1977 NFL Season
Leaders
Passing Yards: Jones (BLC) - 2,690...Ferguson (BUF) - 2,592...Bradshaw (PIT) - 2,469...Grogan (NWE) - 2,352...Livingston (KAN) - 2,337
Rushing Yards: Payton (CHI) - 1,866..Mitchell (BAL) - 1,489...McCutcheon (LAM) - 1,313...Harris (PIT) - 1,183...Thomas (WAS) - 1,138
Receiving Yards: Scott (CHI) - 1,075...Stingley (NWE) - 954...Walker (NYJ) - 854...Swann (PIT) - 854...Rashad (MIN) - 771
Scoring: Herrera (DAL) - 104...Bahr (CIN) - 100...Smith (NWE) - 97...Turner (DEN) - 96...McCutcheon (LAM) - 90
Interceptions: Clark (BUF) - 10...Simpson (LAM) - 8...Greene (BUF) - 8...Sanders (PHI) - 8...Edwards (PHI) - 8
Sacks: Martin (DAL) - 16...Jones (DAL) - 11...Lansford (NWE) - 11...Alzado (DEN) - 9...Matuszak (OAK) - 9
Division Winners
AFC East - Miami (11-2-1)
AFC Central - Cincinnati (8-5-1)
AFC West - Denver (11-3)
AFC Wildcard - New England (9-4-1)
NFC East - Dallas (13-1)
NFC Central - Minnesota (8-5-1)
NFC West - San Francisco (9-5)
NFC Wildcard - Los Angeles (9-5)
PLAYOFFS
Cincinnati (3) at Denver (20)
New England (10) at Miami (13)
Minnesota (14) at San Francisco (23)
Los Angeles (7) at Dallas (27)
Passing Yards: Jones (BLC) - 2,690...Ferguson (BUF) - 2,592...Bradshaw (PIT) - 2,469...Grogan (NWE) - 2,352...Livingston (KAN) - 2,337
Rushing Yards: Payton (CHI) - 1,866..Mitchell (BAL) - 1,489...McCutcheon (LAM) - 1,313...Harris (PIT) - 1,183...Thomas (WAS) - 1,138
Receiving Yards: Scott (CHI) - 1,075...Stingley (NWE) - 954...Walker (NYJ) - 854...Swann (PIT) - 854...Rashad (MIN) - 771
Scoring: Herrera (DAL) - 104...Bahr (CIN) - 100...Smith (NWE) - 97...Turner (DEN) - 96...McCutcheon (LAM) - 90
Interceptions: Clark (BUF) - 10...Simpson (LAM) - 8...Greene (BUF) - 8...Sanders (PHI) - 8...Edwards (PHI) - 8
Sacks: Martin (DAL) - 16...Jones (DAL) - 11...Lansford (NWE) - 11...Alzado (DEN) - 9...Matuszak (OAK) - 9
Division Winners
AFC East - Miami (11-2-1)
AFC Central - Cincinnati (8-5-1)
AFC West - Denver (11-3)
AFC Wildcard - New England (9-4-1)
NFC East - Dallas (13-1)
NFC Central - Minnesota (8-5-1)
NFC West - San Francisco (9-5)
NFC Wildcard - Los Angeles (9-5)
PLAYOFFS
Cincinnati (3) at Denver (20)
New England (10) at Miami (13)
Minnesota (14) at San Francisco (23)
Los Angeles (7) at Dallas (27)
AFC Championship - Denver Broncos at Miami Dolphins
January 1st, 1978 at The Orange Bowl...Temp 74, Cloudy, Wind 18 mph (slight crosswind)
This is a real hard game to write about. There were no touchdowns scored. All the scoring came via six field goals. Five of them were kicked by the Broncos Jim Turner as Denver beat Miami 15-3.
The Broncos scored on a Turner field goal on the opening drive of the game. Then on Miami's first possesion, Lyle Alzado sacked Bob Griese and Barney Chavos recovered at the Miami 10 yard line. Turner's 18 yard field goal made it 6-0. Turner then added one more field goal before the quarter ended making it 9-0 Denver after one quarter. It would stay that way going into halftime. The Dolphins finally got on the board after Tim Foley sacked Craig Morton causing him to fumble. Kim Bokamper recovered and that led to a 22 yard field goal by Garo Yepremian, cutting the Broncos lead to 9-3. Just before the end of the third quarter, Turner missed a 33 yard kick and it remained 9-3 going into the 4th quarter. The Broncos defense continued to not let Miami get anything going. Then with about three and a half minutes left in the game, Tuner booted a long 54 yard field goal making it 12-3. Miami got the ball back and was stopped on a fourth down attempt. Turner added another field goal making the final score 15-3. The two teams were a combined 3 for 27 on 3rd down. Denver was 1-14, Miami was 2-13. MVP: Jim Turner K (Denver), Kicking 5 Field Goals. For Denver, Otis Armstrong 69 yds rushing...Craig Morton 11-16, 80 yds, 4SK...Riley Odoms 2 catches for 12 yds...Tom Jackson 2 SK. For Miami, Benny Malone 48yds rushing...Bob Griese 8-21, 31 yds, 4 SK, 1 INT...Nat Moore 3 rec for 16 yds. |
NFC Championship - San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys
January 1st, 1978 at Texas Stadium...Temp 25, Cloudy, Wind 14 mph (Head/Tailwind)
As much as the AFC Championship was tough to write about with all the field goals. The NFC Championship may be even tougher. What can you say about a 42-0 blowout?
