1957: Lions Overwhelm Browns for NFL Championship

The NFL Championship game on December 29, 1957 featured the Detroit Lions, top team in the Western Conference, hosting the Eastern Conference representative, the Cleveland Browns. The teams had faced off three times earlier in the decade for the league title, with the Browns routing the Lions the last time, in ’54.

The season got off to an awkward start for Detroit when Head Coach Buddy Parker abruptly quit on the eve of the preseason and George Wilson was elevated to the top job. The Lions had obtained QB Tobin Rote (pictured above) from Green Bay to back up star starting QB Bobby Layne, and the deal paid off when Layne went down with a broken leg in the ninth game. Another newcomer, FB John Henry Johnson, came from the 49ers and led the club in rushing. As usual, the defense was rugged, especially at linebacker with MLB Joe Schmidt and in the backfield, led by safety Jack Christiansen. Detroit went 8-4 to tie for first in the Western Conference and was coming off of a dramatic come-from-behind win over the 49ers in the resulting playoff.

The Browns, coached by the innovative Paul Brown for the twelfth year, had put together a 9-2-1 record to return to the NFL title game after a one-year absence. Rookie FB Jim Brown was the league’s top rusher and the key to the offense. QB Tom O’Connell led the NFL in passing efficiency, although he rarely threw the ball, and was already being pushed by rookie QB Milt Plum, who had been slated to start the title contest but suffered a hamstring injury during a recent practice that limited his mobility. The defense was stingy, averaging a league low of 14.3 points surrendered per game. Cleveland lost to the Lions during the regular season but came into the championship contest as a slight favorite.

There were 55,263 fans in attendance at Briggs Stadium, where the lights were on although unneeded on a pleasant 32-degree afternoon. They saw the home team score the first three times it had the ball. Jim Martin set the tone by booming the opening kickoff through the end zone. Tom O’Connell threw to end Pete Brewster for a Cleveland first down, but the series quickly bogged down and the Browns punted. Detroit moved methodically, both running with HB Gene Gedman and John Henry Johnson and with Rote passing effectively, and accumulated four first downs.  The 10-play, 66-yard drive finally faltered at the Cleveland 24 and Martin booted a 31-yard field goal for the game’s first points.

The Lions regained the ball quickly when an O’Connell pass was intercepted by LB Bob Long, who returned it to the Cleveland 19. Following a short running play, Rote faked a pass and instead carried for 17 yards down the middle. Rote ran again for a one-yard touchdown, Martin added the extra point, and Detroit was ahead by 10-0.

It got worse for the Browns when HB Milt Campbell fumbled after returning the ensuing kickoff 19 yards and DB Terry Barr recovered for the Lions at the Cleveland 15. Six plays later, Gedman dove into the end zone from a yard out for another TD. Martin’s point after gave the home team a 17-0 lead.

As the game moved into the second quarter, the Browns responded by advancing 78 yards in four plays. O’Connell passed to Brewster for 19 yards and flanker Ray Renfro gained 20 yards on a reverse. Jim Brown ran 29 yards for a touchdown and Lou Groza converted to narrow the Detroit margin to 17-7.

Following an exchange of punts, the Lions advanced into Cleveland territory. Facing fourth-and-11 at the Cleveland 26, they lined up for a field goal. But Rote, the holder on kicks, took the snap and spun to his right, passing to end Steve Junker, who gathered the ball in at the six and went the distance for a touchdown. Martin successfully converted.

Down 24-7 and with the Lions threatening once again, the Browns seemingly got a break when Junker fumbled the ball away at the Cleveland six. But facing third-and-10, O’Connell’s pass intended for Brewster was instead intercepted by Barr (pictured below), who returned it 19 yards for a touchdown. Martin added the extra point and the Lions held a commanding 31-7 lead.

The Lions got another chance thanks to a Cleveland turnover when HB Chet Hanulak fumbled and DT Gil Mains recovered with five seconds left in the half. But Martin missed a 44-yard field goal attempt and the score remained unchanged.

Milt Plum had taken over at quarterback for Cleveland late in the second quarter, and starting off the third quarter, the Browns finally scored again at the completion of a 10-play, 80-yard series. HB Lew Carpenter ran for the last five yards and a touchdown, and Groza added the point after. But any lingering hopes for a Cleveland comeback in the second half were snuffed out when, on the first play after the kickoff, Rote threw long to end Jim Doran for a 78-yard touchdown.

Tempers flared late in the period as both teams drew unnecessary roughness penalties. The rout was on as the Lions then padded their lead with Rote again connecting with Junker, this time for a 23-yard TD. Plum fumbled when being sacked by DE Gene Cronin on the last play of the period and the fourth quarter started with Rote firing another touchdown pass, to end Dave Middleton from 30 yards out.

Jerry Reichow relieved Rote at quarterback for the game’s last seven minutes and capped the scoring with a 17-yard touchdown pass to HB Howard “Hopalong” Cassady. Martin converted, as he had done successfully after all of the TDs, and that provided the final score of 59-14.

The Lions achieved a franchise high for points scored in a game and administered the worst defeat endured by the Browns up to that time. They led in total yards (438 to 313) and first downs (22 to 17). Cleveland ran effectively, gaining 218 yards on the ground, but also turned the ball over six times, to one suffered by Detroit.

Tobin Rote was outstanding as he completed 12 of 19 passes for 280 yards and four touchdowns, with none intercepted, and also rushed for 27 yards on seven carries that included a TD. Steve Junker (pictured below) had 5 catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns and Jim Doran gained 101 yards on his three receptions that included the one long score. Hopalong Cassady led Detroit’s rushers with 48 yards on 8 attempts and also pulled in two passes for 22 yards and a TD. Jim Martin made good on all 8 of his extra point attempts and connected for one field goal in two tries.

For the Browns, Tom O’Connell was successful on four of eight throws for 61 yards and gave up two interceptions. Milt Plum was 5 of 12 for 51 yards and also had two picked off. Lew Carpenter ran for 82 yards on 14 carries that included a TD and Jim Brown contributed 69 yards on 20 attempts with one for a score and averaged 26.5 yards on four kickoff returns. End Preston Carpenter was the team’s leading receiver with four catches for 43 yards and Pete Brewster gained 52 yards on his three receptions.

“It wasn’t altogether us. They were hot,” summed up Cleveland’s Coach Brown regarding the defeat. “That was a great team we played today. Rote had a day, didn’t he?”

While it was anticipated that the Lions would contend again in 1958, they instead dropped to 4-7-1 and did not return to the postseason until 1970. To date, 1957 remains the last year that Detroit attained a NFL Championship. The Browns bounced back to go 9-3 in ’58 and tied for first in the Eastern Conference, losing to the Giants in the resulting playoff. They next reached the NFL Championship game in 1964.

