Detroit Lions (9-2) 26, Green Bay Packers (10-1) 14
Thursday November 22nd 1962 (at Detroit)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(DETROIT) - The inevitable has happened. The Packers lost. Detroit did it. The score was 26-14. Thirty million people, via nationwide television, plus 57,598 in the flesh saw the game in Tiger Stadium Thanksgiving Day. This was no disgrace. The proud world champions lost to two forces - the Lions, who are perennial runnersup to the champs, and Pressure, built up by an 18-game winning streak, not to mention 10 straight league victories. The monkey is off the Pack's back now. They are still in control of the Western Division title chase, with a one-game lead on Detroit and three games to go. The Bays have 10-1, the Lions 9-2. Green Bay plays the Rams, 49ers and Rams; the Lions meet the Colts, Vikings and Bears. The Packers fell behind 7-0 in the first quarter and then gave up 16 points in the second for a 23-0 halftime deficit. The Bays fought the Lions down to a field goal in the third quarter and then finally hit the board with two touchdowns in Quarter 4. The Lions scored on Milt Plum passes of 33 and 27 yards to Gail Cogdill and a six-yard return of a fumble by Sam Williams; a 47-yard field goal by Plum; and a safety by Roger Brown. The Packers scored on Willie Davis' recovery of an interception by Bil Quinlan and a four-yard smash by Jim Taylor - both in the fourth quarter. Thus, the defensive unit scored half the points and, incidentally, set up Taylor's TD by recovering a fumble on the Lion 14. Quinlan at first was credited with the TD but the official scorer later checked with the referee (Bill Downs) who said Quinlan didn't have possession when he crossed the goal line. Davis fell on the ball a few yards away. The Lions seemed to be in a frenzy and they virtually ate up the entire Packer offense. The Bays' attack was driven back almost as many yards as it advanced and Bart Starr didn't have a chance under pressure from Darris McCord, Alex Karras, Roger Brown and Williams. The Bays were credited with 132 yards on offense, but Starr was thrown back nine times for losses of 83 yards trying to pass, another 22 yards was lost on Williams' fumble recovery and still another 14 was lost when Tom Moore and Taylor were socked five times before they got back to the line of scrimmage. These losses totaled 119 yards, leaving a "net" of 13 yards. The Packers finished with 73 yards rushing and 59 yards passing, including a minus 7 (net) passing in the second half. Actually, Starr had 142 yards passing on 11 completions in 19 attempts but the 83 stripes lost attempting to pass comes off, leaving a 59 net. Incidentally, the Bays lost only 133 yards attempting to pass in their first 10 games. The offense's longest move of the day was 56 yards just before the half. This was kept alive on a roughing the punter penalty when Max McGee was kicking from the end zone. Starr completed five straight passes and with four seconds in the half Jerry Kramer's field goal was partially blocked. The scoring unit committed three fumbles (Moore, Taylor, Starr) and Bart had two passes intercepted. Taylor was limited to 47 yards in 13 carries, including one of 20 yards. The Packer defense intercepted two passes (Jess Whittenton and Quinlan), recovered three fumbles (two by Willie Davis and one by Hank Gremminger) and blocked two field goals (Herb Adderley and Quinlan). That's a good piece of work and the ringleader was Quinlan. The Lions were held to an even 300 yards, including 153 rushing, although Plum and his successor late in the game, Earl Morrall, weren't thrown for a loss all day. The Lions, of course, took advantage of Ken Iman at left linebacker and ran most of their plays that way. This was Iman's first game on defense as a pro. Iman had a finger in a key play right at the start. The Lions received the opening kickoff and roared downfield, reaching the Packer 22. Danny Lewis hit off Iman's side and promptly fumbled, with Gremminger recovering. The Bays cut loose, too, getting a 26-yard gain on Starr's pass to Mcgee but the roof fell in. Starr was chased for a 16-yard loss and Boyd Dowler went back to punt. The boot traveled only 16 yards, going out of bounds near the Packer bench and giving the Lions position on the Bay 39. Three plays later Cogdill got behind Willie Wood and took Plum's pass in the end zone for a 7-0 lead. Wayne Walker kicked the first of three extra points. Moore ripped 17 yards on a reverse, but, boom, Starr was thrown back nine. Dowler's next punt was partially blocked and then the two clubs exchanged fumble recoveries. Davis recovered Lewis' fumble on the Lion 48 and on the first play Carl Brettschneider grabbed Moore's fumble on the Lion 47. The Lions scored in six plays as the game moved into the second quarter. Watkins and Webb ran it to the Packer 27 in four plays and on a third and 13 situation Plum dropped the ball into Cogdill's arms in the end zone, with Herb Adderley guarding him closely. This started a 16-point splurge in 2 minutes and 18 seconds. The Cogdill TD came at 58 second of the second quarter and 21 seconds later the 300-pound Brown thundered virtually unmolested on Starr. The QB fumbled and Williams scooped it up and ran in for a TD. That made it 21-0. Adderley fumbled the kickoff on the four and recovered on the 10. On the first play Taylor was thrown for a six-yard loss by Brown. After Moore gained 3, Starr tried to hit Moore in the right flat and Brown tackled Starr in the end zone for a safety at 3:16 and a 23-0 edge. The game started to get a little rough and the defenses took over, except for the Pack surge just before the half. Plum tried a field goal from the 39 and Quinlan blocked it. McGee punted on the Pack's next series and both teams were nicked for personal
fouls. On McGee's next punt try, he ran instead as the alley opened up and made a first down. The Bays gave up the ball on downs on the Lion 38 when Taylor couldn't get a yard. A Lion punt and J. Kramer's field goal try ended the half. The Packers fortunately received to start the second half but on the second play Lane intercepted Starr's pass intended for Dowler. Plum then booted his 47-yard field goal to make it 26-0. The game see-sawed for the rest of the third period. McGee punted, Whittenton intercepted Plum's pass, McGee punted again and almost had it blocked by Scholtz, and then Plum's field goal try from the 19 was blocked by Adderley. On the last play of the third quarter Moore made 4 yards and on the fourth quarter's first play Taylor fumbled and Lary recovered on the Lion 42. The Lions were nicked for holding and two plays later Quinlan intercepted Plum's pass and lunged into the end zone for six. J. Kramer's kick made it 26-7.
TIME TO WIN
With about 12 minutes left, the Packers had time to win and they quickly forced a punt. Wood took the boot and returned 24 yards to midfield. Starr passed to Dowler for five yards, though the ball was deflected, and Taylor ran 25 yards to the 22. The Bays looked dangerous, but a Lion defender slightly tipped a Starr pass aimed at McGee and LeBeau intercepted right in front of Maxie. After an exchange of punts, Davis recovered Morrall's fumble on the Lion 14. Starr was smeared for a 5-yard loss but then passed to R. Kramer for 12 yards. Moore added two and Taylor's good second effort brought the first down. Jim then barreled up the middle for his 15th TD of the season. That was the Pack's last shot at the ball. Wood tried an onside kick, but the Lions recovered and ran out the clock.
