13. 2008 TENNESSEE TITANS at 4. 1967 LOS ANGELES RAMS
4. 1967 LOS ANGELES RAMS
Record: 11-1-2
Pythag: 12-2
Off: 1st
Def: 1st
1st NFL Coastal
Lost Div Rnd Packers 28-7
HC George Allen
LA Coliseum: 60 degrees
Dave Niehaus/Dick Enberg
Offense
QB Roman Gabriel (27 NC St)
RB Les Josephson (25 Augustana)
FB Dick Bass (30 Pacific)
WR Bernie Casey (28 Bowling Green)
WR Jack Snow (24 N Dame)
TE Billy Truax (24 LSU)
LT Jack Carollo (27 N Dame)
LG Tom Mack (24 Michigan)
C Ken Iman (28 SE Missouri St)
RG Joe Scibelli (28 American Institute)
RT Charlie Cowan (29 Highlands)
Defense
LDE Deacon Jones All Pro (29 Miss Vall St)
LDT Merlin Olsen All Pro (27 Utah St)
RDT Roger Brown (30 ME Shore)
RDE Lamar Lundy (32 Purdue)
LLB Jack Pardee (31 Tex A&M)
MLB Myron Pottios (28 N Dame)
RLB Maxie Baughan (29 G Tech)
LCB Clancy Williams (25 Wash St)
RCB Irv Cross (28 Nwestern)
LS Chuck Lamson (28 Wyoming)
RS Eddie Meador (30 Ark Tech)
K Bruce Gossett (26 Richmond)
P Jon Kilgore (24 Auburn)
KR Wendell Tucker (24 SC St)
PR Irv Cross (28 Nwestern)
The best offense in football in 1967? Rams. The best defense in football in 1967? Rams. That earns them a 3rd seed in region 7, despite the early playoff exit. Roman Gabriel's 27, he accounted for 31 scores and 13 picks. He's one of 5 Pro Bowlers on offense. The defense also has 5, with two, 29 year old Deacon Jones and 27 year old Merlin Olsen, being named All Pro. 30 year old Eddie Meador had 8 picks. A win here and the Rams will stay home to host their rival 49ers in the next round.
13. 2008 TENNESSEE TITANS
Record: 13-3
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 14th
Def: 2nd
1st AFC South
Lost Div Rnd Ravens 13-10
HC Jeff Fisher OC Mike Heimerdinger DC Jim Schwartz
Offense
QB Kerry Collins (36 Penn St)
RB Chris Johnson (23-R E Carolina)
FB Ahmard Hall (29 Texas)
WR Justin Gage (27 Missouri)
WR Justin McCareins (30 N Illinois)
TE Alge Crumpler (31 UNC)
LT Michael Roos (26 E Wash) All Pro
LG Eugene Amano (26 SE Missouri St)
C Kevin Mawae (37 LSU) All Pro
RG Jake Scott (27 Idaho)
RT David Stewart (26 Miss St)
Defense
LDE Jevon Kearse (32 Florida)
LDT Tony Brown (28 Memphis)
RDT Albert Haynesworth (27 Tenn) All Pro
RDE Kyle Vanden Bosch (30 Nebraska)
LLB David Thornton (30 UNC)
MLB Stephen Tulloch (23 NC St)
RLB Keith Bulluck (31 Syracuse)
LCB Nick Harper (34 F Vall St)
RCB Cortland Finnegan (24 Samford) All Pro
SS Chris Hope (28 Florida St)
FS Michael Griffin (23 Texas)
K Rob Bironas (30 Auburn)
P Craig Hentrich (27 N Dame)
KR/PR Chris Carr (25 Boise St)
The 2000 Titans have advanced; this team from 8 years later had the 2nd best defense in football and that earns them a 13th seed in the region. 2 All Pros on defense, 27 year old Albert Haynesworth had 8.5 sacks, 24 year old Cortland Finnegan had 5 picks. The offense might really struggle to move the ball against the Fearsome Foursome, Kerry Collins is 36, 12 scores and 7 picks. Big year for the rookie RB Chris Johnson, nearly 1500 yards from scrimmage and 10 scores. Two All Pros on the line, 26 year old Michael Roos, 37 year old Kevin Mawae.
Might see another real defensive slugfest here - let's go to LA for the kick of the last game of the top half of region 7.
1st Qtr
The Rams start at the 20.
1/10 Dick Bass gets the carry, 24 yards, penalties then take LA back 15.
1/25 Roman Gabriel's first pass is caught, a dozen yards for Les Josephson.
2/13 - Bass gets 2, third and a bunch.
3/11 - Gabriel finds Bernie Casey - picks up the first down to the Titan 44.
But that's it. Punt.
Titans at the 20.
3 and out - Deacon Jones sacks Kerry Collins on the first play.
Rams in good field position at the Titan 41.
1/10 - Bass is stopped.
2/10 - Josephson with the big run, 21 yards all the way to the Titan 20.
That's it - a FG 3 plays later makes it 3-0.
Chris Carr with the good return, Titans at the 40.
1/10 - Chris Johnson breaks one - if the Tians are going to move the ball today it needs to be Chris Johnson, he gets a 27 yard carry to the LA 33.
The drive ends there, a long FG ties it at 3.
Rams at the 30.
They pick up a first down on a 10 yard Dick Bass run - but have a 4th and long around midfield as the quarter ends.
2nd Qtr: Rams 3 Titans 3
Unsurprising, lot of defense so far, Rams about to give the ball back to the Titans.
Titans at the 13 after the punt.
