1991: Opportunistic Falcons Outlast 49ers for Wild Win

The Atlanta Falcons were off to a 2-3 start as they traveled to San Francisco to take on the 49ers on October 13, 1991. Coached by Jerry Glanville, the Falcons were coming off of eight consecutive losing seasons and had lost in their last five meetings with the 49ers. The club employed a run-and-shoot offense directed by talented but injury-prone QB Chris Miller (pictured at right) with WR Andre Rison as the leading receiver. The defense featured an outstanding cornerback tandem in Deion Sanders, who was also excellent at returning kicks, and Tim McKyer, a sixth-year veteran who started out with the 49ers.

San Francisco had been to the playoffs in each of the previous eight years under, first, Bill Walsh and now George Seifert, and that included three Super Bowl victories, most recently in 1988 and ’89. The 49ers reached the NFC Championship game in 1990 but were in a transition year. Most notably, the team lost 35-year-old star QB Joe Montana, who was out for the season with a torn elbow tendon in his throwing arm. Backup QB Steve Young was getting his chance, but the results had been uneven thus far and the Niners were also at 2-3.

There were 57,343 fans in attendance at Candlestick Park on a sunny afternoon. The Falcons had the ball first and quickly went 73 yards in four plays. Chris Miller started off with a completion to Andre Rison for 39 yards to the San Francisco 34 and, following two carries by RB Erric Pegram, Miller fired long for WR Michael Haynes in the end zone and it was good for a 27-yard touchdown. Norm Johnson added the extra point.

Steve Young (pictured at left) threw to Jerry Rice for a 15-yard pickup on the Niners’ first play from scrimmage, but RB Dexter Carter fumbled on the next one and SS Brian Jordan recovered for the Falcons at the San Francisco 49. Miller rolled out and threw to Haynes for a gain of 41 yards on first down and, three plays later, it was Miller to Rison for a seven-yard TD. Johnson’s point after put the visitors ahead by 14-0.

The teams traded punts before FS Scott Case intercepted a Young pass at the San Francisco 38. The Falcons made their way to the San Francisco 12 as the opening period came to an end and, two plays into the second quarter, Johnson kicked a 29-yard field goal to make it a 17-0 contest.

The 49ers responded by driving 72 yards in six plays. Young completed two passes to TE Jamie Williams for 16 and 15 yards and a long throw to WR Mike Sherrard picked up 31 yards to the Atlanta 10. FB Tom Rathman gained four yards up the middle and then Young, rolling to his left, ran for a six-yard touchdown. Mike Cofer converted to narrow Atlanta’s lead to 17-7.

The Falcons reached midfield on their next series before punting and the 49ers had to punt from their own 25 in turn, with Joe Prokop’s deflected kick traveling only 17 yards to give the visitors good field position at the San Francisco 41. They reached the 23 at the two-minute warning and Johnson kicked a 43-yard field goal to put the Falcons up by 20-7.

There was still time for the 49ers following Carter’s 34-yard kickoff return, and they advanced 66 yards in five plays. The big one was a long pass by Young that WR John Taylor caught for a 54-yard touchdown. Cofer’s extra point narrowed the Atlanta lead to 20-14 at halftime.

San Francisco had the first possession of the third quarter and traveled 70 yards in five plays. Young ran twice for 14 yards and, while an apparent 20-yard completion to Taylor was called back due to an illegal motion penalty, a Young throw to Rice was good for a 57-yard TD. Atlanta’s Jordan blocked Cofer’s extra point attempt, but the game was now tied at 20-20.

It didn’t stay tied for long when Deion Sanders gathered in the ensuing kickoff and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. Johnson’s conversion put the Falcons back in front by seven points. The 49ers came back with a nine-play, 69-yard drive. Young completed four passes, most notably to Rice for 22 yards in a third-and-six situation and to Williams for 15 yards to the Atlanta 10. Two passes into the end zone fell incomplete but, following a defensive holding penalty, RB Harry Sydney swept around end to a five-yard TD. Cofer made the point after and the score was knotted once more at 27-27.

The Falcons drove 80 yards in 10 plays in response. Miller had four completions along the way, connecting with WR Mike Pritchard for 15 yards and Rison and Haynes for 10 yards apiece. RB Steve Broussard ran for 10 yards on a draw play and an end run picked up 23 yards to set up a one-yard Miller to Rison touchdown pass. The extra point attempt failed when holder/punter Scott Fulhage fumbled the snap, but the visitors were again in the lead by 33-27.

