1957: 49ers Take Advantage of Fumbles to Defeat Giants

The San Francisco 49ers were trying to remain in the NFL Western Conference title hunt as they traveled to New York to face the Giants on December 1, 1957. Coached by Frankie Albert, the 49ers had a productive offense that featured the passing of QB Y.A. Tittle (pictured at right) and a formidable ground attack led by HB Hugh McElhenny and FB Joe Perry. But after getting off to a 5-1 start, the club had lost three straight games to come into New York with a 5-4 record that had them a game behind the Colts and Lions.

The Giants, under Head Coach Jim Lee Howell, were at 7-2 and trying to keep up with the resurgent Cleveland Browns in the Eastern Conference. QB Charlie Conerly was a savvy clutch passer at age 36, HB Frank Gifford an outstanding all-purpose back, and the defense was tough.

There was a big crowd of 54,121 fans at Yankee Stadium. Late in the first quarter, the 49ers took advantage of a Frank Gifford fumble recovered by LB Matt Hazeltine and drove 59 yards in nine plays. FB Gene Babb finished it off with an eight-yard touchdown run and Gordie Soltau added the extra point.

As the contest headed into the second quarter, the Giants responded with a nine-play, 80-yard possession that concluded with HB Alex Webster blasting over the middle from a yard out for a TD. Ben Agajanian kicked the game-tying point after. Following another New York fumble, this time by Conerly when hit by Hazeltine (pictured below) and recovered by DT Bill Herchman, San Francisco went 25 yards in seven plays that resulted in Joe Perry plunging three yards for a TD. Soltau’s conversion put the visitors back in front by 14-7.

The Giants continued to hurt themselves as Gifford fumbled again when hit by LB Ed Henke on a reverse and it was recovered at the New York 11. The Niners weren’t able to reach the end zone, but Soltau kicked a 42-yard field goal to stretch their advantage to ten points. On the final play of the first half, New York’s Agajanian kicked a 35-yard field goal and the San Francisco lead was trimmed to 17-10 at halftime.

The 49ers started off the third quarter by advancing 78 yards in nine plays that featured Y.A. Tittle passing to Hugh McElhenny for a 38-yard gain and to end Billy Wilson for an 11-yard touchdown. Soltau’s extra point extended the lead to 24-10. The Giants, now in a fourteen-point hole, responded with a 75-yard advance that took 11 plays. Conerly passed to Gifford for a six-yard TD and Agajanian added the point after.

As the game headed into the fourth quarter, the Giants had opportunities but were consistently thwarted by the spirited San Francisco defense. Finally, another turnover, this time an interception, set up another score for the visitors as Soltau connected on a 37-yard field goal to make it a ten-point lead. That was more than enough as the 49ers held on to win by a final score of 27-17.

San Francisco led in total yards (316 to 265), with 193 yards on the ground alone, while the Giants had more first downs (21 to 19). New York turned the ball over seven times, five of them fumbles in the first half, to four suffered by the 49ers.

Y.A. Tittle completed 11 of 16 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown, although also giving up three interceptions, and ran the ball five times for 49 yards. Joe Perry rushed for 84 yards on 19 carries that included a TD and Gene Babb contributed 59 yards on 14 attempts. Billy Wilson topped the receivers with four catches for 64 yards and a TD and Hugh McElhenny contributed three pass receptions for 42 yards.

For the Giants, Charlie Conerly was successful on 17 of 25 throws for 215 yards and a TD along with an interception, but also coughed up four of the team’s fumbles. Frank Gifford (pictured at right), who was limited to 16 yards on 7 carries, caught 11 passes for 105 yards and a TD and accounted for two costly fumbles in the first half. Alex Webster topped the ground gainers with 33 yards on 9 attempts that included a score and added 38 more yards on two receptions.

“You don’t deserve to win when you lose the ball six times on fumbles,” summed up New York’s Coach Howell. “The 49ers gambled on shooting their linebackers through to get at Conerly and it paid off.”

The game proved to be a turning point heading into the final stretch for both teams.  San Francisco won its remaining two games, including a showdown with the Colts, to finish at 8-4 and tied with Detroit atop the Western Conference. In the resulting playoff game, the 49ers blew a big halftime lead to lose to the Lions. The Giants, on the other hand, lost their next two contests and placed second in the Eastern Conference at 7-5.

1954: 49ers Withstand Late Rally to Defeat Lions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1957: Tittle’s 3 TD Passes Lead 49ers to Win Against Rams

Two West Coast rivals, the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams, met in San Francisco in the second week of the NFL season on October 6, 1957. The Rams had won their opening game against the Eagles while the 49ers fell to the Chicago Cardinals.

