Dan Devine's Broken Leg

BD Sullivan
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Re: Dan Devine's Broken Leg

Post by BD Sullivan »

Jay Z wrote:
Joe Zagorski wrote:Rupert, being a Packers fan, I didn't care much for that game (LOL).

Joe Zagorski
How can you not like a game where John Spilis set a career high in receiving yards?!? :D

The next time the Packers scored 40, it would again be against the Giants - in 1975. Better luck for coach Starr and the Packers, with a 40-14 victory in that game.
Prior to the Devine debut, the Packers had last broken 40 in the final week of the 1969 season in a 45-28 win over the Cardinals.

In the Lombardi era, the Pack broke that threshold 17 times and when they won those games, there was usually no doubt: the average winning margin was just under 34 points. The closest of the 17 games was Week 13 of the 1965 season, when they beat the Colts in foggy Baltimore, 42-27.

Only twice did a Lombardi Packers team give up 40 or more: in his first year, they were blown out at home by the Rams 45-6 in Week 4. Two years later, they lost at Baltimore 45-21 in Week 8.

The Devine loss marked the second straight year that they had opened the season giving up 40 or more. They had been humiliated 40-0 by the Lions the year before.
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Ronfitch
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Re: Dan Devine's Broken Leg

Post by Ronfitch »

BD Sullivan wrote:
Jay Z wrote:
Joe Zagorski wrote:Rupert, being a Packers fan, I didn't care much for that game (LOL).

Joe Zagorski
How can you not like a game where John Spilis set a career high in receiving yards?!? :D

The next time the Packers scored 40, it would again be against the Giants - in 1975. Better luck for coach Starr and the Packers, with a 40-14 victory in that game.
Prior to the Devine debut, the Packers had last broken 40 in the final week of the 1969 season in a 45-28 win over the Cardinals.

In the Lombardi era, the Pack broke that threshold 17 times and when they won those games, there was usually no doubt: the average winning margin was just under 34 points. The closest of the 17 games was Week 13 of the 1965 season, when they beat the Colts in foggy Baltimore, 42-27.

Only twice did a Lombardi Packers team give up 40 or more: in his first year, they were blown out at home by the Rams 45-6 in Week 4. Two years later, they lost at Baltimore 45-21 in Week 8.

The Devine loss marked the second straight year that they had opened the season giving up 40 or more. They had been humiliated 40-0 by the Lions the year before.
Four of the 40+ victories under Lombardi were in the '62 season, including a very lopsided 49-0 victory over the Eagles, the first meeting between the teams since the Eagles defeated the Packers 17-13 in the 1960 NFL Title game. In that 1960 title game, the Packers out-gained the Eagles in total yards and had more first downs, but only got six points out of drives that took the Packers to the Eagles' 5-, 13-, 8- and 7-yard lines. Lombardi blamed himself after the game for decisions to pass on points in attempts for first downs.

Nearly two years later, in the ninth game of the '62 season, the Packers put together multiple long touchdown drives to out-gain the Eagles 628-54 in yards and make a then-league record 37 first downs in a 49-0 win at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. According the Bob Berghaus' "The First America's Team: the 1962 Green Bay Packers" in the week leading up to the Eagle game, Lombardi did not use the game film from the '60 title game as motivation for his players.
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Jay Z
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Re: Dan Devine's Broken Leg

Post by Jay Z »

Ronfitch wrote:Four of the 40+ victories under Lombardi were in the '62 season, including a very lopsided 49-0 victory over the Eagles, the first meeting between the teams since the Eagles defeated the Packers 17-13 in the 1960 NFL Title game. In that 1960 title game, the Packers out-gained the Eagles in total yards and had more first downs, but only got six points out of drives that took the Packers to the Eagles' 5-, 13-, 8- and 7-yard lines. Lombardi blamed himself after the game for decisions to pass on points in attempts for first downs.

Nearly two years later, in the ninth game of the '62 season, the Packers put together multiple long touchdown drives to out-gain the Eagles 628-54 in yards and make a then-league record 37 first downs in a 49-0 win at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. According the Bob Berghaus' "The First America's Team: the 1962 Green Bay Packers" in the week leading up to the Eagle game, Lombardi did not use the game film from the '60 title game as motivation for his players.
Probably a good choice not to show the 1960 film. Motivation if the Eagles kicked the Packers' butts, but when the game slips away like that, best not be reminded.

I think the Packers had the ball in Eagles' territory 8 times to account for their 13 points. Two missed fourth downs, the last drive where they couldn't kick a FG down by 4, a fumble, and a missed chippie FG. Eagles only had 4 times, with a INT in the end zone to go with their 17 points. I'm on the fence about Lombardi not going for all the FGs, as normally you'd need more than one TD to win. But the Packers' offense was more inconsistent at the time, Starr hadn't come into his own yet. So I'd lean towards taking the points, but it's not clear cut.
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Re: Dan Devine's Broken Leg

Post by Jay Z »

After the 1962 victory, the Packers had an eight game losing streak in Philly before beating the Eagles both in the 2010 regular season and the playoffs. The games seemed to alternate between 1960 style lost opportunities or dismal blowouts.

In six of the eight games, the Packers outgained the Eagles but lost anyway.

In 1974, the Packers outgained the Eagles 302-214 but turned it over 6 times in a 36-14 loss that was the beginning of the end for Dan Devine. One of the fumbles was returned 87 yards by Will Wynn for a TD. Eagles led 29-0 at one point in the second quarter. Despite this, the Packers still outgained the Eagles in the first half.

In 1978, the Packers outgained the Eagles 385-148(!) but turned it over 5 times and lost 10-3. A James Lofton TD catch was also called back because of a penalty. This game, among others, propelled the Eagles into the first NFC Wild Card game and kept the Packers out of the playoffs.

In 1994, the Packers outgained the Eagles 275-273 but lost 13-7. 3 turnovers for the Packers to 2 for the Eagles. Sean Jones recovered a Cunningham fumble at the Eagle 11 with two minutes left, but four Favre passes netted only five yards.

In 1997, the defending Super Bowl champs lost 10-9 when Ryan Longwell missed a 28 yard field goal at the end of the game. No TDs for the Packers despite outgaining the Eagles 380-258. Longwell's three made field goals were all less than 30 yards. Eagles went ahead with 1:58 left when Ty Detmer completed a 2 yard TD pass to Freddie Solomon Jr. on fourth down.

In 2003, the Packers outgained the Eagles 381-363 but lost 20-17 (4th and 26 game.) One turnover apiece, the Packers' came in OT.

In 2005, the Packers outgained the Eagles 292-264 but turned it over 5 times to the Eagles 1, and lost 19-14.

The other two losses:

In 1990, the Eagles blew out the Packers 31-0. Eagles outgained the Packers 422-158.

In 2004, the playoff bound Packers are thrashed 47-17, in a game that was 47-3 before two late scores. Eagles ran up 542 yards to Packers' 249. Donovan McNabb threw for 464 yards and 5 TDs. Backup Craig Nall threw for the two Packers' TDs.
BD Sullivan
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Re: Dan Devine's Broken Leg

Post by BD Sullivan »

Blowing out the Packers in 1961 must have expended quite a bit of energy for the Colts, since they followed it up with a road loss to the expansion Vikings. Minnesota had lost seven straight going into the game--after wiping out the Bears in the opener.
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