Highlighted Year: Daunte Culpepper, 2000

Quarterback, Minnesota Vikings

Age: 23

2^nd season in pro football & with Vikings

College: Central Florida

Height: 6’4”   Weight: 250

Prelude:

Culpepper had an outstanding collegiate career, capped by completing 73.6 percent of his passes for 3690 yards and 28 touchdowns while averaging 9.2 yards-per-attempt as a senior in 1998. He also rushed for 463 yards and 12 TDs and was chosen by the Vikings in the first round of the 1999 NFL draft (11^th overall). Culpepper saw no action as a rookie, but with the departure of veterans Jeff George and Randall Cunningham after the season, he moved into the starting lineup in 2000.

2000 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 474 [12]

Most attempts, game – 53 at Tampa Bay 10/29

Completions – 297 [11]

Most completions, game – 29 at Tampa Bay 10/29

Yards – 3937 [4]

Most yards, game – 357 vs. Carolina 11/19

Completion percentage – 62.7 [5]

Yards per attempt – 8.3 [3]

TD passes – 33 [1, tied with Peyton Manning]

Most TD passes, game – 3 on seven occasions

Interceptions – 16 [7, tied with Brett Favre]

Most interceptions, game – 3 vs. Miami 9/10, at Green Bay 11/6

Passer rating – 98.0 [4]

300-yard passing games – 5

200-yard passing games – 11

Rushing

Attempts – 89

Most attempts, game – 13 (for 73 yds.) vs. Chicago 9/3

Yards – 470

Most yards, game – 73 yards (on 13 carries) vs. Chicago 9/3

Average gain – 5.3 [5]

TDs – 7 [17, tied with seven others]

Scoring

TDs – 7

Points – 42

Postseason: 2 G

Pass attempts – 59

Most pass attempts, game – 31 vs. New Orleans, NFC Divisional playoff

Pass completions – 30

Most pass completions, game – 17 vs. New Orleans, NFC Divisional playoff

Passing yardage – 380

Most passing yards, game – 302 vs. New Orleans, NFC Divisional playoff

TD passes – 3

Most TD passes, game – 3 vs. New Orleans, NFC Divisional playoff

Interceptions – 3

Most interceptions, game – 3 at NY Giants, NFC Championship

Rushing attempts – 6

Most rushing attempts, game – 4 vs. New Orleans, NFC Divisional playoff

Rushing yards – 61

Most rushing yards, game – 51 vs. New Orleans, NFC Divisional playoff

Average gain rushing – 10.2

Rushing TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Vikings went 11-5 to finish first in the NFC Central. Won NFC Divisional playoff over New Orleans Saints (34-16). Lost NFC Championship to New York Giants (41-0).

Aftermath:

Culpepper had a lesser season in 2001, missing the last five games of the year due to injury and drawing criticism for lack of preparation. He came back to throw for 3853 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2002, but also led the league with 23 interceptions, although his 609 rushing yards and 10 TDs were career highs. Culpepper improved in 2003, passing for 3479 yards and 25 TDs with just 11 interceptions, and in 2004 led the NFL with 379 completions and 4717 yards while tossing 39 TD passes and accumulating a 110.9 passer rating. He was selected to the Pro Bowl after both seasons and was a first-team All-NFC choice by Pro Football Weekly in ’04. But after achieving that peak, Culpepper had a poor season in 2005 before going down with a knee injury and, with a coaching change taking place, he was traded to Miami, where he started four games and was hampered by limited mobility before having to undergo a second knee operation. Culpepper had stints with Oakland and Detroit over the remaining three seasons of his NFL career, never appearing in more than seven games and with reduced production. He finished up with the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League in 2010, where he passed for 1910 yards and 10 touchdowns in his final pro season. Overall in the NFL, Culpepper threw for 24,153 yards and 149 TDs, and also rushed for 2652 yards and 34 touchdowns. He twice received first-team All-NFC recognition and was selected 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

Highlighted Year: Bob Griese, 1970

Quarterback, Miami Dolphins

Age:  25

4^th season in pro football & with Dolphins

College: Purdue

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 190

Prelude:

A multi-talented player in college who finished second in Heisman Trophy voting in 1966, Griese was taken by the Dolphins in the first round of the 1967 AFL/NFL draft. When starting QB John Stofa was lost to a broken ankle, Griese took over and had a solid rookie season as he threw for 2005 yards and 15 TD passes for a second-year franchise. He earned selection to the AFL All-Star game in 1967 and ’68, but suffered along with a struggling team until Don Shula took over as head coach in 1970. Griese didn’t have the strongest arm, but it was accurate and he proved to be a good fit in Shula’s ball-control offense.

