| This is a replay of the 1961 NFL season replay (no AFL teams). In this replay, I always played the Minnesota Vikings, and starting in Week 2, I played against the conference leaders each week. If a game included a matchup between two conference leaders, I played against the team that originally played the best that season. The goal of this replay was to try to get the Vikings more than 3 wins and to try to even up the overall field. The NFL did not have a playoff bracket in 1961, so the top team in each conference played in the NFL Championship game, and the runners up played in the Playoff Bowl for 3rd place bragging rights.
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Week 2, Chicago Bears at Los Angeles Rams
With 7:15 remaining in the game, the 1961 Los Angeles Rams put together an 81-yard drive to score a touchdown to go ahead 16-14 over the 1961 Chicago Bears. With 1:15 remaining, the Rams held back the Bears' attack to win the game. For the second week in a row the Bears' opponent rushed for more than 200 yards, and this week the Rams rushed for 230 yards on the feet of Joe Arnett, Joe Marconi, Tom Wilson, Ollie Matson, and Dick Bass, with Arnett leading with 84 yards on 20 carries. Rams quarterback Zeke Bratkowski completed 15 of 23 pass attempts for 193 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions, with split end Jim Phillips leading all Rams receivers with 7 catches for 92 yards. The Bears were held to 54 yards on the ground, while Chicago quarterbacks Billy Wade and Ed Brown combined for 10 completions on 19 attempts for 154 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions, with receiver Johnny Morris leading all Bears in receiving with 3 catches for 95 yards. In the original game played Saturday, September 23, 1961, the Bears beat the Rams 21-17.
Week 2, Detroit Lions at Baltimore Colts
Early in the 2nd quarter, quarterback Earl Morrall threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jim Gibbons to put the 1961 Detroit Lions ahead 21-14 over the 1961 Baltimore Colts; and in the middle of the 3rd quarter, placekicker Jim Martin nailed a 14-yard field goal to increase the lead to 24-14. But the Colts rallied back. Late in the 3rd quarter, Baltimore quarterback Johnny Unitas launched a 54-yard touchdown pass to split end Raymond Berry, and early in the 4th quarter, Colts placekicker Steve Myhra split the uprights on a 33-yard field goal to tie the game. For the remaining 13:13, neither team was able to score, so the game ended in a 24-24 tie. The Lions held the Colts to 65 yards rushing, but Unitas managed 9 completions on 21 attempts for 184 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions, with Berry covering 81 yards on 2 catches and flanker Lenny Moore catching 5 passes for 75 yards. The Lions backfield of Nick Pietrosante (photo), Dan Lewis, Hopalong Cassady, Johnny Olszewski, and Morrall put together 224 yards on the ground, led by Pietrosante with 81 yards on 19 carries. In the original game played Sunday, September 24, 1961, the Lions beat the Colts 16-15.
Week 2, Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys
The 1961 Minnesota Vikings backfield of Hugh McElhenny, Mel Triplett, Tommy Mason, Ray Hayes, and Doug Mayberry rushed for 296 yards on 55 carries, an average of 5.4 yards per carry, against the 1961 Dallas Cowboys to bring the Vikings to a 34-21 victory in Dallas. In a game that featured running backs, the Cowboys also covered 162 yards on the ground, led by Don Perkins with 127 yards on 11 carries, who led all rushers. Cowboys quarterbacks Eddie LeBaron and Don Meredith together completed 23 of 37 pass attempts for 136 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Vikings quarterbacks Fran Tarkenton and George Shaw together completed 10 of 14 passes for 160 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, with Jerry Reichow leading all receivers with 4 catches for 100 yards. No fumbles were lost in this game. In the original game played Sunday, September 24, 1961, the Cowboys beat the Vikings 21-7.
Week 2, New York Giants at Pittsburgh Steelers
When 1961 New York Giants quarterback Charlie Conerly hit running back Bob Gaiters for an 11-yard touchdown pass to put the Giants on top 14-0, things looked bad for the 1961 Pittsburgh Steelers. But with 8:22 remaining in the game, Steelers quarterback Bobby Layne got to work, and four minutes later, Layne slung a bullet to tight end Preston Carpenter for a touchdown. After stopping the Giants' next drive at the New York 44-yard line, the Steelers got the ball back, but at their own 9-yard line, and despite moving the ball into New York territory, time expired and New York left victorious 14-7. Layne did terribly in this game with 8 completions on 26 attempts for 118 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions, while Conerly and Y.A. Tittle for the Giants together completed 11 of 28 pass attempts for 172 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions. The Pittburgh backfield rushed for 164 yards, more than twice as many as the Giants, with John Henry Johnson leading all rushers with 98 yards on 24 attempts. Pittsburgh split end Buddy Dial led all receivers with 6 catches for 94 yards. In the original game played Sunday, September 24, 1961, the Giants beat the Steelers 17-14.
Week 2, San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers
1961 Green Bay Packers quarterback Bart Starr was on fire completing 19 of 28 pass attempts for 258 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions to lead the Packers to a 48-21 win over the 1961 San Francisco 49ers. Packers split end Max McGee led all Green Bay receivers with 5 catches for 70 yards and 2 touchdowns, but 49ers flanker R.C. Owens led all receivers in the game with 4 catches for 93 yards off the arm of San Francisco quarterback John Brodie, who complete 15 of 25 pass attempts for 197 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. The Packers also led in the rushing game with running back Jim Taylor covering 105 yards on 22 rushing attempts. In the original game played Sunday, September 24, 1961, the Packers beat the 49ers 30-10.
Week 2, Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles
Down by 1 point and with the 1961 Philadelphia Eagles threatening from the 1961 Washington Redskins' 26-yard line, Eagles quarterback Sonny Jurgensen attempted a long pass on 1st and 10 to Philadelphia flanker Tommy McDonald, but Redskins left cornerback Joe Krakoski won the 50-50 battle in the end zone and the Redskins got the ball back at their own 20-yard line with 4:23 remaining in the game. Washington quarterback Norm Snead then engineered a 13-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Fred Dugan. Only 1 second remained after Redskins placekicker John Aveni put the Redskins up 28-22, and the game ended on the ensuing kickoff. Snead completed 21 of 32 passes for 246 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception, while his counterpart, Jurgenson, completed 16 of 35 pass attempts for 232 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Dugan led all receivers in this game with 106 yards on 10 catches followed by Redkins flanker Tom Osborne with 92 yards on 5 catches. Washington running back Don Bosseler led all rushers with 46 yards on 13 carries. In the original game played Sunday, September 24, 1961, the Eagles beat the Redskins 14-7.
