Green Bay Packers (6-1) 34, Baltimore Colts (3-4) 20
Sunday October 27th 1963 (at Baltimore)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(BALTIMORE) - This was one of the Packers' finest two and a half hours. They beat the Colts on sheer desire in a tremendous display of togetherness under sickening adversity. But that wasn't all. The Colts, fighting uphill to a 20-20 tie, threw a dead momentum at the Packers in the fourth quarter. The Packers rose to the occasion. They blocked a field goal, which might have out the Colts in front, and then rammed home two touchdowns in the last three minutes. That was it - a 34 to 20 victory, and certainly one of the most significant and satisfying triumphs in Green Bay history. The Packers proved beyond a doubt that they do not intend to let their championship status slip away. With seven games left, the Packers have dealt the Colts' championship hopes a crippling blow. This sixth straight victory left the world champs tied in first place with the Bears, who defeated the Eagles. The leaders have 6-1 marks and the Colts and Lions (3-4) are three games back. The Bays next play the Steelers in Milwaukee, while the Bears visit Baltimore. The story - the thrill, if you please is how the Packers won despite the loss of three regulars. John Roach quarterbacked in place of Bart Starr, who has a broken hand, and Elijah Pitts opened for running back Tom Moore, who was grounded with a back injury. Then, as the last straw, Ron Kramer went out for the day with a knee injury early in the second quarter - with the Colts leading 3-0. Roach, who hadn't played a full game of football since he was a Cardinal in 1960, might have gotten the Bays off to a lopsided lead in the first quarter, but he ran into an epidemic of dropped passes, including one by Boyd Dowler on the goal line. In addition, he lost two more TDs when Pitts and Jim Taylor fumbled inside the five. But Long John kept throwing and he wound up with nine completions (it should have been 13) in 20 attempts for 156 yards and one touchdown. He worked up a 312-yard attack and gave the Colts more than they could handle - four touchdowns and two field goals. Pitts, doing all of the left halfbacking, made 74 yards in 10 carries and raced 34 precious yards for the touchdown that gave the Bays a 27-20 lead. And the rookie Fleming? Just before the half, he caught two passes for 41 yards and then added a third for 11 yards and a touchdown that put the Packers in front 17-3 at the half. The Packers scored 17 points in the second quarter. After two misses earlier, Jerry Kramer kicked a 46-yard field goal, the longest of his career, to tie the score and Fleming and Taylor, on a one-yard leap, counted the touchdowns. J. Kramer booted a 37-yarder to make it 20-3 early in the third period, but before the Bays scored again John Unitas threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Lenny Moore, Jim Martin kicked a 33-yard field goal and Unitas hurled a 58-yard TD pass to John Mackey. That tied it up. A highly-booed interference penalty on Lenny Lyles, who had hipped Max McGee, set up Pitts' TD run and for good measure Taylor ran 16 yards for the final TD. Roach created no mystery. He played it sweet, simple and effective, running Pitts and Taylor 36 times and throwing 20 times, 56 plays in all. The Colts had 25 and 24 for 49. The Colts were highly keyed, but the Packers came up for this one, too. The Packers' new offensive operation received excellent protection from Forrest Gregg, Bob Skoronski, Norm Masters, Jim Ringo, Fred Thurston and Jerry Kramer - especially in the first half when the Pack might have moved far in front - but for dropped passes and two fumbles, The Packer defense was its magnificent self - especially in the first half, when the unit boiled the Colts down to 57 yards, including 31 passing, and just two first downs. By comparison, the Colts broke away in the second half, but the losers go some fire on two interceptions of Roach passes and two Unitas perfectos - one to Jimmy Orr for 48 yards and the TD strike to Mackey. Herb Adderley,
guarding Orr, intercepted two passes by sneaking in front of the Colt fleetster at the last season while Willie Davis, Hank Jordan, who also blocked that field goal, and Willie Wood recovered fumbles. Joining them were Dave Hanner, Lionel Alridge, Ray Nitschke, Bill Forester, Dan Currie, Jess Whittenton and Hank Gremminger. The Colts returned with 143 total yards in the second half but the defense - plus the field goal defense platoon, came up with the big plays when the heat was on in the fourth quarter. After the blocked punt and the 27-20 lead, Davis and Jordan collaborated to recover a fumble as Unitas tried a fourth down pass with two minutes left. The noisy crowd was left mumbling (except for a good deal of Packer-backer clapping) in the first half. The Packers took the opening kickoff, winning the toss, and kept it - for nine plays and three first downs. Taylor ran twice and then Pitts did same, each making a first down for a total of 23 yards. Roach passed for the first time on first down, incomplete to Dowler. Taylor hit for three and Roach next passed to Pitts for eight and another first down. The attack stalled and Jerry Norton got off a perfect nine-iron shot, dropping a 46-yard punt on the two. The ball bounced straight up, and Ken Iman ran it out of bounds on the two. The Colts gained one yard in three tries, and the Bays set themselves back with a holding penalty. They came back with a crucial first down pass from Roach to McGee for 36 yards but had to settle for a field goal try, with Kramer missing from the 34. The Colts also tried a field goal, but Martin hit from the 35 for a 3-0 lead at 13:39. The Bays got into good position quickly when J. Kramer recovered an onside kick attempt. After an exchange of 15-yard penalties, Kramer missed a field goal from the 38 on the second play of the second quarter. Adderley then made his first interception, but the Colts got it right back when Pitts fumbled and Welch recovered on the Colts' five. After Jordan almost threw Unitas for a safety, Wood fair caught the punt and the Bays went in for J. Kramer's tying 46-yard field goal. Adderley then made his second interception and the Bays had their first TD - in five plays from the 20. Pitts and Taylor ran 18 to the 2 and Taylor leaped over on third down. J.K. converted and it was 10-3. Davis shook the ball out of Unitas' hand and then made the recovery in a one-man display to gain position on the Colt 31. But after Roach and McGee worked a 25-yard pass play, Taylor fumbled on the three and Miller recovered. Just before the half, the Bays moved 59 yards in five plays to score - with Fleming playing the big part. He caught the first two passes for 41 yards and three plays later took Roach's pass on the one and broke out of Shinnick's hands and into the end zone for a 17-3 lead at the half. The Bays got two chances early in the second half and salvaged a field goal. First, Wood recovered Lockett's fumble at midfield and then Norton got off a seeing-eye punt. The boot hit Hill on the legs and Fleming recovered on the Colt 35. J.K. wound up making the score 20-3 from the 37. This is where the Colts came in. They moved 81 yards in six plays (three of them first downers) for the Moore TD, leading off with Orr's great catch for a 48-yarder. That made it 20-10 at 11:33. Then it happened. The souped up Colts got a bigger lift when Shinnick stole Roach's pass down the middle and returned 19 yards to the Packer 44. Martin settled for a 33-yard field goal after Unitas was nicked for intentionally grounding a pass. The Colts forced a punt and they tied the score quickly. Matte and Lockett gained 12 yards and Unitas dropped a pass right in Mackey's weaving arms, with Hank Gremminger right close, on the 23. He circled into the end zone and Martin's kick tied the score. The picture looked bleak, indeed, when Welch intercepted Roach's pass on the Colt 49 and returned 14 yards. The enraged Pack stopped the Colts cold and then blocked the field goal. The score was still tied then, but the Packers assumed a new "height." Two plays later, Pitts went over, thanks to a fine block by Jerry Kramer that sprung him free from behind the line of scrimmage. An airtight defensive stand and Taylor's TD run sewed it up. Jimmy ran right over Boyd and Nelson en route.
