Still The Best Ever: Richard "Night Train" Lane

PERSPECTIVE
By T.J. Troup

Much has been written about Night Train Lane—His life and his exploits in the NFL. He is to be commended for what he overcame in his childhood, and his belief in himself as an athlete. Many times I have used the line "film study tell us" and today again will detail observations of him and the teams he played for.

The Rams right safety Herb Rich, in early 1952, ranked among the leaders in interceptions. Rich had 6 after four games (twice pilfering 3 Lion aerials). During the 24-16 loss to the Lions on October 16th Lane intercepted the first pass of his career. He would intercept 13 passes the next eight weeks!

Los Angeles righted their ship and won down the stretch to earn a playoff berth for the fourth consecutive season. Watching Lane, he is quick, decisive, and at times explosive in defending the run from his right corner post. The best example of this is when he tackles Eddie Macon of the Bears for a safety.

Why quarterbacks continued to throw against him will be questioned forever but no doubt they either did not realize how gifted he was or he had already learned how to "bait" passers. To wit, how many players steal three passes in back to back weeks to end a season (in must-win games) and help take their team to the playoffs?

Film study (yes, that is what I relish doing) in 1953 shows a subtle change in his style. Lane moved up to almost the line of scrimmage when the left offensive end was aligned near the offensive tackle. He would allow a clean release by the end, and stride down the field with the intended target—but rarely now did teams throw to his man (he did not intercept in the first seven games of the season).

Though Lane only intercepted three passes in 1953; he made one of the best plays of his career:  Fred Cone of Green Bay attempts a 25 yard field goal, and the "Night Train" dashes in and blocks the kick and the ball bounces back towards midfield and beyond, and when Lane grabs it, he scores (listed as 30 yard return).

In 1954 Ram management takes part in a three-team trade that serves two teams well. Don Paul (defensive halfback goes from the Cardinals to Washington), but he refuses to report, and thus he winds up playing excellent football for Cleveland for five years. Los Angeles does not get near in return who they "gave" away. Joe Stydahar needs as much help as he can get in Chicago as the Cardinals are the least talented team in the league. Jumbo Joe will get Ollie Matson back from the military for 1954, and now again has Lane.

Arteburn, Breede, Brosky, Kingery, Crittendon, Kinek, and Oakley—who are these guys? They all attempted to play in the secondary for the Cardinals during 1954, and all will have very short careers.

The Night Train begins the season starting at right safety, but he is moved to left safety in week two on a rotation basis with Matson. Lane is basically the right safety the first half of the year and intercepts opposing passers four times. Since the above mentioned players have struggled and failed, off the bench comes future Hall of Famer Charlie Trippi to play right safety, and first Lane goes to left safety, and ends the season playing some left corner (Kinek was the usual starter there).

NFL Films has a segment on the Night Train and there are entertaining stories on him, yet for me his play against Washington in November says it all. He pursues from left safety to his right to neck tie-tackle halfback Billy Wells. The 'Skins halfback ducks under the tackle and takes off goal ward bound for an 88-yard touchdown. Lane will not give up and outruns his teammates to tackle Wells as he crosses the goal line.

Lane ends the 1954 season by intercepting in the Cardinals last five games and begins the 1955 season at left corner and intercepts in his sixth consecutive game. For years the league record manual would list him (along with Will Sherman) as the two record holders with interceptions in six consecutive games. I still have the memo from Elias Sports Bureau stating these two men were not alone in holding the record but the record and fact book would be changed. That is a story for another day.

This story concerns birthday boy Richard Lane. The Night Train plays well at left corner in 1955 and continues as a part-time receiver (his speed and athleticism make him a deep threat). Ray Richards has the Cardinals on the upswing in 1956, and with the valuable assistance of secondary coach Wally Lemm they win for the only time in the decade. Chicago has revamped the secondary and is the best in the league, with Lane now established as the best left corner in the league. Fearless against the run since he relishes contact, and still knifing in front of receivers for the "pick".

