1993: Mitchell Rallies Dolphins After Marino Suffers Season-Ending Injury

Dan Marino was starting his 145th straight game, the NFL record for a quarterback at the time (if not counting strike games with replacement players in 1987), as the Miami Dolphins faced the Cleveland Browns on October 10, 1993. A prolific passer to go along with his durability, Marino was approaching major career records (he came into the game just 45 TD passes behind Fran Tarkenton’s record of 342, for instance) and was off to another fine start in ’93. Head Coach Don Shula’s Dolphins were 3-1, although there were concerns regarding Miami’s defense, which was having injury problems. DE Marco Coleman and DE/LB David Griggs, two of the most effective pass rushers, were out for the game at Cleveland.

The Browns, coached for the third year by Bill Belichick, were also 3-1 but having problems on offense. Veteran QB Bernie Kosar was having trouble moving the team and, in each of the previous two games, backup Vinny Testaverde, obtained after six seasons in Tampa Bay, had relieved him.

The crowd in attendance at Municipal Stadium numbered 78,138 and they saw the Browns take the opening kickoff and drive 74 yards in eight plays, highlighted by WR Michael Jackson tossing a 16-yard pass to RB Eric Metcalf on a fake reverse. Jackson was in turn the recipient of a 14-yard touchdown pass from Kosar as Cleveland took the early lead.

Cleveland’s offense reverted to form and the teams traded punts until, early in the second quarter, Marino passed the Dolphins into Cleveland territory and Pete Stoyanovich kicked a 52-yard field goal.

The Browns went three-and-out on their next series and Miami responded with a 10-play, 63-yard scoring drive. Marino completed all six of his passes, with two of them converting third downs, and connected with WR Mark Ingram for a 13-yard TD. Stoyanovich added the PAT and the Dolphins were ahead by 10-7.

Cleveland’s next series ended when Metcalf fumbled after catching a pass and CB Bruce Alexander recovered for the Dolphins. Marino again moved the Miami offense efficiently down the field, starting off with passes covering 15 yards to TE Keith Jackson and 17 yards to WR Irving Fryar. But after another short completion, Marino was sacked and, on the next play, was injured as he planted his right foot while throwing a pass to RB Terry Kirby and had to be helped off the field. While it was not yet known, he would not return again in 1993.

Backup QB Scott Mitchell (pictured at top), a lefthander who had thrown a total of eight passes over the course of the previous three seasons, came into the game for the Dolphins with his team at the Cleveland 10. It did not seem promising for Miami when his first pass was intercepted by CB Najee Mustafaa and returned 97 yards for a touchdown, setting a new franchise record. The Browns took a 14-10 lead into halftime.

The teams traded punts to start the third quarter. On their second series, the Dolphins moved 60 yards in six plays. Mitchell passed to Fryar for a 30-yard gain to the Cleveland 24 and, three plays later, connected with WR Tony Martin for a 19-yard touchdown.  Stoyanovich’s PAT had the visitors up by three points at 17-14.

The Browns punted following a short possession and Miami put together another scoring drive, taking 9 plays to go 53 yards. Mitchell completed three passes along the way and had a 16-yard run out of shotgun formation for a first down in a third-and-12 situation. A three-yard pass to Keith Jackson was good for a TD and, following the successful conversion, a ten-point lead.

It was more than enough for the Dolphins. Their next series, early in the fourth quarter, ended with a failed 36-yard Stoyanovich field goal attempt. The Browns, now with Vinny Testaverde in the game at quarterback, drove to the Miami 22 but Matt Stover was wide on a 39-yard field goal try. Following a punt by the Dolphins, Cleveland again mounted a threat but, reaching the Miami nine, Testaverde threw a pass that was intercepted by DB Chris Green and effectively sealed the game for Miami. The Dolphins won by a final score of 24-14.

Miami easily outgained the Browns (338 yards to 202) and had more first downs (20 to 16). The Dolphins also recorded six sacks, to just one by Cleveland. The Browns turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by the Miami – although it was a spectacular one.

Before his injury, Dan Marino was having a fine performance as he completed 14 of 19 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown with none intercepted. Scott Mitchell followed up with 10 completions in 16 attempts for 118 yards and two TDs along with the one interception. The running backs Terry Kirby and Keith Byars weren’t very successful running the ball but were the team’s top receivers – Kirby caught 7 passes for 61 yards while gaining just 12 rushing yards on 14 carries and Byars had 5 receptions for 51 yards while running for 26 yards on 8 attempts.

