1954: 49ers Withstand Late Rally to Defeat Lions

A showdown between two undefeated NFL Western Conference teams, the San Francisco 49ers (3-0-1) and Detroit Lions (3-0), occurred in San Francisco on October 24, 1954. The 49ers, coached by Buck Shaw, had an outstanding backfield with HB Hugh McElhenny (pictured at right) providing breakaway speed and FB Joe Perry and HB John Henry Johnson formidable power. End Billy Wilson was a fine receiver although QB Y.A. Tittle was playing with a broken left hand.

Detroit had won the last two NFL Championships and was still a powerful club that won its last two games by a combined score of 56-3. Head Coach Buddy Parker’s offense was directed by fiery QB Bobby Layne and contained a good group of runners operating behind an excellent line as well as capable receivers. The defense was solid, particularly with big middle guard Les Bingaman, LB Joe Schmidt, and a defensive backfield led by safety Jack Christiansen and thus dubbed “Chris’ Crew”.

An overthrow crowd of 61,000 fans was in attendance at Kezar Stadium. The 49ers had the game’s first possession and struck quickly. Joe Perry ran for 10 yards and then Hugh McElhenny broke away for a 60-yard touchdown run. Gordie Soltau added the extra point to give San Francisco the early 7-0 advantage.

The Lions turned the ball over on the third play of their ensuing series when Bobby Layne fumbled the snap and DE Jack Brumfield recovered at the Detroit 33. Y.A. Tittle missed on two passes but a defensive holding call on third down kept the 49ers alive. Tittle threw to Billy Wilson for 11 yards and Perry rumbled for five before the drive stalled and Soltau kicked a 20-yard field goal.

Down by 10 points, the Lions couldn’t move on offense and had to punt. McElhenny ran for nine yards and Tittle then threw a play option pass to John Henry Johnson that picked up 34 yards to the Detroit 24. The six-play, 67-yard advance ended with Johnson running 12 yards for a TD and Soltau’s point after had the home team leading by 17-0.

Detroit put together an 80-yard drive that took 19 plays and stretched into the second quarter. HB Bob Hoernschemeyer converted a third-and-four situation with an eight-yard run and FB Lew Carpenter gained four yards on a fourth-and-two play at the San Francisco 20 and five yards when facing third-and-four at the ten. Layne completed six passes, the last to end Jim Doran for a seven-yard touchdown. Doak Walker converted and the score was narrowed to 17-7.

On the first play following the kickoff, the Lions got the ball back when McElhenny fumbled and DE Jim Cain recovered at the San Francisco 36. However, the visitors lost ground and came up empty when Jim Martin’s long field goal attempt fell short. The 49ers had to punt after a short series and Detroit again turned the ball over when Hoernschemeyer fumbled after catching a short pass and safety Johnny Williams recovered at the Detroit 28. Tittle immediately threw to end Bill Jessup for 17 yards and the four-play series concluded with a Tittle pass to Wilson (pictured below) for an eight-yard TD. Soltau converted and once again the 49ers had a 17-point lead at 24-7.

Carpenter took off on a 20-yard run to spark the next drive for the Lions and Layne threw to end Dorne Dibble for 23 yards to the San Francisco 41. A pass to Walker and a run by Hoernschemeyer picked up 11 yards in all but Brumfield and DT Leo Nomellini dumped Layne for a 10-yard loss and, after two long passes fell incomplete, Martin again missed a long try for a field goal.

The Niners immediately advanced into Detroit territory on first down when Johnson took a pitchout and ran for 31 yards to get just past midfield. Perry blasted up the middle for 14 yards, but penalties blunted the promising drive and it was Soltau’s turn to miss a long try for three points.

With time running short in the first half, Layne took to the air and completed successive passes to end Jug Girard for 15 yards, FB Bill Bowman for 11, and Girard again for 26 to the San Francisco 28. Walker kicked a 36-yard field goal and the score was 24-10 at halftime.

The teams traded punts to start the third quarter before the Lions drove 76 yards in 10 plays. The big play came after a penalty and sack put the visitors in a second-and-33 hole at the Detroit 13 as Layne tossed a pass over the middle to Walker that gained 55 yards to the San Francisco 32. Layne was sacked by DT Bob Toneff, which not only resulted in a loss of eight yards but knocked the quarterback out of the game.  Backup QB Tom Dublinski came in and threw a screen pass to Hoernschemeyer for 15 yards and the halfback followed up with a 12-yard carry on third-and-three. Two more passes by Dublinski were incomplete and a third down toss to Carpenter came up a foot short of a first down. Going for it on fourth down, Dublinski connected with Doran in the end zone for a three-yard touchdown and, with Walker’s conversion, the Lions were only seven points behind at 24-17.

McElhenny gave the 49ers good starting field position at the 50 thanks to a 41-yard kickoff return and Johnson followed up with runs of 13 and 9 yards as San Francisco moved methodically down the field. Tittle completed successive nine-yard passes to McElhenny and Perry and Johnson concluded the 13-play series with a one-yard TD. Soltau again added the extra point to extend the Niners’ lead to 31-17.

The Lions were driving as the period came to an end thanks to a Dublinski screen pass to Bowman for 28 yards and a run by Carpenter for 10. However, the series stalled at the San Francisco 25 and Dublinski’s fourth-and-six pass was incomplete. The 49ers took just three plays to move 75 yards to another score.  McElhenny ran for 34 yards on first down, Perry gained six more up the middle, and then Tittle fired long to Wilson, who raced past Jack Christiansen on the way to a 37-yard touchdown. Soltau’s extra point kick hit the crossbar and was no good, but the home team held a 20-point lead at 37-17.

Detroit responded quickly following Girard’s 34-yard kickoff return. Dublinski threw to Walker for 24 yards and then to Dibble for 27 down to the San Francisco two. From there, Hoernschemeyer ran the remaining distance for a TD and Walker’s PAT narrowed the margin to 37-24 with over twelve minutes still to play.

A three-and-out series forced the 49ers to punt and the Lions put together a 77-yard drive in 12 plays. Dublinski completed seven passes, the longest to Dibble for 19 yards. Another throw to Carpenter was good for seven yard in a fourth-and-inches situation at the San Francisco 19 and it was Walker gathering in a pass from Dublinski for a 12-yard touchdown. Walker converted to make it a six-point game.

The 49ers advanced to midfield before having to punt. Christiansen returned the kick 47 yards to the San Francisco 47, but an incomplete pass was followed by Dublinski being sacked by Brumfield for a loss of 14 yards. Another pass was knocked down and the visitors punted. They never got the ball back as Johnson ran for five yards on a third-and-three play and McElhenny gained 16 yards for another first down. San Francisco held on to win by a final score of 37-31. 

Detroit had the edge in total yards (443 to 424) and first downs (27 to 23). The 49ers were especially effective at running the ball, gaining 270 yards. They also recorded four sacks to none by the Lions. Detroit turned the ball over twice and San Francisco once.

Hugh McElhenny gained 126 yards on just seven carries and had the one long touchdown. John Henry Johnson contributed 83 yards on 11 attempts, along with three pass receptions for 45 yards, and Joe Perry gained 51 yards on 15 rushes. Y.A. Tittle completed 13 of 25 passes for 157 yards with two touchdowns and none intercepted. Billy Wilson had four catches for 74 yards and both of the aerial TDs.

For the Lions, Bobby Layne was successful on 17 of 29 throws for 212 yards and a TD with none picked off before having to leave the game. In his place, Tom Dublinski was 14 of 24 for 177 yards and tossed two touchdowns while also giving up no interceptions. Lew Carpenter rushed for 56 yards on 11 carries. Doak Walker (pictured at right) was most effective as a receiver out of the backfield, gaining 129 yards on seven receptions that also included a score. Dorne Dibble gained 91 yards on his three catches.

While the win pulled the 49ers ahead of the Lions, they lost their next three games to fall back into the pack in the Western Conference and ended up in third place with a 7-4-1 record. Meanwhile, Detroit bounced back to reel off five consecutive wins, including a 48-7 thrashing of San Francisco at home, and topped the conference for the third straight year at 9-2-1. There was no third straight NFL title, however, as the Lions were overwhelmed by the Cleveland Browns in the championship game.

