1991: McMahon Spurs Eagles from 23-0 Deficit to Defeat Browns

The Philadelphia Eagles, with their top-ranked defense, were at 4-5 as they faced the Cleveland Browns on November 10, 1991. Head Coach Rich Kotite’s first season at the helm had gotten off to a rough start when star QB Randall Cunningham was lost for the year in the opening week. Backup QB Jim McMahon (pictured at right), once a title-winner with the Bears, performed ably when healthy, but that was not the case for several games when lesser performers were behind center and the offense struggled. The team lost four straight games after starting off at 3-1 before beating the Giants the previous week. McMahon was available but playing with an assortment of injuries, most notably to his throwing elbow.

Cleveland also had a first-year head coach in Bill Belichick and was in transition. Seventh-year QB Bernie Kosar was still in place from the winning years in the late ‘80s, as were FB Kevin Mack and the corps of wide receivers led by Webster Slaughter. However, the Browns were hampered by some key injuries. Anthony Blaylock was starting at cornerback in place of the aging but capable Frank Minnifield and all-purpose HB Eric Metcalf, who returned punts, was also out.

It was a cool, dry day at Cleveland Municipal Stadium with 72,086 fans in attendance. The Browns took the opening kickoff and drove 37 yards in seven plays, helped along by four penalties on the defense. Matt Stover kicked a 50-yard field goal for the early 3-0 lead. Three plays after the ensuing kickoff, the Browns scored again when FS Eric Turner intercepted a Jim McMahon pass and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown. Stover converted and the home team led by 10-0 with four minutes elapsed.

The Eagles were forced to punt after their next series and the Browns struck quickly. Kevin Mack ran for four yards and then Bernie Kosar threw to RB Leroy Hoard, who rambled 65 yards for a TD. Stover’s extra point attempt hit the left upright and was no good, but Cleveland was now up by 16-0.

Once again Philadelphia had to punt and, as the game headed into the second quarter, the Browns were on the move. Kosar completed passes to Webster Slaughter for 14 yards, TE Scott Galbraith for 13, and WR Reggie Langhorne for nine yards to reach the Philadelphia 20 and, four plays later he connected with Slaughter for an 18-yard touchdown. Stover’s point after was successful this time and, following the nine-play, 54-yard possession, Cleveland held a commanding 23-0 lead.

Now in a deep hole, the Eagles responded by advancing 80 yards in seven plays. McMahon completed two passes before RB James Joseph (pictured above) broke away for a 23-yard run. Facing third-and-seven at the Cleveland 38, the visitors benefited from a pass interference penalty on CB Anthony Blaylock that gave them a first down at the 19 and, two plays after that, McMahon threw to TE Keith Jackson for a 16-yard TD. Roger Ruzek converted and the Eagles were on the board, although still down by 23-7.

The Browns had to punt following their series and Philadelphia quickly narrowed the score further when, on first down, McMahon passed to WR Fred Barnett for a 70-yard touchdown. Ruzek again made good on the extra point and the score was 23-14 with 6:47 left in the first half.

WR Danny Peebles returned the ensuing kickoff 32 yards to give the Browns good starting field position at their 44, but two plays later a Kosar pass intended for Langhorne was intercepted by CB Ben Smith, who returned it six yards to midfield. McMahon immediately threw to Jackson for a gain of 33 yards to the Cleveland 17, but Philadelphia was moved back by a holding penalty on the next play. While McMahon completed his next three passes, the drive stalled at the four and Ruzek kicked a 21-yard field goal. The once-formidable Cleveland lead was narrowed to six points at 23-17.

The Browns regained possession with 1:32 remaining in the half. Mack ran for 10 yards and Kosar then threw to WR Brian Brennan for 11 yards and Slaughter for 17 in a play that cost the Eagles Ben Smith (for the remainder of the season with a serious knee injury, it turned out). Kosar then connected on two passes to Langhorne, first for 23 yards and then for 24 yards and a TD. Stover kicked the point after and Cleveland took a 30-17 lead into halftime.

The Eagles had the first possession in the third quarter and drove 60 yards in 11 plays. Joseph handled the bulk of the running and McMahon completed three passes, the longest to WR Calvin Williams for 30 yards. Ruzek booted a 37-yard field goal to make the score 30-20.

