Highlighted Year: Tim Delaney, 1974

Wide Receiver, The Hawaiians

Age: 26

1^st season in pro football

College: San Diego State

Height: 5’11” Weight: 185

Prelude:

Delaney was a two-time all-conference choice as a tight end in college, thriving in Head Coach Don Coryell’s pass-oriented offense, and once caught 16 passes for 275 yards and 6 touchdowns in a single contest against New Mexico. He failed to catch on in the NFL as a free agent wide receiver with the New York Giants.

1974 Season Summary

Appeared in 19 of 20 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 89 [1] 

Yards – 1232 [2]

Average gain – 13.8 [13]

TDs – 8 [6, tied with Dennis Homan & James Scott]

Scoring

TDs – 8 [14, tied with five others]

Action Points – 3

Points – 59 [15]

(Note: Touchdowns counted for seven points in the WFL)

Postseason: 2 G

Pass receptions – 10

Most pass receptions, game – 5 at Southern California, WFL First Round playoff; at Birmingham, WFL Second Round playoff

Pass receiving yards – 95

Most pass receiving yards, game – 55 at Birmingham, WFL Second Round playoff

Average yards per reception – 9.5

Pass Receiving TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-WFL: League, Sporting News

Hawaiians went 9-11 to finish second in the WFL Western Division. Won First Round playoff over Southern California Sun (32-14). Lost Second Round playoff to Birmingham Americans (22-19).

Aftermath:

Delaney returned to the Hawaiians for 1975 but quit the team before the league pulled the plug in October. As it was, he still ended up among the league leaders with 44 catches for 594 yards (13.5 avg.) in 10 games and scored five touchdowns. Overall, Delaney was the WFL’s career pass receiving leader in its brief existence, catching 133 passes for 1826 yards (13.7 avg.) and 13 TDs.

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Highlighted Years features players who were 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

2000: Taylor Rushes for 234 Yards & Scores 4 TDs as Jaguars Defeat Steelers

Following four consecutive playoff seasons, including a 14-2 record in 1999, the Jacksonville Jaguars were struggling at 3-7 as they faced the Steelers in Pittsburgh on November 19, 2000. Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s team had run into injury problems, particularly along the offensive line. Third-year RB Fred Taylor (pictured at right) missed the first three games with a torn ligament in his knee, but was coming off of four straight 100-yard rushing performances and the offense also still contained strong performers in QB Mark Brunell and wide receivers Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell.

The Steelers were a streaky 5-5, having lost their first three games, won five straight, and then been beaten in their last two contests. QB Kordell Stewart regained the starting job after starting out behind journeyman QB Kent Graham. RB Jerome Bettis was a potent power runner and overachieving WR Hines Ward the most reliable receiver. As was typically the case under Head Coach Bill Cowher, the defense was stingy.  Pittsburgh had already beaten Jacksonville on the road.

There were 50,925 fans in attendance for the Sunday night contest at Three Rivers Stadium. The teams traded punts for most of the opening period until the Jaguars turned the ball over when Mark Brunell fumbled while being sacked by SS Lee Flowers. LB Jason Gildon recovered at the Jacksonville 37. Two plays later, Kordell Stewart threw to Hines Ward for a 32-yard touchdown. Kris Brown added the extra point and the Steelers took a 7-0 lead into the second quarter.

The Jaguars, who had been losing the battle for field position as the teams continued to exchange punts, finally got a break when LB Kevin Hardy intercepted a Stewart pass at his own 44. Facing second-and-19 after a penalty backed the visitors up, Brunell completed a pass to Jimmy Smith for 20 yards and, two plays later, he connected with Keenan McCardell for 17 yards to the Pittsburgh 28. Fred Taylor finished the six-play possession off with a 25-yard run for a TD. Mike Hollis converted to tie the score.

The Steelers moved well on their next series. Stewart passed to Ward for 22 yards and Jerome Bettis had runs of 16 and 17 yards. The drive stalled at the Jacksonville 22 and Brown kicked a 40-yard field goal to move Pittsburgh back in front by 10-7. Jacksonville responded with an eight-play, 65-yard series. Taylor had a 31-yard carry along the way and, in a third-and-12 situation, caught a pass from Brunell for a 16-yard touchdown. Hollis added the point after and the visitors were in the lead by 14-10.

