1981 10 05 ABC MNF Falcons at Eagles

[@marquan1976]

Howard Cosell previewing tonight’s game with the MNF theme playing in the background is such EPIC theater!

[@chrisrhoads8256]

This when monday night 🏈 was classic days

[@hassanabdur-rahman1559]

One of the best things about Monday Night Football back during the golden era were the Halftime Highlights narrated by Howard Cossell. The way he narrated was awesome and inspirational. He put so much passion in his presentation and he used pretty big words, and it still sounded great.

[@comfortat]

I love Dick Vermeil. Even though he never coached a team I was rooting for, I loved his passion and his genuine love for his players and the game of football. That said, you cannot win consistently on emotion. He burned himself out in Philly, and he wore this team out with his philosophy. I was happy for him when St Louis (barely) won a SB. He seemed to have mellowed, and his Rams teams were far more consistent. Landry, his complete opposite in style and method, was often criticized for being "unemotional." But he knew that having the right players running the right plays the right way was more important than any RAH RAH speech. I think that's why we love this game so much. Different styles can bring championship results.

[@rockyfortune3537]

The falcons needed to bring these uniforms back. 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@BIG-D-STAR]

They put entirely too much emphasis on adding more black, they couldn't give red the respect it deserves they had to have a gradient fade red to black, 1 black 1 red jersey/black/white pant combos would've sufficed & in homage to the greatest uniform in Atlanta Falcon history These "MAGNIFICENT UNIFORMS" you see before you. assuming the NFL puts an end to their asinine helmet rule why they can't have an alternate helmet that meets modern regulations is beyond me.

[@indy_go_blue6048]

@@BIG-D-STAR I always liked the Patriots' red uniform and white helmet with "Pat Patriot" logo as well. Wonder why they gave it up to blue and that shit knuckle logo.

[@flexiblestrategist9922]

Yes. Too many black helmets and only one red helmet in the league and that's in the AFC. The Falcons should be red, too. This was former coach Jerry Glanville's idea in 1989 and never changed. The Eagles are supposedly changing their helmet to black in 2023. I hope not. Green is fine since The jets now have dark green.

[@Olivia_Jefferson185]

GODDAMN you said it, brother!! Every flippin Falcons game I watch in modern times - I spend half the game just pining for these uniforms again. I'll actually throw these Eagles unis in as well. I think these Philly unis blow the current ones away. Hell, most of the NFL could use this make-over, but nothing quite like these Falcons uniforms. Who the F would look at these ATL uniforms back then and think, "YEAH..THESE NEED TO BE STREAMLINED AND MADE WORSE..STAT!"

[@kandtherestcandtherest9080]

Wow, what a great opening. Enjoyed. Thank you

[@jayzachary9709]

Both uniforms are sweet !!!!

[@darrenhertzer4225]

Two Polish Gunslingers who had huge years in 1980, the 80s had some tremendous MNF matchups

[@indy_go_blue6048]

Back in the day we didn't have 24/7 network coverage or choice in games. I lived south of Atlanta and got to see Bart play every week, Jaws just once in a while but I liked them both. A shame that Bart's career ended with a pre-season knee injury; he's still my #2 all-time favorite QB behind Peyton Manning.

[@shanemike3070]

I graduated High School that year and was a Falcon fan

[@shanemike3070]

Falcons lose again, no wonder the doc has me on antidepressants

[@bb-gc2tx]

when monday night was special

[@jayzachary9709]

Loving these classic uniforms on both teams !!!

[@flexiblestrategist9922]

This Eagles D was just as good as the 1991 Eagles D. Look at the stats. Their LB and secondary rivaled the 91 team. Problem was Jaworski towards the end of the season and teams keyed on Montgomery.

[@realMartinHamilton]

Thank you very much for these classic games. So many great reminiscent feelings come back to me hearing these voices and watching the players I so much admired as an early teenager.

[@flexiblestrategist9922]

I read somewhere years ago this Falcons offense had the most offensive players sent to the pro bowl (7 or 8?) but finished .500. Never happened before nor since.

[@russellpavlov1343]

October 1981 was a busy one for Howard Cosell: 1981 10 05 ABC MNF Falcons at Eagles; Games 1-5 1981 American League Eastern Division Series Yankees vs. Brewers ABC; 1981 10 12 ABC MNF Dolphins at Bills; hosting the 1981 10 17 edition of ABC WWOS Leonard-Hearns I; Games 1-6 1981 World Series Dodgers vs. Yankees ABC.

[@integritymedia4664]

He was the man back then

[@gootchie]

Would love to see the 1981 MNF game between the Falcons and Vikings. A hard-fought game that went all the way to the wire.

[@billymoton91]

I remember that game

[@johnnybrown3042]

..LOVE Watching "REAL" Football..Thank You!!

[@chrissnyder3430]

"We're live in(your stadium here) for ABC's Monday Night Football!" Man! I so looked forward to hearing Giff utter those words! RIP Frank Gifford,Howard Cosell, and those behind the scenes. I grew up with ya. I went to a Browns/Steelers Monday nighter and I'm not sure which I liked more?? The live energy was great but I missed the booth talking and bickering. Lol

[@muffs55mercury61]

MNF was in it's 11th year and still with it's great staff. The atmosphere had changed very little until Howard was let go a few years later.

