1970: Second Quarter Surge Leads Lions to Win Over Browns

Two teams with 3-1 records, the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns, met in Cleveland in the fifth week of the NFL season on October 18, 1970. The Lions, coached by Joe Schmidt, were coming off of their first loss of the year the previous week. The team had long been known for prowess on defense, and while the line was showing its age, linebackers Mike Lucci and Wayne Walker and the backfield led by CB Lem Barney were still assets. The offense had a competent quarterback in Bill Munson, who was starting ahead of the up-and-coming (and more mobile) Greg Landry, while the corps of running backs was a good one and the receivers competent.

Cleveland, under Head Coach Blanton Collier for the eighth year, was a team used to contending that had moved to the American Football Conference in the newly-merged and reorganized NFL, and was expected to do so again. QB Bill Nelsen was a good passer playing on brittle knees and QB Mike Phipps had been drafted out of Purdue in the first round to be groomed for the job. However, the receiving corps was missing WR Paul Warfield, who had been dealt to Miami in order to trade up for Phipps, and HB Leroy Kelly was still an effective runner, but showing signs of wear. The defensive line was effective, but the linebackers and backfield were a source of concern. 

It was a sunny afternoon with 83,577 fans in attendance at Municipal Stadium. The Browns had the game’s first possession, had to punt, but got the ball back immediately when Lem Barney fumbled the kick and DB Freddie Summers recovered at the Detroit 20. Three plays later, Bill Nelsen threw to WR Gary Collins in the end zone, who beat Barney for a 14-yard touchdown. Don Cockroft added the extra point.

A short series by the Lions resulted in a punt and it looked promising for the Browns when FB Bo Scott ran for seven yards and then Leroy Kelly gained 24 yards to the Detroit 36. But a Nelsen swing pass was then intercepted by DE Larry Hand, who returned it 62 yards for a TD. Errol Mann kicked the point after and, instead of the home team possibly extending its lead, the score was tied at 7-7.

The Browns had to punt following their next possession and Detroit drove 77 yards in six plays. FB Mel Farr carried twice for a total of 13 yards and Bill Munson then threw deep to WR Larry Walton (pictured at top) for a gain of 56 yards to the Cleveland eight. Runs by Farr and HB Altie Taylor picked up six yards and, on third down, Munson tossed a pass to Taylor for a two-yard touchdown. Mann’s conversion put the visitors up by 14-7.

The teams exchanged punts as the game headed into the second quarter. The Browns crossed midfield but Nelsen fumbled while being sacked and Mike Lucci recovered for the Lions at the Cleveland 40. Munson completed three passes to Farr and Mann kicked a 51-yard field goal that hit the crossbar but tumbled on through to make it a 17-7 contest.

Cleveland responded with an eight-play, 79-yard drive. Nelsen completed passes to TE Milt Morin for eight yards and WR Fair Hooker for 18 and Scott had runs of 10 and six yards. Nelsen threw to Hooker for a 16-yard TD, Cockroft added the extra point, and Detroit’s lead was cut to 17-14.

The Lions came back with a scoring series of their own, going 80 yards in six plays. Facing third-and-ten from their own 20, Munson connected with Walton for a 40-yard pickup and, after runs by Taylor and Farr, it was Munson to Walton again for a 28-yard touchdown. Mann converted to put the visitors ahead by ten points. The lead expanded again quickly when, on the second play of the ensuing series, a Nelsen pass was picked off by SS Mike Weger (pictured above) and returned 29 yards for another Detroit touchdown.  Mann’s PAT made it 31-14.

Cleveland got the ball back with 2:39 remaining in the first half, and once again a Nelsen pass was intercepted, this time by Lucci. On the very next play, Munson again threw to Walton, this time for a 34-yard TD. Mann converted and, thanks to the 24-point second quarter, the Lions took a commanding 38-14 lead into halftime.

Detroit added another Mann field goal in the third quarter, from 34 yards. Rookie Mike Phipps came on at quarterback for the Browns but threw two more interceptions, the second on the first play of the final period. Cleveland finally scored again on a 47-yard Cockroft field goal and a late drive led to a Scott touchdown from three yards out, but it was all inconsequential as the Lions won by a final score of 41-24.

