1964: Jets Debut at Shea Stadium Before Record Crowd

The New York Jets franchise took a significant step forward on September 12, 1964 when they played their first game at the new Shea Stadium. For four seasons (three as the Titans, one as the Jets) the club had played at the badly decaying Polo Grounds and had difficulty drawing fans. The move to the new stadium solved that problem immediately, as there was a crowd of 45,497 on hand, the largest to attend an American Football League game to date.

Since the new ownership group, led by David A. “Sonny” Werblin, had taken over the former Titans franchise from the bankrupt original owner, Harry Wismer, following the 1962 season, the club had gone through a revitalization process. There was a new name, new uniforms, and highly-respected new head coach in Weeb Ewbank. Now they were moving into a new stadium and the only remaining question to address was the quality of the players.


To that end, another significant change for 1964 was that the team was able to sign some high draft picks – something that had not happened during the Wismer era. The biggest prize had been FB Matt Snell (pictured at left), the first draft choice out of Ohio State who had also been selected in the NFL draft by the rival Giants (third round). Other signees from the draft who would have an impact were Gerry Philbin out of Buffalo in the third round, selected as a linebacker but who would play defensive end as a pro, and LB Ralph Baker from Penn State, chosen in the sixth round.

The Jets, coming off of a 5-8-1 season in ’63, faced the Denver Broncos in the season-opening game, a club that had been the worst in the AFL with a 2-11-1 tally. Head Coach Jack Faulkner came to the team amid great expectations in 1962, but after breaking even at 7-7 that year, the Broncos had regressed. In an odd arrangement, QB Jacky Lee was obtained from Houston, where he had backed up veteran George Blanda for four years, as part of a two-year lease agreement (the Broncos gave up DT Bud McFadin and a first round draft choice as part of the deal). He was to be returned to the Oilers after the lease was up, where no doubt it was anticipated that the 37-year-old Blanda would be ready to retire and Lee, having gained experience as a starting quarterback, could step in.

Lee’s first regular season performance was a poor one. He completed 18 of 32 passes for 127 yards and three interceptions. Star end Lionel Taylor contributed a fourth interception on an option pass, and in all the Broncos couldn’t move the ball and turned it over five times.

The Jets, with the lanky and immobile Dick Wood at quarterback, took advantage of the turnovers and gave up none of their own. Wood threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to TE Gene Heeter in the first quarter and in the fourth quarter connected with star flanker Don Maynard, who made an outstanding catch that resulted in a 39-yard TD. In between, rookie placekicker Jim Turner connected on field goals of 11 and 27 yards in the second quarter and 21 yards in the final period.

Two Gene Mingo field goals provided the only scoring for the Broncos, who were as close as 13-6 in the fourth quarter, but following that the Jets scored two touchdowns and a field goal to win easily, 30-6.

While Wood completed just 9 of 18 passes for 144 yards, two of them were touchdowns and none were picked off. Maynard was the top receiver with four catches for 101 yards and the TD. But the star on offense was the rookie fullback Snell, who gained 82 yards on 22 carries and scored the final touchdown. It was a good start to a season in which he would rank second among the AFL’s rushers with 948 yards.

The Jets outgained the Broncos with 247 yards to 192. They also sacked Lee five times, while Denver’s defense never got to Wood, and were flagged three times while the Broncos drew 9 penalties. FB Billy Joe led Denver in rushing with 41 yards on 9 attempts, and Lionel Taylor and HB Charley Mitchell both caught five passes, with Taylor gaining 61 yards.


Aside from Snell’s performance, the other player for the Jets who drew attention was Ed “Wahoo” McDaniel (pictured at right), a middle linebacker who had been obtained from Denver. A 6’1”, 235-pound Native American (Choctaw and Chickasaw) who was a professional wrestler on the side, McDaniel had played college football at Oklahoma under legendary Head Coach Bud Wilkinson. He was drafted by the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and AFL’s Los Angeles Chargers in 1960 but failed to make either club. After catching on with the Houston Oilers as a guard, he was dealt to Denver and returned to his regular position of linebacker. As Coach Faulkner put it, “he was a tough guy, but he wasn’t very big…he didn’t have great speed, but he gave you effort.”