Part of San Francisco’s slump came due to the loss of Hugh McElhenny the next week to a shoulder separation, depriving the offense of his speed in the open field. He ended up rushing for 515 yards on just 64 carries for a staggering 8.0 average gain in six games. Joe Perry had a MVP season as he led the league with 1049 yards on 173 attempts (6.1 avg.) and scored eight touchdowns, and John Henry Johnson was runner-up with 681 yards on 129 carries (5.3 avg.) and nine TDs. Perry was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection, and both he and Johnson were chosen to the Pro Bowl.

Bobby Layne came back to pass for 1818 yards and 14 touchdowns while Tom Dublinski started four contests and was successful on 77 of 138 passes (55.8 %) for 1073 yards and eight TDs, giving up seven interceptions. Doak Walker was a consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl choice, accumulating 1093 all-purpose yards. Pass receiving accounted for 564 yards of that total, on 32 catches (17.6 avg.). He was also the league’s second-ranked scorer with 106 points.

1960: Eagles Come Back to Beat Giants in Eastern Showdown

The Philadelphia Eagles were 7-1 as they faced the New York Giants in the second of back-to-back games between the clubs on November 27, 1960 that would effectively determine the winner of the NFL Eastern Conference. Coached by Buck Shaw, Philadelphia was an overachieving team. QB Norm Van Brocklin was the undisputed leader of the offense and had reliable receivers in flanker Tommy McDonald and ends Pete Retzlaff and Bobby Walston, who was also the placekicker. When FB Clarence Peaks went down with a season-ending broken leg, rookie Ted Dean (pictured above) stepped in admirably and when LB Bob Pellegrini likewise was lost to injury, center Chuck Bednarik returned to that role, playing both ways in doing so. Rookie LB Maxie Baughan and veteran safety Don Burroughs, obtained from the Rams, also helped to bolster a much-improved defense.

In beating the Giants at Yankee Stadium the previous week, Bednarik had deprived New York of star HB Frank Gifford with a famously jolting tackle and now the 5-2-1 Giants, who topped the conference in each of the previous two seasons, were in a must-win situation. New York was also without veteran QB Charlie Conerly and relying on George Shaw to guide the offense. Still, under the direction of Head Coach Jim Lee Howell, this was a good veteran club with a sound defense and plenty of remaining capable players on offense.

There were 60,547 fans in attendance at Franklin Field for the final showdown between the two rivals. The Giants struck quickly on their first play from scrimmage as George Shaw went long for end Kyle Rote, who went the distance for a 71-yard touchdown. Pat Summerall added the extra point.

The Eagles turned the ball over when QB Norm Van Brocklin’s long bomb was intercepted by DHB Lindon Crow and New York scored again, this time driving 83 yards in eight plays. HB Ed Sutton ran around end for 34 yards on first down and HB Joe Morrison caught a pass for 17 yards and then rushed for 19 on the next play. Once again Shaw passed to Rote for a TD, this time from 11 yards out. Summerall’s conversion had the visitors up by 14-0.

The teams exchanged punts before Van Brocklin threw a pass that was intercepted by LB Harland Svare near midfield and returned to the Philadelphia 18. However, the Giants lost yardage from there and end Bob Schnelker dropped a third-down pass in the end zone, but they added three more points with a 35-yard Summerall field goal.

As the game headed into the second quarter, the Eagles had to punt and New York moved the ball effectively. However, safety Bobby Freeman intercepted a Shaw pass at the Philadelphia 44 and returned it all the way to the New York nine. The home team couldn’t reach the end zone from there, with a pass to Tommy McDonald in the end zone ruled out of bounds, but Bobby Walston kicked a 15-yard field goal to get the Eagles on the board.

Once again the Eagles intercepted a Shaw pass, this time the culprit being Maxie Baughan to give them possession at the New York 26. Van Brocklin (pictured at left) threw to Ted Dean for a 25-yard touchdown and, with Walston’s point after, the New York lead was narrowed to 17-10.

For the third time, Shaw was picked off, with Don Burroughs giving the Eagles the ball at the New York 33. Dean ran for 17 yards and Van Brocklin completed two passes to reach the six. From there, HB Billy Barnes ran to the one but fumbled, and OT J.D. Smith outmaneuvered two defenders to recover the ball in the end zone for a TD. Walston again converted and the score was tied at 17-17.

With time running out in the first half, the Giants, who had been reeling through most of the period, advanced into Philadelphia territory. FB Mel Triplett and Sutton combined for 18 yards on the ground and then Shaw completed a pass to Rote for 35 yards. New York moved back on top with a 31-yard Summerall field goal and the score was 20-17 heading into halftime.

Following a three-and-out series by the Eagles to start the third quarter, the Giants drove to the Philadelphia eight. Triplett and Morrison ran the ball well and Shaw tossed a pass to HB Alex Webster for 14 yards along the way. Summerall booted another field goal, this time from 15 yards, and the visitors were ahead by six points.

Again the Eagles had to punt, and once more Burroughs intercepted a pass, this time putting the home team in possession at the New York 49 to start the fourth quarter. On the next play, Van Brocklin fired long for Dean, who gathered in the pass at the 15 and, helped along by a block by Pete Retzlaff, ran the rest of the way for a 49-yard touchdown. Walston’s extra point gave Philadelphia the lead by a 24-23 score.

The Eagles forced another turnover on the next series when DE Joe Robb knocked the ball loose from Morrison and DHB Jimmy Carr recovered at the New York 30. Philadelphia again made the most of the opportunity, advancing 30 yards in eight plays. After converting a fourth-and-one play with Dean diving over the stacked defense for the necessary yard, Van Brocklin connected with Barnes for an eight-yard TD and, with Walston’s PAT, the Eagles were up by eight points.

The teams each had short possessions and punted, and Lee Grosscup came in at quarterback for the Giants. While Grosscup completed two passes, a penalty and a sack by Chuck Bednarik negated the gains. The Giants attempted to convert a fourth-and-one play from their 36, but Triplett was stopped short and the Eagles were able to run out the clock to win by a score of 31-23.

New York had the edge in total yards (337 to 211) and first downs (13 to 12). However, the Giants also turned the ball over five times, to three by Philadelphia, and that made the difference.

Norm Van Brocklin completed 13 of 23 passes for 147 yards and three touchdowns, along with three interceptions. Ted Dean ran for just 28 yards on 11 carries but also caught 5 passes for 74 yards and two TDs. Billy Barnes gained 35 yards on 17 attempts but his lone pass reception was good for a touchdown. Tommy McDonald contributed three catches for 46 yards. On defense, Don Burroughs accounted for two of the interceptions.

For the Giants, George Shaw was successful on 9 of 19 throws for 179 yards and two TDs, but gave up the four big interceptions. Kyle Rote (pictured at right) caught four passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Ed Sutton topped the club in rushing with 57 yards on five carries and Joe Morrison added 54 yards on 17 attempts.    

The win over the Giants was also Philadelphia’s last home game of the regular season, but the Eagles went 2-1 on the road to wrap up the Eastern Conference with a 10-2 record. They defeated Green Bay for the NFL Championship. New York dropped to third at 6-4-2.

Norm Van Brocklin was a consensus MVP as well as All-NFL and Pro Bowl selection. He ranked second in pass attempts (284), completions (153), yards (2471), and TD passes (24) in what was his last year before moving to the sidelines as head coach of the expansion Minnesota Vikings.

Ted Dean rushed for 304 yards, gained 281 more on 15 pass receptions, and adding in kick returns, accumulated 1120 total yards. He capped a promising rookie season by starring in the NFL Championship game, where he scored the game-winning touchdown.

Kyle Rote had a solid season at age 32, catching 42 passes for 750 yards (17.9 avg.) and scoring a career-high 10 TDs.

1946: 49ers Romp Over Miami in Hurricane-Delayed Home Opener

The Miami Seahawks of the new All-America Football Conference hosted their first home game on October 8, 1946 as they faced the San Francisco 49ers. The franchise was run by an ownership group headed by Harvey Hester and represented a first as a major pro football league team in the Deep South. The roster was liberally sprinkled with players from Southern colleges as a result, but many of them were marginal performers at best. Head Coach Jack Meagher’s squad was already 0-3, having played three road games that started with a 44-0 thrashing in Cleveland and included a loss to the 49ers in San Francisco. To make matters worse for the Seahawks, the home opening game had to be delayed due to a hurricane.

The 49ers were 2-2 coming into the game in Miami, having lost to the Chicago Rockets the previous week. Coached by Buck Shaw, who had been successful at the collegiate level, San Francisco operated with Frankie Albert (pictured above), a mobile lefthander, at quarterback. Ex-Chicago Bears FB Norm Standlee and HB Johnny Strzykalsi headed a deep backfield operating behind a good line, and end Alyn Beals was a productive receiver. 

