1998: Alstott & Dunn Spur Bucs to Upset of Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings were undefeated at 7-0 as they took on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 1, 1998. Head Coach Dennis Green’s team had a high-octane offense directed by 35-year-old QB Randall Cunningham, who had taken over for the injured Brad Johnson and impressively resurrected his career. Rookie WR Randy Moss was sensational across from veteran WR Cris Carter and RB Robert Smith made for a good ground attack as well.

The Buccaneers were at 3-4 and had already lost badly to the Vikings in the season’s opening week. Under Head Coach Tony Dungy, they were a formidable defensive team, ranked third in the league thus far, that had been having difficulties on offense, failing to reach the end zone against the Saints in a 9-3 loss the previous week. Running backs Mike Alstott (pictured above) and Warrick Dunn made for a productive combination, but QB Trent Dilfer, coming off of a Pro Bowl year in ’97, was inconsistent. 

There were 64,979 fans in attendance at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. The Buccaneers took the opening kickoff and drove 65 yards in 13 plays. Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott ran effectively and Trent Dilfer threw to Dunn twice, once for 14 yards in a third-and-four situation. Dunn finished the series off with a 10-yard carry around end for a touchdown. Michael Husted added the extra point and Tampa Bay was ahead by 7-0.

In response, the Vikings came out throwing. Randall Cunningham connected with Randy Moss for 11 yards on first down and then went to TE Andrew Glover for a gain of 30 yards to the Tampa Bay 35. The eight-play, 76-yard drive ended with Robert Smith running up the middle for a nine-yard TD. Gary Anderson added the point after to tie the score.

With Alstott running three straight times for 13 yards and Dunn catching a pass for another 13, the Bucs were driving as the first quarter ended. Alstott added a 21-yard carry to the Minnesota 22 and he and Dunn continued to chip away. Dilfer passed to WR Reidel Anthony for a 12-yard touchdown and, with Husted’s conversion, the 13-play drive that covered 80 yards had the home team back in the lead by 14-7.

The Vikings started the next possession from their own 10 yard line thanks to a penalty on the kickoff return, but still managed to keep the scoring parade going with a 90-yard drive that took 12 plays. Cunningham immediately threw to WR Jake Reed for 28 yards, the first of four completions during the series. Minnesota converted two third downs and a fourth down along the way before Cunningham threw long to Reed for a 44-yard TD on a third-and-19 play. Anderson’s PAT was successful and the game was again knotted at 14-14.

There was 4:16 remaining in the first half as the Buccaneers started their next series. Dilfer completed a pass to WR Bert Emanuel for 15 yards while facing third-and-eight and Dunn had a 50-yard run to the Minnesota 13. An offensive pass interference penalty nullified an apparent touchdown pass to Dunn, but the Bucs came away with points on a 29-yard Husted field goal.

With the clock now down to 36 seconds, Cunningham went to the air and completed three straight passes, the longest to Moss for 41 yards. Anderson capped the first half scoring with a 44-yard field goal and the tally was 17-17 at halftime. Thus far, neither team had punted or turned the ball over. Dunn (pictured below) already had 80 rushing yards and Alstott had contributed 50.

The pattern of long drives ending with scores continued in the third quarter as the Vikings advanced 75 yards in nine plays. Cunningham had passes to Glover for 25 yards and Reed for 32. The series ended with a short Cunningham toss to Reed for a one-yard TD. Anderson’s extra point put the visitors ahead by 24-17.

The Bucs moved methodically down the field in response. Alstott had a 15-yard run and Dilfer completed a pass to Anthony for 16 yards, but the drive bogged down inside the Minnesota 10 and, facing fourth-and-goal at the five, Dilfer’s throw intended for Anthony was knocked away and incomplete.

The Vikings had the ball as the contest entered the final period. Cunningham completed four passes, but after reaching their own 36, another throw that came as he was hit hard by LB Al Singleton was intercepted by LB Derrick Brooks, who returned it 25 yards to the Minnesota 23. The Buccaneers went three-and-out but came away with a 38-yard field goal by Husted to narrow the Vikings’ lead to 24-20.

Minnesota was forced to punt following the next series, which was the first of the game with ten minutes to go in regulation. The big play in stopping the Vikings came when CB Ronde Barber sacked Cunningham, who had eluded Brooks, on third down. The Bucs came away with good starting field position at the Minnesota 43. Dilfer connected with Anthony for a gain of 17 yards and Dunn followed up with a nine-yard run. Alstott lost a yard, but Dilfer converted a third-and-two situation with a three-yard carry. A pass into the end zone was deflected away, and then Dunn ran for nine yards and Alstott finished off the seven-play possession with a six-yard touchdown. Husted added the point after and Tampa Bay was ahead by three.

