A - From Chargers in Kevin Hardy trade B-From Chicago for Bob Jeter C-From Rams in Travis Williams trade Bold Italics - Played for the Green Bay Packers BOLD - Played for Packers
NAMENOPOSHGTWGTCOLLEGEYRPRAGGHOW ACQUIRED
Ken Bowman 57 C 6- 3 230 Wisconsin 9 9 29 14 1964 Draft - 8th round
John Brockington 42 RB 6- 1 225 Ohio State 2 2 23 14 1971 Draft - 1st round
Bob Brown 78 DE 6- 5 260 Ark-Pine Bluff 7 7 32 14 1966 FA
Willie Buchanon 28 CB 6- 0 190 San Diego State 1 1 21 14 1972 Draft - 1st round
Ron Widby 20 P 6- 4 210 Tennessee 1 5 27 14 1972 Trade - Dallas
Clarence Williams 83 DE 6- 5 255 Prairie View 3 3 25 14 1970 Trade - Dallas
Perry Williams 31 RB 6- 2 219 Purdue 4 4 25 14 1969 Draft - 4th round
Cal Withrow 74 C 6- 0 240 Kentucky 2 3 27 14 1971 Trade - San Diego
Keith Wortman 65 G 6- 2 245 Nebraska 1 1 22 13 1972 Draft - 10th round
NO - Jersey Number POS - Position HGT - Height WGT - Weight YR - Years with Packers PR - Years of Professional Football AGE - Age on September 1 G - Games Played FA - Free Agent
September 17: Green Bay Packers (1-0) 26, Cleveland Browns (0-1) 10
(CLEVELAND) - The Green Bay Packers got their 1972 campaign off on the right foot - the right foot of rookie kicker Chester Marcol. Marcol kicked four field goals in the Packers' rousing 26-10 victory over the faltering Cleveland Browns, who haven't won a game since last December 19 when they defeated the Redskins. The 23-year-old Marcol, Coach Dan Devine's second-round draft choice this year, hit on field goals of 41, 19, 49 and 17 yards, the last three coming in the second half. He tried two others, a 51-yarder in the second quarter which was short and a 42-yarder less than six minutes later, which turned sour. Browns' DT Jerry Sherk blocked the kick and it plopped into the hands of CB Clarence Scott, who streaked 55 yards for the only Cleveland touchdown of the afternoon and his first in professional football. Scott Hunter threw a pair of touchdowns to TE Rich McGeorge.
GREEN BAY - 7 10 3 6 - 26
CLEVELAND - 3 7 0 0 - 10
1st - GB - McGeorge, 23-yard pass from Hunter (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
1st - CLE - Don Cockroft, 21-yard field goal GREEN BAY 7-3
1st - CLE - Clarence Scott, 55-yard return of a blocked field goal CLEVELAND 10-7
2nd - GB - Marcol, 41-yard field goal TIED 10-10
2nd - GB - McGeorge, 2-yard pass from Hunter (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 17-10
3rd - GB - Marcol, 19-yard field goal GREEN BAY 20-10
4th - GB - Marcol, 49-yard field goal GREEN BAY 23-10
4th - GB - Marcol, 17-yard field goal GREEN BAY 26-10
September 24: Oakland Raiders (1-1) 20, Green Bay Packers (1-1) 14
(GREEN BAY) - Charlie Smith scored the lead touchdown after a 34-yard pass interference penalty and Jack Tatum raced a record 104 yards with a fumble recovery, sparking the Oakland Raiders to a 20-14 victory over Green Bay. The Oakland Raiders defeated the Green Bay Packers 20-14 Sunday, and pointed to a 313-207 bulge in total yardage as proof they earned it. Moreover, the spread didn't include another 138 yards the Raiders gained on the game's two biggest plays—Jack Tatum's record 104-yard runback with a recovered fumble, and a 32-yard pass interference penalty which set up the winning touchdown. But more than a few Packers felt the officials had misjudged both plays. The interference call on Green Bay rookie Willie Buchanon moved the ball to the Packer one and Charlie Smith crashed over on the next play as the Raiders overcame a 14-13 deficit. Their other scores came on 43-and 14-yard field goals by George Blanda. Tatum's spectacular runback, which erased a 7-3 Green Bay lead, wiped out the NFL's oldest record. George Halas of the Chicago Bears held the old mark with a 98-yard fumble return against Marion in 1923. The Packers had the ball, third and goal, at the Oakland three when MacArthur Lane took a pitchout and tried to circle right end. But the ball dropped loose at the two and rolled four yards deep in the end zone. Tatum pounced on it and outran everyone to the Packer goal. Some of the Packers claimed Lane had committed a "muff," arguing he never had control of the ball and that, therefore, Tatum was ineligible to return it according to the rulebook. George Atkinson, the Raiders' safety who jarred Lane, said Lane "never had control." The call against Buchanon for interfering with Oakland receiver Fred Biletnikoff on the Packer one nullified an interception by safety Jim Hill, who picked off Lamonica's pass in the end zone just behind Biletnikoff and Buchanon.
