Alternate NFL Draft Selections
- Thread starter Timmy811
- Start date
As a 49ers fan in a family of Packers fans, the thought of "What if the 49ers picked Aaron Rodgers first in 2005 rather than Alex Smith?" Haunts me to this day. I like to believe that the 49ers would currently have another Super Bowl ring or two right now if that happened.
Dallas takes WR Jack Snow, Notre Dame, with the #5 overall pick in the 1965 Draft.
They take Snow, they've got a great second option after Bob Hayes, don't have to make the trade for the perv Lance Rentzel, have better overall receivers from '65 through '71, which could be enough to land them an additional Super Bowl Championship prior to Super Bowl VI.
That, and Meredith probably stays a little longer and the transition from Meredith to Staubach is a lot smoother, as Landry doesn't have Craig Morton in the mix; the guy the Cowboys DID take at fifth overall in '65.
Jack Snow doesn't expose himself to some teenage girls in late 1970 and miss the rest of the season and post-season (like Rentzel did) and I think the Cowboys (with either Meredith or a better prepared Staubach under center) have a great chance at winning Super Bowl V.
They take Snow, they've got a great second option after Bob Hayes, don't have to make the trade for the perv Lance Rentzel, have better overall receivers from '65 through '71, which could be enough to land them an additional Super Bowl Championship prior to Super Bowl VI.
That, and Meredith probably stays a little longer and the transition from Meredith to Staubach is a lot smoother, as Landry doesn't have Craig Morton in the mix; the guy the Cowboys DID take at fifth overall in '65.
Jack Snow doesn't expose himself to some teenage girls in late 1970 and miss the rest of the season and post-season (like Rentzel did) and I think the Cowboys (with either Meredith or a better prepared Staubach under center) have a great chance at winning Super Bowl V.
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That's Karma. As a Packers fan, I often wonder what if the Pack had taken Ronnie Lott, which they fully intended to up until the last moment until they took other Cal QB, Rich Campbell. Needless to say Campbell didnt work out as well. And so in 1983, they drafted a defensive back, Tim Lewis, rather than a replacement for an aging Lynn Dickey, like say Dan Marino. Imagine Dan Marino throwing to James Lofton...
Yeah but you had sexy rexy at the helm. You didnt need a QB...
This one could be interesting: Seattle takes RB Marcus Allen, USC, with the 6th overall pick in the 1982 Draft.
In the 1982 season, Seattle went 4-5, with the 27th ranked offense in the league, averaging a pathetic 88.333 rushing yards per game. The passing game wasn't too bad, but if the run was an option, it probably would have done a lot better, as, anybody who played Seattle knew they had to throw it, because they sure as hell couldn't run it.
Meanwhile, they had the 5th best D in the league. That's on a team that turned the ball over 24 times in 9 games.
Marcus Allen averaged 77.4 yards per game rushing all by himself in '82. The Seahawks, as a team, averaged less than 11 yards more than him per game.
You put Allen in the Seattle backfield in '82, you probably save Jack Patera's job and, further, you probably hand the #1 overall pick in the 1983 draft to the Oilers.
The Oilers only won one game in 1982...against the Seahawks.
They didn't exactly run away with it either, it was a close one, 23-21.
Seattle got 80 yards on the ground in that game. Against the 20th ranked rushing D in the league.
With Marcus Allen running the ball, Seattle probably wins that game. Oilers probably go 0-9, Elway probably ends up in Houston, the Oilers probably are still in Houston today.
That's a big 'ol honkin' buttefly right there.
How much better would Seattle be?
Probably good enough to reach the playoffs.
Of course, when I initially thought of this one, I forgot to factor in how this affects the team that DID take Allen, the (newly) Los Angeles Raiders.
First, the Seahawks...
Week 1, at home, against Cleveland, OTL, they had 40 rushing yards and 180 total yards of offense, and 3 turnovers...and still only lost 21-7. I think Allen could be the difference in that game. Opening weekend is always a wild ride though, so this game could still go either way.
Week 2, @ Houston, see above.
Week 3, @ Denver, they won (barely), against a bad Broncos team. With Allen, they probably do better.