The Browns had a slight edge in total yards (318 to 315) and also led in first downs (19 to 13). However, Cleveland also turned the ball over six times, to two suffered by the Lions. Detroit also accounted for all of the game’s three sacks.

Bill Munson completed 10 of 20 passes for 187 yards and three touchdowns while giving up an interception. Larry Walton had a huge performance with four catches for 158 yards and two TDs. Altie Taylor topped Detroit’s runners with 51 yards on 13 carries. On defense, Mike Weger accounted for two of the Lions’ five interceptions.

For the Browns, Bill Nelsen was successful on just six of 16 throws for 65 yards and two TDs while giving up three interceptions. In relief, Mike Phipps was six-of-13 for 141 yards and was picked off twice. Leroy Kelly (pictured at right) was effective running the ball, gaining 106 yards on 24 attempts. Fair Hooker had four pass receptions for 52 yards and a TD and TE Chip Glass gained 74 yards on his two catches.

The Lions endured a midseason slump to go 10-4 and finish second in the NFC Central, qualifying for a Wild Card playoff slot. They lost to Dallas in the Divisional round. Cleveland bounced back to win the following week but slumped badly during the second half of the season and finished second in the AFC Central at 7-7.

Bill Munson started eight games before yielding to Greg Landry. He completed 84 of 158 passes for 1049 yards and 10 touchdowns while giving up 7 interceptions. Larry Walton, in his second season, had 30 catches for 532 yards (17.7 avg.) and five TDs. The 158-yard performance against the Browns was his only hundred-yard game of the year and was also his career high.

1926: LA Buccaneers Come From Behind to Defeat Canton

On October 17, 1926 the Los Angeles Buccaneers came to Canton to take on the Bulldogs in an early-season NFL contest. The Buccaneers were a traveling team, thus playing all road games while being ostensibly a Los Angeles franchise. End Brick Muller, formerly a major college star at the University of California, was the most well-known player on the club that was sometimes referred to as “Brick Muller’s Californians”. He was also a player/coach along with his former college teammate, tailback Tut Imlay (pictured above), and the roster drew heavily from California schools. The Buccaneers came into the game at Canton with a 1-1 record.

The Bulldogs were a once-formidable franchise that had fallen on lean times. After being dormant for a year, Canton back to the NFL in 1925 and went 4-4. They were 1-1-1 thus far in ’26 and still contained big names such as tackle Pete “Fats” Henry, who was also a co-coach along with back Harry Robb, and the aging legend, Jim Thorpe.

There were 5000 fans in attendance at Lakeside Park in Canton. The first quarter was scoreless, but in the second quarter a mixup in the LA backfield caused a loose ball that was picked up by end Cliff Marker of the Bulldogs, who ran 30 yards for a touchdown. Pete Henry (pictured below) added the extra point. Late in the period, the Buccaneers scored on a pass from FB Tuffy Maul to Tut Imlay for a 30-yard TD. However, Maul’s extra point attempt was unsuccessful and Canton held onto a 7-6 lead at the half.

Early in the third quarter, the visitors were forced to punt from their own end zone, which gave the Bulldogs possession at the LA 33. A good drive led to a one-yard touchdown carry by Harry Robb. Henry’s PAT attempt was nullified by a penalty, but Canton’s margin was now 13-6.

Later in the period, the Buccaneers drove to a one-yard TD by Maul, who added the point after to tie the score at 13-13. LA reached deep into Canton territory in the fourth quarter and Maul kicked a 17-yard field goal to put the Buccaneers in front by three points. The Bulldogs went to the air in desperation, but couldn’t come close to scoring again. The closest opportunity was a Henry drop-kick from midfield that was blocked. The Buccaneers hung on to win by a final score of 16-13.

The point total for the Buccaneers proved to be their second-highest of the season, although they compiled a healthy 6-3-1 record that placed sixth in the non-divisional 22-team NFL. The 1926 season proved to be the only one for the franchise, although they did play preseason contests in ’27 (and actually played them in California). Canton struggled through a poor 1-9-3 campaign that ranked 20^th in the league. It also proved to be the final year for the once-proud club.

