Highlighted Year: Dan Abramowicz, 1969

Wide Receiver, New Orleans Saints

Age: 24

3^rd season in pro football & with Saints

College: Xavier (OH)

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 195

Prelude:

Abramowicz caught 120 passes for 1685 yards and 14 touchdowns in college but was considered too slow by pro scouts and the expansion Saints took him in the 17^th round of the 1967 NFL draft. He moved into the starting lineup midway through his rookie season and caught 50 passes for 721 yards (14.4 avg.) and six TDs. What Abramowicz lacked in speed he made up for with reliability and a knack for getting open. He followed up in 1968 with 54 receptions for 890 yards (16.5 avg.) and seven touchdowns.

1969 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 73 [1] 

Most receptions, game – 9 (for 115 yds.) vs. Baltimore 10/19, (for 105 yds.) at Atlanta 12/7

Yards – 1015 [3]

Most yards, game – 129 (on 8 catches) vs. Pittsburgh 12/21

Average gain – 13.9

TDs – 7 [11, tied with Wendell Tucker, Joe Morrison & Dave Williams]

100-yard receiving games – 4

Rushing

Attempts – 3

Yards – 61

Average gain – 20.3

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 7

Points – 42

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP, NEA

2^nd team All-NFL: NY Daily News, Sporting News

Saints went 5-9 to finish third in the Capitol Division of the NFL Eastern Conference.

Aftermath:

Abramowicz followed up with 55 catches for 906 yards (16.5 avg.) and five touchdowns in 1970. While still a well-regarded possession receiver, his numbers dropped in 1971 and ’72 and he was traded to San Francisco during the 1973 season, where he caught 35 passes for 442 yards (12.6 avg.). Following one more year with the 49ers, he was briefly with the Buffalo Bills, catching no passes in 1975, his final NFL season. Along the way, he caught at least one pass in 105 consecutive games, which was the NFL record at the time. Overall, Abramowicz had 369 catches for 5686 yards (15.4 avg.) and 39 touchdowns. He was one of the first two players named to the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame in 1988 (along with Archie Manning).

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1986: Kosar Passes for 414 Yards as Browns Defeat Steelers in Overtime

The Cleveland Browns were 7-4, but coming off of a bad loss to the Raiders, as they hosted their fierce rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, on November 23, 1986. Coached by Marty Schottenheimer, the Browns were benefiting from the rapid development of QB Bernie Kosar (pictured at right), who was two days short of his 23^rd birthday. TE Ozzie Newsome was nagged by injuries, as were the running backs, but wide receivers Webster Slaughter, Reggie Langhorne, and Brian Brennan were steady.

The Steelers, under the guidance of Head Coach Chuck Noll for the 18^th year, had gotten off to a 1-6 start but were now 4-7. QB Mark Malone was inconsistent but playing better after missing two weeks due to a thumb injury. Running backs Walter Abercrombie and Earnest Jackson were effective running behind a good line. The defensive line was lacking when it came to rushing opposing passers and CB Dwayne Woodruff, their best in the backfield at coverage, had gone down for the year in the preseason.  

It was a rainy day at Cleveland Municipal Stadium with 76,452 fans in attendance. The Steelers had first possession and drove 75 yards in eight plays. The big one was a pass from Mark Malone to WR Louis Lipps that picked up 44 yards to the Cleveland nine yard line. Walter Abercrombie ran for a one-yard touchdown and Gary Anderson added the extra point.

The teams exchanged punts before the Browns put together a promising drive. Bernie Kosar completed a third-and-10 pass to WR Clarence Weathers that gained 15 yards and throws to Brian Brennan picked up 28 and 21 yards. But after reaching the Pittsburgh four, a holding penalty nullified an apparent touchdown run and Kosar threw a pass that was intercepted by LB Bryan Hinkle.

The Steelers had to punt following a short series and Cleveland was again on the move as the game headed into the second quarter. Kosar connected with FB Kevin Mack for six yards and RB Curtis Dickey for four and two carries by Mack gained another nine yards. Kosar than threw to TE Harry Holt for 23 yards to the Pittsburgh 10 and, following a pass interference penalty, Dickey swept around left end for a two-yard TD to finish off the six-play, 53-yard series. Matt Bahr’s successful conversion tied the score at 7-7.

On Pittsburgh’s next offensive play, Malone’s errant pass was picked off by CB Mark Harper who returned it 31 yards to the Steelers’ 15. Five plays later Mack scored a touchdown from a yard out and, with Bahr kicking the point after, the Browns were now ahead by 14-7.

The Steelers responded with a scoring drive of their own that covered 61 yards in five plays. Malone completed two passes and Abercrombie took a pitchout and ran 38 yards for a TD. Anderson’s kick tied the score again at 14-14.

The Browns wasted no time in regaining the lead. Kosar threw to Webster Slaughter for 31 yards and passes to RB Herman Fontenot and Reggie Langhorne gained another 14 to the Pittsburgh 35. A defensive holding penalty was followed by a nine-yard run by Mack and Kosar then connected with TE Ozzie Newsome for a 20-yard touchdown. Bahr converted and the score was 21-14.

