1967: Browns Beat Cards to Clinch Century Division Title

The Cleveland Browns were seeking to nail down the NFL Century Division title as they faced the St. Louis Cardinals on December 10, 1967. In the first year in which the Eastern and Western Conferences were broken up into four-team divisions, the Browns were at 8-4 after winning their three previous contests. Coached by Blanton Collier, Cleveland had the league’s rushing leader in HB Leroy Kelly, helped by a good veteran line and with a solid backfield partner in FB Ernie Green. 31-year-old QB Frank Ryan was battling assorted injuries but had outstanding receivers in split end Paul Warfield and flanker Gary Collins.

The Cardinals, under Head Coach Charley Winner, had gotten off to a fast start but were at 6-5-1 and barely staying alive in the division race. QB Charley Johnson had been called up to military service in the offseason and the untested Jim Hart had taken his place, showing great poise and potential, but also making his share of mistakes due to inexperience. Second-year HB Johnny Roland was right behind Kelly in the rushing race, the receivers were sound, and the defense was good, particularly with CB Pat Fischer and FS Larry Wilson in the backfield. In addition, the Cards had an outstanding placekicker in Jim Bakken.

It was an overcast day in St. Louis with 47,782 fans in attendance at Busch Memorial Stadium. They saw a scoreless first quarter with the teams exchanging punts and battling for field position until DB Ben Davis fumbled a Chuck Latourette kick and FB Willis Crenshaw recovered for the Cardinals at the Cleveland 20. In a series that extended into the early part of the second quarter, St. Louis methodically moved down the field and Bakken kicked a 12-yard field goal.

Davis (pictured at left) redeemed himself on the ensuing kickoff with a 48-yard return to the St. Louis 41. However, the Browns advanced nine yards in three plays and came up empty when 43-year-old Lou Groza missed a 40-yard field goal attempt.

A short series by the Cardinals resulted in a punt that gave the Browns starting field position at their 49. Three plays later, Frank Ryan threw to Paul Warfield for a 38-yard touchdown and, with Groza’s extra point, the visitors were ahead by 7-3.

The Cards responded with a nine-play series that went 40 yards. HB Prentice Gautt ran four times for 18 yards and Jim Hart completed two passes. Bakken booted a 42-yard field goal to narrow Cleveland’s margin to a point.

The Browns went three-and-out on their next possession, but the punt by Gary Collins was blocked by Larry Wilson and the Cards took over at the Cleveland 25 with 2:15 remaining in the first half. Gautt ran twice for seven yards and, after Hart threw an incomplete pass, Bakken kicked his third field goal, this time from 26 yards. St. Louis held a 9-7 lead at halftime.

The third quarter started with Davis returning the kickoff 58 yards to the St. Louis 33. Three plays later, Groza kicked a 33-yard field goal and the Browns were back in front by one.

On the next series, a trick play went wrong when TE Jackie Smith took the handoff on an apparent end-around and then threw a pass that was intended for flanker Bobby Joe Conrad but was instead intercepted by CB Erich Barnes. The 10-year veteran returned the pickoff 40 yards to the St. Louis 21. The Browns again had difficulty moving on offense but still put points on the board as Groza kicked a field goal from 23 yards.

Down by 13-9, the Cards gained nine yards on three plays and, facing fourth-and-one, lined up for a punt. It was a fake, however, but Latourette lost four yards in his attempt to circle the end and the Browns had the ball at the St. Louis 36. They failed to add points as the offense still couldn’t get on track. Ryan was sacked for a loss of 11 yards by DT Chuck Walker and Cleveland ended up having to punt, although Collins’ kick was able to pin the Cards back at their four.

The Browns clung to a four-point lead as the game headed into the fourth quarter. With the Cards deep in their own territory, LB Jim Houston (pictured at top) came through with a big play as he intercepted a Hart pass and returned it 18 yards for a touchdown. Groza’s PAT made it 20-9.

The Cards were unable to make much headway on offense and had to punt. They got the ball back in short order, however, when Leroy Kelly fumbled a bobbled handoff on the next play and LB Bill Koman recovered at the Cleveland 17. Hart threw to Smith for a 15-yard touchdown and, with Bakken’s PAT, it was again a four-point game.

There were still just under eight minutes remaining in the contest, but the Browns helped themselves with a long, time-consuming series. Ryan had an 11-yard run for a first down, Kelly converted a third-and-one situation with a four-yard carry, and Cleveland was down to the St. Louis 34 before back-to-back completions to Ernie Green lost yards and took the Browns out of field goal range. Still, the clock was down to 1:11 as Collins punted and the Cards found themselves pinned back at their four yard line.

Hart (pictured at right) went to the air on every play, but time ran out on St. Louis with the ball at the Cleveland 18 following a 41-yard completion to Smith, who was unable to get out of bounds at the end of the play. The Browns were winners by a final score of 20-16.

In a game dominated by the defenses, the Cardinals had more total yards (295 to 131) and first downs (16 to 8) than Cleveland. The Browns were helped by 126 yards on kickoff returns by Ben Davis. Both teams turned the ball over twice.

