1963: Bears Exploit Turnovers to Defeat Giants for NFL Championship

It was a frigid day at Chicago’s Wrigley Field on December 29, 1963 as the Bears hosted the New York Giants in the NFL Championship game. The temperature at game time was 11 degrees. There were 45,801 fans in attendance to see which team would prevail – the home town club with its outstanding defense, or the visitors and their vaunted passing offense.

The Bears were coached by the 68-year-old “Papa Bear”, George Halas. With a zone defense installed by assistant coach George Allen, Chicago had put together an 11-1-2 record to edge out the Green Bay Packers in the Western Conference. The defensive line was anchored by DE Doug Atkins; the linebacking corps of Joe Fortunato, Bill George, and Larry Morris was the best in pro football; and the defensive backfield, led by free safety Roosevelt Taylor, who co-led the NFL with 9 interceptions, was excellent as well. The offense, led by QB Bill Wade, played conservatively but effectively.

The Giants, 11-3 under Head Coach Allie Sherman, featured an aerial attack directed by 37-year-old veteran QB Y.A. Tittle, who had been traded to New York from the 49ers prior to the 1961 season and proceeded to set passing records while leading the Giants to three consecutive Eastern Conference titles. In 1963, Tittle had broken his own record for TD passes, set just the previous year, with 36 (George Blanda had thrown the same number in the AFL in 1961) and led the league with a 60.2 completion percentage and 8.6 yards per attempt. He had a fine receiving corps led by split end Del Shofner and flanker Frank Gifford. The defense was aging but effective.

The Bears had the first possession of the game and ran the ball well until Wade, a good running quarterback, fumbled after a 12-yard carry at his own 41 yard line. CB Erich Barnes recovered for the Giants, and a few plays later Tittle threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Gifford. However, LB Morris rolled into Tittle’s left leg as it was planted to throw, tearing ligaments in his knee. The Giants led, 7-0, but the score would prove to be a costly one (pictured below, Tittle getting set to throw the scoring pass with #33 Morris about to roll into him; #31 is Joe Fortunato).


The teams exchanged punts, and then once again the Bears turned the ball over on a fumble, this time by HB Willie Galimore. With the ball on the Chicago 31, Tittle went for the touchdown on first down, firing to Shofner who had CB Dave Whitsell beaten by five yards in the end zone. The normally reliable All-Pro receiver jumped an instant too late and wasn’t able to make the catch. On second down, Morris intercepted a screen pass intended for HB Phil King and returned it 61 yards to the New York five yard line. Two plays later, Wade scored on a quarterback sneak, and instead of the Giants being up by two touchdowns in the first quarter, the score was tied at 7-7.

The Giants drove downfield once more, with the key play being a 36-yard pass from Tittle to TE Aaron Thomas. But with first and goal on the Bears three yard line, Chicago held and New York had to settle for a 13-yard Don Chandler field goal.

As the game continued through the second quarter, Chicago’s offense couldn’t move the ball against New York’s tenacious defense, but the Giants were unable to score again. Larry Morris once again hit Tittle and aggravated his knee injury to the point that he had to be helped off the field and didn’t immediately return. Chandler missed a field goal attempt, and the score remained 10-7 in favor of New York at the half.


The Bears defense turned another big play in the third quarter - they were on the lookout for screen passes, and DE Ed O’Bradovich cut in front of FB Joe Morrison to pick one off in Giants territory (pictured at right). Aided by a key third down pass completion to TE Mike Ditka, the Bears scored their second touchdown as Wade once again snuck over from a yard out.

After a missed field goal attempt by the Bears in the fourth quarter, Tittle and the Giants mounted one more major drive, moving from their 20 yard line deep into Chicago territory. But CB Bennie McRae intercepted a Tittle pass on third-and-five to end the threat. Still, the Bears were unable to mount a sustained drive to run out the clock and the Giants got the ball back once more at their 16 yard line with less than two minutes remaining.

Tittle connected for three passes that covered 30 yards, and in a third down situation hit Gifford for 15 yards to the Chicago 39. With 15 seconds left, Tittle threw a bomb intended for Shofner, but it was intercepted by strong safety Richie Petitbon and the Bears were league champions with a 14-10 win.