DB Lupe Sanchez returned the ensuing kickoff 58 yards to the Cleveland 40, but after the drive stalled at the 28, Anderson missed a 45-yard field goal attempt. With the clock down to 1:42 remaining in the first half, Kosar passed the Browns into Pittsburgh territory but Bahr was also unsuccessful on a 39-yard field goal try and the score remained unchanged at halftime.

Cleveland had the ball first in the third quarter and punted. The Steelers then drove 63 yards in nine plays to put more points on the board. Malone had completions to TE Preston Gothard for 19 yards and Lipps for 16. A pass interference penalty moved the ball to the Cleveland two and, two plays later, Malone scored a touchdown from a yard out on a quarterback sneak. Anderson knotted the score at 21-21 with the extra point.

The Browns responded strongly as Kosar completed three passes to Langhorne, the first for 20 yards in a second-and-17 situation and the second for 21 yards to convert on third-and-nine. A replay overturned  what was originally called a fumble by Kosar to keep the drive alive and Dickey finished off the 12-play, 76-yard series with a four yard touchdown carry. With Bahr adding the PAT, the home team was back on top by 28-21.

Pittsburgh was driving again as the game headed into the fourth quarter. Abercrombie (pictured at left) and Earnest Jackson had good gains and Malone converted a third down with an 11-yard completion to Lipps. Once again it was Malone keeping the ball himself for the final yard and a TD to cap the 11-play, 69-yard possession and, with Anderson’s extra point, the score was tied once more at 28-28.

Kosar went to the air on the next series and connected with Fontenot for 16 yards and Slaughter for 32 as the Browns advanced to the Pittsburgh 28. The drive stalled, however, and Bahr missed wide to the left on a 45-yard field goal attempt.

The Steelers went three-and-out and had to punt, and this time the Browns had a better result. Driving 64 yards in 14 plays, Kosar completed four passes and Mack and Dickey chipped away on the ground. A throw to Slaughter picked up 22 yards to the Pittsburgh 11 in a third-and-seven situation and, four plays later, Bahr made good on a 25-yard field goal try. Cleveland was up by three with 1:55 to play in regulation.

Starting from their 40 following the ensuing kickoff, the Steelers advanced 37 yards in nine plays. Malone hit on passes to Abercrombie for four yards and Lipps for 14. After RB Rich Erenberg dropped a pass with a clear field in front of him, he caught two throws from Malone for eight and five yards to get a first down. Finally, after two runs got the ball to the Cleveland 23, Anderson kicked a 40-yard field goal to knot the score at 31-31 with 11 seconds remaining, thus sending the game into overtime.

Cleveland’s placekicker Matt Bahr suffered knee ligament damage making the tackle on his last kickoff (which proved to be season-ending) and put the Browns at a disadvantage heading into OT because the reserve tight end Holt was the emergency backup and had never attempted a placekick in the NFL.

Both teams had short possessions to start the extra period. Cleveland WR Gerald “Ice Cube” McNeil had a 15-yard return that gave the Browns the ball at their 40. Mack ran four straight times to pick up 15 yards and Kosar, eluding a heavy rush in a third-and-seven situation, threw to Fontenot for another nine yards before connecting with Slaughter (pictured below) for a 36-yard touchdown to win the game by a final score of 37-31.

Despite the back-and-forth nature of the game and the closeness of the score, the Browns dominated in total yards (536 to 339), first downs (35 to 20), and time of possession (40:17 to 26:20). Each team turned the ball over one time apiece. Both teams had difficulties with field goals as Gary Anderson missed one from just inside 40 yards and Matt Bahr was unsuccessful on two of his three tries.

Bernie Kosar had a big performance, completing 28 of 46 passes for 414 yards and two touchdowns while giving up one interception. Webster Slaughter had 6 catches for 134 yards and the game-winning TD while Brian Brennan contributed five receptions for 87 yards and Herman Fontenot added 46 yards on his five catches. Kevin Mack rushed for 106 yards on 24 carries that included a touchdown.

For the Steelers, Mark Malone succeeded on 17 of 28 throws for 197 yards and was intercepted once.  Walter Abercrombie gained 86 yards on 15 carries that included two TDs and caught four passes for another 26 yards. Louis Lipps gained 85 yards on his four receptions and John Stallworth also caught four, for 48 yards.

“We felt like we could come in and shut them (the Browns) down,” said Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Tony Dungy. “We knew pretty much what they were going to do. We just didn’t get them stopped.”

Cleveland won its remaining regular season games to place first the AFC Central for the second straight year with a conference-best 12-4 record. The Browns defeated the Jets in the Divisional playoff round but lost the NFC Championship game to Denver. Meanwhile, the loss officially eliminated the Steelers from playoff contention. They ended up at 6-10 and third in the division.

