Rookie of the Year: Troy Stradford, 1987

Running Back, Miami Dolphins

Age: 23 (Sept. 11)

College: Boston College

Height: 5’9”   Weight: 191

Prelude:

Stradford set a school career rushing record with 3504 yards at Boston College and scored 36 touchdowns. He was chosen by the Dolphins in the fourth round of the 1987 NFL draft. A classic scatback who was fast and elusive, Stradford beat out Lorenzo Hampton for a spot in the starting lineup.

1987 Season Summary

Appeared in 12 of 15 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 145 [19, tied with Larry Kinnebrew]

Most attempts, game – 30 (for 120 yds.) vs. NY Jets 12/7

Yards – 619 [18]

Most yards, game – 169 yards (on 17 carries) at Dallas 11/22

Average gain – 4.3 [13]

TDs – 6 [10, tied with Eric Dickerson, Sammy Winder & George Rogers]

100-yard rushing games – 3

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 48      

Most receptions, game – 8 (for 46 yds.) vs. Pittsburgh 11/1

Yards – 457

Most yards, game – 83 (on 6 catches) at Dallas 11/22

Average gain – 9.5

TDs – 1

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 14

Yards – 258

Average per return – 18.4

TDs – 0

Longest return – 32 yards

All-Purpose yards – 1334 [5]

Passing

Attempts – 1

Completions – 1

Yards – 6

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 7 [16, tied with twelve others]

Points – 42

Awards & Honors:

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA

Dolphins went 8-7 to finish third in the AFC East in the strike-shortened season (three games were played with replacement players) while leading the NFL in passing yards (3876) and the conference in touchdowns (47, tied with the Cleveland Browns).

Aftermath:

After setting a franchise record for yards from scrimmage by a rookie, Stradford suffered through an injury-plagued 1988 season and his rushing output dropped to 335 yards, although he caught 56 passes for 426 yards. A major knee injury limited him to seven games and 473 yards from scrimmage in ’89 and, following a lesser season in 1990, he signed with Kansas City as a Plan B free agent in 1991. The Chiefs used him almost exclusively as a kick returner with unspectacular results as he averaged 6.8 yards on 22 punt returns and 20.9 running back kickoffs in a season in which he missed the first few weeks due to a broken arm. Waived during the ’92 preseason, Stradford was picked up by the Rams and also played for Detroit in what was his last NFL season. He played for the Amsterdam Admirals of the WLAF in 1995 with modest results. Overall, Stradford rushed for 1380 yards on 356 carries (3.9 avg.) and caught 170 passes for 1479 yards (8.7 avg.), scoring a total of 12 touchdowns.

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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).

1949: Redskins Defeat Steelers with 3 TDs in Fourth Quarter

The Washington Redskins were struggling with a 2-3-1 record as they hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers on November 6, 1949. John Whelchel, a former admiral and coach at Navy, had been hired as head coach to bring discipline to the team. QB Sammy Baugh (pictured at right) was still a highly-effective passer at age 35 and end Hugh Taylor an outstanding receiver, but the Redskins lost badly to the Cardinals, Giants, and Eagles.

Pittsburgh, coached by John Michelosen, was 4-2 and trying to remain in contention after a loss to the Eastern Division-leading Eagles the previous week. The Steelers were utilizing the NFL’s last single-wing offense and thus remained dependent on a conservative, ground-oriented attack. While coming into the game with the better record, the team had never won in Washington and lost to the Redskins in Pittsburgh earlier in the season.

There were 26,038 fans in attendance at Griffith Stadium. The Steelers dominated play in the first quarter, not allowing a first down on defense, although they came up empty on a scoring opportunity. DE Bob Davis partially blocked a punt by Dick Poillon in his end zone to give Pittsburgh the ball on the Washington 27. Three running plays got the ball to the eight, but after another three runs, HB Jerry Nuzum was stopped at the one on fourth down.

At 6:35 into the second quarter, the Redskins got on the board when QB Harry Gilmer eluded tacklers and threw a bomb to Hugh Taylor, who pulled it down from among three defenders for a 51-yard touchdown.

The Steelers responded by driving 80 yards in 12 plays. TB Jim Finks completed a pass to end Val Jansante for 34 yards and ran five yards around end for a touchdown to finish off the series. Joe Glamp’s conversion tied the score at 7-7, which remained the tally at halftime.

