>> Hello, everyone.
Dick Enberg with Merlin Olsen in
Cincinnati.
Just simply, the meteorologist
put it this way -- "It's gone
from bitter cold to brutally
cold."
Did you ever play in anything
like it?
>> I didn't play in this cold of
weather.
I played in some cold games,
Dick, but nothing to match this.
>> For Don Coryell, the
temperature differential from
last week, when he was in short
sleeves, 84 degrees in Miami,
when they defeated the Dolphins
in overtime.
Minus-59 today.
Well, you've got to be a
mathematician to figure out the
difference.
And that's about the difference,
today, between the temperature
if this game was being played in
San Diego or here in Cincinnati.
Forrest Gregg, the
AFC Coach of the Year.
Some Vaseline applied to his
face to protect him from this
bitter cold.
He remembers a day in the early
'60s when, with the
Green Bay Packers, he played in
New York, came out of the game
with a limp ear.
He said it just looked like a
dead rose.
Just flopped right over.
He thought he'd never retain the
right position of that ear.
And, fortunately, it came back
for him.
It was that cold that day, but
it's colder today.
>> Both coaches going to be
hard-pressed today to find a way
to cope with this situation, to
find a way to win.
We're going to find out how
resourceful these two teams are
in combating this cold.
>> The good news and the bad
news for San Diego.
The good news is -- they will
get the ball first.
The bad news is -- they will get
it going into the wind, going
left to right.
The quarterbacks will be
throwing into a wind that's
gusting up to 25 miles an hour.
James Brooks is the deep man for
San Diego.
Led the entire NFL in
all-purpose yardage.
Jim Breech kicks it off.
It's short, and that figures.
Brooks at the 9.
15. 20.
And he's down at the
25-yard line.
Rick Razzano and Tom Dinkel
downfield for Cincinnati.
Dan Fouts, another banner year.
Record-setting NFL year for
Fouts, throwing the football.
Chuck Muncie tied an NFL record
with 19 rushing touchdowns.
James Brooks led the NFL in
all-purpose yardage.
Charlie Joiner -- his best year
ever.
Wes Chandler certainly has found
a home in San Diego.
And the tight end,
Kellen Winslow, an All-Pro.
From the 25.
Well, the crowd is cold, but it
is noisy.
It's Muncie.
A gain of about 3, maybe 4 to
the 29-yard line.
Glenn Cameron made the tackle.
Here's the offensive front five
for San Diego.
Billy Shields at left tackle.
The left guard, All-Pro
Doug Wilkerson.
The center -- Don Macek.
At right guard, four times in a
Super Bowl with Minnesota,
Ed White.
And Russ Washington -- he said,
"I won't let you take my
picture, 'cause the last time I
did that, I injured my knee and
I was out for the year."
So Washington would not pose for
our cameras.
>> Maybe something in that first
play -- they came out running
the football.
Let's see what Fouts does on
second and 6.
>> Winslow in motion.
They run it to the left to
Muncie.
And he has a first down as he
crosses the 35-yard line.
Bryan Hicks, number 27, came up
from his safety spot to make the
tackle.
So, the Chargers run wide right
and wide left on the first two
scrimmage plays and have a first
down.
Cincinnati, defensively.
And it was a better defense than
the Chargers on the course of
the year.
Eddie Edwards, after an injury,
back in the lineup.
Wilson Whitley on the nose of
the center.
And Ross Browner the other front
lineman.
Bo Harris, one of the four
linebackers, with Jim LeClair
the leading tackler,
Glenn Cameron, and
Reggie Williams, who leads the
Bengals in sacks.
And Fouts calls time.
Ball at the 36-yard line.
And Fouts looked at the
Cincinnati set and, with the
play called, decided he'd better
exercise a time-out.
Boy, that's got to be a long way
for everyone to call a time-out
in this weather.
No one's going to relish any
time-outs.
The rest of the Bengals'
defense, the back four.
Louis Breeden had that 102-yard
touchdown against San Diego.
Veteran Ken Riley, over
50 interceptions in his fine
career.
Bobby Kemp, eighth-round draft
pick.
What a job he's done at one
safety spot.
And Bryan Hicks, another young
safetyman for Cincinnati.
>> Dick, a couple of things we
ought to consider in the early
going here.
First, the one thing that the
players have out there, it
appears, is good footing today.
This turf is frozen dry, and the
footing should be pretty good,
except for the treacherous far
corner of the end zone.
One of the other big things to
consider this day, on a cold
day, with any team, is fumbles
and turnovers, especially so
with Chuck Muncie.
If they're going to rely on him,
he's had a history of coughing
the football up, has a hard time
holding it, appears to run in a
straight-up position.
And, a lot of times, those
helmets bang right into that
football.
But a costly turnover in the
wrong part of the field could be
the difference in a game like
this.
>> It will be an interesting
contrast in the two top runners.
Muncie, although he's a big man,
likes to run wide, use his
speed.
Johnson, a burly fullback in the
traditional sense, at 250
pounds, runs tackle-to-tackle,
primarily, and rarely fumbles.
First down, San Diego, at the
36.
Fouts' first throw of the game.
And he misses Winslow at the
40-yard line.
Riley over there, along with
Cameron, but Winslow was alone.
Now, defensively, Merlin,
Cincinnati is going to try to
check Winslow as much as they
can.
>> They're gonna have someone
with him all day.
Let's watch the football.
Looked like it got away from
Fouts a little bit here.
The ball just took off on him.
Already, Fouts showing the
effects of the cold, as that
ball got out of his hand.
And that's one of the things you
lose.
You lose the feeling in your
hands, and that football gets
hard and slick.
>> Second down and 10.
Fouts breaking all of his own
NFL records that he set last
year.
Another pass. This to Chandler.
And he gains only a couple.
Louis Breeden and Bobby Kemp
were on top of Chandler as soon
as he caught the ball.
>> In that big game early in the
year, when these
Cincinnati Bengals embarrassed
the Chargers, one of the things
they did early, defensively, was
to really shake up the receivers
when they caught the football
with that same kind of hits.
>> You saw the statistic on
Chandler -- 52 catches.
Counting his receptions at
New Orleans earlier this year,
he finished with 69.
Third down, 8, at the 37,
against a
five-man-defensive-back set.
Gonna be intercepted.
Oh! It was not.
That ball just died out there.
It was a sure interception about
halfway there, and then the ball
just floated and allowed the
offensive player, Joiner, to
come in and break it up.
>> Dick, it's apparent that the
Chargers still feel that they
can throw the football, although
Fouts has had trouble here
early.
He had the one pass get away
from him.
And this one appeared to get
away, too.
Watch the ball just die.
And it almost came down right in
the hands of Charlie Joiner.
He almost picked it up.
>> Now, remember, San Diego was
throwing into the wind.
The Bengals will get the ball
with the wind at their back.
George Roberts.
With Mike Fuller at the other
end.
Short kick.
And it goes out of bounds around
the 35-yard line.
The Bengals have the ball, for
the first time, at the
36-yard line.
>> On that last play, Dan Fouts
was bumped just as he threw that
football, if you're wondering
why it died the way it did.
Watch him just as he gets the
ball off.
>> Ken Anderson, the NFL's
passing champion this year,
All-Pro performer, and named MVP
in the league.
His first attempt.
And he has a man, Alexander, at
the 41-yard line.
5-yard gain for
Charles Alexander.
"Alexander the Great" they
called him after last week's
fine performance.
Anderson at quarterback for
Cincinnati.
Here's the rest of their
offensive set.
Charles Alexander had his best
day of the season last year.
Pete Johnson -- he's the man
they like to go to when they
need the yards.
Their great rookie,
Collinsworth.
The veteran Curtis on the
outside.
Dan Ross, who set a new
Cincinnati record --
71 catches -- at tight end.
Second down, 4.
Pete Johnson close to the 45.
Short of the first down.
While Cincinnati is attacking a
defense, San Diego, that was not
good at all against the pass.
They were fairly respectable
against the run.
Anthony Muñoz.
Dave Lapham.
The center, an underrated
Blair Bush, has done a great job
all year.
Max Montoya.
And Mike Wilson.
The offensive front five.
>> Quite a few of those
offensive linemen out there with
bare arms today.
They don't want to give those
defenders anything to grab on as
they're trying to rush the
passer.
>> Two tight ends and
David Verser the wide receiver.
He's the flanker to the near
side on third and more than a
yard.
And it's gonna be close.
Depends on how much he was able
to -- Yes!
First down, Cincinnati.
The Chargers, defensively, have
Leroy Jones, 6'8", defensive
end.
Louie Kelcher, considered one of
the top tackles in the game.
Gary Johnson -- he made the
Pro Bowl.
And John Woodcock on the right
side for Fred Dean.
Linebackers.
Linden King their best
linebacker.
Bob Horn in the middle.
And Woody Lowe -- good against
the pass -- on the far right
side, or weak side.
First down for Ken Anderson.
He dumps it out in the flat.
Oh, you could see, again, that
pass just died as he tried to
find Pete Johnson.
Defensive backs for the
Chargers.
Here are their four deep men.
Willie Buchanon, the veteran
from San Diego State, at the
left corner.
Mike Williams on the other side.
Pete Shaw, a hitter, at strong
safety.
and Glen Edwards, the veteran,
called back out of retirement
earlier this year by San Diego.
>> It would appear, Dick, that
both these quarterbacks have
decided to throw shorter passes
today.
I think that's a good choice.
No one has really tried to get
deep yet.
>> First quarter.
We've played about 4 minutes.
Second down and 10.
The draw to Alexander.
Louie Kelcher stops him at
midfield.
74, Kelcher, from SMU, the same
school that produced
Forrest Gregg.
>> One of the important
responsibilities for Kelcher on
that defensive line is to read
and react to the draw.
He's lost a little of that
quickness in the pass rush, but
he certainly read that play
well, put himself into position.
Had he not been there, Alexander
would have made a little bigger
gain out of it.
>> They have the Hot Seats that
have been transported to
Cincinnati, both teams, the
heated benches, which will help
somewhat.
At the 50-yard line, it's
third down and 6.
Steve Kreider, 86, is in for
Alexander.
Three wide receivers.
Ken Anderson in a pass
situation.
Kelcher appeared to be offside.
Flags down.
Caught by Ross!
He's all the way to the
33-yard line!
Dan Ross, from Northeastern, in
Boston.
He caught 71, a new Cincinnati
record.
And you can't throw that ball
any better.
>> He certainly figures to be a
big part of the game here for
the Cincinnati Bengals.
They'll try to take away the
wide receivers and single up on
him with a linebacker.
Woody Lowe is no match for
Dan Ross.
There's the quick shot of
Kelcher getting off early.
A little anxious.
Of course, they'll refuse that
penalty.
They'll take the big gain on the
pass.
The Bengals moving the football
here early.
They're doing surprisingly well
in this bitter cold.
>> Dan Ross, who wanted not to
be a football player but a
hockey star when he was a
youngster.
His dad, in Massachusetts, used
to flood the backyard and create
a skating pond for him.
He wanted to be a defenseman.
Decided he'd stay with football,
and regarded one of the top
products out of the Northeast in
the last few years.
>> The telephones have gone out
on the far side.
The Cincinnati coaches have just
had to take off their headsets
now.
That's a rule in the NFL.
If the telephone communications
between the coaches upstairs and
the coaches on the sideline go
out on either sideline, both
coaches, both coaching staffs
have to do without.
Now you'll see some scrambling.
You'll have some questions down
there that will go unanswered.
>> All right, this is an
official time-out.
First down, Cincinnati.
Forrest Gregg's Bengals are in
San Diego territory, at the
33-yard line.
And they're working with the
wind at the Bengals' back.
>> They'll be looking up for
some signals from the coaching
box, but the offensive
coordinator for the Bengals,
Lindy Infante, is on the
sideline.
He'll be signaling in the plays
from there.
He actually doesn't signal them
in himself.
He calls them aloud, and a
couple of the players and
coaches signal them in to the
quarterback, Ken Anderson.
