1974 AFL Standings




1974 AFL MVP: Ken "The Snake" Stabler(QB, Raiders), AFL's top passer with 2,469 yds and 26 tds



1974 AFL Standings

Eastern Division
Miami Dolphins 11-3
Buffalo Bills 10-4
New England Patriots 7-7
New York Jets 6-8
Houston Oilers 6-8

Western Division
Oakland Raiders 12-2
Denver Broncos 8-6
Cincinnati Bengals 7-7
Kansas City Chiefs 5-9
San Diego Chargers 4-10


1974 AFL Playoffs
Denver Broncos 21 @ Miami Dolphins 27(OT)
Buffalo Bills 20 @ Oakland Raiders 34




January 12, 1975 Tulane Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana


vs
Miami Dolphins 26 vs Oakland Raiders 28

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	F
Dolphins	7	3	6	10	26
Raiders	0	7	7	14	28

Super Bowl IX MVP:


Ken Stabler(4 td passes)

1974 AFL Season Recap

The Miami Dolphins reign of dominance over the AFL came to an end in dramatic conclusion in Super Bowl IX as John Madden and his Oakland Raiders finally took down their arch rivals to capture the AFL crown. The Dolphins ruled the AFL for 3 consecutive Super Bowl title runs including a perfect 16-0 run in 1974. Including the Dolphins 4-0 start to the 1974 season they won a total of 26 consecutive games from 1972 to 1974, a record that may never be topped. Their win streak was brought to an end by the Oakland Raiders in week 5, giving the Raiders their first victory over the Dolphins since the 1970 regular season(they were 0-6 in the previous 6 meetings including losses to Miami in Super Bowls VII and VIII). Miami defeated the Raiders in Miami in the rematch later in the 1974 regular season. Both teams were on a collision course for a 3rd meeting with everything on the line in Super Bowl IX. The AFL MVP Ken Stabler brought the Raiders back in the fourth quarter with 2 touchdown passes, the last coming in the final seconds to win the game and the AFL title for Oakland. 

The Raiders became a national sensation in the AFL in 1974. Ken Stabler earned MVP honors with incredible weapons in receivers Cliff Branch and Fred Biletnikoff. Linemen Art Shell and Gene Upshaw are among the best in the sport, while the defense features a cast of misfits like Willie Brown and Ted Hendricks. The Raiders took down the Dolphins in the regular season in a major revenge game and then pulled off the upset to deny Don Shula his 4th AFL Super Bowl in a row in dramatic fashion. 

Despite the Dolphins loss in Super Bowl IX their run over the last 4 seasons was nothing short of incredible. Don Shula's squad will go down as the best team in AFL history and their games against Oakland in 1974 all broke television ratings records. The Raiders vs Dolphins rivalry had all eyes in '74 and the AFL seen new records in TV ratings and live game attendance across the board as a result.

The AFL has eclipsed the NFL in popularity and is leaving the old league behind in the dust as the 1970's progress. The war between the 2 leagues no longer feels like a war. The AFL averaged over 10,000 more than the NFL in average attendance per game in 1974 and nothing the NFL does can draw ratings that AFL Monday Night Football on ABC draws. The NFL now has backed off of any type of war and has settled into survival mode after filing a massive anti-trust lawsuit at the end of the year. The AFL is home to the best teams and stars in pro football. The AFL's OJ Simpson is hands down the best runner and outgained any back from the NFL by over 600 yards in 1974. All of the best quarterbacks and all of the best young defensive talent is in the AFL. 

1975 Pro Football OffSeason News

NFL's Tampa Expansion Team Jumps To AFL

In a shocking twist this offseason the news broke out that the NFL's planned Tampa Bay expansion team that they had set to launch in 1976 will back out of their deal with the league in order to sign on as an AFL expansion team. The news comes as yet another punishing blow to the NFL from the AFL, which appears to be out for blood with this move. The Tampa team was set to enter the NFL in 1976 with Hugh Culverhouse as the owner. Culverhouse's decision to back out of his deal with the NFL and enter the AFL is ironically similar to the NFL's shady dealings with the AFL in their early days when the NFL stole away the Minnesota Vikings(who were originally supposed to be one of the original 8 AFL teams in 1960). The Vikings abandoned their AFL deal in favor for a more lucrative deal to join the NFL as an expansion team in 1961.

The AFL held a press conference with Culverhouse with the announcement that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would launch alongside the Seattle Seahawks as expansion teams beginning in the AFL in 1976. The addition of the 2 teams will increase the AFL to a 12 team league. The news is another crushing blow to the NFL which has lost advertisers amidst dropping ratings and attendance. The NFL's Saints, Eagles, Falcons, Rams, and Giants are all reportedly mounting debt and at this point are being kept alive by the league. The NFL's television deals with CBS and NBC expire after the upcoming 1975 season and they will be looking to negotiate new contracts with each network.