There was 5:48 left on the clock, plenty of time for the quick-striking Vikings. A Cunningham pass to Cris Carter was flagged for offensive pass interference and a sack by DT Brad Culpepper forced Minnesota to have to punt once again. The Vikings never got the ball back as the Buccaneers, behind the running of Alstott, controlled it for the remaining three minutes of the game. Alstott ran for a 37-yard gain and game-clinching first down and the Buccaneers won by a final score of 27-24.

Tampa Bay had the edge in total yards (378 to 340), with a franchise-record 246 yards gained on the ground, and in first downs (22 to 18). The Buccaneers, who also ran far more plays than Minnesota (63 to 46), never punted or turned the ball over, and gave up no sacks. The Vikings accounted for the game’s lone turnover and gave up two sacks, all of which proved costly. They also were held to just 17 yards and scored no points in the fourth quarter, which proved to be decisive.

Both Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn gained over a hundred yards running, the first time in Tampa Bay’s team history that two players had done so in the same contest. Alstott gained 128 yards on 19 carries that included a touchdown and Warrick Dunn had 115 yards on 18 attempts that also contained a TD. In addition, Dunn caught four passes for 49 yards. Trent Dilfer was 11 of 22 for 132 yards through the air, with a touchdown and no interceptions. Reidel Anthony topped the club with 5 pass receptions for 65 yards and a score.

For the Vikings, Randall Cunningham (pictured at right) was outstanding as he was successful on 21 of 25 throws for 291 yards and two TDs while giving up one interception. Jake Reed had his biggest game of the year as he caught 6 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns while Randy Moss and Cris Carter were comparatively quiet, catching two passes for 52 yards and two for 13, respectively. Robert Smith ran for 46 yards and a TD on 13 carries and had 5 receptions for 28 yards.

“We had to score every time we got the football, and we were able to do that except for once,” said Trent Dilfer. “That’s the kind of game we had to play.”

“They throw the ball as well as anyone’s thrown it in the last 10 or 12 years,” said Tampa Bay’s Coach Dungy regarding the Minnesota offense. “We felt our zone could make some plays, but they ripped up our zone in the first half.”

The Buccaneers went on to lose their next three games before rallying to take four of their last five on the way to an 8-8 finish that placed third in the NFC Central. Minnesota didn’t lose again for the remainder of the regular season, topping the entire conference at 15-1 while setting a NFL record by scoring 556 points. However, it all ended in disappointment with an overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship game.

Warrick Dunn gained 1370 yards from scrimmage, with 1026 on 245 rushing attempts (4.2 avg.) and 344 yards on 44 pass receptions. Mike Alstott gained 846 yards on 215 carries (3.9 avg.) and received first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors.

1943: Packers Score 2 TDs in Fourth Quarter to Beat Giants

The Green Bay Packers had a 3-1-1 record and were trying to maintain pace with the Bears in the NFL Western Division as they took on the Giants in New York on October 31, 1943. Head Coach Curly Lambeau’s team was missing a couple of key players in rookie tailback Irv Comp, who was out with a leg injury, and center Charley Brock, due to a recent bout with appendicitis. But other key players, notably tailback Tony Canadeo and end Don Hutson (pictured above), were present.

The Giants, coached by Steve Owen, were 2-1. Rookie FB Bill Paschal was a key addition to the club that already had a solid runner in wingback Ward Cuff. The aging but still able QB Tuffy Leemans and C/LB Mel Hein were also on a roster depleted by wartime. Moreover, the Packers had beaten the Giants only once since 1936, a total of six meetings with two of them having NFL titles on the line.

There were 46,208 fans in attendance at the Polo Grounds. On their second possession of the game, following an exchange of punts, the Packers started off at their own 27. Tony Canadeo threw to Don Hutson for six yards and then ran the ball himself for 12. Another throw to Hutson advanced the ball to the New York 41 and, following a short run by FB Tony Falkenstein, Hutson took the handoff on an end-around and caught the Giants by surprise as he threw an option pass down the middle to end Harry Jacunski for a 38-yard touchdown. Hutson added the extra point for the 7-0 lead.

Following the failure of the Packers to convert a fourth-and-one play on their next series, the Giants took possession at their 43. Tuffy Leemans ran for 14 yards and Ward Cuff for another 14. Cuff caught a pass from Leemans for 12 yards to the Green Bay 17 but the drive stalled at that point as a run was held to no gain and two passes were incomplete. On fourth down, Leemans dropped back and, evading several defenders, threw to Bill Paschal who was alone in the end zone for an 18-yard TD. Cuff’s conversion tied the score at 7-7.

On the last play of the opening period, HB Lou Brock returned the kickoff to the Green Bay 28. Canadeo (pictured at right) and HB Andy Uram had good runs to get the ball into New York territory and, after Brock ran for five yards, Canadeo connected with Hutson for 14 yards and Jacunski for 13. Uram finished the series off with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Canadeo, Hutson added the point after, and the visitors were ahead by 14-7.

Green Bay scored again on its next possession. A Canadeo pass to Hutson gained 19 yards to the New York 21 and, after the tailback ran for four yards, he threw to Hutson again for a 17-yard TD. Hutson added the PAT and the Packers took a 21-7 margin into halftime.

