1979 New Orleans Saints season

NFL team season

1979 New Orleans Saints season
Head coachDick Nolan
Home fieldLouisiana Superdome
Results
Record8–8
Division place2nd NFC West
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro Bowlers
5
  • TE Henry Childs
  • QB Archie Manning
  • RB Chuck Muncie
  • WR Wes Chandler
  • FS Tom Myers
New Orleans Saints’ Fleur-de-lis logo from 1967 to 1999

The 1979 New Orleans Saints season was the team's thirteenth season in the National Football League. The Saints finished the season at 8–8, the franchise's first non-losing season. After starting 0–3, New Orleans won seven of its next 10 and was tied for first place with the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West with three weeks to play, but the season unraveled in a Monday Night Football contest at home vs. the Oakland Raiders, when the Saints squandered a 35–14 lead and lost, 42–35. The Raiders returned to the Superdome a little over a year later and won Super Bowl XV.

The Saints were eliminated from playoff contention in week 15 when they were blown out 35–0 at home by the San Diego Chargers, but defeated the NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams in the regular season finale in what was the Rams' last game in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum until 2016. While the Rams went on to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XIV, the Saints ended their season with a record of 8-8, the first time in the history of the franchise that the team finished with a non-losing record. Not counting the 1976 expansion Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans was one of three franchises which failed to make the playoffs in the 1970s, joined by the Giants and the Jets (the other 1976 expansion team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, won the NFC Central Division in 1979).

Following the season, running back Chuck Muncie was named Most Valuable Player of the ensuing Pro Bowl.

Offseason

NFL draft

1979 New Orleans Saints draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 11 Russell Erxleben  Punter Texas
2 38 Reggie Mathis  Linebacker Oklahoma
4 93 Jim Kovach  Linebacker Kentucky
5 120 Harlan Huckleby  Linebacker Michigan
6 146 Ricky Ray  Defensive back Norfolk State
7 176 Stan Sytsma  Linebacker Minnesota
8 202 Doug Panfil  Guard Tulsa
11 285 David Hall  Wide receiver Missouri-Rolla
12 311 Kelsey Finch  Running back Tennessee
      Made roster  

[1]

Personnel

Staff

1979 New Orleans Saints staff

Front office

  • President – John W. Mecom, Jr.
  • Executive Vice President – Eddie Jones
  • Vice President of Player Personnel – Harry Hulmes

Head coaches

  • Head Coach – Dick Nolan

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches
  • Defensive Coordinator – Paul Wiggin
  • Defensive Line – Tom Pratt
  • Linebackers – Ed Beard
  • Defensive Backs – Chet Franklin

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Conditioning – Bob Hill

[2]

Roster

1979 New Orleans Saints roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists
  • 14 Russell Erxleben P (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
  • 77 Doug Panfl G (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
  • 53 Stan Sytsma LB (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
  • -- John Wilson T (IRTooltip Injured reserve)


Practice squad



Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
1 September 2 Atlanta Falcons L 34–40 0–1 Louisiana Superdome 70,940
2 September 9 at Green Bay Packers L 19–28 0-2 Milwaukee County Stadium 53,184
3 September 16 Philadelphia Eagles L 14–26 0-3 Louisiana Superdome 54,212
4 September 23 at San Francisco 49ers W 30–21 1-3 Candlestick Park 39,727
5 September 30 New York Giants W 24–14 2-3 Louisiana Superdome 51,543
6 October 7 Los Angeles Rams L 17–35 2-4 Louisiana Superdome 68,986
7 October 14 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 42–14 3-4 Tampa Stadium 67,640
8 October 21 Detroit Lions W 17–7 4-4 Louisiana Superdome 57,428
9 October 28 at Washington Redskins W 14–10 5–4 RFK Stadium 52,133
10 November 4 at Denver Broncos L 3–10 5–5 Mile High Stadium 74,482
11 November 11 San Francisco 49ers W 31–20 6–5 Louisiana Superdome 65,551
12 November 18 at Seattle Seahawks L 24–38 6–6 Kingdome 60,055
13 November 25 at Atlanta Falcons W 37–6 7–6 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 42,815
14 December 3 Oakland Raiders L 35–42 7–7 Louisiana Superdome 65,541
15 December 9 San Diego Chargers L 0–35 7–8 Louisiana Superdome 61,059
16 December 16 at Los Angeles Rams W 29–14 8–8 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 53,879
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

