1971 NFL season discussion

[74_75_78_79_]

Other than this, here, old PRs thread from 2017 - viewtopic.php?p=20933&hilit=power+rankings#p20933 - I'm pretty sure that there hasn't already been a discussion thread on this season. Plenty to say about this intriguing second season of the AFL/NFL merger other than, simply, individually opined...'regular season Power Rankings'.

It can easily be seen as the final season before the 1970s NFL - as most of us see it as - started to truly take form. Last breath of '60s leftoverture/Baltimore Colts being a contender, Bart Starr's final year as the QB of the Green Bay Packers, Johnny Robinson's last year as well as end-of-era for the Chiefs, end-of-era for Browns also, and this being the last losing season the Pittsburgh Steelers would suffer in quite a while, etc, etc.

Again, much to say about the 1971 NFL season! I'll start this thread off by focusing on the Oakland Raiders of that very year along with their race for the division title against Hank Stram's last great Kansas City Chiefs team that were just a measly two years removed from their Esteemed 1969 World Championship! I pretty much always knew that this very John Madden installment didn't make the playoffs in '71. An 'anti-island' season. But they, at least, had a winning season if just merely having one. They finished 8-4-2 (once AGAIN, I wish there was no OT in the regular season) but, upon further inspection, I didn't realize just how close Oakland was to still winning their division whilst Super Bowl-caliber Chiefs were close to missing out on the playoffs altogether!

The Raiders' only quality-win the entire season being at Cleveland on MNF in Wk#3, they started 5-1. And so did the Chiefs. As for Oakland's lone loss in that span? It was opening day at New England - the opposing QB being their 'savior' almost a decade later! And what two teams played against each other in a 'Battle of 5-1s' on Week #7?? Yes, both Raiders and Chiefs at Alameda! The game ends in a 20-20 tie! And then the following week Oakland ties again at New Orleans while KC actually loses at Shea not only to a bad Jets team, but NAMATH didn't even play! So the Raiders get the lead by a half-game!

Raiders would then win their next two games. And so would KC. But in Wk#11, the defending-Champs - and #1/Historic defense in the league - would pummel them at Alameda, 37-14! But at least the Chiefs would also lose, at Schmidt's Lions, thus Oakland still holding the lead, 7-2-2 to 7-3-1. But then Atlanta, at home, would hand the Raiders an 'L' next week as KC would actually beat still-contender, San Fran, at Candlestick! And by more than a TD!

And then...the next week...the REMATCH! The 8-3-1 Chiefs hosting the 7-3-2 Raiders at Municipal the next-to-last week of the season! A very close game! It could have gone either way. But Raiders come up just short; and they did, in real-time, beat Denver the final week. So had that Oak/KC rematch gone the other way as it - almost - "should" have, then it would have been the Raiders hosting Miami on Christmas instead while the Chiefs would have actually watched thus their playoff drought, ending up, lasting 17 instead of 15 years! Again, I didn't fully realize until just now just how darn close the Raiders were to not only making the playoffs, but 'Super Bowl-again' CHIEFS almost actually being boxed-out!

If you see that old '17 PRs thread above, not only did I have non-playoffs Rams (#7) ahead of San Fran (#8) due to the sweep, but I gave 7-6-1 Atlanta the 'nod' for "honorable mention" (#9) due to their wins over Raiders and also at Browns. Yes, Lions beat Falcons early, and they sure did look bound for the playoffs at 7-3-1 after Wk#11, but sadly they lost-out so I crossed them out because of that.

Anyways, I'll leave it for others to take on, at least, the next few posts whether it be still on this Oak/KC topic or others, or a bit of both. Of course the team that ended up atop of the heap...won their last ten games (once that 4-3 start was out the way...)! A very great Historic World Champ, in my opinion!


PS - Antonio Pierce was a Raiders-fan growing up as they were in LA! He says that he wants to give Mahomes/Chiefs the Detroit Pistons-to-Jordan/Bulls treatment! I like that! No, I'm not that old-school (okay, maybe I am); keep it real aggressive but clean. I understand, now, cancelling games now due to real bad weather. Eh...I don't know, fond memories of the '81 AFCCG, my sis and I running back inside after bundling up and going out to an empty neighborhood sandlot at halftime, all our friends wisely inside, but me being real glad that the game still went on; and looking fondly of '48 NFLCG and the Ice Bowl, etc, despite it being before my time.

