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1978 New Orleans Saints
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Record: 7-9-0, Finished 3rd in NFC West Division
NFL Season Summary
Scored 281 points (17.6/g), 16th of 28 in the NFL.
Allowed 298 points (18.6/g), 16th.
Differential of -17 points (-1.1/g), 16th.
Expected W-L: 7.4-8.6.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential +10 (0.6/g), 2nd.
Coached by Dick Nolan (7-9-0)
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1978 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees
Starters
| Pos | Age | Yrs | GS | Summary of Player Stats | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Starters | Complete Team Stats | |||||
| QB | Archie Manning* | 29 | 7 | 16 | 291 for 471, 3,416 yards, 17 td, 16 int, & 38 rushes for 202 yards and 1 td | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 2nd pick / 1971 |
| RB | Chuck Muncie | 25 | 2 | 11 | 160 rushes for 557 yards, 7 td, & 26 catches for 233 yards and 0 td | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 3rd pick / 1976 |
| RB | Mike Strachan | 25 | 3 | 0 | 108 rushes for 388 yards, 4 td, & 10 catches for 51 yards and 0 td | New Orleans Saints / 9th / 216th pick / 1975 |
| FB | Tony Galbreath | 24 | 2 | 16 | 186 rushes for 635 yards, 5 td, & 74 catches for 582 yards and 2 td | New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 32nd pick / 1976 |
| WR | Ike Harris | 26 | 3 | 15 | 40 catches for 590 yards, 4 td, & 2 rushes for 22 yards and 0 td | St. Louis Cardinals / 4th / 91st pick / 1974 |
| WR | Tinker Owens | 24 | 2 | 10 | 40 catches for 446 yards, 2 td | New Orleans Saints / 4th / 95th pick / 1976 |
| WR | Wes Chandler | 22 | Rook | 5 | 35 catches for 472 yards, 2 td, & 2 rushes for 10 yards and 0 td | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 3rd pick / 1978 |
| TE | Henry Childs | 27 | 4 | 16 | 53 catches for 869 yards, 4 td, & 2 rushes for -4 yards and 0 td | Atlanta Falcons / 5th / 109th pick / 1974 |
| LT | J.T. Taylor | 22 | Rook | 16 | 2 fumbles recovered | New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 33rd pick / 1978 |
| LG | Fred Sturt | 27 | 4 | 11 | St. Louis Cardinals / 3rd / 59th pick / 1973 |
|
| C | John Hill | 28 | 6 | 16 | New York Giants / 6th / 132nd pick / 1972 |
|
| RG | Dave Lafary | 23 | 1 | 13 | New Orleans Saints / 5th / 118th pick / 1977 |
|
| RT | Robert E. Woods | 28 | 5 | 13 | New York Jets / 2nd / 38th pick / 1973 |
|
| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Elois Grooms | 25 | 3 | 16 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | New Orleans Saints / 3rd / 63rd pick / 1975 |
| LDT | Elex Price | 28 | 5 | 16 | 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | |
| RDT | Derland Moore | 27 | 5 | 14 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 29th pick / 1973 |
| RDE | Joe Campbell | 23 | 1 | 16 | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 7th pick / 1977 |
