1978: Packers Ride 28-Point First Quarter to Win Over Seahawks

The Green Bay Packers were off to a 5-1 start as they played the Seattle Seahawks in Milwaukee on October 15, 1978. For a team that had endured five straight losing seasons, the last three under Head Coach Bart Starr, it was a tremendous turnaround. Second-year QB David Whitehurst was playing very well in place of the injured Lynn Dickey, RB Terdell Middleton (pictured at right) was spearheading the ground game, and rookie WR James Lofton showed flashes of the ability that made him a first-round draft choice. The defensive line had fine pass rushers in ends Ezra Johnson and Mike Butler, and CB Willie Buchanon was an established star in the backfield.

Seattle, coached by Jack Patera, was 3-3 and coming off of an upset of the Vikings. QB Jim Zorn, a mobile lefthander, provided plenty of excitement and WR Steve Largent was highly reliable. FB Sherman Smith and HB David Sims were capable runners. The Seahawks, in their third year of existence, were an opponent to take seriously.

There were 52,712 fans in attendance at County Stadium, where there was a chilly light rain falling. Things started off quickly for the Packers when WR Steve Odom returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. Chester Marcol added the extra point for the early 7-0 lead. Two plays following the ensuing kickoff, Jim Zorn fumbled and Green Bay recovered at the Seattle 35. It took just two plays for the Packers to capitalize as Terdell Middleton ran for 11 yards and David Whitehurst (pictured below) threw to James Lofton for a 24-yard TD. Marcol again kicked the point after and, with the game less than three minutes old, the home team held a 14-0 advantage.

The contest settled into an exchange of punts until HB Rufus Crawford of the Seahawks muffed a David Beverly kick and DB Estus Hood recovered for the Packers at the Seattle 20. Four plays later Middleton ran for a five-yard touchdown, Marcol converted, and the Green Bay lead was up to 21-0.

There was 2:36 remaining in the opening period as the Seahawks took over on offense, but Sherman Smith fumbled on first down and Ezra Johnson fell on it for the Packers at the Seattle 30. Whitehurst threw to TE Rich McGeorge for seven yards, FB Barty Smith ran up the middle for nine more, and Middleton carried for a 14-yard TD. Marcol added the PAT and Green Bay held a 28-0 advantage after a quarter of action.

The Seahawks fought back gamely in the second quarter. A seven-play, 72-yard series that featured a Zorn pass to TE Ron Howard for 42 yards concluded with the quarterback scrambling around right end for a 12-yard touchdown. Efren Herrera kicked the extra point. A successful onside kick allowed Seattle to retain possession, but the resulting series ended with Zorn fumbling the ball away. However, Whitehurst, throwing long from the Seattle 37, was picked off by SS Autry Beamon and on the next play Zorn connected with Steve Largent for a 48-yard TD. Herrera’s extra point made it 28-14 and less than four minutes had been used up in the period.

The Packers put together an eight-play, 58-yard drive in response that featured a Whitehurst screen pass to FB Jim Culbreath that picked up 17 yards. An apparent touchdown pass to Lofton in the end zone was nullified by offensive pass interference, but the Packers picked up another three points when Marcol booted a 22-yard field goal.

The next few short possessions resulted in punts, fumbles, or interceptions, but no points, and the score remained unchanged at 31-14 after Herrera’s 45-yard field goal attempt at the end of the half sailed wide to the left.

The Seahawks quickly ran into more trouble on the first play from scrimmage of the third quarter when Zorn fumbled and LB Mike Hunt recovered for the Packers at the Seattle 37. Five plays later, and after a Whitehurst pass to Lofton picked up 19 yards, Middleton ran for a two-yard TD, Marcol converted, and Green Bay was up by 38-14.

Seattle responded with a 75-yard drive in six plays that included a Zorn pass to Largent for 24 yards and concluded with Sherman Smith running for a nine-yard touchdown. But the Packers came right back with another scoring series of 65 yards in eight plays. Whitehurst completed passes to Lofton for 16 yards and Barty Smith for 19 and Middleton ran for a nine-yard TD, his fourth of the day. The Seahawks managed one more score early in the fourth quarter when David Sims ran for a two-yard touchdown, but Green Bay’s third quarter scores had extinguished any hopes for a Seattle comeback. The Packers won by a final tally of 45-28.  

