1977: Metcalf & Morris Lead Cardinals Past Saints

The St. Louis Cardinals were sporting a 2-3 record as they hosted the New Orleans Saints on October 23, 1977. The Cardinals, in their fifth season under Head Coach Don Coryell, had won in double figures in each of the preceding three years and gone to the postseason twice. But they started slowly in ’77, losing three of their first four contests before winning at Philadelphia the previous week. While there was feuding between coach and owner and players complaining about their salary levels, there was also talent, especially on an explosive offense that included QB Jim Hart, all-purpose HB Terry Metcalf, and WR Mel Gray.

New Orleans was coached by Hank Stram, formerly of the Chiefs, where he had enjoyed success. The Saints, a perennially losing club since coming into the league ten years earlier, were off to a 1-4 start and were without injured starting QB Archie Manning.

There were 48,417 fans in attendance at Busch Memorial Stadium and they saw the Cardinals start fast. Six minutes into the game, Hart threw to Gray for a 38-yard touchdown. FB Wayne Morris followed up with a one-yard scoring carry at 11:32 into the first quarter.

Shortly thereafter, LB Kurt Allerman blocked Tom Blanchard’s punt and on the first play of the second quarter Morris scored again on a nine-yard draw play. At 21-0, it seemed as though a rout was in progress.

However, New Orleans began to get back into the game after DT Derland Moore recovered a fumble by Terry Metcalf at the St. Louis 46. A 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on DT Mike Dawson erased a loss by the Saints on the first play from scrimmage after the turnover. Two runs by FB Tony Galbreath got the ball to the 19 and from there HB Chuck Muncie ran for a touchdown on a sweep to the right.

The Cards responded with Metcalf returning the kickoff 51 yards to the New Orleans 44. The fleet halfback followed up with a pass reception for 11 more yards and two carries by FB Jim Otis advanced St. Louis to the 21. But after catching a pass from Hart, TE Jackie Smith fumbled at the eight and DE Joe Campbell recovered for New Orleans.

The Saints proceeded to drive to another score in eight plays. Muncie gained 22 yards on another sweep and QB Bobby Scott, the replacement for Archie Manning, passed to backup TE James Thaxton for 20. Thaxton caught a pass from Scott for a 25-yard touchdown and with another successful extra point New Orleans was only a TD behind.

Following a punt by the Cardinals, the Saints drove 80 yards to the tying touchdown. Scott threw to TE Henry Childs for a 53-yard TD and the teams went into halftime tied at 21-21.

The Cardinals moved back in front on their first series of the third quarter. They drove 70 yards in 14 plays, eating up 7:44 off the clock in so doing. The highlight of the drive was a Hart pass to HB Jerry Latin for 14 yards to the New Orleans six. Morris ran for five yards and then leaped into the end zone from a yard out for the touchdown.

The Saints roared back with a drive from their 24 to the St. Louis five. However, the Cards held as Scott tossed three incomplete passes and New Orleans had to settle for a 22-yard field goal by Rich Szaro that narrowed the home team’s margin to 28-24.

In the fourth quarter, the Cards scored again on an option pass from Metcalf to Gray that covered 11 yards. New Orleans kept pace as Scott passed to Childs for a 29-yard TD with 7:18 left to play.

The Cardinals finally put the game away with just over a minute left on the clock as HB Steve Jones scored from a yard out. That possession was helped along by a fake field goal attempt in which holder/CB Roger Wehrli ran for 19 yards and a first down. They padded the lead following an interception by CB Lee Nelson when Morris scored his fourth TD with a 12-yard run with 44 seconds to go. Wehrli intercepted Scott’s final pass of the game to end it and St. Louis came away with a 49-31 win that, for most of the game, was closer than the final tally indicated.

The single-game total of 49 points was the most for the Cardinals in 12 years. They led in total yards (487 to 440), including 244 on 52 running plays, and first downs (31 to 23). Each team turned the ball over twice.

Jim Hart completed 17 of 24 passes for 225 yards with a touchdown and none intercepted. Wayne Morris had a notable performance, rushing for 95 yards on 25 carries that included four touchdowns. Terry Metcalf added 78 yards on 17 attempts, caught 5 passes for 62 yards, and completed both of his option passes, including one for a TD. Mel Gray also gained 62 pass receiving yards on three catches that included two for touchdowns.

For the Saints, Bobby Scott (pictured below) was successful on 16 of 35 throws for 285 yards with three TDs but also two interceptions. Chuck Muncie ran for 102 yards and a touchdown on just 13 carries. The two tight ends were the most productive receivers for the club as Jim Thaxton had four pass receptions for 83 yards and a TD and Henry Childs caught three for 79 yards and two scores.

