1940: Isbell-to-Hutson is Highlight as Packers Win Pro All-Star Game

Predecessor to the Pro Bowl, the NFL’s all-star contest that came into being after the 1950 NFL season, was the Pro All-Star Game, which followed the 1938 thru ’42 seasons. Unlike the Pro Bowl, the Pro All-Star Game format matched the winner of the NFL Championship game against a squad of All-Stars representing the rest of the league. The second game was played on January 14, 1940 and featured the Green Bay Packers, NFL Champions of 1939, against an All-Star team coached by Steve Owen of the Giants.

The Packers, coached by Curly Lambeau, had gone 9-2 in winning the Western Division for the second straight year and handily defeated the Giants by a score of 27-0 in a Championship game rematch. Tailbacks Arnie Herber and Cecil Isbell (pictured above) were fine passers and they had the league’s best receiver in end Don Hutson as primary target. Behind an outstanding line, FB Clarke Hinkle led the running attack.

Among the players in the starting lineup for the All-Stars were center Mel Hein and end Jim Poole of the Giants, HB Parker Hall (the league MVP) and FB Johnny Drake of the Rams, Brooklyn end Perry Schwartz and guard Bruiser Kinard, and tackle Joe Stydahar of the Bears.

The game, played in Los Angeles, had been postponed a week due to rain and there was a near-capacity crowd of 18,000 in attendance under sunny skies at Gilmore Stadium. The All-Stars had worked together for three weeks and lacked coordination, neither running nor passing the ball effectively. The Packers struck first in the opening quarter with Clarke Hinkle kicking a 45-yard field goal.

In the second quarter, Green Bay drove to the All-Star 11 and Ernie Smith booted an 18-yard field goal that made the score 6-0. The All-Stars threatened later in the period when Washington tailback Frank Filchock threw to end Bill Smith of the Cardinals for a 62-yard gain to the Green Bay 12, where he was knocked out of bounds by Cecil Isbell. The Packers held for three downs and a fourth down pass by Filchock was intercepted by LB Ed Jankowski to end the threat.

With the ball at their eight yard line and the clock down to 38 seconds in the first half, the Packers pulled off the most spectacular play of the game. The All-Stars were anticipating a punt, but Isbell instead faded back into his end zone and threw long for Don Hutson (pictured at left). The pass went over 60 yards in the air before being gathered in by the streaking Hutson, who went the distance for a 92-yard touchdown. Smith kicked the extra point and the NFL champs took a 13-0 lead into halftime.

Early in the third quarter, the All-Stars got moving on offense, under the direction of diminutive QB Davey O’Brien of the Eagles. First, O’Brien gave the All-Stars good field position as he returned a punt 28 yards to the Green Bay 17. Two runs by Johnny Drake gave the All-Stars a first down at the six, and two plays later O’Brien threw to end Joe Carter, an Eagles teammate, in the end zone for a touchdown. Ward Cuff of the Giants added the extra point and the All-Stars were back in the game at 13-7.

Later in the period, runs of 24 yards by Hinkle and 19 yards by HB Andy Uram helped the Packers to reach the All-Star 16. The drive stalled, but Smith added a seven-yard field goal to put Green Bay ahead by nine.

That was it for the scoring, although late in the contest the Packers reached the All-Star three yard line thanks to passes by Arnie Herber to Hutson and end Carl “Moose” Mulleneaux. On fourth down, and having lost a yard, Ernie Smith lined up for a field goal attempt, but with the crowd shouting for a touchdown, the Packers tried a pass instead that fell incomplete. It was of no consequence as Green Bay came away the winner by a final score of 16-7. The game ended with the ball near midfield after O’Brien fired a pass to Bill Smith for a 25-yard gain.

The Packers easily outgained the All-Stars (330 yards to 130) and had the edge in first downs (11 to 8). Each team gave up two interceptions apiece. Davey O’Brien (pictured at right), Johnny Drake, and Parker Hall were the best of the backs for the All-Stars.

The win for the Packers gave the NFL champs a second win over the All-Stars in as many games. It would reach four straight before the All-Stars would win the fifth, and final, contest of the series. 

Rookie of the Year: Don Woods, 1974

Halfback, San Diego Chargers

Age:  23

College: New Mexico

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 210

Prelude:

A quarterback in college, Woods was chosen by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 1974 NFL draft. The Packers converted him into a running back, and while he showed promise, Woods was cut at the end of the preseason. He was claimed by the Chargers and saw his first action in the third week of the season, with stunning results.

1974 Season Summary

Appeared in 12 of 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 227 [7]

Most attempts, game - 27 (for 117 yds.) at Oakland 11/17

Yards – 1162 [2]

Most yards, game – 157 yards (on 18 carries) vs. Miami 9/29

Average gain – 5.1 [2]

TDs – 7 [8, tied with Mack Herron & Calvin Hill]

100-yard rushing games – 7

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 26      

Most receptions, game – 5 (for 66 yds.) vs. Chicago 12/8

Yards – 349

Most yards, game - 119 (on 3 catches) vs. Cleveland 11/3

Average gain – 13.4

TDs – 3

100-yard receiving games – 1

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 3

Yards – 61

Average per return – 20.3

TDs – 0

All-Purpose yards – 1572 [6]

Passing

Attempts – 3

Completions – 1

Yards – 28

TDs – 1

INT – 1

Scoring

TDs – 10 [7, tied with Isaac Curtis & Jon Keyworth]

Points – 60

Awards & Honors:

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA

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

Chargers went 5-9 to finish fourth in the AFC West.

