passes for 1157 yards and nine TDs.

For Glenn Foley, the big opening performance against the 49ers proved to be the highlight of his season. Two lackluster starts while also being sidelined with a rib injury in between caused him to be relegated to the bench in favor of Vinny Testaverde, who put together a Pro Bowl year in quarterbacking the Jets to the postseason.

Highlighted Year: Steve Christie, 1998

Placekicker, Buffalo Bills

Age: 31 (Nov. 13)

9^th season in pro football, 7^th with Bills

College: William & Mary

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 185

Prelude:

A native of Canada, Christie was a highly-sought soccer prospect coming out of high school but was recruited by William & Mary to be a kicker. He set school records for field goals (57), field goal percentage (68.7), and points (279) and was also an accomplished punter. For his efforts, he was a three-time All-ECAC selection. Undrafted out of college, Christie joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1990 and was successful on 23 of 27 field goal attempts. He received first-team All-NFC honors from UPI and Pro Football Weekly. After a second season with the Bucs, he signed with the Bills as a free agent in 1992. Christie connected on 24 of 30 field goal attempts in 1992 and was 9-of-10 in his first postseason, which included the game-winning kick in the dramatic come-from-behind win over the Oilers in the Wild Card round and five in the AFC Championship against Miami. A lesser year in ’93 was followed by his career high for field goal percentage (85.7) in 1994 as he made good on 24 of 28 attempts and kicked a Super Bowl-record 54-yard field goal in the postseason. He remained consistent and in 1997 was 24-of-30 on field goals (80 %) and was successful all 21 of his extra point attempts.

1998 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Kicking

Field goals – 33 [3]

Most field goals, game – 4 vs. San Francisco 10/4, at NY Jets 11/8, at Cincinnati 12/6

Field goal attempts – 41 [1]

Most field goal attempts, game – 5 vs. San Francisco 10/4

Field goal percentage – 80.5 [16]

PATs – 41 [7, tied with Ryan Longwell & Todd Peterson]

PAT attempts – 41 [8, tied with Todd Peterson]

Longest field goal – 52 yards at Cincinnati 12/6

Scoring

Field Goals – 33

PATs – 41

Points – 140 [2, 1^st in AFC]

Postseason: 1 G (AFC Wild Card playoff at Miami)

Field goals – 1

Field goal attempts – 1

PATs – 2

PAT attempts – 2

Longest field goal – 33 yards

Bills went 10-6 to finish third in the AFC East and qualified for the postseason as a Wild Card. Lost AFC Wild Card playoff to Miami Dolphins (24-17).  

Aftermath:

Christie spent two more seasons with Buffalo for a total of nine before a preseason groin injury in 2001 led to his being placed on injured-reserve and then released. He departed the Bills having achieved franchise records with 234 field goals out of 299 attempts (78.3 %) and 309 extra points, with four misses, for a total of 1011 points. Christie joined the San Diego Chargers during the 2001season and stayed on for another two years before finishing his career with the Giants in 2004. Overall, Christie was successful on 336 of 431 field goal attempts (78.0 %) and 468 of 473 PATs for a total of 1476 points.

--

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

1999: Falcons Edge 49ers in Divisional Playoff Game

The NFC Divisional Playoff game in Atlanta on January 9, 1999 featured two NFC West teams. The upstart Atlanta Falcons had topped the division with a 14-2 record while the San Francisco 49ers finished second at 12-4 and were the top Wild Card entry.

The rise of the Falcons had been stunning in that they were coming off of two losing seasons, and five of the previous six had resulted in records under .500. Head Coach Dan Reeves, previously with the Broncos and Giants, was in his second year with the club but underwent heart surgery in December and was just returning to the sideline a month later to coach in the playoffs. The offense was ball control-oriented, keyed by RB Jamal Anderson (pictured above), who rushed for 1846 yards on a record-setting 410 carries. QB Chris Chandler was unspectacular but efficient and a good leader. The defense featured a solid line plus Pro Bowlers in MLB Jessie Tuggle, CB Ray Buchanan, and FS Eugene Robinson.

San Francisco, coached by Steve Mariucci for the second year, was used to contending, having reached the playoffs for the seventh consecutive year in 1998 and 15^th time in 16 seasons, with a Super Bowl victory as recently as 1994. The team was aging but still strong with 37-year-old QB Steve Young and 36-year-old WR Jerry Rice leaders of an offense that benefited from the presence of RB Garrison Hearst (1570 rushing yards) and third-year WR Terrell Owens. The defensive line was missing injured DT Bryant Young, but DE Charles Haley came out of retirement to lend his pass-rushing expertise.

The teams split their regular season meetings and the 49ers defeated Green Bay in the Wild Card round the previous week to advance to the Divisional game.   

