1996: Bengals Rally to Defeat Jaguars in Bruce Coslet’s Coaching Debut

The Cincinnati Bengals had a new head coach as they hosted the Jacksonville Jaguars on October 27, 1996. Off to a 1-6 start, David Shula had been let go and replaced by Bruce Coslet (pictured above), the offensive coordinator who had once coached the New York Jets. The son of the highly-successful Don Shula had been a major disappointment, failing to turn around a team that had not posted a winning record in six years, and the Bengals had recently been prone to blowing leads in the second half. It was hoped that Coslet, known as a motivator in New York, could provide a needed spark.

The opposing Jaguars, a second-year expansion team, came into the game with a 3-5 record. While Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s club had the league’s top passing offense, Jacksonville was still a work in progress. QB Mark Brunell was mobile and a talented passer, but thus far also lacked consistency and was prone to throwing interceptions, and the running game was not providing much help.

There were 45,890 fans in attendance at Cinergy Field on a pleasant day, well under the stadium’s capacity. The Bengals had the ball first and drove from their 18 to the Jacksonville 30 as QB Jeff Blake completed passes to RB Eric Bieniemy for 13 yards and WR David Dunn for 26, but came up empty when they failed to convert a fourth-and-one play. The teams traded punts for the remainder of the opening period.

As the game headed into the second quarter, the Jaguars put together a 75-yard drive in seven plays. Mark Brunell threw to WR Andre Rison for 32 yards, RB James Stewart (pictured at left) had carries of 13 and 12 yards, and Brunell finished the series off with a 14-yard run for a touchdown. Mike Hollis added the extra point.

A short series by the Bengals again ended with a punt, but Cincinnati got the ball back three plays later when Brunell was hit by DE Jevon Langford as he was passing and LB James Francis intercepted the errant throw at the Jacksonville 31. It took the home team five plays to capitalize as Blake connected with TE Tony McGee for 18 yards and WR Carl Pickens for an 11-yard TD. Doug Pelfrey added the game-tying point after. That was it for the scoring as the teams exchanged punts for the remainder of the half, much to the displeasure of the home fans.

Following another exchange of punts to start the third quarter, the Jaguars advanced 73 yards in eight plays. Stewart broke away for a 34-yard run on first down and, keeping the ball on the ground with Stewart and RB Natrone Means, the visitors reached the Cincinnati 11, from where Brunell threw to Means for a touchdown. Hollis converted and the Jaguars were back in front by 14-7 with 2:41 remaining in the period.

The Bengals had the ball as the third quarter concluded, with Blake throwing to Bieniemy for 13 yards in a third-and-seven situation and then connecting with WR Darnay Scott for 46 yards to the Jacksonville 10. On the first play of the final period, Blake tossed a scoring pass to Pickens from there and Pelfrey’s kick made it 14-14.

The Jaguars had to punt from deep in their own territory on the next possession as Brunell was sacked twice for losses totaling 19 yards. The Bengals started their series from their 40 and went 60 yards in 11 plays. Blake completed four straight passes at one point, two of them to Pickens, and ran for 10 yards to convert a third down. The payoff came when Blake ran an option play and flipped the ball to RB Ki-Jana Carter, who scored a one-yard touchdown. Pelfrey again converted to put Cincinnati up by seven, although Blake was shaken up and had to sit out the remainder of the game.

On Jacksonville’s next play, Brunell’s tipped pass was picked off by FS Bo Orlando, giving the Bengals possession at the Jaguars’ 22. Backup QB Erik Wilhelm threw to Pickens for five yards and Carter ran four straight times, the last for a four-yard TD. Pelfrey added the extra point to make it a 28-14 game with 3:32 left to play. The Jaguars managed to drive to one more touchdown, with Brunell throwing to WR Jimmy Smith from 11 yards out, but they couldn’t recover the resulting onside kick and the Bengals were able to run out the clock and win by a final score of 28-21.  

Jacksonville led in total yards (338 to 267) and also had the edge in first downs (19 to 18) although the Bengals had the ball longer (31:36 to 28:24). The Jaguars also recorded five sacks, to four for Cincinnati, but they also turned the ball over twice, to none suffered by the Bengals.

Jeff Blake completed 19 of 30 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns while giving up no interceptions. Carl Pickens had 6 catches for 51 yards and two TDs and David Dunn gained 66 yards on his three receptions. Eric Bieniemy pulled in 6 passes for 47 yards in addition to running the ball five times for eight yards. Ki-Jana Carter (pictured below) filled in for Garrison Hearst, who sprained his ankle in the second quarter, and topped the Cincinnati runners with a modest 27 yards on 8 carries, although two were for touchdowns.

For the Jaguars, Mark Brunell was successful on 18 of 31 throws for 215 yards and two TDs, but also with two costly interceptions. He also ran the ball 7 times for 45 yards and a touchdown. James Stewart gained 80 yards on 14 rushing attempts and Natrone Means contributed 24 yards on seven rushes as well as a TD on his lone catch. WR Keenan McCardell had five pass receptions for 52 yards and Andre Rison gained a team-leading 74 yards on his three catches. On defense, DE Clyde Simmons accounted for 2.5 of the team’s sacks.

The win signaled a turnaround for the Bengals as they won their next two games on the way to a 7-2 finish. They ended up breaking even at 8-8 and placing third in the AFC Central. The Jaguars also caught fire, winning six of their last seven games to go 9-7 and secure a Wild Card playoff slot. They advanced all the way to the AFC Championship game before falling to the Patriots.

Unfortunately for Bruce Coslet, the initial success did not last. The Bengals followed up with a 7-9 record in 1997 and dropped to 3-13 in 1998 and 4-12 ’99. He was dismissed three winless games into the 2000 season, having compiled a 21-39 record in Cincinnati.

1993: AFC Wins First Overtime Pro Bowl

The AFC-NFC Pro Bowl on February 7, 1993 was played before 50,007 fans at Aloha Stadium on a sunny day with intermittent clouds. It marked the 14^th consecutive year that the game was played in Honolulu. Coaches were Don Shula of the Dolphins for the AFC and San Francisco’s George Seifert for the NFC.

The NFC took the opening kickoff and drove 65 yards in 14 plays. QB Steve Young of the 49ers scrambled for eight yards in a third-and-three situation and completed five passes, the longest to his San Francisco teammate, TE Brent Jones, for 17 yards. The advance finally stalled at the AFC 10 and Morten Andersen of the Saints kicked a 27-yard field goal.

The AFC punted following their first series but got the ball back four plays later when a Young pass was intercepted by Denver FS Steve Atwater at the AFC 29. Miami QB Dan Marino completed consecutive throws to WR Anthony Miller of the Chargers for 16 yards and Houston WR Haywood Jeffires for 11 to get the ball into NFC territory, but a holding penalty moved them back, and on third down Marino was sacked by Minnesota DE Chris Doleman for a 15-yard loss, resulting in a punt.

The AFC managed to get on the scoreboard when, on the first play of the second quarter, LB Junior Seau of the Chargers intercepted a Young pass and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown. Kansas City’s Nick Lowery added the extra point to give the AFC a 7-3 lead. The NFC responded with a 10-play, 58-yard possession. An illegal blitz (an infraction specific to the Pro Bowl) on the AFC converted a third down and Dallas RB Emmitt Smith broke away for a 23-yard gain to the AFC 34. The NFC converted another third down before the drive came to an end at the AFC 20 and Andersen kicked a 37-yard field goal to narrow the score to 7-6.