|
| LLB | Jim Merlo | 27 | 5 | 16 | 0 interceptions, 5 fumbles recovered | New Orleans Saints / 4th / 86th pick / 1973 |
| MLB | Joe Federspiel | 28 | 6 | 16 | 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | New Orleans Saints / 4th / 99th pick / 1972 |
| RLB | Pat Hughes | 31 | 8 | 0 | 2 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered | New York Giants / 9th / 221st pick / 1970 |
| LCB | Clarence Chapman | 25 | 2 | 14 | 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Oakland Raiders / 7th / 204th pick / 1976 |
| RCB | Mo Spencer | 26 | 4 | 16 | 4 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Atlanta Falcons / 3rd / 71st pick / 1974 |
| SS | Ray Brown | 29 | 7 | 16 | 4 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Atlanta Falcons / 6th / 148th pick / 1971 |
| FS | Tom Myers | 28 | 6 | 16 | 6 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | New Orleans Saints / 3rd / 74th pick / 1972 |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Steve Mike-Mayer | 31 | 3 | 0 | 6 of 13 field goals & 18 of 18 extra points | San Francisco 49ers / 3rd / 72nd pick / 1975 |
| P | Tom Blanchard | 30 | 7 | 0 | 84 punts for a 42.0 average, 2 blocked | New York Giants / 12th / 304th pick / 1971 |
| PR | Wes Chandler | 22 | Rook | 5 | 34 punt returns for a 6.9 average and 0 td | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 3rd pick / 1978 |
| KR | Wes Chandler | 22 | Rook | 5 | 32 kick returns for a 23.8 average and 0 td | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 3rd pick / 1978 |
| No. | Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 77 | Gary A. Anderson | 23 | G | 2 | 0 | 253 | 6-3 | Stanford | 9/22/1955 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 10th / 263rd pick / 1977 |
| 63 | Barry Bennett | 23 | DT-DE | 16 | 1 | 257 | 6-4 | Concordia (MN) | 12/10/1955 | Rook | New Orleans Saints / 3rd / 60th pick / 1978 |
| 16 | Tom Blanchard | 30 | P | 16 | 0 | 190 | 6-0 | Oregon | 5/28/1948 | 7 | New York Giants / 12th / 304th pick / 1971 |
| 27 | Ray Brown | 29 | DB | 16 | 16 | 208 | 6-1 | West Texas A&M | 1/12/1949 | 7 | Atlanta Falcons / 6th / 148th pick / 1971 |
| 73 | Joe Campbell | 23 | DE-NT | 16 | 16 | 254 | 6-6 | Maryland | 5/8/1955 | 1 | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 7th pick / 1977 |
| 89 | Wes Chandler | 22 | WR | 16 | 5 | 196 | 6-0 | Florida | 8/22/1956 | Rook | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 3rd pick / 1978 |
| 24 | Clarence Chapman | 25 | DB | 14 | 14 | 185 | 5-10 | Eastern Michigan | 12/10/1953 | 2 | Oakland Raiders / 7th / 204th pick / 1976 |
| 85 | Henry Childs | 27 | TE | 16 | 16 | 223 | 6-2 | Kansas State | 4/16/1951 | 4 | Atlanta Falcons / 5th / 109th pick / 1974 |
| 51 | Ron Crosby | 23 | LB | 14 | 0 | 224 | 6-3 | Penn State | 3/2/1955 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 5th / 114th pick / 1977 |
| 66 | Conrad Dobler | 28 | G | 3 | 3 | 254 | 6-3 | Wyoming | 10/1/1950 | 6 | St. Louis Cardinals / 5th / 110th pick / 1972 |
