| 1975 National Football League season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular season | |||
| Duration | September 21, 1975–December 21, 1975 | ||
| Playoffs | |||
| Start date | December 27, 1975 | ||
| AFC Champions | Pittsburgh Steelers | ||
| NFC Champions | Dallas Cowboys | ||
| Super Bowl X | |||
| Date | January 18, 1976 | ||
| Site | Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida | ||
| Champions | Pittsburgh Steelers | ||
| Pro Bowl | |||
| Date | January 26, 1976 | ||
| Site | Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans | ||
National Football League seasons
| |||
The 1975 NFL season was the 56th regular season of the National Football League. The league made two significant changes to increase the appeal of the game:
- The surviving clubs with the best regular season records were made the home teams for each playoff round. Previously, game sites rotated by division.
- The league pioneered the use of equipping American football referees with wireless microphones to announce penalties and clarify complex and/or unusual rulings to both fans and the media.
Instead of a traditional Thanksgiving Day game hosted by the Dallas Cowboys, the league scheduled a Buffalo Bills at St. Louis Cardinals contest. This would be the first season since 1966 that the Cowboys did not play on that holiday.
The season ended with Super Bowl X when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Dallas Cowboys.
Major rule changes[]
- After a fourth down incomplete pass goes in or through the end zone, the other team will take possession at the previous line of scrimmage. Previously, it resulted in a touchback.
- The penalty for pass interference on the offensive team is reduced from 15 yards to 10.
- If there are fouls by both teams on the same play but one results in a player ejection, the penalties will still offset but the player will still be ejected.
Division races[]
Starting in 1970, and until 2002, there were three divisions (Eastern, Central and Western) in each conference. The winners of each division, and a fourth "wild card" team based on the best non-division winner, qualified for the playoffs. The tiebreaker rules were changed to start with head-to-head competition, followed by division records, common opponents' records, and conference play.
National Football Conference
| Week | Eastern | Central | Western | Wild Card | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 teams | 1-0-0 | (Det, Min) | 1-0-0 | 4 teams | 0-1-0 | 4 teams | 1-0-0 |
| 2 | (Dal, Was) | 2-0-0 | (Det, Min) | 2-0-0 | LOS ANGELES | 1-1-0 | 2 teams | 2-0-0 |
| 3 | DALLAS | 3-0-0 | MINNESOTA | 3-0-0 | LOS ANGELES | 2-1-0 | 3 teams | 2-1-0 |
| 4 | DALLAS | 4-0-0 | MINNESOTA | 4-0-0 | LOS ANGELES | 3-1-0 | (Was, Det) | 2-1-0 |
| 5 | DALLAS | 4-1-0 | MINNESOTA | 5-0-0 | LOS ANGELES | 4-1-0 | (StL, Det) | 2-1-0 |
| 6 | DALLAS | 5-1-0 | MINNESOTA | 6-0-0 | LOS ANGELES | 5-1-0 | WASHINGTON* | 4-2-0 |
| 7 | DALLAS* | 5-2-0 | MINNESOTA | 7-0-0 | LOS ANGELES | 6-1-0 | WASHINGTON* | 5-2-0 |
| 8 | WASHINGTON* | 6-2-0 | MINNESOTA | 8-0-0 | LOS ANGELES | 6-2-0 | ST. LOUIS | 6-2-0 |
| 9 | ST. LOUIS | 7-2-0 | MINNESOTA | 9-0-0 | LOS ANGELES | 7-2-0 | Dal, Det, Was | 6-3-0 |
