Happy Thanksgiving. It's time to get serious about NFL78. We start today (Thursday, Nov. 23, 1978) with Broncos at Lions at 11:30 on Channel 6, and then we have Washington at Dallas at 2:30 on Channel 12. I'm excited.
We're through three quarters of the league's first-ever 16-game season, and it's time to figure out what needs to happen for the Dolphins to go back to the playoffs and get back to winning all of the Super Bowls. Three division winners and two wild-card teams from each conference will advance to the playoffs, and here's how the AFC stacks up going into Week 13 action:
Steelers 10-2Patriots 9-3Raiders 8-4Broncos 8-4Oilers 8-4Dolphins 8-4Jets 6-6Browns 6-6Seahawks 6-6Chargers 6-6Colts 5-7
You're going to have to win at least eight games to make the playoffs from the AFC, so that means the Bills (3-9), Chiefs (2-10) and Bengals (1-11) are eliminated from postseason contention.
Now here's where the NFC stands in sussing out which team loses to the Dolphins in the Super Bowl:
Rams 10-2Cowboys 8-4Washington 8-4Vikings 7-5Packers 7-5Eagles 7-5Falcons 7-5Giants 5-7Buccaneers 5-7Saints 5-7Bears 4-8Lions 4-8Cardinals 4-8
The number is probably already even higher than this the way the rest of the schedule is set up, but, even on first blush, it's clear that at least seven wins will be necessary to make the playoffs from the NFC. So, sorry, 49ers (1-11). Also, it should be noted that the Saints cannot win the NFC West because the Rams already have more wins than New Orleans could get to.
As I settle in for Channel 12's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade coverage, I plan to get out the Street and Smith's and look at the scenarios with the schedule over these last four weeks.
Don't let the YouTube thumbnail there fool you; the real stars of this broadcast are CBS's New York hosts, Linda Lavin and Ron Leibman. Alice and Kaz air back-to-back on Channel 12 on Sunday nights in 1978, and the shows' titular stars are married in real life! What a powerhouse TV moment this broadcast was!
I really am excited about most everything.
She calls him, "Ronnie." He calls her, "Linnie." She says they live just a couple of blocks away from their vantage point on the parade.
ReplyDeleteI would absolutely pay full price for a movie ticket to Thanksgiving Day 1978 with Linda Lavin and Ron Leibman.
Dolphins are at home against the Jets this Sunday, at Washington next, at home agains the Raiders on Dec. 10 and then at home against the Patriots on Monday night, Dec. 18, in the last NFL78 regular-season game of all.
ReplyDeleteSo let’s assume Miami finishes 12-4.
New England is at Baltimore this Sunday, so that could be the Colts’ last stand. Bert Jones appeared to come back a little early from injury at midseason, and that spurred on the Colts to a little spurt of four wins in six games. But now Jones is hurt again, and Baltimore’s streak of AFC East championships appears to be done at three.
ReplyDeleteOn Dec. 3, the Patriots go to Dallas, and then they have at the Bills at home on Dec. 10 before finishing at Miami. New England is really good, and it has all of its stars on the field. People sure love that Steve Grogan. If the Patriots and Cowboys both win this week, there will be no shortage of "Super Bowl-preview" talk about next week's game.
ReplyDeleteThe Jets have been one of the season's stories. New York has finished 3-11 each of the last three seasons. But it hired Walt Michaels as coach and moved on from Joe Namath last season. The Jets have been playing a bunch of rookies this season, including Matt Robinson with Richard Todd hurt. Robinson can really, really throw long bombs, and Wesley Walker, a second-year wide receiver, can really, really run and catch them.
ReplyDeleteAfter they lose this week at Miami, the Jets will be at home against the Colts on Dec. 3, at Cleveland on Dec. 10 and at home against the Cowboys on Dec. 17. Their playoff hopes are quite slim, but the Jets seem like they're going to be a big headache for the next several seasons.