1975 NFL Standings




1975 NFL MVP: Mel Blount(CB, Steelers) 12 ints, key factor in Steelers record setting defense


Capitol Division

Dallas Cowboys 11-3
Washington Redskins 7-7
New Orleans Saints 3-11
Philadelphia Eagles 1-13

Century Division

Pittsburgh Steelers 13-1
St. Louis Cardinals 10-4
Cleveland Browns 5-9
New York Giants 2-12

Coastal Division

Los Angeles Rams 11-3
Baltimore Colts 10-4
San Francisco 49ers 6-8
Atlanta Falcons 3-11

Central Division

Minnesota Vikings 12-2
Detroit Lions 7-7
Green Bay Packers 6-7-1
Chicago Bears 4-9-1


NFL Divisional Playoffs
Dallas Cowboys 17 at Minnesota Vikings 14
Los Angeles Rams 10 at Pittsburgh Steelers 20

NFL 1975 Vince Lombardi Memorial Championship Game
Three Rivers Stadium(Pittsburgh, PA), January 17th 1976

  vs
Pittsburgh Steelers 24 vs Dallas Cowboys 17

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	F
Steelers	7	0	3	14	24
Cowboys	3	7	0	7	17

1975 NFL Season Recap

The Pittsburgh Steelers captured their 3rd NFL title in 4 years with a stunning victory over the Cowboys in one of the greatest NFL Championship games since The Ice Bowl eight years ago. The Steelers dominated the NFL in 1975 with a record set for fewest points allowed in a 14 game season. The Steelers "Steel Curtain" defense with Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, and 1975 NFL MVP Mel Blount was one of the best units the league has ever seen. Pittsburgh defended their 1974 title in '75 to become the first back to back NFL Champs since Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers. Head coach Chuck Noll built this team from the ground up when he took the job in 1969. Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw led an offense that relied on running back Franco Harris, with a lethal duo of receivers in John Stallworth and Lynn Swann. This Steelers team is the pride of the NFL and many die hard NFL fans swear that they are more than capable of beating the AFL's kings the Oakland Raiders in a proposed dream match between the two teams. 

For Tom Landry and "Captain America" Roger Staubach, it was the 5th loss in an NFL Championship Game for their Dallas Cowboys. Staubach continued to be one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL in 1975, with his heroic "Hail Mary" last second touchdown iced the Vikings and put the Cowboys back in the NFL Championship. The Vikings went into the playoffs with the leading passer in the NFL Fran Tarkenton and a ferocious hard hitting effort against Dallas but Staubach's Hail Mary in the end killed their hopes and ended their season. The LA Rams emerged as a defensive juggernaut in '75 and were the only team to stop Pittsburgh in the regular season. The Rams turned the ball over 4 times in the rematch in Pittsburgh in the playoffs and the Steel Curtain shut them down. The St. Louis Cardinals and Baltimore Colts also fielded top level teams in the NFL in 1975 with Colts quarterback Bert Jones looking like a future star and Cardinals head coach Don Coryell emerging as one of the sharpest head coaches in the league. 

The 1975 season seen the NFL fall into serious financial peril with teams around the league losing posting losses for consecutive seasons. Fans have stopped showing up to Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, and Atlanta Falcons games. The NFL appears to have lost the entire state of California and the city/state of New York to the AFL. California has lost interest in the 49ers and even the 1st place Rams played most of their home games in an almost empty LA Coliseum in 1975. Meanwhile the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers in the AFL set new attendance marks in 1975. In New York nobody cares about the Giants, while the Jets have been a hot ticket franchise in the state ever since winning Super Bowl III.   

1975 AFL Standings




1975 AFL MVP: Ken Anderson(QB, Bengals), AFL's top passer with 3,169 passing yards, 21 touchdowns



1975 AFL Standings

Eastern Division
Houston Oilers 10-4
Miami Dolphins 10-4
New York Jets 8-6
Buffalo Bills 6-8
New England Patriots 3-11


Western Division
Oakland Raiders 11-3
Cincinnati Bengals 11-3
Denver Broncos 6-8
Kansas City Chiefs 4-10
San Diego Chargers 4-10

1975 AFL Playoffs
Cincinnati Bengals 21 @ Houston Oilers 17
Miami Dolphins 10 @ Oakland Raiders 20

January 18, 1976 Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida

   vs
Cincinnati Bengals 30 vs Oakland Raiders 34

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	F
Bengals	7	3	3	17	30
Raiders	6	14	14	0	34

Super Bowl X MVP:

Ken Stabler(4 td passes)

1975 AFL Season Recap

The biggest story on the field in pro football was the dominance and wild popularity of the AFL Champion Oakland Raiders, winning their second consecutive Super Bowl title after vanquishing the rival Dolphins in the playoffs, signifying the birth of a new dynasty of silver and black. From owner Al Davis to Head coach John Madden, quarterback Ken Stabler, wide outs Cliff Branch and Fred Biletnikoff, offensive linemen Art Shell and Gene Upshaw, defensive backs Jack Tatum and Willie Brown, all pro defenders Otis Sistrunk and Phil Villapiano, the Raiders were a wild group of renegades and cast offs that captured the hearts of America when they fought off a fierce fourth quarter comeback attempt from Ken Anderson's Bengals in the Super Bowl in Miami.

Over in the NFL another dynasty took it's place as the Pittsburgh Steelers won their second consecutive NFL Championship Game, this time defeating the Dallas Cowboys 24-17 in what has been called one of the best NFL Championship Games of all time. The debate raged on between Pro Football fans, who was better? The AFL's Oakland Raiders or the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers? Who would win a game between AFL and NFL Champions? Many pro football fans yearned for the return of the AFL vs NFL format of the first 4 Super Bowls. Both AFL commissioner Lamar Hunt and NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle made it clear that the NFL and AFL would never work together again as the anti-trust lawsuit raged on in courts going into 1976.

Elsewhere on the field the Cincinnati Bengals' quarterback Ken Anderson emerged as one of the best quarterbacks in pro football by winning the AFL MVP title. Bills running back OJ Simpson remained one of the best and most popular stars in the AFL by running for over 1,800 rushing yards. The New York Jets sold out all 14 games in 1975 both at home and on the road with Joe Namath returning to prime form, with dual running back threats in fullback John Riggins(1,000 yds rushing) and Larry Brown, while Claude Humphrey led the AFL in sacks with 14. The Houston Oilers emerged as one of the top teams in the AFL in '75 with charismatic new coach Bum Phillips putting together a strong defensive team led by star linebacker "Dr. Doom" Robert Brazille and wide receiver #00 Kenny Burrough being the top receiver in pro football with over 1,000 yards receiving.

