1951: Long TD Pass Propels Rams Over Browns for NFL Championship

The Cleveland Browns had yet to fail to win a league championship in five years of existence and were looking to make it six straight as they faced the Los Angeles Rams for the NFL title on December 23, 1951. Head Coach Paul Brown’s team dominated the All-America Football Conference for four years before joining the NFL in 1950 and winning there as well.  While FB Marion Motley was showing signs of wear, QB Otto Graham was still an outstanding and mobile passer and had productive targets in ends Mac Speedie and Dante Lavelli. After losing to ex-AAFC rival San Francisco in the opening game, the Browns didn’t lose again, finishing atop the American Conference with an 11-1 record.

One of those wins was over Los Angeles, the same team that the Browns had faced for the NFL Championship the previous year. LA had the league’s most explosive offense, with the quarterback combination of Bob Waterfield and Norm Van Brocklin (pictured above), fullbacks “Deacon Dan” Towler and Dick Hoerner, and ends Tom Fears and Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch contributing to a NFL-record 5506 total yards. The defense was less formidable, but benefited from the arrival of rookie DE Andy Robustelli, who joined a line that included All-Pro DE Larry Brink and MG Stan West. Head Coach Joe Stydahar’s team put together an 8-4 tally in winning the highly-competitive National Conference.  

There were 57,522 fans in attendance at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles. The Browns moved well on their opening possession, despite LA’s seven-man defensive front, but Lou Groza missed a 23-yard field goal attempt. Following a scoreless first quarter, the Rams put together a 55-yard drive in 12 plays that ended with Dick Hoerner plowing over for the last yard and a touchdown. Bob Waterfield added the extra point for the 7-0 lead.

The Browns got on the board when Groza made up for the short miss with a 52-yard field goal, setting a new NFL Championship game record as he broke the previous mark by a full ten yards. Before the half was over, Cleveland drove to another score as Otto Graham completed three straight passes, to Mac Speedie for 14 yards, Marion Motley down the middle for 23, and the last to HB Dub Jones for a 17-yard TD. Groza kicked the point after and the defending champs took a 10-7 lead into halftime.

Graham faced heavy pressure from Larry Brink and Andy Robustelli throughout the contest, and in the third quarter the two combined on a big defensive play for the Rams. With the ball at the Cleveland 35, Brink hit Graham hard and forced a fumble. Robustelli recovered and ran to the one. From there, Dan Towler hit the line twice without success before finally breaking through for a touchdown. Waterfield’s conversion put the home team ahead by 14-10.

In the fourth quarter, the Rams drove to the Cleveland one but came up empty when they had to give the ball up on downs. They again drove inside the ten, but while the tough Browns defense again held, the Rams didn’t fail to score this time as Waterfield kicked a 17-yard field goal to increase LA’s lead to 17-10. The Browns fought back, advancing 70 yards in 10 plays as Graham had a 34-yard run and HB Ken Carpenter scored a two-yard TD. Groza converted to tie the score at 17-17.    

At this point Norm Van Brocklin relieved Waterfield at quarterback and he promptly threw deep for end Tom Fears, who gathered the ball in between two defenders and sprinted to the end zone for a 73-yard touchdown. It was the biggest play of the game, and Waterfield again added the PAT to put the Rams back in front by seven points.

Cleveland responded by advancing into Los Angeles territory, but facing fourth-and-two at the 42, Jones caught a short pass from Graham and was hit hard by hard-charging safety Norb Hecker for a two-yard loss, forcing the Browns to give up the ball. Late in the game, the Rams had a chance to add to their lead, but Waterfield missed on a field goal attempt. It had no effect as Los Angeles held on to win by a final score of 24-17.

The statistics bore out the closely-fought nature of the game. The Rams had the edge in total yards (334 to 325) while Cleveland accumulated more first downs (22 to 20). The Browns turned the ball over four times, to three turnovers suffered by LA, and the Rams, reflecting the outstanding play of their defensive ends, recorded all five of the game’s sacks.

Bob Waterfield completed 9 of 24 passes for 125 yards, giving up two interceptions, while Norm Van Brocklin was four-of-six for 128 yards with the long touchdown. Tom Fears (pictured at left) had four catches for 146 yards and a TD and “Crazylegs” Hirsch contributed four receptions for 66 yards. Dan Towler topped LA’s rushers with 36 yards on 16 carries that included a touchdown.

For the Browns, Otto Graham was successful on 19 of 40 throws for 280 yards and a TD, but gave up three interceptions. He also ran for a team-leading 43 yards on five attempts. Mac Speedie caught 7 passes for 81 yards and Dante Lavelli added four receptions for 65 yards. Dub Jones, in addition to a modest rushing total of 12 yards on 9 carries, had four catches for 62 yards that included a score.

Of the long game-winning touchdown pass, Tom Fears said that it was “the best thrown pass I’ve ever caught. He laid it right in there full stride.”

