TUESDAY TIDBITS: "The Packers Had Embraced the Forward Pass as an Offensive Weapon"

By TJ Troup

Coach Harbaugh has the New York Giants playing physical football, with Cam Skattebo earning my Larry Csonka Award! The powerful Miami fullback got flagged for unnecessary roughness back when the Dolphins dominated the league; now young Cam joins him. 

Can the Giants continue to win and possibly earn a division title in Coach Harbaugh's first season at the helm? Since I mentioned Miami, let's congratulate Coach Hatley on his first victory as a head coach! Not sure how many more wins the Dolphins can claim this year. The team they beat this past Sunday is quickly becoming a punchline for inept play by a coach who is lost! 

Online we can all read stats, yet one stands out most to me. 

The New York Jets have been outscored 107-6 in the final two minutes of the first half in their last 24 games! We can all evaluate if an owner has an effective plan to succeed, yet since the Jets have had one winning season since 2011, it is not if Aaron Glenn loses his job; it is who is next to join Glenn & Kotite in the worst head coaches in league history. 

Every week we watch many, MANY quarterbacks pitch the pigskin for big yards, yet for this upcoming weekend, will any of them match Cecil Isbell's performance against the Cardinals in 1942? Hopefully you are ready to again journey back in history with me again (yes, do this every week). 

Cecil Isbell

The 1942 Packers enter their game against the Cardinals with a 4-1 record, hoping to stay in the race against those damn grizzlies from Chicago. 

Cecil Isbell does not throw a pass until the second quarter, and his first three attempts are incomplete, yet once he got "hot," he torched the Chicago Cardinals' secondary. Isbell sets the league record by passing yards in a game with 333 yards on just ten completions. Five of his completions gained 276 yards; all went for touchdowns. 

For the first time ever in league history, teammates catch passes for over 100 yards in a game! Don Hutson: five catches for 207 yards and Andy Uram four for 174. Uram gained 162 of his receiving yards in the second half. 

Andy Uram

How good was Isbell? The records he set in this game are broken by Hall of Famers Sid Luckman & Sammy Baugh. Isbell ended his career by throwing a touchdown pass in 23 consecutive games, a mark he held until Johnny Hightops came along. 

The title for today's saga comes from the distinguished historian Eric Goska, and would relish sitting with him to watch film of this game: the routes run by Uram & Huston, what Cardinal players were victimized? 

Surprisingly, the Cardinals did not finish dead last in the defensive passer rating category (6th) in '42. 

Wait? I do not have film of this game, damn!, yet boy oh boy would have watched this game over and over. 

Shifting gears on a day when the Milwaukee Brewers can achieve their first World Series title. If you have not watched this team play, you are sure missing one helluva impressive performance by an entire team. 

Have been watching the WS since 1959 and sure have seen many impressive team performances, yet 8 consecutive two-out hits in the fifth inning; will we ever see that again? 

Robin Yount is no doubt proud!