1995: Chiefs Defeat Chargers on Vanover Punt Return TD in Overtime

The Monday night matchup on October 9, 1995 featured two AFC West rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs, off to a 5-1 start, against the San Diego Chargers, who were 3-2 and the defending conference champions. The Chiefs had already experience plenty of drama, having played in two overtime games, both of which they won.

Under Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer, Kansas City had reached the playoffs in each of the five preceding seasons, although without a Super Bowl appearance to show for it. QB Joe Montana retired and the Chiefs grabbed another ex-49er, 33-year-old Steve Bono, to take over the starting job, with good results thus far. Another veteran, RB Marcus Allen, led a running attack that also included FB Kimble Anders, an able blocker and receiver as well as rusher. The receivers were not spectacular, but a new backup wide receiver, Tamarick Vanover (pictured above), who had spent his first year in the CFL, was beginning to make an impression as a kick returner. The defense was solid from front to back.

The Chargers, coached by Bobby Ross, were coming off a surprising, if ultimately humiliating, Super Bowl appearance following the ’94 season. Tough and steady QB Stan Humphries had WR Tony Martin as his most reliable target. RB Natrone Means led the ground game and LB Junior Seau was the cornerstone of the defense.

There were 79,288 fans on hand for the Monday night game at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chargers took the opening kickoff and put together a long drive of over nine minutes that covered 63 yards in 19 plays. They converted four third downs along the way, all on passes by Stan Humphries, while Natrone Means ran the ball eight times. The series finally stalled at the Kansas City 10 after San Diego was backed up by a false start and John Carney kicked a 28-yard field goal.

The Chiefs finished out the opening period with a long series of their own, taking 14 plays to advance 67 yards. On the last play of the first quarter, Steve Bono threw to Kimble Anders for a pickup of 28 yards to the San Diego eight in a third-and-nine situation. Four plays later, Lin Elliott kicked a 21-yard field goal to tie the score at 3-3.

WR Andre Coleman returned the ensuing kickoff 54 yards to the KC 37. The Chargers, helped by a pass interference penalty, took four plays to reach the end zone as Means went in from two yards out. Carney added the extra point to put the visitors back in front by 10-3.

Kansas City responded with another long 13-play, 63-yard possession. Bono connected with WR Webster Slaughter (pictured below) for a 38-yard gain to the San Diego 20 and, after chipping away for another ten yards, Elliott booted a field goal of 28 yards. The Chiefs got the ball right back when safety Martin Bayless forced Coleman to fumble and recovered at the San Diego 22. Bono immediately threw to WR Lake Dawson for 20 yards and, two plays later, he passed to Anders for a one-yard touchdown. Elliott added the PAT and Kansas City was ahead by 13-10.

The Chargers had to punt on their next series – the first by either team coming with less than two minutes remaining in the first half. The Chiefs moved quickly down the field as Bono hit Slaughter for another long gain, this time covering 36 yards to the San Diego 44. But after advancing to the 18, Bono fumbled when sacked by DE Raylee Johnson and DT Shawn Lee recovered for the Chargers.

There were 43 seconds left on the clock as San Diego took over possession and Humphries passed on every down to get into Kansas City territory. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on CB James Hasty that came on top of a nine-yard completion to Tony Martin got the ball down to the KC 18 and Carney kicked a 36-yard field goal to tie the score at 13-13 going into halftime.

The eventful first half was followed by a scoreless third quarter. Kansas City, in a series that stretched into the final period, finally put together an 11-play drive that covered 54 yards and broke the deadlock. Bono completed his first three passes, the longest covering 23 yards to Dawson, and with Marcus Allen running the ball three times for 15 yards and Tamarick Vanover adding five yards on an end-around, the Chiefs reached the San Diego 31 and Elliott kicked his third field goal, covering 49 yards. Kansas City was back in the lead by 16-13.

The Chargers responded with a ten-play, 73-yard drive. Humphries (pictured below) completed five passes, with one to WR Shawn Jefferson that covered 45 yards and the last to TE Shannon Mitchell for a four-yard TD. Carney’s conversion put the visitors in front once more by 20-16.

The Chiefs punted following a short series and the Chargers drove to another score. On a third-and-11 play, Humphries threw to RB Ronnie Harmon for 44 yards to the KC 28 and, four plays later facing second-and-14, he connected with TE Duane Young for 12 yards to the nine yard line at the two-minute warning. San Diego was unable to convert the third down and Carney kicked a 29-yard field goal that made it a seven-point contest.

