1977 Green Bay Packers season

1977 Green Bay Packers season
1977 Green Bay Packers season
Head coach	Bart Starr
Home stadium	Lambeau Field; Milwaukee County Stadium
Results
Record	4–10
Division place	4th NFC Central
Playoffs	Did not qualify

The 1977 Green Bay Packers season was their 59th season overall and their 57th season in the National Football League. The team finished with a 4–10 record under coach Bart Starr, earning them a fourth-place finish in the NFC Central division. The Packers suffered injuries and continued to be among the worst teams in the NFL, posting a 4–10 record. During the season, quarterbacks Lynn Dickey and David Whitehurst combined to throw 21 interceptions while just connecting on six touchdown passes. They only scored 134 points, second worst in the league to the 2–12 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (103).

Offseason

NFL draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	College
1977 Green Bay Packers draft
1	9	Mike Butler	Defensive end	Kansas
1	28	Ezra Johnson *	Defensive end	Morris Brown
2	39	Greg Koch	Offensive tackle	Arkansas
3	74	Rick Scribner	Guard	Idaho State
5	122	Nate Simpson	Running back	Tennessee State
6	149	Tim Moresco	Safety	Syracuse
7	172	Derrel Gofourth	Center	Oklahoma State
7	176	Rell Tipton	Guard	Baylor
8	206	David Whitehurst	Quarterback	Furman
9	233	Joel Mullins	Offensive tackle	Arkansas State
10	260	Jim Culbreath	Running back	Oklahoma
11	290	Terry Randolph	Cornerback	American International
Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Undrafted free agents

1977 undrafted free agents of note
Player	Position	College
Rick Moore	Defensive back	North Carolina Central
Randy Rose	Wide receiver	Wisconsin

Roster

**1977 Green Bay Packers roster**
Quarterbacks (QB) 12 Brian Dowling 17 David Whitehurst Running backs (RB) 31 Jim Culbreath 40 Willard Harrell 34 Terdell Middleton 48 Nate Simpson 33 Barty Smith 26 Eric Torkelson Wide receivers (WR) 82 Keith Hartwig 84 Steve Odom 89 Ollie Smith 43 Aundra Thompson Tight ends (TE) 88 Bert Askson 81 Rich McGeorge		Offensive linemen (OL) 57 Derrel Gofourth C 62 Dennis Havig G 72 Dick Himes T 71 Melvin Jackson G 60 Steve Knutson G 68 Greg Koch T 79 Mark Koncar T 67 Bob Kowalkowski G 54 Larry McCarren C Defensive linemen (DL) 70 Bob Barber DE 77 Mike Butler DE 90 Ezra Johnson DE 61 Herb McMath DT 75 Dave Pureifory DT 74 Dave Roller DT 83 Clarence Williams DT		Linebackers (LB) 53 Fred Carr OLB 50 Jim Carter MLB 51 Jim Gueno OLB 58 Don Hansen MLB 56 Blane Smith OLB 59 Tom Toner OLB Defensive backs (DB) 28 Willie Buchanon CB 24 Johnnie Gray FS 46 Steve Luke SS 29 Mike McCoy CB 37 Tim Moresco FS 23 Terry Randolph CB 21 Steve Wagner SS Special teams (ST) 11 David Beverly P 13 Chester Marcol K		Reserve 10 Lynn Dickey QB (IR) 64 Rick Scribner T (IR) 73 Gerald Skinner T (IR) -- Rell Tipton G (IR) 18 Randy Vataha WR (IR) 52 Gary Weaver LB (IR) Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 18	at New Orleans Saints	W 24–20	1–0	Louisiana Superdome	56,250
2	September 25	Houston Oilers	L 10–16	1–1	Lambeau Field	55,071
3	October 2	at Minnesota Vikings	L 7–19	1–2	Metropolitan Stadium	47,143
4	October 9	Cincinnati Bengals	L 7–17	1–3	Milwaukee County Stadium	53,653
5	October 16	at Detroit Lions	L 6–10	1–4	Pontiac Silverdome	78,452
6	October 23	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 13–0	2–4	Tampa Stadium	47,635
7	October 30	Chicago Bears	L 0–26	2–5	Lambeau Field	56,002
8	November 6	at Kansas City Chiefs	L 10–20	2–6	Arrowhead Stadium	62,687
9	November 13	Los Angeles Rams	L 6–24	2–7	Milwaukee County Stadium	52,948
10	November 21	at Washington Redskins	L 9–10	2–8	RFK Stadium	51,498
11	November 27	Minnesota Vikings	L 6–13	2–9	Lambeau Field	56,267
12	December 4	Detroit Lions	W 10–9	3–9	Lambeau Field	56,267
13	December 11	at Chicago Bears	L 10–21	3–10	Soldier Field	33,557
14	December 18	San Francisco 49ers	W 16–14	4–10	Milwaukee County Stadium	44,902

Monday (November 21)

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Season summary

Week 1: at New Orleans Saints

Television network: CBS
Announcers: Tim Ryan, Nick Buoniconti

Williard Harrell's 75-yard punt return and Lynn Dickey's 15-yard touchdown pass to Ken Payne helped Green Bay to a 24-0 that turned out to be the difference in their opener win. New Orleans' Chuck Muncie had touchdown runs of two and three yards and Archie Manning threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to Henry Childs in a futile rally. Saints coach Hank Stram said "I guess you can say we slept through the first half. You just can't play 30 minutes and expect to win."

