1997: Panthers Defeat Cowboys in First Playoff Appearance

The Carolina Panthers reached the playoffs in just their second year of existence in the 1996 season and hosted the Dallas Cowboys, defending NFL Champions, on January 5, 1997. Coached by Dom Capers, the Panthers benefited from an outstanding defense that featured linebackers Kevin Greene, who led the NFL with 14.5 sacks, Lamar Lathon, who contributed another 13.5 sacks, and Sam Mills, still a Pro Bowl-quality performer at age 37. The conservative offense was directed by second-year QB Kerry Collins and received unanticipated production from journeyman RB Anthony Johnson (pictured above). Reliable TE Wesley Walls led the receiving corps. Carolina won its last seven games to top the NFC West at 12-4, edging out the 49ers, who the Panthers swept during the season.

The Cowboys were coached by Barry Switzer for the third season and had won three Super Bowls in the preceding four years, beginning under Switzer’s predecessor Jimmy Johnson. The offense was still led by QB Troy Aikman, RB Emmitt Smith, and WR Michael Irvin, and the defense contained dynamic CB Deion Sanders. But there had been disarray in Dallas, starting with Irvin missing the first five games due to a drug suspension by the league and TE Jay Novacek being lost for the year with a back injury. The Cowboys stumbled out of the gate, losing three of their first four games, before winning four straight on the way to a 10-6 record that placed first in the NFC East for the fifth straight year. They easily defeated Minnesota in the Wild Card round, but DT Leon Lett was missing for the postseason due to a drug suspension and DE Charles Haley due to injury. Furthermore, there had been sexual assault accusations made against Irvin and OT Erik Williams during the week preceding the game against the Panthers that provided an additional distraction (the charges ultimately proved to be unfounded).

There were 72,808 fans in attendance on a 60-degree day at Ericsson Stadium. The Panthers had the ball first but, after reaching midfield, Kerry Collins was intercepted by SS Darren Woodson. Troy Aikman completed passes to Michael Irvin for 22 yards and WR Kevin Williams for 17 while Emmitt Smith plugged away on the ground, and the Cowboys put the first points on the board with a 22-yard Chris Boniol field goal. However, Irvin suffered a broken collar bone when tackled by Lamar Lathon following his reception and was lost for the remainder of the game.

Carolina responded with a 68-yard drive in six plays. Collins (pictured below) threw to WR Willie Green for 22 yards and a seven-yard completion to WR Mark Carrier gave the Panthers first-and-goal at the Dallas one, from where Collins connected with Wesley Walls for a touchdown. John Kasay added the extra point for a 7-3 lead.

A short series by the Cowboys ended with a punt and, in a drive that stretched into the second quarter, the Panthers advanced 42 yards in 11 plays. Collins threw to Green for 13 yards on first down, hit Green again for eight yards on a third-and-nine play, and converted the resulting fourth-and-one situation by carrying himself for the necessary yardage. Another Collins pass, to RB Winslow Oliver, picked up five yards on a third-and-two play and the possession ended with Collins throwing to Green for a 10-yard TD. Kasay’s point after made it a 14-3 score.

Dallas came back with a long series of 14 plays that traveled 73 yards. Aikman completed six passes, the longest to Williams for 15 yards to convert a third down and the last to FB Daryl “Moose” Johnston for a two-yard touchdown. The attempt for a two-point conversion failed but the Carolina lead was narrowed to 14-9 with 4:19 remaining in the first half.

The Panthers went three-and-out on their next possession but gave up two points when the snap from punt formation sailed over Rohn Stark’s head and the punter was obliged to fall on the ball in the end zone for a safety. Deion Sanders returned the resulting free kick 28 yards and Aikman immediately moved the Cowboys into Carolina territory with a pass to Williams for 12 yards, but three plays later he was picked off by SS Chad Cota, who returned it 49 yards to the Dallas 27. Kasay kicked a 24-yard field goal and the Panthers led by 17-11 at halftime.

The Cowboys had the ball first in the third quarter and had to punt, but retained possession when Oliver fumbled the kick and Johnston recovered for Dallas at the Carolina 16. Aikman threw to Williams for 11 yards but, after reaching the three yard line, the Panthers held and the visitors settled for a 21-yard Boniol field goal that made it a three-point game.

