1979 New Orleans Saints season

NFL team season August 2023 March 2026 New Orleans Saints 1979 8–8 2nd NFC West Dick Nolan Louisiana Superdome Did not qualify 5 TE Henry Childs QB Archie Manning RB Chuck Muncie WR Wes Chandler FS Tom Myers Saints seasons The 1979 New Orleans Saints season was the team's thirteenth season in the National Football League. The Saints finished the season at 8–8, the franchise's first non-losing season. After starting 0–3, New Orleans won seven of its next 10 and was tied for first place with the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West with three weeks to play, but the season unraveled in a Monday Night Football contest at home vs. the Oakland Raiders, when the Saints squandered a 35–14 lead and lost, 42–35. The Raiders returned to the Superdome a little over a year later and won Super Bowl XV. The Saints were eliminated from playoff contention in week 15 when they were blown out 35–0 at home by the San Diego Chargers, but defeated the NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams in the regular season finale in what was the Rams' last game in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum until 2016. While the Rams went on to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XIV, the Saints ended their season with a record of 8-8, the first time in the history of the franchise that the team finished with a non-losing record. Not counting the 1976 expansion Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans was one of three franchises which failed to make the playoffs in the 1970s, joined by the Giants and the Jets (the other 1976 expansion team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, won the NFC Central Division in 1979). Following the season, running back Chuck Muncie was named Most Valuable Player of the ensuing Pro Bowl. Offseason NFL draft 1979 NFL draft 1979 New Orleans Saints 1 11 Russell Erxleben Punter Texas yes 2 38 Reggie Mathis Linebacker Oklahoma yes 4 93 Jim Kovach Linebacker Kentucky yes 5 120 Harlan Huckleby Linebacker Michigan no 6 146 Ricky Ray Cornerback Norfolk State yes 7 176 Stan Sytsma Linebacker Minnesota no 8 202 Doug Panfil Guard Tulsa no 11 285 David Hall Wide receiver Missouri-Rolla no 12 311 Kelsey Finch Running back Tennessee no no no https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/nor/1979_draft.htm 1979 New Orleans Saints draftees Pro-Football-Reference.com November 10, 2014 Undrafted free agents + 1979 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeOtis DrewTight endSouthernTom RozantzQuarterbackWilliam & Mary Personnel Staff 1979 New Orleans Saints President – John W. Mecom Jr. Executive Vice President – Eddie Jones Vice President of Player Personnel – Harry Hulmes Head Coach – Dick Nolan Offensive Coordinator – Ed Hughes Quarterbacks/Receivers – Lamar McHan Offensive Line – Dick Stanfel Defensive Coordinator – Paul Wiggin Defensive Line – Tom Pratt Linebackers – Ed Beard Defensive Backs – Chet Franklin Special Teams – Whitey Campbell Conditioning – Bob Hill All-Time Roster http://www.neworleanssaints.com/team/history/all-time-roster.html NewOrleansSaints.com November 5, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20120618110940/http://www.neworleanssaints.com/team/history/all-time-roster.html 2012-06-18 dead Roster 1979 New Orleans Saints 11 Ed Burns American football  8 Archie Manning 12 Bobby Scott American football 45 Jack Holmes American football 42 Chuck Muncie 33 Mike Strachan running back 30 Wayne Wilson American football y 89 Wes Chandler 82 Ike Harris 84 Rich Mauti 83 Tinker Owens 85 Henry Childs 87 Larry Hardy American football 88 Brooks Williams American football 66 Conrad Dobler G 61 Roger Finnie T 62 John Hill American football C 64 Dave Lafary G/T 76 Jim Pietrzak C 68 Fred Sturt G 71 J. T. Taylor American football T 65 Robert Woods offensive tackle T 79 Emanuel Zanders G 63 Barry Bennett DT 72 Mike Fultz DT 78 Elois Grooms DE 74 Derland Moore DT 75 Elex Price DT 60 Don Reese DE 50 Ken Bordelon OLB 58 Joe Federspiel MLB 54 Pat Hughes American football OLB 52 Jim Kovach y MLB 56 Reggie Mathis y OLB 57 Jim Merlo OLB 27 Ray Brown safety SS 26 Clarence Chapman CB 20 Eric Felton CB 21 David Gray American football CB 49 Ralph McGill American football FS 37 Tom Myers safety FS 22 Ricky Ray defensive back y CB 48 Don Schwartz SS 17 Rick Partridge y P  1 Garo Yepremian K 73 Joe Campbell American football, born 1955 DE IR 14 Russell Erxleben y P IR 34 Tony Galbreath RB IR 77 Doug Panfl y G IR 53 Stan Sytsma y LB IR Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 2 Atlanta Falcons L 34–40 0–1 Louisiana Superdome 70,940 2 September 9 at Green Bay Packers