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1979 New Orleans Saints
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Record: 8-8-0, Finished 2nd in NFC West Division
NFL Season Summary
Scored 370 points (23.1/g), 6th of 28 in the NFL.
Allowed 360 points (22.5/g), 22nd.
Differential of 10 points (0.6/g), 14th.
Expected W-L: 8.3-7.7.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential +6 (0.4/g), 8th.
Coached by Dick Nolan (8-8-0)
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1979 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* | 30 | 8 | 16 | 252 for 420, 3,169 yards, 15 td, 20 int, & 35 rushes for 186 yards and 2 td | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 2nd pick / 1971 |
| RB | Chuck Muncie* | 26 | 3 | 15 | 238 rushes for 1,198 yards, 11 td, & 40 catches for 308 yards and 0 td | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 3rd pick / 1976 |
| FB | Tony Galbreath | 25 | 3 | 0 | 189 rushes for 708 yards, 9 td, & 58 catches for 484 yards and 1 td | New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 32nd pick / 1976 |
| WR | Wes Chandler* | 23 | 1 | 16 | 65 catches for 1,069 yards, 6 td | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 3rd pick / 1978 |
| WR | Ike Harris | 27 | 4 | 14 | 25 catches for 395 yards, 2 td, & 2 rushes for 9 yards and 0 td | St. Louis Cardinals / 4th / 91st pick / 1974 |
| TE | Henry Childs* | 28 | 5 | 16 | 51 catches for 846 yards, 5 td | Atlanta Falcons / 5th / 109th pick / 1974 |
| LT | J.T. Taylor | 23 | 1 | 16 | New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 33rd pick / 1978 |
|
| LG | Emanuel Zanders | 28 | 5 | 16 | ||
| C | John Hill | 29 | 7 | 16 | New York Giants / 6th / 132nd pick / 1972 |
|
| RG | Conrad Dobler | 29 | 7 | 16 | 2 fumbles recovered | St. Louis Cardinals / 5th / 110th pick / 1972 |
| RT | Robert E. Woods | 29 | 6 | 15 | New York Jets / 2nd / 38th pick / 1973 |
|
| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Elois Grooms | 26 | 4 | 16 | 1 interception, 2 fumbles recovered | New Orleans Saints / 3rd / 63rd pick / 1975 |
| LDT | Barry Bennett | 24 | 1 | 14 | New Orleans Saints / 3rd / 60th pick / 1978 |
|
| RDT | Derland Moore | 28 | 6 | 15 | New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 29th pick / 1973 |
|
| RDE | Don Reese | 28 | 5 | 12 | 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Miami Dolphins / 1st / 26th pick / 1974 |
| LLB | Ken Bordelon | 25 | 3 | 14 | 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Los Angeles Rams / 5th / 149th pick / 1976 |
| MLB | Joe Federspiel | 29 | 7 | 16 | 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered | New Orleans Saints / 4th / 99th pick / 1972 |
| RLB | Pat Hughes | 32 | 9 | 0 | 4 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | New York Giants / 9th / 221st pick / 1970 |
| LCB | Clarence Chapman | 26 | 3 | 15 | 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Oakland Raiders / 7th / 204th pick / 1976 |
| RCB | Eric Felton | 24 | 1 | 10 | 4 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | New Orleans Saints / 5th / 115th pick / 1978 |
| RCB | David Gray | 24 | Rook | 6 | 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered | |
| SS | Ray Brown | 30 | 8 | 12 | 1 interception, 2 fumbles recovered | Atlanta Falcons / 6th / 148th pick / 1971 |
| FS | Tom Myers* | 29 | 7 | 15 | 7 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered | New Orleans Saints / 3rd / 74th pick / 1972 |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Garo Yepremian | 35 | 13 | 0 | 12 of 16 field goals & 39 of 40 extra points | |
