1965: Cards Trade John David Crow to 49ers for Abe Woodson

On February 8, 1965 the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers made a straight-up swap of two seven-year NFL veteran players. Going from the Cardinals to the West Coast was HB John David Crow and heading to St. Louis was Abe Woodson, a cornerback who was more prominently known for his ability at returning kicks.

Crow (pictured at right) was dissatisfied at his playing time in ’64 and had requested a trade. An All-American at Texas A & M and winner of the 1957 Heisman Trophy, he was taken in the first round of the 1958 NFL draft by the then-Chicago Cardinals (second overall). A knee injury caused him to miss a significant portion of his rookie season, but he broke out in ’59 with a Pro Bowl year in which he rushed for 666 yards and caught 27 passes for 328 more. In 1960, the franchise’s first season in St. Louis, Crow had his greatest year as he set a team single-season rushing record with 1071 yards and led the NFL in yards per carry (5.9) and yards from scrimmage (1533) thanks to an additional 462 yards on 25 catches. On the downside, he also led the league in fumbles (11), an issue that would crop up again in his career, but he was a highly regarded runner with good size (6’2”, 220) who had speed as well as power and didn’t shy from contact.

Crow suffered a broken leg in the 1961 preseason and, when he returned five games into the schedule, was injured again. He carried the ball just 48 times for 192 yards. Healthy in ’62, he had a third Pro Bowl year as he rushed for 751 yards and 14 touchdowns, but also fumbled 14 times and dropped numerous passes. In 1963 he was sidelined again by a knee injury that required surgery, running for 34 yards on 9 attempts.

When he came back in ’64, there was a crowded situation at running back. While HB Bill Triplett, who played well in Crow’s place in 1963, was out due to a bout with tuberculosis, Crow was shifted to fullback while Joe Childress started at halfback, and there were young players like Willis Crenshaw and Bill “Thunder” Thornton getting playing time. Crow led the team in rushing with 554 yards on 163 attempts and caught 23 passes for 257 more, but he felt that he was not getting enough carries and took his complaint to the front office, threatening to retire if he wasn’t sent elsewhere.

The 49ers were coming off a 4-10 record in 1964, putting them at the bottom of the Western Conference, and the running game was one of the big problems. FB J.D. Smith and HB Don Lisbon both were lost for much of the year with injuries and a rookie free agent, HB Dave Kopay, led the club with just 271 rushing yards.

Woodson (pictured below), the player San Francisco was forced to give up, played collegiately at Illinois and was also a Big 10 champion sprinter and hurdler. Drafted by the 49ers in the second round in 1957, he had to fulfill a military commitment before reporting to the club during the ’58 season. He led the NFL in kickoff returning in 1959 with a 29.4 average and scored on a 105-yard return. It marked the beginning of five straight years in which he was selected to the Pro Bowl, and he was a consensus first-team All-Pro in ’59 and ’60. Woodson led the league in punt return average in the latter year (13.4) and again led the league in kickoff returns in 1962 and ’63 with averages of 31.3 and 32.2 per return, respectively – in ’62 he also set a season record with 1157 yards on his 37 kickoff returns. Overall, he was the NFL career leader in kickoff return yards (4873) at the time, averaging 29.4 yards per return with five touchdowns. He averaged 9.0 on 105 punt returns for another 949 yards and two more TDs. As a cornerback on defense, he intercepted 15 passes.


“In order to get a player of Crow’s ability, you have to give something comparable,” said San Francisco GM Lou Spadia, admitting he had been reluctant to part with Woodson.

Crow expressed great satisfaction. “Being traded to the 49ers feels real good. I’m real excited about it. I wish the season started next week because I’m ready to go,” he said.

Crow, who turned 30 prior to the 1965 season, proved to be a good acquisition for San Francisco. It helped that he was put in tandem with rookie FB Ken Willard - both of them earned Pro Bowl honors. Willard led the team with 778 yards rushing on 189 carries (4.1 avg.), ranking fourth in the NFL, and caught 32 passes for 253 yards while scoring a total of 9 touchdowns (five rushing, 4 on passes). Crow contributed 514 yards on 132 attempts and gained 493 yards on 28 pass receptions for an impressive 17.6-yard average. He, too, accounted for 9 TDs (7 on passes, two on the ground). The offense in general was far more potent and the 49ers improved to 7-6-1.

The combination of Crow and Willard continued to do well with similar numbers in 1966 and ‘67. Willard, the tough power-runner, took some of the burden off of Crow and likely helped to keep him healthy and productive, especially when compared to the injury-plagued years in St. Louis.

