1992: Sacramento Defeats Orlando for WLAF Championship

The second season of the World League of American Football, the NFL’s Spring developmental league, concluded with the Sacramento Surge facing the Orlando Thunder in the World Bowl on June 6, 1992.

Sacramento, coached by Kay Stephenson, topped the North American West Division with an 8-2 record.  QB David Archer (pictured above), a veteran NFL backup, was the league’s top passer and WR Eddie Brown, a product of the CFL, topped the developmental circuit with 1011 yards on 48 catches, 12 of which were good for touchdowns. RB Mike Pringle, also from the CFL, was effective both running and catching the ball out of the backfield. The defense was anchored by DE Michael Sinclair, who recorded 10 sacks and would go on to become a Pro Bowl player for the Seahawks. The Surge edged Barcelona 17-15 in the first playoff round to advance to the World Bowl.

The Thunder were coached by Galen Hall and also went 8-2 in finishing first in the North American East Division. QB Scott Mitchell was on loan from the Miami Dolphins and showed his potential by passing for 2213 yards, which ranked second in the league. WR Joe Johnson was the best of the receivers, while Darryl Clack, a disappointment with the Dallas Cowboys who had gone to Canada, was the best of the ground gainers. Orlando thrashed the Birmingham Fire by a score of 45-7 to qualify for the World Bowl.

There were 43,759 fans in attendance for the Saturday night game at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal. Orlando took the early lead in the first quarter thanks to a 12-play, 98-yard drive that was helped along by penalties. Scott Mitchell capped the series with a 10-yard scoring pass to WR Chris Ford and Tracy Bennett added the extra point.

Cary Blanchard kicked a 32-yard field goal at 4:16 into the second quarter to get the Surge on the board, but the Thunder got a break when Eddie Brown fumbled a punt inside his ten yard line. Mitchell threw to WR Willie Davis along the sideline for an eight-yard TD and Bennett’s successful point after made the score 14-3.

With 54 seconds remaining in the half, Orlando’s Bennett added a 20-yard field goal to make it a 14-point margin, but the scoring wasn’t yet over when Archer threw to Brown for a 35-yard gain that set up a 24-yard Blanchard field goal with one second left on the clock. The tally stood at 17-6 in favor of Orlando at halftime.

The third quarter was scoreless and Sacramento was still down by 11 points entering the final period, but the Surge narrowed the gap. Less than three minutes into the fourth quarter, David Archer threw to TE Paul Green for a 12-yard touchdown and then tossed a pass to WR Mark Stock for a two-point conversion that made it a 17-14 contest.

The Surge had a chance to tie the score on their next possession, but Blanchard was wide on a 31-yard field goal attempt. However, Sacramento got the ball back on an interception of a Mitchell pass by LB Mike Jones, who returned it 12 yards to the Orlando 34. Archer tossed a screen pass to Mike Pringle that gained 31 yards to the three and three plays later, with 5:44 to play, Archer connected with Brown in the left corner of the end zone for a three-yard touchdown. Blanchard added the extra point, and that was it as the Surge held on for a 21-17 win and the Championship.

The Surge significantly outgained Orlando (402 yards to 203) and had more first downs (24 to 15). Sacramento also led in turnovers with four, however, to three suffered by the Thunder. Each team recorded two sacks.

David Archer completed 22 of 33 passes for 286 yards and the two fourth quarter touchdowns while giving up one interception. Mike Pringle rushed for 84 yards on 17 carries and caught two passes for 37 more yards. Eddie Brown topped the Sacramento receivers with 8 catches for 78 yards and included the game-winning TD.

For the Thunder, Scott Mitchell was successful on 18 of 41 throws for 187 yards, also with two TDs and one interception. Joe Johnson had 7 pass receptions for 79 yards. The running game was practically nonexistent, with a total of just 35 yards on 11 attempts, and the individual leader was Darryl Clack, who gained 20 yards on 8 carries.

The 1992 season marked the end for both Sacramento and Orlando as the league went on hiatus and, when it returned in ’95, it was based entirely in Europe. The CFL expanded to Sacramento and David Archer was that team’s quarterback. Mike Pringle also played for the CFL’s Sacramento club for a year before moving on to Baltimore, Montreal, and Edmonton in what ended up being a Hall of Fame career. He led the league in rushing six times and finished as the CFL’s career ground-gaining leader with 16,424 yards. Eddie Brown also continued on in Canada, catching 532 passes for 8663 yards and 60 TDs with six teams (he also had a brief hiatus in the Arena Football League).