“We (backs) moved the ball real well, but the line did a fantastic job,” said Wayne Morris.

“In the final analysis, I thought we fought like hell,” summed up Hank Stram. “We never stopped. They (the Cardinals) are an excellent blocking team.”

The win evened the Cards’ record at 3-3 and put them in a three-way tie for second in the NFC East with the Giants and Redskins behind the Cowboys. It was also the second of six consecutive wins, but after peaking at 7-3 the team lost four straight to fall out of contention and end the year at 7-7 and third in the division. The feud between owner and coach led to Don Coryell departing afterward.

New Orleans won the next week against the Rams but ultimately finished at the bottom of the NFC West with another losing record at 3-11. Hank Stram was dismissed afterward.

Terry Metcalf ranked second in the NFL in all-purpose yards with 2022 that included 739 on 149 rushing attempts (5.0 avg.), 403 on 34 pass receptions, 772 on 32 kickoff returns, and 108 on 14 punt returns. He was selected to the Pro Bowl for the third time. Having played out his option, he jumped to the CFL for 1978.

Wayne Morris ended up running for 661 yards on 165 carries and caught 24 passes for 222 more yards. His four rushing TDs against the Saints were half of his season total of eight, and he had one pass receiving touchdown to give him nine on the year.

2001: Patten Runs, Catches, and Passes for TDs as Patriots Rip Colts

The New England Patriots brought a 2-3 record into their October 21, 2001 game at Indianapolis. The biggest story of their season thus far had been the injury to starting QB Drew Bledsoe that propelled unknown backup Tom Brady into the starting lineup. In the second year under Head Coach Bill Belichick the club was still viewed as a work in progress.

The Colts had been to the postseason the previous two years under Head Coach Jim Mora but had been badly beaten by the Patriots two weeks earlier and then, after their bye week, had lost to Oakland to fall to 2-2. Fourth-year QB Peyton Manning was already considered to be one of the NFL’s best, as was RB Edgerrin James in his third year. But the defense was becoming a source of concern.

There was a crowd of 56,022 at the RCA Dome. The Colts had first possession and drove to the New England 28, with the big play being a pass from Manning to TE Ken Dilger that gained 25 yards, but Mike Vanderjagt’s 46-yard field goal attempt was blocked and returned 35 yards by New England CB Leonard Myers to give the Patriots excellent starting field position at the Indianapolis 29. They made the most of it in short order as WR David Patten took the ball on an end-around play and raced around right end for the 29-yard touchdown.

The Colts again drove into New England territory on their next possession as Edgerrin James ran effectively and caught a pass from Manning. Vanderjagt booted a 42-yard field goal to get the home team on the board.

The Patriots punted to end their next series and Indianapolis appeared set to score again when Manning threw to WR Marvin Harrison for a 68-yard gain to the New England two. However, the Colts weren’t able to punch into the end zone and, following a sack of Manning by LB Mike Vrabel for a six-yard loss on third down, Vanderjagt again had a field goal attempt blocked, this time by safety Tebucky Jones on a 25-yard try, and the score remained 7-3 after a quarter of play.

The teams traded punts to start the second quarter, but after the Patriots took possession on their own nine yard line following a 34-yard kick by Hunter Smith, it was Patten again making a big play as he pulled in a pass from Brady at the 48 and went the distance for a 91-yard touchdown. With another successful extra point by Adam Vinatieri, it was 14-3 in favor of New England.

Following a short series by the Colts, it was Patten striking again on the Patriots’ next play from scrimmage, this time throwing an option pass to WR Troy Brown for a 60-yard touchdown. David Patten had accounted for a touchdown in three different ways – by rushing, receiving, and passing – and in each instance it was on the first play of a New England possession. He had almost singlehandedly staked the Patriots to a 21-3 lead that would prove insurmountable for the Colts.

Things got worse for Indianapolis when James fumbled on the next series and LB Tedy Bruschi recovered for the Patriots at the Colts’ 24. Six plays later Brady passed to TE Jermaine Wiggins for a two-yard TD. While the Colts managed to score once more on a 42-yard Vanderjagt field goal before the period was over, New England went into halftime leading by a 28-6 margin, even though the offense’s time of possession was just eight minutes. The frustrated home crowd booed the Colts heavily as they headed for the locker room.

