1967: Denson & Defense Star as Revamped Broncos Beat Patriots

The Denver Broncos had made several notable changes as they opened their AFL season against the Boston Patriots on September 3, 1967. The perennially losing franchise was coming off a second straight 4-10 record in ’66 and had hired a new head coach/GM, Lou Saban, who had won back-to-back AFL titles in Buffalo. HB Floyd Little was drafted in the first round out of Syracuse and became the first top draft pick in the team’s short history to sign with the club (no doubt helped by 1967 being the first year that the AFL wasn’t competing with the NFL for draft picks). Quarterback had been a major issue for the Broncos in recent seasons, and a trade was swung with San Diego to obtain the strong-armed Steve Tensi to take over the position for ’67.

The visiting Patriots were coached by Mike Holovak (who had replaced Saban when he was fired from that job during the 1961 season) and were coming off an 8-4-2 year in ’66. FB Jim Nance had blossomed into a star, setting an AFL record with 1458 rushing yards. 37-year-old QB Babe Parilli was coming off of a good season and OE/PK Gino Cappelletti was the league’s top scorer.

There was a record crowd of 35,488 in attendance at Bears Stadium ready to get a look at the refurbished club that had won its last three preseason games. The Broncos got the first break of the game when a deflected pass by Parilli was intercepted by DB Gene Sykes and returned 29 yards to the Boston 13. Two plays later Steve Tensi completed a 12-yard touchdown pass to flanker Al Denson and Gary Kroner added the extra point.

The teams traded punts until the Patriots came through with a big play. Parilli threw to split end Art Graham on a play that covered 79 yards for a TD. Gino Cappelletti’s PAT evened the score at 7-7.

Neither team was able to move the ball effectively for the remainder of the opening quarter. On the last play of the period Jim Nance fumbled and DT Dave Costa recovered for the Broncos at the Patriots’ 28. However, after advancing to the seven yard line Denver came up empty when FB Cookie Gilchrist, returning to the team after a sojourn with the expansion Dolphins in 1966, was stopped for no gain on a fourth-and-one play.

The teams again traded punts until Sykes again picked off a Parilli pass to give Denver the ball at the Boston 29. Floyd Little ran four straight times to pick up a total of 16 yards and the series ended with Kroner kicking a 20-yard field goal. The Broncos were back in front by 10-7, which remained the score at the half.

The Broncos extended their lead on the first series of the third quarter that was helped along when, initially forced to punt, the Patriots were penalized for roughing the kicker. Two plays later Tensi connected with Denson for a 55-yard touchdown. Kroner’s extra point try was blocked, however, and the score remained 16-7.

The Patriots wasted no time in coming back, driving 64 yards in five plays. After Boston ran the ball twice, Parilli threw to TE Jim Whalen for a 27-yard gain to the Denver 24. A pass interference call gained another 14 yards before Parilli threw to Nance for a 10-yard touchdown. Cappelletti added the extra point to make it a two-point game.

The Patriots got the ball back on the next series when DT Jim Hunt stripped Tensi at the Denver 37. Five plays later, Parilli passed to HB Larry Garron for a 20-yard touchdown and, with the successful conversion, Boston was in front by 21-16.

Heading into the fourth quarter, the Broncos got a big play on offense when Tensi connected with Denson for a 58-yard gain to the Boston 9. Little and Gilchrist were unable to pound the ball into the end zone but Denver came away with a 9-yard Kroner field goal to narrow the tally to 21-19.

Now midway through the fourth quarter the Patriots had the ball back after the ensuing kickoff but, on the second play, CB Goldie Sellers (pictured at left) intercepted a Parilli throw and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown. Kroner’s extra point gave the Broncos a five-point lead, but there were still over eight minutes to play.

Parilli immediately went to the air and connected with Cappelletti for a 30-yard gain to midfield, but his next pass was intercepted, this time by CB Nemiah Wilson. The Broncos couldn’t move the ball and, on a third-and-14 play, Tensi was sacked by LB Doug Satcher for an 11-yard loss to his own 10 yard line. HB Joe Bellino returned Bob Scarpitto’s punt 17 yards to the Denver 37 to give the Patriots excellent starting field position.

Garron took off for 15 yards on the first play of the series but Parilli was picked off for the sixth time, once again by Sellers. The Broncos had possession at their five yard line, went three-and-out, and Scarpitto boomed a punt that gave the Patriots the ball at their own 20 with less than two minutes remaining on the clock. They managed to reach the Denver 43 before Costa sacked Parilli for a 13-yard loss and a long desperation pass fell incomplete. The Broncos were winners by a score of 26-21.

