MVP Profile: Y.A. Tittle, 1962

Quarterback, New York Giants

Age:  36 (Oct. 24)

15^th season in pro football, 13^th in NFL and 2^nd with Giants

College: LSU

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 195

Prelude:

While drafted by the NFL’s Detroit Lions in 1948, Tittle instead signed with the Baltimore Colts of the AAFC. He had an immediate impact, leading the league in yards per attempt (8.7) and throwing for 16 TDs against 9 interceptions. After another year in the AAFC, Tittle and the Colts joined the NFL in 1950, and he led the league in pass completions (161) although the team went a dismal 1-11 and folded. Picked up by the 49ers in ’51, he gradually took over from Frankie Albert as the starting quarterback and was selected to the Pro Bowl following the 1953, ’54, and ‘57 seasons. In 1957 the 49ers tied for first in the Western Conference and Tittle also received MVP consideration. He suffered through an injury-plagued season in 1958 and, and while he bounced back with a Pro Bowl year in ’59, by ’60 found himself in competition with the up-and-coming John Brodie. With Head Coach Red Hickey committing to a shotgun offense for 1961, Tittle was dealt to the New York Giants in the preseason and revived his career as he threw for 2272 yards and 17 TDs. The Giants topped the Eastern Conference and Tittle was selected for the Pro Bowl and received MVP recognition from the Newspaper Enterprise Association.

1962 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 375 [3]

Most attempts, game – 42 vs. Dallas 12/16

Completions – 200 [3]

Most completions, game – 27 vs. Washington 10/28

Yards – 3224 [2]

Most yards, game – 505 vs. Washington 10/28

Completion percentage – 53.3 [9]

Yards per attempt – 8.6 [3, tied with Bart Starr]

TD passes – 33 [1]

Most TD passes, game – 7 vs. Washington 10/28

Interceptions – 20 [6, tied with Charley Johnson & Milt Plum]

Most interceptions, game – 3 at Cleveland 9/16, vs. Philadelphia 11/18

Passer rating – 89.5 [3]

500-yard passing games – 1

300-yard passing games – 4

200-yard passing games – 7

Rushing

Attempts – 17

Most attempts, game – 3 (for -9 yds.) at Pittsburgh 9/30

Yards – 108

Most yards, game – 21 (on 1 att.) at St. Louis 10/7, (on 2 att.) vs. St. Louis 11/4

Yards per attempt – 6.4

TDs – 2

Points

TDs - 2

Points – 12

Postseason: 1 G (NFL Championship vs. Green Bay)

Pass attempts – 41

Pass completions – 18

Passing yards – 197

TD passes – 0

Interceptions – 1

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: UPI, Sporting News

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

1^st team All-Eastern Conference: Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Giants went 12-2 to finish first in the Eastern Conference while leading the NFL in total yards (5005). Lost NFL Championship to Green Bay Packers (16-7).

Aftermath:

Tittle continued his success in 1963, breaking his own record for TD passes with 36, leading the league in passing, and receiving MVP, All-Pro, and Pro Bowl recognition once more. The Giants won the Eastern Conference for the third straight time, but still came up short in the title game against the Bears. The team collapsed in 1964, Tittle’s last season. He retired as NFL career leader in pass attempts (3817), completions (2118), and yards (28,339). The Giants retired his #14, and Tittle 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). 

1991: Patriots Upset Oilers with Late Scoring Drive

The New England Patriots were coming off of a dismal 1-15 record in 1990 and were 1-2 as they faced the powerful Houston Oilers on September 22, 1991. New Head Coach Dick MacPherson, a former college coach at Syracuse, infused a new enthusiasm into the revamped club. They also had talented rookie RB Leonard Russell and a rising star in TE Marv Cook. However, the Patriots had scored only six points in their last two games and Hugh Millen (pictured at right) was getting his first start of the season at quarterback in place of the ineffective Tom Hodson.

The Oilers, coached by Jack Pardee, were coming off four straight playoff seasons and were 3-0 coming into the game at Foxboro. 36-year-old QB Warren Moon was highly productive operating in the run-and-shoot offense. The defense was tough and talented across the board.

There were 30,702 fans in attendance at Foxboro Stadium. The Patriots drove to their 40 on the game’s first possession but had to punt. However, New England got a break when WR Pat Coleman muffed the catch and G Danny Villa recovered at the Houston 24. Four plays later, Jason Staurovsky kicked a 33-yard field goal and the Patriots had the early lead.

The teams traded punts, but the Oilers had good starting field position at the New England 42 following Shawn McCarthy’s short kick. They made the most of it as Warren Moon completed three straight passes and Ian Howfield finished the seven-play series off with a 28-yard field goal to tie the score.

