2003: Rams Score 33 Points to Beat Ravens Despite Only 121 Yards on Offense

The St. Louis Rams had a 5-3 record and the NFL’s top-ranked offense as they hosted the Baltimore Ravens on November 9, 2003. The Rams, coached by Mike Martz, were averaging 374.5 yards-per-game as they continued to be the potent and high-scoring team that they had typically been since the 1999 Championship season. However, Marc Bulger was now the quarterback in place of Kurt Warner and was not as accurate of a deep passer. To be sure, he still had outstanding wide receivers in Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce and RB Marshall Faulk was back after having missed five games with hand and knee injuries. Moreover, the Rams had won ten straight home games.

The Ravens, under the guidance of Head Coach Brian Billick, were also 5-3, but were very different in style from their opponent. Baltimore was known for defense, with MLB Ray Lewis the most notable star, and a conservative, ball-control offense that featured RB Jamal Lewis, who was leading the NFL in rushing. Rookie Kyle Boller was the quarterback and their best receiver was TE Todd Heap.

There were 66,085 fans in attendance for the Sunday night game at the Edgar Jones Dome. The Ravens had the first possession and moved well as Jamal Lewis had runs of 20 and 23 yards to start the series. But after reaching the St. Louis 30, Kyle Boller’s pass was intercepted by CB Jerametrius Butler, who returned it 45 yards to the Baltimore 36. Three plays later Marc Bulger threw to Torry Holt for a 24-yard gain that had five yards added (half the distance to the goal) due to a face mask penalty, putting the Rams on the five. From there, Marshall Faulk ran for a touchdown and Jeff Wilkins (pictured above) added the extra point.

The Ravens punted following their next possession and WR Dane Looker, picking up the rolling ball, returned it 44 yards to the Baltimore one. Faulk again scored, Wilkins converted, and with most of their yardage coming on interception and punt returns, the Rams were ahead by 14-0.

Baltimore again had to punt following its next series but got a break when CB DeJuan Groce muffed the catch and safety Gerome Sapp recovered at the St. Louis 15. A holding penalty moved the Ravens back ten yards and they ended up having to settle for a 43-yard Matt Stover field goal.

The teams exchanged turnovers as Bulger was intercepted by Ray Lewis on the next series and Jamal Lewis fumbled the ball back at the St. Louis 11 four plays later. In a possession that extended into the second quarter, the Rams were able to get only to their 26 and punted. Now the Ravens benefited from a good return when DB Lamont Brightful gained 24 yards, and an unnecessary roughness penalty put the ball on the St. Louis 33. Boller completed two passes for 14 yards and Jamal Lewis ran three times to get to the five yard line, but a sack and an incomplete pass caused the visitors to again settle for a field goal as Stover connected from 25 yards to make the score 14-6.

The Rams had to punt from deep in their own territory following the next series and Baltimore took advantage of good starting field position to drive 45 yards in five plays. The big play was a Boller pass to WR Travis Taylor that picked up 40 yards and Jamal Lewis (pictured at left) finished the possession off with a two-yard touchdown run. Boller’s pass for a two-point conversion was incomplete, but the Ravens were now behind by just two points at 14-12.

The Rams again had to punt after a short series, but Boller fumbled when being sacked by SS Adam Archuleta, who then recovered and ran 45 yards for a TD. Wilkins added the PAT and St. Louis was up by 21-12 with a minimum of offensive output.

Regaining possession with 4:38 to go in the first half, the Ravens advanced 80 yards in 10 plays. Boller had completions to Todd Heap for ten and nine yards, the second coming in a third-and-eight situation and a pass interference penalty picked up 28 yards to the St. Louis 31. Following a short carry by Jamal Lewis, Boller threw to Taylor for 25 yards and, two plays after that, to OT Jonathan Ogden, who was lined up as an eligible receiver, for a one-yard touchdown. Stover added the point after and the score was 21-19 in favor of St. Louis at halftime. The Ravens had driven into St. Louis territory seven times and outgained the Rams by 206 yards to 38, but were two points behind and had now lost Boller to a knee injury.

A short series by the Rams to start the third quarter ended with a punt and the Ravens, now with Chris Redman at quarterback, also punted but retained possession when Groce fumbled the return and safety Chad Williams recovered at the St. Louis 28. The visitors picked up five yards from there and Stover kicked a 41-yard field goal that put them in the lead at 22-21.

