1982: Packers Rally from 23-0 Halftime Deficit to Beat Rams

After seven years with Bart Starr as head coach, the Green Bay Packers had yet to make it to the postseason and fans and the team’s directors were getting frustrated. Starr, who as a Hall of Fame quarterback had been a part of five NFL titles during the Vince Lombardi coaching era, received a contract extension following an 8-8 tally in 1981 in which the Packers started poorly but finished strong and just missed being a Wild Card team. The offense featured a strong passing game with QB Lynn Dickey (pictured above) throwing to wide receivers James Lofton and John Jefferson, as well as TE Paul Coffman. There were questions with regard to the running game, however, due to talented RB Eddie Lee Ivery’s two knee surgeries in three years, and the defense lacked a strong pass rush as well as overall consistency. Starr’s future with the team rested on making it to the playoffs in ’82.

On September 12, 1982 the Packers opened at home against the Los Angeles Rams. After consistently contending throughout the 1970s and winning a NFC title in ’79, LA had dropped to 6-10 in 1981 – the team’s first losing record since 1972. The front office had made moves to bring in fresh veteran talent, most notably QB Bert Jones and TE Mike Barber. Jones had starred for the Colts before his career was derailed by injuries and, when he returned, the club was in decline. Barber was obtained from the Oilers, where he had shown promise but was pushed aside by ex-Raider Dave Casper.

There were 53,694 fans in attendance at Milwaukee’s County Stadium and they spent much of the first half venting their frustration. The Packers fumbled the ball away in their own territory on each of their first three possessions and five times overall in the first half. The Rams directly benefited in the first quarter as RB Wendell Tyler ran for a four-yard touchdown and Mike Lansford kicked a 32-yard field goal, both following turnovers.

In the second quarter, LA put together a 51-yard scoring drive that concluded with a 10-yard TD pass from Jones to Barber. Lansford added field goals of 29 and 28 yards and the Packers left the field to a loud chorus of boos and behind by a score of 23-0. To make matters worse, Green Bay had lost starting FB Gerry Ellis due to a twisted knee. Coach Starr considered pulling Dickey in favor of backup David Whitehurst for the second half, but decided against making a move.

When Green Bay’s defense stopped the Rams in their first possession of the second half, it was a sign of momentum about to shift. Dickey responded with a four-yard touchdown pass to Coffman to get the Packers on the board. Before the third quarter was over, Eddie Lee Ivery ran for a three-yard TD and LA’s lead was cut to 23-14. The Rams failed to get a first down in the third quarter as the first half roles now were reversed.

Heading into the fourth quarter, John Jefferson set up Green Bay’s third touchdown with a reception that covered 50 yards, although he suffered a hamstring pull and sat out the rest of the game. The Packers continued their 66-yard drive that concluded when Dickey threw to James Lofton for a 15-yard TD. Following Jan Stenerud’s successful extra point, the home team was just two points behind.

The Rams fumbled on the ensuing kickoff, a squib kick by Stenerud that RB Robert Alexander couldn’t handle, and Green Bay immediately scored again on the next play as Dickey tossed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Coffman.

Now down by five points, the Rams fought back as Jones completed three passes to move them to the Green Bay 31. But two runs gained just a yard and Jones was sacked for an eight-yard loss on third down, forcing a punt. With just over six minutes remaining in the game, the Rams had another shot but LB George Cumby intercepted a Jones pass at the Green Bay 30.

Ivery added an insurance score with a 27-yard run up the middle for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter. LA’s last opportunity came with 2:58 to play. The Rams again drove to the Green Bay 32 but this time it was LB John Anderson picking off Jones and that was it as the Packers came away with a stunning 35-23 win.

Green Bay outgained the Rams (377 yards to 271) and had more first downs (22 to 12). The Packers turned the ball over a total of six times, which had put them in the early hole, while Los Angeles suffered three, including the two fourth quarter interceptions that snuffed out their comeback hopes. They also hurt themselves with 11 penalties that cost them 88 yards, to two flags thrown on Green Bay. The Packers sacked Jones four times while LA got to Dickey twice.

