1963: Steelers Rally But Missed Extra Points Cause Tie with Eagles

The Pittsburgh Steelers started off their 1963 NFL season against the cross-state rival Eagles in Philadelphia on September 15. Coming off a promising 9-5 record in ’62, Steelers Head Coach Buddy Parker had agreed to stay on for another year. While Hall of Fame-bound QB Bobby Layne, who was showing a great deal of wear, had retired, the Steelers had ex-Bears QB Ed Brown available to direct the offense. FB John Henry Johnson was coming off his finest pro season, having rushed for 1141 yards, and there was an excellent deep receiver available in split end Buddy Dial. Tragically, the defense lost DT Gene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb to an offseason drug overdose, but overall the unit was a good one. DE Lou Michaels (pictured above) doubled at the team’s placekicker and was coming off a season in which he had set a NFL record with 26 field goals – his ups and downs would play a significant role in the opening contest.

For Head Coach Nick Skorich’s Eagles, 1962 had been an injury-plagued disaster. Just two years removed from a NFL title, Philadelphia went 3-10-1 to drop to the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Following a record-breaking season in 1961, QB Sonny Jurgensen still led the NFL in passing yards with 3261 but also in interceptions with 26. Nevertheless, the offense contained formidable weapons in flanker Tommy McDonald, TE Pete Retzlaff, and HB Timmy Brown, who had broken out in ’62 to set a league record for all-purpose yards with 2306.  

It was an overcast and raw day at Franklin Field with 58,205 fans in attendance. The Steelers gained a pair of first downs on their initial series of the game, both on runs by HB Dick Hoak, but eventually had to punt after reaching the Philadelphia 45.  

The Eagles responded with a 10-play, 87-yard drive that started with Sonny Jurgensen connecting with Tommy McDonald (pictured below) for a 43-yard gain and ended with another Jurgensen to McDonald throw for a 13-yard touchdown. In between, Jurgensen kept the drive going with a 27-yard completion to Pete Retzlaff in a third-and-10 situation and a quarterback sneak that converted a fourth down.

On their next possession, following a punt by the Steelers, the Eagles again moved into Pittsburgh territory but CB Dick Haley intercepted a Jurgensen pass at the 38. Still, the Steelers couldn’t move effectively on offense and punted. While Timmy Brown took off for a 21-yard gain to start the series, the Eagles punted early in the second quarter.

The Steelers came alive on offense as Ed Brown completed passes to TE Preston Carpenter, Buddy Dial, and HB Tom Tracy. The drive stalled and Lou Michaels kicked a 38-yard field goal to reduce Philadelphia’s margin to 7-3.

The teams traded turnovers. Pittsburgh CB Brady Keys mishandled a punt and rookie LB Lee Roy Caffey recovered for the Eagles at the Steelers’ 44. But on the next play, Timmy Brown fumbled a handoff and LB George Tarasovic got the ball back for Pittsburgh. The Steelers went eight yards in three plays and Michaels kicked a club-record 50-yard field goal to make it a one-point contest. Michaels had a chance to put the Steelers in front at the end of the half but his try, again from 50 yards, fell short. Philadelphia took the slender 7-6 lead into halftime.

Early in the third quarter, John Henry Johnson fumbled and LB Maxie Baughan recovered for the Eagles at the Pittsburgh 41. The home team made the most of the break, driving to a six-yard touchdown pass from Jurgensen to TE Ralph “Catfish” Smith.

Late in the period the Steelers tried another field goal but Michaels was wide to the left from 37 yards out. Pittsburgh got the ball back on a turnover and advanced to the Philadelphia 10 as the period ended and started off the fourth quarter with a 17-yard Michaels field goal. The margin for the Eagles was cut to 14-9.

Pinned deep in their own territory following the kickoff, the Eagles were forced to punt and King Hill booted the ball 62 yards, which Keys again muffed when he tried to pull it in over his shoulder. However, this time he picked up his own fumble and ran 71 yards down the right sideline before being dropped at the Philadelphia three yard line. Two plays later, Johnson dove for a one-yard TD but CB Irv Cross blocked the extra point attempt. Still, Pittsburgh was ahead by a score of 15-14.

Safety Clendon Thomas picked off a Jurgensen pass on the next series, but the Eagles came back to score again. On a third-and-five play at their own 25, Jurgensen tossed a bomb to McDonald for a 75-yard touchdown and, with rookie Mike Clark’s third successful extra point added, regained the lead at 21-15.

Thomas returned the ensuing kickoff 41 yards to give the Steelers good field position at the 50. Seven plays later, Ed Brown threw to Johnson for an 11-yard TD. However, once again the extra point attempt went awry as the kick by Michaels hit the right upright and bounced back.