Frank Ryan, who suffered an injury to his left (non-throwing) arm in the first half, completed just 8 of 15 passes for 66 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Ernie Green led the club with 48 rushing yards on 12 carries as well as 5 pass receptions, which netted only three yards. Paul Warfield had 57 yards on two pass receptions that included a TD. Leroy Kelly was held to 15 yards on 15 attempts and was credited with the fumble that set up the only St. Louis touchdown. But Ben Davis averaged 42.0 yards on his three kickoff returns and Jim Houston put vital points on the board with his key interception return.

For the Cardinals, Jim Hart was successful on 18 of 36 throws for 182 yards and a TD, but also tossed the one big interception. Jackie Smith was the top receiver with 6 catches for 91 yards and a score, although he also threw an interception on his one pass, and Bobby Joe Conrad contributed 5 receptions for 46 yards. Prentice Gautt rushed for 63 yards on 16 attempts. Johnny Roland ran for 27 yards on 12 attempts before he was lost to a knee injury in the third quarter. Jim Bakken was successful on all three of his field goal attempts.

“The defense was magnificent, Houston did the job again!” exclaimed Coach Blanton Collier afterward. It was the second consecutive week that Jim Houston had scored on an interception.

The Browns lost their season finale to finish at 9-5 atop the Century Division but lost badly to the Dallas Cowboys in the Eastern Conference Championship game. St. Louis also dropped the last game to end up third in the division at 6-7-1.

Leroy Kelly ended up with the NFL rushing title, gaining 1205 yards while averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Rookie Ben Davis, a 17^th-round draft choice, was at his best on kickoff returns against the Cards, but led the league in punt returning with a 12.7 average on 18 runbacks. He ranked seventh with a 26.2 average on 27 kickoff returns. 

MVP Profile: Barry Sanders, 1994

Running Back, Detroit Lions

Age: 26

6^th season in pro football & with Lions

College: Oklahoma State

Height: 5’8”   Weight: 203

Prelude:

Following a Heisman-winning season as a junior, Sanders chose to forego his last year of eligibility and turn pro. Taken by the Lions in the first round of the 1989 NFL draft (third overall), he had an immediate impact, rushing for 1470 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was not just Rookie of the Year but went to the Pro Bowl and was a consensus first team All-Pro. Sanders made up for lack of size with outstanding elusiveness and running instincts. He followed up with a league-leading 1304 yards in 1990 and 17 touchdowns, to go along with 1548 rushing yards in ‘91, and was a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection after each. Sanders continued to be chosen to the Pro Bowl in 1992 and ’93, although he missed the last five games in 1993 due to a sprained knee ligament. Still, he rushed for 1115 yards while averaging 101.4 yards per game.

1994 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 331 [4]

Most attempts, game - 40 (for 194 yds.) at Dallas 9/19

Yards – 1883 [1]

Most yards, game – 237 yards (on 26 carries) vs. Tampa Bay 11/13

Average gain – 5.7 [1]

TDs – 7 [8, tied with seven others]

200-yard rushing games – 1

100-yard rushing games – 10

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 44      

Most receptions, game – 8 (for 51 yds.) at Green Bay 11/6

Yards – 283

Most yards, game - 58 (on 7 catches) at Miami 12/25

Average gain – 6.4

TDs – 1

All-purpose yards – 2166 [2]

Scoring

TDs – 8 [17, tied with seven others]

Points – 48

Postseason: 1 G (NFC Wild Card playoff at Green Bay)

Rushing attempts – 13

Rushing yards – -1

Average gain rushing – -0.1

Rushing TDs – 0

Pass receptions – 3

Pass receiving yards - 4

Average yards per reception – 1.3

Pass Receiving TDs - 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Offensive Player of the Year: AP

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News

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

Pro Bowl

Lions went 9-7 to finish third in the NFC Central while qualifying for a Wild Card playoff berth and leading the NFC in rushing yards (2080). Lost NFC Wild Card playoff to Green Bay Packers (16-12).

Aftermath:

Sanders rushed for 1500 yards in 1995 and maintained his excellence over a career of ten years before abruptly retiring after the 1998 season. He led the league in ground-gaining four times, including a 2053-yard total in ’97, and never failed to gain a thousand yards – his lowest total was the 1115 in 1993, when he suffered his only extended loss of playing time. Sanders was selected for the Pro Bowl following all ten seasons, was a consensus first-team All-Pro six times, and with his exciting, often-improvisational running style was a highlight film regular. He retired with 15,269 rushing yards and scored a total of 109 touchdowns. Sanders was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2004.

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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: Bills Mount 4th Quarter Rally, Defeat Raiders in OT

The Buffalo Bills, reigning AFC Champions, were 11-2 and had clinched the AFC East title but needed a win to assure home field advantage in the playoffs as they faced the Los Angeles Raiders on December 8, 1991. Head Coach Marv Levy’s team excelled with a quick-striking, no-huddle offense developed by offensive coordinator Ted Marchibroda and directed by QB Jim Kelly (pictured above). Other key players on offense were highly-dependable WR Andre Reed and RB Thurman Thomas, an outstanding all-purpose back. Star DE Bruce Smith missed most of the season with a bad knee but the linebackers and backfield were strengths.