In the third quarter, Pittsburgh had the initial possession and advanced 66 yards, this time in 13 plays. Nuzum (pictured at right) ran for 13 yards and Finks for 14 before FB Jerry Shipkey powered up the middle for a TD from a foot out and Glamp’s extra point put the visitors in front by 14-7.

The Redskins, with Sammy Baugh in at quarterback, drove to the Pittsburgh 30, but LB Darrell Hogan picked off a pass. The Steelers reached the Washington 16 on their series, with the big play a 23-yard carry by Nuzum, but the drive stalled and Glamp was wide to the right on a 25-yard field goal attempt.

Late in the period, DB Howard Hartley intercepted another Baugh pass at the Pittsburgh 16. The Steelers had to punt to start the fourth quarter and the Redskins took possession at their 26. Rookie FB Pete Stout ran around end, eluded several tacklers as he headed down the sideline, and went the distance for a 74-yard touchdown. Poillon converted and, less than a minute into the final period, the score was again tied at 14-14.

Hartley intercepted another pass and then Poillon missed a 41-yard field goal attempt for Washington and a deadlock appeared likely. The Steelers came out passing, however, and Finks was picked off by DB Howie Livingston at the Pittsburgh 42. Baugh passed to Taylor for eight yards and then to HB Rob Goode for a 32-yard gain. Stout followed up with another touchdown, this time from one yard out. Poillon missed the extra point, but the home team was ahead by six points with two minutes remaining to play.

Pittsburgh again went to the air, the biggest a throw from Finks to end Elbie Nickel for 30 yards, and reached the Washington 39 before DHB Dan Sandifer intercepted a pass and returned it 58 yards to the Pittsburgh 16. HB Harry Dowda ran for a one-yard insurance TD. The PAT was successful and what had been a closely-fought contest for most of the way turned into a 27-14 win for the Redskins.

Thanks to the long scoring run, Pete Stout (pictured above) gained 107 yards on just seven carries that included two touchdowns. Sammy Baugh completed 8 of 15 passes for 101 yards and a TD and Harry Gilmer was four-of-12 for 107 yards and a score. For the Steelers, Jim Finks was successful on five of 15 throws for 86 yards with no touchdowns. He also ran for 68 yards on 18 carries.

Washington won only once more the rest of the way, ending up with a 4-7-1 record that placed fourth in the Eastern Division. Coach Whelchel was let go and assistant Herman Ball finished out the year in the interim. For the Steelers, the loss extinguished any faint title hopes and they went 6-5-1 for second place in the division, well behind the Eagles.

Sammy Baugh had a typically productive season, leading the NFL in passing for the sixth (and last) time while accumulating 1903 yards and 18 touchdowns. Pete Stout’s rushing total against the Steelers represented almost half of his 245 yards on 62 carries for the season in which he appeared in six games.

1995: Seahawks Lose Big Lead but Defeat Giants

The Seattle Seahawks were struggling at 2-6 and coming off a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Cardinals the previous week as they hosted the New York Giants on November 5, 1995. First-year Head Coach Dennis Erickson’s team had talent, with RB Chris Warren and exciting rookie WR Joey Galloway noteworthy on offense and DT Cortez Kennedy anchoring the defense. However, QB Rick Mirer (pictured at right) was on shaky ground, having been benched in favor of John Friesz, who suffered a shoulder separation against the Cards, and problems with pass protection made it all the more problematic.

The Giants were also experiencing difficulties in their third season under Head Coach Dan Reeves. QB Dave Brown had yet to produce the results anticipated when he was handed the starting job the previous year. RB Rodney Hampton was the key to the run-oriented offense and rookie Tyrone Wheatley, drafted in the first round, had been added to the mix.

There were 42,100 fans in attendance at the Kingdome. The first series of the game ended in a punt by the Giants, and the Seahawks drove 62 yards in five plays. Rick Mirer finished it off with a pass to WR Brian Blades for a 33-yard touchdown and Todd Peterson added the extra point.

New York responded with a 10-play, 61-yard possession. Dave Brown completed three passes, the biggest to WR Mike Sherrard for 25 yards in a third-and-10 situation. That gave the Giants a first down at the Seattle nine, but they were unable to reach the end zone and Brad Daluiso kicked a 23-yard field goal that made the score 7-3.

The Seahawks responded with a 59-yard drive that took five plays. Mirer again connected with Blades, this time for a 44-yard TD, and with Peterson’s kick, Seattle’s lead was enlarged to 14-3. It got larger when the Giants punted following their next possession and Joey Galloway (pictured below) returned it 89 yards for another touchdown. Peterson again successfully converted.