1966: Stofa Throws for 4 TDs as Dolphins Defeat Oilers

The Miami Dolphins were finishing up their inaugural AFL season as they hosted the Houston Oilers on December 18, 1966. As was typical of expansion teams, the Dolphins struggled and had lost six straight games to be 2-11 heading into the last week. Head Coach George Wilson, who once guided the Lions to a NFL title, had some talent to work with, especially in the defensive backfield. TE Dave Kocurek, formerly of the Chargers, was an able veteran and HB Joe Auer showed all-purpose skill, but fullback was a chronic problem and Cookie Gilchrist, who arrived at midseason, was an established talent but also, at age 31, showing wear. Quarterback was the biggest problem of all, and injuries had severely depleted the position.  Ex-Jet Dick Wood started the year, but completed only 36 percent of his passes and yielded to first draft choice Rick Norton, who went down with a broken jaw, and the coach’s son, George Wilson Jr., who led the team to two wins before being sidelined.

QB John Stofa (pictured above) had been unheralded coming out of the Univ. at Buffalo in 1964, but performed well with minor league teams. He had tried out with the Dolphins, but was let go after two weeks in training camp, failed in a further trial with the Steelers in the NFL, and started the season with the Lakeland Brahmans of the North American Football League while teaching school on the side. He had good size at 6’3” and 210 and performed impressively for the Brahmans, throwing for 2029 yards and 23 touchdowns (including 451 yards and 7 TDs in one game against the hapless Chattanooga Redskins) before being re-signed by Miami. Now, with Wood unable to play due to a rib injury, Stofa was getting a chance to start in the finale.

The Oilers, coached for the second time around by Wally Lemm, were having their problems and had lost to the Dolphins in their previous meeting, the first of seven straight defeats that had them arriving in Miami with a 3-10 tally. Houston started off the year with a veteran-laden roster, and now younger players were getting an opportunity. Most notably, third-year QB Don Trull was finally starting ahead of 39-year-old George Blanda, and rookie FB Hoyle Granger was seeing more action in place of Charley Tolar and John Henry Johnson, aged 29 and 37, respectively.

There were 20,045 fans in attendance at the Orange Bowl with weather in the 70s. The Oilers had the first possession and punted. After Cookie Gilchrist ran twice for a net of zero yardage, John Stofa completed his first three passes before giving up an interception to FS Jim Norton.

Houston again had to punt and the Dolphins reached Oilers’ territory thanks to a 20-yard run by Joe Auer and a Stofa pass to Dave Kocurek for 11 yards. But after getting to the Houston 36, Stofa was sacked by DE Gary Cutsinger for a loss of 11 yards and the Dolphins punted.

HB Ode Burrell  (pictured at right) returned the kick 29 yards to the Houston 41 and it took just three plays to travel the remaining 59 yards. Don Trull threw to Hoyle Granger, who picked up 25 yards, Burrell ran for seven, and then Trull connected once more with Granger, who went 27 yards for a touchdown. George Blanda added the extra point and the visitors took a 7-0 lead into the second quarter.

The Dolphins went three-and-out on their next possession, with Stofa chased out of bounds for a 19-yard loss on one play, and a fake punt by George Wilson Jr. picked up 16 yards and gave up the ball to Houston at the Miami 34. Trull completed a third down pass to TE Bob Poole for 10 yards, FB John Henry Johnson ran for another 10, and Trull then threw to flanker Larry Elkins for an 11-yard TD. Blanda’s point after put the Oilers further ahead by 14-0.

Down by two touchdowns, the Dolphins responded with an 80-yard drive in nine plays. Following four running plays, Stofa connected on passes to Gilchrist for 18 yards, split end Karl Noonan for 12, and FB Billy Joe for 12 yards to the Houston 27. After a carry by Gilchrist gained nothing, Stofa went to the air again and it was complete to Auer for a 27-yard touchdown. Miami faked a kick for the conversion and Wilson, the holder as well as backup quarterback and punter, threw to Joe for two points, making it a 14-8 tally.

A short possession by the Oilers was followed by a punt, giving the Dolphins the ball at midfield. Auer ran for seven yards, but Stofa missed on two passes and Gene Mingo’s 50-yard field goal attempt was short. Houston regained possession with 2:10 left in the first half and advanced 90 yards. Trull completed passes to Burrell for 34 and 30 yards and to TE Bob McLeod for a two-yard TD with nine seconds remaining on the clock. Blanda’s PAT made the halftime score 21-8.

The Dolphins had the ball first in the third quarter and Stofa completed three passes, one to Auer for 17 yards who also had a 21-yard gain on a running play around end. A facemask penalty on the Oilers and a four-yard run by Auer got the ball to the Houston nine, but Stofa’s pass intended for Gilchrist was picked off by LB Ronnie Caveness. The Oilers were only able to reach their 31 before punting, and the Dolphins punted it back after a short possession.

With Burrell and Granger carrying the load on the ground, Houston made it just past midfield before having to try for a long field goal. Blanda’s attempt from 53 yards failed and the Dolphins scored again in three plays. Stofa threw to flanker Frank Jackson for 20 yards, Gilchrist rushed for six, and another throw to Jackson was good for a 48-yard touchdown. Mingo kicked the point after and Houston’s lead was cut to 21-15.

Miami got the ball back quickly when, on the second play following the ensuing kickoff, CB Jimmy Warren intercepted a Trull pass. As the game moved into the fourth quarter, the Dolphins were unable to get any farther than the Houston 47 and punted.

The Oilers drove 80 yards in 12 plays. Trull (pictured at left) had completions to McLeod for 13 yards, split end Charley Frazier for 11 yards, and McLeod again for 34, and Granger ran effectively. After a nine-yard carry by Johnson got the ball to the Miami one, Trull kept the ball himself to gain the final yard for a TD. Blanda added the PAT and the visitors again had a substantial lead of 28-15 with 6:15 remaining to play.

On the next Miami series, Stofa filled the air with passes, completing five of them. Noonan had two catches, the longest for 13 yards to convert a third down, and Gilchrist grabbed one for 20 yards. Stofa picked up 14 yards on a run to the Houston nine, but it appeared that it was all for naught when four straight passes fell incomplete. However, the last one drew a defensive holding penalty and on the next play, Stofa threw to TE Bill Cronin for a four-yard touchdown. Mingo added the extra point and the score was now 28-22 with three minutes to go.