The teams exchanged punts, and then interceptions. Early in the fourth quarter, Wilkins kicked a 49-yard field goal that put the Rams back in front by 24-22. Another series by the Ravens ended with an interception as LB Tommy Polley picked off a Redman pass and returned it 22 yards to the Baltimore 36. Four plays later, Wilkins kicked a 46-yard field goal to make it a five-point game.

Once again St. Louis benefited from a turnover when Jamal Lewis fumbled and DT Brian Young recovered at the Baltimore 35. Keeping the ball on the ground, the Rams got another field goal from Wilkins, this time from 48 yards.

On a series in which Redman was sacked on back-to-back plays, the Ravens were forced to punt from deep in their own territory and WR Mike Furrey returned it 17 yards to the Baltimore 35. Bulger completed passes to WR Isaac Bruce for eight yards and Holt for 10 and Wilkins kicked his fourth field goal of the game from 27 yards with 1:45 left to play. That provided the final margin as the Rams won by a score of 33-22.

The Rams had a mere 121 yards of offense, to 267 for Baltimore, and the Ravens dominated in first downs (16 to 7) and time of possession (37:21 to 22:39). However, the Ravens also turned the ball over seven times, to four suffered by St. Louis, and were penalized 10 times at a cost of 80 yards, to seven flags for 75 yards thrown on the Rams. St. Louis also recorded seven sacks while Baltimore had four.

Marc Bulger completed only 13 of 26 passes for 110 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. Marshall Faulk scored on two short touchdown carries but gained just 48 yards on 20 carries and had six more yards on three pass receptions. Dane Looker (pictured at right) and Torry Holt had identical output with three catches for 38 yards apiece, and while the total put Holt over a thousand yards for the season, it was easily his lowest total of the season. Looker also had the 44-yard punt return and, on defense, Jerametrius Butler intercepted two passes. Jeff Wilkins kicked four field goals in as many attempts, which proved to be vital.

For the Ravens, Jamal Lewis rushed for 111 yards on 27 carries that included a TD, but also lost two fumbles. Kyle Boller was successful on 10 of 21 throws for 112 yards and a TD as well as giving up an interception before suffering the injury that proved to be effectively season-ending (he was active for the last two games but threw just one pass), and Chris Redman went 7-of-12 for 58 yards and had two intercepted in relief. Todd Heap caught 6 passes for 49 yards and Travis Taylor gained 65 yards on his two receptions.

“Marc slugged it out pretty good,” said Coach Martz of Bulger. “It did cross my mind (pulling Bulger from the game), but Marc needs to go through this. They all go through that, and Marc’s no different from anybody else.”

The Rams stuck with Bulger and the win over the Ravens proved to be the first of seven straight, on the way to a 12-4 record and first place in the AFC West. However, they lost the season finale, which forfeited the opportunity to have the top playoff seed in the conference, and then fell to the Panthers in the Divisional playoff round. Baltimore lost again the next week but recovered to win five of their remaining six games to top the AFC North at 10-6. The Ravens lost to Tennessee in their Wild Card playoff game.

Marc Bulger went on to gain selection to the Pro Bowl as he passed for 3845 yards and 22 touchdowns, although he also gave up 22 interceptions. Marshall Faulk recovered to rush for over a hundred yards in each of the next four games, ending up with 818 yards on 209 carries (3.9 avg.) and 45 catches for 290 yards (6.4 avg.) while scoring a total of 11 TDs. While lesser numbers by comparison to the high standards he had set in previous years, it was still a respectable performance as his career entered its downside.

Jamal Lewis had a career year, leading the NFL with 2066 yards on 387 carries (5.3 avg.) and scoring 14 touchdowns. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection who was also named to the Pro Bowl and received NFL Offensive Player of the Year recognition from the Associated Press and was named MVP by the Pro Football Writers.

1970: Eagles Upset Dolphins for First Win of Season

The Philadelphia Eagles were winless at 0-7 and, going back to the previous year, were struggling with an 11-game losing streak as they hosted the Miami Dolphins on November 8, 1970. QB Norm Snead, in his seventh season with the team, had a strong arm but was immobile and interception-prone. There were good receivers, most notably WR Harold Jackson (pictured at right), but the running game missed FB Tom Woodeshick, who had gone down for the year with an ankle injury. The defense had some talent, especially at linebacker and in the backfield, but the pass rush had not been impressive thus far. Head Coach Jerry Williams made some lineup changes coming into the game, inserting rookie first draft choice Steve Zabel at tight end and moving Gary Ballman from tight end to flanker, thus benching Ben Hawkins, in the hope of improving blocking for the running game.