Pittsburgh appeared to be on the move when a Stewart pass to RB Richard Huntley gained 18 yards to the Jacksonville 42, but on the next play the quarterback was sacked by DT Gary Walker and fumbled, giving the ball to the Jaguars at the Pittsburgh 39 with 39 seconds remaining in the first half. Jacksonville extended its lead to 17-10 on a 36-yard Hollis field goal.

The Steelers had the first possession of the third quarter and punted. Brunell completed four passes, three of them to Smith, with the longest covering 21 yards to the Pittsburgh 15. However, another pass to Smith for an apparent touchdown was overturned upon replay review and the Jaguars had to settle for a 33-yard Hollis field goal that put them 10 points ahead.

Jacksonville got another opportunity in short order when WR Troy Edwards fumbled while returning the ensuing kickoff and FB Daimon Shelton recovered for the Jaguars at the Pittsburgh 36. Taylor immediately took off for a gain of 34 yards and, on the next play, carried again for a two-yard touchdown. Hollis kicked the extra point to give the visitors a commanding 27-10 lead.

The Steelers were on the move on the next series before WR Bobby Shaw fumbled after gaining 15 yards on a pass from Stewart. FS Rayna Stewart recovered at the Jacksonville 42. It took just four plays for the Jaguars to advance 58 yards as Brunell converted a third-and-eight situation with a completion to TE Kyle Brady for 30 yards and Taylor ran 26 yards up the middle for another TD. Hollis again converted and the Jaguars, taking good advantage of opportunities presented by turnovers, were ahead by 34-10.

Pittsburgh drove to a score on the next series, with Stewart running for a two-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. The try for a two-point conversion failed. The Jaguars came back with a solid drive into Pittsburgh territory that included a 19-yard run by Taylor, but CB Chad Scott picked off a Brunell pass and the Steelers drove 56 yards in seven plays. The biggest was a 45-yard touchdown run by Stewart and this time the try for two points succeeded. Pittsburgh had narrowed the margin to ten points with 7:56 remaining in regulation.

The Jaguars were forced to punt following a short possession and the Steelers, helped by a 15-yard penalty tacked on to the punt return, started from the Jacksonville 49. Stewart completed a pass to Shaw for 18 yards, but the drive stalled at the 24 as Ward, wide open at the goal line, dropped a pass after slipping and Brown’s 42-yard field goal attempt was unsuccessful.

With 4:39 left to play, the Jaguars kept the ball on the ground and Taylor had runs of 15 and 25 yards to advance into Pittsburgh territory and run the clock down. They finally turned the ball over on downs at the 24 with the time remaining now down to 1:02. SS Donovin Darius intercepted a Stewart pass to clinch the 34-24 win for Jacksonville.

The Jaguars had the edge in total yards (417 to 302), first downs (20 to 15), and time of possession (34:20 to 25:40). They also recorded five sacks, to three for the Steelers, and Pittsburgh turned the ball over five times, four of which led to Jacksonville scores, against two suffered by the visitors. The Jaguars were penalized eight times, at a cost of 55 yards, to four flags thrown on the Steelers. The 34 points surrendered marked the highest point total that Pittsburgh gave up during the season, by far (and it would not be exceeded in the remaining contests).

Fred Taylor had a huge performance as he rushed for 234 yards on 30 carries that included three touchdowns, and he added a fourth TD on one of his three pass receptions for 14 yards. Mark Brunell completed 17 of 31 passes for 190 yards and a touchdown while giving up one interception. Jimmy Smith had 6 catches for 85 yards and Kyle Brady contributed 62 yards on his five receptions.

For the Steelers, Kordell Stewart (pictured above) was successful on 13 of 27 throws for 188 yards and a TD while being intercepted twice. He also rushed for a team-leading 59 yards on 6 attempts that included two scores. Jerome Bettis was right behind with 57 yards on 12 carries. Bobby Shaw topped the receivers with 5 catches for 81 yards, although he also had a costly fumble.

The big win over Pittsburgh was the first of four straight for the rejuvenated Jaguars, but they finished the season with two narrow losses to end up at 7-9 and fourth in the AFC Central. It was their first losing record since their inaugural season in 1995. The Steelers won four of their last five games for a 9-7 tally that put them in third place in the division.

Fred Taylor’s yardage total set a still-standing franchise record (to date) and also was a new high for an individual performer against the Steelers. He went on to rush for 1399 yards in 13 games, averaging 4.8 yards-per-carry and scoring 12 touchdowns.       

