Packers Slow Derrick Henry in Loss to Titans

 By Eric Goska

Charissa Thompson and Richard Sherman talked football from
the parking lot of Lambeau Field on Thursday night.
(photos by Eric Goska)

The good news: Derrick Henry did not dominate the Packers as he might have.

The bad news: With all eyes on the league’s leading rusher, the Titans put up their best passing numbers of 2022.

Green Bay defended the run better than it has all season in its 27-17 loss to Tennessee Thursday night at Lambeau Field. It did not surrender 100 yards despite being challenged more than 30 times on the ground.

The Titans boast one of the league’s most feared runners in “King Henry.” No. 22 has been gaining ground for the team since being selected in the second round of the 2016 draft.

Listed at 6-feet-3 inches and 247 pounds, Henry is a man who can move the chains. Getting bodies on him before he gets going is the best way to bring him down.

But could Green Bay do that and do that consistently? Could defensive coordinator Joe Barry’s unit – one that surrendered 122 yards to David Montgomery, 116 to Breece Hall and 115 to Tony Pollard – hold up under a sustained barrage by the big fellah?

Turns out for the most part, it could. Henry rushed for 87 yards on 28 carries (3.11 per attempt) and never authored a run of 10 or more yards.

Fourteen Packers figured in on a tackle or an assisted tackle of Henry. Each defensive starter for the Packers, with the exception of Jaire Alexander and Rudy Ford, was credited with helping to bring him down at least once.

Those in the mix most often were Kris Barnes (8 plays), Quay Walker (7) and Adrian Amos (5). Barnes, Walker and Kenny Clark each registered two solo stops.

Twice was Henry thrown for a loss. Walker and Preston Smith knocked him back two yards in the second quarter and Kingsley Enagbare and Jonathan Garvin tackled him a yard behind the line of scrimmage in the fourth.

The band Ask Your Mother performed ahead of the Packers-Titans game.

Henry, of course, had his moments. He churned out five rushing first downs. He barreled in from four yards out to put the Titans up 14-6 with 32 seconds remaining in the first half.

Never was Henry more present than on Tennessee’s 18-play advance to start the second quarter. He carried 10 times for 24 yards and four first downs as the Titans reached the Green Bay 4-yard line.

But that work went for naught as Walker and Smith sent Henry backward on fourth down.

In getting such an extensive workout, Henry became the 60th back since 1923 to carry more than 25 times in a regular-season game against the Packers. Of those 60, he became just the seventh to fail to produce at least one run of 10 or more yards.

In fact, the majority (19) of Henry’s totes didn’t gain more than 3 yards. Six netted him a yard or less.

Green Bay’s focus on Henry, of course, allowed the Titans to soar through the air. Ryan Tannehill completed 22 of 27 passes for 333 yards and two scores to forge a passer rating of 127.3.

Henry got in on some of that action as well. He caught two throws for 45 yards and completed a pair of passes himself. His 3-yard TD toss to tight end Austin Hooper put Tennessee ahead 20-9 in the third quarter.

25-Plus Won’t Get You 10

The seven running backs who carried more than 25 times in a regular-season game against the Packers yet failed to come up with a run of 10 or more yards. Numbers for Nevers and Latone are unofficial.

Att.	Yds.	LG	Name	Team	Date	Result
31	65	9	Walter Payton	Bears	Sept. 7, 1980	GB won, 12-6
30	93	9	Dave Hampton	Falcons	Oct. 22, 1972	GB lost, 9-10
28	64	8	Ernie Nevers	Cardinals	Nov. 16, 1930	GB lost, 6-13
28	87	9	Derrick Henry	Titans	Nov. 17, 2022	GB lost, 17-27
27	101	8	Raymont Harris	Bears	Oct. 12, 1997	GB won, 24-23
27	88	9	James Wilder	Buccaneers	Dec. 2, 1984	GB won, 27-14
26	88	9	Tony Latone	Maroons	Nov. 4, 1928	GB won, 26-14
26	49	8	James Wilder	Buccaneers	Dec. 22, 1985	GB won, 20-17

Roger Craig—Versatility Overlooked

 By Clark Judge 

(EDITOR’S NOTE: To listen to Eddie DeBartolo, please click o the following link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/fullpresscoverage/eyetest-20221111-1123).

The San Francisco 49ers won four Super Bowls in the 1980s, yet only two offensive starters from those teams are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Quarterback Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, and Rice wasn’t there for two of those four championships. By contrast, the St. Louis Rams won one Super Bowl (1999) and have four offensive starters in Canton.

What’s wrong with this picture?

Everything.

The 49ers were more than a multiple Super Bowl winner. They were an NFL dynasty, the league’s premier franchise of the 1980s, winning 72.5 percent of all games from 1981-89 and walking off with four NFL championships in nine seasons. Yet, for some reason, Hall voters keep telling us that no offensive starters outside of Montana and Rice are worthy of Canton.

Well, they’re wrong.

Introducing Roger Craig, the first running back in NFL history to have 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season. That’s such rarified air that only two running backs since then –  Hall-of-Famer Marshall Faulk and the 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey – have been there.

A three-time Super Bowl champion, Craig checked all the boxes. He was a two-time All-Pro, four-time Pro Bowler, all-decade choice and Offensive Player of the Year (1988). Plus, in 1985 he led the league in receiving with 92 catches for 1,016 yards. Then, three years later, he led it in rushing with 1,502 yards. In short, he was more than all-purpose running back. He was a vital element to a dominant team.

So why isn’t he in Canton? Don’t ask former owner Eddie DeBartolo. He’s so frustrated he stopped asking.

“During his stint with the 49ers,” DeBartolo said on the latest “Eye Test for Two” podcast (fullpresscoverage.com), “and you’re talking about Super Bowls, he did something then that they’re doing now: He opened up the offense. He had great hands. People didn’t know where he was going. Not only that, but he could run. He could go up the middle. He was just a great offensive player.

