1989: Oilers Outlast Lions in Back-and-Forth Battle

The Houston Oilers had a 4-4 record as they hosted the Detroit Lions on November 5, 1989. The Oilers were a talented team, most notably on offense where QB Warren Moon (pictured above) was a formidable passer in the team’s version of the run-and-shoot. However, under Head Coach Jerry Glanville, they were also prone to undisciplined play and inconsistency. 

Detroit also operated a run-and-shoot offense, but Head Coach Wayne Fontes’ club was struggling at 1-7. Rookie RB Barry Sanders was having an impact but the passing game had yet to click. The Lions were also leading the league in turnovers with 30 thus far.

There were 48,056 fans in attendance at the Astrodome. The Lions had the first possession and drove 83 yards in nine plays as rookie QB Rodney Peete started off with a completion to WR Robert Clark for 47 yards to the Houston 36. From there it was Barry Sanders carrying on almost every play until diving into the end zone from a yard out for a touchdown. Ed Murray added the extra point for the 7-0 lead.

Houston responded with a 10-play, 75-yard series. Facing third-and-four, Warren Moon threw to WR Ernest Givins on a crossing pattern to pick up 32 yards to the Detroit 37 and, three plays later, RB Mike Rozier converted a fourth-and-one situation with a run for the necessary yard. A pass interference penalty in the end zone set up RB Lorenzo White’s one-yard carry for a TD and Tony Zendejas added the game-tying point after.

As the game headed into the second quarter, the Oilers again had the ball in Detroit territory. But after reaching the 32, Moon fumbled when hit by SS Bennie Blades and LB Chris Spielman recovered for the Lions, with his 19-yard return giving them possession at the Houston 49. Eight plays later, a scrambling Peete passed to Clark for a 16-yard touchdown, Murray converted, and the visitors were back in front by 14-7.

The Oilers came back with a long drive of 89 yards in 15 plays. Moon completed six passes along the way, with tosses to WR Haywood Jeffires for 25 yards and WR Drew Hill (pictured at right) for 18. Another throw to Hill for six yards converted a fourth-and-one situation and a personal foul on the Oilers on a third down play gave the home team first-and-goal at the Detroit six. Rozier ran the last yard for a TD, Zendejas added the extra point, and the score was again knotted at 14-14.

With the time down to less than three minutes to go in the first half, the Lions put together an eight-play, 60-yard possession. Peete connected with WR Walter Stanley for 18 yards and Clark for 25 as Detroit advanced into scoring territory, and Murray kicked a 47-yard field goal to put the visitors ahead by 17-14 at halftime.

On the first play from scrimmage of the third quarter, Rozier fumbled and, after Detroit DE Kevin Brooks grabbed the ball in the air but also couldn’t maintain possession, FS William White picked it up and ran 20 yards for a touchdown. Murray’s point after put the Lions further ahead at 24-14. Now down by ten points and following a 28-yard kickoff return by DB Kenny Johnson to the Houston 43, the Oilers drove 57 yards in seven plays. Six of them were pass completions by Moon, the longest to Hill for 25 yards and the last to Givins in the back of the end zone for a six-yard TD. Zendejas converted to again make it a three-point contest.

After a punt by the Lions, Houston had another scoring drive, advancing 78 yards in ten plays. Detroit’s defense still couldn’t stop Moon’s passes, including the last one to Hill for a seven-yard touchdown. Zendejas added the extra point and the home team was in front, 28-24.

The Lions had the ball as the game entered the fourth quarter and punted, but immediately got the ball back when Moon’s throw down the middle was intercepted by LB Jimmy Williams. Two plays later Peete connected with Clark for a 22-yard gain to the Houston 18, but the receiver fumbled and LB Eric Fairs recovered for the Oilers. The home team proceeded to put together a long 18-play, 87-yard drive that ran more than ten minutes off the clock. Moon finished it off with a run this time, carrying for a two-yard TD, and Zendejas converted.

With 3:15 left to play, Detroit fought back with an eight-play, 69-yard possession that was kept going when a Peete completion to Clark gained 19 yards in a fourth-and-nine situation. The series concluded with Sanders running 14 yards for a TD on a draw play. Murray kicked the point after and it was a four-point contest, although with the time remaining down to 1:41. 

