1977 Green Bay Packers season

1977 Green Bay Packers season
1977 Green Bay Packers season
Head coach	Bart Starr
Home field	Lambeau Field; Milwaukee County Stadium
Results
Record	4–10
Division place	4th NFC Central
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
	← 1976; Packers seasons; 1978 →;

The 1977 Green Bay Packers season was their 59th season overall and their 57th season in the National Football League. The team finished with a 4–10 record under coach Bart Starr, earning them a fourth-place finish in the NFC Central division. The Packers suffered injuries and continued to be among the worst teams in the NFL, posting a 4–10 record. During the season, quarterbacks Lynn Dickey and David Whitehurst combined to throw 21 interceptions while just connecting on six touchdown passes. They only scored 134 points, second worst in the league to the 2–12 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (103).

Offseason

NFL draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	College
1977 Green Bay Packers draft
1	9	Mike Butler	Defensive end	Kansas
1	28	Ezra Johnson *	Defensive end	Morris Brown
2	39	Greg Koch	Offensive tackle	Arkansas
3	74	Rick Scribner	Guard	Idaho State
5	122	Nate Simpson	Running back	Tennessee State
6	149	Tim Moresco	Safety	Syracuse
7	172	Derrel Gofourth	Center	Oklahoma State
7	176	Rell Tipton	Guard	Baylor
8	206	David Whitehurst	Quarterback	Furman
9	233	Joel Mullins	Offensive tackle	Arkansas State
10	260	Jim Culbreath	Running back	Oklahoma
11	290	Terry Randolph	Cornerback	American International
Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Undrafted free agents

1977 Undrafted Free Agents of note
Player	Position	College
Rick Moore	Defensive back	North Carolina Central
Randy Rose	Wide receiver	Wisconsin

Roster

**1977 Green Bay Packers roster**
Quarterbacks (QB) 12 Brian Dowling 17 David Whitehurst Running backs (RB) 31 Jim Culbreath 40 Willard Harrell 34 Terdell Middleton 48 Nate Simpson 33 Barty Smith 26 Eric Torkelson Wide receivers (WR) 82 Keith Hartwig 84 Steve Odom 89 Ollie Smith 43 Aundra Thompson 18 Randy Vataha Tight ends (TE) 88 Bert Askson 81 Rich McGeorge		Offensive linemen (OL) 57 Derrel Gofourth C 62 Dennis Havig G 72 Dick Himes T 71 Melvin Jackson G 60 Steve Knutson G 68 Greg Koch T 79 Mark Koncar T 67 Bob Kowalkowski G 54 Larry McCarren C Defensive linemen (DL) 70 Bob Barber DE 77 Mike Butler DE 90 Ezra Johnson DE 61 Herb McMath DT 75 Dave Pureifory DT 74 Dave Roller DT 83 Clarence Williams DE		Linebackers (LB) 53 Fred Carr 50 Jim Carter 51 Jim Gueno 58 Don Hansen 56 Blane Smith Defensive backs (DB) 28 Willie Buchanon CB 24 Johnnie Gray FS 46 Steve Luke SS 29 Mike McCoy CB 37 Tim Moresco S 23 Terry Randolph CB 21 Steve Wagner SS Special teams 11 David Beverly P 13 Chester Marcol K				Reserve 10 Lynn Dickey QB (IR) 86 Jessie Green WR (IR) -- Rick Scribner T (IR) -- Rell Tipton G (IR) 52 Gary Weaver LB (IR) Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 18	at New Orleans Saints	W 24–20	1–0	Louisiana Superdome	56,250
2	September 25	Houston Oilers	L 10–16	1–1	Lambeau Field	55,071
3	October 2	at Minnesota Vikings	L 7–19	1–2	Metropolitan Stadium	47,143
4	October 9	Cincinnati Bengals	L 7–17	1–3	Milwaukee County Stadium	53,653
5	October 16	at Detroit Lions	L 6–10	1–4	Pontiac Silverdome	78,452
6	October 23	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 13–0	2–4	Tampa Stadium	47,635
7	October 30	Chicago Bears	L 0–26	2–5	Lambeau Field	56,002
8	November 6	at Kansas City Chiefs	L 10–20	2–6	Arrowhead Stadium	62,687
9	November 13	Los Angeles Rams	L 6–24	2–7	Milwaukee County Stadium	52,948
10	November 21	at Washington Redskins	L 9–10	2–8	RFK Stadium	51,498
11	November 27	Minnesota Vikings	L 6–13	2–9	Lambeau Field	56,267
12	December 4	Detroit Lions	W 10–9	3–9	Lambeau Field	56,267
13	December 11	at Chicago Bears	L 10–21	3–10	Soldier Field	33,557
14	December 18	San Francisco 49ers	W 16–14	4–10	Milwaukee County Stadium	44,902

Monday (November 21)

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Season summary

Week 1: at New Orleans Saints

Television network: CBS
Announcers: Tim Ryan, Nick Buoniconti

Williard Harrell's 75-yard punt return and Lynn Dickey's 15-yard touchdown pass to Ken Payne helped Green Bay to a 24-0 that turned out to be the difference in their opener win. New Orleans' Chuck Muncie had touchdown runs of two and three yards and Archie Manning threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to Henry Childs in a futile rally. Saints coach Hank Stram said "I guess you can say we slept through the first half. You just can't play 30 minutes and expect to win."

Week 3: at Minnesota Vikings

Week 3: Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Packers	7	0	0	0	7
Vikings	7	6	0	6	19

at Metropolitan Stadium, Minnesota

Date: October 2, 1977
Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
Game weather: Overcast, 47 °F (8 °C)
TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan and Johnny Unitas
[1]

Game information

First quarter

Second quarter

Third quarter

Fourth quarter

Top passers

MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 19/27, 184 yards, 1 TD
GB – Lynn Dickey – 8/20, 143 yards, 1 TD

Top rushers

MIN – Chuck Foreman – 19 rushes, 53 yards, 1 TD
GB – Eric Torkelson – 8 rushes, 34 yards

Top receivers

MIN – Sammy White – 5 receptions, 73 yards, 1 TD
GB – Steve Odom – 1 receptions, 95 yards, 1 TD

Standings

NFC Central
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Minnesota Vikings⁽³⁾	9	5	0	.643	6–1	8–4	231	227	W1
Chicago Bears⁽⁴⁾	9	5	0	.643	6–1	8–4	255	253	W6
Detroit Lions	6	8	0	.429	2–5	4–8	183	252	L1
Green Bay Packers	4	10	0	.286	2–5	4–7	134	219	W1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	2	12	0	.143	0–4	2–11	103	223	W2