Tackling was in their job description - they didn't make a big show about it like they do now. The players and coaches would have probably got on them big time if they pulled the stuff that they do now.
I started in 69. Not much television in upstate NY, at the time. But the playoffs were a welcomed sight. I got to watch SBIV in COLOR (At least part of it. My cousins had a color set)! Who woulda thunk? Went outside at halftime (briefly) and played some ball in the snow, in the dark. I was 6, and Marshall was my hero. Ahhh... memories.
1978 was kinda the end of a era in Minnesota! Page was gone mid season Foreman was a shadow of himself,Eller would go to Seattle in 79,Hannon was getting playing time over Paul Krause, Tarkenton, Tinglehoff would retire at the end of the year,and several other veterans were near the end of their careers.. Hilgenburg Marshall and several more! I knew as a 19 year old watching in 78 that their Super Bowl window was basically closed... little did i know that the Vikings would not play in another SB since (46 years later!)
Great insightful comments. It doesn't look like The Purple are going to be Super Bowl bound any time soon either. I see that Cousins signed with the Falcons.
I could watch this kind of football all day long. Sure miss the good old days! The crap today and the stupid dancing and celebrating! Like watching 8 years old kids!
What memories. The 1978 season was the last fall/winter our family would spend in Minnesota. The Vikings and Packers always had some good battles especially at the Met. This game was no exception. Fran was truly on his game. So was Rashad and so was Chuck Foreman. That TD by Chuck was all effort. How is he not in the HOF?. Of course this game did have one glaring missing presence. It was hard not seeing # 88 Alan Page at DT. That is still a tough one to get over.
Mark Mullaney had pneumonia, so Eller started this game. It was the first of seven straight starts for him and was the only year that he started less than 13 games for the Vikings.
@@markgardner9460 Mullaney was an emerging player. It made Page expendable. I guess that's the business . Still tough for all of us who hated seeing Alan go.
I guess it's a sign of the times but Minnesota building that big fancy stadium was in my opinion a mistake. They had an aire of invincibility playing outside,they lost a big advantage. I get it though,people that pay big $$ to watch want to be comfortable.
This was the beginning of the decline of the great Minnesota Vikings teams from the 1970's.I started watching the Vikings with my pops in 1974 so i only knew winning football up to this point.The following year was tough to watch,and I remember i didnt quite understand,although Tarkenton retiring had alot to do with it.Definitely took it for granted.Thought we'd win the Central every year.Haha.Dominated the Packers in the 70s,and i loved it!!
I was 19 at the time of this game and a huge Vikings fan, I grew up with the nick name Bud after Vikings coach Bud Grant, my friends and family still refer to me as Bud till this day. I have great memories as a kid growing up listening to Lindsey Nelson call Notre Dame and Penn State games on Saturday afternoon . It was a great time for young men in the seventies to listen to the great announcers of the time like Lindsey Nelson Kirk Gowdy Vin Scully and of course Howard Cosell.
Fran's last season. I was only 10 and this was my 1st full season watching the NFL. I was surprised when Fran retired after the season. I saw his last game in that 34-10 blowout loss to the Rams in the '78 playoffs.🏈🏈
His throwing shoulder was really bothering him, so he went out when he was still productive. ABC made some terrific job offers that he couldn't refuse, so that made his retirement decision quite a bit easy. I watched his last game, too. That was a tough one to watch.
God I was just single digits at this time, but was SO HAPPY ... WATCHING TARK AND THE PURPLE GANG on a few Sundays....I LONG FOR THAT FEELING, Happy AND SAFE
Their was one game in 1977 vs the Bengals was 17 of 18 and the team won 42-10. Unfortunately he broke his leg and was done for the season. The team rallied around Tommy Kramer and later Bob lee. Sadly the NFC Championship Game started a 6 game Championship Game loss in a row. Losses to Dallas, Washington, Atlanta, NY Giants, New Orleans and the eagle. Lost to the whole NFC East. They need to play the NFC West. They used to beat the Rams all the time. Good times
I think he gets a bad knock, too. His teams played 3 of the best teams in NFL history. Plus, it's only one game; it's not like the World Series (best of 7).
So much is put on the QB position to not only get to the SB but win it. Fran & the Vikes went up against some real juggernauts teams. I mean the best of the best of that era. Several times during the regular season they actually beat the teams that beat them on the big stage.
Thanks for this If you could it would be great to hi lite the bombs the Vikings had with Joe Kapp and Gene Washington. That was the Vikings best days But thanks again for this one.
Too bad the talent pool dropped off a bit when Tommy took over. Took till 1986 before they put a loaded roster around him, but at that point he was getting too injury prone. Was the NFC Pro Bowl starter in '86.
I was at this game! 11 years old, me and my dad sat in the last two seats at the end of the left-field bleachers at Met Stadium, about the 10-yard line. Pro Football Reference says it was 50 degrees that day but no way, it got cold at the end. As a Packers fan I still hate Tarkenton and Rashard.
PFR says that the game started at 2 pm (weird start time), so by the end of the game I'm sure that it was getting chilly...especially since there was a 13 mph wind (most likely from the north). Where you sat, you would have had no protection from that wind.
Not only did he exhibit skill on the field of play, but also in the football announcing booth, on ABC's "That's Incredible" and in the business world. Thank you for your comments!
Terdell didn't have a chance on that play. I liked Hannon. He was the hardest hitting DB that the Vikings had with the possible exception of Joey Browner.
@@markgardner9460 Yes Hannon could definitely punish folks, something that the Vikings didn't have in the secondary at that time.Hannon played 9 years for the purple 🟣
I had a 44 jersey in 1976 or so, I was 5!! Leroy Horde wore it well and now we have Josh Matelius? 😂 Skol, let’s go get our QB of the future in this draft!!
