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ldiatone
02-09-2009, 08:16 PM
cj,
i was watching the nfl network, and in SB 3 why did Morrrow start and not johnny u? and then 2 years later johnny u starts??
just asking, cause the way the announcer explained, johnny u was like a old man. i didn't think that.
thanks

Pace Cap'n
02-09-2009, 10:19 PM
No, I'm not CJ's Dad, but your question made me curious so I looked it up...

"Backup quarterback Earl Morrall (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Morrall) became the starter due to a preseason injury to legendary Colts star Johnny Unitas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Unitas). Morrall would go on to have the best year of his career, leading the league in passer rating (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passer_rating) (93.2) during the regular season. His performance was so impressive that Colts coach Don Shula (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Shula) decided to keep Morrall in the starting lineup after Unitas was healthy enough to play. The Colts had won 10 games in a row, including four shutouts. In those 10 games, they had allowed only seven touchdowns. Then, the Colts avenged their sole regular season loss against the Cleveland Browns (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_Browns) by crushing them, 34-0, in the NFL Championship Game. By the end of the season, many people thought the Colts were one of the best teams of all time, stronger than even Vince Lombardi's Super Bowl I and II champions."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bowl_III (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bowl_III)

cj
02-09-2009, 10:40 PM
cj,
i was watching the nfl network, and in SB 3 why did Morrrow start and not johnny u? and then 2 years later johnny u starts??
just asking, cause the way the announcer explained, johnny u was like a old man. i didn't think that.
thanks

Yep, Unitas was injured and didn't play most of the season.

I wonder what the Giants would have done had Phil Simms returned in time for Super Bowl XXV. Does Hostetler go back to the bench?

Also, is he the only midseason replacement to win a Super Bowl as QB? I know Kurt Warner replaced Trent Green due to a preseason injury.

BillW
02-09-2009, 11:05 PM
cj,
i was watching the nfl network, and in SB 3 why did Morrrow start and not johnny u? and then 2 years later johnny u starts??


Morrall did get yanked in the 3rd after throwing 3 picks in the 1st half. Unitas finished the game.

BillW
02-09-2009, 11:23 PM
Also, is he the only midseason replacement to win a Super Bowl as QB? I know Kurt Warner replaced Trent Green due to a preseason injury.

Dan Pastorini started the year with Oak in 1980 when Plunkett won the SB. I'm not sure if he was actually the starting QB though?

BillW
02-09-2009, 11:35 PM
Drew Bledsoe started in 2001 for the Pats when Brady won his first.

sandpit
02-09-2009, 11:41 PM
The Ravens benched Tony Banks in favor of Trent Dilfer during mid-season of their lone Super Bowl winning campaign.

swami13
02-09-2009, 11:54 PM
Pastorini was with Oakland? I loved those Oilers/Steelers playoff games years ago.

njcurveball
02-10-2009, 12:09 AM
Also, is he the only midseason replacement to win a Super Bowl as QB?

Perhaps Doug Williams qualifies? He started 2 games, lost them both and yet wound up the winning QB in a Super Bowl rout. He also was replaced the next year and perhaps is the only winning Super Bowl QB who NEVER had a winning year.

BillW
02-10-2009, 12:43 AM
Pastorini was with Oakland? I loved those Oilers/Steelers playoff games years ago.


Pastorini went to Oak in a trade for Ken Stabler in 1980. apparently he was their starter out of training camp but soon got hurt (game 2).

cj's dad
02-10-2009, 07:59 AM
Morrall had a great season- ex detroit lions QB- if hes still around Detroit may wanna consider- nevermind.

Unfortunately, I remember that game well. Morrall missed a wide open Jimmy Orr in the end zone on a flea flicker near the end of 1st half. Unitas brought in late in the game (thought it was the 4th quarter).

Odd choice was that with several minutes to go in the game (score 16-7), Colts could have attempted a FG and if good would have cut lead to 16-10. Game would have been winnable. Did not try-missed 4th down conversion - game over.

I had the unique pleasure of watching Johnny every Sunday when in my teens and what a thrill it was to see him play. The man and that team were all about football.
None of the foolishness that permeates todays games.

By the way - congrats to the Steelers.
Damn, there I said it.

ldiatone
02-10-2009, 08:21 AM
Thanks all!

OTM Al
02-10-2009, 09:17 AM
No one ever remembers Joe Gilliam with the '74 Pittsburgh Steelers.

Marshall Bennett
02-10-2009, 09:37 AM
I'm reminded of a game , may have been a championship game , where Morrall got hurt and Tom Matte finished the game as QB . Perhaps someone knows which game I'm refering to , wish I knew ?

cj's dad
02-10-2009, 09:50 AM
1965 against the Bears ?

Matte qb'd the colts vs. the packers in the title game of that year and the colts were robbed when Don Chandlers FG attempt was ruled good when it was clearly 1-2 ft wide right as photos proved. Pack won the game in OT 16-10, I believe.

The bad call led to the extension of the uprights.

Matte was a QB at Ohio State and was converted to RB as the Colts had Unitas at the time he was drafted.

Tom is a semi-regular at Pimlico - very nice person - real down to earth guy.