GREEN BAY - 0 17 3 14 - 42
BALTIMORE - 3 0 7 10 - 20
GREEN BAY BALTIMORE
First Downs 18 10
Rushing-Yards-TD 37-179-3 25-86-0
Att-Comp-Yd-TD-Int 20-9-156-1-2 24-11-233-2-2
Sack Yards Lost 23 19
Net Passing Yards 133 214
Total Yards 312 300
Fumbles-lost 2-2 5-4
Turnovers 4 6
Yards penalized 3-35 5-68
SCORING
1st - BALT - Jim Martin, 45-yard field goal BALTIMORE 3-0
2nd - GB - Jerry Kramer, 46-yard field goal TIED 3-3
2nd - GB - Jim Taylor, 1-yard run (J. Kramer kick) GREEN BAY 10-3
2nd - GB - Marv Fleming, 11-yard pass from John Roach (J. Kramer kick) GREEN BAY 17-3
3rd - GB - J. Kramer, 37-yard field goal GREEN BAY 20-3
3rd - BAL - Lenny Moore, 13-yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Martin kick) GREEN BAY 20-10
4th - BALT - Martin, 33-yard field goal GREEN BAY 20-13
4th - BALT - John Mackey, 58-pass from Unitas (Martin kick) TIED 20-20
4th - GB - Elijah Pitts, 34-yard run (J. Kramer kick) GREEN BAY 27-20
4th - GB - Taylor, 16-yard run (J. Kramer kick) GREEN BAY 34-20
RUSHING
RUSHING
GREEN BAY - Jim Taylor 26-107 2 TD, Elijah Pitts 10-74 1 TD, John Roach 1-(-2)
BALTIMORE - J.W. Lockett 11-35, Tom Matte 8-34, Johnny Unitas 3-11, Jerry Hill 3-6
PASSING
GREEN BAY - John Roach 20-9-156 1 TD 2 INT
BALTIMORE - Johnny Unitas 23-11-233 2 TD 2 INT, Tom Matte 1-0-0
RECEIVING
GREEN BAY - Max McGee 3-73, Marv Fleming 3-51 1 TD, Boyd Dowler 2-23, Elijah Pitts 1-9
BALTIMORE - Lenny Moore 4-69 1 TD, Jimmy Orr 2-64, John Mackey 2-61 1 TD, Tom Matte 2-12, J.W. Lockett 1-27
'REAL PROUD OF THIS TEAM AND VICTORY' - LOMBARDI
OCT 28 (Baltimore-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Understandably exuberant over his athletes' resounding response to adversity, a prideful Vince Lombardi volunteered, "I'm really proud of this team, I'll tell you. I think I'm prouder of this victory than any other I've had since I've been with the Packers." "This victory," of course, was the Packers' just-consummated 34-20 conquest of Baltimore's fractious Colts in Babe Ruth Plaza's massive Memorial Stadium Sunday. "They're a fine group of boys, and I'm proud to be a part of this ball club," Lombardi continued with fervor. "Why?" a Baltimore scribe asked. "Why?" Vince echoed. "We had a lot of troubles. Other teams have had them, too, I'm not saying that. But today we had Starr out, we had Tom Moore out - he didn't play a second, and we lost Ron Kramer early in the second quarter. That's a lot of people to have out of your starting eleven." "I thought," he added with emphasis, "Roach (quarterback John, pinch hitting for the injured Starr) played a real fine game." "And he almost became a goat," a Washington writer suggested. "I don't think that," Lombardi shot back. "You may think so, I don't. He would never have been the goat." What had happened on Don Shinnick's interception that had triggered the Colts' tying touchdown? he was asked. "He (Roach) just didn't see that man," the Packer headmaster declared. "When you put the ball that often, you're bound to have some interceptions. Look at Unitas, he had two of them, too." It appeared that the Packers had passed more than usual, another eastern scribe interposed. "Yes, we had to," Lombardi chuckled. "We only used two running backs all day, Pitts and Taylor." Had Roach called the entire game? "Roach called the entire game," Vince affirmed with alacrity. "I didn't send in any plays myself, and maybe two or three were sent down from upstairs, but they were inconsequential." Asked about the nature and extent of Ron Kramer's injury, Lombardi said, "He's got a knee, but I don't know how bad it is." "I don't know how it happened, but it was on a block - it was on that sweep that Pitts fumbled on in the second quarter." "Why do the Packers have so much trouble winning in Baltimore?" was the next query. "First of all, I think they've got a helluva ball club," Vince rejoined with a hearty laugh. "We have trouble with 'em in Green Bay, too. That's why they're hard to beat - they're just a great football team." "And, just remember, anyone can still win it. We and the Bears went into today with one loss apiece - that's why this one was so important," Lombardi reminded. "And what's this for the Colts, their fourth loss? They can still win it. Of course, they're going to have to go like hell." This, inevitably, prompted the question, "What about the Packers' chances for a third straight championship?" "It's definitely a big if," the Packer major-domo replied without hesitation. "A lot of people think we can't do it. We sure would like to do it." Any disappointments? "Just those two fumbles - what were they, on the 2 or 3 and the 6-yard line? And what a place to fumble? When you get down there, you should come out with something, at least a field goal, so we threw six points down the drain." In response to another question, Lombardi asserted, "No, I wasn't concerned about Roach. We knew he would do a good job, but we were worried about our depth." The play of rookie Marv Fleming had indicated the Packers were not without said "depth," a scribe noted. "Yes, he did," Vince agreed. "of course, he blew a lot of things, too - blocking assignments, and he ran a couple of wrong patterns. But he made three great catches (the last for a touchdown just before the half)," he added with a smile, "when we had to make 'em." Hadn't Fleming been on the borderline when the final cuts were made? "Yes, he was," Lombardi said. "We were considering another boy (Jan Barrett) at the time." What had made the difference? "Fleming's size and speed, I guess," was the reply. "And a little luck," Vince grinned. "There's always a little of that, you know." Repeating "this was one of my real proud games," the Packer had man observed with pardonable satisfaction. "We had to suck in our belly to stay in there." About this time, NFL Publicity Director Jim Kensil arrived in Lombardi's sanctum sanctorum. His face lighting up, Lombardi chuckled and chided him with, "Jimmy, we surprised all the New York writers today. Every one picked us to lose." "It's tough to win in this league, coach, I'll tell you," he concluded with grin...The pass interference assessment that keyed the Packers' winning touchdown was generally considered to be the game breaker - but Colt Coach Don Shula was of another mind. "The blocked field goal (Jim Martin's ill-fated 45-yard attempt in the fourth quarter) did it," he said glumly. "That hurt." It had looked like "the whole Packer line had converged on the kicker," a Baltimore writer interjected. "That's right," Shula agreed. "There wasn't just one protection breakdown, there were a couple." Somebody said, "Well, you made a great comeback, anyway." The youthful Colt mentor smiled sardonically and retorted, "We had nowhere to go but 'back' after the first half, did we? We weren't putting any pressure on him (Roach) and we weren't holding up that rookie end (Fleming) at the line. He was wandering all over the field." What happened on Pitts' decisive dash? "It shouldn't have been," Shula said grimly. "They didn't catch us in a blitz - we were in our regular defense. We should have had some people over there." Asked how he felt about Roach's performance, the ex-Detroit Lion aide smiled faintly and said, "I just read what Lombardi said. Actually, he's played in this league. I thought he handled 'em all right, but he missed a couple of passes." Bitter over a second quarter intentional grounding call on General John Unitas, Shula said, caustically, "I found out what intentional grounding is - I've been wondering about it for the last four or five weeks." This reminded of the deflected Colt punt, recovered by the Pack's Marv Fleming, that had led to a Packer field goal. Wincing at the recollection, Don said wryly, "That's one of the worst things I've ever seen." What was his reaction to the fateful interference call? "I had no reaction to it," Shula responded. "It was just a judgment call on the part of the officials." Had the injury to Starr caused the Colts to revive their thinking? "No," was the firm reply. "We were prepared for them just as though Starr was going to play." Asked about the Colts' emphasis on the long ball in the second half, Shula explained, "Adderley was playing Orr pretty tough. We had to throw long to loosen 'em up. The one to Mackey (for a touchdown) was a one-on-one on Gremminger. Mackey made a great catch - he adjusted to the ball real good."