Dick Vermeil-Philadelphia Icon

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LeonardRachiele
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Joined: Tue May 22, 2018 4:15 pm

Dick Vermeil-Philadelphia Icon

Post by LeonardRachiele »

Dick Vermeil, 30 years after going to the Super Bowl, remains a Philadelphia icon.   His attitude, enthusiasm, and cautious optimism were contagious and the team began to think it could win shorty after he arrived.  Some cursory observations.  I will give details later.

The team improved every until getting to the Super Bowl in 1980.  While not creating a dynasty, he broke the losing tradition. Each year there were some positive memories.

1976  Won 4 Lost 10

--signed Vince Papale, a walk on from St Joseph's College;  this guy became hometown hero and sparked the team with his great special teams play;
--shut out the New York Giants in week eight 10 to 0;  their first whitewash since Thanksgiving Day of 1968; Defensive Back Randy Logan was superb against the run stopping both Larry Csonka and Doug Kotar;
--defeated the Seattle Seahawks 27 to 10  week 14 at Veterans Stadium, breaking a five game losing streak;  both Tom Sullivan and Mike Hogan ran for over 100 years; that is the first I can ever remember two Eagle runners doing that in a single game;
--In the win over Seattle, Roman Gabriel went 10 for 13 for 165 yards; that was really his last game; Gabriel threw only three passes held the ball for field goal and extra points the following year.

1977 Win 5 Lost 9

--traded Charlie Young to the Los Angeles Rams for Ron Jaworski
--drafted Wilbert Montgomery from Abilene Christian
--though Philadelphia was only one game better than in 1976, the record does not tell the whole story.  All but two of the losses were very close with two or three plays making the difference;
--the Eagles, for the first time in 10 years, won on opening day; at home against Tampa Bay 13 to 3;
--the defense was the main reason for the improved play; from 1976 sacks increased from 19 to 47 and interceptions from 9 to 21 ;
--Wilbert Montgomery's breakout was game 13 at Veteran's Stadium vs the New York Giants; he returned the second half kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown; Jaworski bootlegged one yard for the winning score with 29 seconds left; Eagles defeated the Giants 17 to 14, halting a four game losing streak;
--it was a soggy rain soaked day at Veterans Stadium with the New York Jets; in his first start Wilbert Montgomery gained 103 yards and scored a touchdown; the defense sacked Jets quarterback Richard Todd seven times, intercepted three passes, and recovered a fumble.  After going eight years without a shut out, Philadelphia got two in as many years.  Philadelphia 27 New York Jets 0
--as indicated, the Philadelphia Eagles won the last two games; that was the first time back to back wins in three years.

1978 Won 9 Lost 7

--This was the year of the "Miracle of the Meadowland."  With 30 second left, Herman Edwards picked up a foolish hand off and returned the ball 26 yards for a touchdown.   While this was a game the Eagles should have lost, there were three losses should have been victories; at home 16 to 14 to the Los Angeles Rams and 16 to 10 to the St. Louis Cardinals; and 28 to 27 to the Minnesota Vikings on the road.  The team either failed or allowed a score with less than one minute left in those three games.
--Ron Jaworkski really matured as a passer and Wilbert Montgomery became one of the league's best running backs; the angular Harold Carmichael continued his great pass receiving,
--for first time in the Vermeil era, the Philadelphia Eagles defeated a playoff contender, the Miami Dolphins 17 to 3; they held two other opponents to a field goal also with all three at home; the Green Bay Packers 10 to 3 and the New York Giants 20 to 3.
--the Eagles had a four game winning streak, their longest in four years,
--that 20 to 3 win over the Giants was the final game, giving them their first winning season in 12 years; both Montgomery and Mike Hogan gained over 100 yards,
--the Atlanta Falcons scored two touchdowns in the last three minutes to beat them in the Wild Card game 14 to 13; but it still was the first post season action since 1960 Championship.

1979 Won 11 Lost 5

--Philadelphia just continued to improve in all facets tying the Dallas for the best record in the NFC East,
--unfortunately Dallas won the complicated tie breaker, meaning the Eagles had no BYE week and had to play the Wild Card Game-
--the Eagles won six of their first seven including a 17 to 14 win at home over the Pittsburgh Steelers,
--the Eagles made three turnovers in the second  half which was the difference in the game,
--the Pittsburgh win was the first time the Philadelphia had beaten a team that eventually won the Super Bowl,
-- after the 6-1 start, the Eagles lost three in a row, one at home vs the Cleveland Browns was winnable; Ron Jaworksi's two interceptions from inside the Cleveland 20 at the end of the first half and fourth quarter were the difference,
--the Eagles broke the three game losing fling with a 31 to 21 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night; this was the first win over the Cowboys in five years and the first at Dallas in 14 years,
--the game marked the beginning of the Philadelphia-Dallas rivalry,
--on a Saturday Afternoon national telecast, the Eagles lost to Dallas 24 to 17, ending the  four game streak that began in Dallas,
--two of the five losses, to Atlanta and Cleveland, should have been victories.  Has the Eagles won, they would have had the BYE week and the home field advantage. The Super Bowl was within reach,
--the Eagles at home beat the Chicago Bears 27 to 17, their first post season victory since 1960,
--over confident, the Philadelphia Eagles lost at Tampa Bay 24 to 17.

1980 Won 12 Lost 4

--Despite losing Wilbert Montgomery for five games, the Eagles again to tied Dallas for first place in the NFC East Dallas.   The team was superb in every respect and Ron Jaworski was named player of the year,
--This time the tie breaker went the the Eagles not Dallas,
--There were two big wins both at home,
--Philadelphia Eagles defeated Dallas 17 to 10 in a turnover filled game; Dallas' only score came on defense,
--the  Eagles defeated the Oakland Raiders 10 to 7. Their only defensive miscue was an 86 yard pass from Jim Plunkett to Cliff Branch to give the Raiders a 7 to 3 advantage;
--Jaworski's 40 yard pass to Leory Harris set up the winning score; the Eagles won 10 yo 7.
--for the second straight year, the Eagles defeated a Super Bowl bound team, this time the Raiders, (see last highlight)
--Philadelphia earned the BYE week and the home field advantage throughout the playoffs,
--the Eagles defeated the Minnesota Vikings 31 to 16 in the semifinals,
--later I will detail to 20 to 7 victory over Dallas in the NFC Championship game.
--unfortunately, the team Oakland beat in the Super Bowl was the Eagles.
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