1978 NFL Schedule in 1971

[Jay Z]

Saw this in the 1972 Saints media guide. The Saints scheduled opponents were listed all the way through 1978. I will omit the division matchups.

1973 - BAL, BUF, SD, CHI, DET, GB, DAL, WAS
1974 - PIT, MIA, DEN, CHI, DET, MIN, PHI, STL
1975 - CIN, CLE, OAK, CHI, GB, MIN, NYG, WAS
1976 - HOU, BOS, KC, OAK, DET, GB, MIN, DAL
1977 - BUF, NYJ, SD, CHI, DET, GB, PHI, STL
1978 - PIT, BAL, MIA, CHI, DET, MIN, NYG, STL

Everything bore out through 1975. Of course by 1976 the Buccaneers and Seahawks had been added. To add games for those teams, one interconference game was cancelled for each team. In 1976 this was Saints-Raiders. This was the fourth interconference "swing" game that one team from each of one of the four team divisions was required to play to get the schedule to work. In 1977 Saints-Bills was cancelled. The "swing" game for 1977 was Bengals-Packers. You'd think they'd have cancelled that one since the Bengals and Packers just played the prior year. But they didn't.

The 1978 schedule was scrapped. Otherwise, everything was played as listed. Does anyone have the proposed 1978 schedule for all teams? How far did they project out?

[Rupert Patrick]

Saw this in the 1972 Saints media guide. The Saints scheduled opponents were listed all the way through 1978. I will omit the division matchups.

1973 - BAL, BUF, SD, CHI, DET, GB, DAL, WAS
1974 - PIT, MIA, DEN, CHI, DET, MIN, PHI, STL
1975 - CIN, CLE, OAK, CHI, GB, MIN, NYG, WAS
1976 - HOU, BOS, KC, OAK, DET, GB, MIN, DAL
1977 - BUF, NYJ, SD, CHI, DET, GB, PHI, STL
1978 - PIT, BAL, MIA, CHI, DET, MIN, NYG, STL

Everything bore out through 1975. Of course by 1976 the Buccaneers and Seahawks had been added. To add games for those teams, one interconference game was cancelled for each team. In 1976 this was Saints-Raiders. This was the fourth interconference "swing" game that one team from each of one of the four team divisions was required to play to get the schedule to work. In 1977 Saints-Bills was cancelled. The "swing" game for 1977 was Bengals-Packers. You'd think they'd have cancelled that one since the Bengals and Packers just played the prior year. But they didn't.

The 1978 schedule was scrapped. Otherwise, everything was played as listed. Does anyone have the proposed 1978 schedule for all teams? How far did they project out?

I'm looking at Ivan Urena's book "Pro Football Schedules" and don't see anything about a proposed 1978 schedule.

Looking at his book concerning the 1977 schedule and the Bengals-Packers meeting in 1976 and 1977, it does on page 75 address that in 1976 the Raiders and Saints would play three interconference games instead of two, and in 1977 the Packers and Bengals would play three interconference games instead of two; I'm not sure why the Raiders-Saints game was cancelled when they were scheduled for an extra intraconference game each when it would have been easier just to keep that game on the schedule. I don't know how those teams were drawn; I am guessing an AFC West and NFC West team from random, and an AFC Central and NFC Central team from random. I am guessing these single random games each season have to do with 13 teams in each conference, and with the odd number of teams, everything is not going to equal out just the same for everybody schedule-wise.

[Jay Z]

I'm looking at Ivan Urena's book "Pro Football Schedules" and don't see anything about a proposed 1978 schedule.

Looking at his book concerning the 1977 schedule and the Bengals-Packers meeting in 1976 and 1977, it does on page 75 address that in 1976 the Raiders and Saints would play three interconference games instead of two, and in 1977 the Packers and Bengals would play three interconference games instead of two; I'm not sure why the Raiders-Saints game was cancelled when they were scheduled for an extra intraconference game each when it would have been easier just to keep that game on the schedule. I don't know how those teams were drawn; I am guessing an AFC West and NFC West team from random, and an AFC Central and NFC Central team from random. I am guessing these single random games each season have to do with 13 teams in each conference, and with the odd number of teams, everything is not going to equal out just the same for everybody schedule-wise.

