1991 NFL season - expectations, retrospect...

[74_75_78_79_]

I don't recall what everyone was saying going into this very campaign. I did have SI at the time but forgot what was expected.

I'm going to guess that enough were expecting SF to take a step back even if making the playoffs again. Sure enough most expected them to win the division at least as opposed to what actually did happen: 10-6, 3rd place, no playoffs. The defending-Champ G-men should have also been expected to drop a bit with Tuna now out. Belichick wouldn't be onboard either for this, of course, would be his first year as a HC (with Cleveland). And this would be Chuck Noll's final year but I'm sure no one saw that going in for Steelers did post back-to-back winning seasons in '89 & '90. I do remember feeling optimistic enough going into this season though assuming Houston and (so much for) Cincy competing for the division. Dallas had to be expected to make the playoffs or at least post a winning record. JJ all-but guaranteed a playoff berth during the off-season. '91 would be the only year we'd ever see Jimmy Johnson go head-to-head as HCs with Belichick (opening week) and Noll (Thanksgiving) along with seeing the only two meetings ever between Belichick and Noll; the former winning the first of the two at home in Week #9, but losing at Three Rivers in the finale (Chuck's final game).

I'll guess everyone's pick to win-it-all would have been Buffalo with no one at all seeing Detroit go 2nd-seed at 12-4. I believe Washington was expected to get back to championship-caliber play though not likely quite as awesome as they'd end up. I'm guessing no one saw Atlanta coming either and I'll assume no one saw Miami miss the post-season.

[ChrisBabcock]

I remember seeing more than one preseason Super Bowl prediction being Buffalo over Washington. I think SI picked the score to be 24-17 or something like that IIRC.

[7DnBrnc53]

From what I remember, Washington was the clear pick in the NFC, and either the Raiders (they signed Ronnie Lott and Roger Craig from SF) or the Bills were the favorites in the AFC.

As for Detroit, there was one pre-season magazine that did pick them in the Central: Football Action.

[74_75_78_79_]

Went to NFL archives...yes, I remember Buffalo being picked over Washington and Bruce Smith being on the cover all jacked-up in a mussle shirt. Yes, Washington made it back to the playoffs the previous year as well as back to being better than the Eagles again; but I remember not being sold at all on Rypien - he holding them back from such a SB-run.

The NFC East had to look like a log-jam going into the season, especially not knowing what would happen to Randall Cunningham opening week. The Giants...yes, no more Parcells or Belichick but they were defending-Champs. And then a Washington team that made it back to the playoffs in ’90 and Dallas all-but looking like a sure post-season participant. Cards were clearly out-man-out. It was said in that very SI preview that they will likely improve from last year yet still finish 5-11.

Steelers were given a respectable-enough review but Houston seemed the clear choice for the division-winner. Cincy was actually the third team mentioned in the AFC Central. I was reminded of David Klingler and then also of he being on the SI cover, I believe, an issue or two prior. Just another pumped-up Houston Cougar QB about to be thrown to the wolves.

[74_75_78_79_]

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So here we are...Giants at Steelers here on Monday Night! And on the 33rd, and two week, Anniversary of the very last time that the Steelers lost at home on a Monday Night - and, of course, it was to...the Giants! And as I said just recently on another thread, why couldn't this have been scheduled two weeks earlier??

Just the same, I am watching the '91 game while getting ready for this upcoming 2024 one! That and, of course...lets go Yankees!! A little '78 mixed in with '91, perhaps. Only I'd rather the final result for one of them be '78 whilst tonight's result be the opposite of '91!

Speaking of baseball, Barry Bonds was seen on the sideline in this '91 NYG@Pit affair, coming off a 1-0 win over Atl in Game 5 to take a 3-2 NLCS lead. I'm a Yankees fan but really wish that the Pirates would have gotten past those Braves that year and the next (and in '90 vs the Reds)! Since Noll took over the Steelers 22 years prior, 7 Pirates managers and 14 Penguins HCs since, it was said.

Handley's thus far disappointing 3-3 defending-Champ Giants, Year One after Tuna, going into also-disappointing 3-2 Pittsburgh under the lights in Chuck Noll's very final season. I had me a sixer of Guinness. Just drinking from each bottle, no pouring into a glass yet alone a frosty one from the freezer.

Giants really dominated the first half. Were up 13-0. Bubby nor the running game really could get things going. Lawrence Taylor played and so did the Steelers' own LT, now coming into prominence...#95 Greg Lloyd! That image of his! The shoulder pads, his face-mask, his...Disposition. As for the G-men's Sir Lawrence himself, he is seen between plays in a pre-recorded video talking up Handley - opining that maybe not this year or maybe not even next year, but his new HC will win it for them.

Jeff Hostetler. There are those who feel Simms should have continued on as NYG's QB (does Tuna start him?). But watching this game and hearing Al & Dan's takes, it seems like it was the right move - at least for the moment. And could #15 run as well! Despite the Giants themselves not being winners during Handley's time, FWIW Hoss was 7-5 in '91 and 5-4 in '92. The same goes for he going 7-4 and 7-6 with the Raiders in '95 and '96. Simms on the sidelines seemed like a good-enough sport playing backup as Al and Dan pointed out.

