1974: Ferguson to Rashad TD Passes Propel Bills Past Raiders

Coming into the 1974 NFL season, the Buffalo Bills appeared to be a team on the rise. Following six straight losing records, the Bills had gone 9-5 in ’73, just missing out on a playoff berth. A key to the club’s improvement had been the return of Lou Saban as head coach in 1972 (he had coached the team from 1962 to ’65, during which it won back-to-back AFL titles), and his decision to build the offense around HB O.J. Simpson, who had been something of a disappointment after coming out of USC in 1969. The decision paid off in back-to-back league rushing titles by the star halfback, including a record 2003 yards during a sensational 1973 season.

At quarterback in ’73 had been rookie Joe Ferguson, a third round draft choice out of Arkansas who threw just 164 passes during the course of the year. Thus, the offense had been decidedly one-dimensional with Simpson, behind an outstanding line, carrying the load and the improving defense that included DE Earl Edwards, LB Jim Cheyunski, and CB Robert James keeping opponents from scoring often. For the team to advance, Ferguson would need to throw the ball, and to help in this regard Saban dealt for WR Ahmad Rashad (pictured above) from the Cardinals to join the capable holdovers J.D. Hill and Bob Chandler.

The Bills opened the ’74 season at home on September 16 in a Monday night contest against the Oakland Raiders. Oakland, under Head Coach John Madden, was a perennially contending team that had yet to win a title since the AFL merged with the NFL. They were coming off a 9-4-1 record in 1973 and were still a formidable challenger. Ken Stabler had bypassed Daryle Lamonica as the starting quarterback and he had veteran WR Fred Biletnikoff plus up-and-coming WR Cliff Branch to throw to, FB Marv Hubbard to hand off to, and a tough defense to harass opponents.

There was a big crowd of 79,791 on hand for the nationally-televised game at Rich Stadium. Following a scoreless first quarter, Buffalo scored on Ferguson’s four-yard TD pass to J.D. Hill. It capped a 54-yard drive that benefited from a spearing penalty called on Oakland DB Warren Bankston. Early in the second quarter, George Blanda, on the eve of his 47^th birthday, kicked a 47-yard field goal for the Raiders. That was it for the first half scoring, but an ominous development occurred for the Bills in the final minute of the second quarter when O.J. Simpson suffered an ankle sprain and was sidelined for the second half.

In the third quarter, the Raiders drove 58 yards on their first series and HB Clarence Davis ran for a 15-yard touchdown on a third-and-nine play, surprising the Bills defense in an apparent passing situation. A big play along the way was a 14-yard Stabler pass to Branch in a third-and-nine situation at the Buffalo 34.

Seven minutes later, Oakland added to its tally with another Blanda field goal, this time from 41 yards. The Bills fought back on offense and advanced into Oakland territory, but a 46-yard field goal attempt by John Leypoldt was wide to the left in the waning seconds of the period. The Raiders held a 13-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Early in the final period, Stabler was picked off by FS Tony Greene, giving Buffalo possession at the Oakland 36. Nine plays later, the Bills faced fourth-and-goal at the one and Coach Saban chose to go for it. They came up empty when LB Dan Conners of the Raiders halted Simpson’s replacement, HB Gary Hayman, with a hard hit for no gain and knocked him out of the contest as well.

Buffalo got the ball back in good field position at the Oakland 41 following a punt by the Raiders after their ensuing possession, but the Bills came up empty again when once more they failed to convert a fourth down, this time on a pass at the 25. However, following a fumble by Marv Hubbard at his own 33, and with 1:56 left in the game, Ferguson threw to Ahmad Rashad for an eight-yard touchdown, finally coming through on a fourth-down play. Leypoldt’s successful extra point made it 14-13 in favor of the Bills.

Buffalo’s spirited defense held the Raiders as Stabler threw three incomplete passes. The offense regained possession on its own 31, but on the first play FB Jim Braxton fumbled and DT Art Thoms picked it up and ran for a touchdown. With 1:14 now remaining, Oakland was back in front at 20-14.

Following the kickoff, the Bills took possession at their 28 and put together an eight-play, 72-yard drive that was helped along by two penalties on the Raiders. Ferguson, who completed four passes during the series, again went to Rashad for a 13-yard touchdown and, with the successful PAT, a one-point lead with the clock down to 31 seconds.