The second half was anticlimactic. The Colts drove to a two-yard Manning-to-Harrison touchdown pass followed by a successful two-point conversion that made it 28-14. The Patriots responded with a 43-yard field goal by Vinatieri. Indianapolis again reached scoring territory but, after having a first down at the New England 12, was unable to penetrate the end zone and settled for a 24-yard Vanderjagt field goal. Early in the fourth quarter, Brady tossed another TD pass to Patten, this time from six yards out, and that was it. Another drive by the Colts ended with Manning fumbling the ball away while being sacked by DE Bobby Hamilton after reaching the New England 16, and the Patriots were able to eat up almost all of the remaining time with an 18-play possession. New England came away with a big 38-17 win.

The Colts led in total yards (484 to 385) and first downs (28 to 19) but were beaten by big plays and blocked kicks (prior to the two blocked field goals in the first quarter, Mike Vanderjagt had had only two of his previous 100 attempts blocked). They had difficulty scoring when they got inside the red zone and turned the ball over twice while New England suffered no turnovers. The Patriots sacked Peyton Manning four times while the Colts never got to Tom Brady.

David Patten was the biggest star for the Patriots as he became the first player since Walter Payton of the Bears in 1979 to account for a touchdown by rushing, receiving, and passing in the same NFL game. His overall statistics were four catches for 117 yards and two touchdowns, one rushing attempt for 29 yards and a TD, and one pass completion for a 60-yard score.

Tom Brady had a fine performance, completing 16 of 20 passes for 202 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Troy Brown caught 8 passes for 120 yards and TD. RB Antowain Smith led the rushing attack with 71 yards on 21 carries.

Several noteworthy offensive performances for the Colts went to waste. Peyton Manning was successful on 22 of 34 throws for 335 yards and a TD with none intercepted. Edgerrin James gained 143 yards on 30 rushing attempts. Marvin Harrison had 8 catches for 157 yards and a touchdown.

“It started out bad with the blocked field goal and it didn’t get a whole lot better,” summed up Jim Mora for the Colts.

It did get better for the Colts with wins over the next two weeks, but they were followed with seven losses in the last nine games. Indianapolis sank to 6-10 and a fourth place finish in their last AFC East season, which also was the end for Jim Mora’s coaching reign.

New England, on the other hand, lost its next game but then won eight of nine to win the AFC East with an 11-5 record. The improbable climb continued to a Super Bowl upset of the St. Louis Rams.

Rising quickly out of obscurity, Tom Brady had a Pro Bowl year, completing 63.9 percent of his passes for 2843 yards with 18 touchdowns against 12 interceptions.

David Patten caught 51 passes for 749 yards (14.7 avg.) and four touchdowns. He ran the ball five times for 67 yards with the TD against the Colts his only one of the year (and, for that matter, his career) and had one other passing attempt, which was intercepted. Formerly with the Giants and Browns, the undersized (5’10”, 190) but fast fifth-year wide receiver went on to play a total of four seasons in New England where he was a member of three championship squads. 

1957: Rookie Jurgensen Leads Eagles to Upset of Browns

Coming off a 3-8-1 record in 1956 in their first year under Head Coach Hugh Devore, the Philadelphia Eagles did well in the high rounds of the ’57 NFL draft. With the seventh pick in the first round, they took FB Clarence Peaks of Michigan State. Further seeking to bolster the running game, they chose Wake Forest HB Billy Barnes in the second round and HB Tommy McDonald from Oklahoma in the third. And in the fourth round, they drafted QB Sonny Jurgensen of Duke.

The stocky (5’11”, 195) Jurgensen had not thrown the ball much in college with a run-oriented team, but was reputed to have a strong arm and had shown great accuracy when he did pass. For the past several years, the Eagles had utilized the quarterback tandem of Adrian Burk and Bobby Thomason, and with Burk having retired to pursue a legal career there was a need to break in someone new.

Peaks and Barnes moved directly into the starting lineup while McDonald, who was too small at 5’9” and 182 pounds to play running back as a pro, would not make an impact until later once he was shifted to flanker - and the impact would indeed be great. Jurgensen backed up the veteran Thomason as Philadelphia lost its first three games.

On October 20 the Eagles faced the Cleveland Browns, who were off to a 3-0 start under Head Coach Paul Brown and had beaten Philadelphia at home the week before. They had a promising rookie of their own in FB Jim Brown, taken in the first round of that same draft out of Syracuse. Brown had already become the key to the ground-oriented offense directed by veteran QB Tommy O’Connell while second-round draft choice Milt Plum from Penn State, the quarterback of the future, backed him up.

The previous week’s game in Cleveland was a fight-filled contest in which seven players were ejected. Commissioner Bert Bell issued a warning prior to the rematch that the teams should “play football, not fight”. By and large his instructions were followed in the rematch.