GREEN BAY - 0 0 0 14 - 14
DETROIT - 7 16 3 0 - 26
GREEN BAY DETROIT
First Downs 11 14
Rushing-Yards-TD 27-73-1 40-157-0
Att-Comp-Yd-TD-Int 19-11-142-0-2 18-10-147-2-2
Sack Yards Lost 93 0
Total Yards 122 304
Fumbles-lost 5-3 3-3
Turnovers 5 5
Yards penalized 3-25 6-59
SCORING
1st - DET - Gail Cogdill, 33-yard pass from Milt Plum (Wayne Walker kick) DETROIT 7-0
2nd - DET - Cogdill, 27-yard pass from Plum (Walker kick) DETROIT 14-0
2nd - DET - Sam Williams, 6-yard fumble return (Walker kick) DETROIT 21-0
2nd - DET - Safety, Roger Brown tackled Bart Starr in the end zone DETROIT 23-0
3rd - DET - Plum, 47-yard field goal DETROIT 26-0
4th - GB - Willie Davis recovered fumble in end zone (Jerry Kramer kick) DETROIT 26-7
4th - GB - Jim Taylor, 4-yard run (J. Kramer kick) DETROIT 26-14
RUSHING
GREEN BAY - Jim Taylor 13-47 1 TD, Tom Moore 9-24, Max McGee 1-8, Bart Starr 4-(-6)
DETROIT - Ken Webb 11-62, Tom Watkins 17-55, Dan Lewis 7-16, Milt Plum 1-12, Earl Morrall 3-9, Nick Pietrosante 1-3
PASSING
GREEN BAY - Bart Starr 19-11-142 2 INT
DETROIT - Milt Plum 16-8-137 2 TD 2 INT, Earl Morrall 2-2-10
RECEIVING
GREEN BAY - Ron Kramer 4-62, Boyd Dowler 4-41, Max McGee 2-37, Tom Moore 1-2
DETROIT - Gail Cogdill 3-79 2 TD, Jim Gibbons 3-24, Pat Studstill 2-35, Tom Watkins 1-7, Ken Webb 1-2
Green Bay head coach Vince Lombardi shakes hands with Detroit head coach George Wilson after a game at Tiger Stadium between the Packers and Lions on November 22, 1962. Detroit won 26-14 to hand Lombardi and the Packers their only loss of that season.
'WE'LL BE A LOT BETTER BALL CLUB FOR IT,' LOMBARDI SAYS
NOV 23 (Detroit-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - A resilient Vince Lombardi, who might well have been in mourning, struck an optimistic note in the wake of the Packers' Thanksgiving Day disaster. Although hardly disposed to minimize the marauding Detroit Lion's 26-14 achievement, a resounding triumph which cracked an 18-game Packer winning streak, Lombardi declared, "From now on, we'll be a lot better ball club for it. I think we're all a little relieved." Did he mean by this that his athletes had been under pressure? "I can't answer that as far as the game is concerned, but the players have been under tremendous pressure in recent weeks because of the winning streak. But," he added with haste, "take nothing away from the Lions. They did a terrific job today." "George (Lion head coach George Wilson) must have given them the needle," the Packers' resident genius added with as hearty a chuckle as he could manage under the circumstances. Analyzing the situation, he said, "We did a little better job in the second half - we were coming off the ball faster - but int he first half, they just overpowered us. They're a tremendous defensive ball club." Speaking of defense, had the Lions done anything unexpected in the first half? "They did a lot of blitzing and crossing in there," Lombardi admitted, "and it confused us a little bit. Our blockers couldn't get their defensive man, they were moving so fast." In this connection, Lombardi volunteered, "I think the young kid (Ken Iman, who filled in for the injured Dan Currie and Nelson Toburen at linebacker) did a pretty fair job for us. He got caught a couple of times, but overall he did a good job." Would he have used Paul Hornung had the game been closer? "I probably wouldn't have," he said. "Maybe I would have if it had been tied up but that situation," Vince noted with a dry chuckle, "never presented itself. And I doubt if he would have made a very great difference today." Any injuries? "No, that's another thing. We'll have ten days off before we play the Rams in Milwaukee Dec. 2," Vince pointed out. "Hornung should be ready for that one and so should Currie." Did he think the Packers had been flat? "No, I didn't," the square-shouldered Fordham alumnus declared. "I thought we were going to play a ball game. But the Lions were extremely high. However, we're still in first place. Now we'll have to see if we can stay there. That is the object," Vince grinned, "not to win 'em all - but to stay in first place. Seriously, the Lions played a superb football game - I have no alibis. Even the officials," he admitted with a chuckle, "did well."...His Lions, a hoarse but happy George Wilson imparted with a properly restrained smile, had been men with a mission. "They've been looking forward to this game since the last time we played the Packers in Green Bay," he confided. "They felt in their own minds they should have won that game (the Packers won 9-7 in the closing minutes on a 21-yard field goal by Hornung following a Herb Adderley interception)." There had been no need whatever to get his tigers "up" for their rematch with the world champs,
he added. "You could see it coming all week." This singleness of purpose had resulted in what may have been the greatest defensive performance during his six-year term as Lion head coach," Wilson admitted. "If it wasn't, it was close to it," he said. "There was no letup - they were hustling (a classic understatement) all the time." The only thing that had concerned him, he volunteered, was a second half tendency toward conservatism. "A lot of teams do that," he said. "They get a lead, then they try to run the clock out. We did that to a point today." "I don't care if there's only three minutes to play," the ex-Chicago Bears end insisted. "They can still go out and beat you - you just can't afford to start playing the clock." His offense had functioned with far greater success against the Packers in this one that it had in Green Bay, it was suggested. Any explanation? "I think it was the field," George said. "The field in Green Bay was wet and we couldn't do some of the things we wanted to do - today it was dry. We have that type of runner and receiver - they're much more effective on a dry field." Why had he pulled Milt Plum (who had staked the Lions to a 26-0 lead) in favor of Earl Morrall early in the fourth quarter? "We've still got three games to go," he pointed out. "And Morrall is a good quarterback - he's entitled to play. Earl came off the bench to win the Minnesota game for us last weekend." The Lions had been highly successful with the long ball, a department in which their reputation is far from awesome, it was noted. "That's right," Wilson agreed, "but, personally, I'm not a deep thrower. But we set it up today - and it worked, so we tried it again." He had reference, of course, to Plum's 33- and 27-yard scoring pitches to Gail Cogdill in the first half, items that shot the Lions into a permanent 14-0 lead. Lavish in his praise of Cogdill, Wilson asserted, "You can put him up against any end in the league today. Gail has made some great catches for us this year. He's got some terrific fakes." The Packers, he admitted, probably had missed injured linebackers Dan Currie and Nelson Toburen, observing, "they're both good football players." Somebody chided Wilson, who has been talking in something akin to a whisper, about losing his voice. "I lost it last week," he rasped. "Then I got it back - and I lost it again today." "And I'll tell you one thing, he added with a sign and an eloquent shake of the head. "I've got a terrific headache." Did he think the Packers might lost again (they would have to, and the Lions win their remaining three games to force a tie for the Western Division championship)? "I hope so," the handsome Detroit head man told a Detroit scribe. "Anything can happen you know. It makes no difference who you're playing, it's a game."