L 19–28 0–2 Milwaukee County Stadium 53,184 3 September 16 Philadelphia Eagles L 14–26 0–3 Louisiana Superdome 54,212 4 September 23 at San Francisco 49ers W 30–21 1–3 Candlestick Park 39,727 5 September 30 New York Giants W 24–14 2–3 Louisiana Superdome 51,543 6 October 7 Los Angeles Rams L 17–35 2–4 Louisiana Superdome 68,986 7 October 14 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 42–14 3–4 Tampa Stadium 67,640 8 October 21 Detroit Lions W 17–7 4-4 Louisiana Superdome 57,428 9 October 28 at Washington Redskins W 14–10 5–4 RFK Stadium 52,133 10 November 4 at Denver Broncos L 3–10 5–5 Mile High Stadium 74,482 11 November 11 San Francisco 49ers W 31–20 6–5 Louisiana Superdome 65,551 12 November 18 at Seattle Seahawks L 24–38 6–6 Kingdome 60,055 13 November 25 at Atlanta Falcons W 37–6 7–6 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 42,815 14 December 3, 1979 Oakland Raiders L 35–42 7–7 Louisiana Superdome 65,541 15 December 9 San Diego Chargers L 0–35 7–8 Louisiana Superdome 61,059 16 December 16 at Los Angeles Rams W 29–14 8–8 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 53,879 Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Standings Season summary New Orleans Saints 1979 2; text-align:center collapsed Week Four: New Orleans Saints (0–3) at San Francisco 49ers (0–3) September 23 4:00 p.m. Saints 0 13 14 3 49ers 7 7 0 7 Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California 39,727 79 F C Pro-Football-Reference.com First quarter SF – Freddie Solomon 17-yard pass from Steve DeBerg (Ray Wersching kick). 49ers 7–0. Second quarter NO – Tony Galbreath 1-yard run (kick failed). 49ers 7–6. NO – Wes Chandler 5-yard pass from Archie Manning (Garo Yepremian kick). Saints 13–7. SF – Freddie Solomon 25-yard pass from Steve DeBerg (Ray Wersching kick). 49ers 14–13. Third quarter NO – Larry Hardy 3-yard pass from Archie Manning (Garo Yepremian kick). Saints 20–14. NO – Tony Galbreath 1-yard run (Garo Yepremian kick). Saints 27–14. Fourth quarter SF – Paul Hofer 2-yard run (Ray Wersching kick). Saints 27–21. NO – Garo Yepremian 18-yard field goal. Saints 30–21. Top passers NO – Archie Manning – 20/28, 355 yards, 2 TD SF – Steve DeBerg – 18/33, 263 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT Top rushers NO – Chuck Muncie – 18 rushes, 98 yards SF – O. J. Simpson – 7 rushes, 25 yardsWilbur Jackson – 6 rushes, 25 yards Top receivers NO – Wes Chandler – 4 receptions, 127 yards, TD SF – Freddie Solomon – 8 receptions, 144 yards, 2 TD Week 14 1979 Oakland Raiders season New Orleans Saints 1979 2; text-align:center collapsed Week Fourteen: Oakland Raiders (7–6) at New Orleans Saints (7–6) December 3, 1979 Monday 8:00 p.m. Raiders 7 7 7 21 Saints 0 28 7 0 Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana 71,323 Indoors (dome) ABC Frank Gifford, Don Meredith, and Howard Cosell Pro-Football-Reference.com First quarter OAK – Raymond Chester 3-yard pass from Ken Stabler (Jim Breech kick). – Raiders 7–0. Drive: 15 plays, 78 yards. Second quarter NO – Tony Galbreath 2-yard run (Garo Yepremian kick). – Tie 7–7. Drive: 13 plays, 89 yards. NO – Tony Galbreath 17-yard pass from Archie Manning (Garo Yepremian kick). – Saints 14–7. Drive: 3 plays, 19 yards. NO – Chuck Muncie 1-yard run (Garo Yepremian kick). – Saints 21–7. Drive: 8 plays, 68 yards. NO – Henry Childs 28-yard pass from Archie Manning (Garo Yepremian kick). – Saints 28–7. Drive: 1 play, 28 yards. OAK – Arthur Whittington 1-yard run (Jim Breech kick). – Saints 28–14. Drive: Third quarter NO – Ken Bordelon 19-yard interception return (Garo Yepremian kick), 6:24. – Saints 35–14. OAK – Mark van Eeghen 1-yard run (Jim Breech kick). – Saints 35–21. Drive: Fourth quarter OAK – Derrick Ramsey 17-yard pass from Ken Stabler (Jim Breech kick). – Saints 35–28. Drive: OAK – Cliff Branch 66-yard pass from Ken Stabler (Jim Breech kick). – Tie 35–35. Drive: OAK – Cliff Branch 8-yard pass from Ken Stabler (Jim Breech kick), 1:54. – Raiders 42–35. Drive: 3 plays, 13 yards. Top passers OAK – Ken Stabler – 26/44, 295 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT NO – Archie Manning – 12/23, 154 yards, 2 TD, INT Top rushers OAK – Arthur Whittington – 14 rushes, 67 yards, TD NO – Chuck Muncie – 21 rushes, 128 yards, TD Top receivers OAK – Cliff Branch – 7 receptions, 126 yards, 2 TD NO – Tony Galbreath – 7 receptions, 106 yards, TD Awards and records Chuck Muncie, Pro Bowl Most Valuable Player NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, 0-7611-2480-2, p. 368 References Saints on Pro Football Reference Saints on jt-sw.com New Orleans Saints Category:New Orleans Saints seasons New Orleans Category:1970s in New Orleans