Week 3, Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers
Five minutes into the 1st quarter, 1961 Chicago Bears running back Willie Galimore scampered a 14-yard touchdown run to put the Bears ahead of the 1961 Green Bay Packers 7-0. The Bears led through the first half as the Packers managed two field goals off the foot of placekicker Paul Hornung. Two minutes into the 3rd quarter, however, Packers quarterback Bart Starr nailed tight end Max McGee for a 51-yard touchdown pass, in the 4th quarter Hornung as running back bolted for a 6-yard touchdown run but then missed the extra point to reach the game's final score of Green Bay 19, Chicago 7. Starr shined in this game with 10 completions on 16 attempts for 226 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions, while his opponents, quarterbacks Ed Brown and Billy Wade, combined for 15 completions on 29 attempts for 154 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions; the interceptions were off the arm of Brown. Galimore led all rushers with 69 yards on 17 attempts while Packers running back Jim Taylor led Green Bay with 61 yards on 13 attempts. Both defenses played aggressively with the Bears tallying 3 sacks and the Packers chalking up 4. In the original game played Sunday, October 1, 1961, the Packers beat the Bears 24-0.
Week 3, Minnesota Vikings at Baltimore Colts
Down by 15 points in the 4th quarter, 1961 Minnesota Vikings quarterback George Shaw put together a 13-play, 80-yard drive and an 8-play, 40-yard drive, both of which ended with single-digit runs over the goal line by Vikings running back Hugh McElhenny to bring the score to Baltimore 28, Minnesota 27. With 1:45 remaining in the game, Minnesota tried the onside kick, which failed, but the Vikings held Baltimore to three-and-out, and after Baltimore punter Tom Giburg launched a coffin corner punt to the Minnesota 22-yard line, Shaw got back to work, but with no timeouts left, the Vikings failed to get a first down and Baltimore quarterback Johnny Unitas took a knee for the win. The Minnesota backfield tromped 179 yards in this contest, led by running back Mel Triplett with 59 yards on 13 carries, McElhenny with 56 yards on 14 carries, and running back Ray Hayes 36 yards on 12 carries. McElhenny converted 3 touchdowns on the ground. Running back Joe Perry led all Baltimore rushers with 79 yards on 14 carries. Through the air, Shaw covered 204 yards compared to a combined 148 yards for Unitas and Lamar McHan. In the original game played Sunday, October 1, 1961, Baltimore beat Minnesota 34-33.
Week 3, New York Giants at Washington Redskins
The home crowd at District of Columbia Stadium roared when 1961 Washington Redskins right linebacker Rod Breedlove sacked 1961 New York Giants quarterback Y.A. Tittle at the Washington 13-yard line and Redskins defensive left tackle Don Lawrence picked up the pigskin and returned it 85 yards for a touchdown to tie the score 7-7. The Redskins continued to frustrate Tittle, who completed 14 of 26 pass attempts for 233 yards, 1 touchdown, and 3 interceptions in this game, but with 2:13 remaining in the 3rd quarter, Tittle slung a 20-yard touchdown pass to flanker Kyle Rote to put the Giants up 20-14. Redskins quarterback Norm Snead would not be denied and put together an 11-play, 68-yard drive that included a 39-yard pass to split end Bill Anderson; the drive ended with Snead himself bucking the line for 5 yards and the touchdown to put the Redskins up 21-20 over the Giants. On the next drive, the Giants moved the ball into Washington territory and placekicker Pat Summerall chalked up 3 points for the visiting Giants. On the next drive, the Redskins were forced to put, but on the Giants' next drive, the Redskins forced Tittle and company to try a field goal, and placekicker Pat Summerall missed the 47-yarder. When Washington got the ball back with 2:00 remaining in the game and with no timeouts, the crowd roared as Snead took the field, but on 2nd and 10, Giants right cornerback Dick Lynch nabbed Snead's pass intended for Anderson, and a few plays later, Tittle took the knee to win the game 23-21 for the Giants. The Redskins were outgunned in this contest by Tittle and cohort Charlie Conerly, and the Giants also covered twice as many yards on the ground. Giants running back Alex Webster led all rushers with 96 yards on 18 carries. New York split end Del Shofner was the lead receiver with 4 catches for 91 yards. In the original game played Sunday, October 1, 1961, the Giants beat the Redskins 24-21.
Week 4, Baltimore Colts at Green Bay Packers
It was a game riddled with injuries. The 1961 Baltimore Colts began the game without their flanker/halfback Lenny Moore and receiver Jimmy Orr, and during the game the Colts lost running backs Alex Hawkins and Joe Perry, along with tight end Dee Mackey, to injuries. The 1961 Green Bay Packers, meanwhile, began the game without running backs Tom Moore and Lew Carpenter, and during the game lost split end Max McGee to injuries, and running back Jim Taylor was injured on the very first play of the game but returned in the second half. Nevertheless, fans were treated to an exciting game, even if the ending left them shrugging their shoulders. With 6:57 remaining in the 4th quarter, the Packers were down by 4 with the score Colts 10, Packers 6, but with the resolve that comes from eating lots of Wisconsin cheese, Packers quarterback Bart Starr engineered a 10-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a 3-yard touchdown run by running back Jim Taylor to put the Packers ahead 13-10. Baltimore quarterback Johnny Unitas would not be outgunned, however, and with 2:07 remaining on the game clock, Unitas drove 55 yards on 10 plays, but the Packers held, so Baltimore placekicker Steve Myhra split a 15-yard field goal to tie the game 13-13. With :01 second remaining, Myhra stabbed a squib kick and the game ended in a tie. Unitas was the better quarterback in this contest with 12 completions on 17 attempts for 174 yards, with Raymond Berry shouldering 12 catches for 191 yards. With Taylor injured on the first play of the game and for the rest of the first half, Packers running back Paul Hornung did the heavy lifting in the rushing game and led all rushers with 128 yards on 17 carries (a 7.5-yard per carry average) while catching 4 passes for 49 yards. Running back Mark Smolinski was the lead rusher for the Colts with 43 yards on 11 carries. In the original game played Sunday, October 8, 1961, the Packers beat the Colts 45-7.
