1971: Dolphins Defeat Colts in Key AFC East Battle

The two top contenders in the AFC East met in Miami on November 21, 1971 as the Dolphins hosted the Baltimore Colts. Coached for the second year by Don Shula, the Dolphins came into the game with a 7-1-1 record and six-game winning streak on the line. The backfield combination of FB Larry Csonka (pictured above) and HB Jim Kiick was highly productive and, when they needed to go to the air, QB Bob Griese was an excellent passer. The overachieving defense was scrappy and benefited most from the presence of MLB Nick Buoniconti and safeties Jake Scott and Dick Anderson.

Baltimore, the NFL’s defending champion, was coached by Don McCafferty, who had succeeded Shula when he departed for Miami. 38-year-old QB Johnny Unitas was brittle and no longer great but could still be effective and the running game, led by second-year FB Norm Bulaich, was improved and operating behind an excellent line. The defense was tough, particularly at linebacker where MLB Mike Curtis was flanked by Ted Hendricks and Ray May. The Colts had a 7-2 record and could vault into first place with a win in Miami.  

There was a crowd of 75,312 fans in attendance at the Orange Bowl. The Dolphins went three-and-out on their first possession and punted. Baltimore put together a long drive of 77 yards in 14 plays. The Colts converted three third downs with Johnny Unitas passes along the way. The first was to TE Tom Mitchell in a third-and-three situation, the second was to HB Tom Matte on a third-and-10 play to the Miami 47, and the third gained 20 yards to Norm Bulaich (pictured below) while facing third-and-five. That put the ball at the 11, and after Matte ran for seven yards, FB Don Nottingham followed up with a four-yard touchdown carry. Jim O’Brien added the extra point and the visitors had the early 7-0 lead.

A clipping penalty on the ensuing kickoff had the Dolphins starting deep in their own territory and they again had to punt. Baltimore had good starting field position at the Miami 40, but couldn’t move effectively and O’Brien missed a 45-yard field goal attempt.

The teams exchanged punts as the game headed into the second quarter before the Dolphins finally came alive on offense. Bob Griese threw to Larry Csonka for 13 yards on a third-and-eight play and followed up with a completion to TE Marv Fleming for 16 yards. A long carry for an apparent touchdown by HB Mercury Morris was nullified by a clipping penalty but Miami continued to chip away with a run by Csonka and consecutive Griese passes to Jim Kiick. However, after reaching the Baltimore seven, Griese fumbled when hit by DT Jim Bailey while looking to pass and DE Billy Newsome recovered for the Colts.

The teams once again traded punts before a Unitas pass was intercepted by CB Tim Foley at midfield. But a Griese toss to Kiick lost nine yards, Griese fumbled the snap on the next play and had to fall on the loose ball, and a 16-yard completion to Kiick was well short of a first down. Garo Yepremian’s 54-yard field goal try with 1:17 remaining in the first half fell short and the score stayed unchanged at halftime.

The Colts had the ball first in the third quarter and punted from their end zone. Miami made the most of the resulting good field position, advancing 46 yards in eight plays. Griese ran for nine yards on first down and Kiick had a 19-yard gain among his four carries. A pass interference penalty in the end zone gave the Dolphins a first down at the one, and Kiick plunged for a touchdown from there. Yepremian’s conversion tied the score at 7-7.

Miami got the ball back in short order when LB Doug Swift intercepted a Unitas pass at the Baltimore 22 and returned it 12 yards. On the next play, Griese connected with Fleming for a 10-yard TD and, with Yepremian again adding the point after, the home team was ahead by 14-7.

The Colts responded with a long drive of 76 yards in 13 plays. Unitas started the series off with a nine-yard completion to WR Willie Richardson but was injured shortly thereafter while throwing a block on a double reverse and it was Earl Morrall behind center the rest of the way. Morrall completed a third-down pass to TE John Mackey for 18 yards but, two plays later, was sacked by DT Manny Fernandez. Facing third-and-17, he threw to WR Eddie Hinton for a 16-yard gain and Matte gained the needed yard on fourth down to keep the series going. Two more Matte runs set up a four-yard touchdown carry by Bulaich and, with O’Brien booting the extra point, the score was tied once again at 14-14.

That remained the situation as the contest entered the fourth quarter and the teams exchanged punts. A personal foul on the Colts helped Miami out of a second-and-14 situation as they got the ball back again and Griese followed up with a 14-yard completion to WR Karl Noonan. The series finally stalled at the Baltimore 13, but Yepremian put the Dolphins ahead by three with a 20-yard field goal.

The Colts advanced into Miami territory when Morrall passed to Hinton for a 33-yard gain, but after reaching the 35, a throw into the end zone was intercepted by SS Dick Anderson. There were still over three minutes remaining, but the Dolphins never let the visitors get the ball back. Griese threw to WR Paul Warfield for 13 yards to convert a third-and-three situation and Csonka ran for two more first downs to seal the 17-14 win for Miami.

Baltimore led in total yards (268 to 249) while the Dolphins had the edge in first downs (16 to 14). Miami generated more yards on the ground (168 to 100) and the Colts had the net passing advantage (168 to 81). Baltimore turned the ball over three times, to one by the Dolphins.

Bob Griese completed 10 of 16 passes for 90 yards and a touchdown while giving up no interceptions. Larry Csonka rushed for 93 yards on 15 carries while Jim Kiick (pictured above) contributed 52 yards on 14 attempts that included a TD and also caught four passes for 22 yards. Marv Fleming topped the Dolphins with 26 yards on two receptions that included a touchdown.

For the Colts, Johnny Unitas was successful on 9 of 17 throws for 78 yards, giving up two interceptions, and in relief Earl Morrall was 6 of 9 for 99 yards with one picked off. Tom Matte ran the ball 17 times for 44 yards and Norm Bulaich had 5 catches for 41 yards in addition to his 23 yards on 8 rushing attempts that included a TD. Eddie Hinton gained 49 yards on his two pass receptions and John Mackey was right behind with his 46 yards, also on two catches.

The win put Miami a game-and-a-half ahead of the Colts, and while they lost the rematch in Baltimore, the Dolphins finished on top of the AFC East at 10-3-1. The Colts lost the season finale to end up in second with a 10-4 record, qualifying for the postseason as a Wild Card. Both teams won their Divisional round games, Miami in classic fashion over Kansas City in overtime while the Colts more easily dispatched the Browns, and the clubs met for the AFC Championship. The Dolphins dominated in a 21-0 win and went on to lose to Dallas in the Super Bowl.

1971: Morrall Tosses 3 TD Passes as Colts Sink College All-Stars

The 38^th annual College All-Star Game in Chicago on July 30, 1971 featured the Baltimore Colts, defending champions of the NFL, against an All-Star squad coached by Blanton Collier, who had retired from the Cleveland Browns following eight years as head coach.

The Colts, under Head Coach Don McCafferty, started 37-year-old Earl Morrall (pictured at right) at quarterback due to the unavailability of long-time star QB Johnny Unitas, who suffered an Achilles tendon injury during the offseason. The offense was typically more effective through the air than on the ground while the tough defense featured DE Bubba Smith, linebackers Ted Hendricks and Mike Curtis, and safeties Rick Volk and Jerry Logan.

The All-Stars included quarterbacks Jim Plunkett, the Heisman Trophy winner out of Stanford, and Dan Pastorini of Santa Clara, FB John Brockington from Ohio State, Northwestern HB Mike Adamle, and WR J.D. Hill of Arizona State. The defense had hard hitters in DB Jack Tatum from Ohio State and DE Jack Youngblood of Florida, plus DT Julius Adams from Texas Southern, Grambling DE Richard Harris, and linebackers Jack Ham of Penn State and Isiah Robertson from Southern.