“A thousand yards (rushing). A thousand yards (receiving). The first person to do that (in a single season). I’m not going to call it a disgrace. That’s a stupid statement. But I think the man belongs in the Hall of Fame.”

Others do, too. Just not enough of them. Though Craig was a modern-era Hall-of-Fame finalist just once (2010), he was one of 20 senior finalists for the Centennial Class of 2020. Alas, he didn’t make it, puzzling DeBartolo and Craig’s supporters.

What, they ask, are voters missing? It’s a good question.

Craig is in the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame. He’s in the Bay Area Hall of Fame. He’s in the 49ers’ Hall of Fame. All that’s missing is Canton. But despite the Hall opening its doors now to three senior candidates per year, he still can’t get a sniff.

So let’s look at the resume one more time. He was the first running back to have 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 receiving in the same season. His 92 receptions in 1985 were a league record then. His 1,502 yards rushing in 1988 set a franchise record (since broken). He was the first player to score three TDs in a Super Bowl (XIX). He was the first running back to produce 100 yards receiving in a Super Bowl. He twice had more than 2,000 scrimmage yards in a single season, a feat matched by only three other running backs. According to Hall-of-Fame voter Peter King, he’s the only player in NFL history to be chosen to the Pro Bowl as a fullback and as a running back.

And let’s not forget: He was an integral part of three Super Bowl winners. He was an Offensive Player of the Year. And he was a 1980s’ all-decade choice.

So what’s missing? Votes, that’s what. OK, he lost a fumble in the 1990 NFC championship game that led to the Giants’ upset of San Francisco. So what? Brett Favre’s interception in the 2009 conference championship game cost the Vikings a Super Bowl berth, but it didn’t keep him out of Canton.

It happens. What hasn’t is a groundswell of support for a 49ers’ star deserving of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“He was a very, very big team player,” said DeBartolo. “He did more than just do what he did on the field. He did a lot off the field. It’s just terrible. He belongs in the Hall of Fame.”

TUESDAY TIDBITS: 'I Didn't Know Anybody East of Idaho'

by TJ Troup 

For those of us who have watched and attended games for many years, we have all seen games that stand out as all-time classics. 

What makes a classic you ask? 

Would relish a definition from all of you, and possibly you can respond to this column with games you believe are all-time classics. 

Sunday the first-place Vikings headed to Orchard Park to take on the Bills in a stadium that has "the hawk" (Dr. Z told me about attending games there with the winds whipping). Minnesota outlasted Buffalo in a game that featured with so many twists and turns, that Harrison Ford and Spielberg might have had a cameo. 

Was fortunate enough here in Louisville that the game was on TV, and thus did not miss a play (why would ya?). Most of you know that I will be buried in Navy blue & Burnt orange, and as such watching the Bears lose a commanding lead to the Lions was painful. 

During his career as a "snap taker" in Chicago, Bobby Douglass rushed for at least 100 yards three times in his career (Bears won two). 

Quarterback Justin Fields has already tied Bobby (Douglass was never a quarterback, he was a snap taker) with his three 100-yard rushing games, but the Bears have lost all three. 

Entertainment is an aspect of the current NFL, but winning is more important....got that Justin? He claims he will never throw an interception for a touchdown again, sure hope so, 'cause that errant throw was just damn bad/foolish/stupid.....ah hell you pick the description. 

Could probably make a comment on all the games, but before going back in history will make a prediction; the Packers will find a way to earn a playoff berth. Thursday night should be a dandy when the Titans come to town. 

The Dallas Cowboys of 2022 are a fuzzy puzzle.....195-0 when leading in the 4th quarter by 14 points, and you lose? Tom Landry and the boys of the "flex" defense known as "Doomsday" are speechless! The 1955 Pittsburgh Steelers were in first place early in the season with a record of 4-1, but have lost two straight (scoring only 13 points in those losses). 

The Black & Gold are home to take on the defending three-time conference champion Lions, who are in last place in the west with a record of 1-6. Having the complete game film of this hard-fought game is a joy to watch—yeah, I know, you have heard me say that before. 

When you are in the line-up for Buddy Parker at halfback you must be able to throw the half-back option pass, and due to injury right corner Bill Stits is getting some playing time on offense. 

Third quarter with a 17-7 lead Stits sweeps left, pulls up and tosses a 21 yard touchdown pass to future Hall of Famer Doak Walker. The Steelers score, and have the ball back in the 4th quarter. Jimmy Finks is passing on almost every play now, and flips a flare pass to his left to Fran Rogel, who bobbles the easily catchable ball right to Bill Stits. 

The lanky corner jogs seven yards into the end zone. Thus Bill Stits is the LAST player in league history to throw a touchdown pass, and return an interception for a touchdown in the same game. The Steelers do not win another game all season finishing sixth and last in the east, while the Lions also finish last in the West. 

How many of you can detail the career of Bill Stits? This will not be a war & peace chapter. After being selected for the Pro Bowl as a rookie in '54, he continued to start until Yale Lary returns from the army in '56. San Francisco has not been able to find an adequate right corner since Lowell Wagner retired, and with McElhenny and Perry getting the bulk of the carries for the 49ers . . . John Henry Johnson has become expendable. May of '57 they are traded for each other (fullback Bill Bowman is also part of the deal). Johnson and Stits will face each other in the famous playoff game in December of '57. 

We all know that passing is the key weapon in the NFL these days, and in the thirteen games played this past weekend the average number of passes thrown by each team was 32. 

The record for the most passes thrown in a game prior to November 13th, 1994 was 68 by venerable George Blanda in a 24-10 to loss to the undefeated Buffalo Bills. The New England Patriots with a record of 3-6 are at home to take on a 7-2 Vikings team that is headed to the playoffs. 

Drew Bledsoe

Warren Moon is at quarterback for Minnesota, and in his career, he has had games where he threw passes all over the stadium, and would have relished watching the look on his face on the sideline as he watched young Drew Bledsoe of the Patriots. The Vikings lead at the half 20-3, but the Minnesota secondary should have put on their track shoes for this game as Bledsoe passes on 59 of the Patriots final 66 plays. 