Week 4, Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings
The 1961 Minnesota Vikings trailed the 1961 Dallas Cowboys until the end of the 3rd quarter when Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton launched a 44-yard touchdown pass to flanker Jerry Reichow to put Minnesota ahead 28-23. With a full 15 minutes of play remaining, Dallas quarterback Don Meredith got the ball back, but he threw his fourth interception of the game, and Tarkenton put together another drive, which ended with a Mike Mercer 21-yard field goal to put Minnesota ahead 31-23, virtually out of reach. But Dallas had 2:25 remaining and began moving the ball downfield, but with 1:22 remaining in the 4th quarter, the Vikings intercepted Meredith a fifth time and then ran out the clock for the win. Both teams rushed for over 200 yards in this contest, but Vikings running back Hugh McElhenny was clear superstar with 76 yards on 15 attempts and 94 yards on 7 catches in the passing game to lead all receivers. The most exciting play of the game was a 66-yard touchdown run by Dallas running back Amos Marsh. Vikings right safety Charlie Sumner nabbed three interceptions in this game. In the original game played Sunday, October 8, 1961, the Cowboys beat the Vikings 28-0.
Week 4, New York Giants at St. Louis Cardinals
Nine times the 1961 New York Giants sacked their opposing quarterback, led by left defensive end Jim Katcavage with three sacks on the day. But the 1961 St. Louis Cardinals defense stole across the line, too, for four sacks of their own, in a game with 110 yards lost to sacks. There were nine fumbles and four interceptions in this game, which included a messy fourth quarter battle for both sides. St. Louis was down 14-7 late in the fourth quarter, but with 2:57 remaining in the game, Cardinals defensive back Billy Stacy intercepted a long Y.A. Tittle pass intended for Giants flanker Kyle Rote, and Stacy returned the ball 91 yards for the touchdown and to tie the game 14-14. After the ensuing kickoff, on the Giants' next play from scrimmage, Cardinals right cornerback Jimmy Hill blasted Giants halfback Bob Gaiters and forced a fumble, which was picked up by Cardinals middle linebacker Dale Meinert. The Giants defense held, and St. Louis placekicker Gerry Perry missed a long field goal try. Both teams possessed the ball one last time in th remaining two minutes of the game, but in the end St. Louis managed to force a 14-14 tie against the visiting Giants. Cardinals running back Prentice Gautt led all rushers in the game with 86 yards on 15 carries while Giants split end Del Shofner led all receivers with 97 yards on 6 receptions. In the original game played Sunday, October 8, 1961, the Giants beat the Cardinals 24-9.
Week 5, Green Bay Packers at Cleveland Browns
A 72-yard punt return for a touchdown by 1961 Green Bay Packers punt returner Willie Wood was the difference in the game as the Packers beat the 1961 Cleveland Browns 31-24 in Cleveland. Led by running backs Jim Brown with 107 yards and 2 touchdowns on 25 carries and Bobby Mitchell with 80 yards and 1 touchdown on 15 carries, the Browns dominated the ground game while Browns quarterback Milt Plum struggled through the air by completing 16 of 30 pass attempts for 142 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Brown also led all Cleveland receivers with 50 yards on 6 catches. For the visiting Packers, quarterback Bart Starr completed 13 passes on 16 attempts for 156 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions, with tight end Ron Kramer leading all Packers receivers with 59 yards on 3 receptions. There were 0 sacks in this contest. In the original game played Sunday, October 15, 1961, at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, the Packers beat the Browns 49-17.
Week 5, New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys
With 2:00 remaining in the game, the 1961 Dallas Cowboys led the 1961 New York Giants 20-14, but the Cowboys found themselves in a 4th and 1 situation on the New York 20-yard line, so Dallas placekicker Bill Stits lined up for the field goal to cinch the game for the Cowboys, but he missed, and so Giants quarterback Y.A. Tittle took the field and in only five plays moved the ball 80 yards for a touchdown on a 25-yard pass to split end Del Shofner and Giants placekicker Pat Summerall split the uprights on the extra point to put the Giants up 21-20. The Cowboys received the kickoff, but with only 1:00 remaining, Dallas stalled and after a change of possession, Tittle took the knee for the victory. The Cowboys covered 234 yards on the ground in this game led by Don Perkins with 94 yards and 2 touchdowns on 25 carries. Meredith completed a lousy 2 pass attempts for 22 yards and 1 interception. Tittle, meanwhile, completed 15 of 23 pass attempts for 240 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions for a passer rating of 128.9. The Dallas defense managed to sack Tittle 5 times in this game led by left linebacker Chuck Howley with 3 sacks. In the original game played Sunday, October 15, 1961, the Giants beat the Cowboys 31-10.
Week 5, San Francisco 49ers at Minnesota Vikings
The 1961 Minnesota Vikings kept the 1961 San Francisco 49ers in check for nearly 40 minutes of game time, but late in the third quarter, after Vikings halfback Ray Hayes fumbled and lost the ball on an end run at the Minnesota 17-yard line, San Francisco quarterback Bobby Waters threw a touchdown pass to tight end Monty Stickles to put the 49ers up 14-10. The Minnesota backfield led a Viking resurgence, however, and on 14 plays the Vikings moved the ball 80 yards until Hugh McElhenny ran it in for the touchdown to put the Vikings up 17-14. The 49ers answered, and in five plays moved the ball 73 yards until San Francisco quarterback John Brodie connected with split end Aaron Thomas on a 21-yard touchdown pass to put San Francisco ahead 21-17, which would be the last score of the game. Hayes led all rushers with 93 yards on 12 carries, but the Vikings backfield fumbled five times and lost three. San Francisco sacked Minnesota quarterbacks 7 times, including 3 by right linebacker Matt Hazeltine. In the original game played Sunday, October 15, 1961, the 49ers beat the Vikings 38-24.
Week 6, Los Angeles Rams at New York Giants
During the first 40 minutes of game time, the 1961 Los Angeles Rams pieced together a lead on the arm of quarterback Frank Ryan and the feet of running back Jon Arnett, but the 1961 New York Giants, led by quarterback Y.A. Tittle, would not be denied, and the tide turned when Giants right safety Jimmy Patton intercepted Ryan's pass on the one-yard line and returned the ball 99 yards for a touchdown. The Giants held on to their lead through the 4th quarter and tacked on a late-game Pat Summerall field goal to win the game 27-21. Rams split end Jim Phillips led all receivers with 7 catches for 109 yards while Giants running back Alex Webster led all rushers with 13 carries for 61 yards. In the original game played Sunday, October 22, 1961, the Giants beat the Rams 24-14.