The Rams tied for first with Detroit in 1952, lost a playoff to determine the National Conference champion, and next appeared in the postseason in 1955. While often fielding contending teams over the years, the NFL Championship in 1951 was the only one the franchise achieved while based in Los Angeles (they won a NFC title in 1979, but lost the ensuing Super Bowl. Other NFL titles were while the team was in Cleveland in 1945 and St. Louis in 1999). The loss for the Browns, while putting a chink in the armor of their title-game invincibility, did not signal a decline. Cleveland continued to top its conference in each of the next four seasons, losing the next two Championship games before winning again in 1954 and ’55.

Highlighted Year: David Akers, 2001

Placekicker, Philadelphia Eagles

Age:  27 (Dec. 9)

4th season in pro football, 3^rd with Eagles

College: Louisville

Height: 5’10” Weight: 200

Prelude:

Akers signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 1997 but was cut in the preseason. He also failed in a preseason trial with Atlanta in ’98, but was added to Washington’s practice squad and activated for one game in which he kicked his first two NFL extra points but missed both of his field goal attempts and was released. Signed by the Eagles after the season, Akers played for the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe in the Spring of 1999 and for Philadelphia in the Fall, used for kickoffs and long-distance field goals while Norm Johnson handled the regular placekicking duties. He connected on three of six field goal tries, with a long of 53 yards at Miami. Akers took over as full-time placekicker in 2000 and was successful on 29 of 33 field goal attempts and set a team record with 121 points.

2001 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Kicking

Field goals – 26 [8, tied with Paul Edinger & Brett Conway]

Most field goals, game – 5 at Dallas 11/18

Field goal attempts – 31 [10, tied with four others]

Most field goal attempts, game – 5 at Dallas 11/18

Field goal percentage – 83.9 [6, tied with Paul Edinger]

PATs – 37 [8]

PAT attempts – 38 [8]

Longest field goal – 50 yards vs. St. Louis 9/9, at Washington 12/16

Scoring

Field Goals – 26

PATs – 37

Points – 115 [6, tied with Jay Feely & Matt Stover]

Postseason: 3 G

Field goals – 6

Most field goals, game – 4 at Chicago, NFC Divisional playoff

Field goal attempts – 6

Most field goal attempts, game – 4 at Chicago, NFC Divisional playoff

PATs – 10

Most PATs, game – 4 vs. Tampa Bay, NFC Wild Card playoff

PAT attempts – 10

Longest field goal – 46 yards at Chicago, NFC Divisional playoff; at St. Louis, NFC Championship

Awards & Honors:

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

1^st team All-NFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Eagles went 11-5 to finish first in NFC East. Won NFC Wild Card playoff over Tampa Bay Buccaneers (31-9) and NFC Divisional playoff over Chicago Bears (33-19). Lost NFC Championship to St. Louis Rams (29-24).  

Aftermath:

Akers remained with the Eagles for another nine years. During that stretch, he led the NFC in scoring four times and the entire NFL once, topped the NFC in field goals twice, and was named to the Pro Bowl five times. With a strong left leg, he was known for his long kickoffs as well as field goal kicking. He missed four games with a severe hamstring injury in 2005 and his field goal accuracy dipped under 80 percent for the first of three straight years. However, Akers bounced back to kick a club-record 33 field goals in 2008 and was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his last two years in Philadelphia. By the end of the 2010 season, his last with the Eagles, he owned most of the major franchise career placekicking records, including field goals (294) and scoring (1323 points). He signed with the 49ers in 2011 and set NFL records with 44 field goals in 52 attempts and a total of 166 points, the most in league history with no touchdowns included. However, Akers connected on only 69 percent of his field goal attempts in 2012, although one of them tied the then-league record of 63 yards. Released by the 49ers, he last kicked for Detroit in 2013. Overall, Akers was successful on 386 field goals in 477 attempts (80.9 %) and added 563 extra points for a total of 1721 points. In the postseason, he added another 39 field goals in 47 tries (83 %) and twice appeared in the Super Bowl.

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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

1947: Eagles Shut Out Steelers in Eastern Division Playoff

The Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers, having both finished with 8-4 records to create a tie atop the Eastern Division, faced each other in a divisional playoff game on December 21, 1947. It marked the first postseason appearance for each of the franchises, who both came into the NFL in 1933.

The Eagles, coached by Earle “Greasy” Neale, finished second in each of the previous three seasons and a late-season slump, in which they lost two of their final four games after getting off to a 6-2 start, had nearly deprived them again. HB Steve Van Buren set a new league record with 1008 rushing yards and QB Tommy Thompson (pictured above) was a fine passer and had good targets in ends “Black Jack” Ferrante and rookie Pete Pihos, all playing behind an excellent line. Neale’s innovative defense was tough and very physical.