>> Johnson.
Drives to the 23-yard line.
He may have a first down.
Linden King finally dragged the
big guy down.
>> Both offenses going to the
big backs early.
Muncie with a couple of good
gains.
But Johnson gets a huge hole on
the left side behind Muñoz over
there.
Breaks it inside, gets a big
gain.
>> 11 yards on the play, Merlin,
for Willie James Hammock.
That's his real name when he was
a youngster.
Pete Johnson weighed 180 pounds
when he was in the seventh
grade, in Brooklyn, and used a
false name.
Pete Johnson played seven years
of high-school ball.
Inside the 20, before
Louie Kelcher can drag down --
That was Alexander that time.
18-yard line, mark it.
A gain of about 4.
It's second down and 6.
>> When you're playing against
him, you don't ask what his name
was.
You just say, "Who was that big
guy?"
[ Laughs ]
He weighs about 260 pounds.
Last year, got as heavy as 267.
But he is one hard back to bring
down.
>> Built for this kind of
weather and the tradition of
Paul Brown's teams.
In Cleveland, he always liked
that big fullback.
Marion Motley one of the best.
And is happy with these set of
backs.
Alexander is no midget.
He's 221.
This is Johnson.
Big hole.
And he's close to the
first down.
Stopped at the 13-yard line.
Now both coaching phones are
back, so they're now in
telecommunication with the press
box.
Gary Johnson finally making the
tackle.
They're checking the sidelines.
It appears to be short by about
a half-yard.
>> One of the questions I asked
Forrest Gregg yesterday was,
"What are you gonna look for
early in the game out there?"
He said, "I want to find out,
very quickly, which players want
to play and which players
don't."
He said, "If a guy doesn't want
to play, he'll come out of the
game.
And we got to find out, on the
other side, which of their
players don't want to play,
because we'll go after them."
>> Third down, Cincinnati.
They've made good on their first
two third-down conversions on
this drive.
Play-action.
Anderson's going for it all.
And misses Alexander.
He wanted to go in the end zone.
And look who was wide open.
David Verser was all alone in
the end zone.
>> An obvious running situation.
Anderson really crossed them up.
They were able to get a piece of
the receiver as he got out of
there.
Alexander getting out clean in
spite of that.
But the pass simply overthrown.
And, again, the difficulty of
throwing the ball deep today.
So hard to get a good grip on
that football, to control it
with any finesse when it's so
bitterly cold.
>> Little Jim Breech -- 5'6", a
size-5 shoe -- is trying to nail
a 3-pointer from 31 yards away.
And Cincinnati has the lead!
Riverfront Stadium.
These fans, who have waited
14 years for this, their first
championship game.
And the Bengals lead, 3-0.
Brooks at the 15, the 20.
Fumble! There it is!
And the Bengals recover!
Number 84, Don Bass, fell on the
football.
Hold on now.
May-- Yes, it is Cincinnati's
ball.
Bass recovers.
Well, you know those are going
to happen.
That won't be the first fumble
we see today.
>> Very difficult, again, to
hang on to that football when
it's so cold.
You just lose the feeling of it.
The ball is stripped away
beautifully.
Rick Razzano, number 51, the man
down to knock it away.
And they are right on top of it.
Let's see if they can take
advantage of it, Dick.
>> The ball is at the
12-yard line.
Razzano's tackle, Bass
recovered.
Anderson gives it to Alexander.
And he's to the 9, maybe the 8.
Woody Lowe led the defensive
charge for San Diego.
So, a big break for the Bengals.
They won the toss and elected to
take the wind in this
first quarter.
So San Diego took the ball.
Bass, for the moment, the star
for Cincinnati.
Give to Alexander -- 4 yards on
that first-down carry.
And it's second down and 6 for
the first down, 9 yards for a
touchdown.
They go with two tight ends,
Ross and M.L. Harris, with
Alexander out.
Collinsworth, the rookie, bottom
of your screen.
Curtis on the far side.
Anderson to throw.
Touchdown, M.L. Harris!
M.L. Harris, who came to
Cincinnati with Forrest Gregg
from the Toronto Argonauts.
He may just like this kind of
weather.
Scored two touchdowns during the
year, had just 13 catches.
Michael Lee Harris makes it 9-0.
>> A crisp pass and a fine
catch.
Anderson able to spot the open
receiver.
One of the advantages he'll
have today -- he throws more to
the receiver.
Fouts tends to throw to the
spot.
That's difficult in this kind of
weather.
>> Breech's try for a point is
good.
The Bengals get an easy one.
After Brooks' fumble on the
kickoff, a 4-yard run by
Alexander, and an 8-yard
touchdown pass.
Breech kicks it off for the
third time in the first
8 minutes.
And Brooks will try again.
Got an opening! 30!
40. And finally down at the
43-yard line.
Oh, you have to admire the
rookie from Auburn.
He comes right back and gives
San Diego good field position.
35 yards on the return.
Fuller made the tackle.
>> Let's go back and look,
quickly, at that scoring pass to
M.L. Harris.
Get a chance to see him as he
gets into the pattern here.
Just starts across, gets a good
bump in there from Preston, and
then cuts back into the corner
of the end zone.
The ball quickly thrown right on
the break.
There's no chance for number 27,
Glen Edwards, to get over there
and defend.
>> Near the 45.
That's Charlie Joiner in motion.
Muncie tries the middle.
And gets out to about the
47-yard line.
Muncie had a banner year for the
Chargers.
1,144 yards, 19 rushing
touchdowns.
His average right there on his
back -- 4.6.
It's interesting the two
Cincinnati backs -- Johnson,
3.9 average, and Alexander, only
a 3-yard average, where Muncie
is a 4.6, and Brooks a
4.8 average.
>> We'll have to look at the
averages today.
I think they might be a little
different on the day.
>> Trailing, 10-0, midway
through the first quarter.
Muncie trying to get outside.
Can't do it.
Cameron finished him off, but it
was Louis Breeden who made the
play from his cornerback spot.
Breeden from
North Carolina Central.
>> Dick, Mike Adamle made the
point, early in the pregame
show, that, today, it's not so
much a matter of what you can
do.
It's what you want to do, a
matter of will.
Both these teams are going to
have to press their pain
thresholds today to see which
one wants to stay in there the
longest.
It looks, right now, that the
Bengals certainly have the most
enthusiasm, the most intensity
in the early going.
Fouts better get his gang
together.
>> On third and 9, over the
middle.
Nice catch by Chandler.
And he gets a block downfield at
the 40.
And out of bounds at the 34-,
33-yard line.
Ray Griffin, number 44, in the
nickel defense, ran him out of
bounds.
Nice throw. Fouts to Chandler.
First San Diego completion.
>> A chance to watch the drops
there.
A 21-yard completion to
Chandler.
But let's see if we can't see
how he gets open there.
53, Bo Harris, the man in the
middle.
Kellen Winslow dropping back.
But they threw underneath.
They're dropping the linebackers
on the zone.
Chandler getting across, getting
a block from number 87,
Dwight Scales, and picking it up
nicely.
San Diego moving the ball.
>> So much concentration on
Winslow, they used Winslow as
the decoy and threw underneath
him.
And now a flag, as Fouts, on a
problem with the snap -- False
start, San Diego.
5 yards.
>> One of the concerns that
Don Coryell had was for the
noise level in this stadium.
Talking yesterday at the press
conference, he said, "I hope we
don't have the noise problems
that we had in Miami, that they
had here in the stadium with
Buffalo last week."
A real disadvantage for a
visiting team.
The crowd will quiet down, very
often, for their own team.
Noise level high.
It's hard to hear the signals
over the crowd.
>> San Diego fourth this year in
most penalty yards.
Buffalo leading the way.
So, it's first and 15,
San Diego, at the 38 of
Cincinnati.
10-0, the Bengals lead it,
first quarter.
Muncie.
He loves to run left.
And he's down to the
32-yard line.
A gain of about 6.
Brings up second down and 9.
>> I don't blame him for wanting
to go out there.
He ran into the sunshine.
A little bit warmer out there.
The one advantage that the
Chargers will have in the early
part of this game -- they are
sitting in the sunshine.
It's got to be a bit warmer.
It's shaded on this side of the
field, the near side, where the
Bengals are.
Got to be a few degrees colder.
>> There's the sun on the far
side.
Second down and 9.
Muncie and Brooks in the "I."
And that's Winslow in motion.
Brooks.
Ooh, did he take a lick, but
hangs on to the football and is
close to a first down at the
22-yard line.
>> James Brooks -- what an
outstanding addition to this
Charger offense.
That young man is a lot tougher
than his size would dictate.
And I'm sure he is very
determined to make up for that
fumble that cost his team a
touchdown.
He makes a good cutback.
You can see him taking advantage
of the footing.
Good footing even in that part
of the field.
Gets down for the first down.
>> The ex-Auburn star, who
replaced Bruce Harper, who has
had a lock on that
all-purpose-yard record, but
this year, it goes to Brooks.
First down.
So, they were able to overcome
the 5-yard penalty on
first down.
And here's Brooks again.
Up the middle to the
20-yard line.
A quick shot for about 3.
>> You can see that part of the
area down here is shaded, part
of it is in sunlight.
See that strip of sunlight going
across the lower part of your
picture?
The receivers dropping into that
area are gonna have a problem
looking into that sun.
>> We also might point out, as
we pan now to the right, the end
zone down here in the far right
is the frozen end.
That's where they like to --
Cincinnati receivers like to get
their man turned around.
We saw a touchdown last week
when a Buffalo defender fell,
and Collinsworth scored.
>> Oh!
>> Almost intercepted by 55,
Jim LeClair!
The veteran from North Dakota
had that ball bouncing right in
his lap.
>> Fouts trying to dump that
ball off.
Both these quarterbacks like to
throw that quick dump-off pass.
Chance to see it in action.
Dan Fouts making his mind up,
very quickly, to just throw that
ball out to Muncie, who then
will become a pure runner with
it.
That's like a long hand-off.
But Muncie unable to handle the
football.
Almost got it taken away from
him by LeClair.
>> Third down and 7 at the
Cincinnati 20-yard line.
Remember, the Chargers going
into the wind.
Muncie.
Doesn't get much.
You see those Bengals stripes,
and it's like trying to fight
your way through a jungle.
There were three or four
orange-and-black-uniformed
Bengals on top of Muncie, and he
gains but a yard.
In comes Rolf Benirschke to try
a field goal that will be beyond
35 yards.
They will mark it at about the
27-yard line.
Benirschke's numbers on the year
and career.
What a solid kicker he has been
inside the 40.
>> Although we have winds
swirling, looking at the flags
at the top of the goalpost, very
little wind right at this moment
in that area.
But the banner is blowing hard
behind the goalpost.
Hard tell, for a kicker, which
way to try and kick the ball.
Just drive it right down the
center and hope you're right.
>> If nothing else, those
banners have to make him think.
He can see them wiggling and
wavering in the breeze.
And he must wonder what it will
do to his kick.
Well, Cincinnati took the wind
in this first quarter.
Let's see if it pays off on this
37-yard attempt.
Ed Luther to hold.
>> It's got to be difficult to
hold that football and get it
down perfectly.
>> No good!
Dick Enberg, Merlin Olsen.
Cincinnati, Ohio.
The coldest day on this date in
the history of this city.
Perhaps the coldest conditions
an NFL game has ever been
played -- minus-59 wind chill.
Pete Johnson draws a crowd.
The differential between last
week, in Miami, when San Diego
played in the heat and humidity,
84 degrees, and today is a
143-degree turnaround.
>> Wearing gloves and thermals,
you can overcome some of that.
But a good deal of the playing
ability of these players is just
the ability to withstand this
terrible cold.
In a way, Dick, it's easier for
the players who are on the
field, who are moving around,
than for those who have to sit
on the sideline and wait.
>> And they're not going to get
any warmer.
That's why the early 10-0 lead
had to be a true advantage for
Cincinnati.
Anderson, who is very mobile and
led the NFL in rushing,
quarterbacks.
