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The 1976 Green Bay Packers - 5-9 (4TH - Central Division)

Head Coach: Bart Starr

1976 PRE-SEASON RESULTS (2-4)

                                                                                                                                                               OFF     DEF

JULY (0-1)                                RESULT    RECORD    ATT RSH PSS RSH PSS STARTING QB         LEADING RUSHER           LEADING PASSER         LEADING RECEIVER

31 G-CINCINNATI BENGALS                  L 17-23    0- 1-0 50,245                 Lynn Dickey         Barty Smith (24)         Lynn Dickey (145)      Eric Torkelson (3-49)

AUGUST (2-2)

7  M-TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS                W 10- 6    1- 1-0 53,421                 Carlos Brown        Willard Harrell (73)     Don Milan (78)         Jessie Green (2-32)

15 at New England Patriots               W 16-14    2- 1-0 28,448                 Carlos Brown        Willard Harrell (55)     Carlos Brown (148)     Steve Odom (3-82)

20 at Buffalo Bills                      L  0-37    2- 2-0 33,706                 Carlos Brown        Willard Harrell (25)     Carlos Brown (77)      Ken Payne (2-150

28 G-NEW YORK GIANTS                     L 16-20    2- 3-0 56,267                 Lynn Dickey         Willard Harrell (54)     Lynn Dickey (137)      Willard Harrell (4-43)

SEPTEMBER (0-1)

3  M-ATLANTA FALCONS                     L  7-26    2- 4-0 54,989                 Lynn Dickey         John Brockington (27)    Lynn Dickey (182)      Eddie Beil (3-51)

1976 REGULAR SEASON RESULTS

SEPTEMBER (0-3)

12 G-SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (0-0)           L 14-26    0- 1-0 54,628 125 102 210 104 Lynn Dickey         Willard Harrell (43)     Lynn Dickey (119)      Willard Harrell (4-13)

19 at St. Louis Cardinals (1-0)          L  0-29    0- 2-0 48,842  62  69 208 212 Lynn Dickey         Willard Harrell (23)     Lynn Dickey (104)      Barty Smith (3-10)

26 at Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)           L  7-28    0- 3-0 44,103  71 -35 222  64 Lynn Dickey         John Brockington (26)    Lynn Dickey (45)       Rich McGeorge (2-28)

OCTOBER (2-3)

3  G-DETROIT LIONS (1-2)                 W 24-14    1- 3-0 54,758 212  35 155  61 Lynn Dickey         Willard Harrell (111)    Willard Harrell (40)   Steve Odom (2-45)

10 M-SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (0-5)              W 27-20    2- 3-0 54,983 187 193  58 169 Lynn Dickey         Barty Smith (84)         Lynn Dickey (215)      Ken Payne (6-64)

17 G-PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (2-3)           W 28-13    3- 3-0 55,115 130 226  96 143 Lynn Dickey         Barty Smith (51)         Lynn Dickey (226)      Willard Harrell (3-91)

24 at Oakland Raiders (5-1)              L 14-18    3- 4-0 52,232 108 264 115 161 Lynn Dickey         Willard Harrell (41)     Lynn Dickey (303)      Ken Payne (6-120)

31 at Detroit Lions (3-4)                L  6-27    3- 5-0 74,582  87  76 222 187 Lynn Dickey         Barty Smith (67)         Lynn Dickey (93)       Rich McGeorge (4-29)

NOVEMBER (1-3)

7  M-NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (2-7)            W 32-27    4- 5-0 52,936 175 123 136 161 Lynn Dickey         Willard Harrell (52)     Lynn Dickey (138)      Ken Payne (3-35)

14 at Chicago Bears (4-5)                L 13-24    4- 6-0 52,907  82 179 202  47 Lynn Dickey         John Brockington (71)    Lynn Dickey (181)      Steve Odom (6-92)

21 M-MINNESOTA VIKINGS (8-1-1)           L 10-17    4- 7-0 53,104 146  82 100 151 Carlos Brown        John Brockington (51)    Carlos Brown (82)      Ken Payne (3-29)

28 G-CHICAGO BEARS (5-6)                 L 10-16    4- 8-0 56,267  82 177 201  72 Carlos Brown        Carlos Brown (22)        Carlos Brown (125)     Ollie Smith (4-121)

DECEMBER (1-1)