The Raiders, coached by Art Shell, had won four straight games and were contending in the AFC West with a 9-4 record. As usual, the roster was loaded with veterans. QB Jay Schroeder was inconsistent but third-year WR Tim Brown was a rising talent. The defense benefited from the addition of 32-year-old SS Ronnie Lott.

There was a big crowd of 85,081 at the cavernous LA Memorial Coliseum. The teams traded punts before the Raiders, starting at the Buffalo 32, drove to a score in seven plays. RB Marcus Allen ran the ball six times and Jeff Jaeger kicked a 19-yard field goal.

The Bills reached midfield before having to punt and the Raiders started with possession at their seven yard line. However, they took just four plays to advance 93 yards. RB Roger Craig ran twice for 17 yards and, after a short pass to FB Steve Smith lost two yards, Jay Schroeder threw to Tim Brown, who charged down the right sideline for a 78-yard touchdown. Jaeger added the extra point and Los Angeles was ahead by 10-0. The ten-point margin didn’t last long, however, as WR Al Edwards took the ensuing kickoff all the way back for a 91-yard TD. Scott Norwood’s extra point made it a three-point game in short order.

The Raiders had the ball as the contest moved into the second quarter and put together an 80-yard series in 13 plays. Schroeder completed a third-and-four pass to Allen for 21 yards and, after running plays moved the ball to the Buffalo 40, to TE Ethan Horton for a 17-yard gain on third-and-eight. A run by Allen on third-and-10 got the ball to the 14 and Schroeder kept the ball himself for a two-yard gain to convert fourth down. That set up a 12-yard touchdown carry by RB Nick Bell and, with Jaeger’s successful point after, the Raiders were up by 17-7.

The teams again exchanged punts before the Bills, starting at their nine, drove into LA territory. After a roughing-the-passer penalty on first down, Jim Kelly completed four straight passes to start things off, gaining 32 yards to the LA 48. However, facing fourth-and-one shortly thereafter, FB Carwell Gardner was stopped short.

As the half came down to the last two minutes, the Raiders punted and CB Clifford Hicks returned it 59 yards to the LA 33. Three plays later, Kelly threw to TE Keith McKeller for a nine-yard TD and Norwood added the PAT that made it a three-point game once again. But the first half scoring wasn’t yet over as the Raiders drove to the Buffalo 11 in the last minute. The big plays were Schroeder passes to WR Mervyn Fernandez for 16 yards and to Tim Brown for 28 yards. Jaeger kicked a 28-yard field goal and the Raiders were ahead by 20-14 at halftime.

The Bills had first possession in the third quarter and were forced to punt. Los Angeles added to its lead with a nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive. The big play was a Schroeder pass to Fernandez that gained 59 yards to the Buffalo 13. An apparent Schroeder touchdown on a fourth down play was reversed upon review of the replay, but five plays later, and with the help of two penalties on the Bills, Allen ran for a TD from a yard out and Jaeger’s extra point made the score 27-14.

Kelly went to the air often in the next series, but after reaching the LA 17 he was sacked by DE Greg Townsend for a nine-yard loss and a false start moved the Bills five yards farther back. Norwood’s 49-yard field goal attempt sailed wide to the right.

The Raiders punted following their next possession and, in a drive that extended into the fourth quarter, the Bills again penetrated deep into Los Angeles territory. Kelly had completions to WR James Lofton for 19 and 16 yards and to Andre Reed (pictured at left) for 12 and 11 yards. But Buffalo once again came up empty when Norwood missed another field goal, this time hitting the right upright from 32 yards away.

The teams traded turnovers when Schroeder fumbled and LB Darryl Talley recovered for the Bills at the LA 28, but two plays later Ronnie Lott intercepted a Kelly pass. The resulting short series for the Raiders that ended with a punt and this time Buffalo did not falter. With Kelly firing exclusively out of the shotgun, the Bills reached the LA three and, on his third attempt, RB Kenneth Davis reached the end zone from a yard out. The snake-bitten Norwood shanked the extra point try, however, and the score remained 27-20 in favor of the Raiders with just over four minutes remaining in regulation.

Playing conservatively, the Raiders ran the ball three times and punted. The Bills took over at their 36 and went 64 yards in eight plays. Kelly started off with back-to-back 13-yard completions to Thurman Thomas but tossed three incomplete passes, with a 10-yard holding penalty interspersed, to face a third-and-20 situation from the LA 48. A pass to Thomas gained 19 yards and, on fourth-and-one, Kelly threw to Reed for a 20-yard gain. Two plays later, Kelly connected with Lofton for a nine-yard TD and, with Norwood coming through with the all-important extra point, the score was tied at 27-27. There was no further scoring in the last minute and the contest headed into overtime.

The Raiders had the first possession in the extra period, but a long Schroeder pass was intercepted by FS Mark Kelso. Starting from their own 36, the Bills struck quickly as Kelly connected with Reed for a 31-yard gain to the LA 33. Thomas ran the ball three times and then Norwood came through with a 42-yard field goal to win the game for Buffalo at 2:34 into overtime by a score of 30-27.

