Rookie of the Year: John Hicks, 1974

Guard, New York Giants

Age: 23

College: Ohio State

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 258

Prelude:

After missing play during his sophomore year due to a knee injury, Hicks was a two-time All-American in college who won the Outland and Lombardi trophies and made such an impression with his play as an offensive lineman that he was runner-up for the 1973 Heisman Trophy. He was taken by the Giants in the first round of the 1974 NFL draft (third overall) and moved directly into the starting lineup.

1974 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Awards & Honors:

NFC Rookie of the Year: UPI

Giants went 2-12 to finish fifth in the NFC East.

Aftermath:

Hicks played with the Giants for another three seasons but failed to achieve the anticipated success in the NFL. He was traded to Pittsburgh in 1978 but didn’t play for the Steelers, ending a pro career in which he appeared in 52 games.

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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). 

1965: Stynchula Field Goals Propel Giants Past Eagles

The New York Giants were a team in transition – and an 11-point underdog – as they faced the Philadelphia Eagles on September 26, 1965. After winning the Eastern Conference for three straight years under Head Coach Allie Sherman, they crashed to 2-10-2 in 1964. Gone were many of the star players, such as QB Y.A. Tittle, flanker Frank Gifford, and MLB Sam Huff, who had played key roles in the team’s success. While some aging veterans remained, there were many new names on the roster. A group of running backs referred to as “The Baby Bulls” had begun to emerge in ’64 and were now joined by first draft choice FB Tucker Frederickson out of Auburn. A trade was swung with Detroit for veteran QB Earl Morrall (pictured above). But the Giants also had four rookies starting on defense and had been beaten badly by the Cowboys in their opening game the previous week.

Another cause of concern was placekicking. The reasonably dependable Don Chandler had been traded to the Packers in the offseason and no clear alternative had emerged to replace him. One of the candidates, FB Chuck Mercein, was unavailable due to a leg injury, leaving DE Andy Stynchula (pictured below), who had not kicked since high school, and rookie Bob Timberlake, also the team’s third-string quarterback. Stynchula had been a star lineman at Penn State and was drafted third by the Redskins in 1960, moving on to New York in ’64 as part of the deal that sent Sam Huff to Washington. The Giants were using him only for short field goals and extra points, with Timberlake handling longer field goal tries.

As for the Eagles, coached for the second year by Joe Kuharich, they were coming off a promising 6-8 season in 1964 and had beaten the Cardinals in Week 1. QB Norm Snead had ideal size and a strong arm, HB Timmy Brown was an outstanding runner and receiver out of the backfield, and TE Pete Retzlaff was one of the league’s best at his position.

There were 57,154 fans in attendance at Franklin Field. The teams traded punts to start the game. On Philadelphia’s second possession, Norm Snead finished off a 73-yard drive in the first quarter with a one-yard touchdown carry. The big plays along the way were passes by Snead in third-and-ten situations to FB Earl Gros for 27 yards and to Timmy Brown for 18.

The Eagles put together another promising drive in the second quarter that also included a long third down conversion on a Snead-to-Brown completion for 16 yards from deep in their own territory, but they were backed up by a holding penalty and had to punt. The Giants got good field position when safety Henry Carr, a rookie who was an Olympic 200-meter champ, returned the kick 17 yards to the Philadelphia 45. With HB Steve Thurlow and Tucker Frederickson (pictured below) running the ball effectively, the Giants scored in seven plays. Flanker Joe Morrison took a pitchout and went 11 yards around left end for a TD. Andy Stynchula added the extra point to tie the score at 7-7 with just over a minute remaining in the half.

The Eagles went to the air in the time remaining. Snead went long for flanker Ron Goodwin, but rookie CB Carl Lockhart leaped high and batted the ball away to prevent a sure score. Sam Baker tried for a 43-yard field goal on the last play before halftime but it was unsuccessful and the score remained tied.

Early in the third quarter, the Giants got a break when Timmy Brown fumbled and DT Mike Bundra recovered at the Philadelphia 25. The resulting possession ended with Stynchula’s first pro field goal, from 24 yards, and New York was in front by a 10-7 margin.

The Eagles responded by putting together a long drive that covered 67 yards in 12 plays. At one point they were forced to punt but King Hill was run into while kicking to draw a penalty and keep the series alive. Snead threw to Pete Retzlaff for 14 yards to the one to set up another quarterback keeper for a touchdown.