Bernie Kosar passed for 3854 yards, which ranked fourth in the league, and threw 17 touchdowns with just 10 interceptions, giving him a league-low 1.9 interception percentage. He displayed his ability as a clutch performer by topping the NFL with seven game-winning drives. The 414 passing yards against the Steelers remained his career high.

1982: Raiders Overcome 24-Point Deficit to Beat Chargers in LA Debut

The Raiders made their long-delayed regular season home debut as a Los Angeles team against the San Diego Chargers on November 22, 1982. Having made the move from Oakland to LA in the face of much resistance from the NFL, the Raiders won their first two games on the road before the 57-day players’ strike put the entire league on hiatus.

The Raiders, coached by Tom Flores, fell to 7-9 in ’81, which was their first sub-.500 record since 1964, and were looking to rebound. QB Jim Plunkett had been troubled by injuries but was healthy again and HB Marcus Allen (pictured above), the first draft choice out of USC, was a welcome addition to the offense – indeed, the game against the Chargers marked his return to the stadium where he had starred in college and won the Heisman Trophy. Todd Christensen took over as starting tight end in place of the injured Derrick Ramsey with promising results. On defense, DE Lyle Alzado was obtained from the Browns and combined with second-year DE Howie Long to provide an enhanced pass rush.

San Diego came into the game at 1-1 following the long layoff. Under offensive-minded Head Coach Don Coryell, the Chargers boasted the league’s most prolific passing attack, guided by QB Dan Fouts and including TE Kellen Winslow and wide receivers Charlie Joiner and Wes Chandler. RB Chuck Muncie provided power and all-purpose RB James Brooks speed.

Skies were overcast for the nationally-televised Monday night game at the Memorial Coliseum with just 42,162 fans in attendance. Fans were disgruntled from the long work stoppage and, as was the case at other locales in this first post-strike weekend, there were many no-shows. The Chargers had the first possession and drove 79 yards in 12 plays. Dan Fouts was quick to go to the air and completed six passes along the way, the longest to TE Eric Sievers for 21 yards, and two penalties on the Raiders helped the visitors along. But with first-and-goal at the one, three carries by Chuck Muncie netted a loss of a yard and Rolf Benirschke kicked a 19-yard field goal.

The Raiders were forced to punt following their first series and San Diego moved quickly to another score, advancing 83 yards in just four plays. Following a five-yard run by Muncie, Fouts (pictured below) connected on passes of 12 yards to Sievers and 22 yards to Charlie Joiner. A personal foul on the Raiders added another ten yards and then Fouts threw to WR Dwight Scales for a 29-yard touchdown. Benirschke added the extra point and the Chargers were ahead by 10-0.

QB Jim Plunkett was intercepted by FS Tim Fox on the next possession, but while Fouts completed passes to Muncie for 27 yards and three to WR Wes Chandler that picked up a total of 41 yards, the Chargers ultimately had to punt. As the game headed into the second quarter, the Raiders also punted and, with good starting field position at the LA 48, San Diego moved quickly down the field. Fouts had completions to Chandler for 24 yards and Kellen Winslow for 19 yards to reach the five yard line, and two plays later Muncie ran up the middle for a two-yard TD. Benirschke added the point after to make it a 17-0 contest.

The Raiders moved well on their next series as Plunkett completed three passes, the longest to WR Malcolm Barnwell for a gain of 25 yards. Marcus Allen picked up 15 yards on a sweep and HB Greg Pruitt ran for another 13, but after reaching the San Diego 29, Plunkett was sacked by DE Leroy Jones for an 11-yard loss and then was intercepted by LB Cliff Thrift. The Chargers made the most of the turnover, going 57 yards in six plays, although it was a 42-yard pass interference penalty on CB Ted Watts that moved them all the way to the LA two. Muncie dove for a one-yard touchdown shortly thereafter and, with Benirschke’s PAT, the visitors extended their lead to 24-0.

Now in a deep hole, the Raiders stormed back. Plunkett completed five passes, with throws to WR Cliff Branch for 16 yards and FB Kenny King (pictured at left) for 28. Allen ran effectively, including a 17-yard carry on a trap play. But Plunkett was again thrown for a loss while rolling out on a third down play and Chris Bahr missed wide to the left on a 36-yard field goal attempt.

LA got a break on the next play, however, as Muncie fumbled the handoff and LB Ted Hendricks recovered for the Raiders at the San Diego 17. Five plays later, Plunkett connected with TE Todd Christensen for a one-yard touchdown to finally get the Raiders on the board. Bahr converted and the score was 24-7 at halftime.

The Raiders punted after a short series to start the third quarter and the Chargers lost ground due to two penalties and a sack of Fouts by Hendricks. Maury Buford punted and the shanked kick traveled only 27 yards to the LA 36. Plunkett came out throwing, hitting Christensen twice for 11 and 12 yards. King and Allen then combined for 40 yards on the ground with the star rookie gaining the last three for a TD. Bahr added the PAT and San Diego’s lead was cut to ten points at 24-14.

