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  1. #1

    Anyone remember the 1977 season?

    This year is very familiar. Both teams started out hot, 2nd best record in AFC then teams tanked down the stretch with the Colts/Patriots playing the finale for the playoff birth. Could happen again @ Cincy if they dont beat NYG. One of the most amazing, thrilling seasons I can ever remember. Biggest comeback in the finale to pull out comeback against NE, down HUGE in the 2nd half, fans stormed the feild and tore down the goalposts. Then the Ghost to the post 2OT loss in playoffs to Oakland. It was ultimately the
    downfall of Ted Marchibroda after winning 3 straight division crowns in his first 3 years. But, 78, Jones got hurt and players sold an traded off and got old, that was the end. In that year, both pivotal games where vs Denver for playoff seeding. Bert got picked for a pick six late as the Colts where driving late for a go ahead TD by Tom Jackson. Team looked like it would never recover. Then lost to Lions on a blocked punt with 10 seconds remaing in the flukiest loss ever, somewhat similar to the Redskin game last week. Doubt, many remember. Maybe I'm to old for this forum.





  2. #2

    Re: Anyone remember the 1977 season?

    My first NFL game was in 1976, and my dad took me to the infamous Ghost to the Post game in '77 as well.

    I don't remember much about it since I was only 9 years old.. But I do remember how deflated everyone was leaving Memorial Stadium that day. That has always stuck with me. Sort of how deflated Ravens fans have been leaving the stadium the last couple home games.





  3. #3
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    Re: Anyone remember the 1977 season?

    Seeing John Elway on the sidelines was like the PAYDAY for Elway candy bar give away game.

    Nothing like seeing 30,000 Payday bars being launched to the field. Bwhahaha


    Not bad for a RUNNING BACK!!! Now that is funny.
    #FIREROMAN





  4. #4
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    Re: Anyone remember the 1977 season?

    The playoff game with Oakland in 77 was blacked out here, if I remember correctly. I do know I was listening to the game on the radio, and the Stabler to Casper TD in OT just tore the heart right out of me.

    Of course, the blowout loss to Pissburgh in 76 (the game where the plane crashed into the upper deck) is memorable, but for all the wrong reasons.





  5. #5

    Re: Anyone remember the 1977 season?

    Quote Originally Posted by Beerracuda View Post
    The playoff game with Oakland in 77 was blacked out here, if I remember correctly. I do know I was listening to the game on the radio, and the Stabler to Casper TD in OT just tore the heart right out of me.

    Of course, the blowout loss to Pissburgh in 76 (the game where the plane crashed into the upper deck) is memorable, but for all the wrong reasons.
    Yep, you where right. That game was blacked out in Baltimore. Can you beleive it?





  6. #6
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    Re: Anyone remember the 1977 season?

    Yeah, that was back in the days when the normal start time for home games was 2:00 PM, as opposed to 1:00 PM for the rest of the league. REALLY stupid!





  7. #7
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    Re: Anyone remember the 1977 season?

    That was the season when the Ravens eliminated the Patriots from contention by losing, mainly via David Lee's blocked punt with seconds to go in the game. It was ironic that David Lee was the guest player on Corralin' the Colts ... and we wound up at a bar owned by Johnny U with David Lee sitting down with us for a beer. The only time in our lives we atttended Corralin' the Colts or went to Unitas' bar.

    The next week the Colts hosted the angry Patriots, who hopped out to a big lead at 1/2 time, putting icing on the cake with a 100+ yard KO return to open the second half. Bert Jones led a furious rally to tie/win the game, including a late 4th Q bomb to Ray Chester who got all alone downfield as the Patriots put on an all-out blitz. This was also the game with the controversial "in-the-grasp" ruling on Bert Jones' fumble on the winning TD at the end of the game.

    Too bad about the OT loss to the Raiders the following week ... our Colts were perhaps the best team in the NFL in 1977, and those two season-ending games vs. Lions and Patriots, ending an unexpected/unlucky losing streak.
    In a 2003 BBC poll that asked Brits to name the "Greatest American Ever", Mr. T came in fourth, behind ML King (3rd), Abe Lincoln (2nd) and Homer Simpson (1st).





  8. #8
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    Re: Anyone remember the 1977 season?

    I sure do and all the home games were blacked out then.

    The PO game vs OAK is one of the best ever and if we had a secondary Irsay would have won the SB that year. It was a high scoring game filled with records.

    Bruce Laird set the record for the longest TD after an interception of 62 yds. It was also the longest playoff game going into double OT that stood many years.