Week 4, home against the Steelers, they won 16-0, and, actually got some rushing yards against Pittsburgh without a decent running back (124). I think Allen would have had a huge game there.
Week 5, @ Raiders.
This is where I realized I forgot to factor in the impact on the Raiders.
OTL, Allen rushed 24 times for 156 yards and 2 TDs AGAINST Seattle...and the Raiders only managed a 5 point win at home. Flip the Allen factor around and it's a loooong day in LA for da' Raidahs.
More on the Silver and Black Attack later...
Week 6, home against daaaa Bearsss. 20-14 win by Seattle, OTL, probably a wider margin TTL.
Week 7, home against the Pats, lost 16-0...53 rushing yards, 171 total yards, SIX turnovers. Pats had the 7th ranked D in the league, but 25th against the run. I think Seattle has a shot to win this one with a running back that can actually move the ball and playing in Thunder Dome. Does Jim Zorn throw those 4 INTs if he doesn't have to throw the ball 35 times for 'Lack of a Back'? Probably not. They can win this game, but the Pats weren't so bad it's a guarantee, so this one could go either way too.
Week 8, @ Cinci...as it was, it was a tough defensive battle on both sides of the ball, Seattle probably gets more than OTL's 79 yards on the ground, but it's hard to pick against the defending conference champs in their own house, especially in late December.
Week 9, home, against Denver...with Allen in the backfield, this doesn't end anywhere near the 13-11 squeaker it was OTL.
I think the Seahawks finish either 7-2 or 6-3 and go to the AFC Playoffs for the first time in their history.
Now, as to The Raidahs...
Marcus Allen played a HUGE role in the Raiders offense in 1982; the difference between an OTL 8-1 finish and a...less than 8-1 finish TTL.
Question: If the Raiders can't take Allen, do they trade for a established RB or take a different RB in the 1982 Draft?
Allen's Impact:
Week 1 @ San Francisco:
23 rushes for 116 yards, 4 catches for another 64 yards in a 23-17 win over the defending Super Bowl champs in their own house.
Without Allen, I think that's a game the 49ers win- which might change the whole complexion of their season, but, with RB woes of their own, perhaps all it means is a 4-5 finish, rather than a 3-6 finish.
Week 2 @ Atlanta:
12 rushes for 56 yards and a TD, 4 catches, 39 yards and another TD in a 38-14 Raiders victory.
This one could go either way, as the Falcons were a playoff team in '82, and are only 2 years removed from a 12-4 season where they won the NFC West.
The question: Can the Raiders offense still put up the 24 non-Allen points of OTL without his contributions on offense? Jim Plunkett had decent day throwing the ball, so maybe this one's a little closer, and the Raiders still win, but the Falcons could win this one too.
Week 3 vs. San Diego:
At one point, the Chargers were running away with this game, jumping out to a 24-0 lead in the second quarter, headed into the half up 24-7.
And then...Marcus Allen.
18 carries, 87 yards, TWO second half TDs, 5 catches, 37 more yards.
I don't know if the Raiders come all the way back without Allen in this game; he accounted for two of their three second half TDs (in a game they won 28-24) and 124 of their 326 yards of offense.
I think the Raiders lose this game.
Week 4 @ Cincinnati: Raiders lost this game OTL, no reason to think it plays out any different without him.
Week 5 vs. Seattle:
See above. Seahawks win.
Week 6 @ Kansas City:
Quiet day from Allen, 18 carries, 47 yards, 1 catch for 1 yard.
Raiders still won that game OTL 21-16, as Jim Plunkett had a great day throwing against the Chiefs: 18 of 33, 303 yards, 3 TDs and an INT. Don't see this game changing much as the Raiders won the game through the air with only 59 total rushing yards as it was OTL.
Week 7 vs. Rams:
Marcus Allen: 25 carries, 93 yards, 3 TDs, 8 catches, 61 yards in a game the Rams were winning 21-7 at the half...until Marcus Allen explodes in the second half, where he scored all three of his TDs- including the game winning score in the 4th quarter, an 11 yard scamper to put the game away.
