1960: Packers Overcome 20-Point Deficit, but Rams Get Late FG to Win

The Los Angeles Rams were sporting a mediocre 2-5-1 record as they took on the Green Bay Packers in Milwaukee on November 20, 1960. Two of the franchise’s former great players had taken over leadership positions, with Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch as general manager and Bob Waterfield as head coach. After an 0-4 start, Waterfield began shifting personnel and giving talented rookies more playing time. The Rams rolled up big scores in wins over the Lions and expansion Cowboys before losing in the rematch with Detroit the week prior to facing the Packers.

Green Bay, in its second year under Head Coach Vince Lombardi, was 5-2 and fighting it out with the Colts, winners of the last two NFL titles, for primacy in the Western Conference. QB Bart Starr was a rising talent and HB Paul Hornung was proving to be a scoring machine. FB Jim Taylor was a solid inside runner, but was listed as doubtful coming into the game due to a leg injury. The defense was tough and the Packers clearly had the look of a club on the rise.

There were 35,763 fans in attendance at Milwaukee’s County Stadium. The Packers broke out to an early lead when Hornung kicked a field goal to cap an 11-play, 70-yard drive. DT Henry Jordan then recovered a fumble by Los Angeles QB Bill Wade, giving the Packers possession at the LA one yard line. Two plays later, and after Taylor, who clearly was not in top form, lost a yard, Hornung ran in from two yards out for a touchdown. “The Golden Boy” also added the extra point that made the score 10-0 in favor of the home team.

The Rams, in danger of being left in the dust, reached Green Bay territory on the next series before CB Jesse Whittenton intercepted a Wade pass at his own six. However, the Packers couldn’t move the ball from there and LA made a big play when DT John LoVetere blocked a Boyd Dowler punt. The Rams capitalized by scoring a touchdown on a Wade pass to end Del Shofner from 17 yards out.

The Packers responded by moving into Los Angeles territory, at which point Hornung was briefly knocked out of the game after being hit by LB Jack Pardee and CB Ed Meador. Hornung returned to try for a 36-yard field goal, but LoVetere again came through with a blocked kick for the Rams. Meador picked up the loose ball and ran all the way to the Green Bay 21 before Starr pulled him down. The Packers dug in on defense but the Rams ended up with a field goal of their own, by Danny Villanueva from 23 yards, thus tying the score at 10-10.

It quickly got worse for the Packers when flanker Lew Carpenter fumbled on the ensuing kickoff return. CB Carl Karilivacz recovered for the Rams at the Green Bay 11 and Los Angeles again made the Packers pay. Villanueva kicked another field goal, from 17 yards, to put LA in front.

Three plays later, an interception by safety Will Sherman set up another score for the Rams. LA took possession at the Green Bay 47, and this time reached the end zone. Wade threw to rookie end Jim Phillips (pictured at top) for a nine-yard touchdown, the receiver catching the ball on one knee in the corner of the end zone. The Rams took a 20-10 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, backup QB Lamar McHan came in for Starr and he overthrew a pass that was picked off by safety Charley Britt at the Green Bay 41. Wade went long for Phillips right away, who had a step on the aging great safety Emlen Tunnell, and it was good for the 41-yard touchdown. With Villanueva’s extra point, the Rams were up by 27-10.

It continued to go badly for the Packers as end Max McGee, after gaining 16 yards on an end-around, fumbled and the ball was recovered by DT George Strugar. The Rams continued to make Green Bay pay for mistakes, going seven plays on a series that ended with another Villanueva field goal, from 31 yards. LA was ahead by a remarkable 30-10.

Down by 20 points, the Packers came alive on offense. Rookie Tom Moore (pictured below), in for the injured Taylor at fullback, took a pitchout on the fourth play of the next series and ran down the left sideline, broke to the middle where he outmaneuvered Pardee and Britt, and continued on for a 59-yard TD. Not only did it pick up the team, but the crowd came back to life as well.

The Rams were forced to punt by the inspired Green Bay defense, and the Packers moved 55 yards on a possession that ended with Hornung throwing to Dowler on a halfback option pass in the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Once more the Packers forced a short LA series and punt. After a 10-yard run by Moore, Starr connected with Hornung for a 33-yard gain and, two plays later, it was Hornung running over for a touchdown from two yards out. Adding the extra point, the Packers were up by a point with ten minutes to play and appeared to have capped an amazing comeback – but there was still plenty of time.

Ahead by 31-30, the Packers were ferocious on defense. When the Rams once again went three-and-out, they had managed only 13 plays and one first down over the course of four possessions that resulted in punts as Green Bay surged back.