5  at Minnesota Vikings (9-2-1)          L  9-20    4- 9-0 43,700  59  85 218 195 Carlos Brown        John Brockington (27)    Carlos Brown (93)      Ollie Smith (4-47)

12 at Atlanta Falcons (4-9)              W 24-20    5- 9-0 23,116 196 154 145 108 Randy Johnson       John Brockington (89)    Randy Johnson (165)    Ollie Smith (5-91)

G - Green Bay  M - Milwaukee * - Overtime

1976 IN REVIEW

The Packers of 1976 were a prime example of why Bart Starr had asked the fans for patience at his first press conference as head coach. Except for a four-game stretch in October, the team was nearly as ineffective as its counterparts from the year before. The team made a one-game improvement in its record (5-9), yet finished at the bottom of the NFC Central Division for a second year in a row. Offensively, the team dropped from 23rd to 26th, coming in ahead of only the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons. Defensively, the team improved two notches to 14th overall, but allowed opponents to score more points in 1975. When the Packers generated more rushing yards than their opponents, they usually won. In all but one instance, the team with the most rushing yards emerged victorious. The lone exception, the Vikings, who slipped past the Packers 17-10 on November 21 despite being outrushed 146-100 yards.

 

THE 1976 SWINE FLU "EPIDEMIC"

During the last swine flu outbreak, in 1976, the government tried to convince every American to get vaccinated. And in Wisconsin, that effort included showing this public service announcement featuring Johnnie Gray and Steve Luke of the Packers. The swine flu outbreak, also known as the swine flu fiasco, or the swine flu debacle, was a strain of H1N1 influenza virus that appeared in 1976. Infections were only detected from January 19 to February 9, and were not found outside Fort Dix. The outbreak is most remembered for the mass immunization that it prompted in the United States. The strain itself killed one person and hospitalized 13. However, side-effects from the vaccine caused five hundred cases of Guillain–Barré syndrome and 25 deaths. The relatively benign disease outbreak and the vaccine reactions produced some political and sociological fallout. 

The vaccination program have been attributed to the political climate associated with President Ford's re-election campaign in 1976.

NAME                NO  POS  HGT WGT COLLEGE         YR PR AG  G HOW ACQUIRED

Ron Acks            57   LB 6- 2 225 Illinois         3  9 31 13 1974 FA-New England

Bert Askson         88   TE 6- 2 225 Texas Southern   2  4 30 14 1975 FA-NO (1973)

Bob Barber          70   DE 6- 3 240 Grambling        1  1 24 14 1976 Trade-Pittsburgh

David Beverly       11    P 6- 2 180 Auburn           2  3 26 14 1975 FA-Houston

John Brockington    42   RB 6- 1 225 Ohio State       6  6 27 14 1971 Draft-1st round

Carlos Brown        19   QB 6- 3 210 Pacific          2  2 24 13 1975 Draft-12th round

Willie Buchanon     28   CB 6- 0 190 San Diego State  5  5 25 14 1972 Draft-1st round

Jim Burrow          41    S 5-11 180 Nebraska         1  1 26  3 1976 Draft-8th round

Fred Carr           53   LB 6- 5 240 Texas-El Paso    9  9 30 14 1968 Draft-1st round

Lynn Dickey         10   QB 6- 4 210 Kansas State     1  5 26 10 1976 Trade-Houston

Dick Enderle        67    G 6- 2 250 Minnesota        1  8 28  3 1977 FA-San Francisco

Gale Gillingham     68    G 6- 3 265 Minnesota       10 10 32 14 1966 Draft-1st round

Johnnie Gray        24    S 5-11 185 Cal St-Fullerton 2  2 22 14 1975 FA

Jessie Green        86   WR 6- 2 185 Tulsa            1  1 22  1 1976 Draft-10th round

Jim Gueno           51   LB 6- 2 220 Tulane           1  1 22 14 1976 Draft-9th round

Charlie Hall        44   CB 6- 1 190 Pittsburgh       6  6 28 14 1971 Draft-3rd round

Don Hansen          58   LB 6- 2 220 Illinois         1 10 32 12 1976 Trade-Seattle

Willard Harrell     40   RB 5- 9 182 Pacific          2  2 23 13 1975 Draft-3rd round