The team went 6-6-2 and 7-7, respectively, and Head Coach Jack Christiansen was replaced by Dick Nolan. Willard had his best year in 1968, with 967 yards rushing, but Crow was moved out to tight end in what proved to be his final season – he caught 31 passes for 531 yards (17.1 avg.) and five touchdowns. Overall, in four years in San Francisco, Crow rushed for 1474 yards on 370 carries (4.0 avg.) and five TDs and pulled in 120 passes for 1738 yards for a 14.5 average and 18 touchdowns. He also fumbled only seven times during that period, with five of them in his first year on the club in ’65. By comparison, during that same period Willard ran the ball 776 times for 3018 yards (3.9 avg.) and 22 TDs and had 133 pass receptions for 1078 yards (8.1 avg.) and 7 scores (he went on to play another five years in San Francisco before ending his career, ironically enough, with the Cardinals in 1974 – his career rushing yardage total was 6105).

As for Woodson in St. Louis, who turned 31 shortly after the trade, the results were not so good. He was strictly a reserve in a good defensive backfield and handled the bulk of the kick returning in 1965. However, he placed 14th in kickoff returns, with 27 for a 24.6 average, and his 18 punt returns netted just 7 yards for a 0.4 average. Supplanted by halfbacks Johnny Roland and Roy Shivers in ’66, Woodson returned no kicks, although he intercepted four passes while starting in the defensive backfield. He retired, having played a total of nine seasons. His career kickoff return yardage record, which he increased to 5538 while with the Cardinals, lasted until 1972 when it was first exceeded by Ron Smith, but Woodson’s record of having led the NFL in kickoff returns three times has endured.

Past Venue: Ebbets Field

New York, NY (Brooklyn)



Year opened: 1913
Capacity: 32,000, up from 25,000 at opening.

Names:
Ebbets Field, 1913-60

Pro football tenants:
Brooklyn Lions (NFL), 1926
Brooklyn Dodgers/Tigers (NFL), 1930-44
Brooklyn Eagles (AFA)*, 1937-38
Brooklyn Dodgers (AAFC), 1946-48

*American Football Association

Postseason games hosted:
None

Other tenants of note:
Brooklyn Dodgers (MLB – NL), 1913-57
Manhattan College (college football), 1932-37
Brooklyn Eagles (baseball Negro leagues), 1935
Long Island University (college football), 1939-40
Long Island University (college baseball), 1959

Notes: Hosted one home game of APFA New York Brickley Giants, 1921. Designated to be home field for AFL Brooklyn Tigers (1936), but the only home game was switched to Yankee Stadium before franchise was shifted to Rochester. Site of first televised pro football game, Brooklyn Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 1939. Stadium was owned by MLB Dodgers and named for Charlie Ebbets, the club’s owner at the time of construction. Venue was originally constructed without a press box, which was added in 1929. Frequently hosted college and high school football games until 1953, when MLB Dodgers ended the practice because damage to the field was outpacing rental income. Also hosted soccer matches, track & field, and boxing.

Fate: Demolished in 1960 and replaced by apartment buildings (Ebbets Field Apartments).



[Updated 2/16/15]

2007: Colts Overpower Bears in Super Bowl XLI

The Indianapolis Colts had been to the playoffs for four straight years prior to the 2006 season, but had come up short in their efforts to reach the Super Bowl. Under Head Coach Tony Dungy, and with star QB Peyton Manning (pictured at right) directing the offense, the Colts had twice been defeated by the Patriots in the postseason, once in an AFC Championship game. But on February 4, 2007 they faced the Chicago Bears in the Super Bowl, having beaten New England for the AFC title.

In addition to Manning, the Colts had an outstanding wide receiver tandem in Marvin Harrison (95 catches, 1366 yards, 12 TDs) and Reggie Wayne (86 catches, 1310 yards, 9 TDs) and versatile TE Dallas Clark. Rookie RB Joseph Addai rushed for 1081 yards and caught 40 passes and backup Dominic Rhodes added 641 yards on the ground and 36 pass receptions. Defense had been a problem during the regular season, however, in particular against the run and most notably in a bad late-season loss to the Jaguars. In fact, after starting off at 9-0, Indianapolis went 3-4 to finish at 12-4, still best in the AFC South, but cause for concern heading into the playoffs. The defense tightened up in postseason wins over the Chiefs and Ravens in which they gave up a total of 14 points before defeating the Patriots 38-34 in the conference showdown.

