MVP Profile: Brian Urlacher, 2005

Linebacker, Chicago Bears

Age:  27

6^th season in pro football & with Bears

College: New Mexico

Height: 6’4”   Weight: 258

Prelude:

A versatile player in college, Urlacher was the first round draft choice of the Bears in 2000 and had an immediate impact. He was ideally suited to playing middle linebacker with his speed and tackling ability in the open field and excellent instincts. Urlacher was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first of four consecutive seasons. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection in 2001 and ’02.

2005 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

(Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20)

Sacks – 6

Most sacks, game – 2 vs. Detroit 9/18, vs. Minnesota 10/16

Interceptions – 0

Fumble recoveries – 0

Forced fumbles – 1

Tackles – 98

Assists – 24

Postseason: 1 G (NFC Divisional playoff vs. Carolina)

Sacks – 0

Interceptions – 1

Int. return yards – 20

TD – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Defensive Player of the Year: AP

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

1^st team All-NFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Bears went 11-5 to finish first in the NFC North while leading the NFL in fewest points allowed (202). Lost NFC Divisional playoff to Carolina Panthers (29-21).

Aftermath:

Urlacher was again a consensus first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection in 2006 as the Bears won the NFC Championship. He began to show signs of wear later in the decade and, after typically being a durable player, missed all but one game in 2009 due to a wrist injury in the opening contest. But Urlacher returned to Pro Bowl form in 2010 and ’11. Through 2012, he had accumulated 41.5 sacks and 22 interceptions and had been chosen to eight Pro Bowls.

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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.

1988: Redskins Defeat Vikings in Defensive Struggle for NFC Championship

Both of the teams facing each other for the NFC Championship on January 17, 1988 had concerns coming into the postseason. While the Washington Redskins won the NFC East with an 11-4 record in the strike-affected season, Head Coach Joe Gibbs’ team had to overcome problems along the way. QB Jay Schroeder was erratic and split time with 32-year-old veteran QB Doug Williams, who took over the job in the playoffs. RB George Rogers was hampered by a toe injury, necessitating the use of unproven rookie RB Timmy Smith, who joined with veteran Kelvin Bryant, an outstanding third-down receiver out of the backfield. The receiving corps was strong, as well as the offensive line. DE Charles Mann emerged as a star across from the talented but erratic Dexter Manley and veteran CB Darrell Green was joined by talented newcomers in the defensive backfield. The Redskins got past the Bears in their Divisional Playoff game.

The Minnesota Vikings, coached by Jerry Burns, lost all three of the games that included replacement players and then barely made it into the playoffs with an 8-7 record after losing three of their last four regular season games, including one to the Redskins. However, they thrashed New Orleans in the Wild Card Playoff and then won a stunning upset over the top-ranked 49ers in the Divisional round to advance to the conference title game. QB Wade Wilson played well in place of injured starting QB Tommy Kramer and WR Anthony Carter averaged 24.3 yards per catch during the season and lit up San Francisco for 227 yards. The defensive line was outstanding and included ends Chris Doleman, a converted linebacker, and Doug Martin and tackles Keith Millard and Henry Thomas. SS Joey Browner was a solid Pro Bowl-level contributor.

It was a mostly cloudy day in the thirties with 55,212 in attendance at RFK Stadium. The Vikings drove to the Washington 35 in the first series of the game before having to punt. Bucky Scribner’s kick was downed at the two. George Rogers ran twice for 12 yards to give the Redskins some room. A Doug Williams pass to WR Gary Clark and another carry by Rogers got Washington out to the 30 before WR Ricky Sanders took off for 28 yards on a reverse. Williams tossed two incomplete passes before, on third-and-ten, he hit Kelvin Bryant for a 42-yard touchdown to complete the 98-yard drive. Ali Haji-Sheikh added the extra point to give the home team a 7-0 lead.

Minnesota went three-and-out on its next possession and, to make matters worse, Scribner’s punt traveled only 19 yards, thus giving the Redskins good field position at their 45. However, after advancing to the Minnesota 21, Haji-Sheikh missed on a 38-yard field goal attempt that hit the right upright. The score remained unchanged heading into the second quarter.

The game settled into a defensive struggle with neither club able to sustain a drive. On a first down play with just over five minutes remaining in the half, the Redskins got something going when Timmy Smith took off on a 34-yard carry to the Minnesota 31. However, they gained just two more yards before Haji-Sheikh attempted another field goal, this time from 47 yards, and failed again.

The Vikings struck back quickly as Wade Wilson threw to TE Steve Jordan for 36 yards. Three plays later, Wilson connected with WR Leo Lewis for a 23-yard TD and, with Chuck Nelson adding the point after, the score was tied at 7-7, which was the score at halftime.

The teams again traded punts during the third quarter, battling for field position, until a pass by Wilson that was tipped by DT Dave Butz was picked off by LB Mel Kaufman to give the Redskins the ball at the Minnesota 17. Four plays later, Haji-Sheikh kicked a 28-yard field goal to put Washington ahead by 10-7.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Vikings put together a 10-play drive that went 52 yards. Wilson hit Anthony Carter (pictured at right) for a 23-yard gain to the Washington 30 and throws to RB Allen Rice for 15 yards and Jordan for 9 got the ball inside the ten. But with first-and-goal at the three, Minnesota was unable to cross the goal line on three running plays and settled for Nelson’s game-tying field goal from 18 yards.