There were 22,443 in attendance at Connie Mack Stadium as Sonny Jurgensen started at quarterback for the injured Thomason. There was no scoring in the opening period but the Eagles, with Billy Barnes running well, advanced to the Cleveland 8 yard line on the last play of the first quarter. On the second play of the second quarter, Bobby Walston kicked a 12-yard field goal to give the home team a 3-0 lead.

The Browns failed to tie the score later in the period when Lou Groza’s 39-yard field goal attempt into a stiff wind went wide. Philadelphia later put together an 80-yard drive in six plays, with Jurgensen passing to end Rocky Ryan, who pulled the ball in at the 15 and ran it in for a 46-yard touchdown. The Eagles held a 10-0 lead at the half.

The third quarter was scoreless, but then Philadelphia put together a seven-play, 45-yard scoring drive after LB Chuck Bednarik intercepted a pass by Tommy O’Connell and returned it 14 yards. Barnes ran for 14 yards and, after carrying again for a short gain, Clarence Peaks broke away for a 25-yard carry to the one yard line. On second down, Jurgensen scored on a quarterback sneak.

O’Connell was injured and replaced by the rookie Milt Plum, who led Cleveland on a 69-yard drive midway through the fourth quarter. Following a pass from Plum to HB Billy Reynolds to the Philadelphia one, Jim Brown blasted into the end zone for a touchdown. That was it for the Browns as the Eagles held on for a 17-7 win.

The Browns outgained the Eagles (285 yards to 270) although Philadelphia surprisingly outgained Cleveland on the ground (186 to 103). The Browns had the edge in first downs (14 to 13) but they also turned the ball over six times, four by interception, while Philadelphia gave the ball up just once on a fumble. While there wasn’t the fighting of the previous week’s game, there were a total of 16 penalties called – 10 on the Browns and six on Philadelphia.

Billy Barnes (pictured at left) rushed for 87 yards on 22 carries, overshadowing Jim Brown, who had 53 yards on 12 attempts. Sonny Jurgensen didn’t go to the air often, but was effective in his first career start as he completed 6 of 9 passes for 84 yards with a touchdown and none intercepted.

The upset of the Browns didn’t herald better things for the Eagles – they were shut out at Pittsburgh the next week and won only three more times to finish at 4-8 and in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, leading to the replacement of Hugh Devore as head coach by Buck Shaw. Cleveland, on the other hand, lost only once more to top the conference at 9-2-1, although the Browns lost badly to Detroit in the NFL Championship game.

Sonny Jurgensen started five games as a rookie and showed promise as he completed 33 of 70 passes for 470 yards with five touchdowns and eight interceptions. The arrival of veteran star Norm Van Brocklin from the Rams in 1958 relegated the young quarterback to the bench and he would not re-emerge until 1961, the year after “The Dutchman” guided the team to the league title and then retired. However, Jurgensen broke out in a big way in ’61 on his way to a Hall of Fame career with the Eagles and Redskins.

Billy Barnes also had an impressive first year, gaining selection to the Pro Bowl as he rushed for 529 yards on 143 carries (3.7 avg.) and caught 19 passes for 212 more. Jim Brown outdid the rest of the rookie class, however, as he led the NFL in rushing with 942 yards on the way to becoming the league’s dominant rusher over the course of a brilliant nine-year career that, like Jurgensen's, led to enshrinement in Canton.

1964: Late Scores Propel Cards to Win Over Redskins

The St. Louis Cardinals were 3-1-1 and battling to stay even with the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Eastern Conference race as they hosted the Washington Redskins on October 18, 1964. Coached by Wally Lemm, the Cardinals had a well-balanced offense with occasionally-erratic but typically effective QB Charley Johnson (pictured at right) throwing to outstanding receivers in split end Sonny Randle and flanker Bobby Joe Conrad or handing off to a good group of running backs led by HB John David Crow. The defense featured linebackers Dale Meinert and Bill Koman plus CB Pat Fischer and FS Larry Wilson. PK Jim Bakken was one of the league’s best.

The Redskins, coached by Bill McPeak for the fourth year, were 1-4, having lost to the Cards two weeks earlier at home and won for the first time the previous week. Washington had not put together a winning record since 1955 but had made key acquisitions in the previous offseason, most notably QB Sonny Jurgensen, obtained from the Eagles, and MLB Sam Huff, formerly of the Giants. In addition, rookie HB Charley Taylor had been drafted in the first round out of Arizona State and was proving to be an excellent outside runner as well as pass receiver.

There were 23,748 in attendance on a 60-degree day at Busch Stadium. They saw Washington start fast, scoring two touchdowns in the first six minutes of the first quarter. Jurgensen threw to Taylor for a 77-yard gain that set up a one-yard sneak by the quarterback for a TD.