Neither team was able to break the deadlock in the time remaining. The game ended with the Steelers at the Philadelphia 25 following a pass from Ed Brown to Dial. Time ran out with the score tied at 21-21.

The Eagles outgained the Steelers (353 yards to 315) although Pittsburgh accumulated more first downs (21 to 14). Philadelphia had difficulty running the ball, gaining just 58 yards on the ground to 109 for the Steelers, and the Eagles also turned the ball over four times, to two suffered by Pittsburgh.

Ed Brown completed 18 of 34 passes for 234 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Buddy Dial (pictured at right) caught 7 of those throws for 116 yards. Dick Hoak led the Steelers in rushing with 55 yards on 15 carries while John Henry Johnson contributed 40 yards on 13 attempts and caught three passes for 16 yards and a TD via each. Lou Michaels was successful on three of five field goal attempts, but his two failures in three tries for extra points doomed the Steelers to a tie rather than a win.

For the Eagles, Sonny Jurgensen was successful on 16 of 26 passes for 322 yards and three TDs with two intercepted. Tommy McDonald had a huge performance with 7 catches for 179 yards and two touchdowns. Timmy Brown paced the running attack with a modest 24 yards on 7 carries but, indicative of his all-around skills, gained 79 yards on four pass receptions.

“We got a bad game out of our system, and we got away with it,” said Buddy Parker.

There was additional drama – and nearly a tragedy – during the game that most were unaware of until it was reported afterward. Pittsburgh LB John Reger was knocked unconscious when making a tackle at the end of the first quarter and swallowed his tongue. Swift action by the team doctors saved him from choking.

The Steelers would go on to tie three games, and it would play a role in the race for the Eastern Conference title. Pittsburgh was 7-3-3 going into the last game of the season against the 10-3 Giants in New York and, with ties not affecting a team’s winning percentage at that time, the Steelers could have finished first in the Eastern Conference with a win. They lost to the Giants to end up fourth at 7-4-3.

Lou Michaels went on to kick 21 field goals on 41 attempts and missed only one more extra point in the remaining games. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl. Buddy Dial also had a Pro Bowl year, catching 60 passes for 1295 yards (21.6 avg.) and nine touchdowns.

The Eagles endured another disappointing and injury-marred season, with Sonny Jurgensen missing five games. They again ended up at the bottom of the conference with a 2-10-2 record.

Tommy McDonald caught 41 passes for 731 yards (17.8 avg.) and eight TDs. It was not one of his most productive years in Philadelphia, no doubt affected by Jurgensen missing significant time. Timmy Brown broke his record for all-purpose yards as he rolled up a total of 2428 (841 rushing, 487 pass receiving, 945 on kickoff returns, 152 returning punts).

2003: Jamal Lewis Runs for 295 Yards as Ravens Beat Browns

The Baltimore Ravens were 0-1, having lost badly at Pittsburgh in Week 1, as they hosted the Cleveland Browns on September 14, 2003. Head Coach Brian Billick’s team was coming off a 7-9 record in ’02 with many first and second year players on the roster. Known for their solid defensive play, they were starting a rookie, Kyle Boller, at quarterback and were heavily dependent on RB Jamal Lewis to carry the offense. Lewis was two years removed from a torn ACL that had cost him an entire season, but he rushed for 1327 yards in 2002 and showed no ill effects from his knee trouble.

The Browns, coached by Butch Davis, were also 0-1 after a low-scoring loss to the Colts. They had gone a surprising 9-7 in ’02 to reach the postseason. The team’s quarterback controversy had, at least for the moment, been settled with backup Kelly Holcomb starting ahead of the inconsistent Tim Couch. RB William Green led the running game and there was a good group of receivers. But the defense was in flux.

There was a crowd of 69,473 in attendance at M & T Bank Stadium. The tone for the game was set on the second play from scrimmage when Jamal Lewis, showing off his breakaway speed to go along with his power-running ability, ran 82 yards for a touchdown.

Following a punt by the Browns, Lewis took off for a 23-yard gain. The Ravens advanced to the Cleveland 26, converting a fourth down along the way, but Matt Stover’s 44-yard field goal attempt was unsuccessful.

The Browns fumbled the ball right back and Baltimore went 45 yards in nine plays, the big ones passes from Kyle Boller to WR Travis Taylor for 19 yards in a third-and-10 situation and 26 yards to WR Frank Sanders to the Cleveland two yard line. The Browns stopped Lewis on three straight carries and the Ravens settled for a 20-yard Stover field goal. It was 10-0 in favor of the home team after a quarter of play.

The teams traded punts as the game moved into the second quarter before Boller was intercepted by FS Earl Little, who returned it 21 yards to give the Browns possession at the Baltimore 21. They couldn’t move the ball but Phil Dawson kicked a 44-yard field goal to get them on the board.

