1958 NFL Championship Game

The NFL Championship game in 1958 was the 26th edition of the final match in American football National Football League ( NFL). The game took place on December 28, 1958 in front of 64 185 spectators held at Yankee Stadium in New York City. The master of the Western Conference, the Baltimore Colts defeated the champions of the Eastern Conference, the New York Giants, with 23:17 in overtime.

Due to the dramatic end ( "Two Minute Drill " of the Colts ), was the first overtime game in the NFL Final history and because of the large number of subsequent members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame is the game, inter alia, by the Pro Football Hall of Fame " The Greatest game Ever Played" ( "Best game ever " ) called.

Prehistory

The Baltimore Colts head coach Weeb Ewbank won by nine of its twelve season games and won the Eastern Conference with a victory ahead of the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles Rams (eight wins). In last season's game against the San Francisco 49ers, they had to win, they had a 7:27 deficit to converted to a 35:27 victory. Best player of the team from Maryland was quarterback Johnny Unitas, the erwarf 19 touchdowns and 2,007 yards extra space and together with running back Lenny Moore and wide receiver Raymond Berry formed a dangerous offensive trio. With 381 points, the Colts were the strongest offensive team in the league. Also, the Colts were strong defensively: They allowed only 203 points, the league second place. Unitas, Moore and Berry were elected to the All-Pro team.

The New York Giants head coach Jim Lee Howell of also won nine of its twelve season games, the same number as the Cleveland Browns. In a playoff game the Browns were defeated 10-0. The New Yorker had a rather average offensive team ( 246 points, the league ninth place ), but the Defense to the four All-Pro defender Jimmy Patton (Safety ), Rosey Brown, Sam Huff ( linebacker ) and Andy Robustelli ( defensive end ) allowed the opponents only 183 points, which they led the NFL. Assistant coach of Howell were, inter alia, the future Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi ( offense ) and Tom Landry (Defense).

Since there were no play-offs in 1958, entered the west and east champion directly in the NFL Championship game against each other.

Game

In the first quarter, both teams lost the ball, and a field - goal attempt by kicker of the Colts, Steve Myhra, was blocked by Sam Huff contributed. In return, the kicker of the Giants, Pat Summerall, a field goal, which gave New York the lead with 3:0 occurred. In the second quarter lost the running back the Giants, Frank Gifford, shortly before the own end zone, the ball This ball loss was recovered shortly afterwards by Colts running back Alan Ameche for a touchdown. After a successful point -after touchdown (PAT ) of Myhra it was 7:3 for Baltimore. Then Unitas led to a long drive that was recovered from Raymond Berry to a touchdown. After Myhras successful PAT it was 14:3 for the Colts.

After the half-time break Unitas led the Colts to a yard in front of the end zone of Giants. Instead of going to the third down a relatively safe field goal attempt, it was decided that Ameche should try to run into the end zone. When this failed, New York got back to football. In the next play, the Giants ended up a big play, as the Colts missed several tackles and New York came to the end zone to within a yard. Giant Mel Triplett completed for a touchdown, and after Summeralls geglücktem PAT it was only 14:10 for the Colts. Early in the fourth quarter gave the quarterback of the Giants, Charlie Conerly, Frank Gifford on a touchdown (PAT Summerall, Giants 17:14 ). Shortly before the end of the game Gifford was tackled in the third -down directly on the 10 - yard - line of Gino Marchetti. Marchetti broke his leg and had to retire. The referee awarded controversial enough, on fourth down, so that New York puntete the football. Unitas was now faced with the task with only two minutes of play, his team of 86 yards to lead to a field goal.

Unitas performed a series of the most famous attack NFL history, the so-called " Two Minute Drill" ( two-minute series). Instead of making his teammates prior to each turn to take aside and to say the next attack in the huddle, he saved time by having them immediately ordered to their positions and at the last moment shouted the name of the game turn. After five quick throws the Colts had won 73 yards. Seven seconds before the final shot kicker Myhra a 20 - yard field goal, making the score at the final whistle 17:17. Thus, the final was the first regular NFL game that went into overtime. According to overtime rule the first team would win, which scored points. In overtime, the Giants after a failed attack series had to punt, so that Unitas led the Colts to a yard after two successful litters of a long third down out in front of the end zone. After a touchdown by Ameche the Colts had won with 23:17.

After the game, Unitas declined from TV appearances for the then huge sum of $ 750, so he could fly back in time with his team to Baltimore.

Importance

The NFL Championship game in 1958 is considered one of the best NFL games of all time. The Pro Football Hall of Fame called the game " despite sloppy play on both teams ... as the game that popularized the NFL " and " as a dramatic back and forth with a thrilling epic end " with the famous " Two Minute Drill" of Unitas. Unitas ( "We have to two minutes before the end played badly " ) and his teammates even said that they would have played better at 35:27 on the final day of the regular season against the San Francisco 49ers.

Unitas ' famous Two Minute Drill contained the following moves:

  • Throw on Lenny Moore (11 yards), first down at their own 25 - yard mark
  • Misthrow
  • Throw on Raymond Berry ( 25 yards), first down in the middle of the field
  • Throw on Raymond Berry ( 15 yards), first down at the New York 35 - yard mark
  • Throw on Raymond Berry ( 22 yards), first down at the New York 13 - yard mark
  • Field Goal by Steve Myhra from 20 yards

At the final 17 players were involved, who are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame today:

  • Baltimore Colts Raymond Berry, Art Donovan, Gino Marchetti, Lenny Moore, Jim Parker, Johnny Unitas (player ); Weeb Ewbank ( coach )
  • New York Giants: Rosey Brown, Frank Gifford, Sam Huff, Don Maynard, Andy Robustelli, Emlen Tunnell (player ); Vince Lombardi, Tom Landry ( coaches ); Tim Mara and Wellington Mara ( Coaches )

Running back Frank Gifford, who was a successful sports journalist was himself wrote, 2009, where the book How the 1958 NFL Championship Changed Football Forever. Computer analysis of several decades later showed that Gifford was at his controversial run against Marchetti actually " nine inches too short " for a first down.

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