The Redskins responded by going 70 yards in eight plays, the first four of which were runs by Smith. Williams then went long for Clark to pick up 43 yards to the Minnesota 11. Another Williams pass to Clark was good for a seven-yard touchdown that put Washington ahead to stay.

There were still over five minutes left on the clock as the Vikings regained possession following a 28-yard kickoff return by RB Darrin Nelson. With Wilson completing five passes along the way, Minnesota advanced to the Washington six. However, three throws fell incomplete, including the last one on fourth down that bounced off Nelson’s hands. The Redskins became NFC Champions by a score of 17-10.

Washington led in total yards (280 to 259) although the Vikings had more first downs (16 to 11). The Redskins were stronger on the ground (161 yards to 76). They also accumulated eight sacks, with two apiece by Dave Butz and Dexter Manley, while the Vikings had none (pictured at top #72 Manley and Butz at right). Minnesota also suffered the game’s only turnover.

Doug Williams completed only 9 of 26 passes for 119 yards, but two were for touchdowns while none were picked off. Timmy Smith (pictured at left taking handoff from Williams), who ran the ball a mere 29 times during the regular season, rushed for 72 yards on 13 carries while George Rogers added 46 yards on 12 attempts. Kelvin Bryant, who had just four rushing yards on four carries, led the Redskins with four catches, for 47 yards and a TD, while Gary Clark had 57 yards and the winning score on his three receptions.

For the Vikings, Wade Wilson was successful on 19 of 39 throws for 243 yards and a touchdown as well as an interception and was also the club’s leading rusher with 28 yards on four carries. Anthony Carter caught 7 passes  for 85 yards. RB Alfred Anderson had the most rushing yards of any of the team’s running backs with 25 yards on four attempts.

 “The defense was absolutely fantastic,” said an ecstatic Joe Gibbs. “They held Minnesota at bay, and they’re a great offensive team.”

“They shut us down,” said Washington’s Gary Clark of the Vikings defense, “but the defense kept holding for us and holding for us.”

“We’ve been sort of plagued by that all year – not getting the ball in the end zone,” said a disappointed Coach Jerry Burns. “We gave it everything we had. You’ve got to give some credit to the Redskins defense.”

The Redskins, in the Super Bowl for the third time in six years, exploded in the second quarter on the way to a big win over the Denver Broncos. They sagged to 7-9 in 1988. Minnesota again reached the postseason as a Wild Card team with an 11-5 record but fell to San Francisco in the Divisional playoff round. 

1994: Cowboys Overcome Packers for NFC Divisional Playoff Win

The Dallas Cowboys, winners of the Super Bowl following the 1992 NFL season, were strong again in ’93 and posted a conference-best 12-4 record in topping the NFC East. Rebuilt into a championship team by Head Coach Jimmy Johnson, the Cowboys had an offense constructed around QB Troy Aikman (pictured at right), RB Emmitt Smith, and WR Michael Irvin. The defense set a club record by allowing just 21 touchdowns and featured DT Russell Maryland, MLB Ken Norton, CB Kevin Smith, and FS Thomas Everett. Dallas faced the Green Bay Packers in a NFC Divisional Playoff game on January 16, 1994 as they sought to defend their title.

Green Bay was in the postseason for the second straight year under Head Coach Mike Holmgren, again posting a 9-7 record to finish third in the NFC Central but qualify for a Wild Card spot. In his second year as a starter, QB Brett Favre was still a work in progress who suffered with inconsistency (he was intercepted a league-leading 24 times) but was selected to the Pro Bowl. WR Sterling Sharpe caught 112 passes and TE Jackie Harris was a fine pass-catching tight end, but the running game was mediocre.  The defense was anchored by All-Pro DE Reggie White and also contained pass rushing LB Bryce Paup and SS LeRoy Butler. The Packers defeated the division-rival Lions in the Wild Card round to advance to the Divisional playoff against the Cowboys.

It was a mostly-cloudy day with 64,790 in attendance at Texas Stadium. The Packers got an apparent early break when Emmitt Smith, who was still recovering from a shoulder separation, fumbled after being hit by LB Tony Bennett and Butler recovered at the Dallas 43. But Green Bay gave the ball right back on the next play when Favre fumbled while being sacked by DE Tony Tolbert and DE Leon Lett recovered the ball for the Cowboys. The teams traded punts and, following a short series for Dallas, a fake punt on fourth-and-one failed to pick up the necessary yardage and Green Bay took over in Cowboys territory at the 28. This time the Packers got on the board but, after advancing 16 yards in seven plays, they had to settle for Chris Jacke kicking a 30-yard field goal.

The Cowboys were driving as the opening period ended, but early in the second quarter Butler intercepted an Aikman pass. However, the Packers lost yardage in three plays and punted, and Dallas put together an eight-play, 68-yard scoring series. Aikman completed four passes, the last to WR Alvin Harper for a 25-yard touchdown. Ed Murray added the point after and it was 7-3.