Very little was expected of Pittsburgh coming into the season, especially when they traded star tailback Bill Dudley to the Lions. But Head Coach Jock Sutherland’s team won six straight games after getting off to a 1-2 start. The Steelers utilized a single-wing offense ably directed by Dudley’s replacement, tailback Johnny Clement, and they had a productive receiver in end Val Jansante. They had beaten the Eagles earlier in the season at home, but were missing several starters, most notably Clement, due to injury in losing the rematch at Philadelphia. All were back healthy for the playoff game, and Pittsburgh also concluded its season a week earlier than the Eagles and thus had an extra week off prior to the playoff game. However, there was also discontent among the players, who demanded extra pay for the additional week of practice, which drew the fury of Coach Sutherland and sowed the seeds of dissension.

There were 35,729 fans in attendance at Forbes Field. Pittsburgh managed just two first downs in the first half, the first of them coming on their first possession of the game. Philadelphia’s first scoring threat came up empty when the Eagles faked a field goal and QB Allie Sherman’s long pass intended for Jack Ferrante was incomplete.

The Eagles got their next opportunity when Pete Pihos blocked a punt by Bob Cifers, which gave the visitors the ball at the Pittsburgh 14. Two running plays netted the loss of a yard, but on third down Tommy Thompson threw to Steve Van Buren for a touchdown. Cliff Patton added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

Early in the second quarter, Philadelphia put together a 69-yard scoring drive after HB Pat McHugh returned a punt 11 yards. Thompson threw to HB Russ Craft for eight yards and a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness was tacked on following the play. Six plays later, Thompson threw long for Ferrante and it was good for a 25-yard TD. Patton again converted.

On the first play following the ensuing kickoff, Johnny Clement carried around end for a 27-yard gain to the Philadelphia 45. It was Pittsburgh’s first penetration into enemy territory, but the series stalled thereafter. The score remained 14-0 in favor of Philadelphia at the half.

After passing to good effect in the first half, the Eagles kept the ball on the ground and played conservatively in the second half, especially after Thompson was injured and had to leave the game. Early in the third quarter, HB Bosh Pritchard (pictured below) fielded a punt and returned it 79 yards for a touchdown in the game’s most spectacular play. Patton again tacked on the extra point.

Late in the third quarter, the Steelers finally put together a promising drive as they advanced from their 34 to the Philadelphia nine. Clement, Cifers, and FB Tony Compagno all ran effectively and Clement completed a pass to end Elbie Nickel for 16 yards. But facing fourth down, Clement tried a jump pass, fumbled, and while the Steelers recovered, they were short of first down yardage and had to turn the ball over. It was their last gasp, and the Eagles coasted the rest of the way to a 21-0 win.

The statistics reflected the score as Philadelphia outgained the Steelers (255 yards to 154) and had far more first downs (17 to 7). Each team turned the ball over twice.

Tommy Thompson was outstanding as he completed 11 of 17 passes (10 of 15 in the first half) for 131 yards and two touchdowns. Steve Van Buren was held to 45 yards on 18 carries but also scored a TD on one of his two catches for 15 yards. Jack Ferrante led the Eagles with five pass receptions for 73 yards that included a score.

For the Steelers, Johnny Clement (pictured at right), out with an elbow injury for nearly a month, led in rushing with 59 yards on 14 carries but had a poor passing performance, completing just four of 16 throws for 52 yards. Val Jansante failed to catch a pass and Elbie Nickel led the club with two receptions for 32 yards.

The Eagles went on to lose an exciting NFL Championship contest against the Chicago Cardinals. They came back to win the Eastern Division in each of the next two seasons, coming out on top in the league title contests as well. As for the Steelers, Coach Sutherland died from a sudden illness during the offseason and was replaced by John Michelosen. Pittsburgh dropped to 4-8 in 1948 and did not return to the postseason until 1972.

1964: Bills Defeat Patriots in Showdown for AFL Eastern Division Title

The American Football League’s Eastern Division title was on the line as the Buffalo Bills met the Boston Patriots on December 20, 1964. The Patriots had won the previous meeting of the teams, blemishing Buffalo’s undefeated record in doing so, and had also beaten Buffalo in a divisional playoff the previous year after the teams tied for first place. Now the Bills were 11-2, after getting off to a 9-0 start, and Boston was right behind at 10-2-1, so once again the winner of the season-ending showdown would advance to the AFL Championship game.

Buffalo’s head coach for the third year was Lou Saban, and the Bills ranked at the top of the league in both offense and defense. Starting QB Jack Kemp (pictured above) was benched the previous week in favor of Daryle Lamonica, who often relieved if the offense needed a spark, but the 29-year-old veteran was back behind center at Boston. FB Cookie Gilchrist was the key to the strong running attack and there were good receivers in flanker Elbert Dubenion, split end Glenn Bass, and TE Ernie Warlick. The tough defense was especially strong on the line and in the backfield. Rookie PK Pete Gogolak, a pioneering soccer-style kicker, added additional scoring ability.