There were 52,289 fans in attendance for the Friday night game at Soldier Field, which had undergone renovation that included a new artificial surface. The contest’s initial score was set up thanks to a poor punt by Dan Pastorini in the first quarter. It gave the Colts good starting field position at the All-Star 45 to start their second possession of the game, and they made the most of it. Earl Morrall threw to FB Norm Bulaich on a swing pass that picked up 17 yards and to WR Ray Perkins, who outmaneuvered Kansas State CB Clarence Scott for a 24-yard touchdown. Jim O’Brien kicked the extra point.

On their next series, a holding penalty backed the Colts into their own territory and they were forced to punt. It looked as though the All-Stars would get nothing out of the ensuing possession when John Brockington was stopped for no gain on a third-and-one play at the Baltimore 40, but the Colts refused an offside penalty on the collegians, preferring to bring up fourth down. The All-Stars converted when Brockington ran for three yards to keep the series alive. Jim Plunkett connected with Mike Adamle for a 22-yard gain to the 15 and the collegians got another break when Plunkett threw for J.D. Hill and interference was called on CB Jim Duncan to move the ball to the one yard line. From there, on the third play of the second quarter, Brockington ran around right end for a touchdown. Pastorini added the point after to make it a 7-7 game.

The Colts responded on their ensuing possession with Morrall throwing to HB Tom Matte for a 15-yard TD. O’Brien again successfully converted. With Pastorini at quarterback, the All-Stars advanced from their own 30 into Baltimore territory and Bob Jacobs of Wyoming kicked a 40-yard field goal with just over two minutes remaining in the half. The Colts moved well in the remaining time as Morrall completed six of seven passes for 102 yards, but they came up empty when O’Brien missed a 26-yard field goal try. The score remained 14-10 at the intermission.

Baltimore’s lead was extended in the quiet third quarter when O’Brien was successful on a field goal attempt, this time from 22 yards. Early in the fourth quarter, the Colts appeared to take command when Morrall threw to TE Tom Mitchell for a 44-yard TD and O’Brien’s extra point put the pro champs ahead by 14.

Sam Havrilak, normally a halfback but being tried at quarterback, relieved Morrall and on his second play, he botched a handoff to FB Tom Nowatzke and Jack Ham recovered for the All-Stars and ran 47 yards for a touchdown. It narrowed the margin to seven points, but proved to be the last gasp for the collegians, who were kept in check offensively as Baltimore held on to win by a final score of 24-17.

The Colts had far more total yards than the All-Stars (403 to 150) and also had the edge in first downs (18 to 11). The collegians turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by the NFL champs.

Earl Morrall, who played for a full three quarters, completed 20 of 30 passes for 329 yards and three touchdowns while giving up no interceptions. Norm Bulaich led Baltimore’s runners with 46 yards on 9 attempts. Tom Matte, who carried the ball 10 times for 18 yards, caught 5 passes for 63 yards and a TD, having great success on swing passes out of the backfield. WR Eddie Hinton also had 5 pass receptions, for 75 yards, and Tom Mitchell gained 95 yards on his four catches.

Jim Plunkett was successful on 6 of 15 throws for 65 yards and an interception and Dan Pastorini went two of nine for 13 yards and gave up an interception, although Pastorini led the All-Stars in rushing with 40 yards on two carries (Plunkett #16 and Pastorini #7 pictured below). John Brockington gained 27 yards on 12 rushing attempts that included a touchdown. Houston WR Elmo Wright, Mike Adamle, and J.D. Hill each had two receptions, for 25, 24, and 23 yards, respectively.

“They put a lot of pressure on me,” said Earl Morrall regarding the All-Star defense. “They were coming from a lot of directions. I couldn’t quite get a bead on what to do about it.”

The win for the Colts gave the pro champs a winning streak of eight games and a 27-9-2 edge in the series. It was the last of three College All-Star Game appearances for the club that reached the postseason again in 1971 as a 10-4 Wild Card but lost the AFC Championship to Miami.

1973: Csonka’s 2 TDs Propel Dolphins to Win Over College All-Stars

The 40^th annual College All-Star Game on July 27, 1973 featured the Miami Dolphins, undefeated NFL Champions of the 1972 season, against a group of All-Stars coached by John McKay of USC.

The Dolphins, under Head Coach Don Shula, featured a ball control offense led by power-running FB Larry Csonka (pictured at right), and QB Bob Griese was capable of throwing passes to good effect when necessary. The “No Name” defense was often overlooked but allowed few points. However, injuries were a problem coming into the All-Star Game. MLB Nick Buoniconti had just undergone surgery on his wrist a week earlier, but was forced to play the whole game because of injuries to linebackers Bob Matheson, Mike Kolen, and Doug Swift.

The All-Stars contained future NFL standouts in QB Bert Jones from LSU; running backs Chuck Foreman of Miami, Terry Metcalf from Long Beach State, and Oklahoma’s Greg Pruitt; TE Charle Young of USC, and Alabama G John Hannah on offense. The defense included ends Wally Chambers of Eastern Kentucky and John Matuszak from Tampa, Miami CB Burgess Owens, and LB Jim Youngblood of Tennessee Tech. Coach McKay took a relaxed approach to preparing for the game with one practice per day, instead of the usual two, and had few rules. The collegians alternated front lines and used many players on both platoons.

There were 54,103 fans in attendance at Chicago’s Soldier Field on a Friday night. Miami took the opening kickoff and drove 60 yards in ten plays. Bob Griese threw just one pass along the way and Larry Csonka ran around right end for a three-yard touchdown to finish the series off. Garo Yepremian added the extra point.

The All-Stars had opportunities to score but failed to capitalize. They had a first down at the Miami 13 but Greg Pruitt fumbled and DT Manny Fernandez recovered for the Dolphins to snuff out the threat. In the second quarter, LB John Skorupan of Penn State intercepted a Griese pass and returned it 30 yards to the Miami 30. However, a 16-yard sack of Bert Jones moved the collegians out of scoring range and Ray Guy from Southern Mississippi was forced to punt.

Near the end of the first half, the All-Stars, starting from their 38 with Jones behind center, reached the Miami one yard line, but the Dolphins kept them out of the end zone and they settled for a 10-yard field goal by Guy. A key play occurred when injured FB Sam Cunningham of USC was sent in to attempt a leap into the end zone, but a five-yard penalty nullified the effort. The Dolphins maintained a 7-3 lead at the end of the half.

A heavy rain doused the stadium at halftime and the artificial surface was slick in the second half. The All-Stars had another break in the third quarter when Florida State DB James Thomas recovered a fumbled snap at the Miami eight. But the collegians again couldn’t punch the ball in and Guy’s 16-yard field goal try was missed.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Jones fired a pass that traveled 60 yards and was intended for WR Barry Smith of Florida State, who had a step on his defender as he sprinted down the left sideline, but the ball went through his hands at the Miami 20. On the next Baltimore series, 39-year-old backup QB Earl Morrall (pictured at left) came into the game and directed a 55-yard scoring drive in seven plays. Morrall connected with TE Jim Mandich for two key completions and Csonka again finished off the possession with a seven-yard TD carry. Yepremian added the point after and, for all intents, the win was clinched for the Dolphins. Despite Miami’s sluggishness, the All-Stars failed to threaten again and the final score was 14-3.

“It wasn’t an emotional game for me or some of the other guys,” said Miami DT Manny Fernandez. “Actually, it was like a scrimmage.”