The Ravens responded with a scoring drive of their own that was keyed by Lewis blasting up the middle on the first play for 48 yards to the Cleveland 12. A penalty backed Baltimore up from there but they came away with a Stover field goal from 40 yards for a 13-3 lead.

Following a short Cleveland punt, the Ravens gained just eight yards in seven plays but ended up with a franchise-record 56-yard field goal by long-range PK Wade Richey (it was Richey’s only field goal for the Ravens). That was it for the first half scoring and Baltimore went into halftime winning by 16-3. Notably, Lewis had already rushed for 180 yards.

Neither offense was able to move to start the third quarter and traded punts, but one of them was returned for 44 yards by Baltimore DB Lamont Brightful to the Cleveland 26. However, the Ravens failed to capitalize when Boller fumbled and DT Orpheus Roye recovered for the Browns. Cleveland put together an eight-play, 62-yard drive that featured a pass from Kelly Holcomb to WR Dennis Northcutt for 27 yards. The series stalled at the Baltimore 17 and Dawson booted a 35-yard field goal to make it a ten-point game.

A short series by the Ravens resulted in a punt, but the teams quickly traded turnovers. With Boller out of the game with a knee injury, new Ravens QB Chris Redman fumbled to give the Browns the ball at the Baltimore 22 and they scored in five plays that were capped by Holcomb tossing a five-yard touchdown pass to WR Kevin Johnson. Dawson converted the extra point and Cleveland was now just three points behind at 16-13.

However, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Lewis made another big run, going 63 yards down the middle for a TD. Stover’s PAT gave the Ravens a ten-point margin once again. The Browns reached the Baltimore 45 on the next series and had to punt, pinning the Ravens back at their eight. While Lewis had a 19-yard carry around end, Baltimore again had to kick the ball away.

Time was now working against the Browns and, while Holcomb threw two completions, they couldn’t get beyond the Baltimore 38. An incomplete pass setting up a fourth-and-two situation was followed by a sack of Holcomb that lost 13 yards and gave the Ravens the ball back on downs.

Lewis carried four times and FB Alan Ricard contributed a 30-yard run as the Ravens went 38 yards in eight plays. Stover capped the series with a 21-yard field goal that made the tally 26-13 with less than two minutes remaining. The game ended with SS Ed Reed intercepting a Holcomb desperation pass and returning it 54 yards for a touchdown. What had for a time been a close game ended up being a 33-13 win for Baltimore.

With his many long gains, Jamal Lewis set a new NFL single-game rushing record with 295 yards on 30 carries that included two touchdowns. As a team, the Ravens set a franchise mark with 343 yards on the ground, part of a total of 393 yards of offense in comparison to Cleveland’s 175. Baltimore also had the edge in first downs (14 to 9). Each team turned the ball over three times.

Beyond the huge performance by Lewis, which broke the record of 278 yards set by Cincinnati’s Cory Dillon in 2000, there wasn’t much of a passing game. Kyle Boller completed 7 of 17 throws for 78 yards with no touchdowns and one intercepted, and in relief Chris Redman went to the air only once. Travis Taylor was the club’s top receiver with two catches for 27 yards.

For the Browns, Kelly Holcomb was successful on 17 of 37 passes for 147 yards and a TD with two picked off. Kevin Johnson had 6 catches for 34 yards and a touchdown and Dennis Northcutt gained 62 yards on his 5 receptions. William Green led the running game with 54 yards on 17 attempts.

“On a day like today, I can’t regret anything,” said Jamal Lewis. “It was beautiful.”

It was all part of a season in which Lewis joined the exclusive 2000-yard rushing club with a total of 2066 on 387 carries (5.3 avg.) and 14 touchdowns. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl selection, was selected as the NFL Offensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press, and received NFL Most Valuable Player honors from the Pro Football Writers. His single-game record lasted until 2007 when Adrian Peterson of the Vikings exceeded it by a yard.

The Ravens compiled a 10-6 record to top the AFC North. They lost to Tennessee in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Cleveland had a disappointing year, going 5-11 and finishing at the bottom of the division. Jamal Lewis added to the misery by not only rushing for a record total against them, but when the teams met again in Cleveland he gained 205 yards, giving him 500 yards against one team in a season. 

Rookie of the Year: Mike Anderson, 2000

Running Back, Denver Broncos

Age: 27 (Sept. 21)

College: Utah

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 235

Prelude:

Anderson took an unusual path to the NFL. He was late in entering college as he spent four years in the US Marine Corps following high school, where he played in the marching band rather than on the football team. Upon leaving the Marines, he entered Mt. San Jacinto Community College and began playing football, moving on to Utah from there. He was chosen by the Broncos in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL draft and, when injuries depleted the running back corps early in the season, moved into the lineup.

