Bradley Ruzicka

Headline: Offense continues to struggle as the Green Bay Packers again lose 10 games, produce their lowest point total since Curly Lambeau’s final season as coach in 1949.

Regular Season Record: 4 – 10 (Fourth Place NFC Central Division)

Offseason Highlights: Early in 1977, the Green Bay Packers’ Executive Committee extended Bart Starr’s contract as head coach and general manager for another two years, running through the 1979 season. Despite the slow start to his tenure, committee members made it clear that the franchise supported Starr and that the club was in this for the long haul. By way of comparison, it had taken Pittsburgh Steelers’ Head Coach Chuck Noll into his fourth season to turn that club from a perennial loser into a four time Super Bowl champion during the 1970’s.

Starr continued tinkering with his coaching staff, letting go offensive coaches Paul Roach and Leon McLauglin shortly after the 1976 season. Roach’s firing was a bit of a surprise, as sportswriter and team historian Cliff Christl reported that Roach was highly respected around the NFL. However, it could be argued that Green Bay’s game plan during the latter part of the previous season had been astonishingly simplistic, and that a change was justified. Former Packer Bill Curry was hired to take over the offensive line, while Bob Lord was moved from special teams to coaching offensive backs. Starr also indicated in an interview with the Green Bay Packer Gazzette that he would be taking a more hands on role in the offense going forward.

Green Bay’s 1977 draft was one of their more productive of the 1970s, yielding five players who would start for the Packers over the next several seasons. With their two 1st round selections, Green Bay chose DE Mike Butler out of Kansas (9th overall) and, with their second 1st round pick acquired from the Oakland Raiders when the team signed Packers’ LB Ted Hendricks in 1975, chose DE Ezra Johnson from tiny Morris Brown University (28th overall). In addition, Starr selected OT Greg Koch (39th overall) out of the University of Arkansas and OG Derrel Gofourth (172nd overall) out of Oklahoma State in a continuing effort to upgrade the offensive line. Finally, Green Bay chose QB David Whitehurst (206th overall) out of Furman to backup starting QB Lynn Dickey.

Ezra Johnson was considered one of the NFL’s best defensive linemen during his first few years in the league. Johnson earned a spot in the 1979 Pro Bowl after unofficially finishing second in the NFL with 20.5 sacks in 1978. However, by 1981, Johnson’s career was marred by a series of back injuries and allegations of his lack of discipline on the field, including one incident in which he ate a hot dog while sitting on the bench during a preseason game, and being inconsistent at times. He lost and regained his starting job multiple times during that period. Johnson was exclusively used as the third down pass rush specialist after 1986.

Johnson was released by Green Bay in 1988 after 11 years, 86 starts, and 41.5 sacks, playing four more seasons for the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Oilers, before retiring in 1991 with a career total of 55.5 sacks. Mike Butler had a solid, if unspectacular, seven seasons for Green Bay, starting 87 out of 95 games, accumulating four sacks, before finishing his career with the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League. Derrel Gofourth would play for six seasons with the Packers, starting 70 out of 85 games, before finishing his eight year career with the San Diego Chargers in 1984.

Greg Koch played nine seasons in Green Bay, appearing in 133 games, 120 of which he started. A fixture at right tackle almost immediately upon his arrival, he was a second team All-Pro selection following the 1982 season. Koch was part of one of the greatest offenses in club history, when the Packers amassed 6,172 yards in 1983, the second best output ever in club annals. After leaving Green Bay, Koch played two more years for the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings, before retiring after the 1987 season. Finally, during his seven year career with the Packers, David Whitehurst would start a total of 37 out of 54 games, including all 16 games in 1978 when Dickey was out with a career threatening injury. Whitehurst led Green Bay to their best record, 8-7-1, since 1972 and only their second winning season during the entire decade of the 1970s.

In total, Whitehurst completed 504 out of 980 passes (51.4%) for 6,205 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 51 interceptions, for a QB Rating of 59.2. He was released following the 1983 season, and would play a single season for the Kansas City Chiefs. However, Whitehurst would see no action that season before retiring in 1985. In all, ten players from the 1977 draft would make the Packers’ roster, highlighting the revamped scouting department led by Dick Corrick and Red Cochran.

While Green Bay had arguably their best draft of the 1970’s to date, only one selection from the 1977 NFL Draft would go on to become a future Pro Football Hall of Famer, 2nd overall selection RB Tony Dorsett out of the University of Pittsburgh. The Dallas Cowboys traded the 24th pick in the draft and three second round choices to the Seattle Seahawks in order to move up and take Dorsett.

Both Starr and OT Forrest Gregg were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility, as part of the Class of 1977. They became the second and third Lombardi era players inducted after Jim Taylor in 1976. Starr quarterbacked Green Bay for his entire 16 year career, from 1956 to 1971, during which time he became the first quarterback in NFL history to lead a team to five NFL championships. Starr has the highest playoff passer rating (104.8) of any quarterback in NFL history, and a playoff record of 9-1. Starr finished his career with 1,808 completions in 3,149 attempts for 24,718 yards, 152 touchdowns, 138 interceptions, and a QB Rating of 80.5. His completion percentage of 57.4 was an NFL best when he retired in 1972. Starr also held the Packers’ franchise record for games played (196) for 32 years, through the 2003 season.

Gregg meanwhile earned an “iron-man” tag by playing in a then league record 188 consecutive games from 1956 until 1971. Fifteen of his 16 seasons were spent with Green Bay, his last as a member of the Dallas Cowboys. Gregg won All-NFL acclaim eight straight years from 1960-67, and was selected to play in nine Pro Bowls. Vince Lombardi claimed “Forrest Gregg is the finest player I ever coached!” in his book Run to Daylight. In 1999, he was ranked No. 28 overall on The Sporting News’ list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, putting him second behind Ray Nitschke among players coached by Lombardi, second behind Anthony Munoz among offensive tackles, and third behind Munoz and John Hannah among all offensive linemen.

Finally, 1977 NFL rule changes continued the trend towards encouraging scoring, including allowing defenders to make contact with receivers only once per play.