Gets about 5, maybe more to the
27-yard line.
Dan Ross throwing a block out
there.
Gain of maybe 6 to bring up
third down and 3.
318 yards for the veteran from
Batavia, Illinois.
They're going to have
Ken Anderson Day tomorrow in
that city.
That city also produced another
great athlete, Dan Issel, the
All-American at Kentucky and the
great pro.
And it's been Issel's town until
this year.
And tomorrow, it will be
Ken Anderson Day.
>> You saw, there, one of the
reasons that he is so highly
prized as a quarterback.
It's that running ability.
He's averaged 6 1/2 yards a
carry during the season.
>> Steve Kreider, third-year man
from Lehigh, an extra receiver.
And that was Kreider that he was
trying to hit, but the pass was
way off the mark.
It appears, Merlin, that the
passes toward the sidelines are
doing tricks, that the ones that
have been completed have been
those where the quarterback's
thrown straight ahead.
>> Well, I think you're gonna
see the ball doing tricks all
day, Dick.
You're going to see some good
passes, but you're going to see
a lot of them, like that one,
that go off target.
Again, that ball is difficult to
grip.
The hands are cold.
It's hard to get a feeling on
that ball.
And the winds here are swirling.
Those three factors make it
difficult to put it in the air
anytime, but especially so on a
day like today.
>> McInally to kick the rock.
Brooks at the 27 of San Diego.
Boy, that ball --
>> That just doesn't go
anywhere, does it?
>> Chandler, the short man, at
the 39.
45 and out of bounds into the
Cincinnati bench.
Ball at the 45.
San Diego trails Cincinnati,
10-0.
Muncie up the middle.
And he fumbles!
And I believe San Diego -- one
of the trailing linemen fell on
it at the 50-yard line.
>> And that's that straight-up
running style that we talked
about earlier that's going to
get Muncie in trouble, because
it's very difficult to clamp on
that football.
They just snipped it right out
of his hands.
Kellen Winslow in there ahead of
him as a blocker.
But the defenders going for that
football, able to strip it away.
San Diego lucky to have it.
Winslow, right at the top of
your screen, one of the
blockers, trying to seal people
out.
Watch Muncie now.
Watch him try to cover that
football.
Glenn Cameron, number 50, one of
the men in there.
But they just pull it right out
of his hands.
>> Veteran guard Ed White
appeared to be the man who fell
on the ball.
Second down and 6.
A 4-yard gain.
Muncie again.
Into Cincinnati territory, but
short of the first down at the
47.
Reggie Williams, from Dartmouth,
made the tackle, number 57.
4 yards on the play.
Clock running down to 50 seconds
left in the quarter.
>> In last week's big victory
over the Buffalo Bills, this
Bengal team did not turn the
ball over at all.
Chuck Knox said he thought that
was one of the big reasons for
the victory.
In the game today, we've already
had a costly turnover.
San Diego had 39 turnovers on
the year.
The Bengals only had 24, the
lowest number in the entire NFL.
>> Third down and 3 for the
first down.
And Muncie driving hard.
He'll be close.
Bengals -- good penetration.
>> It appears that they're gonna
give him the first down.
I don't think they're gonna give
it to him.
I think he earned it.
>> Boy, that picture is
deceptive -- the sunshine, the
blue sky, the color of the
crowd.
Yes, it could well be 40,
50 degrees, but believe me -- it
is not.
It's a below-zero temperature,
and the chill factor with a wind
minus-59.
Can you perspire in weather this
cold?
>> Dick, as cold as it is, these
players work so hard on the
field when they're going that
they will actually perspire.
And it becomes a big problem,
because your gear gets wet, and
then if you stop, you really get
cold in a hurry.
>> We open the second quarter.
And, statistically, the
first quarter was even.
On the scoreboard, Cincinnati
leads, 10-0.
>> 7 of those points directly
out of that costly fumble by
James Brooks on the kickoff.
>> From the 45 of Cincinnati,
San Diego begins the quarter
with the wind advantage.
That's Winslow. His first catch.
And he's to the 38-yard line.
Kellen Winslow, the leading
receiver in the NFL this year,
with 88 catches, just one less
than the year before.
What an athlete and what a
performance last week in Miami.
>> Everyone is gonna have to
make adjustments today.
Winslow, you'll notice, as he'll
make his turn out there, will
just kind of plant, get those
feet on the ground, and take
short steps to keep his feet.
Fouts definitely throwing the
ball a little less crisply than
he would on an ordinary day to
make sure that Winslow has a
chance to handle it.
But that's a good play.
We'll probably see that one
again shortly.
>> 7 yards before Louis Breeden
make the tackle.
On second and 3, it's
John Cappelletti in the game.
And he has a first down at the
33-yard line.
Of course, played his college
football -- and had a Heisman
senior year -- at Penn State.
>> One of the reasons that we'll
see some of Cappelletti today
is -- playing in the cold, as he
did at Penn State, he knows how
to handle that football.
He's also a very fine blocker,
and we'll see him leading Muncie
on a number of plays.
>> I asked him, yesterday -- I
said, "Penn State -- this is
your kind of weather."
He said, "I've been in
California so long, that seems
like -- no pun intended -- an
ice age away."
He said, "I'm as cold as
anyone."
>> The Chargers now have the
wind at their back, Dick.
Let's see if they can take
advantage of it.
>> Trailing, 10-0, early in the
second quarter.
Fouts in trouble.
But gets it away.
And Winslow has blockers.
30.
25, 20.
15, 10, 5!
Touchdown!
Kellen Winslow, a 33-yard pass
play.
And was that set up beautifully.
They caught the Bengals in a
blitz from the very side they
were throwing the screen.
>> You like to be lucky, as well
as good.
Fouts was lucky.
The man that would normally be
responsible for getting out on
that screen was, indeed, on the
blitz.
Watch him coming right there.
That's Eddie Edwards driving
hard.
Firing it out to the outside to
number 80, Winslow.
And Winslow just using his
athletic ability to turn it
loose down the field.
They spread the defensive backs
with the receivers, and Winslow
able to run it on in for the
touchdown.
>> So, all the points have come
with the wind.
And here's the try after by
Benirschke.
Oh, he just does sail one
through.
Less than 3 minutes for the
Chargers to score on that
55-yard drive.
Benirschke.
Verser at the 5, the 10.
Has some running room!
He's got one man to beat,
Benirschke!
And Dwight Scales came over to
make the tackle at the 45.
Benirschke slowed him up enough
that Scales was able to make the
tackle.
But a nice return by the top
draft pick of the Bengals this
year, David Verser, from Kansas.
>> Verser comes right back to
shift the momentum of this game,
much as he did last week.
Looked like the Buffalo Bills
were getting going, and Verser
made a big runback last week.
Does the same thing here.
Beautiful job of cutting away
from the possible tacklers.
Benirschke slowing him, as you
said, Dick.
And that's a shoestring tackle
if ever there was one.
>> From the 45, the Bengals
leading, 10-7, early in the
second quarter.
Fake to Johnson.
Anderson.
Complete to Dan Ross.
And the tight end has 10, maybe
11 yards.
Let's go down to Mike Adamle on
the field.
>> Dick, one of the things the
Chargers have been doing to keep
their hands warm and combat the
cold -- they have these hot
compresses.
A chemical reaction takes place,
and their hands warm right up.
Fouts is using it, and so is his
wide receivers.
I think that's one of the
reasons why they've been
successful throwing the ball.
>> Mike, were you at Cleveland
last year for the Ice Bowl?
>> Yes, I was.
>> How do you compare the two?
>> Dick, I think it's colder
down here than it was in
Cleveland, if you can believe
that.
>> Thank you for your report.
Stay warm.
>> There's Kellen Winslow on the
sideline.
I'm sure he's happy to get over
there, get a coat on, and get a
little bit warm.
>> Second down and inches for
Cincinnati.
So Anderson with a down to play
with.
Goes to Alexander.
35, 30.
First down at the 30-yard line.
Willie Buchanon finally made the
tackle.
We'd asked the question -- can
these quarterbacks throw the
ball on a day like today?
They've given us the answer.
>> And he's throwing into the
wind.
>> Anderson doing a good job
here.
Little shaky, that ball is, but
it certainly is on target.
And Alexander knew what to do
with it.
Pete Shaw, number 44, the man
that dropped him out of bounds.
They're moving.
>> Alexander, who had a couple
of rushing touchdowns last week
in the Buffalo win.
First down at the 30 after that
15-yard gain.
And open again.
This is Collinsworth.
And he has another first down,
at the 19!
That face tells part of the
story.
This kid is so happy to be here.
>> And he's happy to be on the
end of this reception, too.
Got himself in good position.
Working on number 51,
Woody Lowe, and in front of the
right cornerback, Mike Williams.
Able to find the room.
And a zipper from Anderson.
Good play.
>> Collinsworth, who, as a
prank, sent Wes Chandler, of the
Chargers, a Popsicle in his room
last night -- special delivery.
First down inside the 20.
A reverse. Collinsworth.
And read pretty well by the
Chargers.
They stop him at the
16-yard line.
>> Leroy Jones, number 68, the
man who was upfield to turn it
back inside, got a piece of
Collinsworth.
But Bengals pulling out all the
stops here, Dick.
Watch Collinsworth now.
He'll come back from his
receiving position and he'll
take the football after the fake
right there.
Now watch Leroy Jones,
number 68, come from the
outside.
Gets a piece of him there.
The pursuit, then, from the
inside.
Big Louis Kelcher there, along
with Gary Johnson, to finally
put him away.
>> A gain of about 3.
Second and 7 from the
16-yard line.
Anderson, who is 6 for 9.
Make it -- Oh!
Johnson unable to hang on.
A reliable receiver, the big guy
out of the backfield.
Johnson, who caught 46 passes
this year.
>> That's one of the favorite
plays of the Bengals.
We said, earlier, that Dan Fouts
uses that kind of play as a long
hand-off.
I think maybe the Bengals have
used it even more.
And, normally, Johnson just
catches that one as a matter of
course.
But the cold weather made it
difficult there.
And I think maybe saw a few
bodies flying at him, too.
>> Third down.
Steve Kreider, number 86, is
into the lineup for Cincinnati,
with Alexander out, as Anderson
will use the three
wide receivers.
Curtis, Kreider, and
Collinsworth are all to the
right.
A triple-right formation on
third down, a long 7.
Plenty of time.
Caught at the 1-yard line!
Isaac Curtis.
So, he's using all his
receivers.
>> The last 3 or 4 games of the
season, the Bengals used 48
different formations.
They throw everything in the
world at you.
They came with the three
wide receivers on the same side.
They're attacking a pass defense
that was last in the NFL.
And they show you how to do it
right here, as they get across
in front of Mike Williams right
there with a big, big reception.
Let's see if they can get it
into the end zone.
>> First and goal at the
1-yard line.
They're already chanting, "Pete,
Pete."
And he gets it.
And he has a touchdown!
He goes steady with that
end zone.
Johnson, all through his years
at Ohio State and now in the
National Football League, you
can usually find him in double
figures in that touchdown column
every season.
>> Looking from the end zone,
you'll see him just use that
pile-driving size and strength
to push his way into the
end zone.
>> Breech's try for a point.
Kreider to hold.
And it's in there.
The Bengals leading, 17-7.
Here's Breech's kick.
Taken by Pete Shaw, one of the
up backs.
And he doesn't get to the
30-yard line.
The tackle made by number 21,
Oliver Davis, of Cincinnati.
Let's go back to the touchdown.
Anthony Muñoz, the big left
tackle, led the way for the
Bengals.
>> Watch Muñoz, number 78,
working on John Woodcock,
number 90.
They go right in behind the big
All-American and All-Pro.
He's just driving, laying on top
of Woodcock, just burying him
underneath.
Woodcock actually keeping his
ground, but unable to overcome
the momentum of Muñoz.
Pete Johnson went right over the
top of him.
>> All-American at S.C., All-NFL
rookie last year, All-NFL this
year, in his second season.
Here's Muncie.
