Week 1, Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings
Midway through the 1st quarter, with the 1986 Minnesota Vikings ahead 7-0 and with Minnesota once again near midfield on an offensive drive, 1986 Detroit Lions left linebacker Angelo King sacked Vikings quarterback Tommy Kramer, who fumbled, and then right defensive end William Gay picked up the ball and hustled 31 yards for a touchdown.With the score then tied, neither side could manage more than a three-and-out, until late in the 3rd quarter, when Vikings head coach Jerry Burns switched things up: instead of running most plays using the Vikings' standard 12 offensive personnel package (2TE 2WR 1RB formation), Burns decided the Vikings should use the 31 offensive personnel package (Full House formation), and this led to successive long runs by halfback Darrin Nelson, who first ran 24 yards off tackle, and fullback Alfred Anderson, who then ran 19 yards off tackle for a touchdown to put the Vikings ahead 14-7 with 05:00 remaining in the 3rd period.
Through three quarters, the Vikings had managed to shut down the Lions passing game, so Detroit head coach Darryl Rogers decided to focus on the running game, instead, and with 10:40 remaining in the 4th quarter, the Lions tied the score 14-14 on a 27-yard run by running back Garry James. Five minutes later, after Lions nose tackle Eric M. Williams sacked Kramer and recovered Kramer's second fumble on Minnesota's 4-yard line, Lions fullback James R. Jones ran the ball in for a touchdown to put Detroit ahead 21-14.
On the ensuing kickoff, Kramer once again drove his men downfield, but nine plays later, Minnesota faced 4th and Goal on Detroit's 13-yard line, and things looked dire. With just over two minutes remaining, could the Vikings kick a field goal and hope to get the ball back with enough time left to score a touchdown? "Ah, sh!t, go for it!" yelled Burnsy, and out of the shotgun Kramer completed a 13-yard touchdown pass to running back Darrin Nelson just as the clock stopped for the two-minute warning.
On the next drive the Vikings did, in fact, force the Lions to punt, but the Vikings failed to move the ball close enough to try a game-winning field goal, and so the first game of the 1986 season for both teams went into overtime. Minnesota lost the toss for the overtime period, and after the kickoff and 8 offensive plays by the Lions, the Vikings lost 27-21 on a 4-yard touchdown run by Garry James.
Sacks and turnovers were a big factor in this game with the Lions sacking Kramer 6 times, including 3 sacks by right outside linebacker Mike Cofer, and with Kramer losing 3 fumbles and throwing 1 interception. Injuries also played a factor as the Viking lost veteran right tackle Tim Irwin early in the game. Despite these trials and tribulations, however, Kramer was the better quarterback in this contest and completed 30 of 51 pass attempts for 344 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception compared to Lions quarterback Eric Hipple who completed 18 of 28 pass attempts for 143 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Vikings tight end Steve Jordan led all receivers with 7 catches for 86 yards while running back Darrin Nelson caught 5 passes for 60 yards and 1 touchdown while carrying the ball 13 times for 63 yards. The overall leading rusher was Detroit's James R. Jones with 20 carries for 64 yards and 1 touchdown while Lions running back Garry James carried the ball 8 times for 41 yards and 2 touchdowns.
In the original game played at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on Sunday, September 7, 1986, the Lions beat the Vikings 13-10.
Week 1, Cleveland Browns at Chicago Bears
Tired of locking horns and exchanging field goals in a 3-3 tie with the 1986 Cleveland Browns, quarterback Mike Tomczak and his Chicago Bears scored 24 unanswered points in the second half to win the game 27-3.Tomczak only had to complete 10 of his 20 pass attempts for 141 yards to score 2 touchdowns with 1 interception to lead his team to victory because the Bears played on the backs of their defensemen with 4 sacks, including 3 by left defensive tackle Steve McMichael, and interceptions by McMichael, strong safety Dave Duerson, and right cornerback Vestee Jackson, and on the legs of running back Walter Payton who rushed for 96 yards on 19 carries.
On the Cleveland side of the ball, quarterback Bernie Kosar completed 23 of 43 pass attempts for 252 yards but with 0 touchdowns and 3 interceptions and his backfield tandem of Kevin Mack and Curtis Dickey were together held to 66 yards on 15 carries. The standout receiver in this contest was the Browns' Brian Brennan with 6 catches for 73 yards.
The Bears' touchdowns were scored by running back Calvin Thomas and receivers Tim Wrightman and Willie Gault.
In the original game played at Soldier Field on Sunday, September 7, 1986, the Bears beat the Browns 41-31.
Week 2, Green Bay Packers at New Orleans Saints
WEEK 2, GAME 1 OF 1986 NFL SEASON REPLAY: 1986 Green Bay Packers quarterback Randy Wright played miserably by completing only 23 of 59 pass attempts for 281 yards, 1 touchdown, and 4 interceptions against a 1986 New Orleans Saints defense that also sacked him 4 times and allowed the Saints offense led by quarterback Dave Wilson to secure a 31-14 victory over the Packers.
Wilson completed 20 of 29 pass attempts for 395 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions with Mike Jones catching 5 passes for 148 yards and 3 touchdowns and Eric Martin catching 5 for 126 yards and 1 touchdown. On the ground, Saints running back Rueben Mayes was held to just 41 yards on 16 carries but the Packers allowed Saints running back Dalton Hilliard to rush 11 times for 43 yards.
The entire Packers backfield was held to 2.9 yards per rush on 14 carries. Packers backfielder Gerry Ellis scored Green Bay's only rushing touchdown. Walter Stanley led all Packers receivers with 4 catches for 97 yards while James Lofton was held to 29 yards and 1 touchdown on 6 catches.
On the very first possession, Green Bay started at their own 19-yard line but for every apparent gain, they lost ground when they suffered 3 successive penalties for 20 yards and were forced to punt on 4th and 26. New Orleans received the punt at their own 47-yard line and on the second play from scrimmage, quarterback Dave Wilson connected with Eric Martin on a 53-yard pass to the Green Bay 1-yard line. Green Bay played the run but guessed wrong and yet left outside linebacker Tim Harris had the presence of mind to intercept a pass in the end zone intended for Buford Jordan.
Rueben Mayes was out of this game with an injury for over 9 minutes in the first half, but it didn't make any difference.
Green Bay's Ken Stills and new Orleans' Brett Maxie hauled in 2 interceptions apiece in this contest.
In the original game played at the Louisiana Superdome on Sunday, September 14, 1986, the Saints beat the Packers 24-10.
Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett led all rushers with 67 yards and 2 touchdowns on 20 carries while the Dallas defense held Lions running back James R. Jones to 42 yards on 14 carries.
Detroit starting quarterback Eric Hipple completed 12 of 23 pass attempts for 195 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, with Jeff Chadwick the leading Lions receiver with 4 catches for 61 yards and 1 touchdown.
The Lions lost 4 fumbles in this game, with 2 drops apiece by Hipple and Jones. The Cowboys sacked Hipple 7 times with 2 sacks apiece by middle linebacker Eugene Lockhart and backup linebacker Jesse Penn. The Cowboys also keyed Jones with regularity.
In the original game played in the Pontiac Silverdome on Sunday, September 14, 1986, the Cowboys beat the Lions 31-7.
While Montana completed only 10 of 28 pass attempts for 123 yards and 0 touchdowns with his 1 interception, Everett completed 39 of 54 pass attempts for 321 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception, with running back Eric Dickerson leading all receivers with 12 catches for 92 yards and with flanker Henry Ellard close behind with 9 catches for 90 yards and 2 touchdowns. Two more Rams receivers led the opposition, with split end Ron Brown catching 8 passes for 64 yards and wide receiver Kevin House catching 6 for 57 yards and 1 touchdown.
For the 49ers, leading receiver Jerry Rice was held to just 5 catches for 56 yards.
The Rams also excelled in the ground game with Barry Redden gaining 62 yards on 14 carries, but the 49ers did hold Dickerson to 46 yards on 14 carries. The leading rusher for San Francisco was Joe Cribbs with 4 carries for 27 yards while Roger Craig was held to 17 yards on 8 carries.
In the original game played at Anaheim Stadium on Sunday, September 14, 1986, the Rams beat the 49ers 16-13.