There was a meagre crowd of 7621 in attendance at Burdine Stadium (aka the Orange Bowl) on a summery Tuesday evening. The 49ers drove to their first score following a fumble by Miami QB Marion Pugh at his own 38. Frankie Albert faded back to pass, couldn’t find a receiver, and instead ran 22 yards down the sideline. HB Len Eshmont powered over from the two for a touchdown a few plays later and Joe Vetrano added the extra point.

In the second quarter, San Francisco’s next scoring drive started off with a 62-yard run by HB Don Durdan to the Miami 12. Two plays later, QB Jesse Freitas threw to Alyn Beals for a 12-yard TD. Vetrano again tacked on the PAT and the visitors took a 14-0 lead into halftime.

Early in the third quarter, San Francisco DE Henry Norberg recovered a fumble by HB Monk Gafford at the Miami nine. However, on this occasion the Seahawks held on defense and the 49ers turned the ball over on downs at the two. The reprieve didn’t last long as Miami couldn’t gain much ground and punted, and Vetrano’s return gave San Francisco starting field position at the Seahawks’ 36. Four plays later, HB Earle Parsons ran off tackle for a 24-yard touchdown and, with Vetrano’s conversion, the 49ers led by 21-0.

The Seahawks finally got on the board in the fourth quarter. Gafford caught a pass from QB Jim Tarrant for a 56-yard gain to the San Francisco five and, after a play that lost yardage was followed by a penalty on the 49ers, Tarrant threw to end Prince Scott for a four-yard TD. Dick Erdlitz tacked on the extra point.

That was it for the home team as San Francisco poured it on in the remaining time. A pass interference penalty advanced the 49ers to the Miami eight and HB Pete Franceschi bulled over for a touchdown from there. The extra point attempt failed when a bad snap caused Vetrano to attempt a drop kick that was unsuccessful. Two plays later, a Tarrant fumble was recovered by tackle John Kuzman, and he returned it 72 yards for another TD. This time Vetrano converted and San Francisco came away with a comfortable 34-7 win.  

The 49ers led in total yards (284 to 151) and first downs (11 to 8). They were successful on 7 of 16 passes while the Seahawks completed 10 of 19. Miami turned the ball over five times, to one by the 49ers, and punted on seven occasions, while San Francisco had four.

“There’ll be some drastic changes made very soon,” said a grim team president Harvey Hester after the humiliating defeat. “Our organization will field a winner here if it’s the last thing I do.”

Despite Hester’s determination, and a win at Buffalo the next week, the Seahawks played poorly the rest of the way and finished with a 3-11 record and in the cellar of the comparatively weak Eastern Division of the AAFC. Coach Meagher was gone after six games and replaced by Hamp Pool. By the end, the league had to step in financially to keep the franchise afloat, and it was promptly expelled after the season, to be replaced by the Baltimore Colts.

The 49ers were far more successful, going 9-5 to end up second to the powerful Browns in the Western Division. They also enjoyed far more fan support and, like Cleveland, would long outlive the AAFC.

1954: Harlon Hill Stars as Bears Topple 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers were 4-0-1 and leading the Western Conference as they hosted the Chicago Bears on October 31, 1954. Coached by Buck Shaw, the 49ers had a potent offense directed by QB Y.A. Tittle throwing to end Billy Wilson or handing off to an outstanding group of running backs that included halfbacks Hugh McElhenny, who came into the game as the NFL’s rushing leader, and John Henry Johnson plus FB Joe Perry.

The Bears, coached by “The Papa Bear”, George Halas, were struggling at 2-3, having dropped their last two games. Rookie end Harlon Hill (pictured above), out of little Florence State College in Alabama, was proving to be a potent deep threat and there were promising rookies on the line in OT Stan Jones and C Larry Strickland. San Francisco had beaten the Bears two weeks earlier in Chicago by a 31-24 score.

There were 49,833 fans on hand at Kezar Stadium. The teams traded punts to start off the game. On Chicago’s second series, HB Billy Stone fumbled and DE Marion Campbell recovered for the 49ers. San Francisco wasted no time in cashing in on the break as Y.A. Tittle threw to Billy Wilson for a 32-yard touchdown on the next play. Gordie Soltau added the extra point.

The Bears came right back with a seven-play drive that covered 80 yards. Stone and FB Chick Jagade ran effectively and Blanda threw to Stone for a 14-yard gain. Finally, a Blanda throw to Harlon Hill went 47 yards for a TD and, following Blanda’s successful conversion, the score was tied at 7-7.

In the closing minutes of the opening period, the 49ers drove into Chicago territory. On the first play of the second quarter, John Henry Johnson sliced through the line and then cut to his left on the way to a 38-yard touchdown. Soltau was again successful on the PAT to put the Niners back in front by seven points.

On Chicago’s next play from scrimmage, Blanda again threw to Hill, this time picking up 39 yards to the San Francisco 41. Runs by Stone and Jagade picked up nine yards and, going for it on fourth down, the 49ers were penalized for defensive holding. Moved back by a penalty themselves, the Bears reached the 35 before Blanda misfired on two passes and then was short on a 42-yard field goal attempt.

Both teams were stymied on offense and traded punts until a Blanda pass was intercepted by DT Al Carapella, who returned it 27 yards to the Chicago 40. Joe Perry ran for nine yards, another 15 yards were tacked on due to a personal foul penalty on the Bears, and then Hugh McElhenny broke away for a 16-yard touchdown run. Soltau’s kick put San Francisco ahead by 21-7. The Bears were forced to punt from near midfield on their next series and Tittle passed the Niners into Chicago territory before time ran out in the first half.

The Bears punted following a short series to start the third quarter but got the ball back three plays later when safety Stan Wallace intercepted a Tittle pass. However, after Jagade ran for nine yards, Blanda was sacked for a loss of 13 and his long pass intended for end Jim Dooley fell incomplete, forcing Chicago to punt.

The 49ers had good starting field position at the Chicago 47. McElhenny immediately took off for a 20-yard gain, but facing a third-and-five situation, Tittle’s pass bounced off Wilson’s hands and was intercepted by DHB S.J. Whitman, who returned it 27 yards with another 15 added on for a personal foul. Now with the Bears having the good starting field position at the San Francisco 48, they took advantage by scoring in seven plays. Jagade and HB John Hoffman had good runs that set up Blanda’s 20-yard touchdown pass to Hill. Blanda’s extra point narrowed the margin to 21-14.

The 49ers reached midfield on their next series, but when Perry was a yard short on a third-and-three running play, they had to punt. The third quarter ended with the Bears methodically moving the ball and Blanda passed them into San Francisco territory in the early stages of the final period. He completed passes to Dooley for 15 yards, to end Bill McColl for 11 in a second-and-ten situation, and to Jagade for 15 yards to the eight yard line on a third-and-eight play. However, three passes from there were incomplete and the Bears had to settle for a Blanda field goal from 15 yards.

In response, San Francisco put together a long drive. It stalled early, but a punt was nullified when the Bears were penalized for having 12 men on the field, and Tittle (pictured above) took advantage of the break to throw long to McElhenny for 36 yards to the Chicago 24. Two plays later, and facing third-and-11, Tittle connected with Wilson for 17 yards. The Bears stiffened on defense and the 49ers also had to settle for a field goal by Soltau from 16 yards, but the home team’s lead was now 24-17.

Blanda filled the air with passes on the next series, hitting McColl for 17 yards and converting a third-and-12 play with a 22-yard completion to Hill. Dooley made an outstanding catch of a Blanda pass on the next play to pick up 30 yards to the San Francisco 15 and, after a short throw to Hoffman picked up four, Blanda threw to Hill, who grabbed the ball away from DB Bill Jessup at the goal line for an 11-yard touchdown. The 82-yard drive was capped by Blanda’s all-important extra point that tied the score at 24-24.

There were less than four minutes to play as the 49ers started the next series at their 20. Keeping the ball on the ground, they faced a fourth-and-one situation that Perry successfully converted with a two-yard gain. Tittle was sacked and then threw an incomplete pass, but on third-and-14, he connected with HB Pete Schabarum for a 42-yard gain to the Chicago 31. Two plays later, and in the face of a heavy rush, Tittle completed a pass to Johnson for 14 yards and, two plays after that, Soltau kicked a 17-yard field goal. It looked good for the 49ers, who were ahead by 27-24 with 36 seconds remaining on the clock.

