Highlighted Year: Vinny Testaverde, 1996

Quarterback, Baltimore Ravens

Age: 33 (Nov. 13)

10^th season in pro football, 4^th with Browns/Ravens

College: Miami (FL)

Height: 6’5”   Weight: 227

Prelude:

In college, Testaverde passed for 6058 yards and 48 touchdowns while averaging 9.0 yards-per-attempt and won the 1986 Heisman Trophy. Highly regarded and chosen first overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in ’87, he moved into the starting lineup late in his rookie season. A big quarterback with a strong arm and fair mobility, Testaverde suffered with a poor team and was prone to poor decisions under pressure. He led the NFL in interceptions thrown with 35 in 1988 and 22 in ’89 and never had more TD passes than pickoffs in his six years with the Bucs. Testaverde signed with the Cleveland Browns as a free agent in 1993 to back up QB Bernie Kosar, his former college teammate who he understudied at Miami, but when Kosar was let go in a surprise midseason move, he took over as the starter with promising results, tossing 14 TD passes with just 9 interceptions. In 1994 he threw for 2575 yards and 16 TDs, although with 18 interceptions, and the Browns reached the playoffs. However, the club fell off badly in ’95, its last year in Cleveland, and Testaverde was benched for three games, although he achieved a new high by completing 61.5 percent of his passes and had a TD to interception ratio of 17 to 10. He moved on to Baltimore as part of the franchise reborn as the Ravens in 1996.

1996 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 549 [3, tied with Jeff Blake]

Most attempts, game – 51 vs. St. Louis 10/27

Completions – 325 [3, tied with Brett Favre]

Most completions, game – 31 vs. St. Louis 10/27, vs. Jacksonville 11/24

Yards – 4177 [2]

Most yards, game – 429 vs. St. Louis 10/27

Completion percentage – 59.2 [13]

Yards per attempt – 7.6 [3]

TD passes – 33 [2, 1^st in AFC]

Most TD passes, game – 4 at Denver 10/20

Interceptions – 19 [4, tied with Jim Kelly & Trent Dilfer]

Most interceptions, game – 4 vs. Cincinnati 11/3

Passer rating – 88.7 [5]

400-yard passing games – 1

300-yard passing games – 5

200-yard passing games – 13

Rushing

Attempts – 34

Most attempts, game – 8 (for 42 yds.) vs. Oakland 9/1

Yards – 188

Most yards, game – 42 yards (on 8 carries) vs. Oakland 9/1

Average gain – 5.5

TDs – 2

Scoring

TDs – 2

2-pt conversions – 1 [6, tied with many others]

Points – 14

Awards & Honors:

Pro Bowl

Ravens went 4-12 to finish fifth in the AFC Central while ranking second in the NFL in passing yards (3978) and third in total yards (5723).

Aftermath:

Testaverde had a lesser season in 1997 and was waived, signing with the New York Jets in ’98 where it was anticipated that he would return to being a backup. However, he took over the starting job for 13 games, 12 of which were wins, and passed for 3256 yards and 29 touchdowns while giving up just 7 interceptions and compiling an AFC-leading passer rating of 101.6. The Jets reached the AFC Championship game and Testaverde was selected to the Pro Bowl. His 1999 season ended in the opening game with a ruptured Achilles tendon and, while he regained the starting job in 2000, it was with lessened mobility and a return to old patterns as he led the NFL by being intercepted 25 times. Testaverde cut his interceptions down to 14 while operating in a West Coast-style offense in 2001 and foregoing the long ball but lost his starting job to Chad Pennington in ’02 and, after one more year with the Jets in which he saw action when Pennington was injured, Testaverde moved on to Dallas in 2004 where he was a stopgap starting quarterback and led the NFL once more with 20 interceptions. He returned to the Jets as a backup in 2005, spent ’06 behind Tom Brady in New England, and finished up at age 44 with the Carolina Panthers in 2007. Over the course of a long and uneven career, Testaverde passed for 46,233 yards and 275 TDs with 267 interceptions. He was a first-team All-AFC selection once and was chosen to two Pro Bowls.

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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

2002: Morton’s Kickoff Returns Propel Jets to Overtime Win Over Bills

The overhauled New York Jets faced rivals from the AFC East, the Buffalo Bills, in a Week 1 contest on September 8, 2002. The Jets had gone 10-6 and reached the playoffs in their first year under Head Coach Herman Edwards, but had made significant roster moves, especially on defense. The offense still had 38-year-old QB Vinny Testaverde behind center to start the season, even if not best suited for a West Coast-style offense, and RB Curtis Martin was a highly productive ball carrier.

The Bills were coming off of a miserable 3-13 record under Head Coach Gregg Williams but had also done some retooling, most notably in acquiring a new veteran quarterback.  Drew Bledsoe was obtained from the Patriots, where he had been displaced by the previously-unknown Tom Brady. In addition, RB Travis Henry was healthy following a promising rookie year that ended with a knee injury.

There were 72,751 fans in attendance at Ralph Wilson Stadium on an 86-degree afternoon. The Bills started the game off with a drive that was kept alive by a roughing-the-kicker penalty on a punt. Drew Bledsoe completed four passes, two of them to Travis Henry, and Mike Hollis finished it off with a 52-yard field goal.

The Jets punted twice, with an interception of a Bledsoe pass by CB Aaron Beasley at the New York 20 in between, before Buffalo went 80 yards in seven plays that stretched into the second quarter and included three penalties on the New York defense. Following consecutive pass completions by Bledsoe to get the ball down to the Jets’ five, Henry ran up the middle from there for a touchdown. Hollis added the extra point for a 10-0 lead.

The ten-point margin didn’t last for long when diminutive RB Chad Morton (pictured above) returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a TD. John Hall converted to make it a 10-7 contest. On Buffalo’s third play of the next series, a poorly thrown Bledsoe pass was picked off by CB Donnie Abraham, who returned it 13 yards to the Buffalo 19. While two penalties pushed the Jets back ten yards, Vinny Testaverde passed to TE Anthony Becht for a 21-yard gain and, helped further by a pass interference call, it was Testaverde to Becht once again for a one-yard touchdown. Hall booted the point after and, in short order, the visitors were in front by a score of 14-10.

The Bills responded with a drive of 74 yards in 11 plays. Bledsoe connected on four passes, with two of them to WR Peerless Price that included a 19-yard gain on a third-and-seven play to the New York 29, and Henry finished the series off with four straight runs, the last for three yards and a TD. Hollis added the PAT and Buffalo was up by 17-14 with 2:41 remaining in the first half.

Testaverde passed the Jets down the field, hitting Curtis Martin five times out of the backfield, including a 12-yard gain that converted third-and-nine and a 16-yard play that set up Hall’s 34-yard field goal. The teams went into halftime with the score tied at 17-17.

New York had the ball first to start the third quarter and was without Martin, who had suffered a sprained ankle at the end of the first half. Testaverde completed a pass to WR Santana Moss and RB LaMont Jordan, Martin’s replacement, ran for 14 yards to reach the Buffalo 32. After advancing to the 27, a third down pass to Morton that was first credited as a catch to the one was overturned upon review, but the Jets regained the lead on a 45-yard Hall field goal.