The best example is week two when Lane takes an errant Charley Conerly pass for 66 yards and a key touchdown. The Chicago Cardinals are 2-0, but cannot maintain their momentum (they split their last ten games). Opening day 1957 the Cardinals upset the play-off bound 49ers as they open the game in a hybrid nickel coverage. The Night Train intercepts twice early in the year, but is shelved by injuries during the second half of the year and as such does not make the Pro Bowl (he was not chosen for the Pro Bowl in '52 when he set the record, nor was he a First-team All-Pro).

Lane returns to health in 1958 and again is the best left corner in the league. Chicago, under Pop Ivy, is aligned in a double wing offensive formation most of the time; and though entertaining the turnover machine makes a shaky defense very vulnerable. The 1959 campaign is more of the same, yet Lane continues to make quarterbacks pay; even future Hall of Famers as the "Dutchman" Norm Van Brocklin learns early in the year when Lane goes 37 for a touchdown on a pick six.

His time ended in Chicago as he is dealt before the 1960 season to the Lions for Gerry Perry. A trade that no doubt ranks among the worst the Cardinals have ever made. Detroit is back in contention in 1960 and the Night Train has evolved. His alignment at left corner is now playing off turned on an angle towards the quarterback, his thought process—'I want the ball from that man, and have to see him while maintaining outside leverage against the wide receiver my side (usually a flanker)'.

A young Dick LeBeau is learning his lessons at right corner (when he is not moved to left safety due to injury) and in his own way the Night Train had an impact on the youngster with his "triangle vision" of pass defense. The 1961 season is a fascinating one in league history and there will be a rule change due to the Night Train. Jon Arnett swing out the backfield for a pass in Briggs Stadium and Lane, as always is, supersonic in coming up and going high on Jaguar Jon. This famous photo impacted the league, yet have seen other clips of him taking Taz Anderson and Mike Ditka to the deck with head hunting tackles, 'Face mask be damned, you are going down'. Thus, you can no longer grab the face mask to tackle.

Though he is entering the twilight of his career he continues to intercept in key situations; ask Unitas about his wide side throw in October of 1960, or Bart Starr on Thanksgiving day of 1962. The first half of 1963 he intercepts five times, but his knee needs surgery and the Lions are no longer contenders. How do you replace a man of this caliber? You do not! Aged Jim Hill, and young Jim Kearney attempted to do so until secondary coach Carl Taseff thought Bobby Thompson was ready. Thompson just does not measure up though he is given three years to establish himself.

Lane's last interception came against the Colts and Unitas on October 25th, 1964 in a 34-0 blowout loss. The Night Train was even put on waivers, and no one claimed him; thus he returns to Detroit to spend part of the year on the taxi squad. There have been many outstanding corners since Richard "Night Train" Lane retired, yet for me, he is the benchmark to be measured by. His versatility in playing both safety posts, and both corner positions along with his ability to play pass defense and be a force in tackling whether in pursuit or on the "force". Happy Birthday Night Train.

The New York Post's All-Time NFL Team (1942)

LOOKING BACK
By John Turney

On December 12, 1942, the New York Post chose its own All-Time Team. All the names are familiar to most fans, even recent fans with a casual interest in NFL history. The one exception to that is quarterback Ernie Pinckert. Pinckert was a wing-back/quarterback for the Redskins in the1930s. He was a two-time Pro Bowler but was never All-Pro. He was essentially the "blocking back" on this squad.

Pinckert

John Anderson's Career Stats

LOOKING BACK
By John Turney

John Anderson was a Second-team All-Decade selection on the All-1980s team. He got one vote. We are guessing that vote came from the Green Bay voter but we don't know that for sure.

