Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2015 2:28:34 GMT -5
It was 50 years ago this week (Dec. 12, to be precise) that halfback Tom Matte led the Colts to a crucial 20-17 victory over the Rams at the L.A. Coliseum.
Injuries to both Johnny Unitas and backup Gary Cuozzo forced Matte under center for their must-win game against the Rams in the season finale. Matte had played quarterback at Ohio State under Woody Hayes, but throwing was not an integral part of Ohio State's offense. "When you throw a pass," Hayes once said, "Only three things can happen and two of them are bad."
Matte quickly developed a sore arm from all of the added throwing in practice that week, forcing the Colts to claim journeyman Ed Brown off waivers from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Colt coach Don Shula and offensive coach Don McCafferty developed a game plan to try and accommodate Matte's limited skill sets. They also implemented the play-calling wristband--now common practice in the NFL--to try and simplify things for Matte, then held their collective breaths and hoped for the best.
Matte completed only 5 of 12 passes against the Rams, but he also rushed for 57 yards in the upset win. Meanwhile, 350 miles up the coast in San Francisco, Vince Lombardi's Packers could manage only a tie against the 49ers, giving both Green Bay and the Colts identical 10-3-1 records. The two teams would meet the following week at Lambeau Field to determine the Western Conference championship. The Colts defense staked out a 10-0 halftime lead, knocking Green Bay's Bart Starr out of the game in the process. But the Packers would rally in the second half, tying the game on a highly-disputed last-minute field goal by Don Chandler, then would score on another field goal in overtime to defeat the Colts, 13-10.
Two weeks later, however, in the now long-forgotten Playoff Bowl, Matte would throw for three scores in a 35-3 romp over Dallas. The wristband he wore with the Colt plays is now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.