2008: Andre Johnson Gains 207 Yards as Texans Edge Titans

The Houston Texans were coming off three straight wins and, while not in playoff contention, looking to achieve the first winning season in franchise history as they hosted the Tennessee Titans on December 14, 2008. In their third season under Head Coach Gary Kubiak, the Texans had a productive offense directed by QB Matt Schaub (when healthy), who had an outstanding target in WR Andre Johnson (pictured at right), plus rookie RB Steve Slaton to bolster the ground game. The defense, however, was less proficient and streaky Houston had a 6-7 record.

The Titans, coached by Jeff Fisher, were 12-1 and had already clinched the AFC South, but were still looking to gain home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Third-year QB Vince Young had been benched in favor of veteran Kerry Collins, to good effect, and rookie RB Chris Johnson was exceeding expectations. The defensive line was anchored by star DT Albert Haynesworth and there were other fine players in LB Keith Bulluck, CB Cortland Finnegan, SS Chris Hope, and FS Michael Griffin. Rob Bironas also provided reliable placekicking.

There were 70,831 fans present at Houston’s Reliant Stadium. The Titans had the first possession and moved into Houston territory largely on the strength of Chris Johnson’s running as he gained 29 yards on three carries. But after reaching the 37, Kerry Collins threw a long pass that was intercepted by CB Fred Bennett in the end zone and returned 23 yards. However, after Matt Schaub passed to Andre Johnson for 15 yards, he fumbled while being sacked by DE Jevon Kearse and Albert Haynesworth recovered at the Houston 32. Six plays later, Rob Bironas (pictured below) kicked a 26-yard field goal.

The Texans responded by putting together a long, 16-play drive that covered 70 yards. Schaub connected with Johnson for 22 yards on a third-and-ten play and followed right up with another pass to Johnson that gained 14 yards. A roughing-the-passer penalty helped Houston out of a third-and-23 jam and Steve Slaton had a 19-yard run along the way. Finally, on the first play of the second quarter, Kris Brown kicked a 32-yard field goal to tie the score.

The Titans went three-and-out on their next series, and after the ensuing punt had the Texans starting at their own 11, Schaub went long for Johnson down the middle for a 65-yard gain to the Tennessee 24. After three running plays, Schaub went to Johnson again and the result was a 13-yard touchdown. Brown added the extra point and Houston was ahead by 10-3.

The teams traded punts before the Titans reached midfield and Collins threw to WR Justin McCareins for 17 yards, only to have the receiver fumble and DE Tim Bulman recover for the Texans at their 31. The clubs returned to exchanging punts until, with 39 seconds remaining in the half, the Titans took over the ball at their own two and quickly moved 93 yards in four plays. The biggest was a pass from Collins to WR Brandon Jones for 40 yards and that was followed by a 36-yard gain on a pass interference penalty. Bironas kicked a 23-yard field goal and the score was 10-6 at halftime.

Following a short possession to start the third quarter, the Texans punted and Tennessee drove 30 yards in nine plays. Collins completed two passes, both to TE Bo Scaife, and RB LenDale White ran three times for 18 yards. Bironas kicked his third field goal, this time from 51 yards, and Houston’s lead was down to one point.

That was the way it stayed for the remainder of the period. A long series by the Texans reached the Tennessee seven, but it was all for naught when Brown missed a 26-yard field goal attempt. As the game headed into the fourth quarter, the Titans had the ball deep in their own territory and had to punt. An apparent 23-yard return by WR Jacoby Jones was wiped out by an illegal block and the Texans had to start at their 36. But a pass interference penalty got them to midfield and back-to-back pass completions to TE Owen Daniels – the second of which was good for 19 yards in a third-and-five situation – got them to the Tennessee 12. Once again they tried for a field goal, and this time Brown was successful from 24 yards to give the home team a 13-9 lead.

The Titans reached the Houston 48 on the next series and punted. The Texans had a short series that also resulted in a punt, with Matt Turk booming it 57 yards but DB Chris Carr returning it 17 yards to the Tennessee 39. Collins immediately went long and WR Justin Gage caught it for a 28-yard gain to the Houston 33. Chris Johnson ran for 13 yards but the drive finally stalled at the 16 and Bironas was once again called on to kick a field goal, which was successful from 34 yards.

Schaub threw to Andre Johnson for 40 yards on a series that reached the Tennessee 41 and resulted in a punt. The Titans came right back with a big pass play of their own as Collins connected with Gage for 34 yards, but facing fourth-and-three at the Houston 32, Tennessee passed up a long field goal attempt and came up empty when Collins tossed an incomplete pass.

That came with just under two minutes remaining to play, and proved to be Tennessee’s last shot. The Titans used all three of their timeouts on the next series, but a 12-yard carry by Slaton gave the Texans a game-clinching first down as they were able to run out the clock. Houston was the winner by a final score of 13-12.