We are dubious of his All-Decade selection but we are not dubious that he was a good player because he was. Aside from the All-1980s thing he was All-Rookie in 1978 but was never invited to a Pro Bowl or made an All-Pro of All-NFC team. But he was considered a solid run stopper and a SAM backer who could drop into coverage and be effective—something not all linebackers can do.

Joel Buchsbaum, in 1987, said Anderson was the "most underrated linebacker in the league" and that "He's just a very efficient player who strings out the sweep and does a nice job in coverage".

In the mid-1980s Anderson would rank in the bottom half of Buchsbaum's top ten, in 1982-83 he was called the top strongside linebacker in the NFL. One year he was on the third-team preseason All-Pro team. His "honors" consisted of mostly things like that.

It was just an era, to be All-Pro, you had to beat out Lawrence Taylor or Andre Tippett or Rickey Jackson and that is hard to do when you were a run stopper/coverage backer rather than the sack-happy rushbackers of that era.

As a rookie, on the right side, he picked off five passes and forced three fumbles. He then broke an arm and struggle to get on the field in 1979-80. In 1981 he began to establish himself as the player he became recording 103 tackles (5.5 were behind the line of scrimmage). In 1983 he again picked off five passes, taking one to the house and recording 113 tackles (we use the tackle totals from the gamebooks, not the coaches totals that vary in how they are kept from team to team).

Fron 1982-87 is when Anderson got notice from scouts and from Buchsbaum's reportage. In 1986 he was felled by another injury but closed out his career well, especially in 1980 when he had 6 stuffs, plus 4 sacks and picked off a pair of passes.

In all, he totaled 22.5 sacks and 25 picks, similar numbers to players like Dave Robinson, Chuck Howley, Phil Villapiano, and others.

Here are his career stats—

Remembering Dan Rooney (1932-2017)

By Chris Willis, NFL Films

Dan Rooney at his 2000 Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction (Photo courtesy of Chris Willis)

I’ve worked at NFL Films for 21 years, and unfortunately, I never met Dan Rooney, although I was present in Canton, Ohio in 2000 to watch him get enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But that was the closest I ever came to meeting him. So it was a bit of surprise in June of 2015 when I received a phone call from Mr. Rooney. 

He wanted to talk to me about my book on Joe Carr, the former NFL President from 1921-1939, that was published in 2010. He told me he enjoyed reading my book on Carr and the NFL’s formative years—an era that included his father Art Rooney starting the Steelers. The reason for his call is that he wanted to know more about the letters I used in the book. He told me he was writing a book about the history of the NFL through letters. I thought it was a great project and agreed to help. A month later I emailed a few items I found for his book project. He was very grateful for my help.

When I heard the news today that Mr. Rooney had passed away at the age of 84 my initial reaction was to think back to our one phone conversation two years ago. It was a short twenty-minute conversation among millions for him. But for me it was twenty minutes I’ll always remember and cherish. We lost a bit of NFL history today. Rest in Peace Mr. Rooney, you will be missed.

Rooney in uniform. Colorizations by PFJ

Exploring the Origins of the Designated Pass Rusher: Part I

LOOKING BACK

By John Turney

It is difficult to know exactly when an innovation entered into pro football. The safety blitz was purported to have been invented by Larry Wilson in 1961 but in 1960 the Oilers of the AFL employed the same tactic the year before.

The same is true of the nickel back, when was it first employed? No one is really sure. When was it employed "in earnest" that is when it was a dedicated part of a defensive game plan would be a better test.

The same is true for the so-called "designated pass rusher" or nickel rusher. Today it is commonplace, so much so that it's not talked about much in the media, either on the Web or during games, but it is a vital position. Sometimes it's an older player coming in at the end of his career or a younger player with his young legs taking the place of a 3-4-type end when a team uses four down linemen.

Film study has yet to reveal the first time it was used in the NFL, but we do have a good idea of when it was used in earnest.

Years ago we spoke to Paul Zimmerman, then SI's head writer. He mentioned he thought perhaps Larry Cole, in 1968 would come in to fill in for a heavy-legged starting left defensive end Willie Townes. But, Townes was injured early in the season and Cole became the starter anyway.