Without Marcus Allen, I think the Raiders don't come back (at least not all the way) and lose, which makes things interesting for the Rams, as this win makes them 3-6, rather than 2-7 as per OTL. This has an effect on the '83 Draft, but we'll get to that later.
Week 8 vs. Denver:
While Allen was held to a putrid 16 yards on 12 carries, he TORCHED the Broncos for 5 catches, 91 yards and 2 TDs...in a game the Raiders won 27-10.
Now, the Broncos weren't the best team in 1982, so they can still lose this game (they turned the ball over 6 times in this game), but I think they could have a shot to win it too.
Probable Raiders win, but possible Broncos upset (which would make the Broncos 3-6...)
Week 9 @ San Diego:
The Marcus Allen Show, Part 2 (or 3, or...never mind.
)
20 carries, 126 yards, 2 TDs.
3 catches, 40 more yards.
OTL: Raiders 41, Chargers 34 in a wild one.
Without Allen...um, no.
If the Chargers win both games against the Raiders, they finish 8-1 and get the #1 seed in the AFC Playoff tourney.
The Raiders...3-6.
Now, watch as this one pick magically turns the 1983 NFL Draft on it's ear!
1. Houston (0-9)
2. Baltimore (0-8-1)
3. ?
The Raiders probably lose against either the Broncos or the Rams...two teams that finished 2-7 OTL.
That one loss makes two of them 3-6. The team that finishes 2-7 picks 3rd.
There's a slew of 3-6 and 4-5 teams, and I don't have time (or knowledge of how the draft works) to sort it out, but, if someone wants to take a stab at it, this is worth exploring.
Like I said, I think Elway goes to Houston (unless somebody really wows the Oilers with a trade they CANNOT turn down) and the Colts, with no chance of ever having Elway...didn't their GM want Marino?
At that point, Dickerson probably ends up with ? (2-7) and I think the Raiders start looking at Curt Warner.
Hell, if the Broncos AND Rams beat the Raiders, the Raiders go 2-7 and probably grab Dickerson with the #3 pick.
But I'll leave that to further discussion...
In the 1982 season, Seattle went 4-5, with the 27th ranked offense in the league, averaging a pathetic 88.333 rushing yards per game. The passing game wasn't too bad, but if the run was an option, it probably would have done a lot better, as, anybody who played Seattle knew they had to throw it, because they sure as hell couldn't run it.
Meanwhile, they had the 5th best D in the league. That's on a team that turned the ball over 24 times in 9 games.
Marcus Allen averaged 77.4 yards per game rushing all by himself in '82. The Seahawks, as a team, averaged less than 11 yards more than him per game.
You put Allen in the Seattle backfield in '82, you probably save Jack Patera's job and, further, you probably hand the #1 overall pick in the 1983 draft to the Oilers.
The Oilers only won one game in 1982...against the Seahawks.
They didn't exactly run away with it either, it was a close one, 23-21.
Seattle got 80 yards on the ground in that game. Against the 20th ranked rushing D in the league.
With Marcus Allen running the ball, Seattle probably wins that game. Oilers probably go 0-9, Elway probably ends up in Houston, the Oilers probably are still in Houston today.
That's a big 'ol honkin' buttefly right there.
How much better would Seattle be?
Probably good enough to reach the playoffs.
Of course, when I initially thought of this one, I forgot to factor in how this affects the team that DID take Allen, the (newly) Los Angeles Raiders.
First, the Seahawks...
Week 1, at home, against Cleveland, OTL, they had 40 rushing yards and 180 total yards of offense, and 3 turnovers...and still only lost 21-7. I think Allen could be the difference in that game. Opening weekend is always a wild ride though, so this game could still go either way.
Week 2, @ Houston, see above.
Week 3, @ Denver, they won (barely), against a bad Broncos team. With Allen, they probably do better.
Week 4, home against the Steelers, they won 16-0, and, actually got some rushing yards against Pittsburgh without a decent running back (124). I think Allen would have had a huge game there.
Week 5, @ Raiders.
This is where I realized I forgot to factor in the impact on the Raiders.