OAKLAND - 10 0 10 0 - 20
GREEN BAY - 7 7 0 0 - 14
1st - OAK - George Blanda, 43-yard field goal OAKLAND 3-0
1st - GB - Brockington, 1-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 7-3
2st - OAK - Jack Tatum, 104-yard return of a fumble (Blanda kick) OAKLAND 10-7
2nd - GB - Brockington, 1-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 14-10
3rd - OAK - Blanda, 14-yard field goal GREEN BAY 14-13
3rd - OAK - Clarence Smith, 1-yard run (Blanda kick) OAKLAND 20-14
October 1: Green Bay Packers (2-1) 15, Dallas Cowboys (2-1) 13
(MILWAUKEE) - The Green Bay Packers, cashing in on Dallas mistakes, combined three field goals by Chester Marcol and hard running by John Brockington for a 16-13 upset of the defending National Football League champion Cowboys. Interceptions by Al Matthews set up two of Marcol's field goals, including the decisive 22-yarder with four minutes gone in the fourth quarter as the crippled Packers snapped the Cowboys' 12-game winning streak. Marcol's other field goals were of 44 and 26 yards and Brockington carried 26 times for 91 yards, including a two-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. The Cowboys' last chance was foiled when Walt Garrison was stacked up for no gain on fourth and one at the Packer 40 with 3:25 left. A 52-yard punt by Ron Widby put the Cowboys deep in the hole and Willie Buchanon intercepted a desperation pass by Craig Morton, returning it 26 yards to the two. Time ran out before Green Bay could score again.
DALLAS - 3 3 7 0 - 13
GREEN BAY - 3 7 3 3 - 16
1st - DAL - Toni Fritsch, 46-yard field goal DALLAS 3-0
1ast - GB - Marcol, 44-yard field goal TIED 3-3
2nd - GB - Brockington, 2-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 10-3
2nd - DAL - Fritsch, 9-yard field goal GREEN BAY 10-6
3rd - DAL - Walt Garrison, 10-yard run (Fritsch kick) DALLAS 13-10
3rd - GB - Marcol, 26-yard field goal TIED 13-13
4th - GB - Marcol, 22-yard field goal GREEN BAY 16-13
October 8: Green Bay Packers (3-1) 20, Chicago Bears (0-3-1) 17
(GREEN BAY) - The Green Bay Packers blew a 14-point halftime lead, then marched behind Scott Hunter to a 37-yard field goal by Chester Marcol with 30 seconds left and edged the Chicago Bears 20-17. Hunter completed 15 of 30 passes for 240 yards, including three of six on the winning drive that began on the Green Bay 27 with 5:09 left. The key gains were completions of 11 yards to Len Garrett, seven to John Brockington and 15 to Jon Staggers. Marcol kicked his winning goal into winds gusting to 30 miles per hour after a third down pass at the Bear 30 fell incomplete. After Marcol's field goal, Chicago marched from its 20 into Green Bay territory behind Bobby Douglass passes of 10 and 22 yards to Roger Lawson. But Mac Percival, who had kicked a 12-yard field goal earlier, missed from 51 yards with five seconds left. The Bears, down 17-3 at halftime, scored in the third period on a two-yard run by Cyril Pinder and a two-yard rollout by Douglass to tie early in the fourth quarter. The Packers' third victory in four starts kept them tied for first place in the NFC Central Division with Detroit.
2nd - CHI - Mac Percival, 12-yard field goal GREEN BAY 7-3
2nd - GB - Staggers, 48-yard pass from Hunter (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 14-3
2nd - GB - Marcol, 26-yard field goal GREEN BAY 17-3
3rd - CHI - Cyril Pinder, 2-yard run (Percival kick) GREEN BAY 17-10
4th - CHI - Bobby Douglass, 1-yard run (Percival kick) TIED 17-17
4th - GB - Marcol, 37-yard field goal GREEN BAY 20-17
October 16: Green Bay Packers (4-1) 24, Detroit Lions (3-2) 23
(DETROIT) - Scott Hunter fired a 15-yard touchdown pass to Leland Glass with 1:54 left on the clock and Chester Marcol booted the conversion, giving Green Bay a 24-23 vicory over the Detroit Lions on a Monday night, putting the Packers in sole possession of first place in the NFC Central Division. Green Bay had fallen behind 23-17 with 9:35 left, mounting their winning drive following a booming 51-yard field goal by Errol Mann of Detroit. The Packers, now 4-1, consumed 7:28 to move 84 yards in 14 plays for the final score, with Glass catching Hunter's touchdown aerial in the left corner of the end zone behind defender Rudy Redmond. The Packers had trailed 17-7 at the half, before Mann and Marcol traded field goals of 45 and 43 yards respectively in the third quarter. The game was turned around when CB Ken Ellis gathered in a 46-yard punt by Detroit's Herman Weaver and zipped 80 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown. Detroit had jumped to a quick lead in the nationally televised game, scoring two first half touchdowns after capitalizing on Packer errors. MacArthur Lane finished with 89 yards rushing, and John Brockington had 41, but Detroit's Altie Taylor topped everyone with 90. Hunter connected on 11 of 18 passes for 149 yards.
The game was fairly even with the Packers totaling 265 yards to 229 for Detroit.