Following the kickoff, the Chiefs took over at their 21 with the time now down to 1:06. Bono passed to Dawson for 27 yards and, after his next throw fell incomplete, hit on his next three aerials. The third was to Slaughter for 16 yards to the San Diego 23. Two plays later, Bono passed to TE Derrick Walker for an 18-yard touchdown. Elliott added the all-important extra point and the game headed toward overtime tied at 23-23.

With Humphries having an injured shoulder, Gale Gilbert was at quarterback for the Chargers as they took first possession in the extra period, and while they ultimately reached Kansas City territory, they were forced to punt. The Chiefs went three-and-out and punted as well. With the ball at the San Diego 43, Gilbert missed on two passes and then was sacked by DE Neil Smith. That set the stage for another punt, and Darren Bennett’s 47-yard kick was taken by Vanover at his 14. He proceeded to return it 86 yards, breaking a tackle before streaking down the sideline for a game-winning touchdown. Kansas City came away with an electrifying 29-23 win, their third in overtime of the season.

The statistics were as close as the score, with the Chiefs holding the edge in total yards (379 to 369) and San Diego generating the most first downs (25 to 21). Neither team was able to run effectively, with Kansas City gaining 62 yards on 25 running plays and the Chargers compiling only 51 on 31 carries. Net passing yards were nearly equal, with San Diego holding a 318 to 317 edge. The Chiefs recorded three sacks, two by Neil Smith, to one by the Chargers, and San Diego turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by KC.

Steve Bono (pictured at left) completed 27 of 41 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns while having none intercepted. Derrick Walker had 6 catches for 45 yards that included the tying TD and Webster Slaughter gained 90 yards on his three receptions while Lake Dawson was right behind with 86 yards on four catches. Marcus Allen topped the Kansas City running attack by gaining a mere 26 yards on 14 attempts.

For the Chargers, Stan Humphries was successful on 24 of 34 throws for 315 yards and a TD while also giving up no interceptions. Tony Martin led the receivers with 7 catches for 88 yards. Natrone Means was held to 33 yards on 24 carries that included a score, but also caught 5 passes for another 33 yards.

“I think they’re rather exciting,” said Coach Schottenheimer of his team’s overtime games. “Two very good football teams went toe-to-toe tonight. I don’t have to tell you the spirit of those guys in the locker room. They have no quit in them.”

After appearing in three overtime contests among their first six games, the Chiefs appeared in no others the rest of the way. They finished with a league-best 13-3 record but lost a 10-7 verdict to the Colts in the Divisional playoff round as Bono tossed three interceptions and Lin Elliott missed three field goal attempts. San Diego lost for a third consecutive time after being beaten by the Chiefs and, during that midseason stretch, won only one of seven contests. However, the Chargers rallied to win five straight and close out the regular season at 9-7, good for second place in the AFC West and a Wild Card playoff spot. They also lost to the Colts, in the Wild Card game.

Tamarick Vanover went on to lead the NFL in punt return yardage with 540, averaging 10.6 yards per return along with a 25.5 average on kickoff returns. In addition to the one long punt return touchdown, he scored two more on kickoffs.

 

1946: 49ers Romp Over Miami in Hurricane-Delayed Home Opener

The Miami Seahawks of the new All-America Football Conference hosted their first home game on October 8, 1946 as they faced the San Francisco 49ers. The franchise was run by an ownership group headed by Harvey Hester and represented a first as a major pro football league team in the Deep South. The roster was liberally sprinkled with players from Southern colleges as a result, but many of them were marginal performers at best. Head Coach Jack Meagher’s squad was already 0-3, having played three road games that started with a 44-0 thrashing in Cleveland and included a loss to the 49ers in San Francisco. To make matters worse for the Seahawks, the home opening game had to be delayed due to a hurricane.

The 49ers were 2-2 coming into the game in Miami, having lost to the Chicago Rockets the previous week. Coached by Buck Shaw, who had been successful at the collegiate level, San Francisco operated with Frankie Albert (pictured above), a mobile lefthander, at quarterback. Ex-Chicago Bears FB Norm Standlee and HB Johnny Strzykalsi headed a deep backfield operating behind a good line, and end Alyn Beals was a productive receiver. 

There was a meagre crowd of 7621 in attendance at Burdine Stadium (aka the Orange Bowl) on a summery Tuesday evening. The 49ers drove to their first score following a fumble by Miami QB Marion Pugh at his own 38. Frankie Albert faded back to pass, couldn’t find a receiver, and instead ran 22 yards down the sideline. HB Len Eshmont powered over from the two for a touchdown a few plays later and Joe Vetrano added the extra point.