The Texans had the edge in total yards (375 to 281) and first downs (22 to 14). However, they hurt themselves with 11 penalties at a cost of 127 yards, as opposed to 7 flags thrown on Tennessee totaling 64 yards. Houston also gave up three sacks while not getting to Kerry Collins at all. The Titans turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by the Texans.

Andre Johnson, who was largely shut down by the Titans when the two teams met earlier in the season, had a huge performance with 11 catches for 207 yards and the game’s only touchdown. Matt Schaub completed 23 of 39 passes for 284 yards and a touchdown with none intercepted. Steve Slaton (pictured below) ran for an even 100 yards on 24 carries.

For the Titans, Kerry Collins was successful on 15 of 33 throws for 181 yards and no TDs with one intercepted. Chris Johnson rushed for 65 yards on 13 attempts. Justin Gage caught three passes for 76 yards. Rob Bironas was the scoring star as he was successful on all four of his field goal attempts – but one that he didn’t get to try on Tennessee’s last possession might have made the difference in the outcome.

The Texans lost the next week but won their season finale to finish at 8-8 for the second straight year, again missing out on a winning record and placing third in the AFC South. They would finally finish over .500 for the first time in 2009. Tennessee split its last two games but ended up with the conference’s best record at 13-3. The season ended in disappointment with a loss to the Ravens in the Divisional round of the postseason.

Andre Johnson, in his sixth year, led the NFL with 115 catches and 1575 receiving yards. He averaged 13.7 yards per catch and scored eight touchdowns. It all resulted in his receiving consensus first-team All-NFL recognition as well as selection to the Pro Bowl for the third time. His 207 receiving yards against the Titans set a franchise record that he broke in 2012.  

Rookie of the Year: Gale Sayers, 1965

Halfback, Chicago Bears

Age: 22

College: Kansas

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 198

Prelude:

A consensus All-American in 1963 and ’64, the “Kansas Comet” rushed for 2675 yards and had 3917 all-purpose yards in college. He was chosen by the Bears in the first round (fourth overall) of the 1965 NFL draft (he was also a first-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFL draft). There were questions about his blocking ability, but not his speed and running instincts, and Sayers moved into the lineup.

1965 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 166 [7]

Most attempts, game - 17 (for 80 yds.) at Green Bay 10/3

Yards – 867 [2]

Most yards, game – 118 yards (on 16 carries) at Baltimore 12/5

Average gain – 5.2 [3]

TDs – 14 [2]

100-yard rushing games – 3

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 29      

Most receptions, game – 5 (for 104 yds.) at Green Bay 10/3

Yards – 507

Most yards, game - 104 (on 5 catches) at Green Bay 10/3

Average gain – 17.5

TDs – 6 [13, tied with Homer Jones & Bobby Mitchell]

100-yard receiving games – 1

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 21 [10, tied with Ernie Koy & Mel Renfro]

Yards – 660 [6]

Most yards, game – 170 (on 4 ret.) at Minnesota 10/17

Average per return – 31.4 [2]

TDs – 1

Longest return – 96 yards

Punt Returns

Returns – 16 [10, tied with Jim Stiger]

Yards – 238 [5]

Most yards, game – 134 (on 5 ret.) vs. San Francisco 12/12

Average per return – 14.9 [2]

TDs – 1

Longest return – 85 yards

All-Purpose yards – 2272 [1]

Passing

Attempts – 3

Completions – 2

Yards – 53

TDs – 1

INT – 1

Scoring

TDs – 22 [1]

Points – 132 [1]

The 22 touchdowns set a NFL record and included a record-tying 6 in a single game.

Awards & Honors:

NFL Rookie of the Year: UPI, NEA, Sporting News

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

1^st-team All-Western Conference: Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Bears went 9-5 to finish third in the NFL Western Conference while leading the league in touchdowns (54).

Aftermath:

Sayers followed his sensational rookie season by leading the NFL with 1231 rushing yards and setting an all-purpose yardage record with 2440 in 1966. He led the league in total yards for the third straight year with 1689 in ’67. Sayers received consensus first-team All-NFL honors and gained selection to the Pro Bowl after both years. He was on his way to another great year in 1968 when he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the ninth game that required surgery. Still, he rushed for 856 yards, had 1463 all-purpose yards, and again received consensus first-team All-NFL honors. Sayers made a successful return with a woeful Bears team in 1969, leading the NFL in rushing for a second time with 1032 yards. But further injuries in 1970 and ’71 ended his career. Overall, Sayers rushed for 4956 yards on 991 carries (5.0 avg.), caught 112 passes for 1307 yards (11.7 avg.), averaged 14.5 yards on 27 punt returns and a NFL-record 30.6 yards on 91 kickoff returns, totaling 9435 total yards and scoring 56 touchdowns. His career may have been brief, but he made an impression, as he was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection five times and was selected to the Pro Bowl on four occasions. The Bears retired his #40 and Sayers was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1977.