Carter returned the ensuing kickoff 39 yards to the San Francisco 49 and the Niners had the ball heading into the fourth quarter, putting together a 51-yard drive in eight plays. Young threw to Taylor for 20 yards and scrambled to a seven-yard touchdown, leaping into the end zone at the end. Cofer kicked the extra point and the 49ers had a one-point lead at 34-33 with 12 minutes to play.

Once more the Falcons fought back, advancing 48 yards in six plays that resulted in a 44-yard Johnson field goal and a regained lead of 36-34. The 49ers methodically drove into Atlanta territory, but after reaching the 20 thanks to an 11-yard completion to Rice, Sydney lost nine yards when attempting to reverse field on a failed running play, an intentional grounding penalty moved the Niners back another 10 yards, and a third-and-29 pass by Young was intercepted by Tim McKyer (pictured above), the ex-49er. McKyer returned it 24 yards, cutting to the middle of the field, and then tossed a lateral to Sanders, who picked up another 13 yards to the San Francisco 35.

Broussard, following a short gain, ran for 23 yards and while the Falcons couldn’t reach the end zone, they added a 30-yard field goal by Johnson to pad their lead to five points with 1:45 left on the clock. It was the icing on the cake. Young completed passes to Rice for 14 yards and WR Sanjay Beach for 20, but a desperate fourth down pass from his own 39 was intercepted by McKyer, his second of the fourth quarter, to seal the 39-34 win for Atlanta.  

The 49ers, playing catchup throughout the game, led in total yards (437 to 368) and first downs (24 to 19). However, San Francisco also turned the ball over four times, to none by the Falcons. Atlanta was also very effective running the ball, gaining 160 yards on the ground to San Francisco’s 94.

Chris Miller completed 16 of 28 passes for 208 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions. Andre Rison had 6 catches for 69 yards and two TDs and Michael Haynes gained 94 yards on his five receptions that included a score. Steve Broussard rushed for 104 yards on just 10 attempts.

For the 49ers, Steve Young was successful on 22 of 38 throws for 348 yards and two TDs, but also gave up three interceptions, and led the club in rushing with 68 yards on 11 carries that included two more touchdowns. Jerry Rice caught 7 passes for 138 yards and a TD and John Taylor contributed 80 yards on his three catches that also included a score.

“There was one bad play and boom-boom, there were two more bad plays and we were out of it,” said San Francisco’s Coach Seifert. “There are a number of disappointing things happening. I’m obviously devastated.”

The Falcons lost to Phoenix the next week but then won seven of eight games, including the rematch with the 49ers, on the way to a 10-6 record. San Francisco won two, lost two, and was at 4-6 before putting together a six-game winning streak to finish the season also at 10-6. However, the sweep of the season series by Atlanta made the difference in which team went to the postseason. As a result, the Falcons attained second place in the NFC West and grabbed a Wild Card slot, beating New Orleans in the first round before succumbing to the Redskins at the Divisional level. The 49ers ended up in third place and out of the playoffs for the first time since 1982.

Chris Miller passed for 3103 yards and a career-high 26 touchdowns and was selected to the Pro Bowl. Andre Rison also received Pro Bowl honors as he caught 81 passes for 976 yards (12.0 avg.) and 12 TDs and Michael Haynes led the NFL by averaging 22.4 yards-per-catch on his 50 receptions for 1122 yards that included 11 scores. Deion Sanders (pictured at left) intercepted 6 passes, one of which was returned for a touchdown, and averaged 22.2 yards on 26 kickoff returns, with his return against the 49ers the lone TD, and 8.1 yards on 21 punt returns. He was chosen to the first of eight Pro Bowls in this, his third pro season.

Things would get better for Steve Young, who led the league with a 101.8 passer rating, although he also missed time due to a knee injury. Jerry Rice had a typically outstanding year, catching 80 passes for 1207 yards and a NFL-leading 14 touchdowns.  

Highlighted Year: Joey Browner, 1987

Safety, Minnesota Vikings

Age: 27

5^th season in pro football & with Vikings

College: Southern California

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 210

Prelude:

Browner was credited with 243 tackles, 9 interceptions, and seven fumble recoveries in college and received All-Pac 10 recognition. He was chosen by the Vikings in the first round of the 1983 NFL draft (19^th overall) and was primarily a reserve in his first two seasons. Browner broke out in 1985, his first full year as the starting strong safety, and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first of six straight seasons and received second-team All-NFC honors from UPI. Tough, hard-hitting, and with ideal all-around skills at his position, he intercepted four passes in ’86, one of which he returned for a touchdown.

