1978 AFC West

[74_75_78_79_]

The first of a four-year stretch of this very division being quite a solid one! Broncos win it again, but at 10-6. And then there were three 9-7s! Neither made the playoffs but likely each of the trio were better than Minnesota, Atlanta, and Philly who each did make the playoffs in the NFC. The Chiefs, in Levy's first year, were odd-man-out at 4-12; but pitching a 23-0 shutout vs SD late in the year (albeit Fouts being out) followed by another win the next week vs Buffalo had to serve somewhat of a hint of respectability to come.

Of course '78 started out with Prothro still at helm in SD. He resigned after starting 1-3 only for new HC, Coryell, to then go 1-3 as well; but with that one win of his being a 23-0 win over the Orange Crush! Once the 2-6 start was out the way, safe to say that the Chargers were the division's best for they'd only lose just one more game, that very Fouts-less Wk#13 shutout loss at KC already mentioned. They then win their final three by a combined 122-41! The two big ones, of course, being they blasting Seattle, 37-10 (completing the sweep), and then the Oilers at the Astrodome in the finale, 45-24! Yes, not that they obviously needed it, end of day, but Houston still did have home-field in the Wild Card Game to play for.

I still don't get why "record-vs-common-opponents" had to be applied for who officially finished 2nd-thru-4th in the division?? Because of this, Oakland was placed at 2nd despite not just getting swept by Seattle, but simply having a lesser division-record than either the Hawks or SD at 3-5. And then on the flip-side, of course, the Chargers finished at 4th despite actually sweeping Seattle while finishing with a better division-record at 5-3 to Hawks' 4-4. RVCO should be quite significantly lesser in importance than head-to-head or division record.

Yes, neither made the playoffs anyway, but RVCO still should not have gotten the first word! The following year's scheduled opponents would have been different for both SD & Oak! As for winning opponents, instead of hosting the Steelers and playing at Schaefer, the Chargers in '79 would have hosted Miami and Cleveland while playing at the Astrodome (no Classic Tatum/Campbell collision). Meanwhile, its the Raiders who play the Pats on the road while hosting the 'Burgh. One team those '78 & '79 Steelers didn't have to play and that was the Raiders. And this was smack in the middle of the Raiders' 6-0 streak vs them! Would have maybe made things a bit interesting. Not just for SD & Oak, but the others who were either now on or now off their '79 schedules. Inter-conference games vs the NFC West? Home and road opponents for both would have been the same.

Overall thoughts?


PS - simply glancing at the '78 schedules, I actually thought all this time until today that the 'Holy Roller' was opening week!

[racepug]

So that was the first year of the 16-game regular season schedule and I was very glad that the Seahawks finished with a winning record. I remember that they swept the Raiders (I believe that was the first time that had happened to the Raiders vs. a division foe since the 1960s) but they had trouble with all the other teams in the division (especially S.D.). I remember DEN and S.D. were the teams that battled it out for first place in the division. Other than that I don't remember much about it off the top of my head (other than that DEN got knocked out of the playoffs by PIT). {The Seahawks suffered some REALLY tough losses to DEN around that time - one in which they blew something like a 24-point lead in Denver [after Craig Morton got injured and/or pulled from the game and Norris Weese - Norris Weese! - came in for him] and another an OT loss in Seattle after a [REALLY LAME] penalty negated a [short!] missed FG by Broncos PK Jim Turner - but I don't remember for sure if those happened in 1978}

[Brian wolf]

With the NFL determined to enforce the Mel Blount rule and Coryell joining the Chargers, Air Coryell was taking off, while the Raiders offensive line and team stumbled badly and the Orange Crush defense playing better than ever before wearing down to the Steelers offense in the playoffs ...

[7DnBrnc53]

I don't know how the prognosticators pick the Raiders to win the West that year. The 78 Raiders were an aging team. And, it made their metamorphosis and SB win two years later that much more amazing.

[sheajets]

The Raiders pass rush 1978 to 1980 was really night and day. The arrival of veteran Cedrick Hardman really had an impact, as was contributions by guys like Dave Browning, Willie Jones. By committee they were able to make life miserable for a lot of oppositions QB's. Rookie Matt Millen had himself a very good season all around season...That old D was bolstered by some young blood (also Rod Martin coming into his own. And of course the season that Lester Hayes had was just unreal

offensively...they were still old. Bob Chandler made a big impact but was in his 30s, Chester...Branch. Kenny King was an important addition to the backfield.