Crossing the 30 and dragged down
at the 33.
Bo Harris, whose wife presented
him with a couple of dozen roses
in the locker room yesterday --
Kind of an obvious thing to go
through the locker room, and
here are two dozen roses, in
number 53, Bo Harris', locker.
And he says, "The wife just
wants me to know that she
cares."
>> Hard to realize, sometimes,
that these football players are
just real people.
>> That's right.
And what a nice touch by the
young lady.
>> Absolutely.
>> Second down and 6 at the 33.
Muncie again.
Too many Bengals.
And Bobby Kemp, 26, the rookie
from Cal State, Fullerton,
finished him off.
>> Mike, you're down on the
field.
Tell us -- can you feel any
tempo down there?
Who has the edge down there?
>> Well, Cincinnati, Merlin,
definitely has the edge.
I thought that San Diego,
perhaps, would have the
advantage.
They're on the sunny side of the
field, and it is significantly
warmer over there.
If someone would have told me
before the game these two teams
would have 24 points at this
point of the game, I would have
told them they were crazy.
>> That just gives you an idea,
Mike, what it might have been
like had we had decent weather.
In fact, both teams agreed that
the losing club might have
scored 30 points in good
weather.
Third down and 6.
Complete to Joiner.
And the veteran from Grambling
has a first down at the Charger
45-yard line.
Joiner -- And what a season for
the 33-year-old.
He had 70 catches.
He came to San Diego from
Cincinnati in a trade for
Coy Bacon.
>> He's certainly been valuable
and so dependable.
And second-oldest active
receiver in the league.
He still keeps right on chugging
along.
Put that one away, picked up the
first down.
Good pass by Fouts.
>> On third down,
bread-and-butter play.
Joiner, who had that big catch
to set up the winning field goal
in overtime at Miami last week.
Fouts out of the backfield.
Winslow.
Oh, as soon as he caught the
ball, Jim LeClair and Cameron
were right on his back.
6 yards on the play.
>> You can see the wind whipping
the banners around this stadium.
Not quite as windy out in the
middle of the field, but the
wind kind of swirls in this
stadium.
You could be standing out there,
it would be calm, and then,
suddenly, you feel the surge of
wind.
That's very difficult to deal
with when you've got your hands
on that football or you're
trying to get it from one person
to another.
>> We can measure it,
mathematically, too, and we'll
give you that right after this
play.
Second and 4 from the Cincinnati
49.
Draw play to Muncie.
He's got a little running room
and a first down at the 41.
The temperature is around
8 degrees.
The chill factor is almost
minus-60.
That gives you an idea of what
the wind does to the effect.
>> Wind and humidity.
Being right next to the river
the way we are, we do pick up
some of that, as well.
But I am really impressed,
Dick Enberg, with the way these
two teams are handling the cold
weather.
They are here to play football.
It's apparent that they're gonna
do it in spite of the cold.
>> And, quite surprisingly, as
Mike indicated, we're going to
have a fairly high-scoring game.
There are the game conditions.
>> "Bitter cold."
Well, they didn't miss that one.
>> "Brutally cold" is what the
man said on TV last night.
Here's Brooks on first down.
To the 37-yard line, before
Reggie Williams, three-time
All-Ivy League linebacker at
Dartmouth, makes the tackle.
And Jim LeClair has to be
restrained.
>> You don't want to lose your
cool in a game like this.
>> Wait a minute.
>> They'll toss you out in a
hurry.
>> No pun intended, I hope.
[ Both laugh ]
>> Brooks, by the way, averaged
4.8 yards per carry every time
he touched the football during
the season.
We talked about his importance
to this team as a special-teams
player, but he also can carry
the football.
Great quickness.
>> Less than 6 minutes left in
the second quarter.
Cincinnati leading, 17-7.
Second down and 6 for Fouts.
Dumps it out to Brooks.
Behind a block.
Good cut, but not a first down.
He's stopped at the
33-yard line.
Don Macek, the center, 62, was
the man out in that -- Pulling
out away from center and leading
the block.
Bo Harris and Bobby Kemp made
the tackle.
>> One of the ways you try and
combat the rush is to use little
screen plays, like this.
You let everybody penetrate and
slip in behind them.
Good play and good moves by
Brooks, but he finally ran into
the bulk of the Cincinnati
defense, and they stopped him.
Cincinnati had six sacks in that
earlier game.
You obviously want to try and
avoid that.
Fouts has been able to avoid the
sacks so far in this one.
>> It's a short 3.
Third and about 2 1/2.
Fouts going for it all to
Joiner.
Intercepted by Breeden at the
5-yard line!
Fouts obviously thought that he
could catch the Bengals looking
for a run on third and 3.
But Breeden, who was the nemesis
when he intercepted a Fouts
pass, went 102 yards to tie an
NFL record, a touchdown, in the
regular-season game, was right
there.
We'll get to this formation, the
last play, in just a moment.
Right now, Cincinnati with the
ball at the 6-yard line.
They lead, 17-7.
The interception by Breeden the
second turnover.
So it's 2-0, the Bengals
leading, in that department.
Cross buck to Johnson.
And the big fullback is out to
the 13-yard line.
Let's go back to the play.
Winslow was arguing, vehemently,
after that last play.
Let's see what happened.
Winslow over the middle.
That's Glenn Cameron.
Well, a little extra work there
by Cameron.
Winslow said that he should have
had a penalty.
>> Well, here's the man he
wanted to go to, number 18,
Charlie Joiner.
Joiner getting deep on this
play.
But look at Louis Breeden get
great position on him.
Slipped right in in front of him
and take the football away from
him.
>> So, a couple of turnovers.
A fumble led to a key
touchdown -- only a 12-yard
drive -- in the first quarter
for Cincinnati.
Second down, 3.
Alexander.
Met sharply.
And a good defensive surge by
the Chargers.
It was Gary Johnson and
Louie Kelcher, the two tackles,
pinching in on the running back
from LSU.
>> Down at ground level, you can
feel what it feels like to
lineup in that backfield.
A little misdirection.
They started to the right.
Alexander coming back to the
left.
But no one moved out of the way.
And they swarm over the top of
him.
And big 99, Wilbur Young,
getting a piece of him there.
These Chargers do a better job
of playing against the run, by
far, than they do against the
pass.
The Bengals finding that out
today.
>> Third down and 3 with 3:40
left in the first half.
Anderson.
Open.
Oh, and a fine play by
Woody Lowe!
Dan Ross was open, and Lowe just
diving out and batting the ball
away.
An excellent play by the former
star at Alabama.
>> Anytime you get a fine
receiver like Dan Ross
one-on-one, you want to go to
him.
And there he is one-on-one on a
linebacker.
That's the setup they wanted.
But Woody Lowe just said, "No,
sir.
You're not gonna take that
football."
Fine play by the linebacker,
Lowe.
>> Well, the Chargers, with 3:35
left in the half, will get
another chance, before halftime,
to cut into that Bengal lead of
17-7.
McInally will kick from around
his 3-yard line.
>> Chargers have 2, 4 -- Now
they move one up -- 4 men back
and just a few up.
>> Short kick to Chandler.
And he lets it bounce.
And takes a kind Cincinnati roll
to the 45-yard line.
WLW, an NBC affiliate, channel 5
here in Cincinnati.
We want to thank them for their
hospitality.
San Diego with the ball at the
Bengal 45-yard line, trailing,
17-7.
Fouts to Winslow.
Well, there's that timing pass.
And never better illustrated --
You talked about that so many
times in the past, Merlin, how
Fouts throws to a spot.
The ball was there as soon as
Winslow, who turned almost too
soon.
McInally -- You wonder why it's
tough to kick the ball in this
weather?
We'll let the punter himself
tell us.
>> Cold weather -- it's
difficult to compress the ball.
And, you know, you just hope
that you get real good contact
and you can follow through.
You're just not gonna kick the
ball as far when it's cold.
>> Said it's just like kicking a
rock.
>> Second and 10 from the 45.
Fouts, a little fake flanker
screen.
And then he goes to his
tight end, Sievers.
To the 32-yard line.
That's a first down.
Eric Sievers, from Maryland, a
rookie picked in the fourth
round.
That was a play that we have not
seen before.
>> We're going to see a lot of
plays today we haven't seen.
Eric Sievers, the number-two
tight end.
And they were playing two
tight ends in there today.
The Cincinnati coaches very
impressed with that young man.
And all the concentration on
Kellen Winslow allowed Sievers
to get open on that play.
It was a little fake to the
outside, a little screen fake.
But Sievers finding the open
room in the defense and then
just protecting that football
with both arms to pick up the
first down.
>> Clock is running.
2:38, 2:37 left in the half.
Up the middle goes Muncie.
And the big back from the
University of California gets to
the 26-yard line before
Bryan Hicks can make the tackle.
And that kind of hit just makes
you wince.
You had to play in this kind of
weather.
Are you so numb that it doesn't
hurt or can you express what it
feels like?
>> Believe me -- it hurts down
there.
The body gets cold, and your
body is just not flexible in the
cold.
And every one of those hits goes
right to the core of the body
with great pain.
>> In case you've just joined
us, we're at Riverfront Stadium
in Cincinnati.
2 minutes left in the
first half.
The Bengals lead it, 17-7, over
San Diego.
Two weeks hence, indoors at the
Silverdome in the Super Bowl.
>> Little conference going on on
the far sideline with Dan Fouts
and the coaches.
Oh, you can see the effect of
that cold, especially in this
shaded area of the field, here.
Fouts over there.
You can see the warmer in his
hand.
See the chemical warmer that
he's using to keep his hands
there?
Only one penalty against the
Chargers so far in this
ballgame.
And, certainly, they're in good
position here with the winds at
their back.
Like to take advantage of it and
get it into the end zone.
>> Ball at the 26-yard line.
It's second down and 4.
It was in this situation last
week, late in the game, that
Buffalo, after a time-out, did
not engineer the play in the
necessary 30 seconds and perhaps
lost the chance at a tying
touchdown.
And the Chargers -- a little
confusion, but they're
apparently set to go and in
time.
Muncie.
Running hard and close to a
first down at the 22.
It would be a first down.
>> The Cincinnati Bengals have
great respect for the center of
that San Diego line, a very big
line.
Two great guards.
They say the best tandem of
guards in the NFL.
Watch them right here.
Ed White, 67, out quickly to
work on the linebacker,
Cappelletti through to block,
and big Chuck Muncie just
lowered his shoulder, went
through the opening to pick up
the first down.
That's the kind of play that the
Bengals don't want to see much
of today.
>> Don Coryell, who was a ski
patrol in the Army in
World War II.
First down at the 22.
Clock running.
1:20 left in the half.
Fouts.
Could be intercepted!
And it is!
That's Bobby Kemp, who takes it
out to the 18-yard line!
Fouts threw right into two
Bengal defenders.
And Winslow is down in the
end zone.
>> Winslow tried to get up to
make that tackle and may have
gotten himself injured on the
play.
Fouts appeared to gamble on
Winslow's ability to take that
football away from the defender.
He could see that Winslow was
covered.
He threw the football in there,
taking a chance that Winslow
could go up and outfight the
defender.
Watch Winslow now.
Kemp, number 26, has been
man-to-man with him almost all
day.
And watch what happens when that
ball is thrown.
It's simply underthrown.
Winslow comes up, gets a hit
right there, got his arm
stretched out a little bit, and
stayed on the turf.
He's still on the turf.
Kemp makes the most of the
interception.
Finally tackled inside the 20.
But they took the ball away from
the Chargers when the Chargers
were moving it.
>> And it seems that Fouts not
only threw into good coverage by
Kemp, but Bryan Hicks had
Winslow covered on the other
side.
The third turnover by San Diego.
Second interception of Fouts.
>> Two interceptions of Fouts,
and a fumble by Brooks.
>> Both deep in Cincinnati
territory.
Breeden's interception was at
the 6-yard line, and this one in
the end zone.
>> It would appear that he is
not getting a full throwing
motion on that ball, and that
ball dropping short.