The Oilers went three-and-out on their next series and, with the clock now down to 1:56, the Dolphins took over at their 45 following the resulting punt. An incompletion was followed by a 22-yard gain on a Stofa screen pass to Gilchrist. But Stofa was then sacked by DT Ernie Ladd and DE Don Floyd and a completion to Gilchrist lost another five yards. Facing third-and-23, Stofa connected with Jackson for 39 yards for a first down at the Houston 14. From there, and with the enthusiastic crowd cheering him on, Stofa completed his fourth touchdown pass, connecting with Auer, and Mingo added the all-important conversion that put the home team ahead by a point.

There were still 33 seconds remaining as the Oilers got the ball once more, but they were unable to get out of their end of the field and Miami came away the winner by a score of 29-28. 

The Dolphins led in total yards (417 to 307) and first downs (25 to 20). Each team recorded three sacks, turned the ball over two times, and drew five penalties. The decision to go for two points after the first touchdown proved fortuitous for the Dolphins.

John Stofa completed 22 of 38 passes for 307 yards and four touchdowns while giving up two interceptions. Joe Auer (pictured at right) rushed for 87 yards on 13 carries and also had four catches for 71 yards and two TDs. Cookie Gilchrist led the Dolphins with 6 pass receptions for 60 yards and also gained 23 yards on 9 rushing attempts. Frank Jackson accumulated 110 yards on four catches that included a score. On defense, DT Al Dotson and FS Willie West each had ten tackles.

For the Oilers, Don Trull was successful on 12 of 24 throws for 215 yards and three TDs while being intercepted once. Hoyle Granger ran for 46 yards on 8 carries and added another 52 yards and a touchdown on his two receptions while Ode Burrell picked up 45 yards on 9 rushes and gained 73 yards on three catches. Bob McLeod had four receptions that were good for 58 yards and a score.    

“He was great!” exclaimed Dick Wood about John Stofa. “All along I thought he was great. He’s big, has a strong arm, and throws well.”

While Purdue QB Bob Griese was drafted in the first round for 1967, Stofa parlayed his season-ending success into the starting job for the opening game. However, a broken ankle in the first quarter ended his season and Griese, pressed into service, was impressive. Stofa was traded to yet another expansion team, the Cincinnati Bengals, for 1968 and saw his most extensive AFL action with them. Released after the season, he returned to Miami to back up Griese for two years. Ultimately, he passed for 1758 yards and 12 touchdowns, giving up 11 interceptions, with the Dolphins and Bengals.

The season-ending win for the Dolphins put them in a tie with Houston for fourth place in the AFL Eastern Division at 3-11. Miami marginally improved to 4-10 in 1967, while the Oilers jumped all the way to first place with a 9-4-1 record, fueled by an outstanding defense and the good running of Hoyle Granger. However, Don Trull proved deficient as the starting quarterback and lost the job to Pete Beathard, who was obtained from the Chiefs.

1964: Walker Kicks 4 Field Goals as Lions Defeat 49ers

Two NFL teams coming off of disappointing seasons met in San Francisco on September 13, 1964 to open another year amid expectations for improvement. The Detroit Lions, a perennially tough defensive team, suffered through an injury-plagued ’63 campaign in which they went 5-8-1, their first losing record after three consecutive second place finishes in the NFL Western Conference. Coached by George Wilson, they were anticipating the return of DE Darris McCord and DB Gary Lowe, who all underwent offseason surgery, plus DT Alex Karras, who was reinstated by the league following a gambling suspension. QB Milt Plum had regained the starting job in the preseason that he lost to Earl Morrall the previous year and there were outstanding receivers in flanker Terry Barr and split end Gail Cogdill.  

The 49ers were a dismal 2-12 in 1963, putting them in last place for the first time in franchise history. Red Hickey was replaced by Jack Christiansen as head coach during the season, and Christiansen was starting off his first full year at the helm. He had QB John Brodie back and recovered from a broken arm that had sidelined him for most of ‘63. The offense had suffered to the point that CB Abe Woodson, the NFL’s top kickoff returner, was looked upon as the most effective ground-gaining weapon. Injuries had also hampered the defense, and improvement was anticipated on that side of the ball as well.  

It was a cool, overcast day at Kezar Stadium with 33,204 in attendance. The 49ers went three-and-out on the game’s opening series and punted. Detroit put together a 10-play, 58-yard possession, with the biggest gain on a pass from Milt Plum to Gail Cogdill for 34 yards to the San Francisco 34 in a third-and-14 situation. Plum connected with Cogdill twice more for 16 yards and the series finally ended with Wayne Walker (pictured above) kicking a 23-yard field goal.

The home team responded by going 80 yards in six plays. On second-and-19 from their own 37, the 49ers made a big play when John Brodie threw to flanker Bernie Casey, who made an outstanding catch at the Detroit 30 and went the distance for a 63-yard touchdown. Tommy Davis added his NFL-record 157^th consecutive extra point and the Niners were ahead by 7-3.

The teams traded punts to finish out the first quarter. Starting off the second quarter, Plum threw to Terry Barr for a gain of 47 yards to the San Francisco 11, but after a short run by HB Tom Watkins, two passes fell incomplete and Walker came in to kick another field goal, this time from 16 yards.

A short series by the 49ers was followed by another scoring drive by the Lions, this time covering 47 yards in eight plays. Plum had a nine-yard pass to Cogdill and FB Nick Pietrosante and HB Dan Lewis ran effectively, with Pietrosante diving into the end zone from three yards out for a TD. Walker added the PAT and the visitors were ahead by 13-7.

Detroit had good starting field position at the San Francisco 43 following a punt but Plum threw an interception. However, after another punt by the Niners that had the Lions starting at their 15, the visitors drove to another score. Plum had another big completion to Cogdill (pictured below) on a third down play, this time for 43 yards to the San Francisco 38, and three carries by Lewis gave the Lions another first down. The drive stalled at the 23 and Walker booted his third field goal of the game, this time from 31 yards with less than a minute remaining in the half. The 49ers made a bid for points in the final seconds as Brodie threw to TE Monte Stickles for 19 yards and then to Casey for 24, but Davis missed a 39-yard field goal attempt. The Lions carried a 16-7 lead into halftime.

Detroit started off the third quarter with a 74-yard, 11-play series. Watkins ran for 15 yards on a reverse, Plum connected with Barr for 39 yards, and Pietrosante capped the drive by plunging for the last yard and a TD. Walker again added the extra point to make the score 23-7.

Now behind by 16 points, the 49ers got a boost when DB Kermit Alexander returned the ensuing kickoff 44 yards to give them good starting field position at the Detroit 40. The Niners picked up just six yards, but Davis kicked a 41-yard field goal to narrow the margin to 23-10.

