2007: Seahawks Edge Cowboys Thanks to Botched FG Attempt

The Dallas Cowboys had lost four straight playoff games – their last win coming a decade earlier in 1996 - as they faced the Seattle Seahawks in a Wild Card Playoff game on January 6, 2007. In their fourth season under Head Coach Bill Parcells, the Cowboys were off to a 3-3 start when they replaced veteran QB Drew Bledsoe with unheralded backup Tony Romo. They went 6-4 the rest of the way to finish second in the NFC East at 9-7 and claim a Wild Card spot. Romo tailed off late in the season but still earned selection to the Pro Bowl. Both wide receivers Terrell Owens, in his first year with the Cowboys, and Terry Glenn gained over a thousand yards, Pro Bowl TE Jason Witten was solid, and the running back tandem of Julius Jones and Marion Barber was productive.

The Seahawks, coached by Mike Holmgren, had won the NFC title in 2005 and, while they struggled at times in ’06, they also went 9-7 to top the NFC West for the third consecutive year. Injuries were an issue as QB Matt Hasselbeck missed four games and RB Shaun Alexander, who set a record for touchdowns scored in ’05, also missed time with a foot injury. Both had subpar years. The defensive secondary was prone to giving up big plays and the pass rush tailed off as the season progressed.

There was a crowd of 68,058 at Seattle’s Qwest Field. The Seahawks had the game’s first possession and drove 55 yards in nine plays. Hasselbeck completed four passes, including one to WR Bobby Engram that gained 36 yards. Josh Brown kicked a 23-yard field goal to give the home team the early lead.

Following a Dallas punt, Hasselbeck was intercepted by CB Anthony Henry to give the Cowboys good field position at the Seattle 43. They made the most of the opportunity as Martin Gramatica booted a 50-yard field goal to tie the score five plays later.

That was the tally heading into the second quarter until the Seahawks put together a 13-play series that covered 54 yards. With Hasselbeck completing short passes and Shaun Alexander running the ball, Seattle reached the Dallas 12 from where Brown kicked his second field goal, from 30 yards.

Both teams had three-and-out possessions before the Cowboys went 76 yards in ten plays. A third-and-six pass by Tony Romo to WR Patrick Crayton for 18 yards kept the drive alive, as did a throw to Jason Witten for 32 yards to the Seattle three in a fourth-and-two situation. An offensive holding penalty moved the ball back ten yards, but Romo connected with Crayton from there for a touchdown and Dallas took a 10-6 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, and following a short Dallas possession that ended with a punt, the Seahawks briefly regained the lead with a 12-play, 62-yard drive. Five runs by Alexander gained 32 yards, including one for three yards that converted a fourth-and-one situation, and Hasselbeck completed three passes, the last to TE Jerramy Stevens for a 15-yard touchdown. With the successful extra point, it was 13-10 in favor of Seattle – but the lead didn’t last long. The ensuing kickoff was returned 93 yards for a TD by WR Miles Austin and the Cowboys were back in front at 17-13. It was the first touchdown on a kickoff return in Dallas postseason history.

That was the score early in the fourth quarter when Hasselbeck went long for WR D.J. Hackett but was picked off by SS Roy Williams after the ball was tipped by CB Terence Newman. Taking over at their own 43, the Cowboys made the most of the turnover by advancing 46 yards in eight plays. Along the way, Romo completed a pass to Terry Glenn for 16 yards and Julius Jones (pictured at right) had an 18-yard run. Gramatica kicked a 29-yard field goal and Dallas extended its lead to 20-13.

In the ensuing possession, the Seahawks drove from their 27 yard line to the Dallas two, but an incomplete pass on fourth down forced them to give the ball up. However, on the next play Glenn fumbled after catching a short pass from Romo and, initially, the play was ruled a touchdown on a recovery in the end zone by SS Michael Boulware. Upon review, the call was reversed and ruled a safety with the ball having rolled out of bounds in the end zone.

Now down by five points, the Seahawks started off following the free kick with good field position at midfield. Four plays later, Hasselbeck connected with Stevens for a 37-yard touchdown. The try for a two-point conversion failed, but Seattle was now in front by a point.

There were still over four minutes remaining on the clock, however – plenty of time for the Cowboys to respond. After Romo completed two passes, with a short run in between, Jones took off for a 35-yard gain to the Seattle 11. They got it down to the two (narrowly missing another first down) and lined up for a potentially game-winning field goal attempt by Gramatica. However, Romo, who had been the holder for placekicks far longer than he had been the starting quarterback, fumbled the snap (pictured at top) and had to pick up the loose ball and run with it. He came up short of either a score or a first down as he was tackled by CB Jordan Babineaux at the line of scrimmage.  With the stunning reprieve, the Seahawks held on for a 21-20 win.

Seattle led in total yards (332 to 284) and first downs (19 to 14). The Seahawks also turned the ball over twice, to one by Dallas. The Cowboys hurt themselves with 8 penalties, at a cost of 74 yards, while Seattle was flagged just three times.

Matt Hasselbeck completed 18 of 36 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns with two intercepted. Shaun Alexander ran for 69 yards on 24 carries. Jerramy Stevens caught 5 passes for 77 yards and two TDs while Bobby Engram (pictured below) gained 88 yards on his four receptions.

For the Cowboys, Tony Romo was successful on 17 of 29 throws for 189 yards and a touchdown without giving up an interception. Julius Jones had a fine performance running the ball as he gained 112 yards on 22 attempts. Terry Glenn paced the receivers with four pass receptions for 41 yards while Jason Witten contributed 57 yards on three catches.

