1997: Eddie George Runs for 216 Yards as Oilers Beat Raiders in Tennessee Debut

The team that had been known as the Houston Oilers for 37 years began a new chapter as a Tennessee-based franchise on August 31, 1997. Coached by Jeff Fisher, the Oilers were coming off of an 8-8 record in ’96. While they faded badly after getting off to a 5-2 start, they were a rebuilding team that also showed improvement and had young talent at key positions. Mobile third-year QB Steve McNair was heading into his first season as the starter, with veteran Chris Chandler having been dealt away during the offseason. RB Eddie George (pictured at right) rushed for 1368 yards and received Rookie of the Year recognition, and he was expected to carry even more of a load in his second year.

The team they were facing in the opening week was the Raiders, who had returned to Oakland two years before after a 13-season sojourn in Los Angeles. The Raiders were coming off a 7-9 tally in 1996 and had made changes at head coach, where Joe Bugel was replacing Mike White, and quarterback, with the talented but immature Jeff George taking over from Jeff Hostetler. They also had a fine runner in Napoleon Kaufman and a reliable receiver in WR Tim Brown. However, the defense was full of question marks.

There was a disappointing crowd of 30,171 in attendance at the 62,300-seat Liberty Bowl in Memphis, which was to serve as a first-year home for the Nashville-bound club, on a damp and hazy day, and many of them were there to support the visiting Raiders.

The teams exchanged punts to start the game. Commencing their second possession from their own nine yard line, the Raiders suffered a turnover when Napoleon Kaufman fumbled after catching a pass from Jeff George and the LB Lonnie Marts recovered for the Oilers at the 20. Four plays later, Al Del Greco kicked a 30-yard field goal to put the home team in front by 3-0.

Oakland responded by moving into Tennessee territory when George threw to TE Rickey Dudley for a 26-yard gain. Two runs by Kaufman gained nine yards but a third down option pass was incomplete and Cole Ford’s 46-yard field goal attempt was wide to the left.

The Oilers came back with a five-play, 63-yard drive that featured a pass from Steve McNair to WR Willie Davis that picked up 21 yards to the Oakland 38. Another pass by McNair resulted in a 48-yard touchdown completion to WR Chris Sanders. Del Greco added the extra point and Tennessee took a 10-0 lead into the second quarter.

Following a punt by the Raiders, Tennessee’s next series ended with McNair being intercepted by SS James Trapp to give Oakland good starting field position at the Oilers’ 49. However, after advancing to the 37, the visitors lost ground and once again had to punt. Oakland again got the ball back on a turnover, this time a fumble by WR Derrick Mason, and again failed to capitalize. The half ended with the Oilers ahead by ten, and Eddie George had already gained 95 yards rushing.

Tennessee started off the third quarter with a 14-play series that covered 47 yards, converting two third downs along the way, and finishing up with Del Greco kicking a 37-yard field goal. But down by 13 points, the Raiders struck quickly on their next possession. On the second play, George completed a pass to Tim Brown for a 59-yard touchdown and, with Ford’s successful conversion, the tally stood at 13-7.

Following a short series by the Oilers that resulted in a punt, Oakland put together another scoring drive that stretched into the final period and was helped along by a pass interference penalty in a third-and-nine situation. George completed passes to Brown for 19 and 13 yards along the way and capped the nine-play, 75-yard possession with another throw to Brown for a 27-yard TD. With Ford’s extra point, the Raiders were in the lead by 14-13.

The teams traded punts before Tennessee put together a 90-yard series that took 13 plays. The last six were all runs by George, the final carry good for a 29-yard touchdown. George then successfully ran for a two-point conversion and, with just over two minutes remaining in regulation, the Oilers were back in the lead at 21-14.

The Raiders started off from their own 47 following a 34-yard kickoff return by RB Tim Hall. George completed four straight passes, the longest covering 18 yards to WR Olanda Truitt, to get to the Tennessee 16. The next three throws fell incomplete and, while RB Derrick Fenner ran for seven yards, two sacks had the Raiders back at the 16 and facing fourth-and-goal and the clock down to 28 seconds. However, George tossed a bullet to Brown between two defenders for a TD and, with Ford adding the all-important extra point, the game was tied at 21-21 and went into overtime.

Tennessee had the first possession in the extra period but went three-and-out and had to punt. The Raiders were no more successful and punted in turn. Starting at their 35, the Oilers got two pass completions from McNair to TE Frank Wycheck, one for 21 yards and then for 10 to reach the Oakland 32. McNair ran the ball himself around end for 11 more yards and, after George went up the middle for six yards, Del Greco came in to kick the decisive field goal from 33 yards. The Oilers came away the winner in their first game as a Tennessee team by the final score of 24-21.