GREEN BAY - 0 7 10 7 - 24
DETROIT - 7 10 3 3 - 23
1st - DET - Greg Landry, 2-yard run (Errol Mann kick) DETROIT 7-0
2nd - DET - Mann, 12-yard field goal DETROIT 10-0
2nd - DET - Altie Taylor, 1-yard run (Mann kick) DETROIT 17-0
2nd - GB - Hunter, 1-yard run (Marcol kick) DETROIT 17-7
3rd - DET - Mann, 45-yard field goal DETROIT 20-7
3rd - GB - Marcol, 34-yard field goal DETROIT 20-10
3rd - GB - Ellis, 80-yard punt return (Marcol kick) DETROIT 20-17
4th - DET - Mann, 51-yard field goal DETROIT 23-17
4th - GB - Glass, 15-yard pass from Hunter (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 24-23
October 22: Atlanta Falcons (4-2) 10, Green Bay Packers (4-2) 9
(MILWAUKEE) - Playing in the rain, Green Bay jumped out to a 9-0 lead on three Chester Marcol field goals, before Atlanta cut the Packer lead to two when Art Malone scored just before the half at the end of an 86-yard, 13-play drive. Bill Bell kicked a field goal to give the Falcons the lead in the third quarter, and Green Bay's chance to win died when Marcol missed a 35-yard field goal in the final minutes. Atlanta ran 71 plays to Green Bay's 35, with QB Bob Berry converting 11 of 18 third-down plays in directing a ball-control attack.
ATLANTA - 0 7 3 0 - 10
GREEN BAY - 6 3 0 0 - 9
1st - GB - Marcol, 44-yard field goal GREEN BAY 3-0
1st - GB - Marcol, 32-yard field goal GREEN BAY 6-0
2nd - GB - Marcol, 35-yard field goal GREEN BAY 9-0
2nd - ATL - Art Malone, 1-yard run (Bill Bell kick) GREEN BAY 9-7
3rd - ATL - Bell, 24-yard field goal ATLANTA 10-9
October 29: Minnesota Vikings (3-4) 27, Green Bay Packers (4-3) 13
(GREEN BAY) - The Purple Gang has been reincarnated, although Carl Eller believes that it's still a ghost of its former self. After the Minnesota Vikings demonstrated some of their oldtime defensive magic in beating the Green Bay Packers 27-13, their ringleader declared: We're not back yet wherever we've been, we're not back." The brawny DE referred to Minnesota's unimpressive 3-4 record and unimposing last-place posture in the Central Division They were destined for better things this year, according to general opinion. "But we haven't been playing well," said Minnesota Coach Bud Grant, whose team has won four straight Central crowns. No matter where the Purple Gang has been hiding, those tough guys were just as bullish as ever in pushing around a fairly potent offensive team. Paul Krause and Wally Hilgenberg each intercepted a Scott Hunter pass and wheeled back for touchdowns and Eller and his bruising mates on that front four wall made life miserable for the Packers' gifted quarterback. Viking rookie RB Ed Marinaro ran for 80 yards in his first NFL start.
MINNESOTA - 0 3 7 17 - 27
GREEN BAY - 10 0 3 0 - 13
1st - GB - Marcol, 41-yard field goal GREEN BAY 3-0
1st - GB - Dale, 6-yard pass from Hunter (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 10-0
2nd - MIN - Fred Cox, 22-yard field goal GREEN BAY 10-3
3rd - MIN - Bill Brown, 1-yard run (Cox kick) TIED 10-10
3rd - GB - Marcol, 34-yard field goal GREEN BAY 13-10
4th - MIN - Cox, 32-yard field goal TIED 13-13
4th - MIN - Paul Krause, 32-yard interception return (Cox kick) MINNESOTA 20-13
4th - MIN - Wally Hilgenberg, 14-yard interception return (Cox kick) MINN 27-13
November 5: Green Bay Packers (5-3) 34, San Francisco 49ers (3-4-1) 24
(MILWAUKEE) - John Brockington ran for 133 yards and scored three touchdowns as the Packers held off Steve Spurrier's second half comeback effort and beat the 49ers, 34-24, to retain a share of the lead in the NFC Central Division. Brockington, who had his best day of the year, scored on runs of 30 and 14 yards and caught a 48-yard touchdown pass from Scott Hunter. Green Bay's only other touchdown came with 23 seconds to play
when Ken Ellis intercepted a Spurrier pass and returned it 28 yards. Chester Marcol had the other points on field goals of 40 and 35 yards. Spurrier teamed with Gene Washington to rally the 49ers from a 24-7 deficit midway through the third quarter to just three points down, 27-24, midway through the fourth quarter. He hit Washington with touchdown passes of 62 and 34 yards and for the day, completed 19 of 37 passes for 315 yards, suffering only one interception - the one by Ellis. Green Bay scored first on Hunter's pass to Brockington and the 49ers tied it late in the first quarter on Vic Washington's 2-yard run. Brockington's 30-yard scamper with 2.27 left in the second quarter gave Green Bay a 14-7 halftime lead and the Packers raised it to 21-7 on the first series of the third quarter when Brockington's 14-yard run climaxed a 77-yard drive.