...PROPHET: Joe Schmidt, the Lions' veteran defensive captain and linebacker extraordinary, is entitled to a bow. He predicted, "We'll Beat Green Bay," a statement which appeared in the Detroit News Wednesday. Following the game, however, he admitted, "I figured we would win but I thought it would be a lot closer." The six-time all-pro, who has been a Lion since 1953, said, "It was the best defensive game we've ever played." "they're supposed to have the greatest offensive line in football, and we handled them like a bag of toys." "I never saw the line so high in my life," said teammate Alex Karras. "We'd just get off at the snap and crack the daylights out of them." "The deep backs and linebackers were covering the receivers so well it gave us time to get Starr," said the Lions' 300-pound Roger Brown. "I'd like to see them again in a playoff."...SWEET FOR SCOOTER: Former Packer Coach Scooter McLean, now backfield coach of the Lions, was more than slightly effervescent. Summing it up with satisfaction, he said, "We controlled it the first half. That was it."...TOP DRAWER: The Turkey Day spectacular, viewed by over 30 million fans, also attracted more than passing attention from the fourth estate. Among those holding forth in the press box were Bob Teague of the New York Times and two photographers from Sports Illustrated...ARC-LIGHTER: Although the sun shone briefly in the third period, the combatants played under Tiger Stadium lights all the way. They were turned on as the Lions (first to appear) took the field for the opening kickoff.
QUINLAN'S 'BOARD HANDS' GRAB BALL
NOV 23 (Detroit-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Swashbuckling Bill Quinlan is living proof that practice does make perfect. The burly Irishman, who blocked a second quarter Detroit field goal and later pilfered a Lion pass to trigger the Packers' first touchdown and brighten an otherwise dismal Thanksgiving Day afternoon in Tiger Stadium, reported. "The first time they tried a field goal, I could have had it. I was trying to pull the center for Hank Jordan and I didn't get a good grip on him. I noticed, though, that Brown (300-pound Roger) didn't close down too well. So the second time, I just shot through the gap and it was clear sailing." Quinlan, it might be added, not only blocked Plum's FG try from the Packer 31 but caught it in mid-air before being wrestled to the turf on the 39. Max McGee shortly wheeled from the punt formation for a first down on the Lion 47 but the drive so expired. "That kick almost took my hand off," Bill confessed while relaxing aboard the Packers' Green Bay-bound airliner. "It was a line drive. I stuck my hand out - it bounced up a couple of feet and came straight at me." "How did you catch it?" Ron Kostelnik queried. "Good hands, baby," Quinlan shot back with a sardonic grin. "Good hands." This is a local joke, since his colleagues are not above twitting the giant defensive end about the lack of "stick-em" on his huge mitts, a condition he takes in stride by referring to himself as "Board Hands." The procedure had been reversed "on the second blocked field goal," he disclosed. "That time Jordan shot the gap and I blocked the center." Discoursing on his other spectacular, that fourth quarter touchdowns, the massive Lawrence, Mass., native explained, "I just batted it up and caught it. I was juggling it when I went into the end zone. The ball was bouncing on my shoulder - it was squirting around. But I had to have possession or they wouldn't have given me the touchdown." (The official scorer originally credited Quinlan with a touchdown but later reversed his decision after checking with Referee Bill Downs and awarded the score to Willie Davis, who recovered Quinlan's fumble in the end zone.) Still smirking over the interception, Bill confided, "They never threw the ball to me in college. When I was at Michigan State, Biggie Munn told me, 'If you ever catch a pass, turn around and bow to the bench.'" Sobering, Quinlan concluded, "I don't care if I ever score - or if I ever block a field goal - as long as we win." Turkey Day's man in the middle, forthright Ken Iman, said, "I wasn't as nervous as I thought I'd be." Normally a center or guard, Ken was pinch hitting for the injured Dan Currie and Nelson Toburen. Not overly pleased with his performance, Iman felt "I had a couple of mistakes on runs that I fouled up on." This did not, however, diminish his interest in the position, he said. "I like it - I played middle linebacker in college. This was the first time I played outside." Iman, who well could model for All-American boy commercials, still could not fully accept what had transpired. "I thought we were going to win," he declared. "Even when we went into the dressing room at halftime, I thought sure we were going to win." Another battered citizen, quarterback Bart Starr, conceded the Lions' savage rush was "the worst I ever faced. They must have injected 'em with something." Mountainous Jerry Kramer, a prime target for Detroit's frightening four, was in complete accord. "They were whaling in there that first half,' he said, emitting a few whistles for emphasis. "They wanted that game awful bad. I've never run against anybody that keyed up. They wer so keyed up that first half you couldn't believe it."
1,000 CHEER; 'WE STILL LOVE YOU...'
NOV 23 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Nearly 1,000 fans were at Austin Straubel Field Thursday evening to cheer the Packers when they returned from their loss at Detroit. A large sign expressed the fans' feelings. It read: "We Still Love You, Packers, 1962-63 Champions, Titletown, U.S.A." The Packers went directly to the Elks Club where they met their families for a Thanksgiving Day dinner.
SERVICE HELD FOR THURSTON'S MOTHER
NOV 23 (Eau Claire) - Funeral services were held today for Mrs. Marie Thurston, mother of Green Bay Packer guard Fred (Fuzzy) Thurston. Mrs. Thurston died Monday while visiting in Florida.
