Least-favorite season, 1946-thru-1999?

[74_75_78_79_]

BESIDES 1982 or 1987, of course!

Considering that very many, including myself, feel that the NFL the past 20 years - though we still follow it enthusiastically enough - isn't what it used to be; and WWII along with the couple decades of league 'growing pains' leading up, I figure this very chosen time period would be reasonable to chose from. Maybe there is a season or more from this period that you may actually place beneath '82 and/or '87 (though that definitely won't be me).

For me, forcing myself to be unbiased, I'd have to go with 1989. Yes, the irony...my favorite season since following is the very first season in which I followed - 1980. This although it would end up signifying the Steelers' Dynasty now over. '89, however, yes an exciting rally/underdog-story for Pittsburgh considering how it all began for them. Noll's "last hurrah"! That final week of the season with all those possible playoff-scenarios in the AFC...but let's face it, it was all mired in mediocrity. And the AFC was at its most-paltry! The conference's nadir of that very '84-thru-'96 period! Just one 11-5 team! The next, not only seed, but next best record-period...9-6-1!! Two non-playoff teams in the other conference finished with better records! And that very 11-5 AFC top-dog in all likely-hood was weaker than any NFC playoff-participant. They lost at home to the Eagles, and elevation and snow couldn't get them past G-men either.

Yes, NFC was more superior (at least playoff-participants-wise) but in that conference itself it was San Fran and "everyone else". Rams beating G-men in OT the only real exciting playoff game in that conference. SF simply destroyed the competition and especially so in SBXXIV. In the AFC both Cinderella-Steelers games were good and also the Bills/Browns divisional, but that 'Browns/Broncos III' just wasn't like the two previous showdowns (Marty's absence not making it any better). It was in the midst of a great time to follow NFL football, but the '89 season just doesn't hold-up relatively.

1993 is another one that seems relatively-'bleh' to me. Despite the Emmitt-holdout/upset at Falcons/Leon Lett Turkey Day gaffe seeming to handicap things, it still felt like Dallas and "everyone else". They being 7-4 didn't fool me. And that finale at the Meadowlands didn't make me all-too suspenseful. I was actually surprised G-men brought them into OT. But the way Houston rallied back...(unless you're a Buffalo-fan) the thought of Dallas having to face the Oilers generated a bit of excitement come playoff time. Then they lose to Chiefs but, okay, maybe we can see Joe Montana in a Super Bowl again! The fact that both he and Young were in the CCs didn't really excite me for I and most others weren't thinking SF could pull it off which they, indeed, didn't. Not an exciting game, and it would have been nice to see Joe play that entire game at Rich. Same Super Bowl matchup, same result although Buffalo was ahead at the half. Marino gets injured that year as well. Just something 'off' about that season. But plenty of real great ones to immediately follow yet again before significantly dropping off just into the 21st.

[Todd Pence]

1989 was the season that immediately came to mind when I first read this thread title. The one redeeming feature for this season was that it did have several good Monday Night games and the divisional playoff round was excellent. But the season was mostly garbage. 1987 is a close second for me. Also the 2000 season, which had perhaps the most thuddingly dull overall postseason in NFL history.

[sheajets]

1999 felt strange and unfamiliar to me as it went on. You had the Rams out of nowhere with Kurt Warner. Playing in St. Louis now which I never got used to. Tampa had now stamped itself as a defensive juggernaut with a new uniform and identity which I had a tough time accepting after so many years as a doormat. You had the re-branded Titans. Also in the wrong city pulling off their Music City Miracle and playing the still too new and too much success early Jaguars in the conference title game. You had the first year of the expansion Browns pretending to be a continuation of the real Browns. Nothing fit that year

Just didn't love it. Too much change all at once. Plus it was our first year without Barry Sanders, the last year of a fading Marino. You had the Cowboys in the decline (though they still snuck into the playoffs at 8-8) You had the Steelers in a brief period of retooling. Green Bay missed the playoffs. San Fran missed the playoffs. Bears were mired in a stretch of irrelevancy, Eagles were bad. Jets were supposed to make a SB run but Testaverde suffers a season ending knee injury week 1 which put a kibosh on that.

Despite the greatest show on turf, I just didn't find much in terms of compelling storylines that year.

Just seemed like the top markets were dormant that year, and the Rams weren't enough to make me care especially with the Jets checking out early.

You had Peyton Manning start to rise to greatness that year, but the #2 and #3 passer ratings that season were Steve Beuerlein and Jeff George. Ray Lucas was 7th. Batch and Frerotte 8th and 9th. Not a year of starpower at QB

[Rupert Patrick]

I was trying to think of what was to me the least compelling season of the 1970's, and it came down to either 1971, 1973 or 1974. I wound up going with 1973, because the Super Bowl chase wasn't very interesting, there was only one really good postseason game (Minnesota vs. Washington), nobody could keep up with the Dolphins, and the big story in the league in 1973 was OJ and the rushing mark which really overshadowed everything.

[sheajets]

I was trying to think of what was to me the least compelling season of the 1970's, and it came down to either 1971, 1973 or 1974. I wound up going with 1973, because the Super Bowl chase wasn't very interesting, there was only one really good postseason game (Minnesota vs. Washington), nobody could keep up with the Dolphins, and the big story in the league in 1973 was OJ and the rushing mark which really overshadowed everything.

What a bore that Super Bowl was. Miami didn't give Chuck Foreman an inch. Minny couldn't stop the run. Griese threw 7 passes and they probably could've won that game with him throwing 0 passes. Neither team racked up more than 260 yards of total offense

Really wish we could've gotten Dallas/Raiders that year. Not that either team came close in their respective conference championship game but it would've been a more attractive Super Bowl.

Dallas/Oakland is one match-up that I would've expected to come up at least once between 1966 and 1985. And yet never did

[JKelly]

Dallas/Oakland is one match-up that I would've expected to come up at least once between 1966 and 1985. And yet never did[/quote]



It was a stipulation of the AFL/NFL merger agreement Raiders and Cowboys are never to meet in the Super Bowl. Schramm had it put in there. LOL...............Although it never happened so it could be true!

[JWL]

2019 is off to a thrilling start.

[BD Sullivan]

2019 is off to a thrilling start.

Unless you're in Miami--or a Browns fan.

[JWL]

2019 is off to a thrilling start.

Unless you're in Miami--or a Browns fan.

My comment was one of sarcasm. I am a Jets fan. New coach, new GM, new uniforms, same old garbage product on the field. +4 in turnovers at home and blow a double digit 4th quarter lead. Patriots improve their roster after some other team botches the handling of a superstar player. Patriots pick up that player for relatively nothing and then they proceed to look machine-like in Week 1. This nightmare just goes on and on and on. I have never been more disgusted and hopeless as far as the NFL goes.

[BD Sullivan]

2019 is off to a thrilling start.

Unless you're in Miami--or a Browns fan.

My comment was one of sarcasm. I am a Jets fan. New coach, new GM, new uniforms, same old garbage product on the field. +4 in turnovers at home and blow a double digit 4th quarter lead. Patriots improve their roster after some other team botches the handling of a superstar player. Patriots pick up that player for relatively nothing and then they proceed to look machine-like in Week 1. This nightmare just goes on and on and on. I have never been more disgusted and hopeless as far as the NFL goes.

As opposed to the Browns' letdown and their long run of success.