NFC West
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 W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
Los Angeles Rams(3) 9 7 0 .563 5–1 7–5 323 309 L1
New Orleans Saints 8 8 0 .500 4–2 8–4 370 360 W1
Atlanta Falcons 6 10 0 .375 2–4 5–7 300 388 W1
San Francisco 49ers 2 14 0 .125 1–5 2–10 308 416 L1

Season summary

Week Four: New Orleans Saints (0–3) at San Francisco 49ers (0–3)
Period 1 2 34Total
Saints 0 13 14330
49ers 7 7 0721

at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California

  • Date: September 23
  • Game time: 4:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: 79 °F (26 °C)
  • Game attendance: 39,727
  • Pro-Football-Reference.com
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
  • NO – Larry Hardy 3-yard pass from Archie Manning (Garo Yepremian kick). Saints 20–14.
  • NO – Tony Galbreath 1-yard run (Garo Yepremian kick). Saints 27–14.
Fourth quarter
  • SF – Paul Hofer 2-yard run (Ray Wersching kick). Saints 27–21.
  • NO – Garo Yepremian 18-yard field goal. Saints 30–21.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers

Week 14

Week Fourteen: Oakland Raiders (7–6) at New Orleans Saints (7–6)
Period 1 2 34Total
Raiders 7 7 72142
Saints 0 28 7035

at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Game information

First quarter

Second quarter

  • NO – Tony Galbreath 2-yard run (Garo Yepremian kick). – Tie 7–7. Drive: 13 plays, 89 yards.
  • NO – Tony Galbreath 17-yard pass from Archie Manning (Garo Yepremian kick). – Saints 14–7. Drive: 3 plays, 19 yards.
  • NO – Chuck Muncie 1-yard run (Garo Yepremian kick). – Saints 21–7. Drive: 8 plays, 68 yards.
  • NO – Henry Childs 28-yard pass from Archie Manning (Garo Yepremian kick). – Saints 28–7. Drive: 1 play, 28 yards.
  • OAK – Arthur Whittington 1-yard run (Jim Breech kick). – Saints 28–14. Drive:

Third quarter

  • NO – Ken Bordelon 19-yard interception return (Garo Yepremian kick), 6:24. – Saints 35–14.
  • OAK – Mark van Eeghen 1-yard run (Jim Breech kick). – Saints 35–21. Drive:

Fourth quarter

  • OAK – Derrick Ramsey 17-yard pass from Ken Stabler (Jim Breech kick). – Saints 35–28. Drive:
  • OAK – Cliff Branch 66-yard pass from Ken Stabler (Jim Breech kick). – Tie 35–35. Drive:
  • OAK – Cliff Branch 8-yard pass from Ken Stabler (Jim Breech kick), 1:54. – Raiders 42–35. Drive: 3 plays, 13 yards.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers

Awards and records

  • Chuck Muncie, Pro Bowl Most Valuable Player [3]

References

  1. ^ "1979 New Orleans Saints draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  2. ^ "All-Time Roster". NewOrleansSaints.com. Archived from the original on June 18, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  3. ^ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 368
  • Saints on Pro Football Reference
  • Saints on jt-sw.com
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New Orleans Saints
  • Founded in 1967
  • Based in New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Headquartered in Metairie, Louisiana
Franchise
Stadiums
Culture
Lore
Rivalries
Wild card berths (5)
Division championships (9)
Conference championships (1)
League championships (1)
Retired numbers
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