Miami was in its first season under Head Coach Don Shula, having suffered through four lackluster years as an AFL expansion team (1970 was the first year with AFL teams merged into the reorganized NFL). Another new arrival, WR Paul Warfield, was obtained from Cleveland and proved beneficial to the young offense with his ability to stretch defenses. QB Bob Griese was still a work in progress, while halfbacks Jim Kiick and Eugene “Mercury” Morris, and FB Larry Csonka, were all talents on the rise. The young defense was anchored by veteran MLB Nick Buoniconti, who had rookies Mike Kolen and Doug Swift starting on either side of him, and also benefited from the presence of FS Jake Scott, a CFL veteran. After getting off to a surprising 4-1 start, however, the Dolphins had been shut out in their previous two contests and were 4-3 coming into Philadelphia.

There were 58,171 fans in attendance at Franklin Field. The teams started off the game trading punts, with each blunting promising drives by committing penalties. Miami got the first break when CB Curtis Johnson recovered a fumble by FB Lee Bouggess at the Philadelphia 45. Bob Griese ran the ball himself for a 16-yard gain, but the drive stalled at the 21 and Garo Yepremian missed on a 28-yard field goal attempt.

The Eagles were driving as the first quarter came to an end. Norm Snead completed consecutive passes to Harold Jackson for 15 and 9 yards and HB Cyril Pinder ran effectively. Snead capped the 80-yard, nine-play series with another pass to Jackson that was good for a 31-yard touchdown, Mark Moseley added the extra point, and the home team was ahead by 7-0.

The teams again exchanged punts, with the Eagles pinning the Dolphins back at their four yard line. The visitors dug out of the hole, however. After reaching their 13, Griese threw to Paul Warfield (pictured at left) for 15 yards and Larry Csonka followed up with a 14-yard carry to the 42. But Jim Kiick lost two yards and Griese’s next pass was intercepted by FS Steve Preece, who returned it 19 yards to the Miami 37. The Eagles advanced to the 16 and Moseley booted a 23-yard field goal.

Mercury Morris returned the ensuing kickoff 51 yards to give the Dolphins good field position at the Philadelphia 49 with 1:45 remaining in the first half. Kiick ran for 12 yards and caught a pass for another seven, but Griese again was picked off, this time by LB Adrian Young. Philadelphia drove 71 yards in six plays, with Snead throwing to Bouggess for a gain of 34 yards and Pinder running up the middle for 15 yards along the way. Snead connected with Jackson once again for a 15-yard TD and, with Moseley’s conversion, the Eagles took a 17-0 lead into halftime.

The teams started off the third quarter with an exchange of punts before Griese again gave up an interception, this time by CB Ray Jones, who returned it 17 yards to the Miami 16. The Eagles again took advantage of the turnover and Snead passed to Steve Zabel for a two-yard touchdown. Moseley added the PAT.

Down by 24-0, John Stofa replaced Griese at quarterback for the Dolphins. Miami had to punt after a short series, but this time the visitors were the beneficiaries of an interception as Jake Scott picked off a Snead pass and returned it 47 yards to the Philadelphia 19. On the third play of the fourth quarter, Yepremian finally got the Dolphins on the board with a 24-yard field goal.

The Eagles went three-and-out and punted, and the Dolphins struck quickly as Stofa threw long to Warfield for a 52-yard touchdown. Yepremian’s extra point made it a 14-point game with plenty of time remaining.

Philadelphia got a 23-yard gain on a pass from Snead to WR Ben Hawkins on the next series, but once again had to punt, and both teams followed up with short possessions leading to punts. Finally, starting at their own 38 with 5:16 to go, the Dolphins put together a six-play, 62-yard drive. Stofa converted a third down with a pass to Kiick that gained 20 yards and finished off the series with a toss to WR Willie Richardson for a 27-yard TD. Yepremian again converted and Philadelphia’s margin was down to seven points.

That was the last gasp for Miami, however. Following a short series that led to a punt by the Eagles, the Dolphins got the ball back at their 20 with the clock showing 1:40 to play. Stofa completed a pass to Morris for 14 yards but then was intercepted by Young, whose second pickoff of the day sealed the 24-17 win for the Eagles.

Philadelphia had the edge in total yards (291 to 245) and first downs (17 to 14). The inspired Eagles defense accounted for four sacks and four interceptions, which accounted for Miami’s turnover total. Philadelphia turned the ball over twice and gave up just one sack. The Dolphins also were penalized eight times, at a cost of 62 yards, while the Eagles were flagged on six occasions.

