



The 1977 Green Bay Packers - 4-10 (4TH - Central Division)
Head Coach: Bart Starr
1977 PRE-SEASON RESULTS (2-4)
OFF DEF
AUGUST (1-3) RESULT RECORD ATT RSH PSS RSH PSS STARTING QB LEADING RUSHER LEADING PASSER LEADING RECEIVER
6 G-CINCINNATI BENGALS W 23-20 1- 0-0 51,178 Lynn Dickey Barty Smith (36) Lynn Dickey (147) John Brockington (5-26)
13 M-NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS L 3-38 1- 1-0 53,244 Lynn Dickey Terdell Middleton (19) Lynn Dickey (47) Terdell Middleton (3-31)
20 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 7-10 1- 2-0 49,045 Lynn Dickey Terdell Middleton (25) Randy Johnson (70) Willard Harrell (4-11)
27 M-WASHINGTON REDSKINS L 9-13 1- 3-0 55,021 Lynn Dickey Nate Simpson (38) Lynn Dickey (91) Nate Simpson (3-9)
SEPTEMBER (1-1)
3 G-CLEVELAND BROWNS L 14-19 1- 4-0 53,180 Lynn Dickey Terdell Middleton (19) Lynn Dickey (153) Steve Odom (3-61)
9 G-PHILADELPHIA EAGLES W 24-16 2- 4-0 32,217 Lynn Dickey John Brockington (40) Lynn Dickey (119) Ollie Smith (2-61)
1977 REGULAR SEASON RESULTS
SEPTEMBER (1-1)
18 at New Orleans Saints (0-0) W 24-20 1- 0-0 56,250 81 123 153 162 Lynn Dickey Eric Torkelson (27) Lynn Dickey (142) Ken Payne (3-71)
25 G-HOUSTON OILERS (1-0) L 10-16 1- 1-0 55,071 95 184 90 137 Lynn Dickey Eric Torkelson (55) Lynn Dickey (193) Barty Smith (7-66)
OCTOBER (1-4)
2 at Minnesota Vikings (1-1) L 7-19 1- 2-0 47,143 81 127 194 131 Lynn Dickey Eric Torkelson (34) Lynn Dickey (143) Randy Vataha (2-20)
9 M-CINCINNATI BENGALS (1-2) L 7-17 1- 3-0 53,653 112 115 159 174 Lynn Dickey Barty Smith (53) Lynn Dickey (115) Barty Smith (3-30)
16 at Detroit Lions (2-2) L 6-10 1- 4-0 78,452 67 82 133 129 Lynn Dickey Barty Smith (35) Lynn Dickey (127) Randy Vataha (2-36)
23 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-5) W 13- 0 2- 4-0 47,635 125 93 75 113 Lynn Dickey Eric Torkelson (73) Lynn Dickey (115) Eric Torkelson (3-23)
30 G-CHICAGO BEARS (2-4) L 0-26 2- 5-0 56,002 101 96 375 44 Lynn Dickey Barty Smith (54) Lynn Dickey (96) Ollie Smith (3-57)
NOVEMBER (0-4)
6 at Kansas City Chiefs (1-6) L 10-20 2- 6-0 62,687 84 115 177 124 Lynn Dickey Terdell Middleton (49) Lynn Dickey (139) Steve Odom (6-80)
13 M-LOS ANGELES RAMS (5-3) L 6-24 2- 7-0 52,948 93 246 190 146 Lynn Dickey Terdell Middleton (36) Lynn Dickey (276) Willard Harrell (5-49)
21 at Washington Redskins (5-4) L 9-10 2- 8-0 51,498 89 107 159 95 David Whitehurst Nate Simpson (47) David Whitehurst (140) Steve Odom (4-48)
27 G-MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-3) L 6-13 2- 9-0 56,267 108 61 158 60 David Whitehurst Eric Torkelson (53) David Whitehurst (75) Ollie Smith (2-27)
DECEMBER (2-1)
4 G-DETROIT LIONS (5-6) W 10- 9 3- 9-0 56,267 164 65 100 95 David Whitehurst Nate Simpson (76) David Whitehurst (65) Steve Odom (3-46)
11 at Chicago Bears (7-5) L 10-21 3-10-0 33,557 161 115 234 114 David Whitehurst Barty Smith (86) David Whitehurst (89) Nate Simpson (3-22)
18 M-SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (5-8) W 16-14 4-10-0 44,902 103 219 117 195 David Whitehurst Eric Torkelson (35) David Whitehurst (219) Barty Smith (5-63)
G - Green Bay M - Milwaukee * - Overtime
1977 IN REVIEW
The Packers' offense in 1977 was a throwback to the low scoring early years of pro football. Green Bay ranked 27th in total yards and 27th in rushing yards. It scored an average of one touchdown per game. Its 134 points were the team's worst output since 1949. With such an unproductive attack, the team was fortunate to finish 4-10. The offensive woes could be traced to the preseason. New England manhandled the Packers 38-3 in a game in which Bart Starr accused Patriots coach Chuck Fairbanks of running up the score. Tampa Bay, the doormat of the league, embarrassed Green Bay 10-7 on August 20th. During the regular season, the Packers struggled with injuries and continued to be among the worst teams in the NFL. QBs Lynn Dickey and David Whitehurst combined to throw 21 interceptions while connecting on just six touchdown passes.
