2003: Panthers Defeat Cardinals to Clinch Division Title

In their first eight years after coming into the NFL as an expansion franchise in 1995, the Carolina Panthers achieved both a winning record and division title on one occasion, in 1996. Since that time, they had reached .500 once and, in 2001, suffered through a dreadful 1-15 season. On December 14, 2003 the Panthers faced the Arizona Cardinals sporting an 8-5 tally and with an opportunity to once again reach the playoffs.

In the second year under Head Coach John Fox, Carolina was better offensively thanks to the addition of veteran RB Stephen Davis, who had been obtained from the Redskins. QB Jake Delhomme, in his first year starting behind center, was improving as the weeks went by in operating the conservative attack and had a good target when he passed in up-and-coming WR Steve Smith (pictured above). The defense was the key to the team’s turnaround, however, and the strength of that unit was the outstanding line that featured ends Mike Rucker and Julius Peppers and tackles Kris Jenkins and Brentson Buckner. However, after starting off 8-2, Carolina had lost its previous three games and needed to get back into the win column.

As for the Cardinals, coached by Dave McGinnis, the season was already yet another lost cause in what had been the franchise’s long-time pattern. They were 3-10 coming into the contest with Carolina and had lost five straight.

There were just 23,217 in attendance at Sun Devil Stadium and the game started off with a rash of turnovers. The Cardinals got a 35-yard return of the opening kickoff by RB Josh Scobey to provide them with good initial field position at their own 46 yard line, but two plays later RB Marcel Shipp fumbled and CB Dante Wesley recovered for Carolina. Delhomme’s first pass of the day was intercepted by safety Dexter Jackson. Arizona QB Josh McCown, making his first start in his second year with the club, was in turn picked off by SS Mike Minter, who returned it 35 yards for a touchdown to put the Panthers ahead by 7-0.

The teams traded punts before the Cardinals put together a scoring drive of 80 yards in 10 plays. McCown completed all four of his passes and ran for 15 yards on a quarterback draw in a third-and-twelve situation. He rolled out and ran again for a 16-yard touchdown and the score was tied at 7-7 following one quarter of action.

Carolina started off the second quarter by driving to the Arizona 32, but Delhomme fumbled when hit by DE Fred Wakefield and the Cards recovered. They again mounted a 10-play scoring drive that went 59 yards. McCown was successful once more on all four of his passes, including a 15-yard completion to WR Anquan Boldin on a third-and-nine play to the Panthers’ four. On the next play, aging all-time great RB Emmitt Smith ran the remaining distance for a TD to put the Cardinals ahead.

The Panthers once more drove into Arizona territory with Delhomme completing a pass to Davis for 17 yards and RB DeShaun Foster running for a 16-yard gain, but had to punt. Arizona maintained the 14-7 lead at halftime.

The clubs again traded punts to start off the third quarter before Delhomme connected with Steve Smith for 36 yards to the Arizona 34. The drive finally ended at the three yard line and John Kasay kicked a 21-yard field goal that narrowed the Cards’ lead to 14-10.

Following an Arizona series that ended with a punt, Carolina put together a 93-yard drive in nine plays that extended into the fourth quarter and put the Panthers ahead. Delhomme completed five passes, including two to Smith for 14 yards, one to TE Kris Mangum that gained 19, and a 31-yard scoring throw to Foster. With Kasay’s extra point, the Panthers had a 17-14 lead.

The Cardinals came back with a series that featured runs of 11 yards by Emmitt Smith and 21 by Shipp. They reached the Carolina 17, but a 35-yard field goal attempt by Neil Rackers was unsuccessful. The Panthers went three-and-out in their next possession and Arizona again mounted a drive from its own 30. McCown completed a pass to Boldin for a 24-yard gain in a third-and-20 situation and the series reached the Carolina 12 before penalties backed the Cardinals up. Rackers booted a 44-yard field goal and the score was tied at 17-17 with just over a minute remaining in regulation.

