1976: Harris Throws for 436 Yards as Rams Defeat Dolphins

The Los Angeles Rams were 2-0-1 and featured the NFL’s best rushing offense as they faced the Miami Dolphins on October 3, 1976. Head Coach Chuck Knox preferred a conservative offense paired with a solid defense, and the running of HB Lawrence McCutcheon and FB John Cappelletti had accounted for 682 yards on the ground in the first three contests. There was uncertainty at quarterback, however, as James Harris (pictured at right) had been sidelined for the first two weeks of the season due to a broken thumb on his throwing hand – Ron Jaworski and Pat Haden had each taken a turn behind center in his place.

The Dolphins, under Head Coach Don Shula for the seventh year, were 2-1 and in the midst of retooling after having won three straight AFC titles and back-to-back NFL Championships. They still had the outstanding Bob Griese at quarterback, but the running game was not as proficient as it had once been and Griese had dislocated the middle finger of his throwing hand during practice the previous week. Furthermore, injuries amid the linebackers were making the defense vulnerable and the Dolphins were forced to shift to a formation with a five-man front and two linebackers.

Harris, wearing a brace on the injured thumb of his throwing hand, largely shifted away from the running game to take advantage of the weakness in the middle of Miami’s passing defense. The Rams were further helped by the added wrinkle of using three wide receivers in key situations and, in particular, having WR Ron Jessie line up in the backfield where he was used as a man-in-motion.

Still, the home crowd at the Orange Bowl saw the Dolphins take an early lead in the first quarter when HB Benny Malone ran for a touchdown from two yards out. They extended the lead in the second quarter thanks to a 28-yard carry for a TD by FB Norm Bulaich.

Meanwhile Harris threw for 197 yards in the first half, but LA couldn’t get on the board as DE Vern Den Herder blocked a 49-yard field goal attempt by Tom Dempsey and FS Barry Hill blocked another try from 22 yards. Dempsey failed a third time when he was wide on a 29-yard attempt.

Down 14-0 at the half, the Rams struck quickly in the third quarter as Harris threw to Ron Jessie for a 58-yard touchdown. Miami responded with a scoring drive that led to a one-yard TD carry by FB Stan Winfrey.

Harris again went to Jessie, who made an over-the-shoulder catch of a perfectly-thrown bomb in the end zone for a 43-yard touchdown that cut Miami’s lead to 21-14. As the third quarter was winding down, the Rams put together a drive that took them inside the Miami 20. On a third-and-seven play at the 15, McCutcheon took a handoff but then flipped a lateral back to Harris, which he picked up on the first bounce and advanced all the way to the three for first-and-goal. On the second play of the fourth quarter, Harris leaped into the end zone from a yard out to complete the 46-yard series and, with the successful extra point, the score was tied at 21-21.

LA put together a 75-yard drive in seven plays to take the lead, with Harris throwing to Jessie for 26 yards and WR Harold Jackson for 25 along the way. McCutcheon ran a sweep for a nine-yard touchdown to cap the series and, with the successful extra point, the Rams were in front by 28-21.

The Dolphins weren’t finished, however, and two minutes after Los Angeles took the lead, using just three plays, they came back with a 47-yard touchdown pass from Griese to WR Nat Moore to tie the game.

Now it was LA’s turn and Harris came through with another big play, throwing to Jackson for a 50-yard gain to get to the Miami 11. Three running plays advanced the ball to the two and Dempsey, making up for earlier failures, kicked a 19-yard field goal with just 1:56 remaining to provide the winning points. Interceptions of Griese desperation passes by SS Dave Elmendorf and FS Bill Simpson snuffed out any further hopes for the Dolphins and the Rams came away with a 31-28 win.

The Rams outgained Miami (593 yards to 319) and had the edge in first downs (23 to 21). The visitors accumulated the bulk of their yardage (426) through the air while the Dolphins gained most of theirs on the ground (219). LA also had more penalties (8, at a cost of 76 yards, to three flags on the home team) but, with the late interceptions, the Dolphins led in turnovers (two to one).