Following a punt by the Patriots, the Oilers had the ball heading into the second quarter but a Moon pass was intercepted by CB Mickey Washington at the New England 45. Leonard Russell ran for 12 yards and, after converting a third down, Hugh Millen passed to WR Greg McMurtry for 20 yards. Another pass, this time an option throw by RB Jon Vaughn to Marv Cook, was good for a 13-yard touchdown and, with Staurovsky’s extra point, a 10-3 lead.

Houston had to punt again and the Patriots gained 32 yards on a Millen-to-Cook pass. However, the Oilers got the ball back three plays later when safety Mike Dumas intercepted a Millen toss and returned it 19 yards to the New England 39. Houston drove to the 11, was set back ten yards by a holding penalty, and ended up with another field goal by Howfield, this time from 38 yards.

The Patriots came right back with a 10-play, 60-yard drive that included a fourth down conversion. Millen completed three passes, two of them to Cook, and Russell finished it off with a two-yard touchdown carry. The PAT was good and New England took a 17-6 lead into halftime.

Moon had struggled in the first half, completing just 9 of his 21 passes, as he dealt with a variety of pass defense coverages on the part of the Patriots. He started the third quarter off with three straight incompletions. The teams traded punts until, with just under four minutes remaining in the period, SS Bubba McDowell picked off a Millen pass to give the Oilers excellent field position at the New England 38. They drove to the eight yard line, but a Moon toss into the end zone was intercepted by CB Jerome Henderson to extinguish the threat.

The Oilers got the ball back on another interception a few plays later in the fourth quarter, with CB Chris Dishman giving them possession at their own 31. This time they didn’t fail to score, going 69 yards in seven plays. RB Lorenzo White picked up 20 yards on three straight runs and then Moon connected with WR Ernest Givins for 19 yards to the New England 30. Four plays later – and after a penalty backed them up – Moon hit WR Curtis Duncan for a 35-yard touchdown. Howfield added the extra point and the New England lead was cut to 17-13.

The Patriots punted and Houston again put points on the board. The Oilers went 69 yards in eight plays highlighted by Moon’s completion to WR Drew Hill for 33 yards to the New England 18. With just under two minutes left on the clock, Moon tossed a five-yard TD pass to Duncan and, with Howfield’s PAT, Houston held the lead for the first time at 20-17 and appeared to have the game in hand.

Starting at their own 17 after the ensuing kickoff, the Patriots advanced down the field with Millen completing his first four passes, three of them to Cook (pictured below), to move into Houston territory. A penalty and two incompletions had them facing a third-and-15 situation at midfield, but Millen connected with WR Michael Timpson for 16 yards and followed up with a 34-yard touchdown pass to McMurtry. There were just six seconds remaining as the Patriots completed their 83-yard drive, and they came away with a 24-20 upset win.

The Oilers had a small lead in total yards (353 to 343) while New England led in first downs (23 to 18). Houston’s defense recorded five sacks as opposed to none by the Patriots. Each team turned the ball over three times apiece. The Oilers were hurt by being penalized 11 times, at a cost of 111 yards, to four flags thrown on New England.

Hugh Millen completed 22 of 33 passes for 244 yards and a touchdown, but was intercepted three times. Marv Cook had 10 catches for 99 yards and a TD. Leonard Russell ran for 85 yards on 19 carries that included one for a score.

For the Oilers, Warren Moon was successful on just 20 of 44 throws for 268 yards and two TDs along with two interceptions. Haywood Jeffires had 7 pass receptions for 98 yards. Lorenzo White paced the ground game with 53 yards on 8 attempts.

“It was critical for the morale of our offense to know that we can come back and win a game like this in the final minute,” said Greg McMurtry, whose game-winning TD was the first of his career.

New England was able to win only sporadically the rest of the way, but ended up with a 6-10 record for fourth place in the AFC East. Houston recovered to win four straight games and six of their next seven on the way to topping the AFC Central at 11-5. However, they again fell short at the Divisional round of the playoffs.

Hugh Millen continued to start at quarterback and completed 60.1 percent of his passes for 3073 yards and nine touchdowns, but also 18 interceptions. Marv Cook received consensus first-team All-NFL as well as Pro Bowl honors as he caught 82 passes for 808 yards and three TDs. Greg McMurtry (pictured at left) was less consistent, finishing with 41 catches for 614 yards (15.0) average and one other scoring catch following the game-winner against the Oilers. Leonard Russell rushed for 959 yards and was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press.