The Giants moved well on offense to start the third quarter, but a promising drive came up empty at the Green Bay 14 when the home team was forced to give the ball up on downs. The Packers had to punt and New York advanced 58 yards and did not come away empty handed. QB Emery Nix threw to Paschal for a gain to the Green Bay 18 and Paschal then carried the ball for another 12 yards. Two plays later, it was Paschal powering through the line for a four-yard touchdown. Cuff converted to make it a seven-point game at 21-14.

On their next series, the Giants again moved effectively, putting together a 65-yard drive. With first-and-goal at the six, however, the Packers held on defense for three plays and Paschal, catching a pass on fourth down, was tackled just a foot short of the goal line. The game now headed into the fourth quarter and the Packers had to punt again, Paschal returning it 17 yards to the Green Bay 28. Nix completed a pass to back Leland Shaffer to the 19 and Paschal ran for seven yards. It was Paschal (pictured below) again finishing off the drive with a dive into the end zone from a yard out. Cuff capped the home team’s comeback with the extra point that tied the score at 21-21.

The Packers reached the New York 36 on their next series but came up empty when Chet Adams was short on a 45-yard field goal attempt. On their next possession, Canadeo connected with Brock for a 40-yard gain but followed up with a pass that was intercepted.

The Giants were now stymied on offense and punted. This time the visitors didn’t fail to score, advancing 66 yards in three plays. Uram faded back and threw long to Jacunski, who caught the ball over his shoulder for a gain of 48 yards to the New York 15. Two plays later, Canadeo fired a pass to Hutson for a 12-yard TD. Hutson added the point after and Green Bay was back in front by 28-21 with four minutes remaining to play.

The Packers got the ball back two minutes later at the New York 40 following Paschal’s punt for the Giants. Canadeo ran for five yards and then broke away on a game-clinching 35-yard touchdown run. Hutson converted and Green Bay came away with a 35-21 win.

The Packers had a big lead in total yards (429 to 288) although the Giants had the edge in first downs (16 to 15). Green Bay both out-rushed (158 to 114) and out-passed (271 to 174) New York, but they also suffered the game’s only turnover.

Tony Canadeo rushed for 122 yards on 18 carries and one touchdown in addition to throwing for two TDs. Don Hutson caught 8 passes for 103 yards and two TDs, passed for a touchdown (the only one of his Hall of Fame career), and with his placekicking added in accounted for a total of 17 points. Harry Jacunski had 5 catches for 124 yards and a touchdown.

Green Bay lost to the Bears the following week and, while they won their remaining games, it was enough to ensure that they would finish in second place in the Western Division with a 7-2-1 record. The Giants tied the Lions in their next game, were thoroughly overwhelmed by the Bears, but then won four straight to close out the schedule and salvage a tie for first place in the Eastern Division with Washington at 6-3-1. They lost the ensuing playoff with the Redskins.

Don Hutson caught 47 passes for 776 yards and 11 touchdowns, all NFL-leading totals. Already the NFL’s career scoring leader, he led the circuit with 117 points. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection along with Tony Canadeo, who passed for 875 yards and 9 TDs and rushed for 489 yards and three scores. Bill Paschal was the league’s rushing leader, by a yard over Phil/Pitt’s Jack Hinkle, with 572 yards. He scored a NFL-high 10 TDs on the ground and tied Hutson with 12 touchdowns overall.  

Highlighted Year: Greg Bell, 1988

Running Back, Los Angeles Rams

Age: 26

5^th season in pro football, 1^st complete with Rams

College: Notre Dame

Height: 5’10” Weight: 210

Prelude:

Bell had an injury-riddled college career but still was chosen by the Buffalo Bills in the first round (26^th overall) of the 1984 NFL draft. He made an impact as a rookie, rushing for 1100 yards, including 206 in an upset of the Cowboys, and catching 34 passes, and was selected to the Pro Bowl. Bell followed up with another productive season in 1985, gaining 883 yards on the ground and catching 58 passes for another 576 yards and a total of 1459 yards from scrimmage. However, injuries limited him to six games and 377 rushing yards in ’86 and Bell was dealt to the Rams as part of the three-team trade that sent RB Eric Dickerson to the Colts during the strike-interrupted 1987 season. He saw little action while RB Charles White had a big year in Dickerson’s place, but with White missing time in 1988, Bell moved to the forefront.

