2007: Patriots Defeat Cowboys in Battle of Unbeaten Teams

Both the New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys sported unblemished 5-0 records as they faced off at Texas Stadium on October 14, 2007. The Patriots had yet to score fewer than 34 points in any of their games, or give up more than 17, while Dallas had been only a bit less dominant.

Under Head Coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots had been molded into perennial contenders, reaching the playoffs in five of the previous six seasons that included three NFL Championships. They were guided on offense by QB Tom Brady (pictured above), who was at the height of his abilities at age 30. There were no stars among the running backs, but WR Randy Moss had been added to the receiving mix with outstanding results thus far, WR Wes Welker was a reliable possession receiver, and there was good depth behind them. The defensive line was excellent and the linebackers an experienced and savvy group.

Dallas, coached by Wade Phillips, also had a talented quarterback in Tony Romo, who had come out of nowhere the previous year to take over the starting job, and excellent receivers in WR Terrell Owens and TE Jason Witten. The running duties were shared by Julius Jones and Marion Barber, with good results. On defense, the corps of linebackers, led by DeMarcus Ware, was effective, but the backs were vulnerable to being spread out – as the Patriots would show.

The Cowboys had first possession and punted. New England went 74 yards in 14 plays in response. After misfiring on his first two passes, Tom Brady connected with Wes Welker for 16 yards on third-and-ten and was successful on his next four throws, three of them to WR Donte’ Stallworth that totaled 25 yards. Facing third-and-seven at the Dallas 26, Brady again completed a pass to Welker for 20 yards and, three plays later, hit Randy Moss for a six-yard touchdown. Stephen Gostkowski added the extra point.

The teams traded punts until the Patriots again put together another scoring drive, this time advancing 69 yards in six plays. Once again Brady made big plays on third down, throwing deep to TE Ben Watson for 28 yards in a third-and-seven situation to reach the Dallas 38 and then, on third-and-seven, to Welker for a 35-yard TD. Gostkowski again successfully converted and New England took a 14-0 lead into the second quarter.

The Cowboys moved into New England territory on their next series and Nick Folk got them on the board with a 38-yard field goal. They scored again a short time later when Brady fumbled while being sacked by LB Greg Ellis and DE Jason Hatcher recovered and it returned it 29 yards for a touchdown. Folk’s PAT narrowed the visitors’ lead to 14-10.

The Patriots responded with another long series. Falling quickly into a second-and-20 hole, Brady passed to Stallworth for 17 yards and an offside call on the Cowboys gave New England a first down. Another completion to Stallworth gained 15 yards and, in a third-and-ten situation at the Dallas 42, Brady’s short toss to RB Kevin Faulk picked up 18 yards. The series ended with Brady once again throwing to Welker for a touchdown, this time from 12 yards out. Gostkowski’s extra point extended New England’s lead to 21-10.

Dallas regained possession with 3:28 remaining in the first half. Tony Romo immediately connected with TE Anthony Fasano for 26 yards, the first of seven completions that included three to Jason Witten for 11, 25, and 11 yards. A pass to Terrell Owens that was ruled complete but overturned on review was followed by a 12-yard TD pass to Owens and, with Folk’s extra point, the score stood at 21-17 at halftime.

New England’s first possession of the third quarter ended with a punt and the Cowboys put together a seven-play, 74-yard drive. Julius Jones (pictured above) had back-to-back runs of 25 and 18 yards along the way and Romo was successful on all four of his passes, the last to WR Patrick Crayton for an eight-yard touchdown. Folk added the point after and Dallas was in the lead by 24-21.

The Patriots responded with a scoring drive of their own, covering 77 yards in ten plays. Brady completed six passes, a pair each to Moss and Welker, and when Moss was interfered with by safety Pat Watkins, New England was at the one yard line. Brady tossed to TE Kyle Brady from there for a TD, Gostkowski added the PAT, and the visitors were back in front by 28-24.

The Cowboys were unable to move beyond their 12 yard line on the next possession and Mat McBriar’s punt, which was returned 18 yards by Welker, gave the Patriots good field position at the Dallas 43. An apparent touchdown pass was overturned by review, but a roughing-the-passer penalty advanced New England 15 yards and, while the drive stalled at that point, Gostkowski added a 45 yard field goal to make it a seven-point game.