On the first play following the ensuing kickoff, Charley Johnson fumbled while rolling out and DT Joe Rutgens recovered for the Redskins. Jurgensen threw to split end Angelo Coia, who beat CB Jimmy Hill for a 32-yard touchdown. Including two successful extra points, it was 14-0 in favor of the visitors.

Before the opening period was over, however, Jim Bakken kicked a 17-yard field goal for the Cards and then Dale Meinert recovered a fumble by Washington HB Tom Tracy at the Redskins’ 27. St. Louis quickly capitalized when Johnson passed to Sonny Randle for an 11-yard TD. The score was 14-10 after a quarter of play.

Midway through the second quarter St. Louis took the lead when a 35-yard drive ended with John David Crow running for a nine-yard touchdown. With time running out in the first half the Cardinals went 52 yards on a possession that ended when Johnson fooled the Redskins defense by passing to a wide-open TE Jackie Smith for a one-yard TD pass. The Cards were up by 24-14 at the half.

Neither team was able to move the ball during the third quarter, but two interceptions set up Washington scores as the Redskins defense proved effective against the St. Louis offense for most of the second half. Johnson had difficulty completing passes until midway through the final period.

Early in the fourth quarter, CB Johnny Sample intercepted a Johnson pass at the Washington 28 and returned it to the 44. The Redskins took advantage as Taylor ran for a 37-yard gain and Jurgensen completed an 18-yard pass to star flanker Bobby Mitchell for a touchdown to make it a three-point game.

LB Jim Carr intercepted another pass by Johnson that gave the Redskins good field position at the St. Louis 49. The ensuing drive stalled at the 15 and a well-thrown Jurgensen pass was dropped by Coia in the end zone. Washington had to settle for a field goal by 40-year-old Jim Martin from 24 yards out to tie the game at 24-24 with just under two minutes left to play.

The Cardinals took possession at their 27 to start the ensuing drive. Johnson, who had been ineffective for much of the second half, threw to FB Joe Childress (pictured at left) for a 30-yard gain. Following two runs by Childress that added another 13 yards, Johnson then connected with split end Bill Gambrell for 11 yards to the Washington 19 with the clock down to 48 seconds. A five-yard completion to Conrad was followed by a short run by Crow and then Johnson’s pass to Conrad, who broke two tackles, for a 12-yard touchdown.

Now down by seven points, a desperate Jurgensen threw a desperation pass that was intercepted by Pat Fischer and returned 39 yards for a TD to seal the 38-24 win for St. Louis.

The Cardinals had more total yards (366 to 264) and far more first downs (26 to 9). But four turnovers, including the two damaging interceptions that led directly to Washington scores, hurt St. Louis while the Redskins turned the ball over three times. In addition, Johnson was sacked five times while the St. Louis defense failed to register any sacks at all.

Charley Johnson completed 17 of 30 passes for 226 yards with three touchdowns but also three interceptions. He also gained 32 yards on four rushes. Joe Childress ran for 86 yards on 15 carries and caught two passes for 48 more yards while John David Crow contributed 53 yards on 16 attempts that included a TD. Bobby Joe Conrad (pictured below) was the top receiver for St. Louis with 5 catches for 52 yards and the game-winning touchdown.

For the Redskins, Charley Taylor had a big day with 62 yards rushing on 9 carries and three pass receptions for 81 yards. Sonny Jurgensen was successful on 11 of 25 throws for 159 yards and two TDs with one intercepted. Bobby Mitchell and Angelo Coia each had three catches for 35 yards and scored a touchdown.

The win kept the Cardinals even with the Browns atop the Eastern Conference, but a midseason slump hurt their chances and while they finished up with four straight wins, it gave them a 9-3-2 record that placed second to Cleveland’s 10-3-1. The Redskins won five of their next six contests and ended up tied for third in the conference with Philadelphia at 6-8.

Charley Johnson led the NFL in pass attempts (420), completions (223), yards (3045), and, more unfortunately, interceptions (24) while ranking fourth in touchdown passes with 21. Bobby Joe Conrad was the fourth-ranked pass receiver in the league with 61 catches, good for 780 yards (12.8 avg.) and six TDs. He was selected to the Pro Bowl.

Sonny Jurgensen had a good first year in Washington, ranking second to Johnson in pass completions (207) and yards (2934) while ranking ahead in touchdown passes (24) and with far fewer interceptions (13). Like Conrad, he was chosen for the Pro Bowl.

Charley Taylor (pictured below) had an outstanding first year, garnering Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl honors as he rushed for 755 yards on 199 carries (3.8 avg.) and caught 53 passes for 814 yards (15.4 avg.) and totaled 10 touchdowns. Two years later, he was shifted to split end as he went on to a 13-season Hall of Fame career.

