NFL "what-if" scenarios thread

[Brian wolf]

The 1991 Redskins had a great season but I still believe had the Cowboys beaten Detroit, they would have been beaten by the Cowboys in RFK. Johnson built his team to challenge the big, physical teams in the eastern division and Steve Beuerlein might have started in the SB against a healthy Jim Kelly and Buffalo.
Would Johnson had given Aikman the start against Washington had Dallas beaten Detroit?

Johnson made mistakes in that playoff loss and probably only inserted Aikman to get work with the offense knowing that the defensive corners couldnt handle the Lions bigger receivers that day. Kevin Smith would change that the next season. In fact, how good was Kevin Smith, who won SBs his first two years as starter? Had he not had the major injuries in 1995 and 2000, could he have gotten more accolades? Did he deserve All-Pro status when he played? He had no problem challenging Jerry Rice?

[CSKreager]

The 1991 Redskins had a great season but I still believe had the Cowboys beaten Detroit, they would have been beaten by the Cowboys in RFK. Johnson built his team to challenge the big, physical teams in the eastern division and Steve Beuerlein might have started in the SB against a healthy Jim Kelly and Buffalo.
Would Johnson had given Aikman the start against Washington had Dallas beaten Detroit?

Johnson made mistakes in that playoff loss and probably only inserted Aikman to get work with the offense knowing that the defensive corners couldnt handle the Lions bigger receivers that day. Kevin Smith would change that the next season. In fact, how good was Kevin Smith, who won SBs his first two years as starter? Had he not had the major injuries in 1995 and 2000, could he have gotten more accolades? Did he deserve All-Pro status when he played? He had no problem challenging Jerry Rice?

91 Dallas had no pass rush. I find it hard to believe a team with so few sacks could have made a SB.

There’s a reason they HAD to draft Smith/Woodson, let alone the Haley trade

[Sonny9]

I stand by my opinion that the 91 Redskins were better than any Super Bowl champ that followed them, but you can definitely nitpick their schedule, that criticism is valid. I would add to it that the Lions they beat early in the season were playing without Barry, and the Falcons they beat early in the season were playing without Deion, and they caught a Cardinals team in crisis after their QB they went all in on was lost for the year in preseason. So they got a huge break with their first 3 games.

The Redskins clobbered the Lions 45-0 and the Cardinals 34-0. I do not think Barry Sanders or Timm Rosenbach would make a difference.
The Atlanta game was week 11 and the Redskins beat them by 56-17. I do not think Deion Sanders would make a difference.
Week 2 was against Dallas who scored a TD with 2 seconds left to loose to Washington by 2

[Brian wolf]

That win by the Redskins was huge in Dallas after going down 21-10 in the first half. Watching that game, the crowd was electric but the Cowboys had a tough time stopping Byner and Sanders throughout. Emmitt Smith had a 75 yrd TD run but had stomach or groin problems that limited his second half. Losing two fumbles also hurt them but they had to learn to close the game defensively, where for one of the few times in his career--that I can remember anyway--Rypien led his team from behind.

[Throwin_Samoan]

I stand by my opinion that the 91 Redskins were better than any Super Bowl champ that followed them

Whuck?

[7DnBrnc53]

I stand by my opinion that the 91 Redskins were better than any Super Bowl champ that followed them

Whuck?

Whuck, indeed. The 1991 Skins were a good team that had a great year. They were another overrated NFC winner during that time that the NFC was dominant over the pathetic AFC (who wouldn't send a real contender to the SB until the 1995 Steelers).

[CSKreager]

I stand by my opinion that the 91 Redskins were better than any Super Bowl champ that followed them

Whuck?

Whuck, indeed. The 1991 Skins were a good team that had a great year. They were another overrated NFC winner during that time that the NFC was dominant over the pathetic AFC (who wouldn't send a real contender to the SB until the 1995 Steelers).

The NFC outside of the 49ers and NFC East flavor of the month was pathetic between the Bears/Packers outlier years

[7DnBrnc53]

The NFC outside of the 49ers and NFC East flavor of the month was pathetic between the Bears/Packers outlier years

After 1981, there were NFC West teams that had some success, but no other franchise in the division made a Super Bowl until the 1998 Falcons (that was the end of the 18-year 49er run of success).

Also, the Bucs were terrible for most of that time, and the Vikings and Lions didn't do anything in the playoffs (when they made it).

[SeahawkFever]

The NFC outside of the 49ers and NFC East flavor of the month was pathetic between the Bears/Packers outlier years

After 1981, there were NFC West teams that had some success, but no other franchise in the division made a Super Bowl until the 1998 Falcons (that was the end of the 18-year 49er run of success).

Also, the Bucs were terrible for most of that time, and the Vikings and Lions didn't do anything in the playoffs (when they made it).

Save for 87 and 88 for Minnesota of course, but other than that point taken.

Also if we are talking about which NFC teams weren’t doing anything of note, in the 80’s the Packers were average for a couple years and after that sucked until the 1989 Majik Man season.

They were really good in the 90’s of course, but the 1980’s weren’t very kind to that franchise.