We go to overtime and Drew goes six for six on the game-winning drive—final New England 26 Minnesota 20. Bledsoe attempts 70 passes, and completes 45 (to seven different men) . . . and three of the Patriots catch at least 10. Drew has set records for most attempts and completions, and though we have had some outstanding passers since 1994 these are still the records today. Bledsoe is not sacked and does not throw an interception. More important than the records set by Pro Bowl-bound Bledsoe is the fact that the victory ignites the Patriots! New England wins seven straight to earn a spot in the postseason.

Christian Watson a Star in Victory over Dallas

 By Eric Goska

Cowboys fans hoping to see Dallas blanket Packers
receiver Christian Watson left Lambeau Field disappointed.
(photos by Eric Goska)

Breakout performance or one-game wonder?

Time will tell if Christian Watson ultimately sizzles or fizzles during his career with the Packers. But for one evening at least, the rookie appeared worthy of the capital Green Bay expended to draft him.

Watson’s three touchdowns helped Green Bay slip past Dallas 31-28 in overtime at Lambeau Field thus ending the team’s five-game losing streak. The receiver’s two fourth-quarter scores erased a 14-point deficit to force the extra period.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst sent two second-round picks (Nos. 53 and 59) to Minnesota to move up to No. 34 overall and select Watson in the 2022 NFL draft. That was a considerable price to pay to land the North Dakota State product as the team sought to offset the loss of Davante Adams who signed with the Raiders.

Amid high expectations, Watson met with injury. Knee surgery sidelined the 23-year-old for much of training camp. Hamstring issues kept him out of three games (Buccaneers, Jets, Commanders). A concussion shut him down early against the Bills.

Add to that the drop heard ‘round the world – Watson failed to haul in what would have been a 75-yard scoring pass on Green Bay’s initial play of the season – and the gifted wideout had done little to excite.

That changed against the Cowboys. In his fourth start, Watson came up with four catches for 107 yards and three indispensable touchdowns.

Watson grabbed his first 6-pointer by speeding past cornerback Anthony Brown for a 58-yard TD that tied the score at 7. He hauled in his second on a 39-yard, fourth-down play to pull Green Bay to within seven at 28-21. He snagged his third, a 7-yarder, with 2 minutes, 29 seconds left in regulation, to knot the score at 28.

Watson converted a key third down the one time he failed to reach the end zone. He came away with three yards when two were needed to keep alive the 89-yard advance that he capped with his hat trick.

“Think this is Christian Watson’s coming out party?” play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt asked rhetorically after Watson scored for the third time.

“I think that’s pretty fair to say,” analyst Greg Olsen concurred.

In reaching triple digits, Watson became the 67th player since 1932 to register 100 yards receiving in a regular-season game for the Packers. More impressive, he became just the fourth to include three receiving TDs in his initial 100-yard offering.

Andy Uram was the first to do so. He counted on passes from Cecil Isbell (2) and Joe Laws (1) while totaling 174 yards on four receptions.

Uram, unlike Watson, was a veteran. The running back was in his fifth season when Green Bay blew out the Cardinals 55-24 in 1942.

Max McGee (1954) and James Lofton (1978) were rookies when they got theirs. McGee and quarterback Tobin Rote hooked up three times for 104 yards and three scores in downing the Eagles 37-14 in 1954. Lofton and David Whitehurst collaborated three times for 107 yards and 18 points in toppling the Saints 28-17 in 1978.

On Sunday, Watson played a season-high 54 snaps against the Cowboys. Allen Lazard (63) was the only Packers receiver with more.

The extended playing time appeared to boost Watson’s confidence. It certainly inflated his receiving totals for the season as he went from 10 catches for 88 yards to 14 for 195.

One hopes Watson stays healthy and enjoys a long and productive career. Lord knows, the Packers are in desperate need of something more than a one-game wonder.

Fast Getaways: One Hundred and a Hat Trick

Since 1932, the four Packers players who came away with three receiving TDs the first time they surpassed 100 yards receiving in a game.

Yards	Player	Date	Opponent	Result
174	Andy Uram	Nov. 1, 1942	Cardinals	GB won, 55-24
104	Max McGee	Oct. 30, 1954	Eagles	GB won, 37-14
107	James Lofton	Sept. 10, 1978	Saints	GB won, 28-17
107	Christian Watson	Nov. 13, 2022	Cowboys	GB won, 31-28

Judgements X

By Clark Judge 

Justin Jefferson

You like that? You should.

With Minnesota’s 33-30 overtime defeat of Buffalo Sunday, the Vikings did what they could not the first nine weeks of the season: Win over skeptics who questioned why anyone should believe in them.

Well, question no more.

They just beat the Buffalo Bills … in Buffalo, no less … overcoming a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to pull out an insane victory when common sense said they couldn’t. Call it a signature triumph or defining moment. Either fits. We know what to make of the Vikings now.

They’re 8-1, and they’re legit. End of story.

I know, they play in a division where no one else has a winning record, and, until Sunday, they hadn’t exactly been tested. In fact, they had exactly one victory over an opponent with a record above .500, and that was Miami. But it was Miami without Tua Tagovailoa. So it came with an asterisk.

Sunday’s defeat of Buffalo does not. The Bills were a trendy preseason pick to lap the AFC, if not the NFL. And Minnesota?

“They’re poised, they’re calm (and) they’re composed,” said NBC analyst and former coach Jason Garrett. “More than anything else, they believe they can do it.”

Because they have.

You saw what happened Sunday: The Vikings had every chance to cave but refused. There was a fourth-and-18 late in the fourth quarter that they converted. It took an astonishing one-handed catch by Justin Jefferson, yet they did it. There was a failed fourth-and 1 at the goal line that should have buried them. Somehow, some way, it did not. There were two Buffalo possessions – one in the fourth quarter, one in overtime – that should have produced points. They did not. Instead, they produced turnovers.