Tennessee had more total yards (419 to 332), with 255 yards of that total coming on the ground, and also had the edge in first downs (20 to 17). The Oilers also turned the ball over twice, to one turnover suffered by Oakland. Each team recorded three sacks.

Eddie George rushed for 216 yards on 35 carries that included a touchdown – it was the second-highest opening-game rushing total in NFL history at the time. Steve McNair completed 13 of 25 passes for 182 yards and had one TD as well as one interception. He further contributed 23 yards on the ground. RB Ronnie Harmon caught 5 passes for 50 yards and Chris Sanders gained 51 yards on his two receptions that included a touchdown. Al Del Greco was successful on all three of his field goal attempts, including the game-winner in overtime.

For the Raiders, Jeff George (pictured at left) was successful on 21 of 37 throws for 298 yards and three TDs with none intercepted. Tim Brown caught 8 of those passes for 158 yards and three scores. Napoleon Kauffman ran for just 32 yards on 12 carries.

Coach Jeff Fisher awarded a game ball to Tennessee Gov. Don Sundquist, but garbled the presentation by saying “This is from the Hou…er, Tennessee… Oilers organization.”

The Week 1 win was followed by four consecutive losses before the Oilers won six of their next eight contests and finished up with another 8-8 season that placed them third in the AFC Central. Practicing in Nashville, 210 miles away, while playing before sparse crowds in Memphis hurt, and the team moved to Nashville’s Vanderbilt Stadium in 1998 before finally coming to rest in a newly-constructed stadium in ’99 – and with a new name, the Titans, as well.

The Raiders dropped to 4-12, tying with San Diego at the bottom of the AFC West. While Jeff George passed for a league-leading 3917 yards and topped the AFC with 29 TD passes and Tim Brown caught 104 passes for 1408 yards, they could not make up for poor defensive play.

Eddie George went on to rush for 1399 yards on 357 carries (3.9 avg.) and was chosen to the Pro Bowl for the first of four straight seasons. The 216-yard performance against Oakland remained his career high.

1945: Hutson TD on Interception Caps Win for Packers Over College All-Stars

The 12^th College All-Star Game on August 30, 1945 featured the Green Bay Packers, NFL Champions of the previous year, against an All-Star team coached by Bernie Bierman of Minnesota. The Packers, appearing in the annual contest for the third time, were coached by Curly Lambeau and featured end Don Hutson (pictured above), the NFL’s top receiver and scorer, who would also prove his value as a defensive back.

Bernie Bierman was head coach of the All-Stars for the second time, having been coach when the collegians tied the Detroit Lions in 1936. The roster featured future pro stars such as halfbacks Charlie Trippi of Georgia (pictured below) and Tom Harmon of Michigan, tackles Bill Willis from Ohio State and Purdue’s Dick Barwegan, who had all appeared in prior All-Star Games due to the liberalized wartime eligibility rules that allowed underclassmen to play.

There were 92,753 fans in attendance at Soldier Field on a very hot night, most of them rooting for the collegians, but the All-Stars were rarely able to dent the Packers, and were hurt by turnovers when they did. Green Bay took the opening kickoff and, with tailback Irv Comp passing effectively, the Packers drove to the All-Star 12 yard line and Don Hutson kicked a 20-yard field goal.

A quick kick by Charlie Trippi pinned the pro champs back and gave the All-Stars good field position on the ensuing punt, but C/LB Charley Brock intercepted a pass on his eight yard line and returned it 25 yards.

The Packers reached the All-Star 20 on the first play of the second quarter thanks to a run by FB Don Perkins, but a pass into the end zone was intercepted by Washington State FB/DB Bob Kennedy. However, after crossing the goal line, he retreated back into the end zone and was tackled for a safety. Instead of giving the ball up on a turnover, Green Bay was ahead by an extended margin of 5-0.

Following a fumble by Texas Tech FB Walter Schlinkman that was recovered by tackle Buford “Baby” Ray, the Packers struck quickly on a 20-yard touchdown pass from tailback Tex McKay to HB Herman Rohrig. Hutson added the point after to lengthen Green Bay’s lead to 12-0.

The All-Stars responded by moving well on offense and scoring on a pass from Kennedy to St. Joseph end Nick Scollard that covered 63 yards, with the receiver evading one defender and going the last 20 yards unmolested. Tom Harmon kicked the extra point and the tally remained 12-7 at the half.

The All-Stars got a break in the third quarter when Comp fumbled when hit by Bill Willis and G Damon Tassos of Texas A & M recovered at the Green Bay 34. The All-Stars, however, once again came up empty.

