Bradley Ruzicka

Headline: Green Bay Packers’ swiss cheese defense gives up more than 150 yards rushing in 14 of 16 games during another losing season.

Regular Season Record: 5 – 11 (Fourth Place NFC Central Division)

Offseason Highlights: On January 4, with one year remaining on his contract, Green Bay Packers’ Head Coach and General Manager Bart Starr, by a unanimous vote of the Executive Committee, received another two year extension, through the 1981 season. Despite a four year record of 21-36-1 with no playoff appearances, Starr now had job security running through what would be seven seasons.

Initially, Green Bay’s 1979 draft looked promising, producing four starters; 1st round selection RB Eddie Lee Ivery out of Georgia Tech University (15th overall), 2nd round pick RB Steve Atkins (44th overall) and 3rd round choice NT Charles Johnson (71st overall), both out of the University of Maryland, and 7th round selection LB Rich Wingo (184th overall), acquired as part of the Willie Buchanon trade with the San Diego Chargers. Unfortunately, injuries would hamper each player throughout their respective careers and they ultimately yielded little to the team’s long term success, a huge setback for Starr’s rebuilding efforts.

At the time, picking Ivery and Atkins with such high draft choices seemed strange, as Green Bay had a 1,000 yard runner the previous season with Terdell Middleton. However, Ivery appeared to have the potential to be an elite talent after finishing 1978 as an AP and UPI All-American selection. He would go on to play his entire eight year career in Green Bay, starting 50 out of the 72 games, rushing 667 times for 2,933 yards (4.4 yards per attempt) and 23 touchdowns, before retiring after the 1986 season. While injuries limited Ivory’s career, he still led the Packers in rushing three times over the next eight years. Atkins, on the other hand, would last less than three seasons in Green Bay and contribute little, again primarily due to injuries, rushing 120 times for 467 years and 2 touchdowns, retiring after the 1981 season.

Wingo meanwhile stepped directly into retired All-Pro Jim Carter’s middle linebacker position and looked like a superstar in the making, with Oakland Raiders’ Head Coach John Madden calling him the best rookie middle linebacker he had ever seen. However, once again, injuries would cut short a promising career, when Wingo blew out a knee and missed all of the 1980 season. Although he would play his entire six year career for Green Bay, Wingo never again approached the level of his early potential, starting 46 out of 69 games and intercepting four passes, before retiring prior to the 1985 season. Similarly, Johnson would be a Packer his entire career, but played only three out of five years due to injuries, starting 34 of 45 games he was active, but missing the 1981 and 1982 seasons, before retiring in 1984.

The Buffalo Bills had the 1st pick in the 1979 NFL draft, acquired from the 2-14 San Francisco 49ers, in a trade which sent RB O.J. Simpson to his hometown team prior to the 1978 season. Unfortunately for San Francisco, Simpson’s best days were behind him, as he rushed for only 593 and 460 yards during 1978 and 1979 respectively, retiring after the 1979 season. During his 11 years in the NFL, nine with Buffalo, Simpson gained 11,236 rushing yards, placing him second on the NFL’s all time rushing list at the time of his retirement. He was named NFL Player of the Year in 1973 and played in six Pro Bowls. He was the only player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a 14 game season, and is the only player to rush for over 200 yards in six different games. Simpson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985, his first year of eligibility.

Unbeknownst to NFL fans, as one Hall of Famer exited the scene, another took his place. In the third round of the 1979 draft, rookie San Francisco Head Coach and General Manager Bill Walsh selected future Hall of Fame QB Joe Montana out of Notre Dame with the 82nd overall pick. Although the 49ers would finish with the NFL’s worst record in 1979, the combination of Bill Walsh and Joe Montana would turn a perennial loser into a championship franchise during the 1980s. Adding insult to injury, Green Bay passed twice on selecting Montana during that same draft. While every team in the league had at least two shots at selecting Montana, the Packers’ story was full of intrigue.

According to Cliff Christl in 2005, “The late Red Cochran, the Packers’ Midwest scout at the time, tried to convince Starr to take Montana. … When Starr passed on Montana for the second time, Cochran walked out of the draft room in a huff.” The complete truth of why Green Bay passed on Montana may never be known. Zeke Bratkowski, backfield coach in 1979, has said over the years that he was a Montana backer, which is in contradiction to what Dick Corrick, then Personnel Director, said. Starr spoke with Montana’s coach, Dan Devine, who reportedly gave Starr the impression he was not a fan, even though Devine gave his quarterback high marks in discussions with then San Francisco head of scouting, John Ralston. Ralston subsequently recommended Montana to Walsh, who drafted him with the last pick of the third round. Starr ultimately accepted responsibility, saying in his 1987 autobiography, “There is no question that I made a terrible mistake in passing on Joe Montana. He could play, and I knew it, and I blew it.”

Meanwhile, Buffalo selected Ohio State LB Tom Cousineau with the No. 1 overall pick. However, Cousineau refused to sign with the Bills, and instead inked a lucrative deal with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. Cousineau returned to the United States in 1982 to play for the Cleveland Browns, his hometown franchise. In addition to Montana, the 1979 draft yielded a total of three future Hall of Famers, including the 4th overall selection, Arkansas University DE Dan Hampton (Chicago Bears), and the 13th overall selection, Missouri TE Kellen Winslow (San Diego Chargers).

Also in 1979, a rule change was made to prevent incidents such as the one that occurred at the end of 1978’s “Holy Roller” game between the Oakland Raiders and San Diego. If an offensive player fumbles during a fourth down play, or during any down played after the two minute warning in a half, only the fumbling player can recover and / or advance the ball. This change is known as the “Ken Stabler rule” after the Oakland quarterback who made that infamous play.

Of note, John Madden, at age 42, retired prior to the 1979 season, after 10 years as Oakland’s Head Coach. Madden was the youngest coach ever to reach 100 career regular season victories, and is still the winningest coach in Raider history. Oakland never had a losing season under Madden, and he lead the team to a victory in Super Bowl XI. The Pro Football Hall of Fame honored Madden with its Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award in 2002. In recognition of his outstanding coaching career, Madden was formally inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2006.

Finally, the 1979 season marked the National Football League’s 60th regular season.