Aftermath:

The outstanding rookie season proved to be the best of Woods’ career. A knee injury that required surgery limited him to five games in 1975, in which he rushed for just 317 yards with a 3.6-yard average gain and caught 13 passes. While he lasted for another five years in the NFL, Woods never again gained more than 514 yards rushing in a season while twice catching 34 passes. He was dealt to the 49ers during the 1980 season, his last. Overall, Woods ended up with 3087 rushing yards on 763 carries, averaging 4.0 yards, caught 145 passes for 1358 yards, and scored a total of 21 touchdowns.

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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). 

1991: Bills Overcome Dolphins in AFC Divisional Playoff Game

The AFC Divisional playoff game in Orchard Park, NY on January 12, 1991 featured two AFC East rivals, the Buffalo Bills, who had topped the division in 1990 with the conference’s best record at 13-3, against the Miami Dolphins, the second-place team that compiled a 12-4 tally to qualify for the postseason as a Wild Card entry.

The Bills were in the postseason for the third straight year under Head Coach Marv Levy. They featured a quick-striking offense led by QB Jim Kelly (pictured above), who had fine targets in WRs Andre Reed and James Lofton, plus an excellent all-purpose back in RB Thurman Thomas. The defensive line was anchored by DE Bruce Smith and the corps of linebackers was solid with Cornelius Bennett, Shane Conlan, and Darryl Talley. If there was a concern, it was that Kelly was returning to action after missing 2 ½ games with a sprained left knee, and he had been listed as questionable in the week leading up to the game.

Miami was coached by Don Shula for the 21^st season and had put together its best record in five years. The offense still featured the brilliant passing of QB Dan Marino, but had gained an added element in the running of RB Sammie Smith, who came on late in the season. The veteran wide receiver tandem of Mark Duper and Mark Clayton was still in place, although Clayton was showing signs of wear. But the offensive line was revitalized by OT Richmond Webb and G Keith Sims, both rookies. The defense also was improved, although the unit’s best player, LB John Offerdahl, was out for the playoff game against the Bills with an injury. Marino rallied the Dolphins to a Wild Card playoff win the previous week against the Chiefs, thus reaching the Divisional round and a matchup with a team against which they had split the season series.

There were 77,067 fans in attendance at Rich Stadium for the Saturday afternoon game. The temperature was in the thirties and there was a light mist that turned to a steady snow, which caused the artificial surface to become slippery as the game progressed.

The Bills took the opening kickoff and moved in typically brisk fashion to a score in a five-play drive that covered 76 yards. Jim Kelly threw to Thurman Thomas for 20 yards, Thomas ran for 14 and, two plays later, a pass to Andre Reed covered the last 40 yards for a touchdown. Scott Norwood added the extra point and, with less than two minutes elapsed, the home team held a 7-0 lead.

The Dolphins responded by going 40 yards in ten plays in a series that was punctuated by five penalties, three of them on the Bills. Pete Stoyanovich kicked a 49-yard field goal that narrowed the score to 7-3.

Once again Buffalo moved swiftly on offense. Kelly threw to Thomas for seven yards and then to James Lofton for 44 yards to the Miami 12. The Bills were able to pick up six more yards on a pass to TE Keith McKeller, and that was it, but they added a 24-yard Norwood field goal that made the score 10-3.

On the next series, a Marino pass was tipped by Darryl Talley and intercepted by CB Nate Odomes. Starting with favorable field position at the Miami 38, the Bills converted a third-and-eight play when Kelly ran out of the pocket for a first down, and although he fumbled, C Kent Hull recovered at the 18. The nine-play, 33-yard possession ended with Norwood kicking another field goal, this time from 22 yards. The score remained 13-3 heading into the second quarter.

Following a punt by the Dolphins, the Bills advanced 67 yards in five plays. Thomas (pictured at left) ran twice for eight yards and then caught a pass for another 11 before Kelly threw to Reed for 43 yards to the Miami five. From there, Thomas ran up the middle for a touchdown and, adding Norwood’s extra point, it was a 20-3 lead for the home team.

With the game slipping away, it was Miami’s turn to strike quickly. In a third-and-five situation, Marino connected with Mark Duper for 11 yards and then went back to Duper again, this time for a 64-yard TD. Having gone 80 yards in four plays, Stoyanovich added the PAT and Buffalo’s lead was narrowed to 20-10.

The Bills responded by driving 68 yards in 11 plays. Kelly immediately threw to Lofton for 19 yards and, two plays later, ran for nine yards. Reaching the Miami 32, Buffalo converted a fourth-and-three play as Kelly connected with Reed for 13 yards. The series ended with a seven-yard Kelly-to-Lofton touchdown pass and, adding the extra point, the home team again enjoyed a 17-point lead of 27-10 with five minutes remaining in the first half.

The Dolphins reached midfield before an intentional grounding penalty backed them up and they were forced to punt. However, after returning the kick 17 yards, WR Al Edwards fumbled and the punter, Reggie Roby, recovered at the Buffalo 47. A five-yard carry was followed by two incomplete passes, but then, on fourth-and-five, Marino threw to Duper for 38 yards to the four. Marino ran for a two-yard touchdown with 27 seconds left on the clock and Stoyanovich added the extra point. Buffalo’s lead was 27-17 at halftime.

