1964: Browns Pull Away in Fourth Quarter to Defeat Giants

For years during the 1950s and early 60s, games between the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants were often battles for control in the NFL Eastern Conference. The meeting on October 25, 1964 was different, however, in that while the Browns were contending once again with a 4-1-1 record, New York had fallen on hard times and was at 1-4-1.

Cleveland was coached by Blanton Collier for the second year and coming off of a 10-4 second-place finish in ’63. FB Jim Brown, in the eighth season of his career, remained the key player on offense, but QB Frank Ryan (pictured above) had emerged as a capable field general and there was an impressive new target available for his passes in rookie split end Paul Warfield.

Head Coach Allie Sherman’s Giants had won three straight conference titles, but age and injuries had caught up to the team. QB Y.A. Tittle, whose passing had fueled so much success, had just turned 38 and was taking a beating. Other offensive stalwarts such as FB Alex Webster and flanker Frank Gifford were injured. The defense was missing MLB Sam Huff, who had been dealt to Washington in a controversial deal, as well as DT Dick Modzelewski, who was proving helpful to the Browns.

There were 81,050 fans in attendance at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium for the latest installment in the fierce rivalry. In the first quarter, the Giants struck first with a drive that covered 63 yards in 13 plays. Y.A. Tittle completed two passes and HB Dick James finished it off with a one-yard touchdown carry. Don Chandler missed the extra point attempt, but New York was ahead by 6-0.

Defensively, New York was proving surprisingly effective at stopping the Browns, in particular keeping Jim Brown in check. The home team finally got on the board midway through the second quarter when rookie HB Leroy Kelly returned a punt 68 yards for a TD and Lou Groza added the point after. The Giants had an opportunity to score again before halftime, but after covering 60 yards in seven plays, Tittle’s pass into the end zone was picked off by CB Bernie Parrish. Cleveland maintained the 7-6 halftime advantage.

In the third quarter, LB Galen Fiss intercepted a pass to give the Browns possession at their 40, and six plays later Frank Ryan threw to Paul Warfield for an 11-yard touchdown. Groza booted the point after to put the home team up by 14-6. New York responded with a five-play series that covered 80 yards. HB Steve Thurlow tossed an option pass to flanker Aaron Thomas for 33 yards and Tittle surprised the Browns by rolling out and carrying the ball for a seven-yard touchdown. Chandler made good on the point after and the third quarter ended with the Browns clinging to a narrow 14-13 lead.

The situation changed dramatically early in the fourth quarter. The Giants regained possession in their territory due to an interception, but Cleveland DE Paul Wiggin picked up a fumble by Dick James and returned it two yards for a touchdown. Groza’s conversion lengthened the Cleveland lead to 21-13.

Five plays into the next New York series, LB Jim Houston intercepted a Tittle pass and returned it 44 yards to the New York 31. Jim Brown ran 22 yards to the nine and from there Ryan threw to flanker Gary Collins for a TD, Groza again adding the extra point. On the ensuing kickoff, HB Clarence Childs fumbled and backup FB Charlie Scales (pictured at left) grabbed it in the air and ran 23 yards for yet another Cleveland touchdown. Groza converted once more and, within the period of four minutes and 24 seconds, the Browns had scored 21 points and the once-close contest was now a 35-13 runaway.

New York put rookie QB Gary Wood in the game, and he passed to FB Ernie Wheelwright for a 20-yard TD. With the conversion, the score was narrowed to 35-20, but that was the last gasp for the Giants. Relieving Ryan, QB Jim Ninowski tossed a pass to TE John Brewer for 41 yards and hit Brewer again for an 11-yard touchdown. Groza’s PAT ended the scoring as the Browns won by a final tally of 42-20.

New York had big leads in total yards (426 to 225) and first downs (23 to 15). The Giants even out-rushed Cleveland by 166 yards to 97, but they also turned the ball over six times, which proved disastrous in the fourth quarter, to three turnovers by the Browns.

Frank Ryan completed just 8 of 17 passes for 86 yards and two touchdowns while giving up three interceptions. Jim Brown, who was 90 rushing yards short of 10,000 for his career coming into the game, was held to 56 yards on 12 carries. John Brewer led the Browns with four catches for 80 yards and a TD.

For the Giants, Y.A. Tittle was successful on 19 of 31 throws for 177 yards with no TDs and three interceptions.  In relief, Gary Wood was three-of-three for 44 yards and a touchdown. Ernie Wheelwright (pictured at right) rushed for 94 yards on 20 attempts and also had 5 pass receptions for 68 yards and a score. Split end Del Shofner also had five catches, for 31 yards, while Aaron Thomas gained 83 yards on his four receptions.

The Browns won their next three games on the way to a 10-3-1 record that topped the Eastern Conference, and they upset the Baltimore Colts for the NFL Championship. New York won the next week but didn’t again the rest of the way, ending up in last place at 2-10-2.

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.

1959: Late Score Propels Steelers Past Browns

Following a slow start, the Pittsburgh Steelers were at 3-4-1 as they faced the Cleveland Browns on November 22, 1959. Head Coach Buddy Parker’s club had lost some close contests but upset the Giants in New York the previous week. QB Bobby Layne (pictured at right), in his twelfth year, was still a formidable competitor and leader and had a good group of receivers led by second-year end Jimmy Orr. HB Tom “The Bomb” Tracy was reliable carrying the ball and the defense tough and typically stingy. The Steelers had beaten the Browns in the season’s opening game.

