GEORGE BLANDA “It’s Never Too Late”

By T. J. Troup
Coach, Teacher, and Pro Football Historian

Future Hall of Fame Quarterback Bobby Layne was sold to the New York Bulldogs before the 1949 season by “Papa Bear” George Halas. To fill the roster spot, Halas used the Bears 12th pick in the draft to take quarterback George Blanda of Kentucky. During his last three years at Kentucky, playing under the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant, the Wildcats won 20 of 31 games and played in their first bowl game after the 1947 season.

Coming from southwestern Pennsylvania, Blanda was leaving one demanding championship coach and was now about to embark on his pro career playing for another demanding coach. During his long career (1949-1975), Blanda observed and experienced the evolution of the modern pro defense. While the Philadelphia Eagles were the exception playing a 5-2-4 defense in the late ‘40’s, most teams played a 5-3-3.

Blanda’s first experience as a quarterback in the NFL came in the second quarter on October 9th against the undefeated Rams at Wrigley Field. Blanda, on his first attempt, threw deep down the left sideline to halfback J.R. Boone (who had beaten right linebacker Fred Naumetz) for 44 yards. Boone was tackled at the two-yard line. Two running plays lost two yards and on third and goal from the four-yard line with all his receivers covered, Blanda scampered into the end zone to score his first pro touchdown. Amazingly, Blanda went on to play in 337 more games, yet would score only eight more touchdowns.

Blanda gained 130 yards on his six completions in the game but he also forced throws into coverage (5 interceptions) and the Bears lost, 31-16. For the next 21 games, Blanda played very little quarterback but handled kicking and punts. In the process, his education on how to attack defenses continued.

The 1950 season ended in the playoffs for the Bears at the Los Angeles Coliseum where Chicago lost 24-20 to the Rams. Future Hall of Fame Quarterback George Blanda watched three other future Hall of Famers man the QB position: Sid Luckman, Norm Van Brocklin, and Bob Waterfield.

When the Bears took the field for the ’51 season, they had a new starting left linebacker: Number 22, George Blanda. Clark Shaughnessy had become the Bears defensive coach and Blanda’s education continued.

On November 4th the Bears shut out the Redskins 27-0 to remain in first place. As much as Shaughnessy was regarded as an offensive innovator, he stationed his defenders in alignments never seen before in the NFL. Depending on down and distance, Shaughnessy had Blanda aligned in a number of hybrid linebacker/safety positions. In obvious passing situations with a player like Sammy Baugh in a spread formation (“shotgun”), Blanda was stationed behind All-Pro linebacker George Connor. Chicago was aligned in a gap control 5-1-5 defense as Blanda lined up as the nickel defender with underneath coverage responsibilities.

Early in the fourth quarter with a 24-0 lead, Shaughnessy deployed the Bear defense in a 4-3 with the outside linebackers head up as they jammed the Redskin split ends. Chicago was in a “four across the board” alignment with the defensive halfbacks in man coverage, and the safeties (which now included Blanda at left safety) in a version of deep zone cover 2. Harry Gilmer’s pass was later tipped and George Blanda recorded the one and only interception of his career. During the first half of the ’52 season Blanda was the kicker and back-up quarterback. When Chicago fell out of contention at 3-4, Halas finally allowed George to take the reigns of the Bear offense.

In a game later in the season, eight seconds remained on the clock with the ball on the Detroit Lions two-yard line and Detroit ahead, 23-17. Though the Bears had over 1,000 plays in their playbook, Blanda improvised, and with a play action fake to Billy Stone, he lobbed a pass to tight end Ed Sprinkle to tie the game. Blanda converted to defeat the first-place Lions. Detroit would not lose again on their way to the title.

During his entire career as a quarterback, Blanda believed that throwing down the field deep was the quickest way to gain yardage. The last five weeks of the ’52 season bore this out as Blanda averaged 15 yards a completion of the 44 passes his receivers caught.

One of the record setting highlights of the ’53 season came against the 49ers on November 1st when the teams combined to attempt 94 passes (Blanda threw 46 times and Y.A. Tittle attempted 43).

