Eagles/Niners '81

[74_75_78_79_]

Defending-conference-champ from the year before and the conference-(and SB)-champ-to-be. Neither played each other in '81. When SF made their 'arrival' statement against Dallas early in the season, the Birds were still unbeaten at 6-0 having beat Buffalo on the road and still-thought-to-be-a-contender Falcons on MNF. I'm sure many still thought Philly the team to beat. As that season wore on, at what point (week, game in season) did it seem apparent to you that SF was now the better team than them?

As I posted just recently, Eagles losing that close one at home to Dallas in Week #9, dropping them to a 7-2 tie with Big D, 'signaled' to me at least that Dallas would win back the East. But Niners being better than Eagles, maybe not the case. Many were overlooking their Week #6 triumph over Dallas as an anomaly, Dallas beating themselves or taking them lightly. For some of you, however, WAS it as early as SF 45, Dallas 14 that you were willing to place the Niners over the Birds? Or were there, perhaps, some of you going into the playoffs who actually thought if Eagles beat Giants in WCG, that they'd topple new-to-playoffs Niners at Candlestick the following week? This, of course, despite the way that they fell into the post-season. I'm guessing most of you will go with Week #14 when SF beat Cincy at Riverfront, 21-3, as Eagles dropped their 3rd-straight (now 9-5) in a strange one to Washington.

[ChrisBabcock]

The Eagles collapse that year is strange. They scored 13 or less in their late season 4 game losing streak... and didn't have another winning season until '88.

[7DnBrnc53]

I'm guessing most of you will go with Week #14 when SF beat Cincy at Riverfront, 21-3, as Eagles dropped their 3rd-straight (now 9-5) in a strange one to Washington.

I think that Washington game was the one where they gave away the game on a stupid Ron Jaworski INT that was returned for a TD. If they didn't blow the Dallas (at home) game and that Redskin game, they are 12-4 and division champs.

They probably end up in the NFC Title Game (I see them beating Tampa. Dallas would take care of the Giants in the WC game before losing to SF in Round 2), but they lose to the upstart 49ers.

[74_75_78_79_]

I'm guessing most of you will go with Week #14 when SF beat Cincy at Riverfront, 21-3, as Eagles dropped their 3rd-straight (now 9-5) in a strange one to Washington.

I think that Washington game was the one where they gave away the game on a stupid Ron Jaworski INT that was returned for a TD. If they didn't blow the Dallas (at home) game and that Redskin game, they are 12-4 and division champs.

They probably end up in the NFC Title Game (I see them beating Tampa. Dallas would take care of the Giants in the WC game before losing to SF in Round 2), but they lose to the upstart 49ers.

Here's the NYT article on the game - http://www.nytimes.com/1981/12/07/sport ... n-row.html

Having just read it, I was expecting Frank LeMaster's name to come up. Seeing the game when it first took place, I thought I remember him playing a role in costing them the game. I do remember a FG attempt late in the 4th. In either event the game served as a hint of greatness to come in the Gibbs Era. Their 0-5/1-6 start was too much to overcome down the stretch. By regular season's end, they very well may have been better than the Giants, TB, and the Eagles themselves as well as almost-qualifiers, Detroit & GB. With Philly it was just the opposite. They won enough early on to survive that end-of-season collapse to still make the playoffs, only to lose again at home to NYG. Losing close games...a theme that would sadly continue in '82.

[nicefellow31]

I'm guessing most of you will go with Week #14 when SF beat Cincy at Riverfront, 21-3, as Eagles dropped their 3rd-straight (now 9-5) in a strange one to Washington.

Having just read it, I was expecting Frank LeMaster's name to come up. Seeing the game when it first took place, I thought I remember him playing a role in costing them the game. I do remember a FG attempt late in the 4th. In either event the game served as a hint of greatness to come in the Gibbs Era. Their 0-5/1-6 start was too much to overcome down the stretch. By regular season's end they very well may have been better than the Giants, TB, and the Eagles themselves along with almost-qualifiers Detroit & GB.

I was 14 during that season and I can remember it was a BIG deal that the Skins beat the Eagles. That was the start of a 3 game winning streak to end the season and optimism for next year was high. There was an old TV show, Redskins Sidelines, that used to come on every Monday during the season. The last show of the year, even the players were excited about things to come.

Here's a link of commercials with a spot about Redskins Sidelines at the :30 mark. Show was hosted by Sonny Jurgnesen and the late great (and funny) Glenn Brenner. Watch it for the commercials and the brief John Lennon tribute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwfoZ42HwLw

[BD Sullivan]

At the time of that 12/4 game, the Eagles were 9-4 and Redskins 5-8. The win sparked a three-game winning streak for Washington to close out the season, with the Skins finishing on a 7-2 surge after their 1-6 start.

[74_75_78_79_]

[/quote]

I was 14 during that season and I can remember it was a BIG deal that the Skins beat the Eagles. That was the start of a 3 game winning streak to end the season and optimism for next year was high. There was an old TV show, Redskins Sidelines, that used to come on every Monday during the season. The last show of the year, even the players were excited about things to come.

Here's a link of commercials with a spot about Redskins Sidelines at the :30 mark. Show was hosted by Sonny Jurgnesen and the late great (and funny) Glenn Brenner. Watch it for the commercials and the brief John Lennon tribute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwfoZ42HwLw[/quote]

Nice clip!

As for that Niners/Bengals Week #14 game, I only ever knew that final 21-3 score. Looking at the box score just now, I see that - like Dallas eight weeks prior - Cincy gave up plenty of turnovers to SF (6 to their 1). They were installed as 7-pt favorites. Not by a lot, but Bengals did outgain them in yards - both rushing and passing. Maybe this is part of the reason why Niners, despite completing their sweep of 'America's Team', weren't getting all too much respect going into SBXVI where Vegas (seemingly reluctantly) installed them as a 1-point fave.

[CSKreager]

The strange thing about the '81 Eagles collapse is how it happened- they didn't lose any games in dominating decisive fashion. They gave up big plays at the wrong time and couldn't make big plays of their own.