James Harris had a huge performance, completing 17 of 29 passes for 436 yards with two touchdowns and one interception – he also ran the ball six times for 29 yards and a TD. Ron Jessie caught 7 of those throws for 220 yards and the two long scores. Harold Jackson contributed another 99 yards on just 4 catches. Lawrence McCutcheon uncharacteristically had more receiving than rushing yards as he gained 99 yards on 5 pass receptions and led the team with 91 yards on 22 carries with a TD.

For the Dolphins, Bob Griese went to the air just 11 times and completed 6 of them for 100 yards and a touchdown with two intercepted. Benny Malone led the running game with 19 attempts for 111 yards and a TD and also caught two passes for five more yards. Nat Moore gained 66 yards on his two receptions that included a TD.

“I’m not much of a statistics man,” said James Harris. “I like to think I’m a team man. I’m just as happy when we win with the running game.”

The single-game yardage total was easily the most of Harris’ career (his second highest output was 294) and the most by any NFL quarterback in 1976 – in fact, it wouldn’t be exceeded until 1980. It did not assure the 29-year-old veteran security as the starting quarterback, however, and by the end of the season Pat Haden was behind center. While typical of LA’s unstable quarterback situation during the Knox years, it did not sit well with the African-American Harris, who suggested that race might be a factor in the decision-making – especially when he ended up as the NFC’s leading passer for the year (89.6 rating) while going to the air just 158 times in seven games. He was traded to San Diego in the offseason (an equally frustrated Ron Jaworski refused to sign a new contract and was dealt to the Eagles).

Despite the quarterback carousel, the Rams won the NFC West for the fourth straight year with a 10-3-1 record, leading the conference in ground-gaining. And for the third consecutive season they advanced to the NFC Championship game and lost, this time to Minnesota.

The injury problems that plagued Miami continued throughout the year and the Dolphins finished third in the AFC East with a 6-8 record. It was the first losing tally they had posted during the Don Shula coaching reign.

Ron Jessie continued to be a formidable deep-threat for the Rams, averaging 22.9 yards per catch on 34 receptions for 779 yards with six touchdowns. He was selected to the Pro Bowl for the only time in his career. 

1994: Eagles Dominate 49ers in Stunning Upset

The San Francisco 49ers had made it to the NFC Championship game in 1992 and ’93 and were 3-1 thus far in 1994 as they hosted the Philadelphia Eagles on October 2. Head Coach George Seifert’s team had outstanding talent, with QB Steve Young, WR Jerry Rice, and RB Ricky Watters on offense and a revamped defense that included DT Dana Stubblefield, CB Deion Sanders, and safeties Tim McDonald and Merton Hanks.

Philadelphia was coming off its bye week and had a 2-1 record. Under Head Coach Rich Kotite, the Eagles were coming off an 8-8 record in ’93 and hoping to bounce back with a healthy Randall Cunningham at quarterback, a good wide receiver tandem in Fred Barnett and Calvin Williams, multipurpose RB Herschel Walker – and a small (5’9”, 181) but promising rookie, RB Charlie Garner, who was ready to see action after missing the previous contests with a rib injury. DE William Fuller was a solid free agent addition to the defense that, while decimated by key players who had gone elsewhere as free agents in recent offseasons, still included CB Eric Allen, MLB Byron Evans, and OLB William Thomas.

It was a pleasant afternoon at Candlestick Park with 64,711 fans in attendance. The Eagles set the tone in the first drive of the game as Cunningham completed all five of his passes, including three to Calvin Williams that totaled 56 yards, and Charlie Garner took a pitchout and ran the final yard for a touchdown to cap an impressive 10-play, 75-yard series.

San Francisco no sooner got the ball for the first time when Steve Young was intercepted by Allen and, on the next play, Garner ran off tackle for a 28-yard TD. It was 14-0 and the 49ers had run just one play from scrimmage.

The Niners punted following their next possession and the Eagles, taking over from their nine yard line, advanced to the San Francisco 35 before punting on the final play of the opening period. Mitch Berger’s kick was a good one, going out of bounds on the three and setting the stage for another Philadelphia score early in the second quarter when Young was tackled in the end zone by William Fuller for a safety.

Philadelphia drove to another score after receiving the free kick. Garner started the series off with a 16-yard run and, on two more consecutive plays, ran for another 12 yards. Following two incomplete passes, Cunningham fired long for WR Victor Bailey on third-and-10, who made a leaping catch in the end zone for a touchdown. Eddie Murray’s third successful extra point increased Philadelphia’s lead by 23-0 at barely over three minutes into the second quarter.