DE Ed Sprinkle covered the short kickoff at the Chicago 34. Strong-armed backup QB Ed Brown, setting up wide and taking a lateral from Blanda, fired long for Hill, who gathered in the pass without breaking stride at the San Francisco 25 and raced to the end zone for an electrifying 66-yard touchdown – his fourth of the game. Blanda added the extra point, and the game ended with the 49ers at their own 36. The Bears came away with a stunning 31-27 win.

Chicago led in total yards (469 to 388) while both teams generated 21 first downs. They also each turned the ball over twice and were penalized four times. Harlon Hill was the star of the game with his 7 catches for 214 yards and the four touchdowns.

Hugh McElhenny suffered a shoulder separation in the fourth quarter and was lost for the season, which would prove to be a big blow for the 49ers. They lost three of their next four contests and ended up at 7-4-1 and third in the Western Conference. The Bears, meanwhile, found their stride and lost only once more to finish in second place at 8-4.

Harlon Hill continued to excel in his first year, ranking second in the league with 1124 yards on his 45 catches for a NFL-high 12 touchdowns and 25.0 yards per catch. He was selected to the Pro Bowl. George Blanda, in his sixth of an eventual 26 pro seasons, was limited to eight games due to injury and threw for 1929 yards and 15 TDs with 17 interceptions while connecting on 8 of 16 field goal attempts and all 23 of his extra point tries.

1959: Eagles Overcome 24-Point Deficit to Defeat Cardinals

In the second season under Head Coach Buck Shaw, and after four straight losing records, the Philadelphia Eagles began to show improvement in 1959. Veteran QB Norm Van Brocklin (pictured at right) brought strong leadership qualities as well as skill to the offense, flanker Tommy McDonald had emerged as one of the NFL’s most potent deep receivers, and the combination of HB Billy Barnes and FB Clarence Peaks was a good, if not flashy, one. Chuck Bednarik, once a great linebacker was now a capable center and provided stability to the line. The Eagles were off to a 2-2 start, with one of the wins an upset of the Giants.

On October 25 the Eagles faced the Chicago Cardinals in a game played at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota, auditioning as a future expansion locale (the Vikings would arrive in 1961). The Cardinals, in what would be their final season as a Chicago-based team, moved two of their home games to the Twin Cities due to the lure of a substantial guaranteed gate. While second-year HB John David Crow was developing into a formidable player in Head Coach Frank “Pop” Ivy’s intricate offense, the Cards were 1-3 and John Roach was starting his first game at quarterback due to injuries to King Hill and M.C. Reynolds.

Attendance was 20,112 in near-freezing weather. They saw the Cardinals dominate the first half. In the first quarter, Crow scored on a 10-yard pass from Roach. In the second quarter, DB Jimmy Hill returned a blocked field goal attempt by Paige Cothren for a 77-yard touchdown for the Cards (Cothren, a newcomer to the Eagles, had a tough debut as he failed on all three of his three-point attempts). A 15-yard field goal by Bobby Joe Conrad made it 17-0 at the half.

Early in the third quarter, the lead for the Cardinals increased to 24-0 when DHB Dick “Night Train” Lane intercepted a pass and returned it 37-yards for a TD. However, that proved to be the high water mark for Chicago.

The Eagles came right back on their next possession as Van Brocklin went long to Tommy McDonald for a 71-yard gain to the Chicago 14. HB Billy Barnes plowed in from a yard out for a touchdown that finally put Philadelphia on the board.

On the next series, LB Bob Pellegrini intercepted a pass by Roach that set up a 29-yard touchdown pass play from Van Brocklin to McDonald. The next Chicago series also ended with an interception, this time by LB Chuck Weber. Barnes covered 17 yards in two carries, the second for a two-yard TD. The Eagles were down by just three points heading into the final period.

Late in the fourth quarter, Philadelphia completed its comeback. Van Brocklin again threw to McDonald, this time in the end zone for a 22-yard TD that put the Eagles in the lead with just over three minutes left to play. The Cards were unable to respond offensively and Philadelphia won by a final score of 28-24.

The Eagles led in total yards (399 to 313) and first downs (22 to 14). While the rushing totals were nearly identical (each team ran the ball 38 times, with Philadelphia gaining 168 yards to Chicago’s 163), Philadelphia was the more proficient passing club. The Cards turned the ball over six times, four on interceptions, to two turnovers by the Eagles.

Norm Van Brocklin passed for 207 yards and two TDs in the second half as he led Philadelphia back. Tommy McDonald (pictured below) caught three key passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns. Billy Barnes rushed for 111 yards on 23 carries and scored twice. As for the Cardinals, HB John David Crow gained 74 yards on 16 carries and caught four passes for 51 yards.

“We loosened up in the second half and once we started hitting we were on our way,” said Buck Shaw on behalf of his Eagles.

“That Van Brocklin, you can’t give that fellow any openings,” lamented Cardinals DT Frank Fuller. “We put a hard rush on him in the first half but they gave him a split second more time to throw in the second half. He doesn’t need any more than that.”

The Eagles continued their improved play, ending up with a 7-5 record to finish in a tie with Cleveland for second place in the Eastern Conference. The Cardinals won their next game but lost the remainder to close out the long run in Chicago at the bottom of the conference with a 2-10 tally.

Norm Van Brocklin ranked second in the NFL in pass attempts (340), completions (191), and yards (2617). His 16 touchdown passes were third and he was selected to the Pro Bowl for the eighth time.

Tommy McDonald tied for second in catches (47, along with Lenny Moore of the Colts and Del Shofner of the Rams) and third in receiving yards (846, tied with Moore). His 10 touchdowns via receiving placed second. He earned a second trip to the Pro Bowl as a result.

1951: 49ers Upend Browns in Season-Opening Game

The Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers were formed as part of the All-America Football Conference in 1946 and became fierce rivals during the league’s four-year existence. The Browns were the dominant team, winning the AAFC title in each season, while the 49ers were the second-best club, toiling in the same division as Cleveland for the first three years and, when the league did away with divisions in 1949, they met in the Championship game. Both were absorbed into the NFL in 1950, although the results in that first season were very different: Cleveland continued to be a dominant club, winning the league title, while the 49ers sank to 3-9. The clubs met late in the year in Cleveland and the Browns won handily.

On September 30, 1951 the Browns took on the 49ers in the opening week of their second NFL season. Games between the two teams had typically been big draws during the AAFC years, and there were 52,219 in attendance at Kezar Stadium.

San Francisco, under Head Coach Buck Shaw, had added many promising rookies to a solid core that included mobile lefthanded QB Frankie Albert and FB Joe Perry. However, star HB Johnny Strzykalski was out with an injury.

The Browns were a star-studded club under the direction of innovative Head Coach Paul Brown. Players like QB Otto Graham, ends Dante Lavelli and Mac Speedie, and OT/PK Lou Groza were well-established performers and used to winning. Cleveland had some injury problems as well coming into the opening game, and they were without DT Chubby Grigg and LB Hal Herring.

Some rain fell, mainly during halftime, and it certainly appeared gloomy for the home crowd when Cleveland scored quickly in the first quarter, going 89 yards in just three plays. Graham threw short passes to Speedie and Lavelli before connecting with HB Dub Jones near the sideline, who ran untouched to the end zone to complete the 81-yard play.

The 49ers responded with a 49-yard drive in 13 plays that ended at the Cleveland one, where HB Verl Lillywhite was stopped short on fourth down. However, the Browns were unable to move offensively and San Francisco got the ball back in good field position following a punt by Horace Gillom. The 49ers tied the score, going 41 yards in just two plays. HB Pete Schabarum, subbing for the injured Strzykalski, ran for 16 yards and then Frankie Albert connected with rookie end Billy Wilson for a 25-yard TD.

Gordie Soltau missed on a 38-yard field goal attempt during the second quarter when the 49ers lost ground after reaching the Cleveland 16. Lou Groza also failed on a 42-yard field goal attempt for the Browns. With time running out in the half, Albert moved the Niners from their own 40 to the Cleveland 34 and Soltau was successful from 42 yards with two seconds left on the clock. The 49ers went into the intermission with a 10-7 lead. The Browns lost another starter during the second quarter when LB Tony Adamle suffered an ankle injury.