The Bills had the edge in total yards (409 to 386) and first downs (25 to 18). However, they were also penalized 10 times, to five flags thrown on the Raiders. While Scott Norwood’s three missed field goals and one extra point also were a handicap, the Bills benefited from 195 yards in combined kick returns, including a touchdown on a kickoff and a long punt return to set up another score. Los Angeles turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by Buffalo, and the offense faltered badly in the crucial fourth quarter.

Jim Kelly completed 33 of 52 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Thurman Thomas was held to 57 yards on 15 carries but also had 7 catches for 76 yards. Keith McKeller caught 10 passes for 57 yards and a TD and Andre Reed gained 107 yards on his 8 pass receptions.

For the Raiders, Jay Schroeder was successful on 11 of 21 throws for 252 yards and a TD with two intercepted. Tim Brown (pictured below) gained 106 yards on just two catches thanks to his one long scoring reception. Marcus Allen ran for 57 yards on 16 attempts that included a touchdown and also had three catches for 38 yards. Mervyn Fernandez contributed two receptions for 75 yards.

The win assured that Buffalo would be top seed in the AFC for the postseason. Finishing with a 13-3 record, the Bills advanced to the Super Bowl for the second straight year, but lost to the Washington Redskins. The Raiders fell out of a tie for first in the AFC West with Denver and lost their remaining games to end up third in the AFC West at 9-7, but still secured a playoff spot. With rookie QB Todd Marinovich replacing Jay Schroeder, they lost in the Wild Card round to the Chiefs.

Jim Kelly led the league in TD passes with 33 and the AFC in overall passing with a 97.6 rating. He received consensus first-team All-NFL honors and was chosen to the Pro Bowl for the fourth time. Thurman Thomas topped the NFL with 2038 all-purpose yards and was the AFC rushing leader with 1407 yards. He was the consensus league MVP. Andre Reed was chosen to the Pro Bowl for the fourth straight year after catching 81 passes for 1113 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns.

Scott Norwood’s placekicking inconsistency was indicative of a season in which he was successful on 18 of 29 field goal attempts, but only 10 of 20 from 30 yards or more. He had missed a potential game-winning field goal try from 47 yards at the conclusion of the previous year’s Super Bowl against the Giants, and it all set the stage for his departure from the Bills after seven years.

1986: Dolphins Beat Saints to Overcome 203-Yard Rushing Day by Mayes

The Miami Dolphins were struggling at 6-7 as they faced the New Orleans Saints on December 7, 1986. Head Coach Don Shula’s team, which had been to the playoffs in each of the five preceding years and had come within a game of repeating as AFC Champion in ’85, still had a prolific offense that was directed by fourth-year QB Dan Marino (pictured at right). However, the defense, despite the addition of star rookie LB John Offerdahl, was playing poorly and had twice given up 50 or more points in a game.

New Orleans, under first-year Head Coach Jim Mora, was also at 6-7 after having lost the two preceding games. Rookie RB Rueben Mayes was exceeding expectations and the defense was tough against the run, but QB Dave Wilson, who regained the starting job when newcomer Bobby Hebert (like Coach Mora, a refugee from the USFL) went down with an injury early in the year, was nothing special.

There were 64,761 fans in attendance at the Louisiana Superdome. The Dolphins had the ball first and went 80 yards in 12 plays. Dan Marino connected on all six of his passes and RB Lorenzo Hampton carried five times for 32 yards, including a four-yard sweep around end for a touchdown. Fuad Reveiz added the extra point.

New Orleans responded by also putting together an 80-yard drive, using eight plays.  Dave Wilson started off with a 20-yard completion to WR Mike Jones and had two throws to TE John Tice for 26 yards. Rueben Mayes ran for a 20-yard TD and, adding Morten Andersen’s PAT, the score was tied at 7-7.

RB Craig Ellis returned the ensuing kickoff 41 yards to give the Dolphins good starting field position, and they made the most of it. Marino threw to Hampton for 13 yards and, after Hampton ran twice to pick up another ten yards, Marino completed three more passes. The last was to TE Dan Johnson for a 13-yard touchdown and, with Reveiz’s successful conversion, the Dolphins led by 14-7 after a quarter of play.

The Saints punted to start the second quarter and Miami, surviving a scare when an interception of a Marino pass was nullified by a penalty, again put together a scoring drive, going 61 yards in six plays.  Hampton and FB Woody Bennett both had good runs along the way and Marino connected with TE Bruce Hardy for a four-yard touchdown. Reveiz kicked another extra point and the Dolphins were ahead by 21-7.

New Orleans went 66 yards on the next series, the big play being a pass from Wilson to Jones for 45 yards to the Miami 19. The drive finally stalled at the 10, but Andersen narrowed the margin with a 27-yard field goal. Marino connected on short passes on Miami’s next possession, although he overthrew a wide-open WR Mark Duper at one point. Reveiz finished the 14-play, 59-yard series with a 43-yard field goal to make the tally 24-10.

The Saints looked to be moving toward another score as Wilson threw to Jones once again, this time for a 23-yard gain, but a throw up the middle to WR Herbert Harris that was good for 27 yards to the Miami 17 was for naught when the receiver fumbled and CB Mike Smith recovered for the Dolphins at the two. Pinned back deep, Miami went three-and-out, but got the ball back three plays after punting it away when a Wilson pass was picked off by CB Don McNeal.