MEMORY: LIONS PUSHED PACKERS BACK 119 YARDS
NOV 24 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The memory lingers on. Especially the manner in which the Lions handed the Packer offense! The loss can be forgotten since it is not duly recorded in the record books. But, man, the way the Lion defense gave our scorers a fit! There is no mystery about it. Coach Vince Lombardi told the gathered press after the game: "We were just overpowered in the first half. Our blockers couldn't get to their defensive men, they were moving so fast." The Packers were smacked back 119 yards in 16 Lion offensive "advances" and quarterback Bart Starr was the target on 11 occasions - many times under a host of Lion crunchers. Starr was feeling fine today, thank you, "other than the usual soreness after a game," he said. The Bays' quarterback paid tribute to the Lions, pointed out: "That was the finest defensive game I've ever seen the Lions play." About the only members of the Packers offensive club who didn't feel the Lions' wrath were Boyd Dowler and Max McGee, who were flanked out wide where the traffic was not congested with Honolulu Blue and Silver. Wayne Walker, the Lions' linebacker and a teammate of Packer Jerry Kramer at Idaho, commented after the game, "The only way you can beat the Packers it to run over them. They expected it to be rough and they like it that way. We didn't trick them; we just got the drop on them." The losses were reduced in the second half but the Lions' powerful rushing cooled off the Packers in another way when it appeared that they might explode. They did it with a pass deflection. The score was 26-7 just after Bill Quinlan and Willie Davis combined for a Packer TD and the Bay defense quickly made the Lions punt. The Packers then got a 24-yard punt return by Willie Wood and they were in business at midfield. Time left: About 12:30 and enough - if all goes well...BOYD STILL GOT IT: Starr's first play was pass on the right side to Dowler for 5 yards. The ball was deflected by the leaping Lions but Boyd still got it. Taylor then scooted around right end for 25 yards to the 22. With this excellent position and slightly over 11 minutes left, Starr hurled a quick shot to McGee off to the left. The ball was deflected en route. Its course wasn't altered particularly but the leaping Lion had slowed it down, enabling Dick LeBeau to step in front of McGee at the last second and intercept...The Packers have now lost 216 yards attempting to pass in 11 games, including 111 in the last two games, 28 vs. Baltimore and 83 vs. the Lions. The '62 pass-loss total is well "ahead" of previous years - 138 yards in 14 games in '61; 118 in 12 in '60; and 131 in 12 in '59...The Bays had their first new player in uniform this season for the Lion game. Going on the active list was Howard Williams, the rookie defensive halfback from Howard University. Williams, who plays safety or cornerbacker, fills the spot left vacant by Nelson Toburen, who is out for the season with a neck injury. Williams is the sixth defensive back. He joins Jess Whittenton, Herb Adderley, Hank Gremminger, Willie Wood and Johnny Symank....BRIEFS: Jerry Kramer was hurt early in the Lion game and is presently being treated for a pinched nerve in his shoulder. He expects to be okay, along with Dan Currie, for the Ram game in Milwaukee Dec. 2. J. Kramer, explaining how the Lions demolished plays before they were started, noted the Packers' missed field goal: "We weren't set when the ball was centered. Bart Starr (holding the ball) and I were looking up at the goal post when the ball was snapped. It was a mixup on a mixed up day."...The Packers, and our town, received national television exposure on two consecutive days this week - the Packer-Lion game Thanksgiving Day and the CBS Eyewitness program Friday night. The Eyewitness half-hour focused a widely different branch of the U.S. public on Green Bay because this program is not a sports show. But the Packers are a special attraction - in and out of sports, because of the little town (and let's face it), the big man (Vince Lombardi), who typifies the kind of success we all dream of, and a fighting team...This is a weekend of rest for the Packers - except for Lombardi and aides Phil Bengtson, Norb Hecker, Bill Austin, Red Cochran and Tom Fears as well as Talent Scout Dick Voris, who are getting ready for the draft in Chicago Dec. 3.
PACKERS NEVER SWEPT ALL FOUR FROM WEST COAST CLUBS
NOV 25 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers have never won all four games in the same season against the two California clubs. But that's what the Bays will have to do if they expect to win the 1962 Western Division title - without giving a thought to the Lions. Green Bay, with a 10-1 record, can take their third straight championship by winning the last three games. The Lions, 9-2, must win all three - and hope. The Rams moved to Los Angeles from Cleveland in 1946 and San Francisco was admitted to the Union of the NFL in 1950. Since '50, the Bays won three out of four from these two clubs on four occasions, but never swept the board. In 1955, the Bays beat the Rams, 30-28, and the 49ers two in a row, 27-21 and 28-7, before that final in LA. The Rams won it, 31-17. Vince Lombardi, since taking over in
'59, has had three-for-four in each of his first three years. In 1959, the Bays nipped the 49ers, 21-20, lost to the Rams, 45-6, and then swept the West Coast trip - Rams (38-20) and 49ers (36-14). In the 1960 championship year, the Bays ripped the 49ers, 41-14, lost to the Rams, 33-31, and then again swept the West - 49ers (13-0) and Rams (35-21). Last year, the Packers downed the 49ers, 30-19, and the Rams, 35-17, before losing at 'Frisco, 22-21, and winning in LA, 24-17. Now the Packers face the Rams in Milwaukee a week from today, the 49ers in 'Frisco Dec. 9 and the Rams in LA Dec. 16. Green Bay could clinch a tie for the title by whipping the Rams in Milwaukee - IF the Lions lose to the Colts in Detroit. After the Colts, the Lions host the Vikings and then close out against the Bears in Chicago. Some of today's games have a "bearing" on the Packers. The Bears still have a chance to tie, providing, of course, they win their final four and the Pack loses all three. The Bears (6-4) will visit Baltimore. If the Colts win, they could go into Detroit with fire in their eyes. Winning one Sunday sometimes gives a team a lift for the following game. Thus, if the Rams dump the Vikings today, the LA's can be expected to be extra tough for the Pack. And beware of the 49ers! If they win in St. Louis, they'll go to Kezar Stadium to play Green Bay with a two-game loss streak under their belts. They downed LA last Sunday. Maybe it boils down to this: Everybody is tough no matter when you play 'em. And if you think it's tough winning in this league, you ought to try picking winners. Let's get on with this afternoon's games:
GIANTS AT REDSKINS - This one matches top two teams in East. It will be TV'd in our area. Giants clobbered Washington in NY, 49-34, behind Y.A. Tittle's passing. Redskins are hurt but Tittle can't be as hot as he was in earlier test. Washington is tough in new home park. Picking Washington would be wishful thinking. We like the Giants, anyhow.
STEELERS AT BROWNS - Pittsburgh still had an outside chance and the Parkermen apparently have their second wind. Pitt won three straight since losing to Cleveland, 41-14. This will be a dilly between two ex-West QB's, Frank Ryan and Ed Browns. Cleveland, we pick after flipping the coin.
49ERS AT CARDINALS - This is season's 11th inter-conference game. West holds 6-4 edge over East. First time 'Frisco ever played at Cardinals. 49ers showed strong offense against tough LA defense last week. Bill Kilmer gained 101 yards rushing last Sunday, John Brodie 281 passing. We stick with the West - 49ers.