New York went 52 yards on its next possession that included back-to-back completions by Earl Morrall of 20 yards to TE Aaron Thomas and 16 yards to HB Smith Reed. The series finally stalled at the Philadelphia 8 and Stynchula booted a 20-yard field goal to make it a one-point game.

The teams traded punts before the Eagles moved into scoring territory. Brown caught two key passes for 27 yards and, on a third-and-one play, ran 18 yards to the New York 20. With 5:30 left to play, the Eagles attempted a field goal but Baker’s kick from 26 yards was blocked by Giants CB Dick Lynch and Carr returned it 19 yards to the New York 32.

A long pass completion was nullified by a penalty, but Morrall came right back with a throw to split end Del Shofner for 31 yards. Four plays later, and facing fourth-and-inches, Morrall sneaked two yards for a first down and then threw to Thomas for 16 yards. Frederickson ran the ball three times for 25 yards down to the four and from there, Stynchula kicked an 11-yard field goal to put the Giants ahead with 15 seconds left on the clock. They held on to win by a final score of 16-14.

The Eagles outgained New York (296 yards to 280) and also had the edge in first downs (18 to 14). Philadelphia suffered the game’s only turnover but the Giants hurt themselves with ten penalties, to three flags thrown on the Eagles. Ultimately, it came down to placekicking as the normally dependable Sam Baker missed both of his field goal attempts, including the crucial blocked kick in the fourth quarter, while Andy Stynchula was a perfect three-for-three.

Earl Morrall completed 12 of 18 passes for 154 yards with no touchdowns but also had none intercepted. Tucker Frederickson rushed for 76 yards on 17 carries. Aaron Thomas had three catches for 62 yards while Smith Reed also pulled in three for 30 yards along with his 13 rushing yards on three attempts and Joe Morrison, whose lone run was the 11-yard TD, gained 19 yards on his three receptions.

For the Eagles, Norm Snead was successful on 17 of 32 throws for 238 yards, also with no TDs or interceptions. Timmy Brown (pictured at right) gained 45 yards on 11 rushing attempts and added 8 catches for 106 yards. Pete Retzlaff contributed 68 yards on his four pass receptions.

“I always have practiced field goals, every day,” said Andy Stynchula, “and with Don Chandler gone this year I went to camp hoping I’d get the kicking job.”

The Giants broke even the rest of the way, finishing at 7-7 and tied with the Cowboys for second in the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia had a disappointing 5-9 record and placed fifth in the conference, along with the Cardinals.

Earl Morrall, in his tenth season, had a good year as he ranked fifth in the NFL in passing with 2446 yards, averaging a healthy 8.1 yards per attempt, with 22 touchdowns as opposed to 12 interceptions. Tucker Frederickson rushed for 659 yards and was named to the Pro Bowl.

As for Andy Stynchula, the three field goals against the Eagles ended up being his only ones of the season. He missed on all four of his remaining attempts while going 12-for-13 on extra point attempts. Bob Timberlake was far worse – he was successful on only one of 15 field goal attempts as the Giants ended up with only four for the entire year. It would spur them to sign pioneering soccer-style PK Pete Gogolak away from the AFL’s Buffalo Bills in the off-season, which dramatically improved their placekicking but also was a key occurrence in the battle between the two leagues.

2011: Bills Rally to End Long Losing Streak vs. Patriots

In the third week of the 2011 NFL season, the Buffalo Bills hosted the New England Patriots on September 25, a team that had dominated both them and their division for most of the preceding decade. The Bills had lost to New England 15 straight times and in 20 of their last 21 meetings dating back to 2000 – the season after Buffalo last reached the playoffs.

However, the Bills were off to a 2-0 start and seemed to be a rejuvenated club. The offense was balanced and effective, with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (pictured at right) passing efficiently out of a spread formation and RB Fred Jackson productive on the ground. The defense was opportunistic and forced turnovers. Head Coach Chan Gailey’s team was coming off an exciting come-from-behind win the previous week against the Raiders and was riding high with the tough Patriots coming to town.

New England, under Head Coach Bill Belichick, had not had a losing season since that long-ago 2000 season and had been in the playoffs in 10 of the previous 12 years that included four AFC Championships and three NFL titles. QB Tom Brady, at age 34, was a picture of precision as was his favorite target, WR Wes Welker. However, the defense was not as strong as in the Super Bowl-winning years. Still, they were also 2-0, with a 10-game regular season winning streak on the line, and would provide a formidable test for Buffalo.