QB Troy Aikman of the champion Cowboys (pictured at right) was behind center for the next NFC series and came out throwing, hitting on three straight passes to pick up 25 yards, two of them to his Dallas teammate, WR Michael Irvin. The nine-play drive covered 54 yards and ended with Aikman passing to Irvin once more for a nine-yard TD. Andersen converted and the NFC took a 13-7 lead.

The AFC went three-and-out and punted, and with 56 seconds remaining in the first half, Aikman again went to the air, connecting with Atlanta WR Andre Rison for 18 yards, RB Barry Sanders of the Lions for 19, and Rison again for 11 yards. But Aikman’s next two passes fell incomplete, with a Sanders run for no gain in between, and Andersen’s field goal try was blocked by DE Leslie O’Neal of the Chargers and returned by Miami LB Bryan Cox to the NFC 35.

Houston QB Warren Moon completed a pass to Jeffires and it appeared that time had run out in the half before the receiver got out of bounds. Players began to head to the locker room and technicians started to pull sets for the halftime show onto the field. But the officials ruled that there were still two seconds remaining and the field was cleared. On the final play of the half, Lowery booted a 42-yard field goal and the NFC margin was narrowed to 13-10 at halftime.

The AFC started the third quarter off with a short series and punted. On the NFC’s third play, Aikman threw to Dallas TE Jay Novacek for 26 yards, but after Sanders ran twice to gain another 14 yards, Aikman’s next pass was picked off by SS Henry Jones of the Bills, who returned it 32 yards to the NFC 42. With Pittsburgh RB Barry Foster (pictured at top) running effectively and his teammate with the Steelers, QB Neil O’Donnell, completing a pass, the AFC reached the 11 before settling for a 29-yard Lowery field goal to tie the score at 13-13.

Atlanta CB Deion Sanders returned the ensuing kickoff 46 yards and the NFC started with good field position near midfield. QB Brett Favre of the Packers was in the game and misfired on his first three passes before connecting with San Francisco WR Jerry Rice for 48 yards to the AFC two. RB Ricky Watters of the 49ers lost two yards on first down and, while Rice picked up three yards on a short toss from Favre, the AFC defense held as Favre was stuffed for no gain on a quarterback sneak and, on fourth down, Watters dove for the end zone and came up short.

The AFC had possession as the game headed into the fourth quarter. O’Donnell completed passes to Houston WR Ernest Givins for six yards and WR Andre Reed of the Bills for nine, but the AFC had to punt. RB Johnny Bailey of the Cardinals returned the kick but fumbled when hit by Buffalo WR Steve Tasker, the AFC’s special teams representative, and punter Rohn Stark of the Colts recovered at the AFC 39. However, on the next play O’Donnell’s pass was intercepted by Phoenix SS Tim McDonald.

The NFC punted for the first (and only) time following a short series and a 20-yard return by Indianapolis WR Clarence Verdin had another 15 yards tacked on for unnecessary roughness. Starting at the NFC 37, the AFC netted a yard in three plays and Lowery missed a 54-yard field goal attempt.

Favre threw to WR Fred Barnett of the Eagles for 16 yards on first down and the NFC maintained possession when an apparent interception was nullified by a pass interference penalty. Favre was sacked by DE Howie Long of the Raiders on third down and that set up another big play for the AFC on special teams. A field goal try by Andersen was blocked by Tasker and CB Terry McDaniel of the Raiders recovered and ran 28 yards for a touchdown. Lowery converted and the AFC was back in front by 20-13 with eight minutes left in regulation.

Young was back at quarterback for the NFC and he threw to Irvin for 19 yards and ran for eight. Sanders ran for six yards and it was Young to Irvin again for 12 to the AFC 35, but a holding penalty backed the NFC up and the next two passes were incomplete before Young was intercepted by Buffalo CB Nate Odomes.

The AFC punted following the next series and the NFC took over at its 22 with less than three minutes remaining on the clock. Young threw to Rice for 16 yards but was sacked by DE Neil Smith of the Chiefs for a loss of eight. Two plays later, he passed to Brent Jones for 16 yards and a first down and, after another sack, connected with Rison for 18. Throws to Novacek and Rison got the ball to the AFC 20, but the next two passes were incomplete and Young was sacked by Cox on third down. Facing fourth down and with time running out, a scrambling Young completed a throw to RB Rodney Hampton of the Giants at the goal line for a 23-yard touchdown with ten seconds remaining in regulation. Andersen tied the score at 20-20 with the point after and, with the score tied at 20-20 at the end of four quarters, the game went into overtime.

The NFC won the toss and had the first possession in overtime, but Young fumbled when caught from behind by Kansas City LB Derrick Thomas while scrambling and Long recovered for the AFC at the NFC 28. Foster ran the ball four times to reach the NFC 16 before Lowery came on to kick the game-winning 33-yard field goal at 4:09 into OT. The AFC won the first overtime Pro Bowl game by a final score of 23-20.

The NFC far outgained the AFC (472 yards to 114) and also had big margins in first downs (30 to 9) and offensive plays (90 to 50). However, the NFC turned the ball over six times, to one suffered by the AFC, and the AFC had both an interception and blocked field goal returned for touchdowns.

Dan Marino completed just three of nine passes for 31 yards and Neil O’Donnell had the most completed passes for the AFC, with four, out of seven attempts for 23 yards with one intercepted. Barry Foster rushed for 57 yards on 15 carries to lead the team by far (runner-up was RB Harold Green of the Bengals with nine yards on four attempts). Haywood Jeffires led the receivers with three catches for 26 yards and Anthony Miller contributed 23 yards on his two receptions. Steve Tasker (pictured below) was named the game’s MVP as he accounted for four tackles, a forced fumble, and a blocked kick. Regularly recognized for his outstanding play on special teams, Tasker was appearing in his fourth of an eventual seven Pro Bowls.

For the NFC, Steve Young was successful on 18 of 32 throws for 196 yards and a TD, but gave up three interceptions and had the disastrous fumble in overtime. He also led the team in rushing with 34 yards on six carries. Troy Aikman was 10-of-15 for 120 yards with a touchdown and an interception and Brett Favre, making his first Pro Bowl appearance, completed four of eight passes for 74 yards with no TDs or pickoffs. Andre Rison had 8 catches for 80 yards and Jerry Rice gained 78 yards on his four receptions while Michael Irvin scored a TD among his 5 catches for 59 yards.

The game marked the first time that the Pro Bowl went into overtime and reduced the NFC’s lead in the series to 13-10 since going to the AFC vs. NFC format following the 1970 AFL/NFL merger.

1995: Bengals Rally to Tie Score but Browns Prevail in Overtime

The Cleveland Browns were struggling as they traveled to Cincinnati to play their intrastate rivals, the Bengals, on October 29, 1995. Head Coach Bill Belichick’s team was underachieving. They had reached the playoffs in ’94 but were coming into Cincinnati at 3-4 after sustaining three consecutive defeats. WR Andre Rison was brought in as a free agent and had failed to provide the anticipated impact and the running game was not up to par. The Browns looked especially lackluster against the expansion Jaguars the previous week and Coach Belichick chose to bench veteran QB Vinny Testaverde in favor of rookie QB Eric Zeier (pictured above).

The Bengals were in their fourth year under Head Coach David Shula, and that included back-to-back 3-13 records in 1993 and ’94. They were also 3-4 thus far, having won their first two games before dropping four straight and then defeating Pittsburgh in their most recent contest. There was talent on offense with QB Jeff Blake, TE Tony McGee, and wide receivers Darney Scott and Carl Pickens. But the defense was deficient, especially against the pass.