1988 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 288 [6]

Most attempts, game – 31 (for 112 yds.) at NY Giants 9/25

Yards – 1212 [4]

Most yards, game – 155 yards (on 21 carries) at Atlanta 10/9

Average gain – 4.2

TDs – 16 [1]

100-yard rushing games – 5

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 24

Most receptions, game – 4 (for 24 yds.) vs. Phoenix 10/2

Yards – 124

Most yards, game – 24 (on 4 catches) vs. Phoenix 10/2

Average gain – 5.2

TDs – 2

Scoring

TDs – 18 [1]

Points – 108 [9, tied with Chuck Nelson]

Postseason: 1 G (NFC Wild Card playoff at Minnesota)

Rushing attempts – 17

Rushing yards – 91

Average gain rushing – 5.4

Rushing TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Comeback Player of the Year: AP

Rams went 10-6 to finish second in the NFC West and qualified for a Wild Card playoff slot while leading the conference in scoring (407 points). Lost NFC Wild Card playoff to Minnesota Vikings (28-17).

Aftermath:

Bell followed up by rushing for 1137 yards in 1989 and again leading the league in rushing touchdowns with 15. But he did not get along well with teammates or the front office and, when he threatened to hold out in ’90, he was traded to the Raiders. Bell appeared in just six games due to an ankle injury and rushed for 164 yards in what ended up being his last active season. He was released the following preseason and retired after being let go by Green Bay prior to the 1992 season. Overall, Bell rushed for 4959 yards on 1204 carries (4.1 avg.) and caught 157 passes for 1307 yards (8.3 avg.), scoring a total of 58 touchdowns. Of those totals, 2375 rushing yards and 31 TDs, came with the Rams. He was chosen to one Pro 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

1995: Bengals Rally to Tie Score but Browns Prevail in Overtime

The Cleveland Browns were struggling as they traveled to Cincinnati to play their intrastate rivals, the Bengals, on October 29, 1995. Head Coach Bill Belichick’s team was underachieving. They had reached the playoffs in ’94 but were coming into Cincinnati at 3-4 after sustaining three consecutive defeats. WR Andre Rison was brought in as a free agent and had failed to provide the anticipated impact and the running game was not up to par. The Browns looked especially lackluster against the expansion Jaguars the previous week and Coach Belichick chose to bench veteran QB Vinny Testaverde in favor of rookie QB Eric Zeier (pictured above).

The Bengals were in their fourth year under Head Coach David Shula, and that included back-to-back 3-13 records in 1993 and ’94. They were also 3-4 thus far, having won their first two games before dropping four straight and then defeating Pittsburgh in their most recent contest. There was talent on offense with QB Jeff Blake, TE Tony McGee, and wide receivers Darney Scott and Carl Pickens. But the defense was deficient, especially against the pass.

There were 58,639 fans in attendance at Riverfront Stadium. The Bengals had the first possession and advanced 85 yards in seven plays, helped along by a 46-yard pass interference call on CB Antonio Langham. RB Harold Green ran for 16 yards on first down and Jeff Blake completed four passes, the last of which was to Green from a yard out for a touchdown. However, a bad snap forced Cincinnati to abort the extra point attempt and the pass attempt from the holder, punter Lee Johnson, fell incomplete.

The Browns responded by driving 33 yards in 11 plays. Eric Zeier completed two passes that converted third downs, but an apparent completion to TE Brian Kinchen for 20 yards on a third-and-nine play from the Cincinnati 25 was flagged for offensive pass interference and Cleveland ultimately had to settle for a 44-yard Matt Stover field goal that narrowed the score to 6-3.

The Bengals punted following their next series and, in a possession that extended into the second quarter, Cleveland advanced 65 yards in 12 plays. The biggest was a Zeier throw to RB Earnest Byner for 22 yards in a third-and-seven situation, but with first-and-goal from the Cincinnati six, the visitors were unable to advance farther and Stover tied the score with a 25-yard field goal.

Cincinnati moved effectively on the next possession as Green carried twice for 19 yards and Blake completed passes to Tony McGee for nine yards and RB Eric Bieniemy for 19. A roughing-the-passer penalty got the Bengals to the Cleveland 23, but Green, who was injured on the play, fumbled and DT Tim Goad recovered for the Browns. Zeier immediately threw to Andre Rison (pictured below) for 23 yards but the series ended at the Cleveland 39 when RB Leroy Hoard lost a yard on a fourth-and-one play.

The teams traded turnovers before the Bengals, taking over with 4:48 left in the first half, put together a drive of 66 yards in nine plays. Facing third-and-ten, Blake connected with Darnay Scott for 18 yards and then followed up with another 18-yard completion, this time to McGee. Another completion, to WR David Dunn, gained 15 yards and an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Browns added another 15 to the Cleveland 19. The drive stalled, but Doug Pelfrey booted a 37-yard field goal that moved Cincinnati back in front by 9-6.

With the clock now down to 1:08, the Browns moved down the field with Zeier completing four passes, the longest to Rison for 46 yards. Stover kicked a 36-yard field goal and, when Pelfrey’s last-ditch try for a 63-yard field goal fell short, the score was 9-9 at the half.

The Browns had the ball first in the third quarter and broke the tie with an 11-play, 55-yard drive. Zeier completed five passes, the longest for 17 yards to Byner to reach the Cincinnati 20, but again the advance stalled and Stover came on to kick his fourth field goal, from 38 yards, to make it a 12-9 game.