The Packers started off their next possession from deep in their own territory when CB Corey Harris fumbled the ball out of bounds at the four on the kickoff return. However, following a short run on first down, Favre threw to TE Darryl Ingram for seven yards and then hit Sterling Sharpe for a 48-yard gain to the Dallas 39. Green Bay advanced to the 31, from where Jacke’s 49-yard field goal try was unsuccessful when it hit the right upright.

The Cowboys came back with a 10-play, 45-yard series. Aikman had completions to Smith for 22 yards and to Irvin for 11 and 13 yards before the drive stalled at the Green Bay 23. Murray made good on a 41-yard field goal attempt that made it 10-3 with 28 seconds remaining in the half. The scoring wasn’t over, however, as Harris again lost the ball when stripped by DB Kenneth Gant on the kickoff return and safety Joe Fishback recovered the fumble for Dallas at the Green Bay 15. Aikman threw to Irvin for eight yards and then to TE Jay Novacek for six yards and a TD. The Cowboys went into halftime with an enhanced 17-3 lead.

The Packers had the first possession in the third quarter and punted, but got a break on defense when CB Terrell Buckley intercepted an Aikman pass at the Green Bay 40. Favre quickly passed them into Dallas territory and RB Darrell Thompson gained 12 yards on two carries, but the drive stalled at the 37. The Packers attempted to convert a fourth-and-eight situation, but Favre’s completion to TE Ed West gained only six yards.

The Cowboys made the most of the reprieve and went 69 yards in six plays. An 18-yard Aikman-to-Irvin completion had another 15 yards tacked on due to a face mask penalty and Aikman connected with Irvin again with a well-thrown pass to the back of the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown.

Down 24-10, the Packers came back with a scoring drive of their own. Favre completed four straight passes after facing a third-and-six situation at his own 22, the longest to Thompson for 30 yards. The nine-play, 82-yard series ended with Favre throwing to WR Robert Brooks for a 13-yard TD. With the extra point added, it was a 14-point game with just over a quarter remaining.

Following a punt by the Cowboys early in the final period that was returned 43 yards by Brooks, Favre was immediately picked off by DE Charles Haley after his pass was deflected by DE Jim Jeffcoat. Dallas moved down the field, going 47 yards in 9 plays, highlighted by a nine-yard Aikman completion to Novacek on a third-and-six play and another throw to Irvin that picked up 27 yards. The Packers stiffened and, on a third down play at the Green Bay 15, Aikman was sacked by Bryce Paup. However, Murray added a 38-yard field goal and the Cowboys had managed to run 5:33 off the clock.

With Favre throwing on every play, the Packers drove from their own 15 to the Dallas 15. But the thirteenth play of the possession ended with SS Darren Woodson intercepting a pass at the five to essentially nail down the win. Green Bay scored a touchdown in the last two minutes as Favre threw to Sharpe from 29 yards out, but it was a case of too little, too late. Dallas won by a score of 27-17.

The Cowboys had the edge in total yards (381 to 358) and first downs (23 to 19). Neither team gained much on the ground (97 yards on 27 attempts for Dallas, 31 yards on 13 carries for Green Bay) and the Packers sacked Aikman four times, to just two sacks of Favre. However, the Packers also turned the ball over on four occasions, to three by Dallas, and the Cowboys took better advantage of their breaks.

Troy Aikman completed 28 of 37 passes for 302 yards with three touchdowns against two interceptions. Michael Irvin (pictured above) led the Dallas receivers with 9 catches for 126 yards and a TD. Emmitt Smith gained 60 yards on 13 rushing attempts.

For the Packers, Brett Favre (pictured below) was successful on 28 of 45 throws, going 20 of 34 in the second half alone, for 331 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. RB Edgar Bennett, who gained just three yards on six carries, led the receivers with 9 catches for 53 yards while Sterling Sharpe gained 128 yards on his 6 receptions and scored a touchdown. Darrell Thompson was the leading rusher with 28 yards on 7 attempts.

“I thought our defense played a very fine first half,” said Mike Holmgren. “That’s why that touchdown near the end of the first half hurt so much.”

“That was probably the biggest play of the game,” said Thomas Everett of the fumble referenced by Holmgren that set up the score before halftime. “We did a good job. We needed something like that, because it was a tight game.”
 

“You’ve just got to give them all the credit in the world,” summed up Green Bay DE Matt Brock. “They play like world champs.”

The Cowboys went on to defeat the 49ers for the NFC title for the second straight year and then won the Super Bowl over the Buffalo Bills, also for the second year in succession. Jimmy Johnson left as head coach, to be succeeded by Barry Switzer, and while Dallas put together another 12-4 record in 1994, the club fell short in the NFC title game. The Packers were 9-7 for the third straight year in ’94, again qualifying for the postseason as a Wild Card and falling once again to the Cowboys at the Division level. Things would change regarding the relative status of the two teams later in the decade, particularly as Brett Favre improved, but at this point Dallas was the superior club.