With Anthony Johnson leading the way on the ground, the Panthers drove from their 28 to the Dallas 22 and Kasay kicked a 40-yard field goal. The Cowboys punted following their next series and once again Carolina advanced to a field goal by Kasay, again from 40 yards, that made the score 23-14 early in the fourth quarter.

Dallas came back with a long drive that covered 78 yards. Aikman completed four passes, all under ten yards, and Sanders, lined up at wide receiver on offense, gained 16 yards on a reverse while Smith had a 25-yard run. However, Sanders was lost with a head injury and once again the Cowboys couldn’t reach the end zone and settled for another Boniol field goal that covered 21 yards.

A short series by the Panthers following a 51-yard kickoff return by WR Michael Bates resulted in a punt and Dallas, down by six points, was pinned back at its two. The Cowboys reached their 37 before Aikman threw a pass that was intercepted by FS Pat Terrell, who returned it 49 yards to the Dallas 19. Carolina kept the ball on the ground and Kasay made it a nine-point game with a 32-yard field goal as the clock showed 3:44 remaining in to play. On the third play following the ensuing kickoff, Sam Mills intercepted an Aikman pass to clinch the 26-17 win for the Panthers, who were able to run out the clock.

Dallas had the edge in total yards (244 to 227) and first downs (21 to 18). However, the Cowboys failed to take full advantage of scoring opportunities, settling for three field goals rather than touchdowns inside the Carolina five, and turned the ball over three times, to two by the Panthers.

Kerry Collins completed 12 of 22 passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns while being intercepted once. Anthony Johnson rushed for 104 yards on 26 carries and Willie Green led the Carolina receivers with 5 catches for 53 yards and a TD. John Kasay was successful on all four of his field goal attempts.

For the Cowboys, Troy Aikman (pictured at right) was successful on 18 of 36 throws for 165 yards and a TD but also gave up three interceptions. In the absence of Michael Irvin, Kevin Williams caught 6 passes for 89 yards to lead the club. Emmitt Smith gained 80 yards on 22 rushing attempts but was consistently stopped inside the five yard line.

“Same old story we had all year long,” summed up Coach Switzer of the Cowboys. “We get the ball in scoring position and can’t get the touchdown.”

Carolina advanced to the NFC Championship game and lost to Green Bay (similarly, the other 1995 expansion team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, reached the AFC title game). The Panthers were unable to sustain the quick success, dropping to 7-9 in 1997 and not reaching the playoffs, or posting another winning record, until 2003. For the Cowboys, the defeat marked the end of a six-season period in which they were an elite club. They fell to 6-10 in ’97 and, while they returned to the postseason in 1998 and ’99, they were defeated in the Wild Card round both times.

Highlighted Year: Marv Cook, 1991

Tight End, New England Patriots

Age: 25

3^rd season in pro football & with Patriots

College: Iowa

Height: 6’4”   Weight: 234

Prelude:

Cook caught 112 passes for 1660 yards (14.8 avg.) and six touchdowns in three varsity seasons and received first-team All-American honors from UPI and the American Football Coaches Association in 1988. He was chosen by the Patriots in the third round of the 1989 NFL draft and saw scant action as a rookie due to a broken foot, catching three passes and performing well on special teams. Cook became the starting tight end in ’90 and broke out with 51 receptions for 455 yards (8.9 avg.) and five TDs.

1991 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 82 [4] 

Most receptions, game – 10 (for 99 yds.) vs. Houston 9/22

Yards – 808

Most yards, game – 99 (on 10 catches) vs. Houston 9/22

Average gain – 9.9

TDs – 3

Scoring

TDs – 3

Points – 18

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, NEA, Pro Football Weekly, Sporting News

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

Pro Bowl

Patriots went 6-10 to finish fourth in the AFC East.

Aftermath:

The overachieving Cook followed up with 52 catches for 413 yards (7.9 avg.) and two TDs in 1992 and was again chosen to the Pro Bowl. His production dropped off in ’93 as Ben Coates saw more action at tight end and he was let go by the Patriots. Cook moved on to the Chicago Bears in 1993 and finished his career with the St. Louis Rams in ’94, catching 47 passes in his last two seasons for 347 yards and two TDs. Overall, Cook caught 257 passes for 2190 yards (8.5 avg.) and 13 TDs, with 210 receptions for 1843 yards and 11 TDs coming with the Patriots. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection once and was chosen to two Pro Bowls. Cook went on to become a high school football coach whose teams have won six straight Iowa state championships at the Class 1A or 2A level.