The Browns went three-and-out, but Brian Hansen’s punt traveled 65 yards and went out of bounds at the Philadelphia four. McMahon quickly got the Eagles out of the hole with a pass to Barnett (pictured below) for 38 yards and a throw to Jackson had them nearly to midfield. Tosses to Barnett and Williams gained another 14 yards and, after Joseph ran for five yards, McMahon connected with RB Keith Byars for seven yards. A defensive pass interference penalty gave Philadelphia a first down at the Cleveland seven, but the drive stalled as three passes fell incomplete and Ruzek kicked a 24-yard field goal.

The Browns punted after their next series and the Eagles had the ball as the game headed into the fourth quarter. They moved methodically and converted a third-and-12 situation with a 16-yard McMahon-to-Williams pass play. Joseph had a 21-yard carry to the Cleveland 22 but Jackson dropped McMahon’s next toss and another fell incomplete to set up third-and-10. Once again the Browns were flagged for pass interference and once again the Eagles were unable to reach the end zone after getting first-and-goal inside the ten. A 19-yard Ruzek field goal finished off the 13-play, 78-yard drive and narrowed the score to 30-26.

Kosar completed a 14-yard pass to Slaughter to start Cleveland’s next series, but two sacks with an incompletion in between forced the Browns to punt. The Eagles had good field position at their 48 but moved backward thanks to a penalty and a sack and were forced to punt in turn. However, Slaughter, who typically didn’t return punts and unwisely fielded the ball at the one when it appeared certain to be a touchback, ran laterally and fumbled when hit by RB Robert Drummond. LB Britt Hager recovered at the Cleveland two.

Joseph was dropped for a three-yard loss on first down, but two plays later McMahon completed a five-yard touchdown pass to Williams. DE Rob Burnett blocked Ruzek’s kick but the Eagles were in front by two points with 5:19 remaining in regulation.

Another short series by the Browns resulted in a punt and Philadelphia, taking over with 4:28 to play, managed to control the ball for nearly the remainder of the game. McMahon threw to WR Roy Green for nine yards on a third-and-four play and yet another defensive pass interference penalty converted a third down. The Eagles finally had to punt, but there were only ten seconds remaining for the Browns to work with from their own 20 and two Kosar passes fell incomplete. Philadelphia won by a final score of 32-30.

The Eagles, in overcoming the 23-point deficit, led in total yards (418 to 258), first downs (24 to 16), and time of possession (41:14 to 18:46) with Cleveland managing just 24 total yards in the second half as the Eagles adjusted and dominated on defense. The Browns turned the ball over twice, to one by Philadelphia, and while the Eagles drew 10 penalties, at a cost of 72 yards to 7 penalties for 86 yards on Cleveland, the Browns were flagged five times for defensive pass interference to significant effect.

Jim McMahon completed 26 of 43 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns while giving up the one early interception. Fred Barnett had 8 catches for 146 yards and a TD and Calvin Williams and Keith Jackson had identical totals of 6 receptions for 76 yards and a score apiece. James Joseph rushed for 89 yards on 20 attempts.

For the Browns, Bernie Kosar was successful on just 14 of 33 throws for 246 yards and three TDs with one interception, completing only two of 13 in the second half. Webster Slaughter caught five passes for 74 yards and a TD, but his critical misplay of the punt in the fourth quarter drew the most comments. Reggie Langhorne (pictured above) was right behind in pass receiving yards with 73 on his four receptions that included a score. Cleveland gained just 25 yards on the ground and Kevin Mack accounted for 23 of them on 10 carries.

“You guys don’t know how bad Jim McMahon felt last night and this morning,” said Philadelphia’s Coach Kotite. “He could barely move his arm. I just can’t get over this guy.”

The dramatic win against the Browns was the second of six straight, and seven in their last eight games, for the Eagles. Injuries continued to plague McMahon and, while the formidable defense was able to keep them in games, they finished third in the NFC East at 10-6, just missing a playoff berth. Cleveland placed third in the AFC Central with a 6-10 record.

Jim McMahon started 11 games, with the Eagles winning eight of them, and completed 60.1 percent of his passes for 2239 yards and 12 touchdowns while giving up 11 interceptions. The 341-yard passing total against the Browns was the second-highest of his 15-season career. Fred Barnett caught 62 passes for 948 yards (15.3 avg.) and four touchdowns. Rookie James Joseph’s 89-yard rushing performance against Cleveland was his best of the year as he led the club with just 440 yards on 135 carries, averaging 3.3 yards-per-attempt.