By the time the Channel 3 late news comes on Monday, the Steelers might have the AFC Central clinched. The Oilers play the Bengals Sunday, and Cincinnati has been a tougher out since getting back several players injured at the start of the season (quarterback Ken Anderson, linebacker Bo Harris and defensive end Ross Browner, the No. 1 overall draft choice this spring) and changing its head coach (from Bill Johnson to Homer Rice after an 0-4 start). Pittsburgh then plays at awful San Francisco on Monday night. An Oiler loss and a Steeler win this weekend gives Pittsburgh its fifth-straight division championship.
ReplyDeleteMore likely, however, the question remains open when Pittsburgh goes to Houston on Dec. 3.
I've watched parts of at least about six of the Steelers' games, and Pittsburgh looks tremendous. Franco Harris has very often looked like the league's most complete runner; Lynn Swann has absolutely looked like its best receiver, and now Terry Bradshaw looks like he might now be its best quarterback. And the defense is so deep with talent now that it has seemed to be as good or maybe even better when some of its old stars like L.C. Greenwood and Dwight White have been sidelined with injuries.
ReplyDeleteIf you've been watching nothing but the Monday-night games, though, you'd swear the Oilers are the class of the league. Houston has played twice on Monday night in NFL78. It came from behind to win at Pittsburgh, 24-17, on Oct. 23, and then, just three nights ago, it came from behind to beat the Dolphins, 35-30. You should've heard Hank Stram on the CBS Radio broadcast of the second game; he pretty much already has Earl Campbell in the Hall of Fame.
ReplyDeleteAfter the Bengals and the Steelers, the Oilers go to the Saints on Dec. 10 and then close at home against the Chargers on Dec. 17. I’m scared to death the Oilers are going to end up getting one of the two AFC wild-card berths and keep the Dolphins out of the playoffs.
The Browns are at home against the Rams on Nov. 26, at the Seahawks on Dec. 3, at home against the Jets on Dec. 10 and at the Bengals on Dec. 17. It's not the toughest schedule, but Cleveland probably has to win three or maybe even all four games to avoid a sixth straight playoffs miss.
ReplyDeleteWe thought Linda Lavin was one of the best actors they ever had on "Barney Miller," and we were very sad when she left the show.
ReplyDeleteJimmy the Greek reports on NFL Today today in 1978 (Sunday, December 3) that the Pittsburgh Pirates are the favorites to sign free-agent Pete Rose, which seems like it would really help their 1979 National League pennant chances.
ReplyDeleteOK, I got behind with all of the 1978 and 2025 Thanksgiving festivities, so now I have to dig back into the NFL playoff picture. What I do know is that the Jets didn't even have Richard Todd, and New York still beat the Dolphins for the second time this season. That's crushing.
ReplyDeleteAfter a 24-13 loss at home to the Jets, the Dolphins are now two games back of the Patriots in the AFC East with three to play. And I don't know who would have the tiebreaker, but Miami, Denver and Oakland all have 8-5 records--tied for the second of two AFC wild-card slots.
ReplyDeleteThe Oilers are now 9-4 and in good shape for the top wild-card berth. Houston could still win the division, in fact--but they'd have to win out, starting with home against the Steelers (11-2) late this Sunday afternoon.
ReplyDeleteThe Raiders and Broncos are tied atop the AFC West, and they play another late game today, in Oakland. But Seattle (7-6) is also right there after winning 17-16 at Oakland last Sunday. The Broncos, by the way, lost the first Thanksgiving game, at Detroit, 17-14.
ReplyDeleteIn the NFC East, it's the Cowboys on top at 9-4, and Dallas looked in the second Thanksgiving game like solid, solid contenders to repeat as NFL champs, clobbering Washington, 37-10. The Commanders and Eagles are both 8-5.
ReplyDeleteAll five NFC Central teams remain in contention for the division championship. Green Bay and Minnesota are tied for first place at 7-5-1 after tying, 10-10, at Lambeau last Sunday when both teams missed short field goals in overtime. Chicago, Detroit and Tampa Bay are all 5-8, with the Buccaneers having the best shot to make a move today--they host the Packers in a noon kickoff.
