Bradley Ruzicka

Headline: Strong finish salvages .500 season in Forrest Gregg’s Green Bay Packer coaching debut.

Regular Season Record: 8 – 8 (Second Place NFC Central Division)

Offseason Highlights: Beginning with the 1984 season, the Green Bay Packers once more went back to the well of its glory years, hiring 50 year old former Packers’ great Forrest Gregg to replace Bart Starr as its ninth head coach. Starr was fired on December 19, the day after the 1983 finale.

Gregg, who Vince Lombardi once called “the finest player I’ve ever coached”, had his most successful season as a head coach in 1981 when he led the Cincinnati Bengals to a 12-4 regular season record. They defeated the San Diego Chargers, 27-7, in the AFC championship game, earning the franchise its’ first trip to an NFL title game, where they lost to the San Francisco 49ers, 26-21, in Super Bowl XVI. However, the Bengals lost to the New York Jets, 44-17, in the opening round of the 1982 playoffs after going 7-2 in the strike shortened season. Cincinnati then fell to 7-9 in 1983, missing the playoffs and raising questions in Owner Paul Brown’s mind, after four years and a 32-25 record, whether or not a head coaching change might be in order.

In addition to Gregg, possible candidates for the Packer job included Illinois Head Coach Mike White, former Philadelphia Eagles’ Head Coach Dick Vermeil, and former Oakland Raiders’ Head Coach John Madden. Dick Corrick, Starr’s Director of Player Personnel during his last season, gave Cliff Christl the inside story of Gregg’s hiring in 2016. Madden had been the team’s first choice but he turned them down. White didn’t want to leave Illinois and Vermeil wasn’t interested in returning to coaching. Green Bay Team President, Judge Robert Parrins, brought up Gregg based on their friendship in the 1960s as well as his reputation for being a disciplinarian and a taskmaster.

When approached, Brown gave the team permission to talk to Gregg, “a clear sign to Corrick that they [Cincinnati] wanted to get rid of him”. But Brown allowed the Packers only 24 hours to make their decision. According to Stanton Greene in his book, “Falling Starr – Bart Starr As Head Coach Of The Green Bay Packers 1975-83“, “[This was] a ploy intended to force Green Bay to buy or pass without thinking too long about it.” On Christmas Eve, Gregg was named the franchise’s new head coach, given a five year contract, and, “against the advice of all concerned” according to Greene, full control of football operations. The hiring of Gregg, said Greene, “… was the final grasp at the legend of Vince Lombardi and it failed more miserably than any of the previous attempts.”

But that’s a story for another time.

“I appreciate the opportunity to come back to Green Bay,” Gregg said in a conference telephone call from Cincinnati. “The five-year contract gives me an opportunity to assess the talent on the football team and decide what we need to become a winner. We don’t just have to look for the moment.” When asked if this was the best coaching situation he had ever inherited, Gregg said “absolutely ” “I think this is a typical team,” he said. “They’re obviously very strong on the offense. The team needs defensive help and I think we can get some of that help immediately.” Gregg retained Bob Schnelker and Lew Carpenter as offensive coordinator and receivers coach respectively, but otherwise replaced all of Starr’s assistant coaches; offensive, defensive, and special teams.

Gregg attempted to make good on his statement regarding the addition of defensive help, using his first four picks in the 1984 NFL draft on defensive players. Unfortunately, none would go on to make a significant impact during their Packers’ careers; 1st round and 12th overall selection DE Alphonso Carreker out of Florida State University, 3rd round pick DT Donnie Humphrey (72nd overall), 4th round pick LB John Dorsey (99th overall), and 5th round pick CB Tom Flynn (126th overall). Green Bay had traded their second round choice to the Chargers as part of the 1981 trade for WR John Jefferson. Gregg then used his 6th round selection on a local star, QB Randy Wright out of the University of Wisconsin (153rd overall). None of the remaining choices except one, C Mark Cannon, lasted more than two years.

Alphonso Carreker played five of his seven seasons with Green Bay, starting 63 out of 72 games, recording a total of 18.5 sacks, before ending his playing career with the Denver Broncos in 1991. Donnie Humphrey played only three seasons total due to weight and drug issues, starting 27 out of 48 games, all with the Packers. John Dorsey also played all five of his seasons with Green Bay, starting 15 out of 76 games. After his career as a player, Dorsey worked for two decades in the Packers’ Scouting Department. He also served one season as the Seattle Seahawks’ Director of Player Personnel in 1999, in between his two stints with Green Bay. Dorsey was hired as General Manager by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013 and subsequently by the Cleveland Browns in 2017.

Tom Flynn played two seasons and part of a third with Green Bay, starting 36 out of 38 games and picking off 11 passes, before he was unexpectedly released during the 1986 season, finishing his five year NFL career in 1988 with the New York Giants. In Flynn’s rookie season, he led the NFC with 9 interceptions and was voted Pro Football Weekly’s NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Randy Wright played all five of his seasons with the Packers. Wright started 32 out of 46 games, completing 602 out of 1,119 attempts (53.8%) for 7,106 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 57 interceptions, for a QB Rating of 61.4, before being released after the 1988 season.

Overall, the 1984 NFL draft was a highly unusual one, as it actually consisted of two separate drafts. The first was the annual 12 round affair held on May 1-2. The second was a special supplemental draft of United States Football League (USFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL) players, held on June 5. The supplemental draft was an attempt by the league to head off a bidding war within its own ranks for USFL and CFL players. NFL teams chose 84 players from 224 available during the three round selection meeting. Players who would have been eligible for the regular 1984 NFL draft, but who had already signed a contract with either a USFL or CFL team prior to May 1, were eligible. Of the 84 players chosen, 8 were from the CFL and 76 from the USFL. Twenty of those 76 USFL players were selected from a single team, the Los Angeles Express.

The supplemental portion of the 1984 draft ultimately yielded three Pro Football Hall of Fame players; QB Steve Young (LA Express), taken 1st overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, OT Gary Zimmerman (LA Express), taken 3rd overall by the New York Giants, and DE Reggie White (Memphis Showboats), taken 4th overall by the Philadelphia Eagles. A fourth Hall of Famer from the USFL, QB Jim Kelly, played for the Houston Gamblers until the league folded in 1986, subsequently joining the NFL team who’d originally drafted him in 1983, the Buffalo Bills. To date, outside of the supplemental draft, no player selected in the 1984 draft has been initiated into the Hall of Fame.