In 1969 Roger Brown sustained an injury and youngster Coy Bacon became the Rams starting right tackle, but when Brown returned they split time and T.J. Troup indicates that essentially Bacon, the younger, quicker player was used on pass downs in a platoon with the older, heavier Brown.

However, neither really did it for a sustained time. We think that distinction came in 1970 when Cedrick Hardman was a rookie. He was a dynamite pass rusher in college and taken in the first round by the San Francisco 49ers. He was, though, not ready to be an NFL starter. "Heck, it took him until 1972 to learn how to close a trap. He threw a party for him when he got it done", says then 49er linebacker coach Mike Giddings. Hardman started five games that season after the 49ers coaching staff had tried to groom Hardman. Early in the season he'd rotate in at right defensive end, but "the idea was to get him run-stopping experience in the rotation and then get him into the game on passing downs" recalls Giddings.

It worked well as the 49ers won the division and Hardman led the team in sacks with 8½. In the following clip you can see Bill Belk leave the game and Hardman enter the game and make a play.

In Baltimore, Bill Newsome sometimes was used in a similar role. He beat out Roy Hilton early in the season but later, Hilton re-secured the right DE spot, but there were plenty of times film study shows Newsome at left DE and usual left DE Bubba Smith playing inside and Hilton playing right DE. Billy Ray Smith, the 34-year old tackle was out of the game. Interestingly, in reviewing Super Bowl V these variations were not used much, if at all.

In 1971 George Allen used newly acquired Jimmie Jones in the same way. (He also used Bill Brundige as a rush tackle to relieve Manny Sistrunk on pass downs). Jones was a tall, light, extremely quick player who led the Redskins in sacks in 1971 with 7½ sacks, the first we know of to lead a team in sacks while starting only one game.

In this clip you can hear Frank Gifford mention this Redskin duo entering the game in a passing situation.

In the Los Angeles Rams employed what they called their "57" defense when they would try and get three DEs on the field on passing downs. Deacon Jones was the left DE and early in season he missed a few games with a fallen arch, rookie Jack Youngblood filled in and the Rams won all three games. When Jones returned is when the Rams used the "57" with Youngblood playing right DE (a position he hated) and usual right DE Coy Bacon reducing to defensive tackle.

In the same game as the first clip you can hear the ABC announcing team mention Youngblood's role, coming in on a pick 6 and leaving on a 3rd and one.

The next season Youngblood started 11 games at left DE and newly acquired Fred Dryer started three, but in the games Dryer got a lot of action in the "57" playing right DE and again, Bacon playing inside. Dryer ended the season with 4½ sacks.

In 1973 Harvey Martin won the designated role in training camp and he'd play in sure passing downs at left defensive end, with, ironically, Larry Cole going to the bench. Martin ended the season with 9 sacks as the Cowboys advanced to the NFC Championship game.

Cole, at LDE in Dallas base 4-3 flex

Martin in game at LDE in place of Cole

This clip shows Martin come in on a 3rd down and 17 and sack Fran Tarkenton in the NFC Championship game.

The next season number one overall pick Ed Jones was the designated rusher on the right side, Martin on the left and Bill Gregory would come in for Bob Lilly. Lilly told Pro Football Journal, "they replaced me on passing downs my final tow years and to this day I don't know why. At that stage in my career, I was a better pass rusher than run player".

Here are some more stills from 1973:

Here Martin is in for Cole and Bill Gregory for Lilly.

This is the Dallas base 4-3 flex with Cole as LDE.

Pat Toomay said the experience was fine by him, "More effective pay per play" he wrote in his book The Crunch. "I was getting paid the same no matter how many plays, so, the way I say it my 'pay per play' went up". After the season Toomay was dealt to the Buffalo Bills and in 1975 Ed Jones and Harvey Martin switched sides and became the starting DEs in the "Doomsday II" defense and Martin ended the 1974 season with 7½ sacks and Jones had 6 (in Dallas they were called 'traps') sacks.