I think you get the idea. The Vikings would not go away, and don’t tell me that’s something new … because it’s not. Sunday’s game marked the fifth time this year they scored victories in the last 2:30 of games, and that should tell you something about this team. They’ve also scored seven straight victories, all by one possession, and that should tell you something, too.

They’re resilient, and they’re for real.

SUNDAY SCHOOL: FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED

1.       Leonardo DiCaprio is not the King of the World. Tom Brady is. With Sunday’s victory, he not only becomes the first NFL quarterback to win regular-season games in four countries (U.S., Mexico, UK and Germany); he remains undefeated (4-0) in international games.

2.       Green Bay saved its season … for now. Surprise, surprise. The downfield passing game is back in Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers completed just 14 passes vs. a solid Dallas defense, but they were good for 224 yards, three TDs and a come-from-behind upset of Dallas. It was Green Bay’s first victory in six games, and it kept the Packers from kissing off the season …at least for another week. That’s the good news. The bad: Green Bay’s next two opponents are division leaders Tennessee and Philadelphia, a combined 14-3.

3.       Josh Allen and the Bills are melting down. Once they were 6-1 and in charge of the AFC. Now they’re 6-3 and not even in charge of their own division. So what happened? Critical mistakes by Allen, that’s what. He had three in the last two periods Sunday and has four Red Zone interceptions in his last two games, both defeats. It would be convenient to blame Allen’s sore right elbow for some of the gaffes, but that botched snap at the goal-line in the last minute of the fourth quarter? Nope. Not a chance. As Allen goes, so go the Bills. And Josh Allen is not going well these days.

4.       Tua Tagovaiioa belongs in the MVP conversation. The key word there: Valuable. Buffalo isn’t first in the AFC East. Miami is. And Tagovailoa is a big reason. The Dolphins are 7-0 when he starts and finishes a game, 0-3 when he doesn’t. Then there’s this: Guess who leads the league in passer rating? Patrick Mahomes? Jalen Hurts? Kirk Cousins? Nope. Nope. And nope. It’s Tua at 118.3, with 18 TDs and only three interceptions – including 9 TDs and no picks the past three weeks.

5.       Maybe Jim Irsay knew something others did not. When the Colts’ owner hired former center Jeff Saturday as interim head coach, Hall-of-Fame candidate and ESPN analyst Joe Thomas called the move ‘egregious” … and he wasn’t alone. Granted, the hiring defied reason and, yes, it could backfire, but for one week at least it’s Jim Irsay 1, Haters 0. OK, so the Colts beat a floundering opponent. I don’t care. They won for the first time in four weeks, and there was nothing “egregious” about it. “Jeff Saturday,” said former Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy, “was the best man for the job … right now.”

THIRD AND 20

1.       Barring a complete meltdown or season-ending injury to Lamar Jackson, Baltimore won’t be caught in the NFC North. Reason: The schedule. It favors the Ravens and doesn’t favor the competition … meaning Cincinnati. Baltimore’s next seven opponents all have losing records, while Cincinnati faces a schedule that includes four division leaders -- Tennessee, Kansas City, Tampa Bay and Baltimore. Say goodnight.

2.       San Francisco’s win combined with Seattle’s loss puts the 49ers a half-game behind the Seahawks in the NFC West. But let’s be honest: The 49ers are the team to beat in a division where they’re 3-0 and outscored opponents, 81-30. The Christian McCaffrey deal and return of key veterans make San Francisco dangerous to everyone down the stretch.

3.       Someone asked why I’d vote for Geno Smith as my mid-season Comeback Player of the Year. “What did he come back from?” he said. Answer: Obscurity. Smith has eight games this season with two or more TD passes. Before that, he had seven in his entire career. Oh, yeah, he also quarterbacks the first-place Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West.

4.       Best throw of the afternoon: Dallas coach Mike McCarthy’s angry spike of his headset in overtime. I’d be mad, too, if my defense just got shredded for over 200 yards rushing … for the second straight week … and blew a 14-point lead. Dan Quinn, get to work. You have a problem to solve.

5.       If the season were to end today, the Saints would have the fourth pick of the 2023 draft. Logic says they take a quarterback with the choice, but they won’t. The reason: The Saints don’t have the fourth pick of the draft. They sent it to Philadelphia in a Draft Day deal this year.

6.       Don’t look now, but the Miami Dolphins …. not defending-champion Buffalo … are on top of the AFC East. In the midst of a four-game winning streak, they’re beginning to look more and more like Kansas City East. They feature playmakers everywhere, a quarterback who doesn’t make mistakes and a blitzkrieg offense that produces points galore. Put them together, and you have a legitimate Super Bowl threat.

7.       It took 10 games, but maybe Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich got the message: It pays to have a balanced attack. The 24 rushing attempts the Bucs had in the first half Sunday were more than in any Tampa Bay game with Tom Brady at quarterback. Having Brady throw 40-55 times a game just wasn’t working this season, and a change was needed. So a change was made. Result: Tampa Bay threw 30 passes Sunday, ran 44 times and scored a KO over Seattle. “We don’t want to be one dimensional,” Brady told Peter King of NBC. ”We’ve been one dimensional too many times this year.”

8.       Chicago’s Justin Fields has arrived. I know, he still makes throws he shouldn’t (see Jeff Okudah’s pick six), but he’s taken what once was a listless offense off life support … not so much with his arm, but with his legs. Over the past two games, Fields has run for 325 yards and three TDs.

9.       Tom Brady won’t retire, but he should … as a wide receiver. He can throw. He cannot catch. Ditch the gimmick plays for a 45-year-old QB.

10.   The NFC East is king of the AFC. With the Giants’ defeat of Houston, the division is a combined 10-1 vs. the AFC this season (only Washington has a loss). Since the league merger in 1970, the best single-season record by any division vs. another conference is the 1976 AFC Central, 7-1 vs. the NFC. Dating back to 1989, five divisions have inter-conference records of .800 or better. Four went on to win Super Bowls.