Unfortunately, despite holding the 12th overall selection, Green Bay’s supplemental draft choices had no impact on the team, short or long term. First round pick, RB Buford Jordan (New Orleans / Portland Breakers), led New Orleans in rushing his rookie season with 1,276 yards and 8 touchdowns. In 1985, after the team moved to Portland, he again led the team in rushing with 876 yards and 5 touchdowns. However, Jordan didn’t make the cut after joining the Packers for the 1985 NFL season and was released on September 17. He was picked up the next season by the New Orleans Saints and played for them a total of 10 years, but never rushed for more the 203 yards. Green Bay’s second round choice, DB Chuck Clanton (Birmingham Stallions), intercepted 10 passes in 1984 and 16 passes in 1985, when he was named USFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Clanton joined the Packers on December 3, played in the last three games of the 1985 season, but was waived prior to the 1986 season. The team’s final choice, DB John Sullivan (Oakland Invaders), played only one season in the USFL (1984) before joining the Packers prior to the 1986 season. He participated in six games, was released on October 18, and subsequently played nine games for San Diego. His career ended after playing one game for San Francisco in 1987. Green Bay passed on several USFL players who went on to productive NFL careers including WR Ricky Sanders (483 catches for 6,477 yards and 37 touchdowns), LB Vaughan Johnson (4-time Pro Bowler), DE William Fuller (4-time Pro Bowler with 100.5 career sacks) and RB Albert Bentley (2,355 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns).

The USFL challenged the NFL for three seasons between 1983 and 1985, playing a spring / summer schedule during that time. A fourth season, to be played in a traditional fall / winter schedule, was set to commence in 1986 before league operations ceased. The USFL is historically significant in part for the level of talent that played in the league. In addition to Young, Zimmerman, White, and Kelly, the USFL signed three consecutive Heisman Trophy winners; Georgia RB Herschel Walker (1982) and Boston College QB Doug Flutie (1984) signed with the New Jersey Generals while Nebraska RB Mike Rozier (1983) signed with the Pittsburgh Maulers.

In addition to collegiate talent, many NFL veterans of all talent levels played in the USFL. While some NFL reserves, such as QBs Chuck Fusina and Cliff Stoudt, became major stars, many backups struggled or didn’t make it. The USFL also lured in NFL starters, including the 1980 MVP, Cleveland QB Brian Sipe, Buffalo’s three time Pro Bowl RB Joe Cribbs, and Kansas City’s three time Pro Bowl S Gary Barbaro. However, despite the talent level, the USFL was plagued with financial problems and franchise instability throughout its existence. After the initial season in 1983, a number of franchises had to either relocate or merge with other teams in 1984 and again in 1985.

In 1986, the league, having decided to compete directly with the NFL, filed an anti-trust lawsuit in an effort to keep its teams afloat. After 42 days, the NFL was found to have violated anti-monopoly laws. However, a victory in name only, the USFL was awarded a judgment of just $1 which, under anti-trust laws, was tripled to $3. With this verdict, the USFL officially became a part of pro football history, having lost over $163 million. When all the appeals were finally completed in 1990, the USFL received a check for $3.76 in damages from the NFL, the additional 76¢ representing interest earned while litigation had continued. Notably, that check has never been cashed. In spite of its’ difficulties, the USFL had enough success during its’ short tenure in cities such as Jacksonville, Phoenix, and Baltimore that the NFL eventually placed teams there.

Also of note, 1984 was the year the Colts, after over 30 years in the City of Baltimore, became the Indianapolis Colts, when Owner Robert Irsay decided to relocate the team prior to the start of the season. For years, Irsay had been requesting upgrades to antiquated Memorial Stadium or the building of a new stadium. As a result of poor performance on the field and stadium issues, fan attendance and team revenue dwindled. City officials were precluded from using tax payer funds to build a new stadium, and the modest proposals that were offered by the city were not acceptable to either the Colts or the city’s Major League Baseball franchise, the Orioles.

On March 2, NFL owners voted to give Irsay permission to move his franchise to the city of his choosing. Negotiations between all parties continued, but relations between Irsay and the City of Baltimore deteriorated. Irsay assured fans that his ultimate desire was to stay in Baltimore, but nevertheless he began discussions with several other cities willing to build new football stadiums, eventually narrowing the list of cities to two; Phoenix and Indianapolis. As the situation worsened, the Maryland General Assembly intervened and, on March 28, began the process of passing a law giving the City of Baltimore the right to seize ownership of the team by eminent domain.

That afternoon, Irsay called Mayor William Hudnut and the City of Indianapolis offered the Colts owner a $12.5 million loan, a $4 million training complex, and the use of the brand new $77.5 million, 57,980 seat Hoosier Dome. Irsay agreed, which set a chain of events into motion that would bring about the move. After the deal was finalized and he got off the phone with Irsay, Hudnut called his neighbor and friend, John B. Smith. Smith happened to also be the chief executive officer of Mayflower Transit, an Indiana based moving company, and Hudnut asked him to assist the team in their move. Smith sent fifteen Mayflower trucks to Owings Mills MD and they arrived at the Colts’ facility at 2:00 AM the following morning.

The reasoning for the late hour of the move was fear that the Maryland House of Delegates would approve the eminent domain bill that the State Senate had already approved, which would have resulted in the team being seized the next morning, once Maryland Governor Harry Hughes signed the bill into law. Workers loaded all of the team’s belongings and the trucks left for Indianapolis. Within eight hours of the Mayflower trucks’ arrival, the Colts were completely gone from Baltimore. Later that day, the House of Delegates did indeed pass the eminent domain bill and Governor Hughes signed it, but by that time it was too late.

All fifteen moving trucks took a different route to Indianapolis from Baltimore, done as a diversion tactic so the Maryland State Police could not enforce the eminent domain law that had just been signed. Once a truck got to Indiana, the Indiana State Police would meet it and escort it to Indianapolis, a process repeated until all fifteen vans had reached their destination. Hudnut held a press conference March 29 to announce the agreement. The deal was sealed March 30 with approval by the Capital Improvement Board, which operated the Hoosier Dome. The move triggered a flurry of legal activity that ended when representatives of the City of Baltimore and the Colts organization reached a settlement in March 1986. All lawsuits regarding the relocation were dismissed and the Colts agreed to endorse a new NFL team for Baltimore.

Finally, one rule change of note. Beginning in 1984, unsportsmanlike conduct would be called for any prolonged, excessive, or premeditated celebration by individual players or a group of players. This is usually referred to as the “Mark Gastineau Rule”, as a major reason why the change was made was to stop New York Jets’ DE Mark Gastineau from performing his signature “Sack Dance” every time he sacked an opposing quarterback.

Regular Season Highlights: Those who felt former Head Coach Bart Starr should have been retained probably felt vindicated when Green Bay started the season 1-7 under new coach Forrest Gregg, losing seven straight games after an opening day victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. They were then happily stunned when the Packers went 7-1 down the stretch, best in the NFL, to finish second in the NFC Central Division at 8-8, behind the 10-6 Chicago Bears. Once again, not good enough for a playoff spot, but at least the fans could feel better going into the offseason.

Gregg began making personnel changes almost immediately, ultimately turning over 38% of Starr’s 1983 roster in his first year, starting with 17 year veteran K Jan Stenerud. Stenerud was unexpectedly traded to the Minnesota Vikings on July 17 for a 7th round draft choice. After leading Green Bay in scoring the past three years, Stenerud was replaced by second year K Eddie Garcia. When Garica was placed on injured reserve on October 17, having kicked only 3 of 9 field goals, he lost his job to rookie free agent K Al Del Greco. Stenerud would go on to lead the NFL in field goal percentage in 1984, making almost 87% of his kicks, ending his Hall of Fame career after the 1985 season. According to Stanton Greene, trading Stenerud cost Green Bay several close games over the first half of the season that ultimately could have pushed the team into the playoffs.

