1971: Vikings Rally to Defeat Lions

The Minnesota Vikings opened the 1971 season on September 20 as they faced their strongest NFC Central rivals, the Detroit Lions, in a Monday night game. Both teams had reached the postseason in 1970, with the Vikings topping the division for the third straight year (and first in the NFC/AFC format) with a 12-2 record while the Lions were the Wild Card playoff entry at 10-4. However, Detroit had lost six straight games to the Vikings, the team they needed to beat if they were to rise further.

Minnesota was entering its fifth season under the direction of Head Coach Bud Grant and was known for its rather plodding offense and strong defense. QB Gary Cuozzo (pictured above) was adequate, at best, and while Norm Snead had been obtained from the Eagles to challenge him for the starting job, he was still behind center for the opening game. The line was solid and the backs capable, although they lacked speed. The strength of the rugged defense was the imposing front four of ends Carl Eller and Jim Marshall and tackles Alan Page and Gary Larsen.

The Lions, coached by former star linebacker Joe Schmidt, were viewed as a team on the rise. QB Greg Landry was emerging as a talented passer who could also run effectively. Likewise, FB Steve Owens was up-and-coming and there were good veterans in the running back mix as well. Detroit had a noteworthy defense as well, and while the front line did not compare to Minnesota’s, the linebackers and backfield were at least as impressive.  

There were 54,418 fans in attendance on a clear night at Tiger Stadium with temperatures in the fifties. The Lions had the first possession and put together a long drive of 71 yards. Greg Landry made two big plays carrying the ball rather than passing, gaining a yard on a quarterback sneak to convert a fourth down at the Minnesota 44 and then, facing a third-and-nine situation, taking off and running for 10 yards. HB Mel Farr also had a 17-yard gain but WR Larry Walton missed a pass in the end zone and the series resulted in a 20-yard Errol Mann field goal.

HB Clint Jones fumbled on the ensuing kickoff and TE Craig Cotton recovered for the Lions at the Minnesota 21. Four plays later, Landry (pictured at left) rolled out to his right and tossed a three-yard touchdown pass to Farr. Mann added the extra point and Detroit was ahead by 10-0.

The Vikings had yet to run a play on offense and when they did it resulted in another turnover as HB Dave Osborn fumbled and DE Larry Hand recovered for the Lions at the Minnesota 35. However, the Vikings held the home team to a three-and-out series and Mann’s 39-yard field goal attempt hit the crossbar and was unsuccessful.

The teams traded punts as the game headed into the second quarter. Detroit put together a drive that featured Landry passing to Walton for 19 yards on a third-and-five play, but unable to get beyond the Minnesota 46, Mann’s field goal try from 53 yards was wide.  

The Lions got a break on defense when FS Tom Vaughn intercepted a pass by Gary Cuozzo, who was being pressured by Hand, and returned it eight yards to the Minnesota 28. A run was followed by two passes intended for Walton at the goal line that fell incomplete and resulted in Mann kicking a 36-yard field goal. Detroit was ahead by 13-0 with less than five minutes to play in the first half. The Vikings mounted a 60-yard series that resulted in a 13-yard Fred Cox field goal to finally get on the board with three seconds remaining on the clock and the halftime score was 13-3.

Minnesota came alive on offense to start the third quarter, advancing 80 yards in five plays. Cuozzo threw to WR Bob Grim for 24 yards and connected with Grim again, who outmaneuvered CB Lem Barney and, after falling down at the two but not being downed, reached the end zone for a 45-yard touchdown. Cox added the point after to narrow Detroit’s margin to 13-10.

A possession that featured Landry running for 14 yards on a second-and-10 play ended at the Minnesota 45 and once again Mann missed on a long field goal attempt from 53 yards. The Vikings punted after a short series and Barney returned it 13 yards to the Detroit 42, and from there on the next play, a nine-yard run by Steve Owens, the Lions gained another 15 yards due to a personal foul on the Vikings. Three more running plays got the ball to the Minnesota 21, but a holding penalty moved them back and, while a Landry screen pass to Farr gained seven yards back, Mann again was wide on a field goal attempt, this time from 36 yards.

The Vikings had the ball as the game headed into the fourth quarter and Cuozzo completed passes to Grim for nine yards on a third-and-six play and to RB Oscar Reed for 16. RB Jim Lindsey picked up 18 yards on three straight carries and caught a pass for six more to set up a 42-yard Cox field goal that tied the score.