1969: Steelers Edge Lions in Chuck Noll’s Coaching Debut

The Pittsburgh Steelers were rebuilding once again with a new head coach as they opened the 1969 NFL season against the Detroit Lions on September 21. Since coming into the league in 1933 the Steelers had known far more losing seasons than winning ones, including 1968 when they went 2-11-1. Chuck Noll (pictured at right), a defensive assistant most recently with the Colts, replaced the departed Bill Austin as head coach. A promising defensive tackle out of North Texas State, “Mean Joe” Greene, had been drafted in the first round and the club had also drafted a quarterback, Notre Dame’s Terry Hanratty, but it would be the mediocre Dick Shiner behind center for the opener. Third-round draft pick FB Warren Bankston out of Tulane was in the game due to injuries to halfbacks Dick Hoak and Don McCall; Noll shifted Earl Gros to halfback and started Bankston at fullback.

The Lions, coached by former star linebacker Joe Schmidt, were coming off a 4-8-2 record in ’68 but seemed to be in a much better position entering the new season. The offense featured QB Bill Munson, HB Mel Farr, TE Charlie Sanders, and C Ed Flanagan and there were rising stars on defense such as CB Lem Barney and LB Paul Naumoff.

There was a crowd of 51,360 in attendance at Pitt Stadium. In the first quarter, Bankston fumbled and safety Tom Vaughn recovered for the Lions at the Pittsburgh 29. Detroit got a first down but the series stalled and Errol Mann kicked a 23-yard field goal for the first score of the game.

Later in the opening period, Detroit FB Bill Triplett fumbled the ball away with DT Chuck Hinton recovering at the Lions’ 27. Dick Shiner threw two incomplete passes and ran for seven yards before Gene Mingo booted a 27-yard field goal to tie the score.

The Steelers put together a drive in which they picked up four first downs during the second quarter. After going 58 yards to the Detroit 11, the home team could get no further and Mingo kicked another field goal, this time from 18 yards. Pittsburgh got a break a few plays later when Munson, being sacked by Hinton, fumbled and the Steelers gained possession at the Detroit 24. However, following two runs by Bankston, Earl Gros fumbled the ball back to the Lions.

The turnovers continued as LB Jerry Hillebrand intercepted a Munson pass and returned it 14 yards to the Detroit 24. It resulted in another Mingo field goal, this time from 40 yards, for a 9-3 Pittsburgh lead.

The Lions suffered yet another turnover when Mel Farr fumbled after catching a pass at the Pittsburgh 46. With only 12 seconds left in the half, Shiner went long but was picked off by Lem Barney, who returned it 32 yards to the Pittsburgh 28. The clock was now down to four seconds and Mann tried a 37-yard field goal that sailed wide to the right. The Steelers maintained their six-point lead at the intermission.

Early in the third quarter the Steelers punted and Bobby Walden’s 56-yard kick sailed to the Detroit three. The Lions had to punt it back and gave Pittsburgh good field position near midfield. However, the offense couldn’t take advantage and Mingo missed on a 45-yard field goal try. The Lions responded by moving the ball effectively but a pass to WR Earl McCullouch in the end zone was dropped and Mann kicked a 23-yard field goal to narrow Pittsburgh’s margin to 9-6.

Half way through the fourth quarter, Bankston fumbled for the second time and DT Alex Karras recovered at the Pittsburgh 27. A defensive holding penalty moved the Lions closer and finally Munson found McCullouch in the end zone, who held on for a 12-yard TD. Mann converted the PAT and the disgruntled home fans booed loudly with the score now 13-9 in favor of the visitors.

The Steelers responded by covering 68 yards in seven plays. Following the ensuing kickoff, Shiner was sacked by DE Joe Robb for a three-yard loss and he then threw an incomplete pass to make it third-and-long. A toss to TE John Hilton picked up 23 yards to keep the possession alive and moved the ball into Detroit territory at the 48.

With time running down, WR Roy Jefferson ran for 12 yards on an end-around and then caught a pass for seven more. A key play occurred when Shiner threw for Jefferson again but safety Mike Weger tipped the ball. However, Jefferson alertly grabbed it and went out of bounds at the Detroit six for a 23-yard gain. Bankston, who had the two costly fumbles, redeemed himself as he scored the go-ahead touchdown on a six-yard run around end in which he broke three tackles. There was still time, but on a fourth-and-one play the Lions failed to convert when Triplett was stopped short and the Steelers held on for a 16-13 win.

Total yards were split almost evenly, with Pittsburgh edging the Lions by a yard (237 to 236). Detroit had more first downs (14 to 12). The Lions recorded four sacks as opposed to one for Pittsburgh while both teams turned the ball over four times apiece.

