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1977 New York Jets season

1977 season of NFL team New York Jets

Field	Value
team	New York Jets
year	1977
record	3–11
division_place	4th AFC East
coach	Walt Michaels
owner	Leon Hess
stadium	Shea Stadium
playoffs	Did not qualify
pro_bowlers	none
shortnavlink	Jets seasons

The 1977 New York Jets season was the 18th season for the team and the 8th in the National Football League. It began with the team trying to improve upon its 3–11 record from 1976 under new head coach Walt Michaels and beginning the post-Joe Namath era. However, the Jets struggled and finished with a third consecutive 3–11 season.

They won a major off the field court decision. As per the memorandum of understanding signed in late 1961 by team original owner (as the New York Titans) Harry Wismer, Shea Stadium’s co-tenants, the New York Mets, would have exclusive use of the stadium until they had completed their season. The Jets were, in most years, required to open the season with several road games, a problem made worse in 1969 and 1973 when the Mets had long playoff runs. Feeling that this arrangement was a disadvantage, the team announced in 1977 that they would play two home games a year during the month of September at the Giants’ new home in New Jersey, Giants Stadium. Litigation began between New York City and the Jets over the issue, and in the lawsuit’s settlement, the city agreed to allow the Jets to play two September home games a season at Shea beginning in 1978 for the remaining six years in the Jets' lease. In 1977, the Jets were to play one September game at Giants Stadium and an October 2 game at Shea. From 1967 through this season—a span of 11 seasons—the Jets did not play a home game at Shea Stadium in the month of September. As of 2017, the Jets are the first (and so far, only) team in NFL history to finish 3 straight seasons with only 3 wins. During the NFL's 16-game schedule from the 1978 season to the 2020 season, no team finished 3–13 three years in a row, and no team has yet to finish 3–14 three years in a row under the 17-game schedule used since the 2021 season.

Offseason

Draft

Main article: 1977 NFL draft

Personnel

Staff

Leon Hess – Owner
Jim Kensil – President/CEO
Al Ward – General manager
Mike Holovak – Director of player personnel (until May 20, 1977)
Mike Hickey – Director of player personnel (after May 21, 1977)
Ernie Zampese – Scout
Carroll Huntress – Scout
Connie Nicholas – Personnel assistant
Walt Michaels – Head coach
John Idzik – Offensive coordinator
Bob Ledbetter – Running backs
Dan Henning – Receivers
Bob Fry – Offensive line
Dan Sekanovich – Defensive line
Joe Gardi – Linebackers/special teams
John Mazur – Defensive backs

Roster

Schedule

New York Jets	year=1977	border=2}}"	Week	New York Jets	year=1977
September 18	at [Houston Oilers](1977-houston-oilers-season)	L 0–20	0–1	Astrodome	39,488
September 25	[Baltimore Colts](1977-baltimore-colts-season)	L 12–20	0–2	Giants Stadium	43,439
October 2	[New England Patriots](1977-new-england-patriots-season)	W 30–27	1–2	Shea Stadium	38,227
October 9	at [Buffalo Bills](1977-buffalo-bills-season)	W 24–19	2–2	Rich Stadium	32,046
October 16	at [Miami Dolphins](1977-miami-dolphins-season)	L 17–21	2–3	Miami Orange Bowl	43,446
October 23	[Oakland Raiders](1977-oakland-raiders-season)	L 27–28	2–4	Shea Stadium	56,734
October 30	at [New England Patriots](1977-new-england-patriots-season)	L 13–24	2–5	Schaefer Stadium	61,042
November 6	[Miami Dolphins](1977-miami-dolphins-season)	L 10–14	2–6	Shea Stadium	51,582
November 13	[Seattle Seahawks](1977-seattle-seahawks-season)	L 0–17	2–7	Shea Stadium	42,923
November 20	at [Baltimore Colts](1977-baltimore-colts-season)	L 12–33	2–8	Memorial Stadium	50,957
November 27	[Pittsburgh Steelers](1977-pittsburgh-steelers-season)	L 20–23	2–9	Shea Stadium	47,385
December 4	at [New Orleans Saints](1977-new-orleans-saints-season)	W 16–13	3–9	Louisiana Superdome	40,464
December 11	[Buffalo Bills](1977-buffalo-bills-season)	L 10–14	3–10	Shea Stadium	31,929
December 18	at [Philadelphia Eagles](1977-philadelphia-eagles-season)	L 0–27	3–11	Veterans Stadium	19,241
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: at Houston Oilers