Week 6, Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings
When 1961 Green Bay Packers quarterback Bart Starr left the game injured with the Packers up 17-0, the 1961 Minnesota Vikings found hope. Let's face it, backup Packers quarterback John Roach is no gem, and he completed only 8 of 21 passes for 104 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions, but the Vikings couldn't hold on to the ball and lost 3 fumbles while Minnesota quarterbacks Fran Tarkenton and George Shaw threw 3 interceptions and suffered 6 sacks, and the Packers moved the ball far enough downfield to allow placekicker Paul Hornung to split the uprights twice and the Packers won the game 23-17. Packers running back Jim Taylor rushed for 111 yards on 19 carries and led all receivers with 78 yards on 6 catches. In the original game played October 22, 1961, the Packers beat the Vikings 33-7.
Week 7, Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants
The 1961 New York Giants played three quarterbacks against the 1961 Dallas Cowboys in a game that saw the quarterback Y.A. Tittle and the Giants leap out to a 35-0 lead only five minutes into the second half. The Cowboys then held off Giants second-string quarterback Charlie Conerly and third-string quarterback Lee Grosscup, but Dallas quarterback Eddie LeBaron just couldn't get things going and the Cowboys two touchdowns came late in the game on runs by Amos Marsh and L.G. Dupre. The game ended Giants 35, Cowboys 15. Cowboy flanker Frank Clarke pulld down five catches for 143 yards in this game. In the original contest played Sunday, October 29, 1961, the Cowboys beat the Giants 17-16.
Week 7, Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
With 01:30 remaining on the game clock, the 1961 Minnesota Vikings were down 20-14 to the 1961 Green Bay Packers, but in a series of 11 plays on sideline passes, Minnesota quarterback Fran Tarkenton had moved the ball to the Green Bay 34-yard line. Then with 00:01 remaining in the game, Tarkenton took the snap and a seven-step drop and he launched the ball to tight end Gordon Smith who caught the ball but was tackled by strong safety Hank Gremminger (pictured) at the Packers 3-yard line as time expired. The Vikings managed to finish the first half ahead of the Packers 7-0 with quarterback George Shaw at the helm, but after Shaw threw his second interception of the day in the third quarter, Minnesota coach Norm Van Brocklin put in Tarkenton. The Packers responded with a touchdown from quarterback Bart Starr to flanker Boyd Dowler and with a 20-yard Paul Hornung field goal, but Tarkenton hit split end A.D. Williams on a 9-yard touchdown pass to keep the game within reach. Both teams reached for but did not eclipse 100 yards rushing in this game. The Vikings suffered three interceptions, two to right cornerback Jesse Whittenton and one to right defensive end Bill Quinlan. In the original game played Sunday, October 29, 1961 at Milwaukee County Stadium, the Packers beat the Vikings 28-10.
Week 8, Washington Redskins at New York Giants
After 1961 New York Giants defensive back Gene Johnson intercepted 1961 Washington Redskins quarterback Norm Snead's pass and returned the pick 53 yards for a touchdown, the Redskins managed to hold the Giants offense to a 7-0 lead through most of the first half, but then with 00:01 remaining in the second quarter, Giants quarterback Y.A. Tittle connected with split end Del Shofner on a 39-yard touchdown pass to put New York up 14-0. The Redskins continued to hold back the Giants through the entire third quarter, but New York scored 14 more points in the fourth to win the game 28-0. Snead finished the game with a 22.0 quarterback rating after completing only 16 of 40 pass attempts for 171 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. In relief, Washington quarterback George Izo finished with a 1.4 quarterback rating after completing 4 of 14 pass attempts for 50 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Both defenses held back the rushing attack, with the Redskins covering only 53 yards on the ground and the Giants moving the ball only 59 yards from the backfield. Redskins right halfback Dick James (photo), who played most of the game from the 3rd wide receiver position, led all receivers with 8 catches for 73 yards while teammate and tight end Fred Dugan followed close behind with 5 catches for 72 yards. In the original game played Sunday, November 5, 1961, at Yankee Stadium, the Giants beat the Redskins 53-0.
Week 8, Green Bay Packers at Baltimore Colts
After 58 points and 811 yards of total offense, the 1961 Green Bay Packers came out on top of the 1961 Baltimore Colts 34-24 in Baltimore. Packers quarterback Bart Starr was incredible in this game by completing 17 of 20 pass attempts for 237 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Opposing quarterback Johnny Unitas, however, threw 2 interceptions and only 1 touchdown pass for his 323 yards. Colts split end Raymond Berry led all receivers with 6 catches for 103 yards while Packers split end Max McGee followed with 5 catches for 93 yards, including a 55-yard pass and 2 touchdowns. On the ground, Packer Jim Taylor covered 70 yards on 20 carries while Paul Hornung covered 58 yards on 7 carries and 46 yards on 4 receptions. In the original game played Sunday, November 5, 1961 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, the Colts beat the Packers 45-21.
Week 8, Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Rams
With 5:06 remaining in the 2nd quarter, 1961 Minnesota Viking quarterback Fran Tarkenton took the snap from under center. He handed off the ball to fullback Hugh McElhenny who charged up the middle for a five-yard touchdown run to tie the game 21-21 with the 1961 Los Angeles Rams. The Vikings congratulated The King on the touchdown, but when they looked back from the end zone they saw Tarkenton lying in the grass and Minnesota's athletic trainer Fred Zamberletti trotting onto the field. During the scrum Tarkenton had injured the fingers on his throwing hand, so coach Norm Van Brocklin told George Shaw the ball would be his for the remainder of the game against Van Brocklin's former team.Both sides scored again, and then with 8:57 remaining in the third quarter, with the scored tied 28-28, the down and distance was 4th down and 22 yards to go for the Rams. L.A. placekicker Danny Villanueva attempted a 55-yard field goal, but Minnesota jumped offsides. On 4th and 17, Villanueva tried again from 50 yards, but again Minnesota jumped offsides. On 4th and 12, Villanueva tried from 45 yards, but this time the Rams jumped offsides. Villanueva tried a fourth time from 50 yards on 4th and 17, but Vikings left defensive end Jim Marshall (pictured) knocked down the pigskin and advanced the ball to the Minnesota 41-yard line.
With Shaw at the helm for the Vikings, however, Minnesota struggled to score and by the time the gun sounded to end the game, Los Angeles came out ahead 41-28.
Until he was injured, Tarkenton played well and completed 14 of 17 pass attempts for 151 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Shaw, however, completed only 18 of 31 pass attempts for 176 yards and 1 touchdown. On the other side of the ball, Frank Ryan completed 14 of 26 pass attempts for 172 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception for the Rams. Vikings split end A.D. Williams led all receivers with 9 catches for 94 yards, followed by Vikings tight end Dave Middleton with 10 catches for 87 yards and 2 touchdowns and Vikings flanker Jerry Reichow with 7 catches for 87 yards and 1 touchdown.
