1957: 49ers Take Advantage of Fumbles to Defeat Giants

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1964: Browns Pull Away in Fourth Quarter to Defeat Giants

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1961: Giants Take Control in Second Half to Defeat Browns

Two fierce rivals in the NFL Eastern Conference, the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns, faced off on November 26, 1961 in Cleveland. Having dropped to third in ’60 after winning the conference in three of the preceding four seasons, the Giants had a first-year head coach in Allie Sherman who, at age 39, was the NFL’s youngest. Two preseason acquisitions were paying off in rejuvenating the offense, with 35-year-old QB Y.A. Tittle (pictured at right), formerly of the 49ers, and split end Del Shofner, an ex-Ram, proving to be a particularly potent passing combination. The defense, dominated by savvy veterans, continued to be one of the league’s toughest units. New York had won its last three games and was 8-2.

The Browns were under the guidance of Head Coach Paul Brown for the 16^th year, going back to the years of domination in the All-America Football Conference. Cleveland had won four AAFC titles and three NFL Championships under Brown, but none since 1955. FB Jim Brown was the key to the offense that was directed by efficient, if unspectacular, QB Milt Plum. The line was excellent and the receivers capable while the defense was particularly strong up front. The Browns were coming off a big win over the Eagles in which Jim Brown gained a record 237 rushing yards and, at 7-3, could catch up to their New York rivals with a win at home.

There were 80,455 fans in attendance at Municipal Stadium. The Browns took the opening kickoff and accumulated three first downs. Milt Plum completed three straight passes at one point to reach the New York 45, but the drive stalled when Plum missed on a throw intended for wide-open end Rich Kreitling and Cleveland was forced to punt.

The Giants punted in turn and the home team put together a 73-yard series in six plays. Facing third-and-15, Plum threw to Jim Brown for the necessary yardage and Brown then swept around left end for a 16-yard gain. Two plays later, Plum connected with flanker Ray Renfro (pictured below) for a 43-yard touchdown and, with Lou Groza adding the extra point, the Browns were ahead by 7-0.

The visitors again punted following their next possession and, as the game entered the second quarter, Cleveland was driving. Plum threw to Renfro for 11 yards and a first down and Brown gained 28 yards on a carry around end to the New York 43. However, DE Jim Katcavage sacked Plum on the next play and the Browns were unable to advance further, forcing them to punt.

The Giants proceeded to advance 80 yards in seven plays. Y.A. Tittle completed all four of his passes, two to TE Joe Walton for 11 and 12 yards and the last two to Del Shofner for 17 and 30 yards. Tittle carried the ball himself around end for a five-yard TD and Pat Summerall converted to tie the score at 7-7.

On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Plum went to the air and his pass was intercepted by safety Jim Patton, who returned it 21 yards to the Cleveland 38. Tittle completed passes to split end Kyle Rote for 19 yards and FB Alex Webster for 17 before a pass interference penalty on the Browns gave the Giants a first down at the one. From there, HB Bob Gaiters ran for a touchdown, Summerall added the point after, and the visitors were ahead by 14-7.

The Browns responded with an 85-yard drive in eight plays. Plum threw to Renfro for a 57-yard gain to the New York 29 and Brown ran for another 11. Another running play lost nine yards, but on second-and-19, Plum tossed a flare pass to HB Bobby Mitchell that gained 25 yards and, three plays later, Brown scored a TD from a yard out. Groza added the extra point and the halftime score was tied at 14-14. Thus far, Cleveland had outgained the Giants both on the ground (68 to 18) and through the air (181 to 133) but was not in the lead.

The Giants had the first possession in the third quarter and drove to a score. The big play was a Tittle screen pass to Webster that gained 22 yards, but the series stalled after reaching the Cleveland 25. Summerall kicked a 34-yard field goal that put the Giants in front by 17-14.

The Browns went three-and-out on their next series and the Giants, regaining possession at their 25, advanced to another score. Gaiters had runs of 8 and 11 yards and Tittle completed passes to Rote for 25 yards and Shofner for 15. Summerall booted another field goal, this time from 17 yards despite being partially deflected by DE Jim Houston, and New York’s lead was extended to 20-14.

The Browns punted once again but got the ball back on the next play when Gaiters fumbled and LB Galen Fiss recovered at the New York 22. But a pass intended for Renfro, who was wide open after CB Erich Barnes slipped and fell, was far off target. A sack of Plum by Katcavage and DE Andy Robustelli cost Cleveland 10 yards on a third down play and, attempting to convert on fourth down, Plum’s pass fell incomplete.