Boston was coached by Mike Holovak and was the hotter team down the stretch, having won five straight contests. 34-year-old QB Babe Parilli was a savvy veteran and flanker Gino Cappelletti the AFL’s most prolific scorer, between catching passes for touchdowns and his reliable placekicking. The defense was a good one and, like the Bills, featured a strong defensive line as well as excellent MLB Nick Buoniconti, who led a linebacker corps known for its blitzing.

There was a crowd of 38,021 fans in attendance on a snowy day at Fenway Park. The field was slippery, making the footing treacherous. The teams traded punts to start the game before Jack Kemp threw to Elbert Dubenion for a 57-yard touchdown and Pete Gogolak added the extra point. The Patriots responded with a seven-play, 72-yard drive. In a third-and-ten situation, Babe Parilli completed a pass to split end Art Graham for 22 yards and, three plays later, connected with TE Tony Romeo for a 37-yard TD. However, Boston tried for a two-point conversion and Parilli’s pass intended for Gino Cappelletti was incomplete, leaving the Bills in the lead by 7-6.

On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Kemp again went long for Dubenion (pictured at left), and it resulted in a gain of 52 yards to the Boston 20. Runs by Kemp and Cookie Gilchrist and a pass to Glenn Bass advanced the ball to the three, but after Gilchrist lost a yard on two carries, Kemp’s third down throw into the end zone was intercepted by FS Ron Hall.

The Patriots couldn’t move on offense and punted. Once again the Bills came through with a big pass play, with Kemp this time throwing to Ernie Warlick for 44 yards to the Boston 10. This time the visitors didn’t come up empty, with Kemp gaining the last yard for a touchdown. Gogolak’s point after made the score 14-6.

Parilli connected on passes for 15 yards to flanker Jim Colclough and 14 to Gino Cappelletti, but the drive stalled thereafter and the Patriots punted. Kemp threw a pass that was picked off by CB Don Webb, giving the Patriots the ball at the Buffalo 35, but two plays later the Bills returned the favor when FS George Saimes intercepted a Parilli throw.

Buffalo put together a long series that covered 65 yards in 14 plays. Kemp completed three passes, including one to Bass for 33 yards, and HB Wray Carlton carried six times. The advance halted at the Boston five and Gogolak kicked a 12-yard field goal with 24 seconds left on the clock. The Bills took a 17-6 lead into halftime.

The Patriots went three-and-out and punted to start the third quarter, regained possession on another interception by Hall, but had to punt again. Kemp connected on passes to Bass (pictured below) that covered 38 and 13 yards, but after reaching the Boston 21, a holding penalty backed the Bills up and they had to punt.

Boston reached the Buffalo 39 on the next series, with the big play a pass from Parilli to Cappelletti for 22 yards, but Cappelletti’s try for a 46-yard field goal hit the crossbar and was no good. As the game headed into the fourth quarter, the Bills had to punt again but regained possession four plays later when Parilli’s pass was intercepted by CB Charley Warner, who ran it back 38 yards to the Boston 17. Five plays later, Kemp scored another TD from a yard out and, with Gogolak’s kick, the Bills were ahead by 24-6.

With their backs to the wall, the Patriots struck back as Parilli threw to Colclough for a 43-yard gain and to Cappelletti for 17 yards to reach the Buffalo 11. But the next three passes fell incomplete and FB Larry Garron fumbled after making a catch on fourth down. Saimes recovered for the Bills, who were able to run vital time off the clock before punting it back. Boston scored a touchdown on its next series, with Parilli tossing a pass to Romeo that covered 15 yards, and also threw to Colclough for a two-point conversion. But with less than three minutes remaining to play, it was a case of too-little, too-late. The Bills won by a final score of 24-14.

Buffalo had the edge in total yards (380 to 319) and first downs (17 to 15). The Patriots, playing from behind for most of the game, ran the ball only 11 times for 33 yards. Each team turned the ball over three times.

Jack Kemp completed 12 of 24 passes for 286 yards and a touchdown, giving up three interceptions, and scored the two short rushing TDs. Glenn Bass had 6 catches for 103 yards and Elbert Dubenion gained 127 yards on his three receptions that included a long touchdown. Cookie Gilchrist rushed for 52 yards on 20 carries and Wray Carlton contributed 31 yards on 15 attempts.

For the Patriots, Babe Parilli was successful on 19 of 39 throws for 294 yards and two TDs, and was picked off twice. Jim Colclough (pictured at right) caught 6 passes for 134 yards and Tony Romeo gained 60 yards and scored twice on his three receptions. Larry Garron led the club with 26 yards on 8 rushing attempts.

“My everlasting thanks to you for beating Boston,” exclaimed Lou Saban to his players, who awarded him the game ball. Saban had been the original head coach of the Patriots, who fired him during the 1961 season, which added not only an additional element to the rivalry between the teams, but a personal note for the coach.

The Bills went on to defeat the San Diego Chargers for the AFL Championship, and did so again the next year. Boston dropped to 4-8-2 before rebounding to contend once more in 1966.