The Panthers came out throwing and the combination of Delhomme to Steve Smith was good for five pass completions that covered 41 yards. With time running out, Kasay was successful on a 49-yard field goal attempt and the Panthers came away with a 20-17 win and the NFC South title. It was the seventh time over the course of the season that they had won by three points or less.

The Cardinals outgained Carolina (317 yards to 298) and had more first downs (23 to 17). Each team turned the ball over twice, but the Panthers sacked McCown five times while Delhomme was dumped for a loss just once.

Steve Smith had a big performance as he caught 9 passes for 99 yards and was especially significant during the game-winning drive; he also had a 21-yard punt return. Jake Delhomme completed 20 of 32 passes for 236 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Stephen Davis led the ground game with 48 yards on 13 carries.


For the Cardinals, Josh McCown showed poise as he was successful on 14 of 25 throws for 172 yards with one picked off - he also ran six times for 48 yards and a TD. Marcel Shipp rushed for 89 yards on 23 carries while Emmitt Smith (pictured at right) contributed 23 yards and a touchdown on his 9 attempts. Anquan Boldin led the receivers with 7 catches for 73 yards.

“Are we playing our best football right now? Probably not,” said Delhomme. “But we still got the win, and that's an encouraging sign.”

They might not have been playing their best football, but the win over Arizona was the first of six straight – three to conclude the regular season with an 11-5 record and three more in the playoffs to win the NFC Championship. They lost a closely-fought Super Bowl to the Patriots. The Cardinals ended up 4-12 and at the bottom of the NFC West in what proved to be the last year for Coach McGinnis.

Steve Smith, who had caught a total of 64 passes in his first two seasons and had been better known for his outstanding kick returning, had 88 receptions for 1110 yards (12.6 avg.) and seven touchdowns. Jake Delhomme did not put up big passing numbers in a ball control offense but did crack the league’s Top 10 in yards per attempt (7.2) and yards per completion (12.1).

1942: Redskins Upset Undefeated Bears for NFL Championship

Coming into the NFL Championship game on December 13, 1942, it appeared that the contest would be a mismatch. Even though the Eastern Division-champion Washington Redskins were 10-1, they were 22-point underdogs facing the Western Division’s Chicago Bears. The team known as “The Monsters of the Midway” had won the last two NFL Championships, was 11-0 during the regular season, and was the winner in 39 of its last 40 games. Not lost on anyone in attendance was the 73-0 thrashing Chicago had put on the Redskins in the title game two years earlier.

The Bears kept winning even as World War II military duty pulled several key players off of the roster. Stars such as HB George McAfee, fullbacks Norm Standlee and Bill Osmanski, ends Ken Kavanaugh and Dick Plasman, and tackle Joe Stydahar missed all or part of the season (Osmanski and Stydahar received furloughs that allowed them to participate in the title game). Even the owner and head coach, George Halas, had departed for the navy on November 1. While the “Papa Bear” was on leave and present for the game, assistants Hunk Anderson and Luke Johnsos co-coached the club in his absence.

Washington, coached by Ray Flaherty, still had the league’s best passer to direct its double-wing attack in tailback Sammy Baugh. The receiving corps was strong and FB Andy Farkas was the top ground-gainer. The defense, anchored by tackle “Wee Willie” Wilkin, had played well all year and was particularly impressive down the stretch. The Redskins allowed just one touchdown in their final four games.(Pictured at top, left to right, are #44 Farkas, #33 Baugh, & #41 Dick Todd)

There were 36,006 fans in attendance at Washington’s Griffith Stadium, site of the 73-0 contest of 1940. It was very different this time as they witnessed a scoreless first quarter, with the Bears twice getting inside the Washington 30 but coming up empty. In the first instance, Lee Artoe missed on a 46-yard field goal attempt and the second time they fumbled the ball away.