Cleveland was, as usual, a strong contender in the Eastern Conference in its 14^th season under Head Coach Paul Brown. The Browns were coming off of five straight wins and at 6-2 were tied for first place with the Giants. The ground game was the NFL’s best, led by FB Jim Brown and including fleet HB Bobby Mitchell, who had gained 232 yards against Washington a week earlier. QB Milt Plum was competent and had a good veteran receiving corps led by flanker Ray Renfro.

There were 68,563 fans in attendance at Municipal Stadium. The Browns had the first possession and put together a drive that included two first downs, but came up empty when Lou Groza was wide to the right on a 48-yard field goal attempt.

On Pittsburgh’s second possession, the Steelers drove 94 yards in 16 plays that extended into the early stages of the second quarter. It nearly came to an end twice, but a defensive holding penalty on a punt from the Pittsburgh 11 gave the visitors a first down and, forced to go into punt formation again, they got another break when Bobby Luna dropped the snap but managed to recover and ran 11 yards for a first down. Jimmy Orr made an outstanding catch on an option throw by flanker Ray Mathews while double-covered by safety Junior Wren and DHB Jim Shofner for a 38-yard gain to the Cleveland six. Tom Tracy ran for a four-yard touchdown and Bobby Layne added the extra point for a 7-0 advantage.

The Steelers put together another long scoring drive on their next possession, taking 17 plays to advance 72 yards. Tracy and HB Tom Barnett ran effectively and Layne had a 19-yard pass completion with a roughing-the-passer penalty tacked onto the end of it. The series again ended with Tracy (pictured below) running for a TD, this time from one yard on a fourth down play.

Down by 14-0 with less than three minutes remaining in the first half, the Browns advanced 80 yards in response. It took just five plays, the biggest a run by Jim Brown that covered 40 yards and the last a pass from Milt Plum to Ray Renfro for a 32-yard touchdown. Groza’s attempt for the point after missed to the left and the halftime score was 14-6.

The Steelers attempted to add to their lead in the third quarter, but Layne’s 31-yard field goal try was blocked by DE Paul Wiggin. Cleveland had a shot at a field goal late in the period but Groza was again unsuccessful, this time from 48 yards.

The Browns appeared to take control in the fourth quarter, scoring two touchdowns. Plum passed to Renfro for a 27-yard TD and Groza added the point after. Shortly thereafter Plum, not known for his deep passing, went long for Renfro once more and it resulted in a 70-yard touchdown, with Groza again successfully converting. Cleveland was ahead by 20-14.

Meanwhile, Cleveland’s defense kept Pittsburgh in check on offense but, behind by six points and with time running down, the Steelers put together a scoring drive after regaining possession at their own 17 following a Cleveland punt. Layne threw to Orr for 17 yards and a roughing-the-passer penalty on the Browns added another 15. Another pass was incomplete, but Layne then connected with Orr again for 19 yards, and while the receiver fumbled at the end of the play, Mathews recovered to maintain possession at the Cleveland 33. Tracy ran up the middle for 16 yards and, two plays later and with 40 seconds left to play, Layne threw to end Gern Nagler under the goal post for a 17-yard touchdown that completed the 82-yard, six-play series. Layne added the all-important extra point.

There was still a chance for the Browns in the remaining time, and Plum passed them into Pittsburgh territory, but Groza missed a 49-yard field goal attempt on the final play and the Steelers came away winners by a final score of 21-20.

The Browns had the edge in total yards (387 to 338) while Pittsburgh had more first downs (21 to 16). Running the ball more than twice as often as Cleveland (47 carries to 22), the Steelers led in rushing yards (182 to 126) while the Browns, playing catch-up for most of the game, had 261 net passing yards to Pittsburgh’s 156. There were no turnovers and, while there were just seven penalties (four on Cleveland, three on the Steelers), the Browns and their supporters complained about the timing and effect of some of the penalties assessed on them, in particular the roughing-the-passer calls that sustained critical Pittsburgh drives.  

Bobby Layne completed 12 of 20 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown with none intercepted. Tom Tracy rushed for 99 yards on 24 carries that included two TDs. Three receivers had four catches apiece for the Steelers, with Jimmy Orr gaining 86 yards on his and Gern Nagler compiling 63 yards plus the game-winning TD.

Milt Plum was successful on 17 of 29 throws for 269 yards and three touchdowns and also had none picked off. Jim Brown gained 111 yards on 15 rushing attempts, although Bobby Mitchell was held to just 15 yards on 7 carries. Ray Renfro (pictured at left) accumulated 161 yards on 5 pass receptions, three of which went for TDs. End Billy Howton also caught a team-leading five passes, for 77 yards. It was a rough day for Lou Groza, who missed three field goals plus an extra point.

The second straight upset win on the road evened Pittsburgh’s record at 4-4-1 and the Steelers won again the next week, and twice in their last three games, to finish fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 6-5-1 tally. As for the Browns, the loss dropped them out of a tie for first place in the Eastern Conference and was the first of three straight that saw them fall out of contention and end up tied for second in the conference with Philadelphia at 7-5.

