1977 Detroit Lions season

1977 Detroit Lions season
Head coach	Tommy Hudspeth
General manager	Russ Thomas
Owner	William Clay Ford, Sr.
Home field	Pontiac Silverdome
Results
Record	6–8
Division place	3rd NFC Central
Playoff finish	did not qualify

The 1977 Detroit Lions season was their 48th in the National Football League (NFL). The team matched their previous season's output of 6–8.^[1] The team missed the playoffs for the seventh straight season. The Lions struggled offensively, scoring a mere 183 points while finishing in third place with a 6–8 record for the second straight season.

The 1977 coaching staff included 25-year-old assistant special teams and offensive assistant coach Bill Belichick. Belichick later won two Super Bowls as defensive coordinator with the New York Giants in 1986 and 1990, and four more as head coach of the New England Patriots in 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2014. This is the last season they would beat the Philadelphia Eagles at home until 2015.

Personnel

Staff

1977 Detroit Lions staff
	Front office President – William Clay Ford, Sr. Executive Vice President and General Manager – Russ Thomas Vice President and Assistant General Manager – Roger Lehew Head coaches Head Coach – Tommy Hudspeth Offensive coaches Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks/Receivers – Ed Hughes Offensive Backfield – Wally English Offensive Line – John Payne Offensive Assistant – Bill Belichick			Defensive coaches Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line – Fritz Shurmur Linebackers – Rollie Dotsch Defensive Backfield – Burnie Miller Special teams coaches Special Teams – Floyd Reese Assistant Special Teams – Bill Belichick Strength and conditioning Strength and Conditioning – Floyd Reese

^[2]

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
1	September 18, 1977	at Chicago Bears	L 30–20	51,530
2	September 25, 1977	New Orleans Saints	W 23–19	51,458
3	October 2, 1977	Philadelphia Eagles	W 17–13	57,236
4	October 9, 1977	at Minnesota Vikings	L 14–7	45,860
5	October 16, 1977	Green Bay Packers	W 10–6	78,452
6	October 23, 1977	at San Francisco 49ers	L 28–7	39,392
7	October 30, 1977	at Dallas Cowboys	L 37–0	63,160
8	November 6, 1977	San Diego Chargers	W 20–0	72,559
9	November 13, 1977	at Atlanta Falcons	L 17–6	47,461
10	November 20, 1977	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 16–7	49,751
11	November 24, 1977	Chicago Bears	L 31–14	71,373
12	December 4, 1977	at Green Bay Packers	L 10–9	56,267
13	December 11, 1977	at Baltimore Colts	W 13–10	45,124
14	December 17, 1977	Minnesota Vikings	L 30–21	78,572

Standings

NFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Minnesota Vikings^(3)	9	5	0	.643	6–1	8–4	231	227	W1
Chicago Bears^(4)	9	5	0	.643	6–1	8–4	255	253	W6
Detroit Lions	6	8	0	.429	2–5	4–7	183	252	L1
Green Bay Packers	4	10	0	.286	2–5	4–8	134	219	W1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	2	12	0	.143	0–4	2–11	103	223	W2

References

1. 1977 Detroit Lions
2. "Executive and coaching staff profiles". 1977 Detroit Lions Media Guide. pp. 3–10.