There were 58,639 fans in attendance at Riverfront Stadium. The Bengals had the first possession and advanced 85 yards in seven plays, helped along by a 46-yard pass interference call on CB Antonio Langham. RB Harold Green ran for 16 yards on first down and Jeff Blake completed four passes, the last of which was to Green from a yard out for a touchdown. However, a bad snap forced Cincinnati to abort the extra point attempt and the pass attempt from the holder, punter Lee Johnson, fell incomplete.

The Browns responded by driving 33 yards in 11 plays. Eric Zeier completed two passes that converted third downs, but an apparent completion to TE Brian Kinchen for 20 yards on a third-and-nine play from the Cincinnati 25 was flagged for offensive pass interference and Cleveland ultimately had to settle for a 44-yard Matt Stover field goal that narrowed the score to 6-3.

The Bengals punted following their next series and, in a possession that extended into the second quarter, Cleveland advanced 65 yards in 12 plays. The biggest was a Zeier throw to RB Earnest Byner for 22 yards in a third-and-seven situation, but with first-and-goal from the Cincinnati six, the visitors were unable to advance farther and Stover tied the score with a 25-yard field goal.

Cincinnati moved effectively on the next possession as Green carried twice for 19 yards and Blake completed passes to Tony McGee for nine yards and RB Eric Bieniemy for 19. A roughing-the-passer penalty got the Bengals to the Cleveland 23, but Green, who was injured on the play, fumbled and DT Tim Goad recovered for the Browns. Zeier immediately threw to Andre Rison (pictured below) for 23 yards but the series ended at the Cleveland 39 when RB Leroy Hoard lost a yard on a fourth-and-one play.

The teams traded turnovers before the Bengals, taking over with 4:48 left in the first half, put together a drive of 66 yards in nine plays. Facing third-and-ten, Blake connected with Darnay Scott for 18 yards and then followed up with another 18-yard completion, this time to McGee. Another completion, to WR David Dunn, gained 15 yards and an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Browns added another 15 to the Cleveland 19. The drive stalled, but Doug Pelfrey booted a 37-yard field goal that moved Cincinnati back in front by 9-6.

With the clock now down to 1:08, the Browns moved down the field with Zeier completing four passes, the longest to Rison for 46 yards. Stover kicked a 36-yard field goal and, when Pelfrey’s last-ditch try for a 63-yard field goal fell short, the score was 9-9 at the half.

The Browns had the ball first in the third quarter and broke the tie with an 11-play, 55-yard drive. Zeier completed five passes, the longest for 17 yards to Byner to reach the Cincinnati 20, but again the advance stalled and Stover came on to kick his fourth field goal, from 38 yards, to make it a 12-9 game.

The Bengals came back with an 80-yard possession that used eight plays. Green ran effectively and Blake completed passes to Scott for 31 yards and Bieniemy for 32. Facing third-and-goal, Blake completed an eight-yard touchdown pass to Carl Pickens and, with Pelfrey’s point after, the home team led by 16-12.

Zeier threw to Rison for a 59-yard gain to the Cincinnati five on the first play following the kickoff, but he was sacked and his next pass was intercepted by LB Steve Tovar. The Bengals had to punt, with Lee Johnson’s kick traveling only 27 yards to give the Browns good starting field position at their own 48. It came to naught as, with the game now into the fourth quarter, Cleveland was pushed back by penalties and had to punt in turn.

Following another punt by the Bengals, the Browns put together a 90-yard series in six plays. Zeier completed two passes before running for a 22-yard gain to the Cincinnati 37. After a pass interference call picked up another 20 yards, Zeier threw high to a leaping Rison for a 17-yard TD. Stover’s kick put the Browns in the lead by 19-16.

Cincinnati went three-and-out and punted and the Browns had to punt as well. However, the visitors got a break when Tom Tupa’s 64-yard kick was muffed by CB Corey Sawyer and CB Johnny Thomas recovered for Cleveland at the Bengals’ five. Two plays later, Byner ran for a three-yard touchdown. Stover kicked the extra point and, with less than three minutes remaining in regulation, the Browns were ahead by 26-16.

The Bengals needed to score quickly and Blake passed for 10 yards to RB James Joseph but suffered a slight concussion when sacked on the next play. Backup QB David Klingler, who was just coming back from being sidelined with a broken jaw, came into the game and threw to Bieniemy for 33 yards. Following the two-minute warning, Klingler threw an incomplete pass and was then sacked, but facing third-and-20 he hit McGee for a gain of 21 yards. Pelfrey kicked a 41-yard field goal and it was a seven-point game with 1:09 on the clock.

The Bengals executed a successful onside kick and were back on offense at the Cleveland 37. Klingler threw to Dunn for 17 yards but, after two more passes fell incomplete, consecutive pass interference penalties on Langham moved the ball to the one yard line. From there, Klingler threw to Pickens for a touchdown and Pelfrey’s extra point sent the contest into overtime tied at 26-26.

The Browns had the first possession in the extra period and punted. Cincinnati, with Blake again behind center, also had a short series and punted. Following another Cleveland punt, the Bengals had the ball at their own 38 and Blake went to the air. DB Dana Hall intercepted the tipped ball and the Browns were back on offense at the Cincinnati 45. Zeier threw to FB Tommy Vardell for seven yards and the fullback then rushed for six more. Following an incomplete pass, Byner ran around end for a 23-yard gain to the nine and, two plays later, Stover kicked a 28-yard field goal to give the Browns a 29-26 win.

Cleveland led in total yards (480 to 384) although the Bengals had the edge in first downs (27 to 26). The Browns also had five sacks, to two by Cincinnati, while the Bengals turned the ball over four times, to two suffered by Cleveland. Both teams were heavily penalized, with the Browns drawing 15 flags, at a cost of 188 yards, to 10 thrown on Cincinnati.

Eric Zeier completed 26 of 46 passes for 310 yards and a touchdown while giving up one interception and also rushed for 44 yards on 8 carries. Andre Rison had his most productive game with Cleveland, catching 7 passes for 173 yards and a TD. Earnest Byner ran for 74 yards on 17 attempts that included a score and also had four pass receptions for 43 yards. Matt Stover made good on all five his field goal attempts.

For the Bengals, Jeff Blake was successful on 20 of 35 throws for 249 yards and two TDs while also giving up two interceptions. In relief, David Klingler went five-of-11 for 73 yards and a touchdown. Eric Bieniemy (pictured at left) caught 6 passes for 95 yards while adding 19 yards on four rushing attempts. Harold Green topped the club with 66 yards on 14 carries and scored a TD on one of his four pass receptions for 23 yards.

“I’m exhausted right now,” said Eric Zeier. “It was a great football game. It’s the kind you want to be part of and remember for a long time.”

The good showing by Eric Zeier in his first career start was not followed by comparable outings and Vinny Testaverde regained the starting job later in the season. By then, owner Art Modell had let it be known that the Browns would be moving to Baltimore in 1996, and the team completely collapsed down the stretch to finish at 5-11 and in fourth place in the AFC Central. They swept the season series with Cincinnati, but the Bengals still managed to finish ahead of them in second at 7-9.

Zeier completed 82 of 161 passes for 864 yards and four touchdowns while giving up nine interceptions overall in 1995. He moved with the franchise to Baltimore and spent another three years with the rechristened Ravens, having only middling success when again given the opportunity to start. Andre Rison ended up with 47 catches for 701 yards (14.9 avg.) and three touchdowns, which was well below expectations, and he didn’t remain with the relocated club. He spent the ’96 season with Jacksonville and Green Bay before briefly rejuvenating his career with the Chiefs in 1997.