The point total was the highest for the Packers in nine years. Seattle, playing catch-up throughout the game, led in total yards (483 to 369) and first downs (23 to 20). Both teams did well running the ball, with the Seahawks edging Green Bay by 194 yards to 190. However, Seattle also turned the ball over seven times, to devastating effect, and with three of them coming in the first quarter. The Packers had three turnovers. They also accounted for the game’s three sacks, two of them (unofficially) by Ezra Johnson. The Seahawks were penalized 9 times, at a cost of 65 yards, to six penalties for 50 yards on Green Bay.

Terdell Middleton had a big day as he rushed for 121 yards on 23 carries and scored four touchdowns. David Whitehurst completed 12 of 19 passes for 179 yards and a TD while giving up one interception. James Lofton had 5 catches for 98 yards and a score. In addition to his touchdown on the kickoff return, Steve Odom returned a punt 48 yards.

For the Seahawks, Jim Zorn was successful on 17 of 31 throws for 308 yards and a touchdown, but gave up two interceptions. He also ran for 28 yards and a TD on five carries. Steve Largent (pictured at right) caught 6 passes for 127 yards and a TD. David Sims rushed for 104 yards on 22 attempts that included a score and Sherman Smith contributed 12 carries for 62 yards and a score.

“We just didn’t play a very solid game,” summed up Seattle’s Coach Patera. “When you’re down 28 points, people start pressing a little. You just have to play hard and hope the breaks change and come your way. They didn’t today.”

The win marked the season’s high water mark for the Packers. They lost to Minnesota the next week and, with the offensive productivity dropping off, won just two more games the rest of the way, finishing at 8-7-1 and second to the Vikings in the NFC Central. Seattle recovered to win six of the remaining nine games and end up at 9-7, the franchise’s first winning record, placing third in the very competitive AFC West.

David Whitehurst passed for 2093 yards with 10 touchdowns but also 17 interceptions, and while he showed poise and promise, he ultimately became a career backup. Terdell Middleton rushed for 1116 yards and 11 TDs, receiving Pro Bowl recognition in what was easily the most productive season of his career. James Lofton, whose career track would be far more impressive, also was chosen to the Pro Bowl after catching 46 passes for 818 yards (17.8 avg.) and six touchdowns.

Jim Zorn led the AFC with 248 completions and 3283 yards, although he was also sacked a league-high 44 times. Steve Largent topped the conference with 71 pass receptions and his 1168 yards ranked second in the NFL. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the first of an eventual seven times.

1978: Broncos Pull Out Win Over Seahawks in Overtime

The Denver Broncos, defending champions of the American Football Conference, were 5-3 as they traveled to Seattle to take on the up-and-coming Seahawks on October 29, 1978, a team they had beaten handily four weeks earlier at home. A season after reaching the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, Head Coach Red Miller’s team was still heavily dependent on the “Orange Crush” defense. The conservative offense was again directed by QB Craig Morton and he had fine receivers available in WR Haven Moses and TE Riley Odoms. The ground game operated with a six-member running-back-by-committee arrangement.

Seattle, in its third year of existence and coached by the stoical Jack Patera, was at 4-4 and coming off a big win over the Raiders the previous week. The offense was led by the mobile lefthanded QB Jim Zorn and included WR Steve Largent and RB Sherman Smith as other key components. The defense included talented newcomers in LB Keith Butler and FS John Harris.

There were 62,948 fans on hand at the Kingdome. The Broncos took the opening kickoff and drove 70 yards. Craig Morton completed a pass to Riley Odoms for 26 yards to the Seattle 38 and fullbacks Lonnie Perrin (pictured above) and Jon Keyworth and HB Otis Armstrong all ran effectively. Jim Turner kicked a 34-yard field goal to give Denver the early lead.

Seattle responded with a five-play, 66-yard drive of its own, culminating in a pass from Jim Zorn to WR Sam McCullum that resulted in a 44-yard touchdown. Efren Herrera added the extra point and the home team was in front by 7-3.

Denver put together another methodical series, utilizing more members of the running back corps, with FB Larry Canada carrying three times for 22 yards and HB Rob Lytle contributing 15 yards on two attempts. The drive stalled at the Seattle 17 and Turner missed on another 34-yard field goal attempt.