ReplyDeleteThe Rams wiped out in Cleveland last Sunday, 30-19, and craziness is descending upon Los Angeles. The team suspended one of its best defensive players, linebacker Isaiah Robertson, for something or another this past week, and the top halfback, Lawrence McCutcheon, and fullback, John Cappelletti, are now both injured.
ReplyDeleteNonetheless, at 10-3, the Rams would have to totally collapse to lose the NFC West. In a couple of noon starts, Los Angeles plays at the lowly New York Giants (5-8), and the second-place Falcons (8-5) play at the lowlier Cincinnati Bengals (1-12). Maybe Atlanta coach Leeman Bennett drove the team bus through Paducah en route to today's game so he could check in with his home folks.
So for the regular season's 14th weekend (the weekend when the regular season ended every year from 1961 through 1977), all but eight of the league's teams remain in at least squinting contention for a playoff berth. CBS celebrated this development with TV-sketch hilarity at halftime of today's noon games.
ReplyDeleteJimmy the Greek, meanwhile, reports that Pete Rose's meeting with the Pirates is still ongoing at this hour.
ReplyDeleteThe noon kickoffs are done, and Miami has shut out Washington, 16-0!
ReplyDeleteThe noon Week 14 results:
ReplyDelete-- Bengals beat Falcons, 37-7
-- Jets beat Colts, 24-16
-- Packers beat Buccaneers, 17-7
-- Dolphins beat Washington, 16-0
-- Rams beat Giants 20-17
Two 1 p.m. Central starts also are done:
-- Chiefs beat Bills, 14-10
-- Cardinals beat Lions, 21-14
So the Colts, Giants, Buccaneers and Lions have been eliminated from playoff contention, and the Rams have clinched the NFC West with the 3 p.m. games either in or approaching halftime.
I'm watching Bryant Gumbel at halftime of Cowboys at Patriots, and New England is leading, 10-3.
ReplyDeleteThis is a huge game--the biggest one of the weekend for TV, of course, and we've got Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen on the job. But I'd rather be seeing Pittsburgh at Houston, which sounds like the sort of bone rattler you'd expect. Both Lynn Swann and Earl Campbell have been injured in the first half, and the game is tied at 3.
Seattle is really rolling and might actually slip in the playoffs. The Seahawks are rolling, 21-0, against the Browns.
And I was wrong about the Raiders/Broncos start. They're doing a special Sunday-night broadcast of Monday Night Football for that one.
Minnesota withstands Philadelphia, 28-27, and keeps pace with Green Bay.
ReplyDeleteMerlin Olsen says Roger Staubach "has the hands of a lineman. If he reached out his hand to point out directions, you wouldn't know which way to turn."
ReplyDeleteNFL78 starts its Saturday games next weekend. NBC has the early Dec. 9 tilt: Baltimore at Pittsburgh, which isn't nearly as exciting of a prospect to Louisiana affiliates as it was when the schedule came out. They thought they might be getting LSU's Bert Jones vs. LaTech's Terry Bradshaw for top seed in the AFC. Instead they are probably getting Bill Troup and the Colts against whatever Steelers aren't on the injured reserve after today's bloodbath in Houston.
ReplyDeleteNeeding only five more rushing yards to break the Cowboys' season record, Tony Dorsett takes Staubach's handoff toward a wad of Patriots--but spins at scrimmage and flips back to his quarterback. Tom Landry's play call has worked perfectly. Tony Hill is 10 yards past the drawn-in New England safeties down the right sideline and just outside the end zone. Touchdown! It's 10-10 in Dallas just before the end of the third quarter.
ReplyDeleteAt the start of the fourth quarter, Steve Grogan (who is built so much more like a stork than I remembered) drops back, fakes a pass right and then spins left. It appears as though the Ron Erhardt/Ray Perkins play call has worked perfect. But Harvey Martin recognizes the developing screen, and the Dallas native drops out of his pass rush and makes a stumbling one-handed interception in front of New England running back Andy Johnson. Four plays later, Staubach throws to Billy Joe DuPree for another touchdown.