Bobby Layne ranked second in the NFL with 20 touchdown passes, although first with 21 interceptions, and his 142 completions and 1986 yards gained placed fifth. He was named to the Pro Bowl, as was Jimmy Orr with his 35 catches for 604 yards (17.3 avg.) and five TDs. Tom Tracy was the NFL’s fourth-ranked rusher as he gained 794 yards on 199 carries (4.0 avg.) that included three touchdowns.

1964: Browns and Cards Battle to Tie in Back-and-Forth Contest

The Cleveland Browns hosted the St. Louis Cardinals on September 20, 1964, the second week of the NFL season, in what was an early showdown between two teams widely viewed as contenders in the Eastern Conference. Both had won their opening-week games.

The Browns, coached by Blanton Collier, finished second in 1963 with a 10-4 record. The key to the offense, as it had been since he joined the club in 1957, was FB Jim Brown (pictured above), but QB Frank Ryan and flanker Gary Collins were up-and-coming talents, and they were being joined by rookie split end Paul Warfield, who brought needed speed to the receiving corps. The defense was capable, if showing some age, and was especially shaky in the backfield.

St. Louis was coming off of a 9-5 record in ’63 under Head Coach Wally Lemm. QB Charley Johnson was a productive passer with excellent receivers to throw to in split end Sonny Randle and flanker Bobby Joe Conrad. There was good depth at running back, and star HB John David Crow was back after missing virtually all of ’63 due to injury, although HB Bill Triplett was sidelined due to illness.

There were 76,954 fans in attendance at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium on a warm and sunny day. The Cardinals got a break on the first play from scrimmage when LB Larry Stallings intercepted a Frank Ryan pass and returned it 18 yards to the Cleveland 22. On the next play, Charley Johnson tossed a short pass to John David Crow that went the distance for a touchdown. Jim Bakken added the extra point for the quick 7-0 lead.

Flanker Walter Roberts returned the ensuing kickoff 60 yards to the St. Louis 44 and, with Jim Brown carrying most of the load the Browns reached the 25 before 40-year-old Lou Groza (pictured at left) kicked a 32-yard field goal. Now it was Cleveland’s opportunity to benefit from a turnover on the next series as Bobby Joe Conrad fumbled after catching a short pass from Johnson and DE Bill Glass recovered for the home team at the St. Louis 20. HB Ernie Green ran for five yards and Brown carried twice for another 14, but after advancing to the one, a penalty moved the Browns back and they had to settle for a 12-yard Groza field goal that made it a one-point contest.

The Cards put together a good drive in the waning minutes of the opening period. Johnson completed a pass to HB Joe Childress for 21 yards and Crow and Childress both ran effectively. Bakken kicked a 30-yard field goal and the visitors extended their lead to 10-6 heading into the second quarter.

The Browns went three-and-out on their next possession but got the ball back on an interception by CB Ross Fichtner. Starting from the St. Louis 33, the home team reached the 16 but was flagged for a personal foul on a third down play that not only backed them up 15 yards but cost them the services of Green, a capable blocker as well as running mate for Brown, who was ejected. Groza kicked his third field goal of the contest, from 37 yards, and the Cards’ lead was once again narrowed to a single point at 10-9.

On the next series, the Cardinals advanced past midfield as Crow and Childress again ran well and Johnson tossed a pass to Conrad.  The drive stalled at the Cleveland 44, but Bakken came through with a 51-yard field goal, which was a club record at the time and made the score 13-9. The Browns moved quickly to take the lead on the next possession, going 69 yards in just three plays. Ryan threw to Paul Warfield for 12 yards and Gary Collins for 17 more, and then followed up with a long pass to Warfield for a 40-yard touchdown. Groza converted and Cleveland was now ahead at 16-13, which remained the score at halftime.

St. Louis started off the third quarter with a 71-yard drive in seven plays. Crow carried four straight times for 18 yards and Childress added another nine before Johnson connected with Sonny Randle (pictured at right) for a 38-yard TD. Bakken added the point after and the Cards were back on top by 20-16.

The Cardinals got the ball back on the ensuing kickoff when Roberts fumbled and OT Herschel Turner recovered at the Cleveland 43. The short series was followed by another Bakken field goal, this time from 44 yards for an extended margin of 23-16.

The Browns went three-and-out and punted but now it was the Cardinals turning the ball over once more as Johnson faded back to pass and fumbled when hit by Glass. DT Dick Modzelewski recovered at the St. Louis 28. Ryan passed to Collins for 21 yards and then hit the flanker again for a seven-yard touchdown. Groza converted and the score was tied at 23-23.

The teams exchanged punts but the Cardinals were on the move at the end of the period and, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Johnson completed a pass to Randle for a 50-yard TD. Bakken added the PAT to make it a 30-23 game.

The Browns responded with a long drive of 72 yards that took 13 plays. Ryan was successful on three passes and ran out of the pocket for 17 yards to the St. Louis 12. However, he was also sacked for a 14-yard loss and, while a toss to Brown got eight yards back, Cleveland had to settle for another Groza field goal, from 25 yards, cutting the visitors’ lead to 30-26.

