Worst team to make and lose a conference championship game

[Todd Pence]

1979 Bucs.

[74_75_78_79_]

'91 Broncos? How about the other conference-runner-up from that very year? Burying Dallas twice, and yes splitting with Bears, are the only feathers in Detroit's cap. Of course winning at Buffalo in the finale shouldn't count as a quality victory. They lose to Wash both games (opener and CC) by a combined 86-10! Yes, #20 didn't play in their first affair but 45-0 is 45-0. They also get clubbed at SF, and while SF was in the midst of their 4-6 start that was high-(low)-lighted by their sweep to Atl. In the '91 regular season Power Rankings thread, I placed Denver at #10 but Detroit one lower at #11.


Perhaps I was too hard on Denver placing them at #10 for that year. Yes, they get clubbed at Houston while getting swept vs Raiders, but they did sweep Chiefs, and the argument already made for their defensive stats holds up. And avenging Houston in the divisional and then giving the K-Gun some real hell at Rich gets them off schnide IMO.

[CSKreager]

'91 Broncos? How about the other conference-runner-up from that very year? Burying Dallas twice, and yes splitting with Bears, are the only feathers in Detroit's cap. Of course winning at Buffalo in the finale shouldn't count as a quality victory. They lose to Wash both games (opener and CC) by a combined 86-10! Yes, #20 didn't play in their first affair but 45-0 is 45-0. They also get clubbed at SF, and while SF was in the midst of their 4-6 start that was high-(low)-lighted by their sweep to Atl. In the '91 regular season Power Rankings thread, I placed Denver at #10 but Detroit one lower at #11.


Perhaps I was too hard on Denver placing them at #10 for that year. Yes, they get clubbed at Houston while getting swept vs Raiders, but they did sweep Chiefs, and the argument already made for their defensive stats holds up. And avenging Houston in the divisional and then giving the K-Gun some real hell at Rich gets them off schnide IMO.

Denver had a way better defense in 1991 than they did in 1987. They allowed fewer points, had more sacks, allowed fewer total yards, and placed more people in the Pro Bowl (three to one, and Simon Fletcher should have made it in 91 as well. He had 13.5 sacks). Also, they shut down Buffalo's K-Gun (I don't see the 1987 Denver D doing that) in the 1991 AFC Title Game.

Because of that, I see Denver being able to hang in with Washington for a while. However, if Elway was still banged-up, and they had to turn to Kubiak, Denver's O would have had problems. I see the Redskins winning that matchup 24-7.

The defensive stats and numbers were probably aided by their 5th place schedule.

Dodged a competitive NFC West, Chiefs were their 2 best wins until the playoffs, only NFC opponents they played were the Vikings/Cardinals

1991 Broncos were a paper tiger that robbed us of what would have been a better BUF/HOU AFC CG

[lastcat3]

Would have been a SB 22 rematch with, compared to ‘87, a better Washington team against a worse Denver team.

Rypien vs Buffalo was very good. Against Denver, he might have had a Doug Williams-esque day.

If Washington can play the way they did against a stacked and loaded Bills team with future HOF’’ers...... imagine them against a way less talented Broncos team (And when these teams met in '92 with virtually the same rosters met, it was 34-3)

Actually, Denver had a way better defense in 1991 than they did in 1987. They allowed fewer points, had more sacks, allowed fewer total yards, and placed more people in the Pro Bowl (three to one, and Simon Fletcher should have made it in 91 as well. He had 13.5 sacks). Also, they shut down Buffalo's K-Gun (I don't see the 1987 Denver D doing that) in the 1991 AFC Title Game.

Because of that, I see Denver being able to hang in with Washington for a while. However, if Elway was still banged-up, and they had to turn to Kubiak, Denver's O would have had problems. I see the Redskins winning that matchup 24-7.

I tell ya watching you try to pump up those late '80's/early 90's Bronco teams which consisted of some of the worst Super Bowl teams there has ever been (and was a big reason why the era of dominance in the big game by the NFC happened) is pretty darn entertaining. Between the late '80's Broncos and the early '90's Bills (the two teams that really caused the impression that the AFC didn't have much of a chance in the Super Bowl) the Bills were definitely better.

[conace21]

Would have been a SB 22 rematch with, compared to ‘87, a better Washington team against a worse Denver team.

Rypien vs Buffalo was very good. Against Denver, he might have had a Doug Williams-esque day.

If Washington can play the way they did against a stacked and loaded Bills team with future HOF’’ers...... imagine them against a way less talented Broncos team (And when these teams met in '92 with virtually the same rosters met, it was 34-3)

Actually, Denver had a way better defense in 1991 than they did in 1987. They allowed fewer points, had more sacks, allowed fewer total yards, and placed more people in the Pro Bowl (three to one, and Simon Fletcher should have made it in 91 as well. He had 13.5 sacks). Also, they shut down Buffalo's K-Gun (I don't see the 1987 Denver D doing that) in the 1991 AFC Title Game.

