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1979 Detroit Lions
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Record: 2-14-0, Finished 5th in NFC Central Division
NFL Season Summary
Scored 219 points (13.7/g), 28th of 28 in the NFL.
Allowed 365 points (22.8/g), 23rd.
Differential of -146 points (-9.1/g), 28th.
Expected W-L: 3.7-12.3.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential -20 (-1.2/g), 28th.
Coached by Monte Clark (2-14-0)
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1979 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees
Starters
Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE · Hide Non-primary Starters| Pos | Age | Yrs | GS | Summary of Player Stats | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Starters | Complete Team Stats | |||||
| QB | Jeff Komlo | 23 | Rook | 14 | 183 for 368, 2,238 yards, 11 td, 23 int, & 30 rushes for 107 yards and 2 td | Detroit Lions / 9th / 231st pick / 1979 |
| RB | Dexter Bussey | 27 | 5 | 10 | 144 rushes for 625 yards, 1 td, & 15 catches for 102 yards and 0 td | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 65th pick / 1974 |
| RB | Rick Kane | 25 | 2 | 6 | 94 rushes for 332 yards, 4 td, & 9 catches for 104 yards and 1 td | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 69th pick / 1977 |
| FB | Bo Robinson | 23 | Rook | 12 | 87 rushes for 302 yards, 2 td, & 14 catches for 118 yards and 0 td | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 67th pick / 1979 |
| WR | Freddie Scott | 27 | 5 | 14 | 62 catches for 929 yards, 5 td, & 6 rushes for 21 yards and 0 td | Baltimore Colts / 7th / 174th pick / 1974 |
| WR | Gene A. Washington | 32 | 10 | 0 | 14 catches for 192 yards, 1 td, & 1 rush for 24 yards and 0 td | San Francisco 49ers / 1st / 16th pick / 1969 |
| TE | David Hill* | 25 | 3 | 15 | 47 catches for 569 yards, 3 td, & 1 rush for 15 yards and 0 td | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 46th pick / 1976 |
| LT | Karl Baldischwiler | 23 | 1 | 16 | Miami Dolphins / 7th / 178th pick / 1978 |
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| LG | Homer Elias | 24 | 1 | 14 | Detroit Lions / 4th / 107th pick / 1978 |
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| C | Larry Tearry | 23 | 1 | 0 | Detroit Lions / 4th / 109th pick / 1978 |
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| RG | Russ Bolinger | 25 | 3 | 16 | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 68th pick / 1976 |
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| RT | Keith Dorney | 22 | Rook | 16 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 10th pick / 1979 |
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| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Dave Pureifory | 30 | 7 | 15 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Green Bay Packers / 6th / 142nd pick / 1972 |
| LDT | Dave Gallagher | 27 | 5 | 0 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Chicago Bears / 1st / 20th pick / 1974 |
| RDT | Doug English | 26 | 4 | 0 | 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 38th pick / 1975 |
| RDE | Al Baker* | 23 | 1 | 16 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 40th pick / 1978 |
| LLB | Ed O'Neil | 27 | 5 | 12 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 8th pick / 1974 |
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| MLB | Charlie Weaver | 30 | 8 | 0 | 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 48th pick / 1971 |
| MLB | Ken Fantetti | 22 | Rook | 8 | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 37th pick / 1979 |
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| RLB | James Harrell | 22 | Rook | 8 | ||
| LCB | Walt Williams | 25 | 2 | 7 | 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 42nd pick / 1977 |
| RCB | Luther Bradley | 24 | 1 | 16 | 4 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Detroit Lions / 1st / 11th pick / 1978 |
| SS | Jimmy Allen | 27 | 5 | 14 | 4 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 100th pick / 1974 |