Lynn Dickey completed 17 of 27 passes for 237 yards and three touchdowns along with three interceptions. John Jefferson caught 6 passes for 116 yards before he had to leave the game while Paul Coffman (pictured at left) added 4 receptions for 66 yards and two TDs and James Lofton pulled in 4 passes for 59 yards and a score. Eddie Lee Ivery had a fine performance as he gained 109 yards on 17 carries that included two touchdowns.

For the Rams, Bert Jones was successful on 17 of 31 passes for 202 yards and a TD and the two late interceptions. FB Mike Guman and RB Jewerl Thomas each caught four passes, for 37 and 28 yards, respectively, and WR Willie Miller gained 78 yards on his three receptions. Wendell Tyler paced the running attack with 57 yards on 14 carries that included a TD and added three catches for 32 more yards.

“That’s the greatest comeback I’ve ever witnessed,” said an elated Bart Starr.

“We were very dull in the third quarter,” said Coach Ray Malavasi of the Rams. “That’s my observation.”

After beating the Giants the next week, a players’ strike wiped out the next two months of the season. With the divisions eliminated in an abbreviated nine-game regular season when play resumed, the Packers qualified for the playoffs by finishing third in the NFC with a 5-3-1 record. They won their first postseason game over the Cardinals but lost to Dallas in the next round. The Rams suffered through a dismal 2-7 campaign, ending up at the bottom of the conference and costing Coach Malavasi his job.

Over the course of the short season, Lynn Dickey passed for 1790 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging a league-leading 14.4 yards per completion and ranking third with 8.2 yards per attempt. James Lofton (35 catches, 696 yards, 19.9 avg.), John Jefferson (27 receptions, 452 yards, 16.7 avg.), and Paul Coffman (23 catches, 287 yards, 12.5 avg.) all were selected to the Pro Bowl. Eddie Lee Ivery stayed healthy and rushed for 453 yards and 9 TDs.

Bert Jones had a disappointing year with Los Angeles, playing in just four games before being sidelined by a neck injury that proved to be career-ending. He threw for just 527 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions in what was the bitter end to a once-impressive career that was done in by injuries. 

1965: Alworth Stars as Chargers Overcome Feisty Broncos

The San Diego Chargers had topped the American Football League’s Western Division in 1963 and ’64, winning the league title in the first year, and were still considered the team to beat in the division as they opened the 1965 season on September 11 at home against the Denver Broncos.

While Head Coach Sid Gillman’s Chargers were a good defensive team, they were best known for their high-powered offense. Fourth-year QB John Hadl had split time with veteran Tobin Rote in ’64 and, with Rote gone, was now the full-time starter – despite any misgivings on Coach Gillman’s part. He had formidable weapons to throw to in All-AFL flanker Lance Alworth (pictured above) plus split end Don Norton and TE Dave Kocurek. There were concerns about the running game, however, as star HB Paul Lowe was coming off an injury-plagued year in 1964 and FB Keith Lincoln, a formidable all-purpose talent, would be sitting out the opening game with an injury.

The Broncos had struggled both on the field and at the gate since the franchise’s inception and were coming off a 2-11-1 record the previous year. Former Cleveland Browns star receiver Mac Speedie was elevated from assistant to head coach during the ’64 season and there had been other significant changes. Brothers Allan and Gerald Phipps went from minority stockholders to majority owners with the promise of keeping the team in Denver, and the fans had responded by buying a record 22,000 season tickets. Two big names were also added to the roster in FB Cookie Gilchrist, who had worn out his welcome in Buffalo, and HB Abner Haynes, obtained from the Chiefs. There were still plenty of holes, especially at quarterback where third-year veteran Mickey Slaughter would be drawing the opening-game start.

There was a crowd of 27,022 in attendance for the Saturday night game at Balboa Stadium. They saw the Broncos take the early lead on a two-yard run by Haynes. While Herb Travenio kicked a 32-yard field goal to get the home team on the board, Denver was ahead by 14-3 at the end of the first quarter following a 33-yard touchdown pass from Slaughter to flanker Bob Scarpitto.

