NFL Of ’74, ’58 Title Game And Now

Though, the Cincy (Bengals) (-3 or so) (30-24) win over (an incredible Mims TD catch and Payton correctly going for 1 to tie, as a tie, which nearly manifested, would have given Denver an ‘offs spot, made el over 50 very probable) Denver (Broncos) yesterday, makes the ‘offs qualifying situation a tad (what is a tad, I will say a bit) more interesting, I believe, just as 50 years ago in 1974, when the then 8 ‘offs qualifiers were known before the final week, most of the ‘offs mystery, certainly that regarding qualification is no big mystery.

Ten of the now 14 ‘offs participants are known, while the Rams and Broncos, the former a (-6 plus/(13-9) winner at night, vs Arizona (Cardinals) yesterday, control their destiny, with the other ‘offs spot to be the winner of the mediocre NFC South where both Atlanta (it is their tiebreaker) and Tampa Bay are (8-7) with 2 tilts remaining.

More clarification after the remaining 10 games, 8 with some meaning, though again we know close to all of the ‘offs qualifiers.

On December 28, 1958 the famed ’58 Title Game between the Colts and Giants was played in New York. Today’s redux between the two franchises has a bit (or is it a “tad?”) more meaning, after the Denver loss, as the (7-8) Colts still have ‘offs qualifying hope.

I hail the still alive Baltimore Colts greats, Lenny Moore and Raymond Berry, who played in that most important (the!) game.

Finally, in researching the remembered as no meaningful ’74 season finale tilts, the Cardinals needed a win or Wash loss to clinch the “div.”

At that time they were in both St. Louis and the NFC East, but I believe both teams were already ‘offs qualifiers.

St. Louis beat the (2-12) Giants (the Giants (2-13) this season were (2-11-1) the year before, (’73) (6-0) in exhibition games, and were (1-12-1) in ’64. This is a bad stretch, however, this still glorified and certainly important franchise, an all-time “value team” (4 Supe wins in 5 such games) as are their namesake baseball Giants under Bruce Bochy, after being the virtual opposite from say (’57-’63 in football and at least say ’59-2003 in baseball. One day more specifics though it is a sports theme I have cited before) to win the “div.”

Wash, which 34 years earlier lost (73-0) to the Bears in the 1940 NFL Title Game, ripped “Chi” that December 15, 1974 day.

Of all people, coach George Allen wont to do “certain things” at or near game’s end, when way ahead, sent the great defensive lineman David “Deacon” Jones on to attempt the extra point, with the score (41-0) Chi.

Deacon Jones kicked an extra point in his final NFL game

I guess he made it!!

The great Lenny Moore, still on this earth at age 91 was used mostly as a decoy that relatively warm New York day in ’58, helping another great, still with us at 91, Raymond Berry have a great game.