Highlighted Year: Josh Bidwell, 2005

Punter, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Age: 29

6^th season in pro football, 2^nd with Buccaneers

College: Oregon

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 220

Prelude:

Bidwell was chosen by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL draft but was forced to sit out his rookie season due to a bout with testicular cancer. He fortunately recovered and came back to win the punting job in 2000. While he struggled in his first year, he improved thereafter and spent four years with Green Bay, averaging 41.1 yards on 308 punts. Bidwell moved on to the Buccaneers as a free agent in 2004 and punted 82 times for a 42.3-yard average.

2005 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Punting

Punts – 90 [3]

Most punts, game – 8 at San Francisco 10/30

Yards – 4101 [2]

Average – 45.6 [3, 1^st in NFC]

Best average, game – 51.8 (on 5 punts) at NY Jets 10/9

Punts blocked – 0

Longest punt – 61 yards

Postseason: 1G (NFC Wild Card playoff vs. Washington)

Punts – 5

Yards – 197

Average – 39.4

Blocked – 0

Longest punt – 45 yards

Awards & Honors:

2^nd team All-NFL: AP

1^st team All-NFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Buccaneers went 11-5 to finish first in the NFC South. Lost NFC Wild Card playoff to Washington Redskins (17-10).  

Aftermath:

Bidwell spent another three seasons with the Buccaneers. While having a strong leg, he sometimes struggled with consistency and directional kicking, but he was adept at getting distance when needed and landing the ball inside the 20. Released in 2010 after missing all of the ’09 season due to a hip injury, he was active for four games with Washington but spent most of the year back on injured reserve in what was his last season. For his career, Bidwell punted 742 times for a 42.7 average, with 419 punts for a 44.0 average coming with Tampa Bay.

--

Highlighted Years features players who were 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

1970: 49ers Take Control in Second Half to Defeat Bears

The San Francisco 49ers were leading the NFC West with a 5-1-1 record as they took on the Bears in Chicago on November 8, 1970. The 49ers were in their third season under Head Coach Dick Nolan and had a productive offense directed by QB John Brodie (pictured above). WR Gene Washington was outstanding and the group of running backs, led by Ken Willard, was effective behind good blocking. Most improved was the defense, while rookie CB Bruce Taylor was providing an added bonus as an explosive punt returner. Often maligned over the years as an underachieving team, the 49ers appeared to finally be putting it all together.

The Bears, coached by Jim Dooley, were 3-5 and dealing with multiple injuries. Most notably, the loss of HB Gale Sayers early in the going badly damaged the running game and the key player on defense, MLB Dick Butkus, was playing on a bad knee. QB Jack Concannon was a canny but mediocre passer, while WR Dick Gordon was proving to be a dependable receiver. One area where the club excelled was at returning kicks, with DB Ron Smith and WR Cecil Turner doing the honors.

There were 45,607 fans in attendance on a cloudy day at Wrigley Field. The Bears had the game’s first possession and went three-and-out. Starting from their own 27, the 49ers advanced into Chicago territory on a series that featured a pass from John Brodie to TE Bob Windsor for 23 yards. Bruce Gossett kicked a 40-yard field goal to give the visitors the early lead.

A 46-yard kickoff return by Ron Smith gave Chicago good starting field position. Facing third-and-six, Jack Concannon (pictured at left) threw to Dick Gordon for a pickup of 18 yards and, when the drive stalled at the San Francisco 29, Gossett booted a field goal from 36 yards to tie the score at 3-3.

The 49ers punted following their next possession and the Bears drove 52 yards in five plays. Concannon completed four passes, the last to Gordon for a 25-yard touchdown. Percival added the extra point to make it a 10-3 tally. Chicago then got the ball right back when HB Bill Tucker fumbled at the end of his kickoff return and Cecil Turner recovered at the San Francisco 23. The Bears lost yardage from there, but padded their lead with a Percival field goal from 37 yards. The first quarter ended with the home team in front by 13-3.

Following another punt by the 49ers, the Bears had to punt in turn from their own 46 and Bruce Taylor returned it 78 yards to the Chicago nine, where HB Ronnie Bull made a diving tackle. Three plays later, Tucker powered into the end zone for a TD and Gossett kicked the point after to narrow the score to 13-10.

