Word: 49ers
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...found themselves channeled into the defensive crews. Examples abound. Many observers feel that Dick Butkus, 29, the ferocious middle linebacker of the Chicago Bears, has year in and year out been the finest football player in the N.F.L. Bruce Taylor, the No. 1 draft choice of the San Francisco 49ers in 1970, had been Boston University's leading scorer-as a defensive back. Most impressive of all are the incredible giants who toil in the trenches, the 260-and 270-lb. defensive linemen who are often as fast as their teams' running backs. The key player on last...
John Unitas, still wearing the old high-top-style cleats that he sported when he broke in with the Baltimore Colts 16 seasons ago, is 38. John Brodie, a survivor of 15 colorful campaigns with the 49ers, is 36. Bart Starr of the Green Bay Packers is 38 and considering retiring. Sonny Jurgensen of the Washington Redskins is 37 and ailing. Griese, on the other hand, is only 26, and has already logged five seasons as a starter. Staubach is 29 and "in the best physical condition of my life...
...49er Defensive Tackle Earl Edwards had predicted, "an alley fight." Another 49er, noting Staubach's penchant for running with the ball when his receivers are covered, warned that "a quarterback who plays that way can get his neck broken." As it happened, nothing was broken except the 49ers' spirit. Staubach romped freely while veteran San Francisco Quarterback John Brodie passed feebly. Brodie had three passes intercepted, Staubach none; he was the Cowboys' leading ground gainer to boot...
Indeed, he befuddled the 49ers all afternoon with what might be called the Staubach Shuffle. In a third-and-seven situation on the Dallas 23, Staubach faded, found his receivers covered, circled as far back as the 3-yd. line, zigged away from one tackier, zagged around another, started upfield, reversed his course, angled for the sidelines, doubled back and then, while running full tilt, flipped a 17-yd. jump pass to Running Back Dan Reeves for a first down. Shuffling this way and throwing that, Roger the Dodger led the Cowboys to a 14-3 victory...
Verna is only too well aware that despite the sophisticated electronic devices, TV is not infallible. In a game between the Washington Redskins and the San Francisco 49ers, Quarterback John Brodie fouled things up by faking out the defense-and the CBS cameraman-to hit Wide Receiver Gene Washington with a 78-yd. scoring bomb. All that appeared on home screens was a shot of Washington loping into the end zone. Like Lombardi, though, Verna wins more than he loses. In a similar situation in another 49ers game, Verna was so confident that Brodie would throw to Washington that...