1973: Vikings Defeat Redskins in NFC Divisional Playoff Game

The NFC Divisional Playoff game on December 22, 1973 featured the Minnesota Vikings, first place finishers in the NFC Central at 12-2, hosting the Washington Redskins, who placed second in the NFC East with a 10-4 record and qualified for the postseason as a Wild Card entry.

The Vikings were in their seventh season under Head Coach Bud Grant and back in the postseason after a one-year hiatus in 1972. Prior to that they had won four straight division titles, but lost their last two Divisional round games. QB Fran Tarkenton (pictured above), an original Viking, returned to the club in ’72 and was making his first postseason appearance in his 13^th year as a pro. Tarkenton was talented and known for his scrambling style, but still had something to prove to critics who questioned his ability to come up a winner in big games. WR John Gilliam was a fine receiver and the addition of rookie FB Chuck Foreman helped both the running and passing attack. The tough defense remained the key to the team’s success, in particular the line with ends Carl Eller and Jim Marshall and tackles Alan Page and Gary Larsen.

The Redskins, coached by George Allen, were the defending NFC Champions and still a very strong, veteran-laden club. Gritty QB Bill Kilmer directed an offense that included the running of HB Larry Brown and a strong receiving corps with wide receivers Charley Taylor and Roy Jefferson and TE Jerry Smith. The defense was strong and adept at pressuring opposing quarterbacks. While Washington was also known for the quality of its special teams play, PK Curt Knight caused concern with his erratic tendencies. In addition, Kilmer had been hospitalized during the previous week due to a stomach disorder.

There were 45,475 fans in attendance at Metropolitan Stadium on a day with temperatures in the twenties and a seven mph wind. The field had been cleared of snow and dyed green to hide the wear. Minnesota came out throwing, but a Fran Tarkenton bomb to an open John Gilliam just grazed the receiver’s finger tips, which was the closest the Vikings came to pulling off a big play in the early going. The Redskins missed a scoring opportunity in the first quarter when they drove from their 14 into Minnesota territory but Curt Knight failed on a 17-yard field goal attempt.

Later in the period, Knight again missed a field goal attempt, coming up short from 49 yards. The Vikings were stymied on offense and didn’t register a first down until two minutes into the second quarter, but they finally came up with a big play when Tarkenton completed a pass to HB Oscar Reed for a gain of 50 yards and that set up a 19-yard field goal by Fred Cox.

With 3:30 remaining in the first half, the Redskins got a break when CB Bobby Bryant fumbled a punt and HB Bob Brunet recovered for Washington at the Minnesota 21. Three plays later, which included a pass from Bill Kilmer to Charley Taylor for 17 yards, Larry Brown (pictured at left) ran for a three-yard touchdown. Knight added the extra point for a 7-3 lead.

The Vikings advanced into field goal position as Tarkenton completed passes to WR Carroll Dale and Chuck Foreman, but an interception inside the ten yard line snuffed out the threat and the score remained unchanged at the half.

During halftime, Minnesota DE Carl Eller delivered an emotional speech to his teammates, who had played without apparent emotion during the first half, saying that they had come “too damn far” and were “embarrassing ourselves”. To accent the point, he proceeded to break apart the team’s blackboard. The tirade made an impression and the Vikings showed more fire in the second half.

Early in the third quarter, Reed, taking advantage of the defense’s keying on Chuck Foreman, broke six tackles on a 46-yard carry that set up a two-yard TD run by FB Bill Brown. Cox added the point after and the home team was ahead by 10-7.

Meanwhile, the Redskins were now without CB Pat Fischer, who suffered cracked ribs in the second quarter and was unable to continue. He was replaced by DB Speedy Duncan, also experienced but typically a kick returner who was more comfortable at safety.

Washington managed to tie the score before the period was over with Curt Knight’s 52-yard field goal that matched the then-league playoff record. Knight kicked another field goal, from 42 yards, on the first play of the fourth quarter, and the visitors held a 13-10 edge.

The Vikings proceeded to advance 71 yards in eight plays concluding with a Tarkenton pass to Gilliam, who beat Duncan for a 28-yard touchdown. Cox converted and Minnesota was back in the lead by 17-13. On Washington’s next offensive play, CB Nate Wright intercepted a Kilmer pass and returned it 26 yards to the Redskins’ eight. Two plays later, it was Tarkenton to Gilliam again for a TD, this time from six yards out and after the nimble quarterback scrambled out of trouble, running to his left and then right before finding the receiver open in the right corner of the end zone. Cox added the point after and, in the space of 1:05, the Vikings had scored twice to take a 24-13 lead.

The Redskins managed to get on the board again following DB Ken Stone’s block of a Mike Eischeid punt. Kilmer passed to WR Roy Jefferson for a 28-yard touchdown with 5:28 left to play and Knight converted to close the margin to four points.

The Vikings were able to use up four minutes on a series that concluded with Cox kicking a 30-yard field goal. Washington fought back in the remaining time as Kilmer completed three passes, but the drive came to an end at the Minnesota 42 on a fourth down incompletion. Minnesota won by a final score of 27-20.

The statistics were fairly even. The Vikings led in total yards (359 to 314) while Washington had the edge in first downs (18 to 17). Each team turned the ball over twice. The game was almost penalty-free, with Minnesota drawing the only two flags at a minimal cost of nine yards.