LYNN DICKEY AND ALL THOSE INJURIES
To say Lynn Dickey never reached his full potential in the NFL due to injuries would be an understatement. Dickey's ailments combined to cost him more than three full seasons. And it started back in college. After a stellar career at Kansas State, Dickey was selected for the 1971 Senior Bowl. Trying to impress the scouts, he failed to warm up properly and began to throw hard. A sore arm sent him from a probable first-rounder to the third round, where the Oilers selected him after taking QB Dan Pastorini in the first round. After sitting on the bench his rookie year, Dickey had a chance to start in 1972, but, in a pre-season game against the Cardinals, he tried to scramble but was grabbed from behind by a Cardinal defender. Dickey's left hipbone popped out of its socket, breaking off a piece of the socket bone and tearing ligaments in the process. A hip specialist reattached the broken piece of socket bone with two screws, and he would return to the Oilers in 1973. He started for the Packers in 1976, until the 10th game when he separated his throwing shoulder and underwent surgery in which a screw was implanted in the joint. The operation itself was routine, but the incision became infected. The following season, Ram DT Larry Brooks crashed into him on the last play of a game on November 13. Brooks's hit shattered the tibia and fibula in Dickey's left leg, leaving his left ankle pointed in at a 90-degree angle. Doctors operated, screwing a metal plate to the broken bones to secure them while they knitted. After several months the plate was removed, and Dickey tried to run again. He worked up to a mile a day, but the pain in his leg never slackened. There was nonunion of the bones. In effect, the leg was still broken. Dickey had to undergo yet another operation, one in which a metal rod was hammered like a railroad spike down through an opening just below his knee and into his tibia. The rod strengthened the bone, but it left Dickey with such acute tendinitis in his knee that he could barely jog. Dickey went so far as to interview for a job as a sporting-goods sales rep, but he quickly dropped the idea. After missing all but a few plays of 33 consecutive games, he hobbled back into the Packers' starting lineup in November of 1979. In 1980 the rod was removed from Dickey's leg—it was his seventh operation—and the tendinitis in his knee cleared up. After his return, Dickey's injuries became less severe, if not less painful. In 1980 he had tendinitis in his right shoulder, which at times prevented him from throwing in practice. In 1981 he missed three games after getting speared in the back by Detroit's William Gay. The following summer, the back acted up, and then came a massive migraine headache the week of the Houston game to open the 1983 season. All in all, Dickey showed perseverance and determination in putting together a decent NFL career. (SOURCE: Sports Illustrated)
NAME NO POS HGT WGT COLLEGE YR PR AG G HOW ACQUIRED
Bert Askson 88 TE 6- 2 225 Texas Southern 3 5 31 14 1975 FA-New Or (1973)
Bob Barber 70 DE 6- 3 240 Grambling 2 2 25 14 1976 Trade-Pittsburgh
David Beverly 11 P 6- 2 180 Auburn 3 4 27 14 1975 FA-Houston
John Brockington 42 RB 6- 1 225 Ohio State 7 7 28 1 1971 Draft-1st round
Willie Buchanon 28 CB 6- 0 190 San Diego State 6 6 26 14 1972 Draft-1st round
Mike Butler 77 DE 6- 5 265 Kansas 1 1 23 14 1977 Draft-1st round
Fred Carr 53 LB 6- 5 240 Texas-El Paso 10 10 31 14 1968 Draft-1st round
Jim Carter 50 LB 6- 3 245 Minnesota 7 7 28 14 1970 Draft-3rd round
Jim Culbreath 31 RB 6- 0 210 Oklahoma 1 1 24 13 1977 Draft-10th round
Lynn Dickey 10 QB 6- 4 210 Kansas State 2 6 26 9 1976 Trade-Houston
Brian Dowling 12 QB 6- 2 200 Yale 1 3 30 5 1977 FA-New E (1973)
Derrel Gofourth 57 C 6- 3 260 Oklahoma State 1 1 22 14 1977 Draft-7th round
