I love watching this game wrapped in a heated blanket next to the fireplace. It gives you a serious appreciation for simple things like warmth. And thank you to the folks who upload these classic games.
I don't know how that reporter who was on the sidelines wearing a fedora could stand not having his ears covered in that cold. I live in Boston; on 20-degree days, my inner ears feel like they're going to explode if I don't have a wool winter hat on to cover my ears. And on that day it felt like 80 degrees lower than that.
@@robertlevine2827 It's amazing there aren't more or any deaths or serious issues as a result of playing in such temps...from players, coaches & fans.... perhaps it's covered up ..but growing up, loved the idea of football in the cold & in the 'elements'
@@Imisambi I worked outside all my adult life in a northern climate, and, simply, a person figures out pretty fast what they have to do to stay reasonably comfortable.
Cold NFL games in the playoffs are the best. They are the most memorable and fascinating games to watch because not only are the teams battling each other in the playoffs, they are also battling the elements. Doesn't get any better...
@@spontaneouz1000-sr6ls Yeah, because Cincinnati is a brutally cold destination. Heck, they average 15 inches of snow per winter, and an average high close to 40 degrees Fahrenheit all winter.
@@cruzcrane654 I disagree that it was an advantage for Cincinnati. Cincinnati is not a cold weather city. However, there’s always the home field advantage, no matter what the weather is. Currently, betting establishments give three points to the home team on the point spread. The Bengals won the game, though. Good for them. 👍👍👍👍
Cincinnati crushed the Chargers earlier in the year, 40-17, in San Diego. It didn't matter where they played this game, or what the climate would have been. Cincinnati was going to the Super Bowl. San Diego was going home.
And had a penalty on 4th Down not gone against the Bills a week earlier in the Division playoff game played in Cincinnati against these Bengals the day after the SD-MIA game that to me is still the greatest game in NFL history, the Chargers would have been likely HOSTING the Bills in the AFC Championship game presenting the NFL with what at the time would have been a big problem because both games would have been on the West Coast. Today that would not be an issue, but back then, with Churches having MUCH greater say they likely file a ton of complaints against the FCC for having sports airing during the "prime time access" period of 7:00-8:00 PM (6:00-7:00 PM CT) on Sundays that for many years was restricted to news or children's programming (as many even now associate pro sports with gambling), especially since Dallas-SF ("The Catch" game that immediately followed this one) likely winds up with a 6:30 PM ET kickoff on CBS resulting in a lot of FCC complaints.
Incompetent HOF voters who ignorantly over-accentuate team accomplishments (winning SBs) when assessing individual value. Weak-minded HOF voters who are unduly influenced by self-promoting players and too lazy to analyze more than just superficial factors for players, like Ken Anderson, who didn't promote themselves. Shallow HOF voters who are overly influenced by things like a random sound bite ("In fact, I guarantee we'll beat the Colts") or heavy exposure of players from big-market teams.
Anderson was exceptionally modest, the complete "team player," which places humility above preening, destructive pride. Which was also the Paul Brown playbook. The '70s were known for Steeler domination through defense and the "dead ball." But Ken Anderson in the '70s won his first 2 of 3 starts against 9 future Hall of Famers. Soon, he would introduce the nation to the new game when footballs would light up the skies and the scoreboards--with the highest QB rating in 1974 and again In 1975, when on Monday Night the Bengals beat O.J. Simpson and the Bills with Kenny's 450 yards passing. No other team in the NFL reached the 3000 yds passing that Anderson breezed thru. --by an athlete who exemplified the QB position. No wasted movement, back-pedaling on his tip toes, shot-gun formations--none of that for Anderson. He got to his mark,, then turned, planted his rear foot, waited til the last possible moment, and rifled the ball to Skip or threw a 65-yard rainbow to Isaac. Kenny paved the way for the big yardage of Fouts, who always had the giant-sized Winslow to throw to, and when the Bengals traded away the man Bill Walsh called the smartest receiver in the league--Charlie Joiner---Kenny's weapons were much fewer. But he'd fault himself before any other player. And in the early '80s he came all the way back--best QB rating in 81 and again in '82--setting the tone for the even greater shows of offense when Montana and Marino would pick up from Fouts' big yards. I suspect that, like baseball fans who are more impressed by home runs than batting averages--ithe HOF committee is more impressed by yards accumulated than completion percentage. Anderson is the most solid of 4 top QBs in '81 Pro-Bowl, yet the announcer, Fran Tarkenton, shows the "hero worship" of Fouts, who is sacked and parted from the ball 3 times by the NFC defenders, and each time Tarkenton says "Boy, what a tough tough player!" At another point Fran says "We never knew Ken could run until these past 2 years." That tells you something about the biases of many who were close to the game. (Anderson from the beginning was known as a highly mobile QB--Fouts was not. Fran apparently likes to keep his own specialty to himself.) The irony is that so many of the HOF players, incl. QB's--Marino, Fouts, Tarkenton--never won a Super Bowl. So that loss hardly explains the slight to a quarterback who was the Bengals "only" winning QB and, moreover, was a favorite of the revered legend, Paul Brown.