The Jets took possession soon after at their own 46 following a fumble by Henry, but lost ground and had to punt, and the Bills punted in return. On the second play of the next New York series, Jordan fumbled when hit by DT Pat Williams, LB Keith Newman recovered, and Buffalo took over at the Jets’ 29. Three runs by Henry picked up 20 yards and, after a short completion to WR Eric Moulds, it was Henry again to complete the six-play possession with a two-yard touchdown carry. Hollis converted to make it 24-20 in favor of the Bills entering the fourth quarter.

The Jets had the ball heading into the final period but Hall’s 48-yard field goal attempt was wide to the right. However, a short series by the Bills resulted in a punt that was blocked by LB Jason Glenn. Gaining possession at the Buffalo 24, Testaverde completed a pass to Becht for eight yards and Hall was successful on a 33-yard field goal try that narrowed the home team’s lead to 24-23.

The Bills came through with a big play on their next series as Bledsoe passed to Moulds for a gain of 52 yards to the New York 28, but a sack by DE John Abraham pushed Buffalo back and Hollis missed the resulting long field goal attempt from 50 yards.

Testaverde came out throwing in response, connecting with WR Laveranues Coles for eight yards, Jordan for seven, and FB Richie Anderson for nine yards. An interception was wiped out by a pass interference penalty and Testaverde made the most of the reprieve as he threw to WR Wayne Chrebet for an 18-yard TD and then passed to Becht for a two-point conversion that gave the Jets a 31-24 lead with 4:47 left in regulation.

The Bills appeared to be stymied at their own 33 after Bledsoe was sacked by NT Jason Ferguson for a seven-yard loss on a third-and-ten play, but the resulting punt drew a roughing-the-kicker penalty and Buffalo remained alive at its 48. Four plays later, Bledsoe converted fourth-and-two with a completion to Price for 14 yards and the drive finally ended with a dramatic fourth-and-nine pass from Bledsoe to Moulds for a 29-yard touchdown. Hollis added the all-important extra point and the game was tied at 31-31 with 34 seconds remaining on the clock.

The contest went into overtime, and the Jets won the toss. Hollis kicked toward the sideline, but Morton fielded it, made a cutback against the grain and, 96 yards and 14 seconds later, crossed the goal line to win the game for the Jets in stunning fashion by a final score of 37-31.  

The Bills led in total yards (384 to 266), first downs (26 to 18), and time of possession (39:08 to 21:06). However, Buffalo also turned the ball over three times, to one by the Jets, and the special teams gave up the two touchdowns on kickoff returns plus a blocked punt that set up another New York score. There were many penalties, with each team being flagged ten times apiece.

Chad Morton was the headliner for the Jets as he averaged 46.3 yards on six kickoff returns that included the two touchdowns, making him the fifth player in NFL history to do so in a single game. Vinny Testaverde completed 24 of 30 passes for 210 yards and two TDs while giving up no interceptions. Wayne Chrebet had five catches for 58 yards and a score and Curtis Martin also caught five, for 35 yards, although he was held to only six yards on four carries before being forced to leave the game. LaMont Jordan led the team with 32 rushing yards on 7 attempts.

For the Bills, Drew Bledsoe (pictured at left) was successful on 26 of 39 throws for 271 yards and a touchdown, but he also was intercepted twice. Travis Henry rushed for 149 yards on 31 carries that included three TDs and caught 6 passes for 29 yards. Eric Moulds topped the receivers with 8 catches for 112 yards and the game-tying touchdown that sent the game into overtime while Peerless Price contributed 7 receptions for 80 yards.

“This was a game that was obviously, for a spectator, fun to watch,” summed up Coach Edwards of the Jets. “For a coach it was a nightmare on our part of it.”

The nightmare followed for the Jets, who lost their next four games but, with QB Chad Pennington taking over for Testaverde, finished strong to end up at 9-7 and first in the NFC East. They thrashed the Colts in the Wild Card playoff round before losing to Oakland at the Divisional level. Buffalo won two of its next three games, both in overtime, but after reaching 5-3 a midseason slump that included another, more decisive, loss to New York sent them to an 8-8 record and fourth in the division.

Chad Morton averaged 26.0 yards, which ranked second in the AFC, on his 58 kickoff returns that included his two first-week touchdowns. For his seven-season career with four teams, he averaged 23.6 yards returning 229 kickoffs, scoring a total of three TDs, and 9.2 yards on 155 punt returns with one score.

Both Drew Bledsoe and Travis Henry went on to have Pro Bowl seasons for the Bills. Bledsoe started every game and passed for 4359 yards and 24 touchdowns. Henry rushed for 1438 yards and 13 TDs in his finest season.  

1998: Jets Defeat Bills to Clinch AFC East

The New York Jets had a 10-4 record and were looking to wrap up the AFC East title as they faced the Buffalo Bills on December 19, 1998. In their second season under Head Coach Bill Parcells, the Jets were a far cry from the 1-15 club of two years earlier. Newcomers to the offense, most notably QB Vinny Testaverde (pictured at right) and RB Curtis Martin, were having a major impact, as were wide receivers Keyshawn Johnson, a flashy third-year player, and Wayne Chrebet, a classic overachiever in his fourth season. The defense was strongest at linebacker, where Mo Lewis was joined by Bryan Cox, let go by the Bears but revitalized with the Jets.

Buffalo was coached by Wade Phillips and came into the contest at 9-5. Diminutive 36-year-old QB Doug Flutie had turned the club around in his return to the NFL from the CFL, taking over for QB Rob Johnson after a slow start. Retooling from the squad that had started the decade with four straight AFC Championships, the offense now also featured RB Antowain Smith and WR Eric Moulds while RB Thurman Thomas and WR Andre Reed had reduced roles. The tough defense was still anchored by DE Bruce Smith, who was beginning to slow down at age 36, as well as NT Ted Washington.

There were 79,056 fans in attendance at Rich Stadium on a windy Saturday. The Bills had the first possession and advanced into New York territory thanks to a pass from Doug Flutie to Eric Moulds that picked up 28 yards. Another throw to WR Quinn Early gained eight more yards to the 23, but on the next play the usually sure-handed Antowain Smith fumbled and LB Pepper Johnson recovered for the Jets.

New York drove 79 yards in eight plays. Vinny Testaverde threw to Keyshawn Johnson (pictured below) for 16 yards on first down and, after the series appeared to be stymied at the Jets’ 37, Testaverde ran for 14 yards on a third-and-10 play. Two plays later, RB Dave Meggett, who had only recently joined the team, gained 18 yards on a carry up the middle, Johnson picked up another 25 yards on an end-around, and it was Testaverde to Wayne Chrebet for a seven-yard touchdown. John Hall added the extra point and the visitors had the early 7-0 lead.

On the next possession, the Bills converted a third-and-nine situation with a Flutie pass to Moulds for 27 yards, but a 15-yard taunting penalty on the receiver at the end of the play erased most of the gain and Buffalo was ultimately forced to punt. Chris Mohr’s kick traveled 47 yards and pinned the Jets back at their one yard line, and a short series resulted in a punt in return. A 30-yard kick by John Kidd went just 30 yards and gave the Bills good starting field position at the New York 40. But after a short Flutie pass to Smith gained five yards, two more throws were incomplete and, facing fourth-and-five, another pass intended for Moulds also was unsuccessful.