BEARS AT COLTS - Bears have improved immensely with passing and showered Dallas and Minnesota with TD passes. Bears beat Colts in earlier match with Bill Wade's fine passing in fourth quarter. Bears will see good Lenny Moore for first time. Bears have won three straight from Colts. We like the Colts in this one - just because they were so tough on the Pack.
COWBOYS AT EAGLES - Both suffering from injuries. Cowboys may have to go without Eddie LeBaron and Frank Clarke. Eagles lost two more receivers last week, Hopalong Cassady and Bobby Walston. Dallas beat Eagles in earlier match, 41-19. If they are able to finish, we'll pick Philly.
RAMS AT VIKINGS - Minnesota scored their first victory of the season over the Rams on the coast. Ram defense is tough, but the Vikings gave the Lions some trouble last week. Another coin flipper: Heads says the Rams.
CONCLUSION - Things are really rough. We came up with only five rights in the eight games, including the Turkey Day business. We were figuring on about 7 or 8-0. The totals now read 38 rights, 30 wrongs for a not-so-hot .558. PS - The Packers go back to work Monday!
PACKERS STILL TOPS, DESPITE BEARS' 57
NOV 26 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers remained as the league's PS and OP leaders today following Sunday's six-game card. Despite the Bears' whopping 57 to 0 win over the Colts, the Packers led the points-scored column with 323. Nobody had a chance to match the Pack's amazing 100 in the opponents-points column. Closest are the Giants, with 314 points scored and the Lions with 137 points allowed. The Packers, who also have the best in the won-lost column with 10-1, are beating their foes by an average score of 29 to 9. But that day figure took a beating in the last two games, a 17-13 win over the aforementioned Colts and a 26-14 loss to the Lions. Thus, the Packers were outscored by a composite 39 to 31 (19 to 15) in their last two games. And that points up the major objective ahead - points. The Bays hope to get a point revival going against the Rams in Milwaukee next Sunday and then continue against the 49ers and Rams the following two Sundays. The Rams put on something of a revival themselves in Minneapolis, storming from behind to gain a 24-24 tie with the Vikings. The Packers returned to practice today, working out this afternoon after getting the weekend off. Some of the players went directly to their homes after the game in Detroit. The coaching staff huddled with Talent Scout Dick Voris over the weekend, preparing for the college player draft in Chicago a week from today...BIGGEST BUZZ: The biggest buzz after the games Sunday resulted from the Bears' lopsided win over the Colts. In Baltimore, yet. This is hard to imagine after the rugged defense the Colts put up against the Packers, who scored but 34 points in two games vs. Baltimore. The Bears rolled up 505 yards, the Packers 368 in two. The Colts were undoubtedly on a downgrade following their high-charged performance in Green Bay a week ago. And once a team gets a jump in this league, watch out! The Bears play the Giants, Rams and Lions in that order. And they have designs on second place, though they still can tie for first.
JACOBS RESIGNS AS ALOUETTE AIDE
NOV 27 (Montreal) - Jack Jacobs, one-time star quarterback in both the United States and Canadian football, resigned Monday as assistant coach of the Montreal Alouettes. Jacobs had held the job two years under Coach and General Manager Perry Moss. Considered an outstanding defensive coach, Jacobs did
not say where he was headed, but there were report he may go to the Toronto Argonauts or the New York Titans. Jacobs played with the Washington Redskins, Green Bay Packers and Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
ACCENT ON BLOCKING AS PACK SNAPS BACK
NOV 27 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers are in the process of snapping back. They took the field Monday and shook out the cobwebs of a long weekend following the 26-14 loss to the Lions Thanksgiving Day. The drill was especially active and it included the taxing agility drill for all members of the squad. In addition, special attention was given to the offensive line's blocking, with Coach Vince Lombardi keeping a special eye on the proceedings. The "handling" of the offensive line was the major factor in the loss at Detroit and it goes without saying that this unit will be especially tough in the next assignment - the Rams in Milwaukee Sunday. Quarterback Bart Starr was given quite a mauling - not to mention the dirtiest uniform, at Detroit. This prompted Roy Terrien, of the Sports Illustrated staff who is here to do a story on Bart, to ask the Bays' quarterback if he said anything to the offensive linemen? Starr's answer, of course, was a big fat "NO." Bart's thinking is that the blockers up front are always trying their hardest. All of the Packer's injured were running with zest Monday and that included Jerry Kramer, who was injured on the opening kickoff in Detroit. He went the distance, except for one play. Kramer figures to be in top shape for Sunday along with Dan Currie and Paul Hornung. Currie missed the last two games and Hornung has been out six games, with the exception of 11 plays in the Eagle game. Tom Moore has carried 86 times since he replaced Hornung in the first quarter of the Minnesota game Oct. 14. Tom added up 302 yards for an average of 3.5 per trip. The Rams likely were watching the Thanksgiving Day game with great glee since it might have given the Rams' new coach, Harland Svare, some ideas on defensing the Pack. Fortunately, the Rams don't possess four defensive linemen to equal Darris McCord, Sam Williams, Roger Brown and Alex Karras. There is the other reaction, which all Packer Backers are hoping - merely that the Packers will rebound with great gusto. Jack Teele, the Rams' publicity director, is coming up to our town shortly with the story on Los Angeles. He noted via phone yesterday that the Rams are greatly encouraged by the 450-yard offense they produced against the Vikings Sunday. The Rams are practicing at Marquette University in Milwaukee this week. They'll stay on next week to get ready to play the Bears in Chicago. The Packers heard the scouting report from Wally Cruice after practice today. Cruice sat in on the Rams' 24-24 tie with the Vikings Sunday. Watching practice yesterday was Jim Thurston, brother of the Pack's Fuzzy.
LIONS HOST PACK PLAYOFF IF NEEDED
NOV 27 (New York) - If Green Bay, Detroit and Chicago are tied for the Western Division lead in the NFL after the close of play on Dec. 16, the championship game will be set back to Jan. 6 for a pair of deadlock breaking contests. If the three-way tie comes off, the Chicago Bears will be idle while Detroit and Green Bay will meet in the Wisconsin city on Dec. 23. On the following Sunday, Dec. 30, the winner of the first game will be host to the Bears. These and other playoff schedules were arranged today in the NFL offices by Commissioner Pete Rozelle. Should the Lions and the Packers tie for the Western flag, the tiebreaker will be played at Detroit on Dec. 23 while Green Bay will be host to the Bears on the same date should those two clubs tie. The championship game would be played a week later. No three-way deadlock is foreseen in the Eastern race, but if the New York Giants and Pittsburgh deadlock, the playoff game will be played on the Steelers home field on Dec. 23. If Cleveland and the Giants tie, the Browns will be the host and should Cleveland and Washington end their season even, the game will be played in the new stadium in Washington. Scheduled play ends on Dec. 16 and if each division has a clear-cut champion at that time the title game will be played in the home of the Eastern champion on Dec. 30.