Dick Himes          72    T 6- 4 260 Ohio State       9  9 30 14 1968 Draft-3rd round

Bob Hyland          55    C 6- 5 255 Boston College   4 11 31 14 1976 FA-Giants (1975)

Mel Jackson         71    G 6- 1 267 USC              1  1 22 13 1976 Draft-12th round

Randy Johnson       16   QB 6- 3 205 Texas A&I        1 10 32  3 1976 FA-Wash (1975)

Steve Knutson       60    T 6- 3 254 USC              1  1 24 12 1976 FA

Mark Koncar         79    T 6- 5 268 Colorado         1  1 23 14 1976 Draft-1st round

Bob Lally           58   LB 6- 2 230 Cornell          1  1 24  2 1976 FA

Steve Luke          46   DB 6- 2 205 Ohio State       2  2 22 14 1975 Draft-4th round

Chester Marcol      13    K 6- 0 190 Hillsdale        5  5 26 14 1972 Draft-2nd round

Larry McCarren      54    C 6- 3 248 Illinois         4  4 24 14 1973 Draft-12th round

Mike C. McCoy       29   CB 5-11 183 Colorado         1  1 23 14 1976 Draft-3rd round

Mike P. McCoy       76   DT 6- 5 275 Notre Dame       7  7 27 14 1970 Draft-1st round

Rich McGeorge       81   TE 6- 4 230 Elon             7  7 27 14 1970 Draft-1st round

Steve Odom          84   WR 5- 8 174 Utah             3  3 23 12 1974 Draft-5th round

Dave Osborn         41   RB 6- 0 208 North Dakota     1 12 33  6 1976 FA-Minn (1975)

Ken Payne           85   WR 6- 1 185 Langston         3  3 25 14 1974 Draft-6th round

Tom Perko           56   LB 6- 3 233 Pittsburgh       1  1 22 14 1976 Draft-4th round

Dave Pureifory      75   DE 6- 1 255 E. Michigan      5  5 27 14 1972 Draft-6th round

Alden Roche         87   DE 6- 4 255 Southern         6  7 31 14 1971 Trade-Denver

Dave Roller         74   DT 6- 2 270 Kentucky         2  3 26 14 1975 FA-S. Cal (WFL)

NAME                NO  POS  HGT WGT COLLEGE         YR PR AG  G HOW ACQUIRED

Barty Smith         33   FB 6- 3 240 Richmond         3  3 24  8 1974 Draft-1st round

Ollie Smith         89   WR 6- 3 200 Tennessee State  1  3 27 13 1976 Trade-Oakland

Perry Smith         45   CB 6- 1 195 Colorado State   4  4 25 13 1973 FA-Oakland

Ken Starch          32   RB 5-11 219 Wisconsin        1  1 22  6 1976 FA

Cliff Taylor        27   RB 6- 0 195 Memphis State    1  2 24  7 1976 FA-Chi (1974)

Tom Toner           59   LB 6- 3 235 Idaho State      3  3 26 11 1973 Draft-6th round

Eric Torkelson      26   RB 6- 2 194 Connecticut      3  3 24 14 1974 Draft-11th round

Bruce Van Dyke      61    G 6- 2 255 Missouri         3 11 32 14 1974 Trade-Pittsburgh

Steve Wagner        21    S 6- 2 208 Wisconsin        1  1 22 11 1976 FA

Gary Weaver         52   LB 6- 1 225 Fresno State     2  4 27 14 1975 FA-Oak (1974)

Clarence Williams   83   DE 6- 5 255 Prairie View     7  7 29 14 1970 Trade-Dallas

Don Zimmerman       80   WR 6- 3 195 NE Louisiana     1  4 26  2 1976 Trade-Phil

NO - Jersey Number POS - Position HGT - Height WGT - Weight YR - Years with Packers PR - Years of Professional Football AGE - Age on September 1 G - Games  Played FA - Free Agent

1976 PACKERS DRAFT (April 8-9, 1976)

RND-PCK NAME                POS COLLEGE

1a     8 Traded to Los Angeles in John Hadl trade     

1b    23 Mark Koncar (A)     OT Colorado

2     39 Traded to Los Angeles in John Hadl trade

3a    70 Traded to Pittsburgh in Bruce Van Dyke trade

3b    72 Mike C. McCoy (B)   DB Colorado              

4a   101 Tom Perko           LB Pittsburgh            

4b   117 Traded to Houston in Lynn Dickey trade (C)   