Regular Season Highlights: After falling just short of winning the division in 1978, Green Bay fans were optimistic that 1979 would be the year their team returned to the playoffs for the first time since 1972. Unfortunately, it was not to be, as the Packers reverted to their mid-decade form, finishing behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Chicago Bears, who tied for the best record in the division at 10-6, as well as the 7-9 Minnesota Vikings. Only the 2-14 Detroit Lions were worse than Green Bay.

After a promising 3-1 pre-season, Green Bay split their first two games, a 6-3 road loss to Chicago and a 28-19 win over the New Orleans Saints in Milwaukee County Stadium. Unfortunately, the Packers’ 1-1 record would prove to be their best of 1979, never rising above .500 the remainder of the season. Yet, after seven games, Green Bay was only two games behind division leading Tampa Bay at 3-4 going into their Week 8 contest against the Buccaneers. However, a decisive 21-3 road loss effectively ended any playoff hopes. The Packers subsequently lost four out of their last five games, to finish with only five wins, two of those at the expense of the woeful Lions, and a team record 11 losses.

The highlight of the season was a Week 5 win over the New England Patriots, 27-14, on a Monday night in Lambeau Field, their first Monday night game ever in Lambeau. The Packers also beat the Vikings in Week 11, 19-7, the first time in five years. But, according to Lew Freedman in his book, The Packer Experience, this was not enough to prevent criticism of Head Coach Bart Starr from ratcheting up as the team struggled. Some suggested that Green Bay’s offensive and defensive schemes were outdated. In particular, the Packers’ defense allowed more than 150 yards rushing in 14 of the 16 games, with the team going 3-11 in those contests. No other defense was rushed on as much (639 carries), and the 2,885 yards given up on the ground was the fourth-worst in NFL history at the time.

It didn’t help matters that, one year after leading the NFC in interceptions, Starr reluctantly traded two time Pro Bowl DB Willie Buchanon to the San Diego Chargers on April 26 for a 1979 7th round and a 1980 1st round selection, after contract talks broke down and Buchanon threatened a holdout. Buchanon ended his seven year Packers’ career with 21 interceptions for 234 yards and 2 touchdowns. He would play four more years before retiring in 1983. In addition to Buchanon’s absence, LB John Anderson would start a total of only two games, after suffering a broken arm during Week 3’s 21-10 home loss to Tampa Bay, while 1978 Pro Bowl DE Ezra Johnson was hobbled throughout a majority of the season due to a severely sprained ankle, suffered in Week 4’s 27-21 overtime loss to Minnesota at Metropolitan Stadium.

QB Lynn Dickey, out with an injury since 1977’s ninth week, was back, playing during the third pre-season game, his first action in 21 months. However, after further surgery on his shattered leg in December, it was clear Dickey’s mobility was still extremely limited, and he was not yet ready to be the starter. That left third year veteran David Whitehurst as the Green Bay’s top quarterback. Whitehurst finished with 179 completions in 322 attempts (55.6%) for 2,247 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions, 17 of which were thrown in his last nine games, earning a QB Rating of only 64.5.

After 34 consecutive starts, a dismal Week 13 performance in a 21-10 home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles finally opened the door for Dickey’s return as Green Bay’s starting quarterback. He replaced Whitehurst during the Eagles game and started the season’s last three games, finishing 1979 with 60 completions in 119 attempts (50.4%) for 787 yards, 5 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, and a QB Rating of 71.7. Dickey would remain the starter for the rest of his Packers’ career. It also turned out that the Terdell Middleton miracle of 1978 had an expiration date. After his 1,100 yard year, Middleton rushed for just 495 yards on 131 attempts (3.8 yards per carry), gaining a total of only 45 yards in his last six games, while scoring a mere three touchdowns in 1979, compared to 12 in 1978.

Although Middleton was the Packers’ leading rusher for the second straight year, RB Eric Torkelson (401 yards on 98 attempts) nearly matched him. Green Bay’s top draft pick and potential star Eddie Lee Ivory blew out his knee after carrying the ball only three times in the first regular season game against Chicago. Former 1st round selection Barty Smith’s knees also gave out, permanently this time, after gaining 201 yards on 57 attempts over six games. Smith would retire in 1980 after seven seasons in Green Bay, having rushed for 1,942 yards on 544 attempts (3.6 yards per carry) and 18 touchdowns. Third year RB Nate Simpson and rookie RB Steve Atkins combined for an additional 474 rushing yards.

One area that showed great promise was the receiving corps. In his second year, James Lofton grabbed 54 passes for 968 yards (17.9 yards per catch) and 4 touchdowns. Unfortunately, Lofton did have some issues. He exploded after Week 4’s loss to the Vikings, personally criticizing Starr for his conservative play calling at the end of regulation. He also gave a middle finger salute to fans during Week 10’s 27-20 home loss to the New York Jets, after being booed for a fumble, becoming a lightening rod for criticism. Lofton did find a new receiving partner in second year TE Paul Coffman, who took over after the top pass catching tight end in Green Bay history, Rich McGeorge, was cut in August. Coffman caught 56 passes for 711 yards and 4 touchdowns, leading the Packers in receptions.

Injuries also played havoc with Green Bay’s special teams, when K Chester Marcol was lost for the season with a knee injury during the Packers loss to the Jets. Marcol scored a total of only 28 points for the year, missing 6 out of 10 field goals over the first nine games. K Tom Birney replaced Marcol for the remainder of the season, also scoring a total of 28 points, and tying him as Green Bay’s 1979 scoring leader. Overall, the Packers finished 21st in rushing, 16th in passing, and 25th in total offense, scoring 246 points. Defensively, the Packers finished last in the league (28th) against the run, while finishing 13th against the pass, and 13th in total defense, allowing 316 points, compared to 269 points in 1978.

The World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers tied San Diego for the NFL’s best record at 12-4, wining the AFC Central and the AFC West respectively. The Chargers won the AFC’s top seed based on their head-to-head victory over Pittsburgh. The Miami Dolphins were the AFC’s third seed at 10-6, while the AFC’s Wild Card entries were the 11-5 Houston Oilers (fourth seed) and the 10-6 Denver Broncos (fifth seed). The Dallas Cowboys were the NFC’s top seed at 11-5, Tampa Bay was the second seed at 10-6, and the Los Angeles Rams were the third seed at 9-7. The NFC’s Wild Card entries were 11-5 Philadelphia (fourth seed) and 10-6 Chicago (fifth seed).