The Bears, under third-year Head Coach Lovie Smith, utilized a formula typical of successful seasons in that franchise’s long history – a conservative offense combined with an outstanding defense. In his first full year as the starting quarterback, Rex Grossman was inconsistent, as indicated by 23 TD passes and 20 interceptions. RB Thomas Jones (1210 yards) led a productive running attack that also included RB Cedric Benson (647 yards). Catching the ball was 33-year-old possession WR Muhsin Muhammad, big-play WR Bernard Berrian, and dependable TE Desmond Clark. The defense suffered after losing SS Mike Brown and DT Tommie Harris during the course of the year, but still contained All-Pro MLB Brian Urlacher and Pro Bowl OLB Lance Briggs. An additional weapon on special teams was rookie DB Devin Hester, who returned five kicks for touchdowns during the regular season (three punt returns, two kickoff returns).

Adding to the overall significance of the occasion was the fact that both coaches, Dungy and Smith, were African-Americans, thus assuring that for the first time a Super Bowl-winning team would have a black head coach.

There was a steady rain falling at Dolphin Stadium in Miami, with 74,512 in attendance. They didn’t have to wait long for excitement as Chicago’s Hester ran the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown (pictured below). The defense got a takeaway on the first Indianapolis possession, with SS Chris Harris intercepting a Manning pass on a third-and-13 play. The Bears couldn’t capitalize on the turnover, however, going three-and-out.


Following a punt into the end zone for a touchback, the Colts started their next series at the 20 yard line and proceeded to drive 80 yards in eight plays. Manning had three short completions and a long one to Wayne that covered 53 yards for a TD. The extra point had to be aborted when the snap was mishandled, allowing the Bears to hold onto a 7-6 lead.

Indianapolis, squibbing the kickoff to keep it away from Hester, got the ball right back as TE Gabe Reid fumbled and the Colts recovered at the Chicago 34. But they turned it over on the next play when Manning and Addai muffed a handoff and the Bears recovered. Thomas Jones took off on a 52-yard run and shortly thereafter Grossman connected with Muhammad for a four-yard touchdown. Robbie Gould’s successful PAT put the Bears up by eight points at 14-6.

Neither offense could move for the remainder of the first quarter but the Colts commenced a drive on the final play of the period that went 63 yards in eight plays and ended with Adam Vinatieri’s 29-yard field goal to reduce the Chicago margin to 14-9. Following another three-and-out possession by the Bears, Indianapolis took over at its 42 after the ensuing punt. Manning threw to Harrison for 22 yards and then to Clark for 17 and, suddenly, the Colts were at the Chicago 19. Dominic Rhodes ran four times, with a short pass interspersed, the last carry resulting in a one-yard touchdown. This time the extra point was successful and the Colts took the lead by 16-14.

The Bears again had another short possession, punted, and the Colts got to the Chicago 43 with less than two minutes remaining in the half before TE Bryan Fletcher fumbled after catching a pass and the Bears recovered – only to fumble the ball back to Indianapolis on the next play. Vinatieri was wide on a 36-yard field goal attempt and the turnover-filled first half ended with the Colts still up by two.

The third quarter started off with a long, 13-play drive by Indianapolis that went 56 yards and took up 7:34. Manning completed six passes (two of them despite falling while throwing) and Joseph Addai ran five times for 25 yards and caught four of the throws for another 27. Vinatieri capped the possession with a 24-yard field goal and the Colts extended their lead to five points at 19-14.

Following another short series by the Bears, Rhodes took off on a 36-yard run for the Colts and, after driving to the two yard line, Vinatieri added another three points with a 20-yard kick to make it 22-14. Helped by an unnecessary roughness penalty on the ensuing kickoff, Chicago started its next possession at the Indianapolis 40 and a six-play drive resulted in a 44-yard field goal by Gould.

Heading into the fourth quarter, the Bears were down by just five points. However, after a punt by the Colts and a 22-yard pass completion to Muhammad, Grossman went deep and was intercepted by DB Kelvin Hayden, who returned it 56 yards for a touchdown. While there was still 11:44 remaining on the clock, for all intents the game was over.

Grossman gave up another interception on Chicago’s next possession and the Bears had to turn the ball over on downs at their own 47 on the following series. The Colts kept the ball on the ground and chewed up time, and the game ended with the Bears in their own territory on offense. Indianapolis was the NFL Champion by a score of 29-17.