[@chrissnyder3430]

Howard was one of the first victims of cancel culture. No opportunity to apologize. You just get shit canned and see ya!

[@muffs55mercury61]

@@chrissnyder3430 I was going to say, cancel culture has been around a very long time, even before our time. Maybe not as politically motivated as now.

[@patferry4128]

William Andrews was a beast

[@toniofranks7992]

My favorite falcon williams Andrew's #31!!!!!!!!

[@debbiehenson1096]

Falcons went from best team in NFL to a losing season in one year, wow.

[@pronkb000]

The Falcons never had back-to-back winning seasons in their history until the Matt Ryan days.

[@indy_go_blue6048]

The Falcons are one of those "little fish" teams that rise to the surface of the pond for a year or two then get beaten back down by the perennial "big fish."

[@chrisorr4902]

The battle of the birds. Both division champions of their conference in the NFC from the previous season in 1980.

[@russellmoore2962]

It went down hill for the falcons from here, still can't explained what happend to a team that was so promising

[@russellmoore2962]

@Greg Hubbard nothing

[@MykeFord950]

I honestly believe they never fully recovered from that devastating playoff loss to dallas the year before at home..it psychologically destroyed them

[@JimmyH91]

went downhill soon after for the Eagles too...

[@patferry4128]

And we Eagles fans thought we were in the prime of a dynasty, not knowing the Vermeil era would be over with the end of this winning streak.

[@ms.felonystrutter2472]

My high school had the SAME EXACT uniforms here in Philly as the Falcons...

[@shawnsullivan3415]

North Catholic?

[@integritymedia4664]

When that music and that opening hit your screen at 9pm, you STFU and paid attention.

[@TonyS286]

The condition of that turf is criminal.

[@brianbachmeier34]

Great game!

[@themasterblaster3644]

Eagles cheerleaders had short skirts, and believe or not high heels as their outfits, no sneakers like today, they were so sexy.

[@SingleTax]

Atlanta's defensive secondary fell apart that year. That, I submit, is the primary reason the Falcons lost nine games.

[@comfortat]

Two words - Jerry Glanville He ruined the Oilers, then the Falcons, AFTER he ruined this Atlanta defense. I have no idea why anyone ever hired him. What a buffoon. He was good for one exciting year per team, then would get exposed for years. He is a poor man's Buddy Ryan. Ryan was a line coach for the '69 Jets, then DC for the famous '85 Bears. As a head coach, he never won a damn thing.

[@tommythomason6187]

Philly's awesome defense was too much for the high-powered Falcon offense. They couldn't throw it much, either - not a lot of time for Bart, back there. Eagles knocked down his passes, and disrupted his timing, and were in his face all evening. Tipped passes, bad snaps, penalties and injury screwed the Falcons in '81. They only won seven games, but were in all of them. Loved those red, striped helmets. Those were classy.

[@stevep8445]

It's funny reading all the warm and fuzzy comments about Cosell on these old videos. Back in the day he was voted one one of the most hated persons on TV. He was a bitter drunk too. Often drinking during broadcasts. During the 1984 ALCS, Al Michaels told Howie "You're drunk... You're ruining the f--ing broadcast." People talked about Cosell back then as people talk about Joe Buck now...

[@scottreed244]

Actually Howard had the dubious honor of being voted the most hated and most popular broadcaster in sports. . . . in the same poll! That just shows you how divisive he was, you either loved him or hated him. I wasn't that big of a fan of his as a football commentator, I thought he was just okay, but he was a brilliant sports journalist. People forget that's how he made his name in sports during the 60s before Monday Night Football, tackling issues that a lot of other journalist in sports wanted to avoid because of the controversy.

[@ms.felonystrutter2472]

Fran is a JOKE....he says @47:43 was not a PI but he thought the SB 13 Benny Barnes .Swann play WAS a PI....when all they did was get their feet tangled. This Trio is REALLY missing Dandy Don....but I live here in Philly...I understand why Dandy would not want to come here ....it sucks

[@shaneticknor1866]

3 announcers is way too many

[@chrisuncleahmad666]

Do you have these games: Dolphins/Patriots October 1978 Falcons/Rams Week 15 1981 Rams/Saints MNF 1980 (Paper Bags)

[@ms.felonystrutter2472]

Look at the receivers on the Oiles in 1973 and they CUT Jenkins???? Andrews was a revelation to them....the COwboys first QB Eddie LeBaron was their GM...he should have been better

[@tonyfrankd9367]

Old school!!!!!!!

