Did the Luv Ya Blue Oilers overemphasize the run?

[SixtiesFan]

I never understood the Rams issues with QB's in the 70's, this in my opinion was the only reason they did not win a Super Bowl in the 1973-78 window. They had everything else, the defense, a strong rushing game, good receivers, but like the Bears post Super Bowl XX, a "QB of the Month" club. It started with the Gabriel trade, then they brought in a lot of retreads like Hadl and Namath although they were drafting quality talent like Haden and Jaworski. If they would have just stuck with Jaworski and Haden, they would have solved their problems and the two of them would have formed a great combo a la Woodley and Strock or Waterfield and Van Brocklin.

The Rams usually had decent QB play in the regular season. 1975 and 1978 are the only years I would say it was below average. Hadl made the Pro Bowl in his up and down 1973 season, and James Harris made it the following year. 1979 was probably the worst QB play by the mid to late 70s Rams.

Naturally, '79 was the season they finally reached the Super Bowl.

Still in 1979, Vince Ferragamo threw three TD passes to beat the Cowboys 21-19 in the first playoff game. The third was a 50-yard pass to Billy Waddy with under two minutes, perfectly thrown. The Rams never hit a pass like that in previous years. In the NFC Championship game they shut out Tampa Bay 9-0 with three field goals and an almost perfect defensive performance.

The QB performance during the 1979 regular season left a lot to be desired. Haden was so-so (again) that year and was injured during his best game. They even brought Bob Lee out of retirement to relieve Ferragamo in wins over the 49ers and Vikings.

[conace21]

The Rams usually had decent QB play in the regular season. 1975 and 1978 are the only years I would say it was below average. Hadl made the Pro Bowl in his up and down 1973 season, and James Harris made it the following year. 1979 was probably the worst QB play by the mid to late 70s Rams.[/quote]

Naturally, '79 was the season they finally reached the Super Bowl. [/quote]

Still in 1979, Vince Ferragamo threw three TD passes to beat the Cowboys 21-19 in the first playoff game. The third was a 50-yard pass to Billy Waddy with under two minutes, perfectly thrown. The Rams never hit a pass like that in previous years. In the NFC Championship game they shut out Tampa Bay 9-0 with three field goals and an almost perfect defensive performance.

The QB performance during the 1979 regular season left a lot to be desired. Haden was so-so (again) that year and was injured during his best game. They even brought Bob Lee out of retirement to relieve Ferragamo in wins over the 49ers and Vikings.[/quote]

Exactly right. Hadl, Harris, Jaworski and Haden all took steps down in the postseason. Ferragamo stepped his game up, especially against Dallas. The Rams moved the ball against the Bucs; they just couldn't punch it in. And his performance against Pittsburgh was better than any previous Rams QB had played in a postseason loss.

[Bryan]

Still in 1979, Vince Ferragamo threw three TD passes to beat the Cowboys 21-19 in the first playoff game. The third was a 50-yard pass to Billy Waddy with under two minutes, perfectly thrown.

Perfectly thrown? Ferragamo threw the ball into the heart of the Cowboys zone, Mike Hegman tips the pass, the Cowboys defenders behind the play react to the tipped pass by running towards it, Waddy sneaks in and grabs the ball on the run while the Cowboys defense is flat-footed. Kind of a payback play for Drew Pearson's 83-yard TD in the 1973 Rams-Cowboys playoff, where Staubach throws to Pearson despite tight coverage from McMillan and Preece waiting for the ball.

Ferragamo also had a 43-yard TD pass to Ron Smith that he blindly heaved into double-coverage, but both Kyle and Hughes made terrible plays on the ball. He completed 9 passes in the game and threw 2 INTs. I would say that luck had more to do with Ferragamo's performance than a "stepping up" of his game.

[Bryan]

I mean, with the rule changes of '78, you think they could have been able to get the ball more to White Shoes Johnson.

White Shoes had terrible timing...he was fantastic from 1974-77, but as soon as the Oilers gelled he was injured in both 1978 & 1979. Their best team was probably the 1979 team, and in the postseason their 3 WR set consisted of Renfro, Caster & Merkens. I don't really fault Phillips for overemphasizing the run. He always had his defense playing well regardless of talent level, and he did have Earl Campbell and Rob Carpenter.