As was the case against the Patriots, Jack Kemp wasn’t a high-percentage passer, completing 44.2 percent over the course of the season, but when he connected, the yardage could be sizable. He led the AFL in yards per attempt (8.5) and yards per completion (19.2, which was a full three yards more than the runner-up). He was named to the AFL All-Star Game, as was Elbert Dubenion, who gained 1139 yards on his 42 catches for a league-leading 27.1 average gain. Glenn Bass averaged 20.9 yards on his 43 receptions for 897 yards. Between them, they scored a total of 17 touchdowns (Dubenion with 10, Bass 7).

Babe Parilli led the AFL in passing yards (3465) and TD passes (31). Gino Cappelletti, who received Player of the Year recognition, scored 155 points, which were 53 more than Pete Gogolak in second place. He scored seven touchdowns among his 49 catches for 865 yards (17.7 avg.) and also led the league with 25 field goals.

Rookie of the Year: Vince Young, 2006

Quarterback, Tennessee Titans

Age:  23

College: Texas

Height: 6’4”   Weight: 233

Prelude:

Effective both as a passer and runner in college, Young was a consensus first-team All-American in 2005 and capped his career at Texas with an upset win for the national championship over USC in the Rose Bowl in which he passed for 267 yards, ran for 200, and scored three TDs in a MVP performance. He was chosen by the Titans in the first round of the 2006 NFL draft (third overall) despite concerns that he was more effective running the ball than passing due to an unorthodox sidearm delivery that caused difficulties with his mechanics. Still, he took over as starting quarterback after three games and displayed great playmaking ability.   

2006 Season Summary

Appeared in 15 of 16 games

(Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20)

Passing

Attempts – 357

Most attempts, game – 36 at Jacksonville 11/5, vs. New England 12/31

Completions – 184

Most completions, game – 24 vs. NY Giants 11/26

Yards – 2199

Most yards, game – 249 vs. NY Giants 11/26

Completion percentage – 51.5

Yards per attempt – 6.2

TD passes – 12

Most TD passes, game – 2 vs. NY Giants 11/26, vs. Indianapolis 12/3, at Buffalo 12/24

Interceptions – 13 (13, tied with five others)

Most interceptions, game – 3 at Jacksonville 11/5

Passer rating – 66.7

200-yard passing games – 4

Rushing

Attempts – 83

Most attempts, game - 10 (for 69 yds.) vs. NY Giants 11/26

Yards – 552

Most yards, game – 86 yards (on 7 carries) at Houston 12/10

Yards per attempt – 6.7

TDs – 7 (14, tied with five others)

Scoring

TDs – 7

2-point PAT – 1

Points – 44

Awards & Honors:

NFL Rookie of the Year: Sporting News

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA

Pro Bowl

Titans went 8-8 to finish second in the AFC South.

Aftermath:

Young’s career took a decidedly up-and-down trajectory, starting with a disappointing season in 2007. While his completion percentage improved to 62.3, he threw nearly twice as many interceptions (17) as touchdowns (9), and was not as effective running the ball due to a quadriceps injury. He was benched in favor of Kerry Collins after being injured in the first game of the ’08 season but, when the team got off to a 0-6 start in 2009, Young was reinserted into the starting lineup. The Titans went 8-2 in his starts and he was named to the Pro Bowl for a second time. But a tirade following a thumb injury 11 games into the 2010 season effectively ended Young’s career in Tennessee. He was released and signed with Philadelphia for 2011, backing up Michael Vick and starting three games. Young failed to catch on in trials with other teams and announced his retirement in 2014. Overall, he passed for 8964 yards and 46 touchdowns, giving up 51 interceptions, and rushed for 1459 yards, averaging 5.2 yards per carry with 12 TDs. While Young showed flashes of potential, he failed to develop into a franchise quarterback.   

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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).

1966: Stofa Throws for 4 TDs as Dolphins Defeat Oilers

The Miami Dolphins were finishing up their inaugural AFL season as they hosted the Houston Oilers on December 18, 1966. As was typical of expansion teams, the Dolphins struggled and had lost six straight games to be 2-11 heading into the last week. Head Coach George Wilson, who once guided the Lions to a NFL title, had some talent to work with, especially in the defensive backfield. TE Dave Kocurek, formerly of the Chargers, was an able veteran and HB Joe Auer showed all-purpose skill, but fullback was a chronic problem and Cookie Gilchrist, who arrived at midseason, was an established talent but also, at age 31, showing wear. Quarterback was the biggest problem of all, and injuries had severely depleted the position.  Ex-Jet Dick Wood started the year, but completed only 36 percent of his passes and yielded to first draft choice Rick Norton, who went down with a broken jaw, and the coach’s son, George Wilson Jr., who led the team to two wins before being sidelined.

