NFL WI Thread.
- Thread starter Darknick
- Start date
If Moore tips it away, the Broncos go on and win the Super Bowl. 2012 was their year, not last year.
As for Buffalo, I don't see them making four in a row if they win the first one. I see them making it back in 91, but losing to Washington in a better game.
WI: Tom Brady's fumble vs the Raiders in the AFC Championship game was actually ruled a fumble and the Raiders go on to win the game?
Thats what I think. Though I do think the Bills would have repeated twice.
Now this, what if Tom Brady's injury was career ending?
I think they would have won, and instead of the early 2000's Chiefs winning the AFC West, it would've been the Raiders.
CthulhuFhtagn
Banned
WI: The Chicago Bears draft Drew Brees in the 2001 NFL Draft? (IOTL, Brees was drafted as the 32nd pick)
Just imagine: The defense that took the Bears to the Super Bowl in 2006-07, with one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time leading the offense (instead of Sexy Rexy)
Just imagine: The defense that took the Bears to the Super Bowl in 2006-07, with one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time leading the offense (instead of Sexy Rexy)
WI Curly Lambeau comes back to coach in Green Bay in 1959 instead of Vince Lombardi?
I don't know for sure, but there may have been a QB competition the next year between him and Bledsoe because they just signed Drew to a 10-year deal before the 2001 season.
I also think that the Raiders beat the Steelers the next week, but lose to the Rams in SB 36 because they don't have as good of a defense as New England had.
As for the Rams, they may have gone on to win another one, and maybe Kurt Warner stays as the long-term QB, but age and poor drafting probably derails a potential dynasty.
I still think the Colts would've won it, but it would've been closer.
Vince would have went back to the Giants, then. They still have the same success, but if Vince didn't draft any better than he did in Green Bay, he may not have had the same dynasty.
Vince's cupboard was well-stocked by Jack Vainisi in Green Bay, while the Giants got old by 1964.
Paul Hornung only played kicker in 1958. Jim Taylor and Ray Nitschke both only played sparingly in their rookie years. Bart Starr in his three years threw twice as many interceptions than touchdowns and Babe Parrilli was splitting time at QB. Key players like Herb Adderly and Willie Davis weren't drafted by Vainisi, and Henry Jordan wouldn't have even been on the team if Lombardi hadn't personally asked Paul Brown for a trade for him. Vainisi might have planted the seeds, but he died in 1960 and it was Lombardi who unlocked their potential. Curly was coming in after a less-than-stellar stint with the Cardinals and was getting old. I'm not sure if he could have the success Vince did
Curly Lambeau didn't have the same success after leaving the Packers. This isn't George Halas taking a couple of years off but staying with the organization. Though it's a different era now, the example of Joe Gibbs still rings true. After massive success with the Redskins the first time around, he couldn't replicate the success.
I say Lambeau probably would take the Packers to one or maybe--just maybe--two championship games (they'd probably lose both), risking Green Bay falling into a deep period of irrelevancy.
I say Lambeau probably would take the Packers to one or maybe--just maybe--two championship games (they'd probably lose both), risking Green Bay falling into a deep period of irrelevancy.
Yes, with Green Bay, I agree. Curly wouldn't have been as successful as Vince was.
With the Giants, though, Lombardi may have struggled for a while in the mid-60's if he didn't draft any better than he did in Green Bay.
Although, with Lombardi there, I wonder if the Giants get Matt Snell instead of the Jets, draft Joe Namath in the NFL draft, and beat out the Jets again. If that happened, the AFL may have had a longer path to relevancy, because that would have made it harder for them to get a deal with a major network like NBC.
Admiral Halsey
Banned
Or even better they do what John Clayton suggested they do and not only take Marino but trade back into the first round and still draft Rivera? This alone could butterfly away the crash. Rooney had actually told Noll about that idea and until Noll heard it was from Clayton he was seriously thinking about doing it.
The Sports Post has been doing NFL "What ifs" recently, with a new one every friday. One week, they did one about Joe Roth:
http://thesportspost.com/blogs/view/no-36-what-if-joe-roth-didnt-die-of-melanoma
http://thesportspost.com/blogs/view/no-36-what-if-joe-roth-didnt-die-of-melanoma
What if Aaron bailey came down with Jim Harbaugh's Hail Mary pass in the 1995 AFC Championship game?
My opinion, Indy would get crushed in the Super Bowl by Dallas, but Bill Cowher would be fired in Pttsbugh, which could have an interesting arc for the Steelers from that point on.
What if Paul Edinger missed the 54 yard field goal to give the Bears a 23-20 win over the Lions in the final game of the 2000 regular season?
