1975 NFL season
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The 1975 NFL season was the 56th regular season of the National Football League. The league made two significant changes to increase the appeal of the game:
- The surviving clubs with the best regular season records were made the home teams for each playoff round. Previously, game sites rotated by division.
- The league pioneered the use of equipping American football referees with wireless microphones to announce penalties and clarify complex and/or unusual rulings to both fans and the media.
The season ended with Super Bowl X when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Dallas Cowboys.
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[edit] Major rule changes
- After a fourth down incomplete pass goes in or through the end zone, the other team will take possession at the previous line of scrimmage. Previously, it resulted in a touchback.
- The penalty for pass interference on the offensive team is reduced from 15 yards to 10.
- If there are fouls by both teams on the same play but one results in a player ejection, the penalties will still offset but the player will still be ejected.
[edit] Final standings
W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against
| Qualified for playoffs |
| AFC East | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Colts | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 395 | 269 |
| Miami Dolphins | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 357 | 222 |
| Buffalo Bills | 8 | 6 | 0 | .571 | 420 | 355 |
| New York Jets | 3 | 11 | 0 | .214 | 258 | 433 |
| New England Patriots | 3 | 11 | 0 | .214 | 258 | 358 |
| AFC Central | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 373 | 162 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 11 | 3 | 0 | .786 | 340 | 246 |
| Houston Oilers | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 293 | 226 |
| Cleveland Browns | 3 | 11 | 0 | .214 | 218 | 372 |
| AFC West | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
| Oakland Raiders | 11 | 3 | 0 | .786 | 375 | 255 |
| Denver Broncos | 6 | 8 | 0 | .429 | 254 | 307 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 282 | 341 |
| San Diego Chargers | 2 | 12 | 0 | .143 | 189 | 345 |
| NFC East | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Cardinals | 11 | 3 | 0 | .786 | 356 | 276 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 350 | 268 |
| Washington Redskins | 8 | 6 | 0 | .571 | 325 | 276 |
| New York Giants | 5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 216 | 306 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 4 | 10 | 0 | .286 | 225 | 302 |
| NFC Central | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
| Minnesota Vikings | 12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 377 | 180 |
| Detroit Lions | 7 | 7 | 0 | .500 | 245 | 262 |
| Chicago Bears | 4 | 10 | 0 | .286 | 191 | 379 |
| Green Bay Packers | 4 | 10 | 0 | .286 | 226 | 285 |
| NFC West | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
| Los Angeles Rams | 12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 312 | 135 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 255 | 286 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 4 | 10 | 0 | .286 | 240 | 289 |
| New Orleans Saints | 2 | 12 | 0 | .143 | 165 | 360 |
[edit] Tiebreakers
- Baltimore finished ahead of Miami in the AFC East based on head-to-head sweep (2-0).
- N.Y. Jets finished ahead of New England in the AFC East based on head-to-head sweep (2-0).
- Los Angeles was the top NFC playoff seed based on better strength of schedule than Minnesota (.383 to Vikings' .332).
- Chicago finished ahead of Green Bay in the NFC Central based on better division record (2-4 to Bears' 1-5).
[edit] Playoffs
- Main article: NFL playoffs, 1975-76
- Home team in capitals
[edit] AFC
- Divisional playoffs: PITTSBURGH 28, Baltimore 10; OAKLAND 31, Cincinnati 28
- AFC Championship: PITTSBURGH 16, Oakland 10
[edit] NFC
- Divisional playoffs: LOS ANGELES 35, St. Louis 23; Dallas 17, MINNESOTA 14
- NFC Championship: Dallas 37, LOS ANGELES 7
[edit] Super Bowl X
Pittsburgh (AFC) 21, Dallas (NFC) 17, at Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
[edit] References
- NFL Record and Fact Book (ISBN 193299436X)
- NFL History 1971-1980 (Last accessed December 4, 2005)
- Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (ISBN 0062701746)