Again, maybe the effects of the
cold on the quarterback.
He's simply not able to get that
clean throwing motion.
>> It figures, with a 10-point
lead, that Anderson will play it
safe, but that hasn't been his
style through the normal weather
of this season.
Give to Alexander.
Alexander wrapped up by
"Big Hands" Johnson, number 79.
Clock running.
Less than a minute left in the
first half.
So, although Cincinnati leads,
17-7, it's taken two
interceptions to stop San Diego
drives in this second quarter.
>> We saw the battle over on the
left-hand side between
Anthony Muñoz and number 90,
John Woodcock.
Watch Woodcock stuff it in
there.
And then Gary Johnson, right at
the bottom of your screen, 79 --
Now, that's dangerous,
Pete Johnson standing up that
way.
That ball is exposed.
You don't want to give them a
chance at that football in your
own territory.
>> 29 seconds.
Could be the last play of the
first half.
Clock running.
>> Ooh!
>> Johnson just protecting that
football.
And Louie Kelcher there to put
the hit on him.
>> Big Louis stacked him up at
the line.
>> That will be the end.
10, 9...
Neither team trying to wait
around.
They're gonna head for the
locker room.
Three turnovers by Cincinnati
the difference in this
first half.
One led to an easy touchdown.
And the crowd cold but loving
it.
>> Chargers had the choice in
this half, the option of taking
the wind.
They did what they have to do.
They took the football.
They've got to get the ball and
get it into the end zone to get
back into this game.
>> San Diego moved the ball well
enough, especially in the
second quarter.
But two interceptions -- one at
the Cincinnati 6, and the other
in the Bengal end zone --
stopped Charger drives.
And they trail it, 17-7.
Cincinnati opportunistic, as
they have been all season long.
>> Dick, just sitting out
here -- we're open to the air in
our booth here -- you can feel
it getting colder.
That's a trend that will
continue throughout the game.
It's going to be tougher and
tougher to play football.
But I am really and truly
impressed with the quality of
the performance of these two
teams under these terrible
circumstances.
I'm really impressed with the
way they've both handled
themselves.
>> Absolutely.
They are sitting on an
electrically heated bench, but
you know that that isn't helping
an awful lot.
And there are the big blowers
that also provide some warmth.
The second half begins.
Short kick.
At the 15, the 20.
And up to the 30-yard line go
the San Diego Chargers, as it's
return by Doug Beaudoin, former
New England Patriot.
The Chargers take the field,
offensively, with Fouts at
quarterback.
Chuck Muncie fumbled once, but
it was recovered by a teammate.
James Brooks -- his fumble, on a
kickoff return, recovered at the
12, led to an easy Cincinnati
touchdown.
Joiner and Chandler outside.
Winslow shaken up in the
end zone at the end of the
first half, and we'll have to
check his condition.
He's in the lineup and okay.
Shields, Wilkerson, Macek,
White, and Washington, a big
forward wall.
From the 31-yard line.
Muncie hit in the backfield.
Breaks one tackle.
And loses a yard.
Wilson Whitley and
Eddie Edwards.
And it was Edwards, on the back
of Muncie, who secured the
tackle.
Ken Riley, up from his corner
position, also in on the tackle.
Edwards, Whitley, and Browner,
all number-one draft picks and
all young.
Bo Harris, LeClair, the leading
tackler, Cameron, and
Reggie Williams.
Louis Breeden had one of the
interceptions in the first half.
The veteran Riley at the other
corner, with his career
52 interceptions.
Hicks and Kemp, two young
safetymen.
Second and 11.
Triple-left formation.
Only Muncie in the backfield.
Into the wind.
A man open.
And it's Charlie Joiner.
Hit immediately at the
39-yard line, short of the
first down, by Reggie Williams,
number 57.
Williams had a great year for
the Bengals.
There is the thermometer.
The Fahrenheit on the left.
And that one shows it's about
4 degrees above zero, but the
official reports from the
meteorologist say it's below
zero, about 5 or 6.
Third down, call it 2, a short
2.
Muncie...
has the first down, I believe.
They spun him around at the 31.
It appears he has the first-down
yardage.
Louis Breeden down low to
submarine on the tackle, along
with Glenn Cameron.
>> Number 77, Sam Claphan, the
backup tackle, used as a
tight end, as they come with
three tight ends in the game.
Kellen Winslow, number 80, the
man that's holding off the
linebacker on the inside,
Cameron.
And, of course, big Chuck Muncie
using all of his strength.
They're gonna measure it.
And he did, indeed, pick up the
first down.
>> Fred Silva the referee.
And for this officiating crew,
an honor to be in the
championship game, as it is an
honor for us to be here in what
is NBC's Super Bowl, our final
telecast of the year.
And there are the men who have
earned the privilege of working
in the cold of Cincinnati today.
And if they had a choice, even
knowing the weather, you know
they'd be here, as with all of
us.
First down at the 41.
Muncie.
Up the middle for 3 yards, to
the 44-yard line.
Browner and Cameron made the
tackle.
Second down and 7 for San Diego
at their own 44.
Paul Brown in the left corner of
your screen, a Hall of Fame, the
great coach -- Great Lakes,
Ohio State, Cleveland Browns,
formed this franchise.
President and general manager of
the Bengals -- and former coach.
Fouts had trouble holding the
ball for a moment.
And that's Chandler.
At the 45, 40.
And out of bounds at the 38.
And some fancy dancing by
Wes Chandler.
And a first down for San Diego.
>> Chandler's running ability
one of his great strengths.
You saw it last week on a great
punt return.
You'll see it here again.
Once he has that football,
eludes Louis Breeden, number 34,
manages to keep his feet, pick
up about an extra 8 or 10 yards
after he caught that pass.
>> Now watch Breeden on the
replay.
He misses the tackle here but
doesn't quit on the play.
He'll still come back.
And you'll see 34 in on the
tackle.
Well, we didn't quite see the
end of the play, but he got a
piece of the action.
First down, San Diego.
Muncie fumbles!
And I believe the Bengals have
it!
Yes!
Four turnovers go to Cincinnati.
And the Bengals, as they have
been all year long -- They don't
give it up very often, and, yet,
when it's on the ground, they
get more than their share.
Reggie Williams, standing far
right of your picture, makes the
hit.
>> Watch Williams, now, just
stepping inside of the block.
And he puts his shoulder right
into the football.
That's the straight-up running
style that we mentioned of
Muncie's, and it's gotten him in
trouble again, as the ball
bounces away.
Cincinnati has it, first and 10.
>> From their own 40-yard line.
Ken Anderson had a good
first half.
Gives to Pete Johnson.
Short yardage. Not much there.
Linden King made the tackle.
It's interesting that the
Bengals, this year, playing
against a four-man line,
defensively, were 7-0.
And they beat some good teams in
the process -- the Jets, they
beat Pittsburgh a couple of
times, and others.
>> They beat Los Angeles, beat
the Chargers.
All four-man teams.
There they are.
There are the teams they
defeated, all four-man-line
defenses.
And we'll talk about the reasons
for that in a moment.
>> Second down and 8.
Anderson -- this is what he's
done well all year.
And a first down at the
47-yard line of San Diego!
>> Quarterback mobility is such
an important thing.
On that interception, the last
one that Fouts threw, he had a
chance to run, didn't run.
Anderson won't hesitate.
He sees the opening, he'll take
it.
Gets away beautifully here.
Gets downfield, picks up the
first down.
Takes what could have been a
broken play, a bad play, a loss,
and turns it into a big gainer.
>> First down at the San Diego
47.
The Bengals lead, 17-7.
Little over 4 minutes have been
played in the third quarter.
And he's gonna do it again.
45.
And down at the 42.
And Anderson didn't like the way
King came in...
[ Crowd boos ]
...nor did the fans.
Pickup of about 5.
>> Looks like he may have
bounced himself a little bit as
he gets up off the ground.
I got to tell you -- that turf
is awfully, awfully hard.
Let's see what happened to
Ken Anderson on that play.
Again, quick recognition of the
defense.
He does not see an open
receiver.
He'll pull it down right here,
under pressure, and dip his way
up into the secondary.
Watch him slide here.
He'll try to go under the
defenders.
He takes a pretty good hit over
the top.
Three bodies.
>> Gets your attention.
Down the middle!
What a catch by Dan Ross!
Oh, my!
That is an outstanding catch if
it's 80 degrees.
>> On any day.
Dan Ross singled up, one-on-one.
Linden King -- he breaks away
from him.
And he's in front of the
secondary.
Right on his fingertips.
He pulled it in.
What a great catch, just hanging
on to the football.
19 yards on the play.
>> Another angle.
And the ball was actually by him
when he caught it.
First down at the San Diego 23.
The Bengals very impressive on
almost every chance.
And Anderson staying in the air.
And he gets away again!
20, 15!
To the 9-yard line!
[ Crowd cheering ]
Listen to these fans.
[ Cheering continues ]
>> Three big runs by
Ken Anderson on this drive.
Again, spreading the defense.
He feels the pressure.
Needs a little room.
Takes advantage of it.
A smart offense takes exactly
what the defense is giving them.
In this case, they were giving
Anderson room to run.
He did it very quickly.
>> Full 10 yards to go for the
touchdown.
First and goal.
Here's Curtis!
And it's knocked away by
Buchanon at the last second.
Two veterans, both from the same
school -- San Diego State.
And a key confrontation in the
end zone, and Buchanon there to
make the defensive play.
>> Willie Buchanon had
5 interceptions on the regular
season.
They threw at him a lot.
They moved him from safety back
to corner.
He seems to have played better
there during the latter part of
the year, but he makes a great
play here, arriving just in time
to take that touchdown away from
Isaac Curtis.
>> Buchanon was the number-one
draft pick, out of
San Diego State, by Green Bay in
'72.
Don Coryell was his coach.
Curtis the number-one pick by
Cincinnati the next year.
Second and 10.
Almost intercepted.
Picked off on one hop by
Mike Williams.
For the first time, a Charger
defender put direct pressure on
the quarterback, Anderson.
>> Been tough to get to Anderson
today, a credit to his offensive
line.
Muñoz, Lapham, Bush, Montoya,
Wilson all doing a good job up
front for the
Cincinnati Bengals.
>> In contrast, San Diego had
37 turnovers.
And they're down 4-0 today.
Third and 10, or third and goal
from the 10.
M.L. Harris, the second
tight end, is in there.
Plenty of time.
And finally throws it away.
Collinsworth was the closest
friendly jersey to the ball.
So, Jim Breech comes in to try
the field goal for Cincinnati.
Breech kicked one for the
opening points of the game.
>> San Diego Chargers obviously
pleased to avoid a touchdown
here, down 17-7.
They'd like to see if they can't
get in and block this field
goal.
It was a blocked field goal last
week that really ignited them in
the second half of that game
against the Miami Dolphins.
>> They actually wound up with
two -- one by Leroy Jones and
one by Kellen Winslow.
This will be about a 28-yard
attempt.
Oh, a fake!
And it's going to work!
Kreider, touchdown!
>> I believe we've got a flag
down.
>> If it's against Cincinnati,
it would nullify a touchdown and
be the first penalty of the game
against the Bengals.
And they are going to call it
back.
So, those cheers become moans
and groans here in Cincinnati.
>> What a smart coaching play.
A very smart call from the
Bengals' sideline.
They elected to take advantage
of the frustration.
Now watch the play, a designed
play.
It's not just a bad snap.
They're up quickly.
And I think there's an
opportunity to toss that
football, if Kreider was
pressed.
But he went right into the
end zone with it.
>> Number 52 -- holding.
Fourth down.
>> A holding call against the
Bengals.
>> And that's Tom Dinkel,
number 52, reserve linebacker,
that they called the penalty on.
You see him right in the middle
of the huddle there.
You may have wondered why there
was so much -- why it was so
open on the left-hand side.
Number 52 is the up back over
there, and he's the man who is
responsible for pinning in the
contain man on that defense.
>> Now it's a much tougher
field-goal try.