Washington won the toss, and after Raiders right inside linebacker Reggie McKenzie left the game with an injury, the Raiders struggled to contain Redskins quarterback Jay Schroeder, but it wasn't Schroeder who surprised the crowd, when on 3rd and 4 from the Los Angeles 33-yard line, Washington running back George Rogers ran though a hole off tackle and chased 33 yards for the game-winning touchdown. Washington pleased the home crowd with a 30-24 win over Los Angeles.
Schroeder's opening volley in this game was a 52-yard pass to Gary Clark, and the Redskins entered the locker room at halftime up 17-3. But when Raiders starting quarterback Jim Plunkett left the game late in the 3rd quarter with the Redskins up 24-3, Wilson came off the bench for Los Angeles and completed 16 of 24 passes for 181 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception compared to Plunkett's 12 completions on 30 attempts for 139 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Raiders split end Jessie Hester led all pass receivers with 6 catches for 113 yards while Christensen fielded 11 passes for 96 yards and 3 touchdowns.
On the Redskins side of the ball, Schroeder completed 18 of 32 passes for 238 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception, with split end Gary Clark leading all Washington receivers with 5 catches for 84 yards. It was Rogers in the backfield who really shined, however, with 31 carries for 195 yards and 1 touchdown.
In the original game played at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium on Sunday, September 14, 1986, the Redskins beat the Raiders 10-6.
Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski was terrible in this contest. He completed only 20 of 51 pass attempts for 240 yards, 1 touchdown, and 4 interceptions, but Bears quarterback Mike Tomczak wasn't much better with 13 of 32 pass attempts completed for 171 yards, 1 touchdown, and 5 interceptions.
The leading rusher for the Eagles and the second leading rusher overall was backup quarterback Randall Cunningham with 7 carries for 32 yards. The leading rusher for the Bears and the overall leader was Walter Payton with 14 carries for 75 yards.
The only standout receiver in this game was Philadelphia split end Mike Quick with 10 catches for 147 yards.
The Bears won this game on defense with 9 sacks, including 2 each for left linebacker Otis Wilson, left defensive end Dan Hampton, and right linebacker Wilber Marshall.
Philadelphia free safety Terry Hoage intercepted Tomczak 4 times.
In the original game played at Soldier Field on Sunday, September 14, 1986, the Bears beat the Eagles 13-10 in overtime.
Still ahead 9-6 with 12:34 remaining in the game, the Chargers managed to move the ball on the ground for the first time in this contest, and in the end San Diego won 9-6 as time expired.
The first points were scored early in the 2nd quarter. At halftime the score was tied 3-3. The only touchdown came at 6:22 remaining in the 3rd quarter, when Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts hit tight end Kellen Winslow on a 15-yard pass. Placekicker Rolf Benirschke missed the extra point, which put the fans on the edge of their seat for the remainder of the game.
There were a lot of injuries in this rough-and-tumble, low-scoring scrum, with San Diego losing five players for the game, including right inside linebacker Thomas Benson, right guard Dennis McKnight, right defensive end Leslie O'Neal, left defensive end Lee Williams, and Winslow. The Giants came into the game without the services of running back Tony Galbreath and then lost right guard Chris Godfrey for two additional games and wide receiver Lionel Manual for four more games.
Simms was pitiful in this game. He completed only 12 of 28 pass attempts for 131 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions, and he fumbled and lost the ball twice. Wide receiver Stacy Robinson led all Giants receivers with 3 catches for 51 yards. Running back Joe Morris had to carry the ball 19 times to gain only 51 yards on the ground.
On the other side of the ball, Fouts managed to complete 23 of 38 pass attempts for 225 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions, with flanker Wes Chandler leading all Chargers receivers with 8 catches for 78 yards. Winslow had 5 catches for 57 yards and 1 touchdown before leaving the game injured. Run support came from Tim Spencer with 32 yards on 11 carries and Curtis Adams with 22 yards on 4 carries.
Both sides tallied 3 sacks, with New York's right defensive end Leonard Marshall capturing 2 sacks on the day. Giants right outside linebacker Lawrence Taylor was held quiet with only 2 tackles and no sacks in this contest.
In the original game played at Giants Stadium on Sunday, September 14, 1986, coach Bill Parcells led his Giants to a 20-7 victory over coach Don Coryell and his Chargers.
Atlanta's quarterback David Archer completed 13 of 28 passes for 258 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions, with flanker Charlie Brown leading all receivers in this game with 7 catches for 156 yards. Falcons running back Gerald Riggs rushed for 4 touchdowns and hit the century mark with 27 carries for 116 yards, while backfield mate William Andrews gained 54 yards on 7 carries. Split end Floyd Dixon scored the only Falcons touchdown through the air on a 56-yard pass. Atlanta's defense tallied 5 sacks with 2 sacks by rookie defensive end Joe Costello.
Cardinals quarterback Neil Lomax managed to complete only 14 of 34 pass attempts for 156 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions, with nearly half the yards into the hands of wide receiver Roy Green who had 4 catches for 70 yards. Stump Mitchell was the leading rusher for St. Louis with 6 carries for 60 yards. The Cardinals' touchdowns came on a 16-yard pass to tight end Jay Novacek and on a 65-yard kickoff return by Vai Sikahema.
In the original game played at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium on Sunday, September 14, 1986, coach Dan Henning's Falcons beat coach Gene Stallings's Cardinals 33-13.
Vikings starting quarterback Tommy Kramer completed 30 of 45 pass attempts for 450 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception, while backup quarterback Wade Wilson completed 8 of 12 for 138 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions. In all, the Vikings gained 588 yards through the air, with running back Darrin Nelson leading all receivers with 12 catches for 209 yards and 2 touchdowns. Nelson also led all rushers with 11 carries for 46 yards and 1 touchdown. Other standout Vikings receivers included tight end Steve Jordan with 6 catches for 73 yards, flanker Leo Lewis with 4 catches for 97 yards, and split end Anthony Carter with 4 receptions for 80 yards. In all, the Vikings utilized 10 receivers.
On the Tampa Bay side of the ball, starting quarterback Young completed 8 of 14 pass attempts for 62 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions, while backup quarterback Steve DeBerg completed 2 of 6 for 11 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. Young was the Bucs' leading rusher with 6 carries for 37 yards.
Minnesota sacked Young 9 times including 3 by left linebacker Chris Doleman. Vikings defensive back David Evans, strong safety Joey Browner, and left cornerback Issiac Holt each snagged an interception for the Vikings.
In the original game played at Tampa Stadium on Sunday, September 14, 1986, coach Jerry Burns and his Vikings beat coach Leeman Bennett and his Buccaneers 23-10.
On the ground, Green Bay was held to a total of 31 yards on 15 attempts while Chicago's Walter Payton achieved 98 yards on 29 carries, with a long rush of 14 yards. Relatively speaking, the Packers held Payton in check, but in the end his ground game led the Bears to a 19-13 victory over the Packers.
Green Bay led this game the entire first half until Bears placekicker Kevin Butler split the uprights on a 29-yard field goal attempt to tie the game 10-10. Butler made 4 field goals total in this contest. The Packers' sole touchdown came on Stanley's 65-yard punt return.
Wilson also sacked Wright twice.
The Bears suffered some injuries, with strong safety Dave Duerson leaving the game early in the 2nd quarter and right linebacker Wilber Marshall leaving the game early in the 4th quarter. Tight End Emery Moorhead also left injured, but all three men should be available next week.
In the original game played at Lambeau Field on Monday, September 22, 1986, the Bears beat the Packers 25-12.
Montana completed 29 of 46 passes for 343 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, with split end Dwight Clark leading all receivers with 7 catches for 132 yards. Other standout 49ers pass-catchers included flanker Jerry Rice with 7 receptions for 92 yards and running back Roger Craig with 9 receptions for 78 yards.
The second leading receiver in this contest was the Saints' Mike Jones with 6 catches for 99 yards and 1 touchdown off the arm of quarterback Dave Wilson who completed 20 of 31 pass attempts for 247 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. On the ground, Saints running back Rueben Mayes rushed for 75 yards on 18 carries.
The 49ers were held to 47 yards rushing on 20 attempts.