The odd game came about because of the 5 team Eastern divisions.

For those teams, 14 game schedule. 8 intradivision games. 3 interconference games. That leaves 3 games against the teams in the Central and Western divisions from your conference.
3x5 = 15.

For the Central and Western divisions, 14 game schedule. 6 intradivision games. 3 interconference games. That leaves 5 games against the teams in the other two divisions. The Central and Western divisions always played 3 games against each other every year. That leaves 2 for the eastern. 2x8 = 16.

15 and 16 are off by one game. The solution was to have one team each from the Central or Western division play an extra interconference game to get down to 15.

Over the 8 years of this scheduling format, 1970-77, the NFC rotated the extra interconference game to all 8 teams in the Central and Western divisions. For some reason, the AFC opted to give the Broncos the extra game every year from 1970-73. After that, they started rotating as well.

When they had the round robin expansion schedules for 1976-77, an interconference game was dropped for each team. The interconference games was done by rotation. Three each year starting in 1970. By 1974 there's one team left you haven't played. Play that one and two that you played in 1970. For 1975 it was the remaining one from 1970 and 2 from 1971. And so on.

For the Packers the AFC rotation was:
70 BAL SD PIT
71 DEN MIA CIN
72 OAK CLE HOU
73 NE KC NYJ
74 BUF

Other two in 1974 were SD and BAL. So PIT moved to 1975 along with DEN and MIA. CIN moved to 1976 along with OAK. Third game would have been CLE or HOU, but that was taken up by a game with the Seahawks. Since the Packers played Houston in 1977, a game with the Browns in 1976 was cancelled.

For 1977, Packers played HOU KC CIN. CIN was the extra fourth game. The actual other game cancelled in favor of Tampa Bay would have been NE or NYJ. It would have been decided years before which one they were playing and which one moved to 1978.

It would have made the most sense to me to cancel Packers-Bengals 1977 since it was a repeat of a game from the year before. Why not preserve a more unique matchup? Maybe it didn't work any other way, with home dates and everything. There may have been only so many possible choices. Cancel Raiders-Saints 1976, that puts them out and the next choice needs to be two different teams. Since I don't know that there was any pattern to the order of interconference opponents, it might have been tricky.

Another question is what scheduling format the NFL would have used had they stayed at 14 games for 1978. In the NFC, they could have limited the East and Central to one game each with each other, while each playing 2 with the West. 10 x 2 = 4 x 5. The math works. That means the Cowboys are playing the Rams 50% of the time and the Vikings only 20% of the time. It was a problem with the prior schedule as well, since the Vikings played the Rams 75% of the time and the Cowboys only 38% of the time. The new one would be worse. The Vikings would be playing the Raiders slightly more often than they played the Cowboys. That's not great.

[TodMaher]

Does anyone have the proposed 1978 schedule for all teams? How far did they project out?

On May 27, 1970 the NFL released a nine-year schedule (1970-1978). I haven't found a paper that printed it. Perhaps the Hall of Fame has a copy of it?

[TodMaher]

I have found some of the team-by-team schedules. Here's what I've found for 1976-1978:

BOS:
1976 - PIT, DEN, OKA, DET, WAS, NO
1977 - CLE, KC, SD, GB, PHI, ATL
1978 - CIN, HOU, DEN, CHI, NYG, LA

CHI:
1976 - DAL, WAS, ATL, LA, SF, DEN, CIN, OAK
1977 - NYG, STL, ATL, LA, NO, CLE, HOU, KC
1978 - NYG, PHI, ATL, SF, NO, BOS, NYJ, BUF

CIN:
1976 - BAL, NYJ, DEN, KC, OAK, CHI, GB, LA
1977 - MIA, DEN, KC, SD, GB, MIN, NYG, STL
1978 - BOS, BUF, KC, OAK, SD, DET, DAL, SF