The teams continued to exchange punts as the game entered the second quarter. Finally, Buffalo put together an 11-play drive that covered 79 yards. Flutie completed passes to FB Sam Gash for nine yards and WR Kevin Williams for 22 yards in a third-and-six situation. Smith ran effectively and Flutie himself had a nine-yard run. Flutie connected with Thurman Thomas for a 25-yard TD to complete the series and Steve Christie added the point after to tie the score.

Following a punt by the Jets, the Bills drove from their one to the New York 10 as Flutie completed three passes, the longest to Moulds (pictured below) for 35 yards, but they ultimately came up empty when Christie was wide to the left on a 28-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds of the half. The score remained unchanged at 7-7 although Buffalo had already accumulated 266 yards.

The Jets started off the third quarter by advancing into Buffalo territory. Testaverde completed consecutive passes to Keyshawn Johnson for 16 and six yards and Curtis Martin had a nine-yard run. Hall kicked a 48-yard field goal to put the visitors back in the lead by 10-7.

Buffalo responded with a long scoring drive. Smith carried most of the load, picking up 35 yards on eight attempts and Flutie converted two third downs, one on a pass to Williams for seven yards and another on a three-yard run. The advance finally faltered at the New York 26 and Christie tied the score once more with a 44-yard field goal into the wind. But two plays after the ensuing kickoff, Testaverde threw to WR Dedric Ward, who beat CB Donovan Greer, an injury replacement, for a 71-yard touchdown. Hall’s kick gave the visitors a seven-point lead.

The Bills had to punt following the next series and the Jets moved into Buffalo territory, helped by a defensive holding penalty in a third-and-nine situation. But they were again forced to try for a field goal and Hall’s attempt from 46 yards was no good.

Following another exchange of punts, the Bills had good starting field position at the New York 49. Keeping the ball on the ground, they reached the 21, but a Flutie pass was bobbled by Williams and barely picked off by diving CB Victor Green (television replays were inconclusive as to whether he maintained possession) with just under four minutes remaining in regulation.

The Jets went three-and-out, with Kidd’s punt sailing 57 yards. Starting from their 20, the Bills had one last chance and Flutie immediately threw to Moulds for 17 yards. But following a short run by Thomas, the next three passes fell incomplete to turn the ball over to New York on downs. There was still 1:32 left on the clock, but a Testaverde throw to Johnson for seven yards on a third-and-six play nailed down the 17-10 win for the Jets.

Buffalo had the edge in total yards (366 to 269), although the Bills gained only 100 yards in the second half. They also had more first downs (21 to 14) and ran far more plays (74 to 51). However, the home team also turned the ball over twice, to none suffered by the Jets.

Vinny Testaverde completed 14 of 23 passes for 184 yards and a touchdown while giving up no interceptions. Keyshawn Johnson had 7 catches for 66 yards while Dedric Ward gained a team-leading 71 yards on his one long scoring reception. Curtis Martin was held to 38 rushing yards on 20 attempts.

For the Bills, Doug Flutie had a rough outing, completing just 14 of 38 throws for 220 yards and a TD as well as an interception. While he was only sacked once, he faced heavy pressure and was knocked down often. Antowain Smith (pictured below) gained 82 yards while running the ball 20 times. Eric Moulds topped the receivers with four catches for 107 yards.

The Jets won the season finale to finish at 12-4 with their first division title since they were an AFL team in 1969. They reached the AFC Championship game before losing to Denver. Buffalo ended up in third place in the AFC East with a 10-6 record and qualified for the playoffs as a Wild Card. The Bills lost to Miami, the club that finished second in the division, in the first round.

Vinny Testaverde ended up with an AFC-leading 101.6 passer rating, throwing for 3256 yards and 29 TDs with just seven interceptions. He was selected to the Pro Bowl along with Keyshawn Johnson, who caught 83 passes for 1131 yards and 10 touchdowns, and Curtis Martin, who had many more productive games on his way to 1287 rushing yards.

Doug Flutie also was chosen for the Pro Bowl as he started ten games, seven of them wins, and threw for 2711 yards and 20 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. Eric Moulds led the AFC with 1368 pass receiving yards on his 67 catches with 9 TDs and was another Pro Bowl selection. Antowain Smith, in his second season, rushed for 1124 yards while averaging 3.7 yards per attempt and scored eight TDs. 

1996: Ravens Defeat Raiders as NFL Returns to Baltimore

The National Football League returned to Baltimore on September 1, 1996 as the newly-relocated Ravens hosted the Oakland Raiders in the season-opening game for both teams. It was the first NFL regular season game played in Baltimore in 13 years, since the Colts vacated for Indianapolis.

The Ravens were in actuality the former Cleveland Browns franchise. As part of a deal between the NFL and Cleveland, the team renounced its history, name, and colors, to transfer to a future expansion franchise.  The club also made changes to the front office and had a new head coach in Ted Marchibroda, once coach of the Baltimore Colts, replacing Bill Belichick, under whom the team dropped to 7-9 in its final lackluster year in Cleveland (not helped by long-time owner Art Modell announcing midway through the season that the franchise would be moving in ’96). While much was new, there were still lingering problems from the previous year. There were concerns regarding the running game, and 32-year-old QB Vinny Testaverde was prone to inconsistency and throwing interceptions. The defense was in need of retooling, but there were high hopes for rookie LB Ray Lewis.

The Raiders, coached by Mike White, had returned to Oakland the previous season after a 13-year hiatus in Los Angeles. Getting off to an 8-2 start, they lost their last six games to finish at .500. An injury to QB Jeff Hostetler was a key factor in the collapse, and he was out again for the start of the ’96 season. Backup QB Billy Joe Hobert was taking his place.  WR Tim Brown was the most consistent receiver and it was hoped that rookie TE Rickey Dudley would have an impact.

There were 64,124 fans in attendance at Memorial Stadium on a pleasant and sunny day and several ex-Colts stars took part in the pre-game festivities, including Hall of Fame QB Johnny Unitas and DT Art Donovan. The teams traded punts to start the game before the Ravens drove 85 yards in eight plays. Vinny Testaverde completed three passes, including one to WR Derrick Alexander that covered 48 yards to get the ball into Oakland territory, and the veteran quarterback finished off the series by running up the middle for a nine-yard touchdown (pictured at top). Matt Stover added the extra point, and with less than a minute remaining in the first quarter the home team was ahead by 7-0.

The Raiders started off the second quarter by going 79 yards in nine plays. Billy Joe Hobert (pictured below) threw to WR James Jett for a 33-yard gain to the Baltimore 34 on the first play and Hobert converted a third-and-two situation with a pass to WR Daryl Hobbs for 15 yards to the 11. Three plays later, Tim Brown pulled in a toss from Hobert for a seven-yard TD and Cole Ford tied the score with the point after.

Oakland appeared to get a major break on the ensuing kickoff when RB Earnest Hunter fumbled and safety Dan Land recovered for the Raiders at the Baltimore 19. But on the next play, Hobert’s throw intended for Brown in the end zone was instead intercepted by Ray Lewis for a touchback.

