All NFL game summaries for 01/10/1982:
This game not only brought the Bengals their first AFC Championship and a berth in Super Bowl XVI, it was played in conditions that made the 46,302 fans on hand feel like champions themselves. With a frigid temperature of minus-9 degrees, winds gusting from 20 to 35 miles per hour and an incredible wind chill factor of minus-59, this famous game became known as the "Freezer Bowl." To this day, no NFL game has been played with a wind chill so cold. More than 13,000 ticket holders stayed home, but those who came saw the Bengals dominate their opponents from sunny San Diego.
The Bengals first attacked them mentally, as every Cincinnati offensive and defensive lineman -- along with fullback Pete Johnson -- took the psychological initiative to tough the cold and play in short sleeves. The teams were relatively even in yards gained with Cincinnati leading 318-301, but the Bengals won the turnover battle 4-0 with two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Chargers QB Dan Fouts struggled more in the arctic atmosphere than the Bengals' Ken Anderson, who completed 14 of 22 passes for 161 yards, two TDs and no interceptions. Only one player suffered a weather-related injury in the game -- Bengals defensive end Eddie Edwards with a frostbitten right ear.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
OFFENSE | 125.3 (16) | 296.2 (1) | 421.5 (1) | 40 | |
DEFENSE | 114.1 (5) | 269.4 (28) | 383.5 (27) | 41 | |
OFFENSE | 123.3 (17) | 249.7 (3) | 373.0 (2) | 24 | |
DEFENSE | 117.6 (9) | 213.0 (22) | 330.6 (12) | 37 |
Line: Bengals by 4½
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
San Diego Chargers (11-7-0) | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Cincinnati Bengals (14-4-0) | 10 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 27 |
SD CIN First Downs: 18 19 Rushes-yards: 31-128 36-143 Yards/rush: 4.1 4.0 Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 15-28-185-2 13-25-175-0 Sacked-yards: 2-12 0-0 Net pass yards: 173 175 Net yards/pass: 5.8 7.0 Total net yards: 301 318 Total plays: 61 (50% run) 61 (59% run) Yards/play: 4.9 5.2 Fumbles-lost: 4-2 3-1 Turnovers: 4 1 Penalties-yards: 2-15 3-25 Attendance: 46,302
SD: Dan Fouts, 15 of 28 for 185 yards and 1 TD (2 int) CIN: Ken Anderson, 14 of 22 for 161 yards and 2 TDs; Jack Thompson, 1 of 1 for 14 yards
Rushing:
SD: Chuck Muncie, 23 for 94 yards; James Brooks, 6 for 23 yards; Dan Fouts, 1 for 6 yards; John Cappelletti, 1 for 5 yards CIN: Pete Johnson, 21 for 80 yards and 1 TD; Charles Alexander, 9 for 22 yards; Ken Anderson, 5 for 39 yards; Cris Collinsworth, 1 for 2 yards
Receiving:
SD: Wes Chandler, 6 for 79 yards; Kellen Winslow, 3 for 47 yards and 1 TD; Charlie Joiner, 3 for 41 yards; James Brooks, 2 for 5 yards; Eric Sievers, 1 for 13 yards CIN: Dan Ross, 5 for 69 yards; Charles Alexander, 3 for 25 yards; Cris Collinsworth, 2 for 28 yards; Isaac Curtis, 2 for 28 yards; Pete Johnson, 1 for 14 yards; M.L. Harris, 1 for 8 yards and 1 TD; Don Bass, 1 for 3 yards and 1 TD
Kick returns:
SD: James Brooks, 4 for 87 yards; Doug Beaudoin, 2 for 38 yards; Pete Shaw, 1 for 7 yards CIN: David Verser, 1 for 40 yards
Punt returns:
SD: Wes Chandler, 1 for 7 yards
Interceptions:
CIN: Bobby Kemp, 1 for 24 yards; Louis Breeden, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
SD: George Roberts, 2 for 59 yards CIN: Pat McInally, 3 for 92 yards
Field Goals:
SD: Rolf Benirschke, 0/2 CIN: Jim Breech, 2/2
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
Line: Cowboys by 3
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dallas Cowboys (13-5-0) | 10 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 27 |
San Francisco 49ers (15-3-0) | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
DAL SF First Downs: 16 26 Rushes-yards: 32-115 31-127 Yards/rush: 3.6 4.1 Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 16-24-173-1 22-35-286-3 Sacked-yards: 4-38 3-20 Net pass yards: 135 266 Net yards/pass: 4.8 7.0 Total net yards: 250 393 Total plays: 60 (53% run) 69 (44% run) Yards/play: 4.2 5.7 Fumbles-lost: 4-2 3-3 Turnovers: 3 6 Penalties-yards: 5-39 7-106 Attendance: 60,525
DAL: Danny White, 16 of 24 for 173 yards and 2 TDs (1 int) SF: Joe Montana, 22 of 35 for 286 yards and 3 TDs (3 int)
Rushing:
DAL: Tony Dorsett, 22 for 91 yards and 1 TD; Ron Springs, 5 for 10 yards; James Jones, 4 for 14 yards; Danny White, 1 for 0 yards SF: Lenvil Elliott, 10 for 48 yards; Earl Cooper, 8 for 35 yards; Bill Ring, 6 for 27 yards; Joe Montana, 3 for -5 yards; Walt Easley, 2 for 6 yards; Freddie Solomon, 1 for 14 yards; Johnny Davis, 1 for 2 yards and 1 TD
Receiving:
DAL: James Jones, 3 for 17 yards; Billy Joe DuPree, 3 for 15 yards; Ron Springs, 3 for 13 yards; Tony Hill, 2 for 43 yards and 1 TD; Drew Pearson, 1 for 31 yards; Doug Cosbie, 1 for 21 yards and 1 TD; Butch Johnson, 1 for 20 yards; Jay Saldi, 1 for 9 yards; Doug Donley, 1 for 4 yards SF: Dwight Clark, 8 for 120 yards and 2 TDs; Freddie Solomon, 6 for 75 yards and 1 TD; Charle Young, 4 for 45 yards; Earl Cooper, 2 for 11 yards; Lenvil Elliott, 1 for 24 yards; Mike Shumann, 1 for 11 yards
Kick returns:
DAL: James Jones, 3 for 56 yards; Timmy Newsome, 2 for 33 yards SF: Amos Lawrence, 3 for 60 yards; Bill Ring, 3 for 47 yards
Punt returns:
DAL: James Jones, 3 for 13 yards SF: Dwight Hicks, 2 for 21 yards; Freddie Solomon, 1 for 3 yards
Interceptions:
DAL: Everson Walls, 2 for 0 yards; Randy White, 1 for 0 yards SF: Bobby Leopold, 1 for 5 yards
Punting:
DAL: Danny White, 6 for 236 yards SF: Jim Miller, 3 for 107 yards
Field Goals:
DAL: Rafael Septien, 2/2