Dallas finished ahead of Philadelphia for the NFC East title based on a better conference record (10-2 to Eagles’ 9-3), while Tampa Bay finished ahead of Chicago for the NFC Central title based on a better division record (6-2 to Bears’ 5-3). Chicago was the second NFC Wild Card entrant ahead of the Washington Redskins based on better net points in all games (57 to Redskins’ 53). This was Tampa Bay’s first playoff appearance in their four year history, after winning a total of seven games combined in their previous three seasons. For San Diego, it was their first playoff appearance in 14 years, under the direction of second year Head Coach Don Coryell.

Lastly, Houston RB Earl Campbell won the 1979 NFL Most Valuable Player Award as well as Offensive Player of the Year. RB Ottis Anderson of the St. Louis Cardinals was named Offensive Rookie of the Year. Tampa Bay DE Lee Roy Selmon won Defensive Player of the Year, while Buffalo Bills’ LB Jim Haslett won Defensive Rookie of the Year. Washington Head Coach Jack Pardee won Coach of the Year.

Post Season Highlights: In the NFC Wild Card Playoffs, the Chicago Bears traveled to Veterans Stadium to play the Philadelphia Eagles while, in the AFC, the Houston Oilers hosted the Denver Broncos in the Astrodome. The winners would advance to their respective Divisional Playoffs.

On December 23, Philadelphia Eagles’ QB Ron Jaworski threw for 204 yards and 3 touchdowns, as Philadelphia overcame a 17-10 Chicago Bears’ halftime lead, to advance to the NFC Divisional Playoffs.

Philadelphia scored first, when Jaworski threw a 17 yard touchdown pass to WR Harold Carmichael, for a 7-0 lead. Chicago responded with an 82 yard drive, to tie the score at 7-7, on RB Walter Payton’s 2 yard touchdown. Then, after Philadelphia added a field goal from K Tony Franklin for a 10-7 Eagles lead, Payton scored again on a 1 yard touchdown run for a 14-10 lead. Later in the second quarter, Bears DT Alan Page recovered a fumble from Jaworski on the Eagles 16 yard line, leading to K Bob Thomas’ 30 yard field goal, giving Chicago a 17-10 halftime lead. In the third quarter, Payton ripped off an 84 yard run on his first carry, but it was called back by an illegal motion penalty. Following a punt, the Eagles tied the game at 17-17 on Jaworski’s 29 yard touchdown pass to Carmichael.

Chicago responded with a drive to the Philadelphia 9 yard line, but DB Bob Howard ended the scoring threat, intercepting QB Mike Phipps in the end zone. A few plays later, Jaworski threw a 63 yard touchdown to RB Billy Campfield to take the lead for good, 24-17. Over 12 minutes remained in the game at that point, but the Bears could only manage a single first down the rest of the quarter. With 7:31 left, Eagle DT Jerry Robinson recovered a fumble from Bears’ WR Dave Williams, setting up Franklin’s 34 yard field goal, and a 27-17 lead. Chicago got one last change to score when LB Gary Campbell recovered a fumble by Eagles’ RB Wilbert Montgomery on the Philadelphia 28 yard line. But the Bears’ final threat ended with a turnover, this time another Phipps interception, for a 27-17 final.

Meanwhile, the Houston Oilers managed to shut down the Denver Broncos’ offense for most of the game, holding them to 216 total yards and recording six sacks, to advance to the AFC Divisional Playoffs.

After Toni Fritsch kicked a 31 yard field goal on Houston’s first drive for a 3-0 lead, Denver marched 80 yards in 13 plays to score on QB Craig Morton’s 7 yard touchdown pass to RB Dave Preston for a 7-3 lead. From that point on, the Oilers controlled the game. With less than three minutes left in the first half, Houston advanced 74 yards to score on RB Earl Campbell’s 3 yard touchdown, for a 10-3 halftime lead. Although Campbell and starting QB Dan Pastorini both missed the second half with injuries, the Oilers’ defense dominated. In the fourth quarter, a 15 yard interception return by LB Gregg Bingham set up Fritsch’s 20 yard field goal with 4:18 left in regulation, to give Houston a 13-7 victory.

In the Divisional Playoffs, the NFC Central Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosted their first playoff game against the NFC Wild Card winner Philadelphia Eagles in Tampa Stadium, while AFC Wild Card winner, the Houston Oilers, traveled to San Diego Stadium to play the AFC West Champion and top seed San Diego Chargers. Meanwhile, the AFC Central Champion Pittsburgh Steelers hosted the AFC East Champion Miami Dolphins, while the NFC West Champion Los Angeles Rams traveled to Texas Stadium to play the NFC East Champion and top seed Dallas Cowboys. The winners would advance to their respective Conference Championship games.

On December 29, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won their first playoff game in team history by jumping to a 17-0 lead, holding the Philadelphia Eagles to 48 rushing yards, while RB Rickey Bell recorded 142 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns.

Tampa Bay marched on an 18 play, 80 yard opening drive that took 9:25 off the clock, to score on Bell’s 4 yard touchdown run, for a 7-0 lead. Philadelphia responded with a drive into scoring range, but it would end badly. First, they attempted a fake 47 yard field goal, however, they failed to snap the ball before the play clock ran out. Then, K Tony Franklin’s 52 yard field goal was no good. Tampa Bay took the ball back and drove to a 10-0 lead on K Neil O’Donohue’s 40 yard field goal. On the Eagles next possession, RB Wilbert Montgomery lost a fumble that DT Randy Crowder recovered on the Philadelphia 5 yard line. Three plays later, Bell scored on a 1 yard run, increasing the Bucs lead to 17-0 with 5:12 left in the half.

Late in the quarter, Eagles’ LB Jerry Robinson intercepted QB Doug Williams’ pass and returned it 37 yards, setting up QB Ron Jaworski’s 11 yard touchdown pass to WR Charlie Smith, making the score 17-7 at halftime. Philadelphia took the second half kickoff and drove 45 yards to score on Franklin’s 42 yard field goal, cutting the deficit to 17-10. This would be the last score by either team until 7:08 remained in the game, when Williams threw a 9 yard touchdown pass to TE Jimmie Giles.