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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

1987: Browns Rally to Defeat Jets in OT of AFC Divisional Playoff Game

The AFC Divisional playoff game on January 3, 1987 featured the Cleveland Browns, winners of the AFC Central Division, hosting the New York Jets, the second place finisher in the AFC East that qualified for the postseason as a Wild Card.

The Browns were coached by Marty Schottenheimer and won the last five games of the 1986 regular season to finish with a 12-4 record. Second-year QB Bernie Kosar (pictured above) had the league’s lowest interception percentage (1.9), being picked off just 10 times while tossing 17 TD passes. The receiving corps was a good one although the running back tandem of Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner, who was out against the Jets, had been disrupted by injuries.  A knee injury had cost the team the services of PK Matt Bahr and 38-year-old Mark Moseley, long-time kicker for the Redskins who was released earlier in the season and also was the league’s last remaining straight-ahead placekicker, was signed to take his place.

New York, under Head Coach Joe Walton for the fourth year, had gotten off to an impressive 10-1 start before losing five straight games to end up at 10-6. Injuries were a problem, especially on the offensive and defensive lines, and QB Ken O’Brien’s performance dropped off significantly. He was benched in favor of backup QB Pat Ryan, who led the Jets to a win over Kansas City in the Wild Card playoff round.  WR Al Toon was an All-Pro and RB Freeman McNeil, when healthy, was very productive. But the injuries on defense played havoc with the ability of the Jets to defend against the pass.

There were 78,106 fans in attendance at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium. The Jets had first possession and punted. The short kick by Dave Jennings had the Browns starting at their 44 and a personal foul on the defense two plays later moved the ball into New York territory. However, after reaching the 29, Cleveland came up empty when Mark Moseley was short on a 46-yard field goal attempt.

The teams exchanged punts before the Jets advanced 82 yards in four plays. Pat Ryan threw to Al Toon for 28 yards and WR Wesley Walker for seven before firing to Walker once more on a flea-flicker for a 42-yard touchdown. Pat Leahy added the extra point and the visitors held the early 7-0 advantage.

The Browns started at their two following the ensuing kickoff but responded with a 98-yard drive in six plays. Bernie Kosar passed twice to TE Ozzie Newsome for 21 and 23 yards and to TE Harry Holt for nine yards to the New York 42. After an offside penalty on the Jets, Kosar went to the air once again, this time to RB Harry Fontenot for a 37-yard TD. Moseley’s point after tied the score.

The Jets punted after a short possession and the Browns were on the move as the opening period came to a close with Kosar connecting with WR Webster Slaughter for 15 yards and Newsome for 14. But the drive stalled at the New York 40 and, now in the second quarter, Cleveland was forced to punt.

The teams returned to trading punts until the Browns, regaining possession at midfield, advanced 29 yards in seven plays. Kosar completed three passes, the biggest to Newsome for 13 yards and Kevin Mack (pictured at right) for 25 down to the New York nine. However, a holding penalty moved the ball back and the offense could get no further. Moseley booted a 38-yard field goal to put Cleveland in the lead by 10-7.

Following another exchange of punts, the Jets took possession at their 31 with 1:29 remaining in the first half. QB Ken O’Brien, now behind center because of a groin injury to Ryan, twice scrambled for gains of nine and 16 yards and completed two passes. With the clock down to seven seconds, Leahy came on to kick a 46-yard field goal and the teams went into halftime with the score tied at 10-10.

The Browns had the ball first in the third quarter, punted, and New York started off with good field position at the Cleveland 41. Freeman McNeil ran three straight times for 23 yards but was then tackled for a loss and two O’Brien passes fell incomplete. Still, the Jets took the lead when Leahy kicked a 37-yard field goal that made the tally 13-10.

Cleveland responded by driving into New York territory, the big play being a Kosar throw to Holt for 33 yards. But after RB Curtis Dickey ran for three yards, two passes intended for Fontenot were incomplete, the second after being tipped by DT Tom Baldwin, and the Browns came up empty when Moseley was wide to the left on a 44-yard try for a field goal.

The teams returned to trading punts for the remainder of the period, with the Browns coming out ahead on the battle for field position. Starting at midfield early in the fourth quarter, Kosar threw to Newsome for a 34-yard gain and a pass interference call on a third-and-six play gave Cleveland a first down at the New York 10. But after Mack carried twice for eight yards, Kosar’s third down pass into the end zone was intercepted by CB Russell Carter. It ended a streak of 133 consecutive passes without an interception for Kosar.