Highlighted Year: Harvey Johnson, 1949

Guard/Linebacker/Placekicker, New York Yankees

Age:  30

4^th season in pro football & with Yankees

College: William & Mary

Height: 5’11” Weight: 210

Prelude:

Johnson was chosen by the Brooklyn Dodgers in the sixth round of the 1943 NFL draft but served in the US Navy during World War II and signed with the Yankees of the AAFC afterward. He played tackle, guard, fullback, and linebacker for the Yankees, although he was primarily known for his placekicking. Johnson connected on 6 of 8 field goal attempts in 1946 and 7 of 8 in ’47, when he led the league with 49 extra points out of 51 attempts and scored a career-high 70 points. He also rushed for 63 yards in 1946 and caught a total of three passes for 25 yards.

1949 Season Summary

Appeared in all 12 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Kicking

Field goals – 7 [1]

Most field goals, game – 1 on seven occasions

Field goal attempts – 15 [1]

Field goal percentage – 46.7 [2]

PATs – 25 [5]

PAT attempts – 25 [5]

Longest field goal – 40 yards vs. San Francisco 10/23

Interceptions
Interceptions – 1

Int. return yards – 1

Int. TDs – 0

Scoring

Field Goals – 7

PATs – 25

Points – 46 [7]

Postseason: 1 G (AAFC First Round Playoff at San Francisco)

Field goals – 0

Field goal attempts – 0

PATs – 1

PAT attempts – 1

Yankees went 8-4 to finish third in the AAFC and qualify for the playoffs. Lost First Round playoff to San Francisco 49ers (17-7).

Aftermath:

Following the merger of the AAFC with the NFL in 1950, Johnson, along with many other members of the Yankees, was assigned to the New York Yanks. He chose to coach high school football instead but came back as a linebacker and placekicker in 1951 for one final season, making good on 6 of 14 field goal attempts and all 31 of his tries for extra point. Overall, in four AAFC seasons Johnson kicked 22 field goals out of 38 attempts (57.9 %) and was successful on 147 of 149 extra points, including a streak of 133 straight. Johnson’s total of 213 points ranked sixth in AAFC history. He went into pro coaching, first in Canada, where he led the minor league Kitchener team to four championships. Johnson later joined the Buffalo Bills of the new AFL in ’60 at the behest of his former college teammate Buster Ramsey, who was the new club’s first head coach. Johnson remained with Buffalo for many years, serving as interim head coach twice, in 1968 and ’71, and also in the front office.

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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

1996: Last-Play FG Lifts Dolphins Past Oilers

The Miami Dolphins were struggling with a 5-5 record as they traveled to Houston to face the Oilers on November 17, 1996. Having replaced long-time Head Coach Don Shula with Jimmy Johnson, whose Dallas teams won two Super Bowls, the Dolphins had won their first three games before dropping five of their next six. 35-year-old QB Dan Marino (pictured at right) was still at the helm of the offense, although he was proving to be increasingly brittle and had missed three games. The passing game was assisted by the arrival of WR Fred Barnett, signed away from the Eagles as a free agent and who had made an astonishing recovery from a preseason knee injury that required surgery.  Rookie RB Karim Abdul-Jabbar provided a boost to the ground game.

The Oilers, coached by Jeff Fisher, were also facing a transition as they were scheduled to leave Houston for Nashville.  The club was also retooling on the field, with rookie RB Eddie George having an immediate impact and QB Steve McNair in development while veteran Chris Chandler directed the offense. The defense was rugged, particularly against the run. Houston got off to a 5-2 start before suffering two tough losses and the Oilers were at 6-4 as they hosted the Dolphins.

There were 47,358 fans in attendance at the Astrodome. Miami’s Coach Johnson was from nearby Port Arthur, Texas, and there was a cheering section in attendance for him. The Oilers had the first possession and drove 65 yards in eight plays. Chris Chandler started off with a pass to Eddie George (pictured below) for 17 yards and WR Willie Davis ran around left end for another 15. Chandler had completions to RB Ronnie Harmon for eight yards and George for seven and, while losses on two plays had Houston facing third-and-18, Chandler connected with WR Derek Russell for an 18-yard touchdown. Al Del Greco added the extra point for the early 7-0 advantage.

The Dolphins went three-and-out and, following their punt, the Oilers again drove to another score, advancing 61 yards in eight plays. Chandler completed three passes along the way and a fourth was to TE Frank Wycheck for a 15-yard TD. Del Greco again converted and the home team was ahead by 14-0.