--

Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL, 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). 

1948: Bills Rally Past Colts in AAFC East Division Playoff

The Baltimore Colts hosted the Buffalo Bills on December 12, 1948 in a playoff to determine the winner of the All-America Football Conference’s Eastern Division. The Colts had forced the playoff a week earlier by defeating the Bills soundly by a score of 35-15 in the regular season finale, with the clubs thus finishing in a dead heat at 7-7. The records were mediocre, to be sure, and they benefited from the collapse of the New York Yankees, who dominated the division in the AAFC’s first two seasons. But it still meant a chance to play in the league championship game – even if that meant facing off against the powerful, and undefeated, Cleveland Browns.

The Bills, coached by Red Dawson, actually had a better record in 1947, when they finished second to New York. QB George Ratterman (pictured above) was the key player on offense and had a productive receiver in end Al Baldwin, who caught 54 passes during the regular season. HB Chet Mutryn was an outstanding all-purpose back who led the AAFC with 2288 total yards and 96 points and FB Lou Tomasetti ran effectively between the tackles.

Baltimore, under Head Coach Cecil Isbell, was the more surprising participant in the contest. The Colts were coming off a 2-11-1 campaign in ’47. Added to holdover HB Billy Hillenbrand and end Lamar Davis were a fine rookie crop that included QB Y.A. Tittle, HB Bob Pfohl, DHB Jack Leight, and FB/PK Rex Grossman. The team had won three of its last four games, including the convincing win over Buffalo, and appeared to have the momentum heading into the playoff.

There were 27, 327 fans on hand at Babe Ruth Stadium. The Colts took the early lead on a 16-yard field goal by Rex Grossman in the first quarter. George Ratterman tossed a five-yard jump-pass to end Bill O’Connor to give Buffalo the lead at 7-3, which was the score at halftime as the defenses controlled the game.

The Colts appeared to take command in the third quarter. A 71-yard drive ended with FB Bus Mertes running for a touchdown from nine yards out. Baltimore then put together an 88-yard series that also ended with a Mertes TD, this from a yard. Both were followed by Grossman extra points and the home team was up by 17-7 heading into the final period.

Five minutes into the fourth quarter, Buffalo’s Ratterman passed to HB Bill Gompers, who was all alone for a 66-yard touchdown, and with Graham Armstrong’s PAT, that narrowed the score to 17-14.

A key play occurred with five minutes left on the clock when Chet Mutryn caught a short pass from Ratterman, but then dropped the ball. Tackle John Mellus recovered what he – and many of those present – thought was a fumble for the Colts, but sideline judge Tommy Whelan ruled it an incomplete pass. Six plays later, with the Baltimore defense reeling following the disputed incompletion, the Bills scored when Ratterman connected with Al Baldwin for a 25-yard touchdown. Armstrong tacked on the extra point.

Buffalo’s lead was padded when LB Ed “Buckets” Hirsch intercepted a Tittle pass and returned it 20 yards for a TD. The final score was 28-17 as the Bills won the Eastern Division title.

Police had to escort the officials to the locker room after the game due to the partisan crowd that was angered over the incomplete pass call. The AAFC’s deputy commissioner, O.O. Kessing, spoke with the official, Whelan, afterward and quoted him as saying of the disputed call, “That’s the way I saw it and I’d call it that way seven days a week.”

The Colts outgained Buffalo (393 yards to 297) and had far more first downs (24 to 11). Both teams were productive on the ground, with the Colts rushing for 176 yards to Buffalo’s 162. Each team turned the ball over three times – although a turnover-that-wasn’t was the most discussed play of the game.

George Ratterman completed 10 of 18 passes for 135 yards and three touchdowns with one interception, and was at his best with the game on the line in the late going. Lou Tomasetti led the Bills with 56 rushing yards on 12 attempts and Chet Mutryn was right behind with 54 yards on 11 carries. Bill Gompers had 52 yards on 14 rushes and, with his 66-yard scoring catch, led the club in pass receiving yards. Al Baldwin and Bill O’Connor each caught three passes, for 21 and 20 yards, respectively, and one TD apiece.

For the Colts, Y.A. Tittle was successful on 17 of 36 throws for 217 yards with no TDs and one intercepted. Bus Mertes, who scored the two third quarter touchdowns, ran for 73 yards on 15 attempts and Bob Pfohl contributed 63 yards on 16 carries. Billy Hillenbrand, who ran six times for five yards, was the top receiver with 7 catches for 75 yards. Lamar Davis had 73 yards on his 5 pass receptions.

The come-from-behind win over the Colts did not translate into an upset in the AAFC Championship game for Buffalo. As expected, the Bills were routed by the Browns, 49-7, who won their third consecutive league title. Buffalo went 5-5-2 in 1949 and made the postseason again in the restructured league’s final season, again falling to the Browns in the first playoff round. Baltimore, however, dropped to the cellar with a 1-11 record. 