The failure to take advantage of the break proved costly to the Browns. As the game headed into the fourth quarter, the Giants were driving thanks to a Tittle pass to Shofner for 15 yards and an option throw by Gaiters to Webster that picked up 27 yards to the Cleveland 23. Gaiters ran for an 11-yard touchdown, Summerall converted, and New York was ahead by 27-14.

On the next Cleveland series, Coach Brown sent backup QB Len Dawson into the game. The move went awry when Barnes intercepted Dawson’s second pass and returned it 34 yards for a TD. Summerall again converted and, for all intents, with 12 minutes remaining the game was over. The Browns managed to score once more on a 15-yard TD pass from Plum to Renfro while Summerall capped the scoring for the Giants with an 11-yard field goal. New York came away with a convincing 37-21 win.

Thanks to their second half domination, the Giants led in total yards (369 to 334) and first downs (24 to 20). Cleveland managed just 66 rushing yards, to 116 for New York. Both teams turned the ball over twice.

Y.A. Tittle completed 17 of 26 passes for 233 yards with one interception, and while he threw for no touchdowns, he ran for one and his passing set up the other scores. Del Shofner caught 6 passes for 97 yards and Kyle Rote contributed five receptions for 58 yards. Bob Gaiters (pictured at right) topped the Giants with 63 yards on 15 carries that included two touchdowns and also completed a 27-yard pass. Alex Webster rushed for 49 yards on 15 attempts and caught four passes for another 65 yards.

For the Browns, Milt Plum was successful on 19 of 33 throws for 284 yards and two TDs while giving up an interception, but was just one-of-seven during the crucial third quarter. Likewise, Jim Brown gained just 68 rushing yards on 20 attempts with a TD and was effectively shut down in the last two quarters. He also had five pass receptions for 46 yards and his backfield mater, HB Bobby Mitchell, also had five catches, for 54 yards, but was virtually invisible as a ball carrier with two yards on two attempts. Ray Renfro led the club with 7 catches for 166 yards and two scores.

“This was our greatest game of the season,” said Coach Sherman for the Giants. “It was our greatest game because this was our greatest challenge. This is a team with a soul. They come back when they’re behind. They never let up.”

“My guys tried hard enough, we’re not good enough,” summed up Paul Brown from the Cleveland perspective.

It was the seventh win in the last eight meetings with the Browns for New York. The Giants lost to Green Bay the following week but defeated the Eagles and tied Cleveland in the rematch in New York to top the Eastern Conference with a 10-3-1 record. They lost badly to the Packers in the NFL Championship game. The Browns ended up in third at a disappointing 8-5-1.

Y.A. Tittle was one of the NFL’s top-ranked passers as he threw for 2272 yards and 17 touchdowns. He received MVP honors from the Newspaper Enterprise Association as well as being a first-team All-NFL selection of UPI and The Sporting News and a Pro Bowl participant. Del Shofner placed second in the league with 1125 yards on a career-high 68 pass receptions and scored 11 TDs. He also was a consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl choice. While rookie Bob Gaiters had a strong outing against the Browns, he struggled with consistency and had a tendency to fumble. He rushed for 460 yards on 116 carries and scored six touchdowns in what proved to be his most successful NFL season.  

1954: 49ers Withstand Late Rally to Defeat Lions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1964: Old Pro Matson Runs for 100 Yards as Eagles Beat Giants

The Philadelphia Eagles were 2-3 and missing star HB Timmy Brown as they traveled to New York to face the Giants on October 18, 1964. A refurbished team under Head Coach/GM Joe Kuharich, the Eagles had started the year by thrashing the Giants 38-7, and they had great success blitzing on defense, with FS Don Burroughs having a particularly notable outing. Brown, who led the NFL in all-purpose yards the two previous years, was out with a thigh injury, and in his place would be a past all-purpose star, 34-year-old Ollie Matson (pictured above).