Norm Snead (pictured above) completed 15 of 29 passes for 187 yards and three touchdowns while giving up one interception. Harold Jackson had 5 catches for 74 yards, two of them for TDs. Lee Bouggess also had 5 receptions, for 57 yards, although he gained only two rushing yards on 12 carries. Cyril Pinder ran for 99 yards on 23 attempts. Defensively, Adrian Young accounted for two of Philadelphia’s four interceptions.

For the Dolphins, Bob Griese was successful on just 6 of 14 throws for 42 yards with no TDs and three interceptions. In relief, John Stofa went five-of-15 for 120 yards, two of them good for touchdowns and with one picked off. Willie Richardson caught three passes for 39 yards and a TD and Paul Warfield gained 67 yards on his two receptions that included one for a long score.

The Eagles tied Atlanta the next week and then upset the Giants on the way to a 3-10-1 record that placed last in the NFC East. The season turned around in a good way for Miami, which won its remaining six games to end up second in the AFC East at 10-4. The Dolphins qualified for a Wild Card playoff spot in the revamped postseason format brought about by the AFL/NFL merger and lost in the Divisional round to Oakland.

Norm Snead, in his last year with the Eagles, passed for 2323 yards and 15 touchdowns, but with 20 interceptions. Harold Jackson caught 41 passes for 613 yards (15.0 avg.) and five TDs. The performance by the rookie Lee Bouggess was characteristic as he led the club with 50 pass receptions, for 401 yards (8.0 avg.) and two TDs, but averaged just 2.5 yards per rushing attempt with 401 yards on 159 carries.

Just as Miami’s fortunes improved, so did Bob Griese’s. The fourth-year quarterback completed 58.0 percent of his passes for 2019 yards and 12 touchdowns, although with 17 interceptions, and was named to the Pro Bowl. Paul Warfield missed three games due to injury but averaged 25.1 yards on 28 catches for 703 yards and six TDs.

Rookie of the Year: Troy Stradford, 1987

Running Back, Miami Dolphins

Age: 23 (Sept. 11)

College: Boston College

Height: 5’9”   Weight: 191

Prelude:

Stradford set a school career rushing record with 3504 yards at Boston College and scored 36 touchdowns. He was chosen by the Dolphins in the fourth round of the 1987 NFL draft. A classic scatback who was fast and elusive, Stradford beat out Lorenzo Hampton for a spot in the starting lineup.

1987 Season Summary

Appeared in 12 of 15 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 145 [19, tied with Larry Kinnebrew]

Most attempts, game – 30 (for 120 yds.) vs. NY Jets 12/7

Yards – 619 [18]

Most yards, game – 169 yards (on 17 carries) at Dallas 11/22

Average gain – 4.3 [13]

TDs – 6 [10, tied with Eric Dickerson, Sammy Winder & George Rogers]

100-yard rushing games – 3

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 48      

Most receptions, game – 8 (for 46 yds.) vs. Pittsburgh 11/1

Yards – 457

Most yards, game – 83 (on 6 catches) at Dallas 11/22

Average gain – 9.5

TDs – 1

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 14

Yards – 258

Average per return – 18.4

TDs – 0

Longest return – 32 yards

All-Purpose yards – 1334 [5]

Passing

Attempts – 1

Completions – 1

Yards – 6

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 7 [16, tied with twelve others]

Points – 42

Awards & Honors:

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA

Dolphins went 8-7 to finish third in the AFC East in the strike-shortened season (three games were played with replacement players) while leading the NFL in passing yards (3876) and the conference in touchdowns (47, tied with the Cleveland Browns).

Aftermath:

After setting a franchise record for yards from scrimmage by a rookie, Stradford suffered through an injury-plagued 1988 season and his rushing output dropped to 335 yards, although he caught 56 passes for 426 yards. A major knee injury limited him to seven games and 473 yards from scrimmage in ’89 and, following a lesser season in 1990, he signed with Kansas City as a Plan B free agent in 1991. The Chiefs used him almost exclusively as a kick returner with unspectacular results as he averaged 6.8 yards on 22 punt returns and 20.9 running back kickoffs in a season in which he missed the first few weeks due to a broken arm. Waived during the ’92 preseason, Stradford was picked up by the Rams and also played for Detroit in what was his last NFL season. He played for the Amsterdam Admirals of the WLAF in 1995 with modest results. Overall, Stradford rushed for 1380 yards on 356 carries (3.9 avg.) and caught 170 passes for 1479 yards (8.7 avg.), scoring a total of 12 touchdowns.

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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).

