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1968 NFL playoffs

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The NFL playoffs following the 1968 NFL season determined who would represent the league in Super Bowl III.

Tournament bracket

 
Conference championshipNFL Championship
 
      
 
December 22, 1968 – Memorial Stadium
 
 
Minnesota Vikings14
 
December 29, 1968 – Cleveland Stadium
 
Baltimore Colts24
 
Baltimore Colts34
 
December 21, 1968 – Cleveland Stadium
 
Cleveland Browns0
 
Dallas Cowboys20
 
 
Cleveland Browns31
 

Playoff Bowl

The ninth and penultimate Playoff Bowl for third place was played at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. Dallas defeated Minnesota 17–13 on January 5, 1969.

Conference championships

Quarter 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 7 3 3720
Browns 3 7 14731

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Date: December 21, 1968
  • Game attendance: 81,497
  • Referee: Pat Haggerty
Game information
Scoring
  • CLE – field goal Cockroft 38 CLE 3–0
  • DAL – Howley 44 fumble return (Clark kick) DAL 7–3
  • DAL – field goal Clark 16 DAL 10–3
  • CLE – Kelly 45 pass from Nelson run (Cockroft kick) 10–10
  • CLE – Lindsey 27 interception return (Cockroft kick) CLE 17–10
  • CLE – Kelly 35 run (Cockroft kick) CLE 24–10
  • DAL – field goal Clark 47 CLE 24–13
  • CLE – Green 2 run (Cockroft kick) CLE 31–13
  • DAL – Garrison 2 pass from Morton (Clark kick) CLE 31–20

Despite the game's high score, this was actually a defensive struggle as both teams took advantage of each other's turnovers throughout the game. However, Cleveland emerged triumphant, overcoming a 10-3 first half deficit with 21 unanswered points.

Early in the first quarter, Browns defensive back Mike Howell intercepted a pass from Don Meredith and returned it 20 yards to set up Don Cockroft's 38-yard field goal. Dallas took the lead later on, when linebacker Chuck Howley forced a fumble while sacking Browns quarterback Bill Nelson and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown.

In the second quarter, Dallas increased their lead to 10-3 when an interception by Cowboys linebacker Dave Edwards led to Mike Clark's 16-yard field goal. However, the Browns tied the game with a last minute drive at the end of the half, moving the ball 85 yards in 4 plays and scoring on Nelson's 45-yard touchdown pass to running back Leroy Kelly.

The Browns broke the game open on the first play of the second half when linebacker David Lindsey intercepted Meredith's sideline pass intended for Bob Hayes and raced 27 yards to the end zone, giving Cleveland a 17-10 lead. Then on the third play after the ensuing kickoff, Meredith thew a pass that bounced out of the grasp of Lance Rentzel and was picked off by defensive back Ben Davis, who returned the ball 3 yards to the Cowboys 35. On the next play, Kelly took a pitch to the right and ran 35 yards for a touchdown, increasing Cleveland's lead to 24-10.

Dallas coach Tom Landry eventually replaced Meredith with Craig Morton, who managed to lead the team to a 47-yard field goal by Clark with 3:24 left in the 3rd quarter. But 24-13 was as close as the score would get. On Cleveland's next drive, Nelson's play action pass to Paul Warfield picked 39 yards and a first down on the Dallas 11-yard line. Three plays later, Gene Hickerson's 2-yard touchdown run gave them an insurmountable 31-13 4th quarter lead. All that remained in the game would be Morton's meaningless 2-yard touchdown pass to fullback Walt Garrison with a minute left in regulation. The final 31 seconds would never be reached as the game had to be called off as Cleveland fans spilled out on the field for an early victory celebration. [1]

Nelson completed 13 of 25 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown, with 1 interception. Kelly rushed for 87 yards, caught 2 passes for 46 yards, and scored 2 touchdowns.

Quarter 1 2 34Total
Vikings 0 0 01414
Colts 0 7 14324

at Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

  • Date: December 22, 1968
  • Game attendance: 60,238
Game information
Scoring
  • BAL – Mitchell 3 pass from Morrall (Michaels kick) BAL 7–0
  • BAL – Mackey 49 pass from Morrall (Michaels kick) BAL 14–0
  • BAL – Curtis 60 fumble return (Michaels kick) BAL 21–0
  • MIN – Martin 1 pass from Kapp (Cox kick) BAL 21–7
  • BAL – field goal Michaels 33 BAL 24–7
  • MIN – Brown 7 pass from Kapp (Cox kick) BAL 24–14

Baltimore shut out the Vikings for the first three quarters and built a 21-0 lead to earn a trip the NFL championship game.

The Colts got their first scoring chance early in the first quarter when defensive back Jerry Logan intercepted a pass from Vikings QB Joe Kapp and returned it 24 yards to the Minnesota 22. The Vikings defense managed to prevent a score when Earsell Mackbee recovered a fumble from running back Tom Matte, but after a punt, Colts quarterback Earl Morrall completed a 39-yard pass to Willie Richardson that gave the team a first down on the Vikings 36-yard line. On the next play, Richardson made a leaping catch on the 3-yard line for a 33-yard gain. Minnesota managed to stuff two Colts rushing attempts, but on third down, Baltimore got on the board with Morrall's 3-yard touchdown pass to Tom Mitchell. This ended up being the only score of the half. The only other highlights would be an interception from each team, by Ed Sharockman and Bobby Boyd.