Getting caught up on this now. Good stuff. Love how NFL Films had the knack for turning something as simple as football into the most epic thing in the world through music and narration. And just to be a dick you mistakenly wrote Ken O'Brien in place of Ken Anderson in your last post.

All caught up and now I'm tempted to look up some real NFL stats and standings to compare with what Nobi did. I'm far from a rube when it comes to old school football, but I can't rattle off years, game results, and stats the way Nobi probably can. Football isn't wrestling!

Not a huge fan of the AFL catching all the breaks. I'd like to see the war be a little more competitive. But then the project is called "The Death of the National Football League" after all.

1970 Bengals- is that the Greg Cook year?

Sept 18, 2022 19:37:20 GMT Neo Zeed said:

Both defensive units dominate the game in a stand off that was tied at 5-5 at one point

Love this.

My inner pedant did find some more minor mistakes. Want me to point them out or nah?

I'd also like to see a list of Super Bowl/Vince Lombardi results at some point. Perhaps MVP's as well. Makes it easier for the person who comes by to browse.

1976 Pro Football Off-Season News

Rooney Family Wins Historic Federal Court Ruling To Leave NFL

The Pittsburgh Steelers won a federal court ruling this June that clears the franchise to leave the struggling NFL and join the AFL just in time for the 1976 season. The ruling comes after a season where the Steelers dominated the league like few other teams ever have, going 13-1 and setting a new record for fewest points allowed in a season. The Steelers defeated the Cowboys to win their 3rd NFL Championship in 4 years(1972, 1974, 1975). For the last two years the question on everyone's mind that watches any pro football was who would win a proposed dream match between the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers vs the AFL's bad boys the Oakland Raiders. The Rooney family lawyers were able to use a loophole in their original agreement to join the NFL in the 1930's to free Pittsburgh from any ties to the league. The Steelers also made a case that they have sold out every game for years but are bleeding money because of the irresponsible spending(player salaries) of the rest of the league.

The Steelers under head coach Chuck Noll were built from the ground up with good drafting and player development. After decades of losing Noll and his Steelers came out of nowhere in 1972 with a young rookie running back in Franco Harris, a phenomenal linebacker in Jack Ham and the "Steel Curtain" defensive line. The Steelers fell short in 1973 but loaded up with some of the best rookie talent in 1974, adding Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, and intimidating linebacker Jack Lambert. The Steelers would regain the NFL crown in 1974 and would repeat in 1975 for their 3rd title in 4 years.


AFL Signs Historic TV Deals With ABC, NBC, CBS

The NFL was dealt yet another crushing blow when Lamar Hunt announced that a landmark new television deal has been signed with the AFL and all 3 of the top television networks in America. The deal is set to televise all AFL games for four years starting in 1977, with ABC winning the rights to 16 Monday Night Football games on primetime every season(along with the AFL All Star Game), CBS winning the rights to all Eastern Division games, and NBC winning the rights to all Western Division games. CBS won the rights to Super Bowls XIV and XVI while NBC won the rights to Super Bowls XIII and XV. Industry sources considered it the largest single television package ever negotiated.


NFL Loses Anti-Trust Lawsuit Against AFL

Things went from bad to worse for the NFL prior to the 1976 season when the judges ruled against their anti-trust lawsuit against the AFL, ruling in favor of the AFL's countersuit instead that ordered the NFL to pay the AFL's legal fees for the last 2 years. The ruling along with the AFL signing away the NFL's television deals kickstarted a series of events that had rumors swirling that the National Football League was in serious trouble.


Atlanta Falcons Declare Bankruptcy, Suspend Operations Indefinitely

The lack of revenue, the loss of the NFL's major television deals, and elevated player salaries hurt the NFL's lower tier teams the worst, with no team suffering more than the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons were devastated when their star defensive lineman Claude Humphrey left the team to sign with the AFL's Jets. Atlanta declared bankruptcy and returned their franchise back to the league for the 1976 season. With the loss of the Steelers to the AFL and the folding of the Falcons, the NFL drops down to a 14 team league. The NFL held a special draft for the rights to the Falcons roster of players following the news. The Falcons failure in the box office and eventual folding further fanned the rumors that the NFL was in serious jeopardy, with multiple teams in major debt and headed in the same direction as the Falcons. The NFL plans to realign back to the 2 division format they used prior to the 1967 realignment.


Seahawks Outbid Saints for #1 pick Lee Roy Selmon

The AFL expansion Seattle Seahawks landed a huge signing when they outbid the NFL's New Orleans Saints for the #1 draft pick, defensive tackle out of Oklahoma, Lee Roy Selmon. The move couldn't come at a worse time for the Saints as they struggle on the field and in the box office after losing their #1 pick Archie Manning to the AFL's Denver Broncos a few years ago. The Saints move to the brand new Superdome in New Orleans was marred with low attendance that continued to drop as the team finished in the cellar of their division once again. The AFL's other expansion team set to debut in the upcoming 1976 season is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that was originally intended to be an NFL expansion team, only to be lured over to the AFL a year after the announcement. The Buccaneers selected running back Chuck Muncie with their 2nd overall pick in the AFL draft.

Sept 20, 2022 0:14:31 GMT Neo Zeed said:

Rooney Family Wins Historic Federal Court Ruling To Leave NFL

Whoa! Major bombshell. The NFL is done.

