1986- The fall of 3 football empires

CSKreager
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1986- The fall of 3 football empires

Post by CSKreager »

In 1986, three traditional longtime football empires fell off after a lengthy run of great football- the Dolphins, the Raiders, the Cowboys.

From 1970-1985, Miami had only 1 losing record.

From 1966-1985, Dallas had their famous run of 20 straight winning seasons (not to mention a .500 record in 1965, so that was also 21 straight seasons without a losing record)

From 1963-1985, the Raiders had 2 losing records in 23 seasons as they were the epitome of Just Win Baby

All 3 of these teams had squeaked out division titles in 85 (MIA rallied past the Pats/Jets after Thanksgiving, Dallas won 2 games against the Giants by a combined 8 points, the Raiders won 2 OT games vs Denver

But in January 1986, they all suffered 3 humbling playoff defeats in 10 days: Eric Dickerson ran all over Dallas, the Raiders/Dolphins both imploded with turnovers against New England

In 86, they each had different paths on the road to ruin:

Miami's defense was so horrendous that Marino's 44 TD season could only salvage 8-8

The Raiders sandwiched an 0-3 start and an 0-4 finish with 8 wins, but lost some numbing games (Elway catches a TD in week 1, low scoring slugfest at RFK, a 37-0 MNF disaster in Seattle, Marcus Allen's OT fumble vs the Eagles)

Dallas started 6-2 and seemed on pace for a typical Tom Landry season. Then Danny White got injured against the Giants, they gave up 72 points over 2 games in a 5 day span (34-0 1st half at RFK, 31-14 vs Seattle on Thanksgiving), and they finished with the franchise's 1st losing record since 1964

Neither team would make the playoffs for the rest of the decade and combined for 1 winning record (8-7 Dolphins in 1987, but that was a strike year)

By the time they all resurfaced in the 1990s, these teams all had completely different looks.

Whose 1986 fall from grace was the most surprising?
7DnBrnc53
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Re: 1986- The fall of 3 football empires

Post by 7DnBrnc53 »

Whose 1986 fall from grace was the most surprising?
I don't know if any of them were that surprising. In Miami's case, most of the Killer B's defense (that led them to SB 17 in 1982) was gone (along with Arnsparger), and it took awhile to replace that.

With the Raiders, the turning point seems to be when Allen fumbled in overtime against Philly (in Week 12 of the 86 season. The Raiders were 8-4 and were driving towards a game-winning play and a playoff shot when that happened). Since then, the franchise hasn't been that successful (they have had two more franchise shifts and only seven playoff berths).

Also, poor draft day decisions in Big D were catching up to them (like Rod Hill in 82 and Kevin Brooks in 85). Landry should have resigned after the 86 season like he originally planned on doing (and letting Paul Hackett be the HC).
sheajets
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Re: 1986- The fall of 3 football empires

Post by sheajets »

The Cowboys one you could sense. Their 1985 team felt sort of like an 8-8 squad that got a bit of luck and just scratched their way to a Division Title, but that they were absolutely destined to be left in the dust by the Redskins and Giants soon. 1984 was a bit of a sign of things to come but they had themselves a brief rebound.

Dolphins was kind of a surprise. You'd figure they could at least keep that D somewhat respectable enough to win 10 games or so...but their defense was putrid in 86. Doug Betters was just about finished, Glenn Blackwood was in serious decline. Baumhower was washed up
SixtiesFan
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Re: 1986- The fall of 3 football empires

Post by SixtiesFan »

7DnBrnc53 wrote:
Whose 1986 fall from grace was the most surprising?
I don't know if any of them were that surprising. In Miami's case, most of the Killer B's defense (that led them to SB 17 in 1982) was gone (along with Arnsparger), and it took awhile to replace that.

With the Raiders, the turning point seems to be when Allen fumbled in overtime against Philly (in Week 12 of the 86 season. The Raiders were 8-4 and were driving towards a game-winning play and a playoff shot when that happened). Since then, the franchise hasn't been that successful (they have had two more franchise shifts and only seven playoff berths).

Also, poor draft day decisions in Big D were catching up to them (like Rod Hill in 82 and Kevin Brooks in 85). Landry should have resigned after the 86 season like he originally planned on doing (and letting Paul Hackett be the HC).
The indignation at Tom Landry's firing after three losing seasons culminated by a 3-13 record in 1988 was somewhat strange, if not bizarre.
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Bryan
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Re: 1986- The fall of 3 football empires

Post by Bryan »

7DnBrnc53 wrote:
Whose 1986 fall from grace was the most surprising?
I don't know if any of them were that surprising.
I would agree with this.

Dallas = they started to drift back to mediocrity during the 2nd half of the 83 season, and then lost at home to a very mediocre Rams team in the playoffs (Rams would get demolished 51-7 the following week). That was kind of the end of the Dallas 'empire'. They were average in 1984, and probably even worse in 1985 yet they somehow lucked into making the playoffs due to the logjam of 10-6 teams. They got shut out by the Dieter Brock-led Rams. They just weren't that good heading into 1986.