| P | Rick Partridge | 22 | Rook | 0 | 57 punts for a 40.9 average, 0 blocked | Green Bay Packers / 8th / 208th pick / 1979 |
| PR | Rich Mauti | 25 | 2 | 0 | 27 punt returns for a 8.1 average and 0 td | |
| KR | Rich Mauti | 25 | 2 | 0 | 36 kick returns for a 22.2 average and 0 td |
| No. | Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 63 | Barry Bennett | 24 | DT-DE | 16 | 14 | 257 | 6-4 | Concordia (MN) | 12/10/1955 | 1 | New Orleans Saints / 3rd / 60th pick / 1978 |
| 50 | Ken Bordelon | 25 | LB | 16 | 14 | 228 | 6-4 | LSU | 8/26/1954 | 3 | Los Angeles Rams / 5th / 149th pick / 1976 |
| 27 | Ray Brown | 30 | DB | 12 | 12 | 208 | 6-1 | West Texas A&M | 1/12/1949 | 8 | Atlanta Falcons / 6th / 148th pick / 1971 |
| 11 | Ed Burns | 25 | QB | 16 | 0 | 210 | 6-3 | Nebraska | 12/7/1954 | Rook | |
| 73 | Joe Campbell | 24 | DE-NT | 10 | 0 | 254 | 6-6 | Maryland | 5/8/1955 | 2 | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 7th pick / 1977 |
| 89 | Wes Chandler* | 23 | WR | 16 | 16 | 196 | 6-0 | Florida | 8/22/1956 | 1 | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 3rd pick / 1978 |
| 24 | Clarence Chapman | 26 | DB | 16 | 15 | 185 | 5-10 | Eastern Michigan | 12/10/1953 | 3 | Oakland Raiders / 7th / 204th pick / 1976 |
| 85 | Henry Childs* | 28 | TE | 16 | 16 | 223 | 6-2 | Kansas State | 4/16/1951 | 5 | Atlanta Falcons / 5th / 109th pick / 1974 |
| 66 | Conrad Dobler | 29 | G | 16 | 16 | 254 | 6-3 | Wyoming | 10/1/1950 | 7 | St. Louis Cardinals / 5th / 110th pick / 1972 |
| 14 | Russell Erxleben | 23 | P | 1 | 0 | 223 | 6-4 | Texas | 1/13/1956 | Rook | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 11th pick / 1979 |
| 58 | Joe Federspiel | 29 | LB | 16 | 16 | 230 | 6-1 | Kentucky | 5/6/1950 | 7 | New Orleans Saints / 4th / 99th pick / 1972 |
| 20 | Eric Felton | 24 | DB | 13 | 10 | 200 | 6-0 | Texas Tech | 10/8/1955 | 1 | New Orleans Saints / 5th / 115th pick / 1978 |
| 61 | Roger Finnie | 34 | T-G-DT | 8 | 0 | 245 | 6-3 | Florida A&M | 11/6/1945 | 10 | New York Jets / 14th / 364th pick / 1969 |
| 72 | Mike Fultz | 25 | DT | 13 | 1 | 278 | 6-5 | Nebraska | 1/28/1954 | 2 | New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 34th pick / 1977 |
| 34 | Tony Galbreath | 25 | RB | 15 | 0 | 228 | 6-0 | Missouri | 1/29/1954 | 3 | New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 32nd pick / 1976 |
| 21 | David Gray | 24 | DB | 16 | 6 | 187 | 6-0 | Oregon State,San Diego State | 3/28/1955 | Rook | |
| 78 | Elois Grooms | 26 | DE-DT | 16 | 16 | 249 | 6-4 | Tennessee Tech | 5/20/1953 | 4 | New Orleans Saints / 3rd / 63rd pick / 1975 |
| 87 | Larry Hardy | 23 | TE | 16 | 0 | 234 | 6-3 | Jackson State | 7/9/1956 | 1 | New Orleans Saints / 12th / 309th pick / 1978 |
| 82 | Ike Harris | 27 | WR | 14 | 14 | 210 | 6-3 | Iowa State | 11/27/1952 | 4 | St. Louis Cardinals / 4th / 91st pick / 1974 |
| 62 | John Hill | 29 | C-T | 16 | 16 | 249 | 6-2 | Lehigh | 4/16/1950 | 7 | New York Giants / 6th / 132nd pick / 1972 |
| 45 | Jack Holmes | 26 | RB | 16 | 1 | 210 | 5-11 | Texas Southern | 6/20/1953 | 1 | Houston Oilers / 15th / 377th pick / 1975 |
| 54 | Pat Hughes | 32 | LB-C | 16 | 0 | 240 | 6-2 | Boston University | 6/2/1947 | 9 | New York Giants / 9th / 221st pick / 1970 |
| 32 | Kim Jones | 27 | RB | 2 | 0 | 238 | 6-4 | Colorado State | 1/19/1952 | 3 | Baltimore Colts / 7th / 157th pick / 1975 |