For the Browns, Bernie Kosar was successful on 15 of 19 throws, but for only 82 yards and the early TD. In relief, Vinny Testaverde was 6-of-13 for 44 yards with no touchdowns and one interception, and was also sacked five times. Still, he was also the team’s leading rusher with 37 yards on three carries. Eric Metcalf caught 9 passes for 66 yards and ran 7 times for 36 yards.

Dan Marino’s injury proved to be a torn Achilles tendon and he was officially done for the season. He reappeared on crutches along the sideline during the second half.

“Sometimes you take it (playing every game) for granted,” reflected Marino. “You line up for every play and you think nothing will happen to you. And then, all of a sudden, it does and it’s a shock.”

Scott Mitchell started the next three games for the Dolphins, which were all wins, before he was sidelined by a shoulder injury. Miami kept winning, including one that made Don Shula the winningest coach in NFL history, and had the NFL’s best record at 9-2 heading into December before the bottom fell out and they lost their remaining games to finish second in the AFC East and out of the playoffs with a 9-7 tally.

As for Cleveland, there was also change at quarterback with Vinny Testaverde being named the starter for the following week’s game.

“We’re not a very good offensive team right now,” explained Coach Belichick. “Vinny moved the team downfield twice in the fourth quarter. That’s been missing.”

The Browns won their next two contests with Testaverde at quarterback but, when he was injured, Kosar returned to the starting lineup, the team lost, and in a shocking move the popular nine-year veteran was released. Todd Philcox started at quarterback until Testaverde was able to come back and the Browns won only twice more all season to place third in the AFC Central with a 7-9 record.

Scott Mitchell ended up completing 57.1 percent of his 233 passes for 1773 yards with 12 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. It was enough to draw the interest of teams looking for a potential upgrade at quarterback and he signed a big contract to play for the Detroit Lions in 1994. 

1966: Mira Leads 49ers to Upset of Packers

The San Francisco 49ers had gotten off to a slow start in the 1966 NFL season. They were 0-2-1 as they prepared to host the powerful Green Bay Packers on October 9. Following their first winning season in four years (7-6-1 in ’65), Head Coach Jack Christiansen’s team had plenty of talent on offense but also had a suspect defense and was coming off of two big losses to the Colts and Rams. Tenth-year QB John Brodie received a big contract extension in the offseason but endured two rough performances in those defeats. George Mira (pictured above), a third-year backup out of Miami, was getting his first start of the season at quarterback in place of Brodie, with the hope that his darting, scrambling style would prove effective against the vaunted Packers defense.

The prospect of facing Head Coach Vince Lombardi’s Packers did not promise any relief for the 49ers. Green Bay was the defending NFL Champion and off to a 4-0 start. QB Bart Starr didn’t typically throw often, but he was efficient when he did and had tossed six touchdown passes as opposed to just one interception thus far. The veteran backfield duo of FB Jim Taylor and HB Paul Hornung was wearing down, but the receiving corps was effective and the defense solid from front to back. If there was one discordant note for the Packers coming into San Francisco, it was that they had been having recent difficulty in games at Kezar Stadium, having not won there since 1963 (in 1965 they tied the 49ers in the last game, which forced a playoff for the Western Conference title with the Colts).

There were 39,290 fans in attendance at Kezar Stadium on a sunny afternoon. In the first quarter, the Packers drove to the San Francisco 32 yard line as Taylor and Hornung ran to good effect, but Don Chandler missed a 39-yard field goal attempt.

Following a San Francisco punt, Green Bay moved even deeper into 49ers territory on a series highlighted by Bart Starr throwing to split end Max McGee for a 39-yard gain, but, after getting to the eleven, had to settle for a Chandler field goal try that was successful from 18 yards.

Two possessions later, Mira’s first scoring pass came on a play when his mobility was put to good use. He first ran to his right and then reversed field to avoid the rush and threw on the run to HB John David Crow at the Green Bay one who then dove into the end zone for a 27-yard touchdown.

After the teams traded punts, Mira was shaken up in the second quarter and had to leave the game briefly. When John Brodie came onto the field as his replacement, he was greeted with a shower of boos from the home crowd. He did complete a six-yard pass to FB Ken Willard, but a 41-yard field goal attempt by Tommy Davis was unsuccessful with 29 seconds left in the half. Still, the Niners carried a 7-3 lead into the intermission.

The Packers had the first possession of the third quarter, and facing second-and-eight at their own 47, the 49ers put on a heavy rush and dumped Starr for a 12-yard loss. Starr was hit again on the next play, and this time it forced a fumble that was recovered by LB Matt Hazeltine, who then proceeded to run 22 yards for a touchdown. The successful PAT by Davis put San Francisco ahead by 14-3.