Down by 21-3, the Giants were moving as the first quarter ended and advanced 62 yards in nine plays. Brown completed another four passes, the last to RB Herschel Walker for an eight-yard TD. The Seahawks went three-and-out on their next series, punted, and New York drove from its 20 to the Seattle 35. Facing fourth-and-four, the Giants lined up in shotgun formation but Brown punted instead. The Seahawks had another short series ending with a punt, and taking possession with 3:21 remaining in the first half, New York advanced 48 yards in four plays to score again. Brown had two short completions and finished the series off with a pass to Sherrard for a 28-yard touchdown. The try for a two-point conversion failed, but the visitors were now behind by only five points at 21-16.

Mirer attempted to pass the Seahawks down the field in response, but CB Philippi Sparks came up with an interception that gave the Giants the ball at the Seattle 46 with 53 seconds still on the clock. Brown threw to WR Chris Calloway for 15 yards and Sherrard for 30 to the Seattle one. From there, Rodney Hampton went up the middle for a TD. New York again went for two points and failed, but the second quarter comeback had put the Giants in front by 22-21 at halftime.

Seattle started off the third quarter with a 10-play, 70-yard series. RB Lamar Smith, replacing the injured Chris Warren, carried most of the load, gaining 35 yards on six carries and Mirer threw a pass to Blades that picked up 28 yards. The drive stalled at the New York five, but Peterson kicked a 23-yard field goal to put the Seahawks back in front by 24-22.

The Giants punted following their next possession and Seattle again put together a long series. Again the Seahawks primarily kept the ball on the ground and were helped along by two defensive penalties. Mirer completed a pass to Galloway for 10 yards in a third-and-nine situation and FB Steve Smith gained four yards up the middle to convert a fourth down, but Lamar Smith fumbled and CB Thomas Randolph recovered for the Giants at their 15 yard line.

New York punted and, as the game headed into the fourth quarter, the Seahawks advanced 27 yards in seven plays. Mirer threw to TE Carlester Crumpler for 13 yards and Lamar Smith had a 16-yard carry along the way. Peterson booted a field goal from 41 yards and the Seattle lead was extended to 27-22.

Walker returned the ensuing kickoff 50 yards to the Seattle 48 to give the Giants good starting field position. Tyrone Wheatley ran for 11 yards on two carries and, following two incomplete passes, Brown connected with Calloway for 21 yards to the 16. Wheatley and Hampton chipped away from there, with Hampton gaining the last yard for a touchdown. A third try for a two-point conversion failed when CB Corey Harris broke up a pass intended for WR Arthur Marshall, but the visitors were back in front by a score of 28-27.

The teams exchanged punts before the Seahawks put together a long drive of 77 yards in 13 plays. Mirer completed five passes and Peterson finished the series off with a 32-yard field goal that put Seattle in front for the third time by two points.

There was 1:23 remaining in the game as the Giants took possession at their 13 yard line. Brown had three pass completions, to Marshall for 14 yards, Sherrard for 16, and Marshall again for 27 yards to reach the Seattle 30. But New York could get no farther and Daluiso’s last-play field goal attempt from 48 yards was wide to the right. The Seahawks held on to win by a final score of 30-28.  

The Giants gained more total yards (403 to 386) and had the edge in first downs (26 to 24) and time of possession (33:14 to 26:46). Seattle suffered the only two turnovers but the Giants were penalized eight times at a cost of 81 yards, to five flags thrown on the Seahawks.

Rick Mirer completed 17 of 31 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns while giving up one interception. Brian Blades had 6 catches for 153 yards and both receiving TDs. Lamar Smith rushed for 85 yards on 19 carries. Joey Galloway contributed four pass receptions for 35 yards and, with the long punt return for a score, averaged 26.3 yards on four runbacks of punts. Todd Peterson was successful on all three of his field goal attempts, which proved to be vital.

For the Giants, Dave Brown was successful on 20 of 41 throws for 299 yards and two TDs and had none intercepted. Mike Sherrard (pictured at right) caught 6 of those passes for 128 yards and a touchdown. Rodney Hampton led the rushers with 54 yards on 18 attempts that included two short TDs.

The win over the Giants marked a turnaround for the Seahawks as they won five of their next six games to finish at an even 8-8, which placed third in the AFC West. New York, on the other hand, lost its next two contests on the way to a 5-11 record that meant fourth-place in the NFC East.