The Dolphins outgained the All-Stars (251 yards to 133) and had more first downs (16 to 9). Of the total for the All-Stars, only 13 yards and one first down came in the second half. Miami turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by the collegians.

Larry Csonka was the offensive star for the Dolphins, rushing for 76 yards on 17 carries and scoring both touchdowns. Bob Griese completed 6 of 9 passes for 75 yards and had one intercepted while Earl Morrall was three of four for 38 yards. HB Jim Kiick had four catches for 24 yards and Jim Mandich led the club with 35 yards on two receptions.

Bert Jones played most of the game at quarterback for the All-Stars and completed 9 of 17 throws for 79 yards. Purdue HB Otis Armstrong led the runners with 39 yards on 11 attempts. Ray Guy punted nine times for a 44.1-yard average and helped keep the Dolphins from getting good starting field position, in addition to scoring the only points for the collegians.

Miami’s win marked the tenth straight for the pro teams and put them ahead in the series by 29 to 9. The Dolphins repeated as NFL Champions in 1973, but failed to return to the College All-Star Game when it was cancelled due to a players’ strike during the ’74 preseason.

While Ray Guy both placekicked and punted for the All-Stars, he had been chosen by the Oakland Raiders in the first round of the NFL draft strictly for his ability as a punter. He would go on to a 14-year career, all with Oakland, and was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first six seasons (seven overall). In 2014, Guy was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

1972: Dolphins Overcome Browns in AFC Divisional Playoff Game

The Miami Dolphins had put together a 14-0 regular season record and were starting off the postseason with an AFC Divisional playoff game against the Cleveland Browns on December 24, 1972. Coached by Don Shula, the Dolphins had an outstanding ball-control offense fueled by the running of FB Larry Csonka and halfbacks Mercury Morris and Jim Kiick (pictured above). When QB Bob Griese went down with a broken ankle, the team kept winning with 17-year veteran QB Earl Morrall at the helm, and if teams concentrated too heavily on stopping the ground attack, WR Paul Warfield provided a potent deep receiving threat. The defense was less-heralded but was tough and effective, giving up fewer points and yards than any other NFL team.

Cleveland placed second in the AFC Central with a 10-4 record to grab the conference’s Wild Card spot in the playoffs. Under the direction of Head Coach Nick Skorich for the second year, the Browns had a young quarterback in Mike Phipps, who replaced Bill Nelsen as the starter early in the year with some success. HB Leroy Kelly, fading at age 30, and FB Bo Scott were the leading ground gainers. The defense was suspect against the run, although better at rushing opposing passers.

There were over 80,000 fans in attendance at the Orange Bowl, vigorously waving handkerchiefs on a clear afternoon. The Dolphins had the game’s first possession, went three-and-out and punted, but immediately got the ball back when LB Doug Swift intercepted a deflected pass by Mike Phipps at the Cleveland 40. Miami still couldn’t move on offense, however, and Garo Yepremian was wide on a 46-yard field goal attempt.

The Browns were having no better luck on offense, also going three-and-out, but Don Cockroft’s punt was blocked by DB Charlie Babb, who recovered the ball at the five and ran in for a touchdown. Yepremian added the extra point and the Dolphins were ahead by 7-0.

Another short series for the Browns ended with a punt and Miami drove from its 16 to the Cleveland 33. Paul Warfield ran for 21 yards on a reverse and Earl Morrall completed a pass to WR Howard Twilley for 11 yards to highlight the possession that was capped by Yepremian kicking a 40-yard field goal to open up a ten-point lead.

In a series that extended into the second quarter, the Browns finally showed life on offense. Bo Scott (pictured at left) had runs of 17 and 15 yards and Phipps scrambled for 14 yards to the Miami 25. But a third down pass was intercepted by CB Curtis Johnson to snuff out the threat.

The Dolphins advanced just past midfield on their next series, with Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris running effectively, but a 53-yard field goal try by Yepremian was short and wide. The teams exchanged punts before the Browns, again forced to kick from their own territory, suffered another miscue. Cockroft couldn’t handle a high snap and fell on the ball to give Miami possession at the Cleveland 39. But a holding penalty moved the Dolphins back 15 yards, Morrall was sacked by DT Walter Johnson for the loss of another nine yards, Morris was tackled for the loss of another 12 yards, and they had to punt.

Phipps threw another interception, with FS Dick Anderson picking off the long throw at the Miami 29, and in the last two minutes the Dolphins again drove into Cleveland territory. Warfield gained 20 yards to midfield on another end-around, Morrall completed two short passes, and Morris had runs of 12 and 14 yards. But a 17-yard Yepremian field goal attempt with four seconds remaining in the first half was wiped out by an illegal procedure penalty and the teams went into the locker room at halftime with Miami holding a 10-0 lead. It could have been far worse for the Browns, who had given up three interceptions and two fumbles thus far.

The teams exchanged punts to start the third quarter before the Browns put together a five-play scoring drive, spurred by a 37-yard punt return to the Miami 44 by SS Thom Darden. Phipps completed passes to TE Milt Morin for 21 yards and WR Fair Hooker for six, Scott ran twice for 10 yards, and Phipps, rolling out to his right, kept the ball himself on a five-yard touchdown carry. Cockroft added the point after and the Miami lead was cut to 10-7.

Jim Kiick carried four times for 26 yards on the next Dolphins’ series, and Morrall threw to Twilley for a gain of 17 yards, but Kiick’s fifth rushing attempt resulted in a fumble and LB Charlie Hall recovered at the Cleveland 33. The Browns went three-and-out and punted, and the Dolphins went right back to Kiick, who carried for 12 yards on two attempts before, following an incomplete pass, Morris put together back-to-back 12-yard carries to finish out the period. Three plays into the fourth quarter, and after Morris was stopped for no gain in a third-and-one situation, Yepremian kicked a 46-yard field goal and Miami was up by six points at 13-7.

A clipping penalty on the ensuing kickoff had the Browns starting from their ten yard line. Phipps started the series off with a 14-yard scramble and a pass to Hooker (pictured at right) picked up 18 yards. After reaching the Miami 38, Anderson intercepted a pass but fumbled on the return and Hooker recovered for Cleveland at the 30. Two plays later, it was Hooker catching a Phipps pass for a 27-yard touchdown and, with Cockroft adding the extra point, the Browns were in front by 14-13.

The Dolphins, with their perfect season suddenly in peril, responded with an 80-yard drive in six plays. Morrall completed passes to Warfield for 15 and 35 yards, interspersed with carries by Morris that picked up 12 yards. Another throw intended for Warfield resulted in a pass interference penalty on LB Bill Andrews, giving Miami first-and-goal at the Cleveland eight, and from there Kiick ran for a TD. Yepremian converted and the Dolphins were back in the lead by six points with 4:49 to play.

The Browns couldn’t get beyond their 39 on the next series and punted, and Miami punted in turn. Cleveland regained possession at its 49 and, with the clock now down to 1:40, Phipps ran for eight yards, passed to Scott for another eight, but following a short running play, a pass intended for Hooker was intercepted by Swift to seal the 20-14 win for the Dolphins.     

Playing from behind most of the way, the Browns led in total yards (283 to 272) while Miami had a slight edge in first downs (17 to 15). Both teams accumulated most of their yardage on the ground, with the Dolphins gaining 198 yards to Cleveland’s 165. The Browns registered four sacks, to two by Miami. However, Cleveland turned the ball over five times, to two turnovers by the Dolphins.