Dick Shiner (pictured above) completed 10 of 26 passes for 143 yards with one intercepted. Warren Bankston ran for 52 yards and a TD on 14 carries. Roy Jefferson caught four passes for 47 yards and John Hilton gained 68 yards on his three receptions.

For the Lions, Bill Munson was successful on 19 of 34 throws for 160 yards and a TD with one interception. Mel Farr ran the ball 10 times for 35 yards and caught 10 passes for 59 more yards.

The win was the high point of a long season for the Steelers. They lost all of their remaining games to end up at 1-13. Detroit recovered to place second in the Central Division at 9-4-1.

Things would get progressively better for Chuck Noll and the Steelers, however. With the first overall pick in 1970 they took QB Terry Bradshaw and they would make other astute personnel moves that would have them in the playoffs by 1972 and produce the franchise’s first NFL title in ’74. By the end of the decade it would be four Super Bowls won. Noll lasted until 1991 and compiled a record of 193-148-1, plus another 24 wins in the postseason. 

Rookie of the Year: Franco Harris, 1972

Fullback, Pittsburgh Steelers

Age: 22

College: Penn State

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 230

Prelude:

Following a college career in which he played in the shadow of HB Lydell Mitchell at Penn State, Harris was chosen by the Steelers in the first round (13^th overall) of the 1972 NFL draft. It was hoped that he would provide needed depth at running back and he was also valued for his blocking ability.

1972 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 188 [15]

Most attempts, game - 21 (for 61 yds.) at Houston 12/10

Yards – 1055 [6]

Most yards, game – 138 yards (on 15 carries) at Buffalo 10/29

Average gain – 5.6 [4]

TDs – 10 [3]

100-yard rushing games – 7

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 21      

Most receptions, game – 4 (for 26 yds.) vs. Cleveland 12/3

Yards – 180

Most yards, game - 39 (on 2 catches) vs. Cincinnati 11/5

Average gain – 8.6

TDs – 1

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 8

Yards – 183

Average per return – 22.9

TDs – 0

Longest return – 32 yards

Scoring

TDs – 11 [7]

Points – 66

Postseason: 2 G

Rushing attempts – 34

Most rushing attempts, game – 18 vs. Oakland, AFC Divisional playoff

Rushing yards – 140

Most rushing yards, game - 76 vs. Miami, AFC Championship

Average gain rushing – 4.1

Rushing TDs – 0

Pass receptions – 7

Most pass receptions, game - 5 vs. Oakland, AFC Divisional playoff

Pass receiving yards - 99

Most pass receiving yards, game - 96 vs. Oakland, AFC Divisional playoff

Average yards per reception – 14.1

Pass Receiving TDs - 1

Awards & Honors:

NFL Rookie of the Year: NEA

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA

AFC Rookie of the Year: UPI, Sporting News

2^nd team All-NFL: AP, NEA

1^st team All-AFC: Sporting News

2^nd team All-AFC: UPI

Pro Bowl

Steelers went 11-3 to finish first in the AFC Central while ranking second in the NFL in rushing yards (2520). Won AFC Divisional playoff over Oakland Raiders (13-7). Lost AFC Championship to Miami Dolphins (21-17).

Aftermath:

Harris had a lesser year in 1973 due to nagging injuries, rushing for 698 yards and averaging almost two yards less per carry than during his rookie season (3.7). Still, he was again chosen to the Pro Bowl. Harris overcame early injuries in ’74 to rush for 1006 yards and was outstanding in the postseason, in particular with 158 yards in a MVP performance as the Steelers won the Super Bowl over Minnesota. It was the first of six straight thousand-yard seasons and eight overall. He was selected to nine straight Pro Bowls, was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection once, and received at least some All-NFL or All-AFC recognition in five other years. Harris played 12 seasons with the Steelers and finished up in 1984 with a year in Seattle. At the time of his retirement, his 12,120 rushing yards ranked third in NFL history (with 11,950 of that coming with Pittsburgh, the most in franchise history). His 100 touchdowns ranked fifth and he added 1556 rushing yards and 17 TDs in playoff games. Harris was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1990. 

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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). 

1985: McMahon Comes Off Bench to Rally Bears Past Vikings

The Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings were both 2-0 as they faced off in Minneapolis on September 19, 1985. The Bears, coached by Mike Ditka, were well-established as a tough defensive club. Defensive Coordinator Buddy Ryan’s aggressive unit had led the NFL in total defense and set a record with 72 sacks in 1984. Colorful QB Jim McMahon (pictured above) was a tough and effective leader of the offense – when he was able to play. Injuries were a nagging problem, and back and neck injuries suffered in the previous week’s game put him in traction during the week and made him unlikely to face the Vikings; his backup, Steve Fuller, would start in his place.