On the next series, the Packers responded by scoring on a quick three-play, 56-yard series.  Starr threw to a wide-open Hornung at the sideline for a 43-yard touchdown. Chandler’s extra point narrowed the home team’s margin to 14-10.

Mira was back behind center for the 49ers, but they went three-and-out and had to punt. Starting at their own 42, the Packers moved quickly into San Francisco territory. Starr completed passes to Taylor for 14 yards and flanker Carroll Dale for 24 down to the 15 yard line, but the drive stopped there. Chandler booted a 22-yard field goal that made it a one-point contest.

After another punt by the Niners, the Packers appeared to be driving toward a score when, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Starr was intercepted by safety Elbert Kimbrough, who returned it 44 yards before finally being hauled down by Jim Taylor at the Green Bay 37. Mira was immediately sacked for a nine-yard loss, but two plays later, and following a 38-yard run by the nimble quarterback, the 49ers capitalized when he tossed an eight-yard touchdown pass to Crow. Rather than the Packers potentially taking the lead, the Niners were up by 21-13.

The Packers bounced back by driving 69 yards in four plays that ended with Starr throwing to Dale for a 38-yard TD. Don Chandler’s extra point again made it a one-point contest and there was still plenty of time.

Green Bay’s defense proceeded to make a big play when LB Dave Robinson intercepted a Mira pass and returned it 32 yards to the San Francisco nine. The 49ers kept the Packers out of the end zone on three plays and, following an offensive pass interference penalty, the visitors were backed up to the 19  and Chandler missed a 26-yard field goal attempt.

Brodie again replaced Mira at quarterback and the 49ers put together a long, time consuming drive. HB Dave Kopay had a 25-yard run and FB Ken Willard also ran effectively. Facing fourth-and-one at the Green Bay two, San Francisco was unable to convert, but there was only a minute remaining as the Packers took over just two yards from their own goal line. Green Bay was unable to do anything offensively in the waning seconds and the 49ers came away with a 21-20 upset win.

The Packers ran up more total yards than San Francisco (368 to 248) and each team generated 17 first downs. However, Green Bay also led in turnovers with three, to two suffered by the 49ers, and missed opportunities – particularly those that also ended with failed field goal attempts – proved fatal to the defending champs.

George Mira completed 9 of 21 passes for 104 yards, but two of them were for touchdowns against one interception and he also ran for 46 yards on three carries to lead the club. Ken Willard gained 43 yards on 14 rushing attempts, Dave Kopay added 42 on only four tries, and John David Crow (pictured at left) had 9 carries for 23 yards to go along with a team-leading 5 catches for 53 yards that included two TDs.

For the Packers, Bart Starr was successful on 18 of 26 throws for 287 yards and two TDs as well as the one costly interception. Jim Taylor ran for 54 yards on 16 carries and caught four passes for 39 more yards while Paul Hornung rushed for 30 yards on 11 attempts and had three receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown. Carroll Dale gained 86 yards on his four catches that included one for a score.

The 49ers won their next two games, with John Brodie back at quarterback, but ended up with a 6-6-2 record to place fourth in the Western Conference. George Mira ended up completing 22 of 53 passes (41.5 %) for 284 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions while chafing in Brodie’s shadow.

Green Bay recovered to top the conference at 12-2 and again win the NFL title. Moving on to the first Super Bowl, the Packers defeated the AFL Champion Kansas City Chiefs. Bart Starr threw just one more interception over the remainder of the season as he led the league in passing and was a consensus MVP selection.

1989: Testaverde Leads Bucs to Upset of Bears

The Chicago Bears were off to a 4-0 start as they faced the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay on October 8, 1989. Head Coach Mike Ditka’s team had won in double-digits in each of the previous five seasons, including a NFL Championship in 1985, and was used to contending. While colorful QB Jim McMahon, who often clashed with Ditka, was dumped off to San Diego during the preseason, the powerful defense still contained many of the veteran stalwarts from the title-winning team, including DE Richard Dent, DTs Dan Hampton and Steve McMichael, and MLB Mike Singletary.

The Buccaneers, under third-year Head Coach Ray Perkins, had not been nearly as successful. They were 2-2 as they faced the Bears, but were a perennially losing club that had last been over .500 in the strike-abbreviated 1982 season. Moreover, they had been beaten by Chicago twelve straight times. QB Vinny Testaverde had gone through plenty of growing pains after being the first overall pick of the 1987 NFL draft, and while he was showing improvement, he was coming off of a poor performance the previous week in a loss to the Vikings.