The Colts outgained Chicago (430 yards to 265), but were especially effective on the ground (191 yards). The Bears hurt themselves with five turnovers, to three by Indianapolis in the sloppy conditions.

While he did not have a big statistical day, Peyton Manning was the game’s MVP as he completed 25 of 38 passes for 247 yards with a TD and an interception. Joseph Addai (pictured below) ran the ball 19 times for 77 yards and caught 10 passes for another 66 yards. Dominic Rhodes had 113 yards on 21 carries that included a touchdown. Marvin Harrison had 5 receptions for 59 yards and, while Reggie Wayne caught just two passes, they gained 61 yards and included a score.


For the Bears, Rex Grossman was successful on 20 of 28 throws for 165 yards with a TD, but had two intercepted. Thomas Jones rushed for 112 yards on 15 carries thanks to the season-high 52-yard carry. Desmond Clark was the team’s top receiver with 6 receptions for 64 yards. Devin Hester had the game-opening 92-yard kickoff return, but other than a three-yard punt return, the Colts were able to keep the ball away from him for the remainder of the contest.

“Peyton is a tremendous player, a great leader,” Coach Dungy said of his quarterback. “He prepares, he works, does everything you can do to win games and lead your team. If people think he needed to win a Super Bowl, that is just wrong. This guy is a Hall of Fame player and one of the greatest ever to play.”

About being the first black head coach to win a Super Bowl, Dungy added, “It feels great. I thought about that as I was on the podium - being the first African-American coach to win it. I have to dedicate to some guys before me - great coaches I know could have done this if they had gotten the opportunity. Lovie and I were able to take advantage of it. We certainly weren't the most qualified.”

The Colts returned to the postseason in 2007 but were upset by San Diego in the Divisional round – they lost to the Chargers again in the Wild Card playoff following the ’08 season before winning another AFC Championship in 2009. Chicago dropped to 7-9 in ’07 and didn’t return to the playoffs until 2010.

MVP Profile: Lou Groza, 1954

Offensive Tackle/Placekicker, Cleveland Browns


Age: 30
9th season in pro football & with Browns
College: Ohio State
Height: 6’3” Weight: 235

Prelude:
Groza saw little college action before going into the military during World War II, but Paul Brown signed him for the Browns of the new AAFC for 1946. In his first season, he was used primarily as a placekicker who backed up on the offensive line, and he led the league in field goals (13), extra points (45), and scoring (84 points). But he became a starting tackle during the ’47 season and excelled there, if not as visibly as he did with his kicking. With Cleveland joining the NFL in 1950, Groza led the league in field goals (13) and field goal percentage (68.4), kicked the game-winning field goal in the NFL title game, and was named to the Pro Bowl for the first of six straight seasons. He again led the league in field goals in 1952 (19) and ’53 (23) and was successful on 88.5 % of his attempts in the latter year. The best placekicker of his era, “The Toe” also continued to be an outstanding tackle. He was a consensus first-team All-Pro in 1952 and ’53.

1954 Season Summary
Appeared in all 12 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Kicking
Field goals – 16 [1]
Most field goals, game - 3 at Chi. Bears 11/14, at NY Giants 11/28
Field goal attempts – 24 [2]
Field goal percentage – 66.7 [1]
PATs – 37 [3]
PAT attempts – 38 [3, tied with Les Richter]
Longest field goal – 44 yards vs. Detroit 12/19

Scoring
Field Goals – 16
PATs – 37
Points – 85 [3]

Postseason: 1 G (NFL Championship vs. Detroit)
Field goals – 0
Field goal attempts – 0
PATs – 8
PAT attempts – 8

Awards & Honors:
NFL MVP: Sporting News
1st team All-NFL: AP, UPI, NY Daily News, Sporting News
Pro Bowl

Browns went 9-3 to finish first in the Eastern Conference while finishing second in the league (by one point) in scoring (336 points) and touchdowns (41, tied with the Rams) while leading in field goals (16). Won NFL Championship over Detroit Lions (56-10).

Aftermath:
Groza again was a consensus first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection in 1955, led the NFL in field goals in 1957 (15) and was named to the Pro Bowl in ’57, ’58, and ’59 for a total of 9 in all. 1959 marked his last season as a tackle and he retired for a year in 1960 due to a back injury. He returned as strictly a placekicking specialist in 1961 and led the league in field goal pct. that year (69.6) and again in 1963 (65.2). He finally retired for good following the 1967 season at age 43 and after a total of 21 years (four in the AAFC, 17 in the NFL). At the time, he was the NFL career leader in games played (216), scoring (1349 points), field goals (234), and extra points (641). Adding in his AAFC totals, he played in 268 games, scored 1608 points, and kicked 264 field goals and 810 extra points. The Browns retired his #76 and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1974.