O’Brien completed passes to Toon for 11 yards and FB Tony Paige for 10, and McNeil ran effectively as the Jets reached the Cleveland 43 before having to punt. However, they got the ball right back when Kosar was again picked off, this time by CB Jerry Holmes at the Cleveland 25. On the next play, McNeil carried the ball on a sweep to the right and went the distance for a touchdown. Leahy converted and New York was ahead by 20-10 with only a little over four minutes remaining in regulation.

It looked dire for the Browns on the next series as they faced third-and-24 at their 18, but a roughing-the-passer penalty on DE Mark Gastineau earned them 15 yards and a first down and, after two passes were incomplete to set up third-and-10, Kosar connected on five straight throws. WR Reggie Langhorne caught the first two, for 10 and 13 yards, and WR Brian Brennan followed up with receptions for 22 and 19 yards to get the ball to the New York three. Two plays later, Mack scored a TD from a yard out and, with Moseley’s extra point, the visitors’ lead was cut to 20-17.

The try for an onside kick was recovered by the Jets and they were able to run the clock down to 1:03 before punting. Starting from their 33, the Browns were helped along by a pass interference penalty that moved the ball to the New York 42. Kosar threw to Slaughter for 37 yards and, after the next pass was incomplete, Moseley kicked a 22-yard field goal with 11 seconds left to tie the score at 20-20 and send the game into overtime.

The Jets went three-and-out on the first possession of OT. It looked good for the Browns, starting from their 26, as Kosar completed five passes, the last to Langhorne for 35 yards down to the New York five. But Moseley then missed to the right on a 23-yard field goal attempt and the game continued.

Neither team could move on the next few possessions, resulting in punts. Cleveland had the ball at the New York 35 as time expired in the first overtime period and three runs by Mack picked up 26 yards to the nine before Moseley, given another opportunity, came through with a game-winning 27-yard field goal at the 2:02 mark of the second overtime period. The Browns advanced by a final score of 23-20.

Cleveland had by far the most total yards (558 to 287) and first downs (33 to 14). The Browns also recorded nine sacks, three of them by DE Carl Hairston, to four by New York. Cleveland turned the ball over twice, to none by the Jets, but the visitors were flagged 10 times at a cost of 94 yards, to four penalties for 40 yards on the Browns.

Bernie Kosar completed 33 of 64 passes for 489 yards, the attempts and yards setting new NFL postseason records, with one touchdown and two interceptions. Kevin Mack rushed for 63 yards on 20 carries that included a TD and also had 5 catches for 51 yards. Ozzie Newsome (pictured at left) had 6 pass receptions for 114 yards and Webster Slaughter also caught 6 passes, for 86 yards. Mark Moseley was successful on three of six field goal attempts.

For the Jets, Pat Ryan was 6 of 11 for 103 yards and a TD and, in relief, Ken O’Brien completed 11 of 19 throws for 134 yards. Al Toon caught 5 passes for 93 yards and Freeman McNeil rushed for 71 yards on 25 attempts that included a score along with four pass receptions for 35 yards. Dave Jennings punted 14 times for a 37.9-yard average.

“It has to be one of the finest games in the history of the game,” said Cleveland’s Coach Schottenheimer. “It equals any comeback I’ve ever seen and it is certainly the best I’ve ever been a part of.”

“I think the Browns just got revved up and played very well,” said Coach Walton of the Jets. “The big thing was our inability to move the ball.”

Cleveland advanced to the AFC Championship game and lost a close contest to the Denver Broncos, the first of two consecutive conference title game meetings between the clubs that were both won by the Broncos. The Jets dropped to 6-9 in 1987 and didn’t return to the postseason until 1991.

1983: Buccaneers Rally to Defeat Bears in OT & Reach Playoffs

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed a win or tie to reach the playoffs as they hosted the Chicago Bears on January 2, 1983. The 1982 NFL season had been interrupted by a 57-day players’ strike that reduced the schedule to nine games. The league thus eliminated the divisions and re-formatted the postseason structure so that the top eight teams in each conference would qualify.