Scott Mitchell backed up Dan Marino in Miami for two seasons, performing well enough when starting in the place of the injured Marino in 1993 to gain a large free agent contract from the Lions. While he showed some flashes of ability, most notably in ’95 when he threw for 4338 yards and 32 TDs, his career ultimately failed to live up to that early promise.

1996: Allen’s Last-Minute TD Gives Chiefs Thanksgiving Win Over Lions

The Kansas City Chiefs had an 8-4 record as they faced the Detroit Lions on November 28, 1996, but there were causes for concern. Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer’s team had been to the postseason after each of the past six seasons, although it had come up short of reaching the Super Bowl. The Chiefs had gotten off to a quick start with Steve Bono at quarterback, but he had been benched in favor of backup QB Rich Gannon. 36-year-old RB Marcus Allen (pictured above) was being supplanted by Greg Hill, but was still a master in short yardage situations. The defense, however, was not playing up to past standards.

The Lions, coached by Wayne Fontes, were a high-scoring playoff team in 1995 and got off to a 4-2 start in ’96, but then lost five of their next six games and were struggling at 5-7 as they hosted the Chiefs. RB Barry Sanders remained an exciting big-play runner and WR Herman Moore was one of the league’s best receivers, but QB Scott Mitchell was inconsistent and the defense was unable to compensate for the offseason loss of LB Chris Spielman and FS Willie Clay to free agency. DE Robert Porcher was one of the few bright spots in the unit.

There were over 75,000 fans in attendance at the Pontiac Silverdome for the Thanksgiving Day matchup. The teams exchanged punts to start the game before the Chiefs put together a nine-play, 91-yard scoring drive. Rich Gannon threw to FB Kimble Anders for a 25-yard gain that was immediately followed by Marcus Allen running for 35 yards to the Detroit 28. Allen finished the series off with a one-yard touchdown carry and Pete Stoyanovich added the extra point.

The Lions were driving as the first quarter ended. Scott Mitchell completed a pass to WR Brett Perriman for a 30-yard gain and Barry Sanders had consecutive carries that picked up 21 yards. On the first play of the second quarter, Mitchell connected with WR Johnnie Morton for a 16-yard TD and Jason Hanson tied the score with his successful PAT.

Detroit’s defense came through with a big play on the next series when Gannon, back to pass in a third-and-five situation, fumbled while being sacked by Robert Porcher. DT Mike Wells recovered the loose ball in the end zone for a touchdown.

The Chiefs punted following their next possession but got the ball back when Mitchell threw a pass that was intercepted by LB Donnie Edwards, who returned it 22 yards to the Detroit 24. The visitors made the most of the opportunity when, following two running plays, Gannon threw to WR Chris Penn for a 17-yard TD. Stoyanovich added the extra point and the contest was again tied at 14-14.

The Lions drove into Kansas City territory as Mitchell converted a third-and-nine play with a 10-yard completion to Perriman and Sanders cut outside for a 41-yard gain. But after reaching the KC 25, Sanders threw an option pass that was picked off by FS Mark Collins in the end zone. With 2:38 remaining in the half, the Chiefs moved methodically down the field, but time ran out at the Detroit 32 and the score remained knotted at the intermission.

The Lions took the second half kickoff and again advanced into KC territory. Mitchell completed five passes, but a tipped throw was intercepted by CB Tony Stargell at the Kansas City 18. The Chiefs were forced to punt and this time Detroit didn’t come up empty. The Lions moved 81 yards in 14 plays, the longest a 17-yard pass play from Mitchell to Herman Moore that set up a 13-yard scoring run around end by Sanders. Hanson added the extra point and the score was 21-14 heading into the final period.

The Chiefs responded with a nine-play, 64-yard series. Greg Hill (pictured at left) ran effectively, picking up 38 yards in four carries, and Gannon threw to TE Derrick Walker for a nine-yard touchdown. Stoyanovich added the PAT and the score was once again tied.

Detroit put together a series that was highlighted by Mitchell throwing to Perriman for a 44-yard gain to the Kansas City two. However, the Lions were unable to reach the end zone from there and settled for a 21-yard Hanson field goal. Still, they were in front by 24-21 midway through the fourth quarter.

The Chiefs responded with a long drive of 76 yards in 15 plays that burned nearly eight minutes off the clock. Hill ran the ball seven times for 29 yards and Kansas City converted two third downs. Gannon ran for 16 yards and contributed three short pass completions. Finally, it was the veteran Allen diving for the last yard and a touchdown. Stoyanovich added the extra point and the visitors were up by four with less than a minute remaining to play. Time ran out on the Lions and Kansas City came away the winner by a final score of 28-24.

The Chiefs had the edge in total yards (338 to 318), with 243 of that total coming on the ground. Kansas City also had more first downs (26 to 21). The Lions were hurt by three turnovers, to one suffered by the Chiefs.

Rich Gannon was efficient as he completed 15 of 18 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns with none intercepted. He also ran the ball seven times for 45 yards. Greg Hill rushed for 103 yards on 17 carries and Marcus Allen contributed 73 yards on 15 attempts that included two for TDs. Kimble Anders led the team with 5 catches for 44 yards.

For the Lions, Scott Mitchell was successful on 18 of 29 throws for 247 yards and a TD, but with two intercepted. Brett Perriman caught 8 of those passes for 131 yards and Herman Moore added 7 receptions for 84 yards. Barry Sanders rushed for 77 yards on 20 carries.

“It wasn’t pretty, but we won,” summed up Rich Gannon. “I have to give a lot of credit to the offensive line, because they just pounded the Detroit defense. We ran the ball a ton, and they really came through.”

The win for the Chiefs marked the season’s high water mark for the club. They lost their last three games to end up with a 9-7 record, second in the AFC West and out of the postseason. Detroit also lost its remaining games to finish at 5-11 and at the bottom of the NFC Central. It marked the end of the line for Coach Fontes after more than eight seasons at the helm (he was elevated to head coach during the 1988 season).

Marcus Allen’s two rushing touchdowns gave him 112 and broke a tie with Walter Payton for the NFL career record (he would end up with 123). For the year, Allen rushed for 830 yards on 206 carries (4.0 avg.) and scored nine TDs. Greg Hill gained 645 yards on 135 attempts for a 4.8 average and four touchdowns. Rich Gannon, over the course of four games, completed 60 percent of his passes (54 of 90) for 491 yards with six touchdowns and just one interception. His best days were yet to come – and would come in Oakland, not Kansas City. 

1993: Mitchell Rallies Dolphins After Marino Suffers Season-Ending Injury

Dan Marino was starting his 145th straight game, the NFL record for a quarterback at the time (if not counting strike games with replacement players in 1987), as the Miami Dolphins faced the Cleveland Browns on October 10, 1993. A prolific passer to go along with his durability, Marino was approaching major career records (he came into the game just 45 TD passes behind Fran Tarkenton’s record of 342, for instance) and was off to another fine start in ’93. Head Coach Don Shula’s Dolphins were 3-1, although there were concerns regarding Miami’s defense, which was having injury problems. DE Marco Coleman and DE/LB David Griggs, two of the most effective pass rushers, were out for the game at Cleveland.

The Browns, coached for the third year by Bill Belichick, were also 3-1 but having problems on offense. Veteran QB Bernie Kosar was having trouble moving the team and, in each of the previous two games, backup Vinny Testaverde, obtained after six seasons in Tampa Bay, had relieved him.

The crowd in attendance at Municipal Stadium numbered 78,138 and they saw the Browns take the opening kickoff and drive 74 yards in eight plays, highlighted by WR Michael Jackson tossing a 16-yard pass to RB Eric Metcalf on a fake reverse. Jackson was in turn the recipient of a 14-yard touchdown pass from Kosar as Cleveland took the early lead.

Cleveland’s offense reverted to form and the teams traded punts until, early in the second quarter, Marino passed the Dolphins into Cleveland territory and Pete Stoyanovich kicked a 52-yard field goal.