1987 Season Summary

Appeared in 12 of 15 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 6 [2, tied with four others]

Most interceptions, game – 2 at Detroit 12/20

Int. return yards – 67 [18, tied with Ray Isom]

Most int. return yards, game – 43 (on 2 int.) at Detroit 12/20

Int. TDs – 0

Sacks – 1

Fumble recoveries – 1

Forced fumbles – 0

Tackles – 121

Postseason: 3 G

Sacks – 0

Interceptions – 0

Fumble recoveries – 1

TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

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

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

Pro Bowl

Vikings went 8-7 in the strike-shortened season (three games were played with replacement players) to finish second in the NFC Central and qualify for the postseason as a Wild Card. Won NFC Wild Card playoff over New Orleans Saints (44-10) & NFC Divisional playoff over San Francisco 49ers (36-24). Lost NFC Championship to Washington Redskins (17-10).

Aftermath:

Browner followed up with another outstanding year in 1988 in which he intercepted five passes, accounted for 117 tackles, and was again a consensus first-team All-NFL selection. He intercepted a career-high 7 passes in 1990, but his performance dropped off in ’91, his ninth and last year with the Vikings. He finished up with Tampa Bay in 1992. Overall, he intercepted 37 passes, all with Minnesota, and returned three of them for TDs. Browner also was credited with 9.5 sacks and recovered 17 fumbles. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection three times, received at least some first-team recognition after one other season, and was chosen to six Pro Bowls. Browner was selected to the 1980s All-Decade team by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His brothers Ross and Jim also played in the NFL.

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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

1964: Jurgensen’s 5 TD Passes Lead Redskins to Win Against Eagles

Two quarterbacks involved in a highly celebrated trade during the previous offseason met up with their new teams for the first time as the Washington Redskins hosted the Philadelphia Eagles on October 11, 1964. Coached by Bill McPeak, the Redskins, who had not compiled a winning record since 1955 and were 3-11 in ’63, had obtained QB Sonny Jurgensen (pictured at right) from the Eagles for QB Norm Snead. Jurgensen was 30 and an accomplished long passer, although injuries had hindered him the previous two years. There was an outstanding deep receiver available in flanker Bobby Mitchell and rookie HB Charley Taylor provided an able runner from scrimmage as well as receiver out of the backfield. Thus far, Washington had not profited, having gotten off to an 0-4 start.

The Eagles had gone from NFL Champions in 1960 to a last-place club in 1962 and ’63 and were in their first year under new Head Coach/GM Joe Kuharich, who had been quick to revamp the roster with multiple trades upon his arrival. Norm Snead was five years younger than Jurgensen and had endured a tough tenure in Washington after taking over the starting job immediately as a rookie in 1961. Other key players on Philadelphia’s offense included TE Pete Retzlaff and HB Timmy Brown, an all-purpose back who twice set NFL records for total yards the previous two seasons. The Eagles were 2-2 coming into the game at Washington.   

There were 49,219 fans in attendance at D.C. Stadium. The Redskins got the first break when, following a three-and-out possession, FB Israel “Izzy” Lang fumbled the resulting punt and Washington got the ball back at the Philadelphia 46. On the next play, Sonny Jurgensen threw to flanker Bobby Mitchell for a 29-yard gain. Two carries by Charley Taylor picked up another 15 yards, but the drive stalled at the four and the home team came up empty when Jim Martin’s 11-yard try for a field goal hit the goal post.

A short series by the Eagles ended with a punt and this time Washington didn’t fail to score, advancing 68 yards in seven plays. Jurgensen passed to Mitchell for a 29-yard touchdown and Martin added the extra point.

The home team regained possession shortly thereafter when Timmy Brown fumbled and SS Jim Steffen recovered at the Philadelphia 22. Two plays later, Jurgensen threw to FB J.W. Lockett for a 22-yard TD, Martin converted, and the Redskins were up by 14-0.

That remained the score throughout the second quarter as the Eagles were unable to move effectively on offense and two Jurgensen passes were intercepted. With time running out in the first half, Jurgensen connected with Mitchell (pictured at left) once again for a gain of 56 yards to the Philadelphia nine and followed up with another toss to the star flanker for a touchdown. Martin’s PAT gave the Redskins a 21-0 halftime lead.