Following that punt, the Packers took over at their own 41. It appeared that the home team was moving in for a clinching touchdown as Starr threw to McGee for a 24-yard gain to the LA 17, but the drive stalled and TE Ron Kramer couldn’t hold onto a pass at the goal line. Hornung then missed a 22-yard field goal attempt that would have forced the Rams to have to score a touchdown rather than a field goal to win.

The Rams couldn’t get anywhere on offense once again, and Shofner’s punt traveled only 25 yards. The Packers had another shot but, facing second-and-five at the LA 35, Hornung ran for four yards but then fumbled the ball away, with Britt recovering for the Rams.

The clock was down to 2:40 and the Rams had the ball at their 40 with Frank Ryan now at quarterback. Twice Ryan scrambled away from Green Bay defenders to keep a drive going that reached the Packers’ two. Nearly sacked by DT Dave Hanner, the nimble Ryan took off for a 12-yard gain to the Green Bay 40 and followed up by firing a 15-yard completion to end Carroll Dale. HB Jon Arnett lost two yards but then broke away for a 22-yard gain to the Green Bay four. After FB Ollie Matson couldn’t plow into the end zone, Villanueva kicked the winning nine-yard field goal with 22 seconds remaining. The Rams came away with a stunning 33-31 upset.

Green Bay led in total yards (384 to 205), with 203 of that total coming on the ground, and first downs (20 to 12). However, sloppy play on the part of the Packers helped the Rams along, who took advantage of two blocked kicks and five turnovers to score points, while turning the ball over just twice themselves. The Packers recorded six sacks, while Los Angeles didn’t get to the Green Bay quarterbacks at all.

Bill Wade completed 14 of 26 passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns with one intercepted, while Frank Ryan, appearing in the climactic series, was one-of-three through the air for 15 yards and ran effectively for 13 yards on two carries. Jim Phillips caught 5 passes for 88 yards and two TDs. The anemic running game was led by rookie HB Dick Bass, with 20 yards on two attempts. Jon Arnett had just 14 yards on 8 carries and Ollie Matson ran the ball 10 times for only 13 yards, although he also had three pass receptions for 36 yards. Danny Villanueva (pictured above) did his part by connecting on all four of his field goal attempts, including the game-winner.

For the Packers, Tom Moore had a great performance, especially in relief of Jim Taylor in the second half as he gained 105 yards on 11 carries that included the long scoring run. Paul Hornung ran 16 times for 47 yards, caught two passes for 45 more yards, and tossed an 18-yard TD pass as he accounted for a total of 19 points, but his critical missed field goal try and fumble in the fourth quarter dampened the performance. Bart Starr was successful on 10 of 20 throws for 163 yards and gave up one interception. Max McGee led the receivers with four catches for 71 yards.

The loss put the Packers a game behind the Colts with four contests remaining, and Green Bay would be on the road for all four. However, Baltimore was in the process of a complete collapse and, after losing the next week at Detroit, Green Bay rallied to win the last three games and top the Western Conference at 8-4. The finale, which clinched the title, was at Los Angeles. The Packers lost the NFL Championship game to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Rams, meanwhile, ended up sixth in the conference with a 4-7-1 record.

Paul Hornung went on to set a league scoring record of 176 points that lasted until 2006. He tallied 15 touchdowns, 15 field goals, and 41 extra points and was a consensus first-team All-NFL honoree as well as Pro Bowl selection.

Jim “Red” Phillips had a fine first year, catching 52 passes for 883 yards (17.0 avg.) and scoring eight TDs. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl. Third-year QB Frank Ryan, who masterminded the last scoring drive that put the Rams over the top, saw considerable action in relief of Bill Wade and threw for 816 yards and seven touchdowns with nine interceptions. He would eventually achieve stardom – but not until he was dealt to the Cleveland Browns following the ’62 season.

1922: Robeson Scores 2 TDs as Milwaukee Defeats Oorang

Before he achieved international notoriety as a singer, actor, and political activist, Paul Robeson was a pro football player. An All-American end at Rutgers (named twice by Frank Menke in 1917 and ’18 and by Walter Camp in 1918), Robeson played two years in the fledgling NFL while earning his law degree at Columbia University. One of a very few African-Americans in the league, he had good size for the time at 6’3” and 219 pounds, and was considered to be outstanding both on offense and defense. On November 19, 1922 he was the key player in a game between the Milwaukee Badgers and Oorang Indians.

Robeson had joined the Badgers, who were new to the NFL (as the former American Professional Football Association had just been renamed). Much was expected of the club that also signed Fritz Pollard, another pioneering African-American player who was a star back and coach with Akron. Alvin “Bo” McMillin, All-American tailback out of Centre College, was just joining the team that had a disappointing 1-1-3 record and played to scoreless ties in its last two contests.