The Bears had to punt from deep in their own territory but, after reaching the Chicago 27, the 49ers came up empty when Gossett’s 34-yard field goal try sailed wide to the right. Primarily thanks to the running of Bull and FB Ross Montgomery, the Bears reached midfield before having to punt once again. Taking over with 50 seconds left in the first half, Brodie completed passes to FB Ken Willard for 12 yards and WR Dick Witcher for 25, but on the final play before halftime Gossett’s field goal attempt was blocked.

Chicago immediately got a break at the start of the third quarter when Tucker again fumbled on the second half kickoff return and the Bears gained possession at the San Francisco 28. They reached the 12 before Percival kicked a 19-yard field goal that extended the home team’s lead to 16-10.

The 49ers responded with an 11-play, 80-yard drive. Brodie completed seven passes along the way, three of them to Willard including one for a 27-yard gain on the second play and a seven-yard TD pass. Gossett’s extra point put the Niners ahead by one at 17-16.

The Bears advanced into San Francisco territory as Concannon completed passes to TE Rich Coady for 14 yards and Gordon for 13, and in between the 49ers were penalized for defensive holding. But Concannon was sacked by DE Tommy Hart for a loss of 24 yards, and while they were able to gain some of that back on third down, the Bears were forced to settle for a Percival field goal attempt from 44 yards that was wide to the left. Two plays later, the 49ers extended their lead when Brodie threw long to Gene Washington (pictured above) for a 79-yard touchdown. Gossett converted and San Francisco took a 24-16 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Bears had to punt again early in the final period and the 49ers picked up 15 yards when FB Mike Hull was penalized for interfering with Taylor’s fair catch. San Francisco proceeded to drive 70 yards in 12 plays. HB Doug Cunningham had a 15-yard run and Brodie completed four passes, the longest to Windsor for a 35-yard gain to the Chicago 12 and the last to Washington for an eight-yard TD. Gossett’s kick made the score 31-16 and effectively sealed the win for the 49ers.

Bobby Douglass was at quarterback when the Bears started their next series and gave up an interception to LB Frank Nunley that led to one last San Francisco touchdown on a pass from QB Steve Spurrier, who spelled Brodie (after he completed his 2000^th career pass), to Willard from four yards out. The try for extra point was blocked but it was inconsequential as the 49ers won by a final score of 37-16.   

San Francisco had a big lead in total yards (387 to 178), especially via passing (340 to 87), and also in first downs (19 to 11). The Bears turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by the 49ers.

John Brodie completed 21 of 28 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns with none intercepted. Gene Washington had 5 catches for 119 yards and two TDs and Bob Windsor contributed 82 yards on his four receptions. Ken Willard led the club with 7 pass receptions, which gained 64 yards and included two touchdowns, and also rushed for 29 yards on 8 carries.

For the Bears, Jack Concannon was successful on 10 of 19 throws for 104 yards and a TD, also giving up no interceptions (two of the six passes thrown by Bobby Douglass were picked off late in the game). Dick Gordon (pictured below) caught four passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. Ross Montgomery rushed for 42 yards on 11 attempts and Ronnie Bull also carried 11 times, gaining 32 yards.

“We played a good three quarters and, without making excuses, we were hurt at a lot of positions,” summed up Chicago’s Coach Dooley. “Our players were playing their hearts out.”

The 49ers stayed a game in front of the Rams in the NFC West and they went on to finish on top with a 10-3-1 record. They defeated Minnesota in the Divisional playoff before losing to the Cowboys in the NFC Championship game. Chicago ended up at 6-8 and fourth in the NFC Central.

John Brodie had the finest season of his career, leading the NFL in pass completions (223), yards (2941), TD passes (24), and overall passer rating (93.8). He received MVP honors from the Associated Press and NEA as well as being a consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl selection. Gene Washington also received consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors as he caught 53 passes for a league-leading 1100 yards and scored 12 touchdowns. Dick Gordon topped the NFL with 71 pass receptions and 13 receiving TDs while gaining 1026 yards and, like Brodie and Washington, gained first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl recognition.

1954: Bears Rally to Defeat Packers with Fourth Quarter TDs

The Chicago Bears had a 3-3 record as they hosted their arch-rivals, the Green Bay Packers, on November 7, 1954. Coached by “the Papa Bear”, owner George Halas, the Bears, who started the season off slowly, were benefiting from the play of rookie end Harlon Hill, who was proving to be a potent deep receiving threat. Veteran FB Harry “Chick” Jagade, obtained from the Browns, helped the running attack while Halas alternated veteran QB George Blanda with rookie Zeke Bratkowski.