The day truly belonged to the Bears defense, as exemplified by the selection of Larry Morris as the MVP (pictured at top, stopping Joe Morrison) and the awarding of the game ball to George Allen. Of course, as Giants DE Andy Robustelli said afterward, “If Tittle hadn’t been hurt, we’d have won”. The Bears were outgained, 268 yards to 222, and their two touchdown possessions totaled 19 yards thanks to the excellent field position they were given through the interceptions by Morris and O’Bradovich. Bill Wade (pictured passing below left) completed just 10 of 28 passes for 138 yards, although to his credit he threw no interceptions. HB Ron Bull was the leading rusher for the Bears, with 42 yards on 13 carries; Wade was second, with 34 yards on 8 attempts and the two TDs. Ditka and FB Joe Marconi each caught three passes, with Marconi’s 64 yards leading the team (Ditka had 38 yards).


For the Giants, Y.A. Tittle, hampered by the injured knee, completed 11 of 29 passes for 147 yards with one TD and five interceptions. Frank Gifford topped the receivers with three receptions for 45 yards and a score. Joe Morrison also caught three passes (for 18 yards) and was the leading rusher with 18 carries for 61 yards. Most tellingly, Del Shofner caught no passes at all.

The loss was especially galling for Tittle, appearing in his last postseason game (he retired following the 1964 season), but never winning one. The Giants were on the verge of a long decline – this was their sixth championship game appearance in eight years (only the first, in 1956, resulted in a win), but they would not appear in the playoffs again until 1981. The Bears fell quickly from their perch as well, going 5-9 in 1964; they wouldn’t make the postseason again until 1977.

For Halas, it was his sixth – and final – NFL championship, stretching all the way back to 1921. On a frigid day at Wrigley Field, 42 years after leading the Bears to a title for the first time (before there even was a postseason), “the Papa Bear” and his team were back on top once more.

1958: Colts Defeat Giants in Overtime for NFL Title in “Greatest Game”

Perhaps no pro football game has received more attention than the NFL Championship game played at Yankee Stadium in New York on December 28, 1958. While it has been characteristically referred to as “the Greatest Game Ever Played”, such a statement is debatable – while it was certainly a very good game, there’s plenty of competition for that highly subjective title. But it was the most significant game in terms of fueling the rise of pro football and cementing its place on network television and in the national consciousness.

The host Giants, coached by Jim Lee Howell, had won the title two years previously and typically contended in the Eastern Conference. They had not had an easy road to the championship game, having won the last four contests of the season to end up in a tie with Cleveland. The last win had in fact been over the Browns in a nail-biting, must-win contest that came down to a late 49-yard field goal by Pat Summerall. The Giants had to then host the Browns once again in a tie-breaking playoff, and won once more, 10-0.

Baltimore was less well known nationally than the Giants, having only come into existence in 1953, and was in the postseason for the first time thanks to the coaching of Weeb Ewbank, who was in his fifth year. They boasted QB Johnny Unitas, who in his third season led the league in touchdown passes (19) and was already being referred to as one of the premier players at his position. Split end Raymond Berry tied for the NFL lead in pass receptions (56), and the Colts could run the ball formidably with FB Alan “The Horse” Ameche and halfbacks Lenny Moore (a great receiver out of the backfield as well) and L.G. Dupre.

There were 64,185 fans at Yankee Stadium and another 40 million watching on tv as the Giants took the early lead on a 36-yard Summerall field goal. But the Colts dominated play for the most part in the first half, and scored twice in the second quarter – on a two-yard run by Ameche and a 15-yard pass play from Unitas to Berry – to take a 14-3 lead into halftime.

It appeared that Unitas and the Colts were going to take decisive control of the game on their first possession of the third quarter, driving to the New York three yard line. But the Giants defense held at that point, and when the Colts went for it on fourth down, LB Cliff Livingston nailed Ameche for a four-yard loss. Momentum now shifted to the Giants, and QB Charley Conerly hit end Kyle Rote on a deep slant; he fumbled at the Baltimore 25, but HB Alex Webster, trailing the play, picked up the loose football and carried it down to the one. FB Mel Triplett scored from there to cut the Colts lead to 14-10.

On the next possession, Conerly connected on a pass to end Bob Schnelker for 46 yards, setting up the go-ahead touchdown on a 15-yard pass from Conerly to HB Frank Gifford. Less than a minute into the fourth quarter, New York led 17-14. The solid Giants defense stopped the next two Baltimore drives. With the clock dipping under three minutes, the Giants faced a third-and-four situation at their own 40 yard line; a first down would all but nail down the win. Conerly handed off to Gifford, who was hit hard by DE Gino Marchetti (who broke his leg on the play) and seemed very close to the necessary yardage; the officials placed the ball just short, and Coach Howell elected to punt.