Early in the third quarter, Groza missed a 37-yard field goal attempt that would have tied the score. When the Browns got the ball again, Graham was intercepted in 49er territory by LB Norm Standlee, and he returned it to his own 29. The 49ers proceeded to drive 71 yards, highlighted by a 34-yard run by Lillywhite that followed a 15-yard sack of Albert by Cleveland DE Len Ford, and ending with a six-yard touchdown carry by Joe Perry. Groza finally was successful on a 40-yard field goal try, but the Browns were down by 17-10 after three quarters.

There was some controversy in the fourth quarter when San Francisco LB Pete Wisman intercepted a Graham pass, fumbled on the return, and recovered at the Cleveland 8. The Browns questioned whether Wisman had regained possession. Perry followed up with another six-yard scoring run to clinch the contest by a final score of 24-10. It was the first time the Browns had ever lost a season-opening game.

The 49ers outgained Cleveland by 344 yards to 227, with 236 of that total via rushing while the Browns were held to 55 yards on the ground. San Francisco also led in first downs by 18 to 11, although the 49ers turned the ball over four times against two suffered by Cleveland.

Verl Lillywhite had a big day running the ball for the 49ers, gaining 145 yards on 17 carries that included several runs for significant yardage.

Meanwhile, Otto Graham, under a heavy rush for most of the game, completed 18 of 30 passes for 222 yards and a TD but gave up the two interceptions that led to scores and was also sacked six times. The normally-reliable Lou Groza was successful on just one of four field goal attempts. On the upside, Dub Jones (pictured below), thanks to the long scoring reception early in the game, gained 143 yards on 5 catches.

Buck Shaw described the contest as San Francisco’s “greatest game, even better than the 56-28 rout of the Browns two years ago.”

Paul Brown refused to speak to reporters after the game and locked the door to the locker room before speaking to his players.

While eyebrows were raised around the league regarding Cleveland’s defeat, it did not prove to be a sign of decline. The Browns didn’t lose another regular season contest, going 11-1 to again top the American Conference and return to the NFL title game. However, their title-winning streak spanning five years in two leagues finally came to an end as they lost to the Rams for the league championship.

The opening victory for the 49ers was followed by alternating wins and losses until, after a tie in their ninth game, they finished strong with three straight wins to end up in a tie for second in the National Conference with Detroit at 7-4-1. By that point, Frankie Albert had been supplanted by Y.A. Tittle as the starting quarterback, with favorable results.

Verl Lillywhite, who saw action in the defensive backfield as well as at halfback, ended up rushing for 397 yards on 67 carries for a very healthy 5.9-yard average. Joe Perry, as usual, led the club in rushing with 677 yards on 133 attempts (5.0 avg.). Billy Wilson, who scored in his first regular season game for the 49ers, caught 18 passes for 268 yards (14.9 avg.) and three touchdowns overall. It was a preview of much bigger years to come.

Otto Graham recovered to have another All-Pro year, throwing for 2205 yards and 17 touchdowns while averaging 8.3 yards per pass attempt with a completion percentage of 55.5 – all second-ranking figures in the NFL. Dub Jones continued to be an effective receiver out of the backfield, catching 30 passes for 570 yards (19.0 avg.) and five touchdowns to go along with his team-leading 492 rushing yards on 104 attempts (4.7 avg.) and seven TDs. Along with Graham, he was a consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl selection.

1952: Rams Hold Off 49ers to Win Key Division Battle

The November 30, 1952 game between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams featured two 6-3 teams that were in contention in the NFL’s National Conference, but appeared to be heading in different directions.

The 49ers, in their third season after coming over from the All-America Football Conference (AAFC), had gotten off to a 5-0 start. Head Coach Buck Shaw’s team had an exciting offense that was benefiting from the addition of rookie HB Hugh McElhenny. However, one play - a decision by veteran QB Frankie Albert to fake rather than punt from deep in his own territory that came up short against the Bears - led to the first loss of the year. It also led to bad relations between Coach Shaw and Albert and the whole season unraveled from there. They lost three of their next four games, including a 35-9 thrashing at Los Angeles the week before. Albert lost his starting job to Y.A. Tittle and there was open talk of dissension on the club. However, on this day they were motivated to try and win for their captain, FB Norm Standlee, who was hospitalized with a mild case of polio.

Meanwhile, the defending-champion Rams had fallen into disarray during the preseason. The defense was performing badly and Head Coach Joe Stydahar was feuding with assistant Hamp Pool. When LA lost its opening game to the Browns by a score of 37-7, Stydahar resigned and Pool was elevated to head coach. It didn’t pay immediate returns as the club fell to 1-3, but the defense finally jelled and, with the win over the 49ers the previous week, the Rams had reeled off five straight wins and were back in contention for another title. The quick-striking offense was still the team’s greatest strength, utilizing the quarterback tandem of Norm Van Brocklin and Bob Waterfield, ends Tom Fears and Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch, and a stable of fine running backs led by FB “Deacon Dan” Towler.

There were 51,000 fans in attendance at Kezar Stadium on an overcast day. The game was billed as a “grudge fight” between the two West Coast rivals, and both teams were fired up right from the start.

The Rams scored first, in the opening quarter, driving 59 yards in nine plays capped by a 15-yard touchdown pass from Van Brocklin to HB V.T. “Vitamin” Smith. San Francisco tied the game early in the second quarter, climaxing a 15-play, 55-yard drive with a five-yard scoring pass from Tittle to end Gordie Soltau. Waterfield kicked a 27-yard field goal to again put the Rams in front following a 75-yard possession and the halftime score was 10-7.


Waterfield kicked another field goal in the third quarter, from 32 yards, and then two interceptions of Tittle passes by DHB Jack Dwyer (pictured at left), a local product out of Loyola of Los Angeles, set up LA touchdowns

The first of the TDs was by Towler, who charged 29 yards down the middle of the field for the score following two outstanding passes, to Fears and Hirsch. The second pickoff gave the Rams the ball on the San Francisco 15 and “Vitamin” Smith scored on a two-yard carry. It appeared to be a runaway for Los Angeles at 27-7 heading into the fourth quarter.

However, Tittle brought the 49ers back in the final period. First, in a two-play possession he threw twice to end Bill Jessup, first for a 58-yard gain on the last play of the third quarter, followed by a 10-yard scoring pass to start off the fourth. Then, following an interception of a Waterfield pass by LB Jimmy Powers that gave the Niners the ball on the LA 22, Tittle fired a scoring pass to McElhenny in the end zone. The big lead was down to six points at 27-21.

However, the 49ers missed an opportunity to take the lead after recovering a fumble at the LA 13 on the following kickoff return when LB Hardy Brown knocked the ball loose from FB Jack “Moose” Myers, bringing the home crowd to a frenzy. However, in a key series, the defense held and San Francisco was forced to turn the ball over on downs.

The Rams capped the scoring late in the fourth quarter by keeping the ball on the ground, most notably on a 51-yard carry by HB Woodley Lewis. Towler pounded into the end zone from three yards out for the touchdown, giving LA a 34-21 win.

It was an impressive performance by the LA defense which held San Francisco’s top-ranked running attack to 67 yards in 27 carries – and most of that came on a 24-yard run by Joe Perry and 11-yard carry by McElhenny. The Niners had just nine rushing yards in the first half. Meanwhile, the Rams piled up 251 yards on the ground. Overall, they outgained San Francisco by 388 yards to 208 and had more first downs, 19 to 14. Both teams turned the ball over three times. LA sacked Tittle five times, but the 49ers weren’t able to dump either of the Rams’ quarterbacks for a loss.

Dan Towler rushed for 132 yards on 19 carries. Woodley Lewis, with his long run, gained 64 yards on just three attempts. Norm Van Brocklin completed 12 of 18 passes for 100 yards with a TD and an interception and Bob Waterfield added three completions in seven throws for 37 yards with one picked off. Tom Fears caught 6 passes for 45 yards while “Crazy Legs” Hirsch gained 47 yards on his 4 receptions.

For the 49ers, Y.A. Tittle went to the air 26 times and completed 10 for 155 yards with three TDs but also three interceptions. Joe Perry gained 53 rushing yards on 14 carries.

Six receivers caught two passes apiece, with Bill Jessup (pictured below) accumulating the most yards with 68. Jessup was available to the 49ers on a weekend pass from the San Diego Naval Station, although he exceeded his 150-mile limit and was disciplined by the Navy afterward.


The loss essentially knocked the 49ers out of contention - they split their final two games to end up in third place in the National Conference with a 7-5 record. Los Angeles won its final two contests to end up tied atop the conference with the Lions at 9-3. However, the Rams lost the resulting playoff game at Detroit, thus losing out on a shot at winning back-to-back titles.