On the ensuing kickoff return, Barney was hit hard by FB Bill Brown, fumbled, and the Vikings regained possession as safety Karl Kassulke recovered at the Detroit 20. Cuozzo threw passes to Reed for seven yards and TE Stu Voigt for nine and, while the Lions halted the advance at the two when Vaughn alertly tackled Cuozzo, Cox put the visitors in front on a nine-yard field goal with 5:18 remaining to play.

Detroit was unable to mount another threat until getting a break in the last minute when a facemask penalty added 15 yards to a punt return and gave the Lions first down at the Minnesota 45 with 46 seconds remaining on the clock. Landry threw to WR Earl McCullouch for 20 yards to get the ball to the Minnesota 25, but Mann missed yet again on a 33-yard field goal attempt and the Vikings came away winners by a final score of 16-13.

Minnesota had the edge in total yards (275 to 221) while the Lions led in first downs (15 to 14). Detroit had the greater success running the ball (160 yards on 38 attempts to 43 yards on 29 attempts) while the Vikings were more effective through the air (232 to 61). Minnesota turned the ball over four times, with early miscues helping to dig the first quarter hole, to two suffered by the Lions. Missed field goals proved fatal to Detroit as the usually-reliable Errol Mann failed on five of seven attempts, three of which were under 40 yards, while Minnesota’s Fred Cox was successful on all three of his tries.

Gary Cuozzo completed 19 of 32 passes for 232 yards and a touchdown while giving up two interceptions. Bob Grim (pictured at right) had a big performance with 7 catches for 126 yards and a TD. Jim Lindsey led the Vikings with 21 rushing yards on six carries and Dave Osborn gained 17 yards on 9 attempts but also caught 5 passes for 40 yards.

For the Lions, Greg Landry had a rough performance, succeeding on just 8 of 26 throws for 61 yards and a TD with none picked off. He also ran the ball six times for 35 yards to rank third among the club’s ground gainers, as HB Altie Taylor had 51 yards on 13 carries and Steve Owens gained 45 yards on 12 attempts. Mel Farr caught a team-leading three passes for 14 yards and a touchdown in addition to six rushes for 23 yards. Larry Walton accumulated 22 yards on two receptions but had damaging drops as well.

“We dropped the football a couple of times,” said Coach Grant with reference to Minnesota’s first quarter fumbles. “It took a quarter and a half for us to recover from that.”

“We beat them physically but couldn’t put the points on the board,” summed up Joe Schmidt of the Lions.

Minnesota lost the next week but then won five straight games on the way to another NFC Central title with an 11-3 record. The Vikings fell to Dallas in the Divisional playoff round. The Lions won four consecutive contests and were at 7-3-1 before dropping three straight games, including the rematch with Minnesota, to close out the season at 7-6-1 and again second in the division, but without a spot in the postseason.

Bob Grim went on to have his finest pro season, catching 45 passes for 691 yards (15.4 avg.) and seven touchdowns. He was rewarded with selection to the Pro Bowl.

Greg Landry recovered from his rough opening week to also gain Pro Bowl recognition as he passed for 2227 yards and 16 TDs and rushed for 530 yards, at the time a record for a NFL quarterback. Errol Mann survived the bad first week to connect on 22 of 37 field goal attempts (59.5 %) as well as all 37 extra point tries, for a total of 103 points, which ranked second in the NFC.

1972: Vikings Obtain Gilliam & Draft Picks from Cards for Cuozzo

On April 26, 1972 the Minnesota Vikings traded discontented QB Gary Cuozzo to the St. Louis Cardinals for WR John Gilliam and two draft choices, which were second and fourth picks for 1973.

The 31-year-old Cuozzo had played out his option and was due to become a free agent on May 1 and had demanded a trade. After being the primary starter in 1970, he had split time with Norm Snead, who was obtained from Philadelphia with the hope that he might supplant Cuozzo, and Bob Lee in ’71. While Snead was traded to the Giants three months earlier, it was as part of the deal that brought QB Fran Tarkenton back to Minnesota – a clear indication that Cuozzo was not part of the team’s plans.

