Best '80s post-season game? Best '80s post-season, period?

[Reaser]

The Seahawks at Oilers game was another good one. It never seems to be mentioned for some reason.

Still think Fredd Young caught it.

[Gary Najman]

Some year by year thoughts:
1986 - Pats/Broncos was very exciting. Back-and-forth until Rulon Jones' safety of Eason.

The Jets-Browns double-OT was also very exciting, much better than "The Drive" Championship Game the following week.

As for the NFC, what about the Redskins upset at Chicago? Even with a young Doug Flutie at QB, the Bears shouls hjave met the GIants in the Championship Game.

[sheajets]

I was of the mindset that the Browns should've tried to set up a field goal...he had missed two but he'd also hit two 30 yarders. The field was in atrocious shape and I think I remember hearing later that Cockroft was feeling ill that day. Not 100% sure if that was true

The Browns were at the 13 (already a max 30 yarder) and I think throwing it into the endzone was too risky at that point. Inch forward a bit and try for the kick.

[sheajets]

The Seahawks at Oilers game was another good one. It never seems to be mentioned for some reason.

Still think Fredd Young caught it.

Watched that replay quite often and I've never seen the ball hit the ground. When the play happened live I thought it hit the ground. It was a pick

[Gary Najman]

I was of the mindset that the Browns should've tried to set up a field goal...he had missed two but he'd also hit two 30 yarders. The field was in atrocious shape and I think I remember hearing later that Cockroft was feeling ill that day. Not 100% sure if that was true

The Browns were at the 13 (already a max 30 yarder) and I think throwing it into the endzone was too risky at that point. Inch forward a bit and try for the kick.

Cockroft (in his last game) also missed an extra point. The following year the Browns not only added a placekicker DURING the season (they released Dave Jacobs and signed Matt Bahr, who had played for San Francisco earlier in the season for the injured Ray Wersching), but a punter (Steve Cox) who also kicked field goals (and he made the last stright-kicking field goal in NFL history). The previous punter, Johnny Evans, was the also the third QB and went on to play for Montreal in the CFL.

[Gary Najman]

Some year by year thoughts:

1980 - Falcons/Cowboys was a great game. I was surprised that NFL Films did a 'greatest games' piece on it, because its largely forgotten and not historically significant. The Bills and a hobbled Joe Ferguson put up a battle against the Chargers, losing on a late TD pass. Browns-Raiders was memorable for the weather and the ending. I think Rutigliano gets a bum rap for trying to get a TD.

I agree ion the "Duel on Dixie". I would also put the Raiders-Chargers AFC Championship Game. Although it was not as close as the final result (34-27), the first half was very entertaining, and I love watching the 1980 Chargers NFL Films clip again and again only for Charlie Joiner's long TD catch.

[JWL]

The Seahawks at Oilers game was another good one. It never seems to be mentioned for some reason.

Still think Fredd Young caught it.

I saw the play live but have no recollection of it now. The last time I saw even a highlight of that game would have been the day after the game.

[Gary Najman]

The Seahawks at Oilers game was another good one. It never seems to be mentioned for some reason.

Still think Fredd Young caught it.

I saw the play live but have no recollection of it now. The last time I saw even a highlight of that game would have been the day after the game.

Here's the play:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgS749bmevI

And here's the gamebook:

http://www.nflgsis.com/1987/post/01/15336/Gamebook.pdf

(It's interesting that three future head referees (Dale Hamer, Bernie Kukar and Gerry Austin) were on the officiating team, and Kukar (no. 86) was the one responsible for calling the play.

[BD Sullivan]

I was of the mindset that the Browns should've tried to set up a field goal...he had missed two but he'd also hit two 30 yarders. The field was in atrocious shape and I think I remember hearing later that Cockroft was feeling ill that day. Not 100% sure if that was true

The Browns were at the 13 (already a max 30 yarder) and I think throwing it into the endzone was too risky at that point. Inch forward a bit and try for the kick.

Cockroft (in his last game) also missed an extra point. The following year the Browns not only added a placekicker DURING the season (they released Dave Jacobs and signed Matt Bahr, who had played for San Francisco earlier in the season for the injured Ray Wersching), but a punter (Steve Cox) who also kicked field goals (and he made the last stright-kicking field goal in NFL history). The previous punter, Johnny Evans, was the also the third QB and went on to play for Montreal in the CFL.

Cockroft later said that his bad back was the reason he stunk, which is why he didn't blame Rutigliano for not giving him a chance.

[Jay Z]

I was of the mindset that the Browns should've tried to set up a field goal...he had missed two but he'd also hit two 30 yarders. The field was in atrocious shape and I think I remember hearing later that Cockroft was feeling ill that day. Not 100% sure if that was true

The Browns were at the 13 (already a max 30 yarder) and I think throwing it into the endzone was too risky at that point. Inch forward a bit and try for the kick.

What's forgotten is the Raiders disdained their own FG a couple of minutes earlier. 4th and 1 at the Browns' 16. They went for it and van Eeghen didn't make it. That was into the closed end, where Cockroft had made his kicks. That was a much easier kick for Bahr than whatever Cockroft would have done.

Of course, if you think the Browns are going to go for the TD regardless, that FG doesn't help the Raiders.

It was an atypical game. Mostly, yards and turnovers tell the game. The Browns won the yardage battle. Lost TOs 4-3, but had a pick 6. Raiders won because they got 14 points out of their three good chances to score. Browns got 6 out of 6 chances to score. Browns threw into the end zone several times but could not connect. Rucker had a couple of near misses.

For the Raiders, Chester had a couple of key grabs. Still, that offense did hardly anything other than the TD drives. About 140 yards on those two drives, 60 on every other drive.