The Oorang Indians were an oddity, even in the somewhat freewheeling world of the early NFL. The roster was composed entirely of Native Americans and the legendary Jim Thorpe served as player/coach. The team’s name came from the Oorang Dog Kennels in little LaRue, Ohio, the business of team owner Walter Lingo. The franchise operated as a traveling team and, while it boasted colorfully-named players and rather elaborate halftime shows that utilized the kennel’s dogs, it also had a woeful 1-5 record.

There were 6500 fans in attendance for the Sunday game at Athletic Park in Milwaukee. Much of the contest’s attraction was the matchup of the two star backs, Thorpe and McMillin. The first score came early in the game, after an initial exchange of punts. The Indians had possession at their own 12 when HB Eagle Feather fumbled and, following a mad scramble for the loose ball, Robeson scooped it up near the goal line and rolled into the end zone for a touchdown. Charlie Copley’s extra point attempt failed, but the Badgers held a 6-0 lead.

Oorang didn’t threaten to score during the first half until the offense came alive late in the second quarter and the Indians drove to the Milwaukee eight before time expired.

The teams again traded punts to start the second half. Starting at their own 25, the Badgers kept the ball on the ground to reach midfield before back Mike Purdy threw to wingback Al Greene, playing his first game with the Badgers, for 12 yards. After a two-yard carry by McMillin, the second Milwaukee TD came on a pass by Purdy to Robeson. The big end caught the ball in the midst of several Oorang defenders and ran 20 yards for a TD. Along the way, Greene made a great block on Eagle Feather at the 10 to remove the final hurdle to Robeson’s scoring jaunt. Copley was successful this time in adding the extra point.

That was it for the scoring, although McMillin made an exciting play in the fourth quarter when, in punt formation, he ran to his left, cut back across the field, and retreated back some 20 yards while dodging tacklers before throwing to Robeson for a gain of five yards. Milwaukee won by a final score of 13-0.

Bo McMillin had a good debut for the Badgers, directing the offense effectively both on the ground and through the air. Paul Robeson was the game’s top lineman as well as scorer of the only touchdowns and Fritz Pollard ran effectively.

Jim Thorpe played the entire game for the Indians. At age 35, he was past his prime but still an effective player. He had several long runs on offense and especially distinguished himself on defense, where he was in on many of the tackles.

The Badgers didn’t win again – and in fact scored only six more points – in finishing at 2-4-3 and eleventh in the 18-team NFL. The Indians, on the other hand, won their last two contests to end up at 3-6 and right behind Milwaukee in the standings.

Paul Robeson’s 1922 season was his last as a pro football player. He graduated law school, although he didn’t stay in the legal field for long and rapidly moved into the world of music and the theater. But he made a brief imprint as an early pro football player, especially with his outstanding performance against Oorang.

MVP Profile: Otto Graham, 1951

Quarterback, Cleveland Browns

Age:  30 (Dec. 6)

6^th season in pro football & with Browns

College: Northwestern

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 195

Prelude:

A single-wing tailback in college, Graham chose to sign with the Browns of the new AAFC rather than the NFL Detroit Lions, who had drafted him in the first round in 1944, after coming out of the Navy. An outstanding athlete, he first played pro basketball before joining the Browns for the 1946 season. Mobile and an accurate passer, Graham threw for 1834 yards as a rookie and led the AAFC with 17 TD passes as the Browns won the league championship. He was the league’s MVP for the first time in ’47 as he led the AAFC in overall passing as well as completion percentage (60.6), yards (2753), TD passes (25), and yards per attempt (10.2). Graham was co-MVP with San Francisco’s Frankie Albert in ’48, a season in which he once more led the AAFC in passing yards (2713) while tossing another 25 TD passes and the Browns went undefeated. The Browns won the AAFC title for the fourth straight year in 1949, and Graham led the league in passing yards (2785) and yards per attempt (9.8). While no MVP was awarded by the league, he was a consensus first-team All-AAFC selection. Graham and the Browns moved to the NFL in 1950 and kept up their winning ways by achieving another championship. Graham was selected to the Pro Bowl.