There were 72,077 fans in attendance at Tampa Stadium. The Bears went three-and-out in their first series and, following a short punt, the Buccaneers took over with good field position at their 47. Vinny Testaverde completed all five of his passes in a six-play possession with the last one tipped by RB Lars Tate and caught by WR Mark Carrier for an 11-yard touchdown. Donald Igwebuike’s extra point made it 7-0 for the home team.

Chicago again had to punt and once more the Bucs drove to a score, this time covering 69 yards in seven plays. Testaverde threw to WR Bruce Hill for a 41-yard gain to the Chicago 17, ran for 12 yards on a third-and-six play, and FB William Howard dove into the middle of the line for a one-yard TD.

It seemed as though Tampa Bay would be able to pour it on after, on the third play of the ensuing Chicago series, WR Dennis McKinnon was stripped after gaining 17 yards on a pass from QB Mike Tomczak and FS Harry Hamilton recovered for the Buccaneers. Testaverde immediately went to the air and connected with Carrier for a 30-yard gain to the six and a penalty on the Bears made it first-and-goal at the one. But Chicago’s defense stopped four straight running plays and the Bucs came up empty.

The reprieve for the Bears was a short one as they turned the ball over again three plays later when Tomczak was intercepted by SS Mark Robinson to give Tampa Bay the ball at the Chicago 14. This time, as the game moved into the second quarter, the Buccaneers didn’t fail to capitalize. Testaverde threw a play action pass to TE William Harris for a touchdown and Igwebuike’s conversion made it 21-0.

The Bears were still unable to get anything going on offense and punted. But now it was their turn to make the most of a turnover as LB Jim Morrissey intercepted a Testaverde pass and Chicago had the ball at the Tampa Bay 27. Five plays later, the Bears got on the board when RB Neal Anderson (pictured at left) ran for a five-yard TD.

A short Tampa Bay series ended with a punt but the Bears once again turned the ball over when Tomczak fumbled while being sacked by LB Kevin Murphy and DE Reuben Davis recovered at the Chicago 28. While a tipped pass was nearly intercepted by LB Mike Singletary, the Bucs scored another touchdown, this time on a Testaverde throw to Hill from 22 yards out.

Down once more by three touchdowns, the Bears responded by driving 64 yards in seven plays. Anderson had a 19-yard run on a sweep to start things off and Tomczak threw to TE James Thornton for a 34-yard gain to the Tampa Bay 9. Anderson ran for a one-yard TD and, with Butler’s second successful PAT, the score was 28-14 and remained that way at the end of the half.

On Chicago’s first possession of the third quarter, the Bears went 54 yards in six plays to cut the margin further. Tomczak threw to RB Thomas Sanders for a 16-yard touchdown and, with the PAT by Butler, Tampa Bay’s lead was down to 28-21.

That was the score entering the fourth quarter, but a short punt gave the Buccaneers the ball at the Chicago 44 and, four plays later, Tate ran for a 16-yard touchdown.

Following a short series by the Bears, the Bucs drove to another TD, this time covering 80 yards in six plays. Tate (pictured at left) took off for a 48-yard gain on the first play and Testaverde converted a third-and-three situation with a completion to Hill for 12 yards. Tate finished the possession off with a four-yard run and when the snap on the extra point sailed high, holder Chris Mohr ran the ball into the end zone. Tampa Bay had a commanding 42-21 lead with under seven minutes left on the clock.

The Bears fought back as Jim Harbaugh replaced Tomczak at quarterback. Throwing on almost every down, the visitors went 74 yards in nine plays. Harbaugh completed four passes and, after being sacked to force a third-and-15 situation, he escaped pressure and ran for a 26-yard touchdown.

A short series by the Bucs gave the ball to the Bears one more time and they again drove to a score, this time on a one-yard carry by Anderson, but the ensuing onside kick with 53 seconds remaining was recovered by the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay held on for a 42-35 win.

The Buccaneers led in total yards (415 to 350) and first downs (27 to 22). They had the edge both on the ground (147 to 136) and through the air (268 to 214). Chicago turned the ball over three times, to two by Tampa Bay.

Vinny Testaverde, who left the game midway through the fourth quarter after taking a hit from Steve McMichael, completed 22 of 36 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions. Bruce Hill and Mark Carrier (pictured below) had nearly identical numbers as they each caught 6 passes and scored a TD while Hill accumulated 107 yards and Carrier had 105. Lars Tate also had a fine performance as he ran for 112 yards and two scores on 18 carries.

For the Bears, Mike Tomczak was successful on 16 of 29 throws for 162 yards with a TD and an interception. Jim Harbaugh, in his relief performance, completed 6 of 8 passes for 65 yards and also ran the ball three times for 34 yards and a touchdown. Neal Anderson rushed 17 times for 86 yards and three TDs and also caught 6 passes for 30 more yards. WR Ron Morris gained a team-high 54 yards on his three receptions.