forget about the catch between dallas and san francisco the only thing that was important in that game was that eric wright horse collard drew pearson in which dallas was robbed
@@robertosso5210 Exactly! I watched this game live with my parents when I was eleven years old. Nobody remembers Danny White finding Drew Pearson over the middle on a slant pattern,and Eric Wright was using that “gunk” stick-em on his hands and saved a touchdown by horse collar tackling Drew,because no one was between Drew and the end zone. That play happened AFTER the catch by Dwight Clark. Danny White fumbled on the next play to send SF to the Super Bowl. Makes me sick in 2022!
I remember watching this game in NJ. The Hudson River was frozen over and it was 28 below 0 watching at home. Dan Fouts said about the game: We lost as soon as we got off the plane.
Bengals beat the Chargers in the regular season that year. The game was IN San Diego and Cincy won 40-17. Regardless of the weather the Chargers were going to lose
Well after watching these recent playoff blowouts this weekend i have been enjoying these vintage games . Finally get to enjoy football again . Thank God for these real football games . Time in a bottle .
@@rtee48 He’s what I call an ancient armchair warrior. The nfl is *more* popular than *ever.* So the geezer likes to watch old games. So do I. But senseless whining is infantile.
I was a big San Diego Charger fan growing up. This game broke my heart along with last years AFC Championship Game against the Raiders. The Chargers had their opportunities to go to the Superbowl but just could not do it. Nontheless, the Air Coryell Chargers will always be my favorite teams. They were sooo fun to watch.
This Raider fan had huge respect for Dan Fouts, Kellen Winslow, and air Coryell. As much as a rival San Diego was, that team during those years is missing a SB ring. One of those years they really should have at least gone, if not won it all.
Another example of "Fouts Chokes in a Big Game." Muncie and Brooks were running well, but Fouts just kept trying to make himself the hero. The most overrated QB ever.
Like many commenting here, I remember watching this game at home in Huntington, WV. WEe had the same cold conditions.. So, at half-time I went down to the Ohio River to be feel like I was experiencing history. I was 15 years old at the time. I watched chunks of ice float downriver. This brings back great memories. Thank you for uploading.
I lived in Champaign, IL and I'll also never forget the cold of that weekend. We didn't have the wind chill Cincy had, but it was -21F IIRC. I know my dog didn't take more than a few seconds to do her business instead of sniffing around for half an hour!
The 80s was a great time to watch football. You can watch Enberg/Olsen, Summerall/Madden, a young Musberger, Bob Costas, MNF crew. They are all legends calling games played by legends.
Consider that he was born and went to high school not too far from Dallas. He played for SMU in Dallas. (It can get over 100 degrees during the summer there. I experienced it myself.) He won his last Super Bowl ring with the Cowboys. He definitely lived a football life.
He was also on 3 Super Bow-winning teams (2 with the Packers, 1 with Dallas). Vince Lombardi rated Gregg as his best player. That says plenty right there.
And he took the coaching job at his collegiate alma mater after the "death penalty" expired, saying it was the third time he was drafted and answered all three calls.
@john woodham Hey old man. I was only 15 :) . San Diego was the prototypical warm weather team of that era. Folded like a cheap tent in fridgid weather. Good memories
@@daviclar867 I was eight And I was disappointed because I wanted to see the high flying chargers in the Super Bowl. Then I had to watch my beloved Cowboys be defeated a number of hours later
Finally, I have completed my last game from the NFL archives. I hope the NFL will bring on some more classic games soon and not wait until the season starts to do it. Great memories!
@@Booth1667 What a stupid ass comment. He was MVP and pro for most of his career and he had equal or better stats than Ken Stabler. He absolutely should be in the hall of fame.
No doubt about it as a Bengals fan I can say he was completing 70% in a era of QB's they were down around 50% plus Namath & Stabler HOF QB's had more career picks then TD's the DB WR rules much different all advantage offense none for the D, wasn't the case when Anderson played.
Deberg and Testaverde weren't career winners. I'm not sure he's a HOFer, but your "59%" comment doesn't help make you look like you know what you're talking about.