1949: Redskins Defeat Steelers with 3 TDs in Fourth Quarter

The Washington Redskins were struggling with a 2-3-1 record as they hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers on November 6, 1949. John Whelchel, a former admiral and coach at Navy, had been hired as head coach to bring discipline to the team. QB Sammy Baugh (pictured at right) was still a highly-effective passer at age 35 and end Hugh Taylor an outstanding receiver, but the Redskins lost badly to the Cardinals, Giants, and Eagles.

Pittsburgh, coached by John Michelosen, was 4-2 and trying to remain in contention after a loss to the Eastern Division-leading Eagles the previous week. The Steelers were utilizing the NFL’s last single-wing offense and thus remained dependent on a conservative, ground-oriented attack. While coming into the game with the better record, the team had never won in Washington and lost to the Redskins in Pittsburgh earlier in the season.

There were 26,038 fans in attendance at Griffith Stadium. The Steelers dominated play in the first quarter, not allowing a first down on defense, although they came up empty on a scoring opportunity. DE Bob Davis partially blocked a punt by Dick Poillon in his end zone to give Pittsburgh the ball on the Washington 27. Three running plays got the ball to the eight, but after another three runs, HB Jerry Nuzum was stopped at the one on fourth down.

At 6:35 into the second quarter, the Redskins got on the board when QB Harry Gilmer eluded tacklers and threw a bomb to Hugh Taylor, who pulled it down from among three defenders for a 51-yard touchdown.

The Steelers responded by driving 80 yards in 12 plays. TB Jim Finks completed a pass to end Val Jansante for 34 yards and ran five yards around end for a touchdown to finish off the series. Joe Glamp’s conversion tied the score at 7-7, which remained the tally at halftime.

In the third quarter, Pittsburgh had the initial possession and advanced 66 yards, this time in 13 plays. Nuzum (pictured at right) ran for 13 yards and Finks for 14 before FB Jerry Shipkey powered up the middle for a TD from a foot out and Glamp’s extra point put the visitors in front by 14-7.

The Redskins, with Sammy Baugh in at quarterback, drove to the Pittsburgh 30, but LB Darrell Hogan picked off a pass. The Steelers reached the Washington 16 on their series, with the big play a 23-yard carry by Nuzum, but the drive stalled and Glamp was wide to the right on a 25-yard field goal attempt.

Late in the period, DB Howard Hartley intercepted another Baugh pass at the Pittsburgh 16. The Steelers had to punt to start the fourth quarter and the Redskins took possession at their 26. Rookie FB Pete Stout ran around end, eluded several tacklers as he headed down the sideline, and went the distance for a 74-yard touchdown. Poillon converted and, less than a minute into the final period, the score was again tied at 14-14.

Hartley intercepted another pass and then Poillon missed a 41-yard field goal attempt for Washington and a deadlock appeared likely. The Steelers came out passing, however, and Finks was picked off by DB Howie Livingston at the Pittsburgh 42. Baugh passed to Taylor for eight yards and then to HB Rob Goode for a 32-yard gain. Stout followed up with another touchdown, this time from one yard out. Poillon missed the extra point, but the home team was ahead by six points with two minutes remaining to play.

Pittsburgh again went to the air, the biggest a throw from Finks to end Elbie Nickel for 30 yards, and reached the Washington 39 before DHB Dan Sandifer intercepted a pass and returned it 58 yards to the Pittsburgh 16. HB Harry Dowda ran for a one-yard insurance TD. The PAT was successful and what had been a closely-fought contest for most of the way turned into a 27-14 win for the Redskins.

Thanks to the long scoring run, Pete Stout (pictured above) gained 107 yards on just seven carries that included two touchdowns. Sammy Baugh completed 8 of 15 passes for 101 yards and a TD and Harry Gilmer was four-of-12 for 107 yards and a score. For the Steelers, Jim Finks was successful on five of 15 throws for 86 yards with no touchdowns. He also ran for 68 yards on 18 carries.

Washington won only once more the rest of the way, ending up with a 4-7-1 record that placed fourth in the Eastern Division. Coach Whelchel was let go and assistant Herman Ball finished out the year in the interim. For the Steelers, the loss extinguished any faint title hopes and they went 6-5-1 for second place in the division, well behind the Eagles.

Sammy Baugh had a typically productive season, leading the NFL in passing for the sixth (and last) time while accumulating 1903 yards and 18 touchdowns. Pete Stout’s rushing total against the Steelers represented almost half of his 245 yards on 62 carries for the season in which he appeared in six games.