A short possession in which Testaverde was sacked for a 19-yard loss resulted in a punt and, taking over with good field position at the Baltimore 47, the Raiders did not come up empty. After two short runs, Hobert connected with Jett for nine yards and then to Rickey Dudley for a 30-yard gain. RB Harvey Williams covered the last five yards for a touchdown and, with Ford’s PAT, the visitors were ahead by 14-7. That remained the score at the half as the teams exchanged punts for the remainder of the period.

The Raiders had the ball first in the third quarter but Hobert again was picked off, this time by CB Antonio Langham who returned it 28 yards to the Oakland 25. The Ravens were unable to move from there, and following a third-down sack, punted. But the visitors remained bottled up deep in their own territory and, after Jeff Gossett’s 43-yard punt that was returned for nine yards by WR Jermaine Lewis, Baltimore started its next series at the Oakland 45. Utilizing a no-huddle offense, Testaverde completed three passes, including one to WR Michael Jackson that picked up 21 yards, but the drive stalled inside the ten. Still, the Ravens got points on a 25-yard Stover field goal to narrow the score to 14-10.

The Raiders again had to punt following their next series and Baltimore responded by advancing 56 yards in seven plays. Testaverde completed two passes to TE Brian Kinchen, one of which gained 29 yards to the Oakland 26, and while a reverse by Alexander lost 13 yards, two more completions got the home team back into field goal range. Stover was successful from 37 yards and it was a one-point game at 14-13 after three quarters.

Another possession by the Raiders ended with a punt. Starting from their 17, the Ravens moved quickly as Testaverde connected on passes to Jackson for 27 yards and Earnest Hunter for 25 to reach the Oakland 31. FB Carwell Gardner picked up nine yards on three carries and Testaverde ran around end for 12 yards to get inside the ten. Finally, on the eighth play of the 83-yard possession, RB Earnest Byner reached the end zone from a yard out and, while the try for a two-point conversion failed, the Ravens were ahead by five points.

That proved to be all the home team needed. The Raiders had two more possessions but went three-and-out both times and Baltimore was able to control the ball for the last 4:47 of the contest to come away with a 19-14 win.

The Ravens led in total yards (314 to 238), first downs (21 to 13), and time of possession (34:38 to 25:22). Oakland turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by Baltimore, and was hurt by 12 penalties, to just two called on the Ravens. Both teams recorded three sacks apiece.

Vinny Testaverde completed 19 of 33 passes for 254 yards, with no touchdowns but also no interceptions, and he ran for a score. Earnest Byner (pictured below) rushed for 43 yards on 14 carries that included the game-winning TD and caught four passes for 32 more yards. Brian Kinchen and Carwell Gardner also co-led the team with four pass receptions apiece, for 57 and 16 yards, respectively, while Michael Jackson was the yardage leader with 60 on his three catches.

For the Raiders, Billy Joe Hobert was successful on 17 of 26 throws for 192 yards and two TDs while being intercepted twice. James Jett topped the club with 65 yards on his four pass receptions and Tim Brown scored on two of his four catches, for 31 yards. Harvey Williams gained 39 yards on 13 rushing attempts. 

While the season started on a high note for the Ravens, they lost their next two games on the way to ending up at the bottom of the AFC Central with a 4-12 record. Oakland got Jeff Hostetler back into the lineup for 13 games but went 7-9 to finish in fourth place in the AFC West.

Vinny Testaverde had a big year for a mediocre team, achieving career highs with 4177 passing yards and 33 touchdowns, both of which were still single-season records for the Ravens through 2014. He was selected to the Pro Bowl.

1999: Jets Beat Error-Prone Jaguars in Divisional Playoff Game

The New York Jets were in the postseason for the first time in seven years as they hosted the Jacksonville Jaguars in an AFC Divisional Playoff game on January 10, 1999. Head Coach Bill Parcells, formerly of the Giants and Patriots, had guided the Jets to a remarkable turnaround, just two seasons removed from a dreadful 1-15 record. Newcomers had made a difference in ’98, with QB Vinny Testaverde (pictured above), a career underachiever, putting together a Pro Bowl season and RB Curtis Martin, formerly with Parcells in New England, rushing for 1287 yards and also gaining a Pro Bowl spot. Another Pro Bowler was WR Keyshawn Johnson, stepping up his game in his third season in New York (83 catches, 1131 yards, 10 TDs). The defense was especially strong at linebacker, where yet another newcomer, Bryan Cox, performed well in a unit that already included All-Pro OLB Mo Lewis. The Jets won their last six regular season games on the way to a 12-4 record that topped the NFC East.

The Jaguars, only a fourth-year franchise coached by Tom Coughlin, were nevertheless in the playoffs for the third consecutive season, having topped the AFC Central at 11-5. The offense was potent, led by QB Mark Brunell, who missed three weeks late in the season with an ankle injury. Wide receivers Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell made for a productive tandem and rookie RB Fred Taylor rushed for 1223 yards and 14 touchdowns. The defense was far less impressive, however, ranking a mediocre 25^th in the league and particularly lacking a pass rush. Jacksonville defeated the Patriots, who were without their starting quarterback, in the Wild Card playoff round to advance to the Divisional game against the Jets.

There were 78,817 fans in attendance at Giants Stadium in the New Jersey Meadowlands. The Jets had the first possession and drove 70 yards in seven plays. Curtis Martin started it off with a 17-yard gain on a pass play and rushed for 11 yards while Vinny Testaverde had three more completions, the last two to RB Dave Meggett for 14 yards and Keyshawn Johnson (pictured below) for a 21-yard touchdown. John Hall added the extra point.

The teams exchanged punts, with the Jaguars advancing to the New York 42 on their second possession. Mark Brunell completed three passes, two of them to Keenan McCardell, but his last two fell incomplete, forcing another punt. The Jets took over at their seven and, in a series that extended into the second quarter, drove into Jacksonville territory. Testaverde was successful on four of his throws, one of which had 15 yards tacked on for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and after the drive stalled at the 34, Hall kicked a 52-yard field goal to open up a 10-0 lead for New York.

The Jaguars no sooner got the ball back following the kickoff when Brunell threw a pass that was intercepted by CB Otis Smith at the New York 40. A long possession with an odd play in the midst of it ensued. With the Jets at the Jacksonville 18, Martin fumbled and FS Chris Hudson recovered and raced 47 yards down the sideline. However, an attempt to lateral to CB Dave Thomas failed and Keyshawn Johnson recovered the loose ball. Given a reprieve, the Jets drove 65 yards back into Jacksonville territory and, on an end-around, Johnson ran around left end for a ten-yard TD. With Hall’s point after, the New York lead was up to 17-0 with 40 seconds remaining in the first half.

It was enough time for the Jaguars, following a 28-yard kickoff return by WR Reggie Barlow. Three plays later, Brunell threw long to Jimmy Smith (pictured at left), who took advantage of a lapse in coverage for a 52-yard touchdown. Mike Hollis converted and the score stood at 17-7 at halftime.

Jacksonville appeared to maintain the momentum heading into the first series of the third quarter, but facing a third-and-inches situation at their 49, Brunell threw a long pass that was picked off by FS Corwin Brown, who returned it 40 yards to the Jacksonville 40. Testaverde completed passes to Martin for 16 yards and Johnson for 23 to reach the one yard line, and three plays later Martin scored a TD that, followed by Hall’s PAT, again gave the Jets a 17-point lead at 24-7.