In 1974 the New Orleans Saints used a 3-4 defense quite a lot. In that scheme their usual 4-3 right DE, Joe Owens, would be on the bench. Bob Pollard would play right DE in the 30. When they went to nickel (4-2-5) Pollard would play inside (similar to what Bubba Smith and Coy Bacon had done and what Howie Long and Dan Hampton would do in the future) and Owens would come in and be the sack master, and he led the team in 9½ sacks.

The Saints when they used a 3-4 as a base

Here is their 4-3 base defense, note the RDE is #82 Pollard.

Here is the nickel with Owens at RDE and Pollard at LDT

Also in 1974 the great Deacon Jones filled the DPR role for the Redskins. Jones had started all 13 of his previous seasons but signed with the Redskins and George Allen to try for one more shot at an NFL title. Jones played both left and right DE, usually taking LDE Ron McDole's place (McDole is who left the game, usually, in 1971 when Jimmie Jones came into the game) and the Deac ended the season with three sacks, though he had one taken away due to a penalty.

Joe Owens was used in the same role in 1975 as well, finishing with 6½ sacks. However, there were times he'd spell new right DE Stave Baumgartner at right DE in the times they used the 4-3.

In 1975 the Cowboys had another stud rusher they had drafted: Maryland's Randy White. Dallas thought he'd end up being a starting linebacker in their defense, eventually. In the meantime, he'd be used in a variety of ways, mostly as a rusher on pass downs. The Cowboys would line up White as and outside linebacker in a 3-3-5 defense and rush, either from the right or the left. He'd also take either Jethro Pugh's spot at LDT or Larry Cole's spot at RDT and rush on 3rd and long situations and would also line up as a nose in a 3-man line. He had 11 sacks combined in 1975 and 1976.

Here are some examples of White's play in 1975 and 1976 lining up in various spots.

The Chiefs had a rushman in 1976 as well and they finished with 5½ sacks and only started three games. We have not seen enough 1976 Chiefs film to know his role exactly, but we suspect it was as an inside rusher in likely passing downs, in that the Chiefs had decent ends, Whitney Paul and Wilbur Young, though they seem to be reversed in where they lined up, but that's a different topic altogether.

Continue reading in Part II:

Exploring the Origins of the Designated Pass Rusher: Part III

LOOKING BACK
By John Turney

More and more teams moved to a 3-4 defense in the 1980s, with the high mark of 25 of 28 teams in 1985. With that move, there were more DPRs every year.

In 1982 Fred Dean didn't perform as well as he had in 1981 but Tony McGee, now with the Redskins was the top performer of 1982 with 6.5 sacks in 9 games. Right behind him was the Giants nickel left end George Martin with 6 sacks.  Three players with 4 sacks Greg Brown of the Eagles, Casey Merrill of the Packers, and Ruben Vaughan of the Raiders round out the top five.

In 1983 Fred Dean made up for his so-so 3½ sack performance of the previous season with an NFC-leading 17.5 sack performance and another trip to the Pro Bowl. The Steelers Keith Willis would be the "Second-team All-Pro" with his 14-sack performance.

Rookie Greg Townsend of the Raiders had 10.5 sacks and wily vet Tony McGee had 10 as these two are the iconic examples of most DPRs, a youngster with all the physical ability in the world and the experienced player with an array of pass-rush moves. George Martin had 9 sacks with the Giants.

In all there were 13 players with 6 or more sacks with 5 or fewer starts in 1983, certainly, the DPR was a major part of NFL defenses. Gary Jeter of the Rams was one of those and he was usually a right DT in the Rams nickel and Don Smerek and rookie Bill Pickell were two more who were factors with the Cowboys and Raiders, respectively.

