1978 NFL season

1978 National Football League season
Regular season
Duration September 2 – December 18, 1978
Playoffs
Start date December 24, 1978
AFC Champions Pittsburgh Steelers
NFC Champions Dallas Cowboys
Super Bowl XIII
Date January 21, 1979
Site Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
Champions Pittsburgh Steelers
Pro Bowl
Date January 29, 1979
Site Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Oilers quarterback Dan Pastorini playing in the 1978 AFC Wild Card game

The 1978 NFL season was the 59th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded the regular season from a 14-game schedule to 16. Furthermore, the playoff format was expanded from 8 teams to 10 teams by adding another wild card from each conference. The wild card teams played each other, with the winner advancing to the playoff round of eight teams.

The season ended with Super Bowl XIII when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Dallas Cowboys 35-31 at the Orange Bowl in Miami.

The average salary for a player in 1978 was under $62,600, up 13.2 percent over the previous year. Fran Tarkenton was the highest-paid quarterback at $360,000 and running back O. J. Simpson was the highest paid player, at just under $733,400.[1]

Major rule changes

The league passed major rule changes to encourage offensive scoring.[2] In 1977 – the last year of the so-called "Dead Ball Era" – teams scored an average of 17.2 points per game, the lowest total since 1942.[3]

Interconference Scheduling

With the start of a 16-game season also marked the start of a new scheduling format that saw a division in one conference play a division in another conference, rotating every season and repeating the process every three years. Previously, teams played random opponents in the other conference. The format remains in effect today, though it was slightly modified over the years, most recently with the addition of two more divisions in 2002.

The interconference matchups for 1978 were as follows:

Division Races

Starting in 1978, and continuing through 1989 (except 1982), ten teams qualified for the playoffs: the winners of each of the divisions, and two wild-card teams in each conference. The two wild cards would meet for the right to face whichever of the three division winners had the best overall record (or, if the winner of the wild-card playoff was from the same division as that team, the division winner with the second best overall record). The tiebreaker rules were based on head-to-head competition, followed by division records, common opponents' records, and conference play.

National Football Conference

Week Eastern Central Western WildCard WildCard
1 3 teams 1–0 Chi,GB 1–0 3 teams 1–0
2 Dal,Was 2–0 Chi,GB 2–0 L.A. 2–0
3 Wash. 3–0 Chi. 3–0 L.A. 3–0
4 Wash. 4–0 G.B. 3–1 L.A. 4–0 Chi. 3–1 Dal. 3–1
5 Wash. 5–0 G.B. 4–1 L.A. 5–0 Chi. 3–2 3 tms 3–2
6 Wash. 6–0 G.B. 5–1 L.A. 6–0 Dal. 4–2 Chi. 3–3
7 Wash. 6–1 G.B. 6–1 L.A. 7–0 Dal. 5–2 Phi. 4–3
8 Wash. 6–2 G.B. 6–2 L.A. 7–1 Dal. 6–2 NYG 5–3
9 Wash. 7–2 G.B. 7–2 L.A. 7–2 Dal. 6–3 Atl 5–4
10 Wash. 7–3 G.B. 7–3 L.A. 8–2 Atl. 6–4 Min. 6–4
11 Wash. 8–3 Min. 7–4 L.A. 9–2 Atl. 7–4 Dal. 7–4
12 Wash. 8–4 Min. 7–5 L.A. 10–2 Dal. 8–4 Atl. 7–5
13 Dal. 9–4 Min. 7–5–1 L.A. 10–3 Atl. 8–5 Wash. 8–5
14 Dal. 10–4 Min. 8–5–1 L.A. 11–3 G.B. 8–5–1 Atl. 8–6
15 Dal. 11–4 Min. 8–6–1 L.A. 11–4 Atl. 9–6 G.B. 8–6–1
16 Dal. 12–4 Min. 8–7–1 L.A. 12–4 Atl. 9–7 Phi. 9–7

American Football Conference

Week Eastern Central Western WildCard WildCard
1 NYJ 1–0 Cle,Pit 1–0 3 teams 1–0
2 NYJ 2–0 Cle,Pit 2–0 4 teams 1–1
3 NYJ 2–1 Cle,Pit 3–0 Den. 2–1 Cle,Pit 3–0 Hou 2–1
4 NYJ 2–2 Pitt 4–0 Den. 3–1 Cle. 3–1 Hou 2–2
5 Mia. 3–2 Pitt 5–0 Den. 4–1 Hou. 3–2 N.E. 3–2
6 Mia. 4–2 Pitt 6–0 Den. 4–2 N.E. 4–2 Oak. 4–2
7 Mia. 5–2 Pitt 7–0 Den. 5–2 N.E. 5–2 Oak. 5–2
8 N.E. 6–2 Pitt 7–1 Den. 5–3 Hou. 5–3 NYJ 5–3
9 N.E. 7–2 Pitt 8–1 Den. 6–3 Mia. 6–3 Hou. 5–4
10 N.E. 8–2 Pitt 9–1 Den. 6–4 Mia. 7–3 Hou. 6–4
11 N.E. 8–3 Pitt 9–2 Den. 7–4 Mia. 8–3 Hou. 7–4
12 N.E. 9–3 Pitt 10–2 Den. 8–4 Hou. 8–4 Mia. 8–4
13 N.E. 10–3 Pitt 11–2 Den. 8–5 Hou. 9–4 Mia. 8–5
14 N.E. 10–4 Pitt 12–2 Den. 9–5 Hou. 9–5 Mia. 9–5
15 N.E. 11–4 Pitt 13–2 Den. 10–5 Hou. 10–5 Mia. 10–5
16 N.E. 11–5 Pitt 14–2 Den. 10–6 Mia. 11–5 Hou. 10–6