Matson had played under Kuharich in college with the legendary Univ. of San Francisco team that went undefeated in 1951 before moving on to the Cardinals, where he was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection five times and was selected to six Pro Bowls. With both size (6’2”, 220) and speed, he was a record-setting kick returner in addition to being an excellent runner from scrimmage. However, after being traded to the Rams in a celebrated deal for nine players (including two draft picks), Matson began to fade from view, being used as a flanker and defensive back as well as halfback and fullback with a losing club. After a year in Detroit in which he ran the ball just 13 times, caught two passes, and returned three kickoffs, he was packaged to the Eagles along with DT Floyd Peters in a trade for OT J.D. Smith. There were questions as to whether he still could contribute, and now with Brown sidelined he would get his chance.

In addition to Brown’s injury, another key player on the offense, TE Pete Retzlaff, was hobbled by a rib injury and kicker Sam Baker, also newly-acquired by the Eagles for 1964, was suffering from a sprained ankle. Backup QB King Hill took over the punting and LB Dave Lloyd handled kickoffs, but the 35-year-old Baker was still available for extra points and field goals.

As for the Giants, coached by Allie Sherman and winners of the Eastern Conference title in each of the three previous seasons, things had not gotten better since the opening loss at Philadelphia. They were 1-3-1, coming off a tie at Dallas the previous week, and the once-mighty offense was notably lacking. Age had taken its toll as QB Y.A. Tittle, just days short of his 38^th birthday, was struggling, in addition to other veteran stalwarts such as FB Alex Webster and flanker Frank Gifford.  The defense was missing MLB Sam Huff and DT Dick Modzelewski, who were traded away during the offseason.

There were 62,978 fans in attendance at Yankee Stadium and they saw things start off quickly for the Eagles when Giants HB Dick James fumbled after catching a pass on the first play from scrimmage and LB Mike Morgan recovered at the New York four yard line. Ollie Matson breezed off tackle for a touchdown and, with Sam Baker’s extra point, Philadelphia was ahead by 7-0 just 35 seconds into the contest.

The Giants went three-and-out on the ensuing series and punted, with Don Chandler’s short kick giving the Eagles good field position at the New York 45. Following an incomplete pass on first down, Matson ran twice for seven yards and Baker kicked a 45-yard field goal to put the visitors ahead by 10-0.

New York responded with a scoring drive, advancing 67 yards in ten plays. Y.A. Tittle completed four passes and James plunged the last yard for a TD. Don Chandler added the point after to narrow Philadelphia’s lead to 10-7.

The Eagles punted following a short series but got the ball right back when CB Nate Ramsey intercepted Tittle’s pass on first down at the New York 40. Philadelphia kept the ball on the ground with Matson and FB Earl Gros pounding away, and when the drive finally stalled at the three, Baker kicked another field goal, this time of 10 yards.

With time running down in the opening period, the Giants had to punt, and on the first play of the second quarter Matson broke away for a 54-yard touchdown as Gros threw a devastating block to help clear the way. Baker’s conversion had the Eagles in front by 20-7.

Another punt by the Giants was followed by a series in which the visitors advanced into New York territory, but Gros fumbled the ball away at the 26 and DE Andy Robustelli recovered and returned it to the 45. With rookie Gary Wood (pictured at right) now in at quarterback for New York, the Giants drove to a score. Wood showed off his scrambling ability by picking up ten yards on a third-and-six play to the Philadelphia 41 and converted another third down with a nine-yard carry. However, he was also sacked by the blitzing Ramsey and the Giants settled for a 42-yard Chandler field goal to make it a ten-point game.

There were still over three minutes remaining in the first half and FB Israel “Izzy” Lang returned the ensuing kickoff 49 yards to the New York 45. The Eagles got another Baker field goal, from 46 yards, and went into halftime with a 23-10 lead.

The third quarter was scoreless, with the closest either team came to putting points on the board a 43-yard Chandler field goal attempt that was wide to the left. Tittle returned to the game in the fourth quarter and helped pull the home team closer after a punt was fumbled by Lang, giving New York possession at the Philadelphia 34. A pass interference call in the end zone on a third-and-12 toss put the Giants at the one, from where Alex Webster ran in for the score. Chandler added the extra point to make it a six-point game.

The Giants went three-and-out after regaining possession following an Eagles punt, and when Philadelphia punted again, James apparently lost track of King Hill’s kick in the glare of the sun and the visitors were able to down it at the one. In the last two minutes, New York was unable to get out of its end of the field and the Eagles came away with a 23-17 win and season sweep of the Giants – the first since 1960, when Philadelphia won the NFL Championship.