Young came out passing when the 49ers got the ball back and the result was a 15-play drive that covered 66 yards. Along the way, he completed a throw to Rice for a 16-yard gain on third-and-17 and then converted the resulting fourth-and-one play with another toss to Rice for nine more yards. Young capped the possession with a one-yard sneak for a touchdown and then threw to TE Brent Jones for a two-point conversion that made the tally 23-8. It would prove to be the high point of the day for San Francisco.

The Eagles responded by going 65 yards in eight plays following WR Jeff Sydner’s 28-yard kickoff return. The big play was a 28-yard gain on a pass from Cunningham to Garner out of the backfield. Herschel Walker ran for a two-yard TD and Philadelphia took a stunning 30-8 lead into halftime.

In a half of action, Charlie Garner had gained 94 yards rushing on 12 carries and Calvin Williams accumulated 95 yards on 7 pass receptions.

The second half was anticlimactic. On their second possession of the third quarter, Murray kicked a 36-yard field goal to add to Philadelphia’s lead. Elvis Grbac replaced Young before the period was over after the veteran passer, who was hit hard and often, was sacked by Fuller. Cunningham’s 18-yard touchdown pass to TE Mark Bavaro in the fourth quarter made the final score an improbable 40-8.

Philadelphia’s domination was complete as the Eagles outgained the 49ers by 437 yards to 189 and generated 26 first downs to 11 for San Francisco. The Eagles didn’t turn the ball over at all or give up any sacks while the Niners turned the ball over three times and gave up three sacks. It was the worst defeat the 49ers had suffered during George Seifert’s coaching reign (he succeeded Bill Walsh in 1989) and the worst since a 49-3 postseason loss to the Giants in 1986.

Charlie Garner was the breakout star for the Eagles, running for 111 yards on 16 carries that included two touchdowns and also catching the one pass for 28 more yards before leaving the game in the third quarter with a back injury. Randall Cunningham completed 20 of 29 passes for 246 yards and two TDs with no interceptions. Calvin Williams (pictured below) had 9 pass receptions for 122 yards.

For the Niners, the normally-proficient Steve Young was successful on just 11 of 23 throws for 99 yards with no touchdowns and two intercepted. Ricky Watters was the leading ground-gainer with a mere 22 yards on 7 carries. Jerry Rice caught 6 passes for 66 yards.

“I probably should have changed earlier,” said Coach Seifert regarding his decision to pull Young in the third quarter. “When he took that shot in the shoulder, I said the hell with it, I’m not leaving him in. We have a lot of football left.”

There was indeed a lot of football left and things got much better for Steve Young and the 49ers. After the big loss to Philadelphia, they reeled off 10 straight wins on the way to a 13-3 record and third straight NFC West title. They made it to the Super Bowl, handily defeating the San Diego Chargers. Young led the NFL in passing for the fourth consecutive season (112.8) while also receiving consensus MVP honors.

As for the Eagles, they advanced to 7-2 before the bottom fell out and they didn’t win again, ending up at 7-9 and fourth in the NFC East. By the end, Randall Cunningham had been benched and Byron Evans was out with a broken leg, which had a major impact on the defense. Rich Kotite’s coaching tenure came to an end after the season.

Charlie Garner had a second hundred-yard rushing performance the week after his spectacular debut against the 49ers, making him the seventh rookie in NFL history (and first Eagle) to do so in his first two games. He was worn down by further injuries, however, and ended up with 399 yards on 109 carries (3.7 avg.). Garner would go on to create an effective tandem with Ricky Watters, who came to Philadelphia as a free agent in 1995, and later played for the 49ers (as well as Oakland and Tampa Bay), where he gained selection to the Pro Bowl in 2000. 

Rookie of the Year: Dana Stubblefield, 1993

Defensive Tackle, San Francisco 49ers

Age:  23 (Nov. 14)

College: Kansas

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 302

Prelude:

Having lost their two best pass rushers (DE Pierce Holt and DE Tim Harris) to free agency, the 49ers chose Stubblefield in the first round of the 1993 NFL draft (26^th overall). With his speed, he proved to be a good fit in the interior of the line.