--

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 2/10/14]

2004: Patriots Edge Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII

Super Bowl XXXVIII on February 1, 2004 matched the New England Patriots, champions of the AFC after compiling a league-best 14-2 record, against the Carolina Panthers, representatives of the NFC following an 11-5 regular season in 2003. The teams had been in radically different places just two years earlier – while the Patriots were coming out of nowhere to win their first title, the Panthers had gone a dreadful 1-15.

New England had risen to prominence under Head Coach Bill Belichick and had uncovered a major talent in QB Tom Brady (pictured above). Unheralded coming out of Michigan in 2000, Brady replaced veteran Drew Bledsoe during the ’01 season that ended in a championship and was continuing to develop into an elite quarterback. The nondescript but effective receiving corps was led by wide receivers Troy Brown and Deion Branch. Running backs Antowain Smith and Kevin Faulk both ran for over 600 yards (642 and 638, respectively) while Faulk added 48 pass receptions for another 440 yards. The tough defense contained All-Pros in DT Richard Seymour, CB Ty Law, and SS Rodney Harrison, plus Pro Bowl DE/LB Willie McGinest and a solid group of linebackers that included Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi. New England won a close Divisional playoff game against Tennessee and then defeated the Colts, with Brady’s quarterback archrival Peyton Manning, for the AFC title.


Carolina was coached by the defensive-minded John Fox, and defense was the source of the team’s rise. The front four was especially effective with ends Mike Rucker and Julius Peppers and tackles Kris Jenkins and Brentson Buckner. The conservative offense was guided by QB Jake Delhomme (pictured at left) and benefited from the presence of ex-Redskins RB Stephen Davis (1444 yards) and rookie backup DeShaun Foster. Eighth-year veteran WR Muhsin Muhammad (54 catches, 837 yards) was paired with rising star Steve Smith (88 catches, 1110 yards). The Panthers won the NFC South to make the playoffs for the second time in their nine-year history, beat Dallas in the Wild Card round, just got past the Rams in overtime in their Divisional game, and earned a trip to the Super Bowl with a 14-3 win over the Eagles in the NFC Championship game at Philadelphia.

There was a crowd of 71,525 at Houston’s Reliant Stadium that witnessed a slow-developing contest. The Panthers didn’t manage so much as a first down until their fourth possession, late in the first quarter. New England, starting its first series on the Carolina 46, got pass completions by Brady to Branch for 16 yards and Troy Brown for 12, but after getting to the 13 yard line, the normally-dependable Adam Vinatieri missed a 31-yard field goal attempt. For the rest of the opening period, the Patriots couldn’t move the ball effectively either despite winning the battle for field position. Carolina’s defense played its part, especially in one key instance when LB Will Witherspoon dropped Brown for a loss of ten yards on a third-down end-around play that took the Patriots out of field goal range.

New England finally put together a long 13-play, 57-yard drive in the second quarter, methodically moving down the field, but again came up empty when Vinatieri’s 36-yard field goal attempt was blocked by DE Shane Burton. The Patriots got a break four plays later when Delhomme fumbled while being sacked by Vrabel and Seymour recovered at the Carolina 20. Brady capped the four-play series with a five-yard touchdown pass to Branch to end the longest opening scoring drought in Super Bowl history.

With just over three minutes remaining in the first half, the Panthers offense gained possession at their 10 yard line, and having been dominated in total yardage by a margin of 125 to -7, it seemed like another fruitless series until Delhomme completed a third-and-five pass to WR Ricky Proehl for 13 yards. Following the two-minute warning, Delhomme completed two more throws, to Muhammad for 23 yards and back to Proehl for 15 to penetrate into New England territory. Three plays later, and facing a third-and-ten situation, Delhomme threw to Steve Smith for a 39-yard touchdown and, with John Kasay’s extra point, the score was tied at 7-7.

The Patriots came right back on a 78-yard drive over six plays that featured a Brady pass to Branch for a 52-yard gain to the Carolina 14. Brady capped the series with a five-yard scoring toss to WR David Givens to again put New England up by a touchdown. On the last play of the half, after the squibbed kickoff was returned 12 yards by TE Kris Mangum and Stephen Davis ran for 21 yards, Kasay booted a 50-yard field goal and it was 14-10 going into the intermission.