Boston had more total yards (302 to 209) and first downs (14 to 11) than the Broncos, but the Patriots also turned the ball over seven times, to one suffered by Denver.

Al Denson was the offensive star for the Broncos as he caught four passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns. Steve Tensi completed 8 of 19 passes for 145 yards and the two TDs with none intercepted. Floyd Little, playing in his first regular season game, rushed for 66 yards on 25 carries, while Cookie Gilchrist, appearing in his last, gained 21 yards on 10 attempts (the talented and mercurial Gilchrist underwent knee surgery the next week and ultimately retired). Gene Sykes, Goldie Sellers, and Nemiah Wilson each intercepted two passes apiece.

For the Patriots, Babe Parilli was successful on 16 of 30 throws for 234 yards and three TDs but also gave up the six costly interceptions. Gino Cappelletti had 6 catches for 54 yards and, thanks to the long scoring reception, Art Graham gained 84 yards on his two receptions. Jim Nance ran the ball 15 times for 53 yards and Larry Garron contributed 37 yards on 6 carries while also gaining 53 yards on four catches that included a touchdown.

Tragedy dimmed Al Denson’s fine performance. He left immediately after the game for his home in Jacksonville, Florida due to the untimely death of his three-year-old son.

The exciting win did not herald a winning season in Denver. The Broncos lost their next nine games and finished at the bottom of the Western Division with a 3-11 record. The Patriots ended up at the bottom of the Eastern Division at 3-10-1.

Al Denson, a converted tight end, went on to catch 46 passes for 899 yards (19.5 avg.) and 11 touchdowns, received consensus second-team All-AFL honors (and was a first-team choice of the NEA), and was chosen to the AFL All-Star Game.

Steve Tensi had a decidedly uneven year, completing just 40.3 percent of his passes for 1915 yards and 16 touchdowns as well as 17 interceptions. Floyd Little led the club in rushing as a rookie, but with only 381 yards and averaging 2.9 yards per carry as opposing defenses focused on stopping him. However, he did lead the AFL in punt returning with a 16.9-yard average. While Tensi would ultimately not pan out as a starting quarterback, Little went on to an outstanding career worthy of his high draft status.

MVP Profile: Joe Greene, 1972

Defensive Tackle, Pittsburgh Steelers

Age: 26 (Sept. 24)

4^th season in pro football & with Steelers

College: North Texas State

Height: 6’4”   Weight: 270

Prelude:

An All-American and considered the best college defensive line prospect available, even if comparatively unknown to most fans, “Mean Joe” was taken by the Steelers in the first round of the 1969 NFL draft (fourth overall). With his speed as well as strength, he quickly established himself as an outstanding pass rusher from the interior of the line and was the Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year. Greene followed up with Pro Bowl years in 1970 and ’71.

1972 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Sacks – 11 (unofficial)

Interceptions – 0

Fumble recoveries – 1

Postseason: 2 G

Sacks – 0

Interceptions – 0

TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Defensive Player of the Year: AP

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

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

Pro Bowl

Steelers went 11-3 to finish first in the AFC Central while leading the NFL in takeaways (48) and ranking a close second in fewest points allowed (175). Won AFC Divisional playoff over Oakland Raiders (13-7). Lost AFC Championship to Miami Dolphins (21-17).

Aftermath:

Greene became the cornerstone of an outstanding defense that was one of the highest-ranked in the NFL over the remainder of the decade and the Steelers won four NFL titles. “Mean Joe” was a consensus first-team All-NFL choice in each of the next two seasons and his string of Pro Bowl selections reached eight straight. He was again the AP Defensive Player of the Year in 1974 as the Steelers won their first of back-to-back NFL Championships. Fast, strong, and agile, he had the ability to dominate games and provided outstanding emotional leadership. He played a total of 13 years, all with Pittsburgh, and was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection five times, received at least some All-NFL or All-AFC recognition in four other seasons, and was named to the Pro Bowl on a total of 10 occasions. Greene was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1987.

--

MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). Also includes Associated Press NFL Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.

1991: Saints Rally to Beat Seahawks in Fourth Quarter

The New Orleans Saints had a familiar face returning to the quarterback position following a one-year absence as they hosted the Seattle Seahawks in their season-opening game on September 1, 1991. Entering their sixth season under Head Coach Jim Mora, the Saints were coming off a year in ’90 in which their 8-8 record had been enough to qualify them for the playoffs as a Wild Card entry. However, the play of the defense had far more to do with any success the club had than the offense, which dropped from fifth in scoring in 1989 to 25^th in the league. A key factor was the season-long contract holdout by QB Bobby Hebert (pictured above), who had been with the Saints for five years after coming over from the USFL. In addition, the running game was hampered by RB Dalton Hilliard missing 10 games with a knee injury.