2000 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 297 [10]

Most attempts, game - 37 (for 251 yds.) at New Orleans 12/3

Yards – 1487 [4]

Most yards, game – 251 yards (on 37 carries) at New Orleans 12/3

Average gain – 5.0 [7]

TDs – 15 [2, 1st in AFC]

200-yard rushing games – 1

100-yard rushing games – 6

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 23      

Most receptions, game – 6 (for 41 yds.) vs. San Diego 11/19

Yards – 169

Most yards, game - 41 (on 6 catches) vs. San Diego 11/19

Average gain – 7.3

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 15 [5, tied with Randy Moss]

2-pt conversion – 1

Points – 92

Postseason: 1 G (AFC Wild Card playoff at Baltimore)

Rushing attempts – 15

Rushing yards – 40

Average gain rushing – 2.7

Rushing TDs – 0

Pass receptions – 2

Pass receiving yards - 10

Average yards per reception – 5.0

Pass Receiving TDs - 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA

Broncos went 11-5 to finish second in the AFC West and qualify for a Wild Card spot in the playoffs while leading the conference in total yards (6554), scoring (485 points), and touchdowns (58). Lost AFC Wild Card playoff to Baltimore Ravens (21-3).

Aftermath:

Anderson had a lesser season in 2001, rushing for 678 yards, and split time with injury-ridden star RB Terrell Davis. He was shifted to fullback in 2002, where he played well while running for 386 yards and blocking for rookie Clinton Portis. After another good year at fullback in ’03, Anderson lost all of 2004 with a knee injury. He returned to the running back position in ’05 and ran for 1014 yards. Signing as a free agent with the Baltimore Ravens, he backed up RB Jamal Lewis and saw scant action in 2006 and ’07, his last two seasons. Overall, Anderson rushed for 4067 yards on 919 carries (4.4 avg.) with 37 touchdowns and, never a proficient receiver out of the backfield, caught 92 passes for 727 yards and five more TDs.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL, 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 11/30/14]

1976: Late Rally Propels Raiders Over Steelers

Two of the strongest teams in the NFL’s American Football Conference faced off in a season-opening game on September 12, 1976. The Oakland Raiders had won their fourth straight AFC West title in ’75 under Head Coach John Madden, although they had once again come up short of reaching the Super Bowl. QB Ken “The Snake” Stabler (pictured at right) guided a talented offense and the defense was a tough veteran unit. One notable change was that, after nine years with the Raiders and 26 as a pro, 48-year-old placekicker and reserve QB George Blanda had finally been forced into retirement by rookie PK Fred Steinfort.

The visiting Pittsburgh Steelers were coming off back-to-back NFL titles. Coached by Chuck Noll, they were solid in every way, with QB Terry Bradshaw, the running of FB Franco Harris and HB Rocky Bleier, the talented young wide receiver tandem of Lynn Swann and John Stallworth, and the best overall defense in the NFL featuring such stalwarts as DT “Mean Joe” Greene (coming off an injury in ’75), DE L.C. Greenwood, MLB Jack Lambert, OLB Jack Ham, and CB Mel Blount.

There were 51,371 fans in attendance at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum for the big opening week matchup. The Raiders drove to the Pittsburgh 30 on the first series of the game, but Fred Steinfort’s 47-yard field goal attempt was blocked. Following a punt by the Steelers, Oakland again drove into Pittsburgh territory. Ken Stabler converted a third-and-five situation at his own 33 with a pass to WR Cliff Branch that gained 16 yards and three plays later, facing third-and-13, “The Snake” again went to Branch, this time for 26 yards to the Pittsburgh 28. But after advancing to the 14, Stabler tried for Branch in the end zone and was intercepted by FS Glen Edwards. The Raiders once more came up empty.

The Steelers advanced to the Oakland 35 with Rocky Bleier and Franco Harris running effectively and Terry Bradshaw completing one pass, to Bleier for 21 yards. But on a second down play, Bleier fumbled after making another good run and LB Monte Jackson recovered for the Raiders.

Finishing off the opening period, Stabler completed passes to HB Clarence Davis for nine yards and FB Mark van Eeghen for 16 yards to the Pittsburgh 45. Five plays into the second quarter, Stabler connected with TE Dave Casper (pictured at left) for a 30-yard touchdown. Steinfort’s extra point put the home team up by 7-0.

After the teams traded punts, the Steelers drove down the field, once again thanks to the solid running of Harris and Bleier. An 18-yard gain by Harris on a draw play put the visitors on the Oakland six, but the Steelers were finally halted at the two yard line. They came away with nothing when Roy Gerela was wide on the short 20-yard field goal try.

After the Raiders punted again, the Steelers took over at their 14 and put together a nine-play, 86-yard series. A pass on third-and-eight from Bradshaw to Bleier picked up 24 yards and was followed by an 11-yard completion to Lynn Swann to the Oakland 49. Three plays later, another Bradshaw pass down the middle to Harris picked up 39 yards to the five yard line and Bleier finished off the possession with a two-yard touchdown carry. Gerela tied the score at 7-7 and that was the tally at the half.