1951 Season Summary

Appeared in all 12 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 265 [2]

Most attempts, game – 30 at San Francisco 9/30, vs. Philadelphia 11/11

Completions – 147 [2]

Most completions, game – 18 at San Francisco 9/30

Yards – 2205 [2]

Most yards, game – 277 vs. Chi. Bears 11/25

Completion percentage – 55.5 [2]

Yards per attempt – 8.3 [3]

TD passes – 17 [2]

Most TD passes, game – 4 vs. Chi. Cards 12/2

Interceptions – 16 [6]

Most interceptions, game – 3 vs. NY Giants 10/28, at NY Giants 11/18, vs. Chi. Cards 12/2

Passer rating – 79.2 [3]

200-yard passing games – 6

Rushing

Attempts – 35

Yards – 29

Yards per attempt – 0.8

TDs – 3 [15, tied with fifteen others]

Scoring

TDs – 4         

Points – 24

Postseason: 1 G (NFL Championship at LA Rams)

Pass attempts – 40

Pass completions – 19

Passing yardage – 280

TD passes – 1

Interceptions – 3

Rushing attempts – 5

Rushing yards – 43

Average gain rushing – 8.6

Rushing TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: UPI

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

Browns went 11-1 to finish first in the American Conference. Lost NFL Championship to Los Angeles Rams (24-17).

Aftermath:

The Browns reached the NFL title game and lost again in 1952, and Graham led the league in pass attempts (364), completions (181), yards (2816), and TD passes (20), as well as interceptions (24), and was once again named to the Pro Bowl. Cleveland won the Championship games following the 1954 and ’55 seasons (the latter after Graham was coaxed out of retirement to play one more year) and he led the league in completion percentage in each of his last three years as well as yards (2722) and yards per attempt (10.6) in 1953, and TD percentage (8.1) and yards per attempt (9.3) in ’55. Altogether, over 10 seasons (four in the AAFC, 6 in the NFL) Graham averaged 9.0 yards per attempt (a record 8.6 in the NFL alone) while throwing for 23,584 yards (10,085 in AAFC, 13,499 in NFL) with 174 TDs (86 in AAFC, 88 in NFL). He also ran for 882 yards and scored 44 TDs, with a high of 8 in 1954. He was a first-team All-league selection three times in the AAFC as well as three more times in the NFL and was chosen for the first five Pro Bowls. Perhaps most significantly of all, he quarterbacked Cleveland to a championship game in all ten years, winning seven of them. The Browns retired his #14 and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1965.

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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). 

1985: Broncos Beat Chargers on Blocked FG in Overtime

The Denver Broncos were at 7-3 and on top of the AFC West as they hosted the San Diego Chargers on November 17, 1985 – a team they had lost badly to two weeks before. Coached by Dan Reeves, the Broncos featured third-year QB John Elway with a talented group of receivers led by Steve Watson while the ground game consisted of a running-backs-by-committee approach. The bend-but-don’t-break defense included SS Dennis Smith and CB Louis Wright (pictured above) – although their most notable accomplishments in this game would come on special teams.

The Chargers, coached by Don Coryell, featured a pass-oriented offense with QB Dan Fouts throwing to wide receivers Wes Chandler and Charlie Joiner. Star TE Kellen Winslow was returning from a major knee injury suffered during the previous season and RB Gary Anderson was now fully integrated into the offense after coming over from the USFL.

It was a sunny afternoon at Mile High Stadium with 74,376 fans in attendance.  The Chargers started off with a bang as Gary Anderson returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. Bob Thomas added the extra point for the early 7-0 lead.

The Broncos went three-and-out on their first series and, following the punt, San Diego accumulated three first downs on the way to the Denver 30. Dan Fouts completed three passes for 24 yards but the possession came to naught when Ralf Mojsiejenko’s 47-yard field goal attempt was blocked.

Following another short Denver series, Fouts again was moving the Chargers until a pass was intercepted by Louis Wright, who returned it 16 yards to give the Broncos good field position at the San Diego 44. The six-play drive, highlighted by John Elway throwing to RB Gene Lang for 24 yards, was capped by another Elway pass of four yards to WR Steve Watson for a TD. Rich Karlis tied the game with the extra point.

The next San Diego series featured Fouts throwing to TE Kellen Winslow for 26 yards and reached the Denver 31 before the veteran quarterback was again picked off, this time by DB Randy Robbins. However, two plays into the second quarter, it was Elway suffering an interception as FS Miles McPherson grabbed the long pass and returned it 30 yards to the Denver 12. Three plays later, Fouts threw to RB Lionel James for a 12-yard touchdown. The extra point was successfully added to again make it a seven-point contest.

The teams traded punts until, with just over two minutes remaining in the first half, the Chargers drove to the Denver 24, but a 41-yard field goal try by Thomas hit the right upright and was unsuccessful. The score remained 14-7 in favor of San Diego at the half.