In the second quarter, San Francisco’s next scoring drive started off with a 62-yard run by HB Don Durdan to the Miami 12. Two plays later, QB Jesse Freitas threw to Alyn Beals for a 12-yard TD. Vetrano again tacked on the PAT and the visitors took a 14-0 lead into halftime.

Early in the third quarter, San Francisco DE Henry Norberg recovered a fumble by HB Monk Gafford at the Miami nine. However, on this occasion the Seahawks held on defense and the 49ers turned the ball over on downs at the two. The reprieve didn’t last long as Miami couldn’t gain much ground and punted, and Vetrano’s return gave San Francisco starting field position at the Seahawks’ 36. Four plays later, HB Earle Parsons ran off tackle for a 24-yard touchdown and, with Vetrano’s conversion, the 49ers led by 21-0.

The Seahawks finally got on the board in the fourth quarter. Gafford caught a pass from QB Jim Tarrant for a 56-yard gain to the San Francisco five and, after a play that lost yardage was followed by a penalty on the 49ers, Tarrant threw to end Prince Scott for a four-yard TD. Dick Erdlitz tacked on the extra point.

That was it for the home team as San Francisco poured it on in the remaining time. A pass interference penalty advanced the 49ers to the Miami eight and HB Pete Franceschi bulled over for a touchdown from there. The extra point attempt failed when a bad snap caused Vetrano to attempt a drop kick that was unsuccessful. Two plays later, a Tarrant fumble was recovered by tackle John Kuzman, and he returned it 72 yards for another TD. This time Vetrano converted and San Francisco came away with a comfortable 34-7 win.  

The 49ers led in total yards (284 to 151) and first downs (11 to 8). They were successful on 7 of 16 passes while the Seahawks completed 10 of 19. Miami turned the ball over five times, to one by the 49ers, and punted on seven occasions, while San Francisco had four.

“There’ll be some drastic changes made very soon,” said a grim team president Harvey Hester after the humiliating defeat. “Our organization will field a winner here if it’s the last thing I do.”

Despite Hester’s determination, and a win at Buffalo the next week, the Seahawks played poorly the rest of the way and finished with a 3-11 record and in the cellar of the comparatively weak Eastern Division of the AAFC. Coach Meagher was gone after six games and replaced by Hamp Pool. By the end, the league had to step in financially to keep the franchise afloat, and it was promptly expelled after the season, to be replaced by the Baltimore Colts.

The 49ers were far more successful, going 9-5 to end up second to the powerful Browns in the Western Division. They also enjoyed far more fan support and, like Cleveland, would long outlive the AAFC.

1979: Giants Upset Undefeated Buccaneers

The game at the New Jersey Meadowlands on October 7, 1979 looked to be a classic mismatch. The upstart Tampa Bay Buccaneers were 5-0 while the host club, the New York Giants, had started off at 0-5. Moreover, Tampa Bay had the league’s top-ranked defense while the Giants ranked at the bottom in offensive production.

The Buccaneers, under the guidance of Head Coach/GM John McKay, had gone from a 0-14 expansion team three years earlier to surprising contender primarily thanks to the outstanding defense anchored by DE Lee Roy Selmon and including such stalwart performers as DE Wally Chambers and linebackers Richard Wood and David Lewis. However, they were missing ILB Dewey Selmon, Lee Roy’s brother, who was out with a badly bruised arm. The ball-control offense featured FB Ricky Bell along with second-year QB Doug Williams, who was still very much a work in progress, operating behind an outstanding line. TE Jim Giles was the best of the receivers as well as a potent blocker.

New York had a new head coach in Ray Perkins, trying to turn around a team that had known little success since last appearing in the postseason in 1963. Against the Bucs, they were unveiling a new starting quarterback in rookie Phil Simms, the first draft choice out of Morehead State, as well as a new 3-4 defense. They also had HB Billy Taylor (pictured above) starting in place of the injured Doug Kotar.

It was a cloudy afternoon at Giants Stadium with 72,841 fans in attendance. Following a punt by the Buccaneers, the Giants moved into Tampa Bay territory on their first series. A 15-yard penalty on Tampa Bay tacked onto an eight-yard  gain on a pass from Phil Simms to FB Ken Johnson advanced the ball to the 41, but after moving to the 29 Johnson fumbled on a running play and NT Bill Kollar recovered for the Bucs.