2005: Steelers Beat Jets in Divisional Playoff with FG in Overtime

The AFC Divisional Playoff game at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field on January 15, 2005 appeared to be a mismatch. The Pittsburgh Steelers were perennial contenders under Head Coach Bill Cowher and had gone 15-1 during the 2004 regular season. Rookie QB Ben Roethlisberger took over as the starting quarterback three games into the schedule when veteran Tommy Maddox was injured and was nothing short of sensational – the team won all 13 of his starts and he set rookie records by completing 66.4 % of his passes and compiling a 98.1 passer rating. He was helped by an outstanding ground game that featured the aging Jerome Bettis (pictured above) and newcomer Duce Staley, signed away from the Eagles. Pro Bowl WR Hines Ward was the most productive passing target. Most of all, the defense was the league’s best and contained Pro Bowlers in DE Aaron Smith, ILB James Farrior, OLB Joey Porter, and SS Troy Polamalu.

The visiting New York Jets placed second in the AFC East with a 10-6 record and had just gotten past the Chargers in overtime in the Wild Card Playoff round to advance to the Divisional level. Under Head Coach Herman Edwards, the backfield contained the NFL’s leading rusher in RB Curtis Martin (1697 yards) and the Jets utilized a West Coast passing offense that was directed by QB Chad Pennington, who made up for a weak arm with accuracy and toughness (he was battling a sore shoulder that would require rotator cuff surgery in the offseason). The defense was not on a par with Pittsburgh’s but was aggressive and tough against the run. However, the Jets had scored just six points in each of their prior two games against the Steelers, including a few weeks earlier during the regular season, and were clear underdogs.

Neither offense was able to get out of its own side of the field until midway through the first quarter when the Steelers drove 36 yards in seven plays. Jerome Bettis gained 17 yards in three carries and Ben Roethlisberger completed a pass to Hines Ward for 14 yards. Jeff Reed kicked a 49-yard field goal to give Pittsburgh the early 3-0 advantage.

On the second play of New York’s next series, Chad Pennington was intercepted by Troy Polamalu, who returned it 15 yards to give the Steelers excellent field position at the Jets’ 25. Five plays later, Bettis ran three yards up the middle for a touchdown and, with the successful extra point, it was a 10-0 game.

The Jets responded with a drive that extended into the second quarter and went 39 yards in 11 plays. Doug Brien’s 42-yard field goal attempt was successful and narrowed the score to 10-3. The Steelers went three-and-out in their next possession but, following a penalty on the punt return, New York started its next series at its own ten yard line. Pennington threw to WR Justin McCareins for a 30-yard gain but the promising drive finally stalled at the Pittsburgh 34 and the Jets punted. The Steelers also punted following a drive that netted 15 yards and WR Santana Moss (pictured below) returned it 75 yards for a touchdown that, combined with the successful PAT, tied the score at 10-10. That was still the tally at halftime.

The teams traded punts to start the third quarter but the Steelers drove into New York territory in their second possession. Roethlisberger completed passes to Ward for 12 yards, WR Plaxico Burress for 17, and WR Lee Mays for eight yards in a third-and-three situation. But after reaching the New York 34, a pass by Roethlisberger was picked off by SS Reggie Tongue, who returned it 86 yards for a TD. Thanks to the big plays on the punt and interception returns, the Jets were ahead by 17-10 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Steelers again advanced into New York territory but another turnover blunted a promising drive as Bettis uncharacteristically fumbled and FS Erik Coleman recovered at the 23. The Jets failed to get a first down and kicked the ball back to the Steelers, who started off from their 34 with 12:41 left in regulation. Pittsburgh put together another good drive, going 66 yards in 12 plays, and this time there were no turnovers. Roethlisberger took off for a 20-yard run to start the series which, with the exception of three short passes, stayed on the ground. Bettis and Duce Staley both carried the ball and the third of the passes was to Ward for a four-yard TD. Reed’s extra point tied the score at 17-17.

The Jets now moved the ball effectively as Pennington connected with McCareins for a 22-yard gain and Curtis Martin for 17. However, after reaching the Pittsburgh 28 the resulting 47-yard field goal try by Brien struck the goal post and was unsuccessful. But the Jets got the ball back right away when a Roethlisberger pass was intercepted by CB David Barrett and returned 25 yards to the Pittsburgh 36. It seemed as though the Jets had the game in hand as they chipped away to the 24 and, with time running out in regulation, lined up for another field goal attempt by Brien. The 43-yard kick, sailing far off the mark, was no good and the contest proceeded into overtime.

The Jets had the first possession in overtime and had to punt from their 41. Following WR Antwaan Randle El’s eight-yard return, the Steelers started off from their 13 yard line and went 72 yards in 14 plays. Along the way, Roethlisberger threw to Ward for a 17-yard gain on a third-and-six play and Pittsburgh converted a third-and-five situation thanks to a nine-yard run by RB Verron Haynes. Staley followed up with three carries for 17 yards to get the ball to the New York 24 and, after advancing further to the 15, Reed booted a 33-yard field goal – his 19^th straight successful three-pointer – to give the Steelers a 20-17 win.