Miami narrowed the lead further with a 62-yard drive in eight plays to start the third quarter. The big play was a 17-yard run by Sammie Smith in a third-and-two situation that got the ball to the Buffalo 12. Stoyanovich finished off the series with a 22-yard field goal that made it a seven-point game at 27-20.

The Bills stormed back as Thomas had back-to-back eight yard runs and Kelly threw to Lofton for 31 yards to the Miami 27. However, two plays later Kelly was picked off by SS Jarvis Williams. The Dolphins were deep in their own territory, starting at the two, and on a third-down play from their 12, Marino went long and was intercepted by FS Mark Kelso.

With the ball at the Miami 48, the Bills used two carries by Thomas and a pass to McKeller to reach the 33. Facing third-and-seven, Kelly completed a pass to Lofton for 13 yards and, after Thomas gained nine yards on three straight runs, Norwood kicked a 28-yard field goal to make it 30-20.

RB Marc Logan returned the ensuing kickoff 30 yards to give the Dolphins good starting field position at their 43, and Marino immediately threw to Mark Clayton for 23 yards. Smith ran twice for 18 yards to finish off the period at the Buffalo 13, and three plays into the fourth quarter, Marino (pictured below) tossed a pass to G Roy Foster, an eligible receiver in short yardage, for a two-yard TD. Stoyanovich added the extra point and Buffalo’s once-formidable lead was down to three points at 30-27.

The Bills drove 63 yards in ten plays in response. Kelly completed four passes, including one of five yards to McKeller to convert a fourth-and-two situation, and had a key eight-yard scramble along that way. A 12-yard completion to Edwards advanced the ball to the Miami 17 and a defensive holding penalty on CB Tim McKyer on a third-and-eight play gave the Bills a first down and Thomas ran for a five-yard touchdown to cap the possession. Norwood’s successful conversion put Buffalo in front by ten.

The key turnover of the game occurred on the ensuing kickoff when Logan fumbled when hit by LB Hal Garner and Norwood recovered for the Bills at the Miami 29. Two plays later, Kelly connected with Reed for a 26-yard TD. Norwood added the extra point once again and Buffalo’s lead was 44-27 with 9:42 remaining in the game.

The Dolphins fought back, with Marino throwing to Clayton for 21 yards and to TE Ferrell Edmunds for eight, and Smith running for 12 yards on a third-and-two play. But the drive stalled at the Buffalo 35 as Marino threw four straight incomplete passes, the last while facing fourth-and-ten.

The Bills ran the clock down to under five minutes before punting, and Miami put together a scoring drive of 91 yards in 15 plays. Marino completed eight passes along the way, the last one of eight yards to WR Tony Martin for a touchdown. Stoyanovich added the extra point, but it was a ten-point game with 1:15 left on the clock. When the Bills recovered the ensuing onside kick, Miami’s fate was sealed. The Bills came away winners by a score of 44-34.

Buffalo had the edge in total yards (493 to 430) while the teams were even with 24 first downs apiece. The Dolphins turned the ball over three times, the last time with devastating results, to two suffered by the Bills.

Jim Kelly completed 19 of 29 passes for 339 yards and three touchdowns while giving up one interception. Thurman Thomas ran for 117 yards and two TDs on 32 carries and also caught three passes for 38 yards. James Lofton had 7 catches for 149 yards and a touchdown and Andre Reed had four receptions for 122 yards and two TDs.

For the Dolphins, Dan Marino was successful on 23 of 49 throws for 323 yards and three TDs while tossing two interceptions. Mark Duper (pictured below) gained 113 yards on his three catches that included a score while Mark Clayton had four pass receptions for 82 yards. Tony Martin and RB/WR Jim Jensen also had four catches, for 44 and 38 yards, respectively, and one of Martin’s was good for a touchdown. Sammie Smith rushed for 99 yards on 21 attempts.

“We have so many weapons, it’s tough to double-cover anybody,” said Jim Kelly. “We put it all together today and we’re tough when we do that.”

“I thought we were going to make it interesting when we got to within three,” said Don Shula. “Then we didn’t stop them defensively and fumbled the kickoff, and they scored again to build the lead that eventually won the game for them.”

“They moved the ball well all day,” added Dan Marino. “We did, too. But they played mistake-free football.”

Buffalo went on to rout the Raiders for the AFC Championship but lost a close Super Bowl contest to the New York Giants. The Bills won the AFC title in each of the next three seasons, but fell each time in the Super Bowl. The Dolphins dropped back to 8-8 in 1991, but returned to the postseason in ’92 at 11-5.

1987: Broncos Tie Score with “The Drive”, Beat Browns in OT for AFC Title

The AFC Championship game on January 11, 1987 featured the Denver Broncos, who had topped the AFC West with an 11-5 record, against the Cleveland Browns, champions of the AFC Central at 12-4.