Rodney Hampton. He was in while Ottis Anderson sat. Al & Dan were proclaiming him as their back of the future and were comparing him to Franco Harris.

Back to Hoss, he sure had some confrontations with Jerrol Williams and Greg Lloyd. #95 did give him a brutal late hit that wasn't called (Jeff fuming to the officials). #66 Donald Evans railed Hoss as well. He didn't get up too quickly. Simms, for a sec, thought he'd have to get in there (Jeff was tough). Jerrol also went at it with Bart Oates. It was mentioned how Joe Greene wanted to see Jerrol get more fired-up and animated during games (well, I guess he listened).

Of course O'Donnell went in for Brister in the 3rd Q once Meggett scored a TD to put the Giants up, 20-0. Respected his play but he got under my skin a few times when he'd help them win games I wish they didn't win. He helping them beat Denver in the snow in '89, I remember, annoying me. But in came Neil O. Funny, but the first half-dozen plays called were all run plays. Hoge and then Foster, together, carrying them into the red zone! Neil finally attempted a pass but incomplete in the endzone, and seemed like PI against Eric Green. But a FG was attempted and made which was critiqued by Al & Dan considering how late it was in the quarter and it reeking of a "touchdown" drive.

And then it was another FG with just over ten to go in the 4th to make it 20-6, and then finally a TD - to Lipps - with 4:37 to go. Steelers only had one timeout left, many of the fans already left, they didn't go onside kick. Important tackle made on Meggett on the kickoff-return, otherwise Dave may have been gone! A 3-and-out, the Steelers' D successfully performed. And guess who came in for the Giants in their 3rd down attempt?

The father of a currently injured Forty Niners RB!

And that just over two minute drive (with no timeouts left but the 2-minute-warning)...Neil O, basically, won the job and Bubby's time in the 'Burgh, sadly, was at beginning of the end. Game was tied at 20-apiece with that TD pass to Green. I was 20, just drank myself out of college, sadly, had some growing up to do as exemplified by my, now on the tail-end of that Guinness sixer, yelling alone in my Mother's living room as she and my sister were each in bed upstairs having to work and go to school respectively in the morning.

Illegal celebration in the endzone, 5-yard kickoff penalty (from the 30 instead of the 35). And then the kickoff goes out of bounds and the Giants get the ball at the 40 instead of the 35 because of the penalty. I thought it was BS at the time but the Steeler-D could have simply stopped the G-men from advancing to that FG attempt in the first place to bring it to OT. But Hoss's O did just enough to bring...Matt Bahr into FG-range for the game-winner (Dan pointing out Bahr's chin-guard asking how it could possibly be worn-out; Al saying he likes to get in on the action; that's a former-Steeler/current-G-man for you).

I did work the next morning. Helped a close family-friend (practically my Uncle) with landscaping in his yard (me and my family were with them for Thanksgiving at the Macy's Day Parade on the day of Noll vs Jimmy). His wife made me breakfast before I went outside and the oldest daughter, a Giants-fan, came downstairs. We talked of last night's game. She said the Giants aren't doing good this year. "What?" was my response, lol. "Because they barely beat the Steelers?" But it was the reality. Their mediocrity would soon transform to less than that. And the Giants would end up not much better.

So...will Hoss be at tonight's game and join the Giants' captains for the coin-toss? I hope not.

[CSKreager]

The 1991 Cardinals had arguably the hardest schedule in NFL history: they played only 2 games against teams that finished with losing records (Rams and Patriots), both in September

And those 91 Pats were an all time overachiever, so really their only breather on the schedule all year was the Rams………. in week 1!

[74_75_78_79_]

The 1991 Cardinals had arguably the hardest schedule in NFL history: they played only 2 games against teams that finished with losing records (Rams and Patriots), both in September

And those 91 Pats were an all time overachiever, so really their only breather on the schedule all year was the Rams………. in week 1!

Yeah, but the Rams were just beginning their second season removed from making the NFCCG thus their 6th playoff berth in 7 seasons. And they, FWIW, did start 3-3 in '91, and still had Robinson at HC, and it was in LA so not too much of a breather either. Yes, brutal stuff the Cards' schedule! The highlight was their Wk#2 upset at the Vet over the Eagles. They did the same damn thing the year before in Wk#2!

Bugel sure did well vs the much better Philly teams on the road in his time with the Cards! Look at '92! They were a goal-line-stand away from maybe winning that one as well. But Joe was too macho. He called strictly run-up-the-gut plays. Love watching that entire GLS! Matt Millen's commentary from the booth and all!

[Bryan]

I used to have VHS tapes of NFL Films "Hungriest Men of the 90's" volumes 1 and 2. Kind of interesting who they predicted to be the stars of the 90's...from what I remember they had features on:

Neal Anderson
Charles Mann
Randall Cunningham
John L. Williams

Guys who got a mention were Bubby Brister, Don Majkowski, Blair Thomas. The Lions were thought to be an up and coming team because of the run and shoot. The Falcons were also in the mix because they hired Jerry Glanville.