Week 3: at Minnesota Vikings

Week 3: Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Packers	7	0	0	0	7
Vikings	7	6	0	6	19

at Metropolitan Stadium, Minnesota

Date: October 2, 1977
Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
Game weather: Overcast, 47 °F (8 °C)
TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan and Johnny Unitas
[1]

Game information

First quarter

Second quarter

Third quarter

Fourth quarter

Top passers

GB – Lynn Dickey – 8/20, 143 yards, 1 TD
MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 19/27, 184 yards, 1 TD

Top rushers

GB – Eric Torkelson – 8 rushes, 34 yards
MIN – Chuck Foreman – 19 rushes, 53 yards, 1 TD

Top receivers

GB – Steve Odom – 1 receptions, 95 yards, 1 TD
MIN – Sammy White – 5 receptions, 73 yards, 1 TD

Week 7: vs Chicago Bears

Week 7: Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bears	13	3	0	10	26
Packers	0	0	0	0	0

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Date: October 30, 1977
Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
Game weather: Overcast, 45 °F (7 °C)
TV announcers (CBS): Gary Bender and Johnny Morris
[2]

Game information

First quarter

Second quarter

Third quarter

Fourth quarter

Top passers

CHI – Bob Avellini – 4/9, 54 yards, TD, INT
GB – Lynn Dickey – 10/25, 96 yards, INT

Top rushers

CHI – Walter Payton – 23 rushes, 205 yards, 2 TDs
GB – Barty Smith – 15 rushes, 54 yards

Top receivers

CHI – Greg Latta – 3 receptions, 49 yards
GB – Ollie Smith – 3 receptions, 57 yards

Week 8: at Kansas City Chiefs

Week 8: Green Bay Packers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Packers	0	0	3	7	10
Chiefs	10	0	0	10	20

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Date: November 6
Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
Game weather: Overcast, 58 °F (14 °C)
Game attendance: 62,687
Referee: Bob Frederic
TV announcers (CBS): Lindsey Nelson and Paul Hornung
Box score

Game information

First quarter

KC – Jan Stenerud 27-yard field goal, 9:16. Chiefs 3–0. Drive: 11 plays, 61 yards, 5:44.
KC – Henry Marshall 3-yard pass from Mike Livingston (Jan Stenerud kick), 6:23. Chiefs 10–0. Drive: 4 plays, 39 yards, 1:19.

Second quarter

No scoring plays.

Third quarter

GB – Chester Marcol 31-yard field goal, 9:11. Chiefs 10–3. Drive: 11 plays, 49 yards, 5:49.

Fourth quarter

KC – Ed Podolak 1-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick), 14:53. Chiefs 17–3. Drive: 7 plays, 43 yards, 2:48.
GB – Terdell Middleton 85-yard kickoff return (Chester Marcol kick), 14:25. Chiefs 17–10.
KC – Jan Stenerud 22-yard field goal, 4:47. Chiefs 20–10. Drive: 11 plays, 56 yards, 5:05.

Top passers

GB – Lynn Dickey – 15/28, 139 yards
KC – Mike Livingston – 11/21, 143 yards, TD

Top rushers

GB – Terdell Middleton – 14 rushes, 49 yards
KC – Ed Podolak – 18 rushes, 98 yards, TD

Top receivers

GB – Steve Odom – 6 receptions, 80 yards
KC – Ed Podolak – 4 receptions, 51 yards

Week 11: vs Minnesota Vikings

Week 11: Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Vikings	0	13	0	0	13
Packers	6	0	0	0	6

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Date: Sunday, November 27
Game time: 1:00 p.m.
Game weather: 10 °F (−12 °C)
Referee: Don Wedge
TV announcers (CBS): Gary Bender and Johnny Unitas
Pro-Football-Reference.com

Game information

First quarter

GB – David Whitehurst 3-yard run (kick failed). Packers 6–0.

Second quarter

MIN – Sammy White 40-yard pass from Bob Lee (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 7–6.
MIN – Fred Cox 21-yard field goal. Vikings 10–6.
MIN – Fred Cox 31-yard field goal. Vikings 13–6.

Third quarter

No scoring plays.

Fourth quarter

No scoring plays.

Top passers

MIN – Bob Lee – 5/8, 68 yards, TD
GB – David Whitehurst – 6/23, 75 yards, 2 INT

Top rushers

MIN – Chuck Foreman – 26 rushes, 101 yards
GB – Eric Torkelson – 13 rushes, 53 yards

Top receivers

MIN – Sammy White – 1 reception, 40 yards, TD
GB – Bert Askson – 1 reception, 34 yards

Standings

NFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Minnesota Vikings⁽³⁾	9	5	0	.643	6–1	8–4	231	227	W1
Chicago Bears⁽⁴⁾	9	5	0	.643	6–1	8–4	255	253	W6
Detroit Lions	6	8	0	.429	2–5	4–8	183	252	L1
	4	10	0	.286	2–5	4–7	134	219	W1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	2	12	0	.143	0–4	2–11	103	223	W2

References

Sportsencyclopedia.com