Tag Archives: packers

Josh McDaniels Isn’t Going Anywhere…

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Josh McDaniels Is Likely to Remain with the Patriots

It is now safe to say Josh McDaniels will remain with the Patriots for one more season. The Packers have decided to hire Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur to replace Mike McCarthy. Green Bay is the only team McDaniels has Interviewed with per Ian Rapoport. Josh also reportedly turned down a request from the Bengals.

Josh McDaniels may have lost out on the Packer job, but it’s not all bad news for the Super Bowl Champion coordinator. The Patriots could be loading up this upcoming offseason while Brady’s window is still open.

He could be a part of another championship team, which would raise his stock for the future. His coaching career hasn’t been great outside of New England. His reputation took a hit last year, as he left the Colts at the alter. Maybe this is Karma coming back to bite him, although he’s still the offensive coordinator for the greatest quarterback of all time.

The Pats Had McDaniels Replacement In Kliff Kingsbury

Reports of Kliff Kingsbury stepping in as the new Patriots OC have been everywhere. Monday news broke that multiple NFL teams are interested in Kingsbury as a Head Coach. Once again it seems the Patriots lucked out with McDaniels not getting the Packers job. Kingsbury is being looked at by multiple teams, and he would surely take head coach money over OC pay. Green Bay may have just stopped the Pats plans from blowing up in their face. This situation is far from over, as we all know things can change at any moment. The Browns could still be in play for McDaniels. But for now, it’s looking like Josh will be wearing his Patriots visor for at least one more year.

The parity of NFL quarterbacks

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   The NFL released their top 100 players of the year list, with Brady coming in first. Aaron Rodgers came in tenth despite missing time with an injury. It got me thinking about the parity of NFL quarterbacks, and other than the big three of the past 18 years, you can play quarterback roulette to predict a season.

The Big Three

The Big three quarterbacks of the past 18 years are Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Peyton Manning. They all had some down years or years they were injured, but you can always count on them to dominate the NFL. For MVP’s, Brady has won three, Manning has won five, and Rodgers has won two. If you are not good at math, that is ten out of 18 years, or 55% of the time since 2000, one of the big three has won an MVP. For Super Bowls, Brady has won five, Manning has two and Rodgers has one. That is eight out of 18 years, or 44% of the time since 2000, one of the big three has won a super bowl.

 

Via hubwav

 

The Others

Other than the big three, there has been a lot of parity among NFL quarterbacks. Since 2000, there have been no two-time winners of MVP outside of the big three. A player gets hyped up after one outlier season and is never the same player after. The greatest show on turf only lasted for three years, and the Rams have not been back to the Super Bowl since. Rich Gannon won the MVP in 2002 and has not been heard from since.

Steve McNair won the award in 2003, and Shaun Alexander won it in 2005. McNair’s team, the Titans, have not been very relevant afterward. Alexander’s team, the Seahawks, were not relevant until 2013. Adrian Peterson won the award in 2013, and his career fell off after that. Cam Newton won it in 2015 and has been mediocre ever since. Matt Ryan won the award in 2016, but Steve Sarkisian did not do him any favors last year.

 

Other than the big three, the only repeat Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks since 2000 are Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger. For Manning, he has not been good outside of those years. Roethlisberger has not been good enough to reach the promised land. Brad Johnson was the winning quarterback in super bowl 37, not to be heard from again. Drew Brees won Super Bowl 44 and has not been good enough to get back. Joe Flacco turned into Jesus for a year and won Super Bowl 47. Then, he got a huge contract and has been awful since then. Russell Wilson won Super Bowl 48, and the Seahawks have gradually fallen off every year since then.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 11: Everson Griffen #97 of the Minnesota Vikings sacks quarterback Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints in the third quarter of the game on September 11, 2017, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

It’s fun

There is a lot of parity in the NFL, and I really enjoy it. Not knowing who the elite quarterbacks are going to be for a given year is fun. You have no idea who is going to win awards, go deep into the playoffs and fall off or make a name for themselves. In the NBA, you know who is going deep in the playoffs and who will contend for awards which is quite boring.

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XLV

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The Super Bowl is just 7 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 7 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!

Dallas hosted Super Bowl XLV on February 6, 2011. The game pitted the NFC champion Green Bay Packers against the Pittsburgh Steelers of the American Football Conference.