The Eagles got a 43-yard kickoff return by HB Ollie Matson to start the third quarter and advanced 59 yards in three plays. Norm Snead threw to Pete Retzlaff for 11 yards and, after the Redskins were penalized 15 yards, Brown carried twice, for six yards and then a 27-yard TD. Sam Baker converted to make it a 21-7 tally.

A short Washington series ended with a punt, rookie FS Paul Krause intercepted a Snead pass, and the Redskins were forced to punt again. Starting from midfield, the Eagles got another big play from Brown, who carried for a gain of 36 yards. Three plays later, it was Brown catching a toss from Snead for a 14-yard touchdown. Baker’s extra point attempt was unsuccessful, but the visitors were now just eight points behind at 21-13.

The Eagles attempted an onside kick that LB Jimmy Carr, who had gone from Philadelphia to Washington as part of the Jurgensen for Snead trade, recovered for the Redskins at their 38. LB Maxie Baughan sacked Jurgensen for a loss of four yards, but Jurgensen then threw a short pass to Taylor who grabbed it at the line of scrimmage and made his way downfield in spectacular fashion for a 66-yard TD. Martin added the point after and Washington was up by 28-13.

Philadelphia responded with a ten-play drive that resulted in another Brown touchdown, this time on a five-yard run. Baker was successful on the extra point and the third quarter ended with the Redskins ahead by 28-20.

Washington had the ball as the final period commenced and drove 67 yards in seven plays for what proved to be the game-clinching score. Jurgensen completed four straight passes, the longest to Lockett for 18 yards, and after misfiring connected with Taylor for a 24-yard TD. Martin’s point after gave the Redskins a comfortable 15-point lead. The Eagles managed to threaten only once more, when a drive to the Washington 24 ended with an incomplete pass on a fourth-and-12 play and the Redskins won by a final score of 35-20.

Washington easily led in total yards (434 to 221), especially in terms of net passing yards (361 to 95), and also had the edge in first downs (17 to 16). Both teams recorded three quarterback sacks apiece while the Eagles turned the ball over three times, to two by the Redskins. Washington was penalized 10 times, at a cost of 96 yards, to two flags for 20 yards thrown on Philadelphia.

Sonny Jurgensen was impressive against his former team as he completed 22 of 33 passes for 385 yards and five touchdowns while being intercepted twice. Bobby Mitchell was the chief recipient of those throws with 12 catches for 183 yards and two TDs. Charley Taylor rushed for 61 yards on 22 attempts and gained 92 yards on three pass receptions, two of which went for touchdowns.

For the Eagles, Norm Snead was far less successful than Jurgensen in his return to Washington, connecting on only 12 of 35 throws for 126 yards and a TD while giving up one interception. Timmy Brown (pictured at right) ran for 101 yards on 14 rushing attempts, two of which scored touchdowns, and scored a third TD on one of his two catches for 12 yards. Pete Retzlaff caught 5 passes for 38 yards.

The win against Philadelphia marked something of a turnaround for the Redskins. While they lost to the Cardinals the next week, they then won five of their next six games, including the rematch with the Eagles, on the way to a 6-8 record. That tied them for third place in the Eastern Conference with Philadelphia, which won its next two contests but then faded during the season’s second half.

Sonny Jurgensen ranked second in the NFL with 207 pass completions, 2934 yards, and 24 TD passes. He was chosen to the Pro Bowl. So were Bobby Mitchell, who had 60 catches for 904 yards (15.1 avg.) and 10 TDs (tying for the league lead with Johnny Morris of the Bears and LA’s Bucky Pope) and Charley Taylor, who placed third with 1589 all-purpose yards and received Rookie of the Year recognition as well.

Timmy Brown missed four games due to injury but still scored 10 touchdowns as he rushed for 356 yards and five TDs and caught 15 passes for 244 yards and another five scores. Adding in kick returns, he gained 1388 all-purpose yards.

Norm Snead had a typically uneven year, completing 48.8 percent of his passes for 1906 yards and 14 touchdowns while giving up 12 interceptions, and two of the team’s wins came with other quarterbacks behind center. He and Jurgensen would always be linked by the trade between the Eagles and Redskins and this first post-deal matchup between the two yielded a typical result. Washington went 9-2-2 in games between the teams in which Jurgensen and Snead went head-to-head.

1993: Backup QB Evans Rallies Raiders in Second Half to Defeat Jets

The Los Angeles Raiders were coming off of two losses after a 2-0 start as they hosted the New York Jets on October 10, 1993. Coached by Art Shell, the Raiders had a new starting quarterback in Jeff Hostetler, formerly of the Giants, although he was bothered by a sprained ankle. The wide receiver corps was a good one with WR Tim Brown providing a steady target and unheralded rookie WR James Jett combining with Alexander Wright and Raghib “Rocket” Ismail to provide ample speed. The situation at running back was more of a concern.