Now down 24-10, Philadelphia made a desperate comeback attempt. First, they drove 80 yards in 9 plays, and scored on Jaworski’s 37 yard bomb to WR Harold Carmichael, cutting the lead to 24-17. The Eagle defense then forced a punt with 2:11 left in the game, giving them one last chance for a tying touchdown. Jaworski’s completions to Carmichael and Smith for gains of 16 and 25 yards moved the ball to the Bucs 45 yard line. But Jaworski’s next four passes were incomplete, enabling Tampa Bay to take over and run out the clock, sealing a 24-17 victory.

Later that day, the Houston Oilers’ offense, playing without starting QB Dan Pastorini, WR Ken Burrough, and RB Earl Campbell due to injuries, could only generate 259 total yards, compared to San Diego’s 385 yards. But the Oilers still won the game, largely due to the effort of rookie S Vernon Perry, who set a playoff record with four interceptions.

San Diego took the opening kickoff and started out strong, moving the ball 81 yards in 11 plays. QB Dan Fouts completed a 34 yard pass to TE Greg McCrary and a 17 yarder to WR John Jefferson, before RB Clarence Williams’ 1 yard touchdown finished the drive for a 7-0 lead. The Chargers threatened to score again on their next drive, but Perry intercepted a Fouts’ pass at the Houston 18 yard line. In the second quarter, Perry blocked a field goal attempt and returned the ball 57 yards to the San Diego 28 yard line, setting up K Toni Fritsch’s 26 yard field goal, narrowing the lead to 7-3.

On San Diego’s next drive, Perry recorded another interception off Fouts, and lateralled the ball to S Mike Reinfeldt, who gained 7 yards to the Chargers 38 yard line. Three plays later, Oilers’ backup QB Gifford Nielsen rushed 14 yards to the Chargers 4 yard line. San Diego’s defense managed to keep them out of the end zone for three plays but, on Fritch’s field goal attempt, they were penalized for having 12 men on the field, moving the ball just inches away from the goal line. On 4th and inches with 19 seconds left in the half, Houston Head Coach Bum Phillips decided to gamble and go for the touchdown. It paid off, when RB Boobie Clark scored on a sweep left, to give the Oilers a 10-7 first half lead.

In the third period, Fouts connected with WR Charlie Joiner for 20 yards, and then hit TE Bob Klein for 16 yards, with a roughing the passer penalty turning it into a 31 yard gain. Former Baltimore Colts’ RB Lydell Mitchell finished the 65 yard drive with an 8 yard touchdown to give the Chargers a 14-10 lead. However, another Fouts’ interception by Houston DB J.C. Wilson later gave the Oilers the ball at the San Diego 44 yard line. Faced with 3rd and 13 two plays later, Nielsen threw a 47 yard touchdown pass to WR Mike Renfro, putting Houston back in front, 17-14. There were still more than 17 minutes left in regulation, but this would be the final score. Perry intercepted two more of Fouts’ passes, as the Oilers defense shut down the Chargers offense for the rest of the game.

Houston’s victory was a monumental upset over heavily favored San Diego, who had scored at least 26 points in 10 games during the season, and had defeated both eventual Super Bowl teams, the Los Angeles Rams and the Pittsburgh Steelers, by a combined scoring margin of 75-23. San Diego future Hall of Fame QB Dan Fouts threw for 333 yards, but was intercepted five times. Said Pro Football Prospectus, “The Chargers would not have the best record in the NFL again until the 2006 season. They would not have another top ten defense in points allowed until 1989. They would not win 12 games again in a season until 2004. Their best shot at glory went horribly awry, thanks to the worst game in the illustrious career of Dan Fouts.”

On December 30, the Pittsburgh Steelers scored 20 points in the first quarter, and held the Miami Dolphins to 25 rushing yards, advancing to the AFC Championship Game. Miami future Hall of Fame RB Larry Csonka was held to just 20 rushing yards on 10 carries in the final game of his career, while Steelers’ QB Terry Bradshaw threw for 230 yards and 2 touchdowns.

On the opening drive of the game, Pittsburgh marched 62 yards, to score on RB Sidney Thornton’s 1 yard touchdown, for a 7-0 lead. On their second possession, the Steelers advanced 62 yards to score again on WR John Stallworth’s 17 yard touchdown reception from Bradshaw. K Matt Bahr’s extra point was blocked, making the score 13-0. On their third drive, WR Lynn Swann caught a 20 yard touchdown pass from Bradshaw for a 20-0 halftime lead. Miami finally scored in the third quarter, after a muffed punt led to QB Bob Griese’s 7 yard touchdown pass to WR Duriel Harris, cutting the lead to 20-7. However, the Steelers responded by advancing 69 yards to score on RB Rocky Bleier’s 1 yard touchdown, extending the lead to 27-7. RB Franco Harris’ 5 yard touchdown in the fourth quarter put the game out of reach, 34-7. The Dolphins closed out the scoring with a 1 yard touchdown by Csonka for a 34-14 final.

Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys had easily handled the Los Angeles Rams in their last two meetings, soundly defeating an injured Los Angeles team during the regular season, 30-6, after shutting them out in last season’s NFC title game, 28-0. Dallas came into this game after an impressive win against the Washington Redskins in the last game of the regular season, in which QB Roger Staubach, already famous for his fourth quarter comebacks, added one more to his resume by rallying the Cowboys from a 34-21 fourth quarter deficit to a 35-34 win. But this day belonged to Los Angeles, as backup QB Vince Ferragamo led them to a victory by throwing three touchdown passes, the last one with 2:06 left in the game.

The game started out as a defensive struggle, with Dallas and Los Angeles combining for five punts on their first five possessions. On the Rams third possession, they started out on their own 12 yard line, and a penalty pushed them back to the 7 yard line. On 2nd down, DT Randy White sacked Ferragamo in the end zone for a safety, giving Dallas a 2-0 lead. The Cowboys started their next drive with great field position on their own 46 yard line after the free kick but, two plays later, Staubach’s pass was intercepted by DB Eddie Brown, and returned 21 yards to the Dallas 32 yard line. The Rams proved unable to take advantage of good field position, as their ensuing drive ended with a missed 44 yard field goal attempt by Frank Corral.