Don Chandler’s punt was a good one that the Colts were forced to fair catch at their 14 yard line. Now it was Unitas driving the Colts down the field. On a third-and-ten play, he hit Moore for a first down at the 25. With the Giants double-teaming the multi-talented Moore, Unitas found Berry for a diving catch at the 35. Unitas kept going to Berry, who caught three passes for 62 yards on the drive to the New York 13. With the clock ticking down to 30 seconds, Steve Myhra kicked a 20-yard field goal (pictured below) to tie the game at 17-17 and set the stage for the first “sudden death” overtime in NFL history.


The Giants won the toss and received, but came up short on a third down Conerly bootleg and had to punt. Baltimore got the ball on their 20 yard line, and from there Unitas directed one of the most famous drives in pro football history. First, L.G. Dupre swept for 11 yards. After a pass intended for Moore was batted away by Giants defensive halfback Lindon Crow, Ameche gained two yards on a draw play. On third-and-eight, Unitas passed to Ameche who just made enough yardage for the first down.

Dupre ran again, but then Unitas was sacked by DT Dick Modzelewski. With a third-and-15 situation, Unitas found Berry on a 20-yard pass play to keep the drive going. Another big gain followed as Ameche rumbled for 23 yards on a trap play to the New York 21 yard line. After a short gain by Dupre, it was Unitas to Berry once again for 12 yards and a first down at the Giants 8. Ameche ran for a yard, and then Unitas surprised the Giants with a six-yard pass to end Jim Mutscheller that put the ball on the one. From there, Ameche ran in for the score (pictured at bottom) and the Colts had a 23-17 win and the championship.

Johnny Unitas completed 26 of 40 passes for 349 yards with a TD and an interception. Berry was the top receiver with 12 catches for 178 yards and a score, and Lenny Moore had 101 yards on 6 receptions (he had a 60-yard catch in the first half). Alan Ameche led the runners with 65 yards on 14 carries, including the two touchdowns.

For New York, Charley Conerly had a solid performance in completing 10 of 14 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown. Frank Gifford ran for a team-high 60 yards on 12 carries and also led the Giants with three pass receptions, for 14 yards and a TD, although he also fumbled the ball away three times. Kyle Rote accumulated the most pass receiving yards with 76 on two catches, and Bob Schnelker was right behind with 63 yards on his two receptions.

There was plenty of room for second-guessing with a game that was so close and turned on a few key plays. The decision to play for the touchdown rather than a field goal at the end particularly drew speculation, but the fact was that the pass to Mutscheller was a second down play and, with the team on a roll and Myhra not a sure bet to make the kick (the Giants blocked an attempt in the first half), Unitas was not inclined to be too conservative; in this instance, it proved to be a successful strategy and helped to confirm the lanky quarterback’s reputation as a daring field general and skillful clutch performer.

The close calls and second guesses have provided fuel for discussion over the years, but the outstanding performances – especially by Unitas – and the “sudden death” overtime element have long given the game an iconic status. And it surely generated interest in the sport at a time when television was ready to provide more exposure. Maybe, when you put all of the elements together, it truly was “the Greatest Game”.

1964: Gary Collins Scores 3 TDs as Browns Upset Colts for NFL Title

The NFL Championship game on December 27, 1964 at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium was expected to be a classic mismatch. The visiting Baltimore Colts, who had topped the Western Conference with a 12-2 record, were heavily favored over the host Browns, the 10-3-1 winners of the Eastern Conference title.

First and foremost, the Colts had Johnny Unitas at quarterback, and he led a diversified attack that scored a league-high 428 points. HB Lenny Moore, who had nearly been written off as washed up after two injury-plagued seasons, came back in ’64 to score a then-NFL record 20 touchdowns. The defense was opportunistic and played very well as a unit, anchored by DE Gino Marchetti, CB Bob Boyd, and LB Bill Pellington.

Cleveland’s offense, as it had been since 1957, was centered around FB Jim Brown, who led the NFL in rushing for the seventh time in eight seasons with 1446 yards. A new weapon had been added to the arsenal in rookie split end Paul Warfield, who caught 52 passes for 920 yards and teamed up with flanker Gary Collins to make the passing game, directed by QB Frank Ryan (pictured below), more potent. The defense was considered vulnerable against the pass, but solid against the run thanks to the addition of ex-Giant DT Dick Modzelewski.