The Vikings were coming off a dreadful 3-13 season under Head Coach Les Steckel, necessitating the return of his predecessor, the highly-esteemed Bud Grant, to right the ship. After missing 20 games due to injury over the course of the previous two years, QB Tommy Kramer was back and healthy and he had an exciting new target to pass to in WR Anthony Carter, a refugee from the USFL.

There were 61,242 fans in attendance for the Thursday night game at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. The Bears got the first break when CB Leslie Frazier intercepted a pass by Kramer to give Chicago the ball at the Minnesota 37. Steve Fuller completed two 12-yard passes to WR Willie Gault but, after having first-and-goal at the eight, the Bears had to settle for a 24-yard field goal by Kevin Butler.

The Vikings responded with a 10-play drive that covered 61 yards. They converted two third downs, on Kramer passes to WR Mike Jones for 13 yards in a third-and-four situation and to Jones again for 12 yards while facing third-and-six at the Chicago 29. Jan Stenerud kicked a 25-yard field goal and the score was 3-3 after a quarter of play.

The teams traded punts in the second quarter until the Bears advanced to the Minnesota 16. However, Fuller was sacked by DE Mark Mullaney for a loss of seven yards and a pass into the end zone was picked off by CB Carl Lee.

Chicago got the ball back four plays later when punter Greg Coleman dropped the snap and CB Shaun Gayle recovered at the Minnesota 22. Five carries by star RB Walter Payton gained 20 yards but the Bears were unable to penetrate the goal line and Butler kicked another field goal, this time from 19 yards.

Minnesota regained possession with 3:15 remaining in the half. Kramer threw to Anthony Carter for 16 yards to get the ball into Chicago territory and completions to TE Mike Mularkey and Carter picked up another 31 yards. Two plays later, Kramer connected with Carter in the corner of the end zone for a 14-yard TD and, with Stenerud’s extra point, the Vikings took a 10-6 lead into halftime.

The Bears started off the third quarter with Fuller throwing to Gault for a 21-yard gain on the way to a 34-yard Butler field goal that narrowed Minnesota’s margin to 10-9. However, the Vikings turned around and went 66 yards in 10 plays. In a third-and-nine situation at his own 45, Kramer threw to WR Buster Rhymes for a 33-yard gain and the series ended with Kramer completing a nine-yard touchdown pass to Mike Jones.

Down by 17-9, and with 7:32 remaining in the third quarter, Jim McMahon came off the bench to relieve Fuller. It didn’t take him long to make his presence felt. On his first play, McMahon went long to WR Willie Gault for a 70-yard touchdown that, with the successful extra point tacked on, narrowed Minnesota’s margin to 17-16.

Five plays into the Vikings’ next possession, Chicago LB Wilbur Marshall intercepted a Kramer pass. It set up another McMahon scoring pass, this time to WR Dennis McKinnon for 25 yards. In just two plays, McMahon had completed two passes for 95 yards and two scores.

McMahon and the Bears still weren’t done with third quarter scoring. Following a punt by the Vikings, and with 33 seconds remaining in the period, McMahon completed a six-play, 68-yard drive by connecting with McKinnon again for a 43-yard TD. McMahon had tossed three touchdown passes in a little more than seven minutes of action and the third quarter ended with Chicago in the lead by 30-17.

The reeling Vikings encountered more problems when their next series reached the Chicago 30 after Kramer completed a pass to Rhymes for 36 yards. They could move no further and a field goal try was aborted when the snap sailed over the holder’s head. The Bears gained possession at the Minnesota 44 and advanced to the 17 before Butler missed on a 34-yard field goal try.

Kramer threw to TE Steve Jordan for a 23-yard gain and two plays after that the Vikings got back on the board as Kramer connected with Carter for a 57-yard touchdown. There was still 9:19 remaining in the contest and it was a six-point game.

McMahon wasted no time in moving the Bears down the field. On the first play following the ensuing kickoff, he went deep to McKinnon for a 46-yard gain to the Minnesota 34. From there they moved to the 18 before Butler booted a 31-yard field goal.

Minnesota’s next series lasted just two plays as Kramer completed a short toss to Jordan, but the tight end fumbled it away. The Bears came up empty when Butler was wide on a 45-yard field goal attempt, but there were less than two minutes remaining and time ran out on the Vikings. Chicago won by a score of 33-24.