Regular Season Highlights: For the third consecutive season, Green Bay finished fourth in the NFC Central Division, behind the 9-5 Minnesota Vikings, the 9-5 Chicago Bears, and the 6-8 Detroit Lions. Green Bay escaped the division basement only because it now included a fifth team, the second year Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who finished with the league’s worst record, 2-14. During the course of the season, Packers’ fans endured losing streaks of four and five games on the way to a second 4-10 record in three years, although the team did rally to win two of their last three games, avoiding posting their worst record since 1958.

Change was once again the theme along the offensive line. Former All-Pro and 10 year veteran OG Gale Gillingham retired for a second time in March, while the other starter at offensive guard, Bruce Van Dyke, also retired after 11 seasons, three with Green Bay, just before training camp began in July. They were replaced by OGs Steve Knutson, originally drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the 16th round of 1975, and Melvin Jackson, the Packers 1976 12th round pick, joining holdover C Larry McCarren as well as OTs Mark Koncar, now in his second season, and nine year veteran Dick Himes. In Jerry Poling’s book, Downfield, some twenty years later, Gillingham said that, while he had great respect for Starr as a person, “He didn’t know how to coach. He didn’t know his ass from page nine.”

Change was also a theme for the defensive line. On September 12, just prior to the start of the regular season, Green Bay traded DT Mike McCoy to the Oakland Raiders for DL Herb McMath and two draft picks, a 1978 1st round and a 1979 4th round selection. McCoy had been a solid starter for the Packers over seven years. However, with two defensive lineman drafted in the first round, the handwriting seemed to be on the wall. Prior to the third preseason game, Starr experimented with moving the eight year veteran to offensive guard, similar to what former Head Coach Dan Devine had done, with disastrous results, when he moved Gillingham to defensive tackle in 1972. Fortunately for McCoy, the experiment ended short of disaster.

Once again, the preseason had been an exercise in futility, with Green Bay enduring a four game losing streak before winning their last game to finish with a 2-4 record. However, unlike past seasons, the team appeared to have a little momentum going into the regular season and it showed in their season opener against the New Orleans Saints, a 24-20 road victory, Starr’s first opening day win as a head coach. Unfortunately, any optimism generated in Week 1 quickly dissipated as the Packers dropped their next four games, including close losses in Week 2 against the Houston Oilers in their home opener, 16-10, and in Week 5 against the Lions in Detroit, 10-6, while losing by double digits to both Minnesota and the Cincinnati Bengals in Weeks 3 and 4.

A 13-0 road victory over hapless Tampa Bay in Week 6 provided a brief respite, but was quickly followed by a five game losing streak, with the offense failing to score more than 10 points in four out of five losses. Green Bay dropped to 2-9 and another depressing season was all but over. Fans were booing the team during home games and the local press was critical of Starr, comparing him unfavorably to other coaches such as Ted Marchibroada of the Baltimore Colts and former Packer great Forrest Gregg of the Cleveland Browns, whose teams were competing for division titles. Green Bay was also negatively compared to a team in their own division, Chicago, as the Bears went from 4-10 in 1975, the same record as the Packers, to 9-5 in 1977. By season’s end, Starr’s record was a dismal 13-29.

For Lynn Dickey, the shoulder separation he suffered in Week 10 of 1976 carried over into 1977 when an incision made to insert a screw into the bone became infected. Dickey recovered, but was again knocked out for the season, this time with a broken tibia and fibula in his left leg on the last play of Week 9’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams, 24-6, at Milwaukee County Stadium. For the season, Dickey’s numbers weren’t any better than the year before; 113 completions out of 220 attempts (51.4%) for 1,346 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions, earning him a QB Rating of 51.4, and a record of two wins and seven losses. After a hot streak in midseason of 1976, Dickey seemed to have regressed in 1977.

Only two seasons into his Packers’ career, Dickey had a total of just 19 starts in 28 games. The worst was yet to come, as the leg injury would cost Dickey the entire 1978 season, before he was able to reclaim the starting job late in the 1979 campaign. According to Stanton Greene in his book, Falling Starr – Bart Starr as Head Coach of The Green Bay Packers 1975-83, the loss of Lynn Dickey in 1977 was the pivotal moment in Starr’s regime. “If [Dickey] had been healthy in 1978, the Packers do not go 8-7-1. They’re easily 10-6 or 11-5 and walk away with the division title. Even if they fall in the first round of the playoffs, that quality of a season would likely have set the team on the path to success.”

Starr took the heat for keeping his star quarterback in the game so late in a lost cause. His explanation was that he didn’t want to shake Dickey’s confidence, in a game in which the team had been heavily booed by fans. While sincere, Greene felt the decision, perhaps the worst of Starr’s career as coach, was the result of faulty reasoning, in a game that was already lost, in a season that was going nowhere. Starr had also taken a real risk when, at the end of the preseason, he chose to keep only rookie QB David Whitehurst, releasing 1976 reserve QBs Randy Johnson and Carlos Brown. Little used QB Brian Dowling was brought in to backup Whitehurst after Dickey’s injury. With only five passes thrown in league play, Whitehurst now had to finish the season, and the stats showed his inexperience; 50 completions out of 105 attempts (47.6%) for 634 yards, 1 touchdown, 7 interceptions, and a QB Rating of 42.3.

Despite his atrocious statistics, Green Bay did finish the year with a 2-3 record under Whitehurst’s leadership. His first start was a close loss on a Monday night in Week 10 to the Washington Redskins, 10-9, for which he earned high praise from the MNF trio of Frank Gifford, Don Meredith, and Howard Cosell. Whitehurst got his first win in Week 12 against Detroit, this time on the right side of a 10-9 score, despite an unimpressive performance. Saving his best for the season finale, Whitehurst completed 17 of 22 for 219 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions against the San Francisco 49ers in a 16-14 victory. He was fast becoming a fan favorite with his inspired play, generating a mini-quarterback controversy by year end.