Starting at the New Orleans 41 with less than a minute remaining in the half, the Dolphins took four plays to score again, this time with Marino throwing to RB Tony Nathan, who went the distance from 23 yards out. Reveiz’s PAT put the visitors in front by 31-10 at the intermission, but while Miami had largely dominated the first half, the momentum would shift in the second half.

The Saints took the second half kickoff and went 80 yards in six plays. Mayes (pictured at left) had two runs that totaled 18 yards to start the series and, after being sacked, Wilson tossed passes to Harris for 11 yards and Tice for 24. Mayes ran the last 34 yards for a touchdown and, with Andersen’s conversion, Miami’s lead was narrowed to 31-17.

The Dolphins punted following a short possession and New Orleans again drove into Miami territory, helped along by Mayes running for 32 yards on the first play and a first down picked up on a fake punt. However, the Saints came up empty when Andersen’s 50-yard field goal attempt was wide to the left.

The Dolphins again had to punt and New Orleans put together a 68-yard series in 12 plays. Mayes had a 22-yard run along the way and Andersen kicked a 29-yard field goal to make it an 11-point game heading into the fourth quarter.

Miami drove to the New Orleans 36, but Hampton was held to no gain by LB Sam Mills on a fourth-and-one carry to give the ball back to the Saints. Wilson connected on passes to Mayes for 14 yards, Tice for 15, and Jones for another 15 yards and Mayes continued to run effectively. The eight-play, 68-yard possession ended with Wilson tossing a three-yard TD pass to Tice in the middle of the end zone and Andersen’s extra point made it a four-point contest with just under seven minutes remaining.

The momentum remained on the home team’s side as the Dolphins went three-and-out and had to punt. Starting at their 34, the Saints again drove into Miami territory. Mayes ran on the first three plays for a total of 24 yards and Wilson threw to WR Eric Martin for 20 yards to the Miami 22. After runs by RB Dalton Hilliard and Mayes netted six yards, Wilson converted a third-and-four situation with a 10-yard completion to Jones that got the ball to the six yard line. Mayes ran for five yards and then had an apparent TD that was nullified by a motion penalty. Two running plays lost yardage and, facing fourth-and-goal from the eight, Wilson threw a pass intended for Harris in the end zone that was too low and fell incomplete. That effectively ended the game, in which the Dolphins held on to win by a score of 31-27.

The Saints significantly outgained Miami (526 yards to 352), with 257 of that total coming on the ground, and also had the edge in first downs (26 to 25). New Orleans suffered the only two turnovers of the game, as well as the only sack and five of the six penalties.

Dan Marino completed 27 of 41 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Lorenzo Hampton (pictured at right) rushed for 88 yards and a TD on 17 carries and caught 7 passes for 64 more yards. Tony Nathan, typically used as a receiver out of the backfield more than a runner from scrimmage at this point in his career, added 6 pass receptions for 57 yards and a score. Mark Clayton contributed the most of any of the wide receivers with four catches for 47 yards.

For the Saints, Rueben Mayes had a big day with 203 yards on 28 rushing attempts that included two touchdowns. Dave Wilson was successful on 19 of 34 throws for 276 yards and a TD with one interception. Mike Jones was the top receiver with 6 catches for 119 yards and John Tice added 5 receptions for 68 yards and a TD.

“I hate to lose the way we did today,” said a disappointed FB Buford Jordan for the Saints. “We came back from a 21-point deficit at the half and we lost the way we did. It hurts.”

The Dolphins had only slender playoff hopes following the win and they were ultimately extinguished as the club finished at 8-8 and in third place in the AFC East. New Orleans ended up with a 7-9 record for fourth place in the NFC West. The sense that the teams were heading in different directions would be confirmed in the next few years – Miami would not return to the postseason until 1990 while the Saints had a franchise-first winning record in ’87 and went to the playoffs.

Dan Marino led the NFL in pass attempts (623), completions (378), yards (4746), and TD passes (44) and was a consensus first-team All-Pro selection for the third straight year as well as Pro Bowl choice for the fourth. Lorenzo Hampton had a productive year as he rushed for 830 yards and 9 touchdowns and caught 61 passes for 446 more yards and another three TDs.

Rueben Mayes was named to the Pro Bowl and also received consensus Rookie of the Year honors after rushing for 1353 yards on 286 carries (4.7 avg.) despite playing with a damaged Achilles tendon that required surgery after the season. 

Rookie of the Year: Leonard Russell, 1991

Running Back, New England Patriots

Age: 22 (Nov. 17)

College: Arizona State

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 235

Prelude:

The Patriots took Russell in the first round of the 1991 NFL draft (14^th overall) as new Head Coach Dick MacPherson was looking to upgrade the running game. He was highly touted by scouts coming out of college and proved to have an ideal combination of size and speed, although he also was prone to fumble.

1991 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 266 [5]

Most attempts, game - 27 (for 106 yds.) at Buffalo 11/3

Yards – 959 [8]

Most yards, game – 112 yards (on 26 carries) at NY Jets 12/15

Average gain – 3.6

TDs – 4

100-yard rushing games – 2

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 18      

Most receptions, game – 3 (for 10 yds.) at NY Jets 12/15

Yards – 81

Most yards, game - 18 (on 1 catch) at Pittsburgh 9/15

Average gain – 4.5

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 4

Points – 24

Awards & Honors:

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA

Patriots went 6-10 to finish fourth in the AFC East.