Both Hebert and Hilliard were back for 1991. Hebert had beaten out Steve Walsh, the Dallas castoff who had taken over as the starting quarterback in his absence during the ’90 season, in an intense competition during the preseason.

As for the Seahawks, coached by Chuck Knox, they barely missed the postseason in ’90 although they had a 9-7 record. QB Dave Krieg had his limitations but was an outstanding leader and the tough defense stood to benefit from the improvement of second-year DT Cortez Kennedy.

There was a crowd of 68,492 present at the Louisiana Superdome. Following a short Seattle series that ended with a punt, the Saints went 61 yards in four plays for a score. Bobby Hebert threw to RB Gill Fenerty (pictured below) who went all the way for a 50-yard touchdown. That was it for the first quarter scoring as each team turned the ball over once and the Seahawks again had to punt. However, New Orleans was driving as the period ended and early in the second quarter Morten Andersen kicked a 47-yard field goal to make it 10-0.

The home team’s lead became 17-0 in short order when, on Seattle’s first play from scrimmage following the kickoff, Dave Krieg’s pass was intercepted by LB Pat Swilling who proceeded to return it 39 yards for a TD.

Now in a deep hole, Seattle came back with an eight-play, 85-yard drive. Krieg hit on all six of his passes, including a completion to RB John L. Williams that gained 35 yards into New Orleans territory and to WR Brian Blades for a 10-yard touchdown. Rookie John Kasay’s successful extra point made it a 17-7 game.

The Saints came right back as Hebert threw a screen pass to Dalton Hilliard that gained 13 yards and followed up with a 21-yard completion to TE John Tice to get the ball to the Seattle 29. They advanced as far as the six yard line before Hebert was sacked by DE Jacob Green for a seven-yard loss on a third-and-four play and New Orleans settled for a 31-yard field goal by Andersen.

Krieg passed the Seahawks down the field on the ensuing series but, after getting to the New Orleans 14, Blades fumbled when hit after making a catch and the Saints recovered to end the threat. The score stood at 20-7 at the half.

The third quarter belonged to Seattle. The Saints had the initial possession of the second half and moved backward from their 21 all the way back to their one yard line. Penalties were the primary reason, including an illegal procedure call that wiped out what would have been a 22-yard gain on a pass play. Backed into a third-and-20 situation, Hebert was sacked for a 10-yard loss by Cortez Kennedy that forced the Saints to punt from their own end zone.

Tommy Barnhardt’s 41-yard kick was returned 17 yards by RB Chris Warren to give the Seahawks outstanding field position at the New Orleans 25. Three plays later – and after LB Sam Mills almost intercepted a pass – Krieg threw to Blades, who caught the ball over his shoulder at the goal line for a 25-yard touchdown. Kasay’s extra point made it a six-point game.

Three plays after the ensuing kickoff, a long Hebert pass was picked off by CB Dwayne Harper and was returned to the New Orleans 42. Once again starting off with good field position, Seattle advanced to the 19 yard line in five plays that ended with Kasay kicking a 37-yard field goal.

With their lead whittled down to 20-17 the Saints made it to midfield on their next series before punting. With the breaks continuing to go Seattle’s way, the punt that was downed at the Seahawks’ 11 had to be kicked over again due to an ineligible man downfield penalty on New Orleans. This time Warren returned the punt 16 yards and, with the help of a facemask penalty, the Seahawks started off at their 30.

Krieg threw to Blades for 18 yards and Seattle advanced into New Orleans territory until RB Derrick Fenner fumbled when hit after catching a pass and FS Gene Atkins recovered for the Saints at his own 35. Once again the home team found itself losing ground due to penalties and, on a third-and-19 play, Hebert’s pass was tipped and intercepted by CB Brian Davis, who returned it 40 yards for a TD. The Seahawks took a 24-20 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Saints were forced to punt early in the final period but it was Seattle’s turn to run into trouble with penalties. Furthermore, Krieg suffered a broken right thumb while scrambling and, after completing a pass, was replaced by backup QB Jeff Kemp.

