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1970 New Orleans Saints season
Head Coach Tom Fears and J. D. Roberts
General Manager Vic Schwenk
Home Field Tulane Stadium
Results
Record 2–11–1
Place 4th NFC West
Playoff Finish did not qualify
Timeline
Previous season Next season
1969 1971

The 1970 New Orleans Saints season was the team's fourth as a member of the National Football League. After spending their first three seasons in the NFL's Eastern Conference, the Saints moved in 1970 to the West Division of the new National Football Conference. They failed to improve on their previous season's output of 5–9, winning only two games.[1] The team failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.

Following a 1–5–1 start, coach Tom Fears was fired by owner John W. Mecom Jr. and replaced by J.D. Roberts, whose first game was a 19–17 victory over the Detroit Lions at Tulane Stadium in which Tom Dempsey set an NFL record with a 63-yard field goal on the final play; it broke the record held by Bert Rechichar of the Baltimore Colts by seven yards, set seventeen years earlier.[2][3] Dempsey's record was tied by three: Jason Elam (Denver Broncos, 1998), Sebastian Janikowski (Oakland Raiders, 2011), and David Akers (San Francisco 49ers, 2012). It was broken by Matt Prater of the Broncos in 2013, at 64 yards at elevation in Colorado.

The victory over the Lions was last of the season for the Saints, but both victories came over teams in the thick of the NFC playoff race. The other, a 14–10 triumph over the New York Giants in week three, cost the Giants the NFC East division championship. The Lions qualified for the playoffs as the wild card from the NFC, but were nearly forced into a coin toss with the Dallas Cowboys, a situation which was only averted when the Giants lost their season finale to the Los Angeles Rams.

Offseason[]

NFL draft[]

1970 New Orleans Saints draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 10 Ken Burrough *  Wide receiver Texas Southern
3 62 Clovis Swinney  Defensive tackle Arkansas State
      Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

[4]

Personnel[]

Staff[]

1970 New Orleans Saints staff
Front office
  • President – John W. Mecom, Jr.
  • General Manager – Vic Schwenk
  • Director of Player Personnel – Jack Faulkner

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches



[5]

Roster[]

1970 New Orleans Saints roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists


Practice squad



Rookies in italics

Schedule[]

Week Date Opponent Result Attendance
1 September 20, 1970 Atlanta Falcons L 14–3
77,042
2 September 27, 1970 at Minnesota Vikings L 26–0
47,900
3 October 4, 1970 New York Giants W 14–10
69,126
4 October 11, 1970 at St. Louis Cardinals L 24–17
45,294
5 October 18, 1970 at San Francisco 49ers T 20–20
39,446
6 October 25, 1970 at Atlanta Falcons L 32–14
58,850
7 November 1, 1970 Los Angeles Rams L 30–17
77,861
8 November 8, 1970 Detroit Lions W 19–17
66,910
9 November 15, 1970 at Miami Dolphins L 21–10
42,866
10 November 22, 1970 Denver Broncos L 31–6
66,837
11 November 29, 1970 at Cincinnati Bengals L 26–6
59,342
12 December 6, 1970 at Los Angeles Rams L 34–16
66,410
13 December 13, 1970 San Francisco 49ers L 38–27
61,940
14 December 20, 1970 Chicago Bears L 24–3
63,518

Standings[]

Template:1970 NFC West standings

References[]

AFC East Central West East Central West NFC
Baltimore Cincinnati Denver Dallas Chicago Atlanta
Boston Cleveland Kansas City NY Giants Detroit Los Angeles
Buffalo Houston Oakland Philadelphia Green Bay New Orleans
Miami Pittsburgh San Diego St. Louis Minnesota San Francisco
NY Jets Washington
1970 NFL DraftNFL PlayoffsPro BowlSuper Bowl V
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