The 49ers were coached by Frankie Albert, once their star quarterback, and were coming off of two straight losing records that included 5-6-1 in ’56. However, after a dreadful 1-6 start they had concluded the season with a 4-0-1 burst, and were looking to build upon that finish. QB Y.A. Tittle (pictured above) was a key to the late surge and, while FB Joe Perry was beginning to show signs of wear, HB Hugh McElhenny remained a potent breakaway threat. The bigger questions related to the defense, in particular the backfield.

Los Angeles was just two years removed from a Western Conference title but had gone a disappointing 4-8 in 1956. While Head Coach Sid Gillman had been revamping the roster, veteran QB Norm Van Brocklin was still behind center and a formidable passer at age 30, although he was being pushed by the younger Bill Wade. While the receiving corps was no longer as impressive as it had been in previous years, there was plenty of talent at running back with FB Tank Younger and HB Tom Wilson who was being joined by first draft choice Jon Arnett, a fleet all-purpose halfback out of USC. The Rams had concerns about their defense but had also finished strong the previous year.

Kezar Stadium was filled with 59,637 fans for the game. The 49ers had the first possession and drove to near midfield before having to punt. The kick by Larry Barnes went off the side of his foot and traveled only six yards to give the Rams the ball at their own 45. Tom Wilson (pictured below) ran for 23 yards around right end on first down and, three plays later, he scored on a 21-yard touchdown carry. Paige Cothren added the extra point to put the visitors in front by 7-0.

San Francisco again had to punt after its next series. Barnes again had trouble when a high snap forced him to rush the kick, and while it traveled farther, it was just 26 yards to the LA 39. However, the Niners got a break when, after Tank Younger ran for 13 yards, LB Matt Hazeltine intercepted a Norm Van Brocklin pass. The 49ers came up inches short when trying to convert a third-and-one and another Barnes punt went only 11 yards. Effective running by Wilson and Younger, with a short pass by Van Brocklin mixed in, advanced the Rams to the San Francisco 16, where the drive stalled, and LA came up empty when Cothren’s 23-yard field goal attempt missed the mark.

The 49ers came alive on offense as Hugh McElhenny ran around end for 16 yards and Y.A. Tittle threw to end Clyde Conner for 14 yards to the 50. Joe Perry ran for eight yards but, as the game headed into the second quarter, two passes by Tittle fell incomplete and Gordie Soltau missed a field goal try from 47 yards.

The Rams punted following their next series and, while the 49ers took over at their 42, a sack by LB Dick Daugherty moved them back 13 yards and Barnes quick-kicked on third down. LA took over at its 25, was penalized half the distance to the goal due to a personal foul, and then a bad pitchout was recovered by Wilson in his end zone for a safety. HB Joe Arenas returned the ensuing free kick 21 yards to the LA 45 and, two plays later, Tittle threw down the middle to Conner who, about to be tackled, lateraled to end Billy Wilson and the fleet receiver ran the distance for a 43-yard TD. Soltau converted and the 49ers were in front by 9-7.

The Rams put together a promising drive in response that featured Van Brocklin passes of 26 yards to end Bob Boyd and 20 yards to end Leon Clarke. The second gave Los Angeles a first down at the San Francisco 14, and two carries by Younger made it first-and-goal at the four. Two running plays picked up two yards, and on third down Wilson fumbled into the end zone and safety J.D. Smith recovered for the 49ers to end the threat.

San Francisco responded to the reprieve by putting together an 80-yard series in nine plays. A short pass to Perry picked up 17 yards and it was Tittle throwing long to flanker R.C. Owens, a rookie with outstanding jumping ability, who outmaneuvered safety Don Burroughs in the end zone for a 46-yard touchdown. Soltau added the point after and the Niners took a 16-7 lead into halftime.

The Rams had the first possession in the third quarter and moved quickly, covering 81 yards in just four plays, to narrow the score. The big play was a Van Brocklin pass to Clarke who went the distance for a 70-yard TD. Cothren’s extra point made it a 16-14 game.

The teams traded punts before San Francisco put together a good drive. McElhenny had runs of 11 and 19 yards but, after reaching the LA 36, two Tittle passes were broken up and Soltau missed a long field goal try. The Rams were in San Francisco territory as the period ended thanks to a Van Brocklin throw to Jon Arnett that gained 36 yards. A pass to Clarke picked up nine yards to the 21 as the third quarter ended and, after two running plays added seven yards, LA moved into the lead with a Cothren field goal from 20 yards that made the tally 17-16.