This will be 38 yards.
He does have the wind at his
back.
And he does kick it.
And right down the middle.
Jim Breech - 5'6", less than
160 pounds.
It's interesting -- Chris Bahr
was the Bengal kicker.
He went to Oakland, was using
Breech's house.
Breech came to Cincinnati.
They just traded homes.
Brooks at the 20.
30. Flags are down.
Brooks, 40.
All the way to midfield, but
it's gonna be called back
because of a holding penalty.
So, the Bengals lost a
touchdown -- and now a little
extracurricular -- on a holding
penalty, and the Chargers lose a
long return.
Jim Laslavic, 54, apparently was
the culprit.
All the way back to the 24.
>> On the runback, number 54 --
holding.
>> So, instead of starting at
the 50-yard line, San Diego will
begin at its 24, trailing, 20-7.
We'll see how important the
switch from a possible 7 to the
3-point field goal is as this
game develops.
Fouts back to the air.
Almost fumbled the ball.
He did fumble and had to fall on
it.
Tried to pump-fake and, in this
cold weather, almost threw the
ball right out of his own hand.
>> Dick, we've talked about the
fact that that football changes
in characteristic.
It simply gets harder.
The leather itself contracts in
the cold, and instead of having
that grainy surface that has a
little give to it, it's a hard,
slick surface.
Fouts trying to grip the
football back there, looking to
his receivers.
The ball just slipped out of his
hands.
He had to dive on it.
>> Second down, 15.
57-year-old Don Coryell, a
native of Seattle, Washington.
He was a University of
Washington defensive back.
Down to the final seconds.
They just beat the 30-second
clock.
Fouts down the middle.
Incomplete.
Almost intercepted.
Through Joiner's hands and
deflected to Kemp.
Bryan Hicks, 27, the defender.
Kemp -- when he joined that
defensive secondary, Merlin,
that really was the final
mortar.
He started about the third or
fourth game, and Forrest Gregg
said, "That's when we really got
tough in the deep secondary."
>> They've had a couple of
experienced corners -- Riley,
who's been around a long, long
while, and Breeden.
They needed the strength in that
safety position.
He certainly has provided it.
They got a lineman at
linebacker.
>> Edwards.
And he comes in on a blitz.
Third and 15.
And they throw it up.
Almost intercepted.
Scales the intended receiver.
Griffin, Ray, Archie's brother,
the defender.
And they're on their feet in
Cincinnati.
[ Crowd cheering ]
>> Five defensive linemen, and
they jumped around at the last
second.
Eddie Edwards, number 73, up at
the middle-linebacker position.
Fouts, feeling the pressure of
that blitz, threw the ball with
a hope and a prayer, but it was
well over the head of
Dwight Scales, number 87.
The Chargers have not been able
to move the ball here in the
second half, into the wind.
They're gonna have to kick it
away.
>> Roberts.
Boy, tough to handle that snap.
And a very short kick.
Gets a good bounce.
Across the 40.
And to the 46-yard line --
49-yard line of Cincinnati.
Cincinnati's ball.
Apparently, a time-out here.
>> There are always a few nuts
in the stands taking off their
shirts, but some of the people I
was concerned about, Dick, were
the San Diego fans.
I don't feel that some of them
would know how cold it is on the
field today.
>> Now, there are the guys I
want to talk about -- our
cameramen today.
Now, the players have hand
warmers and heated benches and
they're able to move around.
Our cameramen are standing in
position, shooting these great
pictures today.
We've got to take our hats off.
It's cold for everyone, but
they're really winning the
Nanook of the North Award for
their great effort.
And we thank them.
Anderson hit from behind and
still gets the pass away!
And Dan Ross is to the San Diego
33-yard line!
>> The NFL rule on quarterback
says if you have them in your
grasp and in your control, it's
considered a sack.
On this particular play, he was
not in the grasp.
That's Woodcock, number 90, who
hits him.
But he just flipped the ball on
the way down, knew where the
receiver was.
And Dan Ross did the rest of it.
He's had a fantastic game, Dick.
>> And great year.
Ross -- 71 catches.
Comes back with four in the
championship game.
Anderson dumps it off to
Alexander for another gain.
And just as they were getting to
Anderson, and it must be
tremendously frustrating for the
Charger defense.
Just when they get to him, he
completes a pass, and if they
don't put on pressure, he runs
and picks up valuable yardage on
that last field-goal drive.
>> I was talking to Bob Trumpy,
who lives here in Cincinnati.
We were talking about the two
quarterbacks who trained under
Bill Walsh.
And, of course, Anderson worked
under him here, and then Fouts
worked under him out in
San Diego.
And it's interesting, because
when Walsh went to San Diego, he
took all of Fouts' training film
out there to show -- or all of
Anderson's training film to show
to Dan Fouts.
>> Yeah, Fouts said that
Bill Walsh, the coach of the
49ers -- "He was my teacher, but
Anderson was my model."
Flags down.
And I think it's against
San Diego.
Won't matter.
Curtis has it at the
17-yard line.
>> Dick, one of the San Diego
defensive linemen moved before
the snap, was offsides.
If so, they'll mark the ball
down where the ball was caught.
>> That's it.
13 yards for Cincinnati on the
pass from Anderson to Curtis.
And the Bengals are down in
field-goal range again, already
ahead, 20-7.
>> I think that's the longest
pass in the air that we've seen
caught today, Dick.
Well-thrown by Anderson.
Let's watch the play.
Couple of defenders moving, of
course.
And you saw the penalty called.
Good protection for
Ken Anderson.
Isaac Curtis just finding a
little space.
Too much room in front of
Willie Buchanon, number 28, and
he catches the football cleanly.
>> Now Anderson with those two
big running backs -- Alexander
and Johnson -- behind him.
And it's Johnson.
To the 16-yard line.
A gain of just 1 for the former
Ohio State star.
He scored 58 touchdowns with the
Buckeyes -- most ever in Big Ten
history.
>> One of the Chargers trying to
protect his face from the cold,
trying to get warmed up.
Jack Pardee, on the right-hand
side of your screen, responsible
for the defense of the Chargers.
A man under a lot of pressure
during the season, as his
defense has not played well.
They have played better toward
the tail end of the season, but
they're not getting as much as
they would like to out of their
performance today.
>> 4 1/2 minutes left in the
third quarter.
Bengals lead, 20-7.
Ross again.
Woody Lowe made the tackle at
the 11-yard line.
And a fumble.
And San Diego has the ball.
The Chargers' Willie Buchanon
picks up the fumble by Dan Ross.
The first mistake made by the
Bengals today.
>> First turnover in two
championship games for the
Bengals.
It certainly could be a costly
one, had they been able to take
that in for the 7.
>> Even the 3, Merlin.
>> Or even a 3.
Could have iced the cake.
>> More than two touchdowns on a
3.
>> Watch the play here.
Stripped from behind.
Number 51, Woody Lowe.
Dropped right into the lap of
Willie Buchanon.
>> Don Coryell -- his
San Diego Chargers' mistakes
have led to Cincinnati's lead,
20-7, and now they have a fumble
recovery.
Fouts down the middle to Joiner.
And he's got him at the 40.
So, that was, by far, the best
throw of Fouts today.
And, again, when he throws over
the middle, he seems to be a
different passer.
>> Let's look quickly at the
fumble that allowed San Diego to
get the ball.
>> Watch Woody Lowe reach in
from the back side with his
right hand.
The ball, now, will pop loose.
And it goes right into the hands
of Willie Buchanon.
Buchanon, realizing he has the
football, is up quickly.
Makes a few yards before he's
pulled down.
Fouts coming off the bench.
Hands are warm.
Went instantly on the pass.
Good job.
>> Both wide receivers to the
right -- Joiner and Chandler.
And Joiner in motion.
From the 39.
Throw to Chandler.
And he steps out of bounds
around the 47.
First-down play good for around
7 yards, as we pause, briefly,
from Cincinnati for a station
identification.
This is the
NBC Television Network.
It is tough to say the words.
The old jaw gets in a locked
position.
In fact, Bryant Gumbel -- you
should have seen him in
rehearsal.
He tried to say "memorable" and
he took about 10 runs at it and
realized we're only gonna have
to do two-syllable words today.
Little reverse.
And he's got some blockers.
Brooks, 50.
And he's to the Cincinnati
44-yard line.
And that is a first down for the
Chargers.
Glenn Cameron, number 50,
finally made the tackle.
>> The old statue play.
Brought it out, dusted it off.
Brooks takes a couple of steps
over.
Fouts fakes the pass, hands it
off to Brooks.
The young man from Auburn
accelerates quickly.
Gets a good gain out of it.
We've seen a couple of reverses
today.
Both have worked, but not for
big yardage.
>> Clock running down.
3 minutes left in the
third quarter.
Cincinnati 20, San Diego 7.
Little draw to Muncie.
40.
And he's whacked at the
35-yard line.
You know, Merlin, one of the
things that strikes me -- once a
player gets a reputation of
being a fumbler, he takes much
more punishment from the other
tacklers, 'cause everyone
thinks, when they're tackling,
they're gonna jar the ball free.
Muncie really takes some vicious
licks.
>> Well, certainly, when you
start thinking about going after
that football, putting your
helmet or your shoulder pad to
the ball, you can cause more
fumbles.
And, certainly, looking at
Muncie on film, seeing him cough
the ball up for those hard hits,
all the defensive players that
go up against him have to be
thinking about that before and
during the game.
>> Second and 1.
Muncie again.
First down and more.
And he almost got outside for a
touchdown.
He's to the 25-yard line.
And another first down.
That's 10 more yards for Muncie.
He has fumbled twice today, one
recovered by the Bengals.
>> Talking about the fact that
he has coughed the football up,
and some of you might ask,
"Well, why does Don Coryell keep
him in the game?"
They keep him in the game
because of this.
Muncie is one of the great
running backs in NFL football, a
man with tremendous size, great
speed, and a big heart.
He'll run until he hurts
himself.
>> First down at the 25 with
1:40 left in this third quarter.
Brooks.
Great penetration by Williams.
And then Williams made the
tackle.
And Brooks fighting just to get
back to the line of scrimmage.
Boy, 57, Williams -- a big play
for the Bengals.
>> He's had a lot of big plays
during this season.
He's their blitzing linebacker.
Very big in the sacking
department.
He had a fine year.
Chargers being a little tricky.
Bring Kellen Winslow in motion.
He stopped about right behind
the center and went back outside
to become a blocker.
But the Bengal defense was not
fooled.
And Fouts is faced with a
second and 10.
>> Four straight running plays
for Fouts, but he's in a pass
situation -- second and 10.
And stays on the ground.
And he doesn't fool the Bengals.
Brooks gets only a yard.
And there are 50 seconds left in
this third quarter.
Ross Browner was the first man
to make the hit.
Those look comfortable, don't
they?
>> I wonder if they have any in
my size.
[ Laughs ]
>> Those look your size.
>> They certainly do.
Crowd obviously trying to stay
warm, as they get on to the
shady side of it.
Those in the sun still enjoying
a little bit more heat.
But it is cold anywhere you are
in this stadium today.
>> Two running plays, both
stopped for no gain.
Third and 10.
Joiner left, Chandler to the
right.
And, Fouts tripping over his own
blocker, is downed back at the
31.
And that may well have taken
San Diego out of field-goal
range.
Now there's 10 seconds left, and
the clock stopped because of the
sack.
Now, the Chargers would like for
the quarter to end, where at
least their kicker would have
the wind advantage.
>> Not only do your hands get
cold, your feet get cold.
Fouts hooking the back heel, it
appeared, of his off guard.
That would be Wilkerson.
And he actually dropped that
football and had to scoop it up.
>> And despite the fact we've
lost equipment due to the cold
today, you wouldn't notice it.
A terrific job by our technical
crew.
A long field-goal try of
50 yards by Benirschke.
And it isn't even close.
And, so, Cincinnati will take
over in reasonably good field
position.
Breech has been able to kick
well.
Benirschke has not.
>> Lots of pressure on everyone.
