NFL "what-if" scenarios thread

[CSKreager]

1993

What if the Giants beat Dallas in week 18 and Emmitt’s heroics were for naught?

[SeahawkFever]

1993

What if the Giants beat Dallas in week 18 and Emmitt’s heroics were for naught?

Emmitt’s performance would probably appear in an NFL Throwback video of great performances in losses decades later.

As for the Giants, they’d go up to 12-4, and the Cowboys would fall to 11-5, and the seeding would move around.

The Giants in reality beat the Vikings in the wild card round before losing to the 49ers in the divisional round.

But if New York had the one seed, I think they’d probably play someone else in the divisional round (most likely Dallas if I’m not mistaken?)

Either way, I don’t know how much changes here.

The Niners in 1993 would probably host the NFC Championship Game instead of going to Dallas, but I’d still probably take Dallas over them in 1993.

[7DnBrnc53]

I think the site sells them short for some things too.

Well, their attitude was that they weren't there to give SF credit because you could go to any mainstream media outlet for that (which was true).


Switching gears, though, here's another 1995 Wk 17 scenario: What if Yancey Thigpen catches that pass in Green Bay, and the Lions win the NFC Central (with nothing else changing. The Falcons still beat SF)?

In the NFC WC Round, the Pack go to Philly, and the Lions host Atlanta.

I actually see the Eagles winning, but the other game is harder to figure. The Lions played @Atlanta that year in Week 10 and lost 34-22. Scott Mitchell had 321 yards passing and two TD's, but he also had two picks, including one fairly late in the game on 3rd and 4 with the ball on Atlanta's four yard line (Atlanta was up 34-20). The Falcons were up 27-7 at halftime, and 34-7 until late in the third quarter.

Knowing this, and knowing how Mitchell played in Philly, I can see Atlanta winning that game.

However, both the Falcons and Eagles don't advance past the next week, and we get SF-Dallas Part IV.

[SeahawkFever]

I think the site sells them short for some things too.

Well, their attitude was that they weren't there to give SF credit because you could go to any mainstream media outlet for that (which was true).


Switching gears, though, here's another 1995 Wk 17 scenario: What if Yancey Thigpen catches that pass in Green Bay, and the Lions win the NFC Central (with nothing else changing. The Falcons still beat SF)?

In the NFC WC Round, the Pack go to Philly, and the Lions host Atlanta.

I actually see the Eagles winning, but the other game is harder to figure. The Lions played @Atlanta that year in Week 10 and lost 34-22. Scott Mitchell had 321 yards passing and two TD's, but he also had two picks, including one fairly late in the game on 3rd and 4 with the ball on Atlanta's four yard line (Atlanta was up 34-20). The Falcons were up 27-7 at halftime, and 34-7 until late in the third quarter.

Knowing this, and knowing how Mitchell played in Philly, I can see Atlanta winning that game.

However, both the Falcons and Eagles don't advance past the next week, and we get SF-Dallas Part IV.

I could see that being the case. Just looked up the dropped pass, yeah, if Thigpen was a step later he probably catches that ball.

[7DnBrnc53]

I could see that being the case. Just looked up the dropped pass, yeah, if Thigpen was a step later he probably catches that ball.

Yeah. It looked like he held up a bit before missing it.

Besides leading to another Dal-SF title tilt, Thigpen catching that ball makes the Pack 10-6, and they are picking ahead of the Ravens (who had 11-5 SF's pick) instead. That means that the Packers get Ray Lewis (Ron Wolf was ready to take him when Baltimore selected him).

[7DnBrnc53]

I found an interesting article online from 1998 about Los Angeles and the NFL. One of the things the author wrote about had to do with LA NFL and five "what ifs"":

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm ... story.html

One had to do with Bill Walsh. Another had to do with the Dickerson trade. Apparently, Eric wanted to go to the Redskins, but they said that he would go to Indy or stay in LA (imagine ED with those Redskin teams).

[CSKreager]

the Lions host Atlanta.

The other game is harder to figure. The Lions played @Atlanta that year in Week 10 and lost 34-22. Scott Mitchell had 321 yards passing and two TD's, but he also had two picks, including one fairly late in the game on 3rd and 4 with the ball on Atlanta's four yard line (Atlanta was up 34-20). The Falcons were up 27-7 at halftime, and 34-7 until late in the third quarter.

Knowing this, and knowing how Mitchell played in Philly, I can see Atlanta winning that game.

DET was 7-1 at home while ATL was 2-6 on the road (and didn’t win away from the Georgia Dome after October 22)

(On the flip side, ATL was 7-1 at home and DET 3-5 on the road, oddly winning their last 3 following that ATL game)

The Falcons were the worst pass defense of all time until 2011 and the Lions were a better home team

[7DnBrnc53]

DET was 7-1 at home while ATL was 2-6 on the road (and didn’t win away from the Georgia Dome after October 22)

(On the flip side, ATL was 7-1 at home and DET 3-5 on the road, oddly winning their last 3 following that ATL game)

The Falcons were the worst pass defense of all time until 2011 and the Lions were a better home team

That's true, although Atlanta would have had some confidence going in.

If the Lions do win, though, they end up going to Dallas. I actually think they hang around until Mitchell throws some late INT's (one to Prime Time that he takes to the house).