In my humble opinion, Ken Anderson is the Best QB of all times. He was a marvel in all kind of throws, great accuracy, great leadership, very mobile. If he had played in an elite team like Steelers, Cowboys, Raiders or Dolphins in the 70’s, he could easily win multiple Super Bowls
MY GRANDMOTHER TOO AND BE NAMED SB MVP . OR IF SHE HAD BALLS THEN SHE WOULD'VE BEEN ....MY GRANDFATHER !!! ANDERSON WAS VERY GOOD BUT LET'S NOT GO CRAZY
@@markfuller2656 I WAS BEING A SMARTASS. I HAVE ONLY ONE PROBLEM WITH ANDERSON. HE BEAT MY BELOVED CHARGERS IN THE AFC TITLE GAME. IT WAS SOOOO COLD THAT DAY . HE BROKE MY HEART BUT SURE PUT HIM IN . HE WAS A GREAT ONE .
@@indy_go_blue6048 The Bengals were 12-4 that season and had the #1 seed in the AFC, the Chargers were 10-6, the Bengals beat the Chargers 40-17 in week 10 (November 8) had the Chargers won that game both teams would have been 11-5 and the Bengals would have had to go to San Diego
@@kevingreen2400 That I understand. I don't understand why... say, this weekend one game is in NO and the second game is in Buffalo (just for example.) Then the NFL schedules the NO game for 4pm and the Buffalo game for 7:30. That simply doesn't make sense to me.
And the ball felt like a big slick rock if you were trying to throw and/or catch it, and the kickers and punters felt like they were kicking solid concrete
Riverfront Stadium field was Astroturf which was like playing on concrete. I don't think the QBs today could handle being slammed down on that stuff. The players, including quarterbacks were so much tougher back then.
They had to be tough. There were no rules against bumping receivers all the way down-field (the reason Shula started the practice of triple-teaming Isaac Curtis) and hands could be in the QB's face and around his neck.
OMG, as a New Yorker we had the Giants and Jets both in for the first time in a while, then the next week the Epic in Miami, then the next week this game and The Catch game. Super Bowl looked like a blowout for a while but ended up tight. Best postseason ever all in all.
6 quarterbacks that I wish would have got a Super Bowl ring: Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, Warren Moon, Bert Jones, Ken Anderson & Dan Fouts. All should be in the HOF
Great video! Enberg at his best. The refs seem to let the game flow well without the constant penalties like now. The players also seem to play without getting in each other's face after every play. No whining in 82!
It was too cold to get in anybodys face Lol . The Chargers were a dead tired team after playing double overtime the week before in humid Miami . Throw in the fact that the Chargers flew from San Diego to Miami to San Diego to Cincinnati and play 2 NFL games all in 8 days .
@Jane Margaret Aguho... Don't ya just hate that about today's game? I haven't watched a game played in this century in 6 seasons now because of all the foolishness on and off the field, including the SB this past Sunday, and I used to be a BIG 49er fan!
16:48 Bengals Force Fumble on Kickoff 18:26 K. Anderson 8-yard TD Pass to Harris 33:46 D. Fouts 33-yard TD Pass to K. Winslow 40:23 P. Johnson 1-yard TD Run 46:38 D. Fouts Intercepted by Breeden 53:23 D. Fouts Intercepted by Kemp 1:01:57 Chargers Fumble in Bengal Territory 1:17:54 Bengals Fumble in Chargers Territory 1:36:44 K. Anderson 3-yard TD Pass to D. Bass 1:47:21 Chargers Stop Bengals on Fourth Down to Ice the Freezer Bowl
NFL glad I didn't read this before watching the video. why are you giving away the results in the comments section for those of us not old enough to remember the game?
Deserve? He played an awful game. The Bengals QB played in the exact same weather and made passes going into the wind. Fouts really sucked in this game. He was inaccurate and he made very poor decisions.
It's not a GM in football who would take Anderson over Fouts. Fouts didn't play as well as Anderson in this game because of the weather. That being said Anderson was a damn good qb but Fouts was a no questions asked HOF
Not really. But San Diego did kinda get screwed by the weather in this game. I believe that if it was even halfway decent weather that San Diego would've won
Yes he should. Way better than Joe Namath who is in. I think if he doesn't throw that interception in the 1st Q of SB 16 off the SF fumble on the opening KO and instead the Bengals go in to score and take a 7-0 lead, they win that game and KA is in the HOF. YEs I believe capping off that one drive with a TD was that huge for KA and his HOF future
Ken often tells the story of how in the first quarter he almost got knocked out. He had tucked his feet under the heated bench. When a roar came from the crowd he went to stand up yet his feet were still tucked so he ended up falling face first on the ground. Luckily he was still wearing his helmet at the time.