| 52 | Jim Kovach | 23 | LB | 16 | 0 | 230 | 6-2 | Kentucky | 5/1/1956 | Rook | New Orleans Saints / 4th / 93rd pick / 1979 |
| 64 | Dave Lafary | 24 | T-G | 16 | 0 | 280 | 6-7 | Purdue | 1/13/1955 | 2 | New Orleans Saints / 5th / 118th pick / 1977 |
| 8 | Archie Manning* | 30 | QB | 16 | 16 | 212 | 6-3 | Mississippi | 5/19/1949 | 8 | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 2nd pick / 1971 |
| 56 | Reggie Mathis | 23 | LB | 16 | 0 | 220 | 6-2 | Oklahoma | 3/18/1956 | Rook | New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 38th pick / 1979 |
| 84 | Rich Mauti | 25 | WR | 15 | 0 | 190 | 6-0 | Penn State | 5/25/1954 | 2 | |
| 49 | Ralph McGill | 29 | DB | 13 | 0 | 183 | 5-11 | Tulsa | 4/28/1950 | 7 | San Francisco 49ers / 2nd / 28th pick / 1972 |
| 57 | Jim Merlo | 28 | LB | 16 | 0 | 221 | 6-1 | Stanford | 10/3/1951 | 6 | New Orleans Saints / 4th / 86th pick / 1973 |
| 74 | Derland Moore | 28 | DT-NT-DE | 15 | 15 | 250 | 6-4 | Oklahoma | 10/7/1951 | 6 | New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 29th pick / 1973 |
| 42 | Chuck Muncie* | 26 | RB | 16 | 15 | 227 | 6-3 | California | 3/17/1953 | 3 | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 3rd pick / 1976 |
| 37 | Tom Myers* | 29 | DB | 15 | 15 | 184 | 5-11 | Syracuse | 10/24/1950 | 7 | New Orleans Saints / 3rd / 74th pick / 1972 |
| 83 | Tinker Owens | 25 | WR | 13 | 2 | 170 | 5-11 | Oklahoma | 10/3/1954 | 3 | New Orleans Saints / 4th / 95th pick / 1976 |
| 17 | Rick Partridge | 22 | P | 13 | 0 | 175 | 6-1 | Utah | 8/26/1957 | Rook | Green Bay Packers / 8th / 208th pick / 1979 |
| 76 | Jim Pietrzak | 26 | C-DT-T | 11 | 0 | 260 | 6-5 | Eastern Michigan | 2/21/1953 | 5 | New York Giants / 6th / 132nd pick / 1974 |
| 75 | Elex Price | 29 | DT | 6 | 0 | 260 | 6-3 | Alcorn State | 8/11/1950 | 6 | |
| 22 | Ricky Ray | 22 | DB | 6 | 0 | 180 | 5-11 | Norfolk State | 5/30/1957 | Rook | New Orleans Saints / 6th / 146th pick / 1979 |
| 60 | Don Reese | 28 | DT-DE | 16 | 12 | 254 | 6-6 | Jackson State | 9/4/1951 | 5 | Miami Dolphins / 1st / 26th pick / 1974 |
| 48 | Don Schwartz | 23 | DB | 14 | 4 | 191 | 6-1 | Washington State | 2/24/1956 | 1 | New Orleans Saints / 4th / 87th pick / 1978 |
| 12 | Bobby Scott | 30 | QB | 3 | 0 | 201 | 6-1 | Tennessee | 4/2/1949 | 6 | New Orleans Saints / 14th / 340th pick / 1971 |
| 33 | Mike Strachan | 26 | RB | 10 | 0 | 199 | 6-0 | Iowa State | 5/24/1953 | 4 | New Orleans Saints / 9th / 216th pick / 1975 |
| 68 | Fred Sturt | 28 | G | 16 | 0 | 255 | 6-4 | Bowling Green | 1/6/1951 | 5 | St. Louis Cardinals / 3rd / 59th pick / 1973 |
| 71 | J.T. Taylor | 23 | T | 16 | 16 | 265 | 6-4 | Missouri | 8/12/1956 | 1 | New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 33rd pick / 1978 |
| 67 | John Watson | 30 | G-T-C | 5 | 0 | 249 | 6-4 | Oklahoma | 1/11/1949 | 8 | San Francisco 49ers / 7th / 179th pick / 1971 |
| 88 | Brooks Williams | 25 | TE | 16 | 0 | 226 | 6-4 | North Carolina | 12/7/1954 | 1 | New Orleans Saints / 8th / 199th pick / 1978 |
| 30 | Wayne Wilson | 22 | RB | 14 | 0 | 215 | 6-3 | Shepherd | 9/4/1957 | Rook | Houston Oilers / 12th / 324th pick / 1979 |
| 65 | Robert E. Woods | 29 | T-G | 15 | 15 | 255 | 6-3 | Tennessee State | 7/26/1950 | 6 | New York Jets / 2nd / 38th pick / 1973 |
| 1 | Garo Yepremian | 35 | K | 14 | 0 | 175 | 5-8 | none | 6/2/1944 | 13 | |
| 79 | Emanuel Zanders | 28 | G | 16 | 16 | 251 | 6-1 | Jackson State | 7/31/1951 | 5 | |
| Team Total | 26.5 | 16 | 224.3 | 6-2.1 | 3.8 |