QB John Stofa (pictured above) had been unheralded coming out of the Univ. at Buffalo in 1964, but performed well with minor league teams. He had tried out with the Dolphins, but was let go after two weeks in training camp, failed in a further trial with the Steelers in the NFL, and started the season with the Lakeland Brahmans of the North American Football League while teaching school on the side. He had good size at 6’3” and 210 and performed impressively for the Brahmans, throwing for 2029 yards and 23 touchdowns (including 451 yards and 7 TDs in one game against the hapless Chattanooga Redskins) before being re-signed by Miami. Now, with Wood unable to play due to a rib injury, Stofa was getting a chance to start in the finale.

The Oilers, coached for the second time around by Wally Lemm, were having their problems and had lost to the Dolphins in their previous meeting, the first of seven straight defeats that had them arriving in Miami with a 3-10 tally. Houston started off the year with a veteran-laden roster, and now younger players were getting an opportunity. Most notably, third-year QB Don Trull was finally starting ahead of 39-year-old George Blanda, and rookie FB Hoyle Granger was seeing more action in place of Charley Tolar and John Henry Johnson, aged 29 and 37, respectively.

There were 20,045 fans in attendance at the Orange Bowl with weather in the 70s. The Oilers had the first possession and punted. After Cookie Gilchrist ran twice for a net of zero yardage, John Stofa completed his first three passes before giving up an interception to FS Jim Norton.

Houston again had to punt and the Dolphins reached Oilers’ territory thanks to a 20-yard run by Joe Auer and a Stofa pass to Dave Kocurek for 11 yards. But after getting to the Houston 36, Stofa was sacked by DE Gary Cutsinger for a loss of 11 yards and the Dolphins punted.

HB Ode Burrell  (pictured at right) returned the kick 29 yards to the Houston 41 and it took just three plays to travel the remaining 59 yards. Don Trull threw to Hoyle Granger, who picked up 25 yards, Burrell ran for seven, and then Trull connected once more with Granger, who went 27 yards for a touchdown. George Blanda added the extra point and the visitors took a 7-0 lead into the second quarter.

The Dolphins went three-and-out on their next possession, with Stofa chased out of bounds for a 19-yard loss on one play, and a fake punt by George Wilson Jr. picked up 16 yards and gave up the ball to Houston at the Miami 34. Trull completed a third down pass to TE Bob Poole for 10 yards, FB John Henry Johnson ran for another 10, and Trull then threw to flanker Larry Elkins for an 11-yard TD. Blanda’s point after put the Oilers further ahead by 14-0.

Down by two touchdowns, the Dolphins responded with an 80-yard drive in nine plays. Following four running plays, Stofa connected on passes to Gilchrist for 18 yards, split end Karl Noonan for 12, and FB Billy Joe for 12 yards to the Houston 27. After a carry by Gilchrist gained nothing, Stofa went to the air again and it was complete to Auer for a 27-yard touchdown. Miami faked a kick for the conversion and Wilson, the holder as well as backup quarterback and punter, threw to Joe for two points, making it a 14-8 tally.

A short possession by the Oilers was followed by a punt, giving the Dolphins the ball at midfield. Auer ran for seven yards, but Stofa missed on two passes and Gene Mingo’s 50-yard field goal attempt was short. Houston regained possession with 2:10 left in the first half and advanced 90 yards. Trull completed passes to Burrell for 34 and 30 yards and to TE Bob McLeod for a two-yard TD with nine seconds remaining on the clock. Blanda’s PAT made the halftime score 21-8.

The Dolphins had the ball first in the third quarter and Stofa completed three passes, one to Auer for 17 yards who also had a 21-yard gain on a running play around end. A facemask penalty on the Oilers and a four-yard run by Auer got the ball to the Houston nine, but Stofa’s pass intended for Gilchrist was picked off by LB Ronnie Caveness. The Oilers were only able to reach their 31 before punting, and the Dolphins punted it back after a short possession.

With Burrell and Granger carrying the load on the ground, Houston made it just past midfield before having to try for a long field goal. Blanda’s attempt from 53 yards failed and the Dolphins scored again in three plays. Stofa threw to flanker Frank Jackson for 20 yards, Gilchrist rushed for six, and another throw to Jackson was good for a 48-yard touchdown. Mingo kicked the point after and Houston’s lead was cut to 21-15.

Miami got the ball back quickly when, on the second play following the ensuing kickoff, CB Jimmy Warren intercepted a Trull pass. As the game moved into the fourth quarter, the Dolphins were unable to get any farther than the Houston 47 and punted.

The Oilers drove 80 yards in 12 plays. Trull (pictured at left) had completions to McLeod for 13 yards, split end Charley Frazier for 11 yards, and McLeod again for 34, and Granger ran effectively. After a nine-yard carry by Johnson got the ball to the Miami one, Trull kept the ball himself to gain the final yard for a TD. Blanda added the PAT and the visitors again had a substantial lead of 28-15 with 6:15 remaining to play.

