Brooker's FG finally edges Houston, 20-17
04:34 AM CDT on Tuesday, July 5, 2005
This story appeared in the December 24, 1962 editions of The
Dallas Morning News.
HOUSTON, Texas -- The foot finally proved deadlier than arm in gray,
misty Jeppesen Stadium Sunday as the Dallas Texans used Tommy Brooker's
25-yard field goal to boot the Houston Oilers off the American Football
League throne in the longest game ever played. For the record, the score
was 20-17.
This one also must have been one of the greatest games ever played from
the standpoint of excitement, suspense and violent conflict between two
determined teams.
A similar phrase was hung on Baltimore's 24-17 victory over New York for
the NFL title in sudden-death overtime in 1958 and Sunday's swinger had
the same elements flashing before a raging, raving overflow crowd of
37,981.
And this one was 10 minutes longer than the Colt-Giant classic.
Hank Stram (1923-2005)
Hall of Fame coach Stram dead at 82 From the archives: From Pro Football Hall of Fame official site:
The AFL's version of "the longest day" finally exploded across the
finish line slightly more than three hours after the almost forgotten 2
p.m. kick-off. Dallas and Houston were tied 17-17, when the fourth
15-minute quarter expired, so they played another 15 minutes and 54
seconds before finally settling the issue.
But when Brooker's turn to settle it arrived, the classy rookie end was
ready. He stood calmly as quarterback Len Dawson placed the ball on the
25-yard line, stepped forward, swung his leg smoothly and sent a
straight, line-drive kick through the uprights to end this frantic
struggle and the Oilers' 2-year-reign as league kings.
This actually was a wildly spectacular 3-act play which couldn't have
improved on the excitement and entertainment, which it spread before the
packed stadium and a national television audience.
The first act was an all-Dallas show. That was the first half, when the
Texans tore away to a 17-0 lead and dominated the entire 30 minutes so
strongly that folks were beginning to feel sorry for the Oilers by
intermission.
But the second act was an all-Houston affair. The defending champions
rebounded violently as soon as they received the second half kick-off
and controlled the rest of the regular game except for a few tremendous
defensive plays which saved the Texans from defeat.
The biggest defensive masterpiece had to be all-AFL middle linebacker
Sherrill Headrick's blocking George Blanda's attempted field goal from
the Dallas 42-yard line with three minutes left. The score was tied
17-17, and the Texans appeared to be doomed until Headrick smashed
straight over the Houston blockers and slammed an angry hand squarely
against the football.
The Texans, whose offense was bullied badly by the blitzing Oilers
defense in the second half, couldn't move past the Houston 46-yard line
and finally was forced back to their 35 and forced to punt with 14
seconds left. The Oilers had time for one play but Blanda's long pass
fell incomplete as Dallas rushed only one man and 10 dropped back to
protect against the touchdown which would destroy the dream of their
first title.
So it went in overtime and the Texans immediately looked like they were
in trouble again.
There was a new coin flip by the referee preceding the sudden-death
session, and Dallas offensive captain Abner Haynes called it right.
Haynes had been instructed by Texans coach Hank Stram to choose the
north goal with a 14-mph aiding wind, but in the confusion on the field,
Abner first said that the Texans would kick.
It was assumed that they would do that anyway if they exercised their
option by selecting a goal. But when Haynes announced the intention to
kick, Houston then had the privilege of electing to take the north goal
and the wind which Dallas intended to take.
So Houston had its cake and could eat it, too. It didn't help too much,
however, and the Oilers eventually choked on it.
Their first possession started with great promise from the Houston 34
when Blanda hit Willard Dewveall, his best receiver Sunday, for nine
yards on first down. But then Blanda scorned the chance to run for the
yard to make another first down and threw twice more.
Both times the 13-year pro vetern threw weakly behind Billy Cannon on
the right side. So Houston punted.
But the Texans' offense continued to be frozen in its tracks by a
gallant defense led by tackle Ed Hussman and linebackers Doug Cline,
Mike Dukes and Gene Babb. So Eddie Wilson, who had succeeded James
Saxton's weak punting with some more weak punting, sent a 27-yarder to
the Houston 45.
Once again the Oilers were in fine position to move into field goal
range and finish it all. But Blanda persisted in passing some more after
Texan linebacker E.J. Holub ended Oiler running ace Charley Tolar's day
with a savage tackle. And Blanda, who had suffered three interceptions
at critical moments during the regular game, was burned again when
safety Johnny Robinson stole his throw up the middle and returned 13 to
the Oiler 47.
The Texans stalled again but this time Wilson's punt rolled nicely to
the Oiler 12.
But that's where Blanda fired up a drive which appeared destined to stop
this marathon. His passes to Dewveall for 12, Charley Hennigan for 9 and
Bob McLeod for 15 featured a surge to the Texan 35. McLeod's neat run
after his catch gave Houston first down and life looked dark for Dallas.
Headrick and end Mel Branch slammed Tolar's sub, Dave Smith, for a yard
loss, however, and Blanda turned to the air again although he already
was in field goal range. He aimed a pass at Hennigan on the right side
but end Bill Hull, dropping off to back the line on short passes, sprung
up to intercept at the Texan 27. Hull, another rookie and a former
college basketball star, moved upfield like he was running a fast break
before he was stopped at the 50.
Dallas ran two plays and the first 15-minute overtime period was over,
sending the game into an unprecedented "sixth quarter."