The Saints managed 4 sacks, including 2 by left outside linebacker Rickey Jackson.
In the original game played at Candlestick Park on Sunday, September 21, 1986, coach Bill Walsh and his 49ers beat coach Jim Mora and his Saints 26-17.
San Diego quarterback Dan Fouts would not be denied, however, and by the end of the game the Chargers found themselves on top 28-23. Fouts completed 29 of 53 pass attempts for 360 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions, with tight end Kellen Winslow leading all receivers with 8 catches for 122 yards.
For the Redksins, quarterback Jay Schroeder completed 18 of 36 pass attempts for 215 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, with Clark leading all Washington receivers with 7 catches for 89 yards. On the ground, Rogers was held to 47 yards rushing, but that was almost as much as the Chargers backfield rushed for as a unit with 56 yards total on the ground.
Chargers left defensive end Lee Williams sacked Schroeder 4 times in this contest.
In the original game played at Jack Murphy Stadium on Sunday, September 21, 1986, coach Joe Gibbs and his Redskins beat Don Coryell and his Chargers 30-27.
With no timeouts remaining, the Steelers kicked off to Minnesota kick returner Buster Rhymes who fumbled and lost the ball to effectively end the game with the Steelers on top 17-14.
Except for that final drive, Malone played terribly in this game completing 15 of 36 pass attempts for 174 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception. The Vikings kept Abercrombie in check, too, but he managed to reach 42 yards on 17 carries. Fullback Earnest Jackson picked up the slack with 92 yards on 16 carries. Malone himself had one 45-yard run. John Stallworth led all Steelers receivers with 5 catches for 72 yards. Steelers placekicker Gary Anderson missed 3 of 4 field goal attempts.
For the Vikings, quarterback Tommy Kramer completed 20 of 33 pass attempts for 217 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception, with tight end Steve Jordan leading all receivers with 8 catches for 90 yards, followed by Hassan Jones with 5 catches for 70 yards.
The Steelers sacked Kramer 10 times for 60 yards in lost field position, with Gary Dunn, Mike Merriweather, and Edmund Nelson each getting 2 sacks.
In the original game played in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on Sunday, September 21, 1986, coach Jerry Burns and his Vikings beat coach Chuck Noll and his Steelers 31-7.
Atlanta's backfield duo of Gerald Riggs and William Andrews rushed for 224 total yards, with Riggs gaining 117 yards on 25 carries and Andrews reaching 107 yards on 18 carries. Falcons quarterback Turk Schonert completed 11 of 18 pass attempts for 198 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interceptions, with Charlie Brown leading all receivers with 4 catches for 109 yards. Atlanta defensive tackle Tony Casillas made 2 sacks on the day.
For Tampa Bay, running back James Wilder gained 81 yards on 18 carries while quarterback Steve Young completed 27 of 37 pass attempts for 237 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions, with Wilder gaining 64 yards on 9 catches and tight end Calvin Magee catching 7 passes for 74 yards.
In the original game played at Tampa Stadium on Sunday, September 28, 1986, coach Dan Henning and his Falcons beat coach Leeman Bennett and his Buccaneers 23-20.
But the visiting Bears savaged the Bengals, first with left defensive end Dan Hampton sacking Esiason in the end zone for a safety, and then with a 32-yard field goal by Kevin Butler to close out the game 22-7 in favor of Chicago.
Esiason completed only 13 of 28 pass attempts for 132 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, with Collinsworth leading all receivers in the game with 5 catches for 71 yards. On the ground, the Bengals backfield of James Brooks, Stanley Wilson, Larry Kinnebrew, Esiason, and Bill T. Johnson combined for 84 net yards rushing on 23 carries.
For Chicago, the backfield led the team with Walter Payton gaining 115 yards and 1 touchdown on 32 carries and with Matt Suhey running for 52 yards on 11 carries and catching 3 passes for 23 yards and 1 touchdown.
In the original game played at Riverfront Stadium on Sunday, September 28, 1986, coach Mike Ditka's Bears beat coach Sam Wyche's Bengals 44-7.
Kosar completed 25 of 40 pass attempts for 376 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions, with flanker Webster Slaughter, tight end Ozzie Newsome, halfback Earnest Byner, and fullback Herman Fontenot each getting a touchdown through the air. Slaughter led all receivers in the game with 9 catches for 127 yards while fullback Kevin Mack led all rushers with 62 yards on 17 carries.
For the Lions, quarterback Joe Ferguson completed only 18 of 38 pass attempts for 249 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception, with split end Jeff Chadwick leading Lions receivers with 4 catches for 106 yards. Lions fullback James R. Jones reached 33 yards on 9 carries while Garry James ran for 24 yards on 10 carries.
The only sacks in this game were made by the Lions defense, with left defensive end Keith Ferguson getting 2 of Detroit's 3 sacks. Cleveland's defensive back Felix Wright hauled in the game's only interception.
In the original game played at Cleveland Municipal Stadium on Sunday, September 28, 1986, coach Marty Schottenheimer's Browns beat coach Darryl Rogers's Lions 24-21.
In the passing game, Cunningham wasn't great. He completed 15 of 31 pass attempts for 146 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. But Cunningham was better than his Los Angeles counterpart Steve Dils who completed 11 of 29 pass attempts for 139 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Rams wide receiver Ron Brown led all receivers with 91 yards on 5 catches, while Eagles tight end John Spagnola led all Eagles in receptions with 5 for 59 yards. Philadelphia's backfield of Michael Haddix, Anthony Toney, and Keith Byars combined for 82 yards on 29 carries with Byars leaving the game early due to injury.
Because of injuries, quarterback Jim Everett and wide receiver Henry Ellard did not play for the Rams in this game while quarterback Ron Jaworski and wide receiver Mike Quick did not play for the Eagles.
Cunningham scored the only offensive touchdown in this game on a 1-yard run as time expired. Philadelphia punt returner Gregg Garrity scored the only other touchdown in the game on a 55-yard return.
Eagles right defensive tackle Reggie White managed to sack Dils twice.
In the original game played at Veterans Stadium on Sunday, September 28, 1986, coach Buddy Ryan's Eagles beat coach John Robinson's Rams 34-20.
But Giants quarterback Phil Simms and his men stuck to their plan, and after another Raul Allegre field goal and a 6-yard Maurice Carthon touchdown run late in the 4th quarter, the Giants trotted back into their home locker room victorious 23-7.
Simms played well in this game completing 19 of 31 pass attempts for 271 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions, with split end Bobby L. Johnson leading all receivers with 5 catches for 133 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown catch. Giants tight end Mark Bavaro also pulled in 5 passes for 50 yards. The Giants backfield struggled however, gaining 71 net yards on 35 attempts. The New Orleans defense sacked Simms 4 times, with left defensive end Bruce Clark getting 2.
The Saints offense, meanwhile, played lousy, with quarterback Bobby Hebert completing only 12 of 26 pass attempts for 133 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. He connected with 8 different receivers but did not find the end zone. In the running game, Mayes reached 119 yards on 21 carries, but without support from his quarterback, Mayes's efforts were largely for naught.
In the original game played in Giants Stadium on Sunday, September 28, 1986, coach Bill Parcells and his Giants beat coach Jim Mora's Saints 20-17.
The Seahawks began this game with starting quarterback Dave Krieg and starting halfback Curt Warner out with injuries, along with wide receiver Daryl Turner. And during the game, the Seahawks lost free safety Eugene Robinson and left inside linebacker Fredd Young to injuries.
Backup Seahawks quarterback Gale Gilbert completed 30 of 42 pass attempts (a 71.4% completion percentage), but he averaged only 5.4 yards per attempt and failed to score a touchdown while throwing 2 interceptions. Flanker Steve Largent was the leading receiver for Seattle with 12 catches for 78 yards. Backup halfback Randall Morris rushed for 82 yards on 17 carries in relief for Warner.
The Redskins, too, began the game with injuries at key positions, with tight end Clint Didier missing on offense, and with left linebacker Calvin Daniels and right defensive tackle Darryl Grant missing on defense.