On the next Miami series, Stofa filled the air with passes, completing five of them. Noonan had two catches, the longest for 13 yards to convert a third down, and Gilchrist grabbed one for 20 yards. Stofa picked up 14 yards on a run to the Houston nine, but it appeared that it was all for naught when four straight passes fell incomplete. However, the last one drew a defensive holding penalty and on the next play, Stofa threw to TE Bill Cronin for a four-yard touchdown. Mingo added the extra point and the score was now 28-22 with three minutes to go.

The Oilers went three-and-out on their next series and, with the clock now down to 1:56, the Dolphins took over at their 45 following the resulting punt. An incompletion was followed by a 22-yard gain on a Stofa screen pass to Gilchrist. But Stofa was then sacked by DT Ernie Ladd and DE Don Floyd and a completion to Gilchrist lost another five yards. Facing third-and-23, Stofa connected with Jackson for 39 yards for a first down at the Houston 14. From there, and with the enthusiastic crowd cheering him on, Stofa completed his fourth touchdown pass, connecting with Auer, and Mingo added the all-important conversion that put the home team ahead by a point.

There were still 33 seconds remaining as the Oilers got the ball once more, but they were unable to get out of their end of the field and Miami came away the winner by a score of 29-28. 

The Dolphins led in total yards (417 to 307) and first downs (25 to 20). Each team recorded three sacks, turned the ball over two times, and drew five penalties. The decision to go for two points after the first touchdown proved fortuitous for the Dolphins.

John Stofa completed 22 of 38 passes for 307 yards and four touchdowns while giving up two interceptions. Joe Auer (pictured at right) rushed for 87 yards on 13 carries and also had four catches for 71 yards and two TDs. Cookie Gilchrist led the Dolphins with 6 pass receptions for 60 yards and also gained 23 yards on 9 rushing attempts. Frank Jackson accumulated 110 yards on four catches that included a score. On defense, DT Al Dotson and FS Willie West each had ten tackles.

For the Oilers, Don Trull was successful on 12 of 24 throws for 215 yards and three TDs while being intercepted once. Hoyle Granger ran for 46 yards on 8 carries and added another 52 yards and a touchdown on his two receptions while Ode Burrell picked up 45 yards on 9 rushes and gained 73 yards on three catches. Bob McLeod had four receptions that were good for 58 yards and a score.    

“He was great!” exclaimed Dick Wood about John Stofa. “All along I thought he was great. He’s big, has a strong arm, and throws well.”

While Purdue QB Bob Griese was drafted in the first round for 1967, Stofa parlayed his season-ending success into the starting job for the opening game. However, a broken ankle in the first quarter ended his season and Griese, pressed into service, was impressive. Stofa was traded to yet another expansion team, the Cincinnati Bengals, for 1968 and saw his most extensive AFL action with them. Released after the season, he returned to Miami to back up Griese for two years. Ultimately, he passed for 1758 yards and 12 touchdowns, giving up 11 interceptions, with the Dolphins and Bengals.

The season-ending win for the Dolphins put them in a tie with Houston for fourth place in the AFL Eastern Division at 3-11. Miami marginally improved to 4-10 in 1967, while the Oilers jumped all the way to first place with a 9-4-1 record, fueled by an outstanding defense and the good running of Hoyle Granger. However, Don Trull proved deficient as the starting quarterback and lost the job to Pete Beathard, who was obtained from the Chiefs.

1967: Rams Defeat Colts in Climactic Battle for Coastal Division Title

The NFL game in Los Angeles on December 17, 1967 featured a final-week showdown for the Coastal Division crown between the host Los Angeles Rams and visiting Baltimore Colts. Baltimore came into the contest undefeated at 11-0-2 and would win the division outright with a victory. The Rams were a game behind at 10-1-2 and would have the same record as the Colts if they came out winners, which would give them the division title due to a new tiebreaking procedure. With the league having split into four four-team divisions (two per conference), adding a new playoff level as a result, ties for first would no longer result in an extra game being played – the team scoring the most points in the two regular season meetings of the clubs would be awarded first place. Since the Colts and Rams had tied when they met earlier in Baltimore, a win for the Rams would deliver the division title and a spot in the Western Conference Championship game.

Los Angeles had not been to the postseason since 1955 and endured a great deal of mediocrity since then until the arrival of Head Coach George Allen in ’66. Allen’s specialty was defense, and the Rams had a good one, particularly on the line. DT Roosevelt Grier had been lost to a knee injury in the preseason, but Roger Brown was swiftly obtained from Detroit to take his spot and, together with ends Deacon Jones and Lamar Lundy and DT Merlin Olsen, became part of what was called “the Fearsome Foursome”. OLB Maxie Baughan was the leader of an outstanding group of linebackers and, while the backfield was less impressive, it included excellent FS Ed Meador. The offense was conservative but competently directed by QB Roman Gabriel (pictured above), who had good deep receivers in split end Jack Snow and flanker Bernie Casey while FB Dick Bass and HB Les Josephson handled the bulk of the running game.

