Top 10 NFL Power Rankings, 1985

[74_75_78_79_]

Take away the OBVIOUS top dog, I'd imagine a pretty even mix of NFL & AFL teams from #2 on down. Broncos box-out the Browns, I'm sure; and how far up the list do they go? Maybe not too far for they did get swept by Raiders if however barely, lost to Dickerson-less Rams in the opener, and lost to Mia at home in what would be the (first and) last Elway/Marino pairing until '98. Beating SF at home, 17-16, their only quality win. As for the non-playoff winner in the other conference, pretty doubtful they sneak in with the Niners in the way who blasted them, 35-8, at RFK. Dallas sweeping both Wash and Giants nice for power-points, but outside that it's the ever-infamous 0-44 at home in Week #11 along with playing a real weak AFC Central where they get pummeled 50-24 at Cincy (no, we won't count the finale @SF being they, of course, already clinched division). Without knowing what the 5th-seed Pats would end up doing in the playoffs, do any of you still place this - 8 Pro Bowlers, mind you - squad into the top five?

[ChrisBabcock]

I really enjoy doing these. It forces me to dive in depth into a season to see what really went on... which is fun to do!
As always, I base these mostly on what was each team accomplishing as the regular season was ending and the playoffs beginning, rather than the season as a whole.

1. DAAAAA BEARS
2. Miami... was on a bit of a roll winning their last 7. Including the famous Monday night game against you know who.
3. L.A. Raiders
4. L.A. Rams... I struggled where to put these guys. Started off 7-0 and won only 4 of the last 9. Was Dickerson's "off" year in the mid-80s. Dieter Brock played admirably.
5. San Francisco... 5-2 against teams with 10 or more wins
6. N.Y. Jets... OBrien's best season, McNeil's 2nd best season (after '82) The sack exchange was still in full force but on the decline.
7. Denver... one of only 2 11-5 non-playoff teams ever.
8. N.Y. Giants... The beginning of things to come.
9. New England
10. Dallas... The chinks were definitely in the armor here.

[74_75_78_79_]

Before I post my own, I'll beat Reaser to it by mentioning the Seahawks. Not only do you box out Browns from this list, but you leapfrog Hawks over them if this is a top-12; demolishing them Week #14, 31-13, the obvious reason. Smack in the middle of winning years, '85 was a strange 'win-two, lose-two, win-two, lose-two' the whole way. Whipping Raiders & Saints by a combined 60-6 to win their 5th & 6th respectively (to go 6-4) the highlight of that campaign. I remember the 'INT-fest' vs Niners on MNF; didn't win that one but kept it respectable-enough into the 4th. They barely lost to Denver in both their losses to them; one of them in OT, the other a 4th Q comeback. Could we go as far as to place these guys at '#11' above Washington?

[ChrisBabcock]

Could we go as far as to place these guys at '#11' above Washington?

I think I would rank Seattle, San Diego and Washington 11, 12 & 13 if I went 3 spots further. The Redskins probably had one of the worst 10-6 seasons ever that year. Got outscored by 15 points overall. QBs only combined for 13 TD passes.

[74_75_78_79_]

Could we go as far as to place these guys at '#11' above Washington?

I think I would rank Seattle, San Diego and Washington 11, 12 & 13 if I went 3 spots further. The Redskins probably had one of the worst 10-6 seasons ever that year. Got outscored by 15 points overall. QBs only combined for 13 TD passes.

Didn't think to mention SD. At least they spilt with Broncos (as well as Raiders) but, just the same, got swept by Hawks. Putting them ahead of Wash not an unreasonable move, perhaps. I care to not remember the track-meet Steelers suffered to them as season wound down. That was a huge blow in their race to the playoffs. Don't matter, even if Steelers pull it off, G-men (in the only ever Noll vs Parcells matchup) knock them out in finale anyway with Browns getting tie-breaker due to better division record. May as well conclude with Green Bay while we're on the 8-8s. Beat Giants and didn't get beat too bad both times vs Bears. Not better than Washington though.

[Todd Pence]

Only one way to approach this one . . .

1. Bears
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[74_75_78_79_]

2) Dolphins
3) Raiders
4) Niners
5) Jets
6) Patriots
7) Cowboys
8) Giants
9) Rams
10) Broncos