If ESPN had NFL Primetime in those days, I wonder if Chris Berman would have called Packers T Dave Roller, 'Dave Rock 'n' Roller'? Harder to believe was that Roller went to the Vikings a couple of seasons later. Middleton reminds me of another Packer RB in the 1970's in John Brockington. He had one stellar season (1972 I believe) and produced very little after that and was playing in Kansas City later in the decade. 17:29 - The padding improved considerably from the cheap Motel 6 mattresses that were used in the 1960's. 17:31 - The unmistakable voice of legendary CBS Sports announcer Don Robertson Sounds like Vikings QB Tommy Kramer had experienced concussion like symptoms without saying it was a concussion Word had it that Lindsey Nelson had over 200 Herb Tarlek suit jackets. The only other broadcaster regardless of what sport that had a crazy wardrobe was TBS and TNT's NBA reporter Craig Sager. 25:45 - I feel like I want to blame 'The Rock' Larry McCarren for missing the key tackle that would have prevented Whitehurst from being sacked.
Roller could have been nicknamed "Steam", too. Roller was a good run stuffer. I heard that about Nelson's suit jackets, too! He wore some of the gaudiest stuff known to modern man, but he was a terrific announcer in both baseball and football. Under the radar Tight End Rich McGeorge caught 4 passes in this game. He had 23 on the season, which would be the last of his 9 year Packers career.
i've been a big fan all my life for Vikings. I remember watching the Vikings in Superbowl vs Miami. I was watching that Superbowl and we couldn't stop Csonka I was 8 Yrs old then. One thing I've had on my life Bucket list is vikings to win Superbowl in my life. I'm 60 now I'm hopeful but , I wish they would hurry up. LOL
Tarkenton and Bob Tucker pulled a Houdini act on the sideline pass! Tucker and Fran had a connection going back to their Giant days,and Fran threw a dart to Sammy White on the opposite sidelines!
Talking about Foreman and his last 100 yard game against Dallas the next week! It was a very surprising game as the Purple dispatched the defending champions at Texas Stadium 21-10 easily the highlight of the season for Minnesota.I watched that game and I enjoyed it thoroughly!
Wow, Greg Pruitt last week and a Vikings one this week thank you, that Pruitt video was excellent. Francis got hot but man, it was bittersweet seeing how much that knee was slowing Chuck down, wish the Vikes would have rested him more but i think that knee became Chucks downfall and exit from football. Cant tell if thaats the 74 or 78 jersey you got on of Chuck's? I got the 75 jersey!!!!!!
It says 1975 on mine. During the off-season after '78, Foreman bulked up in order to become more durable, but all it did was take away his elusiveness...which is what made him great of course. He did absolutely nothing with the Patriots in '80.
@@markgardner9460 - Too much booze and drugs for me to remember real good each dang year, now i'll have to go dig up my Foreman jersey cause it looks different from yours. I thought this was going to be the game (from the title) when Francis was red hot against the bengals but got his leg broken? I only got to see that one from the 1st quarter on but i have no idea what year it was???? I never did see this one, just the one from the week beefore when CHuck got kicked out of the Ram game, he was so flustered and i think that hyperextension was really bothering him.
I think this was the year Lynn Dickey shredded his ankle. Whitehurst didn't have 1/10th the passing skill Dickey had. That explains why James Lofton didn't contribute more. You could see Whitehurst missing simple flat routes.
Yeah, he broke his leg in '77 and missed the remainder of that season, as well as all of '78. He was a 3rd round draft pick while Whitehurst was a low 8th round pick. You're right - Dickey had much more talent.
I have a pretty nice collection of hall of fame football and baseball covers from the 50s, 60s and 70s. I love looking at them, they are a great snapshot of the history of American sports.
He also threw 95 more passes than the #2 QB Jim Hart. He completed 54 more pass than the #2 QB Archie Manning and threw for the most yards. I'm not making excuses for him. I watched every Vikings game that season and his performance was underwhelming, but he was dealing with a sore arm and the team had absolutely no running game whatsoever. Defenses knew that the Vikings were going to throw the ball on most plays. A QB who had an even worse year was Ken Stabler who threw 30 interceptions in 166 less passing attempts than Tarkenton.
@markgardner9460 anderson threw 22 picks, and yes, he was the worst qb in football that year. If not, bill troup. Tark's last year would've been great if he didn't throw all those picks. If the Packers didn't collapse in 1978, the vikings miss the playoffs
Tark (10) really used his RBs well - as receivers. I checked and RB Rickey Young (34) led the NFL with 88 receptions in ‘78 - a then record for receptions by a RB.
I liked the way they would loop booth RB's around for short passes. Almost a run n shoot type play. Fran sure had some dangerous weapons to go with his HoF abilities
@@stevenzimmerman4057 Hard to believe this was Fran’s last season. He looked nimble and still had good power in his throws. Looks like he could’ve gone another 3 productive years.
The LA Rams did the same thing against Dallas early in the 1978 season by picking up on Cowboy fullback Robert Newhouse's mouthguard habits during the Rams' 27-13 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in September of 1978 at the LA Coliseum. The then Washington Redskins obviously did their homework in watching game film of the Cowboys before they beat Dallas on the road on a Monday night game.
Nelson was a little under the weather, nevertheless he and Hornung did a fine job broadcasting. The black and blue division, hard hitting and grind it out football. Did you notice the seed germinating for rule changes for qb's "protections" in the Kramer interview spot? I do love this era and always enjoyed watching the Vikes play. Wasn't Fran in the booth with Cosell and Gifford in '79? Thanks brother you're appreciated.
Fran did MNF from '80 through '82 while also co-hosting the tv show That's Incredible! The NFL really started getting tough on defenders who displayed dirty tactics around this time. Like Hornung noted, QB's were dropping like flies and owners wanted more returns on their highest priced positional investment.
@@markgardner9460 Regarding qb protection: "why don't we put dresses on them too" quote from the eloquent Jack Lambert. We know you meant that well Jack, you were so soft on qb's and running backs.
Although greatly benefiting from the rule changes in 78', Frant T. had a great season . Despite the 27 int's. he was coming off an injury that was described as one similar to Theisman's . The Vikings btw , were dead last in rushing in 78.
@@markgardner9460 Yeah his arm strength wasn't as good but he was still accurate, and the Vikes defense wasn't as good either, meaning Fran was throwing from behind a lot more which, obviously leads to more interceptions.