Rick Mirer’s play remained uneven as he passed for 2564 yards and 13 touchdowns, but with 20 interceptions. Brian Blades led the team with 77 catches for 1001 yards (13.0 avg.) and four TDs and Joey Galloway finished with 67 receptions for 1039 yards (15.5 avg.) and seven touchdowns while averaging an even 10.0 yards on 36 punt returns. Lamar Smith returned to his backup role, rushing for 215 yards on 36 attempts (6.0 avg.); the game against New York represented his most significant action of the season by far.

Dave Brown threw for 2814 yards and 11 TDs and had problems with passing accuracy. Mike Sherrard caught 44 passes for 577 yards (13.1 avg.) and four touchdowns in his last of three seasons with New York.

1956: Lions Hold Off 49ers to Remain Undefeated

The Detroit Lions were undefeated at 5-0 as they faced the San Francisco 49ers on November 4, 1956. Coached by Buddy Parker, the Lions had an offense led by fiery QB Bobby Layne, recovered from a shoulder injury that devastated both him and the team in ’55. Big Leon Hart (6’5”, 255) had been shifted from end to fullback with favorable results and rookie Howard “Hopalong” Cassady, the Heisman Trophy winner out of Ohio State, was at halfback. The tough defense continued to be the key to the team’s success and featured MLB Joe Schmidt and safeties Jack Christiansen and Yale Lary.

The 49ers had a first-year head coach in Frankie Albert, formerly a star quarterback for the team, and were stumbling along at 1-4. Veteran QB Y.A. Tittle had been benched in favor of rookie Earl Morrall but there was still plenty of talent, especially in the backfield and among the receivers. San Francisco had lost a close game to the Lions two weeks earlier in Detroit.

There were 46,706 fans in attendance at Kezar Stadium and they saw a scoreless first quarter. A promising possession for the 49ers ended at the Detroit 10 when FB John Henry Johnson, whose 54-yard carry was the big play in the series, tried to convert a fourth down and was stopped for a four-yard loss.

Early in the second quarter the Lions drove 70 yards in 10 plays. Leon Hart (pictured above), who gained 29 yards on five carries along the way, blasted into the end zone from three yards out to put the visitors on the board. Bobby Layne, now also the team’s placekicker, added the extra point. The lead didn’t hold up for long as HB Joe Arenas took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 90 yards for a TD. Gordie Soltau converted to tie the score.

The Niners then retained possession with a successful onside kick that gave them the ball at the Detroit 47. They advanced 22 yards before Soltau kicked a 30-yard field goal to give San Francisco the lead. Layne kicked a 30-yard field goal for the Lions before the first half was over and the score was tied at 10-10 at halftime.

The Lions went 80 yards to score again in the third quarter, with Hart and “Hopalong” Cassady gaining 58 yards on the ground between them, Layne completed a pass to end Jim Doran for 17 yards, and it was Hart once more reaching paydirt from a yard out. Layne kicked the point after.

San Francisco came right back with a series that led to another Soltau field goal, this time from 40 yards. With five minutes remaining, Hart left the contest with an ankle injury and the Lions began to bog down on offense.

Taking possession at their 11 in the game’s climactic series, the 49ers drove to the Detroit two yard line. But, following a one-yard gain, an apparent dive across the goal line by Johnson was nullified by a penalty. Johnson was tossed for a seven-yard loss on the next play and HB Hugh McElhenny’s option pass into the end zone was intercepted by Jack Christiansen. With less than two minutes remaining, it clinched the win for the Lions by a score of 17-13.

The Lions had the edge in total yards (283 to 246), with 194 yards of that total coming on the ground, and also in first downs (19 to 15). Each team turned the ball over three times.

Leon Hart rushed for 77 yards on 16 carries that included two touchdowns before leaving the game and “Hopalong” Cassady gained 78 yards on 19 attempts. Bobby Layne had trouble with his passing accuracy, completing only 7 of 18 throws for 80 yards, but completions to Jim Doran of 14 and 17 yards kept each of the touchdown drives going. John Henry Johnson (pictured above) accounted for 92 of San Francisco’s 93 rushing yards.

The Lions finally lost for the first time the next week at Washington and ended up second in the Western Conference with a 9-3 record after losing a season-ending game to the Bears in which Layne was knocked out of the contest on a notorious late hit by DE Ed Meadows. San Francisco fell to 1-6 before catching fire and going 4-0-1 to finish out the season at 5-6-1, placing third in the conference.