Final standings

W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT = Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against

AFC East
TeamWLTPCTPFPA
(2) New England Patriots 1150.688358286
(4) Miami Dolphins 1150.688372254
New York Jets 880.500359364
Buffalo Bills 5110.313302354
Baltimore Colts 5110.313239421
AFC Central
TeamWLTPCTPFPA
(1) Pittsburgh Steelers 1420.875356195
(5) Houston Oilers 1060.625283298
Cleveland Browns 880.500334356
Cincinnati Bengals 4120.250252284
AFC West
TeamWLTPCTPFPA
(3) Denver Broncos 1060.625282198
Oakland Raiders 970.563311283
Seattle Seahawks 970.563345358
San Diego Chargers 970.563355309
Kansas City Chiefs 4120.250243327
NFC East
TeamWLTPCTPFPA
(2) Dallas Cowboys 1240.750384208
(5) Philadelphia Eagles 970.563270250
Washington Redskins 880.500273283
St. Louis Cardinals 6100.375248296
New York Giants 6100.375264298
NFC Central
TeamWLTPCTPFPA
(3) Minnesota Vikings 871.531294306
Green Bay Packers 871.531249269
Detroit Lions 790.438290300
Chicago Bears 790.438253274
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 5110.313241259
NFC West
TeamWLTPCTPFPA
(1) Los Angeles Rams 1240.750316245
(4) Atlanta Falcons 970.563240290
New Orleans Saints 790.438281298
San Francisco 49ers 2140.125219350

Tiebreakers

Playoffs

                                   
Divisional Playoffs
    Dec. 31 – Foxboro Stadium        
AFC Wild Card Game AFC Championship
 5  Houston  31
Dec. 24 – Miami Orange Bowl     Jan. 7 – Three Rivers Stadium
 2*  New England  14  
 5  Houston  17  5  Houston  5
Dec. 30 – Three Rivers Stadium
 4  Miami  9      1  Pittsburgh  34   Super Bowl XIII
 3  Denver  10
    Jan. 21 – Miami Orange Bowl
 1*  Pittsburgh  33  
 A1  Pittsburgh  35
Dec. 30 – Texas Stadium
NFC Wild Card Game NFC Championship    N2  Dallas  31
 4  Atlanta  20
Dec. 24 – Atlanta Fulton County Stadium     Jan. 7 – L.A. Memorial Coliseum
 2*  Dallas  27  
 5  Philadelphia  13  2  Dallas  28
Dec. 31 – L.A. Memorial Coliseum
 4  Atlanta  14      1  Los Angeles  0  
 3  Minnesota  10
   
 1*  Los Angeles  34  

Statistical leaders

Team

Points scoredDallas Cowboys (384)
Total yards gainedNew England Patriots (5,965)
Yards rushingNew England Patriots (3,165)
Yards passingSan Diego Chargers (3,375)
Fewest points allowedPittsburgh Steelers (195)
Fewest total yards allowedLos Angeles Rams (3,893)
Fewest rushing yards allowedDallas Cowboys (1,721)
Fewest passing yards allowedBuffalo Bills (1,960)

Individual

ScoringFrank Corral, Los Angeles Rams (118 points)
TouchdownsDavid Sims, Seattle Seahawks (15 TDs)
Most field goals madeFrank Corral, Los Angeles Rams (29 FGs)
Rushing attemptsWalter Payton, Chicago Bears (333)
Rushing yardsEarl Campbell, Houston Oilers (1,450 yards)
Rushing touchdownsDavid Sims, Seattle Seahawks (14 TDs)
Passes completedFran Tarkenton, Minnesota Vikings (345)
Pass attemptsFran Tarkenton, Minnesota Vikings (572)
Passing yardsFran Tarkenton, Minnesota Vikings (3,468 yards)
Passer ratingRoger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys (84.9 rating)
Passing touchdownsTerry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers (28 TDs)
Pass receivingRickey Young, Minnesota Vikings (88 catches)
Pass receiving yardsWesley Walker, New York Jets (1,169 yards)
Receiving touchdownsJohn Jefferson, San Diego Chargers (13 TDs)
Punt returnsRick Upchurch, Denver Broncos (13.7 average yards)
Kickoff returnsSteve Odom, Green Bay Packers (27.1 average yards)
InterceptionsThom Darden, Cleveland Browns (10)
PuntingPat McInally, Cincinnati Bengals (43.1 average yards)

Awards

Most Valuable PlayerTerry Bradshaw, Quarterback, Pittsburgh
Coach of the YearJack Patera, Seattle
Offensive Player of the YearEarl Campbell, Running Back, Houston Oilers
Defensive Player of the YearRandy Gradishar, Linebacker, Denver
Offensive Rookie of the YearEarl Campbell, Running Back, Houston Oilers
Defensive Rookie of the YearAl Baker, Defensive End, Detroit Lions

References

  1. "Who makes the money". Eugene Register-Guard (Oregon). wire services. February 9, 1979. p. 2C.
  2. 1 2 "NFL revises rules to promote points". Milwaukee Journal. UPI and AP. March 15, 1978. p. 18, part 2.
  3. Pro-Football-Reference.com: NFL Season By Season Scoring Summary, teams averaged 16.2 points per game in 1942.
  4. "Past NFL standings" (PDF). NFL. Retrieved December 28, 2012. Oakland finished ahead of Seattle and San Diego based on common opponents
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