|
Number Crunching: #22
by Chris Brophy
2/9/2009
After a couple of visits to the more recent past we take a leap back to the middle of the last century for our next all-time great. A player who was so successful his old team is still feeling the after-effects of his departure. A player who won championships for his team but in modern times, as fans, players and coaches suffer through many a losing season, is blamed for the franchises failure. He is the man in possession of one of pro football’s most infamous curses. Read on to find out more about our all-time #22 and his curse over the Detroit Lions:
FD’s All Time #22: Bobby Layne, Quarterback (Chicago Bears, New York Bulldogs, Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers)
 If you are keeping tabs on which team has the most players featured in this list it may be a small surprise to see that the Detroit Lions, with the pick of Bobby Layne as our all-time #22, jump into the lead. Despite their problems in modern times the franchise boasts a rich history from its earlier years and in Layne, we have a player who is still making his presence felt today in the form of his infamous curse.
Bobby Layne was a star before he got to the NFL. At Texas he led the school to plenty of success and how Layne went was usually how the team went. In the 1946 Cotton Bowl Layne was a part of every single one of the Longhorns 40 points in their 40-27 win over Missouri as he rushed for four TD’s, threw for two more and kicked four extra points.
He was bound for NFL super stardom it seemed and his reputation saw the Chicago Bears draft Layne with the 3rd overall pick of the 1948 draft.
However, the Bears had to fight off the Baltimore Colts of the AAFC who had drafted Layne 2nd overall in their own draft and offered him the stunning sum of $77,000 to play for them. Bears Owner and Coach George Halas won Layne over however with a promise of more success in the big leagues and the chance to learn behind future Hall of Famer Sid Luckman.
Layne spent the whole of his first season as the Bears 3rd stringer and he barely seen any playing time although when he did, he managed three TD passes and another score on the ground. Not prepared to be patient, Layne started to try and get himself traded, opening talks directly with the Green Bay Packers in order to upset Halas who had enough on his plate trying to fend off the AAFC for talent. Layne’s ploy worked to a point as he was traded, but to the newly formed New York Bulldogs instead and at the cost of the Bulldogs overall number one pick in the upcoming draft and $50,000 to be paid over four seasons.
Now Layne had his wish, he was out of Chicago and with a team where he would play but the problem was the Bulldogs were hopeless in their debut season.
Layne was about the only bit of talent they had and the franchise posted a 1-10-1 record. Layne did provide the lone bright spots in the season, throwing two touchdown passes when facing future Hall of Famer Sammy Baugh in a 14-14 tie with the Redskins and then getting the franchise’s first win the following week with a 333 yard, two TD pass performance as the Bulldogs beat cross town rivals the Giants 31-24.
Despite the struggles Layne has always remarked that his lone season with the Bulldogs was worth about five years of NFL experience with any other team and it was the making of him as a player. He was traded again following that tough year to the Detroit Lions who sent defensive end Bob Mann the other way and they also agreed to pick up the remaining instalments of the Bulldog’s payment to the Bears.
George Halas would later state the Lions should have paid the Bears for many more years because of the success Layne brought.
The Lions Bobby Layne arrived at were more like the Lions we have seen in recent years. In their previous four seasons before his arrival the team had only managed 10 wins combined. Layne got to work straight away and teaming up with his great friend and former high school team mate Doak Walker in the backfield, he set about making the Lions competitive. In his first ever game for the Lions he threw a 50 yard TD pass to Clarence Box as the Lions thumped the Packers 45-7 (behind it has to be said, a fantastic defensive performance as they scored three TD’s on returns). He hit Walker with a TD the following week as they overcame the Steelers 10-7. Layne then added two TD passes and a rushing score in a 24-7 victory over the 49ers. Mid-season seen a slump but it was more to do with points conceded as the Lions never failed to score over 20 points a game in a four game losing streak! They finished the season on a high though putting 49 points past Layne’s former Bulldog’s team mates (now renamed the New York Yanks) and 45 points pass the Colts. Layne threw several long TD passes in those wins and over the course of the season, himself, Walker and other players like Box had showed the NFL this team was heading in the right direction.
 The following year saw the arrival of new Head Coach Buddy Parker, a man who would have a great influence on Layne’s career. In their first season together Parker let Layne loose and he responded by leading the league in attempts, completions, yardage and TD passes (26) as the team posted a 7-4-1 record. Parker and Layne also combined to make popular the two minute offense with Layne been prompted by his coach in practice how to hurry up the plays, calls and decision making. It is as much a part of football as anything else now but at the time, no one had managed to make it an effective staple of the game until Layne turned up.