Fran Tarkenton completed 16 of 28 passes for 222 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, and was at his best as the Vikings took command in the second half, when he hit on eight of ten throws and both TDs. John Gilliam had just two catches for 36 yards, but they accounted for both touchdowns. Oscar Reed (pictured below) rushed for 95 yards on 17 carries and caught 5 passes for 76 more yards. Chuck Foreman contributed 40 yards on 11 attempts and had three pass receptions for 23 yards.

For the Redskins, Bill Kilmer was successful on 13 of 24 throws for 159 yards and a TD along with an interception. Larry Brown, who was playing with injured ribs, gained 115 yards on 29 rushing attempts and scored a touchdown. Roy Jefferson caught 6 passes for 84 yards and a TD and Charley Taylor contributed four receptions for 56 yards.

“Sometimes they’re not concentrating on me,” explained Oscar Reed, who received a game ball for his performance. “Since early in the season they’ve been keying on Chuck Foreman. I’m not the world’s greatest pass catcher or runner, but given a little room, I’ll use what I’ve got.”

The Vikings went on to defeat Dallas for the NFC Championship before losing to Miami in the Super Bowl. Washington came back in 1974 to again go 10-4 and reach the playoffs as a Wild Card. The Redskins lost in the Divisional round, this time to the Rams.

1961: Bears Shut Down the 49er Shotgun

The San Francisco 49ers had raised eyebrows throughout the NFL with their utilization of a new offensive alignment, called the shotgun, for the last five games of the 1960 season, winning four of them. The shotgun was a spread formation with the quarterback taking the snap from about seven yards behind center rather than directly as in the standard T-formation and then typically rolling out with the option to run or pass. Head Coach Red Hickey developed it out of desperation because the offense was not performing well, and the good results assured that it would be San Francisco’s regular offense for 1961.

The 49ers took a step in the direction of fully implementing the shotgun in the 1961 NFL draft when they chose Bill Kilmer, a tailback out of UCLA, as one of their first round picks. He was both mobile and a fair passer, which made him a good fit for the shotgun. Kilmer was one of three quarterbacks on the roster that were alternated throughout the game to operate the shotgun. John Brodie, a fifth-year veteran, was more adept at passing and Bob Waters, in his second season, was a runner (13-year veteran Y.A. Tittle was the odd man out and was traded to the Giants in the preseason). San Francisco was off to a 4-1 start and leading the league in points and total yards as the club traveled to Chicago to take on the Bears on October 22, 1961.

The Bears, coached by George Halas, were 3-2. They had a new starting quarterback in Bill Wade, obtained from the Rams, as well as a promising rookie in TE Mike Ditka. Most of all, Chicago had a solid defense which had at its core the outstanding linebacker trio of Joe Fortunato, Bill George, and Larry Morris.

Chicago’s defensive coach Clark Shaughnessy pulled a page out of his knowledge of the old single-wing formation (among others that were similar to the shotgun) by having the middle linebacker, Bill George (pictured at top), right on top of San Francisco’s center who, having to pass the ball back several yards between his legs, was not well positioned to block. A great player with outstanding instincts, George’s assignment was to shoot through the gap and pressure the quarterback. The defensive linemen also shifted and sought to account for the movements of the running backs – or wing backs – who usually set up at the line. In addition, the Bears adjusted their defensive formations to the relative abilities of the three San Francisco quarterbacks.

There were 49,070 fans on hand for the game at Wrigley Field. The Bears punted following their first possession but got the ball back when FB J.D. Smith of the 49ers fumbled on the first play and Joe Fortunato recovered at the San Francisco 27. Chicago came up empty, however, when Roger LeClerc’s 35-yard field goal attempt was short.

All three quarterbacks contributed as the 49ers moved 20 yards on their next series, but again they turned the ball over when Bill Kilmer fumbled it away at his own 40. Two plays later, Chicago’s Bill Wade threw a pass that was intercepted by CB Jimmy Johnson. The Niners punted and that remained the pattern into the second quarter as neither offense was able to move effectively.

The Bears were winning the battle for field position, however, and after a 27-yard Tommy Davis punt gave them the ball at the San Francisco 48, they finally took advantage. They needed only three plays as, following a four-yard run, Wade threw to Mike Ditka (pictured at left) for 22 yards and then to split end Bo Farrington for a 26-yard touchdown. LeClerc added the extra point for the 7-0 lead.

On the next series, the Bears got the ball back when Harlon Hill, normally an offensive end but now also playing defensive back, intercepted a Brodie pass and returned it 24 yards to the San Francisco 40. Again they scored quickly as Wade, after first being sacked for a seven-yard loss, threw to Ditka for a 47-yard TD. LeClerc again converted and the score remained 14-0 at the half.

It remained the same story as the game entered the second half. The 49ers couldn’t move on offense, and the Bears continued to win the battle for field position. In their second series of the third quarter, Wade completed a pass to Ditka for 23 yards, HB Willie Galimore had a 16-yard run, and on the seventh play Wade again connected with Ditka for a 15-yard touchdown.

Down 21-0, CB Abe Woodson returned the ensuing kickoff 34 yards and a roughing-the-passer penalty advanced the 49ers to their 49 yard line – their deepest penetration since the first quarter. But Kilmer, Waters, and Brodie each threw an incomplete pass and the Niners again had to punt.

Late in the third quarter, Waters was picked off by CB Dave Whitsell to give the Bears the ball at the San Francisco 29. As the game moved into the final period, Chicago moved methodically down to the one yard line but a field goal attempt was unsuccessful. It hardly mattered, especially when Fortunato intercepted a Brodie pass on the next play and the Bears had possession at the San Francisco 27. This time they came away with points when Ed Brown kicked a 29-yard field goal.