Prior to the start of the regular season, Starr decided to bench veteran John Brockington, starting his seventh year, making it clear the axe was finally about to fall on his Green Bay career. He rushed only 11 times for 25 yards before being cut after the first week. Nobody in the league claimed him off waivers, and he became a free agent, with the Packers responsible for his $150,000 contract. Brockington finished his Green Bay tenure with 5,024 yards on 1,293 carries (3.9 yards per carry) and 29 rushing touchdowns as well as 138 receptions for 1,075 yards and 4 touchdowns, the majority of which was accomplished in his first four years.

Brockington subsequently played 10 games with the Kansas City Chiefs over the remainder of the season, who reportedly paid $50,000 of his salary, retiring prior to the start of the 1978 season. Barty Smith became Green Bay’s 1977 rushing leader with 554 yards on 166 attempts as well as the team’s leader in receptions with 37 catches for 340 yards, scoring a total of 3 touchdowns. However, his pedestrian 3.3 yards per rush was uninspiring. Second and third leading rushers Eric Torkelson and Nate Simpson combined for just 511 yards and 1 touchdown. 1976 rushing leader Willard Harrell finished with a paltry 140 yards on 60 carries, scoring a single touchdown.

WR Steve Odom continued to improve as a receiver in his fourth year, finishing with 27 catches for 549 yards and a spectacular 20.3 yards per reception, leading the team in receiving yards as well as finishing third in the NFL in yards per reception. Odom also tied Barty Smith for the team lead with 3 total touchdowns. On the other hand, WR Ken Payne, a fan favorite in his fourth year, was first suspended and then released after a Week 4 sideline incident with assistant coach Bob Lord that was later classified as insubordination. Payne went on to finish his career with the Philadelphia Eagles before retiring after the 1978 season. During his four years in Green Bay, Payne caught 103 passes for 1,395 yards (13.5 yards per catch) and 5 touchdowns. WR Ollie Smith, also in his fourth season, replaced Payne, finishing second on team with 357 receiving yards.

Despite increased attention from the head coach, Green Bay’s offense did not improve during 1977. According to Lew Freedman in his book, The Packer Experience, the offense was dull as well as bad, unable to score much, or even gain many yards. It was so pitiful that the Packers scored 10 or fewer points 11 times in 14 games. The year’s high mark was 24 points, scored in the opening win over New Orleans, with Harrell’s 75 yard punt return being one of the highlights of the season. The only other highlight was a 95 yard touchdown from Dickey to Odom in a Week 3’s 19-7 loss to Minnesota.

Overall, Green Bay finished 27th in rushing, 22nd in passing, and 27th out of 28 teams in total offense, with a meager 134 points, an average of 9.5 points per game, on par with the 1949 Packers. Only Tampa Bay’s offense was worse. On defense, Green Bay seemed to show significant improvement, finishing 24th against the run, 5th against the pass, and 10th in total defense, allowing only 219 points, their best finish in three years. However, according to Stanton Greene, “While the Green Bay defense’s total points given up for the season looks good on paper, in reality it was a matter of teams sitting on slim leads and not taking chances because they didn’t have to.”

The Dallas Cowboys and the Denver Broncos finished with the NFL’s best record at 12-2, wining the NFC East and the AFC West respectively, as well as the top playoff seeds in their respective conferences. Los Angeles finished with the NFC’s second best record at 10-4, wining the NFC West. The Vikings won the NFC Central and were the NFC’s third seed while the Bears were the NFC’s Wild Card entry, both at 9-5. The Baltimore Colts won the AFC East and were the AFC’s second seed at 10-4, while the Pittsburgh Steelers won the AFC Central and were the AFC’s third seed at 9-5. The AFC’s Wild Card entry was the 1976 Super Bowl Champion Oakland Raiders, at 11-3.

Baltimore finished ahead of the 10-4 Miami Dolphins in the AFC East based on a better conference record (9-3 to 8-4), Minnesota finished ahead of Chicago in the NFC Central based on a better point differential in head-to-head competition (3 points), and Chicago won the NFC Wild Card over 9-5 Washington based on a better net points in conference games (48 to 4). Denver, a franchise that had never won more than nine games in their history, had by far their best season to date, earning a playoff berth for the first time, and becoming the last of the old AFL teams to make it to the playoffs. For Chicago, this was their first playoff game since winning the 1963 NFL Championship.

Chicago RB Walter Payton won the 1977 NFL Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year Awards. Dallas DE Harvey Martin won Defensive Player of the Year while his teammate, RB Tony Dorsett, won Offensive Rookie of the Year. Miami DE A.J. Duhe won Defensive Rookie of the Year, while Denver Head Coach Red Miller won Coach of the Year.

Post Season Highlights: In the Divisional Playoffs, the AFC East Champion Baltimore Colts hosted the AFC Wild Card entry, the Oakland Raiders, in Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium, while the AFC Central Champion Pittsburgh Steelers traveled west to Mile High Stadium to play the AFC West Champion Denver Broncos. Meanwhile, the NFC East Champion Dallas Cowboys hosted the NFC Wild Card entry, the Chicago Bears, in Texas Stadium while the NFC Central Champion Minnesota Vikings traveled to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to play the NFC West Champion Los Angeles Rams. The winners would advance to their respective Conference Championship games.

Due to the Christmas holiday, the Divisional playoff games were held over a span of three days. The AFC playoff games were played on Saturday December 24, while the NFC games were held on Monday December 26. It marked the only year since the 1970 AFL-NFL Merger that one conference held both of its divisional playoff games on one day and the other conference held both of its games on the other day. In every other season since 1970, the conferences had split their playoff games over the two days.

On December 24, on a play known as “Ghost to the Post”, Oakland Raiders’ QB Ken Stabler threw a 42 yard completion to TE Dave Casper on a post route, to set up the game tying field goal with 29 seconds left in regulation. Casper, nicknamed “The Ghost” by his teammates, also caught a 10 yard touchdown pass 43 seconds into the second overtime period for the victory, in a game that featured nine lead changes.