It appeared that the Oilers would be able to run out the clock, but the Lions got a break when, after catching a third down pass, Givins fumbled and CB Terry Taylor recovered and ran 35 yards to give Detroit the ball at midfield. But any chance of the visitors pulling out a dramatic win ended three plays later when a sideline pass by Peete was deflected and picked off by a leaping DB Tracey Eaton with 56 seconds to go. Houston won by a final score of 35-31.

The Oilers led in total yards (455 to 351), first downs (30 to 19), and time of possession (39:39 to 20:21). Houston never punted but turned the ball over four times, to two by the Lions, and was penalized 10 times at a cost of 85 yards, to seven flags for 50 yards thrown on Detroit.

Warren Moon completed 30 of 38 passes for 345 yards and two touchdowns while giving up one interception. He also ran the ball 8 times for 22 yards and a TD. Drew Hill topped the Houston receivers with 9 catches for 101 yards and a touchdown. Ernest Givins and WR Curtis Duncan had six pass receptions apiece, for 77 and 66 yards, respectively, and Givins had a score. RB Allen Pinkett led the runners with 40 yards on 8 attempts.

For the Lions, Rodney Peete (pictured at left) was successful on 18 of 29 throws for 273 yards and a TD while being intercepted once. Robert Clark grabbed 6 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown and WR Richard Johnson contributed 6 receptions for 77 yards. Barry Sanders rushed for 91 yards on 19 carries that included two TDs.

“We felt our offense could score every time we went out on the field,” said Warren Moon. “When we did get stopped it was because we stopped ourselves with fumbles and penalties.”

The Oilers surged to four wins in their next five games, but tailed off badly at the end and finished with a 9-7 record that placed second in the AFC Central and qualified for a Wild Card playoff slot. They lost to Pittsburgh in the first round. Detroit caught fire following the close loss to Houston, winning six of their last seven and ending up with a respectable 7-9 tally that ranked third in the NFC Central.

1989: Johnson Gains 248 Receiving Yards as Lions Defeat Saints

WR Richard Johnson (pictured above) had been a star for two seasons with the Houston Gamblers of the United States Football League, twice leading the Spring league in pass receptions, but, other than a brief stint with the Washington Redskins, drew little interest from the NFL after the USFL folded.  There were concerns about his lack of size (5’7”, 172) and speed, but the Detroit Lions finally gave him a tryout in 1989 thanks to the arrival of Darrel “Mouse” Davis as offensive coordinator, who had held the same post in Houston. Johnson made the team and, on December 3, 1989, had an especially noteworthy performance against the New Orleans Saints.

The Lions were struggling at 2-9 under Head Coach Wayne Fontes. Another, more heralded newcomer, rookie RB Barry Sanders, was outstanding, and NT Jerry Ball and LB Chris Spielman were having an impact on defense. But QB Rodney Peete was suffering through an injury-plagued season and, while journeyman Bob Gagliano was familiar with Davis’ run-and-shoot offense, but was no better than a fill-in. Johnson was the best of a receiving corps that was less than exceptional.  

New Orleans had a 6-6 record and was trying to remain in the playoff hunt. Coached by Jim Mora, the Saints had gotten off to a 1-4 start before winning five of six games, but had lost in overtime the previous week. QB Bobby Hebert was going through a rough patch, although RB Dalton Hilliard was filling in well for the injured Reuben Mayes. On defense, the corps of linebackers was outstanding and the Saints had the NFL’s number one rushing defense, but defending against the pass was problematic.

There were 38,550 fans in attendance at the Pontiac Silverdome. The teams exchanged punts until the Lions put together a nine-play, 70-yard drive. Rodney Peete completed passes to Richard Johnson for 27 yards and WR Walter Stanley for 37, and it was the quarterback keeping the ball and running six yards to score a touchdown. Ed Murray added the extra point.

On the first play following the ensuing kickoff, Bobby Hebert threw to TE Hoby Brenner, who fumbled and LB Dennis Gibson recovered for the Lions. But two plays later, a high pass by Peete was intercepted by CB Robert Massey, who returned it 22 yards to the New Orleans 47. It led to a three-and-out series followed by a punt, but the Saints again quickly regained possession when Peete fumbled a snap and LB Pat Swilling recovered at the Detroit 34. As the opening period came to an end, New Orleans was moving methodically down the field and, two plays into the second quarter Dalton Hilliard ran for a one-yard TD. Morten Andersen tied the score with the PAT.