Undrafted out of Virginia in 1963, Cuozzo had originally been a backup to Johnny Unitas for four seasons with the Colts. While he didn’t see much action, he had a five-touchdown passing performance against the Vikings in 1965 that drew a great deal of favorable attention and the New Orleans Saints traded a first-round draft pick for him in ’67. Cuozzo was unable to hold onto the starting job with the first-year team and was dealt to Minnesota the following year, this time for two first-round picks. He couldn’t unseat starting QB Joe Kapp, finally taking over when the fiery Kapp left the club after the 1969 season. Smart (he was Phi Beta Kappa in college) and an accurate passer, he lacked arm strength and was not nearly the leader that his predecessor in Minnesota was.  Overall with the Vikings, Cuozzo completed 49.6 percent of his passes for 3552 yards and 18 touchdowns, giving up 23 interceptions. And while the club was 16-5 during his regular season starts, it had not been able to win in the postseason.

Head Coach Bob Hollway of the Cardinals indicated that Cuozzo would be the starting quarterback, ahead of Jim Hart and Pete Beathard, who both had trouble with consistency. St. Louis was coming off of a 4-9-1 record in 1971, which marked a big drop from the previous year, and quarterback was an area of concern.

John Gilliam (pictured at top) was 26 and was a teammate of Cuozzo’s with the Saints in 1967, who had drafted him in the second round. He scored the first regular season touchdown in franchise history on the opening kickoff of the ’67 season, but the remainder of his tenure with the club was unremarkable and he was obtained by the Cards in 1969. With his great speed in a better offense, he broke out in St. Louis, catching 52 passes for 997 yards (19.2 avg.) and nine TDs in his first year with the club. Gilliam followed up with 45 receptions for 952 yards (21.1 avg.) and five touchdowns in ’70 and was coming off of a 1971 season with 42 catches for 837 yards (19.9 avg.). He led the team in receiving yards in each of his three seasons and in receptions in the last two. With WR Bob Grim having been traded to the Giants along with Snead, a spot was open in the Minnesota lineup for Gilliam.

Cuozzo (pictured above) proved to not be the answer in St. Louis. He started six games, only one of which resulted in a win for the Cards, while splitting time with Hart and unheralded Tim Van Galder (Pete Beathard was traded to the Rams during the preseason). He completed just 43.7 percent of his passes for 897 yards and five touchdowns while giving up 11 interceptions. It marked the end of the line for his pro career as he retired to practice dentistry.

Gilliam had much more success in Minnesota. He caught 47 passes for 1035 yards (22.0 avg.) and seven touchdowns and earned the first of four straight Pro Bowl selections, matching his number of seasons with the Vikings (he jumped to the Chicago Winds of the WFL in 1975, but when the team folded at the end of August after five games he returned to Minnesota in time for the regular season). He had a total of 165 catches for 3297 yards (20.0 avg.) and 27 TDs for the Vikings and added another 14 receptions for 261 yards (18.6 avg.) and five scores in the postseason. Gilliam moved on to the Atlanta Falcons in ’76, where his production dropped off significantly in his next-to-last year.

The 1973 second round draft choice that Minnesota also obtained was used to take Jackie Wallace, a defensive back from Arizona, while the fourth round pick was passed on to Kansas City (who used it to take Emporia State DE John Lohmeyer). Wallace started at cornerback in place of the injured Bobby Bryant and also returned kicks before moving on to the Colts, who shifted him to safety for two years, and eventually the Rams, where he led the league with 52 punt returns for 618 yards in 1978.

1968: Vikings Obtain Gary Cuozzo from Saints

On January 29, 1968, which was the eve of the combined NFL/AFL draft, it was announced that the Minnesota Vikings traded their first-round draft picks for both 1968 and ‘69 to the New Orleans Saints for QB Gary Cuozzo.

The deal gave the Saints the seventh pick in the ’68 draft. They had lost their first round choice as compensation to the Packers for signing FB Jim Taylor as a free agent in ‘67. Meanwhile, Minnesota still held the first overall pick thanks to their trade with New York the previous year involving QB Fran Tarkenton. It was widely speculated that they would take a lineman with that first choice, and so they did, choosing USC tackle Ron Yary, who would go on to a Hall of Fame career.

Cuozzo was 27 years old and had played collegiately at the University of Virginia, where he had also been a Phi Beta Kappa student. He signed with the Baltimore Colts as an undrafted free agent in 1963 and backed up all-time great QB Johnny Unitas for four years, drawing attention when Unitas was injured during the ’65 season. Cuozzo performed capably in relief – in particular, a five-TD passing performance against the Vikings – before he also went down with a shoulder separation.  