Green Bay was under the guidance of first-year Head Coach Lisle Blackbourn and, after starting off with three losses, had reeled off three straight wins to come into the game with Chicago also at 3-3. QB Tobin Rote was a talented, if inconsistent, passer and rookie end Max McGee bolstered the receiving corps.

There were 47,038 fans in attendance at Wrigley Field. Chicago jumped out to the early lead thanks largely to the passing of George Blanda. He threw to end Jim Dooley for a 40-yard touchdown to complete a 72-yard drive in seven plays. Blanda, also the team’s placekicker, added the extra point.

Following an unsuccessful field goal attempt by Green Bay’s Fred Cone, Blanda then passed the Bears down the field on a 10-play, 54-yard series leading to a two-yard carry for a TD by Chick Jagade. Two of those throws were nearly intercepted but dropped and the Packers were flagged on a questionable pass interference call as well. Blanda again converted.

Down by 14-0, the Packers scored twice in the last ten minutes of the first half. A 49-yard possession that took 10 plays resulted in a four-yard scoring pass from Tobin Rote to Max McGee. Soon afterward, HB Veryl Switzer (pictured at left) grabbed a punt on the bounce and returned it 93 yards, getting several good blocks along the way as he raced down the sideline. A bad snap from center caused the extra point attempt to go awry as Fred Cone’s kick was blocked, but Chicago’s lead was narrowed to 14-13 at halftime.

Midway through the third quarter, Cone kicked a 30-yard field goal and the visitors jumped ahead by 16-14. That remained the situation until early in the fourth quarter when the Packers extended their lead following an interception of a Blanda pass by safety Clarence Self. Self returned the pickoff 22 yards and, on the next play, McGee caught a pass from Rote and made an outstanding run for a 37-yard touchdown. Cone converted and Green Bay was up by 23-14.

With 7:42 left to play the Bears were down by nine points and faced fourth-and-three at their own 48. Zeke Bratkowski’s high kick was fumbled by Switzer as he was hit by DE Ted Daffer. C/LB Wayne Hansen scooped the ball up and returned it 14 yards for a touchdown. Blanda converted to make it a two-point game at 23-21.

The Packers responded by advancing methodically to the Chicago 35 thanks to two passes by Rote and a penalty on the Bears. However, the drive stalled and Cone’s 46-yard field goal attempt was wide with the time now down to 4:05. Taking over at their 20, the Bears ran six plays and got first downs on passes from Blanda to FB Pete Perini for 20 yards and end Bill McColl for 26. Another pass, which HB Don Kindt grabbed away from two defenders, gained 21 yards and put the ball at the Green Bay seven. On the next play, Blanda, heavily pressured by DT Dave Hanner, threw to HB/OE John Hoffman in the corner of the end zone for a TD. The Bears were in front by five points with just over two minutes left to play.

The Packers went to the air and Rote (pictured at right) completed six passes, the longest covering 38 yards to HB Al Carmichael, to reach the Chicago 16. But time was running out and, on the game’s final play, Rote lost hold of the ball and DE Ed Sprinkle recovered as the gun sounded. Chicago won by a final score of 28-23.

The Bears led in total yards (382 to 335) while the teams were even in first downs with 21 apiece and turnovers with two. Each club was also penalized six times.

George Blanda completed 24 of 46 passes for 279 yards and two touchdowns while giving up two interceptions. John Hoffman caught 9 passes for 110 yards and a TD, helped by the Packers double-teaming Harlon Hill, and also ran the ball 12 times for 60 yards. For the Packers, Tobin Rote was successful on 17 of 42 throws for 204 yards and two TDs with none intercepted. Max McGee had five catches.

The Bears lost to the Browns the next week but won their four remaining games to finish second in the Western Conference at 8-4. Green Bay went in the opposite direction, beating the Colts but then losing the last four contests to end up fifth with a 4-8 record.

George Blanda suffered a shoulder injury that cost him the last four games of the season but still ranked third in touchdown passes (15), fourth in pass attempts (281), and sixth in passing yards (1929). John Hoffman tied his career high with 28 catches, which gained 354 yards. His winning touchdown against the Packers was his only scoring reception although he had three rushing TDs.