...'PACKERLAND, U.S. A.': The Packers now boast a fan club chapter in Greenwich, Conn., it develops. It has at least two members - attorney Bill Lewis and his spouse. "I guess I became a Packer fan through Paul Hornung," Lewis, who was among
yesterday's 60,065 "live" witnesses, explained, pointing out: "I'm a Notre Dame graduate. I've been following the Packers for two or three years ago, and, for the last year, through the Press-Gazette." Hardly an armchair fan, Lewis added with a smile, "My wife and I flew to Green Bay for the last Colt game. We stayed at the Downtowners and went to Speed's after the game - and we had a heck of a time."...ROOT FOR RINGO: The "Jim Ringo Fan Club" also was very much in evidence. A delegation from the Packers all-pro's hometown, Easton, Pa., sat - and cheered - behind a huge "Jim Ringo Fan Club" banner draped over the railing just to the right of the Colt dugout...ONE OF THE FAMILY: "This is the ninth game I've been on the Packers this season," Bear scout George J. Halas (a nephew of Papa Bear) imparted with a laugh. "I'm expecting a check any day now."
'NERVOUS' ROACH REPAYS TEAMMATES
OCT 28 (Baltimore-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - "I never thought about being a goat. I just kept thinking, 'We've got to win, we've got to win.'" Dabbing at perspiration which poured from his blond brow in the Packers' sticky Memorial Stadium quarters, rangy John Roach added quietly, "I got championship money two years in a row from these guys, and I didn't do anything to get it. This was a chance to do something for that money." It was a rare moment for the retiring, rawboned Texan, accustomed to comparative anonymity during his three-year tenure with the Packers. Now he was surrounded by a cluster of newsmen in quest of the "inside story" on his maiden venture on behalf of the injured Bart Starr - a most successful venture, to be sure, but not without its perils. All of this attention failed to affect the Dallas' native customary composure. Well adjusted to his normal role, he explained with winning candor, "I've never been a star any place I've been. In high school, I wasn't much and in college I was a defensive back until my senior year. In fact, I didn't start a ball game until my senior year." Had he been nervous before the game. "Darned right," Roach rejoined with a broad grin. The coaches, he added in reply to another question, had said little to him. "I don't think anybody wanted to say too much to me. Thought it might make me extra nervous." Had the rash of dropped passes (he was only 3 for 11 at one point in the first half) discouraged him? "I didn't really think about it that way," the 30-year-old field general replied. "We were still in the ball game. If we'd been behind by 20 points, I might have got depressed." His teammates had rallied around him from the outset, he added. "I could feel they were behind me," Roach confided soberly. "I could feel it all week. I just knew it." The conversation turned to a less pleasant subject, those two interceptions. "One of them was a fake run, Shinnick (Colt linebacker Don) should have gone for the run and shouldn't have been there," John explained. "I had tried the play before, so I was amazed to see Shinnick there. The other one was just a poor pass." He had no comment on the key interference ruling, revealing, "I let the ball go and got hit. I didn't know if they touched it or what happened." In this connection, he acknowledged with a puckish grin. "I was really happy when Elijah crossed that goal line." Any "future" ambitions, in the light of the day's development? "Each week I just hope we win," was the forthright reply. "I don't have any future ambitions." A principal in the "interference" episode, humorist Max McGee confessed, "I don't know whether it was or not. I think he might have been tapping on my back, along the way. Usually, I'm sure but I wasn't on that one." "It probably was interference, but I don't think it was flagrant. I sure was glad to see it come at that particular time," he admitted with a smile. Boyd Dowler, seated next door, interjected, "He bumped you - there's no question about it." Accepting this judgment without comment, McGee appended a word of praise for Roach. "Old Johnny," he said, admiration in his tone, "was throwing some beauties today." "What happened when the third quarter gun went off, Max?" a Baltimore scribe asked. "I thought you were going to drop over." "I did jump a little bit," McGee drawled. "Lykes (Colt defensive back Lennie, the offender in the interference case) told me, 'I should have shot you right then.'" Elijah Pitts, a personal "beneficiary" of Lyles' indiscretion, was informed he had run like the proverbial scared rabbit. "I was scared," he chuckled. Growing serious, the pride of Philander T. Smith explained, "Jerry Kramer led the play - he got the block that got it started and Mcgee got another good one. And then it was one on one. I was real close to the sidelines when Nelson (Andy) got hold of me across the shoulders. Fortunately, I was able to shake him off." Genial Henry Jordan, another major hero via his fortuitous block of Jim Martin's 47-yard field goal bid late in the final quarter, revealed, "We didn't practice a defense against the play. We just work it in a game when we think we can get through," said the cat-like defensive tackle, who explained Dave Hanner was the other half of the "we." "When the Colts came out of the huddle, Dave didn't say anything," Hank reported. "He just gave me a hard look and I figured, 'Here we go.' We thought we could do it." Asked about a personal foul call against him, Jim Taylor was at a loss to explain the decision. "They said I kicked him," he said. "But I wasn't conscious of having my leg even up a slight bit." The Bayou Bronco was willing to drop the subject in favor of discussing victory No. 6 and its fringe benefits. "It keeps us in the running," he said, pointing out, "Every week is a must game." Impressed with his colleagues' resiliency, Taylor said softly, "To be tied like that and come back - it takes a real great team to come back like that." As might be expected, the Colts' Lennie Lyles took issue with the interference ruling. "I don't think I interfered," he insisted. "I had my hand on the ball - I knew I had to play him close. I didn't see the flag until later - it came like a delayed reaction. The official said I was riding his hips."