 As the period came to a close, Dallas had fourth-and-one at its own 47, but an attempt to convert was nullified by a holding penalty and the Cowboys had to punt. Four plays later, Brady went long for Stallworth and the result was a 69-yard touchdown. Gostkowski’s extra point put New England ahead by 38-24.

RB Tyson Thompson returned the ensuing kickoff 72 yards to the New England 23, but after Romo threw to Owens for 13 yards, the Cowboys were unable to reach the end zone and had to settle for a 23-yard Folk field goal.

Ahead by 11 points, the Patriots put together a long drive that burned six minutes off the clock. Brady completed four passes, Faulk ran the ball six times, and Gostkowski kicked a 22-yard field goal to extend New England’s lead to 41-27 with just over four minutes remaining on the clock.

On the first play of the next Dallas series, LB Junior Seau intercepted Romo’s pass to effectively extinguish any hopes for the Cowboys. The Patriots added one last touchdown on a one-yard carry by FB Kyle Eckel and came away with a decisive 48-27 win.

New England was statistically dominant, leading in total yards (448 to 285) and first downs (28 to 13). Each team turned the ball over once. The Cowboys recorded three sacks, to two by the Patriots. They also were penalized 12 times, at a cost of 100 yards, compared to five flags thrown on New England.

Tom Brady completed 31 of 46 passes for 388 yards and five touchdowns while giving up no interceptions. Wes Welker (pictured below) had 11 catches for 124 yards and two TDs and Donte’ Stallworth gained 136 yards on 7 receptions that included a score. They benefited from Dallas’ coverage of Randy Moss, who still caught 6 passes for 59 yards and a touchdown. Kevin Faulk was New England’s leading rusher with 47 yards on 12 attempts.

For the Cowboys, Tony Romo was successful on 18 of 29 throws for 199 yards and two TDs with one interception. Terrell Owens topped the receivers with 6 catches for 66 yards and a touchdown and Julius Jones ran for 51 yards on six carries, followed closely by RB Marion Barber who had 49 yards on 9 runs. Mat McBriar averaged 53.8 yards on his five punts.

“The reality is we got a win on the road and we’re 6-0. That’s what is important,” summed up Tom Brady. “Any time you win you’re doing just fine. It’s another step in the process. We have to continue to make improvements.

The Patriots improved all the way to a 16-0 record in the regular season, but came short of ultimate perfection with an upset loss to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. Dallas recovered to win its next seven straight games on the way to a NFC-best 13-3 tally. However, they lost in the Divisional playoff round to the Super Bowl-bound Giants.

Tom Brady led the NFL in passing yards (4806), completion percentage (68.9), yards per attempt (8.3), and overall rating (117.2) as well as a then-record 50 touchdown passes and received consensus MVP honors as well as All-NFL and Pro Bowl recognition. Randy Moss caught a record 23 TD passes among his 98 receptions for 1493 yards and Wes Welker tied for the league lead with 112 catches, good for 1175 yards and eight scores.

Tony Romo passed for 4211 yards and a NFC-high 36 touchdowns, although his 19 interceptions ranked among the league leaders as well. 

Highlighted Year: Raul Allegre, 1983

Placekicker, Baltimore Colts

Age:  24

1^st season in pro football

College: Texas

Height: 5’10” Weight: 165

Prelude:

A native of Mexico, the soccer-playing Allegre was an exchange student at a Washington state high school when he began kicking extra points in football games. In college, he kicked 27 field goals in 45 attempts as well as 66 extra points. Ignored in the 1983 NFL draft, Allegre was signed as a free agent by the Dallas Cowboys but was traded to the Colts prior to the season.

1983 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Kicking

Field goals – 30 [3, 1^st in AFC]

Most field goals, game – 5 at Philadelphia 10/30

Field goal attempts – 35 [3]

Most field goal attempts, game – 6 at Philadelphia 10/30

Field goal percentage – 85.7 [3]

PATs – 22

PAT attempts – 24

Longest field goal – 55 yards at Denver 12/11

Scoring

Field Goals – 30

PATs – 22

Points – 112 [12]

Awards & Honors:

2^nd team All-NFL: NEA

1^st team All-AFC: UPI

Colts went 7-9 to finish fourth in the AFC East while leading the AFC in rushing (2695 yards) and field goals (30).

