By Ron Griffitts
Contributing columnist
On Jan. 2, 1966 the defending NFL champion Cleveland Browns (11-4) coached by Blanton Collier, traveled to historic Lambeau Subject in Inexperienced Bay to tackle the Packers (12-3-1) and their legendary coach Vince Lombardi.
The Browns had been led on offense by quarterback Frank Ryan (1751 yds, 18 tds), working backs Jim Brown (1544 yds, 17 tds ) and Ernie Inexperienced (436 yds, 2 tds) and receivers Gary Collins (884 yds, 10 tds), Jim Brown (329, 4 tds), Walter Roberts (314 yds, 4 yds) and Ernie Inexperienced (298 yds, 2 tds).
Forty-one 12 months outdated Lou Groza was their place kicker and transformed on 16 of 25 area aim makes an attempt.
Invoice Glass with 16.5 sacks, Dick Modzelewski with 7.5 and Larry Benz with 5 interceptions and Bernie Parrish and Ross Fitchner with 4 every led the protection.
The Packers had been led on offense by quarterback Bart Starr (2055 yds, 16 tds), working backs Jim Taylor (734 yds, 4 tds), Paul Hornung (299 yds, 5 tds) and receivers Boyd Dowler (610 yds, 4 tds), Carroll Dale (382 yds, 2 tds), Bob Lengthy (304 yds, 4 tds) and Paul Hornung (336 yds, 4 tds).
Don Chandler was their place kicker and made 17 of 26 area aim tries. Their protection was led by Willie Davis with 11 sacks and Lionel Aldridge with 10 and Herb Adderley and Willie Wooden who every had six interceptions.
The Packers featured working backs Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung within the well-known Lombardi energy sweep.
The important thing for the Packers was to manage Cleveland working again Jim Brown as they felt if they may include him, they may win the sport and to do that had their All Professional center linebacker Ray Nitschke cowl Brown on each play.
It snowed in Inexperienced Bay the day earlier than and though the sphere had been lined, there was nonetheless snow on the bottom which as the sport progressed changed into mud making any passing sport troublesome for the Browns.
The Browns led after the primary quarter 9-7 on a 17-yard landing go from Frank Ryan to Gary Collins. However as a result of a moist ball, they missed the additional level. Lou Groza added a 24-yard area aim and Inexperienced Bay scored on a 47-yard go play from Bart Starr to Carroll Dale.
Within the second quarter, Inexperienced Bay added two area targets by Don Chandler from 15 and 23 yards and Groza kicked one for Cleveland from 28 yards out and the Pack led 13-12 at halftime.
The second half was a battle of ball management as on the slippery area and with fog having rolled into Inexperienced Bay, the working sport took management as Paul Hornung scored on a 13-yard run making the rating 20-12 after three quarters.
The closest the Browns got here to scoring was on a 27-yard go from Ryan to Jim Brown ultimately zone with Nitschke knocking the ball away on the final second. Don Chandler added a 29-yard area aim and the Packers received 23-12.
Jim Taylor obtained the Sport Journal MVP award and the brand new corvette and for the Browns it might be the tip of period as at 29 years of age Jim Brown, having led the league in speeding with 1544 yards and 17 touchdowns and having been voted the league MVP for the third time, retired.
Lombardi’s technique had labored as Brown rushed for less than 50 yards whereas Hornung had 105 and Jim Taylor had 96.
The Packers can be again within the NFL title sport and the Tremendous Bowl the subsequent 12 months however the Browns who appeared in and misplaced the 1986, 87 and 89 AFC championship video games, haven’t made a Tremendous Bowl look. Though the workforce which was the unique Browns, the Baltimore Ravens, has.
Statistics for this text had been from pro-football-reference.com and YouTube.com.
Originally posted 2024-01-20 13:00:00.