On the ground, Los Angeles running back Dick Bass led all rushers with 79 yards and 1 touchdown on 7 carries.
Tarkenton will miss one more game.
In the original game played Sunday, November 5, 1961, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Rams beat the Vikings 31-17.
Week 9, Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants
The 1961 New York Giants machine shut down the 1961 Philadelphia Eagles in a 47-14 embarrassment for the City of Brotherly Love. Philadelphia quarterbacks Sonny Jurgensen and King Hill combined for 12 completions on 29 attempts for 200 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions while the Giants' Y.A. Tittle completed 12 of 13 pass attempts for 148 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Giants running back Alex Webster exploded for 96 yards on 8 carries while Giants punt returner Bill Stits averaged 44.5 yards on 2 returns. In the original game played in Yankee Stadium on Sunday, November 12, 1961, the Giants beat the Eagles 38-21.
Week 9, Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears
With starting quarterback Billy Wade out injured for the 1961 Chicago Bears, backup quarterback Ed Brown took the helm and led the Bears to a 7-6 lead over the 1961 Green Bay Packers at the half. The lead would not hold, however, as Packers quarterback Bart Starr led Green Bay to a 23-14 win over the Bears. Starr exhibited a poor performance on the day with only 8 completions on 18 attempts for 100 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, but running back Jim Taylor busted out for 127 yards on 21 carries in the rushing game. Brown was the better quarterback in this contest, but not by much, completing 20 of 40 pass attempts for 161 yards and 1 touchdown. Rick Casares led all rushers out of the Chicago backfield with 54 yards on 10 carries. Bears tight end Mike Ditka covered his requisite 80 yards on 10 catches, but the break-out performer in the passing game was tight end Angelo Coia with 5 catches for 53 yards. Chicago won the turnover battle but punted twice more than Green Bay, which was the difference in the game. In the original game played at Wrigley Field on Sunday, November 12, 1961, the Packers beat the Bears 31-28.
Week 9, Baltimore Colts at Minnesota Vikings
With Fran Tarkenton injured for the game, 1961 Minnesota Vikings backup quarterback George Shaw played miserably against the 1961 Baltimore Colts by completing only 15 of 33 pass attempts for 123 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions, for a 48-14 loss to the Colts. Shaw's strongest support in the passing game was second tight end Fred Murphy with 8 catches for 52 yards. The entire Vikings backfield was held to 83 yards on the ground. For the Colts, running back Alex Hawkins scored 2 rushing touchdown and 1 receiving, while running back Lenny Moore covered 125 yards on the ground on 13 carries. In the original game played at Metropolitan Stadium on Sunday, November 12, 1961, the Vikings beat the Colts 28-20.
Week 10, Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Giants
Starting quarterback Rudy Bukich led the 1961 Pittsburgh Steelers (2-6-1) to a 21-14 victory over Y.A. Tittle and the 1961 New York Football Giants (8-0-1) to hand the Giants their first loss of the season. Bukich completed 28 of 40 pass attempts for 362 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception, while Steelers running back Dick Hoak led the Pittsburgh backfield with 51 yards on 13 carries. On the receiving end for the Steelers, tight end Preston Carpenter caught 15 passes for 197 yards while split end Buddy Dial took in 12 passes for 158 yards. The Steelers held the Giants to 183 yards through the air. In the original game played at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, November 19, 1961, the Giants beat the Steelers 42-21.
Week 10, Los Angeles Rams at Green Bay Packers
With 6:47 remaining in the game and on 1st and 10 at the opponent's 35-yard line, 1961 Los Angeles Rams quarterback Frank Ryan (photo) broke huddle and his offense lined up with three wide receivers and with fullback Dick Bass in the backfield. The 1961 Green Bay Packers responded with a nickel formation, but with the snap of the ball Ryan handed the ball off to Bass who ran up the middle uncontested for a 35-yard run to tie the score 24-24. Packers quarterback Bart Starr wasn't having it, however, and five minutes, 13 plays, and 80 yards later, Starr hit flanker Boyd Dowler on a 6-yard pass for the score. The Rams would not be deterred. With 52 seconds remaining, Ryan called again for three wide and hit slot receiver Charley Britt for 13 yards. On the next play, Ryan was forced to run, but then with 37 seconds left on the clock, he told flanker back Ollie Matson to move into the slot while Britt took Matson's position at flank. On 2nd and 3 near midfield, Ryan hit Matson for a 34-yard bomb, and two plays later, Matson pulled down a 7-yard pass for the tying touchdown, 31-31. With 1 second remaining in the game, placekicker Danny Villanueva kicked a squib kick and forced Green Bay (8-0-1) to accept its second tie of the season, this time with Los Angeles (3-6-0). Starr was the better quarterback with 20 completions on 33 attempts for 326 yards with 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions while Ryan completed 21 of 33 attempts for 285 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Bass led all rushers with 100 yards on 13 carries while L.A. tight end Carroll Dale chalked up 128 yards receiving on 8 catches. Jim Taylor played a Swiss army knife role with 76 yards rushing and 101 yards receiving. Placekicker Paul Hornung uncharacteristically missed 2 of 3 field goal attempts within 20 yards. In the original game played at New City Stadium on Sunday, November 19, 1961, the Packers beat the Rams 35-17.
Week 10, Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings
Fran Tarkenton threw 3 interceptions and lost a fumble for the 1961 Minnesota Vikings, but he completed 32 of 40 pass attempts for 362 yards and 2 touchdowns and he ran in a touchdown to lead the Vikings to a 38-17 victory over the 1961 Detroit Lions. Minnesota tight end Gordon Smith led the Vikings receivers with 9 catches for 85 yards, but split end Will Sherman also caught 7 for 66 yards while split/tight end Dave Middleton hauled in 5 catches for 72 yards. Lions split end Gail Cogdill led all receivers with 6 catches for 87 yards on the arm of Earl Morrall who completed 24 of 47 pass attempts for 289 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions. Lions running back Nick Pietrosante led all rushers with 45 yards on 14 carries. In the original game played at Metropolitan Stadium on Sunday, November 19, 1961, the Lions beat the Vikings 37-10.
