Freezer Bowl - Overview

Overview

The game was one of the few in NFL history in which the same team kicked off to begin both halves. Cincinnati won the toss and instead of receiving, elected to have the brutally cold wind at their backs to start the game, believing it would neutralize San Diego's passing game and help the Bengals to build an early lead. The strategy paid off as Cincinnati built a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. San Diego would score their only touchdown in the second, but gave up another score to the Bengals and trailed 17-7 at halftime. Accordingly, San Diego used its option at the beginning of the second half to receive the kickoff, resulting in Cincinnati kicking off to begin both halves—and in the same direction both times, using their second half option to again begin the half with the wind at their backs.

Cincinnati scored first with a 31-yard field goal from kicker Jim Breech. Then James Brooks lost a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, and the Bengals scored a touchdown on an 8-yard pass from Anderson to tight end M. L. Harris, increasing their lead to 10-0. In the second quarter, the Chargers cut their deficit to 10-7 with Fouts' 33-yard touchdown pass to Winslow. But on the Chargers next drive, Fouts was intercepted by Bengals defensive back Louis Breeden. Breeden's interception set up another Bengals touchdown on Johnson's one-yard run, giving them a 17-7 lead. The Bengals completely took over the game from that point on. Breech kicked another field goal in the third quarter to increase the lead to 20-7. Then in final period, Anderson put the game away with a three-yard touchdown pass to receiver Don Bass. The Bengals won the game 27-7 and advanced to the first Super Bowl in franchise history (Super Bowl XVI).

Fouts completed 15 of 28 passes for 185 yards and a touchdown, with two interceptions. Muncie was the top rusher of the game with 94 yards. Anderson completed 14 of 22 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns, with no interceptions, and rushed for 39 yards. Johnson rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown, while also catching a pass for 14 yards.

As a sidenote, Cincinnati head coach Forrest Gregg had already participated in one of the coldest games in NFL history prior to this one. When he was a player for the Green Bay Packers in 1967, Gregg played in the famous NFL championship game against the Dallas Cowboys that became known as the Ice Bowl. Another sidenote is that Brooks, whose fumble helped the Bengals win the game, would later go on to help the Bengals get to Super Bowl XXIII in the 1988 season, this time not as an opponent, but as a player for the team. After spending two more seasons with the Chargers, Brooks was traded to the Bengals in exchange for Pete Johnson, and remained on the team until 1991. Brooks made the Pro Bowl four times with the Bengals (1986, 1988–1990) and left Cincinnati as the team's all time leading rusher (Jim).