The Raiders fought back, going from their 41 to the Buffalo 33 in three plays. But with six seconds left, Blanda missed a 50-yard field goal that fell short and was wide to the right. Having come through in an exciting last two minutes of play, the Bills won by a final score of 21-20.

Buffalo led in total yards (306 to 252) and first downs (22 to 18). The Raiders suffered two damaging turnovers, to one by Buffalo, and penalties were a big factor as Oakland was flagged 10 times at a cost of 104 yards, often in critical situations.

Joe Ferguson (pictured below) completed 10 of 20 passes for 122 yards and three touchdowns with none intercepted – in the fourth quarter alone, he was 6 for 12 and 84 yards with two TDs. He picked on Oakland CB Skip Thomas, although the winning touchdown was scored on All-Pro CB Willie Brown. In his half of play, O.J. Simpson rushed for 78 yards on 12 carries. In picking up the slack, Jim Braxton ran 19 times for 69 yards and Gary Hayman added 31 yards on 7 attempts. Ahmad Rashad caught 5 passes for 68 yards and the two big touchdowns.

For Oakland, Ken Stabler was successful on just 9 of 22 throws for 122 yards and had one picked off. HB Charlie Smith led the team with 64 yards on 14 carries while Clarence Davis was right behind at 61 yards on 10 attempts that included a TD (Marv Hubbard was held to 27 yards on 10 rushes and had the one key fumble). Cliff Branch caught 4 passes for 60 yards.

“There’s more than O.J. on this offense,” summed up O.J. Simpson afterward.

“The Bills are more than O.J. Simpson,” echoed John Madden. “You can’t over-key on anyone. You have to give credit to them. They’re a vastly improved team.”

Buffalo lost to Miami in Week 2 but then ran off six straight wins before turning around and losing four of their last six to finish at 9-5 and second in the AFC East. It was enough to put them in the postseason for the first time since 1966 as a Wild Card entry, but they were soundly defeated by Pittsburgh in the Divisional round. Oakland lost only once more during the regular season, topping the AFC West for the fourth time in five years since the merger with a 12-2 record. They won an epic Divisional round game over the Miami Dolphins but came up short of a trip to the Super Bowl by losing the AFC Championship contest to the Steelers.

O.J. Simpson’s injury was not serious and he returned to action the next week, although leg problems proved to be chronic and he had a lesser year than the record-shattering ’73 season. Still, he was a consensus first-team All-Pro and went to the Pro Bowl after rushing for 1125 yards.

Joe Ferguson showed marked improvement in his second year, passing for 1588 yards with 12 touchdowns as well as 12 interceptions. In his lone season in Buffalo, Ahmad Rashad had 36 catches for 433 yards (12.0 avg.) and four touchdowns. J.D. Hill remained the primary deep threat with 32 receptions for 572 yards (17.9 avg.) and six TDs.

1985: Krieg to Turner TDs Lead Seahawks Past Chargers

In two seasons under Head Coach Chuck Knox, the Seattle Seahawks had made it into the playoffs for the first time in the young club’s history. They had put together a 12-4 record in 1984, which was all the remarkable since they lost star RB Curt Warner to a season-ending injury in the opening week. Unheralded QB Dave Krieg (pictured at right) developed into a star in his first full year as the starter and had Pro Bowl WR Steve Largent to pass to while the defense was opportunistic, leading the league in interceptions and fumble recoveries. For the ’85 season, they had Warner back in the lineup and won their opening game against Cincinnati.

For Week 2 on September 15, 1985 the Seahawks traveled to San Diego to take on the Chargers. The Chargers, under Head Coach Don Coryell, were coming off a disappointing 7-9 record in ’84. However, they still had a potent passing offense directed by QB Dan Fouts and including wide receivers Charlie Joiner and Wes Chandler, plus all-purpose RB/WR Lionel James. They were still without star TE Kellen Winslow, who had suffered a major knee injury in 1984 (he would return at midseason), and the defense was suspect, but San Diego could not be taken lightly and had won its opening game as well.

It was a clear day at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium with 54,420 in attendance. Midway through the first quarter, the Chargers erupted with a 64-yard scoring drive in four plays. Fouts threw completions on every down, including 25 yards to Chandler and 19 yards to Lionel James, who then hauled in a seven-yard touchdown pass.