Of the failed field goal attempt by the Cowboys, Mike Holmgren said, “You coach long enough, you end up seeing just about everything. One more thing for the journal.”

“It’s just one of those things,” said Bill Parcells. “It looked like a good snap. I can’t tell you what happened after that.”

The Seahawks lost another close game, this time in overtime, to the Bears at the Divisional Playoff level. They again topped the NFC West in 2007 while the Cowboys finished first in the NFC East, but both clubs fell in the Divisional round of the postseason.

Bill Parcells was not at the helm for Dallas in ’07 – he stepped down as head coach and the loss to Seattle thus marked his finale. His four-year record with the Cowboys was 34-30 with two playoff losses as well. It was the final stop in a head coaching career with four teams that yielded a 172-130-1 regular season record and 11-8 playoff tally that included three conference titles and two Super Bowl victories.

1991: Dolphins Rally to Defeat Chiefs in Wild Card Playoff Game

The Miami Dolphins were in the playoffs for the first time in five years as they hosted the Kansas City Chiefs at Joe Robbie Stadium on January 5, 1991. In their 21^st season under Head Coach Don Shula, the Dolphins placed second in the AFC East with a 12-4 record, good enough to grab a Wild Card spot. RB Sammie Smith brought a much-needed ground-gaining element to the offense, which had been too dependent on the outstanding passing of QB Dan Marino (pictured above). The defense, which contained an established star in LB John Offerdahl, was also tougher and benefited from the added presence of veteran CB Tim McKyer.

Kansas City, with Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer for the second year, finished second in the AFC West at 11-5 to secure a Wild Card spot and reach the playoffs for only the second time since 1971. 36-year-old journeyman QB Steve DeBerg had an outstanding season and running backs Christian Okoye and Barry Word paced the running attack. The defense, anchored by LB Derrick Thomas, was opportunistic and led the NFL with 60 sacks.

There were 67,276 fans on hand for the late Saturday afternoon Wild Card Playoff game. The Dolphins reached midfield on their first drive but, after Marino was sacked for a loss on third down, Reggie Roby’s punt was blocked by CB Charles Washington and the Chiefs gained possession at the Miami 37. Kansas City drove 28 yards in nine plays that resulted in Nick Lowery kicking a 27-yard field goal.

Miami responded by driving 40 yards, with Marino completing a pass to WR Mark Duper for 12 yards to convert a third-and-four situation, but the opening period ended with the series stalled at the KC 40. On the first play of the second quarter, Pete Stoyanovich (pictured at left) kicked a NFL playoff-record 58-yard field goal to tie the score at 3-3.

The Chiefs came out throwing on their next series as QB Steve DeBerg connected with WR Stephone Paige for 33 yards and WR Robb Thomas for another 15 yards to the Miami 37. But after advancing to the 30, a DeBerg pass was intercepted by SS Jarvis Williams to end the threat.  The teams traded punts before the Dolphins drove to the Kansas City 39 and Stoyanovich again attempted a long field goal, this time from 57 yards. This one fell short and the Chiefs went 61 yards in four plays. RB Christian Okoye gained 16 yards on the first play of the series and, after a short gain by Okoye, DeBerg threw to Paige, first for 16 yards, and then for a 26-yard touchdown.

The Dolphins again advanced into KC territory but Marino was stripped by DE Neil Smith and CB J.C. Pearson recovered for the Chiefs at his own 38. The score was 10-3 in favor of Kansas City at halftime.

Kansas City’s first series of the third quarter ended with a punt, but Bryan Barker’s 44-yard kick went out of bounds at the Miami six. Pinned deep in their own territory, the Dolphins had to punt it back, although Roby’s 64-yard kick carried to the KC 30. DeBerg threw to WR Emile Harry for 26 yards but, following a sack and incomplete pass, the Chiefs faced a third-and-15 situation. DeBerg threw a screen pass to RB Todd McNair for 13 yards and, on a fourth-and-two play from the Miami 36, Okoye ran for five yards and a first down. Two more pass completions got the ball to the one yard line, but the Chiefs were unable to penetrate the end zone. An intentional grounding call on DeBerg on a second down play moved the ball back ten yards and Kansas City ultimately had to settle for a 25-yard Lowery field goal.

On the first play of the ensuing series, Marino threw to WR Mark Duper for 16 yards, but the receiver fumbled when hit by FS Deron Cherry and LB Dino Hackett recovered at the Miami 29. Three handoffs to Okoye gained eight yards and Lowery kicked a 38-yard field goal to extend Kansas City’s lead to 16-3.

Desperately needing to score, the Dolphins converted a fourth down on a two-yard run by Sammie Smith (pictured at right) at the end of the third quarter on their way to going 66 yards in 10 plays. Marino threw to Clayton for 23 yards to reach the KC 11 and three plays later he connected with RB Tony Paige for a TD. With the successful extra point, Miami was down by just six points with over twelve minutes remaining to play.

DeBerg threw to Harry on first down, who broke away from Tim McKyer along the sideline and gained 33 yards. But the drive was stopped at the Miami 41 and the Chiefs punted. Starting from their 15, the Dolphins immediately moved into Chiefs territory when Marino passed to TE Ferrell Edmunds for a 37-yard gain to the KC 48. Miami methodically drove down the field from there, converting three third downs and with Marino capping the 11-play, 85-yard series with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Clayton. Stoyanovich added the all-important extra point to put the Dolphins in front by one.