Neither team was able to mount much offense in the third quarter until midway through the period when, with the ball at the Pittsburgh 37, Bradshaw threw to Harris who ran for 25 yards before FS Jack Tatum grabbed him around the legs. As Harris was being tackled, he lateraled to John Stallworth, and he proceeded to the end zone for a 63-yard touchdown.

Stabler threw interceptions to end each of the next two Oakland possessions. The second one gave Pittsburgh the ball at the Raiders’ 39 and on the third play of the fourth quarter Bradshaw connected with WR Theo Bell for an 11-yard touchdown. The Steelers were up by 21-7.

The Raiders responded by driving 67 yards in seven plays. Stabler completed three passes, the last one to WR Fred Biletnikoff making a diving catch for a 21-yard TD. But Pittsburgh came back with a series that included two Bradshaw completions to Stallworth, for 25 and 20 yards, and helped by two penalties on the Raiders, reached the Oakland three from where Harris ran up the middle for a touchdown.

Stabler was picked off by Mel Blount on Oakland’s next play from scrimmage and, with less than six minutes left on the clock, the Steelers were ahead by 28-14 and driving. But with a first down at the Oakland 19, Harris fumbled and Monte Johnson recovered for the Raiders at the 25.

Making the most of the break, Stabler completed three straight passes and, following a facemask penalty on the Steelers and an 11-yard run by RB Pete Banaszak, he completed one more to Casper for a ten-yard TD.

The reeling Steelers had a short series followed by a punt that was partially blocked and gave Oakland the ball at the Pittsburgh 29. Stabler tossed three straight incomplete passes before, on a fourth-and-ten play, he hit Branch for 27 yards to the two. “The Snake” rolled out on the next play and ran the last two yards and, with Steinfort’s successful conversion, the game was tied at 28-28.

With time running out and the Steelers trying to win the game in regulation, Bradshaw fired a pass intended for rookie WR Ernie Pough that was deflected by DT Dave Rowe and picked off by LB WIllie Hall, who returned it to the Pittsburgh 12. Steinfort kicked a 21-yard field goal to put the Raiders ahead with 21 seconds remaining. Time ran out for the Steelers following two Bradshaw completions to the Oakland 48, and the Raiders came away with a dramatic 31-28 win.

Statistically, the game was as even as the final score. Oakland had a slight edge in total yards (440 to 438) and first downs (28 to 24). The Steelers gained more yards on the ground (196 to 116) while the Raiders were more proficient through the air (324 to 242). Each team recorded two sacks apiece. Oakland turned the ball over four times, to three suffered by Pittsburgh.

Ken Stabler completed 21 of 38 passes for 342 yards and three touchdowns, but also gave up four interceptions. Dave Casper had 7 catches for 124 yards and two TDs and Cliff Branch and Fred Biletnikoff had four receptions apiece, for 83 and 67 yards, respectively. Pete Banaszak led the Raiders with 41 rushing yards on 10 carries and Mark van Eeghen was right behind as he gained 40 yards on 13 attempts.

For the Steelers, Terry Bradshaw was successful on 15 of 27 throws for 253 yards with a TD and an interception. Rocky Bleier (pictured at right) ran for 73 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries and Franco Harris added 68 yards on 18 attempts that also included a score, although he also had the big fumble. John Stallworth caught 6 passes for 94 yards.

“It changed the game around,” said Franco Harris of his key fumble in the fourth quarter. “It’s hard to say what happened, I was just trying to get by one man.”

The Raiders lost only one game all season as they topped the AFC West at 13-1 and advanced to a Super Bowl win over the Vikings. They met Pittsburgh again for the AFC Championship, the Steelers having recovered from a slow 1-4 start to finish first in the AFC Central at 10-4. Pittsburgh had been Oakland’s nemesis in the postseason, having eliminated them in the previous two years on their way to the top, and three times in four meetings commencing with the “Immaculate Reception” win in 1972. But in 1976, it was the Raiders stopping Pittsburgh’s drive to a potential third straight NFL title and grabbing the Lombardi Trophy for themselves.

Ken Stabler went on to be a first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl selection, as well as winning the Bert Bell Trophy as NFL Player of the Year. He led the league in passing (103.4 rating), completion percentage (66.7), yards per attempt (9.4), and touchdown passes (27). Cliff Branch (46 catches, 1111 yards, 12 TDs) and Dave Casper (53 catches, 691 yards, 10 TDs) joined him with the All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors.

Fred Steinfort, however, lasted just half the season after converting on only four of eight field goal attempts and 16 of 19 extra points. He would catch on with Atlanta the next year and go on to a seven-season career, with his greatest success coming as a member of the Denver Broncos.