Aftermath:

Allegre spent two more seasons with the Colts, who moved to Indianapolis in 1984. His performances were not as strong as in his outstanding rookie year, with a combined 27 successes in 44 field goal attempts (61.4 %), and he was unreliable beyond 40 yards. The Colts cut Allegre just prior to the 1986 season in favor of Dean Biasucci and he was picked up by the New York Giants four games into the schedule. He performed well, making several clutch kicks, and was successful on 24 of 32 field goal attempts, as well as all 33 extra point tries. In addition, he made good on both of his postseason field goals as the Giants won the Super Bowl. Allegre stayed with New York until 1991, but missed time with injuries (thus missing out on another Super Bowl appearance) and had problems with consistency. He was cut by the Giants three games into the ’91 season, having kicked 77 field goals and 109 extra points for the team, and was picked up by the Jets for the season finale, in which he connected on three of four field goal attempts. Allegre kicked in the playoff loss at Houston but was unable to make the team the next year and, nagged by back problems, retired. Overall, Allegre was successful on 137 of 186 field goal attempts (73.7) and added 183 PATs for a total of 594 points.

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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

1998: Jaguars Rally in 4th Quarter to Defeat Dolphins

It was a Monday night matchup of Florida teams on October 12, 1998 as the Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the Miami Dolphins. The Jaguars, coming off of their bye week, were undefeated at 4-0 while the Dolphins, having lost the previous week, were 3-1.

The Jaguars, in their fourth season and coached by Tom Coughlin, were a potent offensive club. QB Mark Brunell had good targets in wide receivers Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell and the addition of rookie RB Fred Taylor (pictured at right) made the attack that much stronger. The defense was more of a concern, especially the pass rush, which it was hoped would benefit from the return of DE Tony Brackens, who was making his first appearance after being out with an ankle injury.

The Dolphins, under Head Coach Jimmy Johnson, still relied on 37-year-old veteran Dan Marino, as they had since he took over the starting job in 1983. While chafing in a more conservative offense, he was still a potent passer. The ground game, led by RB Karim Abdul-Jabbar, remained undistinguished, but the defense was tough up front and benefited from the presence of MLB Zach Thomas.

There was a crowd of 74,051 in attendance at Alltel Stadium, the largest to date in the franchise’s brief history. Things started off quickly for the Jaguars when Fred Taylor, taking advantage of a big hole off tackle, broke away to the outside for a 77-yard touchdown run. Mike Hollis added the extra point for the early 7-0 lead. However, while Jacksonville’s next play consisted of Mark Brunell throwing to Jimmy Smith for 41 yards, the game settled into a punting exchange for the remainder of the first quarter.

Taking over at their own 47 in the last two minutes of the opening period, the Jaguars began to move effectively. Brunell completed passes to WR Reggie Barlow for 20 yards and FB Daimon Shelton for 19 to advance to the Miami eight as the quarter wound down. On the first play of the second quarter, Brunell threw to RB Tavian Banks for six yards and Taylor followed up with a two-yard TD carry. Hollis again converted and Jacksonville held a 14-0 advantage.

Miami responded by driving 69 yards in 12 plays. On a second-and-13 play, Dan Marino (pictured below) connected with WR Oronde Gadsden for 23 yards to the Jacksonville 38 and, after he was sacked by LB Bryce Paup for a loss of six yards, Marino completed a pass to WR Lamar Thomas for another 26 yards.  A throw for seven yards to FB Stanley Pritchett set up three straight carries by Karim Abdul-Jabbar. Marino tossed a two-yard TD pass to TE Troy Drayton, Olindo Mare added the PAT, and Jacksonville’s edge was cut to 14-7.

The Dolphins got a break when CB Terrell Buckley intercepted a Brunell pass to give Miami the ball at the Jacksonville 36, but after advancing ten yards Marino was picked off by CB Aaron Beasley to end the threat. As time ran down in the first half, the teams again exchanged punts, but with 21 seconds remaining on the clock Banks ran up the middle for 51 yards to the Miami 31. However, Hollis was unsuccessful on a 45-yard field goal try as time expired and it remained a seven-point contest at halftime.

In a penalty-filled series to start the third quarter, the Dolphins took advantage of a pass interference penalty on a third-and-22 play to move to the Jacksonville one, from where Abdul-Jabbar scored and, with Mare adding the extra point, the score was tied at 14-14.

