Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

I know about Gregg, but the defense got worse under Wyche. After a 10 win season in 1986, the season was a disaster in 1987, with the team allowing the Niners to beat them on the last play of the game, after failing to punt. Wyche was nearly fired after that season.

Like I said, a top offense underachieved with chances to win the division in 85, 86 and 89. They only won the division in 1990 because Houston beat Pitts on the final weekend, though the Bengals beat the Oilers twice at the end.

Yes, a great season in 1988 ... but that was it ... if Esiason doesnt have the bad arm, maybe a different SB? Losing Wilson for the game didnt help. If Billups just catches Montana's interception, the disappointment of those years from 1985-87 are wiped out ...

The big one that always stuck out on paper to me was Jack Pardee winning over the Buccaneers coach that took them to NFCCG in 1979 just 2 years after they were the worst team in NFL history. And I don't think that Pardee Redskins team even went to the playoffs that year. It was before my time and I'm assuming just something that you had to live through to understand.

ShinobiMusashi wrote: ↑Sun Mar 22, 2026 12:44 pm The big one that always stuck out on paper to me was Jack Pardee winning over the Buccaneers coach that took them to NFCCG in 1979 just 2 years after they were the worst team in NFL history. And I don't think that Pardee Redskins team even went to the playoffs that year. It was before my time and I'm assuming just something that you had to live through to understand.

I was not around for that one, but the Skins did not make the playoffs in 1979. They were (at least on the NFC side), the best team that missed the playoffs, and had been 8-8 in 1978 I believe; so an improvement of a couple games.

ShinobiMusashi wrote: ↑Sun Mar 22, 2026 12:44 pm The big one that always stuck out on paper to me was Jack Pardee winning over the Buccaneers coach that took them to NFCCG in 1979 just 2 years after they were the worst team in NFL history. And I don't think that Pardee Redskins team even went to the playoffs that year. It was before my time and I'm assuming just something that you had to live through to understand.

Ironically I think Pardee should have won COY in 1993. All that Houston turmoil and he kept them afloat as long as humanly possible

Brian wolf wrote: ↑Sun Mar 22, 2026 12:59 am

7DnBrnc53 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 20, 2026 9:17 pm

1988- It should have been Marv Levy instead of Mike Ditka

Actually, it should have been Sam Wyche. He took a team that had turmoil a year before and guided them to within seconds of a SB win.

I disagree ... the Bengals should have been a SB contender going back to 1985. They even had a top defense in 1983. Wyche and Esiason underachieved from 1985-1987 and sucked in 89 and 90 as well, though they made the playoffs in 1990. Had another team gone instead of them, Bo Jackson's football career might have continued.

The Bengals couldnt beat Kosar and the Browns ...

The Browns only sweep of Wyche and Cincinnati came in 1987 which included a scab game

Cleveland was far less talented yet somehow Marty Schottenheimer’s regular season smoke and mirrors fooled everyone into thinking they were alleged SB contenders

Ironically I think Pardee should have won COY in 1993. All that Houston turmoil and he kept them afloat as long as humanly possible

Pardee didn't really seem like he was in charge to me. It seemed like Buddy Ryan was more in control there.

I think that Pardee may have been a lazy hire by Bud Adams after he fired Glanville. He wasn't that great of a head coach during his previous NFL stops. I think that Pardee should have been fired (along with the whole staff) after that 1992 WC debacle in Buffalo.

CSKreager wrote: ↑Tue Mar 24, 2026 4:37 am

Brian wolf wrote: ↑Sun Mar 22, 2026 12:59 am

7DnBrnc53 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 20, 2026 9:17 pm

Actually, it should have been Sam Wyche. He took a team that had turmoil a year before and guided them to within seconds of a SB win.

I disagree ... the Bengals should have been a SB contender going back to 1985. They even had a top defense in 1983. Wyche and Esiason underachieved from 1985-1987 and sucked in 89 and 90 as well, though they made the playoffs in 1990. Had another team gone instead of them, Bo Jackson's football career might have continued.

The Bengals couldnt beat Kosar and the Browns ...