Week 11, New York Giants at Cleveland Browns
With 04:14 remaining in the game, 1961 Cleveland Browns quarterback Milt Plum hit tight end Gern Nagler on a 5-yard pass to put the Browns up 31-28 over the 1961 New York Giants. Plum and the Browns had dominated the first 23 minutes of the game, but the Giants crept back and tied the game at the half. And after halftime, the teams played the scoreboard like a seesaw. But now, with just over 4:00 remaining in the game, the Browns kicked off and hoped the score would hold. And when Browns cornerback Jim Shofner nailed Giants halfback Bob Gaiters on an end run to force a fumble, Browns right linebacker Walt Michaels recovered the ball, and the crowd at Cleveland Municipal Stadium roared--it looked as though the 7-3-0 Eastern Conference Browns would give the 8-1-1 Eastern Conference Giants their second loss of the season. The New York Football Giants defense looked unfazed, however, and two plays later, as Plum took a seven-step drop and looked to pass the ball to flanker Ray Renfro, cornerback Bill Stits, who had abandoned coverage for the blitz, knocked Plum flat and he forced a fumble that was recovered by Giants right defensive tackle Rosey Grier (photo) who then advanced the ball 14 yards for the touchdown and to put the Giants ahead 35-31. The Browns never recovered. For the Browns, Plum completed 33 of 52 pass attempts for 390 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions with Nagler catching 11 passes for 133 yards, followed by running back Jim Brown with 8 catches for 74 yards, flanker Ray Renfro with 5 catches for 66 yards, and tight end Leon Clarke with 4 catches for 64 yards. Giants running back Alex Webster led all rushers with 80 yards on 14 carries. The Browns backfield of Brown and Bobby Mitchell covered only 52 yards on 14 carries (with Brown scoring 2 touchdowns and Mitchell scoring 1), but the Browns used a pass-first game plan as the Giants routinely keyed on Brown, who averaged only 2.8 yards per carry on 5 runs with the rock. The Giants sacked Plum 8 times. In the original game played at Cleveland Municipal Stadium on Sunday, November 26, 1961, the Giants beat the Browns 37-21.
Week 11, Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions
With 06:42 remaining in the game, 1961 Detroit Lions fans held out hope. Despite throwing 3 interceptions, Lions quarterback Jim Ninowski had led Detroit to a 12-10 lead early in the second half, with running back Dan Lewis taking the ball into the end zone for two touchdowns, and now even though the Lions were behind 27-19, Ninowski looked confident. Perhaps too confident. With 01:52 remaining in the game, 1961 Green Bay Packers strong safety Hank Gremmings intercepted a pass intended for Lions tight end Jim Gibbons and Gremmings trotted 17 yards for the touchdown to put the Packers up 34-19. But Lions kick returner Pat Studstill responded with a 102-yard return for a touchdown, and once again Lions fans held out hope. But down by 8, the Lions did not score again, and the Packers won 34-26. Green Bay sacked Ninowski 5 times in this contest and the QB completed only 15 of 36 pass attempts for 233 yards. Lewis was the lead rusher with 13 carries for 55 yards while flanker Terry Barr led all Lions receivers with 4 catches for 95 yards. The Lions held the Packers backfield to 84 yards rushing. In the original game played at Tiger Stadium on Thursday, November 23, 1961, the Packers beat the Lions 17-9.
Week 11, Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers
When right linebacker Karl Rubke charged out of the 1961 Minnesota Vikings defensive backfield through the offensive line and tackled 1961 San Francisco 49ers quarterback Bobby Waters at the goal line, Rubke's hit forced a fumble and right defensive tackle Ed Culpepper recovered the ball in the end zone to put the nail in the coffin, which put the Vikings up 35-14 over the 49ers with 10:41 remaining in the game. The fans at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco got up to leave in an attempt to beat traffic, an all they missed was a late-game touchdown run by Vikings running back Mel Triplett. Vikings running back Ray Hayes also scored 2 rushing touchdowns in this game while Minnesota starting quarterback Fran Tarkenton also rushed for 1. The Vikings' only receiving touchdown came on a 32-yard reception by running back Hugh McElhenny. Minnesota's backfield split the load as no runner carried the rock more than six times nor rushed for more than 27 yards. Tarkenton himself ran 6 times for 23 yards and completed 25 of 45 pass attempts for 309 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions, while flanker Jerry Reichow led all receivers with 7 catches for 93 yards. For San Francisco, Waters and quarterback John Brodie combined for 10 completions on 23 attempts for 126 yards, 1 touchdown, and 3 interceptions, with running back J.D. Smith the most productive 49er with 9 carries for 71 yards and 2 catches for 27 yards. The Vikings defense sacked 49ers quarterbacks 9 times in this game with left defensive end Jim Marshall wrapping up for 5 of them. In the original game played at Kezar Stadium on Sunday, November 26, 1961, the 49ers beat the Vikings 38-28.
Week 12, New York Giants at Green Bay Packers
When 1961 New York Football Giants quarterback Y.A. Tittle led his team 80 yards on 6 plays on a drive that ended with running back Alex Webster charging through the middle of the line for a 1-yard touchdown run, it was too little too late against the 1961 Green Bay Packers. After the play, Tittle and the Giants looked up at the game clock and saw 00:00 remaining, so with time expired, placekicker Pat Summerall knocked in the requisite extra point to accept the 38-35 loss. The Giants could only shake their heads as they walked back to the locker room. Tittle had completed 35 of 49 pass attempts (71.4%) for 481 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions, with split end Del Shofner hauling in 10 catches for 211 yards, flanker Kyle Rote taking in 9 catches for 118 yards, and tight end Joe Walton receiving 9 catches for 91 yards. Running back Alex Webster reached 64 yards on 11 carries and rusher Bob Gaiters covered 26 yards on 6 carries while crossing 45 yards on 6 receptions. Some onlookers thought perhaps the Giants should have run the ball more, but the Packers were first to score in this game and never relinquished their lead, so Tittle and his men were constantly playing catch-up to Bart Starr and his men. Starr completed 15 of 26 pass attempts for 214 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception, and running back Jim Taylor reached 119 yards and 2 touchdowns on 21 carries, but the real stars in this game were the Packers defenders with 5 sacks, including 3 by rookie defensive tackle Ron Kostelnik and 2 by left defensive end Willie Davis, and with interceptions by right cornerback Jesse Whittenton and aging defensive back Emlen Tunnell. Neither team lost a fumble in this contest. In the original game played at Milwaukee County Stadium on Sunday, December 3, 1961, the Packers beat the Giants 20-17.