BRATKOWSKI JOINS PACKERS; RUGGED SCHEDULE REMAINS
OCT 29 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - It's halftime in the NFL race and time for some gibberish on what's coming up. The Packers and their traditional rivals from Chicago, the Bears, are locked in first place in the Western Division with 6-1 records, while the Colts and Lions are tied three games behind with 3-4 marks. Thus, with seven games left, the Colts and Lions would have to win three and the Packers and Bears would lose three, in order to get into a first place tie. Stranger things have happened, of course, and Coach Vince Lombardi is being careful in his view of the final seven. "It's anybody's race," he remarked today. The Packers got over a big hump in Baltimore. They not only virtually eliminated the Colts (34-20), but they discovered they have some muscles they never knew they had - such as benchmen John Roach, Elijah Pitts and Marv Fleming. The Bears cleared a hump, too - the embarrassment of an upset loss to the 49ers a week ago, by whipping the Eagles. Where to now, Buster? The Packers meet the Steelers in Milwaukee next Sunday, and then, in order, face the Vikings in Green Bay, the Bears in Chicago, the 49ers in Milwaukee, the Lions in Detroit (Thanksgiving Day) and finally the Rams and the 49ers on the coast. At a minimum, winning five of those might do it - providing one is over the Bears. The Bears have no picnic ahead except that five of their last seven games are in friendly Wrigley Field, including their last three. Chicago next goes to Baltimore (go you Colts) and then return home to play the Rams and Packers. After visiting Pittsburgh, the Bears come home again to meet the Vikings, 49ers and Lions. The Packers now get the unhappy task of diminishing a contender, as they did in Baltimore. The Steelers, with a 4-2-1 record, are only a game and a half out of first place in the exciting Eastern Division race. The Bays figure to be better off injurywise for the Steeler game. Out of that game were Bart Starr and Tom Moore - plus Ron Kramer early in the second quarter. Starr, of course, is out but Moore is expected to be ready following a back injury suffered in the Cardinal game. Kramer injured his knee and Lombardi said, "It's not as bad as we first thought." His availability won't be known however until later in the week. Lombardi and staffmen Phil Bengtson, Norb Hecker, Red Cochran, Bill Austin and Tom Fears found the pictures of the victory over the Colts very interesting. "We were very good on both offense and defense," Lombardi said. Asked about the block of the field goal by Jim Martin in the fourth quarter - a kick that might have put the Colts ahead, Vince noted that "it would have been off to the left, it was a low kick." The boot was blocked by Henry Jordan, and the Bays went on to score from that point. The Colts were well aware of the kickoff return abilities of Herb Adderley. Three kickoffs were directed at Earl Gros, no mean returner himself, and just one was close enough for Adderley to gather in. On the KO after the Colts' first TD, Herb took a short boot on the eight and returned to the 27.
'CIVILIAN' STARR KEEPS WARMUP ROUTINE INTACT
OCT 29 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - That civilian doing calisthenics with the Packers in Baltimore before the game was Bart Starr, the quarterback with the broken hand. Starr usually stands next to Dave Hanner for pre-practice and pregame calisthenics. Hanner didn't want to see an empty spot next to him in Baltimore and besides most athletes have their pet superstitions. "I did it right after I had my appendectomy. And there's no reason why you can't," Hanner told Bart, bringing forth the following answer from Starr: "We can't break our routine, Hawg, I'll be there." So Starr moved around lightly, looking a little out of place but accomplishing the mission. Enough of this nonsense. Let's look at the scattered noted from the playbook: BIG PLAY - The Packers had third down and 31 yards to go when they came up with the big play early in the first quarter. John Roach fired to Max McGee for a 36-yard gain for a first down on the Colt 33. On the next third down, Roach had four yards to go on the 37 and went for six points. He had hit, but Boyd Dowler dropped a sure TD close to the goal line. EARLY GAMBLE - After Jim Martin kicked a 45-yard field goal for a 3-0 Colt lead, the Colts gambled with an onside kick in an effort to get the jump. Wendell Harris poked the ball to his left and Jerry Kramer made a nice "basket" catch of the boot. NO PILING ON - Elijah Pitts is set for opponents who pile on. When knocked down Pitts usually flops on his back and quickly rocks back on his shoulders with his cleated feet skyway. He did it three or four times Sunday. SURPRISE - When Jerry Kramer's 46-yard field goal just got across the crossbar in the second quarter, the official standing under the goal post fixture leaped up like he was cheering for his college alma mater at homecoming. He was giving the "good" sign. OH NO - The hometown fans must be fickle. When Willie Davis rushed in and singlehandedly dumped John Unitas in the second quarter and then grabbed the fumble, the crowd booed Unitas. Davis was virtually untouched and the fellow who blew the block should have been booed. We hate to see a crowd boo any of the hometown players. ANOTHER GAMBLE - With a fourth and one situation early in the third period on their own 32-yard line with the score 17-3, the Colts went for the yard and made it. It's a wonder Unitas didn't pass, which he used to do with regularity. WHO'S FLEMING - With a minute to go in the first half, the Packers called a time out to stop the clock just after Marv Fleming caught two straight Roach passes for a total of 41 yards. We'll bet half the audience looked in their programs to see who in blazes Fleming is. FREAK PLAY - When Ray Nitschke red-dogged in the third
quarter, Unitas threw a pass at Tom Matte but Matte missed it, and Jimmy Orr caught it for a 16-yard gain. We've heard of option receivers catching the pass, but this is the first time a QB aimed at one receiver and then had another "intercept" it. FINE PURSUIT - When J.W. Lockett caught a Unitas pass for a 26-yard gain, tackle Henry Jordan took off and caught up with the big fullback downfield. Hank made the tackle about 25 yards from the line of scrimmage, which is a lot of pursuing. WHERE ARE YOU - Roach handed off to Jim Taylor in the fourth quarter, but Jim wasn't there. Roach caught up with his own outstretched arms and ran toward left end, losing two yards.