With fewer than six minutes left to play, the outcome was not in doubt. The 49ers remained utterly stymied on offense and, following another fumble, the Bears padded the score with a Wade pass to flanker Johnny Morris for a seven-yard touchdown. Adding the extra point, the final tally was a decisive 31-0 for Chicago.

Chicago’s domination was complete. The Bears led in total yards (305 to 132) and first downs (17 to 6), and in the second half San Francisco had a net gain of one yard and one first down. The 49ers had only 40 net passing yards and turned the ball over six times, to one suffered by Chicago.

Bill Wade completed 13 of 22 passes for 171 yards with four touchdowns against one interception. Mike Ditka was the receiving star with four catches for 107 yards and two TDs. Johnny Morris also had four receptions, for 33 yards and a score. FB Rick Casares led the productive ground game with 67 yards on 13 carries.

For the 49ers, John Brodie was successful on just three of 10 throws for 23 yards and tossed two interceptions. Bill Kilmer (pictured below, attempting to escape from Chicago DE Doug Atkins) was two-of-four for 17 yards and led the club in rushing with 36 yards on 7 attempts. Bob Waters was 0-for-4 with an interception throwing the ball and ran for 20 yards on 8 carries. Split end R.C. Owens was the leading receiver with three catches for 32 yards.

The Bears won the next week to improve their record to 5-2, but then lost three straight on the way to finishing 8-6 and tied with the Colts for third place in the Western Conference. San Francisco was right behind at 7-6-1.

Teams followed Chicago’s lead in defensing the shotgun and Coach Hickey eventually abandoned it, although it would be revived by Tom Landry and the Dallas Cowboys in the 1970s for passing situations. Its use is widespread today, with some variations, but typically not for every down – and not with a three-quarterback rotation.

1972: Patriots Upset Redskins as Allen Gamble Goes Awry

The New England Patriots had a 1-1 record and were coming off an exciting down-to-the-wire win over Atlanta the previous week as they faced a tougher test in hosting the Washington Redskins on October 1, 1972. The Patriots were a rebuilding team in their second year in Foxboro, MA under Head Coach John Mazur. The key to that rebuilding project was QB Jim Plunkett (pictured at right), the first overall draft pick in ‘71 following a Heisman-winning college career at Stanford. New England was coming off a 6-8 record, the team’s best in five years, and looking to improve.

Washington was in its second year under Head Coach George Allen and had reached the postseason for the first time in 26 seasons following a 9-4-1 tally in 1971. The veteran-laden club, known as “The Over-the-Hill Gang”, had a strong running game led by HB Larry Brown and QB Bill Kilmer throwing to wide receivers Charley Taylor and Roy Jefferson plus TE Jerry Smith. The rugged defense was even more of a key to the team’s success. The Redskins had won their first two games over the Vikings and Cardinals.

It was an overcast and cool day with 60,999 in attendance at Schaefer Stadium. The first quarter was scoreless but the Redskins got on the board early in the second quarter as Bill Kilmer threw to Charley Taylor for a 30-yard touchdown that finished off an 80-yard drive in five plays.

Things didn’t get any better for the Patriots when HB Jack Maitland fumbled while returning the ensuing kickoff and safety Richie Petitbon recovered for Washington at the New England 17. Five plays later, Kilmer again connected with Taylor (pictured below) for a four-yard touchdown and 14-0 lead.

The Patriots responded with a long possession that covered 83 yards in 12 plays. Rookie FB Josh Ashton converted a third-and-two situation with an 11-yard run to his own 36 and, three plays later and facing third-and-ten, Plunkett completed a pass to WR Reggie Rucker for 40 yards to get the ball into Washington territory at the 24. New England went for it with fourth-and-one at the 15 and Ashton ran for three yards, and the fullback kept it going with a 10-yard gain around end followed by a two-yard carry for a touchdown. Charlie Gogolak added the extra point to cut the Washington lead to 14-7.

The Redskins came right back as Larry Brown ran the ball three straight times for 22 yards and Kilmer again connected with Taylor for 19 yards to the New England 35. But after reaching the 28, Brown fumbled and LB Jim Cheyunski recovered for the Patriots to end the threat. New England’s offense wasn’t able to move appreciably and the half ended with the visitors maintaining a seven-point margin.

The Patriots took the second half kickoff and drove 73 yards in eight plays. Plunkett threw to Rucker for a 22-yard gain and Ashton gained 27 yards on a sweep to the Washington 20. The series ended with Plunkett hitting Rucker for an 11-yard TD and, with Gogolak’s extra point, the game was tied at 14-14.

The Redskins had to punt following their next possession and the Patriots reached the Washington 48 before HB Bob Gladieux’s option pass intended for WR Randy Vataha was picked off by CB Mike Bass, who returned it 29 yards. Runs by Brown and FB Charlie Harraway picked up 14 yards and two Kilmer passes picked up another 16 yards to the New England 23, but another throw was intercepted by CB Larry Carwell to again close off another opportunity for the visitors.

With Ashton again running effectively, Plunkett added passes to Vataha for 20 yards and TE Bob Windsor for 10. The drive bogged down at the Washington 35 and Gogolak put the Patriots ahead with a 42-yard field goal.

The Redskins started off the fourth quarter with a long drive of 70 yards in 10 plays that didn’t come up empty. Kilmer hit on short passes and Brown gained 36 yards on a draw play to the New England 20. The series ended with Kilmer completing a nine-yard pass to Jerry Smith for a touchdown and, with Curt Knight’s third successful PAT, Washington was back in front at 21-17.