The Lions moved swiftly down the field on their next series, advancing 82 yards in five plays as Peete completed passes to Johnson that covered 46 and 36 yards. Barry Sanders broke three tackles on the way to a three-yard touchdown and, with Murray’s conversion, Detroit was back in the lead by 14-7. But RB Bobby Morse returned the kickoff 99 yards, Andersen kicked the extra point, and once again the score was knotted at 14-14.

After the swift exchange of scores, the teams reverted to trading punts. The Saints reached the Detroit 31 with 18 seconds remaining in the first half, but Andersen was wide to the right on a 48-yard field goal attempt and the tally remained unchanged at halftime.

Peete suffered a knee injury when sacked on the second play of the third quarter and Bob Gagliano replaced him. Neither team was able to move the ball as they exchanged punts until, with the ball at their 25, the Lions came through with a big play. Gagliano threw short to Johnson at the left sideline, and he ran the distance for a 75-yard touchdown. Murray again converted and the home team was back in the lead by seven points.

There was another exchange of punts before the Saints advanced into Detroit territory. Hilliard started off with a ten-yard carry that had another 15 yards added to it due to an unnecessary roughness penalty. Hilliard continued to run well and Hebert completed two passes, New Orleans having reached the Detroit 14 as the period ended. But after getting to the seven in the early moments of the fourth quarter, Hebert had a pass batted away in the end zone by CB Jerry Holmes, who nearly picked it off, and on the next throw Holmes succeeded, just keeping his feet inbounds as he came down with the ball.

Gagliano threw to Johnson for 33 yards on the next play, but the Lions had to punt after reaching their 47. Once again the teams kicked punts back and forth. John Fourcade replaced Hebert at quarterback for the Saints, and while he completed his first two passes to Brenner for 20 yards and Hilliard for nine, the result was the same as New Orleans couldn’t get out of its end of the field.

Tommy Barnhardt’s punt gave the ball to the Lions at their 32 with 4:11 remaining in regulation. They never gave the ball up as Gagliano completed passes of 11 and 19 yards to WR Jason Phillips for first downs and, in a third-and-eight situation with still over a minute remaining, Sanders took a handoff, started to his left, changed direction, and ran 27 yards to effectively seal the 21-14 win for Detroit.      

The Lions led significantly in total yards (401 to 169) and first downs (17 to 11), although New Orleans had the longer time of possession (33:47 to 26:13). Both teams turned the ball over twice, but Detroit was penalized 10 times, at a cost of 75 yards, while just three flags were thrown on the Saints. New Orleans also recorded four sacks, to three by the Lions.

Richard Johnson had a huge performance with 8 catches for 248 yards that included the one long touchdown. Barry Sanders rushed for 72 yards on 20 carries that included a TD. Rodney Peete completed 8 of 18 passes for 177 yards and was intercepted once while Bob Gagliano was 6-of-13 for 166 yards and a touchdown while giving up no interceptions. On defense, Jerry Holmes intercepted a pass for the fourth straight game.

For the Saints, Bobby Hebert was successful on 16 of 26 throws, but for just 99 yards with no TDs and one interception. Dalton Hilliard (pictured at right) gained 67 yards on 18 rushing attempts that included a score and also caught 6 passes for 31 yards. Hoby Brenner gained 48 yards on his four pass receptions.

“It seemed like a dream,” said Richard Johnson of his performance. “I’m just so excited it happened to me. I knew I had the ability to play in this league. I just had to get the opportunity.”

The win for Detroit was the second of five straight to close out the season. The Lions ended up third in the NFC Central with a 7-9 record. For the Saints, the loss effectively ended their hopes for a Wild Card playoff spot, although with John Fourcade starting at quarterback, they won their last three games to end up at 9-7 and in third place in the NFC West.

Richard Johnson led the Lions with 70 catches for 1091 yards (15.6 avg.) and eight touchdowns. Barry Sanders received the greater acclaim for his NFC-leading 1470 yards on 280 carries (5.3 avg.) and 14 TDs. He was not only a consensus Rookie of the Year but a first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl selection as well.