1993 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Sacks – 10.5 [19, tied with Jeff Cross & Sean Gilbert]

Most sacks, game – 2 at Pittsburgh 9/5, at Dallas 10/17, at Atlanta 12/11

Multi-sack games – 3

Interceptions – 0

Fumble recoveries – 0

Forced fumbles – 1

Tackles – 64

Postseason: 2 G

Sacks – 2

Most sacks, game – 2 vs. NY Giants, NFC Divisional playoff

Interceptions – 0

TD – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA

49ers went 10-6 to finish first in the NFC West. Won NFC Divisional playoff over New York Giants (44-3). Lost NFC Championship to Dallas Cowboys (38-21).

Aftermath:

Stubblefield followed up his outstanding rookie year with Pro Bowl seasons in 1994 and ’95, years in which he recorded 8.5 and 4.5 sacks, respectively. Following a subpar 1996, he rebounded in ’97 to not only return to the Pro Bowl but also receive consensus first-team All-Pro and AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors as he recorded a career-high 15 sacks. Stubblefield moved to the Washington Redskins as a free agent in 1998 and was a disappointment in his three years with the club (7 total sacks) before returning to the 49ers in 2001. In two years back in San Francisco, he revived his career, although was now better against the run than as a pass rusher between the gaps. He finished up with the Oakland Raiders in 2003. In eleven years, Stubblefield recorded 53.5 sacks and was named to the Pro Bowl a total of three times.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL (including NFC/AFC), AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year). 

[Updated 2/6/14]

1951: 49ers Upend Browns in Season-Opening Game

The Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers were formed as part of the All-America Football Conference in 1946 and became fierce rivals during the league’s four-year existence. The Browns were the dominant team, winning the AAFC title in each season, while the 49ers were the second-best club, toiling in the same division as Cleveland for the first three years and, when the league did away with divisions in 1949, they met in the Championship game. Both were absorbed into the NFL in 1950, although the results in that first season were very different: Cleveland continued to be a dominant club, winning the league title, while the 49ers sank to 3-9. The clubs met late in the year in Cleveland and the Browns won handily.

On September 30, 1951 the Browns took on the 49ers in the opening week of their second NFL season. Games between the two teams had typically been big draws during the AAFC years, and there were 52,219 in attendance at Kezar Stadium.

San Francisco, under Head Coach Buck Shaw, had added many promising rookies to a solid core that included mobile lefthanded QB Frankie Albert and FB Joe Perry. However, star HB Johnny Strzykalski was out with an injury.

The Browns were a star-studded club under the direction of innovative Head Coach Paul Brown. Players like QB Otto Graham, ends Dante Lavelli and Mac Speedie, and OT/PK Lou Groza were well-established performers and used to winning. Cleveland had some injury problems as well coming into the opening game, and they were without DT Chubby Grigg and LB Hal Herring.

Some rain fell, mainly during halftime, and it certainly appeared gloomy for the home crowd when Cleveland scored quickly in the first quarter, going 89 yards in just three plays. Graham threw short passes to Speedie and Lavelli before connecting with HB Dub Jones near the sideline, who ran untouched to the end zone to complete the 81-yard play.

The 49ers responded with a 49-yard drive in 13 plays that ended at the Cleveland one, where HB Verl Lillywhite was stopped short on fourth down. However, the Browns were unable to move offensively and San Francisco got the ball back in good field position following a punt by Horace Gillom. The 49ers tied the score, going 41 yards in just two plays. HB Pete Schabarum, subbing for the injured Strzykalski, ran for 16 yards and then Frankie Albert connected with rookie end Billy Wilson for a 25-yard TD.

Gordie Soltau missed on a 38-yard field goal attempt during the second quarter when the 49ers lost ground after reaching the Cleveland 16. Lou Groza also failed on a 42-yard field goal attempt for the Browns. With time running out in the half, Albert moved the Niners from their own 40 to the Cleveland 34 and Soltau was successful from 42 yards with two seconds left on the clock. The 49ers went into the intermission with a 10-7 lead. The Browns lost another starter during the second quarter when LB Tony Adamle suffered an ankle injury.