Aftermath:

Russell suffered through an injury-plagued 1992 season, rushing for just 390 yards. He bounced back with 1088 yards in ’93 but averaged 3.6 yards per carry and lacked consistency. Russell moved on to the Denver Broncos in 1994 where he led the team with 620 rushing yards and caught a career-high 38 passes before a neck injury sidelined him late in the season. After a year as a backup with the Rams, he finished up in San Diego in 1996. Overall, over six seasons Russell rushed for 3973 yards on 1164 carries (3.4 avg.) and had 122 pass receptions for 846 yards, scoring a total of 29 TDs. 

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

1943: Hutson Scores 20 Points as Packers Defeat “Steagles”

The Green Bay Packers finished out their 1943 NFL season on December 5 in a game against a wartime combination of two clubs. The Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers merged to become the Phil-Pitt Combine, popularly referred to as the “Steagles” due to the World War II manpower shortage plus reduced revenues. Earle “Greasy” Neale of the Eagles and Pittsburgh’s Walt Kiesling acted as co-coaches, and their styles and personalities clashed. Neither team had a history of winning, but the Steagles were in contention in the Eastern Division coming into the final week with a 5-3-1 record. HB Jack Hinkle was in the running for the league rushing title and two rookies, tackle Al Wistert and guard Bucko Kilroy, proved to be good acquisitions.

Head Coach Curly Lambeau’s Packers had a better record than Phil-Pitt, at 6-2-1, but they had already been eliminated by the Bears in the race for the Western Division crown. Star end Don Hutson (pictured above) was having a typically great season and had indicated that this would be his last game (a pronouncement that would prove to be premature). Tailbacks Tony Canadeo and Irv Comp were capable players, replacing the departed Cecil Isbell. Moreover, neither the Eagles nor the Steelers had ever beaten Green Bay (both franchises came into the league in 1933).

There were 34,294 fans in attendance at Philadelphia’s Shibe Park. They saw the Packers score just five plays into the game. The Steagles had first possession and, after a one-yard carry by HB Johnny Butler, Jack Hinkle fumbled and LB Pete Tinsley recovered for Green Bay at the Phil-Pitt 31. Following an incomplete pass on first down, Tony Canadeo took advantage of a big hole and ran 35 yards for a touchdown. Hutson added the extra point and the visitors were in front at just 1:41 into play.

After Hinkle returned the ensuing kickoff to the Phil-Pitt 21, the Steagles scored in four plays. QB Roy Zimmerman threw to Butler for a 37-yard gain and Hinkle ran 38 yards on a sweep for a TD. Zimmerman converted to tie the score.

The Steagles got the ball back when DB Ben Kish intercepted a poorly thrown pass by HB Lou Brock at the Green Bay 41 and returned it five yards. The Packers stifled Phil-Pitt on defense, however, and Zimmerman’s 30-yard field goal try was blocked.

Phil-Pitt advanced to the Green Bay 27 on its next series, but a Zimmerman pass was picked off by Irv Comp, who returned it 41 yards to the Steagles’ 39. Canadeo threw to end Harry Jacunski to get to the 14. HB Bob Thurbon knocked away a throw toward Hutson in the end zone and, following a short run by Canadeo, the Packers were facing third down. Brock got the ball on the next play and ran wide to his left on an apparent sweep, but then turned and threw to Canadeo, who was all alone in the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown. Hutson again converted and the visitors were back in front by 14-7 with less than two minutes to play in the opening period.

The first quarter scoring wasn’t quite over, however. HB Ernie Steele returned the ensuing kickoff 27 yards to the Phil-Pitt 32. Zimmerman passed to Thurbon, who made a leaping catch at his 48 for a 16-yard gain. Following a run by Steele for four yards, Zimmerman went long for end Tony Bova, who outraced Hutson and HB Joe Laws down the middle of the field, gathered the ball in at the Green Bay 15, and reached the end zone for a sensational 48-yard TD. The play, capped by Zimmerman’s extra point, ended the eventful first quarter with the teams tied at 14-14.

Early in the second quarter, Canadeo threw a pass that was almost immediately deflected and grabbed by end Tom Miller to give the Steagles the ball at the Green Bay 14. Jacunski blew through the line and dumped Thurbon for an eleven-yard loss and Phil-Pitt came up empty a few plays later when Zimmerman’s 31-yard field goal attempt sailed wide to the right.

The Packers got a big play when FB Tony Falkenstein took off on a 59-yard carry to the Phil-Pitt 15. The Steagles held from there on defense and Hutson kicked a 25-yard field goal. The score remained 17-14 at the half.

The Packers struck again early in the third quarter when Laws intercepted a Zimmerman pass and returned it to the Phil-Pitt 41. They scored in seven plays with Comp running for the last four yards around end for a TD. Hutson again successfully converted and the visitors led by ten points.

It looked even worse for the Steagles when Hutson intercepted a long throw by Steele and returned it 45 yards to the Phil-Pitt 10 yard line. But the Packers came up empty when, electing to go for the touchdown on fourth down, Comp was instead pulled down for a nine-yard loss and the Steagles regained possession.