McDaniel’s acquisition hadn’t been considered a major one by the Jets, but he made it into the starting lineup and became an instant fan favorite. From the first time he made a tackle and his name was announced over the public address system to each occasion that his face appeared on the big Jetorama screen, the crowd cheered wildly. After awhile the PA announcer simply asked “Who made the tackle?” and the fans shouted back “Wahoo!”

There were times when that likely wasn’t the correct answer to the question, for the announcer began asking it on most every gang tackle and, it was said, on occasions when McDaniel was nowhere near the play. But it became a popular part of Jets home games for the remainder of the season. Owner Werblin, an entertainment executive who knew how to market talent, had McDaniel’s last name removed from the back of his jersey and replaced with “WAHOO” thereafter.

New York ended up with another 5-8-1 record in ’64, placing third in the Eastern Division. However, Coach Ewbank was assembling the pieces that would bring greater excitement and success, and overall home attendance jumped from 91,000 in 1963 to 298,000. Denver also repeated its 2-11-1 tally of the previous year; Faulkner was let go after a 0-4 start and replaced by former Cleveland Browns star Mac Speedie.

As a footnote, Jacky Lee lost his starting job to the equally-ineffective Mickey Slaughter. Rather than preparing him to be a starting quarterback, the leasing deal only made Lee less appealing to his original club, the Oilers, who sat him back on the bench when he returned in 1966.

1994: Brian Mitchell’s 225 Yards in Kick Returns Help Redskins Down Saints

Over the course of his 14-year NFL career, RB Brian Mitchell established himself as the most productive kick returner in pro football history. One game that showcased his abilities was on September 11, 1994 as the Washington Redskins faced the New Orleans Saints at the Louisiana Superdome.

The Redskins, just three years after a Super Bowl triumph, had fallen on hard times since the departure of Head Coach Joe Gibbs following the 1992 season. The team had dropped to 4-12 in ’93 under Richie Petitbon and, under new Head Coach Norv Turner, lost the season opening game the previous week to Seattle by a 28-7 score.

The Saints, 8-8 the previous year under Head Coach Jim Mora, had also lost their first game. They received the opening kickoff and drove 66 yards in 14 plays capped by a 29-yard Morten Andersen field goal. Mitchell returned the ensuing kickoff 31 yards to launch Washington’s first possession. The Redskins were forced to punt after five plays but got a break when CB Tyrone Legette of the Saints muffed the kick and LB Lamar Hollinquest recovered for Washington at the New Orleans 14 yard line. The Redskins capitalized three plays later when QB John Friesz completed a 14-yard touchdown pass to WR Henry Ellard.

New Orleans didn’t move the ball on its next possession and punted. Mitchell received the kick at his 26 yard line and returned it 74 yards for a TD and the Redskins were up 14-3.

After another brief possession, the Saints punted from the Washington 46. Tommy Barnhardt’s short, 27-yard kick provided no opportunity for another long return as Mitchell called for the fair catch at the 19. A long drive by the Redskins was for naught when they were unable to punch in from the one yard line and turned the ball over on downs. Again the Saints had to punt, this time a 48-yard boot by Barnhardt that Mitchell returned 16 yards.

Neither team was able to move the ball effectively for the remainder of the half, which ended with Andersen coming up short on a 53-yard field goal attempt for the Saints. However, Mitchell got the second half off to a rousing start with an 86-yard kickoff return to the New Orleans 15, where he was caught from behind by CB Tyrone Hughes (a good kick returner in his own right).

The Redskins made good use of the excellent field position as Friesz threw for a one-yard TD pass to RB Cedric Smith and a 21-3 lead. The Saints fought back, driving 74 yards in eight plays capped by a 17-yard touchdown pass from QB Jim Everett to WR Michael Haynes. The attempted two-point conversion failed.

Mitchell returned his third kickoff of the game for 21 yards. During the series that followed, he ran five yards for a first down and Washington went on to score another TD as Friesz again connected with Ellard, this time for 41 yards. After CB Tom Carter intercepted an Everett pass, the Redskins scored once again early in the fourth quarter when Chip Lohmiller booted a 31-yard field goal.