1978: Danmeier Kicks 4th FG & Vikings Beat Broncos in Overtime

The Minnesota Vikings were 0-1 after losing in a sloppy performance at New Orleans as they hosted the Denver Broncos on September 11, 1978. Head Coach Bud Grant’s team had dominated the NFC Central with 9 division titles over the previous 10 years, but had not won a Super Bowl and star QB Fran Tarkenton was giving indications that this would be his last season.

The Broncos were AFC Champions in 1977, although they lost badly to Dallas in the Super Bowl. Coached by Red Miller, they were carried by their tough “Orange Crush” defense while veteran QB Craig Morton guided the conservative offense. Denver started off in Week 1 with a win over the division-rival Raiders.

There were 45,508 fans in attendance for the nationally-televised Monday night game at Metropolitan Stadium. What they saw was dominance by both defenses. An early series by the Broncos ended with the Vikings recovering a lateral that went awry at the Denver 23. The Vikings converted a fourth down at the 13 but three plays later WR Sammy White dropped a pass in the end zone and Minnesota settled for a 24-yard field goal by Rick Danmeier, a nondescript placekicker who had spent the ’77 season on injured reserve. He was filling the shoes of Fred Cox, who retired following 15 productive years in Minnesota.

The defenses dominated the rest of the half. The closest scoring opportunity came when Denver drove into Minnesota territory and, as the game headed into the second quarter, reached the 10 yard line. However, a third-down pass was picked off in the end zone to end the threat. The turnover-prone Broncos could not move the ball effectively and the Vikings were plagued by dropped passes. The score remained 3-0 at halftime.

Minnesota took the second half kickoff and drove to another Danmeier field goal, this time from 46 yards. CB Nate Wright intercepted a Morton pass on the next series and the Vikings drove inside the Denver five but the Broncos stiffened and Danmeier booted a 21-yard field goal.

Down 9-0, backup QB Norris Weese (pictured below) relieved Morton for the Broncos. Early in the fourth quarter, DE Lyle Alzado blocked a Minnesota punt to give Denver the ball at midfield. The big special teams play brought the Broncos to life on offense and they drove to a one-yard touchdown carry by FB Jon Keyworth, although DT Alan Page blocked the extra point attempt to keep it a three-point game.

A short series by the Vikings resulted in a punt, but a good return by WR Rick Upchurch was nullified by a penalty and Weese threw a long interception. Minnesota ran time off the clock and punted, with the Broncos regaining possession with a little less than two minutes remaining in regulation.

Weese directed Denver on a 37-yard drive to the Minnesota five, but the clock was down to 11 seconds left and the Broncos were out of timeouts. Weese rolled out to his right, was unable to find a receiver, and was tackled for the loss of a yard. The officials stopped the clock with three seconds remaining, ruling that it was a sack and not a running play.

An infuriated Coach Bud Grant, showing uncharacteristic emotion, ran onto the field to argue the stopping of the clock with the referee and was restrained by Page. Both he and Tarkenton insisted that Weese had left the pocket and was thus a runner. The Broncos were able to get the kicking team onto the field before the last seconds ticked off and Jim Turner booted a 25-yard field goal to tie the score at 9-9 and send the game into overtime.

With Tarkenton nursing a hand injury, Grant put second-year backup QB Tommy Kramer into the game for the overtime period. The Vikings won the toss to gain first possession, and that was all they would need. The winning drive in overtime went 56 yards in 10 plays. Key events along the way were Kramer running for a first down, completing a pass to HB Robert Miller that gained 14 yards, and a 15-yard personal foul penalty called on Denver nose tackle Don Latimer.

At just under three minutes into the extra period, Danmeier kicked a 44-yard field goal – his fourth with no misses – to win the game for the Vikings by a score of 12-9.

In a contest that featured two tough defenses, the Broncos had the edge in total yards (231 to 206) and first downs (18 to 13). However, they also turned the ball over six times, to three by the Vikings, and Denver quarterbacks were sacked six times.

Fran Tarkenton completed 13 of 27 passes for just 98 yards with no TDs and three interceptions. In the overtime period, Tommy Kramer went two-of-seven for 22 yards. RB Chuck Foreman rushed for 59 yards on 22 carries and caught four passes for 28 more yards. Robert Miller had the most receiving yards for the Vikings with 31 on his three receptions. Rick Danmeier was the scoring star with his first four NFL field goals.

For the Broncos, Craig Morton was successful on 9 of 21 throws for 90 yards with two intercepted before giving way to Norris Weese, who completed 6 of 11 for 81 yards and had one picked off. HB Otis Armstrong had 64 rushing yards on 14 attempts. Jon Keyworth gained just 13 yards on 6 carries, but one was for a TD and he led the team with four pass receptions, for 27 yards. WR Haven Moses had 53 yards on three catches. 