| 58 | Joe Federspiel | 28 | LB | 16 | 16 | 230 | 6-1 | Kentucky | 5/6/1950 | 6 | New Orleans Saints / 4th / 99th pick / 1972 |
| 20 | Eric Felton | 23 | DB | 16 | 2 | 200 | 6-0 | Texas Tech | 10/8/1955 | Rook | New Orleans Saints / 5th / 115th pick / 1978 |
| 69 | Bill Fifer | 23 | T | 4 | 0 | 250 | 6-4 | West Texas A&M | 10/26/1955 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 4th / 94th pick / 1978 |
| 72 | Mike Fultz | 24 | DT | 12 | 0 | 278 | 6-5 | Nebraska | 1/28/1954 | 1 | New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 34th pick / 1977 |
| 34 | Tony Galbreath | 24 | RB | 16 | 16 | 228 | 6-0 | Missouri | 1/29/1954 | 2 | New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 32nd pick / 1976 |
| 78 | Elois Grooms | 25 | DE-DT | 16 | 16 | 249 | 6-4 | Tennessee Tech | 5/20/1953 | 3 | New Orleans Saints / 3rd / 63rd pick / 1975 |
| 87 | Larry Hardy | 22 | TE | 16 | 1 | 234 | 6-3 | Jackson State | 7/9/1956 | Rook | New Orleans Saints / 12th / 309th pick / 1978 |
| 82 | Ike Harris | 26 | WR | 15 | 15 | 210 | 6-3 | Iowa State | 11/27/1952 | 3 | St. Louis Cardinals / 4th / 91st pick / 1974 |
| 62 | John Hill | 28 | C-T | 16 | 16 | 249 | 6-2 | Lehigh | 4/16/1950 | 6 | New York Giants / 6th / 132nd pick / 1972 |
| 45 | Jack Holmes | 25 | RB | 11 | 0 | 210 | 5-11 | Texas Southern | 6/20/1953 | Rook | Houston Oilers / 15th / 377th pick / 1975 |
| 54 | Pat Hughes | 31 | LB-C | 16 | 0 | 240 | 6-2 | Boston University | 6/2/1947 | 8 | New York Giants / 9th / 221st pick / 1970 |
| 76 | Kevin Hunt | 30 | T-G | 10 | 0 | 260 | 6-5 | Doane | 11/29/1948 | 6 | Green Bay Packers / 10th / 246th pick / 1971 |
| 32 | Kim Jones | 26 | RB | 16 | 0 | 238 | 6-4 | Colorado State | 1/19/1952 | 2 | Baltimore Colts / 7th / 157th pick / 1975 |
| 10 | Tom Jurich | 22 | K | 1 | 0 | 185 | 5-10 | Northern Arizona | 7/26/1956 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 10th / 276th pick / 1978 |
| 53 | Rick Kingrea | 29 | LB | 1 | 0 | 233 | 6-1 | Tulane | 7/18/1949 | 7 | Cleveland Browns / 14th / 352nd pick / 1971 |
| 64 | Dave Lafary | 23 | T-G | 15 | 13 | 280 | 6-7 | Purdue | 1/13/1955 | 1 | New Orleans Saints / 5th / 118th pick / 1977 |
| 3 | John Leypoldt | 32 | K | 2 | 0 | 229 | 6-2 | Northern Virginia Community College | 3/31/1946 | 7 | |
| 8 | Archie Manning* | 29 | QB | 16 | 16 | 212 | 6-3 | Mississippi | 5/19/1949 | 7 | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 2nd pick / 1971 |
| 84 | Rich Mauti | 24 | WR | 16 | 1 | 190 | 6-0 | Penn State | 5/25/1954 | 1 | |
| 49 | Ralph McGill | 28 | DB | 16 | 0 | 183 | 5-11 | Tulsa | 4/28/1950 | 6 | San Francisco 49ers / 2nd / 28th pick / 1972 |
| 57 | Jim Merlo | 27 | LB | 16 | 16 | 221 | 6-1 | Stanford | 10/3/1951 | 5 | New Orleans Saints / 4th / 86th pick / 1973 |
| 70 | Mark Meseroll | 23 | T | 16 | 0 | 270 | 6-5 | Florida State,Wesley | 7/22/1955 | Rook | |