Dolphins - the defense wasn't all that great in 1984, but toward the end of the year they lost their best player in AJ Duhe. He tried to return, wasn't the same, and retired. The defense put up no resistance to the Niners in the Super Bowl. The defense was average overall in 1985 and bad against the run. I remember being shocked when tuning in late to the 85 playoff game and seeing the Browns up 21-3 on the Dolphins. The Dolphins eventually came back to win (MartyBall!!) but then got run over by the Pats the following week. 251 yards rushing to the Browns, 255 yards rushing to the Pats.

Raiders - probably had the most talent of the three teams here, but I think the inability of the Raiders to admit that Marc Wilson kind of sucked really held them back. Plunkett wasn't any good, and he'd get hurt...Wilson was terrible....I remember a point in time when Rusty Hilger was thought to be the next long-term QB. Ick.

The irony was that after the 85 season, it was thought that the Pats would be bad in 1986 because Hannah retired, Eason was beyond repair, and cocaine rumors for many players. But the Pats ended up winning their division as Eason rebounded to become one of the best QBs despite an anemic ground game, while the Raiders and Dolphins missed the postseason.
Bob Gill
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Re: 1986- The fall of 3 football empires

Post by Bob Gill »

Bryan wrote:
7DnBrnc53 wrote:Dallas = they started to drift back to mediocrity during the 2nd half of the 83 season, and then lost at home to a very mediocre Rams team in the playoffs (Rams would get demolished 51-7 the following week). That was kind of the end of the Dallas 'empire'. They were average in 1984, and probably even worse in 1985 yet they somehow lucked into making the playoffs due to the logjam of 10-6 teams. They got shut out by the Dieter Brock-led Rams. They just weren't that good heading into 1986.
That's pretty much the way I saw the Cowboys too. They had a terrific team all the way from 1966 through the first 14 games of 1983, at which point they were 12-2 and tied with the Redskins. But then they lost the big rematch for the division title, lost to somebody else in the last week of the regular season, and lost to the Rams in the opening round of the playoffs, and never bounced back until 1991.

I also agree that the 1985 team was just ordinary, despite their luck in getting a playoff berth.
sheajets
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Re: 1986- The fall of 3 football empires

Post by sheajets »

Still the Cowboys were 7-4 well into Nov 1986 before the bottom fell out, and then 5-4 in 1987 at one point(Replacement player year). While they were in decline they seemed to stay competitive throughout these seasons for some long stretches. The bottom really fell out 1988
7DnBrnc53
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Re: 1986- The fall of 3 football empires

Post by 7DnBrnc53 »

sheajets wrote:Still the Cowboys were 7-4 well into Nov 1986 before the bottom fell out, and then 5-4 in 1987 at one point(Replacement player year). While they were in decline they seemed to stay competitive throughout these seasons for some long stretches. The bottom really fell out 1988
Also, to be fair, if they would have won that Thanksgiving OT game against the Vikes in 87, they would have made the playoffs (they also blew a late lead against the Cards in Week 1).
sheajets
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Re: 1986- The fall of 3 football empires

Post by sheajets »

7DnBrnc53 wrote:
sheajets wrote:Still the Cowboys were 7-4 well into Nov 1986 before the bottom fell out, and then 5-4 in 1987 at one point(Replacement player year). While they were in decline they seemed to stay competitive throughout these seasons for some long stretches. The bottom really fell out 1988
Also, to be fair, if they would have won that Thanksgiving OT game against the Vikes in 87, they would have made the playoffs (they also blew a late lead against the Cards in Week 1).
And that was just an terrific game

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF8VJ0_t5Ks

Though have to say the 86 Vikings were a hard luck 9-7 and out of the playoffs. Could've easily won 11 games that year. So getting in at just 8-7 in that weird 1987 season is fine by me
JohnTurney
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Re: 1986- The fall of 3 football empires

Post by JohnTurney »

Bryan wrote:
Dolphins - the defense wasn't all that great in 1984, but toward the end of the year they lost their best player in AJ Duhe. He tried to return, wasn't the same, and retired. .
Duhe was one of thase sad cases. After in the 1984 offseason he had surgery on both knees and a shoulder. Missed first month. When he came back, as you say, not the same. Not physically able, I guess. Shula benched him but he makes his only Pro Bowl

In 1985 offseason has surgery on the other should and a cleanup on one of the knees. In a 12-month period and 3 knee and 2 should operations covering both knees and both shoulders.
You rightly point out that he tried to play in 1985, got cut in camp. Tried the heal up and maybe give it a try in 1986 but heard a pop in one of the knees playing racquetball and then decided his body would never make it in football again - time to give up the comeback and announced retirement.
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