There were 68,174 fans on hand at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Patriots took the opening kickoff and drove 84 yards in nine plays. The highlight was a pass from Tom Brady to Wes Welker that picked up 22 yards to the Buffalo 22. Four plays later, Brady again connected with Welker for a 14-yard touchdown.

On the first play following the ensuing kickoff, Buffalo’s Ryan Fitzpatrick threw to WR Steve Johnson for a 33-yard gain but on the next play he was picked off by CB Kyle Arrington. New England made the most of the turnover, going 30 yards in six plays. Brady tossed a pass to TE Rob Gronkowski in the end zone for a one-yard TD.

The Bills put together a long drive to the New England 35, converting two third downs along the way. But facing a fourth-and-14 situation, Fitzpatrick’s pass was intercepted once again by Arrington. The first quarter ended with the Patriots ahead by 14-0.

The teams traded punts until midway through the second quarter when Brady connected with Gronkowski on passes that covered 21 and then 26 yards for a touchdown. Now down by 21-0, the Bills responded with a seven-play, 81-yard series. Fitzpatrick completed four passes and had a 14-yard run and Fred Jackson (pictured below) had a 21-yard carry. The last pass completion was to Johnson for 11 yards and a TD that, followed by Rian Lindell’s extra point, cut the New England lead to 21-7.

It seemed as though the Patriots would drive to another score when they methodically advanced to the Buffalo 13, but Brady threw a short pass that was intercepted by SS Bryan Scott. Taking over at their own 10 with just over a minute left in the half, the Bills moved down the field with Fitzpatrick passing on every play. They reached the New England 24 from where Lindell kicked a 42-yard field goal to make the score 21-10 at the intermission.

Following a short series by the Bills to start the third quarter, Brady threw a long pass that was intercepted by CB Leodis McKelvin and returned 21 yards to the New England 39. Buffalo made the most of the break as Fitzpatrick capped the resulting seven-play series with a three-yard touchdown pass to TE Scott Chandler. Lindell’s PAT narrowed the visiting team’s lead to four points.

However, the Patriots responded with a 10-play, 83-yard scoring drive. Brady completed five passes along the way, including one to WR Chad Ochocinco for 19 yards and another to Gronkowski for 29 yards to the Buffalo 13. Gostkowski kicked a 23-yard field goal to make it 24-17, which was the tally as the game entered the fourth quarter.

The Patriots again penetrated deep into Buffalo territory but Brady was again picked off, this time by FS George Wilson at his own two yard line. A roughing-the-passer penalty moved the ball out to the 20 and then Fitzgerald went long to WR Donald Jones for a 48-yard gain. It seemed for naught when Fitzpatrick fired a pass toward the end zone that was intercepted, but a pass interference penalty on the Patriots instead put the ball on the one yard line. From there, Jackson punched over for a TD and Lindell kicked the extra point that tied the score at 24-24.

On the first play following the ensuing kickoff the Bills took the lead when CB Drayton Florence picked off another Brady pass that was tipped at the line and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown. Lindell added the PAT that made it a seven-point margin for the home team.

There was still plenty of time and the Patriots responded with a long drive that went 74 yards in 15 plays. Along the way they converted a fourth-and-four situation on a five-yard completion from Brady to Welker and, shortly thereafter facing third-and-seven at the Buffalo 33, it was Welker making a franchise-record 14^th catch for 20 yards. Finally, in a fourth-and-goal situation, Brady tossed a six-yard TD pass to Welker. Gostkowski kicked the all-important extra point and the game was again tied at 31-31.

Buffalo took over with 3:25 remaining in regulation. Fitzpatrick connected with Jones for 29 yards and then Fred Jackson for 12 to get down to the New England 39. A slant pass to Jackson appeared initially to be good for a touchdown when he dove toward the end zone while being tackled from behind, but upon review it was determined that the running back had not broken the plane of the goal line and it was instead a 38-yard gain to the one yard line. From there the Bills backed themselves up by kneeling to run the clock down. On the game’s last play, Lindell kicked a 28-yard field goal that brought wild cheering from the home crowd. Buffalo was the winner by a final score of 34-31.

The Patriots outgained Buffalo (495 yards to 448) and had more first downs (30 to 24). However, they also gave up four turnovers, all on interceptions, to two by the Bills. Neither team recorded a sack.