Bobby Layne was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection as he not only passed well but, thanks to his additional placekicking duties, led the league in scoring with 99 points. Leon Hart was not consistently as strong at fullback as he was against the 49ers, running for 348 yards on 76 carries (4.6 avg.) and five touchdowns. “Hopalong” Cassady was also something of a disappointment, with 97 carries for 413 yards (4.3 avg.) and the less-heralded Gene Gedman supplanted him in the lineup.

John Henry Johnson ran for 301 yards on 80 attempts (3.8 avg.) and remained the third wheel in the San Francisco backfield behind Hugh McElhenny and FB Joe Perry.

Highlighted Year: Karim Abdul-Jabbar, 1997

Running Back, Miami Dolphins

Age: 23

2^nd season in pro football & with Dolphins

College: UCLA

Height: 5’10” Weight: 194

Prelude:

Abdul-Jabbar set a season rushing record at UCLA with 1571 yards in 1995 and was chosen by the Dolphins in the third round of the ‘96 NFL draft. Appearing tentative during preseason, he drew the ire of Head Coach Jimmy Johnson, but Abdul-Jabbar ran for 115 yards in the season-opening game and went on to become the team’s first thousand-yard rusher since 1978 as he gained 1116 yards on 307 carries (3.6 avg.) and scored 11 touchdowns. While having good balance, he did not accelerate quickly and lacked breakaway potential.

1997 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 283 [9]

Most attempts, game – 26 (for 83 yds.) vs. Buffalo 11/17

Yards – 892 [19]

Most yards, game – 108 yards (on 22 carries) at Baltimore 10/19

Average gain – 3.2

TDs – 15 [1, tied with Terrell Davis]

100-yard rushing games – 2

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 29

Most receptions, game – 6 (for 60 yds.) vs. New England 12/22

Yards – 261

Most yards, game – 60 (on 6 catches) vs. New England 12/22

Average gain – 9.0

TDs – 1

Scoring

TDs – 16 [1]

Points – 96 [20, tied with Terrell Davis]

Postseason: 1 G (AFC Wild Card playoff at New England)

Rushing attempts – 5

Rushing yards – 16

Average gain rushing – 3.2

Rushing TDs – 0

Dolphins went 9-7 to finish second in the AFC East and qualify for the postseason as a Wild Card entry. Lost AFC Wild Card playoff to New England Patriots (17-3).

Aftermath:

Abdul-Jabbar rushed for 960 yards in 1998 but, after scoring 27 touchdowns in his first two seasons (26 on the ground), his total dropped to six. He was traded to Cleveland during the ’99 season and ran for 350 yards in 10 games for the reconstituted Browns franchise. Moving on to the Colts in 2000, he appeared in just one game as wear on his knees ended his career after just five years. Overall, he gained 3411 yards on 1004 rushing attempts (3.4 avg.) and caught 90 passes for 586 yards (6.5 avg.), scoring a total of 35 touchdowns. Controversy surrounding similarities to basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led to a lawsuit and a change of name to Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar.

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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

1975: Bills Rally to Beat Jets on Long Ferguson-to-Simpson Touchdown

The Buffalo Bills were at 4-2, having lost two consecutive games after winning their first four, as they faced the New York Jets on November 2, 1975. The offense could score points and was spurred by star HB O.J. Simpson. FB Jim Braxton was an effective runner as well as blocker while QB Joe Ferguson (pictured above) had developed into a fine passer. However, the defense was another story and had been most notably weakened by the loss of CB Robert James for the entire year. Head Coach Lou Saban’s team was looking to get back on track after the two defeats.

New York had a 2-4 record and lost badly to the Bills in the season-opening contest. Coached by Charley Winner, the Jets still had QB Joe Namath to throw the ball, but at 32, “Broadway Joe” was too immobile and interception-prone playing behind a mediocre line. FB John Riggins was an effective runner and there were good receivers in WR Jerome Barkum and TE Rich Caster. But the defense was poor, although on this day it was focused on stopping Simpson.

It was a clear day at Shea Stadium with 58,343 fans in attendance. The Bills took the opening kickoff and drove 74 yards in 11 plays. O.J. Simpson was stopped for losses on both of his carries, but Joe Ferguson had completions to WR Bob Chandler for 16 yards and WR J.D. Hill for 32 and 21 yards as well as a four-yard gain on a quarterback sneak that converted a third down. A holding penalty backed the Bills up after they reached the one and scored an apparent touchdown, but Ferguson threw to Jim Braxton for an 11-yard TD that counted and John Leypoldt added the extra point.

