Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

It was mostly the same cast of characters from their 1988 SB season minus Ickey Woods

We hear a lot about the 10-6 Seahawks of 1986 as one of the best non-playoff teams of all time.

But what gets forgotten is that not only did Cincinnati beat them (34-7!) they not Seattle were the ones whose fate was hanging in the balance of the Pats/Dolphins MNF finale

And yet despite the NFL's #3 scoring offense, their PD was only +15 (compared to the 88 team's +119)

They get somewhat forgotten because in 1987 a combination of the strike and that week 2 49ers game basically ruined team morale, as seen in their Missing Rings episode

When NFL Throwback uploaded a video on the best teams to miss the playoffs, they listed two teams (86 SEA/MIN) that these Bengals beat in back to back weeks.

Heck we even hear about the Bengals' 1989 8-8 team with that massive PD that just missed out

Your thoughts on this not quite ready but on the cusp Bengal squad?

This team lost a lead against Denver--great game--before crapping the bed against Cleveland. Like 1985, they were in position to win the division but lost big games at the end.

They get somewhat forgotten because in 1987 a combination of the strike and that week 2 49ers game basically ruined team morale, as seen in their Missing Rings episode

I picked them that year to win the Central and go to the Super Bowl against the Vikings before the strike got in the way (I was high on the Vikes at the end of 1986. I was also high on the Bills, and had them winning the East in 87).

7DnBrnc53 wrote: ↑Sun May 04, 2025 7:58 pm

They get somewhat forgotten because in 1987 a combination of the strike and that week 2 49ers game basically ruined team morale, as seen in their Missing Rings episode

I picked them that year to win the Central and go to the Super Bowl against the Vikings before the strike got in the way (I was high on the Vikes at the end of 1986. I was also high on the Bills, and had them winning the East in 87).

Not to go off topic, but you were close to being right on the 87 Bills. What sunk them was the 13-7 home loss to New England in the 2nd to last week.

Not to go off topic, but you were close to being right on the 87 Bills. What sunk them was the 13-7 home loss to New England in the 2nd to last week.

Right. I think the wind derailed them that day. They were 7-6, and needed to win the last two, but that Pat loss pretty much eliminated them.

The Bills were listless against the Eagles as well. I was disappointed at that time that Jim Kelly couldnt get them into postseason but their dominance over the Dolphins were just beginning.

As for the Bengals, very disappointing seasons from 1985-87. They could run up points, like the 1985 Cowboys game but couldnt win the important ones. They finally got it together in 1988 for one year. Losing James Brooks to various injuries in 1987, derailed their offense but Woods helped give the team a jolt in 1988. He had detractors, coming out of college