Pittsburgh accumulated more total yards (364 to 275) and first downs (23 to 17). 193 of those yards came on the ground. However, the Steelers also turned the ball over three times, to one by the Jets, which nearly proved fatal.

Ben Roethlisberger (pictured above) completed 17 of 30 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown but with two interceptions. Jerome Bettis led the running game with 101 yards and a TD on 27 carries while Duce Staley added 54 yards on 11 attempts. Hines Ward caught 10 passes for 105 yards and a score.

For the Jets, Chad Pennington was successful on 21 of 33 throws for 182 yards with none for TDs and one intercepted. Curtis Martin rushed for 77 yards on 19 carries and caught four passes for 29 more yards. Justin McCareins led the club with 5 pass receptions for 82 yards. Thanks to the long return for a score, Santana Moss had 83 yards on punt returns to go along with his four catches for 31 yards.

Doug Brien (pictured at right) achieved the dubious distinction of being the first placekicker in NFL history to miss two field goal attempts in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter of a playoff game; just the week before he had booted a field goal in overtime to beat the Chargers.

“I had confidence in him,” said Herman Edwards of the kicker. “He made the one last week and I thought he could make it…He’s been a good kicker for us. It was just a tough day.”

Brien was let go by the Jets during the offseason, after they drafted PK Mike Nugent in the second round out of Ohio State. He was signed by the Bears but appeared in just three games before being dropped to thus end his 12-year NFL career.

The Steelers advanced to the AFC Championship game, which they lost to the New England Patriots. They came back in 2005 with a lesser record, finishing the regular season as a Wild Card team, but went all the way to win the Super Bowl. The Jets dropped to 4-12 in an injury-plagued year before bouncing back to the postseason in ’06.

1974: Miami Dominates on Ground to Defeat Vikings in Super Bowl VIII

Coming off an undefeated season that culminated in a Super Bowl victory certainly was a hard act to follow for the Miami Dolphins in 1973, but while the record was not unblemished, it was still a more-than-satisfactory 12-2. Head Coach Don Shula’s team still featured a strong running game on offense led by the power of FB Larry Csonka (pictured above) and the speed of HB Eugene “Mercury” Morris. QB Bob Griese was efficient and, when he had to throw, he had an outstanding deep threat available in WR Paul Warfield. The offensive line was exemplary and the “No Name Defense” was solid and tough. They again finished atop the AFC East and blew past the Bengals and Raiders to win a third straight AFC title and return to the Super Bowl.

On January 13, 1974 the Dolphins defended their NFL title against the Minnesota Vikings, who had also gone 12-2 in winning the NFC Central. Coached by Bud Grant for the seventh year, the Vikings had long been known for defensive excellence, and that was still the case in ’73. The line of ends Carl Eller and Jim Marshall and tackles Alan Page and Gary Larsen was highly experienced and formidable while the linebacking corps was led by MLB Jeff Siemon and ball-hawking FS Paul Krause was in the backfield. The offense was directed by 33-year-old QB Fran Tarkenton and benefited from the presence of two newcomers, WR John Gilliam, obtained from the Cardinals, and rookie RB Chuck Foreman.

There were 68,142 fans in attendance – not to mention the mammoth television audience – on an overcast day at Houston’s Rice Stadium. The Dolphins had the ball in the opening possession and methodically drove 62 yards in 10 plays. It was all Csonka and Morris running the ball while Griese passed just twice, to TE Jim Mandich (pictured below) for 13 yards in a third-and-four situation, and to WR Marlin Briscoe for six yards to the Minnesota 21. Csonka ran for the last five yards and a touchdown and, with Garo Yepremian’s extra point, the defending champs were ahead by 7-0.

The Vikings responded with a three-and-out series and, after receiving Mike Eischeid’s punt, Miami again advanced almost effortlessly down the field. Once again Griese needed to go to the air just twice, and a 13-yard completion to Briscoe on a third-and-one play gave the Dolphins a first-and-goal at the Minnesota one yard line. Two plays later HB Jim Kiick scored a TD to cap the 10-play, 56-yard drive and it was 14-0 after a quarter of action. It would be all Miami needed.

The Vikings had two more possessions in which they failed to generate a single first down while, in between, the Dolphins , largely thanks to a sack of Griese by DT Alan Page for a ten yard loss, had to punt. But on Miami’s next series, they went 44 yards in seven plays to score again. It was much the same story as before – five runs by Csonka, a ten-yard gain by Morris, and a Griese completion to Paul Warfield for six yards. While the Vikings were actually able to stop Csonka twice for no gain on second and third down in a short-yardage situation, the Dolphins added a 28-yard field goal by Yepremian.

With just over six minutes remaining in the half, the Vikings finally put together a long drive. Tarkenton connected with TE Stu Voigt for 17 yards on a third-and-eight play, again hit Voigt in a third-and-nine situation for 14 yards, and right after the two minute warning threw to John Gilliam for 30 yards to the Miami 15. But on a fourth-and-one play from the Miami six, RB Oscar Reed fumbled and FS Jake Scott recovered. Minnesota came up empty and the Dolphins took the 17-0 lead into halftime.