The Packers passed their way to midfield but a long throw by HB Lou Brock was picked off by Trippi at the eight, and he returned it to the 34. Any momentum shift ended when Harmon, caught from behind by Hutson and end Clyde Goodnight after breaking away for a 46-yard gain, fumbled and Brock recovered for the defending champs. However, the All-Stars got the ball back on the last play of the period when Indiana tackle Ed Bell recovered a fumble by HB Joe Laws at the Green Bay 31.

It looked like trouble for the Packers until Hutson intercepted a pass by HB Perry Moss from Tulsa on his own 15 and returned it 85 yards for a game-breaking touchdown. For good measure, Hutson also kicked the extra point.

The All-Stars threatened once more when Trippi intercepted a pass, returning it to the Green Bay two before being knocked out of bounds, and out of the game, by Laws. After the collegians were flagged for being offside, Ohio State QB Les Horvath fumbled and end Harry Jacunski recovered for the Packers at the 17 to end the threat. The final score was 19-7 for the Packers.

The All-Stars had more yards through the air (162 to 95) while the Packers outgained the collegians on the ground (132 yards to 68). Green Bay had the edge in first downs (15 to 12). Don Hutson accounted for 11 points on a touchdown, field goal, and two extra points.

The win for Green Bay put the NFL ahead of the collegians in the series by seven to three, with two ties. The Packers went on to post a 6-4 record in the regular season, finishing third in the Western Division. Don Hutson, in his final year, led the NFL in pass receptions for the eighth time with 47 catches and scored 97 points, which ranked second in the league.

Charlie Trippi, the MVP for the All-Stars, went on to a nine-year career with the Chicago Cardinals that resulted in his being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He would go on to appear in one more College All-Star Game, this time as a member of the Cards in 1948.

1935: Bears Shut Out College All-Stars

The second edition of the College All-Star Game, played on August 29, 1935 for the benefit of Chicago charities, was the first (and only) in the series in which the team representing the professionals was not the defending NFL (or, later, Super Bowl) champion. The Chicago Bears, back for a second straight year after playing to a scoreless tie in the inaugural event, had gone undefeated in topping the Western Division in 1934 but lost the title game to the Giants.

The Bears, coached by George Halas, were hindered by injuries to FB Bronko Nagurski and HB Gene Ronzani , both of whom played only briefly, and were also without their regular quarterbacks, Carl Brumbaugh and Keith Molesworth.

The All-Stars, who were picked by the votes of over 737,000 fans, were coached by Alabama’s Frank Thomas and contained future Hall of Fame end Don Hutson out of Alabama, future Green Bay coach Phil Bengtson, a tackle from Minnesota, and future President of the United States Gerald Ford, a center who starred at Michigan.

There was a big crowd of 77,450 in attendance at Soldier Field for the Thursday night game with heavy rain falling throughout much of the contest. The Bears got on the board in the first quarter of what quickly turned into a defensive struggle. Carries of 18 and 12 yards by HB Beattie Feathers (pictured above) put the ball on the All-Star three yard line, but Chicago was unable to cross the goal line in the next three plays and settled for a 27-yard field goal by Jack Manders.

That was it until the final period. The collegians got a break at one point when Chicago drew a 15-yard penalty after reaching the All-Star two and came up empty, but by and large the teams punted often while maneuvering for field position.

In the fourth quarter, HB Bill Shepherd of Western Maryland, attempting to punt from his own end zone, dropped the ball as he fielded a bad snap and was smothered for a safety by the Bears. Still, the All-Stars nearly managed to pull the game out. They got their best field position of the game at the Chicago 42 thanks to a short punt. Following a one-yard run, Shepherd took off around end for 14 yards and then Don Hutson ran the ball on a reverse and reached the eight yard line. However, at that point the Bears held on defense and the All-Stars were forced to give up the ball on downs. Chicago came away the winner by a final score of 5-0.

The Bears had the advantage in total yards (166 to 127) and first downs (10 to 6). Each team punted 14 times and both had just two pass completions apiece due to the weather conditions, on nine attempts by the All-Stars and 11 by Chicago. The Bears were hurt by 112 yards in penalties.

Bill Shepherd and tackle Tony Blazine of Illinois Wesleyan had the most noteworthy performances for the All-Stars. Beattie Feathers, who had been a participant the previous year as a member of the All-Stars, played well for the Bears, with some effective line-drive punts as well as his running.

“It was that damned rain,” said Coach Thomas of the All-Stars, explaining his squad’s defeat. “It turned what started out to be a great wide-open game into a battle where the style was cramped.”

