81 Lions 63, 14 Panthers 13

A good old fashioned spanking took place in the Motor City in the first round of the tournament. The 1981 Lions dominated in all facets of the game from the get go in the 63-13 rout of the 2014 Panthers.

The offense scored 21 points in EACH of the first three quarters, before coach Pryweller took out all the starters. Billy Sims rushed for 133 yards on only 14 carries (9.5 yards per carry) and scored three touchdowns, while WR Freddie Scott led receivers with 114 yards and a TD. Detroit's great rushing attack netted 212 total yards to only 250 passing yards.  Detroit alternated between QB's Eric Hipple and Gary Danielson, with Hipple tossing three short TD passes.

Meanwhile, Carolina could get nothing done, settling for six points until a TD late in the game with the scrubs playing. Carolina was guilty of five fumbles, and Cam Newton was intercepted twice before being pulled for Derek Anderson. The Panthers only managed 121 passing yards and 221 total yards.

The Lions will try to keep restoring the roar in the next round.

Joe P.

'13 Pitt 17, '86 Mia 10

Miami gets on the board first in the second quarter as Pittsburgh struggled with poor field position.  Pitt finally scores to tie 7-7 with 20 seconds to go before the half on 18 yard strike from Ben Roethlesberger to Brown.

The Steelers take the kick to open the second half and march for 10 minutes and a touchdown.  Miami can't get their offense going and Pittsburgh holds on.  Marino finishes going 10-28 for 108 yards.

Pittsburgh coa file is attached along with the game file.  Thanks for the game Andy.
--Jeff Caldwell--

74 CIn 38 84 GB 24

GB started like gangbusters. After Cincinnati’s initial kickoff went out of bounds, the Packers used only 5 plays and 3 minutes to go 60 yards for the score. Dickey hit Lofton from 1 yards out and it was GB up 7-0. The Bengals quickly answered, as Ken Anderson hit Isaac Curtis for a 66-yard TD. Game tied 7-7. The teams traded punts twice before the first big break of the game went the Packers’ way. After G’s drive stalled at their own 24, Bucky Scribner punted to the Bengals. However, the Bengals fumbled back to GB during the return. The Packers mixed runs and passes to get to Cinci’s 11 yard line before Bengals CB Ken Riley intercepted an errant Lynn Dickey pass in the end zone. Starting on their own 8, the Bengals drove down to the GB 22-yard line before Anderson again found Curtis in the end zone to give the Bengals a 14-7 lead. Score now Cin 14 GB 7. GB then utilized their strong RB duet of Ellis (42 yards for the game) and Ivery (133 yards) to get deep into Cinci territory for a Dickey to Paul Coffman TD pass to tie things up at 14-14.

The Bengals got the ball to start the second half, but proceeded to fall all over themselves. The initial second half drive. In a 9-play drive the Bengals were penalized three times, with the drive ending on a Ken Anderson interception on the Bengals 34-yard line after a GB successfully challenged the initial incomplete pass call. 8 plays later Dickey found James Lofton in the end zone and it was GB with a 21-14 lead. Two more punt exchanges followed before the Bengals struck again. Ken Anderson threw his third TD pass of the game, this time finding Charlie Joiner from 34 yards out. All tied up again at 21-21 with 18 minutes to go.

Three plays later Dickey would throw another interception, this time to Bengal S Paul Casanova, as the third quarter wound down. Bengals RB Lentil Elliott stormed into the end zone from 18 yards out on the Bengals first play after the turnover, and the Cats now led 28-21. Dickey, appearing increasingly shaky, threw his third interception as Ken Riley victimized him just 4 plays later. The bengals got a Horst Muhlmann 31-yard FG to go up 31-21 with 12:21 left.

GB was not done, though. Every and Ellis ripped off three straight double digit gaining runs sandwiched around the Bengals ninth penalty of the game before Al Del Greco made the score 31-24 with a 28 yard FG with 9:46 to go. Bengals then drove down to the Packers 23-yard line and were seemingly in control. However, RB Lentil Elliott coughed up the ball. GB was forced to punt, giving the ball back to the Bengals with 6:16 to go. The Bengals, looking to pad their lead and kill some clock, followed with a 12-play, 60 yard, 5-minute drive capped off by a Boobie Clark TD run. The Bengals now led 38-24 with 1:09 left, and held on to win.