The teams traded punts and Tampa Bay, attempting to convert a fourth-and-one at the New York 39, failed when Ricky Bell was stopped for no gain. New York came alive on offense as Billy Taylor ran effectively, including back-to-back gains of 27 and 15 yards to the Tampa Bay three. Two plays into the second quarter, Taylor dove into the end zone from two yards out and, with Joe Danelo adding the extra point, the Giants took a 7-0 lead.

New York got the ball back a short time later when DB Odis McKinney intercepted a Doug Williams pass and returned it 25 yards to the Tampa Bay 11. Taylor ran the ball five straight times, the last for a one-yard TD. Danelo again converted and the home team was now ahead by 14-0.

The teams exchanged punts until the Bucs, taking possession with 3:58 remaining in the first half, put together a 72-yard drive in nine plays. A 15-yard roughing the passer penalty on DE Gary Jeter helped the visitors out of a third-and-16 hole, Williams connected with WR Isaac Hagins for 24 yards, and Bell had a 22-yard carry to the New York 17. Williams threw to WR Larry Mucker, who bobbled it but finally held on for a 14-yard touchdown, Neil O’Donoghue added the extra point, and the halftime score was 14-7.

The teams again traded punts to open the third quarter before the Giants, starting at their 39, picked up a first down out of punt formation when Dave Jennings ran for nine yards to convert a fourth-and-five situation. A personal foul on the Bucs advanced the ball to the Tampa Bay 27 and the Giants reached the 21 before Simms was sacked by DE Reggie Lewis for a loss of seven yards on third down and Danelo was wide on a 45-yard field goal attempt.

Once again the teams punted the ball back and forth, with neither offense able to move. Such was the case until early in the fourth quarter.  After a throw for an apparent first down was nullified by a penalty, a Williams pass was picked off by CB Terry Jackson, giving the Giants the ball at the Tampa Bay 31. New York still couldn’t move offensively, but Danelo kicked a field goal from 47 yards to make it a ten-point game.

After another exchange of punts, Tampa Bay began to advance with Williams throwing on almost every play. He connected with Hagins for 22 yards and Bell for 10 to the New York 40, but three straight passes fell incomplete and, on fourth down, LB Brian Kelley came up with an interception.

The Giants went three-and-out and, following the punt, Tampa Bay put together a seven-play, 79-yard drive as a hard rain began to fall. Williams completed four passes, including one to Hagins for 32 yards that set up an 11-yard scoring throw to Jim Giles. O’Donoghue converted to make it a three-point contest, but the clock was down to 1:50 and the onside kick attempt failed. The Giants came away upset winners by the score of 17-14.

The Buccaneers had the edge in total yards (273 to 220) while each club generated 15 first downs apiece. 202 of New York’s total came on the ground, with only 18 net yards through the air. Tampa Bay also turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by the Giants. There was a total of 16 punts, evenly distributed between the teams.

Billy Taylor was the offensive star for the Giants, rushing for 148 yards on 33 attempts that included two both of the team’s touchdowns. The rushing total was the most for a Giants’ back since 1967. Phil Simms completed 6 of 12 passes for 37 yards, and while the numbers were modest and there were no touchdown passes, there also were no interceptions. TE Gary Shirk and Ken Johnson had two catches apiece, for 15 and 11 yards, respectively.

For the Buccaneers, Doug Williams, who was off-target on most of his passes, was successful on just 14 of 38 throws for 182 yards and two TDs while giving up three interceptions. Jim Giles had 5 receptions for 43 yards and a touchdown and Isaac Hagins (pictured at right) gained 77 yards on his three catches. FB Johnny Davis ran for 40 yards on 7 attempts to lead the team while Ricky Bell was held to 35 yards on 12 carries.

“We have no excuses,” said Coach McKay in summing up his team’s defeat. “They beat us with some of their better players on the bench and that’s even more credit to Coach Perkins and his staff.”

The win over the Buccaneers was the beginning of a four-game win streak for the Giants, and while they tailed off later in the season, they finished at 6-10 and fourth in the NFC East. Tampa Bay lost again the following week but recovered to top the NFC Central with a 10-6 record, reaching the NFC Championship game before falling to the Rams. The Bucs also thrashed New York by a 31-3 score in the rematch in Tampa Bay.

Billy Taylor went on to lead the Giants in rushing with 700 yards on 198 carries (3.5 avg.). He also caught 28 passes for 253 more yards and scored a total of 11 touchdowns. Phil Simms continued to show promise in his first year, spurring the four-game winning streak and passing for 1743 yards and 13 TDs against 14 interceptions. 

