1977 Los Angeles Rams: The End Of The Knox Era
When a fifth straight playoff appearance ended in a disappointing and muddy playoff loss, the Knox era in Los Angeles ended. Read the game-by-game narrative.
Sports History Articles
1977 Oakland Raiders: A Repeat Bid Comes Up Just Short
After a decade of frustration, marked by excellent teams and playoff losses, the Raiders had gotten over the top with a Super Bowl title in 1976. The 1977 Oakland Raiders continued to contend and extended their streak of consecutive AFC Championship Game appearances to five. But they came up short of a repeat championship. The […]
1976 Los Angeles Rams: Defense, QB Chaos & Playoff Heartbreak
A ferocious defensive line covered up QB instability and put Chuck Knox’s Rams in the NFC Championship Game. Read the game-by-game narrative.
1976 Dallas Cowboys: A Late Fade Stops A Championship Push
Dallas was coming off a surprise trip the Super Bowl in 1975, when a young team came together quickly and made a run out of the wild-card spot. A perennial contender, they had won a championship in 1971 and were looking to add a second ring to their resume. The 1976 Dallas Cowboys overcame adversity and were […]
1994 San Francisco 49ers: Steve Young Gets The Monkey Off His Back
Steve Young had become the regular quarterback for San Francisco in 1991, when Joe Montana was injured. Young had clearly proven himself as an elite QB—he won an MVP award in 1992 and reached the NFC Championship Game in ’92 and 1993. But that wasn’t the standard Montana had set. Young had a monkey to […]
The Road To The 2013 Final Four
Louisville was seeking their first national title since 1986, when the legendary Denny Crum was still on the sidelines. The Cardinals reached the summit, triumphing in a 2013 Final Four that included Michigan, Syracuse, and Wichita State. Here’s a look back on the road those four teams traveled to reach Atlanta. LOUISVILLE Rick Pitino had […]
1975 Oakland Raiders: More Of The Same–For Better & Worse
The Raiders were one of the league’s perennial successes. They had reached the playoffs seven of the last eight years–in an era when only four teams per conference qualified for the postseason. More often than not, they advanced in the playoffs. But with a Super Bowl defeat in 1967, and six AFL/AFC Championship Game losses, […]
1975 Los Angeles Rams: Defense, QB Drama & A Humbling End
James Harris, the league’s best defense and a potent ground attack took the Rams to the NFC Championship Game. Read the game-by-game narrative.
1975 Dallas Cowboys: A Playoff Return & Super Bowl Trip
Dallas saw an eight-year streak of making the playoffs come to an end in 1974. The 1975 Dallas Cowboys not only got back on track, but they reached a Super Bowl and began another string of postseason appearances that would last a little bit longer. LANDRY RELOADS WITH ROOKIES & A NEW SHOTGUN There were […]
1971 Nebraska Football: A Historic Repeat National Title
Bob Devaney is a legend at the University of Nebraska, both as the head football coach and later as the athletic director. But for the first eight years of a coaching tenure that started in 1962, he was simply a good, but not legendary figure, making four major bowl games in that stretch. It was […]
1974 Dallas Cowboys: The End Of A Playoff Streak
From 1966 through 1983, the Cowboy franchise, led by head coach Tom Landry, was the standard of consistent excellence. They made the playoffs every year but one in that string. The 1974 Dallas Cowboys season was the odd one out—and even that team would have qualified for postseason play under the standards that came into […]
1974 Los Angeles Rams: QB Turmoil & An NFC Championship Game Trip
A stingy defense and a tough running game overcame quarterback turmoil and got the Rams to the NFC Championship Game. Read the game-by-game narrative.