'80 Eagles lose by "less than 25" to win East in finale

[74_75_78_79_]

Pretty strange tie-breaker rule that was. And Dallas was up 35-10 going into 4th quarter. But Eagles 'rallied', scoring 17 unanswered, and got the following week off while Big D had to immediately prepare for Rams. I do remember seeing some of that game but not knowing the playoff ramifications behind it. All I knew was that Birds lost convincingly but were still going to playoffs anyway. Can't imagine Eagles players and coaches actually celebrating on the sidelines (as would be the case 8 years later in the season finale, also winning the division, same location - Buddy being carried off field).

Had Dallas "held on", they win division while Birds would have had to actually go to LA due to what would have been a better conference record for Rams (9-3 to 8-4). Considering the stinker, however, that Rams laid in the actual WC game at Big D, likely enough Eagles make it to Fulton the following week (even if they may have been, possibly, demoralized going from 11-1 to road-WC). Winning at Fulton, though quite possible (revenge for Wk 14), is one thing; but then having to win at Dallas the following week...(no Philly-cold nor blue 'jinx' jerseys on their side)...yeah, much tougher road to New Orleans!

In all fairness, with both teams having split and tied for both division and conference records, Big D simply should have gotten the nod due to they beating Eagles by 8 in finale as opposed to Eagles beating them earlier at the Vet by just seven, 17-10. Then again, if such a tiebreaker is already laid out before finale, it may have been a completely different game. Great enough chance Eagles fell 10-35 in the first place because maybe they were playing too tight (play not to lose...by 25 or more).. Further thoughts?

[ChrisBabcock]

Had Dallas "held on", they win division while Birds would have had to actually go to LA due to what would have been a better conference record for Rams (9-3 to 8-4)

Actually, no, remember they still would have been 12-4. They would have hosted the Rams in the WC.

[Gary Najman]

Pretty strange tie-breaker rule that was. And Dallas was up 35-10 going into 4th quarter. But Eagles 'rallied', scoring 17 unanswered, and got the following week off while Big D had to immediately prepare for Rams. I do remember seeing some of that game but not knowing the playoff ramifications behind it. All I knew was that Birds lost convincingly but were still going to playoffs anyway. Can't imagine Eagles players and coaches actually celebrating on the sidelines (as would be the case 8 years later in the season finale, also winning the division, same location - Buddy being carried off field).

Had Dallas "held on", they win division while Birds would have had to actually go to LA due to what would have been a better conference record for Rams (9-3 to 8-4). Considering the stinker, however, that Rams laid in the actual WC game at Big D, likely enough Eagles make it to Fulton the following week (even if they may have been, possibly, demoralized going from 11-1 to road-WC). Winning at Fulton, though quite possible (revenge for Wk 14), is one thing; but then having to win at Dallas the following week...(no Philly-cold nor blue 'jinx' jerseys on their side)...yeah, much tougher road to New Orleans!

In all fairness, with both teams having split and tied for both division and conference records, Big D simply should have gotten the nod due to they beating Eagles by 8 in finale as opposed to Eagles beating them earlier at the Vet by just seven, 17-10. Then again, if such a tiebreaker is already laid out before finale, it may have been a completely different game. Great enough chance Eagles fell 10-35 in the first place because maybe they were playing too tight (play not to lose...by 25 or more).. Further thoughts?

I'm convinced that if the Cowboys had kept the 35-10 score, they would have gone to the Super Bowl (remember, they were unbeaten in 1980 and 1981 at Texas Stadium, and if Atlanta would have hosted the NFC Champisonship game, well, we would've needed another White-to-Pearson last second miracle as the Duel at Dixie).

[BD Sullivan]

In the 1977 "Junior Freezer Bowl" Week 13 game between the Steelers and Bengals, if the Steelers lost by less than seven points, they would win the tiebreaker. Late in the game, the Steelers trailed 17-10 and were driving. They could have kicked a field goal and "won" the game, but they ended up giving up the ball on downs. However, the loss turned out to be moot when Cincy choked the following week in Houston.

[74_75_78_79_]

In the 1977 "Junior Freezer Bowl" Week 13 game between the Steelers and Bengals, if the Steelers lost by less than seven points, they would win the tiebreaker. Late in the game, the Steelers trailed 17-10 and were driving. They could have kicked a field goal and "won" the game, but they ended up giving up the ball on downs. However, the loss turned out to be moot when Cincy choked the following week in Houston.

Good for the 'Burgh (Chuck) for going for the (game) WIN! And football karma rewarded them the following week! Then again, that '77 installment was their weakest playoff year of the decade (just 'good' instead of great-or-better) and got bounced right out by Denver anyway.

Had Dallas "held on", they win division while Birds would have had to actually go to LA due to what would have been a better conference record for Rams (9-3 to 8-4)

Actually, no, remember they still would have been 12-4. They would have hosted the Rams in the WC.

Yes, you're right; and I did know that. Just had a brain fart. That's just how messed up this playoff scenario was. You forget Eagles actually lost and Dallas actually won. I originally posted that had Dallas held on to win by 25 or more, they would have been 13-3 top-seed then I quickly edited it.

Yeah, if it would have simply been 'whoever-wins-by-more', the game would have very likely been more competitive throughout. Had Eagles won outright, then Dallas (now 11-5) would have had to go to (also 11-5) LA instead due to Rams' MNF clobbering of them penultimate week (likely forcing 'Boys to play in their 'jinx' blues - again). But, like I already stated earlier, Rams played so bad in the actual WC game at Big D that being home likely wouldn't have mattered. Beating Dallas twice in three weeks no easy task and, also, Dallas no stranger to besting Rams (and besting them well) on the road post-season (see '75 & '78).

[BD Sullivan]

In the 1977 "Junior Freezer Bowl" Week 13 game between the Steelers and Bengals, if the Steelers lost by less than seven points, they would win the tiebreaker. Late in the game, the Steelers trailed 17-10 and were driving. They could have kicked a field goal and "won" the game, but they ended up giving up the ball on downs. However, the loss turned out to be moot when Cincy choked the following week in Houston.

Good for the 'Burgh (Chuck) for going for the (game) WIN! And football karma rewarded them the following week! Then again, that '77 installment was their weakest playoff year of the decade (just 'good' instead of great-or-better) and got bounced right out by Denver anyway.

Actually, they were probably going to go for the FG, though under the brutal conditions (single digit temps), nothing would have been a chip shot. They had the ball at the Cincy 40 with just under a minute left. However, Gary Burley sacked Bradshaw and then on third down, Ken Riley tipped away a pass to Stallworth at the 15. Bradshaw then overthrew Stallworth on fourth down.

Chuck Noll must have been miserable all the way around. He had slipped on the ice the night before and broken his arm.

Weird fact: the Bengals' Jim LeClair missed most of the second half because of frostbite--on his back, thanks to the frozen turf.

[CSKreager]

The Cowboys really screwed up with that inexplicable 38-35 loss to a 1-8 Giants team, NYG's first home win vs. Dalals since 1970 and their fifth win against them period dating back to 1964!

That game moreso than any other cost them the NFC East. If they win that, it's winner-take-all instead of Lose by less than 25.

[Byron]

I remember watching that game and being incredibly excited watching the Cowboys build that huge lead and covering the 25 point difference needed to take the division. But the Eagles came back and, as I recall, Dallas really couldn't stop them at the end. After that, it was "oh well, on to the WC".