| 10 | Steve Mike-Mayer | 31 | K | 9 | 0 | 180 | 6-0 | Maryland | 9/8/1947 | 3 | San Francisco 49ers / 3rd / 72nd pick / 1975 |
| 74 | Derland Moore | 27 | DT-NT-DE | 15 | 14 | 250 | 6-4 | Oklahoma | 10/7/1951 | 5 | New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 29th pick / 1973 |
| 42 | Chuck Muncie | 25 | RB | 13 | 11 | 227 | 6-3 | California | 3/17/1953 | 2 | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 3rd pick / 1976 |
| 37 | Tom Myers | 28 | DB | 16 | 16 | 184 | 5-11 | Syracuse | 10/24/1950 | 6 | New Orleans Saints / 3rd / 74th pick / 1972 |
| 68 | Richard Neal | 31 | DE-DT | 2 | 0 | 260 | 6-3 | Southern | 9/27/1947 | 9 | New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 45th pick / 1969 |
| 83 | Tinker Owens | 24 | WR | 14 | 10 | 170 | 5-11 | Oklahoma | 10/3/1954 | 2 | New Orleans Saints / 4th / 95th pick / 1976 |
| 75 | Elex Price | 28 | DT | 16 | 16 | 260 | 6-3 | Alcorn State | 8/11/1950 | 5 | |
| 56 | Rusty Rebowe | 22 | LB | 1 | 0 | 213 | 5-10 | Nicholls State | 1/17/1956 | Rook | |
| 60 | Don Reese | 27 | DT-DE | 14 | 0 | 254 | 6-6 | Jackson State | 9/4/1951 | 4 | Miami Dolphins / 1st / 26th pick / 1974 |
| 55 | Floyd Rice | 29 | LB-TE | 15 | 0 | 223 | 6-3 | Alcorn State | 8/31/1949 | 7 | Houston Oilers / 9th / 212th pick / 1971 |
| 48 | Don Schwartz | 22 | DB | 16 | 0 | 191 | 6-1 | Washington State | 2/24/1956 | Rook | New Orleans Saints / 4th / 87th pick / 1978 |
| 12 | Bobby Scott | 29 | QB | 1 | 0 | 201 | 6-1 | Tennessee | 4/2/1949 | 5 | New Orleans Saints / 14th / 340th pick / 1971 |
| 29 | Mo Spencer | 26 | DB | 16 | 16 | 175 | 6-0 | North Carolina Central | 6/15/1952 | 4 | Atlanta Falcons / 3rd / 71st pick / 1974 |
| 33 | Mike Strachan | 25 | RB | 15 | 0 | 199 | 6-0 | Iowa State | 5/24/1953 | 3 | New Orleans Saints / 9th / 216th pick / 1975 |
| 68 | Fred Sturt | 27 | G | 12 | 11 | 255 | 6-4 | Bowling Green | 1/6/1951 | 4 | St. Louis Cardinals / 3rd / 59th pick / 1973 |
| 15 | Rich Szaro | 30 | K | 4 | 0 | 205 | 5-11 | Harvard | 3/7/1948 | 3 | |
| 71 | J.T. Taylor | 22 | T | 16 | 16 | 265 | 6-4 | Missouri | 8/12/1956 | Rook | New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 33rd pick / 1978 |
| 35 | Jim Van Wagner | 23 | RB | 5 | 0 | 202 | 6-2 | Michigan Tech | 5/3/1955 | Rook | San Francisco 49ers / 7th / 183rd pick / 1977 |
| 52 | Skip Vanderbundt | 32 | LB | 15 | 0 | 225 | 6-3 | Oregon State | 12/4/1946 | 9 | San Francisco 49ers / 3rd / 69th pick / 1968 |
| 67 | John Watson | 29 | G-T-C | 5 | 0 | 249 | 6-4 | Oklahoma | 1/11/1949 | 7 | San Francisco 49ers / 7th / 179th pick / 1971 |
| 88 | Brooks Williams | 24 | TE | 16 | 0 | 226 | 6-4 | North Carolina | 12/7/1954 | Rook | New Orleans Saints / 8th / 199th pick / 1978 |
| 65 | Robert E. Woods | 28 | T-G | 16 | 13 | 255 | 6-3 | Tennessee State | 7/26/1950 | 5 | New York Jets / 2nd / 38th pick / 1973 |
| 79 | Emanuel Zanders | 27 | G | 3 | 3 | 251 | 6-1 | Jackson State | 7/31/1951 | 4 | |
| Team Total | 26.2 | 16 | 226.2 | 6-2.0 | 3.4 |