Bubba X
02-10-2009, 10:37 AM
In 1972, Morrall replaced Bob Griese when he got hurt in October. The Dolphins went undefeated with Morrall still playing after Griese came back. Miami beat Pittsburgh to get to the Super Bowl but Morrall didn't play well and Griese started the Super Bowl vs Washington.

Morrall didn't play a down in the SB but was the AFC player of the year.

JustRalph
02-10-2009, 11:09 AM
Now somebody around here tell these youngsters about George BLanda!! :lol:

Blanda holds the following NFL records:
Passing TD's in a game: 7 (Tied with 4 others) November 19, 1961 vs. New York Titans[1]
Most seasons played: 26 (1949-58, 1960-75)
Most seasons scoring a point: 26
Only player to play in 4 different decades; (40s, 50s, 60s, 70s)
Most PATs made (943) and attempted (959)
Most interceptions thrown, single season: 42 (1962)
Held record of most pass attempts in a single game: 68 (37 completions, vs. New York Titans on 11/1/1961) until 1994 when Drew Bledsoe had 70
Oldest person to play in an NFL game: 48 years, 109 days
First player ever to score over 2,000 points
Oldest quarterback to start a title game
Fewest receiving yards in a career: -16
Most total points accounted for (including TD passes) in a career: 3,418 (not an official stat)

cj's dad
02-10-2009, 11:55 AM
George won many a game with a late field goal.

Blanda rocked in the old AFL days along with the likes of

Houston - Charley Toler
Jets - George Sauer and Don Maynard
Bills - Jack Kemp
Raiders - Ben Davidson
Chiefs - Len Dawson and Buck Buchanon

I thought back then that the AFL was more entertaining than the NFL, though not better.

Marshall Bennett
02-10-2009, 12:19 PM
1965 against the Bears ?

Matte qb'd the colts vs. the packers in the title game of that year and the colts were robbed when Don Chandlers FG attempt was ruled good when it was clearly 1-2 ft wide right as photos proved. Pack won the game in OT 16-10, I believe.

The bad call led to the extension of the uprights.

Matte was a QB at Ohio State and was converted to RB as the Colts had Unitas at the time he was drafted.

Tom is a semi-regular at Pimlico - very nice person - real down to earth guy.
Thanks alot !!! This has been bugging me for some time , but I definately remember the game now . I've got a pro football almanac and for some strange reason they left this game out of it . The score is there but there are no details , QB stats , or anything else .

BillW
02-10-2009, 12:27 PM
Now somebody around here tell these youngsters about George BLanda!! :lol:




AND! ... he grew up about 10 miles from where I did (Youngwood, Pa.)

Another one of those Western Pa. QB's. :cool:

cj's dad
02-10-2009, 12:38 PM
Actually, the final score vs GB was 13-10

I did a little research and Morrall was not on the team then but the back up was Gary Cuozzo who was hurt vs. the Pack 2 weeks before the playoff game. The Colts signed journeyman Ed Brown who qb'ed a win vs LA Rams (which forced the playoff vs. GB) but he also was injured or not eligible to play in post season (?) and Matte had to take over. Matte completed one pass but he played superbly running a QB option which allowed the Colts to have a 10-0 halftime score.

The damn bad call FG ruined the Colts and that ref never did another Baltimore game if I remember correctly. It was a long time ago- I couldn't have been much more than 2 or 3 years old.:lol:

Marshall Bennett
02-10-2009, 02:23 PM
Actually, the final score vs GB was 13-10

I did a little research and Morrall was not on the team then but the back up was Gary Cuozzo who was hurt vs. the Pack 2 weeks before the playoff game. The Colts signed journeyman Ed Brown who qb'ed a win vs LA Rams (which forced the playoff vs. GB) but he also was injured or not eligible to play in post season (?) and Matte had to take over. Matte completed one pass but he played superbly running a QB option which allowed the Colts to have a 10-0 halftime score.

The damn bad call FG ruined the Colts and that ref never did another Baltimore game if I remember correctly. It was a long time ago- I couldn't have been much more than 2 or 3 years old.:lol:
Ha Ha ya beat me to it . I looked it up as well . Morrall was playing for the Giants . I couldn't remember the Colt's roster except for a few , Matte , Mackey , Unitas , ect . I was eleven years old . The reason the game wasn't listed in the book I read was because it was a playoff game as the Colts and Packers finish with identical records . I'm glad you were able to pinpoint the game though , I was at a loss as to when or exactly who the Colts played . A lot of it is coming back to me now , and I recall the phantom field goal . That game and the " Ice Bowl " were childhood memories for sure .

BillW
02-10-2009, 03:24 PM
A good source of information is here:

http://www.sports-reference.com/

ldiatone
02-11-2009, 09:26 AM
No one ever remembers Joe Gilliam with the '74 Pittsburgh Steelers.

great arm, too bad he had problems. just passed a few years ago i think

ldiatone
02-11-2009, 09:31 AM
ESPN just reported Brent Favre has retired. fwiw

cj's dad
02-11-2009, 09:32 AM
Isn't Gilliam the one found dead under a bridge? He had been living as a homeless person? In Houston maybe?

Pace Cap'n
02-11-2009, 02:03 PM
ESPN just reported Brent Favre has retired. fwiw

Yeah, heard that before.