The momentum shifted significantly in the second quarter as the Chargers exploded with 24 points in 12 minutes. FB Gene Foster, subbing for Keith Lincoln, started off the barrage with a two-yard touchdown run. Travenio, who was successful on all of his extra point attempts, added a 25-yard field goal and then Paul Lowe showed he was back in good form with a 41-yard scoring run. Foster added a second TD carry of 17 yards and, while Gary Kroner booted a 37-yard field goal for the visitors, the Chargers held a 27-17 lead at the half.

There was no scoring in the third quarter, but early in the final period the Broncos cut San Diego’s lead to three points after Slaughter threw a screen pass to Gilchrist that the big fullback turned into a 29-yard touchdown.

The Chargers responded by scoring what would prove to be the decisive points of the contest. Lance Alworth, who had been making big catches all night, raced into the end zone to outmaneuver rookie CB Nemiah Wilson for a 38-yard touchdown pass from Hadl. With the successful conversion, it was back to being a 10-point game.

Still, the Broncos had time and with 10 minutes left, they again closed to three points on a five-play, 66-yard drive highlighted by passes to star split end Lionel Taylor and Scarpitto and ending with Slaughter throwing again to Scarpitto for a 13-yard touchdown.

Late in the game, the Broncos threatened but Gilchrist fumbled at the San Diego 40 when hit by DT Ernie Ladd and DE Earl Faison recovered for the Chargers. Hadl threw one last long pass to Alworth, covering 46 yards, and San Diego was then able to run out the clock and win by a score of 34-31.

With a preponderance of big plays on offense, the Chargers outgained the Broncos (459 yards to 330), but Denver led in first downs (21 to 19). San Diego turned the ball over three times, to two suffered by the Broncos, but also came up with four quarterback sacks while Hadl was dumped just once. Kicking also was a factor as Herb Travenio was successful on two of his three field goal attempts but Gary Kroner missed on two of his three tries.

Lance Alworth had a huge performance, catching 7 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown. John Hadl completed 11 of 25 throws for 246 yards with a TD and an interception. Paul Lowe rushed for 124 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries and also completed an option pass to Alworth that covered 42 yards. Gene Foster played commendably in place of Keith Lincoln, running for 49 yards on 11 carries that included two scores and also tossing an option pass for 21 yards.

For the Broncos, Mickey Slaughter was successful on 16 of 27 throws for 214 yards and three touchdowns with none picked off; he also gained 24 yards rushing on four carries. Bob Scarpitto (pictured at right) was his top receiver with 5 catches for 108 yards and two TDs. Cookie Gilchrist ran the ball 17 times for 49 yards and scored on his one 29-yard reception while Abner Haynes contributed 43 yards and a touchdown on 8 carries.

The win signaled another division-winning year for San Diego. The Chargers went 5-0-2 before losing and ended up with a 9-2-3 record. However, they were stunned in the AFL Championship game at Balboa Stadium, losing for the second straight year to the Buffalo Bills by the improbable score of 23-0.

Lance Alworth received All-AFL honors for the third consecutive year as he led the league in receiving yards (1602) and touchdowns (14, tied with Don Maynard of the Jets) while catching 69 passes. Paul Lowe set a new AFL rushing record with 1121 yards on 222 carries (5.0 avg.). John Hadl proved to be a worthy starting quarterback, leading the league in passing yards (2798) and yards per attempt (8.0).

The Broncos struggled once again to finish at 4-10. Cookie Gilchrist was productive, ranking second to Lowe in rushing with 954 yards. Abner Haynes failed to hold onto the starting job at halfback while Mickey Slaughter shared the quarterbacking with John McCormick and Jacky Lee. Bob Scarpitto’s two receiving touchdowns against the Chargers were the first of five overall as he caught 32 passes for 585 yards (18.5 avg.) and also proved to be an able punter.

Rookie of the Year: George Rogers, 1981

Running Back, New Orleans Saints

Age: 23 (Dec. 8)

College: South Carolina

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 220

Prelude:

Rogers rushed for 5204 yards and 33 touchdowns in a college career capped by winning the 1980 Heisman Trophy. He was taken first overall by the Saints in the ’81 NFL draft and moved directly into the starting lineup.

