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.
ReplyDelete