Good Monday morning, Uni Watchers! I hope everyone had a solid weekend.
After last week’s Thanksgiving weekend uniforms, with lots of throwbacks and alternates, Week 14 brought a return to normalcy, with not a single throwback worn, and only two teams even wore alternates. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Sometimes it’s good to take a break from all that, and watching games with teams looking like we expect. Admittedly, as a Uni Watcher, I enjoy the variety weeks, but “normal” weeks like this are welcome. Not every matchup was stellar, but we definitely ended up with more good than bad looking games.
And with that, let’s just delve right into the action.
The Lions continue their “most uni-superstitious team” label, as they continue to wear, and win in, Monolulu blue. Obviously most people with eyes think their blue jersey/silver-gray pants — worn once in the team’s only loss — is the superior combination, but it’s tough to argue with their results. Aside from next week, when the Lions will wear their alternate blue helmets/black uniforms, we can expect them to wear mono-white on the road in weeks 16 and 17 and Monolulu blue in their final home game in week 18. This would have been a Top 5 lock had the Lions worn their silver-gray pants, but alas, we probably won’t be seeing those again this season.
It was an absolutely brutal-looking in Minnesota yesterday. The Purple People Eaters lived up to their name, but not in a good way, while the Falcons countered with a black/white/black/black ensemble. I’d argue these are both teams’ worst possible combos, and it showed.
It was a surprisingly good looking game in Philly yesterday with two never-before-worn this year combos for both squads. The Panthers debuted a silver/white/blue/white look (their eleventh different combo this year). And the Eagles, in what was a big surprise to me, paired their white pants with black socks, the first time they’ve done so this year. The result was a very pleasing uni matchup that’s in strong consideration for a Top 5 finish!
As they are wont to be, the game between the Browns and Steelers was a beautiful color palette special. Playing on a warm fall afternoon was just a bit different than the last time these two teams hooked up. Few colors — IMO anyway — pair so well as the black & gold and brown & orange, and while it’s not quite a Winter Wonderland, this gloriously sunny, late autumn day, produced a perfect fall color spread. *Chef’s kiss*
The Jags/Titans tilt featured the Titans in their alternate light blue jerseys, which they decided to pair with navy buckets, pants and socks, a rather unfortunate sartorial decision. Somewhat surprisingly, the Jaguars repeated a uni combo, going black/white/black/white for just the second time this season.
The Bucs have worn their white jerseys often this season, and this was just the second time they sported their red jerseys — and the first time they wore their pewter/red/pewter combo this year. It was probably not a coincidence, as this was basically a Super Bowl 37 uni repeat. It’s a good look, but it seems Nike can’t match the shade of pewter the team wore with their previous set. The Super Bowl uniforms had both shinier pants, and a (seemingly) lighter shade of pewter. The current shade can almost look black in certain lighting. Even in bright sun, they seem closer to olive than pewter. Still a great looking game, just not as great as Supe 37.
The Saints have worn their primary white jerseys four times, including yesterday, and in the first three games, wore white, black and gold pants once each. For their sunny, early afternoon game, they went with white below the waist for the game with NYG. Predictably, it was way too much white. What could have been a T-5 matchup if the Saints wore gold pants turned into just another disappointing matchup for Saints’ opponents. At least the Giants looked good, saving this one from the “And One” consideration.
Despite the Dolphins’ wearing mono-white at home, it was still a very pleasing uni game down in Miami. I’m liking the Jets “Sack Exchange” uniforms more and more, too. Because the Jets have a very shiny helmet, during many different lighting conditions, they will appear to be a different shade of green from the jerseys, but not yesterday. There will always be some different shades, but those helmets work best under natural lighting. I know it’s a throwback, and so basically correct, but I’ve never liked the giant white toilet seat collar design on the Jets. But that’s really my only complaint about the Jets’ new (old) unis. Well, except for their BFBS, but thankfully those unis will see very limited action.
The Cardinals broke out their BFBS alternates yesterday, while the Seahawks went navy/white/gray/white. I love it when the Seahawks wear gray pants, but I’m not so sure about pairing them with white jerseys and hosiery, since the shade of gray seems quite light, so there’s not enough contrast. Gray pants should always be paired with navy socks. And, despite the BFBS, what the Cards wore looks much better as a uniform than their home bloodclots. But still…BFBS.
This game could have been all kinds of ugly, and there sure was a lot of royal, but looked surprisingly good! Despite the four royal elements, there was still enough balance with white and yellow accoutrements. Both teams wore striped pants and contrasting socks (which matched their respective team’s helmets and jerseys). This one is a strong contender for a T-5.
Pretty much any time the Bears or 49ers play, their game has a shot at a T-5, and so, when they play each other, it virtually guarantees it. Two classic uniforms playing one another was a nice way to close out the late afternoon games. This one is a T-5, lock. The question is…where, and does it top the SNF game?
It was going to be tough to top this one, and it didn’t disappoint. I was especially taken with the actual uniformity of the Chargers. I mean — wearing low whites — in the NFL … today? Well, not everybody, but still. And of course, pair the Chargers with the Chiefs and you have all the elements for a second color palette special. *Double Chef’s Kiss*
My Five and One
5 Chiefs/Chargers
4 Bills/Rams
3 Panthers/Eagles
2 Bears/49ers
1 Steelers/Browns
And One
Seahawks/Cardinals
Either your choice, or Jags/Titans would be my &1.