Earl Morrall threw just 13 passes and completed 6 of them for 88 yards, with no touchdowns but also no interceptions. While Larry Csonka was held to 32 yards on 12 carries, Mercury Morris (pictured at left) gained 72 yards on 15 attempts and Jim Kiick contributed 50 yards on 14 carries that included a TD. Paul Warfield had two catches for 50 yards in addition to 41 yards on the two end-around plays and Howard Twilley caught three passes for 33 yards. On defense, Dick Anderson and Doug Swift each had two interceptions.

For the Browns, Mike Phipps was successful on just 9 of 23 throws for 131 yards and a TD, and was intercepted five times. He also ran for 47 yards on 8 carries that included a touchdown. Bo Scott had 94 yards on 16 rushing attempts and added 30 yards on a team-leading four pass receptions. Fair Hooker gained 53 yards on three catches and scored once.

“The best thing for us (the Dolphins) was to get behind,” said Larry Csonka. “It got very quiet and somebody said ‘If we’re gonna get anything done, now’s the time to do it’. It got done.”

The Dolphins kept getting things done with wins in the AFC Championship game and the Super Bowl, completing an unblemished season from beginning to end. Cleveland, a perennial contender that had been in the postseason in six of the preceding eight years, dropped to 7-5-2 and third place in the AFC Central in 1973 and didn’t return to the playoffs until 1980. 

1958: Brodie Rallies 49ers Past Steelers

On September 28, 1958 the San Francisco 49ers hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first week of the NFL season. The 49ers, coached by former star quarterback Frankie Albert, had come close to winning the Western Conference in ’57, going 8-4 and losing a tiebreaking playoff to Detroit in a dramatic second half comeback. QB Y.A. Tittle had received some MVP recognition, but was competing with second-year QB John Brodie (pictured above), who had a good preseason and was the opening-game starter. FB Joe Perry, who entered the opening game 60 yards behind Steve Van Buren’s NFL career rushing record, and HB Hugh McElhenny, a top open-field runner, were stalwarts in the backfield and the receiving corps was a good one.

The Steelers were coming off of a 6-6 finish in their first season under Head Coach Buddy Parker, who had led the Lions to two championships but abruptly resigned and joined up with Pittsburgh during the ’57 preseason. Third-year QB Earl Morrall, originally drafted by the 49ers, started at quarterback for Pittsburgh. The Steelers had newcomers in end Jimmy Orr and HB Dick Christy, and the offense was thus still coming together as the season began.

There were 32,150 fans in attendance at Kezar Stadium. The Steelers had first possession and punted, and the 49ers drove 59 yards in just four plays. John Brodie passed down the middle to Hugh McElhenny for 45 yards. A pass to end Gordie Soltau was good for seven more. McElhenny ran to the one and then, attempting to run to the right, he reversed field and barely reached the corner of the end zone, diving for a touchdown. Soltau kicked the extra point.

The teams traded punts before San Francisco appeared to be driving to another score later in the period, reaching the Pittsburgh 17, but DHB Dick Alban intercepted a Brodie pass. FB Tank Younger promptly broke away for a 29-yard gain, but as the series extended into the second quarter, the Steelers were ultimately forced to punt after Morrall was sacked by DT Leo Nomellini for a 15-yard loss.

Following another punt by the Niners, the Steelers threatened to score as they advanced to the San Francisco 20, the biggest play being a Morrall completion to Christy for 26 yards. However, he was then picked off by safety Bill Stits.

The 49ers went three-and-out and, following the punt, Pittsburgh came back on the next series to travel 49 yards in seven plays and this time didn’t come up empty. Morrall completed three passes and, under pressure, fired a desperation throw to end Ray Matthews in the right corner of the end zone for a TD. Tom Miner successfully converted to tie the score at 7-7.

As time ran down in the first half, the 49ers reached the Pittsburgh 41 before Brodie was sacked by LB Bob Dougherty for a loss of 16 yards and, after two passes were incomplete, they had to punt. Younger, heading toward left end and about to be tackled, lateraled back to Morrall and the quarterback ran 40 yards on the last play of the half.

The veteran Y.A. Tittle came in at quarterback for San Francisco in the third quarter, but the 49ers had to punt following their first possession of the second half. The Steelers moved quickly down the field as a Morrall pass to end Jack McClairen picked up 33 yards and set up a Miner field goal of 22 yards to give the visitors a 10-7 lead.

DHB Jack Butler then intercepted a Tittle pass on the next series, and with the help of a lateral to safety Gary Glick on the return, the Steelers were at the San Francisco 10. Four plays later, Younger plowed over for a one-yard touchdown and, with the successful PAT, the Steelers were up by 17-7. A poorly-thrown pass by Tittle again was intercepted by Butler, who returned it 19 yards. The result of the turnover was another Miner field goal, this time from 33 yards.

Down by 13, Coach Albert sent Brodie back into the game. The 49ers responded by driving 73 yards in eight plays, two of them outstanding catches by flanker R.C. Owens (pictured at left) for 17 and 11 yards. Brodie connected with end Clyde Conner for 21 yards and HB Jim Pace then ran for an 11-yard touchdown. Alban blocked Soltau’s extra point attempt, but the home team had narrowed the Pittsburgh lead to 20-13.

As the game headed into the fourth quarter, the teams exchanged punts. An interception of a Morrall pass by Stits, his second of the game, led to an eight-play scoring drive by the 49ers. Brodie had two more completions to Owens and end Fred Dugan caught a pass for 22 yards to the Pittsburgh three. Brodie capped the drive by sneaking over for a TD from a yard out. Soltau converted this time to tie the score.

On the first play following the kickoff, Morrall went long from his 20 and the pass was again intercepted by Stits, this time at the Pittsburgh 48. Brodie threw three passes to Owens for 12, 8, and 14 yards. The drive stalled at the 15, and with 2:31 left in the contest, Soltau kicked a 22-yard field goal to put the 49ers on top. The Steelers mounted a furious drive in the last two minutes, but time ran out on the visitors at the San Francisco 17 and the 49ers prevailed by a final score of 23-20.

San Francisco had the clear lead in total yards (322 to 217) and first downs (18 to 10). The Steelers turned the ball over four times, with decisive effects in the second half, to three suffered by the 49ers.

John Brodie completed 19 of 28 passes for 244 yards, 11 of 16 coming after he returned in the second half, and had no touchdowns but one interception. Y.A. Tittle was one-of-five for six yards and had two picked off. R.C. Owens had a big game with 9 catches for 103 yards. However, Joe Perry came up short in his quest to pass Steve Van Buren, rushing for 42 yards on 15 carries (he moved past Van Buren the following week). Hugh McElhenny contributed 35 yards on eight attempts. On defense, Bill Stits intercepted three passes – his only interceptions of the season.

For the Steelers, Earl Morrall was successful on 9 of 24 throws for 117 yards and a TD but gave up three interceptions. He also ran the ball twice for 43 yards. Tank Younger (pictured at right) gained 60 yards on 11 carries while Dick Christy led the Steelers with four catches for 53 yards.

The come-from-behind win for the 49ers was followed by two losses in which they scored a total of nine points, and they went on to a disappointing 6-6 record that placed them fourth in the Western Conference. Pittsburgh was beaten by the Browns in the second week but, at that point, Coach Parker swung a trade that included Earl Morrall going to Detroit for star QB Bobby Layne. The Steelers surged through the second half of the season and ended up third in the Eastern Conference at 7-4-1, which was the franchise’s best record since 1947.

John Brodie continued to split the quarterback duties with Y.A. Tittle, although Tittle ultimately regained the starting job. Brodie still threw 172 passes and led the league with a 59.9 completion percentage, accumulating 1224 yards and six touchdowns, but also 13 interceptions. His best years were still well ahead of him. R. C. Owens caught 40 passes for 620 yards (15.5 avg.) and a TD.