Following the kickoff, Fouts threw to Winslow for 21 yards to midfield, but three plays later Winslow fumbled when hit by DB Odis McKinney after catching a short pass and NT Ruben Vaughn recovered for the Raiders. LA scored again in four plays, highlighted by King running for a 21-yard gain up the middle, and Allen swept for the last three yards and another touchdown. Bahr’s extra point made it a three-point game.

The teams traded punts to finish out the period and San Diego started off the fourth quarter with a drive to the LA 15. James Brooks picked up 23 yards on three carries and Fouts had passes to Winslow for 15 yards and Chandler for nine. But the Chargers came up empty when Benirschke missed a 22-yard try for a field goal.

The Raiders responded by going 80 yards in nine plays. Plunkett was successful on three passes, including one to Christensen for 24 yards on a third-and-three play, and Barnwell gained 14 yards on a reverse. FB Frank Hawkins ran for a one-yard TD, Bahr added the point after, and the home team, once down by 24 points, was in front by four with 5:54 remaining to play.

San Diego fought back as Fouts fired to Chandler for completions of 30 and 24 yards. But after getting to the LA 18, Fouts threw into the end zone under a heavy rush and was intercepted by FS Vann McElroy. It in effect clinched the game for the Raiders as, with 1:56 remaining on the clock, they were able to maintain possession until the final seconds when Fouts threw a last desperation pass into the end zone that was batted away to nail down the 28-24 comeback win for Los Angeles.

The Chargers gained more total yards (411 to 326) and had the edge in first downs (26 to 23), but they also turned the ball over four times, to two by LA. The Raiders were dominant on the ground (181 yards to 72).

Marcus Allen rushed for 87 yards on 18 carries that included two touchdowns and caught 5 passes for 37 more yards. Jim Plunkett completed 18 of 25 passes for 163 yards and a TD while giving up two interceptions. Kenny King contributed 68 yards on 13 rushing attempts. Todd Christensen topped the club with 8 catches for 83 yards and a TD.

For the Chargers, Dan Fouts was successful on 24 of 42 throws for 357 yards and a touchdown while tossing two interceptions. Kellen Winslow (pictured below) caught 8 passes for 105 yards and Wes Chandler gained 118 yards on his 7 receptions. Chuck Muncie had six catches for 50 yards but was held to 23 yards on 15 rushing attempts that included two for TDs. James Brooks topped the club with 49 yards on eight carries.

"I don’t know what it is about Monday night football, but we’re very proud of our Monday night record,” said Coach Tom Flores, commenting on the fact that the come-from-behind win gave the Raiders a 19-2-1 record in Monday night contests.

The Raiders lost at Cincinnati the next week but didn’t drop another game during the remainder of the truncated regular season, finishing atop the AFC with an 8-1 record. With the divisions set aside, LA was the top seed in an eight-team conference postseason tournament and handily defeated the Browns in the first round before losing to the Jets in the second. San Diego, which lost to the Raiders again in the season finale, ended up at 6-3 and fifth-seeded in the AFC. The Chargers also won their first round game at Pittsburgh and lost to Miami in the second round.

Marcus Allen continued to have an excellent first season, receiving consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors as well as Rookie of the Year recognition. He rushed for 697 yards on 160 carries (4.4 avg.) and caught 38 passes for another 401 yards to lead the league in yards from scrimmage with 1098. His 14 touchdowns also led the circuit, as did his 84 points, making him the first rookie to lead the NFL in scoring since Gale Sayers in 1965.

As he had in each of the previous three seasons, Dan Fouts led the NFL in passing yards with 2883 and also topped the circuit in TD passes (17, tied with Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana) and yards per attempt (8.7). Kellen Winslow led the AFC in pass receptions (54) and Wes Chandler topped the league in pass receiving yards (1032). All three received consensus first-team All-NFL honors and were selected to the Pro Bowl. 

Rookie of the Year: Brian Urlacher, 2000

Linebacker, Chicago Bears

Age:  22

College: New Mexico

Height: 6’4”   Weight: 249

Prelude:

Converted to linebacker as a freshman in college, Urlacher had two nondescript seasons before Rocky Long became head coach at New Mexico and gave him an enhanced role in which he acted as a defensive back as well as linebacker. The versatile Urlacher also saw action as a kick returner and wide receiver, the latter role in which he caught six touchdown passes. As a junior, he led the team with 178 tackles and received All-Mountain West Conference honors and in 1999 he was credited with 148 tackles and five forced fumbles. He received All-America recognition from several sources and was the first round draft choice of the Bears in 2000. Urlacher had an immediate impact as he proved to be ideally suited to playing middle linebacker with his speed and tackling ability in the open field, as well as excellent instincts.

2000 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Sacks – 8

Most sacks, game – 2 vs. Minnesota 10/15

Interceptions – 2

Most interceptions, game – 1 vs. Detroit 9/24, vs. Tampa Bay 11/19

Int. return yards – 19

Int. TDs – 0

Fumble recoveries – 1

Forced fumbles – 0

Tackles – 101

Assists – 24

Awards & Honors:

NFL Rookie of the Year: Sporting News

NFL Defensive Player of the Year: AP, PFWA

Pro Bowl

Bears went 5-11 to finish fifth in the NFC Central.

