NFL Films

Thursday, December 02, 2004 4:25 PM

As you know, I've decided to start watching more NFL Films. In the last 24 hours, I've seen about an hour of NFL Films, and they've been wonderful.

And I've made another important decision -- that I need to start studying for these episodes in advance. What happens is that I get stuck following the plot of the show and miss all of the details. If I already knew the plot, then I'd be free to focus on which player missed his block, the stadium signs, etc., instead of getting all caught up in whether or not the featured team wins. (I'm reminded how much richer Simpsons episodes on second and subsequent viewings. If you know how things are going to go, you're free to notice things like the "Krudler" joke.)

So, anyway, tomorrow's episode is the 1968 Baltimore Colts, and so tonight I'm going to spend some time reading about that team.

Now, here are some notes from the two episodes I've seen in the last two days.

I saw an NFL Game of the Week episode, hosted by Ray Scott, about the Oct. 7, 1973, Eagles-Bills game in Buffalo. First, isn't it astounding that a 1973 game between the Eagles and Bills would be considered worthy of Game of the Week status? The big deal here, though, is that Buffalo is 2-1 and tied for the AFC East lead with Miami. Also, the Bills had just drafted stud offensive linemen Joe DeLaimalleure and Paul Seymour in the first round of the last two drafts, so there's probably some thought that Buffalo is a coming power. O.J. Simpson is on pace to break Jim Brown's single-season rushing record, and a rookie, Joe Ferguson, has played himself ahead of Dennis Shaw at quarterback. Philadelphia, then, is of some interest because its new quarterback is former passing champion Roman Gabriel.

The game, at Rich Stadium, is back and forth. In the fourth quarter, Simpson is stopped after one yard on a third-and-2 by Eagles linebacker Marvin McKeever, and then John Leypoldt comes on to kick a 47-yard field goal for a 27-26 lead. Philadelphia comes back down the field, finally stopping the clock with three seconds remaining at the Buffalo 19. (The key play here was an amazing fourth-and-13 conversion where Gabriel throws high into triple coverage and rookie tight end Charley Young outleaps the three Bills defenders for the first-down catch.) On comes Tom Dempsey, who in 1973 looked a lot like I would look today in a skin-tight NFL jersey, and he immediately knows his 26-yard attempt is a miss. Buffalo wins.

A few other things:

-- I guess this must've been the last year of the goal post at the goal line. I don't remember ever seeing a game with it up there, and I think I definitely remember watching some of the 1974 regular season. Anyway, I love the idea of putting the defender back at the goal post to try to jump and block the kick back into the field of play. Hate it that that's illegal today.

-- O.J. was really, really, really great.

-- The Bills had won AFL titles in 1964 and '65 under Lou Saban, so I guess it's understandable that the NFL Films guys might've thought Buffalo was about to move back past Miami in the AFC East. That's only nine years removed from this game.

This morning, I watched a film on the 1968 Oakland Raiders, and I was more in an out with this one. But what an AFL West race that was! Kansas City and Oakland were tied for the division lead with three games to go, and both teams won out to force a playoff. Oakland opened a 21-0 lead -- all on long passes -- and then, in the second quarter, hold the Chiefs to six points despite two drives to inside the Oakland 5 (bad for Stephen). Late in the first half, Fred Biletnikoff catches a short pass, fakes Johnny Robinson and then high steps out of the reach of some lunging defenders for a 28-6 lead, and, ultimately, the Raiders win 41-6. Biletnikoff was a very impressive runner after the catch, and this show reinforces my feeling that Randy Moss is the Biletnikoff of his day.

Incidentally, the Raiders are trailing, 27-23, late against the Jets in the AFL championship and driving. Daryle Lamonica flairs a miserable pass behind a running back trailing out of the backfield, and the Jets recover the fumble to hold on for the win -- and head to the Orange Bowl for the Super Bowl with the Colts. During the offseason, John Madden is named the new head coach of the Raiders.