The Lions had to punt on their next series and Yale Lary’s short kick had the 49ers taking over at the Detroit 38. FB J.D. Smith ran for 16 yards and, three plays later, Brodie threw to Stickles for 10 yards in a third-and-eight situation. Casey caught a Brodie pass for a seven-yard touchdown and, with Davis converting, it was suddenly just a six-point game.

The Lions again had to kick the ball away following a short possession and the 49ers were driving as the game moved into the fourth quarter. However, they came up empty when Davis missed a 38-yard field goal try.

Plum threw to Barr for 23 yards but, following a run by Lewis that lost yardage and a 15-yard penalty that moved the visitors back, Detroit again had to punt, although a clip nullified a good return by Alexander. Mired deep in their own territory, the 49ers turned the ball over when Brodie fumbled and DE Darris McCord recovered at the five yard line. A penalty moved the Lions back and they again had to settle for a field goal, but Walker was successful once more, hitting from 26 yards out. Detroit was up by nine points.

That was it for the scoring. Alexander had a 38-yard kickoff return, but the 49ers went three-and-out and had to punt and the Lions managed to control the ball until the closing seconds. They came away the winners by a score of 26-17.

Detroit led in total yards (372 to 219) and first downs (17 to 13). The Lions also recorded two sacks, to none by San Francisco, although they also were penalized 10 times, at a cost of 80 yards, to four flags thrown on the 49ers. Each team turned the ball over once.

Milt Plum completed 15 of 34 passes for 234 yards and no touchdowns while giving up one interception. Two Lions had over a hundred receiving yards, with Gail Cogdill catching 6 passes for 116 yards and Terry Barr adding 108 yards on his three receptions. Dan Lewis ran for 83 yards on 17 carries and while Nick Pietrosante picked up just 36 yards on 12 attempts, two were good for short TDs. Wayne Walker was the scoring star with 14 points on his four field goals in as many attempts (which set a club record) and two extra points.

For the 49ers, John Brodie was successful on 15 of his 33 throws for 177 yards and two TDs with no interceptions. Bernie Casey (pictured at right) had 6 catches for 119 yards and two scores. J.D. Smith ran for 42 yards on 11 carries. Kermit Alexander had 107 yards on kick returns (82 on two kickoffs and 25 on two punts), overshadowing Abe Woodson, at least for one week.

Detroit got off to a 4-1-1 start before injuries set in and the team finished up at 7-5-2 and in at fourth place in the Western Conference. It was improvement, but not enough to save Coach Wilson’s job. The 49ers won the next week at Philadelphia but went on to another losing year and a final record of 4-10, which resulted in a second straight last place finish in the conference. While the passing game was better, injuries decimated the ground attack.

Wayne Walker, an outstanding linebacker as well as placekicker, ended up booting a career-high 14 field goals out of 25 attempts and, adding 32 extra points, achieved another career best with 74 points. Terry Barr and Gail Cogdill remained productive, with Barr catching 57 passes for 1070 yards (18.1 avg.) and nine touchdowns and gaining selection to the Pro Bowl for the second consecutive year, and Cogdill accumulating 45 receptions for 665 yards (14.8 avg.) and two TDs before a shoulder injury sidelined him late in the year.

Bernie Casey continued to be a key performer for the 49ers, catching 58 passes for 808 yards (13.9 avg.) and four touchdowns. Kermit Alexander had a fine year returning kicks, averaging 24.2 yards on 20 kickoff returns (Abe Woodson had a 27.5 average on 32 returns) and 9.0 yards on 21 punt returns that included a TD. 

1966: Dolphins Defeat Broncos for Franchise’s First Win

As an American Football League expansion team, the Miami Dolphins were going through the typical growing pains in their inaugural season. They were 0-5 as they hosted the Denver Broncos on October 16, 1966. Head Coach George Wilson’s team was the usual first-year grouping of unwanted veterans and inexperienced young players. Quarterback was a problem area as veteran Dick Wood was found wanting and the coach’s son, George Wilson Jr., was getting a shot. Fullback was another problem area, as Billy Joe (pictured above), formerly of the Broncos and Bills, did not appear to be the answer. Coach Wilson had considered starting ex-Bears FB Rick Casares, but he missed the team’s Saturday practice and lost his starting chance. The defense had been the more impressive unit thus far, but even then the new team had suffered some bad defeats.

The Broncos were 7.5-point favorites coming into the game, although they were hardly any better. They were 1-4 and had already undergone a coaching change with Mac Speedie resigning after the second game and assistant coach Ray Malavasi taking his place. They also had problems at quarterback, where injury-prone John McCormick was starting. HB Abner Haynes’ best years were behind him, as were split end Lionel Taylor’s, and they were missing FB Cookie Gilchrist, highly productive in 1965 but who was holding out (and, as rumored at the time of the game in Miami, was about to be dealt to the Dolphins). The team that seemed constantly to be in rebuilding mode had 17 rookies on the roster.

There were 23,393 fans in attendance at the Orange Bowl. The teams traded punts to start the first quarter. On their second series, a well-executed screen pass from George Wilson Jr. to Billy Joe resulted in a 67-yard touchdown. Gene Mingo added the extra point to give the Dolphins the early 7-0 lead.

It immediately got worse for the Broncos when Abner Haynes fumbled the ensuing kickoff and TE Bill Cronin recovered for the Dolphins at the Denver 20. Three plays later, Mingo added more points with a 25-yard field goal.

Neither team was able to move effectively until the Broncos got a break when Miami HB Joe Auer fumbled the ball away at his own 22. John McCormick completed a pass to TE Al Denson and Haynes finished off the ensuing series with a five-yard touchdown carry. Gary Kroner added the extra point to narrow Miami’s lead to 10-7.

Heading into the second quarter, neither team was able to get out of its own end of the field. The Dolphins nearly scored again on a long carry by Joe in the second quarter, but a 62-yard run down the sideline was nullified by an illegal use of hands penalty. However, three plays later Miami got another big play when Wilson threw to flanker John Roderick for a 64-yard gain to the Denver six, but another Auer fumble that LB Archie Matsos recovered for the Broncos ended their chance to score again.

Neither team moved the ball to start the third quarter and Denver’s second series concluded with McCormick being intercepted by LB Tom Erlandson, giving the Dolphins possession at the Broncos’ 37. On the second play, Wilson took off for a 19-yard run and six plays later Auer scored a touchdown from a yard out. Mingo’s PAT extended the home team’s lead to 17-7.