Tank Younger, who starred with the Rams for nine years before coming to the Steelers, ended up rushing for 344 yards in what was his last NFL season. Dick Christy, who was supplanted at halfback by ex-Detroit Lion Tom Tracy, primarily returned kicks during the rest of the season and would have his most productive years with the New York Titans in the AFL.

1956: Groza Kicks 4 FGs as Browns Dominate College All-Stars

The 23^rd annual College All-Star Game on August 10, 1956 featured the Cleveland Browns, defending NFL Champions for the second straight year, against a squad coached by Curly Lambeau, who had guided the All-Stars to a 30-27 upset win in the previous contest.

The Browns, coached by Paul Brown, were again without QB Otto Graham, who retired for good after the 1955 NFL title game. George Ratterman, who started at quarterback in the previous year’s defeat, was again behind center. Cleveland was better prepared than when facing the All-Stars in ’55, however, and it would show.

The All-Stars featured a lineup that included the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, HB Howard “Hopalong” Cassady from Ohio State, as well as future pro stars such as Michigan State QB Earl Morrall, halfbacks Lenny Moore of Penn State and Preston Carpenter from Arkansas (who had been drafted by the Browns), West Virginia guard Sam Huff, and SMU tackle Forrest Gregg.  

There were 75,000 fans in attendance at Soldier Field for the Friday night game. The All-Stars looked strong on offense as they took the opening kickoff and, with Earl Morrall behind center, got two first downs on an 11-yard pass completion to Navy end Ron Beagle and a ten-yard carry by the quarterback. Cassady ran for nine yards to put the All-Stars at the Cleveland 34. However, Morrall suffered an injury to his throwing hand and, on the next play, DHB Warren Lahr intercepted a pass by QB Jerry Reichow of Iowa in the end zone to snuff out the threat. It would be all downhill for the collegians, as they never again penetrated Cleveland territory for the remainder of the contest.

Cleveland methodically moved 80 yards in 12 plays that concluded with George Ratterman passing to HB Fred “Curly” Morrison for a 13-yard touchdown. Lou Groza (pictured at top) added the extra point and the pro champs were up by 7-0.

Early in the second quarter, the Browns reached the All-Star 25 but, after being backed up by a holding penalty, settled for a 47-yard Groza field goal (some sources show shorter distances on the field goals because, under the college rules that the game was played under, field goals were measured from the line of scrimmage rather than the spot of the kick). On the next Cleveland series, the Browns lined up for another field goal try but pulled a fake instead, with DB Tommy James carrying the ball. However, he came up two yards short of the necessary distance for a first down. James made up for it a short time later when he intercepted a pass that set up another Groza field goal, from 37 yards, just before the end of the first half. Cleveland led by 13-0 at the intermission.

Dominating on defense, Cleveland kept it very conservative on offense, making for a dull display for the crowd. Even with Morrall’s return to action for the second half, the All-Stars could not mount a threat. Midway through the third quarter, the Browns had good starting field position due to a shanked punt. A successful Groza field goal try from short range was wiped out by a holding penalty, but he then connected from 31 yards.

Shortly thereafter the collegians, trying to convert a fourth down, lost the ball when FB Don Schaefer fumbled and the Browns recovered at the All-Star 45. That led to a 34-yard field goal that made the score 19-0 heading into the final period.

Early in the fourth quarter, Lenny Moore created some excitement with a 24-yard run for the All-Stars, but the Browns once again stifled the collegians on offense. One final touchdown came at the end of a 38-yard, seven-play series, with HB Gene Filipski running the last two yards to paydirt. It was set up when Preston Carpenter fumbled a punt and DE Jim Ray Smith recovered for the Browns. Groza’s successful PAT put the cap on a convincing 26-0 win.

The Browns led in first downs (18 to 5) and ground out 191 yards on the ground. The All-Stars, who rushed for 121 yards, managed to complete only two of 10 pass attempts for 12 yards and two were intercepted. The All-Stars also fumbled the ball away three times while the Browns suffered no turnovers at all.

Lou Groza’s 14 points, thanks to his four field goals and two extra points, represented the largest individual total since Don Hutson accumulated 19 in 1940. George Ratterman was successful on 7 of 14 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown and his understudy, Babe Parilli, completed one of four throws for four yards but rushed for 39 yards on seven carries. FB Ed Modzelewski led the ground attack, rushing for 76 yards on 21 carries.

For the All-Stars, Earl Morrall (pictured above) completed one of four throws for 11 yards and Jerry Reichow managed one completion for one yard. Don Schaefer topped the collegians with 42 rushing yards on 11 carries while “Hopalong” Cassady, who was playing with an injured heel, was held to 21 yards on six attempts.

Cleveland’s win put the pro champs ahead in the series by 14 to 7, with two ties. However, it didn’t herald another big year for the Browns. They lost four of their first five games on the way to a 5-7 finish, the first losing record in franchise history.

Earl Morrall spent his rookie season with the 49ers and would play for five other teams in a pro career that lasted 21 years. He would return to the College All-Star Game as a member of the Baltimore Colts in 1971.

MVP Profile: Earl Morrall, 1972

Quarterback, Miami Dolphins

Age:  38

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

College: Michigan State

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 206

Prelude:

After leading Michigan State to a win in the Rose Bowl, Morrall was taken in the first round of the 1956 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. Following a mediocre rookie season in which he backed up Y.A. Tittle, he was dealt to Pittsburgh where he became the starter and had a fair year in ’57. Two games into 1958, he was traded to Detroit in the deal that brought Bobby Layne to the Steelers and for the next seven years he shared the job with, first, Jim Ninowski and then Milt Plum. His best season with the Lions was in 1963, when he passed for 2621 yards and 24 TDs. But when new Head Coach Harry Gilmer committed to Plum for ’65, Morrall was dealt to the New York Giants. He started in 1965 and had a good year for a 7-7 team, but missed half of ’66 due to injury and was on the bench behind Fran Tarkenton in 1967. Frustrated at once again being a backup, he was traded to the Colts during the 1968 preseason to provide insurance as number two to Johnny Unitas. When Unitas suffered a major arm injury, Morrall took over as the starting quarterback and had a MVP season, most notably leading the NFL in passing, TD passes (26), and yards per attempt (9.2). The Colts went 13-1 and won the league title, although the dream year came to a sour end in an upset loss to the AFL Champion Jets in the Super Bowl. Morrall returned to a backup role with Unitas reclaiming the starting job in 1969 and helped rally the Colts in relief in the Super Bowl win over the Cowboys following the ’70 season. He saw considerable action in place of the increasingly-brittle Unitas in 1971, but with the team undergoing a youth movement in ’72 he was traded once more, this time to the Miami Dolphins where he was reunited with his first coach in Baltimore, Don Shula. A broken ankle suffered by starting QB Bob Griese in Week 5 put Morrall in the starting lineup.