In the second quarter, the Redskins had possession at midfield following a nine-yard run by blocking back Cecil Hare and a Baugh pass to wingback Dick Todd. However, an apparent mixup between Todd and Farkas on which was to receive the direct snap caused a fumble - Artoe picked the ball up on the bounce and the 230-pound tackle rumbled 50 yards for a touchdown. However, he missed the extra point attempt and the score remained 6-0.

The Redskins responded some two minutes later as Baugh passed to wingback Wilbur Moore for a 38-yard touchdown. Bob Masterson’s extra point attempt was successful and the Redskins took a 7-6 lead into halftime.

Washington put together a long scoring drive in the third quarter that proved to be decisive. Farkas returned a punt 30 yards to give the Redskins good field position at their 44 yard line and he then keyed the drive with his running and capped it with a one-yard TD against the massed Bears defense. Meanwhile, Baugh made a key defensive play after Chicago drove to the Washington 12 yard line as he intercepted a pass in the end zone.

In the fourth quarter, the Bears came close to scoring thanks to a 79-yard drive that took them to the Redskins’ one. An apparent touchdown by HB Hugh Gallarneau was nullified by a backfield-in-motion penalty. Chicago proceeded to turn the ball over on downs and in the end it was Washington running out the clock and coming away with the NFL Championship by a score of 14-6.

In a game dominated by defense, the Bears had more total yards (188 to 170) and first downs (10 to 9). Chicago was only able to gain 69 of that total on the ground, on 41 carries, and also turned the ball over four times, to two by Washington. The line play, both offensive and defensive, was outstanding throughout the game for the Redskins.


Washington’s passing game was largely kept in check as Sammy Baugh completed 5 of 13 passes for 66 yards, but one was good for a touchdown while two were intercepted. He also contributed the one big interception and was effective with his punting. Wilbur Moore (pictured at right), who caught the scoring pass, was the team’s leading receiver with two receptions for 41 yards. Andy Farkas ran for 46 yards on 13 carries that included a TD while FB Bob Seymour contributed 34 yards on 14 attempts.

Sid Luckman had a poor day throwing against the Redskins defense as he went to the air 11 times and completed 5 for just nine yards and had two picked off. QB Charlie O’Rourke, who relieved in the fourth quarter, was good on 4 of 6 throws for 110 yards. HB Ray “Scooter” McLean caught 3 passes for 26 yards while HB Frank Maznicki had one catch for 39 yards to go along with his 14 yards on 5 rushing attempts. Bill Osmanski was the team’s top ground gainer with 36 yards on 13 carries.

The loss put an end to Chicago’s hopes of posting an undefeated season all the way to the championship as well as three consecutive titles. The win not only brought the Redskins their second NFL title but provided some measure of payback for the big defeat of two years earlier. As Sammy Baugh said afterward in his Texas drawl, “I guess this kinda makes up for that thing in 1940, don’t it?”

The two teams met again for the title in 1943, with the Redskins tying the Giants atop the Eastern Division at 6-3-1 and winning the resulting playoff and Chicago going 8-1-1 to beat the Packers out in the Western Division by a game. The Bears won easily this time by a 41-21 score for their third NFL Championship in four years.

1965: Hornung’s 5 TDs Spur Packers to Win Over Colts

For Paul Hornung (pictured at right), the Green Bay halfback known as the Golden Boy, the best days of his career appeared to be far behind as the Packers traveled to Baltimore to take on the Colts in a key Western Conference showdown on December 12, 1965. Once a key point producer for Head Coach Vince Lombardi’s team as a runner and placekicker, injuries and a one-year suspension that cost him the 1963 season had rendered him an afterthought.

Hornung had lost his placekicking job after a mediocre 1964 season and, in the three weeks before the game in Baltimore, had been benched in favor of HB Elijah Pitts. He had scored three TDs all season and there was speculation that he would be exposed to the Atlanta Falcons in the expansion draft for the ’66 season. However, early in the week of the game Lombardi told him he would be back in the starting lineup.