Another significant change that would impact the 1984 season was the release of seven year veteran backup QB David Whitehurst. Whitehurst was cut on August 20 in favor of rookie QB Randy Wright, leaving two untested quarterbacks in Wright and veteran Rich Campbell, now in his fourth season, to back up injury prone starting QB Lynn Dickey. Although Campbell had been with the team since 1981, he had not thrown a pass in a regular season game since his rookie year. Whitehurst, meanwhile, was picked up by the Kansas City Chiefs. After not playing a down in 1984, he retired prior to the 1985 season, ending his career with 504 completions out of 980 attempts (51.4%) for 6,205 yards, 28 touchdowns, 51 interceptions, and a QB Rating of 59.2.

In a preview of the regular season, Green Bay finished the preseason at 2-2 before winning their fifth straight opener at home over St. Louis, 24-23. WR James Lofton was once again the star, picking up where he left off in 1983, with 7 catches for 134 yards, the 22nd 100 yard game of his career. Unfortunately, the win over the Cardinals proved to be the highlight of the season’s first half. The Packers scored a total of 20 points over their next three games, beginning with a road loss to the 1983 World Champion Los Angeles Raiders, 20-7, in Week 2. Following losses to Chicago (9-7) and the Dallas Cowboys (20-6), the offense came back to life in Week 5’s 30-27 overtime road loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Although the losing streak continued, the team was playing competitive football again, twice losing by six points (34-28 to the San Diego Chargers, 30-24 to the Seattle Seahawks) and once by three points (17-14 to the Denver Broncos).

During this three game stretch, Lofton continued his torrid pace, gaining over 100 receiving yards in each contest, including a career high 11 catches for 206 yards against Denver in Week 7. According to Dickey, Green Bay’s offense was now a ticking bomb, waiting to explode. It finally did in a Week 9 home victory over the Detroit Lions, 41-9, the start of an impressive four game winning streak, all by double digits, including the New Orleans Saints (23-13), the Minnesota Vikings (45-17), and the Los Angeles Rams (31-6). But, in a game that would ultimately cost the Packers a chance for a winning record and a possible playoff berth, Green Bay lost on the road in Week 13 to Detroit, 31-28, in a nationally televised Thanksgiving Day game.

Though Green Bay finished the season with a three game winning streak, including impressive victories over Tampa Bay in Week 14 (27-14) and Minnesota in the season finale (38-14), the loss to the Lions effectively ended the Packers’ hopes for 1984. Dickey, in his 12th pro season and eighth year in Green Bay, started 15 out of 16 games, finishing with 237 completions out of 401 attempts (59.1%) for 3,195 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions, earning a QB Rating of 85.6. However, he suffered three broken transverse processes in his back two minutes into Green Bay’s second game of the season, a loss to the Raiders, limiting his effectiveness at various points throughout the rest of the year. Overall, Dickey finished 5th in passing touchdowns and 7th in QB Rating but, similar to past seasons, a discouraging 3rd in passes intercepted.

Without Whitehurst, Wright replaced Dickey and played the majority of the Raider game as well as the second half of Green Bay’s loss to Dallas two weeks later, when Dickey had to again leave the game due to complications from his September 9 injury. Wright totaled just 16 out of 42 for 119 yards and 5 interceptions in those two contests. Wright also started one game, Week 15’s 20-14 road victory over Chicago, when Dickey again couldn’t play due to headaches relating to his earlier back injury. However, Wright himself injured his knee towards the end of the first half, giving Campbell his first real action in three years. Campbell subsequently led the Packers to an exciting come from behind victory, throwing a 43 yard touchdown pass to WR Phil Epps with 34 seconds remaining. The loss cost the Bears a chance at home field advantage during the playoffs.

Wright finished the season completing 27 out of 62 attempts (43.5%) for 310 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions, for a QB Rating of 30.4. Campbell, playing his last season in Green Bay, finished with 38 attempts, 16 completions, 218 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions, earning a QB Rating of 47.8. Lofton, completing his seventh season, once again lead all Packer receivers with 62 catches for 1,361 yards (22.0 yards per catch) and 7 touchdowns, setting a Green Bay record for receiving yards and tallying a total of 6 100+ yard receiving games. The Pro Bowl wideout finished 5th overall in receiving yards and 1st in yards per reception. Unfortunately for John Jefferson, acquired in 1981 trade, his totals dropped significantly from 1983, with 26 catches for 339 yards and no scores.

TE Paul Coffman, also in his seventh season, finished second on the team in receiving with 43 catches for 562 yards and 9 touchdowns. Epps, in his third year, caught 26 passes for 435 yards and 3 touchdowns. With RB Eddie Lee Ivery sidelined the first six games due to injury, fifth year RB Gary Ellis led the Packers in rushing with 123 attempts for 581 yards (4.7 yards per carry, tied for 7th in the NFL) and 4 touchdowns while catching 36 passes for 312 yards and 2 touchdowns. Ivory, now in his sixth season, finished second on the team in rushing, gaining 552 yards on 99 attempt (5.6 yards per attempt), while scoring 6 touchdowns after returning to action on October 6. RB Jessie Clark, in only his second year, chipped in with 375 yards on 87 carries and 234 yards on 29 receptions, scoring a total of 6 touchdowns.

Del Greco, despite playing only the second half of the season, led Green Bay in scoring with 61 points, converting 9 of 12 field goals and all 34 of his extra points. Del Rogers, drafted in 1982, finished in the Top 10 in kickoff returns (39) and return yardage (843), while second year P Bucky Scribner tied for 8th overall in yards per punt (42.3). Offensively, Green Bay finished 13th overall in rushing (2,019), 9th in passing (3,430), and 7th in scoring offense, with 390 points, down from their record setting pace of 429 points in 1983. Defensively, the Packers finished 20th against the run (2,145 yards allowed), 8th against the pass (3,146 yards allowed), and 10th in scoring defense, allowing 309 points, significantly better than 1983’s 439 points allowed.

The San Francisco 49ers finished with the NFL’s best record at 15-1, winning the NFC West title and the NFC’s top playoff seed, while the 1983 NFC Champion Washington Redskins won the NFC East title and the second playoff seed with a 11-5 record. Chicago’s 10-6 record was good enough to win the NFC Central title and the third playoff seed, their first playoff appearance since 1979 and their first division title since 1963. The 10-6 Rams (fourth seed) and the 9-7 New York Giants (fifth seed) were the NFC’s Wild Card teams. The Giants finished ahead of 9-7 St. Louis and 9-7 Dallas in the NFC East based on the best head-to-head record (3-1 to Cardinals’ 2-2 and Cowboys’ 1-3). Dallas missed the playoffs for the first time in ten years, due in part to a quarterback controversy between starter Danny White and backup Gary Hogeboom.