The Bears outgained Minnesota (480 yards to 445) but the Vikings had the edge in first downs (23 to 21). Minnesota had difficulty running the ball, gaining just 34 yards on the ground in 15 carries. Kramer was also sacked four times and the Vikings turned the ball over on five occasions, to just one suffered by Chicago.

In less than a half of action, Jim McMahon completed 8 of 15 passes for 236 yards and three touchdowns with none intercepted. Steve Fuller was 13 of 18 for 124 yards with no TDs and one picked off. Willie Gault (pictured at right) had a huge performance with 6 catches for 146 yards and a touchdown and Dennis McKinnon was right behind with four receptions for 133 yards and two TDs. Walter Payton, hindered by bruised ribs, rushed for 62 yards on 15 carries and added 5 catches for 17 yards.

For the Vikings, Tommy Kramer went to the air 55 times with 28 completions for 436 yards and three touchdowns, but also tossed three interceptions. Anthony Carter caught four of those passes for 102 yards and two scores, Steve Jordan contributed 5 catches for 66 yards, and Buster Rhymes gained 89 yards on three receptions. RB Darrin Nelson led the miniscule ground game with 18 yards on 5 attempts.

“I didn’t plan to use Jim before the game, but he said he knew what was going on and said ‘you can use me if you need me’,” explained Mike Ditka of the decision to send McMahon into the game in the third quarter.

The Bears went on to post a 15-1 record on the way to winning a NFL title. The defense remained the dominant factor in the club’s success, and Jim McMahon missed a total of three games, but when healthy he completed 56.9 percent of his passes for 2392 yards and 15 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. Willie Gault caught 33 passes for 704 yards (21.3 avg.) and Dennis McKinnon had 31 receptions for 555 yards (17.9 avg.) and seven touchdowns. Walter Payton, still great in his 11^th season at age 31, rushed for 1551 yards.

Minnesota recovered to win at Buffalo the following week but lost three of its next four games on the way to a 7-9 tally and third place in the NFC Central. Tommy Kramer passed for 3522 yards and 19 TDs, but also a league-leading 26 interceptions. Anthony Carter had a fine first year in the NFL with 43 catches for 821 yards (19.1 avg.) and eight touchdowns and Steve Jordan led the club with 68 pass receptions.

1965: Namath Sees First Pro Action, But Chiefs Hold Off Jets

The American Football League’s New York Jets were coming off a 5-8-1 record in 1964 and slowly but steadily improving under the guidance of Head Coach Weeb Ewbank. Rookie FB Matt Snell made a big impact on the offense and, in the offseason, the Jets made a big splash by drafting and signing QB Joe Namath out of Alabama. His then-huge $400,000 contract, used to lure him away from the St. Louis Cardinals, the team holding his NFL draft rights, was enough to bring notoriety. While the Jets invested in other rookies, including Heisman-winning QB John Huarte of Notre Dame, it was Namath who got the big publicity and buildup. The only concern was that, while he had tremendous potential, he already had a bad knee that had required surgery.

Ewbank was determined to not rush his star rookie into the lineup and announced that QB Mike Taliaferro, a backup in ’64, would start the 1965 season behind center. Taliaferro went the distance in a Week 1 loss to the Oilers at Houston.

On September 18, 1965 the Jets played their home-opening game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs, coached by Hank Stram, were 7-7 in ’64 and coming off a bad loss to the Raiders in their first game. The Chiefs had talent but had underachieved since moving from Dallas to Kansas City following a title-winning campaign in 1962. QB Len Dawson was a precision passer who led the AFL in that category for the second time in ’64. Curtis McClinton and Mack Lee Hill were productive running backs. The offensive line was solid and the defense, if all hands stayed healthy, was sound as well.

There was a crowd of 53,658 on hand at Shea Stadium for the Saturday contest. The Chiefs went three-and-out on their first possession and the Jets, getting into scoring territory on a series highlighted by FB Matt Snell’s 15-yard run, came up empty when Jim Turner was short on a field goal attempt.

Neither offense was moving effectively but a pass interference penalty gave the Jets a first down at the Kansas City 15 on their next possession. Mike Taliaferro overthrew flanker Don Maynard twice and was loudly booed by the home fans. This time they got points, however, as Turner booted a 19-yard field goal.

Early in the second quarter, the Jets again failed to move well on offense as Taliaferro missed receivers and Turner suffered a blocked field goal try. But following a punt by the Chiefs, Joe Namath entered the game to an ovation from the crowd.

The first series was quiet as the rookie quarterback handed off three times and the Jets had to punt. Kansas City CB Willie Mitchell returned the kick 54 yards to the New York 30. The Chiefs made the most of the great starting field position five plays later as Len Dawson connected with split end Chris Burford in the back of the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown. Tommy Brooker’s extra point was good and the Chiefs were in front by 7-3.