Miami responded with a series that was helped along by an 18-yard pass interference call on the Oilers, but after reaching the Houston 21, Joe Nedney missed on a 39-yard field goal as the first quarter came to an end. As the game headed into the second quarter, the teams exchanged punts. The Oilers reached the Miami 49 on their next possession but a punt by ex-Dolphin Reggie Roby was blocked and recovered by RB Robert Wilson at the Houston 31. Five plays later, Dan Marino threw to RB Irving Spikes for a 10-yard touchdown and, with Nedney adding the point after, Houston’s lead was cut to 14-7.

The Oilers punted following a short series and the Dolphins regained possession with 3:35 remaining in the first half. Two defensive penalties helped move Miami’s series along. Karim Abdul-Jabbar had a 12-yard carry and Marino connected on two short passes to set up Nedney’s 34-yard field goal on the last play of the half, making the score 14-10 at the intermission.

Both teams went three-and-out and punted to start the third quarter. The Dolphins, on their second series of the half, drove 37 yards in eight plays. Marino completed three passes, the longest to Fred Barnett for 25 yards to the Houston 26, and Nedney kicked a 44-yard field goal to make it a one-point game at 14-13.

The Oilers came back alive on offense to advance 67 yards in 12 plays. Chandler completed four passes but, following a 10-yard run by George to get the ball to the Miami 12, three passes were incomplete and the home team settled for a 30-yard Del Greco field goal and an extended lead of 17-13.

The Dolphins had the ball as the game headed into the fourth quarter, helped along by a fake punt in which LB Larry Izzo took a direct snap and ran for 26 yards to the Houston 42. But after reaching the five, Abdul-Jabbar fumbled just short of the goal line and CB Cris Dishman recovered for the Oilers in the end zone. However, Chandler immediately went to the air and his pass intended for Wycheck was intercepted by LB Zach Thomas, who returned it 26 yards for a touchdown. Nedney added the extra point and the visitors were in front for the first time at 20-17.

The Oilers went three-and-out and punted, but they got the ball back at their 35 after Miami WR O.J. McDuffie fumbled when stripped by LB Barron Wortham after catching a pass and CB Steve Jackson recovered. George took off for a 24-yard gain on first down and Chandler threw to Wycheck for eight yards. The drive stalled at the Miami 16 and Del Greco came on to tie the score at 20-20 with a 33-yard field goal.

Miami took over on offense with 3:20 left in regulation. Two runs by Abdul-Jabbar netted a loss of two yards, but facing third-and-12, Marino passed to McDuffie for 20 yards to keep the series alive. Two plays later, he threw to TE Troy Drayton for a pickup of 51 yards to the Houston five. From there the Dolphins were able to run the clock down and Nedney kicked a 29-yard field goal on the game’s last play to give Miami a 23-20 win.  

The Dolphins had the edge in total yards (303 to 261) while the teams were even in first downs with 17 apiece. Miami turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by the Oilers. Houston accounted for three sacks, to two by the Dolphins, and Miami drew six penalties to four flags thrown on the Oilers.

Dan Marino completed 21 of 28 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. O.J. McDuffie (pictured at right) had 8 catches for 86 yards. Thanks to his long fourth quarter reception, Troy Drayton gained 63 yards on two catches and Fred Barnett contributed 5 receptions for 53 yards. Karim Abdul-Jabbar topped Miami’s rushers with 59 yards on 18 carries.

For the Oilers, Chris Chandler was successful on 15 of 27 throws for 167 yards and two TDs while giving up one interception. Eddie George rushed for 60 yards on 15 attempts and caught three passes for 34 yards. Frank Wycheck topped the receivers with 5 catches for 54 yards and a touchdown.

The win put the Dolphins above .500 but they lost their next three games before finishing out the season with two wins for an 8-8 record that placed fourth in the AFC East. Houston lost three of its last five contests to also end up at 8-8 and fourth in the AFC Central.

Due to wear and tear, Dan Marino had one of his least productive seasons, passing for 2795 yards and 17 touchdowns, although his 87.8 passer rating and 7.5 yards per attempt ranked among the league leaders. Fred Barnett managed to catch 36 passes for 562 yards (15.6 avg.) and three TDs in nine games while O.J. McDuffie led the club with 74 receptions for 918 yards (12.4 avg.) and eight touchdowns.