SAN FRANCISCO - 7 0 3 14 - 24
GREEN BAY - 7 7 10 10 - 34
1st - GB - Brockington, 48-yard pass from Hunter (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
1st - SF - Vic Washington, 2-yard run (Mike Gossett kick) TIED 7-7
2nd - GB - Brockington, 30-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 14-7
3rd - GB - Brockington, 14-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 21-7
3rd - GB - Marcol, 35-yard field goal GREEN BAY 24-7
3rd - SF - Gossett, 50-yard field goal GREEN BAY 24-10
4th - SF - Gene Washington, 62-yd pass from Steve Spurrier (Gossett kick) GB 24-17
4th - GB - Marcol, 40-yard field goal GREEN BAY 27-17
4th - SF - G.Washington, 34-yard pass from Spurrier (Gossett kick) GB 27-24
4th - GB - Ellis, 35-yard interception return (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 34-24
November 12: Green Bay Packers (6-3) 23, Chicago Bears (3-5-1) 17
(CHICAGO) - Green Bay scored two quick touchdowns in the first quarter, one of them stemming from an 89-yard kickoff return by Ike Thomas, and Chester Marcol booted three field goals as the Packers defeated the Chicago Bears 23-17. The Packers did not throw a pass in the first half and gained only 59 yards but led 17-7 in route to boosting their frontrunning Central Division record to 6-3. The Bears, who could put only two sustained drives together, dropped deeper into last place at 3-5-1. Marcol's three field goals set a Packer record for 20 in a season.
GREEN BAY - 14 3 3 3 - 23
CHICAGO - 7 0 3 7 - 17
1st- GB - Brockington, 12-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
1st - CHI - Cyril Pinder, 4-yard run (Mac Percival kick) TIED 7-7
1st - GB - Hunter, 1-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 14-7
2nd - GB - Marcol, 51-yard field goal GREEN BAY 17-7
3rd - CHI - Percival, 38-yard field goal GREEN BAY 17-10
3rd - GB - Marcol, 21-yard field goal GREEN BAY 20-10
4th - CHI - Bobby Douglass, 1-yard run (Percival kick) GREEN BAY 20-17
4th - GB - Marcol, 21-yard field goal GREEN BAY 23-17
November 19: Green Bay Packers (7-3) 23, Houston Oilers (1-9) 10
(HOUSTON) - Green Bay P Ron Widby completed a 68-yard touchdown pass play to Dave Davis on a fake punt and John Staggers returned a punt 85 yards for another score as the Packers defeated the Houston Oilers 23-10. The two touchdown plays off the Packers' excellent kicking game were the only scores Green Bay could muster from the Oiler defense until late in the fourth quarter when McArthur Lane charged 36 yards for the clinching touchdown with 4:43 left. The victory left the Packers in charge of the Central Division with a 7-3 record and dropped the Oilers to 1-9, the worst record in the NFL. The Oiler defense, playing one of its better games of the season, held the Packers scoreless until the second period when Staggers, ranked 12th in the NFC in kickoff returns, took in a 60-yard punt by Dan Pastorini at his own 15. He broke through the first wave of tacklers and was clear down the sideline with four blockers in front of him. Houston shot right back with its only touchdown of the day, a one-yard dash by Paul Robinson on a quick pitch from Pastorini. MacArthur Lane led the Packer rushing attack with 126 yards on 16 carries.
GREEN BAY - 0 14 0 9 - 23
HOUSTON - 0 7 0 3 - 10
2nd - GB - Staggers, 85-yard punt return (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
2nd - HOU - Paul Robinson, 1-yard run (Skip Butler kick) TIED 7-7
2nd - GB - Davis, 68-yard pass from Widby (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 14-7
4th - HOU - Butler, 13-yard field goal GREEN BAY 14-10
4th - GB - Lane, 36-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 21-10
4th - GB - Safety, Brown tackled Dan Pastorini in the end zone GREEN BAY 23-10
November 26: Washington Redskins (10-1) 21, Green Bay Packers (7-4) 16
(WASHINGTON) - Washington's defense and two touchdown passes by Billy Kilmer provided the momentum for a 21-16 Redskin victory over Green Bay, sewing up a playoff slot. The victory, eight in a row for the Redskins, boosted their record to 10-1 and insured them of at least the "wild card" slot in the National Football Conference playoffs, no matter what happens in the final three games. The setback dropped the Packers into a tie for first place in the Central Division. Kilmer came through in the clutch after the Packers pulled within a point, 14-13, on MacArthur Lane's six-yard touchdown run with 12:39 left in the contest. The Washington quarterback responded by piloting the Redskins 83 yards for a key touchdown, hitting on five of five passes in the drive. The payoff came on his five-yard toss to Charlie Taylor in the corner of the end zone. Kilmer wound up the day by completing 14 passes on 21 attempts for 149 yards. The Washington defensive unit blocked one Green Bay field goal attempt, contributed a touchdown-producing interception and smothered the Packer's passing game.
GREEN BAY - 3 3 0 10 - 16
WASHINGTON - 0 14 0 7 - 21
1st - GB - Marcol, 51-yard field goal GREEN BAY 3-0
2nd - WASH - Larry Brown, 2-yard run (Curt Knight kick) WASHINGTON 7-3
2nd - WASH - Jerry Smith, 25-yard pass from Billy Kilmer (Knight kick) WASH 14-3
2nd - GB - Marcol, 37-yard field goal WASHINGTON 14-6
4th - GB - Lane, 6-yard run (Marcol kick) WASHINGTON 14-13
4th - GB - Marcol, 39-yard field goal WASHINGTON 21-16
December 3: Green Bay Packers (8-4) 33, Detroit Lions (7-5) 7
(GREEN BAY) - Ken Ellis intercepted two passes to set up a pair of touchdown runs by John Brockington as the Green Bay Packers beat the hobbling Detroit Lions 33-7 and took sole possession of first place in the NFC Central Division. The Lions lost the ball six times, three on fumbles and three on interceptions, on their first nine possessions. The Packers converted four of the turnovers into scores in boosting their record to 8-4, one game ahead of Detroit with two to play. Detroit never got beyond its 32-yard line in the first half and failed to make a first down until the last play before intermission. Green Bay led 23-0 by that time and stretched it to 30-0 on Brockington's second touchdown barely three minutes into the second half. Lion quarterback Greg Landry completed five of eight passes with three interceptions before Bill Munson replaced him with 4 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. The Packers controlled the ball for all but three scrimmage plays in the first quarter and jumped to a 9-0 lead on field goals of 24, 42 and 26 yards by Chester Marcol.
