January 14, 2008

Bombed, boomed and doomed.: On November 27, 1966, the Washington Redskins beat the New York Giants 72-41, in the highest-scoring game in NFL history. The Redskins' 72 points is the highest winning score in a regular-season game; the combined 16 touchdowns is also a record. [more inside]

posted by kirkaracha to football at 05:42 PM - 6 comments

The Redskins called time out with seven seconds left so they could kick a field goal. (Several Redskins players had grudges against the Giants.) The Giants threw five interceptions and lost a fumble. Brig Owens had three interceptions, and 62-yard fumble and interception returns for touchdowns. The turnovers killed the Giants: "The Giants had more yards (389-341), more first downs (25-16) and ran 29 more plays. The Redskins led at the half, 34-14, despite having minus-2 net passing yards." The kickers, brothers Pete (Giants) and Charlie Gogolak set the record for most extra points in a game (14; the Giants blocked one). (They were also the first "soccer-style" NFL kickers.) This was before the NFL had nets behind the goal posts, so each extra point meant a lost football. The Redskins lost 14 footballs at $22.50 each for a total cost of $315. WAS Whitfield 5 yd. pass from Jurgensen  (Kick blocked) WAS Whitfield 63 yd. run (C. Gogolak kick) WAS Owens 62 yd. run with fumble (C. Gogolak kick) NYG Jacobs 6 yd run (P. Gogolak kick) WAS Whitfield 1 yd. run (C. Gogolak kick) WAS Looney 10 yd. run (C. Gogolak kick) NYG Wood 1 yd run (P. Gogolak kick) NYG Morrison 41 yd. pass from Wood (P. Gogolak kick) WAS Taylor  32 yd. pass from Jurgensen (C. Gogolak kick) NYG Jones 50 yd. pass from Wood (P. Gogolak kick) WAS Taylor 74 yd. pass from Jurgensen (C. Gogolak kick) WAS Harris 52 yd. punt return (C. Gogolak kick) WAS Owens 62 yd interception return (C. Gogolak kick) NYG Thomas 18 yd. pass from Kennedy (kick failed) NYG Lewis 1 yd. run (P. Gogolak kick) WAS Mitchell  45 yd. run (C. Gogolak kick) WAS C. Gogolak 23 yd. Field Goal

posted by kirkaracha at 05:42 PM on January 14, 2008

I started to feel better about the Broncos losing 55-10 and then I realized that 55-10 is a worse loss. Dammit.

posted by geekyguy at 12:48 PM on January 15, 2008

How long did the game take? It must have taken forever.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 05:18 PM on January 15, 2008

to make the 50,459 fans in D.C. Stadium forget the 73-0 championship game loss to the Chicago Bears in 1940 73-0 ? Wasn't there a lot of crap about the Pats running up scores this year? A current NFL team would be roasted for handing out a 73-0 spanking. Thanks for the article, kirkaracha. (And thanks for the outline, too.)

posted by BoKnows at 07:53 PM on January 15, 2008

The game probably wasn't especially long because a lot of the scores were on big plays (six touchdowns on plays of 30 yards or more) and turnovers and punt returns.

posted by kirkaracha at 11:28 AM on January 16, 2008

The game probably wasn't especially long because a lot of the scores were on big plays (six touchdowns on plays of 30 yards or more) and turnovers and punt returns. Actually, that is why it should have been extra long. 15-play drives keep the clock moving. Big plays rack up yards quickly and end with stopping the clock (if they are touchdowns).

posted by bender at 12:56 PM on January 16, 2008

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