It was the turn of Tyrone Hughes to make a big return when he brought the ensuing kickoff back 43 yards to near midfield. However, while the Saints drove into Washington territory, they fumbled the ball away. Again the Redskins made the most of the break and eight plays later Friesz threw his third scoring pass of the game, this time to WR Desmond Howard for 31 yards and a 38-9 lead.

New Orleans was able to score two touchdowns, on a four-yard pass from Everett to WR Torrance Small (followed by a successful two-point conversion) and three-yard run by FB Brad Muster, but it only served to make the final tally a bit more respectable. Washington came away with a 38-24 win.

Brian Mitchell gained a total of 225 yards on kick returns (three kickoffs for 138 yards and two punts for 87 yards). On offense, he contributed a further 27 yards on seven carries for an overall 252 yards.

Mitchell’s returns, combined with New Orleans turnovers, were a major factor in Washington’s win. The Saints outgained the Redskins, 408 to 343 yards, as Jim Everett passed for 376 yards in trying to come from behind, completing 31 of 46 passes with two touchdowns and an interception. New Orleans wasn’t able to run the ball, gaining just 28 yards on 15 carries. Leading receivers for the Saints were Michael Haynes, with 6 catches for 87 yards and a TD, and WR Quinn Early, who had 5 receptions for 83 yards.

RB Reggie Brooks led the ground game for the Redskins by gaining 92 yards on 32 carries. John Friesz completed 15 of 22 passes for 195 yards, but with four touchdowns and no interceptions. Henry Ellard accounted for two of the scores while catching three passes for 72 yards.

In the end, it was not a particularly noteworthy season for either team. The Redskins won just twice more to finish at 3-13 and last in the NFC East – the club’s worst showing since 1961. New Orleans came in second in the NFC West with a 7-9 tally.

Brian Mitchell was one of the few bright spots for Washington as he led the NFL in all-purpose yards (2477, his career high), punt returning (14.1 avg., also a career high), combined kick returns (90), and combined kick return yardage (a then-NFL record 1930). He scored two touchdowns on punt returns and his 25.5 kickoff return average ranked fifth in the NFC. The league-leading all-purpose yardage total broke down as 1478 on 58 kickoff returns, 452 on 32 punt returns, 311 on 78 rushes, and 236 from 26 pass receptions.

It was an outstanding season, but not unusually so, for the fifth-year pro out of Southwestern Louisiana. Mitchell would end up returning more kickoffs (607) for more yards (14,014) than any other NFL player, averaging 23.1 yards per return and scoring four touchdowns. Likewise as a punt returner, he set lifetime standards for returns (463) and yardage (4999) and was second in TDs (9) while averaging 10.8 yards. Mitchell gained a total of 23,316 all-purpose yards over the course of 14 seasons with three teams, of which 19,013 came on kick returns. His 13 touchdowns on combined returns set yet another league career record. While not the fastest of all kick returners by any means, he returned kicks with a skill and savvy that made him consistently productive.

1937: Hugo Bezdek Becomes Only MLB Manager to Coach NFL Team

The Cleveland Rams franchise that joined the National Football League in 1937 had been significantly transformed from the team that played in the second American Football League in 1936. Only four players were retained from the ’36 club, and the ownership and management had been completely overhauled. Homer Marshman headed the new ownership group, and as the new head coach they signed Hugo Bezdek to a three-year contract. When the Rams hosted the Detroit Lions at League Park in their season-opening game on September 10, Bezdek became the only person to have both managed a major league baseball club and coached a team in the NFL.

The 53-year-old Bezdek, who had been born in Prague of what was then part of Austria-Hungary, had played football at the University of Chicago before beginning his college coaching career at the University of Oregon. After a year, he moved on to the University of Arkansas where he was head coach for five seasons and inspired the nickname that the school’s athletic teams use to this day when, at a rally following an undefeated season, he referred to the team as “a wild band of razorback hogs”.

