Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

BD Sullivan wrote:In 1972, the Steelers lost on the road to the defending Super Bowl champion Cowboys in Week 4 by a score of 17-13. That made them 2-2 on the year, but they must have gained plenty of confidence from playing Dallas so tough. That's because they won nine of their last 10 games (losing the one game by two points) and mostly sustained that momentum through the 70's.

Pretty interesting point! I never thought of that. 18-3 from there, actually, before running into that 3-game skid Wks 10-thru-12 the following year.

I wonder how much of a 'good' loss it was for the Steelers' 2003 finale at Ravens (Jamal Lewis coming up 40 short of Dickerson)? If they win, they finish 7-9 meaning Jets get the 11th pick and then Buffalo the 12th in next year's draft. My guess is Jets still pick Vilma over Big Ben (they had Pennington anyway), but do Bills take him instead of Lee Evans? And if Bills pass-up, would Steelers have had the next (13th) pick? Bears & Bucs also finished 7-9 in 2003.

74_75_78_79_ wrote:

BD Sullivan wrote:In 1972, the Steelers lost on the road to the defending Super Bowl champion Cowboys in Week 4 by a score of 17-13. That made them 2-2 on the year, but they must have gained plenty of confidence from playing Dallas so tough. That's because they won nine of their last 10 games (losing the one game by two points) and mostly sustained that momentum through the 70's.

Pretty interesting point! I never thought of that. 18-3 from there, actually, before running into that 3-game skid Wks 10-thru-12 the following year.

I wonder how much of a 'good' loss it was for the Steelers' 2003 finale at Ravens (Jamal Lewis coming up 40 short of Dickerson)? If they win, they finish 7-9 meaning Jets get the 11th pick and then Buffalo the 12th in next year's draft. My guess is Jets still pick Vilma over Big Ben (they had Pennington anyway), but do Bills take him instead of Lee Evans? And if Bills pass-up, would Steelers have had the next (13th) pick? Bears & Bucs also finished 7-9 in 2003.

If the Bills take Big Ben (they may have. They did take Losman), they don't need Losman, so they don't trade up with Dallas. Dallas may have stayed put and drafted Steven Jackson 22nd overall, and the Packers take Losman (they were interested in him) at 25 instead of Ahmad Carroll.

If I remember correctly, the bills definitely liked Ben over Losman in that year's draft. They would have taken him in that scenario.

ChrisBabcock wrote:If I remember correctly, the bills definitely liked Ben over Losman in that year's draft. They would have taken him in that scenario.

One of the few times that dumb luck saved the Browns from blowing an other top draft pick was 2007, when they had the third pick overall. Phil Savage was the GM at the time and had said that he had looked for ways to move up in order to draft Jamarcus Russell. That failed, so they had to settle for Joe Thomas.

How about SF losing to Stallings' Cardinals in Week #10, '88? They hang on to win it, perhaps Steve Young becomes the starter rest of the year (and likely beyond). Was he 'ready' to take them all-the-way just yet?