Week 12, Los Angeles Rams at Minnesota Vikings
In garbage time, 1961 Minnesota Vikings backup quarterback George Shaw completed 15 of 18 pass attempts for 205 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions to cap a 49-7 win over the 1961 Los Angels Rams. Shaw played in relief for Fran Tarkenton who completed 19 of 27 pass attempts for 297 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions. In all, the Vikings passed for 502 yards on top of 104 yards rushing. Minnesota's tight ends led all receivers, with Dave Middleton catching 11 passes for 153 yards and Gordon Smith pulling in 10 catches for 170 yards. No single Vikings running back rushed for more than 34 yards, but Hugh McElhenny scored 2 touchdowns, Ray Hayes 2 touchdowns, Mel Triplett 1 and Tarkenton 1. Los Angeles flanker back Ollie Matson led all rushers with 5 carries for 75 yards. Rams quarterbacks Zeke Bratkowski and Frank Ryan combined for 13 completions on 26 attempts for 169 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions. Both teams tallies 4 sacks apiece with Minnesota's Ed Culpepper leading all pass rushers with 3 sacks. In the original game played at Metropolitan Stadium on Sunday, December 3, 1961, the Vikings beat the Rams 42-21.
Week 13, New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles
The 1961 Philadelphia Eagles lost three fumbles, two on kickoff returns, and Eagles quarterback Sonny Jurgensen was intercepted 4 times by the 1961 New York Football Giants, three by left cornerback Erich Barnes, in a game that saw the Giants walk away victorious 38-24. Jurgensen completed 29 of 52 pass attempts for 364 yards, 3 touchdowns, and the 4 interceptions with three Eagles receivers pulling in 7 catches apiece, including tight end Bobby Walston for 70 yards, slot receiver Glen Amerson for 77 yards, and split end Pete Retzlaff for 90 yards. The Giants held the Eagles to 53 yards rushing while the Giants backfield covered 197 yards on the ground, led by Alex Webster with 11 carries for 89 yards. In the original game played at Franklin Field on Sunday, December 10, 1961, the Giants beat the Eagles 28-24.
Week 13, Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers
Tight end Monty Stickles caught 9 passes for 125 yards and flanker R.C. Owens caught 7 passes for 82 yards while running back Billy Kilmer carried the ball 12 times for 48 yards for the 1961 San Francisco 49ers, but the 49ers were always behind in this game against the 1961 Green Bay Packers, and in the end the Packers won 30-17. Packers quarterback Bart Starr engineered a solid game by completing 17 of 21 pass attempts for 273 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions while spreading the ball around to 6 receivers. Starr's opponent, John Brodie, completed 23 of 40 pass attempts for 278 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions for the 49ers. Packers running back Jim Taylor gained only 1 more yard (49) on the ground than Kilmer but carried the ball 5 more times (17), but Taylor also caught 5 passes for 49 yards. Both teams lost a fumble apiece but the Packers interceptions by left safety Hank Gremminger and right safety Willie Wood were the difference in this contest. In the original game played at Kezar Stadium on Sunday, December 10, 1961, the 49ers beat the Packers 22-21.
Week 13, Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions
The 1961 Minnesota Vikings overcame a 20-point deficit and scored 31 points in the last 22 minutes of the game to beat the 1961 Detroit Lions 41-32. In a game that include a safety, a blocked punt, 2 interceptions, 2 lost fumbles, and 14 sacks for 100 yards lost, Minnesota quarterback Fran Tarkenton led his troops through adversity by completing 26 of 37 pass attempts for 411 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception while Detroit's starting quarterback Jim Ninowski completed 12 of 21 passes for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns; backup Lions quarterback Earl Morrall completed 0 of 4 pass attempts and threw 1 interception. Detroit dominated the running game with Nick Pietrosante leading all backs with 14 carries for 69 yards and with Dan Lewis gaining 40 yards on 9 carries, and Lions flanker Terry Barr led all receivers with 4 catches for 113 yards, while Detroit right defensive end Bill Glass chalked up 4 sacks, but it was the Vikings who won the day with running back Mel Triplett scoring 2 rushing and 1 receiving touchdown and wide receiver Will Sherman crossing 108 yards on 4 receptions. In the original game played at Tiger Stadium on Sunday, December 10, 1961, the Lions beat the Vikings 13-7.
Week 14, Green Bay Packers at Los Angeles Rams
Through the majority of the first half, the 1961 Los Angeles Rams led the game against the 1961 Green Bay Packers, and at halftime the score was tied 17-17. The Packers came out of the locker room for the second half on an aggressive note, however, and scored first on a Paul Hornung field goal with 08:12 remaining in the third quarter. Los Angeles responded with a touchdown run by Dick Bass and from then on it was back and forth until, with 01:15 remaining on the game clock, Rams quarterback Zeke Bratkowski hit tight end Carroll Dale on a 4-yard pass for a touchdown and Danny Villanueva's extra point put the game out of reach for the Packers. Bratkowski completed 21 of 34 passes for 233 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions while Dale led all receivers with 8 catches for 97 yards. Rams flanker Ollie Matson was the second-leading receiver with 5 catches for 81 yards. For the Packers, running back Jim Taylor covered 96 yards on 18 carries and caught 2 passes for 18 yards while backfield mate Paul Hornung rushed for 82 yards on 11 carries while catching 1 pass for 4 yards. Packers quarterback Bart Starr was 14 of 19 for 175 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception on the day. Bass averaged 36.7 yards per return on kickoff returns for the Rams. In the original game played in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Sunday, December 17, 1961, the Packers beat the Rams 24-17.
Week 14, Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears
The 1961 Chicago Bears scored first and remained in the lead over the 1961 Minnesota Vikings and when the gun sounded, the Vikings came up short losing 34-31, in this Western Conference rematch between two 6-7 teams. Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton was sacked 13 times, including 5 times by left defensive tackle Bob Kilcullen and twice each by right linebacker Larry Morris, middle linebacker Bill George, and left defensive end Maury Youmans. Tarkenton managed to complete 67.4% of his 43 pass attempts for 415 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions, while opposing Bears quarterback Billy Wade completed 13 of 23 passes for 148 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Vikings split end Dave Middleton led all pass catchers with 6 receptions for 115 yards with wide receiver A.D. Williams hauling in 7 receptions for 107 yards and flanker Jerry Reichow catching 6 passes for 91 yards. The leading rusher in this game was Bears running back Willie Galimore with 92 yards on 18 carries. Galimore scored 2 touchdowns, 1 less than Vikings running back Hugh McElhenny with 3 successful end zone tries. Wade scrambled for 33 yards on the ground. In the original game played at Wrigley Field on Sunday, December 17, 1961, the 7-6 Bears beat the 3-10 Vikings 52-35.