New York had the edge in total yards (194 to 167) and first downs (18 to 8), with the Eagles far more successful on the ground (149 yards) than through the air (a net total of just 18 yards). However, Philadelphia’s heavy blitzing recorded seven sacks, to none by the Giants, and New York turned the ball over four times, as opposed to two turnovers by the Eagles.

Ollie Matson gained an even 100 yards on 19 carries that included two touchdowns. QB Norm Snead completed only 5 of 13 passes for 18 yards and TE Ralph Smith, in place of Pete Retzlaff, topped the Eagles with a mere two catches for 12 yards. Sam Baker (pictured below) was successful on all three of his field goal attempts, and it was thus the highly-experienced tandem of Matson and Baker, with a total of 20 NFL seasons between them prior to ’64, that accounted for all of Philadelphia’s points.

For the Giants, Y.A. Tittle made good on 14 of 27 throws for 147 yards and had one intercepted and Gary Wood contributed three completions in seven attempts for 29 yards, also tossing an interception, while gaining 24 yards on four runs. FB Ernie Wheelwright ran for 42 yards on 12 attempts to lead the team’s runners. Flanker Joe Morrison caught 6 passes for 45 yards and split end Del Shofner accumulated 62 yards on his four receptions.

The Eagles won again the next week but only twice more the rest of the way, finishing in a tie for third in the Eastern Conference with a 6-8 record. To be sure, it marked improvement after back-to-back last place finishes. New York’s collapse continued with the once-mighty Giants falling all the way to the bottom at 2-10-2.

Ollie Matson continued to play well in place of Timmy Brown and after, rushing for 404 yards on 96 carries (4.2 avg.) and catching 17 passes for another 242 yards (14.2 avg.), scoring a total of five touchdowns. He also saw action on kick returns and gained 760 all-purpose yards, his best output since he was with the Rams in 1961. Matson lasted two more seasons as a valuable reserve in Philadelphia to cap his Hall of Fame career.

1962: Tittle’s 4 TD Passes Propel Giants Past Steelers

The New York Giants, defending champions of the NFL Eastern Conference, were 1-1 as they met the Pittsburgh Steelers, who had the same record, on September 30, 1962. In their second year under Head Coach Allie Sherman, the Giants were an outstanding passing team, with a rejuvenated QB Y.A. Tittle (pictured at right), in his 15^th pro season but second in New York, throwing to split end Del Shofner and Frank Gifford, once a star halfback but, following a year missed due to injury, back as a flanker. The ground game was led by 31-year-old FB Alex Webster, operating behind a good veteran line. The defense was also experienced and a tough and cohesive unit.

Pittsburgh, coached by Buddy Parker for a sixth season, still had QB Bobby Layne, who was a worn but savvy veteran. The offense also featured FB John Henry Johnson and split end Buddy Dial while the defensive line was anchored by DT Ernie Stautner. However, Pittsburgh’s normally good corps of linebackers was depleted by injury and Parker started only two against the Giants, George Tarasovic and Tom Bettis, until Ken Kirk joined them midway through the second quarter while Gene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb, normally a defensive tackle, lined up at middle guard.

There were 40,916 fans in attendance on a sunny afternoon at Pitt Stadium. Pittsburgh had first possession and drove 84 yards in 12 plays, the highlight of which was a 36-yard carry by John Henry Johnson. HB Joe Womack ran for the last seven yards and a touchdown. Lou Michaels added the extra point and the Steelers held the early 7-0 advantage.

The Giants responded with a good drive of their own, but it stalled in Pittsburgh territory and Don Chandler kicked a 23-yard field goal. CB Brady Keys returned the ensuing kickoff 55 yards with a sensational run to give the Steelers good field position at the New York 40. A two-yard loss on an end-around was followed by a 15-yard penalty against the Giants for defensive holding. Bobby Layne (pictured at left) finished the series off with a throw to flanker Red Mack in the corner of the end zone for a 28-yard TD. Michaels again converted and the home team was up by a 14-3 lead at the end of a quarter of play.

Early in the second quarter, safety Jim Patton intercepted a Layne pass and returned it ten yards to the Pittsburgh 38. The Giants advanced to the two, but after being backed up five yards by a penalty, Y.A. Tittle threw to HB Paul Dudley for an 11-yard touchdown. Chandler added the PAT and Pittsburgh’s lead was narrowed to 14-10.

Once again Keys made an outstanding kickoff return for the Steelers, running it back 57 yards this time to the New York 39. They moved inside the ten but they lost sizable yardage to a holding penalty and sack, and settled for a 41-yard Michaels field goal.

