Saturday, February 23, 2008

The Cowboys Get on the Board


In the middle of the Second Quarter, Green Bay and Dallas were both doing the “one-two-three-kick” routine back and forth, with neither moving the ball much. Then, as it seems to be in big games, the “big play” changes everything. First of all, we see some Dallas players on the bench (above), down by 14 points and looking forward to the halftime warmth of the locker room.


Taking the ball over after a Dallas punt with 4:30 left to go in the First Half, quarterback Bart Starr barks out the signals at the line of scrimmage, while Cowboys’ defensive back Mel Renfro (#20) looks on.


Starr, while dropping back to pass, is chased immediately by the rush of George Andrie (#66), and Willie Townes (#71).


While being sacked by Townes, Starr fumbles...


... and the loose ball is scooped up by Andrie...


... who takes it in for a touchdown. The Cowboys, who seemed to be in a hole that they might never climb out of, now are within one score with halftime nearing.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

More Second Quarter Action


As we continue in the “Ice Bowl” second quarter, the Packers — after intercepting the ball — went three-and-out in their series. After they punted, we see quarterback Bart Starr in the “dugout” discussing play-calling with backup QB Zeke Bratkowski (above).


Packers’ coach Vince Lombardi comes over to also discuss the play-calling options (remember, this is when quarterbacks called their own plays in the huddle). Lombardi suggests maybe running “the 52 or 53,” to which Starr replies, “yes sir, yes sir.”


The Dallas offense also has a rough go of things in the mid-second quarter. They find running through the likes of Willie Davis (#87) to be impossible.


Green Bay defensive lineman Lionel Aldridge (#82) also does his part to shut down the Cowboys on this offensive series.


Making the job of the Packers’ defense a little easier was the habit of Cowboys’ receiver Bob Hayes (#22) putting his hands into the belt of his pants on plays where he wasn’t supposed to get the ball. The Green Bay defenders only had to see this to know that they didn’t have to cover him, freeing them to key on other players.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Packers with the Ball in the Second Quarter


To start off today’s sampling of images from the 1967 “Ice Bowl” game, we see Cowboys’ tackle Jim Boeke (Above, #68) stuffing his helmet face mask with a stocking hat in an attempt to thaw out his frozen face.


After the Packers got the ball back with the Herb Adderley interception, running back Ben Wilson (#36) runs here for no gain.


Packers’ quarterback Bart Starr goes back to let a long one fly, but the ball is batted down at the line of scrimmage.


Here’s another view of the Green Bay fans braving out the weather that day.


This is an interesting view from the sideline of quarterback Bart Starr barking the signals. Dallas defensive back Mike Johnson (#23) is in the foreground.


Packers’ coach Vince Lombardi watches the action from the western sideline of Lambeau Field.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Packers in the Lead


Here in the offseason, we’ve been a bit more erratic in our postings — not making them every day, but we’re back today with some action from the early Second Quarter in “The Ice Bowl.” In our first photo (above), we see the scoreboard after the Packers’ score on a 43-yard touchdown play to Boyd Dowler.


While the kicking team takes the field for the change of possession, we see receiver Max McGee (left) talking with quarterback Bart Starr in the “dugout” enclosure on the Packers’ sideline.


Dallas quarterback Don Meredith stands behind center Mike Connelly (#53), as Packers’ linebacker Ray Nitschke (#66) waits menacingly across the line of scrimmage anticipating the play. Meredith’s pass to Bob Hayes was incomplete, and as his next pass sails...


... it is intercepted by Green Bay defensive back Herb Adderley (#26), who returns it to the Dallas 32 yard line.


And the Green Bay fans are greatly pleased!

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Packers Go Up By Two TD’s


As the Packers get the ball at the beginning of the Second Quarter in the “Ice Bowl,” Quarterback Bart Starr hands off to Running Back Ben Wilson (with unfastened chin strap)...


...who powers his way around left end for 13 yards and a first down. The following two plays were hand-offs to Travis Williams, who gained seven and two yards, respectively.


Bart Starr then goes back to pass from the Dallas 43 yard line.


He connects with Boyd Dowler...


...who goes in for the touchdown, making it 14-0 Green Bay after Don Chandler’s extra point.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Braving the Elements in the First Quarter


With the Cowboys having to punt following a three-and-out series near the end of the First Quarter, we stop for some images of the conditions at Lambeau with three quarters still left to play. Here we see Dallas players on their sideline (above) hovering near the gas heaters that were brought in that morning to try and provide some warmth for the players near the bench.


