Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

7DnBrnc53 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 21, 2024 1:39 pm

I thought the Packers would roll the Broncos going into SB 32. The Steelers had many dropped passes against Denver and I was confident that the Packers receivers would make those catches. But the Broncos had an exceptional defensive game plan, coupled with the fact that Holgrem was, IMHO, way too conservative at times. It is remarkable that the Packers had such a wide avg margin of victory because Holmgren started milking the clock halfway through the third quarter on a regular basis. It surprised me that he didn't exploit Denver's secondary down the middle more in SB 32, but Denver did an amazing job of putting pressure on Favre particularly with Atwater. Plus, they found a way to neutralize Gilbert Brown which previously very few teams had done. Leading in the the game there was tremendous hype about the Packers, and Denver did a super job of letting the Packers believe their own press. I remember Elway giving a television interview and saying something to the effect of that the Packers were a great team, probably impossible to beat, and we just have to see what happens. I thought, "does even Elway think they have a chance?" That, I believe in chatting with players afterward, that was one small aspect in a Broncos game plan that was nearly flawless - and carried out to a t.

Wow, uh, I don't think this opinion is shared by a lot of people.

For one, if the Steelers had several dropped passes against Denver, point them out to me because I don't remember. Also, in the regular season, the Broncos dropped several passes. If they hadn't, that game wouldn't have been in the confluence (shouldn't have been, anyway because that Steeler team should also have lost @NE, to Wash, and @Arz).

Also, those SB Packer teams (while not the worst SB winners ever) weren't as great as people think. Favre was good, but overrated. Levens and Bennett were meh as RB's, and they didn't have as good of an o-line as Denver's. Plus, while they had a good D-line, their LB's and CB's were trash (they should have drafted Bobby Taylor in 95 instead of Craig Newsome).

GameBeforeTheMoney wrote: ↑Wed Aug 21, 2024 12:09 pm The thing that Packers team did perhaps better than any team I've seen in my 40+ of watching the NFL was the ability to score touchdowns on their last possession of the first half and their first possession of the second half. Somebody mentioned a 21-point margin of victory, and that's where those came from. They may have had a 3 point lead halfway through the second quarter but early in the third it would be 17. It was incredible to watch it happen what seemed to be week in and week out.

7DnBrnc53 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 21, 2024 1:39 pm Also, those SB Packer teams (while not the worst SB winners ever) weren't as great as people think. Favre was good, but overrated. Levens and Bennett were meh as RB's, and they didn't have as good of an o-line as Denver's. Plus, while they had a good D-line, their LB's and CB's were trash (they should have drafted Bobby Taylor in 95 instead of Craig Newsome).

The overrated Favre led the league in TD passes three straight years. The meh Levens rushed for 1,435 yards in '97 and was one of the league's best pass-catching backs. Their trash secondary gave up the fewest passing yards in the NFL in '96 and had the second-most interceptions.

Yes, it's a miracle how such a collection of bums ever went to three straight conference championship games and won two of them.

Bryan wrote: ↑Mon Aug 19, 2024 12:13 pm

74_75_78_79_ wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2024 8:36 pm Yes, a strong division the Rams were in that '51 campaign. Perhaps a good point. But Browns still beat them in LA by 15 during the regular season. And if you are a juggernaut, no matter how tough the division, you should end up better than...8-4? Lions & Forty Niners split with Rams. But LA only played Bears once for some reason. Yes, late in season and at Chicago. Rams walloped them so I'll give them that.

I'm not 'debating' anything with this, but I found it interesting (and surprising). The Rams were favored by 7 over Cleveland in the 51 title game.

Getting back to the Flag Football In Olympics thread, here is an unpopular opinion ... The NFL will do away with tackle football by 2037 ...

7DnBrnc53 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 22, 2024 9:44 am

The overrated Favre led the league in TD passes three straight years. The meh Levens rushed for 1,435 yards in '97 and was one of the league's best pass-catching backs. Their trash secondary gave up the fewest passing yards in the NFL in '96 and had the second-most interceptions.

Yes, it's a miracle how such a collection of bums ever went to three straight conference championship games and won two of them.

Levens only ran for 1,000 yards one more time (1999). That year, he a 3.7 YPC average and a 73.9 YPG average (he ran for 1,034 yards in 279 carries). 1997 was his only Pro Bowl appearance.

Also, while Favre was a good QB, their corners (not the whole secondary) weren't that great. Also, by SB 32, Reggie White wasn't quite in his prime anymore, and neither was Santana Dotson.