ANALYSIS/OPINION
You think you’ve seen some offensive explosions in this NFL? Some high-scoring games where the defense didn’t even seem to be on the field? Were you impressed with the Washington Redskins and Kirk Cousins’ 41-point explosion last Sunday night against the Green Bay Packers?
Well, you should have been at D.C. Stadium on Nov. 27, 1966, when the Redskins faced the New York Giants. More than 50,000 were there, and they witnessed history — the highest-scoring game the NFL has ever seen, before or since.
Yes, despite the Arena Football-like numbers we see players put up in the league week after week in today’s game, the greatest offensive explosion happened 50 years ago Sunday, when the Redskins beat the Giants 72-41.
The next highest-scoring game in NFL history was 106 points — the Cincinnati Bengals defeating the Cleveland Browns 58-48 in 2004. The third highest scoring game? Another 1960s affair, this one 101 points when the Oakland Raiders beat the Houston Oilers 52-49 in 1963.
The Redskins were 5-6 with a three-game losing streak going into the 1966 game. The Giants had just one win — a 13-10 victory over Washington six weeks earlier. It would be the only game New York would win that year, while the Redskins finished 7-7. It was Otto Graham’s first year as Washington coach.
AUDIO: Redskins defensive tackle Diron Talbert with Thom Loverro
Amazingly, the Giants had more first downs — 25 — than the Redskins, who had 16. Most of the offensive damage came on the ground. Washington quarterback Sonny Jurgensen threw for three touchdowns, but attempted just 16 passes, completing 10 for 145 yards. The Redskins rushed for 209 yards on just 24 carries for four touchdown. Their leading rusher was A.D. Whitfield, who gained 74 yards on just six carries, scoring two touchdowns. Bobby Mitchell carried it just twice but one of them was a 45-yard touchdown run.
Joe Don Looney — yes the wild man of the NFL that Nationals manager Dusty Baker referred to in one of his pre-game press conferences this past season — carried the ball more than anyone for Washington, 10 times for 46 yards and one touchdown.
Safe to say, tackling was optional for the Giants that day.
According to some Redskins, it could have been worse.
“It should have been 79,” Hall of Fame receiver Charley Taylor told me in a conversation for my book, “Hail Victory: An Oral History of the Washington Redskins.”
Taylor, who caught six passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns, said he dropped a sure touchdown pass. “I felt this guy on my shoulder as I dropped the ball, and after the ball had fallen to the ground, I looked over and it was the official running along with me. It sort of distracted me.”
The worst damage to the Giants, though, was inflicted by safety Brig Owens, who had himself a day — three interceptions, returned for 87 yards, one of them for a 62-yard touchdown. Safety Paul Krause and Billy Clay also had interceptions. Clay was a fourth-round draft pick out of Mississippi that year and would play just one NFL season. The interception was the only one of his career.
Kick returner Ricky Harris ran back one punt for a 52-yard touchdown. Charlie Gogolak had 10 extra point attempts. He made nine of them. His brother Pete, kicking for the Giants, had six extra point attempts. Like his brother, he missed one of them.
There would be just one field goal for Washington – a 29-yarder by Charlie Gogolak with just a few seconds left in the game, with the Redskins leading 69-41. Washington coach Otto Graham apologized the next day for that late field goal.
Who called for that kick has become part of the lore of the game. In an interview for the oral history, Sam Huff said it was his call — his revenge on the Giants and coach Allie Sherman, who had traded him to Washington two years earlier.
“Our offense was on the field and it was fourth down,” Huff said. “Otto Graham didn’t yell for the field goal team. It was me. I yelled, ’Field goal,’ and Charlie Gogolak comes on and kicks a field goal to make the score 72-41. That was a revenge game for me. I’ll never forget looking across the field at the guy who changed my life and traded me. I thought, ’Justice is done.’”
So was history.
Thom Loverro hosts his weekly podcast “Cigars & Curveballs” Wednesdays available on iTunes and Google Play.
• Thom Loverro can be reached at tloverro@washingtontimes.com.
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