The Broncos again fumbled the ball away on the ensuing kickoff, but the Dolphins fumbled it back to them two plays later. 38-year-old QB Tobin Rote relieved McCormick. Rote had played for Miami’s Coach Wilson in Detroit, made successful stops in the CFL and San Diego in the intervening years, and was lured out of retirement by the Broncos.  With the old pro at the helm, the Broncos reached the Miami 49 before Rote was sacked on consecutive plays for losses totaling 18 yards. Denver once again had to punt the ball away as the game entered the fourth quarter.

Both teams remained stymied on offense and McCormick re-entered the game, only to be intercepted on consecutive possessions by CB Dick Westmoreland. The second gave the Dolphins the ball at the Denver 16 and, four plays later, Auer ran for another TD from three yards out. With less than two minutes remaining on the clock, it only served to further bury the visitors as Miami came away with a 24-7 win.

In a game in which both teams had difficulty sustaining drives, the Dolphins outgained Denver (217 yards to 118) although the Broncos had the edge in first downs (11 to 10). Denver turned the ball over six times, to four suffered by Miami, and the Dolphins, who had recorded only two sacks in their previous games, had five, as opposed to three by the Broncos.

George Wilson Jr. (pictured below, handing off to Joe Auer) completed 9 of 18 passes for 176 yards and a touchdown with one intercepted; he also rushed for 21 yards on three carries. Billy Joe had only 15 rushing yards on 11 attempts, but caught three passes for 60 yards and the big first quarter touchdown. TE Dave Kocurek had four catches for 46 yards while John Roderick led the Dolphins in receiving yards with 64 on his lone reception. Joe Auer rushed for 32 yards on 17 carries that included two touchdowns, but he also had problems with fumbling. Defensively, DE Ed Cook unofficially was in on three of the sacks, DT Al Dotson, recently reactivated, was in on two along with his eight tackles and three assists, and Dick Westmoreland had the two fourth quarter interceptions.

For the Broncos, John McCormick had a dismal passing performance as he was successful on just 9 of 25 throws for 90 yards and gave up four interceptions. Tobin Rote was one-of-two for 12 yards and was sacked four times. Abner Haynes gained 38 rushing yards on 14 carries that included a TD and also caught three passes for 28 yards. Lionel Taylor also had three pass receptions, for 45 yards.

“We felt we could win this one before the game and they went out and did a fine job,” said Coach George Wilson of his team in the jubilant locker room. “The defense was great. Billy Joe’s was the big play (the 67-yard touchdown in the first quarter). It was a hell of a call.”

“When you get a taste of honey, you’re like a snowball going downhill,” said an elated Billy Joe. “You can throw all those mistakes of the past out the window. We got the momentum now.”

The Dolphins won again the next week at Houston but lost the remainder of their games until the season finale to finish at 3-11 and tied with the Oilers at the bottom of the Eastern Division. Denver continued to struggle and ended up last in the Western Division with a 4-10 record.

George Wilson Jr. was the starting quarterback for two of Miami’s wins but went down with an injury. As it was, he completed only 41.1 percent of his passes for 764 yards with five touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Billy Joe, who fell by the wayside following Cookie Gilchrist’s arrival, rushed for 232 yards on 71 carries (3.3 avg.) and caught 13 passes for 116 yards and the long touchdown against the Broncos – his only one of the season. Joe Auer led the team in rushing with 416 yards, caught 22 passes for 263 more yards, and led the club with nine touchdowns.

1960: Lions Stun Colts with 65-Yard TD on Last Play

The Baltimore Colts had won back-to-back NFL Championships in 1958 and ’59 and seemed well on their way to a third as they broke out to a 6-2 start in 1960. Head Coach Weeb Ewbank’s team still had the solid core on offense of QB Johnny Unitas, HB Lenny Moore, and end Raymond Berry and a fine defense anchored by the line that included DE Gino Marchetti and tackles Art Donovan and Gene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb. If there were major concerns, they pertained to injuries in general and, more particularly, the running game as FB Alan Ameche was showing signs of wear. They had lost to the 49ers to fall to 6-3 and on December 4 hosted the Detroit Lions, who had beaten them earlier in the year.

The Lions, coached by George Wilson, got off to a slow start at 1-4 but had then won three of their last four contests prior to the rematch with Baltimore. Traditionally a tough defensive club, the Lions were benefiting from the additions of veteran DHB Dick “Night Train” Lane and rookie DT Roger Brown. The offense also had a talented rookie in split end Gail Cogdill to add to an attack that featured the running of FB Nick Pietrosante and HB Dan Lewis.

There were 57,808 fans at Memorial Stadium for the important Western Conference matchup. The defenses dominated the first three quarters of play. In the first quarter, the Colts got on the board when rookie DE Lebron Shields blocked a punt by Yale Lary that rolled back through the end zone for a safety.

The Lions responded with a 20-yard Jim Martin field goal to go ahead by 3-2. In the second quarter, Unitas threw to Lenny Moore (pictured below) for a 60-yard touchdown, but Steve Myhra’s extra point attempt went wide and the score remained 8-3 in favor of Baltimore.

It stayed that way through the scoreless third quarter. Detroit QB Jim Ninowski had been ineffective, completing just 8 of 22 passes for 82 yards, two of which were intercepted. Unitas was having his share of difficulties as well thanks to the aggressive Lion defense. In addition to three interceptions, he had five passes deflected and lost a fumble. The pickoffs and fumble were costly, all coming in Detroit territory.

Detroit’s backup QB Earl Morrall (pictured at top) replaced Ninowski in the fourth quarter. Morrall threw a touchdown pass to HB Howard “Hopalong” Cassady that covered 40 yards and put the Lions in front by 10-8. Jim Martin added a 47-yard field goal that increased Detroit’s margin to 13-8 with 1:15 left on the clock.

Unitas and the Colts came back, however, and scored with 14 seconds to play as Moore made a sensational diving catch for a 31-yard touchdown. It seemed as though Baltimore had pulled out a tough 15-13 win. Fans stormed the field following the TD and again after DB Bruce Maher returned the kickoff 34 yards and nearly broke free. Some of the players also got into altercations on the field, causing further delay in the resumption of play.

With just seconds remaining and no timeouts, Morrall threw a short pass to end Jim Gibbons who went all the way to the end zone, a distance of 65 yards. Expecting a sideline pass, the Colt defensive backs had all dropped back accordingly and Gibbons, not the fastest of Detroit’s receivers, had clear sailing down the middle of the field. In stunning fashion, the Lions were winners by a score of 20-15.

Baltimore had the edge in total yards (387 to 302) and first downs (19 to 18). However, the Colts also turned the ball over five times, to three by the Lions, and were only able to gain 54 yards on the ground, as opposed to Detroit’s 133.