Green Bay came into the contest with a 9-3 record, a half-game behind the 9-2-1 Colts. The Packers won the first encounter between the two clubs at home in Week 2 on the way to breaking out to a 6-0 start, but had faltered with back-to-back losses to the Bears and Lions and then were ambushed by the Rams in Los Angeles two weeks earlier.

The Colts, under Head Coach Don Shula and the defending Western Conference champions, had won eight straight games since the loss in Green Bay, even weathering an injury to their star quarterback, Johnny Unitas, that caused him to sit out for a game. However, following a tie against the Lions, Unitas suffered a knee injury against the Bears that knocked him out for good. Chicago shut the Colts out and now the quarterback who was considered to be the best in the game would be watching this contest while propped on crutches. Backup Gary Cuozzo drew the start at quarterback, and he had already led the club to a win over the Vikings when called upon earlier in the year in which he tossed five TD passes.

There were 60,238 fans in attendance at Memorial Stadium, as well as a national television audience, on a foggy day that made it difficult for fans both at the stadium and watching on tv to follow the ball. The Colts scored first on a 14-yard field goal by Lou Michaels following an intercepted pass by CB Lenny Lyles that was returned to the Green Bay 11.

The Packers scored the next two times they had the ball, both on Hornung touchdowns. The first came on a two-yard run over right guard that capped a six-play, 80-yard drive and the second on a 50-yard pass play. Green Bay was ahead by 14-3 after one period of play.

The Colts fought back in the second quarter. First, Michaels kicked another field goal, this time from 45 yards. Then Pitts fumbled when hit hard returning the ensuing kickoff and the Colts recovered. HB Lenny Moore scored on a three-yard touchdown run that, with the extra point, put Baltimore just a point behind at 14-13.

In the final minute of the first half, the Colts seemed to have all the momentum and appeared ready to take the lead. They had first-and-goal on the Green Bay four yard line after Packers FB Jim Taylor fumbled and CB Bob Boyd recovered and ran 17 yards. On second down at the two, Cuozzo dropped back and threw toward FB Jerry Hill but LB Dave Robinson (pictured below), reading the play correctly, reached up, intercepted the pass, and proceeded to run 87 yards to the Baltimore 10. QB Bart Starr threw to flanker Boyd Dowler for a touchdown on the next play. It was the turning point of the game - instead of the Colts being in front at halftime, it was Green Bay holding an increased lead of 21-13.


In the third quarter, Hornung scored twice more, on a nine-yard sweep to the left and a three-yard carry. Meanwhile, Cuozzo, who had been struggling throughout the game, suffered a shoulder injury in the third quarter and had to briefly come out, with HB Tom Matte, the team’s emergency quarterback, taking his place and tossing an interception along with two incomplete passes.

Cuozzo returned to the contest and nearly brought the Colts from behind in the fourth quarter. Down 35-13, Hill scored on a one-yard touchdown carry and then Cuozzo tossed a five-yard TD pass to split end Raymond Berry that narrowed Green Bay’s margin to 35-27. However, Starr threw to Hornung out of the backfield on a play that covered 65 yards, 50 of it by the halfback running down the field through the fog for a touchdown. It was Hornung’s fifth TD of the game and finished off the Colts. The Packers won by a final score of 42-27 and moved a half-game ahead in the conference race.

Hornung’s five touchdowns set a club record, and on a day of superlative performances that included Gale Sayers scoring six TDs for the Bears.

Green Bay outgained the Colts (366 yards to 264) although Baltimore led in first downs (21 to 18). The Packers had the better-balanced attack, with 222 passing and 144 rushing yards, while Baltimore, thanks to suffering losses on four sacks (to none given up by Green Bay), had 190 through the air and 74 on 24 running plays. Both teams turned the ball over three times.

Paul Hornung rushed for 61 yards on 15 carries that included three touchdowns and had the two big catches that covered 115 yards and resulted in a pair of TDs. Jim Taylor led the Packers in rushing with 17 attempts for 66 yards. Bart Starr completed 10 of 17 passes for 222 yards with three TDs and one interception. Boyd Dowler caught 4 passes for 40 yards and a touchdown.