Colts kicker Lou Michaels missed a 33-yard field goal attempt early in the third quarter, but the Colts got the ball back with great field position at midfield after the Vikings punted. Then on the second play of the Colts ensuing drive, Morall threw a pass to tight end John Mackey, who broke ahead of linebacker Roy Winston caught the ball, and then raced past safeties Karl Kassulke and Paul Krause to score on a 49-yard touchdown completion, giving the Colts a 14-0 lead. Vikings returner Clint Jones gave his team a chance to get back in the game with a 35-yard kickoff return to the Colts 42-yard line. However, on the second play of the possession, Colts lineman Bubba Smith plowed into Kapp as he was winding up to throw a pass, knocking the ball out of his hand and right into the arms of linebacker Mike Curtis, who returned the fumble 60 yards to the end zone.

Faced with a 21-0 deficit in the 4th quarter, Minnesota drove 77 yards, aided by two catches by Gene Washington for 27 and a 33-yard pass interference penalty on Colts defensive back Lenny Lyles that gave them a first and goal on the Baltimore 1-yard line. After that, Kapp threw a 1-yard touchdown toss to tight end Bill Martin. However, a 33-yard field goal by Michaels quickly snuffed out the Vikings hopes of a miracle comeback. All they could do with the remaining time was make the final score 24-14 when Kapp finished off a 73-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to running back Bill Brown with 4 seconds left on the clock.

Morrall completed 13 of 22 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns, with 1 interception. Richardson caught 6 passes for 148 yards, while Mackey had 3 receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown. Kapp finished the day 26/44 for 287 yards and two touchdowns, with two interceptions. He was also the game's leading rusher with 10 carries for 52 yards. Washington caught 5 passes for 95 yards.[2]

NFL Championship Game

Further information: NFL Championship Game, 1968
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Colts 0 17 71034
Browns 0 0 000

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Date: December 29, 1968
  • Game attendance: 78,410
  • Referee: Bud Brubaker
Game information
Scoring
  • BAL – field goal Michaels 28 BAL 3–0
  • BAL – Matte 1 run (Michaels kick) BAL 10–0
  • BAL – Matte 12 run (Michaels kick) BAL 17–0
  • BAL – Matte 2 run (Michaels kick) BAL 24–0
  • BAL – field goal Michaels 10 BAL 27–0
  • BAL – Brown 4 run (Michaels kick) BAL 34–0

Baltimore held Cleveland to just 173 total yards as they avenge their only regular season loss of the year against the Browns with a dominating shutout win. Cleveland crossed midfield only twice, just once in each half, and kicker Don Cockroft missed three field goal attempts.

Things actually started out promising for Cleveland. Browns defensive back Ben Davis wiped out a scoring chance for Baltimore on their opening drive when he intercepted a pass from Earl Morrall on the Cleveland 14-yard line. The Browns then drove to the Colts 35-yard line, with Bill Nelson completing passes to Paul Warfield and Milt Morin for gains of 16 and 22 yards. However, Nelson was dropped for a 7-yard loss on first down by Fred Miller and Ordell Braase. He managed to lead the team back to the 35 by the time they got to 4th down, but Cockroft 42-yard field goal attempt was blocked by defensive tackle Bubba Smith. The Colts then took over and drove to a 3-0 lead on a 28-yard field goal by Lou Michaels.

In the second quarter, Baltimore completely took over the game. Colts running back Tom Matte scored on a 1-yard touchdown run, giving the Colts a 10-0 lead. Later on, the Colts seemed to blow a scoring chance when tight end John Mackey lost a fumble that was recovered by Erich Barnes and returned 9 yards to the Browns 23. But on the next play, linebacker Mike Curtis intercepted a pass from Nelson on the 33, leading to Matte's 12-yard touchdown run that gave Baltimore a 17-0 lead going into halftime.

After halftime, Cleveland forced a punt and got the ball on their own 40, where they proceeded to drive to the Colts 38. But once again their drive stalled and Cockroft missed a 50-yard field goal attempt. He got another chance as a result of a penalty on the play, but missed again from 45 yards on his next attempt. After an exchange of punts, Baltimore got the ball on the Cleveland 48 and drove to a 24-0 lead on Matte's third touchdown of the day. Meanwhile, Nelson was benched and replaced by Frank Ryan, but this did nothing to improve Cleveland's misfortunes. On his first play, he fumbled the snap, and linebacker Don Shinnick recovered the ball on the Browns 20-yard line, leading to Michaels' second field goal, giving Baltimore a 27-0 lead on the second play of the 4th quarter. Ryan completed just 2 of 6 pass attempts for the rest of the game, while Colts running back Timmy Brown scored the final points on a 4-yard touchdown run.

Matte, an Ohio native, was the sole offensive star of the game, rushing for 88 yards and 3 touchdowns, while also catching 2 passes for 15 yards.[3]

References

  1. ^ http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1968/12/22/page/30/article/browns-bowl-over-cowboys-31-20
  2. ^ http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1968/12/23/page/53/article/colts-ride-defense-into-n-f-l-final
  3. ^ http://www.cleveland.com/brownshistory/plaindealer/index.ssf?/browns/more/history/19681229BROWNS.html
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