The Pythagorean NFL Part 2: The Strike Years

Now it's time to go to Municipal Stadium in Cleveland for the Week 16 battle between the Oilers and the Browns:

Oilers 14, Browns 10 (NBC: Gary Gerould, Dave Rowe)

Archie Manning and Earl Campbell looked like their old selves for the first time all year, as the Oilers upset the Browns before a shocked crowd. Campbell carried twenty-one times for 113 yards and scored both Houston touchdowns from four and twenty-two yards out, while Manning was fourteen of twenty-six for 277 yards and two interceptions. Dave Casper was his leading receiver with four catches for 102 yards. while wide receiver Harold Bailey caught three passes for sixty-five yards and Mike Renfro three more for fifty yards. On defense, future Hall of Famer Robert Brazile sacked Brian Sipe once and picked him off twice.

Sipe completed just thirteen of his thirty-three passes, but threw for 244 yards. Ozzie Newsome caught six passes for 105 yards, and Ricky Feacher added three more catches for sixty-four yards. The Browns managed 166 yards rushing; Mike Pruitt carried twenty times for eighty-eight yards, while Charles White totaled sixty-four yards on eleven carries and scored the only Cleveland touchdown. The Browns' defense also sacked Manning four times in a losing effort.

The Oilers travel to Kansas City next Sunday to close their season. If they win, they'll finish third in the AFC Central.

Here are your updated AFC Central standings:

Steelers: 11-5
Bengals: 10-6
Oilers: 3-12
Browns: 3-13

Next: We wrap up this timeline for good with the final two games from Week 17.

Thoughts?
 
Now here are the final two games of Week 17. We begin at Giants Stadium, where the G-Men are hosting the Cardinals:

Giants 21, Cardinals 3 (CBS: Sam Nover, Calvin Hill)

Scott Brunner completed only twelve passes, but three were for touchdowns as the Giants wrapped up fourth place in the NFC East. John Mistler caught a fifty-four yard touchdown bomb in the first quarter, Johnny Perkins snagged an eighteen-yarder in the second quarter, and tight end Tom Mullady was on the receiving end of an eighteen-yard scoring toss in the third quarter. Floyd Eddings didn't catch a touchdown, but he led the New York receiving corps with fifty-six yards on three catches. Butch Woolfolk led the running attack with forty-four yards on thirteen carries, and he also caught a pair of passes for forty-six yards. Brunner finished twelve of sixteen for 216 yards. The Cards got eighty-six yards on elven carries from Wayne Morris, and Ottis Anderson added sixty yards on eighteen carries. Veteran Jim Hart got the start at quarterback for St. Louis, but he could only complete eleven of his thirty-three passes for 155 yards and an interception. Roy Green caught five passes for sixty-seven yards, and Mike Schumann caught a pair of passes for forty-eight yards. On defense, the Cards sacked Brunner four times in a losing cause.

Here are the final 1982 standings in the NFC East:

Cowboys: 12-4
Redskins: 11-5
Eagles: 8-8
Giants: 7-9
Cardinals: 5-11

Now to Kansas City, where the Chiefs are hosting the Oilers:

Chiefs 27, Oilers 10 (NBC: Gary Gerould, Dave Rowe)

Bill Kenney also threw three touchdown passes, as the Chiefs dispatched the Oilers before a surprisingly large crowd at Arrowhead Stadium. Carlos Carson, Al Dixon. and Anthony Hancock were on the receiving end of Kenney's scoring tosses, and Henry Marshall was the overall leading receiver with eighty-one yards on five catches. Carson finished with four catches for fifty-five yards. Kenney finished sixteen of twenty-four for 214 yards. On the ground, Joe Delaney led the way with eighty-four yards on nineteen carries.

For the Oilers, Earl Campbell finished with fifty-eight yards on eleven carries, but last week's performance against the Browns didn't carry over for Archie Manning; he was fourteen of twenty-seven for 162 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions. Harold Bailey was his leading receiver with forty-five yards on three catches, while Dave Casper caught four passes for forty-one yards. Mike Renfro caught Manning's touchdown pass.

Here are the final 1982 standings in the AFC West:

Raiders: 12-4
Chargers: 10-6
Seahawks: 9-7
Chiefs: 7-9
Broncos: 5-11

Here are the final 1982 standings in the AFC Central:

Steelers: 11-5
Bengals: 10-6
Oilers: 3-13
Browns: 3-13

The Browns hold the expected wins tiebreaker for third place over the Oilers, 3.1 to 2.8.

That's it once and for all, folks. Thanks for reading!
 
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