| FS | James Hunter | 25 | 3 | 15 | 3 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Detroit Lions / 1st / 10th pick / 1976 |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Benny Ricardo | 25 | 3 | 0 | 10 of 18 field goals & 25 of 26 extra points | |
| P | Larry Swider | 24 | Rook | 0 | 88 punts for a 40.0 average, 0 blocked | Denver Broncos / 7th / 185th pick / 1977 |
| PR | John Arnold | 24 | Rook | 0 | 19 punt returns for a 8.6 average and 0 td | |
| KR | Ken Callicutt | 24 | 1 | 0 | 24 kick returns for a 16.9 average and 0 td |
| Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jimmy Allen | 27 | DB | 16 | 14 | 194 | 6-2 | Pierce College (CA),UCLA | 3/6/1952 | 5 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 100th pick / 1974 |
| Nate Allen | 31 | DB | 3 | 0 | 170 | 5-10 | Texas Southern | 5/13/1948 | 8 | Kansas City Chiefs / 11th / 276th pick / 1971 |
| John Arnold | 24 | WR | 7 | 0 | 175 | 5-10 | Wyoming | 10/5/1955 | Rook | |
| Al Baker* | 23 | DE | 16 | 16 | 265 | 6-6 | Colorado State | 12/9/1956 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 40th pick / 1978 |
| Karl Baldischwiler | 23 | T | 16 | 16 | 265 | 6-5 | Oklahoma | 1/19/1956 | 1 | Miami Dolphins / 7th / 178th pick / 1978 |
| Luther Blue | 25 | WR | 9 | 0 | 185 | 5-11 | Iowa State | 10/21/1954 | 2 | Detroit Lions / 4th / 96th pick / 1977 |
| Russ Bolinger | 25 | G-T | 16 | 16 | 255 | 6-5 | California-Riverside,Long Beach State | 9/10/1954 | 3 | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 68th pick / 1976 |
| Luther Bradley | 24 | DB | 16 | 16 | 195 | 6-2 | Notre Dame | 5/7/1955 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 11th pick / 1978 |
| Jon Brooks | 22 | LB | 15 | 0 | 215 | 6-2 | Clemson | 6/22/1957 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 4th / 92nd pick / 1979 |
| Dexter Bussey | 27 | RB | 16 | 10 | 195 | 6-1 | Oklahoma,Texas-Arlington | 3/11/1952 | 5 | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 65th pick / 1974 |
| Ken Callicutt | 24 | RB | 16 | 0 | 190 | 6-0 | Clemson | 8/20/1955 | 1 | |
| Karl Chandler | 27 | C-G | 1 | 0 | 250 | 6-5 | Princeton | 2/15/1952 | 5 | |
| Garry Cobb | 22 | LB | 8 | 0 | 227 | 6-2 | USC | 3/16/1957 | Rook | Dallas Cowboys / 9th / 247th pick / 1979 |
| Eddie Cole | 23 | LB | 15 | 2 | 235 | 6-2 | Mississippi | 12/16/1956 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 11th / 302nd pick / 1979 |
| Keith Dorney | 22 | T-G | 16 | 16 | 268 | 6-5 | Penn State | 12/3/1957 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 1st / 10th pick / 1979 |
| Cleveland Elam | 27 | DT-DE | 8 | 0 | 252 | 6-4 | Tennessee State | 4/5/1952 | 4 | San Francisco 49ers / 4th / 85th pick / 1975 |
| Homer Elias | 24 | G-T | 15 | 14 | 255 | 6-3 | Tennessee State | 5/1/1955 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 4th / 107th pick / 1978 |
| Ken Ellis | 32 | DB | 7 | 0 | 190 | 5-10 | Southern | 9/27/1947 | 9 | Green Bay Packers / 4th / 93rd pick / 1970 |
| Doug English | 26 | DT-NT | 16 | 0 | 255 | 6-5 | Texas | 8/25/1953 | 4 | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 38th pick / 1975 |
| Ken Fantetti | 22 | LB | 16 | 8 | 230 | 6-2 | Wyoming | 4/7/1957 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 37th pick / 1979 |
| Amos Fowler | 23 | C-G | 12 | 1 | 250 | 6-3 | Southern Miss | 2/11/1956 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 5th / 121st pick / 1978 |
| Dennis Franks | 26 | C | 13 | 0 | 241 | 6-1 | Michigan | 5/29/1953 | 3 | |
| Lawrence Gaines | 26 | RB | 16 | 0 | 237 | 6-1 | Wyoming | 12/15/1953 | 3 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 16th pick / 1976 |
| Dave Gallagher | 27 | DE-DT | 10 | 0 | 256 | 6-4 | Michigan | 1/2/1952 | 5 | Chicago Bears / 1st / 20th pick / 1974 |
| William Gay | 24 | DE-DT-TE | 15 | 2 | 250 | 6-5 | USC | 5/28/1955 | 1 | Denver Broncos / 2nd / 55th pick / 1978 |
| Jerry Golsteyn | 25 | QB | 1 | 1 | 207 | 6-4 | Northern Illinois | 8/6/1954 | 2 | New York Giants / 12th / 333rd pick / 1976 |
| James Harrell | 22 | LB | 9 | 8 | 224 | 6-1 | Florida | 7/19/1957 | Rook | |
| David Hill* | 25 | TE | 16 | 15 | 229 | 6-2 | Texas A&M-Kingsville | 1/1/1954 | 3 | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 46th pick / 1976 |