Ryan Fitzpatrick completed 27 of 40 passes for 369 yards with two touchdowns as well as two interceptions. Fred Jackson rushed for 74 yards and a TD on 12 carries and also caught 5 passes for 87 yards. Steve Johnson had 8 pass receptions for 94 yards and a score while Donald Jones compiled 101 yards on his 5 catches.

For the Patriots, Tom Brady was successful on 30 of 45 throws for 387 yards and four TDs but also gave up the four interceptions, tying his career worst. Wes Welker (pictured below) ended up with a team record 16 catches for 217 yards and two touchdowns and Rob Gronkowski added 7 receptions for 109 yards and two more scores. RB Stevan Ridley led the running game with 42 yards on 6 attempts.

“It’s the biggest win of my career,” said veteran LB Chris Kelsay, who was with the Bills when they last defeated the Patriots in 2003. “I can’t think of any bigger. To beat these guys at home, in front of our fans, with the way they’re behind us despite being down early, it’s huge. I’ll never forget it.”

Buffalo’s run ended the next week with a loss at Cincinnati, and while they won two of their next three games, the bottom fell out after that. Injuries, in particular to Fred Jackson, wore the Bills down and they ended up with a 6-10 record at the bottom of the AFC East. New England, on the other hand, went on to a 13-3 record that was the best in the conference as well as the division. The Patriots finished off the regular season with a 49-21 win over the Bills. After advancing to the Super Bowl, New England lost to the Giants.

Ryan Fitzpatrick’s passing cooled off along with the weather during the second half of the season and he ended up with 3832 yards and 24 touchdowns, but also a league-leading 23 interceptions. Playing in just 10 games before suffering a broken leg, Fred Jackson rushed for 934 yards with a 5.5-yard average gain and had 442 yards on 39 pass receptions. Steve Johnson led the receiving corps with 76 catches for 1004 yards (13.2 avg.) and seven TDs.

In a year of record-shattering passing performances, Tom Brady threw for 5235 yards and 39 touchdowns, as opposed to 12 interceptions, with an AFC-leading 105.6 rating. He was chosen to the Pro Bowl for the seventh time. Wes Welker led the NFL with 122 pass receptions, for a conference-leading 1569 yards and 9 touchdowns, while Rob Gronkowski topped the league with 17 scoring catches.

1961: Cowboys Defeat Vikings to Start Second Year at 2-0

The Dallas Cowboys had gone a winless 0-11-1 as a NFL expansion team in 1960 but stunned the Steelers in their opening game in ’61 and were hosting the latest expansion franchise, the Minnesota Vikings, on September 24, 1961.

Head Coach Tom Landry’s team had hope for improvement coming into the second season. The Cowboys drafted DE Bob Lilly out of Texas Christian (later a DT) and also would have HB Don Perkins (pictured above), a 1960 draft choice out of New Mexico who missed the entire season due to a foot injury, available to bolster the running game. QB Don Meredith had spent his rookie year behind diminutive veteran Eddie LeBaron and was ready to put in more time behind center.

The Vikings, coached by former star quarterback Norm Van Brocklin, were a typical first-year amalgam of old, unwanted, and upcoming players. Nevertheless, they stunned the Chicago Bears in their first game and had uncovered an exciting rookie quarterback in Fran Tarkenton out of Georgia, who had quickly displaced veteran George Shaw.

There were 20,500 in attendance at the Cotton Bowl and they saw the home team score in the first quarter. Don Perkins took off on a 47-yard run to set up a six-yard touchdown carry by FB Amos Marsh.

The Cowboys drove 80 yards to their next score in the second quarter. Don Meredith passed for 39 yards and ran for 29, including a 20-yard touchdown carry with Marsh throwing a key block along the way. Allen Green added his second extra point and it was 14-0 in favor of Dallas.

The Vikings finally got into the end zone in the second quarter when Tarkenton completed a pass to end A.D. Williams for 49 yards to the Dallas 27 and two carries by ex-Giants FB Mel Triplett (pictured at left) advanced the ball another 21 yards. HB Tommy Mason finished the series with a four-yard touchdown run, losing the ball at one point but recovering in the air to score. Mike Mercer’s extra point made the score 14-7 at the half.

The Vikings threatened several times but key defensive plays stopped them from scoring and Mercer failed on three field goal attempts, one of which was blocked by LB Gene Babb. Safeties Dick Moegle and Bob Bercich made big plays for the Cowboys, with Bercich intercepting a pass.