11.   The more I see of the New Orleans Saints, the more I appreciate Sean Payton as a head coach.

12.   Justin Jefferson or Stefon Diggs? It’s a close call, but watch Jefferson take over Sunday’s game vs. Buffalo, and you have your answer. It’s Jefferson, the guy the Vikings chose with the 22^nd pick of the 2020 draft whom they gained in exchange for … you got it, Stefon Diggs. That’s the definition of a win-win deal.

13.   Don’t blame Denver’s defense for the Broncos’ miserable start. It held eight of its opponents to 19 or fewer points, and it’s the one team that can stonewall Tennessee’s Derrick Henry. You can look it up. Denver is the only team to face Henry four times and hold him to 3.3 yards rushing. He had 53 Sunday.

14.   It’s not just Josh Allen’s decline that has me concerned about Buffalo. It’s the Bills’ failure to win one-score games. Dating back to 2021, Buffalo is 16-1 in contests decided by nine or more points but 2-9 in games decided by eight or fewer. That’s not a coincidence. It’s a trend.

15.   Kadarius Toney will be explosive in Kansas City. He didn’t fit in with the Giants, and don’t ask me why. He can catch. He can run. He can even return punts. Now he’s where he can … and will … do all those things in Andy Reid’s offense. In short, he’s another in a litany of game breakers for Patrick Mahomes … and that’s a migraine for the rest of the AFC.

16.   Congratulations, Dan Campbell. That was Detroit’s first road win under him, ending a 13-game franchise skid.

17.   The Rams are toast. Their quarterback is hurt, their offensive line can’t protect, they can’t run, they can’t score and wide receiver Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp has an ankle injury that coach Sean McVay said “didn’t look good.” They’re also dead last in the NFC West, just lost to Arizona for only the second time in 13 tries and were booed off their home field. Fork, please.

18.   Speaking of Kupp, he had three catches for minus-1 yard Sunday. Over the past 30 games, he’s had four games with five or fewer receptions. All four have been vs. Arizona.

19.   Dallas is 2-2 with Dak Prescott. It was 4-1 with Cooper Rush. Just sayin’.

20.   Just when you think it couldn’t get worse for the Raiders, you’re wrong. Their latest loss was to a head coach with no experience (except in high school) and a veteran quarterback who was benched. Worse, they had 37-year-old Matt Ryan shred them for the longest run of his NFL career (it was 39 yards). So the hits keep coming for Josh McDaniels, now 7-24 in his last 31 games as a head coach, and you have to wonder if/when owner Mark Davis has buyer’s remorse. Maybe it’s a good thing Jeff Saturday doesn’t have that experience after all.

SUNDAY’S GOLD JACKET STATS

n  Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins has TD passes in 39 consecutive regular-season games, the longest active record in the NFL.

n  Patrick Mahomes is 12-0 at home vs. opponents with losing records.

n  The Chicago Bears have run for 225 or more yards in each of the past five games.

n  Jeff Okudah’s interception return for a touchdown was the Lions’ first in 60 games.

n  Cleveland is 0-3 this season following victories.

n  The 49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo has a 10-2 record when he doesn’t have a touchdown pass.

SUNDAY’S GOLD JACKET QUOTES

“That was one of the great football experiences I’ve ever had.” – Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady on playing in Germany.

“Losing sucks. That’s just what it is. You hate to lose. Especially that way.” – Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen.

“I feel like we might be blinking a little bit.” – Buffalo wide receiver Stefon Diggs.

“For that to be the result of all of that effort pisses me off. Pisses a lot of guys off.” – Raiders’ quarterback Derek Carr.

The 20/22 Best NFL Players Ever Born in Germany

by Peter F. Bonert 

Guest Columnist

When the Munich Game kicks off on November 13^th, it is not far-fetched to say that the NFL is coming back to one of its roots. On October 3^rd 1920, the Columbus Panhandles played against the Dayton Triangles in what is now acknowledged as the first entirely professional NFL game ever. It was also the first NFL game with a player born abroad with Phil Nesser, one of the legendary Nesser Brothers, who was born in Trier, Germany, next to the border to France and Luxembourg – which is also where I am living.

Recently, the Coffin Corner issued my article “Direct from Deutschland” about NFL players born in Germany which represents the largest group of players born outside North America with 86 players. Instead of presenting that group, the goal of this article is to rate the best of such players. This evaluation is, of course, up to discussion and I would be happy to talk with other historians, experts and the like about it.

Before we start, certain unplaced players must be acknowledged:

The Forgotten Firsts

In Germany unbeknownst until today, there were four German-born players playing already in the 1920s and one in 1941. G-T-WB Phil Nesser was one of eight players born abroad playing in the league’s inaugural year. Six other games followed in 1921 – he was at the beginning of his 40s. 

In 1921, 45-year-old G-T John Nesser appeared in just two NFL games. German-Italian T-G Bill Passuello appeared in three games for the Columbus Tigers, whereas B Dick Dobeleit played for the Dayton Triangles in six games each in 1925 and 1926. 

In 1941, E Hank Piro – born on Germany’s North Sea coast – became the first German-born NFL player to score a touchdown, in probably one of the most meaningless games ever on the day of the Pearl Harbor attacks (coincidentally, German-born DT Markus Kuhn scored a touchdown for the New York Giants exactly 73 years after that day).

The First-round Picks

Just a few players have been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft and Northwestern HB Frank Aschenbrenner (coincidentally born in the same year just 20 miles away from the birthplace of the number one of my list, left Germany at the same age as my number one and even one time was drafted by the same team) is not even meant to belong here as he was selected by the AAFC Buffalo Bills in 1947 prior to the first round. In 1983, highly reputed Clemson CB Terry Kinard was the tenth pick by the New York Giants and made it to number five on my list. 1984 saw two German-born players being drafted by the same team in the first round, yet, not in the same: 

Number six on my list LT John Alt was taken by the Kansas City Chiefs at position 21, whereas G Mark Adickes was taken in the supplemental draft after the USFL ceased. In 1986, USC T-G James Fitzpatrick, a Heidelberg native, was drafted by the San Diego Chargers at number 13 and played for six years for them and the Los Angeles Raiders. Landstuhl-born Washington WR Reggie Williams was the ninth pick in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars but never lived up to the expectations, experiencing encounters with law enforcement consistently. 