Highlighted Year: Guy Chamberlin, 1922

End, Canton Bulldogs

Age: 28

4^th season in pro football, 3^rd in APFA/NFL & 2^nd with Bulldogs

College: Nebraska

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 192

Prelude:

Chamberlin transferred from Nebraska Wesleyan to the Univ. of Nebraska and was a consensus first-team All-American end in 1915. Following military service from 1917 to ’19, he joined Canton in 1919, when it was still part of the informal Ohio League, and moved on to the Decatur Staleys of the new NFL (then called American Professional Football Association) in ’20. Tall and fast, and outstanding on both offense and defense, Chamberlin received first-team All-League honors from The Rock Island Argus. The club shifted to Chicago in 1921 (and was rechristened the Bears the next year) and won the NFL Championship. Chamberlin returned to Canton as player/coach in 1922.

1922 Season Summary

Appeared in 12 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Scoring

Rushing TDs – 3 [10, tied with ten others]

Receiving TDs – 1 [5, tied with twenty-two others]

Interception TDs – 2 [1]

Misc. TDs – 1 [1, tied with Norb Sacksteder, Curly Lambeau & Al Nesser]

Total TDs – 7 [1, tied with Jimmy Conzelman]

Points – 42 [3]

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: George Halas

Bulldogs went 10-0-2 to finish first in the NFL while leading the league in touchdowns (26) and scoring (184 points).

Aftermath:

The Bulldogs went undefeated in 1923 to again top the NFL with an 11-0-1 record under Chamberlin’s guidance, and as a player he received first-team All-NFL honors from Collyers Eye and second-team recognition from the Green Bay Press-Gazette. The franchise was effectively shifted to Cleveland in 1924 and won another title. Chamberlin received first-team All-NFL honors from Collyers Eye. He moved on to become player/coach of the Frankford Yellow Jackets in 1925 and, after a sixth-place finish that year, they topped the NFL with a 14-1-2 record in ’26. Chamberlin ended up as both a player and coach with the Chicago Cardinals in 1927, who placed ninth with the only losing record of any team that he played for or coached. Overall, as a player Chamberlin played in 92 games and scored 17 touchdowns, and received at least some first-team All-League recognition four times. As a coach, his teams went 58-16-7, including 21-0-3 in two seasons with Canton, and won a total of four NFL Championships. Chamberlin was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1965.

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Highlighted Years features players who were 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

1931: Nevers Spurs Cards to Upset of Packers

The Green Bay Packers were undefeated and trying for a third consecutive NFL title as they faced the Chicago Cardinals on November 15, 1931. The Cards did not appear to be a formidable opponent. Coached by Ernie Nevers (pictured at right), who was also their most outstanding player, they had won their last two games following three straight losses to start the season, and were thus 2-3 as they hosted the powerful Packers.

Green Bay, under the direction of team founder and coach Curly Lambeau, was 9-0 and had easily beaten the Cardinals at home. The two-time defending champs were loaded with outstanding players that included back Johnny (Blood) McNally, end Lavvie Dilweg, guard Mike Michalske, and tackle Cal Hubbard.  

There were 8000 fans in attendance at Wrigley Field. The Packers had the game’s first possession, defending the muddy half of the field, and the teams traded punts until a pass from Ernie Nevers to end Milan Creighton put the Cardinals at the Green Bay 20. Chicago came up empty, however, when a field goal attempt by Nevers was short and wide.

Following another punt by the Packers, Nevers went to the air, with a big completion to back Bill Glassgow for 29 yards. A short run, incomplete pass, and three-yard throw to Creighton had the Cards facing fourth-and-five. Nevers connected again with Creighton, who grabbed the ball at the Green Bay 16 and evaded four tacklers on the way to a 27-yard touchdown. Nevers added the extra point.

Early in the second quarter, the Packers got a break when tackle Dick Stahlman broke through the line and blocked a Nevers punt. End Tom Nash recovered in the end zone for a TD. However, a bad snap caused the extra point to be aborted and the score remained 7-6 at halftime.

In the third quarter, the teams again exchanged punts before the Cardinals, taking possession at the Green Bay 49, drove to another score. Two carries by back Bunny Belden picked up nine yards and Nevers gained two for a first down. Chicago continued to move methodically, mixing reverses with off-tackle runs by Nevers. A reverse by back Gene Rose gained 12 yards and Nevers carried three straight times to get a first down at the three.  Cal Hubbard broke through to tackle Nevers for a two-yard loss, but on the next play Rose ran a reverse for a five-yard touchdown for the Cards. Nevers converted and Chicago was ahead by 14-6.

