1977 New Orleans Saints season

NFL team season

1977 New Orleans Saints season

Head coach| Hank Stram
Home field| Louisiana Superdome
Results
Record| 3–11
Division place| 4th NFC West
Playoff finish| Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers| None

* <- 1976
* Saints seasons
* 1978 ->

The Saints playing against the Philadelphia Eagles at Veterans Stadium in 1977

The 1977 New Orleans Saints season was the team's eleventh as a member of the National Football League. They were unable to improve on their previous season's output of 4–10, winning only three games. The most notable part of the season was when they lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who won their first game in franchise history after losing their first 26 games.[1] The team failed to qualify for the playoffs for the eleventh consecutive season, while coach Hank Stram was fired following the season. In his two seasons as coach the Saints only won seven games.

## Offseason

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### NFL draft

[edit]

Main article: 1977 NFL draft

1977 New Orleans Saints draft

Round  | Pick  | Player  | Position  | College  | Notes
1  | 7  | Joe Campbell | Defensive end | Maryland |
2  | 34  | Mike Fultz | Defensive tackle | Nebraska |
3  | 64  | Robert Watts | Linebacker | Boston College |
5  | 118  | Dave LaFary | Offensive tackle | Purdue |
5  | 135  | Dave Hubbard | Tackle  | Brigham Young |
6  | 147  | Cliff Parsley | Punter | Oklahoma State |
6  | 162  | Tom Schick | Guard | Maryland  |
7  | 174  | Greg Boykin | Running back | Northwestern |
8  | 201  | Jimmy Stewart | Running back | Tulsa |
9  | 231  | Dave Knowles | Tackle  | Indiana |
10  | 258  | Rafael Septién[a] * | Kicker | Southwestern Louisiana |
11  | 285  | John Blain | Tackle  | San Jose State |
12  | 315  | Oakley Dalton | Defensive tackle  | Jackson State |
Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

[2]

## Personnel

[edit]

### Staff

[edit]

1977 New Orleans Saints staff |

Front office

* President – John W. Mecom, Jr.
* Vice-president of administration – Harry Hulmes
* Vice-president and treasurer – Eddie Jones

Head coaches

* Vice-president/head coach – Hank Stram

Offensive coaches

* Quarterbacks – Dick Wood
* Offensive backfield – John Beake
* Receivers – Sam Rutigliano
* Offensive line – Dick Stanfel
* Quality control – Rich Kotite

|  |  | Defensive coaches

* Defensive line – Buck Buchanan
* Linebackers – Dick Nolan
* Defensive backfield – Jim Garrett

Special teams coaches

* Special teams – Whitey Campbell

Strength and conditioning

* Strength and Conditioning – Alvin Roy

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[3]

### Roster

[edit]

1977 New Orleans Saints roster

| Quarterbacks

* 10 Bobby Douglass
* 8 Archie Manning
* 12 Bobby Scott

Running backs

* 36 Greg Boykin
* 34 Tony Galbreath FB
* 32 Kim Jones
* 42 Chuck Muncie
* 33 Mike Strachan

Wide receivers

* 41 John Gilliam
* 87 Don Herrmann
* 84 Rich Mauti
* 89 Leonard Willis

Tight ends

* 85 Henry Childs
* 86 Jim Thaxton

|  | Offensive linemen

* 69 Oakley Dalton T
* 62 John Hill C
* 70 Dave Hubbard T
* 64 Dave Lafary G
* 77 Marv Montgomery T
* 76 Don Morrison T
* 71 Kurt Schumacher G
* 65 Robert Woods T
* 79 Emanuel Zanders G

Defensive linemen

* 73 Joe Campbell DE
* 72 Mike Fultz DT
* 78 Elois Grooms DE
* 74 Derland Moore DT
* 82 Bob Pollard DE
* 75 Elex Price DT

|  | Linebackers

* 50 Ken Bordelon
* 58 Joe Federspiel
* 54 Pat Hughes
* 53 Rick Kingrea
* 57 Jim Merlo
* 60 Greg Westbrooks