The Seahawks punted following their next possession but got the ball back two plays later when WR Jack Dolbin fumbled after catching a short pass and DE Ernie Price recovered at the Denver 16. In a series that extended into the second quarter, Seattle scored in seven plays, the last a four-yard run by Zorn on a quarterback draw for a TD. Herrera kicked the point after and the Seattle lead grew to 14-3.

The teams traded punts until the Broncos again drove into Seattle territory, but a fake field goal attempt failed. Shortly thereafter, LB Randy Gradishar intercepted a pass to give Denver the ball at the Seattle 34. It took just two plays to score, with Morton rolling out and throwing to WR Rick Upchurch for a 29-yard touchdown. Turner added the PAT and the Broncos had closed to 14-10, which remained the score at halftime.

Heading into the third quarter, both offenses were having difficulty mounting drives, and passing was especially problematic. Midway through the period the Broncos got the ball at the Seattle nine following a fumbled snap by Zorn and Perrin ran for a one-yard touchdown. Turner converted and the visitors were in front by 17-14.

In the fourth quarter, a tipped pass intended for Steve Largent was intercepted by LB Bob Swenson to give the Broncos the ball at the Seattle 45. They picked up 12 yards before having to punt. The teams exchanged punts once more before the Seahawks, with Steve Myer now at quarterback, put together a series that involved an interception that, thanks to a fumbled lateral by Gradishar on the return, ended up giving the ball back to Seattle. Myer completed three passes and ran twice for ten yards and Herrera kicked a 37-yard field goal with 56 seconds remaining to tie the score and send the game into overtime.

The Broncos had first possession in the extra period and punted. A short series by the Seahawks also resulted in a punt, but after HB Dave Preston ran for 16 yards, Perrin fumbled and SS Autry Beamon recovered for Seattle at his 41. Zorn was back behind center, but his first down pass was deflected and picked off by CB Steve Foley (pictured at left), who returned it 30 yards to the Seattle 36. Keeping the ball on the ground, the Broncos reached the Seattle one and Turner came in to kick an 18-yard field goal. The first try was wide to the left after Morton, the holder, barely fielded a bad snap, but the 15-year veteran placekicker got a reprieve when the Seahawks were penalized for having twelve men on the field, and given another shot he was successful. Denver came away with a 20-17 win at 12:59 into overtime.

The Broncos significantly outgained Seattle (423 yards to 258), with the six Denver running backs totaling 278 rushing yards, and had the edge in first downs (25 to 19). The Seahawks turned the ball over five times to three suffered by Denver, while the Broncos committed 12 penalties, at a cost of 103 yards, to 9 flags thrown on Seattle, for 61 yards, although the last penalty on the Seahawks was ultimately the most costly.

Jon Keyworth led the strong Denver running attack with 70 yards on eight carries, followed by Larry Canada’s 68 yards on 15 attempts and Lonnie Perrin gaining 57 yards on 15 tries that included a touchdown. Craig Morton completed just 11 of 28 passes for 155 yards and a TD, although he had none intercepted. Haven Moses caught three of those passes for 60 yards while Rick Upchurch added 42 yards and a score on two receptions and also returned three punts for 61 yards.

For the Seahawks, Jim Zorn also had a rough passing performance as he was successful on only 9 of 29 throws for 110 yards and a touchdown while giving up three interceptions. In his relief stint, Steve Myer was 6 of 11 for 38 yards and was picked off once. Sherman Smith ran for 73 yards on 17 carries and caught four passes for another 21 yards. Sam McCullum (pictured at right) gained 57 yards on his three pass receptions that included a TD.

“On the first attempt, the snap was high,” explained Jim Turner of the miss on the first try for the winning field goal in overtime. “I don’t know how Craig (Morton) caught the ball.”

The overtime win for the Broncos marked the third (and last) time they went into OT during the season, and was the second time they came out on top. They lost to the Jets the following week but then won four of five on the way to finishing with a 10-6 record and topping the AFC West for the second straight year. They did not get deep into the playoffs this time, however, losing to Pittsburgh in the Divisional round. Seattle recovered to win five of its last seven contests and post the first winning record in the young franchise’s history at 9-7, which ranked third in the highly-competitive division.

1978: Smith & Largent Star as Seahawks Overcome Bears

The Seattle Seahawks appeared to be a team on the rise as they faced the Chicago Bears on November 5, 1978. Head Coach Jack Patera’s squad, in its third NFL season, had a 4-5 record after a tough overtime loss to the Broncos the previous week, but considering that they won a total of five games in all of 1977, it marked definite improvement. Scrambling lefthanded QB Jim Zorn led an exciting offense that also featured WR Steve Largent and FB Sherman Smith (pictured at right). The revamped defense was playing well and two rookies, FS John Harris and OLB Keith Butler, were making significant contributions.

The Bears, for their part, had lost six straight games after a promising 3-0 start. Under first-year Head Coach Neill Armstrong, they were dependent on the running of HB Walter Payton and FB Roland Harper. The defensive backfield was strong, but there were questions regarding the defensive line and linebackers.

There were 57,359 fans at Soldier Field on a pleasant but windy afternoon. The Bears reached midfield on the game’s first possession but had to punt. Taking over at their 30 following a 14-yard punt return by HB Rufus Crawford, the Seahawks drove 70 yards in 15 plays. Seattle converted three first downs, including a third-and-13 at the Chicago 22 when Jim Zorn scrambled for an 18-yard gain. Sherman Smith ran effectively, carrying the ball seven times for 33 yards and including a one-yard touchdown carry to finish the series off. Efren Herrera added the extra point to give the visitors a 7-0 lead.

The teams traded punts as the game moved into the second quarter. Seattle put together another long and promising drive, starting at their 27. Zorn threw to Steve Largent for 20 yards and to WR Sam McCullum for 18 as the Seahawks moved methodically down the field. Smith and HB Al Hunter carried most of the load, but after reaching the Chicago eight, Smith fumbled and CB Virgil Livers recovered for the Bears.

The teams once again exchanged punts, and Zorn was sacked on back-to-back plays in Seattle’s next series. A shanked punt by Herman Weaver gave the Bears possession at the 50 and Avellini immediately threw to TE Greg Latta for 17 yards and followed up with a 14-yard completion to WR James Scott. The drive stalled at the Seattle 16 and the Bears got a break when Bob Thomas missed a field goal attempt but was roughed while doing so. While there were offsetting penalties, it still provided Thomas with a second chance from 33 yards and this time he was successful.

With 1:17 remaining to play in the half, the Seahawks struck quickly in response, taking just four plays to go 73 yards. Zorn threw to Smith for 17 yards and McCullum for 10, and then hit on back-to-back passes to Largent (pictured below). The second was good for a 26-yard touchdown and, with Herrera’s extra point, an extended lead of 14-3. In the last 30 seconds, the Bears had one last shot before halftime and, thanks to an Avellini completion to WR Golden Richards that picked up 17 yards, were able to get a 36-yard field goal by Thomas before time ran out. Seattle took a 14-6 lead into the intermission.

The Seahawks went three-and-out to start the third quarter and the Bears had good field position following the punt. Mike Phipps was now at quarterback and completed two passes, most significantly to Roland Harper for 16 yards. Thomas kicked a 39-yard field goal to narrow Seattle’s margin to five points.

The Seahawks came back with a seven-play, 72-yard drive. In a second-and-13 situation, Smith took off for a 21-yard gain into Chicago territory and three plays later Zorn connected with Largent for a 31-yard TD. Herrera added the PAT and it was a 20-9 game in favor of the visitors.

Phipps threw to Scott for a 26-yard gain to start the next series, but three plays later CB Dave Brown intercepted a pass at his own six yard line to end the threat. The Seahawks were unable to move on offense, however, and another short Weaver punt gave the Bears the ball back at the Seattle 38. They didn’t come up empty this time as Phipps connected with Harper for a 20-yard touchdown. Thomas added the extra point and it was once again a five-point game.

On the first play following the ensuing kickoff, Smith broke away for a 67-yard gain to the Chicago six. It was from there two plays later that Smith finished off the short series with a touchdown carry. Herrera’s kick made the score 28-16.

As the game moved into the fourth quarter, the teams again traded punts before the Bears put together a 10-play, 64-yard scoring drive. They kept the ball on the ground, with Walter Payton and Roland Harper running effectively. Payton ran the last seven yards for a TD, but a bad snap on the try for extra point forced holder Brian Baschnagel to try to run for the point. He failed and the tally stood at 28-22 with 7:33 remaining to play.

Seattle came back to put more points on the board. Zorn threw to Largent twice, for 19 and 10 yards, and Herrera kicked a 34-yard field goal to increase the margin to nine points. Phipps went to the air on the next series and was picked off by CB Cornell Webster. A short series by the Seahawks ended with Zorn failing to complete a pass on a fourth-and-four play at the Chicago 37. With Payton running for 19 yards on the next play, the Bears drove 63 yards in eight plays and Harper carried for a two-yard TD. Thomas made the extra point this time to narrow the margin to two points, but there were just 35 seconds left on the clock.

Chicago had only one option, an onside kick, but they were set back 15 yards due to a taunting penalty on OT Lionel Antoine, who tapped Seattle LB Terry Beeson on the shoulder after the touchdown and then made a show of spiking the ball in front of him. As a result, the kickoff was from their 20, but the Bears successfully recovered the short kick. Following a penalty, Phipps threw to Scott for 22 yards but, after reaching the Seattle 46, a pass intended for Richards was intercepted by Webster to finally nail down the 31-29 win for the Seahawks.

The Bears led in total yards (401 to 389) and first downs (26 to 23). They also sacked Zorn five times, to two sacks of Chicago quarterbacks by the Seahawks. However, Chicago also turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by Seattle.

Sherman Smith had a big day, rushing for 152 yards on 23 carries that included two touchdowns. The yardage total set a new record for the young franchise. Jim Zorn completed 13 of 24 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns with none intercepted; he also ran for 25 yards on three carries. Steve Largent also had a big performance, catching 6 passes for 126 yards and two TDs.

For the Bears, Walter Payton ran for 109 yards and a TD on 18 carries and caught 5 passes for another 36 yards. Roland Harper had 13 carries for 57 yards and a score and contributed a team-high 6 pass receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown. James Scott gained 88 yards on his 5 catches. Bob Avellini was successful on just 6 of 15 throws for 68 yards while Mike Phipps was 15 of 25 for 177 yards and a TD, but also tossed three interceptions.

The win over the Bears evened Seattle’s record at 5-5, and the Seahawks went on to win four of their last six to finish at a highly respectable 9-7, good for third place in the AFC West and barely missing the postseason. Chicago’s losing streak reached eight the week following the Seattle game, but the Bears then finished strong with four wins in their last five games to end up fourth in the NFC Central at 7-9.

Jim Zorn led the AFC in passing yards with 3283 while completing 56 percent of his passes and tossing 15 touchdowns – however, he also threw 20 interceptions and led the NFL by being sacked 44 times. Still, his mobility was a tremendous asset as he gained 290 yards and scored six TDs running the ball and certainly was a key to the team’s success.

Sherman Smith missed four games due to injury but rushed for 805 yards on 165 carries (4.9 avg.) and caught 28 passes for 366 more yards (13.1 avg.) and a total of seven touchdowns. Steve Largent had 71 catches for 1168 yards and eight TDs and was selected to the Pro Bowl.

1974: Seattle Awarded NFL Franchise for ’76 Season

On June 4, 1974 the commissioner of the NFL, Pete Rozelle, announced that the owners had awarded a franchise to Seattle for the 1976 season. With the approval of a team for Tampa the previous month, the league would be expanding from 26 to 28 clubs – the first adding of teams since the merger with the American Football League in 1970 (it had been rumored that the league might expand by four clubs, but in the end settled for two).

The only issue of concern had been the rental agreement for use of the new domed stadium being built in Seattle, but Commissioner Rozelle indicated that this had been resolved satisfactorily. The construction of the facility (later known as the Kingdome) had been the key to Seattle’s bid.

Other cities in the running were Phoenix, Memphis, and Honolulu (the latter two fielded World Football League teams that fall). Of the applicants, only Seattle received the recommendation for an immediate franchise by the NFL Expansion Committee. The vote had not been unanimous (acceptance by 20 of the 26 existing franchises was necessary). Both new franchises paid a fee of $16 million to enter the NFL. While Rozelle indicated that Tampa was very interested in moving the timetable up to 1975, it remained at ’76.

Heading the Seattle ownership group was majority owner Lloyd Nordstrom (who died before the team ever took the field), joined by Herman Sarkowsky (principal owner of the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers), Ned Skinner, Lynn Himmelman, Howard Wright, and M. Lamont Bean. John Thompson, who had been the NFL Management Council’s executive director, was named general manager early in 1975, and Jack Patera, an assistant coach with the Vikings, was hired to be the team’s first head coach. A contest to name the club drew over 20,000 responses and came up with Seahawks for the fledgling franchise.