The Buccaneers, as had been the case since their inception in 1976, were coached by John McKay, who had twice guided them to the playoffs in the previous three years. They lost their first two games back in September and then the first contest following the resumption of play in November, but had then won four of their last five games to be at 4-4 coming into the season finale. Strong-armed but erratic QB Doug Williams (pictured above) directed the offense and there were good receivers in WR Kevin House and TE Jimmie Giles. Rookie FB James Wilder enhanced both the ground and passing game with his skills as a runner and receiver out of the backfield. The defense had been the key to any success that Tampa Bay achieved and contained noteworthy performers in DE Lee Roy Selmon, NT David Logan, and LB Hugh Green.

Chicago was seeking to rebuild under a new head coach, Mike Ditka, and with a rookie quarterback, Jim McMahon. RB Walter Payton provided stability in the backfield, but the offensive line was ordinary. The defense, under the direction of defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, was aggressive and especially tough against the run. The Bears had a 3-5 record after defeating the Rams the previous week. 

There were 68,112 fans in attendance at Tampa Stadium on an 80-degree day. The Bears had the game’s first possession and punted, but got the ball back in short order when SS Gary Fencik intercepted a Doug Williams pass at the Tampa Bay 34. Thanks to the running of Walter Payton, Chicago was able to advance to the 18, but Jim McMahon was sacked by DE Dave Stalls for a seven-yard loss on third down and Bob Thomas kicked a 43-yard field goal.

The Buccaneers responded with a long drive from their 19 yard line. Due to the passing of Williams, who also had a 14-yard run, they reached the Chicago eight. However, on a third-and-seven play, Williams fumbled while attempting to pass under heavy pressure and DT Steve McMichael recovered and returned it 64 yards to the Tampa Bay eight. On the third play of the second quarter, Thomas kicked a 19-yard field goal and the Bears opened up a 6-0 lead.

The margin increased when, on the third play of the ensuing series, Williams, again passing under heavy pressure, was intercepted by LB Otis Wilson, who ran it back 39 yards for a touchdown. Thomas added the extra point and the Bears, having taken advantage of turnovers by the Bucs, were up by 13-0.

Tampa Bay responded with a drive of 59 yards in nine plays. Williams completed four passes, the longest to Kevin House for 21 yards in a third-and-five situation, and while the drive stalled at the Chicago nine, the Bucs finally got on the board when Bill Capece kicked a 27-yard field goal to make it a ten-point game.

A short possession by the Bears resulted in a punt that DB John Holt returned 22 yards to the Chicago 31. From there, Williams scrambled for 12 yards and completed a play-action pass to HB James Owens for five yards. The series resulted in a 31-yard Capece field goal that narrowed the score further to 13-6.

The Bears responded with an eight-play, 74-yard advance. McMahon completed passes to WR Brian Baschnagel for 13 yards and WR Rickey Watts for 31 to the Tampa Bay 19 at the two-minute warning. Three plays later, and facing third-and-ten, McMahon connected with Baschnagel for a 19-yard TD. Thomas added the point after and the visitors took a 20-6 lead into halftime.

The teams exchanged punts to start the third quarter before a 17-yard return by Chicago DB Jeff Fisher had the Bears starting off at the Tampa Bay 45. McMahon completed a pass to WR Ken Margerum for 13 yards and Payton had a 10-yard carry before the drive bogged down and Thomas kicked another field goal, this time from 40 yards, to put Chicago ahead by 23-6.

Now in a deep hole with less than seven minutes remaining in the period, the Bucs came back with a six-play, 60-yard possession. Williams completed three passes, the last to Jimmie Giles (pictured at left) for a 35-yard touchdown. Capece’s extra point once again narrowed the margin to ten points at 23-13.

The Bears had the ball for the remainder of the period as their series was helped along when the Buccaneers were called for roughing-the-kicker on a punt. Ultimately, as the game headed into the fourth quarter, the visitors had to punt and the Bucs came through with a big play when Williams threw to House for a 43-yard gain to the Chicago 37. Another pass to House picked up 14 yards but the drive stalled at the 20 and Capece missed wide to the left on a 38-yard try for a field goal.

On the next series, the Bears were backed up to their six and, on a third-and-24 play, McMahon quick-kicked 59 yards to the Tampa Bay 35. From there, the Bucs advanced 65 yards in seven plays. Williams completed another four passes, and missed a play due to a pulled hamstring after having to scramble. Once again facing major pressure, Williams threw to Giles for a 31-yard TD. Capece converted and the Chicago lead was cut to 23-20.