Number eleven on my list, USF standout talent CB Mike Jenkins was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 2008 at number 25. And finally, in the 2013 NFL Draft, Berlin-born and Florida State product DE/OLB Björn Werner was the draft’s 24^th selection by the Indianapolis Colts, but his NFL career was cut short due to injuries.

And here is my personal view on the 20/22 best NFL players born in Germany.

The following two players almost made the list:

Frankfurt-born WR/RS Gerald “Ice Cube” McNeil from Baylor played two years for the USFL Houston Gamblers, then five years in the NFL from 1986-1990 in 84 games and was known for his incredible return abilities. He was part of the Browns team that lost against the Broncos three times in the playoffs (1986, 1987, 1989) in games including “The Fumble” and “The Drive”. McNeil was a Pro Bowler in 1987 and finished his career as an Oiler in 1990. Another Baylor alumnus, G Mark Adickes, was born in Stuttgart in 1961 and started playing for the USFL Los Angeles Express in 1984 and 1985, played then four years in the NFL for Kansas City with 49 starts in 54 games where he made one big man-TD reception of three yards. In his following two-year stint with the Washington Redskins, he won a Super Bowl in 1991.

No. 20. G/C Jamar Nesbit (South Carolina)

Born in Heidelberg in 1976, G Jamar Nesbit went undrafted in 1999 before signing with the Carolina Panthers where he became a starter from 2000-2002. He then went to the Jaguars for one season and joined the New Orleans Saints. He became a starter in their comeback season in 2006 when they almost reached the Super Bowl. After 155 games with 92 starts, he called it a career as a Saint after the 2009 season and a Super Bowl win, however, Nesbit did not play in the 2009 playoffs.

No. 19. FB Jakob Johnson (Tennessee)

Not being drafted out of Tennessee in 2018, current Raiders FB Jakob Johnson went back to Germany and played in the German Football League for his native town team Stuttgart Scorpions. The 1994-born was signed by the New England Patriots in 2019 as a free agent, was a practice squad member and finally appeared in four games. Johnson made the active roster in 2020 and scored a touchdown in Week 2 against Seattle upon a one-yard Cam Newton pass. For the 2022 season, he followed his former Patriots offense coordinator Josh McDaniels to Las Vegas.

No. 18. K Horst Mühlmann (n/a)

K Horst Mühlmann appeared in 123 games (including two playoff games) in his professional career between 1969 – 1977. Born in Dortmund in 1940, Mühlmann first was a professional soccer goalkeeper in Germany, then with the NASL team Kansas City Spurs. He tried out for the Kansas City Chiefs in 1969. With no real chance against then future-HOFer Jan Stenerud, Mühlmann joined the Cincinnati Bengals and played there until 1974 before joining the Eagles for three more years. Mühlmann scored 717 points in his career. In 2021, Evan McPherson broke Mühlmann’s Bengals record of four 50-yard FGs in one season (1970).

No. 17. P Ralf Mojsiejenko (Michigan State)

Ukrainian descent, P Ralf Mojsiejenko was born in Salzgitter, Lower Saxony, in 1963. His family left Germany when he was nine months old. Drafted by the San Diego Chargers out of Michigan State, Mojsiejenko played in 60 games for them making it to the Pro Bowl once (1987), then joined the Washington Redskins in 1989. He was denied the chance to participate in the playoffs with the Redskins in 1990 when Joe Gibbs cut him before a Week 14 matchup with the Chicago Bears. In 1991, Mojsiejenko played in five games for San Francisco. In his 93 NFL games, Mojsiejenko punted for an average of 42.5 yards per punt.

No. 16. WR/RS Domenik Hixon (Akron)

WR/RS Domenik Hixon was born in Neunkirchen/Potzberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, in 1984. He was drafted by Denver out of Akron in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL draft (number 130) before joining the New York Giants amid the 2007 season and thus, winning against the unbeaten Patriots in maybe the biggest Super Bowl upset of all time. In 2011, still a member of the Giants, he won his second Super Bowl. Hixon played for the Carolina Panthers in 2013, again participating in the playoffs. He scored seven career receiving TDs and in 2008 and 2013, he eclipsed 550 receiving yards, respectively. Hixon also had two return TDs in his 82-game career.

No. 15. WR Brandon Gibson (Washington State)

Born in Landstuhl, Rhineland-Palatinate, in 1984, Washington State product WR Brandon Gibson was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft at number 194 overall. After one game with Philadelphia, Gibson was traded to the St. Louis Rams in the same season, where he caught 93 yards in his first game. After the 2012 season, Gibson joined the Miami Dolphins and played for them for two years before eventually calling it quits. Although playing in 76 NFL games with 46 starts and 2,711 receiving yards with 13 touchdowns, Gibson never played in an NFL postseason game.

No. 14. DE John Engelberger (Virginia Tech)

Born in Heidelberg in 1976, Virginia Tech walk-on star DE John Engelberger was drafted in the 2^nd round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. In the 2002 playoffs, he played for them in two games, amongst others in the legendary 39-38 wild card win against the New York Giants. From 2005 to 2008, Engelberger played for the Denver Broncos, one season as a starter. During his career, Engelberger collected 21.5 sacks, forced 14 fumbles, recovered four, and made 278 combined tackles in 141 games of which he started 80 (mainly for the 49ers).