The Cards went three-and-out and punted on their next series and the Browns responded with a 12-play, 61-yard possession. Facing a fourth-and-19 situation at the St. Louis 45 after Ryan was sacked, and with only 1:28 remaining on the clock, Ryan completed a pass to Collins for 43 yards. Two plays later, Brown swept into the end zone from a yard out and, with Groza’s extra point, Cleveland was back on top by three points at 33-30 and appeared to have the game in hand.

St. Louis took over following the kickoff at its own 25 with 28 seconds to play. Johnson passed over the middle to Childress for a gain of 24 yards and then to Randle at the sideline for 14. Another completion, this time to Crow, put the Cards at the Cleveland 21 with the clock now down to seven seconds. Bakken came on to kick a 28-yard field goal and the game ended in a 33-33 tie. 

The Cardinals had the edge in total yards (344 to 281) while Cleveland had more first downs (18 to 17). While St. Louis had more net passing yards (241 to 189), the rushing totals were almost even (115 to 114, in favor of the Browns). Each club recorded two sacks and turned the ball over three times.  Jim Bakken (pictured below) and Lou Groza both were a perfect four-for-four on their field goal attempts. The Cards were penalized eight times, to two flags thrown on the Browns.

Charley Johnson completed 14 of 27 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns while giving up one interception. John David Crow rushed for 58 yards on 11 carries and caught three passes for 29 yards and a TD while Joe Childress contributed 52 yards on 14 rushing attempts and also pulled in three passes, for 50 yards. Sonny Randle led the Cards with four pass receptions for 121 yards and two TDs.

For the Browns, Frank Ryan, who was battered by the pass rush throughout the contest, was successful on 12 of 26 throws for 189 yards and two TDs and was intercepted twice. Gary Collins caught 6 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown and Paul Warfield added three receptions for 63 yards and a score. Jim Brown ran for 79 yards on 21 carries that included a touchdown.

Both teams remained in a battle for the top spot in the Eastern Conference throughout the season. The Cardinals got off to a 3-0-1 start before losing three of four while Cleveland lost just one game during that stretch to open up a two-game advantage. While the Cards finished strong, including a win over the Browns in the rematch at St. Louis, they finished in second place at 9-3-2 while Cleveland took the crown at 10-3-1 and went on to upset the Colts for the NFL Championship.

Jim Brown, for the seventh time in eight seasons, led the league in rushing with 1446 yards. Frank Ryan threw the most touchdown passes (25) while Gary Collins had 35 catches for 544 yards (15.5 avg.) and eight TDs and Paul Warfield had an outstanding first year with 52 receptions for 920 yards (17.7 avg.) and nine scores.

Charley Johnson (pictured above) led the NFL in pass attempts (420), completions (223), yards (3045), and, less fortunately, in interceptions (24). Sonny Randle appeared in only seven games due to a shoulder injury and compiled 25 pass receptions for 517 yards (20.7 avg.) and five touchdowns.

Lou Groza and Jim Bakken, who matched each other field goal for field goal in the Week 2 game, ended up tied for second in scoring with 115 points. Bakken led the NFL with 25 field goals (in 38 attempts), while Groza placed second with 22 (out of 33 tries). Groza had the edge in extra points by 49 to 40.     

Highlighted Year: Jim Brown, 1959

Fullback, Cleveland Browns

Age: 23

3^rd season in pro football & with Browns

College: Syracuse

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 228

Prelude:

Following an outstanding career at Syracuse, in which he distinguished himself as an all-around athlete (lacrosse, basketball, track & field) as well as in football, Brown was chosen in the first round of the 1957 NFL draft by the Browns. With his blend of speed, power, and agility, he moved quickly into the starting lineup as a rookie, leading the league in rushing with 942 yards that included a single-game record at the time of 237. He received MVP as well as Rookie of the Year honors, was a consensus first-team All-Pro and was selected to the Pro Bowl. Brown followed that up in 1958 by setting a new single-season rushing record with 1527 yards, again receiving MVP, first-team All-NFL, and Pro Bowl honors.

1959 Season Summary

Appeared in all 12 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 290 [1]

Most attempts, game – 37 (for 147 yds.) at Chi. Cardinals 10/4

Yards – 1329 [1]

Most yards, game – 178 yards (on 32 carries) at Baltimore 11/1

Average gain – 4.6 [11]

TDs – 14 [1]

100-yard rushing games – 8

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 24      

Yards – 190

Average gain – 7.9

TDs – 0

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 4

Yards – 88

Average per return – 22.0

TDs – 0

Longest return – 29 yards

All-Purpose yards – 1607 [1]

Scoring

TDs – 14 [1, tied with Raymond Berry]

Points – 84 [3, tied with Raymond Berry & Bobby Joe Conrad]

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP, NEA, UPI, NY Daily News, Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Browns went 7-5 to tie for second place with the Eagles in the NFL Eastern Conference while leading the league in rushing yards (2149).

