Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

7DnBrnc53 wrote: ↑Sat May 23, 2026 3:52 pm

If the AFC was a shaky conference and the NFC a myth, then how exactly does one look at that entire 13 year run between SB’s 18-32?

1984 SB XIX: The 1984 Dolphins were a one-dimensional team with no defense (in hindsight, it doesn't shock me that Marino didn't return to a Super Bowl).

Rather fair points.

One question though: Why did it not surprise you that Dan Marino never made it back to the Super Bowl again?

As for the ‘84 Dolphins, at least in the regular season it looks like an ok defense though admittedly regressing if not getting older (seventh by points but lower by my stat on defense I think) I’ve seen people say it was pretty good until A.J. Duhe had a career ending injury.

It may have been a regressed defense and not to get hung up on semantics, but I probably wouldn’t say a team that was seventh in points had “no defense”. (though they didn’t play well in the playoffs)

Unfortunately for Marino, he had his rookie year overlap with a really good season from the Killer B’s (that defense gets a bit overlooked in my book; they were really good for 3-4 years before then), and his historic 84 campaign aligned with an ok one, then that defense aged and fell off a cliff and may have cost him a second MVP two years later in 1986.

The Killer B’s declined in the mid 80’s, but given that Marino was still one of the better quarterbacks in the league into the mid 90’s, did you think the Dolphins couldn’t build another good defense? (In hindsight they did, but at the twilight of Marino’s career after it was too late to contend again)

The Killer B’s declined in the mid 80’s, but given that Marino was still one of the better quarterbacks in the league into the mid 90’s, did you think the Dolphins couldn’t build another good defense? (In hindsight they did, but at the twilight of Marino’s career after it was too late to contend again)

Well, maybe I should have said that I wasn't surprised that he didn't get back fairly soon after the 1984 season, not that he would never get back.

7DnBrnc53 wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2026 10:50 am

The Killer B’s declined in the mid 80’s, but given that Marino was still one of the better quarterbacks in the league into the mid 90’s, did you think the Dolphins couldn’t build another good defense? (In hindsight they did, but at the twilight of Marino’s career after it was too late to contend again)

Well, maybe I should have said that I wasn't surprised that he didn't get back fairly soon after the 1984 season, not that he would never get back.

Yeah that’s understandable. He wasn’t getting back with that roster around him again.

Credit him for making one more AFC Championship Game with a defense that was more mediocre in 1985 before the wheels fell off for the defense.

Could Marino’s career be a case where a team has this amazing talent at quarterback, and thinks that alone can carry them far, and as a result forgets to give him a run game or defense until it’s too late?

SeahawkFever wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2026 11:23 am

7DnBrnc53 wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2026 10:50 am

The Killer B’s declined in the mid 80’s, but given that Marino was still one of the better quarterbacks in the league into the mid 90’s, did you think the Dolphins couldn’t build another good defense? (In hindsight they did, but at the twilight of Marino’s career after it was too late to contend again)

Well, maybe I should have said that I wasn't surprised that he didn't get back fairly soon after the 1984 season, not that he would never get back.

Yeah that’s understandable. He wasn’t getting back with that roster around him again.

Credit him for making one more AFC Championship Game with a defense that was more mediocre in 1985 before the wheels fell off for the defense.

Could Marino’s career be a case where a team has this amazing talent at quarterback, and thinks that alone can carry them far, and as a result forgets to give him a run game or defense until it’s too late?

And yet there were a bunch of one dimensional teams who arrogantly thought a run game and defense alone could carry them to the point where they could win without a quarterback

Look at the Redskins and Giants. They had below average QB’s yet got away with it

Look at the Redskins and Giants. They had below average QB’s yet got away with it

You think that Theismann and Simms were below average?

7DnBrnc53 wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2026 7:16 pm

Look at the Redskins and Giants. They had below average QB’s yet got away with it

You think that Theismann and Simms were below average?

Probably in reference to Doug Williams and Mark Rypien I believe.

Latter was a good deep ball passer and fit his scheme well, but I’ve heard fumbled a fair amount when pressured.

7DnBrnc53 wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2026 7:16 pm

Look at the Redskins and Giants. They had below average QB’s yet got away with it

You think that Theismann and Simms were below average?

They had only 1-2 good seasons