The Jets were also 2-2 and had lost the previous week in a game in which they blew a two-touchdown lead against Philadelphia. Head Coach Bruce Coslet’s team also had a new quarterback in Boomer Esiason, a solid tenth-year veteran obtained from the Bengals, and RB Johnny Johnson had been acquired from the Cardinals to boost the ground game.

It was a hazy afternoon at the Memorial Coliseum with 41,627 fans in attendance. Starting from their own 20 after the opening kickoff, the Jets drove into Los Angeles territory. Boomer Esiason converted a third-and-11 play with a pass to WR Terance Mathis for 11 yards and a completion to WR Rob Moore picked up 39 yards to the LA 31. The advance finally stopped at the 12 yard line, but the visitors came up empty when punter/holder Louie Aguiar threw a pass that was intercepted by FS Eddie Anderson and returned 27 yards.

Now it was the turn of the Raiders to put together a methodical series. Jeff Hostetler ran effectively and completed a third-and-10 pass to TE Ethan Horton for 11 yards. Another third down throw was complete to WR Tim Brown for 21 yards to the New York 12 but, after being backed up by a holding penalty, Hostetler’s pass intended for Horton was picked off by SS Brian Washington.

The Jets had to punt on the final play of the first quarter, and Aguiar’s kick traveled 45 yards and went out of bounds at the LA 11. Hostetler fumbled on the next play and ex-Raider DT Bill Pickel recovered for New York. RB Blair Thomas ran for a six-yard touchdown and, with Cary Blanchard adding the extra point, the Jets were up by 7-0 at 11 seconds into the second quarter.

Both teams went three-and-out and punted on their next possessions but an 18-yard Hostetler-to-Brown completion had the Raiders in New York territory. However, Hostetler’s next pass was intercepted by Washington and he returned it 62 yards for another TD for the Jets. Blanchard converted to put the visitors ahead by 14-0.

38-year-old Vince Evans (pictured at top), who had started in the previous week’s loss, relieved Hostetler at quarterback and it got no better for the Raiders when, on the next series, RB Greg Robinson fumbled and Pickel recovered at the LA 49. The Jets went 41 yards in seven plays as Esiason threw to Johnny Johnson for 16 yards and the Raiders were penalized for tripping. Blanchard kicked a 25-yard field goal.

Down by 17-0 with 4:41 left in the first half, the Raiders drove 80 yards in six plays. RB Nick Bell carried three straight times for 18 yards and Evans threw to TE Andrew Glover for 20 more. Another pass was incomplete, but then Evans connected with James Jett for a 42-yard touchdown. Jeff Jaeger added the point and the halftime score was 17-7 as a Blanchard field goal attempt in the final seconds was blocked by Anderson.

The Raiders had the first possession of the third quarter and it took them only two plays to narrow the margin further. Following a short run by Robinson, Evans threw to WR Alexander Wright on a play that covered 68 yards for a TD. Jaeger’s PAT made it a three-point game.

On the next series, Esiason fumbled the ball away and LB Joe Kelly recovered at the New York 19. The Raiders lost yardage on the resulting short possession but Jaeger booted a field goal from 42 yards to tie the score.

The teams exchanged punts and the Raiders moved from their 23 to the New York 14. Evans threw to Jett for 21 yards and carried the ball himself for 14. A short completion to WR Raghib Ismail followed by two Bell carries for 14 yards had the home team in the red zone, but LB Bobby Houston intercepted an Evans pass to end the threat.

The score remained unchanged as the game headed into the fourth quarter and the Jets advanced just past midfield before having to punt. The Raiders punted in turn and New York methodically drove 56 yards in 13 plays. Esiason completed four passes, two of them to TE Johnny Mitchell and the longest covering 19 yards. But after getting a first-and-goal at the six, the visitors couldn’t reach the end zone and Blanchard kicked a 20-yard field goal that put them up by 20-17.

Taking over on offense with 4:29 to play in regulation, Evans tossed two incomplete passes before connecting with Jett for 13 yards and a first down. Consecutive 14-yard completions to Ismail put the Raiders at the New York 31. A two-yard run by Bell was followed by an Evans throw to Jett for 10 yards and runs by Bell and Evans gained another 12 yards. Brown caught a pass for six yards and, with the clock down to seven seconds and LA having no more timeouts, the officials called a timeout to reset the clock, which had failed to run during the last play. Following the short break, Bell (pictured below) ran for the last yard in the 11-play, 72-yard drive for a touchdown. Jaeger’s extra point capped the 24-20 win for the Raiders.

Los Angeles led in total yards (414 to 286) and had the edge in first downs (22 to 21). But the Raiders also turned the ball over five times, to two by the Jets, and were penalized eight times at a cost of 89 yards to five flags for 25 yards on New York.

In his relief stint, Vince Evans completed 14 of 22 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns while giving up one interception. Jeff Hostetler was pulled after going four-of 12 for 62 yards and two interceptions. Tim Brown had 5 catches for 66 yards and James Jett gained 86 yards on his four receptions that included a TD. Nick Bell topped the Raiders with 46 yards on 12 rushing attempts that included the game-winning score. Eddie Anderson accounted for an interception and a blocked kick on special teams.

For the Jets, Boomer Esiason was successful on 21 of 40 throws for 216 yards with no TDs or interceptions. Johnny Johnson rushed for 56 yards on 16 attempts and led the club with 6 catches for 60 yards as well. On defense, Brian Washington (pictured at left) intercepted two passes, one of which was returned for a touchdown.

“For me to sit here and say the clock operator lost the game for us, that’s ridiculous,“ said Boomer Esiason of the confusion with the time remaining at the end that effectively gave the Raiders an extra timeout. “Everybody had an opportunity. I can think of two balls that I overthrew, three balls that were dropped. I can think of a fumble, a missed block. I can think of enough for everybody to absorb some blame.”

The Raiders won the following week on the way to compiling a 10-6 record that placed second in the AFC West and qualified them for the postseason as a Wild Card. They defeated Denver in the first playoff round but lost at Buffalo in a Divisional contest. New York dropped to 2-4 before reeling off five straight wins, only to tail off late in the season. The Jets ended up at 8-8 and third in the AFC East.

Jeff Hostetler returned to form as the season progressed and had a good one, passing for 3242 yards and 14 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. Vince Evans returned to the bench and, for the year, was successful on 45 of 76 throws for 640 yards and three TDs. He spent another two seasons as a backup for the Raiders, finishing up his 15-year NFL career at age 40 in 1995 (Evans also played two seasons in the USFL).

Highlighted Year: Mark Clayton, 1984

Wide Receiver, Miami Dolphins

Age: 23

2^nd season in pro football & with Dolphins

College: Louisville

Height: 5’9”   Weight: 172

Prelude:

Clayton caught 96 passes for 2004 yards and 10 touchdowns in college (20.9) avg., including 53 for 1112 yards (21.0 avg.) and six TDs as a senior in 1982. He was chosen by the Dolphins in the eighth round of the ’83 NFL draft and saw little action on offense as a rookie, with six catches for 114 yards and a TD, although he returned 41 punts for a 9.6-yard average and included a touchdown. Clayton replaced the aging Nat Moore in the starting lineup across from WR Mark Duper in 1984.

1984 Season Summary

Appeared in 15 of 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 73 [10]          

Most receptions, game – 9 (for 177 yds.) vs. LA Raiders 12/2, (for 127 yds.) at Indianapolis 12/9

Yards – 1389 [3]

Most yards, game – 177 (on 9 catches) vs. LA Raiders 12/2

Average gain – 19.0 [6]

TDs – 18 [1]

100-yard receiving games – 6

Rushing

Attempts – 3

Yards – 35

Average gain – 11.7

TDs – 0

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 2

Yards – 15

Average per return – 7.5

TDs – 0

Longest return – 14 yards

Punt Returns

Returns – 8

Yards – 79

Average per return – 9.9

TDs – 0

Longest return – 22 yards

Passing

Pass attempts – 1

Pass completions – 0

Passing yardage – 0

TD passes – 0

Interceptions – 1

Scoring

TDs – 18 [1, tied with Marcus Allen]

Points – 108 [8, tied with Marcus Allen & Tony Franklin]

Postseason: 3 G

Pass receptions – 15

Most pass receptions, game – 6 vs. San Francisco, Super Bowl

Pass receiving yards – 262

Most pass receiving yards, game – 95 vs. Pittsburgh, AFC Championship

Average yards per reception – 17.5

Pass Receiving TDs – 2

Awards & Honors:

2^nd team All-NFL: AP

1^st team All-AFC: Pro Football Weekly

2^nd team All-AFC: UPI

Pro Bowl

Dolphins went 14-2 to finish first in the AFC East with the conference’s best record and led the NFL in total yards (6936), passing yards (5018), passing TDs (49), touchdowns (70), and scoring (513 points). Won AFC Divisional playoff over Seattle Seahawks (31-10) & AFC Championship over Pittsburgh Steelers (45-28). Lost Super Bowl to San Francisco 49ers (38-16).