Was wondering if you could ever do a highlight film of Jim Plunkett. Great quarterback went to the Super Bowl once or twice but doesn’t get much mention. I understand you get requests, so whatever you can do your videos, you take us football fans back to the future, where we all belong I should say back to the past ha ha
I will add your request to my list. I have featured him in 2 or 3 videos so far (1971 NFL draft and 1972 Fantasy Football QB's come to mind). Thank you!
vikings had no running game due to weak oline, It was all on Fran, he carried the vikings to a north title that year. it was his last year in football and one of his best.
@@stevenzimmerman4057 he probably could have played another couple of years, Of course, if he had we would not have had the hail Murray game in 1980 that won us a divisional title that year
That Youngblood hit on Kramer the previous week, traumatized the child version of me. Kramer looks good in that interview, but apparently, he lived in a dark room while recovering from his concussion.
@@markgardner9460 - Remember when Tua was knocked out back in 2022? He had that stiffening... fencing response. The same thing happened to Kramer from a Youngblood hit. Kramer was in for garbage time in the 4th quarter and Youngblood thought he would introduce himself. It was a dick move.
No offense, but I disagree. In '77 after Tark broke his leg and Bob Lee took over, it was a much less effective offense - especially in the NFC Championship Game when the Cowboys destroyed the Vikings.
The Pack's record was 8-7-1 which was the same as the Vikings, but Minnesota won the tie-breaker, so they won the Central Division. This was the first year since 1972 that the Packers had a winning record.
Tarkenton was a great quarterback. Unfortunately the 70’s had innovative coaches. Bud Grant was a great coach, but against the AFC powers they were at a disadvantage and didn’t adjust until the end of the decade.
LOL - 2:48 starting defensive line for GB - Barzilauskas gets no first name due to graphics constraints in the truck!! Was this the year Alan Page left for Chicago? I noticed he didn't start.
Thank you!! If I remember correctly, Page started running marathons and lost a bunch of weight, so he wasn't effective? A family friend is a lawyer (he had a case heard by the MN Supreme Court when Page was on it) and he told me that Page has a pinky finger that is at a 90-degree angle to his hand from football that he never got fixed. @@markgardner9460
Yes, Page was playing at 218 pounds and was getting blown off the ball on running plays. Head Coach Bud Grant insisted that he gain considerable weight, Page refused, and that was that.
'nother great video. Maybe you can clear something up for me. Fact or fiction? I believe it was the '75 NFC Championship Game, Cowboys and Vikings, Vikings ahead until Staubach's hail Mary. Is it true that Tarkington's father, watching the game, had a heart attack at that moment and passed away. I've heard this but never really knew if this was true. Tarkington's nickname, by the way, was the Scrambler. Keep the great vids coming.
Thank you for your kind comments. Those teams played in the divisional play-offs and Fran's Dad did die while watching the game, although I don't think it was caused by the Staubach to Pearson play with 24 seconds remaining.
I often wonder how the Vikings might have fared those 5 years Tarkenton was with the Giants, 1967-1971. Whether or not they would have gotten that elusive ring is anyone's guess, but their QB play was a huge liability, especially the Gary Cuozzo years.
Yes, I have thought about that, too, but then again I have to remind myself of the talent that they received from the Giants in the form of the draft picks that helped the team tremendously. Thanks for commenting!
Wally Hilgenberg was finally supplanted from his starting right LB in 1977 by Fred McNeil. I noticed Hilgenberg is starting here , whereas McNeil is on special, so not an injury type thing..
That would be entirely possible with Grant. Another possible suspension may have occurred with starter Brent Mclanahan and Robert Miller in the 76 Champ game. After having a career game against Washington the week before, in the Champ. game Mclanahan had one carry for 2 yards, that's it ! When asked about it , Grant simply said" Theyr'e interchangeable"...loll@@markgardner9460
October 22 1978 Vikings beat the Packers 21-7 one week after they lost to the Rams 34-17 and 4 days before they beat the Cowboys 21-10 in Dallas in the first ever Thursday Night Football game
Fran Tarkenton did go to superbowl thrice time as minn vikes lost all three games as miami dolphins 24-7..pittsburgh steelers 16-6..oakland raiders 32-14.so tarkenton record 0-3
No he wasn't. The Vikings were always behind (they didn't score a first half point in any of them), so he had to throw often and that was a recipe for disaster.
Jefferson was with the Chargers from 78-80 (teaming up with Charlie Joiner and Kellen Winslow to form a pretty damn great Air Coryell pass-catching trio). He went to the Packers in 81.
@@michaelleroy9281 Yeah, Wes Chandler was good, and they still had that high-powered Air Coryell offense and still made it to the AFC championship game in the 81 season, but I think Jefferson was a little more exciting… If memory serves me right, he was kinda like Lynn Swann.
Hes a quiter....he quit on his team 2 years ago in the playoffs!! Refused to play... he wants the money but he don't want to play hurt for his team....bum
When Tarkington Retired I quit watching sports altogether... It wasn't till I was visiting family in Boston after Xmas & had to watch this scrawny kid named Brady win the Superbowl #2... that I started watching again, but now that He's Gone Too....
Fran was a true man. A professional all the way. A class act. During his days, quarterbacks took real hits every week. Brady is classless. He knew the ball was underinflated, team was stealing signals and was a total corrupt team. Brady whined when he was touched by the defense Do not put Brady boy in a winning class.
@@Davidjohnson-zd3bk I didn't know you have to win a Superbowl to be a good QB I guess Dan Marino was never good also he made three straight against good teams
![[ENGSUB] UNPRODUCTIVE DAY ใช้ชีวิต (เปื่อยๆ) ด้วยกัน 1 วัน! | OUROAD CLOSEFRiEND SS2 EP.9](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/pyYKZ3kra9w/mqdefault.jpg)
Love Lindsey's loud sports jacket circa 1978. It's always interesting to see tacklers simply getting up after the tackle and not dancing around.
Tackling was in their job description - they didn't make a big show about it like they do now. The players and coaches would have probably got on them big time if they pulled the stuff that they do now.
Amen to that it's look at me, not the team.
My biggest football pet peeve.
How do these guys think that they were able to score a touchdown on offense anyway? They had blockers. It's a team sport.