Aftermath:

Brown’s rushing title in 1959 was the third of eight in nine seasons, which included 1960 and ‘61. Along the way he set numerous records as well as a new standard for running backs to be measured against. Following a relatively down year in 1962, Brown broke his own single-season rushing record in 1963 and, after compiling two more league-topping performances in 1964 and ’65, retired as the NFL’s all-time leader in rushing (12,312 yards) and touchdowns (126). Brown averaged 5.2 yards per carry and 104.3 yards per game over the course of his career. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in all nine seasons, was a first-team All-Pro eight times, and received MVP recognition on four occasions. Brown’s #32 was retired by the Browns and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1971.

--

Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1961: Mitchell & Plum Spur Browns Over Steelers

The Cleveland Browns were 3-2, having lost the previous week against Green Bay, as they took on the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 22, 1961. Head Coach Paul Brown’s team had an outstanding rushing tandem with FB Jim Brown and HB Bobby Mitchell operating behind a solid line, but the pass receivers were less impressive and now QB Milt Plum was out with a dislocated right thumb suffered against the Packers. Len Dawson, still yet to emerge in his fifth year after having been drafted by the Steelers in the first round out of Purdue in 1957, was starting in his place.

Pittsburgh, under Head Coach Buddy Parker, was 1-4 and had showed a tendency for losing close contests. QB Bobby Layne was out with a shoulder injury and Rudy Bukich, a 29-year-old career backup, was filling in. Split end Buddy Dial was a fine deep threat FB John Henry Johnson led the ground game, but age, combined with a big turnover in personnel, was a problem for the Steelers on both sides of the ball.

There were 29,266 fans in attendance at Forbes Field. The Steelers had first possession and punted, but got the ball back when CB Johnny Sample intercepted Len Dawson’s third pass. Rudy Bukich threw to Buddy Dial for 19 yards but, after advancing to the Cleveland 36, the home team came up empty when Lou Michaels was short and low on a 44-yard field goal attempt.

On Cleveland’s next series, Bobby Mitchell ran to his right and down the sideline for a 48-yard gain to the Pittsburgh 16. Two carries by HB Tom Watkins picked up six yards, but Dawson was then sacked by DT Gene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb and Lou Groza kicked a 24-yard field goal to make it 3-0.

The Steelers punted following a short series and, in a drive that extended into the second quarter, the Browns advanced deep into Pittsburgh territory. Jim Brown ran four consecutive times for 22 yards to start things off and Mitchell converted a fourth-and-one play with a two-yard carry. However, after Brown took a pitchout and ran 20 yards to the Pittsburgh one yard line, the great fullback fumbled while attempting to hurdle the line and safety Jackie Simpson caught the ball in the air in the end zone and returned it to the nine.

The Steelers again had to punt and the Browns, taking possession at their 49, went 51 yards in seven plays, this time not coming up empty. Brown and Mitchell ran effectively and Dawson completed a pass to Mitchell for nine yards. Mitchell gained the last six yards for a touchdown and, with Groza’s extra point, the visitors were in front by 10-0. That remained the score at halftime as the teams traded punts for the remainder of the half.

The frustrated home fans booed the Steelers as they returned to the field for the second half. The Browns edged into Pittsburgh territory on the first series of the third quarter, but a Dawson pass was picked off by CB Bill Butler and he returned it to the Cleveland 42. Now the Steelers moved effectively with John Henry Johnson and HB Tom Tracy running well. Bukich threw to Dial for a 12-yard touchdown and, adding Michaels’ PAT, which hit the crossbar but made it over, the Cleveland lead was cut to 10-7.

A short possession by the Browns was followed by a punt and, after no gain on a first down running play, Bukich connected with Dial on three straight passes for 17, 33, and 10 yards to reach the Cleveland 13. HB Dick Hoak ran twice for eight yards and, on third-and-two, Dial came through with a leaping catch that picked up three yards. On the next play, Tracy ran for a two-yard TD between the goal posts and, with Michaels successfully converting, the Steelers were ahead by 14-10.

Milt Plum was at quarterback for the next Cleveland series, and he threw to ends Leon Clarke for 23 yards and Rich Kreitling for 10 to get to the Pittsburgh 35. The drive stalled at the 29 and Groza kicked a 36-yard field goal to make it a one-point contest.

On the last play of the period, safety Bobby Franklin intercepted a Bukich pass and the Browns, taking over at the Pittsburgh 25, drove to a score in five plays. Plum had a pass to Mitchell for 11 yards along the way and it was Mitchell running the last nine yards for a touchdown. Groza added the extra point and Cleveland was back in the lead by 20-14.

The Steelers had to punt on their next series, but got the ball back at the Cleveland 24 when Mitchell fumbled a pitchout and DT Joe Krupa recovered. Tracy was stopped for a four-yard loss on the next play, but Bukich connected with Dial for 24 yards and Tracy gained the last yard for a TD. Michaels converted to put the home team back on top by 21-20.

The Browns came back with a six-play, 72-yard drive. Plum completed a pass to TE Gern Nagler for 18 yards and another to Mitchell, also for 18, and after Mitchell ran for 14 yards, he sped around end for an 18-yard touchdown. Groza kicked the point after and the see-saw battle had Cleveland back in front by 27-21.

On Pittsburgh’s first play from scrimmage following the kickoff, Bukich tossed a screen pass to Johnson who fumbled after running into his own man and DE Paul Wiggin recovered for the Browns at the 10. The Steelers were able to keep the visitors out of the end zone, but Groza kicked a 12-yard field goal to make the score 30-21 with less than three minutes remaining to play.

