Nov. 22, 1964 - The Green Bay Packers, former masters of the NFL, enjoyed a return to glory today, at least temporarily, by putting brakes on the Cleveland Browns’ rush toward the Eastern Conference title.
Taking advantage of two of four big Cleveland mistakes in the second half, Vince Lombardi’s Packers scored a 28‐21 victory before 48,065 fans at County Stadium. The high spot in an otherwise mediocre campaign for the 1961‐62 league champions warmed the hearts of most of the 43,000 fans, who sat bundled in 15‐degree temperature.
Two of the Cleveland errors were rare fumbles by Jimmy Brown, his first and second of the season.
With the score 14‐4 in the third period, Brown charged through the line only to be met by Ray Nitschke (right), the 240-pound linebacker. The jolt knocked the ball out of Brown’s arms, and Lionel Aldridge pounced on it on the Cleveland 22.
Four plays later, Bart Starr, Green Bay’s quarterback, rolled right and scampered 3 yards for a touchdown. Paul Hornung, limited to place-kicking today, connected on the third of four he made during the afternoon. The Golden Boy was suffering from a pinched shoulder nerve, which has bothered him throughout his football career.
The Browns then marched to the Green Bay 27, where their second mistake occurred. Frank Ryan’s attempted pass to Johnny Brewer was intercepted by Dan Currie, who brought the ball back to his 26.
With Jim Taylor, Green Bay’s answer to Jimmy Brown, bucking from fullback, Starr connecting with passes and Hornung’s substitute, Tom Moore, running well, Green Bay moved 74 yards to the winning touchdown. Taylor went the final 5 yards, falling over the goal line. The Browns quickly retaliated with a 65‐yard march, Ryan hitting Paul Warfield with a 19‐yard pass under the goal posts for the final touchdown of the game.
But six minutes remained when Brown again fumbled after he had taken a screen pass from Ryan. This time, Willie Davis fell on the ball for the Packers at the Browns’ 33 to stop Cleveland.
Then on the final chance of the day for the Browns, Ryan aimed a pass at Warfield. The ball was short of the rookie flanker, and Willie Wood made a diving interception.
Thus the Browns’ lead was cut to 1½ games over the St. Louis Cardinals, who beat the Philadelphia Eagles. Three games remain in the regular season, and Cleveland and St. Louis will meet Dec. 6 at St. Louis in a game that could decide the Eastern crown.
“We lost the ball twice on fumbles and had two passes intercepted in the second half,” said Cleveland head coach Blanton Collier after today’s contest. “If it had not been for those mistakes we might have caught up, but they prevented us from moving.
“The average NFL team has the ball 12 times during the game. When you lose the ball on mistakes four of those times, especially in one half, it sharply reduces your attack.”
Collier said he didn’t want to take anything away from the Packers. “They’re a good, solid football team and extremely well-coached, and they are fired up. We made mistakes, but they capitalized on each one of them and didn’t make any themselves. That is the mark of a good football team.”
The Packers had a different view of why they won, as quarterback Bart Starr said he caught the Browns’ defense pinching in too close on fourth down and inches to go. Starr faked a handoff to fullback Jim Taylor then lobbed a short pass to Max McGee, who went to the Cleveland one to set up the tying touchdown.
The Packers then added to more touchdowns in short order.
Coach Vince Lombardi said later that the Packers had never called a play like that before. “It had to be the big play of the game for us,” he remarked.
“I thought we would catch them by surprise,” Starr said. “And when the Browns put in some of their punt situation players, it helped make the job easier.”
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