That's when Jack Spikes started making the big plays which won him the
outstanding player award in the post-game voting of sports writers.
Sidelined with a leg injury mid-season and mainly a sub for rookie
Curtis McClinton when he returned to action, the veteran fullback
ignited his team by taking Dawson's pass in the right flat and surging
10 yards to the Houston 38, Dallas' deepest penetration since that first
half long ago.
Then Dawson counter-attacked against the Oilers raging blitz by sending
Spikes off left tackle and away from the heavy traffic. Jack bolted for
19 and Dallas was in business on the Oilers 19.
Spikes almost had a touchdown on the next play when Dawson fired to him
in the open at the 5. But he tripped as he pivoted to grab the ball and
it fell incomplete.
Dawson nudged the ball to the 17, however, and jockeyed it to the middle
of the field to set up Brooker's big moment.
After a time out to clean the mud from his kicking shoe, the sturdy
Alabaman kicked perfectly and the Texans had their first title after
three years of suffering.
Much earlier, however, you would have bet the family jewels on their
winning it in a breeze instead of a brawl. The Texans killed Houston's
one big threat of the first half with Holub's interception on the goal
line and from there Dallas danced to a 17-0 halftime lead.
Blanda, who suffered a record 42 interceptions during the regular
14-game season and was burned badly by Texan thefts in a 31-7 rout here
two months ago, stuck with mostly short and medium-range throws this
time but still had troubles.
Some of the trouble could be blamed on Blanda, but some also had to be
blamed on his receivers.
Holub's interception and dandy return to the Texan 43, however, appeared
to be Blanda's fault. Forced back to the Dallas 9 on third down after
having a first down on the 5. Blanda chose to throw into the congested
middle and the ball went behind Tolar, the intended receiver.
But Holub was there to snag it and the Texans escaped an early deficit
and headed for a big advantage of their own.
Dallas enjoyed itself running against the Oilers throughout the first
two quarters as Stram juggled his backfield and sent Haynes to flanker
while using Spikes and McClinton as his "bull" backs. This worked well
to the Oiler 8, but there the Texans were forced to settle for Brooker's
field goal from the 15 for a 3-0 lead with 4:30 left in the first
quarter.
But next time the Texans sailed 80 yards in four plays for a TD and a
10-0 lead. Spikes' 33-yard bolt up the left sideline got them rolling
and a 15-yard penalty against an Oiler for grabbing his face mask aided
the cause. Then from the 28 Dawson turned to his rarely used passing
attack and hit Haynes, who slipped past defender Tony Banfield on the
sideline at 20 and tightroped across for the score.
Dave Grayson intercepted another Blanda pass, sped 20 yards to the Oiler
29 later in the second quarter and the Texans scored another TD in seven
plays.
McClinton and Haynes handled the footwork this time and Abner slashed
through the left side to score from the 2.
There was still 3:40 left in the half and everyone was wondering if the
Oilers were going to be humiliated even worse than they were on the
Texans' last visit.
But the Oilers showed a brief spark after Bobby Jancik's spendid 48-yard
kick-off return to midfield and drove to the Texan 25. But Hennigan and
Dewveall dropped passes on third and fourth down and the Oilers could
only go to the locker room and sulk over their misfortune.
They did something about it in the second half though. Blanda and his
receivers decided to get in tune and they made beautiful music in a
6-play, 67-yard TD drive.
George's three shots to Dewveall were the key plays. The first carried
24 to the Texan 43. The second carried 12 to the 15. And the pay-off was
a 15-yarder which the rangy tight end caught as he fell into the end
zone.
The Texans started dying offensively then and it was only their
astounding defensive toughness which kept them from being run clear into
the Gulf of Mexico.
Haynes' fumble at the Dallas 19 gave the Oilers a shining opportunity to
close the gap some more late in the third quarter, but Robinson's
goal-line theft of a Blanda pass directed at an open Dewveall killed it.
Next the Oilers drove from their 43 to the Texan 15 but the Dallas
defense foiled them again. This time, however, they managed to add three
points on Blanda's 31-yard field goal.
Eleven minutes still remained and you wondered if the Texans could hold
them off. Blanda answered that by teaming with Cannon on two passes
worth 37 yards to set up Tolar's 1-yard blast 5:58 left.
Then it was 17-17, and Houston appeared headed for its third title when
Wilson's punt rolled only to the Dallas 41 after the Oiler defense had
slapped the Texans down again.
But the Texans' defense wouldn't quit and forced Blanda's 42-yard field
goal try on fourth-and-4. Headrick roared through (getting there just an
instant before Grayson), blocked it and the stage was set for the type
of finish no football audience had witnessed before.
In the end, the Texans' first title had to be credited primarily to
their gutty defense. Holub, Branch, Hull, Headrick, Robinson, Grayson,
Jerry Mays, Duane Wood, Paul Rochester and everyone else played so well
that the offense knew it just couldn't lose this one.
Finally, Spikes' big run and Brooker's big kick made sure that the they
didn't. Houston's reign was broken and the largest crowd in AFL history
staggered out of the stadium with the feeling that they may have just
witnessed the beginning of a Dallas dynasty.
• Hired in Dallas (12/21/59)
•
Texans' debut (9/11/60)
•
AFL champs (12/24/62)
•
Profile | Enshrinement speech
