15 NFL Games That Defined the 1970s — More Than the Final Score

The 1970s gave the NFL games that changed television, rewrote records, created phrases fans still use, forced rule changes, ended dynasties, and turned ordinary Sundays and Monday nights into permanent football memories. In this episode of Autumn Sundays NFL, we revisit 15 games from the 1970s and look beyond the final score. These are not ranked from best to worst. Instead, each game is remembered for what it meant in its own moment: a record kick, an impossible reception, a perfect season, a famous controversy, an exhausting overtime marathon, a legendary rushing performance, or a night when television helped change the way America watched pro football. GAMES FEATURED 1. Jets at Browns — The Night Monday Night Football Began — September 21, 1970 2. Lions at Saints — Tom Dempsey From 63 Yards — November 8, 1970 3. Dolphins at Chiefs — The NFL's Longest Game — December 25, 1971 4. Raiders at Steelers — The Immaculate Reception — December 23, 1972 5. Super Bowl VII — Perfect Season, Final Step — January 14, 1973 6. Bills at Jets — O.J. Simpson Reaches 2,000 — December 16, 1973 7. Dolphins at Raiders — The Sea of Hands — December 21, 1974 8. Cowboys at Vikings — The Hail Mary Gets Its Name — December 28, 1975 9. Vikings at Bears — Walter Payton's 275-Yard Day — November 20, 1977 10. Raiders at Colts — Ghost to the Post — December 24, 1977 11. Raiders at Chargers — The Holy Roller — September 10, 1978 12. Eagles at Giants — Miracle at the Meadowlands — November 19, 1978 13. Dolphins at Oilers — Earl Campbell Owns Monday Night — November 20, 1978 14. Super Bowl XIII — Steelers vs Cowboys — January 21, 1979 15. Oilers at Chargers — The Undermanned Oilers Shock San Diego — December 29, 1979 Which 1970s NFL game do you remember most clearly, and which one meant more than the final score to you? Share your memory in the comments and subscribe to Autumn Sundays NFL for more stories from football's past. #nfl #football #games #1970s #score #sundays #autumn