16. 1992 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS at 16. 1956 DETROIT LIONS
1956 DETROIT LIONS
Record: 9-3
Pythag: 9-3
Off: 2nd
Def: 3rd
2nd NFL West
Did not make playoffs
HC: Buddy Parker, OC George Wilson
Briggs Stadium: 40 degrees
Offense
QB Bobby Layne (30 All Pro)
FB Leon Hart
RB Hopalong Cassady (22-R)
RB Gene Gedman (24)
WR Dorne Dibble (27)
WR Dave Middleton (23)
LT Lou Creekmur (29 All Pro)
LG Harley Sewell (25)
C Charlie Ane (25)
RG Jim Salsbury (24)
RT Ollie Spencer (25)
Defense
LDE Darris McCord (23)
LDT Ray Krouse (29)
MG Joe Schmidt (24) All Pro
RDT Bob Miller (27)
RDE Gil Mains (27)
LLB Sonny Gandee (27)
RLB Bob Long (22)
LDH Jim David (29)
RDH Carl Karilvacz (26)
LS Jack Christiansen (28 All Pro)
RS Yale Lary (26 All Pro)
K Bobby Layne (30)
P Yale Lary (26)
KR Hopalong Cassidy (22)
PR Yale Lary (26)
The '54 Lions have already advanced; fast forward two years and it's another Bobby Layne team. 2nd in the NFL on offense, third on defense, but missed the playoffs and are relegated to this Play In Game. Layne's 30, All Pro, 14 total scores and 17 picks (1956 was a long time ago); also first team All Pro is the LT, 29 year old Lou Creekmur. 3 All Pros on defense - 24 year old Joe Schmidt and both safeties, 26 year old Yale Lary and 28 year old Jack Christiansen, both of whom had 8 picks.
1992 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Record: 12-4
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 10th
Def: 1st
2nd NFC West
lost WC Eagles 36-20
HC: Jim Mora, OC Carl Smith DC Steve Sidwell
Offense
QB Bobby Hebert (32)
RB Vaughn Dunbar (24-R)
FB Ironhead Heyward (26)
WR Quinn Early (27)
WR Eric Martin (31)
TE Hoby Brenner (33)
LT Richard Cooper (28)
LG JIm Dombrowski (29)
C Joel Hilgenberg (30)
RG Derek Kennard (30)
RT Stan Brock (34)
Defense
LDE Wayne Martin (27)
NT Jim Wilks (34)
RDE Frank Warren (33)
LOLB Rickey Jackson (34)
LILB Sam Mills (33)
RILB Vaughan Johnson (30)
ROLB Pat Swilling (28 All Pro)
LCB Toi Cook (28)
RCB Reggie Jones (23)
SS Brett Maxie (30)
FS Gene Atkins (28)
K Morten Anderson (32)
P Tommy Barnhardt (29)
KR Fred McAfee (24)
PR Pat Newman (24)
The best defense from 1992 was in New Orleans led by the linebacker quartet that all made the Pro Bowl. 28 year old Pat Swilling was All Pro, with 10.5 sacks; 34 year old Rickey Jackson had 13.5 and on the line, Wayne Martin's 27, and had 15.5 sacks. The offense is just okay, Bobby Hebert is 32, 19 scores and 16 picks.
Sure looks like a defensive battle here; particularly given that the Lions won the coin flip so we are playing in cold weather Detroit. Winner advances into Region 4 to face the 4th overall seed in the tournament, the '91 Redskins.
Let's go to Briggs for the kick.
1st Qtr
Lions to open up at the 33.
3 and out. Saints at their own 31.
1/10 - Vaughan Dunbar stopped at the line.
2/10 - Ironhead Heyward for 3.
3/7 - Bobby Hebert big play - a 31 yard strike to Eric Martin - all the way to the Lions 35 yard line.
1/10 - Dalton Hilliard is nailed at the line of scrimmage by Joe Schmidt - Fumble - the Lions recover - the Lions take over at their own 34 yard line.
1/10 - Bobby Layne to Dorne Dibble for 21. Lions across midfield.
1/10 - Gene Gedman goes for 16 and the Lions are at the Saints 29.
The next 3 plays gain 3 yards - Bobby Layne also kicks for these Lions, he hits a 43 yard FG and not quite halfway through the first qtr, the Lions are up 3-0
Saints at the 39. 8:39.
1/10 - Hebert to Dunbar for 13 and the Saints are across midfield.
1/10 - Hebert goes to Torrance Small for 4.
2/6 - Dunbar for 5, gets to the sticks.
3/1 - Hebert to Quinn Early for 13 yards - and the Saints are at the 26, Saints moving the ball against this Lions team early on.
1/10 - Hebert to Martin for a dozen - the Saints are now at the 11.
1/10 - Dunbar loses 1.
2/11 - Hebert finds Ironhead Heyward out of the backfield -- he bowls his way into the endzone -- TOUCHDOWN SAINTS - Ironhead Heyward with a 12 yard TD score fro Bobby Hebert and the Saints take the lead.
Lions at the 30, 3:30. Saints 7-3
3 and out. Saints at their own 34. 1:45.
3 and out. Lions at their own 25. Time for one play, a 1 yard Hopalong Cassady run and it's the 2nd qtr.
2nd Qtr
The Saints solidly moved the ball here, a fumble keeps this game from maybe being a little further out, as it stands, Saints 7-3. 2nd and 9 at their own 26.