Early in the third quarter, Groza missed a 37-yard field goal attempt that would have tied the score. When the Browns got the ball again, Graham was intercepted in 49er territory by LB Norm Standlee, and he returned it to his own 29. The 49ers proceeded to drive 71 yards, highlighted by a 34-yard run by Lillywhite that followed a 15-yard sack of Albert by Cleveland DE Len Ford, and ending with a six-yard touchdown carry by Joe Perry. Groza finally was successful on a 40-yard field goal try, but the Browns were down by 17-10 after three quarters.

There was some controversy in the fourth quarter when San Francisco LB Pete Wisman intercepted a Graham pass, fumbled on the return, and recovered at the Cleveland 8. The Browns questioned whether Wisman had regained possession. Perry followed up with another six-yard scoring run to clinch the contest by a final score of 24-10. It was the first time the Browns had ever lost a season-opening game.

The 49ers outgained Cleveland by 344 yards to 227, with 236 of that total via rushing while the Browns were held to 55 yards on the ground. San Francisco also led in first downs by 18 to 11, although the 49ers turned the ball over four times against two suffered by Cleveland.

Verl Lillywhite had a big day running the ball for the 49ers, gaining 145 yards on 17 carries that included several runs for significant yardage.

Meanwhile, Otto Graham, under a heavy rush for most of the game, completed 18 of 30 passes for 222 yards and a TD but gave up the two interceptions that led to scores and was also sacked six times. The normally-reliable Lou Groza was successful on just one of four field goal attempts. On the upside, Dub Jones (pictured below), thanks to the long scoring reception early in the game, gained 143 yards on 5 catches.

Buck Shaw described the contest as San Francisco’s “greatest game, even better than the 56-28 rout of the Browns two years ago.”

Paul Brown refused to speak to reporters after the game and locked the door to the locker room before speaking to his players.

While eyebrows were raised around the league regarding Cleveland’s defeat, it did not prove to be a sign of decline. The Browns didn’t lose another regular season contest, going 11-1 to again top the American Conference and return to the NFL title game. However, their title-winning streak spanning five years in two leagues finally came to an end as they lost to the Rams for the league championship.

The opening victory for the 49ers was followed by alternating wins and losses until, after a tie in their ninth game, they finished strong with three straight wins to end up in a tie for second in the National Conference with Detroit at 7-4-1. By that point, Frankie Albert had been supplanted by Y.A. Tittle as the starting quarterback, with favorable results.

Verl Lillywhite, who saw action in the defensive backfield as well as at halfback, ended up rushing for 397 yards on 67 carries for a very healthy 5.9-yard average. Joe Perry, as usual, led the club in rushing with 677 yards on 133 attempts (5.0 avg.). Billy Wilson, who scored in his first regular season game for the 49ers, caught 18 passes for 268 yards (14.9 avg.) and three touchdowns overall. It was a preview of much bigger years to come.

Otto Graham recovered to have another All-Pro year, throwing for 2205 yards and 17 touchdowns while averaging 8.3 yards per pass attempt with a completion percentage of 55.5 – all second-ranking figures in the NFL. Dub Jones continued to be an effective receiver out of the backfield, catching 30 passes for 570 yards (19.0 avg.) and five touchdowns to go along with his team-leading 492 rushing yards on 104 attempts (4.7 avg.) and seven TDs. Along with Graham, he was a consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl selection.

2002: Green & Gonzalez Star as Chiefs Upset Dolphins

In their second season under Head Coach Dick Vermeil, the Kansas City Chiefs were 1-2 on September 29, 2002 as they hosted the Miami Dolphins. QB Trent Green (pictured above) had been considered a disappointment after coming over from the Rams with great expectations as the club went 6-10 in 2001. All-Pro TE Tony Gonzalez and RB Priest Holmes brought great talent to their positions. Defense was a concern, and while the team had scored 94 points in its first three contests, it had also given up 103.

Miami, coached by Dave Wannstedt, had been to the playoffs in each of the preceding five seasons. Coming off an 11-5 record in ’01, they were off to a 3-0 start and benefiting from the performance of RB Ricky Williams, who had been obtained during the offseason from New Orleans and seemed finally ready to play to his full potential (394 rushing yards in the first three contests). QB Jay Fiedler was competent and WR Chris Chambers was coming off a promising rookie year.

