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1970 New Orleans Saints season

{{short description|NFL team season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox NFL team season

| team = New Orleans Saints

| year = 1970

| record = 2–11–1

| division_place = 4th NFC West

| coach = Tom Fears (1–5–1)
J. D. Roberts (1–6)

| general manager = Vic Schwenk

| owner = John W. Mecom Jr.

| stadium = Tulane Stadium

| playoffs = Did not qualify

| pro bowlers = None

| uniform =

| shortnavlink = Saints seasons

}}

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 {{nowrap|of 5–9,}} winning only two games,[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/nor/1970.htm 1970 New Orleans Saints] and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.

Following a 1–5–1 start, head coach Tom Fears was fired by owner John W. Mecom Jr. and replaced by J.D. Roberts,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Aw9ZAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zmwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6928%2C458566 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |agency=Associated Press |title=Saints bounce Fears as head coach |date=November 4, 1970 |page=25}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HtEbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ilAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5712%2C2353702 |work=Pittsburgh Press |agency=UPI |title=Fears fired by Saints |date=November 4, 1970 |page=73}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GwBYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DPcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2723%2C5784710 |work=The Bulletin |location=(Bend, Oregon) |agency=UPI |title=Saints get new coach |date=November 4, 1970 |page=11}} whose first game was a {{nowrap|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;{{cite news |url=

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZNwNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zmwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3374%2C1141089 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |agency=Associated Press |title=63-yard FG lifts Saints over Lions |date=November 9, 1970 |page=25}} it broke the record held by Bert Rechichar of the Baltimore Colts by seven yards, set seventeen years {{nowrap|earlier.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IJtRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KhEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3930%2C1540387 |work=Milwaukee Sentinel |agency=Associated Press |title=Dempsey's 63 yard FG jolts Lions |date=November 9, 1970 |page=1, part 2 }}{{Dead link|date=May 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=E5ExAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OxAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2279%2C3321799 |work=Milwaukee Sentinel |agency=Associated Press |title=Colts jolt Bears, 13-9, get record 56-yard field goal |date=September 28, 1953 |page=2, part 2 }}{{Dead link|date=May 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}}} Dempsey's record was tied by three: Jason Elam (Denver Broncos, {{nfly|1998}}), Sebastian Janikowski (Oakland Raiders, {{nfly|2011}}), and David Akers (San Francisco 49ers, {{nfly|2012}}). {{nowrap|It was}} broken by Matt Prater of the Broncos in {{nfly|2013}}, at 64 yards at elevation in Colorado (Prater's record was broken in {{nfly|2021}} by Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens, who kicked a 66-yard game winner vs. the Lions).

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 {{nowrap|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.

The Saints' 2–11–1 record was the worst in the NFC and gave them the second overall pick in the 1971 NFL draft; they selected quarterback Archie Manning of Mississippi.

Offseason

= NFL draft =

{{main article|1970 NFL draft}}

{{NFL team draft start

| year = 1970

| teamname = New Orleans Saints

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 1

| pick = 10

| player = Ken Burrough

| position = Wide receiver

| college = Texas Southern

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| probowl = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 3

| pick = 62

| player = Clovis Swinney

| position = Defensive tackle

| college = Arkansas State

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 4

| pick = 88

| player = Delles Howell

| position = Defensive back

| college = Grambling

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 5

| pick = 106

| player = Glenn Cannon

| position = Defensive back

| college = Mississippi

| notes =

| maderoster =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 5

| pick = 126

| player = Steve Ramsey

| position = Quarterback

| college = North Texas State

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 6

| pick = 140

| player = Mel Easley

| position = Defensive back

| college = Oregon State

| notes =

| maderoster =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 7

| pick = 166

| player = Lon Woodard

| position = Defensive end

| college = San Diego State

| notes =

| maderoster =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 8

| pick = 192

| player = Larry Estes

| position = Defensive end

| college = Alcorn A&M

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 9

| pick = 218

| player = Jim Otis

| position = Running back

| college = Ohio State

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| probowl = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 10