Both head coaches, Baltimore’s Don Shula and Blanton Collier of Cleveland, were in their second seasons on the job.

There were 79,544 fans present on an overcast, cold, and windy day, and what they saw initially was rather dull as neither team scored in the first half. The Browns had concluded in their film study of the Colts that Unitas was inclined to shuffle in the direction of his primary receiver when setting up to throw, and based their pass defense on taking out that first target on each play and giving the defensive line time to penetrate as the great quarterback looked to secondary receivers. The strategy placed a great deal of responsibility on CB Walter Beach, whose main task was covering Unitas’ favorite target, split end Raymond Berry.

Cleveland’s defensive scheme worked, as Unitas faced a relentless pass rush from Modzelewski; DT Jim Kanicki, who had a tremendous day against Hall of Fame guard Jim Parker; and defensive ends Paul Wiggin and Bill Glass. He was forced to scramble and adjust formations in an effort to get receivers open. The Colts were able to penetrate deep into Browns territory just once, getting down to the 12 yard line, but an attempted field goal by Lou Michaels failed when Boyd, the holder, bobbled the snap.

The Browns, playing conservatively, weren’t able to get anything going in the first half either, but finally broke the scoreless tie in the third quarter. Baltimore punter Tom Gilburg punted, and caught by the brisk wind, the ball traveled only 25 yards. With good field position, Ryan managed to move the Browns into range for a successful 43-yard field goal by 40-year-old placekicker Lou Groza.

The Colts were forced to punt again after their next possession. Baltimore’s defense had been concentrating on taking the area between the tackles away from Jim Brown. Now Coach Collier called for a sweep, and Brown made one of the key plays of the game, running 46 yards to the Baltimore 18. Ryan fired a pass to Collins in the end zone (pictured at top), and the Browns were ahead, 10-0.

Before the third quarter was over, the Browns struck again, with Collins once more gathering in a pass from Ryan and going 42 yards for a TD on a blown coverage by the Colts. Cleveland made it 20-0 early in the fourth quarter, thanks to another Groza field goal of 10 yards, and finished off the stunning win with a third scoring pass from Ryan to Collins, this one covering 51 yards. The defense harassed Unitas to the end (see picture at bottom), and the final score was an amazing 27-0 shutout.

Collins was the most obvious hero for the Browns, catching 5 passes for 130 yards and the three touchdowns. Frank Ryan completed 11 of 18 passes for 206 yards with three TDs and an interception. Jim Brown ran the ball 27 times for 114 yards and caught 3 passes for 37 more. In all, Cleveland accumulated 339 total yards.

By contrast, Baltimore and its formidable offense was held to just 181 yards by the inspired Browns defense. Unitas completed 12 of 20 passes for only 95 yards and was intercepted twice. Raymond Berry had only three receptions for 38 yards. Lenny Moore led the runners with 40 yards on 9 carries; a telling statistic was that Unitas, forced out of the pocket by the Cleveland pass rush, ran the ball 6 times for 30 yards.

“The Browns secondary forced us to play conservatively, and that wasn’t our style”, said Unitas later. “We wanted to go out and gun ‘em down, but they took that away.”

The championship was Cleveland’s fourth in the NFL, and eighth in all (counting the AAFC). But while the team reached the league title game three more times in the 1960s and the conference championship game twice in the 80s, they have yet to win another.

1965: Packers Prevail in Overtime Over Colts for Western Conference Title

The two best teams in the NFL’s Western Conference, the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Colts, met in a tie-breaking playoff at Green Bay’s Lambeau Field on December 26, 1965. The Colts, under third year Head Coach Don Shula, had gotten off to a 9-1-1 start before disaster struck in the 12th week against the Bears as star QB Johnny Unitas fractured his knee and was lost for the rest of the season. Backup Gary Cuozzo stepped in, but was also lost for the remainder of the year in the following game against the Packers with a separated shoulder.

Shula was down to his emergency quarterback, Tom Matte (pictured above). Matte had been a college quarterback at Ohio State under legendary Head Coach Woody Hayes, but that consisted of running the ball and passing only out of necessity. Matte had been converted into a halfback by the Colts, and was a good one, but had thrown only option passes in his four NFL seasons and was certainly underprepared – and lacked the arm strength – to put in significant action at quarterback. Baltimore made a desperation trade for 37-year-old veteran Ed Brown from the Steelers, who came in on obvious passing situations in the season finale; the Colts managed to defeat the Rams while throwing just seven passes (and completing three, all by Brown, including a TD) and end the regular season at 10-3-1.

