1992-93: Super Bowl XXVII without 35-3

[CSKreager]

Suppose 35-3 never happens and Buffalo's SB streak is stopped at 2- who represents the AFC in SB 27?

Let’s say the Houston FG attempt at 35-31 doesn't get botched and Del Greco's kick at the end of regulation- instead of forcing OT- is a game winner and the Bills effort goes down as football’s ultimate 'almost'

An AFC Final Four WITHOUT experienced Buffalo- completely wide open!

Houston goes to Pittsburgh for a third time: Oilers divisional woes well known, PIT had beaten them 2x

Assuming Miami still beats San Diego, we get one of the Oilers/Dolphins/Steelers in Pasadena against Dallas.

Is 3rd time the charm in the AFC Central? Houston had a playoff choker label and these 92 Steelers were a more mature version of the 89 team that had beaten them 3 years ago IN Houston no less, now they were older and wiser led by Barry Foster’s career year

On the flip side, Miami had barely beaten Houston in November without Warren Moon.

But if MIS couldn’t stop Buffalo’s RB’s, I wouldn’t bet against Barry Foster (who in real life did run for 100+ vs BUF) against a Dolphin defense prone to giving up plenty of rushing yards in big games

As good as DAL was in 92 (and yes that matchup with SF was beyond ballyhooed), either of these AFC teams don't lug in the Bills’ baggage of back-to-back SB losses

Thus, they aren’t dragging an anvil on their back going into the Rose Bowl

Yes there was 9 straight AFC losses, but they wouldn't have the type of unique pressure the Bills lugged based off 20-19 and 37-24.

Either of these teams would not have been tight given they would have had nothing to lose.

I just can't see either of those teams having 9 turnovers, let alone giving up 52 points. They couldn't have played any worse even if they were blindfolded.

How do we view the Run and Shoot Oilers if they actually win an AFC crown and Warren Moon has a SB appearance? Marino getting there twice instead of just once? And Bill Cowher getting there on the FIRST TRY in year 1 post-Noll would be an incredible story

And what of Buffalo? How are they viewed with 3 SB appearances in 4 years instead of 4 straight? Do they even get to SB 28 without 52-17?

I just don’t think it’s a cakewalk for Dallas based on these unique pressure of BUF. After all, styles make fights

[7DnBrnc53]

I think the Oilers defeat the Steelers in a hypo 1992 AFC Divisional Game:

1. O'Donnell didn't play that well against the Bills, I don't think he does much better against Houston.
2. The Bills loss was the start of Cowher struggling at home in the postseason. He would go on to be 8-5 at home in the playoffs, and there were some close shaves in some of those wins (1995 Indy, 1997 NE, 2002 Cleveland, 2004 Jets). He would end up with a 1-4 record at home in the AFC Title game.
3. I don't see that Steeler team going 3-0 in one season against an Oiler team that was more talented.

Now, we get into a Houston@Miami 1992 hypo AFC Title Game. I like the Oilers in that one as well. The Dolphins came out overconfident against the Bills, and they didn't show up. I don't see them doing much better against the Oilers, who ride momentum to their first SB in franchise history.

In the SB, the Oilers would face off against an overrated SB Myth Cowboy team who benefitted from playing a worn-out Bills team two years in a row in reality. On offense, the Oilers would probably face a defense with six defensive backs. Dallas didn't have a great secondary (although they would have had a rookie Darren Woodson at their service). Also, I don't see the Oilers turning the ball over nine times (Norm Hitzges predicted the Bills turnover problems in that game at 23:04 of this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWaj20gbjwk).

On defense, Dallas out-weighs them up front, so it comes down to Houston's ability to keep them in third and long. If they do that fairly often, they have a good shot of winning.

[SeahawkFever]

I think the Oilers defeat the Steelers in a hypo 1992 AFC Divisional Game:

1. O'Donnell didn't play that well against the Bills, I don't think he does much better against Houston.
2. The Bills loss was the start of Cowher struggling at home in the postseason. He would go on to be 8-5 at home in the playoffs, and there were some close shaves in some of those wins (1995 Indy, 1997 NE, 2002 Cleveland, 2004 Jets). He would end up with a 1-4 record at home in the AFC Title game.
3. I don't see that Steeler team going 3-0 in one season against an Oiler team that was more talented.

Now, we get into a Houston@Miami 1992 hypo AFC Title Game. I like the Oilers in that one as well. The Dolphins came out overconfident against the Bills, and they didn't show up. I don't see them doing much better against the Oilers, who ride momentum to their first SB in franchise history.

In the SB, the Oilers would face off against an overrated SB Myth Cowboy team who benefitted from playing a worn-out Bills team two years in a row in reality. On offense, the Oilers would probably face a defense with six defensive backs. Dallas didn't have a great secondary (although they would have had a rookie Darren Woodson at their service). Also, I don't see the Oilers turning the ball over nine times (Norm Hitzges predicted the Bills turnover problems in that game at 23:04 of this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWaj20gbjwk).

On defense, Dallas out-weighs them up front, so it comes down to Houston's ability to keep them in third and long. If they do that fairly often, they have a good shot of winning.

I’ve mentioned before that I think the peak of the 49ers in that generation was the 94 playoffs and 95 regular season thereafter. Similarly I’d say the peak of the Cowboys in that generation was the 92 playoffs and 93 regular season thereafter. (93 Cowboys have a worse record than 92, but could’ve been 13-3 had Leon Lett walked away or recovered that ball on Thanksgiving, and if that happened, and Emmitt hadn’t held out, 14-2 perhaps as the regular season game against Buffalo was really close at least by final score)

They beat up on Buffalo hard obviously, but Houston with momentum could have been an interesting all Lone Star State matchup. Buffalo had been in the big game the previous two seasons, so I could see why they’d be more worn out than Houston would have been.

