TUESDAY TIDBITS: "run to daylight"

The first week of the season in the books, and boy oh boy was there a lot to savor from the games, yet some teams performances have raised questions. Those questions will be answered in due time. Ok, folks please share which game stood out to you and why? For the upcoming week which game will have you get out the smokehouse almonds & Dr. Pepper? Oh, not all of you have those treats on your coffee table? Watching the Bills win at Houston in a game that saw many lead changes kept my attention till the final gun. As usual will go back in history to hopefully enlighten/entertain all of you with teams or games in the past that take us to the league this year. The 1954 Champion Cleveland Browns allowed just 34 points over the course of 25 quarters late in the season. This past Sunday in Jacksonville the Browns defense allowed 34 points in the first half in a loss that begs the question; how bad is this team going to be. Making a prediction, this Browns team will not play for the silver trophy in February! When time permits hopefully you will read Eric Goska's outstanding article on the Packers loss in Minnesota, and my segue to Green Bay's opening day loss to Detroit in 1970. The Packers getting beat in a dominating shut-out victory by division rival Detroit was embarrasing enough, but in the Lions highlight film for the '70 season Van Patrick stated that the Lions "ran to daylight"! Seem to recall a Packer coach that used that phrase in a book he wrote with W.C. Heinz in '63? The merger will allow the best second place team from each conference to earn a play-off berth; known as the "wild card". The Lions who closed with a rush (6-1-1) to end the '69 season open in Green Bay and for the first time in thirty-six years shut-out the Packers 40-0! Detroit gains their fifth most rushing yards in a game (at this point in team history) with 266. Mel Farr and Altie Taylor combine to gain 144 yards on 33 carries. Larcenous left corner Lem Barney, who has intercepted 18 passes in his last 29 games, returns an interception 40 yards for a touchdown in the 3rd quarter to seal the game. Detroit limits the Packers to just 114 total yards for the game (their best mark of the season). After a 5-4 start, the Lions again close like gang busters to finish 10-4 and earn the NFC wild-card berth.