NO CHANCE the Jets would have won Super Bowl III. No way Unitas would make the mistakes that Earl Morrall did. He was flat out terrible. There is a decent chance that the Jets would have lost 35-10 if Unitas started. Morrall was terrible. I already had thought of this before, but watching the highlights again on NFL Network makes it even more obvious. The Colts were marching down the field with ease, but kept blowing it. Unitas would not have made the same mistakes. Heck, Shula should have atleast BENCHED Morrall way before he did. Shula coached worse than Herman Edwards in that game. Everything fell the Jets way that day. Why can't that ever happen anymore? Hey oldtimers, do you agree with this assessment? Unitas starts, Jets lose?
Nice change-of-pace thread, but I really have no authority to comment on this. I've been drinking and, thus, I'm loquacious; but that's about all I got.
I guess this is what they mean when they describe the senility and dementia that is affecting our senior citizens... Then again, this is better than Bubba Franks' claim that the game was fixed! "If 'Ifs and Buts' were candy and nuts then every day would be Christmas."
Unitas was on the bench for a reason and Morrall got the start because he and he alone got them to the SB to begin with. It wouldn't have mattered who the QB was the Jets played good enough defense to beat anybody they threw out there.
If Shula had covered the Orange Bowl field in January of '83 If the Jets had drafted Marino If Parcells coached another season If Belicheck stayed If Brien makes a field goal If Favre didn't blow in December
For the years on the rules committee, all the shady practices and all those wins yet he still lost to the Jets in the Super Bowl..... how's that feel you old fat fuck!!! Honestly I've watched the game, it was over when Unitas came in, Morrell played bad because the Jets forced him to. I don't think Unitas would have made a difference.
There is no way in the world Unitas deserved to start the game, Morrall did, he had a great season. Yes he was the MVP I believe. I am just saying, odds are Unitas would not have made those mistakes. Earl's mistakes shifted momentum completely to the Jets.
Yep. Plus when Shula pulled Morrall from the game, Unitas went in and played just as bad, maybe worse.
Are we actually having a discussion WHY the Colts LOST in Super Bowl III? Poor Shula and his poor decisions? Holy Crap, my eyes are bleeding. Kick that same idiot team when they're down all over again, please.
in 1969...I was more worried about my dad getting kicked in the testicles...because i wasn't born until 1977.
Yeah, this thread sucks. I was just really tired and watching the highlights, it seems the Colts were doing pretty good. Just kept blowing it. But who makes a thread trying to insult or take something away from the best game in Jets history? Me, when I am tired I guess. Damn.
If we didn't have two late turnovers in Denver in 1998. If Mo Lewis didn't hospitalize Drew Bledsoe If no one decided to create a franchise in New York when the AFL was accepting bids...
Morrall WAS both the AP and UPI MVP of the NFL in '68. (They had 2 back then) http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=MORRAEAR01
Morrall was the NFL MVP and led the Colts to a 13-1 record. Unitas was old and his arm was injured, which led to Morall being the QB that year in the first place. Unitas made no difference in that game. Don't base your opinion on the NFL Films Super Bowl III highlight show. Remember, that show was produced by NFL films - not AFL films and had a distinctly NFL tilt. That has been well documented and proven. Of a 22 minute show, about 10 minutes was devoted to Unitas and the fourth quarter, but the game was over by then, Unitas didn't play well, and the TD drive he led was nothing more than an an "Oh by the way score." Revisionist history is a wonderful thing.
Yeah, that 22 minute film did seem to favor the Colts quite a bit. To a guy who was dead tired, they looked great.
^Absolutely true. In the near fight Joe Willie had with Lou Michaels in a bar in Miami the week before the SB, Michaels says that in addition to all their other advantages, the Colts have "a hall of famer sitting on the bench", referring to Unitas. Joe Willie replied "Unitas couldn't throw the ball across the street". At that the two men had to be seperated, and Joe Willie bought the next round to make peace. He was right however. At that point, Unitas' arm was in such bad shape that he could barely lift it over his head. This idea that he would have changed the outcome if he started is ludicris. And you are also right about the film - Sabol, who was a cameraman at the time for his old man, went to the Jets sideline to film. As he approched Joe Willie, Namath saw the NFL logo on the camera. He said to Sabol "Get the f*** out of here. The NFL is over there. This is the AFL". So the original highlight film makes it look like the Colts won. Sabol redid the film a few years ago with new highlights and interviews. That film gives a much better sense of how that game actually unfolded.
The way the Jets were able to run the ball at will against them Namath could have easily put up two more scores on the Colts in that game. He didn't have to and that's why we only scored 16 points. The game was a complete blowout and if it got into a shoot out the Jets OL was so dominate that day we could have scored at will.
Yep I think it was his elbow which is why Morrall was in there in the 1st place. When Unitas came in garbage time he to stunk up the field. Maybe a healthy Unitas may have made a difference but since he was not healthy we will never know & the history books will forever show NYJs 16 Balt 7