AFL Signs Historic TV Deals With ABC, NBC, CBS

NFL Loses Anti-Trust Lawsuit Against AFL

Atlanta Falcons Declare Bankruptcy, Suspend Operations Indefinitely

Seahawks Outbid Saints for #1 pick Lee Roy Selmon

And the hits just keep on coming.

1976 NFL Standings




1976 NFL MVP: Bert Jones(QB, Colts) NFL's Leading Passer, 3,304 yards, 26 touchdowns


Eastern Division

Dallas Cowboys 11-3
St. Louis Cardinals 11-3
Cleveland Browns 7-7
Washington Redskins 6-8
Philadelphia Eagles 3-10-1
New York Giants 1-12-1
New Orleans Saints 1-13

Western Division

Minnesota Vikings 11-2-1
Baltimore Colts 11-3
Los Angeles Rams 10-4
San Francisco 49ers 7-7
Detroit Lions 6-7-1
Chicago Bears 5-8-1
Green Bay Packers 3-10-1


NFL Divisional Playoffs
Baltimore Colts 14 at Minnesota Vikings 30
St. Louis Cardinals 20 at Dallas Cowboys 24

NFL 1976 Vince Lombardi Memorial Championship Game
Metropolitan Stadium(Minneapolis, MN), January 8th 1977

  vs
Minnesota Vikings 20 vs Dallas Cowboys 10

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	F
Vikings	0	0	10	10	20
Cowboys	0	0	3	7	17

1976 NFL Season Recap

Dark days have fallen on the NFL in 1976. The NFL's best team of the 1970's decade the Pittsburgh Steelers left the league to play in the AFL after winning back to back NFL titles in the last 2 seasons. The NFL's planned Tampa Bay Buccaneers expansion team was stolen away by the AFL and the struggling Atlanta Falcons franchise closed it's doors following the 1975 season. Attendance dropped for the 7th consecutive season to an average of 41,289 per game, the lowest the league has seen since 1962. Still the NFL soldiered on for the diehard loyal fans that still support their teams and the proud history that this league holds. The NFL played it's 57th season in 1976 and it was the season of the quarterback. The ongoing storyline of the NFL in 1976 was the build up to the showdown between the league's 2 best quarterbacks, Dallas' Roger Staubach, and Minnesota's Fran Tarkenton. As these two masters of the game guided their team through the season a new gunslinger emerged in Baltimore's Bert Jones, who ran away with NFL MVP honors with a rifle arm performance for the ages. 

In the end Bert Jones was swallowed up by the Vikings Purple People Eaters on a frozen field in Metropolitan Stadium in Minnesota. The Vikings' homefield advantage in their outdoor winter palace of doom must have given Cowboys head coach Tom Landry nightmare flashbacks to the Ice Bowl as temperatures at game time were in the single digits. The Vikings used the bad weather to their advantage as Roger Staubach's passes fell flat in the icy wind. The Vikings dominated the Cowboys to win the 1976 NFL Championship, their 3rd NFL title. 

The future of the NFL has never looked more uncertain than it does now. The league played out the final year of their television contracts in 1976 and as of press time is without a home on TV for the 1977 season after the AFL locked up exclusive deals with every network. Still the NFL will play on in 1977 with a strong radio network and a loyal fanbase built up over 57 years of history in proud NFL cities. 

1976 AFL Standings

Eastern Division

Pittsburgh Steelers 12-2
New England Patriots 10-4
Cincinnati Bengals 9-5
Miami Dolphins 6-8
New York Jets 5-9
Buffalo Bills 4-10
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0-14

Western Division

Oakland Raiders 13-1
Denver Broncos 9-5
Houston Oilers 5-9
San Diego Chargers 5-9
Kansas City Chiefs 5-9
Seattle Seahawks 1-13


1976 AFL MVP:

Ken "The Snake" Stabler(QB, Oakland) 2,737 yards 27 touchdowns


1976 AFL Playoffs
New England Patriots 21 @ Oakland Raiders 24
Denver Broncos 7 @ Pittsburgh Steelers 44

---

January 9, 1977 Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California

vs
Oakland Raiders 24 vs Pittsburgh Steelers 7

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	F
Raiders	3	14	7	0	24
Steelers	0	7	0	0	7

Super Bowl XI MVP:

Ken "The Snake" Stabler(2 td passes)

---

1976 AFL Season Recap

Football fans dreams came true when the two best teams in the sport clashed on Monday Night Football in week 1 of the 1976 AFL season. The NFL's dominant Pittsburgh Steelers, winners of 3 out of the last 4 NFL titles, against the Oakland Raiders, back to back defending AFL Champions. Finally pro football fans would find out who was the undisputed world champions of professional football in a game that became national headline news. The Raiders vs Steelers clash on Monday Night Football would break TV ratings records and become the most watched program of any kind in the history of television. The game was a brutal and hard hitting confrontation that seen Steelers wide receiver Lynn Swann knocked unconscious by Raiders' defensive back George Atkinson. The hit generated a ton of controversy and put Swann out of action for 2 weeks with a severe concussion. The Raiders would defeat the Steelers 30-28 in a moment of triumph for the AFL.

The Raiders vs Steelers became an AFL Star Wars saga in 1976, the Raider Rebellion and the Steelers Empire were on a collision course for an epic rematch at Super Bowl XI in front of over 100,000 fans in the Rose Bowl, in a game that broke the record set as the most watched program in the history of television. Ken Stabler tossed 2 touchdowns to pull the Raiders past the NFL powerhouse Steelers 24-7, proving once and for all without a doubt that the AFL is the superior pro football league. The victory was the Raiders 3rd AFL Super Bowl title in a row and John Madden's 4th overall as head coach of the Silver and Black. 

