By Ron Griffitts
Contributing columnist
In a rematch of the previous year’s championship game, the Green Bay Packers (13-1) coached by Vince Lombardi met the New York Giants (12-2) on Dec. 30, 1962 in Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City.
The Packers were led on offense by Bart Starr (2438 YDS, 12 TDS), running backs Jim Taylor (1474 YDS, 19 TS), Tom Moore (377 YDS, 7 TDS) and Paul Hornung (219 YDS, 5 TDS), and receivers Max McGee (820 YDS, 3 TDS), Boyd Dowler (724 YDS, 2 TDS) and Ron Kramer (555 YDS, 7 TDS).
Their place kickers were Jerry Kramer who made 9 out of 11 field goal attempts and Paul Hornung who made 6 of 10.
The defense was led by Willie Wood with nine interceptions, Herb Adderley with seven and Hank Gremminger with five.
The Giants’ offense was led by quarterback Y. A. Tittle (3224 YDS, 33 TDS), running backs Alex Webster (743 YDS, 5 TDS) and Phil King (460 YDS, 2 TDS), and receivers Del Shofner (1133 YDS, 12 TDS), Frank Gifford (796 YDS, 7 TDS), Alex Webster (477 YDS, 4 TDS) and Joe Walton (406 YDS, 9 TDS).
Don Chandler was their place kicker and converted on 19 of 28 field goal attempts.
The defense was by led Jimmy Patton with seven interceptions, Erich Barnes with six and Dick Lynch with five.
After the previous year’s 37-0 loss in Green Bay, the Giants were looking to give a better account of themselves in 1962.
The Pack got on the board first in the first quarter with a Jerry Kramer 26-yard field goal and Green Bay led 3-0. In the second quarter Jim Taylor carried the ball into the end zone from seven yards out and Green Bay increased their advantage to 10-0 which was the score at halftime.
In the third quarter, the Giants got a break as Jim Collier recovered a blocked punt in the end zone and the score tightened to 10-7. But, Jerry Kramer added a 29-yard field goal in the third quarter and a 30 yarder in the fourth quarter while the Green Bay defense held the Giants scoreless. The Packers went on to win their second consecutive NFL championship game 16-7.
For the second championship game in a row, Green Bay held the Giants to no offensive scores, no field goals or touchdowns.
Only the Packer loss to the Lions on Thanksgiving Day prevented Green Bay from having an undefeated season.
Green Bay was back in the NFL Championship Game in 1965 while the Giants returned the following year in 1963.
Statistics for this article were from pro-football-reference.com.