The second quarter began with more punting from both teams, but eventually the Rams offense managed to get on track, driving 93 yards to score on Ferragamo’s 32 yard touchdown pass to RB Wendell Tyler, making the score 7-2. Dallas struck back with Staubach completing a 17 yard pass to WR Drew Pearson and a 16 yarder to TE Billy Joe Dupree, moving the ball close enough for Rafael Septien’s 33 yard field goal, cutting the score to 7-5. As time was running out in the half, Ferragamo managed to get the Rams to the Cowboys 43 yard line. Just 11 seconds before halftime, he fired a pass to WR Ron Smith in the end zone, just before being leveled by White. Smith made a leaping catch between two defenders for a touchdown, giving the Rams a 14-5 lead at the half.

Cowboys’ DB Dennis Thurman gave his team an early second half scoring opportunity, intercepting Ferragamo on the Rams opening drive, and returning the ball 18 yards to the Los Angeles 32 yard line. But their offense could not move the ball and had to punt. Once again, the “Doomsday Defense” kept Los Angeles in check and, after a Rams punt, Dallas took the ball back on their own 46 yard line. On the next play, Staubach threw to Pearson for a 29 yard gain. From the Los Angeles 25 yard line, the Cowboys tried a halfback option play. It seemed to work at first, with RB Ron Springs throwing a touchdown pass to WR Tony Hill, but officials ruled he didn’t have both feet in bounds before stepping out of the back of the end zone.

Staubach then missed on a pass to RB Tony Dorsett in the end zone. However, the Rams were flagged for pass interference, moving the ball to the 1 yard line, and Springs ran the ball for a score on the next play, cutting the lead to 14-12. Dallas’ situation got even better from there as S Cliff Harris intercepted another Ferragamo pass, returning it 22 yards to the Cowboys’ 43 yard line. After the turnover, Dallas scored on Stabuach’s 2 yard touchdown toss to TE Jay Saldi, giving them a 19-14 lead with 12:46 left in regulation. The Rams responded with a drive to the Cowboys 32 yard line, but turned the ball over on downs while trying to convert a 4th and 8. On Dallas’ first play of their next drive, Dorsett ran the ball 26 yards to the Rams 42 yard line. But Dallas could go no further, and punted the ball back to Los Angeles.

Ferragamo then connected with WR Billy Waddy for a 36 yard completion to the Cowboys’ 44 yard line, only to have a holding penalty later push them back into their own territory, forcing another punt. Dallas took the ball back on their own 21 yard line with 2:45 left, needing only to run out the clock to win the game. On 1st down, RB Robert Newhouse was dropped for a 1 yard loss. The Cowboys then tried a screen pass to Hill on 2nd down but only gained 1 yard. On a 3rd down pass play, Staubach tried to scramble, but was stuffed for no gain, and a punt followed. The Rams had used all their timeouts, but got the ball back at midfield with 2:16 left in the game. On their first play, Ferragamo threw a pass over the middle to Waddy, who caught the ball at the 28 yard line, and took off to the end zone for a 50 yard score, to give the Rams a 21-19 lead.

Although Dorsett rushed for 12 yards on the first play of the Cowboys’ ensuing possession, Staubach was unable to engineer a final fourth quarter comeback. After two incompletions, the Rams defense pressured Staubach into throwing a third down pass illegally to an ineligible receiver, G Herb Scott, the last pass of Staubach’s career to be caught. On fourth down, he overthrew Drew Pearson. The Rams got the ball back on the Cowboys 33 yard line with 1:07 left. Dallas had enough timeouts left to force the Rams into a fourth down situation with just 13 seconds left to go. However, Nolan Cromwell ran 7 yards for a first down on a fake field goal as time expired, for a 21-19 Los Angeles victory.

For the second time in two days, a top seed had been eliminated in another stunning upset. Dallas’ loss to Los Angeles was one of the worst playoff defeats in Cowboys history. Some say the loss had to do with the dramatic season ending game against Washington that put Dallas in the playoffs. Others believe that the Cowboys just overlooked the Rams. Whatever the reason, Dallas’ season ended that Sunday in Texas Stadium. The Staubach magic also ended that day as on March 31 1980, he announced his retirement from professional football.

Roger Thomas Staubach was a “future” selection in the 1964 NFL Draft by both Dallas and the AFL’s Kansas City Chiefs. The NFL allowed the Cowboys to draft him one year before his college eligibility was over because he was four years out of high school although, due to his four year military commitment, he would not play professionally until 1969, as a 27 year old rookie with the Cowboys.

In 1971, Craig Morton began the season as the starting quarterback but, after a loss to the New Orleans Saints, Staubach assumed the role. However, in a game against the Chicago Bears during the seventh week of the season, Head Coach Tom Landry alternated Staubach and Morton on each play, sending in the quarterbacks with the play call from the sideline. Dallas gained almost 500 yards of offense, but committed seven turnovers, that resulted in a 23-19 loss to a mediocre Bears squad, dropping the Cowboys to 4-3 for the season. Staubach assumed the full time quarterbacking duties in a Week 8 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. He subsequently led the Cowboys to 10 consecutive victories, including their first Super Bowl win, 24-3, over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI, for which he was named the game’s MVP.

In 1972, Staubach missed most of the season with a separated shoulder, but he relieved Morton in a divisional playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers, and threw two touchdown passes in the last 90 seconds to win, 30-28. With that performance, he won back his regular job and did not relinquish it again during his career. Staubach would lead Dallas to three more Super Bowls in the 1970s (1975, 1977, 1978) and a second victory in Super Bowl XII, 27-10, over Morton and the Denver Broncos. In 1979, Staubach scored career highs in completions (267), passing yards (3,586), and touchdown passes (27), with just 11 interceptions. However, he decided to retire at the season’s conclusion in order to protect his long term health, declining the Cowboys’ offer for two more years.

Staubach suffered 20 concussions in his playing career, including six in which he said he was “knocked out”. After suffering two concussions in 1979, a doctor at Cornell told him that, while his brain tests were fine at the moment, another concussion could have life-altering consequences. Staubach thus finished his 11 NFL seasons with 1,685 completions in 2,958 attempts (57.0%) for 22,700 yards, 153 touchdowns, 109 interceptions, and a QB Rating of 83.4, second at that time to only Otto Graham (86.6). He also gained 2,264 rushing yards and scored 21 touchdowns on 410 carries. Staubach had a .750 regular season winning percentage, was an All-NFC choice five times, and selected to play in six Pro Bowls (1971, 1975-79). He joined the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985, his first year of eligibility.