In relief of Jim Ninowski, Earl Morrall completed 5 of 6 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns with none intercepted. Nick Pietrosante rushed for 69 yards on 12 carries. Three Detroit receivers caught three passes apiece, with the long score for the winning TD giving Jim Gibbons (pictured below) a team-leading 83 yards on his three receptions while Howard Cassady gained 69, including a touchdown, and Gail Cogdill had 24 yards.

For the Colts, Johnny Unitas was successful on 22 of 40 throws for 357 yards and two touchdowns, but also gave up three interceptions. It marked the 47^th straight game in which Unitas threw a TD pass, a record streak that would be snapped the following week and remain the NFL’s longest until 2012. Raymond Berry caught 10 of those passes for 117 yards while Lenny Moore, who led the team in rushing with just 18 yards in 8 attempts, gained 139 yards and scored twice with his four pass receptions. Alan Ameche rushed for 15 yards in three attempts before suffering a career-ending Achilles tendon injury, further weakening the running game for the last two contests.

“I told Gibbons if he went down the middle, he’d probably be open,” explained Earl Morrall regarding the game-winning play. “We had no timeouts left. The Colts knew it, so I knew the middle would be open.”

“It looked like the ball was thrown near (Bob) Boyd and (Andy) Nelson, but what I can’t understand is why the other backs didn’t start converging when the ball was still in the air,” said a frustrated Weeb Ewbank, who initially had been glad that Morrall had thrown short down the middle.

It was the first time a team had swept the season series against the Colts since 1956 and the first time they lost two straight at home since ’57. The loss dropped the Colts into a tie for first in the Western Conference with Green Bay and San Francisco. The Bears were right behind at 5-4-1 and Detroit, having evened its record at 5-5, also now found itself in the race.

It continued to get worse for the Colts, who lost their remaining contests to finish up in fourth place at 6-6. The Packers topped the conference with an 8-4 record and the Lions, winners of their last four games, tied the 49ers for second with a 7-5 tally. They went on to win the first installment of the Playoff Bowl, a postseason exhibition game between the second place teams in each conference.

Earl Morrall, in his fifth of what would be an eventual 21 NFL seasons, completed 32 of 49 passes for 423 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions. He would continue to vie with Ninowski and, later, Milt Plum for the starting job with the Lions for another four years.

The third-year pro Jim Gibbons caught a career-high 51 passes for 604 yards (11.8 avg.) with one other TD in 1960. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the first of three times in his eleven-season career, all spent with Detroit.

1957: Lions Overcome 24-Point Halftime Deficit to Beat Colts

The undefeated Baltimore Colts (3-0) were a team on the rise as they took on the Detroit Lions (2-1) on October 20, 1957 at Briggs Stadium. The Colts had beaten the Lions at home by a comfortable 34-14 score in the season-opening game. Coached by Weeb Ewbank, they had been meticulously built into a winning club. The crowning touch had been the addition of unheralded QB Johnny Unitas, who took over for an injured George Shaw in 1956 and was excelling in his first full season starting behind center – already, he had thrown eight scoring passes.

The Lions had regularly contended throughout the decade and won back-to-back league titles in 1952 and ’53. However, the head coach who had built the club into a winner, Buddy Parker, abruptly quit on the eve of the ’57 preseason and was replaced by George Wilson. The team still had the quarterback who had led them to championships, Bobby Layne (pictured above), but they also had acquired QB Tobin Rote from the Packers as insurance (Layne had experienced injury problems in the previous two years) and Wilson had them sharing the starting job. They also were still a strong defensive club with an all-star backfield of safeties Jack Christiansen and Yale Lary and halfbacks Jim David and Terry Barr and a great middle linebacker in Joe Schmidt.

There were 55,764 fans at Briggs Stadium and they suffered through a difficult first half for the home team. The Colts dominated, with Detroit’s offense not advancing beyond the Baltimore 20 until the third quarter. Unitas put the Colts ahead with a 15-yard touchdown pass to end Jim Mutscheller in the opening period. In the second quarter, Jim Martin kicked a 47-yard field goal to get the Lions on the board. But two long Unitas pass plays, of 72 yards to HB Lenny Moore and 66 yards to Mutscheller, had Baltimore comfortably in front at halftime by a score of 21-3.

In the third quarter, the margin increased when Unitas threw a fourth scoring pass to Moore that covered four yards. While the extra point was missed, it hardly seemed to matter as the Colts were ahead by a 24-point margin at 27-3. The Lions finally got on the board again when Rote threw to end Steve Junker for a 14-yard touchdown. Still, with the tally at 27-10 entering the final period, some fans began making their way to the exits.


Layne directed the Lions on a 49-yard drive that started with a pass to HB Howard “Hopalong” Cassady (pictured at left) for nine yards and another, to end Steve Junker, for 14 more. Layne finished the possession off by connecting again with Cassady for a 26-yard touchdown that narrowed Baltimore’s margin to ten points.

The ball changed hands three more times before Baltimore FB Alan Ameche fumbled at midfield and Jim David recovered to give the Lions possession at the Colts’ 46. The Lions scored in six plays as, down to two minutes to play, Layne threw to Cassady for eight yards and FB John Henry Johnson ran for seven. Cassady made a leaping catch at the one yard line and Johnson followed up with a touchdown that cut the margin to 27-24.

Detroit decided not to try an onside kick and the gamble paid off when Moore fumbled the ball back to the Lions on an end run at his own 29. Layne again threw to Cassady, who leaped between two defenders and pulled the ball down in the end zone for 29 yards and the go-ahead touchdown with 45 seconds left, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Detroit held on to win by a final score of 31-27.

The Lions outgained Baltimore (369 yards to 322) and had more first downs (20 to 15). They also sacked Unitas four times, while neither Detroit quarterback was thrown for a loss. Most damaging for the Colts, they suffered six turnovers, to four by the Lions.

Howard Cassady led both teams in rushing (71 yards) and pass receiving yards (113, on 6 catches). Bobby Layne completed 8 of 21 passes for 139 yards with two TDs and two interceptions, and as usual was at his best in the clutch.

Johnny Unitas was successful on 16 of 21 throws for 239 yards with four touchdown passes for the Colts, giving him 12 in four games. He was intercepted once. Lenny Moore caught 6 passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns and Jim Mutscheller (pictured below) gained 107 yards on his 5 catches that also included two for scores.


“It was the greatest finish I've seen in pro ball,” said Coach George Wilson. “We just didn't let down.”

“It was Hoppy’s game,” added Wilson, referring to Cassady. “I think he’s finally finding himself. Right now he’s the most improved receiver we have.”