The teams traded punts until the Buccaneers took possession at their 35 with 2:07 left in regulation. Williams threw to WR Gordon Jones for 14 yards on first down and followed up with a completion to House for 17. Another pass, to WR Gerald Carter, picked up seven yards and, following an incompletion, Williams scrambled for five yards in a third-and-three situation. The drive stalled at the Chicago 22, but Capece booted a 40-yard field goal into the wind with 26 seconds remaining on the clock to tie the score at 23-23. The Bears had one last shot and tried for a desperation 58-yard field goal by Thomas on the final play of regulation that fell well short.

Chicago won the toss for the overtime period, went three-and-out, and punted. On Tampa Bay’s first play, James Wilder, who had carried the ball just once thus far, took a pitchout and ran 47 yards to the Bears’ 13 before being pulled down by CB Terry Schmidt. Two plays later, Capece booted a 33-yard field goal and the Buccaneers came away winners by a final score of 26-23.

Tampa Bay dominated in total yards (424 to 248) and first downs (22 to 14) but hurt themselves with three turnovers, to one by the Bears, who also stifled the Bucs’ running game. While Tampa Bay ended up with 99 yards on the ground, 47 of that total came on the run by Wilder that set up the game-winning field goal. The Buccaneers also recorded four sacks, to three by Chicago.

Doug Williams completed 25 of 49 passes for 367 yards and two touchdowns while giving up two interceptions. He also ran five times for 30 yards. James Wilder (pictured at right), with the one long carry, led the Bucs in rushing with 46 yards on two rushing attempts and also had 6 catches for 61 yards. Kevin House gained 95 yards on four receptions and Jimmie Giles contributed 75 yards and two TDs on his three catches. Bill Capece hit on four of five field goal attempts.

For the Bears, Jim McMahon was successful on 12 of 30 throws for 167 yards and a TD with none intercepted. Walter Payton rushed for 109 yards on 26 attempts. Brian Baschnagel led the club’s receivers with four catches for 59 yards and a touchdown.

“You can’t make excuses about it,” said Doug Williams regarding the turnovers that put Tampa Bay in a hole in the first half. “Give Chicago some credit…They forced us to make mistakes.

“It was evident we had our opportunities today,” said a disappointed Coach Ditka of the Bears. “We let a good football team come back and beat us.”

The Buccaneers finished with a 5-4 record and were seeded seventh in the NFC. They were soundly defeated in the first playoff round by the Dallas Cowboys. It marked the last postseason appearance for Tampa Bay until 1997. Chicago ended up at 3-6 and twelfth in the conference. The Bears improved to 8-8 in 1983 and went to the postseason for the first of five straight years in ’84.

Highlighted Year: Bobby Bryant, 1973

Cornerback, Minnesota Vikings

Age: 29

7th season in pro football (6^th active) & with Vikings

College: South Carolina

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 170

Prelude:

Bryant received All-Atlantic Coast Conference recognition in both football and baseball in college. He was chosen by the Vikings in the seventh round of the 1967 NFL draft but, due to the effects of a lingering knee injury suffered during his senior year at South Carolina, appeared in only one preseason game and missed all of the ’67 regular season. He was a reserve in the defensive backfield in 1968, intercepting two passes and returning one for a TD, and also returned kicks. Bryant moved into the starting lineup at right cornerback in ’69 and was outstanding, intercepting 8 passes, until sidelined by a knee injury. He continued to perform well in injury-shortened seasons in 1970 and ’71 and, through 1972, had intercepted 20 passes.

1973 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 7 [3, 1^st in NFC]

Most interceptions, game – 3 at Green Bay 12/8

Int. return yards – 105 [13]

Most int. return yards, game – 86 (on 3 int.) at Green Bay 12/8

Int. TDs – 1 [3, tied with many others]

Fumble recoveries – 0

Punt Returns

Returns – 25 [12, tied with Lemar Parrish & Donnie Walker]

Yards – 140

Most yards, game – 33 (on 5 ret.) vs. Green Bay 9/30

Average per return – 5.6

TDs – 0

Longest return – 16 yards

Postseason: 3 G

Interceptions – 2

Int. return yards – 63

Fumble recoveries – 2

TDs – 1

Punt returns – 3

Punt return yards – 3

Punt return avg. – 1.0

TDs – 0

Longest return – 3 yards

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFC: Pro Football Weekly

2^nd team All-NFC: UPI

Vikings went 12-2 to finish first in the NFC Central while leading the conference in fewest points allowed (168). Won NFC Divisional playoff over Washington Redskins (27-20) and NFC Championship over Dallas Cowboys (27-10). Lost Super Bowl to Miami Dolphins (24-7).  