Things started out well for the Dolphins as WR Albert Johnson returned the opening kickoff 49 yards and they drove 52 yards in four plays. Fiedler tossed a pass to Williams that gained 29 yards to the Kansas City one and the quarterback took it up the middle himself for the last yard and the early lead.

The Chiefs responded with a solid 73-yard drive in 11 plays that featured Green passing to Gonzalez for 30 yards in a third-and-six situation to the Miami 38. Green completed three other passes, including the nine-yard touchdown throw to Gonzalez. With Morten Andersen’s extra point, it was a tie game.

It didn’t stay that way for long. On the second play of Miami’s next possession, Williams fumbled and LB Marvcus Patton recovered for the Chiefs. Green tossed a pass to Gonzalez for a short gain but, following two incompletions, Andersen booted a 50-yard field goal to make it 10-7.

The Dolphins came right back with a methodical drive of 12 plays that covered 56 yards and extended into the second quarter. Fiedler completed all six of his passes and Olindo Mare kicked a 42-yard field goal to again tie the score. However, KC came back quickly as Green threw to Gonzalez once more for a 32-yard gain on first down and Priest Holmes finished the four-play series with a 25-yard touchdown carry. In a span of 1:21, the Chiefs were back in front at 17-10.

Four plays into the next series, Fiedler was intercepted by CB Eric Warfield and Kansas City capitalized four plays after that with another Green TD pass, this one to WR Johnnie Morton from eight yards out. The teams traded punts before Williams took off on a 30-yard carry into KC territory and the Dolphins added three points on a Mare field goal from 29 yards.

Following a short possession by the Chiefs, Miami put together another scoring drive of 49 yards in nine plays. Fiedler was successful on seven throws and, on the last play of the first half, Mare kicked a 25-yard field goal to narrow Kansas City’s lead to 24-16.

The Chiefs added points on their first possession of the third quarter, going 80 yards in seven plays that culminated in Green going yet again to Gonzalez for a 42-yard touchdown. But Miami responded quickly as Fiedler threw to WR Oronde Gadsden for 20 yards and Chambers for 38 on back-to-back passes. The four-play series covered 77 yards and ended with Williams running for a three-yard touchdown. Kansas City was ahead by 31-23.

The teams traded punts but the Chiefs were in Miami territory at the end of the period primarily thanks to a Green pass to Holmes that gained 24 yards. Early in the fourth quarter, Green connected with Gonzalez for a six-yard touchdown and, with the successful PAT, a 38-23 lead.

Once again the Dolphins responded quickly, going 63 yards in five plays. WR James McKnight started things off with a 19-yard carry on an end-around play and Fiedler threw to Gadsden for 21 yards. Following a 12-yard keeper by Fiedler, he tossed a six-yard TD pass to FB Rob Konrad and another successful extra point again made it an eight-point contest at 38-30.

Miami got the ball back at its 29 after a short Kansas City possession, but on the third play Fiedler was intercepted by safety Greg Wesley, who returned it 42 yards to the Miami 16. Holmes ran the ball three times and Andersen kicked a 24-yard field goal to make it 41-30.

Two plays after the kickoff, Wesley again intercepted a Fiedler throw and the Chiefs again capitalized two plays after that with Green throwing his fifth scoring pass of the game, of three yards to TE Billy Baber that was set up by a 17-yard completion to Gonzalez. It proved to be game-clinching. Any last hopes for the Dolphins were snuffed out when Wesley picked off a Fiedler pass for the third time on the next series and Kansas City won impressively by a score of 48-30.

The teams combined for 849 yards of offense with the Chiefs gaining the most (450 to 399) while Miami had more first downs (28 to 25). The Dolphins turned the ball over five times, however, while KC suffered none.

Trent Green completed 24 of 34 passes for 328 yards with the five touchdowns and no interceptions. Priest Holmes gained just 52 yards on 23 carries that included a TD and also caught 6 passes for 63 yards. Tony Gonzalez (pictured below) was the receiving star with 7 catches for 140 yards and three touchdowns.

For the Dolphins, Jay Fiedler was successful on 29 of 45 throws for 310 yards and a TD while also tossing four interceptions, which were especially devastating in the second half. Ricky Williams ran the ball 14 times for 66 yards and a touchdown and had 60 more yards on a team-leading 7 pass receptions. Chris Chambers gained 102 yards on 6 catches.