[Retro Rider]

{The Seahawks suffered some REALLY tough losses to DEN around that time - one in which they blew something like a 24-point lead in Denver [after Craig Morton got injured and/or pulled from the game and Norris Weese - Norris Weese! - came in for him] and another an OT loss in Seattle after a [REALLY LAME] penalty negated a [short!] missed FG by Broncos PK Jim Turner - but I don't remember for sure if those happened in 1978}

The first game you mentioned took place in 1979 (Week 4). Seattle rung up a 34-10 lead over the Broncos at Mile High. Norris Weese was actually the starter in that game (he'd been the Broncos starting QB since Week 1). Craig Morton came on in relief of Weese during the 3rd quarter and threw three touchdown passes in the span of 2 1/2 minutes to bring Denver to within 3 points of tying the game. Rob Lytle's 4th quarter rushing TD won the game for the Broncos, 37-34.

https://youtu.be/rYeD0G9EiAs

The Seahawks finally beat Denver in Week 15 at the Kingdome, 28-23. Seattle also became the first team to beat the Oakland Raiders 4 consecutive times (1978 & 1979). Their '79 loss at Mile High ultimately cost Seattle a Wild Card Playoff spot.

The Seahawks overtime loss to the Broncos in Week 9 of the 1978 season is remembered for the infamous 12th Man penalty. Jim Turner, who struggled during the 1978 season, missed a short field goal attempt but got a second chance when Seattle was flagged for having too many men on the field. Turner connected on an 18 yard chip shot to win the game for Denver, 20-17. That loss would eventually cost Seattle the AFC West title.

It would have been an incredible if the 3rd year expansion Seahawks had actually won the AFC West in 1978. Denver took the division on the strength of a 7-1 record vs. AFC West opponents. San Diego may have been playing the best of all AFC West teams at season's end. Most pre-season predictions, if not all of them, favored the Raiders to win the division. Ken Stabler had one of his worst seasons throwing a career high 30 interceptions as the Madden era came to a close with the Raiders missing the playoffs for the first time since 1971.

[Gary Najman]

The Raiders pass rush 1978 to 1980 was really night and day. The arrival of veteran Cedrick Hardman really had an impact, as was contributions by guys like Dave Browning, Willie Jones. By committee they were able to make life miserable for a lot of oppositions QB's. Rookie Matt Millen had himself a very good season all around season...That old D was bolstered by some young blood (also Rod Martin coming into his own. And of course the season that Lester Hayes had was just unreal

offensively...they were still old. Bob Chandler made a big impact but was in his 30s, Chester...Branch. Kenny King was an important addition to the backfield.

I believe that if Lester Hayes didn't have his 13 interceptions, Ted Hendricks should have been Defensive Player of the Year in 1980. He had down years (for him) in 1978 and 1979 and Tom Flores had thoughts of trading him, but Al Davis stood by him and payed it off in a big way. Also, they strenghted the defense with the arrival of defensive backs Burgess Owens and Dwayne O'Steen.

[Brian wolf]

HOF elected Tom Flores deserves a lot of credit for transitioning the Raiders from Madden's to his own team, while putting up with Davis coaching and motivating from the side, though Davis was so good at judging talent, the team rallied for Flores ... Charlie Sumner deserves a lot of credit for putting together a great defense from 1980 -1986.

[sheajets]

The Raiders pass rush 1978 to 1980 was really night and day. The arrival of veteran Cedrick Hardman really had an impact, as was contributions by guys like Dave Browning, Willie Jones. By committee they were able to make life miserable for a lot of oppositions QB's. Rookie Matt Millen had himself a very good season all around season...That old D was bolstered by some young blood (also Rod Martin coming into his own. And of course the season that Lester Hayes had was just unreal

offensively...they were still old. Bob Chandler made a big impact but was in his 30s, Chester...Branch. Kenny King was an important addition to the backfield.

I believe that if Lester Hayes didn't have his 13 interceptions, Ted Hendricks should have been Defensive Player of the Year in 1980. He had down years (for him) in 1978 and 1979 and Tom Flores had thoughts of trading him, but Al Davis stood by him and payed it off in a big way. Also, they strenghted the defense with the arrival of defensive backs Burgess Owens and Dwayne O'Steen.

Definitely. Hendricks was a monster that year. He was in on most every big Oakland defensive play that season that wasn't a Lester Hayes interception. Sacks, fumble recoveries, safeties, he picked up some INT's himself.

[racepug]

when Seattle was flagged for having too many men on the field.

It was a bogus penalty. The "penalty" came about because a Seattle player left the field through the (back of the) end zone as opposed to the sideline, which apparently was illegal (I don't know if it still is). Said player was promptly dropped from the team but I've always felt that that was one of those rules that shouldn't have been (like the so-called "Tuck Rule" that cost the Raiders in that playoff game against the Patriots several years later). Either way, those heartbreaking losses to DEN (and other things - such as Mike Harden knocking Steve Largent out in a game in the late '80s) cemented me as a Broncos hater at the time (and that's never changed for me all these years later).