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Instead of a traditional Thanksgiving Day game hosted by the Dallas Cowboys , the league scheduled a Miami Dolphins at St. Louis Cardinals contest. This would be only the second season since 1966 that the Cowboys did not play on that holiday.

This was the last NFL regular season with 14 games. The regular season was expanded to 16 games in 1978 , with the preseason reduced from six games to four.

The season ended with Super Bowl XII when the Cowboys defeated the Denver Broncos .


MAJOR RULE CHANGES

  • The head slap is outlawed. This change is referred to as the " Deacon Jones Rule"; The Rams Defensive End frequently used this technique.

  • Any shoe worn by a player with an artificial limb must have a kicking surface that conforms to that of a normal kicking shoe. Named the " Tom Dempsey Rule" after the placekicker who wore a modified shoe on his deformed kicking foot that had a flattened and enlarged toe area. This shoe had somewhat the appearance of a hammer, and thus gave him an advantage over other kickers.

  • Defenders are only permitted to make contact with receivers once.

  • Defenders are not allowed to make contact with an opponent above the shoulders with the palms of their hands, except to ward him off the line.

  • Offensive linemen are not allowed to thrust their hands to a defender's neck, face, or head.

  • Wide receivers are not allowed to clip defenders.



FINAL STANDINGS

''W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against''

''Note: Teams current name is included within the () if its name/location has been changed''







Tiebreakers

  • Baltimore finished ahead of Miami in the AFC EAST based on better conference record (9-3 to Dolphins' 8-4).

  • Buffalo finished ahead of N.Y. Jets in the AFC East based on better strength of schedule (.582 to Jets' .536).

  • Cincinnati finished ahead of Houston in the AFC Central based on better division record (6-3 to Oilers' 5-4).

  • Minnesota finished ahead of Chicago in the NFC Central based on fewer losses by common opponents (11 losses to 14 losses by the Bears' opponents).

  • Chicago won the NFC Wild Card over Washington based on better net points in conference games (48 to Redskins' 4).

  • Philadelphia finished ahead of N.Y. Giants in the NFC East based on head-to-head sweep (2-0).



PLAYOFFS

See Also: NFL playoffs, 1977-78


  RD1 Divisional Playoffs
  RD2 Conf Championship Games
  RD3 Super Bowl XII
  "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/December_26" class="copylinks">December 26 - LA Memorial Coliseum 3) ''' Minnesota Vikings ''''''14'''2) Los Angeles Rams 7
  "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/December_26" class="copylinks">December 26 - Texas Stadium 4) Chicago Bears 71) ''' Dallas Cowboys ''''''37'''
  "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/December_24" class="copylinks">December 24 - Memorial Stadium 4) ''' Oakland Raiders ''' (2OT) '''37'''2) Baltimore Colts 31
  "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/December_24" class="copylinks">December 24 - Mile High Stadium 3) Pittsburgh Steelers 211) ''' Denver Broncos ''''''34'''
  "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/January_1" class="copylinks">January 1 - Texas Stadium 3) Minnesota Vikings 61) ''' Dallas Cowboys ''''''23'''
  "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/January_1" class="copylinks">January 1 - Mile High Stadium 4) Oakland Raiders 171) ''' Denver Broncos ''''''20'''