Playoff Bowl 1966

January 9, 1966- Baltimore Colts 35, Dallas Cowboys 3

This may be the best remembered Playoff Bowl of them all despite the lopsided score. The Cleveland Browns won the Eastern Division in 1965. The Dallas Cowboys had finished the year tied with the Giants for second place but had won the tie breaker, defeating New York, 38-20, in the season finale (and winning five of their last seven games). With the win came the right to face the Baltimore Colts in the Playoff Bowl. It was the franchise's first post-season game.

It was a season of tremendous ups and downs for the Colts. When quarterbacks, Johnny Unitas and Gary Cuozzo were felled by injuries in the final two games of the season, Halfback Tom Matte was thrown into the quarterback slot without experience. Matte led the Colts to a 20-17 upset triumph over Los Angeles and a great effort against champion Green Bay before losing a divisional playoff. Baltimore did not score an offensive touchdown in their playoff game with Green Bay and lost, 13-10 on Don Chandler's controversial field goal (some still insist it went wide) in overtime. In that game, Matte played with plays written on a wristband. The band resides in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

In the Playoff Bowl, Matte was sensational. He threw two touchdown passes to Jimmy Orr (15 and 20 yards) and totaled 165 yards passing on the day. The Colts were also paced by Jerry Hill's 89 yards and two touchdown rushing performance. Matte was voted the game's MVP. The Colts' defense, led by rookie end Roy Hilton and linebacker Steve Stonebreaker, throttled the passing combination of Don Meredith and fleet Bob Hayes and recovered two Dallas fumbles for the one-sided triumph over the Cowboys, who were 3 point favorites.

The Colts scored first in the second quarter on a 6 yard Lenny Moore touchdown run. Dallas responded with a 12 yard Danny Villanueva field goal with 4:49 to play in the half. The Colts scored on Hill's three yard run with :42 left in the half and led 14-3 at the intermission. The Colts put the game away in the 3^rd period on a one yard Hill touchdown run and Orr's 15 yard touchdown reception from Matte. The final score came in the 4^th quarter when Matte hit Orr again on a 20 yard scoring play.

The game was not a pretty sight for Dallas, yet it was the beginning of what would turn out to be a common occurrence - the Cowboys in the NFL postseason. A crowd of 65,659 witnessed the battle of National Football League runners-up in windy, overcast weather in the Orange Bowl.

Bob Hayes is brought down by Lenny Lyles.

MIAMI, Fla. (AP)- Tom Matte, who almost quarterbacked the Baltimore Colts into the National Football League championship game, led them to a 35-3 victory over Dallas Sunday in the consolation tilt. The performances pose for Coach Don Shula the problem of what to do with Matte next season. "I don't know," said Shula. "I guess I'll have to keep the Matte offense in our play book, though.

"Matte, in only his third professional game as quarterback, was voted the outstanding player in the playoff game before 65,569 in the Orange Bowl. He earned the award on his passing.

When he was first rushed into the quarterback breach because of injuries to John Unitas and Gary Cuozzo, Matte had a slim repertoire of plays, mostly running. Still the Colts defeated Los Angeles 20-17 and in a playoff for the Western Conference title and lost 13-10 in overtime to Green Bay.

Matte passed 17 times against the Cowboys, completing seven. Two of them were 15 and 20 yards to Jimmy Orr for touchdowns. Two more of 37 and 52 yards set up second period touchdowns which gave Baltimore a 14-3 halftime edge.

The Cowboys, who tied for second place in the Eastern Conference by winning five of their last seven games, ran into a fierce Colt defense. Dallas put together only one sustained drive on the passing of Don Meredith in the second quarter. The Cowboys reached the Colt four with a first down but were stopped in their tracks and Danny Villanueva kicked a 12-yard field goal.

The Cowboys reached the Colts 29 in the first period and the 31 in the third for their only other threats. They lost the ball on an interception by Jerry Logan the first time and on a fumble recovered by rookie end Roy Hilton the other time.

In addition to his interception, Logan recovered a fumble on the Dallas 25 in the third quarter and fullback Jerry Hill plunged for a touchdown five plays later. Hill also boomed three yards for a second quarter touchdown after catching a 52-yard rocket from Matte.

End John Mackey’s catch of a 37-yard pass from Matte set Baltimore's first touchdown- a six-yard run by Lenny Moore- after a scoreless first period.

"I had a lot of respect before for Matte,” said Shula, "but he has gained a lot more the way he reacted to our situation.”

The 6-foot, 205-pounder had been a substitute halfback with the Colts for five seasons until the quarterback crisis developed.

The victory by the Colts underscored the mastery of the Western Conference NFL teams over the Eastern this season. It was the 15^th victory in 16 contests for the West.

Tom Matte led the Colts.

This was a disappointing game for the Cowboys and Don Meredith.

Scoring Summary

Second Quarter

BALT- Moore 6 run (Michaels kick)

DAL- FG Villanueva 12

BALT- Hill 3 run (Michaels kick)

Third Quarter

BALT- Hill 1 run (Michaels kick)

BALT- Orr 15 yard pass from Matte (Michaels kick)

Fourth Quarter

BALT- Orr 20 yard pass from Matte (Michaels kick)

Attendance: 65,569