The Bears went 6-4-2 during the regular season, which, with all of the Western Division teams finishing with winning records, placed them third behind the Lions and Packers. They would go on to play in a total of seven College All-Star Games, compiling a record of 5-1-1.

Bill Shepherd started off the 1935 season with the Boston Redskins, but was traded to Detroit and was a component of the Lions’ outstanding ground attack on the way to winning the NFL Championship. He received second-team All-NFL honors from UPI and the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Shepherd stayed with the Lions for five more years and continued to be a key player in the backfield.

Rookie of the Year: Claude Humphrey, 1968

Defensive End, Atlanta Falcons

Age: 24

College: Tennessee State

Height: 6’5”   Weight: 255

Prelude:

Following a college career that was capped by receiving All-American honors in 1967 from The Sporting News and Time magazine, Humphrey was chosen in the first round (third overall) by the Falcons in the 1968 AFL/NFL combined draft. He moved directly into the starting lineup and made an impact with his skill as a pass rusher.

1968 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Sacks – 11.5 (unofficial)

Interceptions – 0

Fumble recoveries – 3

Awards & Honors:

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year: AP

Falcons went 2-12 to finish fourth in the Coastal Division of the NFL Western Conference.  

Aftermath:

Humphrey continued to develop in 1969, receiving second-team All-NFL honors from NEA and UPI, and was chosen to the Pro Bowl for the first of five straight years in ’70. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection in 1972 and ’73. Humphrey missed only two games in his first seven years, but lost all of 1975 due to a major knee injury. He came back in ’76 to achieve an unofficial career high in sacks with 15 and was back in the Pro Bowl in 1977, a season in which the Falcons defense excelled and gave up just 129 points. However, four games into the ’78 season Humphrey abruptly retired. The Falcons traded him to the Philadelphia in the offseason, and he came back with the Eagles to play another three years that included a NFC Championship in ’80. Utilized as a pass rushing specialist in his last two seasons, he was credited with 14.5 sacks in 1980. Overall, he played in 171 games over 13 seasons and, while sacks were not yet officially compiled, he was unofficially credited with 122 over that time. In addition to twice being a consensus first-team All-NFL choice, he received at least second-team or all-conference selections after six other seasons and was named to the Pro Bowl on six occasions as well. Humphrey was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2014.

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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).

Highlighted Year: Ashley Ambrose, 1996

Cornerback, Cincinnati Bengals

Age: 26 (Sept. 17)

5^th season in pro football, 1^st with Bengals

College: Mississippi Valley State

Height: 5’10” Weight: 192

Prelude:

Ambrose was chosen by the Indianapolis Colts in the second round of the 1992 NFL draft. While he displayed talent on coverage, he was also inconsistent and failed to live up to expectations. He intercepted five passes, all in his last two years in Indianapolis, and had a good postseason as Indianapolis advanced to the AFC Championship game in 1995. Ambrose moved on to the Bengals as a free agent for ‘96.

1996 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 8 [3]

Most interceptions, game – 2 at San Diego 9/8

Int. return yards – 63

Most int. return yards, game – 31 (on 1 int.) at Buffalo 11/17

Int. TDs – 1 [4, tied with many]

Sacks – 0

Fumble recoveries – 0

Forced fumbles – 1

Tackles – 44

Assists – 6

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points – 6

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP

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

Pro Bowl

Bengals went 8-8 to finish third in the AFC Central and led the NFL with 34 interceptions.

Aftermath:

Ambrose followed up his breakout year with another solid effort in 1997, but problems at the other cornerback position combined with a deficient pass rush made it more challenging. After three years in Cincinnati, he moved on to the Saints in ’99 and then signed with Atlanta in 2000, where he combined with Ray Buchanan to create a fine cornerback tandem. Making up for diminishing speed with savvy, Ambrose spent three seasons with the Falcons before returning to New Orleans in 2003 for his final two years (he signed with the Chiefs in 2005, but was released prior to the regular season). Over the course of 13 seasons, Ambrose intercepted 42 passes, three of which he returned for touchdowns. He overcame a slow start with the Colts to become a good, if not spectacular, NFL cornerback and 1996 remained the only season in which he received All-NFL and Pro Bowl recognition. Afterward, Ambrose went on to become an assistant coach at the college level.

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Highlighted Years features players who were first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

Rookie of the Year: Jim Haslett, 1979

Linebacker, Buffalo Bills

Age: 24 (Dec. 9)

College: Indiana (PA)

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 232

Prelude:

Haslett played defensive end and linebacker in college and set school season records for sacks (20) and fumble recoveries (5). A three-time Little All-American, he appeared in the Blue-Gray All-Star Game following the 1978 season and was chosen by the Bills in the second round of the 1979 NFL draft despite his coming out of a small school. Benefiting from top draft pick Tom Cousineau’s decision to play in the CFL instead, Haslett moved directly into the starting lineup at left inside linebacker.

