Dallas VS San Diego, SBXIV (1979)

[74_75_78_79_]

Let's just say that the close loss to the Rams in the divisional round flips in their favor. I'd say that even without Staubach the following week, the 'Boys get it done over Tampa Bay and its off to their third-straight Super Bowl.

And let's also say that San Diego turns that close loss to a depleted Oilers team into an advancement as well; and then they are able to beat the Steelers again.

The two top-seed teams of '79 squaring off in the Pasadena sun! The 'home' Chargers in their white jerseys, Cowboys in their 'jinx' blues! With or without Roger, who wins?


Happy 4TH to all in this forum!


I keep forgetting that "good" Dallas actually started 7-1 in '79. That's the record they were at going into Pittsburgh for that anticipated 'Super Bowl XIII 1/2' match (Steelers were 6-2). That three-game skid to Eagles, MNF/@Wash/"Battle of Texas" on Thanksgiving Day dropped them down to 8-5. But then they win-out by beating NYG again and then avenging things at both the Vet and at home in that Classic finale. Their defense wasn't great but good-enough (#8) considering the players they lost. What really didn't help on that side of the ball was they only recording 13 INTs (worst in the league). But they had the #2 offense!

San Diego's weakness was their run-game - 27th in yards and 26th Y/A at a paltry 3.5! Despite having the #1 pass offense, which brought their overall offense to #5, Fouts did throw a lot of INTs. But on defense, SD was #3 in INTs as well as #3 in turnovers - quite opportunistic! Their D also allowed the least passing TDs at just 11! This installment was definitely the better and more-balanced of the Coryell Charger teams with a possible argument that the second-half of '78, alone, may be stronger than any of their '80s squads as well!

Who do I think wins a hypo-Dal/SD SBXIV? The Chargers' passing attack, though not yet as potent as their early-'80s installments would be, going against that Dallas pass-defense just may be what would do it for me in deciding things. If I'm placing a bet on simply who wins, no spread, I would pick the Chargers; but then I'd be worried from there thinking of Landry's big-game experience and never counting out Captain America - OR Danny - in the clutch!

[Brian wolf]

A tall order for the Cowboys. Even had Danny White gotten by the Rams(had he replaced the concussed Staubach)a tough game possibly against TB before the Chargers. Could the Chargers had beaten the Steelers again? Home-field would have helped but the Steelers had the big-game experience.

I feel Staubach would have played the SB. Might have been a more defensive game against SD than a shootout. Could Fouts and the offense had protected the ball better?

An interesting SB without Too Tall Jones or Kellen Winslow

[Jay Z]

The Chargers matched up well against the Steelers, and beat them the only time they played in the playoffs, as well as the last game of the season in 1980 and a regular season game in 1979.

Landry teams tended to lack a "killer instinct" most seasons so I'll call it a tossup.

[74_75_78_79_]

It’s the simple Fouts throwing plenty of INTs and the Dallas D only picking the ball off just 13 times that regular season which seems more intriguing the more I think of it.

Of course I, personally, am glad the matchup never happened. I don’t think the game would have turned out as good as what we really got. But I think Dal/SD, Rose Bowl, 1/20/80 would have still been hyped and would have lived up to it enough.

And again Chargers in white, Dallas in blue! Would have had a nice look! ’Boys opening and closing the decade playing the Big Game in those jerseys, both times under the sun (or at least more than half the game in the latter)!

[Bryan]

As much as I would be rooting for the 79 Chargers, its too hard to think they would win a game of that magnitude. The teams met in 1980....the Chargers added Muncie and had a healthy Winslow, the Cowboys were missing Dorsett and Staubach had retired, and the Cowboys still won 42-31. Jefferson scored on a deflected pass, Woody Lowe had an INT TD, but it was the Cowboys who controlled the game. 29 first downs and nearly 200 yards rushing while Fouts and the Charger offense had 7 turnovers. Unfortunately, thats kind of how I would see the hypothetical SB XIV playing out.