1995: Seahawks Lose Big Lead but Defeat Giants

The Seattle Seahawks were struggling at 2-6 and coming off a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Cardinals the previous week as they hosted the New York Giants on November 5, 1995. First-year Head Coach Dennis Erickson’s team had talent, with RB Chris Warren and exciting rookie WR Joey Galloway noteworthy on offense and DT Cortez Kennedy anchoring the defense. However, QB Rick Mirer (pictured at right) was on shaky ground, having been benched in favor of John Friesz, who suffered a shoulder separation against the Cards, and problems with pass protection made it all the more problematic.

The Giants were also experiencing difficulties in their third season under Head Coach Dan Reeves. QB Dave Brown had yet to produce the results anticipated when he was handed the starting job the previous year. RB Rodney Hampton was the key to the run-oriented offense and rookie Tyrone Wheatley, drafted in the first round, had been added to the mix.

There were 42,100 fans in attendance at the Kingdome. The first series of the game ended in a punt by the Giants, and the Seahawks drove 62 yards in five plays. Rick Mirer finished it off with a pass to WR Brian Blades for a 33-yard touchdown and Todd Peterson added the extra point.

New York responded with a 10-play, 61-yard possession. Dave Brown completed three passes, the biggest to WR Mike Sherrard for 25 yards in a third-and-10 situation. That gave the Giants a first down at the Seattle nine, but they were unable to reach the end zone and Brad Daluiso kicked a 23-yard field goal that made the score 7-3.

The Seahawks responded with a 59-yard drive that took five plays. Mirer again connected with Blades, this time for a 44-yard TD, and with Peterson’s kick, Seattle’s lead was enlarged to 14-3. It got larger when the Giants punted following their next possession and Joey Galloway (pictured below) returned it 89 yards for another touchdown. Peterson again successfully converted.

Down by 21-3, the Giants were moving as the first quarter ended and advanced 62 yards in nine plays. Brown completed another four passes, the last to RB Herschel Walker for an eight-yard TD. The Seahawks went three-and-out on their next series, punted, and New York drove from its 20 to the Seattle 35. Facing fourth-and-four, the Giants lined up in shotgun formation but Brown punted instead. The Seahawks had another short series ending with a punt, and taking possession with 3:21 remaining in the first half, New York advanced 48 yards in four plays to score again. Brown had two short completions and finished the series off with a pass to Sherrard for a 28-yard touchdown. The try for a two-point conversion failed, but the visitors were now behind by only five points at 21-16.

Mirer attempted to pass the Seahawks down the field in response, but CB Philippi Sparks came up with an interception that gave the Giants the ball at the Seattle 46 with 53 seconds still on the clock. Brown threw to WR Chris Calloway for 15 yards and Sherrard for 30 to the Seattle one. From there, Rodney Hampton went up the middle for a TD. New York again went for two points and failed, but the second quarter comeback had put the Giants in front by 22-21 at halftime.

Seattle started off the third quarter with a 10-play, 70-yard series. RB Lamar Smith, replacing the injured Chris Warren, carried most of the load, gaining 35 yards on six carries and Mirer threw a pass to Blades that picked up 28 yards. The drive stalled at the New York five, but Peterson kicked a 23-yard field goal to put the Seahawks back in front by 24-22.

The Giants punted following their next possession and Seattle again put together a long series. Again the Seahawks primarily kept the ball on the ground and were helped along by two defensive penalties. Mirer completed a pass to Galloway for 10 yards in a third-and-nine situation and FB Steve Smith gained four yards up the middle to convert a fourth down, but Lamar Smith fumbled and CB Thomas Randolph recovered for the Giants at their 15 yard line.

New York punted and, as the game headed into the fourth quarter, the Seahawks advanced 27 yards in seven plays. Mirer threw to TE Carlester Crumpler for 13 yards and Lamar Smith had a 16-yard carry along the way. Peterson booted a field goal from 41 yards and the Seattle lead was extended to 27-22.

Walker returned the ensuing kickoff 50 yards to the Seattle 48 to give the Giants good starting field position. Tyrone Wheatley ran for 11 yards on two carries and, following two incomplete passes, Brown connected with Calloway for 21 yards to the 16. Wheatley and Hampton chipped away from there, with Hampton gaining the last yard for a touchdown. A third try for a two-point conversion failed when CB Corey Harris broke up a pass intended for WR Arthur Marshall, but the visitors were back in front by a score of 28-27.

The teams exchanged punts before the Seahawks put together a long drive of 77 yards in 13 plays. Mirer completed five passes and Peterson finished the series off with a 32-yard field goal that put Seattle in front for the third time by two points.