1981 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 378 [1]

Most attempts, game - 31 (for 113 yds.) vs. Cincinnati 10/25, (for 97 yds.) at Minnesota 11/15

Yards – 1674 [1]

Most yards, game – 162 yards (on 29 carries) vs. LA Rams 9/13

Average gain – 4.4 [16]

TDs – 13 [2, tied with Billy Sims & John Riggins, 1st in NFC]

100-yard rushing games – 9

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 16       

Most receptions, game – 3 (for 7 yds.) at Minnesota 11/15

Yards – 126

Most yards, game - 36 (on 2 catches) at Cleveland 10/18

Average gain – 7.9

TDs – 0

All-Purpose yards – 1800 [8]

Scoring

TDs – 13 [5, tied with Alfred Jenkins, John Riggins & Steve Watson]

Points – 78

Awards & Honors:

NFL Rookie of the Year: Sporting News

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA

NFC Rookie of the Year: UPI

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

2^nd team All-NFL: NEA

1^st team All-NFC: UPI

Pro Bowl

Saints went 4-12 to finish fourth in the NFC West while ending up 25th in the league in total yards (4705) but seventh in rushing (2286).

Aftermath:

After showing an impressive durability as the primary offensive weapon for the Saints as a rookie, Rogers dealt with nagging injuries during the strike-shortened 1982 season, but was still chosen for a second-straight Pro Bowl. Knee problems kept him out of three games in ’83 as he rushed for 1144 yards, often in tandem with RB Wayne Wilson. Splitting time with aging star RB Earl Campbell in 1984, Rogers rushed for 914 yards and was traded to Washington in the offseason. Once again he was sharing time with a fading great player, RB John Riggins, and while he started just five games, he rushed for 1093 yards with a career-high 4.7 average gain per carry. Rogers took over the starting role in ’86 and gained 1203 yards while scoring a NFL-leading 18 touchdowns. But following another injury-marred year in 1987, Rogers retired. In all, he played seven seasons and ran the ball 1692 times for 7176 yards (4.2 avg.). Never much of a receiver out of the backfield, Rogers added 368 more yards on 55 catches. All 54 of his touchdowns came on the ground.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL, AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year). 

[Updated 2/6/14]
[Updated 11/28/14]

1938: Lions Beat Pittsburgh to Spoil Whizzer White’s Pro Debut

The Pittsburgh Pirates (the team that would be renamed Steelers in 1940) hadn’t accomplished much in their first five seasons. While they broke even at 6-6 in 1936, they went 13-31-2 in the other four years, including a 4-7 tally in 1937. Coming into the ’38 season, their second under Head Coach Johnny “Blood” McNally, they had added a marquee player in HB Byron “Whizzer” White (pictured above).

White had been a consensus All-American as a senior at Colorado in 1937. He had gotten a college scholarship due to his strong academic record (which would have an effect on his pro football future as well as long-term career) and, having come out of a weak high school football program, White did not have a strong background in the sport. However, he proved to be an outstanding all-around athlete who exhibited great toughness and determination. A shifty runner who, at 6’1” and 187 pounds, also could run with power, he was versatile at a time when that was a prized asset for a football player and could kick, pass, and block effectively. In ’37, he scored 16 touchdowns in addition to booting 23 extra points and a field goal, starred in a Cotton Bowl loss to Rice, and finished second in Heisman Trophy voting.

Having received a Rhodes Scholarship to study abroad at Oxford, White accepted the then-huge sum of $15,000 to put off his further education and play for the Pirates (once assured that he would not lose the scholarship), who had taken him in the first round of the 1938 NFL draft. In becoming the highest-paid player in the NFL, he had to convince those skeptics who questioned the level of competition he had faced at Colorado.