1952 would see Layne and team reach its potential. After a rough start, losing two of their first three games (both to the 49ers, including a 28-0 drubbing) the team caught fire only losing one more game (by a single point) all season long and in five of their wins they put over 40 points on the opposition. Layne didn’t quite post the superb statistics of the year before but he was an all round better player and leader with an all round better team. In the play-offs they faced the Los Angeles Rams for the divisional title but Layne had a nightmare game, throwing four interceptions but the Lions superb rushing attack picked up the slack and brought victory, 31-21.
Finally, the Lions had made the NFL Championship game and they faced the might of the Cleveland Browns, a team that had dominated the old AAFC before joining the NFL where they had continued their success. Layne again leaned on his running attack but helped out himself as he rushed for the games opening score and added 47 yards on the ground. He was also mistake free through the air completing seven of his nine attempts and the Lions controlled the game throughout to win 17-7.
Attempting to defend their championship the following year Layne led the Lions to a 10-2 record (their only two losses both coming to the Rams who they had beaten in the divisional play-off the year before) and they returned to the Championship game where they again match-up with the Browns.
The game would be a much tighter affair this time and in the fourth quarter the Lions found themselves trailing 16-10. These match-ups with the Browns were also a battle of opposites Layne was a free spirit on and off the field, he enjoyed a drink (or ten) and he played on the edge, scrambling, faking and fighting for ever yard on every play. The Browns were the NFL’s football machine and Layne’s opposite number the great Otto Graham was an extension of Paul Brown. He had fantastic ability but always kept himself under control.
Moving down the field to try and overcome the Browns lead, the Lions had been forced to switch defender Jim Doran to offense as a receiver after injuries struck in the game and he was matched up with the Browns veteran cornerback Warren Lahr, a physical defender who had recorded the game winning interception for the Browns in their 1950 NFL Championship victory over the Rams. However, Doran was convinced he had Lahr’s number and could beat him deep and he continued to pester Layne and Coach Parker to try and let him get over the top of Lahr. Layne thought better of it and he had noted how Lahr was trying to be aggressive so Layne decided to use that aggression against him. He faked a screen to Doran and Lahr went flying at him but by now Doran had moved forward and Layne had launched a trademark wounded duck over the top of him and Doran caught it in the clear and then cruised into the end zone to tie the game at 16 apiece. The Lions kicked the extra point for the lead and Otto Graham’s own comeback attempt ended in an interception so the Lions had successfully defended their championship!
Could they three-peat? They certainly gave it a good try as the Lions went through the regular season with a 9-2-1 record but at the end of the season their form slipped as they lost and tied two games and then beat the Browns in the season finale 14-10 in a game where the Browns attempted only 6 passes and with the division already wrapped up, maybe the Browns “played possum”.
 In the Championship game the Browns took out three years worth of frustration on the Lions. After Doak Walker had put the Lions up 7-0 things quickly fell apart as Layne threw six interceptions and the Browns smashed their way to a 56-10 win. The following season would see the Lions have a hangover from the smacking they got off the Browns as Layne struggled and threw 17 interceptions as some of the talent around him also didn’t perform or moved on. Things got back on an even keel in 1956 as the team went 9-3 although Layne again threw 17 interceptions as the team started strongly with a 6-0 start before falling away towards season end.
This was the end of Buddy Parker’s time with the Lions as he got into a contract dispute with the team. He had however, acquired another QB before he departed in Tobin Rote. It was likely done in part because Layne had not been on top of his form the previous two seasons but when Layne suffered a serious leg break 8 games into the 1957 season it proved to be a wise investment as Tote helped the Lions win another (and their final) world championship as they once again overcome the Cleveland Browns and gaining revenge for their heavy defeat a few years previous by putting 59 points pass them in the victory.
With Tote having done such a good job in relief of Layne the Lions had options. With Layne now 32 and coming off a triple leg break as well as not having had outstanding form the previous couple of seasons, when the Pittsburgh Steelers and their new coach former Lions coach Buddy Parker came a calling with an offer of two first round picks and QB Earl Morrell for Layne, the Lions decided it was too good an offer to refuse.
And so the curse began.
Upon hearing of his trade to the Steelers Layne is reported to have said as he left the city that “the Lions won’t win for another 50 years” and for the most part, those words have rung true with only a few false dawns in amongst many years of suffering. It seems the team hit rock bottom in 2008 with the first ever 0-16 season and the superstitious may now see the curse as been officially over.
