Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Three-way race for first to the very end with all three making the playoffs, and the two 'Toilet Bowl'-participants rounding things out!

That Pats squad, though getting swept by the Colts, has to be the best 2-win team ever. Consecutive winning seasons to the left of that campaign (Fairbanks/Ehrhardt) and consecutive winning seasons to the right (Meyer/Berry), it makes sense that they get that 'title'.

Watched most of that Wk#12 Dolphins at Shea yesterday. Richard Todd...got to give him kudos for his toughness, playing in a flack jacket to protect his left rib! Bending down over center caused him more pain than throwing the ball. A microphone was placed in his helmet to be heard by his teammates when making the count but apparently it wasn't working.

In the 2nd Q, he got railed as he was running out of bounds by Don McNeal then got up to come after him only to be held back by his teammates. It was called for a 15-yard penalty but it was argued that Todd was still in the field of play just before the hit.

Of course Kutztown was mispronounced when Bruce Harper was mentioned ('coots-town' instead of the correct 'cuts-town').

I would guess that this was the game that defined the division that year (its difficult to believe that there have been 15 games with that final 16-15 score). It told you that the Jets were going to make the playoffs along with Miami & Buffalo. Nothing against Miami who actually ended up winning the division, but Jets & Bills seemed to have more bite. If either wins the division instead, hence finish 2nd-seed, the divisional vs San Diego may have not been as "Epic" but likely still a good game and likely either team beating the Chargers; this and either team giving Cincy a better 'Freezer Bowl' game and, hey, you never know maybe actually beating the Bengals. Dolphins seemed to rely heavy on lack of penalties to win as much as they did. It was said they were the least penalized team going into Shea. Woodley showed his mobility in that game.

What are your takes on this division that very season?

If either wins the division instead, hence finish 2nd-seed, the divisional vs San Diego may have not been as "Epic" but likely still a good game and likely either team beating the Chargers; this and either team giving Cincy a better 'Freezer Bowl' game and, hey, you never know maybe actually beating the Bengals.

The Bills played both the Bengals and the Chargers that year.

In Week 4, they had a 21-10 lead early in the fourth quarter @Cincy after a five-yard Ferguson TD pass to Frank Lewis. Then, after the Bengals cut the lead to four, the Bills had a first and ten at the Bengal 38 when Joe Cribbs fumbled, and Ken Riley recovered. The Bengals fumbled it right back, but the Bills ended up punting after getting the turnover, and the Bengals went down and got another TD to take the lead. The Bills tied it and send it into OT. In the extra frame, they had to punt, and Cincy went down and won the game on a Breech FG.

In Week 14, the Bills and Chargers played a back-and-forth game, but the Bills were able to recover a Muncie fumble at their own 22 (and return it four yards) with a 28-27 lead, and they were able to run out the clock and hold on.

That Pats squad, though getting swept by the Colts, has to be the best 2-win team ever. Consecutive winning seasons to the left of that campaign (Fairbanks/Ehrhardt) and consecutive winning seasons to the right (Meyer/Berry), it makes sense that they get that 'title'.

CCC Productions gave the 1981 Pats the title of the 18th most disappointing team ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMf3073b3LI&t=148s

I'll agree this is one of the more interesting divisions since the merger. The Colts being one of the worst 2-14 teams ever and the Patriots being one of the "best" 2-14 teams ever. I don't think anyone expected the drop off for either team. Especially the Patriots. Bert Jones was deteriorating so maybe their 2-14 was not that surprising. But allowing more than 500 points certainly didn't help things. Three very good defenses at the top of the division duking it out with a Bills/Dolphins "division championship game" in week 16. Growing up here in Buffalo I remember a 6:00 news sportscaster saying you can stick a fork in the Bills playoff hopes after being shut out by the Cardinals to drop them to 6-5.

I think you're (@74_75_78_79_) selling Miami a little short here. They benefited from discipline (Shula teams always did), but that roster had more going for it than just “lack of penalties.”

Arnsparger’s defensive mind, the Killer B’s, and on the other side when Woodley struggled, they had Strock to bail them out. Franklin, Nathan, and the O-line gave them a successful running game during this brief period, something they couldn't really reproduce in the Marino era.

And they actually went to the Super Bowl the next season, not the Jets or Bills. I think it's a stretch that the Jets/Bills do beter against the Chargers. We never really got to see what the Chargers may have done that year because their offense really didn't work in the conditions they played in the next week.