The Bengals came back with an 80-yard possession that used eight plays. Green ran effectively and Blake completed passes to Scott for 31 yards and Bieniemy for 32. Facing third-and-goal, Blake completed an eight-yard touchdown pass to Carl Pickens and, with Pelfrey’s point after, the home team led by 16-12.

Zeier threw to Rison for a 59-yard gain to the Cincinnati five on the first play following the kickoff, but he was sacked and his next pass was intercepted by LB Steve Tovar. The Bengals had to punt, with Lee Johnson’s kick traveling only 27 yards to give the Browns good starting field position at their own 48. It came to naught as, with the game now into the fourth quarter, Cleveland was pushed back by penalties and had to punt in turn.

Following another punt by the Bengals, the Browns put together a 90-yard series in six plays. Zeier completed two passes before running for a 22-yard gain to the Cincinnati 37. After a pass interference call picked up another 20 yards, Zeier threw high to a leaping Rison for a 17-yard TD. Stover’s kick put the Browns in the lead by 19-16.

Cincinnati went three-and-out and punted and the Browns had to punt as well. However, the visitors got a break when Tom Tupa’s 64-yard kick was muffed by CB Corey Sawyer and CB Johnny Thomas recovered for Cleveland at the Bengals’ five. Two plays later, Byner ran for a three-yard touchdown. Stover kicked the extra point and, with less than three minutes remaining in regulation, the Browns were ahead by 26-16.

The Bengals needed to score quickly and Blake passed for 10 yards to RB James Joseph but suffered a slight concussion when sacked on the next play. Backup QB David Klingler, who was just coming back from being sidelined with a broken jaw, came into the game and threw to Bieniemy for 33 yards. Following the two-minute warning, Klingler threw an incomplete pass and was then sacked, but facing third-and-20 he hit McGee for a gain of 21 yards. Pelfrey kicked a 41-yard field goal and it was a seven-point game with 1:09 on the clock.

The Bengals executed a successful onside kick and were back on offense at the Cleveland 37. Klingler threw to Dunn for 17 yards but, after two more passes fell incomplete, consecutive pass interference penalties on Langham moved the ball to the one yard line. From there, Klingler threw to Pickens for a touchdown and Pelfrey’s extra point sent the contest into overtime tied at 26-26.

The Browns had the first possession in the extra period and punted. Cincinnati, with Blake again behind center, also had a short series and punted. Following another Cleveland punt, the Bengals had the ball at their own 38 and Blake went to the air. DB Dana Hall intercepted the tipped ball and the Browns were back on offense at the Cincinnati 45. Zeier threw to FB Tommy Vardell for seven yards and the fullback then rushed for six more. Following an incomplete pass, Byner ran around end for a 23-yard gain to the nine and, two plays later, Stover kicked a 28-yard field goal to give the Browns a 29-26 win.

Cleveland led in total yards (480 to 384) although the Bengals had the edge in first downs (27 to 26). The Browns also had five sacks, to two by Cincinnati, while the Bengals turned the ball over four times, to two suffered by Cleveland. Both teams were heavily penalized, with the Browns drawing 15 flags, at a cost of 188 yards, to 10 thrown on Cincinnati.

Eric Zeier completed 26 of 46 passes for 310 yards and a touchdown while giving up one interception and also rushed for 44 yards on 8 carries. Andre Rison had his most productive game with Cleveland, catching 7 passes for 173 yards and a TD. Earnest Byner ran for 74 yards on 17 attempts that included a score and also had four pass receptions for 43 yards. Matt Stover made good on all five his field goal attempts.

For the Bengals, Jeff Blake was successful on 20 of 35 throws for 249 yards and two TDs while also giving up two interceptions. In relief, David Klingler went five-of-11 for 73 yards and a touchdown. Eric Bieniemy (pictured at left) caught 6 passes for 95 yards while adding 19 yards on four rushing attempts. Harold Green topped the club with 66 yards on 14 carries and scored a TD on one of his four pass receptions for 23 yards.

“I’m exhausted right now,” said Eric Zeier. “It was a great football game. It’s the kind you want to be part of and remember for a long time.”

The good showing by Eric Zeier in his first career start was not followed by comparable outings and Vinny Testaverde regained the starting job later in the season. By then, owner Art Modell had let it be known that the Browns would be moving to Baltimore in 1996, and the team completely collapsed down the stretch to finish at 5-11 and in fourth place in the AFC Central. They swept the season series with Cincinnati, but the Bengals still managed to finish ahead of them in second at 7-9.

Zeier completed 82 of 161 passes for 864 yards and four touchdowns while giving up nine interceptions overall in 1995. He moved with the franchise to Baltimore and spent another three years with the rechristened Ravens, having only middling success when again given the opportunity to start. Andre Rison ended up with 47 catches for 701 yards (14.9 avg.) and three touchdowns, which was well below expectations, and he didn’t remain with the relocated club. He spent the ’96 season with Jacksonville and Green Bay before briefly rejuvenating his career with the Chiefs in 1997.