Oakland RB Carl Garrett started off the game with a 40 yard kick return to the Colts 41 yard line. But they couldn’t take advantage, losing the ball when RB Mark Van Eeghen’s fumble was recovered by DB Lyle Blackwood. The rest of the quarter was a defensive struggle but, with less than a minute left, Oakland scored first on RB Clarence Davis’ 30 yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead. The Raiders then forced a three and out deep in Baltimore territory, getting the ball back with great field position at the Colts 48 yard line. Oakland was in a position to increase their lead, but Baltimore S Bruce Laird intercepted Stabler’s pass, returning it 61 yards for a touchdown, tying the score at 7-7.

In the second quarter, Baltimore mounted their first sustained drive, moving the ball from their 20 yard line to the Raiders 19 yard line. Following a dropped interception by Oakland DB Jack Tatum, K Toni Linhart’s 36 yard field goal gave the Colts their first lead of the game, 10-7. The Raiders responded with a drive to the Baltimore 23 yard line but, with less than a minute left, Colts’ DT John Dutton recovered a Davis fumble to preserve their 10-7 lead going into halftime. Oakland scored on their first drive of the second half, with Stabler’s 41 yard completion to WR Cliff Branch, setting up his 8 yard touchdown pass to Casper, to regain the lead, 14-10. To make matters worse for Baltimore, Blackwood was injured on the drive and had to miss the rest of the game.

But the Colts came right back, as Marshall Johnson returned the ensuing kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown and a 17-14 lead. On the Raiders next possession, they lost their fourth turnover of the day, when Laird picked off another Stabler pass, this one on the Oakland 40 yard line. But the Raiders’ defense rose to the occasion, forcing a punt that was subsequently blocked by LB Ted Hendricks and recovered by LB Jeff Barnes, who returned it to the Baltimore 16 yard line. Two plays later, Casper caught a 10 yard touchdown pass from Stabler to make the score 21-17. The Colts scored on their first drive of the fourth quarter, going 80 yards to retake the lead, 24-21, with a 1 yard touchdown by RB Ron Lee.

Oakland quickly struck back, starting with Garrett’s 43 yard kickoff return to his own 47 yard line. Stabler kept the drive going with a 25 yard pass to Van Eeghen. Baltimore DB Nelson Munsey was hit with a 24 yard pass interference penalty, and RB Pete Banaszak ran for a touchdown on the next play, giving the Raiders a 28-24 lead. The Colts stormed right back, with a touchdown of their own on a 73 yard drive, starting with QB Bert Jones’ 30 yard completion to TE Raymond Chester, followed by a 16 yard swing pass from Jones to Lee. Lee moved the ball to the 14 yard line with a 13 yard run, scoring on the next play, to give Baltimore a 31-28 lead.

The Colts’ defense quickly forced a punt, giving their offense the ball in good field position with a chance to put the game away. But Oakland stopped them on three consecutive runs, forcing Baltimore to punt. After an exchange of punts, the Raiders got the ball back with 2:55 left in regulation on their own 30 yard line. After a 14 yard catch by Davis and an incompletion, Stabler’s 42 yard “Ghost to the Post” completion to Casper advanced Oakland to the Colts 14 yard line. A few plays later, the Raiders faced 4th and 1 from the 5 yard line, and decided to kick a field goal rather than go for the win.

K Errol Mann sent it through the uprights from 22 yards, tying the game at 31-31, and sending it into overtime. After forcing Baltimore to punt on the opening drive of overtime, Oakland drove 41 yards in 9 plays to set up a field goal attempt for Mann, but the kick was blocked. After another punt, the Raiders drove to the Colts 35 yard line. On second down, Staber was sacked for a 10 yard loss by DT Fred Cook, pushing his team out of field goal range. But Stabler kept the drive alive with a 19 yard completion to Branch, setting up Casper’s 10 yard touchdown catch less than a minute into the second overtime period, to win the game, 37-31.

This was the final NFL playoff game in Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium. The Colts did not return to the playoffs until 1987, their fourth season in Indianapolis, and Baltimore’s new team, the Ravens, failed to qualify for the playoffs during either of their two seasons at Memorial Stadium. Playoff football would not return to the “Charm City” until New Year’s Eve 2000.

Later that day, in the Denver Broncos’ first ever postseason game, LB Tom Jackson’s two interceptions and a fumble recovery set up 17 points, 10 of them in the fourth quarter, as the Broncos defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers for the first playoff win in their 18 year history.

Denver scored first after John Schultz blocked a Pittsburgh punt and recovered the ball on the Steelers 17 yard line, setting up RB Rob Lytle’s 7 yard touchdown, and a 7-0 lead. The Steelers responded with a 56 yard drive, including a 19 yard reception by TE Bennie Cunningham on 4th and 1, to tie the score, 7-7, on QB Terry Bradshaw’s 1 yard touchdown. In the second quarter, Broncos’ DT Lyle Alzado forced a fumble by RB Franco Harris, which LB Randy Gradishar recovered and returned five yards, before fumbling himself. The second fumble was recovered by Jackson, who returned it 25 yards to the Pittsburgh 10 yard line. On the next play, RB Otis Armstrong ran the ball into the end zone to give Denver a 14-7 lead.

However, the Steelers quickly struck back, starting with WR Jim Smith’s 28 yard kickoff return to the Pittsburgh 34 yard line. Bradshaw then hit WR John Stallworth for a 21 yard completion, and Harris ripped off a 20 yard burst, before finishing the drive with a 1 yard touchdown, to tie the game at 14-14 with 1:41 left in the first half. In the third quarter, the Broncos drove 52 yards to the Steelers 1 yard line, only to lose the ball when RB Jim Jensen was stuffed for no gain by LBs Jack Lambert and Jim Allen on fourth down. But, after a Pittsburgh punt, Denver drove 43 yards to go up 21-14 on QB Craig Morton’s 30 yard touchdown pass to TE Riley Odoms. Early in the fourth quarter, the Steelers managed to again tie the game, 21-21, with a 48 yard catch by Stallworth, setting up Bradshaw’s 1 yard touchdown pass to TE Larry Brown.