1972 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 150

Most attempts, game – 19 vs. St. Louis 11/27

Completions – 83

Most completions, game – 12 vs. St. Louis 11/27

Yards – 1360

Most yards, game – 210 vs. St. Louis 11/27

Completion percentage – 55.3 [8]

Yards per attempt – 9.1 [1]

TD passes – 11 [18, tied with Marty Domres]

Most TD passes, game – 2 vs. San Diego 10/15, vs. St. Louis 11/27, at New England 12/3

Interceptions – 7

Most interceptions, game – 1 on seven occasions

Passer rating – 91.0 [1]

200-yard passing games – 2

Rushing

Attempts – 17

Most attempts, game – 4 (for 7 yds.) vs. Buffalo 10/22

Yards – 67

Most yards, game – 29 yards (on 3 carries) vs. NY Jets 11/19

Yards per attempt – 3.9

TDs – 1

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points - 6

Postseason: 2 G

Pass attempts – 24

Most attempts, game - 13 vs. Cleveland, AFC Divisional playoff

Pass completions – 13

Most completions, game - 7 at Pittsburgh, AFC Championship

Passing yardage – 139

Most yards, game - 88 vs. Cleveland, AFC Divisional playoff

TD passes – 1

Interceptions – 1

Rushing attempts – 4

Most rushing attempts, game - 4 vs. Cleveland, AFC Divisional playoff

Rushing yards – 3

Most rushing yards, game - 3 vs. Cleveland, AFC Divisional playoff

Average gain rushing – 0.8

Rushing TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

AFC Player of the Year: Sporting News

NFL Comeback Player of the Year: AP

1^st team All-NFL: AP

2^nd team All-NFL: NEA

1^st team All-AFC: AP

Dolphins went 14-0 to finish first in the AFC East as they led the NFL in total yards (5036), rushing yards (2960), scoring (385 points), and touchdowns (45, tied with the Oakland Raiders). Won AFC Divisional playoff over Cleveland Browns (20-14), AFC Championship over Pittsburgh Steelers (21-17), and Super Bowl over Washington Redskins (14-7).

Aftermath:

Morrall gave way to Griese in the playoffs in 1972 and stayed on another four years as a backup, finally retiring following the 1976 season at age 42 and after 21 seasons in the NFL. Often regarded as the greatest backup quarterback in league history, he twice was selected to the Pro Bowl and ended up passing for 20,809 yards and 161 TDs.

--

MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). 

1972: Griese Leads Dolphins to Win Over Steelers for AFC Championship

The Miami Dolphins had gone undefeated through the regular season and were looking to move on to the Super Bowl as they faced the Pittsburgh Steelers for the AFC Championship on December 31, 1972. The Dolphins had immediately benefited from the arrival of Don Shula as head coach in 1970, reaching the playoffs in each of his first two seasons and topping the AFC in ’71. It seemed as though they would be in trouble when star QB Bob Griese (pictured above) went down with a broken ankle in the fifth game, but 38-year-old backup Earl Morrall stepped in and the club kept winning. The ball control offense set a league record with 2960 rushing yards and bulldozing FB Larry Csonka and fleet HB Eugene “Mercury” Morris both reached the thousand-yard mark. When the Dolphins needed to go to the air, WR Paul Warfield was one of the best deep threats in the league. The “No-Name” defense in reality had plenty of outstanding players, including pass rushing ends Bill Stanfill and Vern Den Herder, MLB Nick Buoniconti, and the excellent safety tandem of Dick Anderson and Jake Scott. After going 14-0, Miami won a tough AFC Divisional battle over the Browns to reach the conference title game.

The Steelers, coached by Chuck Noll, were an up-and-coming club that was in the postseason for the first time since 1947. After going 11-3 during the regular season to top the AFC Central, Pittsburgh won a hard-fought Divisional round game over the Raiders thanks to an astonishing play – the “Immaculate Reception” – scored by FB Franco Harris. Harris had rushed for 1055 yards as a rookie while third-year QB Terry Bradshaw continued his development. The defense was especially strong, with an outstanding line anchored by DT “Mean Joe” Greene, a fine pair of outside linebackers in Jack Ham and Andy Russell, and a group of backs that included a rising star in CB Mel Blount. A source of concern coming into the game, however, was that several of the players were battling the flu, including Bradshaw.

There were over 50,000 fans in attendance at Three Rivers Stadium on a 63-degree day in Pittsburgh. The Dolphins had the first possession and it ended with SS Glen Edwards intercepting an overthrown Earl Morrall pass that he returned 28 yards to the Miami 48. Pittsburgh moved methodically in ten plays, with Franco Harris carrying on the first four and seven times overall for 35 yards. Facing third-and-two at the Miami three, Terry Bradshaw ran around left end but fumbled into the end zone when hit by Jake Scott. OT Gerry Mullins recovered for a touchdown and, with Roy Gerela adding the extra point, the Steelers had the early 7-0 lead. However, Bradshaw was shaken up on the play and Terry Hanratty came in at quarterback when Pittsburgh next had the ball.

The teams exchanged punts and, as the first quarter ended, the Dolphins had a first down at their 46 after a Morrall throw to TE Marv Fleming picked up 15 yards. The series stalled at the Pittsburgh 42, but Larry Seiple, lined up to punt, caught the Steelers napping and instead took off and ran 37 yards to the 12 (pictured below). Two plays later, Morrall threw to Larry Csonka for a nine-yard TD and Garo Yepremian added the extra point to tie the score. Neither team was able to get out of its end of the field for the remainder of the half as they traded punts and failed at connecting on long passes. The score remained 7-7 at the half.

Pittsburgh took the second half kickoff and drove into Miami territory. On third-and-13, Hanratty completed a pass to TE John McMakin for 22 yards and followed up with a throw to WR Ron Shanklin for 24 yards to the Miami 37. The Steelers got another big gain, this time on a draw play as HB John “Frenchy” Fuqua ran for another 24 yards. The series finally stalled at the seven and Gerela booted a 14-yard field goal to put Pittsburgh back in front by 10-7.

When the Miami offense came on the field, Bob Griese was at quarterback, making his first appearance since suffering the injury in Week 5. After two short running plays, Griese went to the air and connected with Paul Warfield for a 52-yard gain to the Pittsburgh 24. The Dolphins got a huge break when LB Jack Ham intercepted a pass that was nullified by an offside penalty on the Steelers. The series continued and ended after 80 yards and 11 plays with HB Jim Kiick taking a pitchout and running two yards for a touchdown. Yepremian added the PAT and Miami was on top by 14-10.

The teams exchanged punts to finish off the third quarter. Pittsburgh had good field position to start the final period at the Miami 48 following a 33-yard Seiple punt. Harris ran for seven yards but then Hanratty threw two incomplete passes and a 48-yard field goal attempt by Gerela was blocked.

Taking over at the Pittsburgh 49, the Dolphins put together another scoring drive. Griese passed just once in the 11-play possession, as Csonka, Kiick, and Mercury Morris carried the load. Kiick again finished off the drive with a three-yard touchdown carry and Yepremian’s extra point made Miami’s lead 21-10.

Terry Bradshaw was back behind center for the Steelers as they took possession at their 29 following the kickoff. He wasted no time moving the team down the field, completing a nine-yard pass to TE Larry Brown and following up with consecutive 25-yard completions to WR Al Young and Shanklin. The fourth play was a 12-yard TD pass to Young and Gerela’s conversion cut the Miami lead to four points.

The Dolphins went three-and-out on their next series and had to punt. Bradshaw was tossed for a nine-yard loss, threw an incomplete pass, and then was intercepted by Nick Buoniconti. Miami was able to run the clock down to 48 seconds, turning the ball over on downs at the Pittsburgh nine. Two plays later, LB Mike Kolen intercepted Bradshaw’s last-gasp pass and the Dolphins were winners by a score of 21-17.

Miami had the edge in total yards (314 to 250), with 193 of that total coming on 49 running plays, and first downs (19 to 13). The Dolphins also recorded the only two sacks of the game on defense. The Steelers turned the ball over twice, late in the contest, while Miami suffered the one early turnover.