Tobin Rote topped the NFL in pass attempts (382) and completions (180) and placed second in passing yards (2311). He also rushed for 301 yards and eight touchdowns. Max McGee completed his first pro season with 36 catches for 614 yards (17.1 avg.) and ranked fourth in the league with nine receiving TDs.

Highlighted Year: Derrick Fenner, 1990

Running Back, Seattle Seahawks

Age: 23

2^nd season in pro football & with Seahawks

College: North Carolina

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 229

Prelude:

Fenner performed well in college, including an ACC-record 328-yard rushing game against Virginia in 1986. However, there were off-field problems and Fenner was jailed on a murder charge that was eventually dropped, although he received probation for drug possession. It effectively ended his college playing career and Fenner, while cleared to enter the 1989 NFL draft, was avoided until taken by the Seahawks in the tenth round. He saw little action as a rookie, running for just 41 yards and catching three passes, but the departure of RB Curt Warner provided an opening in ‘90.

1990 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 215 [12]

Most attempts, game – 22 (for 144 yds.) at Denver 9/23

Yards – 859 [12]

Most yards, game – 144 yards (on 22 carries) at Denver 9/23

Average gain – 4.0

TDs – 14 [1, tied with Cleveland Gary]

100-yard rushing games – 2

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 17      

Most receptions, game – 5 (for 85 yds.) at LA Raiders 10/14

Yards – 143

Most yards, game – 85 (on 5 catches) at LA Raiders 10/14

Average gain – 8.4

TDs – 1

Scoring

TDs – 15 [2, tied with Cleveland Gary; 1^st in AFC]

Points – 90 [18, tied with Cleveland Gary]

Seahawks went 9-7 to finish third in the AFC West.

Aftermath:

Fenner had a disappointing year in 1991, rushing for 267 yards while averaging 2.9 yards-per-carry, and departed to the Cincinnati Bengals as a free agent in ’92. As backup to RB Harold Green, he rushed for 500 yards and seven TDs. An upright runner with good power, he was not used much as a pass receiver in his first four seasons but caught a career-high 48 passes for 427 yards in 1993 while running for 482 yards in a limited role. After a similar season in ’94 he was signed by the Raiders to play fullback and Fenner spent three years with them, carrying the ball occasionally and catching passes. Overall, at the end of his career in 1997, he had rushed for 2996 yards on 804 carries (3.7 avg.) and caught 202 passes for another 1578 yards, scoring a total of 42 touchdowns. Of that, 1167 rushing yards and 20 TDs came with the Seahawks.   

--

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

1961: Eagles Edge Bears Thanks to Missed FGs But Lose Brookshier

The Philadelphia Eagles were sporting a 6-1 record as they hosted the tough Chicago Bears on November 5, 1961. The Eagles had been forced to make key offseason moves after winning the 1960 NFL Championship since both Head Coach Buck Shaw and star QB Norm Van Brocklin had chosen to retire. Taking their place were Nick Skorich, promoted from line coach to head coach, and QB Sonny Jurgensen (pictured at right), who had been waiting for his opportunity since coming to Philadelphia as a fourth round draft choice out of Duke in 1957. Now he was making the most of it, proving to be a highly productive passer, and with capable receivers available in flanker Tommy McDonald and ends Pete Retzlaff and Bobby Walston, who was also the team’s experienced placekicker.  

The Bears were 5-2 and had a four-game winning streak coming into Philadelphia. Under the guidance of owner and Head Coach George Halas, Chicago also had notable newcomers in QB Bill Wade, obtained from the Rams, and rookie TE Mike Ditka. The defense was solid and experienced, with the line anchored by DE Doug Atkins, Bill George at middle linebacker flanked by Joe Fortunato and Larry Morris, and the backfield featuring cornerbacks Dave Whitsell and J.C. Caroline and safeties Roosevelt Taylor and Richie Petitbon.

There were 60,671 fans in attendance at Franklin Field on an unseasonably warm day. The Eagles had the game’s first possession and advanced into Chicago territory. Sonny Jurgensen threw to Pete Retzlaff for an 18-yard gain on a third-and-eight play and a pass to Tommy McDonald picked up 12 yards. However, facing third-and-one at the Chicago 33, Jurgensen was sacked for a loss of eight yards by Doug Atkins and DE Bob Kilcullen, and Bobby Walston’s long field goal attempt was blocked.