DETROIT - 0 0 0 7 - 7
GREEN BAY - 9 14 7 3 - 33
1st - GB - Marcol, 24-yard field goal GREEN BAY 3-0
1st - GB - Marcol, 42-yard field goal GREEN BAY 6-0
1st - GB - Marcol, 26-yard field goal GREEN BAY 9-0
2nd - GB - Brockington, 1-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 16-0
2nd - GB - Hunter, 9-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 23-0
3rd - GB - Brockington, 8-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 30-0
4th - GB - Marcol, 36-yard field goal GREEN BAY 33-0
4th - DET - Ron Jessie, 29-yard pass from Bill Munson (Errol Mann kick) GB 33-7
December 10: Green Bay Packers (9-4) 23, Minnesota Vikings (7-6) 7
(MINNESOTA) - The running of MacArthur Lane and John Brockington and a big-play defense powered the Green Bay Packers past the Minnesota Vikings 23-7 and into the playoffs for the first time since the Vince Lombardi glory days. The Packers, down 7-0 at halftime, clinched the NFC's Central Division championship with a 9-4 record and one regular season game to play after staggering the Vikings with a 17-point third quarter in bitter Minnesota cold of two degrees below zero. Lane, who rushed 19 times for 99 yards, set up Green Bay's first score, a 36-yard field goal by Chester Marcol, with a 37-yard run. He also bulled in from the three for a touchdown. Brockington, Lane's bruising running mate, carried 25 times for 114 yards, making him the first NFL player to rush for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons. Packer LB Fred Carr turned in the first big defensive play when he picked up Bill Brown's fumble at the Green Bay 46 and ran down the sidelines to the Viking 28. Scott Hunter, the Packer quarterback, dived over from the one six plays later to put Green Bay ahead 10-7. Then, Green Bay rookie DB Willie Buchnnan intercepted a pass that had bounced off Viking John Gilham's chest and charged 25 yards to the Minnesota 24. Lane plunged in with 1:56 left in the third as the Pack took a 17-7 lead.
GREEN BAY - 0 0 17 6 - 23
MINNESOTA - 0 7 0 0 - 7
2nd - MINN - Stu Voight, 1-yard run (Fred Cox run) MINNESOTA 7-0
3rd - GB - Marcol, 36-yard field goal MINNESOTA 7-3
3rd - GB - Hunter, 1-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 10-7
3rd - GB - Lane, 3-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 17-7
4th - GB - Marcol, 42-yard field goal GREEN BAY 20-7
4th - GB - Marcol, 10-yard field goal GREEN BAY 23-7
December 17: Green Bay Packers (10-4) 30, New Orleans Saints (2-11-1) 20
(NEW ORLEANS) - Chester Marcol booted field goals of 34, 35 and 34 yards and Jerry Tagge and Scott Hunter ran for a touchdown apiece to give the Green Bay Packers a 30-20 win over the New Orleans Saints. The Packers, champions of the NFC Central Division, finished their regular season with a 10-4 record. The Saints scored when Richard Neal fell on a blocked Packer punt in the end zone, on a nine-yard pass from Archie Manning to Bill Butler and on a 10-yard pass from Manning to Dave Parks. Maybe it was the unusual-for-New Orleans 39 degree weather but the first half brought some of the weirdest scoring plays associated with kicking situations ever seen in Tulane Stadium. It all began with 12:10 left when a 40-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Joe Owens and Marcol recovered on the Saint 46. The Saints couldn't move it and punted to the Packer 17, whereupon MacArthur Lane ran 41 yards from scrimmage. Green Bay stalled so Marcol tried a 48-yard field goal with 6:21 left in the quarter. Marcol kicked, but Joe Federspiel blocked it and the ball was recovered by holder Ron Widby, who then passed to 15-year veteran linebacker Ray Nitschke, who zipped 34 yards to the Saint seven. A few plays later Hunter ran from the one to make the score 7-0 with 4:19 left in the quarter. Happy Feller, after the Saints stalled on a drive set up by a blocked Widby punt, tried a 49-yard field goal. Willie Buchanon blocked it, the ball bounced into a crowd of players and Clarence Williams came up with it on the Green Bay 43. But Williams was hemmed in and lateraled it back to Buchanon, who sped down the left sideline for a 57-yard touchdown with 5:24 left in the half, making the score 17-0. The third score on a strange kicking situation came when Widby, the ball on the Packer four yard line, punted from deep in the end zone. But the ball hit teammate Jim Carter's backside and Neal fell on the ball for a New Orleans touchdown.