With the rapid development of rookie split end Harlon Hill in 1954, the Bears again became contenders for the western conference title. Blanda finally established himself during the first seven games of the season as one of the premier passers in the game. He led the NFL in touchdown passes with 15 and ranked ahead of such luminaries as Tittle, Norm Van Brocklin, Bobby Layne, and Otto Graham.

During a four-game span (October 17th through November 7th), Blanda averaged 317 yards a game passing. At the end of the ’54 season, Blanda had converted 106 consecutive extra points which put him in striking distance of Lou Groza’s all-time record of 109. On October 10th in a 28-9 victory over the Colts, one of center snaps on a Bear extra point in the first quarter was fumbled. Blanda scooped up the ball and ran for the extra point which kept his streak intact.

Blanda was the back-up quarterback for the Bears in 1955 and 1956. Yet, when the opportunity was presented to him, Blanda played well. His best game of the 1956 season came in the legendary game of October 21st against the Colts in Wrigley field. Colts quarterback George Shaw was blitzed by the Bears and left the game. In trotted John Unitas. In the second quarter, Rookie of the Year Lenny Moore scored on a 56-yard cut-back run of a left sweep as Unitas sprinted downfield to “lay-out” left corner J.C. Caroline with a crushing block. Just before the half, the Bears scored on a 68-yard pass from Ed Brown to Hill, and for the first time in six seasons, George Blanda missed an extra point.

When Blanda’s long field goal attempt in the 3rd quarter was short, left corner/kick returner Carl Taseff returned the attempt 96 yards to give the Colts the lead, 21-20. After the Bears regained the lead on a Rick Casares touchdown, Unitas attempted to rally the Colts. But his quick out was intercepted by Caroline and returned for a 59-yard touchdown. Blanda then took over at quarterback and completed all six of his passes for 65 yards and three fourth quarter touchdowns.

By the mid-1950’s, all teams played a version of the “now” defense: the 4-3-4. There would be subtle shadings for the defensive linemen (gap or head up) and the three linebackers had to adjust to the wide side of the field when the ball was on the hash. Man-to-man was still the basic coverage, though many teams installed a crude form of zone and occasional nickel coverage. The blitz or “red dog” was rare, except for the Bears. George Blanda and the rest of the quarterbacks in the NFL had basic “reads” at this point in time, yet the standard concept was to beat your man on the route called.

The game ended with Unitas throwing the first touchdown pass of his career. But this was not the last time that Unitas and Blanda battled. No one, though, could have anticipated the battle between these two legendary quarterbacks in Baltimore’s Memorial stadium on the first weekend in January more than a decade later with the winner going to the Super Bowl.

Fifteen years earlier, George Blanda and the Bears took the field at Yankee Stadium on December 30th, 1956 with an opportunity to win a championship. Across the field two dedicated assistant coaches (Tom Landry and Vince Lombardi) prepared the Giants well. Blanda’s education continued as he observed New York halfbacks Alex Webster and Frank Gifford combine for 207 yards receiving on 9 receptions. The coordinated Giant defense mixed coverages to deny Harlon Hill deep. The Bears were crushed, 47-7.

Would Blanda ever have the opportunity to again play for a championship? His final two years as a Bear (1957 and 1958) were spent almost exclusively kicking. Blanda did set the Bears record for field goals in a season in 1957 with 14, yet he attempted only 26 passes as Zeke Bratkowski and Ed Brown did the quarterbacking.

Then came the American Football League. For the AFL to succeed, the fans had to see quality football, and quality football would happen sooner if there were men with experience on rosters. The Houston Oilers were a very young team with a tough minded head coach in Lou Rymkus. The two starting wide receivers came to the Oilers from relatively small schools, Heidelberg and Northwest Louisiana State, respectively. Bill Groman and Charlie Hennigan were willing and talented, and, with George Blanda’s guidance, the team improved throughout the season.