Highlighted Year: Terry Bradshaw, 1982

Quarterback, Pittsburgh Steelers

Age:  34

13^th season in pro football & with Steelers

College: Louisiana Tech

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 210

Prelude:

The first overall pick by the Steelers in 1970, Bradshaw took time to develop. In 1974, his fifth season, he lost his starting job early to Joe Gilliam but reclaimed it and led Pittsburgh to the first NFL Championship in franchise history. Unchallenged as the starting quarterback, he was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time in 1975 as the Steelers won a second straight Super Bowl. Following an injury-plagued 1976 season, he came back in ’77 to achieve a new high with 2523 passing yards while leading the NFL with 8.0 yards per attempt and in 1978 he received MVP and consensus first-team All-NFL honors as he led the league in TD passes (28) and yards per attempt (7.9) and the AFC in passing (84.7 rating), and the Steelers won another Super Bowl. Bradshaw had another Pro Bowl season in 1979, throwing for a career-high 3724 yards and leading the Steelers to a fourth NFL title. While there were no more championships, Bradshaw played well for a team showing its age in 1980, passing for 3339 yards and 24 touchdowns, and he threw for 2887 yards and 22 TDs in 1981.

1982 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 9 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 240 [15]

Most attempts, game – 42 vs. Cincinnati 9/19

Completions – 127 [15]

Most completions, game – 29 vs. Cincinnati 9/19

Yards – 1768 [14]

Most yards, game – 298 vs. Cincinnati 9/19

Completion percentage – 52.9

Yards per attempt – 7.4 [11]

TD passes – 17 [1, tied with Dan Fouts & Joe Montana]

Most TD passes, game – 3 at Dallas 9/13, vs. Cincinnati 9/19, at Houston 11/21, vs. Kansas City 12/5

Interceptions – 11 [8, tied with six others]

Most interceptions, game – 4 at Cleveland 12/19

Passer rating – 81.4 [8]

200-yard passing games – 6

Rushing

Attempts – 8

Yards – 10

Yards per attempt – 1.3

TDs – 0

Postseason: 1 G (AFC First Round playoff vs. San Diego)

Pass attempts – 39

Pass completions – 28

Passing yardage – 325

TD passes – 2

Interceptions – 2

Rushing attempts – 2

Rushing yards – 12

Average gain rushing – 6.0

Rushing TDs – 1

Steelers went 6-3 in the strike-shortened season and were fourth seed in the AFC playoff tournament that replaced the usual postseason format. Lost First Round playoff to San Diego Chargers (31-28).

Aftermath:

The 1982 season proved to effectively be Bradshaw’s last as a severe elbow injury limited him to the season finale in 1983, and he was forced to retire. For his career, he passed for 27,989 yards and 212 TDs, but most significantly had a 107-51 record as a starting quarterback (as well as 14-5 in the postseason, 4-0 in the Super Bowl). Bradshaw was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection once, received second-team All-NFL or All-AFC honors after two other years, and was selected to the Pro Bowl three times. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1989.

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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

2002: Falcons Prevail Over Saints in Back-and-Forth Game

The Atlanta Falcons, with a 3-3 record, traveled to New Orleans to take on their rivals, the Saints, on October 27, 2002. Coached by Dan Reeves, the Falcons featured flashy second-year QB Michael Vick directing the offense. RB Warrick Dunn (pictured at right), formerly of the Buccaneers, was off to a slow start but WR Brian Finneran was having a breakout year. Moreover, after getting off to a 1-3 start, the team was coming off of two wins, including a 30-0 thrashing of the Panthers the previous week.

The Saints were coached by Jim Haslett and had started off impressively at 6-1. The offense was especially productive with QB Aaron Brooks, who also happened to be Vick’s cousin, behind center. RB Deuce McAllister was an outstanding runner and the receiving corps, led by WR Joe Horn, was a good one.

There were 67,883 fans in attendance at the Louisiana Superdome. Following a punt by the Falcons, the Saints had the ball at the Atlanta 43 to begin their first series and, with Aaron Brooks running for 19 yards and Deuce McAllister picking up another 15 on two carries, they scored first on a 40-yard John Carney field goal.

Once again the Falcons were forced to punt, thanks to back-to-back sacks, and New Orleans advanced 65 yards in nine plays. McAllister started the series off with a 28-yard run to the Atlanta 37 and a roughing-the-passer penalty on a third down play kept the drive alive. McAllister finished it off with a one-yard touchdown carry and Carney added the extra point to extend the home team’s lead to 10-0.

The Falcons were helped along on their next possession by a 32-yard pass interference penalty in a second-and-14 situation and, on the first play of the second quarter, Vick ran for 27 yards to the New Orleans 24 on a second-and-25 play. Three carries by Warrick Dunn picked up 18 yards and, after another defensive penalty, Vick gained the last three yards for a TD. Jay Feely’s point after narrowed the score to 10-7.