On September 9, 1938 White made his pro football debut as Pittsburgh opened the season against the Detroit Lions. The Lions were a stronger team, having strung together seven consecutive winning seasons going back to 1931 (when they were the Portsmouth Spartans) that included a NFL Championship in ’35. Under player/coach Dutch Clark, Detroit had a solid ground-based attack that was powered by fullbacks Ace Gutowsky and Bill Shepherd and wingback Lloyd Cardwell.

There was a capacity crowd of 18,000 in attendance for the Friday night game at the University of Detroit’s Titan Stadium. Due to an ankle injury, Clark stayed on the sidelines and didn’t take the field for the Lions, but the home team took the lead five minutes into the first quarter when Bill Shepherd kicked a 27-yard field goal.

Detroit got a break later in the period when a bad snap on a Pittsburgh punt went over Stuart Smith’s head and the Lions recovered on the five yard line. Wingback Ernie Caddel ran around right end for a touchdown, although the extra point attempt was blocked.

Midway through the second quarter, the Lions moved into scoring position again thanks to a productive passing attack. Lloyd Cardwell ran the last five yards for a TD and this time the conversion attempt by Monk Moscrip was successful.

White was kept well-contained by the Lions for most of the game and also struggled with the brightness of the lights when fielding kicks. He played 15 minutes in the first half, gained 12 yards, and was held out during the third quarter.

The Pirates never crossed midfield until the final period, but in the fourth quarter, White sparked an 80-yard scoring drive that featured short runs into the line and a long pass interference penalty. He caught a pass from tailback Max Fiske for a 35-yard gain that went to the Detroit 37 – Pittsburgh’s first penetration into Lions territory. The prize rookie finished off the series by scoring from three yards out on a slant off-tackle.

A few minutes later White fumbled a punt at his 15 yard line that he recovered at the four. It didn’t affect the outcome – the Lions came away with a convincing 16-7 win.

Overall, it was a modest beginning for Whizzer White, who gained 41 yards rushing, had the 35 receiving yards, and completed a pass for another seven yards. However, the consensus was that he had shown that he could play effectively at the professional level. “I think he is worth every cent of the $15,000 I am paying him,” said Pittsburgh’s owner Art Rooney of White. “I am sold on him.”

Things did not go well for Pittsburgh the rest of the way. The club was defeated twice more before winning back-to-back games in New York, against Brooklyn and the Giants. But when Rooney sold the team’s best passer and other first round draft choice, tailback Frank Filchock, to the Redskins, the Pirates lost their remaining contests to finish at the bottom of the Eastern Division with a 2-9 record. Detroit finished at 7-4, putting the Lions in second place in the Western Division, a game behind Green Bay.

Whizzer White continued to be a bright spot for Pittsburgh as he went on to lead the NFL in rushing with 567 yards on 152 carries (3.7 avg.) as well as yards from scrimmage with 655. He received consensus first-team All-NFL honors (UPI, INS, Pro Football Writers, Collyers Eye) and headed off to Oxford for the next year. White returned to the NFL, ironically enough with the Lions, who traded for his rights. He played two more seasons while attending law school and again led the league in rushing in 1940 with 514 yards.

White served in the Navy during World War II, finished his law degree at Yale, and went on to a distinguished legal career that culminated in his being named as an Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court by President Kennedy in 1962, serving for 31 years. Long after his pro sports career was over, he was still able to more than hold his own in pickup basketball games against law clerks less than half his age in the Supreme Court’s gym.

2002: Panthers Beat Ravens to End 15-Game Losing Streak

The Carolina Panthers won their first game of the 2001 NFL season – and proceeded to lose the remaining 15 straight contests, something no club in league history had done before. On September 8, 2002 they hosted the Baltimore Ravens, nearly a year to the day since their last win, with hopes of ending the skid as part of a new beginning for the franchise.

George Seifert had been replaced as head coach by John Fox, formerly defensive coordinator of the Giants. The team also added DE Julius Peppers, the second overall pick in the ’02 draft out of North Carolina (the expansion Houston Texans had the first choice), and rookie RB DeShaun Foster from UCLA. RB Lamar Smith, a free agent signed away from Miami, was brought in to bolster the running game. And Coach Fox decided to bench QB Chris Weinke, who had suffered through a difficult first season starting for the 1-15 team, in favor of 36-year-old journeyman Rodney Peete (pictured above), who had been sitting on Oakland’s bench for two years and had not thrown a pass in a regular season game since he was with the Redskins in 1999.