After the teams exchanged punts to start the third quarter, the Broncos gained possession at their 13 and proceeded to methodically advance to the San Diego 10. Elway (pictured below) completed five passes, but they came up empty when Karlis was wide on a 28-yard field goal attempt. Two plays later, Denver got the ball back when Anderson fumbled. As the game moved into the fourth quarter, the home team concluded a four-play, 14-yard series with Lang running two yards up the middle for a TD. Karlis added the PAT and the game was tied once again.

Things went from bad to worse for the Chargers who no sooner got the ball back on offense when Fouts fumbled the snap and DE Andre Townsend recovered for Denver at the San Diego 19. Three plays later, it was Lang scoring again, this time from four yards out. Karlis converted and the Broncos had the lead for the first time.

Fouts went to the air five times on San Diego’s next series, hitting James three times for 32 yards. The drive finally stalled at the Denver 19 and Thomas kicked a 36-yard field goal to narrow the home team’s margin to four points.

Elway passed the Broncos down the field but was intercepted by LB Woodrow Lowe. The Chargers had to punt and, following the next Denver series, the Broncos lined up to do the same. However, Chris Norman’s kick was blocked by CB Wayne Davis. Starting at the Denver 24, the Chargers proceeded to score a touchdown in four plays, with RB Tim Spencer running the ball in from two yards out. Thomas made it a three-point lead game with the Chargers now back in front at 24-21.

There was just 1:09 remaining in regulation as the Broncos started their next series. Elway threw twice for 11 yards and then ran for five before tossing completions to RB Steve Sewell for six yards and WR Vance Johnson for 17 yards. A shovel pass by Elway to RB Sammy Winder was good for nine more yards and, with nine seconds left on the clock, Karlis booted a 34-yard field goal. The game went into overtime at 24-24.

The Chargers won the toss to receive the kickoff for the extra period and methodically moved down the field. James had a 16-yard run and Spencer converted on fourth-and-inches with a one-yard gain up the middle.  Fouts threw to Wes Chandler for 13 yards and Anderson gained six on the ground to reach the Denver 23. The drive stalled there but Thomas came on to attempt a 40-yard field goal to win the game. It appeared that the Chargers got a seemingly huge reprieve when the field goal try was blocked but they got the play back due to a timeout called by Denver right before the snap. However, on the re-try, Dennis Smith again blocked the kick and Wright picked up the loose ball, returning it 60 yards for a touchdown. There was no reprieve for the Chargers this time. In stunning fashion, the Broncos came away with a 30-24 win at 4:45 of overtime.

In a game in which plays by the special teams were so significant, San Diego held a slight edge in total yards (340 to 331) and first downs (22 to 21). The Chargers turned the ball over four times, to two suffered by Denver.

John Elway completed 28 of 50 passes for 261 yards and a touchdown while giving up two interceptions. Gene Lang rushed for 51 yards on 15 carries that included two TDs and also led the Broncos with 5 pass receptions, for 45 yards.  Vance Johnson compiled 48 yards on his four pass receptions.

For the Chargers, Dan Fouts was successful on 23 of 45 throws for 245 yards, with a TD and two interceptions. The versatile Lionel James (pictured at left) gained 64 yards on the ground in 15 carries and also caught 11 passes 93 more yards and a TD.

Don Coryell couldn’t believe how events transpired at the end: “The snap was a little high on the last field goal, but we got it down. It’s kind of ironic the way things turned out. We got the big break when they called the timeout, and it ends up working in their favor.”

The Broncos lost two of their next three games, both to the Raiders, and as a result finished second to that club in the AFC West with an 11-5 record and barely missed the postseason. San Diego came in fourth in the division at 8-8.

John Elway led the NFL with 605 pass attempts and ranked second in completions (327) and yards (3891), but also interceptions (23). Dan Fouts, heading in the opposite direction of Elway at age 34, led the league in yards per attempt (8.5) and was tied for second in touchdown passes (27). He was selected to the Pro Bowl for the sixth (and last) time.

Lionel James was a productive all-purpose performer throughout the season. Undersized at 5’6” and 170 pounds, he was nicknamed “Little Train” and set a new NFL record with 2535 total yards. That figure consisted of 515 on 105 rushing attempts, 1027 on 86 pass receptions, 213 on 25 punt returns, and 779 on 36 kickoff returns. It broke the previous record of 2462 set by Terry Metcalf of the Cardinals in 1974 and remained the standard until 2000, when Tennessee’s Derrick Mason accumulated 2690 yards.

1947: Cards Score 2 TDs in Fourth Quarter to Defeat Packers

The Chicago Cardinals were at 6-1 and leading the NFL Western Division as they hosted the Green Bay Packers on November 16, 1947. Coached by Jimmy Conzelman, the Cards boasted a fine backfield that included QB Paul Christman, halfbacks Elmer Angsman and Charley Trippi, and FB Pat Harder, plus two good receivers in ends Mal Kutner (pictured at right) and Bill Dewell.