Defensive backs

* 25 Wade Bosarge S
* 23 Craig Cassady CB
* 24 Clarence Chapman CB
* 44 Chuck Crist SS
* 30 Ernie Jackson CB
* 40 Jim Marsalis CB
* 37 Tom Myers FS

Special teams

* 16 Tom Blanchard P
* 15 Rich Szaro K

|  | Reserve lists

* 80 Larry Burton WR (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
* \-- Dave Knowles T (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
* 83 Tinker Owens WR (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
* 88 Joel Parker WR (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
* 26 Jimmy Stewart SS (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
* 67 John Watson T (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
* \-- Bob Watts LB (IRTooltip Injured reserve)

Practice squad

Rookies in italics

## Regular season

[edit]

The first victory overall for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, did not come until week 13 on the road against the Saints, almost two seasons after their first game against the Houston Oilers in 1976. The Bucs led at halftime by a score of 13–0. Dave Green had two field goals, while Gary Huff threw a touchdown pass to Morris Owens. Upon their arrival in Tampa Bay, the Bucs were greeted by 8,000 fans.[4]

The Saints were 11-point favorites before the game,[5] and fans booed as the Buccaneers scored. "Eleven years I've supported this franchise!" one shouted, adding, "With all this money I've spent on this lousy team I could have bought some land in Colombia and raised pot." Losing to a team with a 0–26 losing streak was so humiliating that safety Tom Myers said, "We've been made the laughingstocks of the business ... I'm too embarrassed to say that I play for the team that got beat by Tampa Bay." Said head coach Hank Stram, "We're all very ashamed of what happened today. Ashamed for our people, for our fans, the organization, everybody. It is my worst coaching experience." Team owner John Mecom said during the loss that the Saints "is a poorly coached team",[6] and Stram was fired January 28, 1978.

### Schedule

[edit]

Week  | Date  | Opponent  | Result  | Record  | Venue  | Attendance

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1  | September 18  | Green Bay Packers | L 20–24  | 0–1  | Louisiana Superdome | 56,250
2  | September 25  | at Detroit Lions | L 19–23  | 0–2  | Pontiac Silverdome | 51,458
3  | October 2  | at Chicago Bears | W 42–24  | 1–2  | Soldier Field | 51,488
4  | October 9  | San Diego Chargers | L 0–14  | 1–3  | Louisiana Superdome  | 53,942
5  | October 16  | at Los Angeles Rams | L 7–14  | 1–4  | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 46,045
6  | October 23  | at St. Louis Cardinals | L 31–49  | 1–5  | Busch Memorial Stadium | 48,417
7  | October 30  | Los Angeles Rams | W 27–26  | 2–5  | Louisiana Superdome  | 59,023
8  | November 6  | at Philadelphia Eagles | L 7–28  | 2–6  | Veterans Stadium | 53,482
9  | November 13  | San Francisco 49ers | L 7–10  | 2–7  | Louisiana Superdome  | 41,564
10  | November 20  | Atlanta Falcons | W 21–20  | 3–7  | Louisiana Superdome  | 43,135
11  | November 27  | at San Francisco 49ers | L 17–20  | 3–8  | Candlestick Park | 33,702
12  | December 4  | New York Jets | L 13–16  | 3–9  | Louisiana Superdome  | 40,464
13  | December 11  | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | L 14–33  | 3–10  | Louisiana Superdome  | 40,124
14  | December 18  | at Atlanta Falcons | L 7–35  | 3–11  | Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium | 36,895
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

### Week 10 vs. Atlanta Falcons

[edit]

* TV Network: CBS
* Announcers: Gary Bender, Johnny Unitas

Before a Regional TV Audience, Atlanta, which had never given up more than 14 points in a game this year, tried to keep it that way with one minute to go - In New Orleans - And Archie Manning was waiting. The Saints quarterback, back in action for the first time in six weeks, read the blitz and beat it with a 18-yard TD Pass, his second scoring strike to tight end Henry Childs. It was Hank Stram's 136th victory as a head coach... and his last.