Green Bay Packers 7 Years Ago

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The Packers underachieved during the regular season, then overachieved in the postseason to win the franchise’s fourth World Championship. They were led by breakout star quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers was in his third season as starter as he patiently waited for the great Brett Favre to depart. The 2010 Packers had a good offense with four receivers with at least 45 receptions. But, defense was the strength of this ball club.

Three defensive backs were selected for the Pro Bowl including longtime great CB Charles Woodson. Second-year linebacker Clay Matthews earned first-team All Pro honors. Even as the Packers struggled during the midseason, Matthews was outstanding against the run and pass. Incredibly, the Packers never trailed by more than seven points for the duration of the 2010 season. They could not even duplicate that feat during their 15-1 2011 season.

The Packers were in must-win mode in the season finale against the arch-rival Chicago Bears. Chicago had already clinched but had the opportunity to keep Green Bay out of the playoffs. The Bears defense did their job, but not their offense. Green Bay shut down Chicago 10-3 in a game that would foreshadow things to come in the NFC.

Sensational Six Seed

In the playoffs, Green Bay came in with high expectations despite their being the sixth seed. The Pack snuck past Mike Vick and the Eagles in the opening round as Mike Vick was intercepted by Tramon Williams in the end zone late in the fourth quarter.

Green Bay was beyond fantastic in their second-round matchup against top-seeded Atlanta. Rodgers was next to perfect and Williams made the play of the game again when he took a Matt Ryan pass to the house on the last play of the first half. The Pack humbled the Falcons 48-21.

In the NFC championship game, it was Green Bay’s old friend and NFC North Champion Bears in the way. When Bears quarterback Jay Cutler got knocked out of the game, they went with veteran Todd Collins. Collins played so poorly, Lovie Smith resorted to third-stringer Caleb Haney. Late in the fourth, Chicago trailed 14-7 and had the ball deep in their own end. Haney was picked by giant B.J.Raji of all people who rumbled in for a dramatic touchdown. Green Bay was on their way to Super Bowl XLV.

Pittsburgh Steelers 7 Years Ago

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It was another season in Pittsburgh and another Super Bowl appearance and another #1-rating for their defense. Things did not come to the Steelers the easy way in 2010, though. They started the season with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger serving a suspension for accusations surrounding sexual assault. They weathered the storm with a 3-1 record thanks to their top-rated defense and the Defensive Player of the Year Troy Polamalu.

Later in the campaign, the Patriots and the Jets battled for top seed in the AFC and both teams defeated the Steelers in Pittsburgh. But, the Steelers survived a brutal battle at Baltimore squeaking out a dramatic 13-10 victory. Pittsburgh’s top receiver was speedster Mike Wallace and their top running back was newcomer Rashard Mendenhall. Along with tight end Heath Miller and veterans Hines Ward and Antwaan Randle El, Roethlisberger had a strong second half of the season.

Tough Home Wins

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In a terrific Divisional round game against the Ravens, Pittsburgh’s defense struggled in the first half. The Steelers came back to outscore Baltimore 24-3 in the second half. Two rookie receivers made the big plays in this one. Antonio Brown had a 58-yarder and Emmanuel Sanders caught 4 balls for 54 yards. The Steelers embarrassed the Ravens’ vaunted defense. Pittsburgh received a huge gift the next day when the Jets upset the Patriots in New England the next day. That meant the Steelers would have the opportunity to host the Championship game.

Pittsburgh’s defense jumped on the Jets early and often. James Harrison and William Gay among others punished Mark Sanchez and the upstart Jets to the tune of a 24-0 lead. Rex Ryan’s feisty team battled back to get within five late in the ball game. The Steelers did not sit on the lead and converted two first downs to put the ball game away including a third and six from Roethlisberger to Brown. The Steelers were on their way to their eighth Super Bowl! At just 38 years of age, Mike Tomlin was already coaching in his second.

Packers Hold On

On their second drive, the Packers drove for a Jordy Nelson touchdown. On the next play from scrimmage, Green Bay increased their lead to 14-0 when Nick Collins returned an underthrown Roethlisberger pass for a score. Each team score a touchdown before halftime. So, the Pack went to the locker room up 21-10.

The Steelers scored first in the second half on a five-play run-only drive. Rodgers and Roethlisberger each responded with excellent touchdown drives against tough defenses. The Packers led 28-25 with less than seven minutes to go. Rogers converted a third and ten early in the next drive and they moved all the way inside the Steelers 10-yard line.