Just before the end of the period, Jacunski intercepted a Zimmerman pass at the Phil-Pitt 19. Two plays gained seven yards and then Hutson caught a pass from Comp for a 12-yard touchdown. Hutson added the extra point to make it 31-14 for the visitors.

The Steagles weren’t quite finished, however. After Thurbon returned the kickoff to his 40, Phil-Pitt went 60 yards in six plays, helped by a 15-yard personal foul penalty. QB Allie Sherman threw to Bova for a 13-yard touchdown and Zimmerman added the PAT. Green Bay’s lead was cut to 31-21.

On their next series, the Steagles tallied again as they drove 62 yards. Bova made another outstanding catch, again on a long throw by Zimmerman for a 46-yard gain to the Green Bay four. Hinkle failed to penetrate the line while trying to go up the middle on the next play, but Steele followed up with a carry around end for the needed yardage and a TD. Zimmerman added the extra point and it was suddenly a three-point game with half a period to play.

The crowd was excited, and that excitement increased when the Packers went three-and-out on the next series. However, Hinkle fumbled the ball away at the Phil-Pitt 38. Comp went right to the air, connecting with Falkenstein for 14 yards.  On third down, Comp threw again, this time to Hutson in the end zone for a 23-yard game-clinching touchdown. He converted and the Packers won by a final score of 38-28.

Phil-Pitt had the edge in total yards (318 to 278) and first downs (10 to 8). However, the Steagles hurt themselves by turning the ball over eight times, to two suffered by the Packers.

Don Hutson, with two touchdowns, a field goal, and five extra points, scored a total of 20 points. Tony Bova had a big day catching the ball with three receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Jack Hinkle (pictured at left) rushed for 59 yards in 12 carries in his bid for the league rushing title, although he also had the two critical fumbles.

Green Bay ended up with a 7-2-1 record to place second to the Bears in the Western Division. The defeat knocked Phil-Pitt out of the Eastern Division race as they finished at 5-4-1 and in third place, a game behind the Redskins and Giants, who tied for the division title (Washington won the resulting playoff).

Don Hutson led the NFL in pass receiving for the sixth time with 47 catches, and likewise in receiving yards with 776. He also topped the league with 11 TD receptions and 12 touchdowns overall (tied with Bill Paschal of the Giants) and was the leading scorer with 117 points. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection for the sixth consecutive year – and would come back to be so honored twice more before retiring for real in 1945 as the league’s pass receiving and scoring career leader.

Jack Hinkle rushed for 571 yards on 116 carries for a 4.9-yard average, missing out on the NFL rushing title by one yard to Paschal. It was later found that a statistician’s error had apparently deprived him of 37 yards, but the erro remained uncorrected. Tony Bova didn’t catch a lot of passes, although his total of 17 led the Steagles, but he gained 419 yards to average 24.6 yards-per-reception and scored five touchdowns. 

1977: Rams Beat Raiders to Clinch NFC West Title

The Los Angeles Rams had won four straight NFC West titles and were looking to clinch a fifth as they hosted the Oakland Raiders on December 4, 1977. Head Coach Chuck Knox, unhappy working for owner Carroll Rosenbloom but still at the helm, had molded the Rams into a consistent winner with a ground-oriented offense and solid defense, although the winning had yet to reach full fruition in the postseason. 34-year-old Joe Namath had come from the Jets and started the season at quarterback but was quickly supplanted by Pat Haden, who made up for a lack of size and arm strength with mobility and intelligence (he had studied at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar). HB Lawrence McCutcheon (pictured above) ably led the ground game and, when the Rams passed, they had an outstanding deep threat in WR Harold Jackson. After getting off to a 4-3 start, Los Angeles had won four straight – with the defense giving up no more than ten points in any of those games – and came into the contest against Oakland at 8-3, a full two games in front of the nearest competitor in the division.

The Raiders, coached by John Madden, were the defending NFL Champions but, at 9-2, were in a battle with the upstart Denver Broncos for leadership in the AFC West. QB Ken “The Snake” Stabler was having something of an off year, but the Raiders were still a tough, veteran club.

There were 67,075 fans in attendance on a pleasant day at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Raiders had first possession and drove just past midfield before Stabler was intercepted by LB Jim Youngblood. The Rams moved into Oakland territory with Lawrence McCutcheon running effectively and catching a pass from Pat Haden (pictured below) for a 14-yard gain in a third-and-six situation. The drive finally stalled at the 28 but LA came up empty when Rafael Septien’s 46-yard field goal attempt sailed wide to the right.

The teams exchanged punts but the Rams got another break when WR Rick Jennings of the Raiders fumbled while attempting to make a fair catch of Glenn Walker’s kick. Rookie safety Nolan Cromwell recovered at the Oakland 27 and this time LA did not fail to capitalize. Following two short passes, McCutcheon carried five straight times to reach the three and FB John Cappelletti ran the final yard for a touchdown. Septien added the extra point.