The Seahawks punted and New Orleans followed up with a long, 14-play scoring drive that covered 68 yards. Along the way, Hebert converted a third-and-11 situation with a completion to WR Eric Martin for 17 yards to the Seattle 34. The Cajun quarterback also ran for nine yards and, on a third-and-one play, gained two yards on a quarterback sneak and another first down. Finally, facing fourth-and-goal at the 10 yard line, Hebert threw to WR Floyd Turner in the middle of the end zone for a touchdown. It was his fifth completion in eight pass attempts during the series that used up some six minutes. Andersen’s extra point made it a three-point lead for the Saints with the remaining time down to 1:11.

The Seahawks weren’t done, however, and Kemp threw to Blades for a 31-yard gain to the New Orleans 42 with 39 seconds left on the clock. A pass interference call gained another 34 yards for Seattle down to the eight. While a false start moved the ball back five yards, following an incompletion Kemp connected with Blades for nine yards to the four. However, a pass initially caught by WR Tommy Kane in the end zone was ruled out of bounds and the Seahawks were then penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct when Krieg strayed too far down the sideline while vehemently protesting the call. Facing a fourth down with 18 seconds remaining, overtime still appeared likely, but Kasay’s 37-yard field goal attempt sailed wide to the left. New Orleans came away with a 27-24 win. 

Seattle significantly outgained the Saints (348 yards to 244) and had more first downs (19 to 13). Neither team was able to run effectively, with the Seahawks compiling 46 yards on 15 carries and New Orleans gaining 43 yards on 20 attempts. Seattle also sacked Hebert four times, with Jacob Green accounting for two of them. The Seahawks turned the ball over four times, to three suffered by New Orleans, and both teams hurt themselves with penalties, with 10 called on the Saints at a cost of 85 yards and 9 on Seattle for 66 yards.

Bobby Hebert completed 18 of 29 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns as well as two interceptions, and was at his best in the game-winning drive in the fourth quarter. Eric Martin and Floyd Turner each caught four passes, for 49 and 37 yards, respectively, although Gill Fenerty, who ran the ball five times for 14 yards had the most receiving yards for the Saints with 66 on his three catches that included a TD. Dalton Hilliard was the team’s top rusher with just 18 yards on 9 attempts.

For the Seahawks, Dave Krieg was successful on 26 of 35 throws for 274 yards and two TDs while also tossing two interceptions before he had to leave. Jeff Kemp completed four of six passes for 53 yards in relief. Brian Blades (pictured at right) had a noteworthy performance as he accumulated 12 catches for 160 yards and two touchdowns. John L. Williams was the leading rusher with 22 yards on 6 carries but also caught 8 passes for 80 yards.

The Saints went on to win their first seven games on the way to topping the NFC West with an 11-5 record (the franchise’s first division title). They again failed to win in the postseason. Bobby Hebert’s return to the team paid off, but when he was lost for six weeks with a shoulder injury the Saints slumped. He ended up completing 60.1 percent of his passes for 1676 yards and 9 touchdowns. The running game remained a chronic problem as Dalton Hilliard again struggled with injuries.

Seattle lost three of its first four games and ended up fourth in the AFC West with a disappointing 7-9 record. Dave Krieg missed six weeks due to the injury sustained in the opening contest. Brian Blades went on to catch 70 passes for 1003 yards and John L. Williams had a Pro Bowl year as he rushed for 741 yards and caught 61 passes for 499 more yards. John Kasay recovered from his game-ending missed field goal attempt against the Saints to connect on 80.6 percent of his three-point tries (25 of 31) in his first of four seasons with the Seahawks and 20 in the NFL. 

1997: Rob Johnson Rallies Jaguars to Win Over Ravens in First Start

The Jacksonville Jaguars had gone from first-year expansion team to playoff participant, reaching the AFC Championship game, a year later in 1996. Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s club started slowly but came on strong in the second half of the season, with the NFL’s second-ranked offense (and first-ranked passing offense) leading the way. QB Mark Brunell and wide receivers Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell distinguished themselves and veteran RB Natrone Means provided a vital spark during the playoff run.

On August 31, 1997 the Jaguars traveled to Baltimore to open their third season against the Ravens, a team they had twice beaten the previous year in closely-contested games. However, after taking all of the team’s snaps in ’96, Brunell suffered a preseason knee injury that made him unavailable for Week 1. In his place would be Rob Johnson (pictured above), a highly-regarded third-year backup who had performed very well in preseason games but, due to Brunell’s durability, had seen scant action during the regular season. He would be making his first pro start.