1970 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 245 [19]

Most attempts, game – 27 at Boston 9/20

Completions – 142 [16]

Most completions, game – 15 at Buffalo 10/18, vs. New Orleans 11/15

Yards – 2019 [13]

Most yards, game – 225 vs. New Orleans 11/15

Completion percentage – 58.0 [3, 1^st in AFC]

Yards per attempt – 8.2 [2, 1^st in AFC]

TD passes – 12 [15]

Most TD passes, game – 2 at Houston 9/27, vs. Oakland 10/3, at NY Jets 10/10, vs. Baltimore 11/22

Interceptions – 17 [7, tied with Bill Kilmer & Joe Kapp]

Most interceptions, game – 3 vs. Cleveland 10/25, at Philadelphia 11/8

Passer rating – 72.1 [10]

200-yard passing games – 2

Rushing

Attempts – 26

Most attempts, game – 3 (for 18 yds.) at Boston 9/20, (for 21 yds.) at Houston 9/27, (for 0 yds.) vs. NY Jets 12/13

Yards – 89

Most yards, game – 21 yards (on 3 carries) at Houston 9/27

Yards per attempt – 3.4

TDs – 2

Scoring

TDs – 2         

Points – 12

Postseason: 1 G (AFC Divisional playoff at Oakland)

Pass attempts – 27

Pass completions – 13

Passing yardage – 155

TD passes – 2

Interceptions – 1

Rushing attempts – 1

Rushing yards – 2

Rushing TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

2^nd team All-NFL: NEA

1^st team All-AFC: Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Dolphins went 10-4 to finish second in the AFC East and qualified for the postseason as a Wild Card while leading the conference in rushing yards (2082). Lost AFC Divisional playoff to Oakland Raiders (21-14).

Aftermath:

Griese followed up in 1971 by passing for 2089 yards and 19 touchdowns as the Dolphins won the AFC Championship. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL as well as Pro Bowl selection, and also received MVP and Player of the Year recognition. Griese suffered a broken leg five games into the 1972 season but returned in the playoffs as the team went undefeated and won the Super Bowl. They won again in ’73 and Griese was again selected to the Pro Bowl even though the offense was ground-oriented and he passed sparingly, although to good effect. Injuries factored into a couple of lesser seasons in 1975 and ’76, with personnel factors also an issue, but Griese, now wearing glasses, came back strong in 1977 as he led the NFL in passing (87.8 rating), TD passes (22), and yards per attempt (7.2). He was again a consensus first-team All-Pro as well as Pro Bowl selection and MVP. Griese was selected to a sixth Pro Bowl in ’78 while leading the league in completion percentage (63.0) but injuries began to wear him down and ultimately ended his career in 1980. He ended up passing for 25,092 yards with 192 TD passes and the team went 92-56-3 with him behind center. The Dolphins retired Griese’s #12 and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1990. His son Brian followed him into the NFL, also as a quarterback.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1998: Flutie & Bills Dominate Second Half to Defeat Colts

The Buffalo Bills were off to a slow 1-3 start as they faced the Indianapolis Colts on October 11, 1998. The Bills were in transition as key players in conference-topping seasons such as QB Jim Kelly, RB Thurman Thomas, and WR Andre Reed were either gone or in the twilight of great careers. Marv Levy had retired as head coach and was replaced by Wade Phillips, and the team invested heavily in QB Rob Johnson, who was obtained from Jacksonville and viewed as a young passer with great potential. The Bills also picked up 35-year-old QB Doug Flutie (pictured at right), the diminutive former Heisman Trophy winner who came from the CFL following eight outstanding seasons after faltering in the NFL. Johnson had the starting job and initially struggled, but performed well in an upset of the 49ers the previous week.

The Colts were at 1-4 and also won for the first time the week before. Head Coach Jim Mora’s team had a young quarterback of its own in Peyton Manning, the first overall pick in the NFL draft. He had been put directly into the starting lineup and, as to be expected, was struggling in the early going. RB Marshall Faulk was highly productive as a runner and receiver out of the backfield, but Indianapolis was a young team and very much a work in progress.