The Patriots responded by putting together an eight-play, 80-yard drive. Plunkett completed all four of his passes, including a 24-yard toss while scrambling away from a heavy rush to Ashton at the goal line for a TD. Gogolak’s extra point put New England up by three with fewer than four minutes to play.

Following a 30-yard kickoff return by safety Speedy Duncan, the Redskins put themselves in a second-and-32 situation at their own 13 due to penalties, but from there Kilmer threw to Taylor for a 62-yard gain that not only got them out of a hole but put them at the New England 25 at the two-minute warning. Two passes were incomplete and then a throw into the end zone for Jefferson was caught but ruled out of bounds.

Knight came in and kicked a 33-yard field goal but was run into by DB Ron Bolton. George Allen elected to take the points off the board and keep the drive going. A short run was followed by two incomplete passes and Knight came back in to attempt another field goal, this time from 27 yards. However, the gamble failed when the kick sailed wide to the right and was unsuccessful.

With the clock ticking down to the final minute, the Patriots kept the ball on the ground. Ashton ran the ball three times and New England lined up to punt. However, Pat Studstill’s kick was blocked by WR Bill Malinchak and, with the Washington special team player unable to corral the ball, rolled out of the end zone for a safety. It was a one-point game and Washington was getting the ball back on the free kick with the remaining time down to 50 seconds.

Duncan returned the free kick to the New England 48. The Redskins were able to pick up six yards before Knight came back on to attempt a 50-yard field goal. Again the kick went wide to the right and the Patriots came away with a 24-23 upset victory – and for the second week in a row, it came down to a missed try for a field goal by their opponent.

New England outgained the Redskins (380 yards to 349) and had more first downs (23 to 15). Each team turned the ball over two times, although Washington was flagged seven times, to two penalties called on the Patriots.

Jim Plunkett completed 17 of 33 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns with none intercepted. Josh Ashton (pictured below) had a big day as he rushed for 108 yards on 23 carries and a TD and added another score on his lone pass reception. Bob Windsor caught 5 passes for 58 yards and Reggie Rucker gained 69 yards on his four receptions that included one for a TD.

For the Redskins, Bill Kilmer was successful on 14 of 30 throws for 213 yards and three TDs along with one interception. Charley Taylor caught 7 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns. Larry Brown rushed for 113 yards on 20 attempts.

“I don’t like these endings,” said Jim Plunkett. “Between this week and last week, I’m getting gray hairs.”

The two closely-fought wins didn’t prove to be signs of better days coming for the Patriots. They lost their next nine games in a row and finished up at the bottom of the AFC East. Coach Mazur didn’t make it to the end, resigning under pressure, and ex-Packers mentor Phil Bengtson coached the last five games. Washington, by contrast, recovered to win nine straight and topped the NFC East at 11-3. They went on to win the conference title before losing the Super Bowl to undefeated Miami.

Jim Plunkett had a rough second year, completing 47.6 percent of his passes for 2196 yards and just 8 touchdowns while placing second in the NFL with 25 interceptions and being sacked 39 times. Josh Ashton, on the other hand, had signed with the team as a rookie free agent and ended up leading the club in rushing with 546 yards. 

1974: Defense Spurs Rams to Divisional Playoff Win Over Redskins

The NFC Divisional Playoff game on December 22, 1974 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum featured two tough defensive teams. The Los Angeles Rams, coached by Chuck Knox, had allowed the fewest points during the regular season (181) and featured stalwarts on the defensive line in All-Pro DE Jack Youngblood and DT Merlin Olsen (pictured at right), still a Pro Bowl-level performer at age 34. The offense had undergone a shift during the season when veteran QB John Hadl was traded to the Packers and replaced by James Harris, a pioneering African-American signal caller. The ground game was sound with RB Lawrence McCutcheon, who ran for 1109 yards and also gained Pro Bowl recognition.  

The Redskins were in the playoffs for the fourth straight year under Head Coach George Allen, previously the coach in LA. The defense was typically strong, but on offense the running game was unusually weak for an Allen-coached squad as, in particular, RB Larry Brown suffered through an injury-plagued campaign. The passing attack had compensated with savvy veteran QB Bill Kilmer backed up by 40-year-old Sonny Jurgensen, who had performed well on several occasions in relief.

Both teams had finished at 10-4, with that record good enough to win the NFC West title for the Rams but earning second place in the NFC East and a Wild Card spot for Washington. The Redskins had beaten the Rams in the second-to-last regular season contest just two weeks earlier.

There was a big crowd of 80,118 at the cavernous Coliseum on a day in which there were gusty winds that hampered the passing game.  The Rams made a change by going with two tight ends and one running back on offense. The “ace” formation, as they called it, succeeded in generating an eight-play, 72-yard drive for the game’s first touchdown. Along the way James Harris completed three passes for 40 yards and then threw to TE Bob Klein for a ten-yard TD.

The momentum shifted back to the Redskins during the remainder of the first half. Later in the first quarter, and following a Kilmer pass to WR Charley Taylor that gained 41 yards, Mike Bragg kicked a 35-yard field goal. After CB Pat Fischer intercepted a Harris pass and returned it 40 yards to the LA 23, Washington took the lead in the second quarter when RB Moses Denson plunged one yard into the end zone for a touchdown. It was 10-7 at the half.

The situation changed in the third quarter as the Rams began to make big plays on defense that turned the tide. Larry Brown’s fumble at the LA 44, forced by Merlin Olsen’s jolting tackle, was recovered by LB Jack Reynolds and set up a 37-yard field goal by David Ray that tied the score. It could have been more as an apparent touchdown by the Rams was nullified by a penalty.