The Jets had to punt after their first series came to a stop at the Buffalo 49 and this time it was Simpson (pictured at left) carrying the bulk of the load as the Bills advanced to their own 38. However, FS Delles Howell intercepted a Ferguson pass and returned it nine yards to the Buffalo 42. John Riggins carried three straight times to pick up 23 yards before the drive stalled at the 25 and Pat Leahy kicked a 42-yard field goal. Buffalo held a 7-3 lead at the end of the opening period.

Simpson and Braxton had good gains to close out the first quarter and the Bills drove methodically into New York territory. On a third-and-nine play, Ferguson threw to Braxton for a 26-yard gain to the 16 yard line. However, a penalty and a sack by DT Ed Galigher moved the visitors back to the 33 and they punted.

Starting from their own 11, it was the Jets’ turn to put together a long possession. Riggins and HB Emerson Boozer ran effectively and Joe Namath passed to WR Eddie Bell for a 22-yard gain. The advance finally was stopped at the Buffalo 24 and Leahy kicked a 41-yard field goal to make it a one-point game.

New York got the ball back a few plays later when a Ferguson pass was picked off by LB Godwin Turk, who returned it to near midfield. Following a five-yard carry by Boozer, HB Steve Davis ran for 22 yards to the Buffalo 24 and then, following the two-minute warning, he carried again for 11 yards. Boozer lost a yard on the next play and two Namath passes were incomplete, and the home team settled for a 31-yard Leahy field goal.

The Jets got the ball right back on the ensuing kickoff, however, when WR Vic Washington fumbled after running it back 24 yards and DB Ed Taylor recovered for New York at the Buffalo 23. Two plays later, Namath threw to Boozer for a 16-yard touchdown. Leahy added the point after and the Jets took a 16-7 lead into halftime.

The Jets had the first possession in the third quarter and drove 70 yards in seven plays. Riggins ran for 11 yards and caught a pass from Namath for 22 to the Buffalo 34. Three plays later Namath threw long for Bell at the goal line and the diminutive receiver caught it for a 31-yard TD. Leahy’s conversion put the home team ahead by a 23-7 score.

The Bills responded with a series that started off with Ferguson throwing to Braxton for 21 yards and, after catching a short pass, Simpson ran for 18 to the New York 34. Ferguson connected with Chandler for 18 yards but, after advancing to the 11, a holding penalty pushed the Bills back and they ended up with a 40-yard field goal by Leypoldt.

Riggins and Boozer picked up 22 yards between them on the next series and Namath completed a pass to Rich Caster that gained 29 yards. But a Namath pass intended for Bell was intercepted by CB Tony Greene, who fell into the end zone for a touchback. The Bills then went 80 yards in eight plays. Ferguson passed to Hill in the corner of the end zone for a 28-yard touchdown and, with Leypoldt’s PAT, the Bills were now down by just six points at 23-17.

New York was driving as the contest moved into the fourth quarter and reached the Buffalo 30 before a sack and holding penalty moved the ball back to the 45, from where the Jets had to punt. The Bills had to punt as well and the Jets took over at their 31. HB Carl Garrett ran for 11 yards but was twice stopped for no gain before Namath completed a pass to Barkum for 15 yards. Namath threw to Caster for 13 yards to reach the Buffalo 29 and Garrett ran twice to pick up another nine yards. However, Riggins was stopped for no gain on third-and-one and, going for it on fourth down, he was stopped short again as DE Earl Edwards slammed into him at the line.

Starting from their 20 with 5:19 left on the clock, the Bills picked up nine yards on a Ferguson pass to Braxton and then the quarterback ran the ball up the middle for another seven and a first down. After a pass fell incomplete, Ferguson threw across the middle to Simpson, who split the defenders and ran down the left sideline for a 64-yard touchdown. Leypoldt kicked the all-important extra point and, in electrifying fashion, the visitors were in front by one.

The Jets had two more shots in the time remaining but couldn’t get out of their end of the field. They punted from their own 24 after the first series and, regaining the ball at their 19 following a clipping penalty on Buffalo’s ensuing punt, Namath was sacked twice. The Bills held on to win by a final score of 24-23.

Buffalo had the edge in total yards (435 to 366) while the Jets had more first downs (25 to 22). New York also gained more yards on the ground (199 to 148). The Bills turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by the Jets, although they recorded four sacks, to one for New York.