| pick = 244

| player = Jim Brumfield

| position = Running back

| college = Indiana State

| notes =

| maderoster =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 11

| pick = 270

| player = Gary Klahr

| position = Linebacker

| college = Arizona

| notes =

| maderoster =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 12

| pick = 296

| player = Willie Davenport

| position = Defensive back

| college = Southern

| notes =

| maderoster =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 13

| pick = 322

| player = Ralph Miller

| position = Tight end

| college = Alabama State

| notes =

| maderoster =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 14

| pick = 348

| player = Doug Sutherland

| position = Defensive end

| college = Wisconsin-Superior

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 15

| pick = 374

| player = Jim Vest

| position = Defensive end

| college = Washington State

| notes =

| maderoster =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 16

| pick = 400

| player = Cliff Gaspar

| position = Defensive tackle

| college = Grambling

| notes =

| maderoster =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 17

| pick = 426

| player = Doug Wyatt

| position = Defensive back

| college = Tulsa

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft end

| hof = no

}}

{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/nor/1970_draft.htm |title=1970 New Orleans Saints draftees |work=Pro-Football-Reference.com |access-date=November 10, 2014 }}

Personnel

= Staff =

{{NFL final staff

| year = 1970

| team = New Orleans Saints

| front_office =

  • President – John W. Mecom, Jr.
  • General Manager – Vic Schwenk
  • Director of Player Personnel – Jack Faulkner

| head_coach =

| offensive =

| defensive =

}}

{{cite web |title=All-Time Roster |url=http://www.neworleanssaints.com/team/history/all-time-roster.html |publisher=NewOrleansSaints.com |access-date=June 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618110940/http://www.neworleanssaints.com/team/history/all-time-roster.html |archive-date=2012-06-18 |url-status=dead }}

= Roster =

{{NFL season roster

| year = 1970

| team = New Orleans Saints

| quarterbacks =

{{NFLplayer|14|Ed Hargett}}

{{NFLplayer|17|Billy Kilmer}}

{{NFLplayer|16|Steve Ramsey|d=American football|rookie=y}}

| running_backs =

{{NFLplayer|32|Tom Barrington}}

{{NFLplayer|36|Dick Davis|d=running back}}

{{NFLplayer|36|Vic Nyvall|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|35|Jim Otis|rookie=y|FB}}

{{NFLplayer|22|Elijah Pitts}}

{{NFLplayer|39|Ernie Wheelwright|d=running back}}

| wide_receivers =

{{NFLplayer|46|Danny Abramowicz}}

{{NFLplayer|00|Ken Burrough|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|25|Al Dodd}}

{{NFLplayer|47|Bill Dusenbery|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|30|Bob Shaw|d=wide receiver|rookie=y}}

| tight_ends =

{{NFLplayer|83|Dave Parks}}

{{NFLplayer|85|Ray Poage}}

| offensive_linemen =

{{NFLplayer|50|Jake Kupp|G}}

{{NFLplayer|70|Errol Linden|T}}

{{NFLplayer|75|Mike Richey|d=American football|T}}

{{NFLplayer|67|John Shinners|G}}

{{NFLplayer|73|Jerry Sturm|C}}

{{NFLplayer|60|Doug Sutherland|d=American football|rookie=y|G}}

{{NFLplayer|72|Don Talbert|T}}

{{NFLplayer|77|Mike Taylor|d=offensive tackle|T}}

{{NFLplayer|61|Del Williams|G}}

| defensive_linemen =

{{NFLplayer|84|Larry Estes|rookie=y|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|89|Dave Long|d=American football|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|87|Richard Neal|d=American football|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|76|Dave Rowe|d=American football|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|79|Clovis Swinney|rookie=y|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|74|Mike Tilleman|DT}}

| linebackers =

{{NFLplayer|53|Dick Absher}}

{{NFLplayer|82|Johnny Brewer}}

{{NFLplayer|55|Jackie Burkett}}

{{NFLplayer|66|Bill Cody|d=American football}}

{{NFLplayer|59|Wayne Colman}}

{{NFLplayer|57|Mike Morgan|d=linebacker, born 1942}}

| defensive_back =

{{NFLplayer|49|Major Hazelton}}

{{NFLplayer|18|Hugo Hollas|rookie=y|SS}}

{{NFLplayer|20|Delles Howell|rookie=y|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|43|Dicky Lyons|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|24|Elijah Nevett|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|21|Joe Scarpati|FS}}