With 3:28 left on the clock, the Chiefs still had a chance. Two DeBerg passes got the ball to the Kansas City 47 and Okoye then ran for 26 yards to the Miami 26. However, a holding penalty moved the ball back ten yards (and negated a 12-yard carry by Okoye) and the Chiefs were only able to get back to the 34 before having to try for the winning field goal. Lowery’s attempt from 52 yards was close but short – breaking a streak of 24 consecutive successes - and the Dolphins survived to win by a score of 17-16.

The Chiefs outgained Miami (367 yards to 311) although the Dolphins had the edge in first downs (23 to 16). Miami also turned the ball over twice, to one by Kansas City.

Dan Marino completed 19 of 30 passes, including ten straight during the fourth quarter comeback, for 221 yards with two touchdowns and none intercepted. Sammie Smith ran for 82 yards on 20 carries. Mark Clayton caught 5 passes for 66 yards and a TD while Tony Paige also caught 5, for 30 yards and a score.

For the Chiefs, Steve DeBerg was successful on 17 of 30 throws for 269 yards and a TD with one intercepted. Stephone Paige had 8 pass receptions for 142 yards and the touchdown. Christian Okoye (pictured below) keyed the running game with 83 yards on 13 attempts.

“We’re disappointed as hell, but we’re proud,” said Marty Schottenheimer. “We’re frustrated because we didn’t achieve the things we wanted to do, which was win a championship. We’re going to hold our heads up and build from here.”

Miami advanced to the Divisional playoff round and lost to division-rival Buffalo by a score of 44-34. The Dolphins regressed to 8-8 in 1991 but won the AFC East in ’92. The Chiefs made the postseason in each of the next five seasons under Schottenheimer but failed to gain an elusive championship, advancing to the AFC title game just once in that stretch.

1971: Cowboys Beat 49ers for NFC Championship

In the first season of the NFL enlarged by merger with the American Football League, the championship game of the newly-created National Football Conference on January 3, 1971 featured the Dallas Cowboys, a club that had been to the playoffs in each of the previous four years, against the San Francisco 49ers, who had been to the postseason just twice in their history – one of which was in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC).

The Cowboys, coached for the eleventh year by Tom Landry, were a highly talented club but were only 5-4 after being blown out 38-0 by the Cardinals in a Monday night contest. They didn’t lose again, finishing atop the NFC East at 10-4. Rookie RB Duane Thomas (pictured above) had joined an already-well stocked backfield and ran for 803 yards. QB Craig Morton was a capable passer and WR Bob Hayes a dangerous deep threat. The defense was formidable and contained Pro Bowl DT Bob Lilly and CB Mel Renfro as well as All-Pro LB Chuck Howley. The Cowboys beat Detroit in a low-scoring 5-0 contest to earn a spot in the NFC Championship contest.

San Francisco, under Head Coach Dick Nolan (a former Dallas assistant), got a big season from QB John Brodie, who had an outstanding target in WR Gene Washington. The defense came together impressively and included solid veterans in LB Dave Wilcox, CB Jimmy Johnson, and FS Roosevelt Taylor. In addition, rookie CB Bruce Taylor proved to be an outstanding punt returner. The 49ers placed first in the NFC West with a 10-3-1 record to make it to the playoffs for the first time since tying for first in the Western Conference in 1957. They defeated the Vikings in the Divisional round to advance to the conference title game.

There were 59,625 in attendance on a cool and clear day at Kezar Stadium for what was to be the last pro football game played at the venerable venue – the 49ers were slated to move to Candlestick Park for the 1971 season. The 49ers threatened first when Brodie threw to Washington for 42 yards, but the wide receiver couldn’t maintain his footing and went down at the Dallas nine. San Francisco missed out on a sure touchdown when Brodie misfired on a pass to an open FB Ken Willard in the end zone and the home team had to settle for a 16-yard Bruce Gossett field goal.

The game settled into a defensive struggle for the remainder of the first half. The Cowboys moved the ball more effectively but couldn’t put points on the board until Mike Clark, who missed from 40 yards in the opening period, kicked a 21-yard field goal in the second quarter. The score was just 3-3 at the half.

The teams traded punts to start the third quarter, at which point the game turned on two interceptions. San Francisco, starting its next possession at its 21 yard line, lost ground when Brodie was sacked by LB Dave Edwards for a seven-yard loss. With DE Larry Cole pressuring him on the next play, Brodie tried to throw the ball away but MLB Lee Roy Jordan (pictured at left) made a shoestring interception. Dallas had the ball at the San Francisco 13 and on the next play Duane Thomas cut toward the sideline and broke three tackles on the way to a touchdown.

On San Francisco’s next series, Brodie threw long for Gene Washington but CB Mel Renfro picked it off at the Dallas 19 and returned it 19 yards. The Cowboys proceeded to advance 62 yards in nine plays for another TD on a five-yard pass from Craig Morton to RB Walt Garrison. Along the way, Garrison, playing despite suffering a sprained ankle in the first quarter, ran for 12 yards and then gained 23 yards on a screen pass to the San Francisco 29. A Morton pass intended for Bob Hayes was overthrown but SS Mel Phillips was flagged for pass interference, setting up the TD throw.

The 49ers came back with an impressive 73-yard drive in eight plays that ended with Brodie throwing to TE Dick Witcher for a 26-yard touchdown.

On the next series, the 49ers nearly got a big break when Thomas fumbled, but WR Reggie Rucker recovered to not only retain possession for the Cowboys but give them a first down. Dallas drove to the San Francisco 17 but came up empty when Clark’s 24-yard field goal try sailed wide.

