# 1977 New York Jets season

The 1977 New York Jets season was the 18th season for the team and the 8th in the National Football League. It began with the team trying to improve upon its 3–11 record from 1976 under new head coach Walt Michaels and beginning the post-Joe Namath era. However, the Jets struggled and finished with a third consecutive 3–11 season.
They won a major off the field court decision. As per the memorandum of understanding signed in late 1961 by team original owner (as the New York Titans) Harry Wismer, Shea Stadium’s co-tenants, the New York Mets, would have exclusive use of the stadium until they had completed their season. The Jets were, in most years, required to open the season with several road games, a problem made worse in 1969 and 1973 when the Mets had long playoff runs. Feeling that this arrangement was a disadvantage, the team announced in 1977 that they would play two home games a year during the month of September at the Giants’ new home in New Jersey, Giants Stadium. Litigation began between New York City and the Jets over the issue, and in the lawsuit’s settlement, the city agreed to allow the Jets to play two September home games a season at Shea beginning in 1978 for the remaining six years in the Jets' lease. In 1977, the Jets were to play one September game at Giants Stadium and an October 2 game at Shea. From 1967 through this season—a span of 11 seasons—the Jets did not play a home game at Shea Stadium in the month of September. As of 2017, the Jets are the first (and so far, only) team in NFL history to finish 3 straight seasons with only 3 wins. During the NFL's 16-game schedule from the 1978 season to the 2020 season, no team finished 3–13 three years in a row, and no team has yet to finish 3-14 three years in a row under the 17-game schedule used since the 2021 season.

## Offseason
### Draft

1977 New York Jets draft :
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College |
| 1 | 4 | Marvin Powell | OT | USC |
| 2 | 33 | Wesley Walker | WR | California |
| 3 | 72 | Tank Marshall | DT | Texas A&M |
| 4 | 90 | Scott Dierking | RB | Purdue |
| 5 | 116 | Perry Griggs | WR | Troy State |
| 5 | 129 | Gary Gregory | OT | Baylor |
| 6 | 144 | Joe Klecko * $^†$ | DT | Temple |
| 7 | 168 | Charlie White | RB | Bethune-Cookman |
| 7 | 171 | Bob Grupp | P | Duke |
| 7 | 195 | Kevin Long | RB | South Carolina |
| 8 | 200 | Dan Alexander | OG | LSU |
| 8 | 210 | Ed Thompson | LB | Ohio State |
| 9 | 227 | Matt Robinson | QB | Georgia |
| 10 | 256 | John Hennessy | LB | Michigan |
| 11 | 307 | Dave Butterfield | DB | Nebraska |
| 12 | 312 | Phil Gargis | QB | Auburn |
| 12 | 313 | Dave Conrad | OT | Maryland |
| Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career ||||||

## Schedule

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance |
| 1 | September 18 | at Houston Oilers | L 0–20 | 0–1 | Astrodome | 39,488 |
| 2 | September 25 | Baltimore Colts | L 12–20 | 0–2 | Giants Stadium | 43,439 |
| 3 | October 2 | New England Patriots | W 30–27 | 1–2 | Shea Stadium | 38,227 |
| 4 | October 9 | at Buffalo Bills | W 24–19 | 2–2 | Rich Stadium | 32,046 |
| 5 | October 16 | at Miami Dolphins | L 17–21 | 2–3 | Miami Orange Bowl | 43,446 |
| 6 | October 23 | Oakland Raiders | L 27–28 | 2–4 | Shea Stadium | 56,734 |
| 7 | October 30 | at New England Patriots | L 13–24 | 2–5 | Schaefer Stadium | 61,042 |
| 8 | November 6 | Miami Dolphins | L 10–14 | 2–6 | Shea Stadium | 51,582 |
| 9 | November 13 | Seattle Seahawks | L 0–17 | 2–7 | Shea Stadium | 42,923 |
| 10 | November 20 | at Baltimore Colts | L 12–33 | 2–8 | Memorial Stadium | 50,957 |
| 11 | November 27 | Pittsburgh Steelers | L 20–23 | 2–9 | Shea Stadium | 47,385 |
| 12 | December 4 | at New Orleans Saints | W 16–13 | 3–9 | Louisiana Superdome | 40,464 |
| 13 | December 11 | Buffalo Bills | L 10–14 | 3–10 | Shea Stadium | 31,929 |
| 14 | December 18 | at Philadelphia Eagles | L 0–27 | 3–11 | Veterans Stadium | 19,241 |
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. |||||||