{{NFLplayer|23|Doug Wyatt|rookie=y|CB}}

| special_teams =

{{NFLplayer|19|Tom Dempsey|K}}

{{NFLplayer|10|Julian Fagan|P}}

| reserve_lists =

{{NFLplayer|38|Tony Baker|d=running back, born 1945|RB|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|48|Andy Livingston|RB|IR}}

| practice_squad =

}}

Schedule

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New Orleans Saints|year=1970|border=2}}"| Week

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New Orleans Saints|year=1970|border=2}}"| Date

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New Orleans Saints|year=1970|border=2}}"| Opponent

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New Orleans Saints|year=1970|border=2}}"| Result

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New Orleans Saints|year=1970|border=2}}"| Record

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New Orleans Saints|year=1970|border=2}}"| Venue

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New Orleans Saints|year=1970|border=2}}"| Attendance

style="background:#fcc"

! 1

| September 20

| Atlanta Falcons

| L 3–14

| 0–1

| Tulane Stadium

| 77,042

style="background:#fcc"

! 2

| September 27

| at Minnesota Vikings

| L 0–26

| 0–2

| Metropolitan Stadium

| 47,900

style="background:#cfc"

! 3

| October 4

| New York Giants

| W 14–10

| 1–2

| Tulane Stadium

| 69,126

style="background:#fcc"

! 4

| October 11

| at St. Louis Cardinals

| L 17–24

| 1–3

| Busch Memorial Stadium

| 45,294

style="background:#ffc"

! 5

| October 18

| at San Francisco 49ers

| T 20–20

| 1–3–1

| Kezar Stadium

| 39,446

style="background:#fcc"

! 6

| October 25

| at Atlanta Falcons

| L 14–32

| 1–4–1

| Atlanta Stadium

| 58,850

style="background:#fcc"

! 7

| November 1

| Los Angeles Rams

| L 17–30

| 1–5–1

| Tulane Stadium

| 77,861

style="background:#cfc"

! 8

| November 8

| Detroit Lions

| W 19–17

| 2–5–1

| Tulane Stadium

| 66,910

style="background:#fcc"

! 9

| November 15

| at Miami Dolphins

| L 10–21

| 2–6–1

| Miami Orange Bowl

| 42,866

style="background:#fcc"

! 10

| November 22

| Denver Broncos

| L 6–31

| 2–7–1

| Tulane Stadium

| 66,837

style="background:#fcc"

! 11

| November 29

| at Cincinnati Bengals

| L 6–26

| 2–8–1

| Riverfront Stadium

| 59,342

style="background:#fcc"

! 12

| December 6

| at Los Angeles Rams

| L 16–34

| 2–9–1

| Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

| 66,410

style="background:#fcc"

! 13

| December 13

| San Francisco 49ers

| L 27–38

| 2–10–1

| Tulane Stadium

| 61,940

style="background:#fcc"

! 14

| December 20

| Chicago Bears

| L 3–24

| 2–11–1

| Tulane Stadium

| 63,518

style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New Orleans Saints|year=1970|border=2}}"

|colspan="7"| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

{{1970 NFC West standings}}

Quotes

Al Wester of WWL Radio describes Tom Dempsey's 63-yard field goal against the Detroit Lions.

{{blockquote|Here’s the snap. The ball is down. Dempsey's kick is on the way. And...it is good! It’s good! It’s good! The Saints have won! The Saints have won! The stadium is wild. Dempsey is being mobbed. The time has run out, and the Saints have won, 19-17! Dempsey with a 63-yard field goal! The longest field goal in the history of the National League!}}

Don Criqui describing the same play for CBS:

{{blockquote|He's trying a 63-yard field goal. Not only will Tom Dempsey if he hits this one--he has a very slight wind at his back--he'll set a National Football League record, in addition to winning the game. (Dempsey kicks) I don't believe this..."IT'S GOOD! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! THE FIELD GOAL ATTEMPT WAS GOOD FROM 63 YARDS AWAY! It's the incredible! Tulane Stadium has gone wild! A 63-yard field goal!}}

References

{{Reflist}}

{{New Orleans Saints}}

{{New Orleans Saints seasons}}

{{1970 NFL season by team}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1970 New Orleans Saints Season}}

Category:New Orleans Saints seasons

New Orleans Saints

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