The Colts were coached by Don Shula and were typically among the league’s better teams. QB Johnny Unitas was the key to the pass-oriented offense, as he had been for the past decade, and he had outstanding receivers in flanker Willie Richardson and TE John Mackey. The running game was less effective, but not bad, and the defense was solid, especially at linebacker and in the backfield.

There were 77,277 fans in attendance at the Memorial Coliseum for the showdown. The Rams opened the scoring with a 47-yard field goal by Bruce Gossett, while the Colts put together a 65-yard drive that ended with Johnny Unitas throwing to Willie Richardson for a 12-yard touchdown and Lou Michaels adding the extra point.

Baltimore again reached LA territory, but Michaels missed a 37-yard try for a field goal (his first failure after ten straight successes). On the next play, the Rams came through with a big play to start the second quarter as Roman Gabriel, firing the ball 50 yards in the air, connected with Jack Snow, who got beyond two defenders for an 80-yard TD. Bruce Gossett converted to give the home team a 10-7 lead.

Late in the period, Baltimore advanced deep into LA territory. However, as Unitas dropped back to pass, he was hit by Deacon Jones and his poor throw was intercepted by Ed Meador at the 12, who returned it seven yards. With time running down, Gabriel directed the Rams on an 81-yard drive that concluded with a throw to Bernie Casey for a 23-yard touchdown. Gossett converted and, rather than potentially being behind or tied, Los Angeles took a 17-7 lead into halftime.

Midway through the third quarter, the Rams increased their margin when Gossett booted a 23-yard field goal. The Colts fought back, advancing 61 yards in 15 plays as Unitas converted two third downs with pass completions to Richardson of 19 and 11 yards. But a quarterback draw came up short on another third down deep in LA territory, and the Colts opted for a 14-yard Michaels field goal as the fourth quarter commenced.

The Rams responded with a 67-yard series that essentially clinched the win. Gabriel was successful on all four of his passes including, under a heavy rush, a toss to Casey that then set up a nine-yard touchdown throw to TE Billy Truax. Gossett tacked on the PAT and Los Angeles was ahead by 27-10.

The LA defense took control for the remainder of the contest, harassing Unitas and effectively shutting down the Baltimore offense.  FB Dick Bass punctuated the decisive win with a two-yard TD after Unitas was sacked for an eight-yard loss to his four yard line on a fourth down play. The Rams were Coastal Division champions by a final score of 34-10.

LA had the edge in total yards (328 to 262) although the Colts led in first downs (18 to 16). The Rams sacked Unitas seven times, while Baltimore recorded none of Gabriel, and the Colts turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by Los Angeles.

Roman Gabriel was outstanding as he completed 18 of 22 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns while giving up no interceptions. Billy Truax had 5 catches for 51 yards and a TD and Jack Snow, with the 80-yard touchdown on his lone reception, led the Rams in receiving yards. Bernie Casey contributed 78 yards on his four catches that included a score. Dick Bass topped the LA rushers with 36 yards on 12 carries with one TD and also caught four passes for 27 more yards.

For the Colts, Johnny Unitas was successful on 19 of 31 throws for 206 yards and a TD while being intercepted twice and taking a major battering from the LA front four. TE John Mackey caught 5 passes for 72 yards and Willie Richardson also pulled in 5 for 57 yards and a score. FB Tony Lorick rushed for 39 yards on 13 attempts.

“The crux of our defensive plan for this game was not to allow Unitas enough time to throw the ball, because he can thread the needle in a crowd,” explained Coach George Allen.

“The offense put some points on the board early,” added Deacon Jones. “And so we were able to dictate to Mr. Unitas what we wanted him to do, and that was pass.”

The Rams fell to Green Bay in the Western Conference Championship game by a 28-7 score the following week, a disappointing finish to an outstanding season. They finished second in 1968 before winning another division title in ’69, but would never reach the NFL Championship under George Allen. Baltimore came back with a 13-1 season in ’68, despite the loss of Johnny Unitas for virtually the entire season, and won the NFL Championship before being monumentally upset by the New York Jets, champions of the AFL, in Super Bowl III. Don Shula, who moved on to Miami in 1970, would get another shot at guiding a team to an undefeated season, and would succeed in '72.

Roman Gabriel ranked third in passing as he threw for 2779 yards and a career-high 25 touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the first of three consecutive years. Bernie Casey caught 53 passes for 871 yards (16.4 avg.) and eight touchdowns and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the only time in his career.

It was the Los Angeles defense, in particular “the Fearsome Foursome”, that would leave the most enduring memory. The Rams allowed the fewest points in the NFL (196, two less than the Colts) and Deacon Jones and Merlin Olsen were consensus first-team All-NFL selections as well as being named to the Pro Bowl along with Roger Brown, Maxie Baughan, and Ed Meador.

(pictured below L to R, #74 Merlin Olsen, partially hidden Lamar Lundy, #75 Deacon Jones, #78 Roger Brown)