After leaving the Lions Layne went on to play five more seasons with the Steelers and show his old team he was far from done. Parker and Layne teamed up to improve the Steelers but they didn’t quite pull off the same level of success they had in Detroit. He eventually retired at the age of 36 following the 1962 season and by the time he had called it a day he was the NFL’s all-time leader in passes attempted and completed, passing yardage and passing touchdowns. In the world of NFL statistics he was the Dan Marino/Brett Favre of his day but in terms of his style of play he was more like a Fran Tarkenton or Randall Cunningham a slippery customer who you could never count out regardless of what had gone on before and a player who brought success and entertainment with him everywhere he went.
His so-called curse has now officially expired so Lions fans that have had little else to hope about will now be praying the curse was actually true and the Lions will finally turn things around. If they do, they still have a heck of a lot of work to do to get anywhere near the level of success Bobby Layne achieved in his time with the franchise.
Honourable Mentions:
-
Paul Krause, Safety (Washington Redskins, Minnesota Vikings)
-
Roger Wehrli, Cornerback (St Louis Cardinals)
-
Bob Hayes, Wide Receiver (Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers)
-
Dave Brown, Cornerback (Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers)
-
Mike Haynes, Cornerback (New England Patriots, Los Angeles Raiders)
-
Emmitt Smith, Running Back (Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals)
 The #22 certainly has its share of record holders. Paul Krause is still the NFL’s all-time leading interceptor with 81. He started as he meant to go on picking off 12 passes as a rookie with the Redskins and 28 in his first four years with them before been traded to the Vikings where he would go on to add another 53 grabs of opposition passes and be part of a team that went to four Super Bowls. He recorded interceptions in two of those games and of his 81 picks, he returned three for scores whilst also recovering 19 career fumble recoveries and talking three of them back for six points. He was named All-Pro eight times in his career and in 1998 was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Our list also includes three other defensive backs. Roger Wehrli took over as the Cardinals star player in their secondary from our all time #8 Larry Wilson. Named All-Pro five times, Wehrli played both cornerback spots in his 14 year career with the Cardinals and had an uncanny knack for turnovers, recording 40 interceptions and 19 fumble recoveries. He finally made it to the Hall in 2007.
Ten years previous, Mike Haynes was enshrined in the Hall after a superb career with the Patriots and Raiders. Haynes enjoyed one of the best rookie seasons ever with eight interceptions and led the league in punt return yardage as well as scoring on two of those returns (the first ever in Patriots history). He went to the Pro Bowl that rookie season and managed a further eight visits to the game. Despite a superb seven years with the Patriots he may well be better remembered as a Raider due to his teaming up with Lester Hayes. Haynes was all skill and speed whilst Hayes was all about intimidating his opponents but their opposite styles worked. Haynes cost the Raiders a first and second round pick in a trade but with an interception in the teams Super Bowl XVIII victory over the Redskins and a team record 97 yard interception return for a touchdown against Miami amongst his career highlights he certainly paid dividends.
Our final defensive back is long time Seattle Seahawk Dave Brown. Drafted by the Steelers, he was part of their 1975 World Championship team but was made available in the expansion draft and grabbed by the Seahawks where he would spend the next eleven seasons. He made the Pro Bowl in 1984, a season which seen him tie an NFL record with two interception returns for TD’s in the same game (against the Chiefs). He would see out his long career in Green Bay with the Packers and even in his 15th season he still had a knack of grabbing wayward passes with 6 interceptions. He finished his career with 62 interceptions and five touchdown returns.
Offensively, the Cowboys should love the #22 as much as Lions fans should love the #20. First up we have wide receiver Bob Hayes, maybe the fastest man ever to grace and NFL field and a true two sport star. He finally made it to the Hall of Fame this year after a long battle by his supporters. The Diner has already talked about Hayes in great detail so rather than repeat too much, I’ll direct you to Sam Monson’s article on the Cowboys legend.
Finally, we come to the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, Emmitt Smith. I’m sure most of you are familiar with Emmitt’s achievements but just to remind you that apart from his 18355 yards rushing he also managed 164 rushing TD’s, 515 receptions, 11 receiving TD’s, three Super Bowl titles, the 1990 Rookie of the Year award and the 1993 NFL MVP award in his career. Only Jerry Rice has scored more touchdowns. Emmitt also has 20 post season career TD’s, five of which were scored in Super Bowls although I personally think his best ever performance was the overtime victory over the Giants when he came back into the game from a separated shoulder and gained over 200 yards from scrimmage whilst getting the ball 7 of 9 times on the winning drive in overtime.
Learn More about past NFL greats in our History Archive
|