Week 14, Cleveland Browns at New York Giants
The 1961 New York Football Giants took an early lead over the 1961 Cleveland Browns with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Giants quarterback Y.A. Tittle to flanker Kyle Rote, but the remaining 50 minutes of the game belonged to Cleveland as the Browns scored 41 unanswered points off the arm of quarterback Milt Plum and the legs of running back Jim Brown. Plum completed 28 of 44 pass attempts for 284 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions while Brown carried the ball 17 times for 97 yards and caught the ball 4 times for 32 yards. The Browns' leading receiver was tight end Leon Clarke with 6 catches for 80 yards and 1 touchdown while running back Bobby Mitchell pulled in 6 passes for 62 yards and 2 touchdowns. Plum utilized 7 different receivers in this victory over the Football Giants. For New York, Tittle completed only 4 of 19 pass attempts for 69 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception and the leading New York rusher was Allan Webb with 3 carries for 23 yards. The Giants only had 88 yards of total offense and possessed the ball a total of 17:28 compared to the Browns holding the ball for 42:32. Cleveland defenders sacked Tittle 4 times with left defensive tackle Bob Gain smacking him twice. In the original game played at Yankee Stadium on December 17, 1961, the Giants and Browns tied 7-7.
1961 Final Standings
The 10-3-1 New York Football Giants will be traveling to Green Bay to play the 11-1-2 Packers in the NFL championship game for the 1961 season. After that contest has been decided, the 9-5-0 Cleveland Browns and 8-4-2 Baltimore Colts will compete in the Playoff Bowl in Miami, Florida, for 3rd place bragging rights.At the end of the original 1961 NFL season, the 10-3-1 Giants played the 11-3 Packers in the championship while the 10-4-0 Philadelphia Eagles and the 8-5-1 Detroit Lions competed in the Playoff Bowl. In my 1961 NFL season replay, Philadelphia finished 8-6 while Detroit finished 4-9-1.
In the original 1961 NFL season, the expansion Minnesota Vikings finished the season 3-11. In my 1961 replay, the Vikings finished 6-8.
During this replay, I always played the Minnesota Vikings, and starting in Week 2, I played against the conference leaders each week. If a game included a match-up between two conference leaders, I played against the team that originally played the best that season.
The goal of this replay was to try to get the Vikings more than 3 wins and to try to even up the overall field.
1961 League Leaders
Pass Attempts: Norm Snead (WAS)
QB Rating: Bart Starr (GBY)
Passing TDs: Y.A. Tittle (NYG)
Passing Yards: Milt Plum (CLE)
Receiving Receptions: Jim Phillips (LAR)
Receiving Yards: Raymond Berry (BAL)
Rushing Attempts: Jim Brown (CLE)
Rushing Average: Alex Webster (NYG)
Rushing Yards: Jim Brown (CLE)
Interceptions: Charlie Sumner (MIN)
Sacks: Big Daddy Lipscomb (PIT)
Tackles: Joe Fortunato (CHI)
1961 NFL Championship, New York Giants at Green Bay Packers
When 1961 New York Giants running back Alex Webster charged up the middle 4 yards for the touchdown and placekicker Pat Summerall split the uprights for the extra point, the Giants took a 27-13 lead over the 1961 Green Bay Packers with 02:00 remaining in the 4th quarter of the 1961 NFL Championship game.It had been a rough haul for the Packers, always playing catch-up and tying the Giants, but never in the lead. The Packers tied the score at 10-10 before halftime on a 13-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Bart Starr to split end Max McGee, and after a rousing speech by coach Vince Lombardi at halftime, the Packers returned to the field energized, but the Packers could not convert and the Giants continued to score.
With only 02:00 remaining in the 4th quarter, Starr led his team on a 7-play, 68-yard, one-minute drive, and after his quarterback sneak over the goal line and placekicker Paul Hornung scored the extra point, the Packers closed the distance in the score, with the Giants up 27-20.
New York recovered the ensuing onside kick, however, and with 00:45 left on the clock and with the Packers out of timeouts, the Giants walked away world champions for the 1961 NFL season.
Packers tight end Ron Kramer sat out this game with an injury.
In the middle of the 3rd quarter, the Giants lost running back Bob Gaiters for the remainder of the game.
The Giants blocked a Paul Hornung field goal try late in the 3rd quarter.
New York's Y.A. Tittle was the better quarterback in this contest with 25 completions on 42 pass attempts for 299 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions. Giants tight end Joe Walton led all receivers with 10 catches for 97 yards. Gaiters, flanker Kyle Rote, and Webster each had multiple catches for more than 50 yards apiece. On the other side of the ball, Starr completed only 10 of 23 pass attempts for 148 yards for 1 touchdown and 1 interception with split end Max McGee catching 6 passes for 95 yards. No other Packers receiver caught more than one pass.
In the ground game, Hornung led all rushers with 9 carries for 44 yards for the Pack while back-mate Jim Taylor covered 38 yards on 12 carries. For the Giants, Webster led with 38 yards on 17 carries while Gaiters covered 30 yards on 7 carries before his game-ending injury.
There was only 1 quarterback sack in this game by Giants left defensive tackle Dick Modzelewski.
In the original game played at New City Stadium on Sunday, December 31, 1961, the Packers beat the Giants 37-0.
1961 Playoff Bowl, Cleveland Browns vs. Baltimore Colts
On 4th down and 4 yards to go, with no timeouts and with 00:08 remaining in the game, 1961 Baltimore Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas connected with wide receiver Jimmy Orr on a 33-yard pass, but 1961 Cleveland Browns free safety Bobby Franklin tackled Orr at the Browns' 18-yard line and Unitas couldn't assemble his troops fast enough to snap the ball for another play, ans so the Browns beat the Colts 10-9. Cleveland played catch-up in this contest until with 02:22 remaining in the 4th quarter, Browns quarterback Milt Plum connected on a 46-yard pass to Ray Renfro playing out of position as a split end instead of flanker. Plum outplayed Unitas by completing 19 of 37 passes for 235 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, with running back Jim Brown leading all receivers with 9 catches for 119 yards on top of his 11 carries for 60 yards. Unitas completed only 9 of 24 pass attempts for 145 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions with Raymond Berry leading in receptions with 3 for 46 yards. Colts running back Lenny Moore led all rushers with 61 yards on 11 carries. The Colts managed to sack Plum 3 times, including 2 by right defensive end Ordell Braase. Middle linebacker Marv Matuszak snagged the lone interception for the Colts. In the original 1961 Playoff Bowl played at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, on January 6, 1962, the Detroit Lions beat the Philadelphia Eagles 38-10.