Aftermath:

Bryant missed virtually all of the 1974 season due to injury but bounced back in ’75 to intercept six passes. Called “Bones” for his slight build, Bryant was a key playmaker in the defensive backfield when healthy despite his lack of size and ideal speed. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in both 1975 and ’76 and had an especially noteworthy performance in the NFC Championship game against the Rams in 1976 when he returned a blocked field goal attempt 90 yards for a touchdown and intercepted two passes. Bryant played a total of 13 seasons, all with the Vikings, appearing in 161 regular season games and 14 more in the postseason. He intercepted 51 passes, three of which he returned for TDs, and had another six interceptions in the playoffs. Bryant was a consensus second-team All-NFL selection once, received second-team honors from UPI after one other season, and was named to two Pro Bowls.

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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

2000: Eagles Defeat Bucs in NFC Wild Card Playoff Game

The Philadelphia Eagles were back in the playoffs for the first time in four years as they hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a NFC Wild Card playoff game on December 31, 2000. In their second season under Head Coach Andy Reid, the Eagles had gone from 5-11 to 11-5 and finished second in the NFC East. QB Donovan McNabb (pictured above) was the key to the offense with his passing and running ability. The ground game had suffered since RB Duce Staley went down with a foot injury in the fifth week, and ex-Seattle and Dallas RB Chris Warren joined the club late in order to try and upgrade the position for the postseason. Key players on the opportunistic defense were DE Hugh Douglas, MLB Jeremiah Trotter, and FS Brian Dawkins. Following an uneven start, Philadelphia was hot coming into the postseason, having won six of its last seven games.

Tampa Bay was coached by Tony Dungy and placed second in the NFC Central at 10-6. A strong defense was the key to the club’s recent success and was especially adept at pressuring opposing quarterbacks. All-Pro DT Warren Sapp accounted for 16.5 sacks and DE Marcus Jones another 13. The offense was conservative and keyed by the ground game that featured the running back tandem of Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott. But WR Keyshawn Johnson was talented, QB Shaun King was unexceptional. The Buccaneers also had difficulty playing in weather under 40 degrees, and they faced temperatures in the thirties with a wind chill that made it seem much colder in Philadelphia.

There were 65,813 fans present on a chilly night at Veterans Stadium. The teams exchanged punts through a scoreless first quarter. On their first possession of the second quarter, the Buccaneers advanced into Philadelphia territory for the first time. Shaun King completed passes to Warrick Dunn for 12 yards, Keyshawn Johnson for 14, and Mike Alstott for eight yards, after which Alstott ran for 18 yards to the Philadelphia 17. The drive stalled at the 11 and Martin Gramatica kicked a 29-yard field goal for the first points of the game.

The Eagles had to punt following their next possession but got the ball back at the Tampa Bay 15 when King fumbled while being sacked by Hugh Douglas and DE Mike Mamula recovered. It was the culmination of a series in which the Philadelphia defense pushed the Buccaneers back nine yards on two running plays. Four plays later, Donovan McNabb ran up the middle for a five-yard touchdown. David Akers added the extra point to give the Eagles a 7-3 lead.

The Bucs punted again and, after RB Brian Mitchell returned the kick 16 yards, the Eagles had the ball at their 31 with 1:43 remaining in the first half and drove 69 yards in eight plays. McNabb completed back-to-back passes to Mitchell for 13 and 11 yards and, following an incompletion, it was Mitchell running for six yards and then grabbing another pass for nine yards to the Tampa Bay 30. McNabb connected with WR Charles Johnson for 25 yards and with WR Na Brown in the end zone for a five-yard TD (pictured below) with 12 seconds remaining on the clock. Akers again kicked the point after to give Philadelphia a 14-3 halftime lead.

The Eagles had the first possession in the third quarter and put together a long drive. McNabb completed seven passes, none longer than nine yards, and Chris Warren had a pair of seven-yard runs. But Philadelphia came up empty when Akers missed a 36-yard field goal attempt.

The Buccaneers again had to punt and, in a series that stretched into the fourth quarter, the home team advanced 57 yards in 10 plays, helped along by a pass interference call on the Bucs. McNabb threw to TE Jeff Thomason for a two-yard touchdown, Akers converted, and the Eagles held an 18-point advantage.