Second quarter

HOU – Don Hardeman 1 yard run (Skip Butler kick) Fourth quarter
HOU – Dan Pastorini 1 yard run (Skip Butler kick)
HOU – Rob Carpenter 1 yard run (kick failed) Passing
NYJ – Richard Todd 10/25, 115 yards, INT
HOU – Dan Pastorini 20/32, 137 yards Rushing
NYJ – Charlie White 13 att, 43 yards
HOU – Don Hardeman 12 att, 55 yards, TD Receiving
NYJ – David Knight 3 rec, 40 yards
HOU – Ken Burrough 3 rec, 57 yards

Week 2 vs. Colts

First quarter

BAL – Roosevelt Leaks 6-yard run (Toni Linhart kick). ''Colts 7–0. '''Drive:''''' Second quarter
BAL – Don McCauley 2-yard run (Toni Linhart kick). ''Colts 14–0. '''Drive:'''''
NYJ – Pat Leahy 25-yard field goal. ''Colts 14–3. '''Drive:''''' Third quarter
BAL – Don McCauley 1-yard run (Toni Linhart kick). ''Colts 21–3. '''Drive:''''' Fourth quarter
NYJ – Safety, David Lee ran out of end zone. Colts 21–5.
NYJ – Charlie White 1-yard run (Pat Leahy kick). ''Colts 21–12. '''Drive:''''' ;Top passers
BAL – Bert Jones – 9/15, 78 yards, INT
NYJ – Richard Todd – 13/22, 140 yards, 2 INT ;Top rushers
BAL – Lydell Mitchell – 26 rushes, 68 yards
NYJ – Charlie White – 12 rushes, 36 yards, TD ;Top receivers
BAL – Don McCauley – 5 receptions, 40 yards
NYJ – Clark Gaines – 6 receptions, 47 yards

Week 3: vs. New England Patriots

Week 4: at Buffalo Bills

Week 5: at Miami Dolphins

Week 6: vs. Oakland Raiders

Week 9: vs. Seattle Seahawks

Week 11 vs. Steelers

First quarter

NYJ – Pat Leahy 33-yard field goal. ''Jets 3–0. '''Drive:'''''
PIT – John Stallworth 37-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (kick blocked). ''Steelers 6–3. '''Drive:'''''
NYJ – Pat Leahy 47-yard field goal. ''Tie 6–6. '''Drive:''''' Second quarter
PIT – Lynn Swann 5-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick). ''Steelers 13–6. '''Drive:'''''
NYJ – Scott Dierking 5-yard pass from Matt Robinson (Pat Leahy kick). ''Tie 13–13. '''Drive:'''''
PIT – Franco Harris 1-yard run (Roy Gerela kick). ''Steelers 20–13. '''Drive:''''' Third quarter
No scoring Fourth quarter
PIT – Roy Gerela 37-yard field goal. ''Steelers 23–13. '''Drive:'''''
NYJ – Bruce Harper 4-yard pass from Richard Todd (Pat Leahy kick). ''Steelers 23–20. '''Drive:''''' ;Top passers
PIT – Terry Bradshaw – 10/28, 143 yards, 2 TD, INT
NYJ – Matt Robinson – 7/19, 80 yards, TD, 3 INT ;Top rushers
PIT – Franco Harris – 21 rushes, 83 yards, TD
NYJ – Scott Dierking – 23 rushes, 107 yards ;Top receivers
PIT – Lynn Swann – 4 receptions, 54 yards, TD
NYJ – Scott Dierking – 3 receptions, 26 yards, TD

Week 12: at New Orleans Saints

Week 13: vs. Buffalo Bills

Joe Ferguson hit Bob Chandler with two touchdown passes as the Bills defeated the Jets 14-10 at Shea Stadium. Pat Leahy opened the scoring, early in the 2nd quarter with a 25-yd Field goal. Richard Todd connected with Wesley Walker to put the Jets ahead with less than two minutes remaining in the final quarter, but Ferguson moved the Bills 92 yards, tossing the winning touchdown with 40 seconds left.

Week 14: at Philadelphia Eagles

Standings

References

Bibliography

Ryczek, William J. (2009). Crash of the Titans: The Early Years of the New York Jets and the AFL (revised ed.). Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co. . Chastain, Bill (2010). 100 Things Jets Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. Chicago: Triumph Books. .

References

Ryczek, pp. 158-159
Chastain, pp. 87–88
(May 27, 1977). "Court Accord Keeps Football Jets at Shea Stadium". The New York Times.
[http://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/new-york-jets/draft/1977 The Football Database]. Retrieved 2014-Jul-05.

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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