The Packers came into the game at 4-3 and were desperate for a win that would keep them in contention. Head Coach Curly Lambeau had installed the T-formation with QB Jack Jacobs directing it, but they lacked the kind of big-play ability that had fueled past success.

There were 40,086 fans in attendance at Comiskey Park. On their first series, the Cardinals drove 61 yards in 10 plays as Pat Harder and HB Marshall Goldberg combined for 24 yards on the ground and Paul Christman completed a pass to Bill Dewell for 15 yards. Another throw, to Mal Kutner, was good for a 20-yard touchdown as the receiver split the two defensive backs and caught the ball in full stride. Harder added the extra point and Chicago had a 7-0 lead.

The Packers moved the ball well on their next series, starting off at their 30 and taking advantage of passes from Jack Jacobs to ends Clyde Goodnight and Nolan Luhn to reach the Chicago 31, garnering three first downs along the way. The drive stalled and Ted Fritsch kicked a 35-yard field goal to narrow the margin to 7-3.

Fritsch made a big play on defense as he intercepted a Christman pass at the Chicago 28 and, following a Jacobs to Luhn completion to the one, it was Fritsch carrying off tackle for the last yard and a touchdown. Ward Cuff kicked the extra point and the visitors were ahead by 10-7.

The Packers punted on their next series and, following a 68-yard boot by Jacobs, the Cards again turned the ball over, this time on a fumble by HB Bill deCorrevont that G Dick Wildung recovered at the Chicago 36. The Packers were unable to move the ball in three plays, but Fritsch booted a 44-yard field goal to extend the lead.

Green Bay continued to dominate, but Fritsch missed field goal attempts from 35 and 42 yards. The score remained 13-7 at the half.

Early in the third quarter, DB Ken Keuper intercepted a pass and returned it 28 yards to give Green Bay good starting field position at the Chicago 45. Goodnight pulled in a pass for 13 yards and running plays advanced the ball to the 19. After a three-yard loss, Jacobs threw to HB Bob Forte for a 22-yard TD. The Packers carried a 20-7 lead into the fourth quarter and appeared to be in command.

The Cardinals, quiet on offense for most of the game and having penetrated Green Bay territory just three times thus far, put together a 57-yard drive following a Green Bay punt. Harder and HB Elmer Angsman ran effectively and Christman, who had completed only 6 of 20 passes, had key completions. Harder capped the series by running for the last four yards and a touchdown – for good measure, he also added the extra point that made it a six-point game.

After a short possession by the Packers that resulted in a punt, Chicago again had another impressive series, going 66 yards. Harder and Angsman combined for 21 yards on the ground and Christman threw to Kutner for 22 yards to the Green Bay 23. Another Christman completion to Kutner was good for a 23-yard TD, with Harder adding the all-important extra point to put the home team up by one.

There were just over five minutes remaining, and Green Bay still had a chance to pull out a win. The Packers moved 57 yards in the last minute-and-a-half, primarily on three passes to Luhn (pictured below), including a spectacular reception that gained 29 yards to the Chicago 15. The Packers chose to go with the usually reliable Cuff for the field goal rather than risk another pass, but Cuff missed a 23-yard field goal that sailed wide to the left with 21 seconds left on the clock. The Cardinals came away with a 21-20 win.

Chicago had the edge in total yards (269 to 249) and first downs (16 to 15). The fourth quarter heroics obscured the fact that they turned the ball over four times, to one suffered by Green Bay. Jack Jacobs threw one interception while Paul Christman was picked off three times. Mal Kutner was the standout on offense as he caught 5 passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns.

For the Cardinals, the win over Green Bay made it four straight, and while they lost their next two contests, they ended up winning the Western Division with a 9-3 record. Chicago defeated the Eagles for the NFL Championship. Meanwhile, the second one-point defeat for the Packers essentially dropped them out of contention and they ended up in third place at 6-5-1.

Mal Kutner led the NFL with 944 yards on his 70 pass receptions, averaging 22.0 yards per catch and scoring eight touchdowns. Pat Harder led the league in scoring with 102 points and field goals with seven – tied with Bob Waterfield and also Ward Cuff, whose miss at the end of the game was so costly to the Packers.

Rookie of the Year: Randy Moss, 1998

Wide Receiver, Minnesota Vikings

Age: 21

College: Marshall

Height: 6’4”   Weight: 210

Prelude:

Moss was a two-time All-American in college, catching 174 passes for 3529 yards (20.3 avg.) and 54 touchdowns in just two seasons. However, he had legal problems that had forced his dismissal from Florida State and, while an outstanding talent, fell to the Vikings with the 21^st pick in the first round. Big and fast, he became part of a highly productive wide receiving tandem in Minnesota along with Cris Carter.