Aftermath:

Urlacher was selected to the Pro Bowl in each of the next three seasons and was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection in 2001 and ’02. After being limited to nine games in an injury-plagued 2004 season, in ’05 he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press in addition to receiving All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors. Urlacher was again a consensus first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection in 2006 as the Bears won the NFC Championship. He began to show signs of wear later in the decade and, after typically being a durable player, missed all but one game in 2009 due to a wrist injury in the opening contest. But Urlacher returned to Pro Bowl form in 2010 and ’11 before finishing his career in 2012. Overall, over the course of 13 seasons and 182 games, he accumulated 41.5 sacks, 22 interceptions, 15 fumble recoveries, and over a thousand tackles. He scored five touchdowns, one of which came on his only pass reception. Urlacher was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection four times and was chosen to eight Pro Bowls.

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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).

1994: Rice Has 16 Catches, 3 TDs as 49ers Overcome Rams

The San Francisco 49ers were cruising along at 8-2 as they hosted the rival Los Angeles Rams on November 20, 1994. Head Coach George Seifert’s team had an outstanding offense built around the nucleus of QB Steve Young, WR Jerry Rice (pictured at right), and RB Ricky Watters, and there were plenty of other fine players around them. The defense benefited from the addition of CB Deion Sanders and was anchored by young DTs Dana Stubblefield and Bryant Young.  

The Rams, coached by Chuck Knox, were struggling at 4-6 and had been beaten handily by the 49ers at home earlier in the season. QB Chris Miller was talented but injury prone and RB Jerome Bettis was having difficulty duplicating his first-year exploits, although rookie WR Isaac Bruce was showing promise.

There were 62,774 fans in attendance for the Sunday night game at Candlestick Park. The 49ers took the opening kickoff and drove 72 yards in eight plays. Steve Young completed five passes, three of them to Jerry Rice and the last to WR John Taylor for a seven-yard touchdown. Doug Brien added the extra point.

The Rams responded with a seven-play drive of their own that covered 48 yards. Chris Miller was sacked by DT Bryant Young for a loss of eight yards on first down and had to leave the game, but backup QB Tommy Maddox completed passes to RB David Lang for ten yards and WR Todd Kinchen for 39 to the San Francisco 21. Los Angeles reached the 14 before the drive stalled and Tony Zendejas kicked a 31-yard field goal.

San Francisco put together another methodical drive of 67 yards in 13 plays. Young completed five more passes, two of them to Ricky Watters and two to Rice, the second for a seven-yard TD. Brien converted and the Niners took a 14-3 lead into the second quarter.

LA benefited from a roughing-the-passer penalty on Miller, who was back in the game, and two completions to Isaac Bruce picked up 18 yards to the San Francisco 10. Once again the Rams were unable to reach the end zone, but Zendejas added another field goal from 27 yards to narrow the home team’s lead to 14-6.

The scoring parade finally ended as the teams exchanged punts. Starting from their own eight, the 49ers advanced 92 yards in 12 plays. Watters gained 22 yards on two carries to start, RB Dexter Carter ran twice more for 17 yards, and Young completed five passes and scrambled once for a first down. Rice again had two catches, and again the second was good for a touchdown, this time from six yards out. Brien added the PAT and the Niners took a 21-6 lead into halftime.

The Rams took the second half kickoff and drove 70 yards in six plays, the biggest of which was an end-around in which Kinchen raced 44 yards for a TD. The try to pass for two points failed and the score stayed at 21-12.

Once again the 49ers moved effectively down the field. Young had completions to Rice for 29 yards and Watters for 14, but this time they ended up with a field goal by Brien from 28 yards, still keeping them comfortably in the lead by 24-12.

LA faced a third-and-12 situation on its next series but Miller completed a pass to Kinchen for the needed yards and, three plays later, the Rams pulled off another big play when Miller threw long down the left sideline for WR Willie “Flipper” Anderson, who beat Deion Sanders and went the distance for a 50-yard touchdown. Zendejas added the extra point and the visitors were now just five points behind at 24-19.

On San Francisco’s second play after the ensuing kickoff, Young (pictured at left) went deep for Watters to pick up 35 yards and, adding on an unnecessary roughness penalty, the Niners advanced all the way to the LA 26. But the 49ers were able to gain only three more yards and Brien’s 41-yard field goal attempt was wide to the right.

The Rams were on the move as the game headed into the fourth quarter. Miller completed passes to Anderson for 14 yards and Jerome Bettis for 20 to reach the San Francisco 36. Two runs by Bettis, plus a facemask penalty, picked up another 14 yards before Miller fired a pass toward the goal line that WR Jessie Hester caught for a 22-yard TD. Bettis successfully ran for a two-point conversion and the upset-minded Rams were ahead by 27-24.

