1988-1989-1990.
Two 10-6 teams sandwiched around 11-5.
Which one do you lean towards- the '88 NFC East champs, the '89 season when they won the most games under Buddy, or Randall's huge offensive year of '90?
Best Buddy Ryan Eagles Team?
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BD Sullivan
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Re: Best Buddy Ryan Eagles Team?
1988. They lost in The Fog Bowl, whereas the 1989 and 1990 team both stumbled at home, leading to Buddy getting the axe. In that 1988 season, the Eagles lost five of their six games by a touchdown or less and in four of those games had the lead in the fourth quarter.
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74_75_78_79_
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Re: Best Buddy Ryan Eagles Team?
Out of the three teams mentioned, '88 had the best chance to win-it-all being that they were an upstart squad that "came out of nowhere" and were brimming with confidence and swagger - "not knowing" they were underdogs 'new' to the playoffs; dangerous indeed. Lately my attitude has been that the Bears would have won the 'Fog Bowl' anyway. After all, they were leading at the half before it rolled on in. Ditka beat Buddy's Birds everytime before and after the affair ('86 & '89; no, can't count '87) and considering the Birds' two other (convincing) one-and-dones (and, yes, at home) the next two years...but if the "Eagles would have came-back if not for the Fog" theory is true, then I feel they would have given SF quite a scare at the 'Stick the following week (would have been very similar to Week #3 the following year).BD Sullivan wrote:1988. They lost in The Fog Bowl, whereas the 1989 and 1990 team both stumbled at home, leading to Buddy getting the axe. In that 1988 season, the Eagles lost five of their six games by a touchdown or less and in four of those games had the lead in the fourth quarter.
All this said, however, I'll actually place '91 & '92 above all three that came before. In Buddy's absense (but with another defensive-genius at helm in Bud Carson), their D fully peaked in '91 and as an overall team reached their SB-caliber apex a little too early and quite brief the following year with that 4-0 start - handing Jimmy's Boys their final 'growing pain' on MNF. Nice 4-0 finish as well, and finally won a playoff game, but it was already over. If Buddy wouldn't have had such a blase attitude about the offense. If #12 would have had a QB-coach! "Randall, just make 5 big plays and our D will handle the rest"...not a SB-winning yet alone playoff-winning formula.