| 10 | ST. LOUIS | 8-2-0 | MINNESOTA | 10-0-0 | LOS ANGELES | 8-2-0 | DALLAS | 7-3-0 |
| 11 | DALLAS* | 8-3-0 | MINNESOTA | 10-1-0 | LOS ANGELES | 9-2-0 | ST. LOUIS | 8-3-0 |
| 12 | ST. LOUIS | 9-3-0 | MINNESOTA | 11-1-0 | LOS ANGELES | 10-2-0 | DALLAS | 8-4-0 |
| 13 | ST. LOUIS | 10-3-0 | MINNESOTA | 11-2-0 | LOS ANGELES | 11-2-0 | DALLAS | 9-4-0 |
| 14 | ST. LOUIS | 11-3-0 | MINNESOTA | 12-2-0 | LOS ANGELES | 12-2-0 | DALLAS | 10-4-0 |
American Football Conference
| Week | Eastern | Central | Western | Wild Card | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (Bal, Buf) | 1-0-0 | 3 teams | 1-0-0 | (Den, Oak) | 1-0-0 | 4 teams | 1-0-0 |
| 2 | BUFFALO | 2-0-0 | (Cin, Hou) | 2-0-0 | (Den, Oak) | 2-0-0 | 2 teams | 2-0-0 |
| 3 | BUFFALO | 3-0-0 | CINCINNATI | 3-0-0 | OAKLAND | 3-0-0 | 5 teams | 2-1-0 |
| 4 | BUFFALO | 4-0-0 | CINCINNATI | 4-0-0 | OAKLAND | 3-1-0 | PITTSBURGH* | 3-1-0 |
| 5 | BUFFALO* | 4-1-0 | CINCINNATI | 5-0-0 | DENVER* | 3-2-0 | PITTSBURGH* | 4-1-0 |
| 6 | MIAMI | 5-1-0 | CINCINNATI | 6-0-0 | OAKLAND | 4-2-0 | HOUSTON | 5-1-0 |
| 7 | MIAMI | 6-1-0 | PITTSBURGH* | 6-1-0 | OAKLAND | 5-2-0 | CINCINNATI* | 6-1-0 |
| 8 | MIAMI | 7-1-0 | PITTSBURGH* | 7-1-0 | OAKLAND | 5-2-0 | CINCINNATI* | 7-1-0 |
| 9 | MIAMI | 7-2-0 | PITTSBURGH* | 8-1-0 | OAKLAND | 7-2-0 | CINCINNATI* | 8-1-0 |
| 10 | MIAMI | 7-3-0 | PITTSBURGH | 9-1-0 | OAKLAND | 8-2-0 | CINCINNATI | 8-2-0 |
| 11 | MIAMI | 8-3-0 | PITTSBURGH | 10-1-0 | OAKLAND | 9-2-0 | CINCINNATI | 9-2-0 |
| 12 | MIAMI | 9-3-0 | PITTSBURGH | 11-1-0 | OAKLAND | 10-2-0 | CINCINNATI | 10-2-0 |
| 13 | BALTIMORE* | 9-4-0 | PITTSBURGH | 12-1-0 | OAKLAND | 10-3-0 | CINCINNATI | 10-3-0 |
| 14 | BALTIMORE | 10-4-0 | PITTSBURGH | 12-2-0 | OAKLAND | 11-3-0 | CINCINNATI | 11-3-0 |
Final standings[]
W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT = Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against
x - clinched wild card berth, y - clinched division title
| AFC East | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| y-Baltimore Colts | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 395 | 269 |
| Miami Dolphins | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 357 | 222 |
| Buffalo Bills | 8 | 6 | 0 | .571 | 420 | 355 |
| New York Jets | 3 | 11 | 0 | .214 | 258 | 433 |
| New England Patriots | 3 | 11 | 0 | .214 | 258 | 358 |
| AFC Central | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
| y-Pittsburgh Steelers | 12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 373 | 162 |
| x-Cincinnati Bengals | 11 | 3 | 0 | .786 | 340 | 246 |
| Houston Oilers | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 293 | 226 |
| Cleveland Browns | 3 | 11 | 0 | .214 | 218 | 372 |
| AFC West | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
| y-Oakland Raiders | 11 | 3 | 0 | .786 | 375 | 255 |
| Denver Broncos | 6 | 8 | 0 | .429 | 254 | 307 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 282 | 341 |
| San Diego Chargers | 2 | 12 | 0 | .143 | 189 | 345 |
| NFC East | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| y-St. Louis Cardinals | 11 | 3 | 0 | .786 | 356 | 276 |
| x-Dallas Cowboys | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 350 | 268 |
| Washington Redskins | 8 | 6 | 0 | .571 | 325 | 276 |