Highlighted Year: Drew Brees, 2006

Quarterback, New Orleans Saints

Age:  27

6^th season in pro football, 1^st with Saints

College: Purdue

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 209

Prelude:

Chosen by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL draft, Brees spent a year as backup to veteran Doug Flutie before taking over as starting quarterback in ’02. A good first year as starter was followed by a season in which he had difficulties, and the Chargers swung the deal that brought rookie Philip Rivers to San Diego in 2004. Brees bounced back that year with a Pro Bowl season in which his passer rating was 104.8, but he badly injured his shoulder in the last game of the ’05 season, the final year of his contract, and with the team committing to Rivers, he signed with the New Orleans Saints.

2006 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 554 [5]

Most attempts, game – 52 vs. Cincinnati 11/19

Completions – 356 [4]

Most completions, game – 37 vs. Cincinnati 11/19

Yards – 4418 [1]

Most yards, game – 510 vs. Cincinnati 11/19

Completion percentage – 64.3 [5]

Yards per attempt – 8.0 [4]

TD passes – 26 [3, 1^st in NFC]

Most TD passes, game – 5 at Dallas 12/10

Interceptions – 11

Most interceptions, game – 3 vs. Baltimore 10/29, vs. Cincinnati 11/19
Passer rating – 96.2 [3, 1^st in NFC]

500-yard passing games – 1

300-yard passing games – 8

200-yard passing games – 10

Rushing

Attempts – 42

Most attempts, game – 6 (for 9 yds.) at Tampa Bay 11/5

Yards – 32

Most yards, game – 14 yards (on 4 carries) at Pittsburgh 11/12, (on 3 carries) vs. San Francisco 12/3

Yards per attempt – 0.8

TDs – 0

Postseason: 2 G

Pass attempts – 81

Most attempts, game – 49 at Chicago, NFC Championship

Pass completions – 47

Most completions, game – 27 at Chicago, NFC Championship

Passing yardage – 597

Most yards, game – 354 at Chicago, NFC Championship

TD passes – 3

Most TD passes, game – 2 at Chicago, NFC Championship

Interceptions – 1

Rushing attempts – 4

Most rushing attempts, game – 3 (for -2 yds.) vs. Philadelphia, NFC Divisional playoff

Rushing yards – 6

Most rushing yards, game – 8 at Chicago, NFC Championship

Average gain rushing – 1.5

Rushing TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

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

Pro Bowl

Saints went 10-6 to finish first in the NFC South while leading the NFL in total yards (6264) and passing yards (4503). Won NFC Divisional playoff over Philadelphia Eagles (27-24). Lost NFC Championship to Chicago Bears (39-14).

Aftermath:

Brees started poorly and the team didn’t do as well in 2007, but he recovered to lead the league in pass attempts (652) and completions (440) while throwing for another 4423 yards. He had another Pro Bowl year in ’08 in which he led the NFL in passing yards (5069), TD passes (34), pass attempts (635) and completions (413). Brees went to the Pro Bowl for the third straight year, and fifth overall, in 2010 after throwing for 4620 yards and 33 touchdowns and leading the NFL in completion percentage (68.1). However, he also threw a career-high 22 interceptions and, while the team qualified for the postseason as a wild card with an 11-5 record, the Saints were upset in the first round of the playoffs by Seattle. Brees set a new NFL record with 5476 passing yards in 2011 and topped the league in completions (468), completion percentage (71.2), and TD passes (46). He broke the record long held by Johnny Unitas for consecutive games with a touchdown pass in 2012, which finally ended with 54 straight, on his way to recording a third 5000-yard passing season (5177) and again topping the NFL in TD passes (43) although also in interceptions (19) in a difficult year for the club both on and off the field. New Orleans rebounded in 2013 and Brees led the NFC with 5162 passing yards and 39 TD passes. He topped the NFL in passing yards for the fifth time in 2014 (4952) and tossed over 30 TD passes for the seventh consecutive year (33). Overall through 2014, Brees has completed 66.2 percent of his passes for 57,337 yards and 402 touchdowns and has been selected to nine Pro Bowls, including a string of seven straight.   

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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

1978: Packers Ride 28-Point First Quarter to Win Over Seahawks

The Green Bay Packers were off to a 5-1 start as they played the Seattle Seahawks in Milwaukee on October 15, 1978. For a team that had endured five straight losing seasons, the last three under Head Coach Bart Starr, it was a tremendous turnaround. Second-year QB David Whitehurst was playing very well in place of the injured Lynn Dickey, RB Terdell Middleton (pictured at right) was spearheading the ground game, and rookie WR James Lofton showed flashes of the ability that made him a first-round draft choice. The defensive line had fine pass rushers in ends Ezra Johnson and Mike Butler, and CB Willie Buchanon was an established star in the backfield.