On the next series for the Jets, Namath immediately went to the air and hit Maynard for 18 yards, but the play was nullified by a holding penalty. Namath’s first official completion was to Snell and actually lost four yards as New York again failed to move effectively and had to punt.

The Chiefs moved the ball well on offense but, with a third down at the New York 47, Dawson was sacked for a 15-yard loss by DT Paul Rochester and they had to punt. The score remained 7-3 at the half.

The Jets started off the third quarter by driving into Kansas City territory, primarily thanks to Snell’s three carries for 21 yards, but dropped passes caused the series to stall and Jim Turner’s field goal try was partially blocked.

Following a trade of punts, the Chiefs had another short series and had to kick the ball away. However, Jerrel Wilson’s punt was deflected back to him by Rochester and his second kick went only 11 yards to give New York the ball at the KC 28. Snell ran for 9 yards on first down but the Jets could get no further. On fourth-and-one, they went for it and Snell was stopped for no gain by DE Jerry Mays and LB Sherrill Headrick.

The Chiefs moved well offensively until the drive finally stalled at the New York 48 early in the fourth quarter and they punted. Namath threw to Maynard for 14 yards but was again victimized by dropped passes. Following a penalty on the Chiefs, the rookie quarterback faded back and had the ball knocked out of his hand by LB Bobby Bell, who recovered and carried to the New York 24. Kansas City wasted no time in capitalizing as on the next play Dawson threw to Burford for a touchdown.

The teams once again traded punts before the Jets put together a scoring drive. Namath threw a pass to split end Bake Turner that gained 10 yards and then, looking deep for Turner again, the Chiefs were called for interference. Namath went long for Maynard and it was complete for a 37-yard touchdown. Jim Turner’s successful conversion made it a four-point game.

The Chiefs managed to eat up valuable time on the following series and the Jets got the ball back with just over two minutes remaining. Namath completed two passes but a long throw on fourth-and-three fell incomplete to effectively end the game. Kansas City held on to win by a score of 14-10.

The statistics reflected the closeness of the score – and the difficulty both offenses had in moving the ball. The Jets led in total yards (231 to 224) and first downs (14 to 9). They also sacked Dawson four times, while allowing just one sack themselves. However, New York gave up the game’s only turnover, and it led to a touchdown for the Chiefs. KC was penalized 7 times, at a cost of 117 yards, while New York was flagged only once. Kansas City also punted the ball 11 times, to just five by the Jets, but Jim Turner was unsuccessful on three of his four field goal attempts.

Len Dawson had a rather ordinary day by his standards as he completed 10 of 20 passes for 118 yards, but two of them were good for touchdowns and none were intercepted. Chris Burford had four catches for 58 yards and both TDs. Mack Lee Hill gained 65 yards on 13 carries and Curtis McClinton added 58 yards on 15 attempts.

For the Jets, Joe Namath was successful on 11 of his 23 passes for 121 yards and a TD, also without an interception. Several of his misses were on target but dropped. Mike Taliaferro was a woeful 4-of-12 for 24 yards. Bake Turner had 5 catches for 41 yards while Don Maynard gained 83 yards on four receptions that included a score. Matt Snell ran the ball 19 times for 82 yards.

Kansas City ended up at 7-5-2 to place third in the AFL Western Division. The Jets continued to struggle, losing two games, tying one, and then losing again before reeling off four straight wins (including one over the Chiefs in their second meeting at Kansas City). They went on to finish second in the Eastern Division, although they cooled off down the stretch and again produced a 5-8-1 record.

Joe Namath took over the starting job at quarterback for all intents, although Mike Taliaferro continued to see action. While Namath completed only 48.2 percent of his passes (he would never have high completion percentages throughout his career), they were good for 2220 yards and 18 touchdowns with 15 interceptions. He received Rookie of the Year recognition and was chosen for the AFL All-Star Game.  The big investment the Jets had made in the quarterback known as “Broadway Joe” would pay off in big years to come.

1967: Unitas Passes for 401 Yards as Colts Defeat Upstart Falcons

On September 17, 1967 the Atlanta Falcons traveled to Baltimore to begin their second season against the Colts. Coach Norb Hecker’s Falcons had gone 3-11 as a first-year expansion team in 1966, but all three of the wins came late in the year to give the enthusiastic fans hope for ’67. QB Randy Johnson started as a rookie, and took his lumps accordingly, but showed promise. Ex-Packer HB Junior Coffey performed well running the ball, and another prize rookie, MLB Tommy Nobis, quickly established himself as the key player on defense.