The Ravens, coached by Ted Marchibroda, were starting their second year in Baltimore following the move of the franchise from Cleveland. Like the Jaguars, they featured a strong passing game led by 33-year-old QB Vinny Testaverde, who was coming off a Pro Bowl season. However, the injury-plagued defense gave up 441 points and the team ended up with a 4-12 record.

There were 61,018 fans in attendance at Memorial Stadium for the late-afternoon game. In the first series, the Jaguars drove 84 yards in eight plays. Rob Johnson completed all three of his passes, the longest to Keenan McCardell for 25 yards that moved the ball into Baltimore territory. Facing a third-and-three situation at the 25, Johnson ran the ball himself up the middle for a touchdown.

The Ravens went three-and-out on their ensuing possession although Greg Montgomery’s punt traveled 53 yards to the Jacksonville 7. LB Peter Boulware sacked Johnson for a three-yard loss on the first play but the young quarterback came right back with back-to-back completions to McCardell that gained a total of 20 yards and a first down. Johnson completed two more passes for sizeable gains as the Jaguars went 93 yards in 12 plays. A throw to TE Ty Hallock picked up 23 yards to the Baltimore 44 and a completion to RB James Stewart on a third-and-13 play was good for 31 yards to the one yard line. Three plays later Natrone Means gained the last yard for a TD and, with another successful Mike Hollis extra point, the score was 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.

The Ravens had the ball as the second quarter started and their offense had come to life. On the last play of the opening period, Vinny Testaverde connected with RB Earnest Byner for a 17-yard gain to the Jacksonville 29. Four plays into the second quarter Testaverde threw to WR Jermaine Lewis for a 17-yard touchdown and, with Matt Stover’s extra point, it was a 14-7 game.

Now it was the Jaguars going three-and-out on offense and the Ravens regained possession at their 26 after the resulting punt. Converting two third downs along the way, Baltimore took eight plays to go 74 yards and score again. Testaverde completed seven passes, including the last one to Lewis that was good for a 42-yard TD. Stover tied the game at 14-14.

The teams traded punts until Jacksonville FS Chris Hudson intercepted a Testaverde pass and returned it 23 yards to the Baltimore 34. The Jaguars moved backward thanks to a sack and holding penalty, but facing second-and-19, Johnson hit Jimmy Smith (pictured at left) for a 22-yard gain. Two plays later he found Smith again for a 20-yard touchdown and, adding the successful PAT, Jacksonville was back in front by 21-14.

The Ravens got the ball back on the ensuing kickoff with just over a minute remaining in the half. Testaverde was successful on four passes, three of them to WR Michael Jackson, in getting the ball to the Jacksonville 14 and, on the last play before halftime, Stover booted a 33-yard field goal. The Jaguars were up by 21-17 at the midway point.

Jacksonville’s lead didn’t last long in the third quarter, however, as the Ravens struck quickly following a 42-yard return of the second half kickoff by Lewis. Three plays later Testaverde threw to Jackson for a 54-yard touchdown and, with the successful extra point, Baltimore was in front by 24-21.

On the third play of the ensuing series, Johnson, already gimpy, was injured after getting off a pass to Smith for a 20-yard gain. Steve Matthews came in at quarterback and completed three passes as the Jaguars reached the Baltimore 40 before having to punt. Bryan Barker’s kick was downed at the five.

Thanks to runs by Byner and Testaverde’s passing, the Ravens were able to move the ball to their 35 before CB Deon Figures intercepted a pass to give the Jaguars possession at their own 44. Johnson was back in at quarterback despite a sprained ankle and, with Means running effectively in addition to short pass completions, Jacksonville advanced to the Baltimore 24 before Means was dropped for a loss on a third-and-two play at the end of the period. Hollis missed a 43-yard field goal try to start the fourth quarter.

The Ravens again moved the ball well, this time going 60 yards in 13 plays and putting points on the board. Stover made a 25-yard field goal that stretched the home team’s lead to six points.

Starting at their 20 following a touchback on the kickoff, the Jaguars got 25 yards right away on a Johnson completion to McCardell. Four plays later they converted a third-and-six situation as Johnson connected with TE Pete Mitchell for 23 yards and then followed up with a Johnson-to-Smith pass play for a 28-yard touchdown. Hollis kicked the extra point that put the Jaguars back in front by a point with 5:47 left on the clock.

The Ravens had three more possessions but couldn’t regain the lead. The first series went three-and-out with a punt, the second lasted just two plays before Figures intercepted a Testaverde pass for the second time, and the last ended at midfield when a fourth-and-18 pass was ruled incomplete. The Jaguars came away with a 28-27 win.