You see the cameraman on the
left.
The wind whipping in his part of
the stadium.
Got to be freezing cold up
there.
6 degrees now.
Again, the 59-degree wind-chill
factor.
Ooh!
Gusting to 40 miles an hour.
You can feel that wind.
It goes right on through you.
>> Cincinnati takes over, after
the missed field goal, at the
32-yard line.
>> Draw.
>> Alexander.
Clutching that football.
Out to the 35-yard line.
Horn, Kelcher, and company on
the tackle.
>> Dick, it's no wonder that
some of the Bengals have been
able to handle this cold better
than the Chargers.
Having had a chance to practice
in it, intermittently, during
the latter part of the season
and many of them, for many years
in the past, they have had to
learn how to handle the cold.
And you have to make
adjustments.
You have to throw the ball a bit
differently.
You have to understand that a
lot of that is concentration.
If you've been through it a
number of times, it's easier for
you.
>> That's a point well-taken,
that you're not thinking so much
about the weather because at
least you've gone through the
experience.
You don't like it any more.
Collinsworth fumbled, but he
recovers it.
And what a kind bounce for
Cincinnati.
That ball hit the frozen turf
and kangarooed right back into
Collinsworth's mitts.
>> Anderson doing exactly what
Fouts has done.
As he and his receivers came off
with warm hands, he goes deep
instantly, gets the first pass
in.
Good pass right there.
And the ball did, indeed, come
up to him like a yo-yo.
>> Collinsworth on his way to
warmer climes -- the Pro Bowl
out in Hawaii -- as a rookie
receiver.
Alexander way out to the right
side.
Both wide receivers to the left.
From the Charger 49.
It's Johnson.
Flag down, as the Bengals ran
out of pass formation.
Someone lost part of his
shoulder pad, it appears.
>> A holding call against the
San Diego Chargers will march
the ball back 10 yards.
>> Against Cincinnati.
>> Against Cincinnati.
You wonder why the hole was so
large.
Somebody just tackled one of the
defensive linemen in there.
>> Offense, number 65 --
holding.
First down.
>> It's interesting in games
that involve physical contact --
I'm thinking of hockey and
football as two examples, and
even the NBA or college
basketball -- when you get down
to the final game, there are
less penalties called.
And the players know that.
They know that the officials are
only gonna call the clear-cut
fouls.
And the smart player recognizes
that and uses it to his
advantage.
First down and 20 from the
Cincinnati 41.
And here comes Anderson.
Chased by Leroy Jones.
And down he goes at the 45.
Boy, he got hit in a sandwich
and gets up again.
Gain of 5.
Woop. Little woozy.
Anderson being helped to his
feet by his teammates.
He took quite a pop, as two men
hit him simultaneously.
And I'm not sure he has all his
faculties.
>> No, he's out on his feet.
One of the dangers of a running
quarterback is that he then
becomes a running back.
He does not have the protection
that's afforded to a
quarterback.
You wonder why he's woozy?
He really took a shot.
There are the stats comparing
the two quarterbacks on the day.
Not that different in number.
In fact, almost identical,
except for the interceptions.
>> Ken Anderson being attended
to and will be replaced by a man
who was born in American Samoa,
which conjures up thoughts of
palm trees and zephyr breezes,
80-, 90-degree temperatures.
Jack Thompson, who played his
football at Washington State,
has taken over.
Second and 15 at his 45.
And he gives to Pete Johnson,
who cracks his way for 8 yards
to the 47 of San Diego.
Let's go back to see the play on
which Anderson was injured.
>> Dangers, again, of running
the football apparent on this
play.
Anderson has had big plays
running the ball all day.
Nobody open.
Dives up through, finds some
room to run.
Watch him sandwiched right at
the end of this play.
He drops to the ground and takes
a shot right there to the head.
He thinks he can get up.
Starts out and literally almost
dropped back to the ground.
>> Three wide receivers in for
Thompson on third down and 7.
And that's Johnson.
A great catch and a first down!
To the 31-yard line!
That's a remarkable catch under
the weather conditions.
Every play is, I guess.
You can repeat yourself the rest
of the way.
And here comes Anderson back in
to a standing ovation!
[ Crowd cheering ]
>> Ironic, perhaps, that
Thompson would make that
appearance, because at the
beginning of the year, many
people said, "This is our
number-one quarterback."
Ken Anderson was fighting for
the starting job.
Thompson started a couple of
games.
And it was his injury that
allowed Kenny to get back, claim
the starting job, and then
become the MVP of the NFL.
>> It's storybook stuff.
Anderson was booed off the field
in the opening game, when he
fell behind 21-0 to Seattle.
Johnson gets the carry.
And good yardage on first down
to the San Diego 26.
He was yanked out of the game in
the first half against Seattle,
down 21-0, and Thompson was
hurt.
Turk Schonert, the third-string
quarterback, from Stanford,
engineered a come-from-behind
27-21 Bengal lead.
And then Forrest Gregg made the
biggest decision of the
Cincinnati year.
He had to decide, in Game 2,
what quarterback to start.
And Anderson convinced him, as
the veteran, he should.
Gregg went with his veteran, and
here he is the NFL man of the
year.
Second down, call it 4.
Alexander bolts inside the 25,
to the 23.
And that looks as if it's going
to be close enough for a
measurement.
>> Running in, again, behind
Muñoz and Lapham on the
left-hand side.
Thompson returning to the
headsets, where he provides some
valuable duty.
And, certainly, an extremely
capable quarterback to have on
the sideline, but I'm sure he'd
a lot rather be starting the
ballgames than being the
number-two guy.
>> Here comes the measurement.
While they do that, here's an
idea of how the city of
Cincinnati and the stadium has
prepared for these inordinately
cold conditions.
The coldest day this date in the
history of Cincinnati.
They have several paramedic
rescue units on hand.
Extra blankets have been brought
in from area hospitals.
Two first-aid rooms for
emergency treatment.
The buses -- the metropolitan
buses -- are being used as
warming rooms for fans.
P.A. announcements are being
made to advise fans about
frostbite.
There's a police scout car.
An ambulance is on standby.
Area hospitals have been warned
that they may have extra
business.
So they have really done a good
job preparing for emergencies.
Third and inches.
M.L. Harris...
Alexander diving forward.
Appeared he might have gotten
enough for the first down, but
going to be close.
And we may have a time-out for
another measurement.
Jim Laslavic, former Penn State
star.
Same high-school team as
Cappelletti, and, of course,
they both migrated to
Penn State.
>> Looking at this game on paper
coming in and without taking
into account the weather, the
three units that matched up well
were the two offensive units and
the Cincinnati Bengal defense.
The unit that did not appear to
match up -- the San Diego
offense.
And that's really been the way
it is today.
The two offenses are playing
well, but the Bengals have been
able to overpower this Charger
defense.
>> Here's the reason why
Alexander did not make the
first down.
A tremendous hit by Laslavic,
number 54, and Shaw, 44.
>> Oh. Great shot. Great shot.
Picked him off right at the peak
and dumped him back over.
>> Pete Shaw, who played his
football at Northwestern, where
he had plenty of chances to make
tackles.
>> They're going for on
fourth down.
Not gonna take a chance at the
field goal into the wind.
>> It's Johnson this time.
And he's got a first down and
more!
To the 14-yard line!
And where did they run?
Right behind Muñoz.
>> And they go right for the
money.
Big Anthony out there doing his
job.
He's on Woodcock, number 90.
He gets help from the tight end,
the double-team.
Good block by number 40,
Alexander.
And then that bulldozer,
number 46, Pete Johnson, just
flew through there.
>> And now the clock becomes
more and more important.
Less than 10 minutes left.
Cincinnati trying to make it a
two-touchdown-plus lead.
Current score is 20-7.
Johnson.
Try the 10-yard line.
Did you see somebody -- I
think it was Muñoz again.
Yes, it was Muñoz.
He knocked Woodcock 5, 7 yards
off the line of scrimmage.
He is a ton -- 6'6" and 278.
And Muñoz has really trimmed
down.
He was much heavier at USC.
>> I watched him in his college
days.
Got to watch him in practice a
few days.
He had great agility and
strength then, at 300-plus
pounds.
But he's even more brutal these
days because he has great
quickness, even greater
quickness.
You saw him knock -- There he is
right at the bottom of your
picture.
Knocked Woodcock 4 or 5 yards
off the line.
>> Second down and 6.
Up the middle and inside the 10,
maybe to the 8-yard line goes
Johnson.
Bring up third down and about 3.
That offensive line of
Cincinnati has done a good job
the entire day.
Blair Bush, the underrated
center, Lapham and Montoya, the
guards, Muñoz and Wilson, the
tackles.
>> We talked, earlier, about
their success against the
four-man front.
One of the reasons they have
been so successful -- Bush is so
quick from that center position,
has the great ability to reach
out and cut off those defensive
tackles and also to be a great
pickup man while the other four
play man-on-man.
>> This is the 13th play of a
time-consuming drive of over
6 1/2 minutes.
Alexander.
It appears he has the
first down.
Stopped right at the 5, inside
the 5.
Going to be close.
I think he's got the first down,
judging from where they put down
the ball.
Although, we may have a
measurement.
>> Watch Fred Silva, the
referee.
>> Man in the black hat.
[ Crowd cheering ]
Well, you know every one of
these fans will go home, and
today, tonight, tomorrow, and
20 years from now, they will
tell the story of this
bitter-cold day in Cincinnati
when the Bengals played a very
hot game.
>> What do they say?
"Cold hands, warm heart"?
Cold day, warm crowd.
They're hot in Cincinnati.
>> And they've been a factor
today, they way they've spurred
their favorite team on.
Johnson.
And a touchdown now would all
but seal the Chargers' fate.
They were able to stop
Cincinnati, the last drive, on a
fumble by Ross.
But, at this point, with 7:22
left, the Bengals have clearly
been the superior team today.
Ross, M.L. Harris, and
Don Bass -- three tight ends in
for Cincinnati.
Pete Johnson -- 63 yards rushing
today.
And he's the man they like to go
to inside the 5.
Anderson going to throw.
Touchdown, Don Bass!
And now they know.
Don Bass did not catch a pass
all year.
He recovered a fumble, that
Brooks fumble at the
12-yard line, that led to an
easy touchdown in the
first half.
And his first catch this year is
for 6 points.
>> Beautiful throw right there
over the outstretched hands of
Willie Buchanon, number 28.
Bass is celebrating.
>> Try for a point by Breech.
And he is dead center again.
The Bengals 27-7 on Don Bass'
3-yard touchdown catch.
What a drive.
8:04 the Bengals chewed up.
68 yards in 15 plays.
That was right out of Gregg's
playbook.
Again, it's Beaudoin on the
short kick.
Across the 30, to the
34-yard line.
While we have a moment, we want
to thank two men with whom we've
worked all year -- our director,
Ted Nathanson, our producer,
Larry Cirillo.
It's a professional joy to be
able to spend each Sunday with
them.
Paul Brown, a man who knows how
to win.
Almost as if he's trying to
choke back a smile, licking his
lips.
He's ever so close to a trip to
the Super Bowl.
He knows the meaning of a
championship, as the
Cleveland Browns champion coach.
Fouts, desperation to Chandler.
And a fine grab at the
40-yard line by Chandler.
Bryan Hicks saved a touchdown by
hanging on to the Floridian.
>> Well, showing some of that
explosion coming right off the
bench and, again, having warmed
up on the sideline, able to
throw that kind of pass.
The receiver able to catch it.
He may try again to go deep
while they're still relatively
warm, before that cold can get
to them and numb the hands.
>> Chandler's really had a fine
day, hasn't he?
>> He certainly has, Dick.
>> Bengals using six defensive
backs with that big lead.
Throwing underneath to Chandler.
All the dancing doesn't get him
anywhere.
Ray Griffin, number 44, made the
tackle.
While we have a moment, we want
to thank our spotters,
Bill Schwarberg and Mike Leonard
and Joe Lambert and John Murdo,
also, with their assistance in
the booth.