On San Francisco’s first play after the kickoff, Barnes fumbled and safety Will Sherman recovered for the Rams at the Niners’ 29. Wilson ran the ball five straight times and, after a Van Brocklin pass was incomplete, Cothren kicked another field goal, again from 20 yards. The visitors held a four-point lead at 20-16 with under ten minutes remaining to play.

Smith returned the ensuing kickoff 38 yards and nearly went the distance before FB Joe Marconi tackled him at the San Francisco 41. The 49ers proceeded to advance 59 yards in 10 plays. McElhenny and FB Gene Babb ran to good effect and Tittle carried the ball himself to convert a third down. Tittle passed to Conner for 11 yards and another 11-yard throw was caught by a leaping Owens for a touchdown. Soltau added the extra point to put the Niners back in the lead by three points. The Rams were unable to move the ball in their last two possessions and San Francisco held on for a 23-20 win.

Los Angeles had the edge in total yards (401 to 318) and first downs (19 to 16). Both teams ran the ball well, with the 49ers gaining 196 yards to LA’s 184. The Rams suffered two turnovers, to one by San Francisco. The 49ers were hampered by their poor punting game, averaging just 28.3 yards on six punts (Larry Barnes accounted for four of the kicks, with an average of 24.5).

Y.A. Tittle completed just 7 of 15 passes for 147 yards, but three of them were for touchdowns while he gave up no interceptions. Hugh McElhenny rushed for 109 yards on 21 carries and Gene Babb contributed 57 yards on 10 attempts. Clyde Conner had four catches for 50 yards while R.C. Owens (pictured at right) gained 57 yards on his two receptions, both of which scored TDs.

For the Rams, Norm Van Brocklin was successful on 12 of 20 throws for 217 yards and a TD and he was picked off once. Tom Wilson gained 125 yards on 20 rushing attempts that included a touchdown and Tank Younger had 63 yards on his 16 rushes. Jon Arnett topped the team with four pass receptions, for 65 yards, while Leon Clarke, with his long scoring catch, gained 96 yards on three receptions. 

The win for the 49ers was the first of five straight on the way to an 8-4 record that tied them for first place with Detroit in the Western Conference. They blew a big halftime lead in losing the playoff with the Lions. The Rams got off to a 1-3 start, but defeated San Francisco in the rematch and ended up at 6-6 and fourth in the conference.

Y.A. Tittle received MVP recognition from UPI and was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection as he led the league in pass completions (176) and completion percentage (63.1) and was second in passing yards (2157). Hugh McElhenny ran for 478 yards while averaging 4.7 yards-per-carry and caught 37 passes for 458 yards and was named to the Pro Bowl for the fourth time. R.C. Owens had 27 catches for 395 yards (14.6 avg.) and scored five TDs.  

Norm Van Brocklin placed second in the NFL in touchdown passes (20), yards per attempt (7.9), and yards per completion (15.9), although he topped the circuit in interceptions thrown (21). Tom Wilson rushed for 616 yards on 127 carries (4.9 avg.) to lead the club and was selected to the Pro Bowl.

1963: Giants Obtain Hugh McElhenny from Vikings

In his prime, HB Hugh McElhenny was arguably the most electrifying open field runner in the NFL. He was fast, elusive, and with outstanding cutting ability that made his breakaway runs, in which he often crisscrossed the field, highlight favorites. But by the time he was acquired by the New York Giants on July 17, 1963 he had played for 11 seasons and the cartilage had worn out in his left knee.

Obtaining the 34-year-old McElhenny from the Minnesota Vikings for two future draft picks (fourth round in 1964, second round in ’65) was thus considered a gamble, but one the Giants were willing to take to add depth to their corps of running backs. While the passing game directed by QB Y.A. Tittle had been outstanding as the club topped the Eastern Conference in 1961 and ’62, the running attack was less formidable. The starting halfback was Phil King, a workmanlike fifth-year pro with a history of injury problems. FB Alex Webster was 32 and, while a proven power runner, was on the downside of his career. Backing up was the versatile but unexciting Joe Morrison, and no younger prospects had shown staying power. Head Coach Allie Sherman was especially interested in finding someone with outside speed, and there was hope that McElhenny still had something left in that regard.

The 6’1”, 195-pound halfback was reunited with his ex-49er teammate Tittle with the Giants. “The King” was a first-round draft choice out of the University of Washington when he joined San Francisco in 1952, and made an immediate impression when he averaged seven yards a carry and scored a total of ten touchdowns as a rookie. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection in each of his first two seasons. An excellent complement to FB Joe Perry, McElhenny was at his best on draw plays and screen passes. Over the course of nine years with the 49ers, was chosen to five Pro Bowls as he rushed for 4288 yards on 877 carries, for a 4.9-yard average with 35 TDs, caught 195 passes for 2666 yards (13.7 avg.) and 15 scores, averaged 6.5 yards on 99 punt returns that included another touchdown and 23.0 yards on 65 kickoff returns. Overall, that was a total of 9100 all-purpose yards and 51 TDs.