Seattle, coached by Jack Patera, was 3-3 and coming off of an upset of the Vikings. QB Jim Zorn, a mobile lefthander, provided plenty of excitement and WR Steve Largent was highly reliable. FB Sherman Smith and HB David Sims were capable runners. The Seahawks, in their third year of existence, were an opponent to take seriously.

There were 52,712 fans in attendance at County Stadium, where there was a chilly light rain falling. Things started off quickly for the Packers when WR Steve Odom returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. Chester Marcol added the extra point for the early 7-0 lead. Two plays following the ensuing kickoff, Jim Zorn fumbled and Green Bay recovered at the Seattle 35. It took just two plays for the Packers to capitalize as Terdell Middleton ran for 11 yards and David Whitehurst (pictured below) threw to James Lofton for a 24-yard TD. Marcol again kicked the point after and, with the game less than three minutes old, the home team held a 14-0 advantage.

The contest settled into an exchange of punts until HB Rufus Crawford of the Seahawks muffed a David Beverly kick and DB Estus Hood recovered for the Packers at the Seattle 20. Four plays later Middleton ran for a five-yard touchdown, Marcol converted, and the Green Bay lead was up to 21-0.

There was 2:36 remaining in the opening period as the Seahawks took over on offense, but Sherman Smith fumbled on first down and Ezra Johnson fell on it for the Packers at the Seattle 30. Whitehurst threw to TE Rich McGeorge for seven yards, FB Barty Smith ran up the middle for nine more, and Middleton carried for a 14-yard TD. Marcol added the PAT and Green Bay held a 28-0 advantage after a quarter of action.

The Seahawks fought back gamely in the second quarter. A seven-play, 72-yard series that featured a Zorn pass to TE Ron Howard for 42 yards concluded with the quarterback scrambling around right end for a 12-yard touchdown. Efren Herrera kicked the extra point. A successful onside kick allowed Seattle to retain possession, but the resulting series ended with Zorn fumbling the ball away. However, Whitehurst, throwing long from the Seattle 37, was picked off by SS Autry Beamon and on the next play Zorn connected with Steve Largent for a 48-yard TD. Herrera’s extra point made it 28-14 and less than four minutes had been used up in the period.

The Packers put together an eight-play, 58-yard drive in response that featured a Whitehurst screen pass to FB Jim Culbreath that picked up 17 yards. An apparent touchdown pass to Lofton in the end zone was nullified by offensive pass interference, but the Packers picked up another three points when Marcol booted a 22-yard field goal.

The next few short possessions resulted in punts, fumbles, or interceptions, but no points, and the score remained unchanged at 31-14 after Herrera’s 45-yard field goal attempt at the end of the half sailed wide to the left.

The Seahawks quickly ran into more trouble on the first play from scrimmage of the third quarter when Zorn fumbled and LB Mike Hunt recovered for the Packers at the Seattle 37. Five plays later, and after a Whitehurst pass to Lofton picked up 19 yards, Middleton ran for a two-yard TD, Marcol converted, and Green Bay was up by 38-14.

Seattle responded with a 75-yard drive in six plays that included a Zorn pass to Largent for 24 yards and concluded with Sherman Smith running for a nine-yard touchdown. But the Packers came right back with another scoring series of 65 yards in eight plays. Whitehurst completed passes to Lofton for 16 yards and Barty Smith for 19 and Middleton ran for a nine-yard TD, his fourth of the day. The Seahawks managed one more score early in the fourth quarter when David Sims ran for a two-yard touchdown, but Green Bay’s third quarter scores had extinguished any hopes for a Seattle comeback. The Packers won by a final tally of 45-28.  

The point total was the highest for the Packers in nine years. Seattle, playing catch-up throughout the game, led in total yards (483 to 369) and first downs (23 to 20). Both teams did well running the ball, with the Seahawks edging Green Bay by 194 yards to 190. However, Seattle also turned the ball over seven times, to devastating effect, and with three of them coming in the first quarter. The Packers had three turnovers. They also accounted for the game’s three sacks, two of them (unofficially) by Ezra Johnson. The Seahawks were penalized 9 times, at a cost of 65 yards, to six penalties for 50 yards on Green Bay.