Dalton Hilliard went over a thousand yards rushing for the season with his performance against the Lions, and he finished with 1262 yards on 344 attempts (3.7 avg.) and caught 52 passes for 514 more yards (9.9 avg.). He led the NFL in touchdowns (18) and the NFC in yards from scrimmage (1776) and was named to the Pro Bowl.

1990: Rutledge Rallies Redskins to Overtime Win Over Lions

The Washington Redskins had a 4-3 record as they took on the Detroit Lions on November 4, 1990. In their tenth season under Head Coach Joe Gibbs, the Redskins were looking to return to the playoffs after missing out in 1988 and ’89 following their last trip to the Super Bowl. The running game was sound, led by veterans Earnest Byner and Gerald Riggs, and the defense was much improved. But QB Stan Humphries was proving to be too inconsistent.

The Lions, under Head Coach Wayne Fontes, were 3-4 and featured an explosive run-and-shoot passing attack directed by assistants Darrel “Mouse” Davis and June Jones. Detroit could run the ball effectively, to be sure, with All-Pro RB Barry Sanders in the backfield. But the defense could give up points as readily as the offense could score them, and the quick-striking offense only tended to keep the defense on the field far too long.

There were 69,326 fans in attendance at the Pontiac Silverdome. Following an interception of a Stan Humphries pass on Washington’s opening possession, the Lions quickly capitalized as QB Rodney Peete threw to WR Robert Clark for a 33-yard touchdown.

The teams traded punts before the Redskins put together a 10-play, 65-yard scoring drive. Humphries threw to WR Gary Clark for 21 yards on a third-down play and, in all, was successful on five of six throws. Gerald Riggs completed the series by breaking three tackles and running for an eight-yard TD. Chip Lohmiller’s extra point tied the score at 7-7.

Peete started off the second quarter by scrambling away from trouble and running for 37 yards to the Washington 33. Barry Sanders gained 20 yards on two carries and Peete finished off the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run after faking a pitch to Sanders.

No sooner did the Redskins get the ball back then Humphries was picked off by CB William White, who returned it 34 yards for a TD. Down by 21-7, Washington fought back on the next possession highlighted by Humphries scrambling for 17 yards and completing a pass to Gary Clark for 31 yards. The tenth play of the 83-yard drive was a four-yard touchdown pass from Humphries to TE Jimmie Johnson, who was all alone in the corner of the end zone.

The teams again traded punts. With just over three minutes to go in the first half, the Lions regained possession at their five yard line. Peete threw to WR Richard Johnson for 25 yards to get out of the hole, then hit WR Jason Phillips for 27 yards to the Washington 43. Another pass to Johnson and a run by Sanders gained another 19 yards and Peete completed a 24-yard scoring pass to WR Aubrey Matthews that made it 28-14 in favor of the Lions going into halftime.

Things got even better for Detroit early in the third quarter. On Washington’s first possession of the second half, safety Bennie Blades intercepted a Humphries pass and returned it 21 yards to the Redskins’ 45. Two plays later, Barry Sanders broke away on a draw play for a 45-yard TD. With the successful PAT, the Lions were now up comfortably by 35-14.

On Washington’s next series, QB Jeff Rutledge (pictured at top) came into the game. An 11^th-year career backup out of Alabama, Rutledge had been with the Rams and, during the previous seven seasons, the Giants before joining the Redskins. He had started a total of nine games during that span as he did not have the arm or size to be a first-string quarterback, but he brought intelligence and good leadership qualities to the position.

Rutledge started off by completing all three of his passes, including a third-and-two throw to WR Ricky Sanders for 33 yards, and the Redskins scored a touchdown on a three-yard carry by Riggs. Following a punt by the Lions, two runs by Riggs and a pass by Rutledge gained 24 yards but Riggs fumbled after catching a pass and the Lions recovered at their own 46.

Peete having pulled a hamstring during the last possession, Detroit now had a new quarterback in the game as well in backup Bob Gagliano. Gagliano completed passes of 19 and 24 yards to Richard Johnson and, after reaching the Washington eight yard line, Rich Karlis kicked a 26-yard field goal. Heading into the final quarter, the Lions were leading by a seemingly-commanding 38-21.