Cassady, a Heisman Trophy winner at Ohio State, hadn’t scored at all as a rookie, running for 413 yards and catching nine passes and returning kicks. He had been considered a bit of a disappointment and was a backup to less-heralded HB Gene Gedman.

The Lions and Colts dueled for the Western Conference title throughout the season. The Lions lost their next two games but won five of the last six to end up in a tie with the 49ers at 8-4. It was very nearly not enough, for Baltimore, after losing its next two games, won four straight and headed for the West Coast and last two contests with a 7-3 record. They suffered two tough losses to the 49ers and Rams (a win at Los Angeles could have created a three-way deadlock) and finished in third place at 7-5.

By the end, Bobby Layne was out with a broken leg, but Tobin Rote led the Lions to the come-from-behind playoff win over San Francisco and a 59-14 thrashing of the Cleveland Browns to win the NFL Championship. Between them (and in an arrangement that neither liked), Layne and Rote passed for 2239 yards with 17 touchdowns. Layne, no longer the running quarterback he had once been, contributed 99 yards on the ground while Rote, the league’s premier rushing QB, gained 366 yards on 70 carries.

Johnny Unitas served notice of coming greatness as he led the NFL in passing yards (2550), TD passes (24), and yards per attempt (8.5). His 301 pass attempts also ranked first, while his 172 completions placed second, as did his 57.1 completion percentage – and 17 interceptions.

“Hopalong” Cassady rushed for fewer yards than as a rookie, with 250 on 73 carries, but was much more productive as a receiver, catching 25 passes for 325 yards (13.0 avg.) and three touchdowns. It set the tone for the remainder of his eight-year career in which he was used less as a running halfback and more as a receiver.

1966: Dolphins Score Quick TD, But Lose Debut to Raiders

September 2, 1966 marked the regular season debut of the American Football League’s first expansion team, the Miami Dolphins. Coached by George Wilson, who once led the NFL Lions to a championship, the Dolphins, like all first-year teams, were made up of a combination of veteran castoffs and inexperienced young talent.

The quarterback position included examples of both, with strong-armed but immobile Dick Wood, a fifth-year veteran most recently with the Raiders and, for two years before that, the Jets, slated to start and rookie Rick Norton, the club’s first draft choice out of Kentucky, who was the primary backup. Miami had been successful in signing 11 of its draft choices, which in addition to Norton notably included another Kentucky star, LB Frank Emanuel, and split end Howard Twilley out of Tulsa.

There were 26,776 in attendance at the Orange Bowl on a Friday night to welcome the new club as it hosted the Oakland Raiders. Oakland, with a new head coach in John Rauch, was coming off of an 8-5-1 season in 1965 and was a 17-point favorite against the newcomers.

It didn’t take long for the Dolphins to excite the home crowd. HB Joe Auer, a 25-year-old Miami-area resident who had been a reserve with the Buffalo Bills, started things off with a bang by returning the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown (pictured above). Only Oakland’s DB Rodger Bird came close to stopping him, missing a tackle at the 10 before Auer dove into the end zone and was greeted by entertainer Danny Thomas, one of the team’s co-owners.

Things went quickly downhill from there. While the Raiders offense sputtered, especially when a first quarter bomb from QB Cotton Davidson was dropped by a wide-open (and normally reliable) split end Art Powell at the Miami 35 yard line, the Dolphins proved adept at beating themselves. Wood was intercepted four times in the first half, twice each by safety Howie Williams and CB Dave Grayson.

The interceptions proved critical, cutting off two promising drives and leading to 10 points for the Raiders in the second quarter. Twice Oakland took possession on the Miami 16, leading to a 16-yard field goal by Mike Mercer and a two-yard TD run by FB Hewritt Dixon. The Raiders led narrowly by 10-7 at halftime.


The rookie Norton took over at quarterback for the Dolphins in the second half. Early in the third quarter, Miami got a break when CB Jim Warren intercepted a Davidson pass. The Dolphins established their ground game in the ensuing drive as Auer and FB Billy Joe ran the ball effectively. However, seventh-year veteran Gene Mingo missed a 19-yard field goal attempt that would have tied the game.

Tom Flores replaced Davidson at quarterback and led the Raiders on an 11-play, 81-yard drive that included passes of 17 yards to Powell, 19 yards to FB Roger Hagberg, and 12 yards to TE Tom Mitchell. The possession resulted in a 15-yard TD pass to Powell with 3:27 remaining in the period, extending Oakland’s lead to 17-7.

The Dolphins resorted to trickery as the head coach’s son, George Wilson Jr., who was also the punter and a backup quarterback, took off on a fake punt and ran 37 yards to the Raiders’ 11. But Mingo missed another short field goal attempt, this time from 15 yards. Still, Miami got on the board again and made the game close when Norton tossed a two-yard scoring pass to aging ex-Bears FB Rick Casares for a TD that cut Oakland’s lead to 17-14.

Near the end, the Raiders finally clinched the win when Flores threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Mitchell to cap a 72-yard drive with just over two minutes left to play. The extra point attempt failed and the final score was 23-14.

“Except for the alertness of Williams and Grayson, we would have been in real trouble,” said a relieved John Rauch afterward.

The Raiders outgained Miami (257 yards to 182), especially dominating in net passing yards (241 to 88). However, they ran the ball poorly, gaining just 16 yards on 22 attempts to 94 yards by the Dolphins, and for as much as Miami was damaged by five turnovers, Oakland hurt itself with six.


Cotton Davidson completed only 7 of 19 passes for 80 yards with no TDs and three interceptions. Tom Flores was more effective, going to the air 20 times and completing 11 for 161 yards with two touchdowns against one that was picked off. Art Powell made up for his early drop with 8 catches for 104 yards and a TD. Roger Hagberg led the anemic rushing attack with 23 yards on six carries.

For the newcomers, Dick Wood completed just 4 of 13 passes for 49 yards and, of course, had the four interceptions. Rick Norton was successful on 7 of 19 throws for 52 yards with a TD as well as an interception. George Wilson Jr., with his one carry on the fake punt, led the Dolphins in rushing with 37 yards. Billy Joe gained 31 yards on 9 attempts and Joe Auer, who started things off in spectacular fashion with the kickoff return touchdown, ran for 25 yards on 10 carries and caught two passes for 30 more to lead the team in pass receiving yardage. The old pro, 35-year-old Rick Casares, caught the most passes, with three for 21 yards and a score.

It took until the sixth week of the season for the Dolphins to finally win their first game, and they ended up at 3-11 and tied for last in the AFL’s Eastern Division with the Houston Oilers. The Raiders once again went 8-5-1 to place second in the Western Division.