Despite the fact the Redskins were outplayed by the Seahawks, with Seattle covering 344 yards to Washington's 310 yards on offense, the Redskins benefited from 75 yards in penalties against Seattle while Washington did not commit a single penalty in this game. The Seahawks also sacked Schroeder 3 times, and held Washington starting halfback George Rogers to just 78 yards on 25 carries. But Schroeder completed 12 of 25 pass attempts for 249 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, with Art Monk catching 6 passes for 119 yards and Gary Clark catching 3 passes for 114 yards.
In the original game played at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium on Sunday, September 28, 1986, coach Joe Gibbs's Redskins beat coach Chuck Knox's Seahawks 19-14.
With Randy Wright out injured, Packers quarterback Chuck Fusina completed just 22 of 41 pass attempts for 176 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception, with Eddie Lee Ivery leading the team with 6 catches for 52 yards. On the ground, Gerry Ellis rushed for 43 yards on 8 carries.
With Tommy Kramer out injured, Vikings quarterback Wade Wilson completed 21 of 41 pass attempts for 220 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions, with split end Anthony Carter pulling in 6 catches for 51 yards, tight end Mike Mularkey catching 6 for 40 yards, and flanker Leo Lewis pulling down 4 for 68 yards. Vikings halfback Darrin Nelson led all rushers with 13 carries for 80 yards.
Vikings left linebacker Chris Doleman sacked Fusina twice.
In the original game played in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on Sunday, September 28, 1986, coach Jerry Burns's Vikings beat coach Forrest Gregg's Packers 42-7.
While the Cardinals defense played well in the first half, with right defensive end Al Baker getting two sacks, the Cardinals offense didn't play well at all. Quarterback Neil Lomax completed only 9 of 37 pass attempts for 90 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception. In the running game, Stump Mitchell gained 42 yards on 11 carries in the first half but left the game with an injury early in the 3rd quarter.
For the Giants, Phil Simms completed 16 of 29 pass attempts for 204 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions, with Bobby L. Johnson catching 5 passes for 102 yards. On the ground, Joe Morris gained 158 yards on 23 carries.
In the original game played at Busch Stadium on Sunday, October 5, 1986, coach Bill Parcells's Giants beat coach Gene Stallings's Cardinals 13-6.
When 1986 Atlanta Falcons placekicker Mick Luckhurst launched the opening kickoff, Eagles returner Charles Crawford fumbled the ball and Falcons right cornerback James Britt, playing special teams, picked up the ball and advanced it to Philadelphia's 11-yard line. Four plays later and only 90 seconds into the game, Falcons quarterback David Archer was forced to run and he trotted 11 yards for a touchdown.
Just seven minutes later, Falcons right defensive end Rick Bryan sacked and forced Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham to fumble. Bryan picked up the ball and ran 19 yards for a touchdown.
Philadelphia led this game with 291 yards of total offense to Atlanta's 229, but in the end Atlanta walked away victorious 37-21.
Neither quarterback did well passing. Archer completed 15 of 32 pass attempts for 168 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions, with receiver Charlie Brown pulling down 5 passes for 66 yards. For the Eagles, Cunningham completed just 14 of 38 pass attempts for 146 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, but he led all rushers in the ground game with 11 carries for 119 yards and 1 touchdown. Eagles split end Mike Quick caught 5 passes for 68 yards.
The best running back in this game was Eagles halfback Keith Byars with 15 carries for 73 yards and 1 touchdown and with 2 catches for 32 yards. Meanwhile, the Eagles held Falcons halfback Gerald Riggs to just 21 yards on 20 carries while allowing fullback Cliff Austin 34 yards on 7 carries.
Three players tallied multiple sacks, including Eagles right defensive tackle Reggie White with 2 and Falcons rookie nose tackle Tony Casillas and right defensive end Rick Bryan with 2 apiece.
In the original game played at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium on Sunday, October 5, 1986, coach Buddy Ryan's Eagles beat coach Dan Henning's Falcons 16-0.
The Saints would score only field goals in this game as the Redskins came out on top 23-9.
With starting running back George Rogers out injured, Washington quarterback Jay Schroeder took to the air, but he completed only 18 of 34 pass attempts for 229 yards, 1 touchdown, and 5 interceptions, with Art Monk leading all Redskins receivers with 5 catches for 53 yards. Saints left outside linebacker Rickey Jackson nabbed 2 of the 5 intercepted passes.
The Redskins defense stretched the score when strong safety Ken Coffey ran back an interception 89 yards for a touchdown to put Washington up 16-3.
New Orleans quarterback Dave Wilson had a worse outing with 21 completions on 43 attempts for 265 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions, with Coffey nabbing all 3 interceptions. Saints split end Mike Jones led all receivers with 6 catches for 90 yards while Saints tight end John Tice pulled in 6 catches for 77 yards. New Orleans running back Rueben Mayes led all rushers with 14 carries for 82 yards.
In the original game played in the Louisiana Superdome on Sunday, October 5, 1986, Joe Gibbs's Redskins beat Jim Mora's Saints 14-6.
Quarterback Wade Wilson started the game for the Vikings and completed 21 of 34 pass attempts for 268 yards, 1 touchdown, and 3 interceptions, with tight end Steve Jordan catching 10 passes for 125 yards and with wide receiver Hassan Jones and split end Anthony Carter combining for 7 catches for 109 yards--but with halfback Darrin Nelson out early with an injury, the Minnesota backfield was held to 83 net yards rushing.
Jim McMahon started the game for Chicago and completed 12 of 23 pass attempts for 111 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions, with tight end Emery Moorehead catching 6 passes for 56 yards and with halfback Walter Payton catching 4 passes for 30 yards on top of his 86 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns on 25 carries.
Chicago right defensive tackle William "The Refrigerator" Perry sacked Wilson 3 times in this game.
Before the game, the injury list for the Vikings included quarterback Tommy Kramer, right defensive tackle Keith Millard, and tight end Mike Mularkey, with Nelson joining them in the 2nd quarter.
The injury list before the game for the Bears included quarterback Mike Tomczak and right guard Tom Thayer, with wide receiver Willie Gault joining the list in the 1st quarter and left defensive tackle Steve McMichael, strong safety Dave Duerson, left cornerback Mike Richardson, and left defensive end Dan Hampton joining the injury list later in the game.
In the original game played at Soldier Field on Sunday, October 5, 1986, coach Mike Ditka's Bears beat coach Jerry Burns's Vikings 23-0.
With Givins out injured early in the game, Moon managed to complete only 5 of 23 pass attempts for 105 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, with split end Drew Hill pulling in 3 passes for 43 yards. The Oilers tried to get things going on the ground, and halfback Mike Rozier managed 95 yards on 20 carries, but the Bears defense was too stout.
For the Bears, quarterback Jim McMahon completed 16 of 35 pass attempts for 240 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions, with wide receiver Keith Ortego pulling in 7 catches for 101 yards. Despite leaving the game injured during the first half, running back Walter Payton led all Bears rushers with 54 yards on 16 carries. The rest of the Bears backfield combined for an additional 168 yards rushing.
In the original game played in the Houston Astrodome on Sunday, October 12, 1986, coach Mike Ditka's Bears beat coach Jerry Glanville's Oilers 20-7.
Week 2, Dallas Cowboys at Detroit Lions
For about a 15-minute stretch in the first half, the Honolulu Blue and Silver 1986 Detroit Lions led the Navy Blue, Silver, and Royal Blue 1986 Dallas Cowboys 7-3, and at halftime, the Lions walked into their Pontiac Silverdome locker room tied 10-10 with their brothers-in-colors. The hopes of Lions fans were short-lived, however, as the Cowboys scored 21 unanswered points in the second half on the arm of starting quarterback Steve Pelluer who completed 27 of 41 passes for 305 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception, with running back Herschel Walker leading all receivers with 10 catches for 111 yards and 1 touchdown.Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett led all rushers with 67 yards and 2 touchdowns on 20 carries while the Dallas defense held Lions running back James R. Jones to 42 yards on 14 carries.
Detroit starting quarterback Eric Hipple completed 12 of 23 pass attempts for 195 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, with Jeff Chadwick the leading Lions receiver with 4 catches for 61 yards and 1 touchdown.