    We actually led at half time.
    The first half was mostly a defensive struggle. Oakland scored first on a 30-yard run by Clarence Davis. Baltimore returned with two second quarter scores, a 62-yard Bruce Laird interception return for a touchdown and a 36-yard field goal by Toni Linhart. The halftime score was 10-7 in favor of Baltimore.

    The second half began with a scoring flurry.
    with the Snake Stabler bringing them back. Then Bert brought us back.

    The fourth quarter saw impressive comebacks by both teams. Ron Lee scored on a 1-yard fourth down plunge for Baltimore, making the score 24-21 in favor of Baltimore. Oakland returned with a long drive culminating in a 1-yard Pete Banaszak run for a touchdown, making the score 28-24 in favor of Oakland. Baltimore returned with a 13-yard Lee run that left them with a 31-28 lead with just over 2 minutes to go, setting up the memorable play for Casper.


    Madden said a few years ago it was the best game he ever coach and had offense, defense, special teams, everything.

    He won it on the famous Ghost to Post play.

    Scott Garceau was the MC at Nest 1's scholarship banquet where we give thousands to hi school football players in Harford County.

    He had Laird with him and said I just saw the Ghost to Post play on the Classic's Channel and the last thing you see is Bruce Laird trailing the Ghost into the end zone.

    Laird said wait a min. I wasn't even supposed to be over there. I had my man covered on the other side and was trying to help out but got there too late after our LB forgot to pick up the Ghost.

    Afterwards, I asked Laird if Stan White was the LB that forgot to pick Casper up and he laughed and said yea.

    I saw the game on TV after that and no where to you see Stan White who's now the Ravens
    analyst along side of Jerry Sandusky on BAL.

    They call it the Ghost to Post play because the TE takes a short pass and runs to the goal post using it as leverage. The defender has to take his eye off the TE so he won't run into the post.

    Shannan Sharpe scored 2 TDs on it during our SB run. Most teams call it a post pattern.

    Madded called it the Ghost because Dave Casper was the great TE and now in HOF. His nick name was the Ghost after the famous cartoon series of the 60s and 70s.

    So when he entered the play he called it the Ghost to Post play.

    He said on MNF that we still had one more play to kick a FG to win it but went for the TD.

    That's because our defense just couldn't hold em.
    Last edited by AirFlacco; 12-17-2012 at 05:52 PM.





  9. #9

    Re: Anyone remember the 1977 season?

    Quote Originally Posted by Mista T View Post
    That was the season when the Ravens eliminated the Patriots from contention by losing, mainly via David Lee's blocked punt with seconds to go in the game. It was ironic that David Lee was the guest player on Corralin' the Colts ... and we wound up at a bar owned by Johnny U with David Lee sitting down with us for a beer. The only time in our lives we atttended Corralin' the Colts or went to Unitas' bar.

    The next week the Colts hosted the angry Patriots, who hopped out to a big lead at 1/2 time, putting icing on the cake with a 100+ yard KO return to open the second half. Bert Jones led a furious rally to tie/win the game, including a late 4th Q bomb to Ray Chester who got all alone downfield as the Patriots put on an all-out blitz. This was also the game with the controversial "in-the-grasp" ruling on Bert Jones' fumble on the winning TD at the end of the game.

    Too bad about the OT loss to the Raiders the following week ... our Colts were perhaps the best team in the NFL in 1977, and those two season-ending games vs. Lions and Patriots, ending an unexpected/unlucky losing streak.
    I remember that game like it was yesterday. I remember the Lion game. Colts led by 4 with seconds remaining and my father said to me, Lee should take this punt and run into the EZ and take the safety. Then kickoff from the 20 and kick it deep. They wouldnt have had time for FG to win. He was right. Craziest ending I've ever seen in person.





  10. #10
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    Re: Anyone remember the 1977 season?

    You can always catch that game on
    the Classic's Channel.





  11. #11
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    Re: Anyone remember the 1977 season?

    I remember listening to the game on radio. Believe the team had to have a sellout 72 hours beforehand, otherwise it was blacked out.





  12. #12
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    Re: Anyone remember the 1977 season?

    That 2 pm start time got under Irsay's skins. It was an old blue law put in the by the church so the stadium traffic wouldn't interfere with church traffic.

    When Irsay said it was one of the many reasons he left the state changed the law so Ravens now have a 1 pm start time.

    Back then the networks started double hitters but couldn't include
    Balto because our games started at 2 pm.

    Always something back then.





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