With the 49ers on a youth movement, McElhenny joined the expansion Vikings in 1961. There he gained 570 yards on the ground, tied his career high with 37 pass receptions, and returned a punt for a touchdown. He was named to one last Pro Bowl, but advancing age and bad knees took their toll the following year.

As a backup for the Giants, McElhenny was often unable to practice due to his knee problems, but he proved useful off the bench. In the opening-week win over the Colts, McElhenny caught a touchdown pass and he had his biggest performance in a midseason showdown with the Browns at Cleveland. He ran the ball 13 times for 53 yards, both season highs, caught one pass for a six-yard TD, and returned a kickoff 51 yards as the Giants won decisively. Meanwhile, Webster managed to play in just half of the games, with Morrison forced to thus fill in at fullback.

Overall, McElhenny rushed for 175 yards on 55 carries (3.2 avg.), had 11 pass receptions for 91 yards and two TDs, and had an additional 210 yards returning kicks. The Giants won the Eastern Conference for a third straight year before bowing to the Bears in the NFL Championship game. McElhenny provided one highlight in that contest by returning a kickoff 47 yards, in addition to gaining 19 yards on seven rushing attempts and catching two passes for 20 yards.

“The King” returned in 1964 but failed to make the team, and caught on with the Detroit Lions in what was his final year.  He retired after having gained 11,369 all-purpose yards, one of only three players up to that time to have crossed the 11,000-yard threshold. McElhenny was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970.

As for the draft choices the Vikings obtained for McElhenny, the fourth round pick in 1964 was used to take tackle Tom Keating from Michigan, who joined Buffalo of the AFL instead and had his best years as a DT with the Oakland Raiders. The 1965 second-round selection brought Illinois OT Archie Sutton, who lasted for three seasons as a backup with the Vikings and appeared in a total of 19 games.

1958: Brodie Rallies 49ers Past Steelers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1954: Harlon Hill Stars as Bears Topple 49ers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1963: Giants Dominate Browns in Key Eastern Showdown

The Cleveland Browns seemed poised to take control of the NFL Eastern Conference race as they hosted the New York Giants on October 27, 1963. The Browns were undefeated at 6-0 and had looked very good in defeating the Giants at Yankee Stadium two weeks earlier. Under first-year Head Coach Blanton Collier, they had the league’s top rusher in FB Jim Brown, who was leading the NFL with 931 yards on the ground and had compiled 209 yards from scrimmage in the previous meeting with the Giants. QB Frank Ryan was also leading the NFL with a completion percentage of 62.1.

The Giants, coached by Allie Sherman, had topped the Eastern Conference in each of the last two years but, at 4-2, were in danger of falling out of contention unless they could derail Cleveland. 37-year-old QB Y.A. Tittle (pictured above) had been a sensation since arriving from San Francisco in 1961 and had a fine receiving corps led by split end Del Shofner. The veteran group of running backs included FB Alex Webster and HB Hugh McElhenny. The defense also had a well-seasoned core that was anchored by MLB Sam Huff and included such stalwarts as DEs Andy Robustelli and Jim Katcavage, DT Dick Modzelewski, cornerbacks Dick Lynch and Erich Barnes, and FS Jim Patton.

There were 84,213 fans at Municipal Stadium, the second-largest crowd for a regular season game to date in the history of the huge venue. The tone was set on the second play from scrimmage when Jim Brown fumbled after picking up seven yards and Sam Huff recovered for the Giants at the Cleveland 30. Four plays later, Don Chandler kicked a 29-yard field goal to give New York the early lead.

On the next play following the kickoff, Frank Ryan threw a pass that was intercepted by Jim Patton and the Giants again took possession in Cleveland territory. They immediately capitalized when Y.A. Tittle threw to Del Shofner for a 23-yard touchdown. Chandler added the extra point and less than three minutes into the game, the visitors were ahead by 10-0. Cleveland had run only three offensive plays.

The Browns went three-and-out on their next series and were forced to punt. The Giants, taking over at their 14, put together an 86-yard drive in 15 plays. Tittle completed seven passes along the way, two of which converted third downs, including one to TE Aaron Thomas for 19 yards in a third-and-10 situation and another to TE Joe Walton for 13 yards on a third-and-six play. Hugh McElhenny and Alex Webster ran effectively and Tittle finished the series off with a six-yard scoring pass to McElhenny. New York’s lead was 17-0 after a quarter of play.