1926: Driscoll Dominates as Bears Shut Out Cards

In the early days of the NFL, one of the league’s biggest stars was John “Paddy” Driscoll. At a time when versatility was highly valued, the 5’11”, 160-pound Driscoll could run and pass effectively out of the quarterback, halfback, or tailback positions, was a good defensive player, and an excellent punter and drop-kicker. After playing collegiately at Northwestern and having a brief major league baseball career, Driscoll was with the Great Lakes Naval Training Station football team that won the 1919 Rose Bowl (and included George Halas, later the long-time head coach and owner of the Bears). After playing professionally in the pre-NFL year of 1919 with Hammond, he joined the Chicago Cardinals of the new league (then called the American Professional Football Association) for 1920.

From then through 1925, Driscoll scored 17 touchdowns, kicked 37 field goals and 31 extra points, and scored 244 points while receiving All-Pro recognition in five of the six years. He led the league in scoring in 1923 and in field goals on three occasions, including 1925 as the Cardinals won the NFL Championship. Driscoll also tended to be particularly effective against the cross-town rivals of the Cards, the Chicago Bears.

In 1926, a rival league, the first to be called the American Football League, was formed and Driscoll received a salary offer from that circuit’s Chicago franchise that the Cardinals could not match. Not wanting to see Driscoll go to the other circuit, the Cards sold him to Halas and the Bears for $3500.

Driscoll proved to be a good pickup for the Bears, and on October 17, 1926 they faced the Cardinals. It was a big game – both teams had yet to lose (the Cards were 4-0 and the Bears 3-0-1). There were 12,000 fans in attendance at Normal Park, home of the Cards.

Three minutes into the first quarter, Driscoll dropkicked a 38-yard field goal following his fair catch of a punt. Early in the second quarter, Driscoll passed to Halas, an end as well as the owner and coach, for a 40-yard gain to the Cardinals’ 20. He followed up with a run around end for 11 yards and shortly thereafter went off tackle for a five-yard touchdown. The multitalented back added the extra point to make it 10-0.

Later in the same period, center George Trafton of the Bears intercepted a pass in Cardinals territory, and while they weren’t able to move the ball on offense, Driscoll booted a 25-yard field goal. Before the end of the half, Driscoll completed the scoring with a 50-yard field goal and that was it. While the Cardinals drove into Bears territory on several occasions during the second half, fumbles kept them from scoring and the halftime score of 16-0 ended up being the final tally.

The Bears accumulated 10 first downs to 8 for the Cards. Paddy Driscoll accounted for all of the points against his former team as he kicked three field goals, scored a touchdown, and added the extra point. Backs Roy Lamb and Red Dunn were the top ground gainers for the Cardinals.

The first defeat of the season for the Cardinals moved the Bears into undisputed possession of first place. They didn’t hold onto it in the end, however, finishing second in the division-less, 22-club NFL with a 12-1-3 record. The only team to defeat them, the Frankford Yellow Jackets, claimed the league title at 14-1-2. The Cardinals slumped to 5-6-1, winning just one more game after the initial loss to the Bears (they played them twice more and suffered another defeat along with a tie). They placed tenth in the final standings.

Paddy Driscoll led the NFL in scoring for the second time with 86 points and also was the leader in touchdown passes (6, tied with Eddie Scharer of the Detroit Panthers) and field goals (12) – both were league records, the scoring mark lasting until 1941 and the field goal total remaining the standard until 1950. He also scored a total of six touchdowns and kicked 14 extra points and was named first-team All-NFL by Collyers Eye Magazine, the Chicago Tribune, and the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

Driscoll stayed with the Bears until 1929, when his playing career ended. At the time, he was the NFL’s career scoring leader with 402 points and, not surprisingly, the career leader in field goals with 51. His 63 extra points were also a record and he was named to at least one all-league team in eight of his nine years in the NFL. Driscoll went on to become a long-time assistant coach for the Bears and was head coach in 1956 and ’57, when Halas took a hiatus. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1965.

1989: Backup QB Reich Leads Bills to Last-Minute Win Against Rams

The Buffalo Bills were 3-2 and without their starting quarterback as they took on the undefeated Los Angeles Rams on October 16, 1989. QB Jim Kelly suffered a shoulder separation in a 37-14 loss to the Colts the previous week and the little-known backup quarterback, Frank Reich, was forced to step in. Under Head Coach Marv Levy, the Bills had won the AFC East in 1988 and featured a productive offense that included RB Thurman Thomas and WR Andre Reed while the defense was anchored by DE Bruce Smith and included a good linebacking corps.