PACK QB 'STOCK' SOARS TO 22 YEARS
OCT 30 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers are set for the murderous second half drive with three veteran quarterbacks whose pro football experience adds up to 22 years. A threesome was created Tuesday when Zeke Bratkowski, the onetime Bear, was obtained from the Rams for the waiver price of $100. Zeke joins John Roach, who quarterbacked the Packers in their victor over the Colts Sunday, and the Bays' regular quarterback, Bart Starr, whose broken hand in the Cardinal game two weeks started all this. Bratkowski joined the Packers in time for the squad meeting and practice this morning. Placed on waivers to make room for Bratkowski was defensive halfback Howard Williams, who is in his second year. Coach Vince Lombardi rated Bratkowski as an insurance policy on Starr and Roach. Asked if the deal meant that Starr would be out longer than expected, Vince said, "It's the same as last week," which meant that the estimate of three or four weeks made last week still holds. How the Packers were able to get an insurance QB of Bratkowski's stature from an opponent in their same division apparently took some doing, and perhaps some luck. Due to the Pack's high standing, the lower clubs would get first crack at Zeke. Obviously the lower clubs had withdrawn waivers - if they made any. The luck might have been a factor Sunday when the various quarterback-short (or poor) clubs got good games out of their quarterbacks and they weren't forced with "desperation" on Monday morning. In addition, the Packers can better afford (personnelwise) to make room on their roster for an additional relief player at this stage of the game than most teams. Starr and Bratkowski are in their eighth year of pro football, while Roach has put in six years. Bratkowski was 32 a week ago last Sunday, while Roach is 30. Starr is 29. Bratkowski and Roach each had their grid careers interrupted by two years in the Air Force. Zeke played five years with the Bears. Bratkowski has always done well against the Packers and as a highlight engineered the Bears' 17-14 victory over the Packers in City Stadium in 1961. In his career against Green Bay, Zeke threw 147 passes and completed 82 for 902 yards - and a completion percentage of .557. His lifetime completion ratio is 50.4. Bratkowski played with the Rams in Green Bay Oct. 6 and completed eight out of 16 for 46 yards while alternating with Roman Gabriel. Roach, a guest at the Mike and Pen Club at their weekly luncheon at the Elks Club Tuesday noon, commented that, "I think it's good. It should help us. Zeke is a good quarterback." Starr, who expects to start lobbing the ball any one of these days, said, "Zeke will be a real asset to the club. He has a fine arm and always was a good long passer. I've always thought a lot of him." Roach, who made his first start as a Packer in Baltimore, rated the 1963 Packers "as good or better than our other championship teams." In answer to other questions, John said: "Yeah, I like to go for the long one (pass)." "I checked off 10 or 12 times in Baltimore, and I had no trouble with the crowd noise. They were quieter than usual." "The Colts got to me twice. They were both my fault." "First down is a good pass down because they don't expect it." "We play the tight end wide on occasion and it's better for passing. Sometimes Max plays the right end and Ron goes wide. We had Ron in the open (on that setup), but Bart was tackled and couldn't pass." "There is no reason we passed in the second half. I guess maybe we didn't have the ball as much." "I had a pleasant tiredness after the game." "Dropped passes don't discourage me, unless it meant the game. I never say anything to a receiver who drops one. What if I have a receiver in the open and miss him?"...Overlooked in the crush of stuff today - (1) The Packers play the Steelers in Milwaukee Sunday and (2) the longest telegram Roach ever received. It was a good luck message Sunday from the North Side Advancement Assn. of Appleton, and had 880 signatures, including "John Unitas."
PITT DEFENSE GREAT? PARKER NOT SURE NOW
OCT 30 (Pittsburgh) - When the Pittsburgh Steelers clobbered the New York Giants 31-0 at Pitt Stadium a few weeks ago, Coach Buddy Parker was convinced his defensive team was on the verge of greatness. Now, after a series of lackluster defensive performances, he's wondering how to convince his players. "I don't know what's happened to us," Parker said as his NFL team prepared for its most crucial test of the year, against defending champion Green Bay Sunday. "We were great against the Giants, but we haven't put together four good quarters since then. We've had our share of injuries, but that's not the reason. We've made too many mistakes, too many mental errors." Since that victory over the Giants - appraised by Parker as the greatest defensive performance by the Steelers in his seven-year coaching regime - the Steelers have won three out of five games. But in one of the defeats, Pittsburgh blew a 17-point lead late in the fourth period and bowed to St. Louis, 24-23. And, though the past two games have ended in Steeler victories over Washington and Dallas, it has taken some inspiring fourth quarter heroics to pull them out. Despite their erratic play, the Steelers still remain in contention in the Eastern Division with a fourth place record of 4-2-1. But with back-to-back games against Green Bay, tied for the Western Division lead, and Eastern leader Cleveland, Pittsburgh will have to be at its best to stay a contender..."OFFENSE IS GOOD': No one knows this more than Earnie Stautner, the rugged 14-year NFL veteran who doubles as a defensive coach when he's not anchoring the defensive line. "The game's gotta be won by the defense," Stautner says. "We gotta stop them and get the ball down there. Our offense is as good as they are. But outside of the Giant game, the defense hasn't played a good whole game this year. And I know we can!" After the Steelers had beaten Washington 38-27 two Sundays ago by turning a fourth quarter interception and recovered fumble into touchdowns, Stautner chided his teammates for lack of hustle and aggressiveness...'ALWAYS...ROUGH, TOUGH': "The Steelers have always been known as a rough, tough defensive club, and every team hated to play us because they knew they'd get the hell beaten out of them even if they had won. I'd be pretty ashamed to play on a team that wasn't rough, tough, hard and mean." The iron-jawed Stautner feels the defense looked better last Sunday in the 27-21 triumph over Dallas, but not much. "I think they're starting to come around," he said. "They
finally saw that they had to get the ball and had to rush like hell. But they still made many mental errors. And they've got to eliminate them if they want to stop Green Bay."
THOMAS GETS OKAY
OCT 30 (Pittsburgh) - The Pittsburgh Steelers said Tuesday X rays of the right shin of defensive back Clendon Thomas have proved negative. Thomas is expected to be able to play Sunday in the Steelers' NFL game at Green Bay.