But this would be Pittsburgh’s last score, as the Broncos took over the game. First, K Jim Turner put Denver up, 24-21, by kicking a 44 yard field goal with 7:17 left on the clock. Then Jackson intercepted a Bradshaw pass, and returned it 32 yards to the Steelers 9 yard line, setting up Turner’s 24 yard field goal, to make the score 27-21. On Pittsburgh’s ensuing drive, Jackson struck again, intercepting another pass, and returning this one 17 yards to the Steelers 33 yard line. Rather than sitting on their one score lead and trying to run out the clock with less than two minutes remaining in the game, the Broncos took to the air, scoring the game clinching touchdown on Morton’s 34 yard pass to WR Jack Doblin, to seal a 34-21 victory.

On December 26, S Charlie Waters led the Dallas Cowboys to victory over the Chicago Bears, by setting an NFL playoff record of three interceptions. Chicago lost seven turnovers, and finished with only 224 total yards. RB Walter Payton, the NFL’s leading rusher with 1,852 yards during the season, was held to just 60 yards on 19 carries.

Dallas built a 17-0 halftime lead, starting out the scoring with a RB Doug Dennison 2 yard touchdown. QB Roger Staubach later completed a 28 yard touchdown pass to TE Billy Joe Dupree, and K Efren Herrera added a 21 yard field goal to end the half. Chicago had a chance to score before halftime with a drive inside the Cowboys red zone, but Waters put an end to it by intercepting QB Bob Avellini in the end zone. On the first play of the second half, Dallas LB D.D. Lewis intercepted an Avellini pass and the Cowboys converted it into another touchdown, Dorsett’s 23 yard run, for a 24-0 advantage.

Avellini then lost a fumble on the Bears’ ensuing possession, leading to a 31 yard Herrera field goal, further extending Dallas’ lead to 27-0. Before the end of the game, the Cowboys added 10 more points for a 37-0 advantage, a second Dorsett touchdown on a 7 yard run and Herrera’s 27 yard kick. Dallas’ defense limited Chicago to a single touchdown, a 34 yard pass from Avellini to WR Steve Schubert with 7:03 left in the game, to make the final score 37-7.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Rams had decisively defeated an aging Minnesota Vikings’ team during the regular season, 35-3, on a Monday night in October. After years of frustrating playoff losses in the cold of Minnesota, the Rams now had a home playoff game against those same Vikings. But, as luck would have it, Los Angeles was engulfed in a torrential rainstorm that day. In a game that became known as “The Mud Bowl”, RB Chuck Foreman led Minnesota to an upset victory, recording 101 rushing yards.

Los Angeles took the opening kickoff and moved the ball to the Minnesota 31 yard line. However, Vikings’ DT Alan Page ended the drive by dropping RB Lawrence McCutcheon for a 1 yard loss on 4th and 2. Minnesota took over and drove 70 yards, with QB Bob Lee, subbing for the injured Fran Tarkenton, completing 5 out of 5 passes, for a 7-0 lead on a 5 yard scoring run by Foreman. From that point until the fourth quarter, both teams remained scoreless while the field turned into a quagmire.

The Rams did have two chances to score earlier in the game, but QB Pat Haden threw an interception to CB Nate Allen in the end zone, and K Rafael Septien missed a field goal. Finally, early in the final period, the Vikings scored again on RB Sammy Johnson’s 1 yard run for a 14-0 lead. With less than a minute left in the game, Haden threw a 1 yard touchdown pass to WR Harold Jackson, cutting the score to 14-7. Los Angeles recovered the ensuing onside kick, but S Jeff Wright intercepted Haden’s desperation end zone pass on the game’s final play, to seal a 14-7 Minnesota victory.

Los Angeles’ loss was also the finale for one of the game’s most memorable players, QB Joseph William Namath.

After leading the New York Jets to victory in Super Bowl III and establishing the legitimacy of the American Football League, Namath’s career become an unfortunate combination of disappointments and injuries. After not missing a single game due to injury in his first five years of professional football, Namath played in just 28 of 58 possible games because of various injuries between 1970 and 1973, as the Jets struggled with records of 4-10, 6-8, 7-7, and 4-10. His most memorable moment in those four seasons came on September 24 1972 against the Baltimore Colts, when he and his boyhood idol, QB Johnny Unitas, combined for 872 passing yards. Namath bombed the Colts for 496 yards and 6 touchdowns in a 44-34 victory. The game is considered by many to be the finest single game display of passing in league history.

In the twilight of his career, Namath was waived by New York to facilitate his move to Los Angeles when a trade could not be worked out, signing with the Rams on May 12 1977. Namath hoped to revitalize his career, but by this point, his effectiveness as a quarterback was greatly reduced by his knee injuries, a bad hamstring, and the general ravages of being a pro football player over many years. After playing well in a 2-1 start, Namath took a beating in a cold, windy, and rainy Monday night loss to Chicago, throwing two interceptions, with another being nullified by a penalty, dropping Los Angeles to a record of 2-2.

Namath did not play again in 1977, but redemption and a Hollywood ending were there for the taking in their playoff game against Minnesota. After a disastrous three quarters of missed opportunities, and only trailing by seven points, Head Coach Chuck Knox seemed ready to pull Haden and insert Namath. Rams’ assistant coach Kay Stephenson said Namath looked great warming up in the third quarter, and advised Knox to put him in. The television audience was on the edge of their seats as it appeared Namath would replace Haden and save Los Angeles’ year. But, for some reason, Knox hesitated. Haden’s problems continued and the Rams’ season, as well as Namath’s career, ended ingloriously in the mud of the Coliseum.

After 13 years, 12 with the Jets, during which he played in a total of 143 games, Namath retired on January 24 1978, marking the end of an era for professional football. His nickname, “Broadway Joe”, was given to him by Sherman Plunkett, a Jets teammate. “Joe Willie Namath” was Namath’s moniker based on his full given name and was made popular by sportscaster Howard Cosell. His teams had an overall record of 68-71-4. Namath completed 1,886 passes in 3,762 attempts (50.1%) for 27,663 yards, 173 touchdowns, 220 interceptions, and a career QB rating of 65.5. He played for three division champions, two with the Jets in 1968 and 1969 and one with the Rams in 1977, earned an AFL championship in 1968, and, in his crowing achievement, a victory in Super Bowl III. Namath was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.