From Arkansas it was back to Oregon for Bezdek, and while there he also worked as a scout for the Pittsburgh Pirates of major league baseball’s National League. When Nixey Callahan was dismissed as the team’s manager during the 1917 season, Pittsburgh owner Barney Dreyfuss hired Bezdek. The new manager worked no miracles during the remainder of the ’17 season, as the Pirates finished at the bottom of the NL with a 51-103 record (30-59 under Bezdek). The results were better in 1918 (65-60) and ’19 (71-68), for an overall major league managing record of 166-187.

In the meantime, Bezdek had continued to coach football at Oregon before moving on to Penn State, where he was head coach and athletic director. Bezdek quit the Pirates when Penn State expanded his duties (he also coached the baseball team) and he stayed there as head football coach through 1929 and AD until 1937.

Bezdek had been a successful college coach, putting together winning records at every school – his tally as football coach at Penn State had been 65-30-11. Unfortunately for him, the move to the NFL did not work out so well.

Before a crowd of 24,800 on a drizzly Friday night, the Rams lost badly in the opener to the Lions by a score of 28-0. The Rams committed five turnovers, including a pass interception that was returned 45 yards for a touchdown by Detroit lineman Tom Hupke.

It was the beginning of a season in which Cleveland ended up at the bottom of the Western Division with an NFL-worst 1-11 record. After defeating the Eagles in their second game at Philadelphia by a score of 21-3, the Rams not only lost their remaining games but only scored in double figures one more time during the season (in a 35-10 loss to Green Bay).

The offense was conservative, to the annoyance of the team owners who wanted a more wide-open attack that would appeal to the fans, but Bezdek insisted that the team had to establish a consistent running game before it could pass effectively. The Rams ranked next-to-last in both rushing (930 yards) and passing (839), and were at the bottom in overall offense (1769). They also scored the fewest points, with a grand total of 75 for the year.

The owners pressured Bezdek to resign following the disappointing season, but he refused (the three-year contract was no doubt a consideration on both sides). As a result, life was made miserable for him in his second year, with the ownership interfering in personnel decisions and undermining his authority. After the club started off 0-3 in 1938, Bezdek was fired. His overall NFL coaching record was 1-13.

The pro stint effectively marked the end of Bezdek’s coaching career, although he did lead Delaware Valley College to a 2-5 record in 1949. Although an unsuccessful head coach in the pro ranks, his 127-58-16 tally as a college coach gained him election to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954, two years after his death.

As for the Rams, Art Lewis took over as head coach for the remainder of the ’38 season and went 4-4 for an overall 4-7 record. Dutch Clark, Hall of Fame tailback for the Lions who had played against Bezdek and the Rams in that first contest in 1937, became the head coach in 1939 and the team broke even at .500 (5-5-1).

1960: Broncos Defeat Patriots as AFL Debuts

The fourth, and ultimately most successful, organization to be known as the American Football League (AFL) had its regular season debut on September 9, 1960 as the Boston Patriots played host to the Denver Broncos. There were 21,597 fans in attendance at Boston University’s Nickerson Field (on the site of the former Braves Field) on a muggy Friday night as Patriots tackle Tony Discenzo booted the opening kickoff to the Broncos.

The Patriots, coached by Lou Saban and having badly beaten the Broncos in a preseason game a few weeks earlier, were considered to be heavy favorites coming into the opening game. Their biggest problem had been securing a home field (a chronic issue that would not be fully resolved until 1971, when the club moved to Foxboro, Massachusetts), having been turned down by Boston College, Harvard University, and baseball’s Red Sox, who owned Fenway Park. With help from the mayor, Boston University was prevailed upon to make its stadium available.


As for Denver, Head Coach Frank Filchock, a former NFL quarterback who went to the CFL, had been coaching with Saskatchewan and followed his general manager, Dean Griffing, to Colorado. Filchock recruited Frank Tripucka, a product of Notre Dame who had also played in the NFL and CFL, as an assistant coach but by the time the season rolled around Tripucka was the starting quarterback. As was the case with several of the AFL teams, money was tight and the Broncos wore uniforms that had been discarded by a defunct college all-star contest known as the Copper Bowl and became the joke of the league: mustard yellow (charitably called gold) jerseys with brown pants and helmets and vertically-striped brown and yellow socks.