The Jaguars went three-and-out and punted, and Miami drove to another touchdown, moving 63 yards in nine plays. Marino completed all five of his passes, the longest to Thomas for 21 yards and the last to Drayton for the 15-yard TD. Adding on Mare’s point after, the visitors held the lead at 21-14.

The teams again traded punts as the game moved into the fourth quarter. However, the Dolphins were trapped deep in their own territory prior to kicking and the punt by Mare (who was subbing for Klaus Wilmsmeyer) traveled 36 yards, giving Jacksonville good field position at the Miami 40. After a first down incompletion, Brunell made good on his next three passes, two of them to Keenan McCardell that included a 23-yard touchdown. Hollis added the game-tying extra point.

Following another exchange of punts, the Dolphins put together a promising drive. Uncharacteristically keeping the ball on the ground for the most part, Abdul-Jabbar ran four straight times for 24 yards to the Jacksonville 41 and, after a short Marion pass completion, RB John Avery gained three yards. But Marino’s third down pass fell incomplete and, with Coach Johnson taking a gamble on a long field goal, Mare’s attempt from 54 yards was unsuccessful.

It didn’t take long for the Jaguars to respond. Brunell passed to McCardell on first down, and it went for 56 yards and a touchdown. Hollis converted and the home team was up by seven with 2:36 left in regulation.

Marino came out throwing, connecting with Gadsden for 28 yards, but two plays later he fumbled while being sacked and Tony Brackens recovered for Jacksonville. Three running plays and a punt left Marino and the Dolphins just 49 seconds to work with, and the game ended for them at their 34. The Jaguars came away winners by a final score of 28-21.

Jacksonville had a slight edge in total yards (385 to 374) while the Dolphins had far more first downs (25 to 12). The Jaguars were better balanced, rushing for 186 yards and passing for 199 while Miami gained just 67 yards on 28 running plays and had 307 net passing yards. The Dolphins turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by Jacksonville, and were also the more heavily penalized, getting flagged 11 times at a cost of 89 yards to eight penalties on the Jaguars for 86 yards.

Mark Brunell completed 12 of 18 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns while giving up one interception. Fred Taylor, who got the game off to a rousing start but left in the third quarter with a bruised shoulder, rushed for 89 yards on 12 carries that included two TDs and Tavian Banks, who had a long carry of his own, contributed 75 yards on nine attempts. Keenan McCardell (pictured at left) was Jacksonville’s receiving star with three catches for 86 yards and two scores. Reggie Barlow had four receptions, for 50 yards, and Jimmy Smith had one for 41 yards but missed the second half due to a hamstring strain.

For the Dolphins, Dan Marino was successful on 30 of 49 throws for 323 yards and two TDs with one interception. O.J. McDuffie had 7 catches for 68 yards while Troy Drayton made 6 receptions for 30 yards and two touchdowns. Oronde Gadsden gained 91 yards on his five catches to top the club. Karim Abdul-Jabbar rushed for 43 yards on 23 carries that included a TD.

Having reached 5-0, the Jaguars lost their next two games on the way to an 11-5 record that topped the AFC Central. They defeated the Patriots in the Wild Card round before losing to the Jets in the Divisional playoff. Miami rebounded to win two straight and finished second in the AFC East at 10-6. Qualifying for the postseason as a Wild Card entry, the Dolphins also won in the first round before falling to Denver at the Divisional level.

Mark Brunell missed three games due to injury but still passed for 2601 yards and 20 TDs with a solid 89.9 rating. Fred Taylor rushed for 1223 yards on 264 carries (4.6 avg.) and caught 44 passes for another 421 yards, compiling a total of 17 touchdowns. It marked the beginning of a very good 13-season career. Keenan McCardell had 64 catches for 892 yards (13.9 avg.) and scored six TDs.

Dan Marino threw for 3497 yards, his 13^th year with 3000 or more, and 23 touchdowns in what was his next-to-last season. O.J. McDuffie remained his top target and led the NFL in pass receptions with 90, gaining 1050 yards and scoring seven TDs.