In the third quarter, the Vikings drove 76 yards to the Dallas one in a drive largely propelled by Triplett’s running, but came up empty at a point where a TD and extra point would have tied the score.  This was soon followed by the interception of a Tarkenton pass by CB Don Bishop. Meredith tossed a screen pass to Marsh for a 19-yard touchdown and that was more than enough to put the game away. The Cowboys won by a decisive 21-7 score.

Dallas dominated the Vikings in total yards (437 to 251) with 208 of that total coming on the ground. The Cowboys also had the edge in first downs (22 to 16). Each team turned the ball over three times. The Dallas defense recorded three sacks while the Vikings had one.

Don Perkins was the key performer on offense for the Cowboys, rushing for 108 yards on 17 carries and catching 5 passes for 61 more yards. Amos Marsh (pictured at right) ran for 64 yards and a TD on 11 attempts and contributed another 37 yards and a score on three pass receptions. Don Meredith completed 12 of 22 passes for 163 yards with a touchdown and an interception and ran the ball 6 times for 36 yards and a TD. Eddie LeBaron saw action and was 5 of 8 for 75 yards with one pass intercepted.

For the Vikings, Fran Tarkenton came down to earth after an outstanding opening game performance as he was successful on only 8 of 24 throws for 117 yards and had two intercepted. George Shaw came into the contest and was five of eight for 33 yards with one picked off. Mel Triplett ran for 57 yards on 9 carries while another old pro, 32-year-old HB Hugh McElhenny, contributed 42 yards on 9 attempts. A.D. Williams led the receivers with four catches for 78 yards.

The promising start did not herald a winning season for the young Cowboys – they lost the next week, improved to 3-1 in a rematch with the Vikings in Minnesota, and then won only one more game the rest of the way to finish at 4-9-1 and sixth in the seven-team Eastern Conference. Minnesota didn’t win again until Week 9 and ended up at the bottom of the Western Conference with a 3-11 record.

Don Perkins continued to play well and rushed for 815 yards on 200 carries (4.1 avg.) while catching 32 passes for 298 yards. He was selected to the Pro Bowl. Eddie LeBaron still saw most of the action at quarterback for the Cowboys but Don Meredith showed progress as he passed for 1161 yards and 9 TDs as well as 11 interceptions.

Fran Tarkenton recovered to pass for 1997 yards and 18 touchdowns while showing off his flashy scrambling skills in what was the first of 18 seasons in his Hall of Fame career. Mel Triplett rushed for 407 yards on 80 carries (5.1 avg.) in his seventh year.

MVP Profile: Y.A. Tittle, 1962

Quarterback, New York Giants

Age:  36 (Oct. 24)

15^th season in pro football, 13^th in NFL and 2^nd with Giants

College: LSU

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 195

Prelude:

While drafted by the NFL’s Detroit Lions in 1948, Tittle instead signed with the Baltimore Colts of the AAFC. He had an immediate impact, leading the league in yards per attempt (8.7) and throwing for 16 TDs against 9 interceptions. After another year in the AAFC, Tittle and the Colts joined the NFL in 1950, and he led the league in pass completions (161) although the team went a dismal 1-11 and folded. Picked up by the 49ers in ’51, he gradually took over from Frankie Albert as the starting quarterback and was selected to the Pro Bowl following the 1953, ’54, and ‘57 seasons. In 1957 the 49ers tied for first in the Western Conference and Tittle also received MVP consideration. He suffered through an injury-plagued season in 1958 and, and while he bounced back with a Pro Bowl year in ’59, by ’60 found himself in competition with the up-and-coming John Brodie. With Head Coach Red Hickey committing to a shotgun offense for 1961, Tittle was dealt to the New York Giants in the preseason and revived his career as he threw for 2272 yards and 17 TDs. The Giants topped the Eastern Conference and Tittle was selected for the Pro Bowl and received MVP recognition from the Newspaper Enterprise Association.