On January 1 1978, the NFC Championship Game pitted the Minnesota Vikings against the Dallas Cowboys in Dallas’ Texas Stadium, while the Denver Broncos played the Oakland Raiders for the AFC Championship in Denver’s Mile High Stadium.

In the AFC, despite a poor day from veteran K Jim Turner, who missed three field goals and had an extra point blocked, the Denver Broncos converted two second half turnovers into touchdowns, to edge out the defending Super Bowl Champion Oakland Raiders.

Denver was forced to punt on their opening drive, and Bucky Dilts’ kick went just 21 yards, to the Oakland 43 yard line. Aided by two Broncos penalties, including a running into the punter call that enabled Oakland to avoid a three and out, the Raiders subsequently drove to the Denver two yard line, scoring on K Errol Mann’s 20 yard field goal for a 3-0 lead. But, on the Broncos’ second drive, QB Craig Morton threw a 74 yard touchdown to WR Haven Moses, for a 7-3 lead. The score would remain 7-3 for the rest of the half, with Mann hitting the uprights on a 30 yard field goal try and Turner missing a 40 yard attempt. The Raiders also suffered a major setback when WR Fred Biletnikoff went down with a separated shoulder.

Oakland RB Carl Garrett returned the second half kickoff 62 yards to the Broncos 33 yard line. On first down, QB Ken Stabler tried to connect with WR Cliff Branch in the end zone, but S Steve Foley barely managed to deflect the pass away. RB Mark van Eeghen was then held to a 1 yard gain, Stabler threw a third down incompletion, and the Raiders decided to punt rather than risk a 49 yard field goal. Denver took over and drove deep into Oakland territory, with Moses hauling in a 41 yard reception, to give the Broncos another scoring chance. However, following a bad snap, Turner missed another field goal, this one from 31 yards out. On the next play, Raider RB Clarence Davis lost a fumble that DE Brison Manor recovered at Oakland’s 17 yard line.

A short carry from RB Jon Keyworth, and Morton’s 13 yard completion, moved the ball to the two yard line. Then, in what for many was the play of the game, RB Ron Lytle was hit in mid-air while trying to dive over the line by Raiders’ S Jack Tatum, and lost the ball. Oakland DT Mike McCoy appeared to recover the fumble but the play was blown dead. The officials ruled that Lytle’s forward progress was stopped before the fumble, even though replays clearly showed the ball was knocked free at the moment of contact. Denver retained possession and, adding insult to injury, Oakland was penalized half the distance to the goal for arguing the call. Keyworth scored a Denver touchdown on the next play to give the Broncos a 14-3 lead.

Later, Denver recovered a muffed punt from Garrett on the Raiders 27 yard line. Right after the turnover, Morton appeared to throw a touchdown pass to WR Jack Dolbin. However, officials ruled the ball had touched the ground before he secured the catch, and it was declared an incompletion. Following two more incomplete passes, Turner missed his third field goal of the day, this time from 44 yards. Near the end of the third quarter, Oakland finally caught a break when Garrett returned Dilts’ 38 yard punt 4 yards to the Broncos 48 yard line. On the next play, Van Eeghen rushed for 13 yards. Following an incompletion, Stabler fired a pass to TE Dave Casper, who made a falling catch, got back up, and took off for a 26 yard gain to the Denver 9 yard line.

Two plays later, Stabler finished the drive with a 7 yard touchdown pass to Casper on the second play of the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to 14-10. After Oakland intercepted a Morton pass, the Raiders seemed ready to retake the lead but, before they could get out of their own territory, Denver LB Bob Swenson made a clutch interception of Stabler’s pass, and returned the ball 14 yards to the Oakland 17 yard line. Two plays later, Moses made a sliding 12 yard catch of Morton’s pass in the end zone, putting the Broncos ahead, 20-10, after Turner’s extra point was blocked. The Raiders struck back with an 8 play, 74 yard drive to score on Casper’s 17 yard touchdown catch from Stabler, cutting the lead to 20–17 with 3:16 left in regulation. However, Denver subsequently ran out the clock, advancing to their first Super Bowl, with a 20-17 victory.

In the NFC, the Dallas Cowboys’ defense held the Minnesota Vikings to 66 rushing yards and six points, advancing easily to their fourth Super Bowl. Due to injury, Minnesota once again had to start reserve QB Bob Lee in place of star QB Fran Tarkenton.

Dallas took an early 6-0 lead, after DE Harvey Martin’s fumble recovery set up WR Golden Richards’ 32 yard touchdown reception from QB Roger Staubach. The extra point was blocked, but it was ultimately of little consequence. In the second quarter, another fumble recovery by Martin led to a 46 yard Cowboy drive, featuring P Danny White’s 22 yard run on a fake punt, and RB Robert Newhouse’s 5 yard touchdown, for a 13-0 lead. Two Fred Cox field goals (33 and 37 yards) as well as an Efran Herrera 21 yard field goal, gave the Cowboys a 16-6 lead at the half. In the fourth quarter, Dallas LB Thomas Henderson forced Minnesota’s PR Manfred Moore to fumble, and it was recovered by Cowboys’ TE Jay Saldi. Five plays later, RB Tony Dorsett rushed for an 11 yard touchdown to put the game away, 23-6.

Denver thus became the first team to win a conference championship and advance to a Super Bowl in their first playoff appearance. The Broncos would face a veteran Dallas team, playing in their fourth Super Bowl, and looking for their second NFL Championship since 1971, in Super Bowl XII.

Super Bowl Highlights: On January 15 1978, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, the NFC Champion Dallas Cowboys, led by 18 year veteran Head Coach Tom Landry, played the AFC Champion Denver Broncos, led by rookie Head Coach Red Miller, in Super Bowl XII. This was the first time the Super Bowl was played in a domed stadium, and the first time that the game was played in prime time.