As the game entered the fourth quarter, the Packers opened up their passing game. A throw by back Paul Fitzgibbon was intercepted by end George Rogge, who nearly went the distance on the return but was caught at the Green Bay 11 by Johnny McNally. A nine-yard run by Nevers was nullified by offsetting penalties and after a lateral picked up two yards and two passes fell incomplete, it appeared that the Cards would come up short. However, on fourth down Nevers threw to end Chuck Kassel in the end zone for a 16-yard TD. Nevers booted the extra point so firmly that it sailed into the stands and time was called for the ball to be retrieved. The Cardinals held a commanding 21-6 lead.

McNally returned the ensuing kickoff to the Green Bay 27 and back Hank Bruder and McNally made good gains on successive carries. But Bruder then slipped while cutting with a nearly clear field ahead of him and the drive ultimately petered out.

After a Nevers punt to midfield, the Packers put together a 50-yard drive. Passes from FB Russ Saunders to McNally and tailback Red Dunn to Bruder got the ball to the Chicago 26 and, three plays later, Dunn connected with McNally down to the seven. Bruder ran for a one-yard touchdown shortly thereafter and Dunn kicked the point after. The Cards got the ball back with three minutes remaining, ran the clock down, and then dominated on defense to prevent any chance of a Green Bay comeback. Chicago won by a final score of 21-13.

The Cards gained 271 total yards, with 135 on the ground, and completed 10 of 19 passes, most of them by Nevers, and gave up no interceptions. Green Bay was successful on only 8 of 23 throws and three were picked off. The Packers managed only two yards from scrimmage prior to scoring on the blocked punt. Ernie Nevers received acclaim for engineering the upset as he played all 60 minutes and contributed to every facet of play, on offense, defense, and kicking.

The loss was a setback in Green Bay’s drive to a third successive championship as they faced a difficult contest against the Giants the following week, but they won that game and the next two after before losing the season finale to Chicago’s other team, the Bears. The Packers managed to achieve their third successive NFL title with a 12-2 record. The Cardinals ended up in fourth place at 5-4.

In what proved to be the final season of his brilliant career, Ernie Nevers led the league in points after touchdown (15), ranked second in scoring (66 points), and third in touchdowns (8). He received consensus first-team All-NFL honors.  

1965: Cowboys Rally in Fourth Quarter to Defeat Steelers

On November 14, 1965 the struggling Dallas Cowboys hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers, who had beaten them two weeks previously. In their sixth season under Head Coach Tom Landry, the Cowboys had started the season with two big wins before dropping five consecutive games, finally breaking the streak with a win over the 49ers the previous week to be at 3-5. At the center of the storm was QB Don Meredith (pictured above), who had a bad elbow and delivered uneven performances, and was challenged by backups Jerry Rhome and Craig Morton. The running game lacked outside speed but rookie split end Bob Hayes provided plenty of that for the passing game and was one of several promising young players on the roster.

Pittsburgh’s season had gotten off to a bad start two weeks before it started when Head Coach Buddy Parker abruptly quit. Mike Nixon took his place and the team lost its first five games. Veteran FB John Henry Johnson went down with a knee injury, 37-year-old QB Ed Brown was ineffectual, and his young replacement, QB Bill Nelsen, was hampered by a bad knee. While the Steelers won two straight games, they were coming off of a loss the previous week and had a 2-6 record coming into Dallas.

A big crowd of 57,923 was in attendance at the Cotton Bowl on a warm afternoon. The fans booed Don Meredith during pregame introductions and he was a target of disaffection for much of the contest. The Steelers got the first break when safety Willie Daniel intercepted a Meredith pass and returned it nine yards to the Dallas 44. In a drive that took seven plays, HB Dick Hoak carried for the last three, gaining eight and five yards before scoring on a three-yard touchdown. Mike Clark added the extra point.

Bob Hayes returned the ensuing kickoff 37 yards to the Dallas 43 and the Cowboys took eight plays to advance the remaining distance. Meredith rolled out and threw to split end Frank Clarke in the left corner of the end zone for a one-yard TD and Danny Villanueva’s kick tied the game at 7-7.