1991: Opportunistic Falcons Outlast 49ers for Wild Win

The Atlanta Falcons were off to a 2-3 start as they traveled to San Francisco to take on the 49ers on October 13, 1991. Coached by Jerry Glanville, the Falcons were coming off of eight consecutive losing seasons and had lost in their last five meetings with the 49ers. The club employed a run-and-shoot offense directed by talented but injury-prone QB Chris Miller (pictured at right) with WR Andre Rison as the leading receiver. The defense featured an outstanding cornerback tandem in Deion Sanders, who was also excellent at returning kicks, and Tim McKyer, a sixth-year veteran who started out with the 49ers.

San Francisco had been to the playoffs in each of the previous eight years under, first, Bill Walsh and now George Seifert, and that included three Super Bowl victories, most recently in 1988 and ’89. The 49ers reached the NFC Championship game in 1990 but were in a transition year. Most notably, the team lost 35-year-old star QB Joe Montana, who was out for the season with a torn elbow tendon in his throwing arm. Backup QB Steve Young was getting his chance, but the results had been uneven thus far and the Niners were also at 2-3.

There were 57,343 fans in attendance at Candlestick Park on a sunny afternoon. The Falcons had the ball first and quickly went 73 yards in four plays. Chris Miller started off with a completion to Andre Rison for 39 yards to the San Francisco 34 and, following two carries by RB Erric Pegram, Miller fired long for WR Michael Haynes in the end zone and it was good for a 27-yard touchdown. Norm Johnson added the extra point.

Steve Young (pictured at left) threw to Jerry Rice for a 15-yard pickup on the Niners’ first play from scrimmage, but RB Dexter Carter fumbled on the next one and SS Brian Jordan recovered for the Falcons at the San Francisco 49. Miller rolled out and threw to Haynes for a gain of 41 yards on first down and, three plays later, it was Miller to Rison for a seven-yard TD. Johnson’s point after put the visitors ahead by 14-0.

The teams traded punts before FS Scott Case intercepted a Young pass at the San Francisco 38. The Falcons made their way to the San Francisco 12 as the opening period came to an end and, two plays into the second quarter, Johnson kicked a 29-yard field goal to make it a 17-0 contest.

The 49ers responded by driving 72 yards in six plays. Young completed two passes to TE Jamie Williams for 16 and 15 yards and a long throw to WR Mike Sherrard picked up 31 yards to the Atlanta 10. FB Tom Rathman gained four yards up the middle and then Young, rolling to his left, ran for a six-yard touchdown. Mike Cofer converted to narrow Atlanta’s lead to 17-7.

The Falcons reached midfield on their next series before punting and the 49ers had to punt from their own 25 in turn, with Joe Prokop’s deflected kick traveling only 17 yards to give the visitors good field position at the San Francisco 41. They reached the 23 at the two-minute warning and Johnson kicked a 43-yard field goal to put the Falcons up by 20-7.

There was still time for the 49ers following Carter’s 34-yard kickoff return, and they advanced 66 yards in five plays. The big one was a long pass by Young that WR John Taylor caught for a 54-yard touchdown. Cofer’s extra point narrowed the Atlanta lead to 20-14 at halftime.

San Francisco had the first possession of the third quarter and traveled 70 yards in five plays. Young ran twice for 14 yards and, while an apparent 20-yard completion to Taylor was called back due to an illegal motion penalty, a Young throw to Rice was good for a 57-yard TD. Atlanta’s Jordan blocked Cofer’s extra point attempt, but the game was now tied at 20-20.

It didn’t stay tied for long when Deion Sanders gathered in the ensuing kickoff and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. Johnson’s conversion put the Falcons back in front by seven points. The 49ers came back with a nine-play, 69-yard drive. Young completed four passes, most notably to Rice for 22 yards in a third-and-six situation and to Williams for 15 yards to the Atlanta 10. Two passes into the end zone fell incomplete but, following a defensive holding penalty, RB Harry Sydney swept around end to a five-yard TD. Cofer made the point after and the score was knotted once more at 27-27.

The Falcons drove 80 yards in 10 plays in response. Miller had four completions along the way, connecting with WR Mike Pritchard for 15 yards and Rison and Haynes for 10 yards apiece. RB Steve Broussard ran for 10 yards on a draw play and an end run picked up 23 yards to set up a one-yard Miller to Rison touchdown pass. The extra point attempt failed when holder/punter Scott Fulhage fumbled the snap, but the visitors were again in the lead by 33-27.

Carter returned the ensuing kickoff 39 yards to the San Francisco 49 and the Niners had the ball heading into the fourth quarter, putting together a 51-yard drive in eight plays. Young threw to Taylor for 20 yards and scrambled to a seven-yard touchdown, leaping into the end zone at the end. Cofer kicked the extra point and the 49ers had a one-point lead at 34-33 with 12 minutes to play.

Once more the Falcons fought back, advancing 48 yards in six plays that resulted in a 44-yard Johnson field goal and a regained lead of 36-34. The 49ers methodically drove into Atlanta territory, but after reaching the 20 thanks to an 11-yard completion to Rice, Sydney lost nine yards when attempting to reverse field on a failed running play, an intentional grounding penalty moved the Niners back another 10 yards, and a third-and-29 pass by Young was intercepted by Tim McKyer (pictured above), the ex-49er. McKyer returned it 24 yards, cutting to the middle of the field, and then tossed a lateral to Sanders, who picked up another 13 yards to the San Francisco 35.

Broussard, following a short gain, ran for 23 yards and while the Falcons couldn’t reach the end zone, they added a 30-yard field goal by Johnson to pad their lead to five points with 1:45 left on the clock. It was the icing on the cake. Young completed passes to Rice for 14 yards and WR Sanjay Beach for 20, but a desperate fourth down pass from his own 39 was intercepted by McKyer, his second of the fourth quarter, to seal the 39-34 win for Atlanta.  

The 49ers, playing catchup throughout the game, led in total yards (437 to 368) and first downs (24 to 19). However, San Francisco also turned the ball over four times, to none by the Falcons. Atlanta was also very effective running the ball, gaining 160 yards on the ground to San Francisco’s 94.

Chris Miller completed 16 of 28 passes for 208 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions. Andre Rison had 6 catches for 69 yards and two TDs and Michael Haynes gained 94 yards on his five receptions that included a score. Steve Broussard rushed for 104 yards on just 10 attempts.

For the 49ers, Steve Young was successful on 22 of 38 throws for 348 yards and two TDs, but also gave up three interceptions, and led the club in rushing with 68 yards on 11 carries that included two more touchdowns. Jerry Rice caught 7 passes for 138 yards and a TD and John Taylor contributed 80 yards on his three catches that also included a score.

“There was one bad play and boom-boom, there were two more bad plays and we were out of it,” said San Francisco’s Coach Seifert. “There are a number of disappointing things happening. I’m obviously devastated.”

The Falcons lost to Phoenix the next week but then won seven of eight games, including the rematch with the 49ers, on the way to a 10-6 record. San Francisco won two, lost two, and was at 4-6 before putting together a six-game winning streak to finish the season also at 10-6. However, the sweep of the season series by Atlanta made the difference in which team went to the postseason. As a result, the Falcons attained second place in the NFC West and grabbed a Wild Card slot, beating New Orleans in the first round before succumbing to the Redskins at the Divisional level. The 49ers ended up in third place and out of the playoffs for the first time since 1982.

Chris Miller passed for 3103 yards and a career-high 26 touchdowns and was selected to the Pro Bowl. Andre Rison also received Pro Bowl honors as he caught 81 passes for 976 yards (12.0 avg.) and 12 TDs and Michael Haynes led the NFL by averaging 22.4 yards-per-catch on his 50 receptions for 1122 yards that included 11 scores. Deion Sanders (pictured at left) intercepted 6 passes, one of which was returned for a touchdown, and averaged 22.2 yards on 26 kickoff returns, with his return against the 49ers the lone TD, and 8.1 yards on 21 punt returns. He was chosen to the first of eight Pro Bowls in this, his third pro season.

Things would get better for Steve Young, who led the league with a 101.8 passer rating, although he also missed time due to a knee injury. Jerry Rice had a typically outstanding year, catching 80 passes for 1207 yards and a NFL-leading 14 touchdowns.  

1990: Cunningham Rallies Eagles to Win Against Falcons

The Philadelphia Eagles, who started the 1990 NFL season at 1-3, carried a 5-4 record into Atlanta as they took on the Falcons on November 18. Under brash Head Coach Buddy Ryan, the aggressive defense was the key to Philadelphia’s success, anchored by DE Reggie White and featuring other outstanding players such as DE Clyde Simmons, DT Jerome Brown, LB Seth Joyner, and CB Eric Allen. Exciting QB Randall Cunningham (pictured at right), fleet-footed as well as strong-armed, directed the offense that lacked a potent ground attack but benefited from the addition of rookie wide receivers Fred Barnett and Calvin Williams.

Atlanta was struggling under first-year Head Coach Jerry Glanville. The wide-open passing offense was operated by QB Chris Miller and received a boost from the arrival of WR Andre Rison. However, the running game was only fair and while the defense was effective against the run, the backfield, despite the presence of rookie CB Deion Sanders, was prone to giving up big plays.

There were 53,755 fans in attendance at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. The Falcons had the first possession and drove deep into Philadelphia territory, the big play being a pass from Chris Miller to WR Michael Haynes for 55 yards to the 11. RB Steve Broussard followed up with a seven-yard run to the four, but two more running plays gained two yards and, trying to convert on fourth-and-one, Broussard ran wide to his left and was tossed for a four-yard loss by Seth Joyner.

The teams traded punts until, with just over three minutes remaining in the opening period, the Falcons commenced a 10-play, 73-yard series that extended into the second quarter. On a third-and-three play at the Philadelphia 40, Miller threw to Andre Rison for a 24-yard gain and that was followed by a pass interference penalty on Eric Allen that put the home team on the two yard line. Once again the Eagles defense proved difficult to penetrate, but the Falcons prevailed when RB Tracy Johnson ran for a touchdown from a yard out. Greg Davis added the extra point for the 7-0 lead.

Philadelphia drove into Atlanta territory on the next possession, with RB Keith Byars (pictured below) gaining 20 yards on a carry from his 32 and Randall Cunningham completing two passes. However, penalties hindered the advance, including one that nullified an apparent TD throw to Fred Barnett, and the Eagles were forced to punt.

The Falcons, pinned deep in their own territory, also had to punt but retained possession when WR Anthony Edwards fumbled on the return. Atlanta was still unable to move the ball and punted again shortly thereafter and the Eagles, taking over at their 21, went 79 yards in just four plays. Cunningham threw to Byars, who picked up 33 yards, and then to TE Keith Jackson for another 27 to the Atlanta 19. Following the two-minute warning, Calvin Williams ran for 18 yards on a reverse and Cunningham finished off the drive with a one-yard TD pass to Jackson. Roger Ruzek added the point after to tie the score.

There was still 1:46 on the clock as the Falcons started a series that moved 25 yards in nine plays. Miller completed three passes to Rison, but three throws from the Philadelphia 36 fell incomplete and Davis kicked a 53-yard field goal that put the home team back on top by 10-7 at halftime.

Neither team was able to move the ball well to start the third quarter until the Falcons, on their second series, put together a nine-play, 34-yard scoring drive. Miller completed four passes along the way, including three on consecutive plays, to set up another Davis field goal, this time from 46 yards.

On Philadelphia’s next play following the ensuing kickoff, RB Heath Sherman fumbled and DE Tim Green recovered for the Falcons at the Eagles’ 35. In a series that extended into the fourth quarter, Atlanta chipped away and got a break when, after calling on Davis to successfully kick another field goal, a roughing-the-kicker penalty gave the Falcons a first down at the four. However, on first down Clyde Simmons sacked Miller for a six-yard loss and two passes fell incomplete. The home team still had to settle for a Davis field goal, this time from 28 yards. Atlanta was ahead by 16-7, but had missed an opportunity to take a more commanding lead.

RB Thomas Sanders returned the kickoff 37 yards to the Philadelphia 35, and Cunningham went to the air, hitting Byars for five yards and Barnett for 29. The five-play series covered 65 yards as Cunningham completed one more throw to Jackson for a 17-yard touchdown. Ruzek converted and Atlanta’s lead was down to two points.

The Falcons turned the ball over when a fumbled snap was recovered by Jerome Brown and the Eagles took full advantage on the next play when Cunningham fired to Williams for a 30-yard TD. Ruzek again converted and the visitors were in the lead by a score of 21-16.

Now it was Atlanta’s turn to advance quickly down the field. Following two incompletions, Miller converted a third-and-ten play with a pass to WR George Thomas that picked up 50 yards. Another pass to Rison was good for a 23-yard touchdown and, with Davis converting the extra point, the Falcons were back in the lead by 23-21 with 8:30 to play.

At this point the teams exchanged punts. Scott Fulhage’s 29-yard kick for the Falcons gave the Eagles the ball at their 47 and, with the clock now down to 3:26, Cunningham completed three passes to advance to the Atlanta 29. The drive stalled, but Ruzek’s 46-yard field goal attempt was successful and the visitors were back in front by one.

In the time remaining, the Falcons were unable to come back as Miller threw an incomplete pass, exited the game due to a bruised sternum, and backup QB Scott Campbell had three more incompletions to effectively end the game. Philadelphia came away the winner by a score of 24-23.

Atlanta led in total yards (315 to 279) and time of possession (35:51 to 24:09) while the teams were even in first downs with 16 apiece, although the Falcons had difficulty running the ball, gaining just 59 yards. The Eagles turned the ball over twice, to one by Atlanta, while the Falcons were penalized eight times, to seven flags thrown on Philadelphia.

Randall Cunningham completed 16 of 27 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns with none intercepted. Keith Byars had 7 catches for 78 yards in addition to rushing for 26 yards on three attempts. Keith Jackson contributed four receptions for 54 yards that included two TDs. Heath Sherman was Philadelphia’s leading rusher with just 27 yards on 11 carries.

For the Falcons, Chris Miller was successful on 19 of 38 throws for 268 yards and a TD, also giving up no interceptions. Andre Rison (pictured at left) caught 7 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown and Michael Haynes added 70 yards on his three receptions. Steve Broussard ran for 25 yards on 10 attempts to top the club.

The Eagles went 4-2 the rest of the way to finish second in the NFC East with a 10-6 record. They lost to Washington in the Wild Card round, their third straight failure to advance past the initial playoff game.  Atlanta kept losing, reaching seven consecutive defeats before winning the final two games to end up at 5-11 and fourth in the NFC West.

Randall Cunningham led the NFC with 30 touchdown passes and had his best year to date (his sixth) as he threw for 3466 yards with a completion percentage of 58.3 and a passer rating of 91.6. He also rushed for 942 yards and was named to the Pro Bowl as well as receiving MVP honors from the Pro Football Writers and the Bert Bell Award from the Maxwell Club as Player of the Year. Keith Byars led the club with 81 catches for 819 yards and Keith Jackson was a consensus first-team All-NFL choice with his 50 receptions for 670 yards.

Andre Rison ranked second in the NFL in pass receptions (82) and TD catches (10) and third with 1208 yards. He was also a consensus first-team All-NFL as well as Pro Bowl selection.