1977: Buccaneers Overwhelm Saints for First Win in Franchise History

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had lost a record 26 straight games since coming into the NFL in 1976 as they faced the New Orleans Saints on December 11, 1977. Head Coach John McKay’s team suffered through a miserable 0-14 inaugural year and, at 0-12, seemed destined to go winless for a second season. There was reason for hope, as the defense was showing signs of coming together and contained up-and-coming players like DE Lee Roy Selmon and his brother, LB Dewey Selmon. The offense was another story, however, as FB Ricky Bell, the team’s first draft choice out of USC, was struggling behind a poor line and the quarterbacks, led by Gary Huff, sustained many sacks and interceptions. The team had scored just 53 points in the twelve games and had been shut out in four of its previous five contests.

The Saints were also struggling. The perennially losing club could not be turned around by second-year Head Coach Hank Stram, a proven winner previously with the Chiefs, and had a 3-9 record. QB Archie Manning had plenty of ability and there was a good backfield tandem in HB Chuck Muncie and FB Tony Galbreath. But the offensive line was mediocre and the defense was worse than that. Manning also antagonized the Bucs in the days before the game by stating that it would be disgraceful to lose to them – words that would come back to haunt him.

There were 40,124 fans in attendance at the Louisiana Superdome for the contest between the two cellar dwellars. On the third play from scrimmage, Archie Manning fumbled while scrambling and Lee Roy Selmon recovered for the Bucs at the New Orleans 36. However, the break went for naught when Tampa Bay drove 20 yards and Dave Green missed a 33-yard field goal attempt.

The Saints punted following their next series and DB Danny Reece returned it 20 yards to the New Orleans 28. Ricky Bell carried five times as the Buccaneers advanced a total of seven yards, but this time they didn’t come up empty when Green kicked a 40-yard field goal.

The teams exchanged punts, but on the last play of the first quarter, Manning threw a long pass intended for TE Jim Thaxton that went through the receiver’s arms and was intercepted by CB Mike Washington (pictured at top). Tampa Bay started off the second quarter at the New Orleans 33 and drove 25 yards in ten plays. Bell and FB Jimmy DuBose ran effectively and Green finished the series off with another field goal, this time from 25 yards.

The Saints remained stymied on offense and, after two punts were nullified by penalties that backed them up to their five yard line, the third was returned for 29 yards to the New Orleans 24 by WR Isaac Hagins. However, a holding penalty and seven-yard sack of Gary Huff backed the Bucs up and they were forced to punt.

After the Saints punted again, Tampa Bay put together a 71-yard drive in six plays. Huff connected with WR Morris Owens for a 39-yard gain along the way and found Owens again alone in the corner of the end zone for a five-yard touchdown. Green added the extra point and the Bucs took a 13-0 lead into halftime.

Tampa Bay had the first possession of the third quarter and had to punt, but Bobby Scott, now in at quarterback for the Saints, threw a pass that Washington intercepted and returned 45 yards for a TD. With Green’s extra point, the Bucs were ahead by 20-0.

Now in a deep hole, the Saints responded by driving to the Tampa Bay 30. However, Scott’s arm was hit while he was throwing and it resulted in another interception, this time by LB Richard Wood (pictured below), who ran it back 30 yards to the Tampa Bay 47. With DuBose and HB Louis Carter carrying the load, the Bucs reached the New Orleans 30, but on fourth-and-one Huff was stopped for no gain on a quarterback sneak and the Saints regained possession.

A Scott pass to WR Don Herrmann and a roughing-the-passer penalty on the Buccaneers helped New Orleans move to the Tampa Bay 29, but from there Scott tossed four straight incomplete passes to give the ball back to the visitors.

The Bucs punted on the last play of the period, and then once more came through with a big interception on the second play of the fourth quarter. With the Saints backed up to their four, Scott was again picked off by Wood, who needed to return it only 10 yards for a touchdown. The extra point try was shanked but it didn’t matter – Tampa Bay had a commanding 26-0 lead.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Manning returned at quarterback for the Saints and they finally scored as he ran two yards for a touchdown. The next time New Orleans had the ball, Manning faded back to pass from his end zone, the ball was deflected, and DE Greg Johnson caught it for another Tampa Bay TD. In the final seconds, Manning threw to WR John Gilliam for an 11-yard touchdown, but it did nothing more than salvage some pride for the home team. With a dominating defensive performance, Tampa Bay finally had a win to its credit, and by a score of 33-14.

In a sloppy game in which neither offense distinguished itself, the Saints outgained Tampa Bay (250 yards to 238) and had more first downs (17 to 14). However, New Orleans gave up seven turnovers, to one suffered by the Bucs, and three of them resulted in interception returns for touchdowns (tying a NFL record that was broken in 1984). Tampa Bay also recorded five sacks, to one for the Saints. The Buccaneers were hurt by 11 penalties, at a cost of 100 yards, to seven flags thrown on New Orleans.