The Steelers fell short of the AFL title in the Super Bowl but proved to be a dominant force in the AFL, allowing only 138 points, a new AFL record for points allowed. The Steelers defense was led by Jack Lambert and Joe Green, along with Jack Ham, Mel Blount, LC Greenwood, the Steelers shut out 5 of their opponents and had 8 games where they held their opponent without a touchdown. The Steelers struggled at times on offense as Lynn Swann, Franco Harris, and Rocky Bleir all suffered injuries, with both Harris and Bleir missing the Super Bowl.

The Patriots and Broncos surprised everyone in the AFL in 1976. The Patriots turned things around after their 3-11 season last year and emerged as one of the best teams in the AFL in 1976, coming out on a tear that seen them shock the defending NFL Champion Steelers with a 30-28 victory, followed by a stunning 48-17 win over the Raiders the very next week. The Patriots went on to the playoffs where they lost their rematch against the Raiders after a controversial roughing the passer penalty called against the Patriots in the final minute of the game set Ken Stabler up to put it away with a last second touchdown pass for the Raiders. It was a bitter pill to swallow for the Patriots fans but the future is bright in New England. The future also burns bright for the Denver Broncos as their defense emerged as one of the best in the AFL, along with an offense revolving around Archie Manning, Otis Anderson, and Gene Washington the Broncos had another winning season in 76 but were thoroughly destroyed in their playoff meeting with the Steelers.

Other stars that shined in the AFL in 1976 included arguably the greatest player in the history of the AFL in OJ Simpson, who ran for another 1,690 rushing yards in only 13 games in 1976. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson threw for 19 touchdowns in leading the Bengals to a 9-5 winning season. The sunrise shined bright on the new expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers even though the team failed to win a game all season the roots have been planted and the team has a bright future in the AFL. Rookie Lee Roy Selmon and quarterback Jim Zorn kickstarted a brand new era in Seattle with the Seahawks in 1976, while the sun began to set on another era in that of the most popular AFL superstar, the hero of the American Football League, "Broadway" Joe Namath, who struggled with injured knees and threw 16 interceptions in his 8 starts in '76.

1977 Pro Football Off-Season News

New Orleans Saints Fold, NFL On The Ropes

The future of the NFL looks grim after a mountain of debt has forced the New Orleans Saints to throw in the towel shortly after the conclusion of the 1976 season. This comes one year after the NFL's Atlanta Falcons went bankrupt and ceased operations, as well as the NFL's best team, the Pittsburgh Steelers jumping to the AFL prior to the 1976 season. Shortly afterwards the AFL signed historic exclusive television deals with all of the major American broadcast stations, leaving the NFL without a network. The loss of the Steelers, Falcons, Saints, and Buccanneers and the failed legal battle against the AFL has many speculating how much longer the NFL can last. Some experts are predicting that the NFL could go belly up by the end of the year. As the NFL declines, the AFL is more popular than ever, with new records being set last year for live gate attendance and television ratings.

Whoa! Raiders getting the HUGE push. Your build actually had me into the Raiders/Steelers Super Bowl Showdown and then you gotta do me dirty like that.

Also, Saints folding means we don't get their awesome 1987 season meaning maybe I go off football almost three decades earlier than I did irl?

Sept 20, 2022 3:14:13 GMT Baker said:

Also, Saints folding means we don't get their awesome 1987 season meaning maybe I go off football almost three decades earlier than I did irl?

Upon further review this is unlikely since I still had Elway and the Broncos. 

1977 NFL Standings




1977 NFL MVP: Walter Payton(RB, Bears) NFL's leading rusher with 1,903 yards and 16 touchdowns


Eastern Division

Dallas Cowboys 12-2
Washington Redskins 7-7
St. Louis Cardinals 7-7
Cleveland Browns 6-8
Philadelphia Eagles 3-10
New York Giants 3-10

Western Division

Baltimore Colts 12-2
Minnesota Vikings 10-4
Chicago Bears 9-5
Los Angeles Rams 7-7
Detroit Lions 5-9
San Francisco 49ers 3-11
Green Bay Packers 3-11


NFL Divisional Playoffs
Minnesota Vikings 6 at Baltimore Colts 21
Washington Redskins 16 at Dallas Cowboys 34


NFL 1977 Vince Lombardi Memorial Championship Game
Texas Stadium(Irving, TX), January 14th 1977

  vs
Dallas Cowboys 38 vs Baltimore Colts 32

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	F
Cowboys	0	7	10	21	38
Colts	17	10	0	8	32

1977 NFL Season Recap

The NFL and it's 13 surviving teams played on with it's 57th season in 1977. The league for the 1977 season finally adopted several trademark attributes that made the AFL so popular, such as adding overtime to regular season games, 2 point conversions, players names on the backs of their jerseys, new rules to open up the passing game downfield, even adding musical performances at halftime of the NFL Championship Game(though Abba's performance in Texas Stadium could never touch what The Eagles did at halftime of AFL Super Bowl XI in the Rose Bowl this past January). The rules changes seemed too little and too late and seemingly alienated many of the NFL's diehard fanbase that preferred the older style of football. Though Dallas, Minneapolis, Chicago, Green Bay, Cleveland, Baltimore, and Washington remain NFL strongholds to the bitter end, the NFL average per game attendance dropped to a new record low in 1977 with just 33,651 per game. Stadiums across the NFL were filled with empty seats in 1977 and the league found itself blacked out of television completely. 