GREEN BAY - 7 10 7 6 - 30
NEW ORLEANS - 0 7 6 7 - 20
1st - GB - Hunter, 1-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
2nd - GB - Marcol, 34-yard field goal GREEN BAY 10-0
2nd - GB - Buchanon, 48-yard lateral fr B.Brown after a 9-yard return of a blocked FG (Marcol kick) GB 17-0
2nd - NO - Richard Neal, recovered blocked punt in the end zone (Happy Feller kick) GB 17-7
3rd - GB - Tagge, 1-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 24-7
3rd - NO - Bill Butler, 9-yard pass from Archie Manning (Pass failed) GB 24-13
4th - GB - Marcol, 35-yard field goal GREEN BAY 27-13
4th - GB - Marcol, 34-yard field goal GREEN BAY 30-13
4th - NO - Dave Parks, 10-yard pass from Manning (Feller kick) GREEN BAY 30-20
Washington Redskins (11-3) 16, Green Bay Packers (10-4) 3
(Washington) - Curt Knight kicked three field goals, and Bill Kilmer tossed a touchdown pass to Roy Jefferson to lead Washington into the NFC Championship game. The Redskins used a five-man defensive front line and shut down the Green Bay running game, holding John Brockington to nine yards on 13 carries. Larry Brown, who sat out the last two regular season games, carried 25 times for 101 yards, the seventh time he passed the 100 yard mark this season. Chester Marcol's 17-yard field goal gave the Packers a 3-0 lead, but the Redskins scored the last sixteen points of the contest. The loss turned out to be the last game Ray Nitschke ever played for the Green Bay Packers.
1972 IN REVIEW: Green Bay parlayed a strong running attack and a stifling defense into its first playoff berth in five years, and its last until 1982. From opening day to the regular season finale in New Orleans, the Packers never relinquished first place in the NFC Central, finishing with a 10-4 record. Getting there was not east. The team's schedule was the fourth toughest in the league based on their opponents' winning percentage (.579) from 1971. Green Bay also butted heads with five teams that made the playoffs in 1971 - six if the Vikings are counted twice. The Packers won four of those six encounters, including close wins over the NFC Champion runner-up 49ers and the defending Super Bowl champion Cowboys.
22 M-ATLANTA FALCONS (3-2) L 9-10 4- 2-0 47,967 Hunter
29 G-MINNESOTA VIKINGS (2-4) L 13-27 4- 3-0 56,263 Hunter
NOVEMBER (3-1)
5 M-SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (3-3-1) W 34-24 5- 3-0 47,897 Hunter
12 at Chicago Bears (3-4-1) W 23-17 6- 3-0 55,701 Hunter
19 at Houston Oilers (1-8) W 23-10 7- 3-0 41,752 Hunter
26 at Washington Redskins (9-1) L 16-21 7- 4-0 53,039 Hunter
10 at Minnesota Vikings (7-5) W 23- 7 9- 4-0 49,784 Hunter
17 at New Orleans Saints (2-10-1) W 30-20 10- 4-0 65,881 Hunter
1972 POST-SEASON RESULTS (0-1) - DECEMBER (0-1)
NFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF
24 at Washington Redskins (11-3) L 3-16 53,140 Hunter
1972 PRE-SEASON RESULTS (4-2) - AUGUST
5 G-CINCINNATI BENGALS W 24-14 1-0-0 56,263
12 at Miami Dolphins W 14-13 2-0-0 75,332
19 at Houston Oilers L 3-20 2-1-0 46,460
27 M-CHICAGO BEARS W 10- 7 3-1-0 47,222
SEPTEMBER
2 G-ST. LOUIS CARDINALS L 10-31 3-2-0 56,263
9 M-KANSAS CITY CHIEFS W 20- 0 4-2-0 47,281
1972 REGULAR SEASON RESULTS (10-4) - SEPTEMBER (1-1)
17 at Cleveland Browns (0-0) W 26-10 1- 0-0 75,771 Hunter
24 G-OAKLAND RAIDERS (0-1) L 14-20 1- 1-0 56,263 Hunter
OCTOBER (3-2)
1 M-DALLAS COWBOYS (2-0) W 16-13 2- 1-0 47,103 Hunter
8 G-CHICAGO BEARS (0-2-1) W 20-17 3- 1-0 56,263 Hunter
16 at Detroit Lions (3-1) W 24-23 4- 1-0 54,418 Hunter
August 5 : Green Bay (1-0) 24, Cincinnati 14
(GREEN BAY) - There will be no Super Bowl talk about this team, but the Packers took their first little step back to respectable football under Dan Devine Saturday night. Second-year quarterback Scott Hunter threw a 40-yard touchdown pass and scored himself on a one-yard plunge as the Packers upended Cincinnati 24-14 last night. The Packers rolled up a 21-3 halftime bulge and hung on for the victory in the first pre-season game for both teams. Green Bay blended the heavy foot of rookie Chester Marcol with the arm and artistry of Hunter and a tight-fisted defense. Marcol, a long-awaited weapon, kept the Bengals at bay with his booming kick-offs in company with Dave Hanners' hard hitting defenders.