“This is the kind of win we’ve been looking for, the kind of win to get us over the hump,” said a jubilant Ray Perkins on behalf of the Bucs.

“We were out-coached and out-played. It’s as simple as that,” was the response of a terse Mike Ditka regarding Chicago’s performance.

The hoped-for turnaround in Tampa Bay’s fortunes did not materialize as the Buccaneers lost their next five games in a row, finally winning in their rematch with the Bears. They ended up at the bottom of the NFC Central with a 5-11 record.

The loss did prove to be a turning point for the Bears. They lost their next two games and won only twice more the rest of the way to finish just a step up from the Bucs in the division at 6-10.

Vinny Testaverde ended up throwing for 3133 yards and 20 touchdowns, but with 22 interceptions. Lars Tate’s rushing total against Chicago was the best of his brief career as he gained 589 yards. Mark Carrier went on to receive Pro Bowl recognition with 86 catches for 1422 yards (16.5 avg.) and nine touchdowns but Bruce Hill was less consistent and caught 50 passes for 673 yards (13.5 avg.) and five TDs.

In the midst of the down year for the Bears, Neal Anderson rushed for 1275 yards on 274 carries (4.7 avg.) and had 50 catches for 434 yards. He scored a total of 15 touchdowns and was chosen to the Pro Bowl for the second straight year.

MVP Profile: Earl Campbell, 1980

Running Back, Houston Oilers

Age: 25

3^rd season in pro football & with Oilers

College: Texas

Height: 5’11” Weight: 224

Prelude:

Following an outstanding college career that was capped by rushing for 1744 yards and winning the Heisman Trophy, Campbell was the first overall pick by the Oilers in the 1978 NFL draft (Houston traded with Tampa Bay for the top choice). He moved directly into the starting lineup with outstanding results, leading the league in rushing (1450 yards), gaining consensus first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors, as well as Rookie of the Year and MVP recognition (Pro Football Writers, NEA). Campbell followed up in 1979 by again topping the NFL in rushing (1697 yards) and touchdowns (19) to again receive consensus MVP, first-team All-Pro, and Pro Bowl honors.

1980 Season Summary

Appeared in 15 of 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 373 [1]

Most attempts, game - 38 (for 178 yds.) at Kansas City 10/12

Yards – 1934 [1]

Most yards, game – 206 yards (on 31 carries) at Chicago 11/16

Average gain – 5.2 [1]

TDs – 13 [1, tied with Billy Sims]

200-yard rushing games – 4

100-yard rushing games – 10

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 11

Most receptions, game – 4 (for 24 yds.) at Pittsburgh 9/7

Yards – 47

Most yards, game - 24 (on 4 catches) at Pittsburgh 9/7

Average gain – 4.3

TDs – 0

Passing

Pass attempts – 2

Pass completions – 1

Passing yardage – 57

TD passes – 1

Interceptions – 0

All-Purpose yards – 1981 [2]

Scoring

TDs – 13 [2, tied with Curtis Dickey & John Jefferson, 1st in AFC]

Points – 78 [20, tied with four others]

Postseason: 1 G (AFC Wild Card playoff vs. Oakland)

Rushing attempts – 27

Rushing yards – 91

Average gain rushing – 3.4

Rushing TDs – 1

Pass attempts – 1

Pass completions – 0

Interceptions – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: NEA

NFL Offensive Player of the Year: AP

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

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

Pro Bowl

Oilers went 11-5 to finish second in the AFC Central and qualifying for a Wild Card playoff spot while leading the conference in rushing (2635 yards). Lost AFC Wild Card playoff to Oakland Raiders (27-7).

Aftermath:

Campbell was named to a fourth straight Pro Bowl in 1981 as he led the AFC with 1376 rushing yards. After one more 1000-yard rushing season in 1983 (1301 yards), his heavy workload and physically-punishing running style caused his performance to drop significantly in ’84 and Campbell was traded to New Orleans during the season. He finished his career in 1985, rushing for 643 yards and a 4.1-yard average for the Saints. Campbell retired with 9407 rushing yards on 2187 carries and 81 touchdowns. His #34 was retired by the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1991.

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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). 