1997: Andre Rison Signs with Chiefs

On June 18, 1997, free agent WR Andre Rison signed a two-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, having earlier been released by the Packers. With ex-49er backup Elvis Grbac replacing Steve Bono as the starting quarterback, Kansas City was looking to upgrade the receiving corps.

Rison had originally been drafted out of Michigan State in the first round in 1989 by the Indianapolis Colts. He showed promise as a rookie, catching 52 passes for 820 yards, but was dealt to Atlanta as part of the trade for the first overall draft choice in 1990 that was used to obtain Illinois QB Jeff George. Rison was an excellent fit with the Falcons, who utilized a “run-and-shoot” offense (called, in this instance, the Red Gun). He was able to accelerate quickly and had excellent body control and receiving ability.

Typically utilized as an inside receiver, in the five seasons from 1990 to ’94 Rison caught 423 passes for 5633 yards (13.3 avg.) and scored 56 touchdowns. He had over a thousand receiving yards in all but one year (and in that one, 1991, he gained 976) and reached double-digits in TD catches in each of his first four years with a league-leading 15 in 1993. The leader of a productive group of receivers, Rison was chosen to the Pro Bowl in each of his first four seasons in Atlanta and was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection in 1990.

To be sure, it was not always a perfect situation for Rison in Atlanta. Complaints about the brash wide receiver nicknamed “Bad Moon” ranged from lack of discipline in running his pass routes to being a disruptive presence off the field. The team as a whole was not so successful, finishing with just one winning record during the time Rison was there.

Rison signed a five-year, $17 million free agent contract with the Cleveland Browns in 1995 amid high expectations. The Browns, under Head Coach Bill Belichick, were coming off of an 11-5 playoff year and looking to contend, but it all turned sour, particularly in the second half of the season after it was announced that the franchise would be moving to Baltimore in ’96. Rison proved to be a poor fit in the conservative offense and his production dropped off accordingly – he caught just 47 passes for 701 yards and three TDs. Moreover, he frequently complained about the offense in general and QB Vinny Testaverde in particular, and drew further ire from the fans when he made critical comments about them as well.

Waived during the offseason, Rison signed with Jacksonville for 1996. However, he was released after 10 games and 34 catches for 548 yards, with Head Coach Tom Coughlin citing him for a lack of performance.  He caught on with the Packers to fill in for injured WR Robert Brooks and performed ably during Green Bay’s 8-0 run to a NFL Championship. Rison caught 13 passes for 135 yards and a TD in the last five games of the regular season and then added 7 receptions for 143 yards and two touchdowns in the playoffs, including the first score in Super Bowl XXXI on a pass from QB Brett Favre that covered 54 yards.

With Brooks returning for 1997, Rison no longer fit in Green Bay’s plans. After eight seasons, he had caught 569 passes for 7747 yards and been to the Pro Bowl four times, but had been more of a journeyman over the previous two years, playing for three different teams and quickly wearing out his welcome with two of them.

The 30-year-old Rison revived his flagging career with Kansas City. More low-key off the field, he produced more on it, catching 72 passes for 1092 yards (15.2 avg.) and seven touchdowns despite being heavily double-covered. The receiving total was his best since 1993 with the Falcons, and it was also his first thousand-yard season since that year. He had two hundred-yard receiving games along the way, with a high of 162 on eight catches against the Raiders, and added eight receptions for 110 yards in the playoff loss to Denver.  Rison was voted club MVP and received Pro Bowl honors.

The 1997 comeback proved to be something of a last hurrah for Rison. The Chiefs dropped to 7-9 in 1998 and Rison’s receiving numbers dropped to 40 catches for 542 yards and five TDs. After one last year in Kansas City, he moved on to the Oakland Raiders for his final NFL season in 2000 and then played two years for the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL, catching 15 passes for 178 yards in limited action.

Over the course of twelve years in the NFL, Rison ended up with 743 catches for 10,205 yards (13.7 avg.) and 84 touchdowns (scoring at least one with all seven teams for which he played), all Top 20 career numbers at the time. Most of that came in his first six seasons, especially when playing in Atlanta’s Red Gun offense, but the first year in Kansas City was a productive one. Rison’s flamboyance and off-field problems often distracted from his talent and ability as a wide receiver, but at his best, he was a significant performer at the position. 

1994: Lions Overcome Falcons in Overtime

The Atlanta Falcons had a new head coach and quarterback for the 1994 NFL season as they opened against the Lions on September 4. Offensive coordinator June Jones had succeeded Jerry Glanville as head coach following a disappointing 6-10 season in ’93 and they picked up QB Jeff George from the Colts to operate their version of the run-and-shoot offense.

The Lions, coached by Wayne Fontes, were also debuting a new quarterback in Scott Mitchell, a highly-regarded (but not much experienced) backup in Miami who was signed to a big free agent contract. Star RB Barry Sanders (pictured above) had missed five games late in the previous season but was ready for the new one (and would not miss another game for the remainder of his illustrious career). Herman Moore was a rising talent at wide receiver.

There was a crowd of 60,740 present at the Pontiac Silverdome. The Falcons had first possession and punted. Following a 22-yard return by WR Mel Gray that gave the Lions good starting field position at their 47, it took just three plays for the home team to get on the board. Mitchell threw to Herman Moore for a 34-yard gain, Barry Sanders ran 18 yards, and RB Derrick Moore gained the last yard for a touchdown and, adding Jason Hanson’s extra point, a 7-0 lead.

That was it for the scoring in the opening period. The teams traded punts until the Falcons went 58 yards in eight plays in the second quarter. Keeping the ball on the ground, the big play was a 25-yard carry by RB Erric Pegram who also finished the drive off with a one-yard touchdown run. Norm Johnson’s extra point tied the score. Neither team was able to get out of its own end of the field for the remainder of the period as the score remained 7-7 at the half.

The Lions started off the third quarter with a seven-play, 70-yard scoring drive. Sanders ran effectively, gaining 26 yards on three carries, and a pass interference penalty picked up 18 yards to the Atlanta four yard line. From there, Mitchell passed to Herman Moore for a TD.

The Falcons responded with a long drive of their own. Jeff George completed 10 straight passes in the 12-play possession that covered 80 yards including the last to WR Andre Rison for a two-yard touchdown. The game was again knotted with the offenses having come to life.

Detroit was on the move as the period ended and, early in the fourth quarter, Mitchell connected with WR Anthony Carter for a nine-yard TD. It capped a 12-play, 76-yard series and gave the Lions a lead that didn’t last long when, on the first play following the ensuing kickoff, George threw to Rison for a 69-yard touchdown.

The Lions went three-and-out on the next possession, which forced the first punt of the second half, and Atlanta rolled down the field on a long drive that covered 78 yards in 12 plays. Three times George converted third downs on passes to Rison, the first for 28 yards in a third-and-seven situation, the second gaining 17 yards on a third-and-12 play, and the third picking up 9 yards while facing third-and-four. It was WR Terance Mathis finishing the series off with a touchdown on a 15-yard scoring pass from George. The Falcons were ahead by 28-21 with just under four minutes remaining in regulation.

Following the kickoff the Lions took possession at their 35. The first two plays gained nothing but, facing third-and-10, Mitchell hit Herman Moore for 11 yards. Two plays later he threw to Carter for 14 yards. Two short gains and an incomplete pass had the Lions in a fourth-and-one situation at the Atlanta 31 with 54 seconds on the clock. Mitchell completed a pass to TE Rodney Holman for 16 yards and two plays later connected with Carter for a 15-yard touchdown. Hanson added the all-important extra point and the score was once again even at 28-28.

The Falcons had one last shot in regulation and, following the return of the squibbed kickoff by safety Alton Montgomery to the Atlanta 44, two completions to Rison got the ball to the Detroit 34, but a field goal try by Norm Johnson from 52 yards sailed wide to the right and the contest went into overtime.