The Browns went three-and-out on their next series and Miami responded with a 10-play, 63-yard scoring drive. Marino completed all six of his passes, with two of them converting third downs, and connected with WR Mark Ingram for a 13-yard TD. Stoyanovich added the PAT and the Dolphins were ahead by 10-7.

Cleveland’s next series ended when Metcalf fumbled after catching a pass and CB Bruce Alexander recovered for the Dolphins. Marino again moved the Miami offense efficiently down the field, starting off with passes covering 15 yards to TE Keith Jackson and 17 yards to WR Irving Fryar. But after another short completion, Marino was sacked and, on the next play, was injured as he planted his right foot while throwing a pass to RB Terry Kirby and had to be helped off the field. While it was not yet known, he would not return again in 1993.

Backup QB Scott Mitchell (pictured at top), a lefthander who had thrown a total of eight passes over the course of the previous three seasons, came into the game for the Dolphins with his team at the Cleveland 10. It did not seem promising for Miami when his first pass was intercepted by CB Najee Mustafaa and returned 97 yards for a touchdown, setting a new franchise record. The Browns took a 14-10 lead into halftime.

The teams traded punts to start the third quarter. On their second series, the Dolphins moved 60 yards in six plays. Mitchell passed to Fryar for a 30-yard gain to the Cleveland 24 and, three plays later, connected with WR Tony Martin for a 19-yard touchdown.  Stoyanovich’s PAT had the visitors up by three points at 17-14.

The Browns punted following a short possession and Miami put together another scoring drive, taking 9 plays to go 53 yards. Mitchell completed three passes along the way and had a 16-yard run out of shotgun formation for a first down in a third-and-12 situation. A three-yard pass to Keith Jackson was good for a TD and, following the successful conversion, a ten-point lead.

It was more than enough for the Dolphins. Their next series, early in the fourth quarter, ended with a failed 36-yard Stoyanovich field goal attempt. The Browns, now with Vinny Testaverde in the game at quarterback, drove to the Miami 22 but Matt Stover was wide on a 39-yard field goal try. Following a punt by the Dolphins, Cleveland again mounted a threat but, reaching the Miami nine, Testaverde threw a pass that was intercepted by DB Chris Green and effectively sealed the game for Miami. The Dolphins won by a final score of 24-14.

Miami easily outgained the Browns (338 yards to 202) and had more first downs (20 to 16). The Dolphins also recorded six sacks, to just one by Cleveland. The Browns turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by the Miami – although it was a spectacular one.

Before his injury, Dan Marino was having a fine performance as he completed 14 of 19 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown with none intercepted. Scott Mitchell followed up with 10 completions in 16 attempts for 118 yards and two TDs along with the one interception. The running backs Terry Kirby and Keith Byars weren’t very successful running the ball but were the team’s top receivers – Kirby caught 7 passes for 61 yards while gaining just 12 rushing yards on 14 carries and Byars had 5 receptions for 51 yards while running for 26 yards on 8 attempts.

For the Browns, Bernie Kosar was successful on 15 of 19 throws, but for only 82 yards and the early TD. In relief, Vinny Testaverde was 6-of-13 for 44 yards with no touchdowns and one interception, and was also sacked five times. Still, he was also the team’s leading rusher with 37 yards on three carries. Eric Metcalf caught 9 passes for 66 yards and ran 7 times for 36 yards.

Dan Marino’s injury proved to be a torn Achilles tendon and he was officially done for the season. He reappeared on crutches along the sideline during the second half.

“Sometimes you take it (playing every game) for granted,” reflected Marino. “You line up for every play and you think nothing will happen to you. And then, all of a sudden, it does and it’s a shock.”

Scott Mitchell started the next three games for the Dolphins, which were all wins, before he was sidelined by a shoulder injury. Miami kept winning, including one that made Don Shula the winningest coach in NFL history, and had the NFL’s best record at 9-2 heading into December before the bottom fell out and they lost their remaining games to finish second in the AFC East and out of the playoffs with a 9-7 tally.

As for Cleveland, there was also change at quarterback with Vinny Testaverde being named the starter for the following week’s game.

“We’re not a very good offensive team right now,” explained Coach Belichick. “Vinny moved the team downfield twice in the fourth quarter. That’s been missing.”

The Browns won their next two contests with Testaverde at quarterback but, when he was injured, Kosar returned to the starting lineup, the team lost, and in a shocking move the popular nine-year veteran was released. Todd Philcox started at quarterback until Testaverde was able to come back and the Browns won only twice more all season to place third in the AFC Central with a 7-9 record.

Scott Mitchell ended up completing 57.1 percent of his 233 passes for 1773 yards with 12 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. It was enough to draw the interest of teams looking for a potential upgrade at quarterback and he signed a big contract to play for the Detroit Lions in 1994. 

1994: Lions Overcome Falcons in Overtime

The Atlanta Falcons had a new head coach and quarterback for the 1994 NFL season as they opened against the Lions on September 4. Offensive coordinator June Jones had succeeded Jerry Glanville as head coach following a disappointing 6-10 season in ’93 and they picked up QB Jeff George from the Colts to operate their version of the run-and-shoot offense.

The Lions, coached by Wayne Fontes, were also debuting a new quarterback in Scott Mitchell, a highly-regarded (but not much experienced) backup in Miami who was signed to a big free agent contract. Star RB Barry Sanders (pictured above) had missed five games late in the previous season but was ready for the new one (and would not miss another game for the remainder of his illustrious career). Herman Moore was a rising talent at wide receiver.

There was a crowd of 60,740 present at the Pontiac Silverdome. The Falcons had first possession and punted. Following a 22-yard return by WR Mel Gray that gave the Lions good starting field position at their 47, it took just three plays for the home team to get on the board. Mitchell threw to Herman Moore for a 34-yard gain, Barry Sanders ran 18 yards, and RB Derrick Moore gained the last yard for a touchdown and, adding Jason Hanson’s extra point, a 7-0 lead.

That was it for the scoring in the opening period. The teams traded punts until the Falcons went 58 yards in eight plays in the second quarter. Keeping the ball on the ground, the big play was a 25-yard carry by RB Erric Pegram who also finished the drive off with a one-yard touchdown run. Norm Johnson’s extra point tied the score. Neither team was able to get out of its own end of the field for the remainder of the period as the score remained 7-7 at the half.

The Lions started off the third quarter with a seven-play, 70-yard scoring drive. Sanders ran effectively, gaining 26 yards on three carries, and a pass interference penalty picked up 18 yards to the Atlanta four yard line. From there, Mitchell passed to Herman Moore for a TD.

The Falcons responded with a long drive of their own. Jeff George completed 10 straight passes in the 12-play possession that covered 80 yards including the last to WR Andre Rison for a two-yard touchdown. The game was again knotted with the offenses having come to life.

Detroit was on the move as the period ended and, early in the fourth quarter, Mitchell connected with WR Anthony Carter for a nine-yard TD. It capped a 12-play, 76-yard series and gave the Lions a lead that didn’t last long when, on the first play following the ensuing kickoff, George threw to Rison for a 69-yard touchdown.

The Lions went three-and-out on the next possession, which forced the first punt of the second half, and Atlanta rolled down the field on a long drive that covered 78 yards in 12 plays. Three times George converted third downs on passes to Rison, the first for 28 yards in a third-and-seven situation, the second gaining 17 yards on a third-and-12 play, and the third picking up 9 yards while facing third-and-four. It was WR Terance Mathis finishing the series off with a touchdown on a 15-yard scoring pass from George. The Falcons were ahead by 28-21 with just under four minutes remaining in regulation.

Following the kickoff the Lions took possession at their 35. The first two plays gained nothing but, facing third-and-10, Mitchell hit Herman Moore for 11 yards. Two plays later he threw to Carter for 14 yards. Two short gains and an incomplete pass had the Lions in a fourth-and-one situation at the Atlanta 31 with 54 seconds on the clock. Mitchell completed a pass to TE Rodney Holman for 16 yards and two plays later connected with Carter for a 15-yard touchdown. Hanson added the all-important extra point and the score was once again even at 28-28.

The Falcons had one last shot in regulation and, following the return of the squibbed kickoff by safety Alton Montgomery to the Atlanta 44, two completions to Rison got the ball to the Detroit 34, but a field goal try by Norm Johnson from 52 yards sailed wide to the right and the contest went into overtime.

An added concern for the Lions heading into OT was that the placekicker Hanson had gotten hurt making the tackle on the kickoff following the game-tying touchdown. He suffered a cramp in his leg that had trainers working on him afterward.

Atlanta got the ball first in OT but was forced to punt after a short series. Starting with good field position at the Falcons’ 49, Mitchell threw to WR Brett Perriman for 30 yards and, following three runs by Sanders, Hanson, despite being in apparent pain from his injury, kicked a 37-yard field goal at 5:14 into the extra period.  Detroit won by a final score of 31-28.

Atlanta had the edge over the Lions in total yards (389 to 352) and first downs (22 to 21). There was only one turnover, which was suffered by Detroit, although the Falcons were penalized 10 times at a cost of 90 yards against a total of five flags thrown on the Lions, for 40 yards.

Scott Mitchell completed 16 of 31 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns with one intercepted. Barry Sanders rushed for 120 yards on 27 carries. Herman Moore (pictured below) caught 6 passes for 84 yards and a TD while Anthony Carter, a veteran newcomer to Detroit following nine seasons with the Vikings, contributed 5 receptions for 61 yards and two scores.

For the Falcons, Andre Rison had a big day as he pulled in 14 catches for 193 yards and two touchdowns. Jeff George was successful on 29 of 37 throws for 281 yards and three TDs with none picked off. Terance Mathis added another 8 receptions for 63 yards and a score. Erric Pegram led the ground game with 23 carries for 91 yards and a TD.

The Lions went on to finish third in the highly competitive NFC Central with a 9-7 record. All three Wild Card spots went to teams from the division and the Packers defeated Detroit in the first round. Atlanta ended up third in the NFC West at 7-9.

Scott Mitchell had a rough first year in Detroit as he injured his shoulder in the season’s second game and was lost for the rest of the way in Week 10. He completed just 48.4 percent of his passes for 1456 yards with 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Barry Sanders continued to be outstanding, leading the NFL in rushing with 1883 yards. Herman Moore caught 72 passes for 1173 yards and 11 TDs and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first of four straight years.

Andre Rison didn’t go to the Pro Bowl but had 81 pass receptions for 1088 yards and eight touchdowns. Terance Mathis did get selected as he pulled in 111 passes for 1342 yards and 11 TDs. Jeff George completed 61.5 percent of his throws for 3734 yards and 23 touchdowns against 18 interceptions.

1994: Scott Mitchell Signs with Lions

On March 6, 1994 the Detroit Lions signed unrestricted free agent QB Scott Mitchell to a three-year, $11 million contract. Chosen by the Dolphins in the fourth round of the 1990 NFL draft, Mitchell had spent three quiet years as the little-used backup to durable star QB Dan Marino. But in 1993, Marino went down for the season with a torn Achilles tendon in the fifth game, and Mitchell got his chance.

Initially, the lefthander made the most of the opportunity, looking good in four starts before suffering a shoulder injury, and struggling in three starts when he returned. Miami had risen to 9-2 before losing the last five games to miss the postseason. While Mitchell had done well enough to draw interest (he ended up ranking fifth in passing in the AFC with an 84.2 rating), there were also questions regarding how well he might perform as the starting quarterback over a full season.

The Vikings were the first team to offer Mitchell a contract, and the young quarterback also met with the Saints and Rams before deciding on Detroit. “I think we were offering a crazy deal, but the Lions offered an insane deal,” said Vikings VP and chief contract negotiator Jeff Diamond (they instead obtained the proven veteran QB Warren Moon from the Oilers).

“It’s unfortunate that I’m leaving Miami, but I don’t leave behind any hard feelings, “said Mitchell. “I wanted a chance to play and be the regular guy, the starter, and I knew I wasn't going to get that here. But the Dolphins gave me a chance to become a good football player and prove myself in the league, and I'm grateful for that.”

The Lions had won the NFC Central with a 10-6 record in ’93, their second division title in three seasons. However, the offense was more centered around star RB Barry Sanders than anyone who had played quarterback during that period – indeed, Head Coach Wayne Fontes had taken much criticism for his handling of quarterbacks. Erik Kramer was the most successful, leading the Lions to the NFC Championship game following the 1991 season and spurring the run to the playoffs in ’93.

But Kramer’s hold on the starting job had been tenuous and he split time with Rodney Peete and Andre Ware, who proved to be a first-round bust. Kramer left Detroit for the Bears as a free agent, and Peete and Ware were free agents that the team was not interested in re-signing (Peete signed with Dallas to back up Troy Aikman for a year, and Ware went to the Raiders and was never activated). At the time of the signing, Chuck Long, the long-forgotten 1986 first round draft choice out of Iowa, was the only quarterback on the roster, but after looking at veteran free agents Sean Salisbury and Chris Miller, 36-year-old veteran Dave Krieg was brought in to back up Mitchell.

Mitchell had ideal size at 6’5” and 230 pounds, and proved to be tough and intelligent. He also suffered through a difficult first season in Detroit. After a good opening-game outing against the Falcons, he injured his shoulder in a rough contest the following week at Minnesota and, after developing tendinitis, struggled with his passing. Mitchell went down for good late in the second quarter of a losing game at Green Bay in Week 10 (the club’s ninth game). He ended up completing just 48.4 percent of his passes for 1456 yards (5.9 yards per attempt) and 10 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. The Lions were 4-5 after losing to the Packers, but Krieg stepped in and performed very well as the team won five of its last seven games to grab the last NFC wild card spot with a 9-7 tally (they were also helped by Barry Sanders putting together his best season yet, as he led the league with 1883 yards rushing). They lost once again to Green Bay in the first round of the playoffs.

There was no quarterback controversy going into 1995, as the Lions let Krieg move on to Arizona as a free agent. Still, they lost their first three games, and were 3-6 after nine contests, but caught fire and won seven straight to close out the regular season and once again advance into the playoffs. Mitchell passed for a team-record 4338 yards and 32 touchdowns, as opposed to just 12 interceptions. Both starting wide receivers caught over a hundred passes, with Herman Moore leading the league with a then-record 123 receptions for 1686 yards and 14 touchdowns and Brett Perriman contributing 108 for 1488 yards and nine TDs. Sanders caught 48 passes in addition to running for 1500 yards.

But it all came crashing down in a shocking 58-37 loss to the Eagles in the Wild Card playoff round – it wasn’t even that close, as Philadelphia had a 51-7 lead midway through the third quarter. Mitchell had a dreadful outing and was pulled in favor of backup Don Majkowski, who helped to make the score respectable with three touchdown passes.

The Lions were a 5-11 team in ’96, and Mitchell appeared to regress. He threw for 2917 yards with 17 TDs and 17 interceptions, but signed a contract extension to remain in Detroit. Fontes was fired as head coach and, with the coming of Head Coach Bobby Ross and offensive coordinator Sylvester Croom, it was hoped that Mitchell would again rebound. Both Mitchell and the Lions improved, with the quarterback throwing for 3484 yards and having a better touchdown-to-interception ratio (19 to 14) and the team returning to the playoffs with a 9-7 tally. But once again they came up short in the first round, this time against the Buccaneers, and Mitchell was benched in favor of rookie QB Charlie Batch in 1998. He was dealt to the Baltimore Ravens after the season, and his career continued on its descent. After a year with the Ravens and two as a backup in Cincinnati, it came to an end.

Overall in Detroit, Mitchell passed for 12,647 yards with 79 touchdowns and 57 interceptions, but he had a losing record as the starting quarterback (27-30) and played poorly in his postseason appearances. Immobile and inconsistent, in only one season did he approach the level of performance anticipated when he signed the big free agent contract in ’94.

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.

1995: Scott Mitchell Leads Lions Past Vikings with 410 Yards and 4 TD Passes

Quarterback Scott Mitchell had shown enough potential as a backup to Dan Marino in Miami to warrant a great deal of interest when he became a free agent after the 1993 season. The Detroit Lions won the bidding war for his services, awarding him a three-year contract worth $11 million dollars (he would stay for five seasons). At 6’6” and 240 pounds, with a strong and accurate arm, he had the tools but had problems with consistency, durability, and command of the offense during 1994.