Highlighted Year: Marcus Coleman, 2003

Cornerback, Houston Texans

Age: 29

8^th season in pro football, 2^nd with Texans

College: Texas Tech

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 210

Prelude:

Coleman was chosen by the New York Jets in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL draft. Fast and athletic, he was also a raw talent but moved into the starting lineup at cornerback late in his rookie year. Moved to free safety in ’97 with disappointing results, he became strictly a backup through 1998 but came back strong in ’99 as he returned to the starting lineup at right cornerback and intercepted six passes, one of which he ran back 98 yards for a TD. He became a fixture in the lineup over the next two years, although his performance dropped off in 2001 and he moved on to the expansion Texans in 2002. Coleman started in Houston across from Pro Bowler Aaron Glenn, who he had played in tandem with in New York.

2003 Season Summary

Appeared in 15 of 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 7 [4, tied with Ed Reed & Patrick Surtain, 1^st in AFC]

Most interceptions, game – 2 at Miami 9/7

Int. return yards – 95 [18, tied with Marlon McCree]

Most int. return yards, game – 41 (on 1 int.) vs. Indianapolis 12/28

Int. TDs – 0

Sacks – 0

Fumble recoveries – 0

Forced fumbles – 1

Tackles – 57

Assists – 12

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 1        

Yards – 6

TDs – 0

Texans went 5-11 to finish fourth in the AFC South.  

Aftermath:

With the arrival of first draft choice CB Dunta Robinson, Coleman was shifted to free safety in 2004, with good results (before suffering a late-season shoulder injury) that included a 102-yard return of an interception. He was supplanted by C.C. Brown in ’05 and finished his career with the Cowboys in 2006, where he was released following a four-game suspension for substance abuse. Overall, over the course of eleven seasons, Coleman intercepted 25 passes, two of which he returned for long touchdowns, recovered five fumbles, and was credited with over 400 tackles.

--

Highlighted Years features players who were consensus 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

1997: Saints Edge Bears in Mike Ditka’s Return to Chicago

Mike Ditka had been a popular and successful player and coach with the Chicago Bears, and was making his return to Chicago as head coach of the New Orleans Saints for a game on October 5, 1997. It was hardly a marquee matchup, however, as both teams were playing poorly. There were those pundits who referred to the contest as “the Peyton Manning Bowl”, with the presumption that the loser might well be on the way to having the first overall pick in the ’98 NFL draft that would presumably be used to select the Univ. of Tennessee’s star quarterback.

The Saints were coming off a 3-13 record in 1996 and, with Ditka now at the helm, had a 1-4 tally thus far. The defense was showing signs of improvement, but the offense was mediocre at best. QB Heath Shuler was a first-round bust in Washington and clearly nothing more than a stopgap for his new team. WR Randal Hill was the best of the receivers, the running backs were nondescript, and the line, other than OT William Roaf, was poor.

The Bears, in their fifth year under Ditka’s successor as head coach, Dave Wannstedt, were just a shadow of the team that had won in double figures five times in a row under “Iron Mike”, including a NFL Championship in 1985. Chicago had last been to the playoffs in ’94, was coming off a 7-9 record in ’96, and was off to an abysmal 0-5 start. QB Erik Kramer was under challenge from another first-round disappointment, Rick Mirer, late of the Seahawks. RB Raymont Harris led the running game but the best wide receiver, Curtis Conway, was injured. The defense was not at all formidable, especially the weak pass rush.

There were 58,865 fans in attendance for the Sunday night game at Soldier Field and they gave Ditka a warm welcome. The game they saw was sloppy, at best. The teams traded punts to start the contest before New Orleans RB Mario Bates fumbled and DT Paul Grasmanis recovered for the Bears at the Saints’ 32. Rick Mirer immediately threw to TE Ryan Wetnight for a gain of 24 yards and, four plays later, Jeff Jaeger kicked a 23-yard field goal.

The Bears quickly got the ball back when FS John Mangum intercepted a pass by Heath Shuler, but they were unable to capitalize on the turnover this time and punted. Neither team was able to mount a threat for the remainder of the opening period.

That remained the case until, with just over four minutes remaining in the half, Shuler completed a pass to TE John Farquhar for 42 yards to the Chicago 27. Another completion to Farquhar picked up nine yards and, as the clock ticked down to the two-minute warning, Doug Brien kicked a 38-yard field goal to tie the score at 3-3, and thus it remained at halftime.

The Bears, who now had Erik Kramer at quarterback, had the opening possession of the third quarter, went three-and-out, and punted. Shuler completed two passes and Bates then broke away for a 49-yard touchdown run. Brien added the extra point and the visitors were in front by 10-3.

