Week Two 1964 New York Giants at Pitt Stadium
Posted: Wed Oct 09, 2024 4:03 pm
The second week of the 1964 season brought the New York Giants into Pitt Stadium to play the Steelers. Both clubs lost in Week one and looked pathetic. Scores-At Franklin Field Philadelphia Eagles 38 Giants 7 and at Pitt Stadium the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Steelers 26 to 14. The Rams intercepted Ed Brown five times for 138 yards in returns. Lamar Lundy returned his steal 14 yards for a touchdown. LA recovered three fumbles. The fearsome foursome sacked Brown seven times for 63 yards in losses,
The Steelers were often perennial losers but on occasion came up with big wins. In fact, the 1960s began with great promise, with a set of winning seasons understandably lost in an illustrious history that is now dominated by much bigger successes. Coach Buddy Parker oversaw a unit that finished with a 9-5 record in ’62, following the rare winning campaign with another (7-4-3) in ’63.
Now winning, fans were even more easily able to delight in the talents of John Henry Johnson, their own eventual Hall of Fame running back whose illustrious career was quite simply given an unfortunate chronological placement in team history. An easy way to determine the depth and knowledge of a Steelers fan is to ask them to name their top running backs in team history and acknowledge each candidate before ranking them. If J.H.J. isn’t at least in the selection process, that fan could use a further appreciation for team history.
With high expectations in 1964, Parker was hoping to finally lead his club to the playoffs. Unfortunately, a mere five-win season ended the team’s winning stretch. They wouldn’t have a winning campaign again until the arrival of “Emperor Chaz.” However, they didn’t end the ’64 campaign without getting in a few good licks on some stiff competition.
In regards to the fondness of the memories held by those blessed enough to have experienced the era, there were three stand out games. The first was a win in Week 2 over the Giants, who had lost the NFL Championship Game one year earlier. New York came to Pitt Stadium in Week 2 to face a squad hungry for revenge. Months earlier, the Steelers missed out on the playoffs and a potential championship when they lost to the Giants in the last game, 33-17. While Pittsburgh had beaten the Giants 31-0 earlier in the season, the mesmerizing Tittle did not play.
In the season-ending contest, Tittle, who had led the Giants to three straight championship games (all losses), riddled the Steelers. With numbers of a likeness to the modern day, Tittle’s 308 yards and three touchdowns helped deliver a caveman-style beatdown on Pittsburgh—big bat and all.
As I said, the angry Steelers had lost their opener to Deacon Jones and the L.A. Rams—a 26-14 loss at Pitt Stadium that saw quarterback Ed Brown complete only 9-of-28 attempts with five interceptions. Even more disconcerting was the lack of a run game against the stout Rams defensive front, and J.H.J. could only accumulate 44 rushing yards.
The offense’s performance would not make great strides against New York. However, the defense and special teams would make a huge plays against the Giants, changing the game’s momentum. and the entire season from a New Yorker’s view.
An interception touchdown and two-yard scoring run had the Giants ahead 14-0 after the first quarter. Deep in his own end, the defending league MVP Tittle dropped back, hoping to lead the team to a commanding 21-0 advantage. Instead, Y.A.’s career—at least its competitive phase—would essentially end with one brutalizing hit.
Defensive end John Baker came unimpeded off the line of scrimmage, nailing Tittle in the midsection just as he released his grip of the football in the passing motion. The ball fluttered into the air. Tackle Chuck Hinton snagged the pigskin and delivered momentum in spades to Pitt Stadium, cutting the Giants’ edge to 14-6 after a missed extra point. The defense, which included Ben Magee, Hinton’s adjacent tackle and linebacker Myron Pottios, celebrated. The Giants’ sideline was in shock, but the look of dejection was not conjured exclusively by the stunning score.
Instead, the image of a collapsed hero, battered and bloodied, on his knees in the end zone was symbolic of the immediate decline of a proud team and quarterback. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Morris Berman captured an image that will endure endlessly in sports lore. Tittle is on his knees, his helmet ripped off and blood dribbling down his bald head, seemingly staring into space.
It’s a caption that begs for introspection. It speaks to a man at his most vulnerable point. After struggling through ’64 with career-threatening injuries and affected play, Tittle (with a whisper in his ear from his wife) would call it quits and retire after the season. He admits that the devastating hit from Baker made him gun-shy in the pocket for the remainder of his few leftover playing days, rendering him fearful of another vicious shot.
The image, which can be seen displayed at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is aptly titled “Fallen Giant.” In the moment, the proud man forced himself up off the end-zone grass, ready to make the effort in spite of his medical circumstance to rally his teammates and respond. Instead, with passes skipping off the ground short of their targets and leaving Tittle’s arm prematurely with the first sense of trouble, Y.A. looked like something he had not displayed ever before in his playing days: done.
He suffered a cracked sternum, concussion and separation of rib cage from muscle. See above picture the Giants wisely pulled Tittle from the contest, and backup Gary Wood’s effort—though admirable—simply would not be enough. Wood would finish 7-of-18 with an interception, remarkably similar to Tittle’s 7-of-16 performance, also including the aforementioned interception. The poor guy lost his helmet during the hit.
On the very next series Steeler Defensive Back Brady Keys intercepted Gary Wood a midfield. Ed Brown completed a 50 yard pass to Jim Kelly who was otherwise a bust as a wide receiver. At the end of the first half, Johnson caught his only pass of the game, a two-yard touchdown to pull Pittsburgh within one point of New York, 14-13.
In the third quarter the teams exchanged rushing touchdowns, Dick James from the Giants and Ed Brown for Pittsburgh and the Steelers trailed 21 to 20. In the fourth quarter, Brady Keys gave the excited Steelers fans an encore performance. He fielded a punt at his nine yard line, turned right, scooted left and ran alone to the Giant one yard line.
Keys slammed the ball to the ground frustrated over not scoring a touchdown. Exactly one year ago, Week 2 at home against New York, the same thing happened. Keys raced 82 yards and went to the Giants’ one. John Henry Johnson shot through to score. Today Ed Browns past the pylon for a one-yard scrambling score. Pittsburgh led 27-21.
James and Wood did all they could to rally the G-Men. Instead of touchdowns, two promising drives fell short of the goal line, resulting in a pair of field goal attempts. While Don Chandler’s 21-yard field goal cut the score to 27-24 midway through the fourth quarter, his second effort from 37 yards went wide in the final moments. The Giants were unable to tie the score, losing 27-24. Symbolic of Tittle’s fall from grace, the Giants finished 1964 with a 2-10-2 record.
I don’t remember who was player of the Week but Brady Keys deserved it for this game.
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The Steelers were often perennial losers but on occasion came up with big wins. In fact, the 1960s began with great promise, with a set of winning seasons understandably lost in an illustrious history that is now dominated by much bigger successes. Coach Buddy Parker oversaw a unit that finished with a 9-5 record in ’62, following the rare winning campaign with another (7-4-3) in ’63.
Now winning, fans were even more easily able to delight in the talents of John Henry Johnson, their own eventual Hall of Fame running back whose illustrious career was quite simply given an unfortunate chronological placement in team history. An easy way to determine the depth and knowledge of a Steelers fan is to ask them to name their top running backs in team history and acknowledge each candidate before ranking them. If J.H.J. isn’t at least in the selection process, that fan could use a further appreciation for team history.
With high expectations in 1964, Parker was hoping to finally lead his club to the playoffs. Unfortunately, a mere five-win season ended the team’s winning stretch. They wouldn’t have a winning campaign again until the arrival of “Emperor Chaz.” However, they didn’t end the ’64 campaign without getting in a few good licks on some stiff competition.
In regards to the fondness of the memories held by those blessed enough to have experienced the era, there were three stand out games. The first was a win in Week 2 over the Giants, who had lost the NFL Championship Game one year earlier. New York came to Pitt Stadium in Week 2 to face a squad hungry for revenge. Months earlier, the Steelers missed out on the playoffs and a potential championship when they lost to the Giants in the last game, 33-17. While Pittsburgh had beaten the Giants 31-0 earlier in the season, the mesmerizing Tittle did not play.
In the season-ending contest, Tittle, who had led the Giants to three straight championship games (all losses), riddled the Steelers. With numbers of a likeness to the modern day, Tittle’s 308 yards and three touchdowns helped deliver a caveman-style beatdown on Pittsburgh—big bat and all.
As I said, the angry Steelers had lost their opener to Deacon Jones and the L.A. Rams—a 26-14 loss at Pitt Stadium that saw quarterback Ed Brown complete only 9-of-28 attempts with five interceptions. Even more disconcerting was the lack of a run game against the stout Rams defensive front, and J.H.J. could only accumulate 44 rushing yards.
The offense’s performance would not make great strides against New York. However, the defense and special teams would make a huge plays against the Giants, changing the game’s momentum. and the entire season from a New Yorker’s view.
An interception touchdown and two-yard scoring run had the Giants ahead 14-0 after the first quarter. Deep in his own end, the defending league MVP Tittle dropped back, hoping to lead the team to a commanding 21-0 advantage. Instead, Y.A.’s career—at least its competitive phase—would essentially end with one brutalizing hit.
Defensive end John Baker came unimpeded off the line of scrimmage, nailing Tittle in the midsection just as he released his grip of the football in the passing motion. The ball fluttered into the air. Tackle Chuck Hinton snagged the pigskin and delivered momentum in spades to Pitt Stadium, cutting the Giants’ edge to 14-6 after a missed extra point. The defense, which included Ben Magee, Hinton’s adjacent tackle and linebacker Myron Pottios, celebrated. The Giants’ sideline was in shock, but the look of dejection was not conjured exclusively by the stunning score.
Instead, the image of a collapsed hero, battered and bloodied, on his knees in the end zone was symbolic of the immediate decline of a proud team and quarterback. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Morris Berman captured an image that will endure endlessly in sports lore. Tittle is on his knees, his helmet ripped off and blood dribbling down his bald head, seemingly staring into space.
It’s a caption that begs for introspection. It speaks to a man at his most vulnerable point. After struggling through ’64 with career-threatening injuries and affected play, Tittle (with a whisper in his ear from his wife) would call it quits and retire after the season. He admits that the devastating hit from Baker made him gun-shy in the pocket for the remainder of his few leftover playing days, rendering him fearful of another vicious shot.
The image, which can be seen displayed at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is aptly titled “Fallen Giant.” In the moment, the proud man forced himself up off the end-zone grass, ready to make the effort in spite of his medical circumstance to rally his teammates and respond. Instead, with passes skipping off the ground short of their targets and leaving Tittle’s arm prematurely with the first sense of trouble, Y.A. looked like something he had not displayed ever before in his playing days: done.
He suffered a cracked sternum, concussion and separation of rib cage from muscle. See above picture the Giants wisely pulled Tittle from the contest, and backup Gary Wood’s effort—though admirable—simply would not be enough. Wood would finish 7-of-18 with an interception, remarkably similar to Tittle’s 7-of-16 performance, also including the aforementioned interception. The poor guy lost his helmet during the hit.
On the very next series Steeler Defensive Back Brady Keys intercepted Gary Wood a midfield. Ed Brown completed a 50 yard pass to Jim Kelly who was otherwise a bust as a wide receiver. At the end of the first half, Johnson caught his only pass of the game, a two-yard touchdown to pull Pittsburgh within one point of New York, 14-13.
In the third quarter the teams exchanged rushing touchdowns, Dick James from the Giants and Ed Brown for Pittsburgh and the Steelers trailed 21 to 20. In the fourth quarter, Brady Keys gave the excited Steelers fans an encore performance. He fielded a punt at his nine yard line, turned right, scooted left and ran alone to the Giant one yard line.
Keys slammed the ball to the ground frustrated over not scoring a touchdown. Exactly one year ago, Week 2 at home against New York, the same thing happened. Keys raced 82 yards and went to the Giants’ one. John Henry Johnson shot through to score. Today Ed Browns past the pylon for a one-yard scrambling score. Pittsburgh led 27-21.
James and Wood did all they could to rally the G-Men. Instead of touchdowns, two promising drives fell short of the goal line, resulting in a pair of field goal attempts. While Don Chandler’s 21-yard field goal cut the score to 27-24 midway through the fourth quarter, his second effort from 37 yards went wide in the final moments. The Giants were unable to tie the score, losing 27-24. Symbolic of Tittle’s fall from grace, the Giants finished 1964 with a 2-10-2 record.
I don’t remember who was player of the Week but Brady Keys deserved it for this game.
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