1998 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 69 [16, tied with Larry Centers, Raghib Ismail & Johnnie Morton]    

Most receptions, game – 8 (for 153 yds.) vs. Green Bay 11/22, (for 106 yds.) vs. Chicago 12/6

Yards – 1313 [3]

Most yards, game - 190 (on 5 catches) at Green Bay 10/5

Average gain – 19.0 [5]

TDs – 17 [1]

100-yard receiving games – 4

Rushing

Attempts – 1

Yards – 4

TDs – 0

Punt Returns

Returns – 1

Yards – 0

Scoring

TDs – 17 [2, tied with Fred Taylor, 1st in NFC]

2-pt PATs – 2 [1, tied with four others]

Points – 106 [14]

Postseason: 2 G

Pass receptions – 10

Most pass receptions, game – 6 vs. Atlanta, NFC Championship

Pass receiving yards – 148

Most receiving yards, game – 75 vs. Atlanta, NFC Championship

Average yards per reception – 14.8

Pass Receiving TDs - 2

Awards & Honors:

NFL Rookie of the Year: Sporting News

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA

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

1^st team All-NFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Vikings went 15-1 to finish first in the NFC Central with the conference’s best record while leading the NFL in passing yards (4328), scoring (556 points), and touchdowns (64). Won NFC Divisional playoff over Arizona Cardinals (41-21). Defeated for NFC Championship by Atlanta Falcons (30-27).

Aftermath:

Moss went on to have seven highly productive seasons in Minnesota, going over a thousand yards in six of them (with a high of 1632 in 2003) and reaching a hundred catches twice. He led the NFL in TD receptions again in 2000 (15) and ’03 (17), was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection in both of those years, and was selected to five Pro Bowls. But with all of his tremendous talent, he drew criticism for being a prima donna and a lack of consistent effort. Following an injury-plagued 2004 season, Moss was dealt to the Raiders, where he had two relatively quiet years. Moving on to New England, he was sensational in a 2007 season in which he set a NFL record with 23 TD receptions. He played two more years with the Patriots, again topping the NFL in TD catches with 13 in 2009, but was dealt to the Vikings during the 2010 season and finished up the year in Tennessee. Initially retiring, he returned to play for the 49ers in 2012. Overall, he caught 982 passes for 15,292 yards, which rank third all-time in NFL history, and for a fourth-ranked 157 touchdowns (one TD came on a punt return). He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection four times and was selected to six Pro Bowls.

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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 11/30/14]

1993: Recently-Obtained Bernie Kosar Leads Cowboys Over Cards

The Dallas Cowboys, defending NFL Champions, were 6-2 and had won six straight games after an 0-2 start as they hosted the Phoenix Cardinals on November 14, 1993. However, Head Coach Jimmy Johnson’s team would be without star QB Troy Aikman due to a hamstring injury. They still had the other key components to their offense in RB Emmitt Smith and WR Michael Irvin. They had also just picked up ninth-year veteran QB Bernie Kosar (pictured at right), who had only been with the Cowboys for four days after his abrupt release by the Browns, where Head Coach Bill Belichick said he had “diminished skills”.

The Cardinals were coached by Joe Bugel and limping along at 3-6, although they were coming off a win against the Eagles. QB Steve Beuerlein had been benched in favor of Chris Chandler and RB Garrison Hearst, the highly-touted first round draft choice, held out and then went down with a knee injury six games into the season. Still, Phoenix had a good receiving threat out of the backfield in FB Larry Centers, a reliable possession receiver in WR Ricky Proehl, and the defense could be stingy at giving up points.

There was a crowd of 64,224 in attendance for the late afternoon game at Texas Stadium. The Cardinals went three-and-out on their opening possession. Following the punt, Dallas drove 35 yards in seven plays with rookie Jason Garrett at quarterback. Five of them were runs by RB Emmitt Smith and Garrett completed a pass to WR Michael Irvin for 16 yards. Eddie Murray kicked a 44-yard field goal to give the Cowboys the early 3-0 lead.

The teams traded punts and on the third Dallas series, Bernie Kosar entered the game at quarterback. He immediately completed a pass to Irvin for 14 yards and, after Smith was tossed for a five-yard loss, threw back-to-back completions to FB Daryl “Moose” Johnston for six yards and to Irvin for 18 to reach the Phoenix 32. Smith then ran the ball five straight times, the last on the first play of the second quarter for a four-yard TD. Murray’s extra point made it a 10-0 game.