Following another Chicago punt, the Saints advanced 41 yards in eight plays, the biggest of which was a 27-yard run by FB Ray Zellars. The drive stalled at the Bears’ 31 and Brien booted a 48-yard field goal to stretch the New Orleans lead to ten points.

The penalty-filled contest headed into the fourth quarter. The Bears finally mounted a scoring drive after getting good field position at the New Orleans 33 following a punt from deep inside Saints’ territory. Kramer threw to WR Chris Penn for 14 yards and to WR Bobby Engram for 12 in a third-and-five situation at the 14. Kramer carried for the last yard and a TD, and with Jaeger’s conversion, the New Orleans lead was cut to 13-10.

On the next series, Shuler fumbled deep in his own territory and DT Jim Flanigan recovered at the Saints’ eight. A pass interference penalty in the end zone moved the ball to the one and from there Raymont Harris blasted up the middle for a TD. Jaeger added the extra point and the Bears were in front by 17-13 with six minutes left in the game.

The home crowd was cheering, but the celebration, as well as Chicago’s lead, didn’t last long. On the first play following the ensuing kickoff, Shuler passed to WR Randal Hill and he went the distance for an 89-yard touchdown. Brien kicked the PAT and the Saints were back on top by three.

With Kramer passing on almost every down, the Bears moved down the field, converting a fourth down along the way. But after reaching the New Orleans 38, Kramer was sacked on third down for a six-yard loss by DT Wayne Martin and a fourth down pass to Engram came up a yard short. That essentially settled the matter – Chicago got the ball back once more following a New Orleans punt, but with 12 seconds remaining. Ditka and the Saints came away winners by a score of 20-17.

The teams combined for 21 punts, with 12 by the Bears and 9 for New Orleans, and 18 penalties, evenly distributed at nine apiece. The Saints accumulated the most total yards (322 to 266) while Chicago had more first downs (19 to 11). New Orleans also recorded five sacks, to two by the Bears, but also turned the ball over three times, while Chicago had none. 

Heath Shuler completed just 9 of 23 passes for 195 yards and the one long touchdown as well as one interception. Randal Hill (pictured above), thanks to the big TD, gained 121 yards on 5 catches. Ray Zellars rushed for 65 yards on 14 carries and Mario Bates contributed 58 yards and a touchdown on his 9 attempts.

For the Bears, Rick Mirer was successful on only 7 of his 16 throws for 58 yards and Erik Kramer was 12 of 20 for 131 yards in relief. Raymont Harris gained 82 yards on 28 rushing attempts that included a score. Bobby Engram had 6 pass receptions for 59 yards.

“I’m sure a lot of people turned off their TVs, it wasn’t pretty,” summed up Mike Ditka.

The Saints went on to lose their next three games, although they rallied somewhat during the second half of the season to finish with a 6-10 record that placed fourth in the NFC West. Chicago reached 0-7 before finally entering the win column and placed last in the NFC Central at 4-12. Despite the “Peyton Manning Bowl” speculation, it was the 3-13 Indianapolis Colts who ultimately ended up with the first overall draft pick that was used to take Manning.

As for the game’s two starting quarterbacks, Heath Shuler’s winning touchdown pass was one of only two that he tossed all season, while giving up 14 interceptions and losing the starting job (ultimately to Billy Joe Hobert). It would prove to be the last year of his disappointing pro career. Rick Mirer yielded the starting job back to Erik Kramer and threw a total of 103 passes in 1997, with none for touchdowns and six interceptions, and averaging just 4.1 yards per attempt. He moved on to journeyman status, starting with a year in Green Bay in which he saw no action.

Mike Ditka’s stated intention was to have the Saints in contention in three years, but another 6-10 record in 1998 was followed by a controversial decision to trade the entire 1999 draft slate in order to move up in the first round and take RB Ricky Williams, the highly-touted Heisman Trophy winner from Texas. The result was a drop to 3-13 and Ditka was finished, having posted a record of 15-33 in New Orleans.

1970: Falcons Upset 49ers as Last Second FG Attempt Fails

The Atlanta Falcons had gotten off to a 1-1 start as they hosted the San Francisco 49ers on October 4, 1970. Under Head Coach Norm Van Brocklin, they were looking to improve upon a 6-8 record in ’69. QB Bob Berry (pictured above) was efficient, if limited, and there was an outstanding tight end in Jim Mitchell, but there was a lack of speed at wide receiver where able but aging veterans Paul Flatley and Gail Cogdill were available. The defense was tough and included DE Claude Humphrey, linebackers Tommy Nobis and Don Hansen, and CB Ken Reaves.