5    132 Aundra Thompson     RB East Texas State      

6    166 Traded to Houston in Paul Robinson trade     

7    192 Traded to Cincinnati in Pat Matson trade     

8    218 Jim Burrow          DB Nebraska 

9    245 Jim Gueno           LB Tulane 

10   274 Jessie Green        WR Tulsa 

11   301 Curtis Leak         WR Johnson C. Smith 

12   328 Mel Jackson         OG USC

13   355 Bradley Bowman      DB S. Mississippi

14   386 John Henson         RB Cal Poly-SLO

15   413 Jerry Dandridge     LB Memphis State 

16   440 Mike Timmermans     OG Northern Iowa 

17   467 Ray Hall            TE Cal Poly-SLO

A-From Oakland for Ted Hendricks (1975) B-From Kansas City in MacArthur Lane trade (1975) C-Acquired from Philadelphia in Bill Lueck trade (1975)

Anchor 1

1976 PACKER TRADES - TRANSACTIONS

MAR 30 - Lost WR Barry Smith (Tampa Bay), LB Ken Hucherson (Seattle) and S Al Matthews (Seattle) in the NFL expansion draft

APR 1 - Signed RB Ken Grandberry (S.CALIFORNIA-WFL), RB Cliff Taylor (CHICAGO), CB Derrick Williams (LOS ANGELES), OT Steve Knutson (ATLANTA), G Larry Butler (CHARLOTTE-WFL), OT Phil Brazeau (PORTLAND-WFL), DT Chris Stecher (PORTLAND-WFL), WR Steve Haggerty (HAWAII-WFL) and RB Howard Strickland (S.CALIFORNIA-WFL)

APR 2 - Traded QB John Hadl, DB Ken Ellis, a 1976 4th-round draft choice (through Philadelphia-WR Steve Largent) and a 1977 3rd-round choice (RB Tim Wilson) to HOUSTON for QB Lynn Dickey

JUN 11 - Acquired WR Earl Thomas from ST. LOUIS for an undisclosed draft choice. Signed RB Tom Jakubowski, LB Jerry Dandridge (15th round), K Tim Black, OT Larry Johnson and P-K Bruce Barnes

JUL 15 - Released RB Tim Jakubowski

JUL 20 - Waived K Tim Black and RB Ken Grandberry

JUL 30 - LB Larry Hefner retired

AUG 2 - Signed WR Ron Mayo. OG Jim Miller retired. Placed DT Chris Stecher (knee) and LB Jerry Dandridge (knee) on injured reserve. Released P-K Bruce Barnes, C Bill Cooke, WR John Green, TE Ray Hall (17th round) and DE Larry Johnson (59 player - 2 All-Stars)

AUG 3 - Placed WR Earl Thomas (did not report) on reserve list (61 players - 2 All-Stars)

AUG 13 - Released WR Curtis Leak (11th round)

AUG 18 - Traded a 1977 4th-round draft choice (C Ted Petersen) to PITTSBURGH for DE Bob Barber

AUG 23 - Waived RB Terry Wells, DE Drew Taylor, WR Ron Mayo, WR Nate Hawkins and LB Tom Hull. Placed WR Gerald Tinker (knee) on injured reserve and DB Jim Burrow (knee) on 15-day inactive list (51 players)

AUG 26 - Traded a 1977 12th-round draft choice (LB Rod Martin) to OAKLAND for WR Ollie Smith

AUG 31 - Traded OG Bill Bain to DENVER for a 1977 3rd-round draft choice (G Rick Scribner)

SEPT 6 - Traded K Joe Danelo to NEW YORK GIANTS for a 1978 10th-round draft choice (C Mark Totten) and a 1977 7th-round (C Derrel Gofourth). Placed LB Jim Carter (broken arm), WR Aundra Thompson (back), DB Derrick Williams (broken leg), OL Keith Wortman and QB Don Milan (wrist) on injured reserve. Waived DT Steve Okoniewski and RB John Henson (14th round) (43 players)

SEPT 15 - Traded an undisclosed draft choice to PHILADELPHIA for WR Don Zimmerman

SEPT 21 - Purchased LB Don Hansen from SEATTLE for cash

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