There were 52,938 fans in attendance at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. Following a short series by the Bills that ended with a punt, and with Rob Johnson having to exit due to bruised ribs suffered when he was sacked on third down, the Colts started with good field position at their 48. Marshall Faulk took off around left end for a 40-yard gain to the Buffalo 12, and after three more Faulk carries picked up seven yards, Mike Vanderjagt kicked a 22-yard field goal to give the home team an early 3-0 lead.

Doug Flutie was at quarterback for the Bills in place of Johnson on the next series and he completed four passes, the longest to WR Eric Moulds for 16 yards. The drive stalled at the Indianapolis 35 and the visitors came up empty when Steve Christie missed on a 53-yard field goal attempt.

The Colts went 42 yards in seven plays on their next possession. Peyton Manning completed a pass to TE Ken Dilger for 21 yards on first down to move the ball back into Buffalo territory and a pass interference penalty on a third down play advanced the ball to the Buffalo 18. Once again the Colts couldn’t reach the end zone but Vanderjagt added another field goal, from 33 yards, to put them ahead by 6-0.

Following a punt by the Bills early in the second quarter, the Colts put together a nine-play, 54-yard drive that was helped along by a roughing-the-passer penalty on DE Bruce Smith. Manning converted a third-and-nine situation with a completion to WR Marvin Harrison and Vanderjagt kicked a 43-yard field goal, his third, to put Indianapolis up by 9-0.

Taking possession with 8:17 remaining in the first half, the Bills advanced 71 yards in nine plays. Five of them were pass completions by Flutie, with three to WR Andre Reed. The third was for 24 yards to reach the Indianapolis six and, two plays later, a scrambling Flutie connected with TE Jay Riemersma for a seven-yard TD. Christie added the extra point to make it a two-point contest. The Colts responded with a scoring drive that included Manning passes to Faulk that covered 26, 11, and five yards and once again ended with a field goal by Vanderjagt, this time covering 41 yards. Indianapolis took a 12-7 lead into halftime, but after dominating play in the first half, the Colts led by only five points.

In their second possession of the third quarter, the Bills moved 59 yards in 11 plays. Flutie converted three third downs along the way, with a 20-yard completion to FB Sam Gash while facing third-and-three, a four-yard toss to WR Kevin Williams when again in a third-and-three situation, and the last was again to Williams on third-and-goal for a six-yard TD. Christie added the point after and Buffalo was in front for the first time by 14-12.

A three-and-out possession by the Colts gave the Bills the ball at their 43 and resulted in a seven-play, 57-yard drive that stretched into the fourth quarter. The big plays along the way were passes to Reed for 20 and 15 yards, and Flutie had a 12-yard run as well. RB Antowain Smith gained the last four yards for a touchdown and Christie converted.

It quickly got worse for the Colts when, on their second play of the ensuing series, Manning was intercepted by NT Ted Washington, who batted the ball into the air at the line and gathered it in to give Buffalo the ball at the Indianapolis 25. Four plays later, it was Smith scoring another touchdown from a yard out and, with Christie’s kick, the Bills had a commanding 28-12 lead with eleven minutes to play.

The Colts were unable to get out of their end of the field on the next series, resulting in a punt, and with Smith running the ball five straight times, the big one for a gain of 30 yards, Buffalo was able to add a 39-yard Christie field goal.

In a deep 31-12 hole, the Colts fought back as Manning filled the air with passes. A 14-play drive covered 83 yards and resulted in a touchdown pass to WR Torrance Small from three yards out. The try for a two-point conversion failed and Indianapolis remained behind by 31-18. The home team got their next shot with 55 seconds left on the clock and Manning tossed to Harrison for a 25-yard TD. Again the try for a two-point conversion failed, but the outcome was already decided. Buffalo won by a final score of 31-24.

  

The Bills led in total yards (381 to 341), first downs (24 to 21), and time of possession (36:41 to 23:19). However, during Buffalo’s 24-point surge in the second half, the visitors outgained Indianapolis by 150 yards to 28. The Colts also turned the ball over twice, to none by the Bills. Buffalo led in penalties with 9 at a cost of 77 yards to four for 18 yards on the Colts.

Doug Flutie was highly efficient, especially in the second half, as he completed 23 of 28 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns with none intercepted. Antowain Smith rushed for 130 yards on 31 carries that included two TDs. Thurman Thomas gained 23 yards on six rushing attempts and 5 catches for 32 yards while Sam Gash contributed 45 yards on his 5 receptions. Andre Reed also pulled in 5 passes and led the Bills with 76 yards.

