'85 Dolphins v. Bears
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L.C. Greenwood
- Posts: 233
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Re: '85 Dolphins v. Bears
No doubt, a hypothetical 1978 Steelers versus 1985 Bears game would have been an absolute bloodbath. Penalties, galore, with neither team being able to intimidate the other. Chicago's offense just doesn't have enough weapons to challenge the Steel Curtain, but the Pittsburgh offense has a major challenge facing a defensive scheme they've never faced. Forget about the running game, this one comes down to Bradshaw's quick release, and his two versatile HOF targets. Swann and Stallworth were lethal on quick bubble screens, and the Steelers would likely try the occasional longer throw. In what shapes up to be a low-scoring game, hitting one big pass play could be the difference for the Steelers.
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74_75_78_79_
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Re: '85 Dolphins v. Bears
Dolphins beating Chicago in '85, especially lopsided, to me was likely a product of - as said already this thread - a 'perfect storm' of sorts. Da Bears were 12-0 coming off a 36-0 trouncing of Atlanta which followed 'you-know-what' (44-0) the week prior to that! Going into Miami, they didn't allow a TD in four weeks, beating their last three opponents by a combined 104-3! And, also as already stated, the Dolphins really needed the win in a division with also-contending Jets & Pats. And, yes, Dan Marino was a QB like no other who that '46' had to face so far that campaign.
It seemed as if a first and perhaps only loss of the season was due. Just like in Week #11, 1990 when both NYG & SF, each fattened-up and ripe for a first-loss, lose at both Philly and home to Rams respectively (thus taking that obvious 'glitter' off for the following week's MNF affair): or Denver in '98 losing at the Meadowlands after that killer 13-0 start.
It'd be interesting to see what would have happened if that MNF game at Miami would have been earlier on in the season as the 'Shuffle' was in full crank-up mode or at least just getting started? Perhaps if the 12-0, 'ripe' for a first-loss, Bears played at Candlestick instead, would they have lost as well? Okay, maybe not a good example to start with. They would have been too fired-up, eager for last year's revenge! Iron Mike, and everyone else, circled that game the moment the schedule came out! Okay, then how about playing at quite respectable Green Bay in Week #13 instead? After all, it was the Packers in Lambeau (Jim Zorn-to-Jessie Clark for 55 yards) who were the last team to score a TD on the Bears going into Week #13! NFL Network (rightfully so; wish they'd do such a thing more often) showed that particular game relatively recently; Pack gave them quite a game! Do I dare say Dallas being the team that could have also beat them had they played on Week #13 instead? Okay, maybe not a great example either; Bears matched-up to them way too perfectly despite Cowboys being a division title-winner who did sweep both G-men & Wash. Okay, I got one...how about at Tampa Bay instead?? Yes, despite finishing...2-14, Leeman's Bucs gave those very Bears a tougher time in their two games against them than most opponents were able to in '85. In either event, as awesome as those '85 Bears were either away or at home, they were considerably even better at Soldier! Simply unbeatable! If Miami would have traveled to Chicago instead on Monday, December 2nd...Bears beat Dolphins! And maybe, just maybe, finish 16-0 hence 19-0!
However, da Bears did play at Miami and did lose that first (and only) game. And had they had to play a tougher opponent the following week, would they have lost a second game as well (as Denver did in '98 after losing to Giants)? They’re lucky they had 3-10 Indy at home! They beat them 17-10! Yes, Colts scoring that 4th Q 'garbage'-TD to make it such but still. And that 'funk' seemed to spill over the following week although beating an 11-5-to-be Jets on the road, 19-6, nothing to actually complain of. Why did I forget to mention Jets being a team that could have possibly beaten Bears in a hypo-Week #13, at Meadowlands, match? Anyway, after taking two weeks to recover from that first-loss albeit still winning both affairs, the Super Bowl-Shuffle-swagger was back for the finale, and then that combined...91-10 (back-to-back shutouts en route to NO) from there-on-out!!
IMO, end of day, each of the AFC playoff teams in '85 (barely with the exception of Cleveland, and I mean "barely" despite Browns actually being 8-8) were better than the now one-trick-pony Dolphins. Or at the very least they were more-balanced, more deserving to represent. Yes, the same goes for 11-5 Denver being better than Miami as well. Of all those other IMO-'better' playoff teams - and Denver - Miami ironically to me is the only one who could have possibly given da Bears a game. As I've opined before, I don't think even the 12-4 top-seed Raiders (just two years removed from SBXVIII) give them anything. It would have been like the previous year's notorious blood-bath (yes, Raiders delivering some blows too) but da Bears shelling out even more than the previous year's meeting; and not close on the scoreboard nor stat sheet.
It seemed as if a first and perhaps only loss of the season was due. Just like in Week #11, 1990 when both NYG & SF, each fattened-up and ripe for a first-loss, lose at both Philly and home to Rams respectively (thus taking that obvious 'glitter' off for the following week's MNF affair): or Denver in '98 losing at the Meadowlands after that killer 13-0 start.