Following a three-and-out possession by the Seahawks, San Diego put together another series that put points on the board. Fouts again had a hot hand as he completed his first five passes, with Chandler pulling in three of them for 48 yards. But after getting to the Seattle four yard line, the drive stalled and Bob Thomas kicked a 21-yard field goal to make it 10-0.

Before the opening period was over, the Seahawks finally put together a scoring drive of six plays that covered 74 yards. Dave Krieg was successful on four passes, the last a 34-yard completion to WR Daryl Turner for a touchdown.

After the Chargers punted early in the second quarter, Seattle, with good field position, scored quickly thanks to three straight carries by Curt Warner (pictured at left), the last for three yards and the go-ahead TD. With the successful extra point, it was 14-10 in favor of the Seahawks.

The teams traded punts before San Diego came back with an 11-play, 80-yard drive. Fouts completed a pass to James for a 22-yard gain in a third-and-22 situation along the way and the series ended with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Joiner. NT Joe Nash blocked the extra point try, but the Chargers were back in front at 16-14.

The Seahawks moved back into San Diego territory on their next series when Krieg connected with Steve Largent for a 40-yard gain, but they were forced to punt three plays later when Krieg was sacked for an 11-yard loss on third down. The Chargers took just four plays to respond with another 80-yard possession that included James running for 17 yards on an end-around play, Fouts throwing to TE Eric Sievers for 29 yards, and Fouts then completing a 20-yard TD throw to Chandler. That was it for the first half scoring – San Diego had one last shot after a short Seattle series, but a 53-yard field goal attempt by Thomas on the final play before halftime was blocked following a bad snap.

Down 23-14, the Seahawks started off the third quarter with a 75-yard drive in 11 plays, ending with Largent catching a pass from Krieg for a six-yard touchdown. San Diego came right back as Fouts threw to Chandler for a 45-yard gain and, two plays later, to Sievers for 23 yards. He passed again to Sievers for a five-yard touchdown. Thomas missed the extra point attempt, but the Chargers were up by 29-21.

Seattle responded with another scoring drive, this time going 78 yards in six plays. Krieg threw to Largent for 17 yards and WR Byron Franklin for 28 before he connected with Turner for a 15-yard touchdown. With a successful PAT, San Diego’s lead was narrowed to one point at 29-28.

The Chargers were forced to punt on their next possession and the Seahawks scored more points. It took them five plays to cover 80 yards with Warner gaining 21 yards on a third-and-one carry and Krieg throwing to Largent for 20 yards and Turner once again for 30 yards and a touchdown. With the successful extra point, the Seahawks were ahead by the score of 35-29.

Things got worse for San Diego when safety John Harris intercepted a tipped Fouts pass. Helped along by a pass interference penalty, the Seahawks scored in five plays. Warner ran in from a yard out for the TD and it was 42-29 heading into the final period. Seattle had taken control of the game by putting 28 points on the board in the eventful third quarter.

The fourth quarter started off with another turnover by the Chargers as Fouts fumbled while being sacked by DE Jacob Green and LB Greg Gaines recovered. Warner ran the ball three straight times for 35 yards and Krieg threw once more to Turner for a seven-yard touchdown.

That, for all intents, finished off the Chargers. They scored a touchdown on a pass from backup QB Mark Herrmann to Charlie Joiner from a yard out and just 15 seconds remaining. Seattle, thanks to its second half barrage, won by a score of 49-35.

San Diego outgained the Seahawks (557 yards to 489) and had the edge in first downs (32 to 30). However, the Chargers also turned the ball over four times, while Seattle suffered no turnovers.

Dave Krieg completed 22 of 32 passes for 307 yards and five touchdowns with none intercepted – in the big third quarter alone, he was 12 of 14 for 192 yards. Daryl Turner (pictured below) was the receiving star with 7 catches for 121 yards and four of the TDs while Steve Largent contributed 6 receptions for 99 yards and a touchdown. Curt Warner also had a noteworthy day, rushing for 169 yards and two TDs on 28 carries and pulling in 5 passes for another 34 yards.

For the Chargers, a great day by Dan Fouts went for naught as he was successful on 29 of 43 throws for 440 yards and four touchdowns with one intercepted. Wes Chandler accounted for 243 of those yards on 13 catches that included a TD. Lionel James led the club in rushing with 41 yards on 8 carries, caught 6 passes for 96 yards and a TD, and added 153 combined kick return yards to end up with 290 all-purpose yards.