Dan Towler led the NFL in rushing with 894 yards on 156 carries (5.7 avg.) and 10 touchdowns. San Francisco’s Joe Perry and Hugh McElhenny placed third and fourth with 725 and 684 yards, respectively. McElhenny topped the league by averaging 7.0 yards per carry and also had the most all-purpose yards with 1731.

1958: Buck Shaw Hired as Head Coach of Philadelphia Eagles

On February 14, 1958 the Philadelphia Eagles announced that Lawrence “Buck” Shaw had been hired as head coach. The Eagles most recently had endured two disappointing seasons under Hugh Devore.

Since Earle “Greasy” Neale, who built the club into a two-time NFL champion, was let go in 1950, the team had gone through four head coaches, from Bo McMillin, who resigned after two games in ’51 due to health reasons, through Wayne Millner, Jim Trimble, and Devore.

The 58-year-old Shaw had been a star player under Head Coach Knute Rockne at Notre Dame (where he was a teammate of the legendary George Gipp) and, with Rockne’s encouragement, went on to coach at Santa Clara, Nevada, and North Carolina State before moving into the pro ranks as the original head coach of the San Francisco 49ers in the AAFC in 1946. “The Silver Fox”, as he was dubbed due to his full head of gray hair, stayed at the helm for nine years and his record with the 49ers, who became part of the NFL in 1950, was a solid 71-39-4. From there, he had become the first head coach at the Air Force Academy, and resigned after going 9-8-2 in two seasons.

While it was publicly stated that Shaw was signed to an extended contract, it was actually a one-year deal with an option on both sides for a second (the term was at the coach’s request). Shaw also had business interests in California and made clear that he would handle his coaching duties from June through December only, which, even in an era in which pro coaching was not yet a year-round occupation, was still somewhat unusual.

Fortunately for Shaw, while the team had played poorly in the previous three seasons (a combined 11-23-2), they had drafted well. The first four picks in ’57 alone proved valuable to the team’s future – FB Clarence Peaks from Michigan State, Wake Forest HB Billy Barnes, HB Tommy McDonald from Oklahoma, and QB Sonny Jurgensen out of Duke.

While Jurgensen started some games in his first year and showed promise, the new coach made clear at his introductory press conference that, in emphasizing the passing game, he intended to obtain an experienced and accomplished quarterback, and did so with the acquisition of 32-year-old Norm Van Brocklin from the Rams (The Dutchman was unhappy with the LA organization, especially Head Coach Sid Gillman, and was threatening to retire if not traded).

Peaks and Barnes both saw substantial action in ’57, but Coach Devore had taken criticism for his handling of the diminutive McDonald. Too small to play halfback (5’9”, 172 pounds), the coach stubbornly resisted suggestions that he be moved to flanker until late in the season. The immediate results were spectacular, and under Van Brocklin’s tutelage, McDonald developed into an outstanding deep threat.

Shaw was soft-spoken, rarely raising his voice, and acted much as the organization’s CEO, letting his strong group of assistants handle the details. Offensive line coach Charlie Gauer was highly regarded, and Van Brocklin largely directed the offense. Jerry Williams proved to be an innovative and highly-effective defensive assistant. Shaw handled administration (which he did ably), made personnel decisions, and set the overall tone.

With a new home field (the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field) as well as head coach and quarterback, the Eagles looked to improve in 1958. The record (2-9-1) was actually worse than in ’57, but the team was in the process of rebuilding and did show signs of turning around.

Van Brocklin threw the ball well (and often – he led the NFL with 374 pass attempts and 198 completions), and was an outstanding team leader. Barnes joined The Dutchman as a Pro Bowl selection, leading the club in rushing with 551 yards and gaining another 423 on 35 pass receptions. McDonald caught just 29 passes, but 9 of them were for touchdowns and he gained 603 yards for a 20.8 average gain. Pete Retzlaff, who had been buried on the depth chart at halfback after being obtained from the Lions, was nurtured by Van Brocklin and blossomed into an outstanding end – he caught 56 passes to co-lead the NFL along with Baltimore’s Raymond Berry. Veteran end Bobby Walston continued to be a reliable receiver and also handled the placekicking.

The team had been sound defensively under Devore, and contained solid players in DE Tom Scott, DT Jess Richardson, LB Bob Pellegini, HB Tom Brookshier, and safeties Jerry Norton and Lee Riley. However, players at the other positions proved less adept. Such was also the case with the offensive line, where former All-Pro linebacker Chuck Bednarik had moved to center, but holes remained elsewhere. As Van Brocklin said after the season, “We bled for linemen. After last year, Barnes and Peaks are lucky to be alive.”

The personnel were overhauled as needed (they traded or released 20 players in 1958), and the Eagles improved to 7-5 in 1959 and 10-2 in ’60, when they won the NFL Championship. Important acquisitions included rookies J.D. Smith (OT), Joe Robb (DE), and Gene Johnson (DB) in 1959 and Maxie Baughan (LB) and Ted Dean (RB) in ’60 as well as veterans Stan Campbell (G) and Don Burroughs (FS).

Shaw made clear prior to the 1960 season that it would be his last, and he went out on top (he is pictured at top celebrating with #11 Van Brocklin & #60 Bednarik). In making his retirement official the day after the Eagles won the championship, he said “I can’t think of a better time to bow out. I can’t soar any higher than being head coach of a world championship professional football team. It was a distinct pleasure coaching the Eagles, and I can’t pay too high a tribute to this 1960 team. It was a team of tremendous desire, a team that just would not accept defeat.”

Shaw returned to California and retirement with a 90-55-5 overall record as a pro head coach (AAFC and NFL) and 2-1 in the postseason. He was remembered long afterward as a quiet but firm gentleman who demanded top performance and molded a championship team (McDonald compared him to Bud Wilkinson, his coach at Oklahoma).

Much to the consternation of Van Brocklin, who believed he had been promised the job, assistant coach Nick Skorich was named as Shaw’s successor. After contending in 1961, the injury-plagued Eagles dropped to the basement in ’62 and ’63. They would not return to the postseason until 1978.

1960: Van Brocklin & Bednarik Spur Eagles Past Packers for NFL Title

The NFL Championship game on December 26, 1960 featured two clubs that had not vied for titles since the 1940s and had not been expected to contend in ’60. The Philadelphia Eagles, leaders of the Eastern Conference with a 10-2 record, had been perennial also-rans since winning back-to-back championships in 1948 and ’49. Representing the Western Conference, the Green Bay Packers had been through many years in the doldrums after last going the distance in 1944.

The Eagles had steadily improved since the arrival of Buck Shaw as head coach in 1958 who, at age 61, was hoping to retire with a championship. 34-year-old QB Norm Van Brocklin (pictured above), who also came to Philadelphia in ’58 in a deal with the Rams, was seeking to do likewise. The quarterback known as The Dutchman was the key to the offense and had an MVP year in 1960. While the running game was ordinary, the passing attack was not as Van Brocklin had a good corps of receivers in diminutive flanker Tommy McDonald and ends Pete Retzlaff and Bobby Walston. Chuck Bednarik, a former All-Pro linebacker who had moved exclusively to center in recent years, had been forced to play both ways due to injuries in the linebacking corps and provided leadership, as well as outstanding performance, to the defense. Two rookies, HB/FB Ted Dean and LB Maxie Baughan, also contributed to the team’s success.

Green Bay was benefiting from the guidance of second-year Head Coach Vince Lombardi. After posting a 7-5 record in 1959, the first winning tally for the club in 12 years, the Packers had started off at 4-1 in ’60, lost three of four, and then won their final three games to vault past the Lions, 49ers, and Colts with an 8-4 tally. HB/PK Paul Hornung scored a record 176 points and, in combination with FB Jim Taylor, was part of a running attack that ranked second in the league. QB Bart Starr was still a work in progress, the receiving corps good, and the offensive line outstanding. The defense was tough, particularly the line and linebackers.

With the addition of temporary seating, there were 67,352 fans filling Philadelphia’s Franklin Field for the title contest and the weather was sunny and in the mid-40s. Things did not start out well for the Eagles when Van Brocklin tossed a swing pass that HB Bill Barnes couldn’t hold on to and was intercepted by Green Bay DE Bill Quinlan at the Philadelphia 14 yard line. Three running plays gained eight yards, and Lombardi chose to go for the first down on fourth-and-two at the six. The Eagles defense stopped Taylor short and Philadelphia took over on downs.