[Updated 11/30/14]

2002: Buchanon INT is Key Play as Raiders Overcome Bills

The Oakland Raiders were undefeated at 3-0 as they traveled to Buffalo to take on the Bills on October 6, 2002. The Raiders had a first-year head coach in Bill Callahan, elevated from offensive coordinator following the departure of Jon Gruden, who had led the club to back-to-back division titles. Former journeyman QB Rich Gannon had blossomed in Oakland, directing a pass-oriented attack that included veteran wide receivers Tim Brown and Jerry Rice plus the far younger Jerry Porter. Small but highly effective RB Charlie Garner led the ground game and also was a proficient receiver out of the backfield. The defense had a smattering of proven veterans along with rookie CB Phillip Buchanon (pictured above) added to the mix, who would be filling in for injured star CB Charles Woodson against Buffalo.

The Bills, coached by Gregg Williams, were a revamped team coming off a disastrous 3-13 year in 2001. The biggest change had been at quarterback, where Drew Bledsoe had been obtained after nine years in New England. He had fine wide receivers in Eric Moulds and Peerless Price and second-year RB Travis Henry was showing promise.

There was a crowd of 73,038 at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The teams traded punts until late in the first quarter as the Raiders put together a 10-play, 60-yard scoring drive. Along the way, they converted three third downs, most notably with a pass from Rich Gannon to Tim Brown for 17 yards to the Buffalo 43 in a third-and-six situation and a 24-yard run by Gannon on a third-and-10 play. The series ended with Gannon throwing to Joey Porter for a 29-yard touchdown.

In a possession that extended into the second quarter, Buffalo responded by going 80 yards in 11 plays. Drew Bledsoe completed six passes along the way including a two-yard toss to Peerless Price for a TD. Mike Hollis added the extra point to tie the score at 7-7.

With the offenses now asserting themselves, Gannon immediately threw to Jerry Rice for a 33-yard gain on the first play of the next series. Two plays later, Charlie Garner took off for a 35-yard gain down the middle and two plays after that Gannon ran around end to score a touchdown from a yard out. Sebastian Janikowski added another extra point and Oakland was up by 14-7.

The teams kept up the scoring pace. A big penalty on the Raiders moved the ball to their 39 on Buffalo’s next play from scrimmage and from there Bledsoe tossed three straight completions, including one to WR Josh Reed for 38 yards. TE Dave Moore gathered in a two-yard scoring pass and, with Hollis adding the PAT, the score was again knotted at 14-14. However, Oakland came right back, needing just five plays to cover 75 yards. Gannon threw to Porter for 25 yards and Garner ran to his right for a 36-yard touchdown that put the visitors back in the lead.

Buffalo finally had a series end with a punt and Oakland did so in turn. With 1:32 remaining in the half, the Bills, seemingly pinned down at their two yard line following a Shane Lechler punt, marched 98 yards in five plays. The big ones were three straight completions by Bledsoe (pictured below), to Price for 14 yards and again for 54 yards, and to FB Larry Centers for 25 yards to the Oakland five. From there, Centers carried for a touchdown, Hollis added the extra point, and the game was tied at 21-21 at halftime.

Buffalo took the second half kickoff and drove 62 yards in nine plays. Bledsoe completed three passes and Travis Henry ran effectively before the Bills were finally forced to kick a field goal and Hollis was successful from 30 yards. The home team was on top for the first time at 24-21.

A short series by the Raiders ended with a punt, but on Buffalo’s next play Bledsoe was intercepted by CB Tory James. Starting at the Bills’ 32, the Raiders took five plays to regain the lead on a one-yard touchdown carry by FB Zack Crockett. Janikowski’s PAT made the score 28-24.

The Bills responded by driving 80 yards in eight plays. Bledsoe was successful on five passes, including one to Eric Moulds in a third-and-three situation that gained 22 yards to the Oakland two. From there, Henry ran for a TD and, with Hollis adding the extra point, the Bills were back in front by 31-28.

That remained the tally as the game entered the fourth quarter. Early in the period, the Raiders came through with a big play as, facing second-and-15 at their own 31, Gannon connected with Garner for a 69-yard touchdown. Janikowski added the PAT to again make it a four-point game with the visitors in the lead.

It seemed as though the back-and-forth nature of the game would continue as the Bills responded by moving methodically into Oakland territory. Bledsoe completed passes of 19 yards to Price, 17 yards to Reed, and 13 yards to Moulds and, following a two-yard carry by Henry, Buffalo was at the 27 yard line. But on the next play, CB Phillip Buchanon intercepted a Bledsoe pass and returned it 81 yards for a touchdown. With the extra point added, it put Oakland ahead by 11 points and proved to be the key play of the game.

Bledsoe was sacked twice as the Bills went nowhere on their next series. Following the punt, the Raiders padded their lead in just four plays, the last two Gannon throws to Porter for 36 yards and to Rice for a 20-yard touchdown.

Buffalo put together one last desperation drive that ended with James intercepting a Bledsoe pass at the Oakland seven to effectively finish the contest. The Raiders came away with a 49-31 win.