SHADES OF 1960? PITT, PACKER FOE, AIRBORNE AGAIN
OCT 31 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The last time Green Bay and Pittsburgh played a league game was on Oct. 30, 1960 - three years ago yesterday. Pittsburgh out-touchdowned Green Bay 2 to 1 that day in Steeltown but the difference was the field goal - four of them by Paul Hornung from 35, 36, 45 and 17 yards. The Pack won 19-13, scoring the winning points on the only TD, a plunge by Jim Taylor, with 61 seconds left in the game. The Steelers had Bobby Layne that day and he made Pitt pretty much of a passing team. He threw two touchdown passes. So what are the 1963 Steelers, a running team or a passing team? What can the Packers expect in Milwaukee Sunday? Ed Kiely, the Steelers' advance man, said Wednesday that "we were a running team until Johnson got hurt. Then they keyed on Hoak, but he's not big enough to take that kind of attention. With Johnson out, I supposed you'd have to say we are more of a passing team. Brown is having a big year - the best he's had with us." Dick Hoak is a 1960 version of Clarke Hinkle. For his 190 pounds, he has tremendous power, but linebackers and defensive linemen have grown (from the Hink's day) and Hoak had had a tough time of it. But the Steelers' firebrand left half ranks third in rushing in the league with 421 yards in 139 tries for an average of 3.0. With John Henry Johnson playing but refraining from running for the most part, Hoak has carried 139 times, more than any other back, including Jimmy Brown, in the league. Brown has 135 carries. The Pack's Jim Taylor, by the way, has carried 126 times for 498 yards. The Steelers picked up Theron Sapp, always a good back, from the Eagles a couple of weeks ago to back up Johnson, and he's just now getting into the Steeler wing of things. However, John Henry may be healed sufficiently to carry the load. Johnson started in the win over the Cowboys last Sunday, but Sapp did most of the fullbacking. Pittsburgh's aerial hopes are wrapped up in quarterback Ed Brown, the onetime Bear who is strictly on his own for the first time this year, and Buddy Dial, the right half flanker. Brown ranks fourth in the league in passing, while Dial is second in receiving with 36 catches. Ed had completed half of his 174
attempts for 1,553 yards and 11 touchdowns. He had only seven intercepted. Brown's other receivers are the highly-touted Red Mack, the left end, and Preston Carpenter, bother of the Pack's Lew, the right tight end. Dial is a long distance receiver. He stretched his 36 catches to 751 yards for an average of almost 21 yards per. Seven of his receptions went for touchdowns, a figure matched only by Mike Ditka of the Bears and Sonny Randle of the Cardinals. The Steeler defense is healthy, except for Lou Michaels at left end. "He had a bad reaction from penicillin and if he can't play Ernie Stautner will take his place," Kiely said. Stautner, who also doubles as defense coach, can play anywhere in the defense line "and do a job," Kiely added. Lou Cordileone is playing right defense tackle - the spot opened by the death of Big Daddy Lipscomb last winter. Cordileone has been doing a good job, Kiely said, and then noted Lou's favorite quote: "It's quite a thing, following a ghost." Also in the defense line are Joe Krupa, left tackle, and John Baker, the 270-pounder at right end. Linebackers are George Tarsovic (245) in the left side, Myron Pottios (230) in the middle and John Reger (230) on the right. Halfbacks are Willie Daniel and Brady Keys on the corners, and Dick Haley and Clendon Thomas at safety. Thomas is hurt and if he's unable to play he'll be replaced by Jim Bradshaw. The Steelers, with a 4-2-1 record and very much in the running in the East, are just going on a meet-the-contender binge, while the Packers are just coming off one. Pitt faces the Packers, Browns and Bears in that order. The Bays are finishing with the contending Cards, Colts and Steelers. How good are the Steelers? "We're representative," Kiely reported. The Packers welcomed a newcomer in their midst Wednesday. That would be Zeke Bratkowski, the veteran quarterback who was obtained via waivers from the Rams. Zeke, who leaped from the cellar (one notch ahead of the 49ers) to the penthouse in the transaction, said he was "real happy to be here." Also back on the scene was Ron Kramer, who injured his knee in the second quarter of the Colt game. Most of the tight ending is being handled by Marv Fleming, the rookie who replaced Ron in Baltimore and caught three passes. The arrival of Bratkowski reunited a couple of Air Force veterans. They played football together for Englund Air Force Base and McGee caught 70 passes from Bratkowski. "We flew together, too," Maxie said Wednesday, recalling the time "we flew up to Green Bay in our little B-17 (in 1956) all the way from Florida to have a game of golf."
MEMO TO PACK: PITT'S DIAL AFTER CATCH TITLE
OCT 31 (Pittsburgh) - Pass catching whiz Buddy Dial of the Pittsburgh Steelers, off to the best start of his career, would like nothing better than to grab the NFL pass receiving crown this season - well, almost nothing. "Dadgum if ah wouldn't like to win that (title)," Dial mused in his cheerful Texas drawl. "But ah also want to play on a championship team, and we have the chance this year. Ah don't know which one I want more," he added, breaking into his characteristic sheepish grin. "Maybe ah can have both." Maybe. But not likely. He has a better chance at the receiving honor than the Steelers have at the NFL championship. The Steelers currently are fourth in the Eastern Division 1 1/2 games behind front-running Cleveland. They're still in contention but with games left with the league's four powers - Green Bay, Cleveland, Chicago and New York - the odds against staying there are high. But Dial, the former Rice All-America, is in an excellent position to capture the first pass receiving title in his sensational five-year NFL career. After seven games, Dial, the good looking ex-choir boy, is second in pass receptions with 36, eight less than St. Louis' Bobby Joe Conrad. But his 751 yards gained is 120 yards better than the next man in that category - fleet Bobby Mitchell of Washington. Dial, noted for his brilliant faking maneuvers and his deft hands, also is tied with St. Louis' Sonny Randle and Chicago's Mike Ditka with seven touchdown passes. And with 42 points, he's tied for seventh in scoring. "Oh, would ah like to beat Bobby Joe," Dial said with a tone of enthusiasm as he glanced at the latest receiving statistics. "And Randle and (Tommy) McDonald, too." Conrad, Mitchell, Randle, Ditka, McDonald, along with Del Shofner, Ray Berry, and the like have kept Dial from winning the receiving title, though he's been far and away the best receiver on the Steelers. His most prolific season was 1961, when he caught 53 passes for 1,047 yards and 12 touchdowns - the latter two setting club records. But with Ed Brown at quarterback, the 1963 Steelers have the foremost passing attack in years, and it seems probable that Dial will better his 1961 output. "If Ed keeps throwin' to me like he has, ah'll keep caching 'em," Dial said. "Ah'm not bragging, ah just know that ah can catch passes." Now, if the Steelers can only catch the Browns, Giants and Cardinals!