1979 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Sacks – N/A

Interceptions – 2

Most interceptions, game – 2 at New England 11/25

Int. return yards – 15

Most int. return yards, game – 15 (on 2 int.) at New England 11/25

Int. TDs – 0

Fumble recoveries – 2

Fumble rec. TDs – 0

Tackles – 124

Awards & Honors:

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year: AP

Bills went 7-9 to finish fourth in the AFC East.  

Aftermath:

The Buffalo defense topped the NFL in 1980 and Haslett continued to be a key player, especially against the run. Injuries became a factor as the unit went into decline and Haslett himself was limited to five games in 1983, but he continued to be a steady performer who regularly was among the team’s leaders in tackles. A broken leg suffered in Buffalo’s final preseason game cost him the ’86 season and, while he saw some action with the Jets in 1987, his career was effectively finished. Overall, he appeared in 94 games over eight seasons, and started 86 of them. He went on to a coaching career that included head coaching stints with the New Orleans Saints and St. Louis Rams (interim) in the NFL and the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League.

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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). 

1964: Rams Trade Jon Arnett to Bears

On August 23, 1964 the Chicago Bears picked up HB Jon Arnett from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for G Roger Davis, a five-year veteran; C Joe Wendryhoski, a first-year NFL player from Illinois who had been All-Big 10 and had seen action in the CFL; and rookie DB Frank Budka from Notre Dame, who had been a college quarterback.

The 29-year-old Arnett was 5’11” and 195 pounds and had been LA’s first draft choice out of USC in 1957, the second pick overall and ahead of FB Jim Brown, who the Browns took four picks later. A former gymnast as well as hurdler, he was highly regarded in college for his speed, balance, and running instincts and made an immediate impression by leading the NFL in kickoff returns as a rookie. “Jaguar Jon” also saw action at halfback and rushed for 347 yards while gaining another 322 yards as a pass receiver who averaged 17.9 yards on his 18 catches.  He was named to the Pro Bowl for the first of five consecutive seasons.

Arnett was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection in 1958 as he moved into the starting lineup and gained 1177 yards from scrimmage (683 on 133 rushing attempts, 494 on 35 pass receptions). He led the league in punt return average (12.4) and continued to return kickoffs. His greatest single-game performance came at home against the Bears as he accumulated 295 total yards, although he failed to score a touchdown. His 1731 all-purpose yards ranked second in the NFL, just eight behind Jim Brown.

The ’58 season proved to be his most productive – it was also the last time the Rams would finish with a winning record while he was with them. Arnett was used more as a spot player, splitting out to flanker as well as lining up at halfback, but he continued to receive Pro Bowl recognition for his all-purpose contributions that included some spectacular plays, such as a 105-yard kickoff return in 1961. Injuries became a factor and he was bothered by a bad knee in 1963 and, prior to the trade, had seen little action during the ’64 preseason.

The Bears, defending league champions, were in need of a halfback following the death of seven-year veteran Willie Galimore in a car accident during training camp. They also had HB Ronnie Bull on the roster, the league’s top rookie in 1962, who was versatile but lacked speed.

Arnett split time with Bull at halfback and led the team in rushing with 400 yards on 119 carries for a mediocre 3.4-yard average. Overall, the Bears had the NFL’s least-productive ground game in ’64 as the team dropped all the way to sixth place in the Western Conference. While still an effective runner at times, Arnett no longer had the speed that had made him a star with the Rams.

The arrival of rookie HB Gale Sayers from Kansas in 1965 relegated Arnett to a backup role in his last two seasons. He retired after the ’66 season, having gained 10,214 all-purpose yards (3833 rushing, 2290 pass receiving, 981 returning punts, and 3110 running back kickoffs) and scored 39 touchdowns.

As for the players that the Rams received for Arnett, Roger Davis was the most experienced, having been taken in the first round of the 1960 NFL draft out of Syracuse, where he had been a star on the 1959 national championship team. He moved into the starting lineup at right guard and spent one year with the Rams before moving on to the New York Giants in 1965. Joe Wendryhoski was with the Rams for three seasons before moving on to the expansion Saints in ’67. Frank Budka was around for just one NFL season, playing as a defensive back and later moving on to the Continental Football League. Moreover, the Rams continued to lose more often than they won in 1964 and ’65, finally turning around under Head Coach George Allen in 1966.