Dallas took the opening kick and in four minutes took a 7-0 lead when Roger Staubach connected with Golden Richards for a 30 yard TD pass. After the 49ers punted, Dallas again scored when Robert Newhouse ran in from four yards out. The Cowboys made it 21-0 just before the end of the first quarter when the blocked a Tom Wittum punt. Guy Brown scooped up the loose ball and ran 44 yards for a touchdown. The score stayed that way until late in the 2nd quarter. Believe it or not the Cowboys again blocked a Wittum punt attempt. This time Charlie Waters recovered the ball and he ran 31 yards for a touchdown. Just before the end of the first half, Staubach connected on a 27 yard TD pass to Drew Pearson and the game was all but over. The second half was dominated by the Cowboys defense. Newhouse scored his second touchdown of the game and the Cowboys rolled into the Super Bowl with a 42-0 pasting of the 49ers. MVP: Roger Staubach QB (Dallas), Passing: 166 yds, 2 TD, 122 Rating. Rushing: 12 yards. For San Francisco, Wilbur Jackson 39 yds rushing...Jim Plunkett 9-22, 103 yds, 3 SK...Paul Hofer 16 yds receiving. For Dallas, Tony Dorsett 53 yds rushing...Robert Newhouse 2 TD...Roger Staubach 14-21, 166 yds, SK, 2 TD...Billy Joe DuPree 48 yds receiving. |
Super Bowl XII - Denver Broncos v Dallas Cowboys
January 8th, 1978 at The Louisiana Superdome...Temp 62 in the Dome, Outside Temp 47
The Louisiana Superdome in Louisiana is the site of Super Bowl XII. This is the Cowboys 3rd Super Bowl appearance. They won Super Bowl VI after the '71 season. For Denver, this is their first appearance.
The Broncos took the opening kick and went right down the field on the Cowboys defense. Jon Keyworth ran in from seven yards out but Jim Turner missed the extra point, making it a 6-0 game. The Cowboys responded by driving to the Broncos 32 yard line, from there Efren Herrera missed a 49 yard field goal, giving the ball back to Denver. The teams exchanged punts and the Cowboys had the ball to begin the 2nd quarter. The Cowboys would take the lead on this drive as Tony Dorsett scored on a one yard run. With the extra point, Dallas now had the lead 7-6. The defenses remained tough throughout most of the 2nd quarter until the Broncos defense came up with a big play. With just over three and half minutes left in the half, and the Cowboys beginning a drive from the Broncos 36 yard line, Roger Staubach dropped back to pass and was forced to scramble. He was hit and stripped of the ball. Denver's Lyle Alzado picked up the ball and ran 62 yards for a touchdown. Denver now had a 13-7 lead. The last three minutes of the half then became a nightmare for the Cowboys. Following that touchdown, the Cowboys went three and out. The Broncos offense, running a two minute drill, came on and set up Turner for a 30 yard field goal try. His kick was good, making it 16-7 with a minute left in the half. On the ensuing kick off, Butch Johnson fumbled the return and Denver's Bernard Jackson recovered at the Dallas 26 yard line. The Broncos had to settle for another Turner field goal, but the score was now 19-7 as they scored 13 points in just under three and a half minutes at the end of the half. The 3rd quarter featured long drives by both teams that didn't result in any points. Then late in the quarter, Denver's offense got set up with good field position following a 50 yard punt return by Rick Upchurch. Starting on the Cowboys 22 yard line, it Denver only two plays to find paydirt again. First Craig Morton scrambled for 11 yards and then Otis Armastrong ran in from 11 yards out. The game heads to the 4th quarter with Denver up 26-7. Dallas now knowing they are in serious trouble put together a touchdown drive when they needed it most. Staubach and Drew Pearson combined for a 25 yard TD pass making it a 26-14 game. The teams exchanged three and outs and then Denver put up three more points on a 46 yard field goal by Turner with just over five minutes left in the game. Now up 29-14, the Broncos could sense that was going to be enough to win the game, and it was. The Denver Broncos win Super Bowl XII 29-14 securing their first Championship. MVP: Rick Upchurch (WR\KR\PR) Denver, Receiveing: 2 catches 14 yards...Returns: 180 yards. For Denver, Otis Armstrong 56 yds rushing, TD...Jon Keyworth 31 yds rushing, TD...Craig Morton 9/15, 73 yds, 2 SK...Louis Wright 12 TKLS...Tom Jackson 10 TKLS, SK. For Dallas, Tony Dorsett 51 yds rushing, TD...Roger Staubach 22/32, 199 yds, TD, 3 SK, FMB...Drew Pearson 60 yds receiving, TD. |