OK, this seems like a really obscure pick, but here me out. The 2000 Lions had continued the 1990s tradition of Detroit Lions teams by barely making it into the playoffs on a 9-7 record (or on one occasion, 8-8) and then getting blown out in the playoffs. Coach Bobby Ross quit in mid season and new coach Gary Moeller had a 4-2 record with Detroit since taking over. The Bears were 4-11 and out of the running in the post season. The Lions were 9-6 and a win would take them to the playoffs. And Edinger was a little known kicker from Frankfort Michigan (he went to college at Michigan State). His field goal gave the Bears the win and the Rams the final playoff slot while the Lions seaosn ended with a 9-7 record. At that point the years of futility finally got to William Ford and he fired Chuck Schmidt and hired Matt Millen. Had that field goal missed the mark, Gary Moeller and Chuck Schmidt would have made it to the playoffs and probably bought themselves one more year. And more importantly, Matt Millen would never have ended up in Detroit. And to a Lions fan like myself, all I can picture in a world without Millen is flowers and rainbows and shit.
September 14, 1997: What if Cole Ford misses the 31 yeard field goal against the Falcons
Stranger things have happened in the NFL than a kicker blowing a 31-yard field goal. The Riaders were 0-2 going into the game with Atlanta and pulled off a 36-31 win after Ford kicked the field goal giving Oakland the lead in the 4th. A safety followed and the Raiders finished with a 36-31 win.
But what if the field goal missed and the Riaders lost the game? Well, for the 1997 season it would have had no impact. Atlanta would have finished 8-8 instead of 7-9 and Oakland would having finished 3-13 instead of 4-12.
But then would come the draft.
San Diego finished in last place in the division with a 4-12 record (identical to Oakland's in OTL). Here Oakland finished in last place with a 3-13 record...identical to the Colts.
Which means that Oakland would have either the #1 or #2 draft pick. This becomes an interesting WI becuase the undisputed top player in the draft was Tennessee QB Peyton Manning (I think nobody seriously considered taking Leaf over Manning, although Leaf was expected to be a superstar also). So Oakland might have a bite at Peyton manning with the #1 overall pick...
Or...
They era of Jamarcus Russell like disasters start early and the Raiders get burned with Ryan Leaf. Leaf's immaturity made him no fans in San Diego, but in Oakland, where toughness is the manta, I could see the Leaf fiasco being 100 times worse. as bad as it was for Ryan Leaf in san Diego, his attitude in Oakland would have led to a near riot with Oakland fans.
My opinion, Indy would get crushed in the Super Bowl by Dallas, but Bill Cowher would be fired in Pttsbugh, which could have an interesting arc for the Steelers from that point on.
What if Paul Edinger missed the 54 yard field goal to give the Bears a 23-20 win over the Lions in the final game of the 2000 regular season?
OK, this seems like a really obscure pick, but here me out. The 2000 Lions had continued the 1990s tradition of Detroit Lions teams by barely making it into the playoffs on a 9-7 record (or on one occasion, 8-8) and then getting blown out in the playoffs. Coach Bobby Ross quit in mid season and new coach Gary Moeller had a 4-2 record with Detroit since taking over. The Bears were 4-11 and out of the running in the post season. The Lions were 9-6 and a win would take them to the playoffs. And Edinger was a little known kicker from Frankfort Michigan (he went to college at Michigan State). His field goal gave the Bears the win and the Rams the final playoff slot while the Lions seaosn ended with a 9-7 record. At that point the years of futility finally got to William Ford and he fired Chuck Schmidt and hired Matt Millen. Had that field goal missed the mark, Gary Moeller and Chuck Schmidt would have made it to the playoffs and probably bought themselves one more year. And more importantly, Matt Millen would never have ended up in Detroit. And to a Lions fan like myself, all I can picture in a world without Millen is flowers and rainbows and shit.
September 14, 1997: What if Cole Ford misses the 31 yeard field goal against the Falcons
Stranger things have happened in the NFL than a kicker blowing a 31-yard field goal. The Riaders were 0-2 going into the game with Atlanta and pulled off a 36-31 win after Ford kicked the field goal giving Oakland the lead in the 4th. A safety followed and the Raiders finished with a 36-31 win.
But what if the field goal missed and the Riaders lost the game? Well, for the 1997 season it would have had no impact. Atlanta would have finished 8-8 instead of 7-9 and Oakland would having finished 3-13 instead of 4-12.
But then would come the draft.
San Diego finished in last place in the division with a 4-12 record (identical to Oakland's in OTL). Here Oakland finished in last place with a 3-13 record...identical to the Colts.
Which means that Oakland would have either the #1 or #2 draft pick. This becomes an interesting WI becuase the undisputed top player in the draft was Tennessee QB Peyton Manning (I think nobody seriously considered taking Leaf over Manning, although Leaf was expected to be a superstar also). So Oakland might have a bite at Peyton manning with the #1 overall pick...
Or...
They era of Jamarcus Russell like disasters start early and the Raiders get burned with Ryan Leaf. Leaf's immaturity made him no fans in San Diego, but in Oakland, where toughness is the manta, I could see the Leaf fiasco being 100 times worse. as bad as it was for Ryan Leaf in san Diego, his attitude in Oakland would have led to a near riot with Oakland fans.
WI the Falcons pass on Brett Favre and the Jets (with in the OTL future Packer GM Ron Wolf) pick him in the next spot.