Following a halftime that included a notorious wardrobe malfunction and concluded with New England LB Matt Chatham tackling a streaker on the field, the teams resumed play in much the same way that they started the game – trading punts after short possessions. Again it was the Patriots taking the initiative as they got the ball at their own 44 following a Carolina punt with 4:37 to go in the period. On an eight-play drive that was highlighted by Brady completions of 16 yards to Branch and 33 to TE Daniel Graham, Antowain Smith ran for a two-yard TD early in the fourth quarter and the Patriots extended their margin to 21-10.

The Panthers again came alive on offense with Delhomme throwing passes to Muhammad for 13 yards and Steve Smith for 18 and 22 and DeShaun Foster running for a 33-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving the margin at five points, and it seemed as though the Patriots would add to their lead when they went 64 yards in 10 plays that included three Brady pass completions and a 23-yard run by Kevin Faulk to the Carolina 10. But facing a third-and-goal situation, Brady threw off-balance and was intercepted by CB Reggie Howard, and three plays later Delhomme connected with Muhammad for an 85-yard touchdown. In stunning fashion, the Panthers were in front by a score of 22-21, although another try for a two-point conversion was unsuccessful.

There were now just under seven minutes to play, and New England again drove down the field. Brady completed six passes in the 11-play series, the last to Vrabel, inserted on offense as a tight end, for a one-yard touchdown. Faulk successfully ran for two points and the Patriots were back in front at 29-22.

Steve Smith’s 37-yard kickoff return was negated by a penalty, and the Panthers had to start the next possession at their 19. Delhomme, who had started the game so poorly, was now unstoppable as he succeeded on five of his six passes, including 19 yards to Muhammad and 31 yards to Proehl. The last was for 12 yards and a touchdown to Proehl and, with Kasay’s successful extra point, the game was tied at 29-29.

New England started the next series at its 40, thanks to Kasay booting the kickoff out of bounds, with the clock down to 1:08. After an incomplete pass, Brady connected with Brown for 13 yards and, following a timeout and a 10-yard penalty, hit Brown again for 13 yards to the Carolina 44. A four-yard completion to Graham got the ball to the 40 and then Brady found Branch for 17 yards to the 23. From there, Vinatieri (pictured below) re-burnished his credentials as a clutch kicker by booting a 41-yard field goal, and the Patriots were champions for the second time in three years by a score of 32-29.


The combined 37 points in the fourth quarter were the most in any quarter of Super Bowl play to date. New England outgained the Panthers by 481 yards to 387 and also accumulated more first downs, 29 to 17. Each team turned the ball over once. Delhomme was sacked four times, twice by Vrabel, while the Panthers failed to record any sacks.

Tom Brady, the game’s MVP, completed 32 of 48 passes for 354 yards with three touchdowns and the one interception. Deion Branch caught 10 of those throws for 143 yards and a TD and Troy Brown contributed 8 for 76 yards. Antowain Smith led the ground game with 26 carries for 83 yards and a score.


For the Panthers, Jake Delhomme missed on eight of his first nine pass attempts but rallied from there, completing 16 of 33 throws for 323 yards and three TDs with none intercepted. Muhsin Muhammad (pictured at right) caught 4 passes for 140 yards and the long touchdown, Steve Smith gained 80 yards and scored a TD on his 4 receptions, and Ricky Proehl also caught 4, for 71 yards with a score. Stephen Davis rushed for 49 yards on 13 attempts and DeShaun Foster added 43 yards on just three carries thanks to his scoring run.

“Nobody makes all of them. But if you've got to have one kick with everything on the line, he's the one you want kicking it,” Bill Belichick said of Adam Vinatieri, who was successful on just one of three field goal attempts, but connected when the game was on the line – just as he had against the Rams two years before. “It was an awesome kick. It was a great kick. That's the game. That's what Adam's here for.”

The Patriots went on to make it three championships in four years in 2004, again going 14-2 and defeating the Eagles in the Super Bowl. Carolina slumped to 7-9 in ’04 but returned to the playoffs in 2005 and made it to the NFC Championship game before succumbing to the Seahawks.

1983: Riggins Runs Redskins Past Dolphins to Win Super Bowl XVII

Super Bowl XVII capped a 1982 NFL season that was shortened to nine games due to a players’ strike and, as a result, necessitated a change to the usual alignment and playoff structure. The divisions were done away with and the teams with the eight best records in each conference qualified for a postseason tournament. The clubs that came out of the process to meet in the Super Bowl on January 30, 1983 were the Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins.