2/9 - Layne finds Dave Middleton for 11 and the first down.
1/10 - Layne to Gene Gedman for 7.
2/3 - Layne to Middleton again, 5 yards - Lions near midfield.
1/10 - Hopalong Cassady runs for 10.
1/10 - Cassidy again, 15 yards - Lions able to move the ball now for the first time today.
The next 3 plays get 7 yards - Layne hits a 36 yard FG and it's 7-6. Saints get a good return from Fred McAfee and they're at their own 41.
3 and out. Lions defense really stepping up now, Lions at their own 25. 7:58. Down 1.
1/10 - Cassady for 6.
2/4 - Middleton end around for 7 and a first down.
But that's it - 3 plays net 5 yards - after the punt the Saints are at their own 19. 5:44 left in the half, Saints up 7-6.
1/10 - Dunbar for 9.
2/1 - Joe Schmidt has already forced a fumble - he sacks Hebert here.
3/5 - Hebert picks it up, 14 to Ike Hilliard and the Saints are at the 37.
1/10 Hebert running for his life, picks up 4.
2/6 - Busted play, Hebert scrambling, keeping the play alive - Hebert looking downfield -- it's a strike to Eric Martin -- and Martin's going to Go! Eric Martin a 59 yard TD strike from Hebert and the Saints go up 14-6! TOUCHDOWN SAINTS
Lions at their own 27. 2:26.
1/10 - Gedman gets 1
2/9 - Layne finds Gedman for a dozen, Lions at their own 40, stopping the clock at 1:54.
But that's it - a Rickey Jackson sack keeps the Lions from another first down, the Saints take over at their own 19, 1:13 to go.
Completions to Small and Early will get a couple of first downs - but with under 25 seconds left Yale Lary intercepts Hebert and that's going to get us to the locker room.
Third Qtr
2 Hebert TD passes are the margin here; the Saints are on the road, outside, in cold weather, up 14-6 at the half.
Saints start at the 17.
3 and out. Lions great field position at the NO 44. And they've made a QB switch. Harry Gilmer, in his final season, as it would turn out, is the Detroit backup and Buddy Parker makes a switch here. Bold move.
1/10 - Gedman loses 3, caught behind the line by Jackson.
2/13 - Gilmer finds Jim Doran - it's a 17 yard gain and the Saints are at the 30.
1/10 - Gedman busts for 11 - Lions at the 19.
But nothing else, 3 plays lose 2 yards - Layne kicks the FG and it's 14-9 Saints.
Saints at their own 14. 10:46.
1/10 - Dunbar for 13.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Hebert to Hilliard for 13. Saints at the 40.
1/10 - Dunbar for 9.
2/1 - Incomplete. Third and short near midfield.
3/1 - Hebert play fake - rolling out - looking downfield -- finding Quinn Early -- 27 yards and the huge first down.
1/10 - Incomplete.
2/10 - Incomplete
3/10 - Hebert is looking to the endzone on third and ten -- he finds Eric Martin Again -- TOUCHDOWN SAINTS - Eric Martin - the veteran from LSU had 5 scores on the season --- he goes for 2 today in the Play In Game.
Lions ball, now down 21-9, at their own 28.
They'll get a first down on a Gedman 14 yard run - but a Sam Mills sack stops the drive, Saints get the ball back after the punt at their own 13. 3:45.
New Orleans hits a big strike - of course it's to Eric Martin - 31 yards - but the drive dies at midfield and the Lions regain with 48 seconds left. 25 yard line
2 plays - both runs by Gedman - gain a total of 24 yards as the qtr ends.
4th Qtr
Saints add another score - it's now 21-9, Lions have first down at the 31.
On 3rd and 15, Gedman goes for a 41 yard run -- and the next play Leon Hart has a 16 yard run - Detroit's got first and goal at the 9 yard line.
But they can't move from there - it's another Layne FG and it's 21-12.
Saints at their own 36. 10:38 left. 3 and out.
Hart has a 9 yard run that gives Detroit a first down. But that's all - the Lions, needing 3 scores - punt from near midfield - Saints at their own 19, 6:19.
On the second play, Hilliard picks up 12 -- two plays later, Joe Schmidt forces his second fumble of the day, Vaughan Dunbar coughs it up -- and now Detroit is back in business, at the Saints 26 yard line, 4:01 left.
Bobby Layne comes back for Detroit - Lions need some magic here, down 2 scores.
They go 4 plays and lose 10 yards, Pat Swilling getting a sack on 4th and 10.
Saints ball at their own 36. 3:28. They pick up 1 first down on an 11 yard Hilliard run and then punt.
Lions with the ball at their own 16. 1:01 left. Down 2 scores, reallt no route to winnign the game.
They get into Saints territory, 14 yard pass to Middleton, 26 yard Cassady run - but the clock is going to run out on them and the Saints move to the second round.
Final: Saints 21 Lions 12
Bobby Hebert comes into Detroit, throws for 3 scores, the Saints advance into the 16th seed for Region 4.
Hebert: 14 for 24, 272 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Layne: 10 for 26, 93 yds, 4 FGs
Dunbar: 13 carries, 37 yds
Gedman: 15 carries, 108 yds
Martin: 5 catches, 163 yds, 2 TD
Middleton: 5 catches, 35 yds
Player of the Game: Eric Martin