For the Colts, Gary Cuozzo went to the air 38 times and completed 20 for 212 yards with a TD and two interceptions. Raymond Berry had an outstanding game in defeat as he hauled in 10 catches for 125 yards and a score. Lenny Moore paced the ground game with 42 yards on 15 carries with a TD.

Said Vince Lombardi of his decision to start Hornung, “It was a hunch – but Hornung’s a pressure player.” The hunch paid off well on this occasion.

Of the key interception in the second quarter, Don Shula called it “a bad decision on Gary’s part. He should have just rammed in there with two yards to go and plenty of time.”

“It wasn’t that bad a call, it was bad execution,” responded Cuozzo.

“It was one of those things,” said Hornung of Robinson’s interception. “A half inch and he's a hero. If Robinson had gone with the flow of the play it would have worked. But Robinson was there waiting.”

Green Bay’s win over the Colts did not prove to be quite as decisive as it appeared to be at the time, and the two clubs were not yet done with each other. Needing a win in the season finale to clinch the Western Conference, the Packers were tied by the 49ers. The Colts, with Cuozzo as well as Unitas finished for the year, went with Tom Matte at quarterback in their final game and beat the Rams, 20-17. Both clubs thus completed the regular season at 10-3-1, necessitating a playoff game. In a defensive battle that went into overtime at Lambeau Field, Green Bay won by a 13-10 score and went on to defeat the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Championship game.

Hornung also played well in the title game and was back with the Packers in 1966. In a reserve role, he rushed for 200 yards and caught 14 passes, but nagging injuries became more of an issue. Exposed in the 1967 expansion draft, he was taken by the New Orleans Saints but retired during training camp. For all intents and purposes, the late-season heroics in 1965 provided the capstone on the Golden Boy’s Hall of Fame career.

MVP Profile: Rich Gannon, 2000

Quarterback, Oakland Raiders


Age: 35 (Dec. 20)
13th season in pro football, 2nd with Raiders
College: Delaware
Height: 6’3” Weight: 210

Prelude:
It was a long road to stardom for Gannon. Quarterback in a wing-T offense in college, Gannon was taken in the 4th round of the 1987 NFL draft by the New England Patriots, who wanted to convert him into a running back. Unwilling to make the change, he was traded to Minnesota and sat on the bench for three years, throwing a total of 21 passes. Finally getting an opportunity to start in 1990, Gannon had limited success and was allowed to depart as a free agent following the ’92 season. He was a backup with the Redskins in 1993, missed all of ’94 due to a rotator cuff injury, and moved on to Kansas City, where he was a backup for four years and saw his most significant action in his last year with the club in 1998. Signed as a free agent by Oakland in ’99, Gannon finally blossomed as he ran Head Coach Jon Gruden’s version of the West Coast offense, passing for 3840 yards and 24 TDs and gaining selection to the Pro Bowl.

2000 Season Summary
Appeared and started in all 16 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing
Attempts – 473 [13]
Most attempts, game – 53 at Denver 11/13
Completions – 284 [12]
Most completions, game – 30 at Denver 11/13
Yards – 3430 [10]
Most yards, game – 382 at Denver 11/13
Completion percentage – 60.0 [15]
Yards per attempt – 7.3 [11]
TD passes – 28 [4, tied with Elvis Grbac]
Most TD passes, game – 5 vs. Carolina 12/24
Interceptions – 11
Most interceptions, game – 3 at Seattle 12/16
Passer rating – 92.4 [7]
300-yard passing games – 2
200-yard passing games – 8

Rushing
Attempts – 89
Most attempts, game - 12 (for 85 yds.) at San Francisco 10/8
Yards – 529
Most yards, game – 85 yards (on 12 carries) at San Francisco 10/8
Yards per attempt – 5.9
TDs – 4