Pittsburgh, starting at its own six after the kickoff, responded with a big play two snaps later as Bukich connected with Dial for an 88-yard touchdown. Michaels kicked the PAT to make it a two-point game, but by the time the Steelers got the ball back again, the clock was down to 45 seconds and the game ended for them on their 32 yard line. Cleveland came away with a 30-28 win.

The Browns had the edge in total yards (378 to 309) and first downs (21 to 17), with 229 of their total coming on the ground. They also turned the ball over four times, to three suffered by Pittsburgh, but recorded six sacks, to one by the Steelers.

Both Bobby Mitchell and Jim Brown went over a hundred yards rushing, with Mitchell compiling 119 yards on 14 carries that included three touchdowns and Brown gaining 114 yards on 29 attempts. Mitchell also caught four passes for 47 more yards to lead the Browns. Len Dawson completed 6 of 12 passes for 68 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions before being relieved by Milt Plum, who was 6-of-8 for 88 yards and, while also throwing for no TDs, gave up no interceptions. Lou Groza was successful on all three of his field goal attempts.

For the Steelers, Buddy Dial (pictured at right) had a huge performance in defeat with 9 catches for 235 yards and two touchdowns. Rudy Bukich was successful on 15 of 24 throws for 275 yards and two TDs with one interception. John Henry Johnson rushed for 35 yards on 8 carries and Tom Tracy was right behind with 34 yards on 12 attempts that included two for touchdowns.

The Browns won again the next week as they sought to keep up with the Giants and Eagles in the Eastern Conference, but they ultimately finished at 8-5-1 to settle for third place. Pittsburgh came back with a three-game winning streak, including one over the Browns in the rematch in Cleveland, and finished strong for a 6-8 record that ranked fifth in the conference.

Bobby Mitchell was called up to active military duty but was still able to get passes to play on the weekends and rushed for 548 yards on 101 carries (5.4 avg.) and had 32 pass receptions for another 368 yards (11.5 avg.), scoring a total of 10 touchdowns. Jim Brown, as he had in each of the previous four seasons since entering the NFL, led the league in rushing with 1408 yards on a then-record 305 carries (4.6 avg.) and received his annual first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors. Milt Plum topped the NFL in passing efficiency for the second straight year, completing 58.6 percent of his throws for 18 TDs against 10 interceptions.

As had been the case throughout his career to date, Len Dawson saw scant action over the course of the season, throwing 15 passes -  his highest total thus far. He moved over to the Dallas Texans of the AFL in 1962 and his fortunes changed dramatically for the better.

In his third year, Buddy Dial gained selection to the Pro Bowl after catching 53 passes for 1047 yards (19.8 avg.) and 12 touchdowns. His 235-yard pass receiving performance against the Browns remained the franchise record until 2002. Rudy Bukich ultimately moved back to the bench with the return of Bobby Layne, but won four of his seven starts and had a solid completion percentage of 57.1 on his 156 passes. 11 were good for TDs, but he also gave up 16 interceptions.

MVP Profile: Jim Brown, 1965

Fullback, Cleveland Browns

Age: 29

9^th season in pro football & with Browns

College: Syracuse

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 228

Prelude:

Following an outstanding career at Syracuse, in which he distinguished himself as an all-around athlete (lacrosse, basketball, track & field) as well as in football, Brown was chosen in the first round of the 1957 NFL draft by the Browns. With his blend of speed, power, and agility, he moved quickly into the starting lineup as a rookie, leading the league in rushing with 942 yards that included a single-game record at the time of 237 yards. He received MVP as well as Rookie of the Year honors, was a consensus first-team All-Pro and was selected to the Pro Bowl. In 1958, Brown set a new single-season rushing record with 1527 yards, again receiving MVP honors, and continued to lead the NFL in rushing in 1959, ’60, and ’61. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection as well as Pro Bowl selection following all of those seasons. Following a relatively down year in 1962, Brown broke his own single-season rushing record with 1863 yards, had a career-high 2131 yards from scrimmage, and again received MVP recognition. In 1964, he topped the league with 1446 rushing yards and ran for another 114 yards in the NFL Championship game, won by the Browns. 

1965 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 289 [1]

Most attempts, game - 29 (for 168 yds.) vs. Pittsburgh 10/9

Yards – 1544 [1]

Most yards, game – 177 yards (on 24 carries) at NY Giants 10/24

Average gain – 5.3 [2]

TDs – 17 [1]

100-yard rushing games – 8

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 34      

Most receptions, game – 5 (for 53 yds.) vs. Dallas 10/17, (for 60 yds.) vs. Philadelphia 11/7

Yards – 328

Most yards, game - 60 (on 5 catches) vs. Philadelphia 11/7

Average gain – 9.6

TDs – 4

Passing

Attempts – 2

Completions – 1

Yards – 39

TDs – 1

INT – 0

All-purpose yards – 1872 [2]

Scoring

TDs – 21 [2]

Points – 126 [2]

Postseason: 1 G (NFL Championship at Green Bay)

Rushing attempts – 12

Rushing yards – 50

Average gain rushing – 4.2

Rushing TDs – 0

Pass receptions – 3

Yards – 44

Average gain – 14.7

TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: AP, UPI, NEA, Sporting News

1^st team All-NFL: AP, NEA, UPI, NY Daily News

1^st team All-Eastern Conference: Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Browns went 11-3 to finish first in the NFL Eastern Conference while leading the league in rushing yards (2331). Lost NFL Championship to Green Bay Packers (23-12).