An added concern for the Lions heading into OT was that the placekicker Hanson had gotten hurt making the tackle on the kickoff following the game-tying touchdown. He suffered a cramp in his leg that had trainers working on him afterward.

Atlanta got the ball first in OT but was forced to punt after a short series. Starting with good field position at the Falcons’ 49, Mitchell threw to WR Brett Perriman for 30 yards and, following three runs by Sanders, Hanson, despite being in apparent pain from his injury, kicked a 37-yard field goal at 5:14 into the extra period.  Detroit won by a final score of 31-28.

Atlanta had the edge over the Lions in total yards (389 to 352) and first downs (22 to 21). There was only one turnover, which was suffered by Detroit, although the Falcons were penalized 10 times at a cost of 90 yards against a total of five flags thrown on the Lions, for 40 yards.

Scott Mitchell completed 16 of 31 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns with one intercepted. Barry Sanders rushed for 120 yards on 27 carries. Herman Moore (pictured below) caught 6 passes for 84 yards and a TD while Anthony Carter, a veteran newcomer to Detroit following nine seasons with the Vikings, contributed 5 receptions for 61 yards and two scores.

For the Falcons, Andre Rison had a big day as he pulled in 14 catches for 193 yards and two touchdowns. Jeff George was successful on 29 of 37 throws for 281 yards and three TDs with none picked off. Terance Mathis added another 8 receptions for 63 yards and a score. Erric Pegram led the ground game with 23 carries for 91 yards and a TD.

The Lions went on to finish third in the highly competitive NFC Central with a 9-7 record. All three Wild Card spots went to teams from the division and the Packers defeated Detroit in the first round. Atlanta ended up third in the NFC West at 7-9.

Scott Mitchell had a rough first year in Detroit as he injured his shoulder in the season’s second game and was lost for the rest of the way in Week 10. He completed just 48.4 percent of his passes for 1456 yards with 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Barry Sanders continued to be outstanding, leading the NFL in rushing with 1883 yards. Herman Moore caught 72 passes for 1173 yards and 11 TDs and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first of four straight years.

Andre Rison didn’t go to the Pro Bowl but had 81 pass receptions for 1088 yards and eight touchdowns. Terance Mathis did get selected as he pulled in 111 passes for 1342 yards and 11 TDs. Jeff George completed 61.5 percent of his throws for 3734 yards and 23 touchdowns against 18 interceptions.

1998: Broncos Beat Chiefs in Hard-Fought Divisional Playoff

The AFC Divisional playoff matchup on January 4, 1998 featured two AFC West rivals, the visiting Denver Broncos, a 12-4 wild card entrant, and the host Kansas City Chiefs, the top-seeded club in the conference at 13-3.

The Broncos, under Head Coach Mike Shanahan, were built around 37-year-old veteran QB John Elway and RB Terrell Davis (pictured above), the AFC’s top rusher with 1750 yards. Shannon Sharpe was a highly-productive receiver from the tight end position and unheralded wide receivers Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey benefited from his presence. Key defensive players included DE Neil Smith, who was picked for the Pro Bowl; LB John Mobley, who received All-Pro recognition; and seasoned veterans LB Bill Romanowski, CB Ray Crockett, and FS Steve Atwater.

Kansas City, coached by Marty Schottenheimer for the ninth year, was in the postseason for the seventh time during that period but had yet to make it to the Super Bowl. QB Elvis Grbac suffered a broken collarbone during the season but was back for the playoff game. 37-year-old RB Marcus Allen may have been past his prime, but he was still outstanding in short yardage situations, as attested to by his 11 rushing touchdowns. WR Andre Rison had revived his career in Kansas City, earning a Pro Bowl slot with 72 catches for 1092 yards. On defense, both of the starting cornerbacks, Dale Carter and James Hasty, were Pro Bowlers and the linebacker corps led by Derrick Thomas was outstanding.

The Broncos easily dispatched Jacksonville by a score of 42-17 in the Wild Card playoff round while Kansas City had a bye week. There were 76,965 in attendance at Arrowhead Stadium on an overcast day.

The first quarter was scoreless as the Broncos had two long possessions into Kansas City territory that resulted in punts and the Chiefs went three-and-out in between and had the ball on a series that extended into the second quarter and made it to the Denver 47 before also resulting in a punt. The Broncos again kicked and Tom Rouen’s second punt (following a penalty) went just 25 yards and gave Kansas City good field position at the Denver 30. But Pete Stoyanovich’s successful 34-yard field goal attempt was taken away by a ten-yard holding penalty, and his second try from 44 yards was no good when it bounced off the crossbar.

The Broncos proceeded to drive 65 yards in eight plays highlighted by Elway completions of 26 yards to TE Dwayne Carswell and 17 yards to Rod Smith on a third-and-seven play to the Kansas City four yard line. Just after the two-minute warning, Terrell Davis ran one yard for a touchdown and Denver took a 7-0 lead into halftime (it was the first rushing TD the Chiefs defense had allowed at home since the 1996 regular season, a string of 42 quarters).

The Chiefs received the second half kickoff and drove 67 yards in 11 plays. Grbac started off with a completion to Rison for 34 yards and there were two third-down conversions along the way. Two runs by Grbac got the ball down to the six and on third-and-goal from the three, a pass into the end zone was pulled down by rookie TE Tony Gonzalez, but he was unable to keep both feet inbounds. Stoyanovich kicked a 20-yard field goal to narrow the score to 7-3.

It appeared that the Broncos would add to their lead when, on the third play following the ensuing kickoff, Davis took off on a 41-yard run to the KC 11. However, RB Derek Loville fumbled two plays later and safety Reggie Tongue recovered for the Chiefs. The teams traded punts before Grbac threw to WR Joe Horn for a 50-yard gain to the Denver 15. A 12-yard scoring pass to Gonzalez put Kansas City in front by 10-7 going into the fourth quarter.

The Broncos wasted little time regaining the lead as, early in the final period, Elway connected with McCaffrey for a 43-yard completion to the Kansas City one. From there, and after being stopped twice for no gain, Davis scored his second short TD of the day. With Jason Elam’s successful point after, Denver led by four.

There were still over twelve minutes remaining in the game and the Chiefs responded with Grbac throwing to Rison for a 23-yard gain and Marcus Allen carrying for 14 to the Denver 35. The drive stalled and, on fourth-and-six they lined up for 48-yard field goal attempt. However, it was a fake as holder Louie Aguiar took off and ran, but he was stopped by CB Darrien Gordon after picking up only three yards. The teams traded punts, neither able to sustain a drive until Kansas City got the ball back at its 17 yard line with just over four minutes remaining.

A 29-yard pass interference penalty on the Broncos moved the ball to the KC 46, but a 10-yard call for tripping on the Chiefs took it back to the 36. An 11-yard completion to Gonzalez gained some of the yardage back, but after two incomplete passes, it was fourth-and-nine. Grbac kept the drive – and his team’s hopes – alive with a pass to WR Lake Dawson that gained 12 yards.

DE Alfred Williams sacked Grbac for a 10-yard loss, but a completion to Rison was good for 23 yards and another first down at the Denver 28. With no timeouts left, Grbac completed three passes that totaled eight yards. A fourth-and-two throw intended for Dawson in the end zone was deflected by Gordon and fell incomplete. That was the last gasp for the Chiefs as Denver held on for the 14-10 win.