The Saints responded with a drive that featured completions by Brooks to Joe Horn for 16 and  25 yards, but McAllister fumbled at the end of a nine-yard run and LB Sam Rogers recovered at the Atlanta 30. Vick completed a pass to TE Alge Crumpler for 33 yards and, following two runs by Dunn that picked up nine yards, converted on third-and-one with a two yard carry. Two plays later, Vick connected with WR Willie Jackson for 18 yards and on the next play Dunn ran for a three-yard touchdown. Feely converted and the visitors were ahead by 14-10.

Atlanta got the ball back when LB Chris Draft intercepted a Brooks pass at midfield and returned it nine yards, but after reaching the New Orleans 17, Dunn fumbled after making a catch and the Saints recovered at their five. The score remained unchanged at halftime.

The Saints had the ball first in the third quarter but a Brooks throw was picked off by FS Keion Carpenter to give the Falcons excellent field position at the New Orleans 31. This time they did not fail to cash in as Vick (pictured at left) threw to Brian Finneran for 28 yards and FB Bob Christian ran for an eight-yard touchdown. Feely’s point after put the visitors ahead by 11 points at 21-10.

WR Michael Lewis returned the ensuing kickoff 41 yards and the Saints moved quickly to score. McAllister ran for six yards after which Brooks threw to Horn for 17 and had another 15 yards tacked on thanks to an unnecessary roughness penalty. Brooks threw to McAllister for a 19-yard TD and then to TE Boo Williams for a two-point conversion and the Atlanta lead was trimmed to 21-18.

CB Allen Rossum gave the Falcons a good kickoff return of 41 yards and Vick threw four straight passes, three of them complete. The third, to Finneran, was good for 14 yards to convert a third-and-seven situation and runs by Dunn and Christian got the ball to the New Orleans 13. Feely kicked a 31-yard field goal and the visitors were up by 24-18.

Lewis responded with a 65-yard kickoff return to the Atlanta 38 and Brooks immediately threw to McAllister for a 16-yard gain. Three more running plays set up a Brooks completion to Horn for a six-yard touchdown and, with Carney adding the extra point, the Saints were on top by 25-24.

The Falcons had the ball as the game headed into the fourth quarter. Dunn had a 56-yard run to the New Orleans 18 and, while the visitors couldn’t reach the end zone, Feely booted a 32-yard field goal to re-take the lead at 27-25.

The Saints punted on their next series and Atlanta used 10 plays to drive 92 yards. Dunn started things off with an 18-yard run and Vick had a 10-yard carry on a third-and-nine play. A roughing-the-passer call moved the Falcons past midfield and Vick completed a pass to Finneran for 10 yards. It was the nimble quarterback running the final 32 yards for a touchdown and, adding Feely’s PAT, Atlanta was now ahead by 34-25 with 5:57 remaining in regulation.

New Orleans fought back with a series that nearly ended with an apparent interception that was overturned on replay review. With that reprieve, Brooks threw to WR Jake Reed for 15 yards and to McAllister for 15, but an offensive pass interference penalty blunted the drive and Carney kicked a 40-yard field goal to at least narrow the score to 34-28 with the clock now down to 3:38.

Disaster struck for the Falcons on their next play from scrimmage when Dunn fumbled when hit by FS Jay Bellamy at the end of an eight-yard run and CB Fred Thomas recovered at the Atlanta 28. Carries by McAllister and Brooks gained six yards apiece and, following an incomplete pass, McAllister ran off tackle for a 16-yard TD. Carney’s extra point again put the home team back on top by 35-34.

There was 2:12 to play as the Falcons started their next series at their own 11 after an offensive holding penalty on the kickoff return moved them back. Vick fired off passes to TE Brian Kozlowski for 11 yards, Dunn for 12, and Crumpler for five yards to reach the 39. Vick took off on an eight-yard run, threw to WR Shawn Jefferson for 14 yards, and ran for six yards to the New Orleans 33. A defensive holding penalty added four more yards but the Falcons could advance no further as a run by Dunn gained nothing and a pass was incomplete. Finally, Feely came on to kick a 47-yard field goal on the game’s last play and Atlanta won in dramatic fashion by a final score of 37-35.

The Falcons had the edge in total yards (446 to 351) and first downs (28 to 22). They gained 260 of their yards on the ground, to 159 for New Orleans. The Saints turned the ball over three times, to two suffered by Atlanta, and both clubs were heavily penalized, with the Falcons getting flagged 10 times at a cost of 95 yards and New Orleans 9 times for 96 yards. The teams combined for just three punts, two by Atlanta.

Michael Vick, who became ill on the climactic drive and had to remove himself from the game, completed 16 of 24 passes for 195 yards and, while there were no touchdowns he also gave up no interceptions. Vick also rushed for 91 yards on 10 carries and scored two TDs. Warrick Dunn gained 142 yards on 23 rushing attempts that included a touchdown and also caught five passes for 28 more yards. Alge Crumpler and Brian Finneran each gained 62 receiving yards on an identical four pass receptions.