However, the reprieve was a short one when Dean, at the end of a ten-yard run, fumbled the ball back to the Packers at his own 22. Handing off to Hornung and Taylor, Green Bay got down to the eight yard line, but an offsides penalty backed the Packers up and two passes by Starr into the end zone were incomplete. Hornung kicked a 20-yard field goal to give Green Bay a 3-0 lead.

The Eagles were only able to get one first down during the opening period, but the defense was showing an ability to stop Green Bay’s inside running game in key situations. Heading into the second quarter, the Packers drove into Eagles territory and reached the 14 yard line. Once more the possession stalled at that point and Hornung kicked a 23-yard field goal to make the score 6-0.

Philadelphia’s passing game came alive midway through the second quarter as Van Brocklin completed a 22-yard pass to McDonald down the middle and then threw to McDonald again, this time on an outside route that resulted in a 35-yard touchdown. With Walston’s successful extra point, the Eagles led by a point (McDonald pictured below).


After getting the ball back, Van Brocklin completed a 41-yard pass to Retzlaff to the Green Bay 33. A swing pass to Dean gained 22 more, but the next three passes were incompletions and Philadelphia settled for a 15-yard Walston field goal. With time running out in the first half, the Packers responded with a 73-yard drive to the Eagles’ seven yard line, but Hornung missed a 14-yard field goal attempt on the final play before halftime. Philadelphia held a 10-6 lead at the intermission.

In the third quarter, the Packers once again moved the ball well and faced a third-and-two situation at the Eagles’ 26. In a key play, Hornung was not only stopped short but knocked out of the game when he suffered a shoulder injury after being hit hard by Bednarik. With Green Bay bypassing another field goal attempt (Hornung was at least temporarily unavailable for kicking as well as playing halfback), the Eagles stopped Taylor and regained possession.

It seemed as though the Eagles might add to their lead as Van Brocklin completed passes of 33 yards to McDonald and 25 to Walston. But at the Green Bay four he threw a pass that was intercepted by CB John Symank.

The Packers didn’t move on their next possession, but end Max McGee, who was also the team’s punter, ran out of punt formation for a 35-yard gain to the Philadelphia 46. Starr followed up with a 17-yard pass to TE Gary Knafelc, and after runs by Taylor and HB Tom Moore (Hornung’s replacement) for first downs, McGee caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from Starr. Hornung’s kick put the Packers back in the lead by a 13-10 score.

However, Dean returned the ensuing kickoff 58 yards to the Green Bay 39. The Eagles kept the ball on the ground as they drove to a first down, but Van Brocklin was sacked by LB Ray Nitschke for a seven-yard loss. However, The Dutchman recovered with a 13-yard pass to Barnes and then Barnes carried for a five-yard gain and first down at the nine.

With the Packers expecting a pass, Van Brocklin handed off twice to Dean, the second resulting in a five-yard run for a touchdown (pictured below). The successful extra point gave the Eagles a four-point lead with 5:21 to play.


Green Bay battled back, but McGee fumbled after catching a 12-yard pass from Starr at the Philadelphia 48 and Bednarik recovered for the Eagles. Getting the ball back at their own 35 with less than three minutes remaining on the clock, Starr completed four passes on a drive that also included a nine-yard run by Taylor. But at the Philadelphia 22 and with time for only one play, Starr, seeing his deep receivers covered in the end zone, dumped a pass off to Taylor who charged down to the 10, was slowed by DB Bobby Jackson, and then finally wrestled down by Bednarik as time ran out. The Eagles had held on to win, 17-13.

The Packers significantly outgained the Eagles with 401 yards to 296 and had 22 first downs to Philadelphia’s 13. They also turned the ball over just once, to three suffered by Philadelphia. But the Eagles took better advantage of their opportunities.

Norm Van Brocklin completed 9 of 20 passes for 204 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and six of those completions covered 22 yards or more. Tommy McDonald caught three passes for 90 yards and a TD while Bobby Walston also caught three, for 38 yards. Ted Dean led the running game with 54 yards on 13 carries, including the game-winning touchdown, caught a pass for 22 yards, and had the key 58-yard kickoff return.


35-year-old Chuck Bednarik (pictured at right) had an outstanding performance in his two-way role. Of the game’s 142 plays, he was on the field for 139 of them and made several key defensive plays, including the game-clinching stop of Taylor on the last play.

For the Packers, Bart Starr was successful on 21 of 34 passes for 178 yards with a TD and no interceptions, but his longest completion of the day was for 20 yards. Jim Taylor gained 105 yards on 24 carries and accumulated another 46 yards on 6 catches. Paul Hornung ran the ball 11 times for 61 yards and caught four passes for 14 before having to leave the game (other than for placekicking). Gary Knafelc also caught 6 passes and gained 76 yards.

The Packers came back from the title game loss to win the next two NFL championships, and posted an extraordinary five in nine seasons under Lombardi. Things did not go as well for the Eagles. Buck Shaw retired following the title game, as did Van Brocklin. Assistant coach Nick Skorich was elevated to the head coaching job and, while the Eagles with Sonny Jurgensen at quarterback came close to winning the Eastern Conference in ’61, from 1962 on the club fell into a long dry spell. They did not return to the postseason (other than the meaningless Playoff Bowl) until 1978.

Norm Van Brocklin, having gone out on top to conclude his Hall of Fame playing career, had fully expected to succeed Shaw as head coach of the Eagles. When he didn’t, the embittered Dutchman became the first coach of the expansion Minnesota Vikings in 1961.

1960: Late Walston Field Goal Gives Eagles Key Win Over Browns

The Philadelphia Eagles were off to a good start in 1960, but faced their toughest test in traveling to Cleveland to face the Browns at Municipal Stadium on October 23. The Browns had beaten the Eagles decisively in the season-opening game at Franklin Field and were undefeated at 3-0. Philadelphia had recovered to win three straight games and arrived in Cleveland with a 3-1 tally (the Browns had already had a bye week).

The Eagles had a veteran head coach in 61-year-old Buck Shaw and were led on offense by the tough 34-year-old QB Norm Van Brocklin, in his 12th season overall and third in Philadelphia after being obtained from the Rams. The running game was average, at best, and it was the passing game that made the difference thanks to The Dutchman having outstanding receivers in flanker Tommy McDonald and ends Pete Retzlaff and Bobby Walston (pictured above; he was also the team’s placekicker).

The Eagles came into the game as 13-point underdogs and had not won in Cleveland since 1952. Head Coach Paul Brown’s club had the best one-two running back punch in pro football with FB Jim Brown and HB Bobby Mitchell, and also featured the precision passing of QB Milt Plum.

Eagles LB John Nocera was out with an injury, and his replacement Bob Pellegrini went down early in the contest. As a result, 35-year-old Chuck Bednarik, once one of the top linebackers in the game but now the starting center, had to return to linebacking duty in addition to his role on the offensive line.

Less than four minutes into the first quarter, after stopping the Browns on their opening series, Philadelphia scored on its first play from scrimmage as Van Brocklin threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to Walston that gave the Eagles the early 7-0 advantage.

Cleveland drove down the field but came up short of a touchdown thanks to a goal line stand by the Eagles defense. They settled for a 12-yard field goal by Sam Baker. Baker, who had been obtained from Washington to replace the retired Lou Groza (who would return the following year), booted another field goal, of 23 yards, early in the second quarter to narrow Philadelphia’s lead to 7-6.

Plum put the Browns ahead later in the period with an 86-yard scoring pass to flanker Leon Clarke, who was substituting for the injured Ray Renfro. Baker’s extra point attempt failed, but he added a 44-yard field goal to extend Cleveland’s lead to 15-7 at halftime.

The Browns led by 22-7 early in the third quarter after Jim Brown took off on a 71-yard touchdown run. The Eagles came back, though, as FB Clarence Peaks ran up the middle on a draw play for 57 yards to put the Eagles in scoring position. Van Brocklin followed up with a six-yard pass to Walston and HB Billy Barnes plunged into the end zone for a touchdown from a yard out.

Shortly thereafter, Philadelphia struck again as Van Brocklin connected with McDonald for a 57-yard TD that cut Cleveland’s margin to 22-21 after three quarters.

Van Brocklin put the Eagles in the lead at 28-22 early in the fourth quarter with a swing pass to Barnes that covered eight yards for a touchdown. But the Browns responded with an 88-yard drive the ended on a three-yard TD pass from Plum to Mitchell. Cleveland was back in front at 29-28 with just over six minutes remaining to play.