### Standings

[edit]

NFC West

* view
* talk
* edit

| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK
Los Angeles Rams(2) | 10  | 4  | 0  | .714  | 4–2  | 8–4  | 302  | 146  | L1
Atlanta Falcons | 7  | 7  | 0  | .500  | 3–3  | 7–5  | 179  | 129  | W1
San Francisco 49ers | 5  | 9  | 0  | .357  | 3–3  | 5–7  | 220  | 260  | L3
New Orleans Saints | 3  | 11  | 0  | .214  | 2–4  | 3–9  | 232  | 336  | L4

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Never played a game with the Saints, but played in the Pro Bowl in 1982 with the Dallas Cowboys.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ 1977 New Orleans Saints
2. ^ "1977 New Orleans Saints draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
3. ^ "All-Time Roster". NewOrleansSaints.com. Archived from the original on June 18, 2012. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
4. ^ Ferraro, Michael X.; Veneziano, John (2007). Numbelievable!. Chicago: Triumph Books. p. 111\. ISBN 978-1-57243-990-0.
5. ^ Martz, Ron (December 12, 1977). "BUCS WIN: Saints historic victims 33-14". St. Petersburg Times. pp. 1C, 6C. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
6. ^ Martz, Ron (December 13, 1977). "Well, forget about encouraging words". St. Petersburg Times. p. 1C. Retrieved February 14, 2019.

* v
* t
* e

New Orleans Saints

* Founded in 1967
* Based in New Orleans, Louisiana
* Headquartered in Metairie, Louisiana

Franchise|

* Franchise
* Seasons
* History
* Players
* Coaches
* Expansion draft
* First-round draft picks
* Starting quarterbacks
* Broadcasters

Stadiums|

* Tulane Stadium
* Caesars Superdome
* Temporary home venues in 2005 due to Hurricane Katrina: Alamodome
* Giants Stadium
* Tiger Stadium

Culture|

* Gumbo
* Sir Saint
* Saintsations
* Who Dat?
* Tom Benson
* Effect of Hurricane Katrina
* Buddy D
* "When the Saints Go Marching In"
* Home Team
* Number One
* A Saintly Switch

Lore|

* "Aints" (1–15)
* Dempsey's 63-yard field goal
* Dome Patrol
* Ricky Williams trade
* River City Relay
* Steve Gleason's blocked punt
* Beast Quake
* Bountygate
* Minneapolis Miracle
* NOLA No-Call

Rivalries|

* Atlanta Falcons
* Carolina Panthers
* Los Angeles Rams
* Minnesota Vikings
* Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Wild card berths (5)|

* 1987
* 1990
* 1992
* 2010
* 2013

Division championships (9)|

* 1991
* 2000
* 2006
* 2009
* 2011
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020

Conference championships (1)|

* 2009

League championships (1)|

* 2009 (XLIV)

Retired numbers|

* 31
* 81

Ring of Honor|

* Andersen
* Benson
* Jackson
* Manning
* Mills
* Roaf
* Smith

Current league affiliations|

* League: National Football League
* Conference: National Football Conference
* Division: South Division

* v
* t
* e

New Orleans Saints seasons

* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
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* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

Bold indicates Super Bowl victory

* v
* t
* e

1977 NFL season

| AFC| East | Central| West| East| Central| West | NFC

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Baltimore | Cincinnati| Denver| Dallas| Chicago| Atlanta
Buffalo | Cleveland| Kansas City| NY Giants| Detroit| Los Angeles
Miami | Houston| Oakland| Philadelphia| Green Bay| New Orleans
New England | Pittsburgh| San Diego| St. Louis| Minnesota| San Francisco
NY Jets | | Seattle| Washington| Tampa Bay|

* 1977 NFL Draft
* NFL playoffs
* Pro Bowl
* Super Bowl XII

*[IR]: Injured reserve
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties
*[PCT]: Winning percentage
*[DIV]: Win–Loss record within their division
*[CONF]: Win–Loss record within their conference
*[PF]: Points For (Total points scored)
*[PA]: Points Against (Total points allowed)
*[STK]: Current Winning or Losing Streak
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template