The Falcons faced a formidable opening-week foe in the Baltimore Colts. Coached by Don Shula, they were typically one of the league’s better teams and coming off a 9-5 season. As he had been for a decade, 34-year-old QB Johnny Unitas (pictured above) was the key to the well-balanced offense. The defense was tough both up front – where they had made it even tougher by drafting Michigan State All-American DE Bubba Smith – and in the backfield.

There were 56,715 fans in attendance at Memorial Stadium. It looked easy for the Colts when, on the first play from scrimmage, Unitas connected with HB Tom Matte for an 88-yard touchdown. However, the Falcons tied the game quickly when DB/flanker Ron Smith returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a TD. Both extra points were successfully added and the score stood at 7-7. Before the opening quarter was over, Lou Michaels kicked a 16-yard field goal to put the Colts back in front.

In the second quarter, the Colts put together a 76-yard scoring drive. Unitas passed to flanker Jimmy Orr for 18 yards and, following a three-yard gain on a running play, connected with Orr again on a 55-yard bomb for a touchdown.

CB Bobby Boyd picked off a Randy Johnson pass and returned it 30 yards for a TD to expand the margin to 24-7. The Colts weren’t done yet in the first half as Unitas passes to TE John Mackey set up a three-yard scoring run by FB Tony Lorick. Baltimore was up by 24 points at halftime and the lead appeared to be impregnable.

Atlanta began to rally in the third quarter. An 82-yard drive ended with Johnson throwing a pass to TE Tax Anderson for a 21-yard touchdown. Later in the period Wade Traynham booted a 48-yard field goal to narrow Baltimore’s lead to 31-17.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, the Falcons crept closer as CB Lee Calland intercepted a Unitas pass and returned it 77 yards for a touchdown. With the successful extra point, Atlanta was down by only 31-24.

The Colts, who had been quiet thus far offensively in the second half, responded by driving 82 yards capped by Matte (pictured at left) running 10 yards for a TD. The Falcons didn’t fold, however, and a big play got them back down the field quickly. Johnson completed a pass to Ron Smith for a 60-yard gain to set up his own 17-yard scoring carry. With another successful PAT, the Falcons had pulled to within a touchdown of the Colts with two minutes left.

There was not to be a big upset, however. Atlanta got the ball back for one last try but LB Mike Curtis finally sealed the 38-31 win for the Colts with an interception at the Baltimore 40.

The Colts led significantly in total yards (508 to 303) and first downs (20 to 13) as two of Atlanta’s scores were not produced by the offense. The Falcons hurt themselves with five turnovers, which helped put them in their deep second quarter hole, as opposed to two suffered by Baltimore.

Johnny Unitas broke his own franchise single-game passing yardage record (397 in 1959) as he completed 22 of 32 passes for 401 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. It would remain his career high. John Mackey had 8 catches for 126 yards and, with the long scoring play, Tom Matte added 99 yards on his two receptions to go along with a team-leading 36 yards on 10 rushing attempts that also included a TD.

For the Falcons, Randy Johnson was successful on 18 of 29 throws for 217 yards and a TD but also tossed four interceptions. In addition, Johnson rushed for 39 yards and a touchdown on four carries, which also led the club. Junior Coffey was right behind as he ran for 38 yards on 13 attempts; he also caught 6 passes for another 20 yards. Ron Smith (pictured at right), with his one long reception, topped the team with 60 receiving yards. Added to his 139 kickoff return yards that included a TD and 22 yards on punt returns, Smith touched the ball 6 times for 221 total yards.

Following the high-scoring Week 1 battle, the fate of the two teams diverged significantly. The Colts were tied twice but didn’t lose until the last week of the season – although the loss to the Rams was enough to deprive them of the Coastal Division title and a spot in the postseason despite an 11-1-2 record.

The Falcons didn’t match their opening point total in any of their remaining games and, in fact, scored just 14 points in losing their next three games and the next time they met the Colts they lost 49-7. The final tally was 1-12-1 as Atlanta finished at the bottom of the division with the NFL’s worst record.

Johnny Unitas went on to receive consensus league MVP honors as well as being a first-team All-NFL and, for the tenth time, Pro Bowl selection. He led the league in completion percentage (58.5) and ranked second in pass attempts (436), completions (255), and yards (3428).

Ron Smith ranked fifth in the NFL in all-purpose yards with 1337, which included a league-leading 976 yards on kickoff returns. In the only season of his ten-year career in which he was used on offense, he caught 11 passes for 227 yards (20.6 avg.) and ran the ball 8 times for 42 yards.