The Broncos, coached by Dan Reeves, were benefiting from the continued development of QB John Elway (pictured above), who appeared to be hitting his stride in his fourth year. The running game was ordinary, but young receivers like WRs Vance Johnson and Mark Jackson plus TE Orson Mobley enhanced the passing attack. Key players on defense were DE Rulon Jones, linebackers Karl Mecklenburg and Tom Jackson, and SS Dennis Smith. Denver had gotten off to a 6-0 start but was less consistent during the season’s second half. Still, the Broncos topped the division and got past New England at the Divisional round to advance to the conference title game.

Cleveland seemed the hotter club coming into the matchup with Denver. Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer’s team was 4-3 after seven weeks but lost only one game after that. The Browns won their last five contests to close out the regular season with the best record in the AFC and then defeated the Jets in overtime at the Divisional playoff level. They, too, had a good young quarterback in 23-year-old Bernie Kosar, who may have lacked Elway’s mobility but was a fine passer who led the league with the lowest percentage of interceptions (1.9). Star TE Ozzie Newsome had suffered through an injury-plagued season, but Kosar spread his passes among several capable receivers, including utility back Herman Fontenot, who had 47 receptions. The ground game was also missing RB Earnest Byner due to injury, but FB Kevin Mack, who also had missed time, was back in action for the postseason. The defense was solid, if not spectacular. Placekicker Matt Bahr had undergone surgery during the season and in his place was 38-year-old Mark Moseley, the NFL’s last straight-ahead kicker who had finally reached the end of the line in Washington.

It was an overcast day in Cleveland with nearly 80,000 fans in attendance at Municipal Stadium. The teams traded punts before the Browns put together a 14-play, 86-yard drive. On a third-and-twelve play, Bernie Kosar passed to WR Reggie Langhorne for 13 yards and followed up with a completion to Herman Fontenot for another 13 yards to the Cleveland 38. Kevin Mack ran three straight times for 23 yards and, facing a third-and-seven situation, Kosar connected with Fontenot once again for 24 yards to the Denver 15. The series ended with Kosar passing to Fontenot for a six-yard touchdown. Mark Moseley added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

The Broncos again punted following their next possession, with WR Gerald “Ice Cube” McNeil returning Mike Horan’s 48-yard kick for 18 yards to the Cleveland 37. McNeil fumbled at the end, but DB Chris Rockins recovered for the Browns. However, two plays later Kosar threw a pass that was intercepted by LB Ricky Hunley at midfield that, with a 14-yard return, gave Denver possession at the Cleveland 36.

The Broncos were unable to move the ball following the turnover and punted on the second play of the second quarter. Once again Kosar threw an interception, this time by LB Jim Ryan, who ran 26 yards to give the visitors first-and-goal at the Cleveland nine. Denver got to the one in three plays and Rich Karlis kicked a 19-yard field goal to make it 7-3.

The Broncos got the ball back quickly when, on Cleveland’s next play from scrimmage, Mack fumbled and LB Ken Woodard recovered for Denver at the Browns’ 37. On first down, Elway was flushed out of the pocket but, despite a sprained ankle, scrambled for 34 yards to the three yard line. Two running plays got the ball to the one and, on third down, Elway, under pressure from LB Clay Matthews, threw an incomplete pass. The Broncos chose to go for it this time on fourth down, and, catching the Browns unprepared on defense, were rewarded when HB Gerald Willhite ran off right tackle for a TD. Karlis kicked the PAT and Denver was ahead by 10-7.

The Browns reached the Denver 45 on the next series, with Kosar completing three straight passes for 24 yards to start the drive off, but they could get no farther and had to punt. The Broncos had to punt it back and, starting at their 35, the Browns advanced 53 yards in nine plays. The highlight was a Kosar completion to WR Clarence Weathers that picked up 42 yards to the Denver 20 in a third-and-seven situation. Mack ran the ball twice for a total of five yards and, after Kosar was called for intentional grounding, Moseley came on to kick a 29-yard field goal that tied the score at 10-10 with 20 seconds remaining in the half.

The teams exchanged punts to start the third quarter. On their second series, the Broncos reached midfield, but an Elway pass that was originally ruled incomplete was overturned, having been intercepted by DB Mark Harper. Still, the Browns went three-and-out. Following the punt, Denver put together an 11-play, 61-yard series. RB Sammy Winder ran four times for 20 yards and Elway had a completion to TE Clarence Kay for 15 yards and to Orson Mobley for nine, plus another 15 yards added at the end due to a roughing-the-passer penalty. The drive finally stalled at the Cleveland nine and Karlis kicked a 26-yard field goal that put the visitors back in front at 13-10.

The Browns responded by going 76 yards in ten plays that extended into the fourth quarter. Kosar had completions to WR Webster Slaughter for 20 yards and Langhorne for 22 to the Denver 38. Mack ran six straight times for a total of 31 yards and the possession finally ended with Moseley once again tying the score with a 24-yard field goal.

The teams again exchanged punts until the Browns, starting at their 48 after a ten-yard McNeil return, struck quickly. A pass was incomplete and Fontenot ran for four yards before, on third down, Kosar threw to WR Brian Brennan for a 48-yard touchdown, putting the home crowd in a frenzy. Moseley’s extra point gave the Browns a 20-13 lead with 5:43 left on the clock.

Things did not look promising for the Broncos, especially when they started their next series at the two yard line following the squibbed kickoff that was mishandled by RB Ken Bell. Elway threw to Winder for five yards and then, following three straight running plays, Denver was facing second-and-seven at the 15. Elway scrambled for 11 yards and followed up with completions to RB Steve Sewell for 22 yards and WR Steve Watson for 12 to the Cleveland 40.