The Broncos wasted no time in showing off some razzle-dazzle in returning the Patriots’ opening kickoff as HB Bob McNamara handed off to HB Al Carmichael, who had once returned a kickoff 106 yards for the Packers, on a reverse; Carmichael made it to his 17 yard line. Denver kept the ball on the ground, with Carmichael running five yards on the first play from scrimmage, and had to punt.

36-year-old QB Ed “Butch” Songin, a local product from Boston College who had also played briefly in Canada, completed the AFL’s first pass, to end Jim Colclough. There was no scoring until late in the period when Gino Cappelletti, who had played collegiately at the University of Minnesota and briefly in the CFL after going undrafted by the NFL, kicked a 35-yard field goal that put the Patriots up by 3-0.

Denver got on the board in the second quarter when Tripucka threw a swing pass to Carmichael who dashed 59 yards for a touchdown and the score stood at 7-3 at halftime.

The Broncos scored on another big play in the third quarter as HB Gene Mingo returned a punt 76 yards for a TD; however the exhausted Mingo, who also was the team’s placekicker, missed the ensuing extra point attempt.

Both defenses played well, and the Patriots made a big play defensively in the fourth quarter when DB Chuck Shonta intercepted a pass and returned it 52 yards to set up a 10-yard touchdown pass from Songin to Colclough. The Broncos held on, however, and won by a final score of 13-10.


Denver outgained the Patriots with 323 total yards to 219, and especially held an edge in rushing yards with 149 to 79. Gene Mingo was the top rusher, gaining 66 yards on 8 attempts. Al Carmichael was the all-around star, leading the Broncos with 130 yards on 6 pass receptions, including the one TD, while adding 24 yards on 9 carries and returning two kickoffs for a total of 54 yards. Frank Tripucka completed 10 of 15 passes for 180 yards with a TD and an interception.

Butch Songin went to the air 24 times and had 12 completions for 145 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions (both by Denver safety Goose Gonsoulin, on his way to leading the AFL with 11). FB Jim Crawford led the team in rushing with 29 yards on 8 carries; HB Larry Garron was right behind at 26 yards on 7 attempts. Jim Colclough caught 4 passes for 42 yards and a TD; Crawford also had 42 receiving yards on his two receptions.

Ultimately, both teams completed the season at the bottom of their respective divisions. The Patriots had a 5-9 record, while Denver was 4-9-1.

Gene Mingo led the AFL in scoring (123 points) and field goals (18) while contributing 33 extra points and six touchdowns; his 76-yard punt return was the longest in the league’s first season. Denver ranked at the bottom in team rushing and Frank Tripucka went to the air often, leading the league in passing attempts (478), completions (248), and yards (3038) - he also led the circuit by throwing 34 interceptions.


By the passer rating system then in use in the AFL, Butch Songin ranked fourth and behind Tripucka in third. However, by the modern system he ranked second (70.9) and his Denver counterpart seventh, and had a far better touchdown-to-interception ratio (22 TDs and 15 INTs to Tripucka’s 24 touchdowns and 34 interceptions). Gino Cappelletti scored just 60 points in ’60, but he would be shifted from the defensive backfield to offensive end and become the all-time scoring leader in the AFL’s ten-year history.

2002: Texans Defeat Cowboys in Franchise’s Debut

For the first time since the Oilers departed for Tennessee following the 1996 season, NFL football returned to Houston on September 8, 2002. The Houston Texans hosted the Dallas Cowboys in their regular season debut at the equally new Reliant Stadium. There were 69,604 fans on hand on a Sunday night to watch the new team take on their intrastate rival in what Commissioner Paul Tagliabue dubbed “the Texas Super Bowl.”

The Houston franchise had been awarded to Bob McNair for $700 million in 1999. Charley Casserly was hired as general manager and began building a scouting organization two years prior to the team’s taking the field. Dom Capers was hired as head coach, who had the experience of coaching an expansion team previously in Carolina.