Jacksonville outgained the Ravens (411 yards to 373) while Baltimore accumulated more first downs (22 to 19). The Ravens also turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by the Jaguars, although Jacksonville was penalized 11 times to three flags thrown on the home team.

Rob Johnson had a fine performance as he completed 20 of 24 passes for 294 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Jimmy Smith had 6 catches for 106 yards and two TDs while Keenan McCardell contributed 6 receptions for 84 yards. Natrone Means ran for 67 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries.

For the Ravens, Vinny Testaverde was successful on 24 of 41 throws for 322 yards with three TDs but also three interceptions. Michael Jackson (pictured at right) caught 8 of those passes for 143 yards and a score. Jermaine Lewis had two TDs among his four catches for 73 yards and also added 118 yards on his four kickoff returns.  Earnest Byner had 63 yards on 14 rushing attempts.

The severe ankle injury kept Johnson out of the Week 2 contest and Brunell was back in action thereafter. Jacksonville went on to an 11-5 record, placing second in the AFC Central and again qualifying for the postseason. The Jaguars lost to Denver in the Wild Card round. The Ravens finished at the bottom of the division at 6-9-1.

Rob Johnson saw little action the rest of the way but his performance at Baltimore drew the interest of other teams. He was traded to Buffalo during the next offseason for first and fourth round draft choices, although he did not find much success as a full-time starting quarterback in a career that lasted until 2003.

1944: Bears Rally to Beat College All-Stars

The Chicago Bears, defending NFL Champions, were missing several veteran players due to World War II military service as they faced the College All-Stars on August 30, 1944. Owner/Head Coach George Halas was in the service as well, with assistants Hunk Anderson and Luke Johnsos acting as co-coaches. Fortunately for them, star QB Sid Luckman (pictured above) was available thanks to a ten-day furlough from the Merchant Marine.

For the All-Stars, coached by Northwestern’s Lynn “Pappy” Waldorf, Tulsa QB Glenn Dobbs was available on a 20-day furlough from the Army. Due to relaxed wartime eligibility rules that allowed underclassmen to play, Dobbs was making his second appearance in the annual contest. Other notable players included HB Charlie Trippi from Georgia, Ohio State tackle Bill Willis, guards Dick Barwegan of Purdue and Bruno Banducci from Stanford, Indiana QB Lou Saban, and HB Steve Van Buren of LSU.

For the second straight year the game was played at Northwestern University’s Dyche Stadium. There were 48,769 fans on hand in rainy conditions for the Wednesday night contest. Chicago got the first break when Charlie Trippi fumbled a punt and HB Ray Nolting recovered for the Bears at the All-Star 36. However, the Bears were unable to capitalize and penalties moved them back to midfield, from where they were forced to punt.

The All-Stars couldn’t move either but Dobbs booted the ball 85 yards on a quick-kick punt that pinned the Bears at their own two yard line. Chicago was forced to punt in turn and Luckman’s kick gave the All-Stars good field position at the Bears’ 33. The All-Stars scored in four plays. Dobbs threw to Notre Dame end John Yonakor for 30 yards to the Chicago three and, after failing to cross the goal line on the next two plays, Dobbs passed to another Notre Dame player, HB Creighton Miller, in the corner of the end zone for a four-yard touchdown. Lou Saban added the extra point.

The Bears were forced to punt again and the All-Stars again drove to a score, helped along by Indiana HB Billy Hillenbrand’s 32-yard punt return. Dobbs completed two passes and, on a third down play, faded back to pass but instead ran 12 yards and, at the one, fumbled but C John Tavener from Indiana recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. Saban again added the extra point and the All-Stars held a 14-0 lead.

With the game rapidly getting away from the Bears, the defending champs put together a solid 80-yard drive in response. After HB Ray “Scooter” McLean (pictured at right) ran for 11 yards, Luckman completed two passes, the longest to Nolting for 21 yards as the first quarter ended. The Bears finally got on the board on the fourth play of the second quarter when FB Gary Famiglietti ran for a three-yard TD.

Two minutes later the All-Stars had to punt and Dobbs’ kick was partially blocked. Luckman threw to McLean to advance to the All-Star 14. On a fourth down play from the 12, end Jim Benton caught the game-tying touchdown pass. Pete Gudauskas successfully converted following each score. Each team had another shot to put more points on the board in the second quarter but interceptions blunted the drives.

The halftime featured a tribute to college football players serving in the military during World War II. In the darkened stadium, entertainer Don Ameche took particular note of the six former All-Star participants who had died during the conflict.

The All-Stars took the second half kickoff and went 65 yards to re-take the lead with Hillenbrand in for Dobbs. The drive featured three pass completions and Saban ran for a one-yard TD and added the extra point. The Bears responded with a 64-yard scoring drive of their own. Three Luckman completions, the last to McLean for 16 yards, set up the scoring play as McLean weaved his way to an 18-yard touchdown to again tie the score.

A Chicago punt pinned the All-Stars back at their eight yard line. Dobbs tried another quick-kick, but with a torrential rain falling the kick was partially blocked and the Bears took over at the All-Star 29. With Famiglietti and McLean running effectively, Chicago moved inside the ten yard line before the series stalled. Pete Gudauskas kicked a 14-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter that gave the Bears the lead for the first time.

The All-Stars fought back during the final period and at one point reached the Chicago 38 but Luckman intercepted a pass to snuff out the threat. The Bears held on to win the hard-fought contest by a score of 24-21.

The Bears outrushed the All-Stars (143 to 73) and had the edge in first downs (14 to 9) while the collegians went to the air more times and gained more yards (146 to 128). However, four of their 32 passes were intercepted. Along with a fumble, the All-Stars suffered five turnovers to just two by the Bears. Neither team was able to mount a credible pass rush.

The win was the eighth thus far for the pro teams against three for the collegians and two ties. The Bears were participants for the fifth time and improved their record to 4-0-1.

In the season that followed, the Bears, who had topped the Western Division for four straight years, fell into a tie for second place with Detroit at 6-3-1. Sid Luckman was usually able to get away from his Merchant Marine duties to play on Sundays, but a slow start kept Chicago behind the Packers.

Glenn Dobbs (pictured below), the MVP for the All-Stars, returned to his military duties and played service football before joining the All-America Football Conference, where he played for Brooklyn and Los Angeles. He continued to be a top passer and punter and went on to play in Canada after the AAFC’s demise.

Rookie of the Year: Hugh Douglas, 1995

Defensive End, New York Jets

Age: 24

College: Central State (Ohio)

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 255

Prelude:

Douglas was twice a Division 1 NAIA All-American during a college career in which he accumulated 42 sacks in 32 games. He was chosen by the Jets in the first round (16^th overall) of the 1995 NFL draft and, used initially as a situational player for his pass rushing skill, moved into the starting lineup in November. While he was on the light side for his position, but compensated with good speed and agility (he eventually filled out to 280 pounds).

1995 Season Summary

Appeared in 15 of 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Sacks – 10 [18, tied with Phil Hansen]

Most sacks, game – 3 vs. Jacksonville 9/17

Multi-sack games (2 or more) – 2

Interceptions – 0

Fumble recoveries – 2

Forced fumbles – 0

Tackles – 25

Assists – 8

Awards & Honors:

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA

Jets went 3-13 to finish fifth in the AFC East while leading the league in fewest passing yards allowed (2740) – although they ranked 25^th against the run (2016 yards).

Aftermath:

Ankle problems limited Douglas to 10 games in 1996, but he still accounted for 8 sacks and improved as a defender against the run. However, with the arrival of Bill Parcells as head coach in ’97 the Jets shifted to a 3-4 defense and Douglas proved to be a poor fit. He was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 1998 and, back in a 4-3 alignment, flourished as he registered 12.5 sacks. Knee and biceps injuries limited him to four games in ’99 but he came back in 2000 to post a career-high 15 sacks and achieve consensus first-team All-NFL as well as Pro Bowl honors. Two more Pro Bowl seasons followed in 2001 and ’02 in which he had 9.5 and 12.5 sacks, respectively. Douglas went to Jacksonville as a free agent in 2003, had a disappointing season as accumulated wear began to show, and finished up his career in ’04 back with the Eagles. Overall, he had 80 sacks over the course of ten seasons and 138 games, was chosen to the Pro Bowl a total of three times, and received first- or second-team All-NFL recognition on two occasions.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL (including NFC/AFC), AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year). 

1961: Giants Obtain Del Shofner from Rams

After having won three Eastern Conference titles and a NFL Championship in the four years from 1956 thru ’59, the New York Giants went 6-4-2 and dropped to third place in 1960. Looking toward the 1961 season, the Giants were facing several areas of concern.  

Two of the problems facing new Head Coach Allie Sherman were at quarterback and offensive end. While veteran Charlie Conerly had been a capable quarterback over the years, he was 40 years old and showing signs of wear. George Shaw had split time with Conerly in ’60, was found wanting, and sent off to the expansion Minnesota Vikings, and young prospect Lee Grosscup was too inexperienced. In addition, there were concerns about a lack of speed among the available receivers.

In mid-August the first of those issues was addressed when Y.A. Tittle, an accomplished veteran who was five years younger than Conerly, was obtained from the 49ers. On August 28 the receiving corps was bolstered by the acquisition of split end Del Shofner from the Los Angeles Rams.

The Giants traded the 1962 first draft choice that they had obtained from the Vikings in the deal for Shaw to LA in order to get the lanky (6’3”, 186 pounds) four-year veteran (the Rams used the draft choice to pick QB Roman Gabriel from North Carolina State).

Shofner had come out of Baylor where he was a versatile player who, in his senior year, led the team in rushing, pass receiving, pass interceptions, kick returning, punting, and scoring. Taken by the Rams in the first round of the 1957 draft (ironically enough, with a draft choice they had obtained from the Giants), he was used as a defensive halfback during his rookie year and intercepted two passes. He was shifted to offensive end in ’58 with outstanding results as he led the NFL in pass receiving yards (1097) while catching 51 passes for a 21.5-yard average and eight touchdowns.

Shofner followed up that performance by catching 47 passes for 936 yards (19.9 avg.) and seven TDs in 1959. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL as well as Pro Bowl selection after each season. However, a pulled leg muscle kept him out of action for much of 1960 and he had only 12 catches for 122 yards (10.2 avg.) and one score. He still handled LA’s punting for the third consecutive season, averaging 42.6 yards on 54 kicks.

The arrival of Tittle and Shofner paid dividends for 1961 and beyond. Tittle supplanted Conerly as the starting quarterback and had a Pro Bowl year, throwing for 2272 yards and 17 touchdowns. Shofner caught 68 passes for 1125 yards and 11 TDs, also garnering a Pro Bowl selection as well as consensus first-team All-NFL honors. The revitalized Giants narrowly topped the Eastern Conference with a 10-3-1 record although they were blown out in the NFL title game by the Packers.

The combination of Tittle to Shofner remained effective in 1962 and ’63. In 1962 Shofner showed his toughness when, injured against the Steelers in the fifth game of the season, he was initially diagnosed with a broken shoulder that was expected to keep him out of action for six to eight weeks. Instead, he missed only one game and when he returned for a contest against the visiting Washington Redskins had one of the great receiving games in franchise history as he pulled in 11 passes for 269 yards and a TD. It was all part of a day in which Tittle threw for 505 yards and a record-tying seven touchdowns.

Shofner went on to accumulate 53 catches for 1133 yards (21.4 avg.) and 12 TDs. He again received consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors. It was the same in 1963 as he pulled in 64 passes for 1181 yards (18.5 avg.) and 9 touchdowns. In his first three seasons with the Giants, Shofner caught 185 passes for 3439 yards, averaging 18.6 yards per catch, and scored 32 TDs. Along the way he had 13 hundred-yard performances and on four occasions caught three touchdown passes in a game.

With Tittle having stellar seasons at quarterback, twice setting new NFL records for touchdown passes in a season and receiving MVP recognition in each of the three years, and with a solid and well-seasoned defense, the Giants topped the Eastern Conference each time. However, they failed to win the NFL Championship, twice losing to the Packers and, in 1963, to the Bears. That last loss was perhaps the most galling as Tittle suffered a knee injury that hindered his effectiveness and Shofner missed a first quarter pass in the end zone that could have given the team a 14-0 lead.

In any event, the title game loss in ’63 marked something of a turning point. The Giants crashed in 1964, falling into last place with a 2-10-2 record. It marked the end of Tittle’s Hall of Fame career and, among others, Shofner suffered through an injury-plagued campaign, appearing in just six games and catching 22 passes for 323 yards and no touchdowns. He remained with the Giants until 1967 but suffered from an assortment of injuries and had much-reduced production. In contrast with his first three stellar years in New York, over his last four seasons Shofner had 54 receptions for 876 yards (16.2 avg.) and three touchdowns.

Still, the first three great seasons justified the trade that brought Shofner to the Giants. He stretched the field and provided Y.A. Tittle with a potent deep threat. A thin and unlikely looking pro football player, Shofner had a great combination of speed, hands, and savvy as a receiver. When his 11-season career came to an end, he had caught 349 passes for 6470 yards, an 18.5-yard average gain, and 51 touchdowns. In addition, he was a consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl selection following five of those seasons.