I think it's reflective of society - it's about the individual not the team. Selfish to be honest.
Nelson and Hornung were a nice pairing! They also did Notre Dame football highlights!
My Goodness! Lindsey Nelson! What a Gem! Love The Vintage Vikings! Thanks for Sharing
I dig Lindsey Nelson, too. Thank you for watching and commenting!
I started watching the Vikings in 1968 man that 69 season was fabulous, loved joe kapp.
The only two regular season that the Vikes lost in '69 were the first and last ones.....and Kapp didn't start in either game.
I started in 69. Not much television in upstate NY, at the time. But the playoffs were a welcomed sight. I got to watch SBIV in COLOR (At least part of it. My cousins had a color set)!
Who woulda thunk? Went outside at halftime (briefly) and played some ball in the snow, in the dark. I was 6, and Marshall was my hero. Ahhh... memories.
So lucky to watch Fran! The original scrambler! And the Purple people eaters! Those were incredible times!
I was in the Marines from 75-79,always on deployment so i didnt get to see most of those games. Its good catching up!
Semper Fidelis!!
That Lofton guy looks like he might have some potential.
That's right! 14,004 career receiving yards which was an out of this world number when he retired.
1978 was kinda the end of a era in Minnesota! Page was gone mid season Foreman was a shadow of himself,Eller would go to Seattle in 79,Hannon was getting playing time over Paul Krause, Tarkenton, Tinglehoff would retire at the end of the year,and several other veterans were near the end of their careers.. Hilgenburg Marshall and several more! I knew as a 19 year old watching in 78 that their Super Bowl window was basically closed... little did i know that the Vikings would not play in another SB since (46 years later!)
Great insightful comments. It doesn't look like The Purple are going to be Super Bowl bound any time soon either. I see that Cousins signed with the Falcons.
@@markgardner9460 yes
98 was the blown opportunity! Would have loved to seen the Vikes with rookie Randy Moss square up against Elway!!
@@dieseldan5189 Gary Anderson got too much blame for the Vikings loss!
Lindsey Nelson had quite the collection of jackets!
I could watch this kind of football all day long. Sure miss the good old days! The crap today and the stupid dancing and celebrating! Like watching 8 years old kids!
Sir Francis!
Fran the Man!!
What memories. The 1978 season was the last fall/winter our family would spend in Minnesota. The Vikings and Packers always had some good battles especially at the Met. This game was no exception. Fran was truly on his game. So was Rashad and so was Chuck Foreman. That TD by Chuck was all effort. How is he not in the HOF?. Of course this game did have one glaring missing presence. It was hard not seeing # 88 Alan Page at DT. That is still a tough one to get over.
Mark Mullaney had pneumonia, so Eller started this game. It was the first of seven straight starts for him and was the only year that he started less than 13 games for the Vikings.
@@markgardner9460 Mullaney was an emerging player. It made Page expendable. I guess that's the business . Still tough for all of us who hated seeing Alan go.
I guess it's a sign of the times but Minnesota building that big fancy stadium was in my opinion a mistake. They had an aire of invincibility playing outside,they lost a big advantage. I get it though,people that pay big $$ to watch want to be comfortable.
They lost a big home field advantage when they went indoors!
@@stevenzimmerman4057 That's partly why I'm glad we left the Twin Cities before they tore down the Met.
Fantastic effort by Foreman on the 16 yard TD reception! He turned back the clock for one play!
The Spin Doctor performed one more house call for old times sake.
That running style was unique to him for sure. I like that Spin Doctor moniker.
@@johnm8096 Foreman was one of a kind!
Did you notice he almost spiked it 11:06
I noticed that. He really wanted to! Bud would have fined him if he had.
This was the beginning of the decline of the great Minnesota Vikings teams from the 1970's.I started watching the Vikings with my pops in 1974 so i only knew winning football up to this point.The following year was tough to watch,and I remember i didnt quite understand,although Tarkenton retiring had alot to do with it.Definitely took it for granted.Thought we'd win the Central every year.Haha.Dominated the Packers in the 70s,and i loved it!!
They also beat the Lions on a regular basis.
I was 19 at the time of this game and a huge Vikings fan, I grew up with the nick name Bud after Vikings coach Bud Grant, my friends and family still refer to me as Bud till this day. I have great memories as a kid growing up listening to Lindsey Nelson call Notre Dame and Penn State games on Saturday afternoon . It was a great time for young men in the seventies to listen to the great announcers of the time like Lindsey Nelson Kirk Gowdy Vin Scully and of course Howard Cosell.
Well said! There were a lot of great announcers back then. I could go on and on.
Love all your stuff brother. Lyndsey Nelson was vastly underrated announcer
I agree! Nelson was excellent! And Paul Hornung and himself also did the Notre Dame football highlights for awhile!
I really enjoyed them both - they had a good chemistry and rarely spoke over oneanother.
Lyndsey Nelson is an actress. Lindsey Nelson was a legendary broadcaster.
@@drbonesshow1 I know his name was misspelled but I didn't comment
@@stevenzimmerman4057I'm a physics professor.
Fran's last season. I was only 10 and this was my 1st full season watching the NFL. I was surprised when Fran retired after the season. I saw his last game in that 34-10 blowout loss to the Rams in the '78 playoffs.🏈🏈
His throwing shoulder was really bothering him, so he went out when he was still productive. ABC made some terrific job offers that he couldn't refuse, so that made his retirement decision quite a bit easy. I watched his last game, too. That was a tough one to watch.
Great hearing Linsey Nelson again.
Yes. He had a cold, so he wasn't up to his normal self, but he was still better than most announcers today, in my opinion.
Check out classic baseball on the radio. 69 Mets Playlist!
God I was just single digits at this time, but was SO HAPPY ... WATCHING TARK AND THE PURPLE GANG on a few Sundays....I LONG FOR THAT FEELING, Happy AND SAFE
Their was one game in 1977 vs the Bengals was 17 of 18 and the team won 42-10. Unfortunately he broke his leg and was done for the season. The team rallied around Tommy Kramer and later Bob lee. Sadly the NFC Championship Game started a 6 game Championship Game loss in a row. Losses to Dallas, Washington, Atlanta, NY Giants, New Orleans and the eagle. Lost to the whole NFC East. They need to play the NFC West. They used to beat the Rams all the time. Good times
That San Francisco game where Kramer came off the bench in the 4th quarter of that '77 game was INCREDIBLE!