The Bears had good field position to start at their 48 but an attempt to convert a fourth down at the Philadelphia 43 was stopped short. After being moved back by a holding penalty, the Eagles began to move as Jurgensen threw to Walston for eight yards and FB Clarence Peaks ran for 15 more. Jurgensen converted a third-and-eight situation with a pass to McDonald for 19 yards to the Chicago 20 and followed up with a throw to Retzlaff for another eight yards. The drive finally stalled at the five yard line and Walston kicked a 12-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

Chicago wasted little time in responding as, on the second play following the ensuing kickoff, Bill Wade threw deep to Mike Ditka for a 76-yard touchdown. Roger LeClerc kicked the extra point and the visitors were up by 7-3.

The Eagles benefited from a pass interference penalty on Roosevelt Taylor that was good for 36 yards on a third down play, but after reaching the Chicago 28 they were stopped in a fourth-and-two situation. As the game entered the second quarter, the Bears had to punt and Philadelphia advanced 78 yards in five plays. Runs by HB Billy Barnes and Peaks got a first down and the Eagles got another when Jurgensen completed a pass to Walston for nine yards and HB Ted Dean ran for four. Jurgensen then fired long for McDonald, who got beyond Taylor for a 55-yard touchdown. Walston converted and the home team was back in front by 10-7.

The Bears had to punt following their next possession but got the ball back quickly when Dave Whitsell (pictured at left) intercepted a Jurgensen pass and returned it 52 yards to the Philadelphia five. Two plays later, FB Rick Casares ran for a two-yard TD and, with LeClerc’s extra point, Chicago was ahead by 14-10.

The Eagles drove into Chicago territory as Jurgensen threw to Walston for 13 yards and McDonald for 14, but facing third-and-10 at the visitors’ 30 it was Richie Petitbon coming up with an interception to blunt the threat. Casares ran three times to give the Bears a first down at the two-minute warning, but a delay of game penalty and sack of Wade moved the visitors back and they ultimately were forced to punt. Ed Brown’s kick sailed 69 yards, and two long Jurgensen completions were nullified by backfield in motion penalties. The score remained unchanged at halftime.

The teams exchanged punts to start the third quarter. A 21-yard return by DB Irv Cross gave the Eagles good field position at the Chicago 40, but they were unable to move on offense and Walston’s 44-yard field goal attempt was wide to the right. The Bears, now with strong-armed QB Ed Brown behind center, again had to punt and Cross had another good return, gaining 20 yards to the Philadelphia 47. Barnes had a 15-yard run and Jurgensen rolled out and threw to Peaks for 33 yards to the Chicago eight. Peaks ran for a three-yard TD, and while LB Joe Fortunato blocked Walston’s extra point attempt, the Eagles were in the lead by two points.

The Bears were on the move as the game headed into the fourth quarter. HB Willie Galimore had a 16-yard run, Casares dove for three yards on a third-and-one play, and Galimore ran three more times for another 16 yards. However, after reaching the Philadelphia 11, the drive stalled and LeClerc was wide on an 18-yard field goal try.

Once again Whitsell intercepted a Jurgensen pass, this time returning it 19 yards to the Philadelphia 19. Casares ran effectively to get the ball inside the ten, but the visitors were stopped there and, with Brown now attempting a field goal from 13 yards, Cross deflected the kick and it sailed wide to the right.

The Eagles went three-and-out and punted, but the Bears were unable to get beyond their own 40 on the ensuing possession. Most significantly, CB Tom Brookshier, the defensive captain, went down with a compound fracture of his leg on a second down play. Brown’s punt traveled 56 yards and came to rest at the Philadelphia four. With Peaks primarily running the ball, most notably on a three-yard carry for a first down on a third down play, and the Bears called for a personal foul, the Eagles maintained possession for the remaining time, holding on for a 16-14 win.

Philadelphia far outgained the Bears (342 to 215), especially in net passing yards (237 to 89), and also had a clear edge in first downs (19 to 9). However, the Eagles also accounted for the game’s only three turnovers. Chicago was penalized seven times, at a cost of 94 yards, to five flags thrown on Philadelphia. Ultimately, it came down to the failure of the Bears to connect on either of their short field goal attempts in the fourth quarter.

Sonny Jurgensen completed 18 of 33 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown, but gave up three interceptions. Tommy McDonald had 6 catches for 109 yards and a TD. Clarence Peaks (pictured above) rushed for 62 yards on 16 carries that included a score and also contributed four pass receptions for another 61 yards. Irv Cross averaged 14.3 yards on four punt returns.