HB Doug Cunningham fumbled the ensuing kickoff when he was hit by TE Pat Curran. LA turned that into three more points and the lead when Ray booted a 26-yard field goal. With the score at 13-10 and the Redskins having difficulty sustaining drives, Coach Allen lifted Kilmer for Sonny Jurgensen.

In the fourth quarter the Rams made a defensive adjustment, inserting Isiah Robertson (pictured at left) as a fourth linebacker rather than putting in an extra defensive back. It resulted in a key interception when Olsen hit Jurgensen as he was passing and Robertson picked off the underthrown ball and returned it 59 yards for a touchdown. While the extra point attempt failed, LA had a nine-point lead with 10 minutes remaining on the clock.

On the next series, Olsen made another big play when he sacked Jurgensen for an eight-yard loss to thwart a potential comeback. The Rams were able to then keep the ball away from Washington until there was only 3:23 left. On a second down play, Reynolds intercepted a Jurgensen pass to essentially nail down the win. The Rams advanced by a score of 19-10.

Los Angeles held narrow edges in total yards (226 to 218) and first downs (14 to 13). However, the Redskins turned the ball over six times, with five of them coming in the second half and leading to 12 points for the Rams. LA suffered two turnovers. In addition, the Rams were more effective at running the ball, gaining 131 yards on 49 attempts while Washington was held to just 49 yards on 27 carries.

James Harris completed only 8 of 24 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown with two intercepted. Lawrence McCutcheon rushed for 71 yards on 26 carries and was one of three LA receivers to lead the club with two catches, for 20 yards. WR Harold Jackson gained 35 yards on his two receptions and Bob Klein’s two went for 23 yards and a TD. PK David Ray had been hospitalized with back spasms and it was uncertain that he could play until released three days earlier, but came through with two key field goals in the second half (although he also had two misses).

For the Redskins, Bill Kilmer was successful on 7 of 18 throws for 99 yards with none intercepted while Sonny Jurgensen (pictured below) went to the air 12 times and completed 6 for 78 yards, but with three picked off. Charley Taylor caught 4 passes for 79 yards and FB Charlie Evans also pulled in 4, for 31 yards. Larry Brown rushed for 39 yards on 18 attempts.

“George Allen always said that if you can get six turnovers in a game, you’ll win it,” said Merlin Olsen of his former coach. “We got six today.”

“The Rams deserved to win because they played better football,” summed up a glum Allen. “You can’t make as many mistakes as we did and expect to win.”

The first postseason win for the Rams since 1951 moved them ahead to the NFC Championship game, which they lost to Minnesota. The Redskins dipped to 8-6 in 1975 but returned to the postseason for one last time under George Allen in ’76.

The Divisional playoff loss in LA marked the end of the road for Sonny Jurgensen, who retired following an 18-year career in which he accumulated 32,224 passing yards and 255 TD passes – both figures were the third most in NFL history at the time. He gained induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983. Oddly enough, Jurgensen’s last game was also his only postseason appearance (other than as a holder for kicks). 

1961: Jurgensen and McDonald Lead Eagles Past College All-Stars

The 28^th annual installment of the College All-Star Game on August 4, 1961 presented a matchup involving a reigning NFL Champion undergoing a significant transition against a highly-regarded group of All-Stars.

The Philadelphia Eagles had won the 1960 NFL Championship, but lost both MVP quarterback Norm Van Brocklin and Head Coach Buck Shaw to retirement. Replacing Shaw was Nick Skorich, elevated from offensive line coach, while the new quarterback was the promising but untested Sonny Jurgensen (pictured at right).

Meanwhile, the All-Stars, coached for the fourth straight year by Otto Graham, contained a solid group of future pro standouts that included ends Aaron Thomas of Oregon State and Mike Ditka from Pittsburgh, quarterbacks Norm Snead of Wake Forest and UCLA’s Billy Kilmer, FB Bill Brown of Illinois, HB Bernie Casey from Bowling Green, Georgia Tech G Billy Shaw, and OT Jim Tyrer from Ohio State. On defense were DE Bob Lilly of  TCU, tackles Joe Rutgens of Illinois and Ernie Ladd from Grambling, and MLB E.J. Holub of Texas Tech.

It had been raining early in the evening of the Friday night contest, making the field soggy, and one highly-regarded All-Star was lost for the game when Navy HB Joe Bellino slipped on the wet turf while warming up and pulled a leg muscle.

There were 65,000 in attendance at Chicago’s Soldier Field and many of them booed the Eagles as they took the field, adding incentive for them to prove that they were a worthy defending champion. Still, the All-Stars came out fast as Bill Brown returned the opening kickoff 39 yards and Norm Snead fired a pass to Aaron Thomas that covered 42 yards to the Philadelphia 12 yard line. However, the drive moved backward from there and came to an end two plays later when Brown fumbled the ball away to the Eagles, with DT Jess Richardson recovering.

Taking over at his own 20, Jurgensen sparked the possession when, on a play when it appeared that he would be sacked, he improvised and instead tossed the ball behind his back to end Pete Retzlaff who went 13 yards for a first down. The Eagles capped the seven-play drive when Jurgensen threw to wide-open flanker Tommy McDonald, who leaped high to make the catch and fell on his back in the end zone for a 27-yard touchdown. Two seconds before the opening period ended, Jurgensen tossed a second TD pass, this time covering 25 yards to Retzlaff.