The Raiders starting 3-4 defense was composed of Howie Long and Lyle Alzado (LDE and RDE) and Reggie Kinlaw as the nose tackle. The Raiders, in Bandit (5 DBs), Pirate (6 DBs), and Desperado (7 DBs) had a usually defensive line of Townsend (LDE), Pickel (LDT), Long (RDT, usually the 3-tech) and Alzado (RDE).

The top non-starting sacker in 1984 was Pickell with 12.5 sacks. Pickel did start three games, however when Reggie Kinlaw was injured. Additionally, Pickel rotated a lot with Kinlaw and as a result got more snaps than many of the usual DPRs we've discussed, nonetheless, he was very effective in the Raiders sub defenses. Casey Merrill, who the Giants had acquired was a DE in nickel with 3-4 end Leonard Marshall moving inside, had 8.5 sacks.

In Seattle, the designated rusher was former Ram Mike Fanning, one of the "Knox Guys". He'd enter the game and play tackle and he finished with a goodly 7 sacks.

The Packers replaced Merrill with former starter Ezra Johnson in the DPR role he had 7 sacks, as did second-year players Greg Townsend and Karl Mecklenburg.

Jumpy Geathers, who would become a staple in this category, had 6 sacks at left end for the Saints (he didn't move inside until 1986). George Martin dropped to a 5.5 sack total and Tony McGree dropped to 4.5. The 49ers got a lot of production from former Charger Gary Johnson who had 5 sacks in the regular season and three more in the playoffs and Super Bowl. Really, the position was so commonplace it is hard to name them all.

In 1985 Gary Jeter was what we'd consider the "All-Pro" DPR. He had 11 sacks, playing in a 4-man line he'd play either RDE or RDT or in a three-man nickel he'd play RDE. Seattle's Randy Edwards had 10.5 sacks, taking the spot from Mike Fanning as the inside rusher.

Two usual subjects, George Martin and Greg Townsend both had 10 sacks (neither started a game) and Jumpy Geathers had 6.5 at right end (was a left nickel end as previous season).

Fred Dean finished with just 3.5 sacks and found himself without a job in 1986 as his role was filled by rookie Charles Haley who had 12 sacks.

Greg Townsend had 11.5, Geathers had 9, Gary Jeter had 8 sacks and Saint Frank Warren had 7.5 and Kevin Greene had 7 to round out the top six of the non-starters (fewer than 5 starts) sack list.

In 1987, five non-starting players had 6 or more sacks in the strike-shortened season. They were Greg Townsend (8.5), Gary Jeter (7), Kevin Greene (6.5), Charles Haley (6.5), and Frank Warren (6).

We can see there are names that embraced the role and were successful year in and year out.

In 1988, Gary Jeter was in his usual role plus one more. The Rams employed a 5-LBer "Eagle" defense which would align Jeter as a DT among lots of linebackers. Jeter totaled 11.5 sacks to lead all NFL non-starters in sacks.

Following him are Sean Jones, Oilers (7.5 sacks), and George Martin (also 7.5). There were several with 6 sacks and one notable player, Al "Bubba" Baker now with the Vikings had 5.5 sacks in a role that was new to him.

Ending the 1980s with 1989, a new name emerged: 215-lb LBer Rufus Porter who was the right DE in the Seahawks' 4-man line and he had 10.5 sacks in the role. Atlanta's Marcus Cotton had 9 in a similar role.

The Colts used veteran Ezra Johnson in their nickel and he had 8.5 sacks, youngster Bennis Byrd had 7 with the Jets and the Patriots got 7 sacks from Gary Jeter who they acquired via Plan B free agency and the Oilers got 6 sacks from Sean Jones.