| New York Giants | 5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 216 | 306 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 4 | 10 | 0 | .286 | 225 | 302 |
| NFC Central | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
| y-Minnesota Vikings | 12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 377 | 180 |
| Detroit Lions | 7 | 7 | 0 | .500 | 245 | 262 |
| Chicago Bears | 4 | 10 | 0 | .286 | 191 | 379 |
| Green Bay Packers | 4 | 10 | 0 | .286 | 226 | 285 |
| NFC West | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
| y-Los Angeles Rams | 12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 312 | 135 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 255 | 286 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 4 | 10 | 0 | .286 | 240 | 289 |
| New Orleans Saints | 2 | 12 | 0 | .143 | 165 | 360 |
Tiebreakers[]
- Baltimore finished ahead of Miami in the AFC East based on head-to-head sweep (2–0).
- N.Y. Jets finished ahead of New England in the AFC East based on head-to-head sweep (2–0).
- Minnesota was the top NFC playoff seed based on point rating system (Vikings were 1st in NFC in points scored and 2nd in NFC in points allowed for a combined rating of 3 while Rams were 5th in NFC in points scored and 1st in NFC in points allowed for a combined rating of 6).
- Chicago finished ahead of Green Bay in the NFC Central based on better division record (2–4 to Packers' 1–5).
Playoffs[]
| Divisional Playoffs | Conference Championship Games | Super Bowl X | ||||||||
| December 28 - Metropolitan Stadium | ||||||||||
| 4) Dallas Cowboys | 17 | |||||||||
| January 4 - L.A. Memorial Coliseum | ||||||||||
| 1) Minnesota Vikings | 14 | |||||||||
| 4) Dallas Cowboys | 37 | |||||||||
| December 27 - L.A. Memorial Coliseum | ||||||||||
| 2) Los Angeles Rams | 7 | |||||||||
| 3) St. Louis Cardinals | 23 | |||||||||
| January 18 - Miami Orange Bowl | ||||||||||
| 2) Los Angeles Rams | 35 | |||||||||
| N4) Dallas Cowboys | 17 | |||||||||
| December 28 - Oakland Coliseum | ||||||||||
| A1) Pittsburgh Steelers | 21 | |||||||||
| 4) Cincinnati Bengals | 28 | |||||||||
| January 4 - Three Rivers Stadium | ||||||||||
| 2)* Oakland Raiders | 31 | |||||||||
| 2) Oakland Raiders | 10 | |||||||||
| December 27 - Three Rivers Stadium | ||||||||||
| 1) Pittsburgh Steelers | 16 | |||||||||
| 3) Baltimore Colts | 10 | |||||||||
| 1)* Pittsburgh Steelers | 28 | |||||||||
*Pittsburgh (the AFC 1 seed) did not play Cincinnati (the 4 seed) in the Divisional playoff round because both teams were in the same division.
Awards[]
| Most Valuable Player | Fran Tarkenton, Quarterback, Minnesota |
| Coach of the Year | Ted Marchibroda, Baltimore Colts |
| Offensive Player of the Year | Fran Tarkenton, Quarterback, Minnesota |
| Defensive Player of the Year | Mel Blount, Cornerback, Pittsburgh |
| Offensive Rookie of the Year | Mike Thomas, Running Back, Washington |
| Defensive Rookie of the Year | Robert Brazile, Linebacker, Houston Oilers |
References[]
- NFL Record and Fact Book (ISBN 1-932994-36-X)
- NFL History 1971-1980 (Last accessed December 4, 2005)
- 1975 season in details
- Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (ISBN 0-06-270174-6)