Weakest playoff team, '78-thru-'89

[7DnBrnc53]

The 1981 Bucs were also a very weak team, weaker than the 1979 Bucs in my opinion.

Neither one of those teams were great, but the 1981 Bucs were probably more talented, and Doug Williams had a better year in 81 than he did in 79.

Yes, still some anemic stuff for the '89 Steelers after that '92-10' start. You had that 27-0 drubbing at the Astrodome in Week #7, Denver whipping them in the regular season game at Mile High two weeks later, and then the third shutout suffered at hands of a now-bad Bears team the week after that. The 5-1 finish from there along, of course, with what happened in the playoffs ought to propel them out of the conversation.

Yeah, I think that the 1984 Steelers were weaker than the 89 version. The 89 Steelers probably should have defeated Denver. In 84, I was amazed that the Steelers even made the playoffs.

[L.C. Greenwood]

The 1981 Bucs were also a very weak team, weaker than the 1979 Bucs in my opinion.

Neither one of those teams were great, but the 1981 Bucs were probably more talented, and Doug Williams had a better year in 81 than he did in 79.

Yes, still some anemic stuff for the '89 Steelers after that '92-10' start. You had that 27-0 drubbing at the Astrodome in Week #7, Denver whipping them in the regular season game at Mile High two weeks later, and then the third shutout suffered at hands of a now-bad Bears team the week after that. The 5-1 finish from there along, of course, with what happened in the playoffs ought to propel them out of the conversation.

Yeah, I think that the 1984 Steelers were weaker than the 89 version. The 89 Steelers probably should have defeated Denver. In 84, I was amazed that the Steelers even made the playoffs.

The '84 Steelers were very inconsistent. At their best, they beat the Niners in San Francisco for Bill Walsh's only 1984 defeat. Later, they took down a 13-3 Denver squad at Mile High in the playoffs. At their worst, they lost a game against a bad Colts team, for instance.

[Rupert Patrick]

The 1981 Bucs were also a very weak team, weaker than the 1979 Bucs in my opinion.

Neither one of those teams were great, but the 1981 Bucs were probably more talented, and Doug Williams had a better year in 81 than he did in 79.

Yes, still some anemic stuff for the '89 Steelers after that '92-10' start. You had that 27-0 drubbing at the Astrodome in Week #7, Denver whipping them in the regular season game at Mile High two weeks later, and then the third shutout suffered at hands of a now-bad Bears team the week after that. The 5-1 finish from there along, of course, with what happened in the playoffs ought to propel them out of the conversation.

Yeah, I think that the 1984 Steelers were weaker than the 89 version. The 89 Steelers probably should have defeated Denver. In 84, I was amazed that the Steelers even made the playoffs.

The '84 Steelers were very inconsistent. At their best, they beat the Niners in San Francisco for Bill Walsh's only 1984 defeat. Later, they took down a 13-3 Denver squad at Mile High in the playoffs. At their worst, they lost a game against a bad Colts team, for instance.

Marty Schottenheimer took over the 1-7 Browns at midseason and they went 4-4 the rest of the way. I think if he had been the HC the entire season, they probably would have won the division.

[BD Sullivan]

Marty Schottenheimer took over the 1-7 Browns at midseason and they went 4-4 the rest of the way. I think if he had been the HC the entire season, they probably would have won the division.

Five of those first seven losses:

*Lose 20-17 to the Rams: Browns had led 17-10, then Matt Bahr missed a 46-yard FG with five minutes left. With 35 seconds left, Browns had the ball at the Ram 49. Paul McDonald connects with Duriel Harris grabbing it at the Ram 20, but Harris is called for stepping out of bounds. He throws a fit and gets flagged and the Browns are screwed.

*Lose 24-14 to the Broncos: Browns trail 17-14 in the closing minutes, but a pick-six seals it for Denver.

*Lose 10-6 to the Chiefs: Two dropped passes deep in KC territory in the final minutes was followed by a near pick-six that ended the comeback hopes. Duriel Harris also dropped a pass in the end zone during the third quarter.

*Lose 17-16 to the Patriots: Matt Bahr shanked a chip-shot FG with 3:12 left, but the Browns got down to the NE 21 with 23 seconds left. Instead of settling for a 38-yard FG attempt, Paul McDonald decided AGAIN to throw toward the sidelines. That resulted in another pickoff that was returned 85 yards-though no touchdown.

*Lose 12-9 to the Bengals: In the final two minutes, the Bengals connect on a 42-yard pass play that puts the ball at the Browns 38 and eventually leads to a game-winning FG at the gun. The Browns never got into the red zone the entire game and Sam Rutigliano was fired that night.

Marty's first game continued the miserable year: Leading 14-13, the Browns have what would be a clinching first down catch called back by holding. They punt it to the NO 23 with 56 seconds left. Richard Todd drives them to the Browns 36 and Morten Andersen kicks a 53-yard FG at the gun to win, 16-14.

Realistically, Marty could have been 7-1. In the Cincy rematch, the Bengals scored on the final play of regulation (on a tackle eligible) and then won 20-17 in OT. One week later, their Three Rivers curse continued when Gary Anderson kicked a 34-yard FG with five seconds left to give the Steeler the 23-20 win.

[Gary Najman]

In the Cincy rematch, the Bengals scored on the final play of regulation (on a tackle eligible) and then won 20-17 in OT.

That was one of my favorite NFL Films Games of the week, and it's my favorite TD reception by an elegible offensive lineman (aside for Jumbo Elliott's in the 2000 Dolphins-Jets MNF classic). Boomer Esiason appeared to run for the TD to his right, but at the last moment he threw the ball to Anthony Munoz (who was well covered) for the tying TD.