As was typical with expansion teams, an allocation draft of unprotected NFL veterans was held to stock the Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Seattle selected 39 players in that draft and, in the league draft of college talent, took another 25 rookies headed by first draft choice Steve Niehaus, a defensive tackle from Notre Dame.

As the team arrived at Eastern Washington University for its first training camp, there were plenty of personnel questions, beginning with who would start at quarterback. The two veteran quarterbacks taken in the allocation draft, Neil Graff from New England and Gary Keithley of the Cardinals, were nondescript career backups. A rookie free agent, Jim Zorn out of Cal Poly – Pomona (pictured above), who had failed to make the Cowboys the previous year (he was the final preseason cut after Dallas acquired RB Preston Pearson) won the job and provided plenty of excitement. A mobile lefthander who threw well – if not always accurately – on the run, Zorn set a rookie record with 2571 passing yards, but also led the NFL by tossing 27 interceptions as opposed to 12 TD passes.

During training camp, the Seahawks swung a trade with the Oilers for rookie WR Steve Largent out of Tulsa (pictured below), and it proved to be another fortuitous acquisition. The 5’11”, 184-pound receiver lacked speed, but proved to be sure-handed and able to get open with regularity. He led the club with 54 catches for 705 yards and four touchdowns, and would last 14 years in Seattle on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.


Yet another rookie, RB Sherman Smith, who was drafted by the Seahawks in the second round out of Miami of Ohio, made an impact. At 6’4” and 217 pounds, he had played quarterback in college but was projected to be a pro running back. He became the best of a mediocre crop of runners, topping the team with 537 yards on 119 carries as well as catching 36 passes for another 384 yards.

As for the remainder of the offense, while Smith showed promise, the running game as a whole ranked at the bottom of the NFL (1416 yards). Zorn placed second on the team in rushing with 246 yards, tied with FB Don Testerman, a rookie who had been drafted by the Dolphins but ended up starting eight games with Seattle.

A solid veteran wide receiver (although coming off of a knee injury), Ahmad Rashad, had been signed away from Buffalo, where he had played out his option, but he was in turn dealt to Minnesota just before the start of the regular season. Largent took his spot in the lineup, and across from him was WR Sam McCullum, a third-year player who was picked up in the expansion draft from the Vikings. He caught 32 passes for 506 yards and four TDs. While fifth-year veteran John McMakin was expected to start at tight end, he instead backed up Ron Howard, who hadn’t caught a pass in two seasons with Dallas but contributed 37 receptions for 422 yards with the ’76 Seahawks.

The offensive line was mediocre, containing two NFL veterans, 34-year-old ex-Dolphin OT Norm Evans and C Fred Hoaglin, in his 11th (and last) season. Only left tackle Nick Bebout, a fifth-year ex-Falcon, started every game on the line in 1976.

Defensively, Niehaus had a solid rookie season at the one tackle position. The other tackle, Richard Harris, had been a star rookie with the Eagles in 1971 but had not progressed in the ensuing five years. The ends were Dave Tipton and another 34-year-old veteran, Bob Lurtsema. 33-year-old Mike Curtis, once an outstanding middle linebacker for the Colts, played on the outside while ex-Steeler Ed Bradley started at MLB. Ken Geddes, formerly with the Rams, started nine games at the other outside position.

FS Dave Brown intercepted four passes, as did CB Rolly Woolsey. Another ex-Ram, Eddie McMillan, started at the other cornerback spot and Al Matthews was the strong safety. The unit gave up 27 touchdown passes but was also the most stable part of the defense throughout the season.

As for the specialists, John Leypoldt attempted only 12 field goals, but was successful on 8 of them. Rick Engles averaged a mediocre 38.3 yards on 80 punts.

In the end, the ’76 Seahawks went 2-12 to finish at the bottom of the NFC Western Division (they were shifted to the AFC West in ’77 and remained there until returning to the NFC as part of the 2002 restructuring). Their first win came in the sixth week of the season and was over the other expansion club, the Buccaneers (who ended up going 0-14).

The Seahawks improved rapidly, posting their first winning record in 1978, the franchise’s third year. Progress was not so smooth thereafter, however. They would not reach the postseason until 1983, under a new head coach, Chuck Knox, and with a different starting quarterback, Dave Krieg.