1/10 - Johnson carries the rock, he gets a dozen. Titans go back 5 on the next play
1/15 - Collins to Johnson. 5 yards
2/10 - Collins to Justin Gage - 10 yards and a first down.
1/10 - LenDale White gets his first carry, 3 yds.
2/7 - Johnson again, he picks it up, Titans near midfield.
That's all - Titans pick up 2 yards on the next 3 plays and kick.
Rams at the 12. Little over 9 left in the half. 3-3
1/10 - Josephson picks up 11.
1/10 - Bass for 1.
2/9 - Incomplete
3/9 - Gabriel picks it up - Jack Snow's first catch of the game goes for 13 yards.
And it stops here, 3 plays lose 5 yards. The Titans will start at their own 41, little more than 4 left in the half.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Incomplete
3/10 - Kerry Collins finds Chris Johnson out of the backfield, he makes men miss and picks up 14 to cross midfield.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Johnson gets 1.
3/9 - Collins to Alge Crumpler, 10 yards - Titans at the 34 at the 2 minute mark.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Collins is sacked, Merlin Olsen dropping him.
3/13 - Collins picks it up -- Justin McCareins right at the sticks -- with 95 seconds left in the half the Titans have a first down at the Ram 24.
1/10 - Collins - drop back -- Collins -- End Zone -- Collin....Picked Off by Maxie Baughan -- Baughan intercepts the ball in the end zone -- Touchback -- and the Rams turn Tennessee away.
That'll be it - LA runs the ball and putns, Titans get a couple incomplete passes and we hit the locker room.
Third Qtr Rams 3 Titans 3
We thought we might get a defensive struggle and that's this - neither offense generating much today.
The Titans will start at the 30.
3 and out.
LA picks up one first, Gabriel for a dozen to Dick Bass, the drive ends around midfield, Titans take over at the 17.
They get one first, Collins to Gate for 15, but the drive ends at their own 28 yard line, LA gets it back at their own 43.
1/10 - Bass, stacked up.
2/10 - Josephson, stacked up.
3/10 - Gabriel is flushed - Gabriel has to run - Gabriel will Pick Up the first down, he's across midfield to the Titan 43.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Josephson gets 2
3/8 - Gabriel finds Bernie Casey right at the sticks -- there's a measurement....First Down.
1/10 - Bass gets 6.
2/4 - Bass picks it up. Rams at the Titan 22.
1/10 - Josephson gets 2.
2/8 - The dam breaks - Josephson is through the line - Josephson breaks a tackle -- Josephson is into the End Zone -- TOUCHDOWN RAMS - Les Josephson goes for 20 yards and Los Angeles has the first TD of the day - there's only time left for the kickoff -- ooh, good return, Titans will start all the way at their own 40 when we come back for the 4th.
4th Qtr: Rams 10 Titans 3
The Rams throw just one pass in a 10 play 57 yard TD drive. Titans have first down at their own 40, trailing by 7.
1/10 Johnson is stacked up.
2/10 - Johnson - breaks one -- Johnson home run -- Chris Johnson streaking 53 yards down the field -- Chris Johnson all the way down to the LA 7 yard line and the Titans have a first and goal.
But --- the next 3 plays lose 3 yards, Deacon Jones with his second sack of the day - Bironas FG makes it 10-6.
Wendell Tucker takes the kick back....all the way to the Titan 10 yard line! Tucker knocked out of bounds at the Tennessee 10 and LA has a first and goal.
And they don't move a yard. The Gossett FG makes it 13-6. Still 10 minutes left in the game.
Titans start at their own 39.
1/10 - Johnson gets 4
2/6 - Lendale White gets 1.
3/5 -- Collins pass is incomplete, but Deacon Jones picks up a late hit call, that's a first down and the Titans are in LA territory.
1/10 - Johnson goes for 14 all the way to the LA 28 yard line.
1/10 - White goes for 11 -- Titans now at the Rams 17 ---
But it stops here -- another Bironas FG makes it 13-9 Rams.
LA starts at their own 37. Can the Titans get the quick stop?
1/10 - Josephson loses a yard.
2/11 - Tommy Mason goes for a dozen yards -- huge, huge first down for the Rams.
1/10 - Gabriel to Josephson for 5, a holding call backs LA up 10.
2/15 - Gabriel hits Bernie Casey for a big 25 yard gain -- that's the big play, LA is at the Ttian 34 at the 2 minute warning.
1/10 - Josephson gets a dozen - Titans forced to stop the clock.
That's it - Rams run the ball 3 times - they get nothing - Titans have to burn their final 3 timeouts - there's just 48 seconds left -- Gossett hits the FG and it's 16-9 Rams, Titans get the ball back at their own 39 yard line, 40 seconds left in the football game -- they need to go 61 yards in 40 seconds without a timeout.
1/10 - Collins dropping back -- over the middle he is throwing deep -- he is throwing deep --- PICKED OFF - by Eddie Meador -- Meador picks off Kerry Collins -- Meador is down at the Rams 29, that will be the end, victory formation for Gabriel and it is done.
Final: Rams 16 Titans 9
The Rams win the defensive battle, they hold Tennessee to a dozen first downs and they advance to round two and a date with the '96 Niners. 3 sacks and 2 picks for LA.
Gabriel: 12 for 16, 117 yds
Collins: 8 for 23, 2 INT
Josephson: 15 carries for 98yds, 1 TD
Johnson: 15 carries, 124 yds
Casey: 3 catches, 46 yds
Gage: 3 catches, 25 yds
Jones: 2 sacks
Player of the Game: Deacon Jones
First half of Region 7 is done. Moving on:
1975 Steelers
1968 Jets
1996 49ers
1967 Rams