The Jaguars weren’t finished yet, and Barlow returned the ensuing kickoff 88 yards to the New York four. The Jets held for three downs, but on fourth-and-three, Brunell completed a pass to McCardell for a touchdown. Hollis added the extra point to reduce the New York lead to 24-14.

The Jets responded with a series in which Testaverde completed all five of his passes. WR Wayne Chrebet hauled in the first for 16 yards, Martin had catches for nine and ten yards, and in between WR Dedric Ward had an 18-yard reception. TE Kyle Brady’s catch for 17 yards put the ball at the Jacksonville four, and two carries by Martin yielded a one-yard TD. Hall kicked the point after and the home team took a 31-14 lead into the fourth quarter.

Following a punt by the Jets early in the final period, Fred Taylor took off on a 29-yard run that launched a 64-yard drive. Brunell threw to Jimmy Smith for a 19-yard TD and Hollis converted to make the score 31-21.

On the third play of their next possession, the Jets turned the ball over when Chrebet fumbled when hit by LB Kevin Hardy and Dave Thomas recovered for the Jaguars at the New York 41. It appeared that the break would come to nothing when the visitors couldn’t move the ball and a fourth-and-nine pass fell incomplete, but the Jets were called for pass interference. Jacksonville still couldn’t get a first down, reaching the New York 19, but Hall kicked a 37-yard field goal to make it a seven-point game with 6:38 to play in regulation.

The Jets fought back, converting a third-and 14 situation at their own 30 with Testaverde connecting with Johnson for a 20-yard gain. Martin ran effectively, but after advancing to the Jacksonville 14, Testaverde’s pass was intercepted by SS Donovin Darius. Darius, who slid down in the end zone after making the catch, was slow to get to his feet and, rather than taking a touchback, tried to run and barely made it out of the end zone before being tackled. The Jaguars thus were forced to start from their one yard line. Brunell had a seven-yard run on second down, but his three passes fell incomplete, including the last on fourth-and-three at his eight at the two minute mark. Hall kicked a 30-yard field goal to effectively seal the 34-24 win for New York, with the home crowd erupting loudly at the end.

The win was New York’s first in 12 years in the postseason. The Jets significantly led in total yards (429 to 251) and first downs (29 to 14). Jacksonville turned the ball over four times, to three suffered by New York, but the Jaguars had the game’s only two sacks.

Vinny Testaverde completed 24 of 36 passes for 284 yards and a touchdown while giving up one interception. Curtis Martin (pictured below) rushed for 124 yards on 36 carries that included two TDs and also caught 6 passes for another 58 yards. Keyshawn Johnson had 9 catches for 121 yards and a touchdown, ran the ball twice for 28 yards and another score, and also recovered a fumble and, inserted as an extra defender, intercepted a desperation pass at the end of the game. The overall performance made him the second player in NFL postseason history to score on both a catch and a run, recover a fumble, and intercept a pass in the same playoff game (Jack Manders of the Bears did the same thing in the 1937 NFL Championship game).

For the Jaguars, Mark Brunell was successful on 12 of 31 throws for 156 yards and three TDs, but also was intercepted three times. Fred Taylor gained 86 yards on 20 rushing attempts. Jimmy Smith caught 5 passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns and Keenan McCardell contributed four receptions for 32 yards and a TD. On defense, Kevin Hardy had a noteworthy performance, compiling 19 tackles, 14 of them solo.

 “It wasn’t an aesthetic performance in a lot of ways, but this is a good win for this franchise,” said Coach Parcells of the Jets.

“We made foolish, foolish plays, foolish throws, foolish decisions,” summed up Mark Brunell of his team’s performance.

The Jets moved on to the AFC Championship game at Denver and lost convincingly to the powerful Broncos. Jacksonville came back in 1999 with a NFL-best 14-2 record and reached the AFC title game before losing to Tennessee.

1995: Browns Defeat Patriots in AFC Wild Card Playoff Game

Two teams that had not recently been to the postseason, the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots, met in an AFC Wild Card game on January 1, 1995. The Browns had endured four straight losing seasons since last making it to the playoffs in 1989, and New England had also gone through some rough times after their last appearance in 1986.

Cleveland was in its fourth year under Head Coach Bill Belichick and placed second in the AFC Central with an 11-5 record, qualifying for the playoffs as a Wild Card. Eighth-year QB Vinny Testaverde (pictured above) was proving more successful in Cleveland than he had been in six seasons with Tampa Bay, but was still prone to throw too many interceptions, and FB Leroy Hoard was coming off a Pro Bowl season. But it was the defense, which gave up the fewest points in the NFL in ’94 (204), that was the key to the team’s success. The line contained Pro Bowlers in DE Rob Burnett and DT Michael Dean Perry while two ex-Giants, Pepper Johnson and Carl Banks, performed ably at linebacker and FS Eric Turner was a consensus first-team All-Pro.  

The Patriots were in their second year under Head Coach Bill Parcells, who had previously guided the Giants to two NFL titles. Second-year QB Drew Bledsoe was named to the Pro Bowl after passing for 4555 yards and 25 TDs, although he also tossed 27 interceptions. He had an outstanding target in All-Pro TE Ben Coates. The running game was problematic, where RB Marion Butts averaged only 2.9 yards per carry and was being benched against the Browns in favor of Corey Croom, a faster back but one who did not have any carries during the regular season. The defense steadily improved over the course of the season and led the league in takeaways (40). New England had won its last seven games to finish out the regular season after getting off to a 3-6 start and that resulted in a final tally of 10-6 and a second place finish in the AFC East.

There were 77,452 fans in attendance at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium in a light drizzle that turned to snow. Following a punt by the Patriots, the Browns drove 74 yards in 10 plays on their first possession. Vinny Testaverde completed a pass to WR Michael Jackson for 27 yards in a third-and-five situation and also had tosses to WR Derrick Alexander for 23 yards and Jackson again for 12. Matt Stover kicked a 30-yard field goal to give the home team the early 3-0 lead.

On New England’s second play following the kickoff, Drew Bledsoe’s pass was intercepted by safety Louis Riddick. With his 16-yard return, the Browns had the ball at the New England 33, but they were unable to advance from there and punted.

The teams exchanged punts into the second quarter until the Patriots put together a 60-yard drive in nine plays. Bledsoe  (pictured below) completed a pass to WR Vincent Brisby for 18 yards on a second-and-ten play and, facing third-and-ten at the Cleveland 31, he connected with TE Ben Coates, also for 18 yards. A completion to RB Leroy Thompson resulted in a 13-yard touchdown and, with Matt Bahr adding the extra point, New England was in front by 7-3.

The Browns responded with a scoring drive of their own that went 51 yards in seven plays, helped by a short kickoff that TE Brian Kinchen returned 24 yards. Testaverde carried twice for 14 yards and threw to Jackson for 18 yards and Jackson for 11 to set up a five-yard completion for a TD to WR Mark Carrier. Matt Stover’s conversion put Cleveland ahead by three points.