Throughout the course of the season the rumors about new buyers taking over some of the struggling teams(Rams, Eagles, Giants) or even the league possibly switching to a Spring schedule starting in 1979(after taking 78 off completely). The future of the league did not look good. But the season played on. The Chicago Bears young runner Walter Payton emerged as one of the greatest superstar phenomena the league has ever seen in it's 57 year existence. Payton broke NFL records for rushing yards and yards from scrimmage and carried the Bears back to the playoffs single handedly. 

The Baltimore Colts superstar passer Bert Jones led his team to an NFL best 12-2 record to take the division away from Minnesota. The Colts took down the Vikings in the playoffs to set up a Bert Jones vs Roger Staubach showdown. Going into the 1977 NFL Championship Game many believed that the league was done and that this would be the final game in NFL history. Staubach and Bert Jones took the NFL out in one of the greatest games ever played. The Colts jumped out to a 24-7 halftime lead but Staubach led Dallas to an amazing 4th quarter comeback that will live on forever. The Cowboys avenged their losses in 2 of the last 3 NFL Championship Games with the victory in what very well could have been the final NFL Championship Game ever played. Even though the game was hailed as an instant classic and perhaps the end of an era it was bittersweet since the game was not televised and attendance failed to sell out Texas Stadium(the AFL's Super Bowl XII was played just hours down the road the same weekend in Houston's Astrodome). 

Digging that Bert Jones push. Was curious to see what you'd do with him and his Colts. That was my dad's guy. Well, Unitas was his all time football hero, but Jones was under center for most of the years he had season tickets. Even took me to a few games when I was a wee lad, but I was too young to remember.

Baker-man, I feel like we need to set an over/under and make bets on whether shinobimusashi's NFL lasts until the 80s. At the rate things are going, I'm struggling to imagine the organization eeks into a new decade.

Fucking Neo Zeed, ditching the shinobimusashi account and confusing my dumb ass!

Sept 20, 2022 16:15:08 GMT 🤯 said:

Baker -man, I feel like we need to set an over/under and make bets on whether shinobimusashi 's NFL lasts until the 80s. At the rate things are going, I'm struggling to imagine the organization eeks into a new decade.

I see no way they make it to the 80s. The AFL has all three networks! It was a miracle for the NFL to make it through '77. I wonder if NFL games still air in their local markets? If they do somehow manage to stick it out another year maybe they get coverage on this newfangled "cable" thing that is starting to make some waves? It would be a major downgrade of course, but at least it's something.

lol now my dad is text spamming me with stories of his days as a Baltimore Colts season ticket holder.

Sept 20, 2022 16:36:41 GMT Baker said:

lol now my dad is text spamming me with stories of his days as a Baltimore Colts season ticket holder.

Not going into it too much, but my dad (and I once born) lived exactly three miles from Baltimore's old Memorial Stadium from the mid 70s through 1990 (I also went to elementary school right across the street from Johnny Unitas' old Golden Arm Restaurant). My dad had season tickets with a group of relatives and some friends "in the middle of the horseshoe 20 rows from the top for at least 6 to 8 seasons until they moved." So sometime between 76-78 through 1983. Then stupid Bob Irsay, who was Public Enemy #1 in Baltimore when I was growing up, loaded all the Colts stuff onto Mayflower moving vans in the middle of the night and took the team to Indianapolis under the cover of darkness.

Sept 20, 2022 17:44:14 GMT Baker said:

Sept 20, 2022 16:36:41 GMT Baker said:

lol now my dad is text spamming me with stories of his days as a Baltimore Colts season ticket holder.

Not going into it too much, but my dad (and I once born) lived exactly three miles from Baltimore's old Memorial Stadium from the mid 70s through 1990 (I also went to elementary school right across the street from Johnny Unitas' old Golden Arm Restaurant). My dad had season tickets with a group of relatives and some friends "in the middle of the horseshoe 20 rows from the top for at least 6 to 8 seasons until they moved." So sometime between 76-78 through 1983. Then stupid Bob Irsay, who was Public Enemy #1 in Baltimore when I was growing up, loaded all the Colts stuff onto Mayflower moving vans in the middle of the night and took the team to Indianapolis under the cover of darkness.

Love this post. I always dream about following my team around to every game, the fans that have the money to do that I'm so jealous. If I had all the money in the world I would buy the Astrodome and make it my house so I can just walk next door to watch the Texans games. A little asbestos never hurt anybody. 

I read somewhere that Irsay at one point in the dying days in Baltimore actually put on a headset in the booth and took over playcalling duties from the head coach at one point during a season, like for multiple games. Is that true? Thats fucking crazy. 

1977 AFL Standings

Eastern Division

Pittsburgh Steelers 11-3
New England Patriots 10-4
Cincinnati Bengals 8-6
Miami Dolphins 8-6
New York Jets 6-8
Buffalo Bills 5-9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1-13

Western Division

Denver Broncos 12-2
Oakland Raiders 12-2
Houston Oilers 10-4
San Diego Chargers 9-5
Seattle Seahawks 7-7
Kansas City Chiefs 4-10




1977 AFL MVP:

Archie Manning(QB, Denver Broncos) 2,778 yards, 24 TD passes, 14 INTS, 6 fourth quarter comeback victories/game winning drives


1977 AFL Playoffs
Oakland Raiders 20 @ Pittsburgh Steelers 17(OT)
New England Patriots 10 @ Denver Broncos 38

---

January 15, 1978, The Astrodome(Houston TX)


vs
Oakland Raiders 17 vs Denver Broncos 21

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	F
Raiders	3	0	0	14	17
Broncos	7	0	7	7	21

