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Re: Which franchise for a period of time, in your opinion, underachieved?
Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2026 5:53 pm
by Hickerson66
'89-'93 Bills. The '89 team faltered down the stretch and could have made it a round deeper in the playoffs. The '90 team with Wide Right was brutal. Four straight Super Bowl's is impressive, but 0-4 record in that time is a huge disappointment. One could even add the '88 team as they were rolling through most of the season and I think would have beaten the 49ers who won the SB because Cincy's defense thought that the game was over one series too soon.
Re: Which franchise for a period of time, in your opinion, underachieved?
Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2026 7:37 pm
by Brian wolf
The Bills disappointed in 87 and 88 as well. Should have been a playoff team in 1987 but not much of a running game.
Re: Which franchise for a period of time, in your opinion, underachieved?
Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2026 6:44 am
by ShinobiMusashi
After looking closer here over this Summer I got to say one of the biggest underachieving teams in NFL history has to be the 96 Dallas Cowboys. What in the holy hell happened to this team? They absolutely had everything to win another title that year and had the most talented team in the league still without question. I can't remember all the details but I seem to remember a lot of drugs going on with Irvin, I heard on commentary on one game I just rewatched that Leon Lett failed a drug test. Also heard something a while back about a party house that the team was using to hang out and do drugs and prostitutes. Like they lost their minds trying to be rock stars and just had no interest in being great that season. But after a bad start to the year they totally manhandled the Packers in the head to head game with them, also same against the 49ers before putting Washington and Philly in their place later in the year. Then after huge blowout over the Vikings just laid down to the Panthers in that playoff game. I think the team collectively was just done with football going into that game ready for the offseason and wanted no part in going to Lambeau the next week. Talk about one of the most talented rosters in NFl history that had absolutely no drive to win that was the 1996 Dallas Cowboys.
Re: Which franchise for a period of time, in your opinion, underachieved?
Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2026 11:55 am
by Brian wolf
For being such a team leader, I was extremely dissappointed and angry for Michael Irvin's 1996 season, which seemed to put them off course. The Cowboys rallied by winning the division but Irvin would get hurt early in that playoff loss to Carolina--Sanders as well--and the Cowboys just couldnt generate much offense
It was a tough season for Aikman and Emmitt Smith. Without Novachek, who had to retire, Aikman wasnt the same, especially with Irvin suspended. The team just didnt have receivers that Aikman could trust, which is why they brought Kelvin Martin back. The offensive line other than Larry Allen, didnt play nearly as well, and Smith wasnt as explosive that year. A very disappointing season considering the talent on that team. After their 1997 freefall, Switzer would be gone.
Re: Which franchise for a period of time, in your opinion, underachieved?
Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2026 2:22 pm
by CSKreager
ShinobiMusashi wrote: ↑Sat Aug 01, 2026 6:44 am
After looking closer here over this Summer I got to say one of the biggest underachieving teams in NFL history has to be the 96 Dallas Cowboys. What in the holy hell happened to this team? They absolutely had everything to win another title that year and had the most talented team in the league still without question. I can't remember all the details but I seem to remember a lot of drugs going on with Irvin, I heard on commentary on one game I just rewatched that Leon Lett failed a drug test. Also heard something a while back about a party house that the team was using to hang out and do drugs and prostitutes. Like they lost their minds trying to be rock stars and just had no interest in being great that season. But after a bad start to the year they totally manhandled the Packers in the head to head game with them, also same against the 49ers before putting Washington and Philly in their place later in the year. Then after huge blowout over the Vikings just laid down to the Panthers in that playoff game. I think the team collectively was just done with football going into that game ready for the offseason and wanted no part in going to Lambeau the next week. Talk about one of the most talented rosters in NFl history that had absolutely no drive to win that was the 1996 Dallas Cowboys.
They were a defense without an offense that was lucky just to win their own division
Re: Which franchise for a period of time, in your opinion, underachieved?
Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2026 2:25 pm
by CSKreager
Brian wolf wrote: ↑Fri Jul 31, 2026 7:37 pm
The Bills disappointed in 87 and 88 as well. Should have been a playoff team in 1987 but not much of a running game.
They didn’t have Thurman Thomas yet and Indy got just enough horsepower from Eric Dickerson, but what really decided that division was the Colts randomly allowing the fewest points in football
Re: Which franchise for a period of time, in your opinion, underachieved?
Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2026 5:34 pm
by Brian wolf
The Bills whipped the Colts but had two bad offensive games against the Patriots and Eagles to end the 1987 season. Kelly might have been dinged up but the offense went 7 quarters before getting a TD.
I might have misspoke about the 1988 team, which turned the corner but I was basically referring to the AFC Championship in Cincy as a disappointment. The Bills stunk offensively with Thomas only getting 4 carries! Four less than Jamie Mueller.
A bad game plan which led to Marchibroda being offensive coordinator in 1989.