Bob Griese completed three of five passes for 70 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions after relieving Earl Morrall, who was 7-of-11 for 51 yards with a TD and an interception. Mercury Morris led the ground attack with 76 yards on 16 carries while Larry Csonka contributed 68 yards on 24 attempts and also scored on his one catch. Jim Kiick (pictured above) gained just 12 yards on 8 carries, but two were good for TDs. Marv Fleming caught 5 passes for 50 yards and Paul Warfield, thanks to his one long reception on Griese’s first throw, gained 63 yards on his two catches.

For the Steelers, both Terry Bradshaw and Terry Hanratty were successful on 5 of 10 passes, with Bradshaw tossing for one TD while giving up the two late interceptions while Hanratty’s completions gained 57 yards. Franco Harris ran for 76 yards on 16 attempts. Al Young was the team’s top receiver with four catches for 54 yards and a touchdown.

Miami, with Bob Griese starting at quarterback, went on to crown its undefeated season with a win in the Super Bowl over the Washington Redskins. The Dolphins won a third consecutive AFC Championship in 1973 and again won the Super Bowl. The Steelers were a 10-4 Wild Card team in ’73, losing to Oakland in the Divisional playoff round, but would succeed Miami as the NFL’s top team with back-to-back Super Bowl victories in 1974 and ’75.

1957: Morrall Leads Steelers to Upset of Slumping Colts

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a 3-2 record and were struggling to score points as they faced the Baltimore Colts on November 3, 1957. Buddy Parker had taken over as head coach following his abrupt departure from the Lions during the preseason, and while Pittsburgh had a tough defense, the offense had deficiencies at running back and on the line. Second-year quarterback, Earl Morrall (pictured at right), who had been obtained from the 49ers, showed promise but was inexperienced and having difficulty against teams that sent a heavy pass rush. To help Morrall and the passing game, Parker countered against Baltimore by realigning the running backs so that FB Fran Rogel was behind G Mike Sandusky and could thus provide extra protection.

The Colts, under Head Coach Weeb Ewbank, had gotten off to a 3-0 start before losing their last two games prior to hosting the Steelers. Second-year QB Johnny Unitas, originally drafted by Pittsburgh, was rapidly developing into a star, and there were plenty of other formidable weapons on offense, such as ends Raymond Berry and Jim Mutscheller, FB Alan Ameche, and HB Lenny Moore. The defense was good, in particular the line – a further reason for Buddy Parker to sacrifice the already-suspect running game in order to better protect the young quarterback.

There were 42,575 fans in attendance at Memorial Stadium. The Colts scored the first time they had the ball, going 81 yards in 15 plays. On a third-and-five play, Unitas connected with Raymond Berry in the end zone for a five-yard touchdown. However, DHB Jack Butler blocked Bert Rechichar’s extra point attempt and the score remained 6-0.

In response, the Steelers put together a long drive of their own that extended past the opening period. While they had problems running the ball, Morrall made up for it with his passing. As the second quarter began, Pittsburgh had second-and-goal at the Baltimore nine but came up empty when Morrall was sacked for a seven-yard loss, overthrew a pass into the end zone intended for end Ray Mathews, and Gary Glick missed a 24-yard field goal attempt that was wide to the right.

The Colts had to punt following their next possession and Cotton Davidson’s kick went only 25 yards to give Pittsburgh good starting field position near midfield. A fumble and incomplete pass brought up third down, but then Morrall went deep for Mathews, who pulled it in for a 48-yard TD. Glick added the extra point and the Steelers led by 7-6.

The Colts had a chance to score before the first half ended, but a pass intended for end Jim Mutscheller in the end zone was picked off by Butler.

In the third quarter, the Colts had a promising series that reached Pittsburgh territory, but Butler (pictured at left) intercepted a Unitas pass at his 22 to end the threat. Later in the period, LB Aubrey Rozelle picked off a pass to give the Steelers the ball at the Baltimore 21. After HB Billy Wells lost a yard, Morrall again fired a long pass to Mathews for a 22-yard TD. Glick added the PAT and the visitors were up by 14-6.

After DB Dick Nyers returned the ensuing kickoff 38 yards for the Colts, George Shaw relieved Unitas at quarterback and directed the home team on a seven-play, 61-yard drive. Keeping the ball on rollouts, Shaw gained 20 rushing yards himself and went the final eight yards around right end for a TD. This time Rechichar successfully converted to make it a one-point game at 14-13.

Early in the fourth quarter, Rechichar missed a 41-yard field goal attempt that would have put the Colts in front. The Steelers then added to their lead on a possession highlighted by Mathews made a tumbling catch to gain 31 yards. Glick added a 16-yard field goal to make it a four-point game.

The Colts hurt themselves further when the kickoff bounced away and was finally corralled by Nyers at the two, who was only able to pick up two yards. Following a one-yard carry by Alan Ameche, the Colts were penalized half the distance and Unitas, fading back into his end zone, was pulled down by DE Bill McPeak for a safety. That was it for the scoring as Pittsburgh’s defense continued to frustrate the Colts. The Steelers won by a final score of 19-13.

Pittsburgh outgained the Colts (271 yards to 255) although Baltimore had the edge in first downs (17 to 12). The Steelers managed only 15 yards on the ground in 30 attempts, to 168 rushing yards for the Colts, but Baltimore was held to just 87 net yards through the air. The Colts also turned the ball over four times, all on interceptions, to one suffered by Pittsburgh.

Earl Morrall completed 18 of 30 passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns with one intercepted. He also led the anemic running game with 23 yards on three carries. Billy Wells gained 20 yards on 13 attempts. End Jack McClairen had 7 pass receptions for 64 yards and Ray Mathews (pictured at right) contributed 6 catches for 165 yards and two TDs. Of Pittsburgh’s four interceptions on defense, Jack Butler accounted for three of them and also had the blocked extra point to his credit.

For the Colts, Johnny Unitas had an abysmal day as he was successful on only three of 9 throws for 56 yards and a TD. George Shaw went three-of-six for 44 yards. Alan Ameche rushed for 56 yards on 10 carries. Raymond Berry had three catches for 56 yards and a score.

The game did not mark a turnaround for the Steelers – they lost their next three contests and finished third in the Eastern Conference at 6-6. Baltimore recovered to win four straight and stay in contention in the Western Conference, but losses in the final two games put them in third place at 7-5.

Earl Morrall had a respectable season, ranking second in the league in pass attempts (289) and third in completions (139) for 1900 yards and 11 touchdowns with 12 intercepted. His completion percentage (48.1) and yards per attempt (6.6) were ordinary, but he was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first of two times over the course of his long, 22-year career.

The game against the Colts was the biggest of the season for Ray Mathews, who ended up with 15 catches for 369 yards (24.6 avg.) and four touchdowns. Jack Butler, on the other hand, co-led the NFL with 10 interceptions and was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection as well as Pro Bowl honoree.

Johnny Unitas went on to have an outstanding breakout season, leading the NFL in pass attempts (301), yards (2550), TD passes (24), and yards per attempt (8.5). He was named league MVP by the NEA as well as receiving first-team All-NFL recognition from the organization and second-team honors from the AP, UPI, and New York Daily News. He was also chosen to the Pro Bowl for the first of an eventual ten times over the course of his career.

1968: Kelly Runs for 130 Yards as Browns Hand Colts Only Loss of Season

The Baltimore Colts were cruising at 5-0, and had lost only once in their previous 19 games (that included two ties), as they hosted the Cleveland Browns on October 20, 1968. Head Coach Don Shula’s team was winning despite the loss of star QB Johnny Unitas to a severe elbow injury in the preseason. 34-year-old QB Earl Morrall, acquired from the Giants as insurance, was filling in admirably for the all-time great. The rest of the club was solid. If anything, with the Browns coming into town they could be excused for looking ahead to a showdown with the Rams the next week – the team that had inflicted the defeat at the end of the 1967 that cost the Colts a spot in the postseason.

