SixtiesFan wrote:John Maxymuk wrote:Another point about 1960 is how close it came to pitting lombardi against Paul Brown. In the second Eagles-Browns meeting that year, Philadelphia won on a 38-yard field goal by Bobby Walston with 10 seconds left. 38 yards was really beyond Walston's range by that point and he claimed it was his biggest thrill in football. If everything else played out the same after that game, Cleveland wins the East at 9-2-1 with Phila. At 9-3.
Yes, It's forgotten how close the 1960 Browns came to winning the Eastern Division title and meeting the Packers in Cleveland for the NFL Championship that year.
I saw the Eagle-Packer game on TV. What sticks with me is the Packers moving the ball well, but settling for two FGs and a 6-0 lead. The Eagles seemed destined to win.
I would guess the chances of winning a game where you are outgained by 100 yards and -2 in turnover differential are less than 5%, maybe less than 2%.
Packers running game was at its height, Eagles had a lousy run defense. Packers did run the ball well, but still got stopped twice on fourth down plays. Starr went 21 for 34 as well, mostly short stuff, but wasn't sacked once. Packers basically had 7 scoring chances, wound up with 13 points. The two fourth down misses, a missed chip shot by Hornung, and the final drive which fell short. Eagles had four chances and got 17 points, only missing on one drive where Van Brocklin threw a pick in the end zone. Otherwise, the Eagles barely moved the ball. Van Brocklin only completed 9 passes, but did hit some big plays, something that would be harder and harder to do against the Packers' pass defense as the years went on.
To their credit, the Eagles did follow up with a 10-4 season in 1961, despite losing Van Brocklin and their coach.
It would be between 1960 and 1969 for me. 1969 had a lot of strong teams (Cowboys, Vikings, Rams, Chiefs, Raiders, Jets), although they all had worse years in 1970. 1960 had the Eagles and a great four team race in the west when the Colts fell apart down the stretch.