The 49ers got no closer than the Dallas 39 in the time remaining, and in that instance a pass intended for Witcher was broken up by CB Herb Adderley and Gossett missed a 47-yard field goal attempt. The Cowboys, playing near error-free football, held on to win by a score of 17-10.

Dallas had the advantage in total yards (319 to 307), with 229 yards of that total coming on the ground as the Cowboys attacked the less-experienced side of the 49ers defense by running to the right. They also had the edge in first downs (22 to 15), ran more plays (75 to 61), and held onto the ball for almost ten more minutes than the Niners. The 49ers gave up the two big third quarter turnovers while Dallas turned the ball over once.

Duane Thomas had an outstanding performance as he rushed for 143 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries and caught two passes for 24 more yards. Walt Garrison (pictured below) contributed 71 yards on 17 rushing attempts and was also the team’s leading receiver with three catches for 51 yards and a score. Craig Morton completed just 7 of 22 passes for 101 yards and a TD with none intercepted. Only one pass was completed to a wide receiver (Reggie Rucker for 21 yards).

For the 49ers, John Brodie, who was under heavy pressure throughout the second half, was successful on 19 of 40 throws for 262 yards and a touchdown and the two interceptions. Gene Washington had 6 catches for 88 yards and Bob Windsor added 70 yards on his three receptions. Ken Willard paced the running attack with 42 yards on 13 carries.

“Lee Roy Jordan’s interception was the real key play,” said Tom Landry. “But the key to the game was our ability to run the football.”

“We have a good team and we met a good team. I feel this way – we’ll be back,” said Dick Nolan.

The Cowboys, having reached the Super Bowl for the first time, lost a close contest to the Baltimore Colts. The two teams again topped their divisions in 1971 and advanced to a rematch in the NFC Championship game, where Dallas prevailed once more. 

1966: Packers Dethrone Browns for NFL Championship

It had been three years since the Green Bay Packers had last won a NFL title as they faced the defending-champion Cleveland Browns in the league Championship game on  January 2, 1966. Head Coach Vince Lombardi’s team was a blend of solid veterans who had been a part of title-winning teams in 1961 and ’62 and rising young players. They had battled the Colts to a tie atop the Western Conference with 10-3-1 records that necessitated a playoff that Green Bay won in overtime. However, a cause for concern was that many of the team’s veterans were hampered by injuries, including QB Bart Starr, HB Paul Hornung, and FB Jim Taylor (pictured at right).

The Browns, coached by Blanton Collier, had won a stunning shutout victory over Baltimore in the previous year’s title game and again topped the Eastern Conference at 11-3. They were without split end Paul Warfield, one of the stars of the ’64 team as a rookie, for most of the season due to injury but still had the incomparable FB Jim Brown, who won his eighth league rushing title with 1544 yards and scored 21 touchdowns. QB Frank Ryan and flanker Gary Collins were also keys to the offense.

Snow arrived in the morning, but it had changed to freezing drizzle by game time. There were 50,852 fans present at wet and muddy Lambeau Field. The Packers took the opening kickoff and drove 77 yards in seven plays that culminated in Starr passing to flanker Carroll Dale for a 47-yard touchdown.

The Browns came right back by going 66 yards in just three plays. Ryan threw to Jim Brown for a 30-yard gain, connected with Paul Warfield for 19, and then passed to flanker Gary Collins for a 17-yard touchdown. However, the extra point attempt failed due to a bad snap from center that had PK Lou Groza trying to pass to his holder rather than kick and the Packers maintained a one-point lead.

Late in the first quarter, and following a Green Bay punt from its own end zone, Lou Groza kicked a 24-yard field goal to put the Browns in front by 9-7. The Packers responded by driving to a score. Paul Hornung ran for a 34-yard gain to the Cleveland 39. Following a Starr pass to split end Boyd Dowler for 11 yards, the combination of Taylor and Hornung advanced the ball to the three. The Browns held but Don Chandler kicked a 15-yard field goal early in the second quarter and Green Bay was back in front.

Chandler’s second field goal was set up by an interception by FS Willie Wood, who returned it 15 yards to the Cleveland 10. However, a motion penalty set the Packers back and Starr threw three incomplete passes. Chandler was again successful with a three-point try from 23 yards out that made it 13-9.

With less than three minutes remaining in the first half, the Browns punted and the 50-yard kick by Collins went out at the Green Bay four. Advancing to the 11, a third down pass by Starr was picked off by CB Walter Beach at the 30. Ryan immediately tried to go for the touchdown, throwing a pass into the end zone that was intended for Collins but it was broken up by SS Tom Brown and CB Bob Jeter. The series ended with Groza kicking a 28-yard field goal with 48 seconds remaining on the clock. The Packers carried a slender lead of 13-12 into halftime.

A light snow was falling as the game moved into the third quarter. The Packers put together an 11-play, 90-yard drive in the third quarter that was highlighted by Hornung gaining 20 yards on one run and scoring on a power sweep from 13 yards out. The series consumed nearly seven minutes.

WR Walter Roberts returned the ensuing kickoff 33 yards. Ryan scrambled for eight yards and a facemask penalty added another 15 to advance the ball into Green Bay territory. The drive finally stalled at the 28. Cleveland came up short when Groza’s 37-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter was partially blocked by DT Henry Jordan and was unsuccessful.

The Packers put together another long drive, going from their 20 to the Cleveland 21 with only two passes along the way as Taylor and Hornung again ran effectively. Chandler kicked a 29-yard field goal with 9:28 remaining in the game.