Scoring
TDs – 4
2-point PAT – 1
Points - 26

Postseason: 2 G
Pass attempts – 39
Most attempts, game - 21 vs. Baltimore, AFC Championship
Pass completions – 23
Most completions, game - 12 vs. Miami, AFC Divisional playoff
Passing yardage – 223
Most yards, game - 143 vs. Miami, AFC Divisional playoff
TD passes – 1
Most TD passes, game - 1 vs. Miami, AFC Divisional playoff
Interceptions – 2
Most interceptions, game - 2 vs. Baltimore, AFC Championship

Rushing attempts – 6
Most rushing attempts, game - 5 vs. Miami, AFC Divisional playoff
Rushing yards – 33
Most rushing yards, game - 31 vs. Miami, AFC Divisional playoff
Average gain rushing – 5.5
Rushing TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:
NFL Player of the Year: Bert Bell Award
1st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News
1st team All-AFC: Pro Football Weekly
Pro Bowl

Raiders went 12-4 to finish first in the AFC West and gain the second playoff seed in the conference while leading the NFL in rushing offense (2470 yards) and placing first in the AFC in touchdowns (58, tied with Denver), second in points scored (479), and third in total offense (5776 yards). Won AFC Divisional playoff over Miami Dolphins (27-0). Lost AFC Championship to Baltimore Ravens (16-3).

Aftermath:
Gannon had a third straight Pro Bowl season in 2001, throwing for 3828 yards and 27 TDs against just 9 interceptions, and thus leading the NFL with a 1.6 INT percentage. He had another MVP year in 2002 as he led the league in pass attempts (618), completions (418), and yards (4689) while the Raiders advanced to the AFC Championship, although a poor Super Bowl performance in losing to the Buccaneers ended the fine season on a sour note. Injuries curtailed his season in 2003 and he appeared in a total of just 10 games in ’03 and ’04, after which he retired. A fiery leader and precision passer, Gannon ended up throwing for 28,743 yards and 180 TDs with 104 interceptions, and ranked in the Top 20 all-time at the end of his career with a passer rating of 84.7.

--

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).

[Updated 2/11/14]

1960: Chargers Come From Behind to Beat Broncos, Clinch Division Title

The Los Angeles Chargers had an 8-4 record and seemed poised to win the Western Division in the first year of the new American Football League as they hosted the Denver Broncos on December 10, 1960. Under Head Coach Sid Gillman, they started slowly and were 2-3 before winning six of their next seven games to take control of the division. The club developed a quick-striking offense guided by NFL-castoff QB Jack Kemp (pictured at right) and featuring rookie HB Paul Lowe. However, fielding an exciting and winning team was not enough to bring fans to the huge Memorial Coliseum, and the Chargers regularly played before a large expanse of empty seats.

The Broncos came into the game at 4-7-1, meanwhile, having started off respectably at 4-2 before losing five of their next six, with a tie interspersed. Head Coach Frank Filchock’s team had far more penurious ownership than the Chargers and were esthetically lacking in their ugly brown and gold (more appropriately yellow) uniforms with the infamous vertically-striped socks. QB Frank Tripucka, a veteran of both the NFL and CFL (as was Filchock), passed often, mostly to end Lionel Taylor. HB/PK Gene Mingo was another notable performer, but at this point Denver was a losing team that was playing out the schedule – and looking to be a spoiler. LA had won the first meeting of the two teams in Denver by a close score of 23-19.

There was a typically sparse turnout of 9928 at the Coliseum for the Saturday game. Denver took the early lead thanks to a 41-yard field goal by Mingo and added to it when Tripucka connected with Taylor for a 49-yard touchdown.

However, the Chargers came right back with Kemp throwing to FB Howie Ferguson for a 39-yard TD and, before the first quarter was over, gained the lead on a three-yard run by Lowe that made it 14-10.