As for the visiting Ravens, coached by Brian Billick, they were two years removed from being a Super Bowl champion and had gone 10-6 in 2001. Defense had carried them to a title, but while they still had a strong nucleus of talent, salary cap problems had forced them to jettison several players. The offense would have a new starting quarterback as well in Chris Redman, a third-year player. RB Jamal Lewis, who was outstanding as a rookie for the 2000 Championship team, was back after missing all of ’01 due to a knee injury.

Most of the scoring came in the first quarter. On their second possession of the game, the Ravens went 80 yards in 9 plays that featured a 22-yard pass completion from Redman to WR Brandon Stokley in a third-and-eight situation and a 36-yard pass play to WR Travis Taylor that got the ball to the Carolina 11 yard line. Redmon threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to WR Ron Johnson and, with Matt Stover’s successful extra point, Baltimore was ahead by 7-0.

The Panthers, however, came right back with a scoring drive of their own that also covered 80 yards. Rodney Peete completed three passes, the second to WR Muhsin Muhammad for 33 yards and the third to TE Wesley Walls for a 20-yard TD. John Kasay, the last remaining original member of the Panthers, added the extra point to tie the contest.

In the second quarter, and following a punt by the Ravens, Carolina went 40 yards in 10 plays to score again. Peete threw to Walls for 18 yards on a third-and-13 play and RB Nick Goings converted another third down with a 20-yard run to the Baltimore 12. John Kasay kicked a 27-yard field goal and the Panthers were up by three points.

That was it for the scoring. Twice the Ravens moved into Carolina territory but were forced to punt, and the Panthers were consistently kept on their end of the field. A 47-yard field goal attempt by Stover late in the third quarter was unsuccessful. Midway through the final period, the Panthers put together a promising drive that reached the Baltimore 33 in ten plays, but Kasay’s 50-yard field goal attempt failed.

With under two minutes remaining and the ball approaching midfield, Redman threw a pass that was deflected by Julius Peppers and intercepted by LB Dan Morgan, who returned it 22 yards, and that was it. Amid great celebration worthy of a postseason victory, Carolina came away a winner by the score of 10-7.

“It just feels so incredible to finally win again and to finish a game and just put an end to all this misery,” said the 13-year veteran Wesley Walls, who had scored Carolina’s lone touchdown.

The statistics reflected the low point total. The Ravens had the most total yards (289 to 265) while both teams had 15 first downs apiece. There was only one turnover – the game-clinching interception at the end – and the clubs combined for 13 punts.

In a workmanlike performance, Rodney Peete completed 12 of 19 passes for 136 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. Lamar Smith ran the ball 24 times for 84 yards. WR Steve Smith caught 4 passes for 38 yards and Wesley Walls also gained 38 yards on his two receptions that included a TD.

For the Ravens, Chris Redman was successful on 20 of 34 throws for 218 yards with a TD and one picked off. Jamal Lewis gained 64 yards on 17 rushing attempts and gained 33 more on 4 catches. Brandon Stokley was the top receiver with 6 receptions for 83 yards.

The Panthers doubled their win total of the previous year the next week against the Lions and reached 3-0 before dropping eight straight games. Still, they ended up with a much-improved 7-9 record that put them fourth in the NFC South. A year later they were NFC Champions – a remarkable two-year turnaround from 1-15 in 2001. Baltimore was also 7-9 to finish third in the AFC North.

Rodney Peete enjoyed something of a resurgence in his last year as a starting quarterback (he lasted two more seasons as a backup). He completed 58.5 percent of his passes for a career-high 2630 yards and 15 touchdowns along with 14 interceptions. While his physical skills had declined, he provided solid leadership to the rebuilding club.