CINCINNATI - 3 0 6 5 - 14
GREEN BAY - 7 14 3 0 - 24
1st - GB - Brockington, 3-yard run (Webster kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
1st - CIN - Horst Muhlmann, 12-yard field goal GREEN BAY 7-3
2nd - GB - Hunter, 1-yard run (Webster kick) GREEN BAY 14-3
2nd - GB - Dale, 40-yard pass from Hunter (Webster kick) GREEN BAY 21-3
3rd - CIN - Tommy Casanova, 52-yard punt return (Kick failed) GREEN BAY 21-9
3rd - GB - Marcol, 25-yard field goal GREEN BAY 24-9
4th - CIN - Muhlmann, 24-yard field goal GREEN BAY 24-12
4th - CIN - Safety, Ken Duncan tackled in end zone GREEN BAY 24-14
August 12 : Green Bay (2-0) 14, Miami 13
(MIAMI) - Miami triumphantly ran up their AFC flag before the opening kickoff Saturday night to the noisy approval of a partisan house. But Dan Devine's surprising Packers, spoiled a homecoming for the Dolphins, in their first Miami appearance of the season. Unveiling a potential long ball threat in the person of sophomore Dave Davis, they shaded Don Shula's 1971 Super Bowl finalists, 14-13 leaving 75,372 customers in shock. Davis, making only his fourth start as a pro, scored both Green Bay touchdowns on passes from Scott Hunter. The first was for 79 yards on a third down and one situation in the first quarter. The second came midway through the second quarter on a ten-yard pass which was deflected by Dolphin LB Doug Swift into Davis' hands in the end zone. The Dolphins missed a chance to tie in the last two minutes when a bad snap from center Bob DeMarco foiled Garo Yepremian's extra point attempt following a two-yard sweep by Hubert Ginn.
GREEN BAY - 7 7 0 0 - 14
MIAMI - 0 7 0 6 - 13
1st - GB - Davis, 79-yard pass from Hunter (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
2nd - GB - Davis, 10-yard pass from Hunter (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 14-0
2nd - MIA - Larry Csonka, 1-yard run (Garo Yepremian kick) GREEN BAY 14-7
4th - MIA - Hubert Ginn, 2-yard run (Kick failed) GREEN BAY 14-13
August 19: Houston 20, Green Bay (2-1) 3
(HOUSTON) - For those Green Bay Packer fans enlivened and excited by their team's victories in its first two exhibition games, Saturday night's meeting with the Houston Oilers was somber, depressing, and a 20-3 defeat. Dan Pastorini threw two touchdown passes and Mark Moseley added a pair of field goals Saturday night. Pastorini, battling for the starting quarterback job in his second year, made scoring strikes of 48 yards to Alvin Reed and three yards to Ken Burrough. The Oilers scored 10 points before Green Bay ran an offensive play. The Packers did not gain a first down until five minutes into the second quarter when Scott Hunter passed 18 yards to Carroll Dale.
GREEN BAY - 0 0 3 0 - 3
HOUSTON - 10 0 3 7 - 20
1st - HOU - Mark Moseley, 12-yard field goal HOUSTON 3-0
1st - HOU - Alvin Reed, 48-yard pass from Dan Pastorini (Moseley kick) HOU 10-0
3rd - GB - Marcol, 18-yard field goal HOUSTON 10-3
3rd - HOU - Moseley, 15-yard field goal HOUSTON 13-3
4th - HOU - Ken Burrough, 3-yard pass from Pastorini (Moseley kick) HOU 20-3
PRE-SEASON - August 27: Green Bay (3-1) 10, Chicago 7
(MILWAUKEE) - The Packers knew they had a placekicker of unlimited potential last winter when they drafted Chester Marcol in the second round, and today they knew they had a bonus. Marcol doesn't flinch under pressure. Marcol, who kicked a 62 yard field goal and seven others of 50 or more yards at Hillsdale College, connected from 40 yards out with 13 seconds left before 47,222 at County Stadium Sunday night. That, and Scott Hunter's five-yard touchdown pass to John Spilis in the third quarter, lifted the Packers from a 7-0 half-time deficit to a 10-7 victory over the archrival Chicago Bears. The Bears called time out as soon as Marcol marched on the field, apparently hoping to rattle the soccer-style specialist. Green Bay took over on its 32 after a punt with three minutes left. The winning drive began falteringly enough as rookie QB Jerry Tagge threw two incomplete passes, then scrambled for nine yards. Tagge suffered what coach Dan Devine later described as a "severe contusion to the thigh" on the play and was replaced by Hunter. John Brockington, held to just 41 yards in 16 carries for the game, plowed for two yards on fourth down to keep the drive alive.
CHICAGO - 0 7 0 0 - 7
GREEN BAY - 0 0 7 3 - 10
2nd - CHI - Bobby Douglass, 1-yard run (Mac Percival kick) CHICAGO 7-0
4th - GB - Marcol, 40-yard field goal GREEN BAY 10-7
September 2: St. Louis 31, Green Bay (3-2) 10
(GREEN BAY) - Tight end Jackie Smith scored two touchdowns and set up a third with a 23-yard pass reception Saturday night to spark the Cardinals to a 31-10 victory over the Packers. Four of St. Louis' scores were set up by Packer mistakes, a low center snap, a low trajectory punt and two fumbled punts by rookie Bob Hudson. MacArthur Lane, an ex-Cardinal, rushed for 91 yards in 20 carries and scored Green Bay's lone touchdown on a five-yard run.