The big point total proved to be nothing unusual for the Chiefs as they went on to be the highest-scoring team in the NFL with 467 points. However, giving up too many points assured that they failed to win consistently and Kansas City ended up on the bottom of the AFC West at 8-8. Still, the stage was set for a major improvement in 2003. Miami came back to win its next two games, but then lost three straight on the way to a 9-7 finish for third place in the AFC East and out of the postseason for the first time since 1996 – a dry spell that would last until 2008.

Trent Green improved greatly from his 2001 performance, ranking fourth in the league in passing (92.6 rating) while throwing for 3764 yards and 26 touchdowns. He led the NFL in yards per attempt (7.9) and his interceptions dropped from a league-leading 24 in ’01 to 13.

Even though his numbers were down from those of previous years, Tony Gonzalez was still considered to be the best all-around tight end in the league and earned a fourth consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl by catching 63 passes for 773 yards (12.3 avg.) and seven touchdowns. Priest Holmes ran for a career-high 1615 yards and also earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors as he led the league in touchdowns (24) and scoring (144 points).

MVP Profile: Mel Blount, 1975

Cornerback, Pittsburgh Steelers

Age: 27

6^th season in pro football & with Steelers

College: Southern

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 200

Prelude:

A third-round draft choice in 1970, Blount was most notable on kickoff returns as a rookie but worked his way into the lineup by his third year. A master of the bump-and-run, he became a key member of the vaunted defense as Pittsburgh won its first Super Bowl following the ’74 season.

1975 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 11 [1]

Most interceptions, game – 2 at Cleveland 10/5, vs. Kansas City 11/16, at NY Jets 11/30

Int. return yards – 121 [11]

Most int. return yards, game – 47 (on 1 int.) at Houston 11/24

Int. TDs – 0

Fumble recoveries – 0

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 8

Yards – 139

Average per return – 17.4

TDs – 0

Longest return – 23 yards

Postseason: 3 G

Sacks – 0

Interceptions – 1

Int. return yards – 20

Int. TDs – 0

Kickoff Returns – 3

Yards – 64

Avg. Return – 21.3

TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Defensive Player of the Year: AP

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, NEA, Pro Football Weekly

1^st team All-AFC: AP, UPI, Pro Football Weekly, Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Steelers went 12-2 to finish first in the AFC Central while leading the conference in fewest points allowed (162). Won AFC Divisional playoff over Baltimore Colts (28-10), AFC Championship over Oakland Raiders (16-10), and Super Bowl over Dallas Cowboys (21-17).

Aftermath:

Blount followed up with another Pro Bowl season in 1976, the second of an eventual five. He also received consensus first-team All-NFL recognition again in 1981 and at least some consideration in four other seasons. Fast, physical, and durable, he played for 14 years and missed only one game due to injury. He ended up intercepting 57 passes and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1989.

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

[Updated 2/6/14]

1959: Packers Edge Bears in Vince Lombardi’s Debut as Head Coach

On September 27, 1959 the Green Bay Packers not only kicked off a new regular season but a significant new chapter in the franchise’s history. Of course, no one knew at the time how significant that chapter would be, but the team’s new head coach and general manager, Vince Lombardi, was highly regarded and brought a new attitude to Green Bay.

The Packers had once been one of the league’s better clubs, regularly contending and winning six NFL Championships. But the last of those titles had come in 1944, six years before the club’s founder and original coach, Curly Lambeau, resigned. The decade of the 1950s had not been a good one, with just two break-even seasons and a dreadful 1-10-1 record under Ray “Scooter” McLean in ’58. There were whispers that the league’s last small-city Midwestern team would not survive much longer. Lombardi, most recently the offensive coach of the New York Giants, was brought in to restore the franchise to respectability and was granted the necessary authority to reshape the club.

Lombardi had talent to work with, including veteran Pro Bowl center Jim Ringo to anchor the offensive line, end Max McGee, and DT Dave Hanner. There were promising young players available to develop that included QB Bart Starr, FB Jim Taylor, G Jerry Kramer, OT Forrest Gregg, and LB Ray Nitschke. The underachieving Paul Hornung was penciled in to become an option halfback, in the manner of Frank Gifford of the Giants. Through trades, DT Henry Jordan, DE Bill Quinlan, and G Fred “Fuzzy” Thurston were added, as well as 34-year-old veteran safety Emlen Tunnell from New York to lend leadership to the defensive backfield. A five-year veteran quarterback, Lamar McHan, was also obtained to start ahead of Starr.