[GameBeforeTheMoney]

Yeah, as much as I love thinking of the possibility of the Coryell Chargers winning the Super Bowl, I don't think they could execute as well as Dallas in that big of a game. Luck can turn anything around but if you're talking about just straight up being able to be better fundamentally on that day in that game, the Cowboys knew how to do it much better than the Chargers would have. And especially the Steelers would have for sure - they were much better than the Cowboys in that regard.

[7DnBrnc53]

Actually, I think the Chargers win this. The 1979 team seems more dominant to me. They put some whoopins on people that year (PIt, NO, Rams, Oak). In 1980 (even with Winslow and Muncie), they were kind of wishy-washy. Not only did they lose at Dallas, but they lost to a 6-10 Redskin team without Riggins.

[74_75_78_79_]

The Chargers matched up well against the Steelers, and beat them the only time they played in the playoffs, as well as the last game of the season in 1980 and a regular season game in 1979.

Landry teams tended to lack a "killer instinct" most seasons so I'll call it a tossup.

That '79 game is, really, the only sample of how the Dynasty Steelers matched up against that, particular, '79 squad. Not completely sure if next year's MNF finale and - years removed - '82 "tournament' game are valid "connected" examples. Maybe, but IMO more-likely not. And the other thing...the '79 and also second-half of '78 Chargers were, to me (correct me if wrong), a bit 'alien' to those immediate upcoming early-'80s installments. Thus each team being different, already, upon 1980 arriving.

Was...'35-7' a case of San Diego, indeed, actually matching-up well against the...'70s Steelers? Or was it simply a case of the Steelers being 'spent' after that Monstrous/combined 124-20 four-game run vs the Orange Crush (MNF), the aforementioned 'Super Bowl XIII 1/2', almost-NFC-top-seed Washington, and - finally - at Levy's Chiefs? The 8-3 Chargers and their fans HAD to be FIRED-UP awaiting the 9-2 World Champs to show up!!

Steelers lost lopsided, as they did to 0-6 Cincy prior to that four-game streak. I have said in the past that the '79 Steelers had more 'bite' than the more-Heralded squad from the year before. There is quite the argument that the very four-game run may be the most powerful moment in that entire Dynasty (even better than anything from '75; or '76). I do, actually, see and respect '78 as being better. 14-2 as opposed to 12-4, no lopsided losses at all, less injuries, less Terry INTs/less turnovers in-general, and a more-dominant overall post-season showing, by all means!

'79 is simply the younger, rabid, "wounded-animal" black-sheep twin-brother of '78. And if that '79 team would, somehow, be matched-up in an actual REAL-stakes game against, say, da '85 Bears...with or without a spread (sure-enough, '79 would get points; especially due to..."just" 12-4; 15-1 Bears in dark jerseys), I seriously would still confidently bet on those '79 Steelers! They had the bite!!

They WERE scary when it mattered MOST!

As much as I would be rooting for the 79 Chargers, its too hard to think they would win a game of that magnitude. The teams met in 1980....the Chargers added Muncie and had a healthy Winslow, the Cowboys were missing Dorsett and Staubach had retired, and the Cowboys still won 42-31. Jefferson scored on a deflected pass, Woody Lowe had an INT TD, but it was the Cowboys who controlled the game. 29 first downs and nearly 200 yards rushing while Fouts and the Charger offense had 7 turnovers. Unfortunately, thats kind of how I would see the hypothetical SB XIV playing out.

Very great knowledge drop, Bryan! Just like, for eons after the fact, I either forgot - or was never aware at all - that Marcus Allen did not partake in that very famous (a Rupert Patrick favorite) '83 Raiders/Redskins regular season game, I learn for the very first time that #33 did not play in that '80 SD/Big D (rare at the time) Sunday Night match! Yes, each a different team just a year removed, but 42-31 speaks volumes as a nice-enough 'what-if' SBXIV meeting! I only ever watched the very beginning of the game, relatively recently, seeing Dandy interview his old coach before the game and don't remember anything about Dorsett being out.

Yeah, as much as I love thinking of the possibility of the Coryell Chargers winning the Super Bowl, I don't think they could execute as well as Dallas in that big of a game. Luck can turn anything around but if you're talking about just straight up being able to be better fundamentally on that day in that game, the Cowboys knew how to do it much better than the Chargers would have. And especially the Steelers would have for sure - they were much better than the Cowboys in that regard.