Green Bay, under Head Coach Vince Lombardi, had won the first six games, lost three of the next five, and then won two (including the game against the Colts in which Cuozzo was injured). Going into the last game of the season, a win would give them the conference title, while a loss and a Colts win would put Baltimore over the top. Instead, they tied the 49ers at San Francisco, and with the Colts winning, found themselves even, also at 10-3-1.

Ed Brown would not be available for the playoff game, so it was all up to Matte, using a wristband that contained the plays that Shula listed for his use in a simplified offense (Matte’s backup was CB Bob Boyd, another non-passing college QB at Oklahoma). Lombardi was determined to keep Matte boxed in by his defensive ends, and had the defensive backs play shallow since long passes were out of the question.

However, it was the Colts getting a huge break on the very first play from scrimmage. Green Bay QB Bart Starr passed ten yards to TE Bill Anderson, who was hit hard by Baltimore CB Lenny Lyles and fumbled. Colts LB Don Shinnick picked up the loose ball and ran 25 yards for a touchdown. Along the way, Starr attempted to tackle Shinnick but was hit by Colts safety Jim Welch and suffered bruised ribs. He would not return to the game.


Zeke Bratkowski (pictured at right) replaced Starr at quarterback, and while he was an accomplished backup, the Colts largely stifled the Green Bay offense during the first half. Their 5-1 defense proved highly effective against the tough Packer running game. The closest they came to scoring prior to their last possession of the half was a missed field goal attempt from 47 yards out by Don Chandler.

Meanwhile, the Colts scored again in the last three minutes of the second quarter on a drive that started on their own 25 yard line. Matte completed a crucial screen pass to HB Lenny Moore on third and eight for a first down at the Green Bay 39 and made it to the eight yard line before the Packers held fast. Lou Michaels kicked a 15-yard field goal. While Green Bay managed to get inside the Baltimore one yard line on their ensuing possession, the Colts stopped them short, with FB Jim Taylor fumbling on fourth down. Baltimore went in at halftime with a 10-0 lead.

The Colts, who had played conservatively out of necessity in the first half and had also avoided mistakes, made a big one in the third quarter. Punter Tom Gilburg bobbled a high snap and attempted to run; he was quickly brought down for a loss at the Colts 35 yard line. The Packers took full advantage as Bratkowski threw 33 yards to flanker Carroll Dale, and shortly thereafter HB Paul Hornung burst over on a one-yard touchdown run.

The Colts clung to their 10-7 lead, stopping two Green Bay drives with interceptions by Boyd and strong safety Jerry Logan. Finally, with time running down in the fourth quarter, Green Bay moved the ball downfield and set up for a 22-yard field goal attempt. The angle was not a favorable one, and after the kick sailed high above the left upright, Chandler shook his head in disgust. But the officials signaled that the field goal was good, and the game was tied with 1:58 remaining.

The contest proceeded to “sudden death” overtime. On their second possession, the Colts got the first scoring opportunity, but due to a bad snap the 47-yard field goal attempt by Michaels missed. Bratkowski then drove the Packers downfield, throwing back-to-back 18-yard passes to Anderson and Dale. At 13:39 into overtime, Chandler booted the game-winning 25-yard kick (no controversy this time), and Green Bay won the hard-fought contest, 13-10.

Tom Matte drew plaudits for accomplishing the most that could be expected in his play as the emergency quarterback – he completed 5 of 12 passes for 40 yards, and while he didn’t throw any scoring passes, he also didn’t give up any interceptions. The Colts ran the ball 47 times for 143 yards, with Matte leading the way with 17 carries for 57 yards; FB Jerry Hill also accumulated 57 yards on one less attempt. The five pass completions were made by two players: TE John Mackey, with three receptions for 25 yards, and Lenny Moore with two catches out of the backfield for 15 yards.

Playing in place of the injured Bart Starr, Zeke Bratkowski completed 22 of 39 passes for 248 yards with two picked off. TE Anderson led the receivers with 8 receptions for 78 yards. The Colts held the Packers to 112 yards on 39 carries, a 2.9-yard average for a team that had a 3.4 average during the regular season. Jim Taylor led the club with 60 yards on 23 carries.

The Packers defeated the defending champion Cleveland Browns the next week to win the NFL Championship. The Colts came up empty in the postseason for the second consecutive season, but considering the situation at quarterback, they could hardly be faulted for getting as far as they did. Their consolation was to beat up on Dallas in the Playoff Bowl, 35-3, with Matte tossing two touchdown passes to complete his stint as a quarterback (he played seven more seasons as a halfback).