The Oilers offense was versatile and Blanda combined an excellent running attack with his arm to lead the Houston to six consecutive victories to start the 1960 season. One of the keys to the success of the Oilers passing game was yardage gained per completion (14.4) in those six wins. Houston defeated the Chargers on January 1, 1961 in Jeppesen Stadium in Houston for the AFL crown as Blanda threw for 301 yards. On a third and nine on his own 12-yard line with a 17-16 lead in the fourth quarter, Blanda called “pass z, slant 4, swing and go.” Blanda read that left safety Jimmy Sears of the Chargers was in man coverage against Billy Cannon, and with the slant route run by Charlie Hennigan, Sears was “picked off.” Thus. the clinching 88-yard touchdown pass finished off the Chargers and George Blanda won his first championship.

After a 1-3-1 start to the 1961 season, Lou Rymkus was dismissed. Wally Lemm was brought in to be head coach. The next 10 games in Houston history was not only historical, it was mythical. Wally Lemm with a successful background as a defensive coach, worked with the young Oilers to “plug the leaks” in the defense. Lemm’s defense allowed only 129 points in the final 9 regular season games of 1961 (after having allowed 113 in the first five games of the season). Since Lemm had a staff of only two assistants, who took charge of the offense?

Blanda’s contribution came on both the practice field and on game day. The 1961 Houston Oilers scored 513 points, but during the last nine games of the season, with Blanda in complete control of the offense, this mythical machine scored 370 points (41 a game). Blanda’s passing stats for the 10 regular season victories was legendary. He completed 157 of 297 for 2,924 yards (18.6 yards a completion), and 33 touchdowns. Blanda still threw the occasional interception (16) when the Oilers won, but George knew that success came in getting the Oilers down the field and into the end zone with as few completions as possible. The championship rematch was to be played in San Diego, and the Charger secondary intercepted Blanda five times. Still, the Oilers triumphed, 10-3 as Blanda again found Billy Cannon open with a 35-yard scoring toss in the third quarter to break a 3-3 tie

For a third consecutive year, the Oilers won the AFL Eastern Conference title and, again, in a legendary game, the Dallas Texans and the Oilers met with Houston’s new coach, Pop Ivy. This time the Oilers suffered a miserable first half, down 17-0. Their second half comeback tied the game at 17 -17, but the Texans prevailed in overtime, 20-17.

Two years later, on November 1st, 1964, the now 2-5 Oilers took on the undefeated Buffalo Bills. Blanda went to the air with a record 68 passing attempts for 393 yards. Buffalo’s defensive coach, Joe Collier, mixed a 3-4-4 scheme into his already formidable bag of complex calls. Blanda staked Houston to a 10-0 lead into the third quarter, but a dropped pass in the Buffalo end zone became a key play. The Oilers come up short, 24-10.

From 1963 through 1966 the Oilers won just 17 games, and though Blanda had some fine days throwing the ball, it became apparent that it was time to retire retire. Blanda had kicked eight 50 yard field goals and thrown 165 touchdown passes as a Houston Oiler. He was now 40 years old. He set kicking records when a Chicago Bear and played in a championship game. He also set kicking records as a Houston Oiler and won two championship games. Yet, his career was not about to end. Rather, it became revitalized in the bay area.

Al Davis was an assistant coach with the Chargers when the Oilers defeated them in the championship games of 1960 and 1961. On the final day of the 1963 season, Davis watched Blanda throw for 342 yards and five touchdowns in a losing cause as his new club, the Oakland Raiders, prevailed 52-49. The Oilers came into that game with a record of 6-7, while the Raiders at 9-4 were about to become the first team to improve by nine games from one season to the next. Davis was so impressed with Blanda’s never say die attitude he knew he wanted him to be the final piece to his championship puzzle.

Blanda not only played on opening day of 1967 against the Broncos, but also the next week against the Patriots on his 40th birthday. For the first time ever, Blanda was successful with 20 field goals in a season and he kicked 56 extra points as well. He finally led the AFL in scoring with 116 points (he was second in both 1960 and 1961). Though the Raiders season ended in a Super Bowl loss to Green Bay Packers, Blanda was revitalized.