O.J. Simpson was largely kept in check as he rushed for 94 yards on 21 carries, but his 66 yards on two catches included the game-deciding touchdown. Joe Ferguson completed 15 of 29 passes for 296 yards and three touchdowns, although he was intercepted twice. Jim Braxton ran for 43 yards on 10 attempts and pulled in four passes for 67 yards and a TD and J.D. Hill gained 88 yards on his four receptions that also included a score. Bob Chandler contributed five catches for 75 yards.

For the Jets, Joe Namath was successful on 16 of 31 throws for 208 yards and two TDs while giving up one interception. John Riggins (pictured at right) gained 108 yards on 24 carries, but it was the one yard he couldn’t get on fourth down that drew the most comment. Jerome Barkum had five catches for 44 yards, Rich Caster added four for 56 yards, while Eddie Bell topped the club with 60 yards on three receptions that included a touchdown.

“We only needed less than a yard,” explained Coach Charley Winner of the fateful decision to pass up a possible game-clinching field goal in the fourth quarter and try and convert a fourth down instead. “The players all thought they could make it. Who knows what the percentage is if you try to kick a field goal? We were making yardage all day long. We thought we could make one foot.”

The Bills lost their next two games on the way to a disappointing 8-6 record that placed third in the AFC East. Ultimately, offensive prowess couldn’t overcome defensive vulnerability. New York won only once more all year to end up at the bottom of the division along with the Patriots at 3-11. Coach Winner was gone after nine games and Ken Shipp finished up in the interim.

O.J. Simpson was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection for the fourth straight year as he led the league in rushing with 1817 yards, total yards with 2243, touchdowns with a then-record 23, and scoring with a total of 138 points. Joe Ferguson tied for the NFL lead in touchdown passes with 25 along with Minnesota’s Fran Tarkenton.

John Riggins became the first Jet to rush for a thousand yards with 1005 on 238 carries (4.2 avg.) and was selected to the Pro Bowl. Joe Namath passed for 2286 yards and 15 touchdowns, but led the league in interceptions for the second consecutive year with 28.

1992: Steelers Score 2 TDs in 4th Quarter to Rally Past Oilers

The Pittsburgh Steelers were off to a good 5-2 start under new head coach Bill Cowher as they hosted the Houston Oilers on November 1, 1992. QB Neil O’Donnell was a good fit in the conservative offense and RB Barry Foster (pictured at right) had five hundred-yard rushing games thus far. The defense blitzed heavily and was strongest at linebacker and in the backfield, which featured CB Rod Woodson and SS Carnell Lake. The overachieving Steelers had beaten Houston in their opening game and were looking to sweep the season series.

Much was expected of the Oilers, who had been to the playoffs following each of the previous five seasons and breezed to the AFC Central title in ’91. Houston, coached by Jack Pardee, was also 5-2 and featured a pass-heavy run-and-shoot offense directed by QB Warren Moon, who had a fine group of receivers available. The defense was anchored by DT Ray Childress, LB Al Smith, and SS Bubba McDowell.

There were 58,074 fans in attendance on an overcast day with light rain at Three Rivers Stadium. The Steelers had the first possession and Barry Foster ran the ball on each of the first six plays, picking up 27 yards. The drive stalled at the Houston 48 and resulted in a punt, and the Oilers punted in turn following a short series.

After the Steelers kicked the ball away again, Houston advanced 57 yards in nine plays. Warren Moon completed three passes along the way but two throws from the Pittsburgh 12 fell incomplete and Al Del Greco kicked a 29-yard field goal.

Neil O’Donnell completed passes to WR Dwight Stone for 20 yards and Foster for 16 but gave up an interception to Al Smith on a throw that was tipped. However, Smith fumbled on the return and O’Donnell recovered to regain possession for the Steelers. As the game entered the second quarter, WR Ernie Mills fumbled after gaining 18 yards on a reception and Bubba McDowell recovered for the Oilers at the Pittsburgh 44.

Houston drove 43 yards in eight plays that included a third-and-nine throw by Moon to WR Ernest Givins for 17 yards to the Pittsburgh six. Three running plays got the ball down to the one and Del Greco kicked another field goal, this time of 19 yards to stake the visitors to a 6-0 lead.

The Steelers responded with a long possession of 14 plays that covered 82 yards. O’Donnell had completions to TE Eric Green for 23 yards, Mills for 15, and RB Leroy Thompson for 20 yards in a third-and-10 situation, and Foster ran eight times, the last for a one-yard touchdown. Gary Anderson added the extra point and Pittsburgh went ahead by 7-6, which remained the score at halftime.