Was at this game. Dad was a season ticket holder from the beginning. Can still smell the hot dogs & cigars
That's awesome to hear! Smells of the ballpark stick with a person - I remember as a small kid smelling whiskey and beer, along with cigarette smoke.
Ezra Johnson! That’s a name that hasn’t rattled around my brain in about 45 years. He had that one big season.
17 1/2 sacks in '78 which was 2nd best in the NFL
I loved Lindsey Nelson.
Tarkenton was the best QB of the 70s, my opinion. But he will always be (unfairly) downgraded by some fans & critics for not winning a Stupor Bowl.
I think he gets a bad knock, too. His teams played 3 of the best teams in NFL history. Plus, it's only one game; it's not like the World Series (best of 7).
It’s not that he lost 3 super bowls. He led two scoring drives in 3 games or 12 quarters of SB play.. It was brutal to watch.
3 times Running Backs fumbled the ball away inside the 5 yard line, but I hear ya.
@@markgardner9460 Foreman against Pittsburgh, Reed against Miami and McClanahan vs Oakland if memory serves me correctly,...
So much is put on the QB position to not only get to the SB but win it. Fran & the Vikes went up against some real juggernauts teams. I mean the best of the best of that era. Several times during the regular season they actually beat the teams that beat them on the big stage.
Thanks for this
If you could it would be great to hi lite the bombs the Vikings had with Joe Kapp and Gene Washington. That was the Vikings best days
But thanks again for this one.
Thank you - I will place your request with my others ......this list is getting longer and longer....which is a good thing!
Fran Tarkenton and Chuck Foreman ❤🙏💯👋👋. Also Vikings had a great Defensive Line 😊❤🙏
Those guys were the heart and soul of the offense and the defensive line was the blood 'n guts of the defense. Great memories!
SKOL I became a Vikings fan in 79' Tommy Kramer brought me there..
Two Minute Tommy was a lot of fun to watch. They had no running game whatsoever, so he was airing it out all over the field.
I got to meet him about a year ago! Dad and I chatted with him for a long time and he signed an old Vikings pennant we have.
Too bad the talent pool dropped off a bit when Tommy took over. Took till 1986 before they put a loaded roster around him, but at that point he was getting too injury prone. Was the NFC Pro Bowl starter in '86.
I was at this game! 11 years old, me and my dad sat in the last two seats at the end of the left-field bleachers at Met Stadium, about the 10-yard line. Pro Football Reference says it was 50 degrees that day but no way, it got cold at the end. As a Packers fan I still hate Tarkenton and Rashard.
PFR says that the game started at 2 pm (weird start time), so by the end of the game I'm sure that it was getting chilly...especially since there was a 13 mph wind (most likely from the north). Where you sat, you would have had no protection from that wind.
@@markgardner9460 Exactly.
seems like alot of admirers of Tarks skill on here.But i can attest to the fact that he is a fabulous human being.
Not only did he exhibit skill on the field of play, but also in the football announcing booth, on ABC's "That's Incredible" and in the business world. Thank you for your comments!
Didn't he get charged with Tax Evasion or Fraud in the 90's and barely avoided jail?
Oh, i'd have to look that up. He did a very kind thing to me,just a nobody, at a golf tournament back in 72'. @@raicebannon1936
I have to give Middleton props.a great effort by him on the back to back runs
He was tough. Hannon was no sissy, yet he bounced off Middleton twice.
@@markgardner9460Hannon got a measure of revenge on the screen pass when he buried Middleton!
Terdell didn't have a chance on that play. I liked Hannon. He was the hardest hitting DB that the Vikings had with the possible exception of Joey Browner.
@@markgardner9460 Yes Hannon could definitely punish folks, something that the Vikings didn't have in the secondary at that time.Hannon played 9 years for the purple 🟣
I had a 44 jersey in 1976 or so, I was 5!! Leroy Horde wore it well and now we have Josh Matelius? 😂 Skol, let’s go get our QB of the future in this draft!!
Thanks. Good to beat gb
You bet!
If ESPN had NFL Primetime in those days, I wonder if Chris Berman would have called Packers T Dave Roller, 'Dave Rock 'n' Roller'? Harder to believe was that Roller went to the Vikings a couple of seasons later.
Middleton reminds me of another Packer RB in the 1970's in John Brockington. He had one stellar season (1972 I believe) and produced very little after that and was playing in Kansas City later in the decade.
17:29 - The padding improved considerably from the cheap Motel 6 mattresses that were used in the 1960's.
17:31 - The unmistakable voice of legendary CBS Sports announcer Don Robertson
Sounds like Vikings QB Tommy Kramer had experienced concussion like symptoms without saying it was a concussion
Word had it that Lindsey Nelson had over 200 Herb Tarlek suit jackets. The only other broadcaster regardless of what sport that had a crazy wardrobe was TBS and TNT's NBA reporter Craig Sager.
25:45 - I feel like I want to blame 'The Rock' Larry McCarren for missing the key tackle that would have prevented Whitehurst from being sacked.
Roller could have been nicknamed "Steam", too. Roller was a good run stuffer.
I heard that about Nelson's suit jackets, too! He wore some of the gaudiest stuff known to modern man, but he was a terrific announcer in both baseball and football.
Under the radar Tight End Rich McGeorge caught 4 passes in this game. He had 23 on the season, which would be the last of his 9 year Packers career.
i've been a big fan all my life for Vikings. I remember watching the Vikings in Superbowl vs Miami. I was watching that Superbowl and we couldn't stop Csonka I was 8 Yrs old then. One thing I've had on my life Bucket list is vikings to win Superbowl in my life. I'm 60 now I'm hopeful but , I wish they would hurry up. LOL
As soon as thee announcer said David Whitehurst was starting Quarterback...Everyone knew the Pack was screwed.
The Pack gave him enough rope, but it didn't seem to me that he took advatage of the opportunity in which to shine...to put it nicely.