Aftermath:

Having set a then-NFL record for touchdown catches in his breakout ’84 season, Clayton followed up with 70 catches for 996 yards (14.2 avg.) and four TDs in 1985, again being selected for the Pro Bowl. The undersized receiver had great jumping ability and quickness, if not the greatest speed, and made for a productive tandem in combination with Mark Duper and catching passes from QB Dan Marino. Clayton was named to another Pro Bowl in 1986 and, following a lesser year in the strike-interrupted ’87 season, caught a career-high 86 passes in 1988 and led the NFL with 14 touchdown receptions. Overall, he played ten years with Miami, through 1992, and set franchise records with 550 catches and 81 TDs while gaining 8643 yards (15.7 avg.). Clayton played one final season for the Green Bay Packers in 1993 and ended up with a total of 582 pass receptions for 8974 yards (15.4 avg.) and 84 touchdowns.  He received first- or second-team All-AFC honors three times and was chosen to the Pro Bowl on five occasions.

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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

1955: Colts Break Out to Early Lead, Hold Off Packers

Two NFL Western Conference teams that were sporting surprising 2-0 records, the Baltimore Colts and Green Bay Packers, met in Milwaukee on October 8, 1955. The Colts, coached by Weeb Ewbank, had been 3-9 in ’54 but were benefiting from the play of two rookies. FB Alan “The Horse” Ameche, the Heisman Trophy winner out of Wisconsin, gained over a hundred yards in each of his first two games and QB George Shaw (pictured at right), the first overall draft choice out of Oregon, tossed touchdown passes in each as well. There was other young talent on the club interspersed among able veterans such as HB Buddy Young, DE Gino Marchetti, DT Art Donovan, and safety/PK Bert Rechichar.

Green Bay was coming off of a 4-8 record under Head Coach Lisle Blackbourn the previous year. QB Tobin Rote was a good runner and, at his best, a fine passer, although he lacked consistency. End Billy Howton was an outstanding deep receiver and FB Howie Ferguson was developing into a productive runner. The defense was tough, with LB Roger Zatkoff and safety Bobby Dillon key members of the unit.  

There were 40,119 fans in attendance at County Stadium on a Saturday, the biggest crowd to date to see a football game there. The Packers scored quickly after Alan Ameche fumbled on the first play from scrimmage and Roger Zatkoff recovered for Green Bay at the Colts’ 38. Tobin Rote rolled to his left and fired a pass to Billy Howton, who outran three defenders for a 38-yard touchdown. Fred Cone added the extra point for the early 7-0 lead.

Shortly thereafter, it was Baltimore’s turn to benefit from a turnover when Rote fumbled and DE Don Joyce fell on it at the Green Bay 12. Ameche ran for a five-yard TD and Bert Rechichar converted to tie the score. The Colts scored again when George Shaw threw to Buddy Young (pictured below), who blew past Bobby Dillon and went 82 yards for a touchdown. Rechichar again added the point after. Just before the end of the period, Shaw passed to end Jim Mutscheller for a 40-yard TD and Rechichar’s conversion gave the visitors a 21-7 lead heading into the second quarter.

Dillon intercepted a Shaw pass in Baltimore territory and that set up an eight-play, 26-yard series that concluded with Howie Ferguson taking a pitchout and running for a touchdown from a yard out. Cone kicked the extra point to narrow the margin to 21-14 and that is how the contest remained at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Packers, starting from their 38, put together a promising drive keyed by the running of Ferguson, HB Breezy Reid, and HB Veryl Switzer. After reaching the Baltimore 41, three Rote passes fell incomplete, but Cone kicked a 47-yard field goal that just made it over the crossbar. Green Bay was four points behind at 21-17.

Late in the period, DHB Carl Taseff of the Colts recovered another Rote fumble on the Green Bay 21. Ameche ran the ball twice, with a carry by Shaw in between, but an aroused Packer defense kept them out of the end zone. Rechichar kicked a 10-yard field goal and Baltimore’s lead was extended to 24-17.