1962 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 375 [3]

Most attempts, game – 42 vs. Dallas 12/16

Completions – 200 [3]

Most completions, game – 27 vs. Washington 10/28

Yards – 3224 [2]

Most yards, game – 505 vs. Washington 10/28

Completion percentage – 53.3 [9]

Yards per attempt – 8.6 [3, tied with Bart Starr]

TD passes – 33 [1]

Most TD passes, game – 7 vs. Washington 10/28

Interceptions – 20 [6, tied with Charley Johnson & Milt Plum]

Most interceptions, game – 3 at Cleveland 9/16, vs. Philadelphia 11/18

Passer rating – 89.5 [3]

500-yard passing games – 1

300-yard passing games – 4

200-yard passing games – 7

Rushing

Attempts – 17

Most attempts, game – 3 (for -9 yds.) at Pittsburgh 9/30

Yards – 108

Most yards, game – 21 (on 1 att.) at St. Louis 10/7, (on 2 att.) vs. St. Louis 11/4

Yards per attempt – 6.4

TDs – 2

Points

TDs - 2

Points – 12

Postseason: 1 G (NFL Championship vs. Green Bay)

Pass attempts – 41

Pass completions – 18

Passing yards – 197

TD passes – 0

Interceptions – 1

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: UPI, Sporting News

1^st team All-NFL: AP, UPI, NEA

1^st team All-Eastern Conference: Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Giants went 12-2 to finish first in the Eastern Conference while leading the NFL in total yards (5005). Lost NFL Championship to Green Bay Packers (16-7).

Aftermath:

Tittle continued his success in 1963, breaking his own record for TD passes with 36, leading the league in passing, and receiving MVP, All-Pro, and Pro Bowl recognition once more. The Giants won the Eastern Conference for the third straight time, but still came up short in the title game against the Bears. The team collapsed in 1964, Tittle’s last season. He retired as NFL career leader in pass attempts (3817), completions (2118), and yards (28,339). The Giants retired his #14, and Tittle was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1971.

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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). 

1991: Patriots Upset Oilers with Late Scoring Drive

The New England Patriots were coming off of a dismal 1-15 record in 1990 and were 1-2 as they faced the powerful Houston Oilers on September 22, 1991. New Head Coach Dick MacPherson, a former college coach at Syracuse, infused a new enthusiasm into the revamped club. They also had talented rookie RB Leonard Russell and a rising star in TE Marv Cook. However, the Patriots had scored only six points in their last two games and Hugh Millen (pictured at right) was getting his first start of the season at quarterback in place of the ineffective Tom Hodson.

The Oilers, coached by Jack Pardee, were coming off four straight playoff seasons and were 3-0 coming into the game at Foxboro. 36-year-old QB Warren Moon was highly productive operating in the run-and-shoot offense. The defense was tough and talented across the board.

There were 30,702 fans in attendance at Foxboro Stadium. The Patriots drove to their 40 on the game’s first possession but had to punt. However, New England got a break when WR Pat Coleman muffed the catch and G Danny Villa recovered at the Houston 24. Four plays later, Jason Staurovsky kicked a 33-yard field goal and the Patriots had the early lead.

The teams traded punts, but the Oilers had good starting field position at the New England 42 following Shawn McCarthy’s short kick. They made the most of it as Warren Moon completed three straight passes and Ian Howfield finished the seven-play series off with a 28-yard field goal to tie the score.

Following a punt by the Patriots, the Oilers had the ball heading into the second quarter but a Moon pass was intercepted by CB Mickey Washington at the New England 45. Leonard Russell ran for 12 yards and, after converting a third down, Hugh Millen passed to WR Greg McMurtry for 20 yards. Another pass, this time an option throw by RB Jon Vaughn to Marv Cook, was good for a 13-yard touchdown and, with Staurovsky’s extra point, a 10-3 lead.

Houston had to punt again and the Patriots gained 32 yards on a Millen-to-Cook pass. However, the Oilers got the ball back three plays later when safety Mike Dumas intercepted a Millen toss and returned it 19 yards to the New England 39. Houston drove to the 11, was set back ten yards by a holding penalty, and ended up with another field goal by Howfield, this time from 38 yards.

The Patriots came right back with a 10-play, 60-yard drive that included a fourth down conversion. Millen completed three passes, two of them to Cook, and Russell finished it off with a two-yard touchdown carry. The PAT was good and New England took a 17-6 lead into halftime.

Moon had struggled in the first half, completing just 9 of his 21 passes, as he dealt with a variety of pass defense coverages on the part of the Patriots. He started the third quarter off with three straight incompletions. The teams traded punts until, with just under four minutes remaining in the period, SS Bubba McDowell picked off a Millen pass to give the Oilers excellent field position at the New England 38. They drove to the eight yard line, but a Moon toss into the end zone was intercepted by CB Jerome Henderson to extinguish the threat.