Because of that, I see Denver being able to hang in with Washington for a while. However, if Elway was still banged-up, and they had to turn to Kubiak, Denver's O would have had problems. I see the Redskins winning that matchup 24-7.

I tell ya watching you try to pump up those late '80's/early 90's Bronco teams which consisted of some of the worst Super Bowl teams there has ever been (and was a big reason why the era of dominance in the big game by the NFC happened) is pretty darn entertaining. Between the late '80's Broncos and the early '90's Bills (the two teams that really caused the impression that the AFC didn't have much of a chance in the Super Bowl) the Bills were definitely better.

I agree with the last sentence, though I am definitely biased. But I will say, for all the talk of Elway carrying three lousy teams to the Super Bowl, the 1989 Broncos allowed the fewest points in the league, the fewest first downs, and were third in yards. This was the first of many quick turnarounds by new DC Wade Phillip's. It's certainly easy to forget, as Denver ran a simple, but aggressive defense, and that simplicity was exploited by Montana and the 49ers in the worst defensive performance in Super Bowl history, especially when accounting for eras.

[lastcat3]

I agree with the last sentence, though I am definitely biased. But I will say, for all the talk of Elway carrying three lousy teams to the Super Bowl, the 1989 Broncos allowed the fewest points in the league, the fewest first downs, and were third in yards. This was the first of many quick turnarounds by new DC Wade Phillip's. It's certainly easy to forget, as Denver ran a simple, but aggressive defense, and that simplicity was exploited by Montana and the 49ers in the worst defensive performance in Super Bowl history, especially when accounting for eras.

1989 was perhaps the low point for the AFC during that NFC run. Only one team in the AFC had more than nine wins that year. The Broncos. That to go along with the fact that they were playing one of the best teams of all time (many people have the '89 49ers as a top 5 team all time) made for a big blowout to happen.

[7DnBrnc53]

I agree with the last sentence, though I am definitely biased. But I will say, for all the talk of Elway carrying three lousy teams to the Super Bowl, the 1989 Broncos allowed the fewest points in the league, the fewest first downs, and were third in yards. This was the first of many quick turnarounds by new DC Wade Phillip's. It's certainly easy to forget, as Denver ran a simple, but aggressive defense, and that simplicity was exploited by Montana and the 49ers in the worst defensive performance in Super Bowl history, especially when accounting for eras.

1989 was perhaps the low point for the AFC during that NFC run. Only one team in the AFC had more than nine wins that year. The Broncos. That to go along with the fact that they were playing one of the best teams of all time (many people have the '89 49ers as a top 5 team all time) made for a big blowout to happen.

Good points. That Browns team that Denver played in the AFCC didn't deserve to make the playoffs that year. The Bills and Steelers probably should have been in the AFC Title Game. If Ronnie Harmon catches the pass in the Bills game, and if Denver doesn't get lucky with an extra point and FG in the first half (the XP was tipped and barely went over the crossbar, & the FG before the end of the half hit the post and bounced in), we see that matchup.

[CSKreager]

I agree with the last sentence, though I am definitely biased. But I will say, for all the talk of Elway carrying three lousy teams to the Super Bowl, the 1989 Broncos allowed the fewest points in the league, the fewest first downs, and were third in yards. This was the first of many quick turnarounds by new DC Wade Phillip's. It's certainly easy to forget, as Denver ran a simple, but aggressive defense, and that simplicity was exploited by Montana and the 49ers in the worst defensive performance in Super Bowl history, especially when accounting for eras.

1989 was perhaps the low point for the AFC during that NFC run. Only one team in the AFC had more than nine wins that year. The Broncos. That to go along with the fact that they were playing one of the best teams of all time (many people have the '89 49ers as a top 5 team all time) made for a big blowout to happen.

Good points. That Browns team that Denver played in the AFCC didn't deserve to make the playoffs that year. The Bills and Steelers probably should have been in the AFC Title Game. If Ronnie Harmon catches the pass in the Bills game, and if Denver doesn't get lucky with an extra point and FG in the first half (the XP was tipped and barely went over the crossbar, & the FG before the end of the half hit the post and bounced in), we see that matchup.

And for what it's worth, the Bills played a decent defensive game against the 49ers in week 15 and the Steelers didn't play too horribly against the 49ers the following year (they actually clamped down on Montana)

[7DnBrnc53]

And for what it's worth, the Bills played a decent defensive game against the 49ers in week 15 and the Steelers didn't play too horribly against the 49ers the following year (they actually clamped down on Montana)

That's right. The Bills only lost 21-10 to SF in 89 at Candlestick. That was without the no-huddle. What if they had the no-huddle going against SF in the Bayou (as great as SF was, they don't have a genius like Belichick)?

Also, the Steelers were doing well in the 90 game at CandleCom until the Foster kickoff mishap in the third quarter.

[Some Guy From Mars]

Surprised the 1983 Seattle Seahawks have not been mentioned or the 1984 Pittsburgh Steelers.