The Cardinals, who had done nothing on offense during the first quarter, generated three first downs as they advanced to the Dallas 45 on their next series. QB Chris Chandler completed three passes, although one that was called back due to offsetting penalties negated a big gain.

The Cards ended up having to punt and once again Kosar led the Cowboys on a scoring drive. The big play was what started out as a five-yard completion to Smith out of the backfield that the great runner turned into a gain of 86 yards to the Phoenix two, breaking three tackles along the way. Smith couldn’t penetrate the end zone on two running plays, but Kosar threw to TE Jay Novacek for a one-yard TD and, with the extra point, the home team held a 17-0 lead.

After a three-and-out series by the Cardinals, Dallas again advanced into Phoenix territory, but a fumble at the 28 negated an opportunity to add more points. Jason Garrett returned at quarterback for the Cowboys on their next series and the half ended with no further points scored.

The Cowboys punted following the first possession of the third quarter, with Kosar again behind center. The Cards drove 47 yards in 11 plays, Chandler completed four passes, the longest to Ricky Proehl for 16 yards in a third-and-six situation, but after getting a first-and-goal at the Dallas five, they ended up having to settle for a 19-yard Greg Davis field goal.

On the first play following the kickoff, Kosar fumbled and DE Reuben Davis recovered for Phoenix at the Dallas 19. The Cardinals capitalized three plays later when Chandler threw to Larry Centers for a 17-yard touchdown. Davis added the extra point and suddenly the visitors were only a touchdown behind the Cowboys.

Dallas punted following its next series, but now it was Phoenix’s turn to give up a costly fumble. Chandler dropped the snap on the fourth play and DE Charles Haley recovered to give the Cowboys the ball at the Phoenix 39. Two passes by Kosar picked up 21 yards and, early in the fourth quarter, Murray kicked a 43-yard field goal to extend the Dallas margin to ten points.

After a punt by the Cards pinned the Cowboys down at their one yard line, Kosar was penalized for intentional grounding while passing out of the end zone, resulting in a safety. Phoenix then took the free kick and went 30 yards in eight plays. Davis kicked a 47-yard field goal to narrow the Dallas lead to five points.

The Cowboys responded with a long non-scoring drive that knocked time off the clock. It was all Smith, either running or catching short passes from Kosar, as Dallas converted two third downs. By the time the Cardinals got the ball back at their own 13 following a punt, there was just 2:37 left in the game. Chandler passed Phoenix into Dallas territory, but on a fourth-down play at the Dallas 41, FS Kenneth Gant came up with an interception and that was it. Dallas won by a final score of 20-15.

The Cowboys had the edge in total yards (311 to 265) while each team generated 15 first downs. There were no sacks by either club. The Cardinals turned the ball over three times, to two suffered by Dallas.

Bernie Kosar completed 13 of 21 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown with none intercepted. Emmitt Smith (pictured below), who was battling the flu, rushed for 80 yards and a TD on 24 carries and gained another 102 yards on four pass receptions. Michael Irvin also caught four passes, for 63 yards.

For the Cards, Chris Chandler was successful on 27 of 46 throws for 214 yards and a TD with one intercepted. Larry Centers, who rushed for three yards on two carries, caught 7 passes for 59 yards and a touchdown while Ricky Proehl gained a team-leading 66 yards on six receptions. Johnny Bailey led the modest ground attack with 8 carries for 31 yards and contributed 6 catches for 34 yards.

“For Bernie to pull this off with limited practice time was commendable,” said Coach Jimmy Johnson. “He was hitting Michael Irvin on crossover routes and executing the offense. He had everything spinning in his head but did a tremendous job.”

“I didn’t want to let the coaches and the players on this great team down,” said Kosar. “I’m just so happy we won. It was a tough week getting ready. I told some Cleveland friends it’s amazing what a difference a week can make.”

The Cowboys lost their next two games before winning the remainder and finishing atop the NFC East with a 12-4 record. They again advanced to the Super Bowl and won for the second straight year. The Cardinals finished strong with four wins in their last five games to end up fourth in the division at 7-9.

Bernie Kosar started one more game before Troy Aikman returned to take over the reins. He completed 36 of 63 passes for 410 yards and three touchdowns with none intercepted. He moved on to the Dolphins for 1994 where he backed up QB Dan Marino for three years to finish out his career.

Emmitt Smith went on to win his third consecutive NFL rushing title, gaining 1486 yards on 283 carries (5.3 avg.) and scoring nine touchdowns. He also caught 57 passes for 414 yards and another score. The 86-yard reception against the Cardinals was the longest of his Hall of Fame career.