The Browns again had to punt and once more New York responded by putting points on the board. This time the Giants moved the ball 34 yards in eight plays capped by Chandler booting a 34-yard field goal. Tittle again came through with a third down completion to keep the drive going, connecting with Shofner for 16 yards to the Cleveland 31 on a third-and-seven play.

Another short series by the Browns was followed by another New York scoring drive. Tittle completed four more passes, Cleveland was flagged for pass interference on one he didn’t complete, and Chandler kicked another field goal, this time from 33 yards. The Giants had scored on every first half possession and took a commanding 23-0 lead into halftime. The statistics were as lopsided as the score - New York had outgained the Browns by 195 yards to 35 and Cleveland had run just 20 plays.

The Giants kept pouring it on as the third quarter began. McElhenny took the second half kickoff 51 yards and they ended up with a fourth Chandler field goal, of 42 yards. The Browns still remained stymied on offense and punted, and New York remained unstoppable. The offense put together another methodical scoring drive that ended with Webster running the last two yards for a TD.

The outcome was not in doubt in the fourth quarter as the Giants finally failed to score on a possession. After reaching the Cleveland 37, Tittle’s deflected pass was intercepted. Jim Ninowski was now at quarterback for the Browns, but had no better luck at moving the team until his second series, after Chandler missed on a 44-yard field goal attempt. Ninowski threw to split end Tom Hutchinson for 70 yards and two plays later finally got the Browns on the board with a 10-yard touchdown pass to end Rich Kreitling. However, Groza’s extra point attempt was blocked by Huff. The final score was a resounding 33-6 win for the Giants.

New York had a huge lead in total yards (387 to 142) and first downs (26 to 6). The Giants sacked Cleveland’s quarterbacks four times and Cleveland turned the ball over on three occasions, to just the one late and insignificant turnover suffered by New York. The Giants only punted twice, both coming in the final period.

Y.A. Tittle completed 21 of 31 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns with one intercepted. Del Shofner (pictured at left) had 7 catches for 108 yards and a TD. Alex Webster rushed for 53 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries and Hugh McElhenny also ran for 53 yards, on 13 attempts, while contributing a TD on his lone pass reception. Don Chandler helped out with his four field goals in five attempts.

For the Browns, Frank Ryan was successful on only one of 9 throws for a startling minus six passing yards and was intercepted once. Jim Ninowski hit on 4 of 11 passes for 120 yards and a TD with one picked off. Jim Brown was held to just 40 yards on 9 carries and had the critical early fumble. He was also ejected after getting into an altercation with New York LB Tom Scott, who was also tossed, in the game’s last minute. Tom Hutchinson, thanks to the long reception in the fourth quarter, had two catches for 97 yards to lead the club.

The Giants continued on to win their next four games and lost only once more on the way to once again topping the Eastern Conference with an 11-3 record. However, they lost to the Bears in the NFL title game, falling short for the third straight time. Cleveland won the next week at Philadelphia but then lost two straight, faltering down the stretch and ending up in second place at 10-4.

Y.A. Tittle broke his own NFL record with 36 touchdown passes and also led the league in overall passing (104.8 rating in current system), completion percentage (60.2), yards per attempt (8.6), and percentage of TD passes (9.8, tied with Frank Ryan). Del Shofner ranked third in pass receiving yards (1181) and fourth in pass receptions (64). Don Chandler led the NFL in scoring (106 points) and was third in field goals (18) and first in extra points (52).

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

1961: Vikings Thrash Bears for Franchise’s First Win

The Minnesota Vikings launched their first regular season on September 17, 1961 as they hosted the well-established Chicago Bears at Metropolitan Stadium. The new team was coached by Norm Van Brocklin, who had ended his illustrious career as a quarterback after leading the Philadelphia Eagles to the NFL title in ’60 in the expectation that he would succeed Head Coach Buck Shaw, who also retired. When the Eagles elevated assistant coach Nick Skorich instead, a miffed Van Brocklin accepted the opportunity to coach an expansion team.

As usual with expansion teams, the Vikings approached the inaugural season with a group of unwanted veterans and untested young players. In this instance, the veterans included QB George Shaw, most recently of the Giants; aging all-time great HB Hugh McElhenny of the 49ers; Dave Middleton, a seventh-year end from Detroit; DE Don Joyce of the Colts; and G Gerry Huth, fresh from the Eagles’ championship team. Rookies obtained in the draft were Tulane HB Tommy Mason (first round), LB Rip Hawkins from North Carolina (second round), Georgia QB Fran Tarkenton (third round), and defensive back Ed Sharockman of Pitt (fifth round).