There was 1:23 remaining in the game as the Giants took possession at their 13 yard line. Brown had three pass completions, to Marshall for 14 yards, Sherrard for 16, and Marshall again for 27 yards to reach the Seattle 30. But New York could get no farther and Daluiso’s last-play field goal attempt from 48 yards was wide to the right. The Seahawks held on to win by a final score of 30-28.  

The Giants gained more total yards (403 to 386) and had the edge in first downs (26 to 24) and time of possession (33:14 to 26:46). Seattle suffered the only two turnovers but the Giants were penalized eight times at a cost of 81 yards, to five flags thrown on the Seahawks.

Rick Mirer completed 17 of 31 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns while giving up one interception. Brian Blades had 6 catches for 153 yards and both receiving TDs. Lamar Smith rushed for 85 yards on 19 carries. Joey Galloway contributed four pass receptions for 35 yards and, with the long punt return for a score, averaged 26.3 yards on four runbacks of punts. Todd Peterson was successful on all three of his field goal attempts, which proved to be vital.

For the Giants, Dave Brown was successful on 20 of 41 throws for 299 yards and two TDs and had none intercepted. Mike Sherrard (pictured at right) caught 6 of those passes for 128 yards and a touchdown. Rodney Hampton led the rushers with 54 yards on 18 attempts that included two short TDs.

The win over the Giants marked a turnaround for the Seahawks as they won five of their next six games to finish at an even 8-8, which placed third in the AFC West. New York, on the other hand, lost its next two contests on the way to a 5-11 record that meant fourth-place in the NFC East.

Rick Mirer’s play remained uneven as he passed for 2564 yards and 13 touchdowns, but with 20 interceptions. Brian Blades led the team with 77 catches for 1001 yards (13.0 avg.) and four TDs and Joey Galloway finished with 67 receptions for 1039 yards (15.5 avg.) and seven touchdowns while averaging an even 10.0 yards on 36 punt returns. Lamar Smith returned to his backup role, rushing for 215 yards on 36 attempts (6.0 avg.); the game against New York represented his most significant action of the season by far.

Dave Brown threw for 2814 yards and 11 TDs and had problems with passing accuracy. Mike Sherrard caught 44 passes for 577 yards (13.1 avg.) and four touchdowns in his last of three seasons with New York.

1956: Lions Hold Off 49ers to Remain Undefeated

The Detroit Lions were undefeated at 5-0 as they faced the San Francisco 49ers on November 4, 1956. Coached by Buddy Parker, the Lions had an offense led by fiery QB Bobby Layne, recovered from a shoulder injury that devastated both him and the team in ’55. Big Leon Hart (6’5”, 255) had been shifted from end to fullback with favorable results and rookie Howard “Hopalong” Cassady, the Heisman Trophy winner out of Ohio State, was at halfback. The tough defense continued to be the key to the team’s success and featured MLB Joe Schmidt and safeties Jack Christiansen and Yale Lary.

The 49ers had a first-year head coach in Frankie Albert, formerly a star quarterback for the team, and were stumbling along at 1-4. Veteran QB Y.A. Tittle had been benched in favor of rookie Earl Morrall but there was still plenty of talent, especially in the backfield and among the receivers. San Francisco had lost a close game to the Lions two weeks earlier in Detroit.

There were 46,706 fans in attendance at Kezar Stadium and they saw a scoreless first quarter. A promising possession for the 49ers ended at the Detroit 10 when FB John Henry Johnson, whose 54-yard carry was the big play in the series, tried to convert a fourth down and was stopped for a four-yard loss.

Early in the second quarter the Lions drove 70 yards in 10 plays. Leon Hart (pictured above), who gained 29 yards on five carries along the way, blasted into the end zone from three yards out to put the visitors on the board. Bobby Layne, now also the team’s placekicker, added the extra point. The lead didn’t hold up for long as HB Joe Arenas took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 90 yards for a TD. Gordie Soltau converted to tie the score.

The Niners then retained possession with a successful onside kick that gave them the ball at the Detroit 47. They advanced 22 yards before Soltau kicked a 30-yard field goal to give San Francisco the lead. Layne kicked a 30-yard field goal for the Lions before the first half was over and the score was tied at 10-10 at halftime.

The Lions went 80 yards to score again in the third quarter, with Hart and “Hopalong” Cassady gaining 58 yards on the ground between them, Layne completed a pass to end Jim Doran for 17 yards, and it was Hart once more reaching paydirt from a yard out. Layne kicked the point after.