Terdell Middleton had a big day as he rushed for 121 yards on 23 carries and scored four touchdowns. David Whitehurst completed 12 of 19 passes for 179 yards and a TD while giving up one interception. James Lofton had 5 catches for 98 yards and a score. In addition to his touchdown on the kickoff return, Steve Odom returned a punt 48 yards.

For the Seahawks, Jim Zorn was successful on 17 of 31 throws for 308 yards and a touchdown, but gave up two interceptions. He also ran for 28 yards and a TD on five carries. Steve Largent (pictured at right) caught 6 passes for 127 yards and a TD. David Sims rushed for 104 yards on 22 attempts that included a score and Sherman Smith contributed 12 carries for 62 yards and a score.

“We just didn’t play a very solid game,” summed up Seattle’s Coach Patera. “When you’re down 28 points, people start pressing a little. You just have to play hard and hope the breaks change and come your way. They didn’t today.”

The win marked the season’s high water mark for the Packers. They lost to Minnesota the next week and, with the offensive productivity dropping off, won just two more games the rest of the way, finishing at 8-7-1 and second to the Vikings in the NFC Central. Seattle recovered to win six of the remaining nine games and end up at 9-7, the franchise’s first winning record, placing third in the very competitive AFC West.

David Whitehurst passed for 2093 yards with 10 touchdowns but also 17 interceptions, and while he showed poise and promise, he ultimately became a career backup. Terdell Middleton rushed for 1116 yards and 11 TDs, receiving Pro Bowl recognition in what was easily the most productive season of his career. James Lofton, whose career track would be far more impressive, also was chosen to the Pro Bowl after catching 46 passes for 818 yards (17.8 avg.) and six touchdowns.

Jim Zorn led the AFC with 248 completions and 3283 yards, although he was also sacked a league-high 44 times. Steve Largent topped the conference with 71 pass receptions and his 1168 yards ranked second in the NFL. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the first of an eventual seven times.

Highlighted Year: Ben Coates, 1994

Tight End, New England Patriots

Age: 25

4^th season in pro football & with Patriots

College: Livingstone

Height: 6’5”   Weight: 245

Prelude:

Coming out of a small college, Coates was chosen by the Patriots in the fifth round of the 1991 NFL draft. He backed up TE Marv Cook for two seasons, catching a total of 30 passes, before breaking out in 1993 with 53 catches for 659 yards (12.4 avg.) and eight touchdowns.

1994 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 96 [4, 1^st in AFC]

Most receptions, game – 12 (for 119 yds.) at Indianapolis 11/27

Yards – 1174 [10]

Most yards, game – 161 (on 8 catches) at Miami 9/4

Average gain – 12.2

TDs – 7 [11, tied with four others]

100-yard receiving games – 5

Rushing

Attempts – 1

Yards – 0

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 7

Points – 42

Postseason: 1 G (AFC Wild Card playoff at Cleveland)

Pass receptions – 6

Pass receiving yards – 79

Average yards per reception – 13.2

Pass Receiving TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

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

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

Pro Bowl

Patriots went 10-6 to finish second in the AFC East while leading the NFL in passing yards (4444) and qualified for the postseason as a Wild Card. Lost AFC Wild Card playoff to Cleveland Browns (20-13).

Aftermath:

The 1994 season, in which Coates set a then-NFL record for receptions by a tight end, was the first of five straight in which he was chosen to the Pro Bowl. In ’95, he caught 84 passes for 915 yards (10.9 avg.) and six TDs and was again a consensus first-team All-NFL selection. Coates was part of the 1996 AFC Championship team, with 6 receptions for 67 yards and a TD in the Super Bowl loss to Green Bay, and continued to be a capable receiver, although his blocking was not at the same level. With his production dropping to 32 catches for 370 yards in ’99, he was released by the Patriots and played one last season in 2000 as a reserve with the Baltimore Ravens. Overall, Coates caught 499 passes for 5555 yards (11.1 avg.) and 50 touchdowns, with 490 for 5471 yards and all of the TDs coming with New England. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection twice, received second-team All-league or All-AFC honors after two other seasons, and was selected to the Pro Bowl five times.

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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

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