Gary Huff (pictured at left) didn’t pass often, completing 7 of 9 throws for 96 yards and a touchdown with none intercepted. Jimmy DuBose ran for 59 yards on 17 carries and also caught a team-leading three passes for another 24 yards. Ricky Bell added 34 yards on 14 rushing attempts and Morris Owens gained 44 yards on his two catches that included a TD. But the biggest contributors for Tampa Bay were on defense, where Mike Washington and Richard Wood each intercepted two passes, and returned one apiece for touchdowns. Greg Johnson had one interception in the end zone for a third TD.

For the Saints, Archie Manning was successful on 13 of 21 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown, but also tossed three interceptions. Bobby Scott went four-for-12 and 36 yards with another three interceptions. FB Tony Galbreath ran for 35 yards on 9 carries and Manning was right behind with 33 yards and a TD on 6 attempts. Don Herrmann was the top receiver with four catches for 92 yards.

“Archie (Manning) must have been looking at our offense,” said Coach McKay afterward, referring to the New Orleans quarterback’s comment about it being a disgrace to lose to the Bucs. “Our defense has never been disgraceful.”

“I said it, and it was true,” said Manning. “And now I’m embarrassed.”

The Buccaneers won again against the Cardinals in their season finale and, while it lifted them to only 2-12 for another last place finish in the NFC Central, the victories allowed Tampa Bay to finish off the year on a high note and were a harbinger of improvement to come. New Orleans was blown out by the Falcons to end up at 3-11 and at the bottom of the NFC West, costing Coach Stram his job.

1967: Browns Beat Cards to Clinch Century Division Title

The Cleveland Browns were seeking to nail down the NFL Century Division title as they faced the St. Louis Cardinals on December 10, 1967. In the first year in which the Eastern and Western Conferences were broken up into four-team divisions, the Browns were at 8-4 after winning their three previous contests. Coached by Blanton Collier, Cleveland had the league’s rushing leader in HB Leroy Kelly, helped by a good veteran line and with a solid backfield partner in FB Ernie Green. 31-year-old QB Frank Ryan was battling assorted injuries but had outstanding receivers in split end Paul Warfield and flanker Gary Collins.

The Cardinals, under Head Coach Charley Winner, had gotten off to a fast start but were at 6-5-1 and barely staying alive in the division race. QB Charley Johnson had been called up to military service in the offseason and the untested Jim Hart had taken his place, showing great poise and potential, but also making his share of mistakes due to inexperience. Second-year HB Johnny Roland was right behind Kelly in the rushing race, the receivers were sound, and the defense was good, particularly with CB Pat Fischer and FS Larry Wilson in the backfield. In addition, the Cards had an outstanding placekicker in Jim Bakken.

It was an overcast day in St. Louis with 47,782 fans in attendance at Busch Memorial Stadium. They saw a scoreless first quarter with the teams exchanging punts and battling for field position until DB Ben Davis fumbled a Chuck Latourette kick and FB Willis Crenshaw recovered for the Cardinals at the Cleveland 20. In a series that extended into the early part of the second quarter, St. Louis methodically moved down the field and Bakken kicked a 12-yard field goal.

Davis (pictured at left) redeemed himself on the ensuing kickoff with a 48-yard return to the St. Louis 41. However, the Browns advanced nine yards in three plays and came up empty when 43-year-old Lou Groza missed a 40-yard field goal attempt.

A short series by the Cardinals resulted in a punt that gave the Browns starting field position at their 49. Three plays later, Frank Ryan threw to Paul Warfield for a 38-yard touchdown and, with Groza’s extra point, the visitors were ahead by 7-3.

The Cards responded with a nine-play series that went 40 yards. HB Prentice Gautt ran four times for 18 yards and Jim Hart completed two passes. Bakken booted a 42-yard field goal to narrow Cleveland’s margin to a point.

The Browns went three-and-out on their next possession, but the punt by Gary Collins was blocked by Larry Wilson and the Cards took over at the Cleveland 25 with 2:15 remaining in the first half. Gautt ran twice for seven yards and, after Hart threw an incomplete pass, Bakken kicked his third field goal, this time from 26 yards. St. Louis held a 9-7 lead at halftime.

The third quarter started with Davis returning the kickoff 58 yards to the St. Louis 33. Three plays later, Groza kicked a 33-yard field goal and the Browns were back in front by one.

On the next series, a trick play went wrong when TE Jackie Smith took the handoff on an apparent end-around and then threw a pass that was intended for flanker Bobby Joe Conrad but was instead intercepted by CB Erich Barnes. The 10-year veteran returned the pickoff 40 yards to the St. Louis 21. The Browns again had difficulty moving on offense but still put points on the board as Groza kicked a field goal from 23 yards.

