Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

In those years it seemed like the Broncos just couldnt adjust to neutral site SBs after winning at Mile High Stadium. Yeah, they won a great game in Cleveland but rarely won away from home. Once Davis joined the team in 1995, they played better on the road in the playoffs.

Elway did carry them to the SB in 87 but there was talent, especially on the defense with Smith, Fletcher and Mecklenburg having HOF cases and good careers from Jones and Harden as well.

Its amazing that Fletcher never made the Pro Bowl because he could get to the QB. Johnson and Jackson on offense werent prolific pass catchers but good receivers who made plays and they had to have some talent catching 90-mile rocketballs from Elway ...

Yes, those four Bud Grant Super Bowl teams are, technically speaking, the closest that the Vikings ever came to winning a Super Bowl. But being that, sadly, each contest wasn't one, realistically the Twin Cities best shot at ever actually parading a Lombardi Trophy was in 1987 itself! To me, they had a noticeably greater shot at winning a hypo-SBXXII than had they made it there in '98 or '09. For one, I opine that Broncos beat that very 17-1 installment in SBXXXIII. And as for SBXLIV? Although I give Vikings the edge over the Colts, it would not have at all been a sure thing whereas ’87, I feel, would have basically been the case!

Burnsie's Vikings don't blow out Broncos in such an event as Washington would, but they win it by at least ten (and if it would have been due to Broncos scoring a late garbage-TD to make it that margin, then ok). It wouldn't have been an exciting game; more in the variety of a typical '70s lopsided SB as opposed to a typical '80s big blowout one.

Floyd Peters, of course, would perform his double tour de force as a defensive coordinator in both '88 & '89. But in this particular season, the D was not quite there yet. Not statistically, at least. #10 in yardage and #16 in points. However, I'd like to think that once those playoffs began, perhaps the defense of those next two years emerged. I mean look at what they did at NO! And then what they did at Candlestick the following week versus that one-loss WCO juggernaut! And then holding that Gibbs'-led offense at RFK to just 17! The irony there, though, is the 'Sack Master' himself not mustering his defenders a single such tackle-QB-behind-LOS play as Washington recorded...eight of those on Wade Wilson! But this was the Hogs we're talking of blocking Doleman & Co along with Petibon/Peccatiello not being so bad at their own craft themselves, so absolutely no disgrace!

But that's just it! Once possibly getting out of DC hence the NFC, Sarge Rock leading his troops against Denver's O-line would seem a luxury! Of course Elway has his moments here and there (maybe even architect-ing an early 10-0 lead as well), but he would have so been under assault all day (and night)! Many hurries, many hard hits after the pass was already thrown, and many recorded sacks themselves in such an event IMO. And Joey & Co would have taken care of those Amigos. It would have been rough for Denver albeit, again, not as bad as what actually did happen vs Wash. And I see Anthony Carter (or maybe even Wade W himself) winning MVP!

Jerry Burns winning himself a Ring! Just imagine that! And a Gatorade Bath to boot (just like we saw in that division-winning '89 finale two years later)! Sergeant Rock...a Super Bowl-winning DC! Does he also get carried off the field a la Buddy two years prior? And, remember, that'd also put Rings already on Kiffin and Carroll's fingers! And this World Championship at hand should not be seen like the G-men 24 years later! The '87 Vikings were not an 8-7 team! But, actually, an 8-4 one. Yes, not juggernaut, but still. The same non-scab record as Washington themselves were. And, mind you, going into that Wash@Minn OT finale, Vikes were non-scab better at 8-3 to Wash's 7-4! Hey! As the case when Minny toppled Big D on Turkey Day in '98, the 1987 installment also had "just" one loss (7-1 non-scab) after 11/26!

Would this hypo-TCs Title all have butterflied away Herschel Walker? That's not actually a definite upon further thought! Look at their RBs and their stats! Almost, kind-of, similar to (correct me if wrong)...the '70 Colts?? As the case with the Ravens after achieving what they did in 2000, maybe the Vikings would have still been looking for improvement at a certain position despite winning it all (and may have also wanted to upgrade the QB spot as well). What this would have done for Anthony Carter's rest-of career a GREAT hypothetical! Would Minny have had such a big hangover in '88 that, maybe, they don't even make the playoffs thus not get humiliated by San Fran? Or would that possible non-return to the playoffs, or perhaps a defense that didn't make #1 in '88, been because...Floyd Peters wouldn't have been their DC that season to begin with?

Seeing that '89 Monday Night finale just recently (forever a most terrific late Christmas present for a Steeler-fan), Dan Dierdorf was talking big of Sarge Rock and saying how likely it'd be he being a HC in the NFL real soon. Well, in the event of the Vikings actually winning-it-all on 1/31/88, sure enough the...defensive coordinator of the now new World Champ would get a slew of offers as well as Schnelker would have (hey, nature of the beast; DCs/OCs of the new Champ always top-dogs). Would Bernsie and Peters be in the HOVG right now in such an event? Especially if they butterfly/avoid those two atrocious back-to-back revenge playoff defeats at hands of San Fran? We'll never know for sure but so worthy of bringing up!

Getting off the beaten track, this Penn Stater here will bring up a name...(sure you know who)...DJ Dozier! This would have made him a player who wins the National Championship of college football (not to mention scoring a game-winning TD vs Jerome Brown & Co) and then the following year...gets a Ring on his finger as well! Yes, he wasn't a starter. Couldn't surpass Darrin Nelson on that depth chart. But...(beyond-interesting)...in '87 he scored NO LESS RUSHING TDS than ANY OTHER VIKE at five (again, these runners and their stats reading like '70 Colts)! SERIOUS!! As a matter-of-fact...the OTHER 5 TD rusher?...

WADE WILSON!

Yes, DJ (and Wade) score more than TWICE a many rushing TDs as Darrin! And the ONLY Vike to score more TDs-period than either of the two...(well, of course)...Anthony Carter at seven! That regular season Monday Night, 34-27, win at home over Denver (the week after Scabsville)? A quite latter day Jerome Bettis performance from the Nittany Lion! THREE TDs but just 15 yards rushing!

EDIT - My ABSOLUTE bad! DJ and Anthony were actually TIED for first in '87 with 7 total TDs apiece! Dozier scored two receiving TDs as well in that campaign! And I should have known better. Not only was that also future-NY Met the leading rusher for that very 1986 National Champ, but he was John Shaffer's leading recieiver!