I don’t like the thought of punishing the Seahawks in the process, but those Cardinals unis are just SO bad.
Hard to argue with Phi’s Five, though. Now that I’ve embraced the Buccaneers’ “new” look, I may have to go back and consider XXXVII for the all-time Super Bowl Top Five.
GTGFTU: Eagles @ New Orleans, Dec 18, 1989. Black electrical tape on helmets in commemoration of death of QB Coach Doug Scovil.
Those look like Cowboys’ uniforms to me.
Yeah, has to be Dallas, at the Vet, December 10, the day after Scovil died. Dallas #40 is Bill Bates, and Eagles #22 is Mark Higgs, meaning this was probably a kick return.
Per gridiron database, New Orleans didn’t have sleeve stripes in 1989. The three games they played with the tape were at home against Dallas, then at New Orleans, and then at home against the Cardinals.
Agreed; this is the previous week (12/10/1989) vs. Dallas, first game with the tape on the wings. Saints did not have stripes on the sleeves in ’89; they had the Louisiana-shaped secondary logo.
Agree. It would have to be vs Dallas 12/10/89, Based on the double stripe on the sock. Saints used single, broad stripe on their socks
Yikes, fooled by the Eagles wearing road uniforms. Forgot that some teams would wear their road gear to force Dallas to wear the home blue jerseys.
According to GUD-the Eagles in 1989 wore white for every home game except vs Raiders (including NFC WCG vs Rams).
It is the Cowboys. This was the game where some Philly fans pummeled the Cowboys with ice balls. That resulted in a game against the Phoenix Cardinals with no beer sales in the Vet on Christmas Eve.
GTGFTS: 1967 MLB All-Star Game, Anaheim Stadium; NL 2, AL 1 in 15 innings, setting the record for the longest All-Star game by innings (matched in 2008). Tony Pérez hit the go-ahead home run in the top of the 15th off Catfish Hunter.
GTGFTS
1967 All Star Game at the Big A.
Catfish Hunter pitches 5 innings of relief, but gives up a solo HR to Tony Perez in the top of the 15th to take the loss.
Strangely, nobody even considered calling it a tie or instituting a HR shootout.
Had to be 1967 ASG in Anaheim, started late afternoon but finished at night. Not a prime time start but close, went something like 15 innings.
1967 MLB Allstar game. American won 3-1 in 15 innings
1989 Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles.
Looks like Lions going BFBS next week against the Bills.
link
Yes. I’ve mentioned it a couple times already, including in this article under the Lions TNF writeup.
Lots of good looking games. a few terrible and a few fantastic. Was gladly shocked with the eagles in dark socks. Makes it so much easier on the eyes.
“Probably the only time a non-throwback Dolphins team cracks a Top Five“
I realize that many a classicist prefer the ‘perfect season’ look and would like to see it return full-time, but the ‘Phins 21st century redesign deserves less harsh criticism and a bit more consideration. The colors are bright, the logo is imaginative…even the aqua pants ain’t so bad!
If the Dolphins wore aqua socks with the white pants, or white socks with the aqua pants, I’d consider them more strongly — I actually thought at the time of the Dolphins redesign, that the “new” (current) uniforms were actually an improveent over their previous set, which had the seemingly superfluous navy block shadow and aqua cage. link
I still think they’re fine, and a nice “modern” look, but they’ve fallen victim to the latest trends where teams wear same color pants and hosiery.
I would take the Dolphins in the modern aqua pants. But where are the bright colors you describe when they go with white helmets, white jerseys, white pants without stripes and white socks? A hint of light aqua in the numbers, and even less of a hint of orange?
I’d put Rams-Bills in the top 5 over Raiders-Bucs. Those too-dark “pewter” pants just aren’t working and that set was sort of just ok even when it was new. But the Rams-Bills matchup was extraordinarily pleasant to watch on TV, especially combined with a _very_ entertaining game.
Agreed — I actually *had* that as my #5 choice (as well as the Panthers/Eagles), but ultimately went with Raiders-Bucs. I suppose I could have put two (or even all three) games and made #5 a tie. Not regretting my decision, but I really did like all three matchups about equally.
The Falcons should play the Titans in the “Horrible Font Bowl”.
Even better: Falcons vs Texans
I might move Chargers/Chiefs to 2 and put Steelers/Browns at 1. I’d also maybe put Rams/Bills in and take out Bucs/Raiders or Fins/Jets but all very close..
No argument with Chiefs-Chargers at number 1 (I’d have that one tied with SF-Chicago). And as good as the game looked, it would make so much more sense for LAC to wear their blue tops in that situation. This is the perfect example of a game where color vs color would produce much better contrast than color vs white.
Buffalo-LAR looked good, but this probably would have been a good week for the Bills to wear the white pants.
If it’s superstition keeping winning teams dressed in their horrible mono looks, why didn’t the Saints break out the gold pants weeks ago? They could use a change in fortune.
I got a kick (no pun intended) about your observing the Chargers’ linemen in their “low whites,” especially since this was the second week of the NFL’s My Cleats My Cause campaign. Then I wondered if the teams normally wear their stylish cleats at home. However, I reminded myself that the Chargers were in Atlanta last week, so now I am wondering if they get an extra week for a home game to show off their cleats for cause.