Super Bowl XII MVP:


Bill Thompson(2 int, 1 td)

---

1977 AFL Season Recap

As trouble brewed for the NFL a new phenomenon hit the AFL in 1977 in the form of the Denver Broncos' "Orange Crush" defense, a dominant stifling defensive unit that battered AFL offenses in '77. The Broncos defense complimented a strong offensive team led by quarterback Archie Manning, running back Otis Armstrong, and wide receiver Gene Washington. Archie Manning won AFL MVP honors by leading Denver from behind with 6 fourth quarter comeback victories during the season, including an upset victory over the Steelers in week 5. The Broncos stole the division away from the Oakland Raiders and went on to deny them of a 4th consecutive AFL Super Bowl Championship by taking them down in the Houston Astrodome in Super Bowl XII. 

The Raiders vs Steelers rivalry continued to take center stage in the 1977 AFL season. Pittsburgh was out for revenge and ran away with their division title but they fell to the Raiders in week 8 in a Super Bowl rematch on Monday Night Football. With Denver taking 1st place in the West the stage was set for the 4th meeting between Pittsburgh and Oakland, this time in Pittsburgh in the AFL Divisional Playoffs. The game turned out to be the most physical, hardest hitting meeting between the 2 rivals so far. Terry Bradshaw's interception late in the 4th quarter set up the Raiders game tying field goal that sent it into overtime. The Raiders were able to win the coin toss and drove the opening drive of the OT down for the game winning field goal to earn a trip to their 6th consecutive Super Bowl. 

Archie Manning having an actual offensive line and some of the best weapons in the league would have been interesting. Him leading the Broncos to regular season wins over the two most bad ass teams in the AFL(Steelers/Raiders) to win the division is fucking big time. Set themselves up home playoff game at Mile High against Patriots while Pittsburgh and Oakland destroy each other in the other game, whoever came out of that game would have had nothing left for Denver in the Dome.

Meant to comment on you moving Archie to the Broncos. Always heard how great was despite the the horrid win/loss record and mediocre stats. Maybe he lives up to the hype if he's not running for his life the entire time he's on the field.

Bringing an old, washed up Jim Brown out of retirement to generate publicity for the AFL was a great carny move. Putting him on the Raiders was a stroke of genius. Just the sort of thing Al Davis would have done.

Got some more scoops from my dad but I'll move that talk over to the Old School NFL thread so as not to further clutter up this one.

Pro Football News
February 25th, 1978

NFL Files For Bankruptcy, Shuts Doors For Good 

The NFL played it's final season in 1977 after losing a war with the AFL that started in 1960. Things began to fall apart for the NFL after the league's 2 best teams(the 1968 Colts and 1969 Vikings) were hammered by AFL teams in Super Bowl's III and IV. In 1970 the AFL secured a critical television contract with the ABC network for primetime Monday Night Football, which became a smash hit. The AFL continued to sign away the best rookie talent coming out of college through the 1970's decade and made major raids on NFL rosters in 1970 and 1973, signing away MVP's, legends, and popular young players. After years of blowing the NFL away in ratings and attendance the AFL signed a massive historic multi-network television contract that essentially crippled the NFL. By 1975 over half of the NFL's teams were struggling to stay afloat. After the defending back to back NFL Champion Pittsburgh Steelers won their federal injunction to jump to the AFL in 1976 it was all but over for the NFL. The league played it's final season in 1977, even though nobody knew it at the time. The final NFL game would turn out to be the 1977 NFL Championship Game played with the Dallas Cowboys defeating the Baltimore Colts in one of the greatest NFL games ever played. Less than a month after the 1977 NFL Championship Game it was announced that the NFL was officially dead, there would be no 1978 season.

In the aftermath of the death of the NFL the AFL would hold a special "NFL Player Allocation Draft" where AFL teams drafted the rights to NFL veterans that were now available. The draft was held in order to prevent bidding wars between teams sending player salaries skyrocketing.


AFL Buys NFL Trademark Rights And Video Library

Just days after the official announcement of the death of the NFL the news broke that the AFL bought out the rights to all NFL trademarks and properties including their film library and the film company "NFL Films", ran by Steve and Ed Sabol. The AFL announced that it would keep NFL Films alive as the official videographers of the AFL with the company being rebranded "AFL Films". 

As far as NFL team and league trademarks the AFL has made it clear that they have no intentions of using them, they only want to make sure nobody else buys the trademarks to try to restart the league in the future. 


NFL's Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Colts Set To Join AFL In '78

In a surprising move just days after the death of the NFL it was announced that the Browns and Colts would be the only surviving NFL teams to join the AFL. It was revealed that both teams were in negotiations throughout 1977 to jump from the NFL to the AFL similar to the way the Steelers did. Both the Browns and Colts have history in the AAFC rival league that challenged the NFL in the 1940's. The AFL despite rumors and fan requests made it clear that they had no interest in merging the rest of the NFL teams into the AFL that the league wants to maintain it's own style and does not want to water the brand down. The Colts and Browns are among the last cities that still supported their team throughout the dying days of the NFL, and their loyalty will be rewarded with their teams living on in the new league.

Sept 22, 2022 0:17:46 GMT Baker said:

Meant to comment on you moving Archie to the Broncos. Always heard how great was despite the the horrid win/loss record and mediocre stats. Maybe he lives up to the hype if he's not running for his life the entire time he's on the field.

Bringing an old, washed up Jim Brown out of retirement to generate publicity for the AFL was a great carny move. Putting him on the Raiders was a stroke of genius. Just the sort of thing Al Davis would have done.