For the Colts, Peyton Manning was successful on 20 of 41 throws for 235 yards and two TDs while being intercepted twice. Marshall Faulk gained 93 rushing yards on 18 carries and also led the club with 6 pass receptions for 80 yards. Mike Vanderjagt was a perfect four-for-four on field goal attempts.

“We had opportunities to score touchdowns and weren’t able to do that, and that hurt us,” summed up Coach Jim Mora in defeat. “We were playing well and had good field position and couldn’t get it in the end zone. In the second half, they took over offensively and defensively, and we couldn’t get anything going.”

The win for Buffalo marked the second of five straight on the way to a 10-6 record and third place finish in the AFC East. That was enough to secure a Wild Card playoff spot, but the Bills lost to the club that came in second, Miami, in the first round. The Colts were at 1-8 before they won again and ended up at 3-13 for the second consecutive year. However, the groundwork was laid for significant improvement.

Doug Flutie ended up having a Pro Bowl year as he passed for 2711 yards and 20 touchdowns, and provided a spark to the offense, although the competition with Rob Johnson proved to be rancorous. Antowain Smith also continued to perform well, rushing for 1124 yards on 300 carries (3.7 avg.) with eight TDs.

Peyton Manning played every down at quarterback for the Colts and while he led the NFL by tossing 28 interceptions, he also threw 26 TD passes and accumulated 3739 passing yards, foreshadowing much bigger seasons to come.

Highlighted Year: Steve DeBerg, 1989

Quarterback, Kansas City Chiefs

Age: 35

13^th season in pro football (12^th active), 2^nd with Chiefs

College: San Jose State

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 210

Prelude:

Following a senior year in college in which DeBerg passed for 2084 yards and 19 touchdowns, he was chosen by the Dallas Cowboys in the tenth round of the 1977 NFL draft. Failing to make the club, he was picked up by the San Francisco 49ers and spent a year on the taxi squad. DeBerg became the starting quarterback in ’78 and had a rough year with a poor team, completing just 45.4 percent of his passes and giving up 22 interceptions, as opposed to 8 TD passes. With Head Coach Bill Walsh’s arrival in 1979, DeBerg set NFL records in pass attempts (578) and completions (347) and threw for 3652 yards and 17 touchdowns. However, in a pattern that would be oft-repeated, he lost his starting job to Joe Montana in ’80 and was traded to the Denver Broncos in 1981, where he backed up Craig Morton for a year, saw considerable action during the strike-shortened ’82 season, and split time with prize rookie John Elway in 1983. Dealt to Tampa Bay in 1984, he had a strong year, completing 60.5 percent of his passes for 3554 yards and 19 TDs, but followed with a lesser season in ’85 and was supplanted by Steve Young, who joined the club from the USFL. DeBerg saw little action in 1986 and started the first eight games in 1987 until another highly-regarded rookie, Vinny Testaverde, was put into the lineup. He was traded to the Chiefs in 1988 and split time with Bill Kenney, passing for 2935 yards and 16 touchdowns as well as 16 interceptions. A hard worker and capable leader, DeBerg was a classic pocket passer with both a good arm and ball handling skills.  

1989 Season Summary

Appeared in 12 of 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 324

Most attempts, game – 40 at Cleveland 11/19

Completions – 196 [19]

Most completions, game – 24 at Pittsburgh 10/29

Yards – 2529 [20]

Most yards, game – 338 at Pittsburgh 10/29

Completion percentage – 60.5 [4, 1^st in AFC]

Yards per attempt – 7.8 [6]

TD passes – 11

Most TD passes, game – 2 vs. Miami 12/3, at Green Bay 12/10

Interceptions – 16 [11, tied with Mike Tomczak]

Most interceptions, game – 5 at San Diego 9/24

Passer rating – 75.8 [14]

300-yard passing games – 1

200-yard passing games – 8

Rushing

Attempts – 14

Most attempts, game – 3 (for -6 yds.) vs. LA Raiders 9/17

Yards – -8

Most yards, game – 15 yards (on 1 carry) at Cleveland 11/19

Average gain – -0.6

TDs – 0

Chiefs went 8-7-1 to finish second in the AFC West.