There were 70,262 fans in attendance at the Georgia Dome. Things went badly for the 49ers on their first play from scrimmage when Garrison Hearst suffered a broken leg, which significantly affected their ability to run the ball for the rest of the game. The teams exchanged punts until, following a 36-yard return by WR Tim Dwight, the Falcons took possession at the San Francisco 38 and scored in six plays. Jamal Anderson ran for 14 yards on first down and Chris Chandler threw to WR Terance Mathis for 19 yards on a third down play to the three yard line. Two plays later, Anderson ran for a two-yard touchdown, Morten Andersen added the extra point, and Atlanta held a 7-0 lead.

The clubs returned to trading punts as the game headed into the second quarter. Starting from their 18 with 7:35 remaining in the first half, the Falcons advanced 82 yards in seven plays. Jamal Anderson rushed for 16 yards on his first two carries, Chandler (pictured below) again connected with Mathis for 19 yards, and then it was Anderson breaking away for a 34-yard TD. Morten Andersen again added the point after and the home team was up by 14-0.

The 49ers responded with an 80-yard possession of their own. A pass interference call was good for 16 yards and Steve Young completed passes to WR J.J. Stokes for 12 yards, but the advance was nearly derailed when RB Terry Kirby mishandled a lateral and, after DE Chuck Smith appeared to recover and ran for an apparent touchdown, it was ruled that Kirby had gained possession and was down by contact before the ball got away from him again. Making the most of the reprieve, Young then threw to RB Chuck Levy for 34 yards and TE Greg Clark for nine before hitting Jerry Rice for a 17-yard touchdown. Wade Richey narrowed the score to 14-7 with the successful conversion.

There was still 1:06 left before halftime as the Falcons regained possession, but after Chandler passed to WR Ronnie Harris for 22 yards, his next throw was deflected by Charles Haley and picked off by DT Junior Bryant. San Francisco now had the ball at the Atlanta 36 and Young threw to Stokes for 16 yards and ran once himself for seven to set up a 36-yard Richey field goal. Atlanta’s lead was 14-10 at the intermission and the Niners appeared to have the momentum.

The Falcons had the ball first and drove to the San Francisco 42, but attempting to convert a fourth-and-one situation, Anderson was stopped for no gain. Now it was the 49ers moving effectively as Young threw to Terrell Owens for 20 yards and to Rice for eight. But following a short gain on another completion to Owens, Young’s next pass was picked off at the Atlanta three by Eugene Robinson, who returned it 77 yards to the San Francisco 20. While the turnover didn’t lead to a touchdown, it did lead to a Morten Andersen field goal from 29 yards and, instead of the Niners potentially taking the lead, the Falcons were ahead by seven points at 17-10.

San Francisco had the ball heading into the fourth quarter and Young threw to Rice for a 38-yard gain to the Atlanta 44, but once again the Falcons came up with an interception. This time it was SS William White picking off Young’s pass intended for Clark and returning it 14 yards to the San Francisco 36. Chandler converted a third-and-eight situation with a toss to WR Tony Martin that picked up 16 yards and, while the drive bogged down inside the 20, Atlanta again came up with points on a 32-yard Andersen field goal.

With Young completing seven passes, the 49ers advanced 87 yards in 13 plays in response. Two were to Owens, one of which gained seven yards in a third-and-five situation, and two more were caught by Stokes, the longest for a 33-yard gain to the Atlanta 12. Young kept the ball himself on an eight-yard scramble for a touchdown carry and the Niners added an improvised two-point conversion when the holder for the placekick, QB Ty Detmer, had to leap for a high snap, rolled out, and connected with Clark. It was now a two-point contest with 3:57 to play.

The try for an onside kick failed and, with Anderson running on every play, the Falcons managed to hold onto the ball until punting with 49 seconds left on the clock. The 49ers had to start from their own four and, while Young was able to connect with Levy for a gain of 24 yards, the game ended with White intercepting one last Young pass to seal the 20-18 win for Atlanta.

The 49ers had more total yards (334 to 289), but without Garrison Hearst gained just 46 yards on the ground, to 136 for the Falcons, who had the edge in first downs (16 to 15). San Francisco also turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by Atlanta, and the 49ers were penalized eight times, to six flags thrown on the Falcons.

Chris Chandler didn’t go to the air often, completing 13 of 19 passes for 169 yards and giving up an interception. Jamal Anderson rushed for 113 yards on 29 carries that included two touchdowns. Terance Mathis (pictured at right) topped the Atlanta receivers with 5 catches for 71 yards and Tony Martin was right behind with his 63 yards on four receptions.

