1977 AFC East division race
Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2024 7:16 pm
A three-team race it was between the Dolphins who were back to winning ways, last year's wildcard the Patriots, and the defending-division-champs of the last two years...the Colts. With Oakland finishing as an 11-3 wildcard to Denver, only one team from the AFC East could get in.
Going into the final week of this last season of the 14-game era, all three teams were tied at 9-4. NE beat Miami the previous week, winning their fourth straight. The Colts, however, were on a three-game slide. On the bad end of a tie-breaker, the Pats needed the Dolphins to lose at home to Buffalo on a Saturday to stay alive going into their late Sunday game at Baltimore.
Miami did what they did all decade long and that's...beat the Bills. The Pats, sadly, were out. But still almost played spoiler the next day. They blew a 3rd quarter 21-3 lead, allowing the Colts to comeback, 30-24, thus win the division for a third year in a row. And onto 'Ghost to the Post'.
What are all your thoughts?
PS - I'm going to assume that Oakland already clinched the wildcard given their 9-2 conference record (10-3 overall) going into their own finale. And funny how the Raiders didn't play either Colts, Dolphins, or Patriots during the regular season! They just played the Jets & Bills.
Going into the final week of this last season of the 14-game era, all three teams were tied at 9-4. NE beat Miami the previous week, winning their fourth straight. The Colts, however, were on a three-game slide. On the bad end of a tie-breaker, the Pats needed the Dolphins to lose at home to Buffalo on a Saturday to stay alive going into their late Sunday game at Baltimore.
Miami did what they did all decade long and that's...beat the Bills. The Pats, sadly, were out. But still almost played spoiler the next day. They blew a 3rd quarter 21-3 lead, allowing the Colts to comeback, 30-24, thus win the division for a third year in a row. And onto 'Ghost to the Post'.
What are all your thoughts?
PS - I'm going to assume that Oakland already clinched the wildcard given their 9-2 conference record (10-3 overall) going into their own finale. And funny how the Raiders didn't play either Colts, Dolphins, or Patriots during the regular season! They just played the Jets & Bills.