The 49ers again reached Los Angeles territory, but a penalty for an illegal forward pass by Young, who was a yard past the line of scrimmage on what would have been a long completion to TE Brent Jones, forced them to punt. The Rams went three-and-out and had to punt in turn and the 49ers, starting from their 43, advanced back into LA territory. But after a six-yard run by Watters gave the Niners a first down at the 25, Rice fumbled when hit by LB Shane Conlan after catching a pass and DE Gerald Robinson recovered for the Rams.

LA again couldn’t move on offense and punted following a short series, and San Francisco responded with a 10-play, 67-yard drive. Young threw to Jones for 19 yards and to Rice for 14 yards in a third-and-six situation. The drive was capped by another Young pass to Rice that resulted in an 18-yard touchdown. Brien’s extra point put the 49ers back on top by four.

The Rams regained possession with 1:56 remaining in regulation. Miller passed them to the San Francisco 38, but a holding penalty backed them up, Deion Sanders deflected a throw into the end zone that was intended for Anderson, and Lang dropped a fourth-down pass to seal the 31-27 win for the 49ers.

San Francisco had significant edges in total yards (459 to 358) and first downs (32 to 17). They also recorded the game’s only two sacks, but also the only turnover and led in penalties (7 for 60 yards to five for 50).

Jerry Rice set a then- club record with 16 catches, good for 165 yards and three TDs, and made up for his fourth quarter fumble with the game-winning reception. Steve Young completed 30 of 44 passes for 325 yards and four touchdowns with none intercepted and also ran for 23 yards on 10 carries. Ricky Watters gained 81 yards on 20 rushing attempts and added 74 more yards on five pass receptions. John Taylor also had five catches, for 49 yards and a score.

For the Rams, Chris Miller (pictured above) was successful on 16 of 33 throws for 228 yards and two touchdowns, also with no interceptions. Willie Anderson caught five passes for 99 yards and a TD while Todd Kinchen contributed 51 yards on two receptions and had the one 44-yard scoring run, which made him the team’s leading rusher. Jerome Bettis was held to 29 yards on 15 attempts.

San Francisco kept on winning, finishing atop the NFC West with a league-best 13-3 record and going on to thrash San Diego in the Super Bowl. The Rams didn’t win again the rest of the way, ending up at the bottom of the division with a 4-12 tally. It was the franchise’s last season in Los Angeles as it departed for St. Louis the following year.

Jerry Rice led the NFL with 1499 yards on 112 catches that included 13 touchdowns. It marked his ninth consecutive season with over a thousand receiving yards and he was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection for the eighth time and a Pro Bowl selectee for the ninth straight year. Steve Young led the league in passing with a 112.8 rating and in touchdown passes with 35. He received consensus league MVP honors in addition to being a first-team All-NFL choice for the third year in a row and a Pro Bowl selection.

1950: Walker Scores All 24 Points for Lions in Win Against Packers

The Detroit Lions were struggling, having lost four straight games, as they hosted the Green Bay Packers on November 19, 1950. Coached by Bo McMillin for the third year, the Lions were nevertheless assembling talent that would make them a formidable team over the next few seasons. Fiery and talented QB Bobby Layne had been obtained from the New York Bulldogs and HB Bob “Hunchy” Hoernschemeyer arrived from the defunct All-America Football Conference. Rookies included guard Lou Creekmur and the last two Heisman Trophy winners, end Leon Hart from Notre Dame and all-purpose HB Doak Walker (pictured at right) out of Southern Methodist.

Walker had been a high school teammate of Layne in Dallas, Texas and then a three-time All-American at SMU who won the Heisman Trophy as a junior in 1948. An injury hindered his performance in ’49, but he still came in third in the voting for the coveted award. He had been a tremendous all-around talent in college, but at 5’11” and 170 pounds, there were questions as to whether he had the size to succeed as a pro, and there were doubts about his speed as well. But thus far, Walker was productive as a halfback who often caught passes out of the backfield, kick returner, and placekicker and punter.

The Packers had a new head coach in Gene Ronzani, only the second in their history after the departed Curly Lambeau. They had a talented rookie quarterback in Tobin Rote and also benefited from the demise of the AAFC, adding end Al Baldwin and HB Billy Grimes. But the defense was dreadful, and after winning two of their first three games, the Packers were in the midst of a five-game losing streak. They lost badly to the Lions in their previous meeting.

There was a small crowd of 17,752 fans in attendance on a dark and rainy day at Briggs Stadium. The opening period was scoreless, but both offenses cut loose in the second quarter. First, Bobby Layne threw a pass to Doak Walker for a 33-yard touchdown and Walker added the extra point. Green Bay responded with a series highlighted by Tobin Rote passing to HB Jug Girard for a 55-yard gain. Two plays later Rote connected with end Steve Pritko for a three-yard TD and Ted Fritsch tied the score with the PAT.