To their credit, Pittsburgh held the Packers to a field goal with 2:07 left on the clock. However, Green Bay held tough after allowing only one first down on Pittsburgh’s final possession. The Lombardi Trophy was heading home to Green Bay.

Both Mike McCarthy’s Packers and Tomlin’s Steelers are good every season. Incredibly, though, neither team has made it back to the Super Bowl since that game at the end of the 2010 season.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXII

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The Super Bowl is just 20 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 20 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion!

San Diego hosted Super Bowl XXXII on January 25, 1998. The game pitted the defending World Champion Green Bay Packers against the Denver Broncos of the American Football Conference.

Green Bay Packers 20 Years Ago

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Steve Apps

From day one, the Packers were the heavy favorites to repeat. In fact, there was preseason hype that this team could potentially go undefeated. However, they dropped two of their first 5 to temper the buzz somewhat. The Packers were awesome in the second half of the season. Mike Holmgren’s team went undefeated at home for the second straight season and Brett Favre won the league MVP for a third consecutive season.

The Packers were particularly excellent on defense in the playoffs. They defeated Tampa Bay 21-7 and won in San Francisco 23-10. The high-powered 49ers could not get anything going offensively. Indeed, the Niners’ only TD came on Chuck Levy’s kick return with less than four minutes remaining. Hence. Green Bay went into Super Bowl XXXII as an 11.5 favorite to defeat the Broncos.

Denver Broncos 20 Years Ago

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Denver suffered a mind-numbing home loss to end the 1996 season to Jacksonville. But, they did not suffer a hangover as they bounced out of the gate with a 11-2 record. The Broncos had the #1 offense in football in 1997 thanks in large part to Terrell Davis’ gigantic 1750 rushing yards. At 37 years old, John Elway looked like he was back in his prime throwing 27 touchdowns against only 11 interceptions. He also had some superb receiving options in Rod Smith and Shannon Sharpe.

The Broncos revamped their defense as well. Under Mike Shanahan, emphasis was placed on complex blitzing schemes and staying in their base defense even as most teams would fall back in prevent mode. Pro Bowlers John Mobley and Neil Smith were keys to the unit leading the squad in tackles and sacks respectively. On the back-end, veteran safeties Steve Atwater and Tyrone Braxton were known for their hard-hitting. The ’97 Broncos were definitely a complete team ready to take the next step.

Wild Card Route

Unfortunately, late in the season, they slumped at Pittsburgh and San Francisco. The Chiefs passed them for the AFC West title. Denver would have to get to the Super Bowl the long way. First, they crushed Jacksonville to get their revenge for ’96. Next, they went into Kansas City and their raucous environment and upset the Chiefs. In the AFC Championship game, although they were on the road, the Broncos were the superior team against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The key score occurred with 13 seconds left in the first half putting Denver up 24-14. They held on to the win by constantly harassing Steelers’ QB Kordell Stewart. They forced into three interceptions and a fumble. That proved to the difference in Denver’s 24-21 win. It was on to John Elway’s fourth-career Super Bowl!

TD’s Heroic Performance

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In the Super Bowl, the Packers strolled down the field with the opening kickoff like a bat out of hell. The Broncos responded immediately aided by a third down holding penalty. It was obvious from the outset what Denver was trying to do on this day. Feed TD. Terrell Davis battled through migraines in his hometown to rush for 157 yards and three touchdowns. The Broncos jumped out to a 17-7 lead. Green Bay tied it. Denver regained the lead in the third. The Packers tied it again.

With two minutes remaining, Davis burst to the left for a 17-yard gain. It was second and goal from the one. So, Holmgren instructed his defense to allow Davis to score. On the strength of four consecutive completions to Levens, Favre had the Pack in position to tie it. But, he threw three straight incompletions while dealing with serious pressure and the Broncos won the Super Bowl! It was the AFC’s first championship in 14 years. Elway was carried off the field. It was a terrific moment for football lovers as the 16-year veteran thanks in large part to his running back finally got his ring.

Favre would never get back to the Super Bowl despite his own illustrious career. Elway, though, would be back one season later!

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

 

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXI

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The Super Bowl is just 21 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 21 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion! 

New Orleans hosted Super Bowl XXXI on January 26, 1997. The game pitted the NFC champion Green Bay Packers against the New England Patriots of the American Football Conference.

Green Bay Packers 21 Years Ago

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The Packers would be playing in their first Super Bowl since the Lombardi era. Eve before the season, they were the popular pick to dethrone the Cowboys & 49ers. Brett Favre was the best player in the league in the mid-90’s and ’96 may have been his campaign of his Hall of Fame career.