OTL, Allen rushed 24 times for 156 yards and 2 TDs AGAINST Seattle...and the Raiders only managed a 5 point win at home. Flip the Allen factor around and it's a loooong day in LA for da' Raidahs.
More on the Silver and Black Attack later...
Week 6, home against daaaa Bearsss. 20-14 win by Seattle, OTL, probably a wider margin TTL.
Week 7, home against the Pats, lost 16-0...53 rushing yards, 171 total yards, SIX turnovers. Pats had the 7th ranked D in the league, but 25th against the run. I think Seattle has a shot to win this one with a running back that can actually move the ball and playing in Thunder Dome. Does Jim Zorn throw those 4 INTs if he doesn't have to throw the ball 35 times for 'Lack of a Back'? Probably not. They can win this game, but the Pats weren't so bad it's a guarantee, so this one could go either way too.
Week 8, @ Cinci...as it was, it was a tough defensive battle on both sides of the ball, Seattle probably gets more than OTL's 79 yards on the ground, but it's hard to pick against the defending conference champs in their own house, especially in late December.
Week 9, home, against Denver...with Allen in the backfield, this doesn't end anywhere near the 13-11 squeaker it was OTL.
I think the Seahawks finish either 7-2 or 6-3 and go to the AFC Playoffs for the first time in their history.
Now, as to The Raidahs...
Marcus Allen played a HUGE role in the Raiders offense in 1982; the difference between an OTL 8-1 finish and a...less than 8-1 finish TTL.
Question: If the Raiders can't take Allen, do they trade for a established RB or take a different RB in the 1982 Draft?
Allen's Impact:
Week 1 @ San Francisco:
23 rushes for 116 yards, 4 catches for another 64 yards in a 23-17 win over the defending Super Bowl champs in their own house.
Without Allen, I think that's a game the 49ers win- which might change the whole complexion of their season, but, with RB woes of their own, perhaps all it means is a 4-5 finish, rather than a 3-6 finish.
Week 2 @ Atlanta:
12 rushes for 56 yards and a TD, 4 catches, 39 yards and another TD in a 38-14 Raiders victory.
This one could go either way, as the Falcons were a playoff team in '82, and are only 2 years removed from a 12-4 season where they won the NFC West.
The question: Can the Raiders offense still put up the 24 non-Allen points of OTL without his contributions on offense? Jim Plunkett had decent day throwing the ball, so maybe this one's a little closer, and the Raiders still win, but the Falcons could win this one too.
Week 3 vs. San Diego:
At one point, the Chargers were running away with this game, jumping out to a 24-0 lead in the second quarter, headed into the half up 24-7.
And then...Marcus Allen.
18 carries, 87 yards, TWO second half TDs, 5 catches, 37 more yards.
I don't know if the Raiders come all the way back without Allen in this game; he accounted for two of their three second half TDs (in a game they won 28-24) and 124 of their 326 yards of offense.
I think the Raiders lose this game.
Week 4 @ Cincinnati: Raiders lost this game OTL, no reason to think it plays out any different without him.
Week 5 vs. Seattle:
See above. Seahawks win.
Week 6 @ Kansas City:
Quiet day from Allen, 18 carries, 47 yards, 1 catch for 1 yard.
Raiders still won that game OTL 21-16, as Jim Plunkett had a great day throwing against the Chiefs: 18 of 33, 303 yards, 3 TDs and an INT. Don't see this game changing much as the Raiders won the game through the air with only 59 total rushing yards as it was OTL.
Week 7 vs. Rams:
Marcus Allen: 25 carries, 93 yards, 3 TDs, 8 catches, 61 yards in a game the Rams were winning 21-7 at the half...until Marcus Allen explodes in the second half, where he scored all three of his TDs- including the game winning score in the 4th quarter, an 11 yard scamper to put the game away.
Without Marcus Allen, I think the Raiders don't come back (at least not all the way) and lose, which makes things interesting for the Rams, as this win makes them 3-6, rather than 2-7 as per OTL. This has an effect on the '83 Draft, but we'll get to that later.