“Dan Fouts was as hot as a pistol,” said Chuck Knox afterward. “He’s one of the greatest passers, in my opinion, in the history of the game. We just tried to put more pressure on him in the second half.”

Despite the promising beginning, the Seahawks lost their next two games, and that was precisely the pattern they followed for the remainder of their disappointing 8-8 season – the same record that San Diego finished with.

Dave Krieg passed for 3602 yards with 27 touchdown passes. Both he and Dan Fouts, who missed two games due to injury but still threw for 3638 yards, tossed 27 TD passes and 20 interceptions and, tellingly, were each sacked 52 times, which ranked third in the league.

Steve Largent had another Pro Bowl season (his fifth) with 79 catches for 1287 yards (16.3 avg.) and six touchdowns. Daryl Turner caught 34 passes for 670 yards (19.7 avg.) and remained a potent scoring threat, tallying 13 TDs. Curt Warner made a successful comeback as he rushed for 1094 yards and caught 47 passes for 307 more.

Wes Chandler was a Pro Bowl selection (for the fourth time) after catching 67 passes for 1199 yards (17.9 avg.) and 10 touchdowns. Lionel James continued to have big overall yardage totals as he set a new NFL record with 2535 all-purpose yards (516 rushing, 1027 receiving, 213 returning punts, 779 returning kickoffs).

MVP Profile: Reggie White, 1987

Defensive End, Philadelphia Eagles

Age: 26 (Dec. 19)

5^th season in pro football, third in NFL & with Eagles

College: Tennessee

Height: 6’5”    Weight: 285

Prelude:

A consensus All-American and SEC Player of the Year as a senior in college (where he gained his nickname “The Minister of Defense”), White started his pro career in the USFL with the Memphis Showboats in 1984. In two seasons, he garnered 23.5 sacks and then left the ill-fated spring league for the Eagles, who had taken him in the first round of the ’84 NFL Supplemental draft. He joined Philadelphia early in the 1985 season and had 13 sacks in 13 games (between the spring USFL season and the fall NFL campaign, he played in a total of 31 contests in ‘85). Quickly establishing himself as a dominant player at his position, White had 18 sacks in 1986 and was a consensus first-team All-Pro and was chosen for the Pro Bowl.

1987 Season Summary

Appeared and started in 12 of 15 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Sacks – 21 [1]

Most sacks, game – 3 vs. NY Giants 11/15

Multi-sack games – 8

Interceptions – 0

Fumble recoveries – 1

Forced fumbles – 4

Tackles – 76

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points – 6

Awards & Honors:

NFL Defensive Player of the Year: AP

1^st team All-NFL: AP, NEA, PFWA, Pro Football Weekly, Sporting News

1^st team All-NFC: UPI, Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Eagles went 7-8 to finish fourth in the NFC East in the strike-affected season (three games were played with replacement players), finishing second in the NFL in sacks (57).

Aftermath:

Having just missed the single-season sack record in 1987, White again led the NFL in sacks with 18 in 1988. He remained with the Eagles through 1992 and was a consensus first-team All-Pro selection for six straight years and was named to seven consecutive Pro Bowls. The leader of an outstanding defensive unit, White also became a vocal critic of the team’s front office and left to sign with the Green Bay Packers as a free agent in 1993. He went to seven more Pro Bowls and was a consensus All-Pro choice twice more as well as Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year once more, in 1998 at age 37. The Packers also won two NFC titles and the Super Bowl following the ’96 season. White retired for a year in 1999 but returned for one more season with the Carolina Panthers in 2000. He finished his career as the NFL’s all-time leader in sacks with 198 and reached double figures in 12 seasons. White’s #92 was retired by both the Eagles and Packers and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2006.

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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). Also includes Associated Press NFL Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.

[Updated 2/6/14]

1992: Bills Defeat 49ers in Game of Big Plays and No Punts

The matchup in San Francisco on September 13, 1992 featured two teams who were preseason favorites to contend and had started off with solid wins in Week 1. The host San Francisco 49ers, under fourth-year Head Coach George Seifert, had beaten the Giants on the road while the visiting Buffalo Bills, coached by Marv Levy, handily defeated the Rams. Both teams had explosive offenses, especially Buffalo with its adroit use of the no-huddle.

