Nov. 15, 1964 - Denver Broncos coach Mac Speedie told his players to “Chop Wood” — Jet quarterback Dick Wood, that is — and that’s just what they did in banging out a 20-16 AFL victory in Denver today. (pictured below, Odell Barry gains for Denver).
Wood, a spindly, 6-5 200-pounder, was knocked dizzy on the Jets’ first set of downs by 250-pound defensive end Ed Cooke. He didn’t return until the fourth quarter after Cookie did the same thing to second-string quarterback Mike Taliaferro.
Jet coach Weeb Ewbank intimated that both Wood and Taliaferro were the victims of foul play. “Both our quarterbacks got clipped on the chin,” Ewbank said, “and not a damn thing was done.” When pressed on the matter, however, the coach would only go so far as to say that the rules on roughing the passer were not “enforced strongly.” He said he planned no formal protest.
Wood was his typical, non-committal self about the matter. He admitted afterward that he was still dizzy, but said, “There was nothing illegal about the tackle.”
When Taliaferro was floored in the fourth quarter, Woo was sent back in. “We had to put Wood back in after checking with the doctor,” Ewbank said. “We had two numb quarterbacks, but we had to go with Wood.”
Wood promptly moved the Jets 80 yards to a score, making it 20-14. He hit Bake Turner for 53 yards and fullback Matt Snell for 22 before Bill Mathis bucked over from the one.
Denver intercepted six Jet passes — four by Wood and one each by Taliaferro and Snell. Cornerback Willie Brown, who held the Jets’ leading receiver, Don Maynard, to a couple of insignificant catches, intercepted four passes to tie a league record. Two of his interceptions were near the goal line in the waning minutes, and Brown batted away at least three other passes that could have been touchdowns.
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