The Oilers got the ball back on another interception a few plays later in the fourth quarter, with CB Chris Dishman giving them possession at their own 31. This time they didn’t fail to score, going 69 yards in seven plays. RB Lorenzo White picked up 20 yards on three straight runs and then Moon connected with WR Ernest Givins for 19 yards to the New England 30. Four plays later – and after a penalty backed them up – Moon hit WR Curtis Duncan for a 35-yard touchdown. Howfield added the extra point and the New England lead was cut to 17-13.

The Patriots punted and Houston again put points on the board. The Oilers went 69 yards in eight plays highlighted by Moon’s completion to WR Drew Hill for 33 yards to the New England 18. With just under two minutes left on the clock, Moon tossed a five-yard TD pass to Duncan and, with Howfield’s PAT, Houston held the lead for the first time at 20-17 and appeared to have the game in hand.

Starting at their own 17 after the ensuing kickoff, the Patriots advanced down the field with Millen completing his first four passes, three of them to Cook (pictured below), to move into Houston territory. A penalty and two incompletions had them facing a third-and-15 situation at midfield, but Millen connected with WR Michael Timpson for 16 yards and followed up with a 34-yard touchdown pass to McMurtry. There were just six seconds remaining as the Patriots completed their 83-yard drive, and they came away with a 24-20 upset win.

The Oilers had a small lead in total yards (353 to 343) while New England led in first downs (23 to 18). Houston’s defense recorded five sacks as opposed to none by the Patriots. Each team turned the ball over three times apiece. The Oilers were hurt by being penalized 11 times, at a cost of 111 yards, to four flags thrown on New England.

Hugh Millen completed 22 of 33 passes for 244 yards and a touchdown, but was intercepted three times. Marv Cook had 10 catches for 99 yards and a TD. Leonard Russell ran for 85 yards on 19 carries that included one for a score.

For the Oilers, Warren Moon was successful on just 20 of 44 throws for 268 yards and two TDs along with two interceptions. Haywood Jeffires had 7 pass receptions for 98 yards. Lorenzo White paced the ground game with 53 yards on 8 attempts.

“It was critical for the morale of our offense to know that we can come back and win a game like this in the final minute,” said Greg McMurtry, whose game-winning TD was the first of his career.

New England was able to win only sporadically the rest of the way, but ended up with a 6-10 record for fourth place in the AFC East. Houston recovered to win four straight games and six of their next seven on the way to topping the AFC Central at 11-5. However, they again fell short at the Divisional round of the playoffs.

Hugh Millen continued to start at quarterback and completed 60.1 percent of his passes for 3073 yards and nine touchdowns, but also 18 interceptions. Marv Cook received consensus first-team All-NFL as well as Pro Bowl honors as he caught 82 passes for 808 yards and three TDs. Greg McMurtry (pictured at left) was less consistent, finishing with 41 catches for 614 yards (15.0) average and one other scoring catch following the game-winner against the Oilers. Leonard Russell rushed for 959 yards and was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press.

1969: Steelers Edge Lions in Chuck Noll’s Coaching Debut

The Pittsburgh Steelers were rebuilding once again with a new head coach as they opened the 1969 NFL season against the Detroit Lions on September 21. Since coming into the league in 1933 the Steelers had known far more losing seasons than winning ones, including 1968 when they went 2-11-1. Chuck Noll (pictured at right), a defensive assistant most recently with the Colts, replaced the departed Bill Austin as head coach. A promising defensive tackle out of North Texas State, “Mean Joe” Greene, had been drafted in the first round and the club had also drafted a quarterback, Notre Dame’s Terry Hanratty, but it would be the mediocre Dick Shiner behind center for the opener. Third-round draft pick FB Warren Bankston out of Tulane was in the game due to injuries to halfbacks Dick Hoak and Don McCall; Noll shifted Earl Gros to halfback and started Bankston at fullback.

The Lions, coached by former star linebacker Joe Schmidt, were coming off a 4-8-2 record in ’68 but seemed to be in a much better position entering the new season. The offense featured QB Bill Munson, HB Mel Farr, TE Charlie Sanders, and C Ed Flanagan and there were rising stars on defense such as CB Lem Barney and LB Paul Naumoff.