### Game summaries
#### Week 1: at Houston Oilers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Jets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oilers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 20 |
at Houston Astrodome, Houston, Texas
* Date: September 18
* Game time: 3:00 p.m.
* Game weather: dome
* Box Score
Game information :
Second quarter
HOU – Don Hardeman 1 yard run (Skip Butler kick)
Fourth quarter
HOU – Dan Pastorini 1 yard run (Skip Butler kick)
HOU – Rob Carpenter 1 yard run (kick failed)
Passing
NYJ – Richard Todd 10/25, 115 yards, INT
HOU – Dan Pastorini 20/32, 137 yards
Rushing
NYJ – Charlie White 13 att, 43 yards
HOU – Don Hardeman 12 att, 55 yards, TD
Receiving
NYJ – David Knight 3 rec, 40 yards
HOU – Ken Burrough 3 rec, 57 yards :

#### Week 2 vs. Colts

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Colts | 7 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 20 |
| Jets | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 12 |
at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
* Date: September 25
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 55 °F (13 °C)
* Game attendance: 43,439
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
BAL – Roosevelt Leaks 6-yard run (Toni Linhart kick). Colts 7–0. Drive:
Second quarter
BAL – Don McCauley 2-yard run (Toni Linhart kick). Colts 14–0. Drive:
NYJ – Pat Leahy 25-yard field goal. Colts 14–3. Drive:
Third quarter
BAL – Don McCauley 1-yard run (Toni Linhart kick). Colts 21–3. Drive:
Fourth quarter
NYJ – Safety, David Lee ran out of end zone. Colts 21–5.
NYJ – Charlie White 1-yard run (Pat Leahy kick). Colts 21–12. Drive:
Top passers
BAL – Bert Jones – 9/15, 78 yards, INT
NYJ – Richard Todd – 13/22, 140 yards, 2 INT
Top rushers
BAL – Lydell Mitchell – 26 rushes, 68 yards
NYJ – Charlie White – 12 rushes, 36 yards, TD
Top receivers
BAL – Don McCauley – 5 receptions, 40 yards
NYJ – Clark Gaines – 6 receptions, 47 yards :

#### Week 11 vs. Steelers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Steelers | 6 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 23 |
| Jets | 6 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
at Shea Stadium, Flushing, New York
* Date: November 27
* Game time: 1:00 p.m.
* Game weather: 31 °F (−1 °C)
* Game attendance: 47,385
* Referee: Jerry Markbreit
* TV announcers (NBC): Jim Simpson and Merlin Olsen
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
NYJ – Pat Leahy 33-yard field goal. Jets 3–0. Drive:
PIT – John Stallworth 37-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (kick blocked). Steelers 6–3. Drive:
NYJ – Pat Leahy 47-yard field goal. Tie 6–6. Drive:
Second quarter
PIT – Lynn Swann 5-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick). Steelers 13–6. Drive:
NYJ – Scott Dierking 5-yard pass from Matt Robinson (Pat Leahy kick). Tie 13–13. Drive:
PIT – Franco Harris 1-yard run (Roy Gerela kick). Steelers 20–13. Drive:
Third quarter
No scoring
Fourth quarter
PIT – Roy Gerela 37-yard field goal. Steelers 23–13. Drive:
NYJ – Bruce Harper 4-yard pass from Richard Todd (Pat Leahy kick). Steelers 23–20. Drive:
Top passers
PIT – Terry Bradshaw – 10/28, 143 yards, 2 TD, INT
NYJ – Matt Robinson – 7/19, 80 yards, TD, 3 INT
Top rushers
PIT – Franco Harris – 21 rushes, 83 yards, TD
NYJ – Scott Dierking – 23 rushes, 107 yards
Top receivers
PIT – Lynn Swann – 4 receptions, 54 yards, TD
NYJ – Scott Dierking – 3 receptions, 26 yards, TD :

#### Week 13: vs. Buffalo Bills

Joe Ferguson hit Bob Chandler with two touchdown passes as the Bills defeated the Jets 14-10 at Shea Stadium. Pat Leahy opened the scoring, early in the 2nd quarter with a 25-yd Field goal. Richard Todd connected with Wesley Walker to put the Jets ahead with less than two minutes remaining in the final quarter, but Ferguson moved the Bills 92 yards, tossing the winning touchdown with 40 seconds left.

#### Week 14: at Philadelphia Eagles
### Standings

AFC East :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| Baltimore Colts$^{(2)}$ | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 6–2 | 9–3 | 295 | 221 | W1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 6–2 | 8–4 | 313 | 197 | W1 |
| New England Patriots | 9 | 5 | 0 | .643 | 4–4 | 7–5 | 278 | 217 | L1 |
| New York Jets | 3 | 11 | 0 | .214 | 2–6 | 2–10 | 191 | 300 | L2 |
| Buffalo Bills | 3 | 11 | 0 | .214 | 2–6 | 2–10 | 160 | 313 | L1 |