For the Bears, Bill Wade and Ed Brown completed four passes between them out of 12 attempts, with Wade throwing for 85 yards and a TD. Brown also averaged 48.1 yards on seven punts. Mike Ditka gained a team-leading 76 yards on his lone long touchdown reception. Rick Casares gained 65 yards on 17 rushing attempts that included a TD and Willie Galimore added 42 yards on 13 carries. On defense, Dave Whitsell accounted for two of Chicago’s three interceptions and returned them for a combined 71 yards.  

The Eagles lost to the conference-rival Giants and Browns the next two weeks, and another loss to New York ultimately cost them a second Eastern title. They finished with a 10-4 record, just behind the 10-3-1 Giants. Chicago lost three of its next four games to drop out of contention in the Western Conference, ending up at 8-6 and tied with the Colts in third place.

The loss of Tom Brookshier (pictured at right) proved critical to the Eagles, for his leadership as well as outstanding defensive play. Tough, if not especially fast, and an excellent tackler, Brookshier had been selected to the previous two Pro Bowls and received consensus first-team All-NFL honors following the 1960 championship season. In his place, the Eagles used Irv Cross and Glen Amerson, both rookies, and it was a factor in the defeats that followed. While it wasn’t known at the time, the injury proved to be career-ending. Brookshier attempted to come back in ’62 but was forced to retire, entering into a long career as a broadcaster.

Highlighted Year: John Brodie, 1958

Quarterback, San Francisco 49ers

Age:  23

2^nd season in pro football & with 49ers

College: Stanford

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 195

Prelude:

A consensus first-team All-American who led the nation in passing and total offense in 1956, Brodie was chosen by the 49ers in the first round of the 1957 NFL draft (third overall). He saw little action as a rookie backup to well-established QB Y.A. Tittle, but following a strong preseason in ‘58, Brodie was handed the starting job by Head Coach Frankie Albert.  

1958 Season Summary

Appeared in all 12 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 172 [12]
Most attempts, game - 36 vs. Chi. Bears 10/26

Completions – 103 [8]
Most completions, game - 25 vs. Chi. Bears 10/26

Yards – 1224 [12]
Most yards, game - 276 at Philadelphia 10/19

Completion percentage – 59.9 [1]

Yards per attempt – 7.1 [7]

TD passes – 6 [16]

Most TD passes, game – 2 at Philadelphia 10/19

Interceptions – 13 [5, tied with Lamar McHan & Babe Parilli]

Passer rating – 61.8 [11]
200-yard passing games - 3

Rushing

Attempts – 11

Yards – -12

Yards per attempt – -1.1

TDs – 1

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points – 6

49ers went 6-6 to finish fourth in the NFL Western Conference.

Aftermath:

Brodie relinquished the starting quarterback job back to Y.A. Tittle during the second half of the 1958 season, and remained primarily a backup for the next two years until inheriting the full-time starting job in 1961 (playing out of Head Coach Red Hickey’s shotgun offense for several weeks). With all of the necessary tools but plagued by inconsistency, he was selected for the Pro Bowl in 1965 after leading the NFL in pass attempts (391), completions (242), completion percentage (61.9), yards (3112), and TD passes (30). Brodie also led the league in pass attempts (404), completions (234), completion percentage (57.9), and yards (3020) in ’68, but in between were years of mediocrity, both for him and the team. His finest season came in 1970 when he led the NFL in completions (223), yards (2941), TD passes (24), and overall passing (93.8 rating) and received MVP as well as consensus first-team All-league honors as the 49ers advanced to the NFC Championship game. Brodie had a lesser year in 1971, throwing more interceptions (24) than TD passes (18), but the 49ers again won the NFC West with a 9-5 record and advanced to the NFC title game, losing for a second time to Dallas. Brodie went down with a severely sprained ankle in ‘72 and gave way to Steve Spurrier, but rallied the team into the playoffs for the third straight year, although the 49ers once again fell to the Cowboys (this time in the Divisional round). He retired after the 1973 season, ranking third lifetime in the NFL in both pass attempts (4491) and completions (2469) while having thrown for 31,548 yards with 214 TDs and 224 interceptions. Brodie’s #12 was retired by the 49ers. He went on to participate for almost 15 years in the Senior PGA Golf Tour.

--

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

[Updated 2/21/17]