1971: Dolphins Defeat Chiefs in Longest NFL Game

The Miami Dolphins came to Kansas City’s Municipal Stadium for an AFC Divisional playoff game on Christmas Day, December 25, 1971, having never defeated the Chiefs in six attempts. An expansion team in 1966, the Dolphins made the postseason for the first time just the previous year, in Head Coach Don Shula’s first season with the team. Kansas City, under Head Coach Hank Stram, had won three AFL championships over the previous decade and the Super Bowl following the 1969 season.

Both teams had 10-3-1 records during the regular season. Miami, winners of the AFC East, featured a strong ground game led by power-running FB Larry Csonka (1051 yards) and halfbacks Jim Kiick and Eugene “Mercury” Morris. Bob Griese, rapidly developing into an outstanding quarterback, could keep defenses honest by throwing to deep threat WR Paul Warfield and possession receiver Howard Twilley. Kansas City, top team in the AFC West, featured veteran QB Len Dawson passing to WR Otis Taylor (57 catches, 1110 yards) and a good stable of running backs that included HB Ed Podolak, FB Wendell Hayes, HB Warren McVea, and FB Jim Otis; the defense was well-seasoned.

The Chiefs certainly appeared to be the more experienced team as they scored on their first two possessions, delighting the 50,374 fans present, and taking a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. Jan Stenerud kicked a 24-yard field goal and then, after LB Willie Lanier intercepted a pass by Griese, Dawson threw a seven-yard TD pass to Podolak.

However, the Dolphins came back on the next series. The Chiefs were having success stopping Csonka and Kiick, so Griese threw to Warfield for a 23-yard gain to the Kansas City 21 yard line. Griese went to the air again, with a 16-yard strike to TE Marv Fleming, that set up their first touchdown on a one-yard plunge into the end zone by Csonka. The Dolphins tied the score before the half when they recovered a Podolak fumble deep in Chiefs territory and Garo Yepremian booted a 14-yard field goal.


In the third quarter, it was the Chiefs putting on an impressive show of ball control as they drove 75 yards over ten minutes on 15 plays, capped by Jim Otis crashing over from a yard out. Miami came right back again, with Griese throwing key passes to Twilley and Warfield and Kiick scoring on a one-yard TD run (pictured). It was 17-17 after three quarters.

Both teams traded turnovers, with Miami LB Nick Buoniconti recovering a fumble and Chiefs LB Jim Lynch intercepting a pass deep in his own territory. Miami’s zone defense had been neutralizing the Kansas City deep passing game, but Dawson connected with rookie WR Elmo Wright for 63 yards, and Podolak ran the final three yards to put the Chiefs back in front midway through the fourth quarter, 24-17.

The Dolphins came back with a 76-yard drive, with Griese hitting Warfield on passes of 17 and 26 yards, and Twilley catching a pass at the Chiefs five yard line. Fleming caught the resulting five-yard TD from Griese, and with less than two minutes remaining in the game, the score was tied again. However, it appeared that the home team would prevail when Ed Podolak ran the ensuing kickoff back 78 yards, finally being caught by Dolphins CB Curtis Johnson at the Miami 22. The Chiefs were well within Jan Stenerud’s range and conservatively ran the clock down to set up for the field goal attempt. In a stunning development, the typically dependable Stenerud hooked the kick to the left and missed. The game went into overtime.

Kansas City won the toss, and once again Podolak came through, returning the kickoff to the Chiefs 46 yard line. The Chiefs again drove to within Stenerud’s range, but Buoniconti blocked the 42-yard attempt for the Dolphins. It was Miami’s turn to try a field goal, but Yepremian’s attempt from 52 yards failed.

The game proceeded into an additional “sudden death” period. The Dolphins got the ball back, and on a misdirection play, Csonka rumbled 29 yards to the Kansas City 36. Now it was Miami’s turn to maneuver for a field goal, and this time it was Yepremian successfully connecting from 37 yards (pictured at top). The longest game in NFL history, which went 7:40 into the sixth period of play (22:40 altogether into overtime), was finally over, and a 27-24 win for the Miami Dolphins.