Ken Anderson led the Bengals attack with 3 TD passes and 292 yards, with Isaac Curtis accounting for 157 of those yards and 2 of the TD receptions. GB running back Eddie Lee Ivery gained 133 yards on the ground to lead the Pack attack. GB QB Lynn Dickey finished only 10 of 25 passing with 3 TD passes, but the 3 INT he threw proved to be the difference in the game.

Good game called by Jim, with turnovers ultimately accounting for the Bengals win.

--submitted by Bill Schneider--

'67 NYG 31, '85 CLE 10

Veteran Joe Morrison (5-148-1TD) had an All-Pro day catching balls from Sir Francis Tarkenton (10-22-204-TD-INT).  Ernie Koy (15-81-TD) and Tucker Frederickson (19-53-TD) combined for 134 yards on the ground to stymie the Browns.  The Giant D sacked (4) and harassed Gary Danielson all day.  Bernie Kosar, in relief, threw 2 picks  Brian Brennan caught 4 balls for 130 and a TD, but the Gmen were just too much for the boys from Lake Erie this Sunday.

02 KC Defeats 11 SD in a Shootout 35-27

Phillip Rivers was stopped one yard short of a critical first down in red zone with less than 2:00 minutes left in the game, as KC held on to win 35-27
--Bill Schneider--

2013 Cowboys 38 1962 Colts 34

What a shootout! Defenses nowhere to be seen and only 4 punts all game.

The Cowboys get out to a 21-0 lead early in the 2nd quarter thanks to 2 Baltimore turnovers and figure they are on their way to the 2nd round. But, Johnny U wasn't having any of it on his way to 360 yards through the air and a pair of touchdowns. He brought Baltimore back to make it 28-14 at the half.

The Colts took the 2nd half KO and marched down the field to make it 28-21. The Cowboys came right back and put up another TD to go up 35-21. The Colts replied with another 6, but on perhaps the most important play of the game, the PAT was blocked by S Barry Church.

To open the 4th quarter, Dallas put up a FG to go ahead 38-27. With a minute to go, Johnny U finds WR Jimmy Orr in the endzone to make it 38-34. The Colts recover the onside kick and it ain't over yet. The Colts get into FG range, but due to the previously missed PAT, they have to go for 6 and time runs out on them on the Dallas 8 yard line.

Great game by Ed.

Round 1 - '82-NYG 14, '83-CIN 3

Perkins 15 yd TD started the scoring

New York opened the game with an 11 play drive that lasted 7 1/2 minutes and culminated in a 15 yard TD toss from Scott Brunner to Johnny Perkins.  Cincy answered right back with a dive that lasted just as long, but had to settle for a 38 yard Jim Breech FG.  The game then settled into trench warefare with neither team coming close to scoring for the next 2 1/2 quarters.  Early in the fourth Kenny Anderson undershot a crossing route to Ike Curtis and was picked off by Greg Jackson who zig zagged for 29 yards before being tripped up at the Bengal 6.  Three plays later Rob Carpenter busted through the middle from 2 yards out to make it 14-3.  Cincy drove the ball down the Giant 5 but turned it over on downs, so NY ran out the clock to earn the victory.  Giant QB Scott Brunner was only allowed to throw 9 times.  He completed 5 of those for 86 yards including the TD strike to Perkins.  Conversely Bengal QB Kenny Anderson, who had to play from behind all day, was 19 for 30.  New York ran the ball 40 times for 123 yards.  LT and George Martin had 4 sacks as the former spent much of the day disrupting Anderson's rhythm.  The "Crunch Bunch" (Kelley/Carson/Van Pelt/Taylor combined for 24 tackles on the day.

Special thanks to Scot Ginsberg for being able to play during my lunch hour today.  IMO, we both coached gr8 strategic games with me getting that lucky pick in the 4th that accounted for the difference in score.