New England came back with a long 16-play, 71-yard series that was helped along when, dropping into punt formation on fourth-and-ten at the Cleveland 43, punter Pat O’Neill instead threw to safety Corwin Brown for a pickup of 21 yards. Bledsoe completed three passes in all and RB Corey Croom twice converted third downs with short runs. The possession finally stalled at the four yard line and Bahr kicked a 23-yard field goal with 34 seconds remaining in the first half. In the remaining time, Testaverde completed a pass to Jackson for 36 yards and the Browns reached the New England 32 before Stover attempted a 50-yard field goal that was blocked by DE Mike Pitts. The halftime score remained tied at 10-10.

Opening the third quarter, the Browns advanced to the New England 24 before RB Eric Metcalf fumbled and Pitts recovered for the Patriots. A short possession resulted in a punt and Cleveland, starting from its own 21, drove 79 yards in 10 plays. Testaverde completed four passes, the longest to RB Leroy Hoard for 25 yards, and Hoard ran for a 10-yard touchdown to cap the drive. Stover added the extra point and the Browns were ahead by 17-10.

As the game headed into the fourth quarter, the teams traded punts until Pepper Johnson picked off a Bledsoe pass to give Cleveland the ball at the New England 31. The Browns came up empty, however, as three plays gained nothing and Stover’s 49-yard field goal attempt was wide to the right.

The home team got the ball back two plays later when Bledsoe’s pass bounced off of FB Kevin Turner and was picked off by Eric Turner, who returned it 28 yards to the New England 36. Hoard and RB Earnest Byner chipped away on the ground and Testaverde completed a pass to TE Frank Hartley for 12 yards. This time the possession yielded results as Stover booted a 21-yard field goal to extend the lead to 20-10 with 3:36 remaining in regulation.

Bledsoe came out passing on the next series and connected on his first three throws to pick up 35 yards to the Cleveland 43. He completed two more and ran for three yards to convert a third down, and a throw to Brisby on a fourth-and-five play gained 12 yards. The drive stalled at the 15 and Bahr kicked a 33-yard field goal to make it a seven-point contest.

There was hope for the Patriots when the second try for an onside kick was successful (the first went out of bounds), but after completing two short passes to reach the New England 48, Bledsoe missed on his last four. The Browns held on to win by a final score of 20-13. 

Cleveland led in total yards (379 to 303) and first downs (22 to 20), controlling the ball for 21 of the last 30 minutes. 125 of the yards for the Browns came on the ground, to just 57 for New England, and the Patriots were hurt by three turnovers, to one suffered by Cleveland.

In his first postseason game, Vinny Testaverde completed 20 of 30 passes for 268 yards and a touchdown, and gave up no interceptions. Michael Jackson had 7 catches for 122 yards and Derrick Alexander contributed 5 receptions for 69 yards. Leroy Hoard (pictured at right) rushed for 66 yards on 17 carries that included a TD and also had a 25-yard pass reception.

For the Patriots, Drew Bledsoe, who was sacked only once but took many hits, was successful on just 21 of 50 throws for 235 yards and a TD while tossing three interceptions. Most significantly, he was 10-of-26 for 96 yards and gave up all of the interceptions in the second half. Vincent Brisby and Ben Coates each caught six passes, for 83 and 79 yards, respectively. Corey Croom gained 35 yards on 9 rushing attempts while Leroy Thompson, who rushed for 16 yards on four carries, had 33 yards on four pass receptions that included a score.

“This was the biggest game of my career, and next week will be even bigger,” said Vinny Testaverde. “I am satisfied with the way I played and with the way the team played.”

“The turnovers obviously killed us,” summed up Drew Bledsoe.

The Browns came back down to earth the next week as they were thrashed by the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers in the Divisional playoff round. With expectations high for 1995, Cleveland dropped to 5-11 in a season in which owner Art Modell announced that the franchise would move to Baltimore. Bill Belichick was dismissed but would become head coach of the Patriots in 2000, with far greater success. The franchise that became the Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl that same season, but Cleveland had broken all ties with that team and, in 1999, became host to a new Cleveland Browns club that inherited the history as well as the name. New England, meanwhile, dropped to 6-10 in 1995 but won the AFC Championship in ’96 in what was the last season with Bill Parcells at the helm.

1993: Vinny Testaverde Signs with Browns

On March 31, 1993 free agent QB Vinny Testaverde, previously with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, signed a one-year contract with the Cleveland Browns. He was to back up Bernie Kosar, a quarterback he had understudied at the University of Miami nearly a decade before. At 29, Testaverde and Kosar were the same age (in fact, their birthdays were just 12 days apart – the studious Kosar graduated from college a year early and Testaverde entered late).

“Cleveland wanted me, Tampa would have settled for me,” said Testaverde in discussing his decision. The Bucs had reportedly offered a deal to Pittsburgh QB Neil O’Donnell prior to Testaverde choosing to go with Cleveland (O’Donnell remained with the Steelers and Tampa Bay ended up going with Craig Erickson, a rookie backup in ’92 who was also a product of Miami).

“Being back on the same team, playing the role I did in college, I feel comfortable with it,” Testaverde added. “We have a good relationship, Bernie and I do, and I think that will make it more fun than it has been for me in the past few years.”

Cleveland Head Coach Bill Belichick welcomed the depth that his new quarterback brought to the position. The Browns ran into trouble in ’92 when Kosar and backup Todd Philcox were both injured. Former Bears QB Mike Tomczak had been signed to fill in, but the team lost six of its last nine games to finish with a 7-9 record.

Testaverde had won the 1986 Heisman Trophy and Tampa Bay made him the first overall pick in the ’87 NFL draft. With his outstanding physical tools, at 6’5” and 235 pounds and including a strong arm, expectations were high for him, but his six seasons were filled with adversity. He took over as the starting quarterback late in the strike-interrupted 1987 season and proceeded to lead the league in interceptions thrown over the course of the next two years, including 35 in 1988, still the second-highest total in NFL/AFL history.

While he could be a precise passer and was fairly mobile, Testaverde also tended to deal poorly with adversity and could make bad plays as a result. He left the Buccaneers as the team’s all-time leader with 14,820 passing yards. However, Tampa Bay went 24-48 with him as the starting quarterback. While mediocre coaching and lack of a strong supporting cast certainly played a role, Testaverde drew criticism regarding his work ethic and toughness under pressure. In many ways, he was the exact opposite of Kosar, who overachieved with less impressive skills and had great intelligence and leadership ability.

As anticipated, Kosar started the ‘93 season but struggled and Testaverde performed ably in relief outings. The Browns had a 5-3 record when Coach Belichick, in a stunning decision, released Kosar – all the more surprising because Testaverde was injured and Philcox had to step into the lineup for four games (three of them losses on the way to another 7-9 record).

When Testaverde returned, he continued to play well and had his best pro season to date, throwing more touchdowns (14) than interceptions (9) for the first time and compiling an 85.7 passer rating. His 91.3 completion percentage on a 21-of-23 performance against the Rams was a NFL record at the time. He was rewarded with a contract extension and the starting job for ’94.