A 65-yard kickoff return by Gilliam to start the second half was called back due to a clipping penalty and, from that point, the third quarter looked like a reprise of the opening period. The Vikings punted after going nowhere in three plays and Miami put together a 43-yard scoring drive in eight plays. On a third-and-five play, Griese made another of his rare but effective passes, connecting with Warfield for a 27-yard gain to the Minnesota 11. Csonka finished the series off with a two-yard touchdown carry and, at 24-0, the Dolphins had an insurmountable lead.

The Vikings finally put points on the board in the fourth quarter. Tarkenton completed five passes in a 10-play possession that covered 57 yards. The biggest play was a 15-yard throw to Voigt in a third-and-eight situation to start the final period. The nimble quarterback kept the ball himself in running around right end for a four-yard TD and Fred Cox added the extra point.

Minnesota, in desperation, tried an onside kick that was initially successful but was nullified by an offside penalty. The Dolphins got the ball and punted following a short series, and the Vikings, taking over at their three yard line, drove into Miami territory. The highlight of the drive was a swing pass to RB Ed Marinaro that gained 27 yards, but the series stalled at the Miami 32 and Tarkenton’s long third down pass intended for WR Jim Lash was intercepted at the goal line by CB Curtis Johnson.

That was it for the Vikings. Miami controlled the ball for the remaining 6:24 and the Dolphins were once again champions by a score of 24-7.

The Dolphins had more total yards (259 to 238), with 196 of that total coming on the ground, and accumulated more first downs (21 to 14). The Vikings turned the ball over twice, as opposed to none suffered by Miami, and were also penalized seven times at a cost of 65 yards while the Dolphins were flagged just once.

Larry Csonka was the game’s MVP as he rushed for 145 yards on 33 carries and scored two touchdowns. Bob Griese (pictured below) went to the air only 7 times but completed 6 of those passes for 73 yards. Paul Warfield, Jim Mandich, and Marlin Briscoe all caught two passes apiece, for 33, 21, and 19 yards, respectively.

For the Vikings, Fran Tarkenton was successful on 18 of 28 throws for 182 yards with no TDs and one interception – he also ran the ball four times for 17 yards and a touchdown. Oscar Reed led the club in rushing with 32 yards on 11 carries while Chuck Foreman was held to 18 yards on 7 attempts, although he caught 5 passes for 27 yards. Stu Voigt gained a team-leading 46 yards on his three catches and John Gilliam was right behind with 44 yards on four receptions.

“Csonka’s the strongest fullback I’ve ever seen,” said Tarkenton in summation. “We gave them our best shot and weren’t good enough. They played as nearly perfect a game as a team can play.”

Several weeks following the Super Bowl win it was announced that Csonka, Warfield, and Kiick would be jumping to the World Football League’s Toronto Northmen (later Memphis Southmen) for 1975. While a distraction, the Dolphins still topped the AFC East with an 11-3 record in ’74, although the quest for a third straight NFL title ended in a memorable Divisional Playoff loss to the Raiders. Minnesota went 10-4 in winning the NFC Central and advanced once more to the Super Bowl, but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. While the Vikings won a pre-merger NFL Championship and three NFC titles during the Bud Grant coaching era, they fell short in all four Super Bowl appearances.

1997: Late Turnovers Help Patriots Defeat Jaguars for AFC Title

Both of the teams meeting for the AFC Championship on January 12, 1997 had overcome slow starts during the ’96 regular season to get there. The New England Patriots, in their fourth season under Head Coach Bill Parcells, were 3-3 after a close loss to the Redskins but then went 8-2 the rest of the way to top the AFC East at 11-5. Second-year RB Curtis Martin rushed for 1152 yards and 14 touchdowns and WR Terry Glenn set a rookie record with 90 catches. QB Drew Bledsoe (pictured at right) had his flaws but was also highly productive as he threw for 4086 yards and 27 TDs and earned selection to the Pro Bowl. The defense had started off as slowly as the early record indicated but came together during the second half of the season and allowed just one offensive touchdown in the preceding three games, which included a win over the Steelers in the Divisional round of the playoffs.

Even more surprising to see vying for the AFC title were the Jacksonville Jaguars. In just their second year of existence, Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s team had overcome a 4-7 start to win five straight contests and finish the regular season at 9-7 for second place in the AFC Central and a Wild Card spot. From there they won two more games, in the Wild Card round over the Buffalo Bills and at the Divisional level against the Denver Broncos. QB Mark Brunell, a mobile lefthander, led the NFL in passing yards (4367) while throwing primarily to talented wide receivers Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell. RB Natrone Means gained 315 yards rushing in the two postseason wins. Defensive ends Clyde Simmons and Tony Brackens and LB Kevin Hardy gave the Jaguars a potent pass rush.

There were 60,190 fans in attendance on a cold late afternoon at Foxboro Stadium. Things started off badly for the Jaguars when, punting from their own 20 following the opening series of the game, Bryan Barker tried to run after fielding a high snap and the Patriots got the ball at the Jacksonville four yard line. Two plays later, Curtis Martin ran for a one-yard touchdown.