“With three seconds to go, how can you put a ball in play and get the kicking team on the field?” asked Bud Grant of the key official timeout that allowed the Broncos to kick a field goal at the end of regulation. “There is no explanation, to my way of thinking.”

“It was the famous quarterback rollout and if I can’t pass to someone I throw it away,” explained Norris Weese. “I couldn’t find anyone open and was lucky enough to be ruled as being sacked after trying to pass the ball. If the officials ruled I was stopped on a running play, time would have run out and we wouldn’t have got the field goal.”

The Vikings went on to once again win the NFC Central, but with a mediocre 8-7-1 record. They lost handily to the Rams in the Divisional playoff round. Denver recovered to win its next three games and topped the AFC West at 10-6. The Broncos also lost in the Divisional round, to Pittsburgh.

Rick Danmeier had a respectable season as he was successful on 12 of his 19 field goal attempts and 36 of 37 extra point conversions. One of the last straight-ahead placekickers, he played for six years with the Vikings, through 1982. Overall, he kicked 70 field goals and scored 364 points.

1960: Chargers Come From Behind to Defeat Texans

On September 10, 1960 two of the most highly-regarded teams in the new American Football League made their regular season debut at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

The Los Angeles Chargers were coached by Sid Gillman, the most experienced of the new circuit’s head coaches as he had previously led the NFL Rams and had one Western Conference title under his belt. LA had signed a fair amount of good young talent, some with pro experience, including QB Jack Kemp (pictured above) who had brief stints in the NFL and CFL after coming out of Occidental.

The visiting Dallas Texans were owned by AFL founder Lamar Hunt and coached by Hank Stram, a highly-regarded college assistant who had most recently been at Purdue. The team had a distinctively Lone Star State composition, starting with QB Cotton Davidson, formerly of Baylor, and including rookie FB Jack Spikes from TCU and quick-footed HB Abner Haynes of North Texas State. Dallas rolled impressively through the preseason without a loss.

There were 17,724 in attendance for the Saturday night game. The Texans went three-and-out on their first possession and Los Angeles fumbled the ball away to end its first series. Taking over at the LA 42, Dallas advanced to the 20 but a 27-yard field goal attempt by Jack Spikes was no good.

Following a punt by the Chargers, the Texans drove 60 yards in eight plays. They ran the ball effectively and Cotton Davidson completed three passes, including one for 16 yards to end Max Boydston and a 12-yard touchdown throw to end Chris Burford. Spikes missed the extra point try and the score remained 6-0 heading into the second quarter.

Following another LA punt early in the period, Dallas, starting from its own six yard line, put together a long drive. The Texans converted four third downs as Davidson completed four passes and ran for three yards on a quarterback sneak. Spikes ran for a touchdown from a yard out and this time was successful in adding the PAT. The visitors were ahead by 13-0.

The teams traded punts before the Chargers came through with a big play. Jack Kemp connected with end Ralph Anderson for a 46-yard TD and, with Ben Agajanian’s extra point, the Dallas lead was cut to six points.

The Texans responded by going 80 yards in 12 plays. Davidson (pictured below) started off with a screen pass to Abner Haynes that gained 17 yards and followed up with a throw to Boydston to the LA 47. With time running out in the half, Davidson primarily kept the ball in the air. Spikes ran for three yards to convert a fourth-and-one at the LA 26 and three plays later Davidson passed to Haynes for a 17-yard touchdown. Spikes again converted the extra point and the score stood at 20-7 in favor of Dallas at the half.

The Chargers went three-and-out to start the third quarter and again the Texans drove into scoring position. Reaching the LA 22, Dallas lined up to attempt a field goal but a bad snap sailed past holder Hunter Enis and gave Los Angeles the ball at the Dallas 49. However, the Chargers were unable to capitalize when their drive reached the 29 and Agajanian’s try for a field goal was blocked.

Following a punt by the Texans, the Chargers advanced to the Dallas eight. But HB Paul Lowe was stopped for no gain, Kemp tossed two incomplete passes, and on fourth-and-goal Kemp was sacked to end the threat. The Dallas lead appeared to be safe heading into the fourth quarter.

The Texans again punted and the Chargers took over at their 32. Kemp completed three straight passes to get the ball into Dallas territory. It seemed as though LA would again come up empty when Kemp threw an incomplete pass on a fourth-and-two play at the Dallas 43, but the Texans were called for pass interference and the series kept going. Lowe ran for seven yards and then tossed an option pass to Anderson for 24 yards to the eight yard line. Three plays later Kemp scrambled for a seven-yard touchdown and Agajanian’s extra point made the tally 20-14.

