Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

I know this was discussed quite some time ago on an old post but while we’re on ’84, lets bring it back. Hannifan’s squad was oh so close in that finale at RFK to clinching himself his first non-strike playoff appearance as an HC, and as a 2nd-seed mind you. Quite a few times throughout history, a future-SB Champ seems to win their first playoff game whether at home or on the road as an underdog. ’72 Steelers, ’84 Giants, ’91 Cowboys, ’06 Saints and also Carroll’s 2010 Seahawks are examples.

And so are the ’84 Bears who did, in real life, beat a seasoned Gibbs team at RFK. So why wouldn’t they have beaten the Cards in StL as well? Yes, they lost to Cards on the road earlier that season, 38-21, but I think da Bears get their revenge in this case. They were full of swagger, Super Bowl Shuffle just a year away, and quite physical; and, sadly, the Cards were simply...the Cards. Bears advance to SF anyway and suffer that one final growing pain. And if Cards do pull it off, I can’t see them really giving SF that much a better game anyway.

Thoughts?

EDIT - Hanifan (one n)

I agree that the Bears probably win, but what if the Cards do, and then play SF tougher? How does their 1985 season look? Do they have the collapse that got Hanifan fired?

A division title/playoff berth in ’84 with or without advancing, I’d guess, would have been enough to keep Hanifan onboard for ’86 even if ’85 turned out as it actually did. Winning vs Chi and giving SF a better game would shore things up. Where would Gene Stallings have gone to then? Were there other NFL teams interested in hiring him?