The Rams, in their eighth season under Head Coach John Robinson, were 5-0 and a more pass-oriented team than they had been throughout most of Robinson’s tenure with the club. QB Jim Everett was the reason, and he had a reliable target for his passes in WR Henry Ellard while second-year WR Willie “Flipper” Anderson was emerging as a potent deep threat.

It was a rainy Monday night at Rich Stadium for the nationally-telecast contest. Things started well for the Rams when CB Jerry Gray intercepted Frank Reich’s second pass of the night, giving LA good field position at the Buffalo 46. The Bills defense held, but Dale Hatcher’s punt was muffed by CB Mickey Sutton and recovered by LA’s WR Ron Brown at the Buffalo 16. Five plays later Everett threw to RB Buford McGee in the end zone for a three-yard touchdown.

There was no further scoring in the first quarter as neither offense was able to get much going. Buffalo got a break with 5:23 to go in the half when Los Angeles RB Greg Bell (an ex-Bill) fumbled at his own 20 and NT Jeff Wright recovered. Scott Norwood kicked a 28-yard field goal four plays after that to cut LA’s lead to 7-3.

The Bills got the ball back at the Rams’ 49 following a punt with 2:16 left on the clock and advanced to the 29 in seven plays, from where Norwood was again successful on a 47-yard field goal try to make it 7-6 at the half.

The defenses continued to dominate in the third quarter. On their third series of the second half, the Rams drove into Bills territory as Everett completed passes to Henry Ellard for 24 and 19 yards. The drive stalled at the Buffalo 17 and Mike Lansford booted a 34-yard field goal to stretch the LA lead to 10-6.

The Bills responded with a late-period scoring drive that stretched into the fourth quarter. Reich completed a pass to Thurman Thomas for 13 yards in a third-and-10 situation and Buffalo advanced to the Los Angeles 23. The 12-play, 52-yard possession ended with another Norwood field goal, this time from 40 yards.

It was once again a one-point game, but the Rams came back with a long series that covered 60 yards in 12 plays. Everett completed four passes and Lansford capped the drive with a 36-yard field goal.

On Buffalo’s next play from scrimmage, Reich threw to Andre Reed for a 47-yard gain to the LA 39. A costly defensive holding penalty nullified a sack of Reich on third down and a 15-yard completion to Reed put the ball at the six. Reich’s one-yard TD pass to Thomas and Norwood’s extra point put the Bills in front for the first time at 16-13 with a little over two minutes remaining.

The Rams failed to convert a fourth-and-four play just after the two minute warning, but three plays later Thomas fumbled and safety Michael Stewart recovered. LA made the Bills pay in short order as Everett passed to the fleet Willie Anderson for a 78-yard touchdown. It was 20-16 and, with the Bills getting the ball back with 1:17 left on the clock, it seemed as though the Rams would remain undefeated.

Reich passed to Reed on first down, who fumbled but C Kent Hull saved the day for Buffalo by recovering. A short completion to Thomas was followed by a false start penalty that made it third-and-six. Reich threw to Thomas for 17 yards and a first down at the LA 43. Two more passes to Thomas gained another 21 yards and a toss to RB Ronnie Harmon picked up 14 yards. With 20 seconds left in the game, Reich threw to Reed for an eight-yard touchdown to finish off the seven-play, 64-yard drive. It finished off the Rams, too, as there was time left for only one Everett pass and Buffalo won by a score of 23-20.

Buffalo outgained the Rams (348 yards to 266) and had more first downs (17 to 15). Of LA’s yardage total, only 59 came on the ground. The Bills turned the ball over four times, to two suffered by Los Angeles.

Frank Reich, overcoming a slow start, completed 21 of 37 passes for 214 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Thurman Thomas (pictured below) rushed for 105 yards on 24 carries and caught 9 passes for 67 yards and a TD. Andre Reed gained 106 yards on 8 pass receptions that included the winning touchdown.

For the Rams, Jim Everett was successful on just 15 of 36 throws for 219 yards and two TDs with one picked off. With the long scoring reception Flipper Anderson had 87 yards on only two catches while Henry Ellard hauled in 4 passes for 70 yards. Greg Bell, the NFL’s second-ranking rusher coming into the game, ran for 44 yards on 21 attempts.

Reich continued to perform well for the Bills, leading them to two more wins before Kelly returned to the lineup. It was a controversy-filled year in Buffalo as Kelly feuded with teammates, two assistant coaches engaged in a fist fight in the film room, and fingers were pointed at players who had fueled the ’88 surge but seemed less consistent in 1989. For all that, Buffalo topped the AFC East for the second straight year, but with a lesser 9-7 record. The Bills lost at Cleveland in the Divisional playoff round.