Johnnie Gray 24 S 5-11 185 Cal St-Fullerton 3 3 23 14 1975 FA
Jim Gueno 51 LB 6- 2 220 Tulane 2 2 23 14 1976 Draft-9th round
Don Hansen 58 LB 6- 2 228 Illinois 2 11 33 13 1976 Trade-Seattle
Willard Harrell 40 RB 5- 9 182 Pacific 3 3 24 13 1975 Draft-3rd round
Keith Hartwig 82 WR 6- 0 186 Arizona 1 1 23 7 1977 FA
Dennis Havig 62 G 6- 3 255 Colorado 1 6 28 9 1977 FA-Hou (1976)
Dick Himes 72 T 6- 4 260 Ohio State 10 10 31 13 1968 Draft-3rd round
Mel Jackson 71 G 6- 1 267 USC 2 2 23 13 1976 Draft-12th round
Ezra Johnson 90-78 DE 6- 4 240 Morris Brown 1 1 21 14 1977 Draft-1st round
Steve Knutson 60 T 6- 3 254 USC 2 2 25 13 1976 FA
Greg Koch 68 T 6- 4 265 Arkansas 1 1 22 14 1977 Draft-2nd round
Mark Koncar 79 T 6- 5 268 Colorado 2 2 24 13 1976 Draft-1st round
Bob Kowalkowski 67 G 6- 3 245 Virginia 1 12 33 9 1977 FA-Det (1976)
Steve Luke 46 DB 6- 2 205 Ohio State 3 3 23 14 1975 Draft-4th round
Chester Marcol 13 K 6- 0 190 Hillsdale 6 6 27 14 1972 Draft-2nd round
Larry McCarren 54 C 6- 3 248 Illinois 5 5 25 14 1973 Draft-12th round
Mike C. McCoy 29 CB 5-11 183 Colorado 2 2 24 14 1976 Draft-3rd round
Rich McGeorge 81 TE 6- 4 230 Elon 8 8 28 14 1970 Draft-1st round
Herb McMath 61 DT 6- 4 250 Morningside 1 2 22 9 1977 Trade-Oakland
Terdell Middleton 37 HB 6- 0 195 Memphis State 1 1 22 14 1977 Draft-3rd round
Tim Moresco 84 WR 5-10 176 Syracuse 1 1 22 14 1977 Draft-6th round
Steve Odom 84 WR 5- 8 174 Utah 4 4 24 14 1974 Draft-5th round
Ken Payne 85 WR 6- 1 185 Langston 4 4 26 4 1974 Draft-6th round
Dave Pureifory 75 DE 6- 1 255 E. Michigan 6 6 28 12 1972 Draft-6th round
NAME NO POS HGT WGT COLLEGE YR PR AG G HOW ACQUIRED
Terry Randolph 23 CB 6- 0 184 American Int 1 1 22 14 1977 Draft-11th round
Dave Roller 74 DT 6- 2 270 Kentucky 3 4 27 13 1975 FA-S. Cal (WFL)
Nate Simpson 48 RB 5-11 190 Tennessee State 1 1 22 12 1977 Draft-5th round
Barty Smith 33 FB 6- 3 240 Richmond 4 4 25 14 1974 Draft-1st round
Blane Smith 56 G 6- 3 238 Purdue 1 1 24 1 1977 FA
Ollie Smith 89 WR 6- 3 200 Tennessee State 2 4 28 12 1976 Trade-Oakland
Aundra Thompson 43 WR 6- 0 186 E. Texas State 1 1 24 14 1976 Draft-5th round
Tom Toner 59 LB 6- 3 235 Idaho State 4 4 27 11 1973 Draft-6th round
Eric Torkelson 26 RB 6- 2 194 Connecticut 4 4 25 14 1974 Draft-11th round
Randy Vataha 18 WR 5-10 170 Stanford 1 7 28 6 1977 FA-New E (1976)
Steve Wagner 21 S 6- 2 208 Wisconsin 2 2 23 14 1976 FA
Gary Weaver 52 LB 6- 1 225 Fresno State 3 5 28 5 1975 FA-Oak (1974)
David Whitehurst 17 QB 6- 2 204 Furman 1 1 22 7 1977 Draft-8th round
Clarence Williams 83 DE 6- 5 255 Prairie View 8 8 30 13 1970 Trade-Dallas
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
1977 PACKERS DRAFT (May 3-4, 1977)
RND-PCK NAME POS COLLEGE NOTES
1a 9 Mike Butler DE Kansas
1b 28 Ezra Johnson DE Morris Brown A
2 39 Greg Koch OT Arkansas
3a 66 Traded to Houston in Lynn Dickey trade (1976)
3b 74 Rick Scribner OG Idaho State B
3c 80 Terdell Middleton RB Memphis St C
4 94 Traded to Pittsburgh for DE Bob Barber (1976)
5 122 Nate Simpson RB Tennessee St
6 149 Tim Moresco DB Syracuse
7a 172 Derrel Gofourth C Oklahoma St D
7b 176 Rell Tipton OG Baylor
8 206 David Whitehurst QB Furman
9 233 Joel Mullins OT Arkansas State
10 260 Jim Culbreath RB Oklahoma
11 290 Terry Randolph DB American International
A-From Oakland as compensation for Ted Hendricks (1975) B-From Denver for Bill Bain (1976) C-From St. Louis for DB Perry Smith (1977) D-From New York Giants for K Joe Danelo (1976)
1977 PACKER TRADES - TRANSACTIONS
MAY 5 - Traded DB Perry Smith to ST. LOUIS for a a 1977 3rd-round draft choice
SEPTEMBER 6 - Traded DE Alden Roche to BALTIMORE for an undisclosed draft choice
SEPTEMBER 12 - Traded DT Mike P. McCoy to OAKLAND for DL Herb McMath, a 1978 1st-round draft choice (LB John Anderson) and a 1979 4th-round selection (later sent to Washington)