Also can’t help but wonder if that would’ve led to the Oilers never leaving and we’d be talking about Tennessee getting its own expansion team in 2002 or thereabouts.

I’ve seen people claim that if the Oilers made the Super Bowl in 1979 that it would’ve prevented them from moving, but this was far closer to that event actually happening.

[Brian wolf]

Had Houston survived Buffalo, their confidence would have been sky high, but there is no guarantee they beat the Steelers. Moon simply never played well on the road and asking him to lead the Oilers past Pitts and Miami would have been alot. I would have cheered for him but chuck-and-duck teams only went so far.

Even if they make the SB, Haley and the Cowboys defensive speed would have been all over their offense.

[SeahawkFever]

Had Houston survived Buffalo, their confidence would have been sky high, but there is no guarantee they beat the Steelers. Moon simply never played well on the road and asking him to lead the Oilers past Pitts and Miami would have been alot. I would have cheered for him but chuck-and-duck teams only went so far.

Even if they make the SB, Haley and the Cowboys defensive speed would have been all over their offense.

Would this increase interest in the Oilers and would they still move?

[Brian wolf]

Had Houston survived Buffalo, their confidence would have been sky high, but there is no guarantee they beat the Steelers. Moon simply never played well on the road and asking him to lead the Oilers past Pitts and Miami would have been alot. I would have cheered for him but chuck-and-duck teams only went so far.

Even if they make the SB, Haley and the Cowboys defensive speed would have been all over their offense.

Would this increase interest in the Oilers and would they still move?

With Bud Adams you never know, but the Oilers fans could be very fickle. They had been spoiled from the Bum Phillips era and any losing on the field would keep the fans away. It really didnt matter what the fans did ... Adams wanted a new stadium and was tired of the Astrodome.

[ShinobiMusashi]

I believe that Bills team was the only thing standing in the way of Marino making it back to the Super Bowl in 92. I don't have any confidence in that Jack Pardee Oilers team going on a road playoff run as a wild card team. Their best shot was in 91 had they beat the Giants to get a home playoff game in that year's playoffs or in 93 with Buddy's defense knocking QB's out of games. The 92 team I believe was doomed to choke because of the coaching and philosophy of what they were trying to do with that offense, too fancy. Buddy Ryan's criticism of the Run N Shoot was all valid is why I hate how the A Football Life Houston '93 docu paints him as the villain and skapegoat of that team's downfall. That team was 5-11 without his defense killing people in 93.

I do believe that had Houston escaped Buffalo in the Wild Card they would have choked in Pittsburgh the next week and if not there then for sure in Miami in the AFCCG. I think Miami makes it to the Super Bowl without Buffalo there in their way and we get a somewhat more competitive Super Bowl, who knows maybe Marino turns into Super Man and pulls off the upset and beats Dallas, but I'm leaning toward Dallas winning still, something like 24-10 score.

[7DnBrnc53]

I do believe that had Houston escaped Buffalo in the Wild Card they would have choked in Pittsburgh the next week and if not there then for sure in Miami in the AFCCG. I think Miami makes it to the Super Bowl without Buffalo there in their way and we get a somewhat more competitive Super Bowl, who knows maybe Marino turns into Super Man and pulls off the upset and beats Dallas, but I'm leaning toward Dallas winning still, something like 24-10 score.

Maybe the Oilers choke in Pittsburgh, but I just don't think the Steelers play that well. Cowher really didn't do that well in home playoff games, and 1992 was the start of that.

Now, the Dolphins may beat the Oilers the next week, but I don't see them beating Dallas. Duper and Clayton were on their last legs. They had Keith Jackson and Bobby Humphrey, but I don't see them trying to run the ball as much as they should.

Another 1992 angle: What if the Chargers win in KC that year, and go 12-0 after an 0-4 start? They would have faced the Bills at Jack Murphy Stadium (in the divisional round). I like their chances if they establish a ground game with their physical offensive line. Those type of teams gave the Bills trouble in the past.

If they would have defeated the Bills, they probably get Miami at home, and that's a place where the Dolphins didn't usually win (in Jack Murphy). So, SD would face Dallas. I think they give them a much better game than the Bills did before coming up short.

[CSKreager]

I do believe that had Houston escaped Buffalo in the Wild Card they would have choked in Pittsburgh the next week and if not there then for sure in Miami in the AFCCG. I think Miami makes it to the Super Bowl without Buffalo there in their way and we get a somewhat more competitive Super Bowl, who knows maybe Marino turns into Super Man and pulls off the upset and beats Dallas, but I'm leaning toward Dallas winning still, something like 24-10 score.

Another 1992 angle: What if the Chargers win in KC that year, and go 12-0 after an 0-4 start? They would have faced the Bills at Jack Murphy Stadium (in the divisional round). I like their chances if they establish a ground game with their physical offensive line. Those type of teams gave the Bills trouble in the past.

If they would have defeated the Bills, they probably get Miami at home, and that's a place where the Dolphins didn't usually win (in Jack Murphy). So, SD would face Dallas. I think they give them a much better game than the Bills did before coming up short.

I find it hard to believe San Diego would have given Dallas a much better game despite having even LESS talent than 1994

[7DnBrnc53]

I find it hard to believe San Diego would have given Dallas a much better game despite having even LESS talent than 1994

Actually, they had more talent in 1992. They had more Pro Bowlers than the 1994 team did, and they rated higher in points allowed, INT's, and sacks. Also, while the 1994 Chargers scored more points, the 1992 team had to take a little time to adjust to a new QB. After Week 5, they scored 24 points or more nine times. The 1992 Chargers had Anthony Miller at WR and a two-headed monster of Butts and Bernstine at RB, along with a better offensive line.