The Bears, under the direction of owner/Head Coach George Halas, were coming off of a subpar 5-6-1 season in 1960. In the offseason, they obtained QB Bill Wade from the Rams and also added TE Mike Ditka, the first round draft pick out of Pittsburgh, to upgrade the passing attack.

There were 32,236 in attendance for the regular season debut of the Vikings. The veteran George Shaw started at quarterback, but didn’t last long as he completed two of three passes for 22 yards and was replaced by the rookie Tarkenton (pictured above). Minnesota scored the only points of the first quarter as Mike Mercer booted a 12-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

Tarkenton connected with veteran split end Bob Schnelker, once a star with the Giants, for his first touchdown pass (of an eventual career total of 342) from 14 yards out. The Bears responded when FB Rick Casares went up the middle for a three-yard touchdown. The extra point attempt was missed and the score stood at 10-6 in favor of Minnesota at halftime.

The Vikings had difficulty capitalizing on scoring opportunities in the first half, but came alive in the third quarter. In particular, Tarkenton completed 8 of 11 passes during that period. TE Jerry Reichow made two outstanding catches, one for a 29-yard TD and another for 48 yards between defenders CB J.C. Caroline and SS Richie Petitbon that set up a score by McElhenny, who caught the rookie quarterback’s third touchdown pass of the day from two yards out.

To start the fourth quarter, the young scrambler ran two yards around right end for a touchdown. Dave Middleton scored the last Minnesota touchdown on a two-yard throw from Tarkenton, after which the attempted PAT was missed. With the result a foregone conclusion, the Bears finally rounded out the scoring as Wade tossed a 10-yard TD pass to Galimore. The final tally was a shocking 37-13 decision in favor of the Vikings.


While the Bears were guilty of some sloppy play, Minnesota’s defense played very well and Rip Hawkins (pictured at left), DT Jim Prestel, and DE Jim Marshall were the most noteworthy performers. Hawkins in particular distinguished himself as the leader of the unit.

The Vikings gained a total of 336 yards, to 270 for Chicago, although the Bears had the edge in first downs (20 to 17). However, the Bears turned the ball over five times while the newcomers suffered just one turnover.

Fran Tarkenton was the star of the game on offense, completing 17 of 23 passes for 250 yards with four touchdowns and none intercepted. Hugh McElhenny (pictured below), who rushed for 25 yards on 6 carries, had the most pass receptions for the Vikings with 6, for 54 yards and a TD. Jerry Reichow gained 103 yards on his three catches. FB Mel Triplett was the club’s leading rusher with a yard more than McElhenny, gaining 26 on 8 attempts.


For the Bears, Bill Wade was good on 6 of 10 passes for 109 yards and a TD while having two picked off; QB Ed Brown threw 7 passes and completed just two for 37 yards with two interceptions. Willie Galimore ran the ball 12 times for 47 yards. Flanker Johnny Morris caught 4 passes for 92 yards. Mike Ditka, in his first regular season game, contributed one reception for 18 yards.

Both head coaches, Norm Van Brocklin and George Halas, called Tarkenton’s performance the greatest debut ever by a rookie quarterback.

“Tarkenton is going to be a great quarterback,” Coach Van Brocklin enthused after the game. “The team moves for him. His greatest asset is the way he moves around looking for a target. That draws the defense in and then he throws to an open receiver.”

While friction would eventually develop between Van Brocklin and Tarkenton, at least during the 1961 season there was relative harmony and the rookie completed 56.1 percent of his 280 passes for 1997 yards with 18 touchdowns and 17 interceptions; his scrambling ability kept him from taking a beating behind a mediocre offensive line and he ran for 308 yards on 56 carries that included five TDs.

The opening win by the Vikings was followed by seven straight defeats and they ended up at the bottom of the Western Conference with a 3-11 tally. Chicago recovered from the first-week shellacking to go 8-6 and finish in a tie for third place in the conference with the Baltimore Colts.

Hugh McElhenny had one last Pro Bowl season, leading the Vikings with 570 yards rushing, catching 37 passes for 283 more, and returning a punt for a touchdown. For Mike Ditka, the season resulted in a first Pro Bowl selection as he had an outstanding rookie year with 56 receptions for 1076 yards (19.2 avg.) and 12 TDs.

1963: Tittle Leads Giants to Come-From-Behind Win Over Colts

The Baltimore Colts opened the 1963 season on September 15 against the New York Giants at Memorial Stadium in a state of transition under a new head coach. Weeb Ewbank, who had built the Colts into a championship team in 1958 and ’59, was fired after posting a 7-7 record in ’62 and replaced by 33-year-old Don Shula. Shula had been a defensive back for the Colts for four years, in between stints with the Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins. He had moved into coaching upon his retirement as a player and, for the past three seasons, he had been the defensive coordinator in Detroit.