Down by 13-9, the Cards gained nine yards on three plays and, facing fourth-and-one, lined up for a punt. It was a fake, however, but Latourette lost four yards in his attempt to circle the end and the Browns had the ball at the St. Louis 36. They failed to add points as the offense still couldn’t get on track. Ryan was sacked for a loss of 11 yards by DT Chuck Walker and Cleveland ended up having to punt, although Collins’ kick was able to pin the Cards back at their four.

The Browns clung to a four-point lead as the game headed into the fourth quarter. With the Cards deep in their own territory, LB Jim Houston (pictured at top) came through with a big play as he intercepted a Hart pass and returned it 18 yards for a touchdown. Groza’s PAT made it 20-9.

The Cards were unable to make much headway on offense and had to punt. They got the ball back in short order, however, when Leroy Kelly fumbled a bobbled handoff on the next play and LB Bill Koman recovered at the Cleveland 17. Hart threw to Smith for a 15-yard touchdown and, with Bakken’s PAT, it was again a four-point game.

There were still just under eight minutes remaining in the contest, but the Browns helped themselves with a long, time-consuming series. Ryan had an 11-yard run for a first down, Kelly converted a third-and-one situation with a four-yard carry, and Cleveland was down to the St. Louis 34 before back-to-back completions to Ernie Green lost yards and took the Browns out of field goal range. Still, the clock was down to 1:11 as Collins punted and the Cards found themselves pinned back at their four yard line.

Hart (pictured at right) went to the air on every play, but time ran out on St. Louis with the ball at the Cleveland 18 following a 41-yard completion to Smith, who was unable to get out of bounds at the end of the play. The Browns were winners by a final score of 20-16.

In a game dominated by the defenses, the Cardinals had more total yards (295 to 131) and first downs (16 to 8) than Cleveland. The Browns were helped by 126 yards on kickoff returns by Ben Davis. Both teams turned the ball over twice.

Frank Ryan, who suffered an injury to his left (non-throwing) arm in the first half, completed just 8 of 15 passes for 66 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Ernie Green led the club with 48 rushing yards on 12 carries as well as 5 pass receptions, which netted only three yards. Paul Warfield had 57 yards on two pass receptions that included a TD. Leroy Kelly was held to 15 yards on 15 attempts and was credited with the fumble that set up the only St. Louis touchdown. But Ben Davis averaged 42.0 yards on his three kickoff returns and Jim Houston put vital points on the board with his key interception return.

For the Cardinals, Jim Hart was successful on 18 of 36 throws for 182 yards and a TD, but also tossed the one big interception. Jackie Smith was the top receiver with 6 catches for 91 yards and a score, although he also threw an interception on his one pass, and Bobby Joe Conrad contributed 5 receptions for 46 yards. Prentice Gautt rushed for 63 yards on 16 attempts. Johnny Roland ran for 27 yards on 12 attempts before he was lost to a knee injury in the third quarter. Jim Bakken was successful on all three of his field goal attempts.

“The defense was magnificent, Houston did the job again!” exclaimed Coach Blanton Collier afterward. It was the second consecutive week that Jim Houston had scored on an interception.

The Browns lost their season finale to finish at 9-5 atop the Century Division but lost badly to the Dallas Cowboys in the Eastern Conference Championship game. St. Louis also dropped the last game to end up third in the division at 6-7-1.

Leroy Kelly ended up with the NFL rushing title, gaining 1205 yards while averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Rookie Ben Davis, a 17^th-round draft choice, was at his best on kickoff returns against the Cards, but led the league in punt returning with a 12.7 average on 18 runbacks. He ranked seventh with a 26.2 average on 27 kickoff returns. 

MVP Profile: Barry Sanders, 1994

Running Back, Detroit Lions

Age: 26

6^th season in pro football & with Lions

College: Oklahoma State

Height: 5’8”   Weight: 203

Prelude:

Following a Heisman-winning season as a junior, Sanders chose to forego his last year of eligibility and turn pro. Taken by the Lions in the first round of the 1989 NFL draft (third overall), he had an immediate impact, rushing for 1470 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was not just Rookie of the Year but went to the Pro Bowl and was a consensus first team All-Pro. Sanders made up for lack of size with outstanding elusiveness and running instincts. He followed up with a league-leading 1304 yards in 1990 and 17 touchdowns, to go along with 1548 rushing yards in ‘91, and was a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection after each. Sanders continued to be chosen to the Pro Bowl in 1992 and ’93, although he missed the last five games in 1993 due to a sprained knee ligament. Still, he rushed for 1115 yards while averaging 101.4 yards per game.