Week 8 vs. Denver:
While Allen was held to a putrid 16 yards on 12 carries, he TORCHED the Broncos for 5 catches, 91 yards and 2 TDs...in a game the Raiders won 27-10.
Now, the Broncos weren't the best team in 1982, so they can still lose this game (they turned the ball over 6 times in this game), but I think they could have a shot to win it too.
Probable Raiders win, but possible Broncos upset (which would make the Broncos 3-6...)
Week 9 @ San Diego:
The Marcus Allen Show, Part 2 (or 3, or...never mind.
)20 carries, 126 yards, 2 TDs.
3 catches, 40 more yards.
OTL: Raiders 41, Chargers 34 in a wild one.
Without Allen...um, no.
If the Chargers win both games against the Raiders, they finish 8-1 and get the #1 seed in the AFC Playoff tourney.
The Raiders...3-6.
Now, watch as this one pick magically turns the 1983 NFL Draft on it's ear!
1. Houston (0-9)
2. Baltimore (0-8-1)
3. ?
The Raiders probably lose against either the Broncos or the Rams...two teams that finished 2-7 OTL.
That one loss makes two of them 3-6. The team that finishes 2-7 picks 3rd.
There's a slew of 3-6 and 4-5 teams, and I don't have time (or knowledge of how the draft works) to sort it out, but, if someone wants to take a stab at it, this is worth exploring.
Like I said, I think Elway goes to Houston (unless somebody really wows the Oilers with a trade they CANNOT turn down) and the Colts, with no chance of ever having Elway...didn't their GM want Marino?
At that point, Dickerson probably ends up with ? (2-7) and I think the Raiders start looking at Curt Warner.
Hell, if the Broncos AND Rams beat the Raiders, the Raiders go 2-7 and probably grab Dickerson with the #3 pick.
But I'll leave that to further discussion...
The other butterfly is who the Seahawks take in 83 now that they dont need Warner. Its arguably the greatest draft of all time and I'm assuming they got the third pick as a result of a previous trade. So, I'm guessing Chris Hinton or Jim Covert ends up blocking for Krieg and Allen. Maybe, they take a QB like Kelly. Or perhaps they trade down and pick up some 2nd or 3rd rounders. There are ample opportunities for the Seahawks to make major improvements.
The one downside to your scenario is I think Chuck Knox was a good coach so you might be getting the worse end of the coaching butterfly...
Warner wasn't a bad running back. If you butterfly his ACL tear away, the Seahawks could become Super Bowl challengers.
That's a possibility, and could be an even bigger ripple on the pond.
If the Raiders beat Denver, but lose to the Rams, finish 3-6, Rams go 3-6 and Denver ends up with the #3 pick, do they stick with DeBerg for another season and take Dickerson or Curt Warner? (Which...could be make the '83 Broncos quite interesting on the offensive side of the ball, to say the least.) They missed the shot at a franchise QB, but at #3 in such a scenario, they have a shot at a franchise RB (and, in Dickerson, a HOFer at that), but was there anybody else out there the Broncos might want more? Could they trade the pick, if it got them picks and players that address multiple needs?
As for Seattle, if they go 6-3, they're picking down in the same neighborhood as Pittsburgh (they're picking behind them from the head-to-head win), the Jets (would that one be determined by record or playoff finish?) and Dallas (which, I'm not quite sure they pick ahead of or behind, especially having no head-to-head and not even playing in the same conference).
Seattle, OTL, took DE Jeff Bryant out of Clemson with the #6 pick in the '82 Draft. They've got DE Jacob Green and undrafted FA gold DT Joe Nash, if they're picking ahead of Dallas, I think they'd take Jeffcoat in 1983- IF, they're picking ahead of Dallas and can get him before they do.
Question is, would Patera switch to a 3-4 like Knox did?
That worked out pretty well for Seattle, with Green-Nash-Bryant IOTL.
Green-Nash-Jeffcoat would be even better.
Or does Patera stick with the 4-3, take Jeffcoat (if he's picking ahead of Dallas) and then try to find that second DT later in the draft? It's a thin draft for DTs, but there's plenty of quality DEs in that draft he could take later in the draft.