The quarterback position remained unsettled for Miami all through the inaugural season, with four different players starting. Joe Auer ended up being the club’s leading rusher (416 yards) and scorer (nine touchdowns for 54 points), but the fullback position was held down by several players along the way. Only the defensive backfield truly came together, as Jim Warren and safety Willie West were AFL All-Stars.

1963: Lions Beat Steelers in Playoff Bowl as Layne Plays for Last Time

The Detroit Lions were appearing in the Playoff Bowl for the third straight year on January 6, 1963. While it was a meaningless postseason exhibition game, it still attested to the fact that they had placed second in the NFL’s Western Conference from 1960-62. Detroit did so again in ’62 with an 11-3 record, third best in the NFL.

Representing the Eastern Conference were the Pittsburgh Steelers, who had gone 9-5 in their sixth season under Head Coach Buddy Parker – the same coach who had led the Lions to back-to-back NFL titles in 1952 and ’53. The Steelers had won six of their last seven games and were largely a veteran club. QB Bobby Layne was nearing the end of his Hall of Fame career, and it was 34-year-old Ed Brown, formerly of the Bears, who would be starting against the Lions. Ninth-year FB John Henry Johnson had the finest season of his distinguished career, rushing for 1141 yards. Split end Buddy Dial was a potent deep threat, while TE Preston Carpenter was chosen for the Pro Bowl. Savvy veterans, center Buzz Nutter and DT Gene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb, were also picked for the Pro Bowl, and other key contributors over 30 were DT/DE Ernie Stautner and LB George Tarasovic. Lou Michaels, a placekicker as well as defensive end, set a new NFL record with 26 field goals.

Detroit had demolished the Steelers during the regular season by a 45-7 margin, but that was at the beginning of the year and before they began to reel off wins. Coached by Parker’s successor, George Wilson, the Lions were renowned for their defense that included tackles Roger Brown and Alex Karras, MLB Joe Schmidt, and the league’s best secondary with cornerbacks Dick “Night Train” Lane and Dick LeBeau and safeties Yale Lary and Gary Lowe. The offense continued to be a problem, and the acquisition of QB Milt Plum (pictured above) from Cleveland during the previous offseason, although an improvement, did not fully resolve the issue.

There were 36,284 fans for the nationally-telecast game at Miami’s Orange Bowl, the game’s best attendance to date (and exceeding the 35,000 threshold that NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle stated was necessary for Miami to continue hosting the event). The Steelers were also debuting a new (and now familiar) black helmet design, having worn gold helmets previously.

The Detroit offense looked good in the first quarter, twice driving into field goal range. The first possession included passes by Plum of 20 yards to split end Gail Cogdill and 14 to flanker Pat Studstill. However, Wayne Walker missed a 29-yard field goal attempt. The second drive began just before the end of the scoreless opening period as FB Ken Webb ran for 32 yards (the longest carry of the day) to just past midfield. Plum passed the team down to the 18, and this time Walker was successful on a field goal attempt from 27 yards.

The Steelers couldn’t get beyond their 40 yard line until midway through the second quarter when they put together an 11-play drive for a touchdown. A pass interference call on a third-and-16 play got the drive moving, and a 19-yard pass from Ed Brown to Carpenter gained 19 yards, followed by a 26-yard throw to Dial for another 26 down to the Detroit 19. HB Dick Hoak scored on a six-yard run and the Steelers led by 7-3.

The Lions again drove into Pittsburgh territory, but LB Tom Bettis intercepted a pass by Plum at the goal line. However, Detroit LB Carl Brettschneider returned the favor by intercepting a Brown pass and returning it 32 yards to the Pittsburgh 34; the Lions capitalized with a 20-yard TD pass from Plum to Webb in the last minute of the half. It was 10-7 in favor of Detroit at the intermission.

In the third quarter, Pittsburgh’s Michaels tied the score at 10-10 with a 40-yard field goal. Following an interception of Plum by safety Clendon Thomas, Michaels tried another field goal but missed from 38 yards.

The Lions came back as Plum connected with HB Dan Lewis on a 74-yard pass play to the Pittsburgh five. Webb scored his second TD shortly thereafter on a two-yard run, and Detroit was ahead to stay.

In the fourth quarter, Pittsburgh DB Glenn Glass intercepted a pass and returned it 28 yards to the Detroit 35. However, blitzes by the Lions defense resulted in sacks that pushed the ball back to the 47 and the Steelers came up empty.

Brown was replaced at quarterback for Pittsburgh midway through the fourth quarter by Layne, appearing in the last game of his illustrious career, and ironically against the team that he had quarterbacked so successfully from 1950 through the second game of the ’58 season. Having just turned 36, the old pro might have been broken down physically, but still had competitive fire and provided some excitement as he sought to bring the Steelers from behind. He completed three passes to get Pittsburgh to the Detroit 21 yard line. However, two long throws by Layne fell incomplete as the Lions defense held. A field goal attempt by Michaels was blocked.

Detroit tried to extend its lead on the following possession, but a 32-yard field goal attempt by Walker was partially blocked and fell short, setting the stage for one last try by Layne and the Steelers. A final drive to midfield ended when Layne was intercepted by Yale Lary, essentially finishing the contest. Detroit won by a score of 17-10.

For an exhibition game, there was plenty of hard hitting and several players went down with injuries. John Henry Johnson suffered an apparent concussion, and Pittsburgh DB Willie Daniel broke his jaw while OT Dan James injured his leg. Detroit’s Ken Webb was knocked out when hit by Lipscomb.

The Lions won, despite giving up three interceptions and missing two of three field goal attempts. However, they registered six sacks in all and intercepted two passes while also blocking a field goal attempt.


Milt Plum was selected as the game’s MVP as he completed 16 of 29 throws for 274 yards and a TD (the yardage total ended up being the highest in the 10-game history of the Playoff Bowl). Dan Lewis (pictured at left) had 115 receiving yards while Ken Webb gained 47 yards on the ground to lead the club.

For Pittsburgh, Ed Brown completed 5 of 12 passes for 82 yards while Bobby Layne (pictured below) was good on 4 of 8 throws for 69 yards. Dick Hoak was the leading rusher with 64 yards.

Bobby Layne’s next stop was the Pro Football Hall of Fame five years later. Tragically, “Big Daddy” Lipscomb, who appeared in the Pro Bowl the following week, died from a drug overdose in May.

With the win over the Steelers, the Lions were victors in all three of their Playoff Bowl games. They would not appear in the contest again (the last was played following the 1969 season), but the three wins were the most by any team.