However, another pass was incomplete and then Elway was sacked by NT Dave Puzzuoli, losing eight yards and bringing up a third-and-18 situation. But Elway connected with WR Mark Jackson for 20 yards and the Broncos had a first down at the 28. Two plays later, Sewell caught a pass for 14 yards and, with just under a minute remaining in regulation, the ball was at the 14. Following an incomplete pass, Elway was again forced to run and gained nine yards to set up third-and-one with the clock now down to 42 seconds. Elway, under a heavy rush, threw to a diving Jackson in the end zone for a five-yard touchdown to complete the 15-play, 98-yard series that would henceforth be referred to as “The Drive”. Karlis kicked the all-important extra point and the game went into overtime tied at 20-20.

The Browns had the first possession in OT but ran three plays and had to punt. Taking over at their 25, the Broncos gained five yards on a carry by Winder before Elway threw to Mobley for a 22-yard gain. A pitchout to Winder lost two yards and it was third-and-12 after a pass fell incomplete. Once again, Elway came through with a big play as he connected with Watson for 28 yards to the Cleveland 22. The Broncos ran the ball three times to set up a 33-yard field goal attempt by Karlis. While the kick hooked to the left, it passed just inside the upright and was successful.  At 5:48 into overtime the Broncos were AFC Champions by a score of 23-20.

Denver had the edge in total yards (374 to 356) and first downs (22 to 17). The Browns turned the ball over three times, to one turnover by the Broncos, and were penalized nine times at a cost of 76 yards, to six flags thrown on Denver.

John Elway completed 22 of 38 passes for 244 yards and a touchdown with one interception. He also ran the ball four times for 56 yards. Four Broncos caught three passes apiece, with Steve Watson gaining a team-leading 55 yards on his and Steve Sewell accumulating 47 yards. Sammy Winder rushed for 83 yards on 26 carries.

For the Browns, Bernie Kosar was successful on 18 of 32 throws for 259 yards and two TDs, but also two interceptions. Herman Fontenot had 7 catches for 66 yards and a touchdown and Brian Brennan, with the long scoring catch, gained 72 yards on his four pass receptions. Kevin Mack ran for 94 yards on 26 attempts. On special teams, Gerald McNeil averaged 12.3 yards on his three punt returns and Mark Moseley, in the final game of his long career, was successful on both of his field goal attempts as well as his extra points.

“I don’t know where to start, there are so many places you can start to talk about in this football game,” said Dan Reeves. “It was just a tremendous drive at the end.”

There was no Elway-inspired magic in the Super Bowl, where the Broncos lost decisively to the New York Giants. The Broncos and Browns, who again topped their divisions in 1987, met again to vie for the AFC title in a rematch, this time in Denver in a game that the Broncos won thanks to a late fumble by the Browns. 

MVP Profile: Jerry Rice, 1993

Wide Receiver, San Francisco 49ers

Age: 31 (Oct. 13)

9^th season in pro football & with 49ers

College: Mississippi Valley State

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 200

Prelude:

Drafted by the 49ers in the first round in 1985, Rice moved into the starting lineup as a rookie and showed flashes of future greatness as he caught 49 passes for 927 yards and diverted coverage from veteran WR Dwight Clark. In ’86, Rice broke out with 86 receptions and led the NFL in receiving yards (1570) and TD catches (15). He was a consensus first-team All-Pro selection and was chosen for the Pro Bowl. It was the first of seven straight seasons prior to ’93 in which he received first-team All-Pro honors, and he was picked for the Pro Bowl every year during that stretch as well. In the strike-interrupted 1987 season Rice had a record 22 touchdown receptions in just 12 games and received MVP recognition. In 1989, he led the NFL in pass receiving yards (1483) and TD catches (17) and in ’90 led in pass receptions (100) as well as receiving yards (1502) and TD catches (14). He had more than 80 catches, a thousand yards, and was in double figures in TD receptions in 1991 and ’92.

1993 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 98 [2] 

Most receptions, game – 10 (for 83 yds.) vs. Houston 12/25

Yards – 1503 [1]

Most yards, game - 172 (on 8 catches) at Tampa Bay 11/14

Average gain – 15.3 [15, tied with Herman Moore]

TDs – 15 [1, tied with Andre Rison]

100-yard receiving games – 5

Rushing

Attempts – 3

Yards – 69

Average gain – 23.0

TDs – 1

Scoring

TDs – 16 [1]

Points – 96 [20]

Postseason: 2 G

Pass receptions – 9

Most pass receptions, game – 6 at Dallas, NFC Championship

Pass receiving yards – 126

Most pass receiving yards, game – 83 at Dallas, NFC Championship

Average yards per reception – 14.0

Pass Receiving TDs – 0

Rushing attempts – 1

Rushing yards - -9

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

49ers went 10-6 to finish first in the NFC West while leading the NFL in total yards (6435), scoring (473 points), and touchdowns (61) and the NFC in passing yards (4353). Won NFC Divisional playoff over New York Giants (44-3). Lost NFC Championship to Dallas Cowboys (27-17).