If Patera's still head coach, would he have switched to the 3-4 like Knox did, or would he stay with the 4-3 and, perhaps, trade up to draft Mike Pitts out of Alabama, and perhaps take Charles Mann or Greg Townsend in the 3rd round? Any chance he hits pay dirt and swipes Richard Dent in the 7th before Chicago has a chance to take him in the 8th?
Green-Nash-Pitts-Dent would be a pretty nasty front four...if Patera knows about Dent and is smart enough to snatch him up.
That said, Mann would be a pretty good pick up in the 3rd (assuming the Seahawks give their 1st and 2nd to trade up for Pitts) and Townsend would be good too in the fourth...unless the Raiders take him earlier in the round.
I think I'll look up draft order and how it's determined to see what the 1st round of the 1983 Draft would look like with these changes...
Here's one, and it's really badly overlooked since it involved mediocrities instead of disasters. In 2003, my Eagles traded the #30 and #62 picks to San Diego for pick #15. We selected Jerome McDougle.
Pick #16 in that draft? Troy Polamalu.
Or, with a bit of foresight, don't make the trade, leaving Philly with picks #30, 61, and 62 in the first two rounds. A bit of foresight with those picks, and we replace the Mcstake and LJ Smith (#61) with Charles Tillman (#35), Lance Briggs (#68), and Jason Witten (#69).
How good would the 2004 Eagles have looked in the Super Bowl with Briggs instead of Mark Simoneau, Witten rotating with Chad Lewis instead of LJ Smith, and Tillman as our dime CB alongside Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown?
Pick #16 in that draft? Troy Polamalu.
Or, with a bit of foresight, don't make the trade, leaving Philly with picks #30, 61, and 62 in the first two rounds. A bit of foresight with those picks, and we replace the Mcstake and LJ Smith (#61) with Charles Tillman (#35), Lance Briggs (#68), and Jason Witten (#69).
How good would the 2004 Eagles have looked in the Super Bowl with Briggs instead of Mark Simoneau, Witten rotating with Chad Lewis instead of LJ Smith, and Tillman as our dime CB alongside Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown?
They got the #3 pick by trading their first round pick (#9 overall), their 2nd round pick (#42 overall) and 3rd round pick (#69 overall) to Houston, who'd traded down from #2 with the Rams already.
This scenario, Seattle finishes better than 4-5 of OTL with Allen, possibly 7-2, but probably 6-3, putting them farther down the board.
Houston, has the Golden Ticket in this scenario- the Elway Pick -so they aren't trading down.
Baltimore is drafting 2nd, Elway's being fitted for his Oilers jersey, they had interest in Marino, maybe they take him at #2.
For the sake of argument, let's say Denver still loses to the Raiders and the Broncos go 2-7 and get the #3 pick.
Seattle's main concern would be filling that DE spot they wouldn't have TTL by taking Allen instead of Jeff Bryant in '82.
They also had trouble with the run, they're thinning out at DT (they've got Joe Nash and two guys who weren't setting the league on fire in '82) and they still need to fill that DE spot.
I wonder if they trade up to take Mike Pitts in the first, then take either Charles Mann or Greg Townsend in the 3rd or 4th rounds (provided the Raiders don't take Townsend earlier in the 4th).
Another option for Patera could be to stand pat in the first and take Jim Jeffcoat (if he's picking ahead of Dallas) and then switch to the 3-4 like Knox did when he took over in Seattle.
Jacob Green-Joe Nash-Jim Jeffcoat definitely make for a solid line.
Or, even nastier, Seahawks take Jeffcoat in the 1st, then take Bill Pickle in the 2nd.
Green-Pickle-Jeffcoat, with some decent LBs and the original Legion of Boom? (Seattle's backfield in the early to mid 80's was just plain filthy good.)
If Patera sticks with the 4-3, Pitts and Nash are solid up the middle and Green and either Townsend or Mann make the ends tight.
After that, they pick up a good secondary deep threat to take pressure off Largent and sign Warren Moon after the 1983 season?
Scary good team in the mid 80's and probably win a Super Bowl.
Any chance they could have gotten Warren Moon even sooner, like prior to the '83 season?