There were 32,150 fans in attendance for the opening game at Green Bay’s City Stadium. The Bears, coached by owner George Halas, were seven-point favorites and were coming off an 8-4 record in 1958. Chicago was known for its running game, featuring FB Rick Casares and HB Willie Galimore, on offense and a tough defense that included DE Doug Atkins, linebackers Bill George and Joe Fortunato, and DB J.C. Caroline.

The Bears scored first with a 46-yard field goal by John Aveni late in the second quarter. Meanwhile the Packers, with McHan at quarterback, managed to drive inside the Chicago 20 on four occasions through the first three quarters but came up empty each time.

Paul Hornung, the team’s placekicker as well as halfback, missed two field goal attempts, from 19 and 14 yards, that were both wide to the left. A third attempt never got away due to a bad snap from center. The fourth drive was thwarted by an interception.

On the third play of the fourth quarter, Aveni kicked his second field goal from 42 yards out to make it 6-0 in favor of Chicago. However, thanks to Max McGee’s punting with the wind behind him, the Packers were able to put points on the board during the final period.

Midway through the fourth quarter, a 54-yard punt by McGee was fumbled by DHB Richie Petitbon after he had returned it nine yards. The ball was recovered by Jim Ringo at the Chicago 26. From there, Jim Taylor and Hornung alternated carries until Taylor ran five yards for a touchdown on the sixth play of the drive. Hornung’s extra point put the Packers up by one.

With 2:21 left on the clock, McGee, helped by a 30 mph wind at his back, punted 61 yards to pin the Bears down at their two yard line, where the kick went out of bounds. Shortly thereafter, Dave Hanner tackled Bears QB Ed Brown in the end zone for a safety as he searched for an open receiver. It was enough to seal the upset 9-6 win for Green Bay. The new coach was carried off the field by his players after Ringo handed him the game ball (pictured at bottom).

It was a stunning triumph for the Packers, matching their victory total of 1958. Chicago’s well-regarded running game was held to just 75 yards and two first downs by the surprisingly tough Green Bay defense, where the line play was outstanding and linebackers Bill Forester, Tom Bettis, and Dan Currie played notably well. Green Bay led in total yards (262 to 164) and first downs (16 to 10). Each club turned the ball over twice and was penalized five times.

Jim Taylor (pictured above) led all rushers with 98 yards on 22 carries and Paul Hornung added 61 yards on 19 attempts. Lamar McHan completed just 3 of 12 pass attempts for 81 yards while Hornung threw two option passes and was successful on one for 20 yards. No Packer caught more than one pass, with Max McGee gaining 61 yards on his to lead the club.

Chicago quarterbacks Zeke Bratkowski and Ed Brown combined for 10 completions in 23 attempts. Rick Casares gained 29 yards on 11 carries and Willie Galimore was right behind with 28 yards, also on 11 attempts, and led the team in receiving yards with 37 on three pass receptions. Flanker Jim Dooley caught 4 passes for 36 yards.

“We planned the game the way the defense played it,” explained Vince Lombardi. “Just before the kickoff we went over our defense again. It was a team effort.”

Lombardi also reminded the players before the game “about the great football tradition here” and told them “we have a chance to do something about it.”

“We were not up to par,” summed up George Halas regarding the Bears. “We made mistakes.”

The opening-week win for the Packers was the first of three straight before a five-game losing streak (including a 28-17 loss to the Bears in Chicago) dropped their record to 3-5. However, the emergence of Bart Starr as starting quarterback was part of a four-win rally to close out the season at 7-5 and a tie for third place in the Western Conference with the 49ers. The Bears recovered to end up at 8-4 and second in the conference.

Paul Hornung led the NFL in scoring with 94 points as he emerged as a major point-producer – he also led the team with 681 yards on the ground. Jim Taylor lost time due to burns sustained during a home kitchen accident but showed his potential with 452 rushing yards.

The basis was laid for the Packers to win their first of three straight Western Conference titles the next year and five league championships overall under Lombardi. To say the least, more than respectability was achieved.