Coach Mike Holmgren had a staff of future stars as well. They brought with them the offense that was virtually unstoppable under Bill Walsh in San Francisco. Favre did a great job of spreading the ball around. No Packers’ receiver caught more balls for more yards than Antonio Freeman. Yet, his numbers were very modest. Even their running backs, Edgar Bennett and Dorsey Levens, did not wow statistically, but their offense by committee was good enough for first in points and fifth in yards in the NFL.

However, Green Bay’s defense was #1 in points and yards. They were led by first-team All Pro Leroy Butler and a superb defensive line. Veterans Reggie White, Gilbert Brown, Santana Dotson and Sean Jones anchored a unit that was able to have each of their starters play every game of the season!

Packers Playoff Drive

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Their defense was at their best in the slop of Lambeau Field in a 35-14 win over the 49ers. The Pack benefited from knocking Steve Young out of game and 2 electrifying punt returns from Desmond Howard. Howard scored on one of those foreshadowing his Super Bowl effort.

In the NFC championship game, Green Bay faced second-year Carolina in the single-digit Wisconsin temps. The Panthers took the early lead, but were no match for the Packers. Green Bay won 30-13 finishing the season with a 10-0 home record.

New England Patriots 21 Years Ago

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Their opponent in Super Bowl XXXI would be the Patriots coached by Bill Parcells. The Pats finished second on the season to Green Bay in points scored. QB Drew Bledsoe and running back Curtis Martin both had excellent seasons for offensive coordinator Ray Perkins. Ben Coates also made the Pro Bowl at tight end. He came out of nowhere to be one of the best players at that position in the ‘90s.

The young Patriots’ defense was a work in progress. Willie McGinest was the lone star on the unit. But, Ty Law, Lawyer Milloy, and Tedy Bruschi played a lot off the bench and that experience proved to be invaluable as the Patriots would become a fixture in the AFC postseason during the 2000’s.

Things did not get off to a wonderful start for the 1996 Pats. The Patriots dropped their first two games and Parcells was clearly not impressed with rookie Terry Glenn. But, as the season went on, New England surged to the top of the AFC East. In the season finale, the Patriots, inspired by a praiseworthy performance by an injured Glenn, roared back to beat the Giants 23-22. New England dramatically overcame a 22-point deficit. With the win, the Patriots clinched a first-round bye.

Patriots to the Super Bowl

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They used that bye to crush Pittsburgh in the fog 28-3. Martin had a spectacular game rushing for 166 yards and 2 scores. Incredibly, Steelers’ dual threat Kordell Stewart was 0 for 10 passing on the day. In the AFC championship game, New England scored two touchdowns. The first came after a botched Jaguars’ punt attempt two minutes into the game. The second score was probably the most exciting moment in Patriots’ history during the pre-Brady era.

With 3 minutes remaining, Jacksonville trailed 13-6. Mark Brunell handed off to James Stewart. Stewart took the draw play through a big hole, veered to his left, was hit and fumbled right into waiting hands of Otis Smith. Smith darted 47 yards for the AFC Championship-winning touchdown! New England was on their way to the franchise’s second Super Bowl.

Back and Forth On the Bayou

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The first 12 minutes of Super Bowl XXXI were wild and wooly. On the Packers’ second play from scrimmage, Favre connected with Andre Rison for a 54-yard TD. Moments later, Bledsoe threw the first of 4 interceptions. This one resulted in a field goal. However, New England did not rollover.

They responded with two consecutive touchdown drives. Each drive lasted less than two minutes and included big plays. The first one ended in a 1-yard TD reception by Keith Byars. The second score came on a rollout strike fired by Bledsoe. Coates made the remarkable catch to give the Patriots the 14-10 lead.

The Lombardi Goes Home

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Green Bay dominated the second quarter on both sides of the ball. They outscored New England 17-0. Favre threw an 81-yarder to Freeman early in the frame and made a tremendous run to the pylon for the other score late in the quarter.

In the second half, the Patriots had one very nice scoring drive which culminated with an 18-yard Curtis Martin scamper. Unfortunately for the Pats, Green Bay responded immediately. Desmond Howard took the ensuing kickoff back to the house giving the Pack a 35-21 lead. Howard was named Super Bowl MVP due to his phenomenal 244 total return yards. Reggie White could have also received the award as he finished with three sacks. The fourth quarter was a nightmare for Bledsoe as he continued to be sacked and intercepted throughout. The Packers were just too good in 1996 for anybody to stop them. Thus, they won their first Super Bowl in twenty-nine years.