The Lions lost 4 fumbles in this game, with 2 drops apiece by Hipple and Jones. The Cowboys sacked Hipple 7 times with 2 sacks apiece by middle linebacker Eugene Lockhart and backup linebacker Jesse Penn. The Cowboys also keyed Jones with regularity.
In the original game played in the Pontiac Silverdome on Sunday, September 14, 1986, the Cowboys beat the Lions 31-7.
Week 2, San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams
Joe Montana threw 1 interception, lost a fumble, and completed only 35.7% of his passes for the 1986 San Francisco 49ers in a game that saw opposing quarterback Jim Everett and his 1986 Los Angeles Rams dominate in time of possession 37:39 to 22:21 to win the game 27-7.While Montana completed only 10 of 28 pass attempts for 123 yards and 0 touchdowns with his 1 interception, Everett completed 39 of 54 pass attempts for 321 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception, with running back Eric Dickerson leading all receivers with 12 catches for 92 yards and with flanker Henry Ellard close behind with 9 catches for 90 yards and 2 touchdowns. Two more Rams receivers led the opposition, with split end Ron Brown catching 8 passes for 64 yards and wide receiver Kevin House catching 6 for 57 yards and 1 touchdown.
For the 49ers, leading receiver Jerry Rice was held to just 5 catches for 56 yards.
The Rams also excelled in the ground game with Barry Redden gaining 62 yards on 14 carries, but the 49ers did hold Dickerson to 46 yards on 14 carries. The leading rusher for San Francisco was Joe Cribbs with 4 carries for 27 yards while Roger Craig was held to 17 yards on 8 carries.
In the original game played at Anaheim Stadium on Sunday, September 14, 1986, the Rams beat the 49ers 16-13.
Week 2, Los Angeles Raiders at Washington Redskins
After scoring a touchdown with 01:30 left to play in the game and down 24-17 to the 1986 Washington Redskins, the 1986 Los Angeles Raiders recovered their own onside kick at the 50-yard line, which gave Raiders backup quarterback Marc Wilson the opportunity to test his mettle. Nine plays later and with only 00:01 seconds remaining in the game, Wilson hit tight end Todd Christensen on a 5-yard pass to the end zone and Christensen scored his third touchdown of the game. The game went into overtime.Washington won the toss, and after Raiders right inside linebacker Reggie McKenzie left the game with an injury, the Raiders struggled to contain Redskins quarterback Jay Schroeder, but it wasn't Schroeder who surprised the crowd, when on 3rd and 4 from the Los Angeles 33-yard line, Washington running back George Rogers ran though a hole off tackle and chased 33 yards for the game-winning touchdown. Washington pleased the home crowd with a 30-24 win over Los Angeles.
Schroeder's opening volley in this game was a 52-yard pass to Gary Clark, and the Redskins entered the locker room at halftime up 17-3. But when Raiders starting quarterback Jim Plunkett left the game late in the 3rd quarter with the Redskins up 24-3, Wilson came off the bench for Los Angeles and completed 16 of 24 passes for 181 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception compared to Plunkett's 12 completions on 30 attempts for 139 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Raiders split end Jessie Hester led all pass receivers with 6 catches for 113 yards while Christensen fielded 11 passes for 96 yards and 3 touchdowns.
On the Redskins side of the ball, Schroeder completed 18 of 32 passes for 238 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception, with split end Gary Clark leading all Washington receivers with 5 catches for 84 yards. It was Rogers in the backfield who really shined, however, with 31 carries for 195 yards and 1 touchdown.
In the original game played at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium on Sunday, September 14, 1986, the Redskins beat the Raiders 10-6.
Week 2, Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears
WEEK 2, GAME 5 OF 1986 NFL SEASON REPLAY: With 9:14 remaining in the 3rd quarter and with the 1986 Philadelphia Eagles backed up to their own 3-yard line, the 1986 Chicago Bears blocked Eagles punter John Teltschik's punt in the end zone and Chicago free safety Gary Fencik recovered the ball for a touchdown. The Eagles subsequently blocked Bears placekicker Kevin Butler's extra point attempt, but it was small vengeance in a game that saw Chicago walk off victorious 33-7.Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski was terrible in this contest. He completed only 20 of 51 pass attempts for 240 yards, 1 touchdown, and 4 interceptions, but Bears quarterback Mike Tomczak wasn't much better with 13 of 32 pass attempts completed for 171 yards, 1 touchdown, and 5 interceptions.
The leading rusher for the Eagles and the second leading rusher overall was backup quarterback Randall Cunningham with 7 carries for 32 yards. The leading rusher for the Bears and the overall leader was Walter Payton with 14 carries for 75 yards.
The only standout receiver in this game was Philadelphia split end Mike Quick with 10 catches for 147 yards.
The Bears won this game on defense with 9 sacks, including 2 each for left linebacker Otis Wilson, left defensive end Dan Hampton, and right linebacker Wilber Marshall.
Philadelphia free safety Terry Hoage intercepted Tomczak 4 times.
In the original game played at Soldier Field on Sunday, September 14, 1986, the Bears beat the Eagles 13-10 in overtime.
Week 2, San Diego Chargers at New York Giants
With 4:06 remaining in the 3rd quarter, when the 1986 New York Giants were down 9-3 to the 1986 San Diego Chargers, Giants quarterback Phil Simms engineered a 15-play, 65-yard drive to the San Diego 7-yard line, when Chargers right linebacker Billy Ray Smith Jr. sacked Simms for an 11-yard loss, which forced the Giants to settle for placekicker Raul Allegre's field goal.Still ahead 9-6 with 12:34 remaining in the game, the Chargers managed to move the ball on the ground for the first time in this contest, and in the end San Diego won 9-6 as time expired.
The first points were scored early in the 2nd quarter. At halftime the score was tied 3-3. The only touchdown came at 6:22 remaining in the 3rd quarter, when Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts hit tight end Kellen Winslow on a 15-yard pass. Placekicker Rolf Benirschke missed the extra point, which put the fans on the edge of their seat for the remainder of the game.
There were a lot of injuries in this rough-and-tumble, low-scoring scrum, with San Diego losing five players for the game, including right inside linebacker Thomas Benson, right guard Dennis McKnight, right defensive end Leslie O'Neal, left defensive end Lee Williams, and Winslow. The Giants came into the game without the services of running back Tony Galbreath and then lost right guard Chris Godfrey for two additional games and wide receiver Lionel Manual for four more games.
Simms was pitiful in this game. He completed only 12 of 28 pass attempts for 131 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions, and he fumbled and lost the ball twice. Wide receiver Stacy Robinson led all Giants receivers with 3 catches for 51 yards. Running back Joe Morris had to carry the ball 19 times to gain only 51 yards on the ground.
On the other side of the ball, Fouts managed to complete 23 of 38 pass attempts for 225 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions, with flanker Wes Chandler leading all Chargers receivers with 8 catches for 78 yards. Winslow had 5 catches for 57 yards and 1 touchdown before leaving the game injured. Run support came from Tim Spencer with 32 yards on 11 carries and Curtis Adams with 22 yards on 4 carries.
Both sides tallied 3 sacks, with New York's right defensive end Leonard Marshall capturing 2 sacks on the day. Giants right outside linebacker Lawrence Taylor was held quiet with only 2 tackles and no sacks in this contest.
In the original game played at Giants Stadium on Sunday, September 14, 1986, coach Bill Parcells led his Giants to a 20-7 victory over coach Don Coryell and his Chargers.
Week 2, St. Louis Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons
The 1986 Atlanta Falcons never trailed against the 1986 St. Louis Cardinals, and after 437 yards of offense. the Falcons walked away victorious 38-16.Atlanta's quarterback David Archer completed 13 of 28 passes for 258 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions, with flanker Charlie Brown leading all receivers in this game with 7 catches for 156 yards. Falcons running back Gerald Riggs rushed for 4 touchdowns and hit the century mark with 27 carries for 116 yards, while backfield mate William Andrews gained 54 yards on 7 carries. Split end Floyd Dixon scored the only Falcons touchdown through the air on a 56-yard pass. Atlanta's defense tallied 5 sacks with 2 sacks by rookie defensive end Joe Costello.