So highly was he regarded that the expansion Saints acquired him from the Colts in 1967 for first and third draft choices plus C Bill Curry. However, he proved to be a poor fit as an immobile quarterback on a weak first-year club and was unable to hold on to the starting job. He completed 51.5 percent of his passes for 1562 yards, averaging just 6.0 yards per attempt, with seven touchdowns against 12 interceptions.

“We feel Gary will upgrade our offensive team,” said Minnesota GM Jim Finks. “If he can execute the forward pass like he has done in the past, he will help our offensive team considerably.”

“Gary has been in the league for five years. It’s time for him to assert himself,” was the challenge put forth by second-year Head Coach Bud Grant.

Finks declined comment on how the trade would affect the status of the three quarterbacks already on the roster, including starter Joe Kapp plus Ron VanderKelen and Bob Berry. The position had been at issue since Tarkenton was traded away. VanderKelen, the long-time apprentice, failed in the early going in 1967 and 29-year-old Joe Kapp, an eight-year veteran of the CFL, was signed to take over the starting job. With his fiery leadership to compensate for a lack of pure passing skill, Kapp did a creditable job – especially considering he had not had the benefit of a training camp with his new team. Minnesota scored just 11 touchdowns through the air in ’67.

With some good running backs and a promising group of receivers – not to mention an up-and-coming defense – it was widely believed that obtaining a solid quarterback could make the Vikings a contender in the NFL Central, and that Cuozzo would most likely land the starting job.

In fact, it was Kapp starting for the Vikings in 1968 and ’69 as they won the first two division titles in franchise history and the NFL Championship in the second year – although they fell short against the Chiefs in the last pre-merger Super Bowl. But the 1969 season proved to be the last for Kapp in a Minnesota uniform – a contract dispute led to his holding out in ’70 and he was dealt to the Patriots.

Cuozzo was finally the starting quarterback for the Vikings in his third season with the club. The team went 12-2 to again top its division (now the NFC Central) but it was the strong defense, not the offense, leading the way. Cuozzo was the conference’s tenth-ranked passer, completing 128 of his 257 throws (49.8 %) for 1720 yards with just seven touchdowns against 10 interceptions, averaging 6.7 yards per attempt and 13.4 yards per completion - only the last number ranked in the league’s top 10. Moreover, Minnesota lost in the Divisional playoff round to the 49ers in a home game in which he performed poorly.

In the offseason, the Vikings swung a trade with the Eagles for ten-year veteran QB Norm Snead. Cuozzo ended up starting most of Minnesota’s games in 1971, with young Bob Lee also in the mix along with Snead. Once again the Vikings topped their division with a fine 11-3 tally, and once again they were quickly dispatched in the postseason.

The Vikings dealt both Cuozzo and Snead in the offseason. Snead went to the Giants for Fran Tarkenton, the quarterback whose departure following the 1966 season had first set off the process of finding a capable replacement. Cuozzo was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for WR John Gilliam and a second-round draft choice. Competing with Jim Hart and Tim Van Galder in St. Louis, Cuozzo started six games in his final year in the NFL.

An intelligent player and accurate passer, he had neither the arm strength nor leadership ability to succeed consistently as a starting quarterback in the NFL despite being highly sought after.  He started a total of 40 games and had a record of 21-19 while completing just under half of his passes (49.4 %) for 7402 yards and 43 touchdowns along with 55 interceptions. His postseason performances were no better.

As a footnote, the two first-round draft choices that the Saints received for Cuozzo were used to take Kevin Hardy, a defensive end out of Notre Dame, in 1968 and Xavier guard John Shinners in ’69. Hardy never played for New Orleans, being awarded during the summer to the 49ers along with a 1969 first-round pick as compensation for the signing of free agent WR Dave Parks. He lasted one season in San Francisco and played as a backup for the Packers and Chargers before his disappointing career ended in 1972. Shinners did play with New Orleans for three years before moving on to the Colts for a year and then Cincinnati for five undistinguished seasons. 

1970: Revenge-Minded Vikings Beat Chiefs

The 1969 pro football season – the last in which the NFL and AFL existed as separate entities – ended with the AFL Champion Kansas City Chiefs handily defeating the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings in the Super Bowl. Much was said about how Kansas City Head Coach Hank Stram’s complex offense had been too much for Minnesota’s vaunted defense to handle. 