Watched it on TV the day it was played. It was cold in Austin, Texas, but not like it was in Cincinnati... It was nice watching it in a warm, heated efficiency apt... Grateful I was able to watch it. I love football. Still love staying warm inside when it's freezing cold outside.
Strange watching games back in the day. Gotta admit it's kinda nice to not see the players celebrate after every first down. Or when the score a touchdown, they don't all go into some stupid dance routines. Just some high fives and hand the ball to the ref
@@tylourbrewington4042 Yeah back when you received shots to the head, clotheslined, punched, hit while on the ground. Oh by the way, the Broad Street Bullies in hockey, brawls in basketball, McEnroe in tennis. So Much Respect huh. Don't judge by one game, dancing and celebrating aren't the only ways to disrespect. If that's disrespecting.
@@rtee48 Apples and oranges. These clowns nowadays can’t get a first down without doing some kind of taunting. It’s ridiculous. You’re confusing passion with showmanship.
If a penalty had not gone against the Bills late in their division playoff game the day after the "Epic in Miami," the Bills likely win that game against the Bengals and the AFC Championship game is in San Diego with the Bills having to travel cross-country. Probably a MUCH different result.
I will never forget this great game my most memorable part is quarterback Ken Anderson calling out the signals and you can hear it very well I believe Ken Anderson will be in the Hall of Fame one day hopefully before Joe Burrow makes it 🤔 👍
That old Riverfront turf was bad enough under favorable conditions.. I can't even imagine what it felt like on a day with -59 wind chill.. whatever these players got paid it wasn't enough
This bengals team reminds me so much of the current 2021-2022 team. Young blood, great players, recovering from a rough patch to overcome the odds. It’s been decades since I was this excited for the bengals even though the Palmer/chad Johnson era was fun to watch too.
Ahhhh. The good old days. You just don't see temperatures like this any more. Most modern players couldn't handle it. They would probably cry about it.
Adam 549189 Adam AF It's really why the Vikings should have built their new stadium open air or at least retractable roof, then open it in December. Teams struggled with the weather in Minneapolis in the 70s, and in 2013, a more talented Seahawks team had trouble with the cold.
Meaning the rules in today's game make it insufficiently violent for you? Sorry, but today's game is too violent. Hardly a single quarter goes by without a stoppage while someone is carted off the field due to a hard hit. Look at how many old pros are going senile due to concussions. I'm not advocating touch football, but it's obvious something needs to be done to reduce the carnage.
I was at that game from the start to the Finish. We were in our ski gear even ski boots. We actually sat up there with ski boots on. What people don't know is all of the bathrooms froze. People were pissing and crapping all around the ramps. It was so cold was unbelievable.
I was invited to go to this game, but I had a booth @ The Sports, Boat and Travel Show @ the Cincinnati Convention Center in Downtown Cincinnati. It was cold. I had a Mini Art Gallery Set up and I had signed an Agreement to Man My Booth. It was Brutally Cold. The Cold was coming up from the Concrete Floor @ The Convention Center. We all had a TV in our Booths to watch the Game. I had a lot of Beautiful Oil Paintings of Scenery that I sold, but people kept asking for Bengal Tiger Paintings of which I was able to obtain. Those Bengals were very exciting to watch. I actually became friendly with David Verser (who was a Cincinnati Policeman when he retired) and James Brooks who ended up in Cincinnati and playing for the Bengals. I used to see him at my favorite Sports Bar/Restaurant with his wife. Both of these guys were stand up gentlemen and down to earth and were fun to chat with too! I also got to talk with Pete Johnson, he was working for a Big Home improvement Company and he also was a Gentleman.
I was 10 years old. It was so cold that my parents wouldn’t let me go outside to play. The Chargers went from the heat of Miami, flew back to Cali, then flew 3 time zones into this. San Diego didn’t stand a chance.
Bengals beat the Chargers in the regular season that year. The game was IN San Diego and Cincy won 40-17. Regardless of the weather the Chargers didn't stand a chance
Coldest day I can remember. Yes there have been days a couple years ago when it was -10 and below, but it was not as cold as this day. I was 11 when this was played.
