Re: Toughest/Easiest schedules in football history
Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2024 12:04 am
The Giants seemed to have the Cards number through most of the 60's and in 1970, even in years when the Cardinals appeared to have a much better team than the Giants. In 1964, the last place Giants won only 2 games and tied 2 games. One of those Giants wins was against the 9-3-2 Cards and one of their ties was also against the Cardinals. That loss and/or tie cost the St. Louis Cardinals a spot in the NFL Championship game against the Baltimore Colts.74_75_78_79_ wrote: ↑Sun Feb 25, 2024 7:20 pmFor what it's worth, the G-men swept the Cardinals. Yes, the second win was late in the season when StL was already on their slide. But the first of those wins was when Cards were in midst of that 8-2-1 start, and G-men beat them convincingly, 35-17. They also, at least, split with Dallas.Saban1 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 25, 2024 4:48 pm In 1970, the AFL and NFL merged and became the NFL with the AFC and NFC having Inter-Conference games and the scheduling was much different than usual. Unlike the previous 3 years, the teams in the same division would play different teams outside of their division. For instance, in the NFC Eastern Division, the New York Giants only played 1 winning team outside of the NFC Eastern Division (Rams) and not any teams that made the playoffs. The Washington Redskins played 5 playoff teams in 1970 (49ers, Lions, Vikings, Raiders. and Bengals).
The Giants nearly won the Eastern Division as a result of this with a 9 and 5 record after their best since 1963 being 7 and 7. A couple of more breaks were that a game with the Jets had the Jets backfield (Namath, Snell, Boozer) wiped out with injuries. So, the Jets, Bills, and Patriots had three of the worst records in the AFC, and the Giants played all 3 of them as their AFC scheduled teams, and of course, the Giants won all 3 games of those games.
Another big break was the death of Vince Lombardi during the 1970 training camp. The Giants won both games with Washington with big 4th quarter comebacks. Would that have happened if Lombardi was still alive and healthy? I really don't think so. So, the Giants in 1970 played only one winning team out of 6 outside of their division and no playoff teams. They should have won their division.
The ultimate team that prospered from this was Dallas, who finally went to the Super Bowl that year. Dallas also got an easy schedule outside of their division that year, and with the Vikings getting upset in the first round of the playoffs, the Cowboys got to play first time playoff teams, Detroit and the 49ers, to get to the Super Bowl.
But a strange team they were. Yes, like you said Saban they took advantage of Jets/BIlls/Pats being on their schedule, but they did allow the Saints to beat them early; and later on they allowed Philly to beat them on MNF - Dandy Don and Keith Jackson, for some reason, announcing the 2nd half by themselves, lol. They had their chance in the finale, but totally laid an egg; and to a team who also didn't make the playoffs (Rams as mentioned)! So they didn't really deserve it end-of-day.
Two years later, despite no more Fran, Webster FWIW brought the G-men to another winning finish at 8-6. However, and not just because of the lesser record, I think they were weaker than two years prior. I'd say that the 1970 Giants were also better than the 1981 team that made the playoffs.
Both being just above mediocre, what '72 and '81 also have in common was that they split with Dallas in the finale due to the Cowboys already having their playoff positioning set. The difference was that the latter had the benefit of an extra playoff spot per conference thus they took that final spot and got on in. Yes, the '72 Giants wouldn't have gotten in anyway. The 8-5-1 Lions would have gotten that 6-seed instead.
'70 Redskins? Other than Dallas beating them convincingly both times, they were not bad; respectable-enough at 6-8. The tough schedule you point out, Saban, and beating NYG once or twice had Vince been around is quite agreeable. I think Washington likely-enough makes the playoffs had he been around for that sophomore effort that never was. A 9-win just-miss (still "in it" going into Wk#14) at the very least.
Upon going back to their old unis in 2000 (ditching 'GIANTS' and going back to 'ny'), I wish the BIG numbers on each side of the helmet stripe would have also returned! Same exact uni, as well as shade of (darker) blue, as the time-period being discussed!