On September 20, 1970 the two teams opened the new season of the merged league at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota. There were some changes – most notably, fiery Vikings QB Joe Kapp was holding out (he would not return to the team, joining the Boston Patriots instead), but Head Coach Bud Grant’s club retained the tough defense anchored by the line of ends Carl Eller and Jim Marshall and tackles Alan Page and Gary Larsen (pictured above #59 LB Lonnie Warwick, #88 Alan Page, #77 Gary Larsen, #60 LB Roy Winston, #81 Carl Eller). The Chiefs still had the same veteran core that included QB Len Dawson and WR Otis Taylor on offense and a star-filled defense that featured DT Buck Buchanon, MLB Willie Lanier, OLB Bobby Bell, and FS Johnny Robinson.

There was a capacity crowd of 47,900 on a rainy afternoon at Metropolitan Stadium. DB Charlie West started things off well for Minnesota as he returned the opening kickoff 49 yards to his own 47. The Vikings got into KC territory but a penalty combined with a sack of QB Gary Cuozzo by Buchanon drove them back and forced a punt.

Following a 65-yard punt by Jerrel Wilson that landed at the Minnesota three, the Vikings put together a long 15-play drive that ended with a 20-yard field goal by Fred Cox on the first play of the second quarter.

The Vikings got more points just three plays later. Kansas City HB Mike Garrett fumbled when hit by Carl Eller and Jim Marshall picked it up and rumbled 24 yards before tossing a lateral to LB Roy Winston at the KC 14, who took it the rest of the way for a touchdown and 10-0 lead.

The Chiefs came back with a big play as Dawson passed to Otis Taylor for a 59-yard touchdown. However, the Vikings embarked on another time-consuming drive, going 48 yards in 13 plays. With 47 seconds left in the half, and following two pass interference penalties on the Chiefs, HB Dave Osborn powered over from a yard out for a touchdown.

Minnesota controlled the ball effectively in the first half, running 41 plays to just 17 for the Chiefs and taking advantage of mistakes to build a 17-7 halftime lead. This was despite Len Dawson completing his first 12 passes as the Vikings simply kept the ball out of his hands for large stretches of time.

Kansas City came out throwing in the third quarter and Dawson completed five straight passes. The Chiefs ended up with a 28-yard field goal by Jan Stenerud, but were otherwise shut down the rest of the way.

In an eventful portion of the third quarter, Alan Page pulled the ball away from Kansas City FB Robert Holmes, but the Chiefs regained possession two plays later when FB Bill Brown fumbled and DT Curley Culp recovered. However, on the next play, the ball was turned over again when SS Karl Kassulke intercepted a Dawson pass. CB Jim Marsalis returned the favor a snap later when he intercepted Cuozzo’s pass intended for WR Gene Washington.

In the final period, RB Oscar Reed scored another TD for the Vikings that was set up by FS Paul Krause’s interception and 40-yards return to the KC 7. Cox capped the scoring with a 40-yard field goal and Minnesota ended up with a convincing 27-10 win.

The Chiefs, who had played with such precision in the Super Bowl, made costly mistakes, turning the ball over four times (to three by Minnesota) and committing untimely penalties. While the Vikings barely outgained them (220 yards to 218), Minnesota had 17 first downs to just 8 for Kansas City, only one of which came on the ground.

Gary Cuozzo turned in a workmanlike performance, completing 12 of 20 passes for 100 yards, although with two interceptions. Of Minnesota’s committee of running backs, 10^th-year veteran Bill Brown led with 55 yards on 17 carries. TE John Beasley caught three passes for 41 yards and WR Bob Grim also had three receptions, for 19 yards.

For the Chiefs, Len Dawson (pictured at right) was successful on 18 of his 27 throws for 164 yards with a TD and two interceptions. With the one long scoring play, Otis Taylor gained 100 yards on his 5 catches. FB Wendell Hayes, also heading a running-game-by-committee, ran for 22 yards on 7 attempts while Mike Garrett was held to 16 yards on 7 carries and had the damaging fumble.

“It happened eight months ago,” said Bud Grant in reference to the Super Bowl defeat, “but they’ve been shoving it down our throats ever since. We couldn’t say anything because that’s the price you pay when you lose.”

“If they would have gotten ahead, they probably would have tried more of their razzle-dazzle,” said Vikings LB Roy Winston. “We were better prepared this time and Kansas City was not fortunate to get ahead.”

“You can’t score unless you have the ball,” summed up Hank Stram from the losing side.

