1990 NFL season - expectations, retrospect...

[CSKreager]

In the SB, Young would have been the stud RB and there is no way the Bills secondary could have stayed with Rice, Taylor, Jones and possibly Craig if his treatment during the week was good.

I doubt Young have been enough of a stud RB for BUF to have the ball for less than 20 minutes?

[Brian wolf]

Remember guys, the Giants beat the Bills with Hoss, OJ, Meggett and Bavaro ... I am certain the Niners offense could do better ...

[7DnBrnc53]

Here is how I would have called it going into the season:

AFC East: The Bills have the most talent, and they should win this division by 3-4 games, but there is a chance that this team implodes (they were called the Bickering Bills the year before). The Colts have Jeff George, and could finish second. Miami added some good O-linemen in the draft, but the defense will hold them back. The Jets could be on the way back, and the Pats will be held back by the lack of talent, especially at QB (Marc Wilson and a 95-year old Grogan aren't the answer).

AFC Central: A lot of mediocrity. The Bengals and the Oilers are too inconsistent, the Steelers got a new offensive coordinator, and the Browns probably had their last shot. I will gamble on the Oilers finally overcoming and winning the title since Glanville is gone.

AFC West: The Chiefs seem the most stable. Denver is a favorite, but who knows if this team will implode after that disaster in New Orleans. The rest of the division is a mess. The Seahawks are trying to do a different offense (run and shoot), and they may struggle. Also, the Raiders and Chargers have talent, but no QB.

Ultimately, the Chiefs will beat the Oilers in the AFC Title Game.

NFC East: There are people who like Washington. Their Week 2 game in SF will tell a lot about them. I like the Giants to win this division and try to avenge their playoff loss. The Eagles will also be in the playoffs. Dallas may be a few years away, and the Cardinals are the Cardinals.

NFC Central: The Packers may be the new kings of the Norris. The Vikes have chemistry issues, the Bears aren't that talented, and the Lions and Bucs are a few years away.

NFC West: San Fran should win this again, with LA a close second. The Saints have a good shot at a WC, but need more on offense (a new QB, mainly). As for the Falcons, I don't see Glanville doing anything there, and he will be gone after 1992. A bad hire by Rankin Smith.

NFC Title Game: 49ers over Giants.

SB 25: The Chiefs will keep things close with a strong running game and defense. However, the 49ers will pull away in the second half. SF 28, KC 17. Joe Montana will win another MVP.

Coaches on Hot Seat:

Marv Levy (if the Bills stay bickering and struggle again)
Sam Wyche (if the Bengals miss the playoffs again)
Dan Reeves (if the Broncos implode this year. It may be time to get someone that can take them further)
Mike Ditka (if Bears miss playoffs)
Jerry Burns (same as Ditka)

[74_75_78_79_]

Lyle Alzado attempted his comeback in 1990! He made a valiant-enough effort, but it wasn't enough. It had to kill Art (former teammate) to actually have to cut him. And very far-and-away more sad than that, we all know what'd be in the news about him a year later.

Responding to what you, 7Den, said on another thread about '89 not really being a 'hint' of Dolphins returning to playoff-regularity...considering that Dolphins hit rock-bottom in '88 with that 6-10 finish (the worst season ever for Shula; and also Marino), '89 had to look like a rebound. I remember that summer of 1990 sensing that the Dolphins would be back. Maybe not of the SB-flirting 8-1 start variety, but back to being a playoff team just the same.

The Falcons, in Glanville's first year, changed their unis to black for the '90 campaign. I thought it was a neat change-of-pace at first. But soon enough I yearned for the very unis they had up to the very year prior. Glanville's first year in Atl was kind of like Russell Wilson's first year in Denver this past season. He got to play against all his former division foes - and opening vs his very former team . Same with Jerry. He opened things against his now-former-team in the '90 opener. Difference, of course, being Jerry won and was at home for the opener, Russell lost and was at Seattle.

I wasn't predicting any big-time-contender stuff with Glanville now in Atl. But I did figure he'd make the playoffs at least several times instead of just once. And that uni-change reminded me of the Bengals changing theirs prior to '81 thus further making me predict some playoff-appearances in Atlanta. When they beat Oilers in the opener, I saw it as a 'hint' of playoff football to come - even if it was 'prophesying' that lone "Too Legit" campaign. Beating Cincy in '90 along with giving San Fran (and the Eagles) good-enough games had to add to such optimism. And they did, as spolier, stop Dallas cold in their attempt to make the playoffs in the finale albeit Lauf being in for Aikman (but Emmitt still played and Atl did have Hugh MIllen for their QB).