For the 49ers, Steve Young was successful on 23 of 37 throws for 289 yards and a TD, but also gave up three interceptions. He also led the team with 28 yards on six rushes that included a score. Terrell Owens caught 8 passes for 73 yards and J.J. Stokes contributed 76 yards on his five receptions. Jerry Rice had three receptions for 63 yards and a TD and set a NFL record by catching a pass in 23 straight playoff games. 

“It’s unbelievable. The whole year has been incredible,” exclaimed Atlanta’s Coach Reeves. “To get to this point is beyond our wildest dreams.”

The Falcons moved a level higher as they upset the Minnesota Vikings in overtime to win the NFC Championship. However, they lost decisively to Denver in the Super Bowl and returned to earth with a 5-11 record in 1999. The loss for the 49ers marked the end of a long and successful era as they dropped to 4-12 in ‘99. They next returned to the postseason in 2001.

1998: Jets Defeat Bills to Clinch AFC East

The New York Jets had a 10-4 record and were looking to wrap up the AFC East title as they faced the Buffalo Bills on December 19, 1998. In their second season under Head Coach Bill Parcells, the Jets were a far cry from the 1-15 club of two years earlier. Newcomers to the offense, most notably QB Vinny Testaverde (pictured at right) and RB Curtis Martin, were having a major impact, as were wide receivers Keyshawn Johnson, a flashy third-year player, and Wayne Chrebet, a classic overachiever in his fourth season. The defense was strongest at linebacker, where Mo Lewis was joined by Bryan Cox, let go by the Bears but revitalized with the Jets.

Buffalo was coached by Wade Phillips and came into the contest at 9-5. Diminutive 36-year-old QB Doug Flutie had turned the club around in his return to the NFL from the CFL, taking over for QB Rob Johnson after a slow start. Retooling from the squad that had started the decade with four straight AFC Championships, the offense now also featured RB Antowain Smith and WR Eric Moulds while RB Thurman Thomas and WR Andre Reed had reduced roles. The tough defense was still anchored by DE Bruce Smith, who was beginning to slow down at age 36, as well as NT Ted Washington.

There were 79,056 fans in attendance at Rich Stadium on a windy Saturday. The Bills had the first possession and advanced into New York territory thanks to a pass from Doug Flutie to Eric Moulds that picked up 28 yards. Another throw to WR Quinn Early gained eight more yards to the 23, but on the next play the usually sure-handed Antowain Smith fumbled and LB Pepper Johnson recovered for the Jets.

New York drove 79 yards in eight plays. Vinny Testaverde threw to Keyshawn Johnson (pictured below) for 16 yards on first down and, after the series appeared to be stymied at the Jets’ 37, Testaverde ran for 14 yards on a third-and-10 play. Two plays later, RB Dave Meggett, who had only recently joined the team, gained 18 yards on a carry up the middle, Johnson picked up another 25 yards on an end-around, and it was Testaverde to Wayne Chrebet for a seven-yard touchdown. John Hall added the extra point and the visitors had the early 7-0 lead.

On the next possession, the Bills converted a third-and-nine situation with a Flutie pass to Moulds for 27 yards, but a 15-yard taunting penalty on the receiver at the end of the play erased most of the gain and Buffalo was ultimately forced to punt. Chris Mohr’s kick traveled 47 yards and pinned the Jets back at their one yard line, and a short series resulted in a punt in return. A 30-yard kick by John Kidd went just 30 yards and gave the Bills good starting field position at the New York 40. But after a short Flutie pass to Smith gained five yards, two more throws were incomplete and, facing fourth-and-five, another pass intended for Moulds also was unsuccessful.

The teams continued to exchange punts as the game entered the second quarter. Finally, Buffalo put together an 11-play drive that covered 79 yards. Flutie completed passes to FB Sam Gash for nine yards and WR Kevin Williams for 22 yards in a third-and-six situation. Smith ran effectively and Flutie himself had a nine-yard run. Flutie connected with Thurman Thomas for a 25-yard TD to complete the series and Steve Christie added the point after to tie the score.

Following a punt by the Jets, the Bills drove from their one to the New York 10 as Flutie completed three passes, the longest to Moulds (pictured below) for 35 yards, but they ultimately came up empty when Christie was wide to the left on a 28-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds of the half. The score remained unchanged at 7-7 although Buffalo had already accumulated 266 yards.

The Jets started off the third quarter by advancing into Buffalo territory. Testaverde completed consecutive passes to Keyshawn Johnson for 16 and six yards and Curtis Martin had a nine-yard run. Hall kicked a 48-yard field goal to put the visitors back in the lead by 10-7.

Buffalo responded with a long scoring drive. Smith carried most of the load, picking up 35 yards on eight attempts and Flutie converted two third downs, one on a pass to Williams for seven yards and another on a three-yard run. The advance finally faltered at the New York 26 and Christie tied the score once more with a 44-yard field goal into the wind. But two plays after the ensuing kickoff, Testaverde threw to WR Dedric Ward, who beat CB Donovan Greer, an injury replacement, for a 71-yard touchdown. Hall’s kick gave the visitors a seven-point lead.

The Bills had to punt following the next series and the Jets moved into Buffalo territory, helped by a defensive holding penalty in a third-and-nine situation. But they were again forced to try for a field goal and Hall’s attempt from 46 yards was no good.

Following another exchange of punts, the Bills had good starting field position at the New York 49. Keeping the ball on the ground, they reached the 21, but a Flutie pass was bobbled by Williams and barely picked off by diving CB Victor Green (television replays were inconclusive as to whether he maintained possession) with just under four minutes remaining in regulation.

The Jets went three-and-out, with Kidd’s punt sailing 57 yards. Starting from their 20, the Bills had one last chance and Flutie immediately threw to Moulds for 17 yards. But following a short run by Thomas, the next three passes fell incomplete to turn the ball over to New York on downs. There was still 1:32 left on the clock, but a Testaverde throw to Johnson for seven yards on a third-and-six play nailed down the 17-10 win for the Jets.

Buffalo had the edge in total yards (366 to 269), although the Bills gained only 100 yards in the second half. They also had more first downs (21 to 14) and ran far more plays (74 to 51). However, the home team also turned the ball over twice, to none suffered by the Jets.

Vinny Testaverde completed 14 of 23 passes for 184 yards and a touchdown while giving up no interceptions. Keyshawn Johnson had 7 catches for 66 yards while Dedric Ward gained a team-leading 71 yards on his one long scoring reception. Curtis Martin was held to 38 rushing yards on 20 attempts.

For the Bills, Doug Flutie had a rough outing, completing just 14 of 38 throws for 220 yards and a TD as well as an interception. While he was only sacked once, he faced heavy pressure and was knocked down often. Antowain Smith (pictured below) gained 82 yards while running the ball 20 times. Eric Moulds topped the receivers with four catches for 107 yards.

The Jets won the season finale to finish at 12-4 with their first division title since they were an AFL team in 1969. They reached the AFC Championship game before losing to Denver. Buffalo ended up in third place in the AFC East with a 10-6 record and qualified for the playoffs as a Wild Card. The Bills lost to Miami, the club that finished second in the division, in the first round.

Vinny Testaverde ended up with an AFC-leading 101.6 passer rating, throwing for 3256 yards and 29 TDs with just seven interceptions. He was selected to the Pro Bowl along with Keyshawn Johnson, who caught 83 passes for 1131 yards and 10 touchdowns, and Curtis Martin, who had many more productive games on his way to 1287 rushing yards.

Doug Flutie also was chosen for the Pro Bowl as he started ten games, seven of them wins, and threw for 2711 yards and 20 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. Eric Moulds led the AFC with 1368 pass receiving yards on his 67 catches with 9 TDs and was another Pro Bowl selection. Antowain Smith, in his second season, rushed for 1124 yards while averaging 3.7 yards per attempt and scored eight TDs. 

1998: Alstott & Dunn Spur Bucs to Upset of Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings were undefeated at 7-0 as they took on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 1, 1998. Head Coach Dennis Green’s team had a high-octane offense directed by 35-year-old QB Randall Cunningham, who had taken over for the injured Brad Johnson and impressively resurrected his career. Rookie WR Randy Moss was sensational across from veteran WR Cris Carter and RB Robert Smith made for a good ground attack as well.

The Buccaneers were at 3-4 and had already lost badly to the Vikings in the season’s opening week. Under Head Coach Tony Dungy, they were a formidable defensive team, ranked third in the league thus far, that had been having difficulties on offense, failing to reach the end zone against the Saints in a 9-3 loss the previous week. Running backs Mike Alstott (pictured above) and Warrick Dunn made for a productive combination, but QB Trent Dilfer, coming off of a Pro Bowl year in ’97, was inconsistent. 

There were 64,979 fans in attendance at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. The Buccaneers took the opening kickoff and drove 65 yards in 13 plays. Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott ran effectively and Trent Dilfer threw to Dunn twice, once for 14 yards in a third-and-four situation. Dunn finished the series off with a 10-yard carry around end for a touchdown. Michael Husted added the extra point and Tampa Bay was ahead by 7-0.

In response, the Vikings came out throwing. Randall Cunningham connected with Randy Moss for 11 yards on first down and then went to TE Andrew Glover for a gain of 30 yards to the Tampa Bay 35. The eight-play, 76-yard drive ended with Robert Smith running up the middle for a nine-yard TD. Gary Anderson added the point after to tie the score.

With Alstott running three straight times for 13 yards and Dunn catching a pass for another 13, the Bucs were driving as the first quarter ended. Alstott added a 21-yard carry to the Minnesota 22 and he and Dunn continued to chip away. Dilfer passed to WR Reidel Anthony for a 12-yard touchdown and, with Husted’s conversion, the 13-play drive that covered 80 yards had the home team back in the lead by 14-7.

The Vikings started the next possession from their own 10 yard line thanks to a penalty on the kickoff return, but still managed to keep the scoring parade going with a 90-yard drive that took 12 plays. Cunningham immediately threw to WR Jake Reed for 28 yards, the first of four completions during the series. Minnesota converted two third downs and a fourth down along the way before Cunningham threw long to Reed for a 44-yard TD on a third-and-19 play. Anderson’s PAT was successful and the game was again knotted at 14-14.

There was 4:16 remaining in the first half as the Buccaneers started their next series. Dilfer completed a pass to WR Bert Emanuel for 15 yards while facing third-and-eight and Dunn had a 50-yard run to the Minnesota 13. An offensive pass interference penalty nullified an apparent touchdown pass to Dunn, but the Bucs came away with points on a 29-yard Husted field goal.

With the clock now down to 36 seconds, Cunningham went to the air and completed three straight passes, the longest to Moss for 41 yards. Anderson capped the first half scoring with a 44-yard field goal and the tally was 17-17 at halftime. Thus far, neither team had punted or turned the ball over. Dunn (pictured below) already had 80 rushing yards and Alstott had contributed 50.

The pattern of long drives ending with scores continued in the third quarter as the Vikings advanced 75 yards in nine plays. Cunningham had passes to Glover for 25 yards and Reed for 32. The series ended with a short Cunningham toss to Reed for a one-yard TD. Anderson’s extra point put the visitors ahead by 24-17.

The Bucs moved methodically down the field in response. Alstott had a 15-yard run and Dilfer completed a pass to Anthony for 16 yards, but the drive bogged down inside the Minnesota 10 and, facing fourth-and-goal at the five, Dilfer’s throw intended for Anthony was knocked away and incomplete.

The Vikings had the ball as the contest entered the final period. Cunningham completed four passes, but after reaching their own 36, another throw that came as he was hit hard by LB Al Singleton was intercepted by LB Derrick Brooks, who returned it 25 yards to the Minnesota 23. The Buccaneers went three-and-out but came away with a 38-yard field goal by Husted to narrow the Vikings’ lead to 24-20.

Minnesota was forced to punt following the next series, which was the first of the game with ten minutes to go in regulation. The big play in stopping the Vikings came when CB Ronde Barber sacked Cunningham, who had eluded Brooks, on third down. The Bucs came away with good starting field position at the Minnesota 43. Dilfer connected with Anthony for a gain of 17 yards and Dunn followed up with a nine-yard run. Alstott lost a yard, but Dilfer converted a third-and-two situation with a three-yard carry. A pass into the end zone was deflected away, and then Dunn ran for nine yards and Alstott finished off the seven-play possession with a six-yard touchdown. Husted added the point after and Tampa Bay was ahead by three.

There was 5:48 left on the clock, plenty of time for the quick-striking Vikings. A Cunningham pass to Cris Carter was flagged for offensive pass interference and a sack by DT Brad Culpepper forced Minnesota to have to punt once again. The Vikings never got the ball back as the Buccaneers, behind the running of Alstott, controlled it for the remaining three minutes of the game. Alstott ran for a 37-yard gain and game-clinching first down and the Buccaneers won by a final score of 27-24.

Tampa Bay had the edge in total yards (378 to 340), with a franchise-record 246 yards gained on the ground, and in first downs (22 to 18). The Buccaneers, who also ran far more plays than Minnesota (63 to 46), never punted or turned the ball over, and gave up no sacks. The Vikings accounted for the game’s lone turnover and gave up two sacks, all of which proved costly. They also were held to just 17 yards and scored no points in the fourth quarter, which proved to be decisive.

Both Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn gained over a hundred yards running, the first time in Tampa Bay’s team history that two players had done so in the same contest. Alstott gained 128 yards on 19 carries that included a touchdown and Warrick Dunn had 115 yards on 18 attempts that also contained a TD. In addition, Dunn caught four passes for 49 yards. Trent Dilfer was 11 of 22 for 132 yards through the air, with a touchdown and no interceptions. Reidel Anthony topped the club with 5 pass receptions for 65 yards and a score.

For the Vikings, Randall Cunningham (pictured at right) was outstanding as he was successful on 21 of 25 throws for 291 yards and two TDs while giving up one interception. Jake Reed had his biggest game of the year as he caught 6 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns while Randy Moss and Cris Carter were comparatively quiet, catching two passes for 52 yards and two for 13, respectively. Robert Smith ran for 46 yards and a TD on 13 carries and had 5 receptions for 28 yards.

“We had to score every time we got the football, and we were able to do that except for once,” said Trent Dilfer. “That’s the kind of game we had to play.”

“They throw the ball as well as anyone’s thrown it in the last 10 or 12 years,” said Tampa Bay’s Coach Dungy regarding the Minnesota offense. “We felt our zone could make some plays, but they ripped up our zone in the first half.”

The Buccaneers went on to lose their next three games before rallying to take four of their last five on the way to an 8-8 finish that placed third in the NFC Central. Minnesota didn’t lose again for the remainder of the regular season, topping the entire conference at 15-1 while setting a NFL record by scoring 556 points. However, it all ended in disappointment with an overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship game.

Warrick Dunn gained 1370 yards from scrimmage, with 1026 on 245 rushing attempts (4.2 avg.) and 344 yards on 44 pass receptions. Mike Alstott gained 846 yards on 215 carries (3.9 avg.) and received first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors.

1998: Jaguars Edge Bears Thanks to Long Fourth Quarter Drive

The Jacksonville Jaguars opened the 1998 NFL season in Chicago against the Bears on September 6. Much was expected of the Jaguars, who were coming off of an injury-plagued year in 1997 but had nevertheless compiled an 11-5 record to place second in the AFC Central and reach the playoffs for the second straight season. Rigorous Tom Coughlin had been the head coach since Jacksonville entered the NFL as a 1995 expansion franchise, quickly turning the team into a contender. QB Mark Brunell (pictured above) was less mobile in ’97 due to a knee injury but remained a formidable left-handed passer, and he had an excellent pass receiving tandem in wide receivers Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell. RB Fred Taylor had been chosen in the first round of the ’98 NFL draft although RB James Stewart, an original member of the team, was starting in the opening week.

Chicago, coached by Dave Wannstedt for the sixth year, was coming off of a 4-12 record the previous year. Erik Kramer was again the starting quarterback and RB Curtis Enis was taken with the fifth overall pick in the first round in an effort to bolster the running game, although he missed nearly all of training camp due to a contract holdout. Veteran RB Edgar Bennett, who had spent the previous five years with Green Bay, was also added to the roster. It was hoped that deep-threat WR Curtis Conway was healthy and would have an impact after missing nine games due to a broken collarbone. Moreover, there was much fan discontent with a club that had not reached the playoffs in four years.

There were 55,614 of those fans in attendance at Soldier Field on an 80-degree day. The teams traded punts before RB Tavian Banks of the Jaguars fumbled after catching a pass and the Bears recovered at the Jacksonville 37. The turnover led to the game’s first points as Jeff Jaeger kicked a 45-yard field goal.

In response, the Jaguars put together a long drive that included five completions by Mark Brunell. The first was to Jimmy Smith for 13 yards and Keenan McCardell had a 21-yard reception to the Chicago 46. Brunell converted a third-and-six situation with an eight-yard run and when he connected with McCardell again for nine yards, the visitors had a first-and-goal at the nine. But on the first play of the second quarter, Brunell threw a pass intended for Smith that was intercepted by CB Tom Carter to extinguish the threat.

On their next possession following a punt by the Bears, the Jaguars again moved effectively and this time didn’t fail to score. Brunell completed two passes to Smith and James Stewart (pictured at right) had a 30-yard carry around left end. The eight-play, 66-yard drive concluded with Stewart catching a toss from Brunell for a three-yard touchdown. Mike Hollis added the extra point and Jacksonville was in front by 7-3. The lead didn’t last long, however, when RB Glyn Milburn returned the ensuing kickoff 88 yards for a TD. Jaeger’s point after had the Bears back on top by three points.

Short possessions by both offenses had the clubs trading punts until, with less than three minutes remaining in the first half, the Bears got the ball back at the Jacksonville 41 following another interception, this time by LB Barry Minter. Largely keeping the ball on the ground, Chicago advanced to the 16 in eight plays before Jaeger booted a 35-yard field goal with seven seconds left on the clock. The Bears took a 13-7 lead into halftime.

The home team had the first possession in the third quarter and, in a series that was highlighted by a pass from Erik Kramer to TE Ryan Wetnight for 30 yards, reached the Jacksonville 23, but Jaeger missed a 42-yard field goal attempt.

The teams traded punts until RB Ty Hallock of the Bears fumbled and LB Bryan Schwartz recovered at the Chicago 27. Following a three-yard run by Stewart, Brunell gained 17 yards on two carries and Stewart went seven yards for a TD. Hollis converted and Jacksonville was again in front by 14-13.

Once again the Bears turned the ball over on a fumble, this time by WR Bobby Engram after a pass reception, and the Jaguars had possession at the Chicago 32. Brunell passed to Smith for 20 yards and Stewart had a 16-yard run to set up a Hollis field goal from 23 yards early in the fourth quarter.