Meanwhile, the Miami Dolphins finished with the AFC’s best record at 14-2, winning the AFC East title and the AFC’s top playoff seed, while Denver won the AFC West title and the second playoff seed with a 13-3 record. The Pittsburgh Steelers won the AFC Central title and the third playoff seed with a 9-7 record. The 12-4 Seahawks (fourth seed) and the 11-5 Raiders (fifth seed), were the AFC’s Wild Card teams.

The 1984 season also saw the end of one of the more enigmatic pro football careers. Kenneth Michael Stabler, nicknamed “Snake” while playing football for Foley High School in Alabama, was renowned for being cool and cerebral on the field during his professional playing days but was equally legendary for his off-field exploits. Stabler admitted in his autobiography, “The monotony of [training] camp was so oppressive that without the diversions of whiskey and women, those of us who were wired for activity and no more than six hours sleep a night might have gone berserk”. Selected by the Oakland Raiders out of the University of Alabama in the second round of the 1968 NFL / AFL draft, Stabler did not play his first season, left the team in July 1969 for personal reasons, but returned a year later.

Beginning in 1970, Stabler started only two games over three years before finally assuming the reigns from 11 year veteran QB Daryle Lamonica early in the 1973 season. He’d solidified himself as Lamonica’s successor in the 1972 Divisional Playoffs against the Pittsburgh Steelers when, after replacing the long time Raider quarterback in the second half, Stabler ran 30 yards for a touchdown with 1:13 left in the game for a 7-6 lead. While Oakland lost that contest, 13-7, as a result of Franco Harris’ “Immaculate Reception”, Stabler went on to lead the Raiders over the next seven seasons, winning four straight AFC West titles between 1973 and 1976 while participating in five consecutive AFC Championship games (1973-77).

During the peak of his career, he had a receiving corps consisting of four-time Pro-Bowler Cliff Branch, Hall of Fame WR Fred Biletnikoff, and Hall of Fame TE Dave Casper. Oakland’s philosophy was to pound teams with their running game and then stretch them with their long passing game. Stabler was named AFC player of the year in 1974 and 1976, and was the NFL’s passing champion in 1976. In January 1977, he guided the Raiders to their first Super Bowl victory, a decisive 32-14 win over the Minnesota Vikings. However, after that victory, the team began to transition, missing the playoffs over the next two years as players and coaches retired.

By 1980, Owner Al Davis decided a change was needed at quarterback, when he traded Stabler for Houston Oilers’ starting QB Dan Pastorini. While Stabler led the Oilers to an 11-5 record and a playoff berth, Houston was defeated in the Wild Card round by his old team, the Oakland Raiders. Head Coach Bum Philips was subsequently fired and Stabler announced his retirement from pro football on July 23 1981. He returned to the Oilers a month later but, after a mediocre season, was released. Philips, now head coach of the New Orleans Saints, convinced the 37 year old Stabler to join the team in August 1982, where he started 22 out of 25 games over the next two seasons. But his best years were clearly behind him and, when the Saints acquired QB Richard Todd from the New York Jets prior to the 1984 season, Stabler lost the starting job and retired for good in October.

During his 15 NFL seasons, Stabler completed 2,270 out of 3,793 attempts (59.8%) for 27,938 yards, 194 touchdowns, 222 interceptions, and a QB Rating of 75.3. Stabler was the fastest to win 100 games as a starting quarterback, having done so in 150 games, which bettered Johnny Unitas’ previous mark of 153 games. Since then, only Terry Bradshaw in 147 games, Joe Montana in 139 games, and Tom Brady in 131 games have reached 100 wins more quickly. Stabler passed away in 2015 at the age of 69, and was posthumously elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

Finally, Miami QB Dan Marino won the 1984 NFL Most Valuable Player Award as well as Offensive Player of the Year. Seattle S Kenny Easley won Defensive Player of the Year, while Kansas City DT Bill Maas won Defensive Rookie of the Year. Pittsburgh WR Louis Lipps won Offensive Rookie of the Year. Seattle Head Coach Chuck Knox won Coach of the Year. Knox, finishing his second year in Seattle, had failed to come to terms on a new contract with Buffalo Bills’ Owner Ralph Wilson after the 1982 season and subsequently accepted the head coaching position with the Seahawks on January 26 1983 after five years each with the Rams and the Bills.

Post Season Highlights: In the AFC Wild Card Playoffs, the Los Angeles Raiders traveled to the Kingdome to play the Seattle Seahawks while, in the NFC, the Los Angeles Rams hosted the New York Giants in Anaheim Stadium. The winners would advance to their respective Divisional Playoffs. The two wild card games were held on different days because both venues were in the Pacific Time Zone. Normally, playoff games started at either 12:30 p.m. EST / 9:30 a.m. PST or 4 p.m. EST / 1 p.m. PST. A 9:30 a.m. PST game was considered too early to be played on the west coast.

On December 22, the Seattle Seahawks rushed 51 times for 205 yards, and the defense intercepted two passes and recorded six sacks, to avenge their AFC championship loss to the Los Angeles Raiders the previous season. The Raiders crossed midfield only three times during the whole game.

Seattle QB Dave Krieg completed just 4 of 10 passes in the game, but one was a 26 yard touchdown throw to WR Daryl Turner in the second quarter, for a 7-0 lead. Late in the third quarter, the Seahawks forced a fumble by Los Angeles RB Frank Hawkins and recovered it on the Raider 38 yard line. Krieg gained 13 yards with a scramble on the next play, and K Norm Johnson finished the drive with a 35 yard field goal, to put the team up 10-0 with 1:29 left in the third quarter. On Los Angeles’ ensuing possession, 13 year veteran QB Jim Plunkett, starting his first game since Week 6 of the regular season due to injuries, threw an interception at the Seattle 31 yard line, and the Seahawks ended up scoring another field goal on a 44 yard kick by Johnson, giving them a 13-0 lead.

With 5:05 left in the game, Plunkett threw a 47 yard touchdown pass to RB Marcus Allen to cut Seattle’s lead to 13-7. The Raiders’ defense managed to force a punt on the next series, but only after the Seahawks ran the clock down to 45 seconds. P Jeff West’s kick pinned them back at their own 6 yard line. Seattle DB Kenny Easley then put the game away by intercepting a Plunkett pass with four seconds left on the clock, to preserve the 13-7 victory.

On December 23, in a defensive struggle, the New York Giants managed to pull out a win with key defensive stands on the last two Los Angeles Rams’ drives. Despite the loss, this was a year to remember for the Rams, as second year RB Eric Dickerson set an NFL record, rushing for 2,105 yards, breaking O.J. Simpson’s 1973 mark of 2,003 yards.