Continue reading in Part IV:

Exploring the Origins of the Designated Pass Rusher: Part II

LOOKING BACK
By John Turney

In 1977, after about a decade of NFL teams toying with it, the designated pass rusher (DPR) became really, a mainstream scheme in the NFL. Early in the season of the Raiders got injured and newly acquired end Pat Toomay was to step in at left DE. However, right DE Otis Sistrunk knew Toomay preferred the right side and volunteered to play left DE and Toomay could play right. Toomay had some success in the preseason and when the Tooz came back, the Raiders, who used a base 3-4 defense would send Toomay in at right DE, and Otis Sistrunk would move to right LDE and Matuszak would play defensive tackle.

Toomay proved very effective, seemingly being featured by Howard Cosell on the weekly halftime highlights of ABC's Monday Night Football. Cosell didn;t choose the highlights, NFL Films did, but Cosell did the narration and was always effusive about Toomay. The Raiders ended 11-3 and Toomay had 14½ sacks, which subsequent research reveals led the AFC. He finished a sack ahead of Tony "Mac the Sack" McGee of the Patriots.

In 1974 the Patriots, who had flirted with a 3-4 defense in 1973, committed to a 3-4 defense full-time and were the first NFL team to do so (the Oilers followed around mid-season). tony McGee was acquired from the Bears for the 1974 season and was and extra lineman. He had 4½ sacks in 1974, and he did play some designated rusher, usually, though it was in a 3-4 defense, taking starting LDE Mel Lunsford's place. So, it wasn't an every-week thing, but they did try, late in games to get McGee in th games. In 1975 injuries forced McGee into a starting role and he kept it for the 1976 season.

In 1977, however, Lunsford regained his starting role and the Patriots began to use a 4-man line with their 5 defensive back scheme, rather than the 3-3-5 they used in 1974-76 (with some exceptions). McGee thrived and had 13½ sacks for the season.

McGee in a 3-man line at left end

Mel Lunsford in the Patriots 3-4 base defense at LDE

The Eagles began using s 3-4 in 1977 and they had a WFL castoff, Len Burman come in and rush in their nickel and he garnered 10 sacks in that role. Others played the spot as well, though not with the success of Toomay, McGee and Burman. Rookie Ezra Johnson had 3½ sacks in the role in Green Bay, for example.

McGee, who could be one of the poster children of the role was big-time again in 1978 with 11½ sacks. Pat Toomay said "For whatever reason, the Raiders didn't use the 40 nickel much in 1978 and I didn't get the snaps I did in 1977". Toomay ended the year with just 4 sacks.

"In 1979 there were rumors the Rams wanted to trade me to the Rams to take Fred Dryer's play, who they thought was too small. The trade fell through and then Otis (Sistrunk) got hurt and all-of-the-sudden I am nose-up on a tackle". Toomay meant he was the starting right DE in the 1979 Raiders 3-4 defense.

That season the DPR for the Raiders was youngster Willie Jones and he finished the season with 10 sacks from the right DE spot in the 40 nickel. But he wasn't the top player in the DPR role for 1979. That honor goes to Oilers rookie Jesse Baker.

In 1979 the Oilers (who had been in a 3-4 since mid-season 1974) were not getting a lot of rush so they began to use more 4-man lines in likely passing downs and the key player was Jesse Baker. Elvin Bethea was the starting right DE but only had 1½ sacks for the season but Baker made up for it, leading the AFC (unofficially) with 15½ sacks.

Baker was both an inside rusher in the 40 defense (with Bethea at right end, his usual spot) but he also played RDE in the 40 defense with Bethea leaving the field. In those situations, Ken Kennard would play inside due to his quickness. Baker also spelled Bethea in the base defense as well, so in reality, 1978 was the last season Bethea was a full-time player. Baker was just too good a pass rusher and was better outside than inside so Bethea lost playing time. In 1980 and 1981 Bethea was run-down specialists, again giving way to Baker on likely passing downs.

Again, Tony McGee was money with 11½ sacks. Also in 1979, the Patriots moved former starting RDE Julius Adams from a starting role to a role similar to McGee's only on the opposite side and he tallied 5½ sacks. The following year, however, Adams returned to his starting role and went to his first Pro Bowl.