As for the Rams, the loss at Buffalo was the first of four in a row, but they recovered to finish with six wins in their last seven games to finish at 11-5 and second to San Francisco in the NFC West. They qualified for the postseason as a Wild Card and advanced to the conference title game where they lost to the arch-rival 49ers.

In his relief role, Frank Reich completed 53 of 87 passes (60.9 %) for 701 yards with seven touchdowns and two interceptions. He went on to play five more years in Buffalo before moving on to the expansion Carolina Panthers, capably backing up Jim Kelly and engineering a memorable comeback in the 1992 postseason. 

1945: Rams Explode in 4th Quarter to Beat Packers

The NFL contest in Green Bay on October 14, 1945 was a faceoff between two Western Division teams that had started off the season at 2-0. The Green Bay Packers were the defending NFL Champions and still a potent squad, especially after their all-time great end Don Hutson had been persuaded to put off retirement and come back for another year. Coached by Curly Lambeau, the franchise’s founder, the Packers were a team that was used to contending.

As for the visiting Cleveland Rams, they had never been above .500 in any season since joining the NFL in 1937. But they had a new head coach in Adam Walsh, who installed a T-formation offense, and a talented rookie quarterback out of UCLA to run it in Bob Waterfield (pictured above). The Rams had an outstanding receiver of their own in end Jim Benton, who was ably complemented by Steve Pritko, plus a good group of running backs.

There were 24,607 fans in attendance at Green Bay’s City Stadium on a bright and clear day. The Rams scored on their first possession, driving 49 yards and finishing with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Waterfield to Benton. While Waterfield’s first extra point attempt was successful, it was nullified by a holding penalty and the second try was no good when it sailed wide. Still, Cleveland was ahead by 6-0.

That remained the situation until the third quarter when Rams HB Tom Colella fumbled and Green Bay tackle Paul Lipscomb recovered at the Cleveland 25. FB Ted Fritsch ran three times to get to the one and tailback Irv Comp went the last yard for a TD. Hutson kicked the extra point to put the Packers ahead by 7-6.

In the fourth quarter, the Packers went 54 yards, with the highlight a pass from tailback Roy McKay to Hutson for 24 yards. Fritsch plowed through the middle for a three-yard touchdown and Hutson added the point after.

Down by 14-6 in the final period, the Rams had possession at their own 27 and put together a seven-play scoring drive. Waterfield capped it by passing to Colella for a nine-yard TD. Cleveland then received a big break when Green Bay’s McKay fumbled and tackle Roger Eason recovered for the Rams at the Packers’ 17. FB Don Greenwood, Colella, and Waterfield each took a turn running the ball to get to the one yard line and Greenwood scored from there.

McKay and Comp took turns trying to connect on passes to Don Hutson until DB Albie Reisz intercepted one and returned it to the Green Bay 5. Colella ran the ball in from there for a touchdown that sealed the win for the Rams. Thanks to the three fourth quarter TDs, and Waterfield’s successful conversions after each, Cleveland came away the winner by a final score of 27-14.

The Rams led in total yards (289 to 232) but Green Bay had the edge in first downs (16 to 12). However, Cleveland ran the ball more effectively (154 yards on 45 carries to 81 yards on 39 attempts) and the Packers turned the ball over six times, as opposed to four turnovers by the Rams.

As usual, Don Hutson was Green Bay’s chief offensive weapon, catching 7 passes for 110 yards, but he was unable to penetrate the end zone (he had done so four times in one quarter the previous week against Detroit). Jim Benton caught 5 passes for 85 yards and a touchdown for the Rams.

The win moved the Rams into first place in the Western Division and that’s where they stayed, going 9-1 and beating Washington for the NFL title. Green Bay dropped to third with a 6-4 record.

Bob Waterfield overcame a severe rib injury to achieve league MVP honors while passing for 1609 yards and leading the league in yards per attempt (9.4) and touchdown passes (14, tied with Sid Luckman of the Bears).

Jim Benton (pictured below) and Don Hutson were the NFL’s most productive receivers. In his final season, Hutson led the league for the eighth time (fifth consecutive) with 47 pass receptions while his 834 yards ranked second to Benton’s 1067. Benton placed second to Hutson with 45 catches.

The 1945 season marked a change in direction for the two franchises. Green Bay went into a decline that wasn’t reversed until the arrival of Vince Lombardi as head coach and general manager in 1959. The Rams, who moved to Los Angeles in 1946, won four division or conference titles over the course of the next decade and a league championship while regularly being among the NFL’s contending teams.