*September 16, 1950 - The All-America Football Conference (AAFC) was reduced from eight teams to seven for the 1949 season when the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees merged. Just days before the 1949 AAFC Championship Game, the NFL announced it would join with three teams from the AAFC - the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Colts (no affiliation with the current Indianapolis franchise led by Peyton Manning). The Browns defeated the San Francisco 49ers 21-7 in the final AAFC Championship Game.
Most NFL experts thought the Cleveland Browns (the undisputed kings of the AAFC) would be exposed as benefiting from a weaker league, but the Browns soon proved they could dominate any league in their inaugural NFL campaign.
Cleveland made its NFL debut in grand style by routing the Eagles 35-10 in Philadelphia on September 16, 1950. The Browns would go on to finish their first NFL season with a 10-2 record, a mark good enough to finish in a first pace tie with the New York Giants. The Giants, the only team to beat the Browns during the regular season, fell short against Cleveland in a defense dominated Divisional Playoff Game by the score of 8-3.
The 1950 NFL Championship game matched up the Cleveland Browns and the Los Angeles Rams, who had played in Cleveland from 1937-1945. The Browns defeated the Rams 30-28 to take the NFL title.
*September 16, 1960 – New England Patriot Defensive Back Chuck Shonta recovers a fumble on the final play of a game against the New York Titans (played at the Polo Grounds in New York) and returns it for the game-winning touchdown. The 28-24 win is the first victory for the New England Patriots franchise.
*September 16, 1962 - Wide receiver Frank Clarke of the Dallas Cowboys sets the opening week NFL record when he catches 10 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns against the Washington Redskins.
*September 16, 1973 – Running back O.J. Simpson of the Buffalo Bills sets the opening week NFL rushing record when he carries the ball for 250 yards and two touchdowns against the New England Patriots.
*September 16, 1984 - Tom Flores earns his 50th win as head coach of the Raiders when they defeat the Chiefs in Kansas City, 22-20.
*September 16, 2001 - In the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks, Commissioner Paul Tagliabue postpones the games scheduled for the weekend of September 16-17, 2001.
The Pittsburgh Steelers were to begin a new era in team history that weekend with the opening of their new stadium, Heinz Field. The inaugural game at Heinz Field was originally scheduled to be the nationally televised Sunday Night game on September 16th, however, the September 11th terrorist attacks on America forced the NFL to postpone all games that weekend — which were eventually rescheduled for the end of the season. As a result, the Steelers opened Heinz Field on Sunday, October 7, 2001 with a 16-7 win against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Tomorrow, Week 2 game predictions and starting "If Real Football Used Fantasy Scoring..." lineups.
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