The Eagles again drove into Browns territory, but safety Don Fleming intercepted a Van Brocklin pass. The Eagles defense held the Browns and forced them to punt, giving the Eagles one more shot.

With time running down, the Eagles took over at their 10 yard line. Van Brocklin passed to Retzlaff for 27 yards and then McDonald for 12 to just short of midfield. However, it appeared that Cleveland would win when safety Bobby Franklin came up with an interception, but LB Vince Costello was flagged for pass interference and the Eagles, instead of losing the ball, now had a first down at the Browns 30.

With 15 seconds remaining, Walston kicked a 38-yard field goal and the Eagles came away with a big 31-29 win.

Both teams put up plenty of yards, with the Browns outgaining Philadelphia by 451 yards to 428; they also had more first downs (21 to 18).


Norm Van Brocklin (pictured at left) completed 17 of 26 passes for 292 yards with three touchdowns and the one interception. Thanks to the long run in the third quarter, Clarence Peaks had a season-high 102 yards on 13 carries. Billy Barnes, who ran for 25 yards on 9 attempts and a TD, caught 7 passes for 48 yards and another score. Bobby Walston, in addition to kicking the winning field goal, also led all receivers with 94 yards on four catches. Pete Retzlaff and Tommy McDonald contributed significantly, with the former gaining 80 yards on three receptions and the latter 66 yards and a TD on two catches.

Jim Brown, as usual, put up big numbers for the Browns with 167 rushing yards on 22 carries, including the long touchdown run, and added another 57 yards on four pass receptions. Bobby Mitchell, who had devastated the Eagles in the opening game with 156 yards on 14 carries, was held to 35 yards on 14 rushes this time, although he still caught 7 passes for 70 yards and a TD. Milt Plum had 16 completions in 22 pass attempts for 289 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Costello, who was flagged for the interference call, was angry afterward. “I didn’t think there was any interference.” Coach Paul Brown avoided controversy, saying “You couldn’t tell anything from the bench. Vince was pretty hot about it.”

But Van Brocklin insisted the call was correct, saying “(Halfback) Ted Dean had been knocked down and I had to throw to the other side. The call was made right away. Two of the Browns linebackers seemed to sandwich Dean and he went down.”

Regarding the performance by the Eagles’ quarterback, Coach Brown summed up after the game, “As for Van Brocklin, he is one of the finest football players of all time.”

The Eagles were able to rest up with a bye the following week and then kept on winning to end up atop the Eastern Conference with a 10-2 record. They defeated the Green Bay Packers for the NFL Championship. Cleveland went 2-2-1 over the next five games and finished second with an 8-3-1 tally.

Norm Van Brocklin received unanimous MVP recognition (AP, UPI, NEA, and the Bert Bell Award) in his greatest – and last – season. He ranked second in the league in pass attempts (284), completions (153), yards (2471), and touchdowns (24).

Bobby Walston finished second in the league in scoring with 105 points. He had the best field goal percentage (70 %) as a result of connecting on 14 of 20 attempts. Walston also caught 30 passes for 563 yards (18.8 avg.) and four TDs.


Chuck Bednarik (pictured at right) played 59 minutes against Cleveland and led the club with 15 tackles, 11 of them unassisted. With the injuries plaguing the linebacking corps, Concrete Charley showed the critics who said he was too old to play linebacker that they were wrong, and did so while playing both ways (the last NFL player to do so regularly) all the way to the title game (he averaged over 50 minutes per game).

Jim Brown led the NFL in rushing for the fourth consecutive season with 1257 yards on 215 attempts (5.8 avg.) and nine touchdowns. Milt Plum was the league’s top passer - by the current system, his 110.4 rating was the best until Joe Montana’s 112.4 in 1989.

1958: Newly-Acquired Bobby Layne Leads Steelers to Win in First Game

On October 12, 1958 at Pitt Stadium, star quarterback Bobby Layne took the field with his new team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, after eight highly accomplished seasons in Detroit (he originally came into the NFL as a backup with the Bears and also spent a year with the short-lived New York Bulldogs). No one could say that the hard-driving, hard-drinking Texan threw picturesque passes, but Layne more than made up for it with his fiery leadership and ability in the clutch. Under the guidance of Head Coach Buddy Parker and with formidable offensive weapons at his disposal, he became the master of the two-minute drill and a feared deep passer. The Lions made it to three consecutive NFL Championship games from 1952-54, all against Paul Brown’s Cleveland Browns, and won the first two.

After a down year in 1955 (Layne suffered a shoulder injury in the off-season), the Lions just missed winning the Western Conference in ’56 when Layne was knocked out of the decisive encounter with the Chicago Bears by a late blind-side tackle by DE Ed Meadows. A veteran quarterback, Tobin Rote, was obtained from Green Bay for 1957 to add depth at the position, and then Coach Parker abruptly quit the team during the preseason. Under Parker’s successor, George Wilson, Layne and Rote split time, and when Layne suffered a broken leg late in the season, it was Rote leading the club the rest of the way to the NFL Championship.

With a quarterback controversy brewing and friction developing with Wilson, the 31-year-old Layne was dealt to the Steelers for third-year QB Earl Morrall and two draft picks following the second week of the 1958 season. In Pittsburgh, he was reunited with Buddy Parker. He was also with a club that had not posted a winning record in the past eight years (they went 6-6 under Parker in ’57).

The Steelers had lost their first two games with Morrall at quarterback and were badly embarrassed by the Browns in their last game prior to Layne’s joining the club. It was a different situation with Layne in the lineup for Week 3 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles, after three straight losing seasons, were in transition under a new coach, Buck Shaw, and a new veteran quarterback, Norm Van Brocklin, who had been obtained from the Rams.

Early in the first quarter, Philadelphia FB Clarence Peaks fumbled and DT Joe Lewis recovered for the Steelers. On the first play, HB Tom Tracy (a former teammate of Layne’s in Detroit) scored a touchdown with a 31-yard carry on a reverse. The Eagles responded with a 36-yard field goal by Bobby Walston that made the score 7-3.

The Steelers got another TD before the end of the period after DT Frank Varrichione recovered a fumbled punt by Eagles DB Rocky Ryan which gave them the ball on the Philadelphia 30 yard line - a penalty moved it up to the 15. Layne hit end Dick Lucas with a nine-yard pass to set up a one-yard scoring run by FB Tank Younger.

In the second quarter, Pittsburgh recovered yet another fumble in Eagles territory, again at the 30 yard line. Tracy ran in from the one after a drive that featured an 11-yard run by Layne and the Steelers took a 21-3 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, safety Gary Glick intercepted a Van Brocklin pass and returned it 23 yards to the Philadelphia 37. Layne and the Steelers kept the ball on the ground and Tom Miner kicked a 26-yard field goal to conclude the scoring. Pittsburgh won Layne’s debut by the decisive score of 24-3.

The opportunistic Steelers defense made the most of three Eagles fumbles and the interception. The Eagles gained just 59 yards on the ground, as opposed to 214 for the Steelers. Pittsburgh led in first downs, 19 to 16.

Bobby Layne completed 10 of 20 passes for 81 yards - two long passes were narrowly missed by Pittsburgh receivers. Norm Van Brocklin, playing from behind the entire game, completed 16 of 37 passes for 148 yards.

Said Layne afterward, “I never got the seat of my pants dirty when I went back to pass and that’s just one of the reasons I know the Pittsburgh Steelers are a good team.”

The Steelers lost their next two games, but then ran off five straight wins and ended up with a 7-4-1 record to place third in the Eastern Conference. The Eagles ended up tied at the bottom with the Cardinals at 2-9-1.

Bobby Layne led the NFL in yards per attempt (8.7) and yards per completion (17.6). His 2510 passing yards and low 3.7 interception percentage both ranked second. He tossed 14 touchdown passes and had 12 throws picked off. Rookie split end Jimmy Orr especially benefited from his presence, leading the league with a gaudy 27.6 yards-per-catch on 33 receptions for 910 yards with seven touchdowns.

Layne played another four seasons with the Steelers but, while still effective, he didn’t attain the level of success that he had in Detroit. A multi-talented player earlier in his career – he had been a good running quarterback (he led NFL quarterbacks in rushing three times) and placekicker – wear and tear were beginning to erode his skills. One of the last players to not wear a facemask, he also chose to take the field with minimal padding throughout his career (no hip or thigh pads and the thinnest possible shoulder pads). He retired as the NFL’s career leader in pass completions (1814), yards (26,768), and touchdowns (196).