In 1994, the gamble appeared to pay off when the Browns went 11-5 and reached the playoffs. Still, operating behind an offensive line that allowed only 14 sacks, Testaverde reverted to form with a negative TD pass-to-interception ratio of 16 to 18 and was especially unimpressive in fourth quarter pressure situations. But he was a winning quarterback in his first postseason game and drew praise for development as a leader.

Hopes for further improvement in 1995 were dashed when the team fell to 5-11 after getting off to a 3-1 start. The announced move of the franchise to Baltimore for ’96 was a significant distraction, but Testaverde continued to have difficulty with consistency. While he gave up only 10 interceptions, tossing 17 touchdown passes, he was also benched for three games in favor of backup Eric Zeier.

The team, now called the Baltimore Ravens, had a new offensive-minded head coach in Ted Marchibroda for 1996 and Testaverde put up big numbers, including 4177 yards and 33 TD passes, and was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time. But the record was only 4-12 and, after a lesser performance in ’97, Testaverde was let go.

In five seasons with the Browns and Ravens, Testaverde threw for 14,403 yards and 98 touchdowns while giving up 71 interceptions. It was improvement, to be sure, but the inconsistency remained and only once during that period did the team finish with a winning record.

Testaverde went on to have an outstanding year with the New York Jets in 1998, followed by a season in which he went down for the year in the opening week and then a 2000 campaign where he led the NFL in interceptions for the fourth time. His career would ultimately come to an end in 2007 at age 44, and while there were many accomplishments, there was also the up-and-down pattern of performance that caused Testaverde’s failure to achieve the heights that were anticipated when he came into the league in 1987.

1996: Ravens Hire Ted Marchibroda as Head Coach

On February 15, 1996 the newly-relocated Cleveland Browns, now in Baltimore and without a name (not to mention a franchise history that was left in the former city), hired Ted Marchibroda as head coach. Marchibroda, a familiar figure in Baltimore where he had once coached the Colts, signed a three-year contract.

In their last season in Cleveland, the Browns went 5-11 under Bill Belichick, who was fired along with Mike Lombardi, the personnel director. It had been a tumultuous year, with Belichick briefly benching veteran QB Vinny Testaverde in favor of backup Eric Zeier and WR Andre Rison, a costly free agent acquisition, producing little and complaining loudly. Following the announcement that the club would be moving, the Browns went 1-6 to close out the season.

It was hoped that Marchibroda, who was a month short of his 65^th birthday, would not only be an identifiable face on the sideline for Baltimore fans, but someone who could turn the team’s fortunes around quickly. He had done just that in 1975, when he took over a Colts team coming off a dismal 2-12 record and led them to a 10-4 division-topping tally. It was the first of three straight years atop the AFC East, although they lost in the Divisional round of the playoffs each time. With injuries knocking QB Bert Jones out of the picture, the team dropped to 5-11 in both 1978 and ’79, and Marchibroda was gone. His record over the five years was 41-33 in the regular season, 0-3 in the playoffs.

Marchibroda had come out of the University of Detroit to play quarterback for the Steelers and Cardinals over the course of four seasons. He first became an assistant coach in the NFL under Head Coach George Allen with the Rams and was Allen’s offensive coordinator in Washington immediately prior to his first head coaching stint with the Colts.

Afterward, he served as offensive coordinator with four teams before again becoming head coach of the Colts, now in Indianapolis. Marchibroda’s record was 30-34 in his second stint, but Indianapolis had gone 9-7 in 1995 and reached the AFC Championship game. He was fired after refusing to accept a one-year contract extension and offensive coordinator Lindy Infante was promoted to head coach in his place.

“I couldn’t think of any better scenario,” said Marchibroda of his returning to Baltimore. “It was a great feeling when we made the turn onto 33^rd Street and I saw the lights and the front of Memorial Stadium.”

It may have felt like a homecoming for the new coach, but it was a chaotic time for the franchise. Owner Art Modell, as part of a settlement brokered by the NFL, was required to change the team colors as well as leave behind the franchise history, which led to oddities like the players wearing generic black-and-white uniforms during a minicamp. The team was eventually renamed the Ravens with colors of black, purple, and gold.

As both a head coach and an assistant, the ex-QB Marchibroda had been known for his success in working with quarterbacks, including Bert Jones, Jim Kelly of the Bills, and Jim Harbaugh in Indianapolis.  The success continued with Vinny Testaverde (pictured below), whose career had been decidedly uneven since being the first overall draft choice by the Buccaneers in 1987. He had a fine season in ’96, achieving career highs with 4177 passing yards and 33 touchdowns and receiving Pro Bowl recognition for the first time.

Wide receivers Michael Jackson and Derrick Alexander each accumulated over a thousand receiving yards and TE Brian Kinchen caught 55 passes while filling in for the oft-injured Eric Green. RB Bam Morris started the year on drug suspension, but when he arrived seven weeks into the schedule, he played very well and rushed for 737 yards in 11 games. 34-year-old RB Earnest Byner held his own, contributing 634 yards. All were helped by outstanding play by the offensive line

But for all of the fine offensive display, the team finished at 4-12. The Ravens put 371 points on the board, but the defense gave up 368.1 yards per game and a total of 441 points. That unit ranked last in the NFL and was especially bad at protecting leads in the fourth quarter. While one of the team’s first draft choices, Ray Lewis, was an immediate hit at middle linebacker, and FS Eric Turner was selected to the Pro Bowl, there were too many holes in the defense at large, which was hit hard by injuries. The Ravens were further hindered by a poor salary cap situation in the offseason that made addressing issues problematic.

The defense improved in 1997, with rookie linebackers Peter Boulware and Jamie Sharper joining Lewis to create a solid group. DE Michael McCrary and DT Tony Siragusa, obtained from the Seahawks and Colts, respectively, performed well on the line. The unit as a whole, coached by coordinator Marvin Lewis, was showing signs of coming together.

However, the offense regressed. While tackles Jonathan Ogden and Orlando Brown were stalwarts on the line, Testaverde had a lesser year and was lost for three games with a knee injury. Bam Morris continued to have off-field problems and rushed for 774 yards in 11 games.  The overall record of 6-9-1 was better, but still a losing one.

For 1998, the pressure was growing to show improvement, especially with the team moving into the new PSINet Stadium. Testaverde was waived, moving on to the Jets, and Jim Harbaugh, a 12^th-year veteran who had prospered under Marchibroda in Indianapolis, was obtained to take his place. RB Errict Rhett came from the Buccaneers to improve the ground game, but neither acquisition worked out well.

Rhett’s failure was mitigated by the fine performance of RB Priest Holmes, a second-year player who had made the club as an undrafted free agent and played on special teams as a rookie. Taking over for Rhett, he rushed for 1008 yards and also led the Ravens with 43 pass receptions. Rookie CB Duane Starks stepped successfully into the starting lineup as the defense continued to jell.

The team had trouble putting points on the board, especially during a four-game losing streak that followed a 2-2 start, on the way to a 6-10 final record. It was the end of the line for Marchibroda, whose three-year tally was 16-31-1. It also proved to be the end for his coaching career and he became a radio commentator for Colts broadcasts for the next several years.

The Ravens hired another offense-minded head coach, Brian Billick, who kept Marvin Lewis on as defensive coordinator. In 2000, it was the defense, which Lewis was building up during the Marchibroda era, that led the way to a NFL Championship.