Aftermath:

Rice continued on to play 20 seasons in the NFL (he missed most of 1997 due to injury) and re-wrote the record book by the time he was done. The 1986 and ’87 seasons were the first of 11 straight thousand-yard receiving seasons and 14 overall. He led the league in that category five more times, including a record 1848 in 1995. Rice also had four 100-catch seasons and was the NFL leader twice. A prolific scorer, he had a total of nine years in which he reached double figures in receiving TDs and paced the league six times. After 16 years with San Francisco, Rice moved on to the Raiders for three full seasons plus part of his last year, in 2004, in which he finished up with Seattle. Overall, he retired as career leader in pass receptions (1549), receiving yards (22,895), receiving touchdowns (197), and total TDs (208). He gained the most total yards (23,546) of any player in NFL history. The 49ers retired Rice’s #80 and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2010.

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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). 

1983: Vikings Overcome Falcons in First Round Playoff Game

Following a strike-interrupted regular season, two teams with 5-4 records met in a NFC First Round playoff game in Minneapolis on January 9, 1983. The 57-day work stoppage had limited the 1982 NFL season to nine games, resulting in the league eliminating divisions and having the top eight clubs in each conference make the playoffs. Minnesota was the fourth seeded team and Atlanta ranked fifth.

While the Vikings were coached by Bud Grant for the 16^th season, there was a significant change in terms of venue. Rather than being a rugged outdoor team that made the most of cold conditions at old Metropolitan Stadium, especially in the postseason, Minnesota had moved into the domed confines of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, which took the elements out of the equation. Still, they had won four of their five games at the new stadium. QB Tommy Kramer provided emotional leadership as well as passing ability and FB Ted Brown (pictured above) paced the ground attack. Star DE Doug Martin had been joined by NT Charlie Johnson, who was obtained from the Eagles, and LB Matt Blair had a Pro Bowl year. 

The Falcons, under Head Coach Leeman Bennett, seemed to be going in the wrong direction. They were an inconsistent team that had been badly beaten in each of their last two regular season games with the offense struggling in particular, having managed just one touchdown in those two contests. QB Steve Bartkowski was a classic dropback passer with a strong and accurate arm, but the deep passing game was lacking. However, RB William Andrews was outstanding at both running the ball and catching out of the backfield. The linebacking corps was the strength of the defense, but ILB Buddy Curry was out for the playoff game with a knee injury.

There were 60,560 fans in attendance for the first postseason game at the Metrodome. The Falcons scored at just over a minute into the game when the Vikings were forced to punt following their first series. Punter Greg Coleman fumbled the snap and, while he got the kick off, it was blocked by LB Paul Davis. DE Doug Rogers recovered the ball in the end zone for an Atlanta touchdown. Mick Luckhurst kicked the extra point and the visitors had an early 7-0 lead.

Late in the first period, the Vikings benefited from a 25-yard pass interference call on FS Tom Pridemore. It set up a 33-yard field goal by Rick Danmeier that finished off a 33-yard drive in six plays and the score was 7-3 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Vikings drove 82 yards in seven plays to put more points on the board. HB Darrin Nelson had a 14-yard run and Tommy Kramer connected with WR Sammy White for a 25-yard gain. The series ended with Kramer again throwing to White for an 11-yard touchdown. Danmeier’s extra point put Minnesota ahead by three.

Down by 10-7, a promising drive by the Falcons came up empty when FS John Turner intercepted a Bartkowski pass at the Minnesota two and returned it 17 yards.

Minnesota added to its lead with a 30-yard Danmeier field goal in the last 30 seconds before the end of the half that capped a four-play series and made the score 13-7. It was set up by a 20-yard punt return by DB Rufus Bess and helped along by Ted Brown’s 14-yard run.

It had been a rough first half for both clubs. Bartkowski had only three pass completion against the tough Minnesota defense, which pressured him relentlessly. Meanwhile, the Vikings had injury problems as Ted Brown missed time with a sore shoulder and John Turner hurt his ankle to the extent that he was carried off the field and taken to a hospital for x-rays, although both returned to make big plays in the second half.

In the third quarter, Atlanta finally put together a solid drive, with Bartkowski completing three passes, including one for 25 yards to WR Floyd Hodge and another to WR Alfred Jenkins that picked up 22 yards. The series reached the Minnesota 17 before stalling and the Falcons lined up for a field goal attempt. However, QB Mike Moroski, the holder, took the snap and sprinted around right end, lateraling to PK Mick Luckhurst (pictured below), who ran the last 17 yards for a touchdown. It was the Englishman’s only career rushing attempt and capped an eight-play, 71-yard possession.

Two minutes later, SS Bob Glazebrook intercepted a Kramer pass at the Minnesota 35 and returned it for a touchdown. Despite their woes on offense, the Falcons were ahead by eight points at 21-13.

Minnesota drove to another score before the third quarter was over, going 70 yards in 13 plays, ending with a 39-yard Danmeier field goal. Along the way, an offside penalty in a third-and-four situation gave the Vikings a first down and Kramer completed a pass to TE Joe Senser for 18 yards.

The Falcons had to punt on their next series and, as the contest entered the fourth quarter, Minnesota responded with a ten-play possession that advanced 61 yards. Brown converted a fourth-and-inches situation with a three-yard run and Kramer completed a pass to WR Sam McCullum for 15 yards. The drive ended with Kramer throwing to WR Sam McCullum for an 11-yard TD and Danmeier again added the PAT to put the Vikings up by two at 23-21.

