'85 Bears vs '92 Cowboys

[saturdaysarebetter]

Could the '85 Bears pass rush get through the Great Wall of Dallas' offensive line? Would that Great Wall open up holes for Emmitt against the Bears defense limiting the Bears pass rush? Aikman would have Johnston, Emmitt and Novacek as quick dump offs on passes. Could the Bears corners cover Irvin and Harper?

How would Walter Payton do against the Cowboys speed on defense?

Your thoughts?

[CSKreager]

Was the Cowboys defense that fast or was the rest of the NFC that slow?

[7DnBrnc53]

Was the Cowboys defense that fast or was the rest of the NFC that slow?

Probably the latter. I know that the Bills made them look fast in the Super Bowl.

[74_75_78_79_]

Da Bears!

If an offense had a chance against them, they’d have to be pass-happy. But even more (MUCH more) important is they having the personnel for it. Now that they had in Aikman, Irvin, Novacek, etc. but Dallas was more a run-team than a pass-team and the main strength of Chicago’s D was the pass-rush and - yes - against the RUN. Stopping Emmitt for the most part would win it for them, I think. Dallas had speed on D IMO. They would do well against Sweetness & Co, but not well enough to win.

[Brian wolf]

I dont feel McMahon and the receivers would have done much against the Cowboys. Payton would have been a load for those smaller Cowboys linebackers, however. The key would have been the Bears offensive tackles getting movement on Haley and Tolbert, who set good edges and defended the run well. Watching Payton block Haley in pass protection would have been fun.

The Cowboys would have to stay disciplined against a 46 pass rush but I believe Johnston and Smith would have picked it up. Stepnoski at center was smaller and would have to handle the pressure up the middle with Singletary zoomed in on Emmitt. The Bears would have trouble with Novachek and Johnston over the middle.

Tough game but I believe Irvin would have been the difference for Dallas.

[Gary Najman]

The Fridge vs. The Kitchen in their prime would have been a fun matchup.

[SeahawkFever]

I’m taking the 93 Cowboys over 92 by a little bit, but that’s just me.

Really it’s the 92 playoffs and 93 regular season that are the peak of that team in that era.

I might take the 85 Bears over the Cowboys of 92 or 93 by a little bit. Both have really good offensive lines.

Side note: Have any Bears o-linemen from the 80’s been voted Hall of Very Good yet?

[7DnBrnc53]

Da Bears!

If an offense had a chance against them, they’d have to be pass-happy. But even more (MUCH more) important is they having the personnel for it. Now that they had in Aikman, Irvin, Novacek, etc. but Dallas was more a run-team than a pass-team and the main strength of Chicago’s D was the pass-rush and - yes - against the RUN. Stopping Emmitt for the most part would win it for them, I think. Dallas had speed on D IMO. They would do well against Sweetness & Co, but not well enough to win.

What I would do is have Aikman call rollout passes. That worked against the 85 Bear defense (I think the Colts did that when they played the Bears that season. They were able to make the game competitive).

Both have really good offensive lines.

The 85 Bears didn't. Covert and Hilgenberg were pretty good, but Keith Van Horne wasn't, and Thayer and Bortz needed time to develop.

[SeahawkFever]

Da Bears!

If an offense had a chance against them, they’d have to be pass-happy. But even more (MUCH more) important is they having the personnel for it. Now that they had in Aikman, Irvin, Novacek, etc. but Dallas was more a run-team than a pass-team and the main strength of Chicago’s D was the pass-rush and - yes - against the RUN. Stopping Emmitt for the most part would win it for them, I think. Dallas had speed on D IMO. They would do well against Sweetness & Co, but not well enough to win.

What I would do is have Aikman call rollout passes. That worked against the 85 Bear defense (I think the Colts did that when they played the Bears that season. They were able to make the game competitive).

Both have really good offensive lines.

The 85 Bears didn't. Covert and Hilgenberg were pretty good, but Keith Van Horne wasn't, and Thayer and Bortz needed time to develop.

So it’s as good as people might remember when it’s blocking for Neal Anderson years later then?

[mlynch33]

Interestingly we did see a Jim McMahon QB’d team with the best defense of all time (and one built by buddy ryan, though with bud Carson at the controls) face a version of this Dallas team in a massive game

Eagles and Dallas both 9-5 entering second to last game in the 1991 season. Steve Beuerlein filling in for Aikman. Dallas wins, clinching playoff spot. Eagles lose, then defeat eventual Super Bowl champions Washington in meaningless week 17 game to finish 10-6 but miss the playoffs thanks to the Dallas loss. It was the only game all season the eagles lost in which they didn’t have to play a 3rd string (or worse) qb for at least part of the game if I recall correctly (starter Randall Cunningham was lost for the season in week 1 thanks to Bryce paup)