Yes, all opposing football players should be friends but I was more into Dr J, Bird, Magic NEVER wanting to actually be...(like LeBron/Miami)...teammates! If a Raider, this season, roughs-up Patrick a bit, I don't want to hear #15 yell for they to calm down in front of the refs. Would Tatum and Atkinson have stood for that? Play the game, bring it hard at each other, and THEN you can be friends, and Pray midfield (and train together in the off-season), afterwards no matter the result.

Just like in the '70s - Ken Anderson saying in an interview that he, some teammates, and some Steelers would "drink Milk" with each other together after a game in a hot-tub as Ken would compliment (paraphrasing), "Man, you guys kick ass!"

I LOVED the suspense that Pierce's troops brought at Arrowhead last Christmas Day - at least making you think that KC was "done", dropping them to 9-6. An even BIGGER 'bulls-eye' on their chest this year (Harbaugh now Chargers' HC - ouch), that very Christmas '23 event may hint at what MORE is to come in the form of a three-peat obstacle! Let the FUN happen in 2024! Chiefs/Raiders, Rams/Forty Niners...perhaps THAT'LL be similar to '71 in 2024!

Pierce - and Strahan - knocked Brady down a peg or so. Maybe he can help end this current Dynasty. Or not do so but at least make it suspenseful.

[Brian wolf]

The Steelers could have had a winning season had they beaten the Bears and Dolphins, blowing good leads. One of the best losing seasons for any young team, with the experience they gained. Chuck Noll was disappointed they didn't do better. The Cowboys 1990 season reminded me of this one ...

[ChrisBabcock]

The 3 way race for the NFC West crown down the stretch had to have been interesting.

[Citizen]

When I think of the 1971 season, three names immediately come to mind: John Brockington, Elmo Wright, and Chuck Hughes.

[CSKreager]

New Orleans made their wins count (Rams, 49ers, Cowboys- plus the Oakland tie that felt like a win)

[GameBeforeTheMoney]

George Allen's first season in Washington. NFL Films did a really good overview of their season that used to be on YouTube. Not sure if it still is. Basically knocked the Rams out of the playoffs on a late Monday Night Football win.

Dallas won their first Super Bowl and Shula took Miami to its first. A lot of interesting things about this season - KC's double OT loss seems like it was the beginning of the end for their great Stram teams. Kind of a fade edit between the Packers/Chiefs winning three of the first four SBs, into the era of Dallas and Miami combining for three straight SB wins - Miami three straight AFC Championships. There are seasons that are sort of page turners of history, and 71 seems to be like that.

[Bob Gill]

George Allen's first season in Washington. NFL Films did a really good overview of their season that used to be on YouTube. Not sure if it still is. Basically knocked the Rams out of the playoffs on a late Monday Night Football win.

I was going to mention Allen too. Besides his arrival, the two things I remember most about that year are Sonny Jurgensen's broken leg and Charley Taylor's broken ankle. It's a classic what-if: With both of them healthy and in the lineup, the Redskins might easily have won it all.

[CSKreager]

George Allen's first season in Washington. NFL Films did a really good overview of their season that used to be on YouTube. Not sure if it still is. Basically knocked the Rams out of the playoffs on a late Monday Night Football win.

I was going to mention Allen too. Besides his arrival, the two things I remember most about that year are Sonny Jurgensen's broken leg and Charley Taylor's broken ankle. It's a classic what-if: With both of them healthy and in the lineup, the Redskins might easily have won it all.

40 Men Together Can’t Lose

[JohnTurney]

New Orleans made their wins count (Rams, 49ers, Cowboys- plus the Oakland tie that felt like a win)

Yes, Archie Manning pulled up some good quality wins. Going back to magazines in 1972 (previews) they mention that was one of reasons they thought Saints would be a good team in 1972-73-74 ...

Didn't quite happen ... but still, as you mentioned solid wins vs winning teams ---

[Brian wolf]

The 1971 Lions had their third straight winning season reaching four straight in Joe Schmidt's last season in 1972. The team has only had ONE three-straight winning seasons streak, since ...

Why was he not coaching in 1973?