Cleveland again was forced to punt but it was another good one by Collins and pinned the Packers down at their seven. Starr was nearly tackled for a safety by DE Bill Glass but managed to get out to the two before being brought down. Following a five-yard carry by Taylor, Chandler punted from his end zone but any advantage for the Browns was nullified when TE Ralph Smith barreled into the kicker and drew a roughing penalty.

The Packers didn’t score again but also didn’t relinquish the ball until there were only about two minutes remaining. The Browns only reached Green Bay territory one more time during the second half, and after making it to the 47 Ryan was sacked by DE Willie Davis to push them back to their 48. A last-gasp long pass intended for Collins was intercepted by CB Herb Adderley, who made a leaping grab to extinguish the threat and nail down the 23-12 win for Green Bay.

The Packers significantly outgained Cleveland (332 yards to 161), ran 69 plays to Cleveland’s 39, and also dominated in first downs (21 to 8). They had a huge edge in rushing yardage (204 to 64) and also turned the ball over only once, to two by the Browns. Green Bay’s defense took control and completely shut the defending champs down in the second half.

Paul Hornung (pictured at left) gained 105 yards on 18 carries that included a touchdown and workhorse Jim Taylor added 96 yards on 27 attempts and added 20 more yards on two pass receptions. Bart Starr completed 10 of 18 passes for 147 yards with a TD and an interception. Boyd Dowler caught 5 passes for 59 yards and, with the long early scoring reception, Carroll Dale gained 60 yards on his two catches.

For the Browns, Jim Brown was held to 50 yards on 12 carries and led the club with 44 yards on three receptions out of the backfield. Frank Ryan was successful on just 8 of 18 throws for 115 yards and a TD with two picked off. Gary Collins, like Brown, caught three passes, for 41 yards and a score.

“The snow and mud were our allies,” said Vince Lombardi. “When you have conditions like these, it’s best to be basic, not fancy. And we’re the most basic offensive team there is.”

“We’re a fine team – better than we showed today – and I’m proud of them,” said Blanton Collier on behalf of the Browns. “But we just made too many mistakes.”

While the win over the Browns was the first of three straight NFL titles for Green Bay, it also was something of a last hurrah for the backfield combination of Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung, who had played such a major role in the team’s rise but were showing signs of wear by 1965. Both were back in ‘66, but at reduced effectiveness. Taylor rushed for 705 yards while averaging 3.5 yards per carry. Hornung ran the ball only 76 times for 200 yards in an injury-plagued year. They were gone by the time the team won its third title in ’67.

While no one knew it at the time, the 1965 title game was also the end of the line for Jim Brown (pictured below) in a Cleveland uniform (he played once more in the Pro Bowl). The great fullback announced his retirement during the summer of ’66 while on movie location in London. He left as the all-time leading rusher in NFL history with 12,312 yards, a record that lasted until 1984, while leading the league eight times in nine seasons and averaging 104.3 yards per game and 5.2 per carry. His record of 126 touchdowns scored lasted until 1994. 

1989: Defense Keys Buffalo Win Over Oilers

The AFC Divisional Playoff game on January 1, 1989 featured the conference’s best defensive team, the Buffalo Bills, against a club with the second-ranked offense in the NFL, the Houston Oilers. While the Bills had a bye the previous week, Houston had narrowly defeated the Cleveland Browns by a 24-23 score to advance.

The resurgent Bills, coached by Marv Levy, were in the postseason for the first time since 1981 in topping the AFC East with a 12-4 record. The aggressive defense, in particular the front seven that included ends Bruce Smith (pictured above) and Art Still, NT Fred Smerlas, and linebackers Cornelius Bennett and Shane Conlan was a big part of that success (although Conlan was out with a foot injury against the Oilers). The offense was conservative and led by capable QB Jim Kelly, who was joined as a Pro Bowl selection by WR Andre Reed. Rookie RB Thurman Thomas brought immediate improvement to the ground game.

Houston reached the postseason for the second straight season under Head Coach Jerry Glanville. The exciting run-and-shoot offense featured Warren Moon at quarterback, who missed five games due to a shoulder injury but still was chosen for the Pro Bowl, and a fine group of wide receivers led by Drew Hill, Haywood Jeffires, and Ernest Givins. The Oilers could run the ball effectively with running backs Mike Rozier and Allen Pinkett plus FB Alonzo Highsmith. The defense was aggressive – and prone to late hits and penalties – but also tended to give up points.   

There were 79,532 fans at Rich Stadium on an unusually mild winter’s day in upstate New York. Following a short possession and punt by the Oilers, Buffalo drove to the Houston 18. A bad snap on a third-and-10 play set the Bills back to the 32 and Scott Norwood was short on a 50-yard field goal attempt.

Houston was again unable to move on offense and the Bills, taking over at their 26, drove all the way to the Houston three yard line, with the big play a 40-yard run by Thurman Thomas (pictured at left). But the attempt to convert a fourth-and-one situation failed when Kelly’s pass was incomplete.

The Oilers responded with a series that carried into the second quarter and reached the Buffalo 34. However, Moon was sacked for a 13-yard loss by Bruce Smith on a third down play and the ensuing punt was blocked by safety Leonard Smith, thus giving the Bills the ball at the Houston 46. Buffalo finally capitalized as Kelly threw to WR Trumaine Johnson for 18 yards and again for another nine yards before Thomas carried to the three. Two plays later RB Robb Riddick dove into the end zone from a yard out and, with the successful PAT, the Bills were ahead by 7-0.