The All-Stars began to move in the second quarter under the direction of QB Billy Kilmer (pictured below). After tossing completions to Southern Methodist HB Glynn Gregory, Thomas, and end Fred Arbanas of Michigan State, they were at the Philadelphia 31. But once again the attack stalled and the Eagles took over at midfield.

Philadelphia’s backup QB King Hill pitched out to HB Timmy Brown for a 23-yard gain, FB Ted Dean gained four, and then Hill threw to McDonald for a touchdown and a 21-0 lead that carried into halftime.

Tempers flared several times during the game, especially right before the end of the first half in a scuffle in front of the Eagles’ bench with Grambling’s big Ernie Ladd in the middle of it.

The Eagles kept the ball mostly on the ground in the second half and slowed down the tempo, with the two quarterbacks throwing short passes when necessary. E.J. Holub intercepted a Jurgensen pass at the All-Star 36 late in the period, and while the All-Stars were unable to move the ball, Kilmer punted to the Philadelphia three yard line just prior to the close of the quarter.

The All-Stars finally got on the board in the fourth quarter as Kilmer, working out of a spread formation, threw to Gregory for an 18-yard touchdown. That capped a quick six-play, 75-yard drive. In the final seconds, lineman Dick Grecni intercepted a Hill pass and ran 57 yards for a TD. The two touchdowns came two minutes apart, but only salvaged pride for the All-Stars, with Philadelphia winning convincingly by a score of 28-14.

The Eagles had 401 total yards to 271 for the All-Stars, who were held to zero net rushing yards. Philadelphia held a much narrower edge in first downs, 17 to 16. The All-Stars intercepted three passes, to just one by the NFL champs, but lost one fumble while the Eagles gave up none.

Sonny Jurgensen completed 10 of 19 passes for 158 yards and three touchdowns and King Hill was 7 of 11 for 103 yards and a TD. Tommy McDonald (pictured below) accounted for three of the touchdowns.

Aaron Thomas was the receiving star for the All-Stars, catching 5 passes for 123 yards. Billy Kilmer was successful on 11 of his 20 throws for 173 yards while Norm Snead completed 8 of 13 for 97 yards.

“I’d like to turn around and play these guys again tomorrow night and on a dry field,” said a defiant Coach Otto Graham afterward. “I think we’d beat ‘em.”

“Our guys were concerned about being somewhat downgraded while the stars were being touted and we went out to justify our championship,” said Nick Skorich on behalf of the Eagles.

Sonny Jurgensen went on to have an outstanding breakout season, setting a record for passing yards with 3723 and tying the NFL record for TD passes with 32 (Houston’s George Blanda tossed 36 in the AFL). Tommy McDonald remained his favorite receiver, catching 64 passes while pacing the NFL in receiving yards (1144) and touchdown receptions (13). Philadelphia just missed winning the Eastern Conference for the second year in a row, finishing second to the New York Giants at 10-4.

Bill Kilmer, taken in the first round of the ’61 draft by the 49ers, went on to a long career that included stints in New Orleans and Washington as a quarterback better known for his leadership skills than passing finesse. Norm Snead, also a first round draft pick, was with Washington for three years before being dealt to the Eagles in a celebrated trade for Jurgensen. Aaron Thomas joined Kilmer with the 49ers, who took him with a fourth round pick, but spent most of his 10-season career with the New York Giants, where he caught 247 passes. 

1972: Redskins Dominate Cowboys for NFC Title

In 1971 the Washington Redskins made it to the postseason for the first time since 1945, and in ’72 they were looking to go farther. Head Coach George Allen had shown a preference for utilizing veteran players in his previous coaching stop with the Rams and if anything that inclination had become even more pronounced in Washington. “The Over the Hill Gang” was long on experience. Player for player, they might not have been the most talented team in the conference, but they had plenty of spirit and savvy. The key player on the conservative, ball-control offense was HB Larry Brown, the league’s consensus MVP and leading rusher with 1216 yards. When they passed, they had outstanding wide receivers in Charley Taylor and Roy Jefferson.

33-year-old Bill Kilmer (pictured above), in his second year in Washington after previous stints with the 49ers and Saints, started the season at quarterback over 38-year-old veteran Sonny Jurgensen. While Jurgensen was an all-time great passer, Allen favored Kilmer as being better suited to his ball-control offense, although he was repeatedly booed by the fans. Jurgensen had finally retaken the starting job four weeks into the year, but when the increasingly-brittle veteran suffered an injury three weeks later, Kilmer returned to the lineup and stayed there. He might not have passed often – or with great style – but he ended up leading the league in touchdown passes (19, tied with Joe Namath of the Jets).

Allen built his reputation as a defensive coach, and the defense was the club’s strength. Six of the starters were over 30, including DE Ron McDole; linebackers Myron Pottios, Jack Pardee, and Chris Hanburger; CB Pat Fischer; and FS Roosevelt Taylor, but they were talented and played aggressively. They also were the stingiest unit in the NFC, giving up 218 points.

The Redskins had topped the NFC East with an 11-3 record and won their Divisional playoff game over the Packers without allowing a touchdown. In the NFC Championship game on December 31, 1972 they would be facing their division rivals and defending NFL Champions, the Dallas Cowboys. The Redskins had used a five-man front to beat the Packers (a ground-oriented team with a miniscule passing attack) in the Divisional playoff but were back in their standard 4-3 to face Dallas.