The teams traded punts until the Patriots put together a drive into Jacksonville territory thanks to a 23-yard pass play from Drew Bledsoe to WR Shawn Jefferson. But a Bledsoe pass that was picked off by CB Aaron Beasley at the eight snuffed out the threat and the score remained 7-0 after a quarter of play.

The first quarter ended with the Jaguars in possession and they went 62 yards in 13 plays. They converted two third downs along the way and Mike Hollis finished the series off with a 32-yard field goal. A short New England series ended with a punt by Tom Tupa, but the Patriots got a break when safety Chris Hudson fumbled when hit by LB Marty Moore and TE Mike Bartrum recovered at the Jacksonville 19. They couldn’t reach the end zone, but, following an eleven-minute delay caused by a power outage, Adam Vinatieri kicked a 29-yard field goal to make it a 10-3 score.

Neither offense was able to move the ball effectively for the remainder of the half until, taking possession with 1:29 remaining, the Patriots went 68 yards in nine plays. Bledsoe had three key completions, to Jefferson (pictured below) for 19 yards to start the drive, to TE Ben Coates for five yards in a fourth-and-three situation, and then again to Jefferson for a 38-yard gain to the Jacksonville three. The half ended with Vinatieri booting another field goal, from 20 yards out, and the Patriots led by 13-3 at the intermission.

New England went three-and-out to start the third quarter and, following the punt, the Jaguars advanced from their 36 to the Patriots’ 31. Along the way, Mark Brunell completed a pass to Keenan McCardell for 13 yards on a third-and-ten play. But in a fourth-and-one situation, Brunell kept the ball himself and was stopped for no gain.

Three plays later Jacksonville got a break when Bledsoe fumbled when hit by Kevin Hardy and the Jaguars recovered at the New England 37. Almost exclusively keeping the ball on the ground, with Natrone Means carrying five times, they drove to the ten yard line from where Hollis booted a 28-yard field goal.

It was 13-6 as the Patriots took possession and advanced to the Jacksonville 43 early in the fourth quarter. Tupa’s punt pinned the Jaguars back at their 14 and they had to punt in turn. Bledsoe completed five straight passes in the ensuing series that reached the Jacksonville 23. But he was sacked for a six-yard loss and, while his resulting fumble was recovered by the Patriots, Vinatieri was unsuccessful with a field goal try from 46 yards that sailed wide to the left.

Now it was Brunell with the hot passing hand and the Jaguars drove into New England territory. But on a second down play at the five yard line, a pass into the end zone was intercepted by FS Willie Clay to end the threat. Another short series by the Patriots resulted in a punt and, with 2:36 to play the Jaguars still had a chance. But on the first play from scrimmage RB James Stewart fumbled and CB Otis Smith picked up the ball and ran 47 yards for a touchdown. For all intents the Jaguars were finished, and Brunell tossed an interception on the next series (the third Jacksonville turnover in a four-minute span) to make certain of it. New England won the AFC title by a score of 20-6.

The Jaguars led in total yards (289 to 234) and first downs (18 to 13), but they also turned the ball over four times to two by New England.

Drew Bledsoe completed 20 of 33 passes for 178 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Terry Glenn caught 5 passes for 33 yards while Shawn Jefferson gained 91 yards on his four receptions. Curtis Martin was held to 59 yards on 19 carries that included a TD.

For the Jaguars, Mark Brunell was under heavy pressure throughout the game (most notably from DE Willie McGinest)  and thus was successful on just 20 of 38 throws for 190 yards with no scores and two interceptions. TE Pete Mitchell (pictured at right) caught 7 of those passes for 63 yards and Keenan McCardell contributed 62 yards on 6 pass receptions. Natrone Means gained just 43 yards on 19 rushing attempts while James Stewart had 40 yards on 7 carries, although also a key fumble.

“We were unable to run the ball and unable to get that good balance we’ve had the past few weeks that had allowed us to have the success,” said Mark Brunell.  “Overall, the Patriots had a great defensive effort. They outplayed us.”

The Patriots went on to lose to the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl – the Packers had beaten the other 1995 expansion team, the Carolina Panthers, in the NFC title game to eliminate the possibility of either of the new clubs vying for top honors in the NFL. It was the last game for Bill Parcells as the team’s head coach. Citing differences with owner Robert Kraft, he left the club and resurfaced with the Jets (with the help of a deal brokered by Commissioner Paul Tagliabue to satisfy Kraft). Under successor Pete Carroll, New England went 10-6 to again top the AFC East but lost in the Divisional round of the playoffs. The Jaguars, meanwhile, proved that the strong showing in ’96 was no fluke as they came back strong at 11-5, again placing second in the AFC Central and gaining a Wild Card slot. They lost convincingly to Denver in the first round of the postseason.

1982: Bengals Dominate Chargers in Extreme Cold to Win AFC Title

It was a bone-chilling cold in Cincinnati for the AFC Championship game on January 10, 1982 – so much so that NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle considered postponing it. However, after consulting a medical specialist in cold weather conditions, he allowed the contest to be played. The scheduled halftime show by the Zanesville High School marching band was a casualty of the frigid conditions, however. The temperature was nine degrees below zero at game time with a wind chill of minus 59 (give or take a few degrees). Winds which gusted up to 30 mph played havoc on the passing game.