In the final two minutes of the half, the Giants came up with a big play when Tittle connected with Alex Webster (pictured at right) on a screen pass, and he went the distance for a 58-yard touchdown. Chandler’s extra point tied the score at 17-17.

The Steelers fought back in what proved to be a wild close to the first half. End Harlon Hill dropped a pass at the New York two and Michaels attempted a 53-yard field goal that was blocked, but HB Dick Hoak recovered for Pittsburgh and ran to the New York 17. With the clock down to seven seconds, the Steelers again lined up for an apparent kick, but instead tried a fake. The resulting pass by holder and backup QB Ed Brown was intercepted in the end zone by safety Allan Webb and the score remained tied at halftime.

Early in the third quarter, Keys intercepted a Tittle pass at his own 43 and the Steelers took advantage as Michaels capped the ensuing series with a 33-yard field goal. The home team was back in front by 20-17. 

New York responded with a scoring drive of its own. Tittle passed the Giants down the field and threw to a well-covered Frank Gifford, who pulled the pass away from safety Clendon Thomas for a 27-yard TD. Chandler’s conversion put the visitors in front for the first time by a score of 21-20. The Steelers threatened again late in the period, but a Michaels field goal try from 42 yards was short.

In the early seconds of the fourth quarter, Tittle threw to split end Del Shofner for a 16-yard touchdown. The Steelers fought back, helped by penalties on New York for roughing the passer and pass interference, and Johnson leaped the last yard for a TD. Michaels was good on the extra point to put Pittsburgh four points behind.

As the time wound down in the game, and with the home crowd cheering wildly, the Steelers again drove into scoring position. But after reaching the New York 16, a Layne pass into the end zone that was intended for Buddy Dial was instead intercepted by CB Erich Barnes to seal the 31-27 win for the Giants.

New York accumulated the most total yards (427 to 317) although the Steelers held the edge in first downs (23 to 19). Pittsburgh did a good job defensively against New York’s running game, at least until the fourth quarter, holding the Giants to 95 yards on 27 attempts while gaining 175 yards themselves. However, the Steelers also turned the ball over three times, including the climactic interception in the fourth quarter, to one suffered by New York. The Giants also recorded three sacks while Pittsburgh had none.

Y.A. Tittle completed 17 of 29 passes for 332 yards and four touchdowns while giving up one interception. Alex Webster led the Giants with 77 rushing yards on nine carries and also in pass receiving with 5 catches for 101 yards and a TD. Frank Gifford gained 99 yards on four receptions that included a score. 

  

For the Steelers, Bobby Layne was successful on 12 of 23 throws for 166 yards and a TD as well as two interceptions. John Henry Johnson rushed for 113 yards on 20 attempts that included a touchdown. TE Preston Carpenter had 5 receptions for 44 yards while Buddy Dial accumulated 70 yards on his four catches. Brady Keys (pictured below) averaged 36.8 yards on five kickoff returns that included two of 55 and 57 yards.

Two weeks later, the teams met again at Yankee Stadium and Pittsburgh prevailed, but it was the only loss for the Giants the rest of the way. New York posted a 12-2 record to again top the Eastern Conference, although the Giants still came up short against Green Bay in the NFL title game. The Steelers were a mediocre 3-4 at the season’s halfway point before catching fire and winning six of their last seven games to place second in the conference at 9-5. They appeared in the Playoff Bowl, the postseason exhibition game for second place teams during that era, and lost to Detroit.

Y.A. Tittle received MVP honors from United Press International as well as consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl recognition as he passed for 3224 yards and a league-record 33 touchdown passes (Houston’s George Blanda passed for 36 in the AFL in 1961, a mark that Tittle would match in ’63). Alex Webster rushed for 743 yards on 207 carries (3.6 avg.) and caught 47 passes for another 477 yards (10.1 avg.), for 1220 yards from scrimmage and a total of nine TDs.

In his last season, Bobby Layne threw for 1686 yards and nine touchdowns and left the NFL as the career leader in several major passing categories. John Henry Johnson enjoyed a big year in his ninth season, rushing for 1141 yards and gaining selection to the Pro Bowl.