Oakland had the edge over the Bills in total yards (495 to 479) while Buffalo had more first downs (29 to 24). The Bills turned the ball over three times, to none by the Raiders, and Oakland sacked Bledsoe five times while Buffalo’s defense got to Gannon just once. The Raiders were also flagged for 10 penalties, at a cost of 120 yards, as opposed to 7 for 43 yards called on the Bills.

Rich Gannon completed 23 of 38 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns with none intercepted. Charlie Garner rushed for 94 yards on just 8 carries that included one TD and gained another 83 yards on four pass receptions that included the one long score (although he was injured on the play and didn’t return). Jerry Porter (pictured at right) caught 7 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown while Jerry Rice and Tim Brown each had four receptions, for 77 and 55 yards, respectively.

For the Bills, Drew Bledsoe went to the air 53 times and had 32 completions for 417 yards and two TDs, but also three interceptions. Eric Moulds caught 8 of those passes for 112 yards and Peerless Price gained 126 yards and scored a touchdown on his 7 receptions.  Travis Henry gained 58 yards on 15 rushing attempts that included a score and also caught 7 passes for 47 yards.

After getting off to a 4-0 start, the Raiders lost their next four games but won seven of eight to finish the season at 11-5 and atop the AFC West for the third consecutive year. However, after winning the AFC Championship they were beaten badly by Tampa Bay in the Super Bowl. Buffalo, on the other hand, won three straight games after the loss to the Raiders but then collapsed during the second half of the season. The Bills broke even at 8-8 to place at the bottom of the AFC East.

Rich Gannon had a MVP year as he led the NFL in pass attempts (618), completions (418), and yards (4689) and ranked second in completion percentage (67.6) and passing overall (97.3 rating). Charlie Garner rushed for 962 yards and caught 91 passes for 941 more yards to rank fifth in the league in yards from scrimmage (1903). While Tim Brown and Jerry Rice remained the featured receivers, Jerry Porter had 51 catches for 688 yards (13.5 avg.) and nine touchdowns.

Drew Bledsoe placed second to Gannon in pass attempts (610) and yards (4359) and was chosen to the Pro Bowl. Travis Henry also was picked after rushing for 1438 yards and so was Eric Moulds, who finished with an even 100 catches for 1292 yards and 10 TDs. Peerless Price didn’t go to the Pro Bowl but had a career year in which he caught 94 passes for 1252 yards and 9 scores.

1947: Baugh Passes Redskins Past Steelers in Back-and-Forth Game

The Washington Redskins were 0-1, having shown off plenty of offense in a wild loss to the Eagles, as they hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 5, 1947. A 5-5-1 team in 1946, their first year under Head Coach Turk Edwards, the Redskins had the NFL’s best passer in 33-year-old QB Sammy Baugh (pictured above) but they were already showing an inability to stop good offenses when they shifted to defense.

Pittsburgh, under Head Coach Jock Sutherland, was also 5-5-1 the previous year. They had already played two games and split them, defeating the Lions in the opener but losing badly to the Rams in the next contest. They traded star multi-purpose back Bill Dudley during the offseason and had Johnny Clement take his place at tailback in their single-wing offense.

It was a sunny afternoon with a record crowd of 36,565 in attendance at Griffith Stadium. The Steelers took the opening kickoff and, keeping the ball on the ground, advanced to the Washington eight yard line. The big play along the way was a 43-yard carry by Clement. The drive stalled and Joe Glamp kicked a 15-yard field goal.

The 3-0 lead held up until the first play of the second quarter. With a first down at his own 46, Baugh fired a pass to HB Bob Nussbaumer, who caught it at the 31 and outran the secondary to the end zone for a 54-yard touchdown. Dick Poillon’s extra point made it 7-3

Late in the period, DB Walt Slater recovered a fumble by Washington FB Jack Jenkins at the Pittsburgh 40 and the Steelers went 60 yards in seven plays. Clement completed a pass to end Val Jansante for 19 yards to the Washington 15 and from there he connected with FB Steve Lach, who took the short throw and powered over several tacklers for a touchdown. Glamp’s extra point was successful to make it a three-point margin. With one minute left, the Redskins had another opportunity and Baugh passed them down to the Pittsburgh 14 where time ran out.

Washington HB Dick Todd returned the second half kickoff 50 yards to the Pittsburgh 43 and from there the home team drove to a score. Baugh threw to Poillon for a six-yard TD, and while Poillon missed the extra point attempt (breaking a streak of 30 straight), the Redskins were back in front by 13-10.

