1979 New Orleans Saints season

NFL team season

1979 New Orleans Saints season

Head coach| Dick Nolan
Home stadium| Louisiana Superdome
Results
Record| 8–8
Division place| 2nd NFC West
Playoffs| Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers|

* TE Henry Childs
* QB Archie Manning
* RB Chuck Muncie
* WR Wes Chandler
* FS Tom Myers

* <- 1978
* Saints seasons
* 1980 ->

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

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### NFL draft

[edit]

Main article: 1979 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 | Cornerback | 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

[edit]

### Staff

[edit]

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

* Offensive Coordinator – Ed Hughes
* Quarterbacks/Receivers – Lamar McHan
* Offensive Line – Dick Stanfel

|  |  | Defensive coaches

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

Special teams coaches

* Special Teams – Whitey Campbell

Strength and conditioning

* Conditioning – Bob Hill

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[2]

### Roster

[edit]

1979 New Orleans Saints roster Quarterbacks (QB)

* 11 Ed Burns
* 8 Archie Manning
* 12 Bobby Scott

Running backs (RB)

* 45 Jack Holmes
* 42 Chuck Muncie
* 33 Mike Strachan
* 30 Wayne Wilson

Wide receivers (WR)

* 89 Wes Chandler
* 82 Ike Harris
* 84 Rich Mauti
* 83 Tinker Owens

Tight ends (TE)

* 85 Henry Childs
* 87 Larry Hardy
* 88 Brooks Williams

|  | Offensive linemen (OL)

* 66 Conrad Dobler G
* 61 Roger Finnie T
* 62 John Hill C
*   * 64 Dave Lafary G/T
* 76 Jim Pietrzak C
* 68 Fred Sturt G
* 71 J. T. Taylor T
* 65 Robert Woods T
* 79 Emanuel Zanders G

Defensive linemen (DL)

* 63 Barry Bennett DT
* 72 Mike Fultz DT
* 78 Elois Grooms DE
* 74 Derland Moore DT
* 75 Elex Price DT
* 60 Don Reese DE

|  | Linebackers (LB)

* 50 Ken Bordelon OLB
* 58 Joe Federspiel MLB
* 54 Pat Hughes OLB
* 52 Jim Kovach MLB
* 56 Reggie Mathis OLB
* 57 Jim Merlo OLB

Defensive backs (DB)

* 27 Ray Brown SS
* 26 Clarence Chapman CB
* 20 Eric Felton CB
* 21 David Gray CB
* 49 Ralph McGill FS
* 37 Tom Myers FS
* 22 Ricky Ray CB
* 48 Don Schwartz SS

Special teams (ST)

* 17 Rick Partridge P
* 1 Garo Yepremian K

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Reserve

* 73 Joe Campbell DE (IR)
* 14 Russell Erxleben P (IR)
* 34 Tony Galbreath RB (IR)
* 77 Doug Panfl G (IR)
* 53 Stan Sytsma LB (IR)

Rookies in italics

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## Regular season

[edit]

### Schedule

[edit]

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

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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

[edit]

NFC West

* view
* talk
* edit

| 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

[edit]

Week Four: New Orleans Saints (0–3) at San Francisco 49ers (0–3)

Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3| 4| Total

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Saints | 0 | 13 | 14| 3| 30
49ers | 7 | 7 | 0| 7| 21

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

* SF – Freddie Solomon 17-yard pass from Steve DeBerg (Ray Wersching kick). 49ers 7–0.

Second quarter

* NO – Tony Galbreath 1-yard run (kick failed). 49ers 7–6.
* NO – Wes Chandler 5-yard pass from Archie Manning (Garo Yepremian kick). Saints 13–7.
* SF – Freddie Solomon 25-yard pass from Steve DeBerg (Ray Wersching kick). 49ers 14–13.

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

* NO – Archie Manning – 20/28, 355 yards, 2 TD
* SF – Steve DeBerg – 18/33, 263 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT

Top rushers

* NO – Chuck Muncie – 18 rushes, 98 yards
* SF – O. J. Simpson – 7 rushes, 25 yards
Wilbur Jackson – 6 rushes, 25 yards

Top receivers

* NO – Wes Chandler – 4 receptions, 127 yards, TD
* SF – Freddie Solomon – 8 receptions, 144 yards, 2 TD

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#### Week 14

[edit]

See also: 1979 Oakland Raiders season

Week Fourteen: Oakland Raiders (7–6) at New Orleans Saints (7–6)

Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3| 4| Total

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Raiders | 7 | 7 | 7| 21| 42
Saints | 0 | 28 | 7| 0| 35

at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

* Date: December 3, 1979
* Game time: 8:00 p.m.
* Game weather: Indoors (dome)
* Game attendance: 71,323
* TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford, Don Meredith, and Howard Cosell
* Pro-Football-Reference.com

Game information

First quarter

* OAK – Raymond Chester 3-yard pass from Ken Stabler (Jim Breech kick). – Raiders 7–0. Drive: 15 plays, 78 yards.

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

* OAK – Ken Stabler – 26/44, 295 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT
* NO – Archie Manning – 12/23, 154 yards, 2 TD, INT

Top rushers

* OAK – Arthur Whittington – 14 rushes, 67 yards, TD
* NO – Chuck Muncie – 21 rushes, 128 yards, TD

Top receivers

* OAK – Cliff Branch – 7 receptions, 126 yards, 2 TD
* NO – Tony Galbreath – 7 receptions, 106 yards, TD

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## Awards and records

[edit]

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

## References

[edit]

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

* v
* t
* e

New Orleans Saints

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

Franchise|

* Franchise
* Seasons
* History
* All-time roster
* 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
* Saints Cheer Krewe
* 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
* "Rebirth"
* 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
* Brees
* 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
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

Bold indicates Super Bowl victory

* v
* t
* e

1979 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|

* 1979 NFL draft
* NFL playoffs
* Pro Bowl
* Super Bowl XIV

*[G]: Offensive guard
*[T]: Ties
*[C]: Center
*[DT]: Defensive tackle
*[DE]: Defensive end
*[OLB]: Outside linebacker
*[MLB]: Middle linebacker
*[SS]: Strong safety
*[CB]: Cornerback
*[FS]: Free safety
*[P]: Punter
*[K]: Kicker
*[RB]: Running back
*[LB]: Linebacker
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[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