1953: Steelers Overcome 21-Point Deficit to Defeat Cards

The Pittsburgh Steelers were 1-1, having come off a win the previous week against the Giants, as they hosted the Chicago Cardinals on October 11, 1953. Coached by Joe Bach for the second year, who had converted the offense to the T-formation in ’52 (the last NFL team to do so), the Steelers featured QB Jim Finks (pictured at right), who performed ably the previous year but was hindered by a knee injury suffered during the preseason. End Elbie Nickel was a favorite target and HB Lynn Chandnois was an outstanding kick returner in addition to his duties in the backfield.

The Cardinals had a new head coach in Joe Stydahar, former star lineman for the Bears who coached the Rams to the 1951 NFL Championship. However, fleet HB Ollie Matson was away in the military and QB Jim Root was not of the caliber of the quarterbacks that Stydahar had in Los Angeles (Bob Waterfield and Norm Van Brocklin). Charlie Trippi, once a star at halfback, was back in that position after a trial at quarterback. Chicago came into the contest at 0-2.

There were 25,935 fans in attendance at Forbes Field. The Steelers spent most of the first quarter bottled up on their end of the field. Chicago got the first break when LB Bill Svoboda intercepted a Jim Finks throw at the Pittsburgh 36. Two plays later, end Gern Nagler caught a pass to the two yard line and, on the third plunge into the line, FB John Olszewski scored a touchdown from a yard out. Pat Summerall added the extra point for a 7-0 lead. That was the last scoring threat until later in the opening period when Summerall attempted a field goal from 52 yards that fell far short.

Early in the second quarter, Pittsburgh finally began to move on offense, advancing 68 yards in 17 plays. FB Fran Rogel got the Steelers on the board with a one-yard carry for a TD and Nick Bolkovac converted to make it a tie game. However, turnovers began to plague the home team. HB Jim Brandt fumbled while returning a punt and LB Nick Chickillo recovered for Chicago at the Pittsburgh 34. Five plays later, Jim Root threw to Nagler in the corner of the end zone for a 34-yard touchdown and Summerall added the PAT to put the visitors back in front by 14-7.

The Steelers responded with a promising series, but Finks again was intercepted, this time by DHB Don Paul. The Cards were unable to add to their lead when Summerall tried again to kick a field goal from 52 yards and it was also short.

Pittsburgh drove quickly into Chicago territory as Finks completed a pass of 39 yards to Lynn Chandnois to the 24. But he was picked off once more and, with time running out in the first half, it was the Cardinals making a big play to move down field. Root connected with end Don Stonesifer for 46 yards and a pass interference penalty helped Chicago along further. With the clock down to 20 seconds, Root completed a six-yard touchdown pass to Nagler (pictured below) and, adding Summerall’s kick, the Cards took a 21-7 lead into halftime.

Early in the third quarter, the hole got deeper for the Steelers when Chandnois muffed a punt and Chickillo recovered at the Pittsburgh 13. Three plays later, Charlie Trippi rolled out and passed to Stonesifer for a three-yard TD. Summerall converted and Chicago had a seemingly-commanding lead of 28-7 over the error-prone Steelers.

Pittsburgh responded quickly. HB Ray Mathews returned the ensuing kickoff to the 39 and the Steelers took just four plays to cover 61 yards. Three were passes, the last from Finks to Mathews for a 19-yard touchdown. Bolkovac added the extra point to make it 28-14.

Four plays after the kickoff, the Steelers got the ball back when HB Billy Cross fumbled and LB Dick Flanagan recovered at the Chicago 36. Finks threw to end Elbie Nickel to the 16 but they failed to advance and turned the ball over on downs.

Late in the period, the Steelers commenced a drive that extended into the fourth quarter, and this time they didn’t come up empty. From the Chicago 14, Finks threw to end Ed Barker for seven yards and Rogel followed up with a three-yard run to make it first-and-goal. Rogel hit the line again, appeared to be stopped, but then broke loose for a four-yard TD. Bolkovac’s conversion further narrowed the Cards’ lead to 28-21.

Once again Pittsburgh got the ball back quickly, this time with DHB Art DeCarlo intercepting a pass that he returned to the Chicago 18. Finks completed a throw to Chandnois at the two and, after Rogel was stopped twice for losses, he fired a pass into the corner of the end zone that Barker caught for a four-yard touchdown. Bolkovac’s point after tied the score at 28-28.