The Redskins, under second-year Head Coach Joe Gibbs, had made it to the playoffs for the first time since 1976 and did so in impressive fashion, topping the NFC with an 8-1 record. QB Joe Theismann, the NFL’s top-ranked passer (91.3 rating), operated behind an outstanding offensive line known as “The Hogs”. Wide receivers Charlie Brown and Art Monk were productive, and FB John Riggins (pictured above), typically lined up as a single back in a two-tight end offense, gained 553 yards during the season and had been most impressive in the playoffs with 444 yards on 98 carries (4.5 avg.) in three dominating wins over the Lions, Vikings, and, for the NFC title, the Cowboys. The defense lacked big names but gave up the fewest points in the NFL. To top it off, a special teams performer was selected as league MVP by the Associated Press and Sporting News – PK Mark Moseley, successful on 20 of 21 field goal attempts. Moseley and DB Mike Nelms, an outstanding kick returner, were both named to the Pro Bowl.

The Miami Dolphins, coached by Don Shula, were the second-seeded AFC team at 7-2. With the unspectacular but mobile David Woodley at quarterback, Miami emphasized the ground game on offense, led by Pro Bowl FB Andra Franklin (701 yards). The tough, league-leading defense contained several notable players with last names that began with B and thus were dubbed “The Killer Bees”. They included NT Bob Baumhower, ends Doug Betters and Kim Bokamper, LB Bob Brudzinski, and sibling safeties Glenn and Lyle Blackwood. Outstanding defenders in the 3-4 alignment with non-B last names included inside linebackers A.J. Duhe and Earnest Rhone and CB Don McNeal. Miami defeated the Patriots and Chargers in the first two rounds of the playoffs and then shut out the New York Jets in the AFC Championship game.

There was a giant crowd of 103,667 on hand at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California for the contest. The teams traded punts to open the first quarter, but on the second play of the second Miami possession Woodley threw a sideline pass to WR Jimmy Cefalo, who made the catch 21 yards up the field and continued on to the end zone for a 76-yard touchdown.

The Redskins went three-and-out on their next series and the Dolphins ran effectively when they got the ball back, with RB Tony Nathan gaining 12 yards up the middle and Franklin adding another 13 yards on two carries. But with a first down on the Washington 37, Woodley dropped back to pass and was hit hard by DE Dexter Manley, forcing a fumble. DT Dave Butz recovered for the Redskins, who then proceeded to put together an eight-play scoring drive that stretched into the early seconds of the second quarter. After converting a third down to get to the Miami 35, it was Riggins running on five consecutive plays and gaining 21 yards. Moseley kicked a 31-yard field goal and Miami’s lead was cut to 7-3.

The Dolphins started their next series with good field position thanks to CB Fulton Walker’s 42-yard kickoff return to the Miami 47. They drove methodically down the field with Nathan and Franklin running the ball and Woodley throwing short passes. However, after getting a first-and-goal at the Washington eight yard line, the Dolphins couldn’t get into the end zone and settled for Uwe von Schamann’s 20-yard field goal that capped the 13-play possession and made the score 10-3.

The Redskins came back with a long drive of their own, going 80 yards in 11 plays. Theismann started off by passing to TE Rick Walker for 27 yards and the tight end followed up by running for six yards on a reverse. Two Riggins carries garnered a first down at the Miami 43 and Theismann threw twice for 19 yards, 15 on a screen pass to Riggins. Two plays later, Theismann ran the ball 12 yards to the 13 and, following two more runs by Riggins that got the ball to the four, Theismann threw to WR Alvin Garrett in the corner of the end zone. Moseley’s extra point tied the game at 10-10, but it didn’t stay that way for long. Fulton Walker returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown (pictured below) – the first on a kick return in Super Bowl history. It put Miami back in front at 17-10, and that remained the score at halftime. It would prove to the high water mark of the game for the Dolphins.


The clubs traded punts to start the third quarter before the Redskins put together a six-play, 61-yard scoring drive. The highlight was Garrett running on a reverse for 44 yards to the Miami nine. Moseley kicked a 20-yard field goal that narrowed the score to 17-13.

After neither team could generate a first down on the next three possessions, Theismann tossed a pass that Duhe intercepted at the Washington 47. The Dolphins were unable to capitalize, however, as Woodley’s long pass intended for Cefalo was deflected and picked off by FS Mark Murphy at the five yard line. Riggins ran twice for 13 yards but, with the ball out to the 18, disaster nearly struck for the Redskins when Theismann’s first-down throw intended for Charlie Brown was tipped up into the air and almost intercepted by Bokamper. As the defensive tackle tried to pull the ball in, and with nothing between him and the goal line, Theismann alertly reached over to jar the ball loose for an incompletion.