While the 49ers had been a successful team over the course of the previous decade, winning four championships, they faced questions coming into the ’92 season. Star QB Joe Montana had missed all of 1991 with an elbow injury and was still not ready for ’92. While his replacement, the mobile left-hander Steve Young, had performed capably, he had not always seemed comfortable in the offense and was looking over his shoulder at backup QB Steve Bono, who won five of six starts when Young himself was injured. The club was aging, but still had solid playmakers in wide receivers Jerry Rice and John Taylor and a promising newcomer in RB Ricky Watters.

Buffalo had won two straight AFC Championships but lost both Super Bowls. The nucleus of the offense consisted of QB Jim Kelly (pictured above), RB Thurman Thomas, and WR Andre Reed. They also had the aging-but-still-effective WR James Lofton and a good tight end in Pete Metzelaars, taking over for the injured Keith McKellar.

It was a pleasant afternoon at Candlestick Park with 64,053 in attendance. The 49ers had the first possession and, with Steve Young completing six passes along the way, drove to the Buffalo 14 yard line. However, Mike Cofer was wide on a 33-yard field goal attempt. The Bills went from their 20 to the 47, but Jim Kelly fumbled when sacked by DE Larry Roberts and DE Tim Harris recovered for the Niners at the 40. Young ran for 13 yards on first down and, three plays later, connected with WR Odessa Turner for a 23-yard touchdown.

Buffalo came back with an eight-play, 57-yard drive that featured Kelly pass completions of 20 yards to Pete Metzelaars and 23 yards to Andre Reed. Steve Christie kicked a 41-yard field goal and the score was 7-3 at the end of the first quarter.

San Francisco, having lost Jerry Rice to a concussion in the first quarter, nevertheless put together a long scoring drive of its own. On a third-and-six play from his own 38, Young threw to Turner, who caught the ball at the 45 and, running down the sideline before cutting to midfield, got to the Buffalo five for a 57-yard gain. Two plays later RB Tom Rathman scored from two yards out and, with the successful conversion, the 49ers were up by 14-3.

The Bills responded with a 73-yard drive in seven plays that included a Kelly screen pass to Thurman Thomas that gained 24 yards in a third-and-ten situation and a 30-yard throw to Reed. Kelly hit Thomas in the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown to close to four points once the PAT was added.

The 49ers came right back as, on their first play after the ensuing kickoff, Young passed to WR Mike Sherrard for a 39-yard gain to the Buffalo 32. Ricky Watters ran for 20 yards but, after getting inside the ten yard line, the Bills defense held and Cofer kicked a 24-yard field goal that hit the left upright but was successful. San Francisco was up by seven.

Following a short kickoff return, the Bills took over at their ten, but on a third-and-five play Kelly threw a short pass to Thomas who, breaking tackles, charged 43 yards into San Francisco territory. Following a 12-yard pass to Reed, Kelly threw for James Lofton in the end zone – the veteran receiver dropped the ball but the 49ers were assessed a penalty for roughing the passer. The 10-play, 80-yard series concluded with a 28-yard Christie field goal.

Getting the ball back with 2:31 remaining in the half, the 49ers made yet another big play when Young threw to Sherrard for 56 yards to the Buffalo 24. After three running plays and a short pass, Young hit John Taylor in the end zone for a seven-yard touchdown. The 49ers went into halftime with a 24-13 lead.

The big plays continued in the second half. In the opening possession, Buffalo scored on a 53-yard pass play from Kelly to Metzelaars. The Niners came back by moving from their 22 to the Buffalo 44 where RB Keith Henderson fumbled and star LB Cornelius Bennett recovered for the Bills. After a short run by Thomas, Buffalo went to the shotgun and Kelly completed four straight passes, the last for a 24-yard TD to Metzelaars. Christie’s extra point was good, and the Bills were in front by 27-24.

On the second play of San Francisco’s ensuing possession, Young threw to Taylor for a 32-yard gain, but after moving into Buffalo territory the 49ers were again undone by a turnover. TE Jamie Williams fumbled after gaining 13 yards on a pass and the Bills took over at their 39 yard line. However, Buffalo turned the ball over on a fumble five plays later and the Niners then re-took the lead. Watters ran for 16 yards on first down but DE Phil Hansen followed up by sacking Young for a 10-yard loss. After an incomplete pass, the 49ers were facing a third-and-20 situation, but Young completed a pass to Taylor down the middle of the field who broke free of tacklers and scored a 54-yard touchdown. The third quarter ended with San Francisco back on top at 31-27.