Shortly thereafter, Green Bay got the ball back again when DHB Bob Forte intercepted an option pass by Walker at the Detroit 30. Rote threw to Al Baldwin for 28 yards and FB Jack Cloud added another touchdown for the Packers as he dove into the end zone from two yards out. Fritsch converted to put Green Bay ahead by seven. With time running out in the first half, Walker kicked a 35-yard field goal and the score was 14-10 in favor of the Packers at halftime.

In the third quarter, Layne threw to Walker again for a 20-yard TD that put the Lions back in front by 17-14, Walker once again successfully kicking the extra point. Layne was injured, however, and Fred Enke came on in relief.

Following the ensuing kickoff, Green Bay advanced 69 yards but Detroit’s defense stopped two runs from the one yard line to force the Packers to turn the ball over on downs. Pinned deep in their own territory, the Lions punted and the Packers regained possession with favorable field position at the Detroit 35. Once again Green Bay moved effectively, but this time a Rote pass into the end zone was intercepted by DHB Don Doll.

Three plays later, the Packers got a break when DT Joe Spencer recovered a fumble at the Detroit 23. Following a running play, Rote completed a pass to HB Larry Coutre for 19 yards. Early in the fourth quarter, Cloud scored again for the Packers, this time plunging into the end zone from a yard out. Fritsch’s PAT gave the visitors a four-point edge.

The Lions put together a 73-yard drive and, with the game down to the last two minutes, Walker struck once more with an eight-yard touchdown catch of an Enke pass. It was Walker again adding the point after and Detroit came away with a 24-21 win, Walker having accounted for every point.

The Lions had the edge in total yards (376 to 309) and first downs (19 to 16). Bobby Layne and Fred Enke combined to pass for 241 yards for the Lions while Tobin Rote (pictured at left) completed 13 of 31 passes for 184 yards in defeat. However, the teams combined for 11 turnovers, with Detroit accounting for six to Green Bay’s five.

The Lions won their next two games before dropping the season finale to end up even with a 6-6 record, which placed fourth in the National Conference. Green Bay won the following week before dropping the last two contests and tying for fifth in the conference with the 49ers at 3-9.

With the 24-point performance, Doak Walker’s scoring total was up to 91 and thus set a new franchise record, besting the 81 points by Bill Dudley the previous year. He went on to lead the NFL with 128 points and was fourth with 1262 all-purpose yards. Walker scored 11 touchdowns (five rushing, six receiving), kicked 8 field goals in 18 attempts, and was 38-of-41 on extra points. Continuing to display the all-around skills that had made him a college legend, he rushed for 386 yards on 83 carries (4.7 avg.), caught 35 passes for 534 yards (15.3 avg.), added another 302 yards returning kicks, and even intercepted a pass on defense that he returned 40 yards. Walker was a first-team All-NFL selection by the Associated Press and UPI and received second-team honors from the New York Daily News. He was also selected for the Pro Bowl.

1990: Cunningham Rallies Eagles to Win Against Falcons

The Philadelphia Eagles, who started the 1990 NFL season at 1-3, carried a 5-4 record into Atlanta as they took on the Falcons on November 18. Under brash Head Coach Buddy Ryan, the aggressive defense was the key to Philadelphia’s success, anchored by DE Reggie White and featuring other outstanding players such as DE Clyde Simmons, DT Jerome Brown, LB Seth Joyner, and CB Eric Allen. Exciting QB Randall Cunningham (pictured at right), fleet-footed as well as strong-armed, directed the offense that lacked a potent ground attack but benefited from the addition of rookie wide receivers Fred Barnett and Calvin Williams.

Atlanta was struggling under first-year Head Coach Jerry Glanville. The wide-open passing offense was operated by QB Chris Miller and received a boost from the arrival of WR Andre Rison. However, the running game was only fair and while the defense was effective against the run, the backfield, despite the presence of rookie CB Deion Sanders, was prone to giving up big plays.

There were 53,755 fans in attendance at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. The Falcons had the first possession and drove deep into Philadelphia territory, the big play being a pass from Chris Miller to WR Michael Haynes for 55 yards to the 11. RB Steve Broussard followed up with a seven-yard run to the four, but two more running plays gained two yards and, trying to convert on fourth-and-one, Broussard ran wide to his left and was tossed for a four-yard loss by Seth Joyner.

The teams traded punts until, with just over three minutes remaining in the opening period, the Falcons commenced a 10-play, 73-yard series that extended into the second quarter. On a third-and-three play at the Philadelphia 40, Miller threw to Andre Rison for a 24-yard gain and that was followed by a pass interference penalty on Eric Allen that put the home team on the two yard line. Once again the Eagles defense proved difficult to penetrate, but the Falcons prevailed when RB Tracy Johnson ran for a touchdown from a yard out. Greg Davis added the extra point for the 7-0 lead.

Philadelphia drove into Atlanta territory on the next possession, with RB Keith Byars (pictured below) gaining 20 yards on a carry from his 32 and Randall Cunningham completing two passes. However, penalties hindered the advance, including one that nullified an apparent TD throw to Fred Barnett, and the Eagles were forced to punt.