1958: Brodie Rallies 49ers Past Steelers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1961: Giants Obtain Y.A. Tittle from 49ers

On August 15, 1961 the New York Giants obtained QB Y.A. Tittle from the San Francisco 49ers in a trade for Lou Cordileone, a 23-year-old lineman. The teams had played each other just days earlier and Tittle had nearly pulled out a win for the 49ers, the Giants coming away with a 21-20 victory.

Yelberton Abraham Tittle was 34 years old and a 13-year pro veteran. He had come out of LSU to join the Baltimore Colts of the All-America Football Conference in 1948 (they picked him up from the Browns, who originally signed him, as part of the league’s “lend-lease” program to help spread talent to weaker clubs) and broke in impressively. He beat out veteran Charley O’Rourke to start and was among the league’s passing leaders while the Colts tied for first in the weak Eastern Division, losing the resulting playoff to Buffalo. The team played poorly in 1949, however, and taken into the NFL in ’50, was even worse yet. The Colts disbanded and Tittle’s rights were obtained by the 49ers.

San Francisco had an established veteran quarterback in Frankie Albert, and Tittle backed him up for a full season before moving into the starting lineup during 1952. For the next eight years, the bald-headed quarterback who looked more like the insurance agent that he was during the offseason than a star NFL signal caller was highly productive with a team that often contended in the competitive Western Conference and tied for the division title in 1957. He was named to the Pro Bowl four times and received league MVP honors from UPI in ’57. San Francisco had outstanding running backs during that period, with FB Joe Perry and halfbacks Hugh McElhenny and John Henry Johnson the most noteworthy, as well as fine receivers in ends Billy Wilson, Gordie Soltau, and R.C. Owens.  With Owens, an outstanding jumper, Tittle developed what became known as the “Alley-Oop” play, a high arching throw that Owens, out-leaping the opposing defensive backs, would grab in key situations.

Tittle overcame injuries along the way, such as a triple-fracture of his cheekbone in a game against Detroit in 1953 and a broken left (non-throwing) hand in ’54. He was also an enthusiastic team leader who was quick to display his emotions on the field. Using a long stride and three-quarters sidearm delivery, Tittle’s passing mechanics were somewhat unorthodox, but certainly effective, and he was both patient and fearless in the pocket. At the time of the trade, his career completion percentage of 55.3 was the best among active NFL quarterbacks.

Having suffered through an injury-plagued 1960 season and, with Head Coach Red Hickey committing to a shotgun offense, Tittle no longer was a fit with the team. John Brodie, San Francisco’s first draft choice in 1957, had been developing while in the backup role and was joined by the more mobile Bill Kilmer and Bob Waters.

Tittle initially questioned whether he would report to the Giants, as he had an insurance business in California, but shortly thereafter arrived in camp. Allie Sherman, the new head coach of the Giants, indicated that Tittle would “fill the gap” between 39-year-old veteran QB Charlie Conerly and untested prospect Lee Grosscup.  Another trade brought split end Del Shofner from the Rams, which added a quality receiver to the mix.

The close-knit Giants players were initially standoffish toward Tittle, and it wasn’t helped when he went down with an injury almost immediately after joining the team. He started the 1961 season as a backup to Conerly, but in Week 2 against the Steelers he came into the game, completed his first eight passes, and the Giants won.

Tittle passed for 315 yards the next week against the Redskins and became the starter as the team returned to the top of the Eastern Conference, losing badly to Green Bay in the NFL Championship game. For his efforts, Tittle was selected to the Pro Bowl and received MVP honors from the Newspaper Enterprise Association.

Conerly retired, Grosscup was let go, and Tittle went on to have a bigger year in 1962, tossing 33 touchdown passes to set a NFL record (the AFL’s George Blanda compiled 36 in 1961). He had a 505-yard, seven-TD performance against Washington along the way. The Giants again topped the Eastern Conference at 12-2, although once again they fell short against the Packers. Tittle was a consensus first-team All-NFL as well as Pro Bowl selection and again received league MVP honors, this time from UPI.

The Giants won a third Eastern Conference title in ’63 and Tittle again achieved MVP (AP, NEA, Sporting News), All-NFL, and Pro Bowl honors while breaking his own league record with 36 TD passes and leading the league in passing overall. But torn knee ligaments suffered during the Championship game against the Bears hampered his performance. In perhaps the bitterest defeat of all, Tittle tossed five interceptions, two of which set up Chicago touchdowns, and the Giants came up on the short end by a 14-10 score.