JORDAN NOTED: TITTLE NAMED WEEK'S TOP NFL PLAYER
OCT 31 (New York) - The player of the week in the NFL has to be just one man - Yelberton Abraham Tittle. His probing of Cleveland's defenses with short passes and running plays and his brilliant automatics under heavy pressure in a "must" game were outstanding. "Y.A. called as good a game as I ever saw a quarterback call," said Allie Sherman, his coach on the New York Giants and a former quarterback himself. "When I speak of calling a good game, I don't mean passing on a first and 10 situation or not running on second and three. I mean taking a game plan, executing it and moving your stuff around. To top it off he is a great competitor." All pro football fans must know by now that the Giants, under Tittle, snapped Cleveland' six game winning streak last Sunday 33-6. Tittle, who turned 37 on Oct. 24, ignored his favorite weapon, the long ball or bomb. Instead he "chunked it out" as Sherman called it. passing accurately when the occasion demanded and sending Alex Webster, Hugh McElhenny, Phil King and Joe Morrison along the ground. Tittle hit with eight straight passes in one streak, completed 14 of 20 in the first half and wound up the day with 21 of 31 for 214 yards and two touchdowns. He was named Star of the Week by the Associated Press. If there was a lineman of the week category in the pro ranks, it would have to be Henry Jordan of the Green Bay Packers. The big defensive tackle made three key plays in the last quarter that saved the day for the Packers in a 34-20 victory over Baltimore. Jordan saved a Colt TD by catching J.W. Lockett from behind on the 20 after he had gone 26 yards with a screen pass. With four minutes to play, Jordan blocked a field goal attempt by Jim Martin which would have broken a 20-20 tie. After the Packers had taken a 27-20 lead, Jordan smothered Johnny Unitas for a 9-yard loss when he was trying to go for a first down. Green Bay took over and went in for an insurance TD.
TITLE ATMOSPHERE SHARP CONTRAST TO RAM SCENE: 'BRAT'
NOV 1 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Zeke Bratkowski dug his tired toes into the wall to wall carpeting in the Packer dressing room and swept his arm around the room: "You can feel it. They're all champions around here. They're happy. And they've been a big help to me." Coach Vince Lombardi walked past with a bowl of soup and a sandwich en route to a brief lunch before the afternoon meeting. Bratkowski lifted his eyebrows and allowed "am I glad he..." Just about that time, Lew Carpenter leaned over and told any listeners: "Man, did I ever have a short career at quarterback." Zeke never finished up but he meant to add: "Picked me up." Bratkowski, who leaped from the Rams' cellar to the Pack's penthouse earlier in the week, was asked how it felt to make such a "drastic" change. He made with a "what can I say" gesture and noted: "That losing feeling out there (Los Angeles) gets on you. Until the other Sunday, we had lost 10 in a row and something like one out of 19 before that." Can you make the adjustment? Bratkowski laughed along with the questioner: "This is never a problem and everybody has been so swell to me, willing to help me all the time. This is a championship atmosphere." Bratkowski's presence, of course, was made possible through the dis-courtesy of Jimmy Hill of the Cards. Bart Starr broke his right hand somewhere during a collision with Hill a week ago last Sunday in St. Louis. Roach took over for Bart in last Sunday's win in Baltimore, and the versatile Carpenter played the No. 2 role last week while Lombardi hunted for an experienced signalist. An old hand, what with eight pro years under his belt (five with the Bears), Bratkowski makes it possible for Packer Backers to breathe a collective sigh of relief. Roach now has a solid replacement. And lest we forget Lew, you got to admit that Carpenter had quite a thrilling week working behind Roach. "I guess I wasn't the worst quarterback," Carpenter cheered. Carpenter was back at another position this week - tight end. He's working in the spot with Marv Fleming who did so well as Ron Kramer's replacement during the Colt game. Fleming likely will get the nod Sunday - unless Kramer's injured leg comes around. Lombardi said today he wouldn't know until Sunday about the availability of Kramer for the Steeler game in Milwaukee. In the meantime, Kramer has been limping a little faster each day this week...Jess Whittenton lives a charmed life - at least when it comes to escaping "homework" known as holding the ball for the kickers. Starr had been holding the ball for Packer kickers for what seemed like years. Jess was the No. 2 man but, shucks, nothing will happen to Bart. It did and Jess had to stay out holding the ball after practice. Big as lift, Starr was out there Thursday taking the snap, splint and all, and setting the ball down like nothing happened. He might have "won" his old job back already...What will the weather be Sunday? Whatever it is, the Bays can't complain about the temps and sunshine of the first seven games: Sept. 15 in Green Bay, 68; Sept.22, Milwaukee, 62; Sept 29., Green Bay, 68; Oct. 6, Green Bay, 88; Oct. 13, Minneapolis, 75; Oct. 20, St. Louis, 85; Oct. 27, Baltimore, 81. That's an average temp of nearly 77 for the first half. The second half should be cooler. But then again it might be "hotter."...The Pack's best scoring quarter has been the fourth - 69 points in seven games. Defensively, the Bays' best quarter has been the second, with only 10 points permitted. The Bays' last three foes (Vikings, Cards and Colts) have been frisky in the second half. A check shows that the Packers were outscored by those three teams 45 to 40 in the three second halves...Bob Schmitz, the Steelers' replacement at linebacker, was a 190-pound fullback at New Holstein High School before he went onto Montana State and the Steelers. This is Schmitz's first appearance against the Packers in Wisconsin. Now in his third pro season, Schmitz also plays all the platoons.
OFFICIAL DIDN'T BEAT COLTS FOR PACKERS, BUDDY YOUNG SAYS
NOV 1 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The last four times the Baltimore Colts have met the Green Bay Packers the game was in the balance until the waning minutes. But Green Bay won on all four occasions. That means there's conclusive evidence that the Packers are the full and complete masters of the Colts. There can be no realization when you look at the results in the cold light of day. The Colts gave their best shot last Sunday against a Packer team that was broken up physically. They could have won the football game but didn't. I have played sports all my life and never felt that an official beat a team. There may be a crucial play in a game that allows a team the break that's needed to win. But the other team beats you; the official doesn't have anything to do with that. The way the game went, the Packers could have had the Colts down by about 34-to-3 at halftime. The Colts got some early breaks the way the Packers were dropping passes for John Roach and the fumbles which occurred. Did you watch Vinnie Lombardi, the Packer coach, during the game? He was about the coolest looking citizen on the premises. After Elijah Pitts fumbled, you might have thought he would have called him on the "carpet." But not a word passes between them. This kept the tension from building up and was one of the reasons Pitts came back to make such a fine contribution to the Packer win. Before the game, the Packers had six running plays and five pass patterns. That was all they needed. That's all any team needs because it's the execution of those plays which is important - not how many you have. The reason for the Packers' success is the way Lombardi coaches. He does it with simplification. He has good personnel, and they block and tackle. The defense of the Packers was intense. I imagine Roach got the game ball, but he should cut it up in slices and give a piece to Ray Nitschke and a piece to Willie Davis. They were outstanding. The Colts had so much trouble with Davis that I observed a Colt player having to tackle him instead of using a block. His charge against John Unitas was fierce. I thought the Colts got as much out of the game as they could. They just weren't good enough and, in fact, deserve credit for staying this close. Lombardi is a proud man and instills this in his players. He told me he thinks the game is 85 percent mental. His offense really gets off on the ball - all together - and it reminds me of one of those precision drill teams. Roach was ready and this is a credit to Lombardi. The Packers' Jim Taylor is an awesome runner. I think he's a more complete football player than Cleveland's Jim Brown, if you want my opinion. Brown has more finesse as a runner, but not the power. They're different types of fullbacks. Either one could play in my backfield and both have a chance of battling it out in the championship game. The play which caused the controversy in the Packer-Colt tussle with the interference call on Lenny Lyles. This fellow Lyles is a dedicated football player who always gives a team a good effort. Lyles and Max McGee were jostling on the play. I think there was some bumping before the ball got to the receiver. Lyles had to play him tight. In my opinion, the penalty came before the ball arrived and not when Lenny hit it away. I've always felt this pass interference was the toughest decision in football. But, like in baseball, when the umpire gives the tie to the runner at first base, the advantage goes to the receiver and not the defender on plays of this type. The penalty didn't
beat the Colts. The run by Pitts was from 34 yards out and many times this season the Colts have stopped teams much closer to their goal line.