[@ms.felonystrutter2472]

THE FALCONS HAVE A GREAT TIGHT END....THEY DO NOT EVEN CALL A PLAY FOR HIM.....IT IS INSANE

[@stevep8445]

Stop yelling

[@bowlingball99lb45]

Junior Miller

[@ms.felonystrutter2472]

One of Bartkowski's worst games...it is CRAZY to see how Andrews and Cain kill them and then Bartkowsk ruins it. the halftime highlights Cowboys at Cardinals were ALWAYS really good games. The Cowboys had the 3 best receives on any NFC team in Pearson, Hill and Johnson but Landry was way too conservative if he played 3 receiver pacakges more the Cowboys would have been even more devastating. The Falcons 3 Wr's were the second best trip in the NFC. For as brilliant as Landry was his conservatism cost them. more rings. Interesting, as a COwboys fans I loved Danny Waite he takes way way too much blame but it is true in Spring 1978 there was a deal on the table Danny White to Houston for the 1st pick overall and the COwbooys would have taken Earl Campbell. Now this really puts me on my ass, it wouold have changed the entire complextion of the 80's Cowboys and then they would have drafted Neil Lomax in 1981, the Cowboys drafted Steve DeBerg they had Jim Zorn Imagie if they made that deal? DeBerg would have been Rogers main back up or Glenn Carrano Funny Deerg, JIm Zorn and Danny White ALL Cowboys QB's ALL better than Jaworski LOL.....

[@stevep8445]

LMAO..... Carano started one game in his career. He went 16/45. DeBerg was a journeyman at best. Zorn was exciting, but by no means was he a great QB, 44-62 record 111 TD/142 int. Boy, listening to you, the Cowboys were going to trade and/or draft every great player that was out there. Oilers were NEVER trading their #1 pick in 1978 draft, certainly not for Danny White.... Please stop

[@scottreed244]

Actually the whole Danny White for Houston's number one pick is not quite true. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had the number one pick in the 1978 draft and desperately needed a quarterback (and a tight end). Rumor has it that the Cowboys offered the Buccaneers Danny White in exchange for the number one pick but Gil Brandt has stated several times that the offer was never officially made for several reasons. First, even though Rodger Staubach was still playing as if he was in his late 20s/early 30s he was actually going to be 36 when the 1978 season started and not that far from 37 when it ended. Add to that he had already suffered several serious concussion and the Cowboys were leery of trading away an experienced backup who they felt could win for them if Staubach went down. Second, Brandt admitted in an interview with the old NFL Today Show back then that if the Cowboys tried to acquired Earl Campbell, to go along with Tony Dorsett, there would have been a huge backlash from the other NFL owners which the Cowboys did not want to deal with. As far as Houston is concerned, they were as desperate to acquire Earl Campbell (to take pressure off of QB Dan Pastorini) as the Buccaneers were to acquire a quarterback. Bum Phillips stated to the press that before Tampa Bay trade the pick to another team, they should allow him the opportunity to top it. Eventually, Houston sent Tampa Bay a No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and tight end Jimmy Giles for the pick. Getting back Houston's No. 1 in that same draft was key because the Buccaneers wanted to draft Doug Williams and they were certain he would still be available when Houston's No. 1 pick came up (which he was). Another interesting what-if regarding that 1978 number one pick is that the Los Angeles Rams were also heavily into trying to trade for Campbell and had more assets than the Oilers had to offer but they evidently were not willing to go all in, especially when the Buccaneers asked for tight end Charlie Young and the Rams refused. The fact is that Young (a former pro bowl tight end) didn't do much for the Rams (although he did help San Francisco win their first Super Bowl in 1981) so including him in the trade would not have harmed the Rams in the least. As a Rams fan growing up in Los Angeles in the 70s, it still irks me that, as the 1978 season went on, our running back corps was decimated with injuries and we limped into the NFC championship game against the Cowboys with NOTHING in our backfield; no Lawrence McCutcheon, no Wendell Tyler, not even "slow as molasses" John Cappelletti. I would have loved to have seen how that game would have gone with the Cowboys facing Earl Campbell in our backfield . . . oh well.

[@shanetrimble9265]

@@scottreed244 Great info. Good work.

[@ms.felonystrutter2472]

The Cowboys lost SB 13 on the same kind of pay @47:43

[@stevep8445]

Don't think we care.... I do give you credit for trying to work the Cowboys into every comment you make, even when it is not relevant.

[@ms.felonystrutter2472]

@@stevep8445 LIKE I GIVE A FUCK....I KNOW SOMEONE DOES....I COLD GIVE TWO SHITS WAT SOME COWBOYS HATER THINKS....AND IF YOU DID NOT CARE...WY DID YOU WRITE???? SORRY I KNOW MORE FOOTALL HISTORY THAN YOU....STFU AND YOU MIGHT LEARN SOMETHING....

[@ms.felonystrutter2472]

Look at this box score they run at will on the eagles and they lost because of one reason: STEVE BARTKOWSKI....the ONLY reason the eagles won a Super Bowl 2017 = MATT RYAN www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198110050phi.htm

[@MGAF688]

Eagles looked to be unstoppable. 5-0. It was going to be a smooth ride to SB XVI.

[@tomcollins5112]

What happened to the 81 Eagles, anyway? They started 6-0 and then mostly stumbled the rest of the way.