RAMS TOUGH ON TAYLOR; LEADS BY 250
NOV 28 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - If Jim Taylor is fretting a bit this week, you can't blame him. On the home front, there's a blessed event coming up. "Maybe tomorrow," Jim said today. On the business front, there's Los Angeles - better known as the Rams, who rate in the Packer book as a hard team to beat and a hard team for Taylor to run against. Jim's running is a key factor in the Packer offense and the Bayou Bronc hopes to be at his best Sunday when the two clubs clash in Milwaukee County Stadium. Taylor had been limited to less than 100 yards in his last two games against the Colts (46) and Lions (47). And now looms large Los Angeles. "I really don't know why the Rams have been tougher on me. It's not because they're so big. That doesn't make any difference. Richter (Les, Ram middle linebacker) has always done a good job but they have that McKeever
(Marlin) in there now. Maybe it's just one of those things," Jim said. Richter has been shifted to offensive center and McKeever has done well as his replacement at middle linebacker. Oddly, Taylor's best day against the Rams came as a rookie. The Rams didn't know the gun was loaded that day, Dec. 14, 1958, and Jim ran 22 times for 106 yards. After the game some of the Rams told the Packers that tackling Taylor was like tackling a piano. Taylor didn't play in the first game in 1959 when he burned his hand and foot in a home accident. The Pack's rugged fullback is being pushed by two fullbacks out of the Eastern Division - John Henry Johnson of the Steeler and Jim Brown of the Browns. Taylor has a 250-yard lead on Johnson, 1,168 to 918, while Brown has 777 in third place. Brown, apparently recovered from a wrist injury, has gained nearly 200 yards in the last two games. Brown has pulled into a tie with Taylor in the scoring race, each with 15 touchdowns for 90 points. Taylor scored all of his by running while five of Brown's were counted by passing. Despite rugged going in Detroit, quarterback Bart Starr stayed in second place among the passers, with idle Eddie LeBaron holding first and Y.A. Tittle staying in third. Starr's percentage of completions, 63.7, and his percentage of interceptions, 3.7, are best in the league. Willie Wood still leads the interceptions with eight but four players are tied with seven, including Herb Adderley. Hank Gremminger has five. Wood is third among the punt returners and Adderley is third in kickoffs. Paul Hornung, who likely will see some action against the Rams, has dropped out of the first 10 scorers. The defensing point champ missed the board by two points. He has 62 while Lou Groza of the Browns is next with 64. Coach Vince Lombardi sent the Packers through another spirited drill today. Tuesday's workout was devoted largely to passing...The Taylor's newcomer will be No. 2 and you have to believe that Jim is hoping for a fullback, Jim and Dixie Taylor have a daughter, Jo Beth, 4...In case you missed the coin flipping story on possible playoffs (ugh) - If the Packers and Lions are tied at the close of the season, the division saw-off will be staged in Detroit. If the Packers and Bears get into a tie, the game would be played here. Horrors! If the three teams tie, the Lions will play here Dec. 23 and the winner will host the Bears Dec. 30. This would shove the title game back to Jan. 6. Horrors.
RAIDERS HUNTING NEW HOME; COULD BE NEW ORLEANS
NOV 28 (Oakland) - The Oakland Raiders, who have been taking a beating the past two years both on the pro gridiron and at the box office, are hunting a new home - and New Orleans could be it. Co-owner Ed McGah confirmed Tuesday that negotiations have been going on for two weeks concerning transfer of the AFL's club franchise. McGah said talks were initiated on the team's last trip east to Buffalo, where a New Orleans representative made a tentative $400,000 offer for the franchise. McGah said co-owner Wayne Valley is handling the direct negotiations. The Raiders haven't won a game this year.
SVARE SHAKEUP KEYS RAM COMEBACK
NOV 29 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Harland Svare was 32 last Sunday. The interim head coach of the Rams received a "tie" from his players for a birthday present - a 24-24 game with the Vikings. Svare was pulling for the Packers to beat the Lions Thanksgiving Day - "I know Vinnie and I don't want them made when they play us," Harland said. Svare is the fourth former Giant to join the head coaching ranks, which gives Mara U some sort of graduation record. Svare joins Vince Lombardi of the Pack, Allie Sherman of the Giants and Tom Landry of the Cowboys. Svare was a Giant linebacker when Lombardi was coaching the New York offense. Svare specialized in defense. He coached the Giants' defense in '61 and then was hired by Bob Waterfield in Los Angeles last year to replace Don Paul. Waterfield resigned three weeks ago and Svare replaced him. Harland is known as Shake 'Em Up Svare in LA. He has made a total of nine changes for the last two games, on the offense. He has made no defensive changes - since that department was "his" before he took over. These were some of the nuggets of information dropped yesterday by Jack Teele, Ram publicity chief, during his visit here Wednesday. Teele drove up from Milwaukee where the Rams are training in preparation for their bout with the Pack in County Stadium Sunday. Svare took over on a Wednesday before the Colt game in LA and made no switches. The Colts won a defensive test, 14-2. The fur started to fly the following week as the Rams went to work for the 49er game. Svare made seven offensive changes: 1 - Jon Arnett was shifted to left end from halfback. 2 - Joe Carollo went from the bench to left tackle. 3 - 11-year veteran Duane Putnam went to left guard. 4 - Les
Richter, former linebacking great, went to center. 5 - Ron Miller was started at quarterback. 6 - Dick Bass moved from fullback to left half. 7 - Art Perkins tarted at fullback. Nope, the Rams didn't win but they scored 17 in a 24-17 loss to the 49ers, with Zeke Bratkowski relieving Miller. The Vikings loomed next and Svare made two changes: 1 - Started Roman Gabriel at quarterback. 2 - Started Glenn Shaw at fullback. They still didn't win but the aforementioned tie served a similar purpose, giving the Rams plenty of confidence for their match with the world champions. The biggest discovery in the Viking game was the biggest quarterback in the league, 6-foot-5-inch 225-pound Gabriel. This rookie was exceptionally cool and better yet he completed 15 out of 24 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns. Gabriel played slightly over three quarters and his signal calling produced most of the Rams' 450 yards. He handled the first, second and fourth quarters - plus part of the third. Svare took him out then to let him observe the Vikings' reaction to Bratkowski's play call. Svare has announced that Gabriel will start against Green Bay. The Rams' defense has been extremely tough in the last five games, giving up an average of 14 points per games on point totals of 14, 12, 14, 24 and 24...OFFENSIVE COMEBACK: This defense hopes to thwart the Packers' drive for an offensive comeback. The Bays have been held to 31 points in the last two games by highly keyed Baltimore and Detroit. The Rams' defense may have to get along without their star rookie tackle Merlin Olsen, a 265-pounder, who, as Teele puts it, "improves with every play - not every game." Olsen has a groin injury and is doubtful. On the bright (?) side, however, Frank Varrichione, the veteran offensive tackle, looked good in practice Wednesday and could be back to full strength...The Packers have been replaced as the team leaders in total offense-defense yards this week. However, they still lead on the scoreboard where it really counts, with 323 points scored and 100 points allowed. The Giants now lead the league in yards with 3,877 while Dallas is second with 3,861 and Green Bay third with 3,706. Detroit is tops in yards allowed, 2,258, while the Packers are close behind with 2,432. The Packers had the pads on again Wednesday and Lombardi sent them through a stiff drill, including a session on defense.