Washington continued its drive, with the game entering the fourth quarter, to the Miami 43 and a long pass by Theismann intended for Brown was intercepted by Lyle Blackwood at the one. In a critical series, the Dolphins were able to gain only three yards and Tom Orosz’s punt sailed 41 yards - with a three-yard return by Nelms, the Redskins had good field position at the their 48.

They made the most of it. Following two runs by Riggins and a carry by RB Clarence Harmon, Washington faced a fourth-and-one situation and went for it. Riggins took the handoff, headed toward left end, and kept going all the way for a 43-yard touchdown. With Moseley’s extra point, the Redskins took a 20-17 lead.

The Washington defense was steadily taking control and the Dolphins responded with a short series that started at their 22 and ended with a net loss of a yard at the 21. Orosz punted only 32 yards, Nelms returned for 12, and the Redskins again had outstanding field position, starting at the Miami 41.

It was all ball control now as Riggins carried on six of the next seven plays. Theismann rolled out on a third down play and threw to Charlie Brown for the needed nine yards to get inside the Dolphins’ ten and three plays later he threw to Brown again for a six-yard TD that sealed the win for Washington. The 12-play drive ran nearly seven minutes off the clock and the Dolphins were down by ten points with under two minutes to play. Miami turned to backup QB Don Strock, a better passer than Woodley, but it made no difference. The Redskins won their first NFL title since 1942 by a score of 27-17.

Washington’s domination was complete, outgaining the Dolphins by 400 yards to 176 and posting 24 first downs to Miami’s 9. 276 of the Redskins’ yards came on the ground, and the Dolphins gained only 34 total yards in the second half, with no pass completions at all. Each team turned the ball over twice.


John Riggins was the game’s MVP as he rushed for 166 yards on 38 carries and a TD – 108 of those yards came in the second half. Joe Theismann (pictured at left) completed 15 of 23 passes for 143 yards with two touchdowns and two intercepted. Charlie Brown had 6 catches for 60 yards and the game-clinching TD.

For the Dolphins, David Woodley was successful on four of his 14 throws for 97 yards with the one long touchdown that accounted for most of the yardage and one interception. Jimmy Cefalo, who caught the scoring pass, had two catches for 82 yards and WR Duriel Harris pulled in the other two completions, gaining 15 yards. Andra Franklin led the ground game with 49 yards on 16 attempts. Fulton Walker, with his 190 yards on four kickoff returns for a 47.5 average and a TD, was Miami’s most productive offensive weapon.

After Coach Gibbs had received the congratulatory phone call from President Ronald Reagan and Riggins learned that he was the game’s Most Valuable Player, the irrepressible fullback said, “At least for tonight, Ron may be the President, but I’m the King.” The Super Bowl performance crowned an impressive postseason for Riggins, in which he ended up with more rushing yards in the four playoff games (610) than he did in the nine regular season contests (553).

The Redskins proved it was no fluke in 1983, putting together a record-setting offensive season while going 14-2. They again won the NFC title, but were upset by the Raiders in the Super Bowl. Miami went 12-4, losing in the Divisional round of the playoffs, although the stage was set for a return to the Super Bowl in ’84 due to the impressive play of rookie QB Dan Marino.

Past Venue: Yale Bowl

New Haven, CT



Year opened: 1914
Capacity: 64,246, down from 70,869 at opening

Names:
Yale Bowl, 1914 to date

Pro football tenants:
New York Giants (NFL), 1973-74

Postseason games hosted:
None

Other tenants of note:
Yale University, 1914 to date
Connecticut Bicentennials (NASL), 1976-77

Notes: Hosted NFL Giants for two seasons after Yankee Stadium was closed for major renovation and prior to completion of Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ (the team played one season at Shea Stadium as well). First bowl-shaped stadium in the US. Declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987. Scoreboard was added in 1958 that had the unusual feature of displaying the game time vertically rather than in the typical horizontal fashion (replaced in 2008). Facility underwent a major renovation in 2005-06. Largest crowd to attend a football game at the stadium was 80,000 for Yale vs. Army, Nov. 3, 1923. First football game at venue was Yale vs. Harvard, Nov. 21, 1914. First pro football game was a preseason contest between the Giants and Detroit Lions in 1960.

Fate: Still in use.