1979 Divisional Playoff Game (LA Rams)

[Tusan_Homichi]

I was born in 1979, so I didn't become a fan til much later. Still really cool seeing this. Randy White looked like he was on a whole other level than the guys he was going against.

 

[bbgun]

For some reason, players were much more disciplined back then. Neither team had a false start penalty, a holding penalty, or a personal foul. Or maybe that game was an aberration.

 

[THUMPER]

I absolutely could not believe that we lost that game. Two big plays by the Rams just killed us. The one to Waddy was tipped by LB Mike Hegman but it landed right in Waddy's hands anyway. I always wondered if they would have completed that pass if Hegman HADN'T touched it.

That loss and the loss in 1976 to the Rams by 2 points (14-12) just killed me because I just KNEW we had the better team but lost on fluke plays. Staubach had bad games both times too.

 

[bbgun]

I absolutely could not believe that we lost that game. Two big plays by the Rams just killed us. The one to Waddy was tipped by LB Mike Hegman but it landed right in Waddy's hands anyway. I always wondered if they would have completed that pass if Hegman HADN'T touched it.

That loss and the loss in 1976 to the Rams by 2 points (14-12) just killed me because I just KNEW we had the better team but lost on fluke plays. Staubach had bad games both times too.

The TD right before the half was a killer. With four seconds left, everybody knew what was coming, but Dallas still couldn't stop it. Hughes played that game with a shoulder harness on, which prevented him from raising his arm above a certain point, so maybe that contributed to his struggles on that play. Aaron Kyle was right there too, but simply lost track of the ball.

 

[THUMPER]

Billy Waddy was such a disappointment for Rams fans. The guy had excellent speed but never seemed like his head was in the game. Plus he was a fumble machine! He carried the ball in one had way out from his body. His one TD in the playoffs was that one to seal the game.

Why couldn't he have had a bad game that day? :bang2:

 

[Established1971]

The Rams went on to play Piggsburgh in the Super Bowl... and lost. Warren Beatty was the QB.

good one, I get the reference

 

[TNCowboy]

That play haunts me as well.

I was only a kid at the time, but I thought Staubach in a close game was invincible. I was thinking that the D would hold there, and even if they didn't, we still had Staubach. We had Dorsett, Hill, Pearson. I was confident that game was ours.

At the time, few things were more important to me than the Cowboys. That loss was like a kick in the gut. It hurt me more than the 49er "the catch" game, because I thought the Cowboys were still the best team in the NFC, and had a good chance in the SB. When the Cowboys lost in '81, I didn't hold them in nearly the same esteem.

And to put the icing on that awful cake, Roger retired a few months later, which felt like a death in the family to me at the time. Back in those days when everyone didn't have cable, internet, or 5 espn networks, I hadn't a clue that Roger was going to retire. It came as a shock to me to see it in the paper that day, nearly 30 years ago. I still have the clipping of the AP article.

 

[Juke99]

Oh how I hated that game.

But..thanks BB....great stuff.

 

[lcharles]

I like these old-timer get togethers.


I had a friend I worked with at that time who was a Rams fan. I got so sick of hearing Billy Waddy, Billy Waddy, Billy Waddy!!!!



Thanks for the memories. I still wish we had Roger and Tom.

 

[ZeroClub]

It is very nice to see the clips. Thanks.

I really like seeing the old uniforms, even if they aren't all that different. I'd like to see these on the field again.

For some reason, players were much more disciplined back then. Neither team had a false start penalty, a holding penalty, or a personal foul. Or maybe that game was an aberration.

Yeah - I think you are right. I believe that teams were more disciplined back then.

With low player turnover from year to year, longer training camps, fewer player substitutions and situational packages, and so on - the game had a different feel back then.

----

Herb Scott's catch - it all happened so fast, his instincts took over. And as a result, he's been the answer to a trivia question for the past 30 years - an unusual accomplishment for a left guard.

 

[Zaxor]

Yeah that Roger Staubach guy just sucked at QB ....I really wonder what would have been said about him if he had played now

 

[Doomsday101]

My favorite playoff game vs the Rams was the 75 playoff game. I was told by my dad that a business partner gave him tickets to the SB before that game. Dallas entered the game heavy underdogs but ended up ripping the Rams 37 to 7 which put Dallas into the SB vs Pitt.

 

[NorthTexan95]

I love that tightend reverse. Garrett needs to put that in for Bennett.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I love that tightend reverse. Garrett needs to put that in for Bennett.

I don't think that would work in todays game.

 

[bbgun]

At the time, few things were more important to me than the Cowboys. That loss was like a kick in the gut. It hurt me more than the 49er "the catch" game, because I thought the Cowboys were still the best team in the NFC, and had a good chance in the SB. When the Cowboys lost in '81, I didn't hold them in nearly the same esteem.

Yeah, both games featured shocking, last-minute TDs against Dallas, but enough time on the clock for the Boys to steal a win. Roger had two minutes and two timeouts to get the team into FG position, but it was not to be. I disagree with you about 1979 vs 1981. The '81 squad was far superior, particularly on defense. We had a lot of problems in '79, esp with injuries and retirements on the defensive side of the ball.

 

[THUMPER]

Yeah, both games featured shocking, last-minute TDs against Dallas, but enough time on the clock for the Boys to steal a win. Roger had two minutes and two timeouts to get the team into FG position, but it was not to be. I disagree with you about 1979 vs 1981. The '81 squad was far superior, particularly on defense. We had a lot of problems in '79, esp with injuries and retirements on the defensive side of the ball.

You are right, that was a very tough year for our defense:

Too Tall was out for the 1979 season to try his hand at boxing for a year. Charlie Waters was out all season, Jethro Pugh had retired. We had Aaron Kyle and Randy Hughes in the backfield and bother were liabilities. Cliff Harris was struggling with various injuries although he still played. Hollywood Henderson was out by the end of the season and replaced by Mike Hegman.

Basically, we were really hurting on defense in 1979 and we dropped from 3rd to 12th in points allowed and from 2nd to 8th in yards from 1978.

In 1981 we had Too Tall back again and our backfield was MUCH improved with the additions of Everson Walls, Dennis Thurman, & Michael Downs along with a healthy Charlie Waters.

 

[bbgun]

You are right, that was a very tough year for our defense:

Too Tall was out for the 1979 season to try his hand at boxing for a year. Charlie Waters was out all season, Jethro Pugh had retired. We had Aaron Kyle and Randy Hughes in the backfield and bother were liabilities. Cliff Harris was struggling with various injuries although he still played. Hollywood Henderson was out by the end of the season and replaced by Mike Hegman.

Basically, we were really hurting on defense in 1979 and we dropped from 3rd to 12th in points allowed and from 2nd to 8th in yards from 1978.

In 1981 we had Too Tall back again and our backfield was MUCH improved with the additions of Everson Walls, Dennis Thurman, & Michael Downs along with a healthy Charlie Waters.

The quotes in this little newspaper clipping nicely sum up 1979.

 

[FanSince61]

For some reason, players were much more disciplined back then. Neither team had a false start penalty, a holding penalty, or a personal foul. Or maybe that game was an aberration.

What were the penalties for? We had 7 for 55 yards.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197912300dal.htm

 

[bbgun]

What were the penalties for? We had 7 for 55 yards.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197912300dal.htm

Off the top of my head, there was Roger's illegal throw to Scott, some illegal formation penalties, and pass interference on Kyle.

 

[lurkercowboy]

79 was the first year I followed the Cowboys all season. The season had its ups and downs. There were a lot of injuries.

The 1981 team was better. It was probably the best Cowboy team between 1978 and 1992.