'80 Eagles VS '81 Bengals

[74_75_78_79_]

While we're on the subject of the very early-'80s in lieu of recent threads, why not start this very thread that asks all of you who you think is best between these two? Pretty similar teams. Both finishing 12-4, both gritty meat-and-potatoes-like, both apparently 'uptight' before their respective SB matchups....

Amongst the 'precursors' of Cincy's surprise success in '81 (sweeping the Burgh in '80, also burying them Week #7 the previous year as well as beating 9-6 Browns in that very year's finale; not sure if that knocked them out of '79 playoffs or not), could their 37-13 shellacking of Philly in '79 serve as indicator?

[BD Sullivan]

While we're on the subject of the very early-'80s in lieu of recent threads, why not start this very thread that asks all of you who you think is best between these two? Pretty similar teams. Both finishing 12-4, both gritty meat-and-potatoes-like, both apparently 'uptight' before their respective SB matchups....

Amongst the 'precursors' of Cincy's surprise success in '81 (sweeping the Burgh in '80, also burying them Week #7 the previous year as well as beating 9-6 Browns in that very year's finale; not sure if that knocked them out of '79 playoffs or not), could their 37-13 shellacking of Philly in '79 serve as indicator?

The Eagles of that era made the playoffs four years in a row, although only in 1980 did they win any postseason games. Even in their first playoff game in '80, they were floundering until coming back against the Vikings.

With the Bengals, they were something of a one-year wonder, since they got blasted by the Jets in the first playoff game during the expanded '82 postseason, then really weren't heard again from until '88. In '79, that blowout of Pittsburgh was the start of three strong games in a row--they lost to the Browns by a point before that blowout of Philly. However, other than that, they really weren't that impressive--losing seven games by double digits. In that '79 season finale, the win over the Browns officially knocked them out, but Cleveland needed a boatload of things to occur to get in the playoffs anyway. The Bengals no doubt had Paul Brown giving them a pre-game pep talk, since he always loved sticking it to Modell.

Brown's animosity undoubtedly extended to his selection of Forrest Gregg (a coach Modell had fired) as HC in 1980. That year, the two Steeler wins preceded a five-game losing streak, and the turning point obviously took place in the final month. They won three straight and then jumped out to a 10-0 lead against a Browns team that needed a win to get in the playoffs. Cleveland won 27-24, but they kicked a FG with two minutes left and the Bengals got down to the Browns 15 as time ran out. I'm assuming Gregg reinforced that strong finish in training camp, and career years from Ken Anderson and Pete Johnson, coupled with the addition of Collinsworth laid a pretty good foundation for that big year.

[Bryan]

With the Bengals, they were something of a one-year wonder, since they got blasted by the Jets in the first playoff game during the expanded '82 postseason, then really weren't heard again from until '88.

The 1981 Bengals are an interesting one-year wonder. Forrest Gregg assembled a nice coaching staff, and I think the Bengals were the strongest team in 1981. Other than a few key players like Anderson, Riley, and Isaac Curtis, the team was very young. After they lost SB XVI, you kind of figured they would be a top team for the next few years. They had virtually the same roster in 1982, and they did have one of the best records in the NFL at 7-2, but they were torched by the Chargers for 661 yards in the regular season and exited the playoffs immediately by giving up 517 yards to the Jets. The defense was well-coached but not all that talented, but the offense was rather unique. They had a huge offensive line (relative to the era), one of the biggest backfields in history with Pete Johnson and Charles Alexander, several big passing targets in Ross, Collinsworth and Krieder...a very powerful group.