There was a crowd of 51,360 in attendance at Pitt Stadium. In the first quarter, Bankston fumbled and safety Tom Vaughn recovered for the Lions at the Pittsburgh 29. Detroit got a first down but the series stalled and Errol Mann kicked a 23-yard field goal for the first score of the game.

Later in the opening period, Detroit FB Bill Triplett fumbled the ball away with DT Chuck Hinton recovering at the Lions’ 27. Dick Shiner threw two incomplete passes and ran for seven yards before Gene Mingo booted a 27-yard field goal to tie the score.

The Steelers put together a drive in which they picked up four first downs during the second quarter. After going 58 yards to the Detroit 11, the home team could get no further and Mingo kicked another field goal, this time from 18 yards. Pittsburgh got a break a few plays later when Munson, being sacked by Hinton, fumbled and the Steelers gained possession at the Detroit 24. However, following two runs by Bankston, Earl Gros fumbled the ball back to the Lions.

The turnovers continued as LB Jerry Hillebrand intercepted a Munson pass and returned it 14 yards to the Detroit 24. It resulted in another Mingo field goal, this time from 40 yards, for a 9-3 Pittsburgh lead.

The Lions suffered yet another turnover when Mel Farr fumbled after catching a pass at the Pittsburgh 46. With only 12 seconds left in the half, Shiner went long but was picked off by Lem Barney, who returned it 32 yards to the Pittsburgh 28. The clock was now down to four seconds and Mann tried a 37-yard field goal that sailed wide to the right. The Steelers maintained their six-point lead at the intermission.

Early in the third quarter the Steelers punted and Bobby Walden’s 56-yard kick sailed to the Detroit three. The Lions had to punt it back and gave Pittsburgh good field position near midfield. However, the offense couldn’t take advantage and Mingo missed on a 45-yard field goal try. The Lions responded by moving the ball effectively but a pass to WR Earl McCullouch in the end zone was dropped and Mann kicked a 23-yard field goal to narrow Pittsburgh’s margin to 9-6.

Half way through the fourth quarter, Bankston fumbled for the second time and DT Alex Karras recovered at the Pittsburgh 27. A defensive holding penalty moved the Lions closer and finally Munson found McCullouch in the end zone, who held on for a 12-yard TD. Mann converted the PAT and the disgruntled home fans booed loudly with the score now 13-9 in favor of the visitors.

The Steelers responded by covering 68 yards in seven plays. Following the ensuing kickoff, Shiner was sacked by DE Joe Robb for a three-yard loss and he then threw an incomplete pass to make it third-and-long. A toss to TE John Hilton picked up 23 yards to keep the possession alive and moved the ball into Detroit territory at the 48.

With time running down, WR Roy Jefferson ran for 12 yards on an end-around and then caught a pass for seven more. A key play occurred when Shiner threw for Jefferson again but safety Mike Weger tipped the ball. However, Jefferson alertly grabbed it and went out of bounds at the Detroit six for a 23-yard gain. Bankston, who had the two costly fumbles, redeemed himself as he scored the go-ahead touchdown on a six-yard run around end in which he broke three tackles. There was still time, but on a fourth-and-one play the Lions failed to convert when Triplett was stopped short and the Steelers held on for a 16-13 win.

Total yards were split almost evenly, with Pittsburgh edging the Lions by a yard (237 to 236). Detroit had more first downs (14 to 12). The Lions recorded four sacks as opposed to one for Pittsburgh while both teams turned the ball over four times apiece.

Dick Shiner (pictured above) completed 10 of 26 passes for 143 yards with one intercepted. Warren Bankston ran for 52 yards and a TD on 14 carries. Roy Jefferson caught four passes for 47 yards and John Hilton gained 68 yards on his three receptions.

For the Lions, Bill Munson was successful on 19 of 34 throws for 160 yards and a TD with one interception. Mel Farr ran the ball 10 times for 35 yards and caught 10 passes for 59 more yards.

The win was the high point of a long season for the Steelers. They lost all of their remaining games to end up at 1-13. Detroit recovered to place second in the Central Division at 9-4-1.

Things would get progressively better for Chuck Noll and the Steelers, however. With the first overall pick in 1970 they took QB Terry Bradshaw and they would make other astute personnel moves that would have them in the playoffs by 1972 and produce the franchise’s first NFL title in ’74. By the end of the decade it would be four Super Bowls won. Noll lasted until 1991 and compiled a record of 193-148-1, plus another 24 wins in the postseason.