Aftermath:

DeBerg followed up with an outstanding season in 1990 in which he passed for 3444 yards and a career-high 23 touchdowns, while giving up only four interceptions, and had a 96.3 passer rating. He had one last year as a full-time starter in ’91 before he moved on to the Buccaneers for a second stint and then the Dolphins, where he was a fill-in for the injured Dan Marino in 1993. Retiring after that season, DeBerg returned as a 44-year-old backup with Atlanta in 1998 when injuries depleted the depth at quarterback, and started one game. Overall over the course of 17 active seasons with six teams, DeBerg passed for 34,241 yards and 196 TDs while giving up 204 interceptions. He enjoyed his greatest success with the Chiefs, where he threw for 11,873 yards and 67 TDs with 50 INTs and appeared in three playoff games.

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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

1950: Giants Prevail Against Redskins in Back-and-Forth Contest

The New York Giants were 2-0 as they traveled to Washington to face the Redskins on October 8, 1950. The Giants were coming off of three straight mediocre seasons since last topping the NFL’s Eastern Division, but an infusion of talent that was mainly due to the demise of the All-America Football Conference was making a difference for the better. It was especially true on defense, and long-time Head Coach Steve Owen’s “umbrella defense” had shut down the powerful Cleveland Browns, newcomers from the AAFC, the previous week.

Washington, coached by Herman Ball, was at 1-2 and didn’t appear to offer much of a challenge. HB Bill Dudley was a fine all-around player and end Hugh Taylor a quality receiver, but aging star QB Sammy Baugh was injured and inconsistent Harry Gilmer was starting in his place. After defeating the lowly Colts in the opener, they had lost badly to the Packers and Steelers.

It was a rainy day with a light crowd of 19,288 fans in attendance at Griffith Stadium.  In the first quarter, the Redskins drove 80 yards, keeping the ball on the ground, and Gilmer finished it off with a quarterback sneak from less than a yard out for a touchdown. Bill Dudley added the extra point for the early 7-0 lead. The Giants responded with a 70-yard possession that ended with HB Forrest Griffith, who ran effectively along the way with gains of six and seven yards, scoring on a two-yard plunge. Ray Poole tied the game with the point after.

In the second quarter, the Redskins got a break when HB Jim Ostendarp fumbled a punt and DT Paul Lipscomb recovered, giving Washington the ball at the New York nine. Two plays later, Gilmer threw to Dudley (pictured below) for a four-yard TD and Dudley also added the extra point to make it 14-7, which remained the score at halftime.

In the third quarter, New York QB Charlie Conerly (pictured at top) passed to end Bob McChesney to reach the Washington 13 and the Giants pounded away on the ground from there until HB Gene Roberts blasted over from two yards out for a touchdown. Poole again added the extra point and it was a 14-14 contest.

The Redskins had an opportunity to regain the lead when Dudley kicked a 22-yard field goal, but they chose to take the points off the board due to an offside penalty on the Giants that gave them a first down at the New York 11. However, they were unable to reach the end zone and, once again calling upon Dudley to try for three, came up empty when he missed.

Dudley didn’t miss early in the fourth quarter when he kicked a 19-yard field goal to make it 17-14 in favor of Washington. Down by three, and with less than six minutes to play, the Giants advanced 92 yards. Conerly threw twice to HB Randall Clay, for 37 and 20 yards, and finally it was Conerly tossing a short pass to Roberts, who ran the remaining distance untouched for a 39-yard touchdown. Poole converted once more to put the visitors ahead by four points.

There was still time for the Redskins and HB Frank Spaniel returned the ensuing kickoff 40 yards to the New York 49. But after advancing to the 35, FB Chuck Drazenovich fumbled and the Giants recovered to seal the 21-17 win.

The statistics reflected the closeness of the contest. New York had the edge in total yards (288 to 260) while the Redskins led in first downs (18 to 15). Both teams completed seven passes apiece, with the Giants having a 168 to 105 edge in yards, and Washington outgained New York on the ground by 155 yards to 120. However, the Redskins turned the ball over three times, to one by the Giants.

New York lost two of its next three games but didn’t lose another on the way to a 10-2 record that tied with the Browns atop the American Conference (the re-named Eastern Division). But after sweeping Cleveland in the season series, the Giants lost a tight 8-3 playoff to the Browns. As for the Redskins, the loss to New York was the third of eight straight (including the rematch between the teams). Washington ended up 3-9 and at the bottom of the conference.

