The Greatest Postseason Upset of the 1970s

[SixtiesFan]

I'd have to chart it out, but if Oakland and Los Angeles were the two also-rans of their respective conferences in the 1970s (the Raiders winning one SB to the Rams none, of course) part of it was attributable to playoff scheduling that was never in their favor.

It seems like Oakland was always saddled with having to beat both Miami and Pittsburgh to get to the Super Bowl. They'd beat one then lose to the other. Similarly, the Rams were tasked with having to run the gauntlet of both Minnesota and Dallas to get to the big one.

As a result, the two dominate teams of each conference, Miami and Pittsburgh in the AFC and Dallas and Minnesota in the NFC both benefited by Oakland and Los Angeles either taking out or softening up their main playoff competition before they played them.

A bit of an oversimplification, perhaps, but somewhat true.

Or, heh, they just weren't good enough.

I recall the 1974 Sports Illustrated Pro Football Preview in which Dan Jenkins (who that year switched from college to pro football) gave a rundown on the league. For "Most Overrated Team," Jenkins said "Raiders."

[Jay Z]

I thought Minnesota was the top-ranked team in 1975? Hosting the WC Cowboys was their "reward" for having the best NFC record, right? Or were 1st round match-ups not determined by W-L records?

Yeah, Vikings were #1 seed that year. That was the first year the teams were seeded. Vikings played the Cowboys, the wild card team.

From 1969-76 the Vikings had 10 of 11 playoff games at home (not counting Super Bowls.) Cowboys had 15 playoff games from 1970-78, but only 8 at home, 7 on the road.

[SixtiesFan]

I thought Minnesota was the top-ranked team in 1975? Hosting the WC Cowboys was their "reward" for having the best NFC record, right? Or were 1st round match-ups not determined by W-L records?

Yeah, Vikings were #1 seed that year. That was the first year the teams were seeded. Vikings played the Cowboys, the wild card team.

From 1969-76 the Vikings had 10 of 11 playoff games at home (not counting Super Bowls.) Cowboys had 15 playoff games from 1970-78, but only 8 at home, 7 on the road.

I recall around 1977, Fran Tarkenton said the Super Bowl should be held on the home field of one of the participants, Minnesota especially.

[74_75_78_79_]

I guess you can say the '70s Rams were like the '90s Steelers, fair?

[Jay Z]

I guess you can say the '70s Rams were like the '90s Steelers, fair?

I would think the '90s Steelers would be remembered for losing 4 championship games at home. It's softened by the Nolls teams and that Cowher eventually won one.

Rams had bad luck with home games from '67-74. They had to go the road in 1967, 1969, amd 1973 despite good records. (1969 they didn't have as good a record as the Vikings, but they lost their last 3 games after they had already clinched.) 1967 they were 11-1-2 and went to 9-4-1 Green Bay, and 1973 12-2 and went to 10-4 Dallas. 1974 both LA and Min were 10-4 and they went to Minnesota. Of course they then lost home games in 1975, 1976, 1978. Made up for that some with the two road wins in 1979. But they never won a Super Bowl, so the losses are remembered.

[SixtiesFan]

I guess you can say the '70s Rams were like the '90s Steelers, fair?

I would think the '90s Steelers would be remembered for losing 4 championship games at home. It's softened by the Nolls teams and that Cowher eventually won one.

Rams had bad luck with home games from '67-74. They had to go the road in 1967, 1969, amd 1973 despite good records. (1969 they didn't have as good a record as the Vikings, but they lost their last 3 games after they had already clinched.) 1967 they were 11-1-2 and went to 9-4-1 Green Bay, and 1973 12-2 and went to 10-4 Dallas. 1974 both LA and Min were 10-4 and they went to Minnesota. Of course they then lost home games in 1975, 1976, 1978. Made up for that some with the two road wins in 1979. But they never won a Super Bowl, so the losses are remembered.

Yes, George Allen's teams never got a break on the playoff seeding in 1967 and 1969 (both in freezing weather), nor did Chuck Knox's teams in 1973 and 1974. In 1974, the Rams beat the Vikings in the regular season and by the won-loss rules adopted the next year would have had the home field for the title game.

The Ram home field playoff loss to the Vikings was in 1977, not 1976. It was the "Mud Bowl." Even at home, the Rams had bad luck on the weather in 1977.