The Falcons, pinned deep in their own territory, also had to punt but retained possession when WR Anthony Edwards fumbled on the return. Atlanta was still unable to move the ball and punted again shortly thereafter and the Eagles, taking over at their 21, went 79 yards in just four plays. Cunningham threw to Byars, who picked up 33 yards, and then to TE Keith Jackson for another 27 to the Atlanta 19. Following the two-minute warning, Calvin Williams ran for 18 yards on a reverse and Cunningham finished off the drive with a one-yard TD pass to Jackson. Roger Ruzek added the point after to tie the score.

There was still 1:46 on the clock as the Falcons started a series that moved 25 yards in nine plays. Miller completed three passes to Rison, but three throws from the Philadelphia 36 fell incomplete and Davis kicked a 53-yard field goal that put the home team back on top by 10-7 at halftime.

Neither team was able to move the ball well to start the third quarter until the Falcons, on their second series, put together a nine-play, 34-yard scoring drive. Miller completed four passes along the way, including three on consecutive plays, to set up another Davis field goal, this time from 46 yards.

On Philadelphia’s next play following the ensuing kickoff, RB Heath Sherman fumbled and DE Tim Green recovered for the Falcons at the Eagles’ 35. In a series that extended into the fourth quarter, Atlanta chipped away and got a break when, after calling on Davis to successfully kick another field goal, a roughing-the-kicker penalty gave the Falcons a first down at the four. However, on first down Clyde Simmons sacked Miller for a six-yard loss and two passes fell incomplete. The home team still had to settle for a Davis field goal, this time from 28 yards. Atlanta was ahead by 16-7, but had missed an opportunity to take a more commanding lead.

RB Thomas Sanders returned the kickoff 37 yards to the Philadelphia 35, and Cunningham went to the air, hitting Byars for five yards and Barnett for 29. The five-play series covered 65 yards as Cunningham completed one more throw to Jackson for a 17-yard touchdown. Ruzek converted and Atlanta’s lead was down to two points.

The Falcons turned the ball over when a fumbled snap was recovered by Jerome Brown and the Eagles took full advantage on the next play when Cunningham fired to Williams for a 30-yard TD. Ruzek again converted and the visitors were in the lead by a score of 21-16.

Now it was Atlanta’s turn to advance quickly down the field. Following two incompletions, Miller converted a third-and-ten play with a pass to WR George Thomas that picked up 50 yards. Another pass to Rison was good for a 23-yard touchdown and, with Davis converting the extra point, the Falcons were back in the lead by 23-21 with 8:30 to play.

At this point the teams exchanged punts. Scott Fulhage’s 29-yard kick for the Falcons gave the Eagles the ball at their 47 and, with the clock now down to 3:26, Cunningham completed three passes to advance to the Atlanta 29. The drive stalled, but Ruzek’s 46-yard field goal attempt was successful and the visitors were back in front by one.

In the time remaining, the Falcons were unable to come back as Miller threw an incomplete pass, exited the game due to a bruised sternum, and backup QB Scott Campbell had three more incompletions to effectively end the game. Philadelphia came away the winner by a score of 24-23.

Atlanta led in total yards (315 to 279) and time of possession (35:51 to 24:09) while the teams were even in first downs with 16 apiece, although the Falcons had difficulty running the ball, gaining just 59 yards. The Eagles turned the ball over twice, to one by Atlanta, while the Falcons were penalized eight times, to seven flags thrown on Philadelphia.

Randall Cunningham completed 16 of 27 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns with none intercepted. Keith Byars had 7 catches for 78 yards in addition to rushing for 26 yards on three attempts. Keith Jackson contributed four receptions for 54 yards that included two TDs. Heath Sherman was Philadelphia’s leading rusher with just 27 yards on 11 carries.

For the Falcons, Chris Miller was successful on 19 of 38 throws for 268 yards and a TD, also giving up no interceptions. Andre Rison (pictured at left) caught 7 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown and Michael Haynes added 70 yards on his three receptions. Steve Broussard ran for 25 yards on 10 attempts to top the club.

The Eagles went 4-2 the rest of the way to finish second in the NFC East with a 10-6 record. They lost to Washington in the Wild Card round, their third straight failure to advance past the initial playoff game.  Atlanta kept losing, reaching seven consecutive defeats before winning the final two games to end up at 5-11 and fourth in the NFC West.

Randall Cunningham led the NFC with 30 touchdown passes and had his best year to date (his sixth) as he threw for 3466 yards with a completion percentage of 58.3 and a passer rating of 91.6. He also rushed for 942 yards and was named to the Pro Bowl as well as receiving MVP honors from the Pro Football Writers and the Bert Bell Award from the Maxwell Club as Player of the Year. Keith Byars led the club with 81 catches for 819 yards and Keith Jackson was a consensus first-team All-NFL choice with his 50 receptions for 670 yards.

Andre Rison ranked second in the NFL in pass receptions (82) and TD catches (10) and third with 1208 yards. He was also a consensus first-team All-NFL as well as Pro Bowl selection.