The host team, the Cincinnati Bengals, was coming off three straight losing records before making a stunning run through the 1981 schedule and topping the AFC Central at 12-4. Newly garbed in tiger-striped uniforms, Head Coach Forrest Gregg’s club packed plenty of scoring punch. QB Ken Anderson had a MVP season and benefited from the presence of rookie WR Cris Collinsworth, who teamed up well with veteran WR Isaac Curtis and TE Dan Ross. Big (6’0”, 249) FB Pete Johnson rushed for 1077 yards, caught 46 passes for 320 more, and scored 16 touchdowns. The defense lacked big names but was solid.  The Bengals defeated the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional round to advance to the conference title game.

The visiting San Diego Chargers, under Head Coach Don Coryell, won their third straight AFC West title with a 10-6 record. Despite losing key players in WR John Jefferson and DE Fred Dean in trades forced by salary disputes, the Chargers were still a formidable team. To be sure, the defense missed Dean’s pass rushing skill, but the offense still maintained an outstanding aerial attack directed by QB Dan Fouts. Jefferson was ably replaced by WR Wes Chandler, who was obtained from the Saints and joined WR Charlie Joiner and TE Kellen Winslow. RB Chuck Muncie rushed for 1144 yards and rookie all-purpose RB James Brooks was productive as well. San Diego won a thrilling overtime game in Miami in the Divisional round which featured plenty of offense.

There were 46,302 hardy fans in attendance at frigid Riverfront Stadium. The Bengals stuck to their short, precision passing game to good effect. Cincinnati started off the scoring with a 10-play, 51-yard drive that followed a punt by the Chargers. Ken Anderson threw to Dan Ross for a first down at the San Diego 33 along the way and Pete Johnson then ran for 11 yards. The series stalled at the 13 yard line and Jim Breech kicked a 31-yard field goal.

A fumble by James Brooks on the ensuing kickoff was recovered by TE Don Bass to set up Cincinnati’s next score. It took just two plays as Anderson (pictured at right) connected with TE M.L. Harris for an eight-yard touchdown. The Chargers put together a scoring drive in the second quarter, advancing 55 yards in six plays. Fouts threw to Kellen Winslow for a 33-yard TD and the Cincinnati margin was narrowed to 10-7.

The Bengals came right back, however. WR David Verser returned the kickoff 40 yards and Cincinnati proceeded to go 55 yards in seven plays. Anderson passed to Isaac Curtis for a 15-yard gain that gave Cincinnati a first down at the San Diego one yard line and Johnson ran from there for a touchdown.

Two drives by the Chargers into scoring territory in the second quarter were blunted by the Bengals defense. First, a Fouts pass was intercepted by CB Louis Breeden at the Cincinnati six yard line, and later a throw into the end zone was picked off by safety Bobby Kemp.

In the third quarter, another turnover by the Chargers was turned into points by the Bengals. DE Ross Browner recovered a fumble by Chuck Muncie and Cincinnati took nine plays to drive 39 yards. Anderson completed a pass to Ross for 19 yards and also had a 13-yard run for a first down. Breech kicked a 38-yard field goal to extend the lead to 20-7.

Following a missed field goal attempt by the Chargers in the fourth quarter, the Bengals finished them off with a 14-play, 68-yard series that featured the ground game. Along the way, they converted a fourth down in San Diego territory with an eight-yard run by Johnson. Don Bass completed the drive by catching a pass from Anderson for a three-yard touchdown. The Bengals ended up winning handily by a score of 27-7.

Statistically, Cincinnati’s domination was less apparent as they edged the Chargers both in total yards (318 to 301) and first downs (19 to 18). However, San Diego turned the ball over four times, to one by the Bengals, and was very much off its typical level of performance. In a rarity for the Chargers, they ran the ball more often than they passed and their 301 total yards were the fewest generated in any game during the season. The Bengals also benefited from Jim Breech’s two field goals in as many attempts while San Diego’s Rolf Benirschke missed both of his tries.

Ken Anderson completed 14 of 22 passes for 161 yards with two touchdowns and none intercepted. Pete Johnson rushed for 80 yards and a TD on 21 carries. Dan Ross led the receivers with 5 catches for 69 yards.

For the Chargers, Dan Fouts (pictured below) was successful on just 15 of 28 throws for 185 yards and a touchdown with two costly interceptions. Chuck Muncie gained 94 yards on 23 rushing attempts. Wes Chandler had 6 pass receptions for 79 yards.

“This was the finest game I’ve ever seen a team play under such unbelievable conditions,” said Forrest Gregg, who as a player for Green Bay was part of some very big games in extreme winter conditions.

“The weather was no excuse,” said Don Coryell. “Football is played in all conditions, always has been and always will be. We were soundly beaten by a very fine team. We just didn’t do our job.”

The Bengals lost to another upstart team, the San Francisco 49ers, in the Super Bowl. They went 7-2 during the strike-shortened 1982 season to again make the playoffs but lost in the first round. San Diego was 6-3 and made it to the second round of the revamped postseason before falling.