The Vikings went on to win the NFC Central with a 12-2 record, identical to their 1969 tally. However, they didn’t reach the Super Bowl again, falling to the 49ers in the Divisional round. Kansas City also failed to repeat, missing the postseason altogether by posting a 7-5-2 record and placing second in the AFC West.

Minnesota’s defense was the top-rated in the NFL and accounted for a total of five touchdowns during the season. Carl Eller and Alan Page (who recovered seven fumbles) were consensus first-team All-Pros and were joined as Pro Bowl selections by Gary Larsen and Karl Kassulke. 

1965: Hornung’s 5 TDs Spur Packers to Win Over Colts

For Paul Hornung (pictured at right), the Green Bay halfback known as the Golden Boy, the best days of his career appeared to be far behind as the Packers traveled to Baltimore to take on the Colts in a key Western Conference showdown on December 12, 1965. Once a key point producer for Head Coach Vince Lombardi’s team as a runner and placekicker, injuries and a one-year suspension that cost him the 1963 season had rendered him an afterthought.

Hornung had lost his placekicking job after a mediocre 1964 season and, in the three weeks before the game in Baltimore, had been benched in favor of HB Elijah Pitts. He had scored three TDs all season and there was speculation that he would be exposed to the Atlanta Falcons in the expansion draft for the ’66 season. However, early in the week of the game Lombardi told him he would be back in the starting lineup.

Green Bay came into the contest with a 9-3 record, a half-game behind the 9-2-1 Colts. The Packers won the first encounter between the two clubs at home in Week 2 on the way to breaking out to a 6-0 start, but had faltered with back-to-back losses to the Bears and Lions and then were ambushed by the Rams in Los Angeles two weeks earlier.

The Colts, under Head Coach Don Shula and the defending Western Conference champions, had won eight straight games since the loss in Green Bay, even weathering an injury to their star quarterback, Johnny Unitas, that caused him to sit out for a game. However, following a tie against the Lions, Unitas suffered a knee injury against the Bears that knocked him out for good. Chicago shut the Colts out and now the quarterback who was considered to be the best in the game would be watching this contest while propped on crutches. Backup Gary Cuozzo drew the start at quarterback, and he had already led the club to a win over the Vikings when called upon earlier in the year in which he tossed five TD passes.

There were 60,238 fans in attendance at Memorial Stadium, as well as a national television audience, on a foggy day that made it difficult for fans both at the stadium and watching on tv to follow the ball. The Colts scored first on a 14-yard field goal by Lou Michaels following an intercepted pass by CB Lenny Lyles that was returned to the Green Bay 11.

The Packers scored the next two times they had the ball, both on Hornung touchdowns. The first came on a two-yard run over right guard that capped a six-play, 80-yard drive and the second on a 50-yard pass play. Green Bay was ahead by 14-3 after one period of play.

The Colts fought back in the second quarter. First, Michaels kicked another field goal, this time from 45 yards. Then Pitts fumbled when hit hard returning the ensuing kickoff and the Colts recovered. HB Lenny Moore scored on a three-yard touchdown run that, with the extra point, put Baltimore just a point behind at 14-13.

In the final minute of the first half, the Colts seemed to have all the momentum and appeared ready to take the lead. They had first-and-goal on the Green Bay four yard line after Packers FB Jim Taylor fumbled and CB Bob Boyd recovered and ran 17 yards. On second down at the two, Cuozzo dropped back and threw toward FB Jerry Hill but LB Dave Robinson (pictured below), reading the play correctly, reached up, intercepted the pass, and proceeded to run 87 yards to the Baltimore 10. QB Bart Starr threw to flanker Boyd Dowler for a touchdown on the next play. It was the turning point of the game - instead of the Colts being in front at halftime, it was Green Bay holding an increased lead of 21-13.


In the third quarter, Hornung scored twice more, on a nine-yard sweep to the left and a three-yard carry. Meanwhile, Cuozzo, who had been struggling throughout the game, suffered a shoulder injury in the third quarter and had to briefly come out, with HB Tom Matte, the team’s emergency quarterback, taking his place and tossing an interception along with two incomplete passes.

Cuozzo returned to the contest and nearly brought the Colts from behind in the fourth quarter. Down 35-13, Hill scored on a one-yard touchdown carry and then Cuozzo tossed a five-yard TD pass to split end Raymond Berry that narrowed Green Bay’s margin to 35-27. However, Starr threw to Hornung out of the backfield on a play that covered 65 yards, 50 of it by the halfback running down the field through the fog for a touchdown. It was Hornung’s fifth TD of the game and finished off the Colts. The Packers won by a final score of 42-27 and moved a half-game ahead in the conference race.