San Francisco came right back with a series that led to another Soltau field goal, this time from 40 yards. With five minutes remaining, Hart left the contest with an ankle injury and the Lions began to bog down on offense.

Taking possession at their 11 in the game’s climactic series, the 49ers drove to the Detroit two yard line. But, following a one-yard gain, an apparent dive across the goal line by Johnson was nullified by a penalty. Johnson was tossed for a seven-yard loss on the next play and HB Hugh McElhenny’s option pass into the end zone was intercepted by Jack Christiansen. With less than two minutes remaining, it clinched the win for the Lions by a score of 17-13.

The Lions had the edge in total yards (283 to 246), with 194 yards of that total coming on the ground, and also in first downs (19 to 15). Each team turned the ball over three times.

Leon Hart rushed for 77 yards on 16 carries that included two touchdowns before leaving the game and “Hopalong” Cassady gained 78 yards on 19 attempts. Bobby Layne had trouble with his passing accuracy, completing only 7 of 18 throws for 80 yards, but completions to Jim Doran of 14 and 17 yards kept each of the touchdown drives going. John Henry Johnson (pictured above) accounted for 92 of San Francisco’s 93 rushing yards.

The Lions finally lost for the first time the next week at Washington and ended up second in the Western Conference with a 9-3 record after losing a season-ending game to the Bears in which Layne was knocked out of the contest on a notorious late hit by DE Ed Meadows. San Francisco fell to 1-6 before catching fire and going 4-0-1 to finish out the season at 5-6-1, placing third in the conference.

Bobby Layne was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection as he not only passed well but, thanks to his additional placekicking duties, led the league in scoring with 99 points. Leon Hart was not consistently as strong at fullback as he was against the 49ers, running for 348 yards on 76 carries (4.6 avg.) and five touchdowns. “Hopalong” Cassady was also something of a disappointment, with 97 carries for 413 yards (4.3 avg.) and the less-heralded Gene Gedman supplanted him in the lineup.

John Henry Johnson ran for 301 yards on 80 attempts (3.8 avg.) and remained the third wheel in the San Francisco backfield behind Hugh McElhenny and FB Joe Perry.

Highlighted Year: Karim Abdul-Jabbar, 1997

Running Back, Miami Dolphins

Age: 23

2^nd season in pro football & with Dolphins

College: UCLA

Height: 5’10” Weight: 194

Prelude:

Abdul-Jabbar set a season rushing record at UCLA with 1571 yards in 1995 and was chosen by the Dolphins in the third round of the ‘96 NFL draft. Appearing tentative during preseason, he drew the ire of Head Coach Jimmy Johnson, but Abdul-Jabbar ran for 115 yards in the season-opening game and went on to become the team’s first thousand-yard rusher since 1978 as he gained 1116 yards on 307 carries (3.6 avg.) and scored 11 touchdowns. While having good balance, he did not accelerate quickly and lacked breakaway potential.

1997 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 283 [9]

Most attempts, game – 26 (for 83 yds.) vs. Buffalo 11/17

Yards – 892 [19]

Most yards, game – 108 yards (on 22 carries) at Baltimore 10/19

Average gain – 3.2

TDs – 15 [1, tied with Terrell Davis]

100-yard rushing games – 2

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 29

Most receptions, game – 6 (for 60 yds.) vs. New England 12/22

Yards – 261

Most yards, game – 60 (on 6 catches) vs. New England 12/22

Average gain – 9.0

TDs – 1

Scoring

TDs – 16 [1]

Points – 96 [20, tied with Terrell Davis]

Postseason: 1 G (AFC Wild Card playoff at New England)

Rushing attempts – 5

Rushing yards – 16

Average gain rushing – 3.2

Rushing TDs – 0

Dolphins went 9-7 to finish second in the AFC East and qualify for the postseason as a Wild Card entry. Lost AFC Wild Card playoff to New England Patriots (17-3).

Aftermath:

Abdul-Jabbar rushed for 960 yards in 1998 but, after scoring 27 touchdowns in his first two seasons (26 on the ground), his total dropped to six. He was traded to Cleveland during the ’99 season and ran for 350 yards in 10 games for the reconstituted Browns franchise. Moving on to the Colts in 2000, he appeared in just one game as wear on his knees ended his career after just five years. Overall, he gained 3411 yards on 1004 rushing attempts (3.4 avg.) and caught 90 passes for 586 yards (6.5 avg.), scoring a total of 35 touchdowns. Controversy surrounding similarities to basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led to a lawsuit and a change of name to Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970