The Denver Broncos were a charter member of the American Football League (AFL) in 1960. The Broncos were barely competitive during their 10 year run in the AFL (39-97-4) and their first seven years in the NFL (43-50-5). The franchise did not have a winning season until 1973 in Head Coach John Rolston’s second year. Rolston would have winning seasons in three out of his five years as coach, but Denver failed to reach the playoffs during his tenure. In 1977, the Broncos hired Red Miller as their new head coach and, in his first season, Denver went 12-2, making the playoffs and advancing to the Super Bowl for the first time in their history.

The main storyline surrounding Super Bowl XII was Dallas QB Roger Staubach versus Denver QB Craig Morton. Morton began his career playing for Dallas in 1965. After Staubach joined the Cowboys in 1969, the two became competitors for the starting job. During the 1970 season, both Morton and Staubach started about half the regular season games. Morton was ultimately selected to lead the team through the playoffs and eventually to their Super Bowl V loss to the Baltimore Colts. The next year, Staubach won the starting job and eventually led Dallas to a victory over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI. In 1972, Staubach cemented his hold on the starting job after leading the Cowboys to a miracle, come from behind victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Playoffs, coming off the bench after being injured the entire season.

Morton was subsequently relegated to backup status until he was traded in 1974 to the New York Giants. After spending three largely unsuccessful years with the Giants, Morton was again traded, this time becoming the starting quarterback for the Broncos, a franchise that had only three winning seasons in 17 years. But, under the leadership of the newly arrived Morton and their new head coach, Red Miller, Denver beat both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders to advance to Super Bowl XII. Morton thus became the first quarterback to start a Super Bowl game for two different franchises.

Morton did not put up a large number of passing yards (1,929) during the regular season, but did complete 131 out of 254 passes (51.6%) for 14 touchdown and 8 interceptions, garnering a QB Rating of 82.0, fourth highest in the league, earning him the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award. Denver TE Riley Odoms was his main target, leading the team in receptions with 37 catches for 429 yards and 3 touchdowns. WR Haven Moses was a major deep threat and the team leader in receiving yards with 539 yards on 27 catches and 4 touchdowns. His 20.0 yards per reception ranked fourth in the NFL. Moses was followed closely by WR Jack Dolbin with 26 catches for 443 yards (17.0 yards per reception) and 3 touchdowns.

However, the Broncos main offensive strength was their running game. Denver had three running backs, Otis Armstrong, Lonnie Perrin, and Rob Lytle, who carried the ball equally, combining for 1,353 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. On special teams, multi-talented WR Rick Upchurch led the NFL with 653 punt return yards, while also recording 456 yards returning kickoffs. Overall, Denver was 11th in rushing yards (2,043), 19th in passing yards (1,863), and 10th in total offense, scoring 274 points. The backbone of the Broncos was their defense, a unit known as the “Orange Crush”.

Denver used a 3-4 formation, anchored by four superb linebackers, including Randy Gradishar (3 interceptions, 4 fumble recoveries) and Tom Jackson (4 interceptions, 93 return yards, 1 touchdown). DE Lyle Alzado anchored the line, while their secondary was led by DBs Billy Thompson (5 interceptions) and Louis Wright (3 interceptions). Denver’s defense had given up only 148 points during the season, an average of just 10.6 per game, the third fewest in the NFL, behind the Atlanta Falcons and the Los Angeles Rams. The Broncos topped the league in rushing yards allowed (1,531) but finished just 25th in passing yards allowed (2,244).

With Staubach and his team’s “Doomsday Defense”, Dallas breezed through the playoffs. Staubach completed 210 out of 361 pass for 2,620 yards, 18 touchdowns, and only 8 interceptions, for a QB Rating of 87.0, finishing second in the league in passer rating and third in passes completed, passes attempted, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. Staubach also gained 171 rushing yards and scored 3 touchdowns. All-Pro WR Drew Pearson was the leading receiver with 48 receptions for 870 yards and 2 touchdowns. Pro Bowl TE Billy Joe Dupree recorded 28 receptions for 347 yards. The Cowboys also had a new weapon on offense, rookie RB Tony Dorsett.

Despite not becoming a full-time starter until the 10th game of the regular season, Dorsett led the team in rushing with 1,007 yards on 208 carries (4.8 yards per attempt), scored 13 total touchdowns, and was the team’s third leading receiver with 29 receptions for another 273 yards. Sixth year veteran RB Robert Newhouse was the team’s second leading rusher, with 721 yards on 180 attempts (4.0 yards per carry). RB Preston Pearson contributed 341 yards rushing, finished second on the team in receptions with 46 catches for 535 yards, and scored a total of 5 touchdowns. Overall, Dallas finished 4th in both passing and rushing yardage (2,443 and 2,369 respectively) while finishing 2nd in total offense, behind only the Oakland Raiders, scoring 345 points.

Meanwhile, Dallas’ defense continued the winning formula that helped get the Cowboys’ to Super Bowl X. Their defensive line consisted of DE Harvey Martin (23 sacks), DT Jethro Pugh, DE Ed “Too Tall” Jones, and DT Randy White. Behind them, the Cowboys had a trio of linebackers, Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson (3 interceptions), D.D. Lewis, and Bob Breunig, who excelled stopping both the run and the pass. Dallas also had a secondary led by future Hall of Famer Mel Renfro, as well as S Cliff Harris and Charlie Waters. Dallas finished 3rd in rushing yards allowed (1,651), 2nd in passing yards allowed (1,562), and 8th in total defense, allowing 212 points.

Super Bowl XII did not start out well for Dallas, nearly turning the ball over three times on their first two possessions. On the Cowboys first play from scrimmage, WR Butch Johnson fumbled the handoff on a double reverse, but recovered the ball. Dallas was then forced to punt, and Denver advanced to the Cowboys’ 33 yard line, before Craig Morton was sacked for an 11 yard loss on third down. On the ensuing punt, Dallas WR Tony Hill fumbled at the 1 yard line, but managed to fall on the ball before the Broncos could recover it. A few plays later, the Cowboys’ Tony Dorsett fumbled on his own 19 yard line, but Dallas quickly recovered the ball.

