TUESDAY TIDBITS: 'For Some Of Them It Was Only the Moment That Mattered'

By TJ Troup 

Ace Parker

Thus far during the 2022 season, the games have had so much ebb and flow, that the final score tells us that there will continue to be many, MANY close games. 

Since Buffalo was crushing Pittsburgh, the powers that be switched to showing the Browns vs. Chargers. From boring to who is gonna win this one? Chubb of the Browns and Eckler of the Chargers both gained over 100 yards rushing in the game. 

Many times in league history both teams have had a 100-yard rusher, but when did this first happen in league history you ask? 

October 9th, 1938 the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Brooklyn Dodgers are doing battle at Forbes Field, and each team had a 100-yard rusher. Clarence "Ace" Parker gained 103 yards, and rookie Byron "Whizzer" White lugged the leather for 116 yards in the Brooklyn victory. 

Sure is possible that in the many games before 1933 each team had a 100-yard rusher, but this is the first game we know of since statistics were kept by the league. 

San Francisco destroyed Carolina with a 49er gaining over 100 yards rushing, and a 49er returning an interception for a touchdown—a stat I call "apocalyptic horsemen" the Niners had a 91% chance of winning. 

Did that mean coach Ruhle had a 91% chance of being dismissed? 

Tony Dorsett

Forty-five years ago on this date, the Dallas Cowboys beat the St. Louis Cardinals as rookie Tony Dorsett gained 141 yards on just 14 carries. Dorsett dashed 77 yards for a touchdown in the 2nd quarter and later plunged over to bring the Cowboys to within one point.

Ok, we all know that Dorsett had a Hall of Fame career, so why is this game significant? 

During his first three games, Tony carried the ball just 21 times (gained 145 yards)...thus this is the game where coach Landry asked the youngster to lead his team to victory. Dorsett does, and this was the best Dallas team in the first eighteen years of the franchise as they would go on to win the Super Bowl. 

We all have opinions on officiating as we watch the games as penalties are part of the fabric of the game. The write-up in the Washington Post for the game between Washington and New York on October 9th, 1949 detailed the penalties called on the 'Skins in the loss (60 yards), but the Giants during this game were penalized 17 times for 177 yards (second most in league history up to this time). 

A couple roughing penalties are mentioned, but otherwise not much on flags thrown against the Giants, but plenty of discussion on a Redskin player violating the rules? Second-year safety Emlen Tunnell is the star of the game as he pilfers three Redskin passes. 

 Every week there are a handful of games that have a direct bearing on the standings, and boy oh boy we have a couple of dandies for October 16th. 

The Chiefs and Bills have had many hard-hitting key contests in the rivalry, and while many will point to this game as the "rematch" of last year's spine-tingling playoff game this game actually pits two teams looking for the home-field advantage in January. 

The first time the Cowboys and Eagles played (1960) was one of those early season victories a team builds on. Having lost to Cleveland on the first Sunday of the season, the Eagles if they were truly going to be contenders in 1960 must beat this expansion team on the road. 

Philadelphia found a way to win all season on their way to the title...possibly could be much the same for the Eagles in 2022? 

October 9th was Clyde Jackson Browne's 74th birthday, thus the title for this essay. 

Wore out my copy of his album "Late For The Sky".