The Texans went three-and-out on their next possession and punted once more but had the Chargers backed up to their ten yard line. LA used 15 plays to cover the 90 yards. Along the way, a Kemp fumble was erased by a penalty on the Texans and a third-and-15 situation was converted when Kemp connected with flanker Royce Womble for a 36-yard gain to the Dallas 41. Again a pass interference penalty on a fourth-down play kept the Chargers alive and Kemp finally tossed a four-yard scoring pass to FB Howie Ferguson. Agajanian’s critical extra point try was successful and Los Angeles was ahead by one with just over two minutes remaining on the clock. The Texans still had a chance but Davidson threw an interception to seal the 21-20 win for the Chargers.

Los Angeles outgained the Texans (354 yards to 294) and had the edge in first downs (22 to 21). Each team turned the ball over once, although the Texans were penalized seven times to two flags thrown on the home team.

Jack Kemp completed 24 of 41 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns with none intercepted; he also ran the ball 7 times for 19 yards and a TD. Royce Womble caught 7 passes for 92 yards and Ralph Anderson gained 103 yards on 5 receptions that included a score. Unheralded HB Paul Lowe led the ground game with just 20 yards on 8 carries while Howie Ferguson was right behind with his 19 yards on 8 attempts.

For the Texans, Cotton Davidson was successful on 22 of 40 throws for 230 yards and two TDs with one interception. Jack Spikes (pictured below) ran for 62 yards on 9 carries and scored a touchdown. Abner Haynes only rushed for 15 yards on three attempts but had 7 pass receptions for 62 yards and a score.

The Chargers lost their next two games and were 2-3 before winning eight of their last nine and topping the Western Division at 10-4. They lost the AFL title game to the Houston Oilers. They also relocated to San Diego for the 1961 season, having failed to draw in Los Angeles despite having an exciting offensive team.

Jack Kemp led the AFL in passing and was an All-League selection, throwing for 3018 yards and 20 touchdowns. Paul Lowe would carry more of the load on offense as the season progressed and finished second in the league with 855 rushing yards.

Dallas finished second in the division at 8-6. Abner Haynes ended up not only being Rookie of the Year but Player of the Year as well as he paced the AFL in rushing with 875 yards and in all-purpose yards with 2100. 

MVP Profile: Jim Brown, 1963

Fullback, Cleveland Browns

Age: 27

7^th season in pro football & with Browns

College: Syracuse

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 228

Prelude:

Following an outstanding career at Syracuse, in which he distinguished himself as an all-around athlete (lacrosse, basketball, track & field) as well as in football, Brown was chosen in the first round of the 1957 NFL draft by the Browns. With his blend of speed, power, and agility, he moved quickly into the starting lineup as a rookie, leading the league in rushing with 942 yards that included a single-game record at the time of 237 yards. He received MVP as well as Rookie of the Year honors, was a consensus first-team All-Pro and was selected to the Pro Bowl. In 1958, Brown set a new single-season rushing record with 1527 yards, again receiving MVP honors, and continued to lead the NFL in rushing in 1959, ’60, and ’61. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection as well as Pro Bowl selection following all of those seasons. In 1962 Brown dropped to 996 rushing yards and, while he again received Pro Bowl honors, received only second-team All-NFL recognition from UPI. In a down season for the Browns, he achieved career highs in pass receptions (47) and receiving yards (517).

1963 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 291 [1]

Most attempts, game - 29 (for 179 yds.) at St. Louis 12/1

Yards – 1863 [1]

Most yards, game – 232 yards (on 20 carries) at Dallas 9/22

Average gain – 6.4 [1]

TDs – 12 [1]

200-yard rushing games – 2

100-yard rushing games – 9

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 24      

Most receptions, game – 4 (for 86 yds.) at NY Giants 10/13, (for 14 yds.) at Pittsburgh 11/10

Yards – 268

Most yards, game - 100 (on 3 catches) vs. Washington 9/15

Average gain – 11.2

TDs – 3

Passing

Attempts – 4

Completions – 0

Yards – 0

TDs – 0

INT – 0

All-purpose yards – 2131 [2]

Scoring

TDs – 15 [1]

Points – 90 [5]

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: UPI, NEA, Bert Bell Award

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

1^st team All-Eastern Conference: Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Browns went 10-4 to finish second in the Eastern Conference while leading the NFL in rushing (2639 yards).

Aftermath:

Having broken his own single-season rushing record in 1963, Brown was again the NFL’s leading rusher in 1964 and ’65, his last two seasons, giving him eight titles in nine years. Along the way he set numerous records as well as a new standard for running backs to be measured against. He retired as the all-time leader in rushing (12,312 yards) and touchdowns (126). Brown averaged 5.2 yards per carry and 104.3 yards per game over the course of his career. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in all nine seasons, was a first-team All-Pro eight times, and received MVP recognition on four occasions. Brown’s #32 was retired by the Browns and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1971.

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