Mitchell and the Lions got off to a 3-6 start in ’95, but then caught fire. On November 23 the record stood at 5-6 as the Minnesota Vikings (6-5) arrived for a Thanksgiving Day matchup at the Pontiac Silverdome. Detroit scored the first two touchdowns on passes from Mitchell to WR Brett Perriman covering 2 and 20 yards respectively. After the Vikings countered with a 55-yard TD pass play from QB Warren Moon to WR Jake Reed, the Lions extended their lead to 21-7 in the second quarter with Mitchell’s third TD pass of 16 yards to WR Johnnie Morton.

The second quarter turned wild as the Vikings scored two non-offensive touchdowns to knot the score at 21-21. First, WR David Palmer returned a punt 74 yards and then free safety Orlando Thomas recovered a fumble and ran it 17 yards into the end zone. The Lions re-took the lead, 24-21, thanks to a 32-yard Jason Hanson field goal, but Minnesota was back in front at the half, 28-24, due to a 10-yard Moon touchdown pass to WR Cris Carter.

After the teams traded field goals in the third quarter, Mitchell put the Lions in the lead with a 27-yard pass to WR Herman Moore that made the score 34-31. When RB Barry Sanders ran 50 yards for a touchdown with 5:18 left in the game to give Detroit a ten-point margin (41-31), it appeared that the Lions would prevail, but the result remained in doubt as Moon connected with Carter again to cut the lead to three points. A 39-yard Hanson field goal provided the final margin of the 44-38 game, but it still came down to Detroit intercepting a Moon desperation pass in the end zone on the last play to nail down the win once and for all.

In all, it was a wild offensive show as both teams combined for 919 total yards; the Lions accounted for 534 of that total. Mitchell set a new Detroit single-game passing yardage record (since broken) with 410 as he completed 30 of 45 passes. Four of them went for touchdowns, while one was intercepted. Perriman led all receivers with 12 receptions and was one of three Lions receivers to accumulate over a hundred yards, with 153. Moore had 127 yards on his 8 catches and Morton contributed 102 on 7 receptions. The ground game contributed significantly as well thanks to Sanders rushing for 138 yards on 24 carries (virtually all of which came in the second half).

For the Vikings, Warren Moon completed 30 of 47 passes for 384 yards with three TDs and two interceptions. RB Amp Lee caught the most passes with 9 for 92 yards, while WR Reed accumulated the most yards with 149 on his 6 receptions. Minnesota didn’t do as much on the ground, however, rushing for just 34 yards on 15 attempts.

It was the third of seven consecutive wins to close out the regular season for the Lions as they finished at 10-6 for second place in the NFC Central and a wild card berth; they were embarrassed by the Eagles in the first round by a score of 58-37. Minnesota ended up in fourth place in the division with an 8-8 record.

For Scott Mitchell, it was a career year as he achieved highs in pass attempts (583), completions (346), completion percentage (59.3), passing yards (4338), TD passes (32), and passer rating (92.3); the yardage and TD totals were also team records. While the season accented his strengths, his weaknesses also became apparent, especially in the postseason loss when he was benched in favor of backup Don Majkowski after throwing four interceptions.

Mitchell was helped a great deal by his outstanding receiving corps, especially when they went to three wide receivers as their basic offense. Herman Moore led the NFL with a then-record 123 receptions for 1686 yards and 14 touchdowns. Brett Perriman hauled in 108 passes for 1488 yards and another 9 scores; in combination with Moore, the 231 receptions were a record for two teammates. Johnnie Morton, in his second year, was hardly a slouch with 44 catches for 590 yards and 8 TDs, while Barry Sanders grabbed another 48 passes for 398 yards and a touchdown.

Of course, Sanders contributed most significantly on the ground, reaching the thousand-yard mark for the seventh time in as many seasons with an even 1500 yards on 314 carries with 11 TDs.

While Mitchell never again approached his 1995 numbers and would ultimately be considered a disappointment in Detroit, it is a testament to the other key offensive contributors that they expanded on their performances. Moore caught over a hundred passes in the next two seasons and again led the league in 1997. Morton stepped up and had three thousand-yard receiving seasons from 1997 to ’99 and four in five years. Perriman caught 94 passes for 1021 yards in ’96, although his career was essentially over after that. Sanders, arguably the best running back of his era, never had less than a thousand yards rushing in any of his ten seasons, and reached the 2000-yard mark in 1997.