Top 5 ’80s teams that didn’t make conference championship

[74_75_78_79_]

#1 is pretty obvious to me (my Steelers upset them opening day); sure enough most of you will agree. Quite a few other greats just the same to round out the list; and maybe one or two that barely miss the cut.

[ChrisBabcock]

In no particular order...

1983 Dolphins
1985 Dolphins
1986 Bears
1987 49ers
1987 Saints

[Rupert Patrick]

In no particular order:

1987 49ers
1986 Bears
1983 Dolphins
1984 Broncos
1980 Falcons

[74_75_78_79_]

Here's mine IMHO...

#1 - '87 Forty Niners
#2 - '80 Falcons
#3 - '83 Dolphins
#4 - '84 Broncos
#5 - '86 Bears

#1 offense...#1 defense...yeah, no other #1 on this list to me. Of course it would be very unfair to even imply that they were better than any of the San Fran teams that actually did win the SB. Not just each squad going all-the-way as opposed to one-and-done, but each squad's amazing body-of-post-season-work en route to each Lombardi. Still...such a heartbreaker for them considering how great they were all season only to really get dominant last three games (as was the case with '00 Titans) only for such a shocking divisional-round disappointment. Bigger disappointment than Tennessee in that SF gets eliminated by a team (Vikings) that would not go on to win the SB (as Ravens did), and also that SF under Walsh were already well-seasoned in winning titles/games they were supposed to win.

'80 Falcons...simply a rock-solid squad both sides of ball. Bury Bills and Pats on road as well as beating Eagles at Vet albeit real close. Beat solid Rams in only game between them that really mattered. Lose to Landry's Boys so barely in divisionals. Maybe they lose to an also-solid Philly in a hypo-NFCC (revenge) or lose to Raiders due to their SB-experience/'mystique' (maybe, maybe), but can't look past that body-of-work leading up to 'Duel in Dixie'. 1980 the best Falcon team ever. And also very best uniforms!

'83 Dolphins a fine hybrid of two SB teams so different yet only two seasons apart. Better than both strike-shortened '82 and much-less-balanced '84. Killer B's (statistically, at least) even better than the year before with an already-great rookie Marino being the much better weapon-of-choice than (all due respect) Woodstrock. Shula's best post-'73 squad IMO.

'86 Bears (who's D, statistically, was better than the year before) were a pretty great team, but the gap between they and '85 is still noticeable. Many close wins vs weak teams down-stretch as season wore on. Enough a gap for '84 Broncos to barge in between the two; though quite closer to '86 than '85. Reeves would be able to take advantage of no Buddy and no McMahon (Elway vs Flutie?...yeah).

Honorable-mention, for me, would have to be '85 Raiders - the 'last breath' of their Era of not just great Raiders teams but Raiders teams with quite the...'characters'. They barely got eliminated by a Pats team who they convincingly beat during regular season. Broncos who many say is the best team to not make playoffs...Raiders sweeping them is the reason that 11-5 team didn't get in! Still intimidating, still quite physical. No, don't think they do much to Bears in a hypo-SBXX-date, but maybe I'm wrong not placing them at #5 (or even #4; or #3). Were they, possibly, better than the Bears squad of the next year? Correct me, gang!

[Bryan]

What about the 1982 Raiders? Best record in the NFL, Marcus Allen on pace for nearly a 1000/1000 season, defense leads the league in takeaways and sacks.

[7DnBrnc53]

In chronological order:

1980 Falcons
1982 Bengals
1983 Dolphins
1984 Broncos
1987 49ers

[74_75_78_79_]

’82 Raiders is a great suggestion; sweeping the Chargers a key example. Marcus’s first year. Getting eliminated at home to Jets nothing whatsoever to be ashamed of. I guess I was being prejudiced against abbreviated ’82. Bengals of that year (year removed from SBXVI)? Like the ’87 Saints, getting destroyed 1st-Rd makes me not consider them as much. Plus, although they likely win division in a hypo-full ’82 campaign, Cincy seemed to fall off a bit IMO. They lose to Steelers who they owned the two years prior and lost convincingly at SD on MNF whom they, of course, easily swept in ’81.

One team I was actually thinking of...’86 Jets. Yes, totally stunk it up last 5 games but turned back into that great team once playoffs began. Chiefs nothing special but still a (albeit merely) ‘good’ playoff team. Jets pounded them as a ‘10-1’ team ought to. And then they come razor close to eliminating top-seed Browns in Dawg Pound. Super-likely-enough they give Broncos all they can handle at Mile High; and just maybe meet Giants two weeks later. However, that 5-game skid made me hold back in the end.

[Todd Pence]

1987 49ers
1988 Vikings
1987 Saints
1985 Jets
1984 Seahawks

[7DnBrnc53]

What about the 1982 Raiders? Best record in the NFL, Marcus Allen on pace for nearly a 1000/1000 season, defense leads the league in takeaways and sacks.

I think the 83 Raiders were a much better team. The 82 Raiders weren't that far away from being 5-4. They had to overcome a 24-0 deficit against SD, and the Chiefs should have beat them at home in early December (Barbaro dropped an INT with about 1:30 left that would have wrapped up the game and gave KC a better chance at making the playoffs).

1984 Seahawks

Good one, although the 1986 Seahawks could also be a candidate.

Like the ’87 Saints, getting destroyed 1st-Rd makes me not consider them as much.

After watching The Timeline episode about the 1991 Falcons, and considering what happened in 1987, I wonder if Bobby Hebert was a major reason why NO never had playoff success. He had ability, but he wasn't clutch in the playoffs.

[Some Guy From Mars]

Any love for the 1980 Cleveland Browns?

Finished first in an AFC Central that also included Houston (11-5) and Pittsburgh (9-7). Potentially gave eventually Super Bowl winning champion Oakland Raiders its toughest post-season contest. Finished eighth in points scored and 12 in points given up, respectable either way. Ironically, the Steelers scored five fewer points and gave up just three more but also lost an additional two games. Such is the fine line between winning and losing.

Brian Sipe tossed 30 touchdowns and only 14 interceptions, which resulted in a very fine 91.4 QB rating. Running back Mike Pruitt proved his versatility with over 1000 yards on the ground and catching 63 passes.

I know that the Kosar / Schottenheimer era produced some fine teams, including 1986 and 87 when it participated in AFC Championship game, but am I out of line to suggest that 1980 might be the best Browns post Super Bowl team? If only Sipe's pass had not been intercepted in the end zone on the last play of the Divisional playoff game against the Raiders...