1979 nfl playoffs

The 1979 nfl playoffs Football League playoffs for the season began on December 24, This was the first year that the playoffs expanded to a ten-team format, adding a second wild card team a fifth seed from each conference.

The NBC telecast was viewed in 35,, homes, by an estimated NFL rules changes emphasized additional player safety. The changes prohibited players on the receiving team from blocking below the waist during kickoffs, punts, and field-goal attempts; prohibited the wearing of torn or altered equipment and exposed pads that could be hazardous; extended the zone in which there could be no crackback blocks; and instructed officials to quickly whistle a play dead when a quarterback was clearly in the grasp of a tackler, March Rosenbloom, the president of the Rams, drowned at 72, April 2. His widow, Georgia, assumed control of the club.

1979 nfl playoffs

Note: As per the rules of the NFL playoffs prior to the season notwithstanding the strike-shortened season , the Dallas Cowboys the NFC 1 seed did not play the Philadelphia Eagles the 4 seed in the Divisional playoff round because both teams were in the same division. The Oilers managed to shut down the Broncos offense for most of the game en route to a win. After Toni Fritsch kicked a yard field goal on Houston's first drive, Denver marched 80 yards in 13 plays to score on quarterback Craig Morton 's 7-yard touchdown pass to running back Dave Preston. From that point on, the Oilers controlled the rest of the game. With less than 3 minutes left in the first half, Houston advanced 74 yards to score on running back Earl Campbell 's 3-yard touchdown run. Although Campbell and starting quarterback Dan Pastorini were both knocked out the game during the second half with injuries, the Oilers defense continued to dominate. In the fourth quarter, an interception by linebacker Gregg Bingham set up Fritsch's yard field goal to close out the scoring. Eagles Quarterback Ron Jaworski threw for yards and 3 touchdown passes as Philadelphia overcame a Bears halftime lead. The Eagles scored first when Jaworski threw a yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Harold Carmichael. Chicago responded with an yard drive to score on running back Walter Payton 's 2-yard rushing touchdown. Then after Philadelphia added a field goal, Payton scored again on a 1-yard touchdown to give the Bears a lead. In the third quarter, Carmichael's yard touchdown reception tied the game. Then on their next drive, Chicago advanced deep into Philadelphia territory only to see Bobby Howard intercept a pass in the end zone. A few plays later, Jaworski threw a yard touchdown to running back Billy Campfield to take the lead for good.

On fourth and inches with 19 seconds left in the half, 1979 nfl playoffs, Houston coach Bum Phillips decided to gamble and go for the touchdown, a gamble that paid off when Boobie Clark scored on a sweep left to give the Oilers a 10—7 first half lead. The National Football League playoffs for the season began on December 24,

The National Football League playoffs for the season began on December 23, Within each conference, the three division winners and the two non-division winners with the best overall regular season records qualified for the playoffs. The NFL did not use a fixed-bracket playoff system. The three division winners were seeded 1—3 based on their overall won-lost-tied record, and received a first-round bye while the wild card teams were seeded 4 and 5, and played in the first round, dubbed the wild-card playoffs or wild-card weekend , with the 4 seed hosting. The second round, the divisional playoffs , had a restriction where two teams from the same division could not meet: the surviving wild card team visited the division champion outside its division that had the higher seed, and the remaining two teams from that conference played each other. The two surviving teams from each conference's divisional playoff games then meet in the respective AFC and NFC Conference Championship games, hosted by the higher seed. Although the Super Bowl , the championship round of the playoffs, was played at a neutral site, the designated home team was based on an annual rotation by conference.

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1979 nfl playoffs

The National Football League playoffs for the season began on December 23, Within each conference, the three division winners and the two non-division winners with the best overall regular season records qualified for the playoffs. The NFL did not use a fixed-bracket playoff system. The three division winners were seeded 1—3 based on their overall won-lost-tied record, and received a first-round bye while the wild card teams were seeded 4 and 5, and played in the first round, dubbed the wild-card playoffs or wild-card weekend , with the 4 seed hosting. The second round, the divisional playoffs , had a restriction where two teams from the same division could not meet: the surviving wild card team visited the division champion outside its division that had the higher seed, and the remaining two teams from that conference played each other. The two surviving teams from each conference's divisional playoff games then meet in the respective AFC and NFC Conference Championship games, hosted by the higher seed. Although the Super Bowl , the championship round of the playoffs, was played at a neutral site, the designated home team was based on an annual rotation by conference. The Eagles scored first when Jaworski threw a yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Harold Carmichael. Chicago responded with an yard drive to score on running back Walter Payton 's 2-yard rushing touchdown. Then after Philadelphia added a field goal from Tony Franklin , Payton scored again on a 1-yard touchdown run.

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Then Ferragamo connected with Billy Waddy for a yard completion on the Cowboys 44, only to have a holding penalty two plays later push them back into their own territory and end punting again. Denver then marched 80 yards in 13 plays to score on quarterback Craig Morton 's 7-yard touchdown pass to running back Dave Preston. Game summary 1 2 3 4 Total Dolphins. TV replays conclusively confirmed a catch for a touchdown; however, the officials ruled the pass incomplete, saying that he did not have complete control of the ball before going out of bounds. Tampa Bay took the ball back and drove to a 10—0 lead on Neil O'Donohue's yard field goal. On Dallas' first play after that, Tony Dorsett ran the ball 26 yards to the Rams Quick Facts Dates, Season However, the Steelers responded by advancing 69 yards to score on running back Rocky Bleier 's 1-yard touchdown. On fourth and inches with 19 seconds left in the half, Houston coach Bum Phillips decided to gamble and go for the touchdown, a gamble that paid off when Boobie Clark scored on a sweep left to give the Oilers a 10—7 first half lead. This was the first year that the playoffs expanded to a ten-team format, adding a second wild card team a fifth seed from each conference. The Eagles went three-and-out on their next possession and had to punt ball back to the Falcons. This was the first postseason meeting between the Oilers and Patriots. Houston Oilers 5 Pittsburgh Steelers

The NBC telecast was viewed in 35,, homes, by an estimated NFL rules changes emphasized additional player safety.

The Dallas defense managed to keep Atlanta out of the end zone, but Mazzetti kicked a yard field goal to give them a lead with 50 seconds left in the half. In the third period, San Diego regained the lead with running back Lydell Mitchell 's 8-yard touchdown run. December 29 - Jack Murphy Stadium. Then from the Los Angeles 25, they tried a halfback option play. The NBC telecast was viewed in 35,, homes, by an estimated Dallas Cowboys — Game summary. Divisional playoffs. Although Dorsett rushed for 12 yards on the first play of the Cowboys' ensuing possession, Staubach was unable to engineer a late fourth-quarter comeback like the ones that made him famous throughout his career. This was the fifth postseason meeting between the Cowboys and Rams [not counting the final NFL Playoff Bowl in Miami in January , at the end of the season], and second consecutive. Then after the teams exchanged field goals, Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bradshaw completed two touchdown passes, a yarder to tight end Bennie Cunningham and a yard one to wide receiver John Stallworth. Dallas' situation got even better from there as safety Cliff Harris intercepted a pass from Ferragamo and returned it 22 yards to his yard line. Perry recorded another interception on the Chargers yard line on the ensuing possession, and Boobie Clark ran for a 1-yard touchdown to give the Oilers a lead.