PACK-PITT PROFILE: SIMPLICITY VS. VARIETY
NOV 2 (Milwaukee-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Steelers apparently keep their offense simple. Two backs have done just about all of the rushing - until one of them was injured, and quarterback Ed Brown has thrown all but two of the club's passes. The top pass receiver has caught twice as many as the No. 2 man. Next to those horses in the offensive line, most of the ball moving is done by Brown, Dick Hoak and Buddy Dial, with assists from John Henry Johnson and Theron Sapp for rushing; and Red Mack and Johnson for receiving. Hoak had carried 139 times, Johnson 52 and Sapp 36. Brown, who ranks fourth in the league in passing, has thrown 174 passes and completed half of them. Behind him are Billie Nelson and Terry Nofsinger, who have thrown just one pass each. Dial caught 36 passes, Mack 17, Johnson 10, Presto Carpenter 8 and Hoak 8. By comparison, the Packers, who battle the Steelers in County Stadium Sunday, have distributed their chores among more players, though injuries were largely responsible. Jim Taylor has rushed 126 times, Tom Moore 71, Earl Gros 37 and Elijah Pitts 28. Pitts has the best average, 5.6, while Moore has 5.1, Taylor has 4.0 and Gros 4.3. Ron Kramer and Boyd Dowler each caught 19 passes and Max McGee is two behind. Moore caught 13. Passingwise, Starr threw 137 and Roach 26. The air figures should change Sunday since Starr won't play and R. Kramer is a doubtful participant. Marv Fleming likely will do the work at tight end and he has four catches thus far - one in the Ram game in Green Bay and three in the Colt game in Baltimore...The Steelers will be playing the Packers in a league game for the first time in County Stadium. The last time Pitt and GB played for blood in Milwaukee was in 1951 and the Packers won that one 35 to 31 in old State Fair Park. The Packers got off to a 28-0 lead and then blew it as the Steelers took a 33-28 edge in the third period. The Bays scored in the fourth quarter on a pass from Tobin Rote to Bob Mann to save the win. Bob Thomason also threw two TD passes that day. The Packers and Steelers battled in County Stadium in the
1956 Shrine game, with Pitt winning 3-0 on a field goal by Tom Miner on the last play of the game. The Steelers were to arrive here at noon by plane from Pittsburgh and then drill lightly at County Stadium. They are staying at the Schroeder Hotel. The Steelers are in good physical condition and that includes Lou Michaels, the defensive end and left-footed field goal kicker. Michaels ranks second in scoring in the league with 58, two in front of the Pack's Jerry Kramer. Jim Brown is tops with 66 points. Michaels has kicked the most field goals, 14 (out of 20). Jim Martin of the Colts is next with 13. J. Kramer is next with 11...A native Badger will be in Pittsburgh's starting case. He is Bill (Red) Mack, the Steelers' left end, who was born in Oconto and lived there until he was five years old. He is the sone of George (Snooky) Mack, a 1930 Oconto High School graduate who now lives in Chicago, and a nephew of Mrs. Alvin Exferd, 235 McDonald St., Oconto.
PACKERS SHOOT FOR 7TH IN ROW VS. PITTSBURGH
NOV 3 (Milwaukee-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers go for their seventh straight victory - and their third in a row over a championship contender - when they meet the Steelers in County Stadium this afternoon. The Steelers, with a 4-2-1 record, must win to stay in the Eastern Division running. The Packers, with 6-1, must do likewise to stay in a first place tie in the West. Today's struggle promises to be a bitter, angry clash of championship-bent men. The Steelers are always rough and tough and you can bet they'll come out clawing. The Packers are back on the championship track. They proved it by wiping up the Cardinals (30-7) and the Colts (34-20) the last two Sundays. Pitt is the Pack's third straight contending foe. This first game in the second half of the NFL schedule will draw a capacity house of close to 46,000. Kickoff is set for 1:06. This will be the second game without Bart Starr at the throttle and, of course, the second for QB John Roach, who came off the bench last Sunday and engineered the win in Baltimore. That's only part of the injury story (Starr has a broken hand). Tom Moore, who missed the Colt game and half the Cardinal game with a back injury, will return for today's battle but Ron Kramer is not expected to play. Kramer hurt both his knee and ankle in the second quarter of the Colt game and has been hobbling most of the week. Marv Fleming, who caught three passes - one for a touchdown vs. the Colts, figures to start in Ron's place. Lew Carpenter will back up Fleming. Starr likely will be in uniform today and may do the holding for extra points and field goals. Starr held the ball during practice in County Stadium Saturday for both Jerry Kramer and Willie Wood. Despite the loss of Starr and Moore - and then Kramer, the Packers banded together beautifully in Baltimore and won themselves an important game. Coach Vince Lombardi called it the most satisfying victory in his Packer career. Having studied Packer-Colt game pictures all week, the Steelers no doubt will come up with some anti-Roach traps. Coach Buddy Parker has led his Steelers (and remember the Lions) to many a big game victory. The Steelers have been stressing defense all week since they feel they must control the Pack's scoring machine to win. The Pack's big key, of course, is Jim Taylor and the big blaster is sharp. He carried 49 times in the last two game for slightly over 200 yards and is rolling. The rest is up to Roach, the offensive line and the receivers - Max McGee, Boyd Dowler and the rookie Fleming. Roach will have some experienced help behind him - Zeke Bratkowski, the ex-Ram QB who got in four practices during the past week. The Bays' defense will have to be good. The Steelers aren't fancy on offense, but they are effective. Parker, like Lombardi, has been stressing plain old fundamentals. Pittsburgh will throw a "hot" quarterback at the Pack. That would be Ed Brown, the former Bear who is having his best year. He has thrown 11 TD passes and completed half of his passes. Buddy Dial, the receiver, and rushers John Henry Johnson and Dick Hoak, are the key performers in the Steeler attack - plus Theron Sapp, the former Eagle, and Lou Michaels, the left-footed field goal kicker who already has booted 14 in 20 attempts. In fact, if the game goes down to the wire, the field goal kicking of Michaels and the Pack's Jerry Kramer could be a deciding factor.