It'd be interesting to see what would have happened if that MNF game at Miami would have been earlier on in the season as the 'Shuffle' was in full crank-up mode or at least just getting started? Perhaps if the 12-0, 'ripe' for a first-loss, Bears played at Candlestick instead, would they have lost as well? Okay, maybe not a good example to start with. They would have been too fired-up, eager for last year's revenge! Iron Mike, and everyone else, circled that game the moment the schedule came out! Okay, then how about playing at quite respectable Green Bay in Week #13 instead? After all, it was the Packers in Lambeau (Jim Zorn-to-Jessie Clark for 55 yards) who were the last team to score a TD on the Bears going into Week #13! NFL Network (rightfully so; wish they'd do such a thing more often) showed that particular game relatively recently; Pack gave them quite a game! Do I dare say Dallas being the team that could have also beat them had they played on Week #13 instead? Okay, maybe not a great example either; Bears matched-up to them way too perfectly despite Cowboys being a division title-winner who did sweep both G-men & Wash. Okay, I got one...how about at Tampa Bay instead?? Yes, despite finishing...2-14, Leeman's Bucs gave those very Bears a tougher time in their two games against them than most opponents were able to in '85. In either event, as awesome as those '85 Bears were either away or at home, they were considerably even better at Soldier! Simply unbeatable! If Miami would have traveled to Chicago instead on Monday, December 2nd...Bears beat Dolphins! And maybe, just maybe, finish 16-0 hence 19-0!
However, da Bears did play at Miami and did lose that first (and only) game. And had they had to play a tougher opponent the following week, would they have lost a second game as well (as Denver did in '98 after losing to Giants)? They’re lucky they had 3-10 Indy at home! They beat them 17-10! Yes, Colts scoring that 4th Q 'garbage'-TD to make it such but still. And that 'funk' seemed to spill over the following week although beating an 11-5-to-be Jets on the road, 19-6, nothing to actually complain of. Why did I forget to mention Jets being a team that could have possibly beaten Bears in a hypo-Week #13, at Meadowlands, match? Anyway, after taking two weeks to recover from that first-loss albeit still winning both affairs, the Super Bowl-Shuffle-swagger was back for the finale, and then that combined...91-10 (back-to-back shutouts en route to NO) from there-on-out!!
IMO, end of day, each of the AFC playoff teams in '85 (barely with the exception of Cleveland, and I mean "barely" despite Browns actually being 8-8) were better than the now one-trick-pony Dolphins. Or at the very least they were more-balanced, more deserving to represent. Yes, the same goes for 11-5 Denver being better than Miami as well. Of all those other IMO-'better' playoff teams - and Denver - Miami ironically to me is the only one who could have possibly given da Bears a game. As I've opined before, I don't think even the 12-4 top-seed Raiders (just two years removed from SBXVIII) give them anything. It would have been like the previous year's notorious blood-bath (yes, Raiders delivering some blows too) but da Bears shelling out even more than the previous year's meeting; and not close on the scoreboard nor stat sheet.
Last edited by 74_75_78_79_ on Fri Aug 17, 2018 1:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: '85 Dolphins v. Bears
I remember that 1985 Packers team...they weren't very good. Their passing game had been their strength, and it took a big step back in 1985 as Lynn Dickey was on his last leg(s). The Packers went 0-2 against the Bears, 6-0 against the other NFC Central dregs, and 2-6 against the rest of the NFL. Being able to play the Bucs, Lions and Vikes was the only reason the Packers appeared to be competitive.sheajets wrote:That 1985 NFC Central wasn't that bad. Packers were 8-8. Vikings and Lions were 7-9. And let's not forget the reason they had those records was because they played the Bears twice and the Bears beat each team twice. A great team in a division will make average and good teams in the same division appear worse.
I would guess that as much as those other NFC Central teams were hurt by facing the Bears twice in 1985, that was offset by being able to play the Bucs twice. The Bears were the only team in the division with a positive point differential.
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Hail Casares
- Posts: 223
- Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2014 1:37 pm
Re: '85 Dolphins v. Bears
To be fair the Bears played and beat pretty much every double digit win team in the NFL in 1985 and didn't avoid the Redskins or 49ers. They beat the hell out of them in the regular season.Bryan wrote:I think it could go either way, depending on how the Bears-Dolphins Super Bowl played out. If the Bears would have soundly defeated the Dolphins in the Super Bowl (like the Colts avenging their lone loss to the Browns in the 68 NFL 'title game'), then you could say the regular season loss to the Dolphins was a fluke and the Bears proved their greatness. I think if the Bears win a close game over the Dolphins in the Super Bowl, then the thought might be the Bears were lucky to defeat Marino a second time and were equally lucky to have avoided strong offensive teams (Niners, Skins) in the NFC. In general, the 1985 Bears' place in history is puzzling to me.lastcat3 wrote:One thing I think it would have done even if the Bears still ended up winning is that I don't think there would be nearly as many arguments now for the '85 Bears being the best Super Bowl team of all time. I think if the Dolphins had played that Bears team the best Super Bowl team of all time arguments would be entirely with those '70 Steelers teams and '80's '9ers teams.
The only double digit win teams the Bears didn't play that year were the Broncos and Raiders in the AFC West. They played and beat every other 10 win team in the NFL with the exception of Miami.