DHB Doyle Nix intercepted a Shaw pass that was intended for Mutscheller and the Packers began to advance on offense with Rote completing throws to end Gary Knafelc and Howton. But after reaching the Baltimore 18, an offside penalty moved the home team back and they settled for a 28-yard Cone field goal to again make it a four-point game with less than five minutes on the clock.

The Colts were unable to move and punted on their next series and the Packers took over again at their 40 with two minutes remaining. Rote threw to Ferguson for 11 yards and, after overthrowing Knafelc, he connected with Switzer for a first down at the Baltimore 35. Passes to Switzer and Knafelc gained eight and 16 yards, respectively, but with time slipping away, a Rote toss into the end zone was out of Howton’s reach. The Colts held on for a 24-20 win.

Green Bay had more total yards (322 to 255) and first downs (17 to 8) than the Colts, and outgained the visitors both on the ground (136 to 103) and through the air (186 to 152). However, the Packers spent most of the game trying to catch up to Baltimore, who made key plays to take the early lead. The Colts turned the ball over four times, to three by Green Bay.

George Shaw completed just 6 of 16 passes for 162 yards, but two of them were for touchdowns, although three were intercepted. Alan Ameche was held to 63 yards on 20 carries, one of which was good for a TD.

For the Packers, Tobin Rote was successful on 19 of 39 throws for 191 yards and a TD. Billy Howton caught 6 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown. Howie Ferguson (pictured at right) rushed for 71 yards on 20 attempts, thus coming out ahead of Ameche in the anticipated showdown between the two fullbacks.

Reaching 3-0 proved to be the high point for Baltimore’s season. The Colts lost their next two games, beat the Packers again, and then won only once more on the way to a 5-6-1 record that placed them fourth in the Western Conference. The best years for Ewbank’s team were yet to come. Despite sweeping the season series, they also managed to finish behind the Packers, who ended up third at 6-6.

George Shaw continued to show promise as he threw for 1586 yards and 10 touchdowns while giving up 19 interceptions, but that promise would go largely unfulfilled. Alan Ameche led the NFL in rushing with 961 yards and rushing TDs with nine. He was a consensus first-team All-league selection and went on to perform a key role as the team rose to back-to-back NFL Championships by the end of the decade.

Tobin Rote threw for 1977 yards and a league-leading 17 TD passes (along with San Francisco’s Y.A. Tittle) and also rushed for 332 yards and five touchdowns. Billy Howton received Pro Bowl recognition as he accumulated 44 catches for 697 yards (15.8 avg.) and scored five TDs. Howie Ferguson also was named to the Pro Bowl after rushing for 859 yards on 192 carries (4.5 avg.) which placed second to Ameche.

Highlighted Year: Chris Burford, 1962

Split End, Dallas Texans

Age: 24

3^rd season in pro football & with Texans

College: Stanford

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 215

Prelude:

Burford caught a NCAA-leading 61 passes for 757 yards in 1959 and received first-team All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association and Time magazine. He was chosen by the Cleveland Browns in the ninth round of the 1960 NFL draft but signed with the Texans of the new AFL and had 46 catches for 789 yards (17.2 avg.) and five touchdowns as a rookie. Burford followed up with 51 receptions for 850 yards (16.7 avg.) and another five TDs in ’61, when he was also named to the AFL All-Star Game. What he lacked in speed he made up for in moves, technique, and reliability.

1962 Season Summary

Appeared in 11 of 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 45 [8]

Most receptions, game – 10 (for 171 yds.) at Boston 10/12

Yards – 645 [9]

Most yards, game – 171 (on 10 catches) at Boston 10/12

Average gain – 14.3 [18]

TDs – 12 [1]

100-yard receiving games – 1

Rushing

Attempts – 1

Yards – 13

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 12 [4]

Points – 72 [9]

Missed postseason game due to injury

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-AFL: League, AP, UPI

Texans went 11-3 to finish first in the AFL Western Division while leading the league in touchdowns (50, tied with Houston Oilers). Won AFL Championship over Houston Oilers (20-17).

Aftermath:

The team moved to Kansas City in 1963 and Burford, recovered from the knee injury that cost him the last few games of the ’62 season, caught a career-high 68 passes, for 824 yards (12.1 avg.) and nine touchdowns. He went on to play with the Chiefs until 1967, and started for the ’66 AFL Championship squad that appeared in the first Super Bowl. Overall, Burford caught 391 passes for 5505 yards (14.1 avg.) and scored 55 TDs. He received All-AFL honors once and was named to one AFL All-Star Game.

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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