The Bears fought back with their next possession, advancing 72 yards. Kramer completed two passes and Curtis Enis had a 29-yard run among his three carries. Edgar Bennett gained the final yard for a TD and Jaeger’s PAT once again had Chicago on top by three points at 20-17.

A three-and-out series by the Jaguars led to a punt and the home team again moved effectively, featuring Enis runs of 14 and 13 yards and a Kramer pass to Engram for 21 yards on a third-and-three play to give the Bears first-and-goal at the Jacksonville four. However, two runs were followed by an incomplete pass and Chicago was forced to settle for a 19-yard Jaeger field goal.

Down by six points with 4:08 to play, the Jaguars started off their next possession after the kickoff at their own 13. Brunell threw to RB Daimon Shelton for eight yards and Jimmy Smith for seven. After a running play gained nothing, Brunell completed a total of six more passes, three of them to McCardell for 28 yards and the last to Smith for a four-yard touchdown. Having gone 87 yards in 13 plays to tie the score, Hollis added the all-important extra point and the Jaguars were up by one with 29 seconds left to play. Time ran out on the Bears at the Jacksonville 43 and the Jaguars came away with a 24-23 win.

Jacksonville led in total yards (367 to 321) and first downs (21 to 16). The Jaguars also converted half of their third downs (7 of 14) while Chicago was successful on five of 13. However, the visitors also turned the ball over three times to two suffered by the Bears.

Mark Brunell completed 22 of 35 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns, giving up two interceptions, and was 8 of 9 for 73 yards during the climactic scoring drive. He also ran for 43 yards on six carries. James Stewart rushed for 115 yards on 26 attempts that included a TD. Jimmy Smith had 9 pass receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown and Keenan McCardell contributed 7 catches for 72 yards.

For the Bears, Erik Kramer was successful on 16 of 27 throws for 189 yards and no TDs, although also had none intercepted. Curtis Enis (pictured at left) performed well in his regular season NFL debut with 77 yards on 12 rushing attempts. Edgar Bennett added 30 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. Curtis Conway topped the receivers with 6 receptions for 91 yards.

“We made a lot of errors,” said Jacksonville’s Coach Coughlin in evaluating his team’s performance. “I am pleased to win the game, but we have a lot of things to be corrected before we can expect to win consistently.”

The Jaguars won consistently enough, winning their first five games and going on to another 11-5 record that placed them first in the AFC Central. They won in the Wild Card playoff round before falling to the Jets at the Divisional level. After nearly pulling off an opening-week upset, Chicago lost its next three contests and ended up once again at 4-12 and last in the NFC Central.

As a footnote, neither running back that topped the Jaguars and Bears in rushing in Week 1 went on to have a big season. James Stewart was quickly supplanted by Fred Taylor and ended up with 217 yards on 53 carries (4.1 avg.). Curtis Enis suffered a knee injury and gained 497 yards on 133 attempts (3.7 avg.).

Highlighted Year: Gary Anderson, 1998

Placekicker, Minnesota Vikings

Age:  39

17^th season in pro football, 1^st with Vikings

College: Syracuse

Height: 5’11” Weight: 178

Prelude:

Born in South Africa, Anderson’s family moved to the US when he was a teenager. Having played rugby while growing up, he quickly showed that he could kick an American football and received a scholarship to Syracuse University. In college, he played two seasons of soccer and, in football he set school season records for field goals (18) and field goal percentage (94.7) in 1981. Anderson was chosen in the seventh round of the 1982 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills, who cut him prior to the season. Picked up by the Steelers, he was successful on 10 of 12 field goal attempts as well as all 22 tries for extra points during the strike-shortened ’82 season. Wearing his characteristic single-bar facemask, Anderson went on to kick for 13 seasons with the Steelers. He topped the AFC in scoring in 1983, the first of three consecutive seasons in which he did so, and he led the AFC in field goals in ’84 (24) and the entire NFL with 33 in 1985 (his high with Pittsburgh). Anderson received at least some All-NFL recognition in 1985 and ’93 and was named to the Pro Bowl three times as a Steeler. He left Pittsburgh following the 1994 season as the franchise leader in field goals (309) and scoring (1343 points) and spent two years with Philadelphia and one with the 49ers in ’97. Anderson signed a three-year contract to join the Vikings in 1998.