Kansas City had the edge both in total yards (303 to 272) and first downs (18 to 16). The Chiefs suffered no turnovers while Denver gave up the ball twice on fumbles. However, Grbac was sacked four times (as opposed to Elway being dumped once). Untimely penalties (one of which took three points off the board), the failure on the fake field goal, and, ultimately, the inability to reach paydirt on the final drive made a difference in the closely-fought contest.

Terrell Davis rushed for 101 yards on 25 carries and had the two short touchdowns. John Elway completed just 10 of 19 passes for 170 yards with no TDs but also none intercepted. Ed McCaffrey led the team’s receivers with 3 catches for 56 yards.

For the Chiefs, Elvis Grbac was successful on 24 of 37 throws for 260 yards and a touchdown, also with none intercepted; he also ran the ball four times for 22 yards. While nine different receivers caught passes, Andre Rison (pictured below) stood out with his 8 for 110 yards. Marcus Allen, in the last game of his Hall of Fame career, ran for 37 yards on 12 carries.


“This was one of the best football games I've ever been involved in,” summed up Mike Shanahan. “It was hard hitting on both sides of the ball. I was really pleased with the way we hung in there and came up with big plays. I'm really pleased with the character of our team.”

“I'm disappointed,” said Marty Schottenheimer, after another failure to advance in the playoffs. “I told our football team that I have no words of wisdom that are meaningful to them at this point. Without a doubt, the men in that room gave everything to this organization that one could ever ask.”

The Broncos went on to defeat Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship game and the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl. It was the first win for an AFC club at that level since the 1983 season and was the first of two straight for Denver. Kansas City collapsed to 7-9 in 1998, marking the end of Schottenheimer’s coaching tenure, and did not reappear in the postseason until 2003.

1990: Colts Trade Rison & Hinton to Falcons to Draft Jeff George

On April 20, 1990, two days before the NFL draft commenced, the Atlanta Falcons (a 3-13 club in ’89) traded the first overall pick and a fourth-round draft choice to the Indianapolis Colts for OT Chris Hinton, WR Andre Rison, and two draft picks (fifth round in 1990, first round in ’91). The deal was contingent upon the Colts reaching a contract agreement with Illinois QB Jeff George, which they accomplished at 5:30 that morning following an all-night bargaining session.

George (pictured above), an Indianapolis native, signed a six-year, $15 million contract that included a $3.5 million signing bonus. The package made him the third-highest-paid quarterback in the league without playing a down as a pro, behind Buffalo’s Jim Kelly and Randall Cunningham of Philadelphia (and ahead of such notable veteran quarterbacks as Joe Montana, Dan Marino, and John Elway).

While many Colts fans objected to the deal, General Manager Jim Irsay made clear his commitment to it. “Obviously, we feel that this trade will prove to be very significant for this organization,” he said. “Our position is, let's let time decide.”

The price was very steep. Hinton had been selected to the Pro Bowl six times since joining the Colts in 1983 when they were still in Baltimore – ironically, they obtained him from the Broncos as part of the deal that sent the draft rights to QB John Elway to Denver. Rison was the team’s top draft choice in 1989 and showed great promise during his rookie season, catching 52 passes for 820 yards.

“I'm an action guy. This is just an ideal place for me. I expect a lot of great things are going to happen for me and Indianapolis in the next year,” the confident George said. He had passed for 2932 yards and 22 touchdowns in his last season at Illinois. His college career had started at Purdue, but when the head coach was fired, he transferred to Illinois (after initially committing to Miami). George passed up his last year of college eligibility to enter the draft. While he had ideal size at 6’4” and 218 pounds, and there was no question as to his athletic ability, the lack of stability during his college career raised some questions.

Indianapolis had two veteran quarterbacks on the roster, Chris Chandler, who started as a rookie in 1988 but went down with a knee injury in ’89, and Jack Trudeau, who also played collegiately at Illinois. Head Coach Ron Meyer indicated that one of them would likely be dealt (it was Chandler, to Tampa Bay).

It looked as though the Colts had made the right decision during the second half of the ’90 season. After getting off to a 2-6 start (not helped by star RB Eric Dickerson being suspended for the first five games), Indianapolis won five of the remaining eight games with George starting at quarterback and playing well. In the five wins, he threw for 1070 yards with 10 touchdowns and only one picked off, and overall for the year totaled 2152 yards with more TD passes (16) than interceptions (13).

However, it was all down hill from there. The team collapsed to 1-15 in 1991 and Meyer was replaced as head coach by Ted Marchibroda – a move that was anticipated as being one that would spur George’s progress. The team’s record improved, but for all of his ability, George was highly erratic (not helped by the lack of a strong ground game once Dickerson departed plus poor pass protection) as well as prone to complain, a poor leader, and resistant to being coached. By his fourth year (1993), he was at odds with Marchibroda, his teammates, and the fans and the offense often seemed more effective when Trudeau was behind center. George was traded after the season – ironically enough, to the Falcons.


As for Atlanta, trading the first overall pick in 1990 had worked out well. Rison (pictured at left) proved to be an excellent fit in new Head Coach Jerry Glanville’s run-and-shoot passing offense. He set a new team record with 82 pass receptions while accumulating 1208 yards and 10 touchdowns and was a consensus first-team All-Pro. Hinton started off slowly due to a contract holdout, but was back in good form by midseason and part of an improved offensive line. However, the fifth-round draft choice obtained from the Colts was used to take Reggie Redding, a tight end from Cal State-Fullerton who was converted to offensive tackle and had a short and inconsequential career.

The Falcons were back in the postseason in 1991 with a 10-6 record and Rison put together another Pro Bowl season (81 catches, 976 yards, 12 TDs). The first-round draft choice for ’91 that had been picked up from the Colts was used to take WR Mike Pritchard, who contributed 50 receptions for 624 yards as the Falcons boasted an exciting passing offense. Hinton was selected to his seventh Pro Bowl after the season.


The team’s fortunes ultimately declined again, but in five years in Atlanta, Rison caught 423 passes for 5633 yards and 56 touchdowns (he led the NFL in TD receptions with 15 in 1993, when he also gained a career-high 1242 yards; his high for catches was 93 in 1992). Hinton played four years with the Falcons and was a consensus first-team All-Pro selection in 1993. In three seasons before moving on to Denver, Pritchard caught 201 passes for 2187 yards (10.9 avg.) and 10 TDs.

Jeff George never achieved the level of success that was anticipated when he came into the NFL. Despite a strong arm and quick release, good performances were all-too-frequently followed by ineffectiveness and controversy, and the stops along the way over the course of his NFL career became progressively shorter. Two productive years in Atlanta were followed by his being suspended during the ’96 season after a nationally-televised tirade directed at Head Coach June Jones; from there it was on to two years in Oakland (where he led the NFL with 3917 passing yards in 1997, but didn’t fit into new Head Coach Jon Gruden’s West Coast-style offense in ‘98), a season with the Vikings, and two in Washington (where he became a source of friction between owner Dan Snyder and head coaches Norv Turner and Marty Schottenheimer). Efforts at staging a comeback in the ensuing years went nowhere.

To be sure, the quarterback crop in 1990 had not been a strong one – only one other was taken in the first round, and it was Heisman Trophy-winner Andre Ware out of Houston, chosen by Detroit with the seventh pick and a complete bust as a pro. The only signal-callers of consequence taken in that entire draft were Neil O’Donnell (chosen by Pittsburgh, third round), Scott Mitchell (fourth round by the Dolphins), and John Friesz (sixth round, San Diego). On the other hand, outstanding players at other positions selected in the first round that year included DT Cortez Kennedy (Seattle), LB Junior Seau (San Diego), and RB Emmitt Smith (Dallas). The fourth round draft pick that the Colts obtained from Atlanta went for WR Stacey Simmons out of Florida, who played just one year as a kick returner.