Highlighted Year: James Stewart, 1999

Running Back, Jacksonville Jaguars

Age: 28 (Dec. 27)

5^th season in pro football & with Jaguars

College: Tennessee

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 224

Prelude:

Stewart rushed for 2890 yards in college, with 1028 as a senior in 1994, and also gained another 463 yards on 54 pass receptions while scoring a total of 39 touchdowns. He was chosen by the expansion Jaguars in the first round of the 1995 NFL draft (19^th overall), who were attracted by his ability to catch out of the backfield as well as his size and speed. Struggling early, he led the club with 525 rushing yards as a rookie. Stewart performed well in 1996 before a toe injury sidelined him late in the season, after gaining 723 yards on the ground, catching 30 passes, and scoring 10 touchdowns. He was primarily a backup to veteran RB Natrone Means in ’97, although he accumulated 555 rushing yards and 336 more on 41 catches, and had a five-touchdown performance against the Eagles. A knee injury cost him all but the first three games of the 1998 season and hastened the emergence of rookie RB Fred Taylor, which again put Stewart in a backup role heading into ’99, but an injury to Taylor put him back in the lineup.

1999 Season Summary

Appeared in 14 of 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 249 [16]

Most attempts, game – 30 (for 145 yds.) vs. Pittsburgh 12/2

Yards – 931 [17]

Most yards, game – 145 yards (on 30 carries) vs. Pittsburgh 12/2

Average gain – 3.7

TDs – 13 [2, tied with Edgerrin James, 1^st in AFC]

100-yard rushing games – 2

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 21      

Most receptions, game – 5 (for 53 yds.) vs. New Orleans 11/21

Yards – 108

Most yards, game – 53 (on 5 catches) vs. New Orleans 11/21

Average gain – 5.1

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 13 [3, tied with Cris Carter, Eddie George & Emmitt Smith]

Points – 78

Postseason: 2 G

Rushing attempts – 14

Most rushing attempts, game – 11 vs. Miami, AFC Divisional playoff

Rushing yards – 97

Most rushing yards, game – 62 vs. Miami, AFC Divisional playoff

Average gain rushing – 6.9

Rushing TDs – 2

Jaguars went 14-2 to finish first in the AFC Central while leading the conference in rushing yards (2091). Won AFC Divisional playoff over Miami Dolphins (62-7). Lost AFC Championship to Tennessee Titans (33-14).

Aftermath:

With Fred Taylor expected to regain the starting job, Stewart signed with the Detroit Lions as a free agent in 2000. He rushed for 1184 yards and 10 touchdowns, although averaging only 3.5 yards-per-carry. While the average improved to 4.8 yards in 2001, Stewart appeared in only 11 games due to ankle problems. In 2002, he gained 1021 yards and caught a career-high 46 passes for 333 yards, but a shoulder injury suffered during the ’03 preseason finished his career. Overall, Stewart rushed for 5841 yards on 1478 carries (4.0 avg.) and caught 220 passes for 1715 yards, scoring a total of 57 touchdowns. Of that, 2951 rushing yards and 853 receiving yards on 119 receptions came with the Jaguars, as well as 38 of the TDs.

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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

1974: Vikings Thwart Dallas Rally with Last-Second Field Goal

Two perennial contenders, the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys, faced off on October 6, 1974, but the teams were in very different places as they headed into the fourth week of the NFL season. The Vikings, coached by Bud Grant for the eighth year, were the defending NFC Champions and off to a 3-0 start. Dallas had been to the playoffs in each of the previous eight years under Head Coach Tom Landry, but was 1-2 and had scored only 16 points combined in the previous two games.

There were 57,847 fans in attendance at Texas Stadium, and the Cowboys struck first four minutes into the contest with a big play when QB Roger Staubach threw to WR Golden Richards for a 58-yard touchdown. Efren Herrera added the extra point for the early 7-0 lead. Before the opening period was over, the Vikings narrowed the margin to 7-3 with a 48-yard Fred Cox field goal.

Early in the second quarter, the Cowboys reached the Minnesota 38 but a Staubach pass was intercepted by LB Amos Martin. Three plays later, QB Fran Tarkenton (pictured at top) threw down the middle to FB Chuck Foreman, who was isolated on LB D.D. Lewis, and it was complete for a 66-yard TD. Cox added the point after and the visitors were in front by 10-7.