The club looked to sign younger veterans in the expansion draft, and picked up several notable players including OT Tony Boselli and DT Gary Walker from Jacksonville, CB Aaron Glenn of the Jets, and WR Jermaine Lewis and LB Jamie Sharper from Baltimore. With the first choice in the college draft, the Texans picked QB David Carr from Fresno State (pictured above).

The stadium’s retractable roof was closed and the decibel level high as the Texans came out throwing in their first series. Carr threw a deep pass intended for WR Corey Bradford, who drew an interference call that resulted in a 43-yard gain. Three plays later, Carr passed to TE Billy Miller for a 19-yard touchdown and the Texans were up 7-0.

The contest settled into a defensive struggle, with Houston scoring again early in the second quarter on a 42-yard field goal by Kris Brown. The Cowboys got on the board before the half when Billy Cundiff kicked a field goal from 33 yards out, but their offense had sputtered much of the way as the first seven possessions ended in six punts and an interception. QB Quincy Carter failed to complete a pass until the second quarter.

Nevertheless, the Cowboys tied the score at 10-10 in the third quarter when RB Michael Wiley ran 46 yards for a touchdown. The Texans went back in front to stay early in the fourth quarter when Bradford made an outstanding catch of a pass from Carr for a 65-yard touchdown.

Houston regained possession on the ensuing kickoff thanks to a fumble, but was unable to capitalize when a Carr pass was deflected for an interception. However, the Texan defense continued to frustrate the Dallas offense and scored the final points of the game when NT Seth Payne tackled Carter in the end zone for a safety with under three minutes remaining. The Texans won by a score of 19-10.


David Carr completed 10 of 22 passes for 145 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Ominously, he was sacked six times, which would be a chronic problem throughout the inaugural season – Carr took every snap for the Texans and was sacked an NFL-record 76 times. RB James Allen led the team in rushing with 56 yards on 19 carries. Corey Bradford (pictured at left) was the top receiver with four catches for 99 yards and a touchdown.

The Cowboys largely won the statistical battle, outrushing the Texans 155 yards on 24 carries to 87 yards on 35 attempts. They also had the most total yards, 267 to 210. RB Emmitt Smith, who was closing in on the career rushing record, led the team with 67 yards on 17 carries (Wiley’s 46-yard TD run was his only carry of the day). Quincy Carter completed just 13 of 30 passes for 131 yards with one picked off. WR Joey Galloway was the top receiver, catching 6 passes for 69 yards.

Both teams were heavily penalized, with the Texans drawing 11 flags and Dallas 9. There were few turnovers, as the Cowboys lost the ball twice (one fumble and one interception) and Houston gave up the one interception.

Said Dallas owner Jerry Jones afterward, “I’m disappointed for Cowboys fans everywhere.” An embarrassed Emmitt Smith added that “We did nothing good.” Nevetheless, there were some bright spots for the Cowboys, such as the play of the defense and in particular that of DT La’Roi Glover. Glover, a six-year veteran who had been signed as a free agent, recorded 1.5 sacks and intercepted Carr’s deflected pass in his regular season debut with the Cowboys. Dallas went on to a 5-11 record for the third consecutive season – the last under Head Coach Dave Campo.

As for Houston, it was the first time that a modern NFL expansion team had won its initial regular season game since the Vikings did so in 1961, and as was the case in that instance there were few wins thereafter. The Texans lost their next five games on the way to finishing the season with a 4-12 record, placing them at the bottom of the AFC South.

The opening game against the Cowboys set the tone for the rest of the year: the defense played respectably, but the offense ranked at the bottom of the NFL. David Carr showed toughness but also made plenty of rookie mistakes. The offensive line performance was spotty, and the loss of Tony Boselli to shoulder surgery (he ended up never playing for the team) was a major blow. The running game suffered accordingly, as rookie RB Jonathan Wells led the club with 529 yards on the ground, but with an average gain of only 2.7 yards-per-carry. And while veterans like Gary Walker and Aaron Glenn made the Pro Bowl, others were disappointments (Boselli and Jermaine Lewis).

But at least for one week, Carr and the Texans were 1-0 and had reason to exult.