In the second quarter, a promising Dallas series ended with an interception by DB Bob Sherman. The Steelers had to punt, with Frank Lambert’s kick sailing into the end zone for a touchback, and this time the Cowboys didn’t turn the ball over. Meredith completed passes to Hayes, FB Don Perkins, and rookie HB Dan Reeves to reach the Pittsburgh 13, but the advance stalled there and the home team settled for a 33-yard field goal by Villanueva to move ahead by 10-7.

The teams settled into a stalemate until late in the period. Bill Nelsen threw deep to split end Roy Jefferson for a gain of 45 yards and he nearly went farther before being tripped up by safety Obert Logan at the Dallas 21. Nelsen followed up with another completion, this time to flanker Gary Ballman at the two. Rolling to his left on the next play, the quarterback overthrew FB Mike Lind, who was open in the end zone, but the Cowboys were called for an offside penalty and the ball was placed at the one. Nelsen twice tried to sneak across the goal line but was stopped, and on fourth down Hoak was held to no gain.

Dallas was forced to punt on the ensuing series and safety Clendon Thomas, calling for a fair catch, muffed the kick and DB Don Bishop recovered for the Cowboys at the Pittsburgh 41. But the score remained unchanged at halftime when Villanueva’s 46-yard field goal attempt sailed to the right.

Pittsburgh had the first possession in the third quarter and drove to a 32-yard field goal by Clark that tied the score at 10-10. Late in the period, the Steelers’ punt return unit made a big play when Hayes fumbled a kick by Lambert and TE Lee Folkins, an ex-Cowboy, grabbed the bouncing ball and ran 18 yards for a touchdown. Clark added the PAT and the Steelers were ahead by 17-10.

In the fourth quarter, a Nelsen pass was picked off by CB Cornell Green at the Dallas 49. The Cowboys advanced 51 yards in five plays, the biggest a Meredith pass to Reeves that gained 47 yards. Reeves ran the last two yards for a TD and Villanueva knotted the score once again at 17-17.

Another interception of a Nelsen pass, this time by safety Mel Renfro, gave the Cowboys the ball once more near midfield, but Meredith fumbled when hit from behind and Pittsburgh LB John Campbell picked up the loose ball and ran to the Dallas 28. Helped by a penalty on the defense, the Steelers moved to the 17 with Ed Brown now in the game at quarterback. But Brown, throwing toward Jefferson near the goal line, gave up an interception to Logan instead.

The Steelers got another shot with less than three minutes remaining to play, and the result was yet another interception, this time by LB Dave Edwards. After HB Perry Lee Dunn ran for four yards to the Pittsburgh 28 just prior to the two-minute warning, Meredith connected with Hayes, who caught the ball at the 12 and broke away from CB Brady Keys for a 28-yard touchdown. Villanueva converted and the Cowboys won by a final score of 24-17.

Dallas had the lead in total yards (341 to 197) and first downs (15 to 12). The Steelers, who gained just 50 yards on the ground, hurt themselves with six turnovers, five of which were interceptions, although the Cowboys turned the ball over five times. Both teams recorded four sacks apiece.

Don Meredith completed 14 of 31 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns while being intercepted twice. Bob Hayes (pictured below) accounted for 5 catches for 95 yards and the game-winning TD. Perry Lee Dunn led the club with 47 rushing yards on 13 carries and added another 26 on two pass receptions. Dan Reeves ran for just 10 yards on 6 carries but gained 73 yards on three catches.

For the Steelers, Bill Nelsen was successful on 11 of 25 throws for 172 yards with no TDs and two were picked off. Ed Brown had no completions in four attempts, three of which were intercepted. Roy Jefferson had a big performance by catching four passes for 108 yards. Mike Lind led the rushers with 26 yards on 9 attempts and had four pass receptions for 25 yards.

The win put the Cowboys in a tie for third in the Eastern Conference at 4-5 and, while they lost their next two games, they finished strong with three victories to tie for second with the Giants in the Eastern Conference at 7-7, their first non-losing record. It set the stage for a first place showing in ’66. As for the Steelers, they failed to win again the rest of the way, typically being blown out as they ended up in the conference’s basement after compiling a 2-12 tally.

Don Meredith completed only 46.2 percent of his passes due to his slow start, but ended up throwing for 2415 yards and 22 touchdowns as adjustments to the offense allowed him to utilize his mobility to better effect. Bob Hayes had 46 catches for 1003 yards (21.8 avg.) and scored 12 touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl.