1970 Philadelphia Eagles season

1970 Philadelphia Eagles season
OwnerLeonard Tose
Head coachJerry Williams
Home fieldFranklin Field
Results
Record3–10–1
Division place5th NFC East
Playoff finishDid not qualify

The 1970 Philadelphia Eagles season was their 38th in the league. They failed to improve on their previous output of 4–9–1, winning only three games.[1] The team failed to qualify for the playoffs for the tenth consecutive season.

The Eagles did have victories over the playoff-bound Dolphins and the cross-state rival Steelers (in Franklin Field's swan song as an NFL venue). Another highlight was a 23–20 victory on Monday Night Football over the Giants, ending New York's six-game winning streak and helping deny Big Blue a playoff berth.

Offseason

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Draft

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Main article: 1970 NFL Draft
1970 Philadelphia Eagles draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 6 Steve Zabel  TE Oklahoma
2 34 Ray Jones  CB Southern
3 59 Lee Bouggess  RB Louisville
7 158 Terry Brennan Jr.  OT Notre Dame Pick from CHI
8 190 Ira Gordon  OT Kansas State
9 215 David King  LB Stephen F. Austin
10 240 Steve Jaggard  DB Memphis State
11 268 Bill Walik  DB Villanova
12 293 Robert Jones  DT Grambling
13 318 Richard Stevens  OT Baylor
14 346 Mark Moseley *  K Stephen F. Austin
15 371 John Carlos  WR San Jose State
16 396 Tuufuli Uperesa  OT Montana
17 424 Mike Sizelove  TE Idaho
      Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

[2]

Roster

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1970 Philadelphia Eagles roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams

Practice squad

Reserve


Rookies in italics

Regular season

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Schedule

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Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
1 September 20 Dallas Cowboys L 7–17 0–1 Franklin Field 59,728
2 September 27 at Chicago Bears L 16–20 0–2 Dyche Stadium 53,463
3 October 4 Washington Redskins L 21–33 0–3 Franklin Field 60,658
4 October 11 at New York Giants L 23–30 0–4 Yankee Stadium 62,820
5 October 18 St. Louis Cardinals L 20–35 0–5 Franklin Field 59,002
6 October 25 at Green Bay Packers L 17–30 0–6 Milwaukee County Stadium 48,022
7 November 1 at Dallas Cowboys L 17–21 0–7 Cotton Bowl 55,736
8 November 8 Miami Dolphins W 24–17 1–7 Franklin Field 58,171
9 November 15 Atlanta Falcons T 13–13 1–7–1 Franklin Field 55,425
10 November 23 New York Giants W 23–20 2–7–1 Franklin Field 59,117
11 November 29 at St. Louis Cardinals L 14–23 2–8–1 Busch Memorial Stadium 46,581
12 December 6 at Baltimore Colts L 10–29 2–9–1 Memorial Stadium 60,240
13 December 13 at Washington Redskins L 6–24 2–10–1 RFK Stadium 50,415
14 December 20 Pittsburgh Steelers W 30–20 3–10–1 Franklin Field 55,252

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game recaps

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[1]

Week 1 vs Cowboys

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See also: Cowboys–Eagles rivalry
Week One: Dallas Cowboys (0–0) at Philadelphia Eagles (0–0)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 0 7 7317
Eagles 7 0 007

at Franklin Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  • Date: September 20, 1970
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: 67 °F (19 °C)
  • Game attendance: 59,728
  • Referee: John McDonough
  • Box Score
Team Category Player Statistics
Cowboys Passing Roger Staubach 11/15, 115 yards, TD, INT
Rushing Calvin Hill 25 rushes, 117 yards
Receiving Lance Rentzel 6 receptions, 100 yards, TD
Eagles Passing Norm Snead 10/23, 138 yards, TD, 3 INT
Rushing Tom Woodeshick 15 rushes, 55 yards
Receiving Ben Hawkins 4 receptions, 57 yards, TD

Week 2

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1 234Total
Eagles 6 307 16
• Bears 7 1003 20
Scoring summary
1CHICecil Turner 96-yard kickoff return (Mac Percival kick)Bears 7–0
1PHIGary Ballman 7-yard pass from Norm Snead (kick failed)Bears 7–6
2CHIMac Percival 17-yard field goalBears 10–6
2PHIMark Moseley 42-yard field goalBears 10–9
2CHIDick Gordon 12-yard pass from Ronnie Bull (Mac Percival kick)Bears 17–9
4PHILee Bouggess 10-yard run (Mark Moseley kick)Bears 17–16
4CHIMac Percival 36-yard field goalbears 20–16

The game got off to bad start when Chicago Bears kickoff returner Cecil Turner had a 96-yard game opening kickoff return for a touchdown. Mark Moseley would miss the extra point when the Eagles answered with a touchdown of their own later in the 1st quarter meaning that they were not losing the game only from the opening kickoff to the time it took Turner to return it. Three times during the game the Bears would lead the Eagles by one point.

Week 8

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1 234Total
Dolphins 0 0017 17
• Eagles 0 1770 24
  • Date: November 8
  • Location: Franklin Field • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Referee: Tommy Bell
Scoring summary
2PHIHarold Jackson 31-yard pass from Norm Snead (Mark Moseley kick)Eagles 7–0
2PHIMark Moseley 23-yard field goalEagles 10–0
2PHIHarold Jackson 15-yard pass from Norm Snead (Mark Moseley kick)Eagles 17–0
3PHISteve Zabel 2-yard pass from Norm Snead (Mark Moseley kick)Eagles 24–0
4MIAGaro Yepremian 24-yard field goalEagles 24–3
4MIAPaul Warfield 52-yard pass from John Stofa (Garo Yepremian kick)Eagles 24–10
4MIAWillie Richardson 27-yard pass from John Stofa (Garo Yepremian kick)Eagles 24–17

In week 8 the Eagles marked their first time playing a former AFL team in the regular season by winning 24–17 for their 1st win of the 1970 season. The defense of Philadelphia would force the Miami quarterbacks (Bob Griese 3 and John Stofa 1) to throw 4 interceptions. Miami kick returner Mercury Morris would average over 26 yards on 4 kickoff returns.

Week 9

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1 234Total
Falcons 7 303 13
Eagles 3 307 13
  • Date: November 15
  • Location: Franklin Field • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Referee: Bob Finley
  • Television network: CBS
Scoring summary
1PHIMark Moseley 41-yard field goalEagles 3–0
1ATLJim Mitchell 2-yard pass from Bob Berry (Ken Vinyard kick)Falcons 7–3
2PHIMark Moseley 17-yard field goalFalcons 7–6
2ATLKen Vinyard 15-yard field goalFalcons 10–6
3ATLKen Vinyard 32-yard field goalFalcons 13–6
4PHISteve Preece 21-yard fumble return (Mark Moseley kick)Tie 13–13

The Eagles did not score an offensive touchdown, but an aggressive defense harassed Atlanta quarterback Bob Berry for most of the game and scored a touchdown of its own when Steve Preece returned a fumble 21 yards after Gary Pettigrew blindsided Harmon Wages on an attempted halfback option pass. Philadelphia had a chance to win the game in the closing seconds, but Mark Moseley blew a chip shot field goal attempt.

Week 10

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1 234Total
Giants 3 1070 20
• Eagles 0 977 23
  • Date: November 23
  • Location: Franklin Field • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Game start: 9:00 p.m. EST
  • Game attendance: 59,117
  • Game weather: 46 °F (8 °C) • Wind 16 mph (26 km/h)
  • Referee: Jack Vest
  • TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson, Howard Cosell, and Don Meredith
Scoring summary
1NYGPete Gogolak 29-yard field goalGiants 3–0
2PHINorm Snead 1-yard run (kick failed)Eagles 6–3
2NYGRon Johnson 2-yard run (Pete Gogolak kick)Giants 10–6
2:36NYGPete Gogolak 25-yard field goalGiants 13–6
2PHIMark Moseley 29-yard field goalGiants 13–9
3PHIFred Hill 1-yard pass from Norm Snead (Mark Moseley kick)Eagles 16–13
3NYGFran Tarkenton 1-yard run (Pete Gogolak kick)Giants 20–16
4PHINorm Snead 1-yard run (Mark Moseley kick)Eagles 23–20

[3]

Week 14

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1 234Total
Steelers 7 733 20
• Eagles 6 14010 30
  • Date: December 20
  • Location: Franklin Field • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Referee: Bob Finley
  • Television network: NBC
Scoring summary
1PITJohn Fuqua 72-yard run (Allan Watson kick)Steelers 7–0
1PHIBen Hawkins 21-yard pass from Norm Snead (kick failed)Steelers 7–6
2PHIMike Dirks recovered fumble in end zone (Mark Moseley kick)Eagles 13–7
2PITJohn Fuqua 85-yard run (Allan Watson kick)Steelers 14–13
2PHIGary Ballman 19-yard pass from Norm Snead (Mark Moseley kick)Eagles 20–14
3PITAllan Watson 21-yard field goalEagles 20–17
4PITAllan Watson 17-yard field goalTie 20–20
4PHIMark Moseley 18-yard field goalEagles 23–20
4PHILarry Watkins 1-yard run (Mark Moseley kick)Eagles 30–20

In week 14 the Eagles played the cross state rival Pittsburgh Steelers in the final NFL game at Franklin Field. Frenchy Fuqua had two long runs for touchdowns, one for 72 yards and another for 85 yards, both in the first half. Mark Moseley would miss his 3rd extra point of the year. His 14th field goal of the year, out of 25 attempted, in the 4th quarter gave the Eagles the lead for good. He would be cut during the 1971 training camp, play for the Houston Oilers for 13 games over two years, then settle in Washington for 10 years becoming the last straight on kicking style kicker left in the NFL. He won the Most Valuable Player Award during the strike-shortened 1982 season. He is the only placekicker to win the award.

Standings

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NFC East
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
Dallas Cowboys 10 4 0 .714 5–3 7–4 299 221 W5
New York Giants 9 5 0 .643 6–2 6–5 301 270 L1
St. Louis Cardinals 8 5 1 .615 5–3 6–5 325 228 L3
Washington Redskins 6 8 0 .429 3–5 4–7 297 314 W2
Philadelphia Eagles 3 10 1 .231 1–7 1–9–1 241 332 W1

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

Playoffs

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The Eagles failed to make the playoffs for the 1970 season.

References

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  1. ^ a b "1970 Philadelphia Eagles Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  2. ^ "1970 NFL Draft". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  3. ^ "New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles - November 23rd, 1970". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
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