The Chiefs outgained the Dolphins offensively, 451-407. Ed Podolak (pictured at right) was truly the player of the game, putting on a spectacular show with 350 total yards (85 yards on 17 carries with a TD rushing, 110 yards on 8 pass receptions, 154 yards on three kickoff returns, and one yard on two punt returns). Dawson completed 18 of 26 passes for 246 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Elmo Wright, like Podolak, had over a hundred receiving yards (104 on three catches) thanks to the long reception in the fourth quarter. Wendell Hayes ran for an even 100 yards on 22 carries.

Larry Csonka (24 rushes for 86 yards and a TD) and Jim Kiick (15 carries for 56 yards and a TD) were the workhorses for Miami. Bob Griese completed 20 of 35 passes for 263 yards with a TD and two interceptions. Paul Warfield led the receivers with 7 catches for 140 yards.

Miami went on to beat the Baltimore Colts for the AFC Championship, but lost in the Super Bowl to Dallas. They were still a team on the rise. Kansas City, however, was on the way down and would not appear again in the postseason until 1986.

1967: Joe Namath Becomes First 4000-Yard Passer in a Season

The New York Jets finished the 1967 season against the Chargers at San Diego Stadium on December 24, winning 42-31. Third-year QB Joe Namath completed 18 of 26 passes for 343 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. With his second consecutive 300-yard passing game (he threw for 370 yards in a loss at Oakland the previous week), he finished the year with 4007 yards, a new AFL record (Washington’s Sonny Jurgensen bested his own NFL record with 3747 yards that same season).

Namath thus became the first 4000-yard passer in either NFL or AFL history, and the only one to do so in a 14-game season (the record was first broken by San Diego’s Dan Fouts in 1979). Including the Chargers game, he had six 300-yard performances and one of 400 yards during the season. In addition to passing yards, he also led the AFL in pass attempts (491), completions (258), yards per attempt (8.2) and, on the negative side for the second year in a row, interceptions thrown (28). His 26 touchdown passes ranked second.

Overall, the season was a disappointing one for the Jets. After getting off to a 7-2-1 start, New York appeared to be cruising toward the Eastern Division title, but three straight defeats, including a stunning loss at home to the lowly Broncos, knocked them out of contention. Injuries to running backs Emerson Boozer and Matt Snell had a significant effect, forcing the team to over-rely on Namath’s passing and, thus, setting the stage for damaging interceptions as a result. There were also weaknesses in both the defensive line and backfield.

Namath, naturally, was the focus. A celebrity as well as a much-hyped passer out of college, he couldn’t help but draw attention, and his skills were outstanding. At 6’2” and 195 pounds, he had size, plus a strong and accurate arm that was made all the more potent by his quick release. He read defenses well, was a charismatic team leader, and stood tough in the pocket while taking many a hard shot from opposing defensive linemen. At the same time, Namath was not yet a seasoned quarterback, and while he could put up big numbers, he could also be erratic and try to force passes into coverage. In a tie against Houston, he passed for 295 yards but gave up six interceptions.

Namath came into pro football with one bad knee, injured in college; it required surgery before he ever played for the Jets, and again in 1966. Following the ’67 season he underwent surgery on his left, or “good”, knee. The resulting limitation on his mobility made him all the more prone to taking hits, yet he never missed a game because of injury in the five seasons prior to 1970 (after which time missed due to wear and tear increased significantly).

It helped that he had two excellent receivers to throw to: veteran flanker Don Maynard, who caught 71 passes for a league-leading (and career-best) 1434 yards and 10 touchdowns, and third-year split end George Sauer, who led the AFL in pass receptions with 75 and accumulated 1189 yards with six scores.

New York ended up at 8-5-1 and in second place in the Eastern Division, a game behind the 9-4-1 Houston Oilers, who succeeded with a solid ground game and strong defense. Head Coach Weeb Ewbank, who had built a championship team in Baltimore over the course of five seasons in the 1950s, took some heat for the late collapse by the Jets, but all would be forgiven the following season.

1962: Dallas Texans Defeat Oilers in Overtime for AFL Championship

It was a gray, blustery day on December 23, 1962 as the Houston Oilers hosted the Dallas Texans in the AFL Championship game at Jeppesen Stadium. The Oilers, champions of the Eastern Division with an 11-3 record, had won the first two league championships and were looking to make it three straight. Under Head Coach Frank “Pop” Ivy, the team’s third coach in spite of their success, Houston had started slowly and was 4-3 at midseason, but won seven consecutive games to complete the regular season and get past the Boston Patriots. 34-year-old veteran QB George Blanda passed for 27 touchdowns, but also threw an astounding 42 interceptions. Stubby FB Charley Tolar (5’7”, 198 pounds) ran for 1012 yards and flanker Charley Hennigan led the receivers with 54 receptions for 867 yards and 8 TDs.