1994 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 331 [4]

Most attempts, game - 40 (for 194 yds.) at Dallas 9/19

Yards – 1883 [1]

Most yards, game – 237 yards (on 26 carries) vs. Tampa Bay 11/13

Average gain – 5.7 [1]

TDs – 7 [8, tied with seven others]

200-yard rushing games – 1

100-yard rushing games – 10

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 44      

Most receptions, game – 8 (for 51 yds.) at Green Bay 11/6

Yards – 283

Most yards, game - 58 (on 7 catches) at Miami 12/25

Average gain – 6.4

TDs – 1

All-purpose yards – 2166 [2]

Scoring

TDs – 8 [17, tied with seven others]

Points – 48

Postseason: 1 G (NFC Wild Card playoff at Green Bay)

Rushing attempts – 13

Rushing yards – -1

Average gain rushing – -0.1

Rushing TDs – 0

Pass receptions – 3

Pass receiving yards - 4

Average yards per reception – 1.3

Pass Receiving TDs - 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Offensive Player of the Year: AP

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

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

Pro Bowl

Lions went 9-7 to finish third in the NFC Central while qualifying for a Wild Card playoff berth and leading the NFC in rushing yards (2080). Lost NFC Wild Card playoff to Green Bay Packers (16-12).

Aftermath:

Sanders rushed for 1500 yards in 1995 and maintained his excellence over a career of ten years before abruptly retiring after the 1998 season. He led the league in ground-gaining four times, including a 2053-yard total in ’97, and never failed to gain a thousand yards – his lowest total was the 1115 in 1993, when he suffered his only extended loss of playing time. Sanders was selected for the Pro Bowl following all ten seasons, was a consensus first-team All-Pro six times, and with his exciting, often-improvisational running style was a highlight film regular. He retired with 15,269 rushing yards and scored a total of 109 touchdowns. Sanders was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2004.

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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: Bills Mount 4th Quarter Rally, Defeat Raiders in OT

The Buffalo Bills, reigning AFC Champions, were 11-2 and had clinched the AFC East title but needed a win to assure home field advantage in the playoffs as they faced the Los Angeles Raiders on December 8, 1991. Head Coach Marv Levy’s team excelled with a quick-striking, no-huddle offense developed by offensive coordinator Ted Marchibroda and directed by QB Jim Kelly (pictured above). Other key players on offense were highly-dependable WR Andre Reed and RB Thurman Thomas, an outstanding all-purpose back. Star DE Bruce Smith missed most of the season with a bad knee but the linebackers and backfield were strengths.

The Raiders, coached by Art Shell, had won four straight games and were contending in the AFC West with a 9-4 record. As usual, the roster was loaded with veterans. QB Jay Schroeder was inconsistent but third-year WR Tim Brown was a rising talent. The defense benefited from the addition of 32-year-old SS Ronnie Lott.

There was a big crowd of 85,081 at the cavernous LA Memorial Coliseum. The teams traded punts before the Raiders, starting at the Buffalo 32, drove to a score in seven plays. RB Marcus Allen ran the ball six times and Jeff Jaeger kicked a 19-yard field goal.

The Bills reached midfield before having to punt and the Raiders started with possession at their seven yard line. However, they took just four plays to advance 93 yards. RB Roger Craig ran twice for 17 yards and, after a short pass to FB Steve Smith lost two yards, Jay Schroeder threw to Tim Brown, who charged down the right sideline for a 78-yard touchdown. Jaeger added the extra point and Los Angeles was ahead by 10-0. The ten-point margin didn’t last long, however, as WR Al Edwards took the ensuing kickoff all the way back for a 91-yard TD. Scott Norwood’s extra point made it a three-point game in short order.

The Raiders had the ball as the contest moved into the second quarter and put together an 80-yard series in 13 plays. Schroeder completed a third-and-four pass to Allen for 21 yards and, after running plays moved the ball to the Buffalo 40, to TE Ethan Horton for a 17-yard gain on third-and-eight. A run by Allen on third-and-10 got the ball to the 14 and Schroeder kept the ball himself for a two-yard gain to convert fourth down. That set up a 12-yard touchdown carry by RB Nick Bell and, with Jaeger’s successful point after, the Raiders were up by 17-7.

The teams again exchanged punts before the Bills, starting at their nine, drove into LA territory. After a roughing-the-passer penalty on first down, Jim Kelly completed four straight passes to start things off, gaining 32 yards to the LA 48. However, facing fourth-and-one shortly thereafter, FB Carwell Gardner was stopped short.

As the half came down to the last two minutes, the Raiders punted and CB Clifford Hicks returned it 59 yards to the LA 33. Three plays later, Kelly threw to TE Keith McKeller for a nine-yard TD and Norwood added the PAT that made it a three-point game once again. But the first half scoring wasn’t yet over as the Raiders drove to the Buffalo 11 in the last minute. The big plays were Schroeder passes to WR Mervyn Fernandez for 16 yards and to Tim Brown for 28 yards. Jaeger kicked a 28-yard field goal and the Raiders were ahead by 20-14 at halftime.