The Giants, under Head Coach Allie Sherman, had placed first in the Eastern Conference for the second consecutive year but had again failed to win the league championship as they fell both times to the Green Bay Packers. QB Y.A. Tittle had been outstanding since arriving through a trade with the 49ers prior to the 1961 season while the veteran defense was one of the NFL’s best. But just as age and injuries had caught up with the Colts, so the window of opportunity was beginning to close in New York.

It was a gray and rainy day in Baltimore, but the home fans had something to cheer about early on when the Giants fumbled on the third play of the game and star DE Gino Marchetti picked up the loose football and rumbled 40 yards for a touchdown. Two possessions later and still in the first quarter, New York fumbled the ball away again. This time QB Johnny Unitas, despite still suffering the effects of an injury to his throwing shoulder, threw a 34-yard TD pass to flanker Jimmy Orr (pictured below) for a 14-0 lead.


Don Chandler kicked a 42-yard field goal before the first quarter was over to narrow the margin to 14-3, but the Colts came back in the second period after yet another New York fumble, this by veteran HB Hugh McElhenny after a good run on a screen pass. Unitas connected with rookie TE John Mackey for a 32-yard touchdown and the Colts were up by 21-3.

The Giants began to climb out of the hole as Tittle threw to HB Phil King on a play-action pass that produced a 46-yard touchdown. When they scored again on a four-yard TD pass from Tittle to TE Joe Walton, the Baltimore margin was narrowed to 21-17. However, the Colts came back with a scoring drive that ended with FB Jerry Hill running for a three-yard touchdown. Just before the end of the half, McElhenny made up for the earlier fumble by catching a seven-yard TD pass from Tittle and the tally stood at 28-24 at the intermission.

The Giants took the lead in the third quarter with two key plays. Tittle passed to split end Del Shofner for a 43-yard gain to the Baltimore nine yard line and, when the Colts blitzed on first-and-goal, the 37-year-old quarterback ran for the touchdown (pictured at top). The extra point attempt failed, but New York was ahead by 30-28. The Giants scored one more TD in the third quarter, on a one-yard run by FB Alex Webster, and that provided the final margin of 37-28.


The three lost fumbles in the first half had nearly done the Giants in, but they outgained the Colts by 362 total yards to 295. Tittle completed 16 of 23 passes for 243 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions and ran for 24 yards on five carries, including the game-winning TD. Phil King (pictured at right) and Del Shofner each caught five passes, with King gaining 101 yards and scoring the team’s first TD and Shofner gaining 85 and setting up the game-winning score. New York also ran effectively, gaining a total of 119 yards on 37 rushes, with Webster leading the way at 60 yards on 15 carries.

For Baltimore, Johnny Unitas completed 19 of 33 passes for 219 yards with two TDs and two interceptions. Jimmy Orr was the leading receiver with five catches for 83 yards and a touchdown. The Colts were missing the outstanding HB Lenny Moore due to an appendectomy; he was replaced by Tom Matte, who gained 26 yards on 10 attempts and caught four passes for 37 more yards, while FB J.W. Lockett was Baltimore’s leading ground gainer with 37 yards on 9 carries.

The Giants went on to win the Eastern Conference for a third straight year with an 11-3 record, and once again lost the title game, this time to the Chicago Bears. It would indeed be a last hurrah for the aging club, as they dropped into the cellar in ’64 and would not return to the postseason until 1981. Baltimore suffered through an injury-plagued season in Don Shula’s first year but ended up at 8-6 and third place in the Western Conference. They would win the conference title in 1964. Shula would go on to win 347 games as an NFL head coach (328 regular season, 19 postseason).

Y.A. Tittle, in his next-to-last season, led the NFL in passing as he tossed a then-record 36 touchdown passes (already accomplished by Houston’s George Blanda in the AFL in 1961). He also topped the league in yards per attempt (8.6) and completion percentage (60.2); his 3145 yards ranked third and he was intercepted just 14 times (3.8 INT percentage, also third in the NFL). Tittle was a consensus first team All-Pro and was named league MVP by the Associated Press and NEA.

Johnny Unitas led the league in passes completed (237), yards (3481), and lowest percentage of interceptions (2.9). He was selected to the Pro Bowl for the seventh consecutive season (of an eventual 11). Both of his favorite two veteran receivers, Orr and split end Raymond Berry, missed time due to injury, but the rookie John Mackey put together a Pro Bowl season as he caught 35 passes for 726 yards and led the club in yards per reception (20.7) and receiving touchdowns (7).