For the Saints, Aaron Brooks was successful on 16 of 35 throws for 192 yards and two TDs while giving up two interceptions. Deuce McAllister (pictured above) ran for 115 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries and had five catches for 56 yards and another TD. Joe Horn also had five receptions, for a team-leading 61 yards and a score. Michael Lewis averaged 33.5 yards on six kickoff returns.

The Falcons followed up on their dramatic win by going 4-0-1 over the next five weeks, which included another victory over New Orleans at home, and while they lost three of their last four games, they finished at 9-6-1 to place second in the NFC South and secure a Wild Card playoff spot. Atlanta stunned the Packers in Green Bay in the first round before falling to the Eagles at the Divisional level. The Saints won the following week but only twice more after that as they faltered down the stretch. They ended up third in the division with a 9-7 record and out of the postseason.      

Highlighted Year: Timmy Brown, 1962

Halfback, Philadelphia Eagles

Age: 25

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

College: Ball State

Height: 5’10” Weight: 190

Prelude:

Brown went to college on a basketball scholarship but played football well enough to draw the interest of the Green Bay Packers, who chose him in the 27^th round of the 1959 NFL draft. He was cut following the season’s first game and was signed to Philadelphia’s taxi squad. Brown was a backup halfback and kick returner for the ’60 squad that won the NFL title and saw more action in 1961, when he took the opening kickoff of the season 105 yards for a touchdown. In limited play on offense, he rushed for 338 yards and averaged 18.9 yards on his 14 catches. Returning kickoffs, Brown had a 28.0 average on 28 returns with a TD, and one of his eight punt returns was for a touchdown as well. While there were doubts as to whether he could be an every-down back, he got his chance to start during the ’62 season when HB Ted Dean suffered a broken leg.

1962 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 137 [12, tied with Clarence Peaks]

Most attempts, game – 17 (for 107 yds.) vs. Dallas 11/25

Yards – 545 [11]

Most yards, game – 107 yards (on 17 carries) vs. Dallas 11/25

Average gain – 4.0 [15]

TDs – 5 [11, tied with six others]

100-yard rushing games – 1

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 52 [12]

Most receptions, game – 9 (for 160 yds.) vs. NY Giants 9/23

Yards – 849 [13]

Most yards, game – 199 (on 5 catches) at St. Louis 12/16

Average gain – 16.3 [17]

TDs – 6 [11, tied with six others]

100-yard receiving games – 3

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 30 [3]

Yards – 831 [3]

Most yards, game – 117 (on 4 ret.) at NY Giants 11/18

Average per return – 27.7 [5]

TDs – 1 [1, tied with four others]

Longest return – 99 yards

Punt Returns

Returns – 6

Yards – 81 [11, tied with Dick Bass]

Average per return – 13.5

TDs – 0

Longest return – 38 yards

All-Purpose yards – 2306 [1]

Scoring

TDs – 13 [5]

Points – 78 [8]

Awards & Honors:

Pro Bowl

Eagles went 3-10-1 to finish seventh in the NFL Eastern Conference while leading the league in passing yards (3385).

Aftermath:

Having set a NFL record for all-purpose yards in 1962, Brown exceeded it in ’63 by gaining 2428 yards (841 rushing, 487 pass receiving, 945 returning kickoffs, 152 on punt returns). Fast with surprising power and an excellent receiver out of the backfield, he scored 11 touchdowns and received consensus second-team All-NFL honors as well as another selection to the Pro Bowl. Brown suffered a thigh injury that cost him four games during the 1964 season but returned to rush for a career-high 861 yards in ’65 while averaging a league-leading 5.4 yards-per-carry. He also caught 50 passes for 682 yards and was again chosen to the Pro Bowl as well as receiving second-team All-NFL recognition. The offensive numbers dropped in 1966 but he returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in a game against the Cowboys, becoming the first player in league history to do so. A hamstring injury cost him the early part of the ’67 season and further reduced his effectiveness, and he was traded to the Baltimore Colts for 1968, where he played one final season as a backup halfback and kick returner. Overall, Brown rushed for 3862 yards on 889 carries (4.3 avg.) and 31 TDs (850 attempts for 3703 yards and 29 TDs coming with the Eagles), caught 235 passes for 3399 yards (14.5 avg.) and 26 TDs, (231 for 3346 yards and all of the TDs with Philadelphia), returned 71 punts for a 9.0 average and one TD, and 184 kickoffs for a 26.0 average and five TDs (55 punt returns for 9.3 yards and 169 kickoff returns for 26.5 yards and all of the return TDs with the Eagles). He gained a total of 12,684 all-purpose yards, scored 64 touchdowns (12,049 yards and 62 TDs with the Eagles), and was chosen to three Pro Bowls.

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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