@@markgardner9460 Go Pack Go
This game must have been shortly after Page went to the Bears. Don't see him in the lineup.
Yes, I think that it was 2 weeks after the Vikes waived him.
@@markgardner9460 Thanks for posting vid. So fun to watch!
What footwork by Sammy White at 9:56 and man was Eller furious at the roughing the passer call!😊
Eller was stompin' mad, but the call was legit, don't you think?
@@markgardner9460Actually yes
Tarkenton and Bob Tucker pulled a Houdini act on the sideline pass! Tucker and Fran had a connection going back to their Giant days,and Fran threw a dart to Sammy White on the opposite sidelines!
Talking about Foreman and his last 100 yard game against Dallas the next week! It was a very surprising game as the Purple dispatched the defending champions at Texas Stadium 21-10 easily the highlight of the season for Minnesota.I watched that game and I enjoyed it thoroughly!
Wow, Greg Pruitt last week and a Vikings one this week thank you, that Pruitt video was excellent. Francis got hot but man, it was bittersweet seeing how much that knee was slowing Chuck down, wish the Vikes would have rested him more but i think that knee became Chucks downfall and exit from football. Cant tell if thaats the 74 or 78 jersey you got on of Chuck's? I got the 75 jersey!!!!!!
It says 1975 on mine. During the off-season after '78, Foreman bulked up in order to become more durable, but all it did was take away his elusiveness...which is what made him great of course. He did absolutely nothing with the Patriots in '80.
@@markgardner9460 - Too much booze and drugs for me to remember real good each dang year, now i'll have to go dig up my Foreman jersey cause it looks different from yours. I thought this was going to be the game (from the title) when Francis was red hot against the bengals but got his leg broken? I only got to see that one from the 1st quarter on but i have no idea what year it was???? I never did see this one, just the one from the week beefore when CHuck got kicked out of the Ram game, he was so flustered and i think that hyperextension was really bothering him.
That Bengals game was from '77 - November 11th, I think.
Rocking the 44 jersey!
My Grandpa nicknamed him "The Dancer"
Wasn't that his usual number?
@@richardmorris6365 Yes Chuck Foreman wore #44 I was alluding to Mark wearing the Foreman jersey.
@@stevenzimmerman4057I was thinking that's the only number I remember seeing him in. Thanks,it's early!
almost got himself retired at 11.03
9:30 insight from Hornung in 1978. If only he could see the rulebook in 2024!
He wouldn't have been able to watch the games, let alone announce them.
My Vikes 🏈❤️ I was 15 on this day 📺👀
I think this was the year Lynn Dickey shredded his ankle. Whitehurst didn't have 1/10th the passing skill Dickey had. That explains why James Lofton didn't contribute more. You could see Whitehurst missing simple flat routes.
Yeah, he broke his leg in '77 and missed the remainder of that season, as well as all of '78. He was a 3rd round draft pick while Whitehurst was a low 8th round pick. You're right - Dickey had much more talent.
Frantastic is the caption on an old Sports Illustrated. I have with him on the cover.
Yes! I have that framed. Great cover!
I have a pretty nice collection of hall of fame football and baseball covers from the 50s, 60s and 70s. I love looking at them, they are a great snapshot of the history of American sports.
@@markgardner9460that was in 1975 I believe?
You are correct, sir!
Fran didn't have a tremendous cast of offensive stars to play with. He was so much fun to watch, and you never knew how it would turn out.
The Vikings offensive line was not good, so their running game was non-existent most of the time. It was up to Fran to deliver.
Lindsey Nelson did a lot of Vikes games in those days.
Yes - a lot of NFC Central Division games, primarily.
One of tarkenton's better games in 1978. The man threw 32 picks that year
He also threw 95 more passes than the #2 QB Jim Hart. He completed 54 more pass than the #2 QB Archie Manning and threw for the most yards. I'm not making excuses for him. I watched every Vikings game that season and his performance was underwhelming, but he was dealing with a sore arm and the team had absolutely no running game whatsoever. Defenses knew that the Vikings were going to throw the ball on most plays. A QB who had an even worse year was Ken Stabler who threw 30 interceptions in 166 less passing attempts than Tarkenton.
@markgardner9460 anderson threw 22 picks, and yes, he was the worst qb in football that year. If not, bill troup. Tark's last year would've been great if he didn't throw all those picks. If the Packers didn't collapse in 1978, the vikings miss the playoffs
Tark (10) really used his RBs well - as receivers. I checked and RB Rickey Young (34) led the NFL with 88 receptions in ‘78 - a then record for receptions by a RB.
In '75, Foreman lead the NFL with 73 receptions which was also a then record.
Fran loved short tosses to his backs!And the defense would creep up, and he would go over the top!
I liked the way they would loop booth RB's around for short passes. Almost a run n shoot type play. Fran sure had some dangerous weapons to go with his HoF abilities
@@mikepastor.k6233 Fran was making up for the Vikings lack of a ground game.
@@stevenzimmerman4057 Hard to believe this was Fran’s last season. He looked nimble and still had good power in his throws. Looks like he could’ve gone another 3 productive years.
The LA Rams did the same thing against Dallas early in the 1978 season by picking up on Cowboy fullback Robert Newhouse's mouthguard habits during the Rams' 27-13 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in September of 1978 at the LA Coliseum. The then Washington Redskins obviously did their homework in watching game film of the Cowboys before they beat Dallas on the road on a Monday night game.
I bet Landry levied a big fine on Newhouse
Nelson was a little under the weather, nevertheless he and Hornung did a fine job broadcasting. The black and blue division, hard hitting and grind it out football. Did you notice the seed germinating for rule changes for qb's "protections" in the Kramer interview spot? I do love this era and always enjoyed watching the Vikes play. Wasn't Fran in the booth with Cosell and Gifford in '79? Thanks brother you're appreciated.
Fran did MNF from '80 through '82 while also co-hosting the tv show That's Incredible!
The NFL really started getting tough on defenders who displayed dirty tactics around this time. Like Hornung noted, QB's were dropping like flies and owners wanted more returns on their highest priced positional investment.