San Francisco, coached by Dick Nolan, was 2-0 and good on both sides of the ball. 35-year-old QB John Brodie was a fine passer and had WR Gene Washington leading the receiving corps while steady FB Ken Willard was the best runner. The defense was talented and included such stalwarts as DT Charlie Krueger, DE Tommy Hart, LB Dave Wilcox, and CB Jimmy Johnson.

There were 58,850 fans in attendance at Atlanta Stadium on a sunny afternoon. The Falcons had first possession and drove to midfield with FB Art Malone and HB Jim “Cannonball” Butler running effectively, but ultimately they had to punt. San Francisco had to punt as well following its first series, got the ball back quickly when Butler fumbled, but went three-and-out and punted again. John Brodie was off to a slow start, missing on his first six passes.

Butler took off for a 33-yard gain to advance the ball into San Francisco territory at the 42 and Bob Berry threw to WR Gail Cogdill for 10 yards, but the drive stalled and Ken Vinyard’s 42-yard field goal attempt fell short.

The teams traded punts but, as the scoreless game moved into the second quarter, the 49ers were on the move. From deep in their own territory, Brodie threw to WR Preston Riley on a third-and-six play and it was good for a 68-yard gain to the Atlanta 21. Brodie connected with Riley again for 12 yards and Ken Willard ran the ball three straight times, the last for a three-yard touchdown. Bruce Gossett kicked the extra point to stake the visitors to a 7-0 lead.

The Falcons moved well in response, with Malone and Butler carrying and Berry tossing a pass to Cogdill for a 16-yard gain on a third-and-six play. But after reaching the San Francisco 42, Vinyard again missed on a field goal attempt, this time from 50 yards.

The teams exchanged punts until Atlanta, taking possession with 1:40 left in the half, put together a scoring drive. Berry had three completions to WR Paul Flatley that covered 16, 15, and 11 yards and a 12-yard throw to Jim Mitchell (pictured at left). He then tossed a three-yard scoring pass to Butler and, with Vinyard adding the PAT, the score was tied at 7-7 at halftime.

San Francisco had the first possession in the third quarter and put together an 11-play, 62-yard drive. Brodie connected with Gene Washington twice for 12 and 14 yards and to TE Bob Windsor for a 16-yard gain in a third-and-seven situation and again for a one-yard touchdown. Gossett converted and the 49ers were back on top by 14-7.

The Falcons moved well in response, with Berry completing a pass to Flatley for 30 yards to reach midfield, but Butler fumbled at the San Francisco 42 and Tommy Hart recovered for the Niners. The turnover resulted in another scoring series, with Willard running effectively and Brodie hitting on consecutive passes to HB Doug Cunningham of nine and seven yards. The drive finally stalled at the Atlanta 19 and Gossett kicked a 27-yard field goal that put the visitors ahead by ten.

In a possession highlighted by a 29-yard carry by Butler, the Falcons reached the San Francisco 34 before a holding penalty and a sack moved them all the way back to their 34. They punted on the first play of the fourth quarter, and CB Bruce Taylor returned the kick 40 yards to the San Francisco 45, but two plays later Willard fumbled and DE John Zook recovered for the Falcons at his 46. Berry immediately went to Mitchell for 29 yards and, with a penalty tacked on, Atlanta was all the way to the Niners’ 12. Two plays later, Berry passed to Mitchell again, this time for a nine-yard TD, and with Vinyard’s extra point the visitors’ lead was narrowed to 17-14.

The ensuing kickoff produced another good return for the 49ers as HB Bill Tucker ran it back 43 yards. Three runs by Cunningham gained a total of 17 yards to the Atlanta 40 and, after a third down pass to Tucker came up a yard short, Gossett kicked another field goal, this time of 43 yards. The 49ers were ahead by six with less than ten minutes to play.

The Falcons had to punt following their next series, and San Francisco got a break on its next possession when Steve Spurrier, back to punt, was roughed. However, two plays later Cunningham, hit hard by linebackers Tommy Nobis and Don Hansen, turned the ball over on a fumble and, thanks to FS Tom McCauley’s 45-yard return, Atlanta had possession at the San Francisco 13. Two carries by HB Sonny Campbell and an incomplete pass set up a fourth-and-four situation at the seven, but Berry threw to Cogdill in the left corner of the end zone for a touchdown. Vinyard added the all-important extra point and the Falcons were ahead by one.

The 49ers regained possession at their 27 with the clock at 3:46. Cunningham ran up the middle for eight yards followed by Willard carrying for 14. Three plays later they faced third-and-six and Willard ran for seven yards. Two more Brodie completions mixed with three more carries by Willard had the ball down to the Atlanta 12 with six seconds in the game, but the normally reliable Gossett was wide by a few inches on a 19-yard field goal attempt. Atlanta came away with a 21-20 upset victory.

The statistics reflected the closeness of the score. The Falcons had the edge in total yards (356 to 326) while both teams accumulated 18 first downs apiece. The also each turned the ball over two times, although San Francisco’s were more untimely.

Jim Butler (pictured at right) set two club records, rushing for 127 yards on 17 carries but also fumbling four times. Bob Berry completed 17 of 32 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Paul Flatley caught 6 passes for 99 yards and Jim Mitchell also had 6 receptions, for 77 yards and a TD. Gail Cogdill contributed three catches for 33 yards and a score.

For the 49ers, John Brodie, who was on his way to a consensus MVP year, was successful on 16 of 27 throws for 182 yards and a TD while giving up no interceptions. Ken Willard ran for 90 yards on 25 carries that included a touchdown and Doug Cunningham added 69 yards on 14 attempts as well as four catches for 29 more yards. Preston Riley and Gene Washington had four receptions apiece, for 90 and 37 yards, respectively.

“I don’t care how we do it as long as we win,” said Bob Berry, “and the people are getting their money’s worth, I guess. I didn’t see anybody leaving.”

The Falcons failed to win often, losing their next two contests and finishing in third place in the NFC West with a 4-8-2 record. San Francisco recovered to go 5-0-1 over the next six games on the way to a division-topping 10-3-1 tally. In the first year of the merged and realigned NFL, the 49ers reached the NFC Championship game before succumbing to the Dallas Cowboys.

Bob Berry completed a healthy 58.0 percent of his passes, 16 of them for touchdowns. Jim Butler rushed for 636 yards and fumbled a total of 10 times. Jim Mitchell led the team with 44 catches for 650 yards (14.8 avg.) and six touchdowns while Paul Flatley had 39 receptions for 544 yards (13.9 avg.) and the one TD. Gail Cogdill, injury-plagued as his career that was played mostly in Detroit reached its final season, managed just seven catches for 101 yards in six games of action, with the touchdown against the 49ers his last.

Rookie of the Year: Rick Mirer, 1993

Quarterback, Seattle Seahawks

Age:  23

College: Notre Dame

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 216

Prelude:

As a starting quarterback in college, Mirer went 29-7-1 and was co-MVP of the 1992 Sugar Bowl. He set several career records at Notre Dame, including passing yards (5997) and touchdown passes (41) and was chosen by the Seahawks with the second overall pick in the first round of the 1993 NFL draft.

1993 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 486 [4, tied with Neil O’Donnell]

Most attempts, game – 43 vs. New England 10/24

Completions – 274 [7]

Most completions, game – 25 vs. San Diego 10/3

Yards – 2833 [14]

Most yards, game – 287 vs. Kansas City 12/5

Completion percentage – 56.4

Yards per attempt – 5.8

TD passes – 12 [18, tied with Scott Mitchell, Wade Wilson & Stan Humphries]

Most TD passes, game – 2 at Kansas City 1/2

Interceptions – 17 [5, tied with Bobby Hebert & Steve Beuerlein]

Most interceptions, game – 3 at Detroit 10/17

Passer rating – 67.0

200-yard passing games – 4

Rushing

Attempts – 68

Most attempts, game - 9 (for 17 yds.) at Cincinnati, (for 52 yds.) at LA Raiders 12/12

Yards – 343

Most yards, game – 52 yards (on 9 carries) at LA Raiders 12/12

Yards per attempt – 5.0

TDs – 3

Scoring

TDs – 3

Points – 18

Awards & Honors:

AFC Rookie of the Year: UPI

Seahawks went 6-10 to finish fifth in the AFC West while leading the conference in rushing yards (2015).

Aftermath:

Mirer’s promising first season remained his best. He struggled in 1994 until knocked out of the last three games with a broken thumb, dealing with poor mechanics and a weak supporting cast. It got worse in ’95 when he tossed 20 interceptions and, after another mediocre year in 1996, he was traded to Chicago. Athletic but with a poor throwing arm, Mirer lasted a year with the Bears, was cut, and picked up as a third-string backup for the Packers in ’98. He saw no action that year and continued as a journeyman with the Jets, 49ers, and Raiders. Over the course of eight active seasons and 80 games, Mirer threw for 11,969 yards and 50 TDs with 60 interceptions while completing 53.3 percent of his passes and averaging only 5.9 yards per attempt.

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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).