Stabler's comments are ironic, considering he literally threw away the Saints playoff berth in 1983 against the Rams, and was fairly terrible under Phillips in both Houston and New Orleans. If I am Phillips, I probably overemphasize the run if I have Earl Campbell and George Rogers as my RBs and Dan Pastorini and Ken Stabler as my QBs.

[SixtiesFan]

Still in 1979, Vince Ferragamo threw three TD passes to beat the Cowboys 21-19 in the first playoff game. The third was a 50-yard pass to Billy Waddy with under two minutes, perfectly thrown.

Perfectly thrown? Ferragamo threw the ball into the heart of the Cowboys zone, Mike Hegman tips the pass, the Cowboys defenders behind the play react to the tipped pass by running towards it, Waddy sneaks in and grabs the ball on the run while the Cowboys defense is flat-footed. Kind of a payback play for Drew Pearson's 83-yard TD in the 1973 Rams-Cowboys playoff, where Staubach throws to Pearson despite tight coverage from McMillan and Preece waiting for the ball.

Ferragamo also had a 43-yard TD pass to Ron Smith that he blindly heaved into double-coverage, but both Kyle and Hughes made terrible plays on the ball. He completed 9 passes in the game and threw 2 INTs. I would say that luck had more to do with Ferragamo's performance than a "stepping up" of his game.

Some say Joe Montana was lucky ("blindly heaved") on the TD pass to Dwight Clark in the 1981 NFC Championship game. In my book, Ferragamo to Waddy was a perfect pass. Waddy "sneaks in?" What does that mean? Are you saying Waddy came down from the stands?

George Allen was doing commentary for CBS and on the replay pointed out the key to the play was Ferragamo had time to throw. Allen said something like: "When you give that QB time, you can have 20 (?, not sure what number he said) people in the secondary and he'll complete the pass."

The NFL Network showed the Sea of Hands game recently and on the last drive, Ken Stabler was throwing the ball right in the middle of the Miami zone to move the Raiders downfield. He had time to throw.

[Bryan]

Some say Joe Montana was lucky ("blindly heaved") on the TD pass to Dwight Clark in the 1981 NFC Championship game.

There is a big difference between Montana's pass to Clark and Ferragamo's pass to Ron Smith. Ferragamo has Randy White in his face and actually turns sideways as he's throwing downfield while White clobbers him. The ball is lobbed into the endzone area where Smith, Hughes and Kyle have all stopped running. Do you think "blind heave" is a bad classification for that type of play? If so, what would you call it?

Waddy "sneaks in?" What does that mean? Are you saying Waddy came down from the stands?

It means that the Cowboys secondary was reacting to the path of the tipped pass and not to Waddy. Harris and Hughes both ran towards the ball after it was deflected, so when Waddy caught it on the run he easily outdistanced himself from the Cowboy defenders who had all taken the wrong angle. If Hegman doesn't tip the ball, there is no way that play goes for a TD.

[SixtiesFan]

Some say Joe Montana was lucky ("blindly heaved") on the TD pass to Dwight Clark in the 1981 NFC Championship game.

There is a big difference between Montana's pass to Clark and Ferragamo's pass to Ron Smith. Ferragamo has Randy White in his face and actually turns sideways as he's throwing downfield while White clobbers him. The ball is lobbed into the endzone area where Smith, Hughes and Kyle have all stopped running. Do you think "blind heave" is a bad classification for that type of play? If so, what would you call it?

Waddy "sneaks in?" What does that mean? Are you saying Waddy came down from the stands?

It means that the Cowboys secondary was reacting to the path of the tipped pass and not to Waddy. Harris and Hughes both ran towards the ball after it was deflected, so when Waddy caught it on the run he easily outdistanced himself from the Cowboy defenders who had all taken the wrong angle. If Hegman doesn't tip the ball, there is no way that play goes for a TD.

So what? It was a great win for the Rams. Do you think Staubach and Pearson didn't have a little luck on the Hail Mary play? I've followed pro football since 1958 and I couldn't count the number of "lucky" plays I've seen. All part of the game.

[BD Sullivan]

Back to Luv Ya Blue, the Oilers should have made the playoffs in 1977, but two October losses killed them: a last-second FG by Cleveland resulted in a 24-23 loss, and the blown call that took away their winning touchdown in Cincy two weeks later resulted in a 13-10 OT loss.