And, they would be back for Super Bowl XXXII. We’ll talk more about that fantastic game tomorrow!

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

 

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl II

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The Super Bowl is just 50 days away. So, let’s look at the Super Bowl from 50 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!

Miami’s Orange Bowl played host to Super Bowl II on January 14, 1968. The game pitted the NFL champion Green Bay Packers against the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League.  

In 1967, the NFL had 16 teams divided into four divisions. Thus, the Packers were in their first season as a member of the central division. That division composed of the Pack, Lions, Bears and Vikings now called the NFC north exists to this day. (It included the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1977-2001). The NFL/NFC central division was known for its tough hitting. So, it was dubbed “the black and blue division” virtually from the outset.  

Green Bay Packers 50 Years Ago

While Green Bay’s defense was as strong as ever in ’67, the offense was up and down. The departure of future Hall of Famers Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor hurt Green Bay’s rushing game. Hence, they had four backs with at least 77 carries and none with more than 466 yards on the season. Their lack of a rushing attack impacted Bart Starr’s effectiveness as he tossed only 9 touchdown passes along with 17 interceptions. But, when the games counted, Green Bay prospered.  

That started in the playoffs as they ripped one-loss Los Angeles, 28-7. The Pack held Roman Gabriel and the Rams to just 217 yards of total offense and turned back several good scoring opportunities. Next, the Packers played in an NFL Championship game rematch with the Dallas Cowboys. This time, the game was played in Green Bay and the legend of the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field was born. Fittingly, the game was called the “Ice Bowl.”

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In one of the coldest games in league history, the Packers outlasted Dallas, 21-17. Green Bay scored with just 16 seconds left from the one on a QB sneak by Starr. Rightfully, it goes down in history as one of the greatest game-winning drives in one of the greatest NFL games of all-time. 

Oakland Raiders 50 Years Ago

Oakland dealt with no adversity on their road to the 1967 AFL championship. They cruised to a 13-1 record. Subsequently, they trounced Houston in the championship game, 40-7. The Raiders’ offense fielded a strong unit. At quarterback was the “mad bomber,” Daryle Lamonica. They fielded playmakers like Hewritt Dixon, Bill Miller and the amazing Fred Biletnikoff. Their defense was solid too. In fact, John Madden was their very young linebacker coach!

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The stage was set for Super Bowl II. Oddsmakers made Green Bay huge favorites for the second straight season and they lived up to the hype.

Green Bay’s Big Plays 

The difference in the game came down to three things – big plays, turnovers and field goals. 

The Raiders punted on their first three drives. But, they held their own on defense…until Starr hit Boyd Dowler for a 62-yard touchdown in the middle of the second quarter. The big play gave the Pack a 13-0 lead.

Oakland bounced right back with a great 78-yard drive where Lamonica was 5-for-5. Ultimately, he hit Miller from the 22 cutting the Packers’ lead to 13-7. However, Green Bay scored twenty consecutive points. Their last score came on a Willie Wood pick six. 

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The second half turned into a coronation as a truly great era in history was coming to an end. Vince Lombardi’s Packers were the first dynasty of the Super Bowl era. Green Bay set the bar. They were well-coached. They played fundamental football. Likewise, they crushed their opponents while they were down. 

So, Lombardi’s guys carried him off the field after the win. It was his last game on the Pack sideline. His legacy speaks for itself as the Super Bowl winner receives the “Lombardi Trophy.” Sadly, three years later, he passed away from cancer.  

As an organization, the Packers drifted into mediocrity. Consequently, they sniffed the playoffs only a few times until Brett Favre joined the club in the early 90’s. The Raiders, on the other hand, emerged as a power for the next two decades. They won three Super Bowls over eight seasons and from 1967-1986 held the highest winning percentage in all of sports. 

Tomorrow, we’ll discuss the iconic Super Bowl from 49 years ago.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_bills

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl I

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The Super Bowl is just 51 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 51 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!

Green Bay Packers 51 Years Ago

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Getty Images

Super Bowl I was played in the Los Angeles Coliseum on January 15, 1967. The game pitted the NFL champion Green Bay Packers against the upstart Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League.