Got some more scoops from my dad but I'll move that talk over to the Old School NFL thread so as not to further clutter up this one.

You can clutter this thread up as much as you'd like bud, I plan to respond to some of your posts as soon as I get time I'm kind of racing against the clock to get all this moved from the other forum(and changing stuff as I move it lol) they go into the black hole of the internet October 1st. 

NO! The NFL is officially dead RIP

Sept 22, 2022 0:54:37 GMT Baker said:

NO! The NFL is officially dead RIP

Smart move taking the under!

The Rise and Fall of the NFL

The death of the NFL rocked the sports world in February 1978. The league formed in 1920 but has roots that run back to the earlier 1900's with the Ohio League, which was dominated by the legendary Jim Thorpe. The NFL survived a Great Depression, World War II, and a war against the rival AAFC league in the 1940's, eventually becoming the hottest sports league in the United States as the sport grew with television exposure in the late 50's. The AFL launched in 1960 and supplied pro football to the demand of the general public. The war between the AFL and NFL escalated until a merger was negotiated in the late 60's. The AFL backed out of the merger at the last second in a highly controversial manner that generated a ton of media buzz. The AFL carried on into the 1970's and gradually passed the NFL up in popularity, stealing away their top players, their television deals, and the hearts of America. The NFL officially folded after the 1977 season. The war was over... 

NFL Champions(Pre-Championship Game era)

1920- Akron Pros

1921- Chicago Staleys

1922- Canton Bulldogs

1923- Canton Bulldogs

1924- Cleveland Bulldogs

1925- Chicago Cardinals

1926- Frankford Yellow Jackets

1927- New York Giants

1928- Providence Steamroller

1929- Green Bay Packers

1930- Green Bay Packers

1931- Green Bay Packers

1932- Chicago Bears

NFL Championship Game History

1933- Chicago Bears 23 vs NY Giants 21

1934- NY Giants 30 vs Chicago Bears 13

1935- Detroit Lions 26 vs NY Giants 7

1936- Green Bay Packers 21 vs Boston Redskins 6

1937- Washington Redskins 28 vs Chicago Bears 21

1938- NY Giants 23 vs Green Bay Packers 17

1939- Green Bay Packers 27 vs NY Giants 0

1940- Chicago Bears 73 vs Washington Redskins 0

1941- Chicago Bears 37 vs NY Giants 9

1942- Washington Redskins 14 vs Chicago Bears 6

1943- Chicago Bears 41 vs Washington Redskins 21

1944- Green Bay Packers 14 vs NY Giants 7

1946- Chicago Bears 24 vs NY Giants 14

1947- Chicago Cardinals 28 vs Philadelphia Eagles 21

1948- Philadelphia Eagles 7 vs Chicago Cardinals 0 

1949- Philadelphia Eagles 14 vs LA Rams 0

1950- Cleveland Browns 30 vs LA Rams 28

1951- LA Rams 24 vs Cleveland Browns 17

1952- Detroit Lions 17 vs Cleveland Browns 7

1953- Detroit Lions 17 vs Cleveland Browns 16

1954- Cleveland Browns 56 vs Detroit Lions 10

1955- Cleveland Browns 38 vs LA Rams 14

1956- NY Giants 47 vs Chicago Bears 7

1957- Detroit Lions 59 vs Cleveland Browns 14

1958- Baltimore Colts 23 vs NY Giants 17(OT)

1959- Baltimore Colts 31 vs NY Giants 16

1960- Philadelphia Eagles 17 vs Green Bay Packers 13

1961- Green Bay Packers 37 vs NY Giants 0

1962- Green Bay Packers 16 vs NY Giants 7

1963- Chicago Bears 14 vs NY Giants 10

1964- Cleveland Browns 27 vs Baltimore Colts 0

1965- Green Bay Packers 23 vs Cleveland Browns 12

1966- Green Bay Packers 34 vs Dallas Cowboys 27

1967- Green Bay Packers 21 vs Dallas Cowboys 17

1968- Baltimore Colts 34 vs Cleveland Browns 0

1969- Minnesota Vikings 27 vs Cleveland Browns 7

1970- Baltimore Colts 16 vs Dallas Cowboys 13

1971- Dallas Cowboys 6 vs Baltimore Colts 0

1972- Pittsburgh Steelers 17 vs Washington Redskins 10

1973- Minnesota Vikings 27 vs Dallas Cowboys 17

1974- Pittsburgh Steelers 11 vs Minnesota Vikings 5

1975- Pittsburgh Steelers 24 vs Dallas Cowboys 17

1976- Minnesota Vikings 20 vs Dallas Cowboys 10

1977- Dallas Cowboys 38 vs Baltimore Colts 32

Real life average attendance per game during AFL vs NFL war of the 1960's

Year	AFL	NFL
1960	16,538	40,106
1961	17,904	40,675
1962	20,487	40,851
1963	21,584	42,486
1964	25,855	46,562
1965	31,828	47,286
1966	34,291	50,829
1967	36,439	53,026
1968	37,643	52,521
1969	40,620	54,430

Fictional average attendance per game during AFL vs NFL war of the 1970's

Year	AFL	NFL
1970	43,044	52,877
1971	50,311	51,678
1972	53,245	51,391
1973	56,482	50,922
1974	58,014	48,416
1975	58,667	44,884
1976	59,381	41,289
1977	59,493	33,651

Something I never realized before working on that post, the NY Giants lost 5 NFL Championship Games in 6 years from 1958 to 1963, jesus that is brutal and worse than Buffalo losing 4 Super Bowls in a row.