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. 

1989: Testaverde Leads Bucs to Upset of Bears

The Chicago Bears were off to a 4-0 start as they faced the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay on October 8, 1989. Head Coach Mike Ditka’s team had won in double-digits in each of the previous five seasons, including a NFL Championship in 1985, and was used to contending. While colorful QB Jim McMahon, who often clashed with Ditka, was dumped off to San Diego during the preseason, the powerful defense still contained many of the veteran stalwarts from the title-winning team, including DE Richard Dent, DTs Dan Hampton and Steve McMichael, and MLB Mike Singletary.

The Buccaneers, under third-year Head Coach Ray Perkins, had not been nearly as successful. They were 2-2 as they faced the Bears, but were a perennially losing club that had last been over .500 in the strike-abbreviated 1982 season. Moreover, they had been beaten by Chicago twelve straight times. QB Vinny Testaverde had gone through plenty of growing pains after being the first overall pick of the 1987 NFL draft, and while he was showing improvement, he was coming off of a poor performance the previous week in a loss to the Vikings.

There were 72,077 fans in attendance at Tampa Stadium. The Bears went three-and-out in their first series and, following a short punt, the Buccaneers took over with good field position at their 47. Vinny Testaverde completed all five of his passes in a six-play possession with the last one tipped by RB Lars Tate and caught by WR Mark Carrier for an 11-yard touchdown. Donald Igwebuike’s extra point made it 7-0 for the home team.

Chicago again had to punt and once more the Bucs drove to a score, this time covering 69 yards in seven plays. Testaverde threw to WR Bruce Hill for a 41-yard gain to the Chicago 17, ran for 12 yards on a third-and-six play, and FB William Howard dove into the middle of the line for a one-yard TD.

It seemed as though Tampa Bay would be able to pour it on after, on the third play of the ensuing Chicago series, WR Dennis McKinnon was stripped after gaining 17 yards on a pass from QB Mike Tomczak and FS Harry Hamilton recovered for the Buccaneers. Testaverde immediately went to the air and connected with Carrier for a 30-yard gain to the six and a penalty on the Bears made it first-and-goal at the one. But Chicago’s defense stopped four straight running plays and the Bucs came up empty.

The reprieve for the Bears was a short one as they turned the ball over again three plays later when Tomczak was intercepted by SS Mark Robinson to give Tampa Bay the ball at the Chicago 14. This time, as the game moved into the second quarter, the Buccaneers didn’t fail to capitalize. Testaverde threw a play action pass to TE William Harris for a touchdown and Igwebuike’s conversion made it 21-0.

The Bears were still unable to get anything going on offense and punted. But now it was their turn to make the most of a turnover as LB Jim Morrissey intercepted a Testaverde pass and Chicago had the ball at the Tampa Bay 27. Five plays later, the Bears got on the board when RB Neal Anderson (pictured at left) ran for a five-yard TD.

A short Tampa Bay series ended with a punt but the Bears once again turned the ball over when Tomczak fumbled while being sacked by LB Kevin Murphy and DE Reuben Davis recovered at the Chicago 28. While a tipped pass was nearly intercepted by LB Mike Singletary, the Bucs scored another touchdown, this time on a Testaverde throw to Hill from 22 yards out.

Down once more by three touchdowns, the Bears responded by driving 64 yards in seven plays. Anderson had a 19-yard run on a sweep to start things off and Tomczak threw to TE James Thornton for a 34-yard gain to the Tampa Bay 9. Anderson ran for a one-yard TD and, with Butler’s second successful PAT, the score was 28-14 and remained that way at the end of the half.

On Chicago’s first possession of the third quarter, the Bears went 54 yards in six plays to cut the margin further. Tomczak threw to RB Thomas Sanders for a 16-yard touchdown and, with the PAT by Butler, Tampa Bay’s lead was down to 28-21.

That was the score entering the fourth quarter, but a short punt gave the Buccaneers the ball at the Chicago 44 and, four plays later, Tate ran for a 16-yard touchdown.

Following a short series by the Bears, the Bucs drove to another TD, this time covering 80 yards in six plays. Tate (pictured at left) took off for a 48-yard gain on the first play and Testaverde converted a third-and-three situation with a completion to Hill for 12 yards. Tate finished the possession off with a four-yard run and when the snap on the extra point sailed high, holder Chris Mohr ran the ball into the end zone. Tampa Bay had a commanding 42-21 lead with under seven minutes left on the clock.

The Bears fought back as Jim Harbaugh replaced Tomczak at quarterback. Throwing on almost every down, the visitors went 74 yards in nine plays. Harbaugh completed four passes and, after being sacked to force a third-and-15 situation, he escaped pressure and ran for a 26-yard touchdown.

A short series by the Bucs gave the ball to the Bears one more time and they again drove to a score, this time on a one-yard carry by Anderson, but the ensuing onside kick with 53 seconds remaining was recovered by the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay held on for a 42-35 win.

The Buccaneers led in total yards (415 to 350) and first downs (27 to 22). They had the edge both on the ground (147 to 136) and through the air (268 to 214). Chicago turned the ball over three times, to two by Tampa Bay.

Vinny Testaverde, who left the game midway through the fourth quarter after taking a hit from Steve McMichael, completed 22 of 36 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions. Bruce Hill and Mark Carrier (pictured below) had nearly identical numbers as they each caught 6 passes and scored a TD while Hill accumulated 107 yards and Carrier had 105. Lars Tate also had a fine performance as he ran for 112 yards and two scores on 18 carries.

For the Bears, Mike Tomczak was successful on 16 of 29 throws for 162 yards with a TD and an interception. Jim Harbaugh, in his relief performance, completed 6 of 8 passes for 65 yards and also ran the ball three times for 34 yards and a touchdown. Neal Anderson rushed 17 times for 86 yards and three TDs and also caught 6 passes for 30 more yards. WR Ron Morris gained a team-high 54 yards on his three receptions.

“This is the kind of win we’ve been looking for, the kind of win to get us over the hump,” said a jubilant Ray Perkins on behalf of the Bucs.

“We were out-coached and out-played. It’s as simple as that,” was the response of a terse Mike Ditka regarding Chicago’s performance.

The hoped-for turnaround in Tampa Bay’s fortunes did not materialize as the Buccaneers lost their next five games in a row, finally winning in their rematch with the Bears. They ended up at the bottom of the NFC Central with a 5-11 record.

The loss did prove to be a turning point for the Bears. They lost their next two games and won only twice more the rest of the way to finish just a step up from the Bucs in the division at 6-10.

Vinny Testaverde ended up throwing for 3133 yards and 20 touchdowns, but with 22 interceptions. Lars Tate’s rushing total against Chicago was the best of his brief career as he gained 589 yards. Mark Carrier went on to receive Pro Bowl recognition with 86 catches for 1422 yards (16.5 avg.) and nine touchdowns but Bruce Hill was less consistent and caught 50 passes for 673 yards (13.5 avg.) and five TDs.

In the midst of the down year for the Bears, Neal Anderson rushed for 1275 yards on 274 carries (4.7 avg.) and had 50 catches for 434 yards. He scored a total of 15 touchdowns and was chosen to the Pro Bowl for the second straight year.