Boston,Nov. 19 –Joe Namath continues to eclipse his own passing records with 504 passing yards in the New York Jets’61-3 demolition of the Boston Patriots. Namath set an AFL mark against the Miami Dolphins last month with 470 yards. Two weeks later,Namath topped that mark by eight yards in a 52-21 loss in Kansas City. Namath fell a yard short of New York Giant Y.A. Tittle’s 505 yard game against the Redskins in 1962. Tittle was the last quarterback to throw for over 500 yards. The NFL record is held by Norm Van Brocklin of the Los Angeles Rams who threw for 554 yards in 1951. With four games remaining in the season,Namath seems assured of becoming the first quarterback in professional football history to surpass 4,000 passing yards in a season. Namath currently stands at 3,440 passing yards.
The Jets scored touchdowns on their first two possessions to quickly jump on the host Patriots. Jets kicker Jim Turner missed a 42 yard field goal attempt on their next possession,but Boston could not muster any counterattack against the Jet defense. Al Atkinson and Larry Grantham intercepted Babe Parilli on the Patriots’next two possessions. Namath converted both turnovers into touchdowns,and the game was a 28-0 blowout minutes into the second quarter. With three minutes remaining in the half,Randy Beverly intercepted Panelli and returned the ball 38 yards for another touchdown and a 38 point halftime lead for New York.
The second half proved no relief for Boston as the Jets scored two more touchdowns in the third quarter. Parilli was sacked in the end zone for a safety by Paul Rochester. The game proved to be a complete 60 minute nightmare for Parilli who was sacked five times and threw six interceptions to pass Namath for the league lead in interceptions with 29. Despite the continued record-breaking performances by Namath,the Jets cling to slim playoff hopes as they trail Houston by two games with only four games remaining. The Oilers defeated the Jets,22-19,in the only scheduled match-up between the division rivals.