Attempting to defend a title is never easy and the 1968 Raiders were about to discover this cold hard fact. On November 17th the west coast was able to see the 8-1 Raiders battle the 7-2 Jets for bragging rights as to which was the best team in the AFL. One of the reasons the Raiders were 8-1 was due to Blanda’s heroics the week before as he came off the bench to complete 14 passes for 295 yards and 4 touchdowns in a victory over the Broncos. Blanda’s 94-yard scoring pass to Warren Wells was the longest that season in the AFL.

Due to the merger, the AFL chapter in Blanda’s career was about to end. He returned to the NFL knowing that he had, at one time, held both the NFL and AFL record for most consecutive extra points. He set team records for the Bears, Oilers, and Raiders. Blanda had started in the NFL in 1949, and now was returning to the NFL for the 1970 season.

With a record of 3-2-1, the Raiders were headed to Kansas City and a showdown with the rival Chiefs (who were 3-3). With 46 seconds left Blanda, now 43, successfully made a 48-yard field goal attempt. The successful kick provided the Raiders with a tie to keep their chances alive for a division title. At home the following week in Oakland, Blanda hit Wells with a scoring pass with 1:34 left to tie Cleveland at 20-20. Then, with 3 seconds left, he kicked a 52-yard field goal to win the game. In Denver the following week, the Broncos led 19-17 with 3:54 left in the fourth quarter. Once again, Blanda entered. He started with a completion for -2 yards to Hewritt Dixon, then threw an incomplete pass to Wells. Now, facing 3rd and 12, he was hit by the Broncos pass rush but completed a pass to Rod Sherman for the first down. Wells then caught a 35-yard pass, and two plays later, Blanda hit Fred Biletnikoff with the winning 20-yard pass.

The following week, on November 22nd against the Chargers, the clock was winding down. Nine seconds remained as Blanda checked the flags atop the goal post and then hit a 16-yard field goal to defeat San Diego, 20-17. Blanda’s post-game comment: “I’ve been through this sort of thing a few times before.” In Shea Stadium later in the season, both Blanda and Daryle Lamonica threw touchdown passes and with the scored tied at 13, Blanda kicked the extra point to defeat the Jets. Now, tied for first with the Chiefs at 7-3-2, the Raiders controlled their own destiny and responded with a 20-6 victory to win the AFC west title. Though Blanda played only 114 minutes in the regular season, he was awarded the Bert Bell Trophy by the Maxwell Club and won the UPI AFC Player of the Year award.

After defeating the Dolphins in Miami in the first round of the playoffs, the Raiders traveled to Baltimore to play the Colts for the right to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. When Lamonica’s leg was injured on a Bubba Smith sack, Blanda entered the game down 10-0. Though Blanda averaged 15.9 yards a completion in attacking the Colts “rolled zone coverage” the Raiders closed the gap to 20-17. Johnny Unitas outdid Blanda as he averaged 22 yards a completion and the Colts went on to win the Super Bowl.

It’s now opening day of 1972 and the Raiders visited Three Rivers Stadium for the first time. There, George Blanda celebrated his 45th birthday by throwing a 26-yard touchdown pass to Raymond Chester. While this bitter rivalry with the Pittsburgh Steelers continued for years, Blanda added to the final piece to his resume of reading defenses. His sojourn took him from the 5-3, to the 4-3, to the 3-4 defensive fronts. He also faced a variety of different secondary coverages. Blanda saw man-to-man coverage from 3-deep secondaries to 4-deep secondaries with a free safety, to rolled zone coverage, and finally to Pittsburgh’s Bud Carson’s cover 2.

A remarkable career by a remarkable player.

T.J. Troup is a teacher, coach and pro football historian who lives in Tustin, CA. He has had a number of articles published by Coffin Corner, the official publication of the Professional Football Researchers Association. Troup also served as a consultant on the movie ‘Leatherheads.’ He can be reached at zeuglodon44@cox.net.