Under Head Coach Tom Landry, the Cowboys had finished second in the division at 10-4 and made it into the postseason as a wild card entry. Player-for-player, they were more talented than the Redskins and were coming off of a thrilling come-from-behind win over the 49ers in the Divisional playoff at San Francisco. Roger Staubach, who became the starting quarterback in 1971 when Dallas won the Super Bowl, had been lost to injury for most of ’72 and replaced by Craig Morton. However, it was the fourth-year veteran out of Navy who relieved Morton and rallied the Cowboys in the dramatic win the previous week, and Landry went with him as the starter in the NFC title game.

There were 53,129 in attendance at RFK Stadium on a dark and misty New Year’s eve. The Redskins took the opening kickoff and Kilmer completed passes of 15 yards to Roy Jefferson and 13 to Charley Taylor to get to the Dallas 41. Three plays later, Kilmer connected with Larry Brown at the 31, but he fumbled and FS Cliff Harris recovered for the Cowboys to end the threat.

Dallas was unable to capitalize – in fact, the defending champs were able to run just six plays in the opening period. The Redskins regained possession and put together a 16-play drive that lasted over nine minutes and led to Curt Knight’s first field goal, from 18 yards in the second quarter for a 3-0 lead. Larry Brown ran for 31 yards in the series and caught a pass for nine. Later in the period, Kilmer connected with Taylor for a 51-yard gain on a fly pattern and then again on a post pattern for a 15-yard touchdown.

Before the half was over, and down 10-0, the Cowboys got off their only meaningful drive of the game, highlighted by Staubach’s 29-yard run on a quarterback draw to the Washington 39. Toni Fritsch kicked a 35-yard field goal. Fritsch had another chance at a field goal on the final play of the first half, but missed from 23 yards – his first failure all year from inside the 30. Washington held a 10-3 lead at halftime, but had been more dominant than the score indicated.

There was no scoring in the third quarter, with the Cowboys unable to move the ball beyond their own 30. An opportunity was missed when Kilmer fumbled at his own 32 and the ball rolled deeper into Washington territory. Two Dallas players had a chance to recover and missed, but the Redskins finally regained possession at their 18. The ensuing punt only traveled to the Dallas 44, and Charlie Waters, a starting cornerback as well as punt returner, fielded the kick and lost yardage to his 39; a clipping penalty took the ball even farther back, to the 24 yard line. In addition, Waters suffered a broken arm on the play.

Charley Taylor had repeatedly burned Waters and now a replacement, Mark Washington, would be entering the contest. On the first series after the new cornerback entered the game, Kilmer went right at him and completed four passes, including one for a 45-yard TD to Taylor two plays into the fourth quarter. That made the score 17-3 and essentially wrapped up the game for the Redskins.

Washington pulled away, scoring 16 points in the final period. Knight (pictured below) kicked three more field goals, from 39, 46, and 45 yards. After an erratic regular season in which he was successful on just 14 of 30 field goal attempts, the fourth-year placekicker had been good on all three of his three-point tries against the Packers and was a perfect four-for-four against Dallas. The final score was a convincing 26-3.


The Redskins held Dallas to just 194 total yards and 8 first downs while accumulating 316 yards and 16 first downs themselves. Each team turned the ball over once, but the Cowboys spent most of the game on their end of the field. The Redskins converted 10 of 18 third downs while Dallas was successful on just three of 12.

Bill Kilmer was highly efficient with his passing, completing 14 of 18 throws for 194 yards with two touchdowns and none intercepted. Charley Taylor (pictured below) was sensational as he caught 7 of those passes for 146 yards and the two big TDs. Larry Brown ran the ball 30 times for 88 yards and caught two passes for 16 more.


For the Cowboys, Roger Staubach was forced to scramble often against the tough Washington defense that kept his receivers well covered. He ended up being successful on just 9 of 20 throws for 98 yards and, while he was the team’s leading rusher with 59 yards on five carries, he was sacked three times. No Cowboy caught more than two passes, with WR Ron Sellers gaining the most yards (29) on his pair. Of the running backs, HB Calvin Hill accumulated the most yards with 22 on 9 attempts.

Said a jubilant George Allen afterward, “I’ve said all along, give me a bunch of older men who have taken care of themselves and I can go all the way.”

Asked why he didn't throw more often earlier, Kilmer said, “you can't go to the well too often. Dallas has a smart team and they'd pick one off if you did it too often.”

Added Kilmer, “I think they thought I was going to go to Roy Jefferson more and that could hurt them, so they covered him more. So I went to Taylor.”

“Washington deserved to win,” said a disappointed Tom Landry. “They were playing excellent football in every phase.”

While the Redskins were NFC Champions, they did not end up with the NFL title. They lost to the undefeated Miami Dolphins in the Super Bowl. In 1973, they reversed places with the Cowboys, who recovered to win the division title, and made it into the playoffs as a wild card. Washington lost in the Divisional round to Minnesota. Dallas again reached the NFC Championship game – and again lost, this time to the Vikings.

1969: Kilmer & Johnson Each Throw 6 TD Passes as Saints Hold Off Cards

The lowly New Orleans Saints were off to a 0-6 start prior to facing the St. Louis Cardinals on November 2, 1969, and it hardly seemed likely that they would do any better in Week 7. The Saints had scored a total of 91 points, an average of 15.2 per game, with a high of 20 in the season-opening contest against the Redskins.

In losing to Philadelphia the previous week, Jim Ninowski had seen action in place of QB Bill Kilmer (pictured at right), but the 30-year-old veteran was back behind center against the Cardinals. In addition, Dave Parks was shifted from wide receiver to tight end with Al Dodd being moved into Parks’ spot as Head Coach Tom Fears sought to generate some offense.


The Cardinals, under Head Coach Charley Winner, were having their own problems. They had started off at 2-1 but came into the game against New Orleans at 2-2-1. Injuries in the defensive backfield were a concern. Both Jim Hart and Charley Johnson (pictured at left) had started at quarterback, with Johnson holding down the job against the Saints.

There were 46,718 in attendance at Busch Memorial Stadium. In the first quarter, the Saints missed a scoring opportunity after CB Gene Howard returned a kickoff 86 yards before being knocked out of bounds. Following a pass interference call on CB Nate Wright, they had a first down at the one. FB Andy Livingston lost a yard, FB Ernie Wheelwright gained it back and then was stopped for no gain on third down. Going for it on fourth down, Kilmer tried to sneak the ball in and was stopped short. However, they were successful on a 25-yard touchdown pass play from Kilmer to Parks, and Johnson had connected with WR Dave Williams on a 32-yard TD throw for the Cardinals. The score was even at 7-7 after the opening period.

The Cardinals took the lead early in the second quarter on Johnson’s second scoring pass to Williams, this one covering 14 yards. Tom Dempsey booted a 43-yard field goal for the Saints to narrow the margin to 14-10.

Midway through the second quarter, Howard leaped and knocked away a Johnson pass that was intended for Williams, who was in the clear at the New Orleans 20. Following the thwarted scoring throw, FB Cid Edwards caught a pass from Johnson for a 14-yard gain but fumbled and CB Elijah Nevett recovered for the Saints at the St. Louis 43. Two passes to Dodd moved the ball to the 20 and then Kilmer hit Wheelwright for a touchdown that put New Orleans ahead at 17-14.

Late in the second quarter, Kilmer had an apparent 50-yard scoring pass called back when he scrambled before throwing to HB Don Shy. However, he had crossed the line of scrimmage before launching his pass. Still, the Saints extended their lead before halftime when Kilmer completed his third touchdown toss of the game of five yards to WR Dan Abramowicz. While Dempsey’s extra point attempt failed, New Orleans was up by 23-14 at the intermission and would never relinquish the lead – although there was still plenty of scoring to go.

In the third quarter, the Saints poured it on when Kilmer connected with Shy on a 28-yard scoring play and then capped another possession with a one-yard touchdown run by Wheelwright. Johnson threw a TD pass to WR John Gilliam, but Kilmer hit Abramowicz for another touchdown, from 11 yards out, and New Orleans held a 44-21 lead going into the final period.

Kilmer threw his sixth and last scoring pass less than two minutes into the fourth quarter, to Parks for 13 yards, and then St. Louis played catch-up with the score at 51-21. First came two Johnson scoring passes to Williams that covered 31 and 26 yards, respectively. After FS Larry Wilson returned a blocked field goal attempt by Dempsey late in the game, Johnson tossed his sixth touchdown pass to HB Roy Shivers that covered 14 yards. Time ran out on St. Louis, however, and the Saints held on to win the improbably wild offensive show by a score of 51-42.

It was the most points the Cardinals had given up since moving to St. Louis in 1960, and the 12 combined touchdown passes broke the NFL record of 11 first set by the Giants and Redskins in 1962.

Both teams piled up plenty of yardage, with New Orleans outgaining the Cardinals, 508 to 478. The Saints also led in first downs by 26 to 19. St. Louis was hurt by four turnovers, to one by New Orleans, and 10 penalties (as opposed to five flags thrown on the Saints).


Bill Kilmer completed 22 of 32 passes for 345 yards and a club-record 6 touchdowns and had one intercepted. Al Dodd (pictured at right) caught 7 passes for 145 yards and Dan Abramowicz and Dave Parks each caught 5 passes and scored two TDs (Abramowicz outgained Parks, 72 yards to 64). RB Tony Baker rushed for 110 yards on 14 carries.

For the Cardinals, Charley Johnson tied a franchise record with 6 touchdown passes (originally set by Jim Hardy in 1950, Johnson had matched it previously in 1965) while completing 20 of his 37 throws for 374 yards and giving up two interceptions. Dave Williams was the chief beneficiary as he caught 8 passes for 164 yards and 4 TDs. John Gilliam gained 106 yards on his 5 receptions that included one score. HB Johnny Roland was the team’s leading rusher with 44 yards on 10 attempts and Cid Edwards was right behind with 42 yards on 5 carries.

“There really isn’t any key to what happened,” said Kilmer afterward. “The receivers were getting open and I had great protection. When you get that, it makes it easy.”

“I was just disappointed in our defensive showing,” said a frustrated Charley Winner. “I just never thought a Cardinal defense would permit that many points.”

After a loss to the Cowboys the next week, the resurgent Saints won three straight games and ended up at 5-9 and in third place in the Capitol Division of the Eastern Conference. St. Louis rebounded with a big win over the Giants but won only once more and finished with a 4-9-1 record that ranked third in the Century Division.

Bill Kilmer, better known for his leadership ability than passing prowess, ended up throwing for 2532 yards with 20 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions. Charley Johnson, in the meantime still splitting time with Jim Hart, passed for 1847 yards with 13 TDs and 13 interceptions apiece (he was dealt to Houston in the offseason, thus resolving the quarterback dilemma in St. Louis).


Dave Williams (pictured at left) caught a career-high 56 passes for 702 yards, but caught just three more touchdown passes over the course of the season to give him a total of seven. John Gilliam was the Cards’ more accomplished receiver overall with a fourth-ranked 997 yards on 52 receptions for a 19.2 average and 10 TDs. Dan Abramowicz of the Saints led the NFL with 73 catches and ranked third with 1015 yards.