| James Hunter | 25 | DB | 15 | 15 | 195 | 6-3 | Grambling State | 3/8/1954 | 3 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 10th pick / 1976 |
| Scott Hunter | 32 | QB | 13 | 0 | 205 | 6-2 | Alabama | 11/11/1947 | 8 | Green Bay Packers / 6th / 140th pick / 1971 |
| Ernie Jackson | 29 | DB | 2 | 0 | 173 | 5-10 | Duke | 4/11/1950 | 7 | New Orleans Saints / 7th / 164th pick / 1972 |
| Doug Jones | 29 | DB | 10 | 0 | 202 | 6-2 | Arizona State,Cal State-Northridge | 5/31/1950 | 6 | Kansas City Chiefs / 6th / 145th pick / 1973 |
| Rick Kane | 25 | RB | 16 | 6 | 200 | 5-11 | Oregon,San Jose State | 11/12/1954 | 2 | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 69th pick / 1977 |
| Horace King | 26 | RB | 16 | 4 | 208 | 5-10 | Georgia | 3/5/1953 | 4 | Detroit Lions / 6th / 141st pick / 1975 |
| Jeff Komlo | 23 | QB | 16 | 14 | 200 | 6-2 | Delaware | 7/30/1956 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 9th / 231st pick / 1979 |
| Tony Leonard | 26 | DB | 1 | 0 | 170 | 5-11 | Virginia Union | 2/28/1953 | 3 | San Francisco 49ers / 5th / 140th pick / 1976 |
| Eddie Lewis | 26 | DB | 8 | 0 | 177 | 6-0 | Kansas | 12/15/1953 | 3 | San Francisco 49ers / 2nd / 57th pick / 1976 |
| Don Morrison | 30 | T-C | 15 | 0 | 255 | 6-5 | Texas-Arlington | 12/16/1949 | 8 | New Orleans Saints / 4th / 98th pick / 1971 |
| Ulysses Norris | 22 | TE | 16 | 2 | 230 | 6-4 | Georgia | 1/15/1957 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 4th / 88th pick / 1979 |
| Ed O'Neil | 27 | LB | 16 | 12 | 236 | 6-3 | Penn State | 9/8/1952 | 5 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 8th pick / 1974 |
| Dave Parkin | 23 | DB | 9 | 0 | 191 | 6-0 | Utah State | 1/7/1956 | Rook | Atlanta Falcons / 9th / 239th pick / 1979 |
| Don Patterson | 22 | DB | 2 | 0 | 175 | 5-11 | Georgia Tech | 10/31/1957 | Rook | |
| Wally Pesuit | 25 | G-C-T-DE | 16 | 0 | 252 | 6-4 | Kentucky | 3/4/1954 | 3 | Dallas Cowboys / 5th / 151st pick / 1976 |
| Dave Pureifory | 30 | DE-DT | 15 | 15 | 260 | 6-1 | Eastern Michigan | 7/12/1949 | 7 | Green Bay Packers / 6th / 142nd pick / 1972 |
| Joe Reed | 31 | QB | 2 | 1 | 195 | 6-1 | Baylor,Mississippi State | 1/8/1948 | 7 | San Francisco 49ers / 11th / 283rd pick / 1971 |
| Benny Ricardo | 25 | K | 16 | 0 | 175 | 5-10 | San Diego State | 1/4/1954 | 3 | |
| Bo Robinson | 23 | RB-TE | 14 | 12 | 228 | 6-2 | West Texas A&M | 5/27/1956 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 67th pick / 1979 |
| Ken Sanders | 29 | DE | 5 | 0 | 240 | 6-5 | Howard Payne | 8/22/1950 | 7 | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 65th pick / 1972 |
| Freddie Scott | 27 | WR | 14 | 14 | 180 | 6-2 | Amherst | 8/5/1952 | 5 | Baltimore Colts / 7th / 174th pick / 1974 |
| Tom Skladany | 24 | P | 2 | 0 | 192 | 6-0 | Ohio State | 6/29/1955 | 1 | Cleveland Browns / 2nd / 46th pick / 1977 |
| Jimmy Stewart | 25 | DB | 5 | 0 | 190 | 5-11 | Tulsa | 10/15/1954 | 2 | New Orleans Saints / 8th / 201st pick / 1977 |
| Larry Swider | 24 | P | 14 | 0 | 195 | 6-2 | Pittsburgh | 2/1/1955 | Rook | Denver Broncos / 7th / 185th pick / 1977 |
| Larry Tearry | 23 | C | 11 | 0 | 260 | 6-3 | Wake Forest | 4/24/1956 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 4th / 109th pick / 1978 |
| Leonard Thompson | 27 | WR-HB | 15 | 1 | 192 | 5-11 | Oklahoma State | 7/28/1952 | 4 | Detroit Lions / 8th / 194th pick / 1975 |
| Dave Washington | 31 | LB-TE | 7 | 0 | 223 | 6-5 | Alcorn State | 9/12/1948 | 9 | Denver Broncos / 9th / 219th pick / 1970 |
| Gene A. Washington | 32 | WR-SE | 16 | 0 | 185 | 6-2 | Stanford | 1/14/1947 | 10 | San Francisco 49ers / 1st / 16th pick / 1969 |
| Charlie Weaver | 30 | LB | 8 | 0 | 220 | 6-2 | USC | 7/12/1949 | 8 | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 48th pick / 1971 |
| Walt Williams | 25 | DB | 12 | 7 | 185 | 6-1 | Ashland,New Mexico State | 7/10/1954 | 2 | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 42nd pick / 1977 |
| Robert Woods | 24 | WR | 1 | 0 | 170 | 5-7 | Grambling State | 7/3/1955 | 1 | Kansas City Chiefs / 5th / 134th pick / 1978 |
| Team Total | 25.7 | 16 | 215.6 | 6-1.7 | 3.2 |