ReplyDeleteSo far in the 1970s, Dallas has played in three Super Bowls and won two. I think the Cowboys are going to win again next month, and I think Dorsett, Hill, Martin, Randy White and Thomas Henderson are all probably nearly the best young players in the league at their positions. Staubach looks like he could play until he's 50, and, besides, they already have Danny White waiting in the wings. As much as it pains me to say this as a Dolphins fan, I think the Cowboys are going to go down as the team of the decade.
ReplyDeleteDallas quickly forces another short New England punt from old-Chief Jerrel Wilson, and Enberg hands off to Houston for a quick Steelers-Oilers update. It's now 6-3, Pittsburgh, and we arrive to a scene of three assistant coaches in matching Houston Oilers golf shirts and navy slacks, plus a trainer (I guess) in a navy sport coat, huddling over an Oiler flat on his back on the Astrodome turf.
ReplyDelete"You're looking at Dan Pastorini, the Houston Oilers' quarterback, who becomes the umpteenth player to be injured in this game today," says the NBC play-by-play dude. I didn't catch his name.
ReplyDeleteEarl Campbell has not returned since his first-quarter injury; Lynn Swann has.
ReplyDeleteBack to Texas Stadium, Enberg and Olsen, the Cowboys' drive stalls out just beyond the 50, and White vaults a punt to the Patriots 10. New England will have about eight minutes to try to tie.
ReplyDeleteOlsen reports Pastorini has broken ribs, so the Oilers are now being quarterbacked by a rookie, Gifford Nielsen.
ReplyDeleteHere, in reverse order, were my super-secret-scoring-system ratings going into this weekend's action:
ReplyDelete28. 49ers 92
27. Chiefs 102
26. Bills 115
25. Cardinals 139
24. Lions 141
23. Packers 149
22. Jets 152
21. Seahawks 161 ...
20. Giants 163
ReplyDelete19. Saints 164
18. Buccaneers 167
17. Bengals 169
16. Commanders 171
15. Colts 174
14. Vikings 177
13. Falcons 187
12. Browns 190
11. Eagles 204 ...
10. Steelers 205
ReplyDelete9. Bears 207
8. Dolphins 211
7. Chargers 212
6. Oilers 223 ...
ReplyDelete5. Patriots 229
4. Raiders 237 ...
3. Rams 240 ...
ReplyDelete2. Broncos 268 ...
ReplyDelete
ReplyDelete1. Cowboys 270
Grogan comes up short throwing on a third-and-3 try, and New England punts back to Dallas with about five minutes to go. Cut Grogan some slack, though. I can't imagine he was clearheaded at all when he attempted the throw.
ReplyDeleteDallas gives the ball back to New England with about a minute and a half to play. White eschews the "coffin-corner" strategy that Olsen expected and instead bounces his kick to the middle of the field dead at the Patriot 1.
ReplyDeleteAfter three staight incompletions, the Patriots elect to punt. For some reason, Dallas elects to field and return the kick. But Butch Johnson handles the job fine, and Staubach is running out the clock.
ReplyDeleteExcept he doesn't! On fourth down, Staubach sits on his bottom is tagged down at the New England 38 with six seconds to play. The Patriots have one more chance!
Crazy.
Grogan dances around the pocket long enough to let his receivers get downfield, and then he launches a bomb. Alas, the Dallas secondary also handles its job fine and clobbers Russ Francis and the ball. The end: Cowboys 17, Patriots 10.
ReplyDeleteThe AFC East remains in play. The NFC East is Dallas's.
So now on this Day of Miracle and Wonder let’s SelectaVision ourselves right on to the "Special Sunday Edition" episode of ABC’s NFL Monday Night Football!
ReplyDeleteThough my raw super-secret-scoring-system ratings for each team might suggest to you otherwise, I calculate that the Raiders will win at home tonight, 16-13, over the Broncos.
ReplyDeletePittsburgh ended up beating the Campbellless/Pastoriniless Oilers, 13-3. The Steelers win the AFC Central.
ReplyDeleteThe Seahawks club the Browns, 47-14, and the Saints beat the 49ers, 24-13.