Aftermath:

The 1965 season was Brown’s last as he announced his retirement the following summer. Brown won eight NFL rushing titles in nine years and set numerous records as well as a new standard for running backs to be measured against, retiring as the all-time leader in rushing (12,312 yards) and touchdowns (126). Brown averaged 5.2 yards per carry and 104.3 yards per game over the course of his career. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in all nine seasons, was a first-team All-Pro eight times, and received MVP recognition on four occasions. Brown’s #32 was retired by the Browns and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1971.

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

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).

MVP Profile: Jim Brown, 1963

Fullback, Cleveland Browns

Age: 27

7^th season in pro football & with Browns

College: Syracuse

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 228

Prelude:

Following an outstanding career at Syracuse, in which he distinguished himself as an all-around athlete (lacrosse, basketball, track & field) as well as in football, Brown was chosen in the first round of the 1957 NFL draft by the Browns. With his blend of speed, power, and agility, he moved quickly into the starting lineup as a rookie, leading the league in rushing with 942 yards that included a single-game record at the time of 237 yards. He received MVP as well as Rookie of the Year honors, was a consensus first-team All-Pro and was selected to the Pro Bowl. In 1958, Brown set a new single-season rushing record with 1527 yards, again receiving MVP honors, and continued to lead the NFL in rushing in 1959, ’60, and ’61. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection as well as Pro Bowl selection following all of those seasons. In 1962 Brown dropped to 996 rushing yards and, while he again received Pro Bowl honors, received only second-team All-NFL recognition from UPI. In a down season for the Browns, he achieved career highs in pass receptions (47) and receiving yards (517).

1963 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 291 [1]

Most attempts, game - 29 (for 179 yds.) at St. Louis 12/1

Yards – 1863 [1]

Most yards, game – 232 yards (on 20 carries) at Dallas 9/22

Average gain – 6.4 [1]

TDs – 12 [1]

200-yard rushing games – 2

100-yard rushing games – 9

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 24      

Most receptions, game – 4 (for 86 yds.) at NY Giants 10/13, (for 14 yds.) at Pittsburgh 11/10

Yards – 268

Most yards, game - 100 (on 3 catches) vs. Washington 9/15

Average gain – 11.2

TDs – 3

Passing

Attempts – 4

Completions – 0

Yards – 0

TDs – 0

INT – 0

All-purpose yards – 2131 [2]

Scoring

TDs – 15 [1]

Points – 90 [5]

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: UPI, NEA, Bert Bell Award

1^st team All-NFL: AP, NEA, UPI, NY Daily News

1^st team All-Eastern Conference: Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Browns went 10-4 to finish second in the Eastern Conference while leading the NFL in rushing (2639 yards).

Aftermath:

Having broken his own single-season rushing record in 1963, Brown was again the NFL’s leading rusher in 1964 and ’65, his last two seasons, giving him eight titles in nine years. Along the way he set numerous records as well as a new standard for running backs to be measured against. He retired as the all-time leader in rushing (12,312 yards) and touchdowns (126). Brown averaged 5.2 yards per carry and 104.3 yards per game over the course of his career. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in all nine seasons, was a first-team All-Pro eight times, and received MVP recognition on four occasions. Brown’s #32 was retired by the Browns and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1971.

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

1966: Packers Dethrone Browns for NFL Championship

It had been three years since the Green Bay Packers had last won a NFL title as they faced the defending-champion Cleveland Browns in the league Championship game on  January 2, 1966. Head Coach Vince Lombardi’s team was a blend of solid veterans who had been a part of title-winning teams in 1961 and ’62 and rising young players. They had battled the Colts to a tie atop the Western Conference with 10-3-1 records that necessitated a playoff that Green Bay won in overtime. However, a cause for concern was that many of the team’s veterans were hampered by injuries, including QB Bart Starr, HB Paul Hornung, and FB Jim Taylor (pictured at right).

The Browns, coached by Blanton Collier, had won a stunning shutout victory over Baltimore in the previous year’s title game and again topped the Eastern Conference at 11-3. They were without split end Paul Warfield, one of the stars of the ’64 team as a rookie, for most of the season due to injury but still had the incomparable FB Jim Brown, who won his eighth league rushing title with 1544 yards and scored 21 touchdowns. QB Frank Ryan and flanker Gary Collins were also keys to the offense.

Snow arrived in the morning, but it had changed to freezing drizzle by game time. There were 50,852 fans present at wet and muddy Lambeau Field. The Packers took the opening kickoff and drove 77 yards in seven plays that culminated in Starr passing to flanker Carroll Dale for a 47-yard touchdown.

The Browns came right back by going 66 yards in just three plays. Ryan threw to Jim Brown for a 30-yard gain, connected with Paul Warfield for 19, and then passed to flanker Gary Collins for a 17-yard touchdown. However, the extra point attempt failed due to a bad snap from center that had PK Lou Groza trying to pass to his holder rather than kick and the Packers maintained a one-point lead.

Late in the first quarter, and following a Green Bay punt from its own end zone, Lou Groza kicked a 24-yard field goal to put the Browns in front by 9-7. The Packers responded by driving to a score. Paul Hornung ran for a 34-yard gain to the Cleveland 39. Following a Starr pass to split end Boyd Dowler for 11 yards, the combination of Taylor and Hornung advanced the ball to the three. The Browns held but Don Chandler kicked a 15-yard field goal early in the second quarter and Green Bay was back in front.

Chandler’s second field goal was set up by an interception by FS Willie Wood, who returned it 15 yards to the Cleveland 10. However, a motion penalty set the Packers back and Starr threw three incomplete passes. Chandler was again successful with a three-point try from 23 yards out that made it 13-9.

With less than three minutes remaining in the first half, the Browns punted and the 50-yard kick by Collins went out at the Green Bay four. Advancing to the 11, a third down pass by Starr was picked off by CB Walter Beach at the 30. Ryan immediately tried to go for the touchdown, throwing a pass into the end zone that was intended for Collins but it was broken up by SS Tom Brown and CB Bob Jeter. The series ended with Groza kicking a 28-yard field goal with 48 seconds remaining on the clock. The Packers carried a slender lead of 13-12 into halftime.

A light snow was falling as the game moved into the third quarter. The Packers put together an 11-play, 90-yard drive in the third quarter that was highlighted by Hornung gaining 20 yards on one run and scoring on a power sweep from 13 yards out. The series consumed nearly seven minutes.

WR Walter Roberts returned the ensuing kickoff 33 yards. Ryan scrambled for eight yards and a facemask penalty added another 15 to advance the ball into Green Bay territory. The drive finally stalled at the 28. Cleveland came up short when Groza’s 37-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter was partially blocked by DT Henry Jordan and was unsuccessful.

The Packers put together another long drive, going from their 20 to the Cleveland 21 with only two passes along the way as Taylor and Hornung again ran effectively. Chandler kicked a 29-yard field goal with 9:28 remaining in the game.

Cleveland again was forced to punt but it was another good one by Collins and pinned the Packers down at their seven. Starr was nearly tackled for a safety by DE Bill Glass but managed to get out to the two before being brought down. Following a five-yard carry by Taylor, Chandler punted from his end zone but any advantage for the Browns was nullified when TE Ralph Smith barreled into the kicker and drew a roughing penalty.

The Packers didn’t score again but also didn’t relinquish the ball until there were only about two minutes remaining. The Browns only reached Green Bay territory one more time during the second half, and after making it to the 47 Ryan was sacked by DE Willie Davis to push them back to their 48. A last-gasp long pass intended for Collins was intercepted by CB Herb Adderley, who made a leaping grab to extinguish the threat and nail down the 23-12 win for Green Bay.

The Packers significantly outgained Cleveland (332 yards to 161), ran 69 plays to Cleveland’s 39, and also dominated in first downs (21 to 8). They had a huge edge in rushing yardage (204 to 64) and also turned the ball over only once, to two by the Browns. Green Bay’s defense took control and completely shut the defending champs down in the second half.

Paul Hornung (pictured at left) gained 105 yards on 18 carries that included a touchdown and workhorse Jim Taylor added 96 yards on 27 attempts and added 20 more yards on two pass receptions. Bart Starr completed 10 of 18 passes for 147 yards with a TD and an interception. Boyd Dowler caught 5 passes for 59 yards and, with the long early scoring reception, Carroll Dale gained 60 yards on his two catches.

For the Browns, Jim Brown was held to 50 yards on 12 carries and led the club with 44 yards on three receptions out of the backfield. Frank Ryan was successful on just 8 of 18 throws for 115 yards and a TD with two picked off. Gary Collins, like Brown, caught three passes, for 41 yards and a score.

“The snow and mud were our allies,” said Vince Lombardi. “When you have conditions like these, it’s best to be basic, not fancy. And we’re the most basic offensive team there is.”

“We’re a fine team – better than we showed today – and I’m proud of them,” said Blanton Collier on behalf of the Browns. “But we just made too many mistakes.”

While the win over the Browns was the first of three straight NFL titles for Green Bay, it also was something of a last hurrah for the backfield combination of Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung, who had played such a major role in the team’s rise but were showing signs of wear by 1965. Both were back in ‘66, but at reduced effectiveness. Taylor rushed for 705 yards while averaging 3.5 yards per carry. Hornung ran the ball only 76 times for 200 yards in an injury-plagued year. They were gone by the time the team won its third title in ’67.

While no one knew it at the time, the 1965 title game was also the end of the line for Jim Brown (pictured below) in a Cleveland uniform (he played once more in the Pro Bowl). The great fullback announced his retirement during the summer of ’66 while on movie location in London. He left as the all-time leading rusher in NFL history with 12,312 yards, a record that lasted until 1984, while leading the league eight times in nine seasons and averaging 104.3 yards per game and 5.2 per carry. His record of 126 touchdowns scored lasted until 1994.