On the first series of the third quarter, Moon suffered a concussion when he was hit hard by blitzing CB Rod Woodson and was replaced by backup QB Cody Carlson (pictured below). Carlson, who had led the Oilers to a win in Pittsburgh two years earlier when Moon went down, completed four passes during the nine-play, 76-yard drive, including the last to WR Webster Slaughter for an 11-yard TD. Del Greco converted and Houston was back in front at 13-7.

On the second play following the ensuing kickoff, O’Donnell fumbled while being sacked by DT Jeff Alm and Ray Childress grabbed the loose ball and returned it eight yards for a touchdown. Del Greco added the point after and the Oilers’ lead was extended to 20-7, the visitors having scored two TDs in the span of just over a minute.

The teams traded punts, but as the period was winding down, the Steelers were at the Houston 13 yard line. O’Donnell completed three straight passes to start the drive, hitting FB Merrill Hoge for 20 yards, WR Jeff Graham for another 11 yards, and then Mills for 20. Foster ran on the next three plays and picked up 11 yards and O’Donnell followed up with a completion to Mills for eight yards. Four plays into the fourth quarter, O’Donnell tossed a pass to TE Adrian Cooper for a two-yard TD to complete the 11-play, 75-yard series. Anderson’s PAT narrowed the gap to six points.

The Oilers backed themselves up with penalties on the next series before Carlson completed two passes to get a first down, but he fumbled on a third-down play and LB Greg Lloyd recovered for the Steelers at the Houston 38. Following a run by Foster, DE Sean Jones sacked O’Donnell for a loss of 10 yards to put Pittsburgh in a third-and-16 hole, but O’Donnell completed a pass to Green for 24 yards to climb out of it and reach the Houston 20. Foster ran three times to get inside the ten and then O’Donnell again threw to Green, this time for a five-yard touchdown. Anderson kicked the extra point and the home team was ahead by a point.

The teams exchanged punts and the Oilers found themselves with the ball at their 14 with 3:53 left to play. Carlson completed six passes to get to the Pittsburgh 27 and, after two short carries by RB Lorenzo White, Del Greco came in to attempt a 39-yard field goal with the clock down to six seconds. The kick was wide to the left and the Steelers held on to win by a final score of 21-20.

Pittsburgh had the edge in total yards (302 to 283) while the Oilers had more first downs (21 to 20). The Steelers turned the ball over three times, to two by Houston, and were also penalized nine times at a cost of 101 yards, to five flags thrown on the Oilers.

Neil O’Donnell (pictured below) completed 14 of 22 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns while giving up one interception. Barry Foster rushed for 118 yards on 31 carries that included a TD. Ernie Mills caught four passes for 61 yards and Eric Green contributed 52 yards and a score on his three receptions.

For the Oilers, Warren Moon was successful on 13 of 19 throws for 104 yards with no TDs or interceptions before leaving the game and Cody Carlson went 15-of-23 for 137 yards and a touchdown while also giving up no interceptions, although he did fumble the ball away once. Lorenzo White ran for 44 yards on 12 carries and added 32 yards on six catches. Haywood Jeffires had 9 receptions for 68 yards and Webster Slaughter gained 71 yards on his five catches that included a touchdown.

“We were down 20-7, but we’ve been there before,” said Pittsburgh’s Coach Cowher. “That was a great game, a classic, and it was decided by inches.”

The win put the Steelers in first place in the AFC Central at 6-2 and they went on to finish on top with an 11-5 record, their best since 1979. The sweep of the Oilers was critical in the division race as Houston placed second at 10-6 and qualified for the postseason as a Wild Card. Both teams lost to Buffalo in the playoffs, the Oilers in epic fashion in the Wild Card round and Pittsburgh at the Divisional level.

Barry Foster went over a hundred yards 12 times as he led the AFC in rushing with 1690 yards on 390 carries (4.3 avg.). He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection as well as Pro Bowl choice. Neil O’Donnell finished third in passing in the AFC (83.6 rating) and was named to the Pro Bowl for the only time in his career.

Warren Moon came back from the concussion suffered against the Steelers but was lost for five games with a broken arm. He still led the AFC with a passer rating of 89.3. Cody Carlson remained effective in relief, completing 65.6 percent of his passes for 1710 yards and 9 touchdowns, as opposed to 11 interceptions.