1979: Pats VS Hawks
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74_75_78_79_
- Posts: 2489
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1979: Pats VS Hawks
Who do you think is best between these 9-7 squads who came up short of qualifying for the post-season?
Re: 1979: Pats VS Hawks
Interesting choice.
Both teams would have made the playoffs if they hadn't folded at Mile High Stadium in different ways (New England lost 45-10, Seattle blew a big lead).
Denver wasn't exactly THAT much better, but those were the swing games.
I go with Seattle because they were in a tougher division, though either IMHO would have beaten the overrated Oilers, but I don't think either beats San Diego
Both teams would have made the playoffs if they hadn't folded at Mile High Stadium in different ways (New England lost 45-10, Seattle blew a big lead).
Denver wasn't exactly THAT much better, but those were the swing games.
I go with Seattle because they were in a tougher division, though either IMHO would have beaten the overrated Oilers, but I don't think either beats San Diego
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Todd Pence
- Posts: 755
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Re: 1979: Pats VS Hawks
Although the '79 Seahawks were one of the most fun teams to watch ever, the Patriots that year had much better personnel than the Seahawks.
The Pats from 1977-80 were a huge enigma. Each of those years they had one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, but managed to stumble at crucial times during the season. Their lone division title win during that span was sabotaged by the Fairbanks resignation debacle. In each of the other three years they managed to knock themselves out of the playoff picture with head-scratching losses. In '77, the Pats dropped games to the Jets and the Bills - two of the worst teams in the league. In '79, they lost to the Bills and Jets again as part of a three-game losing streak down the stretch. The Jets loss was a one-point squeaker against a team they had crushed 56-3 earlier in the season. In 1980 it was more of the same - key losses down the stretch, as Steve Grogan served up six INTs in a loss to then-lowly San Francisco, and then of course, dropping the "John Lennon" game in OT to the Miami.
During this four year stretch, Monday Nights proved a bane to the Pats. They went 1-7 on prime time from 1977-80. You can add to that a Thursday Night pummeling at the hands of the Fins in '79.
The Patriots and the Seahawks did meet early in 1980 in what turned out to be a beauty of a game, with Grogan and Zorn combining for seven TD passes. The winning touchdown was scored late in the contest by Don Hasselback, father of future Hawk QB Matt.
The Pats from 1977-80 were a huge enigma. Each of those years they had one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, but managed to stumble at crucial times during the season. Their lone division title win during that span was sabotaged by the Fairbanks resignation debacle. In each of the other three years they managed to knock themselves out of the playoff picture with head-scratching losses. In '77, the Pats dropped games to the Jets and the Bills - two of the worst teams in the league. In '79, they lost to the Bills and Jets again as part of a three-game losing streak down the stretch. The Jets loss was a one-point squeaker against a team they had crushed 56-3 earlier in the season. In 1980 it was more of the same - key losses down the stretch, as Steve Grogan served up six INTs in a loss to then-lowly San Francisco, and then of course, dropping the "John Lennon" game in OT to the Miami.
During this four year stretch, Monday Nights proved a bane to the Pats. They went 1-7 on prime time from 1977-80. You can add to that a Thursday Night pummeling at the hands of the Fins in '79.
The Patriots and the Seahawks did meet early in 1980 in what turned out to be a beauty of a game, with Grogan and Zorn combining for seven TD passes. The winning touchdown was scored late in the contest by Don Hasselback, father of future Hawk QB Matt.