My dad was at this game the stories he tells about it are wild .. they had a 1970 charger with Bengal stripes and was the only car would start that day lol how ironic
stut up idiot. no one asked you say anything rudeness, i know that and couldn't since 1990. that hurt people feeling because i didn't know that, your a terrible person man. JERK
Perkaholic >the horsecollar on drew Pearson after the catch was more important as Pearson was gone for td.thecatch is always shown but,that now illegal tackle saved the game for 49ers.nfl was so much better in this time than today.
You mean back when we actually had a team owner who actually knew what the hell he was doing, who wasn't greedy, who knew the game of football, he was a former head coach with a history of winning, and was also very good businessman. Do you know what teams equal the Bengals of the 80's in today's game: the Patriots led by Bill Belichick that's the equivalent.
Merlin Olson says after Fouts first pass, "you lose the feeling in your hand for the ball in weather this cold." He doesn't notice, or neglects to point out, that Fouts is wearing a glove on his passing hand; Anderson elects to throw bare handed. The Bengals came in with the better record than the Chargers, they'd beaten San Diego in the regular season, and handled their nemesis, the Steelers, in both season games. Anderson was #1 rated passer in this season (and #1 runner among QBs), since he had a line that could protect him and players who could run the ball (P. Johnson) as well as help for Curtis (Collingsworth, Ross). But despite his impressive numbers, Anderson at the age of 32 didn't have the same zip on the ball as he did at ages 24 and 25 (again #1 passer, under QB coach Bill Walsh). He's a smarter QB, but he couldn't do much about the turn-overs that cost the Bengals their first Superbowl.
7 minutes in... a close up shows Fouts playing without a glove. The first pass I saw (at 5:30) was made without a glove. He was wearing gloves when on the sidelines and pulled his undershirt sleeves down over his hands between plays. You can see him pulling his sleeves back exposing bare hands at 6:20. Not sure if you live in a cold climate or have experienced one, but your fingers can go numb just as easily with a glove on in truly cold temps. One of the body's adaptations to cold is that it reduces blood flow to extremities to try to maintain normal body temp in the core.
My dad went to this game when he was a kid, he told me he had like 4 layers of clothing and a sleeping bag! He also told me the Kenny Anderson and Dan Fouts got frostbite on their hands!🥶
Yeah, call me a "fair weather" Californian (relocated), but I wouldn't even sit out in that kind of cold to see a Cowboys' game (I'm a lifelong Cowboys fan), even if it was an NFC Championship game, I had my choice of seats, a Cowboys cheerleader of my choosing as a companion for the entire game, and a return trip home on Jerry Jones' private plane (l.o.l.)
As a hardcore Chargers fan since 1979 when they HUMBLED the defending-champion Steelers 35-7,I was almost in shock at the results here,after the STUPENDOUS victory at Miami the week before!! Finally"forgave"the Bengals for this game a year or two ago,when I bought an Anthony Munoz and Chris Collingsworth throwback jersey!!
Agree. I can never understand why NFL teams keep revamping the uniform and Helmet when they get it right. When the Bengals switched to the black jersey and striped helmet, it was just right. It's one thing to change the width of the trim stripes now and then, but otherwise they should have kept a consistent design.
@@75aces97 The possibility of jersey sales to the public may be a factor, as NFL licensed merchandize, such as uniform jerseys, are big money. Keeping the same color pattern of the jerseys could see a decline of sales over the years.
It was impressive. But I think Anderson's throw at 39:39 was better considering it was into the wind. If you see the replay from the endzone view by NFL films you can see the ball almost make a tight S through the wind, right into Curtis hands. Still, the fact ANYONE could throw and complete a pass in these conditions was amazing.
I REMEMBER this game like yesterday, I was watching it my GRANDPARENTS HOUSE on 2909 Curtis Street Chattanooga Tennessee in the MIDDLE ROOM where my GRANDFATHER passed away. IF IT WAS before September 25, I was 8 years old. PHOTO MEMORY......
@@mooiemooface1550 The wind chill formula has changed since the game was played dipshit. In 1982, the wind chill was recorded as -59 F. With today's wind chill formula, it equates to -37 F.
Great game by Cincinnati. the conditions were absolutely brutal. I remember how cold it was that day in the dmv. Fouts and the chargers were a great offensive team. I know it had to be tough playing in a game like that.
Well they wearing powder blue, blue like this as a color rush and a navy blue for the 90's team. Representing the whole histtory of the Chargers too bad they can't go back to San Diego where their fans are lol
Don Bass, who recovered the fumble on the kick off was murdered about 7 years later. This was his final game in Cincinnati as he played for the Saints in 1982 and then never played again. Bobby Kemp, Safety for the Bengals, committed suicide 16 years later. Sad endings for some of these guys.