MVP Profile: Jim Brown, 1958

Fullback, Cleveland Browns

Age: 22

2^nd season in pro football & with Browns

College: Syracuse

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 228

Prelude:

Following an outstanding career at Syracuse, in which he distinguished himself as an all-around athlete (lacrosse, basketball, track & field) as well as in football, Brown was chosen in the first round of the 1957 NFL draft by the Browns. With his blend of speed, power, and agility, he moved quickly into the starting lineup as a rookie, leading the league in rushing with 942 yards that included a single-game record at the time of 237. He received MVP as well as Rookie of the Year honors, was a consensus first-team All-Pro and was selected to the Pro Bowl.

1958 Season Summary

Appeared in all 12 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 257 [1]

Most attempts, game - 34 (for 182 yds.) vs. Chi. Cards 10/12

Yards – 1527 [1]

Most yards, game – 182 yards (on 34 carries) vs. Chi. Cards 10/12

Average gain – 5.9 [5]

TDs – 17 [1]

100-yard rushing games – 9

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 16       

Yards – 138

Average gain – 8.6

TDs – 1

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 3

Yards – 74

Average per return – 24.7

TDs – 0

Longest return – 35 yards

All-purpose yards – 1739 [1]

Scoring

TDs – 18 [1]

Points – 108 [1]

Postseason: 1 G (NFL Eastern Conf. playoff at NY Giants)

Rushing attempts – 7

Rushing yards – 8

Average gain rushing – 1.1

Rushing TDs – 0

Pass receptions – 2

Yards – 18

Average gain – 9.0

TDs – 0

Kickoff Returns – 2

Yards – 61

Average per return – 30.5

TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: AP, UPI, NEA, Sporting News

1^st team All-NFL: AP, NEA, UPI, NY Daily News, Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Browns went 9-3 to finish in a tie for first in the Eastern Conference while leading the NFL in rushing (2526 yards, 5.3 avg. gain). Lost Eastern Conference playoff to New York Giants (10-0).

Aftermath:

Brown’s record-setting rushing title in 1958 was the second of eight in nine seasons. Along the way he set numerous records as well as a new standard for running backs to be measured against. He broke his own single-season rushing record in 1963 and retired as the all-time leader in rushing (12,312 yards) and touchdowns (126). Brown averaged 5.2 yards per carry and 104.3 yards per game over the course of his career. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in all nine seasons, was a first-team All-Pro eight times, and received MVP recognition on two more occasions. Brown’s #32 was retired by the Browns and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1971.

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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). 

[Updated 2/6/14]

1981: Chiefs Upset Mistake-Prone Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers had missed the postseason in 1980 after eight straight appearances that included four Super Bowl championships and were looking to rebound as they opened the 1981 season on September 6 at home against the Kansas City Chiefs.

For Head Coach Chuck Noll’s team, the roster might have been aging, but the nucleus was still strong and included such mainstays as QB Terry Bradshaw, RB Franco Harris, wide receivers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth, DT “Mean Joe” Greene, linebackers Jack Lambert and Jack Ham, CB Mel Blount, and SS Donnie Shell. There were also promising younger players in RB Greg Hawthorne, WR Jim Smith, and CB Dwayne Woodruff.

The Chiefs, under Head Coach Marv Levy, were coming off an 8-8 record in ’80, the club’s best since 1973. The offense tended to be dull and highly conservative, while the defense featured All-Pro NT Art Still, LB Gary Spani, and Pro Bowl FS Gary Barbaro. It was not a promising situation starting off the new season in Pittsburgh, however, for there was a lot of inexperience on defense and the offense was without starting QB Steve Fuller, who had suffered a knee injury, putting backup Bill Kenney (pictured above) behind center.

With 53,305 fans in attendance at Three Rivers Stadium, the Steelers scored first when Bradshaw connected with Swann for an 18-yard touchdown, but rookie PK David Trout missed the extra point attempt. Kansas City came back with a 48-yard pass play from Kenney to WR Henry Marshall, and Nick Lowery’s PAT was successful to put the visitors ahead by 7-6. Lowery extended the lead with a 35-yard field goal later in the opening period.