No. 13. DE/DT Markus Koch (Boise State)

DE/DT Markus Kuhn is a two-time Super Bowl winner for the Washington Redskins (1987 and – on injury reserve – 1991). Born in Marsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia in 1963, Koch’s family emigrated to Ontario in 1967. Koch went to Boise State and the two-time AP All-American selection was drafted by the Redskins in the 2^nd round of the 1986 NFL Draft at number 30. Koch played exclusively for the Washington Redskins in 76 career games between 1986 and 1991 receiving 11 sacks and three fumble recoveries.

No. 12. K Uwe Von Schamann (Oklahoma)

Berlin native and owner of Oklahoma’s „The Kick“ against Ohio State in 1977, 1956-born K Uwe Von Schamann, who lived five years in Luxembourg as a child, was with Miami for six years. Von Schamann was drafted in the 7^th round of the 1979 NFL Draft and played in 99 games for the Dolphins, including 10 playoff games with “The Epic”, amongst them, and the lost Super Bowl against Washington (1982). Known as Ray Finkle's passport picture in Ace Ventura, Von Schamann scored 599 points in his NFL career with a 67.1% field goal kicking rate but never made it to the Pro Bowl.

No. 11. CB Mike Jenkins (South Florida)

The number 25 draft pick in 2008 by Dallas, talented South Florida CB Mike Jenkins, was born in Neuenburg am Rhein, Baden-Wuerttemberg in 1985, and made the Pro Bowl in 2009 after a stellar season with 19 pass deflections and five interceptions. The season before, Jenkins even had scored a pick-six. In 2013, Jenkins went to the Oakland Raiders before playing his last two seasons with Tampa Bay. In his eight NFL seasons with 103 games, Jenkins had 11 interceptions with the pick six, 247 combined tackles as well as three fumbles, and played only twice in the playoffs (2009).

No. 10. FB Jerome Felton (Furman)

One-time Pro Bowler FB Jerome Felton was born in Düren, North Rhine-Westphalia, in 1986 and was the 146^th pick in 2008 by Detroit where he played for three seasons. After stints with the Colts and Panthers in 2011, he joined Minnesota in 2012 and was voted into the Pro Bowl. After 3 years, Fulton joined the Bills for his final two years. In his nine-year career, the blocking FB Fulton played in 133 games (starting 51), rushed for a mere 178 yards, made 50 receptions of 421 yards and scored only once when recovering a fumble in 2014.

No. 9. DT John Jurkovic (Eastern Illinois)

DT Ivan “John” Jurkovic was born in 1967 on the shores of Lake Constance. Undrafted out of Eastern Illinois in 1990, Jurkovic was a Miami Dolphins practice squad member before joining Green Bay in 1991 where he started 59 games over a five-year span, ending his time there with a loss to Dallas in the NFC Championship Game. Becoming the premium DT for Jacksonville after that, he came just one game short to meet his former team in the Super Bowl in 1996. He finished his career playing for the “new” Cleveland Browns in nine games in 1999. In 126 NFL games, Jurkovic had 10 sacks and a total of 278 combined tackles.

No. 8. FB Mike Sellers (Walla Walla Community College)

Originally a linebacker, Frankfurt-born FB Mike Sellers started his professional career on offense for the CFL Edmonton Eskimos in 1995. The 1975-born joined the Washington Redskins in 1998, then appeared in nine games for Cleveland in 2001, before having his most successful time again in Canada with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers alongside Canadian Football Hall of Fame RB Charles Rogers. After joining the Redskins again in 2004, he stayed there for good until 2011. In his 16 years of professional football, Sellers, played 179 NFL games, made it to the Pro Bowl once in 2008, had 124 receptions for 1099 yards and added 162 rush yards on 53 attempts with 21 touchdowns altogether.

No. 7. C Tony Mayberry (Wake Forest)

Born in Würzburg, Bavaria, in 1967, Wake Forest C Tony Mayberry was drafted by Tampa Bay in the fourth round in 1991. After starting one game in his rookie season, he became the number one in the middle of the Buccaneers’ front five in the 1990s, starting 148 of 149 games including four playoff games in 1997 and 1999. As a Pro Bowler in all his last three seasons with the team, Mayberry can be regarded as one cornerstone responsible for the culture change in Tampa Bay when the Buccaneers went from a laughingstock to a serious contender within a decade.

No. 6. OT John Alt (Iowa)

The member of the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame, OT John Alt, was born in Stuttgart in 1962. The 1984 first-round pick out of Iowa started 149 of 179 regular season games he played. He also appeared in at least nine playoff games with the Chiefs coming one game short of the Super Bowl in 1993 when Alt protected Joe Montana. Alt was a Pro Bowler twice (1992 and 1993) and an All-Pro from 1989 to 1991 and called it a career after the 1996 season.

No. 5. CB Terry Kinard (Clemson)

Born in the Eifel beer town of Bitburg in 1959, Clemson’s DB Terry Kinard was the New York Giants first-round pick at number 10 in 1983. He played seven years in the Big Apple making it to the PFWA All-Rookie Team, being selected to the 1988 Pro Bowl and winning one Super Bowl (1986). Of 127 games, he started the majority (121) and collected 32 interceptions, recovered seven fumbles with three touchdowns from such turnovers. His last season was in 1990 with the Houston Oilers.

No. 4. OT Sebastian Vollmer (Houston)

A surprising second-round draft choice at number 58 by the Patriots in 2009, Sebastian Vollmer became their staring RT in Week 6. Born in Kaarst, near Düsseldorf, in 1984, Vollmer got a scholarship to Houston after showing TE skills at the 2004 Global Junior Championships. Two legendary OL Coaches, Joe Gilbert and Dante Scarnecchia, helped Vollmer become a very good OT. Of 98 NFL games (including 10 playoff games), he started 90. He started and won in one Super Bowl (in 2014), was a Second-team All-pro in 2010 and started another SB in 2011. A member of the Patriots All-2010s Team, Vollmer won another SB in 2016 but was injured all season long.