1998 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Kicking

Field goals – 35 [2, 1^st in NFC]

Most field goals, game – 6 at Baltimore 12/13

Field goal attempts – 35 [4, tied with Richie Cunningham & John Hall]

Most field goal attempts, game – 6 at Baltimore 12/13

Field goal percentage – 100.0 [1]

PATs – 59 [1]

PAT attempts – 59 [1]

Longest field goal – 53 yards vs. Jacksonville 12/20

Scoring

Field Goals – 35

PATs – 59

Points – 164 [1]

Postseason: 2 G

Field goals – 4

Most field goals, game – 2 vs. Arizona, NFC Divisional playoff

Field goal attempts – 5

Most field goal attempts, game – 3 vs. Atlanta, NFC Championship

PATs – 8

Most PATs, game – 5 vs. Arizona, NFC Divisional playoff

PAT attempts – 8

Longest field goal – 35 yards vs. Atlanta, NFC Championship

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News

1^st team All-NFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Vikings went 15-1 to finish first in the NFC Central with the league’s best record while leading the NFL in passing yards (4328), touchdowns (64), and scoring (556 points). Won NFC Divisional playoff over Arizona Cardinals (41-21). Lost NFC Championship to Atlanta Falcons (30-27).

Aftermath:

His excellent 1998 season having come to a disappointing end in the postseason, Anderson followed up with a career-low 63.3 field goal percentage in 1999 but bounced back to connect on 95.7 percent in 2000 (22 of 23) and lasted with the Vikings through 2002. He finished his career with two seasons in Tennessee in 2003 and ’04, by which time he was 45 years old. Overall, over the course of 23 seasons, Anderson kicked 538 field goals in 672 attempts, both career NFL records at the time, for an 80.1 percentage and 2434 points, also the league career high (his contemporary, Morten Andersen, ultimately surpassed him in all three NFL-record categories). He also kicked 820 extra points, which were second-highest in league history at the time. Anderson added another 32 field goals, in 40 attempts (80.0 %) and 57 extra points in 22 postseason games, with a high of four field goals against the Oilers in 1989.

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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: Jamal Anderson, 1998

Running Back, Atlanta Falcons

Age: 26 (Sept. 30)

5^th season in pro football & with Falcons

College: Utah

Height: 5’11” Weight: 234

Prelude:

Anderson was chosen by the Falcons in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL draft and was strictly a backup during his first two seasons who also returned kickoffs in ’95. He broke out in 1996, beating out Craig Heyward, the starter for the previous two seasons, and gaining 1528 yards from scrimmage, with 1055 yards on 232 carries and 473 yards on 49 catches. A powerful runner and at his best between the tackles, he also could be graceful and had the ability to burst to the outside. Anderson was hindered by an ankle sprain in ’97 but still rushed for 1002 yards and caught 29 passes for another 284 yards.

1998 Season Summary

Appeared and in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 410 [1]

Most attempts, game – 32 (for 104 yds.) at New England 11/8

Yards – 1846 [2, 1^st in NFC]

Most yards, game – 188 yards (on 31 carries) at St. Louis 11/29

Average gain – 4.5 [7]

TDs – 14 [2, tied with Fred Taylor]

100-yard rushing games – 12

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 27      

Most receptions, game – 4 (for 58 yds.) vs. Indianapolis 12/6

Yards – 319

Most yards, game – 58 (on 4 catches) vs. Indianapolis 12/6

Average gain – 11.8

TDs – 2

Passing

Attempts – 2

Completions – 0

Interceptions – 0

All-Purpose yards – 2165 [4]

Scoring

TDs – 16 [4]

2-pt PATs – 1 [6, tied with many]

Points – 98 [20, tied with Todd Peterson]

Postseason: 3 G

Rushing attempts – 70

Most rushing attempts, game – 29 vs. San Francisco, NFC Divisional playoff

Rushing yards – 276

Most rushing yards, game – 113 vs. San Francisco, NFC Divisional playoff

Average gain rushing – 3.9

Rushing TDs – 2

Pass receptions – 10

Most pass receptions, game – 6 at Minnesota, NFC Championship

Pass receiving yards – 59

Most pass receiving yards, game – 33 at Minnesota, NFC Championship

Average yards per reception – 5.9

Pass Receiving TDs – 1

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News

1^st team All-NFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Falcons went 14-2 to finish first in the NFC West. Won NFC Divisional playoff over San Francisco 49ers (20-18) and NFC Championship over Minnesota Vikings (30-27). Lost Super Bowl to Denver Broncos (34-19).

Aftermath:

After setting a NFL record for rushing attempts in 1998, Anderson’s 1999 season ended in the second game with a knee injury that required surgery. He came back in 2000 and, following a slow start, rushed for 1024 yards and caught 42 passes for another 382 yards. However, another major knee injury in 2001 proved to be career-ending. Overall, Anderson rushed for 5336 yards on 1329 carries (4.0 avg.) and caught 156 passes for 1645 yards (10.5 avg.), scoring a total of 41 touchdowns (34 rushing, 7 receiving).

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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