DIXON NAMED CANADA'S BEST
NOV 29 (Toronto) - George Dixon, former Green Bay Packer halfback and now a Montreal Alouette's fullback, has been named the outstanding football player in Canada. Dixon, 26, Bridgeport, Conn., was given Canada's highest football award - the Schenley trophy and a $2,000 Canadian savings bond. He paced the Alouettes to the eastern finals and in the process he set an eastern rushing record of 1,520 yards or 7.2 yards per carry, won the eastern scoring title with 90 points on 15 touchdowns, was named to four All-Star teams and was chosen by players as the competitor best combining ability and sportsmanship.
RESTED PACKERS ITCHING FOR 'MAKE UP' ACTION; COUNT 27 DRAFT CHOICES
NOV 30 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - It goes without saying that the Packers are itching to get back into action. Two reasons: First, it's been more than a week since the Bays last saw some real live action. And, secondly, they're most anxious to make up for the loss to the Lions Thanksgiving Day. The Packers won't have the 30 million television audience watching them play the Rams Sunday in Milwaukee but you can be sure a few million of those popeyed fans who were shocked at the Paker-Lion game will be checking the Packer score early Sunday night...The Pack's two injured players, Paul Hornung and Dan Currie, have "improved tremendously," Coach Vince Lombardi said today, "but we'll have to wait until Sunday to say how much they can play." Both are knee cases. Hornung looked good in practice Thursday (in fact, Lombardi was pleased with the drill), running, catching passes and throwing. Jerry Kramer continues to do the kicking...Don Hutson, the Pack's pass catch immortal, watched Thursday's drill and the discussion got around to the Pack playing teams with nothing to lose and everything to gain - such as the Rams. "The thing to do," Donald drawled, "is to get a quick touchdown or two and show them who's boss. Then, they'll be easier to beat. If they hold you for a while, they'll get tougher as the game goes on."...It will be Dowler Day in Cheyenne, Wyo., Monday in tribute to the Packers' Boyd, who played his high school football there. It's a citywide affair and the highlight will be an early afternoon dinner at which Boyd will be honored. And joining in the observance will be the Packer squad. The Packers' United Airlines charter will stop at Cheyenne en route from Milwaukee to San Francisco and remain for about two hours...The Packers will get 27 players out of the NFL's 20-round player draft in Chicago Monday as the result of previous trades. Besides their own 20, Lombardi and his talent ace, Dick Voris, will tab an extra third round choice resulting from a deal with the Steelers; a fourth (Giants); a fifth (Redskins); a sixth (Cowboys); two sevenths (Steelers and Browns); and an eighth (Cowboys). Among the players the Bays parted with, resulting in some of these draft payments, were Tom Bettis, Steelers; Lee Folkins, Cowboys; Ben Davidson, Redskins; Paul Dudley, Giants; and Ernie Green, Browns...The Packers depart for two weeks via the 8:40 North Western Saturday morning. They will headquarter at the Astor Hotel in Milwaukee. On the coast, they'll stay at Rickey's Motel in Palo Alto before the 49er game and the Lafayette Hotel in Long Beach
before the Ram game. The Bays will return home Dec. 17 and start drills for you know what...Roman Gabriel, the Rams' rookie QB who will start against the Pack, is a strong-arm thrower and he was pitching so hard in training camp that he was spraining the fingers of the receivers. He can throw the ball belt-high the width of the field. Despite the size (6-5 and 225), Gabriel is quite graceful and now is learning to back-pedal from the center and survey the defense at the same time.
OUI, OUI, PACKER FANDOM EXTENDS TO FRANCE BY WIRELESS
NOV 30 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers have a fan in France. Oui, two in fact. One of them is Miss Elisabeth Collignon, now living in Auxerre, France, who taught French in all Green Bay elementary schools in 1960-61 and 1961-62. In a letter (dated Nov. 19) to a Green Bay friend, Mrs. C.J. Lally, 156 N. Oakland Ave., Miss Collignon wrote: "Yesterday night, Sunday, around 10 o'clock, I was looking for a station on my little radio. Do you know what they were doing? Reporting directly the football game between the Packers and Baltimore. I didn't understand much owing to my knowledge in football, but nevertheless I was happy to hear names such as Nitschke, Wood - and you know the score. When I had to quit to go to bed, it was 10-0, the Packers were leading. I thought of you watching TV in your living room. It almost made me cry. It was the first time since my return I heard the name of Green Bay." The other known Packer fanatic in DeGaulle-land is a homegrown member of the faithful, 2nd Lt. David Blahnik, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Blahnik, 1239 Doty St. Now stationed at Orleans, France (60 miles south of Paris), Lt. Blahnik informed his parents in a recent letter that he had heard the Packer-Colt game on a shortwave FM transmission system. It was a pleasant surprise for the lieutenant, he said, since he has been unable to get the Packer broadcasts at his last previous station, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. A supply officer, Lt. Blahnik graduated from St. Norbert College last June.