After forcing Los Angeles to punt on the opening drive, New York scored first with K Ali Haji-Sheikh’s 37 yard field goal for a 3-0 lead. On the Rams ensuing drive, the Giants forced a Dickerson fumble, recovering it on Los Angeles’ 23 yard line. This set up RB Rob Carpenter’s 1 yard touchdown for a 10-0 lead. Rams’ K Mike Lansford’s 38 yard field goal in the second quarter cut the score to 10-3 going into halftime. Haji-Sheikh kicked a 39 yard field goal in the third quarter, but this was countered by Dickerson’s 14 yard touchdown run, making the score 13-10 Giants. New York responded with Haji-Sheikh’s 36 yard field goal five minutes later to extend their lead to 16-10.

Los Angeles took the ball back and drove to a first down on the Giants’ 7 yard line, with Dickerson rushing 4 times for 44 yards along the way. Dickerson picked up 3 more yards on the next play, but then New York dropped RB Dwayne Crutchfield for a 3 yard loss, and third year QB Jeff Kemp’s third down completion to WR Henry Ellard picked up just 2 yards. Kemp had taken over as the Rams starting quarterback early in the season after injuries to QBs Vince Ferragamo and David Woodley. Faced with 4th and goal from the 5 yard line, Los Angeles decided to settle for Lansford’s 22 yard field goal, cutting their deficit to 16-13 with 7:02 left in the game.

The Rams caught a break on the Giants next possession, when RB Joe Morris’ 61 yard run was eliminated by a holding penalty and the team ended up punting. This gave Los Angeles one last chance to drive for the tying field goal or winning touchdown at the 2:48 mark. However, they were unable to gain even a single first down. Faced with 4th and 6 after three plays, Kemp was sacked by New York and fumbled the ball. LB Andy Headen recovered for the Giants on the Rams’ 33 yard line, enabling them to run out the clock, for a 16-13 victory. The game marked an impressive turnaround for New York under second year Head Coach Bill Parcells, who had finished the previous year with a 3-12-1 record, their worst since 1976.

In the Divisional Playoffs, the AFC East Champion and top seed Miami Dolphins hosted the AFC Wild Card winner, the Seattle Seahawks in the Orange Bowl, while the NFC Wild Card winner, the New York Giants, traveled to Candlestick Park to play the NFC West Champion and top seed San Francisco 49ers. Meanwhile, the NFC East Champion Washington Redskins hosted the NFC Central Champion Chicago Bears in RFK Stadium, while the AFC Central Champion Pittsburgh Steelers traveled to Mile High Stadium to play the AFC West Champion Denver Broncos. The winners would advance to their respective Conference Championship games.

On December 29, the Miami Dolphins ran 70 plays, gained 405 yards of total offense, and scored 17 unanswered points in the second half, as they avenged last season’s divisional round upset loss to Seattle. Meanwhile, Miami’s defense, which had given up 134 points in the last five games of the season, almost 27 points per game, held the Seahawks to just 267 yards.

Miami started off the scoring with a 68 yard drive, featuring QB Dan Marino’s 25 yard completion to WR Mark Clayton, that ended on RB Tony Nathan’s 14 yard touchdown run and a 7-0 lead. Near the end of the first quarter, Seattle deflected a Marino pass into the arms of John Harris, who returned the interception 32 yards to the Dolphins’ 39 yard line. Miami managed to keep the Seahawks out of the end zone, but K Norm Johnson kicked a 27 yard field goal to put his team on the board at 7-3. On the Dolphins next drive, they were aided by a crucial penalty, an offsides call against Seattle, that negated Marino’s intercepted pass. Two plays later, Marino threw a 34 yard touchdown pass to WR Jimmy Cefalo, increasing the Miami lead to 14-3.

Seattle QB Dave Krieg led his team back, firing a pass to WR Steve Largent, who caught the ball between two defenders, and took off for a 56 yard touchdown reception, cutting the score to 14-10 at the end of the half. However, any thoughts of a Seahawks’ comeback were quickly crushed in the second half. Following a missed field goal attempt by Johnson, Marino led the Dolphins 76 yards down the field, ending with a 3 yard scoring reception by TE Bruce Hardy, making the score 21-10. Seattle was quickly forced to punt on their next drive, and P Jeff West shanked the kick, causing the ball to travel just 7 yards. Two plays later, Miami increased their lead to 28-10 on Marino’s 33 yard touchdown pass to Clayton. In the fourth quarter, Dolphins’ K Uwe von Schamann made a 37 yard field goal to put the final score at 31-10.

Later that day, QB Joe Montana threw for 309 yards and 3 touchdown passes as he led the San Francisco 49ers to a victory over the New York Giants. WR Dwight Clark caught 9 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown. The 49ers defense also played exceptionally well, holding the Giants offense to a single field goal, even though Montana was intercepted three times.

On San Francisco’s first drive of the game, Montana completed a 21 yard touchdown pass to Clark for a 7-0 lead. Then, the 49ers intercepted a pass from New York QB Phil Simms and returned it 38 yards to set up Montana’s 9 yard pass to TE Russ Francis, giving San Francisco a 14-0 lead just 6:48 into the game. In the second quarter, Giants’ LB Gary Reasons recorded his first of two Montana interceptions on the day, returning this one 33 yards, to set up K Ali Haji-Sheikh’s 46 yard field goal, for a 14-3 deficit. LB Harry Carson then recorded the first interception in his nine year career, returning Montana’s pass 14 yards for a touchdown, further cutting the score to 14-10. But Montana responded with a 29 yard touchdown pass to WR Freddie Solomon, making the score 21-10 by the end of the second quarter.

Both defenses then controlled the rest of the game, allowing no points in the second half. In the third quarter, the Giants drove to the 49ers’ 18 yard line, only to have Simms throw another interception. In the fourth quarter, New York again moved the ball to the San Francisco 11 yard line, but Simms was sacked on third down. Faced with 4th and 16, the Giants decided to play conservative and take the field goal. However, Haji-Sheikh’s 33 yard kick went wide right. Following a punt, New York got the ball with 3:04 left and drove to the 49ers’ 22 yard line, this time turning the ball over on downs, when RB Joe Morris was stuffed for no gain on 4th and inches. Finally, with 53 seconds left, San Francisco’s defense closed out the game when DE Fred Dean forced a Simms’ fumble, his third turnover of the day, that was recovered by 49ers for a 21-10 victory.

On December 30, the Chicago Bears upset the Washington Redskins’ bid for a third consecutive NFC championship, with clutch plays and a stout defense, that forced three turnovers and seven sacks. Chicago’s victory was Washington’s first and only playoff defeat throughout their tenure at RFK Stadium, as well as the only time in Head Coach Joe Gibbs’ original tenure in Washington that his team would lose their opening playoff game.

