1984: Eric Dickerson Breaks NFL Season Rushing Record

In his second season in the NFL, Eric Dickerson of the Los Angeles Rams had already established himself as one of the premier running backs in pro football. As a first draft choice out of Southern Methodist in 1983, he set a rookie ground-gaining record with 1808 yards on 390 carries with 18 touchdowns. Now in his second year he was within striking distance of O.J. Simpson’s single-season rushing record as the Rams prepared to host the Houston Oilers at Anaheim Stadium on December 9, 1984.

It was the next-to-last game of the season for the Rams, and with Dickerson 212 yards from surpassing Simpson’s 1973 total of 2003, it was anticipated that, if he was to break the record, it would most likely not happen until the season finale, which was to be a nationally-televised Friday night showdown with the 49ers. LA was 9-5 under Head Coach John Robinson and looking to secure a wild card playoff spot (San Francisco had lost only once and had the division title sewed up). The Rams had lost QB Vince Ferragamo to an injury three weeks into the year, but it hardly mattered as backup QB Jeff Kemp directed the ball-control offense and kept mistakes (and passes) to a minimum. The 6’3”, 218-pound Dickerson had an outstanding line to run behind and the stingy defense was as tough at defending against the run as the offense was at producing on the ground. However, coming into the game, LA was without 34-year-old star DE Jack Youngblood, who had an injured back that ended his consecutive game streak at 201.

The Oilers, coached by Hugh Campbell, were a good team to run against. They had lost their first ten games, and while they then won three of the last four contests, they were 3-11 overall and had the NFL’s worst run defense.

There were 49,092 fans in attendance at Anaheim Stadium. Less than two minutes into the game, the Rams scored when Kemp passed to WR Drew Hill, who had gotten past CB Willie Tullis, for a 57-yard touchdown to finish off a five-play, 77-yard drive. Houston cut the lead to 7-3 thanks to a 21-yard field goal by Joe Cooper to cap a 10-play series, but Los Angeles responded with a 71-yard drive in which Dickerson accounted for 46 of that total, including the last seven for a TD. Mike Lansford added a 35-yard field goal to make it 17-3 after a quarter of play.

The Oilers began to come back behind the passing of QB Warren Moon, the former CFL star in his first season in the NFL. Cooper booted a 42-yard field goal and then RB Larry Moriarty ran for a four-yard touchdown that narrowed the margin to 17-13 with 6:13 remaining in the half. Lansford kicked a 19-yard field goal for LA to make it 20-13 at halftime. Dickerson had gained 106 yards thus far – half of what he needed to catch Simpson.

The Rams started off the third quarter by moving into scoring position, but Kemp was sacked for a 10-yard loss and then Lansford missed a field goal attempt from 41 yards out. The feisty Oilers kept the game close as Cooper kicked his third field goal, this time from 18 yards, and LA’s lead was just 20-16 entering the final period.

On a series highlighted by a 34-yard pass from Kemp to WR Henry Ellard, Dickerson scored on a six-yard run. The Rams were up by 11 points, and the star running back was tantalizingly close to the record – the only question was whether he would get another chance at it in this game.

However, an interception by SS Vince Newsome with 3:30 to play gave Dickerson his final shot at the mark with the ball on the LA 36. Eight seconds later, and with the crowd cheering wildly, he took off on one of his signature plays, the 47 Gap, and running behind G Dennis Harrah, RT Bill Bain, and TE David Hill, cut outside for nine yards and the record. Dickerson finished the contest at 2007 yards after 15 games (one more than the 14-game schedule that was in effect when Simpson set the mark).

Eric Dickerson achieved the new standard in fine style, rushing for 215 yards on 27 carries with two TDs. It was his 12th hundred-yard performance and second over 200 yards in ’84.

The Rams outgained Houston by 453 yards to 338, although the Oilers had more first downs (23 to 21). Unsurprisingly, 276 of LA’s total came on the ground. The Rams didn’t turn the ball over at all, while Houston gave it up twice.

In addition to Dickerson, RB Dwayne Crutchfield ran the ball seven times for 61 yards for the Rams. Jeff Kemp completed 12 of 23 passes for 199 yards and a TD. With 57 yards on his one scoring catch, Drew Hill led the club in pass receiving yardage. Henry Ellard had three receptions for 49 yards and David Hill caught three for 43.