The Oilers came back with an 11-play, 71-yard drive. Moon threw to Drew Hill for 21 yards and Alonzo Highsmith ran for 31 yards on a draw play. The possession stalled at the Buffalo 18 and Tony Zendejas kicked a 35-yard field goal.

Following a short series by the Bills, Houston again drove into Buffalo territory. Moon connected with Haywood Jeffires for 27 yards and then threw to Ernest Givins to reach the Buffalo 25. But the Oilers came up empty when Bruce Smith blocked a 38-yard field goal attempt by Zendejas. The score remained 7-3 at the half.

Early in the third quarter DB Tracey Eaton intercepted a Kelly pass to give the Oilers possession at the Buffalo 47. With Highsmith and Mike Rozier running the ball and an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Bills helping the series along, Houston again missed an opportunity when an errant pitchout inside the five yard line lost 12 yards and then Zendejas was wide to the left on a 31-yard field goal try.

The teams traded punts as neither offense was able to sustain a drive until late in the third quarter when the Bills went 59 yards in six plays. Kelly threw to WR Chris Burkett for 26 yards and, three plays later, he scrambled for ten yards on a third down play that had a facemask penalty tacked on to advance the ball to the Houston 11. From there, Thomas ran for a touchdown and a 14-3 lead.

Before the third quarter was over, Kelly passed to Andre Reed for a 55-yard gain to the Houston two. However, the Bills couldn’t punch the ball in from there and on the first play of the final period Riddick was stopped for no gain on fourth down.

The Oilers gained no benefit from the goal line stand as a Moon pass was intercepted by FS Mark Kelso two plays later. Norwood booted a 27-yard field goal to extend Buffalo’s lead to two touchdowns.

The Oilers turned the ball over again on their next series as Jeffires fumbled after catching a pass and CB Derrick Burroughs recovered at the Houston 23. The Bills failed to expand their margin when Norwood’s 36-yard field goal attempt hit the left upright and was no good.

Desperately needing to get points on the board, the Oilers went 80 yards in nine plays. Moon completed four passes, including one to WR Leonard Harris that gained 29 yards, and a pass interference penalty on Burroughs put the ball on the Buffalo one from where Rozier carried for a touchdown. The successful extra point pulled the Oilers to seven points behind with just over five minutes to play.

The Oilers never got another chance on offense, however. The Bills managed to run over three minutes off the clock in their ensuing possession and, when they punted from the Houston 45, special teams star WR Steve Tasker caused Curtis Duncan to fumble and LB Ray Bentley recovered. The Bills were able to run out the clock to win by a score of 17-10.

In a game in which both teams squandered numerous scoring opportunities, Buffalo led in total yards (372 to 351) while the Oilers accumulated the most first downs (20 to 18). Houston turned the ball over three times as the Bills, who turned it over once, made the bigger plays on defense.

Jim Kelly went to the air more than usual, completing 19 of 33 passes for 244 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Thurman Thomas only carried 7 times but gained 75 yards and scored a TD. Andre Reed topped the receivers with 6 catches for 91 yards.

For the Oilers, Warren Moon was successful on 17 of 33 throws for 240 yards, also with no TDs and one picked off. Haywood Jeffires had 5 pass receptions for 78 yards and Drew Hill contributed four catches for 62 yards. Alonzo Highsmith gained 57 yards on just 5 carries while Mike Rozier had 44 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts.

Regarding the game-clinching forced fumble on the punt return at the end, Steve Tasker (pictured at right) explained “He (Curtis Duncan) had a little trouble keeping his feet. I snuck up behind him and was able to strip the ball.”

“They’re a fine defensive football team,” summed up Jerry Glanville. “Rather than us doing something wrong, give them credit for doing something well.”

Buffalo’s run ended the following week against Cincinnati in the AFC Championship game. They again won the AFC East in 1989, albeit with a lesser (9-7) record and with more difficulties along the way. Houston also went 9-7 in ’89 to once more qualify for the postseason as a Wild Card team and again fell short in the playoffs by losing in the first round.

1962: Packers Defeat Giants to Repeat as NFL Champions

The NFL Championship game on December 30, 1962 featured the same two teams who had faced off for the title in ’61 – the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants. In that instance, the Packers had blown the Giants out by a 37-0 score at Green Bay. Now they were meeting on New York’s home turf in the rematch.

The Packers, under Head Coach Vince Lombardi, had gone 13-1 in placing at the top of the Western Conference for the third straight year. Hard-hitting FB Jim Taylor had a MVP season as he led the NFL in rushing with 1474 yards (the first NFL runner not named Jim Brown to do so since 1956) and scored a record 19 touchdowns. QB Bart Starr was the league’s top-rated passer and the offensive line was outstanding. Even the off-year for HB Paul Hornung, who had won three straight scoring titles from 1959 to ’61 but was hampered by a bad knee, could not derail the offense, and All-Pro G Jerry Kramer (pictured above) had taken over Hornung’s placekicking responsibilities. The defense was just as strong and yielded the fewest points in the NFL.

Head Coach Allie Sherman’s Giants came in first in the Eastern Conference at 12-2, winning their last nine games in doing so. The brilliant passing of QB Y.A. Tittle was the key to the offense – he had set a new NFL record with 33 TD passes and had excellent targets in split end Del Shofner, flanker Frank Gifford, and TE Joe Walton. FB Alex Webster was effective both running the ball and as a receiver out of the backfield. The veteran defense was solid.