With the scored tied 3-3 after a first quarter Mark Moseley 35 yard field goal and a second quarter 34 yard Bob Thomas field goal, Chicago executed a halfback option play at the Redskins’ 19 yard line. Ten year veteran RB Walter Payton, who surpassed Jim Brown’s all-time rushing record on October 7, threw a 19 yard touchdown to WR Pat Dunsmore for a 10-3 lead. Then, on the second play in the third period, Bears’ WR Willie Gault turned a short pass from QB Steve Fuller into a 75 yard touchdown, increasing their lead to 16-3, after Thomas missed the extra point. Washington RB John Riggins capped a 74 yard drive with a 1 yard touchdown run, cutting the lead to 16-10. But a roughing the passer penalty call set up WR Dennis McKinnon’s 16 yard reception from Fuller to cap a 77 yard Chicago scoring drive, pushing their lead back to 13 at 23-10.

Washington attempted a comeback late in the third quarter, recovering a Fuller fumble at the Bears’ 36 yard line, setting up a 1 yard touchdown by Riggins, to cut the Chicago lead to 23-17. After being backed up deep in their own territory on fourth down with eight minutes left in the game, Bear P Dave Finzer stepped out of the end zone and gave the Redskins an intentional safety, narrowing the score to 23-19. After the free kick, Washington advanced to the Chicago 24 yard line, but QB Joe Theismann threw three straight incompletions, and Moseley missed a 41 yard field goal attempt. Two other Redskin possessions went nowhere, and the Bears moved on to the NFC championship game with a 23-19 victory.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh Steelers’ RB Frank Pollard led the team to victory over the heavily favored Denver Broncos, with 99 rushing yards, 4 receptions for 48 yards, and 2 touchdowns, the second in the game’s closing minutes, to the put Pittsburgh ahead for good.

Denver scored first after a Broncos’ fumble recovery on the Steelers’ 22 yard line set up second year QB John Elway’s 9 yard touchdown pass to WR Jim Wright for a 7-0 lead. But that was all they could manage for the entire first half. K Rich Karlis missed two field goals, one from 39 yards and the other from 57 yards, while the team also had a drive that reached the Pittsburgh 6 yard line come up empty when Elway’s screen pass was intercepted. In the second quarter, the Steelers went up 10-7 on K Gary Anderson’s 28 yard field goal and RB Frank Pollard’s 1 yard run.

Denver tied the game, 10-10, in the third period when the Broncos blocked a Pittsburgh punt to set up Karlis’ 21 yard field goal. Then Elway completed a 20 yard touchdown pass to WR Steve Watson to take the lead, 17-10. But this time the Steelers tied the game, 17-17, when QB Mark Malone, replacing retired Pittsburgh legend Terry Bradshaw, completed a 10 yard touchdown to WR Louis Lipps. With three minutes left in the game, Pittsburgh intercepted an Elway pass and returned it 28 yards to the Denver 2 yard line, setting up Pollard’s winning 1 yard touchdown run, and a 24-17 victory.

On January 6 1985, the AFC Championship Game pitted the Miami Dolphins against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Miami’s Orange Bowl. Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers played the Chicago Bears for the NFC Championship in San Francisco’s Candlestick Park.

In the AFC, the Pittsburgh Steelers racked up 455 yards of offense and converted 54% of their third downs, but it still wasn’t enough to keep pace with the Miami Dolphins, who gained 569 yards in 71 plays. QB Dan Marino led the Dolphins to a victory by throwing for 421 yards and 4 touchdowns, both AFC championship records. Steelers’ QB Mark Malone recorded 312 yards and 3 touchdowns, but was intercepted three times.

Miami scored first on Marino’s 40 yard touchdown pass to WR Mark Clayton, but Pittsburgh countered with RB Rich Erenberg’s 7 yard rushing touchdown, to tie the game at 7-7. After Dolphins’ K Uwe von Schamann made a 26 yard field goal, the Steelers took the lead, 14-10, with WR John Stallworth’s 65 yard touchdown reception from Malone. Marino struck back with a 41 yard touchdown to WR Mark Duper for a 17-14 lead. Then, Miami S Lyle Blackwood picked off a Malone pass and returned it 4 yards to the Pittsburgh 35 yard line. After an 11 yard run by RB Tony Nathan, the Dolphins suffered a setback when a Marino touchdown pass was wiped out by a penalty.

But second year quarterback easily shook this off, completing a 28 yard pass to TE Joe Rose at the 1 yard line on the next play. Nathan finished off the drive with a 2 yard touchdown run to give Miami a 24-14 halftime lead. On the opening drive of the second half, Marino completed a 36 yard touchdown pass to Duper, increasing their lead to 31-14. Then, after Stallworth caught his second touchdown pass from Malone, a 19 yarder, to cut the deficit to 31-21, the Dolphins scored two more touchdowns, a 1 yard run by Woody Bennett and a 6 yard pass from Marino to WR Nat Moore, for a 45-21 lead. Malone threw a 29 yard touchdown pass to WR Wayne Capers in the final period to close out the scoring, giving Miami a 45-28 victory.

Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers gained 387 yards while limiting the Chicago Bears to 186 total yards, with only 37 of those yards through the air. Chicago QB Steve Fuller, acquired from the Rams prior to the season, completed just 13 of 22 passes for 87 yards and was sacked nine times. Fuller took over for starting QB Jim McMahon in Week 7 when McMahon went down with a kidney laceration.

Neither team played particularly well in the first half. Chicago took the opening kickoff and moved the ball 54 yards, 29 on carries by RB Walter Payton. But the drive stalled at the 49ers’ 23 yard line, and ended with no points when K Bob Thomas missed a 41 yard field goal attempt. San Francisco then drove to the Bear 2 yard line in 8 plays, but QB Joe Montana fumbled the snap on third down and had to dive on the ball. After that, K Ray Wersching kicked a 21 yard field goal to make the score 3-0. 49ers’ S Dwight Hicks gave the team a great chance to increase their lead by intercepting a Fuller pass in Chicago territory. San Francisco made it all the way to the 2 yard line again, but this time they did not even get a field goal, as Montana was intercepted in the end zone by S Gary Fencik.

A 66 yard drive to the Bears’ 4 yard line set up Wesching’s second field goal in the second quarter, giving the 49ers a 6-0 lead. Meanwhile, Chicago’s offense would go the entire period without gaining a first down. Fencik intercepted another Montana pass, but the Bears couldn’t do anything with the opportunity. Midway through the third quarter, San Francisco got into the end zone on a 5 play drive in which they never passed the ball. RB Wendell Tyler rushed 3 times for 25 yards, the last carry a 9 yard score, increasing the lead to 13-0. Montana later threw a 10 yard touchdown pass to WR Freddie Solomon, and Wersching finished off the scoring with a 34 yard field goal, for a 23-0 victory.

Thus, for the second consecutive year, the NFC’s top seed, the San Francisco 49ers, would meet the AFC’s top seed, the Miami Dolphins, in Super Bowl XIX. For San Francisco, it was their second Super Bowl appearance in the team’s history, and their second in four years. For Miami, this would be their fifth Super Bowl appearance since 1971. At 33-3, the combined records for the two teams coming into Super Bowl XIX were, and still are, the best in Super Bowl history.

Super Bowl Highlights: On January 20 1985, at Stanford Stadium in Stanford CA, the NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers, led by six year Head Coach Bill Walsh, played the AFC Champion Miami Dolphins, led for the 24th year by Head Coach Don Shula, in Super Bowl XIX. It would be the first Super Bowl broadcast by the American Broadcast Company (ABC).

San Francisco advanced to the Super Bowl after becoming the first team ever to win 15 regular season games since the league expanded to a 16 game schedule in 1978. The 49ers only setback during 1984 was a 20-17 Week 7 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Much of the hype surrounding the team was due to their offense, which boasted five Pro Bowl selections. One of those Pro Bowlers, six year veteran QB Joe Montana, completed 279 out of 432 attempts (64.6%) for 3,630 yards, 28 touchdowns, and only 10 interceptions, earning a QB Rating of 102.9, second best in the NFL, while finishing in the Top 10 in attempts, completions, touchdowns, and passing yards.

RB Roger Craig, in only his second year, was also a major contributor, both rushing and receiving. Craig was the team’s second leading rusher with 649 yards on 155 attempts (4.2 yards per carry) and 7 touchdowns while also leading the team in catches with 71 receptions for 675 yards and an additional 3 touchdowns. WR Dwight Clark, finishing his sixth season, was second on the team in receptions and first in receiving yards, with 52 catches for 880 yards (16.9 yards per reception) and 6 touchdowns. Clark combined with 10 year veteran WR Freddie Solomon to power the deep passing game. Solomon caught 40 passes for 737 yards (18.4 yards per reception), second on the team in receiving yards, and 10 receiving touchdowns, 5th in the league. TE Earl Cooper, in his fifth season, rounded out a strong receiver corps with 41 receptions for 459 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Pro Bowl RB Wendell Tyler, in his eighth year after being acquired from the Los Angeles Rams in 1983, rushed for a team record and a career high 1,262 yards on 246 attempts (5.1 yards per carry), finishing 5th overall in rushing yards and 4th overall in yards per attempt, while catching 28 passes for 230 yards, scoring 9 total touchdowns. Up front, three of San Francisco’s five starting offensive linemen, OG Randy Cross, C Fred Quillan, and All-Pro OT Keith Fahnhorst, were selected to play in the Pro Bowl. Overall, San Francisco’s offense finished the season ranked 2nd in scoring (475 points), 3rd in rushing yards (2,465), and 4th in passing yards (3,901).

Although they didn’t get as much media attention as the offense, the 49ers’ defense led the league in fewest points allowed during the regular season (227). All of San Francisco’s starting DBs, Ronnie Lott, Eric Wright, and Carlton Williamson, each in only their fourth season, as well as Dwight Hicks, in his sixth year, were selected to play in the Pro Bowl. Five year veteran LB Keena Turner, also a Pro Bowler, was a major defensive weapon, recording 2 sacks and 4 interceptions. DE Dwaine Board, in his sixth season, anchored the line, recording 10 sacks and a fumble recovery. Overall, the defense finished a respectable 7th in rushing yards allowed (1,795) but a below average 17th in passing yards allowed (3,381).

As Miami advanced to Super Bowl XIX, much of the media focus was on All-Pro QB Dan Marino. In just his second year in the league, he broke nearly every NFL single season passing record. Overall, Marino completed 362 out of 564 attempts (64.2%) for 5,084 yards, 48 touchdowns, 17 interceptions, and a QB Rating of 108.9. Marino finished at the top of the NFL in attempts, completions, yards, touchdowns, and QB Rating, setting a record for the most completions in a season and becoming the first quarterback ever to throw for over 5,000 yards. He set the record for the most games throwing for at least 300 passing yards (9) and the most games with 400 yards (4).

Marino’s 48 touchdown passes shattered the previous record of 36, held by both Houston Oilers’ QB George Blanda in 1961 and New York Giants’ QB Y.A. Tittle in 1963. Marino also had the most games with at least four or more touchdown passes (6), and the most consecutive games with at least four touchdown passes (4). Marino had a unique ability to read the defenses quickly before setting up to throw, and his skill of quickly releasing the ball made it very difficult for defenders to sack him. In addition, he had protection given to him by an offensive line led by All-Pros C Dwight Stephenson and OG Ed Newman. In total, Marino had only been sacked 13 times in the regular season and not once in the playoffs.

Miami offered Marino a number of offensive weapons. WRs Mark Clayton (73 receptions, 1,389 yards, 18 touchdowns) and Mark Duper (71 receptions, 1,306 yards, 8 touchdowns), in their second and third seasons respectively, became the first teammates ever to each gain over 1,300 receiving yards in one season, finishing 3rd and 6th overall. Clayton’s 18 touchdown catches broke the NFL single season record of 17 set by Green Bay Packers’ WR Don Hutson in 1942. Eleven year veteran WR Nat Moore caught 43 passes for 574 yards and 6 touchdowns while TE Dan Johnson, in his second season, contributed 34 receptions for 426 yards and 3 touchdowns. Though Miami had primarily a passing offense, they also had a trio of solid running backs; Tony Nathan and Woody Bennett, each in their sixth year, and rookie Joe Carter.

Nathan and Bennett finished the season with over 1,000 combined rushing yards, while Carter contributed 495 rushing yards, averaging 5.0 yards per attempt, 5th in the NFL. Nathan also caught 61 passes for 579 yards, the third highest number of receptions on the team. The three running backs combined for a total of 12 touchdowns. While RB Pete Johnson, in his final NFL season after seven years with the Cincinnati Bengals, rushed for only 159 yards, he scored an additional 9 touchdowns. Despite Miami’s superb offense, P Reggie Roby still made the Pro Bowl, averaging 44.7 yards per punt, with a net gain average of 38.7, tying Roby for second overall in yards per punt. The Dolphins’ powerful offense led the NFL in both scoring (513 points) and passing yards (5,013). Their running game was just average, finishing 16th overall (1,918).

Unlike their offense, the Dolphins’ defense was suspect. They tied the Houston Oilers and the Minnesota Vikings, both finishing with just a 3-13 record, for the most rushing yards allowed per attempt during the regular season (4.7), ranked a dismal 22nd in rushing yards allowed (2,155) and 14th in passing yards allowed (3,265). However, Miami did finish in the Top 10 overall in scoring defense (7th), allowing a total of 298 points. The main bright spots were the safeties, brothers Lyle and Glenn Blackwood, along with Pro Bowlers LB A.J. Duhe and NT Bob Baumhower, as well as DE Doug Betters. Glenn Blackwood picked off 6 passes during the season, while Betters recorded 14 sacks and a fumble recovery. LB Charles Bowser was also a big contributor, recording 9 sacks and one fumble recovery.

Despite the predictions of sportswriters that 1984 would be the first of many Super Bowl appearances for the Marino-led Dolphins, Super Bowl XIX turned out to be the one and only opportunity for the Hall of Fame quarterback to win an NFL Championship during his 17 year career. It would also be the great Don Shula’s last opportunity to win pro football’s ultimate prize before his retirement. When he left the game in 1996, Shula was the winningest coach in pro football history with 347 victories, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997.

Early on, it seemed the contest would live up to its pre game hype. On the opening kickoff, San Francisco rookie KR Derrick Harmon caught the ball too close to the sidelines and stepped out of bounds at the San Francisco 6 yard line. The 49ers managed to advance to the 41 yard line, but were forced to punt. Then, on their first play of their drive, Dan Marino completed a 25 yard pass to Tony Nathan. Five plays later, Miami reached the San Francisco 23 yard line. But, on third down, the 49ers Eric Wright tackled Mark Clayton 2 yards shy of the first down. Miami had to settle for a 37 yard field goal from K Uwe von Schamann.

The Dolphins’ 3-0 lead did not last long as San Francisco stormed down the field on their next possession. The 49ers drove 78 yards in 8 plays, culminating in a 33 yard touchdown pass from Joe Montana to reserve RB Carl Monroe to give them a 7-3 lead. But Miami retook the lead on their ensuing drive. After a 5 yard rush by Nathan, the Dolphins went into a no huddle offense, preventing San Francisco from making substitutions, and keeping their run defense on the field. Marino completed four consecutive passes, hitting Clayton for 18 yards, Mark Duper for 11 yards, Clayton again for 13 yards, and Dan Johnson for 21 yards. On the next play, Marino finished the drive by hitting Johnson with his fifth consecutive completion, a 2 yard touchdown pass, giving Miami a 10-7 lead with 45 seconds left in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the 49ers began to take control of the game. Bill Walsh switched to a 4-1-6 defense to slow down the Dolphins’ passing attack, with Keena Turner as the sole linebacker. Miami countered by trying to run the ball, but to no avail. Dwight Hicks broke up two consecutive Marino passes, and the Dolphins were forced to punt from their own 10 yard line. Then, after taking the ball at the Miami 47 yard line, Montana scrambled for 19 yards, and completed a 16 yard pass to Dwight Clark, to reach the Dolphin 12 yard line. From there, Wendell Tyler rushed for 4 yards, and Montana threw an 8 yard touchdown pass to Roger Craig, giving San Francisco a 14-10 lead.

Miami punted again on their ensuing possession, and the 49ers returned the ball 28 yards to the San Francisco 45 yard line. After advancing 15 yards with two running plays, Montana completed a pair of passes to TE Russ Francis to move the ball 29 yards to the Dolphin 11 yard line. Craig ran for 5 yards on the next play, and Montana ran the final 6 yards to the end zone for a touchdown, making the score 21-10. After the ensuing kickoff, Miami was forced to punt for the third consecutive time after just three plays. Montana was sacked for a 5 yard loss by Doug Betters on the first play of the drive, but struck back with a 20 yard completion to Craig and a 7 yard run over the next two plays.

On the next play, Freddie Solomon caught a pass from Montana, took one step, and lost the ball due to a hit from Lyle Blackwood. Blackwood quickly recovered the ball and took off for the 49ers’ end zone, but field judge Bob Lewis blew the play dead, ruling that Solomon’s fumble was an incomplete pass. Five plays later, Craig finished the 9 play, 52 yard drive with his second touchdown on a 2 yard run, increasing the San Francisco lead to 28-10. The Dolphins finally managed to get a good drive going with about two minutes left in the half. Marino completed 7 out of 9 passes, the last one being a 30 yard pass to Joe Rose, to reach the 49ers’ 12 yard line. But San Francisco’s defense tightened up on the next three plays, forcing two incompletions and a completed pass for no gain. Miami had to settle for von Schamann’s second field goal of the game to cut their deficit to 28-13 with 12 seconds left in the half.

Then the Dolphins caught a break, as the 49ers botched the ensuing kickoff. The 49ers’ Guy McIntyre received von Schamann’s short kick and was about to down the ball, but then changed his mind at the last second and decided to return it. This turned out to be a big mistake; McIntyre fumbled while being leveled by rookie Joe Carter, and Jim Jensen recovered the ball for Miami at the San Francisco 12 yard line. Von Schamann then kicked his third field goal on the last play of the half, cutting the score to 28-16. But any thoughts of a Miami comeback ended early in the third quarter. On the first play of the second half, the 49ers’ Dwaine Board tackled Nathan for a 1 yard loss. After Marino threw an incompletion, Board sacked him for a 9 yard loss on third down.

For the fourth time in the game, Roby had to punt. San Francisco then drove 43 yards and scored on K Ray Wersching’s 27 yard field goal, extending their lead to 31-16. On the Dolphins’ ensuing drive, they were forced to punt again after Marino was sacked twice. Starting on their own 30 yard line, Montana completed a 40 yard pass to Tyler, followed up with a 14 yard completion to Francis. Three plays later, Craig scored his third touchdown on a 16 yard reception to make the score 38-16. That score proved to be the last one from either team as the defenses took over for the rest of the game, especially the 49ers’ defense, who intercepted Marino twice. San Francisco had their second Super Bowl victory of the 1980s, 38-16, becoming the first team in NFL history to win 18 games in a single season.

Joe Montana was named Super Bowl MVP, completing 24 of 35 passes for a record 331 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also broke the record for most rushing yards gained by a quarterback, with his 5 rushes for 59 yards and 1 touchdown. Roger Craig became the first running back to score three total touchdowns in a Super Bowl. Overall, San Francisco gained a record 537 yards, breaking the Oakland Raiders’ record of 429 yards in Super Bowl XI, while limiting Miami to 314 total yards, with just 25 rushing yards. The 49ers 38 points tied a record set by the Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII. San Francisco’s 288 offensive yards in the first half also tied Oakland’s Super Bowl XI record for the most offensive yards in a half.

Conclusion: For Packer fans, the 1984 season meant starting over again with another new head coach, their fourth since the retirement of the great Vince Lombardi in 1967. Since that last Super Bowl win 16 years ago, Green Bay had been to the playoffs only twice, and once was after the strike shortened 1982 season. A 1-7 start had many wondering if Forrest Gregg would be just another false hope. Questionable personnel decisions, particularly trading K Jan Stenerud prior to the season, potentially cost Green Bay a winning record, but the Packers’ strong 7-1 finish left a feeling that, perhaps, better times might be ahead.

Yet, the reality was that Green Bay had finished 8-8 three out of the past four years under two different head coaches, the last one despite Gregg turning over more than a third of Starr’s players. The question remained, was this a team that could be a legitimate Super Bowl contender with only selected changes to the existing roster or was a complete overhaul required to get to the next level? The 1985 season would prove to be a pivotal one in determining the Packers’ future.

To end this post, I’ve attached the NFL Films Super Bowl XIX Highlight video. The 1984 Super Bowl video was the first to be narrated by someone other than legendary NFL Films announcer John Facenda, who died in September 1984. This was also the last Super Bowl highlight film produced by NFL Films using film stock. Beginning with the 1985 season, NFL Films productions were produced on videotape.

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