Hornung’s five touchdowns set a club record, and on a day of superlative performances that included Gale Sayers scoring six TDs for the Bears.

Green Bay outgained the Colts (366 yards to 264) although Baltimore led in first downs (21 to 18). The Packers had the better-balanced attack, with 222 passing and 144 rushing yards, while Baltimore, thanks to suffering losses on four sacks (to none given up by Green Bay), had 190 through the air and 74 on 24 running plays. Both teams turned the ball over three times.

Paul Hornung rushed for 61 yards on 15 carries that included three touchdowns and had the two big catches that covered 115 yards and resulted in a pair of TDs. Jim Taylor led the Packers in rushing with 17 attempts for 66 yards. Bart Starr completed 10 of 17 passes for 222 yards with three TDs and one interception. Boyd Dowler caught 4 passes for 40 yards and a touchdown.

For the Colts, Gary Cuozzo went to the air 38 times and completed 20 for 212 yards with a TD and two interceptions. Raymond Berry had an outstanding game in defeat as he hauled in 10 catches for 125 yards and a score. Lenny Moore paced the ground game with 42 yards on 15 carries with a TD.

Said Vince Lombardi of his decision to start Hornung, “It was a hunch – but Hornung’s a pressure player.” The hunch paid off well on this occasion.

Of the key interception in the second quarter, Don Shula called it “a bad decision on Gary’s part. He should have just rammed in there with two yards to go and plenty of time.”

“It wasn’t that bad a call, it was bad execution,” responded Cuozzo.

“It was one of those things,” said Hornung of Robinson’s interception. “A half inch and he's a hero. If Robinson had gone with the flow of the play it would have worked. But Robinson was there waiting.”

Green Bay’s win over the Colts did not prove to be quite as decisive as it appeared to be at the time, and the two clubs were not yet done with each other. Needing a win in the season finale to clinch the Western Conference, the Packers were tied by the 49ers. The Colts, with Cuozzo as well as Unitas finished for the year, went with Tom Matte at quarterback in their final game and beat the Rams, 20-17. Both clubs thus completed the regular season at 10-3-1, necessitating a playoff game. In a defensive battle that went into overtime at Lambeau Field, Green Bay won by a 13-10 score and went on to defeat the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Championship game.

Hornung also played well in the title game and was back with the Packers in 1966. In a reserve role, he rushed for 200 yards and caught 14 passes, but nagging injuries became more of an issue. Exposed in the 1967 expansion draft, he was taken by the New Orleans Saints but retired during training camp. For all intents and purposes, the late-season heroics in 1965 provided the capstone on the Golden Boy’s Hall of Fame career.

1965: Cuozzo Throws 5 TD Passes as Colts Bury Vikings

The Baltimore Colts, coached by Don Shula, appeared to be cruising toward a second straight NFL Western Conference title as they took on the Minnesota Vikings on November 14, 1965 at Metropolitan Stadium. However, there was a major concern as it would be the first time in seven years that star QB Johnny Unitas would have to miss an entire game due to injury. The 32-year-old all-time great had suffered a back injury against the Bears the previous week and his backup, Gary Cuozzo (pictured above), had taken over. Baltimore won to advance to 7-1 and stay a game ahead of the Green Bay Packers.

Cuozzo had appeared in 18 games over a three-year span as the backup to Unitas but had never started before. Undrafted out of Virginia in 1963, he signed with the Colts after an impressive performance in the Senior Bowl.

The Vikings, meanwhile, had won their last three games and were 5-3 under Head Coach Norm Van Brocklin. The offense, guided by scrambling QB Fran Tarkenton, could put up points, but the defense was a source of concern.

There were 47,426 fans in attendance, and for one half it appeared that they might witness an upset, although Minnesota wasted several scoring opportunities. The Vikings started off with a 49-yard drive following the opening kickoff, but HB Phil King fumbled the ball away at the Baltimore 31. On their second possession, they went 65 yards to the Colts’ 19 but came up empty.

The third Minnesota drive covered 54 yards and ended with Tarkenton throwing to TE Hal Bedsole in the corner of the end zone for a six-yard touchdown. It was the high point for the Vikings, who by that point had run 30 plays for 145 yards to just six for -4 yards for Baltimore.