The Dallas Texans, owned by AFL founder Lamar Hunt, easily won the Western Division for the first time, also with an 11-3 tally (the second place Denver Broncos were a distant 7-7). Head Coach Hank Stram benefited from the arrival of QB Len Dawson, who led the league in passing after having ridden the bench in five NFL seasons. The Texans also had a thousand-yard rusher in flashy HB Abner Haynes (1049 yards and 13 TDs) and a well-balanced squad on both sides of the ball.


There were 37,981 fans filling the small stadium as Dallas dominated the first half. After Tommy Brooker booted a 16-yard field goal to give the Texans a 3-0 lead in the first quarter, Haynes (pictured at left) scored twice in the second quarter, first on a 28-yard pass from Dawson and then on a two-yard run. The Texans used two fullbacks in the backfield, Jack Spikes and rookie Curtis McClinton, with Haynes often moving out to the flank, and the combination provided excellent ball control. The half ended with the Texans holding a 17-0 lead.

However, in the second half it was all Houston. Blanda threw a 15-yard TD pass to TE Willard Dewveall in the third quarter and kicked a 31-yard field goal in the fourth period. When Tolar scored from a yard out with six minutes left, the score was tied at 17-17, and after a last-ditch Blanda field goal attempt was blocked by Texans LB Sherrill Headrick, that was how it stood after 60 minutes of play.

When it came time for the coin toss to start off the overtime period, Haynes made an error that could have cost Dallas the game. Due to concerns regarding the kicking game, Coach Stram had decided to kick off to start overtime, and instructed Haynes, the offensive captain, to take the wind advantage if he won the toss. The Texans did indeed win the toss, but when asked by referee Harold “Red” Bourne what his choice was, Haynes responded “We’ll kick to the clock”. Only the “we’ll kick” part mattered, and Houston was now able to get both the ball and the wind to start the “sudden death” overtime.

Blanda came out throwing, but on the first possession was intercepted by Dallas safety Johnny Robinson. The Texans were unable to capitalize and punted the ball back to the Oilers, and Blanda used short passes to methodically move the Oilers downfield. With time winding down in the fifth period, the veteran quarterback had the team in field goal range at the Dallas 35 yard line – Blanda was also one of the better kickers in the league, and with the wind at his back victory appeared to be in reach. But a second-down pass intended for Hennigan was intercepted by DE Bill Hull, who returned it 23 yards to midfield.

The first overtime period ended after the Texans ran their first play, and as the game continued into another extra period, they began to move down the field and now had the wind at their backs. On a crucial third and eight play, Dawson passed to Spikes for 10 yards to the Houston 38 yard line. Dawson then handed off to Spikes, who ran 19 yards for a first down at the 19, easily in field goal range. After a couple of short, safe runs to help line up the field goal, Brooker successfully booted it from 25 yards at 2:54 into the sixth period of play (pictured at top), and the Dallas Texans were the AFL champions with a 20-17 win.

Going 17:54 into overtime, the game was longer than the first postseason contest to go into “sudden death” (the 1958 NFL Championship game). That record fell in 1971, and was ultimately bested in turn by a 1984 USFL playoff game that went 33:33 into overtime.

Houston outgained Dallas by 359 to 237 yards. Dawson played conservatively, completing 9 of 14 passes for 88 yards and a TD – and most importantly, with no interceptions. The Texans, however, ran the ball effectively, accumulating 199 yards on 54 attempts; Spikes (pictured at bottom) led the team with 77 yards on 11 carries, with McClinton doing more of the heavy work at 24 rushes for 70 yards. Haynes led the receivers with three catches for 45 yards and a TD (and dodged a place in sports infamy when the Texans pulled out the win).

Blanda went to the air 46 times, completing 23 for 261 yards and a score, but also threw five interceptions. TE Dewveall and HB Billy Cannon both caught six passes, with Dewveall leading all receivers with 95 yards and scoring once. The Oilers gained just 98 yards on 30 rushes, with Tolar being limited to 58 yards on 17 attempts and a TD.

The AFL championship victory was the end of the road for the Texans; after battling the NFL’s Cowboys for attention in Dallas for three seasons, Lamar Hunt chose to move the franchise and they became the Kansas City Chiefs in 1963. The loss for Houston also signaled a change; the team had losing records over the next four seasons before returning to a league championship game in 1967.