The following changes were adopted to add tempo and action to the game (and to help counter the proposed changes announced by the World Football League to their games):
One sudden death overtime period (15 minutes) was added to all preseason and regular season games; if no team scored in this period, the game would result in a tie. This rule was enacted to decrease the number of tie games. The first ever regular season overtime, a September 22 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Broncos, ended in a 35-35 draw. It was not until November 10, when the New York Jets defeated the New York Giants, 26-20, that an overtime game would produce a winner.
Goal posts: moved from the goal line to the end line, where they were in 1932. This was to reduce the number of games being decided on field goals, and to increase their difficulty. Not to mention reduce the risk of player injuries. Uprights were extended to 30 feet above the crossbar.
Missed field goals: If the line of scrimmage was beyond the 20-yard line, the defensive team takes possession of the ball at that point. (In 1994, the ball would be placed at spot of the missed kick.) If this point was inside the 20-yard line, the defensive team takes possession of the ball at the 20-yard line (touchback).
Kickoffs: moved to the 35-yard line (from the 40-yard line) to reduce touchbacks, promoting more excitement with kickoff returns. In 1994, the kickoff would be moved further back, to the 30-yard line.
Punt returns: members of the kicking team cannot go beyond the line of scrimmage until the ball is kicked.
An eligible pass receiver can only be contacted once by defenders after the receiver has gone 3 yards beyond the line of scrimmage.
When the defensive team commits an illegal use of hands, arms, or body foul from behind the line of scrimmage, the penalty will be assessed from the previous spot instead of the spot of the foul.
The penalties for offensive holding, illegal use of hands, and tripping were reduced from 15-yards to 10-yards.
Wide receivers blocking back towards the ball within three yards from the line of scrimmage may not block below the waist.
Division races
Starting in 1970, and until 2002, there were three divisions (Eastern, Central and Western) in each conference. The winners of each division, and a fourth "wild card" team based on the best non-division winner, qualified for the playoffs. The tiebraker rules were changed to start with head-to-head competition, followed by division records, common opponents records, and conference play.
National Football Conference
Week
Eastern
! Central
! Western
! Wild Card
|-
1
3 teams
1-0-0
(Chi, Min)
1-0-0
(LA, SF)
1-0-0
4 teams
1-0-0
2
ST. LOUIS
2-0-0
MINNESOTA
2-0-0
Tie (LA, SF)
2-0-0
Tie (LA, SF)
2-0-0
3
ST. LOUIS
3-0-0
MINNESOTA
3-0-0
Tie (LA, SF)
2-1-0
4 teams
2-1-0
4
ST. LOUIS
4-0-0
MINNESOTA
4-0-0
LOS ANGELES
3-1-0
PHILADELPHIA
3-1-0
5
ST. LOUIS
5-0-0
MINNESOTA
5-0-0
LOS ANGELES
3-2-0
PHILADELPHIA
4-1-0
6
ST. LOUIS
6-0-0
MINNESOTA
5-1-0
LOS ANGELES
4-2-0
PHILADELPHIA
4-2-0
7
ST. LOUIS
7-0-0
MINNESOTA
5-2-0
LOS ANGELES
5-2-0
WASHINGTON
4-3-0
8
ST. LOUIS
7-1-0
MINNESOTA
6-2-0
LOS ANGELES
6-2-0
WASHINGTON
5-3-0
9
ST. LOUIS
7-2-0
MINNESOTA
7-2-0
LOS ANGELES
7-2-0
WASHINGTON
6-3-0
10
ST. LOUIS
8-2-0
MINNESOTA
7-3-0
LOS ANGELES
7-3-0
WASHINGTON
7-3-0
11
ST. LOUIS
9-2-0
MINNESOTA
7-4-0
LOS ANGELES
8-3-0
WASHINGTON
8-3-0
12
ST. LOUIS
9-3-0
MINNESOTA
8-4-0
LOS ANGELES
9-3-0
WASHINGTON
6-4-0
13
ST. LOUIS
9-4-0
MINNESOTA
9-4-0
LOS ANGELES
9-4-0
WASHINGTON
9-4-0
14
ST. LOUIS
10-4-0
MINNESOTA
10-4-0
LOS ANGELES
10-4-0
WASHINGTON
10-4-0
American Football Conference
Week
Eastern
! Central
! Western
! Wild Card
|-
1
(Buf, Mia)
1-0-0
3 teams
1-0-0
KANSAS CITY
1-0-0
3 teams
1-0-0
2
NEW ENGLAND
2-0-0
PITTSBURGH
1-0-1
OAKLAND*
1-1-0
8 teams
1-1-0
3
NEW ENGLAND
3-0-0
CINCINNATI
2-1-0
OAKLAND*
2-1-0
3 teams
2-1-0
4
NEW ENGLAND
4-0-0
CINCINNATI
3-1-0
OAKLAND
3-1-0
PITTSBURGH
2-1-1
5
NEW ENGLAND
5-0-0
CINCINNATI
4-1-0
OAKLAND
4-1-0
BUFFALO
4-1-0
6
BUFFALO
5-1-0
PITTSBURGH
4-1-1
OAKLAND
5-1-0
NEW ENGLAND
5-1-0
7
BUFFALO
6-1-0
PITTSBURGH
5-1-1
OAKLAND
6-1-0
NEW ENGLAND
6-1-0
8
BUFFALO
7-1-0
PITTSBURGH
6-1-1
OAKLAND
7-1-0
NEW ENGLAND
6-2-0
9
MIAMI
7-2-0
PITTSBURGH
6-2-1
OAKLAND
8-1-0
BUFFALO
7-2-0
10
MIAMI
8-2-0
PITTSBURGH
7-2-1
OAKLAND
9-1-0
BUFFALO
7-3-0
11
MIAMI
8-3-0
PITTSBURGH
8-2-1
OAKLAND
9-2-0
BUFFALO
8-3-0
12
MIAMI
9-3-0
PITTSBURGH
8-3-1
OAKLAND
10-2-0
BUFFALO
9-3-0
13
MIAMI
10-3-0
PITTSBURGH
9-3-1
OAKLAND
11-2-0
BUFFALO
9-4-0
14
MIAMI
11-3-0
PITTSBURGH
10-3-1
OAKLAND
12-2-0
BUFFALO
9-5-0
Final standings
W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against
Green-shaded teams clinched playoff berths x - clinched wild card berth, y - clinched division title
Encyclopedia
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