On Denver’s second drive of the game, Dallas’ Randy White and Harvey Martin forced Morton to hurry his throw, and DB Randy Hughes intercepted the pass at the Broncos’ 25 yard line. Five plays after the turnover, Dorsett scored a 3 yard touchdown for a 7-0 lead. On Denver’s next possession, Morton was intercepted again, when his pass was tipped by Bob Breunig into the arms of DB Aaron Kyle, who returned the ball 19 yards to the Broncos 35 yard line. The Cowboys drove to the 8 yard line, but Roger Staubach was sacked by Lyle Alzado for a 10 yard loss on third down, forcing them to settle for a 35 yard Efren Herrera field goal, increasing their lead to 10-0.

In the second quarter, Dallas advanced to Denver’s 19 yard line, and once again barely avoided a turnover. On third down, Staubach’s pass was intercepted in the end zone, but officials ruled that he had stepped out-of-bounds before he threw the ball. On the next play, Herrera added a 43 yard field goal, to increase the Cowboys’ lead to 13-0. The rest of the quarter was filled with sloppy play and turnovers by both teams. On the second play after the ensuing kickoff, Morton was intercepted again, this time by Dallas DB Benny Barnes, at his own 40 yard line. The Cowboys then drove to the Denver 26 yard line, but Herrera missed from 43 yards out.

The Broncos then committed another turnover, when WR Jack Dolbin fumbled and Hughes picked it up, returning it 19 yards to the Denver 27 yard line. However, Dallas once again failed to score, as Herrera missed a 32 yard field goal attempt. On the first play after the missed field goal, Hughes recovered Riley Odom’s fumble at the Broncos 28 yard line. But, on the next play, the Cowboys gave the ball right back to Denver, after the Broncos’ Tom Jackson recovered Billy Joe Dupree’s fumble. Five plays later, DB Mark Washington intercepted another errant Morton pass, and returned it 27 yards to Denver’s 35 yard line with just six seconds left in the period. But Herrera missed yet another field goal attempt, this time from 44 yards out, as time expired in the first half.

By halftime, the Broncos had committed seven turnovers. Morton, who had thrown a total of only eight interceptions throughout the entire 1977 season, had been picked off four times in addition to losing three fumbles. Yet, Denver trailed by only 13 points as the second half began. On the opening drive, the Broncos moved the ball deep into Dallas territory. First, John Schultz returned the second half kickoff 25 yards to the 35 yard line, and then Otis Armstrong ripped off an 18 yard gain. Seven plays later, K Jim Turner finished the drive with a 47 yard field goal, cutting the deficit to 13-3.

However, later in the period, the Cowboys scored on a spectacular 45 yard touchdown pass from Staubach to Johnson, who made a fingertip catch as he fell into the end zone. Although Johnson dropped the ball when he hit the ground, officials ruled he had caught it for a touchdown, and the Cowboys had increased their lead to 20-3. For many fans and critics, this was the play of the game. Not to be outdone, Denver’s Upchurch returned the ensuing kickoff a Super Bowl record 67 yards to the Cowboys 26 yard line. On the next play, Morton nearly threw his fifth interception, and was immediately replaced by reserve QB Norris Weese. Two plays later, Jim Jensen’s 16 yard run moved the ball to the 1 yard line, where Rob Lytle scored a 1 yard touchdown, to cut the deficit to 20-10.

Unfortunately for the Broncos, Dallas’ defense would not allow Denver another score. Midway through the fourth quarter, Weese fumbled the ball, while being sacked by Martin, and Kyle recovered it on the Broncos 29 yard line. On the next play, the Cowboys scored on a 29 yard halfback option play; Staubach pitched the ball to Robert Newhouse, who ran left, and then passed the ball to WR Golden Richards for a touchdown. The score gave the Cowboys a 27-10 lead and put the game out of reach, giving them their second Super Bowl victory in the 1970s. Super Bowl XII would not be considered one of the better played championship games, setting records for most fumbles, most turnovers, and most penalties in Super Bowl history, reminding many of Dallas and Baltimore’s sloppy performance in Super Bowl V.

For the first and only time in NFL history, two players won Super Bowl Most Valuable Player honors; Randy White and Harvey Martin. This was also the first time that a defensive lineman was named Super Bowl MVP. Roger Staubach finished the game with 17 out of 25 pass completions for 183 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Tony Dorsett was the leading rusher of the game, with 66 yards and a touchdown. Before being taken out of the game, Craig Morton completed just 4 out of 15 passes for 39 yards, and was intercepted 4 times. His 21 yard completion to Haven Moses on Denver’s opening drive was the only pass he completed that both resulted in positive yardage and did not end in a turnover. Morton’s passer rating for the game was 0.0, the lowest in Super Bowl history.

Conclusion: For Green Bay fans, the 1977 season was the team’s lowest point since Vince Lombardi’s departure in 1968. According to Stanton Greene, “This was a young team, too inexperienced and too thin. The rebuilding project was in full bloom and virtually all of the veterans of the [Dan] Devine era were gone. It was now Bart’s team and the fall back, one that Bart never used, that Devine had mortgaged the team’s future, was receding into the past.” After three seasons of futility, Starr was beginning to feel the heat, despite a two year contract extension at the beginning of the season.

However, the 1977 draft, with the acquisition of Mike Butler and Ezra Johnson on the defense line, Greg Koch and Derrell Gofourth on the offensive line, and a potential find in David Whitehurst, perhaps provided a ray of hope entering the 1978 season. But, after five consecutive losing years, three under Starr, fans were understandably jaded regarding prospects for the future.

To end this post, I’ve attached the NFL Films Super Bowl XII Highlight video narrated once again by the great John Facenda. I’ve also attached a video clip highlighting the “Ghost to the Post” play referenced earlier in the post. The audio and video tracks are a little off but it’s the best clip I could find at this point.

Enjoy!

As always, your feedback is appreciated!