To all the crew, extraordinary
effort.
>> Dick, I'm sure the San Diego
fans, wherever they might be,
wishing that this game could
have been played on a warm day,
but the Bengals earned their
home-field advantage.
They did it by playing better
football during the season.
>> There's a footnote to that.
As Fouts going deep.
That could be intercepted.
Muncie almost making the
juggling catch at the
5-yard line.
The truth of the matter is --
for those who might be
bemoaning, from the San Diego
point of view, if San Diego had
beaten Cincinnati in San Diego,
in that warm climate, they'd be
hosting the game today, because
then both teams would have
finished 11-5.
And with San Diego beating
Cincinnati, they would have had
the home field.
The Bengals earned it.
You're right.
>> They did.
And I don't think that any
football fan in the country
would have wanted this game to
be played on this kind of day.
We all wanted to see that
explosive offense doing their
thing.
But that's the way it is, and
you play by the rules in this
game.
The rules say the game is played
here, and it just happened to be
in the cold.
>> Third and 7 for Fouts.
In trouble.
Somehow gets away.
Hit from behind at the
30-yard line by Ross Browner.
>> Could be very close to the
first down.
Pressure applied by number 73,
Eddie Edwards.
Edwards having a fine day.
They are really glad to have him
back in the lineup.
Out for about four games with a
knee injury.
He has been very impressive
today.
Fouts, uncharacteristically,
running the football.
But he's a game quarterback.
He'll do anything he can to help
his team win.
>> He has the first down at the
30-yard line, but time is
running out on Don Coryell's
San Diego team.
4:35 left.
And the Chargers are behind by
20.
The winner will play the victor
of the NFC championship --
either Dallas or San Francisco.
Fouts, plenty of time.
Chandler open for a moment.
And did he make the catch?
No. He had it for a moment, on a
brilliant leap, but it was
ripped away by the Bengals'
John Simmons, number 25.
>> Bobby Kemp also there.
Fouts hoping that the very
talented receiver, Chandler,
could go up and take it away,
which he did.
But they stripped it away.
Simmons -- No, Kemp, number 26,
was actually the man that pulled
it out of his hands.
Kemp -- Watch it right here.
They both have it, but Kemp able
to get his fingers on the ball
and pull it out of the grasp of
Chandler.
Chandler -- what a great
addition he's been to this team.
He's helped them to replace the
great loss of John Jefferson.
>> Second down and 10 at the
Bengal 30-yard line.
Joiner.
And you could see the ball
flopping in its flight and
sailing out of bounds.
Ken Riley, "The Rattler," from
Florida A&M.
And Riley knows well the ups and
downs of not only a season but
of a career.
He came here in the Bengals'
second year, as this club, out
of expansion, growing in its
adolescence.
Here he is now in its finest
moment, its first AFC
championship.
And just 4:11 from playing in
that treasured Super Bowl.
Boy, it's something that eluded
you, and I guess only the
players themselves can identify
with how very much that means.
Muncie.
25.
And out of bounds at the 22,
short of the first down.
Brings up fourth and 2.
>> A lot of people laughed at
the uniform change, the new
stripes.
Well, these Bengals have,
indeed, changed their stripes.
And it would appear that they're
gonna carry those new uniforms
all the way to Pontiac.
Chance to play in the big one.
>> Well, that's the Lions' den.
That's almost a friend in the
jungle, isn't it?
>> They ought to be comfortable
there, Dick.
>> Well, this is it for
San Diego.
They have to make this 1 yard, a
first down, or you can really
start singing the Cincinnati
farewell song.
Farewell and good luck.
It's Muncie.
And he has the first down and
doesn't want to stop.
But fumbles!
>> And they missed the ball.
It will go out of bounds.
It will belong to the Chargers.
>> That was recovered by one of
the linemen for the Chargers
hustling downfield, Wilkerson,
Doug Wilkerson, the All-Pro
guard from North Carolina
Central.
>> There were a couple of
chances for the Bengals.
They had people down there.
Again, Muncie carrying that
football in the right arm.
Looks like he gets away there,
does a good job.
But it's stripped away from
behind.
Hicks, number 27, reached in and
got ahold of the football.
Glenn Cameron, LeClair both
there.
But Doug Wilkerson doing a good
job.
Now, if that ball would have
gone out of bounds, it still
would have belonged to the
Chargers.
>> First down and goal just
outside the 5 with 3:17 left.
By not going out of bounds, the
clock has been running all this
time.
Muncie stopped cold at the
5-yard line.
And the clock continues to run.
3:01, 3 minutes left.
3 minutes.
They've tape up the ear
perforation on the helmets to
keep from frostbite of the ears.
>> Keep a little bit of wind out
of that helmet, but believe
me -- it only helps a bit.
>> 10th play of the drive.
Clock running out on San Diego.
From the 5.
Fouts.
To Sievers.
And he dropped the ball.
And Fouts, as he had his head
down, could only wait for the
crowd reaction to know whether
the ball was caught or not.
When he heard the cheers, he
knew that was bad news.
>> Reggie Williams had been
knocked down as he blitzed in
from the outside.
Able to get up and hit Fouts
just as he threw the football.
And Sievers doing a toe dance.
Watch him try and keep his feet
in.
He knows he's dangerously close
to that end line.
Managed to keep the feet in, but
could not handle that slick
football.
Watch Fouts.
Watch Reggie Williams now.
He'll be knocked to the ground.
Quickly up on his feet.
And he'll level Fouts just as
Fouts gets that football away.
And Fouts hit hard on the
ground.
>> 2:29 left in this game.
Incomplete to Winslow.
And the wind appeared to take
that one and fly it right out of
bounds.
>> That's the finesse kind of
pass that you have a hard time
throwing on a day like today.
The hands have got to be feeling
like cold bricks out there right
now, Dick.
>> Don Coryell.
He has his team in the playoffs
for the fifth time in nine
head-coaching years at St. Louis
and San Diego.
And he came up with a bad roll.
The weatherman did not do him
any favors.
This is it. Last call.
Fourth and goal.
Brooks.
He didn't make it!
And now listen to Cincinnati!
[ Crowd cheering ]
I was searching through some
notes at the start of the year,
and in Reno, the wagers at the
start of the year said the odds
on Cincinnati winning the
Super Bowl were 60-to-1.
San Diego was the preseason
favorites -- 4-to-1.
The Bengals are going to be
there for the chance at it.
And Johnson rips -- And he
fumbles.
And that's a rarity.
And recovers it or someone
helped him out.
Nope. He got it himself.
2 minutes to go at
Riverfront Stadium.
And these fans, who have
weathered a brutally cold day to
cheer their Bengals, have been
rewarded.
Cincinnati 27, San Diego 7.
The Bengals have the ball at the
10-yard line.
A Cincinnati team that won only
four games in '78.
Two years ago, they won only
four games.
Last year, won 6 and lost 10.
And then, suddenly, just
reversed it all, finished with
the best record in the AFC,
12-4.
Beat Buffalo last week and
apparently have won the big one,
the championship of the AFC,
today on their way to the
Super Bowl in the Silverdome.
And, as Ken Anderson told me,
"The nice thing," he said before
the game, "whether San Diego
wins or whether we win, you know
in the Super Bowl, you're gonna
get at least 35 to 40 passes."
>> [ Chuckles ]
Well, and if the
San Francisco 49ers get there,
you might see three times that
many.
>> I want to ask you, when we
get a moment.
We're gonna have a time-out
here, apparently.
I want to ask you how
Cincinnati, in your eyes,
matches up against San Francisco
or matches up against Dallas.
No, they're not going to call
time.
I'd like to remind fans, if they
have forgotten, San Francisco
and Cincinnati played during the
course of the regular season and
played here.
And the score of that game
was -- the 49ers 21, the
Bengals 3.
1:50 to go.
Boy, now it is really cold on
that side of the field.
>> And it's starting to sink in
over there.
They're not only feeling the
cold, they're feeling the pain
of that score on the scoreboard.
>> Anderson -- The clock is
running, and he's gonna let it
run all the way down to 2 or
3 seconds on the 30-second clock
before he makes a play.
1:24 on the game clock.
Pete Johnson hugging the
football and tackled immediately
at the 16-yard line.
Time-out called by the Chargers
to stop the clock.
Gene Klein, owner of the
San Diego Chargers, survived a
heart attack the middle of 1981.
You knew that recognized the
problems coming into this kind
of climate.
But he's a great sportsman and
gentleman, and he'd be the first
one in that Cincinnati locker
room to congratulate the
Bengals.
>> And there are only four teams
playing today, Dick.
All the rest are at home
watching.
He's got to be proud of his team
and the kind of season they've
had.
They went through their problems
this year.
They fought their way back.
They fought their way into this
game.
Came right down to the last
game.
They had to sit and watch Denver
play to find out if they were
gonna have a chance to go.
They're here.
They've done a great job.
They've had a good season.
You know, it's a shame that they
couldn't have shown their wares
on a day like today, but we've
talked about that.
The Bengals earned the right to
play at home.
They've earned their victory
today.
They've earned their trip to the
Super Bowl.
>> And what a year for that man,
Ken Anderson.
He's been maligned in this city.
They've booed him.
Paul Brown -- he's been there
before.
He's able to hold his emotions
perhaps better than -- It's
something about that first time,
whether it's your first love or
your first championship.
You never really forget that
one.
And for Forrest Gregg and for
the Cincinnati Bengal fans, this
is their first, and they're in
love with this ball club.
>> Well, they certainly have
regenerated the enthusiasm and
the interest of this town in
football.
This place is going crazy.
>> Johnson hit at the
21-yard line.
And the clock runs.
1:04, 1:03.
The Chargers cannot stop it now.
They'll get the ball, but that
will be about all.
Congratulations to that man.
All his honors and intelligence,
physical talent.
He outpassed the opponents, he
outran all the quarterbacks in
this league, and, at the age of
32, has enjoyed his finest
moment.
In the meantime, just for fun,
he earned his law degree.
That's a busy man.
And Paul Brown.
>> There, you see the smile.
I think maybe it's finally
sinking in.
They are, indeed, making their
trip to the Super Bowl.
>> A 60-to-1 long shot,
ladies and gentlemen.
Down to 27 seconds.
They're gonna let the clock run.
There will be a chance for one
play.
The 30-second clock is at 10.
Gonna be about 9 seconds left
when Cincinnati initiates the
play.
And talk about Paul Brown and
the men that played under him
that went on as successful
coaches.
Don Shula was a Brown disciple.
Chuck Knoll played for
Paul Brown.
Mike McCormack played for Brown.
At Great Lakes Naval Academy,
Bud Grant played for Paul Brown.
So his heritage will live on,
his teaching talent.
Certainly one of the great
football minds of all time.
>> Although this team is coached
by Forrest Gregg, it certainly
bears the stamp.
And you see the smiles.
They're not even feeling that
59-degree-below-zero chill
factor right now.
You talk about warmth.
They're bouncing up and down
with it on the Cincinnati
sideline.
>> The final seconds in
Cincinnati.
McInally gets his kick away.
When it comes down, the Bengals
are champions!
And Forrest Gregg survived a
bitter firing in Cleveland,
stayed out of football, went to
the Canadian league, was
regarded by some of his players
as too tough.
But you listen to every Bengal,
and they say, "The difference is
that man, our coach."
He survived two cancer
operations.
And the Bengal stripes -- they
really earned them, didn't they?
>> They earned their stripes and
they've earned their victory
today, their trip to the
Super Bowl.
Good football on an incredibly
bad football day.
But it was the Bengals who
wanted it the most, who were
able to take advantage of
some miscues by the
San Diego Chargers.
Some costly interceptions by
Dan Fouts.
Able to grind it away.
Anderson able to throw the ball
effectively.
It was a Bengal day.
>> Exhilaration of victory in
the Bengal locker room, in
contrast to the numbing defeat
by the Chargers.
Stay with us now.
Part of the delight is to get
the feelings of the athletes who
took part in this championship
game -- won by the Bengals,
27-7.