DAL:
1976 - NO, CHI, ATL, BUF, SD, BAL
1977 - MIN, DET, SF, PIT, MIA, DEN
1978 - GB, MIN, ATL, CIN, OAK, CLE

GB:
1976 - PHI, STL, ATL, NO, SF, CIN, CLE, OAK
1977 - WAS, NO, SF, LA, CIN, HOU, NE, KC
1978 - DAL, PHI, LA, SF, BUF, NYJ, SD

LA:
1976 - CIN, MIA, DEN, CHI, DET, GB, NYG, STL
1977 - CLE, HOU, OAK, CHI, DET, MIN, PHI, WAS
1978 - BOS, NYJ, KC, DET, GB, JIN, NYG, STL

MIA:
1976 - CLE, OIT, KC, MIN, NYG, LA
1977 - CIN, HOU, SD, DAL, STL, SF
1978 - PIT, DEN, OAK, DET, WAS, NO

MIN:
1976 - PIT, BAL, MIA, PHI, NYG, NO, LA, SF
1977 - CIN, DEN OAK, DAL, STL, ATL, LA, SF
1978 - CLE HOU, KC, DAL, WAS, ATL, NO, LA

NO:
1976 - HOU, BOS, KC, OAK, CHI, GB, MIN, DAL
1977 - BUF, NYJ, SD, CHI, DET, GB, OHI, STL
1978 - PIT, BAL, MIA, CHI, DET, MIN, NYG, STL

NYG:
1976 - DET, MIN, LA, PIT, MIA, DEN
1977 - CHI, ATL, SF, CIN, CLE, OAK
1978 - CHI, NO, LA, HOU, BOS, KC

NYJ:
1976 - CIN, CLE, DEN, DET, SF, WAS
1977 - HOU, OAK, PIT, ATL, NO, PHI
1978 - CLE, KC, SD, CHI, GB, LA

OAK:
1976 - CIN, PIT, HOU, BOS, CHI, GB, PHI, NO
1977 - CLE, PIT, HOU, BUF, NYJ, MIN, NYG, LA
1978 - CIN, CLE, PIT, BAL, MIA, DAL, STL, SF

STL:
1976 - GB, LA, SF, SD, BAL, PIT
1977 - CHI, MIN, NO, MIA, DEN, CIN
1978 - NO, LA, DET, OAK, CLE, HOU

[BD Sullivan]

To a lesser extent, the pairings for the HOF Game were announced through 1983 at the same time. There were changes for six years, with teams simply switching years. The first pairing is what was originally scheduled:

72: SF-KC, NYG replaces SF
73: BOS/NE-NYG, SF replaces NYG

75: CIN-DET, WASH replaces DET
76: DEN-WASH, DET replaces WASH

81: BALT-ATL. CLE replaces BALT
82: CLE-MIN, BALT replaces CLE

[BD Sullivan]

49ers:

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Chargers:

SD.png (105.69 KiB) Viewed 5270 times

Chiefs:

KC.png (83.53 KiB) Viewed 5270 times

[TodMaher]

I found a few more teams, too, so here is the "updated" list. *Incomplete

*ATL:
1976 - CHI, DAL, GB, KC
1977 - BOS, CHI, MIN, NYG, NYJ, WAS
1978 - BAL, CHI, DAL, MIN, SD, PIT

BAL:
1976 - CIN, HOU, SD, MIN, DAL, STL
1977 - PIT, DEN, KC, DET, WAS, SF
1978 - CLE, HOU, OAK, PHI, ATL, NO

BOS:
1976 - PIT, DEN, OAK, DET, WAS, NO
1977 - CLE, KC, SD, GB, PHI, ATL
1978 - CIN, HOU, DEN, CHI, NYG, LA

CHI:
1976 - DAL, WAS, ATL, LA, SF, DEN, CIN, OAK
1977 - NYG, STL, ATL, LA, NO, CLE, HOU, KC
1978 - NYG, PHI, ATL, SF, NO, BOS, NYJ, BUF