However, five minutes later DB Tony Compagno intercepted a Baugh pass and returned it 65 yards for a touchdown to put the visitors back on top. Washington responded with a series that ended with Baugh throwing to end Hugh Taylor for a 36-yard TD. Poillon’s kick made it 20-17 in the back-and-forth contest.

The Steelers came back with a big pass play of their own as Clement threw to HB Bob Sullivan for a 50-yard touchdown. Glamp was successful on the conversion and Pittsburgh was again in front by 24-20.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Steelers advanced to the Washington two but came up empty. The Redskins, backed deep in a hole, were forced to punt and Baugh faded back to pass out of punt formation but stepped out of bounds in his end zone for a safety that extended the Pittsburgh lead to 26-20.

The Steelers again drove into Washington territory but a 40-yard field goal try by Glamp sailed wide to the left. The Redskins went 80 yards on their next series with Baugh passing effectively. On a fourth-and-nine play Slingin’ Sammy hit FB Sal Rosato for a first down at the one. HB Tom Farmer scored from there with 5:32 remaining on the clock and Poillon added the crucial extra point. The lead had changed for the seventh time.

The Steelers put together a 73-yard drive in the waning minutes of the game. With 25 seconds left, Glamp attempted a 29-yard field goal but the wobbly kick hit the left upright and bounced away. The Redskins came away with a 27-26 win.

The statistics reflected the closeness of the score. Washington barely outgained the Steelers (384 yards to 373) while Pittsburgh had the edge in first downs (16 to 15). The Redskins also turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by the Steelers.

Sammy Baugh completed 13 of 28 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns along with two interceptions while Johnny Clement (pictured at left) was successful on 9 of 17 throws for 157 yards and two TDs.

Washington continued to be an exciting offensive team that all-too-often gave up more points that it scored. The Redskins finished with a disappointing 4-8 record to place fourth in the Eastern Division. Pittsburgh, however, overcame the tough loss against the Redskins to win six straight games and tie for first in the division with the Eagles. But dissension among the players plus the loss of Johnny Clement to injury doomed the Steelers to a loss in the playoff game against Philadelphia.

Sammy Baugh had one of his greatest statistical seasons, setting NFL records with 354 pass attempts, 210 completions, and 2938 yards. He also led the league in touchdown passes (25) and completion percentage (59.3).

Johnny Clement had an outstanding year as well, ranking second in rushing (670 yards) while passing for 1004 yards with seven touchdowns and nine interceptions. 

Rookie of the Year: Wilbur Jackson, 1974

Running Back, San Francisco 49ers

Age: 23 (Nov. 19)

College: Alabama

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 215

Prelude:

Jackson was chosen by the 49ers in the first round of the 1974 NFL draft (ninth overall) after averaging a school-record 7.2 yards-per-carry in college (212 attempts, 1529 yards). The first African-American to be offered a football scholarship by Alabama, he was converted from receiver to running back when the Crimson Tide shifted to a wishbone offense.

1974 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 174 [14, tied with Jess Phillips & Larry Schreiber]

Most attempts, game - 19 (for 91 yds.) at Cleveland 12/1

Yards – 705 [17]

Most yards, game – 91 yards (on 14 carries) vs. St. Louis 10/6, (on 14 carries) at Detroit 10/14, (on 19 carries) at Cleveland 12/1

Average gain – 4.1

TDs – 0

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 23      

Most receptions, game – 5 (for 8 yds.) vs. Cincinnati 9/29

Yards – 190

Most yards, game - 50 (on 2 catches) vs. LA Rams 11/4

Average gain – 8.3

TDs – 2

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 5

Yards – 103

Average per return – 20.6

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 2

Points – 12

Awards & Honors:

NFC Rookie of the Year: NEA, Sporting News

49ers went 6-8 to finish third in the NFC West.

Aftermath:

Jackson was plagued by injuries in 1975 and fell behind Delvin Williams on the depth chart, but was shifted to fullback in ’76 and formed a productive tandem with Williams as he rushed for 792 yards on 200 carries and caught 33 passes for 324 more yards. He rushed for 780 yards and a career-high 7 TDs in 1977 but was lost for all of ’78 with a knee injury. Jackson came back in 1979 to catch a career-high 53 passes for 422 yards while running for 375 yards and blocking well. He was traded to Washington in 1980 where he stepped in for retired RB John Riggins and rushed for 708 yards, but the return of Riggins in ’81, as well as injuries, relegated Jackson to a backup role in 1981 and ’82, his last two seasons. Overall, he ran the ball 971 times for 3852 yards (2955 with the 49ers) for a 4.0 average and 13 touchdowns and had 183 catches for 1572 yards and another four 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).