Cardinals quarterback Neil Lomax managed to complete only 14 of 34 pass attempts for 156 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions, with nearly half the yards into the hands of wide receiver Roy Green who had 4 catches for 70 yards. Stump Mitchell was the leading rusher for St. Louis with 6 carries for 60 yards. The Cardinals' touchdowns came on a 16-yard pass to tight end Jay Novacek and on a 65-yard kickoff return by Vai Sikahema.
In the original game played at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium on Sunday, September 14, 1986, coach Dan Henning's Falcons beat coach Gene Stallings's Cardinals 33-13.
Week 2, Minnesota Vikings at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The 1986 Tampa Bay Buccaneers avoided the end zone until early in the 4th quarter when Bucs quarterback Steve Young hit wide receiver Gerald Carter on an 11-yard pass for a touchdown. It was Tampa Bay's only score in a game that saw the 1986 Minnesota Vikings sweat through 54 points under the Florida sun to win the game 54-7.Vikings starting quarterback Tommy Kramer completed 30 of 45 pass attempts for 450 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception, while backup quarterback Wade Wilson completed 8 of 12 for 138 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions. In all, the Vikings gained 588 yards through the air, with running back Darrin Nelson leading all receivers with 12 catches for 209 yards and 2 touchdowns. Nelson also led all rushers with 11 carries for 46 yards and 1 touchdown. Other standout Vikings receivers included tight end Steve Jordan with 6 catches for 73 yards, flanker Leo Lewis with 4 catches for 97 yards, and split end Anthony Carter with 4 receptions for 80 yards. In all, the Vikings utilized 10 receivers.
On the Tampa Bay side of the ball, starting quarterback Young completed 8 of 14 pass attempts for 62 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions, while backup quarterback Steve DeBerg completed 2 of 6 for 11 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. Young was the Bucs' leading rusher with 6 carries for 37 yards.
Minnesota sacked Young 9 times including 3 by left linebacker Chris Doleman. Vikings defensive back David Evans, strong safety Joey Browner, and left cornerback Issiac Holt each snagged an interception for the Vikings.
In the original game played at Tampa Stadium on Sunday, September 14, 1986, coach Jerry Burns and his Vikings beat coach Leeman Bennett and his Buccaneers 23-10.
Week 3, Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers
Eight different players, four on each side, intercepted a pass in an aerial mess between the 1986 Green Bay Packers and the 1986 Chicago Bears. Chicago's defensive back Todd Bell, left cornerback Mike Richardson, left linebacker Otis Wilson, and free safety Gary Fencik as well as Green Bay's right outside linebacker Brian Noble, rookie defensive back Ed Berry, free safety Ken Stills, and left outside linebacker Tim Harris each snagged interceptions from their opposing quarterbacks. The Bears' Mike Tomczak finished with a 38.6 quarterback rating and the Packers' Randy Wright posted a 27.1 rating. Tomczak completed 18 of 35 pass attempts for 199 yards, 1 touchdown, and 4 interceptions while Wright completed 22 of 50 pass attempts for 260 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. The leading receiver was Green Bay wide receiver Walter Stanley with 9 catches for 114 yards.On the ground, Green Bay was held to a total of 31 yards on 15 attempts while Chicago's Walter Payton achieved 98 yards on 29 carries, with a long rush of 14 yards. Relatively speaking, the Packers held Payton in check, but in the end his ground game led the Bears to a 19-13 victory over the Packers.
Green Bay led this game the entire first half until Bears placekicker Kevin Butler split the uprights on a 29-yard field goal attempt to tie the game 10-10. Butler made 4 field goals total in this contest. The Packers' sole touchdown came on Stanley's 65-yard punt return.
Wilson also sacked Wright twice.
The Bears suffered some injuries, with strong safety Dave Duerson leaving the game early in the 2nd quarter and right linebacker Wilber Marshall leaving the game early in the 4th quarter. Tight End Emery Moorhead also left injured, but all three men should be available next week.
In the original game played at Lambeau Field on Monday, September 22, 1986, the Bears beat the Packers 25-12.
Week 3, New Orleans Saints at San Francisco 49ers
Down 7-0 midway through the 1st quarter, 1986 San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana moved the ball with precision, and after a late 1st quarter field goal, Montana hit tight end Russ Francis for a 28-yard touchdown pass to put the 49ers up 10-7 over the 1986 New Orleans Saints midway through the 2nd quarter. The 49ers' lead would be short-lived, however, as the Saints scored 10 unanswered points to win the game 20-10.Montana completed 29 of 46 passes for 343 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, with split end Dwight Clark leading all receivers with 7 catches for 132 yards. Other standout 49ers pass-catchers included flanker Jerry Rice with 7 receptions for 92 yards and running back Roger Craig with 9 receptions for 78 yards.
The second leading receiver in this contest was the Saints' Mike Jones with 6 catches for 99 yards and 1 touchdown off the arm of quarterback Dave Wilson who completed 20 of 31 pass attempts for 247 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. On the ground, Saints running back Rueben Mayes rushed for 75 yards on 18 carries.
The 49ers were held to 47 yards rushing on 20 attempts.
The Saints managed 4 sacks, including 2 by left outside linebacker Rickey Jackson.
In the original game played at Candlestick Park on Sunday, September 21, 1986, coach Bill Walsh and his 49ers beat coach Jim Mora and his Saints 26-17.
Week 3, Washington Redskins at San Diego Chargers
Early in the 3rd quarter, 1986 Washington Redskins running back George Rogers fumbled the ball on an off tackle run. Redskins left offensive guard Russ Grimm recovered the ball, but instead of falling on it, he advanced the ball 3 yards before fumbling it himself. Redskins split end Gary Clark then picked up the ball and ran it 61 yards for the touchdown to put the Redskins up 20-14 over the 1986 San Diego Chargers.San Diego quarterback Dan Fouts would not be denied, however, and by the end of the game the Chargers found themselves on top 28-23. Fouts completed 29 of 53 pass attempts for 360 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions, with tight end Kellen Winslow leading all receivers with 8 catches for 122 yards.
For the Redksins, quarterback Jay Schroeder completed 18 of 36 pass attempts for 215 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, with Clark leading all Washington receivers with 7 catches for 89 yards. On the ground, Rogers was held to 47 yards rushing, but that was almost as much as the Chargers backfield rushed for as a unit with 56 yards total on the ground.
Chargers left defensive end Lee Williams sacked Schroeder 4 times in this contest.
In the original game played at Jack Murphy Stadium on Sunday, September 21, 1986, coach Joe Gibbs and his Redskins beat Don Coryell and his Chargers 30-27.
Week 3, Pittsburgh Steelers at Minnesota Vikings
The 1986 Pittsburgh Steelers took the lead over the 1986 Minnesota Vikings for the first time with only 01:00 remaining in the game, after Steelers quarterback Mark Malone put together a 12-play, 72-yard touchdown drive that ended with halfback Walter Abercrombie reaching the end zone on a 4-yard run.With no timeouts remaining, the Steelers kicked off to Minnesota kick returner Buster Rhymes who fumbled and lost the ball to effectively end the game with the Steelers on top 17-14.
Except for that final drive, Malone played terribly in this game completing 15 of 36 pass attempts for 174 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception. The Vikings kept Abercrombie in check, too, but he managed to reach 42 yards on 17 carries. Fullback Earnest Jackson picked up the slack with 92 yards on 16 carries. Malone himself had one 45-yard run. John Stallworth led all Steelers receivers with 5 catches for 72 yards. Steelers placekicker Gary Anderson missed 3 of 4 field goal attempts.
For the Vikings, quarterback Tommy Kramer completed 20 of 33 pass attempts for 217 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception, with tight end Steve Jordan leading all receivers with 8 catches for 90 yards, followed by Hassan Jones with 5 catches for 70 yards.
The Steelers sacked Kramer 10 times for 60 yards in lost field position, with Gary Dunn, Mike Merriweather, and Edmund Nelson each getting 2 sacks.
In the original game played in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on Sunday, September 21, 1986, coach Jerry Burns and his Vikings beat coach Chuck Noll and his Steelers 31-7.