You brought back a worthy hypothetical, Wolf, that's been discussed here previously...does Dallas make the playoffs down the stretch, and win 1st-Rd at Soldier one year early, in the event of, at least, a Steve Walsh being their QB?? Bears did immediately return to playoff football in 1990, but with the heavy-benefit of every team in their division finishing at 6-10!! Looking away from the Parcells/"good as you record" maxim, were the Bears really an '11-5' team?? I opine not (though I do think they were in '91), but - IMO - just like Dallas wasn't ready to make it past Detroit the following year no matter what, I don't think that Dallas was ready to win a playoff game - even vs Chi - even if a healthy Aikman would have been under center. That said, there is much to admire of Jimmy's quick turnaround in Big D! And almost making it to the playoffs in 'Year 2' after bottoming at 1-15 a year before, and then the 3-7 start in '90 itself...quite an accomplishment in itself that should be recognized! I already knew that Big D was well on their way as early as the Herschel Walker trade early the previous season! I couldn't "enjoy" 1-15 because I just knew. And when they beat respectable ("maybe they'll make the playoffs") SD in the '90 opener, that added more to the prophetic grief.

The debate of who'd win between Bills & Forty Niners in a hypo-SBXXV...(whether Montana or Young at QB)...that can go on forever, it seems. In hindsight, the 1990 campaign comprises of the defending-Champs, the Bills, the Giants - a real nice gap - and then everyone else! NYG, despite the 10-0 start and almost winning that famous Wk#12 MNF Showdown, seemed like the least-sexy of the three going into the playoffs. Losing yet another game, and at home, to Buffalo along with - of course - losing Simms didn't help to correct such a perception. And they had a much slower pace about them than the other two. Going into the CCs, if not thinking that the SB itself may indeed end up being "cancelled" because of the apparent 'WWIII' that was upon us, I was picturing Buf/SF!

I couldn't really get into the CCs due to the world events going on. In the TV room, having just moved into the dorms that afternoon, me and other residents were watching the blowout taking place at Rich - only to be interrupted by scud missile attack updates. I didn't watch the next game which I obviously should have! I set up my dorm instead along with filling up the two cases of Coors Extra Gold cans that I snuck on in. And before the whole gang showed up to help me finish it all, the first one who showed up informed me of the result which made me happy! Of course the reason being that San Fran would have to wait another year to surpass You-Know-Who in the Rings-department! I was already upset of it now being 'tied' at 4 the previous January!

I guess I thought the Bills would win. I wanted them to! Mainly just to see an AFC team finally win again. But I liked them as I did in '80/'81 as I do now as well; and was glad to see them as contenders. I thought they'd win, but with Tuna and Belichick, I didn't see it as a 'shoe-in'. Perhaps the Giants being that slow-paced team (as well as, IMHO, not being as superior as the three other champs that came after) enabled the Bills to play them as close as they did, matching up better against them. Yes, I see '90 as clearly the better of the four-straight SB-qualifiers (it was their best chance), but though it likely wouldn't be blowouts, I wouldn't be surprised if next year's champ - or each of the two who came after - beat the '90 Bills version by more than ten. But that's another set of debates in itself.

[Brian wolf]

The Bills admitted they were over-confident going into that SB against the Giants, especially beating them that season. I think they may have been more focused against the Niners, especially with Young at QB, knowing his ability to run through a defense. I know that Belichick had a great defensive gameplan against them but on that final Bills drive, it would have been out the window had Levy and Kelly not butchered the clock in the final 40 seconds and gotten closer for Norwood. Thats why I feel the Niners would have won. The team and the NFC, simply had better coaching and player execution.
The Bills to me, only played to their postseason potential in Rich Stadium.

[Brian wolf]

A very disappointing team from 1990 were the Vikings ... They had everything in place to win it all, yet 49er victories in the last two postseasons seemed to put pressure on them to get to another championship game since 1987.

In hindsight, maybe if the Vikes committed to a pounding ground game with Walker, and go play action more with the Carters duo, they can have a chance to avenge their defeats to SF but Montana could deflate many teams commitment to winning it all.

Unfortunately, the Vikings line was built to pass block, not run the ball and worried like Jimmy Johnson, that Walker would take too much punishment being a straight-line runner but the Vikes should have fed it to him anyway, pretend they were Bum giving it to the Tyler Rose and make safeties commit to the box. Play action might have been even more ideal with Anthony Carter and his willingness to go over the middle. The defense could have benefitted from running the ball as well but injuries affect every team. Especially to Millard and C Carter that hampered their year.