@@markgardner9460 Regarding qb protection: "why don't we put dresses on them too" quote from the eloquent Jack Lambert. We know you meant that well Jack, you were so soft on qb's and running backs.
He wanted dresses on them 45 years ago - I wonder what he thinks they should be wearing now - you can't barely touch 'em now
Although greatly benefiting from the rule changes in 78', Frant T. had a great season . Despite the 27 int's. he was coming off an injury that was described as one similar to Theisman's . The Vikings btw , were dead last in rushing in 78.
He actually had 32 int's which lead the NFL. That was the only time that happened.
@@markgardner9460 Yeah his arm strength wasn't as good but he was still accurate, and the Vikes defense wasn't as good either, meaning Fran was throwing from behind a lot more which, obviously leads to more interceptions.
After he retired, he noted that he played most of the year with an injured shoulder.
Wow ...32 !! Many of his interceptions were long, but under thrown passes. He insisted on throwing deep even though he could'nt .@@markgardner9460
Was wondering if you could ever do a highlight film of Jim Plunkett. Great quarterback went to the Super Bowl once or twice but doesn’t get much mention. I understand you get requests, so whatever you can do your videos, you take us football fans back to the future, where we all belong I should say back to the past ha ha
I will add your request to my list. I have featured him in 2 or 3 videos so far (1971 NFL draft and 1972 Fantasy Football QB's come to mind). Thank you!
@@markgardner9460 thank you so much.
Man do I love seeing those Cowboys blue jerseys of the 70s.
They're sharp!
vikings had no running game due to weak oline, It was all on Fran, he carried the vikings to a north title that year. it was his last year in football and one of his best.
At age 38 he demonstrated incredible athleticism and elusiveness. His passing accuracy and touch was amazing.
@@markgardner9460 Amazing he was still so mobile after breaking his leg the year before!
@@stevenzimmerman4057 he probably could have played another couple of years,
Of course, if he had we would not have had the hail Murray game in 1980 that won us a divisional title that year
that was a phenomenal play!
That Youngblood hit on Kramer the previous week, traumatized the child version of me. Kramer looks good in that interview, but apparently, he lived in a dark room while recovering from his concussion.
For some reason I do not remember that play...and I watched every one of their games back then.
@@markgardner9460 - Remember when Tua was knocked out back in 2022? He had that stiffening... fencing response. The same thing happened to Kramer from a Youngblood hit. Kramer was in for garbage time in the 4th quarter and Youngblood thought he would introduce himself. It was a dick move.
@@markgardner9460 - Google search for "Kramer concussion Youngblood". You should be able to find a Washington Post article on it.
Thank you - I appreciate that!
These offenses could be run by almost anyone. If Fran gets hurt the season isn't over.
No offense, but I disagree. In '77 after Tark broke his leg and Bob Lee took over, it was a much less effective offense - especially in the NFC Championship Game when the Cowboys destroyed the Vikings.
What happened to Foreman ? This was only his 6th season - must have worn down very early.
They used the heck out of him. A RB can only take so much, especially back then. He just wore out.
Packers got off to a great start but then came back down to earth… I believe they finished the season with an 8-8 record….
The Pack's record was 8-7-1 which was the same as the Vikings, but Minnesota won the tie-breaker, so they won the Central Division. This was the first year since 1972 that the Packers had a winning record.
T Kramer took the helm after this season .. Decent QB especially on Tecmo Bowl … lol
Kramer was very exciting to watch, for the most part.
Tarkenton was a great quarterback. Unfortunately the 70’s had innovative coaches. Bud Grant was a great coach, but against the AFC powers they were at a disadvantage and didn’t adjust until the end of the decade.
LOL - 2:48 starting defensive line for GB - Barzilauskas gets no first name due to graphics constraints in the truck!! Was this the year Alan Page left for Chicago? I noticed he didn't start.
Page was waived after week 6 by the Vikings in 1978 and this game was week 8.
Thank you!! If I remember correctly, Page started running marathons and lost a bunch of weight, so he wasn't effective? A family friend is a lawyer (he had a case heard by the MN Supreme Court when Page was on it) and he told me that Page has a pinky finger that is at a 90-degree angle to his hand from football that he never got fixed. @@markgardner9460
Yes, Page was playing at 218 pounds and was getting blown off the ball on running plays. Head Coach Bud Grant insisted that he gain considerable weight, Page refused, and that was that.
'nother great video. Maybe you can clear something up for me. Fact or fiction? I believe it was the '75 NFC Championship Game, Cowboys and Vikings, Vikings ahead until Staubach's hail Mary. Is it true that Tarkington's father, watching the game, had a heart attack at that moment and passed away. I've heard this but never really knew if this was true. Tarkington's nickname, by the way, was the Scrambler. Keep the great vids coming.
Thank you for your kind comments. Those teams played in the divisional play-offs and Fran's Dad did die while watching the game, although I don't think it was caused by the Staubach to Pearson play with 24 seconds remaining.
I heard that he passed away in the second quarter but I don't know 💯,but Fran Tarkenton's father was named Dallas! Not kidding.
Yes, his Dad named him Francis Asbury after the first Methodist minister in the state of Georgia.
I often wonder how the Vikings might have fared those 5 years Tarkenton was with the Giants, 1967-1971. Whether or not they would have gotten that elusive ring is anyone's guess, but their QB play was a huge liability, especially the Gary Cuozzo years.
Yes, I have thought about that, too, but then again I have to remind myself of the talent that they received from the Giants in the form of the draft picks that helped the team tremendously. Thanks for commenting!
@@markgardner9460 Very true, it just wasn't in the cards for them unfortunately.
Was all film in the 1970s out of focus?
We didn't have digital tv back then. Lot clearer now!
@@alkelenson648 - I suppose some of it is just the physical deterioration of the celluloid.
Sorry! Terry Bradshaw, Bob Griese.
Wally Hilgenberg was finally supplanted from his starting right LB in 1977 by Fred McNeil. I noticed Hilgenberg is starting here , whereas McNeil is on special, so not an injury type thing..
This was the only game during the 1978 season that McNeill did not start. I wonder if it was due to disciplinary purposes.
