For those around then, how heartbreaking was the final game of the 1983 season? (1 Viewer)

[Turfie]

In the last game of the 1983 season the Saints had a do or die game at home against the Rams.

For the first time in their 17 year existence the Saints were on the doorstep of making the playoffs for the first time ever.



With 2 seconds left in the game the Rams kicker made the game winning field goal. The kick itself barely snuck through the uprights by mere inches.

I wonder where this game ranks in regular season heartbreaks.

 

[Nutria]

Ha! I was watching it live on TV, and Lansford was about to kick. At just that moment, my girlfriend's parents arrived from out of town. Arrgh. So my heartbreak was delayed for about five minutes.

 

[max]

I was a little boy, but I remember watching it on the backyard deck of a friend of my parents in Hammond. I remember that people were disappointed for the moment.

 

[HoustonSaint68]

Absolutely crushing. So close after so many years.

But, in the end it was just another of the many heartbreaks that made XLIV so much sweeter.

 

[big screen D]

I was in the dome. It was crushing.

One more first down, and they had it. When they punted, the whole stadium knew what was coming.

It would have happened again if Hakim had fielded that punt years later against the Rams. Guaranteed.

 

[Moon]

It was heartbreaking---the best team Bum Phillips had during his tenure. Every loss that season outside of the two 49er beatdowns was 1 score or less. Thought for sure that was our moment, but it just wasn't meant to be. Bum was still playing 70's football well into the 80's, with a great defense (#2 in the league), a solid line, 3 very good RB's (George Rogers, Wayne Wilson, Hokie Gajun)---but then a quarterback four years past his expiration date (Ken Stabler), a decent TE (Hoby Brenner), and virtually no one at WR

 

[Fiyo]

Soul-crushingly tough … second time in five years … the Saints first flirted the playoffs in 1979 … After starting 0–3, New Orleans won seven of its next 10 and was tied for first place with the Rams with three weeks to play. … Then it all fell apart late in a Monday Night game they led 35-14 but lost 42-35 before losing 35-0 to the Chargers the following week. The won the last game of the season over the Rams to finish at 8-8, but the Rams still went to the playoffs by winning the division at 9-7 … the 1979 Saints had more offensive talent … Both of those seasons had heartbreakingly woulda/coulda/shoulda finishes … the 1982 Saints nearly made the playoffs at 4-5 in the first strike-shortened season but missed out due to a crazy tiebreaker system … tough times

 

[Buickman]

The last game I went to before boot camp. The only good thing I can think of is the tickets were only $10.

 

[kcirdor]

I don't know much of 83... but I do know I hated that barefooted expletive when I was old enough.

 

[longtime lurker]

The pain of the letdown after we blew it…..still hurts.

 

[Day1]

Crushing. Drove in from USL after a rather long, blurry night before. Nothing better to do than keep on pounding beers at the game, knowing we were going to win and make the playoffs. Bum ripped my guts out not letting Morten try the long field goal. Girlfriend in Lafayette called me after the game- "Did you hear about the Saints?" No, dingy, why did you think I kicked you out at 5am and drove to NO today? The beginning of the end of that relationship.

 

[Saintman2884]

It was heartbreaking---the best team Bum Phillips had during his tenure. Every loss that season outside of the two 49er beatdowns was 1 score or less. Thought for sure that was our moment, but it just wasn't meant to be. Bum was still playing 70's football well into the 80's, with a great defense (#2 in the league), a solid line, 3 very good RB's (George Rogers, Wayne Wilson, Hokie Gajun)---but then a quarterback four years past his expiration date (Ken Stabler), a decent TE (Hoby Brenner), and virtually no one at WR

One big criticism Bum Phillips got after this game was that instead of allowing a young, vibrant powerful kicker in Morten Andersen try a 49-yarder to essentially ice the game, Bum got scared and decided to play it safe and ordered a less-then-mediocre P in Russell Erxleben to coffin-corner a punt, Erxleben instead punted into the endzone and Rams got it on their own 20-yard line. Bum explained at his post-game press conference their was no reason to think that journeyman, veteran QB Vince Ferragamo could successfully move the ball 55-60 yards so quickly against such a stout defense not realizing how worn out and tired that unit likely was late in the 4th quarter.

Stabler was decent with Oilers in his two seasons there (1980 and 81 seasons) but by 1983, one could clearly tell his best days were far behind him. Stabler, in his autobiography, kind of infers the biggest reason he came to New Orleans at all was his then-huge contract in the 1982 pre-season.

 

[watts]

It was rough. But not totally unexpected. Those early Saints were masters at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory and, while the stakes had never been higher, losing a last second game was almost second nature at that point in my fandom.

 

[SaintJ]

I was there. Brutal. Just ******* brutal. No words.

 

[SaintLuke]

We were watching in the quarter. I remember the heartache well.