There were 64,892 in attendance at frigid Yankee Stadium. Temperatures were in the teens and with winds gusting as high as 45 mph, the wind chill was below zero. Traction was difficult on the frozen turf and whirlwinds of dust occasionally blew about.

The Giants had first possession and reached their own 46 before having to punt.  Jerry Kramer put the Packers on the board with a 26-yard field goal midway through the first quarter after Green Bay drove 61 yards to the 19 yard line and Jim Taylor was stopped for no gain on third down and short.

The Giants threatened, driving to the Green Bay 15. However, MLB Ray Nitschke deflected a Tittle pass that was intercepted by LB Dan Currie to end the threat and returned it 30 yards before falling. Following the interception, the Packers advanced to the New York 30 but Kramer missed a field goal try from 37 yards.

A punt by Max McGee was nearly blocked by CB Erich Barnes but the rushed kick went only 23 yards. Two plays later, HB Phil King fumbled when hit by Currie and Nitschke recovered at the New York 28. The Packers capitalized as Paul Hornung tossed an option pass to flanker Boyd Dowler for 21 yards and Taylor followed up with a seven-yard touchdown run up the middle (pictured below).

Now late in the second quarter, the Giants responded by moving into Green Bay territory. However, Don Chandler attempted a 47-yard field goal for the Giants that went wide of the mark. The Packers took a 10-0 lead into halftime.

Early in the third quarter, Green Bay’s offense couldn’t advance the ball while backed up deep in its own territory. With the Packers punting from their own 15 yard line, Barnes broke through this time to block McGee’s kick and end Jim Collier fell on the loose ball in the end zone for a New York touchdown after LB Bill Forester was unable to scoop it up at the five (picture below shows Barnes at right just before blocking the punt). With the successful extra point, it was a three-point game.

Once again the Packers couldn’t move on offense, but McGee’s line-drive punt was muffed by DB Sam Horner and Nitschke recovered at the New York 42. The five-play series culminated in a 29-yard field goal by Kramer.

The Giants, now down by six, drove into Green Bay territory with the help of penalties. From the Green Bay 47, Tittle threw a pass intended for Del Shofner that fell incomplete. However, FS Willlie Wood was charged with pass interference and when he leaped up to protest he inadvertently knocked the official, back judge Thomas Kelleher, to the ground. It resulted in Wood’s ejection and another 15 yard penalty on the Packers that advanced the ball to the 18. Tittle overthrew Shofner and the Giants followed up with a double reverse in which King lateraled back to Tittle who was under pressure from DE Willie Davis and threw a bad pass that was almost picked off by Currie. Two holding calls on the Giants moved the ball all the way back to the 40. On third-and-52, Tittle threw short for flanker Frank Gifford, who dropped it. The Giants came up empty.

Early in the fourth quarter, HB Elijah Pitts returned a punt 36 yards and nearly broke it all the way. Bart Starr passed the Packers down to the New York 27 but they lost ground from there and Kramer was unsuccessful on a 40-yard field goal try.

The Giants were unable to move on offense and punted. Taking over at their 28, the Packers kept the ball on the ground and reached the New York 24. With 1:50 remaining in the game, Kramer kicked his third field goal to effectively seal the win for the Packers. The Giants drove to the Green Bay seven on their last possession before time ran out. Green Bay was the champion once again by a score of 16-7.

The Giants outgained Green Bay (291 yards to 244) and the clubs were even in first downs with 18 apiece. The Packers were more successful at running the ball (148 yards to 94) and New York turned the ball over three times while Green Bay’s offense suffered none.

Jim Taylor had a hard-earned 85 yards on 31 carries that included a touchdown and gained 20 more yards on three pass receptions. Moreover, he engaged in a personal battle in the trenches with New York’s defense (most notably star MLB Sam Huff), often exchanging words and exemplifying the game’s intensity. Bart Starr completed just 9 of 21 passes for 85 yards while Paul Hornung, who contributed 35 yards on 8 rushing attempts, also tossed a key halfback option pass for a 21-yard gain. Boyd Dowler led the Green Bay receivers with 4 catches for 48 yards. Ray Nitschke recovered two fumbles and had the pass deflection that was intercepted and was named MVP of the game by Sport Magazine.

As if the wind was not enough, Y.A. Tittle (pictured below) was under constant pressure throughout the game. He was successful on 18 of 41 throws for 197 yards with no TDs and one interception. Joe Walton and Del Shofner had 5 catches apiece, for 75 and 69 yards, respectively. Alex Webster ran for 56 yards on 15 carries and Phil King added 38 yards on 11 attempts.

Summing up, Vince Lombardi stated that his team’s “defense was superb and so was New York’s.”

“Green Bay is obviously a worthy champion, because they have things they had to overcome and they went out there and overcame them and got the points,” said Allie Sherman from the losing side.

The Packers barely missed out on winning the Western Conference again in 1963, finishing a close second to the Chicago Bears. They would win their next league title in 1965. New York topped the Eastern Conference yet again in ’63, but once more fell short in the Championship game.  In two title games, the Giants failed to score a single offensive touchdown against Green Bay.

1968: Jets Defeat Raiders for AFL Championship

The two teams that met for the championship of the American Football League on December 29, 1968 had already met several weeks earlier with memorable results. In the so-called “Heidi Game”, in which television viewers on the East Coast had the last few minutes of the contest pre-empted by a showing of the children’s classic “Heidi”, the Oakland Raiders had scored twice in short order to defeat the New York Jets. Now they were matched up again at New York’s home venue.