The Redskins started off the final period by driving 58 yards in nine plays, but after reaching the Detroit 21 Rutledge tossed three incomplete passes and Washington settled for a 38-yard field goal by Chip Lohmiller.

On Detroit’s next play from scrimmage, Gagliano threw to Matthews who fumbled and DE Fred Stokes recovered for Washington. However, after driving this time to the Detroit 22, the Redskins attempted to convert a fourth-and-seven play but Rutledge’s pass fell incomplete.

The Lions went three-and-out on the ensuing possession and Rutledge completed five of six passes, including one to Ricky Sanders that gained 28 yards and another to Gary Clark for a 34-yard touchdown. The Detroit lead was down to 38-31 with 5:48 still on the clock in regulation.

Once again the Lions had to punt after three plays and once more it was Rutledge passing the Redskins down the field. Washington went 85 yards in 15 plays with Rutledge completing eight passes and finishing the series off with a 12-yard touchdown run on a quarterback draw. Lohmiller’s extra point was good and, with less than 20 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, the contest was tied at 38-38.

In the overtime period, each team had a possession and punted before the Redskins, starting at their 10 yard line, advanced 73 yards in 12 plays. Along the way, Rutledge converted a third-and-15 situation with a completion to WR Art Monk for 40 yards. With Rutledge tossing short passes and Riggs and RB Earnest Byner gaining yards on the ground, Washington reached the Detroit 17 and, at 9:10 into overtime, Lohmiller ended the game with a 34-yard field goal. The Redskins came away with a thrilling 41-38 win.

Washington had big advantages in total yards (676 to 351), first downs (39 to 12), and time of possession (49:52 to 19:18). However, the Lions recorded six sacks, to two by the Redskins, and Washington also turned the ball over four times while Detroit suffered one.

Jeff Rutledge put up big numbers once he came into the contest, completing 30 of 42 passes for 363 yards with a touchdown and none intercepted. By contrast, Stan Humphries was successful on 13 of 21 throws for 159 yards with a TD and three interceptions. Art Monk had 13 catches for 168 yards and was one of three Washington receivers to reach a hundred yards, with Ricky Sanders gaining 132 yards on his 11 receptions and Gary Clark adding 132 on 8 catches with a TD. Gerald Riggs led the club in rushing with 91 yards on 22 carries that included two scores and Earnest Byner gained 53 yards on 11 attempts.

For Detroit, Rodney Peete went 8 of 17 passing for 135 yards and two TDs with none intercepted and Bob Gagliano completed 5 of 11 throws for 68 yards with no scores or pickoffs. Barry Sanders (pictured below) ran for 104 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. Richard Johnson caught 7 passes for 98 yards.

“In Jeff’s case, I just think he is a producer,” said Joe Gibbs of Rutledge. “He has always been that way and he’s a great guy. He is a class individual.”

Rutledge got a chance to start the next game at Philadelphia, but performed poorly and was knocked out of the game by injury (as was Humphries also) - he returned to the bench. The Redskins recovered to win five of their last seven games and placed third in the NFC East at 10-6. They defeated the Eagles in the Wild Card playoff game but lost at San Francisco in the Divisional round.

Detroit finished up at 6-10 for third place in the NFC Central. The result convinced Coach Fontes to back away from the pure run-and-shoot offense, thus causing Mouse Davis and June Jones to depart.

Jeff Rutledge threw a total of 68 passes for the Redskins in 1990 and completed 40 of them for 455 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. The big relief performance against the Lions remained his most significant single-game effort by far. He played two more years in Washington with limited action as a backup.

2002: Panthers Beat Ravens to End 15-Game Losing Streak

The Carolina Panthers won their first game of the 2001 NFL season – and proceeded to lose the remaining 15 straight contests, something no club in league history had done before. On September 8, 2002 they hosted the Baltimore Ravens, nearly a year to the day since their last win, with hopes of ending the skid as part of a new beginning for the franchise.

George Seifert had been replaced as head coach by John Fox, formerly defensive coordinator of the Giants. The team also added DE Julius Peppers, the second overall pick in the ’02 draft out of North Carolina (the expansion Houston Texans had the first choice), and rookie RB DeShaun Foster from UCLA. RB Lamar Smith, a free agent signed away from Miami, was brought in to bolster the running game. And Coach Fox decided to bench QB Chris Weinke, who had suffered through a difficult first season starting for the 1-15 team, in favor of 36-year-old journeyman Rodney Peete (pictured above), who had been sitting on Oakland’s bench for two years and had not thrown a pass in a regular season game since he was with the Redskins in 1999.

As for the visiting Ravens, coached by Brian Billick, they were two years removed from being a Super Bowl champion and had gone 10-6 in 2001. Defense had carried them to a title, but while they still had a strong nucleus of talent, salary cap problems had forced them to jettison several players. The offense would have a new starting quarterback as well in Chris Redman, a third-year player. RB Jamal Lewis, who was outstanding as a rookie for the 2000 Championship team, was back after missing all of ’01 due to a knee injury.

Most of the scoring came in the first quarter. On their second possession of the game, the Ravens went 80 yards in 9 plays that featured a 22-yard pass completion from Redman to WR Brandon Stokley in a third-and-eight situation and a 36-yard pass play to WR Travis Taylor that got the ball to the Carolina 11 yard line. Redmon threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to WR Ron Johnson and, with Matt Stover’s successful extra point, Baltimore was ahead by 7-0.

The Panthers, however, came right back with a scoring drive of their own that also covered 80 yards. Rodney Peete completed three passes, the second to WR Muhsin Muhammad for 33 yards and the third to TE Wesley Walls for a 20-yard TD. John Kasay, the last remaining original member of the Panthers, added the extra point to tie the contest.

In the second quarter, and following a punt by the Ravens, Carolina went 40 yards in 10 plays to score again. Peete threw to Walls for 18 yards on a third-and-13 play and RB Nick Goings converted another third down with a 20-yard run to the Baltimore 12. John Kasay kicked a 27-yard field goal and the Panthers were up by three points.

That was it for the scoring. Twice the Ravens moved into Carolina territory but were forced to punt, and the Panthers were consistently kept on their end of the field. A 47-yard field goal attempt by Stover late in the third quarter was unsuccessful. Midway through the final period, the Panthers put together a promising drive that reached the Baltimore 33 in ten plays, but Kasay’s 50-yard field goal attempt failed.

With under two minutes remaining and the ball approaching midfield, Redman threw a pass that was deflected by Julius Peppers and intercepted by LB Dan Morgan, who returned it 22 yards, and that was it. Amid great celebration worthy of a postseason victory, Carolina came away a winner by the score of 10-7.

“It just feels so incredible to finally win again and to finish a game and just put an end to all this misery,” said the 13-year veteran Wesley Walls, who had scored Carolina’s lone touchdown.

The statistics reflected the low point total. The Ravens had the most total yards (289 to 265) while both teams had 15 first downs apiece. There was only one turnover – the game-clinching interception at the end – and the clubs combined for 13 punts.

In a workmanlike performance, Rodney Peete completed 12 of 19 passes for 136 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. Lamar Smith ran the ball 24 times for 84 yards. WR Steve Smith caught 4 passes for 38 yards and Wesley Walls also gained 38 yards on his two receptions that included a TD.

For the Ravens, Chris Redman was successful on 20 of 34 throws for 218 yards with a TD and one picked off. Jamal Lewis gained 64 yards on 17 rushing attempts and gained 33 more on 4 catches. Brandon Stokley was the top receiver with 6 receptions for 83 yards.

The Panthers doubled their win total of the previous year the next week against the Lions and reached 3-0 before dropping eight straight games. Still, they ended up with a much-improved 7-9 record that put them fourth in the NFC South. A year later they were NFC Champions – a remarkable two-year turnaround from 1-15 in 2001. Baltimore was also 7-9 to finish third in the AFC North.

Rodney Peete enjoyed something of a resurgence in his last year as a starting quarterback (he lasted two more seasons as a backup). He completed 58.5 percent of his passes for a career-high 2630 yards and 15 touchdowns along with 14 interceptions. While his physical skills had declined, he provided solid leadership to the rebuilding club.

1995: Eagles Defeat Lions in High-Scoring NFL Postseason Game

The Detroit Lions came on strong in the second half of the 1995 season, winning their last seven consecutive games to finish at 10-6 and in second place in the NFC Central. They had a high-powered offense, directed by QB Scott Mitchell, who passed for 4338 yards and 32 touchdowns. He had excellent receivers, led by WR Herman Moore, who set an NFL record with his 123 pass receptions, and fellow WR Brett Perriman, who also reached triple figures with 108 catches. Together they accumulated 3174 yards between them (Moore with 1686, Perriman adding 1488). And they had the explosive Barry Sanders at running back (1500 yards rushing).

They certainly seemed to be on a roll, and veteran OT Lomas Brown guaranteed a win in the Wild Card playoff game, set for December 30, 1995 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. The Eagles had also finished at 10-6 and in second place in the NFC East. But while they had an outstanding running game featuring Ricky Watters (1273 yards rushing, 62 catches and 434 yards receiving) and change-of-pace back Charlie Garner, they had the NFL’s 29th-ranked passing offense and were outscored by their opponents over the course of the schedule (318-338). QB Rodney Peete (pictured above), formerly of the Lions, had taken over at quarterback for the benched Randall Cunningham and performed above expectations. The Eagles were a team that played at a high emotional level, as exemplified by first-year Head Coach Ray Rhodes (pictured below), and it had carried them into the playoffs.


The possibility of an offensive explosion in this playoff game was quite real, but no one, including the 66,099 fans in attendance, could have anticipated the number of points that went up on the scoreboard, or that it would be the Eagles scoring so prodigiously.

At the end of the first quarter, the game was tied at 7-7, but in the second quarter Philadelphia exploded for 31 unanswered points. Peete threw two touchdown passes, including a desperation pass on the last play of the first half that turned into a 43-yard scoring reception by WR Rob Carpenter; CB Barry Wilburn returned an intercepted pass 24 yards for a score; and Watters contributed a one-yard TD run. At halftime, the score was 38-7.

It was 51-7 before the Lions, with Don Majkowski having replaced the ineffective Mitchell at quarterback, finally got on the board again. Peete threw his third TD pass, of 45 yards, to Watters and Gary Anderson contributed his second and third field goals of the game. Majkowski then threw the first of his three touchdown passes, of 68 yards to Moore, and hit WR Johnnie Morton on a seven-yard pass play to make the score a slightly-more-respectable 51-21 at the end of the third quarter.

Eagles LB William Thomas capped the Philadelphia scoring with a 30-yard interception return in the fourth quarter, while Detroit put 16 more points on the board in a too-little, too-late effort that made the final tally 58-37.

The total of 95 points beat the previous record of 79 (accomplished twice) by 16 points [ADDENDUM: the record was broken on Jan. 10, 2010 when the Cardinals and Packers combined for 96 points]. The Eagles outgained the Lions, 452 to 422 yards. Rodney Peete showed up his former team as he completed 17 of 25 passes for 270 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. WR Fred Barnett caught 8 passes for 109 yards and a 22-yard TD. Garner led the rushers with 78 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown.

The two Detroit quarterbacks threw for 361 yards with four TDs and six interceptions. Moore caught 7 passes for 133 yards, while WR Aubrey Matthews, who caught just four passes all season but replaced the injured Perriman in the first quarter, also had 7 receptions (73 yards). Sanders was a non-factor, accumulating just 40 yards on 10 carries.

Coach Rhodes and defensive coordinator Emmitt Thomas used extra defensive backs, including safety Mike Zordich at linebacker, and it worked to fluster Mitchell and derail the Detroit offense (Mitchell pictured below being chased by DE Danny Stubbs).

Afterward, a chastened Lomas Brown said, “Any time you turn the ball over six times, you could play a high school team and you're not going to win. They had the better team today. They beat us convincingly.” (Actually, it was seven turnovers with a fumble added to the pickoffs).

Detroit Head Coach Wayne Fontes acknowledged that the Eagles had beaten the Lions at their own game: "Well, first it was 7-7 and then I turned around and it was 31-7. We're usually that type of team. We're used to getting up on teams like that."

The Eagles came back down to earth in the NFC Divisional playoff game, losing decisively at Dallas. Detroit dropped to 5-11 in 1996, although they made it to the postseason twice more in the following three years, again losing in the first round in each instance.