The Falcons moved back in front thanks to a 50-yard, seven-play drive that concluded with a 41-yard Luckhurst field goal with 6:45 left in regulation to make it 24-23. The big play was a Bartkowski pass to Jenkins that picked up 30 yards.

The Vikings, taking over with six minutes left in the game, put together a 72-yard drive. Ted Brown was the key player, running for gains of 11 and 10 yards along the way. In addition, Kramer threw to WR Terry LeCount for 19 yards. Brown finished off the series with a five-yard carry that was helped along by a block thrown by HB Rickey Young. The TD put the Vikings in front once more with 1:44 remaining.

There was still time for the Falcons to respond, but after advancing to the Minnesota 45, a pass by Bartkowski was intercepted by Turner to seal the win with 57 seconds left on the clock. The Vikings came out on top by a final score of 30-24.

Atlanta’s offense failed to score a touchdown, and the Vikings easily outgained the Falcons by 378 yards to 235. Minnesota also had an edge of 30 to 24 in first downs. The Vikings registered the game’s only three sacks and forced two Atlanta turnovers, to one for Minnesota. There were a total of 17 penalties, with the Vikings flagged 10 times at a cost of 84 yards.

Tommy Kramer completed 20 of 34 passes for 253 yards and a touchdown, also giving up an interception. Ted Brown ran for 81 yards and a TD on 23 carries. Joe Senser had 6 catches for 81 yards to lead the team’s receivers. Defensively, John Turner contributed two interceptions, with a trip to the hospital in between.

For the Falcons, Steve Bartkowski was successful on only 9 of 23 throws for 134 yards and no TDs while tossing two interceptions. William Andrews had 48 yards on 11 attempts and rookie RB Gerald Riggs added 38 yards on 9 carries and was one of three Atlanta receivers who led the club with two catches apiece, gaining 16 yards. Alfred Jenkins had 52 yards on his two receptions and Floyd Hodge gained 29 on his.

“It shows what we can do, but I sure don’t like to have to do it every week,” said Tommy Kramer. “We gave them 14 points. They really shouldn’t have been in the game.”

“We got beat today by a defensive football team that I thought whipped our offensive football team,” said Atlanta’s Coach Bennett. “I thought our offense left a lot to be desired.”

The Vikings went on to play Washington in the second round and lost 21-7. They dropped to 8-8 in 1983 and went into a period of decline, not returning to the postseason again until 1987. As for the Falcons, the loss to Minnesota proved to be the end for Leeman Bennett, who was fired and replaced by Dan Henning. They had an even longer period in the doldrums, not reaching the playoffs again until 1991.

2005: Jets Beat Chargers in Overtime of AFC Wild Card Playoff

The AFC Wild Card playoff game at San Diego on January 8, 2005 featured the San Diego Chargers hosting the New York Jets. The Chargers had won nine of their last ten games to finish atop the AFC West with a 12-4 record while New York lost three of its last four contests to end up in second place in the AFC East at 10-6 and needed help to get into the playoffs (a Buffalo loss in the final week).

San Diego, coached by Marty Schottenheimer, had turned around very quickly from a 4-12 record in 2003 and was in the postseason for the first time since 1995. QB Drew Brees had dramatically improved in his fourth year while TE Antonio Gates emerged as an outstanding receiver. RB LaDainian Tomlinson, also in his fourth season, was already established as one of the league’s best all-around backs. The defense had improved as well under the tutelage of coordinator Wade Phillips.

The Jets, coached by Herman Edwards, had the league’s leading rusher in 31-year-old RB Curtis Martin (1697 yards). QB Chad Pennington (pictured at top) was smart, efficient, and a good leader, but was troubled by a torn rotator cuff (he would have surgery in the offseason). Rookie MLB Jonathan Vilma was a good addition to the defense, but star DE John Abraham had gone down with a knee injury late in the season.

There were 67,536 fans in attendance at Qualcomm Stadium for the Saturday night game with rain falling. The Jets took the opening kickoff and drove 57 yards in 11 plays. Chad Pennington converted a third-and-nine situation with a completion to WR Santana Moss for 16 yards and, later facing third-and-eight at his own 45, threw to WR Justin McCareins, also for 16 yards. A 16-yard run by RB LaMont Jordan got the ball to the San Diego 23 and the series finally stalled at the 14. However, the visitors came up empty when Doug Brien missed a 33-yard field goal attempt.

The Chargers were unable to get anything going on offense and the teams traded punts until San Diego started a 13-play, 88-yard drive that extended into the second quarter. LaDainian Tomlinson ran for 13 yards on the first two plays, on the way to seven attempts for 39 yards for the series, and Drew Brees completed all five of his passes, the last to WR Keenan McCardell, who made an outstanding catch for a 26-yard touchdown that was initially ruled incomplete but was overturned on replay. Nate Kaeding added the extra point to give the Chargers a 7-0 lead.

The teams again exchanged punts until the Jets, helped by a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Coach Schottenheimer for running onto the field to protest the lack of a roughing-the-kicker flag on the punt, put together a five-play, 52-yard possession that included a Pennington pass to McCareins that picked up 21 yards to the San Diego 15. Two plays later, Pennington connected with TE Anthony Becht for a 13-yard TD and, with Brien adding the extra point, the game was tied with less than three minutes remaining in the first half.