On January 6 1980, for the second consecutive year, the AFC Championship Game pitted the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Houston Oilers in Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers Stadium. Meanwhile, the underdog Los Angeles Rams played the young Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the NFC Championship in Tampa Stadium.

In the AFC, the Pittsburgh Steelers held the Houston Oilers to only 24 rushing yards, but were also aided by a controversial non-touchdown call, to come away with a win.

Houston jumped to a 7-0 lead just 2:30 into the game, when S Vernon Perry, the hero against San Diego, returned an interception of QB Terry Bradshaw’s pass 75 yards for a touchdown. Then, after the teams exchanged field goals (21 yards by the Steelers’ Matt Bahr and 27 yards by the Oilers’ Toni Fritsch) to make the score 10-3, Bradshaw completed two touchdown passes, a 16 yarder to TE Bennie Cunningham and a 20 yarder to WR John Stallworth. With the Steelers now leading 17-10, a controversial play occurred during the last seconds of the third quarter after the Oilers had advanced to the Pittsburgh 6 yard line.

QB Dan Pastorini threw a pass to WR Mike Renfro at the back of the end zone, and Renfro appeared to have caught it for a touchdown before he fell out of bounds. TV replays suggested the catch was legitimate. Despite this, the officials ruled the pass incomplete, saying that Renfro did not have complete control of the ball before going out of bounds. The Oilers subsequently had to settle for a 23 yard field goal, cutting the Steelers lead to 17-13 rather than tying the score at 17-17. Pittsburgh would then score ten unanswered points in the fourth quarter to clinch the win. A 78 yard drive ended with a 39 yard Bahr field goal, and RB Rocky Bleier subsequently scored on a 4 yard touchdown, for a 27-13 victory.

Meanwhile, in a defensive battle in which the Los Angeles Rams squandered numerous scoring opportunities, Frank Corral kicked three field goals to eliminate the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

On the opening drive of the game, Los Angeles drove to the Bucs 18 yard line, but RB Wendell Tyler lost a fumble after a hit by DT Wally Chambers, and LB Richard Wood recovered it. On their next possession, the Rams drove 68 yards, including a 35 yard completion from QB Vince Ferragamo to WR Preston Dennard, to the Buccaneers 1 yard line, where Corral made a 19 yard field goal, for a 3-0 lead. In the second quarter, they drove 58 yards and scored on another Corral field goal of 21 yards, to take a 6-0 halftime lead. In the third quarter, the Rams appeared to score on a 20 yard pass, but the reception was ruled incomplete, and Corral missed a 37 yard field goal on the next play. In the fourth quarter, Rams’ S Eddie Brown’s 16 yard punt return to midfield set up a 23 yard field goal from Corral for the final score of the game, and a 9-0 Los Angeles victory.

Los Angeles was able to accumulate 369 total yards, while Tampa Bay could only gain 177 yards. Buccaneer starting QB Doug Williams completed just 2 of 13 passes, before suffering a game ending torn bicep injury. During the game, two touchdowns were nullified by penalties, one by each team, a 4 yard run by Rams’ RB Cullen Bryant and a 27 yard reception by Buccaneers’ TE Jimmie Giles. This was the first conference championship game in NFL history without a touchdown from either team.

Super Bowl XIV would match the defending World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the first time NFC Champion Los Angeles Rams. For Pittsburgh, they would be attempting a feat no other team had yet accomplished, winning four Super Bowls.

Super Bowl Highlights: On January 20 1980, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena CA, the AFC Conference Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, led for the fourth time by Head Coach Chuck Noll, played the NFC Conference Champion Los Angeles Rams, led by second year Head Coach Ray Malavasi, in Super Bowl XIV. It was the first time the Super Bowl was coincidentally played in the home market of one of the participants. At the time, the Rams played at nearby Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. However, most people didn’t think Los Angeles even belonged on the same field with Pittsburgh. As a result, the Steelers were heavy favorites to win their fourth Super Bowl.

Pittsburgh appeared to be an even better team than in their three previous Super Bowl seasons, leading the league in scoring with 416 points and in total offense with 6,258 yards, an average of 391 yards per game, just 31 yards short of an NFL record, while finishing 2nd in both passing and rushing yards (3,655 and 2,603 respectively). However, the Steelers’ offense also led the NFL with a staggering 52 turnovers in the regular season. Pittsburgh QB Terry Bradshaw had another fine season, completing 259 out of 472 attempts (54.9%) for 3,724 yards and 26 touchdowns, although he did throw 25 interceptions, for a QB Rating of 77.0.

WR John Stallworth was Bradshaw’s top target with 70 receptions for 1,183 yards and 8 touchdowns, while WR Lynn Swann caught 41 passes for 808 yards (19.7 yards per catch). Steelers’ TE Bennie Cunningham was also a big contributor, with 36 receptions for 512 yards. RB Franco Harris was Pittsburgh’s leading rusher for the 8th consecutive season, with 1,186 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also recorded his 7th consecutive season with more than 1,000 yards, tying an NFL record set by RB Jim Brown. Harris also had his best year as a receiver out of the backfield, recording career highs of 36 receptions for 291 yards and another touchdown.

RB Rocky Bleier had another superb season, providing Harris with excellent blocking, while contributing 711 combined rushing and receiving yards. And RB Sidney Thornton emerged as a big threat, with 816 total yards, averaging 5.0 yards per carry. The Steelers’ “Steel Curtain” defense finished the regular season ranked 4th overall in rushing defense (1,709 yards allowed), 10th in passing yards allowed (2,561), and tied for 5th in scoring defense, allowing 262 points. Up front, DT Joe Greene and DE L.C. Greenwood terrorized opposing quarterbacks. And LBs Jack Lambert and Jack Ham excelled at run stopping and pass coverage, combining for 8 interceptions. The Steelers also had a fine secondary, led by DB Mel Blount, who recorded 3 interceptions, and S Donnie Shell, who had 5 interceptions.