The Jets, built into a winning team by Head Coach Weeb Ewbank, had topped the Eastern Division with an 11-3 record. The explosive offense was directed by QB Joe Namath (pictured above), who had outstanding targets in wide receivers Don Maynard and George Sauer as well as TE Pete Lammons. The ground game was sound with FB Matt Snell and HB Emerson Boozer. The overlooked defense was especially tough against the run and contained AFL All-Stars in ends Gerry Philbin and Verlon Biggs, DT John Elliott, and MLB Al Atkinson. PK Jim Turner, who kicked a record 34 field goals, added a further scoring dimension.

The Raiders, under Head Coach John Rauch, were the defending AFL Champions. Despite a spate of injuries, they had gone 12-2 but still had to defeat the Chiefs in a playoff to again win the Western Division. QB Daryle Lamonica was still highly effective with his passing and, in addition to WR Fred Biletnikoff, had a new and speedy deep threat in WR Warren Wells. Rookie HB Charlie Smith entered the starting lineup at midseason with good result. With CB Kent McCloughan out due to knee surgery, rookie CB George Atkinson showed potential but had been burned badly by Maynard in the previous encounter.

Weather conditions were windy and cold at Shea Stadium, where 62,627 fans were present. The Raiders had constructed a small makeshift shelter for their players, but AFL President Milt Woodard ordered it taken down because it was obstructing the view for several rows of fans.

Oakland had the first possession and was forced to punt, with Mike Eischeid’s poor 28-yard kick giving the Jets good initial field position. With Pete Lammons and Emerson Boozer spread wide, New York moved 44 yards in four plays. Namath hit Don Maynard twice for 14-yard completions, the second good for a touchdown. In between, a pass interference call on Atkinson helped the drive along.

The Raiders missed a scoring opportunity when George Blanda attempted a 45-yard field goal into the wind that hit the crossbar and bounced away. Late in the first quarter, Jim Turner added a 33-yard field goal to make it 10-0 in favor of the Jets.

Daryle Lamonica (pictured at left) got off to a poor start, completing just one of his first 13 passes. But the Raiders began to move offensively late in the opening period as Lamonica started to find the range. He completed a screen pass to HB Pete Banaszak for 11 yards and followed up with throws to Fred Biletnikoff for 15 yards and to FB Hewritt Dixon for 23 yards on the first play of the second quarter. A pass to Biletnikoff, running a post pattern, was good for a 29-yard touchdown as he outmaneuvered CB Johnny Sample (Sample was subsequently replaced by Cornell Gordon).

Turner missed a 44-yard field goal attempt but connected from 36 yards late in the second quarter. Blanda booted a 25-yard field goal just before halftime to narrow the tally to 13-10 at the intermission.

In the third quarter, Warren Wells caught a pass for a 40-yard gain before being brought down by SS Jim Hudson at the New York six. The aroused Jets defense held on the next three plays as Charlie Smith was downed at the three and again after another gain of a yard, and Dixon was stopped on the third down play at the one. Oakland was forced to settle for a Blanda field goal and a tie score of 13-13.

With just under a minute remaining in the period, the Jets culminated a 14-play, 80-yard drive with Namath tossing a 20-yard touchdown pass to TE Pete Lammons to re-take the lead. The Raiders surged back as Lamonica completed a pass to Biletnikoff for a 57-yard gain and Blanda kicked a 20-yard field goal.

On the first play following the ensuing kickoff, Atkinson intercepted a Namath pass and returned it 32 yards to the New York five. Banaszak scored a five-yard TD that put Oakland in the lead by 23-20. The Jets struck back swiftly. Following a 10-yard completion to Sauer, Namath fired to Maynard for a 52-yard gain and again to Maynard for a six-yard TD with 7:47 remaining in the game.

Oakland drove to the New York 24, but chose to try and convert a fourth-and-ten and Lamonica was sacked by Verlon Biggs. With two minutes to go, the Raiders were again threatening to move back in front. Lamonica passes to Biletnikoff for 24 yards and Wells for 37 advanced the ball to the New York 12. But a lateral intended for Smith went awry and LB Ralph Baker recovered it for the Jets to extinguish the threat.

The Raiders had one last chance with 42 seconds remaining as they took over at their 22 yard line but fell short after advancing to near midfield. The Jets were AFL Champions by a score of 27-23.

Oakland had the edge in total yards (443 to 400) although the Jets had more first downs (25 to 18). New York was effective against the running game as the Raiders gained just 50 yards on the ground. The teams punted a combined 17 times, with the Jets accounting for 10.

Joe Namath completed 19 of 49 passes for 266 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. George Sauer (pictured below) caught 7 of those passes for 70 yards while Don Maynard gained 118 yards and scored two TDs on his 6 receptions. Matt Snell rushed for 71 yards on 19 carries and Emerson Boozer contributed 51 yards on 11 attempts.

For the Raiders, Daryle Lamonica went to the air 47 times and had 20 completions for 401 yards and a touchdown. Fred Biletnikoff had 7 catches for 190 yards and a TD and Warren Wells added 83 yards on his three receptions. Hewritt Dixon ran for 42 yards on 8 carries and added another 48 yards on 5 catches. Charlie Smith was held to just a yard on five rushing attempts.

The Jets went on to pull off a huge Super Bowl upset of the NFL Champion Baltimore Colts and repeated as Eastern Division champs in 1969. Oakland again placed first in the Western Division in ’69 but, due to a revised playoff format for the AFL’s last pre-merger season that allowed second place teams to qualify, ended up losing again in the league title game, this time to the Chiefs, who had finished behind them in the standings.