The 1998 Arizona Cardinals

[74_75_78_79_]

In lieu of the passing of Vince Tobin, let's talk about this first Cardinals team to win a playoff game since the days of Trippi.

And winning that very playoff game vs the 'Triplets'...(and FWIW still being in the game at Minny end of 3rd Q a week later)...nothing to sneeze at no matter what Football Outsiders say of them!

Jake Plummer...Eric Swann...

Not being the most immature guy at the time (college days far away by then) but still not being too opposite if the wind blew just right, what I remember about that playoff win at Big D was having me a shot of Cuervo Gold every time the Cards made a big play. Let's just say that I didn't make it to a card game later that night that I and a longtime friend of mine visiting from Alaska was supposed to attend to! I hit the sack and had him take the keys to attend and he came back winning $300 because of my absence! Because of those Cards!

RIP Vince Tobin. You made 'Jerry McGuire' come true!

[CSKreager]

The Cardiac Cards!

Until that playoff upset in Dallas, they had only one win that wasn’t a nailbiter (Week 6 Chicago, a gsme they forced 8 turnovers)

Even their 17-3 SNF Week 3 home opener vs Philly was scoreless after 3 quarters

Say what you want about their negative point differential but I felt that was a case of things evening out for the 1993 Cards missing the playoffs despite a high point differential but lost all the close ones

Their schedule wasn’t exactly easy: decent OAK/SEA teams, Chargers who despite their record had the #1 ranked total defense, a Rams team that beat 3 AFC playoff teams with parts of the GSOT already in place, Giants were in the mix (famously beat 13-0 Broncos), Detroit (who swept the Bucs), and of course Dallas

ARZ’s win vs Ditka’s Saints in week 16 was basically an elimination game (If the Saints won, they would have controlled their playoff destiny going into wk 17 against Buffalo)

[Brian wolf]

RIP Vince Tobin

Looking back at Jake The Snake, could he have kept winning--and kept Shanahan coaching in Denver--if he hadnt been replaced by Cutler? For me, Cutler was never the same after Shanny was fired and Jake should have kept playing, somewhere ...

[sheajets]

Fwiw I was really happy to see ex Jet Rob Moore (who they stupidly traded for Ron Moore. Kotite era ) make the playoffs as well as Adrian Murrell who was one of my dark ages favorite Jets backs.

Week 17 they're up 13-6 on 5-10 San Diego. I believe half a minute ro go. Craig Welihan under center...4th and 20 from the Cards 30. Just have to make one stop.

And he throws a TD pass to Ryan Thelwell of all people. Welihan had thrown 4 int's that game (and SD had committed 5 turnovers to the Cards 0) and yet here we are 13-13. That could've been a stomach churning nightmare if Plummer didnt get them within long FG range for Jacke...and 52 yards on grass in 1998 was no sure thing. That was a bigtime kick.

Also forgot that Eric Metcalf was a Cardinal that season. Seems like from the mid 90s to the early 2000s he would be in a new uniform every season

[7DnBrnc53]

RIP Vince Tobin

Looking back at Jake The Snake, could he have kept winning--and kept Shanahan coaching in Denver--if he hadnt been replaced by Cutler? For me, Cutler was never the same after Shanny was fired and Jake should have kept playing, somewhere ...

Jake never seemed to desire a long career. He said that he would have retired if the Broncos would have gotten to and won SB 40.

As for Cutler, it wasn't only leaving Shanahan, but not having QB coach Jeremy Bates anymore. Bates was able to work with him pretty well.

[Cali_Eagle]

In lieu of the passing of Vince Tobin, let's talk about this first Cardinals team to win a playoff game since the days of Trippi.

Technically, the 1964 Playoff Bowl counted as a playoff game when it was played. I know the NFL later decided that the Playoff Bowl was an exhibition and took 2 wins away from Don Shula's career total because of that. (Wasn't he chasing some kind of total wins record at the time? Including Playoff wins? And the NFL didn't want the issue clouded for the fans and media as to when he would break the record?)

But anyway, when it was played, the Playoff Bowl counted as the game for 3rd place in the NFL. Cardinals defeated the Green Bay Packers 24-17 in Bill Gambrell's career game (2 rec TD's). Maybe Vince Lombardi's cavalier attitude toward the loss started the NFL thinking that the game wasn't such a great idea.

[rhickok1109]

In lieu of the passing of Vince Tobin, let's talk about this first Cardinals team to win a playoff game since the days of Trippi.

Technically, the 1964 Playoff Bowl counted as a playoff game when it was played. I know the NFL later decided that the Playoff Bowl was an exhibition and took 2 wins away from Don Shula's career total because of that. (Wasn't he chasing some kind of total wins record at the time? Including Playoff wins? And the NFL didn't want the issue clouded for the fans and media as to when he would break the record?)

But anyway, when it was played, the Playoff Bowl counted as the game for 3rd place in the NFL. Cardinals defeated the Green Bay Packers 24-17 in Bill Gambrell's career game (2 rec TD's). Maybe Vince Lombardi's cavalier attitude toward the loss started the NFL thinking that the game wasn't such a great idea.

The sole reason for the Playoff Bowl was to raise money for the players' pension fund. Once it was funded, the game was discontinued because it had fulfilled its purpose.

[Jay Z]

In lieu of the passing of Vince Tobin, let's talk about this first Cardinals team to win a playoff game since the days of Trippi.

Technically, the 1964 Playoff Bowl counted as a playoff game when it was played. I know the NFL later decided that the Playoff Bowl was an exhibition and took 2 wins away from Don Shula's career total because of that. (Wasn't he chasing some kind of total wins record at the time? Including Playoff wins? And the NFL didn't want the issue clouded for the fans and media as to when he would break the record?)

But anyway, when it was played, the Playoff Bowl counted as the game for 3rd place in the NFL. Cardinals defeated the Green Bay Packers 24-17 in Bill Gambrell's career game (2 rec TD's). Maybe Vince Lombardi's cavalier attitude toward the loss started the NFL thinking that the game wasn't such a great idea.

The sole reason for the Playoff Bowl was to raise money for the players' pension fund. Once it was funded, the game was discontinued because it had fulfilled its purpose.

There's never a sole reason for anything. Competition with the AFL, additional TV game, there was more than one reason.

For decades the stats for college football bowl games never counted. Then they decided to start counting them. Now, as far as the games are concerned we have some that are part of a playoff system, others where coaches and some of the players quit before the game. But they all count statistically.

NFL no longer has special games to break ties, the last one in NFL was in 1965 and AFL in 1968. Just because the NFL quit doing that doesn't mean those games don't count.

The NCAA basketball tournament had national third place games through the 1970s and regional third place games before that. I do believe those games are included in the tournament record book, even though they were not games that decided the championship and they are no longer played.

[Cali_Eagle]

The sole reason for the Playoff Bowl was to raise money for the players' pension fund. Once it was funded, the game was discontinued because it had fulfilled its purpose.

I unfortunately can't cite a source for this but I recall reading that the NFL at that time regarded the game as being officially for 3rd place in the league. And that only later, when the game was in the rearview mirror and miles back so to speak, did they decide they were just "exhibitions". I am sure many, maybe even most players, just went through the motions, and mainly enjoyed the all-expenses paid week in Miami and the nice little bonus check that came along with it. I don't know when the NFL changed their tune on that, but I bet it was around the time they realized Shula would pass Halas for most wins.

Anyway, whatever happened... I enjoyed seeing some of those games. And re: funding the players pension fund, I am curious... When does the need to fund a pension fund, esp one like the NFL's today, which must be exponentially larger than it was in 1969. ever stop? That explanation makes no sense to me, unless the Players Association agreed to some alternate and larger source of funding in it's place. As far as I know the MLB All-Star Game still helps fund the MLB players pension fund...

[rhickok1109]

The sole reason for the Playoff Bowl was to raise money for the players' pension fund. Once it was funded, the game was discontinued because it had fulfilled its purpose.

I unfortunately can't cite a source for this but I recall reading that the NFL at that time regarded the game as being officially for 3rd place in the league. And that only later, when the game was in the rearview mirror and miles back to to speak, did they decide they were just "exhibitions". I am sure many, maybe even most players, just went through the motions, and mainly enjoyed the all-expenses paid week in Miami and the nice little bonus check that came along with it. I don't know when the NFL changed their tune on that, but I bet it was around the time they realized Shula would pass Halas for most wins.

Anyway, whatever happened... I enjoyed seeing some of those games. And re: funding the players pension fund, I am curious... When does the need to fund a pension fund, esp one like the NFL's today, which must be exponentially larger than it was in 1969. ever stop? That explanation makes no sense to me, unless the Players Association agreed to some alternate and larger source of funding in it's place. As far as I know the MLB All-Star Game still helps fund the MLB players pension fund...

The official name of the so-called "Playoff Bowl" was the "Bert Bell Benefit Game."
The short answer to your question is that whenever a pension fund is established, it needs a very rapid influx of money. The owners, of course, were reluctant to invest all the money necessary, so the Bert Bell Benefit Game was established. It raised more than $1 million for the fund before being discontinued because annual contributions, as agreed upon by the NFLPA and the league, would now be enough to balance outgoing payments.
A similar situation arose in MLB when its pension plan was established, so two All-Star games were played from 1959 through 1962, with all proceeds from thie second gong to the pension fund.