CIN:
1976 - BAL, NYJ, DEN, KC, OAK, CHI, GB, LA
1977 - MIA, DEN, KC, SD, GB, MIN, NYG, STL
1978 - BOS, BUF, KC, OAK, SD, DET, DAL, SF

DAL:
1976 - NO, CHI, ATL, BUF, SD, BAL
1977 - MIN, DET, SF, PIT, MIA, DEN
1978 - GB, MIN, ATL, CIN, OAK, CLE

*DEN:
1976 - BOS, CHI, CIN, LA, NYG, NYJ,
1977 - BAL, CIN, DAL, MIN, STL,
1978 - BOS, MIA, SF, WAS

*DET:
1976 - BOS, LA, MIA, NYG, NYJ, SF, WAS
1977 - BAL, LA, NO, PIT, SD
1978 - CIN, LA, MIA, NO, STL, SF, WAS

GB:
1976 - PHI, STL, ATL, NO, SF, CIN, CLE, OAK
1977 - WAS, NO, SF, LA, CIN, HOU, NE, KC
1978 - DAL, PHI, LA, SF, BUF, NYJ, SD

*HOU:
1976 - BAL, NO, OAK, SD
1977 - CHI, GB, KC, LA, MIA, NYJ, OAK, SD
1978 - BAL, BOS, KC, MIN, NYG, STL, SD

KC:
1976 - CIN, CLE, PIT, BUF, MIA, WAS, ATL, NO
1977 - CIN, CLE, HOU, BAL, BOS, CHI, GB, PHI
1978 - CIN, PIT, HOU, BUF, NYJ, MIN, NYG, LA

LA:
1976 - CIN, MIA, DEN, CHI, DET, GB, NYG, STL
1977 - CLE, HOU, OAK, CHI, DET, MIN, PHI, WAS
1978 - BOS, NYJ, KC, DET, GB, CIN, NYG, STL

MIA:
1976 - CLE, PIT, KC, MIN, NYG, LA
1977 - CIN, HOU, SD, DAL, STL, SF
1978 - PIT, DEN, OAK, DET, WAS, NO

MIN:
1976 - PIT, BAL, MIA, PHI, NYG, NO, LA, SF
1977 - CIN, DEN, OAK, DAL, STL, ATL, LA, SF
1978 - CLE, HOU, KC, DAL, WAS, ATL, NO, LA

NO:
1976 - HOU, BOS, KC, OAK, CHI, GB, MIN, DAL
1977 - BUF, NYJ, SD, CHI, DET, GB, PHI, STL
1978 - PIT, BAL, MIA, CHI, DET, MIN, NYG, STL

NYG:
1976 - DET, MIN, LA, PIT, MIA, DEN
1977 - CHI, ATL, SF, CIN, CLE, OAK
1978 - CHI, NO, LA, HOU, BOS, KC

NYJ:
1976 - CIN, CLE, DEN, DET, SF, WAS
1977 - HOU, OAK, PIT, ATL, NO, PHI
1978 - CLE, KC, SD, CHI, GB, LA

OAK:
1976 - CIN, PIT, HOU, BOS, CHI, GB, PHI, NO
1977 - CLE, PIT, HOU, BUF, NYJ, MIN, NYG, LA
1978 - CIN, CLE, PIT, BAL, MIA, DAL, STL, SF

*PHI:
1976 -
1977 - KC, LA, NO, NYJ
1978 - CHI, GB, SD

PIT:
1976 - MIN, NYG, STL, BOS, MIA
1977 - DET, DAL, SF, BAL, NYJ
1978 - WAS, ATL, NO, BUF, MIA

STL:
1976 - GB, LA, SF, SD, BAL, PIT
1977 - CHI, MIN, NO, MIA, DEN, CIN
1978 - NO, LA, DET, OAK, CLE, HOU

SD:
1976 - CLE, PIT, HOU, BAL, BUF, DAL, STL, SF
1977 - CIN, PIT, HOU, BOS, MIA, DET, WAS, NO
1978 - CIN, CLE, HOU, NYJ, GB, PHI, ATL, SF