The Browns only sweep of Wyche and Cincinnati came in 1987 which included a scab game

Cleveland was far less talented yet somehow Marty Schottenheimer’s regular season smoke and mirrors fooled everyone into thinking they were alleged SB contenders

True, but when the Bengals needed that big game against the Browns, they usually fell on their face. The Browns could have been to the SB, but had no pass rush get to Elway. Kosar won divisional games in 86,87 and 89 and should have won against Miami in 1985. Esiason only beat the Seahawks in 1988.

Pardee had been good in Washington but Cooke panicked. Yes, he should have been fired in 1993 after the Buffalo game, but Jim Eddy was the scapegoat. He got a ring with Dallas in 1993.

I never understood why some coaches got COTY in consecutive seasons? Allie Sherman won in both 1961 and 1962, just two seasons removed from being the eastern champion with 10 wins under Howell in 1959. So Sherman gets COTY due to getting Tittle and Shofner? In both seasons he failed to win the world championship.

Shula was COTY three times with the Colts, winning back-to-back in 67-68 but didnt win it all those seasons. The long winning streaks those three years, impressed voters. At least when Gibbs won in 1982-83, the Redskins went to both SB games.

I felt Madden or Nolan should have been COTY over Brown in 1970. The Bengals rallied to win the central division only because the Browns had a bad year in Collier's final season. The Oilers were terrible. Yes, Virgil Carter came out of nowhere compared to Lamonica and Brodie, but Madden knew Lamonica could be inconsistent, going with the hot hand in Blanda at the end of games. Without Madden pleading with the referees to penalize Otis Taylor for an off-setting foul against Ben Davidson, in the crucial first game against KC, the Chiefs might have claimed the win. The Raiders won the rematch to take the division.

Nolan of course, finally got the 49ers to play up to their talent level, keeping the Rams from winning the division and having them release George Allen. Brodie had the best year of his career.

Its hard to believe that Chuck Noll was never COTY. Even in 1978 with a 14-2 record, he lost out to Jack Patera of Seattle, the same team that gave the Cowboys the rights to draft Tony Dorsett in 1977.

7DnBrnc53 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 24, 2026 9:47 am

Ironically I think Pardee should have won COY in 1993. All that Houston turmoil and he kept them afloat as long as humanly possible

Pardee didn't really seem like he was in charge to me. It seemed like Buddy Ryan was more in control there.

I think that Pardee may have been a lazy hire by Bud Adams after he fired Glanville. He wasn't that great of a head coach during his previous NFL stops. I think that Pardee should have been fired (along with the whole staff) after that 1992 WC debacle in Buffalo.

I would agree. I think Pardee and Gilbride should have got the boot after The Comeback, and without all that turmoil a Buddy Ryan head coached Oiler team would have gone further with possible #1 seed in the AFC. I remember being 9 years old in 93 but being totally hooked into that Oilers' season, but was totally confused about who the head coach was. Buddy Ryan gets so much flak for that season ending up the way it did but I feel like without him that was a 6-10 team that year, his defense was the reason why they won 11 in a row not anything to do with the offense. They were hitting and getting after the QB like no other Oiler team did before he got there, watching some of the games a few years back it was pretty ridiculous how physical that defense was. I think they knocked like 6 consecutive QB's out of games, then went into Pittsburgh and outhit them and outphysicalled them at Three Rivers.

Cleveland was far less talented yet somehow Marty Schottenheimer’s regular season smoke and mirrors fooled everyone into thinking they were alleged SB contenders

The Browns weren't untalented in the late-80's. At one time, they had a secondary with three Pro Bowl talents (until Don Rogers died in 1986). Also, they had others like Bob Golic, Carl Hairston (and eventually Michael Dean Perry would replace Golic), Chip Banks (until 1987), and Clay Matthews on defense. On offense, they had Bernie with Mack and Byner, the Wizard of Oz, and a solid OL and WR corp. They just weren't a dynamic, sexy offense, so they don't get too much credit.

The Bengals had a better offense, but their D never was too great, even in 1988.