ST. LOUIS - 3 14 7 7 - 31
GREEN BAY - 7 0 3 0 - 10
1st - STL - Jim Bakken, 34-yard field goal ST. LOUIS 3-0
1st - GB - Lane, 5-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 7-3
2nd - STL - Donny Anderson, 1-yard run (Bakken kick) ST. LOUIS 10-7
2nd - STL - Jackie Smith, 17-yard run (Bakken kick) ST. LOUIS 17-7
3rd - GB - Marcol, 20-yard field goal ST. LOUIS 17-10
3rd - STL - Smith, 5-yard pass from Jim Hart (Bakken kick) ST. LOUIS 24-10
4th - STL - Johnny Roland, 29-yard run (Bakken kick) ST. LOUIS 31-10
PRE-SEASON - September 9: Green Bay (4-2) 20, Kansas City 0
(MILWAUKEE) - Complementing a stifling, big play defense with an opportunistic attack, the Packers stunned Super Bowl hopeful Kansas City, 20-0, here Saturday night. Rebounding spectacularly from a 31-10 loss at Cardinal hands last time out, the Packers rode a 51-yard Scott Hunter scoring pass to rookie Leland Glass, a 22-yard rumble by fullback John Brockmgton and a pair of Chester Marcol field goals to victory in their pre-season finale. Another capacity County Stadium crowd of 47,281 fans repeatedly cheered a Packer defense which permitted the multi-talented Chiefs past midfield only twice and consistently harassed Kansas City QB Len Dawson, who was sacked twice for 17 yards and completed only 9 of 18 for 73 yards before yielding to Mickey Livingston at the start of the fourth.
KANSAS CITY - 0 0 0 0 - 0
GREEN BAY - 0 10 10 0 - 20
2nd - GB - Marcol, 23-yard field goal GREEN BAY 3-0
2nd - GB - Glass, 51-yard pass from Hunter (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 10-0
3rd - GB - Brockington, 22-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 17-0
3rd - GB - Marcol, 32-yard field goal GREEN BAY 20-0
JERRY TAGGE - A HOMETOWN HOPE
It had all the makings of a Hollywood movie. A young boy sells concessions at the NFL stadium he would later star as a quarterback. That seemed to be the theme in place for Jerry Tagge, the Packers' second first round draft choice in 1972. Born at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska, Tagge attended Green Bay West before starring at Nebraska, where, as a junior, he took over the starting position from Van Brownson, leading the team to two Orange Bowl wins and Tagge won MVP honors in both games.
Tagge spent most of his rookie season on the bench, before going 3-3 as a starter in both 1973 and 1974. His college success did not follow, as he completed only three touchdown passes in the 17 games he played, with 17 interceptions. Tagge left the NFL for the San Antonio Wings (WFL). In the team's final game before the league folded in October 1975, he was intercepted five times.
In 1977, Tagge joined the British Columbia Lions (CFL), and led them to a 10-2 record, winning four games in the last minute of play, before they lost their last four games. In the playoffs, the Lions defeated Winnipeg 33-22 for their first post-season victory since the 1964 Grey Cup. B.C. moved on to the Western Final with high hopes but were crushed by the eventual champions, the Edmonton Eskimos, 40-1. Tagge was named the Western Division Most Outstanding Player, the first Lion to capture the trophy since Tom Brown in 1964. The Lions struggled in 1978 as Tagge was unable to re-create the magic of his first season on the west coast. The club finished at 7-7-2 and missed the playoffs. Tagge returned to B.C. in 1979 but a knee injury in the second half of the season ended his career.
1972 PACKER TRADES - TRANSACTIONS
FEB 21 - Traded RB Donny Anderson to ST. LOUIS for RB MacArthur Lane
JUL 25 - DT Charles Burrell (16th round) left camp
JUL 29 - Released DT Bill Bushong (7th round), RB Jesse Lakes (13th round), DB Butch Davis, TE Ron Bullock, RB Steve Caputo, CB Ron Campiano and LB Ken Groh
(69 players)
APR 18 - Traded DT Lionel Aldridge and a 1974 3rd-round draft choice to SAN DIEGO for S Jim Hill
AUG 7 - Released S Rick Thone (15th round), WR Al Pearman, DB Rich Searl, LB Ron Ely and WR Mike Carter (64 players)
AUG 21 - Claimed DT Vernon Vanoy off waivers from NEW YORK GIANTS. Waived DE Donnell Smith, DB Nate Ross (6th round), WR Dave Bailey (11th round), TE
Tom Watson and RB Charlie Hicks. Granted RB Mike Rich (12th round) injury-related leave of absence
SEPT 1 - Traded QB Zeke Bratkowski to CHICAGO for a 1974 6th-round draft choice
SEPT 6 - Traded RB Dave Hampton to ATLANTA for OG Malcolm Snider
SEPT 7 - Traded a 1973 2nd-round draft choice to DALLAS for P Ron Widby and CB Ike Thomas
SEPT 8 - Waived LB Eric Patton (3rd round), LB Lerry Hefner (14th round) and WR Sam Dickerson and placed them on taxi squad (44 players)
1972 Packers Yearbook
1972 Packers Media Guide
Cardinals at Packers Program - 2 September
GREEN BAY - 0 3 0 0 - 3
WASHINGTON - 0 10 0 6 - 16
2nd - GB - Marcol, 17-yard field goal GREEN BAY 3-0
2nd - WAS - Roy Jefferson, 32-yd pass fr Billy Kilmer (Curt Knight kick) WASH 7-3
2nd - WAS - Knight, 42-yard field goal WASHINGTON 10-3
4th - WAS - Knight, 35-yard field goal WASHINGTON 13-3
4th - WAS - Knight, 46-yard field goal WASHINGTON 16-3