Pittsburgh’s opponent began their existence in 1936 as the Cleveland Rams before moving to Los Angeles in 1946 following their 1945 NFL Championship win over the Washington Redskins, making way for Paul Brown’s Cleveland Browns after the All-American Football Conference (AAFC) merged with the NFL. The Rams thus became the only NFL championship team to play the following season in another city. Over the next 10 years, Los Angeles played in four more NFL Championships, losing three (1949-50, 1955) and winning one in 1951 over the team that replaced them, the Cleveland Browns. Between 1956 and 1966, the Rams struggled, eight times finishing with a losing record under three different head coaches.

But, after George Allen was hired in 1966, Los Angeles enjoyed five straight winning seasons and won two division titles beginning in 1967, although they could not win a playoff game. After a falling out with Owner Dan Reeves prior to the 1971 season, Allen left to coach the Redskins and Reeves subsequently sold the franchise to Robert Irsay in 1972. Irsay immediately traded the Rams to Carroll Rosenbloom for his Baltimore Colts franchise and cash. Chuck Knox was hired as head coach in 1973 and led Los Angeles to another five division titles, including three consecutive appearances in the NFC Title Game. However, the Rams again would not play for an NFL championship.

When Knox left Los Angeles at the end of the 1977 season to join the Buffalo Bills, the Rams hired back their old head coach, George Allen, for the 1978 season, after he was dismissed by Washington. However, after only two pre-season games, Allen was fired amid reports of player dissension and resistance to his strict regulations, at which point Rosenbloom hired Allen’s assistant coach, Ray Malavasi, to be his new head coach. Although Los Angeles finished 12-4 and again won their division, they were defeated decisively by the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game, 28-0, for the fourth time in five years.

Early in 1979, Carroll Rosenbloom drowned in a mysterious accident, and a power struggle ensued between Carroll’s second wife, Georgia Frontiere, and his son, Steve Rosenbloom. Georgia eventually gained control of the team, and subsequently fired her stepson. Prior to Rosenbloom’s death, the Rams had already announced their intentions to leave the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and move to Anaheim Stadium in Orange County for the 1980 season. Adversity hung over the franchise as the season began.

By the end of the season, Los Angeles had barely outscored their opponents, 323-309, and finished with the worst record ever by a team who advanced to a Super Bowl, 9-7. While finishing 7th overall in rushing yards (2,460), the Rams finished a dismal 17th in passing yards (2,673), just behind Green Bay, and 15th in points scored. The team was plagued with injuries, including the loss of their starting QB Pat Haden after 10 games. Haden finished with 163 completions in 290 attempts (56.2%) for 1,854 yards, 11 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, and a QB Rating of 68.1. His replacement, third year QB Vince Ferragamo, started the last five games, going 4-1 while completing 53 out of 110 attempts (48.2%) for 778 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, earning him a QB Rating of only 49.0.

The Rams main offensive weapon was RB Wendell Tyler, who rushed for 1,109 yards, caught 32 passes for 308 yards, and scored 10 touchdowns, even though he didn’t start until Week 5. Tyler’s rushing yards came off just 218 attempts, giving him a league leading 5.1 yards per carry average. RB Cullen Bryant provided Tyler with excellent blocking, while also gaining 846 total yards and scoring 5 touchdowns. WR Preston Dennard was the team’s main deep threat, catching 43 passes for 766 yards and 4 touchdowns. The offensive line, led by OTs Doug France and Jackie Slater, as well as OG Dennis Harrah, powered the Los Angeles running attack despite injuries, while also giving up just 29 sacks.

In addition to a solid running game, the Rams relied on their defense, which featured DE Jack Youngblood, who made the Pro Bowl for the 7th year in a row, and was playing with a broken leg, as well as lightning quick DE Fred Dryer. Behind them, Los Angeles had two outstanding LBs; Jack “Hacksaw” Reynolds and Jim Youngblood, who together had 5 interceptions and returned two of them for touchdowns. The Rams also had a solid secondary, led by S Nolan Cromwell, who grabbed 5 interceptions. The defense set an NFL record that still stands, holding the Seattle Seahawks’ offense to a total of minus 7 yards during a 24-0 victory in the Kingdome. Overall, Los Angeles finished 11th in points allowed (309), 9th in pass defense (2,556 yards), and 10th in run defense (1,997 yards).

The Rams took the opening kickoff, but the “Steel Curtain” managed to force a three and out. On the Steelers’ seventh play of their first possession, Terry Bradshaw completed a 32 yard pass to Franco Harris to reach the Rams 26 yard line. But a third down pass fell incomplete, forcing Pittsburgh to settle for a 41 yard field goal from rookie K Matt Bahr, and a 3-0 lead. Bahr’s ensuing kickoff was very short, giving Los Angeles great field position at their 41 yard line. On the first play of the drive, the Rams’ Wendell Tyler caught a 6 yard pass from Vince Ferragamo. On the next play, Tyler took a handoff, ran left, broke some tackles, and gained 39 yards to the Steelers 14 yard line, before he was finally stopped, the longest run against Pittsburgh all season.

Six plays later, Cullen Bryant scored on a 1 yard touchdown, giving Los Angeles a 7-3 lead. The score was the Steelers’ first rushing touchdown allowed in Super Bowl competition. But the Rams lead didn’t last long. Pittsburgh’s Larry Anderson returned the ensuing kickoff 45 yards to his own 47 yard line. The Steelers then marched 53 yards in 9 plays, with Harris running for 12 yards, Rocky Bleier for 1 yard, and Bennie Cunningham catching a pass from Bradshaw for 8 yards. Bleier ran again for 2 yards, followed by Bradshaw’s 18 yard completion to Lynn Swann on the last play of the first quarter. The second period opened with Bradshaw’s 13 yard completion to Cunningham to reach the Los Angeles 5 yard line. On 3rd down from the 1 yard line, Harris ran to the right for a touchdown, giving the Steelers a 10-7 lead.

However, the Rams came right back. Aided by a 20 yard pass interference penalty, Los Angeles advanced 67 yards in 10 plays, to score on a 31 yard field goal from K Frank Corral, tying the game at 10-10. Anderson again gave Pittsburgh great field position, after returning the ensuing kickoff 38 yards to the Pittsburgh 46 yard line, but the Steelers could not move the ball and had to punt. On the first play of Pittsburgh’s next drive, the Rams’ DB Dave Elmedorf intercepted a Bradshaw pass and returned it 10 yards to the Steelers’ 39 yard line. On the first two plays after the turnover, Ferragamo was sacked for a 10 yard loss and threw an incomplete pass. But he managed to recover with a 12 yard completion to Bryant on 3rd and 20, and a 10 yard completion to WR Billy Waddy on 4th and 8, for a first down.