For Houston, Warren Moon was successful on 19 of 29 throws for an even 200 yards with one intercepted. WR Tim Smith grabbed 6 of those passes for 69 yards. Larry Moriarty gained 102 yards on 24 carries that included a TD.

Afterward, Dickerson expressed relief that the chase was over. “Now I can focus in on the playoffs and not worry about 2,000 yards.”

John Robinson praised him as “the greatest football player I've ever been around or seen. He's really pretty good.”

The Rams were defeated in the season finale to end up at 10-6, but in the playoffs. They went on to lose a close 16-13 game to the Giants in the Wild Card round. The Oilers finished at the bottom of the AFC Central with a 3-13 record.

Eric Dickerson topped out at 2105 yards on 379 carries for a 5.6-yard average gain and 14 touchdowns. With his upright running style and wearing his signature goggles, he continued to be one of the league’s most productive runners throughout the decade. He led the NFL twice more in ground-gaining on his way to a career total of 13,259 yards (second all-time in 1993, his last year) and a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

2002: Couch-to-Morgan Pass on Last Play Pulls Browns Past Jaguars

The Cleveland Browns were 6-6 and had suffered a tough loss the previous week as they faced the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 8, 2002 at ALLTEL Stadium. Under Head Coach Butch Davis, the re-formed Browns had improved to 7-9 in ’01 after being a dismal 5-27 under Chris Palmer in 1999 and 2000. QB Tim Couch (pictured at right), the first overall draft pick in ’99, had been frustratingly inconsistent, capable of big games and making big plays, but following up with poor performances; he had also been battling injuries during the course of the season. After a slow start, rookie RB William Green, another first draft choice, was beginning to have an impact and there were good wide receivers in Kevin Johnson, Quincy Morgan, Dennis Northcutt, and Andre’ Davis. However, the defense was suspect against both the run and pass.

While Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s Jaguars had a lesser record at 5-7, they had started off at 3-1 and lost each of their previous two contests by two points apiece. RB Fred Taylor was healthy and playing well, although QB Mark Brunell, at age 32, appeared to be on the downside of a good career. Moreover, Jacksonville had beaten the Browns in seven of their previous eight meetings (they had been in the same division prior to the 2002 reorganization).

The first half was low-scoring. The Browns took the opening kickoff and drove to the Jacksonville 25 yard line, but Phil Dawson’s 42-yard field goal attempt was no good. Following a short possession by the Jaguars, Couch threw a pass that was intercepted by FS Marlon McCree, giving Jacksonville the ball near midfield. Brunell completed four passes, including one for a four-yard touchdown to TE Kyle Brady, and the Jaguars were ahead by 7-0.

It looked as though Cleveland had evened the score quickly when Andre’ Davis returned the ensuing kickoff 91 yards for an apparent TD, but it was called back due to a holding penalty. The contest then settled into a defensive battle during the remainder of the first half. With 3:20 remaining in the second quarter, the Browns launched a promising drive that was highlighted by Couch’s 12-yard carry and a 20-yard run by RB Jamel White to the Jacksonville 19. However, they again came up empty when a 36-yard field goal attempt was blocked. The Jaguars maintained their one-TD lead at the intermission.

The home team had a three-and-out series to start the third quarter. Cleveland took over deep in its own territory at the 10 yard line, but back-to-back passes by Couch of 22 yards to Kevin Johnson and 26 to TE Mark Campbell moved the ball into Jacksonville territory. Green carried four straight times for a total of 30 yards and the impressive ten-play, 90-yard drive ended with the first-year running back going three yards up the middle for a touchdown.

The score didn’t stay tied for long. The Jaguars had the ball for five plays on their ensuing possession with Fred Taylor taking off down the center of the field for a 44-yard TD. The offensive flurry continued on Cleveland’s next series. Following two runs by Green, Couch threw to Quincy Morgan on a 60-yard scoring play and the teams entered the fourth quarter even at 14-14.

Once more the game settled into a defensive struggle with punts being traded back and forth. The Jaguars were winning the battle for field position, and a poor 28-yard kick by Cleveland’s Chris Gardocki gave them possession at the Browns’ 43 with just over five minutes to play. They made the most of it, going 28 yards in six plays with Danny Boyd booting a 33-yard field goal to once again put Jacksonville in the lead at 17-14.

That lead looked more secure when Couch was intercepted by LB Akin Ayodele, who returned the pickoff 22 yards to give the Jaguars the ball at the Cleveland 24. Jacksonville kept the ball on the ground while the Browns used up their timeouts, with Taylor carrying four times to get to the three yard line. Coach Coughlin elected to take the easy field goal, Boyd booted the 22-yard chip-shot, and with under a minute to play, the Jaguars seemed well in control with a six-point lead.

Following a poor squib kickoff by Boyd, a kicker appearing in his first NFL game, the Browns had the ball at their 47. Couch was immediately sacked for a five-yard loss and gained eight yards to midfield with a pass to White. With the clock ticking down to zero, Couch dropped back and fired a long, high pass toward Morgan in the end zone. The wide receiver was covered closely by CB Fernando Bryant, who was three inches shorter. Both leaped and fell to the ground, with Morgan holding the ball against his body for an incredible touchdown (pictured below).


The side judge signaled touchdown, but the play was reviewed to make sure the ball had not hit the turf (Tom Coughlin was certain it had). After a long 90 seconds, the TD was upheld, Dawson kicked the all-important extra point, and the stunned crowd began filing out of the stadium as the Browns came away with a 21-20 win. It was the 16th time in two years that Cleveland had been involved in a game decided in the final seconds.

The Browns outgained Jacksonville (417 yards to 211) and had more first downs (21 to 13). While both teams had healthy rushing totals (Cleveland 173, Jaguars 157), Jacksonville gained just 54 net passing yards. Each team had three sacks, but the Browns turned the ball over twice (nearly fatal the second time) while Jacksonville suffered none. Cleveland was also penalized 10 times, to five flags thrown on the Jaguars.

Tim Couch completed 21 of 35 passes for 264 yards with two touchdowns as well as two intercepted. William Green had a fine performance with 119 yards on 26 carries that included a TD. Quincy Morgan gained 118 yards on his three pass receptions with two touchdowns, including the deciding one. TE Steve Heiden led the team with 5 catches, although for just 21 yards.

For Jacksonville, Fred Taylor had an outstanding rushing performance with 145 yards and the long TD on 23 carries. Mark Brunell went to the air 14 times with 10 completions for 73 yards and a touchdown. Kyle Brady had three receptions for 16 yards and a score and WR Jimmy Smith led the club with just 23 yards on his two catches.

The two coaches succinctly summed up the improbable ending:

“I thought I had seen everything I could in football,” said Cleveland’s Davis. “I guess I hadn't.”

“Comments are beyond me right now,” said Tom Coughlin.

The final result had repercussions for both teams. Cleveland went on to finish second in the AFC North with a 9-7 record and just qualified for a wild card spot in the playoffs. They lost to Pittsburgh in the first round by a 36-33 score. By that point, backup QB Kelly Holcomb was behind center – less talented than Couch, he had become a fan favorite and took over when the starter went down with a broken leg. Meanwhile, the Jaguars ended up third in the AFC South with a dismal 6-10 record, costing Coach Coughlin his job.

In fourteen games, Tim Couch threw for 2842 yards and 18 touchdowns, and the team had a winning record, but he only placed among the league’s top 10 passers in one category – his 18 interceptions ranked fourth. He lasted just one more year in the NFL. Quincy Morgan led the NFL by averaging 17.2 yards-per-reception as he achieved career highs with 56 catches for 964 yards and seven TDs. His performance dropped off badly in ’03 and he was dealt to Dallas during the 2004 season, bouncing among three teams and catching just nine passes in his last two years.

1952: Bud Grant Gains 203 Receiving Yards as Eagles Defeat Dallas Texans

In their first season under 34-year-old Head Coach Jim Trimble, the Philadelphia Eagles underwent several changes. It was not promising when Hall of Fame HB Steve Van Buren suffered a career-ending knee injury in training camp. But there were good additions in Bobby Thomason, a 24-year-old quarterback obtained from the Packers, and rookie LB/C Wayne Robinson. In perhaps the most extraordinary move, star offensive end Pete Pihos was shifted almost exclusively to defensive end. Replacing him, across from second-year end/placekicker Bobby Walston, was Harold “Bud” Grant (pictured above), also in his second season out of Minnesota.

An accomplished all-around athlete in college, Grant had been a seventh-round draft choice of the Eagles in 1950, but when he considered their $7000 salary offer too low, he played pro basketball with the Minneapolis Lakers instead. He finally signed with Philadelphia for the ’51 season and mostly played on defense. Coach Trimble felt his 6’3” height would be helpful as a receiver on offense.

The Eagles, who had slipped badly after winning back-to-back NFL Championships in 1948 and ’49, were much improved as the various personnel changes worked out (Pihos proved his versatility by gaining All-Pro recognition as a defensive player). By the time they hosted the Dallas Texans on December 7, 1952, they were 6-4 and chasing the Browns in the NFL’s American Conference.

The visiting Texans were a failed team playing out the string. Much was anticipated when the New York Yanks franchise was transferred to Dallas, but the club played poorly, turnout at the Cotton Bowl was dismal, and the league was forced to take it over halfway through the schedule. Playing all games on the road and based out of Hershey, Pennsylvania, the Texans were 1-9 after having won for the first time in their previous contest on Thanksgiving Day against the Bears at the Rubber Bowl in Akron. Head Coach Jimmy Phelan’s team had talent, including halfbacks George Taliaferro and Buddy Young and future greats such as DE Gino Marchetti and DT Art Donovan, but there was not nearly enough.

There were 18,376 fans in attendance at Shibe Park and they saw the home team take control of the game in the first quarter. The Eagles scored the first time they had the ball, driving 41 yards in seven plays. FB John Huzvar powered over from five yards out for a touchdown.

On the next possession, Philadelphia went 70 yards in four plays with Thomason tossing a pass to Grant for a 41-yard TD. Walston kicked a 29-yard field goal before the period was over and the Eagles were up by 17-0 after a quarter of play.

It didn’t get any better in the second quarter for the Texans. QB Bob Celeri fumbled when attempting to throw from his end zone and Eagles safety Ebert Van Buren, brother of the rushing star, recovered to make it 24-0. Dallas did finally get on the board thanks to a one-yard run by Buddy Young and the tally was 24-7 at the half.

In the third quarter, Grant scored for the second time on a 23-yard pass play from Thomason. The Eagles scored again when eleventh-year veteran DT Vic Sears intercepted a pass for the only time in his career. Celeri was in punt formation for the Texans, but the snap went over his head. He made the recovery and dodged tacklers until hit by DT Mike Jarmoluk, at which point he lateraled, with the ball going directly to Sears. Sears lumbered nine yards into the end zone and Philadelphia led comfortably by 38-7 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Texans scored two meaningless touchdowns in the final quarter, one when DB Stan Williams returned a fumble 24 yards for a touchdown. The last was on a pass from QB Frank Tripucka to end Dick Wilkins that covered 42 yards. The Eagles won by a final tally of 38-21.

The Eagles outgained Dallas, 391 yards to 241, although the Texans gained more first downs, 17 to 15. The game was sloppy and had many penalties - 18 for 165 yards in all, 13 of which were called on the Eagles. There were also eight fumbles, seven of which resulted in turnovers. Four of those were by the Texans, who turned the ball over a total of seven times, to five by Philadelphia.

Bud Grant was the game’s biggest star as he shredded the Dallas secondary to catch 11 passes for 203 yards and the two TDs. Bobby Thomason completed 10 of 14 passes, two for touchdowns. Grant caught six passes from Thomason and the other five from Adrian Burk who, in an arrangement that would remain in effect for the next few years, split the quarterbacking with Thomason.

The Eagles kept their slim postseason hopes alive, but they lost the season finale to the Redskins to end up tied for second with the Giants at 7-5. Dallas finished the sorry year at the bottom of the National Conference with a 1-11 record and headed into oblivion (the remnants of the team, including Marchetti and Donovan, resurfaced as the Baltimore Colts in 1953).

Bud Grant had an outstanding season overall, placing second in the NFL in both pass receptions (56) and yards (997). His seven touchdowns tied for fifth with Gordie Soltau of the 49ers and 17.8 average gain-per-catch placed seventh. Having gone through the season without signing a contract, Grant went to Canada in ‘53 and played for Winnipeg for four years, where he continued to excel as a receiver. Named the team’s head coach at age 30 in 1957, he enjoyed great success as his clubs won two Grey Cup titles. He returned to the NFL in 1967, this time as coach of the Minnesota Vikings, and lasted a total of 18 years with four Super Bowl appearances along the way.

MVP Profile: Alan Page, 1971

Defensive Tackle, Minnesota Vikings


Age: 26
5th season in pro football & with Vikings
College: Notre Dame
Height: 6’4” Weight: 245

Prelude:
Page was taken by the Vikings in the first round of the 1967 NFL draft, moved into the starting lineup in the fourth game of his rookie season, and stayed there. He became a part of an outstanding defensive line and was an aggressive pass rusher from the tackle position, with great speed and long arms that provided him with an outstanding reach to bat away passes. He was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time in 1968 and, in addition, was a first-team All-Pro choice following the 1969 and ’70 seasons. Page led the NFL in fumbles recovered with 7 in 1970.

1971 Season Summary
Appeared and started in all 14 games
(Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20)

Sacks – N/A
Interceptions – 0
Fumble recoveries – 3

Postseason: 1 G (NFC Divisional playoff vs. Dallas)
Sacks – 1 (unofficial)
Interceptions – 0
TD – 0

Scored one safety

Awards & Honors:
NFL MVP: AP
NFL Defensive Player of the Year: AP
1st team All-NFL: AP, PFW, NEA, Pro Football Weekly
1st team All-NFC: AP, UPI, Pro Football Weekly, Sporting News
Pro Bowl

Vikings went 11-3 to finish first in the NFC Central while giving up the fewest points in the NFL (139). Lost Divisional playoff to Dallas Cowboys (20-12).

Aftermath:
Page continued to excel, going to five more Pro Bowls (for a total of 9) and gaining first-team All-Pro recognition on three more occasions (6 in all). Thanks largely to their defense, the Vikings won three NFC Championships during Page’s tenure. He played a total of 11 full seasons in Minnesota before being waived and picked up by the Chicago Bears during the 1978 season (he had refused to bulk up and actually lost weight during his career). Page played until 1981, a total of 15 years and 218 regular season games. While sacks were not an official statistic prior to 1982, he has been unofficially credited with 148.5 career sacks (research by John Turney). He also recovered 23 fumbles and blocked 28 kicks. The Vikings retired Page’s #88 and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1988.

--

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).

2004: Bengals Score 24 Points in Fourth Quarter to Beat Ravens

The Cincinnati Bengals had been through a long dry spell entering the 2004 NFL season, having not had a winning record or playoff appearance since 1990. In their first year under Head Coach Marvin Lewis in ‘03, the club had gone 8-8, a definite improvement over recent performance. They had gotten off to a disappointing 1-4 start in ’04, but coming into the game on December 5 at Baltimore, a week after a 58-48 scoring fest over the Browns, the Bengals were at 5-6. Rookie QB Carson Palmer (pictured above) had been a factor in the slow beginning, but was rapidly improving. He had outstanding wide receivers in Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh and the ground game was led by RB Rudi Johnson.

Their hosts, the Ravens, were 7-4 under Head Coach Brian Billick. Baltimore had been successful despite injuries and a less-talented young quarterback in Kyle Boller. RB Jamal Lewis, a 2000-yard rusher in 2003, was suspended for two games due to legal issues and was unavailable against Cincinnati with an ankle injury. However, the defense, led by LB Ray Lewis and an outstanding backfield, was still formidable. Moreover, they had easily beaten the Bengals in Cincinnati early in the year and, in fact, had not lost to them at home in their last seven meetings.

There were 69,695 fans present at M&T Bank Stadium. The Bengals received the opening kickoff and, between Palmer’s passes and the running of Rudi Johnson, drove to near midfield. However, a fumble by TE Matt Schobel was recovered by Baltimore SS Ed Reed and five plays later Matt Stover kicked a 20-yard field goal to put the Ravens on the board first.

The teams traded punts and, in the second quarter, Cincinnati drove to the Baltimore 35 yard line, but Shayne Graham’s 53-yard field goal attempt was unsuccessful. Neither offense was able to produce more points until the Bengals, getting the ball on their own 20 with just over four minutes remaining in the half, came up with a big play as Palmer passed to Chad Johnson for a 51-yard gain. Graham tied the game shortly thereafter with a 41-yard field goal.

The Ravens responded with a 15-play, 78-yard series in which Boller completed six passes, including one for 24 yards to WR Travis Taylor in a third-and-18 situation. Stover booted a 22-yard field goal and Baltimore held a 6-3 lead at the intermission.

The Ravens added to their lead on their first possession of the third quarter. Again Boller passed effectively and the drive went 72 yards in 12 plays. The last two were a 16-yard carry by RB Jamel White and RB Chester Taylor’s one-yard TD run to make the margin 13-3.

Following a punt by the Bengals on the next series, the teams traded interceptions, and after Reed picked off a Palmer pass, he returned it 21 yards, fumbled, and CB Chris McAlister recovered and ran 64 yards for a TD. It was 20-3 and Baltimore appeared to be firmly in control.

Late in the period, Ravens RB B.J. Sams muffed a punt at his own 20 and LB Marcus Wilkins recovered for Cincinnati. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Palmer connected with Chad Johnson for a 13-yard touchdown and the margin was narrowed to 20-10. Baltimore went three-and-out in its ensuing possession and, following the punt, Palmer threw to Houshmandzadeh for a 32-yard gain to the Baltimore 44. Four plays later, Palmer again found Chad Johnson for a 12-yard TD and it was suddenly a three-point game with over ten minutes remaining on the clock.

The Ravens weren’t ready to roll over, however, and on their next offensive play, Chester Taylor took off on a 47-yard run to the Cincinnati 26. Stover finished off the series with a 38-yard field goal and Baltimore held a 23-17 lead.

The Bengals responded with another scoring drive of their own featuring three passes from Palmer to Houshmandzadeh that covered 67 of the 68 yards gained along the way. The last completion was for nine yards and a touchdown, and Graham’s extra point put Cincinnati in front at 24-23.

Getting a 29-yard kickoff return by Sams that put them in good field position at their own 46, the Ravens moved 27 yards in a time-consuming ten plays that resulted in Stover putting them back in front at 26-24 with a 45-yard field goal. Cincinnati got the ball back with 1:42 to play. Palmer was sacked for nine yards but responded with a 32-yard completion to Houshmandzadeh. He also threw to Schobel for 11 yards and 22 to Chad Johnson down to the Baltimore five yard line. On the last play of the game, Graham finished off his team’s 24-point fourth quarter as he kicked a 24-yard field goal and the Bengals came away with a 27-26 win.

Not only was it was Cincinnati’s first win at Baltimore since 1996, but it was also the club’s first road win against a team with a winning record since 1990.

The Bengals outgained Baltimore (453 yards to 356) and had the edge in first downs (23 to 21). The Ravens significantly outrushed Cincinnati with 192 yards to 98, but the Bengals more than made up for it with 355 net passing yards to Baltimore’s 164. Both clubs turned the ball over twice.

In his best pro game to date, Carson Palmer completed 29 of 36 passes for 382 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. T. J. Houshmandzadeh (pictured below) and Chad Johnson each caught 10 passes, with Houshmandzadeh gaining 171 yards and scoring one TD and Johnson accumulating 161 yards and scoring twice. Rudi Johnson was held to 56 yards on 19 rushing attempts.


For the Ravens, Kyle Boller went to the air 33 times and had 19 completions for 172 yards with one intercepted. Chester Taylor ran the ball 23 times for 139 yards and a TD. Travis Taylor had the most receiving yards with 40 on his two catches, while four players caught three passes apiece. Chester Taylor was one of them, adding 25 more yards to his total, and Terry Jones was right behind Travis Taylor with 38 yards.

“T.J. (Houshmandzadeh) was making plays. Chad (Johnson) was making plays,” Palmer said. “And when you give your quarterback a chance to throw the ball like that, against probably the best front seven in this game, those guys are going to get open. The O-line played lights out, and we ended up winning.”

“Give credit to the Bengals,” summed up Brian Billick. “They fought back from every situation.”

Palmer was knocked out for the remainder of the season the next week with a knee injury in a loss at New England, and with Jon Kitna behind center the Bengals again finished up at 8-8 and third in the AFC North. The loss to Cincinnati damaged Baltimore’s playoff chances, not to mention the club’s confidence, and after splitting their remaining games, the Ravens ended up at 9-7 and in second place in the division and out of the postseason.

Carson Palmer only ranked among the league’s top 10 passers in interceptions thrown (18), but that was misleading. In his three starts prior to the injury- including, of course, the come-from-behind performance against the Ravens - he accounted for 9 of his 18 touchdown passes. Overall, he completed 60.9 of his throws for 2897 yards and set the stage for a big year in 2005.

Chad Johnson (pictured below, who changed his name to Chad Ochocinco in 2008) was selected to the Pro Bowl for the second straight year as he caught 95 passes for 1274 yards (13.4 avg.) and nine TDs. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Johnson’s teammate at Oregon State as well as with the Bengals, had a breakout year, pulling in 73 receptions for 978 yards (13.4 avg.) and four touchdowns.

1960: Cowboys Tie Giants for Only Non-Loss of First Season

It had been a rough first year for the expansion Dallas Cowboys as they took on the New York Giants on December 4, 1960. Under Head Coach Tom Landry, who had previously been defensive coach of the Giants, the team was 0-10. The Cowboys had a capable quarterback in diminutive (5’9”, 168) Eddie LeBaron (pictured at right), formerly of the Redskins and dissuaded from retiring in order to lead the offense until rookie Don Meredith was ready. There were some capable veterans to throw to, such as flanker Billy Howton and TE Jim Doran, and the defense had a star in MLB Jerry Tubbs, but for the most part the new team was awash in mediocre players.

New York, coached by Jim Lee Howell, had won the Eastern Conference the previous two years, but the aging and injury-riddled club was 5-3-1 and coming off of back-to-back losses to the Philadelphia Eagles that had assured they would not finish first a third time. 39-year-old QB Charlie Conerly was one of the injured players, and backup George Shaw was behind center against the Cowboys. HB Alex Webster was also out, as was star HB Frank Gifford, who had been finished for the year – and the whole next season – after a noteworthy tackle by LB Chuck Bednarik in the first loss to Philadelphia.

There were 55,033 fans at Yankee Stadium, the smallest home crowd of the year for the Giants on a sunny afternoon. New York scored quickly on its first possession, taking just four plays with Shaw completing a 41-yard pass to end Bill Kimber and then throwing 10 yards to FB Mel Triplett for the touchdown. HB Joe Morrison followed up with a one-yard scoring plunge and the Giants had a 14-0 lead.


However, before the first quarter was over, HB L.G. Dupre (pictured at left) ran in for a five-yard TD to get the Cowboys on the board. Still, Shaw extended New York’s margin in the second quarter as he connected with end Kyle Rote on a 28-yard scoring play.

Dallas continued to fight back. LeBaron, who nearly sat the game out with a rib injury, tossed a pass to Dupre for a 21-yard TD and Fred Cone kicked an 11-yard field goal to narrow the score to 21-17 at halftime.

Pat Summerall posted the only points of the third quarter with a 26-yard field goal that gave the Giants a seven-point lead. The Cowboys knotted things up in the fourth quarter thanks to a 56-yard drive capped by LeBaron throwing again to Dupre for a 23-yard touchdown, followed by Cone’s extra point.

First-year backup QB Lee Grosscup put the Giants back ahead 5:45 into the final period with a 26-yard touchdown pass to end Bob Schnelker. With five minutes to go, Dallas DT Bill Herchman recovered a fumble by Morrison. LeBaron passed to Doran for 32 yards to the New York nine and two plays later connected with Howton for an 11-yard TD. Cone kicked the tying extra point, and that was it. The game ended in a 31-31 draw, the first non-losing game in Dallas franchise history.

The statistics reflected the evenness of the score. The Cowboys outgained New York by just one yard (328 to 327) and each team had 19 first downs. The Giants turned the ball over three times, to two by Dallas.


Eddie LeBaron completed 17 of 35 passes for 267 yards with three touchdowns and two intercepted. Billy Howton (pictured at right) caught 6 passes for 78 yards and a TD and Jim Doran added three receptions for 62 yards. The game’s scoring star, L.G. Dupre, accumulated the most receiving yards, however, with 82 on three catches that included two touchdowns while also rushing for 27 yards on 8 carries with another TD. HB Don McIlhenny was the leading ground gainer for the Cowboys with 34 yards on 8 attempts.

For the Giants, George Shaw was successful on 8 of 16 throws for 149 yards and two TDs against one interception. Lee Grosscup added five completions in 11 attempts that gained 75 yards and a touchdown (his only one of the season). Bob Schnelker hauled in 5 passes for 69 yards and a TD and Kyle Rote also gained 69 yards on his three receptions that included a score. HB Ed Sutton topped the running attack with 62 yards on 7 carries.

The Cowboys lost their season finale at Detroit and finished at the bottom of the Western Conference with a record of 0-11-1 (they shifted to the Eastern Conference in ’61). New York split its last two games and placed third in the conference at 6-4-2.

Eddie LeBaron had a respectable season for a bad team, although he led the NFL by tossing 25 interceptions. Still, he was in the top five in pass attempts (225), yards (1736), and yards per completion (15.6). L.G. Dupre’s accomplishments were more modest as he led the club in rushing with just 362 yards and caught 21 passes for 216 more. His three touchdowns against the Giants accounted for most of his season total of five.

1921: Thorpe & Brickley Stage Halftime Drop-kicking Competition

The pro football game between the Cleveland Indians and New York Brickley Giants on December 3, 1921 was something of an oddity in that the contest became secondary to what happened during halftime.

The fledgling American Professional Football Association, which would be renamed the National Football League the next year, was getting its first shot at a New York City franchise with Brickley’s Giants (no relation to the current New York Giants franchise). The team was named for Charlie Brickley, a former Harvard star who organized the club along with a sports promoter named Billy Gibson.

Cleveland had been an original APFA franchise in 1920 and was called the Tigers during that 2-4-2 season. For 1921, the team had added to its backfield three ex-members of the Canton Bulldogs who happened to also be Native Americans – the legendary Jim Thorpe (pictured above), plus Joe Guyon and Pete Calac – and was rechristened the Indians.

Brickley and Thorpe were considered to be two of the greatest, if not the greatest, drop-kickers ever. At that point, drop-kicking was an important skill in an era when the ball was more round and less sleek than it is today and touchdowns more difficult to come by.


Brickley (pictured at left) was an All-American halfback in 1913 and ’14 and had his most notable performance against Yale in 1913 as he kicked five field goals in a 15-5 win. He booted 13 field goals in all that year and had a career total of 34, which were both records at the time. Brickley went into college coaching and also played pro football in those pre-NFL years with the Canton Bulldogs and Massillon Tigers.

Thorpe had been star halfback at Carlisle Indian School, scoring 25 touchdowns in the 1912 season alone. An amazing all-around athlete who won the decathlon at the 1912 Olympics and played major league baseball, he was at his best on the football field and was a leading professional star from the time he joined the Canton Bulldogs in 1915. He was also a major figure as a player/coach (which he was for the Indians in 1921) and was the first president of the APFA in 1920.

On this day, the 33-year-old Thorpe was bandaged up due to two broken ribs. Brickley, who had recently turned 30, did not play for his team, despite calls from the crowd. The field was muddy and hindered the offenses, and the game itself was drab and generated little enthusiasm from the crowd of 5000 on a Saturday afternoon at the Polo Grounds.

Cleveland dominated as the Brickley Giants managed only one first down the entire game. Joe Guyon had an outstanding rushing performance, scoring the first touchdown in the opening period and on four occasions turning the corner for long runs down the sideline. Thorpe added the extra point and a 40-yard field goal in the second quarter. HB Johnny Hendren capped a long fourth-quarter drive with the last TD for Cleveland, and the Indians coasted to a 17-0 win.

The dropkicking exhibition proved to be more competitive. Thorpe and Brickley started off at the 25-yard line and moved progressively farther back, with Thorpe leading early but the two ending up tied at six successful kicks apiece. Accounts differ as to the lengths of the successful kicks, with Brickley getting credited for drop-kicks of 48 and 50 yards and Thorpe of 45, though some said Thorpe connected from 55 yards and Brickley hit the upright from that distance. Whatever the actual result, the exhibition attracted great interest.

Cleveland went on to finish the season with a 3-5 record, placing 11th in the 21-club league that was not yet broken up into divisions (that wouldn’t happen until 1933). The Brickley Giants were just 0-2 in league games - as was the practice at the time, they played several non-league contests against teams such as the Union Quakers of Philadelphia and Brooklyn All-Star Collegians and were 5-3 overall. Both clubs folded following the 1921 season.

Jim Thorpe went on to play with five more teams until 1928, his final year at age 41. Among many honors that he received, in 1950 he was chosen as Greatest Athlete of the First Half of the 20th Century in a poll of Associated Press sportswriters and was selected as a charter member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963. Charlie Brickley left football coaching to pursue a rather checkered career as a stock broker (he was convicted of illegal practices in the operation of his brokerage firm in 1928).

The art of drop-kicking began to die away in the 1930s with the streamlining of the football. It became more and more necessary for kickers to use a holder in order to assure that the ball would be positioned properly. The last drop-kicked field goal in the NFL was by Detroit’s Dutch Clark in 1937. However, the drop-kick has never been completely forgotten – in the final game of the 2005 season (the actual date was Jan. 1, 2006), QB Doug Flutie of the Patriots drop-kicked an extra point to cap his pro football career.