In a series that carried over into the second quarter, the Raiders responded by advancing into Los Angeles territory, but Errol Mann’s 39-yard try for a field goal was blocked by CB Pat Thomas. The teams again traded punts before Oakland once again marched into LA’s end of the field. The Raiders started off at their ten but HB Clarence Davis took a pitchout and ran 32 yards and a 12-yard carry by FB Mark van Eeghen brought the ball to the LA 37. Following two short runs and a pass, Stabler fired twice for the end zone. The first fell incomplete and the second was picked off by CB Monte Jackson to extinguish the threat.

However, it was now Oakland’s turn to benefit from a turnover. Cappelletti fumbled and DE Pat Toomay recovered for the Raiders at the LA 31. Eight plays later, and with just under a minute remaining in the half, FB Pete Banaszak pounded one yard for a TD. Mann’s extra point tied the score at 7-7, which remained the tally at halftime.

The Rams took the second half kickoff and rolled methodically down the field, going 62 yards in 11 plays. Haden threw to TE Terry Nelson for 16 yards and to Cappelletti for nine yards in a third-and-four situation. Another 16-yard completion to Nelson got the ball to the Oakland 11 and, after McCutcheon ran twice and Haden’s third-down pass was tipped by DE John Matuszak, Septien kicked a 21-yard field goal to put Los Angeles back in the lead.

The Raiders reached the LA 45 on their next series before having to punt. The home team got a big play when Haden threw to McCutcheon for a 30-yard gain to the Oakland 36, but the drive stalled and the Rams punted in turn. A Stabler pass was tipped and intercepted by SS Dave Elmendorf, but Oakland got the ball back on the next play when Cappelletti fumbled again and CB Lester Hayes recovered. As the game headed into the final period, the Raiders reached the LA 32, but Stabler fumbled when sacked by LB Isiah Robertson and DE Jack Youngblood came up with the ball.

The Rams went 17 yards in six plays before Septien kicked another field goal, this time from 44 yards, to make it a six-point game. But the Raiders, starting at their 13 following a penalty on the ensuing kickoff, responded with a 12-play, 87-yard drive. Davis and van Eeghen ran the ball well and, when the series stalled at the Oakland 45 and the Raiders punted, an offsides penalty on the Rams kept the possession alive. Van Eeghen took off for a 20-yard run and a defensive holding penalty allowed the Raiders to convert another third down. Finally, Stabler threw to TE Dave Casper for a 21-yard touchdown and, with Mann adding the extra point, Oakland was in front by 14-13 with less than five minutes remaining to play.

With the ball at the LA 17 following the kickoff, Haden threw to Nelson for 20 yards and, after a short running play, tossed a swing pass to Cappelletti for another ten. McCutcheon ran for six yards and another swing pass lost ground, but Haden then went long for the fleet Harold Jackson who caught the ball in the end zone for a 43-yard TD. Septien’s PAT made it a six-point lead for the home team.

There were still two minutes left as the Raiders took possession. Stabler was looking to pass on every play, and after being sacked by Jack Youngblood to face a fourth-and-20 situation, he connected with Casper for a 24-yard gain. Two plays later, “The Snake” hit WR Cliff Branch for nine yards, but a sack and an incomplete pass had the Raiders back at their 49 with seven seconds remaining on the clock. Stabler found Branch for 24 yards but time expired before he could get out of bounds and the Rams came away with a 20-14 win.

The Raiders led in total yards (351 to 302), with 198 of that total coming on the ground, and first downs (27 to 19). However, Oakland also turned the ball over six times, to two suffered by the Rams. Stabler was also sacked four times, as opposed to two recorded by LA.

Pat Haden completed 13 of 22 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Lawrence McCutcheon ran for 97 yards on 25 carries and also led the Rams with 63 yards on four pass receptions. John Cappelletti had 5 catches for 29 yards to go along with his 34 yards and a TD on 13 rushing attempts. Terry Nelson contributed three receptions for 51 yards while Harold Jackson had the one big 43-yard scoring catch.

For the Raiders, Ken Stabler was successful on 16 of 38 throws for 194 yards and a TD, and gave up four interceptions. Clarence Davis rushed for 80 yards on 10 carries and Mark van Eeghen was right behind as he gained 79 yards on 16 attempts. Dave Casper (pictured at right) topped the receivers with 5 catches for 73 yards and a touchdown and Fred Biletnikoff added four receptions for 47 yards.

The win for the Rams clinched another NFL West crown and they finished at 10-4. However, they once again fell short in the postseason with a loss to Minnesota in the Divisional playoff round. The loss for the Raiders assured that they would need to qualify for the postseason as a Wild Card entry. They did just that, winning their last two contests to place second in the AFC West at 11-3. Oakland won an exciting overtime game in the Divisional round over the Colts before falling to the Broncos in a close contest for the AFC Championship.

Lawrence McCutcheon ranked third in the NFL with 1238 yards on 294 rushing attempts (4.2 avg.), his fourth thousand-yard season in five years. He caught 25 passes for 274 yards and scored a total of nine touchdowns in garnering his fifth consecutive selection to the Pro Bowl.

Pat Haden ranked third in the league in passing with an 84.5 rating. He completed 56.5 percent of his passes for 1551 yards and 11 touchdowns, giving up just 6 interceptions, and was also named to the Pro Bowl.