In the second quarter, Pittsburgh moved back in front thanks to a seven-yard touchdown run by Franco Harris, but once again Trout failed to add the extra point. Harris added another TD from a yard out and this time the PAT was added. Lowery kicked a 40-yard field goal and the teams went into halftime with the Steelers leading by 19-13.

Kansas City retook the lead in the third quarter on another long pass play, this time with Kenney throwing to WR Carlos Carson for 53 yards. Lowery’s extra point made the score 20-19. The Steelers again came back as Greg Hawthorne scored from a yard out and Trout successfully converted the PAT. But sloppy play was catching up to the Steelers, and a Bradshaw fumble led to more points for Kansas City, this time a 42-yard field goal by Lowery that cut the home team’s margin to 26-23.

In the fourth quarter, a fumble by Harris again helped the visitors as the Chiefs drove 38 yards and RB Ted McKnight ran for a three-yard touchdown that put KC ahead by 30-26. But once again Pittsburgh came back when Bradshaw passed to Jim Smith for a 41-yard touchdown to put the Steelers in front at 33-30 with 7:12 to go.

The Chiefs were forced to punt following their next possession and it looked bad for the visitors when the Steelers advanced to the KC 28. Kansas City was out of timeouts and Pittsburgh had a first down heading toward the two-minute warning. But as Bradshaw took the snap and was preparing to hand off, he was hit hard by blitzing LB Frank Manumaleuga and lost the ball. LB Thomas Howard picked up Bradshaw’s fumble on the run and charged 65 yards for a touchdown to put the Chiefs in the lead with 1:59 remaining to play, utterly silencing a crowd that had been thrilled by the go-ahead scoring pass a few minutes before and was sensing victory.

Pittsburgh still had a chance, but Gary Barbaro (pictured at left) intercepted a Bradshaw pass to end the threat. Kansas City came away with a 37-33 upset win.

The big story was the seven turnovers by the Steelers, who fumbled eight times, losing five of them (including the game-decider), and gave up two interceptions. Together with the two missed extra points, it was an uncharacteristically mistake-filled performance. Pittsburgh outgained the Chiefs (408 yards to 353) and had more first downs (29 to 17). But Kansas City turned the ball over just twice, and the defense did well in holding the vaunted Pittsburgh running attack to just 89 yards on 34 carries.

Bill Kenney, in his fourth career start, completed 14 of 26 passes for 242 yards with two touchdowns while tossing one interception. Henry Marshall caught 4 passes for 89 yards and a TD. Ted McKnight led the rushers with 59 yards on 17 carries that included a score, and promising rookie RB Joe Delaney gained 43 yards on 9 attempts while FB James Hadnot contributed 8 runs for 42 yards.

For the Steelers, Terry Bradshaw was successful on 21 of 36 throws for 319 yards with two TDs but also two interceptions. John Stallworth caught 6 passes for 107 yards and Jim Smith gained 84 yards and scored a touchdown on his 4 receptions. Franco Harris ran for 70 yards and two TDs on 19 carries.

“What could have been a great win, even with all the mistakes, ended up being a lousy loss with a lot of mistakes,” said a disappointed Terry Bradshaw.

It was a sign of better things to come for the Chiefs, who won eight of their first 12 games before sustaining three losses in the last four to end up at 9-7 and third in the AFC West. Pittsburgh continued to struggle, going 8-8 to place second in the AFC Central and out of the playoffs for a second year.

Bill Kenney saw most of the action at quarterback for Kansas City (although Steve Fuller regained the job late in the season) and had a fair year, throwing for 1983 yards with 9 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Joe Delaney broke out as a Pro Bowl player, running for 1121 yards while averaging 4.8 yards per carry. It was still defense carrying the club as Art Still, Gary Barbaro, and CB Gary Green also were selected to the Pro Bowl, along with Nick Lowery, whose three field goals against the Steelers were the first of an eventual 26 out of 36 attempts.

David Trout, who missed his first two extra point attempts, ended up missing a total of eight of his 46 tries during the season. He was 12 for 17 on field goal attempts and lasted the year, but was not back in ’82. He would resurface in the USFL with better results.