SF:
1976 - BUF, NYJ, SD, DET, GB, MIN, STL, WAS
1977 - PIT, BAL, MIA, CHI, GB, MIN, DAL, NYG
1978 - CIN, DEN, OAK, SD, CHI, DET, GB, WAS

WAS:
1976 - DET, CHI, SF, KC, BOS, NYJ
1977 - GB, ATL, LA, BUF, SD, BAL
1978 - SF, DET, MIN, PIT, MIA, DEN

[BD Sullivan]

Steelers:

PIT.png (138.1 KiB) Viewed 5263 times

The missing games for the Steelers are:

76: KC, SD, OAK
77: SD, OAK, DEN
78: KC, OAK, DEN

Colts:

BAL.png (234.54 KiB) Viewed 5263 times

This was part of the Colts article:

Screenshot 2019-12-04 at 6.15.44 PM.png (192.99 KiB) Viewed 5263 times

[IvanNYC]

The 1978 schedule was scrapped. Otherwise, everything was played as listed. Does anyone have the proposed 1978 schedule for all teams? How far did they project out?

I had done research on this previously. Sorry I am just getting to this....

Here were the original 1978 opponents based on the nine-year rotation schedule released by the League in May 1970. This was later discarded when a new scheduling formula and 16-game schedule for the 1978 season was adopted by NFL owners on March 29, 1977:

AFC EAST

BALTIMORE: CLE, HOU, OAK, ATL, NO, PHI
BUFFALO: CIN, PIT, KC, CHI, GB, PHI
MIAMI: PIT, DEN, OAK, DET, NO, WAS
NEW ENGLAND: CIN, HOU, DEN, CHI, LA, NYG
N.Y. JETS: CLE, KC, SD, CHI, GB, LA

AFC CENTRAL

CINCINNATI: BUF, NE, KC, OAK, SD, DAL, DET, SF
CLEVELAND: BAL, NYJ, DEN, OAK, SD, DAL, MIN, STL
HOUSTON: BAL, NE, DEN, KC, SD, MIN, NYG, STL
PITTSBURGH: BUF, MIA, DEN, KC, OAK, ATL, NO, WAS

AFC WEST

DENVER: MIA, NE, CLE, HOU, PIT, DET, SF, WAS
KANSAS CITY: BUF, NYJ, CIN, HOU, PIT, LA, MIN, NYG
OAKLAND: BAL, MIA, CIN, CLE, PIT, DAL, STL, SF
SAN DIEGO: NYJ, CIN, CLE, HOU, ATL, GB, PHI, SF*

NFC EAST

DALLAS: GB, MIN, ATL, CIN, CLE, OAK
N.Y. GIANTS: CHI, LA, NO, HOU, KC, NE
PHILADELPHIA: CHI, GB, ATL, BAL, BUF, SD
ST. LOUIS: DET, LA, NO, CLE, HOU, OAK
WASHINGTON: DET, MIN, SF, DEN, MIA, PIT

NFC CENTRAL

CHICAGO: NYG, PHI, ATL, NO, SF, BUF, NE, NYJ
DETROIT: STL, WAS, LA, NO, SF, CIN, DEN, MIA
GREEN BAY: DAL, PHI, ATL, LA, SF, BUF, NYJ, SD
MINNESOTA: DAL, WAS, ATL, LA, NO, CLE, HOU, KC

NFC WEST

ATLANTA: DAL, PHI, CHI, GB, MIN, BAL, PIT, SD
LOS ANGELES: NYG, STL, DET, GB, MIN, KC, NE, NYJ
NEW ORLEANS: NYG, STL, CHI, DET, MIN, BAL, MIA, PIT
SAN FRANCISCO: WAS, CHI, DET, GB, CIN, DEN, OAK, SD*

* San Diego and San Francisco were assigned to play a fourth interconference game.