1957: Lions Come from 20 Points Behind to Defeat 49ers in Conference Playoff

On December 22, 1957 the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers, tied for first place in the NFL’s Western Conference at 8-4, met in a playoff game to decide the title. The Lions, coached by George Wilson after Buddy Parker (who had led the team to back-to-back championships in 1952-53) quit the team during the preseason, had their typically outstanding defense and an offense that had utilized a co-quarterback system with both Bobby Layne and Tobin Rote – depth that paid off when Layne went down for the remainder of the year with a broken leg.

San Francisco, coached by former star quarterback Frankie Albert, had gotten off to a 5-1 start, lost three straight at midseason, and then went undefeated in the last three games. QB Y.A. Tittle led the NFL in completion percentage (63.1) and end Billy Wilson led the league in pass receptions (52). HB Hugh McElhenny and FB Joe Perry were an effective backfield tandem. DT Leo Nomellini and LB Marv Matuszak anchored the defense.


There were 60,118 fans in attendance on a clear, sunny day at San Francisco’s Kezar Stadium. The 49ers struck first on a 34-yard “Alley Oop” touchdown pass to rookie end R.C. Owens, taking advantage of his outstanding leaping ability, this time jumping higher than Detroit defensive halfback Jim David in the corner of the end zone to stake San Francisco to a 7-0 lead (pictured at left). On their next possession, still in the first quarter, Tittle connected with McElhenny on a touchdown play that covered 47 yards.

The Lions drove the ball 61 yards, culminating in a four-yard TD pass from Rote to end Steve Junker that cut the 49ers’ lead to 14-7 in the second quarter. But the Niners responded with an 88-yard drive of their own that ended with a 12-yard scoring throw from Tittle to Wilson. The Lions fumbled the ball away at their own 41 yard line, allowing San Francisco to score once more before the end of the half, on a 25-yard Gordie Soltau field goal. At halftime, the 49ers held a formidable 24-7 lead.

During the intermission, the Lions players could overhear the celebrating 49ers in the neighboring locker room. It motivated them to step up their play in the second half, although that wasn’t apparent when McElhenny took off on the first San Francisco possession for a spectacular 71-yard run to the Detroit seven yard line. However, in one of the key developments of the game, the Lions defense held the 49ers to a Soltau field goal rather than a touchdown. While the score now stood at 27-7 in favor of the Niners, the tide was about to turn.

While Detroit didn’t score on the next possession, they got a break when the Niners got the ball back and Tittle fumbled at the Lions’ 27 yard line. LB Bob Long recovered for Detroit, and nine plays and 73 yards later HB Tom Tracy scored from a yard out. The 49ers went three-and-out and were forced to punt, and Detroit’s offense came up with a big play with Tracy bolting up the middle for a 58-yard touchdown run (pictured at top). The Lions were now down by just 27-21, still in the third quarter.

Detroit’s aroused defense stopped the 49ers again, and the offense came roaring down the field once more, with Rote connecting on a 36-yard pass play to Junker to the San Francisco 15 yard line. HB Gene Gedman tied the score with a two-yard touchdown run, and Jim Martin’s extra point gave the Lions the lead, 28-27, less than a minute into the fourth quarter.

The 49ers had four more possessions in the game, but they resulted in four turnovers (a fumble and three interceptions). Martin kicked a 13-yard field goal to stake Detroit to a four-point lead at 31-27, and the aggressive Lions defense made it hold up. LB Roger Zatkoff intercepted a last-ditch Tittle pass to seal the win.

Tracy led the runners with 86 yards on 11 carries, including the two TD runs. Rote (pictured below) completed 16 of 30 passes for 214 yards with a TD and an interception. Junker led the team in both pass receptions (8) and yards (92) and a score. For the losing 49ers, McElhenny gained 82 yards on 14 carries, thanks to the long run in the third quarter, and caught 6 passes for another 96 yards and a touchdown. Billy Wilson had an excellent pass receiving day with 9 catches for 107 yards and a TD. But while Tittle completed 18 of 31 passes for 248 yards with three touchdowns, it was the three interceptions that proved disastrous in the end (it would be the first of several postseason disappointments for the Hall of Fame QB).

As Detroit’s Coach Wilson said later, “The 49ers might have scored all those points too quickly. They became clock watchers and abandoned everything that had worked for them”. While it may have been a case of San Francisco turning conservative, the Lions defense certainly deserved credit for stiffening up after allowing the long run to McElhenny to start the second half and then playing very opportunistically thereafter.

Detroit went on to decimate the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Browns in the NFL Championship game by a 59-14 score. The 49ers, who were playing in their first NFL postseason game since joining the league from the AAFC in 1950, would not return to the playoffs until the 1970 season.