Week 4, Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
During the first 3 minutes of the game, the 1986 Atlanta Falcons scored 10 points on two 1986 Tampa Bay Buccaneers turnovers, and the Falcons never looked back.Atlanta's backfield duo of Gerald Riggs and William Andrews rushed for 224 total yards, with Riggs gaining 117 yards on 25 carries and Andrews reaching 107 yards on 18 carries. Falcons quarterback Turk Schonert completed 11 of 18 pass attempts for 198 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interceptions, with Charlie Brown leading all receivers with 4 catches for 109 yards. Atlanta defensive tackle Tony Casillas made 2 sacks on the day.
For Tampa Bay, running back James Wilder gained 81 yards on 18 carries while quarterback Steve Young completed 27 of 37 pass attempts for 237 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions, with Wilder gaining 64 yards on 9 catches and tight end Calvin Magee catching 7 passes for 74 yards.
In the original game played at Tampa Stadium on Sunday, September 28, 1986, coach Dan Henning and his Falcons beat coach Leeman Bennett and his Buccaneers 23-20.
Week 4, Chicago Bears at Cincinnati Bengals
When 1986 Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason hit split end Chris Collinsworth on a 26-yard pass to score a touchdown as time expired in the first half, Bengals fans held out hope that Cincinnati could overcome the remaining 10-point deficit to match the 1986 Chicago Bears.But the visiting Bears savaged the Bengals, first with left defensive end Dan Hampton sacking Esiason in the end zone for a safety, and then with a 32-yard field goal by Kevin Butler to close out the game 22-7 in favor of Chicago.
Esiason completed only 13 of 28 pass attempts for 132 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, with Collinsworth leading all receivers in the game with 5 catches for 71 yards. On the ground, the Bengals backfield of James Brooks, Stanley Wilson, Larry Kinnebrew, Esiason, and Bill T. Johnson combined for 84 net yards rushing on 23 carries.
For Chicago, the backfield led the team with Walter Payton gaining 115 yards and 1 touchdown on 32 carries and with Matt Suhey running for 52 yards on 11 carries and catching 3 passes for 23 yards and 1 touchdown.
In the original game played at Riverfront Stadium on Sunday, September 28, 1986, coach Mike Ditka's Bears beat coach Sam Wyche's Bengals 44-7.
Week 4, Detroit Lions at Cleveland Browns
With 10:22 remaining in the game, 1986 Detroit Lions placekicker Eddie Murray nailed a 43-yard field goal to close the gap at 17-13 in favor of the 1986 Cleveland Browns, and Lions fans held out hope their team could pull off a win in Cleveland, but Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar and his crew were too much for Detroit, and the Browns finished the game on top 31-13.Kosar completed 25 of 40 pass attempts for 376 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions, with flanker Webster Slaughter, tight end Ozzie Newsome, halfback Earnest Byner, and fullback Herman Fontenot each getting a touchdown through the air. Slaughter led all receivers in the game with 9 catches for 127 yards while fullback Kevin Mack led all rushers with 62 yards on 17 carries.
For the Lions, quarterback Joe Ferguson completed only 18 of 38 pass attempts for 249 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception, with split end Jeff Chadwick leading Lions receivers with 4 catches for 106 yards. Lions fullback James R. Jones reached 33 yards on 9 carries while Garry James ran for 24 yards on 10 carries.
The only sacks in this game were made by the Lions defense, with left defensive end Keith Ferguson getting 2 of Detroit's 3 sacks. Cleveland's defensive back Felix Wright hauled in the game's only interception.
In the original game played at Cleveland Municipal Stadium on Sunday, September 28, 1986, coach Marty Schottenheimer's Browns beat coach Darryl Rogers's Lions 24-21.
Week 4, Los Angeles Rams at Philadelphia Eagles
Even though 1986 Los Angeles Rams halfback Eric Dickerson was on the field, 1986 Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham led all rushers with 12 carries for 70 yards in a game that saw the Eagles climb to a 20-3 victory. Philadelphia held Dickerson to 50 yards on 15 carries.In the passing game, Cunningham wasn't great. He completed 15 of 31 pass attempts for 146 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. But Cunningham was better than his Los Angeles counterpart Steve Dils who completed 11 of 29 pass attempts for 139 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Rams wide receiver Ron Brown led all receivers with 91 yards on 5 catches, while Eagles tight end John Spagnola led all Eagles in receptions with 5 for 59 yards. Philadelphia's backfield of Michael Haddix, Anthony Toney, and Keith Byars combined for 82 yards on 29 carries with Byars leaving the game early due to injury.
Because of injuries, quarterback Jim Everett and wide receiver Henry Ellard did not play for the Rams in this game while quarterback Ron Jaworski and wide receiver Mike Quick did not play for the Eagles.
Cunningham scored the only offensive touchdown in this game on a 1-yard run as time expired. Philadelphia punt returner Gregg Garrity scored the only other touchdown in the game on a 55-yard return.
Eagles right defensive tackle Reggie White managed to sack Dils twice.
In the original game played at Veterans Stadium on Sunday, September 28, 1986, coach Buddy Ryan's Eagles beat coach John Robinson's Rams 34-20.
Week 4, New Orleans Saints at New York Giants
When 1986 New Orleans Saints halfback Rueben Mayes scampered 19 yards for a touchdown with 04:00 remaining in the 3rd quarter, 1986 New York Giants fans felt nervous. Up to that point in the game, the Giants had held Mayes in check, but now the score was 13-7 in favor of New York, and Mayes looked hungry for another touchdown. An extra point could put the Saints ahead of the Giants, and suddenly New York's stalled first-quarter drives that ended in field goals looked cringe-worthy.But Giants quarterback Phil Simms and his men stuck to their plan, and after another Raul Allegre field goal and a 6-yard Maurice Carthon touchdown run late in the 4th quarter, the Giants trotted back into their home locker room victorious 23-7.
Simms played well in this game completing 19 of 31 pass attempts for 271 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions, with split end Bobby L. Johnson leading all receivers with 5 catches for 133 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown catch. Giants tight end Mark Bavaro also pulled in 5 passes for 50 yards. The Giants backfield struggled however, gaining 71 net yards on 35 attempts. The New Orleans defense sacked Simms 4 times, with left defensive end Bruce Clark getting 2.
The Saints offense, meanwhile, played lousy, with quarterback Bobby Hebert completing only 12 of 26 pass attempts for 133 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. He connected with 8 different receivers but did not find the end zone. In the running game, Mayes reached 119 yards on 21 carries, but without support from his quarterback, Mayes's efforts were largely for naught.
In the original game played in Giants Stadium on Sunday, September 28, 1986, coach Bill Parcells and his Giants beat coach Jim Mora's Saints 20-17.
Week 4, Seattle Seahawks at Washington Redskins
As time expired to end the first half, 1986 Seattle Seahawks placekicker Norm Johnson split a 21-yard field goal to close the score 10-6 in favor of the 1986 Washington Redskins, and for the next 26 minutes, the Seahawks managed to hold back the Redskins offense, but Seattle failed to score again, and with 03:51 remaining in the game, Washington quarterback Jay Schroeder scored a touchdown on a quarterback sneak, and the Redskins finished victorious 17-6.The Seahawks began this game with starting quarterback Dave Krieg and starting halfback Curt Warner out with injuries, along with wide receiver Daryl Turner. And during the game, the Seahawks lost free safety Eugene Robinson and left inside linebacker Fredd Young to injuries.
Backup Seahawks quarterback Gale Gilbert completed 30 of 42 pass attempts (a 71.4% completion percentage), but he averaged only 5.4 yards per attempt and failed to score a touchdown while throwing 2 interceptions. Flanker Steve Largent was the leading receiver for Seattle with 12 catches for 78 yards. Backup halfback Randall Morris rushed for 82 yards on 17 carries in relief for Warner.
The Redskins, too, began the game with injuries at key positions, with tight end Clint Didier missing on offense, and with left linebacker Calvin Daniels and right defensive tackle Darryl Grant missing on defense.
Despite the fact the Redskins were outplayed by the Seahawks, with Seattle covering 344 yards to Washington's 310 yards on offense, the Redskins benefited from 75 yards in penalties against Seattle while Washington did not commit a single penalty in this game. The Seahawks also sacked Schroeder 3 times, and held Washington starting halfback George Rogers to just 78 yards on 25 carries. But Schroeder completed 12 of 25 pass attempts for 249 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, with Art Monk catching 6 passes for 119 yards and Gary Clark catching 3 passes for 114 yards.