Yes, what you, GBM, and Bryan says rings with me as to why - after placing such a 'bet' on SD - that I'd then worry because of Landry's experience in big games. But the '79 Boys were just plain "good", end-of-day (lesser than "rebuilding" 1980 who did finish 12-4, instead of 11-5, and made it to the NFCCG). The defense in '79 had players absent. That "just" 13 INTs could, possibly, he in Fouts' favor. The late-'60s/the '70s Cowboys won so many big games. But, man, did Landry - sorry to remind - (like Shula) left so many post-season advancements as well as World Championships on the table! And, maybe, this SB vs the Chargers could have, maybe, ended up being another one of them!

As for Chuck Noll...his only post-season underachievement, to me, is that "tournament" loss to the Chargers and that's IT! And, maybe, that really wasn't an upset after all; neither team was real special. Perhaps his play-in at Houston in the '90 finale (Cody C) may be a bigger, and really his only big-stakes, underachievement. Even if the late-'78/'79 Chargers were different than the early-'80s installments, '79 sadly choked to depleted Houston, and never made it to a SB the entire Coryell era! Steelers of the '70s were always solid when it mattered! Which is why I always opined that they would have won in a hypo-rematch at the Murph, 1/6/80. But it doesn't matter. SD couldn't even beat depleted Houston who, then, lost (AGAIN) to the 'Burgh and that's THAT.

Actually, I think the Chargers win this. The 1979 team seems more dominant to me. They put some whoopins on people that year (PIt, NO, Rams, Oak). In 1980 (even with Winslow and Muncie), they were kind of wishy-washy. Not only did they lose at Dallas, but they lost to a 6-10 Redskin team without Riggins.

Yes, again, 1980-and-beyond already a different SD animal then that immediate '70s closure! Yup, ripping up Rams and Saints, each on the road, by a combined, 75-16!! Frightening! Something neither of those immediate-'80s teams would do. And, yes, Raiders too, 30-10, early on. But Raiders beat them lopsided in the rematch! That, just may, be a 'hint' of 1980 despite Stabler instead of Plunkett! But, either way, sadly, they still choked to depleted Houston which, basically, would serve as the ultimate prophesy of no championships after all!

[Brian wolf]

Some people believe the 79 Chargers simply overlooked the Oilers in the playoffs, especially without Campbell but the Oilers were tougher than the Chargers and had a great gameplan*... or knew the Chargers offensive signals, etc?

Either way, from wk 9 in 1978 till the disappointing loss to Houston in Jack Murphy Stadium, the Chargers had gone 19-6 with the defense complimenting their offense. Despite a strong pass rush in 1980, the defense would never be as good for Don Coryell.

*edited ...

[7DnBrnc53]

Some people believe the 79 Chargers simply overlooked the Oilers in the playoffs, especially without Campbell but the Oilers were tougher than the Chargers and had a great gameplay ... or knew the Chargers offensive signals, etc?

Either way, from wk 9 in 1978 till the disappointing loss to Houston in Jack Murphy Stadium, the Chargers had gone 19-6 with the defense complimenting their offense. Despite a strong pass rush in 1980, the defense would never be as good for Don Coryell.

Exactly.

As for the Oilers, they didn't steal any signals. It was a tell. They looked at Fouts and his feet placement before the snap, and they knew from that whether it would be a run or a pass. Also, if the Chargers took the Oilers lightly even without Campbell and Dante, that was a big mistake. Bum's crew would come at you no matter what.

In the ensuing years (for the Chargers), the problem may have been Don Coryell. Someone that I talk football with online has talked to me about how Don ran country club training camps, which is probably why we really never saw the dominance again from that team that we saw in 1979.

Also, in 1981, Fred Dean was traded, and they changed defensive coordinators for two straight years (Pardee in 81 and Tom Bass in 82). Bass brought in a new system (he mixed the 4-3 with the 3-4) and several veterans who were at or near the end of their career (Bruce Laird, Dave Lewis, Dewey Selmon).