2008: Turner’s 220 Rushing Yards & Ryan’s Passing Lead Falcons Over Lions

The 2007 NFL season had been a dreadful one for the Atlanta Falcons, both on and off the field. QB Michael Vick had already been a source of some controversy for not better developing his great potential, but his off-field involvement in an illegal dog-fighting ring forced his removal from the team and eventual imprisonment. Then, 13 games into the season, first-year Head Coach Bobby Petrino abruptly resigned to return to the college ranks at Arkansas. The Falcons went 4-12 to end up at the bottom of the NFC South.

In the offseason, owner Arthur Blank took steps to revitalize the organization. Thomas Dimitroff, chief of scouting for the Patriots, was hired as general manager. Mike Smith, who had been defensive coordinator in Jacksonville, became the new head coach. In the first round of the draft, the Falcons chose QB Matt Ryan of Boston College. The roster was revamped: RB Michael Turner (pictured above), who had been backing up LaDainian Tomlinson in San Diego, was acquired as a free agent, as were safety Erik Coleman and PK Jason Elam; CB Domonique Foxworth was picked up in a trade with Denver just before the first game.

The Falcons opened the 2008 season on September 7 at the Georgia Dome against the Detroit Lions. Detroit was coming off its seventh straight losing season, although the 7-9 finish had been the best record of that string. Third year Head Coach Rod Marinelli had revamped both the players and coaching staff in an effort to yield better results.

It didn’t take long for the restructured Atlanta offense to score points. Ryan (pictured below), who had won the starting quarterback job during the preseason, handed off to Turner twice before firing his first regular season NFL pass – a 62-yard touchdown to WR Michael Jenkins. The Falcons scored on their next two possessions as well, on runs by Turner that covered 66 and five yards, and had a 21-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.


The Lions fought back in the second quarter, controlling the ball for much of the time and scoring two touchdowns on a three-yard run by RB Kevin Smith and 21-yard pass from QB Jon Kitna to WR Roy Williams. Atlanta’s lead was just 21-14 at halftime.

The Falcons took decisive control in the third quarter as Elam kicked a 50-yard field goal and RB Jerious Norwood ran 10 yards for a TD. The Lions scored once more after an eight-play, 75-yard drive capped by Kitna’s one-yard touchdown pass to TE Casey Fitzsimmons. But Atlanta put together a 12-play possession that was completed by Elam’s 25-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and the Lions were unable to come back. The final score was 34-21 in favor of the Falcons.

Atlanta set a team record in outrushing the Lions, 318 yards to 70. Michael Turner also set an individual club record as he gained 220 yards on 22 carries with the two touchdowns. It was also a record for a player in his first game with an NFL team.

Matt Ryan completed 9 of 13 passes for 161 yards with a TD and none picked off. WR Roddy White and Jerious Norwood both caught two passes, for 54 and six yards, respectively, while Jenkins had the most receiving yards for Atlanta with his lone reception, the 62-yard TD.

Detroit had to go to the air far more often as Jon Kitna threw 33 passes and completed 24 of them for 262 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. WR Calvin Johnson was the leading receiver with 7 catches for 107 yards. Kevin Smith gained 48 yards on 16 carries with the one TD.

A delighted Mike Smith, having achieved his first head coaching win at any level, said “We wanted a fast start, and I thought we did that.” The rookie quarterback, Ryan, showed emotion (after throwing his first touchdown pass, he knocked over C Todd McClure while charging down the field in celebration). He also showed poise and leadership. As Turner said afterward, “He didn’t seem like a rookie. He took control of the huddle…He was a real drill sergeant out there. He was letting everyone know who was in control.”

The Falcons built upon their opening game win to go 11-5, finishing second in the NFC South and earning a wild card berth in the postseason; they lost to the Arizona Cardinals in the opening round. The loss for Detroit was the first of many as the Lions ended up with an 0-16 record.

Michael Turner was the NFL’s second-leading rusher with 1699 yards on 376 carries for a 4.5-yard average and 17 touchdowns. He had a second 200-yard rushing game during the course of the season as well and received consensus 1st team All-Pro honors as well as selection to the Pro Bowl. Matt Ryan started all 16 games and passed for 3440 yards with 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He ranked fourth in the league in yards per attempt (7.9) and second in yards per completion (13.0) and was named Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press.