In the original game played at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium on Sunday, September 28, 1986, coach Joe Gibbs's Redskins beat coach Chuck Knox's Seahawks 19-14.
Week 4, Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings
With both starting quarterbacks out of the game injured, the 1986 Minnesota Vikings proved that their second-stringer was worth his paycheck as the Vikings beat the 1986 Green Bay Packers 31-17.With Randy Wright out injured, Packers quarterback Chuck Fusina completed just 22 of 41 pass attempts for 176 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception, with Eddie Lee Ivery leading the team with 6 catches for 52 yards. On the ground, Gerry Ellis rushed for 43 yards on 8 carries.
With Tommy Kramer out injured, Vikings quarterback Wade Wilson completed 21 of 41 pass attempts for 220 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions, with split end Anthony Carter pulling in 6 catches for 51 yards, tight end Mike Mularkey catching 6 for 40 yards, and flanker Leo Lewis pulling down 4 for 68 yards. Vikings halfback Darrin Nelson led all rushers with 13 carries for 80 yards.
Vikings left linebacker Chris Doleman sacked Fusina twice.
In the original game played in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on Sunday, September 28, 1986, coach Jerry Burns's Vikings beat coach Forrest Gregg's Packers 42-7.
Week 5, New York Giants at St. Louis Cardinals
The 1986 St. Louis Cardinals played tough defense and held the 1986 New York Giants to just 3 points in the first half, but the Giants surged in the second half to win the game 27-6.While the Cardinals defense played well in the first half, with right defensive end Al Baker getting two sacks, the Cardinals offense didn't play well at all. Quarterback Neil Lomax completed only 9 of 37 pass attempts for 90 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception. In the running game, Stump Mitchell gained 42 yards on 11 carries in the first half but left the game with an injury early in the 3rd quarter.
For the Giants, Phil Simms completed 16 of 29 pass attempts for 204 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions, with Bobby L. Johnson catching 5 passes for 102 yards. On the ground, Joe Morris gained 158 yards on 23 carries.
In the original game played at Busch Stadium on Sunday, October 5, 1986, coach Bill Parcells's Giants beat coach Gene Stallings's Cardinals 13-6.
Week 5, Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons
From the opening kickoff, 1986 Philadelphia Eagles fans knew this was going to be one of those games.When 1986 Atlanta Falcons placekicker Mick Luckhurst launched the opening kickoff, Eagles returner Charles Crawford fumbled the ball and Falcons right cornerback James Britt, playing special teams, picked up the ball and advanced it to Philadelphia's 11-yard line. Four plays later and only 90 seconds into the game, Falcons quarterback David Archer was forced to run and he trotted 11 yards for a touchdown.
Just seven minutes later, Falcons right defensive end Rick Bryan sacked and forced Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham to fumble. Bryan picked up the ball and ran 19 yards for a touchdown.
Philadelphia led this game with 291 yards of total offense to Atlanta's 229, but in the end Atlanta walked away victorious 37-21.
Neither quarterback did well passing. Archer completed 15 of 32 pass attempts for 168 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions, with receiver Charlie Brown pulling down 5 passes for 66 yards. For the Eagles, Cunningham completed just 14 of 38 pass attempts for 146 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, but he led all rushers in the ground game with 11 carries for 119 yards and 1 touchdown. Eagles split end Mike Quick caught 5 passes for 68 yards.
The best running back in this game was Eagles halfback Keith Byars with 15 carries for 73 yards and 1 touchdown and with 2 catches for 32 yards. Meanwhile, the Eagles held Falcons halfback Gerald Riggs to just 21 yards on 20 carries while allowing fullback Cliff Austin 34 yards on 7 carries.
Three players tallied multiple sacks, including Eagles right defensive tackle Reggie White with 2 and Falcons rookie nose tackle Tony Casillas and right defensive end Rick Bryan with 2 apiece.
In the original game played at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium on Sunday, October 5, 1986, coach Buddy Ryan's Eagles beat coach Dan Henning's Falcons 16-0.
Week 5, Washington Redskins at New Orleans Saints
The first half was the battle of the placekickers as the 1986 Washington Redskins ran to the locker room ahead 9-3 over the 1986 New Orleans Saints.The Saints would score only field goals in this game as the Redskins came out on top 23-9.
With starting running back George Rogers out injured, Washington quarterback Jay Schroeder took to the air, but he completed only 18 of 34 pass attempts for 229 yards, 1 touchdown, and 5 interceptions, with Art Monk leading all Redskins receivers with 5 catches for 53 yards. Saints left outside linebacker Rickey Jackson nabbed 2 of the 5 intercepted passes.
The Redskins defense stretched the score when strong safety Ken Coffey ran back an interception 89 yards for a touchdown to put Washington up 16-3.
New Orleans quarterback Dave Wilson had a worse outing with 21 completions on 43 attempts for 265 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions, with Coffey nabbing all 3 interceptions. Saints split end Mike Jones led all receivers with 6 catches for 90 yards while Saints tight end John Tice pulled in 6 catches for 77 yards. New Orleans running back Rueben Mayes led all rushers with 14 carries for 82 yards.
In the original game played in the Louisiana Superdome on Sunday, October 5, 1986, Joe Gibbs's Redskins beat Jim Mora's Saints 14-6.
Week 5, Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears
With a wounded list a mile long and with both teams starting the game with backup quarterbacks, the 1986 Minnesota Vikings out-gunned the 1986 Chicago Bears by 86 offensive yards, but turnovers were the deciding factor in this game, and the Bears beat the Vikings 20-7.Quarterback Wade Wilson started the game for the Vikings and completed 21 of 34 pass attempts for 268 yards, 1 touchdown, and 3 interceptions, with tight end Steve Jordan catching 10 passes for 125 yards and with wide receiver Hassan Jones and split end Anthony Carter combining for 7 catches for 109 yards--but with halfback Darrin Nelson out early with an injury, the Minnesota backfield was held to 83 net yards rushing.
Jim McMahon started the game for Chicago and completed 12 of 23 pass attempts for 111 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions, with tight end Emery Moorehead catching 6 passes for 56 yards and with halfback Walter Payton catching 4 passes for 30 yards on top of his 86 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns on 25 carries.
Chicago right defensive tackle William "The Refrigerator" Perry sacked Wilson 3 times in this game.
Before the game, the injury list for the Vikings included quarterback Tommy Kramer, right defensive tackle Keith Millard, and tight end Mike Mularkey, with Nelson joining them in the 2nd quarter.
The injury list before the game for the Bears included quarterback Mike Tomczak and right guard Tom Thayer, with wide receiver Willie Gault joining the list in the 1st quarter and left defensive tackle Steve McMichael, strong safety Dave Duerson, left cornerback Mike Richardson, and left defensive end Dan Hampton joining the injury list later in the game.
In the original game played at Soldier Field on Sunday, October 5, 1986, coach Mike Ditka's Bears beat coach Jerry Burns's Vikings 23-0.
Week 6, Chicago Bears at Houston Oilers
WEEK 6, GAME 1 OF 1986 NFL SEASON REPLAY: On the very first play from scrimmage, 1986 Houston Oilers quarterback Warren Moon connected with flanker Ernest Givins on a 55-yard pass, but that's where the fireworks ended as the 1986 Chicago Bears walked away victorious 29-10.With Givins out injured early in the game, Moon managed to complete only 5 of 23 pass attempts for 105 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, with split end Drew Hill pulling in 3 passes for 43 yards. The Oilers tried to get things going on the ground, and halfback Mike Rozier managed 95 yards on 20 carries, but the Bears defense was too stout.
For the Bears, quarterback Jim McMahon completed 16 of 35 pass attempts for 240 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions, with wide receiver Keith Ortego pulling in 7 catches for 101 yards. Despite leaving the game injured during the first half, running back Walter Payton led all Bears rushers with 54 yards on 16 carries. The rest of the Bears backfield combined for an additional 168 yards rushing.
In the original game played in the Houston Astrodome on Sunday, October 12, 1986, coach Mike Ditka's Bears beat coach Jerry Glanville's Oilers 20-7.