Neither team was able to move effectively on its next series, but DeCarlo came through with another interception that gave the Steelers the ball at the Chicago 28. Chandnois gained eight yards on two carries, but Elter lost two on third down, and with 4:55 remaining in the contest, Bolkovac kicked a 28-yard field goal for the Steelers. It made the difference as Pittsburgh came away with a 31-28 comeback win, beating the Cardinals for the sixth straight time.

The Steelers led in total yards (354 to 233) and first downs (24 to 16). Both teams hurt themselves with turnovers, suffering five apiece (four interceptions and a fumble by the Cards, three interceptions and two fumbles given up by Pittsburgh).

Jim Finks completed 23 of 44 passes for 291 yards and Fran Rogel (pictured at right) ran for 52 yards on 17 carries to lead the Steelers. Punter Pat Brady averaged over 53 yards on eight kicks, his longest traveling 57 yards. For the Cardinals, Jim Root was successful on 9 of 27 throws for 162 yards.

The Steelers went on to a 6-6 record, rallying to win their last two games, and placed fourth in the Eastern Conference. Chicago never got on track, eking out a tie with the Rams and breaking into the victory column in the last week of the season against the crosstown-rival Bears for a 1-10-1 tally, the league’s worst.

Jim Finks had a lesser season, completing 44.9 percent of his passes for 1484 yards and eight touchdowns against 14 interceptions. Fran Rogel led the team with 527 rushing yards while Lynn Chandnois led the NFL in all-purpose yards with 1593 and was named to the Pro Bowl. Nick Bolkovac’s game-winning field goal was one of just four he kicked all year, in 12 attempts, although he was 27 for 28 in extra points. 

Rookie of the Year: Jerry Rice, 1985

Wide Receiver, San Francisco 49ers

Age: 23 (Oct. 13)

College: Mississippi Valley State

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 200

Prelude:

Playing in a small college program, Rice attracted attention while teaming with QB Willie Totten in a spread offense. He caught 102 passes for 1450 yards in 1983 and 112 for 1845 yards and 27 touchdowns in ’84. Along the way, he had a 24-catch performance against Southern University. Drafted by the 49ers in the first round in 1985, Rice moved into the starting lineup as a rookie and, despite a slow start, diverted coverage from veteran WR Dwight Clark and showed flashes of future greatness.

1985 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 49      

Most receptions, game – 10 (for 241 yds.) vs. LA Rams 12/9

Yards – 927 [19]

Most yards, game – 241 (on 10 catches) vs. LA Rams 12/9

Average gain – 18.9 [10]

TDs – 3

200-yard receiving games – 1

100-yard receiving games – 2

Rushing

Attempts – 6

Yards – 26

Average gain – 4.3

TDs – 1

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 1

Yards – 6

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 4

Points – 24

Postseason: 1 G (NFC Wild Card playoff at NY Giants)

Pass receptions – 4

Pass receiving yards – 45

Average yards per reception – 11.3

Pass Receiving TDs – 0

Pass attempts – 1

Pass completions – 0

Interceptions – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFC Rookie of the Year: UPI

49ers went 10-6 to finish second in the NFC West while qualifying for the playoffs as a Wild Card entry. Lost NFC Wild Card playoff to New York Giants (17-3).

Aftermath:

Following his promising rookie season, Rice broke out with 86 receptions and led the NFL in receiving yards (1570) and TD catches (15) in 1986. He was a consensus first-team All-Pro selection for the first of five straight years (and ten overall) and was chosen for the Pro Bowl, an honor he would receive on 13 occasions. Rice went on to play 20 seasons in the NFL and re-wrote the record book by the time he was done. The 1986 season was the first of 11 straight thousand-yard receiving seasons and 14 overall. He led the league in that category five more times, including a then-record 1848 in 1995. Rice also had four 100-catch seasons and was the NFL leader twice. A prolific scorer, he had a total of nine years in which he reached double figures in receiving TDs and paced the league six times. After 16 years with San Francisco, Rice moved on to the Raiders for three full seasons plus part of his last year, in 2004, in which he finished up with Seattle. Overall, he retired as career leader in pass receptions (1549), receiving yards (22,895), receiving touchdowns (197), and total TDs (208). He gained the most total yards (23,546) of any player in NFL history. Rice was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2010.

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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).

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.