No. 3. K Nick Lowery (Dartmouth)

Born in Munich in 1956 K Nick Lowery produced the first pro football touch in Germany kicking off the American Bowl in Berlin in 1990. After going undrafted, the Dartmouth alumnus played two games in 1978 for New England, before joining Kansas City from 1980 to 1993. After playing for the Jets from 1994 to 1996, Lowery called it a career after 268 games, 1748 career points and an FG percentage rate of almost 80%. The 3-time Pro Bowler, two-time First-team All-pro and NFL leading scorer in 1990 is a member of the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame.

No. 2. FB Tony Richardson (Auburn)

Also in the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame is FB Tony Richardson, born in Frankfurt in 1971, who went undrafted out of Auburn to Dallas in 1994. He started playing in the NFL in 1995 with the Chiefs until 2005, then two years for the Vikings and three years for the Jets, overall appearing in 243 games (including 9 playoff games). In his career, he rushed for 1729 yards and 15 TDs while making 214 receptions for 1567 yards and 10 TDs. A three-time Pro Bowler and a two-time Second-team All-Pro, Richardson made it to the HOF All-Decade 2000s team.

No. 1. DT Ernie Stautner (Boston College)

You need to be a Hall of Famer to be first on this list? Right, you do… Ernie Stautner accomplished that feat. Born in a little village near Cham, Bavaria, in 1925, Ernie’s parents emigrated when he was 3 years old. After his career at Boston College, Ernie was the 22^nd player picked in the 1950 NFL Draft and remained with the Pittsburgh Steelers for 173 games until 1963 with 23 fumble recoveries, two interceptions, three safeties and (at least from 1960 to 1963) 15.5 sacks. He was a 9-time Pro Bowler, won the NFL Best Lineman Award in 1957 and made it to the HOF All-Decade 1950s team by being at least five times a Second-team All-pro. As a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Honor and their All-Time Team, his jersey number 70 is retired. As the Dallas Cowboys defense coordinator, he won the Super Bowl both in 1971 and 1977. It came full circle when he won the WLAF World Bowl with the German team the Frankfurt Galaxy in 1995.

TUESDAY TIDBITS: 'The More Times You Touch the Ball'

By TJ Troup 

Today, Tuesday, November 8th, 2022 is a day all Americans should relish, since we have the opportunity to help decide who works for us by voting. Hope all of you take advantage of the opportunity. 

The games this past weekend continue the season narrative of the haves and the have-nots. Halfway through the season and so many teams still have a chance to earn a playoff berth, and in the coming weeks should be able to identify a couple games that could have real meaning. New England's fierce pass rush was one of the keys to their victory over the Colts as they recorded nine sacks. 

So, let's journey back in history 45 years ago as the 7-0 Dallas Cowboys beat the Giants 24-10 and recorded a season-high eight sacks. Led by Harvey Martin & Randy White with two sacks apiece this is a foreshadowing of what is to happen in the SB. The rest of my weekly saga is to detail one of those days that still stands out for me personally. Ready? 

Here goes . . . during the summer of '83 at the age of 32 had complete control of the defense at Mater Dei High School. My fifth year there, and had a group of returning starters, and three talented juniors that were to become "11 tough dudes" . . . a quote from head coach Wayne Cochrun when a reporter after one of our victories questioned Wayne about Al Pola and another of his outstanding performances. Cochrun felt the need to educate the reporter by telling him that the defense had other young men who played smart, resilient, and at times nasty football. 

Eric Dickerson

Having recorded five shut-outs in the past seven weeks, we were headed to the playoffs, but at Angel Stadium on Sunday, November 6th my beloved Bears were again gonna take on the Rams. 

Went into the office early, did my preparation for the upcoming week, and met with my long-time Ram fan buddy to watch rookie sensation Eric Dickerson take on an improving Bear defense. The year before Sir Walter Payton had a game for the ages in one of those games where both offenses shined. 

Rams are leading 7-0 right before the half, and Dickerson is continually pounding out yardage. Jim McMahon's errant pass is pilfered by Jim Collins and set up a Ram score on the last play of the half, and Chicago never caught up. 

Payton's best play of the day was his touchdown pass to Jim McMahon (who says the Bears can't be creative?), yet the Ram pass rush led by Jack Youngblood and Dickerson's 127 on 34 attempts carried Los Angeles to victory. 

This would not be the last time Dickerson and Payton would attempt to lead their respective teams to victory by controlling the game by running. The 1983 season is one of those historically that is never mentioned as one of the best seasons in league history, yet could go hours, and pages detailing where the league was at, and where it was headed. 

Never, EVER missed an issue of Sports Illustrated since they now had a writer who really understood the game. Quoting Paul Lionel Zimmerman in the November 14th issue "in terms of blue-chip quality, though it's hard to match the 1973 group, when Ray Guy, Greg Pruitt, and Isaac Curtis made the AFC Pro Bowl Squad, and Charle Young, Tom Wittum, Nick Mike-Mayer, Chuck Foreman and Wally Chambers the NFC team". 

The '83 campaign much like '73 had a boatload of talented rookies. Now back to November 6th, 1983 . . . .the 6-3 Raiders beat the Chiefs, the 7-2 Steelers beat the Chargers, the 8-1 Cowboys beat the Eagles, the 6-3 Dolphins beat the 49ers, and the defending champion Redskins demolished the Cardinals. 

Will end this narrative though with another game on the slate that afternoon simply because one man literally carried his team on his back to victory. 

James Wilder

James Wilder had played 32 games in his career at this point (almost all positioned at fullback), and had carried the ball 259 times for 927 yards (3.57 a carry) . . .  not exactly All-pro stats to say the least. 

The week before in a losing effort, the big stud lugged the leather 42 times for 126 yards, but now against a Viking team with a winning record he is aligned at tailback, or halfback and gains 219 valuable yards on 31 attempts as the Buccaneers finally win a game! 

The title of this narrative has an additional quote from James Wilder; "the better chance you have to make something happen". How many times in our current NFL will we see a back carry the ball 73 times over the course of two games? 

Oh yeah, my MD boys....otherwise known as 11 tough dudes....went on the record the school's first playoff victory in 16 years.