Mingo put the Broncos back in front in the second quarter with a one-yard plunge and added the extra point that made it 17-14. It was Mingo adding more points with a 12-yard field goal before flanker Royce Womble caught a 12-yard scoring pass from Kemp to again put LA in the lead at 21-20. 41-year-old placekicking specialist Ben Agajanian added a 23-yard field goal to make it a four-point game before Mingo kicked another three-pointer, this time from 13 yards near the end of the first half, and the Chargers narrowly led by 24-23 at halftime.

The game continued to be a close, back-and-forth affair until midway through the fourth quarter. In the third quarter, Denver went back in front thanks to a pass play from Tripucka to end Jim Greer that covered 21 yards. Agajanian booted a field goal of 40 yards for the Chargers to start off the final period and Mingo responded in kind from 28 yards. The Chargers were behind by 33-27 with just under seven minutes remaining.

In the key play of the game, the Chargers took advantage of a shanked 20-yard punt by George Herring, who was reacting to a fierce rush led by DB Bob Zeman, giving them possession on the Denver 35. San Diego methodically drove to a touchdown with Kemp going in from a yard out. Agajanian’s extra point put LA in front by a point at 34-33.

LA then scored again thanks to an interception less than two minutes later as DE Maury Schleicher picked off a deflected Tripucka pass and returned it five yards to the Denver 20. Kemp followed up with a 15-yard TD throw to end Don Norton running a slant pattern behind the goal post, effectively finishing off the Broncos. The Chargers won the game by a score of 41-33 and clinched a berth in the AFL title game.

The Chargers had actually lost out on two additional scores before finally putting the feisty Broncos away. Zeman picked up a fumble and ran 52 yards for an apparent TD, but the play had been whistled dead. The other occurred when Mingo fielded a kickoff but fumbled on his three yard line. The ball rolled into the end zone and the Chargers appeared to recover but an offside penalty negated the play.

Denver outgained the Chargers with 391 yards to 347, although Los Angeles had more first downs (22 to 20) and fewer turnovers (two, to four by the Broncos). Denver also sacked Kemp four times while the Chargers got to Tripucka once.


Paul Lowe (pictured at left) rushed for 106 yards on 19 carries that included a touchdown. Jack Kemp completed 15 of 32 passes for 205 yards with three TDs and two intercepted. Don Norton had 5 catches for 81 yards and a score.

For Denver, Frank Tripucka went to the air 35 times and completed 17 for 291 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions apiece. Lionel Taylor (pictured below) typically paced the pass receivers as he recorded 9 catches for 171 yards and a TD, and as a result increased his league-leading season total to 88, which exceeded the existing NFL record of 84 that was set by Tom Fears of the Rams ten years earlier. FB Dave Rolle carried the ball 17 times for 68 yards and Gene Mingo added 37 yards on 12 attempts, one of which was a touchdown that was part of the 21 points in all that he scored.


The Chargers ended the regular season with a 10-4 record and went on to lose the first AFL Championship game to the Houston Oilers. Following the season, the franchise relocated to San Diego. The Broncos were last in the Western Division at 4-9-1.

By the system in use at the time, Jack Kemp led the AFL in passing (by today’s system, he ranked fourth) while placing second in attempts (406), completions (211), yards (3018), and completion percentage (52.0). He also led the league by averaging 7.4 yards per attempt while he tossed 20 touchdown passes but also 25 interceptions. Leading him in most categories was Frank Tripucka, who topped the AFL in attempts (478), completions (248), yards (3038), and interceptions (34).

Paul Lowe placed second among the new league’s rushers with 855 yards on just 136 carries, giving him an AFL-best 6.3 yards-per-carry. He scored eight rushing TDs (as did Kemp). Lionel Taylor finished at the top of the pass receivers for the first of five times (four consecutive) with 92 catches. His 1235 yards ranked third and 12 touchdown receptions tied for second with Houston’s Bill Groman. Gene Mingo led the AFL in scoring with 123 points that included a league-leading 18 field goals. He also scored six touchdowns and 33 extra points.

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.