Cuozzo and the Colts offense were slow to get going until late in the first half, not getting their initial first down of the game until seven minutes into the second quarter. With the Vikings ahead by 7-3 and 23 seconds remaining in the half (Lou Michaels had kicked a 17-yard field goal), Cuozzo threw to flanker Jimmy Orr for a 43-yard touchdown. Minnesota had dominated the first half, controlling the ball for 41 plays to 16 for the Colts, but Baltimore went into halftime ahead by a score of 10-7.

In the third quarter, the tide turned decisively. Cuozzo got on track and completed eight of nine passes for 101 yards and three more TDs. He started off with a 22-yard scoring pass to Orr that made the score 17-7.

Midway through the period, the Vikings capped a 79-yard drive with a 17-yard scoring pass from Tarkenton to end Paul Flatley that made it 17-14. The game was never again as close. The Colts came right back with a four-play drive that included a 21-yard run by FB Tony Lorick and ended with a scoring pass to HB Lenny Moore that covered 29 yards. Before the period was over, Cuozzo connected with end Raymond Berry for his fourth TD pass, covering six yards, and Baltimore was comfortably ahead by 31-14.

Michaels booted a 38-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to stretch the Colts’ margin to twenty points. On the ensuing kickoff, flanker Lance Rentzel fumbled and Baltimore recovered. It led to Cuozzo firing his then-club-record fifth touchdown pass of the game, covering 14 yards to flanker Willie Richardson.

Rentzel made up for the fumble by returning the ensuing kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown, but it was of no consequence to the outcome. The Colts won by the decisive score of 41-21.

The Colts outgained Minnesota, 393 yards to 249, although both teams had 20 first downs apiece. Baltimore sacked Tarkenton four times, while Cuozzo was dumped once, and the Vikings had just 85 net passing yards. Minnesota also turned the ball over twice, to none by the Colts.


After starting slowly, Gary Cuozzo completed 16 of 26 passes for 208 yards with the five touchdowns and none intercepted. Raymond Berry caught 4 of those throws for 85 yards and a TD. Tony Lorick (pictured at right) led the running game with 84 yards on 7 carries. Lenny Moore also ran the ball 7 times, for 34 yards, and added another 45 yards on his two pass receptions that included a touchdown.

For the Vikings, Fran Tarkenton was successful on 12 of 20 pass attempts for 120 yards and two touchdowns with none picked off; he also ran the ball four times for 52 yards. Phil King was the leading rusher with 75 yards on 15 carries, although he also had the early fumble. FB Bill Brown was the leading receiver with 5 catches for 44 yards – he added another 37 yards on 13 rushing attempts. Paul Flatley contributed 43 yards on three receptions that included a TD.

It was a big day for the kick returners. While Lance Rentzel stole the show with the long kickoff return for a touchdown, DB Alvin Haymond of the Colts gained 68 yards on two kickoff returns and 64 more on a pair of punt returns.

The win kept the Colts a game ahead of the Packers, but while Unitas was back the next week for a win over the Eagles, they had to come from behind in the fourth quarter to salvage a tie against Detroit and then lost Unitas for good the following week with a knee injury in a loss to the Bears. Cuozzo went down with a shoulder injury in the next game as the Colts were defeated by Green Bay. With HB Tom Matte serving as emergency quarterback, and the addition of veteran QB Ed Brown to finish out the regular season, the Colts won the season finale and ended up tied with the Packers at 10-3-1. They lost a dramatic overtime playoff game at Green Bay.

As for the Vikings, the loss to Baltimore was the first of four straight. They won their last two games to end up at 7-7 and fifth in the Western Conference.

Gary Cuozzo completed 54 of 105 passes for 700 yards with 7 touchdowns and 4 interceptions, and the five-TD performance against Minnesota made him a hot property as a backup quarterback with great starting potential. Following another year behind Unitas in 1966, he was traded to the expansion New Orleans Saints for a first-round draft pick plus a player (center Bill Curry) in 1967, but lost the starting job to Bill Kilmer. The Saints dealt him to Minnesota for two first-round choices in ’68, and while he got a chance to start following the departure of Joe Kapp after the 1969 season, he never lived up to expectations and ended his career with the Cardinals in 1972.

As a footnote, the five touchdowns remained the franchise record for the Colts until 2003 (it was tied by Gary Hogeboom in 1987; Unitas never threw more than four in a game, which he did on 13 occasions) when Peyton Manning threw for six in a game for the first time.