The Chargers again drove into New York territory as Brees completed passes of nine yards to McCardell, 16 yards to WR Eric Parker, and 15 yards to Antonio Gates. But after advancing to the 37, a Brees pass was intercepted by SS Reggie Tongue. Thus ended the last scoring opportunity of the half, and the game remained tied at the midpoint.

Following a San Diego punt that ended the first series of the third quarter, the Jets moved 75 yards in five plays to take the lead. Pennington completed passes to McCareins of 11 and 10 yards, and then connected with Moss, who outran FS Jerry Wilson and CB Quentin Jammer for a 47-yard touchdown. Brien added the PAT and New York was up by 14-7.

The Chargers reached their 43 on the ensuing series before punting, and the Jets again put together a scoring drive of eight plays and 42 yards. The highlight was a Pennington screen pass to Curtis Martin that picked up 23 yards to the San Diego 31. However, a penalty backed the Jets up and they ultimately had to settle for a 42-yard field goal by Brien, which bounced off the crossbar before going through, but they now led by a ten-point margin.

San Diego had the ball heading into the fourth quarter, on the way to a 54-yard possession in 12 plays. Most were passes by Brees, as he hit Parker twice for 14 and 12 yards, and Tomlinson for a total of 15 yards. Kaeding kicked a 35-yard field goal to make it a 17-10 game.

The Jets mounted a long drive in response, with Pennington chipping away on short passes and a five-yard penalty on the Chargers for having 12 men on the field allowing New York to convert a fourth-and-three play at the San Diego 40. The visitors reached the 34 before punting, passing up a long field goal attempt, having used up over five-and-a-half minutes.

The Chargers took over at their 20 with 4:46 remaining in regulation. It looked bad for them when Brees was sacked on the first play for a six-yard loss. However, he threw to Gates for 21 yards and a first down and then, after tossing an incomplete pass, connected with Gates again for a 44-yard gain to the New York 21. Tomlinson ran for 12 yards to give the Chargers first-and-goal at the nine. Tomlinson carried again, for a yard, and Brees went seven yards up the middle to the one. On third down, Tomlinson lost a yard and, with the clock down to 24 seconds, it was a fourth-and-two situation. Under hot pursuit, Brees faded back 20 yards before launching a pass that was knocked down in the end zone, but LB Eric Barton was penalized for roughing the passer when he hit the quarterback in the head with his right forearm. With a first down and a half-the-distance penalty on New York that moved the ball to the one, Brees then tossed to Gates for a touchdown (pictured below). Kaeding’s vital extra point was good and the game headed into overtime with the score tied at 17-17.

San Diego had the first possession but punted, and the Jets went three-and-out and kicked it back. Starting at their 30, the Chargers put together a 14-play, 48-yard drive. Brees threw to Parker for eight yards in a third-and-five situation and converted another third down near midfield with a three yard carry. A pass to Tomlinson gained 10 yards to the New York 33 and Tomlinson then ran around left end for a nine-yard gain. With the ball inside the New York 25, the Chargers played conservatively to line up for a field goal, and Kaeding came on to try from 40 yards. However, the kick was wide to the right and the game continued.

Following a four-yard carry by Martin, Pennington threw to Moss for 18 yards and, two plays later, he connected with McCareins for 11 yards to the San Diego 34. Jordan ran for 19 yards and now it was time for the visitors to maneuver for a field goal. Brien’s kick was good from 28 yards out and the Jets came away with a 20-17 win.

The Chargers had the edge in total yards (408 to 396) and first downs (24 to 20). Each team recorded two sacks apiece and there was just one turnover, which was by San Diego. The Chargers were also penalized nine times, at a cost of 75 yards, to eight penalties for 49 yards on New York.

Chad Pennington completed 23 of 33 passes for 279 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Curtis Martin ran for 66 yards on 18 carries and caught four passes for 47 yards. LaMont Jordan contributed 50 yards on 7 rushing attempts. Justin McCareins had 8 pass receptions for 87 yards while Santana Moss gained an even 100 yards on his four catches that included the one long TD.

For the Chargers, Drew Brees (pictured at right) was successful on 31 of 42 throws for 319 yards and two TDs with one interception. LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 80 yards on 26 attempts and had 9 pass receptions for another 53 yards. Eric Parker also had 9 catches, for a team-leading 93 yards, and Antonio Gates compiled 89 yards on 6 receptions that included a score.

The Jets lost to Pittsburgh in the Divisional playoff round, again in overtime and on the other end of an identical 20-17 score. Doug Brien, who kicked the winning field goal against the Chargers, was the goat against the Steelers, missing two field goal attempts in the final minutes that could have won the game. New York fell to 4-12 in ’05, leading to the dismissal of Coach Edwards, and returned to the postseason in 2006 under a new head coach, Eric Mangini.

As for San Diego, it was the fifth straight playoff loss for Coach Marty Schottenheimer, an unfortunate blot on an otherwise solid coaching career. The Chargers went 9-7 in 2005 and placed third in the AFC West, but bounced back in 2006 with a conference-best 14-2 record. They lost their first postseason contest once again, this time at the Divisional level, and Schottenheimer was let go.