Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

For this thread, the poster boys are the 1986 Seahawks and the 1991 49ers.

The 1986 Seahawks won their last five games, including a 37-0 rout of the Raiders, and a 41-16 rout of the Broncos in Week 16.

The 1991 49ers won their last six games, including a 38-24 win over the Saints, and a 52-14 rout of the Bears in Week 17 on MNF.

In your opinion, how far do you think these teams would have gone if they made the playoffs, and what other teams do you think fit this topic?

7DnBrnc53 wrote:For this thread, the poster boys are the 1986 Seahawks and the 1991 49ers.

The 1986 Seahawks won their last five games, including a 37-0 rout of the Raiders, and a 41-16 rout of the Broncos in Week 16.

The 1991 49ers won their last six games, including a 38-24 win over the Saints, and a 52-14 rout of the Bears in Week 17 on MNF.

In your opinion, how far do you think these teams would have gone if they made the playoffs, and what other teams do you think fit this topic?

How about '84 Bengals in Forrest's last year at helm? 0-5/1-6 start then rallying all the way to 500, winning last four games. Problem, however, is who did they beat other than 9-7 Steelers? If Raiders beat 'Burgh in finale do you really think Cincy beats Broncos at Mile High?

'86 Seahawks? Can't see them losing wild card game whether up against Jets or KC. At Clev following week? Likely not.

'91 Forty Niners? Redskins would be the only ones to stop 'em and shouldn't be surprising if they at least give them a game - something none of Washington's playoff-opponents could do!

EDIT - how about '84 Bengals in Sam Wyche's first year at helm?

From the 1960's NFL:
1960 Lions: 1-4 after a wild loss in L.A., they end the year winning six of their last seven--including the miracle win in Baltimore.
1960 49ers: 3-4 after getting shut out by the Lions, they win four of their last five to finish 7-5.
1961 Colts: 4-5 after a pair of Jeckyl-and-Hyde performances: rout the Pack, lose to expansion Vikes. They win four of their last five to finish 8-6.
1962 Bears: 4-4 after getting routed by the Pack, they win five of their last six and set the stage for their title run
1962 Steelers: 3-4 after getting routed by Cleveland, they win six of their last seven.
1964 Vikings: 4-4 after getting routed by the Pack, they end the year with a 4-1-1 run, the only loss being a 17-14 defeat AT Baltimore.
1964 Cardinals: 4-3-1 after losing to the fading Giants, they finish with a 5-0-1 run and finish a 1/2 game behind the Browns.
1965 Bears: Lose their first three games, go 9-2 the rest of the season--though with an odd season finale loss at home against the Vikes.
1966 Eagles: 5-5 after losing to Cleveland before running off four wins to end the year and gain that all-important Playoff Bowl berth.
1967 Bears: 2-5 after a home loss to the Rams, they finish with a 5-1-1 run, the only loss being a four-point home defeat to the Pack.
1968 Cardinals: Start out 1-3 before finishing with an 8-1-1 run, again missing the postseason by a half-game behind Cleveland.
1969 Lions: Start out 3-3 before ending the year with a 6-1-1 stretch, the only loss coming in the Thanksgiving shutout to the juggernaut Vikes.

I think the 1986 Seahawks could have won the AFC Championship if they had remained hot had they made the postseason, but it would have meant beating the Jets, Broncos and Browns on the road. I've always felt the 1986 Seahawks and 1979 Redskins were the two strongest teams (at the end of the season) that didn't make the playoffs since the 1970 realignment. I do think if the Redskins had made the playoffs in 1979, they would have been the number one seed and likely would have gone to the Super Bowl.

How about '89 Chiefs in Schottenheimer's first year there? Week #11 they tie Browns in Marty's return to Cleveland (now 4-6-1) then go 4-1 rest of way. In that stretch they manhandle Houston, 34-0, bury the 'Majik' Pack at Lambeau, 21-3, and sweep Miami thus causing them to finish 8-8. Henning's respectable Chargers handed Chiefs their only loss in that stretch next-to-last week at Arrowhead thus not only costing them a playoff spot, but a home wildcard game. KC wins such a hypothetical game (vs Oilers), Marty goes to Cleveland again the following week!

The 1981 Redskins and 1999 Jets both finished their seasons going 7-2. The Jets had five wins against four playoff teams at the end of the season.

The 1974 New York Jets started the season 1-7 before reeling off 6 straight wins. Had the Jets beaten Buffalo in Week 3 they would have made the playoffs and the Bills would have been left out.

The 1990 Seahawks started 4-6, then went 5-1 down the stretch to finish 9-7.

The Wikipedia article (I sometimes use them because they post the conference records, and PFR doesn't do that) said that they were eliminated in Week 15, but that just isn't true:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1990_Seat ... wks_season

If the Oilers would have lost to the Steelers in the Week 17 SNF game, Houston would have been 8-8 (and out of the playoffs) and Seattle would have made it over 9-7 Cincy because they beat them head to head that year.

For the 1970's:

1970 Rams: Were 5-3-1 after an embarrassing home loss to the Namath-less Jets. Won four of their last five, but finished a game behind the 49ers.
1974 49ers: Were 2-7 after losing at Dallas, then won four their last five. The lone loss was a 7-0 loss on a snow-covered field in Cleveland where the Browns scored in the 4Q.
1974 Oilers: Started out 1-5 before winning six of their last eight.
1976 Broncos: Started out 4-4 after losing at Oakland. Won five of their last six.
1977 Oilers: Were 4-5 after losing by five at Oakland. Won four of their last five, with the one loss coming against Denver.
1977 Redskins: Were 4-4 after a MNF loss to Baltimore. Won five of their last six.
1977 Patriots: Were 5-4 after losing at Miami, won their next four games, then got screwed on a quick whistle in the season finale against the Colts.
1978 Chargers: Started out 2-6, then won seven of their last eight.
1978 Bears: Started out 3-8, then won four of their last five--the only loss was a MNF rout against the Chargers.
1978 Seahawks: Started out 5-6, then won four of their last five.
1978 Cardinals: Started out 0-8, then won six of their last eight.
1979 Seahawks: Started out 2-5, then won seven of last nine, including five of their last six.

In 1994, the Giants started 3-0, lost seven straight, and then won their last six to finish 9-7. One of their losses was to the Lions in Week 9 (in OT). If they win that, they are 10-6 and in the playoffs (hosting GB in the WC game).

Also, that same year, the Cardinals (in their first year of Cruddy Ball) started 3-6 before winning five of their last seven games (one of the losses was to Chicago in OT in Week 13. If they win that, their Atlanta game would have been more meaningful, and they may have made the playoffs).