Minnesota continued to thwart the Cowboys, and Staubach, whose slump had contributed to the club’s offensive woes, was the principal victim. He was picked off a second time, by CB Nate Wright at the Dallas 21, but while the Vikings got more points, they were forced to settle for a 30-yard Cox field goal and took a 13-7 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, Wright intercepted Staubach again, on this occasion grabbing the ball away from WR Drew Pearson at the Minnesota 36. The Vikings advanced 64 yards in eight plays, the last a toss to Foreman (pictured at left), who made a leaping grab over Lewis in the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown. Cox’s point after gave Minnesota an extended lead of 20-7.

A fourth interception of a Staubach pass, this time by DB Terry Brown at the Dallas 31, had the restless home crowd booing. However, the defense pushed the Vikings back and the tide began to turn in the fourth quarter. The Cowboys put together a 39-yard drive featuring a Staubach completion to HB Calvin Hill for 22 yards and two runs by Hill for six yards apiece. The series culminated in Staubach throwing to FB Walt Garrison for a five yard touchdown and Herrera’s kick narrowed the score to 20-14.

With 8:26 left in regulation, a poor punt by Minnesota’s Mike Eischeid traveled only 11 yards and gave the Cowboys the ball at their 40. Dallas took advantage, driving 60 yards in eight plays. At one point, Hill fumbled on a third-and-three play at the Minnesota 22 but the Cowboys still ended up with five yards and a first down when WR Bob Hayes recovered. Three plays later, Hill ran for an eight-year touchdown and, with Herrera adding the extra point, the Cowboys were ahead by 21-20 with 2:26 remaining to play.

In response, the Vikings advanced 68 yards, with Tarkenton connecting with RB Ed Marinaro for a key first down. The breaks now began to go Minnesota’s way again. First, Tarkenton appeared to fumble when hit by CB Benny Barnes on a blitz, but the officials ruled that the play was dead before the quarterback lost the ball.  Then, passing in a third-and-12 situation, Foreman gained 17 yards but fumbled, still managing to recover amid a crowd of defenders.  Tarkenton followed up with another throw to Marinaro for 20 yards and that set up a 27-yard Fred Cox field goal attempt with one second left on the clock. While the officials were slow to signal as the kick passed near the right upright, it was successful. The Cowboys disputed the call but Minnesota was the winner by a final score of 23-21.

The Vikings led in total yards (376 to 273) and first downs (18 to 16). Dallas outrushed Minnesota (144 to 111) but the Vikings had far more net passing yards (265 to 129) and the Cowboys turned the ball over four times, all on interceptions, to none by Minnesota.

Fran Tarkenton completed 17 of 27 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Chuck Foreman accumulated 203 yards from scrimmage, gaining 72 yards on 23 rushing attempts and 121 on five pass receptions that included two TDs.

For the Cowboys, Roger Staubach had a rough performance as he succeeded on just 9 of 20 throws for 144 yards and two TDs, giving up four interceptions. Calvin Hill (pictured at right) ran for 95 yards and a TD on 21 carries and was one of three Dallas players with a team-leading two pass receptions. Golden Richards, with his one long scoring catch at the beginning of the game, led the club with 58 receiving yards.

“Tarkenton is a gifted quarterback,” said Coach Tom Landry in defeat. “He’s been playing this game for 15 years and he has picked up a lot of knowledge.”

Minnesota reached 5-0 before losing two straight, but breezed to the NFC Central title with a 10-4 record. The Vikings again won the conference championship but lost to Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl. The Cowboys dropped to 1-4 the following week before reeling off four straight wins and seven in their last nine games, and they managed to lead the NFL in total yards (4983). The poor start doomed them, however, as they finished at 8-6 and third in the NFC East, missing the postseason for the first time since 1965.

Fran Tarkenton, in his 14^th year, passed for an NFC-leading 2598 yards and was chosen to the Pro Bowl as well as being a second-team All-NFC selection by UPI. Chuck Foreman continued to be productive both running and catching the ball, with 777 yards on 199 rushing attempts, 586 yards on 53 pass receptions, and a total of 15 touchdowns. He was also a consensus second-team All-NFL and first-team All-NFC selection and was named to the Pro Bowl for the second year.

Things ultimately got better for Roger Staubach, but as it was he still had his poorest season as a starting quarterback. His completion percentage (52.8), yards per attempt (7.1), and passer rating (68.4) were all career lows and he threw more interceptions (15) than touchdown passes (11).  But it proved to be an aberration in his Hall of Fame career; he would never again miss selection to the Pro Bowl in his five remaining years with the Cowboys.