Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

My thread topic about OJ Simpson dominating the 1975 Steelers in their home opener made me think about this. What were the all time great performances that came against the absolute best teams ever? Dan Marino beating the 1985 Bears would have to be the big one. The OJ Simpson 1975 game against the Steelers seems like an underrated one. What would be some others?

James Wilder ran for 166 yards (at 6.1 yards per carry) against the 1985 Bears.

Jimmy Smith caught 15 passes for 291 yards and 3 TDs against the 2000 Ravens.
The 2001 Ravens weren't as great, but didn't have much drop-off.... until Brett Favre carved them up. He completed almost 80% of his passes for 330+ yards, 3 TDs and no INTs.

Barry Sanders at Dallas, MNF, 1994!

Franco Harris vs the 1977 Cowboys 29-179-2 tds long 61

I don't know if the 1947 Cardinals qualify as one of the greatest but they were champions. Sammy Baugh threw for 355 yards and 6 IDs in a 45-21 win over them. {He also threw for 364 yards and 5 IDs in a 45-42 loss vs. the runner-up Eagles that year]

Is there any individual on the Lions defense that stood out in that 1962 Thanksgiving game against the Packers? If so they probably deserve a mention.

Mark wrote: ↑Sat Nov 08, 2025 3:39 pm Is there any individual on the Lions defense that stood out in that 1962 Thanksgiving game against the Packers? If so they probably deserve a mention.

DT Roger Brown, he sacked Bart Starr seven times, according to his Wikipedia bio, once for a safety. Another sack forced a fumble by Starr, recovered for a TD by Sam Williams.

Mark wrote: ↑Sat Nov 08, 2025 3:39 pm Is there any individual on the Lions defense that stood out in that 1962 Thanksgiving game against the Packers? If so they probably deserve a mention.

I was thinking the same thing for the Rams' 13-12 win at San Fran in '89, Week #4, the week following that Classic Montana Comeback at the Vet over Buddy Ball! LA held SF to zero TDs! Looking at the stats, though, weirdly the defending/again-to-be Champs actually outplayed them! They had the 1st down advantage, 22-11, and had the ball for 38:40 minutes. No real 'standout' defensive player, it seems, for the Rams. Montana was sacked just twice, by Reed and Wilcher each. Kevin Greene recovered a fumble that was forced by Mel Owens which equates the lone turnover in the game. Could Flipper Anderson actually be mentioned here at 5 targets, 4 receptions, 112 yards, 1 TD which would be that only TD scored?

I should check out this game! Nothing as 'electrifying' as that big MNF comeback 10 weeks later but perhaps sneakily not really a less intriguing affair. Full play-by-play is offered on PFR.

While we're on those 1989 San Francisco Forty Niners, maybe we can talk about the Majik-Man, also at Candlestick, in Week #11! Didn't put up much passing yards but threw a TD to Sterling, ZERO INTs, and RAN the Pack's two other TDs in - which garnered him over 22pts fantasy-wise for those who were playing it, without online scoring assistance/simple brick-and-mortar, in '89! GB recorded 6 sacks (5 on Joe, 1 on Young), but each and every one was by a different defender.

The commonality between the 1989 San Francisco Forty Niners and the 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers is each losing their second (and final) game of the entire campaign in Wk#11 (dropping each to 9-2). As for the '78 Steelers, #34 scoring three TDs on them in their first loss, Wk#7 MNF at Three Rivers, should be mentioned (though Earl and Co would get shut down in each of the next three games vs the Steel Curtain).

No real 'standout' Ram player in LA's win over the 'Burgh.

Don Majkowski vs the 89 49ers is a great one. I watched that game a couple of years ago and that was a hard fought road win by that Packers team in a playoff atmosphere, damn crime we didn't get a rematch of that in the playoffs that year. Was that not a big reason why they added the 6th playoff/wild card team the next season?

Also love the Sammy Baugh shout with him shredding both Championship Game teams that year like that in '47.

One that I can remember from my favorite team was Ron Dayne killing the Indianapolis Colts in 2006 for the Texans first win over them. 32 carries for 153 yards 2 touchdowns against Colts defense that allowed single digit points in the first two playoff wins before beating the Patriots in the AFCCG and going on to win the Super Bowl over Chicago that year.

Gary Clark vs the 1986 Giants on MNF: 11 catches for 241 yards and a touchdown