NFL what ifs

[classichost]

Here's a little repositioning for you

- Baltimore does score early in the 3rd in the 1958 title game and goes on to blowout the Giants 28-10. No 'greatest game ever played'. Therefore the buzz the game created never happens and the game does not grow quite as fast. This actually would be a huge POD.

- Jim Taylor breaks free from Chuck Bednarik in the 1960 title game getting out of bounds to give the Packers one more play and before a stunned Franklin Field crowd Starr connects with Hourning on the final play to pull out a 20-17 win setting up three straight NFL titles, But after 1962 Lombardi never sees another championship contest.

-1963 YA Tittle does not get hurt against the Bears and Ahab finally gets his whale as the Giants bump off the Bears 24-10.

- 1965 Chandler's FG in the western playoff is called No Good and the Colts hold on 10-7. But in the title game a Tom Matte led team is no match for the defending champion Browns who bulldoze their way to another blowout win, this time 31-3.

- Bob Hayes does not mysteriously get put in on the goal line in the waning moments of the 1966 NFL title game. Instead of a procedure call which put Dallas on the 6, Walt Garrison scores on a one yard plunge to send it to overtime. The Cowboys go on to win 37-34 on a 11yd Danny Villinueva FG. But in SB I the upstarts from Dallas get their comeuppance at the hands of the Chiefs who pull out a thrilling 31-28 win on a late Mike Garrison TD. That 'other' league can play after all!

- Lombardi decides to go for the FG at the end of the ice bowl and a mishandled snap seals a 17-14 Dallas win and the Cowboys go on to salvage the NFL's pride against the Raiders with a 34-17 thrashing.

- The late lateral in the 1968 AFL title game is called incomplete. Lamonica throws a late TD pass to break the Jets heart but the Raiders again are sacraficial lambs in a 38-13 Colts laugher. Earl Morrall throws for over 300yds a 4TD's. Johnny Who? Says SI the next week.

- The Raiders defend their title in the AFL's last year before the merger. But the NFL means business and the Vikes and Joe Kapp roll to a 27-10 win

- The old man does the deed as George Blanda throws for 210yds and 2 TD's along with kicking the winning FG as his 47 yarder as time expires leads the Raiders to a 20-17 win over the Niners in what some still consider the best SB ever played.

- Early in the 3rd quarter of a conference semi final contest the Skins kick a FG to extend the lead to 13-3 (instead of failing on 4th in OTL) and go on to dethrone the defending NFC champion Niners 27-17. In the NFC title game George Allen cajoles another upset out of the over the hill gang as a 17-10 win over Dallas puts the Skins in the Super Bowl facing the Cheifs who used the momentum of their epic win on Christmas Day against the Dolphins to propel them back to the Bowl for the first time since the original. In the title tilt, Charlie Taylor scores on a play now known as the 'Nixon reverse' Larry Brown runs for 124 yards and Sonny Jurgensen came off the bench to throw a pair of TD passes as the Skins scalped the Cheifs 28-17.

- Garo Yepremian would become famous for perhaps the biggest gaffe in the history of sport. After storming to a 14-0 halftime lead the undefeated Dolphins we wearing under the surge of the defending champion Redskins. A Curt Knight FG and a Kilmer to Smith TD pass cut the deficit to 14-10. But the Dolphins drove late and looked for Garo to provide some insurance when our time line takes over and Mike Bass runs into history as the Skins celebrate a wild win.

 

[Colonel Zoidberg]

Hmph...NFL what-ifs. As a frustrated Dolphins fan, I always wondered...

What if, in 1993, Dan Marino doesn't get hort playing against the Browns?

The Dolphins won the game, but with Marino's injury, the team was forced to start Scott Mitchell (who also got injured and was out for the season.) Toward the end of the year, they lost three close games, including a 33-27 loss at the end of the year in OT to the Pats.

With a healthy Marino, I'll give them that win and a win over Pittsburgh, raising them to 11-5, dropping Pittsburgh out of the playoffs, and giving Miami and opening-round game against the Raiders, a likely win for Miami.

Buffalo only beat the Raiders in the divisional round by six, and the Dolphins with Marino are easily a better team with a lot to prove, having failed against the Bills in the playoffs two of the past three years. Buoyed by a big win against the Raiders, they upset the Bills and dismantle Kansas City in the AFC championship.

I'll still give the Super Bowl to Dallas, but Miami keeps it closer a little longer before Dallas pulls away at the end.

Also, another scenario...negating the Music City Miracle.

Let's say that the refs get a pair of eyeglasses and correctly call one of the passes a forward pass on the final play, or if you think it was a lateral, let's say it was dropped. Any number of things could defeat the play - and let' ssay one does. The Bills go on to win, 16-15.

Let's be honest - the Bills probably aren't beating the Colts. The Titans might have been something of a team of destiny, and a 13-3 wild card could beat a 13-3 division champ. The Bills? Probably going to lose. So the Colts go to play the Jaguars, who might have gone 16-0 if not for those damn Titans.

Outside the dome, the Colts flounder, and the Jaguars advance to the Super Bowl to play the Rams. As close as it was, the Jaguars might have pulled it off - all for want of a lateral pass.

 

[Colonel Zoidberg]

If the Dolphins managed a defeat of the Bills in Week 16, the Bills would know the 'Fins owned them, but from the looks of that game, th eBills dominated. Part of that was that the Dolphins were already unraveling, so...yeah, I think you have a good point; the 'Fins probably eke out a close win against Buffalo, fall the following week to the Chargers in less humiliating fashion, and stuff the bottom-feeding Pats to bump off the Bills for the division title.

However, one small quirk - in OTL, Buffalo got home-field advantage based on beating the Oilers in the regular season. The Oilers didn't play the Dolphins, and the Oilers' conference record was better than what the Dolphins' would have been - so Houston gets the top spot in Miami's place.

The Raiders, based on a win over the Bills in the regular season, gets home-field advantage for the opening round - and the Bills are defeated, while the Chiefs defeat th eBroncos and go to Miami, where they are dismantled.

The Oilers, however, get the Raiders, who don't pull the same upset the Chiefs did; as such, the Oilers host the Dolphins - and the wheels finally come off for Houston, as the Dolphins reach the Super Bowl with a healthy Marino.

 

[AltSptHst]

Greg Cook

1. Greg Cook doesn't get hurt during his spectacular rookie season and plays fourteen years for the Bengals.

If Greg Cook would have stayed healthy, Bill Walsh's offensive philosophy would have been extremely different. Walsh was the Bengal Offensive Coordinator from the late-60's until 1975, and he had a downfield attack with Cook. But, when Cook wasn't available in 1970, he had to rely on QB Virgil Carter, who didn't have the same arm strength. So, he devised a ball control short passing offense that would go on to be his staple in San Fransisco.

However, if Cook was healthy, that doesn't happen, and the results would have had a big impact on football history. Now, obviously, Cook would have brought some SB championships to Cincy, even though the big, tough Steelers would still have stood in their way more often than not.

But, having Cook may have meant that Walsh could have been given the HC job in 1975 when Paul Brown retired. And that would have butterflied away the Niner dynasty of the 80's and 90's, which means that Joe Montana wouldn't exist today as we know him.

 

[Some Guy From Mars]

Greg Cook

However, if Cook was healthy, that doesn't happen, and the results would have had a big impact on football history. Now, obviously, Cook would have brought some SB championships to Cincy, even though the big, tough Steelers would still have stood in their way more often than not.

I have never seen Greg Cook play so do not know how good he is or how good he could have become. That said, the Steelers would have still stood in the way during the 70's, but keep in mind Cincy already had a very good quarterback during the time in Ken Anderson- and still could not get by the Steelers.

Cincy's best chance for a Super Bowl under Greg Cook, IMO, would have come when the Steelers were starting to fade (beginning with the 1980 season). Let's take the 1981 Super Bowl team (which lost to the 49ers) and replace Ken Anderson with Greg Cook.

A lot of things are going to be butterflied away here. First, Bill Walsh will be coaching the Bengals and not the 49ers, so more than like Cincy will be facing the Cowboys in the Super Bowl.

But what about Joe Montana? Obviously, Walsh in Cincy will not need a quarterback and won't be drafting him. Perhaps the Steelers draft him in the 4th round and maintain the Steel Curtain dynasty into the 80's...

 

[AltSptHst]

Greg Cook

I have never seen Greg Cook play so do not know how good he is or how good he could have become. That said, the Steelers would have still stood in the way during the 70's, but keep in mind Cincy already had a very good quarterback during the time in Ken Anderson- and still could not get by the Steelers.

Cincy's best chance for a Super Bowl under Greg Cook, IMO, would have come when the Steelers were starting to fade (beginning with the 1980 season). Let's take the 1981 Super Bowl team (which lost to the 49ers) and replace Ken Anderson with Greg Cook.

A lot of things are going to be butterflied away here. First, Bill Walsh will be coaching the Bengals and not the 49ers, so more than like Cincy will be facing the Cowboys in the Super Bowl.

But what about Joe Montana? Obviously, Walsh in Cincy will not need a quarterback and won't be drafting him. Perhaps the Steelers draft him in the 4th round and maintain the Steel Curtain dynasty into the 80's...

The Bengals drafted Cook in 1969, two years before they got Anderson. I don't think they take Ken if Cook doesn't have his problems.

I have seen highlights of Cook, and he would have been regarded as the best QB in team history, and one of the best of all-time. I know that the Steelers would have stood in the way, but I think that Cook could have mustered up two championships in the 70's(maybe 73 and 77, down years for the Steelers). I also think that they may have won it all in 81, and maybe 82.

As for the Steelers drafting Montana, I don't think that would have happened. I read this book called The Super 70's, and the author was interviewing Art Rooney, Jr. He asked him what he thought of Montana when he came out, and Art said that they weren't too impressed. Also, I don't think that drafting Montana would have guaranteed that their dynasty would go on. He had to play for Walsh to be great.

Maybe the Bengals take a flier on him, and groom him to take over for Cook by the early 80's, but, by that time, since Walsh would have been more into strong-armed QB's, I don't know if he would have been as into Montana in this alternate world.

Also, here is another thing that Walsh's presence would have butterflied away: The Air Coryell Chargers. Walsh was a coach with them after Paul Brown wouldn't promote him in 1975. Walsh was instrumental in turning Dan Fouts into a great QB. If he never goes to SD, Fouts may have struggled his whole career.

 

[Some Guy From Mars]

Greg Cook

The Bengals drafted Cook in 1969, two years before they got Anderson. I don't think they take Ken if Cook doesn't have his problems.

I have seen highlights of Cook, and he would have been regarded as the best QB in team history, and one of the best of all-time. I know that the Steelers would have stood in the way, but I think that Cook could have mustered up two championships in the 70's(maybe 73 and 77, down years for the Steelers). I also think that they may have won it all in 81, and maybe 82.

As for the Steelers drafting Montana, I don't think that would have happened. I read this book called The Super 70's, and the author was interviewing Art Rooney, Jr. He asked him what he thought of Montana when he came out, and Art said that they weren't too impressed. Also, I don't think that drafting Montana would have guaranteed that their dynasty would go on. He had to play for Walsh to be great.

Maybe the Bengals take a flier on him, and groom him to take over for Cook by the early 80's, but, by that time, since Walsh would have been more into strong-armed QB's, I don't know if he would have been as into Montana in this alternate world.

I agree that 73 and 77 were down years for the Steelers, but in 73 the Bengals would have had to go through the Dolphins, which would have been a tough nut to crack (the 1973 Dolphins, IMO, rank with the finest teams of the era).

1977 might have been more realistic. In 77 the Steelers were struggling while the Raiders were starting to fade. The only thing standing in their way would have been a very good but one dimensional "Orange crush era" Broncos team (great defense but not so great offense). But they still would have had to face the Cowboys in the Super Bowl, a team loaded with Hall of Famers that, IMO, matches up well with any of the era.

Also, here is another thing that Walsh's presence would have butterflied away: The Air Coryell Chargers. Walsh was a coach with them after Paul Brown wouldn't promote him in 1975. Walsh was instrumental in turning Dan Fouts into a great QB. If he never goes to SD, Fouts may have struggled his whole career.

I have to disagree here. Because even without Bill Walsh's presence, Fouts would have still had a LOT of talent around him: John Jefferson (later Wes Chandler), Charlie Joiner, Kellen Winslow, Chuck Muncie and a solid offensive line. Also, Don Coryell was a pretty good offensive mind himself. Remember his work with the Cardinals in the mid-seventies? He made the most out of Jim Hart, Terry Metcalf, Jim Otis, Mel Gray and Dan Dierford.

 

[AltSptHst]

Coryell

I agree about Coryell, but here's the thing: Fouts said that Walsh completely made him over as a QB from the ground up. If Fouts doesn't get Walsh's teachings, who knows if he would have been the QB on that team. Someone else may have been the QB for Air Coryell.

 

[Bearcat]

I agree about Coryell, but here's the thing: Fouts said that Walsh completely made him over as a QB from the ground up. If Fouts doesn't get Walsh's teachings, who knows if he would have been the QB on that team. Someone else may have been the QB for Air Coryell.

LOL, Ken Anderson maybe?

Montana would have gone to the Cowboys in round four - they had him first on their board in the third, only taking Doug Cosbie because they felt set with Staubach, White and Hogeboom. Montana didn't appeal to most teams, so Dallas would have had another crack in the 4th. They would have traded Hogeboom for a future pick. When White comes up short in the early 80s, a skinny kid with no arm - Montana - takes his job. With montana, the Cowboys win one super bowl before their other issues tear them apart. But the Cowboys' future is butterflied away, and they never get Aikman, or win any super bowls in the 90s.

 

[Bearcat]

Meanwhile

The 49ers pick up reject, washed-up Dan Fouts in 1979. Forrest Gregg coaches them to the 1981 super bowl, which they lose to Cook's Bengals, 38-17.