Following another Tampa Bay punt, the Buccaneers got the ball back when CB Donnie Abraham intercepted a McNabb pass at the Philadelphia 47. King passed to TE Dave Moore for nine yards on first down, but an offensive pass interference penalty moved the visitors back ten yards on the next play, and while a throw to WR Reidel Anthony gained back six yards, two more passes fell incomplete and the Bucs turned the ball over on downs.

The Eagles were able to run almost four minutes off the clock as Warren carried on every play, gaining 27 yards on five carries before being tossed for a three-yard loss on third down at the Tampa Bay 35. Sean Landeta’s punt pinned the Bucs back at their six, but three plays later King passed to Keyshawn Johnson for a 41-yard gain to midfield. But once again the visitors had to give up the ball on downs, this time at the Philadelphia 21, in what proved to be their last gasp with 3:50 left on the clock. The Eagles were able to run out the clock behind Warren’s running and won by a final score of 21-3.

Philadelphia led in total yards (277 to 199), first downs (20 to 11), and time of possession (34:53 to 25:07). The Eagles rushed for 126 yards while the defense held Tampa Bay to just 50 yards on 19 attempts. They also recorded four sacks to two by the Buccaneers. Each team turned the ball over once.

Donovan McNabb completed 24 of 33 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. He also ran the ball eight times for 32 yards and a TD. Chris Warren (pictured below) rushed for 85 yards on 22 carries, much of that as the team controlled the ball in the fourth quarter. Charles Johnson and Brian Mitchell each caught a team-leading five passes, for 47 and 37 yards, respectively. Mitchell averaged 12.7 yards on his three punt returns.

For the Buccaneers, Shaun King was successful on 17 of 31 throws for 171 yards with no TDs or interceptions. Keyshawn Johnson caught 6 passes for 106 yards. But Mike Alstott gained 42 yards on 7 carries and Warrick Dunn was held to only one yard on 8 attempts, although he had five pass receptions for 28 yards.

The first win for the Eagles in the postseason under Coach Reid, of an eventual 10, was followed by a loss to the division-rival New York Giants in the Divisional round. They reached the NFC Championship game following the 2001 season. Tampa Bay was 9-7 in ’01, qualified for the playoffs once more as a Wild Card, and again lost at Philadelphia in the first postseason round.

Highlighted Year: Bryan Cox, 1992

Linebacker, Miami Dolphins

Age: 24

2^nd season in pro football & with Dolphins

College: Western Illinois

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 235

Prelude:

Cox had an outstanding college career, accounting for 323 tackles, 8 interceptions, 9 forced fumbles, and three sacks, and his 10 blocked kicks set a school record. He was chosen by the Dolphins in the fifth round of the 1991 NFL draft and moved into the starting lineup at right outside linebacker for 13 games. Cox was credited with 61 tackles and two sacks while displaying an ability to make big plays.

1992 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Sacks – 14 [9]

Most sacks, game – 2 on five occasions

Interceptions – 1

Int. return yards – 0

Int. TDs – 0

Fumble recoveries – 1

Forced fumbles – 5

Tackles – 127

Postseason: 2 G

Sacks – 0

Interceptions – 1

Int. return yards – 7

TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

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

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

Pro Bowl

Dolphins went 11-5 to finish first in the AFC East. Won AFC Divisional playoff over San Diego Chargers (31-0). Lost AFC Championship to Buffalo Bills (29-10).  

Aftermath:

Cox again led the Dolphins in tackles with 122 in 1993. A highly instinctive playmaker, he also was emotionally volatile and subject to controversy. Shifted to middle linebacker, he received Pro Bowl honors after the 1994 and ’95 seasons and moved on to the Chicago Bears as a free agent in 1996. Cox struggled in a new defensive scheme and was limited to nine games by back and thumb injuries. Following another disappointing year in ’97, he was let go by the Bears and signed on with the New York Jets for 1998, where he played well at outside linebacker and was a team leader. He spent two more seasons with the Jets before moving on to the Patriots in 2001, missing time with a broken leg, and New Orleans in 2002, his last season. Overall, Cox played for 12 seasons, recorded 51.5 sacks, four interceptions, and 14 fumble recoveries. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection once, received first- or second-team All-AFC honors after two other seasons, and was chosen to three Pro Bowls.   

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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