DBWI: WI Pittsburgh doesn't go 4-12 in 2003?

As most NFL fans know, Pittsburgh had one of its worst seasons in the 2003 NFL season, going 4-12. However, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because, in the 2004 draft, Eli Manning infamously refused to play for the San Diego Chargers, who had the rights to Manning in the draft. So, Pittsburgh offered up their first round draft pick and WR Plaxico Burress to the Chargers in exchange for Manning. The Chargers agreed to the trade.

Now, the Chargers would use their draft pick to pick QB Ben Rothelisberger; after Rothelisberger was picked, he would be named the starting QB after Drew Brees was allowed to go to Miami in the 2005 season. Rothelisberger and Burress would lead the Chargers to Super Bowl XLII, winning against the New York Giants with Philip Rivers. Then came the disastrous 2008 season, with the derailment of both Rothelisberger's and Burress' careers (Rothelisberger would be accused of sexual assault by two women--while he would be acquitted, he was suspended by the Chargers after the allegations surfaced, and hasn't been the same player since; Burress, meanwhile, would have his career end after he shot himself in the knee).

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh would get the better end of the deal, with Eli Manning winning Super Bowls XL, XLIII, XLV, XLVII, and XLVIII (though some would argue that the latter two were due to the "Steel Defense" led by Richard Sherman, et. al.), and having more Super Bowl wins than his brother Peyton (and, indeed, Terry Bradshaw and the 1970s Steelers), not to mention beating both his brother and Tom Brady in numerous playoff appearances...

So, WI Pittsburgh had won the two games it nearly did IOTL--these were a Week 2 loss against Cincinnati and a Week 12 loss against the Cleveland Browns? If this butterflies away the Manning trade to Pittsburgh,who do the Chargers trade with, and does this butterfly away their win in Super Bowl XLII? Many think that win is the reason the Chargers are still in San Diego today...

I don't consider this a bad trade, IMO, because the Chargers got several playoff appearances and one Super Bowl out of it...
 
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who do the Chargers trade with, and does this butterfly away their win in Super Bowl XLII?
Depends? The card still got the #3 and would promise a few first rounder...or maybe the chargers just take Larry and Keep Brees? maybe too much Hindsight, but Larry was the second jewel of the draft besides Elisha itself.

Maybe the Giants? Dunno they rated Ben and have not trade they could have just take Ben rather trade. Sans hindsight of course.

Would the Giants win a SB ever again? since Superbowl XLII,the other only SB...a loss vs old man peyton...we know how angry was Rivers after the game.
 
Correction, he Never beat Brady, he beat the Pats in the 2009 AFCCG when Brady was injured. Otherwise they seem scared of NE, the defeats in 2012, 2015 AFCCG (both time ending a 3 peat attempt) were by over 45 points. The also lost twice this year, including a 46-3 schellacking in the AFC Divisional round game.
Point is, the Steelers have a ticket to the Divisional round every year, while the Pats, Dolphins, Chargers and Colts have to fight for scraps.
Poor Drew Brees, yeah, him they did beat many times.
 
Two more wins would have meant the Steelers were drafting in the 10-12 range. All three quarterbacks would have been off the board by then and they wouldn't have been able to trade up. They probably take someone to shore up the defense. Or reach for JP Losman, who had a decent career in St. Louis but didn't set the world on fire.

With Rivers not going to New York, the Saints might not be able to trade for Kurt Warner and win Super Bowl XLI.
 
Another interesting butterfly: Alabama wanted Nick Saban after the 2006 season. Without Brees in Miami, he might take that job instead of Auburn in 2009.
 
If Brees hadn’t gone to the Dolphins and therefore subjected himself to a patented Belichick QB beating twice a year would be have lasted longer than he did?
BB himself admitted that he only decided to rebuild the Pats D after 2008 when the first dynasty retired, because of Brees being at a division rival.
He would not have traded for Urlacher in 2006, or Woodson in 2008 or drafted JJ Watt and later Khalil Mack.
The beating Watt gave Brees in the 2015 playoffs especially was borderline criminal.
 