Here we have another view of the ramshackle, hastily-built "dugout"-type shelters erected on both sidelines. The Cowboy players shown here are along the Eastern sideline.


Here is the view you would’ve had as a player sitting inside one of the shelters that day in 1967.


Having been in the sub-zero NFC Championship game weather a few weeks ago, we can sympathize with these fans who, unfortunately, didn't have the modern-day winter wear that we have.


We wonder if this fellow is still around, telling his great-grandchildren thrilling tales of the “Ice Bowl.”

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Back to the Ice Bowl Blog


Getting back to the Blog (a couple of days lost to photos that wouldn't upload for some reason), we see first some of the freezing crowd (above) behind the Dallas bench along the East side of Lambeau Field as we move along through the First Quarter.


Here we see Cowboys’ coach Tom Landry talking to his defensive players on the bench while his offense is on the field. We have a good view again of the “open” North end of Lambeau at that time.


This fellow’s custom-painted hard hat has been enshrined in the Packers’ Hall of Fame in the past. We’re not sure until the next time we visit the Hall about whether it is still on display.


Dallas running back Don Perkins (#43) is stopped for no gain to end the Dallas drive by Lionel Aldridge (#82), Ron Kostelnik (#77), and a player that is unidentified. The Cowboys will have to punt.

Monday, February 04, 2008

The Cowboys’ Second Possession


Continuing our “Ice Bowl” series, the Green Bay Packers kick off after the Boyd Dowler touchdown to the Dallas Cowboys (above). Veteran Don Chandler (#34) does the kicking chores for the Packers.


As the ball bounces around when no Cowboy fielded it, Packers’ backup defensive back John Rowser (#45) comes flying in and knocks Cowboys’ defensive end Larry Stephens (#77) out of bounds with a great hit. The ball goes out as well and is marked at the 12 yard line.


With 6:02 left in the First Quarter, Cowboys’ quarterback Don Meredith (#17) looks over the Packers’ defense and barks out the signals as his frozen breath clouds the air.


Meredith hands off to running back Don Perkins (#43), who runs up the middle for a gain of five yards, and is stopped by defensive end Willie Davis (#87) and linebacker Dave Robinson (#89).


Green Bay coach Vince Lombardi watches his defensive unit on the field against the Cowboys’ offense with a good view of the Lambeau Field North end zone and the Packers’ administration building in the background.

Sunday, February 03, 2008

The Packers Score First


Today, on “Super Sunday,” when many of us think the Packers should be playing the Patriots instead of the Giants, we continue our coverage of the 1967 NFL championship game. In this first photo (above), we see Green Bay quarterback Bart Starr just prior to releasing his pass behind the blocking of left guard #68 Gale Gillingham, left tackle #76 Bob Skoronski, fullback #30 Chuck Mercein, and a player who is blurred but believed to be tight end #81 Marv Fleming.


Starr’s pass goes eight yards over the middle to #86 Boyd Dowler for the game’s first score. Dowler was covered by Cowboys defensive back #23 Mike Johnson.


Dowler jogs along the back of the South end zone on his way back to the Packers’ bench along the western sideline of Lambeau Field.


Green Bay placekicker #34 Don Chandler boots the extra point through the uprights after the Packers’ first touchdown.


The frosty Lambeau Field scoreboard shows the score at 7-0 after the Packers’s first drive. The Green Bay drive traveled 82 yards in 14 plays, and included two penalties.

Saturday, February 02, 2008

We’re Back at the Ice Bowl


After an almost two-week period of recovery after the Packers’ loss in the NFC Championship game, we’re back to our series on the 1967 “Ice Bowl” game. As we resume where we left off in early first quarter action, we see (above) some Dallas Cowboys players along the sideline trying to keep warm until they’re needed on the playing field.


Quarterback Bart Starr, behind the Green Bay offensive unit at the line of scrimmage, looks over the Dallas defense to make sure the play he has called does not need to be “audibled” because of something he sees.


The Packers’ mid-season addition at running back, Chuck Mercein, takes the handoff and heads towards the right side of the Green Bay line’s blocking, looking to make his move through the hole.


Another view of Bart Starr behind center shows the North end zone of Lambeau Field, where we can see the administration building through the stands which were not “closed” into a “bowl” at that time.


How on earth these young ladies were able to stand the cold in these outfits is beyond us. After experiencing the third coldest game in NFL history two weeks ago, we know what that kind of cold feels like for three or four hours.