“The Bald Eagle” returned for one more year in 1964, attempting once more to finally achieve the elusive NFL title, but time ran out for him and the Giants. The team crashed to last place with a 2-10-2 record and Tittle, battered in some of the defeats, found himself splitting time with rookie Gary Wood. It marked a miserable end of the line for the 38-year-old quarterback.

At the time of his retirement, Tittle was the NFL all-time career leader in pass attempts (3817), completions (2118), yards (28,339), and TD passes (212). Whatever his shortcomings in the postseason, he had been a highly productive passer for many years, especially during his first three seasons in New York. The Giants retired his number 14 and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971.

As for the player that the Giants gave up for Tittle, Lou Cordileone was New York’s first draft choice in 1959, coming out of Clemson. During his rookie year, he saw action as both an offensive and defensive lineman. The 49ers hoped that he would develop into a solid player, but he lasted one year in San Francisco and became a journeyman thereafter, finishing up with New Orleans in 1968.

MVP Profile: Y.A. Tittle, 1963

Quarterback, New York Giants

Age:  37 (Oct. 24)

16^th season in pro football, 14^th in NFL and 3^rd with Giants

College: LSU

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 195

Prelude:

While drafted by the NFL’s Detroit Lions in 1948, Tittle instead signed with the Baltimore Colts of the AAFC. He had an immediate impact, leading the league in yards per attempt (8.7) and throwing for 16 TDs against 9 interceptions. After another year in the AAFC, Tittle and the Colts joined the NFL in 1950, and he led the league in pass completions (161) although the team went a dismal 1-11 and folded. Picked up by the 49ers in ’51, he gradually took over from Frankie Albert as the starting quarterback and was selected to the Pro Bowl following the 1953, ’54, and ‘57 seasons. In 1957 the 49ers tied for first in the Western Conference and Tittle also received MVP consideration. He suffered through an injury-plagued season in 1958 and, and while he bounced back with a Pro Bowl year in ’59, by ’60 found himself in competition with the up-and-coming John Brodie. With Head Coach Red Hickey committing to a shotgun offense for 1961, Tittle was dealt to the New York Giants in the preseason and revived his career as he threw for 2272 yards and 17 TDs. The Giants topped the Eastern Conference and Tittle was selected for the Pro Bowl and received MVP recognition from the Newspaper Enterprise Association. He followed up with a bigger year in 1962, throwing for 3224 yards and a league-leading 33 touchdowns and receiving consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors, plus being selected league MVP by UPI. The Giants again finished first in the Eastern Conference, although they fell short in the NFL title game.

1963 Season Summary

Appeared in 13 of 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 367 [3]

Most attempts, game – 38 vs. St. Louis 11/24

Completions – 221 [3]

Most completions, game – 22 vs. St. Louis 11/24

Yards – 3145 [3]

Most yards, game – 324 at Washington 10/6

Completion percentage – 60.2 [1]

Yards per attempt – 8.6 [1]

TD passes – 36 [1]

Most TD passes, game – 4 vs. Dallas 10/20, at St. Louis 11/3, vs. San Francisco 11/17

Interceptions – 14 [7, tied with Earl Morrall]

Most interceptions, game – 4 vs. Washington 12/8

Passer rating – 104.8 [1]

300-yard passing games – 2

200-yard passing games – 10

Rushing

Attempts – 18

Most attempts, game – 5 (for 24 yds.) at Baltimore 9/15

Yards – 99

Most yards, game – 45 (on 4 att.) vs. St. Louis 11/24

Yards per attempt – 5.5

TDs – 2

Scoring

TDs - 2

Points – 12

Postseason: 1 G (NFL Championship at Chicago)

Pass attempts – 29

Pass completions – 11

Passing yards – 147

TD passes – 1

Interceptions – 5

Rushing attempts – 1

Rushing yards – 2

Rushing TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: AP, NEA, Sporting News

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

1^st team All-Eastern Conference: Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Giants went 11-3 to finish first in the Eastern Conference while leading the NFL in total yards (5024), scoring (448 points), and touchdowns (57). Lost NFL Championship to Chicago Bears (14-10).

Aftermath:

The team collapsed in 1964, Tittle’s last season, and he threw for just 1798 yards with 10 TDs and 22 interceptions while splitting time with rookie Gary Wood. He retired as NFL career leader in pass attempts (3817), completions (2118), and yards (28,339). The Giants retired his #14, and Tittle was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1971.

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