The Bills started off the final period by driving into 49ers territory as Kelly completed passes to Lofton for 20 yards and Reed for 14 along the way. But after getting to the 17 yard line, Kelly was intercepted by CB Merton Hanks to end the threat. Now it was the turn of the San Francisco offense to steadily advance the ball, with Young starting things off with a 19-yard completion to Sherrard. However, after reaching the Buffalo 39, CB Nate Odomes intercepted a Young pass.

With Thomas running the ball effectively and Kelly completing four passes, the Bills put together a 72-yard scoring drive in 12 plays. After Kelly converted a fourth-and-four at the San Francisco 20 with a nine-yard pass to Lofton, Thomas ran up the middle for an 11-yard touchdown and, adding Christie’s extra point, the Bills were up by three with over three minutes remaining in regulation – more than enough time in this back-and-forth contest between explosive offenses.

Young led off with a 21-yard completion to Sherrard and the 49ers advanced to their 47, converting a fourth down to midfield on a three-yard bootleg by the nimble quarterback. Young was successful on three straight passes – interspersed with two penalties called on the Bills – to get the ball to the Buffalo 29. They could get no further, however, and when Cofer missed a potentially game-tying 47-yard field goal attempt, the Bills were winners by a score of 34-31.

“At times, I thought both teams were a little delirious,” said Bills LB Darryl Talley of the wide-open contest.

The teams combined for 1086 yards with the 49ers gaining 598 to Buffalo’s 488. They also held a slight edge in first downs, 26 to 25. Each club turned the ball over three times. But the truly remarkable feature of the contest was that, for the first time in NFL history, neither team punted during the course of the game.

Both quarterbacks passed for over 400 yards. Jim Kelly was successful on 22 of 33 throws for 403 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Steve Young had 449 yards on his 26 completions in 37 attempts, also with three TDs and one picked off. Each club also had two receivers apiece with over a hundred yards. For Buffalo, Andre Reed caught 10 passes for 144 yards and Pete Metzelaars (pictured below) added 113 yards and two touchdowns on his four catches. With Jerry Rice sidelined early for San Francisco, Mike Sherrard had 6 receptions for 159 yards and John Taylor caught 5 passes for 112 yards and two TDs. Odessa Turner gained 80 yards on just two receptions.

Thurman Thomas was typically formidable for the Bills as both a ground-gainer and a receiver out of the backfield, running for 85 yards and a TD on 19 carries and catching four passes for 94 more yards and another score. Ricky Watters led the 49ers in rushing with 83 yards on 16 attempts.

Both teams went on to make it to the postseason. Buffalo went 11-5 to finish second in the AFC East, qualified as a Wild Card, and won a third straight AFC title. However, they also lost a third consecutive Super Bowl. The 49ers lost only one more regular season game as they topped the NFC West with a 14-2 record. The Niners advanced to the NFC Championship game, which they lost to the Dallas Cowboys.

Jim Kelly had his third straight Pro Bowl season, passing for 3457 yards and 23 touchdowns, although also a league-leading 19 interceptions. Thurman Thomas also was a Pro Bowl selection as he led the NFL for the fourth consecutive time in yards from scrimmage (a career-high 2113), ranked third in rushing yards (1487), and caught 56 passes for 626 yards. Pro Bowler Andre Reed had 65 pass receptions for 913 yards. The hundred-yard receiving game for Pete Metzelaars against the 49ers was only the second of his career – he had 30 catches for 298 yards and 6 TDs in ’92.

For Steve Young (pictured below), 1992 was a turning point in his Hall of Fame career as he received MVP honors (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers, Bert Bell Award) while leading the NFL in passing (107.0 rating), TD passes (25), and yards per attempt (8.6). He also rushed for 537 yards. Jerry Rice came back to have another stellar year at wide receiver, but of the big contributors against Buffalo, Mike Sherrard caught 38 passes for 607 yards (16.0 avg.) and John Taylor had 25 receptions for 428 yards (17.1 avg.) and three touchdowns in an injury-interrupted season. 

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]