PACK TO SEE RED? PHILLIPS PHENOMENAL AGAINST CHAMPS
DEC 1 (Milwaukee-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Red Phillips had a phenomenal record against the Packers. The Rams' skinny end, who won the NFL's pass-catching title last year with 78 receptions, has caught 58 passes for 786 yards in eight games against Green Bay. Every time Phillips lined up against the Pack he caught 7 passes, plus. His best yardage game vs. GB was in his rookie season in City Stadium in 1958. He caught 8 for 208 yards and one touchdown. His best catch total vs. the Pack was a fat 13 (for 101 yards) in the 1961 windup in the Coliseum last December. Phillips, in his "Green Bay" career, ran up totals in the following order (two games each year starting in '58): 8 for 208, 7 for 97, 3 for 64, 10 for 78, 5 for 87, 6 for 80, 10 for 78, 5 for 87, 6 for 80, 6 for 71 and 13 for 101. He turned four catches into touchdowns. Only one player in NFL history has caught more passes than Phillips. That would be Tom Fears, the onetime Ram whiz who caught 84 for a league record that still stands in 1950. Phillips' 78 is next. You can bet Fears, now the Packers' end coach, will be keeping a special eye on the Red Head when the two clubs collide in Milwaukee Sunday...The Packers worked this morning in County Stadium. Sunday's game marks the close of action there this season...Ted Bates of the Cardinals pitched a rose up this way in a banquet speech the other day. Asked which player he found toughest to handle, Jimmy Brown or John Henry Johnson, Bates considered for a moment, then answered: "Neither one; Jim Taylor was the toughest."...Packer fan clubs are popping up around the country. A.L. Jordan of Tulsa called the other day to subscribe to the Press-Gazette foe three months. Our newspaper will be used as a Packer "bible" at regular meetings of the Tulsa No. 1 branch, Green Bay Packer Fan Club. The group has 25 members and was formed by Jon Jordan...The Packers are rugged on their opponents. Half of them lost their games after playing the Bays. Others had difficult games. During the Bays' 10-game winning streak, here's how the losers (in order) came out in their next games: Vikings lost to Baltimore 34-7; Cardinals lost to Redskins 13-0; Lions beat the Rams 13-10; Vikings beat the Rams 38-14; 49ers lost to the Rams 28-14; Colts beat the 49ers 22-3; Bears beat the Vikings 33-31; Eagles lost to the Giants 19-14; and the Colts lost to the Bears 57-0...Coach Vince Lombardi received a letter from Los Angeles which was signed by a Japanese who apparently is an instructor in karate and judo. The letter was written after he watched the Packers get rolled around by the Lions. "I don't think any team can lose anything by teaching fundamentals of such skills of Japanese wrestling while professional futbol is a
mixture of brute force and balancing skills," wrote the Japanese, who called himself a Packer "fun." He also wrote in part: "Judo and karate tactics will be real helpful to a quarterback when he faces with bigger and heavier linemen, especially in red dog situations. If Bart Starr had such experience, it would be lot easier for him to evade or outmaneuver such behemoths as Alex Karras or Roger Brown or Brettschneider. Otherwise, straight force cannot do anything against such monsters. Such skills would have helped your team last Thursday when ferociousness of Lions could be evened by such skills as well as similar ferociousness from your side." Lombardi, who got a big chuckle out of the letter, is insisting on ferociousness but no judo or karate.
PACK TO GET 27 DRAFTEES
DEC 2 (Milwaukee-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Barring any last minute trades, the Packers will get 27 players in the college player draft in the Sheraton-Chicago Hotel Monday. But one of their hottest prospects, a junior eligible taken in the 17th round last year, has already gone by the board. Junious Buchanan, a 274 pounder sprinter from Grambling, was the first player selected in the AFL draft Saturday and the Dallas
Detroit Lions defensemen were chasing and catching Quarterback Bart Starr (15) all afternoon on Nov. 23, 1962 in the Green Bay Packers backfield. Net result was that Starr was thrown for a total 110 yards loss in trying to pass in the Thanksgiving Day contest won by Detroit 26-14.
Green Bay Packers fullback Jim Taylor (31) is brought down by Detroit Lions’ Dick Lane (Credit: Preston Stroup - Associated Press)
Detroit's Gail Cogdill catches a 27-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Milt Plum in front of Packers cornerback Herb Adderley on Thanksgiving Day 1962. Credit: Journal Sentinel file photo
Appleton Post-Crescent (December 1st 1962)
Texans immediately announced his signing. Packer Coach Vince Lombardi indicated Saturday that the Packers did not have a chance for Buchanan, who apparently had committed himself to Dallas. The Associated Press reported that Buchanan worked out in a sweat suit with the Texans Friday.
PACKERS HOPE TO EXPLODE AGAINST RAMS TODAY
DEC 2 (Milwaukee-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers encounter two new 1962 experiences in County Stadium this afternoon. They (1) play the Rams for the first time this season and (2) attempt to end a one-game losing streak. The Packers, in the offensive doldrums for two straight games in nosing out the Colts 17-13 and losing to the Lions 26-14, hope to explode today and thus draw one game closer to their third straight Western Division championships. A standing-room crowd in excess of 46,500 will watch the battle. Kickoff is set for 1:05 and the Packers are rated a 22-point favorite. Green Bay, with a 10-1 record, can win the title without interference from Detroit by winning its last three games - the Rams here, the 49ers in San Francisco and the Rams in Los Angeles. Detroit, with 9-2, hosts the Colts today and then plays the Vikings and Bears. If the Lions lose today and the Packers win, GB can clinch a title tie. The Packers haven't lost two in a row since 1960 when they dropped successive games to the Rams - in Milwaukee, at that - and the Lions. They bounced back after each of their three losses in 1961. Don't be surprised if the Pack's famed injuree is in the starting lineup today. That would be Paul Hornung, who has been out with a hurt knee. Hornung has looked good in practice this week. Incidentally, Hornung hasn't played against the Rams since 1960. He missed both Ram games last year due to Army service. The Packers scored only 31 points and produced but 360 yards in the last two games, which was quite a drop off from their third last game when they rolled up 49 points and 628 yards in smothering the Eagles. Bart Starr hopes to rebound the Bay offense and is figuring on a good performance from his heralded offensive line. Jim Taylor, the Bays' newest father, would like to lead the charge. Jim, up all Friday night sweating out the arrival of his new son, Jim, Jr., will be the Rams' big target. The Rams are tough- especially since their new coach, Harland Svare, took over. They have allowed an average of only 14 points in their last five games. The Rams will start their rookie quarterback, Roman Gabriel, who whipped this team to 450 yards in a 24-24 tie with the Vikings last Sunday. Gabriel stands 6-5. He's a strong passer. The Packer defense may be bolstered with the return of Dan Currie at the left linebacker position. The big defender ran well in Saturday's light drill. If Dan is used sparingly, Ken Iman will take over the job. The Packers are especially eager to get on with today's business, what with a 10-day layoff since the Detroit game. They have never lost a post-Turkey Day game under Coach Vince Lombardi, beating the Rams in 1959, the Bears in '60, and the Giants in '61. In fact, one year ago this first Sunday in December, they downed the Giants for the Western title. The Giants can snare the Eastern crown by whipping the Bears in Chicago today. The Packers fly out to the West Coast Monday morning and will stop at Cheyenne, Wyo., to take part in a Boyd Dowler Day program. Lombardi, assistant Phil Bengtson and scout Dick Voris will go to Chicago tonight to get ready for the NFL draft Monday.