Green Bay was a perennial power coached by legendary Vince Lombardi. Lombardi’s offensive philosophy was simple, yet effective. In fact, he may be the greatest offensive coordinator in NFL history. He relied on the great talents of Jim Taylor and his offensive line. They ran lots of traps and power sweeps and said, “Stop us if you can”. Most teams could not.

Their best player may have been quarterback Bart Starr. Starr was unflappable in the big games and he rarely cost his team with poor decisions or errant passes. He was Joe Montana before there was a Joe Montana.  

To say the Packers of the 1960’s were strong would be an understatement. They literally had a Hall of Famer at every position. Indeed, six of their 11 starters were eventually enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.

Packers Path to Super Bowl I 

The Packers were the dominant team of the decade. This was their 4th NFL title in six seasons. The 1966 version of the Packers were as good as any team in NFL history and had an incredible midseason stretch of outscoring their opponents 104-10. Their 12-2 record earned them a spot in the NFL championship game against the East Division Champion Dallas Cowboys. Interestingly, Vince Lombardi and Dallas’ Head Coach Tom Landry coached together for the 1958 NFL champion New York Giants. Tom Landry was the defensive coordinator of that squad. 

However, coming into the championship game, Dallas had the top-rated offense while Green Bay had the #1 defense. Due to an annual rotation done back then, the title match was played in Dallas. 

It truly was a tremendous game. Bart Starr was deservedly named the MVP as he tossed 4 touchdown passes including a 28-yarder to little-used Max McGee in the fourth quarter. Led by “Dandy” Don Meredith, the Cowboys came back to within 34-27 late in the game. Tom Brown, though, picked off Meredith in the end zone with seconds remaining. Hence, the defense preserved the win. The Pack made it to Super Bowl I.

Kansas City Chiefs 51 Years Ago

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In the AFL, the Kansas City Chiefs would be the representative. The Chiefs had an amazing offense led by the innovative Hank Stram and Hall of fame QB, Len Dawson. Where the Packers were powerful, the Chiefs were fast and nifty. Tall and lean Otis Taylor was arguably the best wide receiver in the AFL and Mike Garrett and Curtis McClinton gave KC a change of pace from the backfield. Thus, KC was explosive.

Kansas City’s defense was young and improving. They had Bobby Bell, Buck Buchanon and Emmitt Thomas who were in the infant stages of their incredible careers 51 years ago. But, a cornerback nicknamed the “hammer” took hold of the headlines. During his period of playing for the Chiefs, Williamson became one of football’s first self-promoters. He would use his forearm to deliver karate-style blows to the heads of opposing players. Before Super Bowl I, Williamson gathered national headlines by boasting that he would knock out Green Bay’s receivers.

As good as Kansas City was in 1966, oddsmakers did not give them much of a chance labeling the Pack as a 14-point favorite.  

A Competitive First Half

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Things got off to an ominous beginning for the Pack. First, they lost starting wide receiver Boyd Dowler to a shoulder injury. Then, Starr was sacked on consecutive plays. However, Green Bay marched down the field the next time they had the ball for the first score in Super Bowl history. Starr was 4 for 4 on the drive hitting four different receivers. The last pass went to the veteran, McGee, who made a spectacular one-handed catch and ran untouched for a 37-yard score.  

McGee was out partying the entire night before the game. It turns out that worked for him. He had a great game replacing the injured Dowler. Incredibly, McGee had four catches over the entire regular season, but 7 for 138 on Super Bowl Sunday! 

The Chiefs were able to move the ball well the rest of the first half. They missed a field goal, scored a touchdown and made a field goal to end the half with ten points. Green Bay added one more touchdown before halftime as Starr continued his hot streak on third down. Once in scoring range, Jim Taylor ran the patented power sweep to the left and scored from the fourteen. 

The Pack Attack

While the first half was competitive, the second half went according to script. Willie Wood picked off Dawson on the first series and returned it to the five. Consequently, Green Bay went up 21-10 and the Chiefs never threatened again. Elijah Pitts scored twice, and McGee added one more to give the Packers a resounding 35-10 victory.  

The second half was not compelling. However, something interesting happened. Williamson took a knee to the head from Donny Anderson which knocked the big talker from the game.  

Both teams would be back. Green Bay won Super Bowl II and Kansas City notched a title in the AFL’s last ever game, winning Super Bowl IV over Minnesota. 

Tomorrow, we will be 50 days away from the Super Bowl, so we’ll talk about the game from 50 years ago…Super Bowl II between the Packers and the AFL champion Oakland Raiders.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_bills