I don't really see Patera switching. Knox probably did because that is what he ran in Buffalo with Smerlas as the NT.
Patera staying in Seattle may mean that Knox either stays at Buffalo, or he ends up back with the Rams (I was watching the 82 Tampa-Dallas playoff game a few days ago, and they had Knox on as a guest. Brent Musberger said something about Knox possibly going back to LA as Coach and GM).
If Chuck goes back to LA, he probably drafts Curt Warner with the third overall pick, leaving the Broncos to take Dickerson. I don't think that Dan Reeves could have passed him up.
Speaking of Eric, what if this happens, and the Broncos take Mike Quick the year before instead of Gerald Willhite?
You have DeBerg at QB with Dickerson and Mike Quick in your offense, and a solid defense. As a Bronco fan, that's not too bad.
That, and the defense Reeves started building could make Denver a contender fairly quickly.
Actually, if Reeves takes Quick in '82, how much better does that make Denver in '82? Quick didn't seem to get a lot of looks in Philly in '82, with Jaws under center and, strangely, Carmichael and Smith getting all the looks. (If I was Quick, I'd have been wondering "What the hell?! You took me in the first round to watch other guys get all the starts and looks!"...but that's just me.)
In '83, Quick busts out with a gorgeous line of 69-1,409-20.4-13-88.1.
(Bold indicates league leader)
Don't know what the Eagles were saving him for in '82, but would Reeves start Quick over Upchurch or Watson?
THAT could change Denver's fortunes in '82, and could alter their draft position in '83. (If Quick's healthy and performs well with more looks a year sooner than OTL.)
As to Seattle staying with the 4-3, we'll go with the 'Seattle trades up to take Pitts' (say they give up their 1st and 2nd rounder), then takes Charles Mann with their next pick, in the 3rd round.
Green-Pitts-Nash-Mann up front, Simpson-Jackson-Scholtz in the middle, Justin-Brown-Easley-Harris in the backfield...that should shore up the D...a lot.
The O-line's still good, they've got Allen as the feature back, but they still lack a good second deep ball threat to pair with Largent and the rest of the running backs are shaky at best. That, and it's either an aging Jim Zorn or Dave Krieg (with the tiny hands and many fumbles) under center.
The D is there and solid, and the offense would be good enough, but, they're still a top flight QB, a solid set of secondary running backs and a second deep threat away from being the real deal, and the AFC West is going to be a tough division.
If they could sign Warren Moon a year sooner (or, better yet, be smart enough to draft him in '78 like they should have...) they're a contender in '83 and, because of 2 horrifically bad, rule changing calls in the NFC Championship game, I think, if they get to SB XVIII, they curbstomp the 'Skins as bad as the Raiders did. Marcus Allen made the 'Skins his bitch OTL, no matter which team he's with in SB XVIII, he's going to run all over them.
I also think Moon to Largent would see more pay dirt than Plunkett to Christensen too.
It'd be an ugly game.
If the Seahawks still take Daryl Turner in the '84 Draft, shore up the running game a little more, you might see the only 15-1 vs. 15-1 match up in Super Bowl history in SB XIX and one that probably would end up ranked up there with the two Dallas/Pittsburgh Super Bowls for 'Best Super Bowls Ever'. Instant Classic.
Say they hold their spot around 20th, which is about where they would be with a 6-3 record. In a wank, give them Gabe Rivera, who has his car accident butterflied and was off to an excellent start with the Steelers, Roger Craig to pair with Allen, and either Charles Mann or Gregg Townsend to finish it off.
With Kenny Easley, Dave Brown and the rest that was a great, great secondary.
The hardest part with this though is Dave Krieg. He was a good QB for a long time. But I dont think he was a Super Bowl QB. Also would have been nice to get another WR to pair with Largent. The other guys were always pretty weak - Paul Johns, Daryl Turner, Skansi. Blah.
I'm siding with Bill Walsh on this. DeBerg is just good enough to lose.
That's when SF had a bad defense. Montana won SB's, but they had a better defense by then. And, he was a better fit for that system. DeBerg isn't a WCO QB.