Cleveland, coached by Blanton Collier, had a 2-3 record and was most recently coming off a loss to the Cardinals. They, too, had gained a new quarterback in the prior offseason in Bill Nelsen, who came from the Browns and supplanted veteran Frank Ryan three weeks into the schedule. They had an outstanding runner in HB Leroy Kelly (pictured above) and equally great receiver in split end Paul Warfield and, after starting slowly, the offense was beginning to come to life following the change at quarterback.

There were 60,238 fans in attendance at Memorial Stadium on a sunny afternoon. The Browns took the opening kickoff and put together a long series that featured Bill Nelsen throwing to WR Eppie Barney for 15 yards and Leroy Kelly gaining 14 yards on a draw play in a third-and-six situation. But after reaching the Baltimore 29, Nelsen was dropped for a 10-yard loss on a third-down play and Don Cockroft’s 47-yard field goal attempt fell short and was returned by FS Rick Volk to the Baltimore 25.

The Colts got a quick first down when Earl Morrall threw to WR Jimmy Orr for seven yards and FB Jerry Hill followed up with a four-yard run. However, three plays later Morrall faced a heavy blitz and, hit by DT Jim Kanicki, fumbled. LB Jim Houston recovered for the Browns and they took advantage by driving 37 yards in seven plays. Nelsen threw two passes to Paul Warfield, for 15 and 9 yards apiece, and Kelly took a swing pass to gain the last two yards for a touchdown. With Cockroft’s extra point, the Browns were up by 7-0.

HB Preston Pearson returned the ensuing kickoff 35 yards to his own 40 and the Colts were at the Cleveland 49 as the first quarter ended, but had to punt. The Browns, pinned down at their 10, went three-and-out and Baltimore regained possession at midfield. Morrall immediately went to the air and hit Orr for 27 yards and HB Tom Matte then ran the remaining 23 yards for a TD. With the conversion by Lou Michaels, the score was tied.

The teams traded punts as neither offense was able to move until, with just under three minutes remaining in the half, the Browns took possession at their 19 and mounted an 81-yard drive in 10 plays. Kelly ran the ball well and gained 16 yards on a pass completion. A throw by Nelsen to TE Milt Morin picked up 20 yards and had another 15 yards tacked on for a roughing-the-passer penalty to get the ball to the Baltimore 19. The drive culminated in Nelsen passing to Warfield for a five-yard touchdown with the clock down to 24 seconds and Cockroft added the PAT. Cleveland went into halftime with a 14-7 lead.

When the Colts came out for their first series of the third quarter, Johnny Unitas was at quarterback, much to the excitement of the crowd. It was not a promising return for the veteran star, however, when his first pass was deflected and intercepted by FS Mike Howell. Starting at the Baltimore 34, the Browns methodically drove to another score in eight plays. Nelsen threw to Barney for a two-yard TD, Cockroft booted the extra point, and the visitors were now leading by 21-7.

Unitas threw two incomplete passes on the next series, but the Colts got a break when CB Ben Davis fumbled the resulting punt and LB Bob Grant recovered at the Cleveland 37. The rusty Unitas still had difficulty completing passes, but Baltimore managed to get a 17-yard Michaels field goal to make it a 21-10 game.

The Colts managed to retain possession on the following kickoff when Michaels recovered his own short, bouncing kick at the Cleveland 29. Baltimore picked up only four yards in three plays and Michaels kicked another field goal, this time from 33 yards.

The teams traded punts for the remainder of the period. The fourth quarter started with Unitas throwing for Orr, but the pass bounced out of the receiver’s hands and was intercepted by LB Bob Matheson, who returned it 30 yards to the Baltimore four. From there on the next play, Kelly ran around end for a touchdown. While Cockroft’s extra point attempt was blocked by DE Bubba Smith, Cleveland was now ahead by 27-13.

Another short series for the Colts ended in Unitas throwing an interception, this time with DE Bill Glass grabbing the deflected pass and giving the visitors the ball at the Baltimore 17. By this point, many in the crowd that was earlier buoyed by his return were booing the all-time great as he left the field. The Browns reached the four before Cockroft kicked an 11-yard field goal.

Morrall was back at quarterback for the Colts, to the cheers of the fans, and he went to the air eight times, completed five, with the last pass to WR Willie Richardson for an eight-yard touchdown. The extra point by Michaels made it a ten-point game, but that was the last gasp for Baltimore. An onside kick was recovered by the Browns and they were able to maintain possession and nail down the 30-20 win.

Cleveland had more total yards (305 to 212) and first downs (19 to 13) than the Colts. The Browns especially ran the ball effectively, gaining 179 yards on the ground. The key was Baltimore’s five turnovers, to one suffered by Cleveland.

Leroy Kelly was the star on offense with 130 rushing yards on 30 carries that included a touchdown plus 18 more yards on two catches that included another TD. Bill Nelsen (pictured at right) completed 15 of 23 passes for three touchdowns with none intercepted and also ran the ball four times for another 32 yards. Paul Warfield had 5 pass receptions for 46 yards and a score.

For the Colts, Earl Morrall was successful on 10 of 18 throws for 130 yards and a TD and one interception. Johnny Unitas completed only one of 11 passes for 12 yards and suffered three interceptions. Tom Matte rushed for 64 yards and a TD on 13 carries and gained another 37 yards on two catches. John Mackey led the receivers with three receptions for 41 yards while Jimmy Orr also caught three passes, for 38 yards.

“I couldn’t get the ball down,” explained Johnny Unitas of his difficulties throwing the ball. “I was releasing it high. But I did have some bad luck.”

When asked further about his reaction to being booed by the home crowd, Unitas responded with a terse “I could care less.”

With Morrall continuing to start for the remainder of the season, the Colts regained their footing to decisively defeat the Rams the next week and continue on to a 13-1 record and first place in the Coastal Division. The win over the Colts initiated an eight-game winning streak for the Browns, who topped the Century Division at 10-4. Both teams won their conference title games, with Cleveland upsetting Dallas in the Eastern Conference and Baltimore easily dispatching the Vikings in the Western Conference. In the rematch for the NFL Championship, the Colts gained their revenge by a convincing 34-0 score. However, the dream season ended with a stunning loss to the AFL-Champion New York Jets in the Super Bowl.

Leroy Kelly led the NFL in rushing for the second straight year with 1239 yards on 248 carries (5.0 avg.) and 16 touchdowns. Adding in 22 catches for 297 yards and another four TDs, he led the league in yards from scrimmage (1536), touchdowns (20), and scoring (120 points). In addition to receiving consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors, he was named as recipient of the Maxwell Club’s Bert Bell Award as NFL Player of the Year.

Earl Morrall was the consensus league MVP, however, as he led the league in passing (93.2 rating), touchdown passes (26), yards per attempt (9.2), and yards per completion (16.0) while placing second in passing yards (2909) and completion percentage (57.4). In sixth place (third by the current rating system, at 86.4) was Bill Nelsen, who ranked in the top five in yards (2366), touchdowns (19), yards per attempt (8.1), and yards per completion (15.6).

Johnny Unitas saw scant action during the remainder of the regular season, but did lead the Colts to their only touchdown in the Super Bowl defeat in relief of Morrall. While there were concerns as to his ability to come back (he was 36 by the start of the 1969 season), he did return to the starting job, although with increasingly diminishing returns until his last year in 1973.