If Brees hadn’t gone to the Dolphins and therefore subjected himself to a patented Belichick QB beating twice a year would be have lasted longer than he did?
BB himself admitted that he only decided to rebuild the Pats D after 2008 when the first dynasty retired, because of Brees being at a division rival.
He would not have traded for Urlacher in 2006, or Woodson in 2008 or drafted JJ Watt and later Khalil Mack.
The beating Watt gave Brees in the 2015 playoffs especially was borderline criminal.
 
Another interesting butterfly: Alabama wanted Nick Saban after the 2006 season. Without Brees in Miami, he might take that job instead of Auburn in 2009.

Ohhhh...Nick Saban at Alabama is a hell of a thought. He's been wildly successful at Auburn (that 2011 National Championship team is one of the best teams I've ever seen) but combine him plus the blank checkbook from Alabama and I wonder if he ever wins more than the one BCS title.

If Saban goes to Bama I wonder what happens to Jimbo Fisher? He's got Bama humming in his second season after leaving Austin. Remember, he nearly got the Bama job in the first place in 2006 until the UT boosters opened up the checkbook so he could be the coach-in-waiting to Mack Brown.

So, if Saban ends up in Tuscaloosa in 2006 A - who does Auburn hire and B - where does Jimbo Fisher go?
 
Ohhhh...Nick Saban at Alabama is a hell of a thought. He's been wildly successful at Auburn (that 2011 National Championship team is one of the best teams I've ever seen) but combine him plus the blank checkbook from Alabama and I wonder if he ever wins more than the one BCS title.

If Saban goes to Bama I wonder what happens to Jimbo Fisher? He's got Bama humming in his second season after leaving Austin. Remember, he nearly got the Bama job in the first place in 2006 until the UT boosters opened up the checkbook so he could be the coach-in-waiting to Mack Brown.

So, if Saban ends up in Tuscaloosa in 2006 A - who does Auburn hire and B - where does Jimbo Fisher go?

Auburn was looking at Turner Gill and for some inexplicable reason, Gene Chizik. Gill is one of those coaches who looked good at a mid major and then fell on his face when he moved up to Syracuse. Chizik lost 10 games a year at Iowa State.

Jimbo might end up at LSU after Miles retires. He was offensive coordinator under Saban and Miles.

With Saban at Bama, does Miles still win national titles in 2007, 2013, and 2014?
 
Auburn was looking at Turner Gill and for some inexplicable reason, Gene Chizik. Gill is one of those coaches who looked good at a mid major and then fell on his face when he moved up to Syracuse. Chizik lost 10 games a year at Iowa State.

Jimbo might end up at LSU after Miles retires. He was offensive coordinator under Saban and Miles.

With Saban at Bama, does Miles still win national titles in 2007, 2013, and 2014?

Forgot about the LSU connection that Jimbo had. As a Noles fan in my heart of hearts I'd love if Jimbo or Saban made it to Tallahassee after Bobby Bowden was finally forced out in 2011 but I can't be too upset with Lincoln Riley - he looks really promising. Will take some time to get back to the top of the mountain but I like what he's done so far.

I think Miles wins in 2007 still - those were Saban's players for the most part - but in a world where you combine Saban and Alabama I think LSU gets left behind.
 
Also, we wouldn't have Eli Manning's appearance on an episode of This is Us, where Kate and Toby get his autograph (ironically, Chrissy Metz was born in Homestead, Florida (near Miami) and lived in Gainesville, Florida) for her and the other members of the "Big Three"…

(OOC: Given that the TV show This is Us is set in Pittsburgh and Kate's a fan of the Steelers in-show, this makes sense; Chrissy Metz really was born in Homestead IOTL and grew up in Gainesville, Florida...)
 
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