Ferragamo’s next pass was complete to TE Terry Nelson for a first down at the 13 yard line but, after throwing two incompletions, Pittsburgh DT John Banaszak sacked Ferragamo. Los Angeles settled for a 45 yard Corral field goal and a 13-10 halftime lead. Anderson once again gave the Steelers great starting field position, returning the second half kickoff 37 yards to the Pittsburgh 39 yard line. The Steelers lulled the Rams defense by running the ball on three consecutive plays, and then Bradshaw burned them with a 47 yard touchdown completion to Swann, who made a leaping catch at the Los Angeles 2 yard line and tumbled into the end zone, to give Pittsburgh a 17-13 lead.

But again, the lead didn’t hold. After starting the ensuing drive with two running plays, Ferragamo completed a 50 yard pass to Billy Waddy. On the next play, Ferragamo handed the ball off to RB Lawrence McCutcheon, who started to run to the right. The Steelers’ defense came up to tackle him behind the line of scrimmage, only to watch him throw a 24 yard touchdown pass to WR Ron Smith. Corral missed the extra point attempt, but the Rams had retaken the lead, 19-17. Pittsburgh had some success advancing into Los Angeles territory on their next two possessions, only to see the Rams intercept the ball both times. First, Los Angeles S Eddie Brown stopped the ensuing Steelers drive with an interception. After a Rams punt, Pittsburgh drove all the way to the Los Angeles 16 yard line, but Rams’ DB Rod Perry intercepted another Bradshaw pass intended for John Stallworth.

Thus, the third quarter ended with Los Angeles still in the lead, 19-17, seemingly in control of the game. Worse yet, Pittsburgh lost Swann to injury when he was knocked out of the game. With 12:59 remaining, a 59 yard Ram punt planted the Steelers back on their own 25 yard line. Faced with 3rd and 8, Bradshaw took the snap, faked a handoff, and threw a pass to Stallworth, who was running a streak pattern down the middle of the field. Stallworth caught the ball barely beyond the outstretched hand of Perry, and took it all the way to the end zone for a 73 yard go ahead touchdown, making the score 24-19.

After an exchange of punts, Los Angeles mounted one final, spirited drive to regain the lead. Ferragamo smartly moved the Rams down the field, completing three out of four passes around runs by Tyler. His 15 yard completion to Waddy on 3rd and 13 moved Los Angeles to Pittsburgh’s 32 yard line, with just under six minutes remaining. However, on the following play, Ferragamo made his first and only mistake of the game. Despite the fact that Waddy had broken free down the right side of the field, Ferragamo had zeroed in on WR Ron Smith down the middle of the field. But he didn’t notice the Steelers’ Lambert playing behind Smith. As Ferragamo released the ball, Lambert jumped in front of Smith, intercepting the pass with 5:24 remaining.

Faced with a 3rd and 7 on their ensuing drive, Bradshaw once again made a crucial long pass completion to Stallworth, this time a 45 yard reception to the Rams 22 yard line. Two plays later, a questionable pass interference penalty on Los Angeles’ CB Pat Thomas in the end zone gave the Steelers a first and goal at the 1 yard line. The Rams managed to keep Bleier and Harris out of the end zone for two plays, however, Harris scored a 1 yard touchdown on third down to give the Steelers a 31-19 lead that put the game away. Los Angeles responded by driving to Pittsburgh’s 37 yard line, but ended up turning over the ball on downs with 39 seconds left in the game. The Steelers ran out the clock to seal a 31-19 victory.

Despite throwing three interceptions, Terry Bradshaw was named Super Bowl Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive year, completing 14 of 21 passes for 309 yards and 2 touchdowns. Franco Harris led Pittsburgh in rushing, with 44 yards and 2 touchdowns, while also catching 3 passes for 66 yards. John Stallworth was the top receiver of the game with 3 receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown, an average of 40.3 yards per catch. Lynn Swann had 5 catches for 79 yards and a touchdown. KR Larry Anderson set a Super Bowl record with 162 yards from his five kickoff returns. Despite the expectations of most fans and critics, the game could have been won by either team, with the lead changing hands seven times, a Super Bowl record to this day.

With their fourth Super Bowl victory in the 1970s, the Steelers would be forever known as the team of the decade. A close second were the Cowboys, winning 105 games between 1970-79, the most of any team, while also winning two out of their five Super Bowl appearances. Overall, the 1970s are considered by many, including yours truly, as the best decade ever for the NFL, as the league solidified both its dominance as America’s top spectator sport and its important role in American culture, expanding from 16 teams at the end of the 1960s to 28 teams at the end of the 1970s. The Super Bowl became an unofficial national holiday and was the top rated TV program most years. Monday Night Football, first aired in 1970, brought in high ratings by mixing sports and entertainment. Rule changes during the 1970s produced a fast paced game with lots of passing to attract the casual fan.

Conclusion: Unfortunately, no Packers’ fan is likely to say that the 1970s was their favorite decade. Most of those years were spent learning to live without the legendary Vince Lombardi. Green Bay managed just two winning seasons between 1970 and 1979 and, for the most part, reverted back to their pre-Lombardi form on the field. Once Hall of Fame QB Bart Starr retired in 1971, the Packers went through starting quarterbacks even faster than they did head coaches. Green Bay had only six All-Pro selections during the entire decade. The fans still loved and supported the team but, after the success of the 1960s, they were disappointed time and again in the 1970s.

As a disappointing 1979 season came to a close, Team President Dominic Olejniczak felt compelled to confirm that Starr’s job was safe, despite two years remaining on his contract. After another losing season, management may have regretted extending his deal at the beginning of the year, but they couldn’t afford to let him go. On the plus side, Green Bay fell only a touchdown or less short of victory in five of their losses, two of those to second place Chicago. If the Packers had flipped those four games, they would have finished at 9-7, their first consecutive winning seasons since 1966-67. But it was not to be, leaving Green Bay fans to hope that better times were ahead in the 1980s.

To end this post, I’ve attached the NFL Films Super Bowl XIV Highlight video, narrated once again by the great John Facenda.

Enjoy!

As always, your feedback is appreciated!