In Washington Joe "Turkey" Jones would play LDE in the nickel (the Redskins still used a 4-3 base defense so Jones was coming in for the usual LDE) and finished with 6½ sacks. Dallas's Bruce Thornton played LDT on passing downs and also had 6½ sacks and was especially noticeable in big games.

The Jets used a 4-3 defense and the rookie starting left defensive end was Mary Lyons. On passing downs fellow rookie Mark Gastineau would come in to replace him. Lyons told Sports Illustrated "it doesn't make you feel worth a damn when they take you out on the gravy plays".

In 1980 another milestone for the DPR was reached: It was the first season a player in that role won a Super Bowl. That player was actually two: Cedrick Hardman, and Willie Jones. Hardman led the Raiders with 9½ sacks and played RDE when Raiders went to a 40 defense and Jones, who had a good season the year before was the left DE (the previous season he was on the right side most often, moving to the left in 1980). The 3-4 starters, John Matuszak and Dave Browning reduced to tackles to complete the foursome.

Had the Eagles been able to pull out Super Bowl XV that honor for first DPR to win a Super Bowl would go to Claude Humphrey. Humphrey was to play in the designated role in 1979 but due to injuries he was pressed into starting service but in 1980 the nickel front Dick Vermeil wanted came to fruition and Humphrey finished with 15½ sacks.

The Denver Broncos employed a 3-4 quite often in the mid-1970s and committed to it full-time in 1976 but they chose to get pressure from blitzing, keeping their 3-man line in games in likely passing downs. In 1980 that changed with Rulon Jones and Greg Boyd. At times, Jones would enter the games and play DE and Boyd would sometimes play inside at DT in a 40 nickel. 

Combined, they totaled 20½ sacks. It was not as precise as some rotations of the era because Denver still used their usual 3-man lines, but ensured that the Jones and Boyd combo (with Latimer at NT) were in the game in opponents' passing situations. 

Again, steady Tony McGee produced, this time with 8½ sacks. Cardinals rookie Curtis Greer was brought along similarly to how Cedrick Hardman was with the 49ers in 1970, as a rusher to use his skills and in a rotation to cut his teeth in defending against the NFL running game.

In Anaheim, the Rams used a three-man rotation at defensive tackle with Larry Brooks and Cody Jones as starters and Mike Fanning filling in, but Rams tried to make sure Fanning was in the game in the nickle/dime defenses and Fanning, though just starting three games, Fanning had 10 sacks, second to Jack Youngblood on the team.

In 1981 yet another milestone was passed with Fred Dean becoming the first DPR to get post-season honors being voted the UPI NFC Defensive Player of the Year and being a consensus All-Pro and Pro Bowler. Dean started 7 games in 1981 but 4 of them were with the Chargers before the trade to the 49ers and the other 3 were in games when the 49ers opened in a 4-2-5. Dean had 12 sacks with the 49ers and another with the Chargers. He was considered the key to the 49ers making the jump to a Super Bowl-quality defense.

Rookie Howie Long was an inside rusher in the 1981 version of the Raiders pass rush. Hardman still played right DE but was not as effective as he was in 1980 and Willie Jones was injured mid-season, Long filled the gap and had 8½ sacks.

In Buffalo, the Bills used Ken Johnson as a tackle in their 4-man line and he had 8 sacks for the season. Miami used former starter Kim Bokamper in a designated role and he sack the quarterback 7½ times. Jesse Baker became a starter in 1982 but he finished his "apprenticeship" as a DPR with 6½ sacks in 1980 and 10 in 1981 to bring his three-year total to 32.

Oddly, in 1981, Tony McGee had only 6 sacks though he was forced into being the starter at LDE due to injuries to other players. It seems he had more productivity per play as a third-down rusher than as a starter. After the season he was let go and finished his career with Washington.

Continue reading in Part III: