Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Greetings.

Other than game books, is there anywhere that has the time for each scoring play prior to the late 1990s?

Edit: It looks like TSN has them starting in 1983. How about before that?

TYIA.

nobis60 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 04, 2025 12:09 pm Greetings.

Other than game books, is there anywhere that has the time for each scoring play prior to the late 1990s?

Edit: It looks like TSN has them starting in 1983. How about before that?

TYIA.

Newspapers.

TodMaher wrote: ↑Fri Jul 04, 2025 1:20 pm Newspapers.

Yes, if I was stuck after trying game books, that would probably have to be it. Thanks.

I've been working on a list of the closest games since 1956, and knowing the 4th-quarter scoring times would help identify the real squeakers.

HERE is my list so far.

It's not a hard and fast rule, but so far, I usually will only list games with the MOV at 7 or less, with the winning team scoring last - in the 4th quarter. The playoff games tab is complete for now, but the regular season tab could be many times larger.

That's an interesting topic. Being a Lions fan, four such games come immediately to mind. All ended with a TD pass with less than a minute to play (some on final play of game):

Detroit at Green Bay, Sept. 25, 1955---Rote TD pass to Knafelc, GB won 20-17

Baltimore at Detroit, Oct. 20, 1957--Layne TD pass to Cassady, Detroit won 31-27

Detroit at San Francisco, Nov. 3, 1957---Y.A. Tittle "Alley Oop" pass to R.C. Owens, SF won 35-31

Detroit at Baltimore, Dec. 1960---Earl Morrall pass to Jim Gibbons, Lions won 20-15

Without that win against Baltimore in 1957, I dont feel the Lions go all the way, Richard ...

Can this current team replace Ragnow?

RichardBak wrote: ↑Mon Jul 07, 2025 6:53 am That's an interesting topic. Being a Lions fan, four such games come immediately to mind. All ended with a TD pass with less than a minute to play (some on final play of game):

Detroit at Green Bay, Sept. 25, 1955---Rote TD pass to Knafelc, GB won 20-17

Baltimore at Detroit, Oct. 20, 1957--Layne TD pass to Cassady, Detroit won 31-27

Detroit at San Francisco, Nov. 3, 1957---Y.A. Tittle "Alley Oop" pass to R.C. Owens, SF won 35-31

Detroit at Baltimore, Dec. 1960---Earl Morrall pass to Jim Gibbons, Lions won 20-15

The 1960 game was one of the greatest ever played in my mind. Detroit scores to take the lead with 1:15 left. Unitas then drives the other way in 1 minute to score and the crowd starts to pour onto the field. They are held back and the Lions get the ball with 10 seconds left but win on a 65 yard pass to Gibbons.

NWebster wrote: ↑Mon Jul 07, 2025 8:00 pm

RichardBak wrote: ↑Mon Jul 07, 2025 6:53 am That's an interesting topic. Being a Lions fan, four such games come immediately to mind. All ended with a TD pass with less than a minute to play (some on final play of game):

Detroit at Green Bay, Sept. 25, 1955---Rote TD pass to Knafelc, GB won 20-17

Baltimore at Detroit, Oct. 20, 1957--Layne TD pass to Cassady, Detroit won 31-27

Detroit at San Francisco, Nov. 3, 1957---Y.A. Tittle "Alley Oop" pass to R.C. Owens, SF won 35-31

Detroit at Baltimore, Dec. 1960---Earl Morrall pass to Jim Gibbons, Lions won 20-15

The 1960 game was one of the greatest ever played in my mind. Detroit scores to take the lead with 1:15 left. Unitas then drives the other way in 1 minute to score and the crowd starts to pour onto the field. They are held back and the Lions get the ball with 10 seconds left but win on a 65 yard pass to Gibbons.

Wow ... didnt realize the Colts collapse was worse than the Bills in the infamous 13 second game playoff loss to KC in early 2022, not 2023, like I stated on ProFootballJournal.

NWebster wrote: ↑Mon Jul 07, 2025 8:00 pm

RichardBak wrote: ↑Mon Jul 07, 2025 6:53 am That's an interesting topic. Being a Lions fan, four such games come immediately to mind. All ended with a TD pass with less than a minute to play (some on final play of game):

Detroit at Green Bay, Sept. 25, 1955---Rote TD pass to Knafelc, GB won 20-17

Baltimore at Detroit, Oct. 20, 1957--Layne TD pass to Cassady, Detroit won 31-27

Detroit at San Francisco, Nov. 3, 1957---Y.A. Tittle "Alley Oop" pass to R.C. Owens, SF won 35-31

Detroit at Baltimore, Dec. 1960---Earl Morrall pass to Jim Gibbons, Lions won 20-15

The 1960 game was one of the greatest ever played in my mind. Detroit scores to take the lead with 1:15 left. Unitas then drives the other way in 1 minute to score and the crowd starts to pour onto the field. They are held back and the Lions get the ball with 10 seconds left but win on a 65 yard pass to Gibbons.

I saw this game on TV. I have a vivid memory of Earl Morrall dropping back throwing downfield and Gibbons catching it running into the end zone. The thing that has stuck with me is they made it look easy.

That Lions-Colts game is the first NFL game I can honestly say I have a vague memory of. I was all of 6-1/2 years old, didn't follow or play sports of any kind then, of course. But the reason I remember it is because it was on TV here in Detroit and my older brothers were cheering like crazy and my oldest brother, Bob, undoubtedly had a bet down on the game. They probably replayed that Gibbons play a dozen times. My brothers and friends were yelling and happy as hell, so even though I didn't really know what was going on, I was happy cuz they were happy.

Years later, I was the editor of a local magazine called Sport Detroit. We interviewed Gibbons once about that play, and as he recalled it, he cut across the middle, caught it, the defender fell down, and Ken Webb tossed a nice block as he raced down the sidelines. On film it does all look pretty easy. What Gibbons and everybody else who were at that game recall best is how the utter pandemonium that had engulfed the stadium after Lenny Moore's diving fingertips catch, turned in an instant into tomb-like silence when Gibbons crossed the goal line. Utter shock.

The Colts never recovered. They lost the rest of their games to finish 6-6 after a 6-2 start. Of course, Alan Ameche's career-ending achilles injury at mid-season was a huge factor, as well, in keeping the Colts from a three-peat. Too bad. Wonder what a Unitas-Van Brocklin duel what've looked like in the title game.