The Bills had first possession in the third quarter and were forced to punt. Los Angeles added to its lead with a nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive. The big play was a Schroeder pass to Fernandez that gained 59 yards to the Buffalo 13. An apparent Schroeder touchdown on a fourth down play was reversed upon review of the replay, but five plays later, and with the help of two penalties on the Bills, Allen ran for a TD from a yard out and Jaeger’s extra point made the score 27-14.

Kelly went to the air often in the next series, but after reaching the LA 17 he was sacked by DE Greg Townsend for a nine-yard loss and a false start moved the Bills five yards farther back. Norwood’s 49-yard field goal attempt sailed wide to the right.

The Raiders punted following their next possession and, in a drive that extended into the fourth quarter, the Bills again penetrated deep into Los Angeles territory. Kelly had completions to WR James Lofton for 19 and 16 yards and to Andre Reed (pictured at left) for 12 and 11 yards. But Buffalo once again came up empty when Norwood missed another field goal, this time hitting the right upright from 32 yards away.

The teams traded turnovers when Schroeder fumbled and LB Darryl Talley recovered for the Bills at the LA 28, but two plays later Ronnie Lott intercepted a Kelly pass. The resulting short series for the Raiders that ended with a punt and this time Buffalo did not falter. With Kelly firing exclusively out of the shotgun, the Bills reached the LA three and, on his third attempt, RB Kenneth Davis reached the end zone from a yard out. The snake-bitten Norwood shanked the extra point try, however, and the score remained 27-20 in favor of the Raiders with just over four minutes remaining in regulation.

Playing conservatively, the Raiders ran the ball three times and punted. The Bills took over at their 36 and went 64 yards in eight plays. Kelly started off with back-to-back 13-yard completions to Thurman Thomas but tossed three incomplete passes, with a 10-yard holding penalty interspersed, to face a third-and-20 situation from the LA 48. A pass to Thomas gained 19 yards and, on fourth-and-one, Kelly threw to Reed for a 20-yard gain. Two plays later, Kelly connected with Lofton for a nine-yard TD and, with Norwood coming through with the all-important extra point, the score was tied at 27-27. There was no further scoring in the last minute and the contest headed into overtime.

The Raiders had the first possession in the extra period, but a long Schroeder pass was intercepted by FS Mark Kelso. Starting from their own 36, the Bills struck quickly as Kelly connected with Reed for a 31-yard gain to the LA 33. Thomas ran the ball three times and then Norwood came through with a 42-yard field goal to win the game for Buffalo at 2:34 into overtime by a score of 30-27.

The Bills had the edge in total yards (409 to 386) and first downs (25 to 18). However, they were also penalized 10 times, to five flags thrown on the Raiders. While Scott Norwood’s three missed field goals and one extra point also were a handicap, the Bills benefited from 195 yards in combined kick returns, including a touchdown on a kickoff and a long punt return to set up another score. Los Angeles turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by Buffalo, and the offense faltered badly in the crucial fourth quarter.

Jim Kelly completed 33 of 52 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Thurman Thomas was held to 57 yards on 15 carries but also had 7 catches for 76 yards. Keith McKeller caught 10 passes for 57 yards and a TD and Andre Reed gained 107 yards on his 8 pass receptions.

For the Raiders, Jay Schroeder was successful on 11 of 21 throws for 252 yards and a TD with two intercepted. Tim Brown (pictured below) gained 106 yards on just two catches thanks to his one long scoring reception. Marcus Allen ran for 57 yards on 16 attempts that included a touchdown and also had three catches for 38 yards. Mervyn Fernandez contributed two receptions for 75 yards.

The win assured that Buffalo would be top seed in the AFC for the postseason. Finishing with a 13-3 record, the Bills advanced to the Super Bowl for the second straight year, but lost to the Washington Redskins. The Raiders fell out of a tie for first in the AFC West with Denver and lost their remaining games to end up third in the AFC West at 9-7, but still secured a playoff spot. With rookie QB Todd Marinovich replacing Jay Schroeder, they lost in the Wild Card round to the Chiefs.

Jim Kelly led the league in TD passes with 33 and the AFC in overall passing with a 97.6 rating. He received consensus first-team All-NFL honors and was chosen to the Pro Bowl for the fourth time. Thurman Thomas topped the NFL with 2038 all-purpose yards and was the AFC rushing leader with 1407 yards. He was the consensus league MVP. Andre Reed was chosen to the Pro Bowl for the fourth straight year after catching 81 passes for 1113 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns.

Scott Norwood’s placekicking inconsistency was indicative of a season in which he was successful on 18 of 29 field goal attempts, but only 10 of 20 from 30 yards or more. He had missed a potential game-winning field goal try from 47 yards at the conclusion of the previous year’s Super Bowl against the Giants, and it all set the stage for his departure from the Bills after seven years.