That would be entirely possible with Grant. Another possible suspension may have occurred with starter Brent Mclanahan and Robert Miller in the 76 Champ game. After having a career game against Washington the week before, in the Champ. game Mclanahan had one carry for 2 yards, that's it ! When asked about it , Grant simply said" Theyr'e interchangeable"...loll@@markgardner9460
when does he catch on fire???
2 minute Tommy was there too!
#9 was mighty fine!
October 22 1978 Vikings beat the Packers 21-7 one week after they lost to the Rams 34-17 and 4 days before they beat the Cowboys 21-10 in Dallas in the first ever Thursday Night Football game
That Cowboys game was a shocker! I have published a video on that game.
I could.watch these Old Vikings games every day
I have quite a few of them! Hopefully I can get through all of them.
How he missed that screen pass at the beginning that was a huge gain losssed !!!
It's hard to believe that he had the jitters, but he really messed that one up.
@markgardner9460 every story has a back story I'm a giants fan.......I should know lol
27:51 Fred Cox where are you ? Oh yeah making Nerf football's.❤
I couldn't wait to get one as a kid.........and it was a purple one!
Along with Marino, greatest QBs to never win a SB
It's too bad because those guys really gave it their all.
@@markgardner9460 yeah - and there are 21 other guys on offense and defense. too much blame sometimes on one guy.
How can Chuck Foreman NOT be in the HOF?
Racism sure runs deep in that HOF Selection commitee!
really?
Wow did Tommy Kramer look young! Which he was!
He didn't have problems getting a date any night of the week.
@@markgardner9460 Kramer and Wade Wilson(RIP) were quite the carousers
Same could be said for Hornung back in his day.
Hornung and Max McGee were quite the pair
@@markgardner9460 Without a doubt! Hornung interviewing Kramer! 2 men who enjoyed the night life!
Strange to see no motion at all on the offense on most plays
You're right. Back then about the only team that did that was the Cowboys.
A long time ago now
Time flies! That's for sure.
Fran Tarkenton did go to superbowl thrice time as minn vikes lost all three games as miami dolphins 24-7..pittsburgh steelers 16-6..oakland raiders 32-14.so tarkenton record 0-3
They were all very difficult to watch for a Vikings fan.
Unfortunately, Fran never was on fire in the Superbowls he played in.
No he wasn't. The Vikings were always behind (they didn't score a first half point in any of them), so he had to throw often and that was a recipe for disaster.
The Packers traded for San Diego Chargers John Jefferson this year or the next, they wasted JJ and loused up his career .
Jefferson was with the Chargers from 78-80 (teaming up with Charlie Joiner and Kellen Winslow to form a pretty damn great Air Coryell pass-catching trio). He went to the Packers in 81.
Then the Chargers immediately got Wes Chandler from the Saints
@@michaelleroy9281 Yeah, Wes Chandler was good, and they still had that high-powered Air Coryell offense and still made it to the AFC championship game in the 81 season, but I think Jefferson was a little more exciting… If memory serves me right, he was kinda like Lynn Swann.
Ron Yary was holding. Nothing new about that!!
He was a perennial All-Pro Holder.
6:00 Honest to God...was that really the guy's name?! Poor bastard. Also, pretty sure Vince was/is Greg's cousin
Not many household names on that Packer team.
Certainly not on defense. When Johnny Gray is your most notable defender, that's sayin' somethin'
👍💜
Thank you - I'm glad that you liked it!!
1969-71 were the best Vikings defenses and if Fran was on those teams i bet he wins a super bowl
I agree!
Barbara knows her football
Thanks wave I watch a lot of shows and study the history of the NFL it's intoxicating
If the NFL was so bold and broadcast these old games today, they would out draw any of the cream puff games played today.
That's right! Any game pre-1990 is much preferrable to being watched than anything today, in my opinion.
@@markgardner9460Agree around 90-95 the games weren't as entertaining.
Hes a quiter....he quit on his team 2 years ago in the playoffs!! Refused to play... he wants the money but he don't want to play hurt for his team....bum
I’m 6 1/2 minutes into this video, and I’m pretty sure you don’t what “on fire” means.
Hopefully you watched further to find out.
Ahmad Rasdad AKA Bobby Moore.
When Tarkington Retired I quit watching sports altogether... It wasn't till I was visiting family in Boston after Xmas & had to watch this scrawny kid named Brady win the Superbowl #2... that I started watching again, but now that He's Gone Too....
Fran was a true man. A professional all the way. A class act. During his days, quarterbacks took real hits every week.
Brady is classless. He knew the ball was underinflated, team was stealing signals and was a total corrupt team. Brady whined when he was touched by the defense
Do not put Brady boy in a winning class.
Vikings still a loser of a team, Amatures at best
But Fran tarkington never won the superbowl!!!0 for 5...
Actually, he was 0 for 3, but that's not very good either.
@@markgardner9460 the purple people eaters were good ...Fran tarkington ....WASENT
@Davidjohnson-zd3bk there would be no Lamar Jackson without him also why do you think he's bad?
@@DesertDonkey-c8x just like lamar!Lamar!! NO CHAMPIONSHIPS.....THATS HOW YOUR MEASURED!!!! NOT GAMES WON....CHAMPIONSHIPS
@@Davidjohnson-zd3bk I didn't know you have to win a Superbowl to be a good QB I guess Dan Marino was never good also he made three straight against good teams
Not on fire enough to win a Super Bowl though.
Nope - ran into some of the greatest teams in NFL history in those Super Bowls.
Greg Coleman was a beast...two step...pro bowler
He was a very good coffin corner punter. I don't even think they allow that anymore....or it's frowned upon for whatever reason.
This was a good game"..."SportsStatsNGab "!!
I'm glad that you enjoyed it! I have so many more that I want to publish.
Bud Wilkerson s St.Louis Cardinals! Great college coach not so much in the NFL!
Joining the likes of
Nick Saban
Lou Holtz
Steve Spurrier
Urban Meyer
Chip Kelly
Frank Kush
John McKay
John McKay took his team to the NFC championship in 79.
He molded that team, but it took a lot of hard losing and patience to get to that point.
It was good to see "REAL ALPHA MEN PLAYING!" the game as opposed to todays "Beta Males"