1946: Browns Dominate Miami in First AAFC Contest

There were 60,135 fans at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium on September 6, 1946 to witness the debut of a new pro football league, the All-America Football Conference (AAFC). The size of the crowd was notable in itself, for it was the larger than any that had assembled to watch a regular season NFL game to date.

The AAFC had been organized by Arch Ward, sports editor of The Chicago Tribune, who had previously brought major league baseball’s All-Star Game and football’s College All-Star Game into being. The league was determined to be truly national in scope, with teams on the west coast (San Francisco and Los Angeles) and southeast (Miami) as well as the major centers of New York City and Chicago (the NFL’s Rams moved from Cleveland to Los Angeles in 1946 to extend the older league’s reach as well). By and large, the AAFC franchise owners were wealthier than their NFL counterparts and prepared to spend money in the competition for talent.

One of the new AAFC owners was Arthur “Mickey” McBride in Cleveland, who had made his money in real estate and taxi services. He hired Paul Brown (pictured above) as head coach and general manager, a smart public relations – as well as football – move. Brown was already a semi-legendary figure in Ohio football from his coaching stints at Massillon High School and Ohio State. He had most recently coached during World War II at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station and, everywhere he had been, he had produced winning teams. Likely in tribute, when a fan contest to name the new club was held, “Browns” was the winner.

Brown signed players that he was familiar with from his college and service coaching, including Otto Graham, who had been a single-wing tailback at Northwestern; end Mac Speedie, from Utah but who Brown knew from service football; and end Dante Lavelli and tackle/placekicker Lou Groza, from Ohio State. There were also Bill Willis, a guard from Ohio State, and 230-pound fullback Marion Motley, who was familiar to Brown from high school and service teams, who were not only talented players but the first two African-Americans in the AAFC (the NFL’s Rams broke that league’s color barrier in ’46 also).

All of those players were making their pro debuts in the opening game along with the new franchise and league. Other significant Browns players who had at least some prior pro experience included HB Edgar “Special Delivery” Jones, who briefly played for the Chicago Bears in 1945; tackle Lou Rymkus, formerly of the Washington Redskins; and Gaylon Smith, an all-purpose back who had spent four seasons with the Cleveland Rams.

The Browns’ opponents in the season-opening game were the Miami Seahawks, coached by Jack Meagher. They fell quickly behind in the first quarter as QB Cliff Lewis threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Speedie for the first score in Browns history. Groza followed with a 22-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

It was 27-0 by halftime as the Browns broke the game open in the second quarter. Otto Graham threw the first TD pass of his illustrious career, of 39 yards to Lavelli, HB Tom Colella ran for a 50-yard touchdown, and Groza booted another field goal, from 27 yards out.

The defense added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter, as HB Don Greenwood scored on a three-yard fumble return and HB Ray Terrell intercepted a pass and ran 76 yards. In between, Groza kicked his third field goal, of 21 yards.

The final score was 44-0 and demonstrated both the dominance of the Browns and the weakness of the Seahawks. “I couldn’t believe we beat a pro team 44-0”, said Lavelli afterward.

Cleveland won its first seven games and didn’t allow another club to score in double figures until the seventh contest. After losing for the first time to the team that would be their chief nemesis in the AAFC, the San Francisco 49ers, the Browns lost once more to the Los Angeles Dons before completing the regular season with a 12-2 record. Finishing at the top of the Western Division, they went on to defeat the New York Yankees for the league title.

As outstanding as the Browns were, the Miami Seahawks proved to be the biggest failure of the AAFC’s first season. Two of the club’s games were postponed by hurricanes and the team never drew more than 9700 fans at home (they scheduled their games on Monday nights). The Seahawks weren’t helped by the fact that seven of their first eight games were played on the road and they were already 1-7 by that point. They finished at the bottom of the Eastern Division with a 3-11 tally.

Coach Meagher resigned after six games and was replaced by player/coach Hamp Pool. Owner Harvey Hester went broke and the other teams were forced to pay off the club’s debts at the end of the season. The franchise was expelled and replaced by the first incarnation of the Baltimore Colts for 1947.